Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 11 · Sermon 91
SERMON XCI.
Of the Order and Method that God takes in our Converſion; Firſt, Working in us inward Principles, and then cauſing us to walk in his Statutes, oppoſite to the Doctrine of Pelagians, Papiſts, Arminians, and Moral Philoſophy; Alſo ſignes to diſcover whether our outward Duties proceed from Grace within, or from Humane reſpects.
EZEK. 36. 27.
I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my Statutes.
THe precious and great mercy of converſion promiſed in this Text under ſeveral Titles and Notions, hath been fully conſidered of and improved. There remain ſeveral other particulars, which are not without their great weight and moment. As in the firſt place, The Order and Method of the promiſe is to be taken notice of; for he worketh in the ſame method as he promiſeth: the Method is this: Firſt, He promiſeth to give the inward root, then the fruit; firſt the fountain, then the ſtreams: He firſt promiſeth the inward principles, and habit of grace, a new heart, a new ſpirit, and then he will cauſe them to walk in his commandments. God is both the Author of Nature, and the Author of grace; now as the Author of Nature, he firſt worketh the principles of life, he giveth the principles of Motions, and all vital Actions, and afterwards the exerciſe. So it is here, God doth in the way of grace beſtow a ſupernatural principle upon men, and then being Obſ. Gods method is firſt to give the inward principles of holineſs, and then grace to live holily. The point illuſtrated by ſome conſiderations. 1. Grace doth not come into the heart at firſt, as ſin came into the world.Firſt made good Trees, then they bring forth good fruit. The Obſervation.
That God doth firſt work the foundations and principles of holineſſe, and from them men walk and live holily. Thus the Apoſtle ſaith, We are his workmanſhip, created to every good work, Eph 2. 10. We do not firſt do good works, and ſo become Gods workmanſhip; but we are firſt his workmanſhip, and then we exerciſe our ſelves in good and holy works.
This Doctrine hath its great uſe, both in matter of information, and exhortation; and there is more conſequence in it, then an ordinary apprehenſion will at firſt conceive. Therefore to clear this, we will firſt illuſtrate this Truth, by the oppoſite of it, or contrary opinions.
And firſt, Grace doth not come at firſt into the heart, as ſin came into the world; for Adam was not made a bad tree, and ſo brought forth bad fruit; his perſon was not made wicked, and his nature, and then that infected his Actions; but God made him after his own image, in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe: So that his ſoul being furniſhed with all graces, as the heavens are adorned with ſeveral ſtars, he might have continued in all holy actions ſutable to his original perfection. Adams ſinful diſobedience, did not as outs, flow from a polluted unclean nature, but from the meer liberty of his will: and when he had thus actually tranſgreſſed, then that actuall ſin infected, and poiſoned his whole nature. Thus you ſee the actions of ſinne were before the habits, and principles of ſin: there was a branch before a root; there was a ſweet fountain, and yet a bitter ſtream… but God in converting and changing of us, doth take the contrary courſe; he firſt ſanctifieth our Natures, all the faculties of the ſoul; layeth a ſpiritual life as a foundation, and then being thus inwardly enlivened and eſtabliſhed, we are carried out to all holy actions: So that all the glorious outward actions of religion, that are viſible to the eyes of the world; if they be built without this inward foundation they will prove but a Babel: They are but like Sodoms apples, glorious for ſhew, but indeed duſt and Aſhes. It is good to obſerve, How that God in the Creation of the world, both in vegetative, and ſenſitive creatures, ſtill created the principles firſt, and that in perfection, Seminative, able to beget and propagate others; and thus it is alſo in converſion, he worketh theſe holy and excellent principles, which afterwards are operative and vigorous.
Secondly, God working thus a new Nature, and thereby enabling to new actions, 2. God takes another kind of courſe to make holy, then the Philoſopher teaches.takes a far other courſe to make holy, then Moral Philoſophy teacheth: For if we read all the Moral Philoſophers, perſwading us to be temperate, juſt, or prudent, if you ask them, How ſhall we come to have the habits of theſe things? They will tell you, by frequent actions, juſta agendo ſumus juſti, by doing many righteous actions frequently, ſo we come to have habits. Thus they know no other way, and there is no better Divinity in moſt people; for they think by doing godly actions, they are made godly: and ſo they think by walking in Gods commandments, to get a new ſpirit, which is the clear inverted order to the Text; for God firſt giveth this New ſpirit, and then cauſeth to walk in his Law; we indeed are commanded to be diligent in the uſe of the means; we muſt attend to the Ordinances of grace; but till this ſpiritual life be infuſed, there is not one good action done by us in a good manner: All that thou doſt till this new principle be put in thee, hath but the body of a good action, not the ſoul of it. Nothing thou doſt is pleaſing to God, Heb. 11. 6. God is angry with thee all the day long, All things are become polluted, and unclean to thee, Ti…. 1. 15. Oh were not men hardened in their ſins, and led captive by the D…vel according to his pleaſure: they could never eat, or drink, or take any reſt till they got out of that damnable eſtate, wherein all the day long they were treaſuring up wrath againſt the day of wrath. Belſhazzar ſaw but one hand-writing in the wall againſt him, and he knew not what it was; yet it ſtrook him with terror and trembling: But now thou haſt many hand-writings, and Ordinances againſt thee, even the whole word of God; and thou canſt not but know what they are, yet thou art not affected with fear. What was written of Belſhazzar, Thou art weighed, and found too light; The ſame Gods word ſaith of all thy Duties, performances, and ſeeming religion, It is weighed, and it is found too light: And the reaſon is, becauſe all thy religious duties are like leaves fallen from the tree dried, and without ſ…p or moyſture.
Thirdly, This work of grace is in a far other manner then Pelagians of old, or 3. The work of Grace far otherwiſe then Pelagians, Papiſts, or Arminians teach.Papiſts, and Arminians of late, do confidently aver, for they attend not to this Order in the Text. But they ſay, that man by the power of Free-will, doth joyn with the grace of God, and co-operate with that; and ſo partly from free-will, partly from Gods grace, comes this new ſpirit, this new grace. But this doth directly contradict many places of Scripture, which makes Regeneration and a New-birth neceſſarily to go before all holy actions; and if a man cannot make himſelf a man, much leſſe like God, as grace doth: But ſay they, Ezek. 18. 31. there the Scripture ſaith, Make ye a new heart, a new ſpirit; Therefore we by our working obtain a new heart; But this is anſwered thus, That the ſame thing may be both our Duty and Gods Gift: when the Scripture ſaith, Make ye…a new ſpirit, there it declareth our Duty, what we ought to do: but when God ſaith, I will give it you, that ſhews our Impotency, we are not able to make new hearts; and therefore God graciouſly worketh it for us. Auguſtine did admirably and orthodoxly defend this truth, That we were not made holy by doing holy Actions, through Grace and Free-will; but God firſt made us holy; as ſaith Auguſtine, The Wheel runs round, not to make it ſelf round, but becauſe it is round, therefore it runneth round. Indeed our Saviour ſaith, Make the Tree good (Matth. 12. 33.) and then the fruit will be good; but he doth not there deſcribe our power, but that excellent order all ſhould look unto in Religion; the Phariſees, like moſt people in our dayes, they looked to the outward Actions, did not dare to omit them, They waſhed the outſide of the Cup; but ſaith our Saviour, not the outſide but the inſide muſt be firſt cleanſed: The Tree muſt be firſt made good ere the fruit can. Oh there is no Doctrine more neceſſary then this. Who looketh to good inſides! Many dare not neglect the outward Obedience unto Gods Commandments, but who mindes the new heart, the new ſpirit within; and hence they ſet moſt prepoſterouſly upon the work of Converſion; they think by good Deeds, by outward Duties to obtain a new ſpirit from God, not conſidering this is to build the top of an Houſe before a Foundation be laid, Non per opera venitur ad fidem, ſed per fidem ad opera; We do not come to Faith by Works, but to Works by Faith; Oh then be affected with this excellent Order and Method that God takes in our Converſion, beginne where God beginneth. What the Apoſtle ſaid about his Preaching, As a wiſe Builder (1 Cor. 3. 10.) I lay a good Foundation: So do thou as a wiſe Builder for Heaven lay a good Foundation; Tempeſts and Stormes will ariſe; God will have his windes and waves to aſſault you, ſo that unleſſe you be built on a Rock, you cannot continue immoveable.
Theſe things premiſed, let us conſider the Reaſons why God takes this Reaſons of the point.order, firſt giving a new heart and ſpirit, then cauſing us to walk in his wayes, and
Firſt, Otherwiſe our Duties would be dead Duties, there would be no Life in 1.them. If a Ball or Wheel move, this Motion is not a vital Action, becauſe its not from a Principle within, it comes wholly from without; ſo all thy Obedience to Gods Commandments is but a dead Obedience, a dead Work, if this new Heart be not firſt in thee. God in the Old Teſtament accepted of dead Sacrifices to be offered to him, but now we muſt give up our ſelves, as living Sacrifices, Rom. 12. 1. The Scripture delights to call the Work of Grace, a Life, and the Graces of Gods Spirit are compared to living Waters. And thus indeed it is, Every Prayer muſt be a living Prayer, thy Obedience living, or lively Obedience, but this cannot be till God beginne in the inward man firſt. As therefore thou canſt not delight in a dead Wife, dead Children; ſo neither doth God in thy dead Religion. We Miniſters while preaching of theſe things, may ſay our Hearts are inditing of good things, and our Mouths drop like the Honey-comb; for how glad ſhouldſt thou be to hear of a way that may put life into all thy dead Duties. If thoſe that lived in Chriſts time, did ſo exceedingly rejoyce to receive their Friends from the dead; what joy ſhould it be to have all thy Duties ariſe as it were from the dead? How neceſſary is this for ſuch who live in a meer formall cuſtomary way of Duties! We read of the Aegyptian Plague, that the firſt-born in every Family was dead; and thereupon in the Morning there were great out-cryes in every Family for a dead ſon. Oh how ſhould this truth make many Families mourn for their dead Duties, their dead Religion! There is no life in any thing thou doſt, till God begin within and ſo cure thee outwardly.
Secondly, As there is no life in thy Duties, ſo there is no worth, no excellency, up 3.ſolidity in them, if firſt Gods Law be not written in our inward parts. We reade in the Canticles of large commendations that Chriſt gives the Church, viz. every godly ſoul, and how her graces are commended for the lovelineſſe, ſweetneſſe and fragrancy in them; whereas if ſhe had only paintings, a meer outſide without the inward ſubſtance of Grace, there might have been ſome glittering but no true worth. What worth is there in an Image of clay and dirt, though covered over with gold? Godlineſſe is aurea not deaurata; the Churches Glory was within: What worth is there in ſtraws or flowers, when their juyce and moiſture is dried up? The hypocrite is compared in his faſtings to a Bulruſh, and ſuch a Bulruſh is every mans Godlineſſe without this inward foundation; its empty and light. Therefore weigh your Duties in the balance of the Sanctuary, do not judge that godlineſſe and holineſſe which the Scripture rejects as refuſe. As the Prophet ſpeaks of the Iſraelites, Reprobate Silver ſhall men call them, Jer. 6. 10. So reprobate Duties, a reprobate Godlineſſe, ſhall both men and God call theſe. As God by the Prophet complains of his defective and deformed Sacrifices, Go and offer ſuch to your Governours and Rulers; ſo we may ſay in this caſe, Go to men and ſerve them without an inward heart, without inward affections, and will they thank you or reward ſuch ſervice?
Thirdly, As there is no worth, ſo there is no ſutableneſſe in ſuch Duties to God; 3.for God is a Spirit, and he ſearcheth and trieth the hearts of men, our Saviour from this conſideration inferred, that thoſe who worſhip him muſt worſhip him in ſpirit and truth, John 4. Now then if God have not begun this foundation in thee of a new heart, a new ſpirit; here is no congruity between God and thy worſhip. Oh how remote are theſe things from the common underſtanding of moſt men, who know no further in Religion then a bodily praying, or a bodily hearing! Surſum corda, was the ancient acclamation at the adminiſtration of the Sacrament, to take them off from the Elements of Bread and Wine; and this ſhould be a daily Memento, Lift up your hearts on high in every Duty you go about. But men that would be thus elevated in their hearts, and faſten upon God himſelf, muſt go out of all their low and bodily apprehenſions. As God bad Abraham come out of his Tabernacle, and then to look up to Heaven to number the Stars if he could; thou muſt be drawn out of the Tabernacle of thy bodily affections, before thou canſt ſet thy heart upon God himſelf. Oh then conſider that as long as this new ſpirit is not in thee, there is no more proportion between God and thy ſoul for any holy Duty, which is nothing but a familiar communion with God, then is between Earth and Heaven.
Fourthly, Therefore God begins here before the outward man be ſanctified, becauſe 4.the greateſt power and ſtrength of corruption lieth in the inward parts. As the Law of God is in the inward parts of the godly; ſo the Law of ſinne, as the Apoſtle calleth it, is reigning in the members of every wicked man; ſo that the godly have a good Law in their inward parts, and the wicked, the Law of ſinne. If therefore God ſhould only inable us to outward Obedience without this new ſpirit, his greateſt work of Grace would be left undone; for its not the body ſo much as the ſoul that the Devil poſſeſſeth, and taketh for his own. The greateſt part of wickedneſs lieth there, where moſt men do neither perceive or feel it. Though ſickneſs when it come to the heart be preſently felt, yet ſinne when it cometh to the heart, and lieth at the heart, is not felt as a burden till Gods Spirit convince a man; ſeeing therefore that this converting Grace is vouchſafed as an healing, and a medicinal cure, it is neceſſary that the greateſt operation of it ſhould be upon the vital parts within. So that as in unregenerate men, the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts are only evil, and that continually; ſo the imagination of their thoughts ſhould be godly and heavenly. As the wicked ſwallow down iniquity like water, ſo rivers of living water ſhould flow out of their bowels. As in the wicked no man can bring the clean out of an unclean, ſo it ſhould be hard to bring an unclean from a clean. In theſe things lieth the marrow and quinteſſence of Religion, men are but in the porch, and never enter into the Holy of Holies till they be experimentally acquainted with theſe things: O that all our Congregations were underſtanding of theſe things. If Miniſters preach againſt outward groſſe impieties, ſuch as the light of nature condemneth, with that you can go along; but concerning this new ſpirit and new heart, or the old heart and old man; which the Scripture ſo much ſpeaks of, you know nothing of it.
In the next place let us conſider, What are the Signs that may diſcover when we Signs to diſcover when Duties proceed from this new Spirit within, and not from other grounds.perform holy Duties from this new Spirit within, and not rather as moſt do from Education, Cuſtom or carnal Reſpects to the good or ill will of man. For this is certain, All men perform holy Duties, either from inward principles of Grace, or outward principles of humane reſpects; now how ſhall we know when a man doth them from this inward new Spirit?
Firſt, He that doth them from an inward principle; is conſtant, and uniform, and immoveable in them, for this is made a divine Nature in him. Now as all natural 1.principles in the creatures do carry them on in a conſtant ſetled way; The fire doth alwayes aſcend upwards, the ſtone deſcend downwards; ſo the wicked man he is conſtant to his principles of ſinne, you ſhall never finde him checking or ſtopping himſelf, but by ſome extraordinary power; Thus the godly man, his heart and ſoul doth carry him on to the things of Godlineſs, and if he be at any time ſtopped in it, or hindered, it is, as they ſay the diſeaſe is to the body, Praeter Naturam, beſides the nature and inclination of a godly man. Hence Paul makes ſuch a miſerable complaint of thoſe luſts that did ſtirre, and move in him, as thoſe that had led him away Captive againſt his will, Rom. 7. Look to this then you who are inconſtant, and are for holy Duties in ſome fits, in ſome ſad moods. So that it is accidental, and wholly inexpected, if thou ſet upon any religious Duty, we may by way of wonder cry out, is they did, Is Saul alſo among the Prophets? What makes thee pray, come to Church? What putteth thee in this fit? What good Diſpoſition art thou in ſo ſuddenly?
Secondly, Men that perform outward Obedience from inward principles, they do 2.it with delight and joy. There is nothing ſo pleaſing and connatural to them. All principles have a kinde of delight in their connatural actions and objects. Thus the voluptuous principle is for the pleaſures of the fleſh, the ambitious principle for honours and earthly greatneſs, and the godly principle is for holineſſe and godlineſs. David how often doth he profeſs his delights, and even raviſhments in the Ordinances of God, and the enjoying of him! Chriſt called it His meat and drink to do the will of his Father; and why? becauſe the Law of God was written within his heart. Indeed the godly ſometimes finde dulneſſe, liſtleſneſs, and even a weariſomneſs upon them in the wayes of God. But yet their main and chief delight of ſoul is in God and the Ordinances that lead to him, rather then in any thing elſe; Thou haſt put more gladneſſe into my heart, then they have had, when their wine and oyl increaſeth, Pſal. 4.
Thirdly, Where inward Principles are, they will carry to the Obedience of Gods Commands, though there be no outward Encouragements to allure and draw on. 3.The Father and Mother love their Children, though they have no outward advantages by them, becauſe it is a natural principle. You do not hire and intreat an hungry man to eat his meat, or a wearied man to take his reſt. Natural appetite cals for theſe things. Thus he that hath the new heart and ſpirit within him, he is godly, and liveth holily, though there be no favour, no encouragement, no honour to ſuch men.
Yea fourthly, Where inward Principles of Grace are, They grow the more powfuller and active, by how much the more they are oppoſed. Thus the water that is 4.ſtopt doth ſwell the higher. The colder the weather is, the hotter the fire burnneth by an oppoſition; And ſo the people of God have been moſt holy in times of Troubles, and Oppoſitions: They have born the beſt fruit, and looked moſt green in the Winter time: whereas when men have not inward principles of grace, then they preſently wither as ſoon as the Sunne riſeth; becauſe they have no root. The godly are Stars, that ſhine moſt in the night, in dark times.
Uſe of Exhortation, Still and ſtill to look from whence all thy externall Obedience comes. Whence is thy Hearing, thy Praying, thy Family Duties? Uſe.Yea, what advantage is it to ſet up Dagon? he will fall down again and again; as long as he hath no inward life in him, and it will be no profit to thee, or Comfort at thy Death, or at the day of Judgement, to ſay, I have prayed, I have heard, I have been diligent to come to Church; if firſt this new Spirit have not been put in thee. But Oh! How long ſhall thoſe things be dark Parables, and hidden Myſteries to moſt men? Who will give you underſtanding in theſe things? Remember your inwards of Nature decay every day, and your outward body; lay up then ſome enduring Treaſure.