Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1, Commentary · Commentary on verse 12 (4 of 4)
For indeed, there is a watchful providence, there is a waking love about the guiding of a Christian in his course to heaven, that keeps him him in, more then any Grace that is in him. And a Christian at the hour of death, and at the day of Judgment will be able to say with experience, That the wisdome of God for me hath been more then any wisdome he wrought in me: though by the wisdome in me, he inabled me to discover many discouragements, to see many wants, and to take many good courses that he blessed for me.
But his wisdome for me was greater in preventing occasions above my strength, in offering meanes that I never dreamed of, in fitting occasions, and opportunities to me.
The wisdome of God about and toward a Christian is more then any wisdom that is in him: For alas, having to do with the divell and with malicious spirits, and with the world, the streame whereofis against grace; it is hard for that beame of wisdom in us, that little wisedome we have, though it be an excellent, spirituall, divine thing: yet notwithstanding there is a heavenly wisdom that watcheth for us, and gives issue, and successe to all the good we doe, and turnes away all evill that is above the proportion of Grace, and strength in us: therefore saith he, Our conversation is in the Grace, and favour of God, not onelyonly in me, but for me. I find experience of grace, not onelyonly the grace that is in me, but of Grace every way for me in all my courses.
And that is the reason why weaker Christians are sometimes the safer Christians. Another Christian that is wiser, he meetes with tronbles perhaps.Why weaker christiani are sometimes safer.
I but God knowes that he hath but a little proportion in him, and therefore Gods Wisdome is more for him without him. God doth wondrously for infants and weak persons; the lack in them is supplied by his heavenly wisdom.
And that makes Christians confident, not to take thought what they shall speake, or how to carry themselves (more then is meet) not to have distracted thoughts (I mean) to be discouraged in a good cause: he thinks I have not onelyonly a promise of grace to direct and guide me, but likewise the wisdome of heaven for me, to discourage others, to take away occasions of discouragment from me, to offer me encouragments, and to lift up my spirit when occasion serves.
This is the comfort of a Christian, that God is his strength: He hath wrought all our works for us, saith the Prophet: he not only works gracious works in us; but he works all our works for us.
In that the Apostle mentions grace: when his meaning is of the particular grace of wisdome, as the opposition shewes: The first thing that I will observe from it is this, That
A Christian stands in need of wisdome.
When he is out of the fleshly government of fleshly wisdom, he stands Obser. A Christian needs wisdome,in need of another wisdom and that is Grace, the Wisdome of God.
We stand in need of wisdome: for alas, what can we do in this world without wisdome? what can we do without light? For bodily inconveniences 1. To avoid dangers.we have a bodily light, an outward light to shew us what is noysome; for reasonable inconveniences that our common wits apprehend, we have the light of reason: but there be many inconveniencies, many dangers to the soul: now there must be a light of wisdome answerable; we need a heavenly wisdome to avoid devillish inconveniencies, and dangers to the soul, which without wisdome we cannot avoid.
Again, there is a necessity of wisdome that is heavenly, when we have 2. Because of the likenesse between good and evill.renounced carnal wisdome; there is such a likenesse between that which is good, and that which is evil, between truth and falshood. Likenesse is the mother of errour. Falshood is wondrous like truth; evil is wondrous like good oft-times, in shew, when a Sophister hath the handling, and the propounding of it. Though there be as much distance between them as between light and darknesse: yet to the appearance of man, to his shallow judgment they are wondrous like one another: here is need of wisdome to discern, and distinguish between these.
Again, there is wondrous need of wisdome, because there are a great many hindrances from the doing of that which is good; it is good to have wisdome 3. In regard of hindrances, and helps to good.to see how to remove those hindrances. There are a great many advantages to help us to do good, there is much wisdome requisite to take all the helps and advantages to do that which is good: and unlesse we have wisdome we cannot take the advantages to do good, as we should.
Again, good is not good without wisdome; vertue is not vertue without discretion, when to speak, and when not to speak. A fool speaks all his 4. Good is not good without it.mind at all times, saith the Wise man. Now to do things in season, to be trees of righteousnesse to bring forth fruit in season; To speak a word in season it is like apples of Gold with pictures of silver. One word in season is worth ten thousand out of season. Good is such a thing, that it is never good indeed except it be cloathed with all convenient circumstances; one inconvenience in the circumstance marres the good things. And a world of wisdome there needs, to see the things that are about good actions to help them, or to hinder them; and if there be helps, and advantages, to know how to use them, there needs a great deal of heavenly light. So we stand in need of wisdome. As we stand in need of our eyes to walk in our common wayes, so much we need a heavenly eye in our soules, a heavenly light of wisdome.
Again, we see (by the policy of Satan) that that which is good, the best good, it is hid under evil: the best wisdome goes under the name of folly, 5. Good is hid under evil.and unnecessary nicenesse; and the vilest courses go under policy and wisdom. Now there is need of much wisdome to discover things, and to see them in their right colours, when things are thus carried. In a word, such difference there is of things, that there needs a great deal of discerning, and heavenly wisdome, and a greater light then a man hath by nature, to guide him to heaven. I need not stand to multiply reasons: you see a man hath need of a great deal of wisdome. And, which is the second branch, as he needs it,
So he may have wisdome.
He may have this heavenly wisdome: As S. Paul saith here, I walk not Wisdome may be bad.according to fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God; the grace of wisdome he means, according to heavenly wisdome: as he needed it, so he had it. Saint James tells you how you may have it, If any man lack wisdome, to guide his life either in prosperity, or adversity, how to abound without pride, and how to bear afflictions: how to make his prosperity that it be not a snare to him, If any man lack wisdome, let him ask it of God, who is the Fountain of wisdome; let him light his candle at Gods light. Carnal wisdome lights its candle at hell-fire: a Carnal man, rather then he will misse of his ends, he will go to hell, he, and his riches, and policy, and all: it is otherwise with heavenly wisdome. We have need of wisdome, and wisdome we may have.
The vessel that we must fetch it in is faith, and the vent of faith is prayer: faith sends its Ambassadour prayer to God. If any man lack wisdome, let him go to God.
And surely thus Solomon did, he is an example of that. He saw he lacked wisdome, to govern so great a people as was committed to his charge; God was so well pleased with his petition, that he gave him wisdome, and wealth, and honour too.
Make this Use of it: Let us consider what relation we stand in; in what Use. To go to God for wisdome.ranck God hath set us; let us consider what good we are advantaged to do by the place we are in; what helps we have to do it, and what mischiefs, and inconveniences may come: and let every man in his place and standing consider what good he may do, and what evil he may avoid, and let us go to God for wisdome.
He that is a Magistrate, let him do as Solomon did, desire God above all things to give him wisdome to rule as he should; that God would give him a publick heart for a publick place, and he will do it. And those that in their families would have wisdome to go in and out before them; let them go to God for wisdome, that they may avoid the snares that are incident to family-government, distrustfulnesse, worldlinesse, unfaithfulnesse in their particular calling. And so for personal wisdome, to guide and manage our own persons: let us desire wisdome of God, to know the hidden abominations of our own hearts, the deceits and subtilties of our own hearts, which is out of measure deceitful. To know our particular sins, to know what hurts us, and to know how to avoid it, and how to carry our selves in our particular wayes, to order our conversation aright every way. We see here S. Paul led his life and conversation by that wisdome: as it was needfull for him, so he had it: and we must go all to the same spring for it, we must go to God.
And we must know, that God will not onelyonly make us wise to salvation, that he will not onelyonly give us wisdome in things that meerly concern God gives wisdome for the things of this life.heaven: but the same love, the same care that gives us wisdome that way, will give us wisdome in our particular callings to take every step to heaven; the same Spirit of God doth all. He gives us grace necessary to salvation, and he gives us grace likewise for the leading of a Christian life.
Therefore it is an abominable conceit, to distinguish Religion from Policy and Government, as if the reasons of Religion were one, and the reasons of State were another; and as if these were distinguished one against another; it is an abominable Atheistical conceit: for the same heavenly Spirit of God that reveales the mysteries of salvation, reaveales likewise to men the mysteries of State.
Christ hath the keyes of heaven, of the mysteries of God; and he hath the keyes of all earthly policy whatsoever. He hath the greater, hath he not the lesse? Doth he guide us by his Spirit in heavenly mysteries; and then for matters of Policy, and Government of States, and Common-Wealths, are we to be guided by the Devil, by devillish, carnal wisdome? No, he gives all wisdome in its due place, even wisdome for common things.
Therefore consider, when men will not be ruled by God, by wisdome from above, in the regiment and government of their lives, how fearfully, Men leaving Gods wisdome▪ miscarry.and shamefully they miscarry; Partly by reason of the accidents of this life, and the variety of businesse. You know wisdome as it governs our life about the things of this world, it deales with things unstable, uncertain and vain, as Solomon saith, they continue not long in the same state; therefore if a man have not a better wisdome then his own, he shall be mightily to seek. Partly because of the imperfection of his wisdome: the things are imperfect, and the wisdome without it be guided from heaven is much to seek oft-times.
Take the wisest man when he leaves heavenly wisdome once, as we see in Solomon, he thinks to strengthen himself by combination with Idolaters that were near to him, did he not miscarry fouly? And hath not God made the wisest man that ever were in the world exemplary for grosse miscarriages, because they had too much confidence in their parts, and neglected the guidance of God in the course of their lives? Who was more fool then Achitophel? who was a greater fool then Saul, and then He…od?
The Emperours had great conceits: Constantine the Great, a good Christian Emperour, he had a conceit, if he could stablish a new Seat at Bizantium, Constantinople it was called afterwards; He would seat the Empire there: he would rule Rome by a Vice Roy, by another, and he would be there himself, and rule all the Eastern parts of the world. A goodly conceit he had of it: but this proved the ruine both of East and West. For hereupon when he was absent from Rome, the Pope of Rome he came up and grew by little and little. The Emperours they thought they did a great matter to advance the Pope, who was Christs Vicar, a spiritual man: they consulted with Carnal wisdome, and he came and over-topped them, and eat them out, and out-grew them: as the Ivie doth the tree that nourisheth it. The Pope never left growing till he had over-topped them. So men, when they go to carnal wisdome, and neglect prayer, and neglect the counsel of God, and the wisdome of God to guide them in the matters of this life as well as for the life to come, they come to miscarry grosly.
Therefore let us take S. James his counsel: We all lack wisdome, let us every day beg it of God; desire God every day that he would Make our way plain before u, in our particular goings in and out: that he would discover to us what is best.
And here I might take occasion to reprove sharply the Atheisme of many, that would be accounted great States men, that bring all Religion to Use. Reproo… of those that subordinate Religion to State-Policy.reasons of State. They bring Heaven under earth, and clean subvert, and overthrow the order of things: and therefore no wonder if they miscarry. They care not what Religion it be, so it may stand with Peace; whether it be false or true, if it may stand with the peace of the State, all is well. Give me leave to touch it but in a word: It is a most abominable conceit. Religion is not a thing so alterable: Religion is a commanding thing, it is to command all other things, and all other things serve that. And it is not a matter of fancy and opinion (as they think out of their atheisme) to keep men in awe. It is stablished upon the same ground as that there is a God: that upon the same ground that we say God is, upon the same ground we may say Religion is. It teacheth us that that God is to be observed: and that Christ is equal to him as God, and inferiour to him in regard of his humanity, &c. So that there is the same ground that there is a God, and that there is a Religion.
And so again, by the same reason that there is one God, by the same reason there is but one Religion. And it is not any Religion that will serve the turn: For that one God will be worshipped his own way. There is one God, one Truth. And that one Religion must needs be that in which that one God discovers and reveales himself, and not that which man deviseth: For will any Master be served with the device of his servant? And will God suffer his creature to devise a Religion to serve him? Therefore there is of necessity, as one God, so one Religion, and that one Religion must be that which that God hath left in his Word.
Therefore those that are to govern States, as they will answer to that one God; they are to establish that Religion that he hath left to the world in his Word, and not any Religion: not that which men have devised. To go a little further.
In that one Religion that is left by him, there must be a care had that the people live by the rules of that one: For this is a rule in nature, nothing in Religion will help him, that will not live according to the rules of it: therefore it concerns all that are not atheists, to labour to stablish one Religion, and obedience to that one.
And every particular man as he looks for good by his Religion, is not to live by the rules of fleshly wisdome; but by the rules of Religion.
And here a man might deplore the misery of poor Religion above all other things, above all other Arts, and Trades: In other Arts and Trades he is accounted no body, that works not according to his Trade: and that hath not (besides some speculative skill, and rules in his head, that hath not) skill to work, he is accounted no body, but a talker except he doth: But in Religion men think it is enough to know: practise it goes under base names. Any common conscience, any common care, and obedience to the rules we must be saved by is reproached, and rejected. Religion will not do a man good, except he be ruled by it. Wherefore serves the rule but to bring things to it? But I will not stand on this point longer.
There is a necessity of wisdome. And this wisdome may be had; and this wisdome it leads not onelyonly to salvation, but it reacheth to the State, and it leads every man in his calling. Well, we may see (to touch that by the way) In the third place,
True Wisdome toucheth Conversation.
My Conversation hath been by the Grace of God, that is, in wisdome; he Observ. True wisdome toucheth Conversation.puts the general for the particular: there was other graces besides; but together with them there was this wisdome: So, wisdome tends to conversation.
Mark what I said, wisdome is not in word, but in work: A man that will be Master of his Trade must work; when a man can work well, he is Master of his Trade, and not till then: Religion tends to practice. You know what Christ saith, If you know these things, happy are ye if ye do them: He intailes happinesse to doing, If you know these things, he saith not you are happy if you know them: no, If you know these things, happy are you if you do them: For indeed true wisdome is not onelyonly speculative. This wisdome, understanding and knowledge when it is true, and spiritual, it alway tends to practice; and practice is never sound but when it springs from wisdome; from things known: Every Article in the Creed it tends to practice in a Christians life, and quickens practice every Article: so wisdome tends to conversation.
Now, besides that main wisdome which properly concerns salvation, there is another wisdome which is more particular, that tends to conversation: which is called Spiritual Prudence for particular actions. This comes from the Spirit of God, I Wisdome dwell with Prudence. Wheresoever there is wisdome to salvation, there is prudence to the guidance of a Christian's life.
But in a word, if so be that wisdome tend to conversation, and is joyned with it, You may see that all naughty livers are no bodies in Religion, they Use. Bad livers no bodies in Religion.are fooles in Religion: wherefore serves knowledge? wherefore serves light, but to walk by? wherefore serves an instrument, but to work by? wherefore serves wisdome, but to guide our lives by? Is it to be matter of discourse and talk? Therefore this doth demonstrate clearly (to any man that thinks there is any Religion, or any heaven,) who be the best Christians, even those that by the Spirit know the wisdome that God hath revealed in his Word, and apply it in their lives and conversations to be ruled by it, to work to that end. Wisdome prefixeth an end alway, and those that work to that end they are wise men: he is a wise man that works to attain his end. Now there is no man that can attain his end by meer knowledge, he attains his end by working, by doing: therefore the wisest Christian he sets himself to converse wisely, and holily: and he shewes his religion in his particular calling, in every thing: If any man be Religious, let him shew it in holy Conversation: let him be unspotted of the world. So much for that.
But by the Grace of God.
To give a little further light to the words. Grace is either the free favour of God in himself, issuing from his goodnesse, whereupon we have Grace two-fold. 1. The favour of God.forgivenesse of sins, and acceptation through Jesus Christ to life everlasting: This is grace resting in the breast of God, but is onelyonly entertained of us, and works no change in us of it self.
Or else grace is something from that favour, from that free grace of God, 2. Something wrought in us.wrought in us. And thar grace wrought in us, is,
First the grace of a whole, universal change: for whomsoever God accepts graciously to life everlasting, he gives them the gifts of grace, with 1. A Change.his favour: he changeth their nature, that they may be fit to entertain fellowship with him: For when by grace he accepts us to favour, if he should not alter our natures, alas, what a case were we in? were we fit for communion with God? No; therefore that we may have communion with God, he alters our dispositions, that we may be holy as he is holy: this change is the first change in Christianity.
Now in this gracious change (which is a work of the gracious Spirit derived 2. Particular graces.to us by Christ, in whom our nature is filled with all grace, and in whom we receive grace for grace) there are graces wrought: as,
First, a heavenly light to see a further end then ever we saw before: a heavenly convincing light to see the love of God, to see life everlasting, to 1. Heavenly light.see glorious things.
And withal comes the grace of Love to carry the whole inward man to 2. Love.the things that we see.
Then there is the grace of Hope to expect, and Patience to indure 3. Hope, Patience.all till we be possest of that which our understandings are enlightned to see.
And Faith perswades the soul where to have it, and relies on the Promise; 4. Faith.so particular graces are wrought. Therefore that is one reason why the Apostle names not wisdome in particular, when he saith, We have not led our conversation according to carnal fleshly wisdome, but by Grace: his meaning is, that a Christian when he hath heavenly wisdome, he hath all graces, and wisdome together. There is a connexion, a combination of graces, as I said: so he leads his life by all graces: for all graces are necessary to a Christian life: therefore instead of wisdome, he puts the word grace.
Now besides these, besides the favour of God accepting us in Christ: 3. Exciting, applying, strengthening Grace.And besides the working of these graces in us, in, and after our conversion, there is another degree of grace requisite, which is a particular exciting, applying, strengthening grace, which is required to every good act, to act every good work, and to resist every evil, and to enjoy good things as we ought to enjoy them. I say, there is a grace necessary to withstand temptations in all evil, besides graces habitual that are wrought in us, of Faith, and Love, and Hope, &c. These except they be actuated, and enlivened by the continual work of the Spirit; except they be brought to act, and a new strength put into them, they are not sufficient for a Christian life. Therefore S. Paul here by Grace, meanes not onelyonly the graces of the Spirit, habitual graces; but the power of the Spirit acting, enlivening, quickening and strengthening him against every evil in particular, and to every good work in particular.
But by the Grace of God.
In that the Apostle here, though he principally mean wisdome, yet he names Grace, the next point I will observe is this, That
All the Wisdome that we have it comes from Grace.Doctr. All our wisdom from Grace.
All the wisdome we have comes from Grace, meerly from Grace. And this Grace is not wanting to us when we have renounced our fleshly wisdome. Heavenly wisdome comes altogether from Grace. To make this a little clear: Whatsoever is spiritual it comes from Christ: since the fall we have nothing but by especial grace. God being reconciled by Jesus Christ, he hath placed all fulnesse of grace in him: he hath inriched our nature in him with wisdome, and all graces whatsoever. All the treasures of wisdome are in him, and all other graces. God the Father, and our Saviour Christ, they send the Spirit, they communicate the Spirit, which takes of Christ, and doth enlighten, and quicken, and guide all those that are members of Christ. All in particular, all inward things come from Grace; Grace comes from the Spirit, the Spirit from Christ, and this is the descent of Grace and Wisdome.
Thereupon they are taken indefinitely in Scripture, sometimes to walk wisely, to walk graciously, sometimes to walk in the Spirit, sometimes to walk in Christ, it is all one; sometimes to be in Christ, Whosoever is in Christ, &c. And to walk in the Spirit, and by the Spirit, to pray in the Spirit, and in wisdome, and in faith, or to live by faith, or to live by Grace, or in Grace; they are all one, because they are subordinate. For Christ is the treasure of the Church: all that is Good for the Church is laid up in him, Wisdome, and whatsoever: Of his fulnesse we receive Grace for Grace. Grace, answerable to the grace that is in him: he vouchsafes us his Spirit.
Now the Spirit guides us not immediately, but it works a habit in us (as we call it,) it works somewhat in us to dispose us to that which is good. And when that is wrought, the Spirit guides us to every particular action. These things that the Spirit works in us are called Graces: because they come from out of our selves by the Spirit. so wisdome is called Grace, because it comes from the Spirit: the Spirit comes from Christ, and Christ hath grace, not onelyonly grace in himself, but he infuseth Grace into us: he hath not onelyonly abundance, but redundance; not only Grace flowing in himself, but redundant, overflowing to all his members. This Saint Paul meanes, when he saith, We have had our Conversation by the Grace of God, that is, by such blessed habits of Wisdome, Faith, Love, &c. as are wrought by the Spirit of God, which Spirit is given us by Jesus Christ our head.
Hence we learn, that every thing that is necessary to bring us to heaven, it is a grace; that is, it comes from without us. Adam had it within him, Every thing necessary to heaven, a grace.he was trusted with his riches himself: but now in Jesus Christ we have all of Grace: we have all out of our selves. Christ is the Sun, we have all our beams from him, all our light, all our life from him: he is the head, all our motion is from him. And this is not onelyonly true of habits (as we call them) that is, a constant work, or disposition wrought in Gods Children, which for the most part they carry about with them: but likewise in all the particular passages of their life, they have need of grace for every particular action. And herein the soul is like to the ayr: the ayr stands in need of light, and if it be not enlightned by the Sun, it is presently dark: so a man is no wiser in particular actions, then God will make him on the sudden: put case he be a man of a wise spirit for the most part, that he passeth for an understanding man, and is so: yet except he have the grace of Gods Spirit, except he have wisdome to guide him in particular, he is no wiser then God at that time will make him to be. You see all motion in the body it comes from the head: let the spirits in the head be obstructed never so little, and there followes an apoplexy, there will be no motion: so all our wisdome, all the direction that we have to lead our lives as becomes Christians, it comes from Christ, it comes from Grace: not only the disposition, but likewise every particular action: for we need Grace continually to assist us, to excite, and stirre up our powers, and to strengthen them against oppositions: and if the opposition be strong, we have need of a stronger Grace.
There is never a good work that we do but it is opposed from within us, from without us. From within us, by Carnal wisdome (as I said before,) and by carnal passions, and affections. From without us, by Satan, by the world, and by men that are led with the spirit of the Devil: therefore there is need of a strength above our own. Besides the Grace that is in us ordinarily, there needs a new particular strength and light, to particular actions.
Doth all come from God, and from his Grace? Let us take heed (when we have any thing) of sacrilegious affections, of attributing any thing to Use. Not to ascribe any thing to our selves.our selves, to our own wisdome, and let us give all presently to Grace. Mark the phrase of S. Paul here, Not by fleshly wisdome, but by the Grace of God: he doth not say, by any habit in my self; he doth not say, by any wisdome that is in me, but he chooseth that which is in God, Grace, and favour; because he would not rob God of any honour. It was a proud term the Philosophers had, as I said, sometimes they called their moral vertues habits: and if we consider them meerly as they are in the person, they are habits; but indeed they are graces: the Scripture gives them a more heavenly term, Grace; those things that we guide our lives by, as Wisdome, Love, Temperance, Sobriety. Grace is a fitter word then habit, because then we consider them as they come from God freely: they are graces, they come from grace and favour. And when men differ one from another in wisdome, they differ in grace and favour; he gives more light, he opens the understanding of one more then another. Therefore S. Paul was wise, and careful this way, when he speaks of that he had done himself, lest he should rob God, Not I, oh not I, 1 Cor. 15. but the Grace of God that was in me; that was all in all: For indeed we are what we are, and we do what we do by Grace. Even as by our selves we are men; we are what we are, and we do what we do, by our soules, by our reason and understanding: so it is with spiritual grace, we are what we are out of our selves by spiritual grace, and we do what we do by spiritual grace. And when that ceaseth, when God suspends the blessed motions of his Spirit to humble us, alas, we are dark; a man is a confused creature, he is at a losse, he is in darknesse for the particular managing of his life; he knowes not what to do, he knowes not what to speak, he is puzzled in every particular action. And therefore when he hath spoken, or done that which is fit, he should consider it is a grace.
My Conversation hath been in the Grace of God, saith the Apostle. Therefore let us sanctifie God in our hearts this way. And when we stand in need of any direction, desire God of his grace to give us wisdome, and to give us the grace that we stand in need of. That is for the phrase. The point as I told you was this, That
All wisdome comes from Grace;
And
God is ready to give us his Grace.God ready to give Grace.
For saith S. Paul, My Conversation hath been in Grace, which God did minister to me, and hath ministred to me to lead my life by.
The Reason is this; Christ hath undertaken to give us grace if we be Reason. Christ hath undertaken it.his. Men under grace shall never want grace to lead a Christian life. For Christ hath undertaken to be our Head, to be our Husband, to be our guide in our way to heaven. As our head he is to give us motion, to move us as his members. As he is our Shepherd, as he saith, I am the good Shepherd; so he is to lead us in our wayes and passages, in his paths, to conduct us to happinesse. And as he is our husband, so he is to be the head of his wife, to guide us, it is his office. And he works according to his own office. He is a King to subdue in us whatsoever is contrary to his good Spirit, to subdue our rebellions, and to bring all our Imaginations under his Spirit: as well as to be a Priest to make peace between God and us. He is a King to rule us, and to over-rule in us whatsoever is ill. And he is a Prophet to teach us and to guide us. He is the Angel of the Covenant, the great Counsellour, that hath the Spirit of Counsel in him, Esay 9. 6. not for himself onelyonly, but for his Church.
Therefore as all the things that we need, come from grace, and from the favour of God; so we need not doubt of the grace of God in Christ; being reconciled, he is willing to give us grace.
This I observe, to cut off all cavils of flesh and blood, and to arm us against all discouragements.
There are two things that greatly hinder us from a Christian course, Presumption, and Despair.
Presumption, to set upon things, without asking grace of God, without Presumption.depending upon his direction by the strength of naturall parts, of naturall wit.
And then Despair: when a man saith, What should I go about these Against Despair. Consider our parts and duty.things? I shall never bring them to passe. No: First consider thy standing, thy place, and calling; and then consider the abilities that God hath given thee: consider thy parts, consider thy duty that thou art to do. And beg of God assistance, and strength; and if it be a thing that belong to thee, Beg assistance of God.go on, set on all the duties that belong to thy place, in this confidence that thou shalt have grace.
Go to the Fountain, to Christ for grace for the direction of thy life; Go to Christ.he is the light of life, he is the Way, he is all in all to bring us to heaven.
Wherefore serves all the Promises, not onelyonly of life everlasting, but even of grace? but to encourage us to set on holy duties in confidence, that Go to the Promises.if we have a will to be out of Satan's Kingdome, and if we have a will to be out of fleshly wisdome, God will take us into his Kingdome, and into his Government. He will give the Spirit to them that ask him Now the Spirit is a Spirit of direction, a Spirit of assistance, a Spirit of strength and comfort, it serves all turnes. How many Promises are wrapped in that promise of the Spirit? In want of direction he shall be our Counsellour; in want of strength, to assist us. In perplexities, when we know not which way to turn us, to advise us. In extremities, when we are ready to sink, to comfort us. He will give us his holy Spirit to supply all our defects in a fit time if we ask him: If we find our need, and if we will renounce our carnal wisdome. Therefore set on those duties that God calls you to.
And withall, do as S. Paul doth here, (he sets the negative before the Renounce Carnal Wisdome.affirmative,) renounce carnal wisdome, be not guided by that: trust perfectly to the Word of Grace, and to the Spirit of Grace: (for the Word of Grace, and the Spirit of Grace go together) and then you shall find that God will do abundantly above all that you are able to ask or think. Luther when he set on the work of Reformation, those that saw him at the first might have said, Get thee into thy Cloyster, and say, Lord have mercy upon thee, for thou settest on a work impossible. But he saw the parts that God had given him, that he had wit to understand the abuses of the times: and he had given him courage: he saw by his profession he was called to be a Divine, his conscience was awaked to see the abominations of the times, and he set on to discover these things. Did Christ leave him? No, he did not, but gave successe to him to be admired of all. When all the world was set against one man, yet he prevailed against them all: even because he walked as S. Paul did here, in sincerity, and simplicity; that is, he looked to the truth of the cause, and not to his own honour, or profit, or pleasure: he was content to be no wiser then the Book of God would have him to be; to be no richer or greater in the world then God would have him; but committed himself to God in simplicity, and sincerity: how did God maintain him? wondrously, to admiration. I instance in him, to shew how base distrust causeth things to be no better carried then they are.
Now to incourage you to go to the grace of God, to go to the Fountain, and not to be held under carnal wisdome, under these pretexts, Oh, if I do Incouragements to be guided by Grace.not hearken to carnal wisdome, I shall be a beggar, I shall never rise, I shall never do this or that in the world, I shall never escape this and that danger. Fie upon those base conceits: S. Paul here renounceth the regiment of carnal wisdome: what became of him? did he want a guide? Grace took him up, Not by carnal wisdome, but by the Grace of God. When we come under the government of God, we come under the government of grace. And we shall want nothing either for heaven or earth that is for our good.
Whatsoever we had that was good, before we were gracious, that we keep still, and it is under a better guide. Were we learned before? were we wise before? had we authority before? were we noble before? we lose none of these when we come under Christ; but he advanceth and elevates these, he makes them better. If we were wise, he makes us graciously wise; if we were learned, if we were noble, he makes us doubly noble: we lose nothing, but we are under a sweeter government, the government of grace, which is a mild government, a government that tends to the advancing of us above our selves; that advanceth us to be the Spouse of Christ, and the heires of heaven.
Those that are in Christ Jesus, and are led by his Spirit, they are his. In Rom. 8. there is excellently set down the prerogatives that they have: those that lead their conversation in simplicity and sincerity, those that are in Christ, and in the Spirit, and in Grace, there is no Damnation to them. And then again, if they suffer any thing; saith he, The afflictions of this world are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed. If they have any infirmities, saith he, The Spirit helps our infirmities. The Spirit teacheth us how to pray, when we know not how to pray. If we suffer any evil, God turns all to good: All things shall work together for the best to them that fear God. For infirmities in other things we have Christ, and he makes intercession in heaven: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods people that are in Christ, that are in Grace, that are in the Spirit? such as S. Paul was here, it is Christ that is dead, or rather that is risen again, and makes intercession for us. And if he have given us Christ, shall he not with him give us all things else? If he have given us Christ, he will give us grace to bring us to heaven. See the excellent estate of a Christian that is under the regiment of Christ, that is led by the Spirit, That Chapter may serve instead of all.
And see the sweet combination here, how he knits these things together, My rejoycing is this, that I have not had my Conversation in fleshly wisdome, but by the Grace of God. Here is a knitting together of divers things that seem to differ: as, here is wisdome, and simplicity, I have had my conversation by the grace of God, by wisdome, and yet in simplicity. For it is wisdome to be simple: when a man hath strength of parts, it is wisdome to bring them parts to simplicity.
It is wisdome to be simple concerning that which is evil; for a man to be simple there, is his best way; there is wisdome joyned with his simplicity. Then again, besides Wisdome, and Simplicity, here is Our Conversation, and Gods Grace, both joyned together. S. Paul by grace guided his conversation. So God stirres us to do all that we do: we see, but he opens our eyes to see: we hear, but he opens our ears: we believe, but he opens our hearts to believe.
This I speak, to reconcile some seeming difference: Doth Gods Spirit do all, and we do nothing? We do all subordinately, we move as we are moved; we see as we are enlightned: we hear as we are made to hear. We are wise as far as he makes us wise: we do, but it is he that makes us do.
Saint Paul here led his conversation, but it was grace that moved him to lead it graciously. Well then, he that joynes simplicity and wisdome together, the wisdome of the Serpent, and the simplicity of the Dove: he that trusts in God, and grace, and yet in trusting to grace, doth all that he can, and goes on in a Christian course, he shall rejoyce: Our rejoycing is this, that we have had our Conversation in simplicity, and according to the rule of Grace, not by fleshly wisdome.
Consider seriously of it, what a joy will this be, that we have led our lives by a rule different from the world? that we have led our lives and courses, according to the motion of Gods blessed Spirit: this must needs bring joy and rejoycing with it in what estate soever.
The world joyn these together, simplicity, and sincerity of life where they see them, that they may slander them, that they may lay imputations upon them: they see they are courses opposite to theirs, and they lay load on them. But what doth God? where there is simplicity and wisdome, and a holy Conversation, he addes his Spirit, he joyns the Spirit of grace, which is a Spirit of joy alwaies. As light and comfort go with the Sun; so the Spirit of joy and comfort go alway with the Spirit of grace. Saint Paul here in regard of the world was afflicted, he received the sentence of death, he was slandered and misused; yet to God-ward saith he, Our rejoycing is this, that we have led our Conversation according to Grace, according to the motion of Gods blessed Spirit, and not with fleshly wisdome.
If this be so, that the joy of Gods Spirit goes with the grace of Gods Spirit; and that those that lead their conversation by grace have a rejoycing above all imputations, and slanders whatsoever: Let this be an incouragement to us to lead a godly life: we all seek for joy; every creature seeks for joy: if we would have joy within us, if we would have a spring of joy, let us labour to lead a conversation by this rule, by grace, by the motion of Gods Spirit, which is ready to guide us if we commit our selves to his guidance.
But by the Grace of God.
To come then to make an Use of trial, whether we lead our lives by this gracious wisdome or no, and not by carnal wisdome. And then to come to direct us how to lead our lives by the grace of God, which is the ground of all joy and comfort, as S. Paul saith here.
How shall a man know whether he lead his life by this spiritual, gracious wisdome, or no?Quest.
I answer, mark the opposition here, Not with fleshly wisdome, but by the Grace of God. He then doth lead his life by the Grace of God, that doth renounce Answ. Signes of being led by Grace.carnal, and fleshly wisdome. Carnal wisdome is a false rule, and it cannot stand together with grace, they one expell another. A doubleminded 1. To renounce carnal wisdome.man, saith S. James, is unconstant in all his waies; that is, he that hath two strings to his bowe: he that will be content to be led by the grace of God, and by the Word of God, which is the Word of his Grace, and yet notwithstanding he will have carnal policies, he will have shifts too, he is a double minded man: he is not now under the government of grace, he halteth, as the Prophet tells the Israelites, Why do you halt? so he halteth between carnal, and heavenly wisdome. He is loath to renounce carnal wisdome: no, he thinks if he do, he shall be a fool, he shall lose this way of getting, and that way of rising.
But he that is under the Spirit of God; that is under Grace, and is guided by it, he will renounce the motions, and stirrings of carnal wisdome: When Carnall Wisdome, like to Eve, or like Job's Wife, or like Peter shall suggest, Oh, spare your self, why will you do this? why will you go on in these courses? yet notwithstanding he is able to renounce it.
The most of Gods Judgments in this world, on his Children, it is for this halting: they have much carnal wisdome in them; and God to work it out of them is forced to crosse them sharply in their projects and courses; and all to bring them to rely on Grace, to rely on his Government in the use of good meanes: For we must serve Gods providence in the use of good means.
A man may know by Gods afflicting of his Children, that they deal too much in carnal wisdome: for if it were not for carnal wisdome, if we would submit our selves to his sweet, and easie guidance, and use the lawful means that he hath discovered in a lawful calling; if we would observe lawfull courses: alas, we should see a clear light, and an easie passage, we need not to use these shifts: but because we cannot do so, we are loath to trust him; but we are double-minded, we will be ruled by him a little, but we will be politick and subtile; therefore he sends crosses upon crosses upon our carnal ends and projects: especially those that are his Children, he will not suffer them to prosper in ill courses.
That is one sign, those that are led by the grace of God, they will not be led by Gods enemy, and the enemy of their own soules: now God, and our own soules have not a worse enemy then carnal fleshly wisdome; that is evident from the opposition.
Those that deny carnal wisdome, that deny themselves, and put themselves upon God, it is a good Evidence. And as it is a sign, so it is a cause. You see in holy Abraham, when he had put himself on God, and left his Countrey, and his fathers house, God guided him, God took him into his government. I am God Al-sufficient, walk before me, and be perfect. God meanes this, That by leaving all other things, and cleaving to me, thou shalt lose nothing, thou shalt have all in me, I will be al-sufficient; therefore walk before me, and be perfect, be sincere. A man shall never know what God will do for him till he put himself upon him, and cease to try him, and begin to trust him: trust him once, honour him of his Word; have not a double eye, partly to carnal means, and partly to him, but have a single eye to his wisdom, and know that he will reward thee and keep promise. It is an excellent thing to deny carnal wisdome.
How many Cavils might blessed Noah have had, before he built the Ark? The world would scorn him as an old doting man, that would go about to be wiser then all the world besides. But he denies all carnal reason, and rejects the scornes of sinful persons, and obeyes God: and we see how God protected him, and went on with him. And so in David, and S. Paul.
And to adde a little to that I touched before, God usually strangely crosses carnal wisdome, because men will not deny their carnall will, and their carnal wit. There was never any Politician in the world that ever was, but complained of it, if he lived any time in the world, that God went beyond him. Saith the Heathen man Tully, I thought my self wise, but I never was so: and so they may all take up the same complaint. God dashes the Imaginations of the proud. They build a Babel, a confusion to themselves and others, that are led by carnal wisdome, that will not trust to the grace of God.
Let no man flatter himself, but trust in God, and not rely upon carnal wisdome, and such courses. Those that will bring Religion to reasons of State, and policy: and subject the highest thing in the world to the basest thing, which is carnal wit, (as I said before) we see what they do. The nature of man infinitely desireth the accomplishment of their will. We see that where corruption may have the greatest advantage in greatnesse; let them have their will, they will overthrow a world to have it: their wit is bent to serve their will.
All witty men that account it a heaven upon earth to have their will, instead of law, and conscience and all, they set their wits on the strain to serve their will, and so set themselves against God. Is it not Gods honour to set himself against them? Was there ever any fierce against God and prospered? saith Job. Denial of fleshly wit, and will, and wisdome, it is both a sign and evidence of grace: and it is a meanes likewise why Gods grace will lead us: when we deny that which is strong in us, God will make a supply by his Grace; we are no losers by it.
Again, you see here in the Text, where the life is led by the Grace of Sign 2. Simplicity.God, by the Spirit of God stirring us, acting us, leading, moving, and strengthening of us; there a mans courses are in simplicity and sincerity: the soul that is under grace will put it self simply upon God; that soul will be no wiser then the Word of God makes it to be; it will be no happier, no richer then God makes it, it will use no other meanes then what God allowes: this is plainnesse, and singlenesse, and simplicity of heart.
Again, it will be in sincerity: where a man leads his life graciously, his Sincerity.actions are sincere: this grace as it comes from God, so it tends to God, sincerity looks to God, it doth things as to God. So that where Grace is, it carries a man above himself, to seek the glory of God, and life everlasting, to have spiritual and heavenly ends, to seek God in all things. The grace of God in S. Paul guided him to lead his life in the simplicity and sincerity of God; that is sincerity that looks to, and aimes at God in all things.
And indeed, a gracious man, and onelyonly a gracious man, can look out of himself to an end above himself: onelyonly a gracious man can aime at Gods glory, at the pleasing of God; why? because onelyonly a gracious man knowes that he hath better things in God then in the world. A worldly man makes himself his term; he makes himself his last end: because he knowes not better out of himself then in himself: he dares not venture upon Gods …avour, to put all upon that, he knowes not whether he be his friend or no; he thinks he is his enemy, as he may well enough, by his ill courses: onelyonly the gracious man can put himself upon God; he knowes he is redeemed out of a miserable condition into a glorious-estate: and if he should be denyed of all the world, yet he knowes he hath more happinesse in him, then he can look for here: he knowes he would be Al sufficient for him: he is assured of his salvation, therefore he hath higher ends, he is sincere in all things.
God when he is honoured by trusting of him, when in sincerity we make him our wisdome, and make his Word our rule, and the happinesse that he hath promised our chief happinesse that we aime at, and rest in him; when we honour him so far, then he makes a supply of all other things. But I spake of sincerity to the full before, onelyonly I bring it now, to shew how it is a note of a man that makes the Grace of God his guide, he walks sincerely; he seeks the glory of God.
Thirdly, he that walks by the Grace of God, and in the grace of God, Sign 3. The strength of Grace.by it as a rule, and in it as a principle, he that walks in it, and by it, and through it: you shall see it by the ability that is in him above nature, by the things that he doth, that other men cannot do that walk not by grace: therefore you have a trial of a man that converseth by grace, from hence; he can crosse the common corruptions of the place, and of the time he lives in: he is not a slave, he is not inthralled to common feares, to common hopes, to the common joyes and delights that the world is carried withall: but as Grace is a thing that is mighty, and strong, and powerful of it self, it is a Spirit: the Spirit is like the wind as Christ tells Nicodemus; it is a mighty, powerful, strong thing: so it makes him strong, it inables a mans spirit to do above himself, above that which he could do if he had not grace. It makes him deny himself in matter of pleasure, in matter of profit, it will make him crosse himself in matter of revenge, as David spared Saul when he had him in his power. It will make him triumph over all estates, he can abound, and he can want, as S. Paul saith.
Other men are changeable with their condition; they are cast down in adversity, they are puffed up in prosperity, they can deny themselves in nothing: they are alwayes inthralled to their base pleasures, and profits, and honours, they are alwayes swayed with some carnal end or other. Grace it raiseth a man above nature, he can do that which another cannot do, he can indure that which another man cannot indure: he can dye, he can indure shame, he can resist that which another man cannot resist.
In a word, you may know Grace in a man that hath great parts of nature: Sign 4. In men of great parts. By abasing his gifts and parts.How shall we distinguish grace from nature in him? Thus, you shall have him subdue his parts unto grace, and to the rules of Religion: If he have a strong wit, he will not make shew of the strength of it, as though he would break through businesse with his wit; but he will consult with conscience. You may know a man that is led by grace, especially where there are great parts; he can deny not onelyonly his corruptions, but other things if they stand not at that time with the will of God: he forbeares ostentation of learning when he sees it is hurtfull, when it is rather to shew himself, then to get glory to God, or to win soules. When a man sees that such and such courses might crush another, and advance himself: yet if it touch upon conscience he will not do: here is a conflict between parts, and the Grace of God, and goodnesse: now when a man in this can deny himself, it is a sign that a man makes grace his guide.
It is not so easie in weaker dispositions: for men seem sometimes to be good, when it is defect of parts: but in men of ability it proceeds not from defect, or want of parts, but it is the power of Grace onelyonly whereby they are swayed; such a man dares not do it: he wants not ability or skill, but he dares not offend God, he dares not seek himself, he dares not give scope to his wit, and to his vain mind, he knowes what spirit in him moves such things, and he suppresseth them presently, and yields to the motions of Gods blessed Spirit.
But yet in weaker men a man may know when such a one is ruled by grace: thus; when a man sees something in him that strengthens nature, as, Grace In men of weaker parts.takes not away nature, but betters it. When you see a man, that otherwise is simple, yet he is wondrous skilful in resisting a temptation, skilfull in giving advice, skilful in keeping the peace of his conscience, skilful in giving reproof, even above himself: a man may know that he hath a better Schoolmaster, that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Grace is his Schoolmaster.
So that whether a man have strong, or weak parts, a man may know whether he be led by grace or no. In the weaker it raiseth him above himself: in the stronger, when the exercise of his parts of nature, and grace cannot stand together, it makes him deny himself: that he may be led by the one, he denies the other altogether: this is gracious wisdome.
Again, a man may know that he leads his life in gracious wisdome, or by gracious wisdome, when he fetcheth reasons for his actions, not from Sign 5. From the ground of his actions.things below, but from Religion, from conscience, from spiritual things: he doth not fetch the reason of his actions from this, that this will profit me, or I shall advantage my self thus and thus: but he fetcheth the reasons and ground of his actions higher; this is pleasing to God, this is according to the peace of my conscience, this is for the good of the Church, for the good of the State I live in; this is for the good of my Christian brethren. The strongest reason of a Christian is that that makes for Religion, and for conscience: if he may gain in his own particular one way, and gain to the State, or Religion another, he considers not, what will it advantage me? but, what is it for Religion? It is the chief prevailing reason, how he may gain to Religion, and the glory of God: he will not redeem his life to impeach the glory of God, and Religion. This is a man that leads his life by grace.
Again, where grace is, there graces are together: there is a sweet linking Sign 6. Graces are together.of them: therefore S. Paul instead of wisdome, names Grace of God, all grace. A man therefore may know that he is led by grace, when there is no solitary grace: for where grace is solitary, it is not at all, it is but a shadow.
For there is not one grace but it is of special use in the managing of a Christians life and conversation: therefore S Panl instead of wisdome, puts Every Grace of use to a Christian.grace here. For instance, there is a great necessity of seeing by a light above nature, things above nature. If a man lead a life above nature, there is a necessity of heavenly illumination and conviction, that there is a better happinesse then the world affords. And then there is a need of love to carry the soul to that happinesse that is discovered. But then there are a world of impediments between us, and heaven, and happinesse that is discovered to us in the Gospel by Christ Jesus: there must be heavenly wisdome therefore to discover the impediments, and to remove them. And there are many advantages how to attain our end, we must use this, and this meanes, these and these helps that God hath ordained: here must be heavenly wisdome to use the advantages, and to avoid the hindrances. But there are a world of troubles between our end and us, between heaven that is discovered, and us: therefore saith the Apostle, Ye have need of Patience. And patience that is sustained by hope, hope casts anchor in heaven, and assures us of happinesse there, and then patience sustains us in whatsoever befalls us in this world. Therefore the Apostle saith not, I lead my life by wisdome, but by grace; by wisdome, as it hath a connexion with all other graces.
Therefore a man that out of hearing of the Word, or reading, &c. hath it discovered, that there is a better way then he takes, and yet notwithstanding hath not love to carry him to it, nor wisdome to remove the impediments, he works not towards his end; there is no grace at all: there is illumination, but it is not sanctified illumination, but a meer common work of the Spirit: because where true wisdome is, there is love, and patience, and hope, and all other graces to carry the whole soul to that happinesse that is discovered.
Therefore by this you may know a gracious wise man, he works to his end alwayes: another man heares and wishes, Oh, it were well if I could attain heaven: but carnal policy, and base affections hold him in a beastly course of life, that he works not to that end: onelyonly he hears such things, and thinks God will be merciful, and Christ hath dyed, and when he cannot enjoy the world longer, he will have good words that way: but that will not serve the turn, a man must lead a life in grace, that will dye, and be saved by grace; he must work, and carry the whole man with it: and not onelyonly have knowledge, but faith, and love, and all, a man must work with it.
Who is a wise man in outward matters? is he a wise man that only talks of States matters, out of Books he hath read? No, but he that when he comes to a businesse to negotiate in the world, can remove hindrances, and attain his end, and overthrow the plots of his enemies when it comes to particular actions: here is a wise man, that can attain his end by working; that doth work to his end till he have attained it. So he proves graciously wise in Religion that works to his end; or else he is a foolish man, a foolish builder. As Christ saith, If ye know these things, and do them not; you are as a man that builds on the sands, your profession will come to nothing.
Again, a man may know that he is guided by Grace, that he doth every Sign 7. When a man provides for his best good.thing by gracious wisdome, when he doth provide for himself best in the best things, out of a sanctified judgment, when he doth judge aright of differences: when he considers that there is a difference between the soul and the body; between this life and eternal life: there is a main difference between the glorious eternal life in the world to come, and this fading life which the soul communicates to the body in this world; when a man judgeth the difference between true riches, and these things that we are so set upon, that are but lent us for a little while. When he judgeth between the true honour to be the Child of God, and the fading honours of this world that shall lye down in the dust with us, and shall all depart and be gone, it appears then he hath a sanctified judgment, he discerns of things that differ.
And according to this, (if he lead his life in gracious wisdome) he makes his provision; he makes his provision as his judgment leads him: his judgment leads him to the best things, therefore he provides for the best things. As Christ saith of the Children of this world, they are wise in their courses, in their Generation: they provide against beggery, they make friends beforehand, as we see in that unjust steward. So a Christian provides for his soul, he looks to that, he makes him friends of his unrighteous Mammon: he makes him friends of his earthly things, that is, he doth deserve well of men that they pray for him, and so help him to heaven. He daily makes his account ready, he cuts off impediments that he meets with in the way, he troubles not himself with impertinencies, he spends not more time then needs about worldly things: he useth them as they may help his work to be better and better in grace, to be fitter and fitter for glory. As he discerneth differences, so he makes his provision answerable: he provides for the best in the first place. Or else he were a foolish Merchant, a foolish builder, a foolish man every way; the Scripture saith he is no better that cannot discern the difference, and provide well for himself when other things fail.
The Scripture doth well call wicked men fooles, they have no judgement, they do not provide for themselves: they prefer these things (say what they will) before better things: they are fooles in their provision. Achitophel, he made provision, he set his house in order, and what became of him after? he hanged himself. He made much provision for the world, and at last he knew not how to forecast and provide for his soul. The Scripture calls the rich man in the Gospel, a fool: he was wise enough to contrive for himself, yet he was but a rich fool. The fool, as the Wise man saith, knowes not the way to the City: so a wicked man he knowes not the way to heaven, he discerns not the difference, he provides not, he knowes not the way thither, he cannot do one thing that is gracious, not one action that may further his account.
I might be very large in the point; it is profitable, because we do infinitely deceive our selves in that point, which is of more consequence then the whole world: for the man is, as the rule that he is led by is; carnall men are led by carnal rules; gracious, and holy men guide their lives by heavenly wisdome, by a gracious rule.
Now if you find your selves defective (for a good Christian may be defective in this: but if he have hearkned to carnal wisdome, if he have forgotten himself, if he have troubled himself too much about the world, he will come to his Centre again, he will come to his old way again, he will not be long out of it: his way and course is by grace. Sometimes he may have a policy that is not good, as David had, yet his way is gracious. I say, if you find your selves defective) I will shew some helps how we may guide our selves, not by fleshly wisdome, but by the Grace of God; that is, by gracious wisdome, by the Spirit.
Now the Spirit leads us not immediately, but works Graces in us, and stirres up those Graces in us. The Spirit guides a godly man, by working grace in him by making him better, by using those graces in him. Sometimes the Spirit of God moves a wicked man, but it makes him not better; he puts conceits into his head, and makes him do that which otherwise he would not: but he is not bettered. The Spirit guides a good man by making him better, he works a gracious disposition, a gracious bent in him, that his judgment concurres with Gods, his affections concur with the holy Spirit, and make him holy and pure. There is a disposition wrought in a good man like to the Spirit that sanctifies him, and like to the disposition of Christ to whose Image he is renewed.
Now that we may guide our lives by the Spirit working in us spirituall and gracious wisdome.
First of all, consider what I said before of fleshly wisdome: there are none but they have one of these two guides, either the flesh, and by consequent the divell: for the divell dwells in our carnall reason, that is his Fort, that is his Tower, his Castle. Carnall, fleshly Imagination is the Divells forge, there he workes all his tooles, all his Instruments: For the Divell workes not so much immediately, as by carnall men that are led with him.
Our wit and policie, and carnall wisdome, it is the shop, the forge of the divell wherein he works all his mischief to overthow us. It is the Help.Divells Worke-house where he engins with all his tooles and Instruments.
Then considering that there are but two guides; the flesh, the world, and Satan (which alway go together in one) or Gods Spirit and Grace; 1. Submit all to the Spirit of Grace.let us be willing to submit our thoughts and desires, to submit our projects and our aimes and all to the Spirit of Grace: submit to the Word of grace, and to the motions of the Word: the Word of God having the Spirit of God accompanying of it, the Word of grace accompanied by the Spirit of Grace, is forcible as the Apostle saith, 1. Cor, 10. It beates down strong holds, strong Imaginations. Satan fortifies himself in strong holds, as the Scripture calls them, in high thoughts, working discoursive thoughts. Now when we come to hear the Word which teacheth the simple, sincere truth of God, that teacheth us how we should be saved, and how we should guide our lives: if we will be guided by grace, if we will yield to Gods simple truth, let him erect a throne in us, let us lay down all. When we come to hear the Word, let us think, I come to hear the wisdome of heaven it self, I come to hear that Word that shall make me wise to salvation: I will not entertain projects. I will not entertain a wisdom that is contrary to it; when they rise in my soule contrary to the direction of the Spirit, and of the Word, down they shall, I will not owne them: this is the wisdome of a man that intends to make grace his rule.
Now a carnal hearer, a carnall reader, a common Christian, he brings his naughty proud heart, he brings his high conceits to the hearing and reading of the Word, he comes as a Censurer, as a Judge, he comes to talk of what was said in this passage, and in that passage, he comes not as to hear God speak in his Ordinance, he comes not as a humble man: he comes not to hear it as the Ordinance of God with reverence, and that makes him come and go out again as a beast. As the beasts that went our of Noah's Ark, they went out as they came in: so many come into the Church and go out again as beasts, they go our worse then they came in: because they bring not hearts to submit themselves to God and to his Word: O, a spirit of subjection, it is a blessed thing.
Self-denyall is some help to this, be content in the guiding of your common Self-denyal.life, and in the guiding your way to salvation to be no wiser then Gods Spirit, and Gods Word will make you, to have no will nor no wisdome contrary to his will and wisdome: but you will live as men that have nothing of their own, nothing different from God; no distinct will, no contrary will, and wit to God, but you will let God take the guidance of you himself: and whom he guides must needs come to a happie end, as the Psalmist saith excellent well, Th… wilt guide me by thy counsell, and after bring me to glorie. Those that submit themselves to be guided by Gods counsell, he will bring them to glory.
Serviceable to this is that which is pressed every where in the Scripture, … Humility.Humility: God gives Grace to the humble; that is, he gives them not onelyonly forgivenesse of sins, and acceptation to life, but he gives them grace for the regiment of their lives: he gives Grace to the humble. Those that humble their wits to God, (for there is a humiliation of the wit as well as of the affections) that they care not for the depths of Satan, they care not for School-tricks: they care to know nothing but Christ and him crucified, as S. Paul saith. Gods Word is of Power and Majestie enough to save me, I need not bring my wit for my acceptance to God: it is truth that is accepted, not a strong brain to cavil, God gives Grace to the humble. Those that bring their understandings to be led and taught by God, he gives grace to them.
Again, in the third place, If we would have our thoughts guided by counsel, let us have a high esteem of wisdome, above all precious stones 3. High esteem of wisdome.and pearles. Solomon presseth it: have a high estimation of wisdome, of the government of Gods Spirit as the best government. And be out of love with carnal reason, with carnal affections and their guidance: account them as base things, not worthy to come into the esteem of a Christian heart. Those that highly prize wisdome, God will lead them by it: those that sell all for the pearl, shall have it. There must be a high price set on the guidance of Gods Spirit, and on grace, (as indeed it is worthy of it) and then we shall have it.
Again, if we would lead our lives according to spiritual and heavenly wisdome, according to grace, and gracious wisdome; let us learn, as it is, 4. To acquaint our selves with God.Job 22. to be more and more acquainted with God by prayer: for grace comes not from within us. Grace is in Christ as in the root, as in the spring, as in the Sun; we have it but as the beam, as the stream: therefore let us learn to be acquainted with God, and with Christ by prayer and meditation, and search into his Word by reading, and by hearing him speak to us, and let us often speak to him.
Let us acquaint our selves with him by prayer, and by hearing his Word, and then we shall have his grace to guide us. For grace is a fruit of his peculiar love; he gives grace to his own peculiar people. How do you think, shall he have a peculiar delight in us, if we labour not to be more and more acquainted with him? by often speaking to him, by often hearing of him, by coming into his presence, and attending as much as we can upon his holy Ordinances, by conversing as much as we can in the holy things of God. Those that will be warm, they come under the beams of the Sun: those that would have the Spirit work effectually, they must come where the Spirit is effectual, where the Spirit works. Now the Spirit is effectual in the Word preached: the Spirit fell upon Cornelius and the rest when they were hearing of S. Peter. And the Spirit is where there is conversing in good company; Where two or three are met together, I will be in the middest of them, saith Christ. If we walk with the wise, we shall be wiser.
It must be the heavenly wisdome of a Christian, if he would lead his life by grace, to attend upon all the meanes of grace: because the Spirit of God is effectual by his own means, he works by his own means; therefore use the meanes that the Spirit hath sanctified for the working of grace. I do wonder at a company of vain sottish creatures, that carry themselves according to their vain conceits, according to the whirling of their own brain, in toyes and baubles that come into their heads; they care not for the hearing of Gods blessed truth: either they abstain altogether, or else they hear it carelesly, as if it were a thing that concerned them not: Oh, but those that will lead their lives by grace, they come to it by the Spirit, and the Spirit is onelyonly effectual in holy Ordinances. It must be our wisdome therefore to bring our selves under some meanes or other, that the Spirit may be effectual.
The wisest, and the best men in the world are no longer gracious then they are wise this way: if they neglect good company, good acquaintance, if they neglect the hearing of the Word, if they neglect prayer, they will grow dead, and dull, and carnal-minded; they will be possessed with base thoughts. How do men differ one from another? not so much by any habitual grace that is in them, as by avoiding all that might prejudice them in a Christian course, and by using all means whereby the Spirit of God may be effectual.
Again, the way ro be under the grace of Gods Spirit is often to meditate 5. To meditate on the free love and Grace of God.of the grace of God, the free love of God in Jesus Christ: for so it comes first. The first grace of all is Gods free love in the forgiving of our sins, and accepting us to life everlasting, and then he doth alter and change our natures more and more, he transforms us more and more: when we find therefore any defect of grace in our hearts, when we find coldnesse, and deadnesse, and dulnesse, go to the first fire, to the first Sun, to the free grace of God in Christ, pardoning all our sins, and accepting us to life everlasting, and promising us grace to lead our lives in the mean time. If you have fallen into any sin by the temptation of Satan, or your own weaknesse, beg not first grace to alter your course, to sanctifie your life; but renew every day your interest in the first grace, in the forgivenesse of sins, and your acceptation to everlasting life. For till God have pardoned your sinnes, and have witnessed to your soules that you stand reconciled, he will not give the best fruit of reconciliation, which is grace.
Therefore every day examine your lives, if you have offended God, in what termes you stand with God, and if you stand in ill termes, that there is any sin against conscience, the best way is not presently to amend that: for that will not be, except the heart be warmed with Gods love and favour in the pardon of your sins first, and in the acceptation of you in Christ notwithstanding your sins: as, he justifieth us every day, not onelyonly in the first act of conversion, but daily, he acquits our consciences daily from our sins: and therefore in the Lords Prayer, Christ teacheth us every day to say, Forgive us our sins. And then after forgivenesse of sins, to beg the particular graces for our lives that we want. I would this were better thought on.
Challenge likewise the Covenant of grace, we have a promise of all 6. Challenge the Covenant of Grace.grace; and the spring of all grace. We have a Promise of Love, God will teach us to Love one another. We have a promise of Fear, he hath promised, that He will put his fear into our hearts that we shall never depart from him. We have a promise of the holy Spirit, Let us challenge these Promises every day. So much for the Directions how to lead our lives by Grace.
But by the Grace of God.
Saint Paul here makes it the ground of his rejoycing, that he led not his life by fleshly wisdome, but in simplicity and sincerity, and by the Grace of God; and all that are led by S. Paul's spirit, live thus.
There is a Religion in the world that bears it self very big, on high terms, of Universality, Succession, Antiquity, &c. and they will have it thought to be a spiritual, and holy Religion. Well, if a man be a carnal man that is led with fleshly wisdome, and not by the grace of God, that Religion must needs be a naughty Religion, that hath onelyonly the support and the foundation of it in fleshly wisdome, which is an enemy, and opposite to the grace of God, and to simplicity and sincerity.
But Popery is this; Take it in the regiment, and goverment of it: Take it in the worship: Take it in the opinions, you may draw all to one of those Popery founded on carnal wisdome.three heads.
For the government of it: There is a wisdome, a wondrous wisdome, a fine subordination to one Head, the Pope, to hear all controversies, and 1. In the Government.under him the Cardinals, and under them the Generals, and all at Rome; and they have th eir Provincials under them: here is a wondrous fine subordination: butall this is by fleshly wisdome. For this beast riset out of the earth, and out of the Sea, out of the Tumult of the people, out of base earthly respects. Therefore it is said in the Revelation; when the Bishop of Rome became Pope, and was at the highest, that a Star fell: he fell when he rose: when he was at the highest, he was at the lowest; why? because his rising was carnal, and earthly: or lower if you will, it was hellish, and devillish.
Their government is opposite to Christs Government, and being so, it must needs be mightily opposed by him again: and therefore it must needs down, the fabrick of it being opposite to the frame of Christs Government; though it be wondrous witty. Therefore in the Revelation, 666. is the Number of a man. If you mark the frame of the Romish policy, it is wondrous accurate, it goes smoothly, by tens, and by hundreds, 666. This Babylon is the number of a man; a fine policy: but it is but the number of a man, it is the device of carnal wisdome it self: therefore it is divellish wisdome. Thus it is in the government of it.
And their Worship is according to the wisdome of the flesh: some wisdome there is in not going to God immediately, but by Saints and Angels. 2. In their Worship.What! is it not wisdome in the Princes Court, first to go to the Favourite, and by him to the Prince? So, is it not wisdome not to go directly to God▪ it is bold rashnesse to come immediately to God, but by Saints and Angels: This is the wisdome of a man, this is the wisdome of the flesh, Colos. 2. this is carnal wisdome, it is opposite against the truth.
Doth not Christ bid us come all to him? do Angels love us better then he? Is not he the great Favourite of heaven? I will not enter into controversie, but onelyonly shew how they work by fleshly wisdome. Here is wisdome, when we cannot raise our selves up to God, to bring him down to us. As in the Sacrament, they shew carnal wisdome, Oh, it is a fine thing, that Christs body and ours should be joyned together; it seemes to be a fine point, that Christ should be hid in the bread, &c. But here is no spiritual wisdome.
The union that the Scripture speaks of is by faith, ascending into heaven, laying hold on Christ there: and going back to the crosse, and seeing Christ crucified there, and so he is meat indeed, and drink indeed, as we see him crucified, and satisfying Gods wrath for us, for our sins.
And so again, is it not a pretty wisdome to draw men by pictures, and likenesses? are not men delighted with the Images of their friends and of their parents? and therefore is it not a good religious policy to have pictures of Christ, and pictures of God the Father? Here is wisdome correspondent to the dealing and affaires of men, but all this is fleshly wisdome. The Scripture speaks mightily against making of Images, the Word of God is directly against it: this is fleshly wisdome: Grace doth not rule here.
So, that the soules when they go out of this world being very unclean, that they should be purged, that there should be some satisfaction, some Purgatory, &c. here seems to be wisdome: but wherefore serves the blood of Christ then? that is the onelyonly Purgatory that purgeth from all sins, mortall sins, venial sins, all sins.
Again, is it not a seeming wisdome to come to heaven by our own works, by our own merits, that so we may set the people on to good works? or else we dull their spirits, and endeavours. I but this is fleshly wisdome, this is devillish wit, and so it will prove in the end: for the Scripture goes onelyonly to Christ, onelyonly Christ. We are saved by faith, onelyonly by Christ. I will not enter into the point, I onelyonly shew you what a seeming wisdome they have, but it is not heavenly, but meerly carnal.
And that their Religion is carnal, do but consider that all the points 3. Opinions:wherein they differ from us, may be resolved either to belly-policy, or to State-policy: either to ambition, and riches, or the belly. Wherefore is their Monarchy, all their great preferments, but to increase their ambition? Wherefore are their pardons, and indulgences, but to get money basely, as some of their own Writers confesse? And their Purgatory, &c. these things be for carnal ends: it is a Religion fitted for their own ends. They make what they list to serve them; Religion, Nature, Reason, Conscience, whatsoever is good, they make all stoop to interest their own cause in. Their orders, that is, their spiritual good, must be their advancement, it is but a colour put uponcarnal ends. The spiritual good is their own advancement, they aime at their own peculiar interest in all their villainies: As if God stood in need of our lie; as if Gods glory were advanced by the Devil.
As well their Government as their Religion is lies, it is defended by lies, by equivocation, and rebellion, by withdrawing the allegiance of Subjects, and murthering of Princes: Lawes, and Religion, and all must stoop to their wisdome, under pretence of bonum spirituale. These things are known. I do but touch them, to breed a deeper hatred of this Religion which is altogether fleshly and carnal. And so far as they are led by carnal wisdome, they are not led by the grace of God. Wherefore is their lying for advantage? their dispensations, and horrible allowing of any thing? is it not meerly carnal wisdome?
In a word, their Religion is meerly policy, if it be not too good a word for it; it is meerly carnall policy, it came not from heaven but from the bottomlesse pit.
Then they fell from heaven when they grew to their highest, when they were in their top. This I thought good to touch collaterally from the Text, which doth characterize a true Christian indeed in his temper, that he is joyful when he is as he should be; and the ground of it is from a good conscience; and that good conscience ariseth out of a course of life and conversation led in simplicity and sincerity to God. (For Religion hath majesty enough in it self, without far fetches and devices.) And the principle from whence, By the grace of God; in the evidence of the Spirit, and not according to fleshly, and carnal wisdome.
In a word therefore, labour that from the evidence of the Spirit, having your soules sanctified by the Spirit, you may reflect on your selves, and look into your lives, and say truly, as S. Paul doth here; My care in my course of life and conversation hath been in Simplicity, I have cast my self upon God and his government, and not looked to the world: and in sincerity I have aimed at God in all things, I have had no false, and by aimes, I have not spared even my life by any carnal end. I have not served my self either in Religion, or in my course of life, but I have laboured to serve God in serving my brethren, and have led my life by the grace of God, and by the Word of grace, which I laboured to know that I might follow. Let us be able in some measure, in truth to say thus. And then we may say further with S. Paul, That this is our rejoycing, the testimony of our conscience; We shall never want joy. And then let the world judge of us as it will, there is such a strength and power, such a prerogative, and majesty in Christian comfort, when a man can (as I said) reflect thus on himself, that though in a weak measure, yet in truth, his conversation and course of life hath been (though his slidings have been something) in simplicity, and sincerity, that nothing can daunt it in this world.
It is above all discouragement, above all eclipse of good name, the testimony of Conscience, which hath Gods testimony with it.
The witnesse of two is a strong witnesse: the witnesse of God, and conscience it will so settle our soules, that neither ill reports nor any usage in the world shall daunt us: we shall have comfort in all the passages of our lives be they what they will. Whereas other men that lead not their lives in a constant course of holy simplicity and sincerity, they are as the Prophet saith, like the leaves of the Forrest, shaken with every alteration, with every rumour of ill newes. But a sound Christian in the worst alteration, there may be combustions, there may be alteration of State, yet his heart is fixed, he is not moved.
Likewise, in the hour of death he can say with Hezekias, Thou knowest, Lord, I have led my life in simplicity, that I have served thee with a perfect heart; that is, in sincerity. I have desired, and endeavoured to grow better; which is all the perfection we have in this world: sincerity witnessed by growth, and strength against the contrary, this will comfort us in all the alterations, and changes in this world, (which is as a Sea, full of trouble,) and at the hour of death likewise, and at the day of Judgment; this is that onelyonly that will make us able to look Christ in the face.
Truth hath a Divinity in it (this simplicity and sincerity) more then any earthly thing; it hath that in it that is real, and spiritual.
A man that hath the Grace of God in the truth of it, there is a great deal of majestie in it. There is the greatest majestie in heavenly things when they appear most simple, because of their excellency. There is some thing of Gods in sincerity: so much as a man hath in truth, so much of Gods: He partakes of the Divine nature, as S. Peter saith, so much as he hath in truth, though it be never so little: and being a branch of God, it will make him look upon God in the day of Judgment. Why? because he knowes he is in the Covenant of Grace, that he hath title to heaven by Christ.
When a mans conscience can tell him that he hath led his life, not by carnal wisdome, but in the truth of Grace, it will make him out-look Satan, and all the troubles of the world, and look unto Christ with comfort. Who would not be in such a state? Thus we see a Christian leads his life, Not in fleshly wisdome, but by the Grace of God. I will adde one thing more, and so finish the verse.
We may see hence, That the most Religious men are the best Statesmen.Best Statesmen, who.
I know, proud carnall Machivillian dispositions make a scorn at these positions, they think them to be austere, and poor principles, till they come to death: As that Wretch said himself when he came to dye, That he had provided for all things but for death: but while they are in their ruffe, they think they can manage States, and do all. When indeed they bring the vengeance of God upon their own persons, and upon the State they live in: For God is neither in them, nor with them. He is not in them: for they want Grace, they are led by carnall wisdome altogether. And he is not with them: God will not give them good successe, unlesse it be to increase their Judgement. He will not give good successe to those projects that they take up contrary to his rule.
Therefore those that will be guided by reasons of Religion, and submit themselves to the guidance of Gods blessed Spirit, they are best for the state of their own soules, and best for the publick estate. For, doth not God know the mysteries of State better then any man? Is not he a better Politician then any Achitophel in the world. If they have any State-policy that is worth the naming, is it not from him? Is it not a beam from that Sunne? Yes, why then who is the better? (the difference of parts excepted,) but take them alike, a gracious man, and another that is not so: let the one fetch his counsel from hell, from darknesse, and the other be ruled by reasons of conscience, and Religion, there is no comparison.
God will crosse and curse their projects that are for their own ends, both in themselves, and in the State too.
As for the other that are under Grace, and the government of Grace, God will be wise in them by his Spirit, and he will be wise for them, Psal. 1. Whatsoever a good man doth, it shall prosper: it is a large promise. How wondrous happy, and wise were the Children of Israel when they kept the Covenant of God? This is your wisdome, to keep the Commandements of God, Deuteron. 4. and their wisdome made them happy. How happy were they in David's time, who made the Statutes of God, the Man of his Counsel? How happy was the State in Solomons time? till Solomon did warp, and bend to Carnall counsell, to strengthen himself? How happy was his Government till that time? but never after that; they were environed with enemies round about: but alas, who could hurt the people of God, so long as they submitted themselves to the government of grace? they were alway happy.
Therefore it is an idle thing to suppose that there will be any good successe by carnal projects: no, the onelyonly good States-man is the religious man. And it was never better with the Church of God before or since the time of Christ, then when those were in the stern. Do but think of this oft, as S. Jude saith, God onelyonly wise: we must all of us light our candle at that fire.
All wisdome, even this poor spark of reason, that God enlightneth every man that comes into the world withall, it comes from Christ Jesus: In him are all the treasures of wisdome, God, and God-man, onelyonly wise. There is no wisdome without him, therefore let us submit our selves to his Government; let us pray to him, and seek for wisdome of him in all things. But I go on to the next Verse.