cause God to suspend divine grace This is certain That David by his fall had lost that presence and familiarity of the Spirit of God with him which he had before his fall and therefore he prayes Psal 51.11 Take not thy holy Spirit from me The Spirit of God was so far departed from him that he was afraid of losing the Spirit of God quite and clean so in the twelfth Verse Uphold me with thy free Spirit He did not feel that power and presence and energy of the Spirit of God in his heart as he was wont to do If the Spirit of God have taken any offence and distast at us by reason of any miscarriage of ours that offence must be removed and the Spirit of God treated very kindly before he will return again Ezek. 39. last Verse the Lord promiseth there that he will no more hide his face from the house of Israel for he had poured out his Spirit upon them Neither will I hide my face any more from them for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel saith the Lord God Observe it Gods pouring out of his Spirit is a sign that he is reconciled to us it is a sign of reconciliation and we cannot expect that God should pour out his Spirit upon us so as that we should find that free and familiar operation of the Spirit of God in our hearts till all things be clear between God and us therefore the guilt of any sin lying on the conscience unpardoned may obstruct the communications of Divine Grace and may hinder that intimate familiar presence of the Spirit of God which sometimes we have had 5. Another Obstruction of divine grace is some corruption or sin indulged and continued in The Saints are said to be an habitation of God by the Spirit Eph. 2.22 Now the Spirit of God loves a pure and chast habitation If we sully and defile our souls by the love of any sin by indulging our selves in any corruption we render our hearts a very unfit habitation for that pure and holy Spirit to dwell in Know you not saith the Apostle that your bodyes are the Temple of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 6.19 Our Souls and Bodies are the Temple of the Holy Ghost and certainly if we defile this Temple of the Holy Ghost we cannot expect that the Spirit of God will make his residence in it Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you If the Spirit of God rebuke us for any sin we ought presently to take this rebuke If the Spirit of God give us a secret hint and intimation that such a thing is amiss we ought to reform that thing we ought to take such a hint and what then then God will pour out his Spirit upon us But if we retain the love of sin and persist and go on in sin after God hath rebuked and check'd us for it we cannot expect that God will pour out his Spirit upon us For the Promise runs Turn ye at my reproof and I will pour out my Spirit upon you not otherwise so that if we retain the love of sin after God hath check'd and rebuked us for it we cannot expect the communication of divine grace Lastly The last impediment of divine grace that I shall mention is security and presumption of our own strength and sufficiency If we think we have a stock in our own hand and have quickening and inlargement at command and can act at our own pleasure in the waies of God without Divine Assistance nothing provokes God sooner to withdraw his grace from us These are the impediments and obstructions of divine grace Now if we would have constant supplies of grace we must take heed of all those things that obstruct the passage of grace and do hinder the communication of it to our souls The end of the Eighteenth Sermon SERMON XIX Solomon's Song 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee THere is one Doctrine more which lies in the words which yet remains to be spoken to and that is this Doct. 3. The end why we should desire the drawings of divine grace it is that our hearts may be the more carryed forth after God Draw me saith the Church and we will run after thee The end why the Church desires to be drawn is that her heart may be carryed forth the more after Christ Here we have two things to speak unto 1. What the import of the phrase is what this running doth imply Draw me we will run after thee 2. How it is that the Saints have their hearts carryed out after God 1. What this phrase of running doth import Running notes several things 1. It notes quickness and liveliness of affection Draw me we will run after thee that is our affections shall then be elevated and inlarged towards thee Amâ—â— est Pes Aninae Love is the foot of the soul The feet are the instruments of motion the feet are they that carry us from one place to another thus the soul by its affections is carryed forth to the object that it loves Running therefore notes the raisedness of the affections Thus we read how Elisha run after Elijah 1 Kings 19.20 He left the Oxen and run after Elijah that is his affections were now up and he must needs follow Elijah So that running notes the elevation of the affections when the affections that were dead and lumpish before begin to move and spring afresh towards God Cant. 6.12 Or ever I was aware my soul made me like the Chariots of Aminadab Many make these to be the words of Christ to the Church But some there are that make these to be the words of the Church to Christ Or ever I was aware my soul made me like the Chariots of Aminadab And if so then it notes the spiritual motion and affection that was in the Church towards Christ Her soul made her as the Chariots of Aminadab that is her affections did move swiftly towards Christ Draw me we will run after thee Running here in the Text is opposed to deadness the Church found her affections flat and dead before therefore she prays to be drawn by divine grace Now when she is drawn she saith she will run that is she shall have new affections Her affections that were dead and flat before shall now be quick and lively towards God and Christ 2. Running notes progress in Faith and Holiness Gal. 5.7 Ye did run well who did hinder you the meaning is you once did make a good progress in the Faith but now ye are slidden back A Christian ought alwaies to make a progress Col. 1.10 Increasing in the knowledge of God 2 Pet. 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Non progredi â—st regredi Not to go forward is to go backward A Christian is seldom at a stand if he be not going forward he is
of Christ is the food and nourishment of souls An Eagle-eyed Christian can perceive that it was in that flesh of his that the Law was fulfilled that the penalty of it was undergone that divine justice was fatisfied and everlasting righteousness brought in this attracts a believing soul to a Crucified Christ Christ Crucified is to some a stumbling-block and to others foolishness 1 Cor. 1. but to those that understand the mysterie of his death and suffierings Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God Hence is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.2 I determine to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him Crucified so likewife Phil. 3. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ Nothing will attract the heart more than the confideration of what Christ is and the contemplation of what Christ hath done and suffered for us the name of Christ is as oyntment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love him Cant. 1.4 The more we know Christ in his personal excellency and are acquainted with his grace as Mediator the more will our hearts be attracted and drawn to him 3. Christ draws us by the discovery of his love to us Hos 11.4 I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love Love is the loadstone of Love we Love him because he first loved us 1 Joh. 4.19 Nothing so powersul to draw our hearts to the love of God as the apprehension of Gods Love to us Now God doth sometimes drop and distill the sense of his love into the hearts of his people and that draws them to Love him Observe it in your selves when the heart hath been very low flat and dead before let the Lord but infinuate a little of his Love to the Soul by some especial act of kindness that will raise and quicken it immediately Love is powerful and attractive it melts and dissolves the soul if the soul be but in an ill frame before let the Lord but manifest a little of his Love and it is soon overcome by it and put into a better frame 4. God draw the souls of his people to himself by giving them new and fresh tastes of the excellencie of spiritual things The Saints themselves do not alwaies relish that savour that is in the Word nor taste that sweetness that is in the Promises I say they do not alwaies taste a like sweetness in the Word nor relish a like savour in it as sometimes they have done and when they have lost that taste and relish that they had of spiritual things this is that which makes their affections flat If we had as lively tastes of spiritual things as we have sometimes our affections would not so often flag as they do 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Those that have once tasted of the sweetness and goodness of the word cannot but still desire it as long as that taste remains with them Consider O Christian what glory doth there appear in the Word at some times What excellency and heavenly sweetness in the promises at one time over and above what there doth at another Now God allures and draws the hearts of his people by giving in those tastes and relishes of spiritual things at some times which they are not sensible of at other times No man saith our Saviour having drunk old Wine straightway desireth new for he saith the old is better Luk. 5.39 So when the soul hath newly tasted of the sweetness that is in God and Christ when it hath tasted of the sweetness that is in the Promises and in divine grace and heavenly consolations it doth not presently grow fond of the world and worldly comforts the sweetness the soul hath tasted and experienced in heavenly and spiritual things attracts the soul to Love and defire these things above all others And we shall find it true in experience That when we grow fond of other things it is because we have lost those tastes of God and Christ and spiritual things which sometimes we have had 5. And lastly The last thing I shall mention at present is this God attracts and draws the hearts of his people by giving them a little sight and prospect of that glory which is above 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him but saith the Apostle God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit that is God hath revealed them to us in part by his Spirit It is not possible that we should take in the Glory that is above in our minds and conceptions as it is in it self but God gives some little prelibations and foretastes of it unto his people Hence is it that we read of the tasting of the good Word of God and tasting of the power of the world to come Heb. 6.4 5. It is possible that a man that is under a common work of the Spirit for it is of such the Apostle there speaks may have some tastes of the glory and happiness of heaven I do not think that those that are meerly under a common work and are said here to taste of the heavenly gifts and of the powers of the world to come that they have or can have such tastes of the sweetness glory and blessedness of heaven as those have who are truly regencrate and are under a saving work but some apprehensions they may have of it they may apprehend it to be a state of bliss and happiness A man that is under the common work of the Spirit may apprehend Heaven to be a place of freedom from all misery and trouble and where he shall enjoy happiness and perfect bliss and have all joy peace comfort and satisfaction such like general apprehensions of Heaven is all I conceive that a man under a common work doth usually attain unto Now if a man that hath but a common work may go so far then the Saints who have more than a common work they that have divine and saving illumination may apprehend much more of the glory of Heaven The Saints who are savingly enlightened may apprehend something of this state as it consists in the clear sight and vision of God in intimate fellowship and communion with God in perfect holiness and the like Nothing doth more powerfully attract the soul than when something of the glory of the other world is set before it Now God doth sometimes let down a corner of Heaven as it were into the souls of his people and gives them in transitu a little glimpse and glance of the glory that is above and this makes all present things seem to be but little things to them We look not saith
admire the mind doth not presently go off from but it staies and dwells upon it 2. Admiration takes in the act of the will the will likes and is well pleased with the goodness of an object and that makes the mind fix and stay upon it Thus the souls of the Saints are carryed out to God by admiration Holy souls love the divine excellency and they are pleased in it therefore the will causeth the mind or understanding to fix it self in the contemplation of it My meditation of him shall be sweet saith David Psal 104.34 The Saints cannot alwaies get up their hearts to this frame of admiration and it is matter of bitter complaint to holy souls that they cannot find their hearts so taken with the divine perfections as sometimes they have been but this is certain this is most pleasing to a holy soul when he finds his heart most taken and ravished with the excellencies of God and when he can admire him more than all created things 4. The Saints have their hearts carryed out to God by delight Delight carries the heart powerfully to the object we delight in what we delight in we cannot but think of Psal 119.47 I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved As much as if he should have said the love and affection which I have to thy Commandments carries out my heart to them Thus the Saints do sometimes find their hearts carryed out to delight in God Isa 58.14 Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. It is true it is too seldom too rare that we can thus delight our selves in God there is one thing or other that interposeth to hinder us from delighting in God sometimes guilt interposeth that clogs our consciences and that hinders us from delighting in God Sometimes inordinate affection to the creature steps in and when our affections are diverted and turned into another channel we cannot so delight in God as we ought to do Sometimes spiritual darkness and deadness hinders our delighting in God 1. Spiritual darkness hinders us from delighting in God we have lost that sight of God we have lost those apprehensions of God which sometimes we have had and if we have lost that sight of God and those apprehensions of God that once we had no wonder we cannot delight in him for our affections follow our apprehensions as we have heard 2. Spiritual deadness hinders us Our affections are flat and low and we cannot get them up to God so that as was said it is too seldom that we get our hearts into this frame to delight in God but it is happy with the Saints when they can find it thus with them it is never so well with them as when they can have their hearts carryed out with delight to God 5. The Saints have their hearts carryed out to God by adherence When we can find our hearts intimately and firmly adhering to God then are our hearts carryed out to him It is good for me to draw near to God Psal 73.28 It is good for me to adhere to God Bonum est mihi adhaere Deo so the words are rendred by learned men so Psal 63.8 My soul followeth hard after thee This following hard after God implies two things 1. Strong desires after God And 2. Intimate adhering or cleaving of the soul to God Adhaeret anima mea post te hoc est vitae securus acquiesco My soul cleaves after thee that is my soul rests securely in thee saith a learned man My soul cleaves after thee it is as much as if it had been said Whilest I think of thee and of thy mercy towards me although thou seemest sometimes as if so be thou wouldest withdraw thy self from me yet I go after thee I follow after thee in thy very foot-steps I follow thee so close that I may never let thee go out of my sight Adhaerere post aliquem nihil aliud esse videtur quam vestigiis fugientis inhaerere To cleave after another saith a learned man it is to follow another in his foot-steps Ainsworth observes that this phrase notes Love constancy and union in the Spirit he that cleaves to the Lord is of one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 My soul cleaves that is it cleaves intimately and inseparably to thee 6. And lastly The Saints have their hearts carryed forth towards God in a way of satisfaction Psal 63.5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness He is speaking of communion with God If he can have but communion with God oh then his soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness Nothing can terminate the desires of the soul but an infinite good When the soul hath taken in this and that particular good from among the Creatures it finds it is still capable of more and therefore is still desiring more but when the soul hath met with such a good as that it can never come to the end and bottom of it then it is satisfied and filled Now there is good enough in God to fill the soul and there is something still redundant and therefore it is in God alone that the Saints find satisfaction and to him it is they are carryed out so as to seek satisfaction in him The first Use is for Application Vse 1. Let us be exhorted to labour and pray that we may experimentally find our hearts thus carryed out after God by Desire Love Admiration Delight Adherence satisfaction O let us put it to the Trial and we shall find it true in experience the more we can find our hearts thus carryed out after God the more sweetness shall we find in this life It is good for me to draw near to God We shall find it the wisest course to have our hearts fixt and centred in God It is natural to us all to seek for rest Men are seeking far and near to find rest but we may wander up and down all our daies and never find what we seek and pursue after unless the pursuit of our souls be after God God alone is the true rest of souls the quiet and center of souls the more our hearts are carryed out after God the more rest shall we find The end of motion is rest the end why we move towards the Creatures in desire and love is because we think to find some rest and contentment in them Now if our souls be carryed out after God in holy affections there and there only shall we find that rest that our souls are longing after Take this for a certain truth It will never be well with us we shall never find rest to our souls till we have learned this skill to keep our hearts reserved for God and to expect happiness from nothing but him Though we may and ought to use the Creatures in their place yet we must still expect all our happiness from God Take the best comfort the best condition in this world yet there is not all the good in it we desire There is something that is wanting still something that we cannot find in any creature and in any condition Examine your selves and you will find it so Therefore it is not good that we expect to find happiness in any thing under the Sun for if we do we shall certainly deceive our selves But if we place our happiness in God he will not deceive us Psal 62.6 7. My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him he only is my rock and my Salvation he is my defence I shall not be moved The more our souls are carryed out after God the more rest we shall find Not but that we may desire and love the Creatures in their places but take heed of expecting to find rest in them and of expecting happiness in any thing but God O let us labour to learn this skill and happy are they that can learn it to keep our hearts reserved for God as our only happiness and to learn to expect happiness from nothing but him Let us be exhorted to pray for Divine Grace Use 2. as the means whereby our hearts may be thus drawn out to God Draw me we will run after thee the Church prays to be drawn that she may run after Christ Before we are drawn our affections cannot run out after Christ When we find our hearts dead unapt to move towards God then should we pray for the drawings of divine grace Age Domine fac excita revocanos accende rape flagra Dulcescas jam amemus â—urâ—amus Aug. It is the saying of Austin Lord do thou quicken and stir up our hearts do thou call hack our hearts to thy self do thou inflame them do thou ravish them and allure them do thou set them on fire do thou sweeten and indear thy self to us Now now let us run and love Truly till divine grace doth excite inflame allure and set our hearts on fire we shall find we cannot run after Christ How often do we find a great weight and mighty clog lying on our souls that we cannot ascend to God as we would We should pray therefore that God would remove this weight that he would quicken our hearts by the drawing of his Spirit O when our souls are carryed forth with life and vigour towards God then shall we find rest and sweetness and peace to our souls On the contrary when our hearts are estranged from God when our affections are flat and dead towards him we shall find nothing but trouble and disquietment restlesness and dissatisfaction in our souls Return to thy rest Psal 116.7 O my soul saith that holy man God alone is the rest of souls so far as our hearts are carryed out with life and vigour towards God we shall find rest peace and quiet to our soul so far as we depart from him we shall find nothing but trouble and disquietment Therefore let us pray with the Chruch here Draw me we will run after thee FINIS
thou shalt be saved yea or no this is a proposition of eternal Truth He that believeth shall be saved Then if it be some plain sin that Satan tempts thee to presume not on thy own strength but presently fly to Divine Grace to keep thee from that sin It is a great part of wisdom in all temptations to consider Satans ends which are to draw us off from the word and from duty and to allure us to some sin Now we should endeavor to frustrate Satan in his ends and beware of his devices Direct Direct 3. 3. Resist temptations at the first approach of them Resist the Devil and he will flee from you Jam. 4.7 If Satan be resisted he will not stand his ground we have the word of God for it Resist the Devil and he will flee only let us look to this that we be peremptory in our resistance Take heed that we do not dally with a temptation but as soon as ever a temptation appears presently to resist it the least dallying with a temptation brings us under great danger of being overcome by it If Satan can but get so much ground as to draw our thoughts and minds to what he propounds Delectatio morosa If there be that which Divines call a fixing and staying of the mind with some delight on what is presented there is marvellous great danger of being overcome Therefore the best way is to keep the enemy at the outworks and not suffer him to come near to our wills and affections when temptations offer themselves to our fancies or understandings presently resist them not parley with them in our minds If we parley with the temptation it may soon give them an inlet to our wills and affections Direct 4. Direct 4. The best way of dealing with some temptations is by turning away from the temptation with a holy disdain As Christ said to Peter in that case Get thee behind me Satan so when Satan casts in Blasphemous thoughts Impure thoughts Murderous Cruel thoughts to do any thing against nature the best way to deal with such temptations is by a simple aversion from the temptation It is a passage I have met with of one that was experienced and acquainted with temptation The best way to deal with some temptations is to pronounce one syllable and say Fy Satan Some poor souls when they find such and such horrid thoughts cast into their minds by Satan are even brought to the brink of despair think it is impossible that such thoughts can be forgiven But let such know if such thoughts be resisted and have not the approbation of the will if the will be carried in defiance to them they are Satans sins not thine they shall be laid at Satans door not to thine Direct Direct 5. 5. In every temptation let us be sure to keep the word of God nigh unto us and have a present recourse to it The word of God is called the sword of the spirit Ephes 6.17 No sword so fit to kill and slay a Temptation as the word of God If it be some sin in practice that you are tempted to take the word and say as our Saviour did It is written it is written to the contrary If it be some spiritual inward sin that we are tempted to as to Pride Unbelief or the like take the word and oppose it to these sins If I am a child of God and Satan tempt me to doubt whether I am in the favour of God or no take the word and say Who shall separate us from the love of Christ If Satan say thou art a sinner and therefore thou shalt be condemned oppose the word and say He that believes is not condemned John 3.17 If Satan tempt us to doubt of the immortality of the soul to doubt of the resurrection of the body to doubt of the future glory of the Saints If he tempt us to doubt of any Article of Faith whatsoever we must still have recourse to some word of God that doth clearly and plainly assert the things that Satan tempts us to doubt of this is the ready way to slay such temptations This is a sure rule There is no way to deal with Satan and his temptations like to this As to oppose some true proposition out of the word to what he suggests The Devil tempts me to doubt of many things I must then have recourse to some plain word of God which asserts the contrary and here must my faith fix it self If it be so Use 4. That it is the lot of the holiest men and of the most eminent servants of God to be exercised with grievous and sore temptations The last Use is by way of Consolation This Doctrine doth naturally speak comfort to tempted souls Art thou tempted do not despond because of thy temptations do not think strange concerning thy tryals conflicts and temptations as if some trange things had hapned to thee 1 Cor. 10. There hath no temptation taken you but what is common to man It is the lot of the holiest men of the most eminent servants of God to be tempted and usually it is so That the more any person is beloved of God the more dear he is to God the more God suffers him to be tried and tempted Thy temptations are bitter for the present but they shall have an end It is an expression of Luther Distinguendum est tentationem in initium sinem Luther We must distinguish a temptation into the beginning and the end every temptation hath its end as well as its beginning Hence is that of the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knows how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations It is true that the strength of a temptation usually lies in the length of it A fierce and sharp temptation if but short is not so bitter as a smaller temptation if long continued But yet let us remember That God is faithful who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able but will make a way for us to escape Certainly It is the greatest temptation to be without temptation for when we are without temptation we are apt to be secure and to neglect faith and prayer and so all of a sudden are drawn into some sin before we are aware I remember it is the observation of Luther Sancti tum maximè periculis expositi sunt cum minimum sentiunt tentationum Luther The Saints are then especially exposed to the greatest dangers when they are least sensible of temptations Therefore let us not be discouraged by reason of our temptations but arm our selves to the spiritual conflict fight the good fight of faith If we go on fighting in the strength of Christ we shall overcome and if we overcome we shall receive the Crown Be thou faithful to the death Revel 2.10 and I will give thee a Crown of life The end of the Second Sermon SERMON III. 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. And
grace to resist temptation or indeed to do any thing that is spiritually good This inference doth naturally arise from the Doctrine If Paul had had a sufficiency of himself to have grappled with his temptations God needed not have promised his grace to him But now when God promiseth that his grace shall be sufficient for Paul that is a certain argument that Pauls own ability and the strength of his own Free-will was not sufficient of it self to help him to overcome his temptations without Divine grace What need were there that Gods grace should be promised to us to be sufficient for us if our Free-will were sufficient of it self without Gods grace to carry us through our temptations This Idol of Free-will forged by proud nature which would fain retain that excellency which man was only possest of before his fall is that which hath been adored in the world all along The Pelagians of old held that free-will was untouched unmaimed not hurt at all and that mans will was sufficient of it self if it pleased to obey the commands of God The Semipelagians held that free-will was wounded indeed and maimed but then it was not wholly corrupt and therefore they attributed mans conversion partly to grace and partly to the free-will of man and so divided the matter partly between the grace of God and partly between mans will The Papists in the Council of Trent condemn this as a great error of the Protestants that they hold that after the fall of Adam free-will is lost Now when they are pleased to fasten this opinion on the Protestants that free-will is lost certainly no man was ever so absurd as to imagine that that natural power or faculty of free-will was lost Man hath still his natural faculties left to him since his fall His understanding remains and his will which is a free power and hath a power and liberty of election in it this facultie still remains in him Neither do the Prostestants affirm that the will hath lost its liberty in civil natural and political matters although we must suppose that even in these things the Divine Providence that governs all other things hath a supremacy over the will of man and governs it in such away as is consistent with the liberty of the will But that which the Protestants affirm is this that since the fall of Adam the will hath lost its liberty to that which is spiritually good The free-will that they deny is free-will to good there is no free-will in man since the fall to that which is spiritually good The will retains its liberty to sin still it freely yet necessarily wills sin but it cannot will good Liberum Arbitriâ—m ad malum sâ—ssicit ad bonum autem nihil est nisi adjuvetur ab omnipotente bono August and to this agreeth the Doctrine of Austin Free-will is sufficient as to evil but it is nothing at all as to what is good unless it be helped and assisted by the omnipotent good Without the power of omnipotent grace the Scripture teaches us that we have not sufficiency of our selves to think a good thought Nay we are so far from having a sufficiency of our selves to have a good thought that Every thought and imagination of mans heart by nature is evil only evil and continually evil Gen. 6.5 Evil thoughts do naturally proceed from us But we are beholding unto Divine grace for every holy thought and what should this teach us but to be exceeding humble in our selves and to think meanly of our selves It is a great saying of Calvin The Foundation of our Religion is humility Truly that Religion that exalts self will not be found to be a good Religion in the conclusion The whole of the Gospel if we understand what the Gospel is it lies in this to shew us that all our Salvation must be from grace and grace alone Deny this and we overthrow the whole frame and fabrick of the Gospel Blessed are the poor in spirit Matth. 5.3 for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Till we are emptied of all high thoughts of our own sufficiency we are not Subjects capable of receiving Gospel grace for the Gospel offers grace to them that have nothing to them that are poor In the second place Use 2. this shews us the excellency of Divine grace When the Lord would give the best thing to Paul that he could give him what is it that he doth promise to him He promises grace to him My grace shall be sufficient for thee He doth not promise to give to Paul that which he prayed for Paul prayed to be delivered from his temptation but God would not give him that but he gives him that which is far better he gives him Divine grace he saith My grace shall be sufficient for thee this shews us the excellency of Divine grace O that we knew the excellency and sweetness of Divine grace Fain would I if I were able set before you a little the excellency and sweetness of Divine grace to make my own soul and yours more in love with it There is infinite beauty pleasantness delightfulness and sweetness in Divine grace Those sweet and fresh gales that we are sensible of in the spring season are not so sweet to our senses as the air and sweet gales of Divine grace are to an holy soul that hath experience of them I shall instance only in one particular at present to shew the sweetness of Divine grace though in another discourse I shall set before you more at large the excellency and sweetness of Divine grace And the paticular I shall mention is only this 1. It is all one what condition we are in if we have but the gales of Divine grace and are acted by Divine grace in every thing If we be in prosperity grace will make us spiritual in the use of all our comforts grace will shew us God in every comfort grace will cause us to find out God in every thing that we injoy and lead us to God in every thing Grace will keep us from sticking in the creatures we injoy and grace will elevate us to God by these things So likewise if we be in adversity and afflictions grace will quiet the soul under afflictions grace will cause a man to rest in the divine wisdom and will grace will cause a man to be content to be without the things another hath and to satisfie himself in God without these things This is that which made Paul to say He had learnt whatsoever state he was in therewith to be content he knew both how to be abased and he knew how to abound every where and in all things he was instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need he could do all things through Christs strengthning of him Phil. 4.11 12 13. Divine grace made every condition sweet to him thus will Divine grace make every condition sweet to us if we have a
other hand a great affliction will not be able to bear us down if Divine grace do but support us If a man have a great presence and assistance of Divine grace it will help him to bear a long course and tract and series of affliction If one affliction come upon the neck of another yet if he have Divine grace continued to him Divine grace will enable him to bear all Job had one affliction come upon the neck of another and yet he faith The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. Indeed when he was left to himself then he cursed the day of his birth but as long as Divine grace was with him he bare one affliction after another When the Lord leaves us to our selves then we shall find secret murmurings and repinings in our hearts against the providence of God and God leaves us sometimes on purpose to our selves to shew us what is in our own hearts If Divine grace be withdrawn then we have experience how apt our hearts are to repine and to be impatient under affliction but when Divine grace is present with us then we can lie down sweetly under the hand of God and acquiesce in his wisdom and will believing that every thing that comes upon us is best for us as he said I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou dist it 10. I shall only mention one particular more at the present Consid 10. although there is more to be spoken concerning this argument of Divine grace Divine grace will teach us to think honourably of all the works and providences of God of all that he doth abroad in the world The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Psal 145.17 A man that is acted by carnal reason and fleshly wisdom is offended and displeased with the works of God that do not suit with his reason and agree with his apprehension But now Divine grace teaches us to adore those providences of God that we cannot comprehend and attain to the reason of How unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out Rom. 11.33 Divine grace will teach a man to allow that prerogative to God as to know how to carry things beyond the line of humane understanding Grace will teach a man to allow God that wisdom as to be able to see the reason of things that we do not see the reason of Job 12.23 He increaseth the nations and destroyeth them he inlargeth the nations and streightneth them again Grace will teach us to adore the providence of God in all these things God hath cast us upon an age of wonders he is doing strange and wonderful things in the earth and what is our duty under all these things these strange and wonderful actings of providence Truly 1. To justifie God not to accuse him of unrighteousness in any of his dispensations but to allow him that soveraign wisdom that he knows the reason of those providences we do not see a reason of 2. We ought to learn more effectually the vanity of the world and all earthly things 3. We ought to learn this by the great changes and revolutions that come upon the earth to fix our heart upon things that are firm and stable and cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 We receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved We see by experience that the states and nations of this world may be shaken O but there is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken We receiving saith the Apostle a Kingdom which cannot be moved and what is that Kingdom that cannot be shaken Truly the Kingdom of Christ in the hearts of men The visible Kingdom of Christ may meet with visible stops and interruptions that is to say the Gospel that was preached in some places may be removed and taken from those places where it was preached the Ordinances may be removed from one place and carried to another this I call the visible Kingdom of Christ this I say may meet with visible stops and interruptions yet this we may say concerning this visible Kingdom of Christ that look what the visible Kingdom of Christ loseth in one time and in one place it shall certainly gain at another time and in another place But though the visible Kingdom of Christ may meet with some stops and interruptions yet the spiritual Kingdom of Christ that is set up in the souls of men abides constant in the midst of all outward shakings The Kingdom of God saith our Saviour is within you O there is a Kingdom within and what doth that Kingdom consist of It consists in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost This Kingdom abides in the midst of all changes in the world Pardon of sin is still the same the love and favour of God is still the same Salvation is still the same and we may live in the hope and comfort of these things in the midst of all the changes vicissitudes and revolutions that come upon the world And if we place our happiness in anything besides what is in these things our happiness is liable to be shaken There is nothing in this world we can be certain of the greatest highest and best things of this world are subject to change But if we know that our sins are pardoned if we know that we have an interest in the love and favour of God if we know that our souls shall be saved at last here we have something that is certain to quiet and comfort us And let me be bold to say it will never be well with us till we are brought to this to resolve all our happiness into the salvation of our souls at last I say till we do this we shall never be at rest 1 Pet. 1.10 Receiving the end of your hope the Salvation of your soul Until the thoughts of salvation preponderate the sufferings of this life till we are able in some measure to relieve our selves with this one thought whatever my afflictions are I hope I shall be saved at last salvation is mine and I hope I shall live with God for ever it will never be well with us for afflictions and trials will come whether we expect them yea or no and if one affliction be blown over we must expect another When therefore afflictions and trials come upon us if we have nothing to stay ballance and quiet the heart we must needs sink under them Now nothing will bear up our hearts but the hope of salvation let us therefore live upon the hope of Salvation there is nothing like to the solid assurance and hope of salvation in the next life that will bear us up under the various changes of this life Oh let us be making sure of salvation that will be our greatest comfort and support amidst all the changes we may meet with here beneath The end of the Tenth Sermon SERMON XI 2 Cor. 12.9 And he said unto me My grace is sufficient
2. The second particular to discover the excellency of Divine grace is this It is Divine grace that elevates the soul to God Naturally we stick in these lower and inserior things Now this is the nature of grace Tiah't crcaturam rationalem supra conditionem naturae ad participationem Boni Divini that it doth advance the reasonable creature above the condition and sphere of nature unto the participation of the Divine good Nature sticks in natural good nature rests in natural things but grace carries up the soul to a supernatural good grace carries up the soul above all created things unto God himself This is a great thing that doth commend Divine grace to us that it is grace only that elevates the soul above the creature unto God Were it not for Divine grace we should always stick in the creature It is grace that elevates and raiseth the soul above the creature unto God Without Divine grace we can rise no higher than the creature Every natural man seeks his happiness in the creatrue sticks there and riseth no higher But this is the excellency of grace that it elevates and advanceth the soul to God himself To thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Psal 25.1 Grace raiseth up the soul above created things unto God By the power of Divine grace we are elevated to that life which is above nature Grace carries us above the sphere of nature By the power of Divine grace it is that we come to know God to love him to converse with him John 17.3 and this is life eternal to know the only true God We may eat and drink and walk up and down in the world but this is not eternal life these are the actions of a natural life which must have an end Also we may buy and sell and commerce in the world but these are the actions of a civil life and these things must have an end they must end with this world But to know God to love him to seek his glory these are the actions of a spiritual life and these are the beginnings of eternal life So that grace it carries a man above the whole sphere of nature Without grace you can only do as other men do you may perform the actions of a natural life those things that concern this world but you cannot do those things that concern the spiritual life It is grace only that elevates and raiseth up the soul to God 3. To shew the excellency of Divine grace consider There is infinite sweetness in Divine grace O the suavity the unutterable sweetness that is in Divine grace I dare appeal to the experience of holy souls whether ever they found any thing so sweet to them in this world as Divine grace and the actings of it in their souls Nothing so sweet as Divine grace And here I shall set before you in some particulars the sweetness of Divine grace 1. Consider That Divine grace carrying up the soul to God as it doth it carries it up to the highest object Grace causeth the soul to transcend and go beyond the sphere of all created things and to fix in God alone Now when the soul is brought to God there is not a higher or more superior object for the soul to ascend unto Now when the soul by the power of Divine grace is brought to him who is the highest perfection beyond whom there is not a higher perfection this must needs cause infinite sweetness for the soul is still climbing up from one thing to another it is ascending higher and higher it would fain be at the top of all good I say it is in the nature of our souls to aim at this But now when the soul hath found out the highest perfection him that is perfection it self this must needs be matter of infinite sweetness to it when the soul hath found out that good than whom there is no higher greater or better but is absolutely perfect and compleat certainly that must needs afford the greatest sweetness and contentment to it Amongst the several ends men aim at and the several goods that they pursue there is always one last end one chief good and when they acquire the last end and obtain the chief good that is their greatest delight Now God is the last end the chief good nothing is beyond him nothing may be compared with him Now Divine grace elevating the soul to God must needs fill it with infinite sweetness 2. The sweetness of Divine grace appears in this grace in carrying forth the soul to God carries it forth to the most sutable and convenient object Delight ariseth from suitableness and conveniency Now grace elevating the soul to God elevates it to the most suitable object The soul being of a spiritual nature a spiritual good is most suitable to it the soul being immortal an eternal good is most suitable to it the soul being so a vast capacity as that it can take in more than all created things come to an infinite and an uncreated good is most suitable to it Now Divine grace is that which elevates the soul to God who is a spiritual eternal infinite good and this is the most suitable and convenient object for the soul and therefore when the soul by Divine grace is carried up to God it must needs fill it with the greatest sweetness because no object so suitable and convenient to the soul as God 3. Another thing to shew the sweetness of Divine grace is this That Divine grace raiseth the soul to an holy kind of amplitude and greatness I remember Gibeuf observes that the true liberty of the will it dost consist in divina quadam amplitudine in a divine kind of amplitude or greatness of soul that is to say when the soul is carried up above the sphere of created things to love God and to adhere to him as the chief good this is the true liberty of the will as he states it Now it is Divine grace that raiseth the soul to this amplitude and holy greatness Grace is that which raiseth the soul up to God and when the soul by the power of Divine grace is raised up unto God then it hath a large field to expatiate it self and walk in The more the soul is acted by Divine grace the more liberty and inlargement doth it find in it self Psal 111.45 I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts As much as if he should say I find nothing that gives that liberty and inlargement to my soul like to the exercise of grace like to holy walking When Divine grace raiseth the soul to walk with God in a way of obedience this is that gives the greatest liberty and inlargement to the soul If we observe it we shall find it true Earthly things when the soul is let out to them in an inordinate way do but confine and narrow the soul the soul is as it were pent up in a narrow place when it is
and after these things have cost us dear this shews us the great corruption of our nature and the constant need we have of the grace of God for if we be so prone to fall and so ready to be intangled and overcome with Temptation upon every occasion though we have mourned over and prayed against the sin we have been overtaken with this shews us our constant need of divine grace 3. To help us to see the need of divine grace let us Consider That the least suspension of divine grace makes a present decay or withering in our souls Let the Sun withdraw and absent it self darkness and cold presently succeeds cut off the beam from the Sun the beam cannot maintain it self the beam is maintained by a constant influx and supply of light from the Sun the fountain of light so is it in this case If divine grace withdraw it self our souls grow dark and dead immediately Let the influences of divine grace be but suspended that activity and vigour of grace that was in our souls before doth presently vanish Joh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bring forth fruit unless it abide in the Vine no more can ye unless ye abide in me In the same moment that the branch is severed from the stock it begins to wither and die immediately No sooner do we sever our selves as it were from Christ by neglecting our dependance on Christ but we lose our grecnness and freshness immediately It is true the radical union if I may so call it which is between Christ and a soul that alwaies remains for once in Christ and ever in Christ the radical and fundamental union that is between Christ and a true Believer is indissoluble but if we do not maintain and keep up the life and spirit of this union if I may so express it by actual dependance on Christ present decays and witherings will certainly ensue Observe it in your selves and you will find it true when you neglect to have recourse to Christ and have not that intimate dependance upon him for grace you shall find that your fouls are not solively and vigorous in the waies of God as when you dependance upon him is kept up high and strong The least suspension of actual grace from Christ laies us under present witherings and decaies The end of the Sixteenth Sermon SERMON XVII Solomon's Song 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee THat which we were last treating of was to shew what Means we ought to use that we may keep up the constant sense of the need of Divine grace Two or three have been already mentioned 1. We should be much versed in the study of our own hearts 2. If we would keep up the sense of our need of divine grace we ought to consider our frequent returns and relapses into the same sins even after repentance for them 3. Consider that the least suspension of divine grace makes a present decay and withering in our spirits We now proceed to a fourth Means or Help 4. To make us sensible of the need of divine grace Consider We cannot live upon grace already received all our former attainments in grace are not sufficient to carry us out to act spiritually without new supplies of grace 1 Phil. 1.9 This shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ the Greek word properly signifies an additional supply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be an additional supply of grace and strength to all the former grace which we have received to make us to act spiritually It is not enough that we have habitual grace but we must have actual grace to excite and draw forth the habits of grace to act in us Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my gar den that the spices thereof may flow forth Though we have habits of grace in us which are here compared to Spices yet we must have actual grace fresh gales and influences of the Spirit to draw forth the habits of grace into exercise otherwise our Graces will be like unbeaten Spices which send forth no savour And it is not enough that we have actual grace at one time but we must have fresh gales of the Spirit upon all occasions to carry us forth with new vigour in the waies of God A Ship that hath a fair gale of wind for the present to fill its Sails makes way amain but it can run its course no longer than that gust of wind lasts when the gust is gone the Ship soon flags and slackens in its course Thus it is with us when we are under fresh gales of the Spirit we can make some speed and good progress in the ways of God but when the gale gust is gone we are soon becalmed we many times trust in our own affections we trust in our own inlargements in duty and because we have found such affections at one time we think we can command the same affections again and because we have found such and such inlargements in duty we think we can do so still But we ought to know and consider that all these affections and inlargements are but the effects of divine grace It is the grace of God that quickens our affections and inlargeth our hearts Now if we trust in the effect and not in the cause we shall soon find our selves greatly deceived When Sampsons locks were shorn he thought to go out and shake himself as at other times but he wist not that the Spirit of the Lord was departed from him Judg. 16.20 Thus it is with us because we have such quickenings and inlargements at one time we think we can go forth in the strength of these things and do as formerly we have done but we do not consider that unless we have the same presence of divine grace to act us now as acted us heretofore we cannot act as then we did 5. To make us sensible of the need of divine grace let us consider We cannot live upon our former comforts and the former experiences we have had of Gods love Although we have had some assurance of Gods love although we have had some experience of spiritual comforts although there hath been such things passed between God and our souls as that we would think we should never lose the comfort of them yet without fresh incomes of divine grace we cannot bear up in a time of extremity I would not be mistaken here I know a Christian lawfully may and ought to make use of all the experiences he hath had of Gods love but if he trust in these and if he think he need not present actual grace to help and support him in a time of extremity all his experiences may fail him and the reason is plain because God may suffer a veil to be drawn over all a mans former comforts and experiences that he shall have little use of them for the present Our Saviour himself which
is the highest instance that can be given had a veil drawn over all his comforts he had been inured to the sight of God all his life he had walkt in the light of his Fathers countenance all his daies yet all of a sudden he cries out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It is true he was never deserted in point of grace he had the presence of the Spirit to act him alwaies in a way of obedience yet there was a veil drawn over all his comforts there was a suspension of comfort and manifestation Therefore since it is possible that there may be a veil drawn over all our comforts it is good for us to pray for a constant supply of divine influences to support and comfort us I remember a passage of an holy man and one of great experience in the waies of God I find it best faith he when I come to greatest heights of peace and assurance to mind what is my present duty otherwise I meet with a cloud Truely if we trust in our own attainments in grace and upon the comfort and experience we have had already of Gods love and do not maintain constant dependance upon him for new supplies of grace we may soon meet with a cloud for God loves to keep us in dependance 6. To shew us the constant need that we have of divine grace let us take in this great Consideration Nothing but present actual grace can carry us through our greatest extremities When it comes to a time of great affliction when we are cast into great streights and difficulties when we are brought to a dying hour nothing but present actual grace can carry us through these things although former experiences although grace received may be of some use to us yet over and above all these things we must have present actual grace to carry us through a time of great extremity I do many times think with my self what may be of greatest use to a man to carry him through a dying hour how a man may be best prepared for a dying hour and truly there may be several things that may be of use to a Christian this way I shall hint at a few briefly 1. One thing may be The renewing of a mans former evidences the consideration of the more eminent actings of grace that have been in his soul There is no Christian that hath walkt with God for any considerable time but upon reflection he may remember some more eminent and remarkable actings of Gods grace in him concerning which he may say This if any thing was the grace of God in me this may be of some use to him 2. Another thing may be the remembrance of what hath passed between God and a man in his whole life Many of the Saints can say at such and such times there were such passages between God and their souls which they have reason never to forget when they tasted and felt such things they thought those were evidences of the love of God to them 3. A third thing which I look upon to be of great moment is this The setting of some special promises before the eye of a mans soul upon which he may be able to venture his soul God hath said He that believes on his Son shall not be condemned Joh. 3.18 Joh. 6.40 again He that believes on his Son shall have eternal life Now to lay some clear certain great and fundamental promises before the eye of a mans soul and to venture his Soul upon the bottom of these promises is one main way to help a man in a dying hour It is said of the ancient Saints They all dyed in Faith not having received the Promise Heb. 11.13 They all dyed in Faith that is they took Gods Word for their Salvation we must all venture our Salvation upon the bottom of Gods Word we must be able to single out some Word of God and say Upon the bottom of this Word I can venture my soul venture my eternal estate These are of good use to us in a dying hour 4. But that which I take to be the principal means above all other is this To pray for present actual grace to carry us through a dying hour Though the remembrance of former experiences the remembring what God hath bestowed upon us the setting the Promises before the eye of our souls may be of great use to us yet that which is necessary over and above all this is actual grace in a dying hour For neither the grace we have received nor former experiences nor the promises will be of use to us unless we have actual grace to help us to make use of them Therefore I conceive that here doth the main skill of a Christian lie if we would be carryed through a dying hour we should pray much that God would not desert us in point of grace that he would not desert us in that hour but own us stand by us and assist us in that hour Though I walk saith David through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal 23.4 Therefore our great prayer should be that we may have actual grace to uphold us in the difficulties of life and to carry us through the agonies of death The Promise is I will never leave thee Heb. 13.5 nor for sake thee Now we ought to put this and such like promises in suit that so we may never be deserted in point of grace and if we have the constant presence of divine grace with us that will carry us through death it self And thus I have dispatched that first Doctrine viz. Holy souls are sensible of the need which they have of divine grace The Doct. 2. Second Doctrine is this The sense of the need which we have of divine grace should make us pray much for the drawings of divine grace Draw me and we will run after thee Her praying for drawing supposeth her want and need of drawing and her praying for these drawings of divine grace speaks the greatness and earnestness of her desires after them Here we have two things to speak to 1. To shew what these drawings of divine grace are And 2. How and by what means it is that God is wont to draw the souls of his people to himself 1. What these drawings of divine grace are I shall speak to this 1. In General and then shew you how it is that God draws the souls of his people to himself or by what means it is he doth this 1. What these drawings of divine grace are These drawings of divine grace I take to be the quickenings or excitations of the Spirit of God whereby the soul is elevated and raised above its natural pitch and carryed forth with life and vigour in the waies of God God is said to draw those Quot efficaciter movet impellit ad aliquid agendu whom he doth efficaciously move or stir up to
the Apostle to the things which are seen for they are temporal but we look unto the things which are not seen for they are eternal 2 Cor. 4.18 When a man by the eye of Faith hath a little prospect of the Heavenly Country and and when he beholds the perfect serenity the tranquillity the unchangeableness the blessedness the joy the satisfaction the delights that are in that Country this must needs attract and allure the soul to the desire and love of these things because these things do far excel any thing that is to be found in this world Who would not prefer an unchangeable state before a changeable perfect serenity and tranquillity before constant trouble perfect joy and satisfaction before a state of grief and sorrow Therefore when the soul hath a little prospect by Faith of that blessed life and state that is above this must needs attract the desires of the soul to desire the happiness and blessedness of this state infinitely above all other things In his presence is fulness of joy at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 This is certain the clearer apprehensions we have of the excellency of the divine presence the more shall we thirst and long after it this is evident from the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord we delight most to be present with the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as if he should say we are at the present confined to the body we are as prisoners in the body But that we could take most delight in Gratius est no◠his Beza that which would be most acceptable to us is to be absent from the body and present with the Lord the thoughts and apprehensions we have of the divine presence makes it most delightful to us to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Thus God by letting down something of the glory of the heavenly Country and giving the soul a little apprehension what the excellency and ravishing sweetness of the divine presence is like to be doth attract the souls of his people to himself The end of the Seventeenth Sermon SERMON XVIII Solomon's Song 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee THere are as we have heard several waies and means by which God is wont to draw the hearts of his people to himself I have mentioned five already There is one thing more which indeed is one of the principal means by which God draws the hearts of his people to himself I shall speak to that and then come to the Use and Application of the Point 6. The sixth means therefore is this God draws his people by the secret touches of his Spirit and by the impression of divine power upon their hearts Cant. 5.4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door that is he gave me a secret touch by the finger of his Spirit The Spirit of God is sometimes called the finger of God and that plainly appears if we compare two Scriptures together Luke 11.20 with Matth. 12.28 in one place it is said If I by the finger of God cast out Devils In the other place it is said If I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God The Spirit of God then is called the finger of God So likewise the hand of God denotes the power of God Exod. 15.11 Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power And this expression the hand of God is sometimes used to set forth the cause of mens conversion together with the effect of it the saving work of the Spirit of God upon the hearts of men Acts 11.21 And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. So that this is the plain meaning Christ put forth his hand by the hole of the door that is he gave the Church a secret touch by the finger of his Spirit What followed upon this what was the effect of this that which followed was this My bowels were moved for him the Churches affections were presently quickened and raised by this touch though she was dead listless and indisposed before one touch of the Spirit quickened and raised her affections Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes The Lord had promised to give a new heart and a new spirit before this in the Verse before it is said Verse 26. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and yet over and above this the Lord promiseth I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes When God promiseth to give a new Heart and a new Spirit that which is intended by it is the work of the Spirit upon the heart framing the New creature in us Joh. 3.5 Unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God and yet although there be a new heart and a new spirit given to us and formed in us by the Spirit of God yet over and above this God must put his Spirit into us and cause us to walk in his Statutes and this plainly shews that the habits of Grace are not sufficient of themselves without actual grace to carry us forth to any act of obedience for what need is there that God should promise to put his Spirit into us and cause us to walk in his Statutes after he had before promised the new heart and new spirit if the habits of grace of themselves had been sufficient to carry us out to all spiritual actions But now the Lord promiseth to put his Spirit within us and cause us to walk in his Statutes and that we shall keep his Judgements and doe them and what doth he intend by all this Certainly thus much that he will not only give us the habits of grace but he will put his Spirit into us as a constant Spring to seed and maintain his own grace in us and that he will act us by his Spirit He will give us that actual grace by his Spirit that shall help us to make use of those habits of grace that he hath planted in us Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God The Children of God then are led by the Spirit of God the Spirit of God is no stranger in the hearts of the Children of God No as many as are the Children of God are guided led and acted by the Spirit of God Hence is it that we read of the power that worketh in us Ephes 3.20 according to the power that worketh in us There is a power that is continually working in the heart of the Saints and by this power it is that they are drawn to God
going backward he is declining Now a Christian ought to run that is he ought to make a farther progress Add to your Faith vertue and to your vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance Pet. 2.15 and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity So likewise Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before Phil. 3.13 Nothing hinders our spiritual growth more than a vain conceit in us that we know as much already as need to be known and that we have attained already as much as we need to attain unto Paul was of another temper when he saies Not as if I had already attained either were already perfect but I press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.12 14. To run therefore is to make a progress not to take up with any measures of grace already received but to press forwards to that which we have not attained unto 3. Running notes diligence and activity in the waies of God 1 Cor. 9.24 So run that ye may obtain that is run with care and diligence put forth your utmost vigour and activity in the waies of God Psal 119.32 I will run the waies of thy Commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart that is I shall be diligent and active in thy waies when I have derived grace from thee 4. Running notes strength and courage in him that runs Dan. 8.6 The He-goat is said to run to the Ram in the fury of his power Running therefore notes strength and courage so the Saints running in the waies of God notes their strength and courage in the waies of God Isa 40.31 They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint 5. And lastly Running notes perseverance in our Christian course to the end Heb. 12.1 Let us run with patience the race that is set before us The second thing to be spoken to is this How it is that the Saints have their hearts carryed out after God The end why they desire divine grace is That they may run in a spiritual manner and that their hearts may be carryed after God Now how is it that the Saints have their hearts carryed out after God 1. The Saints have their hearts carryed out after God by desires and longings after him Psal 63.1 My soul thirsteth after thee my flesh longeth for thee Isa 26.8 9. The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee and in the next Verse With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Whilest other men do mainly and principally thirst and cover after the creature holy souls do mainly and principally thirst after God himself Psal 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God The Hart is a thirsty creature by nature and when it is hunted its thirst is greater such is the thirst of holy souls after God But it may be said What is that thirst that holy souls have after God It lies eminently in two things and it will be good for us to observe them because we may know much what the measure of our grace is by these two things Holy souls thirst after Gods gracious presence here on earth and they thirst after Gods glorious presence in Heaven 1. Holy souls thirst after Gods gracious presence here on earth Psal 42.2 My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God When shall I come and appear before God that is when shall I see the face of God in his Ordinances Psal 101.2 When wilt thou come unto me Nothing more proper to grace than this to carry out the soul in longings after communion with God If you feel nothing of this in your selves if you do not find ardent strong breathings and longings in your souls after God you have reason to suspect your selves that all is not well with you Unless the soul be under Temptation or under the prevalency of some corruption at the present or under the withdrawings of the influences of the Spirit of God in some time of Desertion I say unless it be in such cases as these the pulse of the soul will beat this way viz. in ardent breathings after God and communion with him and if we do not find it to be thus with us we have reason to fear the state of our own souls for thus it will be if grace act like it self in our hearts 2. The Saints have great longings after the sight of God and the glorious presence of God in Heaven Come come is the language of the Church in general The Spirit and the Bride say come Revel 22.17 Being confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Come Lord Jesus come quickly is the language of particular Saints Certainly the pulse of grace if I may so express it beats mainly these two waies In longing after a sense of Gods presence in our souls here on earth and in longing after the perfect injoyment of God in Heaven 2. The Saints have their hearts carryed out to God by Love Love is the motion of the soul to the thing beloved The soul naturally moves towards that it loves Love is the weight or ballance of the soul Amor meus est pondus meum eò feror quò amo the soul is carryed where it loves Now the souls of the Saints are carryed towards God by Love Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee And I will love thee O Lord my strength Psal 18.1 God himself is the great thing in the eye of holy souls though friends be dear relations dear yet God himself is most dear O Lord saith Austin thou art not only dearer to me than this earth and all things that are in it but thou art more acceptable to me than Heaven it self and all the things that are in it Hence is that of David in Psal 43.4 I will go to God my exceeding joy The joy of my joy Laetitia â—etitiarum that is the top of my joy Though other things may be amiable to a godly man in their place yet God himself is most amiable to an holy soul 3. The Saints have their hearts carryed out to God by Admiration that which we call admiration is the fixing or staying of the mind upon some excellent object the minds fixing or staying it self with delight upon some object which it is pleased with Admiration takes in a double act of the soul 1. It takes in an act of the mind or understanding what we admire the mind fixeth and dwells upon admiration detains and holds the mind fixt in the contemplation of a thing what we