THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON XV. 2 COR. xii. 10. For when I am weak, then am I Arong. E now proceed, WE III. To give fome reasons of the doctrine, or fhew, That when the Chriftian is weak, then he is strong; weak in his own eyes, 'ftrong in Chrift. Among other reasons which might be affigned, we shall mention the following. 1. Because he who is thus weak will not enter on difficulty but when he is called to it; and God's call to his people for any piece of work implies a promise of strength: Pfal. xci. 11. "For he fhall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Self-confidence is venturous, thinks nothing too high for the man. Hence, he does not stay till he be led, but runs into temptation; no wonder than he comes foul off, like Peter in the devil's ground, the High-Prieft's hall. But the first thing the weak man does, is to be fure of VOL. I. U his his call, knowing there can be no ground for confidence without it. And he will not be over foon fatisfied with it, but ponders the path of his feet, Prov. iv. 26. 2. He is driven out of himself to the Lord Christ, the fountain of strength: "Bleffed is the man whofe ftrength is in the Lord," fays the Pfalmift, Pfal. lxxxiv. 5. "I will go in the strength of the Lord God," Pfal. lxxi. 16. He leaves the rotten ground of self-confidence, and trufts in him that raiseth the dead, that calleth things that are not as though they were, and out of the mouths of babes perfects praife. The power of Heaven is engaged in his favour; he believes, therefore is not left to be ashamed. This is a fure way for ftrength: For, (1.) It lies on the honour of God, to strengthen the foul that depends upon him alone, according to his word, and that in point of his veracity; God's word of honour is good fecurity; alfo in point of his goodness and gracious nature. Truft repofed in a generous man is a strong tie upon him in favour of the party trusting him. And I think there is much in that word, Jer. xxxix. 18. "For I will furely deliver thee, because thou haft put thy truft in me, faith the Lord." Lot would rather that any evil that was to come fhould have fallen on himself and family, than on his guests; the reafon is in these words: "For therefore came they under my roof," Gen. xix. 8. Humanity teaches people to preferve the life of a little bird, that flies into their bofom to be preferved from a ravenous bird. And they that take Ruth's way may be fure of the bleffing the got: Ruth, ii. 12. The Lord recompence thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Ifrael, under whofe wings thou art come to trust." (2.) Because it fweetly answers to the grand device of God touching the fanctification of finners. For, (1.) The treafures of fanctifying grace are all laid up in Chrift, "who of God is made unto us fanctification," 1 Cor. i. 30. and from him all gracious influences are to be derived: "Out of his fulness we are to receive, and grace for grace," John, i. 16. Accordingly the finner comes to him, as the famifhed Egyptians to Jofeph. (2.) They are to be derived from him by faith according to our needs; this is the appointed mean for conveyance of grace and ftrength from Christ, Gal. ii. 20. Accordingly the foul believes, that is, trufts in him for fupply. Now, when the foul takes God's own way for ftrength, how can it mifs it? (3.) Because the glory of God's grace appears beft in fuch a cafe. Thus it was with. Paul, to whom God faid, "My grace is fufficient for thee, for my ftrength is made perfect in weaknefs." When Chrift cured the blind man, he anointed his eyes with clay. The grace of God works beft alone; and therefore the Lord, to ftain pride, and prevent men from facrificing to their own net, brings them very low before he appears to work for them, that his work may be wonderful, Deut. xxxii. 36. Lastly, Because in that cafe the grand stop of divine communications is removed; the vessel is empty, and fo the oil runs. Self-confidence is diametrically oppofite to the grand device of fanctification revealed in the gofpel. That a man should trust himself, was the fundamental maxim of the Pagan morality, but revealed religion plainly overturns it: Prov. xxviii. 26. "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool." It is practically fet up in the hearts of all men by nature, but grace overturns it: Matth. xvi. 14. "If any man (faith Jefus) U 2 Jefus) will come after me, let him deny himself› and take up his cross, and follow me." IV. I AM now to make some practical improvement of this fubject, ft, In an use of information. 1. Learn, that they who were never carried off their own bottom for fanctification, have their religion yet to begin. It is a fundamental error in practice, for men to think, that though they need the righteousness of Christ for juftification, yet they need but activity and diligence with their natural powers for holinefs. This is as abfurd, according to the fcriptures, as to say the cripple needs but to ply his limbs, and fo fhall be cured. It is an evidence, (1.) That thou haft never got a view of the corruption of nature, the plague of thine own heart; thy plague is in thy head.--(2.) That thou haft never felt the need of Chrift for all his falvation, yea, for the principal part of it, that is, fanctification, which is the great defign of the whole myftery of the gospel of Christ. And,-(3.) That therefore felf has yet Chrift's room in thy heart. Thou acteft from thyfelf, and confequently to thyfelf, and fo art rejected of God in all that thou doft.. 2. We are taught, that they make foul work at communions, who, (1.) Bind themselves to the Lord for work, but lay not hold on the everlasting covenant for strength. I will not deny but the facrament is a feal of our engagement to the Lord; but, according to the fcripture, it is mainly a feal of God's full covenant to believers, as appears from the words of inftitution; and therefore I think the main work of a communion-occafion is that Chriftians receive a full Christ, lay hold on a full covenant, suited to all their needs, needs, and be no more faithlefs, but believing. They mistake also, (2.) Who come to that ordinance without a deep fenfe of their wants, weakness, and imperfections. They who would have any thing at Christ's door, fhould be very fenfible of their rank poverty at home: Luke, i. 53. "He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath fent empty away." They fhould be capable to lay their fingers on their fores, and tell what aileth them. Those mistake also, (3.) Who are at no pains to prepare for that ordinance, and to bring ftrength from heaven for the management of it: "Without me (fays Jefus) ye can do nothing," John, xv. 5.; if nothing, how will they of themselves manage fuch a great and folemn work? therefore they have much need of intercourfe with heaven by faith and prayer.Thofe err, (4) Who depend upon their own preparation. It is hard work to prepare the heart for a communion; but it is harder to be denied to it, and truft' nothing to it when we have prepared. It is hard to be wrestling with an ill heart, till it be brought to fome tolerable frame; but harder to truft all to free grace. 3. We may learn that none are fo ready to be a prey to the devil as the prefumptuous, felf-confident finner. This is a train which, when laid for a man, will quickly blow him up. The poor trembling faint will keep his feet, when fuch an one's bent bow will quickly break.-In a word, we may conclude, 4. That the best way to stand is to be much in the work of undermining our felf-confidence, and razing the grounds of it, fhoveling away the mire in which that flag grows; we would thus be brought U 3 |