CHRISTIAN REMEMBRANCER

“It is a Great Point of Christian Wisdom to Distinguish Well Between Nature and Grace”

CHAPTER XXX

EVERY real believer hath an old man and a new, an Esau and a Jacob, a carnal mind and a spiritual mind, within him: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that he cannot always do the right things that he would do for God, nor crush the evil things that he would not do within himself.

These opposite principles have two opposite laws or rules of action and power. The inclination and efforts of the one are constantly directed to self, and to carnal things for the indulgence of self; and those of the other to God, and to the spiritual things for the glory of God.

Men under nature, having only one of these principles, cannot, in their natural state, discern the other. It is by grace, as by a rule, that they are able to measure nature, and to know the tendencies and proportions of both grace and nature within themselves. “He that is spiritual, judgeth or discerneth all things; yet he himself is judged of no man.”

Nature in the Christian is for cleaving to sense, to its own doings, and to its own powers, even in religion: but grace in his soul is for living by faith, above and often against the feelings of sense, upon “the truth as it is in Jesus,” and upon his work and working, for life and salvation.

Nature loves to show and set off itself, and to be admired as excellent, eminent, wise, and great, in the eyes of men. Grace doth not set much by itself, but is lowly and humble, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, dreads the applauses of men, and makes the soul see, that it is so mere a nothing in itself, that it must receive out of the fulness of Christ every one of its blessings, from the least spark of grace to the bright crown of glory.

Nature is quarrelsome, impatient, and full of restlessness, desiring its own objects immediately and independently, and applying all it receives to its own ease or aggrandizement. Grace seeketh not her own, but the things which are Jesus Christ’s, makes the spirit meek, and mild, and patient, and quiets it with the will and love of God in all things.

Nature hates the cross, and shuns it as a bitter and evil thing; it struggles hard not to feel it, and, when it feels it, to get rid of it, without any other consideration than that it is painful, and hinders all indulgences and gratifications. But grace submits to the cross with humble resignation, and desires that God’s purpose may be answered by it; like as a wise patient wishes that his physic may have its due effect, however unpleasant and distasteful it may be in the act of receiving.

When nature attempts holy duties, as she sometimes will, either in fear or in pride, it is to make herself rich and increased in goods by them, so that she may have something wherewith to purchase even of God himself. But grace comes to the obedience of faith, not to live or purchase life, but because she is truly alive already to God; and she acts, not for her own exaltation, but for the glory of him who only can exalt, and who fills the hungry with good things, while the rich he sends empty away.

Nature admires dignity, and parade, and pomp, and outward splendour; it seeks to be pleased with sweet sounds, fine language, decorated places, and genteel company; and all this in religion too. Whereas grace shuns and distastes all gay appearances of earth, thinks of Christ in a stable, and of all he did and suffered to stain the pride of flesh and blood; and receives the favor of God as a precious pearl, for its own intrinsic and eternal value, and not for the sake of any outward things different in kind from its own.

Nature loves life, and to see good days in this world, and as many of them as possible; it shudders to give up its temporal enjoyments and carnal hopes, and would endure a great alloy of care and trouble, rather than part with the lying vanities to which it is wedded, and in which it delights. Grace, contrariwise, can say with holy Job, “I would not live always” upon earth, if I might: for “I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.” Grace can think upon death as a friend, and hath often met him as such; looking forward to the crown of glory, which death can only lead to, but never can take away; and all its trials here only cause a stronger breathing and livelier expectation of the heavenly home.

Nature is forward to speak, and loves to be heard, and will be angry if not regarded, and will do much to be seen and known. Grace is slow to speak, and slow to wrath; wishes to hear, and learn, and understand; delights not to be in the chief seat, but is content with the lowest; and had rather lay up spiritual treasure in the heart, than babble it away, for selfish aims, with the tongue. It is not petulant or vexed if disregarded, but commits itself and the whole of the matter to God.

Nature draweth all from its own fund, and carrieth all back, and with interest, if possible, to itself again. But grace receiveth all from God, and is never so truly delighted, as when God receiveth the whole of the glory, as his just return.

These are a few of the many distinct operations of nature and grace. But sometimes they are so perplexed and interwoven with each other, through the craft and duplicity of the fallen natural principle, that it requires the greatest watchfulness and attention of the Christian, to unravel and divide them. The fact is, the two principles live at one time, act at one time; and will be found in one and the same person at all times and in all things, while he lives upon earth. The Christian cannot avoid the activity of his natural or carnal mind; though, by that faith and prayer, which removes the spiritual mountains of difficulty, he is to strive, and may prevail against its high rule and predominancy. Carnality will exist, while he exists below; but it must not be the reigning and triumphant principle within him. On the other hand, grace, which is pure and simple in all its own acts and intentions, and resolves every thing with a single eye and a single heart unto God, must take the lead, and bring the other into the closest captivity and obedience that can be unto Christ. This is the daily battle and warfare, which passes within the Christian, and which no eye can see, but the eye of God and his own; yea, not his own always, nor always alike. Thus, when grace prevails, there ensues what is called mortification, self-denials, humiliation, renunciation, and all the other exercises, which are painful to the flesh, or nature, and its will and ways. On the contrary, when nature is uppermost, there ever will arise coldness towards God, faintness in duty, doubts, reasonings, discomforts, fear of man, fear of death, and a whole world full of weaknesses, hinderances, and temptations. By the superiority of these different effects in the soul, may easily be seen, if attended to, the superiority of one or other of their respective principles. When there is a strong animal or carnal nature in the believer, though with a good measure of grace, and trial comes of a powerful and threatened kind, O what a tumult is raised within! Nature struggles for ease, and winds, and turns, and frets, and laments, and uses a thousand shifts to carry off the believer from the battle, or to melt away his heart in the midst of it. Grace, on the other hand, tells him, that now is his time to act like the Christian, to lay hold upon Christ and his promises, to take up the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the helmet of salvation, and to withstand at least, if not even to meet, the enemy: that he shall conquer the trial by suffering the will of God, it being his present duty, to trust, to hope, to pray, to wait; and that, in a short time at the utmost, all shall end well, and redound both to his Redeemer’s honor and his own improvement. What conflicts, perturbations, hopes, resignations, despondencies, will not the Christian find in the opposition of the carnal and the spiritual life; when temptations, troubles, or trials of any sort are to prove the strength of both ? And yet, after the temptation, it is in some measure with him, as it was with Christ after his—comforts, like angels, with minister unto him. There is such a peaceable fruit of righteousness succeeding to these grievous things, as will make the believer a most ample amends for all his sorrows. But if this fruit should be deferred in the present life, it will be but the more welcome and glorious, when the soul bursts out from the bonds of clay, and leaves all sin and a sinful nature behind it.

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