Sermon XX
The great usefulness of the Law or Word ofGod, in
order to the Application of CHRIST.
Rom . vii . 9. For I was alivewithout the law once, butwhen
the commandment came, fin revived, and I died. THE ſcope ofthe apostle inthisepiſtle,andmoreparticuParly in this chapter, is to ſtate thedue uſe and excellency ofthe law, which he doth accordingly.
First, By denying to ita power to juſtify us, which is the peculiar honour of Chrift.
398 SERM . XX. The Method of Grace. Secondly, By afcribing to it apower toconvince us, and ſo prepare us for Chrift.
Neither attributing to itmore honour than belongeth to it, nor yet detracting from it that honour and usefulness which God hath given it. It cannot make us righteous, but it can convinceus that we are unrighteous; itcannot heal, but itcan open and difcover the wounds that finhath givenus ; whichhe proves in this place by an argument drawnfrom his own expe-
rience, confirmed alſo by the general experience of believers, in whoſeperfonsand nameswe musthere underſtand him toſpeak ; " For I was alive without the law once; but when the com- " mandment came, fin revived, and Idied." Wherein three particulars are very obſervable.
First, The opinion Paul had, and all unregenerate menhave of themselves before converfion: Iwas alive once. By life, underſtand here livelineſs, chearfulness, and confidence of his good eftate and condition : he was full of vainhope, falſejoy, and prefumptuous confidence, avery briſk andjovial man.
Secondly, The ſenſe and opinion he had, and all others will have ofthemselves, if ever they come under the regenerating work of the Spirit in his ordinary method ofworking : Idied. The death he here ſpeaks of, ſtands opposed to that life before
mentioned; and ſignifies the forrows, fears, and tremblings thatfeized upon his foul, when his ſtate and temper were upon thechange: the apprehenfions he thenhad ofhiscondition ſtruck him home to the heart, anddamped all his carnal mirth : Idied.
Thirdly, The ground and reaſon of this wonderful alteration and change of his judgment, and apprehenfion of his own condition ; the commandment came, and fin revived : The commandment came, i. e. it came hometo myconfcience, it was fix-
ed with a divine and mighty efficacy upon myheart : the commandment was come before by way of promulgation, and the
literal knowledge of it: but it never came, tillnow, in the ſpiritual ſenſe, and convincingpower to his foul: though he had
oftenread, and heard the law before, yet he never clearlyunder-
ſtood the meaning and extent, he never felt the mighty efficacy thereofupon his heart before; it ſo came at this time, as it never camebefore. From hence the obfervations are, Doct. 1. That unregenerateperfons aregenerallyfull ofground-
less confidence, and chearfulness, though their condition be fadandmiferable. Doct. 2. That there is a mighty efficacy in the wordorlaw of God, to killvain confidence, andquench carnalmirth in the hearts ofmen, when Godfets it home upon their confciences.
SERM. XX. 399 The Method of Grace.
1 We ſhall take boththeſe points under confideration, and improvethem tothedeſign in hand.
Doct. 1. That unregenerate perſons are generally full of
groundless confidence, and chearfulness, though their conditi-
onbefad and miferable ; Rev. iii. 17. Becauſe thou ſayeſt I am rich, and increaſed with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knoweſt not that thou art wretched, and miferable, and poor, and blind, and naked : This is the
very life that unregenerate men do live. In opening whereof, I ſhall ſhew you,
1. What is the life ofthe unregenerate. 2. What maintains that life. 3. How it appears that this is the life the generality of the world do live.
4. the dangerof living fuch a life as this: and then apply it. First, What is the life of the unregenerate, and wherein it conſiſts ? Now there being, among others, three things in which the life of the unregenerate doth principally confiſt, viz.
Carnal ſecurity, Preſumptuous hope, and Falſejoy, Oftheſe briefly in their order.
First, There is in unregeneratemenagreatdealofcarnal fecurity; they dread no danger; Luke xi. 21. " When a ſtrong
" man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are at peace :" There is generally a great ſtillneſs and ſilence in the confciences
offuchmen : when others, in a better condition, are watching and trembling, they ſleep ſecurely; ſo they live, and ſo oftimes they die, Pfal. Ixxiii. 4. " They have no bonds in their death," [Hebrew, no knots], no difficulties thatpuzzle them. Itis true, the confciences of few men are ſo perfectly ſtupified, but that,
ſome time or other, they twing and gird them; but it feldom works to that height, or continues with them ſolong, as togive anyconfiderable interruption to their carnal peace andquietneſs.
Secondly, The life of the unregenerate conſiſteth inpreſumptuoushope : this is the very foundation of their carnal ſecurity. So Chriſt tells the Jews, John viii. 54, 45. " Ofwhom ye fay " that he is yourGod, and yetyehave not known him." The world is full of hope without a proniſe, which is but as a fpider's web, when a ſtreſs comes to be laid upon it, Job xxvii. 8.
Unregenerate men are ſaid indeed to be without hope, Ephef.
ii. 12. but the meaning is, they are without any folid, wellgrounded hope; for in ſcripture-account, vain hope is no hope, except itbe a livelyhope, 1 Pet. i. 3. Ahope flowing fromu
The Method of Grace. 300 SERM . XX. nionwith Chrift, Col. i. 27. Ahope nourishedby experience,
Rom. v. 4. A hope for which a man can give a reafon, 1 Pet, iii. 15. Ahope that puts menupon heart-purifying endeavours, 1 John iii. 3. It is in the account ofGod a cypher, a vanity, not deferving the name of hope; and yet ſuch a groundless, dead, Chriſtleſs, irrational, idle hope is thatwhich the unregenerate live upon.
Thirdly, The life of the unregenerate conſiſteth in falſe joy, the immediate offspring of ungrounded hope, Mat. xiii. 20. The ftony ground receive the word with joy.
There are two forts ofjoy upon which the unregenerate live, viz.
1. A fenfitive joyin things carnal. 2. A deluſivejoy in things ſpiritual . They rejoice in corn, wine, and oil, intheir eſtates and children, in the pleasant fruitions of the creature; yea, and they
rejoice alſo in Chriſt and the promises, inheaven and inglory: with all which they have juſt ſuch akind of communion, as a manhath in a dream with a full feaſt, and curious muſic; and juſt ſo theirjoy will vaniſh when they awake. Now theſe three, fecurity,hope, andjoy, make up the livelihood ofthe carnalworld.
Secondly, Next it concerns us to enquire what are the things that maintain and ſupport this ſecurity, hope and joy in the hearts of unregenerate men; and if we conſider duly, we ſhall
find church-privileges, natural ignorance, falſe evidences ofthe love ofGod, flight workings of the gofpel, ſelf-love, comparing themselves with the more profane, and Satan's policy managing all theſe in order to their eternal ruin, are ſo many ſprings to feed and maintain this life ofdeluſion inthe unregenerate.
1. First, Church privileges lay thefoundation to this ſtrongdeluſion. Thus the Jews deceived themſelves, ſayingin their hearts, " We have Abraham for our father," Mat. iii. 9. This proptup the vainhopes thatAbraham's blood ran in their veins, though Abraham's faith and obedience never wrought in their hearts.
2. Secondly, Natural ignorance; this keeps all inpeace: they that fee not, fear not. There are but two ways to quiet the hearts of men about their ſpiritual and eternal concernments, viz. the way of afſurance and faith, or, the way of ignorance
and ſelf-deceit : by the one we are put beyond danger, by the other beyond fear, though the danger be greater. Satan could never quiet men, ifhe did not firſt blind them.
3. Thirdly, Falſe evidences of the love ofGod is another ſpring feedingthis ſecurity, vainhope and falſejoy in the hearts ofmen: fee the power of it to huſh and ſtill the confcience,
SERM . XX . The Method of Grace. 401 Mat. vii. 22. " Many will say to me inthat day, Lord, Lord, " have we not prophefied in thy name ?" &c. The things upon which they built their evidence and confidence, were external things in religion ; yet they had a quieting power upon them, as if they hadbeen the beſt evidences in the world.
4. Fourthly, Slight workings of the goſpel; ſuch are tranſientmotions of the affections under the word, Heb. vi. 8. the working of their defires about ſpiritual objects, John vi. 34. Mat. xxv. 8. the external change, and reformation of their ways, Mat. xii. 43. all which ſerve to nourish the vain hopes of the unregenerate.
Fifthly, Self-love is anapparent reaſon and ground of ſecurity and falſe hope, Mat. vii. 3. It makes a man to overlook great evils in himself, whilst he is ſharp-fighted to discover and cenſure
leffer evils in others: ſelf-love takes away the fight of fin, by bringing it too near the eye.
6. Sixthly, Mens comparing themſelves with thoſe that are more profane and groſly wicked than themselves, ſerves notably
to quiet and huſh the confcience aſleep; " God, I thank thee, 66 (taid the Pharifee), I am not as other men, or as this publi- " can." O what a faint did he ſeem to himself, when he stood by those that were more externally wicked.
7. Seventhly, and lastly, The policy ofSatan to manage all theſe things to the blinding and ruining of the fouls ofmen, is another great reaſon they live ſo ſecurely and pleaſantly as they do, in a ſtate of ſo much danger and miſery, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. " TheGod of this world hathblinded the minds of them that " believe not ."
Thirdly, You have ſeen what the life ofthe unregenerate is, andwhat maintains that life. In the next place, I ſhall give you evidence that this is the life the generality of the worlddo
live; a life of carnal ſecurity, vain hope, and falſe joy : this will evidently appear, ifwe confider,
First, The activity and liveliness of mens ſpirits in purſuit ofthe world. Ohow lively and vigorous are their hearts in the the management of earthly deſigns ! Pfal. vi. 4. "Who will " ſhew us any good ? " The world eats up their hearts, time,
and ſtrength. Now this could never be, iftheir eyes were but opened to fee the danger, and miſery their fouls are in. How
few deſigns for the world run in the thoughts ofa condemned man ? O ifGod had ever made the light of conviction to ſhine
into their confciences, certainly the temptations would lie the quitecontraryway, even in too great a neglect of things ofthis VOL . II . Fff
402 SERM .XX. The Method of Grace.
life! But thisbriskness and livelineſs plainly ſhew the great fecurity which is upon moſt men.
Secondly, The marvellous quietnessand ſtillneſs that is in the thoughts and confciences of men, about their everlasting concernments, plainly ſhews this tobe the life ofthe unregenerate : How few fcruples, doubts, or fears ſhall you hear from them ? Howmany years may a man live in carnal families, before he
ſhall hear fuch a queſtion asthis ſeriously propounded, What " ſhallIdo tobe ſaved ?" Thereare no queſtions in their lips, becauſe nofearor ſenſe ofdanger in their hearts.
Thirdly, The general contentedneſs, and profeſt willingness of carnal men to die, give clear evidence that fuch a life of fecurity, and vain hope is the life they live ; " Like ſheep they
are laid in the grave, Pfal. xlix. 14. O how quiet and ſtill are their confciences, when there are but afew breaths more between them and everlasting burnings ! Had God opened their eyes to apprehend the confequences ofdeath, and what follows the pale horse, Rev. vi. 8. it were impoſſible but that every unregenerateman ſhould makethatbed onwhichhe dies, ſhake and tremble under him .
Fourthly, and Lastly, The loweſteem menhave for Chrift, and the total neglect of, at least the mere triffing with, thoſe duties inwhich he is tobe found, plainly discover this ſtupid, fecure life tobe the life that the generalityof theworld do live : for were men ſenſible of the diſeaſe of fin, there could be no quieting them without " Chriſt the phyfician," Phil. iii. 8. All the buſineſs theyhave todo in this world could neverkeep them from their knees, or make them ſtrangers to their clofets : all which, and much more that might be taidof like nature, gives
toofull and clear proof to this ſad affertion, that this is the life theunregenerate world generally lives.
Fourthly, In the last place, Iwould ſpeak a few words to dif. coverthedanger of fuch a life, as hath been described ; towhich purpoſe, let the following brief hints be ferioufly minded.
First, By thefe things fouls are inevitably betrayed into hell, and eternal ruin; this blinding is in order todamning, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. " If ourgoſpel be hid, it is hidtothem thatare loft; "whoſe eyes thegodofthisworldhath blinded." Thoſe that are turned over into eternal death, are thus generallyhoodwinkedandblinded in order thereunto, Ifa. vi. 9, 10. " Andhe said
goand tell this people, hearye indeed, but underſtand not : " and ſee ye indeed, but perceivenot. Make the hearts of this " people fat, and make their ears heavy, and ſhut their eyes ; " left they fee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and
SERM . XX. The Method of Grace. 403 " underſtand with their hearts, and convert, and be healed."
Secondly, As damning is the event of blinding, ſo nothing makes hell a more terrible ſurprize to the foul than this doth : By this means the wrath ofGodis felt before its danger be ap-
prehended; aman is paſt all hope, before he begins tohaveany fear: his eternal ruin, like a breach ready to fall, ſwelling out in ahighwall, cometh fuddenlyat an inſtant, Iſa. xxx. 13. and as it damns furely, and ſurprizingly, fo,
Thirdly, Nothing more aggravates a man's damnation than to fink ſuddenly into it, from amidſt ſomany hopes, and high confidence of fafety : For a man to find himself in hell, when he thought and concluded himſelf within a ſtep ofheaven, Owhat ahell will itbe to fuch men ! The higher vainhopes lifted them up, the moredreadful muſt their fall be, Mat. vii. 22. And as
itdamns furely, ſurprizingly, and withhighest aggravations, ſo,
Fourthly, This life of ſecurity, and vainhope, fruſtrates all the means of recovery, and ſalvationinthe only feaſon wherein theycan be useful and beneficial to us : Byreaſonoftheſe things theword hath no power to convince mens confciences, nothing canbring them to a fight and ſenſe of their condition : There-
fore Chriſt toldthe ſelf-confident, andblind Jews, Mat. xxi. 21.
" That the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom ofGod " before them:" And the reaſon is, becauſe their hearts lie moreopen, andfair to the ſtrokes of conviction, and compunction for fin than thoſedo, who are blindedby vain hopes, and
confidences.
Infer. 1. Is this the life that the unregenerate world lives? Then it is not to be wonderedat, that the preaching ofthe gospel hathfo littlefuccefs : " Who hath believed our report? (faith the " prophet) and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" la. liii . 1. Miniſters ſtudy for truths apt to awaken, and convincethe conſciences ofthem that hear them, but their words
return again to them: They turn toGod,and mournover the matter; we have laboured in vain, and ſpent our ſtrength for
nought : And this ſecurity is the cause of all ; vain hopes bar faſt thedoors ofmens hearts againſt allthe convictions and perfuafions ofthe word. The greater cauſe have they to admire the grace of God, who have found, or ſhall find the convictions of the word ſharper than any two-edged ſword, piercing
to the dividing aſunder ofthe foul and ſpirit; to whoſe hearts God brings home the commandment, by an effectual appli-
cation.
Infer. 2. Ifthis be the life ofthe unregenerate world ; what Fff2
404 SERM. XX. The Method of Grace. deadly enemies are they that nourish, andstrengthen the groundlefs confidences, and vain hopes offalvation in men ? This the
ſcripture calls the healing ofthe hurt offouls flightly, by crying " Peace, peace, when there is no peace," Jer. vi. 14. The ſewing of pillows under their arm-holes, Ezek. xiii. 18. That theymay lie ſoft and eaſy under the miniſtry : And this is the doctrine which the people love ; but oh, what will the end of
theſe things be! And what an account have thoſe men to give to God for the blood of thoſe ſouls by them betrayed to the everlasting burnings ! Such flattery is the greatest cruelty : Thoſe whom you bleſs upon earth, will curſe you in hell, and the day
inwhich they truſted their fouls to your conduct .
Infer. 3. How great a mercy is it to be awakened out ofthat generalfleep, andfecurity which is fallen upon the world!
You cannot eftimate the value of that mercy, for it is a peculiar mercy. O that ever the Spirit of the Lord ſhould touch thy foul under the ministry of the word, ſtartle, and rouſe thy confcience, whilſt others are leftin the dead fleep of ſecurity round about thee ! When the Lord dealt with thy foul much after the fame manner hedidwith Paul in the way toDamafcus, who not only faw a light ſhining from heaven,which thoſe that travelled with him faw as well as he, but heard that voice from heavenwhich did the work upon hisheart, though his compani-
ons heard itnot. Besides, it is not onlyapeculiar mercy, but it isa leading, introductive mercy, to all other ſpiritual mercies that follow it to all eternity. IfGod had not done this for thee, thou hadſt never been brought to faith, to Chriſt, or heaven :
from this act of the ſpirit all other ſaving acts take their rife. So thatyou have cauſe for ever to admire the goodness of God, in
in fuch a favour as this is .
Infer. 4. Lastly, Hence it follows, that thegenerality of the world are in the direct way to eternal ruin ; andwhatevertheir vain confidences are, they cannot be saved : "Narrow is the
" way, and ſtrait is the gate that leadeth unto life, and few " there be that find it." Hear me all you that live this dangerous life ofcarnalſecurity, and vain hope, whatever yourperfuafions and confidences are, exceptyou give them up, andget better grounds for your hope, you cannot be ſaved. For, First, Such hopes and confidences, as yours, are directly contradictory to the eſtabliſhed orderof the gospel, which requires repentance, Acts v. 31. Faith, Acts xiii. 39. and regeneration, John iii. 3. in all that ſhall be ſaved: Andthis order ſhall never bealtered for any man's fake.
Secondly, Iffuch as you be ſaved, allthe threatnings in fcrip
SERM . XXI. The Method of Grace. 405 ture must be reversed,which lie in full oppoſition to your vain hopes, Mark xvi. 16. John iii. 16. Rom. iii. 8, 9. Either the truth ofGod, in theſe threatnings, muſt fail, oryourvain hopes muſt fail .
Thirdly, Ifever ſuch as you be ſaved,new conditions must be fet to all the promises : For there is no condition ofany ſpecial promiſe found in any unregenerate perſon. Compare your hearts with theſe ſcriptures, Mat. v. 3, 4, 5, 6. Pfal. xxiv. 4. Plal. lxxxiv. 11. Gen. xvii. I , 2.
Fourthly, If ever fuch a hope as yours bring you to heaven, then the faving hope of God's elect is not rightly deſcribed to us
in the ſcriptures. Scripture hope is the effect ofregeneration, 1 Pet. i . 3. Andpurity of heart is the effect ofthat hope, I John iii . 3. Nay, Fifthly, The very nature ofheaven is mistaken in fcripture, if fuch asyou be fſubjects qualified for its enjoyment : For affimi-
lation, or the conformity of the foul toGod in holiness, is, in thefcripture account, a principal ingredient of that bleſſedneſs : By all which, it manifeſtly appears that the hopes of moſt men are invain, and willnever bringthem to heaven.
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SERMON
ΧΧΙ .
Rom . vii. 9. For I was alive without the law once : But when
the commandment came, fin revived, and I died.
Doct . 2 .THAT there is a mighty efficacy in the word or
law of God, to kill vain confidence, andquench carnal mirth in the hearts of men, whenGod ſets ithome upon their confciences. " Theweapons of the word are not carnal, " but mighty through God ; to the pulling down of ſtrong " holds, cafting down imaginations, and every thing that ex- " alteth itſelf against the knowledge ofGod, and bringing into " captivity every thought to the obedience of Chrift," 2 Cor. x. 4, 5.
In the opening ofthis point I ſhall,
1. Demonstrate the efficacy of the word or law ofGod. 2. Shew wherein the efficacy thereof lies. 3. From whence it hath all thismighty power and efficacy. First, I shall give you fome demonſtrations of the mighty power, and efficacy that there are in the word or law ofGod: which will appear with the fulleft evidence.
First, From the varioussubjects upon whom it works : The
400 The Method ofGrace. SERM. XXI, heartsandconfciences of menofall orders and qualities, have been reached, and wounded to the quick, by the two-edged
fword ofGod's law. Some, among thegreat and honourable ofthe earth, (though indeed the feweſt ofthat rank) havebeen made to ſtoop, and tremble under the word, Acts xxiv. 16. Mark vi. 20. Sam. xv. 24. The wife and learned of the world have felt its power, and been brought over to embrace the humbling, and felf-denying ways of Chriſt, Acts xvii. 34. Thus Origen, Hierom, Tertullian, Bradwardine, and many more, came into Canaan laden with the Egyptian gold, as one ſpeaks,
(i. e) theycame into the church ofGod abundantly enriched, and furnished with the learned arts and ſciences, devoting them allto the ſervice of Chriſt : Yea, and which is as strange, the
moftfimple, weak, and illiterate, havebeen wonderfully changed, andwroughtuponby the power of the word : " The testimonies " ofthe Lordmake wife the ſimple: " Men ofweakunderſtandings, in allother matters, havebeenmade wiſe to ſalvationby the power of the word, Mat. xi. 25. 1 Cor. i. 27. Nay, the moſt malicious and obſtinate enemies ofChriſt have been wounded, and converted by the word, 1 Tim. i. 13. Acts xvi. 25.
Thoſe that have beenunder the prejudice ofthe worſt and moſt idolatrous education,havebeenthe ſubjects ofits mighty power, Acts xix. 26. To conclude, men of the moſt profligate, and debauched lives havebeenwonderfully changed, and alteredby
the power of the word, 1 Cor. vi . 10, 11 . Secondly, The mighty efficacy of the law ofGod appears in the manner of its operation ; it works fuddenly; ſtrikes like a dartthrough the hearts and confciences of men, Acts ii . 37. A wonderful change is made in a ſhort time : And as it works
quickly, and ſuddenly, so itworks irreſiſtibly, with an uncontrouled power upon the ſpirits ofmen, I Thef. i. 5. Rom. i. 16. Let the foul be armed againstconviction with the thickeſt ignorance, ſtrongest prejudice, or moſt obſtinate reſolution, the word ofGod will wound the breast even of ſuch aman, when Godſends it forth inhis authority and power.
Thirdly, The wonderful powerof the law, or word ofGod is evidently ſeen, inthe ſtrange effects which areproducedby it in
the hearts and lives of men. For, First, It changes and alters the frameandtemper ofthe mind: It moulds a man into a quite contrary temper, Gal . i. 23. " He "which perfecuted us intimes paſt, now preacheth the faith, " which once he destroyed :" Thus a tyger is transformed into alamb, by the power ofthe word ofGod.
Secondly, It makes the foul, uponwhich itworks, to forego,
SERM. XXI. The Method of Grace. 407 andquit the deareſt intereſt ithath inthisworldfor JeſusChrift, Phil. iii . 7, 8, 9. Riches, honours, felf-righteouſneſs, dearest relations, aredenied and forſaken: Reproach, poverty, and death itſelf, are willingly embraced for Chrift's fake, when oncethe efficacy oftheword hath been uponthe hearts ofmen, 1 Thel. i. 6. Those that were their companions in fin, aredeclined, renounced, andcaft offwith abhorrence, I Pet. iv. 3, 4. Inſuch things as theſe the mighty power of the worddiſcovers itſelf.
Secondly, Next, let us feewherein the efficacyof the word, upon the fouls of men, principally conſiſteth: and we find in fcripture itexerteth its power, in five distinct acts upon the foul; by allwhich it ſtrikes atthe life, and kills the very heart ofvain hopes. For, First, It hath an awakening efficacy upon ſecure and fleepy finners: It rouzes the confcience, and brings aman toa fenfe, and feeling apprehenfion, Eph. v. 13, 14. The firſt effectual touchoftheword ftartles the drowſy conſcience. A poor finner lies in his fins, as Peterdid inhis chains, faſt aſleep, though a warrantwas figned forhis executionthenextday: but the Spirit
inthe word awakens him, as the angel did Peter: And this awakening power ofthe word is inorder, bothoftime, andnature, antecedent to all its operations, and effects.
Secondly, The law ofGod hath an enlightening efficacyupon theminds ofmen : It is eye-ſalve to the blinded eye, Rev. iii.
18. A light shining in a dark place, 2 Pet. i. 19. A light shining into the very heart ofman, 2 Cor iv. 6. When the word comes in power, all things appear with another face: The fins that werehid from our eyes, and the danger which wasconcealedby
the policy of Satan from our fouls, now lie clear and open before us, Eph. v. 8 .
Thirdly, The word ofGodhath aconvincing efficacy : Itſets fin in order before the foul, Pfal. 1. 21. As an army isdrawn up in an exact order, ſo are the fins ofnature and practice, the
fins ofyouth and age, even a great and terrible army is drawn up before the eye ofthe confcience; the convictions oftheword are clear and full, 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. The very fecrets ofa finner's heart are made manifeft : his mouth is ſtopped; his pleas are filenced; his confcience yields to the charge ofguilt, and to the equity of the fentence of the law. So that the foul ſtands mute, and felf-condemned, at thebar of confcience : It hath got nothing to ſay why the wrath ofGod ſhould notcome upon it to the uttermoft, Rom. iii . 19.
Fourthly, The law of God hath a foul-wounding, anheartcutting efficacy : Itpierces intotheveryfoul and ſpirit ofman,
408 The Method of Grace.. SERM . XXI .
Acts ii . 37. " When they heard this, they were pricked at their
hearts, and faid unto Peter, and to the rest ofthe apoſtles ; men and brethren, what ſhall wedo ?" A dreadful found is in the finner's ears; his foul is indeep diſtreſs ; he knows notwhich way to turn for eaſe; no plaiſterbut theblood ofChrift can heal theſe wounds which the word makes : No outward trouble, afflic. tion, diſgrace, or lofs, ever touched the quick as the word of Goddoth.
Fifthly, The word hath a heart-turning, a foul-converting efficacyinit: It is a regenerating, as well as convincing word,
1 Pet. i. 32. 1 Thef. i. 9. The law wounds, the goſpel cures ; the law diſcovers the evil that is in fin, and the miſery that fol-
lows it; and the Spirit ofGod, working in fellowship with the word, effectually turns the heart from fin. And thus we fee in what glorious acts the efficacy of the word difcovers itſelf upon thehearts ofmen ; and all theſe acts lie in order to each other :
nor until the foul be awakened, it cannotbe enlightned, Eph. v. 14. Till itbe enlightned, itcannotbe convinced, Eph . v. 13. Conviction being nothing else, but the application ofthe light
that ſhines in the mind to the confcience ofa finner; till itbe convinced, itcannot be wounded for fin, Acts ii. 37. And until it bewounded for fin, it will never be converted from fin, and brought effectually to Jeſus Chriſt. And thus you fee what the powerofthe word is.
Thirdly,In the laſt place,it willconcern us toenquire, whence the wordofGodhath all this power: Andit is moſt certain, that it is nota power inherent in itſelf, nor derived from the inftrument by which it is managed; but from the Spirit of the Lord, who communicates to it all that power, and efficacy which it hath upon our fouls.
1. Its power is not in, orfrom itſelf: It works not in a phy. ficalway, as natural agents do; for then the effect would al-
ways follow, except it were miraculoufly hindered : But this
ſpiritual efficacy is in the word, as the healing virtue was inthe waters of Bethesda, John v. 4. "An angel wentdown at a cer " tain ſeaſon into the pool, and troubled the water : Whofo-
ever then firſt afterthe troubling ofthe water ftept in, was " madewhole ofwhatsoever diſeaſehehad." It is not a power naturally inherent in it at alltimes, but communicated to it at fome ſpecial feaſons. How often is the word preached, and no man awaked or convinced by it !
2. The power ofthe word is not communicated to itbythe inftrument that manageth it, I Cor. iii. 7. " Neither is he that
planteth any thing, neither he that watereth." Miniſters are "
SERM . XXI . The Method of Grace. 409
nothing to fuch an effect and purpoſe as this is; hedoth not meanthat they are uſeleſs and altogether unneceſſary, but infuf-
ficient of themselves toproduce ſuch mighty effects : It works notas it is the word of man, 1 Theff. ii. 13. Miniſters may ſay
of the ordinary, as Peter ſaid of the extraordinary effects of the Spirit, Acts iii . 12. " Ye men ofIfrael, why marvel ye at this ? " orwhy look ye ſo earnestly on us, as though by ourown pow- " er or holineſs we had made this man to walk ?" If the effects ofthe word were in the power, andat the command of him that preacheth it, then the blood of all the fouls that periſh under our miniſtrymust lieat our door, as wasformerly noted.
3. If you say, whence then hath theword all this power? Our anſwer is, Itderives it all from the Spirit ofGod, * 1 Thef.
ii. 13. " For this cauſe thank weGod without ceaſing, becauſe " when ye received theword ofGod which ye heard of us, ye " received it not asthe word ofman, but (as it is in truth) the
" word ofGod, which effectually worketh alſo inyou that be- " lieve." It is a ſucceſsful inſtrument, only, when it is in the hand of the Spirit, without whoſe influence it never did, nor canconvince, convert, or ſave anyfoul. Now, the SpiritofGod
hath a fovereignty over three things in order to the converfion offinners.
1. Over the word which works. 2. Over the foul wrought upon. 3. Over thetime and ſeaſon ofworking. First, The Spirit hath a glorious ſovereigntyover theword itſelf, whoſe inſtrument it is, to make it ſucceſsful or not ; as itpleaſeth him, Ifa. lv. 10, 11. " For as the rain cometh down, " and the ſnow from heaven, &c. ſo ſhall myword be thatgo- " eth out of my mouth:" as the clouds, ſo the word is carried and directed bydivine pleaſure. It is the Lord that makes them both give down their bleſſings, or to paſs awayfruitless and
empty : yea, it is from the Spirit that this part of the word works, and not another. Thosethings uponwhich miniſters beſtow greatest labour in their preparation, and from which
accordingly theyhave the greatestexpectation;theſedonothing, when, mean time, ſomething that dropped occafionally from
them, like a choſen ſhaft, ſtrikes the mark, anddoth the work.
Secondly, The Spirit of the Lordhath a glorious ſovereignty over the fouls wrought upon: it is his peculiar work " to take
* What is commandedby the word, isgivenby the Spirit. Aug. Ep. 157.
VOL. II. Ggg
410 SERM . XXI. The Method of Grace.
66 away the stony heart out of our fleſh, and togive us an heart " of flesh," Ezek. xxxvi. 26. We may reaſon, exhort, and reprove, but nothing willabide tilltheLord ſet it home. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia under Paul's miniſtry : he opens every heart that is effectually opened to receive Chrift in the word: if the word can get no entrance, if your hearts remain dead under it ſtill, we may ſay concerning ſuch fouls, as Martha did concerning her brother Lazarus ; " Lord, if thou " hadſt been here, my brother had not died.", So, Lord, if thou hadſt been in this fermon, in this prayer, or in that counſel, theſe fouls had not remained dead under them.
Thirdly, The Spirit hath dominion over the times and ſeaſons ofconviction and converfion. Therefore the day in which fouls are wrought upon is called " the day of his power," Pfal. cx. 3. That ſhallwork at one time, which had no efficacy at all at another time; becauſe this, and not that, was the time
appointed. And thus you fee whence the word derives that mighty power it hath .
Now this word ofGod, when it is fet homeby the Spirit, is mighty to convince, humble, and break the hearts of finners,
John xvi . 9. " The Spirit when it cometh ſhall convince the " world of fin." The word fignifies conviction by ſuch clear demonſtration as compelleth affent : it not only convinces men
in general thatthey are ſinners, but it convinceth men parricuJarly of their own fins, and the aggravations of them. So in the text, Sin revived, that is, the Lord revived his fins, the very circumstances and aggravations with which they were committed: and fo it willbewith us when the commandment comes;
fins that we had forgotten, committed ſo far back as our youth or childhood; fins that lay flighted in our confciences, ſhall now be rouzed up as ſo many fleepy lions to affright and terrify us : for now the foul hears the voice of God in the word, as Adam heard it in the cool of the day, andwas afraid, and hides itſelf : but all will notdo; for the Lord is come in the word: fin is held
up before the eyes of the confcience in its dreadful aggravations, and fearful conſequences, as committed against the holy law, clear light, warnings of confcience, manifold mercies, God's long-fuffering, Chriſt's precious blood, many warnings ofjudgments, thewages anddemeritwhereof,by the verdict ofa man's own conſcience, is death, eternal death, Rom. vi. 23. Rom. i, 32. Rom. ii. 9. Thus the commandment comes, ſin revives, and vain hopes gives up the ghoft .
Infer. I. Is therefuch a mighty power in the word? then certainly the word is ofdivine authority. There cannot be a more
SERM. XXI. 411 The Method of Grace.
clear, andfatisfyingproofthat itis no human invention, than the commonſenſe that all believers have ofthe Almighty Power in
which it works upon their hearts. So ſpeaks the apostle, 1 Thef. ii . 13. " When ye received the word of Godwhich ye heard " ofus, ye received it not as the word ofman, but (as it is in " truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh alſo in " you that believe." Can the power of any creature, the word ofamere man, ſo convince the conſcience, ſo terrify the heart, ſo difcover the very fecret thoughts of the foul, as to put a man into fuch tremblings ? No, no, a greater than man must needs be here : nonebut aGod can ſo open the eyes of the blind, fo open the graves of the dead, ſo quicken and enliven the conſcience that was feared, ſobind over the foul ofa finner tothe judgment tocome, fo change and alter the frame and temper of aman's Spirit, or ſo powerfully raiſe, refresh andcomfort adroop-
ing dying foul : certainly the power of God is in all this ; and, ifthere were no more, yet this alone were fufficient to make full proofof the divine authority ofthe ſcriptures. -Infer. 2. Judge from hence what an invaluable mercy the
preaching of the word is to the world: It is a bleſſing far above - our eſtimation ofit: little do we know what a treaſure God
committeth to us in the ordinances, Acts xiii. 25. " To you is " the wordof this ſalvation fent." Itis the very power ofGod to falvation, Rom. i. 16. And falvation is ordinarily denied to whom the preaching of the word is denied, Rom. x. 14. It is called theword oflife, Phil. ii. 16. and deſerves to be valued by everyone ofus as our life: the eternal decree of God's election isexecutedby itupon our fouls : as many as he ordained to eternal life ſhall believe by the preaching ofit. Great is the ingratitude of this generation, which ſo flights, and undervalues this invaluable treaſure: which isafad preſage ofthe moſt terrible judgment, even in the removing our candlestick out of its place, except we repent.
Infer. 3. Howfore and terribleajudgment lies upon thefouls of thoſe men to whom no wordofGod is made powerful enough to con-
vince and awaken them ! Yet ſo ſtands the cafe with thousands, who conftantly fit under the preaching ofthe word; many ar-
rows are ſhot at their confciences, but none goes home to the mark, all fall ſhort of the end: thecommandment hath come untothem manythousand times, by way ofpromulgation, andminiſterial inculcation, but yet never came home to their fouls by the Spirit's effectual application . O friends ! you have often heard the voice of man, but you never yet heard the voice ofGod :
Ggg 2
412 The Method ofGrace. SERM. XXI. your underſtandings have been inſtructed, but your confciences to this daywere never thoroughly convinced. "We have " mourned unto you, but ye have notlamented," Mat, xi. 17. " Who hath believed our report ? And unto whom is the arm " ofthe Lord revealed ? " Alas ! we have laboured in vain, we have ſpent our ſtrength for nought, our word return untous empty: butO what aſtupendousjudgment is here! Heb. vi. 7, 8. " The earth which drinketh inthe rain that cometh oft upon " it, andbringth forth herbs meet for them bywhom it isdref. " ſed, receiveth bleſſing from God; but that which beareth " thorns and briars is rejected, and isnigh unto curfing, whoſe " end is to beburned." Whatſorejudgment,and ſign ofGod's diſpleaſure wouldyou account it, ifyour fields were curfed ; if
you ſhould manure, dreſs, plough, and ſow them ; but never
reap the fruit ofyour labour ; the increaſe being ſtillblaſted ? Andyet this were nothing, compared with the blaſting ofthe
word toyour ſouls : that which is afavour oflife unto life, unto ſome, becomes the ſavour ofdeath unto death, to others, 2 Cor. ii . 16. The Lord affect our hearts with the terrible ſtrokes ofGodupon the ſouls ofmen !
Secand use ofexhortation. I ſhall conclude this point with a few words of exhortation to three forts of men, viz.
1. To thoſe thatnever feltthe power ofthe word, 2. To thoſe that have only felt ſome flight andcommon effects thereof, 3.Tothoſeuntowhoſeveryhearts thecommandment iscome, in its effectual aud ſaving power, First, You that neverfelt any power in the word at all, Ibeg you inthenameofhim that madeyou, andby alltheregardand valueyou have for thoſe precious fouls within you, that now at
Jaſt ſuch confiderations astheſemay find place inyo your fouls, and thatyou will bethink yourſelves.
Confideration I Whoſe word is that which cannotgain entrance into your hearts ? Is it not theward ofGodwhich you deſpiſe and flight ? " Thou caſteſt my word behind thy back," Pfal. 1. 17. Owhat anaffrontand provocation toGod is this ! You deſpiſe notman, but God; the great and terrible God, in whaſe hand your
breath andfoul is ; this contempt runs higher than you imagine,
Confideration 2. Confider, that however the word hath nopower upon you, thecommandment cannot come home to your hearts ; yet itdoth work, and comes homewith power to the hearts of others a
SERM. XXI. The Method of Grace. 413. whilſtyou are hardned, others are melted under it; whilſt you
Deep, others tremble ; whilst your hearts are faſt locked up, others are opened., How can you chooſe but reflect with fear andtrembling upontheſecontrary effects oftheword; eſpecially when you conſider that the eternal decrees, both ofelection
and reprobation are now executed upon the fouls men, by the preachingofthe word? Some believe, and others are hardned.
Confideration 3. That no judgment ofGod, on this ſide hell, is greater than ahard heart, and ſtupid confcience under the word : it were much better that the providence ofGod ſhould blaſt thy eſtate,
take away thy children, or destroythy health, than harden thy heart, and fear thy conſcience under the word: fo much as thy
foul is better than thy body, fo much as eternity is more valuable than time, ſo much is this ſpiritualjudgment moredreadful
than all temporal ones. God doth not inflict a more terrible
ſtroke than this upon any man inthis world. O therefore as you love your own fouls, and are loth to ruin them toall eternity, attend upon every opportunity that God atfords you ; for you know not in which ofthem the Lord may work upon your hearts. Lay aſide your prejudices against the word or the weakneſſes and infirmities of them that preach it;
for the word works not as it is the word of man, as it is thus neat and elegant, but as it is the word of God. Pray for the bleffing ofGodupon the word; for except his word of bleſſing
go forth with it, it can never come home to thy foul. Meditateuponwhatyou hear ; for, without meditation, it is not like tohave any effectual operationuponyou. Search your fouls by it, and conſider whether that be not your very cafe and ſtate which it deſcribes : your very danger whereof it gives warning.
Take heed left after you have heard it, the cares of the world
chokewhatyou haveheard, and cauſe thoſebudding convictions which begin to put forth, to blaſt and wither. Carefully attend to all thoſe items, and memorandums your confciences give you under the word, and conclude that the Lord is then come nigh untoyou,
Secondly, Let this be matter of ferious confideration, and cautiontoall ſuch as have only felt ſome flight, tranfient, and in-
effectual operations of the goſpel upon their fouls : The Lord hathcome nigh to fome of our souls; we have felt a ſtrange power in the ordinances, ſometimes terrifying, and ſometimes
tranſporting our hearts ; but, alas ! it proves but a morningdew, or an early cloud, Hof. vi. 4. We rejoice in the word, but it is but for a ſeaſon, John iii. 25. Gal. iv. 14, 15. They
414 The Method of Grace. SERM . XXI.
arevanithing motions, and come to nothing. Look, as in nature there are many abortives, as well as perfect children, ſo it is in religion ; yea, where the new creature is perfectly formed in one foul, there be many abortives and miſcarriages in others : and there may be three reaſons affigned for it, viz.
First, The fubtilty anddeep policy of Satan, who never more effectuallydeceives and destroys the fouls of men, than in ſuch a method, and by ſuch an artifice as this: for when men have once felt their confciences terrified under the word, and their hearts at other times raviſhed with thejoys and comforts of it, theynowſeem to have attained all thatis neceffary toconverfion, and conftitutive ofthe new creature : theſe things look fo well
like the regenerating effects of the Spirit, that many are eafily deceivedbythem. The devilbeguiles the hearts of the unwary by fuch falſe appearances ; for it is noteveryman that can diftinguish betwixt the natural, and ſpiritual motions of the affections under theword : itis very frequently ſeen that even carnal, and unrenewed hearts have their meltings and tranſports, as well as ſpiritual hearts . The ſubject-matteruponwhich the wordtreats, are the weighty things of the world to come heaven and hell are very awful and affecting things, and an unrenewed heart is apt tothaw and melt at them: now here is the cheat of Satan, to perfuade a man that theſe must needs be ſpiritual affections, becauſe the objects about which they are converfant are fpiritual : whereas it is certain, the object of the affections may be very ſpiritual and heavenly, and yet the workings of aman's affections about them, may be in a mere natural way.
Secondly, The dampening efficacy ofthe world is a true and proper cauſe of theſeabortions and miſcarriages under theword,
Luke viii. 12, 13 , 14. There are hopeful and promiſing beginnings and buddings of affections in ſome perſons, eſpecially in theiryouth; but when once they come to be engaged in the world, how foon are they damp'd and quenched ! As the cares of a family grow on, ſo does the care of falvation wearoff. 'Tis not as it was wont to be, what ſhall Ido to be faved ? How
ſhall I get intereſt in Chriſt ? But what ſhall I eat, and drink, and wherewithal ſhall I, and mine, be maintained ? Thus earth juſtles outheaven, and the preſent worlddrowns all thoughts of
thatto come. Goodhad it been for many men, they had never been engaged ſodeep in the world as they are; their life is but a conftant hurry of buſineſs, anda perpetual diverſion from Chrift, and things that are eternal,
Thirdly, and lastly, The deceitfulness, and treacheryofthe heart,whichtoo eafily giveswayto thedefigns ofSatan, fuffers
SERM. XXI. 415 The Method of Grace.
itſelf tobe impoſed uponby him, is not the leaſt cauſewhyfo many hopeful beginnings come to nothing, and the effects ofthe word vaniſh. Pride,and ſelf-love are very apt to over-rule every littlegood,and flight, or under-value every evil that is inus ; and ſo quickly choke thoſe convictions that begin to work in our fouls.
But oh ! that fuch men would confider that the dying away of their convictions, is that which threatens the life of their fouls for ever ; now is the bud withered, the bloſſom blafted : andwhat expectation is thereoffruit after this, except the Lord revive them again ? The Lord open men's eyes, to difcern the danger of fuch things as theſe are ! Jude 12. Heb. x. 58. Yet Ideny not, but there are many ſtands, and pauſes in the work
of converfion; it seems to die away, and then revives again ; and revive it must, or we are loſt. But how many are there who never recover it more ! This is a fore judgment of a moſt
terrible conſequence to the fouls ofmen.
Thirdly, In the last place, let it be a word of counſel, and advice to them, upon whom the word works effectually, and powerfully ; to whoſe hearts the commandmentis come home, to revive ſin, and kill their vain hopes; andtheſe are of two forts.
1. Embryo's, under the firſt workings of the ſpirit. 2. Compleat births of the ſpirit, regenerated fouls. First , Embryo's that are under the firſt workings ofthe fpirit inthe word. O let it not feem a mifery, or unhappineſs to you, that the commandment is come, and fin revived, and your
former hopes overthrown. It must be thus, if everGod intendmercy for you. Had you gone on in that dangerous ſecurityyou were in before, you had certainly been loft forever: God hath ſtopt you in that path that leads down to hell,
and none that go in there do ever return again, or take hold ofthe paths of life. O it is better to weep, tremble, and be diſtreſſed now, than to mourn without hope for ever. Letit
not trouble you that fin hath found you out; you could never have found out the remedy in Chrift, ifyou had not found out
the diſeaſe and danger, by the coming ofthe commandment. And I beſeech you carefully to obſerve, whether the effects, and operations of the word upon your hearts be deeper, and
more powerful, thanthey are found to be in ſuch fouls as mifcarryunder it : the commandment comes to them, and ſhews them this or that moregroſs and ſtartling fin. Doth it come to you, and ſhew you not only this, or that particular fin, but all the evils ofyour heart and life; the corruption ofyour natures,
as well as the tranfgreffions ofyour lives ? Iffo, it promifes
416 The Method of Grace. SERM. XXI. well, and looks hopefully, and comfortably toyou. The commandment comes to others, and ſtartles them with the fears of damnation for their fin: it puts them into a grievous fright at hell, and the everlasting burnings: but doth it come to thee anddiſcover the infinite evil that is in thy fin, as it is commit-
ted against the great, holy, righteous, and goodGod, and fo melts thy heart into tears for the wrong that thou hast done him, as well as the danger into which thou hast brought thyself? This is a hopeful work, and may encourage thee. It comes to others, and greatly ſhakes, but never deſtroys and razes the foundation oftheir vain hopes : ifit ſo revive ſin, as to killall vainhopes inthee, and send thee to Chriſt alone, as thy only door ofhope, fear not; theſe troubles will prove the greatest
mercies that ever befel thee in this world, ifthus they work, andcontinue to work upon thy foul.
Secondly, Others there are upon whom the word hath had its full effect as to converfion. O bleſs God for ever for this mercy ; you cannot fufficiently value it! God hath not only made it aconvincing, andwounding, but a converting, and healing word to your fouls; he hath not only revived your fins, and killed your vain hopes, but begotten you again to a lively
hope; fee that you be thankful for this mercy. How many have fate under the fame word, but never felt fuch effects of
it ? As Chriſt ſaid in another cafe, there were many widows in Ifrael in the time of Elijah, but unto none ofthem was the prophet ſent, ſave unto Sarepta, a city ofSidon, to a certain widow there, Luke iv. 46. So I may say, in this cafe, there were many fouls in the fame congregation, at the fame time ;
but unto none ofthem was the word ſent with a commiſſion to
convince and ſave, but fuch a one as thyſelf; one as improbable
to be wrought upon as any foul there. O let this beget thankfulness in your fouls; and let it make you love the word as long asyou live : " I will never forgetthy precepts, førby them " thou haft quickened me," Pfal. cxix. 93 .
But above all I beſeech you make it appear that the commandment hath come home to your hearts, with power to convince you of the evil offin,by your tenderness and care to thun itas long as you live. If ever you have ſeen the face offin, in the glass of the law ofGod; ifyour hearts havebeen humbled and broken for it in the days ofyour trouble and diſtreſs, certainly you will choose the worſt affliction rather than fin : It would be the greatest folly in the world to return again to ini-
quity, Pfal. lxxxv. 8. You that have ſeen ſo much ofthe evil that is in it, and the danger that follows it; you that have had
SERM . XXII. The Method of Grace. 417 ſuch inward terrors and fears of ſpiritabout it, when that terrible repreſentation was made you, will be loth to feel thoſe gripes, and diſtreſſes ofconfcience again, forthe beſt enjoyment
inthisworld.
BleffedbeGodifany word has been brought home to our hearts,
whichhath been instrumentalto bring us to Christ!
SERMON
ΧΧΙΙ .
The Teachings of God opened, in their Nature and
Neceffity.
JOHN vi. 45. It is written in the Prophets, And theyshallbe alltaught ofGod. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hathlearned oftheFather, cometh unto me. HOW neceffary to ourunion with JeſusChriſt, the application of the law, or coming home of the commandment to the heart of a finner is, we have heard inthe laſt difcourſe; andhow impoffible it is, either for the commandment tocome tous, or for us tocome to Chriſt, without illumination, and inſtruction from above, you ſhall hear in this .
This fcripture hath much of the mind of God in it ; and he that is toopen it, had need himself to be taught ofGod.
In the foregoing verſes, Chriſt offers himselfas the bread of life untothe fouls ofmen : against this doctrine they oppoſe their carnal reaſon, ver. 41, 42. Chriſt ſtrikes at the root of all their cavils and objections in his reply, ver. 43, 44. " Murmur not " among yourſelves : no man can come to me, except the Fa- " therwhichhath fent me draw him ;" q. d. you flightmebecauſe youdo not know me ; you do not know me, because you are not taught ofGod ; of theſedivine teachings, the prophets ofoldhave spoken, and what theyforetold isatthis day fulfilled
in our fight ; ſo many as are taughtofGod, and nomore, come unto me inthewayoffaith: it is impoſſible tocomewithout the teachings ofGod, ver. 44. It is as impoſſible not tocome, or to mifcarry in their coming untome, under the influence of theſe divine teachings, ver. 45 . The words read, conſiſt oftwo parts, viz.
1. An allegation out ofthe prophets. 2. The application thereofmadeby Chriſt. VOL. II . Hhh
418 SERM . XXII . The Method of Grace.
First, An allegation outofthe prophets : "It is written in " the prophets, And they ſhallbe all taught of God." The places in the prophets to which Chrift ſeems here to refer, are, Iſa. liv. 13. " And all thy children ſhallbe taught ofthe Lord ;" and, Jer. xxxi. 34. " And they ſhall teach no more every man
his neighbour, and everyman his brother, ſaying, know the
Lord; for they ſhall all know me, from the leaſt of them unto the greatest of them, faith the Lord." Thefe promiſes containthe great bleſſings of the new covenant, viz. Divine
inſtruction, and heavenly illumination, without which, no man can be brought up to the terms ofthe new covenant.
Secondly,Wehave here the applicationof theſe teſtimonies,out ofthe prophets, madeby Chriſt himself ; " Every man therefore " that hathheard, and learned of the Father, cometh untome."
In which words, we have, both the neceffity, and the efficacy oftheſe divine teachings ; withoutthem no man cancome, and
under them no mancanmiſcarry. The words being fitly rendred, and the ſenſe obvious,
The notes are, Doct. 1. That the teachings ofGod are abſolutely necessary to e-
very man that cometh unto Chriſt, in the way offaith. Doct. 2. No man can miſs ofChrist, or miscarry in the way of
faith, that is under theſpecial inſtructions, and teachings of
the Father .
Doct. 1. That the teachings ofGodare abfolutely neceffary to e
very man that cometh unto Christ, in the way offaith. Ofthe neceffity ofdivine teaching, in order to believing, the apoſtle ſpeaks, in Eph. iv. 20, 21. " But ye have not ſo learned " Chriſt, if ſo be that you have heardhim, and been taught by
" him, as the truth is in Jeſus ;" (i. e.) Your faith muſt needs be effectual, both to the reformation ofyour lives, and your perfeverance in theways of holiness, ifitbe fuch a faith as is begotten, and introducedinto your hearts bydivine teachings *. Now, in the explication of this point, I ſhall ſpeak diſtinctly to the following enquiries.
1. How doth God teach men, or what is imported in our beingtaught ofGod ?
2. What thoſe ſpecial leſſons are, which all believers dohear, and are taught ofGod ?
* They who believe,by means of the preacher ſpeaking to them outwardly, hear and learn inwardly of the Father ; they who believe not, hear outwardly, but not inwardly. Aug. on Predeft. chap.8.
SERM . XXII. 419 The Method of Grace.
3. In whatmanner doth God teach theſe things to men, in thedayof their converfion to Chriſt ?
4. What influenceGod's teaching hath upon our believing ? 5. Why it is impoſſible for any man to believe, or come to Chrift, without the Father's teachings.
First, How dothGod teach men, or what is imported in our being taught ofGod ? To this I will ſpeak, both negatively and
poſitively, for your clearer apprehenfion ofthe ſenſe and meaning of the Spirit ofGod in this phrafe.
First, The teaching ofGod, and our hearing and learning of him, is not tobe understood of any extraordinary, viſional appearances, ororaculousand immediatevoice ofGodtomen:God
indeedhath ſo appearedunto ſome, Numb. xii. 8. Such voices have beenheard from heaven ; but now theſe extraordinary ways
are ceaſed, Heb. i. 1, 2. and we are no more to expect them ; wemay fooner meet with fatanical deluſions, than divine illu-
mination, in this way. I remember, the learnedGerſon tells us that thedevil once appeared toan holy man in prayer, perſonating Chriſt, and ſaying, I am come in perſon to viſit thee, for thou art worthy. But he with bothhands ſhut his eyes, ſaying, Nolohic Chriſtum videre,fatis eft ipfum ingloria videre ; (i. e.) I will not ſee Chriſt here; it is enough for me to fee him in glory. Weare now to attend only to the voice of the Spirit in the ſcriptures: this is a more fure word than any voice from heaven, 2Pet. i. 19. Secondly, Theteachings ofGod are notto be understood as oppoſite unto, or excluſive of the teachings of men. Divine
teachingsdo not render miniſterial teachings in vain, or uſeleſs. Paulwas taught of God, Gal. i. 12. and his converfion had
ſomething extraordinary in it, yet the miniſtry ofAnanias was uſed, and honoured in that work, Acts ix. 4, 17. compared. Divine teachings do indeed excel, but not exclude human teach-
ings. I know that ſcripture, Jer. xxxi. 24. to which Chriſt here refers, is objected against the neceſſity of a ſtanding miniftry in the church, " They ſhall teach no more every man his " neighbour, and every man his brother," &c. But if thoſe words ſhouldbe understood abſolutely, they would not only o-
verthrow all public ordinances ofGod's own iſtitution, 1 Cor. xii. 28. and deprive us of a principal fruit ofChriſt's afcenfion, Eph. iv. 11 , 12. but, for the fame reaſon, would destroy all private inſtructions, and fraternal admonitions alſo. Such a ſenſe wouldmake the prophet to contradict the apoſtle, and ſpoil the confent,andharmony of the ſcriptures : the ſenſe thereofcannot
Hhh 2
420 The Method ofGrace. SERM . XXII . benegative, butcomparative; it ſhews theexcellencyofdivine, butdoth not destroythe usefulness ofhumanteachings, Subordinata non pugnant. Theteachings ofmen are made effectual 'by the teachings of the Spirit; and the Spirit inhis teachings
will uſe and honour the miniſtry ofman,
Thirdly, But to ſpeak poſitively, the teachings of God are nothing elſe, but that ſpiritual, and heavenly light, by which
the Spirit ofGod ſhineth intothe hearts ofmen, togive them " the light of the knowledge of the glory ofGod in the faceof
" Jeſus Chrift," as the apostle ſpeaks, 2Cor. iv. 6. And though this be the proper work of the Spirit, yet it is called the teachings of the Father,becauſe the Spirit who enlightens us iscommiffioned, and ſentby the Father to todo, John xiv. 26. Now
theſe teachings of the Spirit ofGod, confiſt intwo things, viz. inhis,
1. Sanctifying impreſſions. 2. Gracious aſſiſtances . First, In his fanctifying impreſſions, or regenerating works upon the foul, by virtue whereof it receives marvellous light
and infight into ſpiritual things; and that not only as illumination is the firſt act of the Spirit in our converfion, Col. iii. 10. but as his whole work offanctification is illuminative, and in-
ſtructive to the converted foul, 1 John ii. 27. "The anointing " which you have received ofhim abideth in you, and ye need " not thatany man teach you, butas the fame anointing teach- " eth you." The meaning is, that fanctificationgives the foul experience ofthoſe mysterious things, which are contained in the ſcriptures, andthat experience is the moſt excellent keyto unlock, andopen thoſedeep ſcripture-myſteries; no knowledge
is ſodiſtinct, ſo clear, ſo ſweet, as that which the heart com. municates tothehead, John vii. 17. " Ifanymando his will, " he ſhall know the doctrine." A man that never read the nature of love inbooks of philoſophy,nor the tranſports and ecſta-
fies thereof in hiſtory, may yet trulydeſcribe and expreſs itby the ſenſible motions of that paſſion in hisown foul; yea, he that hath felt, much better underſtands, than he that hath only readorheard. O what a light doth ſpiritual ſenſe, and expe rience, caſt upon a great part of the fcriptures! for indeed fanctification is the very copy or tranſcript ofthe word ofGod upon the heart of man; Jer. xxxi. 33, " I will write my lawin " their hearts:" ſo that the ſcriptures, and theexperiencesof believers, by this means, anſwer to each other, as the lines and letters in the preſs, anfwer to the impreſſions madeupon the
paper; or the figures in the wax, tothe engravings inthe feal.
SERM. XXII. The Method ofGrace. 421 Whena ſanctified man reads David's Plalms, or Paul's epiſiles,
how is he ſurprized with wonder to find the very workings of his ownheart, ſoexactly decyphered, and fully expreſſed there ! O, faith he, this is myverycafe; theſeholymen ſpeak whatmy
heart hath felt.
Secondly, The Spirit ofGod teacheth us, as by his ſanctifying impreſſions, ſo by his gracious aſſiſtances, which he gives us pro re nata, as our need requires, Mat. x. 19. " It ſhallbe " givenyou in that ſame hour what ye ſhall ſpeak," John xiv. 26. " He ſhall bring all things to your remembrance :" he afſiſteth, both the underſtanding indue apprehenfions of truth, andthe heart in the ſpiritual improvements of truth. And fo
much briefly ofthe firſt particular.
Secondly, In the next place, we are to enquire what thoſe ſpecial truths are which believers hear, and learn of the Father, whenthey come to Chriſt .
Andthere are divers great, and neceſſary truths, wherein the Spirit enlightens men in that day. Icannot ſay they are all taught every believer in the ſamedegree and order ; but it is certain they are taught of God fuch leſſons as theſe are, which
theynever ſo understoodbefore.
Leffon 1. First, They are taught ofGod that there is abundantly more evil intheirfinfulnatures, and actions, than ever they difcerned, or understood before : " the Spirit when he " cometh ſhallconvince the worldof fin," Johnxvi. 8, 9. Men have ageneral notion offin before; fo had Paul, when a Pha-
rifee: but how vaſtly different were his apprehenfions of fin,
from all that everhe had in his natural ſtate,whenGodbrought homethe commandment to his very heart ! There isa threefold knowledge of fin, viz. traditional, diſcuſſive, and intuitive. The
firſt is inthe more rude, and illiterate multitude. The ſecond inmore rational andknowing men. The third is only found inthoſethat are enlightened, and taught ofGod. And there is as great a difference betwixtthis intuitive knowledge of fin, wherebyGod makes a foul todifcernthenature, and evil ofit,
ina ſpiritual light, andthe two former, as there is betwixt the fightof a painted lion upon the wall, and the fight of a living lion that meets us roaring in the way. The intuitive fightof fin is another thing thanmen imagine it to be: 'tis ſuch a fight as wounds aman to thevery heart, Acts ii. 37. forGoddoth not
only ſhew aman this, orthat particular fin, but, in theday of convictions, he fets all his fins in orderbefore him. Pfal. 1. 21. yea, the Lord ſhews him the ſinfulnessofhis nature, as well as practice. Conviction digs to the root, ſhews, and lays open
422 The Method of Grace. SERM. XXII. that original corruption, from whencethe innumerable evils of
the life do ſpring, James i. 14, 15. and, which is yet more, the Lord ſhews the man, whom he is bringing to Chriſt, the finful and miferable eſtate which he is in by reaſon of both, John xvi. 9. And now all excuſes, pleas, and defences of fin are gone, he ſhews them " how their iniquities have exceeded," Job xxxvi. 8, 9. exceeded in number, and in aggravation of
finfulness ; exceeding many, and exceeding vile ; no ſuch ſinner in the world as 1 : can ſuch fins as mine be pardon'd? The greatness ofGod greatens my fin; the holiness ofGod makes it beyond meaſure vile; the goodness ofGod puts unconceivable weight into my guilt. O can there be mercy for fuch a wretch
as 1 ! If there be, then there will not be a greater example of the riches of free grace in allthe world than I am. ThusGod teacheth the evil of fin.
Leſſon 2. Secondly, God teacheth thefoul, whomhe isbringing to Christ, what thatwrath, and misery arewhich hang over it in the threatnings, because offin. Scripture-threatnings were formerly flighted; now the soul trembles atthem : They once apprehended themselves ſafe enough, Iſa. xxviii. 15. Pfal. 1. 21 . They thought, becauſe they heard no more of their fins, after the commiſion of them, that therefore they ſhould never hear more ; that the effect had been as tranfient athing as the act of fin was; or if trouble must follow fin, they ſhould ſpeed no worſe than others, the generality of the world being in the
ſamecaſe; and beſides, theyhoped to findGod more merciful, than fowre and preciſe preachers repreſented him. But when a light fromGod enters into the foul, to diſcover the nature of God, and of fin, then it fees, that whatever wrath is treaſured
up for finners, inthe dreadfulthreatnings ofthe law, is but the juſt demerit of fin, therecompence that is meet : " The wages
" of fin is death," Rom. vi. 23. The penal evil of damnation is but equal tothe moral evil of fin : So that in the whole ocean
ofGod's eternal wrath, there is not onedrop of injustice ; yea, the fouldoth not only fee thejuſtice ofGod in its eternal damnation, but the wonderful mercy ofGod inthe ſuſpenſionthereofſo long. O what is it that hath with-held God from damning me all this while ! How is it that I amnot in hell! Nowdo the fears and awful apprehenfions ofeternity ſeize the foul, and
theworst of ſenſitive creatures is ſuppoſed tobe in a better condition than ſuch a foul. Never do men tremble at the threatnings ofGod, nor rightly apprehend thedanger of their condi tion, until fin, andwrath, and the wages of ſin be diſcovered
to themby a light from heaven.
SERM . XXII . 423 The Method of Grace. Leffon 3. Thirdly,God teaches thefoulwhomhebrings toChrift, that deliverance fromfin, and wrath to come, is the greatest and most important buſineſs it hath to do in this world. Acts xvi. 30. " What muſt I do tobe ſaved ? " q. d. O direct me to fome effectual way (iftherebe any) to ſecure my poor wretched ſoul from the wrath of God. Sin, and the wrath that follows it, are things that ſwallow up the ſouls, anddrink up the very ſpirits of men : Their thoughts never converſed with things of more confefſed truth and awful folemnity : theſe things floatnot upon their fancies as matters of mere ſpeculation, but fettleupon their hearts dayand night, as the deepeſt concernment in all the world : They now know much better than any mere ſcholar, the deep ſenſe of that text, Mat. xvi. 26. " What is a man " profited, ifhe ſhould gain the whole world, and loſehisown " foul ? or what ſhall a man give in exchange for his foul?"
Five things thew how weighty the thoughts andcares of falvationareupon their hearts.
First, Their continual thoughtfulneſs, and follicitude about theſe things; ifearthly affairs divert them for awhile, yet they a ſtill returning again to this ſolemn buſineſs. Secondly, Their careful redeeming of time, and ſaving the verymoments thereof toemploy about this work : Thoſe that wereprodigal ofhours, and days before, look upon every mo-
mentoftime as a precious andvaluable thing now.
Thirdly, Their fears, and tremblings, left they ſhould miſcarry, and come ſhort at laſt, ſhew how much their hearts are ſet uponthiswork.
Fourthly, Their inquiſitiveness, and readiness toembrace all the help and aſſiſtance that they can get from others, evidently diſcovers this tobe theirgreat deſign .
Fifthly, and lastly, The little notice they take of all other troubles, and afflictions, tellsyou, theirhearts are takenup about greater things. This is the third leſſon they aretaught ofGod. Leffon 4. Fourthly, TheLord teaches thefoul that iscoming to Christ, that though it be their duty to fſtrive to the uttermostfor falvation ; yet allstrivings, in their ownstrength, are insufficient
to obtain it. This work is quite above the power of nature : " It is not of him that willeth, norof him that runneth, butof " God that ſheweth mercy." The foul is brought to a full conviction of this, by the diſcovery of the heinous nature offin, and of therigour and ſeverity ofthe law ofGod. No repentance, nor reformation, can poſſibly amount unto ajuſt fatisfaction, nor are they within the compaſs and power of our will. It was aſayingthatDr.Hill often uſed tohis friends, ſpeaking
424 The Method of Grace. SERM. XXII.
about the power of man's will ; hewould lay his handupon his breaft, and say, " Every man hath ſomething here to confute " the Arminian doctrine :" This fully takes off the foul from all expectations of deliverance thatway; itcannot but firive, that is its duty; but to expect deliverance, as the purchase of its own ſtrivings, thatwould be its fin.
Leffon 5. Fifthly, Thefoulthat is coming toChrift byfaith, is taught of God, that though the cafe it is in befad, yet it is not defperateand remedileſs : There is a doorof hope, a way ofef-
cape for poor finners, how black and fearful foever their own thoughts and apprehenfions are : there is usuallyat this time, a dawning light of hope in the foul that is under the Father's teachings : andthis commonly ariſes from the general, andindefinite encouragements, and promifes of the gospel, which
though they do not preſently ſecurethe foul from danger, yet they prop, and mightily ſupport it againſtdeſpair : For though they be not certain that deliverance ſhallbe the event of their trouble; yet the poſſibilities, andmuch more the probabilities ofdeliverance are agreat ſtay tothe ſinkingfoul : The troubled foul cannotbut acknowledge itſelf to be in a far better cafe than thedamned are, whoſe hopes are periſhed from the Lord, and a death-pang of deſpair hath ſeized their confciences. And hereinthe merciful and compaffionate nature ofGod is eminent-
ly diſcovered, in haſting to open the door of hope, almoſt as foon as the evilof ſin is opened. Itwas not long, afterAdam's eyeswere opened to fee his mifery, that God opened Chrift, his remedy, in that firſt promife, Gen. iii. 15. Andthe same method of grace is ſtill continued to his elect offspring, Gal.iii. 21 , 22. Rom. iii. 21 , 22. Theſe ſupporting hopes, the Lord fees neceffary to encourage induſtry inthe use of means : it is hope that fets all the world awork : if all hope were cut off, every foulwould fitdown ina fullendeſpair, yielding itſelf for hell.
Leffon 6. Sixthly, The Lord teaches those that come to Chrift, that there is a fulness ofsaving power in him, whereby any foul, that duly receives him, may be perfectly delivered from