The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Shewing the Difference between wronging the Grace of God in the regenerate and unregenerate.
CAution is touching the difference betweene the Cant. 3. Touching the difference between the wronging of Gods Grace in the Regenerate and unregeneratewronging of Gods grace in the regenerate and unregenerate think not that the ſpot of Godschildren and the Devils is alike, as the ſame diſeaſe is in ſeverall perſons, b… not in the ſame manner, degree, and event, ſo the ſame ſinne, Abuſe of Grace, is exceedingly divertified in gracious and ungodly perſons: the difference lyes in five things.
SECT. 1.
1. DIfference, The Abuſe of Gods Grace in a child of God 1. Sect. The abuſe of Gods grace in a child of God is from the regenerate part.is only from the unregenerate part, that is kept under by the prevailing dominion of grace, ſo that though the corrupt part make ſuddaine, frequent, and ſad captivating, ſpoiling invaſions, as a Tyrant, yet it reignes not as a King. Indeed carnall Luſt in a gracious Soule, with vehement hoſtility and fury doth ſet upon the law of God and the pious will, in which reſpect the foreignApoſtle giveth it two titles, calling its Tyranicall Government a Rebelling and captivating Law, Rom. 7. 23. Whereby its fierce rage and hot aſſaults are expreſſed, yet in the ſame ſoule dwelleth as well a King as a Tyrant; and as a Puiſſant King, often beats down, and at length quite ruines the forces of a Tyrant, ſo doth the ſweet and mighty government of grace, keep under, weaken, and in concluſion quite deſtroy the Tyranny of Corruption. The Denomination followeth the better part, Ye are under Grace, Rom. 6. 14. Tis ſpoken of the holy Romans, who yet had the onſets and reliques of ſin, becauſe the Abuſe of grace is not the offſpring of grace but ſin, the humble chriſtian injurious to Gods grace, may ſay with the Apoſtle, Not I, but ſin that dwells in me, Aſſerit ſe non id facere quod non totus id ſaciat. Pius quantū vis labitur tamen ex animo legem Dei non violat. Pet. Mart. Securitas in gradibusexcellentibus eſt impiorum: In gradibus remiſtis timoris dei quaedam remiſſio cadit in fillios Dei. Sancti concupiſcentur, vim experiuntur, carnates vero pe… illam tot… rotantur. Sub Satana principatu totum naturam occupat coruptio. Calv.Rom. 7. 17. Paul ſaid, not he, becauſe not wholy he, ſayd one, we may ſay not cheife he, as he was gracious, and grace was commander in cheife, he ſinned not ſo againſt God, but as corruption was in him like a lurking ſecret, traytor in a garriſon. But the Abuſe of grace in a child of the Devill, is from totall unregeneracy, the full Raign of corruption grace, hath no part in him to enter a Proteſt, and to oppoſe the wrongs of grace, the whole man freely and fully reſignes up the keyes to looſe wanton luſts, the agreement is full like a Kingdomes, where the King and Subjects are all of a mind, the wholy carnall yeild their Members ſervants to uncleanneſſe and iniquity, Rom. 6. 19. Yea their hearts, They ſet their heart on their iniquity, Hoſ. 4. 8. Their heart is fully ſet to do evill, Eccleſ. 8. 12. Full of evill, Eccl. 9. 7. Why hath Satan filled thy heart? Act. 5. 3. The whole world lyes in wickedneſſe, 1 Joh. 5. 19. It is in ſpirituall as in corporall diſeaſes: One mans ſickneſſe is from the blood in part corrupt, when the main maſſe is pure, anothers ſickneſſe is from the blood wholy corrupt, when the whole Maſſe is infected. A child of God hath this diſeaſe of wronging grace from a corrupt part, when the main is ſound, achild of the Devill wrongs grace, wholy corrupt heart, when the whole Maſſe is defiled.
SECT. 2.
2. DIfference. A gracious man abuſeth grace, and is deeply 2 Though a gracious man abuſe grace, yet he is deeply humbled for it.humbled for it. David, Hezekiah, Peter abuſed it, and it coſt them bitter mourning and tears. A graceleſſe perſon wrongs grace, and is hardened in it, grieves not for it, Jer. 5. 3. It troubles him not, though he ſin freely and fully upon the ſcore of grace. It is in this caſe as it is with two children; one is a towardly melting child, that hath wronged his dear Parents, and being convinced of it, thus cries out; O wretch that I was, what have I done? I have abuſed my dear Father, that hath cared for me, maintained me, brought me me up, inſtructed me with tears. Ah vile creature! I wronged my Mother, my dear Mother that bare me, that travelled in pains for me, that mourned over me, that had bowels yearning on mee, that thought nothing too much for me. Another child, croſſe, ſtubborn, careleſs, wrongs his Parents, knowsit, but without a ſigh, a tear, never layes it to heart. So it is with a ſoft-hearted, melting ſpirited child of God, he looks over all the Indignities and Indecencies againſt his deare Lord, with a loaden heart and weeping eyes: But a rocky, Adamantine child of the Devil loads the Lord with dayly abuſes, and mournes not under it.
SECT. 3.
3. DIfference. A ſervant of God that wrongs grace, watcheth 3 A child of God watcheth over his heart.his heart, Luke 11. 37. is the happy one that is found watching, he hath his eyes in his head to ſee the like dangers, Eccleſ. 2. 14. and prevent them. But a ſervant of ſinne abuſeth grace, and his reigning luſts may doe it as often as they pleaſe, he notes it not, nor cares to doe it. Sleep not as doe others, but watch and be ſober, 1 Theſ. 5. 6. Strongly implying the ſervants Inebriantur omnis generis concupiſcenti is & in peceatis ſuis abſoporantur. Muſcul.of ſinne are wantons, but like men in a deep ſleep watch it not. The difference is here as in two ſervants; The one over ſaucy, and looſe hath abuſed his loving Maſter, ſeeth his error, watcheth over his heart, leſt he doe ſo again; the other diſreſpectfull, and ſtubbornly wilful, hath once and again wronged his goodneſs, and watcheth not his heart and temptations, but careleſly perſeveres in abuſes. Such is the diſagreement between a ſervant of God and ſin, in the injury of grace.
SECT. 4.
4. DIfference. A Regenerate man abuſeth the grace of God, & doth it leſſe and leſſe. He finds power from grace to 4 A Regenerate man abuſeth grace leſſe and leſs. Manton on Jameshonour grace, more than formerly. The ſpirit luſteth to envy, but he giveth more grace, Jam. 4. 6. So that the renewed Chriſtian is not carried by the old envious ſpirit that dwels in him, but by a more gracious ſpirit given unto him. The old affronts to grace paſſe away, and new reſpects and ſubjections to it are afforded, 2 Cor. 5.
When a real convert by, and to the grace of God, hath ſeen what diſhonours he hath put upon grace, then he ſayes it is ſufficient (yea too much) that I have walked in wantonneſs, luſts, exceſs of ryot, 1 Pet. 4. 3, 4. I dare do ſo no more. Take this as a ſure evidence of the truth of grace. He that is convinced of abuſing it, will get power over it, and be leſs in it. But now an unregenerate man abuſeth the grace of God, and doth it more and more. He that is unjuſt and filthy will be ſo ſtill, Rev. 22. 11. ye will revolt more and more, Iſa. 1. 5. Evil men under the Abuſe of grace will wax worſe and worſe, 2 Tim. 3. 13. and under the form of godlyneſs increaſe the power of wickedneſs, 2 Tim. 3. 5. continue in ſinne becauſe grace abounds, Rom. 6. 1. It is here alſo as it is with two men that abuſe their friends. One doth it, and ſeeth the ungrateful diſingenuitie of it, and mends the fault; another doth it, and loads his dear friend with more diſgraceful inſolencies. So a gracious man wrongs his beſt friend Jeſus Chriſt, and ſayes of his abuſes, as Ephraim of his Idols, what have I to doe any more with them? A graceleſſe Profeſſor wrongs the Lord Jeſus, his owned friend, and multiplyes ſtill ungratefull injuries.
SECT. 5.
5. DIfference. A real Chriſtian wrongs Gods grace, and as 5 A Regenerate repents, and is pardoned.it is repented of, ſo it is pardoned. This iniquity proves not his ruin. There is pardoning grace for the abuſes of pardoning grace. The blood of Chriſt waſhes away beleevers wanton abuſes of the blood of Chriſt. Goſpel grace, like the Sun, blots out the thin and thick clouds of ſin. A pretended Chriſtian wrongs Gods grace, and as he hath no repentance, ſo no pardon. He is not cleanſed by the blood of ſprinkling, that hath been without ceaſing and remorſe, abuſed by a prophane wanton heart and looſe life. The contrary events of Abuſing Gods grace, are like the different iſſue of two Subjects abuſing their King: The one doth it, is humbled for it, accepted, and pardoned; the other doth it, is hardned, rejected and hanged. Be vailed, pardoned Abuſes of grace, hinders not heirs of glory from their eternal Inheritance. Unreformed wrongs of grace in veſſels of wrath, not blotted out by the blood of Chriſt will caſt them into hell.