VER. 12.] SERMONS UPON PH1LIPPIANS III. 85
3. The notion of grace implietb it. You must not only begin it, but continue it till you come to the goal. Besides your entrance into Christianity, there must be a progress. There is a gate, and a way, Mat. vii. 14. Will you always keep at the door and entrance ? It is not enough to begin, but we must finish in the way of mortification, heavenly-mindeclness, self-denial : Pro v. iv. 18, ' The path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day ; ' Pa lxxxiv. 7, 'They go from strength to strength ; ' 2 Cor. iv. 16, ' But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.'
Now there is requisite to this —
[1.] A strong faith, or a deep sense of the world to come : Heb. x. 39, ' But we are not of them who draw back to perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.'
[2.] A fervent love, levelling and directing all our actions to God's glory : 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, ' For the love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead : and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.'
[3.] A lively hope, quickening and strengthening our resolutions for God and the world to come : 1 Peter i. 13, ' Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.' In short, a faith that we may believe the gospel with an assent so strong as con- stantly to adhere to the duties prescribed, and to venture all upon the hopes offered therein ; a hope so strong that the heart be so set upon glory to come, that present things do not greatly move us, whether the delights or terrors of sense ; such a love arising out of the sense of our obligations to God, and a value and esteem of his grace, that we do with all readiness of mind and delight, with frequency and constancy, continue in the obedience of his will, seeking his glory.
Doct. 3. That it is a great encouragement in the spiritual race that Christ apprehended us for this end and scope, that we may apprehend the crown of eternal life.
Christ's apprehending of us implieth —
1. That any motion towards that which is spiritually good proceedeth first and wholly from Christ. He apprehendeth us before we can apprehend him ; his person, ways, benefits, but especially our eternal rewards. We have from him beginning and progress ; he is the author and finisher ; he first layeth hold upon us, when we were dead in trespasses and sins, by his grace, and still upholdeth us by his grace. He puts us into the heavenly race ; for till Christ changeth us we take up with things next at hand. A blinded unbelieving sinner can- not see afar off, till the spirit of wisdom and revelation open his eyes : Eph. i. 17, 18, ' That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father ol glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' Nor will he regard heavenly things, nor set his heart on another world, nor lay up his hopes in heaven, and forsake all the things he seeth for that God and glory
86 SERMONS UPON PHILirPIANS III. [SeR. IX.
which he never saw. He slighteth the offer ; his heart is shut up against it till God open it : Acts xvi. 14, ' Whose heart the Lord opened, so that she attended to the things spoken by Paul.' Christ's apprehending us in effectual calling is by a work on the will and understanding ; till Christ open our eyes and turn our hearts, and instead of sensual and worldly, make them spiritual and heavenly : Acts xxvi. 18, ' To open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.' We disregard these things till our understandings be cleared ; have neither sight nor sense of the world to come, will not let go present advantages for heavenly hopes : 1 Cor. ii. 14, 'But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can lie know them, because they are spiritually discerned ; ' Prov. xxiii. 4, ' Labour not to be rich ; cease from thine own understanding.' Till the heart be turned our affections are prepossessed, till Christ puts us in the race.
2. Christ's apprehending us implieth a motion on our part, a sub- ordinate operation ; for he infuseth a new life, which we receive from Christ, to use it and live by it.' There is a vital power, whereby we are made to stir ourselves in a way of holiness, for thereby we are fitted for operations becoming the new creature enabled and inclined ; and so the power of God and the liberty of man do sweetly consist together. Where God is said to create in us a new heart, he is also said to give us a free spirit, Ps. Ii. 10, 13. Where we are said to be 'God's work- manship in Christ Jesus ; ' we are said ' To walk in them,' Eph. ii. 10. Where he is said to ' take away the heart of stone, and to give us an heart of flesh,' there it is said, ' I will cause you to walk in my statutes,' Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27 ; 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18, 'Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' God first worketh on us, and then by us. God's work is first, ours subordinate : Cant. i. 4, ' Draw me, we will run after thee ; ' Ps. cxix. 32, 'I will walk at liberty, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.' We are ' transformed by the renewing of our minds, but so as to prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of the Lord,' Rom. xii. 2. Well, then, having such a spirit, and power, and principle of life, with which the rest of the world are not acquainted, let us press forward.