God when he is honoured by trusting of him, when in sincerity we make him our wisdom, and make his word our rule, and the happiness that he hath promised our chief happiness that we aim at, and rest in him ; when we honour him so far, then he makes a supply of all other things. But I spake of sincerity to the full before, only 1 bring it now, to shew how it is a note of a man that makes the grace of God his guide — he walks sincerely, he seeks the glory of God.
Sir/n 3. Thirdly, He that walks by the gi-ace of God, and in the grace of God ; by it as a rule, and in it as a principle : he that walks in it, and by * Qu. ' whereby '? ' — Ed. f That is, --= ' termiuatiou, end.' — G.
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it, and through it : j-ou sliall see it Inj the ahilihj that is in him ahove nature, by the ihiw/s th«t he doth, that ulhor men cannot do, that urilk not hy grace. Therefore you have a trial of a man that convcrseth by grace, from hence. He can cross the common corruptions of the place, and of the time he lives in. He is not a slave, he is not enthralled to common fears, to common hopes, to tlu^ comnu )n joys and delights that the world is carried withal. But as grace is a thing that is mighty, and strong, and powerful of itself, it is a Spirit (the Spirit is like the wind, as Christ tells Nicodemus, John iii. 8) ; it is a mighty, powerful, strong thing : so it makes him strong, it enables a man's spirit to do above himself, above that which he could do, if he had not grace. It makes him deny himself in matter of pleasure, in matter of profit ; it will make him cross himself in matter of revenge, as David spared Saul, when he had him in his power, 1 Sam. xxiv. 4. It will make him triumph over all estates. He can abound, and he can want, as St Paul saith, Philip, iv. 12.
Other men are changeable with their condition ; they are cast down in adversity, ihey are pulled up in prosperity, they can deny themselves in nothing ; they arc always enthralled to their base pleasures, and profits, and honours ; they are always swayed with some carnal end or other. Grace, it raiseth a man above nature. He can do that which another cannot do ; he can endure that which another man cannot endure. He can die, he can endure shame, he can resist that which another man can- not resist.
iSiyn 4. In a word, you may know grace in a man that hath great imrts of nature. How shall we distinguish grace from nature in him ? Thus, you shall have him subdue Jiis parts unto grace, ami to the rides of religion. If he have a strong wit, he will not make show of the strength of it, as though he would break through business wdth his wit ; but he will consult with conscience. You may know a man that is led by grace, especially where there are great parts ; he can deny not only his corruptions, but other things, if they stand not at that time with the will of God ; he for- bears ostentation of learning when he sees it is hm-tful, when it is rather to shew himself, than to get glory to God, or to win souls. When a man sees that such and such courses might crush another, and advance himself ; yet if it touch upon conscience, he wdll not do [itj. Here is a conflict be- tween parts, and the grace of God, and goodness. Now when a man in this can deny himself, it is a sign that a man makes grace his guide.
It is not so easy in weaker dispositions ; for men seem sometimes to be good, when it is defect of parts ; but in men of ability, it proceeds not from defect, or want of parts, but it is the power of grace only whereby they are swayed. Such a man dares not do it. He wants not ability or skill ; but he dares not offend God, he dares not seek himself, he dares not give scope to his wit, and to his vain mind ; he knows what spirit in him moves such things, and he suppresseth them presently, and yields to the motions of God's blessed Spirit.
But yet in weaker men a man may know when such a one is ruled by grace. Thus, when a man sees something in him that strengthens nature, as, grace takes not away nature, but betters it. When you see a man that otherwise is simple, yet he is wondrous skilful in resisting a temptation, skilful in giving advice, skilful in keeping the peace of his conscience, skilful in giving reproof, even above himself : a man may know that he hath a better schoolmaster : that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of grace, is his schoolmaster.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, \T.^. 12. 291
So that whether a man have Btrong or weak parts, a man may know whether he be led by grace or no. In the weaker, it raiscth him above himself ; in the stronger, when the exercise of his parts of natiu-e and grace cannot stand together, it makes him deny himself. That he may be led by the one, he denies the other altogether. This is gracious wisdom.