Vol 01 - Chapter 05 - That makes our works acceptable to God.
Chapter 05 - That makes our works acceptable to God
How we may Aid grace, and be jostled before him.
1. As man in his natural state is obnoxious to the wrath of GOD, so all his natural works, how great and good soever they may appear in the eye of the world, are subject to the same wrath. For without the grace of God we can do nothing that is acceptable in his sight. But if a man be in a state of grace, then all his works are acceptable to God; because it is the grace of God which worketh them in him.
2. Whence it appears, that all manner of gifts whatsoever (as St. Paul assures us,) are to be ascribed to the grace of GOD, not to ourselves, (1 Corinthians 15:10;) and that by our own works we can never be justified or saved. For though a man should suffer all the pains of martyrdom; though he should perform all the good actions that were ever done by all the saints from the beginning of the world, or that ever shall be done by any; though he should feed upon nought but stones and thorns, and suffer death, not once, but every day; yet could he not hereby of himself be able to procure the least grace. Depend not then upon thine own works, but upon the infinite mercies of God in Jesus CHRIST, with a resigned and humble spirit. And then be confident that the same Jesus will, of his free love and mercy, give thee whatever he shall see expedient for thee. This is the meaning of that oracle of our Lord, "When ye have done all,, say, We are unprofitable servants," Luke 17:10.
3. O merciful God! how poor, how wretched, how worthless in thy sight is our righteousness! It is no better `1 than filthy rags:" for all the works of good men, that have ever been wrought from the beginning of the world, or shall be to the end of it, would be of no value for our justification. Enter then into thy purchased inheritance by the safe gate, even the meritorious wounds of thy blessed Savior. Offer up to God his passion for the punishments which you have deserved; his holy thoughts for thy polluted imaginations; his many Divine words for thy vain speeches; all his works, his poverty, his patience, his meekness and charity, for all thy defects and omissions. Keep thine eyes fixed on the blessed Jesus, and you shall obtain grace and favor with God. With the prodigal son, return to thy offended father, and he will receive and embrace thee. His mercies are unchangeably the same, ready to be communicated to every sincere penitent. These he freely offers to all: and nothing is more easy to him than to show mercy to him that asks it in faith; " for his hand is not shortened, that he cannot save."
4. The more wretched you appearest in his sight, the more welcome shall you be to him, who is desirous to enrich thee out of his own treasures. And the sins of the whole world bear no more proportion to his infinite mercies, than a single drop of water to the vast ocean. But so soon as ever you art in a state of grace, all thy works wrought in thee shall be acceptable to God through his only begotten Son, by whom alone we have access to his mercies. In this faith, in this union with the Son of GOD, you shall live. He is that living Fountain that purifies all our uncleanness, and maketh all our works acceptable in his sight. But still take heed to thyself, and remember that you rest not, even in thy spiritual gifts and privileges, which, as a child of grace, are bestowed upon thee; but in God alone, the author and giver of them. Hence we are commanded a to delight ourselves in the Lord," Psal. 37: 4; not in his gifts, but in his glory; that his will may be perfected in us, and in all creatures.
5. As rivers return back to their respective fountain heads, so must we refer all our gifts and graces to God; in order to which, let this rule be deeply fixed in our minds: “If you hadst all the gifts and graces which God has bestowed, either in heaven or on earth, with the good works of all’ the saints that have been since the foundation of the world-so soon as ever you beginnest to take an inordinate pleasure in them, and delight in them as a property of thine own, they are immediately polluted and defiled with the stain and guilt of idolatry." For there is nothing, either in heaven or earth, in which we ought to rest, but God alone. And when we are come to this, then God himself is our joy, our delight, our rest, our fulness, our treasure, our riches, and our refuge, both within and without: and in this consists the perfection andfulness of blessing. We then become proper vessels of Divine grace. For in proud spirits, which are the organs and instruments of the devil, God cannot operate; "but he giveth grace to the humble," and filleth their souls with his " hid treasures." Inward pride is the fruitful root of all vices. By this the devil keepeth his strong hold in the soul, where God alone has a right to inhabit.
6. The vine, as to its outward form, seems, to those that know it riot, to be but a vile and useless plant, fit for nothing but the fire; and yet, under that mean outside, it conceals generous veins and springs of most noble juice. Such are all those Divine persons, through whom the Spirit of God operates. They appear in the sight of men, vile, mean, and contemptible. Their appearance is humble, void of pomp and grandeur; but within they are full of invaluable treasure-even living streams of blessing, flowing incessantly from the throne and presence of God. But they that are puffed up with their gifts, or that make a show of their alms-these, by displaying so industriously their good deeds to the world, have indeed received their reward.
7. If then you wouldst have thy works acceptable before GOD, observe carefully these four rules:-
1. Think humbly of all thy actions; not respecting thyself, but God alone.
2. Let this humility be deeply rooted and grounded in thy soul, humbling thyself not only under the hand of GOD, but every man, whether small or great, out of an hearty sense of thine own unworthiness.
3. Look upon all that you dost as vile and worthless; so far from valuing thyself upon any performances.
4. Have a profound dread of the secret judgments of GOD, not proceeding from any doubtful or scrupulous notions about the mercies of God; but regarding him as thy best friend, be careful to avoid every thing that may be likely to offend him. He that despises these four rules, renders even his best actions unclean in the sight of God. But he that carefully attends to them, shall be like a green olive-tree in the house of his GOD, bearing fruit abundantly to everlasting life.
8. And here we must observe, that even the most inconsiderable thing that you doest; if it serve the good of thy neighbor, is acceptable to God; whilst he that employeth not his talent to that end, shall have a dreadful account to give at the last day. This is the end of God's gifts, that we should readily and industriously employ them for the benefit of others. Every action, every art; employment, and profession; were given by God for this end. And these are the works which, our Lord tells us, "are wrought in GOD," (.John 3:21;) that is, in faith and charity, directed solely to the glory of GOD, and the benefit of our neighbor; without any respect of honor or advantage to ourselves; of which every man's own conscience is the judge. Consider then carefully with thyself the ground and springs of all thy actions; remembering, that if you neglect or refuse to employ the blessings of God for thy neighbor's benefit, you may have the same punishment with the slothful servant, who was deprived of his talent which he had hid in the ground.
9. The sum of all is this, That all our works, how specious soever they may appear, if they be directed to any other end but GOD, are nothing but vanity and idolatry. For he is truly an idolater, who proposes any other end or aim but God. Wherefore, if you have any gifts, use them; but take heed that thy heart rest not in them; if it do, you art guilty of idolatry.
10. Let all that desire to be the true lovers of Jesus CHRIST, bear their cross in this world, be it what it will. If you flee from one, another will meet thee: and do what you wilt, you must bear it. But under every cross the hand of God is with us to lighten it, and make it easy to us.
11. But perhaps you art in doubt with thyself whether the cross which you sufferest comes from God. If so, let this be the test: Whatsoever you sufferest for thine own sake will be grievous and tedious. But if you suffer for God's salve, it is his cross. And then, what matters it, whether thy load he a hundred or a thousand pound weight He will lend a helping hand, " and make thy yoke easy, and thy burden light." Good Lord, lay upon me what burden you pleasest, only assist my weakness with the everlasting arm of thy omnipotence t Next observe, " That the choicest blessings of God are bestowed upon us whilst we are under the cross. And though they are sometimes bestowed before-hand, yet it is the cross that confirms and roots them in the soul." And being so necessary to the soul, God has given the larger share of it to his faithful friends and servants, and particularly to his only begotten Son, Jesus CHRIST., Every affliction is a token of Divine love, commissioned to visit us for our good. And the united malice of earth and hell cannot do the least hurt to a devout soul trained up in sufferings,, and obedient to the discipline of the cross. The more his enemies assault him,’ the higher is he exalted by God. And though he should be thrust down into hell, yet there should he meet his GOD, and hell itself should be an heaven to him..
12. As salt preserves flesh from putrefaction, so do afflictions and temptations keep the soul from sin and misery. And the deeper a man sinks into humility by the cross, the deeper does he penetrate into the heart of GOD, which is always open to receive and embrace the mortified and humble soul. This is the great end proposed by God in all his various methods of humbling us, that, being sensible of our own corruption, we may die to ourselves, and live entirely unto him. The saints of old, when under heavy tribulations, could no otherwise possess their souls in patience than by a total abandoning and denial of themselves; being ready to submit to every cross which God should lay upon them, even though it should last their whole life long. By this humility, obedience, and self-denial, they were at last delivered. For having answered the end designed by God in sending crosses upon there, he was pleased immediately to release them,
13. You can not be hurt by any cross,. unless by being fretful and impatient under it. You dost wrong, if you thinkest thyself injured by this or that man. They cannot hurt thee, if thy mind is steady and even under its burden. Be assured, that, as long as you art master of thyself, the whole world can do thee no harm. If then you wouldst be safe against the assaults of thine enemy, be silent; answer not again; even as a deaf man, "in whose mouth are no reproofs." Every calumny and reproach which the world shall cast upon thee, shall be as so many rays of light encircling thy head with a crown of glory. I will conclude this doctrine of the cross with just Mentioning those three degrees of patience, in which true victory consists.
The first is, To suffer without murmuring. The second is, Not only to suffer patiently, but even to wish for suffering for CHRIST's sake, from a pure love of him.* The third is, To rejoice in suffering; and this is the greatest victory of all. A PRAYER For lively faith in CHRIST. LORD Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith! Let thy word so powerfully operate in my soul, that
I may perfectly understand that mystery of iniquity, which has infected all my faculties; yea, and feel the mystery of godliness, by CHRIST truly formed in me. Let faith, as a flame kindled from above, burn in me, and purify all my dross and uncleanness; and let thy Divine light so break forth in my soul, that I may not only see the wonders of thy love, and the secrets of thy kingdom, but may also arrive at an intimate union with thee.
2. Take away the deformities my nature has contracted, by sin, and clothe me with the fine linen of thy righteousness, that I may appear all beautiful in thy sight. Grant that my faith, being firmly rooted in a contrite and humble heart, may bring forth plentifully the fruits of the Spirit; truly and vigorously working by love. Deliver me from all false notions about faith, by which many have been led to destruction.
3. Teach me, O Lord, that the true faith in thee, is the work of thy Almighty power,; so that after I have been stricken with a lively sense of my own- corruption, and of the vengeance due to my sins, I may, by the Father, at length be drawn to the Son; and being quickened by his enlivening grace and righteousness, and sealed with his Spirit, as the earnest and pledge of my future inheritance, I may again return to the Father, and be eternally happy in the fruition of his love.
4. Grant me, merciful Jesus! a deep sense of the power of true faith upon my soul! Let my faith be thevictory that overcometh the world, treading down the very seed of sin. Do you so purify my polluted heart by faith, that it may be -a proper habitation for thee; and' that you may graciously vouchsafe to dwell in me.
5. And when I feel the power of this faith moving andoperating in me, then, I beseech thee, assist me with thy gracious presence, to water this tender plant with plentiful showers of thy grace, that it may take deep root downwards, and bear plentifully the fruits of life upwards. Let this faith be an heavenly light in me, by which I may fully understand the deplorable corruption of my nature, and- the promised redemption by Jesus CHRIST.
6. Grant that this spark of faith, once kindled in me,. may be -blown into a flame by daily aspirations of devout love. Let every cross and tribulation, whether within or without, contribute to strengthen this life of faith which: thy word has planted in Ine. Above all, give me the -sincere milk of thy word, to quench the longing thirst of my poor soul,; and let it penetrate into all my powers and faculties, till I grow up into a perfect -man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST. And having at last passed through all the temptations and trials of true faith, may I pass into the full possession of those joys, of which I have had a foretaste here; and for ever drink of those rivers of pleasure, which are at thy,right hand; to whom be ascribed all praise, honor, and glory, for ever. Amen! ASPIRATIONS. O JESUS, enlighten me with the brightness of thine eternal light; and chase all darkness from my soul. Send forth thy light and thy truth, to shine over the’earth; for I am a black and fruitless soil, till I am warmed and made pregnant with thy beams. Shower down thy grace from above, and sink thy heavenly dew into my heart. Let the flood-gates of piety and devotion overflow the face of the whole earth. O unite my soul to thee, for you only, O Lord, art sufficient for the soul that loves thee.
END OF THE THIRD BOOK.