grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness I Am now come to the last part of this Text. I did in the last exercise finish that clause My grace shall be sufficient for thee where I took occasion to handle the Doctrine of Grace I come now to speak to the last clause which is in these words For my strength is made perfect in weakness These words as likewise the former My grace shall be sufficient for thee are the Lords own words to Paul they were spoken immediately by the Lord himself to Paul and therefore ought to bear so much the more weight with us The person who spake these words was Christ and that appears from the end of the verse Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmity that the power of Christ may rest upon me Paul had made his prayer to Christ For this thing saith he I besought the Lord thrice that is the Lord Christ I besought the Lord Christ I made my prayer unto Christ Where we may observe by the way that it is lawful for us to direct our prayers to Christ we may direct our prayers to either of the persons in the Trinity and we may direct our prayers to Christ as Paul did here I besought the Lord that is the Lord Christ so Stephen did Acts 7. Lord Jesus receive my spirit Now as Paul had directed his prayer to Christ so he receives an answer from Christ and he said My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness And he said who was this that said this It was he that Paul had directed his prayer to to wit the Lord Christ As we may lawfully pray to Christ so Christ is able to hear and answer our prayers John 14.13 14. Whatsoever you ask the Father in my name I will do it he doth not say the father will do it but I will do it Now the answer Christ gives to Paul is this My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness My grace is sufficient for thee of that I have already spoken that which I have now to speak of is the latter clause For my strength is made perfect in weakness Now this latter clause For my strength is made perfect in weakness is a reason and explication of the former clause My grace shall be sufficient for thee Paul had prayed that the thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan might depart from him Christ doth not give this answer to Paul that this shall be done for him that he prayes for Christ doth not tell him that the temptation shall be removed and taken away but he gives in this answer that his grace shall be sufficient for him The temptation was still to continue upon Paul but Paul was to have a sufficiency of grace to help him under the temptation Now in the Text Christ gives the reason why it is that he takes this course that temptation shall continue upon Paul and not be removed presently but he shall have grace to assist him under his temptation The reason why Christ takes this course with Paul is that so by this means Christs power Christs vertue Christs strength may be illustrated and made known so much the more Such was Pauls infirmity that Paul of himself would certainly succumb and faint under his temptations he would certainly be ovecome by them if he were left to himself Now the Lord had two ends in continuing Pauls temptation upon him 1. To shew to Paul his own infirmity to discover to him his own impotency and inability to stand under his temptation if left to himself And then 2. Another end of Christ was to make known his power and grace that when Pauls infirmity would certainly have suffered him to fall yet the power and grace of Christ should make him stand This I take to be the proper scope and design of these words For my strength is made perfect in weakness Christ would have Pauls temptation to continue upon him that by this means his power and grace might be so much the more illustrated in supporting Paul under his infirmity The words are plain and are easily resolved into this proposition Doct. That christs strength is perfected in our infirmity Doct. or else Christs strength is perfected in mans infirmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For my strength is made perfect in weakness A point though it may seem plain yet it is of great use unto exercised souls and none will understand the sweetness of this point but those that have been under exercises For the unfolding of this proposition we must consider 1. What we are to understand by infirmity that is one term in the Text My strength is made perfect in weakness or infirmity what are we to understand by infirmity 2. What is meant by the power of Christ My power or my strength is made perfect in weakness 3. How the power of Christ is made perfect in infirmity 4. What that power or strength of Christ is that is made perfect in the Saints infirmities And then we shall come to the reasons of it 1. What are we to understand by infirmity My strength is made perfect in weakness or infirmity there are infirmities of several sorts and kinds but there are three sorts of infirmities that are principally intended in this Text. 1. There are natural infirmites 2. Moral infirmities 3. There are the accidents or occurrences that fall out in humane life all these may be well taken in here 1. There are natural infirmities Now natural infirmities are either infirmities of the body or of the mind 1. There are infirmities of the body Infirmities of the body are such as these weakness sickliness Crasiness of the natural temper all manner of diseases and distempers that are incident to the bodies of men these come under the name of natural infirmites 2. There are infirmities of the mind as namely meanness and lowness of parts dulness of apprehension shallowness and weakness in the judgement unretentiveness in the memory and the like these are infirmities appertaining to the soul and these are the first sort of infirmities namely those that we call natural infirmities belonging to the body or mind 2. There are moral infirmites now by moral infirmites we are to understand two things 1. Weakness and imperfection of grace 2. The reliques and remainders of sin and corruption in the Saints and the Saints of God labour under these infirmities 1. There is weakness and imperfection of grace in the Saints Though they have truth and sincerity of grace yet there is a great imperfection of grace in them imperfection in their knowledge we know but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 as the Apostle speaks imperfection in their faith and love and other graces 2. The Saints they have the reliques and remainders of sin in them Thus Paul complains In me that is in my flesh there dwells no good thing Rom.
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
confined to these things But when grace raiseth the soul to God then the soul finds it self at liberty the soul never enjoys it self so much as when it loves God most when it adheres to God most when it delights in him most Here the soul finds Sea-room enough when the soul adheres to God solaces it self in God then it is in a vast Ocean of good But when the soul adheres to the creature it is kept within narrow bounds and limits The creature is but a little narrow private particular good indeed it is not worth the name of good if it be considered abstract from God and its relation to him But now God is the universal good and by grace it is we are elevated to God the universal good There is an innate propension in the soul carrying it out if I may so say to an infinite good Indeed this is the unhappiness of men by the fall they have lost the knowledge of the true good Man by the fall hath lost the knowledge of God and love to him and man having lost the Creator and being sunk into the creature there we stick till Divine grace elevate us and take us out of the creature and bring us back to God again But though it be thus with man by the fall that he hath lost the knowledge of God the only true good the chief good the infinite good and love to him yet there is a general inclination in the soul if I may so speak towards the chief good that is to say the soul of man would fain be at the highest good if it knew how to come at it and this is intrinsecal to the nature of the soul and the Radix of liberty lies in it that the soul would fain come up to the chief good if it knew how Now these lower and particular goods detain and keep back the soul from God the chief good whilst the soul is in a tendency towards good as it always is and cannot but be the reasonable soul is always in a tendency towards some good or other It is hindred from ascending unto God the chief good by adhering to these lower and inferior goods and thus it is narrowed and confined whereas if it could reach to God there it would find liberty and inlargement by seeing an infinite good before it Now herein doth the excellency of Divine grace appear in that it causeth the soul to extend it self and reach forth it self unto God the infinite good and whilst the soul is thus carried forth in a direct line of affection towards God the infinite good then it finds the greatest liberty and inlargement in it self This is another that speaks the sweetness of Divine grace that it fills the soul with an holy amplitude or greatness and delivers it from confinement 4. The sweetness of Divine grace appears in this grace causeth the soul to act regularly and in the most perfect manner The more regular and perfect the operations of the soul are the more true peace You will find it in experience that all the troubles and disturbance of the soul comes from the oblique and irregular motions of the soul the more regularly your souls move and act the more peace Psal 119.165 Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them The law of God is nothing but the expression or declaration of his will now the will of God is the rule of goodness Now Divine grace is that which elevates the soul to act most regularly and conformably to the Divine will which is the rule of goodness and perfection and the greater harmony there is between our will and the Divine will the more true peace Look as it is with the body when all the parts of the body are kept in their proper place when none of the limbs are dislocated and disjoynted when the humours are kept in a due temperament when the senses are kept quick and lively and fit to discharge their office and to perform their operations the body is then in the most perfect health and injoyes it self most So it is here when all things are in order in the soul when the soul acts most regularly and conformably to the Divine will then doth the soul injoy it self most The perfection of every thing it is to be in the place God hath set it in Now the perfection of man who is a reasonable creature it is to be in a state of subjection to God Man as he is a reasonable creature being created under a law mans perfection is to be subject to the Divine law and the greater his conformity is to that Law the greater is his perfection and the reason is as was said because man by observing the Divine law keeps in the place God hath set him in Man as he is a creature is in a state of subjection and his perfection is to be subject to his Creator and the more he is so the more he doth attain the end of his creation and so by consequence the more true peace doth he injoy 5. The sweetness of Divine grace appears in this that Divine grace causeth a man to delight in the ways of God Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandments So much grace so much delight in the ways of God A man may walk in the ways of God yet not find so much delight in them at first But so much as a man hath of Divine grace the more shall he delight in the ways of God and the more a man can delight in Gods ways the greater is the measure of his grace Now it is Divine grace that causeth a man to delight in the ways of God now delight causeth sweetness so much as we can delight in the ways of God so much sweetness shall we find in them and the reason why we find no more sweetness in the ways of God is because we delight no more in them 6. The sweetness of Divine grace appears in this that the presence of Divine grace sweetnes the want of other comforts Prov. 14.14 A good man saith Solomon is satisfied from himself A holy man that wants other comforts so far as he is acted by Divine grace finds a great deal of sweetness in the exercise of grace it self and the reason why he finds no more sweetness is because he hath no more grace Nothing is more sweet to an holy soul than to love God and be beloved of him In the keeping of his commandments there is great reward Psal 19.11 not only after the keeping of them but in the keeping of them there is great reward So much as Divine grace acts us we shall be satisfied in God and with God himself when God denies us other things Not but that we may lawfully desire and use other things so far as God allows and gives us these things But when God denies us these things it is the property of Divine grace to incline the
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
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
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