3. The weakest grace shall persevere, as well as the strongest. A sucking child was as safe in the ark as Noah. An infant believer, that is but newly laid to the breast of the promise, is as safe in Christ as the most eminent heroic saint.
Obj. 4. I fear the kingdom of grace is not
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yet come, because I find the kingdom of sin so strong in me. Had I faith, it would purify my heart ; but I find much pride, worldliness, passion.
Ans. The best of tlie saints have remain- ders of corruption, Dan. vii. 12., " They had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season." So in the regenerate, tliough tlie dominion of sin be taken away, yet the life of it is prolong- ed for a season. What pride was there in Christ's own disciples, when they strove which should be greatest ! The issue of sin will not be quite stopped till death. The Lord is pleased to let the in-being of sin continue, to humble his people, and make them prize Christ the more ; but be- cause you find corruptions stirring, do not therefore presently unsaint yourselves, and deny the kingdom of grace to be come into your souls. That you feel sin is an evi- dence of spiritual life ; that you mourn for sin, — what are these tears but fruits of love to God ? that you have a combat with sin, argues antipathy against it. Those sins which you did once wear as a crown on your head, are now as fetters on the leg ; is not all this from the Spirit of grace in you ? Sin is in you, as poison in the body, which you are sick of, and use all scripture antidotes to expel. Should we condemn all those who have the indwelling of sin, nay, who have had sin — at sometimes — prevailing, we should blot some of the best saints out of the Bible.
Ouj. 5. Where the kingdom of grace comes, it softens the heart ; bid I find my heart fro- zen and congealed into hardness ; lean hard- ly squeeze out one tear. Do fiowers grow on a rock ? Can there be any grace in such a rocky heart ?
Ans. There may be grief where there are no tears ; the best sorrow is rational. In your judgment you esteem sin tlie most hyperbolical evil, — you have a disgust and disj)lacency against sin, — this is a rational sorrow, and such as God will accept. A Christian may have some hardness in his heart, yet not have a hard heart ; a field may have tares in it, yet we call it a field of wheat ; in the best heart is a mixture of hardness, yet because there is some softness and melting, God looks upon it as a soft
heart ; therefore. Christian, dispute not a- gainst thyself, if thou canst find lut one thing, that the frame and temper of thv soul be holy. Art thou still breathing af- ter God, delighting in him ? Is the com- plexion of thy soul heavenly ? Canst thou say, as David, Ps. cxxxix. 18., " When \ awake, I am still with thee." As colours laid in oil, or a statue carved in gold, abide, so doth an holy complexion ; the soul is still pointing towards God. If it be thus with thee, assure thyself the kingdom of grace is come into the soul ; be not unkind to God, to deny any work of his Spirit which he hath wrought in thee.
Use \st. Of exhortation. Labour to find that this kingdom of grace is set up in your hearts ; while others aspire after earthly kingdoms, labour to have the kingdom of God within you, Luke xvii. 21. The king- dom of grace must come into us, before we can go into the kingdom of glory. Motives.
Is^ Motive. This kingdom of God within us is our spiritual beauty ; the kingdom of grace adorns a person, and sets him off in the eyes of God and angels. This makes the king's daughter all glorious within, Ps. xlv. 13. Grace sheds a glory and lustre upon the soul. As the diamond to the ring, so is grace to the soul. An heart beautified with grace hath the king of hea- ven's picture hung in it.
2d Motive. The kingdom of grace set up in the heart is our spiritual defence. Grace is called ' the armour of light,' Rom. xiii. 12. It is light for beauty, and armour for defence. He who hath the kingdom of grace within him, is " strengthened with all might according to God's glorious power," Col. i. 11.; he hath the shield of faith, the helmet of hope, the breas-t-plate of riofhteousness ; this armour can never be shot through ; it fortifies a Christian a- gainst the assaults of temptation, and the terrors of hell.
3f/ Motive. The kingdom of grace set up in the heart brings peace with it, Rom. xiv. 17., "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace." There is a secret peace breeds out of holi ness. Peace is the best blessing of a king- dojn : Pax una triunipkis innumeris melior. Tlie kingdom of grace is a kingdom of
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