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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2023 13:29:15 GMT -5
CHAPTER 6. EXERCISING OUR THOUGHTS ON THINGS ABOVE. Directions for the exercise of our thoughts on things above,things future, invisible, and eternal; on God himself; with the difficulties of it, and oppositions to it, and the way of their removal — Right notions of future glory stated.
(2.) [continuing the subject from Chapter 5]. WE treated in general before, the proper objects of our spiritual thoughts as to our present duty. What we were last engaged in is a special instance in heavenly things — things future and invisible — with the fountain and spring of them all in Christ and God himself. And because men are generally unskilled in this, and great difficulties arise in discharging this part of the duty in hand, I will give some special directions concerning it:
[1.] Possess your minds with right notions and apprehensions of things above, and of the state of future glory. In this duty, we are to “look at things which are not seen,” 2Cor 4.18. It is only by faith that we have a prospect of them; for “we walk by faith, and not by sight.” And faith can give us no interest in them unless we have due apprehensions of them; for it only assents and clings to the truth of what is proposed to it. The greater part of mankind deceive themselves and feed on ashes in this matter. They fancy a future state which has no foundation except in their own imaginations. That’s why the apostle, directing us to seek and mind the “things that are above,” adds for the guidance of our thoughts, the consideration of the principal concern of them, “where Christ sits on the right hand of God,” Col 3.1,2. He would lead us to distinct apprehensions of those heavenly things, especially the presence of Christ in his exaltation and glory. Therefore, the true notion of these things with which we are to possess our minds, may be considered here:
1st. All who have an apprehension of a future state of happiness agree in this matter, that it contains in it, or it is accompanied with, a deliverance and freedom from all that is evil. But what such a deliverance consists in, they are not agreed. Many esteem that it consists only those things that are grievous, troublesome, wasting, and destructive to nature. That is, in what is penal — in pain, sickness, sorrow, loss, poverty, with all kinds of outward troubles, and death itself; these are evil. Therefore they suppose that the future state of blessedness will free them from all these things, if they can attain to it. They will lay this in the balance against the troubles of life, and sometimes maybe, against the pleasures of life which they must forego. Indeed, persons who are profane and profligate will (in words at least) profess that heaven will give them rest from all their troubles: but it is not a place of rest for such persons. For all others also, for believers themselves, these things are evil — things that they expect a deliverance from in heaven and glory. And there is no doubt that it is lawful for us and fitting that we should contemplate them, as those things which will give us a deliverance from all outward troubles, death itself, and all that leads to it. Heaven is promised as “rest” for those who are “troubled,” 2The 1.7. It is our duty, under all our sufferings, reproaches, persecutions, troubles, and sorrows, to raise up our minds to the contemplation of that state in which we will be freed from them all. It is a blessed notion of heaven, that “God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes,” Rev 7.17, or remove all causes of sorrow far from us. And it would be to our advantage if we accustomed our minds more to this kind of relief than we do — if upon the incursion of fears, dangers, and sorrows, we more readily retreated to thoughts of that state in which we will befreed from them all. Even this most inferior consideration of it would render thoughts of it more familiar, and the thing itself more useful to us. On such occasions, that would be much better than to be exercised with heartless complaints, uncertain hopes, and fruitless contrivances. But to those who are truly spiritually minded, there is that which has more evil in it than all these things together; and that is sin. Heaven is a state of deliverance from sin, from all sin, in all the causes, concomitants, and effects of it. The one to whom sin is not the greatest burden, sorrow, and trouble, is no true believer. Other things, such as the loss of dear relations, or extraordinary pains, may make deeper impressions on the mind by its natural affections, at some times than our sins ever did at any one time, or in any one instance. Thus a man may have a greater sense of pain by a toothache, which will be gone in an hour, than in a hectic fever or consumption, which will assuredly take away his life. But if we take in the whole course of our lives, and all the actings of our souls, in spiritual judgment as well as in natural affection, I don’t understand how a man can be a sincere believer, to whom sin is not the greatest burden and sorrow. This is why, in the first place, it belongs to the true notion of heaven — that it is a state in which we will be eternally freed from sin and all concerns about it; but that is only through the exaltation of the glory of God’s grace in Christ, by the pardon of sin. Someone who truly hates and abhors sin — whose principal desire and design of life is to be freed from it so far as possible; who walks in self-abasement through a sense of his many disappointments when he hoped it would act in him no more — I judge he will frequently take refreshment from thoughts of that state in which he will be freed from it and triumph over it to eternity. This is a notion of heaven that is easily apprehended and fixed in the mind, and which we may dwell upon to the great advantage and satisfaction of our souls. Frequent thoughts and meditations on heaven under this notion, argue that a man is spiritually minded. For it is convincing evidence that sin is a burden to him, that he longs to be delivered from it and all its consequents, that no thoughts are more welcome to him than those of that state in which sin will be no more. And although men are troubled about their sins, and desirous of being freed from them — so far as sins perplex their minds and make their consciences uneasy — if they don’t think much about the prospect of this relief, if they don’t find refreshment in it, I fear their trouble isn’t as it ought to be. Therefore, when men can so wrangle and wrestle with their convictions of sin, and yet the best of their relief is in hopes that it will be better with them at some time or other in this world, without longing desires for that state in which sin will be no more, they can give no evidence that they are spiritually minded. It is quite otherwise with sincere believers in the exercise of this duty. The consideration of the grace and love of God, of the blood of Christ, of the purity and holiness of that good Spirit who dwells in them, of the light, grace, and mercy which they have attained through the promises of the gospel, are those which make the remainders of sin most grievous and burdensome for them. This is what breaks their hearts, and makes some of them mourn all day long — namely, that anything of that alone which God hates, might be found in them or remain with them. In this condition, it is evidence they are spiritually minded if, together with watchful endeavors for the universal mortification of sin, and the utter excision of it, root and branch, they constantly add these thoughts of that blessed state in which they will be absolutely and eternally freed from all sin, with refreshment, delight, and complacency. These things belong to our direction for fixing our thoughts and meditations on things above. The lowliest and weakest person who has the least spark of sincerity and grace, is capable of apprehending and practicing this. The sense they have of the evil of sin, will put their thoughts on things above every day, if they don’t shut their eyes against the light of the refreshment that’s in it. Let those whose minds cannot rise to fixed and stable thoughts of any other notion of these invisible things, dwell on this consideration of them, in which they will find no small spiritual advantage and refreshment for their souls.
2dly. As for the positive part of this glorious future state, the thoughts and apprehensions of men are quite varied. That we may know what to avoid, as well as what to embrace, we will reflect a little on some of them:
(1st.) Many are not able to entertain any rational conceptions about a future state of blessedness and glory, nor any notions in which either faith or reason is concerned. They imagine something that is great and glorious, but they don’t know what it is. No wonder such persons take no delight in heaven, and have no use for thoughts of it. When their imaginations have fluctuated up and down in all uncertainties for a while, they are swallowed up in nothing. They take for granted that it must be glorious, and therefore desirable. But nothing can be so for them, except what is suitable to their present dispositions, inclinations, and principles; and there is nothing of this in the true spiritual glory of heaven, or in the eternal enjoyment of God. These things are not suited to the will of their minds and of the flesh; and therefore they cannot rise up to any constant desires for them. Hence, to please themselves, they begin to imagine what heaven is not; but what heaven truly is, doesn’t please them. And what does please them is not heaven, nor is it to be found there. And so they seldom or never endeavor in good earnest, to exercise their thoughts about it. It would be good if darkness and ignorance of the true nature of the future state and eternal glory did not overly prejudice believers as to their delight in them and meditations about them. They would have nothing fixed or stated in their minds, which they can turn to when they contemplate that future state. And by the way, whatever diverts the minds of men from the power and life of spiritual worship (as do all pompous solemnities in the performance of it), greatly hinders them as to right conceptions of that future state. There was a promise of eternal life given to the saints under the Old Testament. But though they were obliged to a worship that was carnal and outwardly pompous, they never had clear and distinct apprehensions of the future state of glory, for “life and immortality were brought to light by the gospel.” 2Tim 1.10 Therefore, although no man living can see or find out the infinite riches of eternal glory, yet it is the duty of all to be acquainted with the nature of it in general, so that they may have fixed thoughts of it, love for it, and an earnest desire for it — all under its own true and proper notion.
(2dly.) So great a part of mankind as the Mohammedans, to whom God has given all the principal and most desirable parts of the world to inhabit and possess, conceive the state of future blessedness to consist in the full satisfaction of their sensual lusts and pleasures. And this is evidence that the religion which they profess has no power or efficacy on their minds, to change them from the love of sin, nor from placing their happiness in fulfilling the desires of the flesh. It does not at all enlighten their minds to discern a beauty in spiritual things, nor excite their affections to love them, nor free the soul to look after blessedness in those things which alone are suited to its rational constitution. For if it did, they would place their happiness and blessedness in them. Therefore, it is nothing but an artifice of the god of this world to blind the eyes of men, to their eternal destruction.
(3dly.) Some of the philosophers of old attained an apprehension that the blessedness of men in another world consists in the soul’s full satisfaction in the goodness and beauty of the divine nature. There is a truth in this notion, which contemplative men have adorned with excellent and rational discourses; sundry learned Christians have greatly improved this truth by the light of the Scripture. From reason, they take up thoughts of the goodness, amiableness, self-sufficiency, and all-sufficient satisfactoriness of the infinite perfections of the divine nature. These things shine with such a glorious light, that no more is required to perceive them, than that men do not willfully shut their eyes against it through bestial sensuality and the love of sin. From reason, they also frame their conceptions concerning the capacity of the souls of men for the immediate enjoyment of God, and what is suited in this for their utmost blessedness. No more is required for these things than a due consideration of the nature of God and man, with our relation to him and dependence on him. By the light of the Scripture, they frame these things into that which they call the “beatific vision.” By this they intend first, all the ways by which God, in the highest and immediate instances, can and does communicate Himself to the souls of men, and secondly, the utmost elevation of their intellectual capacities to receive those communications. It is such an intellectual apprehension of the divine nature and perfections, with ineffable love, as to give the soul the utmost rest and blessedness which its capacities can extend to. These things are so, and they have been both piously and elegantly illustrated by many. However, they are above the capacities of ordinary Christians — they don’t know how to manage them in their minds, nor exercise their thoughts about them. They cannot reduce them to present usefulness, nor make them subservient to the exercise and increase of grace. And the truth is, the Scripture gives us another notion of heaven and glory, not contrary to this, and not inconsistent with it, but more suited to the faith and experience of believers. And this alone can convey a true and useful sense of these things to our minds Therefore, this notion is to be diligently inquired into, and firmly set in our thoughts and affections.
(4thly.) The principal notion which the Scripture gives us of the state of heavenly blessedness, and which the lowliest believers are capable of improving in daily practice, is that faith shall be turned into sight, and grace into glory. “We walk by faith, and not by sight,” says the apostle, 2Cor 5.7. Therefore, this is the difference between our present and our future state, that sight hereafter will take the place of faith, 1Joh 3.2;39 and if sight takes the place of faith, then the object of that sight must be the same as the present object of our faith. So the apostle informs us, 1Cor 13.9-12, “We know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part will be done away. For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face.” Those things which we now see darkly, as in a mirror, we will then have an immediate sight and full comprehension of; for that which is perfect must come and do away that which is in part. What, then, is the principal present object of faith as it is evangelical, into whose place sight must succeed? Is it not the manifestation of the glory of the infinite wisdom, grace, love, kindness, and power of God in Christ, the revelation of the eternal counsels of his will and the ways of their accomplishment, to the eternal salvation of the church, in and by him, with the glorious exaltation of Christ himself? That’s why the glory of heaven principally consists in the full, satisfactory representation of these things to our souls,received by sight, or a direct, immediate intuition of them. We behold them now darkly, as in a mirror — that is the utmost which we can attain to by faith; in heaven they will be openly and fully displayed. The infinite, incomprehensible excellencies of the divine nature are not proposed in Scripture as the immediate object of our faith; nor will they be so to our sight in heaven. The manifestation of them in Christ is the immediate object of our faith here, and it shall be so to our sight hereafter. Only through this manifestation of them are we led by faith to ultimately acquiesce in them, as in heaven we will be led by love to perfectly adhere to them with ineffable delight. This is our immediate objective glory in heaven; we hope for no other. And if God wills, I will more fully explain this shortly. Whoever lives in the exercise of faith, and has any experience of the life, power, and sweetness of these heavenly things — those to whom they are a spring of grace and consolation — these are able to meditate on the glory of them in their full enjoyment. Think largely of heaven, as that which will give you a perfect view and comprehension of the wisdom, and love, and grace of God in Christ, with those other things which will be immediately declared. Some perhaps will be ready to say that if this is heaven, they can see no great glory in it, no such beauty for which it should be desired. It may be so, for some have no instrument to take a view of invisible things except carnal imaginations. Some have no light, no principle, no disposition of mind or soul, to which these things are either acceptable or suitable. Some will go no further in the consideration of the divine excellencies of God, and the faculties and actings of our souls, than reason will guide them; and this may be of use. But we look for no other heaven, we desire none, except what we are led to and prepared for by the light of the gospel — that which will perfect all the beginnings of God’s grace in us, and not what will be quite of another nature and destructive of them. We don’t value that heaven which is equally suited to the desires and inclinations of the worst of men as well as of the best. For we know that those who don’t like grace here, do not and cannot like that glory which is hereafter. Whoever has not experienced in some measure, the life, power, and evidence of faith here, cannot have any other heaven in his aim than what is erected in his own imagination. The glory of heaven which the gospel prepares us for, which faith leads and conducts us to, which the souls of believers long for —as that which will give full rest, satisfaction, and complacency — is the full, open, perfect manifestation of the glory of the wisdom, goodness, and love of God in Christ, in His person and mediation, with the revelation of all his counsels concerning them, and the communication of their effects to us. Whoever doesn’t like it, to whom it is not desirable, may turn to Mohammed’s paradise or the philosophers’ speculations; for he has no interest in the gospel heaven. These are the things which we now see darkly, as in a mirror, by faith. In viewing them, our souls are gradually changed into the likeness of God; and the comprehension of them will give us our utmost conformity and likeness to Him, of which our natures are capable. All our spiritual consolations and joys consist in a sense and experience of their reality and goodness, given to us by the Holy Ghost. The effects produced by them in our souls are the first fruits of glory. Our light, sense, experience, and enjoyment of these things, however weak or frequently interrupted; our apprehensions of them, however dark and obscure — are the only means by which we are “made fit for the inheritance of the saints in light.” Col 1.12 To have the eternal glory of God in Christ, with all the fruits of his wisdom and love, while we are ourselves under the full participation in their effects, immediately and directly revealed, proposed, and made known to us in a divine and glorious light; our souls being furnished with a capacity to behold and perfectly comprehend them — this is the heaven which we look for, according to God’s promise. But as said, these things will be more fully treated elsewhere. It is true that there are sundry other things in particular that belong to this state of glory; but what we have mentioned is the fountain and spring of them all. We can never have an immediate enjoyment of God in the immensity of his nature; nor can any created understanding conceive any such thing. God’s communications of Himself to us, and our enjoyment of him, will be in and by the manifestation of his glory in Christ. The one who can see no glory in these things, who isn’t sensible of their blessedness, is a stranger to that heaven which the Scripture reveals and which faith leads to. It may be inquired, “What is the subjective glory, or what change is to be wrought in ourselves, that we may enjoy this glory?” Now, that consists principally as to our souls, in the perfection of all grace which is initially wrought and subjectively resides in us in this world. The grace which we have here will not be ended as to its essence and nature, though it will somewhat cease as to the manner of its operation. What soul could think with joy of going to heaven, if he must thereby lose all his present light, faith, and love of God — even if he is told that he will receive in lieu of them, that which is more excellent, which he has no experience of, and cannot understand its nature? When the saints enter into rest, their good works follow them. How can they do so if their grace doesn’t accompany them, from which they proceed? The perfection of our present graces, which here are weak and interrupted in their operations, is a principal eminency of the state of glory. Faith will be heightened into vision, as proved before; this doesn’t destroy its nature, but it causes it to cease as to its manner of operation towards things invisible. Say a man has a weak, small faith in this life, with little evidence and no assurance, such that he doubts all things, questions all things, and has no comfort from what he believes. If afterward, through supplies of grace, he has a mighty prevailing evidence of the things believed, and is filled with comfort and assurance — this is not by a faith or grace of another kind than what he had before; it is by the same faith raised to a higher degree of perfection. When our Savior cured the blind man and gave him his sight, Mark 8, at first he saw all things obscurely and imperfectly — he saw “men as trees, walking,” verse 24; but on another application of virtue to him, “he saw every man clearly,” verse 25. It was not a sight of another kind which he then received than what he had at first; only its imperfection was taken away, by which he “saw men as trees, walking.” Nor will our perfect vision of things above be a grace that is absolutely of another kind from the light of faith which we enjoy here; it is only that what is imperfect in it, will be done away, and it will be made fit for the present enjoyment of things that here, are at a distance and invisible. Love will have its perfection also, and will have the least alteration in its manner of operation, of any grace whatever. There is nothing that should more excite us to labor after a growth in love to God in Christ than this: that to all eternity, it will be the same in its nature and in all its operations, only both of these will be made absolutely perfect. By this, the soul will be enabled to cling to God unchangeably, with eternal delight, satisfaction, and complacency. Hope will be perfect in its enjoyment, which is all the perfection it is capable of. So shall it be as to other graces. This subjective perfection of our nature, especially in all the faculties, powers, and affections of our souls and all their operations, belongs to our blessedness; nor can we be blessed without it. All the objective glory in heaven would not, by our beholding and enjoying it (if it were possible), make us blessed and happy, if our own natures were not first made perfect — freed from all disorder, from irregular motions, and from weak, imperfect operations. What, then, is needed to give our natures this subjective perfection? It is that grace alone whose beginnings we are made partakers of here. For in this consists the renovation of the image of God in us; and the perfect communication of that image to us, is the absolute perfection of our natures, the utmost to which their capacity is suited. This gives us the last thing to be inquired into — namely, by what means in ourselves we shall eternally abide in that state; and this is by the unalterable adherence of our whole soul to God, in perfect love and delight. By this alone, the soul reaches to the essence of God, and the infinite, incomprehensible perfections of his nature. For divine revelation has left the perfect nature of this under a veil; and so must we do also. Nor do I designedly handle these things here, except in the way of a direction how to exercise our thoughts about them. This is the notion of heaven which those who are spiritually minded ought to be conversant with; and the true stating of this notion by faith, is a discriminating character of believers. This is no heaven for any others. Those who have no experience of the excellency of these things in their initial state in this world, and of their incomparable transcendency to all other things, cannot conceive how heavenly glory and blessedness might consist in them. Unskilled men may cast away rough unwrought diamonds as useless stones; they don’t know what polishing will bring them to. Nor do men who are unskilled in the mysteries of godliness, judge that there can be any glory in rough unwrought grace; they don’t know what lustre and beauty the heavenly Hand will give to it by polishing. It is generally supposed that however men might differ in and about religion here, yet they agree well enough about heaven — they would all go to the same heaven. But that is a great mistake; they differ in nothing more than that; they would not all go to the same heaven. How few are those who value that heavenly state which we have treated, or understand how any blessedness can consist in the enjoyment of it! But we would go to this, and no other heaven. There may be, and are other notions of it. These being but fruits and effects of men’s own imaginations, the more they dwell in the contemplation of them, the more carnal they may grow; at best, the more superstitious they become. But spiritual thoughts of this heaven — consisting principally in freedom from all sin, in the perfection of all grace, in the vision of the glory of God in Christ, and of all the excellencies of the divine nature as manifested in him — are an effectual means for the improvement of spiritual life and the increase of all graces in us. For they cannot help but effect an assimilation in the mind and heart, to the things contemplated, when the principles and seeds of them are already inlaid and begun. This is our first direction. Having fixed right notions and apprehensions of heavenly things in our minds, it is our duty to think and contemplate greatly on them, and our own concern in them. Without this, all our speculations concerning the nature of eternal things will be of no use to us. And for your encouragement and direction, take these few short rules relating to this duty:
1st. Here lies the great test of whether we are spiritually minded or not: it is by virtue of this rule, “If we are risen with Christ, we will mind the things that are above,” Col 3.1.
2dly. Here lies the great means by which we may attain further degrees in that blessed frame of mind, if it is already formed in us by virtue of this rule: “Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory,” 2Cor 3:18.
3dly. Here lies the great evidence of whether we have a real interest in the things above or not, whether we place our portion and blessedness in them. It is by virtue of this rule: “Where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also.” Mat 6.21 Are they our treasure, our portion, our reward, in comparison to which all other things are “but loss and dung?” Phi 3.8 If so, we will assuredly be conversant in our minds about them.
4thly. It cannot be imagined that a man would have a principle in him related and suited to things above, of the same kind and nature as those things, that his soul would be conducted by those habits of grace which strive and naturally tend toward perfection — laboring greatly here under the weight of their weaknesses, as it is with all who are truly spiritually minded — and yet not have his thoughts greatly exercised about these things, 1Joh 3.2,3. It would be well if we were to test ourselves by things of such uncontrollable evidence. What, can anyone object to the truth of these things or the necessity of this duty? If it is otherwise with us, then it is from one of these two causes: either we are not convinced of the truth and reality of these things, or we take no delight in them because we are not spiritually minded. Do we think that men may embroil themselves in earthly thoughts all day long, and when they are freed of their affairs, turn to things that are vain and useless, without any fixed converse with things above — and yet enjoy life and peace? We must take other measures of things if we intend to live to God, to be like him, and to come to enjoy him. What is the matter with men that they are so stupid? They all generally desire to go to heaven, at least when they can live here no longer. Some have no regard for it other than they would not go to hell. Most would “die the death of the righteous,” and have their “latter end like his.” Num 23.10 And yet few endeavor to attain a right notion of it, to test how it is suited to their principles and desires; rather, they content themselves with general notions of it that please their imaginations. It is no wonder if such persons seldom exercise their minds or thoughts about it; nor do they so much as pretend to be spiritually minded. But as for those who are instructed in these things, who profess that their chief interest lies in them, not to abound in meditation concerning these things, argues that whatever they may profess, they are earthly and carnal.
[2.] Again, meditate and think of the glory of heaven so as to compare it with the opposite state of death and eternal misery.Few men care to think much of hell and the everlasting torments of the wicked. Those who are in the most danger of falling into it, do so the least. They put the evil day far from them, and suppose their covenant with death and hell to be sure. Some begin to advance an opinion that there is no such place; because it is their interest and desire that there should be none. Some, out of profaneness, scoff at it, as though a future judgment were but a fable. Most seem to think there is a severity in thoughts about hell, which it is not fitting to be too terrified with. They may have some transient thoughts of it, but will not let them abide in their minds, lest they be too discomposed. Or they think it is inconsistent with the goodness of Christ to leave anyone in that condition; yet there is more spoken directly by Christ himself, of hell, its torments, and their eternity, than in the rest of Scripture besides. These thoughts, in most, proceed from an unwillingness to be troubled in their sins, and are useful to no one. It is the height of folly for men to endeavor to hide themselves for a few moments from what is unavoidably coming upon them to eternity; and the due consideration of it, is a means for an escape from it. But I speak only of true believers. The more they are conversant in their thoughts about the future state of eternal misery, the greater evidence they have of the life and confidence of faith. It is a necessary duty to consider what we were by nature liable to, as “children of wrath;” what we deserved by our personal sins, as “the wages of sin is death;” what we are delivered from through Jesus the deliverer, who “saves us from the wrath to come;” what an expression it is of the indignation of God against sin, who has “ordained Tophet [hell] of old” — that we may be delivered from sin, kept to an abhorrence of it, walking in humility, self abasement,and the admiration of divine grace. This, therefore, is required of us: that in our thoughts and meditations, we compare the state of blessedness and eternal glory — as a free and absolute effect of the grace of God in and through Christ Jesus — with that state of eternal misery which we deserved. And if there is any spark of grace or of holy thankfulness in our hearts, it will be stirred up to its due exercise. It may be, some will say they complained before, that they cannot get their minds fixed on these things. Weakness, weariness, darkness, diversions, occasions, prevalently obstruct their abiding in such thoughts. I will speak further to this afterward. At present I will only suggest two things:
First, If you cannot attain, yet continue to follow after. Get your minds in a perpetual endeavor for an abode in spiritual thoughts. Let your minds be rising towards them every hour —yes, a hundred times a day, on all occasions, in a continual sense of duty. And sigh within yourselves for deliverance when youfind disappointments, or non-continuance in them. It is the sense of Rom 8.23-26. 42
Secondly, Take care that you not go backwards and lose what you have worked for. If you neglect these things for a season, you will quickly find yourselves neglected by them. So I observe this every day, in the hearing of the word. While believers diligently attend to it, where they find it preached to their edification, they find great delight in it, and will undergo great difficulties for the enjoyment of it — but let them be diverted from it for a season, and after a while it will grow indifferent for them; anything will satisfy them, that pretends to the same duty
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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2023 13:35:22 GMT -5
CHAPTER 7. SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS OF HEAVEN. Especial objects of spiritual thoughts on the glorious state of heaven, and what belongs to it — First, of Christ himself — Thoughts of heavenly glory in opposition to thoughts of eternal misery — The use of such thoughts — Advantage in sufferings. IT will be to our advantage, having stated right notions of the glory of the blessed state above in our minds, to fix on some particulars belonging to it as the especial objects of our thoughts andmeditations. [The first is considered here (I.), the second (II.) in Chapter 8.] Such as,
I. Think much about the One who is the life and center of all the glory of heaven to us; that is, Christ himself. I will be very brief in treating this, because I have designed a peculiar treatise on this subject, of beholding the glory of Christ, both here and unto eternity. At present, therefore, only a few things will be mentioned, because they are not to be omitted on this occasion. The whole of the glory of the state above is expressed by being “ever with the Lord, where he is, to behold his glory.” For in and through him, the beatific manifestation of God and his glory is made forevermore; and through him are all communications of inward glory made to us. The present resplendence of heavenly glory consists in his mediatory ministry, as I have declared at large elsewhere; and he will be the means of all-glorious communications between God and the church unto eternity. Therefore, if we are spiritually minded, we should fix our thoughts on Christ above, as the center of all heavenly glory. To help us in this, we may consider the things that follow:
1. Faith has continual recourse to him, on account of what he did and suffered for us in this world; for upon that, depend pardon of sin, justification, and peace with God. This arises, in the first place, from a sense of our own wants. But love of him is no less necessary to us than faith in him; and although we have powerful motives to love, from what he did and what he was in this world, yet the formal reason for our adherence to him by this, is what he is in himself, as he is now exalted in heaven. If we don’t rejoice at the remembrance of his present glory, if thoughts of it are not frequent with us and refreshing to us, how does his love dwell in us?
2. Our hope is that before long, we will be with him forever; and if so, it is certainly our wisdom and duty to be with him here as much as we can. It is a vain thing for any to suppose that they place their chief happiness in being forever in the presence of Christ, who don’t care at all to be with him here, as they may. And the only way of our being present with him here, is by faith and love acting themselves in spiritual thoughts and affections. It is an absurd thing for men to esteem themselves Christians, who scarcely think of Christ all day long. Yet some, as one complained of old, scarcely ever think or speak of Him except when they swear by his name. I have read of those who have lived and died in continual contemplation of him, so far as the imperfection of our present state will allow. I have known and do know those who call themselves to reproof, if at any time He has been out of their thoughts for many minutes; and it is strange that it should be otherwise with those who love him in sincerity. Yet I wish I did not know more who give evidences that it is a rare thing for them to be exercised in serious thoughts and meditations about Him. Yes, there are some who, on occasion, are not averse to speak of God, of mercy, of pardon, of his power and goodness; but if you mention Christ to them with anything of faith, love, and trust in him, these seem a strange thing to them. There are few who are sensible of any religion beyond what is natural. Things about the wisdom and power of God in Christ are foolishness to them. Take some directions for the discharge of this duty: In your thoughts of Christ, be very careful that they are conceived and directed according to the rule of the word, lest you deceive your own souls, and surrender the conduct of your affections to vain imaginations. Spiritual notions befalling carnal minds, once ruined the power of religion by superstition. Men had a conviction that they must think much about Jesus Christ, and this alone would make them conformable to him. But having no real evangelical faith, nor the wisdom of faith to duly exercise it in their thoughts and affections, nor understanding what it meant to be truly like him, they gave themselves up to many foolish inventions and imaginations by which they thought to express their love and conformity to him. They would have images of him, which they would embrace, adore, and bedew with their tears. They would have crucifixes, as they called them, which they would carry about them, and wear next to their hearts, as if they resolved to lodge Christ always in their bosoms. They would go in pilgrimage to the place where he died and rose again, through a thousand dangers, and purchase a feigned chip of a tree on which he suffered, at the price of all they had in the world. They would endeavor, by long thoughtfulness, lastings, and watchings, to cast their souls into raptures and ecstasies, in which they fancied themselves in his presence. They came at last to make themselves like him, in getting impressions of wounds on their sides, their hands, and feet. Superstition abused and corrupted the minds of men, leading them from a pretense of a principle of truth, to all these things, and many others of a like nature and tendency. For there is no more certain gospel truth than this, that believers should continually contemplate Christ by the actings of faith in their thoughts and affections, that thereby they might be changed and transformed into his image, 2Cor 3.18. And we are not to forego our duty because other men have been mistaken in theirs, nor part with practical, fundamental principles of religion because they have been abused by superstition. But we may see in this how dangerous it is to depart in anything from the conduct of Scripture light and rule. For want of this, the best and most noble endeavors of the minds of men, even to love Christ and be like him, result in provocations of the highest nature.
Therefore pray that you may be kept to the truth in all things, by a diligent attendance to the only rule of it, and by conscientious subjection of the soul to the authority of God in it. For we should not allow our affections to be entangled with the paint or artificial beauty of any way or means of giving our love to Christ, which are not warranted by the word of truth. Yet I must say that I prefer to be among those who, in the actings of their love and affection for Christ, fall into some irregularities and excesses in the manner of expressing it (provided their worship of him is neither superstitious nor idolatrous), rather than be among those who, professing themselves to be Christians, almost disavow having any thoughts of or affection for the person of Christ. But there is no need for us to foolishly run into either of these extremes. In the Scripture God has sufficiently provided against them both. He has both shown us the necessity of our diligent acting of faith and love on the person of Christ, and He has limited the way and means by which we may so do. Let our designs be what they will, wherever we depart from his prescriptions, we are not under the conduct of his Spirit, and so we are sure to lose all that we do.
Therefore, two things are required that we may thus think of Christ and meditate on him according to the mind and will of God:
(1.) That the means of bringing him to mind be what God has promised and appointed.
(2.) That the continued proposal of him as the object of our thoughts and meditations be of the same kind. For both these ends, the superstitious minds of men invented the ways of images and crucifixes, with their additions mentioned before; and this rendered all their devotion an abomination. That alone which tends to these ends among believers, is the promise of the Spirit and the institutions of the word. If then, you would think of Christ as you should, take these two directions:
(1.) Pray that the Holy Spirit may abide with you continually, to remind you of him; which he will do in all those in whom He abides, for it belongs to his office.
(2.) For more fixed thoughts and meditations, take for yourself some express place of Scripture in which He is set forth and proposed, either in his person, office, or grace, e.g., Gal 3.1.
3. This duty lies at the foundation of all that blessed communion and intercourse that is between Jesus Christ and the souls of believers. This, I confess, is despised by some, and the very notion of it esteemed ridiculous. But in this they do no less than renounce Christianity, and turn the Lord Christ into an idol that neither knows, sees, nor hears. But I speak to those who are not utter strangers to the life of faith, who don’t know what religion is unless they have real spiritual intercourse and communion with the Lord Christ by it. Consider this, therefore, as it is in particular exemplified in the book of Canticles. There is not one instance of it to be found which does not suppose a continued thoughtfulness of Him. And in answer to them, because they are actings of faith and love, in which he is delighted, he insinuates into our minds and hearts, by his Spirit, a gracious sense of his own love, kindness, and relation to us. The great variety in which these things are mutually carried on between him and the church, the singular endearments which ensue from that, and the blessed estate in rest and complacency, make up the substance of that holy discourse. No thoughts of Christ, then, shall be lost, which proceed from faith, accompanied with love and delight. Those who sow this seed will return with their sheaves. Psa.6 Christ will meet them with gracious intimations of his acceptance of them and delight in them, and return a sense of his own love to them. He will never be, he never was, behind with any poor soul in His returns of love. Those gracious and blessed promises which he has made of “coming to those” who believe in him, of“making his abode with them,” and of “supping with them,” — all expressions of a gracious presence and intimate communion — all depend on this duty. Therefore, we may consider three things concerning these thoughts of Christ:
(1.) That they are exceedingly acceptable to Him, as the best pledges of our cordial affection: Song 2.14, “O my dove, who are in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see your countenance, let me hear your voice; for sweet is your voice, and your countenance is attractive.” When a soul withdraws, through manifold discouragements and despondencies, and as it were hides itself from him, He calls to see a poor, weeping, blubbered face, and to hear a broken voice, that scarcely goes beyond sighs and groans.
(2.) These thoughts are the only means by which we comply with the gracious invitations of His love, as mentioned before. By them we hear his knocking, know his voice, and open the door of our hearts to give him entrance, that he may abide and sup with us. Sometimes, indeed, the soul is surprised into acts of gracious communion with Christ, Song 6.12; but they are not to be expected unless we abide in those ways and means which prepare and make our souls fit to receive and entertain him. Therefore,
(3.) Our lack of experience in the power of this holy intercourse and communion with Christ arises principally from our defect in this duty. I have known one who, after a long profession of faith and holiness, fell into great darkness and distress merely on this account: that he did not experience in himself the sweetness, life,and power of the testimonies given concerning the real communications of the love of Christ, and the intimacy of his presence with believers. He knew the doctrine of it well enough, but didn’t feel the power of it. At least he understood there was more in it than he experienced. God carried him by faith through that darkness, but taught him with it, that no sense of these things was to be let into the soul except by constant thoughtfulness and contemplations of Christ. How many blessed visits we lose by not being exercised in this duty! (See Song 5.1-3). Sometimes we are busy, sometimes careless and negligent, sometimes slothful, sometimes under the power of temptations, so that we neither inquire after nor are we ready to receive them. This is not the way to have our joys abound.
4. Again (I speak now with special respect to Him in heaven), the glory of his presence, as God and man eternally united; the discharge of his mediatory office, as he is at the right hand of God; the glory of his present acting for the church, as he is the minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle which God has fixed, and not man; the love, power, and efficacy of his intercession, by which he takes care to accomplish the salvation of the church; the approach of his glorious coming for Judgment — these are to be the objects of our daily thoughts and meditations. Let us not mistake ourselves. To be spiritually minded is not to have the notion and knowledge of spiritual things in our minds; it is not to be constant, nor even to abound in the performance of duties — both of which may exist where there is no grace in the heart at all. It is to have our minds really exercised with delight about heavenly things, the things that are above, especially Christ himself at the right hand of God.
5. Again, we are to so think of eternal things as to continually lay them in the balance against all the sufferings of this life. I have somewhat spoken of the use of this before, and it is necessary that it be pressed on all occasions. It is very probable that we will yet suffer more than we have done. Those who have gone before us have done so. It is foretold in the Scripture, that if we live godly in Christ Jesus, we must do so.2Tim 3.12 We stand in need of it, and the world is prepared to bring it upon us.As we must suffer,so it is necessary, to the glory of God and our own salvation, that we suffer in a due manner. Mere sufferings will neither commend us to God, nor in any way advantage our own souls. When we suffer according to the will of God, it is an eminent grace, gift, and privilege, Phi 1.29. But many things are required for this. It is not enough that men suppose they suffer for conscience’ sake — though if we don’t so suffer, then all our sufferings are in vain. Nor is it enough that we suffer for this or that way of profession in religion, which we esteem to be true and according to the mind of God, in opposition to what is not so. The glory of sufferings on these accounts solely, has been greatly sullied in the days in which we live. It is evident that persons, out of a natural courage, accompanied with deep-rooted persuasions, and having their minds influenced with some sinister ends, may undergo hard and difficult things in giving testimony to what is not according to the mind of God. We have had examples of this in all ages, and especially the age in which we live. See 1Pet 4.14-16.51 We have had enough to remove all paint and appearance of honor from those who, in their sufferings, are deceived in what they profess. But men may, from the same principles, suffer for what is indeed according to the mind of God. Yes, they may give their bodies to be burned in this, and yet it is not to His glory nor to their own eternal advantage.
Therefore, we are to duly consider all things that are requisite to make our sufferings acceptable to God, and honorable to the gospel. I have observed in many a frame of spirit, with respect to sufferings, what I never saw a good event of when it was tried to the uttermost. Boldness, confidence, a pretended contempt of hardships, and scorning other men whom they suppose are defective in these things, are the garments or livery they wear on this occasion. Such principles may carry men out in a bad cause; they will never do so in a good cause. Evangelical truth will not be honorably witnessed to, except by evangelical grace. Distrust of ourselves, a due apprehension of the nature of the evils to be undergone and of our own frailty, with continual prayers to be delivered from them or supported under them, and prudent care to avoid them without an inroad on conscience or neglect of duty, are much better preparations for an entrance into a state of suffering. Many things belong to rightly learning this first and last lesson of the gospel; namely, bearing the cross, or undergoing all sorts of sufferings for the profession of it; but they don’t belong to our present occasion. This alone is what we now press as an evidence of our sincerity in our sufferings, and an effectual means to enable us cheerfully to undergo them — which is this: to have such a continual prospect of the future state of glory, as to lay it in the balance against all that we may undergo; for —
1. To have our minds filled and possessed with thoughts of it will give us an alacrity (eagerness) in our entrance into sufferings in a way of duty. Other considerations will offer themselves for our relief, but they will quickly fade and disappear. They are like a cordial water, which gives a little relief for a time, and then leaves the spirits to sink beneath what they were before it was taken. Some relieve themselves by considering the nature of their sufferings — they are not so great that they may not conflict with them, and yet come away safely. But there is nothing of that kind which is so small that it won’t prove too hard and strong for us, unless we have especial assistance. Some do the same from their duration; they are only for ten days or six months, and then they will be free; some are relieved by the compassion and esteem of men. These and like considerations are apt to occur to the minds of all sorts of persons, whether spiritually minded or not. But when our minds are accustomed to thoughts of the “glory that shall be revealed,” Rom 8.18 we will cheerfully entertain every way and path that leads to it, as suffering for the truth does in a unique way. Through this medium, we may look cheerfully and comfortably at the loss of name, reputation, goods, liberty, even life itself, knowing that we have better and more abiding comforts to take ourselves to. And we can in no other way glorify God by our alacrity in the entrance of sufferings, than when it arises from a prospect into, and a valuation of those invisible things which He has promised as an abundant recompense for all we can lose in this world.
2. The great aggravation of sufferings is their long continuance, without any rational appearance or hope of relief. Many who have entered into sufferings with much courage and resolution, have been wearied and worn out with their continuance. Elijah himself was hereby reduced to pray that God would take away his life, to put an end to his ministry and calamities. 1Kng 19.4 And by this, not a few in all ages have been so broken in their natural spirits, and so shaken in the exercise of faith, that they have lost the glory of their confession, in seeking deliverance by sinful compliances in the denial of truth. Although this may be done out of mere weariness (as it is the designof Satan to “wear out the saints of the Most High” Dan 7.25), with reluctance of mind, and a love for the truth remaining in their hearts — yet it constantly has one of two effects.
(1) Some, by the overwhelming sorrow that befalls them on account of their failure in profession, and out of a deep sense of their unkindness to the Lord Jesus, are stirred up immediately to higher acts of confession than they were ever engaged in before, and to a higher provocation of their adversaries, until their former troubles are doubled upon them, which they frequently undergo with great satisfaction. Instances of this nature occur in all stories of great persecutions.
(2) Others being cowed and discouraged in their profession, and perhaps neglected by those whose duty it was to rather restore them, have by the craft of Satan given way to their declensions, and become vile apostates. To prevent these evils arising from the duration of sufferings without a prospect of deliverance, nothing is more prevalent than a constant contemplation on the future reward and glory. So the apostle declares in Heb 11.35.52 When the mind is filled with thoughts of the unseen glories of eternity, it has in readiness what it needs to lay in the balance, against the longest continuance and duration of sufferings which, by comparison, at their utmost extent, are “but for a moment.” 2Cor 4.17 I have insisted longer on these things, because they are the peculiar objects of the thoughts of those who are indeed, spiritually minded
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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2023 14:06:59 GMT -5
CHAPTER 8. SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS OF GOD. Spiritual thoughts of God himself — The opposition to them and neglect of them, with their causes and the way of their prevalence — Predominant corruptions expelling due thoughts of God, how to be discovered, etc. — Thoughts of God, of what nature, and what they are to be accompanied with, etc.
II. I HAVE spoken very briefly to the first particular instance of the heavenly things that we are to fix our thoughts upon, namely, the person of Christ; and I have done it upon the reason mentioned before; namely, that I intend to write a peculiar treatise on that subject, or an inquiry as to how we may behold the glory of Christ in this life, and how we will do so unto eternity. What I have reserved for the last place, about who are spiritually minded as to the exercise of their thoughts, is that which is the absolute foundation and spring of all spiritual things; namely, God himself. He is the fountain from which all these things proceed, and the ocean in which they issue; he is their center and circumference, in which they all begin, meet, and end. So the apostle issues his profound discourse about the counsels of the divine will and mysteries of the gospel, Rom 11.36, “Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever.”
All things arise from His power, and are disposed by his wisdom into a tendency to his glory: “Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things.” Rom 11.36 Under that consideration alone, they are to be the objects of our spiritual meditation — namely, as they come from him and tend to him. All other things are finite and limited, but they begin and end in that which is immense and infinite. Thus God is “all in all.” He therefore is, or ought to be, the only supreme, absolute object of our thoughts and desires; other things are from and for him alone. When our thoughts do not either immediately and directly, or mediately and by just consequence, tend toward and end in him, they are not spiritual, 1Pet 1.21. 53 To make way for directions as to how to exercise our thoughts on God himself, something must be premised concerning a sinful defect in this, with its causes: First, it is the great character of a man presumptuously and atrociously wicked that “God is not in all his thoughts,” Psa 10.4; that is, he is in none of them. And there are many degrees of this lack of thoughts about God, for all wicked men are not equally so forgetful of him:
1. Some are under the power of atheistic thoughts. They deny or question, or do not avowedly acknowledge the very being of God. This is the height of what the enmity of the carnal mind can rise to. To acknowledge God, and yet refuse to be subject to his law or will, one would think is as bad, if not worse, than denying the being of God; but it is not so. That is a rebellion against his authority; this a hatred for the only Fountain of all goodness, truth, and being — because they cannot own it unless they also acknowledge Him to be infinitely righteous, holy, and powerful, which would destroy all their desires and security. Such may be the person in Psalm 14; for the words may be read, “All his thoughts are that there is no God.” Yet the context describes him as one who despises His providence rather than denies His being. But there are those whom the same psalmist brands elsewhere as fools, though they themselves seem to suppose that wisdom was born and will die with them, Psa 14.1, 53:1. It may be that no age since the flood more abounded with open atheism, among those who pretended to the use and improvement of reason, than that in which we live. Among the ancient civilized heathen, we hear time and again of a person branded as an atheist, and yet we are not certain whether it was done justly or not. But in all the nations of Europe in our day, their cities, courts, towns, fields, and armies, abound with persons who, if any credit may be given to what they say or do, don’t believe there is a God. And the reason for this may be briefly inquired into. Now this is no other, in general, but that men have reduced and atrophied the light and power of Christian religion. It is the fullest revelation of God that he ever made; it is the last he will ever make in this world. If this is despised, if men rebel against the light of it, if they break the cords of it, and are senseless of its power, then nothing can preserve them from the highest atheism that the nature of man is capable of. It is in vain to expect relief or preservation from inferior means, when the highest and most noble means are rejected. Reason or the light of nature gives evidences of the being of God, and arguments are still well pleaded from those evidences to the confusion of atheists. They were sufficient to retain men in an acknowledgment of the divine power and Godhead, who had no other, no higher evidences of them. But where men have had the benefit of divine revelation, been educated in the principles of Christian religion, had some knowledge and made some profession of them, and then through the love of sin and hatred of everything that is truly good, have rejected all convictions from them concerning the being, power, and rule of God, they will not be held to a confession of them by any considerations the light of nature can suggest. There are therefore, among others, three reasons why there are more atheists among those who live where the Christian religion is professed, and the power of it rejected, than there are among any other sort of men, even among the heathens themselves:
(1.) God has designed to magnify above all, His word and His name — that is, above all other ways of revealing himself to the children of men, Psa 138.2. Therefore, where this is rejected and despised, he will not honor reason or the light of nature, such that they will preserve the minds of men from any evil whatever. Reason will not have the same power and efficacy on the minds of men who reject the light and power of divine revelation by the word, as it has or may have on those whose best guide it is, who never enjoyed the light of the gospel. And therefore oftentimes honesty is more common among civilized heathens and Mohammedans than among degenerate Christians; and for the same reason, the children of professors are sometimes irrecoverably profligate. It may be said, “Many are recovered to God by afflictions, who have despised the word.” But it is otherwise. Never were any converted to God by afflictions, who had rejected the word. Men may be recalled to the light of the word by afflictions, but none are directly turned to God by them. A good shepherd, when a sheep wanders from the flock and will not hear his call, sends out his dog which stops and nips the sheep; at this, he looks about him, and hearing the call of the shepherd, returns again to the flock, Job 33.19-25.56 But with this sort, it is the way of God that when the principal means of revealing himself, and in which He most glorifies his wisdom and goodness, are despised by the person, God will not only dull the efficacy of inferior means, but judicially harden the hearts and blind the eyes of men, so that such means will be of no use to them. See Isa 6.9,10; Act 13.40,41; Rom 1.21,28; 2The 2.11,12.
(2.) The contempt for gospel light and Christian religion, because they are supernatural (which is the beginning of transgression for all the atheists among us), begets and leaves in the mind such a depraved, corrupt habit — such a conglomeration of all the evils that the hatred of the goodness, wisdom, and grace of God can produce — that it must be wholly inclined to the worst of evils. Just as all our original vicious (vice-ridden) inclinations succeeded immediately upon our rejection and loss of the image of God. The best things, once corrupted, yield the worst savor; just as manna stunk and bred worms. The knowledge of the gospel being rejected, stinking worms take the place of it in the mind, which grow into vipers and scorpions. Every degree of apostasy from gospel truth brings in a proportionate degree of inclination to wickedness in the hearts and minds of men, 2Pet 2.21;57 and total apostasy inclines them to all the evils they are capable of in this world. Whereas multitudes, from their darkness, unbelief, temptation, love of sin, pride, and contempt of God, fall away from all subjection of soul and conscience to the gospel — either notionally or practically, deriding or despising all supernatural revelations — these are a thousand times more disposed to downright atheism, than persons who never had the light or benefit of such revelations. Take heed of decays! Whatever ground the gospel loses in our minds, sin possesses it for itself and for its own ends. Let no one say it is otherwise with them. Men grow cold and negligent in the duties of gospel worship, both public and private; this is to reject gospel light. Let them say and pretend what they please, that it is well with them in other things, in their minds and conversations; but indeed, it is not so. Sin will, sin does, one way or another, increase in them proportionate to these decays; and it will sooner or later reveal itself doing so. If they are not utterly hardened, they may greatly discover it, either inwardly in their peace, or outwardly in their lives.
(3.) Where men are resolved not to see, and the greater the light is that shines about them, the faster they must close their eyes. All atheism springs from a resolution not to see things invisible and eternal. Love of sin, a resolved continuance in the practice of it, the effectual power of vicious inclinations in opposition to all that is good, make it the interest of such men that there be no God to call them to account. For a supreme, unavoidable judge, an eternal rewarder of good and evil, is inseparable from the first notion of a Divine Being. Therefore, whereas the most glorious light and uncontrollable evidence of these things shines forth in the Scripture, men who abide by their interest to love and live in sin, must close their eyes with all the skills and powers they have, or else it will pierce their minds to their torment. They do this by downright atheism, which alone pretends to give them security against the light of divine revelation — as against all other convictions in which they might take shelter from their fears, under lesser degrees of it. Therefore, it is not to the disparagement, but to the honor of the gospel, that so many avow themselves to be atheists, in those places in which the truth of it is known and professed. For none can have the least inclination or temptation to it unless they have first rejected the gospel, which immediately exposes them to the worst of evils. Nor are there any means for the recovery of such persons. The opposition that has been made to atheism, with arguments for the divine being and existence of God — taken from reason and natural light, in this and other ages — has been of good use to cast contempt on the pretenses of evil men to justify themselves in their folly. But I greatly doubt that they have changed the minds of any. No man is under the power of atheistic thoughts, or can be for long, unless he is ensnared in them by his desire to live securely and uncontrollably in sin. Such persons know it is in their interest that there be no God; and they are willing to take shelter under the bold expressions and reasonings of those who, by the same means, have hardened and blinded their minds in such foolish thoughts. But the most rational arguments for the being of the Deity will never prove an effectual cure for a predominant love of, and habitual course in sin, in those who have resisted and rejected the means and motives to that end, declared in divine revelation. Unless the love of sin is cured in the heart, thoughts in the acknowledgment of God will not be fixed in the mind.
2. There are those of whom also it may be said that “God is not in all their thoughts,” though they acknowledge his essence and being; for they are not practically influenced in anything by the notions they have of Him. Such is the person about whom this is affirmed, in Psa 10.4. He is one who, through pride and profligacy, hardened in sin, does not regard God in the rule of the world, verses 4,5,11,13. The world is filled with such men these days, as they are described in Tit 1.16, “They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and reprobate for every good work.” They think, live, and act in all things, as if there were no God, or at least as if they never thought of him with fear and reverence. And for the most part, we need not look far for evidences of their disregard of God — the “pride of their countenances testifies against them,” Psa 10.4; and if they are followed further, cursed oaths, licentiousness lives, and hatred of all that is good, will confirm and evidence the same. Such as these may own God in words; they may be afraid of him in dangers, and outwardly attend to His worship; but they don’t think of God at all in a due manner — “he is not in all their thoughts.”
3. There are still lesser degrees of this disregard of God and forgetfulness of him. Some are so filled with thoughts of the world and the occasions of life, that it is impossible for them to think of God as they should. For just as the love of God and the love of the world, in prevalent degrees, are inconsistent (for if a man loves this world, how does the love of God dwell in him?), so thoughts of God and of the world, in like degree, are inconsistent. This is the state of many who would yet be esteemed spiritually minded; they are continually conversant in their minds about earthly things. Some things impose themselves on them under the notion of duty; they belong to their callings, and so “they must be attended to.” Some are suggested to their minds from daily occasions and occurrences. Common converse in the world engages men in no other thoughts than worldly ones. Love and desire for earthly things, for their enjoyment and increase, exhaust the vigor of their spirits all day long. In the midst of a multitude of thoughts arising from these and like occasions — while their hearts and heads reek with the steam of them — many fall immediately to the performance of holy duties in their seasons. And those times must suffice for any thoughts of God. But notwithstanding such duties, through the lack of a due preparation for them, through the fullness of their minds and affections with other things, and through a neglect of exercising grace in them, it may be said, comparatively, that “God is not in all their thoughts.” I pray God that this, at least as to some degrees of it, is not the condition of many among us. I’m not speaking now of men who visibly and openly live in sin, who are profane in their principles, and profligate in their lives. The prayers of such persons are an abomination to the Lord; nor do they ever have thoughts of him which He accepts. But I speak of those who are sober in their lives, industrious in their callings, and not openly negligent about the outward duties of religion. Such men are apt to approve of themselves, and others also speak well of them, for these things are in themselves commendable and praiseworthy. But if they are traced home, it will be found for many of them, that “God is not in all their thoughts” as he ought to be. Their earthly conversation, their vain communication, with their foolish designs, all manifest that the vigor of their spirits and the most intense contrivances of their minds, are engaged in things below. Some leftover, transient, unmanaged thoughts are sometimes cast away on God; which He despises.
4. Where persons do cherish secret predominant lusts in their hearts and lives, God is not in their thoughts as he ought to be. He may be, he often is, much in the words of such persons. But he is not, and cannot be in their thoughts in a due manner. And no doubt there are such persons. Time and again we hear of one or another whose secret lusts break out into discovery. They flatter themselves for a season; but God oftentimes so orders things in his holy providence, that their iniquity shall be found to be hateful. Some hateful lust reveals itself to be predominant in them: one is drunken, another unclean, a third is an oppressor. There were ever such men found among professors of the gospel, even in the best of times. One among the apostles was a traitor, “a devil.” Among the first professors of Christianity, there were those “whose god was their belly, whose end was destruction, who minded earthly things,” Phi 3.18,19. Some may take advantage of this acknowledgment that there are such evils among those who are called professors of Christ. And it must be confessed that great scandal is given by this to the world, putting both those who give it, and those to whom it is given, under a most dreadful woe. But we must bear the reproach of it as they did of old, and commit the outcome of all things to the watchful care of God. However, it is good in such a season to be jealous over ourselves and others, to “exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin,” Heb 3.13. See chapter 12.13-17. And because those with whom it is this way cannot be spiritually minded, and there remain some difficulties as to the predominance of a secret lust or sin, I will consider it somewhat more distinctly:
(1.) We must distinguish between a time of temptation in some, and the ordinary state of mind and affections in others. There maybe a season in which God — in his holy wise ordering of all things towards us, for his own glory, in his holy blessed ends — may permit a lust or corruption to break loose in the heart. He allows it to strive, tempt, suggest, and agitate to the great trouble and disquietude of the mind and conscience. Nor can it be denied that, falling in conjunction with some vigorous temptation, it may proceed so far as to surprise the person in whom it is found, into actual sin, to his own defilement and shock. In this case, no man can say, “I am tempted by God;” for “God tempts no man, but every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.” Jas 1.13,14 Yet temptations, of whatever sort they are, so far as they are afflictive, corrective, or penal, they are ordered and disposed by God himself — there is no evil of that nature, and He has not done it. And where he would have the power of any corruption to be afflictive in any instance, two things may safely be ascribed to Him:
[1.] He withholds the supplies of that grace by which it might be effectually mortified and subdued. He can provide a sufficiency of efficacious grace to repel any temptation, to subdue any or all our lusts and sins; for he can and does work in us to will and to do according to his pleasure. Phi 2.13 Ordinarily he does so in those who believe — so that, although their lusts may rebel and war, they cannot defile or prevail. But he is not obliged to the continual supplies of this actual prevailing grace. When it may have a tendency to his holy ends, he may and does withhold it. When, it may be, a proud soul is to be humbled, a careless soul is to be awakened, an unthankful soul is to be convinced and rebuked, a backsliding soul is to be recovered, a froward, selfish, passionate soul is to be broken and humbled, He can leave them for a season to the sore exercise of a prevalent corruption. Under his holy guidance, it will contribute greatly to his blessed ends. It was so in the temptation of Paul, 2Cor 12.7-9 (his thorn). If a man, through disorder and excesses, is contracting many habitual distempers of body, which gradually and insensibly tend to his death, it may be an advantage to be thrown into a violent fever, which immediately threatens to take his life. For by this, he will be thoroughly awakened to consider his danger. He will not only labor to be freed from his fever, but also for the future, to watch against those disorders and excesses which throw him into that condition. Sometimes a loose, careless soul, who walks in a secure, formal profession, contracts many spiritual diseases which tend to his death and ruin. No arguments or considerations can prevail to awaken him to “shake himself out of the dust,” Isa 52.2 and turn to a more diligent and humble walking before God. In this state, perhaps, through the permission of God, he is surprised (ambushed) into some open, actual sin. Upon this, through the vigorous actings of an enlightened conscience, and the stirrings of any sparks of grace which still remain, he is shocked and terrified, and stirs himself to seek deliverance.
[2.] God may and does in his providence administer objects and occasions for men’s lusts, for their trial. He will place them in such relations, in such circumstances, as will be apt to provoke their affections, passions, desires, and inclinations, for those objects that are suited to them. In this state, any lust will quickly get such power in the mind and affections, as to manage continual solicitations to sin. It will not only dispose the affections towards it, but multiply thoughts about it, and darken the mind as to those considerations which ought to prevail to its mortification. In this condition, it is hard to conceive how God could be in the thoughts of man in a due manner. However, this state is very different from the habitual prevalence of any secret sin or corruption in the ordinary course of men’s walking in the world; and therefore I do not directly intend it.
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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2023 14:11:18 GMT -5
If anyone inquires how we may know the difference between the occasional prevalence of any lust or corruption in conjunction with a temptation, and the power of sin in any instance that is habitually and constantly complied with, or indulged in the mind, I answer — 1st. It is no great matter whether we are able to distinguish between them or not; for the end for which God permits any corruption to be such a snare and temptation, such a thorn and brier, is to awaken the souls of men from their security, and to humble them for their pride and negligence. The more severe their apprehensions concerning it, the more effectual it will be to this end and purpose. It may be good that the soul apprehend more of what is sinful in it as a corruption, than of what is afflictive in it as a temptation. For if it is conceived as a predominant lust, and if there is any spark of grace remaining in the soul, it will not rest until it is subdued in some measure. It will also immediately put the soul on a diligent search of itself, which will issue in deep self-abasement, which is the principal end designed.
2dly. For the relief of those who may be perplexed in their minds about their state and condition, I say there is an apparent difference between these things. A lust or corruption arising or breaking into a violent temptation, is the continual burden, grief, and affliction of the soul in which it exists. And because the temptation which befalls such a person will give him no rest, for the most part, from its reiterated solicitations, so he will give the temptation no rest. He will continually conflict with it and contend against it. It fills his soul with shock, and with continual self-abhorrence, that any such seeds of filth and folly still remain in it. For those in whom any sin is ordinarily prevalent, it is otherwise. According to their light and renewed occasional convictions, they are troubled by it; they cannot help it, unless their consciences are utterly seared. But this trouble respects principally, if not solely, its guilt and effects. They don’t know what may ensue upon giving in to it, in this world and another. Beyond this, they like it well enough, and are not willing to part with it. It is this latter sort of person, of whom we speak at present.
(2.) We must distinguish between the perplexing solicitation of any lust, and the conquering predominance of it. The evil that is present with us will solicit and press for sin of its own accord, even where there is no such especial temptation as that spoken of before. So is the case stated, and so are its nature and operations described, Rom 7, Gal 5.17.58 And sometimes an especial, particular lust may be so warmed and fomented by men’s constitutions within, or be so exposed to provoking, exciting occasions without, as to bring perpetual trouble on the mind. Yet this may be true where no sin has the predominance that we inquire about. And the difference between the perplexing solicitation of any corruption unto sin, and the conquering prevalence of it, lies in this: that under the former, the thoughts, contrivances, and actings of the mind, are generally disposed and inclined to opposing it, and conflicting with it — how it may be obviated, defeated, and destroyed — how an absolute victory may be obtained against it. Indeed, death itself is sweet to such persons, under this notion: that it would deliver them from the perplexing power of their corruptions. So is the state of such a soul represented at large in Romans 7. In the other case, namely, of its predominance, it disposes the thoughts, for the most part, to make actual provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Rom 13.14 It fills the mind with pleasing contemplations of its object, and puts it to contriving for its satisfaction. Indeed, part of the bitterness of death for such persons is that it will make an everlasting separation between them and the satisfaction they have received in their lusts. To a worldly-minded man, his thoughts of it are bitter, because it will take him from all his enjoyments, his wealth, profits, and advantages. It is this way for the sensual person, as that which finally resolves all his pleasures.
(3.) There is a difference in the degrees of such a predominant corruption. In some it taints the affections, vitiates the thoughts, and works the will to acts of a secret complacency in sin; but it proceeds no further. The whole mind may be vitiated by it, and rendered vain, sensual, or worldly in the multitude of its thoughts, depending on the nature of the prevailing corruption. Yet here God puts bounds on the raging of some men’s corruptions, and says to their proud ways, “Thus far shall you proceed, and no further.” He either lays a restraint on their minds, that when lust has fully conceived, it will not bring forth sin; or he sets a hedge before them in his providence, so that in their circumstances they will not be able to find their way to what perhaps they most earnestly desire. It is a woeful life that such persons lead. They are continually tortured between their corruptions and convictions, or the love of sin and fear of its event. With others, it pursues a course to outward actual sins, which in some, are discovered in this world; in others they are not — for some men’s sins go before them unto judgment, and some follow after. Some fall into sin upon surprisal, from a concurrence of temptation, with corruption and opportunities. Some habituate themselves to a course in sin. Though in many it is not discovered, in some it is. But among those who have received any spiritual light, and made a profession of religion, this seldom happens without the great displeasure of God. For when men have long given way to the prevalence of sin in their affections, inclinations, and thoughts, and God has set many a hedge before them, to set bounds for their inclinations and to shut up the womb of sin — sometimes by afflictions, sometimes by fears and dangers, sometimes by the word — and yet the bent of their spirit is towards their sin, God takes away his hand of restraint, removes his hindrances, and gives them up to their own hearts’ lusts, to do the things that are not convenient. All things then suit their desires, and they rush into actual sins and follies, setting their feet in the paths that go down to the chambers of death. The uncontrollable power of sin in such persons, and the greatness of God’s displeasure against them, make their condition most deplorable. Those who are in this state, of either sort, the first (worldly) or the latter (enlightened), are far from being spiritually minded, nor is “God in all their thoughts” as he ought to be; for —
First, They will not so think and meditate on God. Their delight is turned another way. Their affections, which are the spring of their thoughts, which feed them continually, cling to the things which are most adverse to Him. Love of sin has gotten to be the spring in them, and the whole stream of the thoughts which they choose and delight in are towards its pleasures. If any thoughts of God come in,as a faint tide does for a few minutes, and drive back the other stream, they are quickly repelled and carried away with the strong current of those which proceed from their powerful inclinations. Yet such persons may abide in the performance of outward holy duties, or attendance to them. Pride of their gifts, or satisfaction in them, may give them delight in their own performances, and somewhat in those of others whom they may be exceedingly pleased with, as expressly affirmed in Eze 33.31,32.59 But in these things, they have no immediate real thoughts of God, none that they delight in, none that they seek to stir up in themselves; and they reject those thoughts of God which impose themselves on them.
Secondly, As they will not, so they dare not, think of God. They will not, because of the power of their lusts; they dare not, because of their guilt. No sooner would they begin to think of Him in good earnest, than their sin would lose all its desirable forms and appearances, and represent itself in the horror of guilt alone. And in that condition, all the properties of the divine nature are suited to increase the dread and terror of the sinner. Adam heard God’s voice before with delight and satisfaction; but upon hearing the same voice after he sinned, he hid himself and cried that he was afraid. There is a way for men to think of God with the guilt of sin upon them, which they intend to forsake; but there is none for any to think of Him with the guilt of sin which they resolve to continue in. Therefore, it may be said of these sorts of persons, that “God is not in all their thoughts,” and thus they are far from being spiritually minded — for unless we have many thoughts of God, we cannot be so. Moreover, there are two things required for those thoughts which we have of God, to be evidence of our being spiritually minded:
[1.] That we take delight in them: Psa 30.4, “Sing to the LORD, O you saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.” The remembrance of God delights and refreshes the hearts of his saints, and stirs them up to thankfulness:
1st. They rejoice in what God is in Himself. Whatever is good, amiable, or desirable; whatever is holy, just, and powerful; whatever is gracious, wise, and merciful — and all that is so — they see and apprehend in God. That God is what he is, is the matter of their chief joy. Whatever befalls them in this world, whatever troubles and disquietude they are exercised with, the remembrance of God is a satisfactory refreshment for them. For in this they behold all that is good and excellent, the infinite center of all perfections. Wicked men would have God be anything but what he is; nothing that God is, really and truly, pleases them. Therefore, they either frame false notions of him in their minds, as in Psa 50.21; or else they don’t think of him at all, at least not as they should, unless sometimes they tremble at his anger and power. They suppose some benefit may be had by what He can do; but how there can be any delight in what He is, they don’t know. Indeed, all their trouble arises from this: that He is what he is. It would be a relief to them if they could abate any of his power, his holiness, his righteousness, his omnipresence; but his saints, as the psalmist says, “give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.” Psa 30.4 And when we can delight in the thoughts of what God is in himself, of his infinite excellencies and perfections, it gives us a threefold evidence of our being spiritually minded:
(1st.) It is such an evidence, that we have a gracious interest in those excellencies and perfections, and can say with rejoicing in our hearts, “This God,” thus holy, thus powerful, thus just, good, and gracious, “is our God forever and ever; he will be our guide unto death.” So the psalmist, considering his own frailty and apprehensions of death in the midst of his years, comforts and refreshes himself with thoughts of God’s eternity and immutability, and with his interest in them, Psa 102.23-28. And God himself proposes to us his infinite immutability as the ground on which we may expect safety and deliverance, Mal 3.6.61 When we can thus think with delight of God, and of what he is, it is I say, an evidence that we have a gracious covenant interest even in what God is in himself; which none have but those who are spiritually minded.
(2dly.) It is an evidence, that the image of God has begun to be wrought in our own souls, and that we approve of and rejoice in it more than in all other things whatever. Whatever notions men may have of the divine goodness, holiness, righteousness, and purity, they are all but barren, meagre, and fruitless, unless there is a similitude and conformity to them wrought in their minds and souls. Without this, they cannot rejoice in the thoughts and remembrance of the divine excellencies. That’s why, when we can do so, when such meditations on God are sweet to us, it is evidence that we have some experience in ourselves of the excellency of the image of those perfections, and that we rejoice in them above all things in this world.
(3dly.) They are also delightful in that they manifest that we discern and judge that our eternal blessedness consists in the full manifestation and enjoyment of God in what he is, and of all his divine excellencies. For the most part, men take this for granted; but how it should be so, they don’t know. Those whose hearts are here deeply affected with delight in them, understand it in some measure; they are able to believe that the manifestation and enjoyment of the divine excellencies will give eternal rest, satisfaction, and complacency to their souls. No wicked man can look upon it other than as a torment, to abide forever with “eternal holiness,” Isa 33.14. And we ourselves can have no present prospect into the fullness of future glory, when God will be all in all, except through the delight and satisfaction which we have here, in the contemplation of what God is in himself as the center of all divine perfections. I would therefore, in an especial manner, press this unknown, this neglected duty on the minds of those of us who are visibly drawing near to eternity. The days are coming in which what God is in himself (that is, as manifested and exhibited in Christ), shall alone be as we hope: the eternal blessedness and reward of our souls. Is it possible that anything could be more necessary for us, more useful to us, than to be exercised in such thoughts and contemplations? The benefits we may have by this are not to be reckoned; some of them may only be named. Such as —
[1st.] We shall have the best trial of how our hearts really stand affected towards God; for if upon examination we find ourselves not really delighting and rejoicing in God for what he is in himself, and that all perfections are eternally resident in him, then how does the love of God dwell in us? But if we can truly “rejoice at the remembrance of his holiness,” in the thoughts of what he is, our hearts are upright with him.
[2dly.] This is what will effectually take our thoughts and affections off things here below. One spiritual view of the divine goodness, beauty, and holiness, will have more efficacy to raise the heart to a contempt of all earthly things, than any other evidences whatsoever.
[3dly.] It will increase the grace of being heavenly minded in us, on the grounds declared before.
[4thly.] It is the best, I almost said it is the only, preparation for the future full enjoyment of God. This will gradually lead us into His presence, take away all fears of death, increase our longing for eternal rest, and ever make us groan to be unclothed. Let us not, then, cease laboring with our hearts, until through grace we have a spiritually-sensible delight and joy in the remembrances and thoughts of what God is in himself.
2dly. In thoughts of God, his saints rejoice at the remembrance of what he is, and what he will be to them. In this they have regard to all the holy relations that he has taken on himself towards them, with all the effects of his covenant in Christ Jesus. To that purpose were some of the last words of David: 2Sam 23.5, “Although my house is not so with God; yet he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire.” In the prospect he had of all the distresses that were to befall his family, he triumphantly rejoiced in the everlasting covenant that God had made with him. In these thoughts, His saints take delight; they are sweet to them, and full of refreshment: “Their meditations of him are sweet,” and they are “glad in the LORD,” Psa 104.34. Thus is it with those who are truly spiritually minded. They not only think much about God, but they take delight in these thoughts — they are sweet to them; and not only so, but they have no solid joy or delight except in their thoughts of God, which therefore they retreat to continually. They do so especially on great occasions, which of themselves are apt to divert them from thoughts of God. Suppose a man has received a signal mercy, and he is exceedingly affected and delighted with the matter of it. The minds of some men on such occasions, are apt to be filled with thoughts of what they have received, and their affections are apt to be wholly taken up with it. But the one who is spiritually minded will immediately retreat to thoughts of God, placing his delight and taking up his satisfaction in Him. And so, on the other side, great distresses, prevalent sorrows, strong pains, violent distempers, are apt of themselves to take up and exercise all the thoughts of men about them. But those who are spiritually minded will in them, and under them all, continually turn to thoughts of God, in which they find relief and refreshment against all that they feel or fear. In every state, their principal joy is in “the remembrance of his holiness.”
[2.] That they be accompanied with godly fear and reverence. These are required of us in all we have to do with God, Heb 12.28,29.62 Just as the Scripture doesn’t more abound with precepts to any other duty, so the nature of God and our own, with the infinite distance between them, makes it indispensably necessary, even in the light of the natural conscience. Infinite greatness, infinite holiness, infinite power, all which God is, command the utmost reverential fear that our natures are capable of. The lack of this is the spring of innumerable evils — yes, of all that is evil. Hence are blasphemous abuses of the holy name of God in cursed oaths and execrations; hence His name is taken in vain in ordinary exclamations; hence is all formality in religion. It is the spiritual mind alone that can reconcile those things which are prescribed to us as our duty towards God. “To delight and rejoice in him always, to triumph in the remembrance of him, to draw near to him with boldness and confidence,” are prescribed to us on the one hand; and on the other it is “that we fear and tremble before him, that we fear that great and dreadful name the LORD our God, that we have grace to serve him with reverence and godly fear, because he is a consuming fire.” Carnal reason cannot comprehend consistency in these things — what it is afraid of, it cannot delight in; and what it delights in, it will not fear for long. But the consideration of faith, concerning what God is in himself, and what He will be to us, gives these different graces their distinct operations, and a blessed reconciliation in our souls. That’s why all our thoughts of God should be accompanied with a holy awe and reverence, from a due sense of His greatness, holiness, and power. Two things will utterly vitiate all thoughts of God and render them useless to us — vain curiosity and carnal boldness1st. It is unimaginable how the subtle disquisitions and disputes of men about the nature, properties, and counsels of God, have been corrupted, rendered sapless and useless, by vain curiosity, and by striving for an artificial accuracy in the expression of men’s apprehensions. When the wits and minds of men are engaged in such thoughts, “God is not in all their thoughts,” even when all their thoughts concern Him. Once men have gotten into their metaphysical curiosities and logical niceties, in their contemplations about God and his divine properties, they bid farewell, for the most part, to all godly fear and reverence.
2dly. Others are so under the power of carnal boldness, that they think of God with no other respect than if they thought worms of the earth were like themselves. There is no holy awe upon their minds and souls in the mention of His name. By these things, our thoughts of God may be so vitiated, that the heart will not be affected with a reverence of Him, nor will any evidence be given that we are spiritually minded. It is this holy reverence that is the means of bringing sanctifying virtue into our souls from God, upon our thoughts of him. None who thinks of God with a due reverence, will fail to be sensible of his advantage by it. Hereby we sanctify God in our access to him. And when we do so, he will sanctify and purify our hearts by those very thoughts in which we draw near to him. We may have many sudden, occasional, transient thoughts of God, that are not introduced into our minds by a preceding reverential fear. But if they don’t leave that fear on our hearts in proportion to their continuance with us, they are of no value, but will insensibly habituate us to a common, bold frame of spirit, which He despises. So it is in the case of thoughts of a contrary nature. Thoughts of sin, and of sinful objects, may arise in our minds from the remainders of corruption, or be occasioned by the temptations and suggestions of Satan. If these are immediately rejected and cast out of us, the soul is no more prejudiced by their entrance, than it is advantaged by their rejection, through the power of grace. But if they make frequent returns into the minds of men, or make any abode or continuance in their soliciting of the affections, they greatly defile the mind and conscience, disposing the person to further entertain them. So too, if our occasional thoughts of God immediately leave us, and pass away without much affecting our minds, we will have little or no benefit by them. But if, by their frequent visits and some continuance with us, they dispose our souls to a holy reverence of God, then they are a blessed means of promoting our sanctification. Without this, I say, there may be thoughts of God that have no advantage to the soul. There is implanted on our nature, such a sense of a divine Power and Presence, that upon all sudden occasions and surprisal's, it will act according to that sense and apprehension. There is — a voice in nature itself, upon anything that is suddenly too hard for it, which cries out immediately to the God of nature. So it is with men; on such occasions, without any consideration, they are surprised into calling on the name of God and crying out to him. And it is from the same natural apprehension that wicked and profane persons will break forth on all occasions into cursed swearing by His name. So men in such ways have thoughts of God without either reverence or godly fear, without giving any glory to him, and for the most part, to their own disadvantage. Such are all thoughts of God that are not accompanied with holy fear and reverence. There is scarcely any duty that should at present be more pressed on the consciences of men, than this of keeping up a constant holy reverence of God in all they have to do with him, both in private and public, in their inward thoughts and outward communication. Formality has so prevailed on religion, and under the most effectual means of its suppression, that many manifest they have little or no reverence of God in the most solemn duties of his worship, and maybe less in their secret thoughts. Some ways that have been found to keep up a pretense and appearance of it, have been and are destructive to it. But in this consists the very life of all religion. In the Old Testament, the fear of God is the usual expression for all the respect that is due to Him by our souls. And that is because where that is not in exercise, nothing is acceptable to him. Hence, the whole of our wisdom is said to consist in this (Psa 111.10). If it isn’t in prevalent exercise in all we have to do with Him immediately, then all our duties are utterly lost as to the ends of His glory, and the spiritual advantage of our own souls
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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2023 14:28:20 GMT -5
CHAPTER 9. WHAT WE ARE TO THINK OF GOD. What of God or in God we are to think and meditate upon — His being — Reasons for it; oppositions to it; the way of their conquest — Thoughts of the omnipresence and omniscience of God are peculiarly necessary — The reasons for this — As also of His omnipotence — The use and benefit of such thoughts.
THESE things mentioned have been premised in general as to the nature, manner, and way of exercise of our thoughts on God. That which remains is to give some particular instances of what we are to think upon in an especial manner, and what we will be conversant with in our thoughts, if we are spiritually minded. I won’t insist at present on the things which concern His grace and love in Christ Jesus, which belong to another head, but on those which have an immediate respect to the divine nature itself, and its holy essential properties.
First, Think much of the being and existence of God. In this lies the foundation of all our relation and access to him: Heb 11.6, “He that comes to God must believe that He exists.” This is the first object of faith, and it is the first act of reason; and being the sole foundation of all religion, it is our duty to be exercised to multiplied thoughts about it, renewed on all occasions. For many who are not direct atheists, still live without any solid, well-grounded assent to the divine being; they don’t believe it so as to be practically influenced by the consideration of it. It is granted that the inbred light of nature, in the due exercise of reason, will give any rational creature satisfaction in the being of God. But in most, there is an anticipation of any thoughts of this nature by tradition and education, which has united men into an unknowing assent to it. They never called it into question, nor do they suppose there is any cause to do so. Nature itself startles at the first thought of denying it. But if ever such persons, on any urgent occasions, come to have real thoughts about it, they are at a loss and fluctuate in their minds, not having any certain,indubitable conviction of its truth. Our knowledge of the Divine Being, as to its foundation, is laid in the light of nature, the operation of conscience, and the due exercise of reason about the works and effects of infinite power and wisdom. So this knowledge ought to be increased and rendered useful by faith in divine revelations, and the experience of divine power through them. By this faith we ought to let in frequent thoughts of the divine being and existence. And that is for two reasons, rendering the duty necessary in an eminent manner in this age in which we live:
1. The abounding of atheism, both notional and practical. The reasons for it have been given before, and the fact of the matter is evident to any ordinary observation. And on two accounts with respect to this, we ought to abound in thoughts of faith concerning the being of God:
(1.) An especial testimony is required in us in opposition to this cursed effect of hell. Therefore, whoever is spiritually minded, must have many thoughts of the being of God, thereby giving glory to him: Isa 43.9-12, “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth. You are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be any after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses, says the LORD, that I am God.” Chap. 44.8, “Fear not, neither be afraid: haven’t I told you from that time, and have declared it? You even are my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Indeed, there is no God; I don’t know any.”
(2.) We will have occasion for them continually administered to us. Those atheistic impieties, principles and practices which abound among us, are grievous provocations to all pious souls. Without frequent retreat to thoughts of the being of God, there is no relief nor refreshment to be had under them. Such was the case of Noah in the old world, and of Lot in Sodom; which rendered their graces illustrious.
2. Because of the unaccountable confusions that all things are filled with at this time in the world. Whatever in former times has been a temptation in human affairs to any of the people of God, it abounds at this day. Never did men have more profane and profligate outward appearances to strengthen them in their atheism, nor did those who are godly have greater trials for their faith, with respect to the visible state of things in the world. The psalmist of old on such an occasion was almost surprised into unbelieving complaints, Psa 123.2-5, etc.; and such surprisals may now also befall us, that we may be ready to say with him, “Truly I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.” Hence, when the prophet Habakkuk was exercised with thoughts about such a state of things as we find at this day in the world, which he declares in chap. 1.6-10, he lays the foundation of his consideration in the fresh exercise of faith on the being and properties of God, verses 12,13; and David makes that his retreat on a like occasion, in Psa 11.3-5.
In such a time as this, on both the accounts mentioned, those who are spiritually minded will greatly exercise their thoughts about the being and existence of God. They will say within themselves, “Truly there is a reward for the righteous: truly he is a God who judges in the earth.” (Psa 58.11) From this will follow such apprehensions of the immensity of His nature, of his eternal power and infinite wisdom, of his absolute sovereignty, as will hold their soul firm and steadfast in the highest storms of temptation that may befall them. Yet are there two things that the weaker sort of believers may be exercised with, in their thoughts of the divine being and existence, which may occasion some trouble for them:
(1.) Satan, knowing the weakness of our minds in the immediate contemplation of things infinite and incomprehensible, will sometimes take advantage to insinuate blasphemous imaginations in opposition to what we would fix upon and relieve ourselves with. He will take that very time, trusting to our weakness and his own methods of subtlety, to suggest his temptations to atheism by ensnaring inquiries, when we go about to refresh our souls with thoughts of the divine being and excellencies. “But is there a God indeed? How do you know that there is a God? And may it not be otherwise?” will be his language to our minds. For he still proceeds in much the same way as his first temptation, by way of an ensnaring question. “Indeed, has God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” So he did with our Savior himself, “If you are the Son of God.” “Is there a God? What if there were none?” In such a case, the rule is given to us by the apostle: “Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked,” Eph 6.16, Tou~ ponhrou, ~ (tou ponerou) “of the wicked one;” that is, the devil. And faith will act itself in two ways on such occasions:
[1.] By a speedy rejection of such diabolical suggestions, with detestation. Our Savior did so in a case that was not unlike it: “Get behind me, Satan.” Mat 16.23 Therefore, if any such thoughts are suggested or seem to arise in your minds, know assuredly that they are no less immediately from the devil, than if he personally, stood before you and visibly appeared to you. If he did so, there are none of you who would not arm yourselves with an utter defiance of what he would offer you. It is no less necessary on this occasion, when you may feel him, even if you don’t see him. Don’t suffer his fiery darts to abide one moment with you; entertain no parley or dispute about them; reject them with indignation; and strengthen your rejection of them with some pertinent testimony of Scripture, as our Savior did. If a man has a grenade or fire-ball cast into his clothes by his enemy, he doesn’t consider whether it will burn him or not, but he immediately shakes it off! Don’t deal otherwise with these fiery darts, lest by letting them abide with you, they inflame your imagination to an even greater disturbance.
[2.] In case these fiery darts don’t utterly depart by this endeavor to exclude and cast them out, then without further dispute, return immediately to your own experience. When the devil asks you the question, if you answer him, you’ll be ensnared. But if you ask yourselves the question, and apply your own experience in answer to it, you’ll frustrate all his designs. There are arguments to be taken, as it was said, from the light of nature and reason in its proper exercise, sufficient to defeat all objections of that kind. But these are not our proper weapons in case of our own temptation, which alone is now under consideration. It requires longer and more sedate reasoning than such a state will allow; nor is it a sanctified medium for our relief. It is what is suited to suggestions on the occasion of our meditations that we inquire about. In them, we are not to argue on such principles, but to take the shield of faith to quench these fiery darts. And if, on such occasions, Satan can divert us into long disputes about the being of God, he has his end, by carrying us away from our meditation on God, which we designed. After a while, he will prevail to make it a common road and trade, that no sooner do we begin to think of God, than we must immediately dispute about His being.
Therefore, in this case, the way for someone who is really a believer, is to retreat immediately to his own experience; which will pour shame and contempt on the suggestions of Satan. No believer who has knowledge, and time to exercise the wisdom of faith in considering himself and God’s dealings with him, who doesn’t have a witness in himself of God’s eternal power and Godhead — and also of all those other perfections of His nature which he is pleased to manifest and glorify by Jesus Christ. And so, on this suggestion of Satan that there is no God, he will be able to say, “He might better tell me that I do not live or breathe, that I am not fed by my food or warmed by my clothes, that I don’t know myself or anything else — for I have the spiritual sense and experience of the contrary.” This is like the one of old who, when a cunning sophister would prove to him by syllogisms that there is no such a thing as motion, gave no answer to his arguments, but arose and walked! “How often,” the believer will say, “have I experienced the power and presence of God in prayer, as though I had not only heard of Him by the hearing of the ear, but also seen him by the seeing of the eye! How often has He exerted his power and grace in me by his Spirit and his word, with an uncontrollable evidence of His being, goodness, love, and grace! How often has he refreshed my conscience with the sense of the pardon of my sin, speaking that peace to my soul, which all the world could not communicate to me! In how many afflictions, dangers, and troubles, has He been a present help and relief! What tangible emanations of life and power from Him have I obtained in meditation on his grace and glory!” The one who had been blind, answered the Pharisees’ ensnaring and captious questions, “Be it what it will, ‘one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.’” Joh 9.25 Even so, a soul will say, “Whatever is in this temptation of Satan, one thing I know full well, that whereas I was dead, I am alive; whereas I was blind, now I see — and that is by the effect of divine power.” This shield of faith, managed in the hand of experience, will quench the fiery darts of Satan, and he will fall under a double defeat:
1st. His temptations will be repelled by the proper way of resistance, upon which he will not only desist in his attempt, but even flee from you. “Resist the devil,” says the apostle, “and he will flee from you.” Jas 4.7 He will not only depart and cease to trouble you, but he will depart as one who is defeated and confounded. And it is for lack of this resistance, lively made use of, that many hang so long in the briers of this temptation.
2dly.Recalling the experiences we have had of God, will lead us to exercise all kinds of graces; which is the greatest disappointment of our adversary.
(2.) In thoughts of the divine being and existence, we are apt to be at a loss, to be overwhelmed in our minds, because the object is too great and glorious for us to contemplate. Eternity and immensity, everything under the notion of infinite, takes the mind away from its distinct actings, and reduces it, as it were, to nothing. In some, who are unable to abide in the strict reasons of things, vain and foolish imaginations are apt to arise, and questions about how those things can be, which we cannot comprehend. Others are utterly at a loss, and turn their thoughts away from them, as they would turn their eyes from the bright beams of the sun. Two things are advisable in this case:
[1.] That we take up a holy admiration of what we cannot comprehend. In these things, we cannot see God and live; even in life eternal, they are not to be absolutely comprehended. Only what is infinite can fully comprehend what is infinite. Here, they are the objects of faith and worship. We may find rest and satisfaction in them when inquiries and reasonings disquiet us,and maybe overwhelm us. Infinite glory forbids us any near approach except by faith. The soul thereby bowing down to God’s adorable greatness and incomprehensible perfections, we find that we are nothing, and God is all; this will give us rest and peace in these things, Rom 11.33-36.64 We have but unsteady thoughts about the greatness of the world and all the nations and the inhabitants of it; and yet, both it and these thoughts, are “as small dust on the balance, as a drop in a bucket, ...as vanity, as nothing,” Isa 40.15,23 compared with God. What, then, can our thoughts concerning him result in, but holy admiration?
[2.] In case we are brought to a loss and disorder in our minds upon contemplating any one infinite property of God, it is good to divert our thoughts to the effects of it, such as those we have or may experience. For what is too great or high for us in itself, is made suitable to our understandings in its effects. So the “invisible things of God” are known in and by the things that are seen. And there is, indeed, no property of the divine nature that we may not have an experience of it, as to some of its effects in and upon ourselves. We may consider these, and in the streams, we may taste of the fountain which we cannot approach. By them we may be led to a holy admiration of what is in itself infinite, immense, and incomprehensible. I cannot comprehend the immensity of God’s nature; it may be that I cannot understand the nature of immensity. Yet if I find by experience, and strongly believe, that He is always present wherever I am, I have the faith of it, and satisfaction in it.Secondly, thoughts of the Divine Being, of his omnipresence and omniscience, ought to continually accompany us. We cannot take one step in our walk before him, unless we remember that always and in all places, He is present with us; and that the frame of our hearts and our inward thoughts are continually in his view, no less than our outward actions. And as we ought to be perpetually in the awe and fear of God in these apprehensions, so there are some seasons in which our minds ought to be engaged in the actual conception and thoughts of these attributes, without which we will not be preserved in our duty.
1. The first season of this nature is when times, places, with other occasions of temptation, and consequently of sinning, come and meet. With some, company constitutes such a season; and with some, secrecy with opportunity do the same. There are those who are ready, with a careless boldness, to put themselves into those societies which they know have been temptations to them, and occasions of sin. Every such entrance into any society or company, for those who know how it has formerly succeeded, is their actual sin; and God justly leaves them to all the evil consequents that ensue. Others too, either choose or are frequently cast into such societies; and no sooner are they engaged in them, but they forget all regard to God, and give themselves up not only to vanity, but to various sorts of excess. David knew the evil and danger of such occasions, and gives us an account of his behavior in them: Psa 39.1-3, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I not sin with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned; then spoke I with my tongue.” As for their evil words and ways, he would have no communication with them; and as to good discourse, he judged it unreasonable to “cast pearls before swine.” He was therefore silent as to that also, though it was a grief and trouble to him. But this afterward occasioned in him those excellent meditations which he expresses in the succeeding verses. Upon entering these occasions, if men would remember the presence of God with them in these places, with the holy severity of the eye that is upon them, it would put an awe upon their spirits, and embitter those jovialities whose relish is given to them by temptation and sin. He walks neither humbly nor circumspectly, being necessarily cast into the society of wicked or profane men — on such occasions in which ordinary men give morethan ordinary liberty to corrupt communication, or to excess of any kind — if he does not in entering them, call to mind the presence and all-seeing eye of God. And at his departure, he should consider whether his deportment had been proper in that Presence, and under that Eye. But, alas! pretenses of business and necessary occasions, engagements of trade, carnal relations, and the common course of communication in the world, with a supposition that all sorts of society are allowed for diversion, have cast out the remembrance of God from the minds of most, even when men cannot be preserved from sin without itThis has sullied the beauty of gospel conversation among most, and left in very few any prevalent evidence of being spiritually minded. Therefore, as to those who, either by their voluntary choice or the necessity of their occasions, enter and engage promiscuously in all societies and companies, let them know assuredly that if their hearts and spirits are not continually awed with the thoughts and apprehensions of the omnipresence and omniscience of God — that He is always with them, and his eye always upon them — they will not be preserved from snares and sinful miscarriages. Indeed, such thoughts are needful for the best of us, and in the best of our societies, so that we don’t behave indecently in them at any time.
Again, for some, privacy, secrecy, and opportunity, are occasions of temptation and sin. They are so for persons under convictions, but not wholly turned to God. Many a good beginning has been utterly ruined by this occasion and temptation. Privacy and opportunity have overthrown many such persons in the best of their resolutions. And they are so for all persons who are not yet atrociously wicked. Cursed fruits proceed every day from these occasions. We need no other demonstration of their power and efficacy in tempting us to sin, than their visible effects. And what they are to any, they may be to all, if not diligently watched against. So the apostle reflects on the shameful things that are done in the dark, in a concurrence of secrecy and opportunity. This, therefore, gives a just season for thoughts of the omnipresence and omniscience of God, and they will not be wanting in some measure, in those who are spiritually minded. God is in this place; the darkness is no darkness to him, light and darkness with Him are both alike — these are sufficient considerations to lay in the balance against any temptation springing out of secrecy and opportunity. One thought of the actual presence of the holy God and the open view of his all-seeing eye, will do more to cool those affections which lust may put into a tumult on such occasions, than any other consideration. A speedy retreat to this, upon the first perplexing thought with which temptation assaults the soul, will be its strong tower, where it will be safe.
2.A second season calling for the exercise of our minds in thoughts of the omnipresence and omniscience of God is made up of our solitudes and retirements. These give us the most genuine tests of whether we are spiritually minded or not. What we are in them, that we are, and no more. Yet in some of them — such as walking, journeying, and the like — vain thoughts and foolish imaginations are very apt to solicit our minds. Whatever is stored in the affections or memory will, at such a time, offer itself for our present entertainment. And when men have accustomed themselves to any sort of things,they press on them to possess their thoughts, as it were, whether they will or not. The psalmist gives us the way to prevent this evil: Psa 16.7,8, “I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand,” etc. His “reins,” — that is, his affections and secret thoughts — gave him counsel and instructed him in all such seasons. But from where did they have that wisdom and faithfulness? In themselves, they are the seat of all lusts and corruptions; nor could they do anything but seduce him into an evil frame. It was from this alone, that “he set the LORD always before him” — continual apprehensions of the presence of God with him, kept his mind, his heart and affections, in that awe and reverence of Him, such that they always instructed him to his duty. But as I remember, I said something before as to the due management of our thoughts in this season.
3. Times of great difficulties, dangers, and the perplexities of mind brought on by them, are a season calling for the same duty. Suppose a man is left alone in his trials for the profession of the gospel, as it was with Paul — when “all men forsook him, and no man stood by him.” 2Tim 4.16 Suppose he is brought before princes, rulers, or judges, who are filled with rage and armed with power against him; all things are disposed to affect him with dread and terror. It is his duty to call his thoughts away from all things that are visibly present, and fix them on the omnipresence and omniscience of God. He sits among those judges, though they don’t acknowledge Him; he rules over them at his pleasure; he knows the cause of the oppressed, and justifies them whenever the world condemns them, and He can deliver them whenever he pleases. Those holy souls supported themselves with thoughts of this, when they stood before the fiery countenance of the bloody tyrant on the one hand, and the burning fiery furnace on the other: Dan 3.17,18, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.” Thoughts of the presence and power of God gave them not only comfort and support under their distress, when they were alone and helpless, but courage and resolution to defy the tyrant to his face. And when the apostle was brought before Nero, that monster of cruelty and villainy, and “all men forsook him,” he affirms that “the Lord stood by him and strengthened him,” 2Tim 4.17. He refreshed himself with thoughts of his presence, and he had the blessed fruit of it. Therefore, on such occasions, when the hearts of men are ready to quake, when they see all things about them filled with dread and terror, and all help is far away — I say it is their duty and wisdom to abstract and take their thoughts off all outward and present appearances, and to fix them on the presence of God. This will greatly change the scene of things in their minds, and they will find that strength, and power, and wisdom, are on their side alone — all that appears against them is but vanity, folly, and weakness. So when the servant of Elisha saw the place where they were compassed with a host that came to take them, both horses and chariots, he cried out for fear, “Alas, my master! how shall we do?” But upon the prayer of the prophet, the Lord opening the eyes of the young man to see the heavenly guard that He had sent to him, the mountain being full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha, his fear and trouble departed, 2Kng 6.15-17. And when, in the same extremity, God opens the eye of faith to behold His glorious presence, we will no longer be afraid of the dread of men. In this the holy martyrs of old triumphed, and even despised their bloody persecutors. Our Savior himself made it the ground of his support on a like occasion: Joh 16.32, “Behold,” he says to his disciples, his only friends, “the hour comes, yes, it has now come, that you will be scattered, every one to his own, and will leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”
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Post by Admin on Nov 17, 2023 13:16:04 GMT -5
CHAPTER 10. RULES CONCERNING SPIRITUAL MEDITATION. Sundry things tendered to those who complain that they don’t know how, they are not able to abide in holy thoughts of God and spiritual or heavenly things, for their relief, instruction, and direction — Rules concerning stated spiritual meditation. SOME will say, indeed, on many occasions they do say, that there is nothing in all their duty towards God, in which they are more at a loss than they are in this one of fixing or exercising their thoughts or meditations on heavenly or spiritual things. They acknowledge it is a duty; they see an excellency in it, with inexpressible usefulness. But although they often try and attempt it, they cannot attain to any thing but what makes them ashamed both of it and themselves. Their minds, they find, are unsteady, apt to rove and wander, or to entertain other things, and not abide on the object which they design their meditation towards. Their abilities are small, their invention barren, their memories frail, and their judgments (to dispose of things into a right order) are weak and unable. They know not what to think on, for the most part; and when they fix on anything, they are immediately at a loss as to any progress, and so they give up. Hence other thoughts, or thoughts of other things, take advantage to impose themselves on them; what began in spiritual meditation, ends in carnal vanity. On these considerations, they are oftentimes discouraged to enter on the duty; oftentimes they give it up as soon as it is begun; and they are glad if they come away without being losers by their endeavors, which often befalls them. With respect to other duties, it is not so with them. For those who are really concerned in these things, to whom their want and defect is a burden, who mourn under it, and desire to be freed from it, or refreshed in their conflict with it, I will offer the things that ensue:
First, That sense of the vanity of our minds which this consideration will give us if duly attended to, ought to greatly humble and abase our souls. Why is it this way with us, that we cannot abide in thoughts and meditations of things spiritual and heavenly? Is it because they are things that we have no great concern in? It may be that they are worthless and unprofitable things to us, so that it is to no purpose to spend our thoughts about them. The truth is, they alone are worthy, useful, and desirable; all other things in comparison to them are but “loss and dung.” Phi 3.8 Or is it because the faculties and powers of our souls were not originally suited to contemplate and delight in them? This also is otherwise; they were all given to us, all created by God for this very end, all fitted with inclinations and power to abide with God in all things, without aversion or weariness. Nothing was so natural, easy, and pleasant to our souls, as steadiness in the contemplation of God and his works. The cause of all this evil, therefore, lies at our own door. All this, therefore, and all other evils, came upon us by the entrance of sin. And therefore Solomon, in his inquiry after all the causes and effects of vanity, brings it under this head: “Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions,” Ecc 7.29. For hereby our minds, that were created in a state of blessed adherence to God, were wholly turned away from him; and not only so, but they were filled with enmity against Him. In this state, the vanity that is prevalent in them, is both their sin and their punishment: their sin in a perpetual inclination to things that are vain, foolish, sensual, and wicked — so the apostle describes it at large in Eph 4.17-19, Tit 3.3; and their punishment, in that, being turned away from the chief good, in which alone rest is to be found, they are filled with darkness, confusion, and disquietude, being “like the troubled sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” Isa 57.20 By grace our minds are renewed — that is, they are changed and delivered from this frame; but only partially. The principle of vanity is no longer predominant in us, to alienate us from the life of God, or to keep us in enmity against him. Those who are so renewed do not “walk in the vanity of their minds,” as others do, Eph 4.17. They go up and down, in all their ways and occasions, with a stream of vain thoughts in their minds. But the remainders of it are effectually operative in us, in all the actings of our minds towards God, affecting them with uncertainty and instability. It is like someone who has received a great wound in any principal part of his body. Though it may be so cured that death won’t immediately ensue from it, yet it may make him weak and lame all his days, and hinder him in the exercise of all the powers of life. The vanity of our minds is so cured as to deliver us from spiritual death; yet such a wound, such a weakness remains, that it weakens and hinders us in all the operations of spiritual life. Hence, those who have made any progress in grace, are sensible of their vanity as the greatest burden of their souls, and they groan after such a complete renovation of their minds that they may thereby be perfectly freed from it. This is what they principally regard in that complaining desire of Rom 7.24, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Yes, they groan under a sense of it every day; nor is anything such a trouble to them, observing how it defeats them in their designs to contemplate heavenly things; how it frustrates their best resolutions to abide in the spiritual actings of faith and love; how they are imposed on by it with thoughts of things which, either in themselves or in their consequences, they most abhor. Nothing are they so afraid of, nothing is so grievous and burdensome to them, nothing do they more groan for deliverance from. When there is war anyplace, it behoves those who are concerned, to have an eye and regard to all their enemies and their attempts against them. But if they are vigilant and diligent in their opposition to those who are outside, who visibly contend with them, and in the meantime neglect those who act traitorously within, among themselves — betraying their counsels and weakening their strength — they will undoubtedly be ruined. Wise men first take care of what is within, knowing that if they are betrayed there, all they do against their open enemies is to no purpose. In the warfare in which we are engaged, we have enemies of all sorts that openly and visibly, in various temptations, fight against our souls. It is our duty to watch against these, to conflict with them, and to seek a conquest over them. And it is this internal vanity of mind that endeavors in all things to betray us, to weaken us in all our graces, or to hinder their due operation, and to open the doors of our hearts to our cursed enemies. If our principal endeavor isn’t to discover, suppress, and destroy this traitor, we won’t succeed in our spiritual warfare. Therefore, this being the original cause of all that disability of mind (as to our steadiness in holy thoughts and meditations) which you complain of when you’re affected with it — turn to consider what it proceeds from. Labor to be humbled greatly, and to walk humbly, under a sense of the remainders of this vanity of mind, that some wholesome fruit may be taken from this bitter root, and meat may come out of this eater. If you reflect on this cause of it, when you cannot abide in holy thoughts of God and your relation to Him — to your further humiliation and self-abasement — then your good design and purpose are not lost. Say to yourself, “I began to think of God, of his love and grace in Christ Jesus, of my duty towards him; and now, where do I find myself in a few minutes? I have gotten to the ends of the earth, into useless and earthly things, or I am at such a loss that I have no mind to proceed in the work in which I was engaged. ‘O wretched man that I am!’ what a cursed enemy have I within me! I am ashamed of myself, weary of myself, I loathe myself. ‘Who shall deliver me from this body of death?’” Such thoughts may be as useful to you as those which you first designed. It’s true, we can never be freed absolutely from all the effects of this vanity and instability of mind in this world. Unchangeable clinging to God always, in all the powers and affections of our minds, is reserved for heaven. Yet great degrees may be attained in the conquest and expulsion of it, such as I fear few have experienced, yet all ought to labor for it. If we apply ourselves as we should to the increase of spiritual light and grace; if we labor diligently to abide and abound in thoughts of spiritual things, and do it out of love for them and delight in them; if we watch against the entertaining and approving those thoughts and things in our minds by which this vain frame is pleased and confirmed — there is, even if not an absolute perfection, yet a blessed degree of heavenly mindedness to be attained. And in that, is the nearest approach to glory that we are capable of in this world. If a man cannot attain an athletic constitution of health, or a strength like that of Samson, yet if he is wise, he won’t omit the use of those means which may make him useful in the ordinary duties of life. And although we cannot attain perfection in this matter — which it is our duty to continually press after — yet, if we are wise, we will endeavor for such a cure of this spiritual distemper, that we may be able to discharge all the duties of the life of God. But if men feed the vanity of their own minds in all other things; if they permit them to rove continually after things that are foolish, sensual, and earthly; if they willfully supply them with objects to that end, and don’t labor by all means to mortify this evil frame — then in vain they will desire or expect to bring them at any time, on any occasion, to be steady in the thoughts of heavenly things. If it is thus with any, as it is feared to be with many, it is their duty to mind the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in the first place, “Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good” — and not before. Mat 12.33 When the power of sanctifying grace has made the mind habitually spiritual and heavenly, thoughts of such things will be natural to it, and accompanied with delight. But they will not be so until the God of peace has sanctified us in our whole spirit, soul, and body, by which we may be preserved blameless to the coming of Jesus Christ. 1The 5.23
Secondly, always be sensible of your own insufficiency to raise in your mind thoughts of things spiritual and heavenly, or to manage them in a due manner. But in this case, men are apt to suppose that as they may, so they can think of what they please — thoughts are their own (they think), and therefore, of whatever sort they wish, they need no assistance for them. In truth, they cannot think as they should; they can do nothing at all; and nothing will convince them of their folly as to spiritual things, until they are burdened with an experience to the contrary. But the advice given is expressly laid down by the apostle, in the instance of himself: 2Cor 3.5, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.” He speaks principally of ministers of the gospel, and of those who were most eminently furnished with spiritual gifts and graces, as he declares in verse 6. And if it is so with them, and with respect to the work and duties of their calling, then how much more is it so with others who don’t have their graces or their office! Therefore, if men without regard to the present actual grace of God and the supplies of his Spirit, suppose that they can of themselves exercise their minds in spiritual thoughts — and so they only fret at themselves when they fall into disappointment, not knowing what is the matter with them — they will live in a lifeless, barren frame all their days. By the strength of their natural abilities, men may frame thoughts of God and heavenly things in their minds, according to the knowledge they have of them. They may methodize them by rules of art, and express them elegantly to others. But even while they do so, they may be far from being spiritually minded; for there may be in their thoughts no actings of faith, love, or holy delight in God, or any grace at all. But these alone are the things which we inquire after; only those in which the graces of the Spirit are in their proper exercise. With respect to them, we have no sufficiency in ourselves; all our sufficiency must be of God. Among persons of light and knowledge, there is no truth more generally granted in the notion of it than this: that of ourselves we can do nothing, and none are more neglected in daily practice. Men profess they can do nothing of themselves, and yet they go about their duties as if they could do all things.
Thirdly, Remember that I have not at present treated solemn stated meditation, concerning which other rules and instructions should be given. By solemn or stated meditation, I mean thoughts about some spiritual and divine subject, with the fixing, forcing, and ordering of our thoughts about it, having a design to affect our own hearts and souls with the matter of it, or the things contained in it. By this design, meditation is distinguished from the study of the Word, in which our principal aim is to learn the truth, or to declare it to others. And it is also distinguished from prayer, in which God himself is the immediate object. But in meditation, it is affecting our own hearts and minds with love, delight, and humiliation. At present I have only shown what it means to be spiritually minded; and in this instance, it is about our thoughts as they proceed from the habitual frame of our hearts and affections, or of what sort the constant course of our thoughts ought to be with respect to all the occasions of the life of God. Persons may be ready for this, who are yet unskilled in and disabled for stated meditation. For this, what is required is such an exercise of our natural faculties and abilities as some, through their weakness and ignorance, are incapable of. But as to what we have insisted on up to here, it is attainable by any in whom the Spirit of faith and love abides; for it is but the frequent actings of these that I intend. Therefore, do your heart and affections lead you to many thoughts of God and spiritual things? Do they spring up in you as water in a well of living waters? Are you ready on all occasions to entertain such thoughts, and to be conversant with them as opportunity offers itself? Do you labor to have in a readiness, what is useful for you with respect to temptations and duties? Is God in Christ, and are the things of the gospel, the ordinary retreat of your soul? — even if you are not able to carry on an orderly, stated meditation in your mind, you may yet be spiritually minded. A man may not have a capacity and ability to carry on a great trade of merchandise in the world. The knowledge of all sorts of commodities and seasons of the world and its nations, with those contrivances and accounts which belong to such trade, may be above his comprehension, and he may quickly ruin himself in undertaking such an employment. Yet the abilities of this man may serve him well enough to carry on a retail trade in a private shop, in which perhaps he may thrive and get as good an estate as any whose greater capacities lead them to larger and more hazardous employments. So it may be with some in this case. The natural faculties of their minds are not sufficient to enable them for stated meditation; they cannot arrange things by that method and order which it requires, nor frame the conceptions of their minds into significant and expressive words. And yet, as to frequency of thoughts of God, and a disposition of mind for it, they may thrive and be skillful beyond most others of greater natural abilities. However, because even stated meditation is a necessary duty, indeed, the principal way by which our spiritual thoughts profitably act themselves, I will regard it in the following direction. Wherefore —
Fourthly, Whatever principle of grace we have in our minds, we cannot attain a ready exercise of it, in a way of spiritual meditation or otherwise, without great diligence, or great difficulty. It was shown at the entrance of this discourse, that there is a difference in this grace, between the essence, substance, or reality of it — which we would not exclude men from, under many failings or infirmities — and the useful degrees of it, in which it has its principal exercise. There is a difference in natural life and its actings in a weak, diseased, sickly body, and in that which is of a good constitution, and in a vigorous health. Supposing the first sort, the reality of this grace is wrought in us or implanted in our minds by the Holy Ghost, as a principal part of that new nature which is the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus for good works. And yet, the growth and improvement of it, as with all other graces, requires our own diligent care, watchfulness, and spiritual striving in all holy duties. Unless the most fruitful ground is manured, it will not bring forth a useful crop. Let no one think that this frame of a spiritual mind — in which there is a disposition to and a readiness for all holy thoughts of God, of Christ, of spiritual and heavenly things, at all times and on all occasions — will befall him and continue with him, he knows not how. It is as likely for a poor man to expect to be rich in this world without industry, or for a weak man to be strong and healthy without food and exercise, as to be spiritually minded without an earnest endeavor after it. It may be asked what is requisite to it; and we may name some of those things without which such a holy frame will not be attained. Such as —
1. A continual watch is to be kept in and on the soul against the incursions of vain thoughts and imaginations, especially in those seasons in which they are apt to obtain advantage. If they are permitted to make an inroad into the mind, if we accustom ourselves to entertain them, if they habitually lodge within, then in vain we may hope or desire to be spiritually minded. In this consists a principal part of that duty which our Savior so frequently, so emphatically charges on us all; namely, to “watch,” Mar 13.37. Unless we keep a strict watch in this, we will be betrayed into the hands of our spiritual enemies; for all such thoughts are but making provision for the flesh, to fulfill its desires in its lusts, however disappointed they may be as to actual sin. This is the substance of the advice given to us in this charge in Pro 4.23, “Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” 2. Careful avoidance of all societies and businesses of this life which are apt, under various pretenses, to draw and seduce the mind to an earthly or sensual frame. If men venture on those things which they have found by experience, or may find by their observation, that they seduce and draw their minds away from a heavenly frame to that which is contrary to it, and will not watch to avoid them, they will be filled with the fruit of their own ways. Indeed, the common converse of professors among themselves and others — walking, talking, and behaving themselves like other men, being as full of the world as the world is of itself — has lost the grace of being spiritually minded within, and has stained the glory of profession without. The rule observed by David will manifest how careful we ought to be in this: Psa 39.1-3, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing the fire burned: then spoke I with my tongue.” — this place was mentioned before [chap. 9].
3. A holy constraint put on the mind to abide in the duty of spiritual thoughts and meditations, pressing it continually to consider their necessity and usefulness. The mind will be apt of itself to step aside from purely spiritual duties, through the mixture of the flesh abiding in it. The more inward and purely spiritual any duty is, which has no outward advantages, the more prone the mind will be to decline from it. It will be more prone to decline from private prayer than public, and more from meditation than prayer. And other things will be apt to draw it aside, by objects without, and various stirrings of the affections within. A holy constraint is to be put upon it, with an instant rejection of whatever rises up to divert or disturb it. Therefore, we are to call upon all constraining motives, such as the consideration of the love of Christ, 2Cor 5.14,66 to keep the mind steady toward its duty.
4. Diligent use of means to furnish the soul with that light and knowledge of heavenly things which may administer continual matter of holy thoughts and meditations from within ourselves. This has been largely spoken to before. The lack of it is what keeps many from the least proficiency in these duties. It is like a man who has some skill or ability for a trade; if he has no materials to work with, he must sit still and let his trade alone. So it is with men regarding the work of holy meditation. Whatever the ability of their natural faculties, their creativity or memories, if they’re not furnished with knowledge of things spiritual and heavenly, which are the subjectmatter of such meditations, they must let their work alone. Hence the apostle prays for the Colossians, that “the word of Christ might dwell in them richly in all wisdom,” Col 3.16; that is, that they might abound in the knowledge of the mind of Christ, without which we will be unfit for this duty.
5. Unwearied in our conflict with Satan, who, by various artifices and the injection of fiery darts, labors continually to divert us from these duties. He is seldom or never lacking on such occasions. The one who is furnished in any measure with spiritual wisdom and understanding, may find Satan more sensibly at work in his craft and opposition with respect to this duty, than any other way. When we stand thus before the Lord, Satan is always at our right hand to resist us; and oftentimes his strength is great. Hence, as observed earlier, men often design to really exercise themselves in holy thoughts, but end up in vain imaginations; they take up with trifles rather than continue in this duty. Steadiness in the resistance of Satan on these occasions, is one great part of our spiritual warfare. And we may know that he is at work, by his engines and methods — for they consist in his suggestions of vain, foolish, or corrupt imaginations. When they begin to rise in our minds at those times in which we would engage in spiritual meditation, we may know assuredly where they come from.
6. Continual watchful care that no root of bitterness springs up to defile us, that no lust or corruption is predominant in us. When it is so, if persons, in compliance with their convictions, endeavor sometimes to be exercised in these duties, they will labor in the very fire, where all their endeavors will be immediately consumed. 67
7. Mortification to the world in our affections and desires, with moderation in our endeavors for the things needed from it,68 are also necessary — indeed, to such a degree that without these, no one can in any sense be said to be spiritually minded. For otherwise our affections cannot be so preserved under the power of grace, that spiritual things may be always savory to us. Some may say, perhaps, that if all these things are required for it, it will consume a man’s whole life and time to be spiritually minded. They hope to attain it at a lower cost, and not forego all the other advantages and savors of life, which a strict observation of these things would require. I answer that although it may prove a hard saying to some, I must say it. My heart would reproach me if I didn’t say that, if the principal part of our time is not spent about these things, then whatever we may suppose, we indeed have neither life nor peace. The first fruits of all were to be offered to God; and in sacrifices, He required the blood and the fat of the inwards. If the best is not His, he will have nothing. So it is with our time. Tell me, I ask you, how you can better spend your time and your lives, or to what better purpose, and I will say, “Go and prosper.” I am sure some spend so much of their time, on so much worse, that it is a shame to see it. Do you think you came into this world to spend your whole time and strength in your employments, your trades, your pleasures, to the satisfaction of the “wills of the flesh and of the mind?” Eph 2.3 Do you have time enough to eat, to drink, to sleep, and to talk unprofitably, it may be corruptly, in all sorts of unnecessary societies, but don’t have enough to live to God in the very essentials of that life which consists in these things? Alas! you came into the world under this law: “It is appointed to men once to die, and after this the judgment,” Heb 9.27; and the end for which your life is granted to you here, is that you may be prepared for that judgment. If this is neglected, if the principal part of your time is not improved with respect to this end, you will fall under the sentence of it unto eternity. But men are apt to mistake in this matter. They may think these things tend to take them away from their lawful employments and recreations, which they are generally afraid of; they are unwilling to purchase any frame of mind at so dear a cost. They may suppose that to have men be spiritually minded, we would make them mopes,69 and disregard all the lawful occasions of life. But let no one be mistaken — I am not proposing a design that will be easily, or maybe, honestly defeated. Men are able to defend themselves in their callings and enjoyments, and to satisfy their consciences against any persuasions to the contrary. Yet there is a season in which we are obliged to part with all we have, and to surrender ourselves wholly to follow Christ in all things, Mat 19.21.70 If we neglect or refuse it in that season, it is an evidence that we are hypocrites. And there was a time when superstition had so much power on the minds of men, that multitudes were persuaded to forsake, to give up, all their interest in relations, callings, goods, possessions, and to take up tedious pilgrimages, even hard service in war, to comply with that superstition. It is not to the glory of our profession that we have so few instances of men parting with all, and giving themselves up to heavenly retirement. But I am at present proposing no such design. My aim is not to take men away from their lawful earthly employments, but to bring spiritual affections and thoughts into the management of them all. The things mentioned will deprive you of no time that you can lay claim to, but will sanctify it all
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Post by Admin on Nov 17, 2023 13:24:33 GMT -5
I confess that someone must be a great expert in spirituality if he dares venture on an absolute retirement. He must be well satisfied that he is not called to any usefulness among men that is inconsistent with it; though it may prove a disadvantage to them. Yet this too is attainable if other circumstances concur. Men under the due exercise of grace and its improvement, may attain to that fixedness in heavenly mindedness, to that unconcern in all things here below, as to give themselves up entirely and continually to heavenly meditation, to a blessed advancement of all grace, and a near approach to glory. I would hope it was so with many of those in ancient times who renounced the world, with all circumstances of relations, state, inheritances, and turned to retirement in the wilderness, to abide always in divine contemplation. But afterward, multitudes whose minds were not prepared by a real growth in grace and mortification to the world, as these others were, turned (under the same pretenses) to a monastic retirement. They turned to the devil, the world, sensual lusts, superstition, and all manner of evils; they pursued them, found them, and possessed them, to the unspeakable damage and scandal of religion. This is not what I invite the common sort of believers to. Let whose who are able and free, receive it. Most Christians have lawful callings, employments, and businesses which ordinarily they ought to abide in. That they too may live to God in their circumstances, they may do well to consider two things:
(1.) Industry in men’s callings is very commendable in itself. If nothing else, it has an advantage in this: that it is a means to preserve men from those excesses in lust and riot which otherwise they are apt to run into. And if you consider the two sorts of men into which most men are distributed — namely, those who are industrious in their affairs, and those who spend their time, if able, in idleness and pleasure; the former sort are far more amiable and desirable. Even so, industry is capable of being greatly abused. Earthly mindedness, covetousness, devouring holy things as to the times and seasons of duty, uselessness, and similar pernicious vices, invade and possess the minds of men. There is no lawful calling that absolutely excludes this grace of being spiritually minded in those who are engaged in it, nor in any calling that includes it. Men may be in the least of lawful callings and be spiritually minded; and men may be in the best and highest callings, and not be so. Consider the calling of the ministry: Its work and duty calls on those who are employed in it, to have their minds and thoughts conversant about spiritual and heavenly things. They are to study them, meditate on them, commit them to memory, and speak them to others. It will be said, “Surely such men must be spiritually minded.” If they go no further than what is mentioned, I say they must be so, in the same way that printers must be learned, who are continually conversant about letters. A man may engage himself in these things with great industry, and yet his mind be most remote from being spiritual. The event declares that it may be so. And the reasons for it are manifest. It requires as much if not more watchfulness, more care, and more humility, for a minister to be spiritually minded in the discharge of his calling, than for any other sort of men in theirs, and for other reasons. The commonness of the exercise of such thoughts, with their design upon others in their expression, will reduce their power and efficacy. He will have little benefit by his own ministry, if he does not in the first place, endeavor to experience in his own heart, the power of the truths which he teaches others. There is evidently as great a failing in this among us ministers, as among any other sort of Christians, as every occasion of trial demonstrates.
(2.) Industry in any honest calling is allowable; yet, unless men labor to be spiritually minded in the exercise of that industry, they have neither life nor peace. All the things mentioned before are necessary; I don’t know how any of them can be abated — even more is required than is expressed in them. If you burn this scroll, another must be written, and many like things must be added to it. The objection from the expense of time in observing them has no force; for a man may do as much work while he is spiritually minded as he does while he is carnal. Spiritual thoughts will no more hinder you in your callings than those which are vain and earthly, which all sorts of men find leisure for in the midst of their employments. If you have filled a vessel with chaff, you may still pour a great deal of water into it, which will be contained in the same space and vessel. If it is necessary that you take much of the chaff of the world into your minds, yet they are capable of such measures of grace as will preserve them sincere unto God.
Fifthly, This frame will never be preserved, nor the duties mentioned ever be performed in a due manner, unless we dedicate some part of our time particularly to them. I speak only to those whom I suppose daily set apart some portion of time to holy duties, such as prayer and reading the word, and they find by experience that it succeeds well with them. For the most part, if they lose their seasons, they lose their duties. For some complain that the urgency of business and the multitude of tasks drive them first from the fixed times of their duties, and then has brought them into a course of neglecting the duty itself. That’s why it is our wisdom to consistently set apart some part of our time to exercise our thoughts about spiritual things, in the way of meditation. And I will close this discourse with some directions in this particular, to those who complain about their disability to discharge this duty:
1. Choose and separate a fit time or season, free from other occasions and diversions. Because it is our duty to redeem time with respect to our holy duties, such a time may be more useful the more the purchase of it [puts us in a position to do them]. We are at no time to serve God with what costs us nothing, nor with any time that comes within the same rule. 2Sam 24.24 If we allow only the refuse of our time for this duty, when we have nothing else to do, or maybe, wearied by other occasions, these times are fit for nothing else, we should not expect any great success in it. This is one pregnant reason why men are so cold and formal, so lifeless in spiritual duties — namely, because of the times and seasons they allot to them. When the body is wearied with the labor and occasions of the day, and maybe the mind is indisposed in its natural faculties, even by the means of necessary refreshment, men think themselves fit to engage with God about the great concerns of his glory and their own souls! This is what God condemns by his prophet: Mal 1.8, “If you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t it evil? And if you offer the lame and sick, isn’t it evil? Offer it now to your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept you?” Both the law of nature and all the laws of holy institutions require that we serve God with the best that we have, just as all the fat of the inwards was to be offered in sacrifices. And do we think to offer that time to God in which we are unfit to appear before an earthly ruler? Yet such, in my account, are the seasons, especially evenings, that most men choose for the duties of their holy worship. And you may do well to consider beyond the day and time which he has taken for Himself by an everlasting law,72 how little of the choice of your time you have offered to God as a free-will offering, that you may be excited to future diligence. If you therefore seriously intend this duty, choose the seasons for it in which you are most fit, when the natural vigor of your spirits is most free and active. Possibly some will argue that this may be such a time that the occasions of the world call most earnestly for your attendance to them. I say that is the season I would recommend. And if you can conquer your minds to redeem it for God at any cost, then your endeavors in it will be prosperous. However, don’t trust to whatever times offer themselves; don’t risk taking them up. Let the time itself be a free-will offering to God, taken from the top of the heap, or the choicest part of your useful time.
2. Preparation of mind to a due reverence of God and spiritual things is required prior to this. When we go about this duty, if we rush into thoughts of heavenly things without due reverential preparation, we will quickly find ourselves at a loss See the rule, Ecc 5.1,2. “Grace to serve God with reverence and godly fear” is required in all things in which we have to deal with Him — as we have in this duty, in an immediate and especial manner. Endeavor, therefore, in the first place, to get your hearts deeply affected with an awed reverence of God, and a holy regard for the heavenly nature of the things you would meditate on. By this your minds will be composed, and the roots of other vain or earthly thoughts which are apt to arise and divert you from this duty, will be cast out. The principles of these contrary thoughts are like Jacob and Esau. They struggle in the same womb; oftentimes Esau will come out first, and for a while seem to carry the birthright. So too, if various thoughts conflict in our minds, some for this world and some for another, those for this world may carry it for a season. But where a due reverence for God has “cast out the bondwoman and her children” Gal 4.29,30 —the workings of the flesh in its vain thoughts and imaginations — the mind will be at liberty to exercise itself on spiritual things
3. Earnest desires for a renewed sense and relish of spiritual things are required for this. If we engage in this duty merely on a conviction of the necessity of it, or set ourselves about it because we think we ought to do so, and it would not be good to utterly neglect it, then we may not expect to be successful in it. But once the soul has tasted that the Lord is gracious, when its meditations on Him have been sweet, when spiritual things have had a savor and relish in the mind and affections, and upon this it comes to this duty with earnest desires to have the same tastes, the same experience, yes, to have them increased, then it is on the path of hopeful progress And this also will make us persevere in our endeavors to go through with what we undertake — namely, when we know by former experience what will be attained by it, if we dig and search for it as for a treasure. If you think the right discharge of this duty may be attained another way, if you suppose it doesn’t deserve all this cost and charge about it, then judge by what is past, whether it’s advisable to give it up and let it alone. There are as many good intentions that lie quietly on the ground, as those which continually attempt to rise and yet never once effect it. Remember how many successless attempts you have made upon it, and all of them have come to nothing (or to what is as bad as nothing). I cannot say that in this way you will always succeed; but I fear that you will never have success in this duty without such things that are of the same nature and use. When, after this preparation, you find yourselves still perplexed and entangled, and not able to comfortably persist in spiritual thoughts for your refreshment, take these two directions for your relief:
1. Cry and sigh to God for help and relief. Bewail the darkness, weakness, and instability of your minds, so as to groan within yourselves for deliverance. And if your designed meditations result only in a renewed gracious sense of your own weakness and insufficiency, with an application to God for supplies of strength, they are by no means lost as to a spiritual account. The thoughts of Hezekiah’s meditations didn’t seem to have any great order or consistency when he so expressed them: “Like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered; I mourned like a dove: my eyes fail with looking upward. O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me,” Isa 38.14. When the soul labors sincerely for communion with God, but sinks into broken, confused thoughts under the weight of its own weakness, if he but looks to God for relief, his chattering and mourning will be accepted with God and profitable to himself.
2. Supply the brokenness of your thoughts with ejaculatory prayers, as either their matter or your defect in managing them requires. Thus is was with Hezekiah in the instance mentioned before. When his own meditations were weak and broken, he cries out in the midst of them, “O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me!” And meditation, properly, is a mixture of spiritual apprehension of God and of heavenly things, in the thoughts and conceptions of our mind, with desires and supplications concerning them. It is good and profitable to have some special designed subject of meditation in our thoughts. I declared at large before what things are the proper objects of the thoughts of those who are spiritually minded; but they may be more particularly considered as the matter of designed meditation. They may be taken out of some especial spiritual experience that we recently had, or some warnings we received from God, or something with which we have been particularly affected in the reading or preaching of the word, or what we find the present posture and frame of our minds and souls require, or what supplies all most frequently — the person and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. If anything of this nature is particularly designed prior to this duty, and a time is sought for it with respect to that duty, the mind will be fixed and kept from wandering after a variety of subjects, in which it is apt to lose itself and bring nothing to completion. Lastly, don’t be discouraged with an apprehension that all you can attain to in the discharge of this duty is so little, so contemptible, that it is to no purpose to persist in it; nor be wearied with the difficulties you meet with in its performance. You have to deal with Him alone in this matter who “will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax,” Isa 42.3 whose will it is that none should “despise the day of small things.” Zec 4.10 And “if there is” in this duty “a ready mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not.” 2Cor 8.12 He that can bring into this treasury only the mites of broken desires and ejaculatory prayers, so long as they are his best, shall not come behind those who put into it out of their greater abundance in ability and skill. To faint and give up because we cannot rise to such a height as we aim at, is a fruit of pride and unbelief. He who finds himself to gain nothing by continual endeavors after holy, fixed meditations, but only a living, active sense of his own vileness and unworthiness, is a sufficient gainer by all his pains, cost, and charge. But ordinarily, it will not be so; constancy in the duty will give the ability for it. Those who conscientiously abide in its performance will increase in light, wisdom, and experience, until they are able to manage it with great success. These few plain directions may possibly be of some use to the weaker sort of Christians, when they find a disability in themselves to discharge this duty, in which those who are spiritually minded should be peculiarly exercised
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