31. Grace and glory go both under one name
Grace and glory go both under one name
Quest. Why do all come under one name, the state of glory in heaven, and the state of grace here? Is there no difference?
Ans. Yes. But the difference is in degrees, and not otherwise. For heaven must be begun here. If ever we mean to enter into heaven hereafter, we enter into the suburbs here. We must be new creatures here. We are kings here; we are heirs apparent here; we are adopted here; we are regenerate here; we are glorious here, before we be glorious hereafter. Therefore, beloved, we may read our future state in our present. We must not think to come de scelo in cœlum, as he saith (j), out of the filth of sin to heaven, but heaven must be begun here. You see both have the same name, grace, and glory. Therefore, wouldst thou know what thy condition shall be afterwards? Read it in thy present disposition. If there be not a change and a glorious change here, never look for a glorious change hereafter. What is not begun in grace shall never be accomplished in glory. Both grace here and glory hereafter coming under the same name, it forceth this. And likewise it is a ground of comfort; for why have we the same term here? When we are in the state of grace, why are we decked and adorned with the same title as we shall be in heaven?
It is partly for certainty. Grace is glory, as well as the perfection of it is glory, to shew that where grace is truly begun it will end in glory. All the powers in the world cannot interrupt God’s gracious progress and way. What is begun in grace will end in glory. Where the foundation is laid, God will be sure to put up the roof. He never repents of his beginnings. Solomon saith that the ’righteous is like to the sun,’ that grows brighter and brighter, till he come to his full strength, Proverbs 4:18. So the state of the godly grows more and more, from light to light, till he come to full strength. The state of the wicked is clean contrary. The state of the wicked is like the declining day. The sun grows down and down till it be twilight, and thence to darkness, and then to utter darkness. So they being dark in themselves, they grow from the darkness of misery and terror of conscience to eternal darkness, black, dismal darkness in hell. But the state of the godly it is like the course of the sun after midnight, that is growing up, up still, till it come to mid-day. So the state of the godly it is alway on the mending hand; it is always a growing state; it is a hopeful condition. They go from glory to glory. And therefore let us be assured of eternal glory for the time to come, as sure as we are of the beginnings of grace here wrought. You see, then, a main difference between the godly and others Other men grow backward, proficere in pejus, as we say. They take degrees back from worse to worse, till they end in utter desolation and destruction for ever. But the other riseth by degrees, till they come to that happiness that can admit no further degrees. All the glory of the world ends in vanity and in nothing; but the glory of a Christian that begins in grace, you see it proceeds from glory to glory, alway growing and amending. If men were not spiritually mad, would they not rather be in a condition alway amending and growing more and more hopeful still, than to be in a condition alway declining, and most subject to decline when it is at the top. There is no consistence in any human felicity, but it is in præcipite, near a downfall when it is at the highest. God’s children are near rising when they are at the lowest. There is a spirit of glory lights, and not only so, but rests on them. It doth not light upon them and then go away. It is not as a flash or blaze of flax or so (k). But the Spirit rests and grows still upon them, ’from glory to glory.’ The state of a Christian it is comfortable, that is soundly converted, when he shall think every day brings me nearer my glory; every day I rise I am somewhat happier than I was the day before, because I am somewhat more glorious and nearer to eternal glory; when another wretch that lives in sins against conscience may say, I am somewhat nearer hell, nearer eclipsing, and ebbing, and declining than before. So every day brings terror to the one, and matter of comfort to the other.
’From glory to glory.’
Grace, we see, is glory, especially when it is in strength; and the more grace grows, the more glory. The more it shines, the more glory. We say of fire, the more it burns the less it smokes; the less infirmity appears that may disgrace it, the more grace. The more light and lustre, and the less infirmity. Glory belongs to the growth of grace in this world. For is not a Christian a glorious Christian when he is a grown Christian? when he sends a lustre as a pearl? when as a glorious light he shines to the example of others? when he is able, as Paul saith gloriously of himself, ’I can do all in Christ that strengtheneth me,’ Philip. 4:13, to want and to abound. Cast him into any condition what you will, he is like himself. Cast Joseph into prison, he is Joseph still; cast Paul in the dungeon, he is Paul still, and is never more glorious than in the midst of afflictions. So grace growing to some perfection is glorious; ’wisdom makes a man’s face to shine,’ saith Solomon, Ecclesiastes 8:1. So it is true of all other graces in some perfection. They make a man shine. There is nothing in the world so glorious as a Christian that is grown to some perfection. Indeed, he is so glorious, that the eye of the world, when it is cast upon him, it stirs up envy, as carnal persons, when they see a Christian man unmoveable in the midst of all motions, and unchangeable in all changes, when nothing can alter him, but he goes on, they wonder at the condition of this man, whenas indeed his grounds and resolutions are above all discouragements or encouragements that the world can afford. David was a king and a prophet, and David was a holy man, and David, for constitution of body, was ruddy and of a sweet complexion; and David, for the manner of his kingdom, was a king of a great people, There were many excellencies of David. Oh but what doth David account the prerogative of a man? ’Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven, in whose spirit there is no guile,’ Psalms 32:2; that is, that is truly sanctified in spirit; that is in the state of justification; and as a witness of that, of the forgiveness of his sins, hath a spirit without guile. Happy is that man, not that is a king, or a prophet, or a strong man, or a beautiful man, or hath this endowment or that; but happy is the man whose sins are forgiven, and whose spirit is sanctified.
’From glory to glory.’
We see then that there must be an increase, a growing ’from glory to glory.’ There is no stop nor stay to be made in religion. There must be of necessity a desire to grow better and better; for glory will grow still to glory. Grace will never cease till it end in glory.
[1.] Both in our dispositions that have it wrought in us; we shall desire it may increase in us the image of God and Christ more and more.
[2.] And in God’s purpose. Where he begins he makes an end. Whether we look to him that will not have us in a state of imperfection,*.… He hath not chosen us to imperfection, but to perfection; and he hath called us not to imperfection, but to perfection. He hath elected us to perfection. He hath chosen us to be spotless, not to be conflicting with our corruptions, and to be halting alway as Jacob. We shall have perfect strength. We are called and elected to perfection. Therefore there is no standing at a stay in religion; there must be a perpetual growth. It is our disposition to desire and endeavour it still.
For, beloved, it is that that is inbred to all things that are imperfect, to hasten to perfection, till they come to their ubi, to their pitch. We see it in grain, weak grain. Till it come to the full growth, it breaks through clods, through harder things than itself. There is a nature in corn and seeds, that have a beginning of life in their kind in them, till those seeds come to growth, they put out themselves with a great deal of strength against opposition. So grace is of such a strong nature. Being intended by God to perfection, it will not rest in mean beginnings, but puts itself forward still, and breaks through opposition. I will not stand upon the common place of growth in grace. It is a large discourse, and I touched it upon many occasions. You see the necessity of it. There must be a growth from glory to glory. A growth not in parts as we say. For at the first regeneration, in the first beginning, when we are gracious, there is the beginning of a new life, and there is the seeds of all graces. But especially this growth is in intension and extension. Grace grows more and more in strength, and extends and reacheth itself further and further to the use of many. Grace grows, I say, in the intension of itself, and extends and reacheth itself to the use of more. The more a Christian lives, when he is in a right state and frame as a Christian should be, he is of more strength in all particular graces, and doth the more good, and shines more in his life and conversation to others. And likewise, as there is a growth in intension and extension, so there is a growth in the quality and purity of grace; for the longer a man lives, those graces that he hath grow more refined. When a Christian is but a new Christian, he tastes much of the old stock. As all fruit at the first will taste of the stock, so there is no fruit of righteousness that comes from a man, at his first conversion, but it tastes a great deal of old Adam. It savours of the old stock. The more he live, and grows spiritual, the more that that comes from him relisheth of the Spirit, the more refined is his wisdom, the more refined is his love, the more refined from self-love, his joy and delight is more refined.
Obj. Hence we may answer an objection by the way; an old man seems not to grow in grace. He seems not to be so good a man, not to be so zealous as when he was young; not so forward.
Ans. Beloved, In those that are young there is a great deal of nature joined with a little grace, and that grace in them makes a greater expression, because it is carried with the current of nature. But in age it is more refined. That that is, that knowledge they have, is more pure and more settled, and that love and affection is more refined. There is less self-love, and that zeal they have it is joined with more heavenly discretion. There is less wild fire, there is less strange fire with it. Though there be less heat of nature, that it do not work in outward demonstrations to the eye of the world, yet it is more refined and pure. So grace grows thus likewise in the purity and perfection of it; not altogether pure, for somewhat will stick to our best performances, savouring of the worst principle in nature. For as we carry flesh and spirit alway, so that that comes from them will savour of corruption; yet less in a grown Christian, that is a father in Christianity, than in another.
’From glory to glory.’
Grace is glory in regard of the state before. The least degree of grace is glory in regard of the state of nature. But grace is not glory properly till it come to a growth. Grace is not glorious, so in comparison to other Christians that are grown. In regard of the state of nature, grace is glory, take it in the lowest; for is not this a glory for a man to be taken into the fellowship of Christ? to be the son of God, and an heir of heaven? to have angels for his attendants? to be begotten by the glorious gospel, the word of God, that immortal seed? Whatsoever thing is about a Christian it is glorious. Is not he glorious that hath God the Father, and God the Son, the Lord of glory, and the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of glory, and the glorious gospel, and glorious angels for his attendants? Every thing is glorious in a Christian. In every Christian there is this. So grace is a kind of glory; but notwithstanding we must not content ourselves with that. Grace is then especially glory when it comes to growth. We must labour that grace may appear. What is glory? Properly glory is excellency and victory over the contrary with manifestation, excellency manifested. Now a man is said to be glorious in grace, when his grace comes to be excellent in view, and victorious over the contrary with public manifestation.
Use 1. Now this we ought to labour for; though grace be glory in respect of the former estate, yet in the rank of Christians we ought to be glorious, that is, more and more gracious; both. In regard of God, that God may have the more glory from us. The more grace, the more esteem from him, because we resemble him. And in regard of Christ Jesus: the more glorious we are, the more we resemble him. Let us labour to be more and more glorious, in regard likewise of the church, whom we shall benefit more. The more we grow in grace, the more we shall prevail with God by our prayers. Who prevailed more with their prayers than Moses, and such men? Again, when grace is glorious, that is, with victory and full manifestation, the more we are fit to give a lustre and light, that others seeing it may glorify God; to draw others to the love of grace, when they see grace glorious. Now grace is then glorious in us that others may be encouraged. When we can resist strong temptations, when we are not like children ’carried away with the wind of every doctrine,’ Ephesians 4:14, this is a glorious thing. When a Christian can hold his own in the worst times; when it is a witty* thing to be a Christian: as Hilary said in a time of schism, ’it required a great deal of wit to be a Christian’ (l), it requires a great deal of wit and study to hold a man on in Christianity. And for a man to be strong against temptations and the world, whether it frown or fawn, that he cares for neither, but holds his own, is not this a glorious thing? When a man shall carry himself as a lion, break through oppositions in ill times, and fall square, cast him as you will, in all conditions,—here is a glorious Christian. Therefore through grace be glory, that must not content us, but we must labour to have such a measure of glory as that we may be glorious in our own rank. Is it not a glorious thing when a man can break through doubts and fears that trouble other folk too much? As the sun is said to be in glory when he is gotten on high; there are many clouds in the morning, but when the sun is gotten to his height at noon-day, he scatters all. So a Christian is in his glory and exaltation when he can scatter doubts, and fears, and terrors that trouble other weak beginning Christians. Therefore when we are troubled with scruples, with this and that, we should labour to get out of them, that grace may be glorious; to shew that we have gotten such a light and such a convincing knowledge, and that we are so rooted in faith and grace, that the Spirit of Christ in us hath broken through all these clouds and mists, and made us glorious.
’From glory to glory.’ Our glory it is not like a torrent that runs amain for a time, and after is dried up for ever. Grace it is a continuing and an increasing thing. It continues still. As the stream that it is fed with is an ever-living spring, so is grace. It is fed with the grace in Christ, and he is a never-dying spring, a fountain. For that grace in him is fed with his divinity. Therefore there must be a perpetual spring in Christ. So where Christ hath opened a spring in the heart, he will feed that grace perpetually.
Use 2. Let none be discouraged that have grace begun in them. God will I go on with his own grace. When he hath begun a good work, ’he will finish it to the day of the Lord,’ 1 Corinthians 1:8. Though grace be little at the first, yet it shall not stay there. It grows up we know not how; but at last it is glorious indeed. For till grace be grown, it is little discerned from other things: as between weeds and herbs there is little difference when they be green, till they be grown. Grace is little at the first, as a grain of mustard-seed, Matthew 13:31. Jerusalem is not built in a day, as we say of Rome. You have some that are a weaker sort of Christians, that are good, they would fain be in Canaan, as soon as ever they are out of Egypt, and I cannot blame them. But hereupon they are discomforted. As soon as ever they have grace in them, they would have their pitch presently, out of spiritual covetousness. Oh that I had more knowledge and more victory! &c. These desires are good; for God puts not in vain desires into the hearts of his children, but they must be content to be led from glory to glory, from one degree of grace to another. Christ himself grew more in favour with God and man. As that little stone grew to a mountain, Daniel 2:34, so we must be content to grow from grace to grace. There is a gradual proceeding in the new creature. We must not be presently in Canaan. God will lead us through the wilderness, through temptations and crosses, before we come to heaven. Many because they see they are far short of others that are stronger Christians, therefore they think they have no grace at all.
Therefore let those that are on the growing hand, though they be short of many that are before them, let them not be discouraged with their over-little beginnings. For it is God’s ordinance and course in this world, to bring his children by little and little through many stations. As they were led in the wilderness from standing to standing, and from place to place, so God brings his children by many standings to heaven. And it is one part of a Christian’s meekness to [be] subject to God’s wisdom in this kind, and not to murmur that they are not so perfect as they would be, or as they shall be; but rather to magnify the mercy of God that there is any change in such defiled and polluted souls; that he hath vouchsafed any spiritual light of understanding, any love of good things; that the bent of their affections are turned to a contrary course than they were before; that God hath vouchsafed any beginnings. Rather magnify his mercy than quarrel with his dispensation, that he doth not this all at once; and, indeed, if we enter into our own hearts, it is our fault that we are not more perfect. But let us labour to be meek, and say, Lord, since thou hast ordained that I shall grow from glory to glory, from one degree of grace to another, let me have grace to magnify thy mercy, that thou hast given me any goodness, rather than to murmur that I have no more. And be content in the use of means, and endeavour to grow further, though we have not so much as others have. Nay, we may not be discouraged, because of the weakness of grace, but we may not be discouraged with a seeming interruption in our spiritual growth. God sometimes works by contraries. He makes men grow by their puttings back, and to stand by their falls. Sometimes, when God will have a man grow, he will suffer him to fall, that by his fall he may grow in a deeper hatred of sin, and in jealousy over his own heart, and a nearer watchfulness over his own ways; that he may grow more in love with God for pardoning of him, and grow more strong in his resolution for the time to come;’ that he may grow more in humility. None grow so much as those that have their growth stopped for a time. Let none be discouraged when they find a stop, but consider that God is working grace in another kind. The Spirit appears in one grace when it doth not in another. It grows in one grace when it doth not in another. Sometime the Spirit will have us grow in humility; as the juice of the herbs runs to the root in the winter, it is in the leaves in the spring, it is in the seed in the autumn; as the life sometime appears in the plant in one part and sometime in another; so the Spirit of God appears sometime in humility, sometime in joy, sometime in spiritual strength and courage. Let none be discouraged overmuch when they find a stop; for there is no interruption of Spirit altogether, and this little interruption is like a sickness that will make them grow and shoot up more afterwards. It spends the humours that hinders growth. There is such a mystery in the carrying of men from glory to glory, that it makes men more glorious sometimes by base sins. I would have no man discouraged therefore. Indeed, God will work so, that he shall wish he had not given him occasion to shew his strength in his weakness, his glory in his shame; but God, where he hath begun he will go through with the work, and will turn all to good. And to encourage us here, grace begun hath the same name as grace perfect. Both are glory. Why doth God call them by one name? To encourage Christians. He tells them that if it be begun it is glory, not that it is so properly, but if it be begun it shall never end till it come in heaven. Therefore God styles grace in all the latitude, from the highest to the very beginnings, by the same name, to encourage Christians. If they be within the door of the temple, though they be not so far as those that are in high and glorious places, yet they are going thither. To encourage Christians to know that unavoidably and indefeasibly they shall come to perfection of glory if it be begun. And God looks not on Christians as they are in their imperfections and beginnings, but that that in time he means to bring them to. He intends to bring them to glory. Therefore he gives grace the style of glory. As in the creatures God looked not on the seeds of trees as such, but he looked on them as seeds that he meant to make trees of; and when God looks upon his children, he looks not on them as they are children, but as they shall be perfect men. Doth the wisdom of God look on the seeds of trees as he intends to make them trees? and doth he not look upon Christians, that are babes in grace, as he intends to make them men, to come to the perfect stature of Christ? He views us at once in our beginnings and perfections. All is presented at once to him. Therefore he gives one name to the whole state of grace, grace and glory, all is glory. I beseech you therefore, if there be any goodness, any blessed change in us, let us be comforted; for he that hath brought us to the beginnings of glory will never fail till he hath brought us to perfect glory in heaven, and there our change shall rest. There is no further change there, when we are once in our element. For even as God, when he made man, he rested from all his work upon the Sabbath; man was his excellent piece. So the Spirit of God will rest, sanctifying and altering of us. When we are once in heaven, in that eternal Sabbath, then we shall need no changes from glory to glory. We shall for ever be filled with the fulness of God, till which time there is no creature in the world so changeable as a Christian.
For, first, you see he was made in God’s image and likeness in his state of standing.
After he fell there was a change, to his second state of sin.
After the state of fall, there is a change to the state of grace.
After that from one degree of grace to another in this world till he die. And then the soul is more perfect and glorious. But at the last, when body and soul shall be united, there shall be no more change; there shall be an end of all alteration. So we see that God intends by his Spirit to bring us to perfection, though by little and little, to perfection of glory as far as our nature is capable, and this shall be at the latter day.
Quest. Why not before? why not in this world?
Ans. Beloved, we are not capable here of that fulness of glory. Saint Peter on the mount had but a glimpse of the glory of heaven, and he was spiritually drunk as it were, he knew not what he said, Mark 9:6. We are not capable. Therefore we must grow here from glory to glory, till we come to that perfection of glory. God that gives us the earnest could make up the bargain here if we were capable of it, but we are not.
God will have a difference between the militant and the triumphant church, and will train us up here to live the life of faith, till we come to live the life of sight, the life of vision for ever in heaven.
Doth God by his Spirit change us by his Spirit to the likeness of Christ, ’from glory to glory,’ till he have brought us to perfection of glory in heaven? Oh let us comfort ourselves in our imperfections here. We are here lame Mephibosheths. He was a king’s son, but he was lame. We are spiritually lame and defective, though we be kings’ sons (m). Oh, but we shall grow from glory to glory, till all end in perfection in heaven. What a comfort is this in our imperfections, that as every day we live in this world cuts off a day of our life, for we live so much the shorter, so every day we live brings us nearer to heaven; that as we decay in the life of nature every day, so we grow up another way, ’from glory to glory,’ till we come to perfect glory in heaven; is not this a sweet comfort? Let us comfort ourselves with these things.
Use 3. Again, if the state of God’s people be thus sweet and comfortable, and full of well-grounded hopes, that glory shall go further on to glory, and end in glory, then why should we be afraid of death? For grace will but end in glory. A mean glorious estate will but even be swallowed up of a truly glorious estate. Indeed grace is swallowed up of glory, even as the rivers are swallowed up of the ocean. Glory takes away nothing, but perfects all better by death. Why should we be afraid of death? We are afraid of our glory, and of the perfection of our glory.