 12 The Eighth Direction—Thoughtfulness of the Excellency of the Majesty of God—our unacquaintedness with Him proposed and considered. 8. Use and exercise thyself to such meditations as may serve to fill thee at all times with self-abasement and thoughts of thine own vileness, as, 1. Be much in thoughtfulness of the Excellency of the Majesty of God and thine infinite, inconceivable distance from Him. Many thoughts of it cannot but fill thee with a sense of thine own vileness, which strikes deep at the root of any indwelling sin. When Job comes to a clear discovery of the greatness and the Excellency of God, he is filled with self-apporance and is pressed to humiliation. Job 42.5.6. And in what state doth the Prophet Habakkuk affirm himself to be cast upon the apprehension of the Majesty of God? Chapter 3.16. 12. With God, says Job, is terrible majesty. Hence were the thoughts of them of old that when they had seen God they should die. The scripture abounds in this self-abasing consideration, comparing the men of the earth to grasshoppers, to vanity, the dust of the balance in respect of God. Be much in thoughts of this nature, to abase the pride of thy heart, and to keep thy soul humble within thee. There is nothing will render thee a greater indisposition to be imposed on by the deceits of sin than such a frame of heart. Think greatly of the greatness of God. 2. Think much of thine unacquaintedness with him. Though thou knowest enough to keep thee low and humble, yet how little a portion is it that thou knowest of him. The contemplation hereof cast that wise man into that apprehension of himself which he expresses, Proverbs 30, 2-4. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or decent? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou can't tell? Labor with this also to take down the pride of thy heart. What dost thou know of God? How little a portion is it? How immense is he in his nature? Can't thou look without terror into the abyss of eternity? Thou can't not bear the rays of his glorious being. Because I look on this consideration of great use in our walking with God, so far as it may have a consistency with that filial boldness which is given us in Jesus Christ to draw nigh to the throne of grace, I shall further insist upon it, to give an abiding impression of it to the souls of them who desire to walk humbly with God. Consider then, I say, to keep thy heart and continual awe of the Majesty of God, that persons of the most high and eminent attainment of the nearest and most familiar communion with God do yet in this life know but a very little of him and his glory. God reveals his name to Moses, the most glorious attributes that he hath manifested in the Covenant of Grace, Exodus 34, 5, 6. Yet all are but the back parts of God. All that he knows by it is but little, low, compared to the perfections of his glory. Hence it is with peculiar reference to Moses that it is said, No man hath seen God at any time, John 1.18. Of him in comparison with Christ doth he speak, verse 17, and of him it is here said, No man, no, not Moses, the most eminent among them, hath seen God at any time. We speak much of God, can talk of him, his ways, his works, his counsels, all the day long. The truth is we know very little of him. Our thoughts, our meditations, our expressions of him are low, many of them unworthy of his glory, none of them reaching his perfections. You will say that Moses was under the law when God wrapped up himself in darkness and his mind in types and clouds and dark institutions. Under the glorious shining of the gospel which hath brought life and immortality to light, God being revealed from his own bosom, we know now much more clearly as he is. We see his face now and not his back parts only, as Moses did. Answer 1. I acknowledge a vast and almost inconceivable difference between the acquaintance we now have with God after his speaking to us by his own son, and that which the generality of the saints had under the law. For although their eyes were as good, sharp, and clear as ours, their faith and spiritual understanding not behind ours, the object as glorious unto them as unto us, yet our day is more clear than theirs was. The clouds are blown away and scattered. The shadows of the night are gone and fled away. The sun is risen, and the means of sight is made more eminent and clear than formally. Yet, two, that peculiar sight which Moses had of God, Exodus 34, was a gospel sight, a sight of God as gracious, etc., and yet it is called but his back parts, that is, but low and mean in comparison of his excellencies and perfections. 3. The apostle, exalting to the utmost this glory of light above that of the law, manifesting that now the veil causing darkness is taken away, so that with open or uncovered face we behold the glory of the Lord, tells us how, as in a glass, 2 Corinthians 3, 18. In a glass, how is that? Clearly, perfectly? Alas, no. He tells you how that is. For 1 Corinthians 13, 12. We see through a glass, darkly, saith he. It is not a telescope that helps us to see things afar off concerning which the apostle speaks, and yet what poor helps are they? How short do we come of the truth of things notwithstanding their assistance? It is a looking glass wherein to he eludes, where are only obscure species and images of things and not the things themselves, and the sight therein that he compares our knowledge to. He tells you also that all we do see, de as subtru, by, or through this glass, is in I-nigmati, in a riddle, in darkness and obscurity. And speaking of himself, who surely was much more clear-sighted than any now living, he tells us that he saw but ek merus, in part. He saw but the back parts of heavenly things, verse 12, and he compares all the knowledge that he had attained of God to that he had of things when he was a child, verse 11. It is a merus, short of the tateleon, ye, such as kathar-gaythe satay, it shall be destroyed, or done away. We know what weak, feeble, uncertain notions and apprehensions children have of things of any abstruse consideration, how when they grow up with any improvements of parts and abilities, those conceptions vanish, and they are ashamed of them. It is the commendation of a child to love, honor, believe, and obey his father. But for his science and notions his father knows his childishness and folly. Not withstanding all our confidence of high attainments, all our notions of God are but childish in respect of his infinite perfections. We lisp and babble, and say we know not what, for the most part, in our most accurate, as we think, conceptions and notions of God. We may love, honor, believe, and obey our father, and therewith he accepts our childish thoughts, for they are but childish. We see but his back parts. We know but little of him. Hence is that promise wherewith we are so often supported and comforted in our distress. We shall see him as he is. We shall see him face to face. Know as we are known. Comprehend that for which we are comprehended. 1 Corinthians 1312, 1 John 3, 2. And positively, now we see him not. All concluding that here we see but his back parts. Not as he is, but in a dark, obscure representation. Not in the perfection of his glory. The Queen of Sheba had heard much of Solomon, and framed many great thoughts of his magnificence in her mind thereupon. But when she came and saw his glory she was forced to confess that the one half of the truth had not been told her. We may suppose that we have here attained great knowledge, clear, and high thoughts of God. But alas, when he shall bring us into his presence we shall cry out, we never knew him as he is. The thousandth part of his glory and perfection and blessedness never entered into our hearts. The apostle tells us, 1 John 3, 2, that we know not what we ourselves shall be. What we shall find ourselves in the issue. Much less will it enter into our hearts to conceive what God is, and what we shall find him to be. Consider either him who is to be known, or the way whereby we know him, and this will further appear. 1. We know so little of God, because it is God who is thus to be known. That is, he who hath described himself to us very much by this, that we cannot know him. What else doth he intend where he calls himself invisible, incomprehensible, and the like? That is, he whom we do not cannot know as he is. And our further progress consists more in knowing what he is not than what he is. Thus is he described to be immortal, infinite. That is, he is not as we are, mortal, finite, and limited. Hence is that glorious description of him. 1 Timothy 6, 16. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see. His light is such as no creature can approach unto. He is not seen, not because he cannot be seen, but because we cannot bear the sight of him. The light of God, in whom is no darkness, forbids all access to him by any creature whatever. We who cannot behold the Son in its glory are too weak to bear the beams of infinite brightness. On this consideration, as was said, the wise man professeth himself a very beast and not to have the understanding of a man. Proverbs 32. That is, he knew nothing in comparison of God, so that he seemed to have lost all his understanding when once he came to the consideration of him, his work, and his ways. In this consideration let our souls descend to some particulars. 1. For the being of God. We are so far from a knowledge of it, so as to be able to instruct one another therein by words and expressions of it, as that to frame any conceptions in our mind with such species and impressions of things as we receive the knowledge of all other things by, is to make an idol to ourselves, and so to worship a God of our own making, and not the God that made us. We may as well, and as lawfully, hew him out of wood or stone as form him a being in our minds suited to our apprehensions. The utmost of the best of our thoughts of the being of God is that we can have no thoughts of it. Our knowledge of a being is but low when it mounts no hire but only to know that we know it not. 2. There be some things of God which he himself hath taught us to speak of, and to regulate our expressions of them. But when we have so done we see not the things themselves, we know them not. To believe and admire is all that we attain to. We profess as we are taught that God is infinite, omnipotent, eternal, and we know what disputes and notions there are about omnipresence, immensity, infiniteness, and eternity. We have, I say, words and notions about these things, but as to the things themselves what do we know? What do we comprehend of them? Can the mind of man do any more but swallow itself up in an infinite abyss, which is as nothing, give itself up to what it cannot conceive much less express? Is not our understanding brutish in the contemplation of such things, and is as if it were not? Yea, the perfection of our understanding is not to understand and to rest there. They are but the back parts of eternity and infiniteness that we have a glimpse of. What shall I say of the trinity, or the subsistence of distinct persons in the same individual essence, a mystery by many denied because by none understood, a mystery whose every letter is mysterious? Who can declare the generation of the sun, the procession of the spirit, or the difference of the one from the other? But I shall not further instance in particulars, that infinite and inconceivable distance that is between him and us, keeps us in the dark as to any sight of his face, or clear apprehension of his perfections. We know him rather by what he does than by what he is, by his doing us good than by his essential goodness, and how little a portion of him, as Job speaks, is hereby discovered. Two, we know little of God because it is faith alone whereby here we know him. I shall not now discourse about the remaining impressions on the hearts of all men by nature that there is a God, nor what they may rationally be taught concerning that God from the works of his creation and providence, which they see and behold. It is confessedly, and that upon the woeful experience of all ages, so weak, low, dark, confused, that none ever on that account glorified God as they ought, but not withstanding all their knowledge of God were indeed without God in the world. The chief, and upon the matter, almost only acquaintance we have with God, and his dispensations of himself, is by faith. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, Hebrews 11.6. Our knowledge of him, and his rewarding, the bottom of our obedience, or coming to him, is believing. We walk by faith, and not by sight, 2 Corinthians 5.7. Dea pisteos ou dea edus, by faith, and so by faith as not to have any express idea, image, or species of that which we believe. Faith is all the argument we have of things not seen, Hebrews 11.1. I might here insist upon the nature of it, and from all its concomitance and concernments manifest that we know but the back parts of what we know by faith only. As to its rise, it is built purely upon the testimony of him whom we have not seen, as the apostle speaks, how can ye love him whom ye have not seen? That is, whom you know not but by faith that he is. Faith receives all upon his testimony, whom it receives to be only on his own testimony. As to its nature, it is an assent upon testimony, not an evidence upon demonstration, and the object of it is, as was said before, above us. Hence our faith, as was formally observed, is called a seeing darkly as in a glass. All that we know this way, and all that we know of God we know this way, is but low and dark and obscure. But you will say, all this is true, but yet it is only so to them that know not God, perhaps as he is revealed in Jesus Christ, with them who do so it is otherwise. It is true no man hath seen God at any time, but the only begotten Son he hath revealed him, John 1.18, and the Son of God has come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true, 1 John 5.20. The illumination of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, shineth upon believers, 2 Corinthians 4.4. Yea, and God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shines into their hearts to give them the knowledge of his glory in the face of his Son, verse 6. So that though we were darkness, yet we are now light in the Lord, Ephesians 5.8. And the Apostle says, We all with open face behold the glory of the Lord, 2 Corinthians 3.18. And we are now so far from being in such darkness, or at such a distance from God, that our communion and fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, 1 John 1.3. The light of the Gospel whereby now God is revealed is glorious, not a star, but the Son in his beauty is risen upon us, and the veil is taken from our faces. So that though unbelievers yea, and perhaps some weak believers may be in some darkness, yet those of any growth or considerable attainments have a clear sight and view of the face of God in Jesus Christ. To which I answer, 1. The truth is we all of us know enough of him to love him more than we do, to delight in him and serve him, believe him, obey him, put our trust in him, above all that we have hitherto attained. Our darkness and weakness is no plea for our negligence and disobedience. Who is it that hath walked up to the knowledge that he hath had of the perfections, excellencies, and will of God? God's end in giving us any knowledge of himself here is that we may glorify him as God, that is, love him, serve him, believe and obey him, give him all the honor and glory that is due from poor, sinful creatures to a sin-pardoning God and Creator. We must all acknowledge that we were never thoroughly transformed into the image of that knowledge which we have had, and had we used our talents well, we might have been trusted with more. 2. Comparatively, that knowledge which we have of God by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel is exceeding eminent and glorious. It is so in comparison of any knowledge of God that might otherwise be attained, or was delivered in the law under the Old Testament, which had but the shadow of good things, but the express image of them. This the apostle pursues at large, 2 Corinthians 3. Christ hath now in these last days revealed the Father from his own bosom, declared his name, made known his mind, will, and counsel in a far more clear, eminent, distinct manner than he did formally, whilst he kept his people under the pedagogy of the law. And this is that which, for the most part, is intended in the places before mentioned. The clear, perspicuous delivery and declaration of God and his will in the Gospel is expressly exalted in comparison of any other way of revelation of himself. 3. The difference between believers and unbelievers as to knowledge is not so much in the matter of their knowledge as in the manner of knowing. Unbelievers, some of them, may know more and be able to say more of God, his perfections and his will, than many believers. But they know nothing as they ought, nothing in a right manner, nothing spiritually and savingly, nothing with a holy, heavenly light. The excellency of a believer is, not that he hath a large apprehension of things, but that what he doth apprehend, which perhaps may be very little, he sees it in the light of the Spirit of God, in a saving, soul-transforming light, and this is that which gives us communion with God, and not prying thoughts or curious-raised notions. 4. Jesus Christ by his Word and Spirit reveals to the heart of all his, God as a Father, as a God in Covenant, as a Rewarder, every way sufficiently to teach us to obey him here, and to lead us to his bosom, to lie down there in the fruition of him to eternity. But yet, now, 5. Notwithstanding all this, it is but a little portion we know of him. We see but his back parts, for, first, the intentment of all gospel revelation is not to unveil God's essential glory, that we should see him as he is, but merely to declare so much of him as he knows sufficient to be a bottom of our faith, love, obedience, and coming to him, that is, of the faith which here he expects from us, such services as beseem poor creatures in the midst of temptations. But when he calls us to eternal admiration and contemplation without interruption, he will make a new manner of discovery of himself, and the whole shape of things, as it now lies before us, will depart as a shadow. Secondly, we are dull and slow of heart to receive the things that are in the word revealed. God, by our infirmity and weakness, keeping us in continual dependence on him for teachings and revelations of himself out of his word, never in this world bringing any soul to the utmost of what is from the word to be made out and discovered, so that, although the way of revelation in the gospel be clear and evident, yet we know little of the things themselves that are revealed. Let us, then, revive the use and intentment of this consideration. We'll not a due apprehension of this inconceivable greatness of God, and that infinite distance wherein we stand from him, fill the soul with a holy and awful fear of him so as to keep it in a frame unsuited to the thriving or flourishing of any lust whatever. Let the soul be continually wanted to reverential thoughts of God's greatness and omnipresence, and it will be much upon its watch as to any undue deportments. Consider him with whom you have to do. Even our God is a consuming fire. And in your greatest abashments at his presence and I know that your very nature is too narrow to bear apprehensions suitable to his essential glory. End of CHAPTER XII. How we may know when we measure our peace unto ourselves, directions as to that inquiry, the vanity of speaking peace slightly, also of doing it on one singular account, not universally. Ninthly, this is our next direction. Without the observation whereof the heart will be exceedingly exposed to the deceitfulness of sin. This is a business of great importance. It is a sad thing for a man to deceive his own soul herein. All the warnings God gives us in tenderness to our souls to try and examine ourselves do tend to the preventing of this great evil of speaking peace groundlessly to ourselves, which is upon the issue to bless ourselves in an opposition to God. It is not my business to insist upon the danger of it, but to help believers to prevent it, and to let them know when they do so. To manage this direction aright, observe, one, that as it is the great prerogative and sovereignty of God to give grace to whom he will, he hath mercy on whom he will, Romans 9 18, and among all the sons of men he calls whom he will, and sanctifies whom he will, so among those so called and justified, and whom he will save, he yet reserves this privilege to himself, to speak peace to whom he pleaseth, and in what degree he pleaseth, even amongst them on whom he hath bestowed grace. He is the God of all consolation, and in a special manner in his dealing with believers, that is, of the good things that he keeps locked up in his family, and gives out of it to all his children at his pleasure. This the Lord insists on Isaiah 57 16-18. It is the case under consideration that is there insisted on. When God says he will heal their breeches and disconsolations, he assumes this privilege to himself in an special manner. I create it. Verse 19. Even in respect of these poor wounded creatures I create it, and according to my sovereignty make it out as I please. Hence as it is with the collation of grace in reference to them that are in the state of nature, God doth it in great curiosity, and his proceedings therein in taking and leaving as to outward appearances, quite besides and contrary off times to all probable expectations. So is it in his communications of peace and joy in reference unto them that are in the state of grace. He gives them out off times quite besides our expectation, as to any appearing grounds of his dispensations. 2. As God creates it for whom he pleaseth, so it is the prerogative of Christ to speak at home to the conscience. 3. Speaking to the church of Laodicea, who had healed her wounds falsely, and spoke peace to herself when she ought not, he takes to himself that title, I am the amen, the faithful witness. Revelation 3.14. He bears testimony concerning our condition as it is indeed. We may possibly mistake and trouble ourselves in vain, or flatter ourselves upon false grounds, but he is the amen, the faithful witness. And what he speaks of our state and condition, that it is indeed. Isaiah 11.3. He is said not to judge after the sight of his eyes, not according to any outward appearance, or anything that may be subject to a mistake, as we are apt to do. But he shall judge and determine every case as it is indeed. Take these two previous observations, and I shall give some rules whereby men may know whether God speaks peace to them, or whether they speak peace to themselves only. 1. Men certainly speak peace to themselves when their so doing is not attended with the greatest detestation imaginable of that sin in reference whereunto they do speak peace to themselves, and abhorrency of themselves for it. When men are wounded by sin, disquieted and perplexed, and knowing that there is no peace for them but only in the mercies of God through the blood of Christ, do therefore look to him and to the promises of the covenant in him, and thereupon quiet their hearts, that it shall be well with them, and that God will be exalted, that he may be gracious to them. And yet their souls are not wrought to the greatest detestation of the sin, or sins upon the account whereof they are disquieted. This is to heal themselves and not to be healed of God. This is but a great and strong wind that the Lord is nigh unto, but the Lord is not in the wind. When men do truly look upon Christ whom they have pierced, without which there is no healing or peace, they will mourn Zachariah 12.10. They will mourn for him, even upon this account, and detest the sin that pierced him. When we go to Christ for healing, faith eyes him peculiarly as one pierced. Faith takes several views of Christ according to the occasions of address to him and communion with him that it hath. Sometimes it views his holiness, sometimes his power, sometimes his love, sometimes his favor with his father. And when it goes for healing and peace it looks especially on the blood of the Covenant, on his sufferings, for with his stripes we are healed, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him. Isaiah 53.5. When we look for healing, his stripes are to be eyed, not in the outward story of them, which is the course of Popush devotionus, but in the love, kindness, mystery, and design of the cross. And when we look for peace, his chastisements must be upon our eye. Now this I say if it be done according to the mind of God, and in the strength of that spirit which is poured out on believers, it will beget a detestation of that sin or sins for which healing and peace is sought. So Ezekiel 16, 60, and 61. Nevertheless I will remember my Covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant. And what then? Then thou shalt remember thy ways and be ashamed. When God comes home to speak peace in a sure Covenant of it, it fills the soul with shame for all the ways whereby it hath been alienated from him. And one of the things that the apostle mentions as attending that godly sorrow, which is accompanied with repentance unto salvation, never to be repented of, is revenge. Yea, what revenge? 2 Corinthians 7, 11. They reflected on their miscarriages with indignation and revenge for their folly in them. When Job comes up to a thorough healing he cries, Now I abhor myself. Job 42, 6. And until he did so he had no abiding peace. He might perhaps have made up himself with that doctrine of free grace which was so excellently preached by Elihu, chapter 33 from verse 14 unto 30. But he had then but skinned his wounds. He must come to self-apporancy if he comes to healing. So was it with those in Psalm 78, 33 through 35, in their great trouble and perplexity, for and upon the account of sin. I doubt not, but upon the address they made to God in Christ, for that so they did is evident from the titles they gave him. They call him their Rock and their Redeemer, two words everywhere pointing out the Lord Christ. They spake peace to themselves. But was it sound and abiding? No, it passed away as the early do. God speaks not one word of peace to their souls. But why had they not peace? Why? Because in their address to God they flattered him. But how did that appear? Verse 37 Their heart was not right with him. Neither were they steadfast. They had not a detestation nor relinquishment of that sin and reference where into they spake peace to themselves. Let a man make what application he will for healing and peace. Let him do it to the true physician. Let him do it in the right way. Let him quiet his heart in the promises of the covenant. Yet when peace is spoken, if it be not attended with the detestation and abhorrancy of that sin which was the wound and caused the disquietment, this is no peace of God's creating but of our own purchasing. It is but a skinning over the wound whilst the core lies at the bottom which will putrify and corrupt and corrode until it break out again with noisomeness, vexation and danger. Let not poor souls that walk in such a path as this who are more sensible of the trouble of sin than of the pollution of uncleanness that attends it, who address themselves for mercy, yea, to the Lord in Christ they address themselves for mercy, but yet will keep the sweet morsel of their sin under their tongue. Let them, I say, never think to have true and solid peace. For instance, thou findest thy heart running out after the world, and it disturbs thee in thy communion with God. The spirit speaks expressly to thee. He that loveth the world, the love of the Father, is not in him. This puts thee on dealing with God in Christ for the healing of thy soul, the quieting of thy conscience. But yet with all a thorough detestation of the evil itself abides not upon thee. Yea, perhaps that is liked well enough, but only in respect of the consequences of it. Perhaps thou mayst be saved, yet as through fire, and God will have some work with thee before he hath done. But thou wilt have little peace in this life. Thou wilt be sick and fainting all thy days, Isaiah 57, 17. This is a deceit that lies at the root of the peace of many professors, and wastes it. They deal with all their strength about mercy and pardon, and seem to have great communion with God, and they're doing so. They lie before him, bewail their sins and follies, that any one would think, yea, they think themselves, that surely they and their sins are now parted, and so receive and mercy that satisfies their hearts for a little season. But when a thorough search comes to be made, there hath been some secret reserve for the folly or follies treated about. At least there hath not been that thorough abhorrence of it which is necessary, and their whole peace is quickly discovered to be weak and rotten, scarce abiding any longer than the words of begging it are in their mouths. 2. When men measure out peace to themselves upon the conclusions that their convictions and rational principles will carry them out unto, this is a false peace, and will not abide. I shall a little explain what I mean hereby. A man hath got a wound by sin. He hath a conviction of some sin upon his conscience. He hath not walked uprightly as becomeeth the gospel. All is not well and right between God and his soul. He considers now what is to be done. Light he hath, and knows what path he must take, and how his soul hath been formerly healed. Considering that the promises of God are the outward means of application for the healing of his sores and quieting of his heart, he goes to them, searches them out, finds out some one or more of them whose literal expressions are directly suited to his condition. Says he to himself, God speaks in this promise. Here I will take myself a plaster as long and broad as my wound. And so brings the word of the promise to his condition, and sets him down in peace. This is another appearance upon the mount. The Lord is near, but the Lord is not in it. It hath not been the work of the Spirit, who alone can convince us of sin, and righteousness, and judgment, but the mere actings of the intelligent, rational soul. As there are three sorts of lives we say, the vegetative, the sensitive, and the rational or intelligent, some things have only the vegetative, some the sensitive also, and that includes the former. Some have the rational, which takes in and supposes both the other. Now he that hath the rational doth not only act suitably to that principle, but also to both the others. He grows and is sensible. It is so with men and the things of God. Some are mere natural and rational men. Some have a super-added conviction with illumination, and some are truly regenerate. Now he that hath the latter hath also both the former, and therefore he acts sometimes upon the principles of the rational, sometimes upon the principles of the enlightened man. His true spiritual life is not the principle of all his motions. He acts not always in the strength thereof, neither are all his fruits from that root. In this case that I speak of, he acts merely upon the principle of conviction and illumination, whereby his first naturals are heightened. But the Spirit breathes not at all upon these waters. Take an instance. Suppose the wound and disquiet of soul to be upon the account of relapses, which whatever the evil or folly be, though for the matter of it never so small, yet there are no wounds deeper than those that are given the soul on that account, nor disquietments greater. In the perturbation of his mind he finds out that promise, Isaiah 55.7. The Lord will have mercy, and our God will abundantly pardon. He will multiply or add to pardon. He will do it again and again, or that in Hosea 14.4. I will heal their backsliding. I will love them freely. This the man considers, and thereupon concludes peace to himself. Whether the Spirit of God make the application or know, whether that gives life and power to the letter or know, that he regards not. He doth not wait upon God, who perhaps yet hides his face and sees the poor creature stealing peace and running away with it, knowing that the time will come when he will deal with him again, and call to him a new reckoning, when he shall see that it is in vain to go one step where God doth not take him by the hand. I see here, indeed, sundry other questions upon this arising and interposing themselves. I count on the one, I shall a little speak to. It may be said, then, seeing that this seems to be the path that the Holy Spirit leads us in for the healing of our wounds and quieting of our hearts, how shall we know when we go alone ourselves and when the Spirit also doth accompany us? Answer. One. If any of you are out of the way upon this account, God will speedily let you know that you are not alone. If any of you are out of the way upon this account, God will speedily let you know it. For besides that you have his promise, that the meek he will guide in judgment and teach them his way, Psalm 25 9, he will not let you always err. He will, I say, not suffer your nakedness to be covered with fig leaves, but take them away and all the peace you have in them and will obey. That is, you shall speedily know whether or know it be thus with you by the event. The peace you thus get and obtain will not abide. Whilst the mind is overpowered by its own convictions, there is no hold for disquietments to fix upon. Stay a little and all these reasonings will grow cold and vanish before the face of the first temptation that arises. But. Two. Without waiting, which is the grace and that peculiar acting of faith which God calls for to be exercised in such a condition. I know God doth sometimes come in upon the soul instantly in a moment as it were, wounding and healing it. As I am persuaded it was in the case of David, when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment. But ordinarily in such a case God calls for waiting and laboring, attending as the eye servant upon his master. Says the prophet Isaiah, Chapter 8, 17, I will wait upon the Lord who hideeth his face from the house of Jacob. God will have his children lie awhile at his door when they have run from his house, and not instantly rush in upon him, unless he take them by the hand and pluck them in when they are so ashamed that they dare not come to him. They will not tarry. They do not harken what God speaks, but on they will go to be healed. 3. Such a course, though it may quiet the conscience, and the mind, the rational concluding part of the soul, yet it doth not sweeten the heart with rest and gracious contentation. The answer it receives is much like that Elisha gave Naaman. Go in peace. It quieted his mind, but I much question whether it sweetened his heart, or gave him any joy in believing, other than the natural joy that was then stirred in him upon his healing. Do not my words do good, saith the Lord, Micah 2.7. When God speaks, there is not only truth in his words that may answer the conviction of our understandings, but also they do good. They bring that which is sweet and affections. By them the soul returns unto its rest. Psalm 116.7 4. Which is worst of all, it amends not the life, it heals not the evil, it cures not the distemper. When God speaks peace, it guides and keeps the soul that it turn not again to folly. When we speak it ourselves, the heart is not taken off the evil. Nay, it is the radiest course in the world to bring a soul into a trade of backsliding. If upon thy plastering thyself, thou finest thyself rather animated to the battle again than utterly weaned from it, it is too palpable that thou hast been at work with thine own soul, but Jesus Christ and his spirit were not there. Yea, and often times nature having done its work will, ere a few days are over, come to this reward, and having been active in the work of healing will be ready to reason for a new wounding. In God's speaking peace there comes along so much sweetness and such a discovery of his love as is a strong obligation on the soul no more to deal perversely. 3. We speak peace to ourselves when we do it slightly. This the prophet complains of in some teachers, Jeremiah 14, they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly. And it is so with some persons they make the healing of their wounds a slight work, a look, a glance of faith to the promises does it, and so the matter is ended. The apostle tells us that the word did not profit some, because it was not mixed with faith, Hebrews 4, 2. May son chechrominos it was not well tempered and mingled with faith. It is not a mere look to the word of mercy in the promise, but it must be mingled with faith until it is incorporated into the very nature of it, and then indeed it doth good unto the soul. If thou hast had a wound upon thy conscience, which was attended with weakness and disquietness, which now thou art freed of, how cameest thou so? I looked to the promises of found peace. Yea, but perhaps thou hast made too much haste, thou hast done it overtly, thou hast not fed upon the promise so as to mix it with faith, to have got all the virtue of it diffused into thy soul, only thou hast done it slightly. Thou wilt find thy wound, ere it be long, breaking out again, and thou shalt know that thou art not cured. He speaks peace to himself upon one account, and at the same time hath another evil of no less importance lying upon his spirit about which he hath had no dealing with God, that man cries peace when there is none. A little to explain my meaning. A man hath neglected a duty again and again, perhaps when in all righteousness it was due from him. His conscience is perplexed, his soul wounded, he hath no quiet wounds by reason of his sin. He applies himself for healing and finds peace. Yet in the meantime perhaps worldliness, or pride, or some other folly wherewith the spirit of God is exceedingly grieved may lie in the bosom of that man, and they neither disturb him nor he them. Let not that man think that any of his peace is from God. Then shall it be well with men when they have an equal respect for those commandments. God will justify us from our sins but he will not justify the least sin in us. He is a God of pure eyes than to behold iniquity. 5. When men of themselves speak peace to their consciences it is seldom that God speaks humiliation to their souls. God's peace is a humbling peace, melting peace, as it was in the case of David. Never such deep humiliation as when Nathan brought him the tidings of his pardon. But you will say, when may we take the comfort of a promise as our own in relation to some peculiar wound for the quieting the heart. First and general when God speaks it, be it when it will, sooner or later. I told you before he may do it in the very instant of the sin itself and that with such irresistible soul must needs receive his mind in it. Sometimes he will make us wait longer. But when he speaks, be it sooner or later, be it when we are sinning or repenting, be the condition of our souls what they please, if God speak he must be received. There is not anything that in our communion with him the Lord is more troubled with us for, if I may say so, than our unbelieving fears that keep us from receiving that strong consolation which he is so willing to give us. But you will say, we are where we were when God speaks it, we must receive it, that is true. But how shall we know when he speaks? One, I would we could all practically come up to this, to receive peace when we are convinced that God speaks it and that it is our duty to receive it. But, two, there is, if I may so say, a secret instinct in faith whereby it knows the voice of Christ when he speaks indeed. As the babe leaped in the womb when the blessed virgin came to Elizabeth, faith leaps in the heart when Christ indeed draws not to it. My sheep, says Christ, know my voice, John 10.4. They know my voice, they are used to the sound of it. And they know when his lips and are full of grace. The spouse was in a sad condition Canticles 5.2. A sleep in security, but yet as soon as Christ speaks she cries, it is the voice of my beloved that speaks. She knew his voice and was so acquainted with communion with him that instantly she discovers him. And so will you also. If you exercise yourselves to acquaintance and communion with him you will easily discern between his voice and the voice of a stranger. And take this criterion with you. When he doth speak he speaks as never man spake. He speaks with power and one way or other will make your hearts burn within you as he did to the disciples, Luke 24. He doth it by putting in his hand at the hole of the door, Canticles 5.4. His spirit into your hearts to seize on you. He that hath his senses exercised to discern good or evil being increased in judgment and experienced by a constant observation of the ways of Christ's intercourse, the manner of the operations of the spirit and the effects it usually produces is the best judge for himself in this case. Secondly, if the word of the Lord doth good to your souls he speaks it. If it humble, if it cleanse and be useful to those ends for which promises are given, namely to endear, to cleanse, to melt and bind to obedience to self-emptiness, etc. But this is not my business nor shall I further divert in the pursuit of this direction. Without the observation of it sin will have great advantages towards the hardening of the heart. End of Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Of the Mortification of Sin This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Stephen Escalara The Mortification of Sin by John Owen. Chapter 14 The general use of the foregoing directions the great direction for the accomplishment of the work aimed at, act faith on Christ the several ways whereby this may be done consideration of the fullness in Christ for relief proposed great expectations from Christ grounds of these expectations his mercifulness his faithfulness event of such expectations on the part of Christ on the part of believers faith peculiarly to be acted on the death of Christ Romans 6-3-6 the work of the spirit in this whole business Now the considerations which I have hitherto insisted on are rather of things preparatory to the work aimed at than such as will affect it it is the heart's due preparation for the work itself without which it will not be accomplished that hitherto I have aimed at directions for the work itself are very few I mean that are peculiar to it and they are these that follow one set faith at work on Christ the blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls live in this and thou wilt die a conqueror yea thou wilt through the good providence of God live to see thy lust dead at thy feet but thou wilt say how shall faith act itself on Christ for this end and purpose I say sundry ways by faith fill thy soul with a due consideration of that provision which is laid up in Jesus Christ for this end and purpose that all thy lusts this very lust wherewith thou art entangled may be mortified by faith ponder on this that though thou art no way able in or by thyself to get the conquest over thy distemper though thou art even weary of contending and art utterly ready to faint yet there is enough in Jesus Christ to yield thee relief Philippians 413 it stayed the prodigal when he was ready to faint that yet there was bread enough in his father's house though he was at a distance from it yet it relieved him and stayed him that there it was in thy greatest distress and anguish consider that fullness of grace those riches those treasures of strength might and help that are laid up in him for our support John 1.16 Colossians 1.19 let them come into and abide in thy mind consider that he is exalted and made a prince and a savior to give repentance unto Israel Acts 5.31 and if to give repentance to give mortification without which the other is not nor can be Christ tells us that we obtain purging grace by abiding in him John 15.3 to act faith upon the fullness of Christ for our supply is an imminent way of abiding in Christ for both our incision and abode is by faith Romans 11.19.20 let then thy soul by faith be exercised with such thought and apprehensions as these I am a poor weak creature unstable as water I cannot excel this corruption is too hard for me and is at the very door of ruining my soul but to do I know not my soul has become as parched ground and in habitation of dragons I have made promises and broken them vows and engagements have been as a thing of not many persuasions have I had that I had got the victory and should be delivered but I am deceived so that I plainly see that without some imminent sucker and assistance I am lost and shall be prevailed on by God but yet though this be my state and condition let the hands that hang down be lifted up and the feeble knees be strengthened behold the Lord Christ that hath all fullness of grace in his heart all fullness of power in his hand he is able to slay all these his enemies there is sufficient provision in him for my relief and assistance he can take my drooping dying even more than a conqueror why sayest thou my soul my way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his understanding he giveth power to the faint and to them that hath no might he increases strength and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Isaiah 40, 27 to 31 he can make the dry parched ground of my soul to become a pool and my thirsty barren heart as springs of water yea he can make this habitation this heart so full of abominable lusts and fiery temptations to be a place for grass and fruit to himself Isaiah 35, 7 so God stayed Paul under his temptation with the consideration of the sufficiency of his grace my grace is sufficient for thee 2 Corinthians 12, 9 though he were not immediately so far made partaker of it as to be freed from his temptation yet the sufficiency of it in God for that end and purpose was enough to stay his spirit I say then by faith be much in the consideration of that supply and the fullness of it that is in Jesus Christ and how he can at any time give the strength and deliverance now if hereby thou dost not find success to a conquest yet thou wilt be stayed in the chariot that thou shall not fly out of the field till the battle be ended thou wilt be kept from an utter despondency and a lying down under thy unbelief or a turning aside to false means and remedies that in the issue will not relieve thee the efficacy of this consideration will be found only in the practice 2 raise up thy heart by faith to an expectation of relief from Christ relief in this case from Christ is like the prophet's vision it is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry yet wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry though it may seem somewhat long to thee whilst thou art under thy trouble and perplexity yet it shall surely come in the appointed time of the Lord Jesus which is the best season if then thou canst raise up thy heart to a settled expectation of relief from Jesus Christ if thine eyes are towards him as the eyes of a servant to the hand of his master when he expects to receive somewhat from him thy soul shall be satisfied he will assuredly deliver thee he will slay the lust and thy latter end shall be peace only look for it at his hand expect when and how he will do it if you will not believe surely ye shall not be established but wilt thou say what ground have I to build such an expectation upon so that I may expect not to be deceived as thou hast necessity to put thee on this course thou must be relieved and saved this way or none to whom wilt thou go so there are in the Lord Jesus innumerable things to encourage and engage thee to this expectation for the necessity of it I have in part discovered it before when I manifested that this is the work of faith and of believers only without me says Christ ye can do nothing John 15.5 speaking with a special relation to the purging of the heart from sin verse 2 mortification of any sin must be by a supply of grace of ourselves we cannot do it now it hath pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullness dwell Colossians 1.19 that of his fullness we might receive grace for grace John 1.16 he is the head from whence the new man must have influences of life and strength or it will decay every day if we are strengthened with might in the inner man it is by Christ's dwelling in our hearts by faith Ephesians 3.16.17 that this work is not to be done without the spirit I have also showed before whence then do we expect the spirit from whom do we look for him who hath promised him to us having procured him for us ought not all our expectations to this purpose to be on Christ alone let this then be fixed upon thy heart that if thou hast not relief from him thou shalt never have any endeavors, contendings that are not animated by this expectation of relief from Christ and him only are to no purpose will do thee no good, yea if they are anything but supportments of thy heart in this expectation or means appointed by himself for the receiving help from him they are in vain now further to engage thee to this expectation consider his mercifulness tenderness and kindness as he is our great high priest at the right hand of God assuredly he pities thee in thy distress sayeth he as one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you Isaiah 66.13 he hath the tenderness of a mother to a sucking child Hebrews 2.17.18 wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to sucker them that are tempted how is the ability of Christ upon the account of his suffering proposed to us in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able did the sufferings and temptations of Christ add to the ability and power not doubtless considered absolutely and in itself but the ability here mentioned is such as hath readiness proneness willingness to put itself forth accompanying of it it is an ability of will against all dissuasions he is able having suffered and been tempted to break through all dissuasions to the contrary to relieve poor tempted souls do not I he is able to help it is a metonym of the effect for he can now be moved to help having been so tempted chapter four fifteen sixteen for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need the exhortation of verse sixteen is the same that I am upon namely that we would entertain expectations of relief from Christ which the apostle there calls grace for seasonable help if ever says the soul help were seasonable it would be so to me in my present condition is that which I long for grace for seasonable help I am ready to die to perish to be lost forever iniquity will prevail against me if help come not in says the apostle expect this help this relief this grace from Christ yea but on what account that which he lays down verse fifteen and we may observe that the word verse sixteen which we have translated to obtain is labomen that we may receive it suitable and seasonable help will come in I shall freely say this one thing of establishing the soul by faith and expectation of relief from Jesus Christ on the account of his mercifulness as our high priest will be more available to the ruin of thy lust and distemper and have a better speedier issue than all the rigidest means of self maceration that ever any of the sons of men engage themselves unto yea let me add that never any soul did or shall perish by the power of any lust sin or corruption who could raise his soul by faith to an expectation of relief from Jesus Christ two consider his faithfulness who hath promised which may raise the up and firm thee in this waiting in an expectation of relief he hath promised to relieve in such cases and he will fulfill his word to the utmost God tells us that his covenant with us is like the ordinances of heaven the sun moon and stars which have their certain courses Jeremiah thirty one thirty six thence David said that he watched for relief from God as one watched for the morning a thing that will certainly come in its appointed season so will be thy relief from Christ it will come in its season as the dew and rain upon the parched ground for faithful is he who hath promised particular promises to this purpose are innumerable with some of them that seem peculiarly to suit his condition let the soul be always furnished now there are two imminent advantages which always attend this expectation of sucker from Jesus Christ one it engages him to a full and speedy assistance nothing doth more engage the heart of a man to be useful and helpful to another than his expectation of help from him if justly raised and countenance by him who is to give the relief our Lord Jesus hath raised our hearts by his kindness care and promises to this expectation certainly our rising up unto it must needs be a great engagement upon him to assist us accordingly this the psalmist gives us as an approved maxim thou Lord never forsakest them that put their trust in thee when the heart is once one to rest in God to repose himself on him he will assuredly satisfied he will never be as water that fails nor hath he said time to the seat of Jacob seek ye my face in vain if Christ be chosen for the foundation of our supply he will not fail us two it engages the heart to attend diligently to all the ways and means whereby Christ is want to communicate himself to the soul and so takes in the real assistance of all graces and ordinances whatever he that expects anything from a man to the way and means whereby it may be obtained the beggar that expects an alms lies at his door or in his way from whom he doth expect it the way whereby and the means wherein Christ communicates himself is and are his ordinances ordinarily he that expects anything from him must attend upon him therein it is the expectation of faith that sets the heart on work it is not an idle groundless hope that I speak of if now there be any vigor, efficacy and power in prayer or sacrament to this end of mortifying sin a man will assuredly be interested in it all by this expectation of relief from Christ on this account I reduce all particular actings by prayer meditation and the like to this head and so shall not further insist on them when they are grounded on this bottom and spring from them they are of singular use to this purpose and not else now on this direction for the mortification of a prevailing distemper you may have a thousand probatum s's who have walked with God under this temptation and have not found the use and success of it I dare leave the soul under it without adding any more only some particulars relating there unto may be mentioned first act faith peculiarly upon the death blood and cross of Christ that is on Christ as crucified and slain mortification of sin is peculiarly from the death of Christ it is one peculiar yay imminent end of the death of Christ which shall assuredly be accomplished by it he died to destroy the works of the devil whatever came upon our natures by his first temptation whatever receives strength in our persons by his daily suggestions Christ died to destroy it all he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Titus 2 14 this was his aim and intendment wherein he will not fail in his giving himself for us from the power of our sins and purified from all our defiling lusts was his design he gave himself for the church that he might sanctify and cleanse it that he might present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephesians 5 25 through 27 and this by virtue of his death and various and several degrees shall be accomplished hence our washing purging and cleansing is everywhere ascribed to his blood first John 17 Hebrews 1 3 Revelation 1 5 that being sprinkled on us purges our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Hebrews 9 14 this is that we aim at this we are in pursuit of that our consciences may be purged by the dead works that they may be rooted out destroyed and have place in us no more this shall certainly be brought about by the death of Christ there will virtue go out from fence to this purpose indeed all supplies of the spirit all communications of grace and power are from hence as I have elsewhere showed thus the apostle states it Romans 6 2 is the case proposed that we have in hand how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein dead to sin by profession dead to sin by obligation to be so dead to sin by participation of virtue and power for the killing of it dead to sin by union and interest in Christ in and by whom it is killed how shall we live therein this he presses by sundry considerations all taken from Christ in the ensuing verses this must not be verse 3 that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death we have in baptism an evidence of our implantation into Christ we are baptized into him but what of him are we baptized into an interest in his death say if he if indeed we are baptized into Christ and beyond outward profession we are baptized into his death the explication of this of one being baptized into the death of Christ the apostle gives us verses 4 and 6 therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also should walk in newness of life knowing this that our old man is crucified with him the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin this is say if he our being baptized into the death of Christ namely our conformity there unto to be dead unto sin to have our corruptions mortified as he was put to death for sin so that as he was raised up to glory we may be raised up to grace and newness of life he tells us whence it is that we have this baptism into the death of Christ verse 6 and this is from the death of Christ itself our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed son of Staurotha is crucified with him not in respect of time but causality we are crucified with him meritoriously in that he procured the spirit for us to mortify sin efficiently in that from his death she comes forth for our crucifying in the way of a representation and exemplar we shall surely be crucified unto sin as he was for our sin this is that the apostle intends Christ by his death destroying the works of the devil procuring the spirit for us hath so killed sin as to its reign and believers that it shall not obtain its end and dominion secondly then act faith on the death of Christ and that under these two notions first in expectation of power secondly in endeavors for conformity for the first the direction given in general may suffice as to the latter that of the apostle may give us some light into our direction Galatians 3 1 let faith look on Christ in the gospel as he is set forth dying crucified for us look on him under the weight of our sins praying bleeding dying bring him in that condition into thy heart by faith apply his blood so shed to thy corruptions do this daily I might draw out this consideration to a great length in sundry particulars but I must come to a close two I have only then had the heads of the work of the spirit in this business of mortification which is so peculiarly ascribed to him in one word this whole work which I have described as our duty is effected carried on and accomplished by the power of the spirit in all the parts and degrees of it as one he alone clearly and fully convinces the heart of the evil and guilt and danger of the corruption lust or sin to be mortified without this conviction or whilst it is so faint that the heart can wrestle with it or digest it there will be no thorough work made an unbelieving heart as in part we have all such will shift with any consideration until it be overpowered by clear and evident convictions now this is the proper work of the spirit he convinces of sin he alone can do it if men's rational considerations with the preaching of the letter were able to convince them of sin we should it may be see more convictions than we do there comes by the preaching of the word an apprehension upon the understandings of men that they are sinners that such and such things are sins that themselves are guilty of them but this light is not powerful nor does it lay hold on the practical principles of the soul so as to conform the mind and will unto them to produce effects suitable to such an apprehension and therefore it is that wise and knowing men destitute of the spirit do not think those things to be sins at all wherein the chief movings and actings of lust do consist it is the spirit alone that can do that doth this work to the purpose and this is the first thing that the spirit doth in order to the mortification of any lust whatever it convinces the soul of all the evil of it cuts off all its pleas discovers all its deceits stops all its evasions answers its pretenses makes the soul own its abomination and lie down under the sense of it unless this be done all that follows is in vain to the spirit alone reveals unto us the fullness of Christ for our relief which is the consideration that stays the heart from false ways and from despairing despondency 1 Corinthians 2-8 3 the spirit alone establishes the heart an expectation of relief from Christ which is the great sovereign means of mortification as hath been discovered 2 Corinthians 1-21 4 the spirit alone brings the cross of Christ into our hearts with its sin killing power for by the spirit are we baptized into the death of Christ 5 the spirit is the author and finisher of our sanctification gives new supplies and influences of grace for holiness and sanctification when the contrary principle is weakened and abated Ephesians 3 16-18 6 and all the souls addresses to God in this condition it hath supportment from the spirit whence is the power life and vigor of prayer whence its efficacy to prevail with God is it not from the spirit he is the spirit of supplications promised to them who look on him whom they have pierced Zechariah 12-10 enabling them to pray with and groans that cannot be uttered Romans 8-26 this is confessed to be the great medium or way of faiths prevailing with God thus Paul dealt with his temptation whatever it were I besought the Lord that it might depart from me what is the work of the spirit and prayer whence and how it gives us assistance and makes us to prevail what we are to do that we may enjoy his help for that purpose there is no present intendment to demonstrate End of Chapter 14 End of The Mortification of Sin by John Owen