Grace, Sermon 5
V. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. March 23. 1651.
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.
HAving finiſhed the former part of the doctrine about little meaſures of grace; I come now to the ſecond part, which is this, That God doth exactly take notice, tenderly cheriſh, and graciouſly reward the leaſt beginnings, and the ſmalleſt meaſures of grace in the hearts of his people.Second part of the doctrine.
In the proſecution of which point, I ſhall proceed in this method.
1. I ſhall prove the truth of it.
2. I wil alſo endeavour to give you the grounds hereof, and then make application.
Firſt, that God doth thus cheriſh the ſmal beginnings of grace, wil appear, if we conſider, 1. Theſe Scripture-inſtances,Mat. 12. 10 Mat. 12, 20. He wil not quenh the ſmoking flax, that is, by the figure Meioſis, (as I have ſhewn already) he wil kindle it.—He wil not break the bruiſed reed, that is, he wil ſtrengthen it.—God regards not the flame only,Cant. 2. 13. but the ſmoking of grace; not the ripe fruit, but the tender buds. Chriſt would have accepted of green ſigs of the fig-tree, though the time of ripe fruits was not yet come; ſo ſome expound that place, Mar. 11. 13. Chriſt accepts not only the honey, Mar. 11. 13but the honey-comb too, that is, ſay Expoſitors,Cant. 5. 1. Trap. in loc. not only the excellent ſervices, but even the meaner ſervices of his people; God takes notice of the cries of our heart, even the deſires of the humble,Exo. 14. 15 even the moſt inward groanings of the ſoule; not a good word but God takes notice of it; nay,1 Pet. 3. 6. God takes not onelyonly notice of the leaſt good that is in his people, but he eyes alſo the common good that is in ſuch as have no grace; thus when the young man came to Chriſt,—though he had no true grace, yet it is ſaid, Jeſus loved him. Mar. 10. 21And he took notice of that diſcreet anſwer of that Scribe mentioned by St. Marke, Mar. 12. 34and ſaid unto him, Thou art not far from the Kingdom of heaven.
2. The truth of this point, may be made out by thoſe ſweet and gracious promiſes, God hath made to grace though weak I wil give you one inſtead of many, mentioned by the Prophet Iſaiah, Iſa 40. 11.He ſhall feed his flock like a Shepheard, he ſhall gather the Lambs with his arm, and carry them in his boſome, and gently lead thoſe that are with young.
3. By counſels that Chriſt giveth to us, how we our ſelves ſhould carry our ſelves to thoſe that are weak, viz. to uſe them with all tenderneſſe.—Now if God would have others, then ſurely himſelfe wil deal with weake believers with much tenderneſſe.
1. God would have the ſtrong to bear withRom 13. 1. the weak, Pſa. 103. 6.to bear with their infirmities, and not to pleaſe our ſelves, and ſurely then God will bear with them, and forbear them. See Pſal. 103.
2. We are to receive them into our fellowſhip. —Him that is weak in the faith receive you. Rom. 14. 1.And ſurely God will not reject ſuch out of Communion with himſelf and Son.
3. We muſt do nothing that will or may juſtly offend or grieve the weak. We muſt not walk uncharitably, Rom. 14. 15. 21.and grieve our brother with our meat. 1 Cor. 8. 12We muſt not make him ſtumble that is weak.
4. We ſhould reſtore a weak Brother that is fallen,Gal. 6. 1. foreign. and put him in joynt again, with the ſpirit of meekneſſe… you that are ſpiritual, that is, ſtrong Chriſtians, help up ſuch as are fallen through weakneſſe.
5. We muſt ſtrengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, Iſa. 35. 3.and ſay to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong. Heb. 1…. 12 13.We muſt help to lift up hands that hang down, and ſtrengthen the feeble knees, leſt that which is lame be turned out of the way, but rather that it be healed. We muſt not be like the Herd of Deere, who puſh away from them the poor wounded Deere, but we muſt endeavour the healing of the wounded, 1 Theſ. 5. 14.and comfort the feeble-minded, and ſupport the weak, be patient towards all men: foreign, ſublevat infirma… alia qui ruitures Beza.Support the weak, i.e. Set your ſhoulder to bear them up, who will ſtand, but are weak.—Hold them up as a Crutch doth a body that is lame: help to ſtand,foreign propriè ni…entem, & con…ntem, ſed non ſufficient…m, nec ſa… virium h…bentem adjuvare. C.A. Lap. who is for weakneſſe like to fall.—Let your charity helpe to hold them up, even as a beame holds up a houſe that is ready to fall. Now it God enjoynes us to have all this care of thoſe that are weak in grace, to cheriſh, ſupport and comfort them, then ſurely the God of Mercy and Compaſſion, will be very careful to cheriſh the ſmalleſt meaſures of grace in the weakeſt Believers.
Why doth God cheriſh the least meaſures of grace in his people?2 Queſt.
Becauſe the leaſt meaſure of grace is of a very great value;Anſw. 1. the leaſt grace and leaſt meaſure or degree of it, is the purchaſe of Chriſts blood, and the merit of his great ſufferings. The ſmalleſt ſpark of a diamond is precious; pearles and precious ſtones are but little for quantity, but great for quality and eſteem. The leaſt degree of grace is the Work of God, and God will not forſake his own Work.—
Little grace is of the ſame manner and excellency2. Anſw. with the greateſt degree of grace▪ for as the very filings of gold are of the ſame nature with gold, ſo the leaſt meaſure o… of grace is grace.—The faith of all believers is the ſame faith ſpecifically, though not the ſame gradually, their faith is in all alike precious, but not alike ſtrong.1. Pet. 1. 1.
Becauſe God is the Author of weak grace as well as of ſtrong.—Solomon gives a good rule why the rich ſhould not ſleight the3. Anſw. poor.Prov. 22. 2. Becauſe God is the Author and maker of them both. And God will not ſleight the poor in ſpirit, no more then thoſe that are rich in grace; for he is the maker of them both. It is an argument to us why we ſhould not deſpiſe the poor, becauſe God made him; and therefore ſurely much more becauſe the Lord made the poor and weak Chriſtian, he will not depiſe, &c.—
Job ſaith,Job 31. 13. He did not deſpiſe the cauſe of his man ſervant or maid ſervant, and he gives a reaſon for it,Verſ. 15. verſ. 15. Did not be that made me in the womb, make him, and did not be faſhion us in the womb? which holds as a very firm argument why the rich ſhould not deſpiſe the poor, and ſo why the rich in grace ſhould not deſpiſe thoſe that are poore in grace; for God made and faſhioned them both. Now what is a reaſon unto us, God is alſo pleaſed to make a reaſon unto himſelf, That he will not forſake what he hath formed; for ſo the Prophet Iſaiah, The Lord that created thee O Jacob,Iſa. 43. 1. and be that formed thee O Iſrael, fear not; for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name; for then art mine. And again, Thus ſaith the Lord that made thee and formed thee from the womb: Fear not O Jacob my ſervant, and thou Ieſurun whom I have choſen; yea though he be the worme Jacob, Iſa. 44. 1.yet God that made him will not cruſh him, but cheriſh him. See a gratious promiſe made to thoſe that have but little grace, upon this very ground, that God is the Author of that little grace. Thy people alſo ſhall be all righteous, they ſhall inberit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hand, that I may be glorified. A little one ſhal become a thouſand, and a ſmal one a ſtrong Nation; Iſa. 66. 21, 22.I the Lord will haſten it in his time.
The Lord will perfect his work that concerneth his People, Pſal. 138. 8.i.e. He will perfect and encourage the leaſt beginnings of grace, becauſe Grace is his work in his ſervants. It is a very good argument in Prayer, O Lord, for ſake not the work of thy hands. And though in reſpect of outward things God may deſtroy him whom his hands have made and faſhioned, Job 10. 8.but it is otherwiſe in reſpect of grace. God will not deſtroy any meaſure of grace which is the work of his hands. Property is the ground of love, care and tenderneſſe: as a man will look to a weak childe, becauſe it is his childe, and will repair a weak houſe, becauſe it is the houſe wherein he dwells. And that is the third demonſtration of Gods tender care over his people, that the meaneſt meaſure of grace ſhall not be deſerted or forſaken, becauſe God is the Author of it.
A fourth reaſon may be drawn from the Covenant of grace, the nature and tenor whereof, is to accept of ſincerity in ſtead of perfection, deſires for deeds, purpoſes for performances, pence for pounds, and mites for millions; and therefore God will accept and reward the leaſt meaſure of grace, that is, in truth and ſincerity. God requires of Abraham, Gen. 17. 1. & 25. 1. foreign De victimis perfect is & immaculatis dicitur. Vſe.when he renewed with him the Covenant of grace; Be thou perfect, (i.e. upright) and walk ſo before me, and I will be thy exceeding great reward.
To make ſome Application of this truth. We may from hence deduce theſe inferences following: If God doth cheriſh and will reward the ſmalleſt meaſures of grace;1. Inference.
Then it will follow, That God takes notice of the ſmalleſt ſins to puniſh them. He that graciouſly eyes the very buddings of grace, will alſo juſtly eye the buddings of corruption in his own people.Exod. 4. 24 That he was ready to have ſlaine Moſes for his neglecting of circumciſing his ſon; and thus the Lord made a breach upon Vzzah, 2 Sam. 6. 7when he put forth his hand and ſtayed the ſhaking of the Ark:Amos 3. 2. You have I known (ſaith God of his people,) only of all the Families of the earth, therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities.
It is true,Numb. 23. 21. it is ſaid, The Lord beholds not iniquity in Jacob, neither ſees perverſneſſe in Iſrael,—but this is not, as the Antinomians gloſſe upon it, as if God did not ſee ſin in his people, and is never diſpleaſed with their ſins: But the meaning is, that God ſees not ſin in his people, ſo as eternally to puniſh it.—And moreover, the moſt proper ſenſe of that place is this, That whereas Balak hired Balaam to eurſe the People of Iſrael, and that falſe Prophet for the wages of unrighteouſneſſe was ready enough to have taken all occaſions of curſing them, yet he could not faſten any curſe upon them at that time, becauſe there was no provoking ſin amongſt them; and therefore he gave Balak counſel to tempt them to ſin, and ſo by the ſtumbling-block of the Midianitiſh women,Vid. Gataker in loc. he drew Iſrael to idolatry and adultery, and ſo made them fall. But God doth ſee ſin in his own people, yea the leaſt ſin, yea he eyes their failings, though not to damne them for them, yet to chaſtiſe them for them. God ſees the purpoſes of ſin, as well as the purpoſes of grace. It is ſaid of Balak, that he aroſe and warred againſt Iſrael. Now we doe not read that ever Baalak did actually wage warre againſt Iſrael, Joſh. 24. 9.onelyonly he did intend and purpoſe it, and for that end ſent and called Balaam the ſon of Be or to curſe them, and yet the Holy Ghoſt reckons upon his wicked purpoſe as if he had accompliſh't it.
Learn from hence,2. Inference. That the ſame minde ſhould be in Chriſtians of greater growth to the weak, as was in Chriſt Jeſus; who though he be higher then the higheſt, yet he looks upon the poor and lowly without diſdain, and ſo ſhould we. The heaven is the throne, and the earth is the footſtoole of the Lord, and yet this great God will not deſpiſe the weakeſt Saint, but will look even to him that is poor and of a contrite ſpirit, Iſa. 66. 1, 2.and trembleth at his word. He will look on the poor, weak, trembling ſoule, and ſhall we look off from ſuch with pride and diſdain, and ſet ſuch at our footſtoole? ſhall Chriſt give the Lambe i… his Scutchion, and wilt thou give the Lion ſhall he like a Lambe be meek and gentle, and thou like the Lion be ſtout, haughty and ſtately, that contemns all the beaſts of the Forreſt? Oh be not you ſupercilious and contemptuous towards weak Chriſtians, who are injured and diſcouraged by ſtrong Chriſtians.
1. When they are put upon ſuch auſterities of Religion, as are far beyond their ſtrength and growth. When theſe poor, torn tottered and rent bottles are put upon to hold new wine, alas poor ſouls,Mat. 9. 16, 17. they are diſcouraged; wherefore Chriſt proportions his doctrine to their capacities, and will not ſay that to them which they cannot at preſent hear, and ſo proportions out their duties to their abilities, and will not out match their ſtrength with his commands. Faſting and ſuffering was a hard duty, and therfore he will excuſe them till they have had more time and more experience in the wayes of God, till the Holy Ghoſt come down upon them, and they have more grace; which is a good rule for us, not to diſcourage young beginners in the ſchoole of Chriſt, not to put them to read ſuch Authors as are above their capacities.
2. When ſtrong Chriſtians are too ſharp and rigorous in bitter reproofs, for the failings and infirmities of weak Chriſtians. Young converts like young twigges muſt be gently handled, elſe you will break them; you muſt excuſe their failings, hide their wants, commend their performances, cheriſh their forwardneſſe, reſolve their doubts, bear their burdens, and by this gentleneſſe bring them into a love of Religion, that they may not diſtaſte it as ſoon as they know it.
3. By ſetting light by their gifts. Alas, how ſoon is the ſmoaking flax quenched, by the too much ſuperciliouſneſſe of thoſe that think themſelves bright torches? how eaſily is the poor ſpark of grace trod out by the foat of pride?
4. By puzling them with doubtful diſputes, contrary to that of the Apoſtle,Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weake, in the faith receive, but not unto doubtfull diſput ations.
5. By giving them ill example. Weak Chriſtians are more apt to be led by example then by Precept:Gal. 2, 12, 13. When Peter, who was a Pillar in the Church, and a ſtrong Chriſtian, for fear of Perſecution for ſook the Gentiles, and ſeparated and withdrew himſelfe, then others of the Jewes, (which in all likelihood were weak Chriſtians) diſſembled alſo. Thus Paul argues to abſtain from giving ill example, about the eating the Idolothyta; If any man ſee thee which haſt knowledge, i.e. who art a ſtrong Chriſtian, ſit at meas in the Idols Temple, ſhall not the conſcience of him that is weak, he imboldened to eat thoſe things that are offered to idols?
And therefore let Chriſtians learn from, God, to cheriſh the weak beginnings of grace in the people of God. Look not on me, ſaith the Church, becauſe I am black, becauſe the Sun hath looked upon me, i.e. look not on me with a lofty and diſdainful look, and with a coy countenance; and then the Church addes, My mothers children were angry with me, that is, other Congregations and People did diſeſteem and diſdain me for my infirmity.Heb. 1. ult. But this should not be amongſt Chriſtians, but the ſtrong ſhould cheriſh the weak. Angels deſpiſe not the pooreſt Chriſtians, but do miniſter unto them.
Learn from hence,3. Inference. how God doth by leaſure and degrees, carry on in the hearts of his people the work of grace unto further perfection. Muſhromes and ſuch like worthleſſe things, like Jonas his gourd may ſpring up in one night; but things of moſt moment, are of longeſt growth before they come to perfection. The Elephant amongſt the Beaſts, and the Oake amongſt the Trees, and Man amongſt the rational creatures, are longeſt before they grow up to their full and perfect dimenſions. And as it is in nature, ſo it is in grace; there is a progreſſe from leſſe to greater: all this work is by degrees. The godly are called Trees of Righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 61. 3.and yet this is by degrees. There is firſt the budding forth of the earth, and then thoſe things that are ſown ſpring forth, &c. v. 11. And therefore let young Converts learne from hence not to be diſcouraged. Gods works both of nature and grace are perfected by degrees.
1. Though God regards the leaſt meaſures of grace,2. Vſe of Caution. let not this make you regardleſſe to grow in grace. In the firſt creation God ſaid to the creatures, Increaſe and multiply, and by vertue of that word the earth brings forth to this day. Now it is ſo in the new and ſecond Creation; the Lord expects that our grace ſhould increaſe and multiply.
2. Though you have but a little grace,2. Caution. yet do not deſpiſe it, or diſparage it.—Oh, do not deſpiſe the day of ſmall things in the ſoul. Do not tread upon the bunch of grapes, Zech. 4. 6.upon the new wine in the cluſter, but ſay, there is a bleſſing in it. Do not deſpiſe a little grain of muſtard-ſeed, it will grow to a tree; true grace is a ſpark of heaven, do not tread it out; deſpiſe not the leaſt, and be not ſatisfied with the greateſt meaſure of grace.
1. Let this comfort thy poor ſoul (Oh weak Chriſtian!) whoſe burden it is,3. Vſe of Comfort. that thou haſt much corruption and but little grace. God will look over a great deale of ſin, and will take notice of the leaſt grace. God will not in refining his gold and ſilver loſe one dram of grace, though it lie among a heap of rubbiſh. Chriſt is ſaid, to have his Fan in his hand, Mat. 3. 12.he will throughly purge his floore, and gather his wheat into his garner. Now the uſe of a Fan is to caſt out the worſt and keep in the beſt, to drive away the chaffe and ſave the wheat: ſo Chriſt, though he purge out the chaffe of corruption, yet he will ſave and preſerve every grain of grace. It is otherwiſe with the devils Sieve. Chriſt tells Peter, that Satan deſired to ſift him. Luk. 22. 31Now the uſe of the Sieve is contrary to the Fan, for that keeps the waſte and lets out the beſt. The devil doth all he can to deſtroy our grace, and to increaſe our ſin. But 'tis otherwiſe, God will kill thy corruptions and cheriſh thy graces, and if the leaſt grace be in the ſoul, though with a mixture of much corruption, God will not deſpiſe it.
God carries the moſt tender regard to thoſe that are weak in grace;2. Comfort. the weak child is ſtill carried in our armes, and the weakeſt of the flock the good ſhepherd will carry in his boſome.Iſa. 40. 11. Chriſt gave Peter charge in the firſt place to feed his Lambs.Joh. 21. 15
1. Gods care over weak Chriſtians is ſuch that he will not ſuffer them to be tempted above what they are able, but with the temptation will make a way to eſcape, that they ſhall be able to …ar it. God doth conſider we are but duſt; and the wiſe Phyſician of our ſoules will mercifully weigh every grain of every doſe, and will not outmatch their ſtrength whoſe ſtrength is ſmall.
2. God will not put them on difficult duties at the firſt.—Chriſt taught his diſciples ſuch doctrines as their weakneſſe could bear.
3. God will bear with their infirmities; he teacheth his children to go,Hoſ. 11. 1, 3 and holds them up by the armes.