Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 7 · Sermon 50
SERMON L.
Of the Hearts being eſtabliſhed with Grace, and in what ſenſe it is ſo.
HEB. 13. 9.
For it is a good thing that the heart be eſtabliſhed with Grace, not with meats, that have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
IN the former part of this Epiſtle, Paul (for we take him to be the Author of it) doth like a kinde father crack the ſhell of thoſe Jewiſh Ceremonies, and give the kernell to believers; he opens the ſpiritual ſenſe and meaning of all thoſe typical prefigurations, making them ſhadowes onelyonly of Chriſt to come; ſo that as the bloſſome fals when the fruit cometh, thus they vaniſhed, when Chriſt aroſe: and becauſe they were onelyonly ſhadows, he thereupon argueth their inſufficiency for any ſpiritual effect, making Moſes in all his adminiſtrations, no more then the Prophets ſervant with his Maſters ſtaff, that could not raiſe the dead man. But in the later part of the Epiſtle, he enjoyneth many practical and plain Duties; as in this Chapter verſ. 7. he exhorteth them to follow the faith of their ſpiritual Governours and Teachers, which is to be ſuppoſed, as Paul in the like caſe, while they follow Chriſt. This duty he enforceth from a two-fold Argument.
1. The joyful and profitable end of their Paſtors converſation.
2. That Jeſus Chriſt is the ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever. Chriſt that helped his ſervants in former times, will ſtill help them. Chriſt is ſtill the ſame, though we be not thoſe worthies that went before us: an excellent point of comfort.
In the next place he dehorts from the contrary ſinne. Be not carried about with divers and ſtrange Doctrines; carried about, as light, empty chaff is with every winde; divers, that is, different Doctrines one with another, for all errours diſagree among themſelves, as well as with the truth; ſtrange Doctrines, becauſe brought in againſt the ſenſe and meaning of the Scripture: now to make this Dehortation prevalent, he declareth that grace in the heart is farre better then any learning in the head, by the Propoſition in the Text, it is good, the poſitive is for the comparative, it is better to eſtabliſh, or have the heart eſtabliſhed (the word is in the middle voice) by grace, that is, the inward works and gifts of Gods ſanctifying Spirit, then with meats, that is, diſpute and controverſies about the difference of meats: you know how that Queſtion troubled the Church of God in her infancy. Some indeed expound meats of the Legal Sacrifices, for the Jews thought themſelves made more holy by eating thereof. Inſomuch that ſome are brought in pleading this at the day of Judgement, Have we not eat in thy preſence? Others relate it to thoſe banquets, and dainty feaſtings, the Nicolaitans entertained their Diſciples with: but the firſt expoſition is to be preferred. By grace alſo ſome underſtand the Doctrine of faith; others the grace of the Goſpel, and the ſenſe of it in our hearts. But the phraſe, Eſtabliſh the heart with grace, doth carry it for ſome gift of God wrought in the ſoul, confirming and ſetling it in the truths and commandments of God, by ſaith and obedience, which we call ſanctifying grace; ſo that as I have handled the work of godlineſſe, under the notions of regeneration and a New Creature; ſo I ſhall out of this Text ſpeak of it, under that uſual and frequent name of grace, the work of grace in a mans heart; but there is one profitable and neceſſary Doctrine lieth in the way, before we enter into the bowels of that Point. That whereas the Apoſtle dehorting from following ſtrange and divers Doctrines, doth urge as a ſpecial help and remedy hereunto, to get grace in our hearts, whereas in probability we ſhould have thought, he would have preſcribed, to ſtudy controverſies, to ſpend our time in Diſputes, that ſo we may finde out the truth, he adviſeth not to ſuch a courſe, but to ſtudy the exerciſe of grace, and to have our hearts eſtabliſhed with practical godlineſſe, as if an heart bu…ed and diligent in the practical power of grace, were the beſt bulwark in the world againſt all falſe Doctrines. Obſerve then,
That its far better to have the heart filled with the power of grace, then the head with diſputes and controverſies in Religion.
Its better to have faith ſetling thy heart upon Chriſt, then to diſpute whether faith juſtifie. Its more comfortable to be a Saint, then to argue, Whether Saints only are members of a viſible Church.
For opening this, I ſhal firſt ſhew, What it is to have grace eſtabliſh the heart, and then give the grounds of the Point. Only you muſt know, that as grace is here ſaid to eſtabliſh the heart; ſo in other places this effect is attributed to God, 1 Pet. 5. 10. The Apoſtle there prayeth that God would ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle them: there God doth it, and here Grace; for its uſual in Scripture to attribute the ſame effect to the inſtrumental and principal cauſe; Grace doth only eſtabliſh the … of a man formally, as the inſtrument of Gods Spirit; and indeed grace in the heart being alſo a creature, though of a ſupernatural excellency, needeth it ſelf a daily ſtrengthning and preſervation from God. Hence the Apoſtle when he exhorteth us to put on the whole armour of Chriſt; when all this is done, he concludeth, Praying alwayes, Epheſ. 6. 18. A Chriſtian in all his ſpiritual ſtrength muſt pray as earneſtly, and depend as ſolely upon the power and might of God, as if he had no grace at all.In what ſenſe inherent grace eſtabliſheth the …eare.
This premiſed, let us conſider in what ſenſe inherent grace may be ſaid to ſtabliſh and ſettle the heart: And this it doth ſeveral waies:
1. By rooting us upon Chriſt, and building us upon him; by which means the 1. By Rooting us upon Chriſt.gates of hell cannot prevail againſt ſuch an one: Where grace is in the heart, there alſo Chriſt dwells, and grace is but the fruit, Chriſt is the root, Col. 2. 7. Grace is like the navel ſtring, eſpecially faith, whereby the ſoul is united to Chriſt, and fetcheth nouriſhment from him. Our Saviour maketh a difference of two builders in Chriſtianity, both raiſe up and edifie, have a profeſſion, an outward from of Religion, but one buildeth upon ſands, and another upon the rock. Now he buildeth on ſands, whoſoever taketh up the way of Religion upon any worldly, carnal or corrupt principle: If it be built upon education, cuſtom, formality, this is like a ſtone not faſtned to the corner ſtone, and ſo a ſudden tempeſt will hurl it down; therefore Epheſ. 3. when the Apoſtle had prayed, that they might be ſtrengthened in the inward man (the words ſpoken of in my Text) he addeth, Rooted and grounded in love, in the love of Chriſt; till therefore thou art homogeneous with Chriſt, as it were, and doſt love him becauſe of holineſs and godlineſs ſake, thy heart is looſe and uncertain: If the tree had no rooting in the earth, it would be as ſubject to fall as any leaf it beareth: If the ſhip be not anchored, its carried with every wind; ſo unleſs grace ſettle thee upon Chriſt, and thou cleave to him, there is no temptation but will hurry thee this way and that way: Even a reed that is apt to be ſhaken with every wind, if tyed to a rock, ſtands unmoveable; ſo thy heart naturally falſe, deceitful, inconſtant, and full of treachery to God, if faſtned to Chriſt, then as Chriſt is the ſame yeſterday, and to day, ſo art thou; As the times did not, nor have not changed Chriſt, ſo neither will they thee, when grounded on him; if therefore you ſee men leaner in the ways of godlineſs then before, not ſo much in the practical exerciſe of Grace, it's becauſe they run as ſheep among the brambles and bryers of diſputes, and loſe their wool, they do not keep cloſe by faith to the live Tree, which would convey ſweet fulneſs: Happy therefore is that Chriſtian, who daily goeth out like that woman to touch Chriſt, that ſo he may finde vertue come from him to heal him: If thou haſt bottomed thy ſelf upon any thing but Chriſt, thou art not a pillar in the temple of the Lord, which cannot be removed, as is promiſed to the godly Revel. 3. 12.
2. Grace eſtabliſheth the heart, by fixing it to one object, ſo that the main ſtream 2. By fixing the heart to one object.and current of his heart runneth that way: Its the great corruption in our natures, that we would ſerve two Maſters, God and the Creature: we are divided between theſe two, and ſometimes God and Religion hath our heart, and ſometimes the world and earthly comforts have our hearts: Now grace comes and fixeth the heart upon God; whereas before the ſcales were even, or rather that towards the world did weigh down, now grace weigheth heavieſt: This the Scripture calls halting between two, and the Apoſtle James foreign a double minded man, Jam. 1. or a man with two ſouls, he is even ſorry he hath not a ſoul for God, and a ſoul for the world alſo: But this is a notable effect of grace, to make the heart cleave to the Lord; as the Scripture often calls it, even as glew makes things to adhere to one another, ſo that they become one. A man of Diſputes and Notions meerly in Religion, is like a ſhip toſſed in the ſea, without Pilot or Anchor; whereas a man ballaſſed with Grace, and anchored on Chriſt, is not in danger of ſhipwrack: Oh then let not thy ſoul be like a Meteor, toſſed up and down, but like a fixed Star in its Orb; chuſe Chriſt for thy portion ſo as to leave the world, take up Davids diſpoſition, My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed: Hence the godly ſoul is ſaid to be married unto Chriſt, becauſe it leaveth all other objects, and chuſeth him onelyonly.
3. Grace doth eſtabliſh the heart, becauſe it removeth inconſtancy, and enableth the ſoul to perſevere: Its not ſo much grace, as perſeverance in grace that crowneth 3. By removing inconſtancy.a man. Adam, though he had all good things beſtowed on him, yet becauſe he did not perſevere, he loſt all his happineſs: Now this is a diſtinct work of grace, eſtabliſhing the ſoul, from the former, becauſe here the ſoul doth for a while cleave to God, but then loſeth its hold again: The Iſraelites are a pertual inſtance herein, who humbled themſelves, and turned unto the Lord, but their hearts were not ſtedfaſt within them, and their righteouſneſs was like a morning dew, which made Moſes ſay, upon their good promiſes they made, O that there were ſuch an heart within them; thus alſo the temporary Believer in the parable, who received with joy the word of God, and believed for a while, Matth. 13. preſently revolted: The reaſon why men have a flux and a reflux of their faith and repentance, is becauſe (as they ſay of the motions of the ſea) they follow the moon that is ſubject to change; they are carried out to good things, not from an induring principle, nor hath grace taken deep root in their ſouls; Therefore Modo aiunt, modo negant; ſometimes they affirm, and ſometimes they deny. This inconſtancy, is a fruit of the former uncertainty, and want of fixation upon God; as the Apoſtle Jame's ſheweth, A double minded man is inconſtant in all his ways; therefore compared to the waves of the ſea, that ſometimes are mounted up to heaven, and then preſently vaniſh down again towards the earth. Stedfaſtneſs and conſtant evenneſs in the ways of God, breeds much joy, and is many times accompanied with comfortable aſſurance; whereas an heart ſometimes up, and then down, in the ways of grace and duty, is alſo inconſtant in his comforts, ſo that hereby he doubts of himſelf, and knoweth not what will become of him. If thy righteouſneſs be but a morning dew, ſo is alſo thy conſolation, it will quickly vaniſh: Oh then how comfortable is it for grace ſo to ſettle thy heart, that thou art not ſubject to ſuch changes and variations as others are!
4. Grace doth in this reſpect eſtabliſh the heart, becauſe it makes the heart ſincere 4. By making the heart ſincere and upright.and upright, in all its endeavors and addreſſes to God. The hypocrite who is moved to duties from falſe and carnal grounds, he is up and down, and turneth as the wind of his own intereſt driveth him. Thoſe that make gain godlineſs, they muſt winde and turn as gain moveth them. Judas not having a ſincere heart, betrayeth Chriſt and his ſoul, for worldly advantages: Oh then how much better were it, while thou art thinking of this, and diſputing of that, to labor for integrity, uprightneſs, to ſee thy ſoul be carried out to godlineſs for godlineſs ſake. Hypocriſie will make thee a Camelion, turn into the likeneſs of every object thou comeſt nigh: And as Ariſtotle ſaith, It is fear that makes it ſubject to ſuch changes; ſo in an hypocrite fear of the loſs of ſome worldly comforts and contents, makes him become any thing to every body; ſo that this is the beſt ſtudy and conference, this is the beſt queſtion, how I may get an unfained heart, an heart without guil or falſe and ſelf-ſeeking ends. If thou hadſt the tongue and parts of men and Angels, it would not afford thee ſo much comfort as a plain, ſimple and ſingle heart towards God; to be able when thou dyeſt to ſay with Hezekiah, Remember how I have walked before thee in a true and faithful heart, 2 King. 20. 3. is of more conſequence then thoſe who ſaid, Remember we have propheſied in thy name, and wrought miracles in thy name: It is good then, when the Profeſſors of the Goſpel meet together, and conſider, How may we be true Iſraelites in whom there is no guil? we have much a do with our hearts, they are ſo apt to deceive, to ſupplant, to make falſe Syllogiſms, as the Apoſtle ſaith, that we can never be wary enough: A clear conſcience full of ſincerity, is dulcis nutricula ſenectutis; a ſweet nurſe in old age, like yong Abiſhag put into old David to keep health and life in him.
5. Grace doth eſtabliſh the heart, in that it uniteth all the powers and faculties together 5. In uniting all the powers and faculties.in the ſervice of God: That as it makes the heart chuſe one object onelyonly, ſo it conjoyneth all the ſtrength of the ſoul one way, to cleave to it: Thus love is with all the heart, all the ſoul, all the minde, and all the ſtrength, and David prayeth earneſtly for this, Unite my heart to fear thy name, Pſal. 86. 11. All diſtractions and diviſions, weaken not onelyonly in a Kingdom, and in the Church, but in a mans duties and approaches to God; therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, I would have you ſerve the Lord without diſtruction; ſee how divinely the Apoſtle preſſeth that point, 1 Cor. 7. …. I would have you … be without dividing cares: The heart muſt not be like the Levites wiſe, cut in many pieces; and verſ. 35. That you may attend upon the Lord without diſtruction, foreign an excellent word, it ſignifieth leaving all things, and ſeeting our ſelves onelyonly to this buſineſs, and foreign not to be diſtracted and violently taken off from it. The Heathens cuſtom was to ſay, Hoc age, in their ſacrifices; and it is a proverbial ſpeech, Liberet me deus ab homine … tantum negotii, deliver me … that hath but one buſineſs in hand, for he is likely to be a deſperate enemy: Herein then is the admirable power of grace ſeen, that the heart is … and united, all his Love, all his Faith, all his joy runs the … he followeth his worldly imployments, but with … them comparatively, as if he did them not. This is the Work … this God hath called them to.
6. Grace doth therefore eſtablish and … the heart, … 6. …forward on…, and to get up into an higher pitch of … …uch remedy againſt unſtedfaſtneſs, as to … in grave. … when he bids believers take …eed of falling from their … them to this as a ſpecial Antidote, But grow in grace, and … Chriſt, 2 Pet. 3. 18. Its a neceſſary thing in Chriſtianity, … with low principles, but to … our ſelves the … degrees of grace: Thus Paul … all behinde, and did … ſtretch out himſelf to reach and lay hold upon … ….Grace is ſo exact, hath ſo great a latitude, that there … thyſelf therein all thy life time, and yet at … paratively, to the Giant thou ſhouldſt be; why then art art thou … and negligens? Haſt thou all the faith thou canſt have? All the heavenly minedneſs thou mayeſt have? Canſt thou go no further in godlineſs? look upon David and Paul in their courſe of godlineſs, and thou wilt cry out, Oh draw me, I am but the ſhadow of a godly man: There is ſo much perfection in the way of holineſs, that I tremble at my imperfections.
7. Grace doth eſtabliſh and ſettle the heart, by the joy and heavenly … which many times flow from it: That as bread is called the ſtaff of a man, it nouriſheth 7. By Joy and Conſolation.and maintaineth him in ſtrength, and wine makes glad the heart of men, all which produce much natural ſtrength; ſo grace accompanied with the ſence of Gods love in the Goſpel, and joy therein, doth very much confirm a man. Hence the joy of the Lord is ſaid to be the godlies ſtrength, … 8 10 and where grief and a wounded ſpirit is, there are weak hands and …'s a piece of timber while moiſt and full of ſap, is not able to bear up …; thus a godly man devoid of comfort and ſpiritual joy, is like fru…t … many worms, every blow will make it fall to the ground; but … with the comforts attending it, do revive and keep up the ſpirits of men, … that grace put ſtrength into the Martyrs, and inabled them to conflict with all miſeries; and it may juſtly be thought, that the want of the experience of this ſolid and unſpeakable joy in the Holy Ghoſt, makes men ſeek out for comfort in other things, for all life is for ſome pleaſure and joy, and if it hath it not one way, it will try another way: Now thou taketh ſo much delight in Diſputing, in Queſtions, in Controverſies, becauſe, it may be, thou haſt not the ſolid experience of the beſt joy, which is, in the ſpiritual exerciſe of godlineſs: So alſo another he takes no delight but in the encreaſe of wealth and temporal greatneſs, becauſe he cannot ſay with David, Lord, thou haſt put more comfort in my heart, then they had when their wine and oyl encreaſeth, Pſal. 4. Oh then when a Chriſtian can ſay to every temptation, that would draw him off from minding the ſavoury things of godlineſs, Why do ye tempt me to my loſs? I cannot be better. No exerciſe can equalize this, then is he excellently ſettled in Godlineſs.
8. Grace doth eſtabliſh and confirm the heart, by preparing and fitting it for every 8. By preparing it for every good work.good work: For the ſame Hebrew word ſignifieth both to prepare and eſtabliſh or faſten. Hence the Characteriſtical difference between the good Kings indeed, and thoſe that appeared ſo, and were hopeful onelyonly, lay in this, that the one prepared or ſetled his heart to ſeek the Lord, and not the other. The Apoſtle Heb. 13. 21. prayeth, That God would make them perfect to every good work; the Greek word ſignifieth, to ſet their joynts together, as it were. That as in a man whoſe arms or legs have their bones diſplaced or broken, there is no ſtrength for their proper office, till healed and joynted again: Thus a man deſtitute of the help of grace, is wholly luxated, all his bones are disjoynted, and grace that repaireth him and confirmeth him, by fitting every part and faculty of the ſoul, for its proper operation. How much better then were it, in ſtead of whetting thy wits, and preparing thy ſelf to argue and diſpute, thou wer… furbiſhing thy heart, and making it ready to every gracious performance.
9. Grace doth confirm and ſettle the ſoul, in that it is both defenſive and offenſive. 9. By being defenſive and offenſive.Defenſive, againſt all that outward ſtrength which combineth againſt grace in the heart: The Apoſtle ſaith, We wreſtle not with fleſh and blood, but with principalities and powers in high places, Epheſ. 6. 12. implying, that the greateſt ſtrength in hell and earth is imployed againſt the godly; now grace onelyonly conquers this. Reſiſt, ſtedſast in the faith, ſaith the Apoſtle; and Epheſ. 6. you may ſee how particular graces, are compared to particular defenſive weapons, ſome to an Helmet, ſome to a Breaſt-plate: That as ſin is ſaid to make a man naked in the Scripture, Exod. 32. 15, it expoſeth him to all judgements, and he hath not ſo much as one goard to keep him from the ſcorching heat of the Sun. So there is a foreign, an univerſal Armour to cover all the parts of a man by grace; therefore our graces are called The weapons of Light, Rom. 13. 12. and take we head, leſt as Saul in his ſleep had his weapons of war taken from him, ſo thou by careleſſneſs and negligence doeſt not dull and blunt the edge of thy graces. As they are defenſive, ſo they are Offenſive alſo: Hence the Scripture commands us to kill, to mortifie and crucifie ſin, which is done by grace within us. The people of God are in a continual combate and conflict, an humble heart with a proud, and a dull heart with a willing quickned heart: Here is fire and water together, Twins ſtrugling in his womb, 1 John 1. 4. Whatſoever is born of God, overcometh the world; Grace therefore being the ſeed of God in the heart, doth at laſt conquer all adverſe power of ſin and Satan; ſo that Sampſons ſtrength in ſubduing enemies is not ſo wonderful, as the gracious ſtrength of a godly man, in conflicting with luſts. Hebr. 11. The people of God are ſaid of weak to become ſtrong; and indeed if you conſider the inward temptations from Satan, and the outward perſecutions in the world, you would think that they were made of braſs and iron, that they can endure ſo much: O the ſpiritual fortitude and courage of the Martyrs, tranſceuding all the humane valour and gallantry of the Romans, that it ſhould not be any longer ſaid, Agere & pati fortia Romanum est, but Chriſtianum.
Laſtly, As all grace doth ſtrengthen and confirm the ſoul, ſo eſpecially faith, that 10. By faith.is moſt admirable to this purpoſe; therefore faith is called the ſubſtance or ſubſiſtence of things, Heb. 11. and its called reſting and rolling thy ſelf upon ſome prop and ſtay, when otherwiſe we would fall to the ground: Thus of Abraham it is ſaid, foreign he waxed ſtrong and mighty in faith, and this made him not to conſider difficulties, but Gods promiſe; he conſidered not his dead body, and Sarahs dead womb, as foreign, he did not dwell in his conſiderations upon it, otherwiſe he thought of it in his minde, as appeareth Gen. 17. 17. ſee the word, Heb. 3. 1. Take it in thoſe two acts of aſſenting to the truth, and applying Chriſt, or relying on him, how doth it ſtay and ſupport the ſoul! Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whoſe minde is ſtayed on thee, Iſa. 26. 3. therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Above all take the ſhield of faith; above all graces, nouriſh and quicken faith. The Scripture ſaith, unbelief, diffidence and diſtruſt, doth make a man foreign, to be carried up and down like a Meteor, to foreign to be like a man, where two ways are and knoweth not what to do, Math. 14. 31. and foreign Rom. 4. 20. Now to both theſe, faith is preſcribed as the onelyonly remedy that ſtrengthens the ſoul; give me a man with ſound faith in the Doctrine of Chriſt, and a ſtrong faith in the promiſes, and this man will ſtand like a rock in the ſea, when all errors and ſins will be daſhed in pieces.
Uſe 1. Is grace the onelyonly ſetler of the heart? then marvel not if men without grace, be carried up and down as ſo much thiſtle-down and chaff when the wind bloweth, that they change according to all occaſions, ſelf-intereſt, particular profits, that they have as many colours as the Peacocks tails. Alas, here is no foundation laid, he is a man without a bottom, he is a cloud without water, he is a Land-flood without a fountain; he is a Ciſtern, onelyonly having what is outwardly put into him, there do not rivers of living water flow from his belly; onelyonly rooted grace, onelyonly eſtabliſhing grace will avail a man: This is the oyl: profeſſion, parts and outward duties are but the Lamps. Take the ſweeteſt flowers from the root, it dyeth preſently; pull off the fruitfulleſt branch from the ſtock, it withers preſently; and all thy glorious parts and abilities without this foundation of Grace will quickly dye.
Uſe 2. To humble the beſt of Gods children, for how much weakneſs, diffidence, inconſtancy, hypocriſie and puſillanimity is in them? Oh if thy heart were always eſtabliſhed and confirmed by grace, then what were able to hurt thee; to diſcourage a Chriſtian in the power of his grace, is like Noah in his A…k, a Beaſt in his Den, a Dove in the Rock, ſure and ſafe enough: Oh thou therefore who art ſo ſubject to convulſion fits in Chriſtianity, ſubject to ſwoons and qualms; think not that riches, honors, greatneſs, can be a ſtaff ſure enough to lie on, it muſt be onelyonly Chriſt received and dwelling in our hearts by grace; all ſin in thee is thy weakneſs, thy imbecillity; thou ſhouldſt be aſhamed thou haſt ſhewed thy ſelf no more like one that is born of God. The Romans had a Temple dedicated to Fortitude, they made that a Goddeſs, ſo that the Heathen Hiſtorian obſerved, that was deſtroyed before Rome was taken (that is his ſuperſtitious Idolatry) but we Chriſtians have ſtrength in God; Be ſtrong in the power of his might, which is ſtronger then all.