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THE CHRISTIAN REMEMBRANCER

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THE CHRISTIAN REMEMBRANCER

8 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

CHAPTER IV

On Self-Seeking

(Continued from last issue)

AS they that are in the flesh cannot please God at all: so they that follow the flesh in any instance, do so far displease him. This flesh is a subtle adversary, and will creep into our duties as well as our sins; mixing itself, under a thousand forms, into almost all that we can say, or think, or do.

Who could expect to feel this deceiver in the deepest contrition of soul, or to find him in peals of groans and showers of tears? Yet self will endeavor to make a man proud of this very humility, be plumed upon his own abasements, and be fancying himself something, in the midst of his confessions about his vileness and nothingness.

A poor soul shall own itself, with much pain and sincerity, to be a miserable sinner; and self, from this very acknowledgment, will stir up a notion of worth in the creature, and give it to believe, that there are some seeds, at least, of excellency within itself, which others have not, and for having of which he is higher or better than they. Self will bid some men confess themselves sinners, that they may be considered as saints. To take them at their word, would mortify and displease them.

When the heart of the believer is melted in duty, and enjoys the liveliest frame of communion and love; how often and how much is self to be found therein, either attempting to puff up with a high opinion, or to instil a carnal security, concerning its spiritual interest and welfare ? If it can abate the power and watchfulness of faith, it will lay a ground of distress to the believer in the next trial; so that he will soon find himself to be yet in the flesh, and that, as one says, “He must never think to put off his armour, till he is ready for others to put on his shroud.”

A man may appear excellent in religious conversation, and be eminent in public duties; he may speak and write much, and perhaps well, upon the things of God, and may recommend them with zeal to others; and yet so much of self may be in all, that, when he looks over his heart and discovers it, he will rather find reason to be ashamed of the whole, than to be satisfied with any one part of it. I know not whether, in writing these pages, there be not so much of this evil mixing itself, as to defile and almost nullify any good that may be in them. And though I can humbly look to God for the sincerity and uprightness of my general aim, yet such are my apprehensions of my own carnality, vanity, emptiness, and self-love, and of the sinfulness of giving them indulgence, in serious things especially, that I am sometimes inclined to throw the whole aside. I see this hateful principle in almost every thing I can say or do, and am ashamed of myself, and of it; but still it rises again and again, though often detected; and therefore I am obliged continually to cast myself, with a redoubled sense of my mean, weak, vain, and vile condition of nature, upon the sole and free mercy of God my Saviour.

In success of duty for God, and in being the instrument of good to others, this selfishness of our hearts will endeavour, if not to rob God entirely of his glory, yet at least to share with him in it. Self will be pleased, because we ourselves have been concerned, because we have been honored, and because by us the Lord hath been magnified in the souls of others. It is self which is vexed, when this is not the case, and when we have toiled for nothing, or others have caught the fishes. Whereas our spirits should rejoice in the will of the Lord, and be as much pleased when his work prospers in other hands, as in our own. And thus indeed they would rejoice, if this corrupt self did not mix with and seek its own establishment in the most spiritual exercises of our souls. We too much forget, that we are only instruments, and that we can do no more of ourselves for God, than our pens can write down our thoughts, when not taken up by our hands.

All this may serve to show, what a severe jealousy we should hold concerning ourselves. We should not only pray, but watch unto prayer; we should both perform our religious duties with zeal, and should well examine the zeal with which we perform them; we should abound in every work and labor of love, and should entreat for wisdom and grace, that flesh and self may not abound in them too; we should ask again and again for a single eye and a simple heart, that all the glory of every good may be given to God its right owner, and that we may be kept in our true place, admiring his mercy, and showing forth entirely his honor and praise.

CHAPTER V

On the Different Appearances of Grace in Different Persons

“There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God who worketh all in all.” Some believers are remarkable for the strength of their faith in trials even unto death; others for their liveliness and activity in duty; others for their wisdom, conduct, and prudence, both in temporals and spirituals; others for their zeal in defense of the truth; others for their knowledge in the mysteries of the truth; others for their patience, meekness and gentleness; others for their submission to the will of God; others for outward usefulness in the church; and others for an inward and spiritual life of communion with God. But all these are the various gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, “dividing to every man severally as he will,” and not the talents or abilities of fallen nature. They are also “given to every man” who hath them, “to profit withal,” according to his place in the church or in the world. He, who hath one of these graces, should not undervalue or despise him who hath another; for the Giver is the same, though his gifts may be granted for different ends.

Very often particular graces are bestowed to counteract and oppose particular corruptions, of which the Lord himself can be the only true judge. Some situations of Christians require gifts of grace, which might be less necessary, or less manifestive of the divine glory in others, than they would be in them. The Lord distributeth wisely and kindly to all his people, according to their day and duty, or according to his own designs in them and for them. But they are all of them his workmanship, and could, not more in grace than in nature, either create or fashion themselves.

This should teach thee, my fellow-christian, a lesson of forbearance to thy brethren. It is not right for thee to judge another by thine own pattern. He may have graces, not less pleasing to God, nor less useful in their purpose, than those which are given to thee. Art thou a warm and active Christian? Condemn not him whose endowments may be more placid and contemplative than thine. He who now creeps as a snail in humble silence, may, by one lift of divine power, get into heaven before thee, and perhaps be raised higher there than thou. God judgeth not like man, according to the outward show, but according to the secret riches of his love. Art thou a quiet and retired believer? Do not censure him who is called forth to more stirring duty than thou art. Though his work may seem less spiritual to thee, it may be to introduce designs of providence and grace, which only God can foreknow, and which may be the means of carrying out his saving power far and wide. Some of the first reformers were less remarkable for a quiet and gentle spirit, than others who have followed them; but these last do not seem so fit instruments for grappling with papal outrage and tyranny as they were. When rough work is to be done, men use the axe and the saw; but, for gentler operations, the plane, the razor, or the knife. These last would not cut down a forest; nor would the first serve to polish or smooth.

Honor then the work and blessing of God upon his people, in what form soever it may be found. Every member hath his appointed office for him. It is self-love and conceit which disparage others; and these we will not call “gifts from above,” but rather worms from beneath, which seek to gnaw the root of the vine. Covet, indeed, and earnestly, the best gifts; but the love of God and man, is, after all, the more excellent way.

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van vrijdag 1 januari 1943

The Banner of Truth | 16 Pagina's

THE CHRISTIAN REMEMBRANCER

Bekijk de hele uitgave van vrijdag 1 januari 1943

The Banner of Truth | 16 Pagina's