God and holy things; and therefore the Apostle presseth them by virtue of this grace received, to act according to the tendency of the new nature: "Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead" (Rom. vi. 13); that is his argument. As soon as the life of grace is infused, the soul bends towards God.

2. A preparation of heart for holy actions. There is a principle that will carry them to it. These vessels are fitted and prepared for their Master's use, and are prepared unto every good work (2 Tim. ii. 21); they are fitted and rigged for all holy actions and employments: "Created unto good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them (Eph. ii. 10). He hath prepared them for us, and us to them. There is a suitableness in the new nature to what God requireth. As every creature is furnished with power and faculties suitable to those operations that belong to them; so, when the Lord infuseth the principles of grace, and works upon the heart, we are suited to every good work, so that we need not new faculties, but new operations of grace to excite and move us. A ship that is rigged and fitted with sails ready for a voyage, needs a pilot to guide and steer it: so we need influences of grace; therefore when the Spirit is shed upon us afterwards, it is in another manner than upon the unregenerate. The unregenerate are objects of grace, but the renewed are instruments of grace; he works upon the one, but he works by the other.

3. There is a power and an ability to do good works when we are renewed; if otherwise, one of God's most precious gifts would be in vain, if we were altogether without strength. That is the description of carnal nature, "We were without strength" (Rom. v. 6), therefore there is a power which must be improved, not rested in ; "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit " (Gal. v. 25). There is an operation that accompanieth every life; and if there be a life of grace, there will be a walking. And, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him" (Col. ii. 6). Grace received, must not lie idle, but be put forth into act. Thus God creates and infuseth such divine qualities as may give us a tendency and preparation of heart, and strength to do that which may be pleasing to him.

Secondly, He vouchsafeth his quickening, actuating, assisting grace, for the improving these principles infused, that their operations may be carried forth with more success: "I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues" (Ezek. xxxvi. 27). God gives not only life, but the constant motion of that life. Natural things do not act without his daily providential influence; and therefore it is said, "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them" (Prov. xx. 12); not only doth give the eye and ear, the faculty, but the act of hearing, and the act of seeing, he concurs to that; and therefore God concurs by his actual assistance, sometimes in a more liberal and plentiful manner, by the freer aids and assistances of his grace, and sometimes more sparingly, according to his own pleasure. He doth not only give us the habits of grace, he worketh all our works for us (Isa. xxvi. 12).

Now this actual help is necessay :—

1. Partly to direct us: "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory" (Psalm lxxiii. 24). We need not only a principle within, and a rule without, but need also a guide. Though we have grace in our hearts, though we have the law of God to direct us, yet

we need also a guide upon all occasions; the rule is the Scripture, and the guide is the Spirit of God.

2. Partly to quicken and excite us by effectual motions. The heart of man is very changeable, and it is like the eye, easily discomposed and put out of frame. Deadness creeps upon us, and we drive on heavily in the work of God. "Quicken thou me in thy`way" (Psalm cxix. 37). God doth renew the vigour of the life of grace upon all occasions.

3. Partly to corroborate and strengthen that which we have received, and make it increase and grow in the soul, and more firmly rooted there. The Apostle prays that God would strengthen you "with might by his Spirit in the inner man" (Eph. iii. 16); the inward man, the frame of grace that we have received, needs to be strengthened, increased, and be more deeply rooted in the soul. So, "The God of all grace make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you" (1 Pet. v. 10). Many words are used to show how God is interested in maintaining and keeping afoot the grace he hath planted in the soul.

66

4. Partly in protecting and defending them against the incursions and assaults of the Devil. The regenerate are not only escaped out of his clutches, but appointed to be his judges, which an envious and proud spirit cannot endure; therefore he maligneth, assaulteth, and besiegeth them with temptations daily; therefore Christ prays, "Keep through thy own name those whom thou hast given me" (John xvii. 11). When a city is besieged, fresh supplies are sent in, they are not kept to their standing-provision; so it is not the ordinary power of God that doth preserve and keep us from danger; there is new relief and fresh strength; we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation" (1 Pet. i. 5). Now we experience the help we have from God, partly by the change and frame of our heart, when we are acted by him, and when we are not. When God, by the impulsions of his grace, doth quicken and awaken our hearts, we are carried on with a great deal of earnestness and strength; but at other times we seem to be much bound, and have not those breathings from the Spirit of God to fill our sails, and carry us on with the same life and strength. Yea, in the same duty, how is a Christian up and down? carried out sometimes with a great deal of zeal and warmth; but if God withdraw that assistance before the duty be over, how do the affections flag? So that we are like the wards of a lock, kept up while the key is turned, but fall again when the key is turned the other way. While the work of grace is powerful, we are kept in a warm and heavenly plight. Thus as to duties we need spiritual relief.

66

Likewise in temptations, when we are ready to fall into such a sin with great proneness of heart, and the Lord quickens and excites us by his grace. It is often with a Christian as with David, My feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipped" (Psalm lxxiii. 2); even carried away by the violence of Satan, and importunate motions of our own lusts, then the Lord gives "grace to help in time of need" (Heb. iv. 16); in the original it is no more but this, "seasonable relief God vouchsafeth."

OBJECTION.-Ay, but are we to do nothing when we are indisposed? This case is often traversed in this Psalm.

1. The precept of God falls upon us as reasonable creatures, and doth not consider whether we are disposed or indisposed; and God's influence is not our rule, but our help. We are to stir up ourselves; the Lord complains, "There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of me"

(Isa. Ixiv. 7). And Timothy is bid to "stir up the gift of God which is in him" (2 Tim. i. 6). God's assistance will be best expected in a way of doing: "Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee" (1 Chron. xxii. 16). When we stir up ourselves, and set ourselves to the work in the conscience of our duty, we can better expect God's help and assistance.

2. In great distempers there may be some pause. Elisha would not prophesy when he was under a passion of anger; therefore he calls for a minstrel to sing a psalm (2 Kings iii. 13—15); and as he played upon an instrument, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. He was under a passion, offended with the king of Israel, therefore he would not prophesy until his spirit was composed. Certainly we are not to run headlong upon duties in the midst of these distempers. Sailing is more safely delayed in time of an extreme storm. When the heart is put into some great disorder, in a great storm of spirit, the distemper should first be mourned for, and prayed against.

The reasons why that, from first to last, he must make us to go in the way of his commandments.

1. God keeps this power in his own hands, that his grace might be all in all; and it is the glory of his actions always to set the crown upon grace's head. Not only those permanent and fixed habits which constitute the new man, but those daily supplies without which the motions and operations of the spiritual life would be at a stand, are for grace. When the Lord reckons with his servant about the improvement of their talents he doth not say, 66 My industry," but, "Lord, thy pound" (Luke xix. 18). He puts all the honour upon grace. So, "Not I, but the grace of God" (1 Cor. xv. 10). So, "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. ii. 20). So that still they are giving the glory to grace. Acts are more perfect than habits; therefore, if we had only the power from God, and acts from ourselves, we should not give all to God. That acts are more perfect than the power, is clear; it is more perfect to understand, than to have a power to understand; power is in order to the act; and the end is more noble than the means.

2. This is a very great encouragement to us to set upon the exercise of grace in the midst of weaknesses, and several difficulties and temptations wherewith we are encompassed; because God will enable and assist us, he will not leave as to our standing strength, but he concurs: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" why? "for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. fi. 12, 13). When God will concur to the will and to the deed, to both, when we have wind and tide, he is very lazy that will not take his advantage, and ply the oar then. And the Apostle was not disheartened with the several conditions he was to run through in his passage to Heaven: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. iv. 13). When we have such an able second, God is at our "right hand" (Psalm xvi. 8), we need not be so dismayed with temptations and difficulties we meet with in the progress of our duty; though we have many lets and hinderances, yet God will cause us to walk in his ways.

3. This keeps us humble and lowly in our own conceit, and that is very necessary for us. For pride is that sin which cleaves to us all our life, and is called "pride of life" and lasts as long as life lasts. How doth this keep us humble and lowly? Partly thus, because we have all by gift; What hast thou that thou didst not receive? (1 Cor. iv. 7.) All the

strength that we have is but borrowed; and who will be proud that is more in debt than others? We would laugh at a groom that is proud of his master's horse. All grace comes from God. Shall we usurp the honour due to God? And partly, because we have but from hand to mouth. Though we have all from God, yet we should soon grow proud if God did not diet us, and give out renewed evidences of his love and care over us, by degrees, some now, some then, by fresh influences and acts of grace. Look, as David prays of his outward enemies, "Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield" (Psalm lix. 11). O! if all enemies were destroyed at once, the people would forget thee, the deliverance would be past, antiquated, and out of date, and would not be so freshly thought of, nor produce such warm affections in the hearts of his people. So it is true in the spiritual world; God doth not destroy all at once, but brings down our spiritual enemies, that we may acknowledge whence we have it. And partly, because this is a means to make us sensible of the mutability of our nature; for when all depends upon God, his coming and going, it will make us see what poor creatures we are of ourselves; when he comes we are able to do something; when he goes what poor creatures are we. "God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart" (2 Chron. xxxii. 31). When we are renewed, yet we are not fully recovered; there is a great deal of tang and taste on the old leaven, and if God leave us we shall soon sin; whereas if we were carried on with an even, constant tenor of grace, that is in our own keeping, we should be proud.

4. It endears the heart to God, and God to the heart by acts of friendship and familiarity; as it extracts from us acts of prayer and dependence, and as we receive new supplies and daily influences of grace from him. God is more endeared to the soul by his multiplied free gifts. Look, as at every lifting up of the foot there are new influences of life go to that stirring and motion; so all in the spiritual life are his acts of grace. If so much rain fell in one day as would suffice for seven years, there would be no notice taken of God's acts of providence, God would not have such witness to keep up his memory to the sons of men; so here, if we had all graces in our souls, and needed not new excitement, but he dispensed all at once, God and we should grow strangers. When the prodigal had his portion in his own hands, he leaves his father: and therefore there must be continual acts of kindness to maintain a holy friendship between God and us.

USE I.-Look after renewing grace; see whether there be a principle of life in you or not; whether you be his workmanship in Christ Jesus. Better never be his creature if not a new creature: a dog is in a better condition. You can do nothing in the spiritual life until there be a principle. In vain to expect new operation before a new creation be passed upon you. The stream cannot be maintained without the spring.

II.-Let us pray for strength upon all occasions, and beg the renewings of God's efficacious grace that we may avoid sin, and be ready to every good work. Alas! there are many discouragements from without, and sundry baits which tickle the flesh, and would seduce us from our duty, unless the Lord stand by us and protect and strengthen us within. Deadness will soon creep upon us, and our heart run out of order; look after new influences of grace, this will make you ready to every good work; not only the remote preparation, but the furniture of the faculties and abilities: "Lo, I come to do thy will;" and this will make you fruitful,

otherwise you will be as dry trees in God's garden. And this will make you lively and constant, not off and on, but fixed with God.

3. If all depends upon God, then let us not, by any negligence of ours, or by presumptuous sins provoke God to withdraw his assisting grace from us. This is the Apostle's meaning when he saith, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," &c. (Phil. ii. 12, 13.) Oh, take heed, go about the business of religion with holy caution and jealousy over yourselves, and fear the Lord's displeasure, for all depends upon him. Dependence among men begets observance, where men have their meat, drink, clothing, they will be careful to please there. So, "work out your own salvation," &c., "for it is God that worketh in you," &c., you have all from God; the business of the spiritual life will be interrupted, and be at a stand if God withhold his grace. Every sin weakens that you have already, and provokes God to withhold his hand that he will not give That which is the greatest ground of comfort and confidence is always the greatest ground of fear and trembling. It is a ground of great comfort and confidence in the spiritual life that he will help us in every action of ours; and it is a ground also of the greatest fear and trembling, that we should be careful not to offend him upon whom all depends. The second point :

more.

DOCTRINE II.-That they which delight in God's commandments will beg his gracious assistance, and are most likely to speed in their requests. I make it to be both the reason of asking, and the reason of granting. First, The reason of asking.

1. What is this delight in God? what is necessary to it?

2. What are the fruits and effects of it?

1st, What is necessary to it?

1. A new nature, for what we do naturally we do with complacency and delight. That which is forced and done against the grain and bent of our hearts can never be delightful, and therefore there needs a principle of grace within: "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments" (Psalm cxii. 1). Where there is true grace and the fear of God, there we will delight greatly. So, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man" (Rom. vii. 22). Where there is an inner man, a frame of grace in the heart, that will bring delight. See the character of a blessed man: "His delight is in the law of the Lord" (Psalm i. 2). Quite contrary to the hypocrite, he may act from compulsions and urgings of conscience, from legal bondage; it may be a sinoffering, but it is not a thank-offering; he cannot do it with that delight and complacency that God hath required. It is said, "Will he always call upon God? will he delight himself in the Almighty ?" (Job xxvii. 10.) In his pang, in his distress, when his conscience pincheth him sore, he will be calling upon God. Ay, but hath he any delight in God? he wants sincere grace. Some time he may come with his flocks and herds to seek the Lord (Hos. v. 6), and cry, "Arise, and save us" (Jer. ir. 27). Some unwilling services he may perform upon foreign reasons, from constraint, from his affliction and anguish of soul; but these things are never done with delight: there needs then a principle of grace.

2. Peace of conscience, or a sense of our reconciliation with God, is very necessary to this delight in the ways of God: "We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement" (Rom. v. 11). Christ hath made the atonement; now when we