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Grace
o. Irresistible Grace. The
dispute about grace’s being resistible or irresistible, is perfect
nonsense. For the effect of grace is upon the will, so that it is
nonsense, except it be proper to say, that a man with his will can
resist his own will, or except it be possible for a man to will a thing
and not will it at the same time, and so far as he does will it. Or if
you speak of enlightening grace, and say this grace is upon the
understanding, it is nothing but the same nonsense in other words. For
them the sense runs thus: that a man, after he has seen so plainly that
a thing is best for him that he wills it, yet he can at the same time
nill it. If you say he can will anything he pleases, this is most
certainly true, for who can deny that a man can will anything he does
already will? That a man can will anything that he pleases, is just as
certain as what is, is. Wherefore it is nonsense to say that after a man
has seen so plainly a thing to be so much best for him that he will it,
he could have not willed it if he had pleased. That is to say, if he had
not willed it, he could have not willed it. It is certain that a man
never does anything but what he can do. But to say, after a man has
willed a thing, that he could have not willed it if he had pleased, is
to suppose two wills in a man: the one to will which goes first, and the
other to please or choose to will. And so with the same reason we may
say that there is another will to please; to please to will; and so on
to a thousand. Wherefore, to say that the man could have willed
otherwise if he had pleased, is just all one as to say, that if he had
willed otherwise, then we might be sure he could will otherwise.
y the Spirit to do
anything at all. By the Spirit’s infusing, let be meant what it will,
those who say there is no infusion contradict themselves. For they say
the Spirit does something in the soul: that is, he causes some motion,
or affection, or apprehension to arise in the soul that, at the same
time, would not be there without him. Now God’s Spirit doeth what he
doeth; he does as much as he does; or he causeth in the soul as much as
he causeth, let that be how little soever. So much as is purely the
effect of his immediate motion, let that be what it will, and so much is
infused, how little soever that be. This is self-evident. For suppose
the Spirit of God only to assist the natural powers, then there is
something done betwixt them. Men’s own powers do something, and God’s
Spirit does something, only they work together. Now that part that the
Spirit does, how little soever it be, is infused. So that they that deny
infused habits, own that part of the habit is infused. For they say, the
Holy Spirit assists the man in acquiring the habit, so that it is
acquired rather sooner than it would be otherwise. So that part of the
habit is owing to the Spirit, some of the strength of the habit was
infused, and another part is owing to the natural powers of the man. Or
if you say not so, but that it is all owing to the natural power
assisted, then how do you mean assisted? To act more lively and
vigorously than otherwise? Then that liveliness and vigorousness must be
infused, which is a habit, and therefore infused grace. Grace consists
very much in a principle that causes vigorousness and activity in
action. This is infusion, even in the sense of the opposite party. So
that if any operation of the Holy Spirit at all is allowed, the dispute
is only, how much is infused? The one says, a great deal; the other
says, but little.
15. Irresistible Grace. To
dispute, as more latterly they do, whether the divine assistance is
always efficacious or no, is perfectly ridiculous. For it is
self-evident that the divine assistance is always efficacious to do that
which we are assisted to. And it is no less certain that it is
efficacious to all that God intends it shall be efficacious to: that is,
when God assists, he assists to all that he intends to assist to. But
that the divine assistance is always efficacious to all that it has a
tendency to in its own nature, is what nobody affirms.
ception of Christ with the
faculties of the soul in order to salvation by him, and that in this
reception there is a believing of what we are taught in the gospel
concerning him and salvation by him, and that it must be a consent of
the will or an agreeableness between the disposition of the soul and
those doctrines. So that the disposition is all that can be said to be
absolutely necessary. The act cannot be proved to be absolutely
necessary. That is, it cannot be proved that there is not the
disposition before there is an act, because it is said by some that a
man cannot be saved before he has actually believed, if he is come to
years of discretion, is plain by Scripture. But I say, no plainer than
that a man must actually live a holy life before he can be saved. For
the Scripture in many places speaks as plainly about the necessity of a
holy life as of believing. But by those expressions concerning a holy
life, we can understand nothing else but a disposition that would
naturally exert itself in holy living upon occasion, so we say of the
believing disposition.
And as sometimes a person
has this disposition within him who has in times past felt the quickest
exercises of it, yet may not sensibly feel them for some time. So a man
may have the disposition in him for some time before he ever sensibly
feels them, for want of occasion and other reasons. It is the
disposition and principle is the thing God looks at. Supposing a man
dies suddenly and not in the actual exercise of faith, it is his
disposition that saves him. For if it were possible that the disposition
was destroyed, the man would be damned and all the former acts of faith
would signify nothing.
Those particular acts of
our divines describes may possibly be necessary thus, that it is
impossible for such a disposition to be in the mind, in such
circumstances, without its being exercised in such particular kind of
actions, which must be determined by plain consequence of nature or else
by Scripture.
The Scripture indeed, in
many invitations to Christ, does make use of the words “come,”
“believe,” “trust,” “receive,” which without doubt signify those actions
that are aptly represented by these expressions. It need not be doubted
but that many of the ancient Jews before Christ were saved without the
sensible exertions of those acts in that manner which is represented as
necessary by some divines, because they had not those occasions nor were
under circumstances that would draw them out. Though without doubt they
had the disposition, which alone is absolutely necessary now, and at all
times and in all circumstances is equally necessary.
This is furthermore
certain and evident concerning conversion or a true reception of Christ,
if it be actual: there must be a dying unto sin and an emptying of self
that Christ may be all in all, what in the Scripture is called “hating
our own life.”
147. Infused Grace. I
suppose it will not be denied by any party of Christians, that the
happiness of the saints in the other world consists much in perfect
holiness and the exalted exercises of it, that the souls of the saints
shall enter upon it at once at death, or (if any deny that) at least at
the resurrection, and that the saint is made perfectly holy as soon as
ever he enters into heaven. I suppose none will say that perfection is
obtained by repeated acts of holiness, but all will grant that it is
wrought in the saint immediately by the power of God, and yet that it is
virtue notwithstanding. And why are not the beginnings of holiness
wrought in the same manner? Why should not the beginning of a holy
nature be wrought immediately by God in a soul that is wholly of a
contrary nature, as well as holiness be perfected in a soul that has
already a prevailing holiness? And if it be so, why is not the
beginning, thus wrought, as much virtue as the perfection thus wrought?
420. True Seekers. Why
should we suppose that God would make any promises of spiritual and
eternal blessings to that which has no goodness in it? Why should he
promise his grace to a seeking of it that is not right, to those that do
not truly seek it? Why should he promise that they shall obtain
conversion, who do not do anything right, or use any proper means in
order to obtain it? For the proper means of obtaining grace is seeking
it truly with a love and appetite to it, and desire of it, and sense of
it of God through Christ. And to such as seek it thus, God has
faithfully promised he will bestow it.
538. Seekers of Grace.
Though there be no promise to any seekers of grace, but gracious ones,
yet there must be a greater probability of their conversion [to those]
who seek, though not after a gracious manner, and though they are not
thoroughly and sufficiently resolved and sincere in their seeking, than
of those who wholly neglect their salvation: there is not so great an
unlikelihood of it. We know that God’s manner is to bestow his grace on
men by outward means. Otherwise, to what purpose is the Bible, Sabbaths,
preachings, sacraments, or doctrinal knowledge of religion? And
therefore, if persons are out of the way of these means, there is no
likelihood of their receiving grace. Because God bestows his grace by
means, and so the more they are in the way of means, and the more they
attend them, the more are they in the way of being met with by God, and
receiving his grace, by those means.
673. Saving vs. Common
Grace. Saving grace differs, not only in degree, but in nature and kind,
from common grace, or anything that is ever found in natural men. This
seems evident by the following things:
1. Because conversion is a
work that is done at once, and not gradually. If saving grace differed
only in degree from what went before, then the making a man a good man
would be a gradual work: it would be the increasing of the grace that he
has, till it comes to such a degree as to be saving, at least it would
be frequently so. But that the conversion of the heart is not a work
that is thus gradually wrought, but that it is wrought at once, appears
by Christ’s converting the soul being represented by his calling of it;
Rom. 8:28-30, “And we know that all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to
the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many
brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and
whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he
also glorified.” Acts 2:37-39, “Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then
Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the
name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God
shall call.” Heb. 9:15, “That they which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance.” 1 Thes. 5:23-24, “And the very God of
peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God, your whole spirit, soul, and
body, be preserved blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” Nothing else can
be meant in these places by calling, but what Christ does in a sinner’s
saving conversion, by which it seems evident that this is done at once
and not gradually. Hereby Christ shows his great power. He does speak
the powerful word, and it is done. He does but call, and the heart of
the sinner immediately cometh, as was represented by his calling his
disciples, and their immediately following him. So when he called Peter
and Andrew, James and John, they were minding other things, and had no
thought of following Christ. But at his call they immediately followed
him, Mat. 4:18-22. Peter and Andrew were casting a net into the sea.
Christ says unto them, as he passed by, “Follow me;” and it is said,
they straightway left their nets and followed him. So James and John
were in the ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he
called them, and immediately they left the ship and their father, and
followed him. So when Matthew was called, Mat. 9:9, “And as Jesus passed
forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt
of custom; and he saith unto him, Follow me: and he arose and followed
him.” The same circumstances are observed by other evangelists, which,
doubtless, is to represent the manner in which Christ effectually calls
his disciples in all ages. There is something immediately put into their
hearts, at that call, that is new, that there was nothing of there
before, which makes them so immediately act in a manner altogether new,
and so alien from what they were before.
That the work of conversion is wrought at once is further evident by its
being compared to a work of creation. When God created the world, he did
what he did immediately. He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it
stood fast. He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Also by
its being compared to a raising from the dead. Raising from the dead is
not a gradual work, but it is done at once. God calls, and the dead come
forth immediately. The change in conversion is in the twinkling of an
eye, as that, 1 Cor. 15:51-52, “We shall be changed in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
It appears by the manner
in which Christ wrought all those works that he wrought when on earth,
that they were types of his great work of converting sinners. Thus, when
he healed the leper, he put forth his hand and touched him, and said, “I
will, be thou clean; and immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Mat.
8:3; Mark 1:42; Luke 5:13. So in opening the eyes of the blind men, Mat.
20:30, etc. he touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received
sight, and they followed him. And so Mark 10:52; Luke 18:43. So when he
healed the sick, particularly Simon’s wife’s mother, he took her by her
hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her, and she
ministered unto him. So when the woman that had the issue of blood,
touched the hem of Christ’s garment, immediately he issue of blood
stanched, Luke 8:44. So the woman that was bowed together with the
spirit of infirmity, when Christ laid his hands on her, immediately she
was made straight, and glorified God, Luke 13:12-13. So the man at the
pool of Bethesda, when Christ bade him rise and take up his bed and
walk, was immediately made whole; John 5:8-9. After the same manner
Christ raised the dead, and cast out devils, and stilled the winds and
sea.
2. There seems to be a
specific difference between saving grace or virtue and all that was in
the heart before, by the things that conversion is represented by in
Scripture, particularly by its being represented as a work of creation.
When God creates, he does not merely establish and perfect the things
that were made before, but makes them wholly and immediately. The things
that are seen, are not made of things that do appear. Saving grace in
the heart is said to be the new man, a new creature, and corruption is
the old man. If that virtue that is in the heart of a holy man, be not
different in its nature and kind, then the man might possibly have had
the same seventy years before, and has it no otherwise now, but only in
a greater degree: and how then is he a new creature?
Again, it is evident also
from its being compared to a resurrection. Natural men are said to be
dead, but when they are converted, they are by God’s mighty and
effectual power raised from the dead. Now there is no medium between
being dead and alive. He that is dead has no degree of life. He that has
the least degree of life in him is alive. When a man is raised from the
dead, life is not only in a greater degree, but it is all new. And this
is further evident by that representation that is made of Christ’s
converting sinners, in John 5:25, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the
hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the
Son of God; and they that hear shall live.” This shows conversion to be
an immediate and instantaneous work, like to the change made in Lazarus
when Christ called him from the grave: there went life with the call,
and Lazarus was immediately alive. That immediately before the call they
are dead, and therefore wholly destitute of any life, is evident by that
expression, “the dead shall hear the voice;” and immediately after the
call they are alive. Yea, there goes life with the voice, as is evident
not only because it is said they shall live, but also because it is said
that they shall hear his voice. It is evident that the first moment they
have any life is the moment when Christ calls. And when Christ calls, or
as soon as they are called, they are converted, as is evident from what
is said in the first argument, wherein it is shown that to be called and
converted is the same thing.
3. Those that go farthest
in religion, that are in a natural condition, have no charity, as is
plainly implied in the beginning of the 13th chapter of the first of
Corinthians, by which we must understand that they have none of that
kind of grace, or disposition, or affection, that is so called. So
Christ elsewhere reproves the Pharisees, those high pretenders to
religion among the Jews, that they had not the love of God in them.
4. In conversion, stones
are raised up to be children unto Abraham. While stones they are wholly
destitute of all those qualities that afterward render them the living
children of Abraham, and not possessing them, though in a lesser degree.
Agreeably to this, conversion is represented by the taking away the
heart of stone, and giving a heart of flesh. The man, while unconverted,
has a heart of stone, which has no degree of that life or sense in it
that the heart of flesh has, because it yet remains a stone, as which
nothing is farther from life and sense.
5. A wicked man has none
of that principle of nature that a godly man has, as is evident by 1
John 3:9, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed
remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
The natural import of the
metaphor shows that by a seed is meant a principle of action: it may be
small as a grain of mustard seed. A seed is a small thing. It may be
buried up and lie hid as the seed sown in the earth, and it may seem to
be dead, as seeds for a while do, till quickened by the sun and rain.
But any degree of such a principle, or a principle of such a nature, is
what is called the seed. It need not be to such a degree, or have such a
prevalency, in order to be called a seed. And it is further evident that
this seed, or this inward principle of nature, is peculiar to the
saints, for he that has that seed, cannot sin, and therefore he that
sins, or is a wicked man, has it not.
6. Natural men, or those
that are not savingly converted, have no degree of that principle from
whence all gracious actings flow, viz. the Spirit of God or of Christ,
as is evident because it is asserted both ways in Scripture, that those
who have not the Spirit of Christ are not his, Rom. 8:9, and also that
those who have the Spirit of Christ are his, 1 John 3:24, “Hereby we
know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” And
the Spirit of God is called the earnest of the future inheritance, 2
Cor. 1:22, and 5:5; Eph. 1:14. Yea, that a natural man has nothing of
the Spirit in him, no part nor portion in it, is still more evident,
because the having of the Spirit is given as a sure sign of being in
Christ, 1 John 4:13, “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, because he
hath given us of his Spirit.” By which it is evident that they have none
of that holy principle that the godly have. And if they have nothing of
the Spirit, they have nothing of those things that are the fruits of the
Spirit, such as those mentioned in Gal. 5:22, “But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance.” These fruits are here mentioned with the very
design that we may know whether we have the Spirit or no. In the 18th
verse, the apostle tells the Galatians that if they are led by the
Spirit, they are not under the law, and then directly proceeds, first,
to mention what are the fruits or works of the flesh, and then, nextly,
what are fruits of the Spirit, that we may judge whether we are led by
the Spirit or no.
7. That natural men, or
those that are not born again, have nothing of that grace that is in
godly men, is evident by John 3:6, where Christ, speaking of
regeneration, says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” By flesh is here meant nature,
and by Spirit is meant grace, as is evident by Gal. 5:16-17; Gal. 6:8; 1
Cor. 3:1; Rom. 8:7. That is Christ’s very argument: by this it is that
Christ in those words would show Nicodemus the necessity of
regeneration, that by the first birth we have nothing but nature and can
have nothing else without being born again, by which it is exceeding
evident that they that are not born again, have nothing else. And that
natural men have not the Spirit is evident, since by this text, with the
context, it is most evident that those who have the Spirit, have it by
regeneration. It is born in them; it comes into them no otherwise than
by birth, and that birth is in regeneration, as is most evident by the
preceding and following verses. In godly men there are two opposite
principles: the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against
the flesh, as Gal. 5:25. But it is not so with natural men. Rebekah, in
having Esau and Jacob struggle together in her womb, was a type only of
the true church.
683. Partaking of the Divine Nature. 1. Natural men have nothing of that
nature in them which true Christians have, and that appears because the
nature they have is divine nature. The saints alone have it. Not only
they alone partake of such degrees of it, but they alone are partakers
of it. To be a partaker of the divine nature is mentioned as peculiar to
the saints, in 2 Pet. 1:4. It is evident it is the true saints the
apostle is there speaking of. The words in this verse and the foregoing
run thus: “According as his divine power hath given us all things that
pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath
called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great
and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature; having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust.” Divine nature and lust are evidently here spoken of as two
opposite principles in men. Those that are of the world, or that are the
men of the world, have only the latter principle. But to be partakers of
the divine nature is spoken of as peculiar to them that are
distinguished and separated from the world, by the free and sovereign
grace of God, giving them all things that pertain to life and godliness,
by giving the knowledge of Christ and calling them to glory and virtue,
and giving them the exceeding great and precious promises of the gospel,
and enabling them to escape the corruption of the world of wicked men.
It is spoken of, not only as peculiar to the saints, but as the highest
privilege of saints.
2. A natural man has no degree of that relish and sense of spiritual
things, or things of the Spirit, and of their divine truth and
excellency, which a godly man has, as is evident by 1 Cor. 2:14, “The
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.” Here a natural man is represented as perfectly
destitute of any sense, perception, or discerning of those things. For
by the words, he neither does nor can know them or discern them: so far
from it that they are foolishness unto him. He is such a stranger to
them that he knows not what the talk of such things means. They are
words without a meaning to him, and he knows nothing of the matter, any
more than a blind man of colors. Hence it will follow that the sense of
things of religion that a natural man has, is not only to the same
degree, but is not of the same nature with what a godly man has.
Besides, if a natural person has that fruit of the Spirit, which is of
the same kind with what a spiritual person has, then he experiences
within himself the things of the Spirit of God. How then can he be said
to be such a stranger to them, and have no perception or discerning of
them? The reason why natural men have no knowledge of spiritual things
is that they have nothing of the Spirit of God dwelling in them. This is
evident by the context. For there we are told it is by the Spirit these
things are taught, 1 Cor. 2:10-12. Godly persons, in the text we are
upon, are called spiritual, evidently on this account: that they have
the Spirit. And unregenerate men are called natural men, because they
have nothing but nature. Hereby the 6th argument is continued. For
natural men are in no degree spiritual: they have only nature and no
Spirit. If they had anything of the Spirit, though not in so great a
degree as the godly, yet they would be taught spiritual things, or the
things of the Spirit, in proportion: the Spirit that searcheth all
things would teach them in some measure. There would not be so great a
difference that the one could perceive nothing of them, and that they
should be foolishness to them, while, to the other, they appear divinely
and unspeakably wise and excellent, as they are spoken of in the
context, 1 Cor. 2:6-9, and as such, the apostle speaks here of
discerning them. The reason why natural men have no knowledge or
perception of spiritual things, is that they have none of that anointing
spoken of, 1 John 2:27, “But the anointing, which ye have received of
him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any man should teach you; but
as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is
no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”
This anointing is evidently here spoken of, as a thing peculiar to true
saints. Sinners never had any of that oil poured upon them, and because
ungodly men have none of it, therefore they have no discerning of
spiritual things. If they had any degree of it, they would discern in
some measure. Therefore, none of that sense that natural men have
spiritual things, is of the same nature with what the godly have. And
that natural men are wholly destitute of this knowledge is further
evident, because conversion is represented in Scripture by opening the
eyes of the blind. But this would be very improperly so represented, if
a man might have some sight, though not so clear and full, time after
time for score of years before his conversion.
3. The grace of God’s
Spirit is not only a precious oil with which Christ anoints the believer
by giving it to him, but the believer anoints Christ with it, by
exercising it towards him, which seems to be represented by the precious
ointment Mary poured on Christ’s head. Herein it seems to me that Mary
is a type of Christ’s church, and of every believing soul. And if so,
doubtless the thing in which she typifies the church, has in it
something peculiar to the church. There would not be a type ordered on
purpose to represent only something that is common to the church and
others. Therefore unbelievers pour none of that sweet and precious
ointment on Christ.
4. That unbelievers have
no degree of that grace that the saints have, is evident, because they
have no communion with Christ. If unbelievers partook of any of that
Spirit, those holy inclinations, affectations, and actings that the
godly have from the Spirit of Christ, then they would have communion
with Christ. The communion of saints with Christ certainly consist in
receiving of his fullness and partaking of his grace, which is spoken
of, John 1:16, “Of his fulness have we all received, and grace for
grace.” And the partaking of that Spirit which God gives not by measure
unto him, the partaking of Christ’s holiness and grace, his nature,
inclinations, tendencies, affections, love, desires, must be a part of
communion with him. Yea, a believer’s communion with God and Christ,
does mainly consist in partaking of the Holy Spirit, as is evident by 2
Cor. 13:14. But that unbelievers have no communion or fellowship with
Christ, appears: First. Because they are not united to Christ, they are
not in Christ. Those that are not in Christ, or are not united to him,
can have no degree of communion with him, for union with Christ, or a
being in Christ, is the foundation of all communion with him. The union
of the members with the head is the foundation of all their communion or
partaking with the head, and so the union of the branch with the vine is
the foundation of all the communion it has with the vine, of partaking
of any degree of its sap or life, or influence. So the union of the wife
to the husband is the foundation of her communion in his goods. But no
natural man is united to Christ, because all that are in Christ shall be
saved, 1 Cor. 15:22, “As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made
alive;” i.e. all that are in Christ, for this speaks only of the
glorious resurrection and eternal life. Phil. 3:8-9, “Yea, doubtless, I
count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus, my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not
having on my own righteousness,” etc. 2 Cor. 5:17, “Now, if any man be
in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.” 1 John 2:5, “Hereby know we that we are in him.”
1 John 3:24, “And he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and
he in him, and hereby we know that he abideth in us,” etc. and chap.
4:13, “Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us.”
Second. The Scripture does
more directly teach that it is only true saints that have communion with
Christ, as particularly, this is most evidently spoken of as what
belongs to the saints, and to them only, in 1 John 1:3-7, “That which we
have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have
fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and
with his Son Jesus Christ. If we say we have fellowship with him, and
walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the
light, as he is in light, we have fellowship one with another; and the
blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” And 1 Cor.
1:8-9, “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be
blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom
ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
By this it appears that those who have fellowship with Christ are those
that cannot fall away, whom God’s faithfulness is bound to confirm to
the end, that they may be blameless in the day of Jesus Christ.
797. The Apostate Never
Had Saving Faith. That there is no good work before conversion and
actual union with Christ, is manifest from that, Rom. 7:4, “Wherefore,
my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law, by the body of Christ,
that ye should be married unto another, even to him who is raised from
the dead; that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Hence we may argue
that there is no lawful child brought forth before that marriage.
Seeming virtues and good works before, are not so indeed. They are a
spurious brood, being bastards and not children.
That those that prove apostates, never have the same kind of faith with
true saints, is confirmed by what Christ said of Judas, before his
apostasy, John 6:64, “But there are some of you who believe not. For
Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who
should betray him.” By this it is evident that Judas, who afterwards
proved an apostate (and is doubtless set forth as an example for all
apostates), though he had a kind of faith in Christ, yet did not believe
in Christ with a true faith, and was at that time, before his apostasy,
destitute of that kind of faith which the true disciples had, and that
he had all along, even from the beginning, been destitute of that faith.
And by the 70th and 71st verses of the same chapter, it is evident that
he was not only totally destitute of Christian piety, and wholly under
the dominion of wickedness: being in this respect like a devil,
notwithstanding all the faith and temporary regard to Christ that he
had. “Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you
is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. For he it was
that should betray him, being one of the twelve.”
826. Promises to a
Professing People. Indefinite promises, as they are called, seem to be
no other than promises of the public covenant, or the promises made to a
professing covenant people. God has promised to his visible church a
blessing on his ordinances, and with respect to the public society, the
visible church, to whom the promises are made, they are absolutely
promised. But not being limited to particular persons, to them they are
no more than encouragements. Such promises as these, children are
interested in by baptism. God has promised to bestow salvation on his
church, and in the way of his appointed worship. “In all places where I
record my name, there will I come unto thee, and will bless thee.” When
God set his tabernacle amongst his people, he annexed a promise of his
blessing.
868. Signs of Godliness.
Sincerity. As the Scripture is plain concerning faith — that the
operative or practical nature of it is the life and soul of it — so this
is doubtless true concerning all other graces. The Scripture is as
plain, that the operative nature of love (that sum of all grace) is the
most peculiar criterion of the sincerity of it, and indeed that wherein
the sincerity of it consists. That sense of divine things and those
religious affections are true, sincere, and saving that reach the bottom
of the heart, and that gain the heart. If the heart ben’t gained and
given to God, there is no sincerity and nothing is accepted, for the
heart is what God requires and looks at. But then only is the heart
gained when the will is gained, but when the will is gained the practice
is gained, for the will commands the practice. Indeed practice, so far
as the heart or the soul is concerned, consists in nothing else but the
acts of the will. Indeed, there are external motions of the body, but
these are no part of the man’s practice than as those motions are the
expressions of his will. We do not call the motions of the body in a
convulsion any part of the man’s practice.
1103. Natural Man Does Not
Partake of the Spirit. Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones is a
confirmation that however natural men may be the subjects of great and
wonderful influences and operations of God’s great power and Spirit, yet
they do not properly partake at all of the Spirit before conversion. In
all that is wrought in them, in every respect fitting and preparing them
for grace, so that nothing shall be wanting but divine life, yet as long
as they are without this, they have nothing of the Spirit. Which
confirms the distinctions I have elsewhere made of the Spirit of God
influencing the minds of natural men under common illuminations and
convictions, and yet not communicating himself in his own proper nature
to them before conversion, and that saving grace differs from common
grace, not only in degree, but also in nature and kind. It is said, Rev.
3:8, of the church at Philadelphia, which is commended above all other
churches, Thou hast a little strength — certainly implying that ungodly
me have none at all.
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