Sermons Concerning Grace and Temptations, Sermon 1 (3 of 4)
Saints, it doth delight God to ſee his Vines full of grapes; and to ſee his Field clad with fruit: ye are his Field, ye are his Vines; ye muſt be always bearing, becauſe he is always watering: The gardener delights to Water thoſe herbs that will grow, and yield him profit: he beſtows no drops upon the Flowers that are dead and wither'd.
'Tis ſo with God, Every branch that beareth fruit (ſaithJohn 15. 2. Chriſt) he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit: here's the reaſon of it; he that hath grace, and bears ſome fruit, God will give him more grace, that ſo God may have more fruit.
Reaſ. 4. Becauſe it is his deſign to perfect his Saints, and the work of grace in his Saints: he means to make every one of them as Holy as Adam was in Paradiſe: God doth not mean that we ſhould come ſhort in Chriſt, of what we were in Adam.
Chriſt Jeſus came in place to repair us up all that we loſt in Adam, and more than that all: only Adam was made perfect at once, and we are perfected by degrees: but this is no diſadvantage to us, for Adam was made perfect at once; but he loſt it as ſoon, he loſt it at once; and we are not made perfect at once, but by degrees, but we ſhall never loſe it.
As a Limner, that intends a curious picture, at firſt makes but a rude Draught, and lays his dark Colours; but then by degrees he comes over with his beauteous and bright Colours, and draws out the perfect proportion of a curious piece: So God (that glorious Artiſt) in repairing man, intends ſome ſtately piece; he hath in his thoughts the Idaea of ſome glorious piece: Indeed 'tis Jeſus Chriſt that ſtands by him, after whom he means to draw man's picture. As a Limner that ſeeth a beauteus perſon, draws his picture, whilſt he is in the room with him, and takes it wondrous lively, becauſe he hath him before him; So God the Father hath Jeſus Chriſt, the beauty of Heaven and Earth, before him; and looking upon Chriſt, draws every Saints picture, and will make his Saints exactly like to Chriſt; every Saint ſhall be Chriſts perfect picture: And therefoe he that hath grace, be it never ſo ſmall, ſhall have more, nay ſhall have all; becauſe God intends to make his Saints perfect in Chriſt Jeſus.
We ſhall now make ſome Improvement of this Point; And in the firſt place,
Ʋſe 1. This ſhines with excellent comfort upon the weak Saints; upon you that complain, you are but weak Chriſtians; and you cannot match others in performances, you cannot do as others can; and if we do believe, we believe but little; and if we do love Jeſus Chriſt, we love him but little.
To you, to you, I ſay if you have the leaſt drop of true grace,God will give you more, and you ſhall have abundance: Do you believe but a little? Be of good comfort, you ſhall believe a great deal: Do you repent but a little?you ſhall have given you a greater ſtore of repentance: Canſt thou pray but a little? canſt thou but ſcarce pray? It ſhall be given thee to pray mightily, to pray down mountains and ſtrong ſins.
I pray you conſider theſe things:
1. Though thou haſt but little grace, yet thy little may be true grace: Thou art ſuſpicious of thy ſelf, and art wont to ſay, Surely if my grace were true, it would be more than it is; it is ſo little, that I cannot think it is true grace.
But I ſay unto thee, though thou haſt but little, yet thy little may be true grace: as a little piece of gold is true gold.
Object. 1. Oh! But I enjoy rich means of grace; I lye down in the fatting paſtures of the Goſpel, which would in a ſhort time plump up the weakeſt grace, if it were true: I ſit daily under the nouriſhing ſhowres of the Word, and yet my grace is but little, and therefore (I fear me) is not true.
Anſw. The Diſciples ſate under the moſt powerful Miniſtry that ever was, under the droppings and the honey-dews that fell from Chriſts lips: Never man ſpake as the ſpake: He was the Prince of Preachers, that had the tongue of the learned.
To be with him, was to be in Heaven upon Earth: They ſaw his wondrous miracles every day, and converſed with Chriſt himſelf; his lips did drop the choiceſt fatneſs, and yet under all theſe golden ſhrowres they had but a little Faith: For the Lord Chriſt upon an occaſion ſaith unto them, Why are Matth. 8. 26.ye fearful, oh ye of little faith?
Object. 2. But I cannot truſt God for the ſmalleſt matters: Food and Raiment are the ſmalleſt matters, and he that cannot truſt God in the leaſt matters (I fear me) hath a faith leſs than nothing.
Anſw. The Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt had many experiences of God Providence and Proviſion for them, they went about with Chriſt from place to place; and though they had no victuals, yet they found victuals every where; they ſaw ſo many thouſands ſed with ſo few loaves; and yet they wereMat. 6. 30, 31. troubled, What ſhall we eat? what ſhall we drink? and wherewith ſhall we be cloathed?
Thus, thou ſeeſt, thy little grace may be true grace.
2. God will own thy little grace: thy grace, though it be never ſo little, yet he will own it: As you may ſee in Rev. 3. 8, where writing to the Church of Philadelphia, ſaith Chriſt, Thou haſt a little ſtrength, and haſt ept my word: She had but a little ſtrength, and Chriſt takes greatnotice of her little ſtrength; Chriſt makes much of a little grace: As the Father dandles his little child, ſo Jeſus Chriſt dandles a little grace upon the lap of his Commendation: Though thy grace be but low, yet he hath an high eſteem of it.
3. God's giving ſome grace, engages him to give more: Hath God given thee a little grace? His giving thee that little, puts an engagement upon him to give thee more: one of his gifts bind him to give another.
When God went about to deſtroy Sodom, ſaith God, Shall I Gen. 18. 17, 18.Hide from Abraham that thing which I do, ſeeing I mean to make him a great and mighty nation? As though one kindneſs did bind him to give another: with God, the beſtowing of one favour binds him to add another.
If God begin to give thee grace, he is engaged to go on, and give thee more grace, not for thy ſake, but becauſe 'tis his own work; and therefore if he ſhould not carry it on, he ſhould loſe what he had begun: If God hath pardon'd thee ſome ſins, and ſhould not pardon thee all the reſt, all his former Pardons would be thrown away, like precious water ſpilt upon the ground: If God hath begun to give thee ſome grace, he is engaged to give thee more, for the ſake of the former; I ſay he is engaged to give thee more for the ſake of the former, and to give thee more yet; nay more yet, for the ſake of that grace that went before: As man that ploughs a piece of Land, counts himſelf engaged to ſow it; and if he ſow it, he counts himſelf engaged to fence it, and make it thrive; becauſe one work is for another, the former for the latter; plowing is for ſowing, and ſowing is for growing, and growing is for reaping, and therefore one labour calls for the help of another: So when God puts a little grace into thee, it is for another, to bring on another, and that the former grace may not be in vain; one gift calls for the help of another.
4. A little grace is a pledg of more: I ſay, the little grace thou haſt, is a ſure pledg of more; as a little piece of money is an earneſt of the whole ſum: God, ſpeaking of the effuſion of his gifts and graces, ſaith, I will pour out my ſpirit: God gives his ſpirit as freely as he gives rain: now (you know) firſt it rains ſmall drops, and after greater; and the ſmall are the ſigns of the great.
5. Jeſus Chriſt makes interceſſion for a little grace: Peter, (ſaith Chriſt) I have pray'd that thy faith fail not: thou haſt but a little faith, and I have prayed for thy little faith, for thy weak faith, that it fail not: if any man ſin, we have an 1 John 2. 2.advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous.
Ʋſe 2. What ſaith this Principle to Sinners, that are without grace? Surely, Sirs, it ſhould much deject you, and make you ſmite upon your hearts: When Chriſt ſaith, It is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to others it is not given, ſhould it not make thoſe tremble that have not the gift? that have not this ſpecial gift, To know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven? When our Lord ſaith, To him that hath ſhall be given, ſhould it not ſhake the heart of the man that hath not ſo much as the firſt gift of grace yet beſtowed upon him? Sinner, thou haſt not ſo much as the Foundation, the firſt ſtone of the building yet laid in thee: Lord, what a ſad caſe am I in? whilſt thou art promiſing the addition of grace to others, thou haſt not planted ſo much as the beginnings of grace in me!
1. While the ſaving-work in others is going on, it is not yet begun in thee: While others are upon their growth, thou art not yet born; I ſay, not born again. Sinner, thou haſt not yet ſo much as the firſt preparation of Heaven in thee, while others are upon their Progreſs; thou art not as yet in the Race, while others are running to the Gole: thou lyeſt dead, while others are raiſed and enlivened; thou haſt not yet ſet out toward Heaven, while others are a great way upon their Journey to Glory: thou art left ſleeping in Sodom, till the ſparks of fire and brimſtone fall down from Heaven, and fly about thine ears, while the Lots are carried out by the Angel of the Lord: Oh Sirs! ſee your miſery.
2. Sinners, you are ugly and miſ-ſhapen Creatures without grace: you want the Image of God upon you: Holineſs is our comelineſs, and Grace is the only handſom garment: What are thy ſins but thy deformities? and thy luſts but thy leproſies? Thou careſt not what thou art in the eye of the godly; but careſt thou not what thou art in the eye of God? Thou feeſt no unhandſomneſs in ſin, thou ſeeſt not thy ſelf ugly, but art thou therefore the leſs ugly?
A Toad or a Snake hath no odious apprehenſions of it ſelf; it is above their reach to apprehend what they are; ſo Sinners cannot diſcern their own deformities, their Judgments follow their Natures and Diſpoſitions.
3. If Jeſus Chriſt doth not conquer you, he'l ſlay you: In Rev. 6. 2, there ſaith John, I ſaw, and behold; a white horſe, Rev. 6. 2.and he that ſate on him had a bow, and a crown was given to him and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
1. Here John ſaw an horſe, which is myſtically the Goſpel; becauſe of its ſwiftneſs: The Apoſtles and Apoſtolical Preachers of the Primitive times, were Horſes, for their nimble and ſwift Preaching of the Goſpel through the World.
2. This is a white horſe, to ſignifie,
1. The Purity of the Goſpel, or Divinity of its Doctrine.
2. to ſignifie the joy and peace it offers to the Sons of Men: it is called glad tidings, and the Goſpel of peace: A white Flag is an Enſign of Peace.
3. To ſignifie the Glory of Chriſt: white robes are Emblems of Glory: Princes and Nobles did go in white.
4. To ſignifie the Triumph of Chriſt; white horſe in ſign of victory and Triumph.
The Romans, when they rid in Triumph, had white Horſes to ride on, or to draw their Chariots.
The Lord Chriſt will get the day, he will triumph over ſouls, either in their ſubmiſſion or deſtruction: And therefore it is ſaid,
3. That he that ſate on the white horſe, had a bow given him.
This Horſe-man, or Prince, the Lord Chriſt, had a bow in his hand, and a Bow preſuppoſeth arrows, that is, terrors, and threatnings againſt his Enemies, that will not ſubmit to his mercy; he hath his Arrow prepared upon the ſtring, and will ſhoot at the rebellious Sinner.
It may be thou haſt ſome of Chriſt's Arrows ſticking in the ribs of thy Conſcience, and art wounded for ſome ſins; thy very heart is galled with the threatnings that fly (like Arrows) out of the Bow of the Miniſtry; but thou fretteſt: inſtead of being converted, and falling at his feet, thou rageſt: Well, Chriſt rides on ſtill in the Chariot of his word, conquering, and to conquer: one or other way conquer he will: if he cannot conquer thee with love, he'l kill thee in wrath: Thoſe that do yield, he ſaves; thoſe that will not, he ſlays.
4. Chriſt will Preach over all theſe Truths again in Hellflames to thee.
Thou keepeſt thy ſins and luſts, and wilt by no means ſend them away; thou makeſt nothing of the Word of God, becauſe diſpenſed by Man: I tell thee, all the Sermons thou now heareſt againſt thy ſins, all the Truths of God ſhall one day be Preach'd over again in flames of Fire to thine eternal horrour; and that will be a long Sermon.
All the Sermons of Repentance and Grace thou heard'ſt here in thy life-time, ſhall in Hell be brought freſh to thy memory, thy Conſcience ſhall then Preach them all over to thee in Hell-flames, and then 'twil be a woful Sermon: Now the Sermon is but an hour long, look upon the glaſs, 'tis turned; and while the glaſs is running, we are Preaching, Preaching thee (if it be poſſible) into a ſtate of grace; this Sermon is but a ſhort Sermon, it will end anon; and while this glaſs is running, thy glaſs is running, and thy life is haſtening: but in Hell, there's no glaſs turned up; This, and all the Sermons thou ever heard'ſt, will there in flames be Preach'd over to thee again throughout eternity; Oh tremble at it! It will be a woful Sermon, and a long Sermon, 'twill never have an end.
Ʋſe 3. Here's rare comfort to weak grace. To them that are but new beginners: you complain your grace is but little; My Beloved, you ſhall have more.
1. Grace at firſt is but little: An Infant, when 'tis newborn, is but little: a Tree, when 'tis firſt planted, is but a little Graff: The Cloud that over-ſpreads the Heavens, was at firſt no bigger than a mans hand.
Object. 1. But I am a Chriſtian of long ſtanding, and yet my grace is but little: Were I but a new beginner, 'twere ſomething: but I am a long stander, yet a ſhort Chriſtian.
Anſw. 1. Truly (my Beloved) blame thy ſelf then: chide thy ſelf that thou art a Chriſtian of a long ſtanding, and of a ſhort ſtature: It is a diſgrace to be ſo; as 'tis a diſgrace to be an old man, and yet a dwarf: Chriſt chides his Diſciples for it, though they were but of one or two years ſtanding in his School; yet he chides them, becauſe they had ſo littleMatth. 8. 26. Faith.
Beſides, Thoſe that have leſs Grace, ſhall have leſs Glory.
But yet I muſt ſay this much:
2. That every thing in this life is but little: David ſaith,Pſal. 39. 5. Thou haſt made my days as an hand-breadth: A ſmall meaſure the Lord knows! David lived in all probability threeſcore years and ten, he was King of Judah and Iſrael forty years, and yet he called it but an hand-breadth.
3. Thou meaſureſt thy grace, with what thou ſhould'ſt be, and then it ſeems but little: A great deal of grace meaſured with what thou ſhould'ſt be, is but little: As Auguſtine ſaith [Maxima eorum quae ſcimus, Minima eorum quae Ignoramus;] The much, nay moſt we know, is the leaſt of what we do not know: ſo the moſt we are, is the leaſt of what we ſhould be; the moſt we do, is the leaſt of what we ſhould do.
Great Saints are but little to what they ſhould be.
4. Compare thy grace with times paſt, and then it may be it is not little; and that thou muſt do.
Object. 2. But I have trifled away my time, the time I ſhould have got grace in; The Ant provides her meat in ſummer, and gathers her food in the harveſt: But I have ſpent my time of gathering, and is there any hope that I ſhall have more?
1. Humble thy ſelf: for 'tis a wondrous ſin to loſe time: becauſe we have but a time to glorifie God here: and by our loſing of time, God doth loſe his Glory.
2. Yet, though thou haſt loytered away thy time, do not limit Gods time: becauſe thou haſt paſt away thy time, do not ſay, that Gods time is paſt.
3. It may be thy time of growing is not come yet: As Children, ſome ſhoot up preſently, in their firſt years; others do not grow till they are ſixteen or twenty years, and theſe at laſt out-grow the others; ſome Saints grow more at firſt, others grow more at laſt.
Trees bring forth their fruit in different ſeaſons, ſome ſooner, and ſome later.
There is the firſt ripe fruit, and there is the latter fruit: ſome Trees have their fruit ripe and ready with the ſpring, others not till Auguſt, others not till Winter; there's the Summer-fruit, and there is the Winter-fruit: One tree goeth before, and hath her fruit ripe one month, another hath its fruit the next month, another follows and hath its fruit the next month after that.
And this is the Maſters Wiſdom, that he may have new fruit every month to ſerve his Table, and pleaſe his palate; ſo doth God.
Object. 3. But I am a withered tree, I did bear fruit, but now do not; I was once freſh and green, but now am dry and blaſted; I am in part an Apoſtate, I am fallen from my firſt love: I was good, and now am worſe: I do not bear the fruit I did: Is there any hopes for me?
Anſw. Yes: thou mayſt recover, and therefore away to Prayer, and ſend quickly for the ſpirit: Loſe no time: I will give you an Inſtance in another caſe.
Nebuchadnezzar was a great tree, whoſe height did reach Dan. 4. 11. 12, 14, 15.to heaven, and the ſight thereof to the end of all the earth: The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much: the beaſts of the field had ſhadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all fleſh was fed of it.
And this great Tree [Nebuchadnezzar] was lopt down fearfully, and withered dreadfully, he was driven from among men, and caſt off from his Kingdom ſeven years.
But yet the stump of his roots was left in the earth with a band of Iron and Braſs: To ſignifie, that his Kingdom was reſerved for him, and that he ſhould revive again: So thou haſt been (it may be) an high Tree, whoſe top of profeſſion did reach up to Heaven, and all the fowls of the air, the Saints that live about thee, were wont to fly, and ſit under the boughs and branches of thy gifts, to receive Counſel and Direction from thee: And now thy leaves are fallen, and thy branches cut, thy graces lopt, thy gifts withered, and thou thinkeſt therefore, thou art forſaken.
But, oh man! Is not there a ſtump of thy roots left in the earth, with a band of Iron and Braſs? A ſtump of Faith and Repentance, and panting after Chriſt? As long as there is a stump left, thou wilt revive again.
Ʋſe 4. Shall more grace be given to them that have grace, be it never ſo ſmall? Then, Saints, ſee what your work is; What's that? to receive.
How may we receive more grace?
Firſt, Open thy ſoul to receive grace: For to receive a thing, is ſometimes a motion of the ſubject or faculty, opening it ſelf to receive it: As the hand doth open it ſelf to receive a gift; and a veſſel muſt be opened to receive oyl or cordial pour'd into it. The earht opened her mouth, and ſwallowed up Corah: AndNumb. 16. 32. Gen. 4 11. the earth (as God ſaid to Cain) opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood from thy hand.
Now the opening of the ſoul to receive Grace, conſiſts in theſe three Things:
1. In believing the Promiſe; when the ſoul believes, its door ſtands open to receive the golden Treaſures of Grace that are brought into it out of the ſtore-houſe of the Promiſe; And therefore (ſaith the Text), They rehearſed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto Acts 14. 27.the gentiles.
2. In love to grace promiſed: for love is an opening grace: When a man loves a friend dearly, he opens his Arms to embrace and receive him: ſo when a man loves grace, he opens his heart to welcom grace into it: And therefore ye ſhall find this paſſage between Chriſt and his Spouſe; ſaith Chriſt, Open to me my love; And ſaith the Spouſe, I roſe up to open to Cant. 5. 2. Verſ. 5.my beloved.
He that loves Chriſt, will open the two-leav'd gates of his ſoul, to let in Chriſt with all his train.
3. In deſire after grace promiſed: for the deſire of grace is an opening of the ſoul to receive grace: As the Lord ſaith,Pſal. 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide, [i. e. ask freely, open thy mouth in Prayer, as wide as thou wilt], And I will fill it.
2dly, Lye low: The valleys that receive all the ſhowres and floods into their boſom, lye low under all the high hills, and proud mountains: ſo the humble Saints (that lye in the bottom of ſelf-abhorrence under all the reſt) receive the ſhowres of grace; the floods ſtay upon them, and they drink them in; they are overflown like your low grounds) with abundance of grace.
3dly, Accept of grace: to receive grace, is to accept of grace: As Jacob ſaid to his brother Eſau, Nay, I pray thee, if now I Gen 33. 10.have found grace in thy ſight, then receive my preſent at my hand: i. e. accept of my preſent at my hand.
Ʋſe 5. What ſhall I do that have no grace? To him that hath ſhall be given: But what ſhall I do that have not?
Conſider grace is a gift; and therefore,
1. God can give grace, where it is not: he gives grace, where is none: he doth good to them that are not good: A gift is beſtowed, where it is not: See Iſa. 44. 3, I will pour water upon Iſa. 44. 3.him that is thirſty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my ſpirit upon thy ſeed, and my bleſſing upon thine off-ſpring: i. e. as I pour Water and Floods upon the dry and thirſty ground that hath none; ſo will I pour my ſpirit upon thy ſeed, and my bleſſing upon thine off-ſpring. Where obſerve,
God gives ſhowres of grace, where there's not a drop before.
2. He can give grace to whom he will: he can love whom he will; and he can give grace to whom he will: this is the Prerogative of Gods Love, he can love any one: Man (being a narrow creature) cannot love any one; one that is fowl, and ugly, and crooked; but God can love any one, he can love unhandſom and deformed Creatures, and marry them, and make them lovely: Naaman the Syrian was a Leper, and therefore wondrous ugly, he was a Leper in Body and Mind too: The beauty of the mind preſents a crooked perſon comely to us: but Naaman had beauty in neither part; he was a Leper in body, and an Idolater in mind; and yet God loved him, and (by a poor maid in his houſe) ſent him to the Prophet of Iſrael, and healed his outſide, and healed his inſide, made his Body comely, and made his Soul comely.
3. He makes notorious ſinners, noteable Saints: he makes Perſecutors, Preachers; As he did Paul, and all the Church admired it; But they had heard only, that he who perſecuted us Gal. 1. 23.in times paſt, now PREACHETH the faith, which once he DESTROYED: See the Work and Free-grace of God! Would God ſhew mercy to him that deſtroyed the Faith? Yes, he gave Faith to him that deſtroyed the Faith: Paul, if he could, would have kil'd Chriſt, and yet God gives him Chriſt.
The Gentiles were the greateſt Sinners in the World, and they were at the height of ſin, when the Goſpel began to be Preached to them; they were counted unclean, the unclean Act 10. 14, 15.beaſts (ſwine and other Beaſts) which the Jews under the Law might not eat; did ſignifie the Gentiles; and the Jews not eating the unclean beaſts, did ſignifie that they ſhould have no communion with the unclean Gentiles; yet on the GENTILES Verſ. 45. Acts 11. 17.alſo was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghoſt: And, foraſmuch as God gave them [i. e. the Gentiles] the like gift as he did unto us.
4. Sometimes God makes his greateſt Act of Love to paſs upon the greateſt ſinner: Paul (you know) was a Saul indeed, chief of ſinners, he ſaith it of himſelf; and yet notwithſtandingActs 9. 3, 4. Chriſt Preached from Heaven to him: he ſent men to Preach to others, (as Philip to the Eunuch), but Jeſus Chrriſt doth himſelf Preach to Paul.
Jeſus Chriſt, when he was on Earth in the form of a ſervant, called the other Apoſtles; as Matthew at the receipt of cuſtom; and Peter, when he was fiſhing; follow me; but when he was on his Throne, in Majeſty, he Preacht from Heaven to Paul: Wondrous love to a wondrous ſinner!
5. He bids thee pray, and he'l give: Ask and it ſhall be Matth. 7. 7. Luk. 11. 13.given you.
But you'l ſay, he ſaith this to Saints?
Sol. See what our Lord Chriſt ſaith to the Woman of Samaria, If thou knew'ſt the gift of God, and who it is that ſaith John 4. 10.to thee, Give me to drink, thou would'ſt have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Dub. But I ask, and yet 'tis not given.
Reſp. Queſtionleſs, he that bids us ask, means to give: As we bid our Children ſay, I pray you father give me ſuch a thing; we do it not, but when we mean to give it them.
Object. But I cannot pray, I cannot pray for grace.
Anſw. 1. He that will give thee grace when thou prayeſt, will give thee grace that thou mayeſt pray: As God firſt formed Adams body, and it lay dead before him on the ground, without breath, or life, or ſoul in it; and God breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life [or ſpirit of lives foreign]Gen. 2. 7. and man became a living ſoul: So when thou lyeſt dead before the Lord without any life, or breath of Prayer in thee; thou canſt not ſo much as breathe before him; he'l breathe a Soul of Prayer into thee, he'l put breath into thee, as he did intoActs 9. 11. Saul, Behold he prayeth, ſaith God.
2. Sometimes a man ſends a gift to one, that never asked him for it; ſo doth God ſometimes ſend his gifts of grace to them that never ask for it, he gives them, before they ask it.
Oppoſers and Perſecutors are ſaid to be the greateſt Sinners; yet ſaith Chriſt upon the Croſs, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do: he ſpake it of thoſe that put him to Death.
Some might have ſaid, Lord, they are oppoſers of thee, even to the Death; be it ſo, ſaith Chriſt; I have mercy for oppoſers too, and for perſecutors too; Father, forgive them, they know not what they do: But Lord, they do not beg for pardon, wilt thou give ſuch a kindneſs to them that ask not for it? They do not acknowledg their fault: if thou wilt ſhew mercy to them, ſtay till they acknowledg their fault, and be humbled, and ask pardon: nay (ſaith Chriſt) I will prevent poor ſinners with my love; Though they do not ask forgiveneſs, yet I beg forgiveneſs, Father, forgive them.
But Lord, theſe are great ſinners, and leſs mercy would ſerve the turn; forgiveneſs is a great mercy: no, (ſaith Chriſt) no mercy leſs than forgiveneſs will ſerve the turn, they'l be never the better for any mercy without forgiveneſs, therefore they ſhall have it; Father, forgive them: but forgiveneſs is a great mercy: be it ſo, ſaith Chriſt; I know what I do: I have great mercy, the greateſt mercy for the greateſt ſinners; and becauſe they cannot ask it, I will ask it for them, Father, forgive them.
Ʋſe 6. Wo to you Profeſſors, that have not true grace; fromMatth 13. 12. Luk. 8. 18. them ſhall be taken away, even that which they have: Luke ſaith, From them ſhall be taken that which they ſeem to have.
For if we ſpeak of true grace, they have not grace, only ſeem to have it: They ſeem to be holy, and their ſeeming holineſs ſhall be taken from them: They ſeem to believe, and their ſeeming Faith ſhall be taken from them: They ſeem to repent, and their ſeeming Repentance ſhall be taken from them: TheyMatth. 13. 20. ſeem to joy in Chriſt, and in Mercy, and the Promiſes; but their ſeeming joy ſhall be taken from them.
The ſpirit doth but aſſume them; he doth not inform them, nor enliven them: As the dead bodies which Angels aſſume for a time, they ſeem to live, and talk, and eat and drink; but when the Angel leaves them, becauſe they were not the Angels proper bodies, they vaniſh away, and loſe that life they did ſeem to have: So the Spirit of God doth aſſume and act the ſouls of many men in the Church for a time, to do ſervice for God by them; and all that while, they pray, and preach, and hear, and walk up and down in Duty, out of one Duty into another; and the Spirit leaves them, becauſe he did but aſſume them, and then they drop down dead, as indeed they are, and always were.
Thus the Spirit did aſſume Judas for a time; Judas was but a dead man in ſoul all the time he was with Chriſt, only the Spirit of God aſſumed him, and acted him, and he followed Chriſt, and went about Preaching the Goſpel with the other Diſciples: but when the Spirit left him, he betrayed Chriſt for thirty pieces of ſilver (that was his proper work) and deſpaired, and dyed.
Ʋſe 7. This ſhould put the Saints upon a ſerious Tryal of their graces.
The Point tells you, that where there are beginnings of true grace, God will make rich Additions of more grace: Oh then, try what grace yours is: if it be true grace, God will give more grace; As the Apoſtle ſaith, He that hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it; If it be a good work, God will perfect it; he will cheriſh his own work.
Sirs, God will not nurſe up a ſpurious ſeed, Baſtard grace, whereof he is not the Father: Oh! then all you that would taſte comfort from this Point, try your graces.
The Evangelical Hypocrite is he I aim at: There is Goſpel-Hypocriſie, ſo I call it: for where the Goſpel comes, there are two ſorts of Perſons that walk beſide it.
1. Some directly oppoſe the Doctrine of it, and thoſe are Justitiaries, that ſet up their own Righteouſneſs, as the Jews Rom. 9. 31, 32.did.
And therefore it is ſaid, That Christ came to his own, and his John 1. 11.own received him not.
And ſuch are the Papiſts at this day, who are juſtly by our Divines ſaid to anſwer to the Jewiſh Phariſees.
Theſe are Chriſtian Phariſees, they receive Chriſt in Name; but ſet up their own Righteouſneſs, and will be juſtified by their own Works, and ſaved by their own Merits.
2. Others there are, that receive the Goſpel, and ſo decry all their own Righteouſneſs, and cry up Chriſt; they ſee nothing in themſelves, and look for all from Chriſt, renouncing their own Righteouſneſs, and reſting upon Chriſt alone for ſalvation.
Theſe are of divers ſorts.
1. Some receive Chriſt with an Hiſtorical, lifeleſs Faith: they believe in Chriſt, but will not part with their ſins: they gladly embrace Chriſt as a Saviour, but oppoſe Holineſs, and will not change their lives; and becauſe Chriſt came into the World to ſave ſinners, they take liberty to ſin, and hope to be ſaved as well as any: Theſe are thoſe we call our large Proteſtants, who are as great Enemies to Chriſt as Papiſts are.
The Papiſts perſecute the true Chriſtians in the Point of Doctrine, and theſe Enemies within us perſecute the true Chriſtians in Point of Holineſs.
The Papiſts they will be ſaved by works without Faith, theſe will be ſaved by Faith without works. Theſe are ſpots in our feaſts; The Epiſtles of James and John were written as Antidotes againſt this kind of poyſon.
And Jude writes againſt theſe men, ungodly men, turning the Verſ. 4.grace of God into laſciviouſneſs: Arguing from mercy to liberty, which is the Divils Logick, Continuing in ſin, that grace may abound.
And (my Beloved) in this lyeth the very form of an Evangelical Hypocrite, in denying his own Righteouſneſs, to eſtabliſh his ſin; he will advance Chriſt, to advance his luſt.
Dub. But how can open ſinners keep their luſts, live in viſible prophaneneſs, and yet believe in Chriſt?
Sol. Becauſe the Goſpel brings the ſweeteſt and higheſt Conſolations along with it.
And therefore every man under ſenſe of ſin, will fly thither for Sanctuary, and hide himſelf under the Canopy of the Goſpels mercy.
A man that travels under the fiery Beams of the Sun in an hot day, the cool ſhadow of a Tree is very refreſhing, and he will ſit there and reſt himſelf under it.
Men that have their feet or their arms ſcalded, will put them into cold water which gives them eaſe, though it gives them no cure; yet, becauſe it gives them eaſe, there they keep them: So men, whoſe Conſciences are ſcalded with wrath; Oh! now the Goſpel, and Juſtification by Faith in Chriſt is very ſweet: And ſo they are eaſed by it, never cured by it; and therefore you ſhall find them diſclaim all works, and cry up grace only; when Chriſt is offered, and general notice given them, that there is Mercy and Hope for great Sinners, this fills them with joy and peace.
But wherein doth theſe mens hypocriſie appear?
They receive Jeſus Chriſt only for eaſe: I ſay, a falſe heart receives Chriſt only to eaſe him, to eaſe him of the terrour of Conſcience, and to eaſe him of the work of Obedience. And here prophane Sinners find great eaſe: The weight of their guilty Conſciences would preſs and ſink them down, but that they bear up upon the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt: Oh! he dyed for Sinners, and paid our debt, and now they are cheerful and eaſie: they can ſin, and be eaſie; follow their drunkenneſs, and be eaſie; ſwim in their uncleanneſs, and be eaſie; for they make the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt their Bladder to ſwim upon; and ſay what you will to them, they will not ſink.
If you ask one of theſe drunkards, and haters of the Saints, and railers at godlineſs; I ſay, if you ask them, Do you believe in Chriſt? yes, ſay they: Believe, yea, we believe exceedingly: and ſo they do: the truth is, they believe beyond meaſure: but they believe and reſt upon Jeſus Chriſt, to eaſe themſelves of ſanctification: they cannot but ſee the want of it, and they cannot eaſe themſelves, but by pleading, that Chriſt is holy, and that though they have it not, yet Chriſt hath it: This is a great eaſe to their thoughts at the preſent; and thus they receive Chriſt.
Oh Sirs! that you would conſider the ſad condition of this man, whoſe plagues ſhall be made wonderful, whoſe Conſcience ſuits him ſtill for ſin, and then looks up to Chriſt, and reſts there; and hears Sermons, but then ſalves up all with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and conſiders often that his ways are evil, but never ſuſpects his faith to be evil: Then he is taken with Death, and then looks up to Chriſt; at laſt the ſnuff dyes, and his Sun ſets, and darkneſs approacheth, and then inſtead of heaven embraceth flames: and what is it that hath deceived theſe men? Oh! their Faith hath deceived them: they believed they might have had Chriſt and Sin too: and then in Hell they wiſh, Oh! that I had conſidered, and feared this before: and will you not fear now?
I charge you then, think not your Eſtates good, becauſe you reſt on Chriſt, and look for ſalvation by him only.
2. There are others who receive Jeſus Chriſt not only into their belief, but into their boſoms; not only into their heads, but alſo into their hearts: They have a great work upon them, the Goſpel doth not only Irradiate their minds, but alſo (in a great meaſure) Captivate their Wills: they have affections to Chriſt, and ſweet motions to holy things kindled in their hearts: They receive the word with joy and delight; Matth. 13.they fall into raptures of love to, and admiration of Jeſus Chriſt; they do not only aſſent to the Doctrine of Juſtification by Chriſt, but are made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt; There is a change wrought in them, they ſeem to be waſhed 2 Pet. 2, 20.and ſanctified in the blood of Chriſt, having eſcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt: And ſo they ſhine in the ſurface of their outward lives.
The hypocriſie of the heart ſprings from defect of light in the mind: The want of ſaving Illumination in the underſtanding, is the reaſon of the hypocriſie of the heart.
Theſe two faculties [the Ʋnderſtanding and the Will] live very near one another, if they be not really the ſame: ſome ſay, they are but one and the ſame power or faculty of the ſoul, and ſo there is a real Identity of the Will and Underſtanding; ſaying, that the Will is Intellectus extenſus; others affirm, that they are faculties really diſtinct.
However it is by all concluded, that there muſt (in order of nature) be light before choice, knowledg before election; the Intellectual creature muſt ſee, before it can determine or reſolve upon.
Now I ſay, the imperfect and unſound reſolution of the ſoul flows from defect of light: The hypocriſie of the heart ſprings from the want of a ſaving Illumination in the Underſtanding.
This appears in the Parable of the Virgins, of whom the Lord Chriſt ſaith, That five were wiſe, and five were fooliſh: The vanity of the one ſprang from their folly; the proviſion of Oyl the others made, ſprang from their Wiſdom.
You know it's frequent in Solomons Proverbs, to call the upright and godly man, the wiſe man; the ſinner and hypocrite, the fool; the power of ſin lyeth in the power of darkneſs: The ſtrength of a State, in the Wiſdom of its Council.
1. The Underſtanding is the firſt inlet of Sin and Grace: this is that which opens and ſhuts to all life and ſin.
When Satan laid his Train and Powder-plot to blow up all the World by the ſin of one man, he firſt enters into diſpute with Eve, and (as the Apoſtle ſaith) deceived her; The woman was deceived, and ſo darkned her mind with a miſt:1 Tim. 2. 14. the ſerpent crept into her heart through the door of her Ʋnderſtanding.
There could no ſin get into the Will, were there not an error firſt in the Ʋnderſtanding.
2. And as the mind is the firſt inlet into ſin, ſo it is the firſt door that lets in grace: Sanctifie them through thy truth, thy John 17. 17. John 12. 35.word is truth: Walk while you have the light, leſt darkneſs come upon you.
Satan knew, if light came in, Christ would come in.Matth. 13. 15.
3. Divine light is very powerful: it hath a mighty influence to change and renew the heart. We all with open face beholding as in a glaſs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory as by the ſpirit of the Lord: All Divine light of glory works ſtrongly: if hypocrites had it, their hearts would be ſincere: Not that bare light can change the will, but the Lord works by it: When the Lord comes with life, he comes with light. Awake thou that ſleepeſt, Epheſ. 5. 14.ariſe from the dead, and Chriſt ſhall give thee light.
When the ſpirit comes, all his work is expreſſed by conviction, of ſin, of righteouſneſs, and of judgment: convince one effectually, and you convert him: You ſhall know the truth John 8. 32.(ſaith Chriſt), and it ſhall make you free; that is, from your bondage of ſins, you ſhall be ſet at liberty.
I ſay, all hypocriſie ſprings from ſome want of this Divine light: The young man ſaw ſome worth in Chriſt, but not enough, and therefore forſook Chriſt.
A man may ſee the Lord Jeſus in the letter of the Scripture, which though it be neceſſary to the ſaving Knowledg of Chriſt; yet to ſee the Lord Jeſus no otherwiſe than in the letter, by the ſtrength of Fancy and Underſtanding, this is no ſaving Knowledg of Jeſus Chriſt.
Between the palpable ignorance of Chriſt without the Goſpel, and the ſaving Knowledg of Chriſt in the Goſpel, there is this middle Knowledg of Chriſt, which is literal, whereby a man doth ſee; yet in ſeeing, ſeeth not.
Now ſaving Illumination,
1. It is a peculiar Illumination: The greateſt Scholar that ever lived, never had one ſuch thought or apprehenſion of the Lord, and the things of the Lord, as the Saints have: To them the Lord reveals ſome things that the wiſeſt in the world never knew.
2. It is a glorious and ſhining Illumination.
1. They behold a Glory in Chriſt's perſon: the Lord reveals his hidden glory to them, ſuch as never entred into their hearts before, or into the minds of other men; which, though others may talk and diſcourſe of, yet they cannot ſee it in that manner as they do: It is therefore called a marvelous light.
In John 1. 14. They ſaw Chriſt vailed in our Humane Nature, and darkned under the Cloud of a mean condition; And yet they beheld his glory, as of the only begotten of the John 1. 14.father.
The Jews ſaw the ſame Chriſt, yet could not ſee the ſame Glory in him.
2. They behold a glory in the holineſs and graces of Jeſus Chriſt: his graces ſtrike a Majeſty of him in their hearts: Oh that I were like him!
3. They behold a glory in his Covenant and Promiſes: Oh, that all thoſe promiſes might be made good to me! this is all my deſire.
4. They behold a glory in all the Ordinances of Chriſt: Oh Pſal. 63. 1. Verſ. 2.God! my ſoul thirſteth for thee—To ſee thy power and thy glory, ſo as I have ſeen thee in the ſanctuary. How amiable Pſal. 84. 1. Verſ. 10.are thy Tabernacles, Oh Lord of hoſts! A day in thy court is better than a thouſand.
Oh the fellowſhip of Saints! Oh the luſtre and beauty of his Sabbaths!
5. They behold a glory in the Commands and Will of Chriſt: Oh, if once I could in every thing give content to his heart! Such a ſoul had rather loſe all, than croſs his Will in a ſmall thing: he ſeeth a glory in the leaſt truth.
6. They ſee a glory in all his Diſpenſations: Have I but a little eſtate? This is the allowance he provides for me: I am leſs than the least of all thy mercies: His glory therefore appears, that I have a bit of bread to eat.
7. They behold a glory in the Croſs of Chriſt; glory in all their ſufferings: I am not worthy to ſuffer ſhame for the name of Chriſt: Moſes eſteemed the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the Treaſures of Egypt.
We ſhall find a falſe heart ever fall ſhort here.
3. It is a ſoul-humbling Illumination: One every way ſo fit and ſuitable to them, according to all their wants and woes; ſo far in Splendour and Majeſty ſurpaſſing their unworthineſs, and yet laying his greatneſs flat at the feet of their neceſſities and miſeries; that when the ſoul doth ſee it, it uſually fills the head, and heart, and eyes with tears: Oh, that I have deſpiſed him ſo glorious!Acts 2. 36, 37.
4. It is an endearing and attractive Illumination.
Sinners may (like Balaam) ſee the glory of the Tents of Iſrael, and the Star of Jacob; but they eſteem him not in all his glory.
Many reprobates under a lively Miniſtry, may ſee ſome glory in Chriſt, and in his Saints; to think them the happy men, yet not esteem of him in all his glory.
The damned in Hell ſee a glory in Chriſt, elſe they would never grieve for the loſs of him; yet they cannot love him, nor rejoyce in his glory.
But the light the Saints have of him, makes Chriſt tranſcendent in their eyes, and precious in their hearts: they eſteem him beyond ten thouſand Worlds.
3. But yet further; The ſecret Goſpel-hypocrites have not hearts effectually to uſe and improve the means unto ſalvation: Salvation is the great end they would have; but they come ſhort in the uſe of means; they draw not the Arrow to the head; they drive not home enough in the uſe of means.
The cloſest hypocrites diſcover themſelves in an ineffectual uſe of the means unto ſalvation.
Men out of the Church, they periſh becauſe they have no remedy, no ſaving means to help: But why do thoſe periſh that are within the Church? Is it becauſe there is no remedy? No: but becauſe they do not uſe the remedy: Is it becauſe they want means? No; but becauſe they do not effectually improve the means: Here they fall ſhort, herein they diſcover themſelves.
Sirs, There is a Spirit of ſloath and ſlumber which the Lord ever leaves the beſt hypocrite unto: The laſt Enemy God conquers in a man is his ſloath: Now this hangs upon the moſt refined hypocrite to the end: he will Act, but 'tis remiſly in order to ſalvation: he'l not act at all, or will not act throughly.
In the Parable of the Talents, one of the ſervants was caſtMatth. 25. 24, 25. away, Why ſo? becauſe he had no Talent? No; but becauſe he had no mind, nor liſt to uſe his Talent: he was idle, and did not make his gain out of it, to attain his end; And therefore the Lord ſaith unto him, [Thou wicked and ſloathful Verſ. 26.ſervant].
My Beloved, all the Ordinances of God, and all that time we have under them, are Talents: Now wherein do hypocrites fail? There is a ſecret gain of Ordinances which hypocrites regard not.
Why have many ſouls ſet a great price upon Chriſt, and yet have loſt him, and gone without him? Becauſe like indifferent chapmen, they have had a deſire to the Commodity, but have been loth to be at the full coſt for him.
The Lord ſets before you the highest and moſt glorious end, but 'tis through many difficulties that we muſt arrive at it; now there being a ſpirit of Security and ſloth within, and thoſe dfficulties without; a hypocrite ſits down and reſts under the ſhadow of his negligence; and ſaith, 'Tis hard; and becauſe he cannot do ſo, he hopes 'tis but an infirmity, and God will accept of his deſires. And here he periſheth.
The Iſraelites (you know) were bound for Canaan, they aimed at it; but when their ſpies had told them of the difficulties, their ſpirits ſunk within them, only Caleb and Joſhuah had upright hearts, and followed the Lord fully.
Theſe ſpiritual merchants do prize and earneſtly deſire the Treaſures of Heaven, here's their end: But to be at the coſt to prepare a Ship, to embark upon the trouble of an Heavenvoyage to fetch this Treaſure, to ſail through a dangerous Sea of Temptations, through evil and good report, through the powers of darkneſs, through the oppoſitions of the World, and the contradictions of a ſinful and unbelieving heart; to lanch from one depth, and wave to another: This the beſt hypocrite fails in, and loſeth all at laſt.
My Beloved, here you may ſee the root of all the complaints that are in the mouths of many Profeſſors, they are ever complaining and crying out of wants, but never feel ſupplies; ever confeſſing their ſins, but never triumphing over their ſin; ever hoping, never having; ever wiſhing that they had the Lord, but never enjoying the Lord: Why? what's the cauſe of this? Is heaven ſo barren, that there are no golden mines there? Are the fields of Gods Ordinances ſo empty, that there is no treaſure to be found there? Surely no: Gods Store-houſes and Granaries are full, but Chriſtians are lazy; there is the Treaſure, but they cannot, or will not dig for it: If thou cryeſt Prov. 2. 3, 4, 5.after knowledg, and lifteſt up thy voice for underſtanding: If thou ſeekeſt her as ſilver, and ſearcheſt for her, as for hid treaſures: Then ſhalt thou underſtand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledg of God.
Men pray againſt ſin, and if a few ſighs will fetch in ſtrength, well and good; if not, they caſt that ſhovel by, Dig I cannot.
They ſpend ſome time in mourning, and laying ſin to heart; but if they cannot preſently feel the bitterneſs of it, I cannot help it (ſay they) Dig I cannot.
You complain, you ſeek and find not; but do you ſeek diligently? He that cometh to God, muſt believe that he is, and that Heb. 11. 6.he is a rewarder foreign to thoſe that ſeek him diligently and earneſtly.
You complain that your hearts are fugitive and wandring, undiſpoſed to what is good.
But I pray you, Do you keep them with all diligence? Are you at pains to keep your hearts? There, there it lyeth, you are idle and ſlothful, you love not to ſit up and watch your hearts.
Keep thy heart (ſaith Solomon) with all diligence:Prov. 4. 23.
Above all keeping: That is, more than any of thoſe things or treaſures, which thou deſt keep, though never ſo ſtrictly.
You complain you meet not with aſſurance: but you can live well enough without it, and make up the want of it with other comforts: Your contentments in the world make up the abſence of Chriſt from you, and is not this a neglect of him? Yet you complain you want aſſurance, but do you uſe the utmoſt coſt and care to make it ſure? As the Apoſtle ſaith, Give all diligence to make your calling and election ſure.2 Pet. 1. 10.
Oh! come then and examine your ſelves by this rule: Tell me, you poor Creatures, Do you not often find checks for ſin, deſires againſt it; Chriſt and Mercy weeping at your knees, and your hearts almoſt perſwaded? Do you not find ſome movings towards the Lord, but yet withall a dead, ſloathful heart ſtays you again, and will not let you offer violence to your ſelves?
4. An hypocrite, his turning from ſin, is but an exchange of one ſin for another.
Many will ſay unto me, I am no hypocrite; for I have left theſe, and thoſe dear luſts which pleaſed me very well: My drunkenneſs pleaſed me, but I have left it; my carnal mirth was my daily Cordial, but I have thrown away the Cup and ſpilt it; I was an oppreſſour and dealt unjuſtly, but I have left it off: Well, this is well done; but haſt thou entertained no other ſin in the ſtead of it?
I tell you, An hypocrite his turning from ſin, is but an exchange of one ſin for another: When one ſin is caſt away, another ſteps in the room of it; and when that is gone, another ſupplies the place of that too; and commonly the ſtrongeſt ſin and temptation is the laſt.
The reaſon is, becauſe his Nature is not changed.
The ſin of Nature only is moſt properly the reigning ſin.
It hath been a Queſtion, What is a mans reigning ſin? his Maſter-ſin? But no ſin is able to reign over any man, but by Commiſſion and Power from his ſin of Nature: As the weeds can never grow tall, but by virtte of their ſoyl where they grow: All the Boughs flouriſh by virtue of the root on which they grow; And therefore we ſhall ſee, let Satan ſow his ſeeds of pride, or luſt, or paſſion in a man whoſe nature is changed, 'tis impoſſible they ſhould come to any perfection there; but they will dye away within a time, becauſe the heart of the ſoyl is gone.
Hence alſo it comes to paſs that a mans Maſter-ſin may be changed: Thoſe ſins that are his Maſter-ſins in his youth, are not in his old age; thoſe that are at one time, in one place, are not in another.
Now there could never be ſuch change of Governours and Vice-roys, unleſs there were ſome great King that ſets up one, and pulls down another, Satis pro imperio.
This therefore is the reigning ſin, which pulls down one ſin, and ſets up another under it, which gives ſtrength to every ſin.
Now a gracious change is a full change; not only a change, but a full change; not only a Converſion (for an hypocrite may be converted) but a full Converſion: 'Tis ſaid of Amaziah, That he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, 2 Chron. 25.but not with a PERFECT HEART: Judah turned to 2. Jer. 3. 10.the Lord, but not with her whole heart.
So then, you ſee hypocrites may be converted: There may be a turning to the Lord, but not a whole turning: there are many that have a Converſion, but not a full Converſion.
What is a full Converſion?
Firſt, It is a deep Converſion.
Secondly, It is a univerſal Converſion.
Thirdly, It is an high Converſion.
1. It is a deep Converſion; it ſtrikes at the root, and ſubdues the very natural corruption; I ſay, more or leſs it kills the natural corruption, and ſo by degrees ruinates the very foundation of ſin: ſo that in true Converſion, nature it ſelf is ſlain, I mean corrupt nature; it dyes and rots like a root in the earth; and in this, the ſuperficial Converſion falls ſhort.
That you may underſtand it, you muſt know, there are two corruptions of Nature:
1. The one natural.
2. The other acquired.
The natural depravation is expreſſed by David, I was conceived in iniquity; and in that of Job, Who can bring a clean thing out of filthineſs?
The acquired Corruption of Nature is expreſſed in that Text, All fleſh had corrupted his ways. From the natural Corruption proceeds the acquired, and by the acquired, the natural corruption is inflamed.
The natural corruption cannot be repaired but by grace and regeneration.
The acquired Corruption of Nature was got by cuſtom and habit, and ſo it may be loſt by habit.
A man may free himſelf from his acquired Corruptions, he may by care and induſtry of his own, mortifie his acquired depravations of Nature.
As we read of many, Socrates and Plato, who by their Wiſdom and Induſtry freed themſelves from the ſlavery of many ſenſual appetites and paſſions, which their corrupt nature and evil company had led them into, and yet the natural corruption remained ſtill.
Thou thinkeſt thou art converted, becauſe thou haſt overcome thy drunkenneſs; but drunkenneſs is but an acquired corruption, thou didſt get it by cuſtom, and mayſt break it by custom, and yet nature remain ſtill unchanged.
5. The change of the heart chiefly appears in the change of the ultimate or utmoſt end.
As the Pollution of the whole man, and all his Actions, Moral, Civil, and Religious, conſiſts chiefly, and appears in ſeeking ſelf, or making our ſelves our utmoſt end; ſo our ſanctification lyeth in this, and appears chiefly in making God the ultimate end of all we do.
A man before he is ſanctified, deſires God and Chriſt, only to keep his ſores from aking: for ſo I look upon all men made up of wants; if the body ake with diſeaſes and pains, the ſtomack with hunger, conſcience for ſin; all their happineſs lyeth in the eaſing thereof, here lyeth their bliſs: They ſeek after God only as a Phyſitian to heal or cure them, but not as the end of their cure: The ſick man ſends for the Phyſitian, but his health and recovery is his end; ſo do men before their Converſion, in their pangs of Conſcience, their afflictions, their wants and neceſſities; they ſeek to God, and make uſe of God as an inſtrument, but their eaſe and intereſts are their ends: Jehu ſought the Lord, but his laſt end was himſelf.
But when the heart is ſanctified, then God is their end; inſtead of their luſts and ſins, God is the only end in their eye; inſtead of the riches or comforts of the World, God is the Object in their eye: Whom have I in heaven but thee? and Pſal. 73. 25.there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee: God was inſtead of all things to him.
1. The ſoul ſeeth its own vileneſs, and the Lord in his Glory: This is the firſt Principle of ſeeking the Lord: the ſoul ſeeth all his good laid up in the Lord, more than in himſelf; nay wholly in the Lord, not at all in himſelf: All my ſprings (ſaith the ſoul) are in thee: All my treaſures of Righteouſneſs and Redemption, all my riches of Wiſdom and Sanctification, they are all in thee; and therefore the Saints, when they ſee their own vileneſs, and the Lord in his Glory, are ſo far from ſeeking, that they loath themſelves.
2. The ſoul ſlights the creatures, as veſſels of meer vanity.
Oh try your ſelves then by this touchſtone!
A carnal heart may croſs his own Will, but not his own utmoſt end.
A man may ſeek the Lord with delight, and follow theZech. 7. 5, 6. Iſa. 58. 4, 5. Ordinances, and faſt, and pray, but himſelf is his end ſtill.
How ſhall we know we make God our end?
1. When you make him your happineſs: thoſe that are throughly ſanctified, make the Lord their last end and happineſs: Happy art thou, O Iſrael; who is like unto thee, O Deut. 33. 29. Pſal 144. 15.people! Happy are thoſe people, whoſe God is the Lord.
The full reſt and peace of the ſoul is to be found only in the Preſence of God, in this Being of Beings: his perfections are in himſelf, he keeps a perpetual ſabbath of reſt in himſelf: And in this reſt only the gracious ſoul ſeeks his reſt; God is the journeys-end of all his Labours, Life, and Travels.
When Solomon had tyred out himſelf in his Travels through all the things of this World, at laſt he returns empty and crying home; and now when he ſums up all his Glory, he ſaith, The words of the preacher the Son of David, King in Jeruſalem.Eccl. 1. 1.
He ſtiles himſelf,
1. A man gathered to the Church, to be as near God as he can.
2. The Son of David, to whom the promiſes were made.
And then thirdly, King of Jeruſalem, the leaſt and laſt of all.
Secondly, When you do the Lords work purely for the Lord: the Hypocrite will do the Lords work, but 'tis, becauſe his own Intereſts are bound up with it. As a man that goes to the City, he will do your buſineſs, but he would not go, unleſs he had affairs of his own to do there.
But the gracious heart will go for God, and ride for God, meerly upon the Lords occaſions.
Thirdly, When you carry all things down the ſtream toward God: As a River running toward the Sea, many ſprings fall and run into it, but it carrieth them down all with it; ſo the upright ſoul, there are many occaſions, hinderances, buſineſſes, but he carrieth them all down along with him; they muſt all go with him, they ſhall not divert him, but he will over-maſter them, and lead them his way; nay the more he is hindred, the more violent is his motion; It is time for thee, O Lord, to work, for they have made void thy Pſal. 119. 126. 127.law, therefore love I thy Commandments above gold, yea above fine gold.
Fourthly, Therefore they that are ſanctified, love the Lord fully, that is above all.
A man is highly endeared to that which he makes his end: his end commands his affections: to love the Lord, and to be beloved of the Lord, and behold his Glory, is the main end of the upright heart.
Fifthly, They that are ſanctified, dedicate themſelves to the Will of God; I mean to the whole Will of God: Their will is emptied into his will: Teach me to do thy will, Pſal. 143. 10. Pſal. 40. 8.O God: I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart.
The Hebrew word for an holy man, is a conſecrated man, foreigna man ſeperated from common to a Divine uſe.
The ſanctified man, is a man ſeparated from his own will, and ſet apart to do Gods Will; he is gone out of his own Will, and lives at a diſtance from it; he is ſorry that he hath ſerved his own will ſo long, and is weary of the ſervice.
1. They that are ſanctified, do Gods Will, purely becauſe it is his will; becauſe it pleaſeth him: there is a dear propenſity in the Saints to do Gods Will, becauſe it pleaſeth him. Thus ſaith the Lord unto ths Eunuchs that keep my ſabbaths, Iſa. 56. 4.and chuſe the things that pleaſe me: This is their choice, it is in their hearts to do it, becauſe it pleaſeth the Lord: I will Pſal. 69. 30.praiſe the name of God with a ſong, and magnifie it with thanksgiving: This alſo ſhall pleaſe the Lord better than an Ox or Verſ. 31.Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs.
This is the Motive and loadſtone of their Obedience, in that it pleaſeth him: This is the joy of their work, and that which makes muſick upon the ſtrings of their hearts, becauſe it pleaſeth him.
It is with every man, as it was with Sampſon, he would needs have a wife of the Philiſtins; Why ſo? becauſe ſhe pleaſeth Judg. 14. 3.me.
So why do men ſeek themſelves, love themſelves, and eſpouſe theſe and thoſe luſts, but becauſe it pleaſeth them: Look then, as the ſoul, when he loved himſelf, did ſeek to pleaſe only his own will in every thing and 'twas good, becauſe it pleaſed him; ſo the Saint, whoſe heart is now endeared to Chriſt, though he cannot perfectly do it (that's in Heaven), yet he ſeeks to give the whole will of Chriſt content, becauſe it pleaſeth Chriſt.
He that is unmarried (ſaith the Apoſtle) careth for the 1 Cor. 7. 32.things that belong to the Lord, how he may pleaſe the Lord.
2. The upright heart, though he cannot joy in the Lords Love, yet he will joy in the Lords Will: His delight is in the Pſal. 1. 2.Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night.
3. They cloſe with the whole Will of God as their happineſs.
It is not only good to do the Lords Will, (for thus men may ſeek the Lord, as thinking it good ſo to do) but as their Bleſſedneſs; elſe 'tis not their laſt end, and ſo not ſought as their laſt end.
The ſanctified ſoul obeys God as his Bleſſedneſs; Bleſſed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the Law of the Lord: Pſal. 119. 1. Verſ. 2.Bleſſed are they that keep his teſtimonies, and that ſeek him with the whole heart: This makes them ſeek God with the whole heart, becauſe they count this their Bleſſedneſs; this makes a gracious heart prize ſervice to God above the whole Creation, and ſet an higher rate upon a good work, than upon a miracle; he had rather be obeying, than working miracles; rather humbling his ſoul, than removing mountains, becauſe he is doing the Will of God.
Ʋſe 8. Saints reach after more grace: It ſhould not content a Saint to have grace, but to have more grace: As it doth not content God to give grace, but to give more grace; ſo it ſhould not content a Saint to have grace, but to have more grace: Becauſe,
1. The more grace thou haſt, the more of God thou haſt in thee: And he that is full of grace, is full of God: To know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, that ye might Eph. 3. 19.be filled with all the fulneſs of God.
2. Abundance of grace is lovely; for grace is the beauty of the ſoul; the quinteſſence and ſweetneſs, that doth dulcifie and perfume the ſoul.
A little ſugar doth not ſweeten a cup; eſpecially if it be a bitter cup, ſuch as mans nature is: we ſay of a little, that 'tis as good as none at all.
A little Frankincenſe doth not perfume a room, eſpecially if it be a ſtinking room, ſuch as mans impure nature is.
Where grace is predominant, there a Saint is lovely.
Ah my Beloved! God would have the Saints lovely in his eye, and lovely in the Worlds eye: Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven. There muſt be abundance of light in thee to ſhine over all the Horizon of thy Converſation; as there is abundance of light in the Sun that ſhines over all the Hemiſphere we live in, and therefore 'tis a great body; ſo muſt thou be a great Saint to ſhine before all men; and therefore the little ſtars do not ſhine ſcarce to our eye.
Ah my Beloved! This is the reaſon why many, who call themſelves Saints, are not lovely in the eyes of the World; they have not abundance of grace; they have abundance of profeſſion, but not abundance of grace; abundance of profeſſion, but little grace; and this makes them ſo odious in the World; abundance of profeſſion (without grace) makes them but the more odious in the world: The world ſeeth ſo much pride, and ſo little humility in them; ſo much worldlineſs, and ſo little of Heaven in them; ſo much unjuſt dealing, and ſo little truth in them, that the world is apt enough to conclude, that either this is not the Goſpel which they profeſs, or that they are not true to their profeſſion.
John the Baptiſt had abundance of grace, and he was very lovely in the eye of the World; he was lovely in Herods eye.Mark 6. 20.
3. Abundance of grace is lively: for grace is the life of the ſoul; and where life is but weak, there the actings are not lively: A weak man cannot run; But ſaith David, I will run the way of thy Commandments: He was lively, for he hadPſal. 119. 32. abundance of grace.
Moſes was mighty in Prayer; ſaith God, Let me alone, that Exod. 32. 10.my wrath may wax hot against them, i. e. hinder me not by thy Prayer from puniſhing them: Moſes had abundance of Spirit, he was too hard for God himſelf (as I may ſay with reverence): Saints, had ye abundance of Faith, ye would be lively in believing: As 'tis ſaid of Abraham, He was ſtrong Rom. 4. 20.in Faith.
4. The more grace thou haſt, the more terrible to the Devils: The Devil trembles at the mighty Prayers of a gracious man; the Devil trembles at the ſtrong Faith of a gracious man: Oh! Who would not have grace? And who would not have much grace?
When the Apoſtles (acted by Faith) came (as Chriſt ſaid) to cast out Devils; Did not the Devils tremble at them? Saint, he fears thee, more than thou needeſt fear him: Jeſus, I know, Act. 19. 15.and Paul I know; ſaid the Devil: That is, I know them to my fear; they have put me to flight many a time: And if you were ſuch as they, I ſhould fear you alſo: Believe it, Soul, he trembles at thy holineſs, he trembles at thy Faith; put it forth in Prayer, and thou ſhalt ſee him run: Reſiſt the Devil, Jam. 4. 8.and he will flie from you.
5. The more grace thou haſt, the more thou ſhalt-ſerve the Lord, which is the true and proper end of thy Creation: Lord (ſaith one) is it much that I ſerve thee, whom Thom. a Kempis, l. 3. c. 10.all creatures are bound to ſerve? It ought not to ſeem much unto me, to ſerve thee; but this rather ſeems much and marvelous to me, that thou vouchſafeſt to receive into thy ſervice one ſo poor and unworthy to ſerve thee: He goeth on, Behold, all is thine which I have, and whereby I ſerve thee: and yet in very deed, thou rather ſerveſt me, than I thee.
6. Nothing but grace will bring thee to Heaven: Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity, but only to love God, and wholly to ſerve him.
Knowledg is Vanity: yea Knowledg of God himſelf is Vanity, and of Chriſt himſelf is Vanity, without grace to love him, and live to him: As one ſaith, What will it avail thee Tho. a Kempis.to diſpute profoundly of the Trinity, if thou be void of grace, and diſpleaſe the Trinity? High words ſurely make a man neither holy, nor juſt, but grace makes him dear to God.
It is vanity to ſeek after fading riches, it is vanity to gape after withering honours; vanity it is to wiſh to live long, and to be careleſs to live well.
But now many will ſay, grace doth increaſe in us: we do reach after more grace: and this many falſe hearts ſay they do. My Beloved, falſe grace may grow, and doth lengthen out in deſires and dimenſions: many that are Hypocrites glory in this, that their graces grow.
I muſt therefore ſhew you the difference between the increaſe of true grace, and counterfeit grace.
1. The Hypocrite grows out of Emulation: The true Saint grows out of love to goodneſs: The Hypocrite is grieved that others go beyond him, and over-match him; not love to grace, but a ſpirit of envy makes him to advance: The true Saint grows out of Duty to God, to bring in more glory to his Name: The growth of others is matter of his joy, not of his repining: He is glad that God is better ſerved, though it be by another; his only grief is, that himſelf can ſerve him no better.
2. The Hypocrite (another ſort of them) groweth in Parts, but not in the Power of godlineſs; in gifts and curioſities, but not in vital and Divine quicknings: In Knowledg and Speculations, but not in ſtrength againſt ſin and temptations.
Judas by converſing with Chriſt, could not but grow in Knowledg; but being not incorporate into Chriſt, never grew in grace.
But the true Saint grows in his ſpiritual life, in Union to Chriſt, in Communion with God.
The Hypocrite may grow in quantity, but not in quality; the real Saint grows as much in quality, as in quantity.
3. The Hypocrite may grow more and more in hearing the word, but the Saint grows in taſting the word; and in taſting that moſt deliciouſly, which is moſt ſpiritual: The Hypocrite longs more after new truths, but the Saint taſtes old Promiſes with new affections, and old truths with a new appetite: The Knowledg of an Hypocrite may grow bigger, but the Knowledg of a Saint grows more ſavoury and judicious: The Hypocrite may know more Objects than he did before; but the Saint reliſhes the things more ſweetly which he knew before.
The Hypocrite may grow in enlargements, and pour out longer Prayers; but the Saint prays more ſpiritually.
The Hypocrites zeal may be a great fire; but the Saints zeal is more heavenly and diſcreet; there is more incenſe in his golden cenſer, his love more ſolid and active, more to God, and leſs to himſelf and the world.
The hypocrite is like a tree, that bears great Apples, but they are ſower; but the Saint, the fruit he bears it may be are not ſuch big Apples, but they are ſweet Apples, the juice is better, that gives them a more pleaſant reliſh in Gods palate.
There is a ſweeter juice of love and kindneſs, and godly ſorrow, and filial delight in God, in a Saints duties; and here the Saints growth chiefly lyes, his fruit groweth more ripe and mellow, and ſo more pleaſant and ſweet: His Prayers are not bigger in quantity, but better in quality; he grows in choiceneſs of ſpirit; he comes to the Throne of grace with a more precious eſteem of Chriſt upon his heart: He comes to the word with a dearer thirſt upon his palate; 'tis the ſame Chriſt that is ſet ſtill before him, but he reliſheth Chriſt more ſweetly, receiveth and taſteth the ſame promiſes more raviſhingly, trembleth at the ſame threatnings more tenderly and meltingly: Whereas the hypocrite is cloyed with the word, if it be not diſh'd up to his palate; but the Saints palate is ſpiritualized to the word.
The hypocrites taſt of Sermons, is flatted by reading of Books; but the Saints taſte is quickned by the ſenſe of his wants.
For this is the true uſe of reading, and the end of Knowledg, To make ƲS more ſenſible of our wants, and make Chriſt more excellent in our eyes.
Therefore in taking notes, the hypocrite picks out matter here and there according to his nice and licquoriſh palate; but the hungry Saint takes all, and feeds upon all that comes before him, feeling his need to be ſtirred up to conſider what he knows.
Ʋſe 9. Here's a ſweet ground to aſſure the Saints perſeverance: To him that hath grace, he ſhall not loſe it, but more ſhall be given him; he ſhall not loſe what he hath, but he ſhall have more than he hath; he ſhall not fall away, but ſtand faſter.
They that fall away, are thoſe that have not truth of grace at all; Whoſoever hath not, from him ſhall be taken away, even that he hath.
But the poor Saint, that hath, To him ſhall be given, and he ſhall have more abundance.
He ſhall be ſo far from loſing grace, that he ſhall have more grace.
Dub. But my grace is but little, I cannot ſtand.
Sol. God ſhall make thee ſtand, Rom. 14. 4. Where diſputing of him that is weak in the faith, (Verſ. 1.) ſaith he, (Verſ. 4.) HE ſhall be holden up, for God is able to make him ſtand.
The more weak thou art, the more tender God will be over thee; if thou canſt not ſtand, he will make thee ſtand, thou ſhalt ſtand in his arms.
In Chriſt, you have not only the graces of Chriſt, but the ſpirit of Chriſt.
I pray you mark it.
1. If Adam had ſtood (how long, we know not; it may be, had he ſtood the firſt ſhock of Satans temptation), all his Poſterity ſhould have had that aſſiſtance of the Spirit, that they ſhould have never fallen; as the Holy Angels, that were contented with their firſt ſtation, and abode in the truth (when the other Angels fell), this was their Obedience, that they were loyal in the day of their great Tryal, when the others their Fellow angels rebelled, and their reward was, That they are confirmed in their happy condition, and ſecured in it; ſo if Adam hemſelf (in whom we were all one man) had ſtood, I ſay, if he therefore had ſtood it out to the laſt, both he and all his Poſterity ſhould have had the continual and conſtant aſſiſtance of the Spirit, and been confirmed, ſo as never to have fallen.
And the ground is, the rule of Juſtice; for if he falling, all his Poſterity are forſaken of God, and put under the Reign of Sin, and Death, and Satan; then, he ſtanding, all his Poſterity ſhould have had the perpetual Preſence of Gods Spirit, and been under the everlaſting Reign of the Spirit of grace and life.
2. But now Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam (who was the Head of the new ſeed and family) he ſtood; and therefore propagates to all his Poſterity the perennious Preſence, and conſtant aſſiſtance of the Spirit, whereby (being once begotten of him), they live for ever, and abide in him.
As in Adams fall, we all fell, ſo in Chriſts ſtanding, we all ſtand; the Lord Jeſus having ſtood, they cannot fall; becauſe by virtue of his ſtanding, they have the eternal Preſence of the Holy Ghoſt: I ſay the ground is Chriſts ſtanding; for though there are many reaſons, why the Saints ſhall not fall from Chriſt, as the immutable love of God, the Covenant of Grace, the ſpirit of Grace, and the Interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt: yet all theſe are bottomed upon Chriſts ſtanding and fulfiling the firſt Covenant: For therefore is the Covenant of grace unchangeable, and the federal love of God to us in that Covenant immutable, and the dwelling of the ſpirit eternal, and the ſealing of the ſpirit indelible, becauſe built upon the unchangeable Prieſthood of Jeſus Chriſt, ſuch a Prieſt as ſtood and finiſhed the work, ſo ſtood as to ſatisfie Juſtice, and vanquiſh Satan: And the Interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt in Heaven for us is built upon the ſtanding and perſeverance of Jeſus Chriſt; had not Chriſt ſtood, his Interceſſion had not now been ſtanding; had he fell, that had fell to the ground alſo: had he fell, the Holy Ghoſt had not been given.
Hence it is that the Covenant of grace reigns to lifeRom. 5. 21. eternal.
Hence it is that they who receive Chriſt, ſhall be ſure toVerſ. 27. reign with him.
Hence it is, that our Juſtification by Chriſt is not a tottering or fallible Juſtification, that may be loſt, but a JuſtificationVerſ. 18. unto life.
In a word; hence it is, that the Spirit when he comes, he comes to dwell and abide in Believers.Rom. 8. 11.
He is called the ſpirit that abides for ever.
And now I am returned where I began; Saints, your perſeverance is certain in it ſelf (though not perhaps to you), becauſe in Jeſus Chriſt you have not only the graces of Chriſt, but the ſpirit of Chriſt: the ſpirit dwelling and abiding in you.
1. The ſpirit knits the ſoul to the Lord, and never ſuffers that Love-knot to be untied again: This knot the ſpirit makes, is ſtronger than the Gordian-knot, which cannot only not be looſed, but cannot be cut aſunder.
The Gordian-knot, Alexander the Great, when he could not looſe it, cut it aſunder; but this knot whereby the Saints are tyed to Chriſt, 'tis ſuch a knot as can neither be untied, nor cut aſunder.
2. When the poor ſoul is careleſs of himſelf, the ſpirit keeps him; he ſleeps, and the ſpirit ſits by him: The wiſe virgins took a nap as well as the fooliſh; they fell into a ſleep of carnal ſecurity, but the ſpirit watcht by them, and awaked them.
3. When the poor ſoul is weak, the ſpirit helps him.
4. When the froward ſoul offers to run from the Lord, the Spirit follows him: Jonah run from God, but the Spirit follows him into the Sea, and into the Whales belly, and there he prayeth, and looks again toward the holy Temple: Is not this your wonder?
5. When the unkind ſoul grieves the ſpirit, yet the ſpirit ſtill keeps the houſe, and will not depart from him, and ſo not ſuffer the ſoul wholly to depart from the Lord: When David ſinned and defiled himſelf, he grieved the ſpirit, he polluted the houſe, and yet the ſpirit would not leave the houſe; the ſpirit ſtai'd to keep grace alive in the embers, and to blow it again into a new flame at Nathans Sermon.
Ʋſe 10. You, to whom God hath given grace; the beginnings of grace; here's a great deal of work for you to do.
1. Give the Lord the Honour of his grace: And now (the Lord knows) I know not to whom I ſpeak: The Lord knows who are his.
Some that make the leaſt appearance, may have the greateſt grace; and ſome that caſt the greateſt luſtre, may have no grace; a ſlight Impreſſion upon the ſoul, among men, goeth for grace: But you that have ſearched your hearts, and found the pearl there, give the Lord the Honour of his grace, that ever he ſhould plant ſuch a flower in your boſoms.
For the laſt end of all the Elect is to admire and honour the riches of Gods grace.Eph. 1. 5, 6.