Experimental Preaching. 3

So far from a state of becoming aroused to see our danger and be concerned about our eternal destiny being, of itself, something to complacently rest in, assured that all will certainly end well, it is one that is full of peril. Satan is never more active than when he discovers souls are being awakened, for he is loathe to lose his captives, and redoubles his efforts to retain them. It is then that he transforms himself as an angel of light, and performs his most subtle and successful work. There are multitudes, my reader, who were shaken out of their indifference, and became diligent in seeking the way of salvation. But false guides misled them, and they were fatally deceived—as Ezekiel 13:22 expresses it, they "strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life." The sinner must "forsake his way" before he can return to the Lord and find pardon (Isaiah 55:7).

Not until we actually comply with the terms of the Gospel, not until we really close with Christ as He is presented therein, is forgiveness obtainable. To stop anywhere short of that, is to gravely endanger the soul's going to sleep on the Devil's "enchanted ground"—to borrow a figure from Bunyan. It is therefore the pressing duty of the preacher to sound the alarm here, and warn awakened souls of the danger of taking their ease, assuming that all is well. The foolish virgins "went forth to meet the Bridegroom" but they went to sleep, and when they awoke it was too late to procure the requisite oil! It is good that the ground should be plowed, yet that is only the preliminary work—seed must actually be sown and take root therein, before there can be any fruit. The anxious soul, then, must be continually exhorted to make sure that "the root of the matter" (Job 19:28) is in him.

This brings us to the next important stage or branch of experimental preaching—the making clear unto the concerned how it may be ascertained whether or not "the root of the matter" is in them; in other words, whether a work of grace has actually been started in their souls. This is a point of vast importance, for it concerns the vital difference between the general and special work of the Spirit—on which we wrote at some length when expounding Hebrews 6:4-6.

"He who has begun a good work in you—will complete it" (Phil. 1:6). And how is an exercised soul to ascertain whether this "good work" has actually begun in him? How is he to distinguish between the natural workings of conscience, and the supernatural conviction which the Holy Spirit produces? How is he to distinguish between the spasmodic religiousness of the flesh—which appears conspicuously in many of the devotees of Mohammed and the worshipers of the Virgin Mary, and finds its counterpart in thousands of those who come under the magnetic influence of "Evangelists" and "Revivalists" —and true spiritual aspirations after God? How is he to distinguish between a radical moral reformation and a Divine regeneration—for some of the effects of the one closely resemble those of the other? How is he to distinguish between the general work of the Spirit on the non-elect (like king Saul and those described in Heb. 6:4, 5) and the special work of the Spirit in the elect?

Such questions as the above may never have arisen in the minds of some of our readers, and now that they have seen them raised, may consider them as "hair-splitting" or theological distinctions of little practical interest. But others of our readers are deeply exercised by such considerations. They dare not take it for granted that all is well with them, until they are satisfied from God's Word that a miracle of grace has been wrought in them. They fear that Satan may be deceiving them with his lies, comforting with a false assurance. As they seek to contemplate an endless eternity unto which time is so swiftly conducting them, they are deeply anxious to make sure where they are bound!

And well may such inquiries disturb our serenity, and agitate our minds—they are of vital consequence, of vast importance—for they concern the difference there is between life and death, Heaven and Hell.

It is an essential branch of experimental preaching, that must deal with such momentous issues. It is the bounden duty of the pulpit to afford help unto such exercised souls. It is the office of the minister to take up such distinctions and show clearly wherein the difference lies. It is the business of God's servant to define and describe of what the "good work" of the Spirit consists, and how it may be identified. That "good work" is but another name for the new birth, which consists of the Spirit's communicating to the heart a new nature, a principle of grace and holiness. It is the impartation of that which is radically different from anything that was in us by nature. It is something which has come from God, is Godlike in its nature, and which instinctively turns unto God. It is discoverable by the fact that there is now in the soul a relish for spiritual things, which was not there previously; a "relish" which goes far, far deeper than a mere intellectual interest being awakened in a new subject. It evidences itself by a hungering after righteousness, a thirsting for holiness, pantings after God Himself, yearnings for Christ.

But while an entirely new nature is imparted at regeneration, the old one is not removed, nor is it even improved or refined. The old nature, the "flesh," indwelling sin, remains in the Christian to the end of his earthly life and is a constant source of grief to him. It opposes every aspiration and effort of the new nature. It is earthly, sensual, devilish, and craves only that which the swine feed on. Nor does the finishing of that "good work" in the soul effect any change for the better in the flesh, or even render it less active.

No, the carrying on of that "good work" is the preserving of a spark of grace—in an ocean of sin, the maintaining of the new nature in a heart that is desperately and incurably wicked. Notwithstanding every effort of carnal enmity to quench it, love for God survives, "faint, yet pursuing" (Judg. 8:4); and despite all the ragings of unbelief, faith's head is kept above the waters.

Just as the natural infant clings instinctively to its mother and yearns for her breast, so the spiritual babe seeks after Christ and desires the pure milk of the Word. That is another evidence of the Spirit's "good work" in the soul. The Spirit's quickening is in order to capacitate the heart for Christ, for one who is yet "dead in trespasses and sins" has neither spiritual desires not spiritual ability. But once a person has been born again, and truly convicted of his ruined and lost condition, he is spiritually fitted to receive the Gospel. It is at this point he is ready to hear how the Spirit works in revealing Christ to such, bringing them to believe on Him, and thereby putting them into actual possession of Him. The Spirit causes the quickened soul to live over the truth of the Gospel in his own mind, moves him to give full credit thereto, mix faith with the same, and derive spiritual nourishment from it.

As the truth of the Gospel is received into the heart—in some cases rapidly, in others much more slowly—it becomes the means of the believer's growing into an experimental and practical acquaintance with Christ, to be rooted and grounded in Him, to live upon Him. When God is pleased to shine upon the souls of the elect, and make an open discovery to them of His work of grace within them, or when Christ is first made a living and precious reality to their hearts, there is a going forth of their spiritual affections unto Him.

All seems to be life and vigor in their souls, difficulties vanish, doubts are dispelled, they are quite carried out of themselves, lifted above their sins and iniquities, and made to rejoice in Christ and praise God for His wondrous grace. This is "the love of your espousals" (Jer. 2:2), the "joy of salvation." It is very rare, however, that this blissful season is of long duration, and wisely has God so ordered this. Such spiritual ecstasy which is often experienced by newly converted souls would, if it lasted, unfit them for the discharge of life's duties in this world. For example, one engaged in office work would be unable to concentrate on his books if his mind were enrapt with visions of glory. There was only one Elim—with its well of water and palm trees—for Israel in the wilderness. God grants His people a foretaste of Heaven and its realities, and then brings them down to a consciousness that they are still on earth. Even the Apostle Paul needed a thorn in the flesh, lest he be exalted above measure, after he had been caught up to Paradise. Heavy ballast is needed, if the ship is to sail steadily, and this the believer obtains by painful discoveries of his corruptions.

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