The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Wherein are ſet forth the Puniſhments of this great ſinne, Abuſing Gods Grace.
WEE have ſeen the aggravated evil of this too common and diſhonourable Sin, the Abuſe of Grace. We can be in nothing more croſſe to the choice deſign of God, than in wronging his grace. Not to give God the praiſe of the glory of his goodneſs in nature, is deep ingratitude; but to deny him the praiſe of the glory of his grace is deeper indignity. The wrath of a King will be more enraged when he is abuſed in his Throne, than in his Common Highway. The Goſpel acquaints us with Gods Throne of grace: God ſlighted in his grace is an abuſed King in his Throne. This without repentance will turn the Throne of grace into a Throne of angry Juſtice. They that abuſe the blood of the Lamb, ſhall feel the wrath of the Lamb. No damnation like that which is heightned by the abuſe of Salvation. For the Goſpel to be a ſavour of death unto death, puts a ſharper and fiercer ſting into eternal death, than when it puniſheth onelyonly unnatural ſinnes. God ſets black marks of his diſpleaſure upon the Abuſe of Goſpel grace. He is wont to plague it with theſe puniſhments; in ſpecial ſix ſad ones, wherein he expreſſeth dreadfull vengeance.
SECT. 1.
1. IUdgement is giving up to carnal Luſts. As God hath puniſhed the abuſe of his Goodneſſe in nature, ſo he hath revenged 1. Sheweth the greatneſs of the judgement to be given up to carnal luſts.the wrongs of it in grace. He ſhined forth the glory of his Godhead, Eternal Power, Love, Wiſdom, and other glorious Attributes, in the Workmanſhip of the World, the Glaſs of his Glory, the great Folio, every Leaf whereof proves his Inviſible Deity; but when the goodneſſe of God was abuſed to Idolatry, the creature was ſerved and worſhipped more than the Creator, the Lord in juſt wrath gave up wantons againſt the light of nature to their own luſts, Rom. 1. 24. to vile affections, 26. to a reprobate ſenſe, 28. to receive in themſelves, by theſe ſpiritual Judgements, the recompence of their error, v. 27. whip them with their rod, chuſe their own deluſions, and ſuffering them juſtly to periſh in their own choice. The like vengeance he hath exerciſed on the injuries done to his Goſpel grace. The Lord proclamed himſelf to the God of Iſrael in an external Covenant of Grace. I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of AEgypt: typifying the Grace of Redemption from Saran and the world, ſweetly inviting them to deſire and accept his grace, with enlarged hearts, open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Pſal. 81. 10. But this ſweet tender of grace in poſtive rebellion, was wantonly rejected: But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me; and thus the Lord plagued them with their own choice and waies; So I gave them up to their own hearts, and they walked in their own counſels, ver. 12. The ſadneſſe of this Judgement in giving ſinners up to their carnal Luds, for the perverting of Gods grace, appears in four things.
1. It is a ſad judgement for a ſinfull, weak, erring creature to be deprived of a ſafe, unerring guide, the Grace of God. When Contumaciae pana gravis, deſertio ſpiritualis. Ameſ.the offers and reſtraints of his Grace are removed, man is like the Philiſtins houſe, when the Pillars by Sampſon were removed, an heap of ruin; like a Coach without a Coach-man to order it, like a Ship without a Pilot, like an Infant without a Nurſe, like an heady people without a Magiſtrate. The ſpiritual departure of Gods grace is a great puniſhment of obſtimte contumacie. It is juſt that grace ſhould forſake thoſe that forſake it, 2 Chr. 24. 24. that they ſhould have none of its ſafetie, that wil have none of its ſoveraignty; that they ſhould periſh without it, that would not be ruled by it. It is Chryſoſtomes reſemblance, when a King ſeeth Rex cum perditum vidit fidium ſuwn, abdicat eum boais ſuis, & deſerit. Chſyſ.his Son loſt, and paſt recovery, he caſts him out of his Royal Protections, Proviſions, and forſakes him, ſo God ſtrips looſe ſinners of his aide and grace. As it is great mercy to be guided by Gods counſel, ſo it is great ſeverity to be deprived of it. The way of man to obtain everlaſting happineſs is not in himſelf: He is ſafe in Gods way, but periſheth in his own.
2. It is a ſad Judgement for a ſinful, weak, erring creature to have a falſe deceitful guide, and ſo have all they that are given up to their own lu…s: They are like Traiterous Collonels that lead their Regiments into the very mouth of ruin, within the Enemies Ambuſh. Beſides they are fooliſh Guides, and unskillfull, they know not the way of peace. Who will take a naturall fool or a ſtranger to be guided in a journey? That Ship with it's Fraught and Paſſengers is in a poor caſe, that hath an ignorant Pilot, and the full Coach that hath a blind Couch-man. Carnall Luſts are fooliſh, 1 Tim 6. 9. O the folly of immortal ſoules that are led by the fooliſh guidance of their luſts!
3. It is a ſad judgement to be given up to carnal Luſts, becauſe theſe are Gods …vengers. He is revenged of men where they leaſt beleeve it: Even in thoſe ſweet Luſts they hugg and pamper, will God plague the enemies of his grace. No need of Non opus e… carniſicibus externis, domeſticos habemus ultores. Pet. Mart. in Rom.Outward Puniſhments, if we will pl…y the wantons with his grace. He hath his Avengers in our very boſomes: The Luſts of wicked men are Gods …ods, xes, Halters. The ſervants of ſinfull Luſts, are an ineſtimable, infinite maſſe of miſery; when they ſhall feele it in the other world, they will beleeve it. Men ſinnes are Gods puniſhments, though they ſee it not.
4. It is a ſad judgement to be given up to carnal Luſts; becauſe ſuch are Volunteers in their own deſtruction. It is ſad to fall by the Sword, but more ſad, like Saul, willingly to fall by ones own Sword: It is a ſad judgement to die by Poyſon, but willingly to drink up a known cup of Poyſon, is more ſad. O Iſrael thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, Hoſ. 13. 9. Why will you die, O houſe of Iſrael? The Law of ſin and death are yo…ked together, Voleutes & ultronei cu: iditatuvus inſerviunt. Pet. Mart. in Rom.Rom. 8. 2. They that will walk after their luſts, wil periſh, 2. Pet. 2. 10, 12. Now the practical adverſaries of Gods grace do moſt willingly and freely ſerve their own luſts, and neceſſitate their ruin; are like Phalaris, that was burnt in his own Engine of crueltie; like him that hangs himſelf in his own Halter. His own iniquities ſhall take the wicked himſelf, and he ſhall be holden with the cords of his ſins, Prov. 5. 28. He ſhall die without (refuſed) instruction, and in the greatreſs of his (deliberate, voluntary) folly he ſhall goe aſtray, ver. 23. He ſhall finde no ſhelter in Gods decrees. His wilfull abuſe of grace will be his ſelf-condemnation. He ſhall have his ſentence at the great day, not qua now electus, but qua impius; not depart you curſed, becauſe I choſe you not, but becauſe ye are workers of iniquity.
SECT. 2.
2. Judgement of Perverting the grace of God is ſpiritual 2 Spiritual blindneſs is a judgement inflicted upon thoſe who pervert the grace of God.blindneſſe: I am come for judgement (ſaid Chriſt) that they which ſee might be made blind, Joh. 9. 39. Iſaias ſaw the Goſpelglory of Gods grace, and p…eached it to the looſe reprobate Jews, and the Lord in wrath blinded their eyes that they ſhould not ſee with their eyes, nor underſtand with their hearts, Joh, 12. 40, 41. Who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lords ſervant? Iſa. 42. 19. Hear ye deaf, and look ye blind, ver. 18. A ſad reproof of the wicked Jews, that did unworthily prophane the moſt excellent gift of goſpel-light: Though all others might be blind and deaf, yet they that had the moſt bright Nulli coeciores, nulli ſurdiores. Probroſe meminit. Calvin.Lamp of Truth ſhining, the Silver Trumper of the Goſpel ſounding before them, ſhould not; yet none more blind, none more deaf than they; an heavy judgement. But if blind, how Perfect? how Servants? They are the words of Exprobration, not Commendation. They ſhould be perfect Duces via, Leaders to others, but were not. They were puniſhed with Blindneſſe. This ſore puniſhment is clear in four things.
1. They whom God puniſheth with Blindneſs of mind, are given up to the Devil to be blinded. The god of this world blinds the eyes of them that beleeve not, leſt the light of Go ſpel-grace ſhould ſevingly ſhine in their hearts, 2 Cor. 4. 4. It was a judgement on the wanton Sodomites, that the Angels Diabolus eſt Dei carnifex, atque divine ultionis execu tor. Pet. Mart.blinded them, Gen. 19. 11. It is a Judgement on wanton Goſpellers, when the evil Angels blind them with the duſt, dirt, and ſrno…k of abuſed creatures, corrupt principles, carnal reaſon, their o…n ungoverned paſſions. It is a Judgement when the Judge commits evil doers to the Goaler and the Hangman for execution. The Devil in blinding the minds of thoſe that are laſcivious with grace, is Gods Executioner.
2. They whom God puniſheth with Blindneſſe of mind cannot find the way of Life: And now ſad is that to wander like the blind man that gropes for the way, but finds it not. The blinded Sodomites wearied themſelves to find the door, and found it not, Gen. 19. 11. So many there be that grope after the narrow way of Life, and find it not, Mat. 7. 14. Strive to enter into the door of happyneſs, but find it not. The Jew wronging the grace of the goſpel, was blinded, and found it not; The Papiſt is blinded, and finds it not; the looſe ignorant, yea the looſe, though kno…ing Proteſtant, yet is blind, and beleeves it not. How many grope for the way of eternal life in good meanings, and ſuppoſed good hearts, in Civilities, in Formalities, in Comparative goodneſs, in partialities of Obedience, and the like, and yet darkneſs hath blinded their eyes, that they ſee not the way of Life.
3. They whom God puniſheth with blindneſſe of mind, they fall on every ſtumbling-block they meet withall, are taken in every ſnare of Company, Relations, Poſſeſſions, Proſperity and Adverſity, ſa. 8. 14, 15. yea ſhining ſpiritual gifts, yea the ſweet Promiſes of the Goſpel wreſted to looſeneſſe, are turned into ſnares. The blind man ſcapes not the block in his way, nor the ſnare and gin that is layd for him, Levit. 19. 14. And the blind Libertine ſcapes not ſtumbling-blocks in the wayes of death. The worſt things are cauſes, the beſt things occaſions of ſtumbling. Yea the Lord Chriſt, and Gods grace are a ſtone of ſtumbling unto unbeleevers.
4. They whom God puniſheth with blindneſs of mind, fall into the pit of Hell, Mat. 15. 14. As ſaving grace in Chriſt delivers ſoules from going into the bottomleſſe pit, Job 33. 24. So blindneſs of minde infallibly delivers into it. The blind man falls into the Lime-pit, the Cole-pit before him, and the blind ſinner into the pit of deſtruction. Did he ſee it, hee would tremble to move toward it.
SECT. 3.
3. Iudgement of Diſhonor done to the Grace of God, is Hardneſſe 3 Hardneſs is judgement inflicted upon ſuch as abuſe this grace of God. inſtrumenta indurationis.of heart. The Jews abuſed Iſaias …oſpel-miniſtry, and God plagued them with Hard hearts: Make the heart of this people… fat, Iſa. 6. 10. He hardned their hearts, Joh. 12. 40. Let my people goe that they may ſerve me. The words of the Lord by Moſes were the Inſtruments of Pharaohs Hardning, is the Sunne the means of the Clayes Herdning. … grace of God in h…i… w…s preacheo o the Iſraelites in the Wilderneſs, they heard the lively Oracles, the gracious Truths of Salvation, and Eternal Life in the Water from the Rock, in the Manna from Heaven, in the Teachings from Moſes, Act. 7. 37, 38. in the in…ructions of the good Spirit of God, Nehem. 9. 20. But they hardned their hearts in the provocation in the day of temptation, …eb. 3. 8. they obeyed not the gracious voice of God, v. 7. by the Miniſtry of Moſes, and the Lord plagued them with their own hard hearts. Three things ſpeak this an heavy judgement.
1. There is no Impreſſion of ſaving grace in an hard heart: Where God hardens the hardens the heart he converts not, he healeth it not, Joh. 12. 40. A Seal leaves no print on an Anvil, or an hard Cervix ferrea, frons aenea, flecti & miteſcere neſcia, cor intractabile, quavis incude & adamante darious. Diaholica foreign.ſtone, but on the ſoft Wax. The holy Spirit doth not ſeal his grace on an hard, but a ſoft heart. The Iron ſinew, Iſa. 48. 4. the brazen brow, the untractable heart that is harder than the Anvil and the Adamant, Diabolical inſenſbilitie, an inflexible ſpirit to the divine pleaſure, are the ſpiritual penalties for Graces injury. Paul perſwaded looſe hearers concerning the Kingdome of Gods grace, but they that were hardned beleeved not, Act. 19. 8, 9. The hardned mettal cannot be run into, nor take the ſhape of the mold, but the melted and ſoft. Carnal goſpellers, after thouſands of Sermons of Gods grace, are not changed into the Image of its glory, becauſe their hearts are hardned.
2. Hearts h…r…ned by occaſion of Gods goodneſs, ripen for ruin After the hardneſs of thine heart thou treaſureſt up wrath foreign Colligere & reponere theſourum in longum tempus. Polyc Lyſeſ.againſt the day of wrath, Rom. 2. 5. Alluding to an huge bank of mony, unto …hich there is ſil adding of hundreds and thouſands. or to an hoo…ding or heating up of ſtore of Corn. Hardened Libertines under grace, are ever ſwelling the bank, increaſing the board of ſin againſt the day of wrath, by thoughts, words, and actions, their real impieties, and unrighteouſneſſes, yea the un…ardoned iniquities of their holy things, filling up their ſinne alwaies, I Theſ. 2. 16.
3. Their deſtruction who are puniſhed with hardneſs of heart is infallible. The Oath of God makes it ſure; I have ſworni… my wrath they ſhould not enter into my reſt, Heb. 3. 11. As the Ifraelites, while the day of grace laſted in the wilderneſſe, were hardened, v. 7. 8. ſo are looſe Chriſtians under, and againſt the voice of Gods grace. The oath of God reacheth theſe to haſtenwithout fail their everlaſting deſtruction.
SECT. 4.
4. IVdgement of injury offered to the grace of God, is Incurableneſs 4. Incurable neſs in ſin is an injury of fered unto the grace of God.in ſin. Gods Ordinances of grace, and his Chaſ…ſements are his Phyſick; the fruit is to purge away ſin. God would have diſeaſed Jeruſalem take a Purge, but the Phyſick w…ought not; Becauſe I have purged thee, and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſs, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee, Ezek. 24. 13. As if the Lord had ſaid, Purgingme…nes have not had Purging ſucceſs; therefore let thy wickedneſſe abide on thee to thy ruin: Is there no Balm in Gilead? is there no Phyſician there? is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? Jer. 8. 22. What is here ſaid of a diſeaſed loſt State, is true of loſt ſoules paſt cure, paſt hope, when Gods Phyſick doth no good. Is there no Palm? is there no Phyſician? why is not the health of diſeaſed, looſe ſinners recovered? There are means of grace; Chriſt is a Soveraign Phyſician, but the wanton, diſordered Patients play with their Phyſick, take it wrong, caſt it away, and uſe it not aright; and no wonder if the diſeaſe be incurable. Two ſad things ſpeak this an heavy judgement.
1. God is pleaſed with the deſtruction of thoſe who are voluntarily incorrigible under the means of grace. The Apoſtle gave thanks to God that the ſavour of Chriſts knowledge was made manifeſt by them in every place, 2 Cor. 2. 14. One would think at firſt view this ſavour of Chriſts knowledge, ſhould be only the ſweet power of it to ſalvation. It is true, that is the prime, not the only ſavour of Coſpel-grace, It is a ſweet ſavour in Damnation as wel as ſalvation. in hardning as wel as ſoftning: So is the Apoſtles diſtribution, for we are unto God a ſweet ſavour in Chriſt in them that are ſaved, and in them that periſh, ver. 15. Though the goſpel be a damning, deadly goſpel of death unto death, of the death ſpiritual unto the death eternal unto them that periſh: Yet it is a ſweet favour unto God, as ſavoury oyntment is to the ſmel, and ſavoury meat unto the taſt. Though God takes no pleaſure in the death of a returning ſinner, yet he is ple…ſed in the deſtruction of the impenitent. He that made them will ſhew no mercy on them.
2. God is eminently delighted in the deſtruction of incurable ſinners, under healing means, I have called, and ye have refuſed; I have ſtretched out my hand, and no man regarded: Ye have ſet at naught all my counſel. Knowledge is hated, the fear of the Opprobrium medici & medicine.Lord not choſen, reproof deſpiſed, Prov. 1. 25, 26, 29, 30. Here is no cure by healing means. Now ſee the judgement on theſe wantons the diſeaſe of the Phyſick and Phyſician. I will laugh at your …alamity, Prov. 1. 26. Laughter proper to man, is improperly ſaid of God. He ſpeaks after the manner of men. Men expreſs their high delights by laughter, and God his joyous complacencie, in foreignincurable ſinners ruine. This laughter of God might make the proudeſt and ſtouteſt ſinner mourn. Eternal weeping and wailing, the everlaſting teſtimony of Gods infinite delightfull vengeance, will be the true and ſad expoſition of Gods laughing.
SECT. 5.
5. IUdgement of prophaning the grace of God, will be a terrible 5. Prophaning Gods grace will bring a terrible judgement at the …ſt day.Judgement at the laſt day, Knowing the terror of the Lord, we perſwade men, 2. Cor. 5. As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, the judgement will be terrible to ſuch as are not reconciled to God. Kiſſe not the Son, Pſ. 2. but wrong him. Therefore we perſwade men to be careful and diligent, that they may be accepted, and to adorn the Goſpel of grace. Abide in him, ſaith the A poſtle, that when he ſhall appear we may have confidence and not be aſhamed, 1 Joh. 2. 28. Implying that ſuch looſe Chriſtians as abide not in him, but depart from him, and are enemies to him, his merits, and grace, ſhall come with ſhame, and deſpair before him. Three things will ſhew the terrible Judgement on them that in heart and life wrong the grace of God.
1. Their ſtanding in Judgement will be terrible: The ungodly ſhall not ſtand in the judgement, Pſ. 1. 5. The Apoſtle ſaith, all ſhall ſtand, 2 Cor. 5. 10. They ſhall not ſtand with comfort, but terror, not as the Image of Chriſt, but Satan, not in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, but their own nakedneſs, not as the Friends of Chriſt, but Enemies, not as the Saved, but the Damned, not-as abſolved Innocents, but guilty Felons.
2. Their Self-condemnation will be terrible. There will be a teſtimony againſt them out of their own mouthes and hearts, that they knew the reign of ſin and grace could not conſiſt; they were told Mammon and God could not be ſerved together; th…t the called by grace were to live as Saints, not in old ſinnes; th…t the grace of God ſhining in the heart teacheth to deny, not fulfil ungodly luſts; that that grace that reconciles the ſoul to God doth not reconcile it with the leaſt ſinne; and yet their conſciences cannot but accuſe them, they wilfully prophane the precious grace of God to vile affections and courſes. How dreadful will this be, though there will be Juries enough to caſt the enemies of Gods grace, yet the conſcience ſhall need none of them, but be forced to confeſſe, even to eternal judgement, their high indignities to verbal and blaſphemies againſtGods grace.
3. The ſentence of the Judge will be terrible, when he ſhall ſ…y, Depart ye curſed, to all them that have diſcredited the bleſſed goſpel, and made the grace of God a patron of ſin, and that in high reproach to the grace of God, continued in ſin becauſe grace abounded. What frowns will ſit on the face, terrors take hold of looſe guilty hearts from the ſentence of Chriſt, when he ſhall vindicate his own and his Fathers glory from all the diſhonourable diſ-ſervices done to his holy Religion?
SECT. 6.
6. IUdgement of abuſing Gods grace, will be the hotteſt room in hels flames: Its eternal vengeance is called, The 6. The hotteſt room in hell will be the judgement of them that abuſe Grace.The portion of Hypocrites, Mat. 24. 51. Whether groſs, or cloſe ones who prophane their Baptiſmal grace, the Word of grace they hear, to prophane abominable courſes, or ſpin a fine thread of hypocriſie, reigning, though undiſ…erned, ſhall both be doomed to their own place. That it is rational the defilements caſt upon the clean grace of God ſhould have ſevereſt everlaſting vengeance, conſider,
1. The loweſt abuſe of Grace is above the higheſt in Nature. The diſhonours offered to grace by Profeſſors of Chriſtianity, carry higher guilt than the moſt infamous Idolatries, Murders, Adulteries, committed by Heathen men, that never heard of, nor pretended to e…brace the grace of God in Chriſt. The Heathen abuſeth Creation mercies. The Chriſtian, Redemption mercies, the Heathen is wanton with the dimm candle of reaſon, the Chriſtian with the goſpell Sun, the Heathen defaceth the remaining naturall image of God, in Intellectualls and Moralls, the Chriſtian pretends the ſpirituall Image of Chriſt in ſupernaturall divine myſteries, and foules the face of it, by filthy affections and converſation. The Heathen proſtitures a man to his Beaſtlineſs, the Chriſtian debaſeth the Son of God to his bruiriſhneſs. The Heathen treads under foot his reaſon, the Chriſtian the blood of Chriſt. Well therefore ſayes our Lord Chriſt, It ſhall be more tollerable for Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah, than Chorazin and Bethſaida, than Capernaum, Mat. 11. 23, 24. then all the places of Goſhen-light, where there hath been fellowſhip with the works of darkneſs.
2. If every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience againſt the Word of grace, ſpoken by Angels, received a juſt recompence of reward, Heb. 2. 2. Shall not every wanton rebellion againſt goſpel grace, ſpoken by the head of Angels, have without repentance, an eternal avenging recompence?
3. According to the different degrees of abuſing Gods grace will be the different degrees of puniſhment. Some wicked ones abuſe it, but not ſo wilfully, delightingly, impudently, blaſphemouſly, conſtantly. Theſe will feel the ſmart of it, but others abuſe it with more reſolvedneſs, ſhameleſneſs, open ſhame and reproach to Gods grace, and more perſevering indignities; theſe ſhall commence the higheſt degrees in torments: As in Earth, ſo in Hell, diſparities of ſinne ſhall bring different puniſhments.