Now grace in the effect is the exerting or putting forth of the Divine power for the producing of some gracious effect in the creature 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his Divine power hath given to us all things that appertain unto life and godliness It is the Divine power that produceth in the hearts of the elect whatsoever is necessary to life and godliness It is the Divine power that produceth all the effects of grace in the creature Now grace as it is in the effect is either actual or habitual That which we call actual grace is the exertion or putting forth of the Divine power in order to the producing something in us Actual grace consists in Divine aid and help or affistance that is given to the soul That which we call actual grace consists in those Divine influences which flow into the soul Auxilium Di movens nos Aquinas calls it the help or assistance of God moving of us this is actual grace Psal 119.173 Let thine hand help me for I have chosen thy precepts Others call this the grace of God that moves and acts us and they describe it to be a transient motion or act of God upon the soul this is actual grace Motio Dei transions But then 2. There is habitual grace now that which we call habitual grace it is some effect of grace which is lest upon us which is permanent and abiding in us So that if we would understand the nature of grace we must consider that Divine grace is either the actual aid and assistance of God moving and acting of us or else it is some habitual gift bestowed upon us and inherent in us when it is so bestowed Now that which Divines call habitual grace is set forth in Scripture by several expressions It is called the seed of God 1 John 3.9 His seed remaineth in him It is called by the name of grace in that known Text 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace To grow in grace it is to endeavour that the habits of grace which are insused into the soul by the spirit of God do grow and increase This habitual grace is also called by the name of the new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature In the next place we are to consider how the text is to be understood when it is said My grace is sufficient for thee 1. By grace here in the Text some understand grace in the cause namely the favour and good will of God and so they make the meaning to be this My grace shall be sufficient for thee that is through my love and favour towards thee thou shalt be superior to thy temptations thou shalt be set above thy temptations thou shalt be inabled to overcome thy temptations though thy conflicts be sore and sharp yet such is my love and favour towards thee that I will take care that thou shalt be set above all thy temptations thou shalt be superior to them and overcome them 2. Others by grace in the Text undestand actual help and assistance and so Calvin understands it by grace he understands the help and assistance of the holy Ghost Auxilium spirit tus Sancti Now these two being subordinate neither is to be excluded That which seems principally to be intended is the latter namely the assistance of Divine grace My grace shall be sufficient for thee the meaning is thou shalt have actual grace actual help and assistance given to thee to assist and help thee in thy present conflicts Now actual grace being that grace which is here principally intended we must a little more fully consider the nature of actual grace Now that which Divines call actual grace it is twofold It is either actual grace exciting or quickning or else it is actual grace assisting There is actual exciting or quickning grace and actual assisting grace 1. There is quickning or exciting grace 1 Cant. 4. Draw me we will run after thee The Saints must be drawn before they can run So again Psal 119.36 Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies Divine grace is of that nature that it puts a new bent and byas upon the will The will that was aukward and indisposed to the things of God before when it hath the influences of Divine grace communicated to it then it is inclined then there is a new bent and byas put upon it Psal 80.18 Quicken us and we will call on thy name It is God must excite and quicken us to pray before we can pray Not that we should stay off from prayer till we find a sensible impulse to prayer That may be a great temptation upon a person to say he will not pray till he find a sensible impulse to prayer We ought to put our selves upon the duty out of obedience to the command The commands of God are Pray without ceasing Pray always with all prayer and suplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance These commands are enough to put us upon the duty though we have not an immediate and sensible impulse But when it is said Quicken us and we will call upon thy name we ought thus to understand it that when ever we find our hearts stirred up and quickned to the duty this is from Divine grace this is actual grace exciting and quickening of us But then 2. There is assisting grace Now assisting grace is that help or power which is given us from God whereby we are inabled actual to the performance of what we were stirred up unto by exciting or quickening grace The Saints of God may sometimes have a will but they may want power and ability to do what they have a will to do Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not So that there may be a will but want of power and ability to do what we would Now here comes in assisting grace It is exciting grace that gives us the first will Now when exciting grace hath given us the will then comes in assisting grace to give us abilitie in some measure to do that which exciting grace hath given us a will to do It is God that works in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure 2 Phil. 13. This assisting grace is that which Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 15.10 Yet not I but the grace of God with me Here was assisting grace The grace of God did cooperate with Paul therefore the Schoolmen do commonly distinguish between operating and cooperating grace Operating grace is the same with exciting grace it works the first will and cooperating grace is the same with assisting grace First Divine grace helps us to will and puts us upon the doing such and such things and then there is assisting or cooperating grace whereby we are inabled to the actual performance of what we were stirred up to do by exciting or quickning grace Now the vertue and
considerations to us If Adam in Paradise If the Angels in Heaven did not keep themselves by their own free-will If David Sampson Peter and other of the Saints did not overcome temptations by the power of grace received what reason have we to be sensible of our own infirmity Such is our infirmity that a little temptation will overcome us without the help of Divine grace Peter was overcome by the voice of a poor Maid when he was in the High-Priests Hall A little temptation will overset us if Divine grace do not keep us Let us not presume of our own strength He that thinks himself strongest will fall the next moment if Divine grace leave him and withdraw from him therefore let us carry a deep sense of our own infirmity 3. Let us consider as a means to humble us How far corruption hath been stirred up in us by temptation When temptation hath been offered to us have we not oftentimes found corruption rising in our hearts and joyning with temptation It is said of Moses that holy servant of God that They provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips Psal 106.33 Moses was one of the meekest men upon earth and yet when a temptation came his spirit was provoked and his corruption stirred so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips How often do we find our selves exasperated unto passion and sometimes inticed to sinful desires and lustings by temptation Jam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lusts and inticed that lust that is in the heart that is corrupt nature is enticed by temptation when Satan or the world presents such baits as are suitable to corrupt nature corrupt nature is ready to joyn in and close with them Now what matter of humiliation is this That temptations when they come have such a power and efficacy upon us thus to extimulate and stir up corruption It was not so with Christ the Prince of this world came and found nothing in him He had no corruption in him and therefore none could be stirred up in him It is not so with us But when temptation comes it finds corruption in us and stirs it up 4. Let us consider what foyls or marks of shame at least we have received by temptation Sometimes temptation prevails so far on us as to irritate and stir up corruption although grace overcome in the conflict and corruption break not forth into outward act Sometimes the temptation prevails so far in particular acts that the temptation is superior in the combate and we are foyled by it Temptation gets the upper hand and draws us into such and such a sin now what matter of humbling is this So likewise we should consider what marks of shame temptation hath left upon us Truly the remembrance of some temptations may strike shame into us Paul had the messenger of Satan to buffet him the Greek word signifies to beat with the fist to beat black and blew When people are so beaten as that they receive marks and impressions on the face when their eyes and faces are black with beating they are ashamed to come into company ashamed to be seen Pauls temptations were such as that the remembrance of them struck shame into him That God should let loose Satan upon us to buffet us with horrid temptations with Blasphemous Impure thoughts and the like although they do not gain the consent of the will yet these are matter of shame that there should be that in us that the Devil hopes to get some advantage against us otherwise he would not thus assault The Last Use is by way of Instruction Use 4. This may teach us when God le ts loose any Temptation upon us what is the proper course for us to take the proper course to be taken in such a case is presently and immediately to set our selves against pride to fight against the sin of pride and to labour and pray that we may be reduced to the depth of humility O let us carry this Scripture always in our eye Lest I should be exalted above measure there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me God in permitting us to be tempted levels at our Pride strikes at that sin therefore we should strike at it The best way to have the rod removed it is to answer the end of the rod. Temptation is the rod of God upon us and the way to have this rod removed is to answer the end of this rod which is to be humble God resists the proud but giveth grace to the humble Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 1 Pet. 5. The best advice that can be given when ever we find our selves greatly tempted is this let us pray much against pride that pride may be mortified and subdued in us The sooner our souls are humbled and brought down the sooner will God take off the rod and restore comfort to us that is the promise Isa 57.15 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones The sooner we are humbled and laid low before God the sooner will God take off the rod. The end of the Sixth Sermon SERMON VII 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And he said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness THat which comes now in order to be spoken unto it is the carriage of the Apostle when he was under this exercise what course he took when he was tempted and that is in vers 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me So that the Observation or Doctrine that is next to be spoken unto out of the words is this Doct. Doct. That the proper course that is to be taken by us when we are under Temptation it is to pray much For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me I besought the Lord thrice that is often and frequently a certain number is here put for an uncertain I besought the Lord thrice that is frequently when I was tempted I was much in prayer that is the plain meaning Here I might take an occasion to shew what the nature of Prayer is in general Prayer it is the expression of our desires to God for the obtaining of some good or the removing some evil Others describe it that it is the shewing of our desires
to him from whom we hope to obtain what we do desire But my work is not to treat of prayer at large and in the general but my work is to shew how we ought to pray when we are tempted and this is that the Text leads us unto When the Apostle was under this sore conflict and had the messenger of Satan sent to buffet him then it is that he betakes himself to Prayer For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me Therefore the thing I have to shew is this How we ought to pray when we are tempted when the Lord brings us under any sore conflict or Temptation and here I shall speak to these things 1. What are the things we should pray for when we are under Temptations 2. How ought we to pray when we are tempted 3. Why is prayer the proper course we are to take when we are under any special temptation 1. What are the things we should pray for when we are under temptation There are four or five things I conceive that are the principal things that we ought to pray for when we are under temptation 1. We ought to pray that we may know the ends of God in permitting us to be tempted and also that we may have grace to answer those ends This is certain God hath wise and holy ends in permitting our temptations Satan could not have power to tempt us unless God gave him power and that appears from that Scripture Luke 22.31 And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat That which is desired is not in our own power therefore since Satan desires to have us to winnow and tempt us it is a sign it is not in Satans power to tempt us without Gods permission Satan must have his permission from God to tempt us before he can tempt us Now we ought to pray that we might know the wise and holy ends of God in permitting Satan to tempt us God doth not afflict willingly neither grieve the Children of men Temptations are the necessary discipline that God exerciseth his children with And if the ends of God were answered in our temptations God would soon remove the temptations from us Experienced persons know this to be true that God soon removes and takes off a temptation when he pleaseth When persons have been greatly harrassed by temptation God can all of a sudden hush the temptation and silence it As Christ rebuked the winds and the Seas and there was a great calm So God can all of a sudden take off a temptation that was strong and violent upon us Experienced souls have found this that when such a temptation hath been so strong upon them as that they thought they should never be able to get out of it and disintangle themselves from it yet God of a sudden hath taken it off from them therefore it is our concernment to labour and pray to know the ends of God in our temptation and to give God those ends that make God let loose temptation upon us and then he can soon take off those temptations that are matter of exercise to us 2. We ought to pray for supporting grace that we may not faint under temptation Ephes 3.13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you Heb. 12.3 Lest you be weary and faint in your mind When temptations are great and sore upon us when they are of more than an ordinary nature especially when temptations are of long continuance we are exceeding apt to faint and despond under them For this is certain that the strength of a Temptation lies in the length or continuance of it A person may bear a very great and sharp affliction if it be short better than a lesser affliction if it be long and continued the length and continuance of an affliction is that that makes us weary and faint in our spirits Job when he was under great and sore trials he bare them very patiently at first he bare the loss of his Estate Children and one affliction after another but when the affliction was lengthned out then there was found in him many fits of impatience So the children of Israel when they were long in the wilderness and tired in the length of the way then they began to murmur therefore we ought to pray for supporting grace that we may not despond under our afflictions 3. We may with submission to the will of God pray for the removal of the temptation Thus Paul did in the Text for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might not depart from me that is he prayed that the temptation might depart from him but though Paul prayed that the temptation might depart from him we must suppose that he did this with submission to the will of God He did not simply and absolutely pray that he might be free from temptation but with submission to the will of God he prayed he might be delivered from the present Temptation Some Temptations may be good for us and they may tend to the trying and exercise of our graces Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Some temptations may tend to the trial and exercise of our graces and therefore we are not to pray that we might be freed from temptation altogether because some temptations may be good and profitable for us But if temptations be very heavy and pressing on us as Pauls was then with submission to the will of God we may pray to be delivered from such temptations 4. We ought always to pray that we might be kept from the taint and defilement of temptation and that is plainly the meaning of that Petition in the Lords Prayer Lead us not into temptation When our Saviour directs us to pray Lead us not into temptation his meaning is not that we should pray that we may not be tempted at all but his meaning is that we should pray that we might not be overcome by temptation Our great work when temptation comes upon us it is to pray that God would not leave us to our selves unto the weakness and infirmity of our own hearts nor to the malice and subtilty of Satan Wo to us when Temptation comes if we be lest either to Satans malice and subtilty or in the hands of our own hearts Satan is subtil enough to intice us our hearts weak enough to betray us unlesse divine grace keep us Therefore when ever we are under Temptation our great work is to pray for divine grace to keep us under our Temptations 1 Iohn 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not The wicked one toucheth him not how is that expression to be understood are not the Saints toucht by Temptation How then doth not the wicked one
touch the Saints There is a touch of temptation if I may so call it and a touch of defilement the Saints are toucht with the touch of temptation that is they feel the motions of temptation O but he that is born of God keeps himself that is he indeavors to keep himself and he prays for grace that he may be so kept that he may not be toucht with the touch of defilement He keeps himself that is the grace of God in him keeps him from giving the consent of his will to temptation And so far as the consent of the will is withheld so far a man is kept from the defilement of temptation I mean he is kept from the defilement of those temptations that are from without meerly For that we may not mistake here as for those temptations that arise from within that is the first motions of sin that arise from original concupiscence in the heart although there be no subsequent consent of the will these first motions are sin although when there is a subsequent consent of the will the sin is greater than when there is no subsequent consent of the will But in those temptations that come meerly from Satan or proceed meerly from the world and external objects in such temptations as these are if there be no consent of the will there is no defilement It is true it is hard for us to imagine any temptation offered to us by Satan or the world but there is some corruption or other stirred by it and some degree of consent a partial consent of the will but if we could suppose an external temptation to come and no corruption stirred by it nor the least consent of the will then there were no defilement A clear instance of this we have in our Saviour temptation could not fasten on him he received no taint no defilement from temptation The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me John 14.30 There was no corruption of nature in our Saviour that should incline him in the least to the least partial yielding to temptation but it is not so with us It is hard for us to imagine any great temptation that comes upon us without some motions of corruption and therefore there is usually some partial defilement Yet we ought to pray that we might be kept from defilement as much as may be by not giving the least consent of the will to temptation So much as the consent of the will is kept from yielding to temptation so far we are kept from the defilement of temptation 5. Because we usually get some wound more or less in the conflict with temptation even when we are victorious in the battail we should pray for the pardon of those sins that attend our temptations It is observed by Austin No one is such a Conqueror in temptation but he hath reason to pray forgive us our trespasses 6. The Last thing we should pray for is the sanctification of our temptations We ought to pray that Divine grace might so concur with our temptations as that they may be a means to humble us and that our temptations may be a means to quicken us to do those things for which God lets temptations come upon us God as I said before permits temptations to come upon us for wise and holy ends and we should pray for Divine grace to quicken us to do those things for which God sends temptations upon us 2. How ought we to pray when we are under temptations 1. We ought to pray under a deep sense of our own infirmities we ought to have such a sense of our own infirmites as to be sensible that the least temptation is enough to foil us unless Divine grace help and assist us It is proper only to indigent persons to pray They that are sensible of no wants see no need they have to pray None can pray aright but those that are sensible of their own infirmity When we come to pray under temptation we ought to be sensible of our own weakness how unable we are without Divine grace to overcome our temptations Satan knows by experience what the strength or infirmity rather of our free will is by the breach he made on our first parents in paradise Satan also knows what habitual grace can do without the present assistance of actual grace by the falls of many of the Saints that have been overcome by his temptations we ought therefore to pray under a great sense of the need we have of present actual grace to assist us Although our wills be never so firmly fortified and resolved as we think against such a sin yea although we have the habits of grace in us yet unless we have present actual grace in the same moment that we are tempted we are like to be foiled and that shamefully therefore let us pray under a great and deep sense of our infirmities 2. We ought to pray frequently For this thing saith the Apostle I besought the Lord thrice Thrice that is often thrice in a more solemn manner so some learned men understand this expression Besides Pauls ordinary way of prayer besides that he was wont to pray in an ordinary manner he prayed thrice in a solemn manner about this temptation so some understand it A time of temptation ought to be a time of much prayer when we are tempted in a more than ordinary manner we ought to pray more than ordinary You know what our Saviour saith Ask and you shall receive seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened to you We must ask seek knock If we receive not upon asking we must seek and if we find not upon seeking we must then knock the meaning is we must reinforce and redouble our prayers Our Saviour when he was in the Garden prayed three times Father if it be possible Father if it be possible Father if it be possible he repeated his prayer thrice Elisha when he was to raise the Widdows child prayer thrice over it and when he came to pray for rain he prayed seven times And as a learned man observes he would have prayed seven times more if God had not given him an answer he was resolved to have continued praying still if God had not given him an answer And what do all these things teach us but that we should not be discouraged but continue in praying for this thing I besought the Lord thrice 3. We ought to pray with great fervency One end why God sends temptaions on us is to quicken us to prayer therefore when our trials and temptations are more than ordinary our prayers and cries should be more than ordinary It is said of our Saviour when he was in his agony he prayed more earnestly Luke 22.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More intensely When our Saviours sufferings and conflicts were highest then he intended the strength of his prayer most When our temptations and conflicts are sharp our prayers should then be most fervent
Our prayers are oftentimes cold remiss and lukewarm therefore God sends temptations to set an edge on them and that we might intend the strength of them 4. We ought to pray unweariedly if the Lord do not hear us presently we ought not to give over praying but ought to continue instant in prayer Luke 1. And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint It is the way of God to defer answering the prayers of his people that so he might give them the more abundant answer at last therefore we ought to be unwearied in prayer Paul had not such an answer to his prayer as to have the temptation removed yet he continued praying and so ought we to do though temptations are lengthned out yet we ought to continue praying And although the sense of our unworthiness might sometimes discourage us from praying yet the sense of our own unworthiness ought not to take us off from prayer Luther confesses of himself he was oftentimes discouraged from praying with the sense of his own unworthiness but at last saith he the spirit of God overcame in me by suggesting such thoughts as these are whatsoever an one thou art how unworthy soever thou art thou must pray it is thy duty to pray God will not be sought unto neither will he hear for thy worthiness sake but for his own mercy sake therefore we ought to continue unwearied in prayer and nothing ought to take us off from prayer The third and last thing I am to speak to in the doctrinal part is this Why ought we to pray much when we are under temptation 1. Reason 1. We ought to pray much because we have strong and potent enemies to graple with We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places Ephes 6.12 We have all the malice and subtilty of Hell to contest with and we have the baits and allurements of profit pleasure and honour which we see the greatest part of men are overcome by And over and above all this we have the treachery of our own deceitful hearts to deal with the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked therefore having such subtil and potent enemies to deal withal it concerns us to pray much 2. Reason 2. We ought to pray much because our infirmity and weakness is more than we think it is There is not the least temptation but will be too hard for us if Divine grace do not help us As strong as we think we are and as much grace as we tkink we have yet when temptation comes we shall soon be foil'd if Divine grace doth not help us What the strength of free-will is we have an instance of in our first Parents in paradise and we can never think enough of it and we have another instance of it in the Angels that fell from Heaven And how weak we are for all the principles of grace we have received many of the Saints as David Peter and others are instances of it therefore what reason have we to pray for continual supplies of grace If the Angels did not keep themselves in Heaven If Adam in Paradise did not keep himself by his own free-will If the Saints of God have not kept themselves by the strength of habitual grace what are we able to do by our free-will or habitual grace received Certainly our infirmity is greater than we are apt think it to be and therefore we ought to pray from the consideration of our own infirmity 3. Reason 3. It is one end why God permits us to be tempted to quicken us to prayer you will find it by experience to be true when God sees his people cold or remiss in prayer he doth ordinarily let loose some temptation upon them to quicken them to prayer and though it be not always so yet it is frequently so that some coldness and remisness in prayer doth usually preceed our greatest temptations I do not say it is always so for God doth sometimes bring great trials and afflictions on his children when they are most watchful praying and in the most holy frame And when trials come upon us when we are in this posture in a trembling watchful praying frame then these trials are the greatest mercies And God by putting us into a praying frame before such trials prepares us for them before such trials prepares us for them before they come Happy is that soul that is a praying watchful close walking soul before temptation comes But ordinarily we shall find that some fit of security hath overtaken us before some remarkable trial and temptation comes upon us We do not see the danger we are in of such temptations and therefore do not pray against them and therefore God sends temptations to awaken us from our security and to make us sensible of the danger we are in 1. This is matter of reproof to us Use 1. that we give way to despondency and sinking of spirit under temptation and do not take the proper course that is to be used under temptation Gods own children are to be reproved in this case they are apt to give way to despondencies and dejection and sinking of spirit under temptation and do not take the proper course they ought to take when they are under it The proper course we are to take when we are under temptation is to pray much the Apostle directs us If any man be afflicted let him pray So it may be said is any tempted let him pray Temptation is not one of the least afflictions the Saints meet with the Saints conflicts and temptations are oftentimes far more bitter than their outward afflictions Now art thou tried afflicted tempted pray pray Prayer is thy proper work but instead of praying we droop and despond or if we pray we pray but a little we are soon weary and give over we think God must answer us the very next time we pray or else we think God doth not regard our prayer It is an infirmity that is incident to many of the children of God to think If God doth not answer them this day this week this month that then God doth not hear their prayers But it is one thing for God to hear our prayers and another thing for God to give a present and sensible answer to them God doth always hear the Saints prayers which are according to his will but he doth not always presently give them the thing they pray for and it is a great mistake to conclude that therefore God doth not hear our prayers because he doth not presently give us what we pray for Paul prayed that the messenger of Satan might depart but it did not depart yet Pauls prayer was heard for all that When we pray for temporal things God doth not always give us those things God gives
us temporal things when temporal things are good for us and when they are not good for us he denies us those things But we may take this for a certain rule If we pray as we ought to pray we shall have an answer of our prayers one way or other either we shall have what we ask or something better and this is certain spiritual grace is far better than any temporal thing that we can ask And it is a sign that we have carnal souls if we do not think so Paul had not his temptation removed but he had spiritual grace given him and that was far better than if the temptation had been removed 2. In the second place Use 2. This should exhort us whenever we are tempted to pray and the more we are tempted the more we should pray Here lies the skill of a Christian when ever any particular temptation comes upon him then to deal with God much about that temptation What we should pray for and how we should pray I have already intimated We should pray to know the end of God in temptation pray for supporting grace under temptation pray to be kept from the sin of the temptation and pray for the sanctification of temptation and with submission pray for deliverance from the temptation And we ought to pray with a sense of our own infirmity and we ought to pray frequently fervently and unweariedly This is the proper course to be taken when we are under temptations The Devil is afraid of prayer when Satan seeth that temptation puts us upon prayer and makes us more servent in prayer this will cause him to desist from tempting or to change his temptation As when an enemy makes an attempt at one fort and finds strong opposition and resistance there he leaves that and begins his assault some where else where he may be less suspected and thinks to meet with less resistance If the Devil find himself strongly opposed in his temptation he will retire Resist the Devil and he will flee from you And if we can pray we shall be sure always to have some relief For thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee Psal 9.10 God never forsakes praying souls Lam. 3.29 The Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soul that seeks him It is a memorable expression of one of the Antients God is so good to his people Bonus Dominus saepe non trib it quod volumus ut tribuat quod mallâ—mus that he doth not always give them that which they would have that so he might give them that which they would rather have God is able to do for us abundantly above all we can ask or think God doth not always give us what we do desire that so he might let us see at last that that which he doth give us is better than what we do desire An eminent instance we have of this in our Apostle in the Text. Paul had not the temptation removed from him but he had that given him which was far better he had Divine grace given to him My grace shall be sufficient for thee This was a far greater mercy than the bare removal of the temptation and this is that which leads us to the next point which is this Doct. That praying souls shall have a sufficiency of grace to carry them through all their trials and temptations Paul had not an answer given to him that the temptation should be removed but he had this answer given him My grace shall be sufficient for thee The end of the Seventh Sermon SERMON VIII 2 Cor. 12.9 And he said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness IT remains now that I should speak to the fourth particular in the Text and that is the gracious answer or return that was made to Paul upon his prayer and that is in these words And he said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee The Observation or Doctrine which doth naturally arise from hence is this Doct. Doct. That praying souls shall have a sufficiency of grace to carry them through all their trials conflicts and temptations When Paul had been dealing with God about his temptation he obtained this answer My grace shall be sufficient for thee In treating of this observation there are these things that do naturally fall under our consideration 1. What grace is And he said my grace what we are to understand by grace 2. To shew how grace is said to be sufficient for us how God makes grace to be sufficient for us My grace shall be sufficient for thee And 3. What that grace is that God is wont to afford and communicate to his people under their trials and Temptations And afterwards there will be way made to the Reasons of the point 1. What grace is what are we to understand by grace My grace shall be sufficient c. This Text doth naturally lead me to speak of the Doctrine of grace and truly the Doctrine of grace is one of the most weighty and material points in Divinity Alvarez in his Preface to his Book de Auxiliis observes that the Doctrine of Grace is one of the chiefest points in Divinity and that which hath an influence upon all the rest And as it is a weighty Doctrine so it is the most sweet Doctrine and it is to none so sweet as to holy souls and to those that have most grace they that have most grace will prize the Doctrine of grace most The nature of grace in general is something of an abstruse consideration but I shall indeavour to make it as plain as I may therefore to understand the nature of grace we may take it thus Grace may be considered either in the cause or in the effect 1. Grace in the cause is nothing else but the love the favour the good will of God towards man 2 Tim. 1.1 Grace mercy and peace from God the Father c. The general notion of grace is nothing else but the love and 〈◊〉 and benevolence of God towards men This is the general notion of the word grace and indeed the love and favour of God the good will of God is the cause of all other grace that which we call grace in the effect in a strict and proper sense I say the love and good will of God is the cause of all this grace Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us The Apostle there speaks of one special effect of Divine grace he speaks of regeneration Now he saith this grace the grace of Regeneration is the fruit of Gods good will of his own will that is of his good will begat he us so Phil. 2.13 It is God that works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure The good will of God the good pleasure of God is the cause of all that grace that is bestowed on the creature But then 2. There is grace in the effect
efficacy of assisting grace is seen in two things 1. In making us to resist or repel evil 2. In inabling us to perform that which is good The Apostle Paul speaks of both these together 2 Cor. 13.7 Now saith he I pray to God that you do no evil but that ye should do that which is honest Austin observes from this Text That the Apostle prayed for these Saints Inspirationem boâ—ae vobmtatis operis the inspiration of a good will that God would inspire into them a good will and also that he would give them ability to perform what was good For what need had the Apostle to pray for them that they might do no evil but do that which was honest if so be that the will of it self were sufficiently fortified against evil and sufficiently inclined to do that which was good without Divine grace Prayer supposeth a need of that we pray for a man will not pray for that he supposeth he hath not a need of Therefore when the Apostle prays for these Saints that they might not do evil but do that which is good he supposed they needed both otherwise his prayer was needless Now Divine assisting grace helps as to both these as to the repelling of evil and as to performing that which is good 1. By assisting grace it is that we repel evil by the help of assisting grace it is that we do repel Satans Temptations from without And that we do conflict with the evil motions of sin that arise from our own hearts within 1. By Divine grace it is that we resist Satans Temptations 1 Pet. 5.9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith We are not called here to resist Satans temptations as if it were supposed we could resist temptation by our own strength For confider what is said 1 Sam. 2.9 By strength no man shall prevail that is by his own strength no man shall prevail Therefore when we are bid to resist Satans temptations it is supposed that it is by Divine grace and Divine assistance that we must resist his temptations When Satan desired to have Peter to winnow him as wheat how was it that Peter overcame Satan Truly it was not by his own strength but by Christs praying for him I have prayed for thee saith our Saviour Luke 22.32 And what was it that Christ prayed for Peter Why he prayed that his faith might not fail Austin observes that in this prayer is implied thus much When Christ prayed that Peters faith might not fail Ut haberet in fide liberrimam fortissimam invictissimam perseverantissimam vol mtatem Aug. he prayed that Peter might have a most free a most strong a most invincible and a most persevering will in the faith Peter had not this will of his own Peter had not so firm so resolved so invincible so persevering a will of his own Peter did sufficiently shew his own infirmity what the impotency of his own free-will was when left to himself in that he denied his Master when the temptation came Therefore it was Christs prayer for Peter that caused him that his faith did not fail Truly if Peter had been left to himself as he failed in that particular act so his faith would have failed totally and finally It was Christs prayer and not the strength of Peters will that kept his faith from failing totally 2. It is by the help of Divine grace that we conflict with the motions of sin from within our selves It is a known Text Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the law but under grace That sin hath not dominion over us we may thank Divine grace for it The Law shews us indeed what we ought to do but gives us no power to do what it commands us the Law shews us what sins we ought to refrain from but gives us no power to abstain from them No it is Divine grace that keeps us from the dominion of sin Sin therefore hath not dominion over us because we are not under the law but under grace Were we left without Divine grace sin certainly would have dominion So likewise it is said The spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5.16 By the spirit there we are to understand the regenerate part in a Saint as by the flesh we are to understand the unregenerate part that is in him This the Apostle in another place calls the law of sin I my self serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin Rom. 7. last There is the law of sin and the law of the spirit of life in us Now the spirit lusteth against the flesh that is that habitual grace that is in the heart of a godly man quickned excited and assisted by actual grace this wars against the flesh against the unregenerate part that is in him and what then These two are contrary one to the other It is an expression I remember Luther hath Sant in nobis duo contrarii da es caro spiritus There are two contrary Captains Leaders or Commanders in us the flesh and the spirit The flesh and the spirit oppose one another And what is the result of this combate and opposition Ye cannot do the thing that ye would The flesh or the carnal part in a Believer oftentimes hinders the spiritual part from doing what it would And the spiritual part keeps the flesh from doing what it hath a mind to do Thus Divine assisting grace helps us to resist and to repel evil 2. By the help of assisting grace it is that we are carried out to the performance of what is good and acceptable in the sight of God It is a great Scripture to illustrate this Heb. 13.20 The God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepheard of the sheep make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight by Jesus Christ We may observe here 1. It is the same power that is put forth for the producing of grace in us that was put forth in raising Christ from the dead Why doth the Apostle else usher in his prayer with this preface The God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ c. This intimates that there is the same power put forth in working grace in the hearts of the Saints that was put forth in raising Christ from the dead And there is another Scripture that speaks fully to this 1 Eph. 19.20 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward that believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places So that there is the same power put forth upon Believers for working faith and grace in their hearts as was put forth in Christ in raising him from the dead 2. The Apostle shews
as that the Apostle saith they had approved themselves to be clear in that matter 2 Cor. 7.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure chast in that matter so the word signifies So that as the falls of some of the Saints have been eminent so their repentance hath been as eminent Divine grace is victorious in the hearts of the Saints at last though the Saints may receive a foil in particular temptations yet Divine grace overcomes at last To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me on my throne Rev. 3.21 It is by the help of Divine grace that we do overcome Now the victoriousness of Divine grace appears in two things 1. The victoriousness of Divine grace appears in this in inabling the Saints to persevere in the spiritual conflict 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith whilst a man continues fighting he is not overcome The Saints are inabled to continue fighting to the last Hence is that of the Apostle Paul I have fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4.7 I have finished my course I have kept the faith c. Paul continued fighting to the last and herein doth the victoriousness of Divine grace discover it self that it makes the Saints keep the field they go on fighting to the last 2. The victoriousness of Divine grace appears in this in inabling the Saints to persevere in a way of faith and obedience to the end Rev. 2.7 Be thou faithful to the death They could not be so did not Divine grace help them Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuance in well-doing c. observe the expression by patient continuance in well-doing The Saints victoriousness appears in this in their patient continuance in well-doing Now it is Divine grace that inables them unto this Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me What is the meaning of that Talis ac tantus trit timor meus ut mihi perseveranter adhaereant Aug. that is saith Austin Such and so great shall that fear of mine be that I will put into their hearts that they shall perseveringly adhere to me Our continuance and perseverance in obedience it is as well from Divine grace as the beginnining of it It is another speech of Austin Si in nullo gloriandum quando nostrum nihil sit profecto nec de obâ—dientiâ perseverantissimâ gloriandum est Aug. For as much as we ought to glory in nothing of our own since nothing is our own we ought not to glory in our most persevering obedience It is by Divine grace that we persevere in obedience the same grace that makes us to begin in a way of obedience at first is that that makes us persevere and continue in a way of obedience to the end Thus I have shewn you what that grace is that God is wont to afford to his people under their trials conflicts and temptations The 4. and last thing that remains briefly to be spoken to in the doctrinal part is the grounds and reasons of the point Why is it that praying souls shall have a fufficiency of grace to carry them through their conflicts and temptations I shall touch at the Reasons very briefly 1. The first Reason is Reason 1. Because God loves the prayers of his people and delights in them The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15.8 2. Reason Reason 2. As God loves the prayers of his people why so he will be sure to answer their prayers one way or other Matth. 7.8 Every one that asketh receiveth whosoever seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened 3. Reason is Reason 3. As God delights in the prayers of his people so he delights in no prayers more than in those that are made for Divine grace Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness He doth not say that they that hunger after this and that temporal thing shall be satisfied but they that thirst after righteousness after spiritual and Divine grace they shall be satisfied Luke 11.13 If ye being evil know how to give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him If his people ask grace and the spirit from him this is the most pleasing request and this request shall be sure to speed Isa 41.17 When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Jacob will not forsake them What is the water there spoken of Certainly it is Divine grace When they seek water that is when they seek Divine grace and the influences of the spirit I the Lord will hear them I the God of Jacob will not forsake them God is not wont to deny the prayers of his people when they ask Divine grace of him God resisteth the proud but he giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5.5 God is most delighted to give grace and he is most pleased when his people ask grace 4. Reason is this Reason 4. Desiderare auxilium gratiae est initium gratiae Aug. The desires that are in us after grace are some beginnings of grace to desire the help of Divine grace is some beginnings of it For we could not so will that is will Divine grace did not God inspire that will into us for it is God that works in us to will as well as to do 1. It is God that works in us to will it is we that will indeed but it is God that helps us to will for the preparations of the heart are from God 2. Prov. 16.1 God having given us that grace to will and desire grace he crowns his own grace in us he crowns that grace with success He works in us to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Lastly Reason 5. The end why God brings us under conflicts and temptations it is that his grace might be seen in helping of us This is exprest here in the Text My strength is perfected in infirmity Therefore if God should deny us grace under temptations he should lose one of his main and principal ends in permitting us to be tempted for one of Gods main ends in permitting us to be tempted is that the power of his grace might be seen and magnified in us It were not possible for the Saints to stand or bear up under their trials and temptations did not Divine grace assist them Now if God should withhold his grace when they need it and cry to him for it God should lose the honour of his own grace which he delights to magnifie and illustrate These are the reasons of the point We come now to make the Use and Application of the Doctrine The first Use may be by way of Information Use 1. This point may inform us that mans free-will is not sufficient of it self without Divine
grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness I Am now come to the last part of this Text. I did in the last exercise finish that clause My grace shall be sufficient for thee where I took occasion to handle the Doctrine of Grace I come now to speak to the last clause which is in these words For my strength is made perfect in weakness These words as likewise the former My grace shall be sufficient for thee are the Lords own words to Paul they were spoken immediately by the Lord himself to Paul and therefore ought to bear so much the more weight with us The person who spake these words was Christ and that appears from the end of the verse Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmity that the power of Christ may rest upon me Paul had made his prayer to Christ For this thing saith he I besought the Lord thrice that is the Lord Christ I besought the Lord Christ I made my prayer unto Christ Where we may observe by the way that it is lawful for us to direct our prayers to Christ we may direct our prayers to either of the persons in the Trinity and we may direct our prayers to Christ as Paul did here I besought the Lord that is the Lord Christ so Stephen did Acts 7. Lord Jesus receive my spirit Now as Paul had directed his prayer to Christ so he receives an answer from Christ and he said My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness And he said who was this that said this It was he that Paul had directed his prayer to to wit the Lord Christ As we may lawfully pray to Christ so Christ is able to hear and answer our prayers John 14.13 14. Whatsoever you ask the Father in my name I will do it he doth not say the father will do it but I will do it Now the answer Christ gives to Paul is this My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness My grace is sufficient for thee of that I have already spoken that which I have now to speak of is the latter clause For my strength is made perfect in weakness Now this latter clause For my strength is made perfect in weakness is a reason and explication of the former clause My grace shall be sufficient for thee Paul had prayed that the thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan might depart from him Christ doth not give this answer to Paul that this shall be done for him that he prayes for Christ doth not tell him that the temptation shall be removed and taken away but he gives in this answer that his grace shall be sufficient for him The temptation was still to continue upon Paul but Paul was to have a sufficiency of grace to help him under the temptation Now in the Text Christ gives the reason why it is that he takes this course that temptation shall continue upon Paul and not be removed presently but he shall have grace to assist him under his temptation The reason why Christ takes this course with Paul is that so by this means Christs power Christs vertue Christs strength may be illustrated and made known so much the more Such was Pauls infirmity that Paul of himself would certainly succumb and faint under his temptations he would certainly be ovecome by them if he were left to himself Now the Lord had two ends in continuing Pauls temptation upon him 1. To shew to Paul his own infirmity to discover to him his own impotency and inability to stand under his temptation if left to himself And then 2. Another end of Christ was to make known his power and grace that when Pauls infirmity would certainly have suffered him to fall yet the power and grace of Christ should make him stand This I take to be the proper scope and design of these words For my strength is made perfect in weakness Christ would have Pauls temptation to continue upon him that by this means his power and grace might be so much the more illustrated in supporting Paul under his infirmity The words are plain and are easily resolved into this proposition Doct. That christs strength is perfected in our infirmity Doct. or else Christs strength is perfected in mans infirmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For my strength is made perfect in weakness A point though it may seem plain yet it is of great use unto exercised souls and none will understand the sweetness of this point but those that have been under exercises For the unfolding of this proposition we must consider 1. What we are to understand by infirmity that is one term in the Text My strength is made perfect in weakness or infirmity what are we to understand by infirmity 2. What is meant by the power of Christ My power or my strength is made perfect in weakness 3. How the power of Christ is made perfect in infirmity 4. What that power or strength of Christ is that is made perfect in the Saints infirmities And then we shall come to the reasons of it 1. What are we to understand by infirmity My strength is made perfect in weakness or infirmity there are infirmities of several sorts and kinds but there are three sorts of infirmities that are principally intended in this Text. 1. There are natural infirmites 2. Moral infirmities 3. There are the accidents or occurrences that fall out in humane life all these may be well taken in here 1. There are natural infirmities Now natural infirmities are either infirmities of the body or of the mind 1. There are infirmities of the body Infirmities of the body are such as these weakness sickliness Crasiness of the natural temper all manner of diseases and distempers that are incident to the bodies of men these come under the name of natural infirmites 2. There are infirmities of the mind as namely meanness and lowness of parts dulness of apprehension shallowness and weakness in the judgement unretentiveness in the memory and the like these are infirmities appertaining to the soul and these are the first sort of infirmities namely those that we call natural infirmities belonging to the body or mind 2. There are moral infirmites now by moral infirmites we are to understand two things 1. Weakness and imperfection of grace 2. The reliques and remainders of sin and corruption in the Saints and the Saints of God labour under these infirmities 1. There is weakness and imperfection of grace in the Saints Though they have truth and sincerity of grace yet there is a great imperfection of grace in them imperfection in their knowledge we know but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 as the Apostle speaks imperfection in their faith and love and other graces 2. The Saints they have the reliques and remainders of sin in them Thus Paul complains In me that is in my flesh there dwells no good thing Rom.
up above them all For his strength is made perfect in our infirmitie The End of the Fourteenth Sermon SERMON XV. Solomon's Song 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee HAving shewed the excellency of divine Grace I shall now take occasion from this Scripture to speak something concerning the necessity of Divine Grace and the sense which the Saints have of the need they have of the help of Divine Grace I take it for a certain Truth that the elder we grow in Christianity the more sensible shall we be of the need we have of Grace Younger Christians may be carryed out much in the heat and strength of their affections but elder Christians do easily perceive the need they have of Divine Grace We have here the profession of the whole Church she professeth the need that she hath of Grace and therefore prays for it Draw me we will run after thee Her petition supposeth her want she prays to be drawn wherefore she needs to be drawn Draw me we will run after thee she plainly intimates that unless she were drawn she could not run So that in these words here is a plain declaration of the sense that the Church had of the need of Divine Grace Her praying that she might be drawn by Divine Grace supposeth that she needed Divine Grace to draw her and her saying Draw me and we will run after thee plainly shews that unless she had Divine Grace to draw her she could not run In the words of the Text there are these three things to be considered one whereof is supposed and the other two are implyed That which is supposed is the need which the Church had of the drawings of Divine Grace and the sense that she had of the need of these drawings Draw me we will run after thee Her praying to be drawn supposeth her need to be drawn for we are not wont to pray for that which we do not want Therefore if the Church pray to be drawn she needs to be drawn This is therefore implyed the Churches want of Divine Grace and the sense that she had of the want of this Grace There are two things exprest in the Text 1. The Churches petition Draw me The 2. Is the consequent of granting this her petition Draw me and we will run after thee There are three Observations or Doctrines that do arise out of the words The Doct. 1. Is this That holy Souls are most sensible of the need which they have of the help of Divine Grace This is clearly implyed here when the Church prays Draw me she was deeply sensible of the need she had to be drawn how drawn drawn by Divine Grace The Doct. 2. Second Observation is That the sense which we have of the need of Divine Grace should make us pray so much the more for the drawings of Divine Grace The Doct. 3. Third and last Observation is this The end why we should desire the drawings of Divine Grace it is that our hearts may be more carryed out after God Draw me and we will run after thee The end why she desired to be drawn was that her heart might be the more carryed out after Christ These are the Observations that lie plainly in the Text. I shall begin to speak a little of the 1. Of these holy souls are most sensible of the need which they have of the help of Divine Grace In speaking to this point there are two or three things to be spoken unto 1. To shew you what that grace is that holy souls are sensible of a want and constant need of in themselves And 2. What that sense is that holy souls have of the need and want of Divine Grace And then 3. The reasons of it 1. What that grace is which holy souls are sensible of the need of I shall open this in several particulars and the more experience we have attained unto the more shall we understand the things that are set before us 1. The Saints are sensible of the want of quickening or exciting grace this is primarily intended in the Text Draw me we will run after thee why doth the Church pray to be drawn this is implyed that she found her self very dead heavy and lumpish in the waies of God she found her heart very unapt to move towards Christ therefore it is that she prays to be drawn draw me that is quicken me by exciting grace I find my heart very dead I find my Spirit lumpish heavy unapt to move towards thee therefore quicken me by exciting grace She was sensible she could not move towards Christ till exciting grace did quicken her Holy souls are sensible of many damps and deadnesses and indispositions that come upon them they have not that quickness liveliness and fervour in the waies of God that sometime they have felt The more experience we have of our own hearts the more we shall be sensible of these damps and deadnesses and indispositions that art apt to come upon us and if we are not sensible of these things it is a sign we are not acquainted with our own hearts David prays often in the 119. Psalm for quickening Quicken me quicken me in several places of that Psalm hence may we gather that he found a great deal of spiritual deadness that was come upon him Do not we often find an indisposition to prayer to meditation to holy conference oh then do we need quickening grace then do we need to pray as the Church doth here draw us when we find our hearts dead and lumpish in the waies of God then do we need quickening or exciting Grace 2. Holy Souls are oftentimes sensible of the want of elevating grace to raise and elevate their hearts to God This also is in the Text Draw me we will run after thee The Church was sensible that she could not get up her heart to God as she would have it carried up to him Draw me she would fain get an advance towards God but she could not get up her Spirit to him as she would She had not those inlarged affections towards God as sometimes she had and therefore she prays to be drawn Consider it well do you not sometimes find your affections very flat and low to what they are at other times either your affections stick in some lower inferiour things or else there is such a clog a weight that lies upon them that you cannot get them to ascend to God O how seldom is it that we can get our affections upon the wing to mount up and soar aloft towards God! our affections flag and sink and it is well sometimes if we can tell whether we have any affections for God yea or no. Sometimes it may be we shall find our hearts carryed up aloft above the Sphear of all created things we shall find we love God incomparably above all things here below at other times we find our hearts lumpish and heavy like a piece of lead and cannot get them to ascend