The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 19
CHAP. XVIII. Containing perſwaſive Motives to take heed that the Grace of God be not abuſed.
To ſtir us up to the holy practiſe of the forementioned Directions and Exhortations, it will not, I hope, be impertinent to lay down ſome preſſing Conſiderations, that may ſpur our dull, lazy ſpirits to the vigorous promoting of this great duty, Exalting the Grace of God, and ſhunning this eminent, and frequent ſin, The wrong of his Grace. Theſe following things, well digeſted, pondered, and fixed on, our ſpirits may urge us profitably. As,
SECT. 1.
1. COnſideration. The Titles given to Holy Profeſſors in ſacred Conſider. 1. The titles given to holy profeſſors ſhould excite us not to abuſe Gods grace.Writ, ſhould excite to uſe all means not to abuſe Gods grace. They are ſtiled, Gods peculiar treaſure, Pſal. 135. 4. His Jewels, Mal. 3. 17. Shall their worthleſs hearts, droſſie lives ſpeak them barren commons, wilderneſſes, pebbles, dunghils, They are Gods Tabernacle, Temple where he placeth his name? Lev. 26. 11, 12. and ſhall they that ſhould bear it up to ſhine gloriouſly in the world, darken it, blaſpheme it, proph…ne it? Amos 2. 7. They are the dearly beloved of his ſoul, Jer. 12. 7. and ſhall their looſe Apoſtaſies provoke him, that his ſoul ſhould have no pleaſure in them? Heb. 10. 38. They are the children of the Kingdom, Mat. 8. 12. and ſhall they carry themſelves like ſuch …ebellious children and ſubjects, as to provoke their angry, …ofeſſed King, the Lord Jeſus to caſt them out? They are Gods vineyard, planted to bring forth ſweet, and ripe grapes, Iſ. 5. ſhall they anſwer Gods care and coſt by the ſowre grapes of ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs? They are a royal Prieſthood, and ſhall they live baſe, abject lives? 1 Pet. 2. 9. They are ſtiled the kingdom of Heaven, Mal. 13. 47. whoſe converſation ſhould be in heaven, Phil. 3. 20. and ſhall they be worldlings in heart and life? They are Chriſts garden, Can. 8. 13. & ſhal they be overrun with rank weeds? They are The Spouſe of Chriſt, Can. 4. 11. and after Eſpouſals to him ſhal they run a whoring from him, Pſ. 73. 27. and cleave to ſtrange loves? They are Labourers, Mat. 20. 1. And ſhal they ſtand idle all the day of grace? Mat. 20: 6. They are Chriſtians, Act. 11. 26. And ſhal they diſhonour Chriſt, And the Chriſtian Name by unchriſtian principles and practiſes.
S…CT. 2.
2. COnſideration, The honour of Chriſtian Liberty, civil freemen 2. The Conſideration of Chriſtian Liberty ſhould prevent the Abuſe of grace.are chary of their Liberties, ſpirituall ones muſt be, and make their dear bought Liberty a plea to duty, not a cloake of maliciouſneſſe, being f…ee from the guilt and reign of ſin, they are De Ju…e, the ſervants of Righteouſneſſe, Rom. 6. 18. …nd as the p…ofeſſed ſervants of Righteouſneſſe, they are free from the dominion of ſin. They are Chriſts freemen to do Gods worke, and ſe…ve him, not their Luſts under Chriſts Livery: what honour hath liberty from the curſe, rigor, damnation of the Law, as a covenant of works? If Freemen by profeſſion are as willing and induſtious flaves by diſpo…tion and practiſe, as if they had heard of the author of Liberty, the infinite price of Libe…ty, the bounds of Liberty, the peace of Liberty, the purity of Liberty, the deſigne of Liberty, which was to impriſon, chain up, and chaſtiſe felonyous Traytors, Rebells, evill thoughts, carnal re…ſonings, perverſe deſires, inordinate …ffections, diſſolute courſes, not to give them the leaſt allowance, latitude, and affection? What honour can this be to Chriſtian liberty, when as huge multitudes of Libertines manage it, Hell is broken looſe under the favour of it, whoſe intendment was to open heaven in a free practiſe of piety, and pardon of be vailed failings, in a free aſſi…an…e by the ſpirit of Libertine, to endeavour to do every part of …ods will, and a free acceptance of imperfect, yet ſincere ſervice? Carnal worldly Liberty ſaith, indulge your …enius, feaſt your ſenſes, deny your ſenſitive appetite in nothing, the pleaſures of this life, are the chiefeſt good, be not a ſlave to ſtraight laced, mopiſh, melancholly rules, exerciſes, and ſociety; but true Chriſtian Liberty ſayes, uſe no unlawfull delights, you deny your ſelf in lawful, be not under the power of Creature ſweeteſt allowances, it counts that part of life moſt ſweet freedome, that in the zeal, purſuit, and affection of ſpirituall delights, can be contented without, and mortified to …eih…y unneceſſary delights. he words of Tertul. are weighty, Delicatus es, O Chriſtiane, ſi in ſaeculo voluptatem concu…iſcis, &c. Quid jucundius quam De… Patris reconciliatis, quam veritatis revelatio, quam errorum recognitio? &c. Quae majorvoluptas, quam faſt idium voluptatis? &c. Hae voluptates, haec ſpec tacula Chriſtianorum, Tertull. De ſpectaculis, pag. 592.Thou art delicate, O Chriſtian, if thou ſeekeſt worldly pleaſure…, yea a fool, if thou accounteſt this pleaſure: what is more pleaſant then Reconciliation with God, then acknowledgment of errors, then pardon of ſin paſt? What is greater pleaſure, then the loathing of pleaſure, the contempt of the whole world, then true liberty, then an upright conſcience, then a life of contentment, then living above the fear of death? theſe are the pleaſures, theſe are the ſpectacles, the rare ſights of Chriſtians, Indeed an holy authority over ſenſuall delights, a vacation and attendance to, and purſuance of ſpiritual pleaſures, do ſpeak the only Free-man in the World: Tis rare to find that mighty Apoſtolicall ſpirit, among profeſſed Chriſtians, not to be under the power of any thing: they uſe not ſpecular delights with Liberty, but ſlavery, not being poſſeſſors of them ſo much, as poſſeſſed by them; not to help, but hinder the ſpiritual Race, not to ſharpen, but dul the edge of holy Devotion, Meditation, and delight in God; not as Ladders of ſcenſion to him, but as Leaden Plummers to pul down the ſoule from him.
SECT. 3.
3. COnſideration, The credit of the Goſpel, how doth the 3. The credit of the Goſpel ſhould ingage us to beware of abuſing the grace of GodSchoole boy honour his Maſter, when hee is a thriving Grammarian, the Pupill his Tutor, when he is a rare proficient in the Liberal arts, and the Beleever his great Teacher Chriſt, when in the Goſpel Schoole he is come to high attainments in the deep and holy practical myſteries of Faith? Tis ſaid of Demetrius, He had a good report of the truth, 3 Epiſt. Joh. v. 12. The goſpel of Salvation the higheſt word of truth, gives a good Report of its ſtrict Profeſſors, when it is ſo powerfull over them, as to make them ſtand in awe of its Luſt-curbing-requiries; when its ſpiritual weapons are mighty through God, to bring every thought to the obedience of Chriſt, to huſh the peeviſh inſurrections of diſcontented imaginations, to curb looſe, inward, filthy motions, to purge out their defilements, to bewaile inward pollutions, to watch them and beat them down, in holy indignation and chaſtity of Spirit, as they riſe up and importune with their flattering inſinuations to Rebellion, and dra…ing aſide from God: When the Goſpel is thus the power of God to holy ſtrictneſſe, it ſpeaks wel of itsreligious obſervers, (ſo taking is its Majeſty) in the minds and mouthes of looſe wicked men, …ho commend ſtrict Goſpellers, yea wiſh ſometimes they were in their caſe. It ſpeakes wel of fellow conſcientious Chriſtians, who are glad to ſee their fellow Travellers in the Road of Chriſtianity, making haſt to their eternal inheritance, their fathers houſe: It ſpeaks wel in the joyous obſervance of the holy Angels who rejoyce in the Teares, Prayers, Strict ſervices of the penitent, it wil ſpeak wel in the Lord Chriſt, who wil be admired in careful and conſcionable Bellevers at the great day, 2 Theſſal. 1. 10. Who have not put off themſelves and others with the words, but ſhined forth the power of the Goſpel, in holy, humble, heavenly, cloſe walking with God, and living up according to the meaſure of Grace, to its injunctions.
SECT. 4.
4. COnſideration, The ſtrict, and heavenly call of Chriſtians: they are called from the Creature to Chriſt; from The ſtrict, high and heavenly call of Chriſtians ſhould keep us from abuſing the grace of God.diſſoluteneſſe to regular life; from lying vanities to the bleſſed realities of Eternity; from the delights of ſenſe to thoſe of faith; from a portion in this life, to an ineſtimable one in God; from the filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit, to the clean paths of holineſs; from the curſed impure life of Devils, to the holy Angels converſation. Great ſpirits called to Court dignities and delights, have ordinarily an anſwerableneſſe of ſpirit to their ſecular greatneſſe, Chriſtians are called to be the high Courtiers of the Heavenly Court, their very call, if ſeriouſly weighed, is a mighty motive to ſtrictneſſe, God hath not called us unto uncleaneſs, but unto holineſſe, 1 Theſ. 4. 7. When God called us, we were unclean, lived in uncleanneſſe, but no… (ſaith Muſculus) He hath called us, that of profane and unclean, we might be holy: As if Perinde ac ſiquis vocetur ad halneum. Et puer qui mittitur ad ludum literariū Et qui vocat ad ſe medicū, &c. Muſculus.one be called to a Bath, he is not called to abide in his impure diſtempers, but to purge them out; As if a boy be called to ſchool, he is not ſent thither for barbarous rudeneſſe, b…t to get learning; Or as he that ſends for the Phyſitian, doth not call for him for ſi…kneſs, but health, to remove, not to retain his diſeaſe: Such is the condition of our calling in Jeſus Chriſt, to accommodate our ſelves to the will of God, and not to wander from the ſcope of our calling: hence the Apoſtle mentions Chriſtians call as argumentative of a ſtrict life, and regular conformity to the Goſpels precepts.
SECT. 5.
5. COnſideration, A lively ſenſe of the Excellency of grace. 5. A lively ſenſe of the excellency of grace, is a means to prevent abuſe of grace. Homines ſecundum gratiam ipſam creantur, i. e. conſtituuntur in novo eſſe ex nihilo, Aquin. 12 ae. q. 110. 2 Gratia auxilium Dei, Aqu. 1, 2 ae q. 113. 9. Arg. 2. Arg. 2. Gratia habituale donum, excedens ordinē naturae, bonum gratiae unius eſt magis b… num naturae totius univerſi Ib.Grace is the new Creature, By it the ſinner (ſaith Aquinas) is created in a new being; now how unworthy is it of the new Creature to look again like the old man. It muſt be with the ſupernatural as it is with common Creatures, they ſhew according to their properties, formes, and inclinations, what is put into them by the benefit of their creation.
Grace is the glory of God, Let me ſee thy glory, ſaith Moſes, God ſhewed it in his grace. I wil be gracious to whom I wil be gracious, Exod. 33. 18, 19. God in his Grace is a King in his Throne, The Throne of grace, Heb. 4. 16. Abuſe grace and you ſpit upon the King in his Throne: this is to deal with God, as Davids, enemies did with him, to Turn his glory into ſhame.
Grace is the arme of God, his ſtrong arm, by which hee aydes and defends his people, and caſts down Satan, to wrong grace, is to weaken the arm of God.
Grace is a matchleſſe goodneſſe, of finite excellencies the chiefeſt, exceeds all the good of nature: All the Creatures, Riches, Honours, Pleaſures of this world, are inconſiderable to Grace: the leaſt filing of its precious gold, the leaſt dramme of its ſoveraign worth, the loweſt degree of it excells the Abſtract, the Quinteſſence, the Compoſition, the Spirits, the united Glory of the whole worlds deſirables. The pooreſt Saint doth outwealth the richeſt ſinners, rich Libertines that ſwim in pleaſures, have reaſon to wiſh they could change ſtates with poor Beleevers, the rich heirs of glory; but it was never yet known, that a real needy Saint would change conditions with graceleſſe proſperous worldlings, and mighty Cedars. Look not upon the wicked of the world with envy, but with pitty: they that ſee in the Sancturary of God what wil be their dreadful end, fret not to ſee bruitiſh chriſtians fatted in their wealthy paſtures, like Oxen for the ſlaughter: they know their delicate and ſuperfluous meate is ſweet, til the reckoning come, weigh things by their ends, not preſent enjoyments, the references they bear to eternity, not this life.
Grace is a chriſtians holy water, a chriſtal ſpring, the well of water ſpringing up to eternal life is the ſpirit of Grace, Joh. 4. Gratia caeleſtis rivus, Juſtin Prot. Patriar. venetiae.14. To debaſe the grace of God to ſin, is to throw dirt into a pure ſpring, to muddy a pure ſtream, that the chriſtians face cannot be ſeen in it.
Grace is ſpirituall light, a ſaving beam of the Sun of righteouſneſſe, Gratia ſpirituale lumen, Aq. 1, 2 ae. q. 211. 5. Arg. 3.that makes day in the ſoule where it is, and ſpeakes its enlightned ſubjects children of light. Now looſe wanton works of darkneſſe, what in them lyes, turn the day into night, make the beautiful Sons of Zion to looke like uncomly Negroes, black Ethiopians; turnes Heaven into Hell, the chriſtians faireneſſe into foulneſſe, his glory into ſhame.
Grace is the choice love token of God, Hoſ. 14. 2, 4. Eph. 2, 4, 7. To Abuſe Grace is as if a Spouſe ſhould blot and blur her Bridegroomes Love-Letters, and caſt his kind tokens under feet.
Grace is a chriſtians ornament, the ornament of a meeke and quiet ſpirit, 1 Pet. 3, 4. the ornament of grace unto the head, and chaines about the neck, Pro. 1. 9. a raviſhing comlineſs to Jeſus Chriſt, Can. 4. 9. A gracious chriſtian, though his outward appearance be never ſo meane, is a more comly peice to ſpiritual Dignitasin indigno, eſt ornamentum in luto, Salvian.eyes, then the faireſt face of the Limners art; yea then the moſt beautiful face of fleſh and bloud that ever God made, the filth caſt upon grace, is like dirt caſt upon a brides ornaments, or dung on ſcarlet.
Grace is a chriſtians diſtinguiſhing character, by it ſaid Paul, I am what I am, 1 Cor. 15. 10. It makes the great difference in the world: it differs the ſpiritual from the carnal, as the reſonable ſoul doth a man from a bruit: to ſin by grace, is to make the ſun darkneſs, to turn a man into a beaſt, to be filthy by a clean ſpring, is a great contradiction to the nature and diſtinguiſhing formality of Gratia eſt ſimilitu do Dei, Aq. 3. …. 2. 10. Arg. primum.Grace.
Grace is Gods image, to wreſt grace to ſin, is to make Gods picture look like the Devils.
Grace is a chriſtians heaven begun, eternal life, to mingle ſinwith grace, is to mingle hel with heaven, and death with eternal life.Gratia ſanitas mentis, Aq. 1, 2 ae. q. 11 3. c. Quaſi mur… gratiae civinae circum quaque communiti fideles. Chryſ.
Grace is the ſoules health, to abuſe grace, is to turn health into ſickneſs, the ſweet temper of the mind, into a diſeaſed diſtemper.
Grace is a chriſtians walled city, his ſafety lyes in this, that he is walled round with grace: to ſhelte… ſin under grace, is to throw down a ſecuring wall, and to make it uſeleſs: grace in its vigour, liberty, and exerciſe wil ſhelter the ſoul againſt all its aſſaults.
Grace is a chriſtians ſtore houſe, gives out ſupply for Life and Ʋnico hoc gratiae vocabulo continetur ingens ille beneficiorum acervus. Dav… nant in Coloſ.godlineſſe, My grace is ſufficient for thee: this one word grace is an Abridgment of goſpel bleſſings, all are in grace. Paul was wont to begin and end his Epiſtles with grace, as the foundation and top-ſtone of eternal happineſſe. Sin againſt grace by the leave of grace, is the pick-lock theefe that comes into the chriſtians ſtorehouſe, and robs him of all his bleſſings.
Grace is the earneſt for glory, to make grace give liberty to ſin, is to turn the earneſt of Heaven into an earneſt for hel; it is like a wanton ſervant, to caſt his maſters earneſt into the gutter. Thus, O chriſtian! get a lively dwelling ſenſe upon thy ſpirit of the fair face of grace, and thou wilt not dare by thy filthy thoughts, words and workes, to bemire it: conſider the high honour of grace, and thou wilt not diſgrace it.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nicholas Clagett, The Abuse of Gods Grace (1659)