Grace, Sermon 6
VI. Sermon At Lawrence Ju…y, London. March 30. 1651.
2 TIM. 2. 1.
Be ſtrong in the grace of God that is in Chriſt Jeſus.
HAving lately handled the Doctrine of the ſmall beginnings, and the leaſt meaſures of true grace, and ſhewn you how God will accept and reward them, by opening to you that paſſage in 1 Kings 14. 13. —Concerning Jeroboam's ſonne, in whom there was found ſome good.—And leſt that doctrine ſhould accidentally (through the corruption of our deceitfull hearts) beget in us ſpiritual ſloth, and ſatisfaction in weak degrees of grace; therefore I ſhall proſecute my diſcourſe concerning the degrees of grace, and ſhew you, that though God regards weak grace, yet we muſt all labour to obey this Apoſtolical injunction, to be ſtrong in the grace of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus.
In the whole verſe you have three parts.
1. A loving Compellation, My ſon.
2. A preſſing exhortation, Be ſtrong in grace.
3. The reaſon of it, in the illative, Therfore.
1. For the Compellation.Act. 16. 2. Qu…re, How Timothy could be Pauls ſon,Phil. 3. 5. for his father was a Greek, 1 Tim. 1. 2.but Paul was a Jew of the Tribe of Benjamin? Timothy then was not Pauls ſon in the fleſh, but in the faith. Now,
A further queſtion is, Why is he called Paul's Son?
Baldwin gives this reaſon, Becauſe (ſayes he) Paul begat him to the faith, al Iedging that in 1 Cor. 4. 17.2 Cor. 4. 17 compared with Verſ. 14. compared with verſ. 14. where Paul calls the Corinthians, whom he had converted to the faith, his beloved ſonnes, verſ. 14. and ſo he calls Timothy, verſ. 17. But Timothy was not Pauls ſon in that ſenſe: for as Eſtius ſhewes, he was converted long before Paul knew him,2 Tim. 1. 5. by the godly inſtructions of his Grandmother Lois, 2 Tim. 3. 15.and his Mother Eunice.
The true reaſons, why Paul called Timothy his ſon, were
1. Becauſe Paul was aged, and Timothy young, and it was uſual for the old to call the younger ſonnes.
2. Becauſe he confirmed him in the faith.
3. Becauſe he loved him as a ſonne, and Timothy loved Paul as a father.
4. Becauſe as a ſonne with the father he ſerved Paul in the Goſpel.Phil. 2. 23.
Before I come to the main doctrines, let me obſerve ſomething in the paſſage to it; upon theſe reaſons Paul calls Timothy his ſon: From the compellation, My ſon, Obſerve
1. That Miniſters ſhould uſe loving inſinuations towards their hearers,1. Obſervation. to uſher in uſeful inſtructions.
Soft words turn away wrath, and hard flints are broken upon ſoft pillows. This was Pauls practice here and elſewhere▪ he gained their affections, the better to reform their judgements.
2. And then in that he calls him My Son, 2. Obſervation.in relation to himſelf as a father, Obſerve
That religion puts men into the neereſt union and the moſt indeared relations. They who are glued together in the bloud of Chriſt, are knit together in the ſtrongeſt bonds.
Now from the reaſon of the duty,Sanguine Chriſti conglutinati. Salvian. Therefore my ſon, &c. Expoſitors do vary what this illative particle hath a reference to: Some make it to refer to v. 7. of the foregoing chapter, and ſo Eſtius, God hath not given us the ſpirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a ſound minde; and if ſo,
Then obſerve,—That the receiving the firſt degrees of grace,3. Obſervation. ſhould be a ſwaying reaſon to move us to grow in grace.
Others refer it to Pauls example, v. 8. or to the example of One ſiphorus, v. 16. from whence may be obſerved,
That the good example of good men, ſhould be an argument to us to increaſe in goodneſſe.4. Obſerv.
If it referre to the 15. verſe. This thou knoweſt that all they which are in Aſia be turned away from me, of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes; and thus Theodoret refers it: Then obſerve
That other mens Apoſtacy from the Profeſſion of grace,5. Obſerv. ſhould make the godly more careful to grow ſtrong in grace. But I ſhall handle the text without any relative conſideration.
Be ſtrong in the grace which is in Chriſt. Jeſus.]Explication of the text▪ Timothy may be conſidered in a double capacity, either as a Miniſter, or as a private Chriſtian; If as a Miniſter, then the force of the exhortation lies in this:Rom. 1. 5. that he ſhould increaſe in miniſterial gifts and graces; Eph. 3. 8.whence may be obſerved,
That Miniſters of all men ſhould grow in the truth,6. Obſerv. and in Miniſterial gifts; becauſe as they grow, ſo will the people grow under their Miniſtry. Miniſters do receive grace and Apoſtleſhip for obedience to the faith among all Nations, Rom. 1. 5.
And grace is given unto them, that they may preach unto others the unſearchable riches of Chriſt, Eph. 3. 8.
2. If he be conſidered as a private Chriſtian,7. Obſerv. then he is exhorted not to content himſelf with grace received, but to labour after more ſtrength of grace.—
Be ſtrong in the grace which is in Chriſt Jeſus.] Grace may be ſaid to be in Chriſt two waies: either
1. As the ſubject recipient of grace, or
2. As a fountain redundant and overflowing to his people.
Grace is in Chriſt in all fulneſſe, from whence his people receive grace for grace.Joh. 1. 16.
There are two obſervations which I ſhall note from the words, conſidering the exhortation, without reference to what went before, or follows after.
That believers are not to reſt ſatisfied in weakDoct. 1. meaſures of grace already received, but to endeavour to attain greater ſtrength of grace.
That Chriſt is the ſubject in which all grace is,Doct. 2. and the fountain from which believers muſt receive all their grace.
In the opening of the firſt doctrine, the firſt thing is to make it appeare, That believers muſt not reſt ſatisfied with weak meaſures of grace received, but muſt labour after more grace. And this I ſhall prove
1. By inſtances of two ſorts. 1. That believers have grown from weak grace to ſtrong grace, who out of weakneſſe were made ſtrong. Heb. 11▪ 34.There are expoſitors who refer this place to Hezekiahs recovery, 1 Kin. 20.—but it may have a more general extent and application. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of Gods people (ſaies he) They go from ſtrength to ſtrength, every one of them in Zion appears before God. Pſal. 84. 7.It is true, the proper reference of theſe words is to the Jewes going up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, when the males went thrice a yeere up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, according to the law, Exod 23. 14, 17. yet Ainſworth underſtands it of our growth in grace; ſo we are ſaid to be changed from glory to glory, that is, from little degrees of grace to greater; grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected; true grace is ſtill aſpiring unto perfection,2 Cor. 3. 18 and therefore ſayes Paul, Phil. 3 11.if by any means I might attain the Reſurrection of the dead, his meaning is, that I may attain that perfection of holineſſe which accompanies the ſtate of the Reſurrection a Metonymie of the ſubject for the adjunct; he is ſtill preſſing forward that he might attain further degrees of grace; and for that end Paul, he forgat what was behind, and reached forth to thoſe things that were before, ver. 13. And though Paul, Eph. 3. 4. had very great knowledge in the myſterie of Chriſt, yet he ſtil deſired to know more and more of Chriſt.
2 By inſtances, wherein Gods people have prayed for the ſtrength of grace. Eph. 3. 16.I how my knees (ſayes Paul) unto the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that he would grant unto you according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man. And ſpeaking of the Romans,Rom. 15, 13, 14. Rom. 15. 13, 14. he ſayes, I am perſwaded you are full of goodneſſe and knowledge; yet becauſe the beſt and moſt learned know but in part, and ſee but darklie through a glaſſe, 1 Cor. 13 12. he prays that God would fill them with all joy and peace in believing, that they might abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghoſt.Phil. 1. 9. So he prayes, that their love might abound more and more in knowledge,Col. 1. 9, 10 and in all judgement; and that they may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wiſdom and ſpirituall underſtanding, that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleaſing, and be fruitfull in every good work, increaſing in the knowledge of God. Thus Gods people have prayed for a further increaſe in grace. Paul after his converſion increaſed more in ſtrength, whereby he was enabled to confound the oppoſing Jewes at Damaſcus, Acts 9. 22.
2. By Commands.2. Proofe. Heb. 6. 1. Leaving the firſt principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, we muſt goe on to perfection; 2 Pet. 1. 5. Eph. 6. 10.we muſt give diligence to adde grace to grace; 1 Cor. 16. 13.ſo we are commanded to be ſtrong in the Lord, 1 Theſ. 4. 1to ſtand faſt in the faith, to quit your ſelves like men, and be ſtrong, and to abound more and more. 1. Cor. 15. ult.Many ſuch commands are ſcattered up and down the Scripture, which ſhews our duty to grow more and more, and to attain unto greater meaſures of grace.
3. By promiſes, that Gods people ſhall do ſo. The path of the juſt is as the ſhining light, that ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day, Pro. 4. 18.that is, they ſhall increaſe more and more in ſtrength.Pſal. 18. 35, 36. Gods gentleneſſe makes his people great, and inlargeth their ſteps under them.2 Sam. 18. 3.— The feeble among them at that day ſhall be as David, Erit bic fortis fide & ſpiritu qualis David praedicatur. Par. Adverſar.and the houſe of David ſhall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them. Pareus in his ſhort notes which he cals his Adverſaria, ſaith, He that is weak in faith, ſhall be as David, ſtrong in faith.
Why ſhould believers not reſt ſatisfied with the firſt beginnings of grace,… Queſt. but labour to be grown and ſtrong Chriſtians?
The reaſons may be drawn,Anſw. 1. Partly from the neceſſity of it, Why you muſt doe it. And 2. From the danger, If you doe it not.
1. From the neceſſity of it, there are theſe reaſons:
1. If you conſider the ſtrong temptationsReaſon 1. you are like to meet withall from the divel. We are therefore commanded to be ſtrong in the Lord; Eph. 6. 10, 11. 12.to put on the whole Armour of God, that we might be able to ſtand againſt the wiles of the devil. For we wreſtle not againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities and Powers, and againſt the Rulers of the darkneſſe of this world. Now ſhall the divel be ſtrong and armed, and ſhal we be content to be unarmed and weak Chriſtians? it is worth your noting in the Epiſtle of John, (ſaies he) I write unto you yong men, becauſe ye are ſtrong, and the Word of God abideth in you, 1 Joh. 2. 14. Verſ. 12.and ye have overcome the wicked one. But when he writes to children, he ſayes, I write to you, becauſe your ſins are forgiven for his names ſake; intimating that though weak grace be ſufficient to evidence to us the pardon of ſin, yet it is ſtrong grace which is able to overcome the temptations of the devil. The devil ſhall not overcome the weakeſt meaſure of grace, but the ſtronger our grace is, the more able we are to reſt and overcome that enemy of our ſalvation.1 Pet. 5. 8, 9 The divel is called a roaring lyon, whom we muſt reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith; foreign.it is not weak faith which is able to grapple with the devil, therefore ought we to be grown and ſtrong Chriſtians.
2. If we conſider the ſtrong oppoſition we are like to meet with from the world;2. Reaſon. we may be put upon it as Paul, to fight with beaſts; 1 Cor. 15. 32.ſuch manner of unreaſonable men we may meet withall, and therefore we are commanded to watch, and to ſtand faſt in the faith, Ch. 16. 13.to quit our ſelves like men, and be ſtrong; and the reaſon is given, v. 9. There are many Adverſaries we are like to meet with; and therefore we had need to pray with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 138. 3, 7.to be ſtrengthned and ſaved by the right hand of the Lord. Weak faith, it is not fit to be in a crowd of oppoſition; and therefore we ſhould labour to grow ſtrong in the grace of God.
3. We have many ſtrong corruptions in our hearts,3. Reaſon. which weak grace wil never be able to mortifie; ſtrong paſſions, ſtrong luſts, and how ſhall weak grace be able to grapple with, and have a conqueſt over theſe? If thy graces are weak when thy corruptions are ſtrong, thou wilt be miſerably foiled by thy corruptions; therefore pray for ſtrengthning and aſſiſting grace, whereby thou mayſt be able not only to reſiſt, but to ſubdue and mortifie the ſtrongeſt luſts and paſſions in thy heart.
Another ground of the doctrine is taken from the danger, if you grow not ſtrong in grace… As
1. Others that made profeſſion of Religion after you, in time wil goe before you in meaſures and degrees of grace: ſo it is ſaid,Mat. 19. 30. compared with Mat. 20. 12, 16. That many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. Thoſe who were firſt in the profeſsion of the Goſpel ſhall be laſt in the degrees and meaſures of grace, becauſe they have not improved grace to a further increaſe of it.
2. If thou doſt not grow ſtrong in grace thou wilt be ſure to decay,Non pr… gredi, eſt regredi. and to grow weaker: for not to go forward in grace, is to go backward. Grace may be loſt in ſome degree, and to its exerciſe and comfort, though not to its being and therefore ſayes the Apoſtle, If theſe things be in you and abound, 2 Pet. 1. 8. Re…. 3. 2.—they make you that ye ſhall neither be barren, nor unfruitfull. Intimating, that you will be barren if you doe not adde grace to grace. Weake things, if they be not watched over, and ſtrengthned, will be ready to die.
3. Though thou canſt not loſe the being of thy grace,3 yet thou wilt loſe the comfort of it, and thou mayeſt be in as much trouble and perplexity as if thou hadſt no grace at all. Its true, weak grace will bring thy ſoul to heaven, but its onelyonly ſtrong grace which will bring heaven into thy ſoule. Little grace is like a little mote, which is not ſeen becauſe it is little. Little grace is as it were no grace, as that man in the Goſpel, he cals his faith unbeliefe;Mar. 9. 24. Lord (ſayes he) help my unbeliefe. Weakneſſe of grace makes mens perſwaſions of Gods love to be preſumption, their zeale to be lukewarmneſſe, their grace to be but gifts, and (as here) their faith to be but unbeliefe. It is ſtrong grace which gives gladneſſe of heart, and hope in God; therefore ſaies Jeremy, My ſtrength, Lam. 3. 18.and my hope is periſhed from the Lord. When ſtrength in grace decayes, there hope & comfort decayes alſo. It is the Apoſtles prayer in the Inſcription of many of his Epiſtles, that grace and peace may be multiplied: If therefore you doe not increaſe your graces, you wil neither increaſe nor keep your comforts. He that lacketh theſe things is blind (ſayes the Apoſtle Peter) and he cannot ſee afar off; 2 Pet. 1. 9.it is not meant of a total lack of grace, (as hath been ſhewn) for as after is expreſſed, he is purged from his old ſins, though he forgets it, having loſt the ſenſe of pardon for want of adding grace to grace.—
4. Weak grace under great trials wil expoſe a man to doubts and falls, as if he had no grace at all; little grace wil keep a man in ſmall trials, but not in greater. Little grace, as to the ſtrait a man may be in, may be as good as no grace; and therefore when the diſciples were at ſea,Mat. 8. 26. compared with Mar. 4. 40. and a great tempeſt aroſe, in ſo much that they were afraid; that which in Matthew is ſaid to be little, in Mark is ſaid to be no faith. Intimating, that as to that particular exigency and ſtrait they were in, their little faith did ſtand them in no more ſtead, then if they had had no faith at all. So Peter, Chriſt cals him foreign:Mat. 14 31. Becauſe though he began to walk upon the waves, but … When the wind grew boyſterous, Ver. 29.he was … & began to ſink. Peter did not ſink into the sea, before his faith began to ſink in his ſoul. He that faints in the day of adverſity, it argues his ſtrength is ſmall,Pro. 24. 10 ſo ſaith Solomon.
I ſhould now proceed to a ſecond particular,Vſe. and that is to give ſome Scripture-notes of that man who is grown in grace;—b… let me ſhut up this Sermon, with a ſharp and juſt reproofe of many profeſſors in our time, who go from one ordinance to another, and yet make little progreſſe or increaſe in Religion. They may be fitly compared to a company of Ants, who are very buſie about a mole-hill, and run to and fro, but never grow great: Even ſo we have many Chriſtians, they run from one Church to another, from one Preacher to another, and it may be from one opinion to another, but never grow up in the true grace, and in the true knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt.—But I ſhall meet with ſuch people hereafter in this diſcourſe.—