Ver.4] CHEIST THE JUDGE OF OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION. 54iO
truth, is as much otherwise as can possibly be thought or ima- gined.
To what purpose is it for men to be passing a judgment upon themselves, when there is no manner of certainty in their determi- nations, and when their proceeding thereon will probably lead them to farther entanglements, if not to eternal ruin? The judging of souls, as to their spiritual state and condition, is the work of Jesus Christ, especially as to the end now under inquiry. Men may, men do, take many ways to make a judgment of themselves. Some do it on slight and trivial conjectures; some on bold and wicked pre- sumptions; some on desperate atheistical notions, as Deut. xxix. 19; some, with more sobriety and sense of eternity, lay down prin- ciples that may be good and true in themselves, from them they draw conclusions, arguing from one thing unto another, and in the end ofttimes either deceive themselves, or sit down no less in the dark than they were at the entrance of their self-debate and exami- nation. A man's judgment upon his own reasonings is seldom true, more seldom permanent. I speak not of self-examination, with a due discussion of graces and actions, but of the final sentence as to state and condition, wherein the soul is to acquiesce. This belongs unto Christ.
Now, there are two ways whereby the Lord Jesus Christ gives forth his decretory sentence in this matter: —
(1.) B2/ his ivo7'd. He determines, in the word of the gospel, of the state and condition of all men indefinitely. Each individual coming to that word receives his own sentence and doom. He told the Jews that Moses accused them, John v. 45. His law accused and condemned the transgressors of it. And so doth he acquit every one that is discharged by the word of the gospel. And our self-judging is but our receiving by faith his sentence in the word. His process herein we have recorded: Job xxxiii. 22, 23, " His soul" (that is, of the sinner) "draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers." This seems to be his state; it is so indeed: he is at the very brink of the grave and hell. What then ? Why, if there be with him or stand over him TV? "^?f^, the angel interpreting, or the angel of the covenant, who alone is ^./^"''IP "IC"?, the " one of a thousand," what shall he do? " He shall shew unto him his upright- ness." He shall give unto him a right determination of his interest in God, and of the state and frame of his heart towards God ; whereupon God shall speak peace unto his soul, and deliver him from his entangle- ments, verse 2-i. Jesus Christ hath, in the word of the gospel, stated the condition of every man. He tells us that sinners, of what sort soever they are, that believe, are accepted with him, and shall receive forgiveness from God, — that none shall be refused or cast off that
VOL. VL 35
51G AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver,4.
come unto God by him. The soul of whom we are treating is now upon the work of coming unto God for forgiveness by Jesus Christ. Many and weighty objections it liath in and against itself why it should not come, why it shall not be accepted. Our Lord Jesus, the wisdom of God, foresaw all these objections, he foreknew what could be said in the case, and yet he hath determined the matter as hath been declared. In general, men's arguings against themselves arise from sin and the law. Christ knows what is in them both. He tried them to the uttermost, as to their penalties, and yet he hath so determined as we have showed. Theu- particular objections are from pai-ticular considerations of sin, — their greatness, their munber, their aggravations. Christ knows all these also, and yet stands to his former determination. Upon the whole matter, then, it is meet liLs word should stand. I know, when a soul brings itself to be judged by the word of the gospel, it dotli not always in a like manner re- ceive and rest in the sentence given. But when Christ is pleased to speak the word with power to men, they shall " hear the voice of the Son of God," and be concluded by it. Let the soul, then, that is rising out of depths and pressing towards a sense of forgiveness, lay itself down before the word of Christ in the gospel. Let him attend to Avhat he speaks ; and if for a while it hath not power upon him to quiet his heart, let him wait a season, and light shall arise unto him out of darkness. Christ will give in his sentence into his conscience with that power and elKcacy as he shall find rest and peace in it.
(2.) Christ also judgeth by his Spirit, not only in making this sentence of the gospel to be received effectually in the soul, but in and by peculiar actings of his upon the heart and soul of a believer: 1 Cor. ii. 12, " We have received the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." The Spirit of Christ acquaints the soul that this and that grace is from him, that this or that duty was performed in his streng-th. He brings to mind what at such and such times was wrought in men by him- self, to give them support ment and relief in the times of dej)ths and darkness. And when it hath been clearly discovered unto the soul at any time by the Holy Ghost, that any thing wrought in it or done by it hath been truly saving, the comfort of it will abide in the midst of many shakings and temptations.