Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1, Commentary · Commentary on verse 21
VERSE XXI.
Now he that stablisheth us with you in Christ is God, who hath anointed us, &c.
AS the riches of a Christian consisteth in the promises of God, which (as we have heard) in Christ are all Yea, and Amen: so unlesse he be stablished and built upon this strength, all is nothing. What if a man stand on a rock, if he be not built on it? what if the foundation be never so strong, if he be not stablished thereon? It is not sufficient that the Promises be stablished, but we must be stablished upon them. The Promises of God are indeed Yea, and Amen, (might the soul say) but what is that to me? Therefore the Apostle addeth, He that gives the Promises, will stablish us upon the promises.
Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, is God.
The first thing that I will observe (before we come to the particular handling of the words) shall be onelyonly this in the general, from the connexion and knitting together of this Verse with the former, viz.
That there must be a double Amen.Observ. A double Amen.
There is an Amen in the Promises, they are in themselves true; there must be an Amen likewise in us: we must say Amen to them, that is, we 1. In Gods Promises.must be stablished upon them. There must be an Echo in a Christians heart unto God; that as God saith, These and these things I promise, and they are all Amen: so the soul by faith must Echo again, These things are 2. In our Faith.for me, I believe them.
For (as we say in the Schooles to good purpose) there is a double certainty, a double firmnesse: a certainty of the Object, and a certainty of the Subject: there is a firmnesse of the Promises in Jesus Christ; and there must be a firmnesse in us upon those Promises. It is no matter what the certainty of the thing be that we are to build upon, if there be not a certainty in the person, if there be not a building on that thing: God shall lose the glory of his truth, and we the comfort, unlesse we be certain, as well as the promises are certain. It is no matter what the garment be, if it be not put on: It is no matter (as I said before) how firm the rock be, if we plant not our selves upon it: and therefore besides the writing of Gods Word on Tables, unlesse he write it likewise in our hearts, unlesse our hearts be stablished on that truth that in it self is certain, that it may be certain to us, all is to no purpose.
You see therefore the absolute necessity of the application of the soul Necessity of application.unto those truths which are certain and sure in themselves: there must be a stablishing of us, as well as a stablishing of the promises. There is a necessity of the application of the promises to our selves, that they be true to us. Christ is a garment, we must put him on then: he is the robes that we appear glorious before God in; but we must put him on by faith. Christ is the food of life, he is so indeed, but then he must be digested. Meat, except it be applyed, except the stomach work nourishment out of it by application, and so digest it to all the parts, the body hath not nourishment from it.
Christ is the foundation of his Church: I but there must be application; we as living stones must be built on him. Let the foundation be never so strong, if the stones be not laid on the foundation, the stones cannot stand. Though Christ be the Spouse of the Church, and be never so rich, there must be application, and consent; we must strike up the bargain and match between Christ and us. There must be our consent to tie our selves to him, to give up our selves to him. So look to all the comfortable relations that our blessed Saviour hath taken upon him in the book of God, they all enforce application.
The ground (I say) is this, that though there be never so much certainty in the thing, yet if there be not a certainty in the person to found application upon; all is to no purpose.
These two therefore must go together, and they are sweet relatives, promises on Gods part, and faith on our part. The Promises, and Christ, are nothing without faith. For there must be a touch to draw vertue. If faith have never so little touch of Christ, it will draw vertue: but there must be a touch, there must be application. Christ is nothing without faith, and faith is nothing without Christ, and the Promises.
For what is the difference between faith, and presumption? presumption is an empty, groundlesse, fruitlesse conceit: faith builds on the Promises Difference between faith, and presumption.of the Word, we can alledge the Promise. It is nothing for a mad man to assume himself to be King of another Countrey; why? he hath no promise. He that made account that all the ships that came to the Haven were his, it was but a frantick part of him, and so he was accounted: So a man that thinks his estate is good, and builds not himself upon the promise, that hath no ground for it out of Gods Word, it is but a presumptuous frantick conceit. The promises are nothing without faith, and faith is nothing without the promises. There must be application. This I thought good to observe first in the general. To come now more particularly to the words themselves.
He that stablisheth us with you, &c.
In the words you have first, A gracious Act of building, or stablishing.
Secondly, The Basis, the foundation of that stablishing, or building; and that is Christ.
Thirdly, the Authour of this stablishing; God.
Lastly, the persons, who are built and stablished on that foundation; with you. He that stablisheth us with you in Christ, is God.
The first thing is the Act, Stablishing.
The point is this; first, That
Stablishing, settling grace is necessary.Observ. Stablishing grace necessary.
It is necessary that there be a stablishing, confirming grace. It is not sufficient that we be brought out of the Kingdome of Satan; for when we are gotten out of his hands and strength, he pursues us with continual malice; therefore there must be the same power to stablish us still in grace, that first brought us into the state of grace: For as Providence is a continuall creation, so stablishing grace is the continuance of the new creature: the same grace that sets us in the state of the new creation in Christ; the same stablisheth us. Stablishing grace is necessary: It is necessary many wayes. Man of himself is an unstable creature; take him at the best, but a creature. God found no stability in the Angels; take the best of creatures, even as creatures they are unstable. For God will have a creature as a creature to be a dependant thing upon the Creator, who is a being of himself Jehovah. There is no stability in any creature. Man in his best estate was an unstable creature. Since, we are very unstable, ready to be carried away in our judgment to the wind of any false doctrine; ready to be blown over with every little temptation. Nay, now in the state of grace, in our selves we are very unstable, ready to fly off presently; and therefore we have need to be established of God.
It is necessary in regard of the indisposition of our nature to supernatural truths: we are an unprepared subject for them in our selves. The Law Reason 1. In regard of our indisposition.indeed we have some principles of it; but of the Gospel there are in us no seeds at all of it: and that is the reason there are so many Heresies against the Gospel, there are none against the Law: And therefore Divine truths being contrary to our disposition, as there must be a supernatural beginner, so there must be a supernatural strengthener; he that is Alpha, must be Omega: As there must be a mighty subduing of the heart to be a vessel to receive these truths, an Almighty power to lay the soul on this foundation; (because of the contrariety of the truth to the natural heart of man,) so there is need of no lesse then of a Divine and supernatural stablishing. Our natures are very inconstant, and unsettled, and wayward: take us at the best, before the fall, you see how soon we fell, being left to our selves, and having no stablishing grace: Much more now since the fall, is there a nenecessity of Divine stablishing: when we come to know the truth, we are subject to fall away; like little children, that are ready to sink, if they be not upheld by their parents, or nurse: God must uphold and propus, and shore us up, we presently sink else. Moses was but in the Mount a while, and we see how soon the Israelites fell to Idolatry. Paul did but leave the Galatians a little, and they were removed presently from Christ to false Teachers. The nature of man is wonderful unstable, very loose and unsettled: Divine truths are supernatural; we have need of stablishing therefore.
Again, stablishing grace is necessary, in regard of those oppositions that 2. In regard of oppositions.are made against us after once we be in Christ: For with what malice doth Satan pursue a Christian, when he is once taken out of his Kingdom? And the world runs a clean contrary Byas in the several examples thereof: How many scandals do there arise daily even in the very Church it self? How many things are in our natural disposition joyning with them? all which will make a man fly off, and unsettle him, if he be not stablished in grace.
And indeed, what is the difference between one Christian and another Difference between true Christians and others.that lives in the bosome of the Church? between a temporizer, and another? The difference is but in their radication, in their stablishing: for all have the general knowledge of the truth; but here is the difference, the true Christian is radicated, and rooted in the truth; a false Christian is not, and thereupon when temptations come either from within, from conscience: or from without, from Satan, and the world; he falls away, because he is not rooted: but the other holds on, because he is established.
And the best of us all have need of stablishing: for there be degrees of Degrees of faith.truths, degrees of faith, in all the parts of faith: there is conjecture, a certain suspicious knowledge: and there is opinion, which is with fear of the contrary: and there is knowledge; and there is faith, which is founded upon the Authority of the speaker. And yet this faith, though it be founded upon the Word of God, it may receive further and further strength in all the parts of it: In assent there may be a higher degree, in affiance there may be a higher degree, &c. And therefore the best of us all have need of strengthening.
But where shall we have it?
Christ is the Basis, the foundation of all our stability: Now in the Covenant of grace, we are stablished in him, not in our selves. The Point is this, That
Christ is the ground of our firmnesse.Observ. Christ the foundation of our stability.
As all the Promises are made to us in Christ in regard of the execution, so God he brings us to Christ; all is conferred to us in Christ: as the Promises are made, so they are executed. God stablisheth us in Christ, he drawes us to Christ. None come to me, but God the Father drawes. Therefore God doth reveal Christ to us in our conversion, and our stablishing is in him. Therefore our salvation is so certain, because it is laid upon one that is so certain in himself, Christ Jesus.
And happy it is, that we are stablished in him that loves us so well, that is both a low high Priest, that will pity us; and a great high Priest, equall with God, able to do all things to God for us, and between God and us. Adam (we know) had his strength in his own keeping, and being left to himself, we see what became of him. The Angels had their strength in their own keeping, and we know how soon they fell: But since the fall, we are founded and bottomed upon a surer foundation; now we stand not by our own strength, but we are established in Jesus Christ: we are surer then the Angels were before they fell, surer then Adam was in Paradise: for now we arestablished in Christ the Mediatour, God and man: and because we could not keep our stability in our selves, we are stablished in him that wrought it for us, and that possesseth it for us in heaven, and that keeps it for us: and as it is laid up and kept for us, so we are kept for it; You are kept by the power of God to salvation, 1 Pet. 1. And therefore as there be many differences which advance the state of grace above the state of nature; so this is one, that our state in grace is more stable and firm, as being stablished upon a better ground, even upon Jesus Christ the second Adam. God never mends, but he mends for the better: and he never restores, but he restores for the better: the new heaven and the new earth shall be better then the first, so the new creature, the new Adam is more glorious then the first: and as that which we recover in Christ is more and better then that we lost in Adam, so the certainty and security of our estate in grace, is far beyond the other, this being stablished in Christ.
But what in us is stablished in Christ? and in Christ how considered?
First of all, our Judgment, that is stablished in Evangelical truths, concerning the Natures and the Offices of Christ, concerning the priviledges that 1. Our Judgment stablished in Christ.we have by him; and this is the ground of all other stablishment: we cannot firmly cleave to that with our Will and affections, which we do not clearly apprehend with our understandings. When we have a clear and judicious apprehension of things, then followes a firm affection to them: the adhering and cleaving of the will and affections, it comes from the discerning of the understanding: and therefore as we say of the first concoction, if that be naught, all is naught; and if that be good and sound, it makes way for all concoctions after: so if things be well digested in the Judgment, if there be a sound illumination and apprehension of Divine truths, it makes way for a constant and firm adhesion: therefore the first stablishing is of our Judgments.
Secondly, as our Judgments, so our Wills are stablished in cleaving unto Christ, making choyce of him above all things in the world; that as he 2. Our Will.became man to sue unto us for our love, and to become our Husband: so we then marry him, when upon judging what an excellent person he is, and how fit for us, we choose him, and cleave unto him constantly without all separation, for better, for worse, in our joy, in our love, and delight: for indeed, he is the only excellent object, and most fittest for our affections to be placed on: whatsoever other things besides we place our affections on too much, they make us worse then our selves; onelyonly he can advance us to a better estate then we are in, that can raise us higher.
In a word, the whole soul, judgment, will, and affections, and all the inward man (for so the Apostle takes it in that latitude, Ephes. 3. 16.) is 3. Our affections.stablished in Christ, and this carries the outward man with it. We are stablished in Jesus Christ, not in our selves.
Now when we are stablished in Christ, whatsoever Christ hath, or is, is ours. It is a most excellent condition to be in Christ, and to be stablished in him: for to be established in Christ, is to be in a firm estate, in an everlasting estate; once Christs, and for ever his: it is a glorious state, for he hath conquered over all enemies whatsoever, and his conquest is ours.
Well then, we see the foundation of the Church, and of every particular Christian (Christ Jesus;) whence comes the stability and firmnesse of the Church, that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it? It is built upon the rock, upon Christ. So all the stablishing that a Christian hath, it is from this rock, his being built upon Jesus Christ: If we were built upon man, we could not stand: if we were built upon Angels, we could not stand: if we were built upon any thing in the world we could not stand; but being built upon Jesus Christ, (who is all in all to a soul that is stablished in him) there must needs be an everlasting stablishing.
It is a fond Objection of some, and unlearned, against the principles of A Christians stability more then Adam's, or Angels.Divine truth, that we may fall as well as Adam in Paradise, as well as the Angels in heaven: As if there were not a wide and broad difference between the state of grace, and the state of nature. A Christian hath more strength then the Angels in heaven, or then Adam in Paradise ever had: he hath a more firm consistence, because he stands by grace; By grace we stand, as the Apostle saith. A Christian hath promises of perseverance, Adam and the Angels had none: and therefore to fetch a reason of falling away from grace, from the proportion we have to that condition, is a meer Sophisme, not rightly discerning the disparity. It is not alike with the Angels and Adam, and us, for we stand by grace, out of our selves, being stablished in another.
We have not onelyonly a promise of happinesse as the Angels and Adam had happinesse and a blessed estate, but they had no promise to stand, and be confirmed. A poor weak Christian hath a promise to be stablished, and confirmed. Therefore those proud Sectaries that are between us and the Papists, and joyn rather with them then us, that trouble the Church so much, they make an idle objection concerning falling away from grace, to say, Did not Adam fall away? What is that to the purpose? was Adam under the same Covenant as we are now in Christ? Is there not a new promise made to us in Christ better then ever Adam could attain to.
Besides, we are founded upon a better Adam, upon the second Adam, God-man: we have not onelyonly a better foundation, but better promises, that Adam, and the Angels themselves wanted. And therefore the Covenant of grace is said to be an everlasting Covenant; I will marry thee to my self for ever, Hos. 2.
A Christian is not to be considered abstractively, or alone; for then indeed he is a weak creature, as weak as other men are: but consider him in his Rock on whom he is built; consider him in his Husband to whom he is united and knit; consider him in his head Christ: look upon him as he is thus founded and stablished, oh he is an excellent person.
See him in the difference betwixt him and others. Those that are not None are firm but Christians.stablished by a firm judgment, and will, and affection, and so by faith in Jesus Christ, what consistence, what stability have they? Those who have the firmnesse they have in the favour of men, it is but vanity: those that have the firmnesse they have in riches, what are they? how soon do they leave it all? those that have the firmnesse they have in dependance upon any creature, be it never so great; alas, they are nothing, they are all vanity. Both we our selves in depending, and the things we depend upon, are vanity: therefore we are vanity, because we fasten upon that which is vanity: things have no more firmnesse then that hath upon which they lean: those that have but a weak prop to support them, when that falls, they fall together with it. Now those that are not founded upon Christ by knowledge and love, and united to him by faith, alas, what standing have they, when all things else besides God are vain? For nothing hath a being but God, and a Christian so far as he leans upon God. Were not all things taken out of nothing? and shall not they all turn to nothing? must not this whole world be consumed with fire?
There must be a new world, a new heaven, and a new earth; but this and all the excellencies in it, as they were raised out of nothing, so they shall come to nothing: God he is, I am that I am, saith he: and Christ he is yesterday, to day, to morrow, and the same for ever. A man cannot say of any creature in the world, that it was yesterday, and shall be to morrow, and for ever. We may say it of Christ, he is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, he was, and is, and is to come: and therefore those that are founded upon him, that have their happinesse in him, they are firm as he is firm: and those that build upon any other thing, they vanish as the thing vanisheth. There is nothing in the world hath such a Being, but it is subject in time not to be: it is onelyonly a Christian that is in Christ, who is as firm as Christ is; and Christ can never be but that which he is; for of necessity God must be alwayes like himself, he is Jehovah, I am, I am at all times; and Christ he is Jehovah: A Christian therefore, and none but a Christian hath a firm stablishing in Christ. Without this stablishing in Christ what are we? what are wicked men? Chaffe, that the wind blowes away; they are grasse, &c. things of nothing carried away with every blast: but a Christian is a stone, a rock, built upon Christ Jesus.
But to come to the Person, who it is that stablisheth: He that stablisheth us in Christ, is God
Wherein we may consider these two Branches:
God must stablish.
God will stablish.
Can none stablish the soul upon Christ, but God?
No; For God is the onelyonly maker of the Marriage between Christ and Observ. God onelyonly can stablish the soul.the Church. The same God that brought Adam and Eve together in Paradise, brings the Church and Christ together. And as he gives Christ to the Church, and hath sealed and appointed him to be wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption: (being made of God unto us for that purpose, as the Apostle saith) so he works the consent of the Church, a consent in heart and spirit to take and embrace Christ. Now it is God onelyonly that can work the heart to Christ; None can come unto me, except God the Father draw him. It is God that gives Christ to be the husband of the Church, and that brings the Spouse the Church to Christ.
For first, it is God by his Spirit that discovers to the soul its hideous, desperate, 1. By shewing our misery, and Christs excellency.and woful estate without Christ; and by the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word, layes open the riches and excellency that is in Christ, and the firmnesse, and stability that is to be had in him; and so drawes us with the Cords of a man, with reasons, discovering an absolute necessity of geting into Christ, and of having him to be our Husband, except we will lye under the wrath of God and be damned; and withal, discovering the fulnesse and excellency that is in Christ.
Again, it is God onelyonly that must stablish the soul, all the parts of it, both judgment and conscience: For (I beseech you) what can any humane creature, what can any thing under God work upon the soul? I mean so firmly as to stablish it: and therefore our controversie with the Papists is just and good.
We say, The reason and ground of our believing the Word of God, to be The ground of believing Gods Word.the Word of God, must not be the testimony of the Church, and the authority thereof: for alas, what can the judgment of man, what can the judgment of the Church do? It may incline and move the will by inducing arguments, and so cause a humane consent: but to establish the soul and conscience, and to assure me that the Word of God (which is the ground of my faith) is the Word of God, it must be God by his Spirit that must do it; the testimony of the Church will never do it. The same Spirit that inspired holy men to write the Word of God, works in us a belief, that the Word of God is the Word of God: The stablishing argument must be by the power of Gods Spirit. God (joyning with the soul and spirit of a man whom he intends to convert, besides that inbred light that is in the soul) causeth him to see a Divine Majestie shining forth in the Scriptures: so that there must be an infused establishing by the Spirit, to settle the heart in this first principle, (and indeed in all other Divine principles) that the Scriptures are the Word of God.
And (to go on a little further) this is a fundamental errour in our practice. Reason of Apostasie.For what is the reason we have so many Apostates? what is the reason so many are so fruitlesse in their lives? what is the reason that men despair in death? but even this, because men are not built and stablished aright: Gods Spirit never stablished their soules in Divine truths. For first, concerning Apostasie, ask them, what is the reason they are of this or that Religion? They will say, they have been taught so, they have been brought up to it; the company with whom they have conversed, have been devout men, and have been alwayes led with this opinion; and they see no reason to thwart it.
Is that all? Hath not the Spirit wrought these things in thy heart? hath he not given thee a taste of them? hath he not convinced thee in thy judgment that it is so? hast thou not found the power of the Spirit working upon thy soul, changing of thee, raising of thee, drawing of thee out of the world nearer to God? hast thou not (I say) felt the power of the Spirit this way?
No, but thus I was catechized, and thus I have been bred, and thus I have heard in the Ministery. And no otherwise? Alas, it will never hold out; there will be a falling away: for when a man believes not that which he believes from the Spirit of God, he will be ready when dangerous times come, when there is an onset made by the adversaries, to fall, and to fall clean away, as we see it was in the time of Popery: for whatsoever is not spiritual, whatsoever knowledge is not Divine, and from the Spirit of God, never holds out. Therefore (I beseech you) what's the reason that you have many illiterate men, that set upon the truth and hold out to the end: and on the contrary many great seeming Scholars that are skilful in school-learning, and in other Authours, do not? The reason is, the one hath the truth from the Spirit, discovering all the objections that the heart of man can make against it, and the strength that is in the truth to answer and silence all those objections. The other man hath onelyonly a discoursing knowledge, an ability to gather one thing from another, and to prove one thing by another, by strength of parts: But the Spirit of God never discover'd the sleights and the corruptions of his heart, never fastned and settled his heart upon the truth, he never had experience of the truth: For indeed nothing doth stablish so much as the experience of the truth on which we are stablished.
Again, what is the reason of that unfruitfulnesse that is amongst men? The reason of unfruitfulnesse.but because truths were never settled in the soul by the Spirit of God. That which men know out of the Word of God, concerning Christ and the priviledges by him, they were never perswaded of it in their hearts; therefore they come not to a fruitful conversation. It is impossible but that men should be abundantly fruitful, that have spiritual apprehensions of Divine things, of Evangelical truths. Hence comes all our unthankfulnesse and undervaluing of the Gospel. The Gospel of it self is an unprized thing; however we esteem of it, God values it highly: we value it not, because our apprehensions of it are customary and formal, gotten by breeding, and education, and discourse, and not by the Spirit: we feel not the spiritual and heavenly comforts of those truths we think we know.
How comes likewise Despair in time of temptation, and in death, but The reason of Despair.onelyonly because men want this stablishing by the Spirit of God? Men go on in evil courses, trusting to a formal, dead, humane knowledge, gotten by humane meanes; and not settled in them by the Spirit of God, that hath not sealed the truth in their hearts: and hereupon when sharp tryals come, they despair, because they have no feeling of the truths of the Gospel: and so when conscience is awakened and smarts, it clamours and cryes out upon all their formall and humane knowledge: For they having not a spiritual sense of the mercies of God in Christ, and the perswasions of comfort, are not so near to support the soul, as the tentations, and vexations, and torments are, how can they but despair? Now who can still the conscience but the Spirit of God? Why now, if the knowledge that men had were spiritual and heavenly; in all accusations of conscience, it would set conscience down, and still it; I am a sinner indeed, I am this and this, but I have felt the sweet mercies of God in Christ: God hath said to my soul, I am thy salvation: he hath intimated to my spirit by a sweet voyce, Son, thy sinnes are forgiven thee. Where there is (I say) a knowledge and an apprehension of these Evangelical truths wrought by the Spirit, it sets down Conscience and stills it, though the heart rage at the same time. There are thousands in the very bosome of the Church that miscarry because of this, resting in a literall, outward, formall knowledge, gotten onelyonly by discourse, and by reading, and commerce with others; and never labour to have their hearts stablished in Christ by Gods Spirit.
You see here then a necessity of Gods writing his truth in our bowels: he saith in the Covenant of grace, I will write my Law in their inward parts; thaat is, I will teach their very hearts: that knowledge that they have, shall be spiritual.
For (beloved) the knowledge that must save us, must not onelyonly be Spiritual knowledge necessary.of Divine things, but it must be Divine; it must not onelyonly be of spirituall things, but it must be spiritual: the light that we have of spirituall things must be answerable to the things; we must see them by their own light: we cannot know spiritual and heavenly things, by a humane light, but as the things themselves are spiritual, so we must have the Spirit of God, that by it we may come to know spiritual things spiritually.
Desire God therefore to vouchsafe us his Spirit, that it may teach us, and convince us of the truth of those things which we read and hear. God must do it, he must perswade and bow the heart, and will, and affections; and so he will do it, and doth it to those that rely upon him: And this is the second Branch.
As God must do it, so God will do it.Observ. God will stablish us.
What is the Reason of that?
It is this; he will do it, because he is constant: where he begins a good work, he will finish it to the day of the Lord. He will do it, because in the 1. Because he is constant.Covenant of Grace he hath undertaken both parts, both his own, and ours. He undertakes his own part, which is to give us eternal life, and to give us Christ; and he undertakes our part too, which is to believe, and to cleave unto Christ, &c. he makes this good himself, he works this in the heart by the Spirit: for therefore it is called the Covenant of Grace, because God himself is graciously pleased to do both parts. Which must be comfortably remembred against an Objection that flesh and blood will make. I might indeed come to God, and Christ, but I am an unworthy empty creature, I have no faith.
Come, and atrend upon the means, the gift of application, and confirming, and stablishing, is part of the Covenant. The Covenant that God makes with thee, is not onelyonly to give thee life everlasting, and glory; but to give thee grace likewise. Faith is the gift of God. He that stablisheth us, and confirms us upon that which is certain in it self, is God.
Lay it up against a time of temptation for a pillar and ground of your faith; that here God doth both: he gives us Promises, and gives us Christ whereon the Promises are founded; and likewise establisheth us, and seals us, &c. he doth all. So that as none can stablish the soul but God by his Spirit: so he will do it. It is an excellent reason of the Apostle in Rom. 5. If when we were enemies God gave us his Son to reconcile us, how much more now shall we be saved? If we were saved by the Death of Christ when we were enemies, much more shall we be preserved by his life, he now living in heaven. So I say, If God when there was nothing in us, but we were in a clean opposite estate, did begin spiritual life in us, much more will he stablish that which he hath begun in us.
And this stablishing as well as the beginning of grace comes likewise All of Grace from God.from God: for take Grace in the whole latitude and extent of it, take all that can be in grace, all comes graciously from God: the offer of it, the beginning of it; this manner of it, that it should be strong, the strengthning of grace, it comes from God: he strengtheneth us in grace, as well as begins it: so that Grace it self, and this Modus, this manner, that it is strong and firm, that it should hold out, all comes from God.
A Christian needs not onelyonly converting grace, but stablishing grace: God that converted him, must stablish him, and build him up, and confirm him. Peter was in the state of grace, and yet when God did not stablish him; you see how he fell: so David was an excellent man, but when God did not stablish him, you see how he fell. The weakest with the stablishing grace of God will stand; and the strongest without the stablishing grace of God, will sink and fall.
The Apostle doth not say, he hath done, but he doth stablish us. This must be considered, that the life of a Christian is a perpetual dependant life: not onelyonly in his conversion he lives by faith, he hath his first life; but ever after he lives by faith, that is, dependance on God for assistance, and protection, and strength in the whole course of his life.
The ignorance of this makes us subject to fail: for when we trust to grace received, and do not seek for a new supply, we fall into Peters case: Though all men for sake thee, yet will not I: hereupon Peter fell fouly, he had too much confidence in grace received.
Therefore God is fain to humble his children to teach them dependance: and usually therefore in Scripture, where some special grace is given, he hath somewhat joyned with it, to put them in mind that they do not stand by their own strength. In the same Chapter where Peter makes a glorious confession, Thou art the Son of the living God, and he was honoured of Christ by that confession; yet Christ calls him Satan in the same Chapter, and he forsakes his Master. A strange thing: To teach us, that we stand not of our selves. When we are strong, it is by God; when we are weak, it is by our selves.
Jacob wrastled, and was a prevailer with God, but he was fain to halt for it; he was struck with halting all the dayes of his life: though he had the victory, and overcame God, taking upon him (as I said before) the person of an enemy to strive with him; yet God to put him in mind, that he had the strength whereby he prevailed, from him, and not of himself: he made him limp all his dayes. We need perpetual dependance upon God.
Therefore let us set upon nothing in our own strength, as Hannah saith comfortably, 1 Sam. 2. No man is strong by his own strength. God is all our sufficiency. Mans nature doth affect a kind of Divinity, he would be a God to himself: but God will teach him that he is not a God; but a dependant creature. He affects a Divinity; thus he will set upon things in confidence of his own wisdome without prayer, and thinks to work things with the strength of his own parts, to compasse things with his own wit, to bring things to a good issue. O no, it will not be so. In Prov. 3. Acknowledge God in all thy wayes: That is, acknowledge him in thy enterprizes in any thing: acknowledge him in the progresse, that thou needest stabilishing grace: acknowledge him in the issue, that thou needest his blessing upon all thy endeavours: acknowledge God in all our wayes.
Therefore whas do we but make our selves Gods, when we set upon businesse, especially weighty, without invocation and dependance? A Christian is wondrous weak, a man is vanity in himself: but take him as he is built upon the promises, and as he is in the love of God, and Christ, he is a kind of almighty man; then I can do all things in Christ that strengtheneth me. A Christian is omnipotent if he depend upon the Promise, and commit his wayes to God; but he is impotent, and weak in himself. It is God that must stablish us. A man that is vanity, he makes him firm: a man that is weak, he makes him strong: a man that is unsettled, he settles him. The Word is a firm thing, and God that builds us on the Word is as firm; and Christ in whom we are built is as firm. Peter when he built on the Word he was wondrous firm, he was a rock too. A man that stands on a rock is firm. Now in believing the Gospel, and in being built on the Gospel, upon the Prophets and Apostles, upon Apostolical truth, now we that are weak in our selves are firm.
The weakest creatures have the strongest shelters; and weaknesse is turned by God to be a help: for conscience of weaknesse makes us seek for strength out of our selves. You know, the Conies (as Solomon saith) they hide themselves in the rock, they flee to their burroughs. The birds, because snares are laid for them below, they build their nests on high to secure themselves that way. We see the Vine, a weak plant, it hath the Elm to prop it, weak things must have a strong support: So man being weak in himself, weak in judgment, weak in affections, he is stablished by God.
God herein triumphing in our weaknesse over strength. For when we have strong Adversaries, and we are weak, Satan is a strong enemy. God himself puts upon him the vizor of an enemy sometimes, as in Job's case, and Christs on the Crosse; when God personates an enemy, and the devil is a real enemy; And the devils instruments, Hereticks, and Seducers are strong, strong in wit and parts every way, and we are weak to encounter with God, to wrastle with him; and we are weak to encounter with Principalities and powers, and with men of stronger parts, that are besotted, and intoxicated with Satanical temptations, and labour to draw all into the snare of the devil with themselves: Now when God in weaknesse shall triumph over strength, here is glory to God, in stablishing us. It is God that must stablish us.
And as God must onelyonly do it, so he is ready to do it: for in the Covenant of grace it lies upon him, God hath promised there to confirm it; and therefore the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. 8, 9. binds it with the faithfulnesse of God, Faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it. God is content that our confirmation should lye upon his faithfulnesse; and therefore when he accepts us into the Covenant of grace, he performs our part as well as his own: God is faithful (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 9.) who hath called us to the fellowship of Christ, who will confirm us to the end: he is content to hazard his reputation, as it were, and to be counted unfaithfull else: so that strengthening grace is of God, he hath bound himself by his faithfulnesse to confirm and to stablish those that are his.
Mark here by the way, (before I come to handle the Doctrine of perseverance) what an invincibld Argument you have to prove, that a man that is once in Christ can never fall away.
Say they, Indeed, God for his part is ready to maintain us, to do this; Ground of a Christians not falling away.but we for our part are subject to fall away: as if the carrying of us along in the course of grace to salvation, did not lye upon God and Christ. God is faithful to confirm us to the end: we being once in the Covenant of grace, he doth our part and his own too: how can those then that are in the state of grace ever finally fall away?
Now God doth confirm us, by working such graces in us by his Spirit, God stablisheth b… working stablishing graces. Fear.by which we are stablished. As for instance; I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall never depart from me: he stablisheth us by fear: Make an end of your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that works in you both the will and the deed: he puts a spirit of jealousie into a man over his corruptions; and a reverential filial fear, which keepeth him from presuming.
And likewise he preserveth us by Wisdome, as it is, Prov. 2. 10, 11. When Wisdome.wisdome entreth into thy heart; discretion shall preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee.
And by Faith: You are kept (saith the Apostle) by the mighty power of God Faith.through faith to salvation.
And by Peace of Conscience, which is wrought in the heart by the Spirit: Peace.The Peace of God which passeth all understanding shall guard (for so the word signifieth) your hearts and minds; that is, a true Believer that is once in Christ, he finds such joy in the Holy Ghost, such inward peace of conscience, as preserves and guards him from despair, from the temptations of Satan, from the seeming wrath of God. So that God as he stablisheth us, so he stablisheth us as it becometh Christians, as it becomes men, by sanctifying our understandings, by working grace in our hearts, the grace of fear, of wisdome, of faith, of peace, &c. so that a Christian now cannot presume, save in a holy kind of presumption, that God will finish his own good work. But of this (I say) I shall have fitter occasion to speak hereafter.
To conclude therefore; God you see must stablish, and God will stablish. It is a Point of great comfort every way: Comfort from the foundation and root in whom we are stablished; and from him that hath taken upon him to stablish us, God by his holy Spirit. If a Christian should fall, God must be unstable; or Christ the foundation must be unstable; or the holy Spirit by which we are stablished must be unstable: but it were blasphemy to think thus.
I come now to the last thing, The subject, or the persons that are stablished; us with you.
He that stablisheth us with you.
We should have honourable conceits of all Christians: there is an oyntment runs down upon the very skirts of Aaron's garment: there is not the lowest Christian, but he receiveth something from Christ the head. Perhaps thou hast one grace in an eminent manner; it may be he hath another more eminent then thou hast: thou may est have more knowledge, he may have more humility: thou mayest have more strength of judgment, he may have more sense of his own wants. There is somewhat in every Christian that is valuable, that is estimable and precious, not only in the eye of God, who valued him so as to give his Son for him; but should be so also in the eye of stronger Christians: therefore S. Paul here, a strong Christian, out of the sweetnesse of his spirit, joynes, us with you: he saith not, you with us; but as if they were as firmly set in Christ as himself, he saith, us with you: he puts them together with himself: for indeed, all of us one with another, weak Christians, and strong Christians fetch all that we have from one Fountain, draw all from one Spring, are led all by one Spirit.
You have here also the Character of a sound Christian; he loves and values all Christians. A carnal man may value excellent Christians, that To value all good Christians.have excellent parts, of whom he hopes for kindnesse in some peculiar regard, but he loves not all the Saints. Love to all Christians as they be Christians, because they have some anointing of the Spirit, some earnest, somewhat they have to be valued, is a note of a good and sound Christian.
Another reason why he joynes us with you, is, to shew that the working The Spirit works as we are in the body.of the Spirit, it is not in the members severed from the body; but as they are in the body. The Spirit works in us, but in us with you, and in you with us: that is, as all the spirits come from the head and heart to the severall members of the body, so they must be united, they must be in the body, before they can have the benefit of the spirits; there must be an union with Christ the head and with the rest of the members before we can have the Spirit to strengthen us and anoint us; those that rend themselves from the body, cannot hope for stablishing from the head.
This should be a bond to ty us to the communion of Saints: we have Bond of communion of Saints.all that we have in the body: we all grow in the body: we are all stones in one building, whereof Christ is the foundation; therefore as stones in an Arch strengthen one another, so should we. Let us look for grace to be given in the communion of Saints: it is an ill sign when any man will be a solitary Christian, and will stand alone by himself. As we are knit to Christ by faith, so we must be knit to the communion of Saints by love. That which we have of the Spirit, is had in the communion of Saints. It is worth ohserving, the better to cherish Christian lovingnesse.
Thus you see the parts of this sentence, in which we have, the grace it self here spoken of, Stablishing.
In whom we are stablished; In Christ.
By whom; by God.
And who those are that are stablished; Us with you.
To make now some Application of all.
If it be God that stablisheth us, let us make this Use of it; Let God Use. To give God the glory of our stablishing.have the glory of our stablishing. If we have it in dependance upon God by Prayer, let us return all by praise, and thanksgiving: all comes of his meer grace, let all return to his meer glory; Not unto us, but unto thy Name give the praise. It is the song of the Church on earth, and the song of the Church triumphant in heaven, that all glory be to God in all the whole carriage of salvation. The promises are his, stablishing is his, that he would make a Covenant it is his, that he will perform his Covenant to us it is his; that he will enable us to perform the Covenant, it is by his strength, all is his: therefore both the Church here, and the Church in heaven, our song should be, Great, and gracious, and merciful is the true God, that is so gracious, and righteous in all his promises.
Let us labour (I beseech you) for stablishing, especially in these times. Is it not a shame that we have gotten no more ground now, then we had threescore yeares ago? nay, that we rather call principles into question? The Pope hath been Antichrist; and Traditions have been accounted Traditions, and not equal with the Word: what shall we now stagger in the foundation? is here our progresse? Oh (beloved) labour to be stablished in the present truth, that you may not be a prey for every subtile man.
And here especially I would speak to the younger sort, that they should labour for this stablishing betimes, before they be engaged in the world, and before other businesses possesse them over-deeply: for falshood hath more correspondency, and suits better with our corruption, specially if it be forced from subtil wits, it prevailes much with unstable dispositions; those that are uncatechized and ungrounded, they are soon led away: and therefore with other studies we should study the truth; and remember, that our best calling is to be a Christian; and our best honour, to be able to stand for the truth we professe.
Labour to have fundamental graces established, and then all will be stablished: Strengthen radical graces.if the root be strengthened, the tree stands fast; radical graces must be strengthened.
First, Humility. The foundation of Religion is very low, and humility 1. Humility.and abasing is in all parts of Religion, every grace hath a mixture of humility; because our graces are from God: they are dependences. Now humility is an emptying grace, and acknowledgeth, that in my self I am nothing. Spiritual poverty with humility acknowledgeth that I in my self am a dependent creature; if God withhold his influence, if God withdraw his grace, I shall be as other men, as Sampson when his hair was cut. Our strength is in God altogether. Let us pray that we may be humble: God gives grace to the humble. When I am weak (saith blessed S. Paul,) then I am strong: that is, when I am humble, and feel, and acknowledge my weaknesse, then I am strong: or else a man is not strong when he is weak, but when he feeles, and acknowledgeth his weaknesse. Therefore let us labour to grow in humility, and self-denial, and we shall grow in strength.
Then again, another radical grace to be stablished, is Faith. Depend 2. Faith.upon God altogether: for considering our strength is out of our selves, and faith being a grace that goes out of our selves, and layes hold of that that is out of our selves, faith is necessary to our stablishing; Believe, and ye shall be stablished, saith the Prophet. Though the Promise be sure in it self, yet we must be established by faith. How doth God stablish us? by working a spirit of faith: therefore strengthen faith, strengthen all other graces: all have their issue from faith.
And faith comes from sound knowledge: knowledge therefore hath 3. Knowledge.the name of faith, This is eternal life, to know thee; strengthen, and increase knowledge. Historical faith is nothing but knowledge: when we know the Word of God to be as it is; and that is the ground of justifying faith, and dependance. For the more I know God in Covenant as he hath revealed himself, and the more I know the promise, and the more I know Christ, the more I shall depend upon him, and trust in him; They that know thy Name, will trust in thee, Psal. 9.
Therefore let us labour for certainty of knowledge, that we may have certainty of faith. What is the reason that our faith is weak? because men care not to encrease their knowledge. The more we know of God, the more we shall trust him. The more we know of a man that we have bonds from, that he is an able man, and just of his word, we shall trust him more, and the more our security upon his promise, and bond is encreased: so the more we know of God as he hath revealed himself in his Word, and his voluntary Covenant he hath made with us, and performed in the examples of Scripture, the more we know him, the more we shall trust him.
And this must be a spiritual knowledge; not onelyonly a bare, naked reading, Knowledge must be spirituall.but it must be spiritual, like the truth it self. We must see, and know spiritual things in their own light: to know them by their own light, is to know them by the Spirit. You know the Spirit dictated the Scripture to the Prophets, and Apostles, the Spirit did all: they wrote as they were acted by the Spirit. Now the same Spirit must inform our understanding, and take away the vail of ignorance and infidelitie; I say; the Spirit must do it, we must know spiritual things in their own light.
Therefore a carnal man can never be a good Divine, though he have never so much knowledge; an illiterate man of another calling may be a better Divine then a great Scholar: Why? Because the one hath onelyonly notional knowledge, discoursive knowledge, to gather by strength of parts one thing from another. Divinity is a kind of Art, and as far as it is an Art to prove one thing by another: so a natural man may do wonders in it, and yet know nothing in its own spiritual light. That is the reason the Divel himself knowes nothing, he is a spirit of darknesse, because he knowes nothing spiritually, and comfortably: therefore as there must be humility, and faith, for our stablishing so there must be spiritual knowledge.
It is said here, that God stablisheth us: the same God that stablisheth us, must give us faith whereby we are stablished, and he must give us knowledge. Beg of God that he would vouchsafe us his Spirit: when we read the Scriptures, beg of God that he would open our understanding by his own Spirit, that as there is light in the Scriptures, so there may be in us.
You know an eye must have light, before it can see the light; light is full of discovery of things in it self. I can see nothing except there be light in my eye too, there must be a double light: so there must be a Spirit in me, as there is a Spirit in the Scripture before I can see any thing: God must open our eyes, and give us spiritual eye-salve, to see, and then the light of the Scripture, and our light together, is suficient to found a saving faith, as stablishing faith on.
What is the reason that a Christian stands to his profession, though he be weak, when the greatest learned men in the world flinch in persecution? The knowledge of the one is spiritual, and heavenly, he hatht ligh in him; the other hath no divine; spiritual light; when light is ioyned with light, the light in the soul with the light in the Scripture, it makes men wondrous confident.
To this end, labour to be acquainted with Gods Word, study the Scriptures, and other Treatises of that kind, that you may be able to hold fast 1. Be acquainted with Gods Word.the truth, that it be not wrung from you upon any occasion. And in reading, it is a good course to observe the main, principal undeniable truths, such Dogmaticall truths as are clear and evident, and to lay them up; and oft make queries to our selves; Do I understanst this or no? Yes, I do, this I know is true: build on it then, and bottom the soule upon it. And so if it be matter of promises: these promises are undeniable true I will stay my soul upon them. And so when we meet with plain evidences in the Scriptures that crosse our coruptions, that meet with our known sins, then consider of those places as Jewels, and lay them up that you may have use of them as occasion serves.
All things have not an equall certainty in Scripture to us; some things we may have an implicite faith in: but the main we must have a clear apprehension of. There are some things that concern Teachers more to know then others, by reason of their standing in the Church: it is sufficient that in preparation of mind we be ready to imbrace further truths that shall be discovered; but in fundamentall truths it is not so, we must have our hearts stablished upon them, that as they are certain in themselves, so they may be certain to us. And often let us examine our selves, Would I die in this, and for this? would I stand in the defence of this against any? this will make us make much of so much truth as we know, and labour to grow in truths in that kind.
And take no scandal to hear that any shrink from the profession of the truth, 2. Take no scandal at those▪ that shrink.and the maintaining of it, that are of great reputation. Was Christ the worse for Judas betraying of him, and for Peters denying of him? was Paul's truth the worse because he had many enemies, Elymas the sorcerer and others? Is the truth the worse because there are many that have carnall outward dependance, that seeme to shrink when they should stand out? The truth is not the worse, it is the same truth still: truths are eternall in themselves, and in the good they bring, if they be believed. The Word of God endures for ever, it is not variable, as man is: and therefore be not discouraged, though men discountenance it: remember whose truth it is, & for whose good it is given, the Word of God; it is a soul saving truth.
And retain the truth in love. Love is an affection with which we should 3. Retain the truth in love.receive the truth: or else God will give us over to uncertainties. They in 2 Thess. 2, 10. had the truth, but because they received not the Love of the truth: therefore God sent them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie. O how lovely is the truth! The certainty of our estate in Christ; the glorious priviledges that come by him; that the gifts of God are without repentance: that God looks on us, not for foreseen faith or works, but such as he had decreed to work himself: How comfortable, how lovely are these truths being the Word of God, notwithstanding some seek to shake them! These very truths should be retained in love. And indeed, the truth is not in its own place, till it be fixed in the heart and affections, and in a good conscience, which S. Paul makes likewise the vessel of the truth, and those that care not for that, they make shipwrack of the truth.
And what truths you know, labour to practise, and then you shall be stablished. 4. Practise truths …nown.If any man do the will of my Father (saith our Saviour, Joh. 7. 17.) he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of my selfe. Be true to known truths; be not false in disobeying them: To him that hath, shall be given: We have a little stablishing; by an uniform obedience to the truth we shall have more, God will increase it. I say, let us be faithful to the truths we have' and not crosse them in any sinful course: let us not keep the truth prisoner to any base affection: as those in Rom. 1. that had but the light of nature, yet because they imprisoned it, and held it in unrighteousness, and lived in sins contrary to that light rhat God had kindled in them; though (I say) it were but the light of nature, God gave them up to sins not to be named: much more will he do to us if we withhold the light of the Gospel: take heed therefore that we inthral not the truth to any base lust whatsoever, and that is a means to be stablished in the truth.
And be oft in holy conference with others. Conference if it be rightly 5. Be frequent in holy conference.used is a special means to stablish; that is most certain, which is certain after doubting and debate; because that which is doubted of at the first, we come to be resolved of at the last, comparing reason with reason; Remembring alwayes that of S. Ambrose, That there must not be striving for victory, but for truth. And then when we have tryed all, we must keep that which is good, and not be alwayes as the Iron between two Loadstones, haled this way, and that way; alwayes doubting, and never resolved; there must be a time of resolution: This the Apostle observes to be an excellent way of stablishing, oft to confer of things doubtful.
And labour to get experience of the truth in our selves: nothing stablisheth more then experience. Our Saviour Christ in Joh. 6. 68. when many left him out of dulnesse, not understanding the spiritual things that he taught (as many whose wits will serve for matters of the world, and to make them great amongst men, but when they come to heavenly things they have no understanding, they cannot apprehend them) he asks his Disciples, Will you go away also? Peter, who had his heart opened by the Spirit of God, saith he, Lord, whither shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life; insinuating, that the experience that he had of the power of that truth that Christ taught, did so establish him in the present truth, that with a holy kind of indignation at the question, he replyes, Whither shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life: I have found thy words to have a spirituall life in them. So when we come once to have an experimental knowledge of the truths we learn, then our hearts are stablished; indeed, then it is an ingraffed Word, as S. James saith: then the Word is true leaven, when it altereth and changeth the soul; in such a case there is no separating from fundamentall truth, when it is one with our selves, and digested into us.
And pray to God oft (as David did, Psal. 86.) to knit our hearts to fear 7. Pray to God to stablish us.his Name: Lord, my heart is loose and ready to fall off of it self, Oh knit my heart: it is unsettled, Oh settle my unsettled heart; settle my judgment and affections: this should be our meditation.
And because it is God that stablisheth, alway maintain spiritual poverty 8. Be spiritually poor.in the soul, that is, a perpetual dependance upon God: see the insufficiency that is in our selves, that we cannot stand out. What is the reason that God suffers great men to fall from the defence of the truth, and from the profession of it in their lives? (as we see it in the case of Peter) to shew, that we stand not by our own strength: therefore we should be alwayes in this temper of spiritual poverty, to know that as Samsons strength was in his Hair, so our strength is in God. God is my strength, of my self I have no strength. And therefore upon every new defence of the truth, when we are called to it, we should lift up ejaculations, and dart up strong desires to God, that God would strengthen and stablish our souls, that we may not be traytors to the truth, but that we may stand to it; for in his owne strength shall no man be established
And grow every day more and more in detestation of a luke-warme temper. 9. Hate lukewarmnesse.Your Ancipites as Cyprian calls them, your doubtful flatterers of the times, that have their Religion depending upon the State, and the times, that are neither fish nor flesh, Bats, as we say, that are neither Mice nor Birds, but of a doubtful Religion, that out of carnal policy are fit to entertain any thing, Oh this is a devilish temper. Howsoever we (in our luke-warm disposition) value the truth; God values it highly; it was purchased by Christs blood, and sealed by the blood of Martyrs, and shall not we transmit it to our posterity, as safe and as firm, and retain it, come what will? Let us grow into dislike of this temper; atemper that we should as much hate as God hates it; such a temper as is in Popery, they are in an adiaphorisme temper in Religion, a luke-warm, cold temper, a temper of Religion according to reasons of flesh, and reasons of policy, this will make us be spued out of Gods mouth at the last. Do we think to lose Religion alone? Oh no, never think to part with Religion alone; it came with peace and prosperity, and if we keep not this Depositum, this truth delivered to us, God will take it away, and that which we betray it for, Peace, and Plenty.
Let us labour therefore to be radicated in our Judgment, in our Affections, in our Love, in our Faith, in our whole inward man, in the truth revealed. To be stablished in the truth, it is our best inheritance, it is that will stand by us when all leaves us.
What consistence hath a man out of the truth? are you rich or honourable? death will drive you out of all your riches and honours in the world, and strip you of all. What stablishing hath any man but in Christ, in the truth? Take a man that is not bottomed, that is not fastened on Christ, he is the changeablest creature in the world, he is vanity, he is nothing.
Oh love this state, that we may say, Though I be variable here, though I be not so rich as I was, or have not that favour of great ones that I have had; or it is not with me as it hath been, but in all changes I have somewhat that is unchangeable: my soul is settled upon Christ, and upon the truth in him, which is certain. As it is a glorious being to be found in Christ, so it is an eternal and an everlasting being: once Christs, and for ever his, he will never lose a member. Labour we therefore to be stablished in Christ in all the changes and alterations in the world, and then we shall have something that is unchangeable to fix and stay our selves upon, even in the hour of death.
Again, in the second place, (to make an Use of examination) I beseech Use 2. Examination of our stablishing.you examine your selves whether you find this stablishing in your hearts or no? whether your hearts be thus settled or no by the Spirit of God? For (beloved) it is worth the labour and paines to get this grace; and to be assured that you have it, stablishing in Christ is most necessary, and we stand in need of a great deal of spirituall strength. Do we know what times may come? If dangerous times come, if we be not stablished, what will become of us? Oh it is a happy estate, a Christian that is stablished in the sound knowledge and faith of Christ! I beseech you therefore consider of it. To give you an evidence or two whereby you may discern whether your hearts be settled and stablished.
A man hath the grace of stablishing, and confirmation, when it is upon 1. When it is grounded on the Word.the Word, when God doth stablish him upon the promises.
And then again, by the effect of it. A man is stablished by the Spirit of God, when his temptations are great, and his strength little to resist, and yet 2. When weak men overcome strong temptations.notwithstanding he prevailes. Satan is strong; if we prevail against Satans temptations, we are stablished; God is strong, too strong for us: if we can break through the clouds, when he seems an enemy, as Job, Though thou kill me, yet will I trust in thee. Here is a prevailing, a stablished faith. In great afflictions, when clouds are between us and God; when we have faith that will breake through those clouds, and see God through them shining in Christ, here is a strong, a stablished faith; because here is mighty temptations, and oppositions.
The strength is known by the strength of the opposition, and the weaknesse of the party. In the times of Martyrdome, there was fire and fagot, and the frownes of cruel persons: who were the persons that suffered? Children, women, old men sometimes, all weak. Children, a weak age; women, a weak sex: old men, a withered melancholy dry age, fearfull of constitution. But when the Spirit of God was so strong in young ones, in weak women, in old withered men, as to enable them to endure the torment of fire, to enable them to endure threatnings, and whatsoever, as we see, Heb. 11. here was a mighty work in weak men. A man may know here is stablishing grace: because except there were somewhat above nature, where were a man in such a case? Then a man may know especially that there is stablishing grace, when he sees somewhat above nature prevailing over the temptation, and confirming the weak nature of man, that is the best evidence we have, of Gods stablishing grace; sometimes, them that are stronger at some times, are weaker at other times: but (as I said before) that is to teach them, that they have their strength from God.
Again, if your hearts be soundly bottomed and founded and grounded 2. By freedome from base fears, cares, &c.on Christ and the promises of God in him, then you will be freed at least from all victory and thraldome to base fears, and to base cares, and base sorrowes, and base passions.
A man that hath no settled being on Christ, he is tossed up and down with every passion: he is full of fears and cares for the world, which distract the soul upon every occasion, full of unseasonable and needlesse sorrowes and griefs, which vex and perplex the soul continually. Oh how he fears for the time to come! what shall become of me if such a thing happen? how shall I be able to live in such a time, &c? If he were settled upon God in Christ, that he were his Father: if he were stablished upon the promises of God in Christ, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee; Feare not little flock, it is the Fathers will to give you the Kingdome: and, Why do you feare, O you of little Faith? and, He that provides for the birds of the Aire, for the Sparrowes, for the Lillies of the field, for the poorest creature, will he not much more for you? If I say we were thus stablished upon Christ, and the promises, there would be no disquietnesse, those feares and griefs that usually perplex and inthrall the minds of men; but where there are these distracting cares, and vexing sorrowes, and needlesse feares, it argues a heart unsettled; though perhaps there may be some faith notwithstanding.
Let us often examin our selves in this particular: how it is with us when such thoughts arise, what if trouble should come, what if change and alteration should come? He that hath truly settled his heart will say, If they do come I am fixed, I know whom I have believed, I know I am a member of Christ, an Heir of Heaven, that God is reconciled to me in his Son: I know God hath taken me out of the condition I was in by nature, and hath advanced me to a better condition then I can have in the world: and when the world shall be turned upside down, I know when all things fail I shall stand.
He that his heart can answer him thus, is firm. A good man (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 1 12. 7.) shall not be afraid of evill tydings; why? his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord: and again, in Verse 8. his heart is stablished, therefore he shall not be afraid. If our hearts be established, then we shall not be afraid of evill tydings, nor afraid of wars, nor of troubles, nor of losse of friends, nor of losse of favours, or the like. A righteous man is afraid of no evill; he that hath his heart stablished in Christ, and that hath peace of Conscience wrought by the Spirit of God in the promises, his heart is fixed, in all alterations and changes he hath somewhat that is unchangeable: even when he ceaseth to be in this world, he hath a perpetual, eternall being in Christ: if he die he goes to Heaven, he hath his being there where he enjoyes a more near communion with Christ then he can have in this world. So that all is on the bettering hand to him that is stablished in Christ: for it is not an act of one day to be stablished in Christ; God doth it more and more till death, and then comes a perfect consummation of this stablishing; we shall be for ever with the Lord, saith the Apostle. A man then that is stablished in Christ, he is fixed, he is built on a rock, come what can come, he is not afraid.
Alas, others that are not so, they are as wicked Ahaz in Esay 7. he was boisterous out of trouble, but in trouble he was as fearfull, his heart shook as the leaves of the forrest, as the leaves of the forrest when the wind comes, they are shaken, because they are not seemely knit to the tree, because they have no stability.
All those whose hearts are not firmly settled in the knowledge of Christ, and the excellent prerogatives that come by him, when troubles come, they are as the leaves of the Forrest; or as you have it in Psal. 1. As the chaffe that the wind driveth to and fro; because it hath no consistence, it is a light body: or as the drosse, Psal. 119. God shall destroy the wicked as drosse: see how the Scripture compares men (not onelyonly for their wickednesse, but for their misery) that have no certain being, but on earthly things, though they be never so great, and (as they think) deeply rooted, when troubles come, they are as drosse, they are as chaffe that hath no firmnesse, before the wind: when the wind of Judgment comes, they are as stubble presently wasted and brought to nothing.
I beseech you therefore without deceiving of our own hearts, let us enter into our own soules, and examine, for our knowledge first, and then for Examine our knowledge.our boldnesse.
What doest thou know in Religion that thou wouldest die for? or die in? we are stablished in no more to purpose, then we would dye for. Are those truths thou knowest so firmly wrought in thee by the Spirit of God? hast thou such experience of them, such spiritual sense and taste of the goodnesse of them, that thou wouldest be content to part with thy life, rather then to part with them? thou art stablished then by the Spirit of God in Christ. I do not speak of every little truth, it needs not that a man should die for that; but I speak for fundamental truths, canst thou prove them so out of the Scripture? and doest thou find the testimony of Jesus Christ witnessing to thy heart that they are true? then thou art confirmed and stablished in these truths. I beseech you, let us often examine upon what grounds, and how firmly we know what we know. For, have we not many, that if the Adversaries should come, would conform to Popery, and joyn themselves to Rome, because they cannot back their principles with Scriptures, and because they have not a spiritual understanding, and apprehension of Divine truths? Now he that is stablished stands firm against temptations, and against arguments; he will not be won away from his faith, but remains unmoveable.
Therefore (I say) let us often examine our selves in this particular: I believe this and this against the Papists and others; I but how shall I stand out for this? If tryals should come, am I able to prove this from the Scriptures so clear as if it were written (as he saith) with a Sun-beam? The temptation and assaults of the Devil, by mens subtile wits and arguments, will, shake our judgments, will hurt more, and if time should come, try us better then fire and fagot. Those Spies that brought an evil report upon the Land of Canaan, we see, that though the Land (when it was won) was fruitful enough, and the conquest of it honourable, &c. (and therein those Spies discovered their own weaknesse) yet when they had made that shrewd Oration, and brought subtile arguments to the eye of flesh and blood, we see (I say) how the people were discouraged, and how they staggeted. So a man that is not stablished, he may sometimes have shrewd men to deal withal, perhaps Atheists, Papists, Jesuites, and the Devil joyning with them to unsettle men; and they will prevail if men be not well settled and stablished before.
And so for the course of our life and conversation amongst men; we should examine how we are stablished in that: for we are not onelyonly to stand Examine our course of life.firm in cases of Religion; but for causes of honesty. John Baptist was as good as a Martyr, though the cause he dyed for was not Religion, but a bold telling of Herod, when he thought he took an unlawful course in keeping his brothers Wife.
An honest man may dye and suffer much for civil matters. Therefore examine your selves in this: I have undertaken this cause, upon what ground? in what confidence? how far would I willingly go in it? could I be content to lose the favour of great ones? to dye in the quarrel if need be? So far as a man is stablished by Gods Spirit, so far is he settled also in this.
You have had Heathen men, that would stand out firmly even to the death, against all disfavours, against all losses and crosses for evidence of Civil truths, as you have it storied of Papinian an excellent Lawyer, that in the defence of right, stood forth to the losse of his life; and many other the like examples have been: But much more doth the Spirit of God stablish men; this I understand, this cause is good, this I will stand in, come what will, when I am called to it.
Let us oft call our selves to an account, what we believe, and upon what ground: what we do, and upon what ground we undertake it; whether on grounds of conscience, or out of spleen and passion? When a man undertakes things on natural grounds, in great temptations, (if God do not assist him) he will sink. Take the strongest courages that are, if they have no more but nature, though they may stand out sometimes, (to the shame of Christians) yet in some cases they will shew themselves to be but meer natural men.
And therefore labour for the Spirit to stablish us. It is not necessary that we should enjoy our wealth, nor the favour of men, nor our life it self; but it is necessary that we should keep a good conscience; it is necessary that we should be saved, it is necessary that we should look upon our Judge with confidence at the day of Judgment.
It becomes Christians who besides the light of nature, have the Spirit to stablish them, to be settled in their courses, to look that the conscience be good, the cause good, the aym good. If such a one give over when the cause is clear and good, it is a sign that his heart is not stablished by the Spirit of God in Christ: he hath either corrupt aymes, or else he is weak, and understands not the grounds of Religion, and the vanity of this life as he should do.
There are none that flinch and give over in a good quarrel, but either it is from hypocrisie, that he pretends to believe in Christ, and life everlasting, and yet he doth not; or else it is from extream and wonderful weaknesse, which (if he belong to God) he shall recover, (as Peter did) and shall stand more strongly another time.
It is but a forced, a false encouragement and stablishing, when a man None but a Christ an truly couragious in death.(that hath not the Spirit of God) shall set light by death, though perhaps he die in a good quarrel, and with some comfort. For when a man shall know, that after death there is a Judgment, and that God hath many things to lay to his charge, when his conscience shall tell him that he is guilty of a thousand deaths, if he be not in Christ, and his pardon sealed by the Spirit of God in the blood of Christ: is it not madnesse to be couragious in that which he cannot conquer? It is good for a man to be couragious in time of conquest: It is a dastardly thing for a Christian to be cowardly, because he hath death and hell conquered, and every thing is made serviceable to help him to heaven. But for another man to set light by these things, it is more madnesse. No man but a Christian can be stout and couragious, except it be from a false spirit; especially in things that are above mans natural power, as death it is eternal, and what man can stand out against the eternal wrath of God?
And therefore those that put on a Roman stoutnesse and courage, though they seem to have strong spirits, it is but false; either they are besotted with sensuality, or else with a spirit of pride. When they look before them, and see eternity, and see their sins, and that they must all appear at the day of Judgment, they cannot be strong. Let us labour therefore to have our hearts stablished by the Spirit of God; and try our selves often, by propounding Queries, how we do things? with what minds and? upon what grounds?
Again, another Evidence, whereby we may know that we have spiritual 2. Desire of Christs coming.strength and stability in Christ wrought in us by the Spirit of God, is this: when it makes us desire the coming of Christ: when it makes us think of death, and of the time to come with joy and comfort: and that for the present it gives us boldnesse to the Throne of Grace in extremities. He that in extremity can go to God in Christ, it is a sign his heart is established.
Hypocrites in extremity flye to desperate courses, as Saul and Achitophel did: but in extremity the soul that is stablished goes to God: My God, my God, saith Christ: so Job, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him. I say, it is an evidence of a soul stablished upon Christ by the Spirit of God, to have boldnesse to the Throne of Grace in extremity; nay, when God seems to hide himself (which is the principal extremity of all) as in Divine temptations, when God seems to be an enemy, then for a man to fight and wrastle with God, and tug with the temptation, and not to let God go, though he kill him; this is a true Israel, a conquerour of God: this is a heart fortified by the Spirit.
It is an argument of a heart established, when (besides for the present) for the time to come, he can chearfully and boldly think how it will be with him when death shall come, that he shall go to Christ, that the Match shall be fully made up that is begun by God between Christ and him, (for the contract is in this world, but the nuptials are celebrated in heaven) and in confidence hereof can say, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.
A heart that is not stablished saith, Oh come not. Wherefore art thou come to torment us before our time? say the Devils to Christ; so an unstablished heart, at the hour of death, is afraid it shall be tormented before the time: and therefore come not, come not, saith such a soul. But the soul that is stablished upon Christ and upon the promises in Christ of forgivenesse of sins, and life everlasting by the Spirit of Christ, that saith, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.
I have been larger upon this Point, then I intended: these unsettled times moved me to speak a little more then ordinary, that we might labour to have our hearts stablished, that whatsoever comes we may have somewhat that is certain to stick to; that our estate in Christ may be sure, whatsoever becomes of our state in the world otherwise.