By
John Angell James
4.
Increasing deadness to the world, and growing spirituality of mind, are sure
results of sanctified affliction. The love of the world is the great snare of the church in every age of time,
but especially in the present unmolested circumstances of the Christian
profession. Worldly-mindedness
is now the prevailing sin of Christians!
We see them on all hands too eager to make themselves happy on earth, and seeking their enjoyments, if not in the sinful amusements of the world, yet in its innocent and home-bred comforts. They look not at unseen and eternal things, but at seen and temporal things. Theirs is too much a life of 'sense', refined it is true from its gross sinfulness, but still a life of sense, rather than a life of faith. Hence there is "a needs be for manifold trials," if not to separate them and keep them separate from specific and gross sins—yet to lift up their affections to things above, and to lead them to seek their happiness from faith, hope, and love; from God, the fountain of life; from Christ, the Redeemer of their souls; and from heaven, the object of their expectations.
We see them on all hands too eager to make themselves happy on earth, and seeking their enjoyments, if not in the sinful amusements of the world, yet in its innocent and home-bred comforts. They look not at unseen and eternal things, but at seen and temporal things. Theirs is too much a life of 'sense', refined it is true from its gross sinfulness, but still a life of sense, rather than a life of faith. Hence there is "a needs be for manifold trials," if not to separate them and keep them separate from specific and gross sins—yet to lift up their affections to things above, and to lead them to seek their happiness from faith, hope, and love; from God, the fountain of life; from Christ, the Redeemer of their souls; and from heaven, the object of their expectations.
When
the world has been crucified to us, and we have been crucified to the world;
when we have been taught its vanity and emptiness as a satisfying portion for
the soul; when we have lost much of our anxiety to obtain its possessions, and
of our dread of losing them; when we have been taken off from the folly of
hewing out broken cisterns that can hold no water, and led more to the fountain
of living waters; when we have lost our dependence on our comforts and
possessions for happiness, and feel and rejoice in a glorious independence upon
'created good' for bliss; when there is really and truly a conscious elevation
of soul towards God and things divine—there, there is the evidence that we are
improved by our trials.
5. In
some people we discover a striking and beautiful mellowness of character, as
the result of God's chastening hand. The roughness, harshness, arrogance and
haughtiness of their conduct, which once rendered them annoying and offensive,
are scraped off—and a sweet gentleness, humility, meekness, and softness of
manner, and a tenderness of spirit have come in their place. There is now a
gentleness in their speech, a mildness in their look, and a kindliness and
cautiousness in their manner—which tell us how the haughty spirit has been
broken, and the proud loftiness of their mind has been brought down.
An unusual loveliness has been spread over their character, a holy amiableness has been infused into their temper, and a stubborn self-will has yielded to a kind consideration of the wishes and feelings of others, which convince all around them, how much the Spirit of God has done in them, and for them, by the afflictions they have endured; how the plough and the harrow have broken up the hard soil, and pulverized the rough clods of their stubborn nature, and prepared it for the growth of the precious seed of the kingdom.
An unusual loveliness has been spread over their character, a holy amiableness has been infused into their temper, and a stubborn self-will has yielded to a kind consideration of the wishes and feelings of others, which convince all around them, how much the Spirit of God has done in them, and for them, by the afflictions they have endured; how the plough and the harrow have broken up the hard soil, and pulverized the rough clods of their stubborn nature, and prepared it for the growth of the precious seed of the kingdom.
6. A
clearer view of the glory of Christ, and a deeper sense of his inestimable
preciousness, are an evidence of growth of grace in affliction. The design of
all God's dealings in his providential dispensations, in the scheme of
redemption, and in the work of his Holy Spirit—is to bring us to Christ, to
enlighten our minds in the knowledge of him, to lead us to a more simple
dependence upon him, and to endear him more and more to our hearts!
If, then, amidst the 'decays of health' we have learned to feel his value more, as the Physician of souls; if amidst the 'loss of property', the worth of his unsearchable riches has been more correctly estimated; if at the 'grave of earthly friends', we have been drawn closer to him the Friend of sinners; if amidst the gloom and desolation of earthly scenes, the glory of the cross has shone forth with a new and surpassing luster; if amidst privations and losses, otherwise trying and distressing, we are brought to adopt the language of the apostle, "I have all things, and abound.
All things are mine; for I am Christ's!" In this case, also, the affliction has answered its end; for that trial cannot have been in vain, which has revealed to us the glory of the Savior, and made us more Christlike, both in our sentiments, feelings and life. Clearer views of the importance of gospel truths, and a richer unction from them resting upon the heart, acquired by sorrow—are a convincing proof of benefit from God's chastening hand.
If, then, amidst the 'decays of health' we have learned to feel his value more, as the Physician of souls; if amidst the 'loss of property', the worth of his unsearchable riches has been more correctly estimated; if at the 'grave of earthly friends', we have been drawn closer to him the Friend of sinners; if amidst the gloom and desolation of earthly scenes, the glory of the cross has shone forth with a new and surpassing luster; if amidst privations and losses, otherwise trying and distressing, we are brought to adopt the language of the apostle, "I have all things, and abound.
All things are mine; for I am Christ's!" In this case, also, the affliction has answered its end; for that trial cannot have been in vain, which has revealed to us the glory of the Savior, and made us more Christlike, both in our sentiments, feelings and life. Clearer views of the importance of gospel truths, and a richer unction from them resting upon the heart, acquired by sorrow—are a convincing proof of benefit from God's chastening hand.
7.
Less dread of future trials, with a stronger trust in God for support under
them—is another evidence of sanctified trial. There is about most of us, until
it is removed by God's grace, a timidity, dread, and desponding feeling about
afflictions, which make us afraid to encounter them. We turn away from them
with dismay, as if there were no power which could support us under them, no
wisdom to guide us through them, and no grace to comfort us in the midst of
them. The very shadow of an approaching affliction makes our coward hearts to
tremble, and causes us to cry out in unbelief, "How can I endure it?"
We thus dishonor God by our guilty fears, and show a weakness of faith exceedingly dishonorable to us. To be cured of this weakness by affliction, and to rise out of it strong in faith, and firm in trust; to feel our fears subsiding, and our confidence in God established; to see new chastisements preparing for us, to be endured as soon as the present ones have ceased; to behold storm clouds returning after the rain, and gathering to beat upon us, when those which have lately spent their fury upon us retire—and yet to be able to say, "I will trust and not be afraid—for with the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, and he will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon him, because he trusts in him"—is a genuine mark of improvement by afflictive dispensations.
God's design in chastening us—is to bring us to confide in him. He demands our trust, and is honored by it, and it is really no small part of our sanctification. And he that goes forward from one cross to another, strengthened by the past to meet with greater courage the future; who can trust himself and all he has with greater calmness to the disposal of God, with less apprehension for the result, has not been visited in vain by the afflictive hand of God.
Part 2
We thus dishonor God by our guilty fears, and show a weakness of faith exceedingly dishonorable to us. To be cured of this weakness by affliction, and to rise out of it strong in faith, and firm in trust; to feel our fears subsiding, and our confidence in God established; to see new chastisements preparing for us, to be endured as soon as the present ones have ceased; to behold storm clouds returning after the rain, and gathering to beat upon us, when those which have lately spent their fury upon us retire—and yet to be able to say, "I will trust and not be afraid—for with the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, and he will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon him, because he trusts in him"—is a genuine mark of improvement by afflictive dispensations.
God's design in chastening us—is to bring us to confide in him. He demands our trust, and is honored by it, and it is really no small part of our sanctification. And he that goes forward from one cross to another, strengthened by the past to meet with greater courage the future; who can trust himself and all he has with greater calmness to the disposal of God, with less apprehension for the result, has not been visited in vain by the afflictive hand of God.
Part 2
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