Grace, Sermon 4
Sermon IV. At Lawrence Jury, London. March 16. 1650/1.
1. KINGS 14. part of the 13. verſe.
—Becauſe in him there is found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael in the houſe of Jeroboam.
BEfore we come to the uſe of Caution, I ſhall here ſtate a caſe of conſcience, which is this, A caſe of conſcience reſolved.That if amongſt Gods People there are ſome found that have but little grace, and but ſmall meaſures found in them; Then what is the leaſt meaſure of geace, leſs then which a man cannot be ſaid to be in the ſtate of grace?
This is a practical and uſeful caſe.
Firſt: this is of great uſe to Chriſtians, who are but of a lower form in Religion, and have but little grace; yet they may know that little they have: and though they have not attained ſtrength of grace; yet they may know the truth of grace in themſelves: and although they come ſhort of ſtrong believers, yet they ſhall hereby know they go beyond the hypocrite: for the leaſt meaſure of grace, is better then the greateſt meaſure of gifts.
Secondly, the knowledge of this will quicken the ſoule unto due indevours after a further increaſe. This will teach them to abound more and more.1. Theſ 4. 1
Now that we may diſcover what is the loweſt degree of true grace, we ſhall ſhew you it in ſome of theſe following particulars.
1. A light in the ſoul to ſee the evill and the miſchievous nature of ſin, though not an ability to mortifie ſin. The entrance of Gods Word giveth light, and giveth underſtanding to the ſimple, Pſal. 119.that is, the firſt work of the Word upon the ſoul, the very beginning of converting; grace in the heart is light, whereby thou ſeeſt ſin and its ſinfulneſſe. And it was in the firſt creation, the firſt thing that was created was light: ſo in the ſecond creation, the firſt work is to open the eyes of the blind, and to turn them from darkneſſe to light, Acts 26. 18and from the power of Satan unto God. Upon the work of converſion in the ſouie, the firſt degree of grace is to be inlightned with the light of the living So that where this light is wanting;Job 33. 30. there cannot be a work of grace.
2. A ſetled and fixed purpoſe of heart to leave ſin, and to cleave unto God.—Grace doth not conſiſt ſo much in an actual mortifying of ſin, as in an unfeigned and ſettled purpoſe of heart to leave every ſin.
The Prodigals reſolution to go to his fathers houſe,Luke 15. 17, 18. argued ſome grace in him. I will ariſe and go to my fathers houſe, that is, I will leave my wicked company and courſes▪ and it is ſaid, His father ſaw him afar off, and ran and met him. The Lord did work in him a purpoſe to leave his ſin. Gregory on this ſaith,Greg. That remiſſion of ſin came to his heart before his Confeſſion breake out in his ſpeech to his father. So David, I acknowledged my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; Pſal. 32. 5.I ſaid I will confeſſe my tranſgreſſion to the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin. Auguſt.Auguſtine obſerves on this place, That David doth not ſay he did confeſſe, but he purpoſed to confeſſe hi… ſin, and yet this his purpoſe was true grace, though one of the leaſt meaſures of grace. That holy purpoſe of David argued grace in him, when he ſaid,Pſal. 17. 3. I have purpoſed and will not tranſgreſſe thy law, Pſal. 119. 106.I have ſworn and will perform it, that I wil keep thy righteous judgements. It argues grace when a ſoul doth cleave unto the Lord with ful purpoſe of heart.Act. 11. 23.
3. Another low meaſure of grace is this; A ſenſible complaint of the want of grace. Thus he that came to Chriſt, and ſaid with teares, Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief, he had grace.Mar. 9. 24. He doth not ſay, Lord help my faith, but Lord help my unbelief. His expreſſion about his unbelief, did note not onelyonly his want, but his ſenſibleneſſe of his want. This is that Poverty of Spirit, which hath the firſt place in the Beatitudes;Mat. 5. 3. this is the loweſt round of the ladder. The Apoſtle tels us, That the Spirit helps our infirmities, in ſighs and groans that cannot be uttered. Rom. 8. 26.Obſerve here, that it's not ſaid the Spirit helps us with comforts and joyes, but with ſighs and groans, whence we may learn that the Spirits help is as well in ſighs and groans, and ſenſible complaints of our wants, as in holy raviſhments. Strength of grace is ſeen in holy joyes and raviſhments of Spirit, but truth of grace may be ſeen & diſcerned in ſighs, groans and complaints of our wants; they are ſaid to be ſighes and groans which cannot be uttered, not in regard of their greatneſſe; but (as Maſter Perkins obſerves) in regard of their weakneſſe.Perkins. Curae leves loqueuntur, ingentes ſtupent. Gods children at firſt wanting ability to expreſſe their own thoughts. To be ſenſible of the want of grace is grace; for nature cannot make a man duly ſenſible of the want of grace, nor ſenſibly to complain of that want.
4. Earneſt deſire after more grace, argues there is grace in the ſoul, though it be but ſmall. I do not place the beginning of grace in an ability to exerciſe grace; but rather in an earneſt deſire after grace. Deſire after grace, is accounted by God the grace it ſelfe we deſire; for ſo we finde that Nehemiah's deſire to fear the Lord, is counted for actuall fearing God.Neh. 1. 11. compared with Neh. 5. Deſires are the ſeeds of grace, and the graces themſelves are the bloſſomes and ſweet fruit that ſpring from thence; grace exerciſed is the fruit of a holy deſire after grace.
That the deſires after grace is in Gods acceptation grace, may be thus demonſtrated.
1. Gods people have appealed unto God, concerning the uprightneſſe of their hearts, meerly by their deſires;—ſo ſaith the Church.Iſa. 26. 8, 9. The d…ſire of our ſoul is to thy name, and the remembrance of thee; and with my ſoul have I deſired thee in the night.
2. God hath made many gracious promiſes, not only to the acting and exerciſing of grace, but to the deſires after grace. Bleſſed are they that do hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſſe: Mat. 5. 6.for they ſhal be filled.—If any man thirſt (ſaith Chriſt) let him come unto me and drink; Joh. 7. 37.nay there is a general and univerſal invitation to every one that thirſteth, to come to the waters; and God hath promiſed to give to him that is at hirſt of the fountain of the water of life freely. Iſa. 55. 1.The Lord hath promiſed to fulfil the deſire of thoſe that fear him, Rev. 21. 6.and wil heare the deſire of the humble. Pſa. 145. 19So that by theſe promiſes it doth appear,Pſal. 10. 17. that hungring and thirſting, & deſires after grace, are graces in Gods account and acceptation.
Now leſt men ſhould reſt in lazy and ſluggiſh deſires, and thereby neglect the exerciſe of grace, I ſhall give you an account in what ſenſe the Scripture reckons upon deſires after grace, to be grace.
1. They are ſupernatural deſires. 'Tis true there are natural deſires in the ſoul after that which is good,—it is the language of nature,Pſal. 4. 6. Who wil ſhow us any good; now theſe deſires may and do ariſe from the motion of the natural and unſanctified will of man; and theſe deſires are after happineſſe, and not after holineſſe; ſuch were the deſires of Balaam: who ſaid,Numb. 23. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my laſt end be like his. This was but a natural deſire. But true deſires in the ſoul are after heaven, for holineſſe ſake.Veluntatem fi…is, non mediorum. Bern. Bernard notably ſets out theſe deſires of natural men,—That they have a deſire of the End, and not of the Means.
2. Deſires after grace are joyned with holy indeavours; and therefore the Apoſtle joyns deſire and zeal together;2 Cor. 7. 11. to intimate that true deſires are alwayes joyned with zealous indeavours. Thus the Apoſtle alſo joyneth a readineſſe of will, and performance together. God will never accept the will for the deed, unleſſe there be an indeavour to performe,2 Cor. 8. 11. what we ſay we are willing to do. And therefore Solomon rightly deſcribes, how pernicious deſires are without indeavours. The deſires of the flothfull (ſaith he) kil him, becauſe his hands refuſe to labour. Bernard deſcribes the lazineſſe to the life: Carnal men love to obtain, Pro. 21. 25but love not to follow Chriſt: they will not indeavour to ſeek him whom they deſire so finde.Conales cupiunt Chriſtum conſequi, ſed non ſe quinon cu rant quaerere quem deſiderant iavenire
3. Deſires which are true and gratious are unſatisfiable; thus David ſpeaks of his deſires: My ſoul (ſaith he) breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times; yea he further deſcrib es the ardency and unſatisfiableneſſe of his deſires by the Harts panting after the water-brooks. Bern.The Hart is naturally the moſt thirſty of all creatures,—Pſal. 119. 20. but this thirſt is much increaſed when the poor beaſt is chaſed with dogs: even ſo the true deſires of the ſoul after grace,Pſal. 42. 1. are earneſt, ardent and vehement deſires.2 Cor. 7. 11.
4. You may know true deſires after grace by their Object. Deſires they are not gracious, if they be more after outward things then after God.Pſal. 42. 2. So David, My ſoul thirſteth after God, after the living God. Pſal. 63. 1.My ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth after thee in a dry and thirſty land where no water is. Thus his ſoul longed, and did break with longing after Gods judgements.—Now therefore wouldeſt thou know whether thou haſt any begining of grace in thy ſoul,Pſa. 119. 20 examine what thy deſires are; perhaps thou canſt not pray, but thou deſireſt to pray: perhaps thou canſt not mourn for ſin, but doſt thou mourn that thou canſt not mourn? Perhaps thou doſt not believe, (as thou feareſt) but doſt thou deſire to believe? Perhaps thou canſt not repent, but doſt thou deſire to repent, and doſt thou labour to repent? Then thou mayeſt conclude that thou haſt ſome beginnings of true grace in thy ſoul.
5. We may know the truth of grace though it be little, by the earneſt deſire after the Word and the means of grace.—Thus Peter ſets forth our deſires,1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. There is in a child a natural inſtinct as ſoon as ever it is born, to deſire after the mothers breaſt: the Apoſtle makes it a reſemblance of a ſpiritual man; a man ſpiritually new born, wil deſire after the Word, the means of grace, that he may grow in grace.
6. An indeared love to thoſe that have grace.1 Joh. 3. 14. By this you know you are paſt from death to life, becauſe you love the brethren. Caſuiſts upon this text, ſay, that love to Gods children is the firſt grace, and firſt appears in young converts. The natives in New England, it is obſerved, upon their converſion, (for God hath begun there to bring ſome of thoſe poor creatures from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan to himſelf) the firſt appearance of grace in them, is in their love and reſpect to thoſe that are truly gracious. Thus I have ſhewed you an anſwer to the queſtion, what are the leaſt meaſures of grace, without which, or ſome of them, a man cannot be ſaid to have grace, and whereſoever any of theſe are, that mans condition is ſafe, and theſe little meaſures of grace will bring a man to heaven.
I ſhall here lay down ſome cautions to prevent miſ-application.—
Though theſe ſmall meaſures of grace are ſaving,1. Caution. yet you muſt not content your ſelves with them. Take heed, leſt what I have ſaid, for the ſupport of the weakneſſe of ſome Chriſtians, become not a pillow for the idleneſs of others; But let us ſtriue to go on unto perfection. We muſt not ſit down with any meaſure of grace.Heb. 6. 1. And to perſwade you hereunto;
1. Conſider, that things meerly neceſſary and ſufficient to maintain a natural life, wil not content a man: what man is content, though he hath clothes enough to hide his nakedneſs, and food enough to keep life and ſoul together?—But he deſires not onelyonly clothes for nakedneſs, but ornament, & not only food for hunger and neceſſity, but delight. Now ſhall men be unbounden after their deſires for outward things, and ſhall they ſit down and ſay they have enough for heavenly things?
2. Conſider, if thou contenteſt thy ſelf with a ſmall meaſure of grace, though thou ſhalt have the fruit of thy grace when thou dieſt, yet thou wilt want the comfort of thy grace whileſt thou liveſt. It is ſtrength of grace that gives aſſurance. Weak grace will bring thy ſoule to heaven, but it is the ſtrength of grace will bring heaven into thy ſoul.Iſa. 32. 17. The work of Righteouſneſs ſhall be Peace, and the effect of Righteouſneſs ſhall be quietneſs and aſſurance for ever. A childe of God hath ſeldom peace and comfort from the habit of Righteouſneſs, but from the exerciſe of Righteouſneſs. He that lacketh theſe things (ſaith Peter) is blinde, and cannot ſee afar off, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 9, 10, 11.This is not ſpoken of wicked men who have no grace, but of ſuch who have grace: and becauſe they exerciſe it not, do not diſcern the comfortable fruits of grace in their ſouls. A little faith unexerciſed, is as to comfort (as we have ſhewed) as good as no faith.Mat. 8. 26. compared with Mar. 4. 40.—They that adde not to the ftocke of grace, will want the comfort of grace. So that a weak Chriſtian, who is compared by Peter to a pu…blinde man: He cannot ſee (becauſe the eye-ſight of his faith is weak) afar off; 2 Pet. 1. 9. foreign.he cannot ſee his name writ in heaven; —He will want the comfortable evidence of grace in his heart, who contents himſelf with meaſures of grace.
The ſecond caution is, Take not thoſe things to be evidences of the truth of grace,2. Caution. which are evidences onelyonly of the growth and ſtrength of grace. Weak Converts do involve themſelves in a Labyrinth of miſery, in judging themſelves by thoſe ſymptomes, which are evidences only of the ſtrength of grace. Thou muſt not judge thy ſelf whether thou art in the ſtate of grace by this; as whether thou haſt raviſhing joyes and comforts of the Holy Ghoſt; theſe are things that God indulgeth to ſome few, and thoſe of a long ſtanding in the ſchool of Chriſt. In a School, a ſcholler muſt not compare himſelf with one of the higheſt Form: if thou wouldeſt judge of the truth of thy grace, judge by the loweſt meaſure. The reaſon why hypocrites and low-form Chriſtians do miſtake, is this: hypocrites judge they have grace becauſe they have gifts, and weak Chriſtians judge they have no grace becauſe they do not finde ſuch meaſures of grace in them as are in others. We do not uſe to ſay, it is not day becauſe it is not noon.—It is unthankfulneſs to God, and uncharitableneſs to our ſelves, to argue a nullity of grace from the weakneſs of it; & therefore if thou canſt not ſay, I ſee my grace, yet it's well if thou canſt ſay, Bleſſed be God, I ſee my ſin; If thou canſt not ſay that thou leaveſt ſin, yet it's well if thou canſt ſay, I have a full purpoſe of heart to do ſo: if thou canſt but cry out for the want of grace, yet comfort thy ſelf, and do not conclude thou haſt no grace
Do not conclude you have ſmall meaſures of grace,3. Caution. becauſe you have but ſmal meaſures of comfort; this is the fault of young converts, they take meaſure of their grace by their comfort, which is a falſe and deceitful rule; growth of grace is not to be meaſured by the working of joy: the ſweet bloſſome of joy may fall off, when the fruit of grace may come on; yea ſometimes Chriſtians of the greateſt meaſure of grace, may have the leaſt meaſure of comfort; and all to let us know, that as the being and exerciſe, ſo the comforts of our graces comes from free grace. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who was annointed above his fellows, and was full of grace and truth, yet in the time of his deſertion was without comfort, when by reaſon of the ſuſpenſion of the favour of God his Father, he cryed out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me. And ſo ſometimes Chriſtians that have but little meaſures of grace, may have much comfort; and this is the reaſon of that flaſh of joy that young converts have; it is Gods indulgence towards them, to give them great joy at their firſt converſion: and indeed their joy at that time is the more taken notice of, becauſe uſually ſuch have much trouble of minde when they paſs through the pangs of the new birth, the change is then ſpecifical, which afterwards is but gradual: and ſo though they have afterwards more grace, more ſetled joys and comforts, yet at their firſt converſion they may have more ſenſe of their joyes, though afterwards they may find an increaſe of grace, when joy may be as real, though not ſo ſenſible; and therefore do not judge thy grace by thy comfort.
Do not conclude the meaſure of thy grace little,4. Caution. becauſe thou haſt but a little meaſure of gifts. Gifts are the iſſues of time and experience, and the fruits of ſtudies advantaged by the ſtrength of natural parts. A man may have a quick and pregnant invention, a profound judgement, a retentive memory, a clear elocution, and the like, and yet none of theſe things can be arguments of grace, but all are but natural endowments. Gifts may be high, and grace may be low: Thus it was with the Church of Corinth, they were inriched with utterance and knowledge, 1 Cor. 1. 5. & v. 7.and they came behind other Churches in no gift; and yet the Apoſtle ſpeaks of theſe very Corinthians, that they were very low in grace:1 Cor. 3. 1, 3 for ſo he taxeth them, 1 Cor. 3 1. that they were not ſpiritual, but carnal men, Babes in Chriſt, that by reaſon of their envying, ſtrife and diviſions, they were carnal, and walked as men; thus the Church of Laodicea was rich, and increaſed in gifts, and grew proud of it too,Rev. 3. 17. and yet for grace was poor, and naked, and blinde, and miſerable. It is with ſome Profeſſors as it is with a well read Schollar, who having read many books of Geography and the Deſcription of places, can diſcourſe of them very well, but if he were to travel thoſe countries, of which he hath ſo often read, he would ſoon be at a loſs:— So gifts may carry men far from matter of diſcourſe about Religion, but its only grace that inables a man to practice Religion. A childe of God that hath but a little meaſure of gifts, may have for all that much grace. Of all the ſeven Churches of Aſia, it is ſaid of Philadelphia, Rev. 3. 8.that ſhe had but a little ſtrength that is but little ſtrength of parts and gifts, and yet that Church was very eminent for grace; for ſhe with as much, if not more faithfulneſs then the other Churches, did keep the word of Chriſts patience, and did not deny his name. 1 Cor. 12. 31Judge not therefore they grace by thy gifts. It is good to covet earneſtly the beſt gifts, but the way of true grace (though but weak) is a more excellent way.
I ſhall conclude this point with ſome further conſolation to the people of God, that have but weak meaſures of grace.
Though thou art but weak in thy ſelf,1. Comfort. yet thou haſt much ſtrength from without thee, or rather it is in thee, becauſe of the Spirit of Chriſt that dwels in their hearts, that do believe the devil doth all he can to make a little faith faile, Luk. 22 32—but Chriſt prays that it fail not. Great are the confederacies of the world, the fleſh and the devil againſt thy little grace,1. Joh. 4. 4. but be of good comfort. 2 Cor. 12 9Ye are of God little children (ſaith St. John) and have overcome them, Iſa. 26. 4.becauſe greater is he that is in you, then be that is in the world: and the weaker thou art,Jude 24. the more advantage hath God to magnifie the glory of his power in thy weakneſſe.1 Pet. 1. 5.
1. Comfort your ſelves ye weak Chriſtians, for you have a ſtrong God. Heb. 7. 25. foreign i. e. perfectè & perpetuò—foreign. Non ſolùm perpetui tatem temporh ſignificat, foreign, ſed omnimodem perfectionem.In the Lord Jehoboah is everlaſting ſtrength.—Your God is able to keep you from falling, and to preſent you faultleſſe before the preſence of his glory with exceeding joy. He is able through his Almighty power through faith to keep you unto ſalvation. —you have a ſtrong God, fear not, his power will be magnified in your weakneſs.
2. You have a ſtrong Saviour, though your grace is weak, yet he is able to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him. Camer. in Myr.—Chriſt is thea1 Cor. 1. 24. Wiſdom and the power of God to thoſe that are called; Yea he is called a ſtrong Redeemer. Our Redeemer is ſtrong, the Lord of haſts is his name—Satan is indeed the Prince of the power of the aire:c Rom. 6. 10. for ſo he is called, Eph. 2. 2 but Jeſus Chriſt is truly the great power of God, who is able, becauſe bforeign. po….ſtronger then the ſtrong man arm'd, to bruiſe Satan under the feet of his Saints.
3. You lie under a ſtrong Word, which is able to carry on the work of grace, which is begun in you. The Word of God, though it bee fooliſhneſſe to them that periſh,1 Cor. 1. 18 yet it is the power of God to them that are ſaved;Rom. 1. 16, yea it is an Engine, mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds,2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. caſting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it ſelfe againſt the knowledge of God,Act. 20. 32 and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt; wherefore the Apoſtle prayes, Jam. 1. 21.Now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. foreign which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance amongſt all them that are ſanctified; ſo that cheer up, though faith be weak, yet the word of God is ſtrong; it is that ingrafted Word which is able to ſave your ſoules:2 Tim. 2. 19. yea, in a word, Singula verba ponddui haebent, certitud… haec nititur primò fundamento, ſecunc ò non quocunque, ſed firma, tertiò non hominis, ſed Dei, quartò non vacillante, ſed ſtante & obſ…gnaro.The Word of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for inſtruction in righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be made perfect, and throughly furniſhed unto all good works.
4. You are weak but you ſtand on a ſure foundation. 1. It is a foundation. 2. A ſure foundation. 3. It is a foundation of God: And 4. it is the foundation of God that cannot ſhake, but ſtandeth firm. Now the weak believer ſtands by the immutable decree of God, which here the Apoſtle cals the foundation of God.
5. Weak believers are aſſiſted by a ſtrong ſpirit.Dr. Prideaux. The ſpirit of God is not only a ſpirit of grace and ſupplication, but it is alſo a ſpirit of power. Zech. 12. 10.And therefore let weak believers chear up themſelves,2 Tim. 1. 7. though they have but little grace,In te ſta… & non ſtas. Aug. yet that little grace is upheld and maintained by the great power of God unto ſalvation.
The truth and eſſence of grace is not diſcern'd ſo much by good acts,2. Comfort. as by good affections.Cant. 4. 10.—How fair is my love, my ſiſter, ſaith Chriſt to the Spouſe? God reckons of our beauty by our love, and of our perfection by the ſincerity of our affections. Natural abilities, to which formaliſts and hypocrites may come up, may and doe reſemble good actions, but they cannot come up to good affections. A Painter may paint the colour of the face, but his art cannot give heat unto the picture. Good actions may give you the reſemblance of a Chriſtian. So what Jehu did reſembled a true Reformer; but they are good affections that doe ſet out the life and heat of true grace. Judge they grace therefore by thy affections, and take comfort in this, though thou art little and low in actions, if thou art warm and working in thy affections.
The third and laſt comfort is this, That little grace ſhall be laſting grace.3. And laſt comfort. Adam had perfection, but had not perſerverance; and thou (poor ſoul!) haſt imperfection of grace, but haſt perſerverance in grace. The moſt violent and impetuous flood of corruption ſhall not quench the leaſt meaſure; the leaſt ſpark of true grace, the moſt boyſterous blaſt of temptation ſhall not extinguiſh this poor ſmoaking flax, not one drop of his divine oyntment ſhall be ſpilt as water upon the ground. Comets may blaze a while, and then they fall;Stella cadens non eſt ſtella. to ſhew that it was a Comet and not a Star.—True Stars doe not, cannot fall. Oh then bleſſe God, who though in his anger, he breaks the Nations like a Potters vessel with an iron mace; yet ſuch is his tenderneſſe over weak believers, he will not break the bruiſed reed and though he put out the candle of the wicked, yet he will not quench the ſmoaking flax. The ſeeming graces of hypocrites ſhall periſh and come to nothing, when true grace ſhall hold out.—The painted face decayes ſoon, but the naturall complexion laſts. A child of God may be toſſed by reaſon of corruption and temptation in a troubleſome ſea, but that ſhip ſhall never be ſhipwrackt, whereof Chriſt is the Pilot, the Scriptures the Compaſſe, the Promiſes the Tacklings, Hope the Anchor, Faith the Cable, the holy Ghoſt the winds, and holy affections the Sailes, which are filled thus with the gales of the Spirit—&c. Fear not therefore little flock; for it is your fathers pleaſure to give you a Kingdome.