Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 7 · Sermon 53
SERMON LIII.
Characters and Properties of a Gracious Man.
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.
THere is a choice and noble work of God called Grace, as you have heard: The next thing to be inſiſted upon, is, What are the Characters and Properties of a man who hath grace. For as all cauſes doe manifeſt themſelves by ſome effects, ſo grace in the hearts and lives of men will diſcover it ſelf quickly by its operations. Think it not therefore too much, if we come twice or thrice in words of inſtruction, and exhortation, about this ſubject of grace: for as its not one ſhowr of Rain that is enough to ſatisfie the parched earth after a great drought, but there muſt be continuall droppings; ſo neither is one Sermon ſufficient to inform and reform you in this matter, but there muſt be a frequent and vigorous application of this truth to your hearts.
The firſt Character of grace in a man, is, To elevate and lift up his heart, ſo that The Character of grace in a man. 1.in all his Actions, Religious, Civill or Naturall, he relates to God as his chief and ultimate end. For grace being of a ſuperior, and more exalted nature than humane ſtrength and abilities, it doth thereby lift up a man to an higher end than otherwiſe he would aime at. Whatſoever ye doe, whether eat or drink ſaith the Apoſtle, doe all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10. 31. As the ſuperior Orb carryeth all the inferior Orbs away in its own motion, contrary to their particular inclinations; ſo grace infuſed into the heart overcometh all thoſe ſinful and ſelfiſh inclinations which are in us, and makes us more through God, to God. Grace in a man is like fire, which being of an active nature, doth change and aſſimilate every thing, turning it into fire, or very like it: Therefore even hard and cold Iron put into the fire looks like fire, and ſeemeth to be made fire: Thus godlineſſe in the heart of a man, torneth every thing towards God; Whereas before his Converſion God was not in his thoughts, his intentions, his deſires and affections, but he lived wholly of himſelf, and to himſelf: Now his eyes, his aimes, his reſolutions are fixed principally upon God and his glory. Thus Paul teſtifieth about the work of his Miniſtery, the diſcharge whereof might be ſubject to many corrupt and carnall intentions, that he performed it in godly ſimplicity, as of God, and to God, 2 Cor. 2. 17. Hence are thoſe expreſſions, to acquaint our ſelves with God, in all our ways to aknowledge him: and a godly life is deſcribed to be a walking with God; ſo that as the herb Heliotropium doth turn about and open it ſelf according to the motion of the Sun; thus where Gods commands are, Gods will is manifeſted, or his glory intereſted, there a godly man doth apply himſelf. Oh what a precious temper is this in all religious actions, not to be carryed by vain-glory, and applauſe of men, but to eye God ſolely! Well did the Father call vain-glory, The ſweet ſpoiler of ſpiritual excellencies, and a pleaſant thief, for ſo indeed it is. The Phariſees were not godly, though in prayers and almes often, becauſe theſe things were not done to God, but for humane applauſe: This is the Pirate, that many times robbeth us of our rich Merchandiſe, our ſpirituall traffique with God: Inſomuch that a man may be ſerving himſelf and his corrupt ends, when to the world he ſeemeth to be ſerving of God. As in religious actions, ſo even in humane and civill actions, the glory of God is the aime propounded; what the Apoſtle would have ſervants doe, not to eye their Maſter, but to doe it as unto Chriſt; the ſame is required of us in all our civill imployments: Art thou a Magiſtrate? Are thy imployments in civill conſiderations? conſider not men, regard not merit; but as he which ſhoots that he may hit the mark, takes a little time to unite his force, and fix his aime; ſo doe thou gather thy affections together, and ſet thy ſelf on purpoſe to remember, that this is for God, and to God. Thou deſireſt to look further than humane Arguments would ſuggeſt; this one Scripture diſcovers few men have grace: for take them in religious Duties, there Cuſtome, Education, or Pride, are the principles that ſet them on work, or in their civill imployments, and then ſelf-advantage, earthly greatneſſe, temporall preferments are the Fountain to theſe ſtreams; But a gracious man is filled with a divine Spirit, over-looking thoſe inferiour reſpects, his end being ſpirituall, and ſo raiſed above all earthly temptations; this being the proper work of grace, to put a man into ſuch a diſpoſition, as that he may have communion with, and enjoyment of God; for as a Beaſt is no wayes fit for any commerce with a man, till he be made a man; ſo a man while without grace, hath no diſpoſition, or qualification in him whereby he may draw nigh to God.
Secondly, A gracious man hath an high eſteem and prize of the things of 2.grace. The Goſpel is the Goſpel of grace, Acts 20. 24. The Word is the Word of grace, Acts 14. 3. God is the God of grace, 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Ordinances are means of Grace, Rom. 3. 24. Juſtification and Salvation are the effects of Grace, Epheſ. 2. 5. Now a man of grace doth mightily deſire theſe things of grace; and it is an evident argument of one without grace, when he hath no dear eſteem, no precious delight in theſe ſpiritual things. When David makes ſo many ſweet raviſhing expreſſions about God being his Portion, his inheritance, all in heaven and earth to him; when he doth ſo admire the Ordinances, and the worſhip of God. What are theſe but the honey of a ſweet Bee, the manifeſtations of a gracious ſpirit? So thoſe divine ſtrains of Paul, Epheſ. 1. & alibi, admiring the grace of God in ſpirituall mercies, do tell all, what a gracious heart Paul hath within, that can adore ſuch priviledges. Whereas now come to an unregenerate man, he can no more eſteem theſe things than the Swine doth Pearl, or ſweet Flowers. The man in the Parable when he had found this Pearl, he ſold all he had to be owner of it: And thus it is with a godly man, when once he hath taſted of the power of grace, he loves his luſts no more, his ſins no more: As when a man hath taſted Honey, all other things ſeem unſavoury; thus after he is godly, all his former wicked and worldly wayes ſeem like Garlick and Onions to this heavenly Manna; how devoid then of all grace doe men generally demonſtrate themſelves? where is their high eſteem of God and Ordinances, of all ſpirituall priviledges? Alas, Preach of theſe things, and they ſay, Who will ſhew us ſome other good thing? Thus to the diſtemperate palate of a ſinfull man, the ſweeteſt objects give no reliſh at all.
Thirdly, Its a ſure Character of grace to make a man hunger and thirſt ſtill after more degrees of grace. Therefore the godly man is deſcribed by ſeeking, Rom. 3.2. 3. by deſiring, Neh. 1. 11. by hungring and thirſting, Matth. 5. 6. becauſe his ſoul is never ſatisfied in the way of grace, but he hath an holy dropſie on him, the more he drinks of this water the more he thirſteth after it: Objects that are pleaſing to ſenſe, they glut the Faculty at laſt; ſo that an honey-comb is ſometimes loathed; but ſpiritual objects are ſo farre from burthening the heart, and cauſing a diſdain, that the more they are enjoyed, the more they are deſired, and longed after. Every Chriſtian is compared to a Merchant, whoſe ſcope is to increaſe and advance his eſtate; to a Travailer, who conſiders not ſo much how many miles he hath gone, as how much of his journey is ſtill behind. Thus Paul he forgets that which is behinde, Phil. 3. and preſſeth forward to the mark before him; ſo that it is an evident ſign of a man in grace, when he goeth on to perfection, and thinketh not, I will live as the moſt doe, I will not be ſingular, or goe further than the multitude doth: Its a ſign thou haſt not taſted how good grace and holineſſe is, and therefore thou deſireſt not more of it; and certainly, if grace to ſuch a degree be ſo good and comfortable, how much more is it to an higher degree! As the dog is ſluggiſh until he hath got the ſent of his game, and then he purſueth it violently; ſo it is here: A man that hath not apprehended the powerfull excellency, and ſweetneſſe of grace, he is very remiſſe and negligent in all endeavours after it; but he that hath once felt this fire in his boſome, deſireth to make it ſeven times hotter. Oh then, if a drop of this grace bee ſo precious, what is an Ocean of it?
Fourthly, Grace doth especially, and in the firſt place cleanſe away the filthineſs of the Spirit, and Heart pollution. Thus the Apoſtle putteth theſe two together, 4.Perfecting holineſſe, and cleanſing our ſelves from all filthineſſe of the ſpirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1. For grace (you heard) was the immediate contrary and oppoſite to ſinne, ſeeing therefore the main ſtrength of ſinne lyeth in the heart, and a man is not according to his actions, but his heart; ſo the chief power of grace is in the heart; So that as the Apoſtle ſaith, Sing with grace in your heart: Thus pray and hear with grace in your hearts. The Phariſees that were ſo admirable for externall Religion, or Superſtition, rather wholly neglected the work of grace in their hearts; and therefore contrary to nature, when their Streams ſeemed clear, the Fountain was all muddy. When the fruit looked like ſweet fruit, the root was altogether bitter. The heart of a man is the Fountain, from whence iſſueth either …e, or death; Its the ſouls Privy-Chamber, and the proper Throne for Chriſt to ſit upon. How uncomely were it in an houſe, to have all the out-rooms and entrance ly… garniſhed, and ready ſwept, but the inmoſt places altogether foul and ruinous: no leſſe folly is it, to look to thy externall converſation, that it be clean and unblameable before men, but the inward frame of thy heart to be like a noiſome Sepulcher. He therefore that is gracious is afraid of ſinne in his heart; If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, Pſal. 66. 18. Though all the world cannot judge him for outward impieties, yet becauſe God ſeeth the unbelief, pride and unſave urineſſe of his heart, this doth exceedingly afflict him. But oh what ſtrangers are men to their own hearts! who take the Pſalmiſts Counſell, to commune with their hearts, and be ſtill? who embraceth that duty ſo often commanded, To ſearch and try the heart? Never call that grace in thy life, which is not firſt rooted in thy heart. Oh ſay then, O Lord, all the work lyeth within, help againſt inward luſts, againſt inward diſtempers.
Fifthly, Grace doth there eſpecially inable a man to doe thoſe duties, where fleſh and bloud would ſooneſt contradict. When we are commanded to deny our ſelves, and 5.take up the Croſſe to follow him, when commanded to cut off our right hand, and to pull out our right eye; theſe things are paradoxall to fleſh and bloud; they cry out, Theſe are hard ſpeeches, who can bear them? But grace, that is ſeen eſpecially in curing and healing ſuch weakneſſes; for where Nature is ſtopt, and can go no further, there grace doth properly diſcover it ſelf; Where nature ſuggeſts this to be done as ſafe and good: Grace adviſeth, But this is a ſinne, this is againſt Gods glory. When Joſeph was in that inticing temptation, had he attended to the allurements of the fleſh, he had been over-whelmed: but grace ſuggeſting the fear of God, and his preſence, and how great a ſinne it would be againſt him, that preſerved him as admirably as the three Worthies in the fiery Furnace, who were not ſo much as ſcorched. We may ſee an excellent inſtance of nature and grace in Abrahams obedience, and his faith; his obedience, when God commanded him to take his onelyonly Son Iſaac, and offer him a Sacrifice: Every word was enough to make Nature reſiſt and gain-ſay; His Son, onelyonly Son, Iſaac, whom thou loveſt, to offer a Sacrifice. Oh what violence is here to nature! but ſee how potent grace is, which no doubt checked all the reaſonings of nature, as Job did his wife for ſpeaking fooliſhly. Again, in matter of faith in the promiſe of God, there its ſaid, He conſidered not the deadwomb of Sarah, Rom. 4. nor his own body, as good as dead, but reſted on the Promiſe, and therefore had hope againſt hope, hope in the Promiſe, againſt hope in Nature. Thus when as nature hath its fear, grace hath its fear above that; where nature hath its hope, grace hath hope above it: and how prevalent grace is above nature, is apparent in that neceſſary qualification in every Diſciple; He that loveth not Father or Mother more than me, cannot be my Diſciple; and thereupon when one deſired to bury his Father, before he followed Chriſt; which ſeemed to be a requeſt of Civility, and naturall affection; ſhould he ſuffer his Father to ſtink, and rot above ground? is it not againſt nature to leave him unburied? yet our Saviour rejecteth him with this, Let the dead bury the dead, Matth. 8. 22. So then where grace is in a man, there it conquers naturall inclinations, affections and deſires; inſomuch that he puts off a man, when he puts on a Chriſtian. Oh then doe not think, that when once made gracious, ſuch humane naturall Obligations will be ſuch ſnares to thee, as they have been: It will not be graces excuſe to ſay, I have bought a Farm, or married a wife, and ſo cannot come; but therefore the rather come.
Sixtly, Where grace is, there it doth not despiſe little ſinnes, but is afraid to commit them. 6.Its farre from ſaying, as he of Zoar, Is it not a little one? He dares not ſwear petty Oathes, nor uſe idle words; for to grace no ſinne is little, becauſe its againſt that great God of heaven, who hath ſeverely puniſhed even little ſinnes. Adams firſt ſinne, which hath involved all the world in ſo much miſery, and made the firſt ſpark to kindle hell, was but little for the matter of it. Moſes his ſinne, for which God kept him out of Canaan, ſeemed very little comparatively: and Elies ſinne, was onelyonly in the defect of grace, he did his duty, but not with ſuch Zeal as he ſhould have done; yet for this Gods judgements were ſo great upon him, and his Family, that it made the eares of thoſe tingle who heard it. And as for Saul, he committed many grievous ſinnes, but that for which God took occaſion to deprive him of his Kingdome, and to caſt him off, was but the not ſtaying long enough till Samuel came; and therefore ſetting upon the Sacrifice to ſatisfie the people who were impatient. Therefore where grace is, there cannot but be preciſeneſſe, exactneſſe, they cannot ſwallow a Gnat, much leſſe a Camell: It makes the heart tender, …like the eye, which the leaſt crum of duſt doth greatly offend: As for that Phariſaical hypocriſie, to make conſcience about leſſe things, and to neglect great, grace doth alſo abhor; for if a little ſinne not regarded, or ſlighted by worldly men, be ſo grievous to it, how much rather that which is of a more bloudy nature? and if ſinne cannot compell him to goe on a mile, how ſhall it doe two or three? Therefore both ſinne and nature are rectified by grace.
Seventhly, A gracious man is full of humility, lowlineſſe of minde, and thankfulneſſe. Where there is gratia, there is gratitudo; hence you heard the ſame word ſignifieth 7.both, God reſiſteth the proud, but he giveth grace to the humble, James 4. 6. ſo that lowlineſſe of ſpirit is both an evidence of grace, and a means to preſerve and encreaſe grace. The very name grace puts them in mind of their unworthineſs, that they did nothing to cauſe God to doe it for them rather than others; inſomuch as no Doctrines are more contrary to the work of grace in a mans heart, than thoſe of Pelagians and Arminians, who make the efficacy of grace ſuſpended upon the co-operation of our will. Oh! how can they diſpute againſt, or write againſt that grace of God which they have ſound ſo omnipotent upon themſelves, making them of unwilling willing, and of enemies friends to him? If therefore thou art a man of pride, ſcorn and vain-glory, know theſe are ſurer demonſtrations of the Devill reigning in thee, than Chriſt by grace. Obſerve Paul, a man induced with much grace, and who ſo magnifying grace as he? All the ſtreams of his ſanctifying grace run back again, and empty themſelves into juſtifying grace, the Ocean and Fountain whence they flow.
Eightly, Grace, where it is, makes a man diligent, fervent and conſcientious in all the 8.means of grace. God knoweth that grace in our hearts is like ſmoaking flax quickly put out; he therefore hath appointed ſeverall Ordinances to quicken and inflame us thereunto, ſuch as prayer, hearing of the Word, and Sabbaths: now a gracious heart makes much of theſe, they are food and nouriſhment of the ſoul; how doth David long for them? Therefore men that live without the publick Ordinances, or private and family duties, what argument can they have to conclude for grace in their hearts? for if that were in them and abounded, oh the zeal in all holy duties that would diſcover it ſelf, knowing that the heart would grow cold, if theſe coales of … were not powred on it. Thoſe Plants would not grow, if there were not continuall watering.
In the next place, conſider the excellent, and precious advantages or properties of grace. As,The precious advantages or properties of grace. 1.
Firſt, It is the onelyonly true nobility and perfection of the ſoul. If the Poet ſaid of Morall virtue, that it was ſola & unica nobilitas animi, the ſole nobility of the mind: how much more muſt grace be? for this is indoles divina non humana. We are by it born of God, and ſo reſemble not man but God. The Bereans for ſearching into matters of Religion are ſaid to be more noble than others: for as ſinne makes a man baſe, unworthy, and therefore like unto the bruit beaſts, ſo grace innobles a man, exalteth him, and makes him like an Angel, yea like God. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour, ſaith Solomon, Pro. 12. 26. wherfore the godly are compared to veſſels of honor in the houſe, & the wicked to veſſels of diſhonor, 2 Tim. 2. 20. Oh then why do men eſteem themſelves according to their birth, greatneſſe, worldly advantages: Alas, its grace that is the glory of a man: wickedneſſe in great men, honoured men, rich men, is but a noiſome dunghill covered with Scarlet.
Secondly, Grace onelyonly hath the promiſes of this life, and the life to come made to it. So ſaith the the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 4. 8. Heaven and Salvation is promiſed not to 2.men of parts, morality; but to men of grace. Look over any promiſe in the Scripture for pardon of ſinne, for joy and happineſſe, this is given onelyonly to thoſe that have grace in them. Now to be a man without a promiſe, is to be like one in the old world, without an Ark, when the Deluge did over-flow: Let thy ſinnes lye like ſo many mountains upon thee, thou haſt no incouragement to call God Father, till this grace hath made thee a child to him. Why is it, that men doe not conſider this now? Who can tell thee all the woe and miſery that belongs to thee, while God ſets a fiery ſword to keep thee from every promiſe, as once he did Adam from the Tree of life? and for the things of this life, they are promiſed onelyonly to grace by way of mercy. Wicked men they have temporall, worldly mercies, but it is by Gods Providence, not by his promiſe; and therefore they are not mercies to them, but inſtruments to draw out and exerciſe their impieties the more: wicked men, if they have health and ſtrength, they are more imboldened in their wickedneſſe; if they have riches and large revenues, their luſts are thereby more active; ſo that to the gracious man onelyonly they become a mercy; ſo what can more induce thee to get grace than this, To conſider that hereby every thing will be a mercy to thee, all comforts, all afflictions, all relations; this grace turneth all waters into wine, this is the true Philoſophers ſtone, that makes every thing gold; ſo that we are to call things good or bad according to their operations in a way of grace, or ſinne. If the great things of this world make thee more vain, ſinfull, diſſolute, then they are bad things; if the ſad and miſerable things of this world make thee full of faith, heavenly-mindedneſſe and zeal, then they are good things; if thou art gracious, God will with-hold no good thing from thee; All things are thine, whether life, or death, things preſent, or things to come.
Thirdly, Grace will inable a man to all conditions, to goe through variety and changes 3.of all temptations; for they being gold can indure the ſire, when the droſſe melteth, they being corn bear the winnowing, when the chaff bloweth away. Thus Paul knoweth how to abound, and how to want, Phil. 4. 12. Grace makes a man of that ſtrong conſtitution, that he can endure extream colds, and extream heats, as you ſee in David and others.
Laſtly, Grace is the great comfort to a man in time of diſtreſſe, dangers, and feare 4.of death. Not that a man may put truſt in it, ſo he is to worſhip God onelyonly, but as a teſtimony of his intereſt in Gods grace and favour: Thus Paul at his death is comforted from his grace, That he had fought a good fight: So Hezekiah when in thoſe publick ſtraits, and private ſentence of death upon him, what beareth him up, but that he had lived a gracious life? and thus did Nehemiah alſo. Oh beloved, think not to be always merry, jocund; know, one time or other diſtreſſes will ſeize you, howſoever you cannot eſcape the pangs of death: what then will wealth, friends, carnall pomp and greatneſſe avail thee? Oh the teſtimony of thy heart upon good ground, that thou haſt lived graciouſly, been afraid of ſinne, walked according to the Rule, will be more joy to thee then all the world; whereas on the other ſide, at the time of death, to have thy heart tell thee, Thou haſt lived a Swearer, Drunkard, prophane Perſon, negligent of all good things, and now art falling into hell, and the hands of the Devill whom thou haſt ſerved, and whoſe work thou haſt done all thy life time: What horror and terror muſt this fill thee with?
Uſe. Is grace thus excellent? Then oh, that you might be transformed into the likeneſſe of it! What will other things availe thee without this, if God hath given thee health, but no grace, riches, but no grace? Be no longer like Swine, to refuſe the Pearl for mire and filth: Have ſuch thoughts and eſteem of Grace, as if thou wert a dying, and preſently to give up the ghoſt. If it be worth the having then, its worth the enjoying now. And woe, again woe to thee, who haſt mocked at grace as the greateſt folly, and counted the gracious man a mad man, becauſe he would not run into the like exceſſe as thou doſt: Thou wilt at laſt ſee him the happy man. Theſe things in generall you will acknowledge; but why do ye not apply them in particular?