Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 11 · Sermon 98
SERMON XCVIII.
The Freeneſſe of Gods Grace in Converſion diſplayed and maintained againſt Arminians and others.
EZEK. 36. 26, 27.
A new Heart alſo will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you, &c.
I Shall now make an end of this Text, whoſe matter like our Saviours loaves hath multiplied and increaſed in the breaking and diſtributing of it. The laſt thing obſervable is the manner of the conveyance and beſtowing of it, which is by an abſolute free promiſe, I will do thus unto you, here is nothing ſpoken of what they ſhould do, but what God will do; here is no ſpeech of their preparatory diſpoſitions, but Gods gracious operation. Now although it be true, that immediately and directly this promiſe is made to the exiled Jews; therefore with the promiſe of Juſtification and Converſion, is joyned that of reſtitution into their own Land again, with all their former temporal mercies; yet the Apoſtle Paul makes it plain, that this is an evangelical promiſe, or the Covenant of Grace for all ages in the Church, Heb. 10. 16. So that this promiſe is not to be underſtood of thoſe only in the Captivity, as the Remonſtrants would evade, whom God ſhould convert, but of all that in ſucceſſive ages, ſhall be brought home unto God. So that as Iſaac is ſaid to be a childe of the promiſe, becauſe he was not born by natural power, but by the meer promiſe and power of God, ſo all the godly are in this ſenſe as well as in another, like Iſaac, the children of the promiſe, being not born by the power of fleſh and bloud, but by vertue of this promiſe. It is this Text that giveth ſpiritual life to all that receive it. It is becauſe of this promiſe that the word of God hath any ſuccesful effect at any time.
That the Promiſe of Converſion and Regeneration is an abſolute free Promiſe.Doct.
Thus you ſee the Text runneth without any Ifs; God will take away the heart of ſtone, nothing ſhall fruſtrate his intention. The Lord hath ſaid it and it will come to paſſe. Iter ad gratiam is per gratiam, perque ipſam venitur ad ipſam. Grace makes way for it ſelf. As by the light of the Sun, we come to ſee the Sun, God doth not only offer grace to the heart, but ſanctifieth the heart to receive it. He doth not only give the oil but the cruiſe to receive it. He giveth the bread of life, and the ſtomack alſo to eat it.
To open this Doctrine, Conſider
Firſt, That a promiſe is a farre more comfortable thing then a meer prediction. God doth many times meerly fore-tell what he will do, but at other times he doth alſo promiſe what he will do: a prophecie of what will be, and a promiſe differ very much. This Text is not a meer prediction, or a meer prophecie, but it is a gracious promiſe: Now a Promiſe is only of that which is good, either temporal or ſpiritual, but a Prophecie or Prediction may be of that which is evil, as well as what is good: All the deſolations and calamities that came upon Jeruſalem, were propheſied of; but we cannot ſay they were promiſed, for Promiſes are to be imbraced, as Paul excellently expreſſeth it, Heb. 11. 13. to ſhew how hearty, joyful, glad and ready the heart ſhould be, to receive them: Oh remember, thou that art exerciſed with diffidence and diſcouragement, a promiſe is to be imbraced, as thou wouldeſt the deareſt, welcomeſt friend in the world! Again a Promiſe doth induce ſome tie and obligation in him that promiſeth, but ſo doth not a meer Prediction; and becauſe God promiſing cannot properly be ſaid to be bound to us, or tied to us; Therefore he is by his Promiſe a debtor to his own fidelity; he cannot deny himſelf or his own word, Reddis debita nulli debens, ſo that the ſoul urging God with a promiſe, may ſay, O Lord, it was in thy choice whether thou wouldſt do ſuch a thing or no, but ſince thou haſt promiſed it, and the word is gone out of thy mouth; Thy truth, thy conſtancy, thy fidelity muſt needs make good thy Promiſe.
Secondly, The Promiſes of God as for the matter of them they are two fold, ſome 2. Of Promiſes.are temporal, and ſome are ſpiritual; ſo for the manner they are either Abſolute or Conditional; Abſolute Promiſes are ſuch as God hath made, and he will fulfill, though we believe not at all. Such Promiſes doe not depend upon any Grace in us fore-going, neither doe they ſuppoſe any good qualification in us; Thus that temporal promiſe, that God will not drown the world, is abſolutely determined, though men do not believe it, yet God will make it good: So Iſa. 9 The promiſe of ſending a Chriſt, a Meſſias into the world, was an Abſolute Promiſe. The calling of the Gentiles, and the calling of the Jewes again after the deſtruction of the Gentiles: Theſe are abſolutely promiſed. For as God hath ſome abſolute Threatnings for a deſtruction of a people; and then though there were Noah, Job and Daniel, they were not able to deliver that Land; ſo he hath many abſolute Promiſes, which all the wickedneſſe and unbelief of men ſhall not make void; and of theſe Abſolute Promiſes it is that Paul ſaith, He is faithfull and cannot deny himſelf, 2 Tim. 2. 13. and that our unfaithfulneſſe ſhall not make void the faith of God, Rom. 3. 3. For it is plain in many Promiſes, if we doe not believe God doth not fulfill them; as if we do not believe, we cannot be juſtified: but he ſpeaks there of ſuch abſolute Promiſes, as God will certainly accompliſh, taking away all obſtructions that hinder.
2. There are Conoitional Promiſes, but that muſt be underſtood in a right ſenſ…, not as if there were any Conditions to be performed by our ſtrength and power, as if theſe Conditions were cauſes and merits of the grace promiſed. No, they are onelyonly Qualifications of the ſubject, without which he could not be partaker of the grace promiſed. Thus Juſtification is promiſed to Faith, pardon of ſinne to Repentance, overcoming of temptations to him that perſevereth, growth and increaſe of grace to him that improveth the grace he hath, and finally glorification is promiſed to him only that is ſanctified, Here you ſee are ſome Promiſes made onelyonly to ſuch as have grace already, Grace is the Condition for Grace, only there is no Condition or Qualification required, which is not the Abſolute Gift of God at firſt; for although Juſtification be promiſed to him that believeth; If you ask, How a man comes to believe, here that we may not ſunne in infinitum, we muſt ſay it is abſolutely promiſed and wrought by God himſelf. I doe not here curiouſly diſpute about a Qualification and a Condition, nor of the Nature of Conditions; that is to be expected in the controverſal part. Now this Promiſe in the Text, is of the former ſort, an Abſolute Promiſe, making way for its own ſelf; As Kings uſe to carry their own Furniture for their entertainment; So it is here, Grace doth qualifie and worke the very initiall preparations ſo, that all is from God in a Promiſe. Nothing is our plea, but a Promiſe; all our ſpiritual riches and treaſures are bound up in a Promiſe.
In the next place, let us conſider what is comprehended in this, when What is implied in this free gift. 1.we ſay, Converſion is abſolutely promiſed to the Converted, and that implieth:
Firſt, The free grace of God beſtowing this ineſtimable benefit, Where he pleaſeth, and When he pleaſeth. Who can give any reaſon, why God takes away Jacobs ſtony heart, and doth not Eſaus? Who can give a reaſon, why God ſoftens Peters heart, and not Iudas, but onelyonly the meer grace and good pleaſure of God? See Paul Rom. 11. even raviſhed with the depth of Gods unſearchable wiſdome in this matter; and Chriſt himſelf greatly affected herein, Matth. 11. I thank thee, O Father, that thou hast revealed theſe things to babes, and hidden them from the wiſe. And To you it is given to underſtand, Matth. 13. but not to others. So that God making this abſolute Promiſe to ſome, and not to all, doth thereby make his free grace perſpicuous, that every mouth may be ſtopped that would boaſt of it ſelf.
Secondly, It ſuppoſeth, that we cannot ſo much as prepare, and fit our ſelves to 2.receive Grace. God findes an heart of ſtone in every man, and a ſtone is impenetrable. It was a Doctrine received a long while, Facienti quoá in ſe est, Deus dat Gratiam, though differently explained. Let a man doe what he can by naturall ſtrength and power, and then God will vouchſafe Grace and ſupernaturall Mercies to him; yea this is too much divulged at this very day; let a man uſe his Naturals well, and God will give Supernaturals; but firſt there is no ſuch Promiſe in all the Scripture; you cannot in all the Scripture finde any Promiſe of Grace made to Nature, or the improvement of Nature; God no where ſaith, Doe as much as you can, what you are able by your own power, and then I will come and help you. There is no ſuch Promiſe in Scripture, but either it is abſolute, as you have heard, or elſe Conditional to ſome Grace wrought by God already in us.
Thirdly, This Promiſe is of a moſt excellent and precious Nature, it farre 3.exceeds all temporall Promiſes: Should God promiſe thee all the glory of the World, all that thy heart could in this life deſire, yet it is nothing to this Promiſe of a new Heart. Hence Peter cals them Precious Promiſes, 1 Pet. 1. whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature. God to this people in Captivity, promiſeth a new and a tender heart, as that which would qualifie or put a luſtre upon all other Mercies; Their return from Captivity, Their enjoying of their former Houſes and Mercies again would be nothing, if God gave not this Mercy alſo; Oh then that the hearts of men were made more ſpiritual and wiſe, to look after and prize this Promiſe; Let thy Condition be never ſo miſerable, thy ſtate never ſo diſtreſſed, yet if under this Promiſe, thou art in an Ark, when others are toſted up and down in the uncertain waves of this world. Even the Virgin Mary that was called Bleſſed among Women, was more bleſſed that Chriſt was ſpiritually formed in her heart, then that the body of Chriſt was corporally faſhioned in her Wombe: Oh then! How wretched is thy eſtate even in the midſt of all earthly proſperity? when thou canſt ſay, Theſe new houſes, theſe new honours are mine, but thou canſt not ſay, This new heart is mine.
Fourthly, This Abſolute Promiſe is ſure and certain: For there is Truth in God, 4.and ſo he cannot lie; and there is Power in God, and ſo there cannot be any thing to hinder him, Heaven and Earth ſhall ſooner paſſe away, then one Iowa or Tittle of this Promiſe fall to ground. How angry was God with Sarah, becauſe through unbelief ſhe laughed when God told her in her Old-age, ſhe ſhould conceive and bring forth a Childe? Do not thou think thy heart, thy luſts are too ſtrong, too naught for God to conquer and ſubdue? Now the ground why this Promiſe is ſo ſure, and cannot be fruſtrated, is, becauſe it is the execution of Gods Election from all Eternity; and the Election of God, that is Abſolute, and that cannot be fruſtrated; Reade Rom. 11. where the Apoſtle in a grave and profitable way handling this ſublime Myſtery of Predeſtination; he argueth, That Gods Will and Purpoſe muſt take effect, Election hath obtained, and it will obtain; If then the Election of God be Abſolute, and that muſt ſtand, then the Promiſe of Converſion, which is nothing but a gracious Manifeſtation of this Election, muſt alſo be Abſolute. And this ſhall ſuffice for clearing the Nature of this Abſolute Promiſe; but becauſe this Doctrine is ſubject to carnall Cavils, I ſhall Anſwer one or two Objections which a froward Heart not humbly ſubmitting to the Authority of Scripture, is apt to raiſe. And
Firſt, It may be ſaid, If this Promiſe of Converſion be Abſolute, God Object. 1.will work it, and there is no Condition on our part, that we can by our Nature performe: Then what need we come to hear the Word preached? What need we waite on the Ordinances? if God will take away the heart of ſtone, he will do it though we be eating and drinking, and making merry, as well as if we be praying and hearing the Word preached. But take heed of ſuch deſtructive concluſions, for they do not follow from this truth. For
Firſt, Though we ſay it be an Abſolute Promiſe, yet the meaning is not, as if Anſw.it were accompliſhed without ſuch means God hath appointed. Therefore the Promiſe may be ſaid to be Abſolute, either in oppoſition to Conditional, as if it required ſomething as a Condition to be done on our part, and in this ſenſe it is Abſolute; or elſe it may be called Abſolute, as it doth oppoſe that which is to be ordered by ſome means, and in this ſenſe it is not Abſolute. Paul had abſolutely fore-told, That none in the Ship that were with him ſhould die; yet he alſo ſaid, That they muſt uſe the meanes, keep in the Ship. And thus God told David many times before he went to the Battel, That he ſhould have the Victory, yet he was carefull to order his Army, and to prepare the Souldiery: So that Gods Promiſes though they are many times Abſolute, yet they alſo include Meanes for that end. Now there are Meanes of two ſorts, The one External having no immediate influence upon Grace, onelyonly it is the neceſſary way that God hath commanded every one to walk in, and ſuch are coming to the Ordinances; and hearing of the Word. A man hath Free-will or Power of Nature to doe this, as any other civil Actions. Indeed to hear with Faith, to hear with godly Attention and brokenneſſe of Spirit, that he cannot; but ſimply to come to hear, and in a general manner to attend to what is delivered, that by Nature he can doe; Now even this very hearing, and this bodily preſence God hath required, as a Meanes wherein he will diſpenſe his Grace; So that whoſoever doth wilfully neglect the uſe of theſe, cannot promiſe to himſelfe any Converſion; yea he may certainely conclude God will not convert him; ſo that here is no place for thy prophane Cavil; What need I come and hear? what need I frequent preaching? Yes, every way; for though God hath abſolutely promiſed this Mercy, yet it is in the uſe and exerciſe of theſe Meanes: Oh then that thoſe who cuſtomarily and wilfully abſent themſelves from the preaching of the Word, would conſider, that they turn their back upon God, and in effect ſay, They will not be converted, We will not have this new Heart, this new Life. If a man ſhall wilfully refuſe to eat or drink, will he not be accounted a ſelf-murderer? and if thou careleſly or obſtinately refuſeſt the Word of life, will not God judge thee for a ſelf-damner?
But then in the next place, There are formall and internall Meanes that doe ….immediately receive Chriſt in the ſoul, ſuch as Faith, or hearing in Faith, and theſe a man hath no power of himſelf to performe, Faith being the gift of God. So then although internal Meanes of obtaining Chriſt, cannot by natural ſtrength be performed, yet there are external Meanes, which whoſoever ſhall refuſe, he doth reject the counſel of God, and pronounceth himſelf unworthy of Salvation. Therefore harbour no more ſuch thoughts, unleſs thou wilt violently throw thy ſelf into the mouth of hell.
But ſecondly, It may be ſaid, If Gods Promiſe of Converſion be Abſolute, This is diſcouraging and may eaſily caſt men into deſpair; for though I deſire, and groan Object. 2.after Converſion, yet if I be not in this Abſolute Promiſe, I can never be partaker of it.
But firſt conſider, Though it be Abſolute, yet it is alſo Indefinite, it doth not exclude any particular man; So that no man in the world living under Anſw.the meanes of Grace, can truely ſay, he is not intended in this Promiſe, as well as others. Seeing therefore God hath no where excluded thee by name, there is no clauſe that ſhuts thee out; it is a grievous ſinne in thee to ſhut thy ſelf out. So then, Know thoſe dejecting and diſcouraging thoughts they ariſe from Hell; It is the Devil and thy own black heart, not this Doctrine that diſcourageth. If there were a Malefactour among many others, and the Magiſtrate ſhould make an indefinite promiſe that he would ſpare them and pardon them, and doth not by name exclude any man, would any be ſo injurious to himſelf, as to queſtion, whether he be intended in the pardon or no? No leſſe injurious art thou to thy ſelf, in diſputing againſt this promiſe.
Secondly, If thou liveſt under the means of Grace, and where the word of Life is tendered, then thou haſt much more cauſe to hope that this Promiſe of Converſion 2.doth belong to thee. Indeed all thoſe who ſit in Heatheniſh darkneſſe, to whom the Goſpel was never yet made known, they are a hopeleſs people, while ſo; there is no Promiſe without the Church of God: But to thoſe who have the grace of God tendered to them, they may plead this Argument, Lord, thou haſt given us the outward means, we have the Miniſtery, that ſounds daily in our ears, Oh give us the inward Grace alſo!
Thirdly, If thou art one who groaneſt and deſireſt after Converſion, and art afraid leſt God hath excluded thee, be of good comfort, for thoſe ſighs and pantings 3.after Grace, are a ſure ſign that thou art included, yea that this work of a new heart, and a tender heart is already begunne in you. Where you hear a Sigh or a Groan in a man, it is a ſigne there is a naturall life; and ſo where there are inward Groans and Affections for this new heart, there are the beginnings, and the foundation is already ſaid, God will not break the bruiſed Reed, nor quench the ſmoaking Flax. Even hunger and thirſt hath a promiſe of being ſatisfied, Matth. 5. Therefore let this turn thy water into wine preſently.
Fourthly, Although the Promiſe of Converſion be in a well explained ſenſe Abſolute, yet there is no man damned that would have been converted, onelyonly he 4.wanted the Promiſe, God would not put his name in there, and that is the cauſe of his utter periſhing. No, this is a firm truth, O Iſrael, thy deſtruction is of thy ſelf; And As I live, ſaith God, I will not the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould live. Turn ye, turn ye, Why will ye die? This is a ſure truth, Every mans Damnation is of his own ſelf; he doth wilfully and with delight go on in deſtructive wayes, he cannot ſay, Lord, I would have been converted, but the Abſoluteneſs of thy Election, or thy Promiſe hindered, yea a mans own wilful luſts they deſtroy him: Inſomuch that were it not for this Promiſe of God none at all would be converted: It is well we are not left to Free-will, for then not one would be converted: And the Adverſaries to this Opinion cannot inſtance in one Heathen ever ſince the world was made, that did uſe his Naturals ſo well, that God vouchſafed Supernaturals; inſomuch that the Doctrine of Free-will may well caſt a man into Deſpair; for if my Converſion cannot be wrought till I go along with God in it, I am for ever undone.
Laſtly, Let it be granted that there are ſome Difficulties in this Doctrine, that humane reaſon cannot untie all the knots, yet this is no more then Paul acknowledged, Rom. 9. and reproveth man for ſuch bold Diſputing with God: Gods wayes are wiſe and juſt, even when they are hidden and ſecret to us. There is no end when humane wiſdom talketh againſt heavenly Diſpenſations.
Uſe. Is this Promiſe, though Abſolute, yet ordered in the uſe of means to be accompliſhed? Then be diligent in hearing the Word: Oh pray that this new heart may at laſt be found in thee! Oh why is it that we ſhould leave this Text before every Auditor finde the power of it upon his ſoul! Oh that the leaving of this Text might not leave one carnal ſtony heart! Oh that as we have done the Text, ſo God had done this work in you! But oh our barrenneſs, our barrenneſs! Oh the juſt anger and wrath of God againſt many perſons, to whom God ſaith, Let them alone in their ſins!