The Saints Temptations, Sermons · Sermon 11
SERMON XI.
2 Cor. 12.9.
And he ſaid unto me, My grace is ſufficient for thee: for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs.
THere are ſeveral other particulars that diſcover to us the excellency of Divine grace, and you muſt carry this all along with you, that I am not now ſpeaking of that which Divines call habitual grace, but I am ſpeaking of the excellency of the influence of Divine grace, or that which is commonly called actual grace. Now I ſhall propound ſeveral things more concerning the excellency of grace, over and above what I have already ſpoken of.
The 1. Particular is this, It is by the help of Divine grace that we come to apprehend the reality, the nature, the beauty and excellency of ſpiritual things.
1. It is grace that helps us to apprehend the reality of ſpiritual things. Carnal men that are deſtitute of Divine grace, hear of the things of God, but they are only general notions, ſwimming in their brain. Carnal men may hear of Heaven, and Hell, they may hear of the preciouſneſs of the ſoul, they may hear of the excellency of Chriſt, and the like: but they are not acquainted with the reality of theſe things; they have indeed ſome general confuſed notions of theſe things, but theſe things are not repreſented to the mind of carnal men as real things. Now here is one diſcovery of the excellency of Divine grace. Divine grace diſcovers to the ſoul the reality of ſpiritual things, it cauſeth a man to apprehend what is ſpoken concerning God to be real, it cauſeth a man to apprehend that Heaven and the glory of it is a real thing, and that the excellency of Chriſt is a real thing, Heb. 11.1. Faith is the evidence of things not ſeen. Faith cauſeth things that have a real being in themſelves, to have a real being and exiſtence in a mans apprehenſion. Faith makes things to be clear, and plain, and evident to the ſoul. Thoſe things that are dark, obſcure and uncertain to carnal men, that have no grace, theſe things appear with clearneſs and evidence to a man that hath Divine grace. It is ſaid of the antient Saints, that, They were perſwaded of the promiſes, Heb. 11.13. That is, they were fully perſwaded of the verity, truth, and certainty of the promiſes. Other men have only ſome fluctuating, wavering, uncertain thoughts of ſpiritual things, but they are not poſſeſt with the truth and reality of them. It is Divine grace only that cauſeth ſpiritual things to appear to be real to the mind and apprehenſion of a man.
2. It is Divine grace that cauſeth a man to apprehend the nature of ſpiritual things. Other men hear of God, and Chriſt, and the myſteries of the Goſpel, but it is little they apprehend of the nature of theſe things, 1 Cor. 2.14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the ſpirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him, neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. A man that hath not grace doth not know, neither can he know ſpiritual things. There muſt be a ſpiritual light let into the mind, to cauſe a man to apprehend the nature of ſpiritual things, otherwiſe he cannot underſtand them, becauſe as the Apoſtle ſaith, they are ſpiritually diſcerned. Now men that have no grace, they are deſtitute of this light, whereby they ſhould apprehend ſpiritual things. But now Divine grace, that gives a ſpiritual apprehenſion of ſpiritual things. To you it is given to know the myſteries of the Kingdom, Matth. 13.11. It is a ſpicial gift of God, to be acquainted with the nature of ſpiritual things, for theſe things are riddles to other men. A carnal man knows the outſide of things, but he is not led into the inſide of truth; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks concerning the Law, Heb. 10.1. That the Law had a ſhadow of things to come, but it had not the very image of the things themſelves. So we may ſay a carnal man, a man that is not illuminated by the light of Divine grace, ſuch a man may have a ſhadow of the knowledge of things in his mind, he may have the form of knowledge in his mind, but he hath not the very image and ſubſtance of things in his mind. But now Divine grace makes ſpiritual things appear in ſome meaſure as they are. By the help of Divine grace we are helped to ſee ſpiritual things as they are, hence is that of the Apoſtle, you received it not as the word of man, but as it is in truth the word of God, 1 Theſ. 2.13. Other men receive the word, as the word of men; O but grace makes a man to receive the word as the word of God, it diſcovers to him the nature of the word, that it comes from God, and hath a Divine ſtamp and impreſs upon it.
3. Grace cauſeth a man to apprehend the excellency of ſpiritual things. As Divine grace helps a man to underſtand the reality and nature of ſpiritual things, ſo it cauſeth a man to apprehend the excellency of ſpiritual things, 1 Cor. 2.6. We ſpeak wiſdom among them that are perfect. By perfect here the Apoſtle doth not underſtand ſuch as are ſimply and abſolutely perfect, for there are none ſuch in this world: But he means comparatively perfect, We ſpeak wiſdom among them that are perfect, that is, ſuch as are perfect in compariſon of other men, We ſpeak wiſdom to them that are perfect, that is, unto enlightned ſouls. We ſpeak wiſdom to them that are endowed with grace and the Spirit of God. I ſuppoſe the Apoſtle by perfect here underſtands illuminated ſouls, ſuch as are illuminated by grace and the Spirit of God. Now, ſaith the Apoſtle, We ſpeak wiſdom to them. The Goſpel and the Myſteries of it, is the greateſt and higheſt wiſdom to illuminated ſouls, to ſuch as are enlightned by the Spirit of God; however they may appear fooliſhneſs to other men who are not enlightned, yet there is no ſuch wiſdom to an enlightned ſoul, as there is in the myſteries of Chriſt. The conjunction of the two natures in the perſon of Chriſt, and the myſterie of Divine grace in carrying on the work of our Salvation by Chriſt in both his natures, this is the greateſt wiſdom to an enlightned ſoul. We ſpeak wiſdom to them that are perfect, this is the wiſdom the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, viz. The myſterie of Chriſt, the myſterie of our ſalvation carried on by Chriſt, this is the higheſt wiſdom to an enlightned ſoul. Divine grace makes a man to ſee the excellency of ſpiritual things. An enlightned ſoul ſeeth the worth of pardon of ſin, the worth of Gods favour, the beauty of holineſs, the preciouſneſs of the promiſes; whereas other men ſee no great excellency in theſe things. Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man, to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them to us by the ſpirit, 1 Cor. 2.9, 10. The Spirit of God reveals the excellency of thoſe things to the children of God, that other men ſee no excellency in.
2. The ſecond particular to diſcover the excellency of Divine grace is this, It is Divine grace that elevates the ſoul to God. Naturally we ſtick in theſe lower and inſerior things. Now this is the nature of grace,Tiah't crcaturam rationalem ſupra conditionem naturae ad participationem Boni Divini. that it doth advance the reaſonable creature above the condition and ſphere of nature, unto the participation of the Divine good. Nature ſticks in natural good, nature reſts in natural things, but grace carries up the ſoul to a ſupernatural good, grace carries up the ſoul above all created things unto God himſelf. This is a great thing that doth commend Divine grace to us, that it is grace only that elevates the ſoul above the creature unto God. Were it not for Divine grace, we ſhould always ſtick in the creature. It is grace that elevates and raiſeth the ſoul above the creature unto God. Without Divine grace we can riſe no higher than the creature. Every natural man ſeeks his happineſs in the creatrue, ſticks there, and riſeth no higher. But this is the excellency of grace, that it elevates and advanceth the ſoul to God himſelf, To thee O Lord do I lift up my ſoul, Pſal. 25.1. Grace raiſeth up the ſoul above created things unto God. By the power of Divine grace we are elevated to that life which is above nature. Grace carries us above the ſphere of nature. By the power of Divine grace it is that we come to know God, to love him, to converſe with him,John 17.3. and this is life eternal to know the only true God. We may eat, and drink, and walk up and down in the world, but this is not eternal life, theſe are the actions of a natural life which muſt have an end: Alſo we may buy, and ſell, and commerce in the world, but theſe are the actions of a civil life, and theſe things muſt have an end, they muſt end with this world. But to know God, to love him, to ſeek his glory, theſe are the actions of a ſpiritual life, and theſe are the beginnings of eternal life. So that grace, it carries a man above the whole ſphere of nature. Without grace you can only do as other men do, you may perform the actions of a natural life, thoſe things that concern this world, but you cannot do thoſe things that concern the ſpiritual life. It is grace only that elevates and raiſeth up the ſoul to God.
3. To ſhew the excellency of Divine grace, conſider, There is infinite ſweetneſs in Divine grace. O the ſuavity, the unutterable ſweetneſs that is in Divine grace! I dare appeal to the experience of holy ſouls, whether ever they found any thing ſo ſweet to them in this world as Divine grace, and the actings of it in their ſouls. Nothing ſo ſweet as Divine grace. And here I ſhall ſet before you in ſome particulars the ſweetneſs of Divine grace.
1. Conſider, That Divine grace carrying up the ſoul to God, as it doth, it carries it up to the higheſt object. Grace cauſeth the ſoul to tranſcend and go beyond the ſphere of all created things and to fix in God alone. Now when the ſoul is brought to God, there is not a higher or more ſuperior object for the ſoul to aſcend unto. Now when the ſoul by the power of Divine grace is brought to him who is the higheſt perfection, beyond whom there is not a higher perfection; this muſt needs cauſe infinite ſweetneſs, for the ſoul is ſtill climbing up from one thing to another, it is aſcending higher and higher, it would fain be at the top of all good. I ſay it is in the nature of our ſouls to aim at this. But now when the ſoul hath found out the higheſt perfection, him that is perfection it ſelf, this muſt needs be matter of infinite ſweetneſs to it; when the ſoul hath found out that good, than whom there is no higher, greater or better, but is abſolutely perfect and compleat, certainly that muſt needs afford the greateſt ſweetneſs and contentment to it.
Amongſt the ſeveral ends men aim at, and the ſeveral goods that they purſue, there is always one laſt end, one chief good, and when they acquire the laſt end, and obtain the chief good, that is their greateſt delight. Now God is the laſt end, the chief good, nothing is beyond him, nothing may be compared with him. Now Divine grace elevating the ſoul to God, muſt needs fill it with infinite ſweetneſs.
2. The ſweetneſs of Divine grace appears in this; grace, in carrying forth the ſoul to God, carries it forth to the moſt ſutable and convenient object. Delight ariſeth from ſuitableneſs and conveniency. Now grace elevating the ſoul to God, elevates it to the moſt ſuitable object. The ſoul being of a ſpiritual nature, a ſpiritual good is moſt ſuitable to it; the ſoul being immortal, an eternal good is moſt ſuitable to it; the ſoul being ſo a vaſt capacity as that it can take in more than all created things come to, an infinite and an uncreated good is moſt ſuitable to it. Now Divine grace is that which elevates the ſoul to God who is a ſpiritual, eternal, infinite good, and this is the moſt ſuitable and convenient object for the ſoul, and therefore when the ſoul by Divine grace is carried up to God, it muſt needs fill it with the greateſt ſweetneſs, becauſe no object ſo ſuitable and convenient to the ſoul, as God.
3. Another thing, to ſhew the ſweetneſs of Divine grace is this, That Divine grace raiſeth the ſoul to an holy kind of amplitude and greatneſs. I remember Gibeuf obſerves that the true liberty of the will it doſt conſiſt in divina quadam amplitudine, in a divine kind of amplitude or greatneſs of ſoul, that is to ſay, when the ſoul is carried up above the ſphere of created things to love God and to adhere to him as the chief good, this is the true liberty of the will as he ſtates it. Now it is Divine grace that raiſeth the ſoul to this amplitude and holy greatneſs. Grace is that which raiſeth the ſoul up to God, and when the ſoul by the power of Divine grace is raiſed up unto God, then it hath a large field to expatiate it ſelf, and walk in. The more the ſoul is acted by Divine grace, the more liberty and inlargement doth it find in it ſelf, Pſal. 111.45. I will walk at liberty, for I ſeek thy precepts. As much as if he ſhould ſay, I find nothing that gives that liberty and inlargement to my ſoul like to the exerciſe of grace, like to holy walking. When Divine grace raiſeth the ſoul to walk with God in a way of obedience, this is that gives the greateſt liberty and inlargement to the ſoul. If we obſerve it, we ſhall find it true, Earthly things, when the ſoul is let out to them in an inordinate way, do but confine and narrow the ſoul, the ſoul is as it were pent up in a narrow place, when it is confined to theſe things. But when grace raiſeth the ſoul to God, then the ſoul finds it ſelf at liberty, the ſoul never enjoys it ſelf ſo much as when it loves God moſt, when it adheres to God moſt, when it delights in him moſt. Here the ſoul finds Sea-room enough, when the ſoul adheres to God, ſolaces it ſelf in God, then it is in a vaſt Ocean of good. But when the ſoul adheres to the creature, it is kept within narrow bounds and limits. The creature is but a little, narrow, private, particular good, indeed it is not worth the name of good if it be conſidered abſtract from God and its relation to him. But now God is the univerſal good, and by grace it is we are elevated to God the univerſal good. There is an innate propenſion in the ſoul, carrying it out (if I may ſo ſay) to an infinite good. Indeed this is the unhappineſs of men by the fall, they have loſt the knowledge of the true good. Man by the fall hath loſt the knowledge of God, and love to him, and man having loſt the Creator, and being ſunk into the creature, there we ſtick, till Divine grace elevate us, and take us out of the creature, and bring us back to God again. But though it be thus with man by the fall, that he hath loſt the knowledge of God (the only true good, the chief good, the infinite good) and love to him, yet there is a general inclination in the ſoul (if I may ſo ſpeak) towards the chief good, that is to ſay, the ſoul of man would fain be at the higheſt good if it knew how to come at it, and this is intrinſecal to the nature of the ſoul, and the Radix of liberty lies in it, that the ſoul would fain come up to the chief good, if it knew how. Now theſe lower and particular goods detain and keep back the ſoul from God the chief good, whilſt the ſoul is in a tendency towards good (as it always is and cannot but be, the reaſonable ſoul is always in a tendency towards ſome good or other). It is hindred from aſcending unto God the chief good, by adhering to theſe lower and inferior goods, and thus it is narrowed and confined; whereas if it could reach to God, there it would find liberty and inlargement by ſeeing an infinite good before it. Now herein doth the excellency of Divine grace appear, in that it cauſeth the ſoul to extend it ſelf and reach forth it ſelf unto God the infinite good; and whilſt the ſoul is thus carried forth in a direct line of affection towards God the infinite good, then it finds the greateſt liberty and inlargement in it ſelf. This is another that ſpeaks the ſweetneſs of Divine grace, that it fills the ſoul with an holy amplitude or greatneſs, and delivers it from confinement.
4. The ſweetneſs of Divine grace appears in this, grace cauſeth the ſoul to act regularly, and in the moſt perfect manner. The more regular and perfect the operations of the ſoul are, the more true peace. You will find it in experience, that all the troubles and diſturbance of the ſoul comes from the oblique and irregular motions of the ſoul; the more regularly your ſouls move and act, the more peace, Pſal. 119.165. Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing ſhall offend them. The law of God is nothing but the expreſſion or declaration of his will, now the will of God is the rule of goodneſs. Now Divine grace is that which elevates the ſoul to act moſt regularly, and conformably to the Divine will, which is the rule of goodneſs, and perfection, and the greater harmony there is between our will and the Divine will, the more true peace. Look as it is with the body, when all the parts of the body are kept in their proper place; when none of the limbs are diſlocated, and disjoynted, when the humours are kept in a due temperament, when the ſenſes are kept quick and lively, and fit to diſcharge their office, and to perform their operations, the body is then in the moſt perfect health, and injoyes it ſelf moſt. So it is here, when all things are in order in the ſoul, when the ſoul acts moſt regularly and conformably to the Divine will, then doth the ſoul injoy it ſelf moſt. The perfection of every thing, it is to be in the place God hath ſet it in. Now the perfection of man who is a reaſonable creature, it is to be in a ſtate of ſubjection to God. Man as he is a reaſonable creature being created under a law, mans perfection is to be ſubject to the Divine law, and the greater his conformity is to that Law, the greater is his perfection, and the reaſon is, as was ſaid, becauſe man by obſerving the Divine law, keeps in the place God hath ſet him in. Man as he is a creature is in a ſtate of ſubjection, and his perfection is to be ſubject to his Creator, and the more he is ſo, the more he doth attain the end of his creation, and ſo by conſequence the more true peace doth he injoy.
5. The ſweetneſs of Divine grace appears in this, that Divine grace cauſeth a man to delight in the ways of God, Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. So much grace, ſo much delight in the ways of God. A man may walk in the ways of God, yet not find ſo much delight in them at firſt. But ſo much as a man hath of Divine grace, the more ſhall he delight in the ways of God; and the more a man can delight in Gods ways, the greater is the meaſure of his grace. Now it is Divine grace that cauſeth a man to delight in the ways of God: now delight cauſeth ſweetneſs; ſo much as we can delight in the ways of God, ſo much ſweetneſs ſhall we find in them: and the reaſon why we find no more ſweetneſs in the ways of God, is becauſe we delight no more in them.
6. The ſweetneſs of Divine grace appears in this, that the preſence of Divine grace ſweetnes the want of other comforts.Prov. 14.14. A good man, ſaith Solomon, is ſatisfied from himſelf. A holy man that wants other comforts, ſo far as he is acted by Divine grace, finds a great deal of ſweetneſs in the exerciſe of grace it ſelf; and the reaſon why he finds no more ſweetneſs, is becauſe he hath no more grace. Nothing is more ſweet to an holy ſoul, than to love God, and be beloved of him, In the keeping of his commandments there is great reward, Pſal. 19.11. not only after the keeping of them, but in the keeping of them there is great reward. So much as Divine grace acts us, we ſhall be ſatisfied in God and with God himſelf, when God denies us other things. Not but that we may lawfully deſire and uſe other things, ſo far as God allows and gives us theſe things. But when God denies us theſe things, it is the property of Divine grace to incline the ſoul to take up with God, and to ſatisfie it ſelf with God, when God withholds theſe things from us, as I may ſhew more hereafter.
7. The ſweetneſs of Divine grace appears in this, that grace cauſeth a man to live upon God himſelf in the midſt of other comforts. As it is the nature of Divine grace to cauſe a man to retire to God, and cleave to him when he wants other things; ſo it is grace that cauſeth the ſoul to live upon God himſelf in the midſt of other comforts. When a man is ſurrounded with all other comforts, grace cauſeth the ſoul to turn it ſelf to God and ſay, thou art my happineſs, thou ſhalt be my happineſs, and not theſe things, this is the proper language of grace. I take it for a certain truth, that it is the property of grace to ſuffer the ſoul to reſt in nothing but in God himſelf. Grace cauſeth a man to paſs through all his other comforts, and injoyments, unto God, and ſay, Thou art the true reſt, the life and ſolace of my ſoul. Nothing is, nothing can be, nothing ſhall be that to my ſoul which thou art. It is Divine grace that thus elevateth the ſoul to God. Carnal men that are not acted by Divine grace, ſtick and reſt in the outward things themſelves that they injoy. It is Divine grace only that cauſeth a man to live upon God in the midſt of other things, and to ſolace himſelf in him over and above all the other comforts that he doth injoy, Thou art my portion, ſaith my ſoul, Lam. 3.24. And it is a great Scripture, Pſal. 142.5. Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. Why in the land of the living? What is the meaning of that, that the Lord is his portion in the land of the living? The land of the living, is this preſent world, ſo it is taken in ſeveral Scriptures,Iſa. 38.11. Hezekiah ſaid, He ſhould not ſee the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living. So it is ſaid of Chriſt, That he was cut off from the land of the living; Iſa. 53.8. Pſal. 27.13.ſo again, I had fainted unleſs I had believed to ſee the goodneſs of the Lord in the land of the living: ſo that the land of the living, is taken for this world. Now, ſaith David, Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living, God was not only to be his portion in the other world, in the land of eternity, if we may ſo call it, but he was to be his portion in this world, when he ſhould be ſurrounded with all the comforts the earth could afford him. It is true, David was now in an afflicted condition, he was in the cave, as the Title of the Pſalm ſhews, yet he had a promiſe of the Kingdom. Now God was not only his refuge in his preſent diſtreſs, but he was reſolved that God ſhould be his portion in the land of the living; if ever he were brought to the Kingdom that was promiſed to him, yet God ſhould be all his portion then. It is the property of grace to make a man account upon God more than he doth upon all the good things and comforts that he doth injoy. When he hath all theſe things about him, yet he accounts upon God, and what God is to him, above all theſe things.
8. Laſtly, To ſhew us the ſweetneſs of Divine grace, conſider, It is always well with the ſoul when it is acted by Divine grace, and the ſoul is always full of trouble, confuſion and perplexity, when it is deſerted by Divine grace.
1. It is always well with the ſoul when it is acted by Divine grace. There is an ineffable ſuavity that accompanies Divine grace; the ſoul feels the moſt perfect eaſe, quiet, ſerenity, ſatisfaction, ſo far as it is acted by Divine grace. Obſerve your own experience and you ſhall find it true, ſo far as your hearts are acted by Divine grace, you will find an inward reſt, quiet, and ſerenity of mind. This made Auſtin ſay, that Divine grace conſiſted in a ſpiritual ſuavity. Truly this ſpiritual ſuavity is inſeparable from Divine grace; ſo far as we are acted by Divine grace, we ſhall find inutterable ſweetneſs in it. The hardeſt things in Religion are made ſweet by Divine grace. The tears of grace are ſweet, and that which may ſeem a paradox is certainly true. Godly ſorrow is more ſweet to a man that is acted by Divine grace, than all the pleaſures of ſin are to a carnal man. Patience in bearing the croſs, is ſweet; for though afflictions themſelves are bitter, yet the grace of patience by which we bear afflictions, this is moſt ſweet. Yea acts of ſelf-denial are ſweet, for though it be bitter to nature to have our own wills croſt, yet when Divine grace helps us to conquer our wills, out of love to God, nothing is more ſweet. How ſweet is grace that ſweetens the hardeſt things? The hardeſt things in Religion are made ſweet by Divine grace, O there is inutterable ſweetneſs in Divine grace! Could we always will and deſire as grace would teach us to will and deſire, we ſhould not complain of ſo many troubles as we do, for our troubles ariſe from hence, becauſe we do not act, as grace would teach us to act.
2. As it is always well with the ſoul when it is acted by Divine grace, ſo it is always ill with the ſoul, when it is deſerted in point of grace. When a man is left to himſelf, when there is nothing but nature or corruption that acts in him, then there is nothing but trouble and diſquietment, the ſoul is then in a tumult, all things are in a hurry. It is Divine grace that carries the ſoul to its centre, and when the ſoul is not acted towards God by Divine grace, it is like a thing off from its centre, out of its place, and then the ſoul muſt needs be in a confuſion. How excellent and ſweet then muſt Divine grace be, that makes all things well with the ſoul whilſt it is acted by it, and all things ill with it when deſerted by it. How do theſe things then call upon us to love and prize Divine grace? O it is one of the greateſt attainments in Chriſtianity, to ſee the need of Divine grace, and to long to be acted by Divine grace; and as we do come to greater atttainments in Chriſtianity, the more we ſhall ſee the need of Divine grace, and the more we ſhall deſire to be acted by Divine grace.
The end of the Eleventh Sermon.