The Nature Of Divine Grace Asserted And Illustrated

Adapted From A Sermon By

John Newton

yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

(Matthew 11:26 ESV)

Our sermon this morning, adapted from the writings of John Newton, is founded upon the words of our Lord in Matthew 11:26: “Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” In these words Newton sets before us the sovereignty of divine grace—that free and wise good pleasure of God by which He hides the truths of the Gospel from the wise and prudent and reveals them to little children.

That the teaching in the verse before this is true in actual fact is clear enough from what we see every day. Most of those the world holds as wise and careful, and every man who thinks himself so, pay little attention to the truths of the gospel. These truths stay hidden from their eyes and are shown instead to children, to those they look down on because of their lack of knowledge and their low place in life. And if a few who have real advantages in ability, schooling, or position do accept the truth and love it, they have at least learned that they are no better than children, and they are glad to count all outward things as loss for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus the Lord.

If we could give no other reason for this way of bestowing grace than the one given in our text, it should be enough, and it would be enough, if it was not for the pride of our hearts. Surely that which looks good in the sight of God must be holy, and wise, and good in itself. How empty and bold is blind man, who would dare to argue against his Maker, to charge his holiness with unfairness, his wisdom with error, his goodness with favoritism! All their empty complaints will be silenced on the great day, when the secrets of all hearts are opened, and God will be shown right when he condemns.

However, though we dare not go too far into the depths of the divine plans, yet, from the light he has given us in his word, we may, in our weak way, state and prove that his ways are just and fair; and, besides the argument of his rule, that so it has pleased him, he has been pleased to give us some of the reasons why it has so pleased him. And this is the subject we are to consider from these words. May his Spirit help us, to see and understand these matters aright!

Let us begin by asking what his main purposes were in sending his Son into the world, so that we might have life through him. There were two main purposes.

1. The first was the redemption and complete salvation of all who believe. All mankind are by nature in the same state of sin and misery. But we are told that at the great day there will be an unspeakable difference in the circumstances between some and others. Many will then stand trembling at his left hand, to whom the King will say, "Depart." But those on the right hand will hear those joyful words, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

If you ask to what this difference is primarily owing, the answer is provided: "Jesus loved them, and has freed them from their sins by his blood; he ransomed them for God from every tribe and language and people and nation; they came out of great tribulation, and washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb: therefore are they before the throne." It was then for their sake, who should be hereafter found at the right hand of God, that "God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that they might receive adoption as sons."

2. But besides this, God had another and a still higher end in the work of redemption, namely, the showing of his own glory. It was love too great for words that he provided the means of salvation at all; and we cannot wonder, much less ought we to complain, that in justice to himself he appointed such means and such a way that all the praise and glory of the plan should in the end return to himself alone. In order for this, it was necessary that the following things should be shown with the fullest evidence.

i) First, the greatness of man's depravity, guilt, and misery; that it was not a small thing, but a case worthy of the intervention of almighty power and infinite grace.

ii) Second, the complete inability of man to help himself; so that God might have the whole honor of his recovery, and we might be forever debtors to his free undeserved mercy.

iii) Third, that although there are, to outward appearance, a great variety of characters among mankind, it was necessary that the way of bestowing his grace should be so conducted as to show that no case was too hard for his power, or too low and miserable for his compassion and willingness to stoop to us.

On these grounds we may see something of his wisdom in the ways he has chosen and in the people he has selected; why it has seemed good in his sight to hide these things from the wise and careful and to show them to little children, for reasons such as these: 1. To bring down the pride of all human glory; 2. To shut out every claim of boasting; 3. That there might be a ground of hope provided for the worst and the lowest; and 4. That the salvation of believers might be sure and not able to fail.

1. In the first place, then, the Lord of hosts has planned it, "to defile the pompous pride of all glory," Isaiah 23:9. How much men are disposed to admire their own wisdom, learning, and supposed accomplishments is clear enough. But now the pride of all this glory is brought down, because experience shows it to be completely useless in the most important matters.

One man has talents to rule a kingdom, but is himself a slave to the worst desires and passions. Another has courage to face death in a field of battle, yet with regard to religion is a mere coward: held back by the weak opinion of the crowd, he is both ashamed and afraid to practice what his conscience convinces him is his duty. Another almost pretends to count the number of the stars and to call them all by their names; yet has no more thought of the God that made the heavens and the earth than the animals that die. Another delights in books and languages which few can understand but himself; nothing so false or foolish but he accounts it worth his study, if it has only the mark of being old to recommend it; only the book of God (though much more ancient than all his volumes), because it may be read in plain English, is thrown aside as unworthy his notice. Another, who professes to be wise in the scriptures, twists the scriptures and abuses his own reason to establish the most absurd errors or overturn the plainest truths. Another amuses himself with setting forth the praises of virtue and morality, while his own conduct furnishes a standing proof either of the weakness of his scheme or the insincerity of his heart.

There is not enough time to recount all the achievements of these wise and careful men. Yet behold the pride of them all brought down! In the midst of all their gains and inventions, they are strangers to God, to themselves, and to peace; they are without Christ, and without hope: those things which alone are of real importance are hidden from their eyes. Here the desperate depravity and deceitfulness of the heart are shown, to the glory of God; and it is clearly seen that if he does not step in to save, men are wholly unable to save themselves.

2. To exclude boasting. “Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded.” As the apostle speaks in another place, “If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about,:” (Rom. 4:2:) so, if men were saved, either in whole or in part, by their own wisdom and prudence, they might in the same degree ascribe the glory and praise to themselves. They might say, My own power and wisdom gave me this; and in this way God would be robbed of the honor due to his name. But now this is prevented.

The word of the Lord is, “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord,” Jeremiah 9:23, 24. For whatever outward advantages some may seem to possess, as to the things of God, they are on the same level as the lowest.

These things cannot be understood by any ability on our parts, but must be revealed by the Father of lights. What could be done in this way, you may recollect from the apostle Paul’s representation in the first chapter of his epistle to the Romans. Many of the heathens were eminent for wisdom and abilities, and made great progress in science; but with regard to the knowledge of God, the result of all their researches was error, superstition, and idolatry: professing themselves to be wise they became fools, and their investigations had no other effect than to leave them without excuse. Their practice (as will always be the case) was consistent with their principles; and in the midst of a thousand refinements in theory, they were abandoned to the grossest and most detestable vices.

If it is objected that they did not have the light of revelation, we may note the same or similar effects where the gospel is known. With this superior light, men are still equally vain in their imaginations; and though they do not pay an outward and formal worship to wood and stones, they are gross idolaters; for they serve, love, and trust the creature more than the Creator. When there is a difference, it is owing to grace, and grace is acknowledged. Such will readily say, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory," Psalm 115:1. And so all pretense to boasting is effectually excluded; and he that can glory upon good grounds, must glory only in the Lord.

If it should be supposed that this view of things tends to discourage a careful and serious search for truth, the answer is, When rightly understood, it will have just the opposite effect. What can be more suited to encourage effort, than to point out the method in which it will surely succeed? You cannot succeed without the light and help of the Holy Spirit; but if conscious of this, and aware of your own lack of ability, you will seek his direction and guidance by humble prayer, it will be given to you. If you do not know this, you will certainly be worn out in the end by repeated disappointments; but if you depend upon his teaching and help in the use of the means he has appointed, your knowledge will advance like the growing light.

3. This method of the divine way of working opens a door of hope to the worst and the lowest. No one should be cast down on account of any special lack of ability or difficulty in their case. If none but the wise and the learned, the rich, and those who are considered well-behaved and virtuous, could be saved, or if these stood in a better way for it than others, the greatest part of mankind might give up hope and sit down in despair at once. But the case is exactly the reverse.

It is true, those who have these distinctions are not the worse for them, whenever they are aware how empty and insufficient they are, and turn as poor, helpless, miserable, blind, and naked, to flee for refuge to the mercy of God in Christ. But, sadly! their supposed qualifications too often harden them to reject the counsel of God against themselves. They think themselves whole, and therefore do not see the necessity or value of the physician. You who are aware you have nothing of your own to trust to, take encouragement; the Lord has suited his gospel to your circumstances.

i) Are you poor? The Lord Jesus Christ has made the state of poverty holy by taking it on himself. He had nowhere to lay his head. He will not therefore despise you on this account. Only pray that you may likewise be poor in spirit. He looks through all outward distinctions, and often passes by a palace to make his presence and power known in a humble cottage. Perhaps he appointed this state in mercy to your souls, that you might not be distracted with many things, nor settle for a share in this world. You cannot be in a lower or more afflicted state than Lazarus, who, while he lay neglected at the rich man's gate, needy, and full of sores, was a child of God, and cared for by angels.

ii) Are you not intellectual? If you find deep study difficult, you miss a considerable advantage which you might derive from the careful reading of his good word, and it is good to seek help with it if practicable. If not, give so much more diligent attention to the preaching of the gospel; ask others to explain the scriptures to you; but especially pray. The Lord can teach you without elaborate study, and make up for every defect. It is very possible for you to attain to know and love God, to love your neighbor, to rejoice in Christ, to keep his precepts, to be content with your circumstances, to live by faith, and to die with comfort, though you are not given to intellectual pursuits. The prophet Isaiah, in the prospect of gospel times, gives a description of the way of salvation which is peculiarly suited for your comfort. "And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; it shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray," Isaiah. 35:8.

iii) Have you been notorious, open sinners? Then you are in less danger of trusting to your own righteousness. And as to the rest, if you are sick of sin, if you sincerely desire to be freed, as well from the power as from the guilt of it, you stand as fair for salvation as the most sober and regular person upon the earth. The apostle Paul, speaking to those who had been partakers of the saving grace of God, after he had made a list of the blackest sins which man can be guilty of, adds, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God," 1 Cor. 6:11.

4. In this way the salvation of believers is sure. If it depended on anything in man, it might fail. Man's boasted wisdom is soon changed. A few hours of a fever, a small blow on the head, may change a wise man into a fool. "That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring," Rom. 4:16. Adam had a store of wisdom, yet when he was trusted with his own happiness, he could not preserve it. But the second Adam is all-sufficient. Our dependence is on him. To those who are infants, he is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and all that they need. If this concern had been left to the wisdom of man, it is most probable that Christ would have lived and died in vain, without a single real disciple. But now the way of bestowing grace is in his hands, we are sure that some will believe in him; and we are likewise sure, that those who truly do so will never be ashamed of their hope.

Now in closing, considering this sobering teaching,

1. Let us each examine the state of your minds with regard to this doctrine. Our Lord rejoiced in it as the wise and holy will, the good pleasure of his heavenly Father. If you are displeased at it, is it not a proof that you do not have the mind which was in Christ Jesus? If God wills one thing, and you will another, where must the contention end?

To what purpose, or with what pretense can you use that expression in the Lord's prayer, "Your will be done," when in effect your hearts rise with enmity against it? This is one topic from which we may confirm the declaration of scripture, that man by nature is not only a transgressor of the law, but an enemy, yes enmity itself, against God, Rom. 8:7.

They may pay some profession of regard to the power that made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and the fountains of water, while they worship they know not what, according to their own empty and dark imaginations. But the attributes and characters of God revealed in scripture, his holiness, justice, truth, and sovereignty, they cannot bear. They are enemies to the declared strictness of his moral government, and enemies to the methods by which he has proposed to communicate his grace. But he is God, and who can control him? Who can say to him, What have you done? You must either submit to his golden sceptre in time, or his rod of iron will fall upon you for ever.

2. Does it not appear from this, that the doctrine of free sovereign grace is an encouragement to awakened and broken-hearted sinners rather than otherwise? If you are most unworthy of mercy, and without any plea, should you not be glad to hear, that the Lord does not expect worthiness in those whom he saves, but that he himself has provided the only plea which he will accept, and a plea which cannot be set aside, the righteousness and mediation of his well-beloved Son?

And so we see how the way of free sovereign grace is both wise and good. It brings down the pride of man, shuts out every claim of boasting, opens a door of hope to the worst and the lowest, and makes the salvation of believers sure. It does not rest on the wisdom, strength, or worthiness of man, which soon fails, but on the righteousness and mediation of Christ, who is all-sufficient.

If your state is uncertain, do not turn away from this teaching as if it were hard or unfair. It is the very ground of hope for those who have nothing of their own to plead. Come as you are, poor, helpless, and without any claim, and flee for refuge to the mercy of God in Christ. He has provided the only plea he will accept, and it cannot be set aside.

Submit to his will now, while there is time, that you may know the joy of those who are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.