2. The latter grace doth not only increase, but secure the former. A weak measure of grace is often interrupted, and can hardly main- tain itself in the midst of oppositions within and temptations without:
312 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. [SER. XII.
Eev. iii. 2. ' Strengthen the things which are ready to die/ Sin maketh daily breaches upon us ; Satan assaults us ; our hopes disturb our com- fort, and too often betray the honour of God, and expose religion to contempt.
3. Though we have grace enough for safety, yet we may not have enough for comfort. Some may make a hard shift to get to heaven with weak grace : ' Scarcely saved,' 1 Peter iv. 18, and ' Saved as by fire/
1 Cor. iii. 13. Yet they are not capable of the rich consolations of the gospel, have no peace and joy in believing, do not taste of God's feast, nor eat of that choice fruit which groweth upon the tree of life in the midst of paradise. The comfort of the gospel, it is called a strong comfort, Heb. vi. 18, because it overcometh the sense of all present infelicities; a full comfort answereth all necessities, John xv. 11. A ravishing comfort, Phil. iv. 7 ; it may be felt better than told. A glorious com- fort, 1 Peter i. 8, because it is a taste of heaven, and it is the portion of the eminent fruitful christian.
4. Though we may have enough to save us and bring us to heaven, yet we have not enough to glorify God, by doing some eminent thing for him in the world. Surely it concerneth a christian to get his heart enlarged to such actions and services as may be most to the praise and glory of God, that we may carry his name up and down with honour. Now this is only done by some eminent degree of grace : John xv. 8, ' Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;' Phil. i. 11, ' Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are to the praise and glory of God ;' and Mat. v. 16, 'Let your works so shine before men, that ye may glorify your Father in heaven.' When the grace is so plentiful, then it shineth forth.
Use. To press us to enlarge our desires, affections, and endeavours after grace. It is mere laziness to sit down with any measure of grace as enough, and not to care for an increase. The life of a christian must be a continual progress in holiness. We have not yet attained our full and perfect measure of spiritual growth. Our light must in- crease : Prov. iv. 18, ' The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.' It is not high noon or perfect day with us yet ; therefore we must propound to ourselves a higher pitch and further degree than yet we have attained unto : Phil, iii. 13, 'I have not apprehended, but forgetting those things that are behind, I press forward.'
1. For the honour of Christ, We should seek to return to our first estate, that Christ may be found as able to save as Adam to destroy ; Christ aimeth at this, to present us faultless.
2. It is for our comfort that we should go to heaven with full sails :
2 Peter i. 11, ' So an entrance shall be administered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom.' Some are afar off, some not far, Mark xii. 34. Some enter with much ado, some with full sail.
3. Nothing engageth us to maintain communion with God so much as this, that we are filled with all his goodness. Narrow-mouthed vessels cannot take in all at once. Desire the word, 1 Peter ii. 2 ; prayer, 1 Thes. v. 23, ' I pray God your whole spirit,' &c.
4. Encouragement. Deus donando debet. Life, food, body, raiment. God giveth the former grace to make way for more, Zech. iii. 2.
VER. 11.] SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 313
SERMON XIII.
Wlierefore also we pray always for you, tliat our God ivould count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power. — 2 Thes. i. 11.
Doct. Then is the pleasure of God's goodness fulfilled in us, when we accomplish the work of faith with power.
1. What is the work of faith ?
2. Why it is a sure note that the pleasure of God's goodness hath its effect in us.
I. What is the work of faith ? Two things must be explained — faith, and the work of faith.
First, In what sense faith is here taken. For a belief of the truth of the gospel, or a receiving the testimony which God hath given us in the word concerning salvation by Christ. So it was taken ver. 10, ' Our testimony among you was believed.' And presently he prayeth that God would fulfil in them the work of faith with power, the work proper to this faith. And so it is described 1 John v. 9-11, ' If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater ; and this is the witness of God, which he hath testified of his Son : he that belie veth the Son of God, hath the witness in himself ; he that belie veth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believed not the record which God gave of his Son : and this is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.' Where — (1.) Faith is made to be a receiving God's testimony ; (2.) That the sum of this testimony is eter- nal life, to be had by Christ ; (3.) That this testimony is transmitted and conveyed to us by some unerring record, to which, if we give not credit, we put the lie upon God, rejecting a truth so solemnly attested ; but if we do, we find the fruit of it in our own souls. I shall prove it by arguments.