CHAP. XVII. How to make use of Christ, as the Truth, that we may get our case and con∣dition cleared up to us.
THe beleever is oft complaining of darkness, concearning his case and condition, so as he cannot tell what to say of himself, or what judg∣ment to passe on himself, and he knoweth not how to win to a distinct and clear discovery of his state and condition. Now, it is Truth alone, and the Truth, that can satisfie them as to this. The ques∣tion then is. How they shall make use of, and apply themselves to this Truth, to the end, they may get the truth of their condition discovered to them. But first let us see, what this case may be. Con∣sider then
1. That grace may be in the soul, and yet not be seen nor observed: this is manifest by daylie ex∣perience.
2. Not only so, but a gracious soul, that is reconciled with God in Christ, and hath the Spirit of grace dwelling in it, may suppose itself a stranger yet unto this reconciliation, and you of the grace of God, and so to be still in the state of nature.
3. Yea, a soul may not only suppose and conclude Page 269 it self in nature, while it is in a state of grace, but •…urder, may be filled with terrour and apprehen∣sions of God's wrath and indignation; and that in such a measure, as that thereby it may be as a di∣stracted person, as we see it was with Heman, Psal. 88: 15. who said, while I suffer thy terrours, I am distracted. The wrath of God lay hard upon Him, and he said, that he was afflicted with all God's waves vers. 7. hence he cryed out vers. 16, 17. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, thy terrours have cutt me off, they came round about me dayly, (or all the day) like water, they compassed me about to∣gether, And yet for all this, the first word of his complaint was faith vers. 1. Many such complaints hear we our of Iob's mouth, to whom God notwith∣standing was that gracious, that he never, came to question his state before God, or to conclude his hypocrisic, or his being still in the state of nature. But it is not so with every one, that is so ex∣ercised.
4. Yea further, with those inward strokes upon the soul, they may have sin and guilt charged home upon their consciences: and this will make their life yet more bitter, & put a sharper edge upon the rods. Thus was Iob made to possesse the sinnes of his youth, Iob, 13: 26. and made to say, My trans∣gression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sowest up mine iniquity Iob. 14: 17.
5. Moreover, they may be in such a condition a long time, and all the while have no light of com∣fort, as we see in Iob and Heman. They may even walk in darknesse, and have no light of comfor•… Esai. 50: 10.
Page 2706. Yea and also be without the hope of a delivery or outgate, Hence cryeth Heman Psal. 88: 4, 5. I am counted with them that go downe into the pit, free among the deed, like the slaine that lye in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more, and they are cut off from thine hand. Yea they may be driven to the very border of despaire; and conclude that there is no hope; as the Church did, Ezek. 37: 11. Our bones are dryed, and our hope is lost, and we are cut off for our pairts: and as Iob Chap. 7: 6. My dayes are swifter then a weavers shuttle, and are spent without hope, and Chap. 19: 10. He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
Now though sometimes, as we see in Iob, and in Heman too, a soul may be under such a sad and sharpe dispensation, and yet not brought to question their state, or to conclude themselves child∣ren of wrath, lyeing still in blacke nature; yet it is not so with all, who are so exercised: but many, under such a dispensation, may, at least, be in the dark, as to their state before God: and if they do not positively assert their state to be bad; yet they do much question, if they be in the state of grace, and would be comforted under all their pressures and afflictions, if they could win to the least well grounded apprehension of their interest in Christ.
In such a case as this is, there is ground fot a poor soul to make use of Christ for outgate; and an out∣gate may be had in God's time, and as He seeth sit, by a right use-making of and going▪ out to Him, who is the Truth. So then the soul, that would Page 271 have its state and condition cleared up, and a dis∣covery of its being reconciled to God through Jesus, and in a state of grace, and would make use of Christ as the Truth, for this end, would
1. Look out to Christ, as a feeling Highpriest, faithful and mercyful, who, being like us in all things except sin, doth sympathize with, and succure such as are tempted Heb. 2: 17: 18. And as a Priest, that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Heb. 4: 15. Albeit Christ, in the deepest of his darknesse, was never made to question his soneshipe, but avouched God to be his God, even when he was forsaken, Psal. 22: 1▪ Mat. 27: 46. Mark. 15: 34. Yet He knew what it was to be tempted ▪ to question his sonshipe, when the devil said unto Him Mat. 4. if thou be the Son of God, and He knowes, what such a distresse, as He himself was into, wreastling with an angry God, hideing him∣self and forsaking, will worke in a poor sinner, and being a mercyful and sympathizeing Highpriest, he cannot but pity such as are under such a distemper; and as a gracious Head sympathize with them▪ Now the beleever would look out to Him, as such an one, and upon this ground go to Him with con∣fidence and boldnesse, and lay out their case be∣fore Him, that He may helpe and send reliefe.
2. They would also eye Christ, as able to save out of that condition, and to command light to shine out of darknesse: and so, as one able to save to the uttermost, all that come to God through Him Heb. 7▪ 25.
3. And not only so, but eye Him also, as given, sent and commissioned of the Father, to be a light to Page 272 such, as sit in darknesse; even to the Gentiles, Esa. 42: 6. & 49: 6. Luk. 2: 32. Act. 13: 47. & 26: 23. Iohn. 8: 12. and this will encourage the poor Souls to go out to him, with their darknesse, when they see that He is sent, as a Light, and as the Truth, to clear up poor souls, that walk in darknesse and have no light: when they see, that it is his place and office to helpe them; and consider that He is true to his trust, and true and faithful, in all that was committed to Him, it not only will embolden them to come forward to Him, but it will streng∣then their hope, and encourage them to waite on.
4. They would stay themselves on Him, as an alsufficient helper, renunceing all other; crying out, that they will have no light, but His light; and that they will seek no where else for light, but waite at His door, till He, who is the Sun of righte∣ousnesse, arise in their soul, and come with hailing light in his wings.
5. They would by faith roll and cast their dar∣kened souls, their confused case, their over whelm∣ed hearts, on Him, and leave them there: for He is the only physitian: and the blinde soul must be put in his hand, who can take away the filme, and cause the scales fall off, and make light break in to the soul, and discover to it its condition.
6. It would be useful and very steadable, in such a time of darknesse, for the beleever, to be frequent in acting direct acts of faith on Christ; that is, be frequent in going to Him, as an alsufficient Me∣diator, as the only refuge and shadow, for a po•…r weary scoarched soul Esai. 4. last & 32: 2. And a man shall be as an hideing place from the winde, Page 273 and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a drye place, as the shadow of a great rock in a •…eary land: as one who is a strength to the needy in his distresse, a refuge from the storme, a shadow from the heat, &c. Esa. 25: 4. When the soul is thus overwhelmed with clouds, and doubteth of its in∣terest in Christ, it would then put it out of doubt, by fleeing to Him for refuge from the storme of God's indignation, and lay hold on Him, as He is offer∣ed in the gospel; and thus renew its grips of Him▪ as the offered alsufficient Mediator: and frequent direct acts of faith will helpe at length to a reflex act. The soul that is daylie running to Christ, ac∣cording to the covenant, with all its necessities; and laying hold on Him, as only able to helpe, will at length come to see, that it hath beleeved on Him, and is made welcome by Him, and accept∣ed through Him. So that rëterated acts of faith on an offered Cautioner, and Salvation, will dispel at length those clouds of darknesse, that trouble the soul.
7. Such souls would beware of making their bands stronger, and their darkness greater, by their •…olly and unwise carriage: for this cause, they would beware,
1. To cry - out in despondency of Spirit, as if there were no hope, and to conclude peremptori∣ly, that they are cut off; and it is in vaine to waite any longer: for this course will but darken them more, and multiply the clouds over their head.
2. To run away from Christ through unbeleef and dispaire; for that will make their case yet worse.
Page 2743. To walk untenderly and not circumspectly; for the moe sins appear, the lesse light will be had. O but souls would be tender in all their conversati∣on at that time, and guaird against the least sin, or appearance of evill.
4. To fret and repine against God, because of that dispensation: for that will but entangle the soul more, and wreath the yock straiter about its neck; and put it self furder out of case to be relieved, and to receive light.
8. Lastly, such would do well not to limite the holy one of Israel, but to waite with patience, till his time come, to speak-in light to the soul; know∣ing that such as waite upon Him shall never be ashamed, Esai. 49: 23. because He waiteth to be gracious; and therefore blessed are they all that waite upon him Esai. 30: 18.
Quest. But what if for all this, I get no outgate, but my distress and darkness rather grow upon my hand?
Ans. That such a thing may be, I grant, the Lord thinking it fit. (1.) To exercise their faith, dependence, patience, hope, and desire more. (2.) And to discover more unto them their own weakness, faintings, faithlesness. (3.) To shew his absolute power and soveraignity. (4.) To make his grace and mercy more conspicuous & remarke∣able at length: and. (5.) To traine them up in a∣way of dependence on him in the dark; and of lean∣ing to him, when walking in darknesse; yea and in a way of beleeving, when they think they have no faith at all, and for other holy ends. Yet the soul would not despond; for there are several things, Page 275 that may serve to support and beare up the heart, even in that case; as
1. This is not their case alone: Others have been in the like before; and many have had the like complaints in all ages, as is known to such as have been acquanted with exercised souls.
2. It may yeeld peace and comfort, to know that they are about duty, when looking to Him, and depending upon Him, and waiting for his light.
3. The promises made to such, as waite for Him, may support the soul, and yeeld comfort.
4. The distinct knowledge and uptaking of their condition, though it be comfortable and refresh∣ing; yet itis not absolutely necessary. A soul may be a saved soul, though those clouds should con∣tinue to its dying day; and though, as long as they lived, they should never get a clear discovery of their gracious state, but spend their dayes in mourning, complaineing, and crying out of dark∣nesse, &c.
5. Such a soul should think that its much, that he is keeped out of hell so long: and sure, the thoughts of what he is, and of what he doserveth, may make him sober, and not to think much, though he reach not so high, as to see his name written in the book of life.
6. They would know, that full assurance of hope and of faith, is but rare; and even such as have it, do nor ordinarily keep it long: So that it should not much trouble them, if after all their paines they cannot win at it.
7. If they win to any real ground of hope, how Page 276 small so ever, they should think much of that; for many dear to Christ live long, and never know what so much is.
8. It is no small matter, that they are not sinck∣ing in the gulfe of inconsideration, and plagued with an indifferency in these matters; but are made to value Christ and an interest in Him, at such a rate.
9. Their going to Christ with all their wants, laying all on Him; and their making that their daylie exercise, may keep up their hearts from faint∣ing, yea and fill their souls with joy: for that is really the exercise of faith. And the great and graci∣ous promises are made to such as beleeve, and not to such only, as know they do beleeve. I grant such as know not that they do beleeve, cannot draw comfort from these promises; yet it is as true, that one may, by reflecting on the actings of his own soul, see and know that really he is going out to Christ, forsaking himself, casting his burden on Him, waiting and depending upon Him: when yet he will not say, that he doth beleeve: and when he seeth this working of soul toward Christ, he is obliged to beleeve, that he beleeveth, and thereupon rejoyce in the hope of the great promises. And however, the very sight and knowledge of this acting and mo∣tion of soul, may give them some comfort, though they shall not take it for faith; because, it is the way of duty, and it is the thing, which the gospel cal∣leth for; and because they cannot show an instance of any one soul, that did so, and perished. But the truth is, the right understanding of the nature Page 277 of faith, would cleare many doubts, and prevent many questions.
I come to speak a little to the last case, which I shall handle, which is
