Chapter 3 (continued, part 16)
[5.] The fifth and last motive is this, the readiest and the surest way to get more grace—is to live up to that little grace you have.
He who lives up to a little light shall have more light; he who lives up to a little knowledge shall have more knowledge; he who lives up to a little faith shall have more faith; and he who lives up to a little love shall have more love, etc. [Job 17:29; Cant. 6:10; Proverbs 4:18. There is a country in Africa where the people's industry has an abundant reward; for every bushel of seed they sow, they receive one hundred and fifty after.The application is easy.] There is no such way to attain to greater measures of grace as for a man to live up to that little grace he has. Truly, the main reason why many are such babes and shrubs in grace—is because they do not live up to their attainments. He who won't improve two talents, shall never have the honor to be trusted with five; but he who improves a little, shall be trusted with much: "The diligent hand makes rich," Proverbs 10:4. He who is active and agile, who works as well as wishes, who adds endeavors to his desires—will quickly be a cedar in grace.
Ah, Christians! you have a God who is great, a God who is good, a God who is gracious, and a God who is rich—who does not like to see his children to be always weaklings and striplings in grace. The very babe, by drawing the breasts, gets strength and nourishment. Oh you babes in grace, put out that little strength you have, be you still a-drawing at the breasts of Christ, at the breasts of the promises, and strength will come, nourishment will follow, etc. [Dionysius gave him his money back, after that he heard he employed a little well. And will God be worse than a heathen?]
The third duty that I would press upon weak saints is this:
3. Be sure that you always reflect upon your graces, and whatever good is in you—with cautions.
This is a weighty point, and does bespeak your most serious attention. There are six rules or cautions, which weak saints should always observe in their looking upon their graces.
And the first is this:
[1.] Look upon all your graces as gifts of grace—as favors given you from above—as gifts dropped out of heaven into your hearts—as flowers which are given you out of the garden of paradise.
A man should never look upon his grace—but he should look upon it as a flower of paradise, as a gift which God has cast into his bosom from heaven. 1 Cor. 4:7, "Who makes you to differ from another? And what have you who you have not received?" etc. "Of your own," says David, "have we given you," 1 Chron. 29:14. You talk of light, of love, of fear, of faith, etc.—but what are all these but pearls of glory which are freely given to you, by the hand of grace? "Every good and perfect gift comes down from above." As all light flows from the sun, and all water from the sea— so all good flows from heaven. The greatest excellencies in us do as much depend upon God, as the light does upon the sun.
When you look upon your wisdom, you must say, Here is wisdom, ay— but it is from above; here is some weak love working towards Christ—but it is from above; here is joy, and comfort, and peace—but these are all the flowers of paradise; they never grew in nature's garden. When a soul looks thus upon all those costly diamonds with which his heart is decked —he keeps low, though his graces are high. Where this rule is neglected, the soul will be endangered of being swelled and puffed.
Mr Foxe used to say, that "as he got much good by his sins—so he also got much hurt by his graces." When you look upon the stream, remember the fountain; when you look upon the flower, remember the root; when you look upon the stars, remember the sun; and when you look upon your graces, remember the fountain of grace, else Satan will be too hard for you. Satan is so artful, so subtle and critical, that he can make your very graces to serve him against your graces; conquering joy by joy, sorrow by sorrow, humility by humility, fear by fear, and love by love—if you do not look upon all your graces as streams flowing from the fountain above, and as fruits growing upon the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Therefore, when one eye is fixed upon your graces—let the other be always fixed upon the God of grace.
[2.] Secondly, At that time when your eye is upon inherent grace and righteousness, let your heart be fixed upon Christ, and his imputed righteousness. [Let us say of Christ, as the heathen once said of his petty gods, so long as he had Jupiter to friend, he regarded them not. So, so long as we have our Jesus as our friend, we should not regard others, no, not our very graces, in comparison of Christ.]
Paul's eye was upon his grace: Romans 7:22, 25, "I delight in the law of God, after the inward man. And with my mind I serve the law of God." And yet at that very same time, his heart was set upon Christ, and taken up with Christ; ver. 25, "I thank God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." So in Col. 2:2-3, you have one eye fixed upon grace, and at the same time the heart fixed upon Christ. "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." His eye is upon grace, his heart is upon Christ. So in Philip. 3:8, the apostle has his eye upon the excellent knowledge of Christ—but ver. 9, his heart is set upon the righteousness of Christ. "That I might be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law— but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Here you have his eye upon grace, and his heart upon Christ, in the very presence of his grace. This is your glory, Christians, in the presence and sight of all your graces—to see the free grace of Christ, and his infinite, spotless, matchless, and glorious righteousness—to be your surest, sweetest, highest, and choicest comfort and refuge.
Peter was not well skilled in this lesson, and that was the very reason that he fell foulest, when his confidence was highest. Grace is a ring of gold, and Christ is the diamond in that ring; and he who looks more upon the ring than the diamond which is in it—in the hour of temptation, he will certainly fall. When the wife's eye is upon her rings or jewels, then her heart must be set upon her husband. When grace is in my eye, Christ must at that time be in my arms, yes, he must lie between my breasts: Cant. 1:13, "My beloved is as a bundle of myrrh, he shall lie all night between my breasts." Christ, and not grace, must lie nearest to a Christian's heart.
[3.] A third thing is this, When you look upon your grace, you must look upon it as a beautiful creature—which is begotten in the soul by Christ, and which is strengthened, maintained, nourished, and upheld in your souls—by nothing below the spiritual, internal, and glorious operations of Christ. [Gal. 2:20, Philip. 1:6. When God crowns us, he does but crown his own gifts in us.—Augustine.]
Though grace is a beautiful creature—yet grace is but a creature—and your souls must look upon it only as a creature. Grace is a heavenly offspring, it is the first-born of God, as I may say, and does most represent him to the life. Grace is a bud of glory; it is of the blood royal; it is nobly descended, James 1:17. So in Heb. 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginner and ender. In all other things and arts, the same man cannot begin and finish—but Christ does both. Philip. 1:5, Our graces thrive and are upheld in life and power, in beauty and glory—only by the internal operation of Christ in our souls. So in Col. 1:27, "Christ in you the hope of glory," So ver. 29, "Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working which works in me mightily."
So Philip. 4:13, "I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me;" I can be high and low, poor and rich, honorable and base, something or nothing, etc., through Christ who strengthens me. [The word all things, though it be an universal, is not to be taken in the utmost extent—but according to the use of the like phrases in all languages, wherein the universal sign affixed, either to persons, or times, or places, or things— signifies a great number—but not all without exception, as you may see by comparing these scriptures together: Psalm 14:4, 8-9; John 14:26; 1 Cor. 10:23. So those words are to be understood in Philip. 4:13.]
So in Cant. 4:16, "Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may send forth a fragrant smell." We may puff and blow our hearts out, and yet no savory smell will flow forth, if Christ does not blow.
So in Psalm 138:3, "In the day when I cried, you answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul." Your graces, Christians, are heavenly plants of God's own planting and watering; and certainly the
heavenly farmer will never allow such plants of renown to wither, for lack of heavenly sap; he will strengthen, support, and nourish the work of his own hand. He will cause the desires of his people to bud, and their graces to blossom, and their souls to be like a watered garden—green and flourishing: Isaiah 58:11, compared with Isaiah 35:6-7.
[4.] Fourthly, When you look upon your graces, you must look upon them as a pledge of more glorious and unspeakable measures of grace and glory—which your souls shall be filled with at last.
In Eph. 1:13-14, "Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory." That little light and knowledge you have, is a pledge to your soul, that you shall at last know, even as you are known. 1 Cor. 13:12, "For now we see through a glass darkly—but then face to face. Now I know in part—but then shall I know, even as I am known." Christians know but little of what they should know, they know but little of what they might know, they know but little of what others know, they know but little of what they desire to know, they know but little of what they shall know— when they shall come to know "even as they are known." And yet these weak and imperfect glimpses that they have of God and heaven here, are infallible pledges of that perfect knowledge and full prospect that they shall have of God and heaven hereafter.
So that that little spark of joy which you have, is a pledge of those everlasting joys which shall rest upon your head—when all sorrow and mourning shall fly away, Isaiah 35:10, etc. And those sips of comfort you have now, are a pledge of your swimming in those everlasting pleasures that are "at God's right hand," Psalm 16:11. The least measures of grace are a pledge of greater measures. God will not lose his pledge, though men often lose theirs. God will not despise "the day of small things;" he will make those who bring forth but thirty fold, to bring forth sixty fold; and those who bring forth sixty fold, to bring forth a hundred fold, etc.
God, his Son and Spirit, are all eminently and fully engaged to carry on the work of grace in his children's souls. Therefore do not sit
down and say, My light is but dim, and my love but weak, and my joy but a spark which will quickly go out, etc. But always remember, that those weak measures of grace which you have, are a sure evidence of greater measures which God will confer upon you in his own time and in his own ways.
[5.] Fifthly, When you look upon your graces, be sure that you look more at the quality of your graces, than at the quantity of your graces.
You must rather bring your graces to the touchstone—to try their truth and reality; than to the balance—to weigh their measures. Many weak Christians are weighing their graces, when they should be a-trying the truth and reality of their graces—as if the quantity of grace were more considerable than the essence and nature of grace. And this is that which keeps many weak saints in a dark, doubting, questioning, and despairing condition; yes, this makes their lives a very hell. Weak saints, if you will not observe this rule, this caution, when you look upon your graces—you will go sighing and mourning to your graves. Ah! poor hearts, you should not be more cruel to your own souls than God is. When God comes to a judgment of your spiritual estates, he does not bring a pair of scales to weigh your graces—but a touchstone to try the truth and reality of your graces; and so should you deal by your own souls. If you deal otherwise, you are more cruel to your souls than God would have you. And if you are resolved that in this you will not imitate the Lord, then I dare prophesy that joy and peace shall be none of your guests, and he who should comfort you will "stand afar off," Lam. 1:16.
It is good to own and acknowledge a little grace—though it be mingled with very much corruptions; as that poor soul did, Mark 9:24, "And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief." He had but a little little faith, and this was mixed with abundance of unbelief, and yet notwithstanding he acknowledges that little faith he had, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief." His faith was so weak, that he accounts it little better than unbelief; yet, says he, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief." The least measure of true faith will make you blessed here, and happy hereafter. [Grace is one substance. Every twinkling of light is light; every drop of water is water;
every spark of fire is fire; every drop of honey is honey. So every drop of grace is grace; and if the least drop or spark of grace be not worth acknowledging, it is worth nothing.]
Much faith will give us a heaven here on earth. And any faith, if true, will give us heaven hereafter. So the church in Cant. 1. 5, "I am black—but lovely." She had nothing to say for her purity—yet she acknowledges her loveliness. "I am black—but lovely." Though she could not say she was fully pure—yet she could say she was lovely. As she was free to confess her blackness, so she was ingenuous to acknowledge her loveliness. "I am black—but lovely."
Ah, Christians! will you deal worse with your own souls, than you deal with your children? When you go to make a judgment of your child's affections, you look more to the truth of their affections, than you do to the strength of their affections; and will you be less sincere and favorable to your poor souls? If he deserves to be branded, who feasts his child and starves his wife; what do you deserve, who can acknowledge the least natural good that is in a child—and yet will acknowledge none of that spiritual and heavenly good that is in your souls?
[6 ] Sixthly, and lastly, When you look upon your graces, look that you do not renounce and reject your graces, seen in the light of the Spirit, as a weak and worthless evidence of your interest in Christ, and that happiness which comes by Christ.
I know in these days many cry up revelations and visions—yes, the visions of their own hearts—and make slight of the graces of Christ in the hearts of his people. Yes, they look upon grace as a poor weak thing. Ah, Christians! take heed of this, else you will render null, in a very great measure, many precious scriptures, especially the Epistles of John— which were penned for the comfort and support of weak saints. [Grace, says one, is the foundation of all our felicity, and comprehends all blessings, as manna is said to have done all good tastes. John's epistles are a rich treasury for Christian assurance.]
But that this may stick and work, be pleased to carry home with you these three things.
(1.) First, Other precious saints who are now triumphing in heaven, have pleaded their interest in God's love, and hopes of a better life—from graces inherent.
I will only point at those scriptures that speak out this truth: 1 John 3:14, 2:3-4; Job 23:10-12; and the whole 31st chapter of Job; Psalm 119:6; Isaiah 38:2-3; 2 Cor. 1:12. All these scriptures, with many others which might be produced, do with open mouth proclaim this truth. And surely to deny the fruit growing upon the tree to be an evidence that the tree is alive—is to me as unreasonable as it is absurd. Certainly, it is one thing to judge by our graces, and another thing to trust in our graces, to make a Savior of our graces. There is a great deal of difference between declaring and deserving; and if this be not granted, it will follow, that the apostle has sent us to a covenant of works, when he exhorts us to "use all diligence to make our calling and election sure," 2 Peter 1:5-10. [Christians may doubtless look to their graces as evidences of their part in Christ and salvation; and the clearer and stronger they are, the greater will be their comfort; but not as causes of their salvation.]
(2.) Secondly, Carry home this with you, If justification and sanctification are both benefits of the covenant of grace—then to evidence the one by the other, is no ways unlawful; nor it this a turning aside to a covenant of works:
But our justification and sanctification are both benefits and blessings of the covenant of grace. Consequently in Jer. 33:8, "I will pardon all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me," there is your justification; "and I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me," there is your sanctification. And therefore to evidence the one by the other, can be no ways unlawful, nor it this a turning aside to a covenant of works.
(3.) Thirdly, Carry home this with you, Whatever gift of God in man brings him within the compass of God's promise of eternal mercy—that gift must be an infallible evidence of salvation and happiness. But such are those gifts mentioned in those scriptures that prove the first head. Therefore they are infallible evidences of our salvation and eternal happiness.
I confess a man may have many great gifts, and yet none of them bring him within the compass of God's promise of eternal mercy. But I say, whatever gift of God in man brings him within the compass of God's promise of eternal mercy—that gift must be an infallible evidence of his happiness and blessedness. [Covet rather graces than gifts; as to pray more fervently, though less notionally or eloquently. Stammering Moses must pray—rather than well-spoken Aaron. The Corinthians came behind in no gift, 1 Cor. 1:7; yet were babes and carnal, chapter 3:2-3.]
For the further clearing of this, I will instance in a gift of waiting. Where this gift is, it brings a man within the compass of God's promise of eternal mercy. And had a man, as in a deserted state it often happens, nothing under heaven to show for his happiness—but only a waiting frame, this ought to bear him up from fainting and sinking. When the soul says, "My sun is set, my day is turned into night, my light into darkness, and my rejoicing into mourning, etc., oh, I have lost the comforting presence of God! I have lost the quickening presence of God! I have lost the supporting presence of God! I have lost the encouraging presence of God! etc., and when I shall recover these sad losses, I know not. All that I can say is this, that God keeps me in a waiting frame, weeping and knocking at the door of mercy." Now, I say, this waiting temper brings the soul within the compass of the promise of eternal mercy. And certainly such a soul shall not miscarry. Take three promises for this.
In Isaiah 40:31, "Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." The mercy is the waiting man's—but the waiting man must give God leave to time his mercy for him. So in Isaiah 30:18, "And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment; blessed are all those who wait for him." So in Isaiah 64:4, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, besides you, what he has prepared for him who waits for him." So in Isaiah 49:23, "They shall not be ashamed, who wait for me."
Men are often ashamed—who wait upon other men. Men high and great often frustrate the expectation of waiting souls, and then they blush, and
are ashamed and confounded that they have waited, and been deceived; but "they shall not be ashamed, who wait for me," says God; I will not deceive their expectation, and after all their waiting turn them off, and say, I have no mercy for you. [That is, they shall be advanced by me to great happiness and glory, to great dignity and felicity; for in the Hebrew dialect, adverbs of denying signify the contrary to the import of that verb whereunto they are joined, as might be showed by many scriptures.] Now, I say, where this waiting temper is, which is all that many a poor soul has to show for everlasting happiness and blessedness, that soul shall never miscarry. That God who maintains and upholds the soul in this heavenly waiting frame—in the appointed season will speak life and love, mercy and glory, to the waiting soul.
And so I have done with the third use, which was to stir you up to look upon your graces with cautions.
The fourth duty is:
4. To persuade weak saints not to turn aside from the ways of God, nor from the service of God, because of any hardships or difficulties that they meet with in his ways or service.
There is a very great aptness in weak saints to take offence almost at everything, and to be discouraged by the least opposition, affliction, and temptation—and so to turn aside from the good old way. Now that no difficulties nor hardships may turn you out of the way that is called holy, consider seriously of these few things.
[1.] First, Consider this, the Lord will sweeten more and more his services to you.
He will make his work to be more and more easy to your souls; he will suit your burden to your back, and your work to your hand. O weak soul! you shall find that his grace will be sufficient to hold you up and carry you on, notwithstanding any difficulties or discouragements that are in the way. He will shed abroad that love that shall constrain your soul, both to keep close to his service, and to delight in his service, 2 Cor. 12:9; ver. 14. He will make all his services to be easy to you; he will give to you that assisting grace which shall keep up your head and heart from fainting and sinking under discouragements, as you may see in Ezek. 36:25-28, "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them." So in Psalm 63:8, "My soul follows hard after you," (ay—but how comes this to pass?): "Your right hand upholds me!" I feel your hand under me, drawing of my soul off after you. Oh! were not your gracious hand under me, I would never follow hard after you.
The Lord will put under his everlasting arms, O weak Christian! and therefore though your feet be apt to slide—yet his everlasting arms shall bear you up. Therefore be not discouraged, do not turn aside from those paths that drop marrow and fatness, though there be a lion in the way. [The philosopher told his friends when they came into his little poor cottage, The gods are here with me. Surely God, and Christ, and the Spirit are, and will be, with weak saints, to aid and assist them in every gracious work.]
[2.] Secondly, Consider this, O weak saint! that there is less danger and hardship in the ways of Christ, than there is in the ways of sin, Satan, or the world.
That soul does but leap out of the frying-pan into the fire, that thinks to mend himself by turning out of the way that is called holy. Oh! the horrid drudgery that is in the ways of sin, Satan, or the world. Your worst day in Christ's service—is better than your best days, if I may so speak, in sin or Satan's service, Proverbs 11:18-19, and 21:21. Satan will pay the sinner at last with the loss of God, Christ, heaven, and his soul forever. "But in the way of righteousness is life, joy, peace, honor, and in the pathway thereof there is no death," Proverbs 12:28. "His ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all his paths are peace," Proverbs 3:17.
[3.] Thirdly, Remember, O weak saint! that all those hardships that you meet with—do only reach the outward man.
They only reach the ignoble, the baser part of man; they meddle not, they touch not, the noble part. "With my mind I serve the law of God, though with my flesh the law of sin," Romans 7:22. And verse 25, "I delight in the law of God, after the inward man." And indeed many of the heathen have encouraged themselves in this very consideration, against the troubles and dangers of this life. All the arrows which are shot at a Christian stick in his shield, they never reach his conscience, his soul. The raging waves beat sorely against Noah's ark—but they touched not him. The soul is of too noble a nature to be touched by troubles. Jacob's hard service under Laban, and his being nipped by the frost in winter, and scorched by the sun in summer, did only reach his outward man; his soul had high communion, and sweet fellowship with God, under all his hardships, Gen. 31:40. Ah, Christian! bear up bravely, for whatever hardships you meet with in the ways of God, shall only reach your outward man; and under all these hardships you may have as high and sweet communion with God, as if you had never known what hardships meant, Hosea 2:14.
[4.] Fourthly, Tell me, O weak saints! have not you formerly enjoyed such sweet refreshings while you have been in the very service of God, as has outweighed all the troubles and hardships that your souls have met with? I know you have, and you know that you have often found that scripture made good upon your hearts, Psalm 19:11, "Moreover, by them is your servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward." Mark, he does not say, "for keeping of them there is great reward," though that is a truth; but, "in keeping of them there is great reward. While the soul is at work, God throws in the reward. Do not you remember, O weak Christians! when you have been in the service and way of God, how he has cast in joy at one time, and peace at another? etc. Oh! the smiles, the kisses, the sweet discoveries that your souls have met with, while you have been in his ways. Ah, poor souls! do not you know that one hour's being in the bosom of Christ will make you forget all your hardships? Heaven at last will make amends for all; and the more hardships you find in the ways of God,
the more sweet will heaven be to you when you come there.
[Austin says, If a man should serve the Lord a thousand years, it would not deserve an hour of the reward in heaven, much less an eternity, etc.] Oh, how sweet is a harbor after a long storm, and a sunshine day after a dark and tempestuous night, and a warm spring after a sharp winter! The miseries and difficulties that a man meets with in this world, will exceedingly sweeten the glory of that other world.
[5.] Lastly, consider, What hardships and difficulties the men of this world run through, to get the world, and undo their own souls.
They rise early, go to bed late; they go from one end of the world to another, and venture through all manner of dangers, deaths, and miseries —to gain those things which are vain, uncertain, vexing, and dangerous to their souls, Psalm 127:2, Mat. 16:16. And will not you, as "a good soldier of Christ," 2 Tim. 2:3-4, endure a little hardship for the honor of your Captain, and your own internal and eternal good? You are listed under Christ's colors, and therefore you must arm yourself against all difficulties and discouragements. The number of difficulties makes the Christian's conquest the more illustrious. A gracious man should be made up all of fire, overcoming and consuming all oppositions, as fire does the stubble. All difficulties should be but whetstones to his fortitude, as Chrysostom said of Peter.
The fifth duty is this:
5. You who are weak saints should observe how Christ keeps your wills and affections.
That man is kept indeed, whose will and affection is kept close to Christ; and that man is lost with a witness, whose will and affections are won away from Christ. Weak saints are more apt to observe their own actions than their wills and affections, and this proves a snare unto them; therefore observe your affections, how they are kept; for if they are kept close to Christ, if they are kept faithful to Christ, though your foot may slide from Christ, all is well. The apostle, Romans 7:17, seq., observed,
that his will and affections were kept close to Christ even then, when he was tyrannically captivated and carried by the prevalency of sin from Christ: "With my mind I serve the law of God," says he, "and what I do I allow not; therefore it is no more I that does it—but sin that dwells in me." My will stands close to Christ, and my affections are faithful to Christ, though by the prevalency of corruption I am now and then carried captive from Christ. It is one thing to be taken up by an enemy, and another thing for a man to lay down his weapons at his enemy's feet. I am, says the apostle, a forced man, "I do what I hate;" I do what I never intended. The heart may be sound, when more external and inferior parts are not. The heart of a man may be sound God-ward and Christ-ward and holiness-ward, when yet there may be many defects and weaknesses in his conversation.
Now, a weak Christian should be very studious to observe how his heart stands God-wards; for the man is as his heart is; if that be right with Christ, then all is well; therefore, says Solomon, Proverbs 4:23, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." The Hebrew runs more fully thus: "Before all," or, "Above all keepings, keep your heart; for out of it is the goings forth of lives." The heart is the spring and fountain of all natural and spiritual actions, it is the primum mobile —the great wheel which sets all other wheels a-going; it is the great monarch in the isle of man; therefore keep it with all custody and caution, or else bid farewell to all true joy, peace, and comfort. When the heart stands right towards Christ, Christ will pardon much, and pass by much. [The heart is the presence-chamber of the king of heaven.]
If the ravished virgin in the time of the law cried out, she was guiltless; so when a poor soul, ravished by the power of corruption, and strength of Satan's temptations, cries out, "Lord, I would not, for all the world, sin against you, I would not distrust you, I would not be impatient under your afflicting hand, I would not be proud under your merciful hand; but, Lord, these sons of Zeruiah, 2 Sam. 3:39, these corruptions, are too hard for me; they commit a rape upon me; they ravish me of my Jesus, and of my joy, and of my peace; Lord, help me, Lord deliver me!" Now these weaknesses shall not be charged upon the soul. The ravished virgin under the law, if she cried out, was guiltless; and certainly God is not, nor will
not be, less merciful and gracious to his people under the gospel, who are still a-crying out against their sins and Satan's assaults. Surely those sins shall never be a Christian's bane—which are now his greatest burden. It is not falling into the water—but lying in the water, that drowns. It is not falling into sin—but lying in sin, that damns. If sin and your heart be two, Christ and your heart are one. If your heart is Christward, you are so happy that nothing can make you miserable.
6. Sixthly, Take heed of making sense and feeling a judge of your condition. Though there is nothing more dangerous—yet there is nothing more ordinary, than for weak saints to make their sense and feeling the judge of their condition. Ah, poor souls! this is dishonorable to God, and very disadvantageous to yourselves. Sense is sometimes opposite to reason—but always to faith; therefore do as those worthies did, 2 Cor. 5:8, 9, "We walk by faith—and not by sight." [Sense and reason in spiritual things, says Luther, is noxia bestia—a harmful beast, that will destroy and pull down what faith builds up.]
For a man to argue thus: Surely God is not my God, for I am not enlightened, I am not quickened, I am not melted, I am not raised, I am not enlarged as formerly. Oh! I have not those sweet answers and returns of prayer that once I had! Oh! I cannot find the Lord's quickening presence, nor his enlivening presence, nor his humbling presence, nor his encouraging presence, as once I have; therefore surely my condition is not good. Oh! I am more backward to good than formerly, and more prone to evil than formerly, therefore I am afraid that God is not my God, and that the work of grace is not thorough upon me. Oh! God does not look upon me as in the days of old, nor speak to me as in the days of old, nor behave towards me as in the days of old, and therefore I am afraid that all is naught.
Truly, if you will make sense and feeling the judge of your estate and condition, you will never have peace nor comfort all your days. Your estate, O Christian, may be very good, when sense and feeling says it is very bad. That child cannot but be perplexed, who thinks his father does not love him, because he does not always feel him smoothing and stroking of him. Christians, you must remember that it is one thing for God to love you—and another thing for God to tell you that he loves you.
Your happiness lies in the first—your comfort in the second. God has stopped his ear against the prayers of many a precious soul whom he has dearly loved. [Psalm 80:4; Lam. 3:34; Psalm 119:25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159; 42:5; Cant. 3:1-3; Isaiah 54:7-8.]
The best of men have at times lost that quickening, ravishing, and comforting presence of God, which once they have enjoyed. And truly, he who makes sense and carnal reason a judge of his condition, shall be happy and miserable, blessed and cursed, saved and lost, many times in a day, yes, in an hour! The counsel that I would give to such a soul that is apt to set up reason in the room of faith is this, Whatever your estate and condition be, never make sense and feeling the judge of it—but only the word of God. Did ever God appoint carnal reason, sense, and feeling, to be a judge of your spiritual estate? Surely not. And why, then, will you subject your soul to their judgments? God will judge you at last by his word: John 12:48, "The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge you in the last day."
Carnal reason is an enemy to faith; it is still a-crossing and contradicting of faith; it fills the mind full of cavils and prejudices, full of pleas and arguments, to keep Christ and the soul asunder, and the soul and the promises asunder, and the soul and peace and comfort asunder. It will never be well with you so long as you are swayed by carnal reason, and rely more upon your five senses than the four evangelists. Remember Job was as famous for his confidence as for his patience: "Though he slays me —yet will I trust in him," Job 13:15. As the body lives by breathing, so the soul lives by believing, etc.
IV. The duties of strong saints to the weak.
We come now to the last thing propounded, and that is, the duties of strong saints to those who are weak. I intend at this time to finish this point, and therefore shall not speak everything that might be spoken, being not of their minds, who think a man never speaks enough, who speaks not all that may be spoken to an argument. I shall, as near as I can, instance in those duties which are most weighty and worthy. And surely those souls who are serious and conscientious in the discharge of
these, cannot, nor will not, be negligent in the discharge of the rest. Now there are eleven duties that strong saints are to perform to those who are weak.
And the first is this.
[1.] Those who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak.
Romans 15:1, "We then who are strong," says the apostle, "ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." The word that is rendered to bear signifies to bear as pillars do bear the weight and burden of the house; to bear as porters do bear their burdens, or as the bones do bear the flesh, or rather as parents bear their babes in their arms.
"Bear the infirmities." Mark, he does not say the enormities—but the infirmities; he does not say the wickedness—but the weakness. The strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak. The Lord bears with the weakness of his children. Peter is weak, and sinful through weakness; he will not let the Lord Jesus wash his feet, John 13; but the Lord Jesus knowing that this was from weakness, and not from wickedness, he passes it over, and notwithstanding his unkind refusal, he washes his feet. Thomas is very weak: "I will not believe," says he, "except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side," John 20:25. Now this Christ bears with much tenderness and sweetness, as you may see in ver. 27, "Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither your fingers, and behold my hands, and reach hither your hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless—but believing." The Lord Jesus does, as it were, open his wounds afresh; he overlooks his weakness. Well, says he, seeing it is so that you will not believe, I will rather bleed afresh than you shall die in your unbelief.
So the three disciples whom Christ had singled out to watch with him one hour, Mat. 26, they showed a great deal of weakness to be sleeping, when their Lord was a-sorrowing; to be snorting when their Savior was sighing, etc. Yet Christ bears this, and reacts sweetly towards them, and excuses their weakness: ver. 41, "The spirit is willing—but the flesh is weak." Oh
how sweetly does the Lord behave! Every new man is two men; he has a contrary principle in him, the flesh and the spirit. The spirit, the noble part, is willing—but the flesh, the ignoble part, is weak and wayward.
Now shall the Lord thus bear with his weak ones, and shall not strong saints bear also? Remember, strong Christians, there was a day when you were as weak as others, as apt to fall as others, as easily conquered as others; and if then the Lord behaved sweetly towards you, let the same spirit be in you towards those who are weak. It will be no grief of heart to you, if in this you act like your Lord and Savior.
If you do not bear with the infirmities of the weak, who shall? who will? This wicked world cannot, nor will not. The world will make them transgressors for a word, and watch for their halting; and therefore you had need to bear with them so much the more, Isaiah 29:21, Jer. 20:10. The world's cruelty should stir up your compassions.
[2.] Secondly, As it is your duty to bear with them, so it is your duty to receive them into communion with you.
Romans 14:1, "Receive him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters." That is, him who is not thoroughly persuaded of all things pertaining to Christian liberty, about things indifferent. He does not say, "Those who have no faith receive." For there is no rule for the saints or churches to receive them into communion, who have no faith, who have no fellowship with the Father and the Son. But "Receive him whose faith is weak."
The word that is here rendered receive, signifies to receive into our bosom with charitable affection. The Greek word signifies three things.
(1.) It signifies to receive weak saints into our heart; to receive them with the greatest tenderness, affection, pity, and compassion that possibly can be. So the same Greek word is used in the Epistle of Philemon, ver. 12, where Paul entreats Philemon "to receive Onesimus who is my very heart." The word there is the same word with this in the text. So must the strong receive the weak, even as their own heart; receive them with the greatest affection, with the greatest compassion that possibly can be.
(2.) The word signifies patiently to bear with the weak when they are received; and not to take them into your bosom, into your communion one day and cast them out the next—but patiently to bear with them, as well as affectionately to receive them.
It was the heathen prince Xerxes, who crowned his steersman in the morning—and beheaded him in the evening of the same day, etc.
(3.) The word signifies by fatherly instruction to seek to restore him. It is not the will of Christ that weak saints should be rejected, or that the door of entrance should be shut against them, until they are stronger, or until they have attained to such heights and such perfections of grace and divine enjoyments of God as others have attained. Remember this, as the weakest faith, if true, gives the soul a right to all that internal and eternal worth that is in Christ: so the weakest faith, if true, gives a man a real right unto all the external privileges and favors that come by Christ. In Romans 15:7, "Therefore receive one another—as Christ also received us to the glory of God." This is the standing rule for all the saints and churches in the world to go by. It is not their wills—but these two scriptures last cited, which are the standing rules by which all the churches on earth are to go by, in the admission of members.
"Those who are weak in the faith" are to be received by you, because the Lord Jesus has received them. Christ does not receive the strong—and cast off the weak. No; the Lord Jesus gathers the weak into his bosom, and tenderly dandles them upon his knee. He receives the weak—as well as the strong; therefore says the apostle, "As the Lord has received them —so do you."
Bucer rejected none in whom he saw aliquid Christi—anything of Christ— but gave them the right hand of fellowship. Such people and churches can never answer it to Christ—who keep the door of admission shut against souls truly gracious, though they are but weak in grace, though they have not attained to such a measure of light, or degrees of love, or to such perfections in holiness—as such and such have done. No; the standing rule is, "Him whom the Lord has received—receive."
If weak saints shall desire communion, and be willing to walk in the ways
that Jesus Christ has appointed his saints to walk in, the churches ought to give them the right hand of fellowship. And that is the second duty that lies upon the strong, namely, that they are to receive the weak into communion and fellowship with them, and that with the greatest affection, love, and compassion, that possibly can be.
A third duty that lies upon strong saints to the weak is this:
[3.] They must look more upon their graces—than upon their weaknesses.
It is a sad thing when they shall borrow spectacles to behold their weak brethren's weaknesses, and refuse looking-glasses wherein they may see their weak brethren's graces. Saints who are strong ought to look more upon the virtues of weak saints than upon their miscarriages. When Christ saw but a little moral good in the young man, the text says that "He looked upon him, and loved him," Mark 10:12. And shall not we look upon a weak saint and love him, when we see the love of God and the image of God upon him. Shall moral virtue take the eye, and draw the love of Christ? And shall not supernatural grace in a weak Christian, take our eyes and draw our hearts? Shall we eye a little gold in much earth? And shall we not eye a little grace where there is much corruption? [If moral virtue could be seen with mortal eyes, it would soon draw all hearts to itself, says Plato. What, then, should grace do? the least grain of which is of more worth than all the moral virtues in the world.]
It is an unsufferable weakness, I had almost said, for people to allow their affections to run out only to such who are of their judgments; and to love, prize, and value people according as they suit their opinions—and not according to what of the image of God shines in them. But if this be not far from a gospel spirit, and from that God-like spirit which should be in saints, I know nothing. It speaks out much of Christ within, to own where Christ owns, and love where Christ loves, and embrace where Christ embraces, and to be one with everyone that is practically one with the Lord Jesus. Christ cannot but take it very unkindly at our hands—if we should disown any upon whom he has set his royal stamp. And I bless his grace that has drawn out my desires and endeavors to love, own, and honor the people of Christ, according to the appearances of Christ which I
see in them. And, if I am not much mistaken, this is the highway to that joy, peace, and comfort—the lack of which makes a man's life a hell. God looks more on the bright side of the cloud, than he does on the dark—and so should we.
It was the honor of Vespasian that "he was more ready to conceal the vices of his friends, than their virtues." Surely there is much of God in that soul, that is upon a gospel account more careful and skillful to conceal the vices of weak saints, than their virtues. Many in these days do justly incur the censure which that sour philosopher passed upon grammarians, that "they were better acquainted with the evil of Ulysses, than with their own."
[4.] Fourthly, it is the duty of strong saints, in things indifferent—to deny themselves, to please the weak.
1 Cor. 8:13, "If what I eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don't want to make another Christian stumble." Strong saints must stand unchangeably resolved neither to give offence carelessly, nor to take offence causelessly. Says the apostle, I will not stand to dispute my Christian liberty—but will rather lay it down at my weak brother's feet, than I will by the use of it offend one for whom Christ has died. 1 Cor. 9:22, "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." That is, I condescended and went to the uttermost that I possibly could, without sin—to win and gain upon the weak; I displeased myself in things which were of an indifferent nature, to please them.
You ought not, O strong Christian, by the use of your Christian liberty, to put a stumbling-block before your weak brother. Romans 15:2, "We then who are strong, ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification." He does not say, Let everyone of us please the lust of his neighbor—but let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. Let us in things of an indifferent nature so yield as to please our neighbor. There were some who thought that they might observe days; others thought they might not. Some thought they might eat meat;
others thought they might only eat vegetables. Why, says the apostle, in these things which are of an indifferent nature, I will rather displease and deny myself, to profit my neighbor, than I will, by the use of my liberty, occasion my neighbor to offend. Ay, this is true Christian love indeed, for a man to cross himself to please his neighbor, so it may be for his soul's edification. But this heavenly love is driven almost out of the world, which causes men to dislike those things in others which they flatter in themselves.
A fifth duty incumbent upon strong saints is,
[5.] To support the weak.
1 Thes. 5:14, "Support the weak, be patient towards all men." Look, what the crutch is to the lame, and the beam of the house is to the ruinated house—that ought strong saints to be to the weak. Strong saints are to be crutches to the weak, they are to be, as it were, beams to bear up the weak. Strong saints are to set to their shoulder, to shore up the weak by their counsels, prayers, tears, and examples. Strong saints must not deal with the weak, as the herd of deer do with the wounded deer; they forsake it and push it away. Oh no! When a poor weak saint is wounded by a temptation, or by the power of some corruption, then those who are strong ought to support and support such a one, lest he be swallowed up in sorrow. When you who are strong see a weak saint staggering and reeling under a temptation or affliction, Oh, know it is then your duty to put both your hands underneath, to support him so that he faints not, that he miscarries not in such an hour. Isaiah 35:3, "Strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees." [Look, what the nurse is to the child, the oak to the ivy, the house to the vine; that should strong saints be to the weak, etc., 2 Cor. 2:7.]
"Strengthen the weak hands," that is, hands that hang down; "and confirm the feeble knees," that is, such knees that by reason of feebleness are ready to fall. Strengthen such, that is, encourage them, by casting in a promise, by casting in your experiences, or by casting in the experiences of other saints, that so they may be supported. It may be his case was once yours: if so, then tell him what promises did support you, what discoveries of God did uphold you; tell him what tastes, what sights, and
what in-comes you had, and how bravely you did bear up, by the strength of his everlasting arms which were under you, etc.
A sixth duty that is incumbent upon strong saints is,
[6.] To take heed of making weak saints halt and go lame in a way of holiness, or of keeping them off from the ways of God, or of turning them out of the ways of God.
That is the meaning of that scripture, as I conceive, Luke 17:2. And of that, Mat. 18:10, "Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." You are apt to slight them because they are weak in grace and holiness, and so you are apt to cause them to halt; but take heed of this, they have glistening courtiers which attend them; therefore take heed that you do not offend them, for their angels, as so many champions, stand ready to right them and fight for them. A man were better offend and anger all the devils in hell, and all the witches in the world, than to anger and offend the least of Christ's little ones. If Cain despises Abel, God will arraign him for it: "Why is your countenance cast down?" Gen. 4:6. If Miriam does but mutter against Moses, God will spit in her face for it, Num. 12:14.
That is a very dreadful word, Mat. 18:6, "But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." You make nothing of it—but says Christ, take heed, "for it would be better that a millstone," a huge millstone, as the Greek word signifies, such a one as only a donkey can turn about; (this kind of punishment the greatest malefactors among the Jews were put to in those days, says Jerome), "and cast into the middle of the sea;" so it is word for word in the Greek, the middle being deepest and furthest off from the shore, rendering his condition most miserable and irrecoverable.
[7.] Seventhly, It is the duty of strong saints to suit all things to the capacity of the weak.
To suit all their prayers and all their discourses to the capacity of the
weak. Paul was good at this: "To the weak became I as weak." Paul was a man as strong in natural and acquired parts as any living, and he knew how to word it, and to carry it in as lofty strains, as any who breathed— yet who more plain in his preaching than Paul? It has many a time made my heart sad, to think how those men will answer it in the day of Christ— who affect lofty strains, high notions, and cloudy expressions—who make the plain things of the gospel dark and obscure.
Many preachers in our days are like Heraclitus, who was called "the dark doctor;" they affect sublime notions, obscure expressions, uncouth phrases, making plain truths difficult, and easy truths hard. "They darken counsel with words without knowledge," Job 38:2. Studied expressions and high notions in a sermon, are like Asahel's carcass in the pathway, which did only stop men and make them gaze—but did no ways profit them or better them. It is better to present truth in her native plainness, than to hang her ears with counterfeit pearls.
That is a remarkable scripture, 1 Cor. 3:1-2, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual—but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able." The apostle did not soar aloft in the clouds, and express the mysteries of the gospel in such a dark obscure way as that poor creatures could not be able to understand the mind of God in it. No; but he suited all his discourses to their capacities; and so must you.
[8.] Eighthly, It is your duty to labor to strengthen weak saints against sin, and to draw them to holiness argumentatively.
When a strong saint comes to deal with one that is weak, and would strengthen him against sin, he must do it argumentatively; and when he would draw to holiness, he must do it argumentatively. 1 John 2:1-2, compared with chapter 1:7, 9, "My little children, these things I write unto you—that you sin not." What things were those he wrote? Mark, chapter 1:7, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses from all sins." Here he fences them against sin, by one of the
strongest and choicest arguments that the whole book of God affords, by an argument which is drawn from the soul's communion with God. And then in verse 9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father." Here the apostle labors to strengthen weak saints argumentatively, even by the strongest arguments that the whole book of God affords. So verses 12-13, "I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you, for his name's sake," etc. So in verse 18, "Little children, it is the last times, and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time." So verse 28, "And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does righteousness is born of him." You see in all these scriptures how the apostle labors to strengthen weak saints in a way of holiness, and to fence them against ways of wickedness argumentatively, and so must you; this being the ready way to convince them, and to make a conquest upon them, etc.
The ninth duty that lies upon strong saints is,
[9.] To cast a mantle over the infirmities of the weak.
Now there is a three-fold mantle that should be cast over the infirmities of the weak. There is a mantle of wisdom, a mantle of faithfulness, and a mantle of compassion, which is to be cast over all the infirmities of weak saints.
First, Strong saints are to cast a mantle of wisdom over the infirmities of weak saints. They are not to present their sins in that ugliness, and with such aggravations, as may terrify, as may sink, as may make a weak saint to despair, or may drive him from the mercy-seat, or as may keep him and Christ asunder, or as may unfit him for the discharge of pious duties. It is more a weakness than a virtue in strong Christians, when a weak saint is fallen, to aggravate his fall to the uttermost, and to present his sins in such a dreadful dress, as shall amaze him, etc. It often proves very prejudicial and dangerous to weak saints, when their infirmities are aggravated beyond Scripture grounds, and beyond what they are able to
bear. He who shall lay the same strength to the rubbing of an glass dish, as he does to the rubbing of a pewter platter, instead of cleaning it, shall surely break it all to pieces. The application is easy, etc. [Parisiensis said sometimes concerning trifles: It is, said he, as if a man should see a fly or a flea on a man's forehead, and for that should presently take a hammer to knock him on the head to kill the fly.]
Secondly, There is a mantle of faithfulness which is to be cast over the infirmities of weak saints. A man should never reveal the infirmities of a weak saint, especially to such that have neither skill nor will to heal and bury them. The world will but blaspheme and blaze them abroad, to the dishonor of God, to the reproach of religion, and to the grief and scandal of the weak, etc. They will with Ham rather call upon others to scoff at them, than bring a mantle to cover them, etc. Ham was cursed because he revealed his father's nakedness to his brethren, when it was in his power to have covered it. He saw it, and might have drawn a curtain over it—but would not; and for this, by a spirit of prophecy, he was cursed by his father, Gen. 9:22. This age is full of such monsters, who rejoice to blaze abroad the infirmities of the saints, and these certainly justice has or will curse.
Thirdly, There is a mantle of compassion which must be cast over the weaknesses and infirmities of weak saints. When a weak man comes to see his sin, and the Lord gives him to lie down in the dust, and to take shame and confusion to himself, that he has dishonored God, and caused Christ to bleed afresh, and grieved the Spirit, etc.; oh now you must draw a covering, and cast a mantle of love and compassion over his soul, that he may not be swallowed up with sorrow. Now you must confirm your love to him, and carry it with as great tenderness and sweetness after his fall, as if he had never fallen. This the apostle presses, 2 Cor. 2:7, "Love," says the wise man, "covers all sin." Love's mantle is very large. Love claps a plaster upon every sore; love has two hands, and makes use of both, to hide the scars of weak saints.
Christ, O strong saints, casts the mantle of his righteousness over your weaknesses, and will not you cast the mantle of love over your brother's infirmities? [I have known a good old man, said Bernard, who, when he had heard of any that had committed some notorious offence, was
accustomed to say with himself, He fell today—so may I tomorrow, etc.]
[10.] Tenthly, It is the duty of strong saints to sympathize with the weak; to rejoice with them when they rejoice, and to mourn with them when they mourn.
2 Cor. 11:29, "Who is weak, and I am weak? who is scandalized, offended —and I am not on fire, burn not?"
Thuanus reports of Lodovicus Marsacus, a knight of France, when he was led with other martyrs that were bound with cords, going to execution, and he for his dignity was not bound, he cried, Give me my chains too, let me be a knight of the same order.
It should be between a strong saint and a weak, as it is between two lutestrings, which are tuned one to another; no sooner one is struck—but the other trembles; no sooner should a weak saint be struck—but the strong should tremble. "Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them," Heb. 13:3.
The Romans punished one that was seen looking out at his window with a crown of roses on his head, in a time of public calamity; and will not God punish those who do not sympathize with Joseph in his afflictions? Surely he will. Amos 6:1-14.
[11.] Lastly, It is the duty of the strong to give to the weak the honor which is due unto them.
1 Peter 3:7: They have the same name, the same baptism, the same profession, the same faith, the same hope, the same Christ, the same promises, the same dignity, and the same glory with you; therefore speak honorably of them, and behave honorably towards them. Let not those be under your feet—whom Christ has laid near his heart, etc. And so much for this second doctrine, that all saints are not of an equal size and growth in grace and holiness.
"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ!" Ephesians 3:8
I shall now proceed to the third doctrine, namely, Christ gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones.
We shall speak now to the word grace. The Greek word that is here rendered grace, has a twofold signification.
First, Sometimes it is taken for the gracious favor and good-will of God, whereby he is pleased of his own free love to accept and own poor sinners in the Son of his love, for his own. This is called the first grace, because it is the fountain of all other graces, and the spring from whence they flow. And it is therefore called grace, because it makes a man gracious with God.
Secondly, This word that is here rendered grace, is taken for the gifts of grace, and they are of two sorts, special or common. Common grace is that which hypocrites may have, and in which they may excel and go beyond the choicest saints, as in a gift of knowledge, a gift of utterance, a gift of prayer, a gift of tongues, etc. A man may have these, and many other excellent gifts, and yet eternally miscarry, yes, fall as low as hell; witness Judas, Demas, the scribes and pharisees, etc., Mat. 7:21-25.
Secondly, There is special grace, as faith, love, humility, meekness, which the apostle reckons up in Gal. 5:22-23.
Now here by grace you may either understand the gracious favor of God, "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this choice favor given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ," or else you may take it for the gifts of grace, both saving and common, which the apostle had given him, in order to the discharge of his ministerial office, which, by the special favor of God, he was advanced to.
The word grace being thus opened, we may from thence observe, that
the Lord gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones.
"Unto me," says the apostle, "who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given."
For the opening and clearing of this point, I shall premise these four things.
I. To show you what those best gifts are, which God bestows upon his best beloved ones.
II. I shall show you the manner of his giving the best gifts to his beloved ones, or the difference there is between Christ's giving and the world's giving.
III. And then the excellency of those gifts which Christ gives, above all other gifts which the world gives.
IV. And lastly, The reason why Christ gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones.
I. For the first, What are those best gifts, which Christ bestows upon his best beloved ones?
I shall not instance in those common gifts which they have in common with others—but rather show unto you those special gifts which God bestows upon them; and of those I shall single out those which are most choice, and which carry most in them of the glory, favor, and "good will of him who dwelt in the bush."
And the first is this:
[1.] He gives LIGHT to his beloved ones. "Light is a pleasant thing to behold," as the wise man speaks, Eccles. 11:7. He gives spiritual light, which is a mercy of mercies. Eph. 5:14, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." [shine upon you. Life without light is but a lifeless life.] So John 1:7-9, "He was not that Light—
but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light—which enlightens every man who comes into the world." He gives that light whereby his people are enabled to see sin to be the greatest evil, and himself to be the chief good. He gives that light which melts the soul, which humbles the soul, which warms the soul, which quickens the soul, which quiets the soul, and which gladdens the soul. Man is not born with heavenly light in his heart, as he is born with a tongue in his mouth. Until Christ comes and sets up a light in the soul, the soul lives in darkness, and lies in darkness, yes, is darkness in the very abstract: Eph. 5:8, "You were once darkness—but now are you light in the Lord." Saints are always in the sunshine, therefore they should be like a crystal glass, with a light in the midst, which appears in every part. "But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings." Mal. 4:2. "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6
A Christian should be like the lamp in the story—which never went out. Were it not for the sun, it would be perpetual night in the world, notwithstanding all starlight, and torchlight, and moonlight. It is not the torchlight of natural parts and creature-comforts, nor the starlight of civil honesty and common gifts, nor yet the moonlight of temporary faith and formal profession—which can make day in the soul, until the Sun of righteousness rises and shines upon it. And that is the first thing he gives —light.