bth. AVe may know the kingdom of grace is come into us, Avhen we have given up ourselves to God by obedience ; as a ser- vant gives up himself to his master, as a wife gives up herself to her husband, so we give up ourselves to God by obedience. And this obedience is, \st. Free ; as that is the sweetest honey which dro])s from the comb. 2d. Uniform ; we obey God in one thing as well as another, Ps. cxix. 6., "Then shall I not be ashomat ;" or, as it is in the Hebrew, " I shall not l)lusli when I have respect to all thy commandments." A good Christian is like a ])air of comj)as- ses : one foot of the compass stands nj)ou the centre, and the other foot of it goes round the circle ; so a Christian by faith stands on God the centre, and by obedience goes round the circle of God's command- ments ; a sign the kingdom of grace is not come into the heart, when it doth not reign
OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
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tbcre "by universal obedience. Hypocrites would liave Christ to be their Saviour; but they plucic the government from his shoul- ders, they will not have him rule ; but he who liMlh the klnjjdom ol' (Jod within him, submits cheerfully to every command of God, — he will do what God will have him do ; he will be what God will have him be, • — he puts a blank paper into God's hand, and saith, " Lord, write what thou wilt, I "will subscribe. " Blessed is he that can find all these things in his soul, he " is all glorious within," Ps. xlv. 13. lie carries a kingdom about him ; this kingdom of grace will certainly bring to a kingdom of glory.
I shall answer some doubts and objec- tions, that a Christian may make against Iiimself.
Ot'.T. I fear the kinrjdom of grace is not yet come into nn/ heart.
Alls. When a Christian is under tempta- tion, or grace lies dormant, lie is not fit to be his own judge ; but in this case he must take the witness of others who have the spirit of discerning. But let us hear a Christian's objections against himself, why lie thinks the kingdom of grace is not yet come into his heart.
Ob J. 1. I cannot discern grace.
Ana A child of (iod may have the king- dom of m-ace in his heart, vet not know it. The cup was in Benjamin's sack, though be did not know it was there ; thou mayest have faith in thy heart, the cuj) may be in thy sack, though thou knowest it not. Old Jacob wept for his son Joseph, when Jo- pe})h was alive ; thou mayest weep for want of grace, when grace may be alive in thy lieart. The seed m;iy be in the ground, when we do not see it spring up ; the seed of God may be sown in thy heart, though thou dost not ])crceive the sj)ringing of it np. Think not grace is lost because it is hid.
Oiu. 2. Before the Kingdom of grace come into the heart, there nnist be some preparation for it ; the falloiu ground if the heart must be. brolen np ; I fear the plough of the laiv hath not gone deep enough, — / have not been humhhd enough, — therefore I have no grace.
Ans. God doth not prescribe a just pro- portion ol sorrow and humiliation ; the
scripture mentions the truth of sorrow, but not the measure. Some are more flagitious sinners than others, these must have a greater degree of humiliation. A knotty piece of tiniber requires more wedges to be driven^ into it. Some stomachs are fouler than others, therefore need strotiger physic. But wouhlest thou know when tliou hast ])een hiinihlcd enough for sin? When thou art wiUiiig to let go thy sins. Then the gold hath lain long enough in the fur- nace when the dross is purged out ; so, when the love of sin is purged out, a soul is humbled enough to divine acceptation, though not to divine satisfaction. Now, if thou art humbled enough, (though not so much as others) what needs more ? 7W/5- tra sit per pi lira, &c. If a needle will let out the imj)ostbume, what needs a lance? Be not more cruel to thyself than God would have thee.
Ob J. 3. Jfthe kingdom of God were icith- in me., it uvuhl be a kingdom of poirer ; it uonld enable me to serve God with vigour of soul ; but I have a spirit of' infrmifg upon me, I am weak and impotent^ and untu7ied to every holi/ action.
Ans. There is a great difference between the weakness of grace, and the want of grace : a man may have life, though he be sick and weak. Weak grace is not to be despised, but cherished ; Christ will not break the bruised reed. Do not argue I'rom the weakness of grace to the nullity.
1. M'eak grace will give us a title to Christ, as well as strong. A weak hand of faith will receive the alms of Christ's merits.
2. Weak faith is capable of growth. The seed springs up by degrees, first the blade, and then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear ; the faith that is strongest was once in its infancy. (n"ace is like the wa- ters (»f the sanctuary, which did rise high- er and higher ; be not discouniged at thy weak faith, though it be but blossoming, it will by degrees come to more maturity.