EPHES. 2. 10.
THe first Proposition in this Text, (viz. We are his workmanship) hath been already handled; I now proceed to the further illustration of it in this present Verse; and there is observable;
- First, the manner of this workmanship; Created.
- Secondly, the meritorious cause; Through Jesus Christ.
- Thirdly, the finall cause; To goodworks.
My businesse at this time will be to describe the manner of this workmanship, Created; And here I shall not touch upon what hath already been observed about this action, but consider it in another distinct notion, which is this;
As God at the Creation made the earth which was without form and void, and so wholly indisposed, to bring forth fruit, by that word of command and blessing upon it, when he said, Let the earth bring forth grasse and fruit. Even thus of disorderly, wicked and most indisposed men to any godly actions, he doth by his grace make us prepared and fitted to every good work. Now that it might wholly appear to be of Gods blessing and power meerly, that the earth did bring forth fruit and grasse, observe Gods Providence herein; For he gives this command to the earth, before he had made a Sun, and before there was any rain, so that all must acknowledge this fruitfull and germinative power in the earth to be meerly of God. There was no more at first in the earth to bear fruit, than in any stones or dry wood. Even such an admirable work of God is this spirituall change which he makes upon men. For those who formerly were enemies, and adversaries unto all godlinesse, they become lovers and delighters in it. Oh how necessary and comfortable is it to preach of this mighty work of God? for hereby we hope, that God may create some such auditors, and make to himself a holy and godly people out of those who before were prophane and ungodly.
Such is the great and mighty work of God, that he makes those, who where altogether1 unfit and averse from what is godly and holy, to imbrace and delight in it. Thus God is said to be able to raise up Children to Abraham out of stones.
Every time thou seest an ignorant prophane man made a believer and holy, then is a very stone made Abrahams childe; every time you behold a wicked and wretched sinner, praying, humbling himselfe, and reforming his life, you may then wonder and say; Behold how God makes Grapes to grow of Thorns, and Figs on Thistles; when God makes Matthew a Publican to leave his gainfull sinnes, and to follow him; when he causeth Mary Magdalen to bewaile and forsake her former lusts, God doth as he did at first Creation, out of a confused and unformed heap, make a glorious world. Therefore the Apostle useth that expression, God who worketh light out of darknesse, 2 Cor. 4. 6. implying that God did not once only at the Creation, work light of darknesse, but still he doth it daily. Even as often as he makes the Word of God to enter into mens hearts. So that we may say even of the worst and prophanest of people, as the Prophet did to God, when God asked him, Can these dry bones live? Ezek. 37. 3. So, Can such a people, so stupid, so carelesse, so rebellious, be prepared to every good work? O Lord thou knowest! that is, O Lord, its in thy power, thou canst do whatsoever thou pleasest! A Camel with his big bunch on his back hath no disposition or fitnesse to enter a needles eye, yet God can make it do so. Though we deny there is any transubstantiation, God cannot (and Potentissimè non potest) or rather one substance cannot be changed into another, and they retain their proper dimensions and qualities; Yet in every conversion of a sinner, there is a soultransmutation in respect of the qualities thereof, darknesse is made light, gall is made honey. This glorious conquest over mens hearts is prophesied of as the great glory of Christs Kingdom, Isa. 11. 6. The Wolf and the Lamb shall lie down together, &c. That cursed enmity shall be removed, when God shall take away the poisonous nature of evil men. Thus Isai. 29. 18. The deaf shall hear, and the blinds shall see, and vers. 24. They that erred in spirit and murmured shall learn Doctrine, who more unlikely to hear then refractory and rebellious men? yet these shall understand.
To explain this Doctrine, let us view the truth of it in particulars. As2
First, God in this spiritual change makes a people unfit, unpolished, and every wayes indisposed, sutable, and enclining to what is holy. Every man naturally lies like a rude stone in the quarry, it must be polished and come under much sawing and cutting ere it can be put into the building. Hence an upright heart sometimes is called by a word that signifieth a polished heart, the roughnesse and ruggednesse of it is taken away. Thus the work of renovation is expressed by taking away an heart of stone, and giving an heart of flesh. Take a stone and you can make no impression upon it, whereas flesh is pliable and tender. Now this ruggednesse and unpreparednesse of people to become godly, how universal is it? Though many John Baptists, are A voice crying, Prepare a way for the Lord, yet the Mountains are not made low, or the valleys exalted to make an even and plain way, till God prepare all. That Orphaeus so much celebrated by the Heathens for his musical Harp, thereby taming the wilde and savage Creatures, as also making Trees and Bushes to runne after him as ravished with his Musick, is nothing but a wise Magistrate, by wholsome and good Laws making a barbarous people, civil and righteous. But how much rather may the Word of God be called that Harp which changeth Beasts into Angels, and makes rude and sottish people holy? And certainly all people generally are such a barren wildernesse, that if we do look to mans power meerly, we should despair of ever seeing them made pleasant Gardens. And as all new Plantations finding a people uncivilized, and the ground unhusbanded, need a world of pains and diligence to bring them into good order; so the several Dispensations of Gods Word, in divers places, which are like spiritual Plantations, need much labour, preaching, instruction and exhortations, ere they are fitted for heavenly operations. Let us therefore make you look up unto Heaven, imploring that omnipotent power of God; Oh say, Lord, bid these dry bones live! These crooked Trees to become straight: say, Lord, I have no fitnesse in me to pray, to hear, to do what is godly: O do thou prepare and sit the heart!