Twenty Sermons, Sermon 5
Walking in Chriſt, the Mark of our Receiving of Chriſt.
Coloſſ. II. 6.
As ye have therefore received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk ye in him.
THE holy Apoſtle having inſtructed theſe Coloſſians in the Doctrine of Chriſt in the foregoing Chapter, arms them againſt Seducers, and falſe Teachers, that would have corrupted that Doctrine, in this ſecond Chapter: It is not enough for Miniſters to give wholſome food unto their people, but they muſt alſo give them Antidotes againſt the poyſon of corrupt Doctrines: It is not enough for Miniſters to feed their people, but they muſt alſo fence their people againſt Wolves that would devour the flock. Thus does the holy Apoſtle here, he forewarns theſe Coloſſians, and ſo fore-arms them againſt thoſe Seducers that would beguile them with Philoſophy, with legal Ceremonies, and worſhipping of Angels, and other ſuch corrupt Doctrines mentioned here in this ſecond Chapter. To that end he lays down this weighty rule for them to obſerve, As ye have therefore received the Lord Chriſt, ſo walk ye in him.
In the Text you may take notice of two things: Firſt, You have here a holy Rule preſcribed in theſe words, As you have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord: Secondly, a Practice anſwering that Rule here enjoyned; ſo alſo walk ye in him.
As ye have. The words will admit of a twofold interpretation: Either take the ſenſe thus; As you have received the Doctrine of Chriſt by Epaphras, who was a faithful Miniſter of Chriſt, Chap. 1, 7; ſo do you perſevere in that Doctrine, and live according to it: this is the uſual interpretation given of the words. Or elſe they may be taken in this ſenſe; As you have received the Lord Chriſt, that is, as you have received him into your hearts by faith, who is the way to eternal life; ſo walk ye in him: And as you have received grace from Chriſt, ſo accordingly act that grace that you have received: this is the interpretation that ſome give; I ſhall ſtick rather to this latter interpretation in the handling of this Text. Many Doctrines may be gathered from this verſe; but becauſe my purpoſe is to diſpatch it in one Sermon, as looking upon it as a ſeaſonable Text, a ſuitable Subject for a day wherein we have been partakers of the precious Ordinance of the Lords Supper, I will name but two or three Doctrines, and pitch upon the principal.
Firſt, As you have received Chriſt Jeſus.
Obſerve: Where the Goſpel is rightly received, Jeſus Chriſt is alſo received with it. Mark, the Apoſtle does not ſay, As you have received the Doctrine of Chriſt, but Chriſt himſelf; he that rightly receives the Doctrine of Chriſt, receives Chriſt himſelf. Oh then, in how high reverence and eſteem ſhould we have the Goſpel! and what a prodigious ſin are they guilty of, that tread the precious Goſpel under foot! what a dreadful account have they to give! 2 Theſ. 1.7, 8, When the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Secondly, As you have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord.
Mark: It is not enough to receive Jeſus Chriſt as a Saviour, but he muſt be received as a Lord, as a Ruler alſo; according to the tenour of my laſt Text, Acts 5.31, Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins: Jeſus Chriſt will be a Saviour to none but thoſe to whom he is a Prince. Biſhop Davenant in his Commentary upon the Coloſſians, ſays, the falſe Apoſtles preacht Chriſt, and their Diſciples likewiſe received Chriſt; but neither did the falſe Apoſtles preach him, nor their Diſciples receive him as Lord; but they received him as a fellow-Servant with Moſes: therefore ſays the Apoſtle, if you receive Chriſt rightly, you muſt receive him as a Lord.
Thirdly, Here I might obſerve, (Walk ye in him) That Chriſt is the way, the living way, the only way wherein we ſhould walk.
The fourth and laſt Doctrine is that which will compriſe the marrow of the Text, and it is this; That it is not enough for a Chriſtian to receive Chriſt, but he muſt alſo walk in Chriſt.
That you may underſtand the Doctrine aright, let me open the terms to you. There is a two-fold receiving of Chriſt, an habitual and a gradual receiving of him.
Firſt, There is an habitual receiving of Chriſt; of this ſpeaks the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 12, To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the ſons of God, even to them that believe in his name.
But then ſecondly, There is a gradual receiving of him; and of this ſpeaks the Apoſtle in this Chapter, Col. 2.19, And not holding the head, from which all the body by joynts and bands having nouriſhment miniſtred, and knit together, increaſeth with the increaſe of God. The whole body, that is the Church of God, and every Member; being knit to the head, that is, to Jeſus Chriſt; having nouriſhment ſupplied from the head, ſo the Members of Chriſt being ſupplied with nouriſhment from God, increaſe with the increaſe of God. Obſerve, There is never a Member of Chriſt but is a growing Member: there is a gradual receiving of Chriſt, a receiving him more and more, by degrees; as well as an habitual receiving of him. If you ask me, What is the difference between theſe two receivings of Chriſt, the habitual and gradual? I anſwer, the difference lies in two things:
Firſt, The habitual receiving of Chriſt, is done but once; the gradual is done often. The habitual receiving of Chriſt is done but once, as the Child is born into the World but once; but it muſt be nouriſhed and fed every day: ſo we are ſpiritually born, or regenerated but once; but we muſt be nouriſhed, and we muſt likewiſe increaſe and grow in and up to Chriſt daily; we muſt grow up to him, as the Apoſtle phraſes it, grow up into him more and more, Eph. 4.15.
Secondly, In the habitual receiving of Chriſt, we are meerly paſſive; a man does no more to his own regeneration, than a dead man can do to his own reſurrection. But in the gradual receiving of Chriſt, we are active, we are co-workers with God, 2 Cor. 6.1, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; we move towards him, when we are moved by him. The child before it is born, hath no nouriſhment but what it receives from the Mother; but when the child is born, then it hath a nutritive faculty, and is able to feed and nouriſh it ſelf. So in the firſt work of converſion, we are meerly paſſive, and do nothing at all, but receive all from Chriſt, and do nothing in the carrying on the work of our ſalvation: But when once we have received a life from Chriſt, then we may act and exerciſe that life for our own good, and the glory of God. Now of both theſe receivings of Jeſus Chriſt, does the Apoſtle ſpeak, both of the habitual and gradual receiving of him: As you have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk in him. Walking is an active motion; and when the Apoſtle ſays, Walk in him, it is as if he ſhould ſay, As you have received the truth of grace, ſo alſo be acting of your grace to the glory of Chriſt. So then, this is the meaning of the Doctrine; when I ſay, it is not enough for a Chriſtian to receive Chriſt, but he muſt alſo walk in Chriſt: the meaning of the Doctrine is this. It is not enough for a Chriſtian to receive grace from Chriſt, but he muſt be alſo acting his grace. For the proof of this truth, let me give you two remarkable Scriptures, 2 Tim. 1.6, Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou ſtir up the gift of God that is in thee. I know the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Miniſterial gift; but it is as true of the work of grace; for the Greek word foreign, ſignifies grace, as well as gift; Stir up the grace of God in thee. Mark the phraſe, it is a remarkable phraſe; for in the original it is to blow up thy grace, foreign, juſt as a man blows up a fire that grows dull, or is hid under the aſhes; blow up the grace of God in thee. The other Scripture which is parallel to this, is that Text, Gal. 5.25, If we live in the Spirit, let us alſo walk in the Spirit; that is, if we have received a ſpiritual life, or influence from Chriſt, let us walk in the ſpirit, that is, let us act that ſpiritual life that we have received by the operation of grace: If we have received the life of grace, let us alſo act the life of grace. For the better explication of this point, two things are to be briefly unfolded.
Firſt, What is required of a Chriſtian that he may act his grace, that he may walk in Chriſt?
Secondly, Why muſt a Chriſtian that hath received grace, be acting his grace?
Firſt, What is required of a Chriſtian, that he may be acting of his grace? In anſwer to this, I ſhall lay down theſe five Propoſitions:
Firſt, No man can act that grace he hath received, by his own ſtrength, without the help and aſſiſtance of Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.10, But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was beſtowed upon me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me: He does not ſay, the grace of God which was in me, that habitual grace which I had; but the grace of God which was with me. So then, it is not the ſtrength of habitual grace that carries a man through any duty, but the auxiliary, the aſſiſting, the concurring grace of Jeſus Chriſt; it is his grace with us, more than his grace in us: And ſays our Saviour, ſpeaking to his Diſciples, Without me ye can do nothing, John 15.5. Ye that are my Diſciples, ye that have the ſpirit of grace, without me ye can do nothing. The habit of grace, the acting of grace, and the perfecting of grace, are all from Jeſus Chriſt: If we cannot put forth a natural action without him, for in him we live, move, and have our being, Acts 17.28, how much more can we perform a ſpiritual act in a ſpiritual manner without him? Phil. 2.13, ſays the Apoſtle, For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleaſure. Yet take this caution with you, When I ſay a man cannot act his own grace, by his own ſtrength; you muſt not therefore be lazy, and ſay, I can do nothing without Chriſt; for you muſt know, the Lord Chriſt works grace in us, by ſetting thoſe faculties that are in us on work; though we cannot work by our own ſtrength, yet we muſt be co-workers with Chriſt: ſays the Apoſtle, Work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of his own good pleaſure, Phil. 2.12, 13. That which ſome perſons make an argument of lazineſs, We will do nothing, ſay they, in the buſineſs of Salvation, for it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do: The Apoſtle makes it rather an argument of diligence; Nay therefore, be you working as well as God; though it is God that works in you both to will and to do, yet do you work out your ſalvation; if you put forth your ſtrength to the utmoſt, he will help you: That's the firſt Propoſition.
Secondly, Another Propoſition is this, It is not enough to act one Grace, but Chriſtians muſt be acting every grace; for all graces proceed from the ſame fountain: We receive from Chriſts fulneſs, and grace for grace, John 1.16. Jeſus Chriſt is the fountain of all grace, Col. 1.19, It pleaſeth the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell. We muſt draw water from no other Fountain: you muſt not look on Faith as a diſtinct habit; or Love, or Repentance, as a diſtinct habit; as if theſe were ſeveral branches, proceeding from ſeveral roots, they all proceed from one and the ſame root: Faith is a habit of grace cloſing with Chriſt, Repentance is a habit of grace, receiving Chriſt; Love is a habit of grace renewing and fitting the ſoul to receive Chriſt; they all proceed therefore from one and the ſame root, and every grace muſt be acted.
Thirdly, The third Propoſition is this; It is not enough to act grace one way; but Chriſtians muſt act grace every way: we muſt not only act grace inviſibly, and inwardly, in reference to God; but we muſt act grace outwardly, and viſibly, in reference to men. This is that our Saviour ſpeaks of, Let your light ſo ſhine before men; he ſpeaks of the light of grace, Mat. 5.16, Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, & glorifie your Father which is in heaven: and ſays the Apoſtle, James 2.18, Shew me thy faith by thy works.
Fourthly, There are certain ſeaſons wherein grace muſt be eſpecially acted, as there are certain ſeaſons of the year; in Spring you have buds and bloſſoms: in Summer you have fruits green, and growing: in the Autumn you have the ſame fruits ripe, and ready to be eaten; Every thing is beautiful in its ſeaſon, Eccleſ. 3.11, He hath made every thing beautiful in his time; ſo every grace is beautifully acted, when it is ſeaſonably acted.
Fifthly, He that hath the leaſt meaſure of grace, muſt not be diſcouraged, but muſt be acting it ſtill, that in the exerciſe of it it may be increaſed; nay certainly, a man that hath but one Talent, Mat. 25.15, that is, but a little meaſure of grace, and doth act it well, he ſhall have more comfort a great deal, than he that hath five Talents, and doth not wiſely act them. Thus you ſee the firſt thing opened, what is required of a Chriſtian that he may rightly act his grace?
The ſecond thing for explication, is; But why muſt Chriſtians thus be acting of their graces? Let me give you theſe four reaſons.
Firſt, The acting of grace will be a certain evidence of the truth of grace: there is no more certain evidence of the truth of grace, than the acting of grace: it may be there are ſome poor ſouls that hear me, that will be ready to ſay, O what would I give, that I might but have a certain and infallible evidence of the truth of grace, though it were but as a grain of Muſtard-ſeed; that I could but ſay, that I have true faith, and true repentance, and true love to Jeſus Chriſt; had I an aſſurance that it were in truth, what would I give! I will tell thee for thy comfort, Here is a rule in the Text, If thou walk in Jeſus Chriſt, that is, if thou be acting that little grace thou haſt received, it is a certain token of the truth of it. A painted fire will not warm a man: a painted Cow will give no milk, a painted Horſe will not move, a painted Tree will not grow; ſo here, a painted Chriſtian, a counterfeit Chriſtian, a Hypocrite, counterfeit grace will never grow; a counterfeit Chriſtian is always a dead and barren Chriſtian; but if thou art a fruitful Chriſtian, it is a token that grace that thou haſt, is grace in truth, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, And beſides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledg, and to knowledg temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godlineſs, and to godlineſs brotherly-kindneſs, and to brotherly-kindneſs charity; for if theſe things be in you, and abound, they make you that you ſhall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: when a man is acting of his grace, he is adding to his grace: add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledg, &c. When a man is acting of his grace, then he is not barren, nor unfruitful: when theſe two go together, then may a man be confident that he is a real Chriſtian, a Diſciple indeed, and not a Diſciple in name only. There are theſe two ſpecial properties of grace, the acting of grace, and the growth of grace; and you have them both in that place, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8: the activity of grace, when a man is not barren nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: And the growth of grace, when a man adds to his faith virtue, to virtue knowledg, to knowledg temperance, to temperance patience, &c. Compare theſe two places of Scripture together, Gal. 6.15, with Gal. 5.6. In Gal. 6.15, ſays the Apoſtle, For in Chriſt Jeſus neither circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion, but a new Creature: compare that with Gal. 5.6, For in Chriſt Jeſus, neither circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion, but faith which worketh by love. In the former place, namely Gal. 6.15, but a new creature: there the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the habit of grace, in the latter, namely Gal. 5.6, but faith which worketh by love, there he ſpeaks of the activity of grace: when the habit of grace is turned into the activity of grace, when faith worketh by love, that is a token of true graceindeed.
A ſecond reaſon is this, The more you act your graces the more you ſhall encreaſe them. Tradeſmen know, the more they trade with their Stock, the more they increaſe their Stock: Grace is like the Windows oyl, the more it is poured out, the more it is increaſed, 2 Kings 4.6. Nay, there is a promiſe made to that man that doth well uſe his grace, Matth. 25.29, For unto every one that hath, ſhall be given, and he ſhall have abundance; which place muſt be rightly underſtood; our Saviour ſpeaks there of gifts of the ſame kind, and ſame order; otherwiſe we will run into the Pelagian and Arminian opinion, which is, That the well-uſing of the gifts of nature, will merit the gifts of grace; ſo the Arminian would have the meaning of the words to be; he that well uſes the gifts of nature, to him ſhall be given the gifts of grace. Our Saviour there …peaks no ſuch matter; but he ſpeaks thus, he that hath ſaving-grace, ſhall have more ſaving-grace: that man that hath ſaving-grace, by well-uſing of it, ſhall have more ſaving-grace: as a man, the more he plays upon an Inſtrument, the more dextrous he grows, the more cunning and skilful he will be: So here, the more you act your graces, the more a great deal ſhall you increaſe them: to him that hath, ſhall be given; and he ſhall have abundance.
Thirdly, A third reaſon is this, Becauſe God hath given grace for that very end, that it may be acted: If God hath given thee grace, it is not that thou ſhouldſt hide it, like a Candle under a Buſhel; nor for thee to put in a dark Lanthorn; but that thou ſhouldſt ſet it upon a Table for the advantage and benefit of others: But the manifeſtation of the ſpirit is given to every man to profit withal, 1 Cor. 12.17. And in 1 Pet. 4.10, As every man hath received the gift, even ſo miniſter the ſame one to another, as good ſtewards of the manifold grace of God. And why are we ſaid to be Stewards of the manifold grace of God? becauſe we ſhould be diſpenſing them, as Stewards that have their Maſters goods, not to put them in their own purſes, or to convert them to their own advantage; but to be diſpenſing of them, and diffuſing them for their Maſters advantage; we are Stewards of the manifold grace of God: look, as God gives to ſome more riches than to others, becauſe he would have them to be more rich in good works than others: ſo he gives to ſome more grace than he gives to others, becauſe he would have them diffuſive of grace, making others rich in grace. He gives to ſome more comforts than he gives to others, becauſe he would have them to comfort others with the ſame comforts wherewith they themſelves are comforted of God, 2 Cor. 1.4, 5. The grace of God is given for this end, to diſpence to others.
Fourtly, A fourth reaſon is this; If you do not act your graces, God ſhall loſe his glory; and his glory ſhould be dearer to you than your liberty, and all your outward comforts. It is a true ſpeech of him that ſaid, the truth of grace doth ſave my ſoul, but the acting of grace makes for the honour of God; the truth of Grace makes for my ſafety, but the acting of grace makes for the ſervice of God, in the place I am in. Now a child of God hath the glory of God lying near his heart: ſays a child of God, I would loſe my life rather than the end of my life: I would be uſefully ſpent for God, for the honour of God, for the name of God, in living, in ſuffering, in dying, rather than to enjoy all the honours, or pleaſures, or treaſures that the world can afford. Thus you ſee the point opened and made good to you.
Now for the Uſe of it, and there are three Uſes I ſhall make of it.
Firſt, By way of Information: If they that have grace, muſt be acting, and increaſing of it, then certainly it follows, That they that have no grace, had need to get it: If they that have received Chriſt Jeſus, muſt walk in him; then they that have not received him, certainly they have great need, infinite need, to cloſe with him. O the miſerable, and doleful, and damnable condition of all thoſe that for the preſent are in a Chriſtleſs condition, in a graceleſs condition! no tongue of men or Angels is able ſufficiently to expreſs it; no tears of blood can ſufficiently bewail it. If any of you die in ſuch a condition, you muſt reſolve to die everlaſtingly, and to ſuffer the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude 7. you muſt reſolve to be ſatisfying of a ſin-revenging God in hell, and yet never be able to ſatisfie him; you muſt be always dying, and yet never die, Rev. 6, And in thoſe days ſhall men ſeek death, and ſhall not find it: and ſhall deſire to die, and death ſhall flee from them: This will be the condition of all thoſe that die Chriſtleſs, that die graceleſs, that have not received Chriſt into their hearts, and that have not got grace into their hearts, oyl into their lamps; they ſhall be alway dying, and yet never die: O with what weeping, and wailing, and wringing of their hands, and tearing of their hair, and renting of the cawl of their hearts, ſhall they cry out, O that I might dye, and dye, and never have a being more! O that I might dye the moſt curſed, the moſt tormenting, the moſt painful death that ever creature on earth dyed, ſo I may but dye: But this is the miſery of all miſery, I live to dye, and muſt live eternally! This is the condition of all thoſe that have not got Chriſt in their hearts: O then! why do you reſt in ſuch a condition one week, nay, one day! O, if ever there were any love to your ſouls kindled in your breaſts, any deſire of ſalvation wrought in you, any care of eſcaping thoſe unconceivable tortures and torments, reſolve to receive Jeſus Chriſt upon his own terms, and ſay, O Lord, rule in me as thou pleaſeſt, ſo I may be but thine; reſolve to receive him as a Prince, as well as a Saviour. It was a point I preſſed upon you with all my might, from Acts 5.31, Receive Jeſus Chriſt to give you repentance, as well as remiſſion of ſins: He is a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveneſs of ſins: He gives repentance, before he gives remiſſion; if he gives nor repentance for ſin, he never gives remiſſion of ſin: O reſolve to trade for him; ſome of you know no other trade, but to treade in the world, to be tumbling up and down in dirt, and clay, and to provide for your Families: a Heathen man may do as much as you do: O that you would be perſwaded to drive a Trade for heaven, for grace, for ſaving-grace. That which Solomon ſpeaks of wiſdom, I may ſay of every grace, Prov. 4.7, Wiſdom is the principal thing, therefore get wiſdom; and with all thy getting, get underſtanding. So ſay I, grace is the principal thing, therefore with all thy getting, get grace: It is no matter, though thou be poor in the World, if thou beeſt rich in grace; If thou ſhouldſt be rich in the World, and get thy Coffers full of gold and ſilver, yet if thou get no grace in thy heart, it had been better that thou hadſt never been born.
Secondly, By way of reproof; Here is a juſt and ſharp reproof, even of Gods own children, that have received Chriſt, and yet do not walk in him, do not walk worthy of him in all well-pleaſing; that have received grace, and yet do not act grace, but rather wrap it up like a Talent in a Napkin: I cannot ſpeak it without indignation, How many Chriſtians are there, ſome of whom I am really perſwaded they are the Servants of Jeſus Chriſt, yet they are ſick of a ſpiritual Lethargy, Appoplexy: they are in a ſpiritual ſlumber; a man in an Appoplex hath his reaſon, he is a reaſonable man, but he cannot make uſe of his reaſon: what is man the better for his wealth, if he does not make uſe of his wealth? ſo, what am I the better for grace, if I do not make uſe of it for the glory of God, and the good of others? In Matth. 25, you read, the five wiſe Virgins ſlumbered, as well as the five fooliſh: It is a ſad thing, when even Gods own children, true Profeſſors, ſhall be ſlumbering; yet the five wiſe Virgins ſlumbered, as well as the five fooliſh. Yet this is the condition of the Servants of God at this day; I can hardly meet with any, but their grace is ſuſpended, they are fallen aſleep: their activity for for God, and their acting of grace, is lull'd aſleep. I pray God he do not thunder againſt us, as once the Mariners did to Jonah; What meaneſt thou, O ſleeper? ariſe, call upon thy God, if ſo be that God will think upon us, that we periſh not, Jonah 1.6. When the wind roars, and the waters rage, and the ſtorms ariſe, and there is but a ſtep between thee & death, and thou aſleep, is it not a ſhame for thee to be ſnorting when the ſhip is in danger of ſinking? ſo may it be ſaid of all us who are aſleep in ſecurity; I pray God that he do not awake us with a ruſhing wind. It may be the rod may come ſooner on us than we are aware, and a ſharper rod than we are aware of. Oh that I could but awaken my own ſoul, then I might hope to help to awaken you out of this ſpiritual ſlumber; then you would ſay to me as David did to Abigail, Bleſſed be God, and bleſſed be thou, that haſt given me this counſel this day, 1 Sam. 25.32, 33. Bleſſed be God that thou haſt awakened me out of my ſloth and ſecurity.
The third and laſt Uſe it is for Exhortation: If ſo be it is not enough for Chriſtians to receive Chriſt, and to receive grace, but they muſt be walking in Chriſt, and they muſt be acting of their grace; then I beſeech you to hearken to the counſel of the Apoſtle here: I cannot give you the exhortation in better words than theſe in the Text, As ye have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk ye in him. Oh be walking in Chriſt; Oh be acting of your grace, Oh be ſtirring up your ſelves to take hold of God; Oh be ſtirring up the grace of God that is in you; Oh be active Chriſtians, be not ſleepy Chriſtians, be not dull, drowſie, dead-hearted in matters of everlaſting ſalvation: You have but little time to ſpend, and you have need to ſpend it well; every day brings you nearer your graves, Oh that every day might bring you nearer to God; God is continually acting for you; he is an overflowing, and an ever-flowing Fountain of goodneſs; God is continually renewing his mercy upon you; Jeſus Chriſt is continually interceding for you; the Spirit of God is continually knocking at the dore of your hearts: And is God acting for you, and will you act nothing for God?
Secondly, conſider, Wicked men they are continually acting for Satan, continually doing the Devils drudgery: what a ſhame is it, that wicked men ſhould take more pains to go to hell, than Gods children ſhould take to go to heaven? Judas was as buſie as could be that night to betray his Maſter, plotting and contriving how to betray Chriſt into the hands of the Jews: when the reſt of his Diſciples were ſleeping, Judas was waking to do the Devils work. I beſeech you, let not wicked men riſe up in judgment againſt you; let not them be more vigorous and active in the work of ſin, than you are in the work of grace and holineſs.
Thirdly, conſider, If you be not acting your graces, God may juſtly leave you to be acting your corruptions; if you be not acting one way, you will be acting another way: if you be not acting grace, be ſure the Devil will ſet you on work to be grinding of his griſt. The mind of man is like a Mill, it is always grinding Chaff, or Wheat: if you be not doing Gods work, you will be doing Satans work. On the contrary; ſee what the Apoſtle ſays, Gal, 5.16, This I ſay then, walk in the ſpirit, and ye ſhall not fulfil the luſt of the fleſh. Be walking in the ſpirit, be acting the grace you have received, then you ſhall not fulfil the luſt of the fleſh; though it is true, thoſe luſts of the fleſh, and curſed corruptions, will be ſtirring in you; yet you will never fulfil the luſts of the fleſh: It may be you may be drawn to act them, to be ſold under ſin; as the poor captive is carried into captivity againſt his mind and will, ſo you may be held under ſin, and carried captive by it; but you will never willingly fulfil the luſt of the fleſh. But then, may be you will ſay, What means, or helps, or directions can you preſcribe to this end, that we may act grace? Briefly in anſwer to this, and ſo I have done.
Firſt, I will ſhew you in whoſe ſtrength you muſt act grace.
Secondly, In what manner you muſt act grace.
Thirdly, In what ſeaſons you muſt act grace.
Firſt, in whoſe ſtrength you muſt act grace; I told you before, no man can do it in his own ſtrength; therefore you muſt go out of your ſelves, and run to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Hoſ. 11.3, I taught Ephraim alſo to go, taking them by their Arm. God does not only give us ſpiritual life, but he alſo gives us ſtrength: He did not only give Ephraim life, but he gave him ſtrength; I taught Ephraim to go, leading them by the arm. I remember the ſpeech of Sampſon, Judges 16.20, when his locks were cut off, the Text ſays, And he awoke out of his ſleep, and ſaid, I will go out as at other times before, and ſhake my ſelf, and he wiſt not that the Lord was departed from him. I may apply it thus, Many times we ſet about duty in our own ſtrength, and we think to do ſuch and ſuch duties, as before; but alas! when the ſpirit of God is withdrawn, we are as weak as Sampſon was when his locks were cut off. On the contrary, Let the King ſit but at his table, then our Spicknard ſendeth forth the ſmell thereof, Cant. 1.12; that is, let Jeſus Chriſt be but with us, then our graces, which are compared to Spicknard, ſend forth a ſweet ſmell. If the wind blow upon our Garden, that is, the ſpirit of God working in the ſoul, (Awake O North-wind, and come thou South, blow upon my Garden, that the ſpices thereof may flow out, Cant. 4.16.) then the ſpices will flow forth. If the Sun ſhine upon the Marygold, how ſoon does the Mary-gold open: Oh make ſure of the preſence of Jeſus Chriſt with you; ſay, Lord, let me have thy grace with me, as well as thy grace in me.
Secondly, I will ſhew you how, or in what manner you muſt act Grace.
Firſt, You muſt act your Graces evenly, not by girds and ſtarts; Walking, we ſay, is an equal, and even Motion: ſome there are, that are very forward, that will run for a quarter of a mile, then they ſit down, having run themſelves out of breath; this is the caſe of many forward Profeſſors; Oh, they ſeem for a while to be very zealous God-ward, and Grace-ward, but then they faint, and flag, and grow weary of the ways of God. See what the Prophet David ſays, Pſal. 119.112, I have inclined mine heart to perform thy ſtatutes always, even unto the end: That is a right acting of Grace indeed, a man that reſolves to keep Gods ſtatutes alway to the end; Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy ſtatutes, and I ſhall keep it unto the end, in verſe 33 of the ſame Pſalm.
Secondly, As you muſt act Grace evenly, ſo you muſt act it orderly: that is, you muſt not turn aſide either to the right hand, or to the left: This is one of Gods own commands, Deut. 5.32, Ye ſhall obſerve to do therefore, as the Lord your God hath commanded you; you ſhall not turn aſide to the right hand, or to the left.
Thirdly, You muſt act your Grace Evangellically, to do all your duties from Chriſt, by Chriſt, and to Chriſt; from Chriſt as the Root, by Chriſt as the Rule, and to Chriſt as the end: Let Chriſt be the Spring, let him be the Guide, and let him be the Centre of all your actings.
Fourthly, See that you act all your Graces likewiſe couragiouſly, that you may ſay, Nothing ſhall daunt me, or diſcourage me in the way that I have undertaken. As David in the buſineſs of his dancing before the Lord, which was an evidence of his exceeding great zeal, when Michal ſcoft at him, ſav… he, I will yet be more vile than thus, and be more baſe in my own ſight, 2 Sam. 6.27. Laſtly, Act Grace humbly; when you have done all that you can do, ſay you are unprofitable ſervants, and ſay with St. Paul, It was not I, but the grace of God which was with me, 1 Cor. 15.10.
Laſtly, I ſhall ſhew you in what ſeaſons you muſt act Grace; certainly Grace muſt be acted at all times, but there are ſome ſpecial ſeaſons wherein we muſt eſpecially act Grace.
Firſt, Upon the receipt of ſome ſpecial Mercy, then we ſhould act Thankfulneſs more than ordinarily, and ſay, What ſhall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me! Pſal. 116.12. Is Gods hand enlarged in bounty? then let my heart be enlarged with thankfulneſs.
Secondly, When you lye under a ſmarting Rod, a piercing Affliction, then act Faith and Patience: A man uſually never acts Grace better, than when he is under ſome abaſement; a ſoul can better mannage a ſtate of adverſity, than it can a ſtate of proſperity; for when it is in a ſtate of abaſement, then it is at a leſs diſtance from God; as Roſes, they are never ſo ſweet, as when they are in a Still, and fire is under them; never does our Graces uſually ſend forth a ſweeter favour, than when God is pleaſed to exerciſe us with Afflictions: David was never better than when he was under the Rod; then he made thoſe heavenly ſoul raviſhing Pſalms, that you meet with in the book of Pſalms; The beſt Pſalms, the moſt heavenly and ſpiritual Pſalms were made when David was in a low condition; witneſs the 34 Pſalm, its one of the ſweeteſt Pſalms you meet with: when was it made? when David was in the loweſt condition that ever he was in; when he was in that ſtraight, he was forced to feign himſelf mad, 1 Sam. 21.13. See how Davids heart was enlarged in the making of this Pſalm.
Thirdly, Another fit ſeaſon to act Grace in, is, when you receive the ſeals of the Covenant of Grace in the uſe of the holy Ordinance of the Lords Supper; that is a time for you to act Grace in; then ſhould you be acting brokenneſs of heart: for, can you look upon a broken Saviour without a broken heart? upon a bleeding Saviour without a bleeding heart? then ſhould you be acting Humility, and ſay as Mephiboſheth, What is thy ſervant, that thou ſhouldſt look upon ſuch a dead dog as I am? 2 Sam. 9.8. Nay, but here is more, that thou ſhouldſt not only look on me, but ſet me at thy Table! what, a beggar, a loathſom leprous beggar, to ſit at the Table of the King of Glory!
Then act Love to Jeſus Chriſt: what, hath he loved me ſo dearly! Oh, how ſhould I love him above all expreſſions of love, and be ſick of love to him!
Then act Faith eſpecially, for that is a grace you have moſt need of when you come to the Lords Table; as now, faith is the very eye whereby we look upon him; it is the hand whereby we receive him; it is the mouth whereby we feed on him: ſays Chriſt, except you eat my fleſh, and drink my blood, you have no life in you. Joh. 6.52, 53. He does not here ſpeak of a Corporal eating of him; far be it from us to have ſuch a thought as they of Capernaum had; how can this man give us his fleſh to eat? that man that believes in Chriſt, he feeds on Chriſt.
Then be acting of Thankfulneſs, after you have received the Lords Supper: Oh, what thanks ſhall I return to the Lord my God! Oh! my whole courſe of life ſhould be nothing but a continual gratulation to my Father, for that never-ſufficiently admired gift of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; If I had ten thouſand thouſand tongues, I could never praiſe him ſufficiently!
Then act holy Reſignation of your ſelves up to Chriſt; what, did the Lord give himſelf for me! I will give my ſelf up to him: was he crucified for my ſins! I will crucifie my ſins for him. Study conformity to him, and that will evidence that you have Communion with him: There is no more certain evidence of our Communion with Chriſt in his Graces, Comforts, Merits, and Spirit, &c. than in our conformity to him: when we reſemble him in Grace here, it is a certain evidence that we ſhall reſemble him in Glory hereafter. In one word, do but make it your buſineſs to be acting your Grace, and you may truſt God for the bringing in of your Comforts; the more you are active in Grace, the more ſhall be your Comfort: If we had more activity of Grace, we ſhould have more evidence of Chriſts dwelling in our hearts here; and God would have more Glory, our ſouls would have more peace, and we ſhould have abundance of more rejoycing in the day of our Lord Jeſus.