HEB. 13. 9.
THe former Doctrine being dispatched, we now come to treat upon that which I chiefly intended this Text for: viz. That subject matter which doth establish and confirm the heart: For Grace here is made the ballast, the pondus, the weight that doth establish and settle the soul. Now howsoever the word grace be of divers significations in the Scripture, and it is very necessary to understand it aright, because mistakes in this, have caused all those dangerous errors in Popery: For wheresoever we read that justification and salvation is by grace, they understand it presently of some good thing in us, and so take us off from looking on Christ, to rest in our selves; but we are justified as some Philosophers say we see, intus recipiendo, non extra mittendo, By receiving from God, not giving any thing to God.
Briefly therefore to inform you, take notice that Grace hath its less principal, and more principal or noble significations; lesse principal, as when it is used for the external glory, comliness, or loveliness of a thing. In which sense it is said, The grace1 of the flower perisheth, or for thankfulness and gratitude, 1 Cor. 14. as the Latinists say, Habere gratias, the Alms and Charity also of Believers, is stiled […], Grace. But the more noble significations are for Active Grace, or Passive Grace: active Grace, I call that love, and free mercy of God without us, whereby we are justified and accepted to salvation: In this sense Grace is said to justifie, and we have remission of sins by grace, i. e. by the favour and love of God onely, not any thing that we have done. This true explication overthroweth the main pillars of Popery: and in this sense where you read of grace in the New Testament it is most frequently used.
Obs. 2. There is Passive Grace, and that two fold, either for to be accepted of God, to be in Grace and favour with him, as the phrase is often, to finde grace in a mans eyes. And thus the Virgin Mary is saluted, […], Greatly favoured and beloved, not full of inherent Grace, as the popish writers grosly pervert this place. Or secondly and lastly, Grace is used for those holy qualities infused into the soul, and that heavenly help God vouchsafeth to us in our way to heaven. Thus faith is a Grace, repentance is a Grace, zeal is a Grace, &c. The Papist takes the word Grace in this sense altogether; but we say, this is not the most noble use of the word; and the Grace of the Gospel so often magnified, is not any thing within us, but Gods favour and love without us: Yet we deny not, but those holy qualities within us are called grace sometimes in the Scripture. Indeed there are Divers too rigid, who contend that the word Grace, when it relates towards a heavenly sense, is alwaies taken for the favour of God, and that it never signifieth godlinesse which is in us, or done by us. But there are some places, though not many, wherein is clearly demonstrated this use of the word as it beto kens somthing inhering, and abiding in us, as 2 Pet. 2. ult. Grow in grace, and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. To grow in grace musts needs be understood of those holy gifts of Gods Spirit in us, which are daily to be improved: so Sing with grace in your hearts, Col. 3. 16. And again, Let your speech administer grace to the hearers, Col. 4. 6. And if it be acknowledged by all, that the common gifts of Gods Spirit, such as prophesying, working of miracles, yea, and offices in the Church, are called […], and […], why should it be thought hard those sanctifying gifts may be also named Graces? And in this sense Grace is taken in this Text: for that holy work of God upon the heart, whereby he doth establish and confirm it in godly wayes. From this sense we observe, That there is a work of God upon a mans heart, which is called Grace.
This point is of admirable use; For without grace here, there can be no glory hereafter. And this grace of God is rarely to be found: there go many counterfeits for this precious jewel: we are apt to call any moral virtue, any ingenuous and civil conversation, with the excellent Title of Grace. It is therefore a subject worth the treating on, to shew what are the effects and symptomes of this Grace upon a man; for nothing in the whole world is so desirable as Grace: no created excellency comes near to grace. A rich man without grace, is like a dead carkasse with glorious garments upon it. A learned man without grace, is also like a dead corps with sweet flowers strewed over it. It is the absence, or presence of Grace that makes a man happy or miserable: Oh therefore that before this subject be ended, it might turn you all into the likenesse thereof; That as fire turneth every object it worketh upon into its own nature, so grace might make every hearer gracious. That the word might be the seal, and your hearts the wax to receive that Divine impression: That so ye may be as Paul saith, An Epistle to be seen and read of all men; that all men may behold and admire the grace of your lives, which is wrought by the word of Grace. To imprint this upon you. I shall discover first the proper Grounds and Reasons why it is called Grace, with the noble effects thereof.