DISCOURSE: 903
CONFIDENCE IN GOD RECOMMENDED
Isaiah 30:7. Therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is, to sit still.
NOTHING is more strongly inculcated in the Holy Scriptures than trust in God. Nothing more dishonours him than the want of it: nothing more glorifies him than its unreserved exercise. Not that it supersedes the necessity of exertion on our part: for we are to “work out our own salvation,” notwithstanding we know that all our will and power to do so must proceed from God [Note: Philippians 2:12-13.]. Yet there are occasions whereon we must forbear to act, and simply wait on God to effect for us what we have no hope of effecting for ourselves. Such was the occasion before us. The Assyrian monarch was about to invade Judea; and the whole Jewish people were for delivering themselves from his power. This was most displeasing to God, who sent his prophet to inform them, that “the Egyptians should help in vain, and to no purpose. Therefore have I cried,” says he, “concerning this; Their strength is, to sit still.”
The prophet, you will see, limits his assertion to that particular occasion: so that the passage requires me to shew,
I. Under what circumstances activity is called for—
Certainly we are, in the general, to be “workers together with God:” more especially,
1. When we have to earn our temporal support—
[Immediately after the Fall, God imposed upon us a necessity to labour for our daily subsistence; saying, “In the sweat of thy face thou shall eat bread [Note: Genesis 3:19.].” He also determined what portion of our time should be given to it: “Six days shah thou labour [Note: Exodus 20:9.].” In the Gospel he has renewed his injunctions, in the plainest terms: “Labour with thine hands the thing that is good [Note: Ephesians 4:28.].” And, “If any man will not labour neither shall he eat [Note: 2 Thessalonians 3:10.].” Even in subordinating our temporal engagements to those which are spiritual, he has shewn that the temporal are not to be neglected. The command, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God [Note: Matthew 6:33.],” implies, that the things of time and sense are to occupy an important measure of our time. And, indeed, on our exertions our temporal prosperity is made to depend: for it is “the diligent hand, and that only, that maketh rich [Note: Proverbs 10:4.].”]
2. When any good works are to be done—
[In reference to them, a state of inactivity would be highly criminal. Our blessed Lord “went about doing good [Note: Acts 10:3.];” and he expects that all his people should follow him in this respect: for “he has set us an example, that we should follow his steps [Note: 1 Peter 2:21.].” Indeed, our conformity to him in this respect will constitute a very principal subject of his inquiry at the last day, and a sure ground of his decision in the day of judgment [Note: Matthew 25:34-46.]. We are therefore instructed, expressly, “not to be weary in well-doing [Note: Galatians 6:9.],” but, “by patient continuance in it, to seek for glory and honour and immortality [Note: Romans 2:7.].” We must therefore abound in every good work [Note: 2 Thessalonians 2:17.];” and, “whatever our hand findeth to do, we must do it with all our might [Note: Ecclesiastes 9:10.].”]
3. When the salvation of the soul is concerned—
[That salvation is the gift of God, is no reason why we should neglect to seek it. On the contrary, our Lord says, “Labour for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you [Note: John 6:27.].” All the images which are used to represent the Christian life imply great exertion on our part. We are to “run a race;” to “fight a good fight;” to “strive for the mastery:” but these things are not done without great exertion: so that, if in the hope and prospect of the heavenly prize, we were to sit still, we should insure to ourselves nothing but shame and loss. No election of God will ever save us, if we do not labour to save ourselves: “We must give all diligence to make our calling and election sure;” and must “add one virtue to another,” without any partiality or reserve, if ever we would “have an entrance ministered unto us into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ [Note: 2 Peter 1:5-11.].”]
Still, however, there are occasions where it is proper to forbear working, and where “our strength is rather to sit still:” in confirmation of which, I will shew when activity may be suspended, and,
II.
Under what circumstances it is to give way to confidence in God—
We may then “sit still,”
1. When, from the nature of the circumstances, activity can be of no avail—
[When God commanded the paschal lamb to be slain, and all the Hebrews to sprinkle their houses with its blood, as the means of averting from them the sword of the destroying angel, to what purpose would they have put forth any efforts of their own? Could they ward off the stroke which inflicted death on all the first-born of Egypt? No: “their strength was to sit still;” and to confide in God, who had promised to deliver them. Again; When the Red Sea was before them, and mountains and morasses were on either side, and the hosts of Egypt in their rear, what could they do to ward off the destruction that menaced them? They were as incapable of resisting Pharaoh, as if they had been already bound in chains before him. Their only hope was in God, who opened a way for them through the sea; and made that, which was a path to them, a grave to all their foes.
Now the same line of conduct becomes us also, in reference to the redemption of our souls. God says to us, “Christ, your passover is sacrificed for you [Note: 1 Corinthians 5:7.]:” sprinkle yourselves with his blood: rely on that for protection: and, though the curses of my law are following you, and all the powers of darkness are combined against you for your destruction, “yet shall you not perish, but have everlasting life [Note: John 3:16.].” If we will comply with this, our salvation is sure: but if we will have recourse to any efforts of our own, our doom is sealed: for we may as well hope, by our own power, to create a world, as by any works of ours to remove our guilt, and to obtain for ourselves the felicity of heaven. “We must be saved by faith, and not by works [Note: Ephesians 2:8-9.].” Any attempts to save ourselves by works will only invalidate what Christ has done for us [Note: Galatians 5:2; Galatians 5:4.]. Every endeavour, therefore, of this kind must for ever be relinquished: our whole strength, in relation to this matter, is only to “sit still.”]
2. When no means can be used, but such as are unlawful—
[To Rebekah it had been promised, whilst her twin children, Esau and Jacob, were yet in her womb, that the “elder should serve the younger [Note: Genesis 25:23.].” But when Isaac, to all appearance, was dying, he called for Esau, in order to confer on him the honours and privileges of his birth-right. Rebekah, who had a partiality for her younger son Jacob, seeing this, and feuring that he would lose the honours which God had promised him, and having no prospect of turning Isaac from his purpose by any representations or remonstrances of hers, proposed and executed a most iniquitous device; by which she brought on herself and family a long series of afflictive dispensations [Note: Genesis 27:1-46.]. She should on no account have interposed to effect her wishes in such a way as this; but have placed her confidence in God, who was at no loss for means to accomplish his own decrees. Means were proposed to Daniel and the Hebrew Youths to avert the calamities with which they were menaced; but they acted as became them, and experienced from God the aid for which they relied upon him [Note: Daniel 3:6.]. And thus it becomes us also, when menaced by our enemies, to “cast our care on God [Note: 1 Peter 5:7.].” We are not, because of any conspiracies against us, to cry with desponding apprehension, “A confederacy, a confederacy! but to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, and to make him our fear, and him only our dread [Note: Isaiah 8:12-13.].” We are never to betake ourselves to dissimulation, or any unworthy methods of deliverance; but to wait the Lord’s leisure, and assure ourselves that “in the mount of difficulty he will be seen [Note: Genesis 22:14.].” The direction to all the Lord’s people is, “He that believeth, shall not make haste [Note: Isaiah 28:16.].”]
3. When personal exertion will take the matter out of God’s hands—
[We admire the conduct of David, who, in his conflict with Goliath, would take nothing with him but a sling and a stone. Here, not in word only, but in deed also, he shewed where his trust was, even in God, who had assured him of the victory [Note: 1 Samuel 17:39-47.]. On the other hand, King Asa, though on the whole a pious monarch, brought on himself the displeasure of the Most High, because “in a time of sickness he sought to the physicians rather than to his God [Note: 2 Chronicles 16:12.].” He was not to blame for applying to the physicians, as God’s instruments for his relief: his fault was, in relying on their skill, rather than on God’s power and grace. It is not every use of menus that violates the rule that is here prescribed: they may be used, if they are used simply as means: but our trust must be as entirely on God as if no means whatever were employed. The Apostles were directed, when brought before kings and governors for the Gospel sake, to “take no thought what they should say, in defence of themselves, or of the Gospel which they preached: they were told, that, in the precise time of need, they should be instructed by God what they should speak [Note: Matthew 10:19-20.].” That was necessary, in order to shew that they spake not of their own minds, but by inspiration of God. But if ministers, in their stated services, without any such call from God, were to neglect to prepare for their public addresses, they would only tempt the Lord; who authorizes none to “offer to Him that which costs them nothing.” After all our preparation, our reliance must be on Him, “who alone can give the increase, even though Paul should plant, and Apollos water.” The true distinction is, that “in the spirit of our minds” we are to sit still, whether we use any means or not: and, when God’s agency will be more seen and known and acknowledged, and his glory be thereby the more advanced, then we are to forbear the use of means altogether, or only use them as the prophet did the lump of figs, to heal in Hezekiah a fatal disorder [Note: 2 Kings 20:7.]
Let me now add,
1.
A word of caution—
[Doubtless this doctrine is open to abuse. In truth, there are many, who, when urged to seek after God for the salvation of their souls, will say, ‘I have no fear; I trust in God.’ But it is a desperate delusion to say, ‘I trust in God,’ when they use not the means which God himself has appointed for the attainment of the end. What would these persons themselves think of a man who should say, ‘I trust in God for an harvest,’ whilst he neglected to plough and sow his field? Yet this man would act as rationally as they [Note: Galatians 6:7-8.]. Be it so, that all depends on the election of God: but, if we are “elect of God the Father, it is through sanctification of the Spirit, and through sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ [Note: 1 Peter 1:2.].” The means are ordained, as well as the end: yea, the end is ordained by and through the means: and if we will not go to Christ to “sprinkle our consciences with his blood,” or apply to the “Holy Spirit to sanctify” our souls, we shall in vain hope to attain the end. I warn you therefore, Brethren, not to “pervert the Scriptures to your destruction [Note: 2 Peter 3:16.],” but to seek that conformity to them, in all things, which God requires.]
2. A word of encouragement—
[To you at this day, no less than to his people of old, does God say, “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness und confidence shall be your strength [Note: ver. 15.].” And is not this sufficient for you? Whom did God ever forsake? Who that ever trusted in him was confounded? Is he not the same God now as ever he was? “Is his arm shortened, that he cannot save? or is his ear heavy, that he cannot hear?” The tempest-tossed disciples were rebuked for entertaining a fear, when Jesus was embarked with them [Note: Matthew 8:24-26.], though they had no specific promise in relation to that particular storm: but ye have promises which relate to every danger to which a human being can be exposed. “Know then in whom ye have believed, that He is able to save that which you have committed to him [Note: 2 Timothy 1:12.]:” and, under the darkest circumstances that can ever be imagined, “be strong in faith, giving glory to your God [Note: Romans 4:20.].”]