Grace, Sermon 9
IX. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 6. 1651.
2 TIM. 2. 1.
—My ſon, be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus.
WE proceed now to the ſecond Caſe of conſcience, concerning ſtrength of grace, which is this:
Whether ſtrength of grace may be conſiſtent with ſtrength of luſt and corruption in the he art?Caſe 2.
In the anſwering whereof I ſhall ſpeak to theſe particulars:
1. When may corruptions be ſaid to be ſtrong?
2. Why thoſe that have ſtrong grace, have many times ſtrong corruptions?
3. What ſtrong corruptions are they that thoſe that are ſtrong in grace, are moſt ſubject unto?
4. In what caſes, and with what limitations may ſtrength of corruptions conſiſt with ſtrength of grace?
1. When may corruptions and luſts be ſaid to be ſtrong in the ſoule?Queſt. 1.
1. When ſins are committed with complacency.Anſw. 1. Sin at firſt is like a ſnake that is almoſt ſtarved by reaſon of the cold, and is very weak and feeble; but if it be laid in the boſome, then it gathers ſtrength, and after a while ſin revives and becomes a delight in the ſoul. If thou were at firſt troubled at ſin, and afterwards takeſt pleaſure in ſin, its a ſigne that ſin hath a great hand over thee. Thus God complaines of his people, What hath my beloved to doe in my houſe? Jer. 11. 15.—When thou doſt evil then thou rejoyceſt. We may know the power and ſtrength of corruption in us, by ſins activity in us, and by our chearſulneſs and complacency in ſin.
2. By the frequency of ſin, as a relapſe into a diſeaſe,Anſw. 2 argues the ſtrength of that peccant humour in the body: ſo reiterated and multiplied acts of the ſame ſin, argue the power and ſtrength of that ſin in our hearts. Corruption gathers ſtrength even as grace doth by the frequent acting and exerciſe of it.
3. When ſin is perſiſted in againſt the cheeks of conſcience.Anſw. 3. And it argues the ſtrength of a ſtreame that it beares down before it whatſoever bank would check the courſe of it: So it alſo argues that there is a ſtrong current of corruption in thy ſoul, that bears down before it all the warnings, checks and reproofs of conſcience.
2. Why have thoſe that have the ſtrongeſt graces,Queſt. 2. many times alſo the ſtrongest corruptions?
1. It ariſeth from the natural temperature and conſtitution of the body,Anſw. 1. which doth diſpoſe men to ſome ſin more then another, although they have ſuch eminency of grace; and hence it is, that thoſe who are naturally and conſtitutionally paſſionate, and given to anger, though they may have a great meaſure of grace, yet what ado have they to bridle in their anger? what ado to be greatly angry, and not greatly ſinful? And ſo ſuch whoſe temperature inclines them to be luſtful, though they have much grace, yet all little enough to ſuppreſſe luſtfull thoughts and wanton looks in them.
2. God ſuffers this to humble his People,Anſw. 2. and to keep them humble under their great meaſures of grace. It is obſervable in nature, that thoſe creatures which have the moſt excellency in them, have ſomething alſo of defect and deformity in them, as if the God of nature did it to keep them humble. The Peacock hath glittering feathers, and yet black feet; The Swan hath white feathers, but under that a black skin; The Eagle hath many excellencies, quick ſight, and high flight, but yet very ravenous; The Camel and Elephant are great and ſtately creatures, but of a deformed ſhape: So it is in the ſtate of grace, God doth ſuffer ſome ſtrong & unſubdued corruptions to remain in them, who have not only truth, but ſtrength of grace, and this is to keep them humble.2 Cor. 12. 7. Thus Paul after his great Revelation, had a meſſenger of Satan to buffet him, and a thorne in the fleſh to afflict and keep him humble; the thorn in the fleſh did let out the impoſtumated matter of pride out of his heart; and the conſiderations of their corruptions doth much affect the hearts of the godly, that they become, 1. More condeſcending and compaſſionate to the weak. 2. They do depend leſſe upon their own righteouſneſſe. They ſee it is in vain to think of eſtabliſhing their own righteouſneſſe, and that it is too weak a foundation to lay the weight and ſtreſſe of their ſalvation upon: the Covering is too narrow, and the Bed is too ſhort for them to reſt quietly upon. 3. They are hereby brought to think better of others then of themſelves, yea to judge themſelves the leaſt of Saints, and the greateſt of ſinners.
3. This is from Satans malice,Anſw. 3. who if he can draw out great corruptions from them who are eminent in grace;
1. He thereby aims to blemiſh Religion and to darken the honour of Profeſſion, and in this caſe uſually fights againſt none, great nor ſmall, but the King of Iſrael, viz. ſuch as are eminent for holineſſe. When David fell into thoſe great ſins of murder and adultery, Satan had a main end granted him, to make the way of true Religion ſtink and be abhorred.2 Sam. 12. 14.
2. Hereby Satan hath his end to imbolden thoſe that are weak to ſin. The ſins and great miſcarriages of ſuch as are great Profeſſors are great ſtumbling blocks in the way of the weak to make them fall.1 Cor. 8. 10
3. Hereby the peace and purity of conſcience is violated; the devil will play at ſmall game rather then at no game: and if he cannot prevail to damn thy ſoul, yet he will endeavour to diſquiet thy conſcience.
3. What are thoſe great corruptions and ſins unto which ſtrong believers are incident?Queſt. 3.
1. To loſe thoſe ſtrong affections which they had at their firſt Converſion.Anſw. 1. Holy Greenham complained, that it was very difficult to keep together his old diſcretion and young zeal.—Young Chriſtians (as hath been already obſerved) have ſtrong affections, and but weak judgements. Their heat is more then their light. Their preſent apprehenſion and ſenſe is great and high, their experience little and low; And ſo alſo ſtrong Chriſtians, who may have much grace, yet tha flood and fluſh of affections may be much abated, and it is the fault of old profeſſors, that they do not labour to maintain the primitive vigour and vivacity of their firſt affections;Rev. 2. 3, 4. they are too apt to leave their firſt love, yet we muſt know they do not decay ſo as to be bankerupts, in grace. In the godly the decay and declining, though it may be great, yet it is neither total nor final; though he may fail, yet he is not a banquerupt, he hath ſtill a ſtock remaining which can never be quite ſpent, a fountaine which can never be quite dry.Joh. 4. 14. He hath in him a Well of water ſpringing up to eternall life. The water of a fountain may be mudded, but it will clear it ſelf again. It may be damm'd up in one place, but it will break out in another; ſo it is with grace. A tree, you know, in Winter-ſeaſon, the fruit and leaves fall off, and it ſeems as if it were dead, but there is life in the root; ſo it is in Chriſtians, their beauty and bloſſom may fall off, their fruit dry up, their leaves drop off, the beauty, the exerciſe and the fruits of grace may ceaſe for a time, and yet the root of the matter is in them. Job 19 28It often fares with old Profeſſors, as it did with old David, 1 King. 1. 1.of whom it is ſaid, that all the cloaths he did wear, could not get or keep beat in him: So they, all the duties they perform, and all the Ordinances they enjoy, cannot keep up that youthful heat of vigorous affections which once they had. Many of Gods children have not now as once they had, ſuch complacency in God, ſuch fervency in prayer, ſuch attention in hearing, ſuch delight in Sabbaths, ſuch mournfulneſſe and tenderneſſe of ſpirit, ſuch hatred of ſin. Now they have not ſuch aggravating thoughts of ſin, as in former times, nor the occaſions unto ſin, ſo avoided as formerly. How many are there, who heretofore look't on every ſin as an hainous evil, but now do not ſo: time was when every gnat ſeemed a camel, and every mote a beame, and every mol…hil a mountain, but now they can extenuate and excuſe their ſin. Heretofore the moſt pleaſing ſin was abominable, the ſmalleſt deteſtable, and the higheſt intolerable, but it is otherwiſe now through ſpiritual decayes and abatement in our affections. There are many heretofore when they fell into ſin, were wont to walk ſadly, to …igh deeply, weep bitterly, pray affectionately: but now do not theſe things with thoſe warme and working affections as formerly. The time was when many Profeſſors of Religion, prepared themſelves for holy duties with more care, attended to them with more diligence, delighted in them with more complacency, and gained more profit and edification by them then now they do. And that's the firſt ſin, that thoſe who have grace, both in truth and ſtrength, are apt to fall into, viz. ſpiritual decay.
2. Such as are ſtrong Chriſtians are very ſubject to ſpiritual pride,Anſw. 2. and to be highly conceited of their own gifts, parts and graces. Spiritual pride is a ſecret ſpiritual corruption, that is in the moſt ſpirituall and gracious heart; it is a bad fruit that growes on the beſt root: there is nothing better then grace, and there is nothing more abominable then ſin, and there is no ſin ſo bad as pride, and there are none ſo apt to fall into this ſin of pride, as they that have much grace, and there is nothing weakens a ſtrong Chriſtian more then pride, and nothing argues weakneſſe more then this boaſting.
3. To behave themſelves with contempt and ſuperciliouſneſſe towards weak Chriſtians,Anſw. 3. is an ordinary fault of the ſtrong. There is not any one thing in Scripture more often mentioned then this, that we ſhould not deſpiſe or diſcourage the weak, which notes an aptneſſe in the ſtrong to be faulty herein.Rom. 14. 1, 2, 3. Let us not judge one another any more. The word foreign notes,Verſ. 13. foreign. they were wont to do ſo before. Spiritual pride is a root of bitterneſſe, which bears theſe two bitter fruits. 1. An over-valuing of our ſelves. 2. An undervaluing of other mens perſons and gifts.
4. Strong Chriſtians are apt to put too much duty and task upon the weak.— Johns diſciples failed in this towards the diſciples of Chriſt about faſting.Mat. 9. 16, 17. Strong Chriſtians ſhould deal tenderly with the weak, they ſhould excuſe their failings, conceale their weakneſſes, commend their performances, cheriſh their forwardneſſe, reſolve their doubts, bear their burdens, and hereby make the way of Religion to be lovely and amiable to them, whereas by their too much auſterity the weak are diſheartned at their firſt entrance.
5. To be content with meaſures of grace. How apt are they that have grace to ſay in one ſenſe, as he ſaid in another, Soul, take thine eaſe, Luk. 12 19thou haſt goods laid up for many years; and hereupon many grow ſlack and careleſſe in holy duties, and do not improve ordinances for the increaſe of their graces. The beſt of Chriſtians are apt to fall into this ſatiety, then which nothing can be more prejudicial to the ſoul. The devil tempts thoſe that have but a little grace to thinke they have none, and thoſe that have more grace to think they have enough. The beſt are apt to miſtake themſelves in this, to think that there is a juſt dimenſion and full growth of grace attainable in this life: Whereas indeed the beſt improvement of having much grace, is to deſire more, and not to be ſatisfied with any meaſure of grace till we come to a perfect man, Eph. 4. 13.unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, and that's not attainable in this life. Perfection is the aime of this life, but it is the reward of another life. We ſhould endeavour after Perfection in grace, but we ſhall not attain it till grace be perfected in glory.
4. In what caſes,Queſt. 4. and with what limitations may ſtrength of corruptions conſiſt with ſtrength of grace?
The reſolving of this queſtion is of very much uſe to the ſoul: for that ſoul that is over-maſtered with ſtrong corruptions, may not only queſtion the ſtrength of his grace, but the being of it. How may I then know, that I have both the truth and ſtrength of grace in me, though I am overpowered ſometimes by ſtrong and prevailing corruptions?
1. If you maintain in you a ſtrong oppoſition againſt your corruptions.Anſw. 1 The fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, but doth the Spirit luſt againſt the fleſh? Gal. 5. 17.though you cannot fully ſubdue ſin, yet do you ſtrongly oppoſe it? if ſo, there is grace and ſtrength of grace too, which is able to make and hold up this oppoſition. An uncontrolled ſubjection unto ſin, argues the ſtrength of ſin; but an irreconcileable oppoſition of ſin argues the ſtrength of grace. Strength of grace is not ſo much ſeen in thoſe particular acts of ſuppreſſion, and actual overcoming of it, as in that conſtant and habitual frame of heart in the oppoſition of ſinne.
2. Though ſin be ſtrong,Anſw. 3. yet grace may be ſtrong too in thy ſoul. If thou haſt a ſtrong meaſure of humiliation, though thy ſin be great, if thy ſorrow be great too, it evidenceth thy grace is ſo alſo. It was great grace in Manaſſeh, 1 Chron. 23. 12.that he humbled himſelf greatly, though he had been a very great ſinner.
3▪ If thou haſt ſtrong cryes to God againſt thy ſins, this argues grate, though it be ready to be d…flowered by thy corruptions. If when corruptions and temptations prevaile, thou prayeſt to the Lord with ſtrong cry… and teares, Deut. 22. 26. 27.this argues grace, yea and the ſtrength of grace.
4. If thou haſt ſtrong affections that carry thee to Chriſt,Anſw. 4. certainly thou haſt grace, though thy ſtrong corruptions often carry thee from Chriſt. Peter had more infirmities and corruptions and ſins, then all the diſciples beſides (excepting Judas.) He tooke Chriſt aſide, gave him carnal counſel, and ſaid as to his ſufferings,Mat. 16. 22 Far be it from the Lord, this ſhall not be unto thee; for which Chriſt ſaid to him, Get thee behind me, Satan. He dreams of merit, and boaſts of what he had done for Chriſt, at it is obſerved of him, when he ſaid to Chriſt,Mat. 19. 27 Behold, we have forſaken all and followed thee, what ſhall we have therefore? Peter of all the diſciples was the moſt confident of his own ſtrength; and boaſts what he would do and ſuffer for Chriſt; Though all men ſhould be offended becauſe of thee; Mat. 26. 33 35.yet will I never be offended. And if I ſhould die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Nay and preſently after this confident undertaking, Peeer denies Chriſt, and ſwear: and curſes that he knew him not. Some obſerve, that Peters curſing, was not only his curſing of himſelfe if he knew Chriſt, but that he alſo curſed Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo he might appear to them to be none of his diſciples; and yet notwithſtanding all this Peter had not only truth and reality, but eminency and ſtrength of grace: for though temptations and corruptions did ſometimes prevail, yet he had ſtrong affections towards Jeſus Chriſt; he did and ſuffered that which few or none of the other diſciples did.
1. He was the man,Mat. 26. 75 that of all the diſciples wept moſt bitterly for his ſins.
2. Peter was the firſt that ran to the ſepulchre,Joh. 20. 5. and went into the ſepulchre to ſee what was become of Chriſt.
3. He was the man,Joh. 21. 7. who hearing that Chriſt was riſen and on the ſea-ſhore, leap't into the ſea for joy.
4. He was the man that made the firſt Sermon,Act. 1. 15. and firſt preached the Goſpel after the Aſcenſion of Chriſt.
5. He had that love to Chriſt which was as ſtrong as death; for he ſuffered death, and was crucified, (as ſay Eccleſiaſtical Writers) but would not be crcuified, but with his heels upwards, deeming it too great an honour to be crucified in the ſame manner that his Lord and Maſter was; ſo that the ſtrength of his affections, did argue notwithſtanding his great failings, the ſtrength of grace in him.
To make application of what hath been ſpoken in this caſe of Conſcience.—Applicatian. Vſe 1.
Though in the caſes before mentioned, ſtrength of grace may be conſiſtent with ſtrength of corruptions; yet there are other cases wherein they are altogether inconſiſtent.
1. When the ſtrength and workings of corruptions are not clearly diſcovered to the ſoul; for grace alwayes, as a light ſet up in the ſoul, doth diſcover the darkneſſe of corruption.
2. Where corruptions are not ſenſibly bewailed, it is to be feared that there is not ſtrength of grace.
3. Where occaſions to thoſe ſtrong prevailing ſins and corruptions are not heedfully avoided. Certainly if thou haſt grace to make thee ſenſible of what corruptions thou art incident unto, thy grace will make thee walk ſo circumſpectly, as to avoid all occaſions leading thereunto.
4. If they be not ſtrongly reſiſted, and the beginnings of each corruption not diligently ſuppreſſed, in this caſe ſtrength of grace and ſtrength of corruption are utterly inconſiſtent.
5. Though there may be ſtrong grace and ſtrong coriuption in the ſoul, yet the reign of any one corruption is utterly inconſiſtent with grace and the ſtrength of it. Let not ſin reign in your mortall bodies. Rom. 6. 12, 14. expounded, and compared with Rom. 7. 23.Sin ſhall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace; which is not to be underſtood in the Antinomiſis ſenſe, that believers are not under the mandatory power of the moral Law: But the meaning of the word (Law) as Beza interprets it, is the law of ſin, and ſo the Apoſtle Paul, chap. 7. 23, mentions a law in his members that did war againſt the law of his minde, and did hring him into captivity to the law of ſin, that is; ſin would have ſwayed in him with the power and force of a law. And this argued grace and the ſtrength of grace in Paul, that though he was over-born by the ſtrength of corruption and ſin, and taken Priſoner by it, yet he never yielded to it as to a lawfull Soveraign; for ſo he addes, verſ. 29. So then with the mind. I ſerve the law of God, Rom. 7. 25.but with my fleſh the law of ſin. It may be ſaid of the corruptions in Gods children, what was ſhewed to Daniel concerning the beaſts, They had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a ſeaſon.Dan. 9. 12.
6. When we ſay there is a conſiſtency between grace and corruption; I would be underſtood of ſpiritual and inward corruptions, as hardneſſe of heart, ſpiritual pride, deadneſſe in duties: for into groſſe external, open acts of evil, ſtrong Chriſtians do ſeldom fall.
7. We muſt alſo be further informed, that if we conſider particular acts of ſin, ſome one luſt may ſeem to be more ſtrong in a godly Chriſtian, then in a meer moral man. As for inſtance, in the caſe of luſt, when we conſider how David did abuſe his neigh bours wife, and how Abimelech would not touch another mans wife; one would have judged David the heathen, and Abimelech the believer, and therefore the ſtrength of grace or corruption muſt not be judged by any one particular act when ſome impetuous temptation hath prevailed.
8. Laſtly, we are to know that a corruption may be really weak'ned when ſenſibly ſtrong. As a man in a Feaver is ſeemingly ſtrong, but is really weak: ſo corruption may be then moſt enfeebled when in our apprehenſion it is moſt inraged; it may rave and rage when it is in crucifying. As a cole glows moſt juſt before its going out; a candle burnt't down in the ſocket gives a blaze a little before it be extinct: ſo it is when corruption is ready to expire. As in a meer moral man ſin may be reſtrained when it is not ſubdued; corruption may be quiet where it is not mortified: So in a regenerate perſon it may be ſubdued and mortified, where yet it may rage as if unreſtrained. A mans laſt gaſpe may be the ſtrongeſt breath: So when corruption is ready to give up the Ghoſt it may ſeem to breath ſtrongeſt. As a bird may flutter when his neck is broken: ſo ſin may ſeemingly reſiſt grace, when the power, ſtrength and life of it is utterly broke.