SERMON
XVII
And
now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.
Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that
they may be one, as we are.— john XVII. 11.
thirdly, The matter of the prayer, for perseverance in grace.
'Keep
through thine own name.'—\~En\~ \~ta\~ \~onomati\~ \~thrhson\~ \~autouv\~; it
may be rendered 'in thy name,' or 'by thy name,' or 'for thy name's sake;'
\~en\~, as \^a\^ among the Hebrews, may be thus rendered, 'by thy name,' Heb.
xi. 2. \~en\~ \~tauth\~, 'by which the elders obtained a good report.' 'For thy
name,' Eph. iv. 32, 'As God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you;' \~Yeov\~ \~en\~ \~Cristw\~. So Rom. xvi.
2, 'Receive her in the Lord,' \~en\~ \~kuriw\~; that
is, for the Lord's sake. (1.) If it be 'in thy name,' then the meaning is, in
the knowledge of thy truth; for by the name of God is meant anything by which
he is made known. The doctrine of the gospel in this chapter is called,' his
name,' ver. 6; 'I have manifested thy name to them;' meaning the whole doctrine
of godliness. So Christ prayeth, 'Keep them in thy
name;' that is, in the constant profession of the truth; let them not be
cheated out of it by Satan, nor affrighted out of it by persecutions; but let
them constantly hold it forth, defend and propagate it to the world. (2.) 'By
thy name;' so God's name is himself, and himself is his name. So Exod. xxiii. 21,' My name is in him;' that is, he is of the same essence and
glory with me. So' by thy name,' is by thy self, thy power, mercy, goodness,
truth, \~dia\~ \~thv\~ \~shv\~ \~bonyeiav\~—Chrysostom; by thy gracious assistance. (3.) 'For thy
name's sake,' to show forth thy mercy, truth, faithfulness. These expositions
may be compounded— Keep them in thy truth, or the worship and profession of thy
name, by thy power, for thy name's sake, to discover thy mercy and truth; thy
mercy, in taking them into a state of grace; thy truth, in preserving them in
the state of grace. The points are two:
1.
That the perseverance of the saints, or their conservation in the state of
grace, is sure and certain.
2.
That we are kept in the state of grace by God's name, by his power, for his
glory.
Doct. 1. That the
perseverance of the saints, or their conservation in a state of grace, is sure
and certain.
1. I
shall show how I build the certainty of perseverance on this place.
2. I
shall handle the doctrine, confirming it by other grounds.
First, How this
doctrine of the certainty of the saints' perseverance is built on this place.
Christ hath begged it, and he beggeth it for [Pg.
301] all the saints. Christ hath begged it, and the prayers of Christ, who is
God's beloved Son, cannot
possibly return in vain, there being such an absolute conformity and consent between
the will of God the Father and the Son: John xi. 42, 'I know that thou nearest
me always.' Christ cannot be denied audience and acceptance in the court of
heaven, especially in a request upon which his heart is set His people are so
wonderfully dear to him, that he would not lose one of them; and then Christ is
so wonderfully dear to God, that he must needs speed in all his requests.
Therefore if Christ hath mediated for the conservation of the saints, the
Father will grant what he asketh. Yea, the Father
himself loveth the saints; the thing is pleasing to
him. It is notable that when Christ had spoken of the perseverance of the
saints, he adds, John x. 30, 'I and my Father are one;' as noting not only the
unity of essence, but the consent of will, that was between them in this work.
Well, then, look, as Christ redeemeth us because the
Father required it, the Father will love us and preserve us because the Son asketh it. If Christ bear any respect to the Father's
command, or the Father to Christ's prayers, the elect are sure to be saved.
Christ hath engaged God's name to keep us. What can be objected against this? They say that Christ prayed conditionally,
Keep them if they will. But here is no condition expressed. Christ absolutely prayeth, Keep them; and such a condition would make the
gift of God to depend upon man's will; and so to persevere would rather be
man's act than God's gift, the determination being on man's part Nay, the main
thing which is to be kept is our will, and so the condition would destroy the
very nature of the request They say, Christ prayeth
only for the apostles. I answer—It cannot be
restrained to the apostles; it is the common privilege of all the saints:
'Those which thou hast given me.' Christ explaineth
himself, and extendeth it to believers of all ages:
ver. 20, 'Neither pray I for these alone, but for
those which shall believe in me through their word.' Christ's prayer is every
way as good as a promise.
Secondly,
Let me handle the doctrine itself. The
doctrine of perseverance is much impugned, but the earth is never the more
unsettled because to giddy brains it seemeth to run
round. Let me state, and then confirm it
First,
State it
1.
Seeming grace may be lost: Mat xxv. 29, 'From him that hath not shall be taken
away even that which he hath;' compared with Luke xviii. 18, 'Whosoever hath
not, from him shall be taken away even that which he seemeth
to have.' Blazing comets and meteors are soon spent, and may fall from heaven
like lightning, while stars keep their orb and station; sandy building will
totter. The hypocrites 'shall be discovered before the congregation,' Prov. xxvi. 26.
2. Initial or preparative grace may fail: Heb. vi. 4, 5, 'They who were once enlightened, and have tasted
of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted
the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, may fall away;' such
as illumination, external reformation, temporary faith, some good beginnings.
Some die in the pangs of the new birth, and are still-born. Plenty of blossoms
doth not always foretell store of fruit. [Pg. 302]
3.
True grace may suffer a shrewd decay, but not an utter loss. In temptations it
may be sorely shaken; the heel may be bruised as Christ's was, but his seed remaineth in him.' 1 John iii. 9;
as Peter denied Christ, though he did not fall from grace: Luke xxii. 32, 'I
have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.' The leaves may fade when the
root liveth. Chrysostom
saith concerning Christ's prayer for Peter, \~ouk\~
\~erei\~ \~ina\~ \~mh\~ \~arnhsh,\~ \~alla\~ \~wste\~ \~mh\~ \~ekleipein\~ \~thn\~ \~pistin\~.—He doth
not say, that he might not deny him, but that his faith might not fail and
altogether vanish.
4.
Such grace as serves to our well-being in Christ may be taken away, joy, peace,
cheerfulness. A man may be living though he be not lively; a man may have a
being when his wellbeing is lost; he is a man, though a bankrupt So a
Christian, the operations of grace may be obstructed for a great while; a fit
of swooning is not a state of death; there may be no acts, and yet the seed may
remain, this may last; for a long time David did not recover himself, it was
near a year after his sin: 1 Sam. xii. 14, 'The child that is born of thee
shall surely die;' compared with Ps li., title, 'A
psalm of David when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to
Bathsheba.'
5.
Grace indeed, if left to us, would be soon lost; we showed that in innocency. But it is our advantage that our security lieth in God's promisee, not our
own strength, that we are not our own keepers. God would not trust this jewel
but in safe hands. Perseverance is God's gift not man's act; he is engaged in
Christ to maintain it: John x. 28, 29, 'I give to them eternal life, and they
shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hands. My Father
that gave them me, is greater than I; and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father's hands;' they neither shall nor can be taken out of God's hands. God
and Christ is engaged in the keeping of them; Christ by God's command, as
mediator, God by Christ's merit; and therefore he that separateth
us from God must tag with Jesus Christ himself, and be too hard for him also,
or else he can never pluck them out of his hands. If they should question
Christ's power, because of the ignominy of the cross, the Father's hands are
also engaged for our greater assurance: 'None is able to pluck them out of my
Father's hands.' God never made a creature that should be too hard for himself.
6. We
do not plead for any wild assurance and certainty of perseverance. We do not
say that he that neglects means, and grieves the Spirit, do what he will, yet
he is sure he shall not miscarry; that is against the nature of God's
dispensation, and the nature of this assurance, and therefore but a vain cavil.
[1.] It is against the nature of God's dispensation; for
whom he maketh to persevere, he maketh
them persevere in the use of means. Hezekiah had assurance of life for fifteen
years, yet he takes a lump of figs, and applies it as a plaster to the boil,
Isa. xxxviii. 5, compared with ver. 21. Or more clearly, Acts xxvii. 22, 'There
shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but only of the ship.' But yet,
ver. 31, 'Except the shipmen abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.' We are bound
to get food and raiment, if we would live. It is the devil's divinity, Thou art
sure not to fall, therefore neglect means; it was Satan's cavil against God's
protection over Christ: Mat iv. 6, 'If thou be the Son
of God, cast [pg. 303] thyself down; for it is written, He shall give his
angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.' Thou learnest
this doctrine from the devil—Thou mayest do what thou
wilt, thou art sure to be saved.
[2.]
It is against the nature of assurance; he that hath tasted God's love in God's
way cannot reason so. He that
hath a good father, that will not see him perish, shall he waste and embezzle
his estate, he cares not how? A wicked child may presume
thus of his father, though it be very disingenuous, because of his natural
interest and relation to his father; the kindness which he expecteth
is not built on moral choice, but nature. But a child of God cannot, because he
cannot grow up to this certainty but in the exercise of grace; this certainty
is begotten and nourished by godly exercises. And the thing itself implieth a contradiction; this were to fall away, because
we cannot fall away; you may as soon say that the fire should make a man freeze
with cold, as that certainty of perseverance in grace should make a man do
actions contrary to grace.
7.
Again, we do not say a believer is so sure of his
conservation in a state of grace as that he needeth
not be wary and jealous of himself! 1 Cor. x. 12, 'Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.' There is a fear of
caution that is warrantable. There is a difference-between the weakening of the
security of the flesh, and of our confidence in Christ. None more apt to
suspect themselves than they that are most sure in God, lest by improvidence
and unwatchfulness they should yield to corruption.
Christ had prayed that Peter's faith might not fail; yet, together with the
other apostles, he biddeth him watch, Luke xxii. 40, 46. The fear of God is a preserving grace, and taken
into the covenant: Jer. xxxii. 40, 'I will never
depart from them to do them good,' and 'I will put my fear into their hearts,
and they shall not depart from me.' God's love will not let him depart from us,
and fear will not let us depart from God. This is a fear that will stand with
faith and certainty; it is a fruit of the same Spirit, and doth not hinder
assurance, but guard it; this is a fear that maketh
us watchful against all occasions to sin and spiritual distempers, that we may
not give offence to God; as an ingenuous man, that hath an inheritance passed
over to him by his friend in court, is careful not to offend him; there is a cautelous and distrustful fear.
8.
Again, this certainty of our standing in grace doth not exclude prayer: Luke
xxii. 46, 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.' Perseverance is
God's gift, and it must be sought out in God's way, by Christ's intercession,
to preserve the majesty of God, and by our prayer, that we constantly profess
our dependence upon God, and renew our acquaintance with him. Besides, by
asking blessings in prayer we are the more warned of our duty; it is a means to
keep us gracious and holy. As those that speak often to kings bad need be
decently clad, and go neat in their apparel, so he that speaketh
often to God is bound to be more holy, that he may be acceptable to him.
9. Once more, and I have done with
the state of the question. It is not a discontinued, but a constant
perseverance that we plead for. Not as if a child of God could be quite driven
out of the state of grace; [Pg.
304] though he be saved at length, he cannot
fall totus, a toto,
in totum, from all grace and godliness, in the
whole man, with full consent; he may sin, but not fall totally, no more than
finally. There is something remaineth; a seed: 1 John
iii. 9, 'Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him;' an unction: 1
John ii. 27, 'But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you.' There is a root in a dry ground, that will bud and scent again.
Well,
then, this we hold, that true grace shall never utterly be lost, though it be
much weakened, but by the use of means shall constantly be preserved to eternal
life.
Secondly,
Having stated the points let me now confirm it. The
grounds of perseverance are these:'
1. On
the Father's part, there is an everlasting love and all-sufficient power. His
everlasting love; God doth not love for a fit, but for ever: Ps. ciii. 17, 'The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to
everlasting upon them that fear him;' before the world was, and when the world
is no more. There can be no change in God's counsels, because they are
accompanied with infinite wisdom and power. God never repented in time of what
he purposed to do before time: Rom. xi. 29, 'The gifts and
calling of God are without repentance.' By gifts are meant gifts proper
to the elect, remission of sins, grace and glory, and by calling is
meant effectual calling, such as is \~kata\~ \~proysein\~, 'according to his purpose,' Rom. viii. 28. God
never repented of it; he is never ashamed of nor sorry for his choice; though
men be unworthy, it is the reason why he brought them under tile grace of the
covenant His all-sufficient power and almightiness is engaged in the preservation
of grace: John x. 29, 'My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and
no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hands.' As long as God hath
power we are safe; and this power is engaged by his love and will
2.
Then on Christs part there is his everlasting merit
and constant intercession.
[1.]
For his merit: Heb. ix. 12, 'By his own blood he entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.' Legal expiations did but
last from year to year, but Christ's is for ever and ever. The Levities!
priest, once every year entered into the holy place, but Christ is once gotten
into heaven, his redemption is eternal; not only as it is of use for all ages
of the church, but in respect of every particular saint Those who are once
redeemed by Christ, they are eternally redeemed; not for a time, to fall away
again, but to be saved for ever. So Heb. x. 14, 'By one offering he hath
perfected for ever them that are sanctified.' He hath not only purchased a
possibility of salvation, but hath perfected them, hath made purchase of all
that we need to our full perfection; it is not for a certain time, as if
afterwards they could be taken out of his hands, and so perish, but for ever;
and this for all those that are sanctified, separated by God's purpose and
decree, and afterwards renewed and sanctified in time, set apart to be vessels
of honour to God.
[2.] Then for his constant intercession, a copy of which we
have in this place. It is said, Heb. vii. 25, 'Wherefore he is able to save
unto [Pg. 305] the uttermost all that come unto God through him, seeing he liveth for ever to make intercession for us.' He is
interceding with God, that the merit of his death may be applied to us, and
that is salvation to the uttermost The heirs of salvation need not to fear
miscarrying; Jesus Christ, who is the testator, who by will and testament made
over the heritage to them, he liveth for ever to see
his own will executed. Though he died once to make the testament, yet he liveth for ever to see it made good. Christ is risen from the dead, and dieth no
more, and therefore a believer cannot miscarry.
3. On
the Spirit's part, there is a continued influence, so as to maintain the
essence and seed of grace. The Father's love is continued by the merit of
Christ, that he will not depart from us, and we are preserved by the Spirit of
Christ, that we may not depart from him. He doth not only put into our hearts
faith and fear, and other graces at first, but he maintaineth
and keepeth them, that the fire may never go out Our
hearts are his temples, and he will not leave his dwelling-place. There is a
continued influence. Now this he doth to preserve the honour
of Christ and the comfort of believers; he glorifieth
Christ, end is our comforter. It is to preserve the glory of Christ. Christ
hath received a charge from the Father: John vi. 39,
'This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given
me. I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the
last day;' nothing, neither body nor soul. In point of honour,
and that he may be true to his trust, he sendeth his
Spirit as his deputy or executor, that his merit may be fully applied;
therefore, for the honour of Christ, wherever the
work is began it is continued. Christ is called, Heb. xii. 2,
'The author and finisher of our faith.' Wherever the Spirit is an author
he is also a finisher; when the good work is begun, he will also perfect it,
and continue his grace to the end. It was said of the
foolish builder,' He began, and was not able to make an end.' This dishonour cannot be cast upon Christ, because of the power
and faithfulness of the Spirit; he doth \~katergazesyai\~,
go through with the work which he hath begun: Phil. i. 6, 'Being confident of this, that lie that hath,
begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Christ.' The Spirit is
to fit vessels for glory; he doth not use to leave them tail carved, but finish
them for the honour of Christ The
Spirit is faithful to Christ, as Christ is to the Father. The Father chooseth the vessels, Christ buyeth
them, and the Spirit carveth and fitteth
them, that they may be vessels of praise and honour.
He is our comforter; working grace, he puts us into an expectation of comfort
and glory; and therefore, to make it good, he carrieth
on the work without failing: Rom. viii. 23, 'And not only they, but ourselves
also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit; even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body;' 2 Cor. i. 22, 'Who hath seated us,
and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.' We have the taste and the
pledge of it; it is good, it is sure. The first degree of grace is conferred as
a pledge of eternal life; he giveth it as an earnest
or pledge, assuring us of a more perfect enjoyment of him. It is a pledge of
the whole crop; as an earnest, hereby God assureth us
that he will pay the whole sum. An earnest is a pledge whereby we confirm a
bargain; it is a piece of money [Pg. 306] whereby we are assured he will pay the
whole. Grace, it is the livery and seisin of glory;
as soon as a real change is wrought in us, we have a right that is
indefeasible; it is engaged by promise. Therefore, that the Spirit may be
faithful, when he hath given us the first-fruits, the earnest, shall he not
give us the inheritance?
Use 1. It exhorteth us to persevere
with the more care: 1 John ii. 26-28, 'These things
have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing
which you have received of him abideth in you, and ye
need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth
you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you,
you shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him, that when he
shall appear, ye may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his
coming.' Since we have so many advantages of standing, let us not fall from
him. Oh! how great will your sin be if you should fall
and dishonour God! We pity a child that falleth when it is not looked after; but when a froward child wresteth and forceth itself out of the arms of the nurse, we are angry
with it. You have more ground to stand than others, being brought into an
unchangeable estate of grace, being held in the arms of Christ; So that God will be very angry with your slips and fallings.
Mercy holdeth you fast, and you seek to wrest
yourselves out of mercy's arms. Never any can sin as you do; there is much frowardness in your sins. You disparage the Spirit's
custody, the merit of Christ, and the mercy of the Father: Heb. iv. 1, 'Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left as
of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.' Some
seem to stand, and do not; and some seem to fall utterly, and do not A child of God indeed cannot come short, but he should not
seem, nor give any appearance of coming short. Our course in religion is often
interrupted, though it be not broken off; this is a
seeming to come short of it. Hereby you bring a scandal upon the love of
Christ, as if it were changeable; upon the merit of Christ, as if it were not a
perfect merit Though we do not fall so as to break our
necks, yet we may fall so as to break our bones.
Use 2. If you fall, be not utterly discouraged. As the spinster leaveth a lock of wool to draw on the next thread, there is
somewhat left when you are departed from God; you have more holdfast in him
than an unregenerate sinner. A child, though a prodigal, will go to him, and
say, Father: Ps. cxix. 176, 'I have gone astray like
a lost sheep; seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.' Through
natural weakness I have gone astray like a sheep, but I seek thy commandments;
there is some grace left yet: Isa. Ixiv. 8, 'But now,
O Lord, thon art our Father; we are the clay, and thon art the potter; we are
all the work of thine hand.' The church pleadeth
thus: nay, God is angry when we do not plead so: Jer.
iii. 4, 'Wilt thou not from this time cry, My Father, thou art the guide of my
youth?' You have an interest in God yet Thus do, and your fall will be like
them that go back to fetch their leap more commodionsly.
Use 3. When you stand, let it incite
you to love and thankfulness. Nothing maketh the
saints more love God than his unchangeableness. His mercy made you come to him,
and his truth will not suffer you to depart from him. Mercy and truth are like Jachin and Boaz: [Pg. 307] Micah vii. 20, 'Thou wilt perform the truth
to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers,
from the days of old.' The covenant was made with Abraham, and made good to
Jacob. You may rejoice notwithstanding your weakness and Satan's daily
assaults; as Daniel in the lions' den, to see the lions ramping and roaring
about him, yet their months muzzled: 2 Sam. ii. 9, 'By strength shall no man
prevail;' that is, by his own. That any of us have stood hitherto, let us
ascribe it wholly to God: we might have been vile and scandalous, even as
others. Many of better gifts may fall away, and thou keepest
thy standing. What is the reason? We have done enough a thousand times to cause
God to depart from us: Deut xxiii. 14, 'If he see any
unclean thing among thee, he will turn away from thee.' And is it not strange
that the Spirit of grace should yet abide with us hitherto, when there is so
much uncleanness in every one of us? The great argument of the saints
why they love and praise him is the constancy and unchangeableness of his love:
Ps. cxxxvi.,
'For his mercy endureth for ever;' and Ps. cvi. 1, 'Praise the Lord, Ο give thanks unto the Lord;
for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.' No
form more frequent in the mouths of his saints.
Use 4. If any fall often, constantly, frequently, and easily,
they have no interest in grace: 1 John iii. 9,' Whosoever is born of God doth
not commit sin;' \~ou\~ \~poiei\~
\~amartian\~, he maketh
not a trade of sin, that is the force of that phrase. God's children slip
often, but not with such a frequent constant readiness, into the same sin. Therefore he that liveth in a course of
profaneness, worldliness, drunkenness,' his spot is not the spot of God's
children,' Deut. xxxii. 5. You are tried by your constant course: Rom.
viii. 1, 'That walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit' What is your road and walk? I except
only those sins which are of usual incidence, and sudden surreption,
as anger, vanity of thoughts; and yet for them a man should be more humble. If
it be not felt, nor striven against, nor mourned for, it is a bad sign. What is
your course and walk? There is a uniformity in a Christian's
course. It is nothing to have some fits and good moods and motions.
Use 5. It provoketh us to get an interest in such a sure condition.
Be not contented with outward happiness; things are worthy according to their
duration. Nature hath such a sense of God's eternity that the more lasting
things are, it accounteth them the better. The
immortal soul must have an eternal good. Now all things in the world are frail
and passing away, therefore they are called 'uncertain riches,' 1 Tim. vi. 17, compared with Prov. viii. 18, 'Riches and honour are with me, yea,
durable riches and righteousness.' The flower of these things perisheth, their grace passeth
away; in the midst of their pride and beauty, like Herod in his royalty, they
vanish and are blasted. The better part is not taken away: Luke x. 42, 'Mary
hath chosen the better part, which cannot be taken away from her.' A man may
outlive his happiness, be stripped of the flower of all. Worldly glory is sure
to end with life, that is transitory; and still they are uncertain riches,
uncertain whether we shall get them, uncertain whether we shall keep them. By a
care of the better part, we may have these things with a blessing: Mat. vi. 33, 'Seek ye first the kingdom of [Pg. 308] God, and the
righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added to you.' Gifts, they
are for the body, rather than the person that hath them. Men may be carnal, and
yet come behind in no gifts. Judas could cast out devils, and yet afterwards
was cast out among devils: 1 Cor. xii. 31, the
apostle had discoursed largely of gifts, but saith he, 'Yet I show you a more
excellent way,' and that is grace, that abideth. Many
that have great abilities to pray, preach, discourse, yet fall away; according
to the place which they sustain in the body, so they have great gifts of
knowledge, utterance, to comfort, direct, instruct others, to answer their
doubts, to reason in holy discourse, and yet may fall foully: Heb. vi. 4, 5, 'They may be once enlightened, and have tasted of
the heavenly gift, and were made partaken of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted
the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.' They may have a
great share of church gifts. Nay, gifts themselves wither and vanish when the
bodily vigour is spent: 1 Peter i.
24, 'All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass; the
grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.' Whatever excellency we have by nature, wit, knowledge,
strength of natural parts, nothing but what the Spirit of God worketh in us will last for ever. So for seeming, unsound
grace, as false faith, such as beginneth in joy, will
end in trouble; it easeth you for the present, but you
shall he down in sorrow. General probabilities, loose hopes, Uncertain
conjectures, vanishing apprehensions of comfort, all fail. The planting of true
faith is troublesome at first, but it leadeth to true
joy; you may look upon the gospel with some kind of delectation. Thorns may
blaze under the pot, though they cannot keep in the fire. Do not rest in 'tasting
the good word of God,' Heb. vi. 5, in some slight and
transitory comfort Hymeneus and Alexander are said to
'make shipwreck of faith,' 1 Tim. i. 19,20; that is, of a false faith. So for a formal profession,
men may begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh: Gal iii. 3, 'Are ye so
foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?' A
man may seem to himself, and to the church of God, to have true grace; nay, he
may be enlightened, find some comfort in the word, escape the pollutions of
tile world, foul gross sins; yea, these good things may be the works and the
effects of the Spirit of God, not of nature only, not professed out of a carnal
aim; but there is no settled root, and therefore it is but of short
continuance. But certainly that form that is taken up out of private aims will
surely fail. God delighteth to take off the mask and
disguise of hypocrites, by letting them fall into some scandalous sins. Paint
is soon washed off. Therefore rest not in these things, till solid and
substantial grace be wrought in your hearts.
Use 6. Is comfort to God's children. Grace is sure, and the privileges of it sure.
Grace is sure; through your folly it may be nigh unto death, but it cannot die.
This is the advantage of spiritual comforts, that they do not only satisfy our
desires, but secure us against our fears: Isa. xxxv. 10, 'The
ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to
But
now, because comforts are never prized but in their season, men that have not
been exercised in spiritual comforts nauseate these sweet truths; they know not
what it is to be left to uncertainty, when troubles come like waves, one upon
the neck of another. Let us see when these truths will be sweet and seasonable.
1. In great troubles, when God seemeth
to hide his face, oh 1 how sweet it is to hear God say, Gen. xxviii. 15,
'Behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will
not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.' All this
shall better thy heart or hasten thy glory. We are apt to think that God will
cast us off, and will never look after us any more, though formerly we have had
real experience of his grace. What a foolish creature is man, to weaken his
assurance when he should come to use it, to unravel all his hopes and
experiences I Times of trouble are a fit season to make use of this comfort.
2. In the hour of temptation, and hard conflicts with
doubts and corruptions, when you find their power growing upon you, you are
[Pg. 310] ready to say, as David did after all his experiences, 'I shall
one day perish by the hand of Saul.' 1 Sam. xxvii. 1;
and many times oat of distrust ye give over the combat; then say, 'Who shall
separate us from the love of God? 'One came to a pious woman, when she had been
exercised with a long and tedious conflict, and read to her the latter part of
the 8th of the Romans; she broke forth in triumph, 'Nay in all these things we
are more than conquerors through him that loved us.' Sin or death cannot divide
you from Christ; Christ will treat Satan under your feet, and weaken the
malignant influence of the world.
3. In
times of great danger and defection, through terror and persecution; as Sanders
trembled to think of the fire; especially when others fall fearfully that were
before us in privileges and profession of zeal and piety, when the first become
last, when eminent luminaries are eclipsed, and leave their orb and station; as
the martyrs were troubled to hear of the revolt of some great scholars that had
appeared for the gospel When Hymeneus and Philetus, two eminent professors, fell, it was a great
snaking: 2 Tim. ii. 18, 19, 'Who concerning the truth have erred, saying, That the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the
faith of some. Nevertheless, the foundation of the Lord standeth
sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that
are his.'
4. In
times of disheartening, because of the difficulties of religion, and the use of
means groweth troublesome. To quicken us in our
Christian course, think of the unchangeableness of God's love. All grace riseth according to the proportion and measure of faith;
loose hopes weaken endeavours: 1 Cor.
ix. 26, 'I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I,
not as one that beateth the air.' As those that run
at all give over when one hath overreached them, they are discouraged; when
hope is broken, the edge of endeavours is blunted. Go
on with confidence, ye are assured of the issue; by these endeavours
God will bless you and keep you; there is a sure recompense.
5. In
the hour of death, when all things fail you, God will not fail you; this is the
last branch: Do but wait, I will not forsake you; notwithstanding all that I
have done, all that I have promised, there is more behind than ever you have
enjoyed; death shall not separate. Olevian comforted
himself with that, Isa. liv. 10, 'For
the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not
depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the
Lord, that hath mercy on thee.' In the pains of death, sight is gone, speech
and hearing is departing, feeling almost but the
loving-kindness of God will never depart.
Oh! the Lord give us such a confidence in that
day, that we may fix this comfort in our thoughts.
Doct. 2. That we are kept in the state of grace by God's name,
by his power, for his glory.
God's
attributes are called his name, because by them he is known, as a man by his
name. I shall inquire
1.
What of the name of God is engaged in the preservation of the saints.
[1.] His truth, in opposition to our fickleness and
falseness: [Pg. 311] 1 Cor. x. 13, 'God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able to bear, but will
with every temptation make a way for you to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it.' God cannot deny himself; his faithfulness is laid at pledge with the
creatures. When difficulties and troubles are too hard for you, call him by his
name: Lord, thou art faithful. When
[2.]
His mercy, in opposition to our unworthiness; mercy to pardon and pity and help
us. Poor creatures I they will surely miscarry if I do not go down and help
them: Heb. iv. 16, 'Let us come boldly to the throne
of grace, that we may obtain grace, and find mercy to help us in time of need.'
God is not upon his tribunal of justice, but his throne of grace. When you are
in spiritual straits, be not discouraged; the tune of need is a time for God to
show himself. God hath mercy to pardon, and grace to pity and help; mercy for
the recovery of every sinner, grace as a remedy for every misery. Do but
observe thy heart, what thou wouldst have, and tell God every day.
[3.]
His power, against our weakness: 2 Peter i. 5, 'We
are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.' This is our
garrison; we cannot stand a moment longer than God upholdeth
us by his power; as a staff in the hand of a man, take away the hand, and the
staff falleth to the ground; or rather, as a little
infant in the nurse's hand, which is God's own comparison: Hosea xi. 3, 'I
taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms.' If God should but let
loose his hand, as he doth sometimes to make us sensible of our weakness, we
should soon miscarry; as if God should let loose his hand of providence, all
the creatures would fall into nothing.
[4.]
I might mention his holiness, against our sinfulness. He is not only 'the Holy
One,' but' the Holy One of Israel,' the church's sanctifier; as the pipe would
be dry if the fountain cease to run. But this is enough. Deus, quantus est!
His whole name is engaged by Christ to do his people good.
2.
Why we are only kept by God.
[1.] Nothing else could Keep us
but God's name. We should surely miscarry if our standing did depend upon the
frailty of our will. We are weak, and the enemies and difficulties of our
salvation are very great, corruptions within, and temptations without us;
created grace would never hold out One of the fathers bringeth
in the flesh saying, Ego deficiam; the world, Ego
decipiam; and Satan, Ego eripiam.
But God saith, Ego custodiam, I will keep
them, never fail them, nor forsake them; and there lieth
our security. The world is a slippery place; it is strange that any hold their
footing. We are carnal, and carnal persons are about
us. It were strange for a man to keep his health m a
town where every person, every house, and the air itself is infected with the
plague; this is our condition. Then for the malice of Satan, he is a restless
enemy, watcheth all advantages, as a dog that fitandeth waving his tail: it is Chrysostom's
comparison. His envy and malice are bent against them that have most grace.
There were two
[2.] It is meet none else should. God will have this
honour from all saints, and he will put this honour upon the saints, that he will be their guardian and
keeper; not only angels, who are 'ministering spirits, sent forth to minister
to them that are the heirs of salvation,' Heb. i. 14;
they have a great deal of employment about God's children; but God himself will
keep them: 1 Peter i. 5, 'Ye are kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation.' If your protection were visible, all His
princes of the world would come short of your guard and attendance. God will be
your watchman, your keeper, to foresee the danger and defend you from it: this honour he will nave. He that is the maker of the world is
the preserver of it; the keeping of the world could be trusted in no other
hands but his that made it. So he is the preserver of the saints, as well as
their maker: 1 Sam. ii. 9, 'By strength shall no man prevail;' he keepeth the feet of his saints; you rob God of the honour of your salvation by other confidences.
Use. It exhorteth
us
1. To a continual dependence
on the name of God. All creatures have their refuges, the heirs of salvation
are described to be those 'that fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that
is set before them,' Heb. vi. 18. Now what is their
refuge? Prov. xviii. 10,' The name of the Lord
is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and
is safe.' At
2. To
confidence. We may boast of his name: Ps. cxviii.
10-12, 'All nations compassed me about: but in the
name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about, yea, they
compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They
compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in
the name of the Lord I will destroy them.' Thrice it is,' in the name of the
Lord I will destroy them.' When we have such a keeper as is omnipotent, why
should we fear? Though thou hast so many infirmities, allurements,
discouragements, corrupt inclinations, thou, standest
not by thine own strength. Christ hath engaged God's name to keep thee: Ps.
xvi. 8,' I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand,
I shall not be moved.' It is well that we have so good a second: a Christian is a soldier that may triumph [Pg. 313]
before the victory. It was a proverb, 'Let not him that putteth on his armour boast as he
that putteth it off.'
3. To thankfulness. Did we believe the power of corruption, we
should be more thankful: 2 Cor. i.
21, 'Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ,
and hath anointed us, is God.' He doth all, and being engaged with Christ, by
virtue of your interest in him you shall stand. None should be proud of their
standing in the state of grace; God must have all the glory: 1 Peter iv. 11, 'If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of
God: if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability that God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through
Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.'