Sif/n 5. Again, a man may know that he leads his life in gracious wisdom, or by gracious wisdom, when he fetchcth reasons for his actions, not from tliinifs helow, but from reiiffion, from conscience, from- spiritual thi)tfis. He doth not fetch the reason of his actions from this, that this will profit me, or I shall advantage myself thus and thus ; but he fetcheth the reasons and ground of his actions higher : this is pleasing to God, this is according to the peace of my conscience, this is for the good of the church, for the good of the state I live in, this is for the good of my Christian brethren. The strongest reason of a Christian is that that makes for religion, and for conscience. If he may gain in his own particular one way, and gain to the state or religion another, he considers not, what will it advantage me ? but, what is it for religion ? It is the chief prevailing reason, how he may gain to religion, and the glory of God. He will not redeem his life to impeach the glory of God and religion. This is a man that leads his life by grace.
Si{fn 6. Again, where grace is, there graces are together. There is a sweet linking of them. Therefore St Paul, instead of wisdom, names ' grace of God,' all grace. A man, therefore, may know that he is led by gi'ace, when there is no solitary grace ; for where grace is solitary, it is not at all, it is but a shadow.
For there is not one grace, but it is of special use in the managing of a Christian's life and conversation ; therefore St Paul, instead of wisdom, puts grace here. For instance, there is a great necessity of seeing by a light above natm^e, things above nature. If a man lead a life above nature, there is a necessity of heavenly illumination, and conviction that there is a better happiness than the world affords. And then there is a need of love to carry the soul to that happiness that is discovered. But then there are a world of impediments between us and heaven and happiness, that is discovered to us in the gospel by Christ Jesus. There must be heavenly wisdom, therefore, to discover the impediments, and to remove them. And there are many advantages how to attain our end. We must use this and this means, these and these helps that God hath ordained. Here must be heavenly wisdom to use the advantages, and to avoid the hindrances. But there is a world of troubles between our end and us, between heaven that is discovered, and us. Therefore saith the apostle, ' Ye have need of patience.' And patience, that is sustained by hope. Hope casts anchor in heaven, and assures us of happiness there ; and then patience sustains us in whatsoever befalls us in this world. Therefore the apostle saith not, I lead my life by wisdom, but by grace ; by wisdom, as it hath a connection with all other gi-aces.
Therefore a man that, out of hearing of the word, or reading, &c., hath it discovered, that there is a better way than he takes, and yet notwith- standing hath not love to carry him to it, nor wisdom to remove the impedi- ments, he works not towards his end ; there is no grace at all. There is illumination, but it is not sanctified illumination, but a mere common work of the Spirit ; because where true wisdom is, there is love, and patience, and hope, and all other graces, to carry the whole soul to that happiness that is discovered.
292 COMMENTARY ON
Therefore by this you may know a gi*acious wise man, he works to his end always. Another man hears and wishes, Oh ! it were well if I could attain heaven. But carnal policy and base alicctions hold him in a beastly course of life, that he works not to that end. Only he hears such things, and thinks God will be merciful, and Cln-ist hath died ; and when he can- not enjoy the world longer, he will have good words that way. But that will not serve the turn. A man must lead a life in grace, that will die, and be saved by gi'ace. 1 To must work, and carry the whole man with it ; and not only have knowledge, but faith, and love, and all. A man must work with it.
Who is a wise man in outward matters ? Is he a wise man that only talks of state matters, out of books he hath read ? No ! but he that, when he comes to a business to negotiate in the world, can remove hin- drances, and attain his end, and overthrow the plots of his enemies, when it comes to particular actions. Here is a wise man, that can attain his end by working ; that doth work to his end, till he have attained it. So he proves graciously wise in religion, that works to his end ; or else he is a foolish man, a foohsh builder. As Christ saith, ' If ye know these things, and do them not,' Mat. vii. 2G, you are as a man that builds on the sands ; your profession will come to nothing.