(“CHRIST IN BELIEVERS THE HOPE OF GLORY,” BY THE REV. JOHN BROWN, WAMPHRAY—p. 101-110.)
6. USE.
This truth exceedingly calls for a narrow trial, viz., if Christ be in us or not: and because it is a material business, we shall therefore speak the more to it. 1. We shall lay forth some false marks, by which many deceive themselves both on the one hand and on the other. 2. We will give you some true marks, where you may judge in this matter.
In speaking to the false marks, we must have our eye upon two sorts of persons, and so speak to the marks whereupon each go to work, and deceive themselves: some have Christ really dwelling in their soul, and yet nevertheless imagine that it is not so, upon such and such grounds that they perceive in themselves, which they judge cannot consist with Christ’s living in them; others again have not Christ in them, notwithstanding imagine that He is in them, by reason of such and such things, which they judge to be real marks of Christ being in them. And both the one and the other are deceived with false grounds.
As to the first, viz., such who have Christ really in them, and nevertheless will not be convinced thereof, they may mistake on these and the like grounds.
1. Because they are no wise like to these saints whereof the Scriptures make mention, in whom was the Spirit of Christ.
Neither like those who now live who have Christ in them: as if forsooth all were Christians of the same magnitude, age, strength, and liveliness; as if there were not in Christ’s family, young children as well as old, young sentinels, as well as lively, strong, and great warriors, 1 Cor. iii. 1; 1 John ii. 13, 14. A child hath real life, and is a man, though not a strong and able man; yea the very child in the mother’s womb hath real life; and so many children in Christ go to heaven, for “He carries the lambs in his bosom.”—Isa. xl. 11.
2. Because they find not the operation of the Spirit in them.
This is likewise no true mark; for He may be in the soul, and yet may be hid from the soul, the Lord judging it fittest it should be so, that He may hide pride from their eyes, and they, as was said, may be kept humble and sobbing all their days. The Spirit bloweth where He listeth, and after what manner He will.
3. Because they are daily full of fears and jealousies, that all is not right with them.
Hence they conclude, that providing Christ were really in them, then all their questionings would be done away, and all their clouds scattered, and they would obtain a full assurance. But this is a mistake; Christ may be, and faith in Him may be, where this certainty is not, never was, and likely shall never be, until the soul come within the view of the land of glory: yea, the scripture is full of such like complaints of the saints, and of their often expressing their suspicions: it is the disease that follows the royal blood, incident to the most heavenly spirit; Moses, David, Heman, Asaph, Job, Jeremiah, the church, Psa. cxx.; Lam. i. ii. iii. and iv. And that under the church and saints of the New Testament, as well as the old, 1 Cor. x. 6. “Now these things were our examples,” with verse 11. “We were pressed out of measure above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God that raiseth the dead,” 2 Cor. i. 8, 9. “We were troubled on every side; without were fightings; within were fears,” vii. 5; 1 Peter i. 6, 7. Yea, Christ may be there, where the soul through power of temptation peremptorily concludeth, that He is not in them: otherwise woe to not a few.
4. Because strangers to some sensible and comfortable manifestations, which some attain.
They see not, neither find they, as with some, the rays and real glimpses of His smiling countenance: but this is no sure mark; Christ may be where these things are not, or otherwise woe to many poor souls. These are the free out-lettings of His love, wherein the Lord deals as a sovereign; allowing some to come near him, for so He thinketh fit, and others to stand farther off, and think it sufficient, if but admitted to stand within the portal of His palace: all subjects are not courtiers, nor all courtiers alike high. The mother will take the one child, and kiss and dandle it upon the knee, and not the other; so Christ takes not all His children into His banqueting house, neither spreads He His banner of love over them in sensible manner; each one is not stayed with flaggons and comforted with apples: every one hath not Christ’s left hand under their head, and His right hand embracing them: some must be satisfied to want these manifestations, until they ascend into the higher house.
5. Because they know not what it is to have their hearts lifted up in the ways of the Lord.
They know not what that joy in the Holy Ghost meaneth, nor what it is to cheer themselves with joy unspeakable and full of glory. O! is this sufficient ground to conclude that Christ is not in them? What a gross mistake is this? Do all Christians attain to such high attainments? Alas! some must be well satisfied to creep to heaven, and never once get up their back, until they win within the ports of glory: some instead of rejoicing must carry the tear in their eye the whole way, and never get it washed away, until that Christ’s soft hand once for all wash it off, and there they shall weep no more, being arrived there where no sorrowing or sighing shall be heard, for then sighing and sorrowing must flee away.
6. Because their graces shine not, nor have not that beauty and lustre which they hoped to have had, providing Christ were in them.
Where faith, hope, love, &c., is nothing to what it should or must be (think they) if Christ were in them. But they notice not that there are degrees of grace: all are not saints of the first magnitude; each one’s faith (even true faith) is not assurance; Christ is where the least grain-weight of grace is, and sometimes grace will go in little room; Christ is where there is but one smoking flax, but one broken reed.
7. Because they are not only without comfort and joy, but are also full of terrors, fears, and trembling.
Whereof they imagine they should be free, providing Christ were in them; alas! poor soul, why thinkest thou thus? Were it so as ye imagine, what should have become of excellent Heman (Psalm lxxxviii. 15), who from his youth up was afflicted and ready to die, and was distracted with the terrors of God which he suffered? What should ye then say of the good king Hezekiah who became to chatter like a crane or a swallow, and to mourn as a dove? (Isaiah xxxviii. 14). And of others whom we could name?
8. Because they see no grace growing in them.
All seems to be going back with them. I grant it is most lamentable when it is so, and a case much to be condoled; nevertheless it may readily appear to be so, when really it is not so; Christ may be where this growth in grace is neither seen nor observed, yea, Christ may be where there is a sinful decay for a time by reason of some winter blasts and storms, or by reason of some worm, or such like at the root; nevertheless the seed shall remain, and where the seed is there is Christ, so that this is but a false mark.
9. Because they observe so much hypocrisy in their actings.
Undoubtedly, say they, if Christ were in us, it should not be so with us; but as to this we should remark, that, however, he who hath Christ in him, can be no hypocrite, for a hypocrite is such whose estate is without Christ; nevertheless he may have much hypocrisy in him, even as he hath more or less of other corruptions; every act of hypocrisy will not say that that man is a hypocrite—there is great difference between yellow brass and gold that hath scum mixed with it, the best of our metals have dross in them: the state of perfection is not here.
10. Because they cannot perform commanded duties without opposition and great fightings.
Whereas if Christ were in them (imagine they) their wheels would move more lightly; but this also is a mistake, and a perverted rule to judge by, for in the best that live there remains much of the old man, that never rests, but continually sets itself against every good motion and work that is in hand, so that the good that they would they cannot get done; but the evil that they would not that they are made do, the law of their members warring continually against the law of their minds, making them cry out, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death” (Rom. vii. 14, 15, 24).
11. Because corruption is not weakened.
But, as they imagine, is on the growing hand, which could not be, providing Christ were in them. But herein is also a mistake; the one or other special corruption may, in respect of some temptation, grow more at one time than at another, and nevertheless grace under no decay, nor corruption growing in the whole body: the leaves will abundantly fall off the tree, yea, and three times more in the harvest than at another time, and yet be under no decay; corruption through temptation may be discovered, while, nevertheless, neither growing nor in strength; and at other times they may be less seen and feared when most strong and dangerous—an unseen and quiet devil may be more hazardous than a seen and roaring devil; corruptions grow not always most when they rage most.
12. Because sometimes they have gross outbreaks.
This is sad I confess, and lamentable—but therefrom we cannot certainly conclude that we are without Christ, for Moses, David, Peter, &c., had their heavy falls, which occasioned the opening of the mouths of the ungodly.
13. Because that sometimes they are carried away with the tide and stream of their corruptions.
That they see nothing but a constant course and a joint complotting of gross evils. This I acknowledge is a sad condition, and sadly to be lamented; notwithstanding there is no satisfying ground therefrom to conclude positively that such a soul is certainly without Christ, for we find “Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord,” and yet what gross outbreaks find we in him (2 Chron. xvi.) He made Benhadad to break his league with Baasha, and further to engage him thereto he committed sacrilege, and spoiled and plundered the house of the Lord; and he trusted in the arm of flesh, and put the prophet in the prison house for faithfully reproving him, and besides at the time oppressed some of the people, and in his sickness he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. O! we cannot tell beside how many corruptions Christ will dwell in the soul, even such as are excommunicated for gross scandals may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus: “Deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. v. 5).
14. Because they are troubled with dreadful temptations and blasphemous injections.
But neither can this be a sufficient ground to judge such a soul to be without Christ. We know with what temptations the devil set upon Christ himself, after he had tempted Him with the foulest idolatry—to wit, to worship the devil, then to a tempting of God and a questioning His own Godhead, and His right and interest in God as His Father—what will he not then attempt against the poor followers of Christ? And seeing he so assaulted the Prince of Salvation, in whom he could find nothing, and that for forty days together, and then but left Him for a time (Mark i. 13; Luke iv. 2-13), why should His followers think it strange when long troubled with such injections?
15. Because the Lord pursues them in His anger.
And in His carriage to them shows His sore displeasure, and writes their sins on their judgments. This also is no sound mark so to conclude, for we know how He carried with David (Psalm vi. 38 and 51), and what He did with Job, who said, “The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me” (chap. vi. 4).
(To be continued.)