Grace, Sermon 13
XIII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 20. 1651.
2 TIM. 2. 1.
—My ſon, be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus.
YOu have heard the firſt Doctrine opened, viz. That believers are not to be ſatiſgfied in weak meaſures of grace already received, but ought to endeavour to attain greater ſtrength of grace. I ſhall now proceed to the improvement of this point by making ſome application of it; and I ſhall direct the uſe to two ſorts of Chriſtians.
1. To ſuch as are weak in the faith.
2. To ſuch as are ſtrong and grown Chriſtians.
1. With weak believers I would leave theſe directions and conſolations following.Vſe 1.
1. It is your wiſdom to looke more after the truth of your grace, then after the meaſure of it. It is an errour in many Chriſtians, eſpecially young Converts, that they bring their graces rather to the ballance then to the touch-ſtone,Joh. 21. 1…. they weigh them when they ſhould try them. Peter being asked by Chriſt, Simon, l…v…ſt thou me more then theſe? he anſwers not about the meaſure of his love, but about the truth of his love, Lord, I love thee, and thou knoweſt that I love thee. It is not the quantity or meaſure, but the nature and eſſence of grace, which is mainly conſiderable. If thou haſt grace in truth and reality, it will encreaſe; be ſure thy grace be right, and as the light ſhineth more and more to the perfect day, and as the nature of the leaven is, that it doth ſpread through the whole lump, ſo is grace, it is of a ſpreading and encreaſing nature; and therefore be carefull thy grace for nature and for eſſence be true, and for the meaſure of it, it wil then encreaſe.
2. In ſinding out the truth of grace, we muſt not meaſure it ſo much by actions as affections and holy diſpoſitions of the heart: the bent, frame, and tendencies of the heart are the beſt diſcoverers of grace in the heart. When a Chriſtian caſts up all the ſtock of grace he hath, he wil finde that it doth conſiſt more in deſires then endeavours, & more in endeavours and attempts to perform holy duties, then in performance it ſelf. Natural life is more diſcernable by the heat, then by the colour: a Painter may counterfeit the one, but not the other. When the Lord Jeſus is deſcribing the beauty of his Spouſe, he doth not ſay, How faire are thy looks, but, How fair is thy love.Cant. 4. 10.
3. Be not diſcouraged, though men of glorious gifts fall away: for the pooreſt Chriſtian that hath but the ſmalleſt meaſure of grace ſhal never fall away. The gifts of a Formaliſt may quickly wither, for they have their root in nature: but the graces of a true Chriſtian ſhal never periſh, becauſe they have their root in Chriſt, A Chriſtians life is hid with Chriſt, hid in him as in a root,Col. 33. as in the fountain of life. A painted face may ſoon fade, ſo doth not a true and natural complexion; the varniſh of a formal hypocrite is ſoon waſh't out, but when true grace like a colour in grain, hath grown habitual in the ſoul, it is not removeable; ſooner will the Sun diſcard its own beams, then Chriſt will deſert and deſtroy the leaſt meaſure of true grace, which is a beam from that Sun of Righteouſneſſe.
3. Improve your little grace well; this is the way to have more.Luke 19. 1 To him that hath ſhall it be given, i. e. more ſhall be given. God never gave any man a talent to hide it in a napkin. The leaſt meaſure of grace is accountable for. God is improved,
1. When we aſcribe all the glory of grace unto God; as he ſaid right,Luk. 19. 10 Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. Thy pound, and not my pains; We ſhould do all to the praiſe of the glory of Gods grace. If we give God the glory of his grace, he will give us the comfort of our grace, and the increaſe of it.
2. When for the edification and building up of others in their moſt holy faith: to do good to others is the beſt way to get more good our ſelves: The more the Well is drawn, the more water comes, and the better the water is; ſo the more thy grace is exerciſed, the more grace thou wilt have, and the ſweeter will the comfort be of thy grace.
5. To weak Chaiſtians. Do not deny the truth of grace in your ſouls, becauſe you cannot finde the ſtrength of grace in your ſouls. A poor weak man in a Conſumption cannot lift up ſuch a weight, nor can he bear ſuch a burden as a man in ſtrength and health can do, yet he hath life as well as the ſtrongeſt man in the world. It may be day when it is not noon, thou mayſt in reſpect of ſpiritual eſtate, have the ſtrength of a child, though not the ſtrength of a man. It is not only an act of untbank fulneſſe to God; but alſo of uncharitableneſſe to a mans own ſoul, to conclude a nullity of grace from the weakneſſe of it.
6. Look not ſo much on your ſins, but look upon your grace alſo, though weak grace. Weak Chriſtians look more on their ſins then on their graces, yet God looks on their graces, and overlooks their ſins and infirmities: ſaith the Holy Ghoſt,Jam. 5. 13. Ye have heard of the patience of Job. He might alſo have ſaid, Ye have heard of the impatiency of Job, but God reckons of his people, not by what is bad in them, but by what is good in them. Mention is made of R…habs entertainment of the ſpies, but no mention is made that ſhe told the lie when ſhe did ſo, that which was well done was mentioned to her praiſe, and what was amiſſe is buried in ſilence, or at leaſt is not recorded againſt her and charged upon her. He that drew the picture of Alexander with his ſcarre on his face, drew him with his finger on his ſcarre. God layes the finger of mercy upon the ſcarres of our ſins. Oh it is good ſerving ſuch a Maſter, who is ready to reward the good we do, and is ready to forgive and paſſe by what is amiſſe; and therefore thou that haſt but a little grace, yet remember God will have his eye on that little grace. He will not quench the ſmoaking flax, Mat. 12. 20nor breake the bruiſed reed.
7. Learn this for thy comfort, that though thou haſt but a little grace, yet that little grace ſhall not be extinguiſhed by thy ſtrong corruption, but at laſt it ſhall over-maſter your corruptions. What was ſaid of Eſau and Jacob, Gen. 25. 23the one ſhall be ſtronger then the other, and the elder ſhall ſerve the younger, and ſo it came afterwards to paſſe in the time of Jehoſaphat, when there was no King in Edom; 1 King 22. 47.That may be fitly applyed to the affairs of the ſoul, the elder ſhal ſerve the younger; corruption in the ſoul is elder then grace in the ſoul, and corruption is ſo oppoſite to grace, that it labours for the extinction of grace, but this ſparke ſhall live in the midſt of the ſea of corruption, till at laſt that great deep ſhall be made dry; and the houſe of David ſhall at laſt quite put down the houſe of Saul, the Name of the Lord will perform this. And therefore thou that art but a weak Chriſtian, learn to ſtay thy ſelf on the Name of the Lord, till judgement be brought forth into victory.
2. Vſe of this doctrine is unto ſtrong believers, ſuch as have attained unto a higher forme of grace in the ſchool of Chriſt.
2. Though you are ſtrong in grace, yet remember it is not the grace of God in you, but the free grace of God towards you, by which you are juſtified. It is not our inherent righteouſneſſe, but the imputed righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt that is our Juſtification. Oh conſider, you that have moſt grace, what would become of you were it not for free grace? Free grace is the ſureſt and only refuge for a ſoul to flie unto. God can finde matter of condemnation againſt you not only for your worſt ſins, but your beſt duties. The beſt Chriſtian hath no reaſon to venture his ſoul on the beſt thought that ever he conceived, nor on the moſt holy duty that ever he performed, nor on the higheſt grace that ever he exerciſed. A famous inſtance hereof we have in Nehemiab, who had much grace, and did much for God, his people, his houſe, his cauſe, yet prayes after all this,Nehem. 13. 22. Spare me according to the greatneſſe of thy mercy. Intimating that God might finde therein matter enough to ruine him, if God did not ſpare him for his mercies ſake. So Paul in the diſcharge of his Miniſtery, proceeded with ſo much uprightneſſe, that he ſpeaks thus of himſelf,1 Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by my ſelfe, yet am I not hereby juſtified. He knew that all the grace and excellency, and uprightneſſe in him would not make him righteous in the ſight of God.2 Chro. 11. 19. We read of Iehoſaphat, that when he had muſtered up all his ſtrength, which was very great,1 Chro. 11. 19. for he had eleven hundred thouſand men in his militia, yet he goes to God, and prayes, Lord, we have no might or power againſt theſe multitudes, 2 Chro. 10. 12.and we know not what to do, only our eyes are up to thee: So when a Chriſtian hath muſtered up all the ſtrength of his grace, and conſiders the great power of his corruptions which do ſet themſelves againſt him, he had beſt go to God and ſay, Lord I have no power againſt theſe many and great corruptions, but my eyes are to thy grace that thou mayſt help me. As in a pair of Compaſſes, one foot is fixed in the Center, whilſt the other turns about the circumference: ſo muſt the ſoul fix and ſtay it ſelfe on Chriſt, whileſt it is exerciſed about holy duties. Though Chriſt (as I formerly mentioned,) commended many parts of the Spouſe, yet not her hands, to teach us, that all the Spouſe could do,Cant. 4. 1. to 8. could not make her amiable in the eyes of Chriſt, nor the Spouſes working for Chriſt, but Chriſts work in the Spouſe made her beautiful. Oh it is very hard through ſtrength of grace to abound, in the work of the Lord, and yet keep the heart humble: And therefore
2. Conſider, they that have moſt grace, yet have great cauſe to be humbled, and that in many reſpects.
1. Thou haſt not ſo much grace and perfection as once thou hadſt: Once man was beautified and beſpangled with many glorious perfections before the fall, it might have been ſaid of man, that he was perfect as his heavenly father was perfect, for God made man upright, that is, perfect, nothing was wanting then to make man both an happy and holy creature; but alas, the image of God in us is now obliterated and defaced.
2. He that hath moſt grace,Phil. 3. 12, 13. hath not ſo much as he ſhall have in heaven. Not that I am perfect already, but I forget thoſe things that are behind, and I preſſe forward unto thoſe things that are before, yea I preſſe (ſaith the Apoſtle) toward the mark of the price of the High Calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. We read under the law of ſeverall things that were to be a cubit and half high and broad,Ex. 25. 10. it being an imperfect meaſure,The errour of the Familiſticall Perfectiſts very pernicious. it was to note, that no man in this life hath an exactneſſe and perfection, the uttermoſt that is attainable by us in this life, is but imperfect. In this life there is a plus ultra, Heb. 12. 23ſomething ſtill to be attained in religion,1 Joh. 3. 2. but in heaven men ſhall be perfect. We ſhall in heaven be like to Jeſus Chriſt, whom though we now ſee but darkly and in a glaſſe, then we ſhall ſee him as he is.
3. They that have much grace, yet ſhould be humbled, for there are thoſe that have more grace then you, and yet have had leſſe time and fewer advantages then you have; there are thoſe that have gone before you much for ſtrength of grace, and yet have come behind you for means of grace: there are thoſe who were the laſt and are firſt,Mat. 20. 16 and before you.
4 Be humbled under much grace; for ye have not ſo much grace as you ſhould have had, concerning the means of grace you have lived under. How many years have you been in the ſchool of Chriſt, and yet what little proportionable progreſſe have you made in the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt? we may all bluſh to think what dunces we have been in the ſchool of Chriſt. The trees of the garden ſhould bear nore fruit then the trees of the forreſt:Luke 13. 6, 7. the Fig-tree therefore which was unfruitful, was the more intolerable, becauſe it was in the garden, in the vineyard. What the Apoſtle complains of the Hebrews, we our ſelves may juſtly take up the complaint againſt our ſelves,Heb, 5. 12. that For the time we ought to have been teachers, and yet have need that one teach us again what are the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God, and are become ſuch as have need of milk, and not of ſtrong meat.
5. They that have much grace, and are ſtrong in grace, yet have cauſe to be humble, becauſe its likely they had more grace and did more good heretofore then now; and who is there almoſt that is not decayed, that hath not in ſome degree or other left their firſt love? Rev. 2. 5.have you not had (I ſpeak to grown and experienced Chriſtians) more love and zeal to God, more hatred of ſin, more griefe for ſinne, more feare of offending God then now you have? are there not many that have and do expreſſe leſſe deſire after duty, leſſe fervency, leſſe frequency, leſſe delight in holy duties then formerly? Alas! how many through pride and ſpiritual improvidence, through neglect of Ordinances, and worldly mindedneſſe have much abated in their ſpiritual eſtate!
6. Be humbled, that though you be ſtrong in grace, yet you have many corruptions in you more ſtrong then many graces. More are our vain thoughts then our meditations, and more are the things we are ignorant of then the things we know.Quantum eſt quod neſcimus. Corruption is ſtrong enough to keep grace low, but in the beſt grace is not ſtrong enough to bring corruption under. When we would do good, evil is perſent and powerful with us, Rom 7. 21.to hinder us from doing of good: but when we are doing of evil, good is not preſent to hinder us from that evil: we are more in ſinning then in obeying. Our corruptions are like Goliath our grace as David. We exerciſe more kinds of ſins then graces: as in a ſield there are more briats and thorns then uſefull trees, and in a garden more unprofitable weeds then roſes and lilies; ſo in the ſouls of the beſt there are whole ſwarmes of vain, earthly and ſinful thoughts, when there are but very few holy and heavenly thoughts.
7. Another argument why ſtrong Chriſtians ſhould be humble, is this, that though they may have grace, yet they are ſubject to fall into that ſin, which is moſt contrary to that grace wherein they are moſt eminent. Abraham was moſt eminent for faith;Rom. 4. 20. he is ſaid to be ſtrong in faith, he is called the father of the faithfull. Gal. 3. 9.They which be of faith are bleſſed with faithfull Abraham: and yet for all this Abraham fell into diſtruſt of Gods providence and power, when he ſpake untruly, and denied his wife. Gen. …0. 2.So Job was renowned for his patience, You have heard of the patience of Job, (ſaith St. James,)Jam. 5. 11. and yet we read in the ſtory of Jobs trials,Job 6. 9. that his impatiency did break out in many raſh ſpeeches and wiſhes. So Moſes was eminently meek, it was ſaid of him, The man Moſes was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. And yet it is ſaid of him,Num. 12. 2. that his ſpirit was provoked, Pſ. 106. 33.ſo that he ſpake unadviſedly with his lips: and you ſhall finde meek Moſes thus expoſtulating with God himſelf, I am not able to bear all the people alone, becauſe it is too heavy for me, and if thou deal thus with me, kill me I pray thee out of hand; and if I have found fovour in thine eyes, Num. 11. 14, 15.let me not ſee my wretchedneſſe.
8. This further conſideration may alſo humble us, that in the higheſt and greateſt exerciſe of grace there is much mixture of ſin. We may obſerve, that even thoſe good actions, for which many of the People of God are recorded in Scripture, are yet blemiſh't with ſome notable defect R…hab's faith in entertaining the Spies, was blemiſh't with this failing, in telling a lie concerning them. It was alſo good the Midwives did when they refuſed to obey that bloody decree of the King of Egypt, Exod. 1. 17, 19.and would not kill the male-children of the Hebrews, and yet they miſcarried as ſome obſerve in their anſwer to the King, when they made their excuſe. Wee are apt to mingle ſin with the beſt action we do, and ſo apt to plough with an Oxe and an Aſſe; and our corruptions are apt to diſcover themſelves, even while we are upon the exerciſe our grace.
3. Let the ſtrong labour to be more ſtrong, that ſo they may be ſtrengthened with all might, Col. 1. 11.according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-ſuffering with joyfulneſſe. And therefore it is that the Apoſtle prayes for the Romones, that they may be filled by the God of h…pe, Rom. 15. 13, 14.with all joy and peace in believing, that they might abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost; and yet in the next verſe he told them, I my ſelf am perſwaded of you (my Brethren) that ye are full of goodneſſe, and that ye are filled with all knowledge. And as he prayes for the Romanes, upon the ſame termes he preſſeth the Theſſaionians, of whom he thus ſpeakes.1 Theſ. 4. 9 10. Now as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you, for ye your ſelves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed you do it towards all the Brethren which are in all Macedonia, but we beſeech you, Brethren, that ye increaſe more and more. The righteous (ſaith Job) ſhall hold on his way, Job 17. 9.and he that hath clean hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger.
To quicken you hereunto, conſider
1. The more grace we have on Earth, the more glory we ſhall have in Heaven. As God doth unequally diſpenſe his gifts in this life,Sicut Deus ſuae d…na in hac vita inaequaliter c…mmunicat, ſic coronat. Bucha. ſo accordingly he crowns. There are degrees of torments in hell, the hypocriticall Scribes and Phariſees, who devoured widows houſes, and for a pretence made long prayers, are doomed by Chriſt himſelfe to receive greater damnation, Mat. 23. 14.and that ſervant who knew his Lords will, and prepared not himſelf, neither did according to his wil, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. Now if there are different degrees of torments in hell, then ſurely there are different degrees of glory in Heaven, and thoſe according to different degrees of grace here on earth.
2. It is of the nature of grace to grow and increaſe;Luk. 12. 47 and therefore if thou hadſt grace, either in truth of it, or in ſtrength of it, it wil certainly grow. Grace in Scripture is compared to a grain of muſtard-ſeed, the leaſt of ſeeds, which afterwards ſprouts and ſprings ſo,Mat. 13. 31 32, 33. a… that it becomes the largeſt of plants. In the ſame chapter grace is compared unto leaven, which being put into the heap of meale, leaveneth the whole: ſo grace (as I touched before) in the heart, is of a ſpreading nature, and wil diffuſe it ſelfe into all the parts, powers, and faculties of ſoule and body. Chriſtians are therefore compared to the branches of a Vine,Joh. 15. 1. which of all trees grows moſt, and brings forth moſt fruit. A Picture doth not grow, but a living child wil grow.
3. Such as are ſtrong Chriſtians ſhould yet grow more and more, becauſe in this world there is not ſtint and meaſure ſet for ſpiritual growth: the maximum quod ſic of a Chriſtian, is this, he muſt grow in grace til his head reach up to heaven, til grace be perfected in glory.
4. Shall worldlings ſet no bounds to their deſires after wealth and land, and yet wilt thou take up with poore meaſures of grace for Religion? The ordinary anſwer of ignorant people is, What? muſt we be wiſer then our forefathers?Si dixiſti ſufficit periiſ…i. and yet thoſe people would be richer then their forefathers were, and thoſe that have great wealth left them by their forefathers, yet are not ſatisfied with it unleſſe they increaſe their eſtate: let this ſhame that ſlothfulneſſe and ſupine negligence of many, who content themſelves with meaſures of grace.
5. And laſtly, conſider, that thoſe who were eminent for grace, in what eſteem were they in the Church of God, and with what honourable mention are they recorded in the Word of God; ſuch are remembred to be of note in the Church of God.Rom. 16. 7. foreign See what an Eulogium the Holy Ghoſt gives Job, that there was none like him in the earth. Job 1. 8.God loves thoſe that are ſingularly and excellently good, and ordinary pitch doth not ſo pleaſe him.Mat. 5. 46. What do ye more then others? Solomon was ſo renowned for wiſdome, that it is ſaid, That amongst many Nations there was no King like him, foreign. Nehem. 13 26.that is, for wiſdom. So Hezekiah was eminent for truſting in God, Who feared not to break in pieces the broken ſerpent, but truſted in God, none like him of all the Kings …f Judah. 2 King. 18. 4, 5.And ſo eminent was the zeale of good Joſiah after a thorough reformation, that he is alſo crowned with this commendation,2 King. 23. 25. And like him was there no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his ſoule, and with all his might. By all which inſtances it is cleare, of what honourable eſteem have the eminent particular graces of Gods ſervants been in the ſight of the Lord.