Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 11 · Sermon 93
SERMON XCIII.
Gods not onelyonly infuſing the inward Principles of Grace, but alſo vouchſafing his Quickning, Actuating, Aſsiſting Grace unto his people, inabling them to walk in his Statutes; maintained againſt Pelagians, Arminians and Papiſts; Alſo, the happy condition of thoſe who have this latter grace, as well as the former.
EZEK. 36. 27.
I will cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and ye ſhall keep my judgements.
THe method that the Spirit of God uſeth in promiſing theſe great mercies, hath afforded us profitable obſervations.
In the next place you may remember, that in the general diviſion of this Text, there was the grace of God vouchſafed in the root, and in the fruit; in the principles or habits, and in the actual exerciſe of grace. We have already diſpatched grace in the root, in the principles, which is called A new heart, and, Gods ſpirit put into us: Let us now admire the goodneſs of God in the fruit; for the Text beareth both an holy root, and holy fruit; and this is expreſſed in this promiſe, I will cauſe them to walk in my ſtatutes: This is a further d…finct mercy of God; it is the firſt and principal mercy indeed, To put his Spirit in us; and its the ſecond, and no leſs neceſſary mercy, when this is done, To cauſe us to walk in his ſtatutes: So that the former part of the promiſe, is for the principles of grace; this latter part, for the acts and exerciſe of grace. We read in Scripture, that David, Peter, and others, who had the inward principles of grace, yet for want of the actual exerciſe of them, did grievouſly wound their own ſouls, and ſadly diſhonor the name of God: So that here we have a ſpecial remarkable point afforded us, viz.
That God doth not onelyonly at firſt infuſe the principles of grace in his children, but Obſerv.its neceſſary he ſhould alſo inable them to act and improve thoſe principles.
He doth not onelyonly give us power to holy actions, but he works alſo the holy actions themſelves: So that not onelyonly the principles of Believing, Repentance, &c. are the gift of God, but the very acts alſo of theſe graces: Thus the Apoſtle ſaith, That God worketh in us, not onelyonly to will, but to do, Phil. 2. 13. not onelyonly the power, but the action it ſelf. This point in the explication of it, will much manifeſt and exalt the grace of God as all in all; and then it will ſet forth the exact duty of Chriſtianity, whoſe glory lieth in the daily exerciſe of grace, not in the principles or root of it: And
Firſt, We will open the ſenſe of the Dostrine, and then prove it by ſeveral Arguments; 1.for Pelagians, Arminians, and ſeveral Papiſts, are againſt this excellent and glorious truth, attributing indeed the ſufficiency and power of doing a good action, to Gods grace, but the actual efficacy of it to a mans will.
In the firſt place therefore, conſider, that there is a twofold grace of God, as to Conſiderations to open the ſenſe of this Doct…ine.our matter in hand; There is grace Regenerating, or Converting; whereby of men dead in ſin, and wholly ſenſeleſs, we come to have a life of Grace, and a Divine Nature we are made partakers of.
Secondly, There is after this a quicking, preventing or exciting grace; whereby 2.that former principle of grace is ſtirred up, and provoked to action. I ſhall not ſtrictly attend to the School diſtinctions of grace, Prevenient, Concomitant, and Subſequent, of grace operant, and co-operant: I ſhall uſe the Scripture phraſe, Quickning Grace; which is not onelyonly at firſt of men dead in ſin, and giving life unto them, in which ſenſe Paul uſeth it, Epheſ. 2. but alſo for the exciting and ſtirring up thoſe principles of grace in us, both to act, and alſo to increaſe; as David, Pſal. 119. prayeth many times, eſpecially verſe 88. Quicken me after thy loving kindeneſs, ſo ſhall I keep thy teſtimonies: This is a bleſſed temper, and happy are thoſe who do not by negligence, or any other ſin, provoke God to withdraw this exciting grace; for although a godly man looſe not his principles of grace, yet if he looſe this quickning, this acting of grace, he is for the preſent like a barren wilderneſs: So then you ſee, God hath a twofold grace, Initial and Converting, Exciting and Quickning, which we need every hour, every moment, and muſt pray for more earneſtly, then we would for our daily bread.
Secondly, You muſt know, that there is a great difference in man, while he receiveth 1.the one, and while God enableth him to the other: Theſe are not ſpeculative notional points, that tend not to edification, but are exceeding profitable; for if we conſider man as the ſubject of that firſt converting grace, ſo he is meerly paſſive, he doth not at all co-operate or work with the grace of God; for you heard, he had A ſtony heart, and he is dead in ſin; and grace converting, is compared to the Reſurrection: So that as Lazarus, when he was raiſed to life, did not contribute any help thereunto of himſelf, but was wholly paſſive; ſo it is in every man that is at firſt converted to God, he doth not further this great work, he doth not deſire, he doth not ſet it on; yea, he uſeth all the power and reſiſtance he can againſt it, till God conquer the heart by his Omnipotent power; but it is otherwiſe in this exciting and quickning grace, for there being the ſupernatural principles of grace before, when he is ſtirred up, he is not meerly paſſive; but being firſt acted by the grace of God, we then act & move alſo; ſo that we are voluntary and free in thoſe exerciſes of grace; though grace moves, yet we alſo move: This is excellently expreſſed by the Church, Draw us, and we will run after thee, Cant. 1. 4. The Church was liſtleſs, unprepared; therefore ſhe deſireth the grace of God to draw her, and then ſhe would run after him. Draw a dead man, and for all that he cannot run; but the Church had the life of grace in her, onelyonly ſhe wanted this quickning, exciting grace.
Thirdly, When we ſay, That God doth not onelyonly work the principles, but alſo 2.the acts of grace, that is to be underſtood as an efficient, not as a ſubject: So that although we ſay, God worketh in us our Faith, our Repentance, yet we cannot ſay God believeth, and God repenteth; for they came from him as an efficient meerly, but from us as ſubjects in a vital formal manner, Deus non poteſt ſupplere vicem formalis aut materialis cauſae: So that we are the formal cauſes, as well as the efficient. Even as God in the order of nature, worketh all natural actions for us, In him he we live and move, ſaith the Apoſtle; yet we cannot ſay, God liveth, or God moveth, or God eateth or God walketh; becauſe he is the efficient cauſe of theſe onelyonly, not the formal.
Thus you have the ſenſe of the Doctrine; let us obſerve the grounds: AndGrounds of the Doctrine. 1.
Firſt, Its clear, that God doth not onelyonly give a new heart, but cauſe us alſo to walk in the ways of holineſs, becauſe theſe are two diſtinct mercies, and are very ſeparable one from the other: It may be, and experience tells us, it doth too often fall out, that where the former mercy is of Gods ſpirit, and a new heart in his people, yet the latter may not be. David you heard, even while he committed thoſe foul and groſs ſins, yet had not the principle and ſeeds of Grace quite dead within him; no more then the tree in winter, that is ſtript of all its ornaments, is dead at the root; yet he was far from this latter mercy in the Text, To walk in the ſtatutes of God: And ſo at any time, when the children of God fall into ſins of luſts, or careleſneſs and negligence, they are not fallen from the Root Chriſt; but yet this exciting and quicking grace they have loſt for the preſent. Seeing therefore, that this latter is ſeparate from the former, and you may ſee even one of Chriſts ſheep for the time, wallowing like the Swine in filthy mire, it is neceſſary that God ſhould not onelyonly do the one, but the other alſo for us: Therefore the people of God are to conſider this: pleaſe not your ſelves that you have had the experience of converſion upon your ſouls; you can tell, that God hath made a wonderful change in you; for how doth God accompany you with this exciting, acting grace? Are ye not all over ruſty, as it were, are you not very often unfit for holy duties, unprepared to hear, to pray? Are not your hearts like a barren mountain, yea, like a noiſom dunghill ſometimes? Do you not refuſe to open the door, that Chriſt may come in, who hath ſtood all night knocking at the door, while his locks are full of dew? Is it not thus, and far worſe with you many times, who yet hope of your converſion to God? And whence is all this? you have not this acting, this exciting grace, and ſo thou art like one in a deep ſleep.
Secondly, The people of God have earneſtly begged for this acting grace, as not thinking the principles of grace enough: Thus David often, Quicken my heart, incline 2.my heart (ſaith he) to keep thy teſtimonies: That man prayed, That Chriſt would increaſe his faith; yea, all the prayers that you read any godly men have made for the acts of grace, that they might repent, believe, walk holily, all theſe do plainly convince, that God doth not onelyonly give the life of grace, but the conſtant motions of that life afterward: So that if God did not work theſe exerciſes of grace for us alſo, it would be a vain thing to importune God in prayer for them.
Thirdly, God doth this latter, as well as the former, Becauſe he encourageth the godly to ſet upon the exerciſe of grace, becauſe he will inable them, and aſſiſt 3.them therein: Thus the Apoſtle, Work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling: Why? becauſe its God that worketh in you to will and to do: This argument may ſeem very ſtrange, Work, becauſe God worketh in you; but its the greateſt reaſon Phil. 2 24.and comfort that can be: Do thou ſet thy ſelf upon the works of Faith, Repentance, Mortification of the deareſt and ſtrongeſt corruption, though thou art apt to be diſcouraged, and ſaveſt, It cannot be, yet God is ready to help with his hand. Paul ſpeaking of thoſe high expreſſions of grace, To know how to abound, and how to want, he addeth, I can do all things, through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me, Phil. 4. 13. A godly man hath a kinde of Omnipotency; he can do what God can do, becauſe he hath the help of God inabling him thereunto: A Chriſtian then ſhould not diſhearten himſelf with ſuch thoughts as theſe, What ſhall I do when death comes? What if ſuch ſuddain calamities ſhould overwhelm me? for he muſt remember, that God uſeth to put forth his hand at that time; and then Peter is imboldned to go upon the waters to Chriſt.
Fourthly, There muſt be ſuch acting and inlivening grace, as well as the principles, Becauſe otherwiſe God would loſe great part of his glory, in bringing a 4.man to heaven: For not onelyonly Juſtification, but Salvation is attributed unto Grace; and Rom. 9. Its not of him that willeth, or runneth, but of him that calleth and electeth: Now grace could not have the glory of all from the beginning to the end, if God ſhould not conſtantly inable and help in the progreſs of godlineſs, as well as at the beginning: So that if God did onelyonly give principles of grace, and not daily aſſiſt and inable; we might indeed be thankful unto him for what once he did for us, but we might thank our own power, and ſacrifice to our own will for what is done afterwards: But what haſt thou, ſaith the Scriture, that thou haſt not received? 1 Cor. 4. 7. Its a general aſſertion, Every good and perfect gift comes from the father of lights, James 1. and we cannot think a good thought, much leſs have any good affections or deſires, though already converted, of our ſelves, if grace were not always ready at hand: So that this truth ſhould put the ſoul into daily and conſtant thankfulneſs, becauſe it hath daily and conſtant ſupply from the throne of grace.
Fifthly, If ſo be that in natural things, where God hath given natural principles of actions, yet they cannot act, without daily concourſe of God, how much more 5.muſt this hold in ſupernaturals: Take the fire, that is a natural Agent, and ſo determined to one action; viz. To burn, yet if God doth ſuſpend his influence, his actual motion, as in the example of the three Worthies, then it cannot burn; and this is much more ſeen in natural creatures: In him we live, and move, and have our being, ſaith the Apoſtle; we do not onelyonly live by him, but we are not able to move or ſtir without him. Now if it be not enough for a man to have God give him life once, but he muſt daily inable him to move and ſtir, will not this follow much more in ſupernatural things? Cannot we ſtir the hand or the foot without him? and can we ſtir the heart or affections to God without him? So that as God, though he did reſt from the works of Creation, yet he doth not from them of Conſervation: But hitherto, ſaith Chriſt, I and my father work: So neither in the ſpiritural new creature doth God ceaſe from daily conſervation, and conſtant help in all its actions.
Sixthly, The Dominicans arguing againſt the Jeſuits in this point, reaſon thus, 6.Every thing that is potential, muſt be reduced into act, by ſome thing that is it ſelf in act: Now, ſay they, God he is Actus primus, & purus, he is the firſt and pure act. The principles and habits of grace are potential, and therefore they muſt be determinated and actuated by God, who is always in act: This Argument hath much ſtrength in it, but it is too metaphyſical: I come to a more popular one; And
Seventhly, God doth not onelyonly beſtow principles of grace, but alſo excites 7and quickens, as is plainly evidenced, In that two godly men, living under the ſame means of grace, yet one doth not profit, but groweth colder and colder; the other groweth and thriveth more and more: How comes this difference to be? but that one hath the grace of God aſſiſting and inabling of him, the other hath not; not that he who falls into ſin may blame God; for his ſlothfulneſs, negligence and careleſneſs, makes God to withdraw his helping hand in that need: So that although the cauſe of one mans fall, is his own ſin: Yet the cauſe of the other mans ſtanding, is Gods grace vouchſafed unto him, yea, the ſame godly man: as David, findes a great change in his own heart: ſometimes he is able to truſt in God, to overcome temptations; at other times he is caſt down, and hath no ſtrength within him; Whence is all this? but from the ebbings and flowings of exciting grace: And this is a clear experimental demonſtration of this truth, At ſometimes the leaſt temptation, the leaſt ſnare, is ready to make a godly man fall; at another time, though ſtrong winds and tempeſts blow upon him, yet he is able to ſtand like Mount Sion, that cannot be removed. Now this difference comes not from within a man, but from without, as this aſſiſting and exciting grace is ready, or afar off.
In the next place, let us conſider, how bleſſed and happy a thing it is, to have What a bleſſed ſtate it is to have both theſe graces. 1.not onelyonly the principles of grace, but the actings and cauſations of it: And
Firſt, Hereby the ſoul will be kept from negligence, dulneſs, and all abatements or falls in our love to God: All the while grace is thus cauſing thee to walk, cauſing thee to be always doing, no dulneſs or ſtupidity will enter upon thee; all the while a man is in exerciſe and motion, he doth not take cold; all the while the ſtreams run, they cannot grow muddy: Now a godly man is ſaid To have Rivers of living water flowing from his belly; he is not a fountain ſealed up, they are daily flowing, and then they cannot grow noiſom; the iron that lieth ſtill groweth ruſty, and is not fit for uſe: Now what a comfortable condition is this to the godly, to have thy heart never lie ſtill, but always hungring, thirſting, or moving after God and good things one way or other! As the heart it ſelf, you ſee, never lieth ſtill, but is always in motion; ſo grace in the heart, when ſtirred up by God, it is always working, putting on, drawing out the ſoul: What makes the godly ſo grieved, ſo dejected many times? its the decay, the fall they finde within themſelves, but this cauſing grace makes all things flouriſh.
Secondly, This cauſing grace, as it preſerveth from decays in the degree of grace, ſo much more from groſs and foul ſins: Oh David and Peter wanted this 2.help in the midſt of their temptations, and therefore they were ſo dangerouſly overcome: This is the onelyonly Preſervative and Antidote againſt ſin; not the principles of grace, but the actings of grace: This is called by the Apoſtle, Grace to help in time of need, Heb. 4. 16. foreign. Oh this is admirable, when grace comes in the very need thou wert in! thou wert even falling into ſuch a ſin, thou wert even drowning, and this comes and lifts up thy head.
Thirdly, This actuating grace will make a man in a prepared frame for every duty; and to reſiſt every kinde of temptation; And what can be more deſired then 3.this? Ask this of God, and you beg the whole Kingdom of grace: He that is prepared to do every duty, and to reſiſt every temptation, though he ſhould drink any deadly thing of ſin, though a Viper of luſt ſhould faſten on him, yet it would not hurt him: Thus the Scripture ſpeaks often of being prepared, and ready for every good work: When God commands Faith, Patience, Zeal, to ſay, My heart is prepared or fixed, I come to do thy will, O God: The heart of it ſelf is no ways fitted for any good action; and though the principles of grace be within, yet a man may be very indiſpoſed to what is holy: Now this cauſing grace is the file to take off the ruſt, its the whetting of the edge, its the ſtirring up or blowing of the coals into a flame; and the excellncy of this grace, is no leſs ſeen in the confirming and corroborating of the heart againſt temptations: We are taught to pray conſtantly, That God would not lead us into temptations. Temptations have diſcovered the rottenneſs, guile and falſhood of mens hearts: It was a temptation diſcovered the ſecond kinde of ground to have no root; who knoweth his heart in temptations? Peter in a temptation, differed much from himſelf when without it. Now there is nothing doth ſo fortifie and make the heart in flexible, as this grace, to help in time of need.
Fourthly, This actuating grace will make a man fruitful and profitable in his 4.place: This is the trading and merchandizing grace, this makes a man redeem the time, take the preſent ſeaſons of grace, obſerve all opportunities, that he may ſerve God in his generation; ſo that no good thing will be wanting to that man, who hath this daily influence; whereas men lie like lumps of earth, or ſtand like dead and dry trees in the garden of God, if this grace doth not always water them.
Fifthly, This cauſing, exciting grace, puts a man in a comfortable poſture; inſomuch, 5.that whenſoever our Lord and Maſter ſhall come, he will be pronounced faithful and bleſſed: Thus our Saviour, Bleſſed is he, whom his maſter when he cometh, ſhall finde ſo doing, Luke 12. 43. He muſt be doing, he muſt be in his maſters work: This will make a man have oyl enough; Oh therefore that the people of God would hunger and thirſt more after this working, living and quickning grace: How many opportunities doeſt thou neglect? how many priſes are put into thy hand, and thou like a fool doeſt neglect them? how often is thy heart ſluggiſh, dead, and very much indiſpoſed, if Chriſt ſhould come at this or that hour? All is from want of this grace, which puts thy heart in tune, but this would wind up thy ſoul, ſo that thou wouldſt be ready for the work of the Lord.
Uſe of Conviction, unto the greateſt part in our Congregations, that they are Uſe 1.ſuch who never felt the power of this Text upon their ſouls: Where God renews, there he cauſeth men to walk in his ſtatutes, he will overpower their hearts, he will ſubdue their contumacy, he will remove their unwillingneſs: But alas, wo, and again wo for thee! thou findeſt the Devil, that unclean Spirit ruling in thy heart, he cauſeth thee to walk in all the luſts of ſin, be moves thee to ſerve this corruption, and thou doeſt it; that ſin, and thou doeſt not refuſe it; what is more plain and evident, then that yet this mercy is not vouchſafed to thee? and yet how confident, how ſecure art thou? what, art thou not afraid of Gods word? doeſt thou not believe? doeſt thou think to mock God, and to finde his word falſe? Oh miſerable and wretched men! the more to be pitied, becauſe they pity not themſelves, neither conſider how near they are to eternal wo.
Uſe 2. Of Admonition to the children of God: you have the principles of Uſe 2.grace, know, that is not enough, but the ſweetneſs and comfort of theſe, lieth in the exerciſe of them. In all good things of this life, thou doeſt judge the uſe and improvement of them all in all; why not then in the principles of grace? Be always ready to ſay, My heart is prepared, O Lord, I can do and ſuffer thy will; eſpecially take heed of all thoſe ſins that may drive or chaſe away this exciting grace; take heed thou doeſt not provoke God to withdraw this aſſiſtance and ſtrength from thee, for that is eaſily done; and know, nothing doth ſooner bereave you of this aſſiſting grace, then neglect of the Ordinances, or the careleſs and ſluggiſh performance of them; for in and by the uſe of theſe, God doth diſcover his power: He bids us wait for this ſtrength, and expect it in theſe.