THE THIRD USE.
SECOND. [In life.] But again, as we advance this grace in our hearts, we should do it in our lives. In our conversation, we should adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. It is a great word of the apostle, "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ," which is the gospel of the grace of God (Phil 1:27). God expected that there should in our whole life be a blessed tang of the gospel, or that in our life among men, there should be preached to them the grace of the gospel of God.
The gospel shows us that God did wonderfully stoop and condescend for our good, and to do accordingly, it is to stoop and condescend to others.
The gospel shows us that there was an abundance of pity, love, bowels, and compassion in God toward us, and accordingly, we should be full of bowels, pity, love, and compassion to others.
The gospel shows us that there is a great willingness to do good for others in God.
The gospel shows us that God acts towards us according to his truth and faithfulness, and so should we be in all our actions one to another.
By the gospel, God declares that he forgives us ten thousand talents, and we ought likewise to forgive our brother the hundred pence.
And now, before I conclude this use, let me give you a few heart-endearing considerations to this so-good and so-happy work.
[Heart-endearing Considerations.]
First, consider God hath saved thee by his grace. Christian, God hath saved thee, thou hast escaped the lion's mouth, thou art delivered from wrath to come; advance the grace that saves thee in thy heart and life.
Second. Consider, God left millions in their sins that day he saved thee by his grace; he left millions out, and pitched upon thee; it may be hundreds also, yea, thousands, were in the day of thy conversion lying before him under the preaching of the word as thou wert, yet he took thee. Considerations of this nature affected David much; God would have them affect thee, to advance his grace in thy life and conversation (Psa 78:67-72; Deu 7:7).
Third. Consider, perhaps the most part of those that God refused that day that he called thee by his grace were, as to conversation, far better than ever thou wert—I was a blasphemer, I was a persecutor, I was an injurious person, but I obtained mercy! This should affect thy heart and engage thy heart to study and advance this grace of God (1 Tim 1:14,15).
Fourth. Perhaps thou was more unruly than many on the day of thy conversion. Like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, hardly tamed, thou was brought home by strong hands; thou wouldst not drive, the Lord Jesus must take thee up, lay thee upon his shoulder, and carry thee home to his Father's house. This should engage thy heart to study to advance the grace of God (Luke 15:1-6).
Fifth. It may be many did take even offense at God in his converting and saving of thee by his grace, even as the elder son was offended with his father for killing the fatted calf for his brother, and yet that did not hinder the grace of God, nor make God abate his love to thy soul. This should make thee study to advance the grace of God in thy heart and life (Luke 15:21-32).
Sixth. Consider again that God hath allowed thee but a little time for this good work, even the few days that thou hast now to live—I mean, for this good work among sinful men, and then thou shalt go to receive that wages that grace also will give thee for thy work to thy eternal joy.
Seventh. Let this also have some place upon thy heart—every man shows subjection to the god he served; yea, though that god be none other the devil and his lusts; and wilt not thou, O man! Saved of the Lord, be more subject "to the Father of spirits, and live"?
Alas! They are pursuing their own damnation, yet they sport it and dance all the way they go. They serve that "god" (Satan) with cheerfulness and delight, who at last will plunge them into the everlasting gulf of death and torment them in the fiery flames of hell; but thy God is the God of salvation, and to God, thy Lord belong the issues from death. Wilt, not thou serve him with a joyfulness in the enjoyment of all good things, even by whom thou art to be blessed forever?
Object. This is that which kills me—honor God I cannot; my heart is so wretched, so spiritless, and desperately wicked, I cannot.
Answ. What dost thou mean by cannot? 1. If thou have no strength to do it, thou hast said an untruth, for "greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). 2. If thou meanest thou hast no will, then thou art out also; for every Christian, in his right mind, is a willing man, and the day of God's power hath made him so (Psa 110:3). 3. If thou meanest that thou wants wisdom, that is thine own fault—"If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraided not" (James 1:5).
Object. I cannot do things as I would.
Answ. No more could the best of the saints of old—"To will is present with me," said Paul, "but how to perform that which is good I find not." And again, "The flesh lusted against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Rom 7:18; Gal 5:17).
And here indeed lies a great discovery of this truth, "ye are saved by grace"; for the children of God while here, notwithstanding their conversion to God, and salvation by Christ through grace, are so infirm and weak because of a body of death that yet remained in them, that should even the sin that is in the best of their performances be laid to their charge, according to the tenor of a covenant of works, they would find it impossible ever to get into glory. But why do I talk about this? It is impossible that those who are saved by grace should have their infirmities laid to their charge as afore, "for they are not under the law"; they are included by the grace of God in the death and blood of the Son of God, who ever lived to make intercession for them at the right hand of God; whose intercession is so prevalent with the Father as to take away the iniquity of our holy things from his sight, and to present us holy, and unreprovable, and unblameable in his sight. To him, by Christ Jesus, through the help of the blessed Spirit of grace, be given praise, thanks, glory, and dominion by all his saints, now and forever. Amen.
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