The Better Things Which Accompany Salvation 2
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2. Godly sorrow for sin is a "better thing" than any gift which a mere professor may possess, and a thing too which invariably "accompanies salvation". Godly sorrow for sin differs much from natural conviction for sin. Powerful natural convictions, I believe, for the most part are not felt more than once or twice in a man's life; and when they have passed away, the conscience is more seared than it was before, the world more eagerly grasped, and sin more impetuously plunged into.
But godly sorrow is produced by a supernatural work of grace on the heart. The eye of faith sees sin in the light of God's countenance, and thus the soul becomes alive to its dreadful evil and horrible character. The heart too is melted down into godly sorrow by beholding the Savior's sufferings, and viewing the Lord of life and glory as stooping and agonizing under the weight of sin, not only as imputed to him, but as pressing him down into anguish and distress. And thus, godly sorrow for sin is not a thing which a man feels once or twice in his life--but from time to time, as the Spirit works it in his heart, godly sorrow flows forth. If he has been entangled in sin, overcome by temptation, slidden back into the world, or his heart has gone after idols, a living soul will not pass it by as a thing of no consequence--but, sooner or later, the Spirit touches his heart, godly sorrow flows out, and his soul is melted and moved within him by feeling what a base wretch he is in the sight of a holy God.
3. A "spirit of grace and supplication" springing up in the heart from time to time, as the Lord works upon it, is a "better thing" than any gift a reprobate may be in possession of, and a thing too that "accompanies salvation". Now there is what is called a gift in prayer, but that is a very different thing from the communications of a "spirit of grace and supplications" by God himself to the soul.
A man for instance may pray in public apparently most feelingly and movingly; he may play well on his instrument, so as to touch the passions, and work on the feelings of God's people; yet he himself may be only "a tinkling brass", or "sounding cymbal", and know nothing of "a spirit of grace and supplication" in his own soul. But whenever there is a work of grace on the heart, it is always accompanied by a spirit of prayer; as the Lord says, "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications". And wherever it has been once poured out into a sinner's heart, it will never leave him from the moment that God quickens his soul until that blessed day when prayer shall end in praise.
I do not mean to say, that there may not be long suspensions of it; that darkness of mind may never cover it; that coldness and iciness of heart may never freeze it up; that emptiness and barrenness of spirit may never seem to quench it--but in spite of, and in the midst of all these things, the blessed "spirit of grace and supplications" will from time to time rise up to its Source. If this spirit of grace and supplications exists in your heart, if you have not power to pray, you will have power to sigh and groan. There will be again and again some inward going out after the Lord, some panting after his presence, some expression of dissatisfaction against self, some seeking his grace, some longing and languishing after his manifested favor and love.
And thus, the spirit of prayer wherever once given, will from time to time be springing up in the soul. But we cannot call it forth; we may attempt it, but we shall feel powerless to produce it--yet the Lord will sometimes and perhaps at a moment when we least expect it, when we are cold, dull, stupid, and carnal, draw up the desires and breathings which he has himself implanted, and raise the soul up that it may spring upwards once more towards its eternal and heavenly fountain.
4. Brokenness of heart, and contrition of spirit, is a "better thing" than any mere gift, and a grace which "accompanies salvation". The heart that feels the burden of sin, that suffers under temptation, that groans beneath Satan's fiery assaults, that bleeds under the wounds inflicted by committed evil, is broken and contrite. This brokenness of heart and contrition of spirit, is a thing which a child of God alone can feel. However hard his heart at times may seem to be, there will be seasons of spiritual reviving; however he may seem steeled against any sense of love and mercy, or even of misery and guilt, from time to time, when he is least expecting and looking for it, there will be a breaking down of his soul before the Lord; there will be a bewailing of himself, a turning from the world to seek the Lord's favor, and a casting himself as a sinner once more on undeserved mercy. Tears will flow down his cheeks, sighs burst from his bosom, and he will lie humble at the Savior's feet. If your soul has ever felt this, you have a "better thing" than any gift; for this brokenness of spirit is a thing that "accompanies salvation", and is a sacrifice that God will not despise.
5. Deadness to the world, an inward separation from the things of time and sense, is a "better thing" than any mere gift, and a thing too that "accompanies salvation". I believe no one is really dead to the world but a child of God. A man may change his world who is not separated from it--he may for instance leave the profane world for the professing world; he may change from a Churchman to a Dissenter, from an Independent to a Baptist; he may become a member of a gospel church; he may, like Herod, do many things, and hear ministers of truth gladly. But all the time, unless he is made a partaker of "the divine nature" by a work of grace in his soul, his heart is and ever must be in the world.
The human heart must be engaged upon something; its affections must be fixed upon some object; its thoughts and desires must be occupied with one thing or other. If his heart, then, is not set Godwards, if his affections are not fixed upon Christ, if his soul is not engaged on heavenly things, he may have the greatest profession of religion, but his heart is still worldly, his affections still earthly, and his soul still going out after idols.
But where the Lord has really touched the conscience with his finger, and made himself precious to the soul, however a man may seem for a time to be buried in the world, and his affections going out after forbidden objects; however he may be "hewing out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water"; however he may secretly backslide from the Lord, still he cannot break the hold that eternal things have upon his heart; he cannot find real pleasure in the world, though he may often seek it. Nor can he bury himself contentedly in its pursuits. There will be a restless dissatisfaction with the things of time and sense, an aching void, and a turning again to "the strong hold", a seeking the Lord, who only can really satisfy the soul, and make it happy for time and eternity.
6. Faith in the Lord of life and glory; to receive him into our hearts as the Christ of God, and view him with the eye of faith as our once bleeding, suffering, and agonizing Lord, and now raised to God's right hand as our Intercessor, Advocate, and Mediator--this is a "better thing" than any gift, and a thing too that "accompanies salvation". This the apostle clearly points out in this chapter, where he says, "Be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises."
He had not said a word about faith in those, of whom he declares "it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance". He never dropped a hint that they were partakers of this or any other grace; but when he comes to the "better things", he puts his finger immediately on living faith in the soul. This faith in the Son of God, whereby he is believed on to life eternal, received into the heart, adored by the spirit, enthroned in the affections, submitted to and embraced with every faculty of the soul, is a blessing only communicated to God's family. A faith which is lodged in the secret court of conscience, in the deep recesses of a man's heart, which views the Son of God, and receives him as all its salvation and all its desire, and hangs upon his blood and righteousness; such a faith as this is beyond the highest attainment of any gifted hypocrite, and is a "better thing" than was ever possessed by the most flourishing professor.
7. A hope in God's mercy, not the "hope of the hypocrite, that shall perish"; but what the Scriptures call "a good hope through grace"; a "hope which is as an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast, that enters into that within the veil"; such a spiritual hope is a "better thing" than any mere gift, and a thing too that "accompanies salvation". We do not find that the apostle said anything about hope as dwelling in those dreadful characters, whom he compares to "the earth, which bears thorns and briers, and is therefore rejected, and near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned". They indeed had a heavenly gift, and an enlightened understanding, and did many wonderful things; but they never had hope, "as an anchor to the soul", to keep it steady in the winds and storms. They had not on board their gallant bark this heavenly anchor, which was never known to break or fail, because it takes hold of the flesh of the God-Man Mediator, and its cable forms a living communication between the storm-tossed vessel and him in whom it anchors.
The hope which penetrates beyond the things of time and sense, and enters in and anchors upon a blessed Jesus, was never possessed by the most gifted professor that ever deceived himself, or ever deceived the church of God. And what is the root of this good hope through grace? The Lord's own work and witness in the conscience, his tokens for good, his manifested favor, enabling the soul to look to Christ as his forerunner who has entered within the veil. This hope which "makes not ashamed" does not arise from anything in the flesh, does not hang upon the approbation of man, does not depend upon the testimony of the creature; it passes beyond all these things, and enters within the veil, into the immediate presence of God, where Jesus is sitting as Mediator and Advocate.
8. And love also is "a better thing", and a thing that "accompanies salvation". Love is the crowning point of all--as the apostle says, "Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing," but "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal". We do not find love mentioned in the catalogue of the "heavenly gifts". Those whom it was impossible to renew again unto repentance were not made partakers of this blessed grace.
But, on the contrary, the apostle, in speaking to the believers, says, "God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love". The other wretched apostates might have every gift, yet they were destitute of love; and being destitute of that, had not passed from death unto life. And what is love? It is a grace that changes not; one of the three heavenly sisters, and the greatest of them all; for "now abides faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love". Faith will be changed into sight, and hope into fruition, but love remains the same, for "God is love".
If your soul, then, has ever known what it is to love God, and to feel the flowings out of affection towards the Lord Jesus Christ; if you have felt him precious to your soul, you have a thing that "accompanies salvation". You are not a poor miserable self-deceived professor, not a Satan-deluded wretch, that flutters for a little time in the religious world, like a moth around the evening candle, until at last it burns its wings, and is destroyed in the flame. But if ever the Lord Jesus Christ has been made precious to your soul, it is because you have embraced him in the arms of a living faith, as the Scripture says, "Unto you therefore who believe he is precious".
But love comprehends not only love to God, but love also to God's people. The apostle especially insists on this mark in the verses following the text. "But God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have showed towards his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister". The Apostle John, also, says, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren". This is the first evidence the soul usually has of its having "passed from death unto life", that it sensibly feels a union of spirit with God's people, a drawing forth of affection to those who are manifest partakers of the grace of God.
This union with the children of God is better felt than described. There is often a sweet knitting of spirit, a blessed interweaving and interlacing of hearts, when God's people come together, and speak of the things which they have tasted, felt, and handled. The Spirit of God rests on them, and baptizes them into a blessed union with each other, so that their very souls are melted together, and they embrace each other, just as though they had but one heart and one spirit--as the Holy Spirit describes the early Christians, "they were all of one heart and one soul". Their spirits were so fused by the heat of divine love into each other, their hearts were so intermingled, and there was such a flowing out of mutual affection, that all the company seemed to have but one heart and one soul among them.
Now, my friends, just see if you can realize this one evidence in your soul. You meet with a person, say, whom you have never seen before; he is, perhaps, one from whom in the pride of your heart you would turn away with disdain; he has no personal gifts, nothing whatever naturally to recommend him; or he may be a person against whom you have been prejudiced, and when you see him you look on him with distaste or sullen aversion. But he begins to speak; and as you listen, you feel all your prejudice give way; the bar is effectually broken down; and there is a sweet melting of your heart into his, and his into yours, and a mutual flowing forth of love to each other. Now, if your soul has ever experienced this, you are not a gifted hypocrite, though you may have gifts, but one of those whom the Lord has taught by his Spirit, and are in possession of those "better things" that "accompany salvation".
God's children fear to be deceived, and if a man has no such fear, the probability is that he is deceived already. All God's people know the deceitfulness of the human heart, and the abounding hypocrisy of their corrupt nature; they are more or less alive to the devices of Satan; and all know what a dreadful thing it is to be deluded, and have a portion with the hypocrites, where there is "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth".
III. The Scriptures, then, have brought certain marks not only to test but also to comfort God's people. But in order to keep them tremblingly alive to the fear of being deceived; in order to set up an effectual beacon lest their vessel should run upon the rocks, the blessed Spirit has revealed such passages as we find in the sixth and tenth chapters of the Hebrews. They seem set up by the Spirit of God, as a lighthouse at the entrance of a harbor. Is it not so naturally? Some shoal or sandbank often lies near the entrance of the port, which the mariner has to guard against. How is he guarded? A lighthouse is erected, on or near the spot, which warns him of the shoal.
Now I look on this chapter, and the tenth, as two lighthouses, standing near the entrance of the harbor of eternal safety. And their language is, "Beware of this shoal! Take care of that sandbank! There are gifts without grace; there is profession without possession; there is form without power; there is a name to live while the soul is dead." The shoal naturally often lies at the very entrance of a harbor--and as the ship makes for the port, the sandbank lies in her very course; but when the harbor is neared, the friendly beacon not only warns her of the shoal, but also points out the safe passage into the haven. And so, spiritually, from these two chapters many of God's people have seen what shoals lie in the way, and have, perhaps, before they were warned off, come near enough to see the fragments of the shipwrecked vessels. The gallant barks that sailed from the same ports with themselves they have seen wrecked on the rocks, their freight lost, and the dead bodies and broken fragments floating on the waves. But these never looked for the lighthouse, nor saw the bank; they were intoxicated, or fast asleep; they were sure of going to heaven; and on they went, reckless and thoughtless, until the vessel struck on the shoal, and every hand on board perished.
These dreadful warnings and solemn admonitions seem to me so written that they may scrape, so to speak, as nearly as possible the man's flesh. And they appear couched in language of purposed ambiguity that they may be trying passages; no, the very beauty and efficacy of them, and the real good to be wrought by them, is in their ambiguity; so that the people of God may take a more solemn warning by them, and may cry unto the Lord more earnestly that they may not be deceived.
Then, my friends, it is not the poor desponding children of God, who are tried by these passages, that have reason to fear them. Their being thus tried shows that their conscience is tender in God's fear, and that they are "the earth which drinks in the rain that comes often upon it, and bringing forth herbs fit for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God"; and that they are not that "which bears thorns and briers, which is rejected, and is near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned".
And thus, these very fears and suspicions, by which many of God's people are exercised, causing strong cries unto the Lord, that he would teach, guide, and lead them, are so many blessed marks that they are not graceless persons, but partakers of the grace of God; and at the same time prove, "that he who has begun a good work in them" will carry it on, and "will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ", and bring them into the eternal enjoyment of God that they may see him for themselves, and not for another.
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