DISCOURSE: 2135
A WORK OF GRACE
Philippians 1:6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
THERE is a just mixture of hope and fear, which every Christian should cherish in contemplating his own experience, and the state of the Church of Christ. On the one hand there certainly is ground for fear, whether we judge from analogy, or from what we behold with our eyes. What multitudes of blossoms are annually cut off by frost! of those that set, how many are blighted by an eastern wind! of those that grow, how many are blown off by storms and tempests! and of those that hang upon the tree, how many, when gathered, prove rotten at the core! Thus it is seen in the religious world; many make a fair show for a little while, and then fall off from their profession: others are blighted, and come to naught: others look well for a season, but are beaten down by storms of persecution and temptation: and of those who maintain their profession to the end, how many will at last be found unsound at heart! But, if this cast a damp upon our joys, and teach us to moderate our expectations, it need not, it ought not, to rob us of all our confidence: for though sound fruit may be blown off from a tree, no sound Christian shall ever be separated from the Lord Jesus. Of this the Apostle was fully persuaded: and, under this conviction, he thanked God for the converts at Philippi, whose sincerity he had no reason to doubt, and of whose perseverance in the divine life he therefore entertained the most sanguine hopes.
To make a just improvement of his declaration before us, we shall shew,
I. When a good work may be said to be begun in us—
It is not an easy matter to draw the line between those high attainments of religion of which we may fall short, and yet be confident that a good work is begun: and those low attainments, which will warrant us to hope well, at the same time that they are by no means a sufficient ground of confidence. But, taking St. Paul for our guide, we trust, that we shall so discriminate, as neither to make sad the heart of the righteous, nor to countenance the delusions of the wicked. Those evidences, from whence he “knew the election” (and, of consequence, the perseverance also) of the saints at Thessalonica, will serve as a sure criterion whereby to judge of our own state [Note: 1 Thessalonians 1:3-5.]. We may be assured then that a good work is begun in us, when faith, hope, and love, shew themselves to have been formed in our hearts; that is,
1. When our faith is operative—
[That faith, which is without works, is dead; and is of no more value that the faith of devils [Note: James 2:19-20.]: but the faith which stimulates us to resist and mortify all sin, and to be conscientious in the practice of all duties, is, beyond a doubt, the gift of God, the workmanship of an almighty Agent [Note: Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 1:19.]
2. When our love is laborious—
[Our “love is not to be in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth:” nor must it have respect to men’s bodies merely, but to their souls; leading us to consult their spiritual welfare to the utmost of our power, at the same time that we gladly deny ourselves to relieve their spiritual wants. The voice of inspiration assures us that he who exercises such love is born of God [Note: 1 John 4:7.]
3. When our hope is patient—
[The Christian’s hope will have much to try it; but it is to be the anchor of his soul, that shall keep him steadfast [Note: Hebrews 6:19.] in this tempestuous world. He will often experience “fightings without, and fears within:” but beyond and “against hope, he must believe in hope [Note: Romans 4:18.],” saying, “I know in whom I have believed, and that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day [Note: 2 Timothy 1:12.].” And every one who has such a lively hope, may be sure that he has been begotten to it by God himself [Note: 1 Peter 1:3.]
To enter fully into the Apostle’s assertion, we must shew,
II.
On what grounds we may be confident that he who has begun this good work will finish it—
If this work were wrought by man, the Apostle would never express such confidence respecting his completion of it; since no dependence can be placed on the stability of man’s virtue. But since he that accomplishes this great work is God [Note: ver. 3–5 and 2 Corinthians 5:5 and John 1:13.], we may be assured, that “he will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ.”
We may be assured of it—
I. From the declarations of his word—
[Numberless are his declarations to this effect, that having once been the “author of a good work within us, he will be the finisher of it [Note: Hebrews 12:2.].” “He will not forsake his people, because it hath pleased him to make them his people [Note: 1 Samuel 12:22.].” He has promised in the strongest possible manner, that “he will never never leave them, never never forsake them [Note: Hebrews 13:5-6.].” True, they have many enemies: but “he will suffer none of them to pluck them out of his hands [Note: John 10:28-29.].” Have they manifold temptations? They shall “have none without a way to escape, that they may be able to bear them [Note: 1 Corinthians 10:13.].” Not even their unbelief shall prevent Jehovah from executing his gracious purposes towards them [Note: 2 Timothy 2:12-13.]. As for “Satan, he shall be bruised under their feet shortly [Note: Romans 16:20.].” Through weakness they may occasionally fall: “yet shall they not be utterly cast down [Note: Psalms 37:23-24.].” “God will restore their souls [Note: Psalms 23:3.]:” and make their very falls the means of augmenting their future caution and stability [Note: Compare Luke 23:31-34. with 1 Peter 5:8.]. The sun may occasionally be covered with a cloud; yet shall it advance to its meridian height: and such shall be the path of all the servants of God [Note: Proverbs 4:18.]: “they shall hold on their way, and their hands shall wax stronger and stronger [Note: Job 17:9.].” This is the portion of them all without exception, for “it is not the will of our Father that one of his little ones should perish [Note: Matthew 18:14.].”]
2. From the perfections of his nature—
[In speaking on this subject, we would proceed with great caution; for we know not what will consist with his perfections: and, if we should presume to speak dogmatically respecting them, we should only betray our own weakness and folly. Yet methinks his wisdom affords us some ground of confidence: for, if he has created us anew, in order that we may shew forth the power of his grace, will he suffer his enemies so to counteract his purposes as to make us only occasions of greater dishonour to him? If only a man should begin to construct a house and leave it unfinished, he would only expose himself thereby to a greater measure of derision [Note: Luke 14:28-29.]: how then would Satan cast reflections on the Deity, if he should fail in accomplishing so great a work as man’s salvation!
In like manner the goodness of God is some ground of hope and confidence. For God has surely never accomplished in us so good a work in order to leave us ultimately to perish under a more aggravated condemnation.
But in speaking of such things which infinitely exceed our comprehension, I can lay no stress on the conjectures of man; nor can I give weight to any thing that does not proceed clearly and immediately from God himself. But in speaking of the truth of God, I feel that I stand on firm ground. God has entered into covenant with us; and has confirmed that covenant with an oath: and has expressly declared that he did so confirm it, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation who “have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us [Note: Hebrews 6:17-18.].” He is as unchangeable in his word as he is in his nature; and “because he changeth not, therefore we are not consumed [Note: Malachi 3:6].” We, alas! are variable in the extreme; but “with him is no variableness neither shadow of turning [Note: James 1:17.].” Now if we look into his covenant we shall see that he gives all, and we receive all [Note: Ezekiel 36:25-27.]: and that he engages, not only “not to depart from us, but to put his fear in our hearts that we may not depart from him [Note: Jeremiah 32:40.],” We may be sure therefore that he will not cast off his people, because it hath pleased him to make them his people [Note: 1 Samuel 12:22.]. If indeed he had chosen any of us because we were holy, or because he foresaw that we should be holy, he might abandon us as not answering his expectations. But he chose us that we might be holy [Note: Ephesians 1:4.], and predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son [Note: Romans 8:29.]: and therefore what he has undertaken we may be sure he will perform [Note: Psalms 89:30-36.]. It is on this ground alone that we can account for St. Paul’s confidence, in which every one in whom God has begun a good work is fully authorized to join.]
I beg leave now to add a word,
1.
Of inquiry respecting the commencement of this work—
[I am fully aware that persons so blinded by self-love as we, are greatly in danger of forming too favourable a judgment of our state: and I must warn all of you that God will not be put off with such a feigned repentance as Ahab’s, or such a partial reformation as Herod’s, or such a hypocritical attachment as that of Judas. Examine then, I pray you, with all imaginable care, respecting the quality of your faith, and hope, and love. Is your faith operative in purifying your heart? Is your love laborious in all kind offices, not to the bodies of men only, but to their souls? And is your hope such as carries you forward through all difficulties towards the attainment of the heavenly prize? Remember, it is no outward work that is here spoken of, but a work in us: and a work which nothing less than Omnipotence can effect. To deceive yourselves in relation to it, is vain, since you cannot deceive the heart-searching God. Be careful then to try your work, of what kind it is; and be satisfied with nothing that does not evidently bear the divine stamp and character upon it.]
2. Of admonition in reference to its continuance—
[There is nothing at which I tremble more than at a hard, bold, presumptuous confidence respecting the application of this doctrine to a man’s own state, whilst in his spirit and temper and conduct he shews himself to be far from the mind of Christ. In fact, wherever such a confidence exists, there is great reason to doubt whether a good work has ever been begun in the soul. Confidence, if truly spiritual, will be attended with humility, watchfulness, gratitude, and zeal. Look to it then, that you manifest on all occasions a deep sense of your utter unworthiness; a fear lest in any thing you grieve the good Spirit of your God; an admiring and adoring sense of God’s mercy to your soul; and a determination of heart to live only to your God. This is the true way in which the good work is to go forward in the soul: and, in so walking, you will best justify your confidence to the world, and will give the best proof of the doctrine of perseverance by actually persevering: moreover, in this way you will not only enjoy the most exalted peace on earth, but will have an abundant entrance ministered unto you in due season into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.]