Sermon on the Duty and Care to Live in Grace, Sermon
A SERMON WHEREIN IS SHEWED That it is the DƲTY and ſhould be the CARE of Believers on CHRIST, to Live in the Conſtant Exerciſe of GRACE.
By Mr. NATHANAEL MATHER Paſtor of a Church at Dublin in Ireland.
Joh. 8.29.
— I doe always thoſe things that pleaſe him.
Rom. 8.14.
As many as are led by the ſpirit of God, they are the ſons of God.
Epheſ. 4.30.
Grieve not the holy ſpirit of God, whereby ye are ſealed unto the day of redemption.
Printed at BOSTON in NEW-ENGLAND By R. P. for Joſeph Browning Stationer. ANNO 1684.
Believers on Chriſt ought to live in a Conſtant Exerciſe of Grace.
Gal. 5.25.
If we live in the Spirit, let us alſo walk in the Spirit.
IN the former part of this Epiſtle the Apoſtle hath been confuting that Corrupt and deſtructive Doctrine which ſome falſe teachers had been ſowing among the Galatians and wherewith they were many of them deeply infected. The Corrupt doctrine which he confutes is this, that Believers were both obliged to, and juſtified by the works of the Law, particularly by obſerving the Ceremonial Law. Having at large Confuted this pernicious Error in this Chapter, he firſt exhorts them to ſtand faſt in that Evangelical Liberty that Chriſt had made them free withal ver. 1. which he preſſeth from the momentouſneſs, of it Chriſt elſe would profit them nothing:
they would be obliged to the keeping of the whole Law, Chriſt would be of no effect to them, and they would elſe fall from Grace. In the next place he directs them what courſe to take to prevent the further ſpreading of this ſo dangerous a Contagion, namely to cut off the pertinacious preachers of this damnable doctrine; and he firſt laid down a general principle which he elſewhere makes uſe of on the like Occaſion, Sec 1. Cor. 5.6. 'Tis a proverbial & Metaphorical ſpeech that they were all in danger of being infected, unleſs ſuch were Cut off, A Sin or Errour in a Church eaſily Catcheth and ſpreadeth, becauſe the Members are all members one of another, as Rom. 12. or all of the ſame Lump, that there is a ſpiritual union, nearneſs, and Conjunction between them by Virtue of the Inſtitution of Chriſt; and thence if they do not purge out ſuch corrupt Leaven, the Defilement is eaſily diffuſed with great Celerity and Efficacy over the whole lump. Next he inſinuates himſelfe by profeſſing his confident perſwaſion and hope that they would readily be of the ſame mind with him & put in Practice this his direction ver. 10. to give impartial Judgment upon all that troubled them: So the Apoſtle calls the proceeding of the Church in order to Cenſure 1. Cor. 5.12. adding ver. 11. that himſelf for the contrary Doctrine to this. (whereby they were troubled, and wherewith they had been infected) ſuffered perſecution; thereby Intimating that it was not too heavy a Judgment that they who troubled them with this new goſpel, ſhould ſuffer Excomunication; For either he muſt have bin utterly out in all his ſufferings of perſecutions, yea & in his perſiſting in preaching otherwiſe, tho' multitudes ſtumbled at the Goſpel thereby; or elſe all theſe corrupt teachers deſerved well to be cut off, who preached a way of Salvation contrary to what he had both ſuffered for the Preaching of; yea and (which was more) given great offence by preaching. Having thus made his way, he tells them ver. 12. what he would have done with thoſe that unſetled them in their former orderly walking and believing and profeſſing, even that they ſhould be cut off. But leſt any ſhould ſay, why do you thus write unto us? what have we to do to cut them off? he adds ver. 13. that God had called them to Liberty, that is God had called and brought them into ſuch an eſtate by the Goſpel, wherein they had a liberty of acting according to their place, in and for the cutting off of thoſe that troubled them. Not that private members may caſt out their Teachers by any Office-Authority over them, but that they have an intereſt of liberty and priviledge to act in obedience to Chirſt and in obedience to their Officers that are ſound 2. Cor. 10.6. in a way of paſſing a free & conſciencious Judgment on ſuch as are unſound ſo as to reject them. But becauſe Churches are too apt in the uſe of this their liberty to fall into abuſing of it, he preſently gives a needful warning and caution viz. that they uſed not this their liberty as an occaſion to the fleſh i. e. Take heed not to act and vent their own corruptions, by and in the uſing of this their liberty? But Churches being ſo exceeding ſubject to miſuſe their liberty, he contents not himſelf with giving that Caution, But further adds directions to be obſerved by them, that they may not fall to the abuſe of this their Liberty.
Direct, 1. Serve one-another by love ver. 13. backed with two arguments,
1. From the large and happy Influence of ſo doing, all the Law is fulfilled thereby ver. 14. It would lead them on to the doing of all the duties required in the Law, wherein he ſecretly girds at thoſe that would have brought them under the Law again. q. d. If you would needs be under the Law, here's an excellent way of being under it to Chriſt viz. ſerving one another in love.
2. From the Evils and Miſchief that attended the contrary practice, ver. 15.
Direct. 2. Is ver. 2. Walk in the Spirit.
If you would not uſe your liberty as an occaſion to the Fleſh for the acting and venting of corruption, then walk in the ſpirit, i. e. in the exerciſe of Grace. This direction the Apoſtle backs with a four fold argument.
Argum. 1. So doing ye ſhall not fulfil the luſts of the fleſh. which he proves from the Contrariety between the fleſh and the Spirit ver. 17.
Arg. 2. So doing it will appear that ye are not under the Law. ver. 18. (being led by the ſpirit and walking in the ſpirit are all one in ſenſe.) i. e. not under the Law to be condemned by it. This the Apoſtle makes out, & withall explains what he means by the luſts of the Fleſh and the fruits of the Spirit, ver. 19, to 24. Of the luſts of the fleſh, he ſaith that they are manifeſt, that they ſhut out from inheriting the Kingdom of God; and moſt of thoſe that he names are ſuch as people are moſt apt to fall into in the uſe of their foreſaid Church-liberty ver. 20, 21. the fruits of the ſpirit that he inſtanceth in are moſtly ſuch as ſhould ſhine out in Churches uſing their liberty, and againſt ſuch he ſayes there is no law that ſhall condemn them, they are not under the condemning power of the Law. Perhaps alſo the Apoſtle had his eye on the Circumciſion, and Moſaical days and Rites mention'd Chapt. … which the falſe Teachers ſaid were of high Neceſſity, that there was a Law againſt thoſe that obſerved them not, therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, if you will tye Chriſtians up thus, there are things which, it's paſt paſt all queſtion there is no law againſt therefore look to theſe.
3 A third Argument why they ſhould walk in the Spirit, is becauſe they had crucifyed the the Fleſh with the luſts and affections thereof ver. 24. and 'tis a very uncomly and incongrous thing for Saints to be led by a crucified thing, and if they be not led by the Spirit, they muſt und ſhould be led by the fleſh.
4 A fourth Argument for their walking in the Spirit is, becauſe they were alive in or by the Spirit ver. 25.
Direct. 3. A third Direction that the Apoſtle gives how Saints may eſchew the abuſing of their Liberty is that they ſhould not be deſirous of vain glory ver. 26. if we be, we ſhall abuſe our liberty as an occaſion to the fleſh, and uſe it in ſuch a way as may be a provoking to one another; this deſire of vain glory will put us upon envying one another.
Direct. 4. The fourth Direction is Chap. 6. ver. 1. & the deſign of it is to teach Chriſtians in the uſe of their Liberty to make a difference between the miſcariages of men. There are ſome that are not Cenſurable Crimes but leſſer faults things that do not unavoydably overthrow the Saving fundamental truth which the Church profeſſeth, nor yet the comfortable walking of the Church together in all the ordinances & worſhip of the Goſpel. and there are ſome perſons who tho perhaps through weakneſs they may be by ſurprizal entangled and catch'd in ſome carnal and ungoſpel-like Opinion or practice, yet they are not obſtinate or incurable therein. To ſuch, and in ſuch caſes, you muſt walk otherwiſe, if you would uſe your liberty and that power which Members have mutually one over another aright. Theſe you muſt not preſently cut off but you that are ſpiritual muſt with a ſpirit of meekneſs labour the Reſtoring of them: thus bearing one anothers burthens, and thus fulfilling ye Law of Chriſt as he is the Law-giver of his Church, & hath given them Laws & rules how to carry towards all ſorts of offences and offenders in his Churches. Moral duties are the Commandments or Laws of God; but Church Rules and ordinances of meer Inſtitution are properly the Lawes of Chriſt, as he is the Head and King and Law-giver of his Church.
5. To theſe the Apoſtle adds a
Fifth Direction. Chapt. 6.6. becauſe he had allowed them a liberty in Cutting off thoſe falſe Brethren and Corrupt Teachers that were brought in among them Chapt. 5.12. Leſt they ſhould think themſelves at liberty to ſlight and weary out their ſound Teachers, the Apoſtle adds a direction touching their Maintenance, which is part of the honour and eſteem they ought to have for their Inſtructors: But becauſe people are apt to look on it as a matter of Liberty and not of bounden duty, at leaſt as to the meaſure of it, and thence to deal fraudulently; the Holy Ghoſt backs it with a ſolemn Caution, telling them that they had to doe with God in this matter, and not with Poor weak contemptible men whom they could wrong at pleaſure: Alſo with a weighty argument that the Lords diſpenſing of his Grace and ſpiritual bleſſings by Miniſters teaching, uſually holds a proportion with peoples dealing with them in Carnal good things: their ſouls would thrive leſs or more, as they dealt with God in this matter of Communicating to his Miniſters. This is the ſcope of ver. 7.8. And laſtly upon this occaſion of Communicating to their Teachers he adds a brief exhortation to perſeverance in well doing in the General ver. 9. and to enlarging their beneficence to others alſo ver. 10. This is the Analyſis and brief veiw of this latter part of this Epiſtle; which I confeſs I have the more inſiſted on; becauſe it is not ſo generally obſerved.
The Text falls under the ſecond Direction how Chriſtians may avoid uſing their Liberty as an occaſion to the Feſh, laid down ver. 16. and this verſe contains the fourth Argument that the Apoſtle preſſeth that duty of walking in the Spirit withal viz. becauſe they are alive by the Spirit or live in the Spirit as we tranſlate it. Queſt. 1. What is here meant by the Spirit?
Anſw. Spirit, in this Chapter is oppoſed to the Fleſh: And hence as Fleſh is the principle of Coruption; So ſpirit is the principle of Grace. That divine Principle in the hearts of Saints, which is the ſpring and root of all new Obedience and holy actings in a Saints walk. And it is called the Spirit, as for other reaſons, ſo becauſe it is the proper inſeparable Effects of the Holy Spirit dwelling in a believer. And he is ſaid to live in and by the Spirit, becauſe by this principle of Grace in his heart, he is ſpiritually alive who by nature was dead i. e. alive to God, as Rom. 6.11. Here is alſo an oppoſition between the life or living of this principle, and the death or crucifying of the fleſh, ver. 24. which is the principle contrary to it q. d. Original ſin is crucifyed and therefore you are not alive in and unto ſin, but you are alive by the ſpirit, the Spirit of God dwelling in you hath quickned you to new obedience, or made you alive by creating a principle of Grace in your hearts, and this principle being not crucified (as ſin is) but alive in us, we ought to walk in it.
Queſt. 2. What is meant by walking in the Spirit?
Anſw. Walking relates to all a Chriſtians wayes and Actions. The Greek phraſe here uſed is a military word, uſed of Souldiers being ſet and marching in rank and file orderly, every one keeping his place: ſo that it extends to all the Acts of a Chriſtians life. And theſe muſt be in the ſpirit, that is in the excerciſe of his ſpiritual gracious principles. That this is the ſenſe of the phraſe, appears from the like manner of ſpeech uſed by the Apoſtle concerning a Believer in his ſtate of Unregeneracy, ſee Col. 3.7. His former ſtate was to be alive in his luſts oppoſed to his being now dead through Chriſt as to the life ſpoken of before ver. 3. and his former practice was a walking in theſe luſts, i. e. a practiſing, acting, & fulfilling of them, a walking in the acting and exerciſe of them.
The Doctrine then to be inſiſted on, is
That 'Tis the duty, and ſhould be the care of a Chriſtian to walk in the conſtant exerciſe of Grace. … In the acting of thoſe gracious principles that he received in his Regeneration.
See ver. 16. This in that Living to the Lord that is required in the 2. Cor. 5.15. See Gal. 2.19. And indeed a Chriſtian cannot be ſaid to live any longer than he acts Grace▪ For tho he may have life in him, yet 'tis no act of life that is of his ſpiritual life except Grace be acted in it. As 'tis no Action of natural life that proceeds not from the union of ſoul and body together and their mutual claſping on each other ſo 'tis no act of ſpiritual life that proceeds not from the ſouls union with God and claſping about him in Chriſt Jeſus.
Queſt. What Grace muſt a Chriſtian walk in the excerciſe of?
Anſw. 1. The General Graces of a Chriſtian that are never out of ſeaſon nor ever unſuitable; what ever the caſe and condition of a perſon be; e. g. Faith, Fear, Thankfulneſs, and Love; Heavenly-mindedneſs, Watchfulneſs, &c.
Faith, For (Heb. 11.6.) fetching ſpiritual ſtrength from Chriſt, and looking up to him for Acceptance in all.
Fear, Prov. 23.17. that is, An awful regard to the Authority and will of God, as his rule ſubjecting himſelf to it 1. Pet. 4.2. Putting a reſpect of obedience to God on all he doeth, Col. 3.17. doing all things in the name of the Lord.
Thankfulneſs and Love and Joy Putting a reſpect of Thankfulneſs upon all his obedience, as well as of obedience upon every action Col. 3.12. And from Love and Thankfulneſs deſigning in every thing the Glorifying of God, 1. Cor. 10.31.
Heavenly-mindedneſs, Col. 3.1.2. Seeking and ſetting our affections on things above, and an heart working Heaven-ward, deſigning going to Heaven in all he hath, and laying hold on Eternal Life.
Watchfulneſs, See 1. Pet. 5.8. Luk. 21.34, 36. Epheſ. 5.14, 15. Heb. 3.12.
2 Thoſe particular Graces, that a mans Relation, Employment, or Gods providence calls for.
Thoſe which a mans Relation calls for. For the Grace which the relation of a wife calls for 1. Pet. 3.2. So for ſervants Epheſ. 6.5.
Thoſe which a mans preſent Condition and Employment calls for. If it be worſhiping of God Heb. 12.28. Pſa. 5.7. If it be reſtoring a Brother overtaken with a fault, then exerciſe and ſhew forth a ſpirit of meekneſs Gal. 6.1.
Thoſe which God's preſent Providence calleth for, both particular and General, Inward and outward: When God afflicts we muſt put on humbleneſs and mourning as our garment and Conſtant attire in ſuch a day, 1. Pet. 5.5, 6. If God favour, then beautyful garments or garments of praiſe muſt be worn, Iſa. 52.1. & 61.3.
For the Reaſons of this Doctrine, I ſhall goe no further then this Diſcourſe of the Apoſtle in this Chapter,
Reaſ. 1. It will prevent your uſing your Liberty as an occaſion to the Fleſh, and fulfilling the Luſts of it. Of this there is great danger, we are very apt to it, Corruption is even preſent and active to get the Start of Grace, and be before hand with it if we take not heed; Yet this is a great Evil, thus to abuſe God's Favour and our mercies. To prevent it, there is no way like this of a mans walking in the exerciſe of it Continually.
Thus 'tis in their allowed delights and Creature enjoyments, and alſo in liberty given by the providence of God from ſubjection to others, from Temptations, from Afflictions: And in liberty given by the Inſtitution and order of Chriſt in Church matters. and alſo Spiritual Liberty given by the Grace of God.
You ſhall not fulfil the Luſts of the Fleſh. See ver. 16. Flagging in the Exerciſe of Grace and leting it fall, expoſeth to the prevailing of Temptations and Corruptions which hence come eaſily to grow up and get head over us: Hence they not only ſtir within and ſollicite, but Lead us Captive and prevail over us. If David, Noah, Lot, Peter had kept up the Exerciſe of Grace, they had not Fallen as they did. The Apoſtle makes this out, from the Contrariety between Grace and Sin, ver. 17. which is ſuch that the exerciſe of one, keeps down the other: And luſts will mingle themſelves in all we doe, if we walk not in the Exerciſe of Grace, then all we doe will become ſin: and ſo be put among our ſins for pardon, not our Obedience for Acceptance.
Every thing we doe is a fruit of the Spirit or the fleſh, and if Grace be not exerciſed 'tis then a fruit of the Fleſh, not the Spirit, Joh. 3.6.
Thus men come to fulfil the luſts of the Fleſh, when they are doing duties that God calls for; Hence in mens callings, many men are but fulfilling the luſt of covetouſneſs and Love of the world.
And in duties of worſhip, men thus come to be fulfilling a luſt of pride and of Hypocriſie, yea of contempt of God, becauſe not worſhiping Him in faith, from Love and with Fear, they either look for Acceptance in it without regard to Chriſt; or elſe heed not whether they be accepted of God or not.
Reaſ. 2. This will clear it up that you are not under the Law but under Grace. See ver. 18. It will clear it up to others: for hereby Grace will ſhine out in you, and you will ſhew the Vertues of Chriſt who hath called you. So Paul. of the Churches of Macedonia 2. Cor. 8.12. and of the Theſſalonians, 1 Epiſt. 1. Chapt. 3, & 4. ver. from their works of Faith and Labour of Love Concludeth their Election.
It will clear it up to your ſelves in your own Conſciences 1. Joh. 3.14, 18, 19. For thus to be lead in the Spirit is a certain Sign of it, becauſe the Law gives not the Spirit, Gal. 3.2.
He whoſe ſtate is to be under the Old Covenant hath not Grace, and therefore cannot exerciſe any, therefore if a man exerciſe Grace 'tis a certain Argument that he is in a New Covenant eſtate. Exerciſing Grace will Clear up your State, becauſe Grace by Acting grows more and brighter, and thence more diſcernable: And becauſe in this way the Spirit of God, the ſpirit of conſolation, will reveal your State to you, enable you to diſcern, it clearly and judge of it certainly to your Comfort. Thus God dealt with Abraham, Gen. 22.12, 15. Now I know thou feareſt me —. And the Lord again reneweth his Covenant with him, and Confirms it with his Oath, for tho he made it before and gave him alſo a Seal of it, Circumciſion; Yet I find not that the Lord Ratified it by his Oath till now. And obſerve it, that it is not the outward Act of Obedience that yeildeth peace and Aſſurance, or on which Conſcience can give a Teſtimony of a mans good eſtate, (for there is no outward Act but a Hypocrite may doe it, 1. Cor. 13.1, 2, 3, 4.) but it is from the Exerciſe of grace in that Action, that in Simplicity and in Godly Sincerity a man hath done it, as 2. Cor. 1.12. or that it was done to the Lord, or before the Lord, as David ſpeaks 2. Sam. 6.21. And David ſaid to Michal, It was before the Lord &c. For our joy in every thing we doe, comes in by ſuch a tryal of our own acting, as no other but wee our ſelves can be able to make thereof Gal. 6.4. But let every man prove his own work, and then he ſhall have rejoycing in himſelf alone, and not in another. And againſt ſuch as ſo walk there is no Law that can caſt and condemn them. For ſuch hath one in Heaven that have ſatisfied the Law for all their breaches of it. Hence exerciſing Grace is the only way to have the Comfort of Grace.
Reaſ. 3. The fleſh is Crucified with the affections and Luſts thereof ver. 24.
Not only the principle of ſin but all the inward Stirrings of it; whether blown up by Satan or riſing up from the ſecret luſtings of ſin it ſelf (ſo I think ſignifie the two words which the Apoſtle here uſeth) have received their death's wound; and thence are (tho not quite dead, yet) in a languiſhing dying Condition, and ſure to dye as one nayled to a Croſſe is, tho he be not yet dead. Yea this by virtue of Chriſts death and your Communion with him therein, for that the Apoſtle aimes at, and hath his eye on in this expreſſion that the Fleſh is Crucified. The fleſh being crucified it hath leſs power to ſtop and hinder the inward actings of Grace, and its prevayling to Carry you on in the ways thereof. It was at firſt crucified for this end, and is kept Crucified upon the Croſs of Chriſt under the hand of his Spirit and killing power of his death, for this end that you might walk in the Spirit being ſet at Liberty from the prevailing dominion and ſtrength of it.
Beſides, If you be Chriſt's you have Crucified the fleſh, you yourſelves have been active in, applying the death of Chriſt to that end and fetching virtue from it for the killing of ſin in your hearts. And therefore not walking in the Spirit, is a retracting what you have done in this kind, and an undoing of it inaſmuch as 'tis a yeilding and giving way to the fleſh to live again and Act you again.
Reaſ. 4. You are alive by the Spirit.
You have grace and that not from yourſelves but from the Spirit. You have grace: This is given for Exerciſe: that it ſhould be drawn forth, and fill your lives and all your actions Eph. 2.10. Grace unleſs exerciſed is ſo far loſt: Its uſe lies in its being uſed, as it is of all other things. 'Tis below your priviledge and bleſſed eſtate not to walk in the Spirit; If others doe not that are not alive in the Spirit 'tis but like themſelves, but for you 'tis unſuitable & moſt incongruous. This Grace is from and by the Spirit, both firſt and ſtill maintained. Thankfulneſs to him obligeth to walk in the Spirit, which is indeed to His praiſe and Glory.
USE. 1. For Information.
A Great part of a Chriſtians work lyes out of other mens ſight. Indeed the greateſt part of it is boſome work: both his watch and his work ly cheifly there where No body elſe ſees. His Exerciſes are moſt about ſuch things, Eſpecially the more grown Chriſtian that he is. And he whoſe great buſineſs lyes without doors is either unſound or very low in growth, Even but a Babe in Chriſt and in Grace.
Informat. 2. A true Chriſtians life is no idle Life but a buſie one. Eſpecially if a Chriſtian indeed; and in any meaſure ſerious and ſenſible: Yea when Grace is gotten and cleared too, that a man ſees he hath it, and ſo his Aſſurance is ſetled, yet there he hath his hands full of work, even to ſee that he fill up his time with Dutyes, and his Dutyes with Grace; for both theſe are included in walking in the Spirit.
Inform. 3. A Chriſtian ſhould doe nothing wherein Grace cannot be exerciſed.
For tis his indiſpenſible duty to act Grace in every ſtep of his Walk, therefore he may take no ſtep wherein Grace cannot be exerciſed. This Rule if attended would afford Direction in many paſſages that fall before us in this World; Eſpecially ſuch Things as appear not flatly Evil in the Matter and Nature of them.
If there be any thing wherein you cannot exerciſe grace, doe it not. True, the Rule holds not always affirmatively, that whatever a Chriſtian may Poſſibly exerciſe grace in, is therefore Lawful for him. A Godly Iſraelite might poſſibly Exerciſe Grace in being preſent at Sacrifices offered in the High places. Solomon it ſeems did ſo and therefore the Lord overlooked the failing and accepted his ſincerity. And ſo (I doubt not) many ſouls have in keeping Holy-days of mens deviſing, and not of God's appointing or approving: And alſo in Worſhiping God after ſuch modes and Forms as the Lord alloweth not: Eſpecially in former dayes when leſs Light in theſe matters was broken out. But it follows not that theſe things are therefore Lawful becauſe ſome have exerciſed Grace therein: Yet the rule holds Negatively, That wherein grace cannot be exerciſed is not lawful. It is in ſpecial uſeful in things indifferent: As for Example; In Attire and dreſſing; If you cannot exerciſe grace in this and thus tricking up yourſelves, or ſpending ſo much time in it, tis then unlawful for you. So in going into Company, and ſitting with them, Eſpecially in Publick houſes, Taverns, Coffee houſes &c. Can you exerciſe grace in ſo doing? Canſt put a reſpect of obedience to God, yea of love and Thankfulneſs on it? Canſt thou maintain an Awe of him upon thy heart? or does it not rather ever bring a ſecret difilement on thy ſpirit? If ſo, tis then unlawful for thee. And indeed, the Rule is general, and holds Concerning all Recreations, Divertiſements, and univerſally all Indifferent things, If you cannot exerciſe grace in them, tho' through your own Infirmity, and much more if it be from the Nature or inſeparable Circumſtances of the things themſelves, they become unlawful unto thee.
USE. 2. For Examination.
Have you walked in the Spirit? Yea, have you minded it in all the Steps of your walk? or onelyonly minded your keeping your Way, and walking on without regarding whether in the Spirit or no, what grace you acted in every thing. Indeed it is not enough to act ſome grace in a duty, but you ſhould fill up the duty with grace. e. g. Some dutyes are wider than others; a day of Humiliation than an ordinary every day's prayer, & therefore ſhould have more of Godly Sorrow and holy fear acted in it: Hence rending the heart Joel. 2.13. and calling Terrours round about us is the duty of ſuch a day Sam. 2.22. to beſet and beſiege our own ſouls therewith. So in Sacraments, Faith ſhould be acted at an higher rate than is always required in hearing the word, becauſe there's a moſt ſolemn ſealing Tranſaction between God and us: and becauſe God in theſe deals with us by the moſt affecting ſenſes. Hence they are Dutyes, and hence require more enlarged actings of Faith. Examine whether you have acted Grace proportionably in all your dutyes.
1. Firſt-Table duties: Prayer, Hearing, keeping Sabbaths, recieving Sacraments: If no Grace be excerciſed in theſe, they have bin utterly loſt, God's Name taken in vain, and hence they will never yeild thee any Comfort.
2. Second-Table duties: what grace is exerciſed in theſe? Your Calling, your duties to Relations, your occaſional dutyes and Converſes Col. 4.6. Alwais with grace ſeaſoned with ſalt. Viſits Mat. 25.40. & 10.40, 41, 42. Rom. 1.11. & 16.16. That Scripture forbids not only lacivious & diſſembling kiſſes, but requires that in them God's glory be aim'd at: For as his holineſs is his preſerving his own glory in every thing; So our holyneſs is our being & acting like him therin Joh. 3.6. Duties of Civility muſt have ſomething worthy of God in them See Ruth. 2.4. how their Salutations ſavour of God and Grace: verily this Rule extendeth even to theſe. Nay more, to Church Tranſactions, your debates and votes there and all your uſe of the liberty whereto the Lord hath called you, ought to be filled up with exerciſe of grace. And indeed it is the want of this, that makes Church-Members ſo often warp from the rule, and act the unſavory pangs and and diſtempers of their own ſpirits.
3. Your refraining and forbearing from Sin:
See Nehem. 5.15. Elſe your very forbearing ſin is look'd upon but as ſin, while tis not from grace. For (as before was partly Intimated) tis of the Fleſh and therefore is Fleſh, Joh. 3.6. As a man may poſſibly in Holy Dutyes act from Corruption, as the Phariſees did Matth. 23 14. So many a man from Luſt forbears ſin, e. g. from Pride, from Covetouſneſs, from baſe Fear of men &c.
USE. 3 Humiliation for failings herein.
Chriſt calls upon Sardis Rev. 3.2, 3. becauſe he had not found their works filled up with the Exerciſe of grace before God: Before men they ſeemed beautiful and glorious, but there was a ſecret emptineſs and deadneſs in them before the Lord. And for this he threatned them if they repented not to come on them as a Thief in the Night, in an hour when they knew not i. e. when they leaſt looked for it, were leaſt provided for, and in worſt caſe to bear it, and with all Circumſtances of Aggravation and Terrour: This the Spirit ſayth to the Church.
There is no ſin but we ſhould be humbled for it when minded of it in the Word; much more ſuch an one as this, which argues grace is very low and ready to die, as tis there ſayd to Sardis And tis a ſin of frequent Incurſion a ſin that we ſin often every day, and therefore ſhould be the more humbled for. Though we are apt to make light of ſuch ſins, yet the Spirit of God does not, Chriſt doth not make light of it to that Church. Other ſins that we ſeldom and hardly fall into, we think it our duty to humble our ſelves for: But this, and ſuch as this doe us as much hurt, and uſually more then ſuch as affect us more with Sorrow and ſhame. If it ſeem to want any thing of weight and heinouſneſs; yet the Frequency of it makes it up, and more then up. We muſt remember and loathe our ſelves for our doings that are not good, but empty of grace, as well as for thoſe that are Abominations becauſe of the Evil of the matter of them, Ezek. 36.31.
Conſider two things to help to affect our hearts with ſhame and ſorrow for not exerciſing grace in every ſtep of our walk.
1. Hereby we break with God and looſe our Communion with him: Not our ſtate of Communion but the actual exerciſe and enjoyment of it. If a man ſhould fourty or a 100 times every day looſe the exerciſe of his Reaſon tho but for half a quarter of an hour or leſs, tho' he ſhould not looſe the Faculty it ſelf, how ſad would you account it! much more is this to be lamented, becauſe hereby we looſe our Communion with God, ſo far and ſo long as as we do not walk in the Spirit: And Communion with him is as much more precious then the uſe of reaſon; as Divine & ſpiritual life is more excellent than the life of Reaſon. In whatever we ceaſe to exerciſe grace, we do therein turn off from God and break with him, and were it not for Chriſt and His Mediation we were Loſt forever.
2. Whatever we do without Exerciſing grace in it, ſavours not to God's taſt it finds no acceptance with him, Cant. 4.16. unleſs the ſpices of our graces flow out, none of our fruit is pleaſant to Chriſt's Taſt, and if not pleaſant to his taſt he Preſents it not to God for his acceptance: Hence nothing wherein no grace is Exerciſed is put on our account for a reward, but only amongſt our ſins for pardon or for puniſhment: hence if no grace be exerciſed, our Salvation is not at all furthered thereby. And low ſad is it for a man that hath a Race to run, and work of life and death to get done; to Nod, and ſtand, and ſleep, and fall ſo often in a day!
USE. 4. of Exhortation,
Walk in the Spirit, exerciſe grace in every Step you take.
Look to it, not only that you doe what is good, but alſo that in doing of it you act the inward principle of Grace that you have recieved.
Here Conſider.
1. You have acted Corruption in all your ways, Col. 3.2. Let the time paſt ſuffice us, 1. Pet, 4. and from very ſhame and indignation at yourſelvs for your acting of Corruption, be provoked to walk in the Spirit for the time to come: For you are much indebted to Chriſt, you have had much forgiven and therefore ſhould love much.
2. You muſt unavoidably in every thing, act Grace or Corruption.
Therefore if you act not Grace, you will act Corruption. Theſe two are the Univerſal principles of all our Actions, and doe Flow into every thing we doe :They are ſeared ſo near together, and are ſo Contrary one to the other, perpetually warring each againſt other, that if one give back never ſo little, the other will be ſure immediately, to come on, And And indeed theſe two contrary principles ſhall and muſt lodge in the ſame ſoul, yea abide in the very ſame faculty during this life but the Conqueſt of the one over the other lyes in the ones prevayling more then the other to fill up your Actings. Theſe two, fleſh and Spirit, Corruption and Grace, divide between them all your Actions, there being between them no medium, any more then there is any Action that hath no Rule or Law over it: As there will be either light or darkneſs in the Air; So there will be either Sin or Grace, Fleſh or Spirit filling every Action that is humane, that falls under the Command of the Will.
3. By the Exerciſe of Grace the ſoul is kept in an Holy Healthfull and Chearfull frame.
Luſts warr againſt the ſoul, 1. Pet. 2.11. and thence the prevayling of them tends to the death of the ſoul. Grace warrs for the ſoul, and the acting thereof is the ſouls ſtrength and health and life. Act grace in one paſſage, and you will come off from it with the heart in frame and fitted by it for another. Grace acted in our Callings, fits the heart for dutyes of worſhip, and in dutyes of worſhip fits the heart for the dutyes of our Calling: Yea, by this meanes the heart will be kept fitt for every Change and cannot be found unprepared. Lamps burning, and Loyns girt is nothing elſe but grace in actual exerciſe: This alſo puts and keeps the ſoul in a cheerful and comfortable framer. There is comfort and ſweetneſs in the exerciſe of any grace, Phil. 2.1. Comfort in love. For in the exerciſe of grace the ſoul draws near to God, and hath Fellowſhip with him who is the Fountain of bliſs and Comfort. And hence 'tis that your dutyes and wayes are ſo empty of Comfort, yea indeed nothing but ſecret bitterneſs in reflecting on them, becauſe there is no grace exerciſed in them. Thus 'tis with us in our walking and Callings, we come off from them with a ſecret ſting or trouble on our conſciences, tis becauſe grace was not exerciſed in them. And thus tis in the moſt ſweet and Comfortable dutyes, Receiving the Sacrament, praiſing God &c. if Grace is not Exerciſed in them, if they are not performed in the Spirit they yeild no Comfort neither afterwards, neither are they ſweet in the doing. On the other hand, Duties that ſeem to be bitter in their proper Nature, e. g. Repentance and breaking the heart for ſin, Confeſſing it before God, and Condemning a mans ſelf for it, even theſe duties are moſt ſweet, and yeild unſpeakable comfort if done in the Spirit, if grace be exerciſed in them.
4. Thus exerciſing Grace will ſublimate and ſpivituallize every action, turning natural affections into Graces.
Thus a mans loving his Wife of Child, or any other Relation or friend, become gracious acts, and his eating and drinking acts of obedience, and hence are of great account in the eyes of God, Thus, not the meaneſt ſmalleſt act, but it hath a glory and excellency in it if grace be exerciſed: as Luther ſaid, a poor milk-maid milking, if done in Faith is more glorious then ye Conqueſts & Triumphs of Caeſar or Alexander: And it will appear ſo another day, being recorded and regiſtred in Heaven for a gracious Acceptance and reward in the day of Chriſt. Thus a man's eating, drinking, ſleeping promotes his Salvation and adds ſomething to his Crown of Glory another day; as well as his Praying, or his Hearing, or his Suffering for CHRIST.
Tibi Domine et a te.
Advertiſement.
THere is ready for the Preſs, (& will ſpeedily be publiſhed) two Sermons on Pſal. 84. ver. 10. Preached at the Lecture at Boſton: by the Reverend Mr. Joſhuah Moody. Printed for Joſeph Brunning at the Corner of Priſon-Lane next the Town-Houſe in Boſton.
End of the text · Nathanael Mather, Sermon on the Duty and Care to Live in Grace (1684)