God Works In You - Phil 2:13
hearts to hate them. For they trouble us more than the devil, although most men study to gratify their enemy, and how to satisfy the lusts of the flesh. And who are their enemies but such as tell them and bid them beware of their enemies? Now to the reason.
GOD WORKS IN YOU
For it is God that worketh in you to will and to do according to his good pleasure. - VERSE 13 It is as much as if he should say, because God works, therefore work you, lest he should take both the power of working from you and also the act. For he gives both 'to will and to do,' not only the power to will and to do, but the very act of willing and doing; and this he doth out of his free grace and pleasure. In the opening of which words, observe with me these things. First, that a Christian hath a power in him to will and to do good; secondly, that God works this in him; thirdly, this work is a powerful work; fourthly, it is an inward work; fifthly, this work is entire; sixthly, observe how this work is a ground of fear and trembling.
1. For the first, that a Christian hath a will and power to do good, this is necessary. For in all estates, whether a man be good or bad, his will is the chief; and therefore, in conversion of any one, the will and judgment is first wrought upon and converted. And therefore this may be noted to shew us our estates, whether we be good or not. If we be good, we will that which is good, and choose the better part; for those that choose the worst ever are opposite to the best. Their estate is naught, let them boast what they will. The Christian therefore ever hath a will to do, though many times he doth not what he will, being sometimes (for secret causes best known to God) kept by him from performing their wills. David would have built a temple,
and Abraham would have sacrificed Isaac. Other times hindered by corruptions. The will, or to will, saith Paul, is present, but not the deed, Rom. 7:18; and Christ saith, 'The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak,' Mat. 26:41. If we do therefore any good, the deed is God's. If we will it, the will is God's. And then we please God when we will that which God wills, and not when we do that which God wills not.
2. Secondly, This power that we have, we have it not from ourselves, but God gives it to us. Some things are done for us which were neither wrought by us nor in us; and thus Christ's death was wrought. Some things wrought in us, not by us, as our first work of conversion. Other things are wrought both in us and by us, and these are all good works after conversion. This will whereof we speak is wrought in us by God, as we be his temples, and the deed is wrought by us as instruments of God's working in us. Thought is not so much as will, it being but a way to it. Yet can we not think a good thought without the Spirit of God working in us. For we have no life at all, but are 'dead in sins and trespasses,' much less can we have any motion to that which is good for ourselves.
Quest. But it will be demanded, how can the work be done by God, and yet we work the same work?
Ans. I answer, in every work that is done, there is God's power and man's joined together. But how? So far as we think or will, it is from us, but to think or will that which is good, that is from God. We work not as horses draw together and equally. We are not co-ordinate, but subordinate. We work as understanding creatures. But God guides our understanding to this or that as he pleases. We hear, but God he bores the ear first. Lydia believed, but God opened her heart, and framed it to believe, Acts 16:14. We think, but God gives us to think well.
3. In the next place we are to shew, that this work of God in us is a powerful work. It determines our will. God deals not per omnipotentiam to constrain our wills to this or that which is contrary to the will, but he gives us to will that which he wills. Now when God intends that man shall do anything, he gives him a will to do it; and in this respect his work is powerful in us. Magnify therefore this power, that preserves us in the midst of temptation, even as it preserved the three children in the fire from burning, Dan. 3:27; that makes earth to be in heaven; and labour to find experience of this power in thee, the want of the sense whereof brings much want of inward comfort of God's Spirit.
4. In the next place, note that this work is inward within us, not without us. He uses exhortations, monitions, allurements, but he puts power to these to prevail: Fortiter pro te, suaviter pro me,
Domine, saith the Father (b). For God may work fortiter, strongly, and yet liberty be preserved too, as it is evident in the angels. For freedom consists not in doing this or that ad libitum as we say; but then are we free and at liberty, when we do anything out of a sound judgment. The angels see good reason why they should depend on God, and man seeing that happiness only lies in the enjoyment of the favour of God, do voluntarily depend on him. God therefore enters into the heart, changes the stony heart into a heart of flesh, takes away all rebellious dispositions of our heart, and makes them pliable to his will.
5. Come we in the next place to consider the perfection and entireness of this work. God, he is 'Alpha and Omega, the author and finisher of our faith,' Heb. 12:2, and the beginning and perfection of every good thing is from him. Omne bonum, a summo Bono; and therefore he is the cause of the not doing of that which is not done; he is causa quiescendo, as well as agendo. For why is a thing not, but
because he gives it not a being? So that all the ill which we will not, is of him. We should therefore be as thankful to him for any sin he keeps us from, as for any good that he causes us to perform; for there is not any sin that another hath committed, but if God had pleased I might have committed. This is an excellent point to teach us humility. Note therefore hence, Doct. That perseverance is from God. He gives to will and to do. 'He that hath begun will finish the good work,' saith the apostle in the first of this epistle, and the sixth verse. It is not in our strength to hold out; for after we are once changed, God gives grace sufficient to restrain us and to hold us up. God deals not with us as the husbandman does, sows the ground and leaves it. No. God watches and weeds us, and continues his labour upon us, till he brings us to the end of his promise. If he uphold us not, we are ready to return to our first principles again.
Use. This enforces a particular and resolute dependence on God, in full assurance that what he hath promised, he will perform. He will put his fear into our hearts, so as we shall not depart from him.
Doct. And this is done freely of his own good pleasure; and thus he doth all things. Not of necessity; he is not forced to this or that, either by any foreign power, or internal; he is not bound to this or that, as fire burns necessarily: as the school saith, necessitate naturæ.
Indeed, he is good necessarily, for it is his nature; but in his acts he is free from all manner of compulsion, for none can compel him, neither is he drawn to this or that by any merit in us, for we merit nothing but destruction. It was his own will that be made any creature at all; that he ranked them into angels and men; that he passed by the angels, and redeemed man; to give means of salvation to some and not to others; to make the means effectual to some and
not to others; that some are called sooner, some later; some have more strength, some less; to some more comfort, some less; and to those that have more, to give more at some time and less at other times, as is his free will. What meritorious disposition can there be in a dead person, as the apostle saith we are? Oh, but it will be objected that one grace deserves another; and God giving us, for example, the Spirit of prayer, we deserve the thing we prayed for. I answer, nothing less. God indeed uses this order, but hereby do we not deserve anything. God says, 'Ask, and it shall be given,' Mat. 7:7. But how? Not by desert in praying; but he hath established this order, that men shall ask before we have.
Uses. (1.) Hence have we a ground of thankfulness to God.
(2.) Secondly, take not offence though thou seest thou hast less grace than others have. All are not strong; some are babes; and it is God's will it should be so, even as there are divers degrees in ages. If thou beest in any esteem with Christ, thank God for that thou art. I speak the rather, being* many are vexed because they are not so holy and pure as such are to whom God hath given a large portion of the grace of his Spirit. No. God gives according to his good pleasure.
(3.) Despair not therefore. If thou wantest grace, go to God for more.
He gives according to his own good pleasure. Many complain they are sinners, dead, dull, indisposed. Go to God. He gives sharpness of wit to the dull, but according to his good pleasure. More hurt and hindrance comes ordinarily from the abundance of God's gifts of this sort than good. For it may be God sees thou wilt be hereby lifted up and extolled, as Paul was; and therefore for thy good he withholds it from thee. Vex not thyself therefore for the want of that which, if thou hadst it, would turn to thine own bane.
Take heed how thou insultest over others, that as yet are not wrought upon. It may be their hour is not yet come; and therefore use thou all means to do good to such as stand in need. God appoints times and seasons, when and what means he will bless. Thou mayest be the instrument to convert thy brother.
And above all take heed of self-conceit. God gives thee all, and if it be not of or from thyself, why shouldst thou boast, or be lifted up? Be therefore content, and repose thyself on God. What though perchance thou wantest outward means and worldly riches? Pass* not for them. Thank God that he hath wrought a spiritual change in thee. He hath given thee the main. I am sure thou wouldst not change thy estate for all the riches in the world, nor pomp and pride thereof. And if thou findest a decay of the sense of God's love and favour towards thee, seek it of him, but with submission. What if thou findest an ebb of goodness in thee? and that it is not with thee now as formerly it hath been, that thou art more easily overcome with temptation, and that thou canst not wrestle as once thou couldst against thy corruptions? Know, God he gives his power to work and fight, as his pleasure is. God by suffering thee thus to be foiled, tells thee that the work is not thine own, but his, and that he gives and bestows increase as he pleases. Take notice therefore of these things.
Thus far have we spoken of the words simply considered.
Now, let us come to them, as they have relation one to another, and particularly of the force of the reason. 'God gives the will and deed, according to his own good pleasure:' therefore fear, and take heed how thou neglectest the means. Fear exaltation of spirit, and trust not on outward means. David, that holy man, he had a touch of this:
Ps. 30:6, 'I said in my prosperity, I shall not be moved.' Fear how thou vowest anything in thine own strength in time to come; for in that St James gives a good instruction, 'You ought to say, If the Lord
will,' 4:15. Submit thyself to him, for he gives the power 'to will and to do, according to his own good pleasure.'
Doct. It ought therefore [to] be an encouragement to a Christian to work, when he considers that God works the will and the deed, according to his good pleasure. That God is willing to give 'the will and the deed' in obedience to his ordinance, will make a Christian confident in every good work; and therefore, to that end, he must learn to know God's will, as favourites in court they learn to know what will please the prince, and accordingly they fashion their behaviour. And when we know his will, then come boldly to him for to desire strength in doing his will. For he hath made us gracious promises, 'to take away our stony hearts, and to give us hearts of flesh,' Ezek. 11:19, and 'to lay no more on us than we are able to bear,'
1 Cor. 10:13. Let us repair to him for the accomplishment of these promises and others. Take heed how we distrust his promises. It made the Israelites travel forty years, till all the generation of them perished, and entered not into that good land. God hath promised us, not an earthly inheritance, but an heavenly, and victory over our sins. Let us then set on this conquest boldly and with courage, for God hath made himself our debtor by his promise, and he is faithful that hath promised: where, by the way, observe the difference between our estate in the 'first,' from this present estate of ours in the 'second Adam.' The first Adam had no such promise to continue in that estate of integrity. But we have. We are assured. We are united to Christ more surely than he was to his estate in paradise.
Magnify, therefore, this condition of thine. And in the fourth place, labour to know aright the nature of the covenant of grace; for it is a part of his covenant with us, that what he enjoins us he will enable us to perform. 'If we believe, we shall be saved,' saith the covenant.
Well, God, he gives us to believe, he bids us to repent, he gives us power to repent. The commandments which are given us concerning
faith and repentance, and the like graces here, they shew the order that God uses in saving man, 'To you,' saith Christ, 'it is given to know and believe,' Mat. 13:11. This ought, therefore, to comfort us, seeing this covenant of grace is, not only a covenant which requires duties of our parts, but also it is a testament wherein these graces are given us in way of legacies. If we knew the privileges that in this covenant do belong unto us, it should surely make us bold. God promises the will and deed, that we may apply these things unto ourselves; which if we do, we may go about our works with resolution, that they shall be prosperous to us: our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. In reverence, therefore, use all means. Trust not on the means, but use them in reverence and in fear; and hereby thou shalt avoid many corrections, which otherwise thy sins will draw on thee, For the difference in the performance of duties makes the difference of Christians. Some are more careless in their performances than others. Is it not just with God to punish such, by letting them fall into many gross sins? See this in David and Peter.
They trusted to themselves, and called not on God for his gracious direction in temptation. Mark their sins. Observe what comfort they lost. And surely those that are watchful Christians are ever careful of their rules; and God to such gives what he requires of them. He sends us not to seek straw ourselves as Pharaoh, Exod. 5:7; but he provides it to us.
Obj. But it will be objected that, by this doctrine of trusting and relying on God, men will grow idle. God will work his will in us though we sleep, say they.
Ans. But to answer them. First, such men as these will be ashamed to argue thus in outward and worldly businesses. For example, in husbandry, God hath promised every good thing to us; therefore, let me sit still: the corn will grow, though I sow not nor till the ground.
Would not such an one be thought mad, that should reason thus?
Because we know that as God hath appointed every end, so he hath ordained order and means, whereby such things shall be effected.
Thus is it in grace. He gives 'the will and the deed,' but he prescribes prayer and other ordinances, as the means attaining to this will, for we have it not of ourselves. And therefore he bids us hear, read and meditate, watch, and such like, and depend on God for a blessing in the use of the means he appoints us. Do that which is required of you. God will do that [that] belongs to him. He will give 'the will and deed.' Christ he knew that the Father loved him and would honour him, but yet he prays, 'Father, glorify thy Son,' John 17:1. So in sickness, to whom God purposes and decrees health, he shall do well.
But how? Without means? No. They must use advice of physicians, as one of God's ordinances. Thus is it with our souls. We are all naturally sick and dead. God hath predestinated some to live. But how? 'Faith comes by hearing,' Rom. 10:17. He must be conversant still in the use of means appointed to that end. But the comfortless and weak soul will say, 'Alas! I use means, yet feel I no grace; I am not the better.' To such I say, 'It may be thou art not so instant and urgent in the use of the means as thou mayest and should be.' And secondly, thou must not measure thyself by thy will; for a Christian's will is ever beyond his ability, tending still to that perfection which they cannot come to in this world. Rich men that are covetous think themselves poor, and still desire more. 'I know thy tribulation and thy poverty, but thou art rich,' saith the Spirit to the church of Smyrna, Rev. 2:9; and therefore discourage not thyself. God is faithful. Use the means, and depend not on the means; but depend on God in the use of the means, else thou shalt find but little comfort.
And if thou findest thy affections any whit enlarged to good duties, and lifted up, and cheered in the performance of them, and art glad that thou art not so conversant in sinning as formerly thou wert, but that thou makest a conscience of thy ways, thank God and give him