The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 3 · Section 7 – Section 8
SECT. 7.
7. THe examples of Grace are turned into wantonneſs: They 7. Examples of Grace are turned into wantonneſſe.are then well uſed, when from a right eſtimate of them, admiration of Gods goodneſs in them, Thankfulneſs for them, Phil. 1. 3. Zeal to follow them, Heb. 6. 12. ſhaming and blaming our ſelves for our unlikeneſs to them, 1 Cor. 15. 14. Daily indeavoring to write after their fair, holy and heavenly Copies, Heb. 12. 1. Delighting in them above all perſons of the World, Pſalm 16. 3. chooſing of them to be our choice companions and boſom-friends, Pſal. 119. 63. reſenting them as ſhining Lights in the World, Phil. 2. 15. to clear our way to the Heavenly Countrey: Thus to improve the beſt of patterns, that reflect and hold forth the glory of God in the World, the fruits of the direct beams of infuſed holineſs, and to be won to Chriſt, 1 Pet. 3. 1. and quickned to the power of Religion, by others exemplary Piety, Charity, Innocence and Juſtice, is to uſe well examples of Grace: But now when men and women regard not the moſt ſhining Lights, ſleep, and play the wantons before them, and with them, make them their may-game, their ſport, the Theam of their prophane jeſts and ſcurrilous wits, in their Houſes, Ale-benches, Taverns, the Road: When David was the Drunkards ſong, Pſalm 69. 12. the ſcorn of many, deſpiſed of Michal, 2 Sam. 6. 16. When hypocritical mockers at Feaſts make the heirs of glory their ſcoffing Table-talk; when the Upright are called Hypocrites: Righteous dealers are voted unjuſt, or for one piece of unequal dealing, are ever condemned ſo: When the glorifiers of God before men, out of conſcience of duty, becauſe under a command, are thought vain-glorious: When exact walkers, fearful of ſin, dare not run with others into exceſs of riot, nor give allowances, fond and liberal, to their fawning luſts, ſhall be called over-righteous, deemed needleſs preciſians, making too much ado in the Church of God; as if men could be too godly, when the higheſt meaſures of holy ſtrictneſs are exceedingly ſhort of the rule and the life of Chriſt; as if too much care, conſcience, and pains, according to requiries of Scripture, either could be, is, or ever was, in any Believer in the World; as if when the word ſays, real Saints are to give all diligence, in the exerciſe of all Graces, 2 Pet. 1. 5. &c. To work out their ſalvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2. To make through work of it, to redeem the time, to be followers of Chriſt, they could be too diligent and ſtrict, by the warrant of theſe and other Scriptures, to aſſure and promote their eternal Salvation: Every ſerious dying-Saint, thinks he hath done too little for the honor of God and his Goſpel, for his own ſoul and others: Every glorified Saint ſeeth his maſſy glory doth exceedingly outweigh his moſt diligent ſervices and patient ſufferings: The abuſe of holy examples is too general an injury to God and his choice ſervants: The gracious, the graceleſs are both guilty. 1. The gracious, low ſpirited Chriſtians, whoſe light is in a dark lanthorn, that ſhine forth to outward view little or nothing of the glory and power of Religion: O ye Chriſtians of the lower form, look to thoſe that have out-learned you in Chriſts School, continue not ſtill in your weak Graces and ſtrong Corruptions! ſee you not ſome of your fellow-Converts are very Heavenly? Let this correct your earthineſs: Are ſome meek? let this ſhame and cure your paſſions; Have they liberal hearts and hands? let this open your ſhut bowels and purſes; Can they forgive great wrongs? let this blame and mend you that can hardly paſs by little; Dare they not ſpeak idely and frothily, guarding the doors of their lips? Let this urge you to repentance, who ſpeak not onelyonly idly, but wickedly, uttering ſuch corrupt communication, that ſlanders by muſt needs conclude foul hearts, when tongues are ſo foul; Do they grow under the means of Grace? Let their proficiency ſpur you to better progreſſes by holy Ordinances: Do they practice Religion where they are moſt, in their own Families? Let your ſinful Houſhold omiſſion of holy Duties, or but cold formal performances; your domeſtick diſorders be reformed. Laſtly, Do they live in the power of godlineſs? let this warn your too powerleſs profeſſion, that you labor more for the power. 2. The graceleſs are guilty of abuſing the grace of God, in the examples of Grace: How will this load your guilt at the great day, that as you have wronged the Goſpel of Grace, ſo you have gracious Goſpellers? you look on them as the vile off-ſcouring of the World, 1 Cor. 4. 13. of whom the world is not worthy, Heb. 11. 38. Can proudly judge them ſometimes baſe perſons, for their deſpiſed, though honorable Divine nature, and their loathed holineſs, herein like to the Heathens of old, who made the practice of Chriſtianity, and the Chriſtians owning the Chriſtian name their crime: Though you caſt contempt on veſſels of honor, whom you debaſe, God eſteems: It is no flattering, but Scripture Language: The Scripture ſtiles them Precious, Iſa. 43. 4. Jewels, Mal. 3. 17. Honorable, Iſa. 43. 4. Noble, Acts 17. 11. Kings, Rev. 1. 6. Princes in all Lands, Pſal. 45. 16. that have the happineſs to enjoy them: If they be as dirt in your eyes, they are as gold in Gods: Be intreated to take a meaſure by the golden line of the Sanctuary; whoſe examples are moſt Scriptural, ſafe to the intereſt of immortal ſouls, thoſe you contemn, or thoſe you follow: Though with a ſupercilious from, you diſdain to follow their ſober, chaſte, heavenly, pious, mortified, penitential, reformed lives: Truth will make your awakned mindes, when you die, wiſh you had traced their holy ſteps, and when you would at the great day be glad to follow them in glory, this for ever will ſhut the door of hope and happineſs, you never followed them in Grace: It is in vain with Balaam to wiſh the death of the righteous, and with vulgar, dead, imaginary Believers, to hope for the glory of the righteous, when there is not with upright Saints, living the life of the Righteous: Holy and happy ſhould you be that follow the huge multitudes that troop to hell in the broad way of pleaſing evil examples; if converting Grace did powerfully whiſper in your Spirit, and draw you back to the narrow way of life: Here you ſhould meet with a thin, but bleſſed company. Fellow, O follow them, who through Faith and unwearied patience in well-doing, have their race anſwered with an eternall prize; and them alſo, who after their holy courſe is finiſhed, ſhall inherit the promiſes. It will never grieve you, if once you return from your mad errours and courſes, to your ſober ſpiritual witts, that you have changed undoing for ſaving preſidents, that you have left your ſoul-ruining good-fellowſhip, for communion with Saints, Angels, the Mediator of the Covenant, and with the bleſſed Trinitie for all Eternitie. Have any of you ridden about life and death, and with exceeding grief loſt both your time and way? have you rejoyced to meet with an unerring gride, that hath not onelyonly brought you out from your wandrings, but ſet you in your way, yea rode before you as a courteous faithfull guide? The like joy, yea greater you will find, if after you have ſtrayed like loſt travellers, God ſet before you leaders, and you have the wiſdome and grace to follow in the erring and dangerous wilderneſs of this world, your holy guides to the heavenly Canaan.
SECT. 8.
8. REconciling Grace is turned into Wantonneſs. As in the 8 Reconciling grace is turned into Wantonneſs.former Section the choice Preſidents of Grace, ſo in this, and the following particulars, the choice priviledges of Grace will appear to be abuſed.
God was in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf, 2 Cor. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Rom. 5. 10. The propitiatory atoning ſacrifice of Chriſts death, in putting away Gods deſtructive wrath is rich grace. Even this is injured. Reconciliation with God ſtands, in many, with agreement with Satan, what in them lies peace with God and ſin kiſſe each other, as if a league with heaven and hell could ſtand together. Seditious perſons reconciled to their Prince, abuſe his goodneſs, when at the ſame time they are Traiterous friends with his enemies, hold intelligence with them, doe homage to them, are ruled by them, and propagate their dominions, are the picture of thoſe wanton Traitors that abuſe Gods Reconciling grace. That grace of God whereby he is reconciled to the ſinner, and the ſinner to him, begets an univerſall peace with all his laws and methods of holyneſse, and war with ſinne. At what time friendſhip is commenced between God and the ſoul, war is waged and maintained againſt ſin. Reconciliation and Alteration go together: Turning away his wrath from the ſinner, and turning of the heart of the ſinner are undevided. What pleaſeth a pacified God, pleaſeth the ſons of peace: When the face of God ſhines in ſmiles of peace, the Laws of God are favours, no offences; priviledges, no burdens; ſweet delights, no unpleaſing tasks; the liberty, not priſon of really pacified beleevers: Great peace have they which love thy Law, and nothing ſhall offend them, Pſal. 119. 165. The Romans that had peace with God, ſtood in this Goſpel-grace, engaged to be holy, not allowed to be Libertines. The exerciſes of graces, not allowances to luſts, were the fruit of this heavenly reconcilement. Rom. 5. 10, 11, &c. It is a choice bleſſing purchaſed by Chriſts death. Rom. 5. They are bleſſed who are reconciled by him, and not offended in him, Mat. 11. 6. But they that refuſe the Laws of his government, had never yet the joy of atonement, though they pleaſingly vote themſelves the friends of God, they will be made to their own ſmart to know, it is one thing to bee reconciled when enemies, it is another thing to be reconciled and abide enemies: No enemies to the Laws of Chriſt, and Goſpel-holineſs were ever actually reconciled; they are yet under wrath that are under the reign of ſin. Let them conſider it that take up, keep and uſe armes of Hoſtilitie againſt the God of peace. Thoughts of reconcilement may be pleaſing, they will be a vaniſhing dream: Divine Pacification is in order to Communion. Libertines cannot walk with God, and ſee his ſmiles, that turn back upon God, and hate his Laws.