Christ Crucified, Sermon 16
SERMON XVI.
ISAIAH LIII.I. — And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
IT's much to walk evenly and ſtedfaſtly under the pure Doctrine of Grace, and neither there-from to take occaſion to give way to looſneſs and carnal liberty, nor to become faint and diſcouraged, and fearful at the way of God; corrupt Nature is ready to abuſe the beſt things: That word which we have 2 Pet. 3.16. that there are many that wreſt and pervert the Scriptures to their own deſtruction, holds true, not only of doctrinal Hereſies, but it holds alſo true in reſpect of Mens Practice, or practical Errours; for ſome hearing of the impotency of Nature, and of the power and perfection of Grace in bringing about its deſigned effect, are ready to think that they need to do nothing, alledging, that if Grace undertake the work it will be wrought, and if not, it will not be wrought; and thus Atheiſm and Prophanity ſteal in ſecretly upon the Heart, and the ſweet Doctrine of Grace is abuſed and perverted by ſuch, to their own deſtruction: There are others again, who it may be will not dare ſo to top with God, who yet have their own fainting and diſcouragement when they hear of this Doctrine, and think it hard that they themſelves can do nothing, and fear that they will never win to believe, becauſe they cannot do it of themſelves, theſe alſo fail, and make not the right uſe of Grace.
Ye remember, the Queſtion which we propoſed to ſpeak a little to on the laſt Doctrine, to wit, That ſeing both theſe branches of it are true, That except Grace concur, the moſt powerful preaching of the Goſpel will not beget Faith; and that wherever the work of Grace goes along with the Goſpel, there Faith is begotten; what is called for from the Hearers of the Goſpel as the Uſe of this Doctrine?
B…fore we come to anſwer this Queſtion more particularly, we would 1. Premit this word in general, That none would account the Preaching or Hearing of the Word of God to be uſeleſs or fruitleſs, albeit that without the work of Grace, Men cannot yield the Fruit which it call…th for from them; for our bleſſed Lord Jeſus, Iſaiah and Paul, preached this Doctrine of Grace, and the neceſſity of the Lords Arm to be revealed in the Converſion of Souls, and yet they taught the Word in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, and were gathering in ſome, and to ſome this Doctrine was made the ſavour of life unto …ife, though to others (through their enmity and corruption) it became the ſavour of death unto death: To conclude therefore, the inconſiſtency, or to deny the conſiſtency of theſe two, to wit, Of the neceſſity of Preaching the Doctrine of Grace, and of the preſſing in Preaching the practice of holy Duties, and the uſe of ordinary appointed M…ans, would reach this dreadful length, even to condemn the Prophets of old, yea, and our bleſſed Lord Jeſus Himſelf who ſays, John 6.44. after He h d preached long, No man can come to me ex…ept the Father who hath ſent me draw him and verſ. 65 —Therefore I ſaid unto you, that no man can come to me, unleſs it be given him of my Father. And will any think that His Hearers, who accounted this with ſome others, Hard ſayings, and from that time went back, and walked no more with him, were excuſable in their doing ſo? or that His Preaching was uſeleſs, needleſs, or impertinent, as having a tendency to tempt Men to abandone all uſe of Means, becauſe He preached this Doctrine of the impoſſibility of believing in Him, without this pull and draught of His Fathers Arm?
But ſecondly, We ſhall a little more particularly in anſwer to the Queſtion, ſpeak Firſt, To what Uſes Folk would not make of this Doctrine, or what things they would abſtain from, as tending to a wrong uſe of it. Secondly, To ſome Conſiderations for preſſing this Doctrine, and removing from it the conſtruction of hardneſs that we are ready to put upon it. Thirdly, To what is the native Uſe it calls for; And Laſtly, to ſome Conſiderations to preſs this.
For the firſt, When we ſay to all that hears this Goſpel that there is a neceſſity of a powerful work of Grace ere this Word can be profitable, ye would 1. Abſtain from, and lay aſide curioſity in ſeeking ſatisfying Anſwers to all theſe Objections that are moved againſt it, and abſurdities that it's loaded with by the Devil and Mans proud Nature, and learn to ſtoop to, and reverence the ſoveraign Dominion of God, and His deep and unſearchable Wiſdom and Knowledge, in this ſoveraign way of His Grace, as the Apoſtle doth, Rom. 11.33. O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God, how unſearchable are his judgments and his ways paſt finding out? ye would alſo conſider that other word, Rom. 9.20. Who art thou that replieſt against God? or expoſtulateth with Him, Shall the thing formed, ſay to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? It's good to enquire and to ſeek to know the uſe the Lord calls for of this Doctrine with ſobriety; but there is an enquiring to ſatisfie curioſity which the Lord abhorreth, as we may gather from Exod. 19 21. where the Lord being to deliver His …l ſaith to Moſes, Go down, charge the people (… word of peremptory command) left they break thorow unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them periſh: The Lord is not diſpleaſed that His People ſhould endeavour to behold, and take Him up aright, but when their end is not good, but to ſatisfie an itch of Curioſity, it diſpleaſeth Him: This may be uſeful in many caſes, and particularly in this we have in hand, to teach us ſobriety in ſeeking to know the way of God's Grace, as the Lord would have His People, Exod. 19. waiting for as much of His Mind as He thought fit to acquaint them with, and to write on the two Tables of Stone, but He would not have them breaking in over the Boundary or March which He did ſet to them, leſt He ſhould break thorow on them, and they ſhould be made to periſh; So would He have Men in their ſtudying the knowledge of His Ways, and particularly of the way of His Grace, to keep His Meaſures, and to contain themſelves within the limits that He pleaſeth to ſet to them. 2. Abſtain from carnal freting at, and expoſtulating with the way of God, whether in the higheſt degree of upbraiding Grace and ſnarling at it, that ye ſhould not have the Stock in your own hand; or in an inferior degree, having a Heart inwardly diſcontent, that ye are not more able of your ſelves then ye are, to believe, which is the thing that the Apoſtle oppoſeth, Rom. 9.20, 21. Should the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay. &c. eſpecially ſince none can anſwer that queſtion with any juſt reflection upon God; who is to be blamed for that defect or inability? or whence did that inability or defect in Mans Nature proceed? God was gracious, free and liberal in making Man perfect, and whoſe Fault is it that it is otherways? 3. Abſtain from, and beware of drawing deſperate concluſions as to the giving over the uſe of the Means, or of becoming more lazy and ſecure in the duties of Holineſs, and in the practice of Piety, becauſe of the neceſſity of this Grace; but on the contrary, be the more diligent and ſerious, that ye have ſo much need of Grace, and that of your ſelves ye can do ſo little, or rather nothing that is truly good without it.
I know that prophane Hearts are very fertile and broody of Arguments to plead this point of neglect of Means, and will readily ſay, what is the fruit of diligence, and the prejudice of lazineſs? the one will do us no good, and the other can do us no ill, ſeing it's Grace that doth all the work: But 1. By your lazineſs ye mar your own fruitfulneſs, and that through your own fault, and make this addition to your guilt, that ye not only continue graceleſs, but do ſo through your ſin wilfully. 2. Ye may draw on to your natural impotency, habitual and judicial hardneſs of Heart, and blindneſs of Mind; it's on this very ground that many Ears are made heavy, many Eyes made blind, and many Hearts made fat, and is that a little or light matter? 3. Though ye may think this little, yet that which will bear the weight of your ſentence at the Day of Judgment, will not be your natural impotency, or that G…ace was not made efficacious to y…ur Converſion, but this will be it, that when God ſent out His Word to win you, and offered His Grace for inabling you to yield, ye did maliciouſly and deliberatly reject it. So that it will never be ſuffered to come to this, I was unable; becauſe the Word was wilfully rejected before it came to this.
But ſecondly, Becauſe there are ſome others poſſibly that have more ſeriouſneſs in the uſe of Means, who, though they dare not quarrel with Grace, yet it weights and diſcour…ges them becauſe they can do ſo little, and they are made heartleſs to eſſay, and hopeleſs to come ſpeed, and it may be, that this is in ſome whom the Lord allows not to draw any ſuch concluſion, but would rather have encouraged; we would ſay to ſuch, that they would beware of fainting or being diſcouraged, as if that were impoſſible to God and His Grace which is impoſſible to them; they would by all means beware of ſitting up, and …ackning their hand in Duty, becauſe they can do ſo little: We know there are ſome that need not much to be ſpoken to for ſatisfying of them in this point, but there are others who are weighted with this Doctrine, to whom the Lord allows more tender uſage, and would not have them to faint nor be diſcouraged; you that are ſuch (if any be) may know that there is ground for us to preſs this, and that we may remove the conſtruction of hardneſs from this ſoveraign way of Gods Grace, wherein He hath thought fit to draw Men unto an abſolute dependance on Himſelf: In the diſpenſing of it, we ſhall propoſe theſe few Conſiderations, 1. That (which was hinted at before) never a Man that hath heard this Goſpel when he comes to count with God, ſhall have it to ſay, that the reaſon why he did not receive and embrace it, was his impotency and inability, but the real reaſon ſhall be found to be his wilful rejecting of it; and upon the contrary it ſhall be found, that there was never one that would in earneſt have had ſtrength to run the way of Gods Commandments, and Faith to grip to, and embrace Jeſus Chriſt offered in this Goſpel, that for want of ability came ſhort; and if ſo, what reaſon is there to complain? if none want Faith but ſuch as would not have Him, and if none that would have Him can complain of their want of Him, upon theſe two we have great ground of encouragement to them that have a ſincere affection to be at Him, and there is no ground for Folk to ſit up or fall lazy in purſuing after union and communion with Him in the uſe of Means: None ſhall have cauſe to complain of their want of Him, but ſuch as with their own conſent gave Him over; and any that would fain have had Him, ſhall not miſs Him; for this real willingneſs to cloſe with Chriſt, being a work of the Grace of God, and it being no leſs power that works this Will, than the power which doth effectuate the work of Converſion, and bring it to perfection; He that begins the work will perfect it according to His Promiſe, ſeing there is nothing that He does begin but He does perfect it; and therefore in this caſe, Folk had more need to reflect upon their willingneſs to have Chriſt, and to cloſe with Him on His own terms, than to diſpute their impotency and inability. 2. Conſider what they have been whom the Lord hath brought thorow, were they not ſuch as had as much need of Grace as ye have? had they not the ſame corrupt Nature that ye have? were they not as impotent and unable to do for themſelves? could any of themſelves do more than ye can? conſider them all that are before the Throne, was it not this ſame Grace of God and not their good Nature nor their Free-will that did the work? and they were not expreſsly or by name included in the Promiſes more than ye are; and ye are not expreſsly excluded more than they were; the Lord brought forward the work of Grace in them that ſame way that He dealeth with you; by the preaching of His Word He brought them firſt to know their ſinfulneſs, impotency, and weakneſs, to know that there was need of a Saviour, that their Salvation was not of themſelves, neither was it in them to make right uſe of the Saviour and Salvation offered, but in the power of His Grace, and what if He be doing ſo to thee? and if that condition be hard and hopeleſs now, it had been a hopeleſs and hard condition to theſe many that are now before the Throne. 3. Conſider, That there is no queſtion but Grace is effectual to carry on the work, and to make it go thorow; all the difficulty and diſſatisfaction is, becauſe God keeps the application in His own Hand, which the Man's Heart would have in its Hand, and which of them do ye think is moſt ſure and encouraging? all your fainting and diſcouragement reſolveth in this, becauſe ye can do ſo little; If ye be in good earneſt deſirous to have Grace throughing the work of Faith and Converſion, would ye poſſibly make choiſe of another or better Hand than God's to put it in? is it not as ſuitable and ſure, that His Wiſdom ſhould contrive and lay down the way, as it is to His Power to ſet it forward, and to the freedom of His Grace to make application of it, and all more ſuitable and ſure than if it were in your own Hand? may ye not think ſhame to be diſcouraged on this ground, becauſe any thing ye do ye muſt needs get it from God, and that that ſhould be an obſtruction in the way of Godlineſs, which is a main encouragement to it? is the Lord an upbraider? is there any that can quarrel Him as nigardly in diſpenſing of His Grace? doth he not give to all men liberally and upbraideth no man? and doth it not become Him well to have the conduct and guiding of His own Grace? 4. Conſider how many the Lord hath given Grace to already, and how He hath given it freely, ſurprizingly, and unexpectedly; if ye could bring forth any proof that never one got good of God, ye might have a pretext for your diſcouragement and ſcarring, but when as many as are before the Throne are pooofs of His being gracious to Sinners, when ſo many have gotten good of God before you; and when there are ſeveral who to your own certain knowledge, are dayly get…ing good of Him ſenſibly, freely, and unexp…ct…dly, who were as indiſpoſed to bel…eve as ye are, and as much fainted and diſcouraged as ye are; and when He ſays that He is found of them that ſought him not; is it not as likly that a poor Body that is longing for His Grace ſhall be ſatisfied as well now as ever? according to that word Matth. 5.6. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt for righteouſneſs, for they ſhall be filled; the Soul that would fain have Holineſs ſhall get it: I know there will be a buſineſs made here, and an new Objection ſtarted, whether this longing or hunger be real or not? but if your longing and hunger be not real, it will not trouble you much to want; and it is not to encourage or comfort ſuch that have no real longing, that all this is ſpoken; we know there is more need to make ſome vomit up the conceit of their ability, than to encourage them againſt any ſeen and felt inability; There are many alace! that think little of the Grace of God, with whom the error anent Univerſal Grace would aggree well, they having a preſumptuous conceit of Faith, and that it is not ſo difficult a thing to believe as is alledged; we muſt profeſs that we have not much to ſay to ſuch for their encouragement, only we would let them know, that there is a time coming when God will refute and ſilence them: But as for ſuch as ſee their inability, and are put to any meaſure of ſuitable ſeriouſneſs and longing in earneſt after Believing, the Lord allows that they be ſtrengthened and encouraged, and to ſuch we would ſay this, If their miſſing of Jeſus Chriſt weight them, if it be their burden that they cannot Believe, and if their longing, hunger, and thirſt be ſome pain and piece of exerciſe to them, ſo as other things reliſh not with them, they are ſo taken up with that; and if they had their Souls choice, it would be this, even a ſatisfying fight of union and communion with Him; their longing and hunger is real, and we may turn over that juſt now cited word to them, Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirst after righteouſneſs, for they ſhall be filled; this hunger and thirſt was never begotten without ſome ſpiritual Phyſick from Chriſt the great Phyſician, who hath proviſion for ſatisfying it, and as we uſe to ſay, of the natural Life, He ſent never the Mouth but He ſent the Meat with it, ſo we may ſay of this hunger, He that gives this ſpiritual Mouth, gives always the Meat with it; would to God there were many enlarged Apetites to receive, our Lord would no doubt be found ready to ſatisfie them all; if the Mouth were wide opened, the Affections enlarged, and the Soul ſick under hunger and chirſt for Chriſt and Holineſs, that Sickneſs ſhould not be found to be unto Death, but to the glory of the Grace of Him who is the great Healer.
For the third thing that we propoſed, to wit, That ſeing there are many ways how Folk may go wrong, and yet none ſhould give over hope, what is the native uſe and exerciſe that this Doctrine calls for? I ſhall ſpeak to this, firſt in general, and ſecondly, in ſome few ſteps or particular directions. 1. Then in general, ye would conſider that place, Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out the work of your own ſalvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleaſure; where it is clear, that the exhortation given to them to work out their Salvation is drawen from this ſame Doctrine of the efficacious work of Gods Grace, working in them to will and to do as the great Motive; God ſaith. He worketh in you to will and to do, therefore work ye out the work of your own Salvation: There are in this general exhortation four things implyed, the firſt is the very entry or beginning of the work of Salvation, that is, the exerciſing of Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, it is of God, therefore work at that work, as if He ſaid, Believe to the ſaving of your Souls, as the word is Heb. 10. ult. For it's God that works the will in you. The ſecond is the work of Repentance, this is alſo taken in here, for his bidding them work in fear and trembling, reſpects their ſinfulneſs, and neceſſarly implyeth Repentance. The third is their aiming at perfection in Holineſs, the putting forth themſelves in improving of all Means, and in the exerciſing of all Duties for that end, work out ſays He. And fourthly, It looks to the manner, that it be not carnally or in carnal confidence, but with fear and trembling; and if it ſhould be aſked, how doth that concluſion flow from this Doctrine, it's Gods work, or He works in you to will and to do, therefore work ye out your Salvation? Folk would rather think that the concluſion ſhould be, ſince God doth all this, do ye nothing: No, but the juſt contrary concluſion is drawen and it hangs on theſe two. 1. On the efficacy of Grace. it's God that works to will and to do, it's His Grace that ſtrengtheneth you, and where. He works the will, He works the deed, where He begins a work, He will alſo through and effectuate it, therefore take ye encouragement to work; as if He had ſaid, fight well, for ye have a brave ſecond, though it be not proper to call Grace a ſecond; ſet your ſelves to the exerciſe of Holineſs in earneſt, and God wil make it go with you. 2. On the conſideration of ſinfulneſs and weakneſs in them, which ſhould make them work in fear and trembling, as if He had ſ id, ſeing it is God, and the efficacy of His Grace that doth the work be not ye vain and preſumptuous; the firſt part ſays, it's God that works and not ye, therefore be ye the more holily confident; the ſecond part ſays, it's not ye but God, and therefore do the work with fear and trembling; and both tend to this, that Folk would be ſerious in minding and proſecuting the work of their Salvation from the firſt ſtep to the laſt, in fear and trembling, on this ground, that though they have nothing in themſelves, yet there is enough in God and in His Gr…ce to do their turn: How is it then, or what can be the reaſon, that we in our Hearts do draw the juſt contrary concluſion to that which the Spirit of God draws here from this ground? when we have the offer of Grace, and hear of the power and efficacy of it, it ſhould as to our part provoke us to be more buſie, reaſoning thus with our ſelves, that though our Corruption will ſoon overcome us, yet it wi l not, it cannot overcome Grace; and though the exerciſe of Faith be above our reach, yet it is not above the reach of Grace, though we be weak, yet Grace is ſtrong, and therefore we will work it out: And upon the other ſide, we ought to con…inue humble, and in fear and trembling work it out, b…cauſe it's not we but Grace that doth the work: If Grace were well conſidered, there is nothing that would more ſtr…ngthen Folks hands to work; and upon the other hand, there is nothing that would make Folks more watchful, and to walk in holy fear, conſidering that we are poor Beggers, and thorow our unwatchfulneſs, or conceit and preſumption, may mar the outlettings of His Grace, eſpecially if we grow ſecure, and ungrately forget what we receive from Him.
2. I come now to ſome ſteps or particular directions implied in this Uſe, becauſe it will be aſked, What then ſhould Folk do? And before I touch on particulars, take theſe two Cave…ts in the entry to them. 1. That we can propoſe nothing to be done by you, n…ither can ye do any thing of your ſelves that is a gracious act or deed. 2. That we underſtand not that any thing can be done by Men in their Natural ſtate, that doth infer or procure, and far leſs deſerve the giving of Grace to any; but ſeing God hath given direction to us how to walk in order to the working out of our Salvation, we ſay 1. That it's ſafe to us to walk in the way He hath directed us to walk in, and in the uſe of the Means He hath preſcribed, and much more ſafe then to lay them aſide. 2. That there is greater ſuitableneſs betwixt the uſe of the Means, and the finding of Grace, then there is betwixt the neglect of Means and the finding of it. 3. That it aggrees well with Gods way in bringing about the Converſion of Sinners, to bring them piece and piece forward; ſometimes bringing them to the uſe of external Means, and to the performance of outward Duties, ſometimes convincing them of Sin, and letting them ſee their need of Chriſt; ſometimes diſcovering the worth that is in Chriſt, and bringing them to fall in love with Him, ere they actually cloſe with Him; and making them in their practice to follow any peep or glimmering of light that is let out to them, and to go the length that light diſcovereth the way and makes it plain as to their duty.
Now for particular Directions, we would 1. Bid you ſtudy to be fixed and eſtabliſhed in the Faith of theſe general Truths that relate to Mans Sinfulneſs and Miſery, and Inſufficiency in Himſelf, that in us, that is, in ou… fl…ſh dwelleth no good thing; that naturally we are dead in Sins and Treſpaſſes, and cannot quicken our ſelves; and in the Faith of the neceſſity and powerfulneſs of Grace, and that it's Chriſt that muſt give and work Faith, and that Grace can do the turn, and prevail where it is put on work; ye would alſo conſider, and believe the great hazard of miſſing Grace, and the advantage that cometh by it; ye would meditate on theſe things, and on the Scriptures that hold them out; and on the experiences of the Saints that confirm them, that ye may not only have a glance and tranſient view of them, but may be confirmed in the Faith of the truth of them. 2. Content not your ſelves with a general Faith of the tru…h of this Doctrine, but labour to be ſuitably affected with theſe things that ye believe; and though every affectedneſs be not ſpecial Grace, yet I ſpeak to them that are ready to lay the blame and fault on the Grace of God, and yet were never affected with their own graceleſneſs: Ye would ſtudy to be affected with the graceleſneſs of your Nature, and let it put you to ſome ſanctified diſquiet and trouble, till with Ephraim, ye be made to ſmite upon your thigh, and till ye be put to a holy deliberation and conſultation about your own condition; a Man that is under the hazard of a civil penalty, will think on it again and again, it will affect him, and he will not be at reſt till he be without the reach of it; much more ſhould ye be with the hazard that your Souls are in through Sin; ye are not excuſable, ſo long as ye come not this length. 3. Add to this, Diligence in the uſe of all outward Means and Duties, whereby, and wherein the Lord uſeth to communicate His Grace, abounding always in the work of the Lord, as the Apoſtle exhorteth, 1 Cor. 15.58. Be diligent in ſecret Prayer, Reading, Meditation, Conference, Self-examination, Hearing, keeping good Company, and the like, which indeed Hypocrites may do, yet they ceaſe not for that to be Duties. 4. Be ſincere and ſerious in the uſe and performance of theſe Means and Duties, that which I mean, is a moral ſincerity and ſeriouſneſs, ſuch as a Man will readily have in a civil Cauſe that he hath depending before a civil Judge, or in hearing of News, or the like, which is a thing that may be, and is often found in Men that are void of a principle of Grace, and yet Folk are very often defective in this, and make themſelves exceeding guilty before God, becauſe they come not this length. 5. Take heed and beware of entertaining any thing that holds and bars out Grace, or of doing any thing that may mar or quench the working or moving of Grace; If ye cannot get Chriſt entertained in your Heart as ye ſhould, be ſure to give it to no other; if ye cannot get Corruption thruſt out, nor mortified, watch againſt the riſing or harbouring of that which ye know to be Corruption; and againſt the incoming or riſing of ſuch evils, as ye know will keep or put away the Beloved; guard alſo againſt the neglecting of ſuch Means, as by the neglect whereof ye may grieve His Spirit. 6. Study and ſeek after a compoſed frame of Spirit in your ordinary walk, and eſpecially in Duties of Worſhip: Carnal Mirth and Jollity, looſe Company, and ſuffering the Heart to go a whoring after the things of the World, do not only provoke Chriſt as they are ſins, but indiſpoſe us for Duty, and mar the exerciſe of Grace where it is, and keep it back where it is not, therefore the wiſe man ſaith Eccleſ. 7.3. that ſorrow is better then laughter, for by the ſadneſs of the countenance the heart is made better; carnal Sorrow is not to be commended, but ſober ſadneſs, or a grave and compoſed frame of Spirit, is better then a light and unſettled frame, it being very hard, if not impoſſible to keep the Heart right even where there is Grace, but where there is ſome counterpoiſe or wither-weight; and it muſt be far more impoſſible to keep it right where the work of Grace is not, or but in the very firſt beginnings of it; and though I do not call this compoſedneſs of frame, Grace, yet it keeps Folk in ſome capacity, as it were, to receive Grace: It's ſaid Lam. 3.27, 28. That it's good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth, he ſitteth alone and keepeth ſilence, becauſe he hath born it upon him, he puts his mouth in the duſt, if ſo be there may be hope; for though Croſſes are not always bleſſed to Converſion, yet we may ſee now and then that ſad times are the beginnings of better times, and even in Hypocrites their ſad times ordin…rily are their beſt times; I neither deſire nor allow any to bring Croſ…es upon themſelves, yet I would deſire all to make the beſt uſe of any Croſs they are under, and to be acquainting themſelves with their Sin and Infirmities, and with their Hazard, and with ſuch other things as may weight and compoſe them without foſtering diſcouragement and a…xiety; and to love as well to ſpeak and hear ſuch things ſpoken of, as may provoke to ſighing and ſadneſs, as theſe that may provoke to laughter; I ſaid of laughter (ſaith Solomon. Eccleſ. 2.2.) it is mad, and of mirth what doth it? and Prov. 14.13. Even in laughter the heart is ſorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heavineſs: though oft times our Laughter may not be ſo ſinful, yet it readily more indiſpoſeth us for any ſpiritual Duty, then Sorrow doth; the Heart is like a Clock, whereof, when the inner wheels are ſet a reeling, it is not ſoon righted and ſetled. 7. I would propoſe Ephraim's example to you, Jer. 31.18, 19. and deſire that ye would in the fight and ſenſe ye have of your ſinfulneſs, weakneſs, & feckleſneſs, be bemoaning your ſelves and your ſad condition to God, putting up that Prayer to Him, Turn thou me and I ſhall be turned; Theſe words flowing from ſuitable ſenſe are good; and then follows, after that I was turned, I repented; It's obſervable, that in the very entry he is graciouſly taken notice of by the Lord, Surely I have beard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf thus; ſo it is with God's People when they conſider how great Strangers they have been to God, how ſinful and ſtubborn, and how impoſſible it is for them to mend themſelves of themſelves, they retire themſelves into ſome corner, and there bemoane their caſe, and cry out, O! what a ſinful nature is this, and when will it be got amended? I am as a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke, ſays Ephraim, and the Lord tells, He heard and obſerved it; when poſſibly he thought he was ſcarcely, if at all Praying, but rather ſighing out as it were a ſhort ej…culation to God, O! that I were amended; the laſt word of his Prayer is, Turn thou me and I ſhall be turned, or convert me, and I ſhall be converted; he ſees that when all is done, he muſt cleanſe his hands and leave the matter to God, I cannot, but thou canſt work the work, and it ends ſweetly in words of Faith, for thou art the Lord my God, and where words of Faith are after ſerious exerciſe, that exerciſe hath oft times Faith going alongs with it, hence are theſe words Lam. 3.20. If ſo be there may be hope: Pſal. 119 Incline mine heart, open mine eyes, &c. and Luk. 9.13. How much more will your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him? it's good to pray for the efficacy of Grace, and to offer our ſelves Subjects to be wrought upon, and Objects to receive what Grace offers to us.
As we began theſe Directions with a word of Caution, ſo we would cloſe them; Do not think that theſe things in a Natural Man, following this ſinful courſe, will bring forth Grace; neither conclude, that where theſe things only are diſcerned and no more in ſome Perſons, that there Grace is wanting, it being to help ſuch forward that we mainly ſpeak to them: Only in ſum, 1. Keep clean and clear the Light ye have. 2. Improve the ſtrength beſtowed. And 3. What ye have not, put it over on God, and ſeek from Him, who hath Grace to give for working that in you; and it would ſeem that in reaſon ye ſhould refuſe none of theſe three. 1. We ſay, Keep clean and clear your Light, for if ye detain the Truth of God in unrighteouſneſs, and make as it were a Priſoner of it, by ſetting a guard of corrupt Affections about it, ye may bring on blindeſs. 2. Improve what ſtrength ye have, for if ye improve not your ſtrength, were it but in Natural parts and endowments, that makes you inexcuſable when Spiritual and gracious qualifications are denied to you, for ye have procured this to your ſelves; are there not many things that ye thought your ſelves able for, that ye never ſeriouſly once eſſayed, much more might have been done as to Repentance, Love to God, Charity to others, and the like; and when ye have not ſtretched your ſelves to the yondmoſt in theſe, there are ſure many things left undone that ye might have done. 3. What ye dow not do, or find your ſelves unable to do, put it on God to do for you, ſeriouſly, humbly, ſingly, and ſelf-deniedly; for if ye come not to God with that which ye are unequal and unable for, ye are ſtill on this ſide your duty and without excuſe. Take theſe then together, Improve any ſtrength ye have according to any meaſure of Light God hath given you, and coming to God through Jeſus Chriſt, ſeek that ye want from him, and leave the acceptation of your Perſons and of your Performances on Him: This is the reſult of all that we have ſpoken of this Doctrine of Grace, that ye may not take occaſion from the way of Gods diſpencing Grace, to continue graceleſs, which if ye do, it will be ground of a moſt grievous challenge againſt you; but that ye may ſee an excellent conſiſtency betwixt the ſoveraignty of Grace, and your going about the means appointed of God in order to Faith and Converſion, and the ſtudy of Holineſs; and that ye may go on in the uſe of theſe Means, with an Eye to Grace, in the ſenſe of your own inſufficiency to think as of your ſelves, ſo much as a good thought, leaving all your Duties at Chriſt's feet, walking before him with a ſtopped Mouth; when any thing is wanting, ſtanding at his Door and begging it from him, and when any thing is received, cleanſing, to ſay ſo, your own Hands of it, and giving him all the Thanks, Praiſe, and Glory of it. To him be Praiſe for ever.