Influences of the Life of Grace, Part 3 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The nature of the habit of grace; that there is 2. Such a habit is clear in the word. 3. It's purchaſed by Chriſts merit. 4. Hath ſupernatural actings flowing from it. 5. Influences without this habit are but deluſions. 6. Differences betwixt the habit of grace and other habits, 7. Reſolutions muſt be followed with prayer. 2. Godly trembling. 3. Faith. 8. The ſtronger the habit of grace is, the ſtronger and and more connatural are the acts flowing from it.
THe third particular is, how the Saints may fetch the holy breathings of the Spirit by ſupernatural habits: And touching this we ſhall ſpeak to theſe.
1. What the habit of grace is.
2. How it is the ſeed of influences of grace.
1. What neceſſity there is of the connexion betwixt the habit of grace; and how we may fetch breathings of the Spirit from the habit of grace.
As to the firſt: The habit of grace is a fixed diſpoſition infuſed in the ſoul by the Lord, purchaſed by Chriſts merit of his death, by which we perform ſupernatural duties.
1.The habit of grace is a permanent diſpoſition. A habit is a heavenly diſpoſition or quality gracious, by which the man even ſleeping is denominated a convert, a believer, a tranſlated man from darkneſs to light, Col. 1. 13. Acts 2. 44. Acts 4. 4. 1 John 3. 14.
2. It is a fixed quality different from a ſpiritual diſpoſition, as Pſal. 57. 7. My heart is fixed or diſpoſed, O God, or prepared; but his heart was not ever and alwayes fixed and prepared to praiſe, though he had ever the habit and ſeed of God in him after his converſion.
3. It is a fixed diſpoſition infuſed in the ſoul by the Lord, as a permanent quality; ſo Iſa. 44. 3. I will pour water on him that is thirſty, and floods upon the dry ground. What is that flood? I will pour my ſpirit upon thy ſeed. Zech. 12. 10. And I will pour upon the houſe of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jeruſalem the ſpirit of grace and of ſupplication. Ezek. 11. 19. And I will give them one heart; and I will put a new ſpirit within you; and I will take the ſtony heart out of their fleſh, and will give them an heart of fleſh. Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart alſo will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, and I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and will give you an heart of fleſh.
And alſo that this is an inbiding and permanent quality, infuſed of God, and an habit not acquired by our induſtry, by which the Saints are, and really are named anointed, renewed, born again, new creatures, is clear 2 Cor. 3. 3. Foraſmuch as ye are manifeſtly declared to be the Epiſtle of Chriſt, miniſtred by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of ſtone, but in the fleſhly tables of the heart. So this habit is called the ſeed of God, 1 John 3. 9. The anointing (ſaith John 1. 2, and 20.) which ye have received of him, and abides in you. 27. Yea the Father and the Son making their abode in the ſoul. John 14. 13. The well of water ſpringing up to life eternal in the believer. John 4. 14. Rivers of living waters flowing out of the belly. By which the Saints are ſaid to be denominated quickened, Epheſ. 2. 1, 4, and 5. and to be light in the Lord, whereas they were once darkneſs, Epheſ. 5. 8. new creatures, 2 Cor. 5. 17. born of God, 1 John 5. 1. 1 Iohn 3. 2. Now this is infuſed, and no more an acquired habit then regeneration, converſion, tranſlation is acquired.
4.The habit of grace is given through the merit and grace of Chriſt. This new fixed diſpoſition is given through the merit of Chriſt, Acts 5. 30. Whom ye ſlew and hanged on a tree, v. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael and forgiveneſs of ſins. Then is Chriſt the giver of repentance, and of all ſpiritual habits, not ſimply, but as crucified and made a meriting Prince.
2. The Father hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt; then alſo with the habit of ſanctification.
3. We are ſanctified by the the willing offering that Chriſt made, when he gave himſelf a ſacrifice once for all, Heb. 10. 8, 9, 10. and the people ſanctified by his blood, Heb. 13. 12. Then in the merit of this blood muſt we have the habit of ſanctification.
4. If the conſcience be purged by the blood of ſprinkling from dead works, Heb. 9. 14. then is the heart of ſtone removed, which is nothing but this deadneſs in us before our converſion and new birth; and if this be done, ſo that we are ſprinkled with clean water, cleanſed from all our filthineſſe and idols, and the heart of ſtone taken out of us, and a new heart of fleſh, even a new heart given us, not for our own doings, but for his own names ſake, Ezek. 36. 22, 25, 26, 32. that is, from the precious and onelyonly ſaving grace of Jeſus Chriſt, as it is exponed in the New Teſtament, Acts 3. 16, 25, 26. Acts 4. 12. Rom. 3. 24, 25. Epheſ. 1. 17. Coloſſ. 1. 13. Acts 10. 42, 43. So for Davids ſake is exponed in the New Teſtament for the Son of Davids ſake; and for the Lords names ſake, is all one with this, for the merits and death of Chriſt.
5. Chriſts blood is a ranſome, not to buy us from wrath only, and from the evil of puniſhment, but alſo from the evil of iniquity and ſin, and ſo from the bondage of our vain converſation, 1 Pet. 1. 18. from all iniquity, Tit. 2. 19. from living to ſin, 1 Pet. 2. 24. and ſo to purchaſe the grace of the new birth, and to make us Kings and Prieſts to God, Rev. 1. 5, 6.
6. The Spirit poured on the thirſty ground, Iſa. 44. 3. on the houſe of David, Zech. 12. 10. is either a gift of nature or a grace. The former can be ſaid by none but Pelagians and Socinians; for if the only principle of the life of God, and the new birth, be a work of our induſtry, Chriſt died in vain; if it be a free grace, we muſt receive it out of Chriſts fulneſs; For out of his fulneſs we all receive, John 1. 16.From the habit of grace we perform ſuitable actings.
5. By this ſupernatural habit, we perform ſupernatural duties, and new acts of life; for Iſa. 44. By the Spirit given they ſhall ſpring up as among the graſs, as (verſe 4.) willows by the water courſe. They ſhall graciouſly profeſſe and ſwear a covenant to the Lord, v. 5. One ſhall ſay I am the Lords, and another ſhall call himſelfe by the name of Jacob, and another ſhall ſubſcribe with his hand unto the Lord, and ſirname himſelf by the name of Iſrael. And when the Spirit is poured on the houſe of Jacob, the ſecond acts flowing therefrom are acts of believing, and looking on Chriſt whom they pierced, and mourning over Chriſt, and being in bitterneſs, as if his firſt-born were dead. So Ezek. 36. the putting in the new heart hath walking v. 27. in the Lords ſtatutes, keeping his judgments. The firſt young motions and life-ſtirrings of the circumciſed heart, are the loving of the Lord, Deut. 30. 6. the returning and obeying the voice of the Lord, v. 8.
Then 1. ſaving influences in ſpiritual actings, in praying, praiſing, hearing, are meer deluſions without this new habit, not the motions and actings of a living man from influence of life:Vital actions flow from ſupernatural habits. But ſome cozeners by the art of Satan have made dead images to ſpeak, but that ſpeaking, or laughing, or weeping was but counterfeit, and from no kindly influence of life in the dead ſtone. The heavy elements move downward, and that from an inward principle of nature; but the motion of the wheeles in a horſe-mill is not from nature within, but from the beaſts that draw the wheels; nor is the motion of the ſeveral pieces of the horologe from a principle of life, but from art. And the actings of men deſtitute of ſuch a ſupernatural habit, ſuppoſe they give all their goods to the poor, and give their bodies to be burnt, yet are there no influences of the life of Chriſt in theſe actions, they come from compoſed art and induſtry of hypocriſie, cuſtome, formality, and vain-glory, and ſuch leave their name in the earth for a curſe. Be not ſatisfied while the wind breaths out of the right air, even from a life of Chriſt, and from the head Chriſt. Chriſt lives in me, Gal. 2. and the actual influences of grace from above are ſuitable, having Chriſt living in you. Chriſt ſhall furniſh wind and ſweet breathings of the Spirit to his own life; it's a curſed caſe of conſcience, when the man hath peace and ſo much quietneſs as to be ſatisfied with, and to thank God for his formal faſting, and paying of his debts to all, Luke 18. 11. and ſuch counterfeit influences pleaſe him all his life.
2. How doe they undervalue Chriſt and his blood, who father all influences of praying and ſeeking of God upon their own induſtry and nature; in this the mouth may kiſſe the hand, we kiſſe not the Son. It ſpeaks grace when every ſincere ſigh, and every good word and thought is referred to the price and ranſome of blood; when the ſoule is at this, O I would kiſs Jeſus Chriſt for this looſing and melting of heart; and I am the endeared debtor of Jeſus Chriſt for this lively breathing upon the heart. This keeps from murmuring and fretting at other times when the man weeps over his deadneſs; ah, it's (ſaith the complainer) long ſince I ſaw him.
2.The differences of the habit of grace from other habits. The differences betwixt the habit of grace and other habits of arts and ſciences would be conſidered,
1. In the riſe; induſtry and free-wills trading may purchaſe the habits of ſciences and arts; this is infuſed from heaven. I will pour water on the thirſty ground, ſaith the Lord, for mine own ſake do I this, Iſa. 44. Ezek. 36. 32. This habit is indeed Chriſts trading, and the fruit of the travel of his ſoul, and ſtands Chriſt at a high price.
2. Other habits may be forgotten and loſt; this is a part of the believers ſtock, of Chriſts buying, and ſo in Chriſts keeping. Chriſt keeps his own purchaſe from waſting in ſhipwrack: It's the immortal ſeed, the well that ſprings up to life eternal, John 4. 14. the remaining anointing, 1 John 2. 20. the imbiding ſeed of God, 1 John. 3. 9.
3. The leſſe excellent the habit is, the more it is under the dominion of free-wil: the Muſician may ſing when he will, he needs no influences of grace to ſtir up his habit; the natural man from himſelf may blow upon the natural habits of arts and ſciences, and the remanents of the image of God, and he may do much from common honeſty; but the more excellent and ſpiritual the infuſed habit is, the further it is from being under the dominion of free-will; only the North and South-wind of the Spirit can act upon this habit ſupernatural: nor can we pray ſimply at the nod and ſtirring of free-will, only the Spirit of Jeſus is ſteereſman here; and this is to be holden, that the Spirit ſo withdrawes, as we are guilty conſenters to his withdrawing, and in the ſinful omiſſion of calling upon the Lord; and when the Spirit acts upon the free-will, and the habit of grace, we are willing conſenters to that bleſſed breathing, and willing joyners in the work of praying; and ſome commendation and praiſe the holy Ghoſt gives to his Saints in all holy actings, Num. 14. 24. Gen. 22. 16. Gen. 32. 28. Num. 12. 7. Rev. 2. 3, 13, 19. Rev. 2. 4, 8, 9, 10.
So we are 1.We are to follow holy reſolutions with prayer. 2. Godly trembling, and 3. Faith. The falſhood of vowes. not to engage in the ſtrength of free-will; and let us know thus much, that when reſolutions of relying upon the grace of Chriſt are taking, and we ſay this we ſhall do by the grace of Chriſt, we but uſe the name of grace; but there is within 1. A fixedneſs of relying on nature, and we follow not our reſolution with prayer, as David, Pſal. 119. 106. I have ſworn and will perform, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. He ſeconds his vow with prayer, v. 108. Accept, I beſeech thee, the free-will offering of my mouth, O Lord; and teach me thy judgments. In praying for any mercy, as for grace to keep the way of God, which we have vowed to keep, we are to interpoſe Chriſt as Surety for the performing of the vow.
2. There is not godly fear and trembling in diſtruſting our ſelves. David, after the Lord makes a covenant with him, and David by the Lords grace had accepted and engaged to ſtand to it, he caſts himſelf down to the duſt, 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my houſe that thou hast brought me hitherto? If we did but conſider how cozening and unſtable as water our hearts are, we ſhould fear our own bentneſs to backſliding when we ſo vow. It ſpeaks honeſt ingenuity after a man hath borrowed money, and given word and writ to pay it, when he is anxious how to anſwer the day, and be acquit of the debt.
3. Faith ſhould rely upon the promiſe of God for influences of grace, and look away from nature, and ceaſe from the breathings of free-will, eſpecially ſince they are involved in the promiſes of perſeverance, and in the promiſes of the covenant, Iſa. 54. 10. Iſa. 59. 21. Jer. 31. 35. Ezek. 36. 27. For among men he who engageth for a good harveſt, doth alſo engage to labour, to harrow and ſow. He that covenants to bring home to a Prince a ſhips loading of gold from India, he muſt alſo engage to prepare a ſhip, and ſea-men, and proviſion for them, and to ſet out to the Sea for ſailing, and to take the opportunity of the winds. Now ſince the Lord hath promiſed to bring many children to glory, this puts on Chriſt a ſort of engagement, eſpecially if we add to this the truſt that the Father hath put on him, John 17. 2. chap. 6. 37. to work in them to will and to doe, and when they fall, to raiſe them again: and as faith relies upon the promiſe of glory, ſo is faith to rely upon Chriſt for grace and influences, and new breathings of the Spirit, without which, perſeverance promiſed, even undeclinable attaining to glory, is impoſſible.
3. The ſtronger and the more intenſe the habit is, the more connatural and kindly, and the more ſignal, bended, and ſtrong are the acts that flow from the habit.
1.A ſtrong habit of grace produces eaſy, and connatural, and ſtrong acts of grace. Rain and ſweet ſhowres poured upon the dry ground, make the growing the more eaſie and connatural; and when a ſtrong habit of the love of Chriſt, ſtronger then death and the grave, which many waters cannot quench, was fixed and rooted in the heart of the Martyrs, the acts of ſuffering, even the torments of the rack, of burning quick, of the teeth of wild beaſts, of exquiſite and longenduring tortures, were exceeding both eaſie, and rejoycing, and refreſhing to themſelves and others, and they had anſwerable ſtrong acts of influences, and a mighty preſence of God; as the three children have the fourth man, the Son of man walking in the fiery oven with them, Daniel hath the increated Angel to ſtop the mouths of the lyons; and there muſt have been ſtrong influences of grace, when they refuſed deliverance, and believed a better reſurrection, Heb. 11. 35. 2. When there is a ſtrong habit of love, and of ſoul-love to Chriſt, there are ſtrong and painful acts of diligent ſeeking, as Cant. 3.
There be three acts of ſeeking and not finding. 1. In the bed. 2. About the ſtreets, and the broad way. 3. At the watchmen; and yet no giving over until ſhe find him whom her ſoul loves, Cant. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. The habit of love, even going on to love-ſickneſſe, produces ſtrong praying, fervent adjuring of the daughters of Jeruſalem to tel Chriſt that ſhe is ſick of love for him, and a moſt pathetick ſong of praiſing of Chriſt in all his excellencies, Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy, and the chief among ten thouſand. v. 11. His head is as the moſt gold, his locks are buſhy and black as a raven. 12. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water, &c. And there muſt be ſtrong love within, when ſuch high expreſſions came out, Pſal. 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee, O God. v. 2. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God. Pſal. 84. 2. My ſoul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my fleſh cryeth (ſhouteth aloud) out for the living God. Now anſwerable to theſe muſt be the actual breathings of God, ſtrong impreſſions, even until the ſoul be like the thirſty ground, like the chaſed hart, dying, ſwooning, and fainting, and in a fever of love-ſickneſs for Chriſt: all which argue there muſt be valid and mighty influences upon the ſoul. Ah, little of the love of Chriſt is a feaſt that ſoon fills and ſatisfies us. Dry, faint, and dead acts of praying and ſeeking, ſpeak weak influences and coldneſs of indifferency, whether we have Chriſt or want him.