Grace

God’s perfect power did this great world create, God’s perfect wisdom all in order placed, God’s perfect goodness made all very good, But sin God’s image on man’s soul defaced.

Power caus’d necessity, and wisdom order, And both by goodness caused harmony; All in one perfect frame God’s glory shew, Praise him and please him with pure melody.

Sin could not change necessity, nor that Disorder which God fix’d above men’s reach; But the free Lord free agents also made, And there by sin free-will did make the breach.

This breach to man was punishment itself,

For God before had order’d nature so,

That poison would cause pain, and wounds cause smart,

And sin to sinners misery and woe.

Goodness is love delighting to do good,

Wisdom resolves this foul breach to repair,

And make advantage of man’s sin and woe,

Justice and mercy largely to declare.

Hurt is soon done: the wound was quickly made, The cure must be performed by degrees: A Saviour’s grace must exercised be, Wisdom with love to do the work decrees.

Man’s soul incorruptible substance is, Essential life; not made itself to die. Its final state then like itself will be, Durable happiness or misery.

But it is plac’d in corruptible flesh And the compounded frame that ’s called man Must be dissolv’d; for sin hath caused death; And flesh must turn to earth, whence it began.

But he who man’s salvation undertook Is perfect primitive life, light, and love; And will give compound life again to man, In joyful glory with himself above.

But as in nature God great difference made, Stones are not men; all have their proper place;

Men are not stars, and stars are not the sun: So he will make great difference in grace.

Man is not helpless left to mere despair, Life is again made possible to all, The former terms of innocence now cease, Mercies all sinners to repentance call.

A law of saving grace is newly made, All that accept it and consent shall live: Trust but a Saviour for that blessed life, And he will freely grace and glory give.

But yet man’s life on earth a warfare is, God’s grace and Satan’s malice daily fight; And all that will be sav’d must overcome; Sin ’s vanquished by grace, darkness by light.

Each part their captain have, and they their bands Not made by force, but doctrine and consent; Each man as rational and free commands, One draws to sin, the other to repent.

Sin hath its punishment, the worst within, When for neglect of grace God it suspends; But the correction of the flesh for sin, Furthers repentance, and the soul amends.

Thus all on earth have some degrees of grace, Which reason tells us they should not abuse, Which bringeth some so far to Adam’s case, They stand or fall as they these mercies use,

But God will not his grace at random give, And leave the event to uncertainty, But hath his chosen, who shall surely live, In whom his saving grace shall never die.

The two first brothers did this war begin, He kill’d and conquer’d who was first by birth; He that seem’d conquer’d triumphed by death, The victor ’s a curs’d vagabond on earth.

This war continu’d is unto this day Between the holy and the serpent’s seed, These brothers the prognostic instance were Of all that ever after should succeed.

But the worst war is inward; grace and sin, The controversy daily there debate: That which the final victory doth win, Determineth man’s everlasting state.

A law of grace thus made to all mankind In Adam and Noe, common roots of all, 111 entertainment with fall’n man did find, Who mostly to idolatry did fall.

The strength of sin is love to flesh and world, And averse strangeness to a better life. It stronger grew by custom, and abhorr’d All motions tending to the soul’s relief.

But God’s electing grace shall not be void, In Abel, Enoch, Noe, he this declared, But specially in Abraham, whose great faith He with a special promise did reward.

Not calling back the common law of grace, He chose his seed as a peculiar nation, Gave them a proper law, and of them rais’d The Lord incarnate, author of salvation.

Yet was their dignity most typical,

As was their law, to shew what God would do, When he the nations unto Christ would call, And build his church as Catholic anew.

Sin soon prevail’d; their land was dry and small; Seldom from under enemies and waste; But they God’s oracles preserv’d for us, And from their vine we all salvation taste.

But as in nature God works by degrees, From seed to infancy, from thence to youth; From thence to manhood and maturity; So did he in revealing grace and truth.

Fall’n man his infancy and childhood had In the old law’s dark types and prophecies: But in time’s fulness God incarnate came, The sun of righteousness to man did rise.

Three laws he did fulfil, one as a man, Once made for all; another as a Jew; The third as Saviour, proper to himself. Then for his church, he made another new.

He preach’d God’s will; proclaimed saving grace, Brought to light life and immortality; Declar’d God’s love, shew’d man God’s pleased face, A sacrifice for sinful man did die.

He came to conquer Satan, destroy sin, And heal sick souls of worldly fleshly love, To raise the earthly mind of man to God, And bring him to a better life above.

Words were too weak for this, his works must do it* He was to teach man how to bear the cross, To deny life and live above this world, For Heav’n to count all here as dung and loss.

Wonder of wonders! God appears in flesh, Preacheth to sinners, calls them home to God, Dies for them as a sinner on a cross, Till the third day among the dead abode.

Himself the greatest wonder, many wrought, Heal’d all diseases, gave the blind their sight, Raised the dead, by present bare command; Long, before many, in the open light.

The third day rose from death, stay’d forty days; Describes his laws, church -covenant, and seals; Commissions his apostles; promiseth His spirit which all saving truth reveals,

Ascendeth up to Heaven before their eyes, And before multitudes at Pentecost; Gives them the gift of miracles and tongues, By giving them the promis’d Holy Ghost.

They preach Christ to the world, speak various

tongues, Work miracles, heal sickness, raise the dead: Convey this power and spirit unto others; Thus through the world, the world of life they

spread.

These many wonders, not in corners wrought, Converted thousands, conquer’d unbelief; But, above all his great convincing works, The spirit’s sanctifying grace was chief.

The erring know the truth; fools are made wise, The proud made humble, wrathful ones made meek, The world’s fond lovers now do it despise, Kill fleshly lusts, and Heavenly glory seek.

Sin is a hated thing, God now is all, Love makes all common, for it makes all one. Zeal for good works, patience in bearing wrong, Were the true marks by which Christ’s flock was known.

Had not Christ added this convincing seal, Tongues, miracles, and sanctifying grace, The wonder of redemption is so great, That faith to unbelief must needs give place.

Apostles mortal were: before they die, For future- ages they Christ’s sacred word, His deeds, laws, doctrine by the promised spirit To guide the church, infallibly record.

As Moses gave the Jews the only law,

Which following priests and prophets were to teach,

So th’ Holy Ghost by the Apostles wrote

The word which after-ages were to preach.

As Moses’ law was seal’d with miracles, When such the following ages did not need, So Christ’s apostles did by wonders see Those records which the after-ages read.

The spirit promised to the Apostles was, To lead them to all needful saving truth, And bring Christ’s words to their remembrance: What they by his commission did, Christ doth.

Their writings are the Holy Ghost’s own book; Though human imperfection do appear, In modes and phrases, it ’s no just offence, But leaves the truth and use still sure and clear.

Words but the vehicle of matter be, God’s spirit owns not the translator’s words; Bat if, as signs, they with his word agree, The sense and matter of them is the Lord’s.

This spirit helps the church, but not to bring Another gospel, law, or word from Heav’n, Nor mend or change God’s laws in words or sense, But to preach and obey the word once given.

To bring new laws or messages from God,

A prophet’s office is, and not a priest’s;

To forge such, or make laws for all the church,

The authors prove false prophets, or false Christs.

Christian religion is one ‘stablish’d thing,

Which all the church from first to last may know,

It is not human, changeable, or new,

Nor doth by men’s decrees increase and grow.

If canons no part of religion be, But laws for rites and things indifferent; Why must all Christians needs in these agree, Or not agreeing by church -wars be rent?

The church hath all one head, one perfect law, All justified be by Christ’s blood and merit; All that are true, though weak, Christ doth receive, For all are sanctified by one spirit.

The Holy Ghost in all true Christians dwells, He doth illuminate, and make them new: This is Christ’s agent, and his body forms, His witness proving that his word is true.

This spirit did the gospel first endite, And on it did God’s image first engrave, And then by it, as his great instrument, That image prints on all that he will save.

Though it belong of their resisting will, That any of this grace deprived be; Yet scripture and experience clearly tell, That differencing, electing grace is free.

In children it appears, when God doth choose, He gives a teachable and willing mind, Good dispositions, and capacity, By grace their nature is to good inclin’d.

Grace* chooseth parents careful of their souls, Helps them to educate them in God’s fear, To command virtue, and disgrace all vice, Teach them God’s word, and causeth them to hear.

God’s seed in such is often early sow’d,

And as they grow, it springs up by degrees;

As plants, and fruits, by sun and moisture grow’d,

Whose present growth and motion no man sees.

The first beginning of the Spirit’s work Is in the learning mind, and fear of sin, A love and liking of good things and men, ‘Gainst sins for duty conscience strives within.

Grace watcheth over them, provides them helps, Meet teachers, books, examples, company; Keeps off temptations, causeth them to hate Lying, bad words and deeds, and ribaldry.

Bad children’s hearts are quite aversed to good, They love not virtue, relish not God’s law; Tempting discourse, examples, vanities, Catch on their hearts, as fire doth on straw.

If early helps, parents and teachers fail, And sin the childish mind and life pervert; If folly, flesh, and tempting baits prevail, Yet God his chosen will in time convert.

He’ll either give them better company,

Or better helps and teachers whom he ’11 bless;

Or bring some useful book unto their eye,

And make their snares, and their temptations less:

Or he ’11 some sharp affliction on them lay, Which may awake the harden’d sleepy heart; Or conscience shall some quick’ning motion feel, Tell them their sins, their danger, and desert.

O! how the case with sinners now is changed, Things all appear now in another shape; Sin now is madness; mad he calls himself For loving death, and thinks now how to ‘scape.

Now God is holy, just, his word is true, He is in earnest, though sinners be in jest; The face of all his works and ways seem new, Those things seem worst, which formerly seem’d best.

The common texts and truths he daily heard, Do now begin to have some life and sense: He wonders how he pass’d them by before, As if they had been of no consequence.

That wounds, and shames, and grieves, and breaks

his heart, Which formerly was his delight and pleasure; That’s vanity, and mortal poison now, For which he hunger’d as his food and treasure.

Now the mad prodigal comes to himself, Perhaps the world doth him its husks deny. Why, saith he, did I leave a father’s house? There none do want; here I must starve and die*

0 that I had not tasted Satan’s bait,

Nor pamper’d flesh, and pleased vain appetite, Neglected grace, and things of greater weight, Nor meddled with sin’s poisonous delight!

But the time lost can never be recall’d, The works of madness cannot be undone;

1 have undone myself; is there no help? I know all else is vain; there is but one.

A father’s love afFordeth me some hope, The world gives none: I must return or die I ’11 go, and humbly all my sin confess, And cast myself upon his clemency.

But God is just and holy: how can I, Defil’d with sin and guilt, stand in his sight? Now the sick soul a sure physician needs, There is one Saviour, who is God’s delight.

He is the way, by whom men come to God, He is the truth, to save the world from error; He is the life, to save from endless death Self-murdering souls, subject to Hellish terror.

And now the gospel ’s better understood; Redemption seemeth not a needless thing; His thoughts are precious of Christ’s precious blood, His mediator, prophet, priest, and king.

The gospel now is tidings of great joy, Pardon of sin, adoption, peace with God, Freedom from terror, Satan, sin, and Hell, Man’s self-made, and God’s just revenging rod.

He sees why love in man’s repair must be As much admir’d, as power in our creation, Sinners cannot immediately God see, But by a mediator have salvation.

Now all things else seem loss and dung for Christ;

Wisdom is folly where Christ is left out;

To know him is the true philosophy;

The rest doth teach men but to prate and doubt.

Some glimpse of God and Heav’n, blurr’d nature

yields, But it ’s but as a candle to the sun; Others towards God and Heav’n may grope and creep, Christians with joyful hope believe but run.

But will Christ to such sinners Saviour be, Who long and wilfully contemn’d his grace? Yes, if they have but hearts to him to come; He excepts none: he ’11 all their sins deface. The prodigal now hopefully resolves, In Christ I ’11 trust, and to my father go, When there ’s but one way, who should stand and

doubt? The vanity of all things else I know.

If in his house I may the lowest be,

His wondrous grace I will with thanks proclaim;

My sin and misery I will confess,

And in repentance take deserved shame.

And when repenting souls are thus resolved, And with design do tow’rds their father come, They are surprised with unexpected love,

Grace feasts, forgives them, bids them welcome home.

Now the returned soul doth dwell with God, And God in him, for there his spirit dwells; God hath his highest love, Heaven his chief hope, Christ is his life; he trusteth to none else.

O how much better is it with him now; How wise, how safe, to what he was before! What he ’s yet short of, faith hath in its view; He’ll choose the way of sin and Hell no more.

Now farewell mortal sin, stoop brutish flesh, Now pride and lust come down, submit to faith; Farewell ensnaring sports and company, Farewell deceit, 1 ’11 hear what scripture saith.

Now all is new, new judgments, love and life, New hopes, delights, a new intended end; The means then must be new, or better used; New friends, new thoughts, and all that to it tend.

But yet, though out of Egypt he be come, Through the Red Sea, he ’s in a wilderness; Faith must be tried by many enemies, Hard journeys, wants, delayed hopes, distress.

And flesh still strives, Satan still busy is,

The world will tempt, sin ’s not quite overcome;

Dark fears and unbelief do yet hang on,

We are in hope, but are not yet at home.

But yet we have the leading fire and cloud, The law, the angels’ presence as we pass; Moses fell in the wilderness; but there The Tempter by our Saviour vanquish’d was.

The law was weak, and nothing perfect made; Grace giveth light, and life, and love, and strength; And though it long, and oft assaulted be, It conquereth, and triumpheth at length.

It is the work of God, who knows his own, And makes them Christ’s beloved interest; All that are given him, he loves and keep*, And brings them to the promised land of rest.

Grace suited is to every time and state,

To childhood, manhood, and decrepid age;

An antidote against contagious pleasures,

Yet grief, wrath, fear, and suffering doth assuage.

It useth every state for the true end;

It sanctifies prosperity and wealth;

Still doing good, and doth to Godward tend,

To him devoteth time, life, wit, and health.

It useth friends and enemies for God, Improveth kindness, easily bears wrong; Loves others as ourselves, doth right to all, Hopes for a blessed end, when suffering long.

It takes not too much part with pained flesh, It ruleth reason, appetite, and sense; Conquers temptations, keepeth inward peace, Keeps near to God, who is our sure defence.

It all the way foresees the blessed end,

Motives to duty, comfort in all grief,

It fetcheth more from God and Heav’n, than earth,

In every case from Christ it finds relief.

It spendeth health and life in preparation,

For foreseen death, and the soul’s final change, It ’s not surprised without expectation;

It trusteth Christ, when things unseen seem strange.

All this Grace doth, in various degrees, In most but weak, imperfect in the best; Clogg’d here with flesh, and contradicting sin, But ends in glory and eternal rest.

Its whole work is to bring man’s will to God, As our original, our guide, and end, Thankfully take his Grace, obey his word, And wholly love him as our chiefest friend.

And more than so, to love him for himself,

The final object of created love;

This only perfect ones, perfectly do,

Who see God’s glory in the world above. Amen.

Jan. 6, 1683.

WISDOM.