The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 15 – Chapter 18
CHAP. XV. Shevving what great cauſe of Thankfulneſs vve ovve to God for preſerving from this ſin.
2. EXhortation. Bleſs God for Preſervation from this great ſin. Have yee been kept within 2 Bleſſe God for preſervation from this ſin.the hedge and confinements of Gods fear in an holy awe of his Goodneſſe, and improvement of his Grace…, know, and praiſe the ſpring of your ſufficiencie, the God of grace. Mygrace is ſufficient for thee to keep thee, was Gods Sufficit ei a… cuflodiam. Pariſienfis.Encouragement, Pauls experience, and ground of doxology, when under Nero's Perſecution he was reſcued from fleſhly wantonneſſe, that fears affliction, and declines duty, and though left alone, like a ſtout champion among his enemyes, he ſtood to ſuffering becauſe God ſtood by him, 2 Tim. 4. 16, 17. The ſenſe whereof made him to beleeve he ſhould break through all the dangers of ſins, perſecutions, and devils, and ſafely arrive in glory, 2 Tim. 4. 17, 18. and made him to reſent it with praiſe, to whom be glory forever and ever. So for his Romans preſerved by grace, he ſaid, Thanks be to God, ye that were ſinnes ſervants, are Gods, Rom. 6. 7. ye have paid hearty ſervice to him, as ye did to your luſts. Surely when ſo many goe to Hel with Armaturam virtutum. Pa…iſienſis.the abuſed notions and profeſſions of Goſpel grace: what rare mercy is it to be the preſerved in Jeſus Chriſt, from the ruining ſnares Satan layes in heavenly things. Upon a double account bleſſe God.
1. That his grace within hath kept you. Inherent graces are the ſoules Armour. It is mercy to be girt with them, it is another to have the skil to uſe them: It is further grace to make them Armour of proof, ſuccesful defence againſt the worlds taking, deſtructive temptations.
2. That his power without hath kept this grace. 'Tis mutable, finite, a creature, and may change to loſſe. If God leaves it, it dies. Fooliſh man may, and will leave it too, if God leave it and him. As the child by the faithleſſe, careleſſe Nurſe may ſtarve, ſo through carnal neglects, diſuſe, pride, ſhould God ſtand off it would periſh: Beſides, Luſt and Satan would ſtill ſtab it at the heart. Behold a ſpiritual wonder, a wonder, in heaven, the heaven of the kingdom of grace, that grace by the mighty power of God ſtands invincible, immortal, in the midſt of all the ſhot, it's enemies make againſt it. To ſpirituall underſtanding divine power is glorious, that upholds brittle grace, as to natural reaſon, it is illuſtrious in upholding frail nature.
CHAP. XVI. Containing an Exhortation. that foules ſhould alvvaies be jealous of this ſinne.
3. BE alwaies ſuſpitious of this ſin. 3 Be alwaies ſuſpitious of this ſin. Lenociniae carnis ſatanae Lenones. Calr.It is with wanton corruption as with a looſe ſervant, they both call for a jealous eye. What temptations have been, may be, yea will be as occaſions renew to take liberty. The allurements of the fleſh are numerous and prevalent. The Devil wants not his Pandors and Factors to ſollicite and ripen filthy converſation, and ſecret impuritie with the Goſpels leave. As he is happy that fears ſin alwaies, Prov. 28. 14. ſo as for this ſcarlet ſin, the blaſphemy of Grace, and infamy to the Goſpel, heart, and life wantonneſs. He is more waies happy than one, that fears it alwaies: He is happy in a conſtant, filial reverence, that doth nothing unbeſeeming his Fathers name. Happy in the glorious teſtimony of ſinceritie: happy in an innocent indemnity, and ſecuritie from others hypocriſies and apoſtaſ…es: happy in the lively exerciſe of Grace: happy in ſweet daily communion with God. Paul, that bleſſed man, ful of piety, and jealouſie of ſin, that was afraid leſt his Corinthians eſpouſed to Chriſt ſhould have corrupt, wanton glances to looſe errours, 1 Cor. 11. 2, 3. and leave the purity and ſimplicitie of the Goſpel, for impure principles and practiſes, was very jealous of his own heart. As he could, and did approve his blameleſs walking to, and before others, ſo to and before God. He preached and lived as in the ſight of God: Knew the true Chriſtian is he whoſe praiſe is of God, a rare preſident. Carnal intereſt is jealous, and ſo is ſpiritual. Learn daily godly jealouſie over thy looſe heart. When thy ſevere eye is off from it, it wil dare to be licentious. Oh the ſad liberty the impudent old man boldly takes! Where the inward diſcipline of a ſtrict eye is neglected, and the judgings, checks, and laſhings of the conſcience are ſuſpended, be jealous to God of the boſom traytor to thy ſelf, leſt God be offended, the Goſpel be abuſed, and the ſoul be damnified.
CHAP. XVII. Containing an Exhortation to long for a riddance from this ſin.
BE much in longing, O Chriſtian! for a perpetual deliverance from this ſin; ſome of this leaven 4 Be much in longing for a deliverance from this ſin.will infect the pureſt maſs. The ſtricteſt Chriſtian off his watch is in ſom things looſe. The pure eyes of God ſee every impure ſecret glance. The inward and outward eyes are ſometimes carnally or ſpiritually adulterous, or both. The pureſt garments in the worlds dirty Lanes are ſpotted. When divine Light ſhews Goſpel abuſing pollutions in gracious ſpirits, how vile, how loathſome are they? Then wo is me, I am a man of uncleane lips, the looſe meſſengers of a filthy heart. O that I were rid of this filthy body of ſin. The captive exile longs for his enlargement: the weary traveller for his Inne; the ſtorm-ſcar'd, ſeaſick Paſſenger for his Harbour, and the afflicted Chriſtian under his unkindneſſes to Grace for a deliverance. 'Tis good when the wanton fleſh wrongs covenant mercies, to ſay of a deliverance from it, as Jeremiah of the Jews repentance, when ſhall it once be? Jer. 13. 27. When ſhall it once be, that impure luſts ſhall never wrong the kiſſes of Love? They that have the firſt fruits of the Spirit, ſhould be ſtil longing and groaning for their eternal, holy, happy harveſt. Pure heart-longings ſhould be like the Harts pantings. The hunting, trembling creature hath an enflamed appetite after refreſhing water; tempted ſoules are, or ſhould be longing after pure communion with the bleſſed God. Ingenuous afflicting ſenſe of corrupting the beſt things, the ſmiles, the compaſſions, the love tokens, the promiſes of God, by the looſe fleſh, ſhould beger doleful complaints of preſent pollutions and imperfections. I know, beleever, it troubles thy precious tender ſpirit, when thou ſeeſt thy unkindneſſes to thy deareſt Friend, the Lord Jeſus. Be longing and breathing after a purer heart As Siſera's Mother ſaid, VVhy tarry the wheeles of his chariot? Judg. 5. 28. So in thy devout re…itements ſay, why tarry the wholly prevailing motions to heavenly perfection? Oh that they were like the Chariots of Aminadab! When ſhall I ſee and never aſperſe again the face of my dear Lord with carnal indignities? Love longs for its beloved. There is much grace in much, and ſorrowfull longing for more.
CHAP. XVIII. Containing an Exhortation to Joy in the Hope of Glory.
5. OE much upright, Chriſtian! in the hope of glory. 5 Be much upright in the hope of glory.The Goſpel eternal rewards of the next life, wil be eternal ſecurity againſt the wrongs of grace. Glory wil not admit throughout eternity the leaſt imaginable minute of under-prizing, of idle contemplating, of diſ-affecting precious grace, it and its Author, it and its Mediator, it and its Meſſenger, it and its golden Ciſterns that conveighed it, ſhall have their high account. It ſhall have no obſtructive creatures, whoriſh luſts, wily devils to wrong it. It ſhall have no glut in its glorious exerciſe. Its uſe ſhall be the Whetſſone of uſe. Its delight ſhall ſet a keen edge upon the Spirit ſtill to delight in it. It ſhall never be made an Advocate to ſpeak for the leaſt ſinne. You ſpiritual ſonnes and daughters of Zion, did the hope of Babylons Captives in the civil graves of their bondage rejoice them, that they ſhould ariſe and come with ſinging to Zion? be you ever ſipping through Goſpel faith and hope out of the cup of everlaſting conſolation, that though at the preſent you are captives of your looſe fleſh, yet you ſhall with everlaſting joy come to your heavenly Zion.