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SERMON XI.
Heb_4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The Lord hath been pleased so to order and determine the state and condition of his children, while they are in this life, that they shall be constantly needy. This dispensation we should submit unto with all quietness of mind, not quarrelling with the wisdom and mercy of our God therein. Yea, more than submission is called for. There is a further duty required, though it be hard to perform it, to take pleasure and to rejoice in this needy state, that the power of Christ may rest upon us. For as the Lord hath laid us, or left us, under manifold necessities; so hath he laid up, and is ready to lay out, of his grace for helping us under them. And surely such wants as lay us open for those supplies of his grace, will be found to have a great deal of mercy in them, in the issue. The exhortation in the text implies, that grace can help in every time of need. There are some times of need, contrived by the Lord on purpose, that the helpfulness of his grace might the more shine and appear. I was speaking last day from this truth, That there are some special necessitous times, in which believers are specially needy of Christ’s grace, and in which his grace is specially helpful.
I have spoke to the first of these times of need: A time of temptation. Though all believers be not always tempted; yet there is no saint on earth who is out of the devil’s gun-shot. No saint on earth hath reason to expect, that (if I may so speak) God should serve the devil with a Noli prosequi. God gives not, in this life, an utter discharge to the devil, from meddling with, or molesting of any saint. Till we come to heaven, this adversary must be expected and prepared for. This world is his dominion; he is the wicked god of it (2Co_4:4). And all the wicked in it, are his people, subjects, and children: and all the remaining corruption in the saints, is of the devil.
II. The second time of special need of God’s grace, is the time of a spiritual decay; a decay in the new creature, a decay in the work of God in the heart. This passeth under many names in the word, and well known in the sense and experience of believers. Sometimes it is called darkness (Isa_50:10). It is the misery of a natural state, that they that are in it, are darkness. It is the blessedness of a renewed state, that the partakers of it are light in the Lord. Their duty is, to walk as children of light (Eph_5:8). Though they that are made light in the Lord, are never suffered to become darkness again; yet they may walk in darkness, and have no light; and the days of that darkness may be many, as the wise man saith (Ecc_11:8). We all know what natural darkness is. All the natural light of the world is from the sun; and therefore natural light and darkness, day and night, have their vicissitudes and revolutions, according to the shining or not shining of the sun. All the spiritual light believers have, is from the light of God’s countenance. As the Sun of Righteousness ariseth on them (Mal_4:2) or withdraws from them, so is their spiritual day or night; so do they walk in darkness, or in the light of the Lord. Sometimes this decay is called death, and deadness; a state of inability and inactivity, for working and doing what they are called to. Hence so many prayers for quickening, especially in Psa_119:1-176. Natural death we know not; but sickness, weakness, and fainting, we do know. Spiritual death is known and felt by none that are under its total power; but a weakness in spiritual life, saints do know.
Of this decay I would speak, in handling three things. 1. Whence it comes. 2. How needy such are of God’s grace. 3. How grace doth help in it.
1. Whence comes this decay on Christians? It is a state too common to be questioned, and too plain to need to be proved, that true Christians are, and may be in it. I would name some of its springs and causes.
1st, It flows from the infant, infirm state of the new creature, in its first forming. It is a new-born babe (1Pe_2:2). When the first man was made, he was as perfect and strong a man the first hour he was made, as ever he was in all his life. He came out of his Maker’s hands a perfect man. But the new creature is born a weak thing, and is to grow up to the stature of a perfect man in Christ (Eph_4:13); and will never come to its full growth, till it come to heaven. None on earth knows what a perfect Christian is. There are degrees of perfection on earth; in respect whereof some are less, some more perfect. But the most perfect labour greatly under imperfection (Php_3:12 - Php_3:14), and press most after perfection. I will not speak of the wise design of God, in framing the new creature thus. Only the glory of its preservation, and of its perfection, is not due to the new nature in believers; but to the original of it, God the Father; to the blessed root thereof, Jesus Christ his Son; to the inhabitation of the Spirit; and to the great security of the new covenant.
2dly, The new creature is not only in an infant, weak state, but it is planted in a bad and unfit soil for it. It is planted out of its element. Heaven is the proper element and country whence the new creature came, whence it is maintained, and whither it natively tends. But it is planted here in the heart of a sinner. Now, the heart of a man, though mended by grace in part, is a very unfit and unsuitable soil for such a foreign heavenly plant, as the new creation is. And hence it is, that the grace of God in us is endangered by the place of its residence.
2dly, There is also much corruption remaining in the heart of a believer, as noisome weeds growing near this precious planting of the Lord. The Lord never designed to root all corruption out of the hearts of his people in this life, by the first planting of his grace in them; but only to give that grace that shall break the dominion of sin, and that shall maintain a war with indwelling sin, and at last shall prevail completely. So that it is plain, that on the account of those three, if there were no more, Christians are very liable to spiritual decays. And it is sadly confirmed from frequent experience. It may be in some, the work of grace was in best case when it was first begun; and that, from the day of their conversion, to the day of their being glorified, they never had much of any remarkable growth. But this is their sin, and their shame.
2. Hence you may see, how needy such persons are of the help of the grace of God. An inward decay in the work of his grace in us makes us very needy of help from the fountain of grace in him.
For this decay gives great advantages to our spiritual enemies to attack us, and lays us under great disadvantages in resisting them. I am apt to think, (I cannot now give the reasons of it), that the devil knows the frame of our hearts, though he does not know the heart immediately: that is God’s property, Act_1:24), and the condition of the work of God in us, a great deal better than we ourselves ordinarily do. Great is the intimacy he hath with our spirits, especially with the remaining corruption in them. Great is his craft, acquired by observation, practice, and experience, as well as by his malicious sagacity. And when he seeth a believer in a bad case, if he have permission, he will improve that desired opportunity to make their bad case worse. Psa_71:11,Psa_71:12 David prays for hasty help from God, on this argument, his enemies saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him. Caleb and Joshua encourage Israel to go in and possess the land (Num_14:9) by this, Their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not. It is from this bad case that believers are in, that Satan hath so easy and speedy victory over them at some times, more than at other times. When it is well with the new creation within, Christians can keep the devil at a bay and stand; when it is otherwise, he prevails immediately; we are disarmed, and his darts pierce and enter. There is some ground to suspect, that David’s heart was not in so good a frame as usually, some time before his foul fall (2Sa_11:1-27). As to Peter, it is plain, his vain self-confidence gave Satan an opportunity to sift him, as he did.
3. How doth the grace of God help in a decayed state?
1st, Grace helps, in preserving life at the root. There is some witness for God kept up. I sleep, but my heart waketh, saith the bride (Son_5:2). It is well all was not asleep. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, saith meek Jesus, in his agony in the garden to the three distempered disciples (Mat_26:41). These same three sleep in the mount of transfiguration (Luk_9:32), and in the garden of agony. Paul found this witness preserved in his captivity to the law in his members (Rom_7:23).
2dly, Grace helps under a decayed state, by making a secret growth downward: A growth, that the believer cannot feel in himself, and that others cannot quickly perceive; yet it is a real growth, and will in God’s due time appear. We commonly value most that growth in grace that hath fair blossoms and fruit, appearing to our comfort, and to the Lord’s praise before others. And it is indeed desirable, and to be studied (Mat_5:16; Joh_15:8). But there is a growth that may be carried on in the root only, in the rooting grace of a Christian: as in clearer discoveries of indwelling sin in the heart, and in more self-diffidence and self-distrust. Paul had this fruit (2Co_1:8,2Co_1:9). It is a sad thing, that many Christians are so fond of themselves, of the good that is in them, that the Lord seeth that nothing is so fit to cure them of this, as leaving them to themselves. And when this leaving of them to themselves hath brought them to a discovery of themselves, and that discovery hath wrought a distrust of themselves, and that distrust hath taught them faith in God; then the Lord hath reached his end on them, and will change his way with them.
3dly, Grace can revive the decayed state of a believer: (Psa_23:3) He restoreth my soul. He reneweth their strength (Isa_40:31). Thy youth is renewed like the eagles (Psa_103:5). This is impossible in nature, and as to our bodies; but as to our souls, and the work of God in them, it is what is promised, and often done. Old people may, and do often, in their folly and vanity, counterfeit youth; but all their arts cannot make themselves one hour younger. But the Lord can renew the youth of the new creature, and make it better with him than ever it was. David prays for it, (Psa_51:10) Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Peter got a new conversion (Luk_22:32). They both had been converted and renewed before; but they fell under a sad decay, and needed this restoring grace, and got it.
So much of the second time of need. I proceed to a third, not so common.
III. A time of special enjoyments, is a time of special need of God’s helping grace. You may think it strange, but it is true, that they that receive most of the Lord’s gracious bounty, stand in most need of grace to guide it well. Concerning this season, I would speak in five particulars.
1. Most Christians know what those enjoyments are by experience, although in various measures. It is very suspicious, that that person is an hypocrite, that is always in the same frame, let him pretend it to be never so good. The true Christian’s sky is never long clear, and without clouds. Change of weather and ways, is usually found by travellers to heaven. It is to be suspected, that he is not right who hath no changes (Psa_55:19). These special enjoyments are of several sorts.
1st, There is some special nearness to God enjoyed by Christians at some times. We are not at all to be offended at, but rather confirmed by the reproaches of the ungodly, that are utter strangers to such enjoyments, and cannot endure nor understand the scripture-names of such blessings that they themselves are unacquainted with. What is more frequent in the word, than this nearness to God? What is better known in the experience of saints than this nearness? He makes gracious approaches to men’s spirits, and causeth them to approach to him (Psa_65:4). They find it good for them (Psa_73:28). The first gracious change wrought on a soul, is by bringing a distant sinner near to God: (Eph_2:13) But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. “Whenever the virtue of that blood came upon you by the Spirit of Christ, God came near to you, and you were brought near to God.” But besides this nearness that is begun in the first application of grace, and changeth their state; there is more nearness given by the Lord, and enjoyed by his people, for the cheering of their hearts, and bettering of their frame. Exercised Christians are able to give a distinct account of their having of this nearness at some times, and of their want of it at other times. How much of both are in the Psalms of David? And such as can understand the nearness to, and distance from God, so frequently mentioned there, as only the psalmist’s sense of God’s favourable or cross providence towards him in outward things, are to be pitied for their ungodly ignorance, and despised for their expounding the words of a man after God’s heart according to the carnal sentiments of their own.
2dly, There are effusions of the Spirit spoke of in the word, and found by Christians, which are special enjoyments. Sometimes they are found in the performance of spiritual duties of worship; sometimes in the exercise of grace. Grace should be acted in all duties of worship; but it may be, and should be acted out of any formal duty. You should never pray, but there should be acting of faith and love on Christ. But, God be thanked, you may act faith and love when ye do not pray, when you are about no settled spiritual duty of worship. There is a being in the fear of the Lord all the day long (Pro_23:17), A walking up and down in the name of the Lord (Zec_10:12), A doing of every thing in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col_3:17). Every believer hath the Spirit of Christ: If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Rom_8:9). But there are some singular pourings out of this Spirit promised and bestowed, and well known by believers? and they are precious enjoyments. This Spirit the world cannot receive; because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you, as Christ saith (Joh_14:17).
3dly, There is communion and fellowship with God much spoke of in the word, well known by believers (1Jn_1:3). But I shall name no more of these enjoyments.
2. As all Christians know what these special enjoyments are, so all of them do greatly desire them. This is so sure, that many do over-desire them. This desire ariseth,
1st, From the genius and instinct of the new nature. What is more natural to the new creature, than kindly breathing after heaven? When a poor soul hath got of the water of life from Christ, it becomes in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (Joh_4:14). Immediately the soul saith, “What shall I do to be saved? when shall I be saved?” Now, if desires of heaven be the native breathing of the new creature, surely breathing after much of heaven upon earth must be so too; for the highest enjoyments of God on earth, are far short of what is reserved for heaven.
2dly, Experience of first love, and of the first gracious welcome he gave to the believer, when he first fled to the city of refuge, makes them desire more of those enjoyments.
3. These special enjoyments are very profitable, as well as pleasing. They are given for profit, and do usually profit.
1st, They are supported under tribulation: In the multitude of my thoughts within me, (and doubtless they were sad ones), thy comforts delight my soul (Psa_94:19). Usually much affliction, and joy of the Holy Ghost, are together (1Th_1:6). The promises are fitted for distress, and the performance of them given to Christians under it. Some distresses are so great, that nothing can bear up under them, but a special appearance of divine grace; and in that case such blessings may be more importunately begged.
2dly, Special enjoyments do fit and strengthen for work and service. There is a joy of the Lord that is the believer’s strength (Neh_8:10). Elijah’s double meal was to strengthen him for a forty days journey in the wilderness; and the extraordinary manifestation he had of God, was to fit him for his translation (1Ki_19:1-21). Many saints have found this so often in their experience, that they do with fear receive singular enjoyments of God, because they have so oft found them followed with some special trial and difficulty.
4. Although most Christians have somewhat of these special enjoyments, and all desire them, and they be profitable in themselves; yet special spiritual enjoyments are dangerous, and render a man very needy of the helping grace of God.
1st, Because they do usually expose to special temptations. Satan is a constant enemy to all Christians. But there are two times especially that he would fainest assault the believer; when he is at his worst, and when he is at his best. Let believers be never so low, if Satan get his will, he would bring them lower. No man is as low as the devil would have him, but he that is in hell; but thither he cannot bring a believer. If a Christian be never so high, if the devil be let loose upon him, he will quickly bring him down. Do not think, that the devil will fear to engage a believer, even when in his best state. He that had the boldness to fall on sinless Adam in paradise, will think it an easy matter to deal with any sinful man in this wilderness. He that had the impudence to tempt our almighty sinless Saviour, will he have either modesty or fear in tempting a feeble believer? You whom the Lord makes at any time to ride on your high places, bless him, and yet fear your adversary.
2dly, There are some special corruptions that are apt to grow under special enjoyments, as weeds by warm sunshine. If there were any such enjoyment of God to be found in this life as would remove corruption altogether out of the heart, there would be no fear of abusing it: but now, when the greatest enjoyments that can be had in this life, are given to them that have a body of death dwelling in them, there are some workings of that remaining corruption that are very ready to appear in this case. As,
(1.) Pride of heart; spiritual pride. All pride is a spiritual sin; but pride that riseth on spiritual blessings received, is specially spiritual pride. Pride on the account of beauty of body, or strength, or riches, is a carnal foolish pride. If it rise on the account of gifts and endowments of the mind, it grows yet a worse pride. But if the gifts of God be yet of a more high and noble kind, as his special love, and the precious fruits of that love, in begun conformity to Christ, and communion with him; if pride rise on such grounds, it is yet the worst of all sorts of pride. For the more gracious the gifts of God be, and the more eminently they be of free distinguishing grace, and the more plainly the design of God in giving those gifts be to glorify the grace of the giver, and to save the receiver, to the praise of that grace; pride of heart on the account of such gifts, is yet the worst of all pride. Now, that such a corruption may grow under special enjoyments of God, is past all doubt. (2Co_12:1-21) Paul speaks of his being lifted up unto heaven, like a man that had not fully recovered himself: I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether out of the body, or in the body, I know not: God knoweth) (v 2). It was a long while since; but in the time of the enjoyment, and fourteen years after it, he could not tell whether he was in or out of the body. He never speaks plainly of it, till he came to speak of his infirmities, (v 7) Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. Where we may perceive plainly, that whatever was in that extraordinary enjoyment Paul had in that vision from heaven, or in that visit to heaven, that was allowed him; when he came back, he found the same heart he had formerly felt, and the same body of death he so often had groaned under before. Although we know not what Paul enjoyed in that time, nor what the nature of that exercise by Satan was that he was put to: yet the Lord’s design, and Paul’s danger, is plain. It is indeed a marvellous passage. Such an extraordinary person as Paul was, the chief of the apostles, and most eminent saint in all the New Testament, after such a great revelation, must be exercised with hell, to prevent harm by his being in heaven, before he was fully ready and fit for heaven.
(2.) Contentedness with a present good condition, and dullness of desires after a better state, is a common corruption that is apt to rise up under special enjoyments. If the disciples be on the mount of transfiguration, and Christ be glorified in their sight, and glorified saints from heaven in his company; then it is good to be here, say they; not minding that which was more needful for them and all the church. And if they heard (as is most likely) the discourse of Moses and Elias concerning the decrease of our Lord which he should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luk_9:30,Luk_9:31), they were the more faulty. It is very hard to be truly desirous of heaven, when we have much of heaven on earth; yet it may be attained, and grace can help to it. Of which in the last place.
5. The grace of God, as it is needed, so it is useful and helpful to believers under special enjoyments.
1st, Grace can humble the soul under them, and by them. Though Satan make them temptations to pride, the Lord can sanctify them to be means of humbling. Great comforts do not natively tend to humble us; but all discoveries of the glory of God are humbling. Isaiah found it so, (Isa_6:5) Woe is me, for I am undone; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. The vision was great and glorious; it was a sight of God in Christ; as Joh_12:41, These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. We would be apt to think the prophet should rather have said, “Happy am I, that I have seen now what I never saw before, what few, if any, besides me, have seen.” But such was the impression the Spirit of God made on the heart of this man, that this extraordinary manifestation of God effects him with more deep self-abasement than ever he had before. Happy is the man that lies still the more low in himself, and before God, the more highly the Lord exalts him. Job found this fruit of a clearer discovery of God (42:5,6). Jacob (in
Gen_32:30) called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. This place where he wrestled all night with the Lord, where the Lord blessed him in the morning; this place he calls Peniel, to be the name of it to him and his seed; that whenever they saw the place, or heard of it, they might remember, that there the great God and a poor man met in great familiarity, and the man was not consumed. Jacob wonders, that his life was preserved in such a meeting. Near approaches of God to his children, are sometimes too hard for them to bear. This made one eminent saint cry out under such a high enjoyment, “O Lord, destroy me not with thy glory”; and another, “Hold thy hand, O Lord; thy servant is a clay vessel, and can bear no more.” And both these were persons not oppressed by his wrath, but overcharged with his love and glory.
2dly, Grace can help to record and remember special enjoyments. There are some spiritual enjoyments of God, that are like lightning, that dart from the one end of heaven to the other, that make a dark night to become like the morning. They come quickly, and they are quickly gone; they are of speedy access, and of as sudden a recess. But though they be but short in their continuance, their fruit may remain. And one way for making their fruit continue, is, to remember and record them. I will remember the years, the works, the wonders of the Lord (Psa_77:10 - Psa_77:12), I will meditate, I will talk of them, saith the saint. Thus David prays for Israel, (1Ch_29:18) Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people. What was this he prayed for Israel’s remembering of, and for the Lord’s keeping in their minds? It was, that they might remember with what joy they made their willing offerings for the service of God. We have a gracious promise of Christ, (Joh_14:26) The Holy Ghost shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. And this promise we should plead, for bringing to our remembrance the things Christ hath done for us, as well as for what he hath said to us. And no man can imagine (but they that feel it) how one of these remembrances will fortify the soul in a day of distress. Spiritual things are so unlike to carnal things, that all comparisons betwixt them must needs halt greatly. That a poor, hungry, starving man, should, in a dungeon, or desolate wilderness, be refreshed, and made strong, by the bare remembrance of a feast he had seven years ago; this is impossible in nature. But in spiritual things it is otherwise. The savoury remembrance of a spiritual enjoyment long since past, can bring back the taste, and power, and virtue of it, to the soul that wants it. Believers are usually upon their recovery from a sad disconsolate state, when they are exercised in remembering with savour their former enjoyments. Thus saith returning Israel, (Hos_2:7) I will go and return to my first husband: for then it was better with me than now.
3dly, Grace can help to improve enjoyments, to desires of, and endeavours after perfection. We must not say, when it is well with us, It is good to be here; but rather, It is good to be there, where it will be a great deal better. (Php_3:13,Php_3:14) This one thing I do, (it must be a great thing doubtless that is Paul’s one thing), forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, &c. There is a forgetting that is our duty; and a remembering that is our duty also. To remember, so as to support our faith, and feed our praising of the Lord, that is duty: but to forget attainments, so as to press after the mark, that is another duty. Alas! we are bad, both at right remembering, and right forgetting. You and I think, that if we had but a little of what Paul had in one day; if we had but a little of what he had that night he lay in the stocks, when he prayed, and sang praises unto God (Act_16:25), we could never have forgotten it as long as we had a day to live. But Paul could forget all in his ardent desires of perfection. And so must you; and this grace can teach you.
These special enjoyments of God are but rarely felt. Dote not on them, neither despise them. Mock not such as know them in their experience, though ye do not. If you be sound believers, ye may live in your souls, and live to his praise, without enjoying any thing very extraordinary. But if the Lord grant singular communications of himself, know that it is a season of special need of grace to guide them well. They would return more frequently, and would rise and spring higher, and last longer, if they were better improved. The greater the blessing be, the more provoking is the abuse of it; the greater the blessing be, the greater is the difficulty of guiding it well: and the more difficulty be in our work, the more is our need of the grace of God; and the more frequent and fervent should our applications be to the throne of grace for that needful, helpful grace.