THE

PROGRESS OF GRACE;

IN THREE LETTERS TO A FRIEND.

"First the blade, then the car, after that the full corn in the ear.'

LETTER I.

Mark, iv. 28.

A; or, Grace in the Blade. Mark, iv. 28. DEAR SIR-According to your desire, I sit down to give you my general views of a progressive work of grace, in the several stages of a believer's experience, which I shall mark by the different characters, A, B, C; answer

able to the distinctions our Lord teaches us to observe from the growth of the corn; Mark, iv. 28. "First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." The Lord leads all his people effectually and savingly to the knowledge of the same essential truths, but in such a variety of methods, that it will be needful, in this disquisition, to set aside, as much as possible, such things as may be only personal and occasional in the experience of each, and to collect those only which, in a greater or less degree, are common to them all. I shall not, therefore, give you

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copy of my own experience, or of that of any individual; but shall endeavour, as clearly as I can, to state what the Scripture teaches us concerning the nature and essentials of a work of grace, so far as it will bear a general application to all those who are the subjects of gracious ope

rations.

By nature we are all dead in trespasses and sin; not only strangers to God, but in a state of enmity and opposition to his government and grace. In this respect, whatever difference there may be in the characters of men as members of society, they are all, whether wise or ignorant, if unassisted by the Holy Spirit, incapable of receiving or approving divine truths. 1 Cor. ii. 14. On this ground, our Lord declares, "No man can come unto me, except the Father who has sent me, draw him." Though the term Father most frequently expresses a known and important distinction in the adorable Trinity, I apprehend our Lord sometimes uses it to denote God, or the Divine Nature, in contradistinction from his humanity, as in John, xiv. 9. And this I take to be the sense here: "No man can come unto me unless he is taught of God," and wrought upon by a divine power. The immediate exertion of this power, according to the economy of salvation, is rather ascribed to the Holy Spirit than to the Father; (John, xvi. 8-11.) but it is the power of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore severally attributed to the Father, Son, and Spirit. John, v. 21. and ch. vi. 44. 63. 2 Cor. iii. 18. 2 Thess. iii. 5.

By A, I would understand a person who is under the drawings of God, which will infallibly lead him to the Lord Jesus Christ for life and salvation. The beginning of this work is instantaneous. It is effected by a certain kind of light communicated to the soul, to which it was before an utter stranger. The eyes of the understanding are opened and enlightened. The light at first afforded is weak and indistinct, like the morning dawn; but, when it is once begun, it will certainly increase and spread, to the perfect day. We commonly speak as if conviction of sin were the first work of God to the soul that he is in mercy about to draw to himself. But I think this is inaccurate. Conviction is only a part, or rather an immediate effect, of that first work; and there are many convictions, which do not at all spring from it, and therefore are only occasional

and temporary, though for a season they may be very sharp, and put a person upon doing many things. In order to a due conviction of sin, we must previously have some adequate conceptions of the God with whom we have to do. Sin may be feared as dangerous, without this; but its nature and demerit can be understood only by being contrasted with the holiness, majesty, goodness, and truth, of the God against whom it is committed. No outward means, no mercies, judgments, or ordinances, can commu nicate such a discovery of God, or produce such a convic tion of sin, without the concurrence of divine light and power. The natural conscience and passions may be indeed so far wrought upon by outward means, as to stir up some desires and endeavours; but if these are not founded in a spiritual apprehension of the perfections of God, according to the revelation he has made of himself in his word, they will, sooner or later, come to nothing; and the person affected will either return by degrees to his former ways, (2 Peter, ii. 20.) or he will sink into a self-righteous form of godliness, destitute of the power. Luke, xviii. 11. And therefore, as there are so many things in the dispensation of the Gospel, suited to work upon the natural passions of men, the many woful miscarriages and apostacies among professors are more to be lamented than wondered at. For though the seed may seem to spring up and look green for a season, if there be not depth for it to take root, it will surely wither away. We may unable to judge with certainty, upon the first appearance of a religious profession, whether the work be thus deep and spiritual or not; but "the Lord knows them that are his ;" and wherever it is real, it is an infallible token of salvation. Now, as God thus reveals himself only by the medium of Scripture truth, the light received this way, leads the soul to the Scripture, whence it springs; and all the leading truths of the word of God soon begin to be perceived and assented to. The evil of sin is acknowledg ed, the evil of the heart is felt. There may be, for a while, some efforts to obtain the favour of God by prayer, repentance, and reformation; but, for the most part, it is not very long before these things are proved to be, in themselves, vain and ineffectual. The soul, (like the woman mentioned, Mark, v. 26.) wearied with vain expedients, finds itself worse and worse; and is gradually brought to

be

see the necessity and sufficiency of the Gospel salvation. A may soon be a believer thus far-that he believes the word of God, and sees and feels things to be as they are there described, hates and avoids sin, because he knows it is displeasing to God, and contrary to his goodness; he receives the record which God has given of his Son; has his heart affected, and drawn to Jesus, by views of his glory, and of his love to poor sinners; ventures upon his name and promises as his only encouragement to come to a throne of grace; waits diligently in the use of all means appointed for the communion and growth of grace; loves the Lord's people, accounts them the excellent of the earth, and delights in their conversation. He is longing, waiting, and praying for a share in those blessings which he believes they enjoy, and can be satisfied with nothing less. He is convinced of the power of Jesus to save him; but through remaining ignorance, and legality, the remembrance of sin committed, and the sense of present corruption, be often questions his willingness; and not knowing the aboundings of grace, and the security of the promises, he fears lest the compassionate Saviour should spurn him from his feet.

While he is thus young in the knowledge of the Gospel, burdened with sin, and perhaps beset with Satan's temptations, the Lord, "who gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them in his bosom," is pleased at times to favour him with cordials, that he may not be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Perhaps his heart is enlarged in prayer, or under hearing; or some good promise is brought home to his mind, and applied with power and sweetness. He mistakes the nature and design of these comforts, which are not given him to rest in, but to encourage him to press forward. He thinks he is then right, because he has them, and fondly hopes to have them always. Then his mountain stands strong. But, ere long, he feels a change; his comforts are withdrawn; he finds no heart to pray, no attention in hearing, indwelling sin revives with fresh strength, and perhaps Satan returns with redoubled rage. Then he is at his wits' end; thinks his hopes were presumptuous, and his comforts delusions. He wants to feel something that may give him a warrant to trust in the free promises of Christ. His views of his Redeemer's grace are very narrow; he sees not the harmony and glory of

the divine attributes in the salvation of a siuner; he sighs for mercy, but fears that justice is against him. However, by these changing dispensations the Lord is training him up, and bringing him forward. He receives grace from Jesus, whereby he is enabled to fight against sin; his conscience is tender, his troubles are chiefly spiritual troubles; and he thinks, if he could but attain a sure and abiding sense of his acceptance in the Beloved, hardly cany outward trial would be capable of giving him thuch disturbance. Indeed, notwithstanding the weakness of his faith, and the prevalence of a legal spirit, which greatly hurt him, there are some things in his present experience which he may, perhaps, look back upon with regret hereafter, when his hope and knowledge will be more established: particularly that sensibility and keenness of appetite with which he now attends the ordinances, desiring the sincere milk of the word with earnestness, and eagerness, as a babe does the breast. He counts the hours from one opportunity to another; and the attention and desire with which he hears, may be read in his countenance. His zeal is likewise lively, and may be, for want of more experience, too importanate and forward. He has a love for souls, and a concern for the glory of God; which, though it may at some seasons create him. trouble, and at others be mixed with some undue notions of self, yet, in its principle, is highly desirable and commendable. John, xviii. 10.

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The grace of God influences both the understanding and the affections. Warm affections without knowledge, can rise no higher than superstition; and that knowledge which does not influence the heart and affections, will only make a hypocrite. The true believer is rewarded in both respects; yet we may observe, that though A is not without knowledge, this state is more usually remarkable for the warmth and liveliness of the affections. On the other hand, as the work advances, though the affections are not left out, yet it seems to be carried on principally in the understanding. The old christian has more solid, judicious, connected, views of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the glories of his person and redeeming love; hence his hope is more established, his dependance more simple, and his peace and strength, other things being equal, are more abiding and uniform, than in the case of a young