Preparation: A Fitting of a Sinner for His Being in Christ

The words of the Text will afford us full ground for the handling and discovering of this truth, To prepare a people fitted for the Lord: which words make known the main task that was imposed upon John the Baptist, and that great work of his ministry, (being the forerunner of our Savior Christ) with which he was entrusted, and for which he was every way fitted with gifts and graces proportionable. Therefore it is said in the beginning of the verse, He shall come in the Spirit and power of Elias, that is, He shall have that large measure of gracious and ministerial gifts, that special presence and assistance of the Spirit of the Lord accompanying him, as sometimes Elias had; that so in the corrupt and declining state of the Church, which was now exceeding great, he might set things in a better frame, build up the breaches made, taking off those dissensions, errors, and divisions, which had spread over the body, and eaten into the bowels of the Church of the Jews like a gangrene or cancer. And therefore as it was foretold of him, so it was performed by him (Matthew 17:11). He did restore all things: namely such was the lively and over-ruling power of his ministry, that he wrought the hearts of the children, otherwise [illegible] and rebellious to the wisdom of the just men, that laying aside all carnal wisdom of the [illegible] which was enmity against God, and caused [illegible] and strifes among men, they came to judge [illegible] of things that were excellent, to set the greatest price and account upon those things which were of greatest worth, the truth of God, his will and ways, warily to observe the seasons [illegible] these are dispensed, and revealed; and so with readiness to attend thereupon, and to entertain those opportunities and means of grace and good, from where follows a mutual agreement between the [illegible] and these their converted posterity. They long before expected a Savior, [illegible] now fitted [illegible] receive the Lord Christ their Savior, now [illegible].

In the words there are three divine truths which [illegible] will take notice of, in which the pith of the foregoing description is expressed.

- 1 All men by nature are unfit to receive Christ. - 2 There must be a preparation therefore made for that end. - 3 The ministry of Elias is the means to do this.

The first of these though proper enough for this [illegible], yet we shall reserve the [illegible] thereof, [illegible] we come to discover the manner of God's [illegible], in drawing of a sinner to himself, where the [illegible] fastening to his corruption, and the Lord's [illegible] him from it, being handled together, will [illegible] way the one for the other, and give light the [illegible] to the other; we shall therefore defer the further [illegible] of that, till we come to that place. Proceed we now to open the second point; That is,

The soul must be [reconstructed: fitted] for Christ before it can receive Him, or salvation by Him: this is the scope of the place, the way and order of the Lord's approach; where there is no preparation made, there is no expectation of a Savior to come. Thus it was prophesied (Malachi 3:1), I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come into his temple. Thus was it accomplished by the Baptist, to whom the word of the Lord came, and he came [illegible] in the [illegible] about Jordan, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight (Luke 3:4). A similitude taken from earthly [illegible], our Savior he is the King, and he was now to come in his own person, and in the ministry of the [illegible], and thereby into the souls of his people; and [illegible] the Baptist makes proclamation, not for their [illegible], so much, as for their hearts, that the [illegible] thereof might be dislodged: and the [illegible] fit to entertain the Lord Jesus. And that this was a spiritual preparation, the nature of Christ's kingdom [illegible] being [illegible] world (John 18:36), and the [illegible] of his proceeding being professedly [illegible] to the pomp of earthly potentates, will evidence [illegible]: for, [illegible] shall hear his voice in [illegible], (Matthew 12:19). But the Baptist's sermon, who [illegible] knew the [illegible] of his own [illegible], puts it out of doubt: for so he adds, [reconstructed: Matthew 3:1-2], Repent [illegible] kingdom of heaven is at hand: as the [illegible] says, Prepare you the way of the Lord: [illegible] he had said, Repenting is preparing. And [illegible] 3:5, Every mountain shall be made low, and [illegible] thing straight: the sense of which words that it could not be literal but spiritual, the accomplishment of them in experience, is proof most pregnantly undeniable. The sum is, The heart is the highway, while the Gospel is preaching, Christ is coming; the heart must by repentance be fitted for Christ, offering himself in that, and then Christ will come by that means thereunto.

In this preparation (for the explication of it) we are to attend three things.

- 1 Wherein it consists. - 2 The manner of the work. - 3 The reasons of it.

For the first of these,

What this preparation is, or wherein it [illegible].

Generally: It is a renouncing of whatever might cross the coming and entertaining of our Savior Christ into the heart: and it is the fitting of the soul [illegible] faith, and for being in Christ by faith. Particularly it shows itself in four things.

The first is the renouncing the authority of those bosom corruptions which have lorded it over the soul, and kept out the power of the Gospel from prevailing and taking place in the heart. That accursed union and combination that has been long between the heart and its secret lusts, which for their naturalness are said to be the old man (Ephesians 4:22), and for their nearness our earthly members (Colossians 3:5), born and bred with us, which make and [illegible] the corrupt disposition of our hearts. This combination must be broken, this league [illegible]; else there is no place for the presence of a [illegible].

True, these noisome distempers will be as tyrants still, usurping authority over the soul, but they are not acknowledged as lawful [illegible], by the soul rightly prepared for the Lord: But the sinner rightly fitted, shakes off the yoke and [illegible] from under the [illegible] of these distempers, [illegible] though he be not able to wage war and to mortify them, by any power received; [illegible] he withdraws his [illegible] from his lust, and stands ready, to entertain a deliverer; This [illegible] work the [illegible] here [illegible] by the Evangelist, implies [illegible] non [illegible] perfect onem sonat [illegible] concinnitatem [illegible] ad [illegible] aptantur, says Calvin in Locum. And the original in the Prophet Isaiah, 40:3, imports no more: both showing the same thing, even an utter emptiness that ought to be in the heart: Thus also is this work [illegible] and set out in the [illegible] thereof, Every mountain shall [illegible] low, It is not paving but levelling, not a bringing in of some [illegible] ability so much which this preparative stroke [illegible] stamp looks at, (take it strictly (in hoc signo [illegible], as they say) but a removing of all that, out [illegible] the way which might stop or stay our Savior's coming, for [illegible] he professes (Matthew 10:37), He [illegible] loves Father or Mother more than me, is not [illegible] of me: Not [illegible], that is, Not fit to [illegible] him, or mercy by him: As we use to say, A fusty vessel is not worthy of precious liquor: A dusty cabinet not worthy to have a diamond put into it. That is, They are not fit to receive these, [illegible] the things will be spoiled, not [illegible] them.

The soul is brought to renounce [illegible] might serve to share in the work and glory of free grace, and so cast some blemish [illegible], or at [illegible] diminish the due worth thereof: which the [illegible] Christ (who does all to the praise of the glory [illegible] his grace) will not suffer, and therefore he will have this coast cleared also before his coming: And the soul must be emptied, not only of those things, which out of the intr[illegible] evil of their nature do cross the nature of grace, as sins and corruptions; but also of all that confidence in any spiritual sufficiency [illegible], by which, while we would seem to share with him in the work of our conversion, and ease [illegible] of some part of the labor, we do indeed take some part of the honor from him, concerning which [illegible] has said, That he will not give his glory to [illegible] (Isaiah 42:8). The Lord Jesus as he will not suffer [illegible] corruption never so strong to hinder his work, when he will accomplish it, so neither will he suffer [illegible] of our performances or abilities, be they what [illegible] will, to join purchasers with him in the [illegible] of grace, as though he were not either able or willing to be the Author and finisher of our faith [illegible]. No, no: We must not add of ours, but in [illegible] case take all of him, and from him; not bring [illegible] own wisdom with us, but become fools, that we [illegible] be wise; and that's the way which God has [illegible] to gain information, not think to join our [illegible] with Christ, and so become co-partners with [illegible], (I speak of the first work of conversion) to [illegible] ourselves holy, just, and wise, but [illegible] ourselves we must look that he should be made wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and [illegible] to us.

Hence the Apostle (Philippians 3:9), professes he desired [illegible] to be found in Christ, not only as not having his [illegible] sins, but not having his own [illegible], which [illegible] by the Law.

A real renouncing of our own worthiness of that grace and mercy which we need, and without which [illegible] are most miserable; this being one condition of the second covenant of grace made in Christ, whereby it's differenced from that of the law made with Adam; Namely, That holiness and righteousness wherewith the nature of man was beautified in Paradise, though it was not so natural as issuing out of the principles, out of which he was compounded and made, yet by all orthodox divines it is in this sense judged natural in that in God's wise providence and righteous appointment, it was due to nature; It being cross to the wise proceeding of the infinite wise God, to require obedience from a creature if he should not have given ability to the creature to perform it: It arguing weakness and unskilfulness at the least, in the workman to make a thing for an end, and not make it able to attain the end [illegible] which it was made: But in this second covenant of the gospel, it is far otherwise; when we in our first [illegible] had misspent the stock the Lord had bestowed upon us, we were unworthy to be entrusted with any more: and hence it comes to pass when the Lord will lay hold upon the proud heart of a sinner and draw him to himself, he sinks his spirit with the sense of his own wretchedness, so that he sees and confesses freely that he is undone without mercy, and yet conceives it's not possible that ever such a worthless worm should partake thereof, acknowledges it's just with God to deny to give, nay to offer grace to him, that has slighted, rejected, opposed grace from day to day; He knows he cannot procure or purchase God's favor, challenge he dare not, without it he concludes he must perish, and yet deserves by his own confession he should never obtain it (Daniel 9:7-8). O Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us confusion of face, nothing but shame and confusion belongs to us, no mercy nor grace (Ezekiel 36:31-32). They shall loathe themselves in their own eyes; and not for your [illegible] do I these things says the Lord; be ashamed and confounded, O house of Israel. In a word, then is a man truly worthy that is fit to hear of, and to receive mercy, when he is rightly, really become [illegible] of his own unworthiness.

The soul now stands ready to side it with Christ for him to take possession of it, that though the soul be not able to kill sin, yet it's empty, the coast is clear, as when Joab sent to David to come and take the city, so the soul stands ready, that if Jesus Christ would come and take possession of it, and do that for it, which it cannot do itself; this is that that it would have, the soul is content that Christ should do all; as suppose a city that is garrisoned with enemies, they cannot get them out themselves, but they are willing that the general should come with his soldiers and drive them out, and place another garrison there: so the soul is content that Christ should dispossess whatever opposes him, and do whatever is pleasing to himself (Isaiah 26:13). O Lord our God, [illegible] lords besides you have had dominion over us, but by you only will we make mention of your name; as if the soul should say, I cannot subdue my sins myself, but let Christ do what is good in his eyes; the soul is content that Christ should work upon it, and do all for it.

The second particular to be attended for the explication of the point, is to show the manner of this work: and that will also appear in four things.

The soul of a sinner is merely patient herein; it's wrought upon him, not wrought by him, by any power he has inherent in himself; so the phrase and language of Scripture (Jeremiah 31:18): Turn me, and I shall be turned: and (verse 19) After I was turned I [illegible]: that also includes as much (Galatians 4:9), we know God, [illegible] rather (in this first work) are known of him.

And therefore it's no work of sanctification, properly, and as it's taken in a narrow and strict sense; for the sinner being justified by faith, and having the spirit of adoption dwelling in him, has received a principle of life whereby he comes to be active (Acts 15:9): Having purified their hearts by faith. This only is in way of preparation to fit us for our being in Christ, that I may receive this power; this is to make room for faith and Christ, that having received him, I might be enabled by the power of the Spirit to run right, which is sanctification: Hence then, go no further than this work: the sinner as yet is not a good tree, nor can he bring forth good fruit, but is in way of preparation to be made one; yet this work as it comes from the Spirit, is good and pleasing to God, because the Spirit is a good tree, and is the author of this, I only am the receiver of it, and therefore it is none of my fruit properly, nor am I said to do anything to please God by this, because it's done in me, not by me; as it is in the infusion of the grace of faith, look at it, as the soul is the subject of the work, the act itself comes from the Spirit: and as a fruit of the Spirit it is good and accepted of God, yet I cannot properly be said to please God in it, because it is not an act done by me.

Hence those feeble objections fall to the ground, and are wiped away with a wet finger.

If there be any saving preparation before the infusion of faith, then the soul brings forth good fruit, and is a good tree without faith: And secondly, then there is something which pleases God, and then the soul pleases God without faith.

The answer is easy, and at hand: These saving preparations are no acts of mine, therefore not my fruit, nor can I be said to do anything to please God by them, because they are [illegible] in me, not by me, and the soul may have a good work wrought upon it, and be the receiver of it though not the author of it; but as they come from the Spirit of God who is holy and blessed, so are they good fruits, and truly pleasing to God.

This preparative work imports not so much any gracious habit or spiritual quality which is put into the soul, as a principle by which it is enabled to act that which concerns its everlasting welfare: but it's rather an act of the Spirit of Christ, whereby it does fling down those strongholds, dispossess the power of Satan, and quit the soul from those overpowering and prevailing claims which Satan and sin [illegible] over it, as to exercise their tyranny and authority upon it; the soul sues out a divorce; now that is to weaken, and wholly to remove the claim of marriage, and authority which the party challenged thereby to act upon the party and overrule her, and yet [illegible] divorce is neither marriage nor matrimonial love, but making room for the right and possession of the Spirit by faith; as (Hosea 3:3) You shall not be for another, so I will be for you. (Acts 26:18) To turn men from darkness, and from the power of Satan. It's a cutting off of the branch that it grow not upon its old root, and receive not sap and influence therefrom. For in the fall of man, there was a double work of sin, first a turning of the soul from God; then secondly a settling of the soul upon the root of Adam's rebellion, by a delivery of it up into the hand and power of perverted mutability, from where comes a daily influence, and intercourse of the power of sin, and of Satan by sin, acting of it as he will; now this cutting off the soul by preparation, breaks off the continuance, and growing to the root of [illegible]; which being interrupted and intercepted, it cannot act and carry the soul as formerly.

When this preparation is fully wrought, faith is certainly, and will undoubtedly be infused, and cannot be hindered, when (I say) it is complete and come to its full period in ultimata dispositione: for there is a legal preparation which may befall reprobates, it is a plashing of the soul not a total cutting off the soul from sin, which makes corruption couch more close, but will never kill it, nor is appointed by God for this end, to make way for the form of faith, but for other ends, (as shall appear in the use of the point.)

But there is also an evangelical preparation, wherein the Lord intends to fit the soul fully for faith, and its implanting by faith into Christ: and this end he does never, he can never miss; for there is no efficient cause that spends his time & labor in preparing the matter but he will bring in the form, unless either he wanted wisdom in beginning that which he should not perfect, or wanted power in making a preparation for that, he could never bring to perfection, but neither of these can befall the Lord (Malachi 3:1). When the soul is prepared, then the Lord presently comes into it.

Hence that cavil is crushed, as being a [illegible] merely coined to cast a blemish upon this truth, say they who deny this work: imagine a man in this preparative work should die, where should he go? To heaven he cannot, [reconstructed: for] he has not life, not having Christ; to hell he cannot, because he has a [reconstructed: preparatory] work wrought upon him.

The answer is, he is in a state of salvation preparatively, and shall certainly possess it, because he cannot but have faith and be united to Christ, and so saved by him. The like may be said of such as are justified — what if they should die before they be sanctified? No impure thing shall see God's face; the answer here and there will be alike.

This preparation makes the sinner give way to Christ in all, of himself, and that in all things there is not a corner in the heart, not an affection, no back door, no [illegible] or cunning conveyance in the soul, to be kept from Christ: but it sets open the door and delivers up the keys into the hands of Christ. Either all, or none at all; not cut, but cut off; the soul is not only changed from her lusts, but divorced fully. In (Jeremiah 3:10) it is said they turned not to the Lord with all their hearts but feignedly; there is some secret lust reserved in the heart that is the bane of all hypocrites, but this preparative work fetches off the heart from all secret distempers, there is none reserved, but the soul is willing that the Lord Christ should take away every thing that hinders. A reservation of any lust will not stand with preparation; a thorough preparation fetches off the whole soul.