7. This birth draweth to it God's assistance ; for whosoever is born of God is taken into God's family and under God's protection : ' For all things are of him, and through him, and to him ; ' as in a way of nature, so in a way of grace, Eom. xi. 35. They have their preserva- tion from him from whom they received their being ; the new creature is through him as well as from him ; and no dam can be so tender of the young brood in the nest as God is of the new creature, which is of his own production. He cherisheth that grace which he hath in- fused ; Phil. i. 6, ' Being confident of this, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ.' The same power doth carry on the work of grace which did begin it in us. Paul was confident of this very thing, of their perseverance in grace on this account. Now herein lieth the stability of the saints, not in the strength of their own resolutions ; for our steps are apt to slip after the firmest engagements to God : Ps. Ixxiii. 2, ' But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped ; ' for fixedness of gracious habits is not from themselves, for we are to ' strengthen the things that remain, and are ready to die,' Rev. iii. 2 ; but from the power of God, which by promise is engaged for their preservation against all opposition. Now this doth secure God's children so far, that those who are born of God cannot degenerate so as to fall into total impenitency ; and it does also condeum our laziness if we do not make use of the grace offered to keep ourselves from sin, and do not make use of the means pro- vided, that we may be fortified against it. There is a waxing and waning grace, and ebbings and Sowings in corruption ; but God's covenant and paternal love admits of no abatement ; our antipathy to sin may abate, but not Christ's compassion to the saints. He hath in- stituted, not only outward means to confirm us,' but still supplieth internal grace to nourish our faith, hope, and love, that they may be lively and strong against sin.
8. If we sin wilfully, the seed of God that remaineth in us, though it be not utterly extinct, yet it is sore battered and bruised, and there is such havoc made in the soul, tliat it is hard to know whether we have any grace in us, yea or no. We are as if we had none ; if there be any, it is best seen first in our sudden recovery ; for the time we are as if we had none. Therefore David speaketh as if the work were to begin anew, and his recovery were a kind of second conversion : Ps. H. 10, 'Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a riglit spirit within me.' The grace of the Holy Spirit is so obstructed, and the flood-gate of natural })ollution so opened, that it is a kind of creation, or second conversion, to restore the principle of grace to its vigour and power, as if all were to begin again. Indeed it was not so, for he presently added, ' Cast me not away from thy holy presence, and take not thy
72 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XV.
Spirit from me.' He had some interest in God still, somewhat of the Spirit left which he did not lose ; though he had sadly fallen from his wonted purity and sincerity, yet he owneth some presence of the Spirit still, and desireth that God would not take it from him, as having never more need of it than at this time. Secondly, If we cannot lie in sin, but by our falls we do much more resolve and strengthen ourselves against sin for the time to come, running to our advocate, and seriously making our peace with God, 1 John ii. 1, and resolve to be more watchful and cautious for the time to come : Ps. li. 6, ' In the inward parts thou shalt make me to know wisdom ; ' and Ps. Ixxxv. 8, ' Let them not return to folly ; ' that is, commit such foolish and incon- siderate acts again ; if it be thus with us, it argueth that the root re- maineth, and hath life in it, though the branches be shrewdly rifled and withered ; if they work themselves clean again, as a living spring that purifies itself ; but where sin is made light of, and not truly repented of when committed, there it is not so.
9. That this avoiding of sin is here brought as the most sensible, visible note and character, to distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil : ' He that sinneth is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning : and he that is born of God sinneth not. In this the children of God, and the children of the devil are manifest.' To walk in a sinful course is plainly to entitle ourselves to the devil, who is the eldest sinner, as being the first of the kind ; the most constant sinner, for he sinneth from the beginning, never ceaseth, is never weary of sin ; and the most industrious and painful sinner, for he compasses the earth to and fro to draw men into a rebellion against God ; and therefore he is the father of all those that live in a trade and course of sin. But, on the contrary, he that sinneth not is born of God. God is holy, and the great work of his Spirit is to renew us in holiness and cleanse us from sin ; therefore by committing or avoiding sin we may soon see, yea, the world may see, to whom we belong. And surely it doth not become the children of God to border too near upon the wicked. There should be a broad difference between them and the children of the devil, or else they dishonour their Father, because they come too near the carnal life ; therefore when the two seeds are thus intermingled or blended together, it is a nice and difficult case to dis- tinguish them ; so that either it must be determined against you, that you are not a child of God, or at least you perplex the case, and make it doubtful ; you are too like the ungodly, and Satan hath too much interest in you. Holiness is God's image ; doth it not grieve you that you are so little like him ? By his graces he keepeth possession of you ; if these have not their effect upon you, you dishonour him by professing such a nearness to him, and can so little distinguish yourselves from his enemies. Surely the more nearly you are related to Christ, the more tender you should be of offending and dishonouring him. If Christ hath done his part to difference you from all the rest of the world, and you will not declare the difference, and make it manifest, you harden the world, and they will think that to distinguish between the seeds is factious singularity, not regular zeal ; they hold up their ways with greater pretence, as justified by you, when you are covetous, envious, wrathful, giving to tippling or vain company.