Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the Life Part 33

3. He should look upon himself as unworthy of the least of that kind: "I am a worm," said David, Psal. xxii. 6, "and no man."

4. He should search out his provocations, and run away to the fountain, the blood of Christ, that these may be purged away, and his conscience sprinkled from dead works, and his soul washed in the fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness.

5. He must also employ Christ, to discover to him more and more of his guiltiness, whereby he hath grieved the Spirit of G.o.d; and as sins are discovered to him, he would repent of them, and run away with them to the blood that cleanseth from all sin. This was Elihu's advice to Job, chap. x.x.xiv. 31, 32. "Surely it is meet to be said unto G.o.d, I have borne chastis.e.m.e.nt, I will not offend. That which I see not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more."

6. He should grip to Christ in the covenant, and rest there with joy and satisfaction; he should hold that fast that he may ride out the storm in a dark night; "though he make not mine house to grow," said David, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5; yet this was all his salvation and all his desire, that he "had made with him an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure." The spouse took this course, when she could not get a sight of him whom her soul loved, Cant. vi. 3, and a.s.serted her interest in him; "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine."

7. He should be entertaining high and loving thoughts of G.o.d, commending him highly, let his dispensations be what they will. So did the spouse, Cant. v. 10, 16.

8. He should earnestly seek after him. The spouse did so, Cant. v. 6.

The discouragement she met with at the hands of the watchmen, did not put her off her pursuit, ver. 7, but she continued, yea, was "sick of love;" ver. 8; and her looks had a prevailing power with him, as we see, Cant. vi. 5, where the bridegroom uttered that most astonis.h.i.+ng word, "Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me."

9. This new manifestation which he is seeking for, must be expected in and through Christ, who is the true tabernacle, and he who was represented by the mercy-seat. He is the only trusting-place; in him alone will the Father be seen.

10. He should also look to him for strength and support, in the mean time; and for grace, that he may be kept from fainting, and may be helped to wait till he come, who knoweth the fittest season wherein to appear.

But it will be said, what if, after all this, we get no outgate, but he hideth his face still from us?

I answer, such should know, that life is one thing, and comfort is another thing; grace is one thing, and warm blinks of G.o.d's face is another. The one is necessary to the very being of a Christian, the other not, but only necessary to his comfortable being; and therefore they should be content, if G.o.d give them grace, though they miss comfort for a time.

2. They should learn to commit that matter to Christ who knoweth how to give that which is good and best for them.

3. They should be hanging on him for strength and for duty; and in his strength setting about every commanded duty, and be exercising faith, love, patience, hope, desire, &c.

4. Let the well-ordered covenant be all their salvation, and all their desire; and though they should not get a comfortable blink of G.o.d's face, so long as they were here, yet holding fast this covenant, they should at length be saved souls, and what would they have more? and when they get this, what will they miss?

CHAPTER XXVII.

HOW SHALL ONE MAKE USE OF CHRIST AS THE LIFE, WHEN WRESTLING WITH AN ANGRY G.o.d BECAUSE OF SIN?

That we may give some satisfaction to this question, we shall,

1. Shew what are the ingredients in this case, or what useth to concur in this distemper.

2. Shew some reasons why the Lord is pleased to dispense thus with his people.

3. Shew how Christ is life to the soul in this case.

4. Shew the believer's duty for a recovery; and,

5. Add a word or two of caution.

As to the _first,_ There may be those parts of, or ingredients in this distemper:

1. G.o.d presenting their sins unto their view, so as they shall cry out, "Our sin is ever before us," Psal. li. 3, and say, as it is, Psal. xc.

8. "Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance;" and so cause them see the Lord contending for sin, as the church did, Isa. lix. "We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves. We look for judgment but there is none, for salvation but it is far off from us; for our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them," &c.

2. Yea, G.o.d may bring upon them the iniquities of their youth, as Job speaketh, chap. xiii. 26, and so bring upon them, or suffer conscience to charge them, with their old sins formerly repented of and pardoned.

And this is more terrible: David is made to remember his original sin, Psal. li.

3. And, as Job speaketh, chap. xv. 17, G.o.d may seem to be sealing up all their sins in a bag, that none of them may be lost or fall by, without being taken notice of; and, as it were, be gathering them together in a heap.

4. He may pursue sore with signs of wrath and displeasure, because of those sins, as we see in David, Psal. iv.; x.x.xviii. 51, and in several others of his people, chastened of the Lord because of their transgressions; whereof there are many instances in Scripture.

5. Yea, and that for a considerable time together, and cause them cry out, with David, Psal. iv. 3, "But thou, O Lord, how long!"

6. And that not only with outward, but also with inward plagues and strokes, as David's case cleareth, in the fore-cited Psalms.

7. Yea, and not even themselves, but even their posterity; as David's child was smitten with death, and the posterity of Mana.s.ses, who found mercy himself, 2 Chron. x.x.xiii. 13, was carried into captivity for his sin, 2 Kings xxiii. 26, 27.

8. Further, the Lord may deprive them of all their former joy and comfort, which made David cry out, Psalm li. 12, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and grant me thy free Spirit."

9. And, which is yet more terrible, write their sin upon their judgment, as when he caused the sword and wh.o.r.edom follow David's house.

10. And, finally, he may cause them fear utter off-casting, as Psalm li.

12, "cast me not away," said he, "from thy presence."

And this the Lord thinketh good to do (that we may speak a word to the _second_ particular) for those, and the like reasons:

1. To discover to them, and to all the world, how just, holy, and righteous a G.o.d he is, that cannot approve of, or bear with sin, even in his own children.

2. To make all fear and tremble before this great and holy G.o.d, who is terrible in his judgments, even when they come from a Father's hand that is not pursuing in pure anger and wrath, but chastening in love. Sure all must think that his dispensations with the wicked will be much more fearful and horrible, seeing they are not yet reconciled to him through the blood of Jesus.

3. To press believers more earnestly into Christ, that they may get a new extract of their pardon, and their souls washed in the blood of Jesus.

4. To teach them to walk more circ.u.mspectly afterwards, and to guard more watchfully against Satan's temptations, and to employ Christ more as their strength, light, and guide.

5. To cause them see their great obligation to Jesus Christ, for delivering them from that state of wrath, wherein they were by nature, as well as others, and would have lain in to all eternity, had he not redeemed them.

6. To exercise their faith, patience, and hope; to see if in hope they will believe against hope, and lay hold on the strength of the Lord, that they make peace with him, Isaiah xxvii. 5.

7. To give a fresh proof of his wonderful mercy, grace, love, and compa.s.sion, upholding the soul in the mean time, and at length pardoning them, and speaking peace to their souls through the blood of Jesus.

But as to the _third_ particular, we may look on Christ as the Life to the soul in this case, upon those accounts,

1. He hath satisfied justice, and so hath borne the pure wrath of G.o.d due for their sins. "He hath trodden the wine press alone," Isaiah lxiii. 5. "He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our sins," Isaiah liii. 5, 10; and therefore they drink not of this cup which would make them drunk, and to stagger, and fall, and never rise again.

2. Yea, he hath procured that mercy and love shall accompany all those sharp dispensations, and that they shall flow from mercy; yea, and that they shall be as a covenanted blessing promised in the covenant, Psalm lx.x.xix. 30, &c.

3. And sometimes he is pleased to let them see this clear difference betwixt the strokes they lie under, and the judgments of pure wrath which attend the wicked; and this supporteth the soul; for then he seeth that those dispensations, how sharp soever they be, shall work together for good to him, and come from the hand of a gracious loving Father, reconciled in the blood of Christ.

4. "He is a Prince, exalted to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel," Acts v. 31. Yea, he hath procured such a clause in the covenant, which is well ordered in all things and sure, that upon their renewing of faith and repentance, their after sins shall be pardoned; and besides the promises of faith and repentance in the covenant, his being a Prince exalted to give both, giveth a.s.surance of their receiving of both.

5. He cleareth to them their interest in the covenant, and their right to the promises of the covenant; and through their closing with Christ by faith, he raiseth up their heart in hope, and causeth them to expect an outgate, even remission of their sins, and turning away the displeasure in due time through him. And this is a great part of their life.