But they speak they know not what For when we affirme that by the power of grace mans wil becomes willing to obey this is not to take away or destroy but rather to rectifie the liberty of our will which consists not in an vnstable changeablenesse to bend euery way but in a settled and firme resolutiō in al things to doe that which God requireth When the will by the power of grace doth pitch vpon Gods wil adheres vnto it with a resolution not to swarue frō it is the will then compelled or the libertie thereof violated No wise man dares so say I suppose When Dauid said I will keepe thy Statutes Psal 119. 8. And againe I will delight in thy Word vers 16. And againe I haue chosen the way of thy truth ver 30. And againe I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart vers 32. was heere any violence or compulsion offered vnto Dauids will Or was Dauids will moued vnwillingly when hee intreated the Lord to knit his heart vnto him that he might feare his Name No no this desire and holy resolutiō of Dauid proceeded from the truth of grace infused into his hart after which infusion the will inclines it selfe most willingly and cheerefully to obey the will of God Doe wee not pray daily Thy will be done on earth as it is in heauen Those heauenly spirits obey willingly cheerefully constantly hauing neither will nor power to disobey How so are their wills manacled and fettered or is it a wrong vnto them that they can doe no other Surely no for the power and strength of grace in them will giue them no leaue to doe otherwise This obeying and seruing God is perfect liberty and freedome and it is the LORD by the worke of grace in our hearts which must make vs thus free Now because an hypocrite wanting grace may goe far in outward obedience it will be very requisite to lay downe some differences betwixt that obedience which is performed by the powerfull worke of grace and that which is done vpon outward by-respects For you must know that an hypocrite may goe far in outward obedience Did not Cain offer sacrifice as well as Abel Did not Ahab humble himselfe at the hearing of threatnings as well as Hezekiah in some particulars Ahab out-stripped Hezekiah for he rent his cloaths he fasted and lay in sack-cloth which acts of humiliation are not reported of Hezekiah Did not Iehu bestir himselfe in fulfilling the commandements of God Did not Iudas preach Was not Simon Magus baptized Did not Ananias and Saphira sell their possessions and lay them downe at the Apostles feet Act. 5. 1 2. And many other instances there may be brought to proue how far hypocrites may wade in outward obedience therefore outward obedience and conformity is no infallible euidence of true grace Wherein then lyeth the difference In these particulars First true grace aymes at the whole will of God it teacheth a man to walke in all Gods Commandements As it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. They walked in all the Commādements of God without reproofe Psa 119. 5 6. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy Statutes then should I not be confounded when I haue respect vnto all thy Commandements For he that is bound to one is bound vnto all and he that offendeth in one is guiltie of all Iam. 2. 10. Whereas counterfeit grace picks and culls out heere and there such precepts as stand with ease or profit It will boast with Saul and say I haue fulfilled all the Commandements of God yet Agag must liue and the fattest of the cattell must be spared Wherupon Samuel told him that hee had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord 1 Sam. 15. 19. For to say truth he that wilfully and of purpose breakes any one of Gods Lawes cannot bee said to keepe any of them because he keeps them not of conscience for if hee made conscience of one he would make conscience of all If Iehu his obedience and zeale had beene sound it would haue beene manifested in the pulling downe of Ieroboams calues as well as Ahabs Baal but his suffering of the one discouered his obedience and zeale to bee vnsound and counterfeit in the other Againe a gracious heart labors to obey at all times in all places in all company Hee will not for feare or flattery go against Gods precepts It is not profit or pleasure that shall draw him vnto euill for he resolues and labours to doe righteousnesse at all times Psalm 106. 3. Gods Commandements are not grieuous but delightfull vnto him and therefore as it is said of Hezekiah 2 King 18. 6. He cleaues to the Commandements of God and departeth not from them Whereas the obedience of the hypocrite is like vnto Ephraims Hosea 7. 8. As a cake on the hearth not turned halfe baked His goodnes is as the morning dew quickly dryed vp for he sets not his delight on the Almighty Iob. 27. 10. neither seeketh he to God at all times But doe not the best of Gods children sometimes halt in their obedience Yes for in many things we sin al Iam. 3. 2. Grace is but imperfect in the best of Gods children and corruption in the vnregenerate part keeps downe too often hinders the work of grace not that corruption is of it selfe stronger than grace if God will put to his strength for this were to make God weaker than man and the flesh stronger than the spirit but because if God at any time leaue vs to our selues or neuer so little withdrawes the power of his Spirit we are more inclined to follow the sinfull motions of our corrupt flesh than the holy and gracious inclinations of the Spirit of God For if Adam in his innocencie when he knew no euill being left but a while vnto himselfe and wanting the efficacious presence assistance of Gods grace was so quickly so easily drawne to sin much more the corrupted children of sinful parents who are but in part sanctified and haue too much affinity with sin are easily brought to disobey God if he help vs not with his Spirit against the motions of sin and back vs against all tentations and prouocations to disobedience For you must know that God is not alwayes alike present with his children but in great wisdome withdraws from them sometimes that effectuall presence of his grace which at other times he affords them and that for these and some other causes First of all to shew vs our owne instability and weaknesse how vnable we are of our selues to stand any longer than we are vpheld of him If hee takes from vs his Spirit as sometimes he took the wheeles from Pharaohs charrets downe wee fall presently How quickly did Peter fal being left vnto himselfe Secondly the Lord doth this to humble and abase vs to cut our combes and to coole our courage who are ready
What no accusation in that black and terrible day lyable against thee All sinnes done away through his free grace O the deepenesse of the riches of his mercy How vn-vtterable is his goodnesse What wilt thou render vnto the Lord for his vnspeakable grace How should this inflame thy heart with the loue of God as Luk. 7. 47 Such as doe not heartily loue the Lord may feare they haue no part no share in his rich grace Vnthankfulnesse is a grieuous sinne and that which moues the Lord I am perswaded many times to hide away the ioy and comfort of the pardon of their sins from many of his children How ready are many if they be but a little crossed in some petty matter to swell and hang the lip yea with a little helpe could be perswaded to quarrell and be angry with the Lord as Ionas was If we fall short of our hopes in some good thing we haue promised to our selues or if God cut vs short of some outward comforts lent vnto vs what grumbling and repining is there against the wisedome and righteousnesse of our good God All sense of his infinite loue in forgiuing an infinite debt vnto vs is swallowed vp wee haue little ioy in it and God hath as little thankes from vs for it whereas better lose all the world than misse this grace for as Mat. 16. 20. What will it profit a man to gaine the whole world and lose his soule which doth perish without it partake of the grace of God It followes Giues vs his Spirit here This necessarily followes as Sanctification succeeds Iustification Ezek. 36. 25. I will powre cleane water vpon you and ye shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse Here is our Iustification Then followes in the next verse A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit wil I put within you And againe the 27. verse I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and do them Which words imply our Sanctification Gods Spirit is made manifest in vs by our walking in Gods Commandements which wee can neuer doe to any purpose vntill by the Spirit corruption be deaded and grace inviued in vs. Grace in the child of God workes in him more and more sanctificatiō through the Spirit that is a cleansing of our selues daily frō all filthinesse and neuer can we haue any euidence of the truth of grace as shall be made more plaine hereafter or of our iustification but by our sanctification vntill we see sinne purged we may not thinke that it is pardoned for whomsoeuer Christ frees from the damnation of sin he doth also deliuer from the dominion of sin From hence then we may be assured of the presence and abode of Gods Spirit in vs which whoso hath not partakes not of grace is none of Christs Rom. 8. 9. is none of Gods Gal. 4. 6. Because yee are sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts If the Spirit of God hath taken vp its abode in thee all the house shall fare the better for it it will worke a holy change in thee it will make thee a new creature changing thy thoughts words and workes from euill vnto good For as euery creature in nature hath a facultie to produce its kinde Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Matth. 6. 16. No Thornes produce thornes so a sanctified a gracious heart brings forth fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse fruits agreeable to the nature of the Spirit If the holy Spirit of God once takes footing in the heart of a man as the Idoll Dagon fell downe as soone as the Arke of God was brought neere vnto it so down goes Satans throne a man is no longer a slaue to his base lusts no longer vnder the bondage of any one sinne For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedome and libertie freedome from the slauery of any corruption freedome from the bondage of any ruling sinne And last of all eternall life hereafter Rome 6. 23. The gift of God is eternall life So 2 Thess 2. 16. Who hath giuen vs euerlasting saluation and good hope through grace Thus haue I presumed through your patience to tarry a while vpon the explanation of the definition of that grace which is the fountaine and well-head from whence all grace is deriued vnto vs. Now to proceed in the vnfolding of the Differences betwixt true and counterfeit grace The first difference as hath beene said lieth in the ground or root from whence true grace springeth If thou wouldest not be deceiued or mistaken about the truth of thy grace doe but seriously consider with thy selfe out of what soyle or from what roote that grace which appeareth and peraduenture thou beleeuest to bee in thee did spring and come forth whether from the seed of God frō the presence and working of the Spirit or out of Natures garden or from education or else out of some worldly carnall and by-respects if it came not from God it will quickly appeare in its proper colours it will ere long discouer its rottennesse it will vanish perish and come to nothing Some there be in whom the corruption of Nature is so restrained that they are of a very ingenious temper and disposition affable courteous gentle peaceable not giuen vp nor inclined vnto any exorbitant courses not affecting any notorious vices but rather hating and abhorring them who comparing themselues with grosse sinners and finding in themselues a freedome from those foule sinnes which others are defiled withall doe by and by blesse themselues in their owne hearts yea and it may be they are taken of others like or worse than themselues to be maruellous good people very religious and gracious persons whose grace is no other no better than meere ciuilitie which is as farre from sanctitie and true grace as chalke is from cheese as the old saying is Others also there be who hauing beene well bred piously and vertuously educated sucking it may be the Scriptures with their mothers milke as it is spoken of Timothy brought vp in a family where haply they had no euill example though this be very rare to corrupt them doe hold on still that course into which they were entred young and haue beene trained vp frō their childhood approuing of good duties frequenting Gods house vpon all good occasions vsing and which is more delighting in the society of the people of God and all this not by vertue or strength of sauing grace but through an habituated practice of godly exercises so that they can say as the young man in the Gospell I haue obserued all these frō my youth Are all these thinke you arguments strong enough to proue the truth of grace wrought in the heart of such a person Then Paul his condition was good enough before his conuersion for he was well educated brought vp and liued after
in the regenerate makes the heart to stoope to Christs Scepter to heare his voice and follow him It is faith which apprehēds the authority and soueraigntie which Christ hath ouer vs and approues of the holines goodnes of his Cōmandements so inclines the heart vnto a willing and cheerefull obedience Whereas the hypocrites faith doth embolden him vnto liberty it makes him loose and licentious laying all vpon Christ back saying Christ dyed for vs his bloud shall cleanse vs c. Let the Ministers of Christ say what they can threaten what they wil they are resolued to hold on they will not shift one foot nor stir any further than they list Let iudgements bee threatned against them threatned folke they say liue long they can laugh in their sleeues at the zeale of Gods seruants no more moued or remoued with a Sermon than with the wagging of a straw Oh take heed therefore that thou beest not deceiued in the truth of thy faith Thou mayest haue a great deale of carnall confidence and bold presumption and yet not one dram of true sauing faith Take heed brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God Do not thinke that thy comming to Church thy hearing of Christ preached and receiuing of the Sacraments are infallible euidences of true faith for many thousands who take vp their religion vpō trust and take themselues to be sound beleeuers haue their hearts fraught with vnbeliefe their faith being no better nay scarce so good as the faith of deuils for they tremble at the power displeasure of the Lord whereas these are not once touched nor any thing affected therewith And this shall suffice to haue spoken of faith the second Euidence of true Grace A third Euidence of Grace NOw I come to the third Euidence of true Grace and that is the subduing of our Lusts and the conquering of our corruptions This is meant by those words of Paul I beat downe my body and bring it into subiection By body the Apostle doth mean the old mā sin corruptiō which doth lust against the spirit All such as are truly regenerate by the quickning power of the Spirit are sanctified as was said before in all the faculties of their soules members of their bodies not only inlightned in their iudgements to dislike that which is euill but their hearts also are set against it They know that all fleshly lusts doe fight against their soules and therefore they maintaine open warre with them and will not yeeld any voluntary obedience or subiection vnto them Grace cānot stād with the regiment of sin For as Paul saith Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Howsoeuer the Lord to checke the security presumption pride selfe-conceitednesse vnthankfulnesse of his children may for a while leaue them vnto themselues and with-draw as it were the powerfull presence of his grace wherby corruption may bustle swell yea and breake forth also yet by the power of grace they shall bee brought againe to mislike and condemn themselues for those euils wherewith they haue beene ouer-taken and crie out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Therefore the Anabaptists and others are foully mistaken who hold that after the work of grace is once truly wrought in a man sinne hath no being in him that is regenerate for you must know that in euery one that is regenerate there is flesh as well as the Spirit in euery faculty there is grace inclining the heart to goodnes and there is corruption like a back-byas drawing it the contrary way For grace and corruptiō in euery regenerate person as Iacob and Esau did striue in Rebeccaes womb are euermore strugling and striuing one with the other yea there is a cōtinuall war betwixt them as was between the House of Dauid and the House of Saul but as the House of Dauid waxed stronger and the House of Saul weaker So fares it betweene Grace corruptiō the flesh may striue but the Spirit ouercomes for by vertue of habituall grace infused the will is so sanctified the affections are so rectified the heart is so purified as the whole man resignes vp himselfe to be at Gods seruice imbraceth a holy and a heauenly life as the only true comfort and sound happinesse and desires and resolues so to hold on euen vnto the end Therefore they are grossely deceiued who hold that after the work of grace is wrought in the heart of Gods children the will hangs like a beame vpon the ballance equally inclining to one hand as well as to the other A foggie and a mistie errour contrary to the current of the Scriptures which teach vs that a regenerate person labours to keepe a good Conscience in all things desiring to liue honestly as Heb. 13. 18. That person in whom the work of grace is wrought desires and endeuours to be euermore furnished with the Panoply the compleat armour of God that so he may stand fast resist the Deuil be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked The strength and bent of his wil and affections are for God and goodnesse he chuseth holinesse with a full purpose and resolution to walke in it he turnes from his former euils with a detestation of them he leaues them with a resolution neuer to take them vp againe As Ephraim said Hos 14. 8. What haue I to doe any more with Idols So saith he of his old courses and companions Away from mee and as Christ to Peter Get thee behinde me thou art an offence vnto me Matth. 16. 23. He daily prayes and cries earnestly to God for strength against corruption and wisheth O that my wayes were so directed to keep thy Statues continually Psa 119. 5. He is not for God to day and the Deuill to morrow he is no morning Saint and euening Deuill but desires and endeuours to walke before the Lord in all pleasing and to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of his life Well then if the case so standeth consider with thy selfe what combate thou doest daily maintaine against thy corruptions Doest thou delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man as Rom. 7. 22. though thou seest another law in thy members rebelling against the law of thy minde Are thy failings matter of daily humiliation vnto thy soule Dost thou finde and feele that nothing vnder the Sun doth more sting and pierce thy heart than to be at any time ouertaken with passions or carried away with the swinge of any corruptions against thy godly purpose and holy resolutions Why then cheere vp thy drooping spirits the Lord by the power of his grace hath takē possessiō of thee for nothing but grace is able to keepe the loue of sin out
Luk. 12. 33. Or else the Lord takes from vs temporall riches to bestow vpon vs spirituall good things which he sees will not thriue nor prosper where the other are Or it may be he sees we are not able to manage outward riches but would doe some harme with thē grow proud contentious and quarrelsome or fall to some excesse and intemperance by them and therefore as wee deale with a childe who hath a staffe or a sword in his hand take it from him lest he hurt himselfe or some other with it so deales the Lord with his children Or if none of all these it may be the Lord takes away these outward benefits sets fire vpon the hedge which is about his childrē to make knowne the truth of grace in them that the Deuil and all the world may see and know their seruice to God is not mercenary but that they can loue and feare obey him as well in the want as in the plentie of these outward things yea and blesse God taking frō them as well as giuing vnto them Iob 1. 21. For as you heard grace fits their mindes to their estate so as they can be empty as well as abound therefore that little which they haue being sanctified and seasoned with grace is better than great riches to the wicked Psal 37. 16. Againe whereas you obiect that many wicked and gracelesse people haue a greater portion of these outward things thā Gods deare children It is not that God regardeth the rich more than the poore Iob 34. 19. but deales with them as it is said King Eutraples did with his enemies whō he most hated heaps most riches vpon them thereby to plunge them into tentations snares to fill them with many foolish noysome lusts that so they may pierce themselues thorow with many sorrowes 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. God oft-times giues honours and riches to the wicked in his wrath as he gaue Quailes to the Israelites so that their table is a snare before them and their prosperitie their ruine Psal 69. 22. Grieue not therefore at the seeming happinesse and prosperitie of gracelesse persons for whatsoeuer they haue they hold a wrong tenure they haue it with a curse and they must bee called to after-reckonings for it Only grace sanctifies things present and paues a way for future benefits If there were no more argumēts to proue the worth of grace me thinkes this should enhaunce the esteeme therof euen amongst worldlings Would they bee rich Would they leaue possessions behinde them to their posterity I know no better way than grace I haue beene young and am old yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Psal 37. 25. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandements His seed shall bee mightie vpon earth the generation of the righteous shall bee blessed Psa 112. 1 2. and what followes after in the third verse Riches and treasures shall be in his house Fifthly it is only grace which makes vp Decayes and defects in Nature which all the things in the world cannot doe Arte may helpe Nature and in some particulars perfect Nature but it is only grace which makes vp the breaches and decayes thereof When a man hath liued to that age and fulnesse of dayes that his head and armes doe dodder through weaknesse his knees and thighes doe buckle vnder him as vnable to support his vnwieldy body when age and time haue worne out the edge and backe of his senses so that his eyes wax dimme as did Isaacs hee hath no more taste in his meat and drinke than had Barzillai and hee can no more distinguish the voice of singing or any melodie if grace be in the heart notwithstanding all these decayes in Nature he flourisheth in his age Psal 92. 12. The righteous shall flourish like a Palme-tree and shal grow like a Cedar in Lebanon vers 14. They shall still bring forth fruit in their age they shal be fat and flourishing The righteous will hold his way and hee whose hands are pure shall increase his strength Iob 17. 9. not of nature but of grace which supplyes the defects of nature Hee hath the eyes of faith to see the excellencie of a holy life to see the happinesse of his estate He hath the hands of faith to claspe about the promises to take CHRIST into his hart as Simeon took him into his arms He hath ears opē or if Nature hath played her part in them and they can receiue no more hee hath an hart open to heare what the Lord shal speake to his soule by his Holy Spirit His taste is fresh and liuely he findes sweetnesse in the holy ordinances of God more than in the riches pleasures and delicates of the whole world Nay which is more though his grinders cease and the doores bee shut without by the base sound of the grinding as Eccles 12. 3 4. he can heartily feed vpon the body and bloud of the Lord Iesus Christ and when they wax darke that looke out by the windowes vers 3. hee can without going vp to Pisgah as Moses did behold the Land of Canaan nay more than so he can looke Death in the face long for him as for a treasure and desire to lay downe his earthly tabernacle and bee with the Lord Christ Tell me then if all the art riches or pompe of the world is able to doe thus much no no it is the only prerogatiue priuiledge of grace to supply these naturall wants Sixthly it is only grace that giues vs a sanctified vse of all those things wee doe partake of for whatsoeuer it bee that any one doth enioy and possesse if he be a gracelesse person all these things good in themselues wil proue curses snares vnto him and such as wil further his cōdemnation in the day of Iudgement It is Grace which must sanctifie all parts of Nature al endowments gifts of body and minde The strength of Goliah the valour of Ioab the beautie of Absalom the wisdome of Achitophel the eloquence of Herod the honour and promotion of Haman and the riches of Diues all these were but snares thornes and curses to the possessours of them for want of grace to qualifie to sanctifie them Seuenthly and lastly herein appeares the excellencie of grace in that it paues the way and bringeth vs vnto glory Grace is the first fruits of glory and as it were the earnest of our eternall inheritance for all the gifts of grace bestowed vpon vs here do tend and make for the fitting and preparing of vs for glory hereafter Grace neuer finally or totally forsakes a man but brings him at last to that eternall inheritance lands him in the end in heauen his desired hauen There be many things of good vse and worth which are no lasting things there be many things both delightfull and precious but yet fading onely
grace to bewaile the want of grace and to be earnest with the Lord for a supply thereof If thou wert in any bodily want or necessity Towne and Countrey peraduenture should heare if not ring of it Thou canst heartily pray for and earnestly seeke out for outward necessaries food clothing fire c. But to whom dost thou make thy complaint of the want of grace Whereas grace being the most excellēt thing should in the first place be desired for thy selfe thy wife thy husband thy children c. If thou hast grace thou hast gotten a rich portion a great possession thy line is falne in a faire ground If thou seest grace wrought in the hearts of thy children thou mayest be freed from carefulnesse or seeking great things for them they haue a great a rich portion The Heathen could say that Vertue was a sufficient Dowrie And the Scripture saith The Lord wil not famish the soule of the righteous But how hard a thing is it for a Minister of Christ to beat this into the heads of people especially the poorer sort who most neglect grace and therefore they can rise early lye downe late and eat the bread of carefulnesse they can call and crie for these outward things for themselues and theirs but how few will stirre one foot or wet a finger for the obtaining of grace How many poore soules neuer had any one thought tending that way not so much as once dreame of the necessitie of grace and therfore trouble not themselues about it Let all such beware lest as a Captaine who finding one of his watchmen which kept sentinell asleepe cut off his head saying Dead I found thee and dead I leaue thee so the Lord cut off these with the sword of his wrath and vengeance leauing them for euer dead in sinne as he found them Thirdly if Grace be the most excellent thing why should wee not labour and striue to grow in grace as we are exhorted 2 Pet. 3. 18 An honest and good heart is neuer weary of increasing its stock of grace as worldlings are vnwearied in heaping vp transitory riches and lading thēselues with clay though sometimes it falls out that outward things haue their satiety and wee may bee cloyed with them whereas in grace there is no nimiety a mans heart cannot be cloyed nor clog'd with it Our life is a wayfare a walke no time of standing we must still forwards on and on as those that haue a great iourney to goe As the Lord said to Elias when hee found him sitting and sleeping vnder a Iuniper tree Vp eat thou hast a great iourney to goe 1 King 19. 7. So we haue a long way a short day to finish it in and therfore had need bestirre our selues to purpose Therefore as Paul said to the Thessalonians 1 Thess 4. 1. so I to you Now I beseech you brethren and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that ye increase more and more Grace in the heart of Gods child should be like the waters flowing from the Sanctuarie Ezek. 47. 3 4. which were at the first to the ancles and after to the knees and so to the loynes and at last to a great deep that could not be passed ouer Though grace below and shallow at the first in vs we should so nourish and cherish it that it may grow to ripenesse and full holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Which that wee may the better doe obserue these directions First we must be careful to remoue away all euil hindring grace and secondly set vpon the practice of that good which will further it First of all we must be carefull to plucke vp root and rinde of al such weeds as may ouer-grow choak and hinder the prospering of grace One maine and ranke weed is spirituall pride and selfe-conceitednesse which growes too fast in the best soile being watered and cherished by the Deuill who when he cannot procure the childe of God to stoope to his lure and bite at his bait of impietie and profanenesse then labours he to poison him with his owne venome to puffe him vp and make him swel with pride of his gifts He will make him proud of his knowledge proud of his preaching praying c. yea rather than faile hee will make him proud of his humility proud that he is not proud Pluck vp this weed therefore for it much hinders grace God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble He fills the hungrie with good things and sends away the full emptie Luk. 1. 53. Humble your selues therfore and the Lord will exalt you The more humble and lowly thou art the freer thou art from shaking and ouer-turning for wee see low houses stand fast when many loftie and high buildings are blowne downe fall The higher any hill or mountaine is the more barren it is for the dew and raine which waters the earth to make it fruitfull tarries not vpon high hils but fals down into the valleyes makes them fruitfull euen so the meanes of grace lighting vpon an high and lofty spirit do fall from him without soaking or entring into him whereas lighting vpon the humble and lowly they make him fertile for the humble he will teach his way Psal 25. 9. Another weede which must bee pluckt vp is selfe-confidence or securitie When Christians begin to beare thēselues vpon their own strength and to grow presumptuous the Lord oft withdrawes from them the strength of his grace and then downe they fall Dauid was too selfe-confident when he said I shall neuer be moued therefore God soone hides away his face and Dauid was as quickly troubled But of all other examples there is none for our purpose more remarkable than that of Peter who took it in foule scorne to be thought to be such a dastard and white-liuerd souldier yea such a false-hearted seruant as to forsake his Lord Master in greatest extremitie and therefore if you will take his word he will neuer flinch hee will die for Christ before he will deny him But when Christ fore-told his Apostles of their flinching from him if Peter had thus replied Lord it may be thou seest more into me and know'st my heart better than I know my selfe we are of our selues weake and fraile ready to pull in our heads vpon euery storme but Lord the spirit is willing though the flesh be fraile of our selues we can do nothing any further than thou wilt assist vs strengthen vs therefore with thy grace and then we will neuer flie from thee If thus Peter had answered Christ all had been well but being foole-hardy and selfe-confident the Lord sets him vpon his owne legs leaues him vnto himselfe and what became of this boaster at the word of a Maiden he denyes and forsweares Christ curses and damnes himself if euer he knew him Thus when Gods children grow carelesse too confident or are ouer-takē with a dead sleep
grace herein hath its precedencie and excellencie aboue al earthly things it neuer wholly leaues vs but prepares vs and brings vs vnto glory Grace is heauen vpon earth and therefore they which follow Christ in the regeneration shall sit in the throne of glory Mat. 19. 28. Grace prepares vs for glory two maner of waies First by remouing those euils which may hinder vs. And secondly by enabling of vs to practise those good things which may further vs. The grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto al men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 11 12 13. Whether you vnderstand here by grace the Word of grace as some doe or the free grace of God as others take it I am sure it is true also of the grace of sanctification for this helpeth vs to eschew euill and to choose and cleaue to that which is good As it is in the lightning of any darke place darknesse giues way when light approcheth so when grace commeth into the soule away in part goes darknesse and blindnesse of minde ignorance impietie prophanenesse c. Paul telleth vs that he was sent to preach vnto the Gentiles To turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God Such as liue in darknesse vnder the power of any one sinne those know not what the powerfull presence of grace meaneth Grace pulls downe sinne and sets vp righteousnesse Rom. 5. 21. Grace raignes by righteousnesse It holds vp the Scepter of Christ within vs helpes vs to be holy in all manner of conuersation and so hauing our fruit in holinesse wee come in the end to euerlasting life Rom. 6. 22. O the excellencie of grace that it thus brings vs to glory Let this comfort vs against that cōfortlesse doctrine of falling away frō grace Consider we from whom grace proceeds euē from God the Father And will not God perfect the worke of his owne hands I am perswaded that he that hath begun this good work in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. The gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. The righteous shall neuer bee moued but had in euerlasting remēbrance Psal 112. 6. But we are weake and feeble we haue strong corruptions within vs and mighty and subtill tentations without vs and therefore like to fall away True if there were not an higher power and a stronger arme than our owne to support vs. Our help stādeth in the name of the Lord. We are strong in the power of his might For it is God which stablisheth vs in Christ and hath anointed vs 2 Cor. 1. 21. Our stabilitie is deriued from God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost The grounds of our stability which we fetch from God are these First the promises of God Ier. 24. 7. I will giue them an heart to know mee that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God So Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Now to say that these are generall promises made vnto the whole Church and therefore not to be appropriated to particular persons will be but a silly euasion For doth not the whole consist of particular members And doe not we finde in Scripture promises made to particular persons generally applyed and likewise generall promises particularly applyed The Lord made a particular promise vnto Iosua 1. 9. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Which promise S. Paul Hebr. 13. 5. applyes generally Other instances there be Secondly we proue it frō the attributes of God his power his faithfulnesse and constancie If any of those whom the Lord hath effectually called should vtterly fall from grace and perish it must needs follow that God wants either power to saue those whom hee would or else wants faithfulnesse to saue as hee hath promised either of which wants the deuils thēselues dare not auouch to be in God Concerning his power the Lord himselfe tells vs Esay 43. 13. I will doe it and who shal let Again Esa 46. 10. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will Christ also tels vs Ioh. 10. My Father which gaue them me is greater than all and none is able to take thē out of my Fathers hand For sayes Peter we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1. 5. And for his faithfulnesse that Wizard Balaam could say Numb 23. 19. God is not as man that he should die neither as the son of man that he should repent hath he said it and shall he not doe it and hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Yes surely for the Lord is faithfull which will stablish you and keepe you from euill 2 Thess 3. 3. The Lord purposing to frame vnto himselfe a Church against which the gates of hell should neuer be able to preuaile thought it fit to lay the foundation of it deepe and strong euen in himselfe his owne purpose Things many times decay and perish for want of a firme good foundation But the foundation of God sayes Paul remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2. 19. So that vntill such time as God doth alter his purpose which shall neuer be for as Malac. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not Gods children are sure to perseuere in his grace For whom hee once loues to the end hee loueth them Ioh. 13. 1. Secondly assurance of perseuerance in the grace of God may be gathered from many things in the Sonne First from his al-sufficiencie Hebr. 7. 25. Hee is able perfectly to saue all those that come to God by him Iude 24. To him that is able to keepe you that you fall not and to preserue you faultlesse c. As hee is able so is hee willing Ioh. 6. 37. and 40. Secondly from the vertue of his passion and sufferings Hebr. 10. 14. For with one offering hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Thirdly from the efficacie of his prayer which God alwaies heares Christ prayed for all beleeuers Ioh. 17. first that the Lord would keepe them from euill vers 15. and secondly That they may bee one with him vers 21. and thirdly That they may be with him and behold his glory vers 24. And this prayer the Lord Christ our Aduocate still continues though not in a vocall manner seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for vs Heb. 7 25. These things considered it is as possible to plucke Christ out of his kingdome as to rent the poorest beleeuer from him once made a true and liuely member of his mysticall body Thirdly wee proue it from the nature and office of the Spirit which is to seale vp and
make sure the inheritance of Gods chosen All that partake of the couenant of grace are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Ephes 1. 13. which sealing is not for a day a month or a yeare but for euer vnto the day of redemption Ephes 4. 30. The nature of a Seale all know is to make things sure The decree of the Medes and Persians that it might bee irreuocable was sealed with the Kings seale Dan. 6. 8. Lest the Disciples should come by night and steale Christ out of the sepulchre wherein hee was laid They went and made the sepulchre sure and sealed the stone Matth. 27. 66. When wee haue put our seale to a writing by the law of Nations it is firme Shall the Seale of a mortall man bee of that force that no law can alter it and shal the obsignation of the holy Spirit be of lesse vertue and power This were to make God lesse than man Againe it is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glory Now the nature of an earnest we know is to binde any contract or bargain and to giue a kind of state and possession of the thing bargained for Gods Spirit is his earnest which he hath laid for his to assure the hearts of his children of their full possession of that inheritance which Christ hath purchased God hath prepared for them Now if any shal obiect that we may either lose or forfeit our earnest and so misse of the bargaine you must know that the Spirit of God doth neuer finally and wholly depart from those vnto whom it is once giuen as appeares Ioh. 14. 16 17. But had not Dauid lost the Spirit of God when he prayed so earnestly vnto the Lord that hee would restore vnto him the ioy of his saluation and stablish him with his free Spirit This obiection may be said to answer it selfe Could Dauid without the presence and assistance of the Spirit haue beene thus earnest with the Lord in prayer Again a difference must be put betwixt the presence of the Spirit and the feeling or comfort of the Spirit A hand benummed with cold or stunted with some blow may hold a thing and yet haue no feeling of it It doth not follow that therefore Gods Spirit hath vtterly forsaken a man because in his apprehension and feeling he takes it to be so Therefore in stead of perplexing and troubling thy selfe about needlesse feares of reiection and finall falling from grace labour to bee furnished with sound euidences of true grace and then my life for thine God who hath begun a good worke in thee will confirme it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. Here some weake beleeuer may reply and say If I had as good a heart as many haue or if I were indowed with as much grace as some be I should then haue lesse feare and more hope of holding out vnto the end but alas I am a poore sinful creature full of frailties and compassed about with manifold infirmities and therefore feare my selfe For thy comfort thou must know that Gods grace is sufficient for thee and his power is made perfect through weaknesse It is not the greatnesse but the truth of grace which the Lord respects A bruised reed shall he not breake and smoking flax shall he not quench vntill he bring forth iudgement vnto victory If grace in thee be sound and true though it be no more than a graine of mustard-seed it shall bee able to bring thee vnto glory It may be so if I could beleeue this but I cannot be fully perswaded of this thing If thou beleeue not yet abideth God faithfull he cannot deny himselfe as the Apostle sayes 2 Tim. 2. 13. Let no man from this which hath beene spoken grow secure carelesse as if he were out of all feare and danger of losing his comfort or lessening that grace which he hath receiued For though it be true that true grace cannot bee vtterly lost yet through pride securitie earthly-mindednesse and the like the childe of God may fall into such languishing fits that the life of grace may appeare to bee vtterly extinct in him Suppose our bodies were of that temper and constitution that no poison or infection could make a rent betwixt the soule them were it not folly nay were it not madnesse for any one to cut wound himselfe or through mis-dieting of himselfe and surfets so to impaire his strength and health that his life should bee a continuall faintnesse and sicknesse Euen so it is with vs in respect of grace the life of our soules for that soule which is destitute of grace is dead whiles liueth as appeares 1 Tim. 5. 6. What though grace once seazing vpō the soule cannot be wholly separated from it yet may it through our spirituall distempers take such a surfet as little strength or power thereof may euer appeare in vs. Therefore that no man may bee settled vpon the lees of security or sing a requiem vnto his owne soule consider daily what strength and life is in that grace which God hath bestowed vpon thee lest before thou beest aware of it grace be cooled and declining in thee which if it be will appeare by these symptomes The first is an inordinate appetite vnto such things as are noxious and hurtfull vnto the soule For as our bodily health is impaired and weakened by feeding vpon such things as are in antipathie vnto our nature and constitution so it fares with our soules if wee bee bold with sinne the soules bane the strength of grace growes quickly feeble in vs. The second is the abating of our spirituall taste when wee finde not the sweetnesse and comfort in the Word which formerly we haue done when we feed not vpon the Word with that desire and appetite which once wee did this argues some distemper in the soule For as in bodily meates when they grow vnsauoury to our pallats it is most euident that our stomackes haue in them some distemper so it is with our soules if the same Word haue not the same rellish with vs now which sometime it had we may say there is some spirituall distemper Thirdly when we brook not when wee digest not the Word as well as formerly we haue done Euill concoction of onr meat argues a cold stomacke or at least an abatement of the natiue heat so when people digest not Gods Word the food of their soules but vomit it vp againe either by storming against it censuring of it or wilfully neglecting the power and practice of it it is a signe of declining in grace Fourthly and lastly if there bee a cold drowsie and formall performance of the duties of Gods worship and seruice when a man is not so cheerefull and liuely vnto in good duties as of old this argues a decaying of his spirituall strength