The Christians Strength, Tract
PHIL. 4.13.
I can doe all things through Chriſt which ſtrengthneth mee.
IT is the ſpeech of the Apoſtle not vainly boaſting of his ſtrength naturall, but thankefully acknowledging the power of Gods grace in him.
And howſoever our ſmall modle reach not to this Apoſtolicall quantum, yet is it in ſome meaſure verified of all Gods children; They can doe all things through Chriſt which ſtrengthneth them.
In the words, for order and more diſtinct handling, obſerue foure things, 1. The bleſſing acknowledged; power and abilitie I can doe. 2. The extent of the bleſſing in the obiect; All things. 3. The fountaine of the bleſſing; Chriſt. 4. The continuall ſupply of the bleſſing, in the deſcription of Chriſt by his effect; through Chriſt which ſtrengthneth. Of the firſt foreign, I hauehave ſtrength to doe all things. Man in his naturals is foreign, a creature made of frailties. View him in his anatomy, yee ſhal ſee nothing of moralities but meere privations.a1. Cor. 2.14. He knowes not nor can know the things of the ſpirit of God. b2 Cor. 3.5.He thinks nor can thinke as of himſelfe a good thought. cRom. 8.7.Hee ſubmits not, nor can ſubmit to the law of God. dPhil. 2.13.He wils not nor can will things pleaſing vntounto God. He grieues not nor cā grieue for the offence of God. He feares not nor can feare the diſpleaſure of God. Hee doth not nor can doe things acceptable vntounto God. And yet of man reformed it is true; Hee can doe all things through Chriſt which ſtrengthneth. By nature, impotent; by grace, omnipotent, ſaitheSer. in Ca…tic. 85. Bernard: fIoh. 15.5.without Chriſt nothing; in Chriſt he can all things. I can doe all things. So mightie is God in mans weakneſſe, able to enable the weakeſt creature, to the ſtrongeſt performances.
Let me apply it thus. There are amongſt vsus at this day many ſtrange and vnheard of opinions touching obſeſſion & poſſeſſion of mens bodies by Divels; ſome holding, as they thinke, not without probabilitie, that there is now no poſſeſſion or obſeſſiō ordinary. Neither my Text nor purpoſe leades to diſcuſſe that controverſie. But however that be, this once I am ſure of; There are many helliſh ſpirits whether poſſeſſing or infeſting the ſoules of men. Wee read ofgLuk. 13.11. a ſpirit of infirmitie a woman was poſſeſſed withall; the weaker veſſell, with a ſpirit of weakneſſe. And this ſpirit is rife almoſt in all men profeſſing Communion with Chriſt by his ſpirit.
There are ſome, ſaith Iſay, hIſai 5.22.mighty to drinke wine, & ſtrong to poure in ſtrong drinke. Reproue; Theſe men ſo ſtrong in lewdneſſe, pretend for themſelues infirmitie in grace; Beare with me; it is mine infirmitie. There are tongues, ſaith St Iames, ſet on fire of hell. I hauehave heard, ſaith David, the blaſphemy of the multitude. And who hath eares to heare, but hee heares fearefull oathes cōe out, as the flowers of ſpeech, and the gracing praeludia of common conference? Reproue; What heare we, but infirmitie pretended? It is true, you ſay, ſwearing is nought; but beare with me, it is my infirmitie. Beloved in Chriſt Ieſus; ſuch ſpirits of infirmitie, are helliſh ſpirits; Gods ſpirit it is a ſpirit i2. Tim. 1.7.of power. And where he dwels, either in Paul, or Cephas, they can doe all things. I freely acknowledge, there are infirmities in the ſtrongeſt of Gods children; yea, if I ſaid, all actuall ſinnes of Gods children are in them infirmities, I ſhould not much erre: but yet there goe many ſinnes masked vnderunder colour of infirmities, which neerely lookt on, deſcrie themſelues to be preſumptious. Suffer mee therefore a little to deſcry vntounto you, what are theſe infirmities that may ſtand with grace; what weakneſſes thoſe are, that are ſeene in theſe foreign, theſe ſtrong ones of the Lord. Beſides theſe inevitable luſtings of the fleſh againſt the ſpirit, which no ſtrength of grace in any, was ever able to ſuppreſſe: another ſort of them there is, incident to Gods children; groſſe and notorious ſinnes in themſelues, though in Gods children ſinnes of weakneſſe. You may thus diſcover them; Infirmities (I ſpeake now of groſſe, and notorious ſinnes, that may deſerue this favorable title of infirmities) infirmities truly ſo called, are vſually ſins of incogitancie, beſides the purpoſe of a regenerate Chriſtian: &c.
kGal. 6.1. Tentatio fallie & praeoccupat neſcientes. Aug. de peccat. merit & Remiſſ. lib. 2. cap. 2.If any be prevented, taken ere he is aware, in a ſlip of infirmitie, ſaith Paule, deſcribing infirmities of Gods children: they are therefore vſually ſinnes beſides the purpoſe gene…all or particular. Such thoſe of David, & Peter; infirmities no doubt in thē, though enormities in themſelues▪ Davids adulteryl2. Sam. 11.2. not thought of, before ſuggeſted. Peters deniallmMat. 26.35. purpoſed againſt; Though I ſhould die with thee I would not deny thee.
Now when men ſhall plot iniquitie, andnMic. 2.1. faſhion it on their beds; when, asoGen. 27.41. Eſau, they hunt after opportunities, and purpoſely ſtudy how to compaſſe their notorious ſins: theſe ſhould not I dare cal ſins of infirmity.
In ſinnes of infirmitie,Premit & vrget infirmos, Aug. qua ſupra. as the temptation is ſuddaine, ſo the conſent not without ſome reluctation wreſted from them, and ever there is more or leſſe reſiſtance before conſent.p1. Ioh. 3, 9. Hee that is borne of God ſinneth not, nor can ſinne. i. ſay ſome, not make a trade of ſinning; ſay others, not ſin to death; this I may adde, not with fulneſſe of conſent, not without ſome reluctation. And theſe ſinnes thus ſtriven againſt, are indeed infirmities in Gods children, how ever enormious in themſelus. By the law of God,qDeut 22.26, 27. a Virgin found in the field, ſuddainely and violently aſſaulted, if according to ſtrength ſhee make reſiſtance, crying out, and none neere to help her, in ſuch caſe is reputed guiltleſſe of the crime of fornication. And if we by violent aſſaults be withdrawne, ſtriving to the vtmoſt of power receaved, to withſtand, & yet fal; of ſuch fals we may ſay as David, they are our infirmities. But if we ſhall wait for occaſions, and bid welcome to opportunities; as the ſtrumpet in Salomon, to her adulterous copeſmate,rProv 7.15. I came forth to meete theo; I hauehave ſought thy face, and reioyce that I hauehave found thee: ſuch ſinnes dare any call infirmities?
Sinnes of weakneſſe, (I ſpeake ſtill of notorious and groſſe ſinnes) hauehave commonly for their ground, ſome ſtrong paſſion in nature; ſomething that is with nature very prevalent; as feare of death in Peter, of ſhame in David. That ſame which the Philoſopher cals moſt terrible of all evils, prevailed withſMat. 26. Peter and overcame him;tIob. 2.4. skin for skin and all that a man hath, will hee giuegive for his life. and that ſhame, which ingenuous natures feare more then death, no marvaile, ſo prevalent with David. But what ſhall we ſay of ſinnes abhorred of nature? that ſame vnmeaſurable and Dutchmanlike drinking? Of this ſhall we ſay it is an infirmitie?
4 Sinnes of infirmitie, as in their temptation they are ſuddaine and reſiſted: ſo in their looſe, they giuegive farewell in bitterneſſe; they ende in mourning.uMat. 26.27. Peters bitter banning coſt him bitter weeping: and Davids ſweet ſin was*Pſal. 51. ſowerly ſauced.xAriſt. Eth. 2.1 foreign.
But when menyPhilip. 3 19. ſhall glory in their ſhame; & as the buyer in Salomon, It is naught, It is naught; but when hee is gone he boaſteth: this I ſhould never call a ſinne of infirmitie.
5 Sinnes of infirmitie, are never ſinnes of cuſtome,Noeſuit aliquae do ebrius, qudvis abſit vt fuerit ebrioſus. Aug. de peccat. merit & remiſ. l. 2. c. 10. yea ſeldome or never iterated (I ſpeake ſtill of groſſe ſinnes, notoriouſly knowne to be enormious:) but fortification is ever there planted, where the breach hath once beene made. Of Iudah his inceſt we read, but withallzGen. 38.26. that he never came more neere Thamar. Now whē men ſhallaIſai. 5.11▪ follow drunkenneſſe;bProv. 23. vlt. ſeeke it yet ſtill: howe ſhall we call theſe infirmities?
And as, for ſinnes, they hauehave ſtrength to avoid them; ſo for duties, they hauehave power to practiſe. The queſtions that Chriſt propounded to the ſonnes of Zebedee, if it be moved to any of Gods children, will receaue the ſame anſwere with the ſame or more truth.cMat. 20.22. Can you drinke of the cup that I ſhall drinke of? and bee baptiſed with the baptiſme that I ſhall be baptiſed with? They anſwer, we can. Canſt thou moderate thy affections? refraine thy lips? ſubdue thy thoughes to the obedience of Chriſt? Surely theſe (and what not?) can a child of God do in ſome meaſure. So that it is but hypocriſie, that pretends abſolute diſability. And of the bleſſing acknowledged thus farre.
See we now the extent of the bleſſing in the obiect. All things. Strangely is Paules voice changed. In one place he thus complaines,dRom. 7.18. To will is preſent with me, but I finde no power to performe: yet here he triumphs; I can doe all things. We may thus reconcile them. 1. It may bee, that is a negatiue by compariſon, as ſuch are obvious every where in Scripture. And the meaning may bee, not that hee had no power, but none anſwerable to his will: as elſe where;cIoh. 9.41. If yee were blind yee ſhould hauehave no ſin .i. as Auguſtine, none in compariſon, not ſimply none. And ſurely as in men aliens from the life of God, there is an endleſſe deſire to ſinne, (which makes their puniſhment endleſſe,) though their power in execution be reſtrained: So in Gods children, though wee ſee ſome performances, more endeavours; yet endleſſe deſires, & never ſatisfied with their meaſure of obedience: they will, but finde no power anſwerable to their deſire. Or 2 thus: To will is preſent, but foreign, to goe through with the worke,Non ait facere, ſed perficere bonum, dug. Cont. Iulian pelag. l. 3. cap. 26. they find not. God having reſerved perfection of power, to the world to come. All things. Papiſts falling on this Scripture, infer preſently a poſſibilitie by grace, to keepe the law to iuſtification: for what ſhould he want to righteouſneſſe, that can all things inioined in the law of God? Not to trouble you with that controverſy at large, take only what may ſerue for looſing their hold on this Scripture.
Some here acknowledge vniverſale accommodum; the vniverſall particle, reſtrained to the particulars mentioned. All things .i. all theſe things. And it is true, there are in Scriptures plentifull examples of ſuch reſtrictions. But yet I ſee no great neceſſitie or warrant, in this place, to run to ſuch limitation. This once I am ſure of: the things here ſpecified, are of as difficult performance as any, J knowe, in the whole circle of Chriſtian duties. Aequabilitie in all ſtates; what hath Chriſtianity harder? Not to ſurfet of proſperitie; what temperance? Not to be deiected with abaſures; of how great fortitude? And he that can theſe: may, without reſtraint, profeſſe his power in all the reſt.
Some therefore in this queſtion thus diſtinguiſh performance of the law. It is of two ſorts. One after legall rigour: another after Evangelicall mitigation. That isfRom. 8.3. impoſſible: for whengGal 3.10. one duty may not bee wanting, andhIac. 3.2. in many things we ſinne all, who can by the law expect iuſtification? After Evangelicall mitigation, it's poſſible to doe all things; yet not ſo as to be iuſtified thereby.
As 1. it is poſſible to louelove the law & the duties therein contained.iPſ. 119.37. Lord ſaith David, how doe I louelove thy law.
2 Poſſible to purpoſe obedience.kPſ. 119.106. I hauehave ſworne, and am ſtedfaſtly purpoſed, to keepe thy righteous iudgements.
3 Poſſible to deſire obedience:lRom. 7.18. To will is preſent with me.
4 Poſſible to endeavour obedience:mAct 24 16. Phil. 3, 13. foreign: I ſtriue and wreſtle with my Corruptions that I may keepe a good cō ſcience.
5 Poſſible in a meaſure to performe obedience: for we hauehaven2. Tim. 1.7. a ſpirit of power.
6 Poſſible too2. Cor. 7.11. grieue for defects. And this is acceptable performance at the barre of mercy: though ſuch as cannot but dread the cenſure of exact Iuſtice, to which they are all liable, that ſeek iuſtificatiō by the law.pAug. de peccat. merit. & remiſſ. lib. 3. ad Calcem. Optandum eſt vt fiat, conandum eſt vt fiat, ſupplicandum eſt vt fiat: non tamen quaſi factum fuerit confidendum eſt. Others thus; Acceptably we may; perfectly we cannot. And it is true there may bee acceptation where is not perfection;q2. Cor. 8.12. foreign, the ready minde is accepted: and that of the Lord by the Prophet;rMal 3.17. I will ſpare, as a father doth his ſonne that ſerveth him.
To which if I may adde one thing for explanation, I thinke the anſwere wilbe beyond exception. Conſider we therefore in every chriſtian duty, two things; 1. Rem, 2. Modum: the ſubſtance of the duty, the manner of doing. The things are al poſſible in a meaſure: and yet impoſſible in that perfect, and full meaſure that the law requires. ForſPro. 20.9. whoſe hart is clean? Or who darestPſal. 143.2. preſent his beſt works to be iudged without mercy? & rather ſubſcribes not feelingly to that vae of a father? Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum, ſi remotâ miſericordiâ diſcutias cam.
But yet for the duties, ſome meaſure there is of ſincere, and hearty performance. Bernard blaſphemed not when he ſaide, Chriſt makes beleevers omnipotent.uSer. in Cant. 85. There is nothing (ſaith he) wherein the omnipotency of the word more ſhines, then in this; that he makes after a ſort omnipotent, all that truſt in him. All things are poſſible to a beleever. An non omnipotens cui omnia poſſibilia? Surely ſo is every beleeving new borne chriſtian, in his kinde, omnipotent: not as God, with a trāſcendent power beſeeming the deity; but with all ſufficiency neceſſary to chriſtianity. They can do all things.
Now brethren, if I had leaue, a little largely to apply this vniverſality; me thinks it would not be hard by it to diſcover the hypocriſie of many, pretending vnion and communion with Chriſt.*Iud. 12.6. Shibboleth never deſcryed ſo many Ephraimites, as this woulde hypocrites in the Church of God.xGell. Attic. noct. lib. 12. c. 1. Phauorinus in Gellius, ſeeing a nice mother willing to ſhare her motherly offices betwixt her ſelfe and her nurſe, thus angerly cries out; Quod nam inquit, eſt hoc contra naturam imperfectum & dimidiatum matrum genus? What a halfe kinde of mothers againſt nature is this; that brings forth, and forthwith caſts frō her the birth of her owne wombe? Such a dimidiatum Chriſtianorum genus, a halfe kinde of Chriſtians, ye ſhal every where ſee; cut of ſhorter in their practiſe, then ever were the garmentes of Davids ſervantes by Hanun. yAct. 26.28.Agrippa, as now the rate of chriſtians goes, nere worthy a prime place in the Church of God; andzMar. 6.20. Herods many things might iuſtly require a preachers connivence at his inceſt with Herodias. But yet by Paules rule, neither better then hypocrits.a2. Reg 5.18. Naaman in one thing would be borne withall. And howſoever the Prophet ſpeake peace vntounto him, vponupon hypotheſis of his contrarie purpoſe: yet S. Iames is reſolute; that thebIac. 2.10. willing bearing with our ſelues in one thing, argues a meere nullitie of ſincere obedience. And what availes it, my brethren, whether covetouſnes or prodigality, prophaneneſſe or hypocriſie raigne in vsus? whether on the right hand; or on the left; by overgoig, or vndergoing; we be deprived of ſalvatiō? There are many by-pathes miſleading a chriſtian: but they meere all in one terme; thecProv. 16.25. iſſues of them all are the iſſues of death. What profits it to fly preciſenes, and incurre profanenes? As if a man fled from a Lyon and a Beare met him, as the Prophet ſpeakes in another caſe.
Yea this let me more ſay, could we go as farre in ſincere practiſe, as the young man in the goſpell went in prowde profeſſion;dMat. 19.20. All theſe things hauehave I done, from my youth vp; and yet one thing wāting: thoſe other things ſhould no whit availe vsus. Grace breeds no monſters: as it is not redundant in ſuperfluities, ſo neither defectiue in neceſsarijs. e1. Cor. 1.7.You are behinde in no gift; it is the generall deſcription of every truely renued chriſtian.
Wee hauehave many amongſt vsus in pretence new creatures: and yet well weighed, but monſters of new men. The good heart goes farre, when the whole outwarde man is vnreformed. I know it is true of the heart even in this ſecond generation, it is primum vivens: but yet I could never finde a cleere fountaine, but the ſtreames were alſo in ſome meaſure purged.fIac. 3.11. Can a foūtaine? ſaith S. Iames; and cangMat. 12.35. a good mā out of the good treaſure of his good hart, but bring forth good things? The waters of Bethel were naught & vnholeſome; & the groūd by them made barren. What marvel? whilſt the ſprings were filthy.h2. Reg. 2.21. But when Eliſha had caſt his ſalt into the ſprings; Thus ſaith the Lord, I hauehave healed the waters, Death ſhall no more come therof, nor barrennes to the ground. The heart vnſanctified, is no better then a ſinke of vncleanenes, alwaies foaming out ſhame and filthines. But when once the Lord hath ſeaſoned the heart with grace, the ſtreames that thence flow, are health and holines.iHeb. 10.22. Whē the heart is ſprinkled from an evill conſcience, the body is alſo waſhed with pure water. And how many? alas, how many, bare tonguy Chriſtians? Linguiſts only, in religion? kIac. 2.16.Be warmed, be filled, is all their charity; a little of the language of Canaan, all their ſanctity. He is a monſter in nature, that is bigger tongued then handed. And they are monſters in grace, whoſe tongues ſwel with prowd boaſtings of holineſſe; and their right hands are right hands of iniquity. Beloved, heare Peters exhortation:l2. Pet. 1.5. Ioine to faith vertue, to vertue knowledge, to knowledge tē perance; &c: Virtutes chriſtianae are Copulativae; and ſo linked in amity each to other; that as Nami ſpeaks to Ruth; mRuth 1.16. Qui vnam virtutem habet, Aug. ep. 29.where thou goeſt, I go; where thou dwelleſt, I dwell; nothing but death can ſever. So where one dwels, al dwell; where one is wanting, no one is obtained. Paſſe we vntounto the third member; the fountaine of the bleſſing.
I can do all things through Chriſt, &c. Theſe are magnifica that Paule ſpeakes of himſelfe; and ſuch ſpeeches as theſe of himſelfe, made Porphyrie charge him with the crime of boaſting. But yet this ſhall ever be noted as the nature of thankfulneſſe; It is willing to draw out received benefits to the vtmoſt extent; but ſtill with reference to the praiſe of the beſtower. I can do all things, but the fountaine of this power is Chriſt. So els where;n1. Cor. 15.10 I hauehave laboured more then all: yet not I, but grace which is with me. And what if we ſay with Bernard, we are not onlyoBern. de grat. & lib. arbit. operis miniſtri per effectum, but operantis quodammodo ſocij per conſenſum. If this be withal acknowledged, that God Communicates the worke vntounto vsus, and that will and worke proceed from him.
pAug. de haereſ. cap. 88.Pelagius in Auſtins old age, ſet this hereſy on foot; that man in nature, as now borne of Adam, hath power of himſelfe, to keepe all the Commandements. From him it ſhould ſeeme the Greekes tooke their foreign, and that naturall foreign, ſelfe abilitie and ſufficiency, which they dreamed to be in nature, even to things ſupernaturall, as beliefe and repentance. My purpoſe is not to run out into the large diſcuſſing of that controverſie; this only, it will not be amiſſe to ſhew, how farre natures ſtrength reacheth in moralities, and to what it extends not. This then I thinke may be granted to Pelagius, without any preiudice of truth. That naturall mē hauehave ſome kind of command over the locomotiue facultie; and may doe the externall workes of piety towards God, and iuſtice to men, without any more then the generall influence of providence, or the common worke of Gods ſpirit, which is vouchſafed to hypocrits in the Church, yea to ſome heathen out of it. TheqRom. 2.14. Gē tiles by nature .i. by inſtinct, direction, power of nature, doe the things of the law. I ſay not all things; I ſay not any thing in the right manner. Yet Seneca ſpake much, if performance were anſwerable: Si ſcirem Deos ignoſcituros, homines ignoraturos: tamen propter peccati turpitudinem peccare dedignarer: Were J ſure of pardō fom God, and concealement from men; yet for the turpitude ſin hath in it, I would ſcorne to commit it. Magna ſunt haec in homine Philoſopho: and a ſaying as neere as any to chriſtian ſinceritie.
But yet if this be true, that principium & finis denominant actionem, the motiue and ende denominate the action: nature will never reach; I ſay not; to do al things, but not to doe any thing morally good, or acceptable to God. The principles of moral actions, that they may be acceptable according to the law, are two; LoueLove, and Dutie. LoueLove inclining the affections; Duty preſſing the conſcience. And how of louelove to God we ſhould do duties, that hauehave not had Gods louelove ſhed abroad in our hearts, I know not: ſeeing Iohn ſaith,r1. Ioh. 4.19. wee louelove him becauſe he loved vsus firſt. And who ever could finde a naturall man ſo rectifyed; as that he performed his religious or civil offices, for conſcience of God?
The end isſMat. 5.16. Gods glory. And if ever heathen or vnſanctified men come thus farre, to ſuch intention, Pelagius ſhall ſoone be acknowledged a teacher of truth. Dulce & decorum, honeſtum and honorificum; Virtutes iſtae tali fine turpes & defermes. Aug. cont. Iulian. Pelag. lib. 4 cap 3. Non oſſiciis ſed ſinibus a vitiis diſcernendae virtutes. Idem ibidem.vaine glory and eternitie of fame; theſe were motiues heatheniſh. But for Gods glory, who ſo findes in nature a deſire to advance it; findes more then the Lord himſelfe coulde finde in his moſt ſtrict ſurview of man in his naturals:tPſal. 14 2 3. There is none that vnderſtandeth, none that ſeeketh after God. And what lacke Papiſts of Pelagianiſme; that allow to nature a power diſpoſitiue, and ability to prepare it ſelfe to regeneration? The Apoſtle, thatuPhilip. 3.6. in nature went as farre as any; yet acknowledgeth all his power to proceed from Chriſt. And our Saviour himſelfe,*Ioh. 15.5. Without me yee can doe nothing; no, ſaith the Apoſtle,x2. Cor. 3.5. not thinke a good thought. And howſoever it bee true, Gods children hauehave power to practiſe: yet is the fountaine of all power Chriſt Ieſus. On him firſt reſtedyIſai. 11.2. the ſpirit of ſtrength, andzIoh. 1 16. of his fulneſſe wee all receaue grace for grace; grace be it what it will bee;aEph. 4.7. according to the meaſure of the donation of Chriſt.
Now brethren beloved & longed for, what remains for vsus: butbPſ. 116.12, 13 to take the cup of Salvation, and giuegive thankes vntounto the Lord? It is all the recompence the Lord expects from vsus, for all the bleſſings he hath beſtowed on vsus. It may be, we can ſay, ſome of vsus, that the bloody fluxe of naturall corruption is ſtopped in vsus; we ſhall be vnthakfull, if we acknowledge notcMark. 5.30. the vertue to hauehave come from Chriſt. It may be, wee can ſay our lips are purged; that we can now ſpeake to the praiſe of the Lord: but Iſai would acknowledgedIſa. 6 6. that the coale came from this Altar. It may be that we hauehave receavedeIſai. 50 4. a tongue of the learned but can we forget that the Lord hath given it? It may be a ſpirit and power in prayer: but ſhall we not remember, that it is thefRom. 8.26. ſpirit that helpes our infirmities? Yea go over all the good things thou inioyoſt, thou ſhalt be forced to acknowledge Chriſt for the fountaine. And why may I not againe inferre; that ſeeing our rivers flowe all from this ſea, they ſhouldgEc. 1.7. thether return, as tributaries, whence they firſt proceeded? my meaning is, the guifts we hauehave receaved frō Chriſt, we ſhould vſe allhRom. 11. vlt to the honour of him from whome we hauehave receaved them. It is good in Chriſtianity, in ſome ſenſe, to circulate: and if in the vſe of our guifts receaved, we could make our whole life a circle, to cloſe in the point whence it began, the motion were heavenly. This doe then. Marſhall vp your graces that you hauehave receaved: ſet them as the Cherubims on the mercy ſeat,iExod. 25.20. each facing another, all with their faces turned to Chriſt. Zeale and knowledge, faith and charity, let each looke to other: knowledge, to direct zeale; zeale, to vſe knowledge to the glory of him, that hath enlightned our eies to ſee, and enflamed our hearts to louelove him in truth.
The laſt member remaines: the ſupply of the bleſſing in the deſcription of Chriſt by his effect; Chriſt which ſtrengthneth.
Chriſt ſtrengthneth two waies: 1. by infuſing habituall ſtrength; I meane, by giving the habits of graces whereby we are fitted to do all things required of vsus to ſalvation, as faith, patience, charity &c. 2, by giving vſe of theſe gifts, when occaſion requireth. Both are here implyed; but this latter rather to be inſiſted on. Whence obſerue two things: 1. the neceſſity; 2. the certainety of Chriſts aſſiſtence in practiſe of chriſtian duties.
Neceſſity, even after grace received. So that when a man is indued with habituall faculties: yet is not he enabled for any actuall performance without ſpeciall aſſiſtence of Chriſt by his ſpirit. See Ioh. 15.5. Phi. 2.13. the places are known. No one act of faith, patience, charity, &c. but hath neede of Chriſts ſpeciall aſſiſtence for right performāce. Titus had received the habit of louelove: yetk2 Cor. 8.16. thanks be to God (ſaith the Apoſtle) that hath put into the heart of Titus this care for you. Auguſtine ſpeaks excellently to this purpoſe:lDe grat. & lib Arbit. cap. 17. ſine illo vel operante vt velimus, vel cooperante cum volumus, ad bona pietatis opera nihil valemus. The altar of the ſanctuary, at the baſe, had Lyons of braſſe for ſupporters; It may be, as types of Chriſt, the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah, ſupporting vsus in every particular action of worſhip acceptable to God. The church is deſcribed comming out of the wildernes of this world,mCant. 8.5. leaning on her beloved. Bernard is alwaies elegant; not alwaies apt: in this gloſſe, me thinks, aptnes and elegancie hauehave met togither; Fruſtra nititur ſi non innitur.
It is vaine to attempt one ſtep without this ſtaffe to leane on.Petrus ex egregio praeſumptore creber negator effectus. Aug ep. 120. Peters lamentable experience is evidence enough; preſuming but a litle of himſelfe, we know how fowly he fell. There is an hereſie about providence, that God indeed giues to every creature the firſt power and ability of moving; but after that once given, affords no more but generall influence, for vſing the faculties received. The Lord confutes it in Ieroboam; n1. Reg. 13.4.ſtretching out his hand to ſmite the Prophet, but not able to pull it in. Not much vnlike is that hereſie about the grace of God: that God indeed prevēts with grace, but needs not ſupply vsus with grace ſubſequent for actuall performances. Would God our own dayly wofull experiences were not too plentifull confutation of this errour. Alas how often finde we it true, That we would doe good, but oRom. 7.21.evill is ſo preſent with vsus, that we are not able to performe it? How many holy purpoſes faile of execution, through Gods iuſt withholding his aſſiſting grace for our pride and vnthankfulnes?
Whiles Moſes was praying in the mount, at Ioſuah his great battell with the Amalekites, hispEx, 17.12. hands grew feeble, and Aaron and Hur were faine to ſupport them. Beloved, not Aaron and Hur, but Chriſt himſelfe muſt ſupport vsus, if in any action we deſire performance. This do thē, whether thou read, or heare, or pray, or practiſe, à Chriſto principium: pray Chriſt to ſtrengthen, and giuegive ability for performance. That which remaines, I contract into this ſhort compendium: We hauehave heard the neceſſity; ſee we now the certainty of Chriſts aſſiſtēce, in every neceſſary duty of chriſtianity, our indeavours being adioined. Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth; ſo certain is aſſiſtence where a chriſtian indeavours.
And let it be our incouragement in all neceſſary duties, how difficult ſo ever they ſeem to vsus. It is the fault of many to forbeare indeavours, thorough deſpaire of performance. And, as the ſluggard in Salomon, we are ever in chriſtianity fancying difficulties, a great deale more then the duties containe. A Lyon is in the way, &c. It is a ſweet epithet here given to Chriſt: he is ſtrong in himſelfe, and giues ſtrength to vsus;q2. Cor. 12 9. my grace is ſufficient for thee, and my power is made perfect in weaknes. What he commands as neceſſary to ſalvation, he enables in acceptable meaſure to performe by his gracious aſſiſtence.
I conclude all with that ſaying of Moſes to the Iſralites. When he ſaw them diſmaid with the ſight of the Aegiptian hoſt, preſſing ſo hard after to deſtroy them;rEx. 14 13.14 Feare not (faith Moſes) ſtand ſtill, and yee ſhall ſee the ſalvation of the Lord. So ſay I vntounto you beloved, whereas you ſhall ſee the huge hoſt of your rebellious corruptions, threatning your overthrow and vtter deſtruction; yet deſpaire not of victory: Feare not, ſtand ſtill, be of good Courage; yee ſhall ſee the great ſalvation of the Lord. None of them ſo ſtrong; but by reſiſtance, thou ſhalt be enabled to overcome: No duty ſo difficult; but Chriſt ſhall enable thee, in acceptable meaſure, to performe.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Sclater, The Christians Strength (1612)