that he waters and carefully looks after When a Believer comes to the Throne of grace for this grace he comes to beg that the new Creation in him may be visited refreshed and strengthened and brought to Perfection They that have no planting of Christ in them want this Errand to the Throne of Grace that Believers daily come upon So much for the first thing What this grace is 2. What is the finding of this grace why the Apostle useth this Phrase different from the former about mercy That was obtaining of mercy this is finding of grace Mercy and Grace are near a-kin and so is obtaining and finding Besides the Hebrew Phrase remarked already these things I would note in it 1. I conceave that this Phrase of finding grace doth imply the Duty of seeking it According to our Lord 's own direction Matth. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you Seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Where and in ver 8. our Lord gives three Commands to one Duty of Prayer under three several Names and six Promises for Encouragement under three different Names also redoubled 2. This form of speaking points forth the giving and bestowing of Grace His Grace and Favour is what is given to bestowed on and enjoyed by them that come to the throne of grace When the old World was exceeding bad all stark naught and but one good Man in it you must needs think that it was a bad World then and that was Noah Gen. 6.8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This Word we should regard the more that it is the first place where the grace of God is mentioned in Scripture Thee have ' I seen righteous before me in this generation saith the Lord to him Gen. 7.1 And how this Man came by his Righteousness see in Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noe being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark for the saving of his house by the which he condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Who but the Spirit of God by Paul who I think was the Pen-man of this Epistle would have found the Righteousness of Faith in Noah's building of the Ark Many nay most of Men called Christians cannot see this Righteousness that is by Faith in the Gospel it self There was a brave inheritance and Estate in this Righteousness of Faith secured and revealed in the first Gospel Gen. 3.15 Of this Estate Abel and Enoch were possessed and Noah became that is declared himself an Heir of it by his Faith and the Fruits of it The whole World had the Warning Noah from God the World by Noah all were equally concerned in the danger Noah preached it to them and God's Spirit was with him striving with them 120 Years But not one Man found grace but he alone A prodigious depth of Judgment and Mercy Such a Man aâ— Noah preached so long to a world of the ungodly as 2 Pet. 2.5 and not one single Man or Woman believed He only found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Jer. 31.2 Thus saith the Lord the people that were left of the Sword found grace in the wilderness even Israel when I went to cause him to rest It is a great blessing to find grace any where but to find grace in the Wilderness to find grace where and when the Sword of God's Anger and Justice is destroying multitudes is heightened grace Grace falls still on Remuants Justice and Wrath seizeth on the Bulk and whole Piece Rom. 11.5 A Remnant according to the election of grace ver 7. The election obtained it that is grace and the rest were blinded and hardened The more be left and the fewer be savingly taken the greater is the grace shewed to those sew and the more happy are they that find it 3. In this Phrase of finding grace there may this be conceaved if you will understand it rightly the Casualty of the getting of grace There is no such thing as Casualty to God He always knows when and where and on whom to bestow his grace But the bestowing of his grace is a meer Casualty to all Men both to them that receave it and to others that look on My meaning is grace comes unlooked for undeserved undestred unexpected in its first visit especially So that all Receavers of it may say as Hagar the only good Word we have of that Bond-woman Gen 16.13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake to her Thou God seest me happy are they that can name God from his grace and mercy to them David calls him the God of my mercy Psal 59.10,17 for she said Have I also here looked after him that seeth me The Lord hath had his Eye on me for good when I was not thinking on him Grace always comes at first by surprize How many are there that attend diligently on all the means of grace and never find grace When some that come but by accident as we think grace finds them and they find it This is the Treasure hid in the Field of the Gospel blessed is he that finds it Matth. 13.44 Many dig in this Field and never find the Treasure in it Men should use means Prov. 8.33,34 Ministers should design wisely to catch Souls and labour painfully in it but the Lord in his Application of his grace passeth by many that we would fainest have saved and lights on others we never thought on And let him do with his own grace as seemeth him good Little thought little Zacheus of Salvation when he climb'd the Tree to see Jesus pass by Luke 19. If Christ had not call'd him down the poor rich Publican was as like as any in the Company to have let Christ pass on in his Journey When Saul was going his wicked Journey Acts 9. who would have thought that grace would have fallen on him as it did All Partakers of grace that can remember its first Visit can witness that their finding of grace was a meer Casualty to them they thought not of it they sought it not yet it found them and was found by them Isa 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not Seeking is our Duty and finding is our Mercy but both right seeking and gracious finding are singly owing to his grace The Apostle after a deep Discourse of the Sovereignty of God in dispensing his grace saith Rom. 9.30,31 What shall we say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness The cause of Israel's missing Righteousness he gives ver 32. Because they have sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they did not build and believe on Christ as a Foundation but
of grace nor of thy need and want of it but wast well content with thy lost State and that in this State grace came from this throne and did beset thy Heart and overcome it May you not argue If the Lord sought me out and found me in my departing from him and stopp'd me and turned my Heart towards himself may not I come now confidently and ask mercy and grace It is a matter of great use to Believers to keep up a savoury remembrance of the gracious change that preventing grace wrought upon them Paul could never forget Christs first visit to him but speaks of it before Kings and Rulers and People Acts 22. and 26. He remembers time and place and every Circumstance I say not that Christs first visit is so sensible to all or it may be to any as it was to Paul But Christs work of grace may be known by it self even when some circumstances of time and place and outward means are not known 2. The Experience of the Spirit of Prayer and of Answers of Prayer is a great ground of boldness of Faith I joyn these two together for the Lord usually doth so Psal 116.1,2 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my Supplications Because he hath inclined his Ear unto me I will call upon him as long as long as I live Have ye not known that sometimes yon have been so troubled that you could not speak as Psal 77.4 that your Hearts have been so bound up and straitned that you could say nothing and do nothing before the Lord but fit as dumb and oppressed all dark above all dead within and all doors shut upon you you durst not neglect Prayer and you could not perform it And have you not quickly found the two-leaved Gates cast open to you your Hearts enlarged and your Mouth wide open in asking The remembrance of such Experiences should strengthen the confidence of your Faith Have you not known what the answer of Prayer is That he hath prepared your heart and hath caused his ear to hear as Psal 10.17 Come the more boldly at all other times They are Triflers in Prayer that know nothing of God by the Name of Hearer of Prayer Psal 65.2 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Whoever hath gone forth weeping bearing and sowing his precious seed hath doubtless come again rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him Psal 126.5,6 and should therefore sow in hope 3. The Experience of Communion and Fellowship with God is a great ground of Boldness in coming to the throne of grace for more Such as have most of this Blessing desire most earnestly more of it and may desire it the more confidently 1 John 1.1,2,3,4 Surely we have this Fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and we would fain have you share with us therein that your joy may be full This Communion with God is a Mystery undoubted to him that tasteth it and surpassing all the delights of Sense or Reason incredible and unintelligible to all that have it not A Stranger intermeddles not with this joy Prov. 14.10 It lies more deep than that any Eye of Flesh can see it It is of that nature that only tasting can declare its transcendent sweetness Psal 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good Saints feel much of it they talk much of it the Word is full of suitable and savoury Expressions of it Yet all are Riddles and dark Parables to them that experience it not You that know what it is though you cannot express it yet you can relish and understand some sound Words about it You know what it is to be brought near to him and to have the Clouds and Vails that are either on your Hearts or on his Face scattered and the light of his Countenance lifted up upon you Psal 4.6,7 You have been sometimes so in the Mount as to think O how good it is to be here You have known what the warm and healing Beams of the Sun of Righteousness upon you are Mal. 4.2 You have tasted that in his Company that hath made the puddle of the Worlds Wells of comfort loathsome and unsavoury yea as hath made you groan in this Tabernacle and long to be in at that compleat and uninterrupted Communion above whereof all you taste on earth is but a small earnest and first-fruits And may not should not such come boldly to the throne of grace Appl. Is there an allowed boldness in coming to the throne of grace Then let us use this boldness Alas many come doubtingly and discouragedly Their Unbelief is so strong and their Faith so weak that they not only come without this boldness but think that they ought not to come with it but with a frame contrary to it They think that it is true Humility to come with a Fear that is inconsistent with this boldness It is indeed required that Men should come before the Lord with awful Fear and Reverence and that they should judge themselves unworthy and undeserving both of the Priviledge of coming and of the least of the Blessings they come for Yet the boldness of Faith is not prejudiced thereby I shall therefore answer some of the common Pleas of Unbelief as to this Priviledge and its improvement Obj. 1. Is from conscience of Sin and Guilt grounded specially on these two Scriptures Psal 66.18 and 1 John 3.20 This Plea seems to be strong and to justifie or excuse doubtings in Christians and doth usually marr the due sense of this Duty of coming boldly to the Throne of Grace To remove it therefore consider that Sin affects the Heart and Conscience two ways 1. It defiles the Conscience 2. It disturbs it 1. Sin defiles the Conscience Tit. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled But we must see when and how the Conscience is defiled by Sin Conscience is God's Tribunal in every Man It is an active and awful power in Men judging of themselves as to their State and Actions as they think God judgeth of them So that there are two main causes tried and to be decided at this Court of Conscience 1. Am I at peace with God and he with me And this is only truly resolved when Conscience pronounceth as God declares in his Word And that Declaration is that every Man by Nature and as in the first Adam is an Enemy to God and God to him and that every one that is in Jesus Christ by Faith is a Child and Friend of God and God is at Peace with him The answer then is different if according to Truth Some may but will not conclude their State of Enmity by their not believing on Jesus Christ Some may but dare not conclude that they are at Peace with God though they cannot deny their Faith in Jesus Christ A second Cause is about particular Actions
stumbled at him as a stumbling stone A most dreadful way of ruine for Men to break their Necks on the Saviour But the Apostle gives no cause why the Gentiles attained the Righteousness of Faith but his Discourse hints it plainly Grace sent the Gospel to them and grace blessed it to them in working Faith in them by the which they laid hold on the Righteousness offered to them and so they were possessed of it and saved by that possession Appl. Should we come to the throne of grace for grace then 1. I infer That every Man should pray Have you found grace already Come for more for more grace is needed by you and more is to be had from the giver It is a blessed Name of God much to be called upon by us Jam. 4.6 He giveth more grace It is much that he giveth any grace at all but more that he still gives more If he gives more and more grace you should come more and more for this more grace If you have never receaved grace you must come to this throne of grace where only it is to be found This Text hath a strong Argument in it as well as a great Encouragement Are Men invited to the throne of grace that they may find grace then surely graceless Folks should mainly come and have most need to come You will say That the Prayer of the wicked is an Abomination to the Lord True what then Therefore say you I should not pray A bad inference But say you were it not better that a Man should mend and grow better and then come and not till then This is a perverse method that Satan befools multitudes with I pray you How long may a Man be a mending himself ere he be one bit better till the grace of God come and mend him A sinner never doth know truly his badness till he see it incurable by all his own doings and that it is only curable by Sovereign grace Men see a little of the fruits of sin in their Walk and them or some of them they think they may remove and so indeed they may But the Fountain remains still and will send forth its Streams one way or other Till a Man see his Heart and Nature he seeth but the out-side of sin in himself It 's the sight of sin in our nature of sin as our nature that is truly humbling then a Man seeth himself quite lost and for ever undone without any possible ground of hope unless Almighty free grace undertake for him In answer to this Objection in all its strength I say four things 1. Coming to the throne of grace for grace is required by God He commands it as a piece of Honour to him that all should implore his grace No sinful or miserable Circumstances can be in the condition of any out of Hell that can dissolve Mens Obligation to this Duty The power of sin and guilt on an ungodly Man disables him quite from the right performance of any Command of God but doth not loose the Obligation of God's Law upon his Conscience You are bound to pray you cannot pray This is your strait own it Grace can only extricate you out of it 2. Secure neglect of Prayer is a great deal worse than a faulty-managing of it Let such Folks say then I will pray and try to pray and though I should marr twenty Prayers I will pray still for it is better to try as we can than to neglect it quite What know you but grace may come in and help you when sinking under the weight of Prayer 3. Is not that a good Prayer and fit for your case Luke 11.1 Lord teach as to pray Lord teach us to come the right way to the throne of grace If you can say no more say that and you can say nothing better An humble groaning to Christ to be taught by him to pray hath more of true Prayer in it than many fine Words which Men call Prayer and commend as brave praying 4. Is it not a throne of Grace you are called to come to that ye may find grace You want grace and cannot come say ye you want grace and therefore come say I. You are not to bring grace of your own working but to find it of his giving at this throne Would you have grace come and get it Men perish under the Gospel only for their refusing of the grace of God And justly are they counted Refusers of grace that will not come where it is to be found And most righteous is their Condemnation 2. Inference Should we come to the throne of grace that we may find grace Then Prayerless people are graceless people Grace is only to be had at this Throne therefore such as have no business at the throne of grace are graceless people A Prayerless Person is a graceless Person A Prayerless Family is a graccless Family and London would be a graceless City and England a graceless Kingdom if there were no seekers of God in them But blessed be God there are a great many The Lord make them an hundred times more and that our Eyes may see it as Joab said to David about numbring of Israel 2 Sam. 24.3 Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name Heathens that know not God and Families that call not on his Name are the same sort of Folks and the same Wrath of God hangs over them Wrath overtakes all that have not found grace at this throne 3. Inference It follows also that the most diligent plyers of the throne of grace are the greatest receavers of grace and the greatest receavers of grace are the greatest comers to and users of the throne of grace Would ye try the measures of grace receaved Try it by your diligence in praying Some would fain know how it is with their Souls Here is a short plain and sure mark to judge it by How goes the work of Praying It is a better Mark than your increase in Light and Knowledge of the Letter of Gospel-Truth better than to try your selves by your publick Duties and attendance upon all outward Ordinances It is impossible that a Man can be diligent painful and serious in plying of the Throne of Grace but there will be Grace found more or less of one sort or other Every one must say with the Psalmist Psal 73.28 But it is good for me to draw near to God and the oftener the better He hath not said to us that we should seek his face in vain Isa 45.19 And none of the Seekers of his Face dare say that they do seek him in vain unless in a fit of Temptation when they lie against their right It is also as impossible that the work of Grace can prosper when this High-way is unoccupied sa Deborah sings Judg. 5.6 That Christian that lets Grass grow in the Road betwixt him and Heaven Rottenness is entring into his