Chapter 14. Act Faith on Christ for the Killing of Sin

The general use of the foregoing directions. The great direction for the accomplishment of the work aimed at: act faith on Christ. The several ways whereby this may be done. Consideration of the fullness in Christ for relief, proposed. Great expectations from Christ: grounds of these expectations — his mercifulness, his faithfulness. Event of such expectations: on the part of Christ, on the part of believers. Faith peculiarly to be acted on the death of Christ (Romans 6:3-6). The work of the Spirit in this whole business.

Now the considerations which have hitherto been insisted on, are rather of things preparatory to the work aimed at, than such as will effect it. It is the heart's due preparation for the work itself, without which it will not be accomplished, that hitherto has been aimed at.

Directions for the work itself are very few; I mean that are peculiar to it. And they are these that follow.

First, set faith at work on Christ for the killing of your sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls. Live in this and you will die a conqueror. Yea you will through the good providence of God, live to see your lust dead at your feet. But you will say, how shall faith act itself on Christ for this end and purpose? Sundry ways.

1. By faith fill your soul with a due consideration of that provision which is laid up in Jesus Christ for this end and purpose, that all your lusts, this very lust wherewith you are entangled, may be mortified by faith; ponder on this, that though you are no way able in or by yourself to get the conquest over your distemper, though you are even weary of contending, and are utterly ready to faint (Luke 16:17), yet that there is enough in Jesus Christ, to yield you relief (Philippians 4:13). It stayed the prodigal when he was ready to faint, that yet there was bread enough in his father's house; though he was at a distance from it, yet it relieved him, and stayed him, that there it was. In your greatest distress and anguish, consider that fullness of grace, those riches, those treasures of strength, might and help, that are laid up in him, for our support (John 1:16; Colossians 1:19). Let them come into, and abide in your mind. Consider that he is exalted and made a Prince and a Savior to give repentance unto Israel (Acts 5:31); and if to give repentance, to give mortification, without which the other is not, nor can be. Christ tells us that we obtain purging grace by abiding in him (John 15:3). To act faith upon the fullness that is in Christ for our supply, is an eminent way of abiding in Christ, for both our insertion and abode is by faith (Romans 11:19-20). Let then your soul by faith be exercised with such thoughts and apprehensions as these: I am a poor weak creature; unstable as water, I cannot excel. This corruption is too hard for me, and is at the very door of ruining my soul: and what to do I know not. My soul has become as parched ground and a habitation of dragons; I have made promises and broken them; vows and engagements have been as a thing of nothing; many persuasions have I had, that I had got the victory and should be delivered, but I am deceived; so that I plainly see, that without some eminent succor and assistance, I am lost, and shall be prevailed on, to an utter relinquishment of God. But yet though this be my state and condition, yet let the hands that hang down be lifted up, and the feeble knees be strengthened; behold the Lord Christ that has all fullness of grace in his heart, all fullness of power in his hand; he is able to slay all these his enemies. There is sufficient provision in him for my relief and assistance: he can take my drooping dying soul, and make me more than a conqueror. Why do you say, O my soul, my way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God? Have you not known, have you not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth faints not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding; he gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:29-31). He can make the dry parched ground of my soul to become a pool, and my thirsty barren heart as springs of water; yea he can make this habitation of dragons, this heart so full of abominable lusts, and fiery temptations, to be a place for grass and fruit to himself (Isaiah 35). So God stayed Paul under his temptation, with the consideration of the sufficiency of his grace: My grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9). Though he were not immediately so far made partaker of it as to be freed from his temptation, yet the sufficiency of it in God, for that end and purpose, was enough to stay his spirit. I say then, by faith be much in the consideration of that supply and the fullness of it, that is in Jesus Christ; and how he can at any time give you strength and deliverance. Now if hereby you do not find success to a conquest, yet you will be stayed in the chariot, that you shall not fly out of the field until the battle be ended; you will be kept from an utter despondency, and a lying down under your unbelief; or a turning aside to false means and remedies that in the end will not relieve you. The efficacy of this consideration will be found only in the practice.

2. Raise up your heart by faith to an expectation of relief from Christ; relief in this case from Christ is like the prophet's vision (Habakkuk 2:3): It is for an appointed time; but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, yet wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Though it may seem somewhat long to you, while you are under your trouble and perplexity, yet it shall surely come in the appointed time of the Lord Jesus, which is the best season. If then you can raise up your heart to a settled expectation of relief from Jesus Christ; if your eyes are toward him, as the eyes of a servant to the hand of his master (Psalm 123:2), when he expects to receive somewhat from him, your soul shall be satisfied (Isaiah 7:9). He will assuredly deliver you; he will slay the lust, and your latter end shall be peace; only look for it, at his hand expect when and how he will do it. If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.

Question: But what ground have I to build such an expectation upon; so that I may expect not to be deceived?

As you have necessity to put you on this course (John 6:68) — you must be relieved and saved this way or none; to whom will you go? — so there are in the Lord Jesus innumerable things to encourage and engage you to this expectation.

For the necessity of it, I have in part discovered it before, when I manifested that this is the work of faith, and of believers only. Without me (says Christ) you can do nothing (John 15:5), speaking with especial relation to the purging of the heart from sin (verse 2). Mortification of any sin must be by a supply of grace; of ourselves we cannot do it. Now it has pleased the Father that in Christ all fullness should dwell (Colossians 1:19), that of his fullness we might receive grace for grace (John 1:16). He is the head, from whom the new man must have influences of life and strength, or it will decay every day. If we are strengthened with might in the inner man (Colossians 1:11), it is by Christ's dwelling in our hearts by faith (Ephesians 3:16-17). That this work is not to be done without the Spirit, has also been shown before. Whence then do we expect the Spirit? from whom do we look for him? Who has promised him to us, having procured him for us? Ought not all our expectations to this purpose to be on Christ alone? Let this then be fixed upon your heart, that if you have not relief from him, you shall never have any: all ways, endeavors, contendings, that are not animated by this expectation of relief from Christ and him only, are to no purpose, will do you no good; yea if they are anything but supportments of your heart in this expectation, or means appointed by himself, for the receiving help from him, they are in vain.

Now further to engage you to this expectation:

1. Consider his mercifulness, tenderness, and kindness, as he is our great high Priest, at the right hand of God. Assuredly he pities you in your distress; said he, As one whom his mother comforts so will I comfort you (Isaiah 66:13). He has the tenderness of a mother to a nursing child (Hebrews 2:17-18): Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, for in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help them that are tempted. How is the ability of Christ upon the account of his suffering proposed to us? in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able. The ability here mentioned is such as has readiness, proneness, willingness, to put itself forth accompanying of it; it is an ability of will against all dissuasions; he is able, having suffered and being tempted, to break through all dissuasions to the contrary, to relieve poor tempted souls. For we have not a high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15-16). Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The exhortation of verse 16 is the same that is here pressed upon you, namely, that you would entertain expectations of relief from Christ, which the Apostle there calls grace for seasonable help. If ever (says the soul) help were seasonable, it would be so to me in my present condition. This is that which I long for, grace for seasonable help: I am ready to die, to perish, to be lost for ever; iniquity will prevail against me, if help come not in — says the Apostle, Expect this help, this relief, this grace from Christ. I shall freely say this one thing: establishing the soul by faith in expectation of relief from Jesus Christ, on the account of his mercifulness as our High-Priest, will be more available to the ruin of your lust and distemper, and have a better and speedier issue than all the most rigorous means of self-mortification, that ever any of the sons of men engaged themselves into. Yea let me add, that never any soul did or shall perish by the power of any lust, sin or corruption, who could raise his soul by faith to an expectation of relief from Jesus Christ.

2. Consider his faithfulness who has promised, which may raise you up, and confirm you in this waiting in an expectation of relief. He has promised to relieve in such cases, and he will fulfill his word to the utmost. God tells us that his covenant with us is like the ordinances of heaven, the sun, moon and stars, which have their certain courses (Jeremiah 31:36). Thence David said, that he watched for relief from God, as one watches for the morning, a thing that will certainly come in its appointed season; so will be your relief from Christ. It will come in its season, as the dew and rain upon the parched ground; for faithful is he who has promised. Particular promises to this purpose are innumerable; with some of them (that seem peculiarly to suit his condition) let the soul be always furnished.

Now there are two eminent advantages which always attend this expectation of succor from Jesus Christ.

1. It engages him to a full and speedy assistance; nothing does more engage the heart of a man to be useful and helpful to another, than his expectation of help from him, if justly raised and countenanced by him who is to give the relief. Our Lord Jesus has raised our hearts by his kindness, care and promises, to this expectation; certainly our rising up unto it, must needs be a great engagement upon him to assist us accordingly. This the Psalmist gives us as an approved maxim: You Lord never forsake them that put their trust in you. When the heart is once won to rest in God, to repose himself on him, he will assuredly satisfy it. He will never be as water that fails, nor has he said at any time to the seed of Jacob, Seek my face in vain. If Christ be chosen for the foundation of our supply, he will not fail us.

2. It engages the heart to attend diligently to all ways and means whereby Christ is accustomed to communicate himself to the soul, and so takes in the real assistance of all graces and ordinances whatever. He that expects anything from a man, applies himself to the ways and means whereby it may be obtained. The beggar that expects an alms, lies at his door or in his way, from whom he does expect it. The way whereby, and the means wherein Christ communicates himself is, and are, his ordinances ordinarily. He that expects anything from him, must attend upon him therein. It is the expectation of faith that sets the heart on work. It is not an idle groundless hope that is here spoken of. If now there be any vigor, efficacy and power in prayer or sacraments to this end of mortifying sin, a man will assuredly be interested in it all, by this expectation of relief from Christ. On this account all particular actings by prayer, meditation and the like are reduced to this head; when they are grounded on this bottom, and spring from this root, they are of singular use to this purpose; and not else.

Now on this direction for the mortification of a prevailing distemper you may have a thousand proofs; who has walked with God under this temptation, and has not found the use and success of it? Only some particulars relating thereunto may be mentioned.

(1) Act faith peculiarly upon the death, blood and cross of Christ; that is, on Christ as crucified and slain. Mortification of sin is peculiarly from the death of Christ. It is one peculiar, yea eminent end of the death of Christ, which shall assuredly be accomplished by it. He died to destroy the works of the devil; whatever came upon our natures by his first temptation, whatever received strength in our persons by his daily suggestions, Christ died to destroy it all. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14). This was his aim and intendment (wherein he will not fail) in his giving himself for us. That we might be freed from the power of our sins, and purified from all our defiling lusts, was his design. He gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27). And this by virtue of his death, in various and several degrees shall be accomplished. Hence our washing, purging and cleansing is everywhere ascribed to his blood (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 1:5). That being sprinkled on us, purges our consciences from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). This is what is aimed at, this is in pursuit; that our consciences may be purged from dead works; that they may be rooted out, destroyed, and have place in us no more. This shall certainly be brought about by the death of Christ: there will virtue go out from thence to this purpose. Thus the Apostle states it (Romans 6:2): How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein? Dead to sin by profession; dead to sin by obligation to be so; dead to sin by a participation of virtue and power for the killing of it; dead to sin by union and interest in Christ, in and by whom it is killed: how shall we live therein? This he presses by sundry considerations, all taken from the death of Christ, in the ensuing verses. Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3). We have in baptism an evidence of our implantation into Christ; we are baptized into him; but what of him are we baptized into an interest in? His death, said he: if indeed we are baptized into Christ, and beyond outward profession, we are baptized into his death. The explication of this, of our being baptized into the death of Christ, the Apostle gives us (Romans 6:4-5): Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. This is (said he) our being baptized into the death of Christ, namely, our conformity thereunto. To be dead unto sin, to have our corruptions mortified, as he was put to death for sin; so that as he was raised up to glory, we may be raised up to grace and newness of life.

He tells us whence it is that we have this baptism into the death of Christ (Romans 6:6), and this is from the death of Christ itself: Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed. We are crucified with him — not in respect of time, but of causality; we are crucified with him, meritoriously in that he procured the Spirit for us, to mortify sin; efficiently, in that from his death virtue comes forth for our crucifying; in the way of a representation and exemplar, we shall assuredly be crucified unto sin, as he was for our sin. This is what the Apostle intends. Christ by his death destroying the works of the devil, procuring the Spirit for us, has so killed sin as to its reign in believers, that it shall not obtain its end and dominion.

(2) Then act faith on the death of Christ, and that under these two notions.

1. In expectation of power. 2. In endeavors for conformity.

For the first, the direction given in general may suffice.

As to the latter, that of the Apostle may give us some light into our direction (Galatians 3:1): Let faith look on Christ in the Gospel as he is set forth dying and crucified for us; look on him under the weight of our sins, praying, bleeding, dying; bring him in that condition into your heart by faith; apply his blood so shed to your corruptions; do this daily.

Only to be added then are the heads of the work of the Spirit in this business of mortification, which is so peculiarly ascribed to him.

In one word: this whole work which has been described as our duty, is effected, carried on, and accomplished by the power of the Spirit, in all the parts and degrees of it.

1. He alone clearly and fully convinces the heart of the evil and guilt and danger of the corruption, lust, or sin to be mortified. Without this conviction (or while it is faint, that the heart can wrestle with it, or digest it) there will be no thorough work made. An unbelieving heart (as in part we all have such) will shift with any consideration, until it be overpowered by clear and evident convictions: now this is the proper work of the Spirit; he convinces of sin (John 16:8). He alone can do it; if men's rational considerations, with the preaching of the letter, were able to convince them of sin, we should perhaps see more convictions than we do. There comes by the preaching of the word an apprehension upon the understandings of men, that they are sinners, that such and such things are sins; that themselves are guilty of them; but this light is not powerful, nor does it lay hold on the practical principles of the soul, so as to conform the mind and will unto them, to produce effects suitable to such an apprehension. And therefore it is, that wise and knowing men, destitute of the Spirit, do not think those things to be sins at all wherein the chief movings and actings of lust do consist. It is the Spirit alone that can do, that does this work to the purpose. And this is the first thing that the Spirit does in order to the mortification of any lust whatever; it convinces the soul of all the evil of it, cuts off all its pleas, discovers all its deceits, stops all its evasions, answers its pretenses, makes the soul own its abomination, and lie down under the sense of it. Unless this be done, all that follows is in vain.

2. The Spirit alone reveals unto us the fullness of Christ for our relief, which is the consideration that stays the heart from false ways, and from despairing despondency (1 Corinthians 2:8).

3. The Spirit alone establishes the heart in expectation of relief from Christ; which is the great sovereign means of mortification, as has been discovered (2 Corinthians 1:21).

4. The Spirit alone brings the cross of Christ into our hearts, with its sin-killing power; for by the Spirit are we baptized into the death of Christ.

5. The Spirit is the author and finisher of our sanctification; gives new supplies and influences of grace for holiness and sanctification, when the contrary principle is weakened and abated (Ephesians 3:16-18).

6. In all the soul's addresses to God in this condition, it has support from the Spirit. Whence is the power, life and vigor of prayer? whence its efficacy to prevail with God? Is it not from the Spirit? He is the Spirit of supplication promised to them who look on him whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10), enabling them to pray with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:16). This is confessed to be the great medium or way of faith's prevailing with God. Thus Paul dealt with his temptation, whatever it were; I besought God that it might depart from me (2 Corinthians 12:8).

Finis.

The ninth direction: when the heart is troubled by sin, do not speak peace to it until God speaks it. Peace that is not accompanied by genuine hatred of sin is unsound. So also is peace that we measure out to ourselves. How to know when we are measuring our own peace — directions for that inquiry. The emptiness of speaking peace lightly — also of doing it on one particular ground without universal application.

When God troubles the heart about the guilt of its disorders — whether as to their root and indwelling, or as to some outward eruption of them — take care not to speak peace to yourself before God speaks it. Listen instead for what He says to your soul. This is the next direction, and without following it the heart will be greatly exposed to the deceitfulness of sin.

This is a matter of great importance. It is a terrible thing for a person to deceive his own soul here. All the warnings God gives us in His tenderness toward our souls — urging us to try and examine ourselves — are aimed at preventing this very evil: speaking peace to ourselves without grounds, which amounts in the end to blessing ourselves in defiance of God.

To apply this direction rightly, observe:

(1) Just as it is God's great prerogative and sovereign right to give grace to whom He pleases — 'He has mercy on whom He will' (Romans 9:16), calling whom He will and sanctifying whom He will — so among those He has called, justified, and resolved to save, He reserves this privilege to Himself: to speak peace to whom He pleases and in the measure He pleases, even among those to whom He has given grace. He is the God of all consolation in a special sense in His dealings with believers — that is, the One who holds the good things kept within His family and distributes them to all His children according to His pleasure. The Lord insists on this (Isaiah 57:16-19). The condition being addressed there is the one we are considering. When God says He will heal their wounds and sorrows, He claims this privilege especially for Himself: 'I create it' (verse 19) — even for these wounded creatures, I create peace and give it out as I please.

Therefore, just as God acts in great sovereignty in conferring grace on those who are in a state of nature — taking and leaving, and often in ways that defy all outward expectation — so He also gives out peace and joy to those who are in a state of grace. He distributes them in ways that often run contrary to any apparent pattern we could predict.

(2) Just as God creates peace for whom He pleases, it is Christ's prerogative to speak it home to the conscience. Speaking to the church of Laodicea, who had falsely healed her own wounds and spoken peace to herself when she should not have, Christ takes for Himself the title: 'I am the Amen, the faithful witness' (Revelation 3:14). He bears testimony to our condition as it truly is. We may mistake and trouble ourselves needlessly, or flatter ourselves on false grounds — but He is the Amen, the faithful witness, and what He says about our state and condition is what it truly is. He is said not to judge by outward appearance or by anything subject to mistake, as we tend to do. He judges and decides every case as it actually is (Isaiah 11:3).

With these two preliminary observations in place, some rules may be given by which people can know whether God is speaking peace to them or whether they are speaking it to themselves.

(1) People are certainly speaking peace to themselves when doing so is not accompanied by the deepest possible hatred and abhorrence of the very sin in connection with which they are speaking peace to themselves. When people have been wounded by sin, troubled and perplexed, and knowing there is no remedy but in God's mercy through the blood of Christ, they look to Him and to the covenant promises in Him. They quiet their hearts with the assurance that it will be well with them and that God will be exalted and be gracious — yet their souls have not been brought to the deepest detestation of the sin or sins that caused the trouble. This is healing themselves, not being healed by God. This is nothing but a great and strong wind — the Lord is near to it, but the Lord is not in the wind. When people truly look on Christ whom they have pierced — without which there is no healing or peace — they will mourn (Zechariah 12:10). They will mourn even on this account and detest the sin that pierced Him. When we go to Christ for healing, faith looks at Him specifically as one who was pierced. Faith takes different views of Christ according to the occasions and forms of communion with Him it has. Sometimes it views His holiness, sometimes His power, sometimes His love, sometimes His favor with His Father. When it goes for healing and peace, it looks especially at the blood of the covenant — His sufferings. For 'by His stripes we are healed, and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him' (Isaiah 53:5). When we look for healing, His stripes are to be in view. When we look for peace, His chastisement must be before our eyes. Now I say: when this is done according to the mind of God and in the strength of the Spirit poured out on believers, it will produce in the soul a detestation of the sin or sins for which healing and peace is sought. So (Ezekiel 16:60-61): 'Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.' And then what? 'You will remember your ways and be ashamed.' When God comes home to speak sure covenant peace, it fills the soul with shame for every way it had been alienated from Him. One of the things the apostle mentions as attending godly sorrow — the kind that leads to salvation and is never regretted — is vengeance (2 Corinthians 7:11): they reflected on their failures with indignation and a spirit of revenge against their own folly. When Job arrives at true healing, he cries out, 'Now I abhor myself' (Job 42:6). Until he did so, he had no lasting peace. He might perhaps have patched himself up with the doctrine of free grace preached so excellently by Elihu (chapter 33, verses 14-29), but that would only have skinned his wounds. He had to come to self-abhorrence before arriving at healing. Let a man make whatever application he will for healing and peace — let him go to the true Physician, go the right way, quiet his heart in the covenant's promises — yet when peace is spoken, if it is not attended with detestation and abhorrence of the sin that caused the wound, that peace is not of God's creating but of our own purchasing. It is only a skinning over of the wound while the corruption lies at the bottom — festering and eating away until it breaks out again with foulness, trouble, and danger. Let not poor souls who walk in this path — more troubled by the inconvenience of sin than by its pollution or filth; addressing themselves to the Lord in Christ for mercy, but still keeping the sweet taste of their sin under their tongues — let them never expect true and solid peace. For example: you find your heart running after the world, and it disturbs your communion with God. The Spirit says plainly to you (1 John 2:15): 'If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' This moves you to deal with God in Christ for the healing of your soul and the quieting of your conscience. But a thorough detestation of the evil itself does not abide in you — perhaps you actually like the worldliness well enough, and your only concern is the consequences. You may possibly be saved, but as one through fire. God will have some dealings with you before He is done with you. But you will have little peace in this life. You will be sick and faint all your days (Isaiah 57:17). This deceit lies at the root of many professing Christians' peace and wastes it. They deal with all their strength about mercy and pardon, and appear to have deep communion with God in doing so. They lie before Him, lamenting their sins and failings, so that anyone watching — including themselves — would think they have finally parted with their sins and found mercy that satisfies their hearts for a season. But when a careful search is made, there has been some secret reservation for the sin being dealt with. At least there has not been that thorough abhorrence of it that is necessary. Their entire peace quickly turns out to be weak and hollow — barely lasting longer than the words of asking for it are still in their mouths.

(2) When people measure out peace to themselves based on conclusions their own convictions and rational faculties lead them to — this is false peace and will not last. A man has been wounded by sin. He has a conviction of some sin on his conscience; he has not walked in a way that honors the Gospel. All is not right between his soul and God. He now considers what to do. He has enough knowledge and experience to know the path that leads to healing. Knowing that God's promises are the outward means for the healing of his wounds and the quieting of his heart, he goes to them — searches them out, finds one or more whose literal expression directly fits his condition. He says to himself: God speaks in this promise. Here I will take for myself a remedy as long and wide as my wound. He brings the promise to bear on his condition and settles into peace. This is another appearance on the mountain — the Lord is near, but the Lord is not in it. This has not been the work of the Spirit — who alone can convict of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8) — but merely the activity of the intelligent rational soul. In the case I am describing, the person acts purely on the principle of conviction and understanding by which his natural faculties have been elevated. But the Spirit does not breathe on any of these waters at all. Consider an instance: suppose the wound and trouble of soul is on account of repeated relapses. Whatever the specific sin may be — however small in matter — there are no deeper wounds than those given on that account, and no greater disturbance. In his turmoil, he finds this promise (Isaiah 55:7): 'The Lord will have compassion, and our God will abundantly pardon' — He will multiply pardon, do it again and again. Or perhaps (Hosea 14:4): 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely.' The man considers this and concludes peace for himself — without asking whether the Spirit of God is making the application, without asking whether the Spirit is giving life and power to the letter. He does not listen for whether God the Lord is speaking peace. He does not wait on God — who perhaps is still hiding His face, watching this poor creature stealing peace and running away with it. God knows the time will come when He will deal with him again, call him to a new accounting (Hosea 11:3) — when he will see that it is useless to take a single step without God taking him by the hand.

Various other questions arise from this point, and I cannot address them all. I will speak to one.

The question may be asked: since this seems to be the path the Holy Spirit leads us in for the healing of our wounds and the quieting of our hearts, how shall we know when we are going it alone and when the Spirit is also accompanying us?

1. If any of you are going astray on this account, God will quickly let you know it. Besides the fact that you have His promise that He guides the humble in judgment and teaches them His way (Psalm 25:9), He will not allow you to go on indefinitely in error. He will not let your nakedness be covered with fig leaves — He will strip them away, along with all the peace you found in them. He will not allow you to settle on such empty grounds. You will quickly discover that your wound is not healed. That is: you will soon know whether this is your situation by the result. The peace you obtain in this way will not last. While the mind is overpowered by its own convictions there is no grip for trouble to take hold. Wait a little and all these reasonings will grow cold and collapse before the first temptation that comes along.

2. This course is commonly taken without waiting — yet waiting is the very grace, the specific exercise of faith, that God calls for in such a condition. I know God sometimes comes in on the soul instantly — in a moment, as it were — wounding and healing it. I believe this was the case with David when he cut off the corner of Saul's robe. But ordinarily in such a case God calls for waiting and laboring — attending like a servant's eyes upon his master (Psalm 123:2; Psalm 130:6). The prophet Isaiah says (chapter 8:17): 'I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob.' God will have His children wait at His door for a time when they have run from His house — He will not immediately let them rush back in. Unless He takes them by the hand and draws them in when they are too ashamed to come on their own. People who speak peace to themselves commonly hurry. They will not wait. They do not listen for what God says (Isaiah 28:16) — they press on to be healed.

3. This kind of peace, even if it quiets the conscience and the reasoning mind, does not sweeten the heart with rest and gracious settled comfort. The answer such peace receives is much like what Elisha said to Naaman: 'Go in peace' (2 Kings 5:19). It quieted his mind but gave little of the sweetness that God speaks along with His peace. 'Do not My words do good?' says the Lord (Micah 2:7). When God speaks, there is not only truth in His words that satisfies the understanding — His words do good. They bring something sweet, wholesome, and genuinely welcome to the will and affections. Through them the soul returns to its rest (Psalm 116:7).

4. Worst of all, it does not change the life, heal the evil, or cure the disorder. When God speaks peace, it guides and keeps the soul so that it does not turn back to folly (Psalm 85:8). When we speak peace to ourselves, the heart is not drawn away from the evil. In fact, this is the readiest way in the world to produce a pattern of repeated backsliding in a soul. If, after plastering yourself with peace, you find yourself energized to return to the battle rather than completely weaned from it — that is clear evidence that you have been at work on your own soul, but Jesus Christ and His Spirit were not there. And often, once the natural energy of the moment has done its work, it will within a few days come back demanding its reward. Having been active in the work of self-healing, it will soon begin to reason in favor of a new wounding. When God speaks peace, it comes with such sweetness and such a revelation of His love that it places a strong and lasting obligation on the soul never to deal perversely again (Luke 22:32).

(3) We speak peace to ourselves when we do it lightly. The prophet complains about some teachers who did this (Jeremiah 6:14): 'They have healed the wound of the daughter of My people lightly.' Some people treat the healing of their wounds as a minor matter — a glance at the promises, a quick look to Christ, and the affair is settled. The apostle tells us that the word did not benefit some people because it was not mixed with faith (Hebrews 4:2) — not properly blended and combined with faith. It is not a mere glance at the word of mercy in the promise that is needed. The promise must be mixed with faith until it is absorbed into the very nature of the soul. Then it truly does the soul good. If you have had a wound on your conscience that came with weakness and disturbance and from which you are now free — how did that happen? 'I looked to the promises of pardon and healing and found peace.' But perhaps you moved too quickly. You did it superficially, without dwelling on the promise long enough to mix it with faith so that its full virtue was absorbed into your soul. You only skimmed the surface. You will find your wound breaking out again before long, and you will know that you were not truly healed.

(4) Whoever speaks peace to himself on the basis of one thing, while another evil of equal or greater seriousness still lies unaddressed upon his spirit and has never been brought before God — that person is declaring peace when there is none. A man has repeatedly neglected a duty that was clearly his obligation. His conscience is troubled, his soul wounded, he has no rest because of his sin. He applies for healing and finds peace. But all the while, perhaps worldliness, or pride, or some other sin that greatly grieves the Spirit of God lies in that man's heart — undisturbing to him, and undisturbed by him. Let not that man think that any of his peace comes from God.

Things will go well for people only when they have an equal regard for all of God's commandments. God will justify us from our sins, but He will not justify even the smallest sin in us. He is a God of purer eyes than to look on iniquity.

(5) When people speak peace to their consciences on their own, it is seldom accompanied by God speaking humiliation to their souls. God's peace is humbling peace — melting peace. This was perfectly illustrated in the case of David (Psalm 51:1): never was there such deep humiliation as when Nathan brought him news of his pardon.

Question: But when may we receive a promise as our own, in connection with some particular wound, for the quieting of our heart?

1. In general: when God speaks it — sooner or later. He may do it at the very moment of the sin itself, with such irresistible power that the soul has no choice but to receive what He says. Sometimes He will make us wait longer. But whenever He speaks — sooner or later, when we are sinning or when we are repenting, in whatever condition our souls may be — if God speaks, He must be received. There is nothing that the Lord is more troubled with us about in our communion with Him than our unbelieving fears that prevent us from receiving the strong consolation He is so willing to give.

But you will say: we are back where we started. When God speaks it, we must receive it — that is true. But how shall we know when He is speaking?

If only we could all practically arrive at this: to receive peace when we are convinced that God is speaking it and that it is our duty to receive it.

2. There is — if I may say so — a secret instinct in faith by which it recognizes Christ's voice when He truly speaks. As the unborn child leaped in the womb when the blessed virgin came to Elizabeth, faith leaps in the heart when Christ truly draws near to it. 'My sheep know My voice' (John 10:14). They know My voice. They are familiar with the sound of it, and they recognize when His lips are opened to them and are full of grace. The bride in the Song was in a sad state (Song of Solomon 5:2) — asleep in careless security. Yet the moment Christ speaks she cries out, 'That is the voice of my beloved!' She knew his voice. She was so practiced in communion with him that she instantly recognized him. You will do the same: if you exercise yourself in acquaintance and communion with Christ, you will easily tell His voice from the voice of a stranger. And take this with you: when He speaks, He speaks as no other has ever spoken. He speaks with power, and in one way or another will make your heart burn within you, as He did for the disciples (Luke 24). He does it by putting His hand in at the opening of the door (Song of Solomon 5:4) — sending His Spirit into your heart to take hold of you.

The person who has his senses trained to discern good and evil — who has grown in judgment and experience through consistent observation of the patterns of Christ's working and the Spirit's usual effects — is the best judge for himself in this matter.

2. If the word of the Lord does good to your soul, He is speaking it. If it humbles, if it cleanses, if it serves the purposes for which promises are given — (1) to endear the soul to God, and (2) to cleanse it.

Melting the soul toward obedience, self-emptiness, and so on. But this is not my present focus, and I will not pursue this direction further here. Without observing it, sin will have great advantages toward hardening the heart.