VIII. Lastly, that which a man has loved here, and carried about in his heart, shall be manifested in him hereafter; and with this he shall a.s.sociate himself forever, whether it be G.o.d or the world. If the world have been the object of his love in this life, it will never leave him hereafter, but will prove his death and his tormentor to all eternity.
Chapter XIX.
He Who Is Most Of All Conscious Of His Misery, Is Most Of All Acceptable To G.o.d; And His Christian Knowledge Of His Misery, Urges Him To Seek The Grace Of G.o.d.
_To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word._-ISAIAH 66:2.
These comfortable words, our gracious and merciful G.o.d hath spoken by the prophet, in order to cheer our hearts, when they are most oppressed with misery and sorrow. Be not thou therefore ashamed to be bruised in spirit, and abased in thine own eyes. Humble thyself in the dust, and deem thyself unworthy of all grace and favor; so shalt thou be raised out of thine own vileness, and obtain, in Christ, acceptance with Almighty G.o.d.
2. He who is still _something_ in his own estimation, is not duly humbled and depressed in his heart; nor can he expect to be regarded by that Being who looks upon the poor and contrite ones only. "If," says the apostle, "a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself" (Gal. 6:3): and the reason of this is, that G.o.d is _all in all_, alone; and the creature must consequently become a bare and empty _nothing_. So great and so practical is this truth, that man is not only to believe it in his heart, but to express it in his life and conduct.
3. If ever thou designest, then, to give all the glory and honor to G.o.d, that HE may be ALL, alone, thou must surely thyself become _nothing_ in thine own eyes; and entertain a very low opinion of thyself, and of thy profiting in spiritual things. For how is it possible that G.o.d should be _all in all_, whilst thou thyself continuest to be _something_? By this self-exaltation thou invadest the sovereignty of G.o.d, and appropriatest that to thyself, which is his proper due and prerogative. "It was _before the Lord_," said David to Michal, who had reproached him, "and I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight." 2 Sam. 6:21, 22.
4. A man that will be _something_, is the matter out of which G.o.d is wont to make _nothing_; but he, on the contrary, who loves to be reputed as nothing, and who, in his own judgment, is so, is the matter out of which the Almighty maketh _something_. He that will be wise in his own opinion, is the matter out of which G.o.d maketh a fool; and he who is truly sensible of his own folly and nothingness, is that of which G.o.d forms a wise and great man. He who, before the Lord, sincerely confesses himself to be the greatest and most miserable of sinners, is, in the sight of G.o.d, the first and greatest of all men. He who believes himself to be the chief of _sinners_, shall be honored by the Lord as the chief of _saints_. Matt.
23:12; Luke 1:52.
5. This is that humility which G.o.d exalts; that misery which he regards; that _nothing_ from which he createth _something_. And as, at the creation, the glorious frame of heaven and earth was brought forth out of _nothing_, so must man be reduced to a deep sense of his vileness and nothingness, if ever he be exalted to glory and to dignity.
6. Reflect upon the example of David, whose misery G.o.d beheld, and to whom he granted the richest gifts of his grace. Consider, again, the example of Jacob, who confessed, "I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies."
Gen. 32:10.
7. But above all, lay to heart the example of Christ, the grand and blameless pattern of a Christian. He was abased below the meanest of men; was made a worm and a curse for our sake (Ps. 22:6), despised and rejected of men. Isaiah 53:3. But the lower he sunk, the higher did he afterwards rise, when he received a name which is above every name.
8. But who is that blessed and lowly one who is _nothing_ in his own eyes?
It is he who inwardly and in his heart esteems himself worthy of no divine benefit, whether bodily or spiritual. For he that arrogates anything to himself, esteems himself to be _something_; and is, therefore, the farthest removed from divine grace and from this new creation. So destructive is the spirit of self, that it renders even grace of no effect, and shuts out that which contains all things in it. For if a man judge himself worthy of anything, he then does not take all things as a free gift from the hands of G.o.d. Whatever we are, however, is of _grace_ and not _merit_; nor can we call anything our own, except our sins, our helplessness, and our misery. All else belongs to G.o.d.
9. A man considered in himself, that is, independently of G.o.d, by whom he subsists, is no more than a shadow. And as the shadow of a tree constantly conforms to the tree on which it depends, so should man conform to the will of G.o.d from whom he has his very life and being; as the apostle says: "In him we live, and move, and have our being." Acts 17:28. It is true, the fruit will sometimes appear in the shadow of the tree; yet it does not therefore belong to the shadow, but to the tree: so all the good fruits that may appear in thy life and conduct, are not the produce of thy own self and thy ability, but of G.o.d alone, who is the original source whence all good fruits proceed. And as the apple grows not from that gross substance the wood, which is seen by the eye, but from the seminal virtue which the tree contains, and which is made active from above; so the new man, and the fruit he bears, spring not up from anything that is gross and visible to the eye, but from a supernatural and invisible seed.
10. Now, man is by nature a dry tree; but G.o.d is his strength, whereby life is renewed in him, and he himself is made fat and green in the house of G.o.d. G.o.d is the "strength of our life" (Psal. 27:1), says the Psalmist: and hence we "shall bring forth much fruit whilst we abide in Christ."
John 15:5.
11. When a man is thus wretched and poor in his own eyes, and has nothing in the world in which to trust but the pure grace of G.o.d, manifested in Christ Jesus, then G.o.d graciously "looks upon him." This divine regard must be understood in a divine sense. The look or countenance of G.o.d, is not as the countenance of men, dest.i.tute of life and virtue: but it is accompanied with a living power and influence that supports and revives the faint and penitent sinner. And as none but the humble and contrite are capable of this heavenly regard; so the more fully they receive the consolation which G.o.d grants, the less do they think themselves worthy of it. Such a one deems himself unworthy of all blessings divine and temporal. He says with Jacob, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant:"
for behold, since thou gavest me thy Son Jesus Christ, I come with two bands, with the blessings of grace and of glory. Gen. 32:10. And truly, if a man should weep a sea of tears, it were by no means sufficient to purchase or deserve the least part of heavenly comfort: the grace of G.o.d cannot be merited by men, who deserve nothing but wrath and eternal d.a.m.nation.
12. Whoever thus acquaints himself in faith with his own misery, is truly one of those poor and contrite men, to whom the Lord graciously looks.
Without this previous brokenness of heart, man cannot expect to enjoy this blessed aspect of G.o.d, nor indeed that grace and kindness which is promised to the poor in spirit only. In this weakness and poverty the apostle glories, when he says: "If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities" (2 Cor. 11:30): and he adds the reason: "that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Cor. 12:9. For so great indeed is the mercy of G.o.d, that he will not see the work of his hands destroyed: but the weaker the creature is in itself, the more is it sustained by the power of an Almighty Being. For in the weakness of the creature, the power of G.o.d is exalted, as the Lord declared unto Paul: "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
13. The more vile and miserable therefore a Christian is in his own opinion, the more freely G.o.d looks upon him, to the greater manifestation of the riches of his glory. And in bestowing this heavenly consolation, he does not look at all on man"s merit, but barely on his want and poverty.
And this comfort can in no degree be compared with any human comfort, all which it infinitely exceeds. In such a sense, then, G.o.d looks to the contrite man and comforts his spirit.
14. By "the poor and contrite man," is not to be understood, a man that is poor in the outward sense of the word, or who is altogether dest.i.tute of human help and relief; but _he_ is the poor man, who labors under the load of his sins, and is grieved for them. If sin were not in the world, there could be no misery: but now so much misery cannot befall a man, but that he is still worthy of much more. Ps. 103:10. Far be it therefore from us to grieve, because we have not many temporal benefits conferred upon us; since we are not worthy even of the least of them, no, not of life itself.
Our flesh and blood may think this a hard saying; yet every penitent sinner ought to be a severe judge in his own case, and ought not to make the least allowance to his carnal propensities. This is the order in which we are to obtain G.o.d"s favor and mercy.
15. And what has man now left to boast of, or what language shall he employ when he opens his mouth? The best course he can take will be to say simply, "Lord, I have sinned; have thou mercy upon me!" And, truly, G.o.d himself requires no more from a man than that he humbly deplore his sin, and in the unfeigned language of repentance pray for pardon. Whoever neglects this, may be said to have slighted the best and most needful part of his being, Weep not therefore, O Man! on account of thy _body_, that it is naked and sick, pinched with hunger and cold, insulted and persecuted; or because it is confined by bonds and a prison: but humble thyself before the Lord, and bewail the woful condition of thy _soul_, which is constrained to dwell in so wretched a house as thy body is, a house of sin and death. "O wretched man," says the apostle, "who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. 7:24. This free and Christian acknowledgment of thine own inward misery, this G.o.dly sorrow, this thirst after divine grace, this faith leaning on Christ alone, open, in Christ, the door of grace, by which G.o.d enters into thy soul. "Be zealous, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand," saith the Lord, "at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20): which supper is nothing else than the remission of sin, attended with heavenly comfort, with life and blessedness. This is the door of faith (Acts 14:27), through which the Lord, at the right time, enters into the soul; and after the day of toil and sorrow is over, refreshes her with the light of his countenance. Then it is, that "mercy and truth meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other; that truth springs out of the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven." Ps. 85:10, 11. Then it is that the woman, that poor sinner, but now a penitent, anoints the feet of her Lord, washes them with tears, and wipes them with the hairs of her head, expressing thereby all the marks of an unfeigned and deep humility. Luke 7:37. Then it is, that the spiritual priest (Rev. 1:6), in the holy ornaments of faith, offers up the true sacrifice, even a broken and lowly spirit, with the incense of true contrition and prayer. Ps. 51:19. Then it is that the true sanctified water of purifying (Numb. 8:7) is applied,-the tears which grief for sin caused to flow; and now, through faith and by the power of the blood of Christ, the spiritual Israelite is washed and cleansed.
16. And thus, O Christian! is seen how by the sense of thy own misery, and by faith in Christ attending it, thou mayest attain the grace and favor of G.o.d. To conclude, the more wretched and miserable any one is in his own judgment, the more dearly he is beloved of G.o.d, and the more gracious is the regard which the Lord will bestow upon him.
Chapter XX.
A Truly Christian Sorrow For Sin Promotes The Daily Amendment Of The Life Of Man, Makes Him Meet For The Kingdom Of G.o.d, And Fits Him, In An Increasing Degree, For Eternal Life.
_G.o.dly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death._-2 COR. 7:10.
True Christianity consists solely in pure faith, love, and a holy life.
This holiness of life springs from true repentance, sorrow, and self-knowledge; so that a man not only more and more feels his failings and imperfections, but amends them also, and, in this order, partakes of the righteousness and holiness of Christ by faith. 1 Cor. 1:30.
2. But in order to regulate the grand work of salvation with the better order and care, thou oughtest now to walk in a submissive and filial fear of G.o.d, guarding against all that would gratify the flesh. "All things are lawful," says the apostle, "but all things are not expedient" (1 Cor.
6:12); that is, "all things edify not." 1 Cor. 10:23. As a dutiful child, confined to the father"s house, does not so much as attempt to follow his own humor in everything; but, unwilling to offend his parent, observes his will and pleasure: so a true Christian and child of G.o.d will behave himself in his Father"s house, in so careful a manner, as not to allow his senses any unlawful liberty. He will neither do nor speak anything without consulting first his Father in heaven, under whose eye he constantly lives, knowing that He is everywhere present.
3. Most men live without any fear of G.o.d, freely indulging themselves in worldly pleasures and satisfaction. They will not consider that it is far better to have a constant fear of G.o.d fixed in the heart, than a constant joy of the world. For as the fear of G.o.d is the beginning of wisdom, and begets a serious frame of mind; so the joy of this world extinguishes all good impressions, and banishes true wisdom out of the heart, together with all G.o.dly fear and devotion.
4. By daily repentance and mortification of the flesh, man is daily renewed in G.o.d"s image; for "though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (2 Cor. 4:16); and often, in the midst of his sorrows, is he visited with a taste of heavenly joy and sweetness.
Whereas, the pleasure and joy of the world are always attended with heaviness of heart, and an inward sting of a wounded conscience. If the people were but more sensible of the melancholy effects resulting from worldly pleasure, and particularly of that damp which it puts upon heavenly comfort, they would certainly dread all loose and worldly enjoyments: since thereby the grace of devotion is quenched, and the soul diverted from those purer pleasures which the Gospel of Christ affords.
5. There are two things which prevent those who seriously consider them from being influenced either by worldly pleasures or outward calamities.
The one is, the _eternal pain of the d.a.m.ned_; whoever earnestly ponders it, will almost find it impossible to be thoroughly merry after the way of the world. The other is, _the eternal joy of the blessed in heaven_.
Whoever has a sound apprehension of so happy a state, will never be greatly moved with the calamities of the present life; and this arises from the consideration of the eternity of those divine enjoyments. But so great is the levity of our hearts, that it hinders us from any serious reflection on so important a subject. And hence it is no wonder that we are both without this wholesome contrition and sorrow, and ignorant of all celestial joys and comforts.
6. It is the prerogative of a true Christian to be, on the one hand, but sparingly, if at all, moved with earthly things, or temporal advantages; and, on the other, to be the more deeply impressed with the joys of G.o.d, and of life eternal. Neither is he immoderately dejected in the present adversities that may befall him; but the loss of the soul grieves him to his very heart, and he counts it worthy of long lamentation. As for the perishing comfort of this life, he knows it cannot be called a loss, since he shall receive a thousand-fold for it in the world to come. But when a soul is once cast away, it can never be restored.
7. Blessed is the man who is affected with G.o.dly sorrow, and tastes that celestial consolation which succeeds it. But, alas! how much of our time do we spend in worldly joy and merriment, when we have greater reason to bewail our own misery and that of others! There is no true liberty, no solid delight, no substantial satisfaction, but in the fear of G.o.d, and in a quiet, serene conscience. But this blessing can never exist without faith, and without a holy life and conversation. This faith, attended with G.o.dly sorrow, daily proceeds more and more to correct our faults and imperfections. Whoever neglects this daily reform of his life and manners, wastes the most precious part of his time, which he should employ to secure the interest of his immortal soul. He is an adversary to the new life; he hinders the kingdom of G.o.d in himself; and he can never be cured of the blindness and hardness of his heart, so long as he remains in that state.
8. It follows, therefore, that he only deserves the name of a prudent and wise man, who carefully avoids whatever he understands to be an obstacle to the reforming of his life, and to the improving of himself in heavenly gifts and graces. Happy is he who not only avoids such things as are detrimental to his body and estate, but also detests those which hinder the soul in her spiritual progress.
9. Be therefore courageous, O Man, and endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ! 2 Tim. 2:3. An evil habit of mind must be overcome with a good one. It is the apostle"s exhortation: "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Rom. 12:21. The cure of thy soul is not impossible. View, in the first place, thy own corruptions, and judge them severely, before thou presumest to censure the faults of thy neighbor. Be not too forward in admonishing and correcting others; but endeavor to heal first thy evils at home, before thou enterest upon the reforming of those that are abroad.
10. Go on, therefore, O Christian, and learn the lesson of daily repentance, sorrow, and contrition of heart. If the world despise thee upon that account, and decry this wholesome exercise as error and as melancholy, be not concerned at such poor and empty reflections. Grieve rather that thou art called indeed a Christian, but that thou hast not yet arrived at that strictness of life and purity of manners, which the Gospel requires. Bear the contempt of the world with Christian constancy, and consider the singular benefit which thence accrues to the whole practice of true religion. For, if thou be scorned by the world, then G.o.d is ready to support thee by fresh supplies of life and comfort, according to his own declaration: "I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. 57:15.
11. It is impossible that divine and worldly joy should, at one and the same time, reside in the heart of man; so very contrary are they to each other, and so inconsistent in their natures, causes, and effects. The joy of the world is begotten in prosperity; but that which is from heaven, springs up in the midst of crosses and adversities.
12. It is true that it is against the bent of nature to rejoice in the time of adversity, as the apostle himself seems to intimate: "As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." 2 Cor. 6:10. But then it is no less true, that the grace of G.o.d cleanses our nature, and qualifies it for such spiritual exercises. And it was after this change that the apostles rejoiced, because they were "counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ." Acts 5:41.
13. A Christian is become by the grace of G.o.d, a new creature, and hence the tribulations of this life are made easy to him. The apostle declared, that he even "gloried in tribulations." Rom. 5:3. As affliction is a grievous burden to the old man, so it gives ease and joy to the new man in Christ. Again, that joy which is from above, infinitely surpa.s.ses that which is from below. Nay, the very reproach and contempt which a Christian undergoes for the sake of Christ, is attended with a secret satisfaction: and the reason we are so little affected with these heavenly visitations, is on account of the joy of the world, to which we are still too much addicted.
14. A truly humble man thinks himself worthy of all manner of sufferings, and unworthy of any divine comfort: but the more unworthy he thinks himself in true brokenness of spirit, the more is he visited with the goodness of G.o.d. And the more he weeps over his sin, the more is he weaned from worldly enjoyments; for the whole world gradually becomes to him a burden and a bitter affliction.