One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 57
SERMON LVII. Reaſons proving the Neceſſity of Gods preſerving his Children in Grace, That God keeps them by Faith, Alſo why and how Faith keeps them rather then other Graces.
JOH. 17.11.
Keep through thy Name thoſe thou haſt given me.
WE have heard how many waies God keeps even converted perſons from falling into their firſt Chaos and confuſion.
Let us Conſider the Grounds Why there is ſuch a Neceſſity of Gods preſerving power, Why there is ſuch a neceſſity of Gods preſerving power.that ſo we may be humbled in our ſelves and God exalted.
1. We may be ſtrongly convinced of the great neceſſity of Gods power in keeping of us by the Apoſtate Angels and lapſed Adam; What can more forcibly teach us this Truth then their Apoſtacy? Did not God create Angels full of Light and Glory like the Starres? and yet the Apoſtle Jude ſaith,From the Apoſtate Angels and lapſed Adam. They kept not their firſt habitation; Did not alſo God create Adam after his own Image in Righteouſneſſe, yet how quickly did he become a Prodigall, and ſpent all? You ſee here the moſt glorious of all Creatures, furniſhed with a rich ſtock, yet in a very little ſpace proved Bankrupts, and loſt all; Oh then what ſhall the godly man think of himſelf who hath not ſuch ſtrength of grace as they had; And beſides they had no corruption or principle of Rebellion within them to betray them as we have: Who then is not compelled by this conſideration to acknowledge the glorious right hand of God to uphold his Servants from falling every moment, for in that all the Angels did not fall as well as ſome, it is to be attributed to the meer confirming grace of God, therefore they are called the Elect Angels, 1 Tim. 5.21. God did by his power graciouſly confirm them in what was good, and denied ſuch help to thoſe that revolted; Oh then let the Godly Soul pray fervently, Lord keep me daily; Adam, yea, the glorious Angels could not keep themſelves, and ſhall I think my ſelf ſecure?
Secondly, Therefore need we the power of God to preſerve us though furniſhed with inherent grace, becauſe grace abiding in us is but a Creature that needeth help and ſupport as well as other Creatures; Though Grace in us be the moſt glorious thing in the world, and the Image of God, yet being ſtill a created being, it needeth preſervation from God; So that as in our naturall life we live, and breathe, and move in God, So it is much more in our Spirituall Life, So that as our grace becauſe of the imperfection of it cannot juſtifie us or ſave us, ſo neither from the weakneſſe of it can it preſerve, Grace is not God, neither hath it the power of God.
Queſt.Obj And if you ſay, That actuall help of grace whereby God keepeth us, that is but a Creature, and then that muſt need another help, and ſo in infinitum, as ſome Arminians urge.
Anſw.I anſwer, Grace inherent in us is by way of a permanent principle abiding in us, and ſo needeth ſome to excite and quicken it, but this actuall helping is by way of a tranſient principle, moving but not continuing, and ſo that doth not need a further help; This is like the ſharpening of the edge of the tools; This is like the actuall Ejaculation of the Sun-beams, which make Objects to be actually ſeen; Take heed then of magnifying grace too much within us, as in Popery, when it is made our Righteouſneſſe whereby we are juſtified before God, or when we judge this able of it ſelf without further Auxiliaries of God to preſerve us.
Thirdly, Grace is neceſſary to keep us, Becauſe while we are in this Life we are yet but in the way; We are not come to our Eternal home in Heaven where we ſhall be ſo confirmed that we ſhall not need ſuch peculiar helps as now we do; We are here ſtill in the way; Our Condition is compared to a warfare, to a Wrestling and fighting: We are but in the race, we have not yet put on the Crown, and therefore Gods aſſiſting grace is alwaies neceſſary; One reaſon the Orthodox give why we are juſtified by imputed Righteouſneſſe and not inherent, why our inherent Righteouſneſſe is imperfect, though God could make it perfect, is becauſe God thereby would make us humble and lowly in our ſelves; But ſay the Adverſaries, if we were perfectly holy there would be no danger of pride no more then there is in thoſe that are glorified; To which it is anſwered, That ſuppoſe a man were made perfect in this Life, and were yet in viâ, not in termino; There would be as much danger of pride as there was in Adam and the Angels; The Saints therefore glorified they are made perfect, they are no more in the way; They have overcome, and ſo are made Pillars in the Temple of God, that never ſhall be removed; But it is not thus with the moſt holy man, he is yet fighting, ſighing, groaning, and ſo needs daily cuſtody.
Fourthly, If we doe Conſider thoſe many Commands and Exhortations, not to be high-minded, but fear, Rom. 11.20. To walk with fear and trembling, Theſe argue a neceſſity of dependance upon God; The Apoſtle Rom. 11. bids a man take heed of boaſting leſt he fall, for thou beareſt not the Root but the Root thee, Rom. 11.18 This is very pertinent, Thou doſt not keep God to thee, but God keepeth thee to himſelf; The branch gives not juyce to the Vine, but the Vine to the branch; The Arminians from ſuch Exhortations would inferre the Apoſtaſie of Saints, but they are rather practicall and powerfull means whereby he doth preſerve his people; By theſe admonitions to take heed of falling they are enabled to ſtand; Only by them we are advertiſed to look up unto God as being unable to eſtabliſh our ſelves.
Fifthly, The remainder of corruption within the Godly, that is very active, and working proveth the neceſſity of Gods gracious power; Paul Rom. 7. complaineth of the lively power of this Law of ſinne within him, and that at all times, and in all duties, even ſo farre prevailing that it hindred him from doing the good he would; Now then if we have ſuch a powerfull Enemy within us, if from our own hearts would ariſe luſts to deſtroy us, who ſeeth not the neceſſity of Gods keeping of us? Alas, we live all the day in ſpiritual danger, our Souls may be betraied every moment, Did not God therefore keep us we needed no Enemy to deſtroy us but our ſelves.
Sixthly, The malice and power of Satan continually aſſaulting of us proclaimeth the great neceſſity of Gods power; He is the Tempter, and he is a roaring Lyon to deſtroy; The Devils are the principalities in high places, and above all he is moſt ſet againſt the godly, as Luk. 22. Now who could be ſecure in the midſt of ſo many Legions of devils, if Gods arm did not alwaies ſupport us? would not Satan have poſſeſſed the heart of Peter, as much as he did Judas, had not Gods power withſtood him, his Temptations are ſo ſutable, ſo ſubtlely managed, ſo importunately urged, that it muſt be a power from above that can overcome them; They are called Satans darts, and his fiery darts, to ſhew how quickly and forcibly they can enter, Epheſ. 6.16.
Laſtly, That Gods gracious help is neceſſary every moment appeareth in the ſad Fals and woful decaies of the truly Godly, which could never have been, had they not with Sampſon deprived themſelves of their ſtrength; how comes David in all that mire of Uncleanneſſe and Murder, how comes he to be made indeed like one of the vile perſons of the Earth, as once Michol falſly upbraided, but that God had withdrawn his preſent aſſiſtance, and whatſoever ſins or Fals you reade of in the Godly, it was becauſe the Lord was not a preſent help to them in that Temptation, as when the Sun withdraweth his Light it muſt needs be dark, or his heat it muſt be cold.
Ʋſe of Exhortation to the godly,Ʋſe. Depend on Gods gracious power only in thy way to heaven. to live by a depending Faith upon Gods gracious power onelyonly, in thy way to Heaven; The way is ſo ſtreight, the oppoſitions ſo many, Thy corruption ſo great, that thou canſt never come to the Journeys end unleſſe God be with thee all the day long: Shall men in outward temporall difficulties ſay, as Jehoſaphat did, O Lord, we know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee, how much rather in all thy combats with ſin, and endeavours after holineſſe, maiſt thou cry out, O Lord, the work is ſo great, the dangers ſo many that I know not what to do; Wo be to me if the Lord let me alone to my ſelf! Therefore as the Church reſolved, ſo doe thou lay hold on God, and do not let him go, Wreſtle and ſtrive with God, as Jacob, not letting him alone till he bleſſe thee; Say as Moſes, I will not go unleſſe the Angel of thy preſence go along with us, And take heed of theſe thingsand that thou maiſt doe this take heed,
Firſt, Of preſumption and ſelf-confidence; They are the humble and ſelf-debaſed whom God will help, When I am weak, then am I ſtrong, 2 Cor. 12.10. Paul exhorteth Timothy to be a ſpirituall Souldier, and to get the heavenly armoury upon him, yet he muſt be ſtrong in the power of the Lord, 2 Tim. 2.1. The like is ſaid to all Chriſtians, Epheſ. 6.10. When Peter preſumeth upon his own ſtrength then Gods aſſiſtance doth forſake him.
Secondly, Take heed of wilfull throwing thy ſelf into the occaſion of ſinne; For by this means thou tempteſt God whereby he forſakes thee; Thou wilt runne into the flames, and yet expect Gods power to keep thee, this is to tempt God, Peter will be in the High-Prieſts hall, and where wicked company is, and no wonder if it prove a Temptation to him, he that handleth pitch ſhall be defiled with it: He that cometh near an infected perſon may blame himſelf if the plague ſeaze on him.
Thirdly, Be thankefull unto God for every daily aſſistance; Be much in praiſe and acknowledgement of this his gracious power, Unthankfulneſſe makes God withdraw his mercy; how often hath God aſſiſted thee both by preſerving in what is good, and from what is evil, yet thou haſt not called upon thy Soul and all within thee to bleſſe his holy Name? Therefore thou ſhalt to thy woe finde what a ſad thing it is to be left to thy own ſelf, and not to have his grace to help in time of need.
The ſecond Interpretation takes Name for the Knowledge of God and Faith in him, So that the ſence is, Keep thoſe thou haſt given me, by Faith, as 1 Pet. 1.5. This is part of the meaning, and from thence we obſerve,
Doct. That the people of God are kept to ſalvation through Faith.Obſ. That the people of God are kept to Salvation through Faith; Faith is a ſpecial Inſtrument to preſerve us, We are not only juſtified, but ſanctified and preſerved through Faith; hence the Apoſtle John, cals faith our Victory over the world, 1 Joh. 5.4. And Eph. 6. when we are exhorted to put on the whole Armour of Chriſtianity, he ſaith, Above all take the Shield of Faith, he giveth the preheminency to that.
Conſider theſe Propoſitions.To open this Conſider,
1. That whatſoever priviledge is attributed to Faith either in reſpect of Juſtification or Salvation, 1. That whatſoever priviledge is attributed to faith either in reſpect of juſtification or ſalvation it is not for any dignity in faith.it's not for any merit or dignity in Faith; Therefore it is foreign not foreign it is through faith not for Faith, for if it were for Faith as a work, then the Apoſtle Rom 4. would not oppoſe working to beleeving, and the worker to a Beleever, ſo that to put any confidence in our Beleeving, to truſt in our truſting, is to give that to Faith which the Jews did to works, and in this ſenſe not only thoſe that ſeek to be juſtified by the Law or works fall from Chriſt, and make him to die in vain, but alſo thoſe that ſet up Faith in this Conſideration.
2. Therefore though Faith be inſtrumentall thus to our Conſervation, yet Faith it ſelf needeth Gods help as well as other Graces;2. Though faith be inſtrumental to our conſervation, yet faith it ſelf needeth Gods help as well as other graces. We need his help to beleeve as well as to love God and ariſe from ſinne; Therefore though the power of God keeps us by Faith, yet it alſo keeps Faith, Ʋt nos cuſtodiat per fidem, ipſam cuſtodit fidem; We ſhould fall from our Faith as well as other graces, did not God ſtrengthen and confirm that, OnelyOnly when that is eſtabliſhed God by it doth preſerve us in the exerciſe of other graces, ſo that being confirmed by God this confirmeth and eſtabliſheth us rather then other graces, and that in theſe particulars.
Why faith confirmeth us rather then other graces.Faith is that grace to which the promiſe of Gods power is made preheminently; To him that beleeveth all things are poſſible, Mar. 9.23. So that as all the promiſes are yea and amen in Chriſt as the Foundation and meritorious cauſe, ſo they are yea and amen to Faith as inſtrumentall; It's of Faith that the promiſe may be ſure, Rom, 4.16. What promiſes then or deeds of gift God hath made over to his people; They are all made effectuall to the beleever; No Faith, no help, no aſſiſtance.
2. Faith only receiveth into the Soul Chriſt who is the authour and procurer of all strength; Paul ſaith, He can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens him, Phil. 4.13. But how ſhall we make Chriſt ours? How ſhall he come to dwell in us? The Apoſtle ſaith, By Faith, Eph. 3.12. So that herein Faith is greatly inſtrumentall to keep us becauſe it brings Chriſt with all his power into our ſoul, It deriveth all ability from him; It's not Faith but Chriſt by Faith received that doth thus enable; It was not Sampſons hair the weakeſt part about him, but Gods power, whereof that was a Symbole or ſign that did confirm him; No wonder then if Faith be thus ſerviceable to preſerve us; Seeing that by it Chriſt is wholly made ours, in whom all Fulneſſe both of grace and power dwels.
3. Faith doth inſtrumentally preſerve us, in that it renounceth all our abilities, and carrieth out to God onelyonly; This Faith hath peculiar to its nature above all other graces, it emptieth a man of himſelf, it makes a man renounce whatſoever priviledge and righteouſneſſe he may ſeem to have; Thus Phil. 3 Paul refuſeth all priviledges, accounts all gain loſſe in reſpect of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe which is by Faith: As the Criple caſt his eye upon the Apoſtles, hoping to be healed, he had no thoughts of his own Sufficiency but their power only, So it is here; Faith makes a man caſt his eye upon God, and look up to him only for ability; Oh then prize and nouriſh this grace of faith which doth ſo nullifie thee and omnifie God.
4. Faith is ſerviceable to keep us by improving and making effectuall thoſe inſtituted means appointed by God for to preſerve us, Such is the Miniſtery of the Word preached, &c. Theſe are ordained by God to keep a man in holineſſe; Thoſe that think they are above theſe, and can be kept without them, Let them think as well that they can live without food: But how come theſe iuſtituted means of grace to be effectuall in us, the Scripture attributes it to beleeving; The Word did not profit when it was not mixed with faith, Heb. 4.6. So that as the Word preached is uſed by God to beget Faith in us at firſt, ſo afterwards Faith doth improve the means of grace for all encreaſe; If therefore we would expect to have the Miniſtry and the holy means of grace to keep us in the way to heaven, it muſt be faith that makes all theſe profitable.
5. Faith is a means to preſerve us, becauſe by that the devil who doth moſt ſollicite our undoing is repelled; No grace but Faith doth ſo immediately and formally repell him, Whom reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the Faith, 1 Pet. 5 9. And by Faith we overcome the wicked one, for Faith is not ſtrong with its own ſtrength, and therefore it muſt needs overcome the devil, as David overcame Goliah, not by his own valour but in the Name of the Lord.
6. Faith is therefore helpfull to our preſervation becauſe in ſome ſence it ſtirreth up and acts all other graces; What the Papiſts ſay of Charity that it is the aſſiſtant form of all other graces, we may ſay of Faith, That it doth direct, act, and ſtir up all other graces to work; Therefore faith is ſaid to work by love, Gal. 5.6. Thus it works by patience, it works by repentance; Therefore Heb. 11. all the glorious atchievements that thoſe Worthies wrought are attributed to Faith: Thus we ſee how many ſeveral waies faith helpeth to keep us.
Ʋſe of Exhortation to the godly, above all keepings to keep faith up; The Juſt is to live by faith, and we are to walk by faith, and all the while we do ſo we ſtand immovable upon a Rock; If thou groweſt ſecure or revolting, if thou beginneſt to decay all is becauſe thy faith weakens; The ſtreams muſt dry up when the Fountain doth; If the branches wither there is ſome defect in the Root.
Ʋſe 2. of Inſtruction, That it's no wonder if wicked men grow worſe and worſe, if they ſtumble, and fall, and never riſe more, if they become like the Blackmore and Leopard that cannot change their skins, for they have no true lively faith in God, and ſo have not whereby to be ſtaid up: Till God make a wonderful change in them expect no other, but he that is filthy will be more filthy ſtill.