Twenty-Four Sermons, Sermon 14
SERMON XIV.
September 22. 1696.
MARK X. xxvi, xxvii.
And they were aſtoniſhed out of meaſure, ſaying among themſelves, Who then can be ſaved?
And Jeſus looking upon them ſaith, With Men it is impoſſible, but not with God: For with God all Things are poſſible.
II. HOW muſt the overcoming of all theſe Difficulties be reſolv'd into the Power of the Grace of God? This may be open'd under two diſtinct Heads.
1. There is a gracious ſupernatural Power communicated to Believers, and inherent in them. Two Things here ſhould be a little clear'd, that Believers have ſuch a Power inherent in them, and that 'tis communicated to them.
1. That Believers have ſuch a Power inherent in them. This is evident, and beyond all Diſpute; For,
1. Hence they are denominated ſtrong; 1 John 2.14. To be ſtrong, and yet utterly deſtitute and void of Power, is a perfect contradiction. Abraham was particularly commended for Strength of Faith, Rom. 4.20. And who knows not that Faith is a Work fulfilled in us?
2. If the Children of God have no inhaerent Power, then the New-birth makes no Difference, between them and others, or between them and themſelves before they were Born again. An unregenerate State is deſcrib'd by being without Strength, Rom. 5.6. And is a regenerate State ſo too? Is a Man as weak, when he is made alive to God, as when he was dead in Sin?
5. If Believers have no Power, then they are not chargeable with the Sin of ſpiritual Sloth; which they are ſo often incident to, and in Scripture accuſed of, Iſa. 64.7. There is none that ſtirreth up himſelf, &c. Wherein does ſlothfulneſs conſiſt, but in not exerting and employing the Abilities given us? And yet how can this be, if we have none to uſe or to put forth?
4. What is any Grace indeed, but a Power gain'd over the contrary Corruption? The Spirit luſting againſt the Fleſh, and the Law of the Mind warring at leaſt (and for the moſt Part prevailing alſo) againſt the Law of the Members? Rom. 6.14. is verified in Believers; Sin ſhall not have Dominion over you. Now where Sin loſes the Dominion, Grace aſſumes it; and all Dominion ſuppoſes Power.
2. That this Power is communicated to Believers, though inhaerent in them. They cannot vaunt themſelves upon this account, becauſe the Spring and Original of it is not in themſelves. They could have no more Power againſt Sin and Satan, except it were given them from above, then Pilate had againſt Chriſt. The God of Iſrael is he that giveth Strength and Power unto his People, Pſalm 68.35. He is the Fountain that diſpenſes it, they are but as the Ciſterns that receive it. 'Tis ingratitude not to acknowledge the Gift, 'tis abominable Pride, to deny the Giver. Believers have ſuch a Principle within them, but 'tis infuſed, not acquired; their Strength is in Part recovered, not by their own Means or Praevious endeavours, but by a Divine Vertue and Influence let out upon their Souls. The Spirit that dwelleth in us as Men, is a Spirit of Infirmity, the New Spirit which is given us as Believers, is a Spirit of Power. This we are neither to diſown, nor to arrogate; the Holy Ghoſt lays down this Truth with Caution againſt both Extreams, 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we arer ſufficient of our ſelves, as of our ſelves, but all our ſufficiency is of God. He does not ſay, we have no ſufficiency abſolutely, but we have none of our ſelves, God is the Author of it.
2. There is an unexhauſted Power to which Believers may and muſt have recourſe for further Aſſiſtance. This is that, which beſides the Grace already given, the Scripture calls Grace to help in Time of Need, upon every particular Emergent Occaſions, Heb. 4.16. There is no Time wherein we do not need more Grace from God to draw out the Grace we have into Exerciſe, and to maintain it in Exerciſe alſo, 2 Tim. 2.1. Be ſtrong in the Grace, which is in Chriſt Jeſus. The fulneſs of Grace which is treaſur'd up in our Bleſſed Lord, muſt Relieve and Supply the defects of that Grace which is in us. Therefore Paul aſcribes his more abundant Labours, Not to the Grace in him, but to the Grace of God which was with him, 1 Cor. 15.10. As we have neceſſity enough for all the Strength receiv'd, ſo our Caſe and Condition in this World requires a greater Strength to accompany and concur with us. This the Apoſtle ſtiles in another Place, The Power of Chriſt reſting upon him, 2 Cor. 12.9. The Word ſignifies Dwelling as in a Tent over him; as David ſpeaks of God's hiding him in his Pavilion, Pſalm. 27.5. Such a Screen and Defence was the Power of Chriſt to Paul; Chriſt was the Subject of this Power, Paul the Object; Chriſt poſſeſt it, Paul had the benefit of it. And in a ſober Sence, that which is for our Advantage may be called ours; becauſe it is enjoyed by us, though not lodg'd in us. As when God had aſſured Gideon of his Preſence, The Lord is with thee, Judg. 6.12. He is bidden to go in this his might, ver. 14. Gideon's main Strength lay not in his being a mighty Man, but in his being aſſiſted by the mighty God.
Queſt. To what End ſhould they that are actually furniſht with an Holy Gracious Power for ſpiritual Services, have recourſe notwithſtanding to this Infinite Power of God?
Anſw. There is a Threefold End to be regarded herein.
1. To ſecure the being of Grace; for Grace is the Workmanſhip of God, and not God, and therefore cannot ſupport it ſelf, nor ſtand without leaning upon him. The innate Strength of the New Creature is not the Foundation of a Saints Perſeverance; for if he were not kept by the Power of God, he would be lost at last, 1 Pet. 1.5. He is kept by it from his Converſion to his Salvation, from the firſt beginning of his Confidence, till he hath receiv'd the End of his Faith; or elſe the ſtrongeſt Grace in the World would fail.
2. To carry on the Improvement of Grace. A Believers Diligence will never add to his Stature, if God do not lift up his Head. Inſtead of getting more Strength (which he ſhould daily do) he will rather leſſen what he hath, and grow weaker than he was. But when God comes in with his Auxiliary Force, they that were ready to halt and go back, make the greateſt Progreſs. Iſa. 40.49. He giveth Power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaſeth Strength.
3. In order to the vigorous Employment of Grace. As Chriſt ſaid of the Damſel, She is not dead, but ſleepeth; ſo it may be ſaid of many Chriſtians, they are alive, but not awake; they are too drouſie and ſluggiſh in their Courſe of Duty. But when freſh help is given in from Eternal Power, what lively Acts do gracious Habits produce! How nimbly do we move in our walk with God! As the Prophet ſays, Hab. 3.19. The Lord God is my Strength, and he will make my Feet, like Hinds Feet; i. e. ſwift and unwearied.
III. Why must the overcoming of the Difficulties of Salvation be thus reſolv'd into the Power of God's Grace? What Reaſon is there for the placing of all upon that one Bottom?
1. The highest and most perfect Creatures have miſcarried, when they stood in their own Strength; the Strength with which they were endow'd at their first Creation.
1. The Angels, the highest rank of Creatures, and in a most perfect State, fell from Heaven. Though they excell'd in Strength, yet we ſee, it was not enough to bear them up without confirming Grace. They that always beheld the Face of God, lift up their Heels againſt him, and wickedly revolted from him. They that were the Top of the Creation, are ſunk into an horrible Pit; they that were greater in Power and Might than any of the Things which God made beſides, have betrayed their dangerous weakneſs by a foul and ſinal Apoſtacy. 'Tis the harder to explain and give an account of their Fall, becauſe they ſinn'd without a Temper. They had no Inſtigation to Evil from without themſelves; and yet we find the mutability of their Natures was enough to expoſe them, becauſe they were not, like the Elect Angels, their Companions, and the reſt of their Kind, eſtabliſhed in Chriſt.
2. Adam, who was alſo made upright, after the Holy Image of God, without the least Bent or Inclination in his Soul to Evil, fell nevertheleſs. That we, the Poſterity of the firſt Man, whoſe Natures are already corrupted, and ſtrongly byaſs'd with indwelling Sin, ſhould run into all manner of Abominations, unleſs God reſtrain us, is no wonder; but it ſeems ſtrange, that our pure and ſinleſs Parents, that had ſuch a ſtock of Righteouſneſs to live upon, ſhould ſo notoriouſly, and ſo quickly offend. How plainly does this ſhew, that a Creature (before a Sinner) given to change, cannot carry ſufficient Preſervatives from Sin within it ſelf? Was the Power of ſtanding ſo ſoon loſt by innocent Man, and do any of his ſinful Race expect to regain it, and raiſe up themſelves without being behold'n to God.
2. The best and eminentest Saints have most manifestly felt, and readily own'd their neceſſary Dependance upon the Power of the Grace of God. It may be, ſome young and raw Converts may be too raſh and confident at firſt; their Imaginations go a great deal beyond their Strength, and they think they can do or ſuffer any thing for Chirſt, like fooliſh Children, when they begin to uſe their Legs, that venture further than they can with Safety, but grow more wary afterwards. So here Babes in Chriſt, being tranſported by the heat of their firſt Love, forget many Times how feeble and infirm they are, till God by leaving them, gives them ſome afflicting Proofs of it. But the moſt ſolid, well grown Chriſtians, that are judicious as well as affectionate, that have tryed their Strength oftner, and conſider'd Things better, that have really profited more in Religion, and attained nearer to the Reſurrection of the Dead, theſe are always the moſt apprehenſive of the Truth I am now upon. God's eldeſt Children, and that are of all others the fitteſt for Enjoyment of their glorious Inheritance, do ſtill perceive, and are apt moſt freely to confeſs themſelves uncapable of yielding Holy Obedience, without Supplies of Power from the Spirit of Chriſt. Paul gives us the Report in an Hour of Temptation; though he had been caught up to Heaven above fourteen Years before, yet when he came down again, was like to be over-born by the buffettings of Satan, if God had not held him up. That Anſwer which Chriſt gave him, was all his Support, or elſe that choſen Veſſel had been broken in Pieces, 2 Cor. 12 9. He ſaid to me, My Grace is ſufficient for thee, my Strength is made perfect in weakneſs.
3. If both the Deſire and the Performance in all ſpiritual Caſes be the Effects of God's mighty Operation, then all muſt be reſolved into his Power; for the Deſires and Performances take in all. Phil. 2.13. It is God which worketh in you, both to Will and to Do, &c. If he Works in us theſe two Things, a fixed Inclination to good, and actual Execution of it, what is it that he does not Work?
1. God Works the Will; all Holy Deſires are by his Operation, Pſalm 110.3. Thy People ſhall be willing in the Day of thy Power. 'Tis he that roots out our ſinful Averſions and Reluctancies with his ſtrong Hand. The changing and turning, and new moulding of the Heart is the ſole Work of him that faſhioned it at firſt. None can prevail upon the Soul to chuſe and affect, what it naturally abhors, and flies from, but only he.
2. God Works the Deed; all Holy Performances, are the proper Fruits of his efficacious Influence alſo. This is undeniable, for in whatſoever Caſe that influence is withdrawn, though the Will continues, the Deed is wanting. Though he hath wrought in us to Will what we ſhould do, yet we cannot do what we ſhould and would. Is not Paul, and every Believer in the World, a clear Inſtance of this? Rom. 7.18. To Will is preſent with me, but how to perform, &c. I find not. We deſire to do a great deal better than we attain to do. David took Pleaſure in Duty, and yet craves Ability for it, as a further additional Gift. Pſalm 119.35. Make me to go in the Path, &c. for therein do I delight. Though the Way be moſt delightful, we muſt go in God's Strength.
4. The Tenour of the New Covenant puts this Point out of Doubt, that the Difficulties of Salvation are to be overcome by the Power of God's Grace only. The Law (which is our Rule of Duty, and to be obſerv'd as ſuch, by thoſe that are in Chriſt) requires Things above our Strength, but God in this Covenant of Grace, Promiſes what he requires; and undertakes for what he demands. The Things which he enjoins us to do, he ſays, He will enable us to do; which plainly implies, that without his powerful help they could never be done; for, why ſhould God vainly and needleſly engage to interpoſe in a Matter, which might be done as well, though he ſtood afar off, and contributed nothing towards it? Does God fear (as Joab intimated to David concerning Rabbah, when he fought againſt it, 2 Sam. 12.28.) leſt we ſhould take the City, and ſo it ſhould be called after our Name? I mean, does God-fear, leſt we ſhould do all our ſelves, and ſo run away with all the Honour? No ſurely, God's Glory may be wickedly ſnatcht and ſtolen from him, but it can never be juſtly won or gotten by us; and therefore God's gracious Promiſes are convincing Arguments of Man's utter Impotency to any ſpiritual good; his Commands do not more plainly ſignifie our Obligation to Duty, than his Promiſes do our Weakneſs in Diſcharging it When God bids us walk in his Statutes, that ſhews how we are bound to do it; when he ſays, he will Cauſe us to walk in them, Ezek. 36.27. This ſhows, that we are not able of our ſelves to do it.
IV. Ʋſe. There are ſeveral Things which we may from hence be informed of, and exhorted to.
1. There are ſome things which we may be informed of from hence. As
1. They make very light of Salvation, who think to work it out by their own Power. They cannot ſuppoſe it to be a difficult Thing, but that which may be atchiev'd with little labour or trouble. And whereas the Principles of thoſe who attribute all to the Grace of God are charg'd with countenancing of lazineſs and looſeneſs, it may much rather be retorted upon thoſe who hold the contrary Opinions. Such as aſcribe all to themſelves, are the Perſons that take leaſt Care and Pains in the Matters of Religion; as if God's Children were born without Travail, and the Kingdom of Heaven taken without Violence. Men that Judge after the Fleſh, cannot indeed be imagin'd to Judge otherwiſe; For the Eyes of our Ʋnderſtanding muſt be enlighten'd, that we may know what is the exceeding greatneſs of his Power, &c. Eph. 1.18, 19.
2. Our ſpiritual Adverſaries would find no Difficulty in destroying us, if we were left alone. We have ſo little might againſt them, that we ſhould be an eaſie Prey to them, if we had not one to ſtand by us, who is infinitely mightier than they. The Devils believe this Doctrine which the Pride of Man oppoſes; they know they can out-do and over-match us, if we had not Omnipotence on our ſide. When our Lord tells Peter, that Satan deſired to have him, the meaning is, that he would have tried a ſingle Combate with him, unguarded by the powerful Interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, for that was it which turn'd the Scale and prevented Peter's overthrow. Poor Believers are as much deſpis'd by the Powers of Darkneſs, as Gideon's young Son was by the two Kings of Midian, Zelah, and Zalumnah, Judg. 8.21. Job himſelf would not have come off with ſo much Honour and Victory as he did, if God had not put Strength into him, Chap. 23.6.
3. This hints the true Reaſon to us, how it comes to paſs that the ſame Believers are baffled by ſome Difficulties, and yet Triumph over others. What hardſhips is a Child of God carried through, and made more than Conquerour over at one Time, who at another Time is almoſt overwhelm'd, and his Courage gone! How does God at one Time help us to bear the Enjoyment of greater Plenty without being hurt by it, than we can at another Time? As the Net which was let down at Chriſts Command broke with the multitude of Fiſhes, Luke 5.6. And after the Reſurruction, Chriſt orders the Draught as before, and ſo many were caught, that they could not pull them to the Shore, John 21.6. And yet the Net was not broken, v. 11.
4. How vaſtly does Grace make us to differ from what we are by Nature! I am a Child, ſays the Prophet, Jer. 1.6. Eaſily ſhaken and thrown down; but what ſays God, ver. 18. Behold I have made Thee this Day a defenced City, and an Iron Pillar and brazen Walls, &c. Without me you can do nothing, ſays Chriſt, John 15.5. I can do all Things through Christ that strengthens me, ſays Paul, Phil. 4.13. What a Difference is here? So great, that there cannot be a greater; doing nothing, and doing all things. Such is a Difference between a ſorry naked Man, and a Believer obtaining help of God. Though our own Right Hand cannot ſave us, the Lord at our Right Hand will ſave, ſo as none ſhall hinder.
5. The beſt Aſſiſtance we can give to any of our Brethren in Soul-troubles and ſtraits, is leading them to the Rock, thats higher than our ſelves. We are vain helpers, except we do as Jonathan did to David, 1 Sam. 23.16. Strengthen one another's Hands in God. 'Tis our Duty to Comfort the feeble-minded, and ſupport the weak, 1 Theſſ. 5.14. But how ſhall we do this? By ſhewing them where the Strength of Salvation is. So the Prophet expounds the Apoſtle, Iſa. 35.3, 4. Strengthen you the weak Hands, confirm the feeble Knees; ſay to them that are of a fearful Heart, be ſtrong, fear not; behold your God will come and ſave you. Holy David was very Ambitious of doing this Service to the World; viz. Shewing God's Strength to the Generation, and his Power to every one that was to come, Pſalm 71.18.
2. There are ſome Things which from hence we ſhould be exhorted to. As
1. You who have liv'd all your Days in Sin, repair to Almighty Grace for Cure. The oldeſt Sores are heal'd by Chriſt, as well as the freſheſt Wounds. He is an able Phyſician, and though your Caſe would puzzle every one elſe, he will certainly recover you. Diſeaſes of the longeſt Continuance, how ſtubborn ſoever, are eaſily helpt and remov'd by him. He looſed the Woman, whom Satan had hound eighteen Years, Luke 13.16. He made the Man whole, that had an Infirmity thirty eight Years, John 5.5. His Miracles of Grace are wrought not only on Young Sinners, but many Times Elder Perſons.
2. When you are brought into a State of Salvation, think of the remainder of your Work without uncomfortable Terror. The Difficulties in our Paſſage to Heaven oftentimes breed too much Affrightment; as the Soul of the People in their Journeying through the Wilderneſs to Canaan, was diſcouraged becauſe of the Way, Numb. 21.4. They had little Reaſon for this, whom God had already deliver'd out of Egypt; and the like may be ſaid of you, whom God hath with a mighty and out-ſtretched Arm reſcued from the very brink of Hell.
3. Let Everlaſting Strength be a Motive to your Everlaſting Truſt. Iſa. 26.4. As Martha ſaid to Chriſt concerning her Siſter, That had left her to ſerve alone; bid her that ſhe help me, Luke 10.40. So do you boldly claim God's promiſed Aſſiſtance at the Throne of Grace, where you cannot be more (humbly) Confident, than Welcome. Intermitting of a ſteady Reliance upon him, is as much your Folly and Sin, as preſuming on your ſelves. What can be meant by that Precept, of being ſtrong in the Lord, &c. Eph. 6.10. If we may not take hold of God's Strength, and uſe it as freely as if it were our own? While others faint, and are weary, and utterly fall, you that wait upon the Lord (i. e. continue depending) ſhall renew your Strength, Iſa. 40.30, 31.
4. Look upon it as your abſolute Duty to deſpair of nothing that needs to be done either for or by you. Your own inſufficiency is no Plea for doubting in any Caſe whatever. Let the weak ſay, I am ſtrong, Joel 3.10. Paul is our Pattern, he did ſay ſo, 2 Cor. 12.10. The Spirit of God ſpeaks in very large and comprehenſive Terms upon this Subject, Col. 1.11. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious Power, unto all Patience, &c. So 2 Cor. 9.8. Here's a remarkable heap of Expreſſions (as Mr. Trail very well Notes, pag. 236.) All Grace firſt in God, and that abounding towards us; and then as the reſult of it, our having a ſufficiency, and All-ſufficiency, and that always, and in all Things, and thence flows every good Work, and our abounding to every good Work.
5. You who are Believers, and conſequently to whom all Things are thus poſſible, ſtudy all thankfulneſs. What a Debtor is he to God, whoſe Strength is in him. According as his Divine Power hath given Relief to you, make ſuitable returns to him. The Man that had been Lame from his Mother's Womb, aſſoon as he receiv'd Strength and ſtood up, he entred with the Apoſtles into the Temple, leaping and praiſing God, Acts 3.7, 8. Thus David cries out, The Lord is my Strength, and my Shield, my Heart truſted in him, and I am helped; therefore my Heart greatly rejoyceth, and with my Song will I Praiſe him, Pſalm 28.7. To Conclude therefore, as your help comes from Heaven, ſo let your Praiſes go up thither. Remember every renewed Experience calls for a repeated Acknowledgement; and there may be equal Danger of obſtructing God's mighty workings by ingratitude, and by unbelief; both tend to with-hold his Hand, and enfeeble ours.