The Narrow Way 2
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4. So again. We may have been drawn aside to see nothing but sin and imperfection in other men, and yet at the same time see nothing wrong in ourselves. But by and by the Lord begins to open up the depths of our wicked nature, or perhaps lets us slip and fall, not into outward sin to bring reproach upon the cause, but to walk upon the very brink of evil, and so withholds His preserving hand, that there is but one step between us and open disgrace. Now we see what we have been doing, finding fault with this man, and finding fault with that man; seeing nothing but infirmities and sins in all the Christians we have known. We begin then to see such horrid evils in ourselves, and feel such living witnesses to our own sinfulness and wickedness, that the stones fall out of our hands, our mouth is put in the dust, and we have not a word to say against the sins and infirmities of our fellow Christians; but fall down before God, with Job's language, "Behold, I am vile!"
5. Or again, as I said before, we may have been thinking too highly of the precepts, setting them up in such a wonderful way, as if nothing else were worth attending to. But, after a time, we find how lean our souls become! how little we are indulged with the manifestations of the Lord's mercy and love! and how barren, how cold, how legal, how dry our frame has become by setting up the precepts as the all in all of religion. Now we begin to long after heavenly visits and divine consolations, and to find there is something that we fall short of; that there is the life, love, and enjoyment of God; and that these are as valuable as the precepts themselves.
Or, we may have turned aside "to the left hand," and thought very little of God's precepts; and so long as we had a good experience it did not matter about anything else. But, perhaps, we have been entangled in some sin, and broken some of God's precepts; then, when conscience begins to lash, and the divine rebukes are felt within, we see what blessed things the precepts are, and desire with all our heart and soul to obey them, and be found in the way of them.
6. Or, we may have been among those who despise the Lord's ordinances, treat baptism and the Lord's Supper with the greatest contempt, and call them poor legal observances. But another time may have come when we have seen such a solemnity and glory in baptism, as opening up the sufferings of the Lord; and seen such beauty in the Lord's Supper; that all our objections were removed in a moment, and the ordinances have risen in the estimation and affection of our souls.
Or, on the other hand, we may have thought too highly of God's ordinances, and esteemed them beyond their due position; but we may have come again and again to the ordinances, and felt our heart as hard as adamant, as cold and lifeless as winter's snow. Now we begin to see how we have been putting the ordinances above the Lord of the ordinances, and looking at the sign instead of the thing signified by it.
In all these various ways will the Lord's people "hear a word behind them." As they are walking along the road, their poor, wicked, carnal nature is continually turning them aside. Some darling idol, some besetting sin, some prevailing lust, some acting of pride draws them aside "to the right" hand or "to the left." But they "hear a word behind them;" the word sinks into their souls; the admonition falls into their heart; they are obliged to take heed to it; they cannot neglect it. It is thus by a word behind them they are brought back into the straight and narrow path that leads to glory.
And what does the "word" say? "This is the way."The word not merely reproves and rebukes when we turn aside from it, but it gives a direction, a clear, positive direction: "This is the way!" What "way"? Jesus, who said of Himself, "I am the Way" (John 14:6). There is no other way. Now every turning aside "to the right," and every turning aside "to the left," is a turning aside from Jesus. For instance, if we get into legality and pharisaism, is not that a turning aside from Jesus? If we get into a state of miserable dejection and gloom, and are unable to look to Him, is not that a turning away from Jesus? If we get into a dead assurance, and rest upon the doctrines instead of the sweet manifestations of Christ to our souls, is not that a turning aside from Jesus? If we get into carnal ease and security, is not that a turning aside from Jesus? If we get into the precepts as distinct from a vital experience of God's truth in the soul, is not that a turning aside from Jesus? And if we neglect the precepts He has given, is not that a turning away from Jesus? If we smite and wound the Lord's family, is not that a turning away from Jesus? And if we justify or make light of sin, is not that a turning aside from Jesus? Thus every turning aside "to the right hand," or "to the left," is a turning aside from Jesus, the only "Way" that leads to eternal life.
1. But how is Jesus the Way? In everything that He is to God's people He is the Way. His blood is the way to heaven, "for the whole path," as Deer speaks, "is lined with blood." By His precious blood shed upon Calvary's tree He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and opened up a way of access to God. His righteousness also is part of the way; for only so far as we stand clothed in His glorious righteousness have we any access unto, any acceptance with God the Father. And His love is the way; for if we walk in love, we walk in Him, for He is love. Every part of the way was devised and is executed by the love of His tender heart.
2. But the way also is the way of tribulation. Was not Jesus Himself the great Sufferer? And if He be the Way, the only Way, I must be conformed to His likeness in suffering. Not to know afflictions and tribulations is not to know Christ. He was "a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief." And if so, to have no sorrow, to have no acquaintance with grief, and to know nothing of tribulation, is to proclaim to all with a loud voice that we have no union and communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. But we are continually turning aside "to the right hand" or "to the left." There is that cowardice in the heart which cannot bear the cross; there is that slipping into carnal ease and fleshly security, so as to get away from under the painful cross of affliction and suffering.
But when we thus turn aside "to the right hand," or "to the left," the voice the Lord sends after us is, "This is the way"—the way of affliction, no other; the way of tribulation, the way of trial, the way of exercise. This is the way in which the King walked of old; and this is the way in which all His people have walked before Him and after Him; for this is the only path in which the footsteps of the flock can be found.
3. But again, it is the way of temptation. The Lord Jesus Christ was tempted in the wilderness by Satan. He said to His disciples, "You are those who have continued with Me in My temptations" (Luke 22:28). If we, then, are not acquainted with temptations, we know little of union to a tempted Lord. But we are very glad to get out of the way of temptation. It is a painful path to walk in. To be continually tempted by Satan, by our evil hearts, by "the world lying in wickedness," and have a conscience suffering and groaning under the weight of temptation, is no small burden. But the voice still sounds behind us, "This is the way, walk in it." It is indeed a way of temptation; but still the way of temptation is the way of deliverance, and the way of deliverance is the way of glory.
4. Again. It is the way of faith, for only by faith can we walk in the way. Nothing but faith can enable us to see the way before us, or to move a single step in the way. By faith we stand, by faith we walk, by faith we fight, and by faith we triumph. So that would we walk in the way, we can only walk in that way by living faith. And here is the distinction. It requires no faith to turn aside "to the right hand," or "to the left." Unbelief can lead us astray, sin can draw us aside; but to walk in the straight and narrow way—in Jesus, in the path of tribulation and affliction, in contradistinction to the general way of man—we can only walk in that way as God is pleased to raise up and keep alive living faith in our souls.
5. And as we walk in it by faith, so we walk in it by hope; hoping to the end for the glory of God, hoping that the Lord will appear in due time and cheer our souls, hoping for the day when all our cares shall be at an end and tears wiped away from our eyes; hoping in God's faithful word of promise, in His expected deliverance, in His promised mercy; hoping for nothing in self, but hoping for all in Him.
6. We walk in this path also in love; for only so far as we have some love to the Lord, love to His ways, love to His Word, and love to His people, can we be found walking in Him. He Himself is love; and when we have felt a little of His love in our souls, then we can love Him; and this is the language of our hearts, "Draw me, we will run after You" (Sol. Song 1:4). When we feel a little of the soft touches of love in the soul, then there is a running in the way of God's commandments, in that straight and narrow path that leads to eternal glory.
7. We walk in it, again, in the way of prayer. The Lord's family are continually sighing, crying, and pouring out their petitions to the Lord. "Lord, guide me, teach me, direct me; hold me up; keep me from error. Lord, visit and bless my soul; look down upon me in Your infinite mercy." O how these cries, sighs, and petitions are continually going up from broken hearts to the footstool of mercy! We cannot walk in the way except by these continual sighs, groans and cries after the Lord. A prayerless, reckless, hard heart never finds the way, and could not walk in the way, if found. The life we have to live is a life of faith and prayer; and the Lord will take care, I am well convinced, that we shall, as He declares of the elect, "cry unto Him day and night."
There shall be those conflicts, exercises, trials and temptations; those desires and those wishes, those pantings and longings; all combining and conspiring to keep up communion with the throne of mercy. Thus, as the Lord's people walk, they are led by supplications. He says, "With weeping and with supplications will I lead them" (Jer. 31:9). "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced."
8. And this way also is a way of self-denial; grappling with the flesh, putting off the old man, and putting on the new—plucking out right eyes, and cutting off right hands, as the Lord may enable; "Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).
9. Again. It is the way of godly fear. We can only walk in this path aright as godly fear is from time to time springing up in our hearts; a fear to be wrong, a desire to be right, a tenderness of conscience lest we break the bounds, slip into error, or turn aside into evil. So that the Lord's people, in their passage home to glory, are continually fearing and trembling, knowing what fallen creatures they are, lest they make a mistake, be deceived or deluded, and turn aside on "the right hand" into some grievous error, or on "the left" into some dreadful deception of Satan. Therefore, they walk in self-suspicion, in godly fear, in holy desire, that the Lord would be their guide and keeper, and "lead them in the way everlasting."
Contrast this with the way in which dead professors walk, be they ever so high or ever so low. They have none of these jealous feelings over self; none of these suspicious thoughts over their own hearts; no fears lest they be wrong; no earnest desires to be right; no cries, groans, and sighs after the Spirit's leadings; no fear of error, no dread of evil; no listening with anxious ear to the voice that speaks behind them: "This is the way, walk in it. Turn not aside 'to the right hand,' nor 'to the left '—here is error, there is heresy; here is evil, there is sin; avoid this quicksand, beware of that sandbank; a precipice on one side, a quagmire on the other."
Thus the Lord's people go along trembling, fearing, crying, sighing, watching, praying, because they know they carry in their bosom a heart so "deceitful and desperately wicked," that turn aside they will, turn aside they must, except they hear the voice behind them, saying, "This is the way! This is the way, poor soul; walk in it; let your eyes look straight on before you; it is a safe path, it leads to endless glory; it will bring you right at last." You may have many doubts, many fears, many suspicions, many sighs and groans, and do you think you are altogether wrong because there is a turning aside to "the right hand," and a turning aside "to the left." But the promise still holds good; you "shall hear a voice behind you" sounding in your ears, "This is the way, walk in it."
But what a mercy it is to have this word sometimes sounding in our ears, and see that there is a "way" to heaven—a way independent of man, distinct from all the doings of the creature—God's own dear Son, "the Way, the Truth, and the Life!" that there is blood, precious blood, that cleanses from all sin; a righteousness, a glorious righteousness, to justify a needy, naked soul; love, dying love, as a sweet cord twined round a drooping, desponding spirit; and that the blessed Comforter, from time to time, shows us and gives us power to walk in the way of eternal life!
But has it not been, is it not sometimes with you, a matter of earnest consideration whether your feet are in the path? What makes it so? Because you find working in you so many things that seem utterly opposed to this path; so many trials, temptations and exercises, so many anxious questionings, and so much of the working of "a heart deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." All these things combined, make you fear that you are not walking in the path. But what is all this but the blessed fruit of the "word behind you"? You expect, perhaps, to see something, but that is not God's way. The word is "behind," not before you; dropped into your conscience, not held up to your eyes. Yet because it does not go before us to warn us beforehand, instead of coming to reprove us afterward, we often think that it is not the word of God at all. But I would say, what is it that has kept you who are the people of God, and desire to fear His name? what has kept you out of that dead assurance in which so many walk? Doubts and fears, the tremblings and suspicions of your anxious mind, have not these instrumentally kept us from this great evil? What has kept you from being altogether swallowed up in despair? Have there not been now and then some glimpses, tokens, testimonies, some shinings in of God's countenance, some dropping of His word into your heart? What has been all this but the "word behind you"?
When sin has been presented to you as a sweet honied drink, and you have almost grasped the cup, there has been some lash of conscience, some cutting conviction, that dashed the cup away before you drank the deadly draught; has not that been a "word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it"?
While you have been working and struggling, and thinking you would do something to please God, and got well-near stuck fast in the old pharisaical sandbank, a sweet light has broken in upon you, whereby you have seen Jesus, and turned aside from ruined self, and anchored within the veil; and has not this been "a voice behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it"?
When your path has been little else but trouble, sorrow, and affliction, and you are almost ready to give all up, and say, "This religion has brought nothing but trouble with it;" still there has been a soft whisper in your conscience, "This is the way; turn aside, and you must perish; you have a soul to be saved or lost." This has been a gentle admonition, and you have still kept on. Has not this been "a voice behind you"?
When you have felt your heart prompted to break forth and pour out your petitions at the throne of mercy, and wrestle with God as for life and death, has not this been "a word behind you," sounding in your ears, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you"? When some precious promise has come into your heart, and cheered up your downcast mind, when you were gladly to give up all for lost, what has this been but "a word behind you"?
But because the word does not always come before us, and we cannot see something with the bodily eye, we get confused and perplexed. But God has not promised we shall see anything with the bodily eye, or hear anything with the bodily ear. The word is to come "behind us," as a reproving, rebuking, encouraging, or comforting word, as God sees fit. But, however it comes, as a rebuking or comforting word, it still sounds, "This is the way! this is the way!—Jesus, His blood, His righteousness, His Person. His perfect salvation—This is the way, walk in it. Turn not aside to the right hand, nor to the left; walk in Him, and by walking in Him you will obtain eternal life."
What a mercy it is that God has left such a promise on record! and O, what a greater mercy to have this promise fulfilled in our heart's experience! That is the mercy. This we know, if we know anything, that we are ever turning aside "to the right hand" or "to the left." If we do not know that, what do we know? We are shut up in ignorance, presumption and carnal security, if we do not know that. But then, on the other hand, what a mercy if God does not leave us to turn aside to be engulfed as thousands are in destruction and ruin; but deals with our conscience in mercy, and gives us a lash now and then; or a refreshing admonition, promise, or encouragement; or turn our eyes, as Jonah did, to look once more "toward His holy temple." Thus the Lord, sometimes in one way, sometimes in another, still encourages our poor, fainting souls to look to Him, and hope in His mercy; and still mercifully says to us, "This is the way, walk in it!"
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