the curse he leads to God he leads to Christ he leads to the Promises he leads to glory c. There is no gain-sayingt Demoâ—â—heneâ— words said one So â—herâ— is no gaâ—â—laâ—ing of the pleadings of the Spirit Againe this spirit is A comforting spirit John 14. 16. and A pleading spirit Rom. 8. 26. Every Christian ha's three Advocates pleading for him The first is that Divine Love that is in the bosome of the father The second is the Lord Jesus that is at the right hand of the father And the third is the holy Spirit that is one with the father Fourthly He gives his Blood the blood of Christ is a gift of Christ to his beloved ones Mat. 20. 28. The Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many So in John 10. 11. I am the good Sheppard the good Sheppard giveth his life for his sheep His blood was the purest blood his humane nature being most pure his blood was the noblest blood and therefore called Acts 20. 28. in Scripture The Blood of God by reason of the conjunction of the Divine Nature with the humane It was his life-blood his heart-blood that he gave it was not the blood of his finger but the blood of his heart it was precious blood Rom. 3. 25. Rom. 5. 9. Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 20. Heb. 9. 7-26 Chap. 10. 19. 1 John 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. c. Three things are called precious in the Scripture 1 Faith is called Precious Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. 2 The Promises are called Precious Promises ver 4. 3 The Blood of Christ is called Precious Blood 1 Pet. 1. 19. All your precious mercies swim to you in precious blood as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together It was an excellent saying of Luther speaking of this blood Vna guttula plus valet quam coelum terra-Luth of Christ One little drop of this blood saith he is more worth then heaven and earth Your pardon swims to you in blood your peace swims to you in blood your reconciliation is made by blood your acceptation is wrought by blood c. Sanguis Christi clavis coeli Christs Blood is Heavens Key Christs blood is a Preservative against the greatest evills Christs blood as Pliny saith of Polium is a Preservative against Serpents c. Fifthly Christ gives Pardon of sin and doe you know what a mercy that is Ask the troubled soule ask the soule that knowes what it means to lye under the wrath of the Almighty and he will tell you that pardon of sin is a gift more worth then a thousand worlds Now that pardon of sin is a gift of God you may see in Acts 5. 31. Him hath God exalted * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To his right hand That is to honour and dignity c. with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins So in Acts 26. 18. Ah soules of all mercies pardoning mercy is the most necessary mercy I may to Heaven without honours and without riches and without the smiles of creatures But I can never to Heaven without pardoning mercy As Ahab Haman Dives c. A man may be great and gracelesse he may be rich and miserable he may be honourable and damnable c. But he cannot be a pardoned soule but he must be a very blessed soule †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessednesses in he plurall Pardon of sin â—â—cludes a plurality of mercies a chaine of Pearles a chain of blessings Gen. 30. 11. Psal 32. 1 2. It intitles soules to all blessednesse it puts the Royall Crowne upon their heads Of all mercies pardoning mercy is the most sweetning mercy 't is a choyce Jewel and swims to the soule in blood Heb. 9. 22. 'T is a mercy that makes all other mercies to look like mercies and tast like mercies and work like mercies and the want of it takes off the glory and beauty of all a mans mercies and makes his life a very hell Pardon of sin is a voluminous mercy a mercy that ha's many precious mercies in the womb of it You may well call it Gad for it ushers in Troops of mercy When you can number the sands of the sea and tell the Stars of heaven then and not till then shall you be able to recount the mercies that attend pardoning mercy He that ha's this mercy cannot be miserable he that wants it cannot be happy get this and get all misse this and misse all this is a gift confer'd onely upon Christs favourites Son be Mat. 9. 2. of good cheere thy sins be forgiven thee No mercy will make a man everlastingly merry below pardoning mercy He ha's no reason to be sad that ha's his pardon in his bosome nor he ha's no reason to be glad who is upon the last step of the Ladder ready to be turned off without his Pardon And this is the fifth gift that Christ gives to his viz. Pardon of sinne Sixthly Christ gives Precious Promises 2. Pet. 1. 4. The Promises are precious beds of spices they are Vâ—res caelesieâ— bottles filled with those heavenly dews that wiâ—l never faile like that of Hagars but will cheâ—ish and nourish the soule to life eternall c. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and Precious Promises c. The Promises are a precious Book every leaf drops myrrhe and mercy The Promises are golden Vessels that are laden with the choycest Jewels that heaven can afford or the soule desire All our spirituall temporall and eternall good is to be found in the belly of the Promises Promises are big-bellied mercies there 's nothing you can truly call a mercy but you will find it in the belly of a Promise under all changes they are the comfort support and relief of the soule Psal 119. 49 50. Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me If the soule groane under the power of sin then that Promise relieves it Rom. 6. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under grace If the soule groane under the guilt of sin then that Promise relieves it Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me c. And that Promise Isa Anochi anochi ha mâ—hhe 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my owne sake and will not remember thy sins I even I am he blotting out thy transgression I even I whom thou hast offended I even I whom thou hast provoked I even I whose glorious name thou hast prophaned I even I whose righteous Law thou hast violated I even I whose holy Covenant thou hast transgressed I even I whose mercies thou hast dispised I even I
the blood of the Lamb. off this burden that sinks the soule even as low as hell Faith must make a Plaister of the blood of Christ and apply it to the soule or the soule will dye under its guilt There 's nothing below this can doe it faith's application of the blood of Christ takes off the guilt and turnes the storme to a calme Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Againe Suppose that the power and prevalency of sin hinders the soules sweet communion with God so that the Much lesse thâ—n can the Papists purga tories watchings whipings c. or St. Francis his kissing or licking of Leper's sores which wilâ— cleanse the â—retting Leprosie of sin c. A touch of â—aith cureth the woman as well as a fâ—ll hold 'T is the exercise of the graces of the spirit by which we mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. It is not our strong resolutions or purposes that will be able to over-master these eâ—emies A â—oul-sore will run till it be indeed healed though we say it shall not soule cannot sport it selfe and joy and delight it selfe in God as in the dayes of old it cannot see God smiling stroaking and speaking kindly as in former dayes Now there 's nothing in all the world that can ease the soule of this burden of sin below the exercise of grace Oh saith such a poore soule I pray Sir and yet I sin I resolve against sin and yet I sin I combate against sin and yet I am carried Captive by sin I have left no outward means unattempted and yet after all my sins are too hard for me after all my sweating striving and weeping I am carried downe the streame There 's nothing now but the actings of faith upon a crucified Christ that will take off this burden from the soule of man Now you must make use of your graces to draw virtue from Christ now faith must touch the hem of Christs garment or thou wilt never be healed 'T is just with a soule in this case as it was with the ponre widow Luke 8. 43. to 49. that had a bloody issue she leaves no means unattempted whereby she might be cured she runs from one Physitian to another till she had spent all that she was worth till she had brought a noble to nine-pence and now sayes she If I could but touch the hem of his Garment I should be whole Hereupon she crowds through the crowd to come to Christ and being got behind him she touches the hem of his garment and immediately she was made whole The cure being thus wrought Christ uncrownes himselfe to crowne her faith And he said unto her daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace He doth not say woman thy trembling hath made thee whole or woman thy sweating and struggling in a crowd to come to me hath made thee whole or woman thy falling downe and abasing thy selfe though she did all this but woman thy faith hath made thee whole Ah Christians 't is not your trembling or your falling downe or your sweating in this and that service that will stop the bloody issue of your sins but believing in Christ 'T is sad to consider how few Professors in these dayes have attain'd the right way of mortifying of sin they usually goe out against their sins in the strength of their owne purposes prayers and resolutions c. and scarce look so high as a crucified Christ they mind not the exercise of their faith upon Christ and therefore it 's a righteous thing with Christ that after all they should be carried captive by their sins Nothing eats out sin like the actings of grace nothing weakers and wasts the strength of sin like the exercise of grace Oh did men believe more in Christ sin would dye more did they believe the threatnings more sin would dye more did they believe the Promises more sin would dye more did they believe reigning with Christ more sin would dye more He that hath 1 John 3. 3. this hope purifies himselfe even as Christ is pure Againe Suppose that the soule be followed with black dismall fiery temptations there 's nothing now in all the world that can Divinely strengthen and fence the soule against these Luther said I am without set upon by all the world and within by the Deviâ—l all his Angels and yet by the exercise of grace he became victorious over them all c. temptations but the exercise of grace the improvement of grace 'T is true you are to hear read pray meditate c. but all these without the exercise of grace in them will never make you victorious over Satans temptations Nothing puts Satan to it like the exercise of grace 'T is said of Satan that he should say to a holy man who was much in the exercise of grace Tu me semper vincis Thou doest alwayes overcome me Ephes 6. 16. Above all take the shield of faith whereby ye may be able to quench the fiery darts of the Devil Whatsoever piece of Armour you neglect be sure that you neglect not the Shield of faith The Greek word that 's here rendred a Shield comes from another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word that signifies a doore or a gate to note that as a doore or a gate doth secure our bodies so will the shield of faith secure our soules against the fiery darts of the Devill Above all take the shield of faith whereby ye may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Devil The Apostle alludes to the custome of the Scythians who used to dip the heads of their Arrowes or Darts in the gall of Aspes and Vipers the venomous heat of which like a fire in their flesh kill'd the wounded with torments the likest hell of any other But the Souldiers then had generally Shields of raw neats leather as * Polebius and Vigetius c. severall Writers testifie and when the fiery darts lighted upon them they were presently quencht So these fiery darts of Satan when they light upon the shield of faith they are presently quenched and there is no other way to doe it till the Lord draw out a mans faith to act upon the Promises and upon Christ these fiery darts will not be quencht Againe Suppose that the world the smiling world or the frowning world the tempting world or the persecuting world Faith is a better Engineer then Daedalus and yet he mide wings with which he made an escape over the high walls within which he was imprisoned This world is the soules prison yet faith is such an Engineer that it can make wings for the soule to fly out c. should lye as a heavy stone or burden upon your hearts as it doth upon the hearts of thousands in these dayes witnesse their attempting any thing to get the favours honours and riches of this
downe yea they would have him downe root and branch but there 's no such way for his totall and finall overthrow as the Preaching of Christ for the more the glory fullnesse perfection and excellency of Christ is discovered the more the horrid vilenesse and matchlesse wickednesse of the man of sin will be discovered and abhorred c. 2 Thess 2. 3 4 7 8 9 10. And then In the Canon Law the Pope is said to be Sâ—lutus omni lege humana shall that wicked one be revealed The Greek word Anomos properly signifies a lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse Monster one that holdeth himselfe subject to no Law Pope Nicholas the First said That he was above Law because Constantine had stiled the Pope God And of the same opinion were most of the Popes Whom he shall consume The Greek word signifies to consume Analosei by little and little till a thing come to nothing With the spirit of his mouth That is with the evidence and glory of his word in the mouths of his Messengers The Ministers of the word are as a mouth whereby the Lord breatheth Bellarmine confesseth to his great grief That ever since the Lutherans have declared the Pope to be Antichrist his Kingdome hath not only nâ—t increased but every day more more decreased and decayed Lib. 3. de papa RoÌ„ cap. 21. out that glorious mighty and everlasting Gospel which shall by degrees bruâ—se Antichrist and all his adherents and break them in sunder like a rod of Iron c. When Christ was born all the Idols that were set up in the world as Historians write fell down When Jesus Christ comes to be lifted up in a Nation in a City in a Towne in a Family yea in any heart then all Idols without and within will fall before the power presence and glory of Jesus Since Luther began to lift up Christ in the Gospel what a deale of ground ha's Antichrist lost and he does and will looâ—â— more and more as Christ comes to be more and more … ened and lifted up in the Chariot of his word Many in these dayes that speak much against Antichrist have much of Antichrist within them And certainly there is no such way to cast him out of mens hearts and out of the world as the Preaching and making knowne of Christ as the exalting and lifting up of Christ in the Gospel of grace A fourth Reason why they are to Preach Christ to the people is this Because else they contract upon themselves the blood of soules There 's no other way for them to avoid the contracting of the blood of men and womens soules upon them but the The Germans have this Proverb say they The pavement of hell is made â—f the bare skuls of Priests and the glorious Crests of gallants Theâ—r meâ—ning is that the more eminent any one is in Church or State doth not imploy his eminency accordingly the more low shall they lye in hell Rev. 18. 11 12 13 14. Preaching of Christ unto them Now a man were better to have all the blood in the world upon him then the blood of one soule The blood of soules of all blood cryes loudest and wounds deepest The lowest the darkest and the hottest place in Hell will be the sad and dreadfull portion of such upon whose skirts the blood of soules shall be found at last Hence that passage of Paul in 1 Cor. 9. 16. Woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel The Motto that should be writ upon Preachers Study doores and on their wals and on all the Books they look on on the beds they lye on and on the seats they sit on c. should be this The Blood of soules The Blood of soules The soule is the better the noble part of man it bears most of the Image of God 't is capable of union and communion with God Christ sweat for it and bled for it and therefore woe to those Merchants that make merchandize of the soules of men This was a comfort and an honour to Paul that he kept himselfe from the blood of soules Acts 20. 25 26 27. He appeales to them that they were witnesses that he was free from the blood of all men Paul had held out Jesus Christ in his Natures in his Names in his Offices and in all his excellencies and perfections and so frees himselfe from the blood of all men And Ministers can no way secure themselves from the blood of soules but by Preaching up and living out a crucified Jesus The last Reason is this Because the Preaching of Christ contributes most to their comfort here and to their reward hereafter therefore they are to Preach the Lord Christ to the people When Luther was upon a dying bed this was no small Bernard comfortably observes That Ministers have their reward Secundum laborem not Secundum proventum joy and comfort to his spirit Thee O Lord saith he have I knowne thee have I loved thee have I taught thee have I trusted and now into thy hands I commend my spirit There can be no greater joy to a Minister then by Preaching Christ to win soules to Christ 1 Thess 2. 19 20. For what is our hope or joy or Crowne of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ye are our glory and joy They that by Preaching Christ win soules to Christ shall shine as the Starres in the Firmament Dan. 12. 3. Every soule won to Christ is a glorious Pearle added to a Preachers Crowne 1 Pet. 5. 4. And when the chief Shepheard shall appeare you shall receive a Crowne of glory A Crowne imports perpetuity plenty and dignity the height of humane ambition It is the opinion of some That there are three places of exaltation in heaven The first and highest is for converting Ministers The second is for suffering Martyrs The third is for persevering Christians Without doubt those Ministers shall be high in heaven who make it their heaven to hold forth Christ and to win soules to Christ who are willing to be any thing to be nothing that Christ may be all in all to poore soules And thus I have given you the Reasons of the Point I shall now come to the second thing which is the maine and that is to shew you How Ministers are to Preach Christ to the people Many weak and slight spirits in these dayes think that 't is 2. Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Almost every Upstart in these dayes thinks himself sufficient Who am I sayes Moses who am I not saith every green-head in these dayes as easie to Preach as to play and so they hop from one thing to another and those that are not qualified nor fit for the least and lowest imployment yet judge themselves fit enough for the greatest and the weightiest imployment in the world and that which would certainly break the backs not onely of the
living be justified So Job Though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Iob 9. 15. Judge Proud Pharisees blesse themselves in their owne righteousnesse I thank God I am not as this Publican I fast twice Lu. 18. 11 12 A proud heart eyes more his seeming worth then his reall want Rev. 4 10 11. Non decet Christianum in hac vita coronari said the Christian Souldier in the weeke c. I but now a soule truly humbled blushes to see his owne righteousnesse and glories in this that he has the righteousnesse of Christ to live upon Rev. 4. 10 11. the twenty foure Elders throw downe their Crownes at the feet of Christ By their Crownes you may understand their gifts their excellencies their righteousnesse they throw downe these before Christs Throne to note to us that they did not put confidence in them and that Christ was the Crowne of Crownes and the top of all their Royalty and glory An humble soule looks upon Christs righteousnesse as his holy Crowne Thirdly The lowest and the meanest good worke is not below V. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to gaine with joy and delight of heart Ah! says Paul 't is my greatest joy my greatest delighttogain souls to Christ The word also signifies craft or guile Ah! humble Paul will use a holy craft a holy guile to win soules To know the Art of Alms is greater then to be crown'd with the Diadem of Kings yet to convert one soul is greater then to poure out ten thousand Talents into the baskeâ—s of the poore Chrysostome John 13. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 8. Phil. 2. 6. Col. 1. 19. 2. 3. John 13. 5. Proud hearts can't stoop to low services they say this work that is below their parts place parentage employments Cirius Scipiâ— These Heathens will rise in judgement against many proud professâ—rs in these dayes who scorne to stoopto mean services c. 4 Property Veniat veniat ver bam Domini submittemus illi sex cenia sâ— nobis essent colla Said Baldassar a German Minister So 't is with all that are high in worth humble in heart Lev. 10. 2 3. God will be sanctified either actively or passively Aut à nobis aut in nos either in us or upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word oâ—ten signifies a modest quietnesse of mind the troubled affections being allayed So here In Lam. 3. 27 28 29. It signifies to submit unto God and to be patient in affliction and so it may betaken here Nunquam nimis dicitur quod nanquam satis discitur we can never hear that too often that we can never learn too wel Militi multa agenda patienda plura The christian souldier must doe many things suffer more 5 Property If Seneca said of his wise man Majore parte illic est unde descendit He is more in Heaven then in earth this is much more true of humble holysouls Dulce nomen Christi Sweet is the name of Christ Christ may well be compared to the trees of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47 12. which were both for meat Medicine an humble soule An humble David will dance before the Ark he enjoyed so much of God in it that it caused him to leap and dance before it but Michal his wife despised him for a foole and counted him as a simple vaine fellow looking upon his carriage as vaine and light and not becoming the might Majesty and glory of so glorious a Prince Well sayes this humble soule if this be to be vile I will be more vile Great Paul yet being humble and low in his owne eyes he can stoop to doe service to the least and the meanest Saint 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21. For though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all that I might gaine the more And unto the Jewes I became as a Jew that I might gaine the Jewes To them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gaine them that are under the Law To them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gaine them that are without Law To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all means gaine some Here you have an humble soule bowing and stooping to the meanest Saints and the lowest services that he might win soules So the Lord Jesus himselfe was famous in this John 13. 4. Though he was the Lord of glory and one that thought it no robbery to be equall with God one that had all perfection and fullnesse in himselfe yet the lowest work is not below this King of Kings witnesse his washing his Disciples feet and wiping them with a Towell Bonaventure though he was born of great Parentage and a great Scholler yet to keep his mind from swelling he would often sweep rooms wash vessels and make beds So that famous Italian Marquess when God was pleased by the Ministry of his word to convert him the lowest work was not below him though he might have liv'd like a King in his owne Countrey yet having tasted of that life and sweet that was in Jesus he was so humble that he would goe to Market and carry home the meanest and the poorest things the Market yielded There was nothing below him when God had chang'd him and humbled him 'T is recorded to the glory of some antient Generalls that they were able to call every common Souldier by his owne name and were carefull to provide money not onely for their Captaines and Souldiers but litter also for the meanest Beast There is not the lowest good that is below the humble soule If the work be good though never so low humility will put a hand to it so will not pride A fourth Property of an humbled heart is this An humble heart will submit to every truth of God that is made knowne to it even to those Divine truths that are most crosse to flesh and blood 1 Sam. 3. 17. Eli would faine know what God had discovered to Samuel concerning him Samuel tells him that he must break his neck that the Priesthood must be taken away from him and his Sons must be slaine in the warre why it is the Lord saith he let him doe what seemeth him good So in Levit. 10. the Lord by fire from Heaven destroyes Aarons two Sons Then Moses said unto Aaron this is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified and Aaron held his peace If God misse of his honour one way he will raine hell out of Heaven but he will have it another way this Aaron knew and therefore he held his peace when God shewed himselfe to be a consuming fire The Hebrew word that is
my selfe to differ to wit by the improvement of Nature This Age is full of such proud Monsters But an humble soule sees free grace to be the Spring and Fountaine of all his mercies and comforts he writes free Grace upon all his temporalls and upon all his spiritualls c. The Seventh Direction is Meditate much upon these two 7 Direction things First The great mischiefe that sinne hath done in the World It cast Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradice it hath layen the first corner-stone in Hell and ushered in all the evils and miseries that be in the world It hath threw downe Abraham the best Believer in the world and Noah the most Righteous man in the world and Job the Uprightest man in the world and Moses the Meekest man in the world and Paul the greatest Apostle in the world Oh the Diseases the crosses the losses the miseries the deaths the hells that sin hath brought upon the world Bazill wept when he saw the Rose because it brought to to his mind the first sin from whence it had the prickles which it had not while man continued in Innocency as he thought Oh when he saw the prickles his soule wept So when we see heare or read of the blood misery warres and ruines that sin ha's brought upon us ler us weep and lye humble before the Lord. Secondly Mediate much on this That many wicked men Mat. 23. 15. take more paines to damne their soules and goe to Hell then thou doest to save thy soule and to get to Heaven Oh what paines doe wicked men take to damne their souls and goe to Hell Lanctantius saith of Lucian that he spared Such a mad Devil was Catalin neither God nor man He took paines to make himselfe twice told a Child of wrath It is said of Marcellus the Roman Generall That hee could not be quiet Nec victor nec victus neither Conquered nor Conquerour Such restlesse wretches are wicked men The Drunkard rises up in the morning and continues till Isa 5. 11. mid-night till wine inflame him The unclean person wasts his time and strength and estate and all to ruine his owne soule Theotimus being told by his Physitian that if he did not leave his lewd courses he would loose his sight answered Vale lumen amicum Then farewell sweet light What a deale of paines does the Worldling take He rises up early and goes to Bed late and leaves no stone unturn'd and all to make himselfe but the more miserable in the close Pambus in the Ecclesiasticall History wept when he saw a Harlot drest with much care and cost partly to see one Socrates Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 28. take so much paines to goe to Hell and partly because he had not been so carefull to please God as shee had been to please a wanton lover Oh Sirs what reason have you to spend your dayes in weeping when you look abroad and see what paines most men take to damne their soules and goe to Hell and then consider what little paines you take to escape Hell to save your soules and goe to Heaven Eighthly Get more internall and experimentall knowledge 8 Direction and acquaintance with God If ever you would keep humble no knowledge humbles and abases like that which is inward and experimentall We live in dayes wherein there is abundance of notionall light many Professors know much of God notionally but know nothing of God experimentally They know God in the History but know nothing of God in the Mystery They know 'T is a sad thing to be often eating of the Tree of Knowledg but never to tast of the Tree of Life much of God in the letter but little or nothing of God in the spirit and therefore 't is that they are so proud and high in their owne conceits when as he that experimentally knowes the Lord is a Worme and no man in his owne eyes As the Sun is necessary to the world the eye to the body the Pilate to the Ship the Generall to the Army So is experimentall knowledge to the humbling of the soule Who more experimentall in their knowledge then David Job Isaiah and Paul And who more humble then these Worthies Seneca observed of the Philosophers That when they grew more learned they were lesse morall So a growth in notions will bring a great decay in humility and zeale as it 's too evident in these dayes Well remember this a drop of experimentall knowledge will more humble a man then a sea of notionall knowledge Ninthly Looke up to a crucified Christ for speciall power 9 Direction and strength against the pride of your hearts 'T is sad in these knowing times to think how few there are that know the right way of bringing under the power of any sin Most men scarce look so high as a crucified Christ for power against their powerfull sins One soule sits downe and complaines Such a Psal 10. 4. It was the the blood of the Sacrifice and the Oyle that cleansed the Leper in the Law and that by them was meant the blood of Christ and the grace of his Spirit is agreed by all lust haunts me I 'le pray it downe Another saith such a sin followes me and I 'le hear it downe or watch it downe or resolve it downe and so a crucified Christ is not in all their thoughts Not but that you are to hear pray watch and resolve against your sins but above all you should look to the acting of Faith upon a crucified Christ As he said of the sword of Goliah None like to that So I say none like to this for the bringing under the pride of mens hearts The weaker the House of Saul grew the stronger the House of David grew The weakning of your pride will be the increase and strengthening of your Humility and therefore what the King of Syria said unto his fifty Captaines Fight neither with small nor great but with the King of Israel So say I if you woulk keep humble if you would lye low draw forth your Artillery place your greatest strength against the pride of your soules The death of Pride will be the resurrection of Humility And that this may stick upon you I shall lay downe severall Propositions concerning Pride and I am so much the more willing to fall upon this work and to make it the subject of our discourse at this time because this horrid sin doth appeare so boldly and impudently and that not onely among prophane persons but Professors also There are ten Propositions that I shall lay downe concerning Pride And the first is this Of all sinnes Pride is most dangerous to the soules of Men. Pride is a sin that will put the soule upon the worst of sinnes Pride is a gilded misery a secret poyson a hidden plague 'T is the Ingeneere of deceipt the Mother of hypocrisie the Parent of envy the Moth of holinesse the
what thou wouldest have as you may see in Ephes 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit rf Promise The Originall runs thus In whom believing you were sealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While faith is busied and exercised about Christ and those varieties of glories and excellencies that are in him the Lord comes and by his spirit seales the life and love and glory of them Thus by Divine assistance I have dispatched the first thing viz. The deciphering of weake Christians The second thing that I propounded for the further opening and clearing of this Point was To hold forth to you those things that tend to support comfort and uphold weak Christians And truly I must needs say that if ever there were a time wherein weak Christians had need of support I verily believe this is the time wherein we live for by the horrid prophanenesse of men on the one hand and the abominable loose and rotten Principles of others on the other hand the hearts of many weak Christans especially are sadded that God would not have sadded and their spirits wounded and grieved that God would have comforted and healed and therefore I shall dwell the longer upon this second thing And the first thing that I shall lay downe by way of Support is this 1 Support He that loâ—kt upon the brazen Serpent though with a weak sight was healed a throughly as he that lookt upon it with a stronger sight A weak faith is a joynt possessor though no faith can be â— joynt purâ—haser of Christ That the weakest Christians have as much interest and propriety in Christ and all the fundamentall good that comes by Christ as the strongest Saints in the world have Weak Saints are as much united to Christ as much justified by Christ as much reconciled by Christ and as much pardoned by Christ as the strongest Saints 'T is true weak Christians cannot make so much improvement and advantage of their interest in Christ as strong Saints can they have not that power that wisedome that spirituall skill to make that advantage of their interest and propriety in Christ as strong Saints have Yet have they as much interest and propriety in the Lord Jesus and all the fundamentall good that comes by him as the strongest Saint that breaths The sucking Child hath as much interest and propriety in the father and in what is the fathers as the Child that 's growne up to age Though the young Child ha's not that skill nor that power nor wisedome to improve that interest to his advantage as he that 's growne up in years hath It 's just so here A soule weak in grace hath as much interest in the Lord as the strongest Saint hath though he hath not that skill to improve that interest And is not this a singular comfort and support Verily were there no more to bear up a poor weak Saint from fainting under all his sins and sorrowes and sufferings yet this alone might doe it c. The Second Support and Comfort to weake Saints is this That God doth with an eye of love reflect upon the least good 2 Support that is in them or done by them And is not this a glorious Comfort and Support that the Lord looks with an eye of love upon the least good that 's in you or done by you You cannot have a good thought but The least Star gives light the least drop moystens God looks upon that thought with an eye of love Psal 32. 5. I said I would confesse my sin and thou forgavest mine iniquity I said it in my thoughts that I would confesse my sin and thou presently meeting me with pardoning mercy forgavest mine iniquity So in Mal. 3. 16. And there was a Book of Remembrance written for them that feare the Lord and that thought upon his name They had but some thoughts of God and God reflects upon those thoughts with an eye of love Isa 38. 5. I have heard thy prayers I have seene thy teares Tears we look upon but as poor things and yet God looks upon them as Pearles and therefore he puts them into So in Ps 6. 8. One observes that there are 2 strong things in Tears 1 Deorsum fluunt coelum terunt They drop downward and fall to the earth yet they teach upwards and pierce the Pereâ— 2 Muliae sunt loquuntur They hold their peace yet cry very loud his Bottle as the Psalmist speaks There is not a bit of bread nor a drop of drink thou givest but God casts an eye of love upon it Mat. 25. 35 36. There is not a desire that arises in thy soule but the Lord takes notice of it Prov. 10. 17. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble Weak Saints are full of desires their whole life is a life of desires they are stil a breathing out holy desires Lord Pardon such a sin and give me power against such a sin and strength Lord to withstand such a Temptation and grace Lord to uphold me under such an Affliction c. and the Lord hears and answers such gracious breathings and longings It was holy Jewell's desire That he might dye Preaching and God lookt with an eye of love upon his desire and he had it It was Latimer's desire That he might shed his heart blood for Christ and God lookt with an eye of love upon the breathings of his heart and he had it The Israelites did but groan and God lookt upon their groans with an eye of love he comes downe he makes his Arme bare he tramples upon their proud Enemies and by Miracles he saves them O weak Christian Is not this a singular comfort that the Lord reflects with an eye of love upon your thoughts upon your desires upon your tears and upon your groanings c. What though others slight you what though others take no notice of you yet the Lord casts an eye of love upon you Some think its very strange that God should set downe in Scripture the story of Jacob a poor Countrey-man Gen. 31. that he had a few Ewes and Lambs streaked and spotted and yet take no notice of the great Emperours and Kings of the Earth nor of their great actions and Warlike designes in the world But this is to shew that tender love and respect that God bears to his Children above what he does to the great ones of this World God is more taken with Lazarus patcht Coat then with Dives silken Robe c. A third thing that I shall propound for the Support and Comfort of weak Saints is this Consider the Lord looks more upon your Graces then he 3 Support doth upon your weaknesses Or thus The Lord will not cast away weake Saints by reason of the weaknesses that cleaves to their persons or services In 2 Chron. 30. 18
you so look upon your sins and deale accordingly with them Thirdly Sin is slaine Naturally as well as Civilly Christ hath given it its deaths wound by his death and resurrection He hath given sin such a wound that it cannot be long liv'd though it may linger a while in a Saint as a Tree that 's cut at the root with a sore gash or two must dye within a year perhaps a month nay it may be within a week though for a time it may flourish it may have leaves and fruit yet it secretly dies and will very shortly wither and perish The Lord Jesus hath given sin such a mortall wound by his death and Spirit and by the communication of his favour and grace to the soule that sin shall never recover its strength more but dye a lingring death in the soules of the Saints Christ did not dye all at once upon the Crosse but by little and little To shew us that his death should extend to the slaying of sin gradically in the soules of the Saints When our Enemy hath a mortall wound we say he is a dead man his wound is mortall So when Jesus Christ hath given sin such a deadly wound such a mortall blow that it shall never recover its strength and power more we may truly say 'T is dead 't is slaine Therefore cheere up Oh weak soules for certainly sin that is thus slaine can never provoke Jesus Christ to give you a Bill of Divorce Ah that all weak Christians would like the Bee abide upon these sweet flowers and gather Honey out of them c. To proceed The twelfth Support is this Christ and you are Sharers 12 Support The notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is best expressed by Chrysostome in these words When mankind fled farre from Christ Christ pursued and caught hold of it and this he did by fastening on our Nature in his Incarnation c. The Ancients use to say commonly That Alexander and Ephâ—stion had baâ— one soule in two distinct bodies because their joy and sorrow glory and disgrace was mutuall to them both 'T is so betweene Christ and his Saints Their names that are written in red letters of blood in the Churches Kalender are written in golden letters in Christs Register in the Book of Life said Prudentius In my life-time said a gracious soule I have been assaulted with temptations from Satan and he hath cast my sins into my teeth to drive me to despaire yet the Lord gave the strength to overcome all his temptations Know this weak Saints for your support and comfort That Christ shares with you and you share with Christ I shall open this sweet Truth to you a little 1 Christ shares with you in your Natures In Heb. 2. 16. For verily he tooke not on him the Nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham And by this he hath advanc't fallen man above the very Angels This is the great Mysterie spoken of 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controversie great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh c. 2 The Lord Jesus shares with you in your Afflictions In Isa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them In his love and in his pitty he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the dayes of old It is between Christ and his Church as between two Lute-strings no sooner one is struck but the other trembles 3 He shares with you in all your sufferings and persecutions as well as in all your afflictions Acts 9. 4 5. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me There is such a neer Union between the Lord Jesus Christ and the weakest Saints that a man cannot strike a Saint but he must strike through the very heart of Christ Their sufferings are held his Col. 1. 24. and their afflictions are his afflictions and their reproaches are his reproaches Heb. 13. 13. and their provocations are his provocations Nehem. 4. 4 5. God is provokt more then Nehemiah So Isa 8. 18. compared with Heb. 2. 13. Behold I and the Children whom the Lord hath given me are for signes and wonders in Israel This the Apostle applies to Christ Heb. 2. 13. 4 The Lord Jesus Christ shares with you in all your Temptations Heb. 2. 17 18. Chap. 4. 15 16. Christ was tempted and he was afflicted as well as you that he might he able to succour you that are tempted As a poore man that ha's been troubled with paine and griefe he will share with others that are troubled with paine or grief Ah friends the Lord Jesus Christ hath lost none of his affections by going to Heaven he is still full of compassion though free from personall passion When he was on earth Oh! how did he simpathize with his poor servants in all their temptations Satan sayes Christ to Peter hath desired to winnow thee but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luther in his Preaching met with every mans temptation and being once askt How he could doe so answered Mine owne manifold temptations and experiences are the cause thereof Oh the manifold temptations that the Lord Jesus hath undergone makes him semable as I may say and willing to share with us in our temptations Secondly As Christ shares with weak Saints So weak Saints share with Christ And this I shall shew you briefly in a few particulars 1 Weake Saints share with Christ in his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we might be partakers of the Divine To be made partakers of the Divine Nature notes two things 1 Fellowship with God in his holinesse 2 A fellowship with God in his blessednesse Nature Not of the substance of the God-head as the Familists say for that is incommunicable But by the Divine Nature we are to understand those Divine Qualities called elswhere The Image of God the Life of God that whereby we are made like to God in wisedome and holinesse wherein the Image of God after which man was at first Created consists Ephes 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. Saints that doe partake of this Divine Nature that is of those Divine Qualities before spoken of they resemble God not onely as a picture doth a man in outward lineaments but as a Child doth his Father in countenance and condition And well may grace be called The Divine Nature for as God bringeth light out of darknesse comfort out of sorrow riches out of poverty and glory out of shame so does grace bring day out of night and sweet out of bitter and plenty out of poverty and glory out of shame It turnes Counters into gold Pebbles into Pearles sicknesse into health weaknesse into strength and wants into abundance Injoying nothing and yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. c. 2 Weake Saints share with Christ in his Spirit and Grace In Psal 45. 7. Christ
is anointed with the Oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes They have the Anointings of the Spirit as well as he though not so richly as he They have their measure though not that measure and proportion of the Spirit as Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good the Lord Jesus hath So in 1 John 16. Of his fulnesse have all we received Grace for Grace There is in Christ not onely a fullnesse of Abundance but also a fullnesse of Redundance There is an overflowing fullnesse in Christ as a fountaine overflowes and yet still remaines full Grace for Grace or Grace upon Grace Abundance of grace and the increases of graces one by another Grace for Grace That is as a Child in generation receives member for member Or as the Paper from the Presse receives letter for letter Or as the Wax from the Seale receives Print for Print Or as the glasse from the Image receives face for face So does the weakest Saint receive from Jesus Christ Grace for Grace That is for every grace that is in Christ there is the same grace in us in some measure There is not the weakest Saint that breaths but ha's in him some wisedome that answers to the wisedome of Christ and some love that answers to the love of Christ and some humility meeknesse and faith that answers to the humility meeknesse and faith of the Lord Jesus in truth and reallity though not in degree or quantity c. 3 Weake Saints share with Christ in the manifestations and discoveries of his father The Lord Jesus that lies in the bosome of the father hath Plutarch's reasoning is good Taton philon panta kâ—ina Friends have all things in common But God is our friend Ergo This was a â—are speech from a Heâ—â—hen the clearest and the fullest manifestations of the father that can be and he comes and opens the love and heart of the father he un-bosomes and un-bowels God to the weakest Saints as in John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my father I have made knowne unto you So in John 17. 6 7 8. 4 Weake Saints share with Christ in his Honourable Titles In the title of Sons 1 John 3. 12. Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called The wife shares with her husband in all his Titles of honour So does a Christian with his Christ See 1 Sam. 13. 17. to the 29. Col. 2. 14 15. Ephes 2. 13 14 15 16. Heb. 2. 14 15. Rom. 8. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We doe over overcome the Sons of God! And in that of Heires Rom. 8. 17. Yea they are Priests and Prophets and Kings as well as he as you may see by comparing Revelations 1. 5 6. with 1 Pet. 2. 9. c. 5 Weake Saints share with Christ in his Conquests In 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. Rom. 8. 37. Christ hath triumphed over sword famine death and Devils c. and so have they thorow him also over all these we are more then Conquerours we are over and above Conquerours Oh what a blessed thing is this that weak Saints should share with Christ in his Conquests The poor weak Souldier shares with his Generall in all his noble and honourable Conquests So does a poor weak Christian share with his Christ in all his noble and honourable Conquests 6 Lastly They share with Christ in his honour and glory And what would they have more John 12. 26. If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my father honour 1 Pet. 5. 1. Ephes 2. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Believers are already risen in Christ their head and they doe at this instant sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Christ as a publick person doth represent all believing soules and they are set downe in heavenly places in Christ Jesus In Rom. 8. 17. If we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him And in John 14. 1 2 3. I goe to prepare a place for you Christ is the Believers harbinger to prepare for them the best Mansions c. and if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also So in Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set downe with my Father in his Throne Now what would you have more weak soules Christ shares with you and you share with Christ You are apt to be discouraged because you doe not share with Christ in such measures of grace comfort and holinesse as such and such strong Saints doe Oh but remember in how many weighty things Christ and you are sharers and be dejected if you can Ah Christians what though you doe not share in the honours profits pleasures and advantages of the world yet this should be your joy and Crowne that Christ and your soules are sharers in those things that are most eminent and excellent most precious and glorious and the serious remembrance hereof should bear up your heads hopes and hearts above all the troubles temptations and afflictions that come upon you in this world c. The third thing propounded was To shew you the duty of weake Saints Who these weak Saints are you have heard Weak Saints Duties And what their Supports and Comforts are you have heard And now I shall shew you their duty in the following particulars And the first duty that I shall presse upon weak Saints is this To be thankefull for that little Grace they have 1 Duty Wilt thou be thankfull Oh Christian for the least courtesie shewed thee by men And wilt thou not be thankfull for that little measure of grace that is bestowed upon thee by God Doest thou remember Oh weak Christian that the The Lawes of Persia Macedonia and Athens condemned the ungratefull to death and certainly unthankfulnesse may well be stiled The Epitome of all Vices least measure of grace is more worth then a thousand worlds that 't is more worth then heaven it selfe Doest thou remember O weak Christian that the greatest number of men have not the least measure or dram of saving grace Doth free grace knock at thy doore when it passes by the doores of thousands And doth it cast a Pearl of price into thy bosome when others are left to wallow in their blood for ever And wilt thou not be thankfull Oh doe but consider weak souls how notoriously wicked you would have been if the Lord had not bestowed a little grace upon you Thou lookest oh soule one way and there thou hearest some a
cursing banning and a blaspheming God to his very face Had not the Lord given thee a little grace ten thousand to one but thou hadst been one in wickednesse among these Monsters of mankind And thou lookest another way and there thou seest persons dicing carding drabbing and drunkening c. why had not the Lord vouchsafed to thee some tasts and sips of grace thou mightest have been as vild as the vildest among them Ah weak Saints you doe not think what an awakened conscience would give for a little of that little grace that the Lord ha's given you Were all the world a lump of gold and in their hand to give they would give it for the least spark of grace for the least drop of mercy I have read of a man who being in a burning Feaver profest One of the Kings of England in his straites cryed out A Kingdome for a Horse a Kingdome for a Horse So do awakened coâ—sciences cry out A Kingdome for a Christ a Kingdome for a Christ or a little grace That if he had all the world at his dispose he would give it all for one draught of Beer So would an awakened conscience for one dram of grace O saith such a soule when I look up and see God frowning when I look inward and feele conscience gnawing and accusing when I look downward and see hell open to receive me and when I look on my right and left hand and see Devils standing ready to accuse me O had I a thousand worlds I would give them all for a little lirtle drop of that grace that such and such soules have whom I have formerly slighted and despised Oh! what would not a damned soule that hath been but an houre in hell give for a drop of that grace that thou hast in thy heart Think seriously of this and be thankfull Well remember one thing more and that is this viz. That there is no such way to get much grace as to be thankefull for a little grace He who opens his mouth wide in praises shall have his heart filled with graces Ingratitude stops the ear of God and shuts the hand of God and turnes away the heart of the God of grace and therefore you had need be thankfull for a little grace Unthankfullnesse is the greatest injustive that may be 't is a with-holding from the great Land-lord of heaven Lycurgus saith Musculus amongst all his Lawes made none against the Ungratefull because that was thought a thing so prodigious â—s not to be committed by man Isa 1. 3 4. and earth his due his debt Phillip branched his Souldier that begged the land of one that had relieved him and kindly entertained him with ingratis hospes The Vngratefull Guest Oh weak Saints give not God an occasion by your ingratitude to brand you and to write upon your foreheads Vngratefull Children Had it not been for unthankfullnesse Adam had been in Paradise the lapsed Angels in heaven and the Jewes in their owne Land of Promise The Jewes have a saying That the World stands upon three things The Law Holy Worship and Retribution And if these things fall the world will fall You know how to apply it But that I may in good earnest stir up your soules to thankfullnesse will you take home with you these things that happily have never or seldome been thought of by you First Consider That there is more need of Praises then Gods favours and mercies seldome or never come single there is a series a concatenatioÌ„ of them and every former drawes on a â—uture there is of Prayers Two things doe with open mouth proclaime this truth And the first is this Our mercies doe out-weigh our wants This is true in temporals but infinitely more in spiritualls and eternalls Thou wantest this and that outward mercy and what 's thy want oh soule of this and that single mercy to the multitudes of mercies that thou doest enjoy And as for spiritualls there 's nothing more clear then this that thy spirituall mercies doe infinitly out-weigh thy spirituall wants Thou wantest this and that spirituall mercy but what are those wants to that God that Christ and all those spirituall blessings in heavenly places with which thou art blest in Christ Jesus Ephes 1. 4. Secondly Consider this That all your wants and miseries are deserved and procured by your owne sins Jer. 4. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth God and Christ are the sole fountaine from whence all these streames of living waters flow unto thy heart And Chap. 50. 25. Your iniquities have turned away these things and your sins have with-holden good things from you But now all your mercies are unmerited and undeserved they all flow in upon you from the free love and favour of God and therefore there 's more need of praises then of prayers And oh that the high praises of God were more in your mouths upon this very account And oh that with David you would summon all the faculties of your soules to praise the Lord who hath freely fill'd you and followed Psal 149. 2. Psal 103. 1. to 5. you with the riches of mercy all your dayes But secondly Consider this Thankefullnesse is a surer and a better evidence of our sincerity and spirituall intenuity then praying or hearing or such like services are Thanksgiving is a selfe-denying grace 't is an uncrowning our selves and the Creatures to set the Crowne upon the head of our Creator it is the making our selves a footstoole that God may be lifted up upon his Throne and ride 'T is much to be feared that that man is Christlesse and gracelesse that is earnest in craving mercies but slow and dull in returning praises 'T is a signe that the Dumb Devill ha's possest such a man in a holy triumph over all It is a grace that gives God the supremacy in all our hearts thoughts desires words and marks Selfe-love flesh and blood and many low and carnall considerations may carry men to pray and hear and talk c. The whip may work a shame to begge but thankfullnesse is the free-will Offering of a Child There 's nothing that so clearly and so fully speaks out your sincerity and spirituall intenuity as thankfullnesse doth Therefore weak Saints if you would have a substantiall evidence of your sincerity and spirituall intenuity be thankfull for a little grace The little Birds doe not sip one drop of water but they look up as if they meant to give thanks To shew us what we should doe for every drop of grace c. The third and last Consideration to set this home is this A thankefull soule holds consort with the musick of Heaven By thankfullnesse thou holdest a correspondency with the Rev. 4. 6 7 8 9. 5. 12 13 14. Angels who are still a singing Hallelujahs to him that sits upon the Throne and is
these precious Gifts are denyed Let us therefore sit downe and wonder at this O Lord Jesus saith Bernard breaking sorth into an admiration of Christs love I love thee plusquam mea plusquam ineos plusquam me more then all my goods more then all my friends yeâ— more then my very selfe c. condiscending love of God Oh! we were once poore wretches siting upon the dunghill yea wallowing in our blood and yet behold the King of Kings the Lord of Lords ha's so far condiscended in his love as to bestow himselfe his spirit his grace and all the Jewels of his Royal Crowne upon us Oh! what heart can conceive what tongue can expresse this matchlesse love I will be thine for ever sayes Christ and my spirit shall be thine for ever and my grace thine for ever and my glory thine for ever and my righteousnesse thine for ever all I am and all I have shall be thine for ever Oh Sirs what condiscending love is this Oh! what a Christ is this But then secondly Be greatly thankefull O be greatly thankefull for the great Gifts that Christ hath bestowed upon you It 's not a little thankfullnesse that will answer and suite to the great Gifts that the Lord Jesus hath bestowed upon you Psal 103. O say with the Psalmist What shall I render to the Lord for all his favours and great benefits I will take the cup of salvation and will call upon the name of the Lord. Yea say againe Psal 71. 14. Injuries shall be writ in the dust but our mercies on Mâ—rble that our hearts may be the better provokt to praise and thankfulnesse with the same Psalmist I will yet praise thee more and more Or as 't is in the Hebrew I will add to thy praise Oh when thou lookest upon the Jewels the Pearles that Christ hath given thee say Lord I will praise thee more and more I will rise higher and higher in thy praises I will be still a adding to thy praise The very Law of Nature bespeaks great thankfullnesse where great favours are given and the Law of Custome bespeaks it and doth not the Law of grace bespeak it much more When Tamerlin had taken Bajazet among other Questions he askt him If ever he had given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour He confest immediately That he never thought of that To whom Tamerlin replied Turk Hist 220 c. 'T is no wonder so ungratefull a man should be made a spectacle of misery Oh! what doe they then deserve that are unthankfull for spirituall favours Tell me O Christians are not the Gifts that Christ ha's confer'd upon you peculiar Gifts And will you not be thankfull for them Were they There are but few upon whom God bestoweth his love 'T was alwayes a principle in morality that sweet and intimate friendship cannot be extended to many friends usually goe by paires but common Gifts you ought to be thankfull for them how much more then for peculiar Gifts for right-handed favours Tell me are not the Gifts that Christ ha's given thee rare Gifts What hadst thou been if Christ had not made a difference between thee and others by those glorious Gifts that he ha's confer'd upon thee Thou lookest upon some and seest they are very ignorant Oh! what hadst thou been if God had not bestowed the Grace of knowledge upon thee Thou lookest upon other persons that are unclean prophane and filthy why such a wretch wouldst thou have been if the Lord had not made a difference between thee and them by bestowing himselfe his grace and spirit upon thee It was long since determined in the Schools That penitents had more reason to be thankefull then innocents Sin giving an advantage to mercy to be doubly free in giving and in pardoning And so the greater obligation is left upon us to thankfullnesse Luther hath a very famous story in his writing upon the fourth Commandement in the time of the Councel of Constance he tells you Of two Cardinalls that as they were riding to the Councel they saw a Shepheard in the field weeping one of them being affected with his weeping rode to him to comfort him and coming near to him he desired to know the reason of his weeping the Shepheard was unwilling to tell him at first but at last he told him saying I looking upon this Toad considered that I never praised God as I ought for making me such an excellent Creature as a man comely and reasonable I have not blessed him that he made me not such a deformed Toad as this The Cardinall hearing this and considering that God had done far greater things for him then for this poore Shepheard he fell downe dead from his Mule his servants lifting him up and bringing him to the City he came to life againe and then cryed out Oh Saint Austine how truly didst thou say The unlearned rise and take heaven by force and we with all our learning wallow in flesh and blood The application is easie Thirdly The next Use is this If the Lord hath given the best Gifts to his people then Oh that his people would not give God the worst but the best of every thing 'T is the most wicked aâ—aâ—ice to defraud God of the oblation of our selves saith Chrysost Oh! give the Lord the best of your strength the best of your time the best of your mercies and the best of your services who hath given to your soules the best of Gifts Num. 18. 29. Out of all your Gifts ye shall offer every heave Offring of the Lord of all the best thereof even the hallowed part thereof out of it So I say of all thy Offrings offer God the best who hath given to thee the best and greatest Gifts So in Exod. 35. 22. For the service of the Tabernacle they brought bracelets and ear-rings and rings and tables all Jewels of If a man should serve the Lord a thousand years saith Austin â— would net deserve an â—oure of the reward in Heaven no not a moment much lesse an Eternity And therefore sayes he we had need doe as much as we can and doe all that we doe as well as we can c. gold and every man that Offered Offered an Offering of Gold unto the Lord. They gave the best of the best and so must we O doe not offer to God the worst of your time the worst of your strength the worst of your mercies the worst of your services That same is a very dreadfull Text Mal. 1. 8. 13 14. compared And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evill And if ye offer the lame and the sick is it not evill Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with it and accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Saith God will men be put off thus No I know they won't and why then should you deale worse with me then with men Thy Governours will have
stark naught lâ—ke the Monk in the Fable did his excellent spirit appear in that he was holy and humble in heart though high in place and worth c. Dan. 6. 3-7 Daniel keeps humble and holy when he is lifted high yea made the second man in the Kingdome Malice it selfe could not find any thing against him but in the matter of his God 'T is much to be very gracious when a man is very great and to be high in holinesse when advanc'd to high places usually mens blood rises with their outward good Certainly they are worthy ones and shall walk with Christ Rev. 3. 4. in white whose Garments are not defiled with greatnesse or riches c. Secondly They that have highly improved their graces will comply with those commands of God that crosse nature that are contrary to nature And doubtlesse that man ha's improv'd his graces to a very high rate whose heart complies with those Commands of God that are crosse and contrary to nature As for a man to love them that loath him Mat. 5. 44. They use to say If any man would have Mr. Fox doe him a good turne let him doe him an injury c. to blesse them that curse him to pray for them that persecute him c. 'T is nothing to love them that love us and to speak well of them that speak well of us and to doe well and carry it well towards them that carry it well towards us Oh! but for a man to love those that hate him to be courteous to them that are currish to him to be sweet to them that are bitter to him c. this strongly demonstrates a high improvement of grace Certainly that man is very very good who ha's learned that holy Lesson of overcoming evill with good Such a one was Stephen Acts 7. 55 ult Rom. 12. ult He was a man full of the holy Ghost That is of the Gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost he was much in the exercise of Grace he can pray and sigh for them yea even weepe teares of blood for them who rejoyced to shed his blood So did Christ weep over Jerusalem so did Titus so did Marcellus over Syracuse so did Scipio over Carthage but they shed teares for them whose blood they were to shed but Christ shed teares for them who were to shed his blood So Abraham being strong in faith gave glory to God How Rom. 4. why by complying with those commands of God that were very contrary to flesh and blood as the offering up of his Son his onely Son his beloved Son his Son of the Promise and by leaving his owne Countrey and his near and dear relations upon a word of Command The Commands of God so change the whole man and make him new that you can hardly know him to be the same man saith one Well Sirs Lactant. defalsa sapient lib. 3. cap. â—7 remember this 't is a dangerous thing to neglect one of his Commands though it be never so crosse to flesh and blood who by another is able to command you into nothing or into hell Let Luther hate me and in his wrath call me a thousand times Devill yet I will love him and acknowledge him to be a most precious servant of God saith Calvin c. Thirdly consider this Such soules will follow the Lord fully that have made an improvement of their graces Oh! this was the glorious commendations of Caleb and Joshua in Numb 14. 24. that They followed the Lord fully in the face of all difficulties and discouragements They had another spirit in them sayes the Text they would goe up and possesse the Land though the Walls were as high as Heaven and Veni vidi vici I came I saw I overcame said that Emperour the Sons of Anak were there they made no more of it then to goe see and conquer They followed the Lord fully In the Hebrew it is They fullfilled after me The Hebrew word is a metaphor taken from a Ship under saile that 's carried with a strong wind as fearing neither Sands nor Rocks nor Shelves c. Such have little if any thing of Christ within who follow him by halves or haltingly I remember Cyprian brings in the Devil triumphing over Christ thus As for my followers I never dyed for them as Christ did for his I never promised them so great reward as Christ hath done to his and yet I have more followers then he and they doe more for me then his doe for him O where is that spirit in these dayes that was upon those Worthies Psal 44. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant our heart is not turned backe neither have our steps declined from thy way though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death Fourthly Such soules that have improved their Graces to a considerable height will blesse God as well when he frowns as when he smiles As well when he takes as when he gives when he strikes as when he strokes as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together When the Lord had stript Job of all and had set him naked upon the dunghill why then Job 1. â—1 Levit. 10. 3. 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. Isa 63. 14 15. sayes Job The Lord gives and the Lord taketh away and blessed be the name of the Lord. Where Grace is improved to a considerable height it will work a soule to sit downe satisfied with the naked injoyment of God without other things John 14. 8. Shew us the father and it sufficieth us The sight Christus est mihi pro omnibus sayes a Christian as he said Plato est mihi pro omnibus of the father without honours the sight of the father without riches the sight of the father without mens favour will suffice the soule As Jacob said It is enough that Joseph is alive so sayes the soule that 's high in Grace 't is enough that Jesus is alive c. Fifthly Soules that have improved their Graces to a considerable height will be good in bad times and in bad places Such soules will bear up against the stream of evill examples in the worst of times and in the worst of places Abraham Though the Fishes live in the salt sea yet they are fresh So though soules eminently gracious live among the wicked yet they retaine their spiritualnesse freshnesse and liâ—e was righteous in Chaldea Lot was just in Sodome Daniel holy in Babylon Job upright and fearing God in the Land of Vz which was a prophane and most abominable superstitious place Nehemiah zealous in Damasco Oh take me a man that hath improved his grace and the worser the times are the better that man will be he will bear up bravely against the stream of evill examples he will be very good when times and all round
hundred for a thousand as sometimes men in hurrying over their Books they slip and make mistakes and so they think there 's nothing got whereas indeed there 's much got and in the close they shall find it so Many a gracious soule many times takes a great deale of graâ—e for a little and a little grace for no grace Look as Hypocrites put downe their Counters for gold their pence for pounds and alwayes prize themselves above the Market So sincere souls doe often put downe their pounds for pence their thousands for hundreds and still prize themselves below the Market c. The fourth Proposition is this That Saints must indeavour to grow rich in every Grace 'T is the duty and the glory of Saints to indeavour to grow rich in every grace So the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 5. to 12. Add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge c. It is the work the duty the glory of a Christian to be still adding one grace to another So in Chap. 3. 18. Grow in Grace that is in every grace but more particularly and specially in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Grow in Grace that is grow in love in faith in humility in meeknesse c. but especially in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour because that was a speciall remedy against the errors of those times c. All the graces that be in you are weak and therefore you had need to strengthen them all Againe You have the seeds of all corruptions in you and is there any way to be rid of every sin but by thriving in every grace Againe You have opportunities as well to thrive in one grace as in another Againe Will not Satan labour might and maine to keep your graces low and poore You never hurt him lesse you never honour Christ lesse you never mind your work lesse then when grace is weak and low This he knowes and therefore labours to keepe your graces downe Againe Are not you liable to severall changes in this world As to be rich and poore exalted and abased now to relieve and anon to be relieved now well and anon sick Whilst Pompey pâ—ospered and Rome flourished Cato stoutly held and defended a Divine providence but when he saw Pompey overthrowne by Caesar his body cast upon the shore without honour of buriall and himselfe exposed to the danger of Caesars Army he changed his opininion denying thaâ— there was a Divine providence but that all things fell out by chance c. now strong and anon weak now in stormes and anon in calmes now tempted and anon delivered now in one condition and anon in another condition now up now downe now forward now backward c. Now pray tell me doth not the severall chaâ—ges and variety of providences that we meet with in this world bespeak us to be rich not in some but in every grace Don't a state of prosperity bespeak a man to be rich in wisedome rich in humility rich in love and rich in compassion that his heart may be kept close to God in that state and that he may doe nothing unworthy of God who ha's done so much for him And now when God shall change the manner of his administrations towards such a man when God shall put out his Candle pull off his Robes and cloath him with raggs and set him with Job upon the dunghill don't this condition bespeak much patience much contentation much self-deniall much faith how else will this man bravely bear up when God shall write such bitter things against him and passe the sentence of death upon his nearest and his dearest comforts If a man be not rich in one grace as well as in another when God shall bring changes upon him and poure him from vessel to vessel his life will be a burden a hell unto him c. Againe Consider this growing rich in every grace renders a Christian most lovely and beautifull in grace As a growth in all the members of the body renders the body most lovely and beautifull the perfect beauty and comelinesse of the body rises from the symmetry and fitnesse of the parts unto one another Rare and excellent beauty ariseth from the comelinesse of all parts if one part be comely and another deformed then there is no perfect beauty Well remember this there 's no such beautifull Christians as those that grow rich in every grace Oh! they are the beauty of Christ the honour of the Gospel and the glory of Christianity And so much for the fourth Proposition viz. That we must labour to be rich in every Grace The fifth Proposition that I shall lay downe is this Saints should labour more particularly and more especially to be rich in Faith Though 't is of concernment to believers to be rich in every grace yet it is of speciall concernment to them to labour to be rich in this particular grace of faith In Jude vers 20. Building up your selves in your most holy faith 'T is not enough to have faith but they must build up themselves and build up one another in their most holy faith There are three things that the Scripture calls precious First The Blood of Christ In 1 Pet. 1. 19. Ye are not redeemed with silver and gold but with the Precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Secondly The Promises are called Precious Promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and Precious Promises Thirdly Faith is called Precious Faith Vers 1. Vnto them that have obtained like Precious Faith with us Now though it be of concernment for every Saint to labour to be rich in every grace yet more especially and more particularly to be rich in this Grace of faith and that upon this account that followes First Because that Faith is the soules greatest and choycest fence against her worst enemies In Ephes 6. 16. Above all take the shield of Faith whereby yee may be able to quench all the firey darts of the wicked Above all take the shield of faith Neglect no part of your Armour but above all look to the shield of Faith Look what the shield is to the body that is Faith to a believers soule to secure him against all the fierce and fiery darts of Satan It is reported of Satan that he should say of a learned man * Tu me semper vincis Thou doest alwayes overcome me When I would exalt and promote thee thou keepest thy selfe in humility and when I would throw thee downe thou liftest thy selfe up in Assurance of faith Faith makes the soule invincible it makes the soule victorious it leads captivity captive it binds Satan in chaines it foiles him at every weapon and therefore above all labour to be rich in faith Secondly Growth in faith will advance the growth of all other Graces All other graces thrive in the soule as faith thrives and no otherwise be rich in
is most precious And thou those that are spiritually rich doe out-reach all others c. Thirdly Rich men can with more ease and pleasure beare burdens then poore men can A Tree that is well growne stands it oâ— in the worst stormes it bends not it breaks not c. When Taxes and burdens are laid upon poore men they sigh and shrug and complaine that they are not able to bear them when rich men make nothing of them So soules that are rich in grace can bear burdens without a burden they can bear crosses afflictions and persecutions with abundance of ease cheerfullnesse and contentednesse of spirit they doe not shrug nor grumble but beare the greatest Trialls with the greatest sweetnesse as you may see in Acts 5. They went out rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ So Paul 2 Cor. 12. 10. I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake I take pleasure The Greek word is an emphaticall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the same word that God the father uses to expresse his infinite delight in his Son Mat. 3. ult This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Or In whom I am infinitely delighted The same word the Apostle uses to expresse the wonderfull delight that he took under all his sufferings he rejoyces leaps under all his burdens Oh but now a soul that is poor in grace he cannot bear a burden without a burden every light affliction turns him sinks him every Mole-hill is a mountaine every scratch on the hand is a stab at the heart every wave is a sea and the poore Christian sighes and groanes and cryes out O no sorrow to my sorrow no losse to my losse no crosse to my crosse but soules rich in grace act quite contrary as hath been hinted and proved c. Fourthly Rich men are most envied History and Scripture speaks out this as well as our owne experience The rich man above all others is the greatest object of envy and 't is as true that such that are most rich in Numb 16. spiritualls are of all men the most envied Moses and Aaron were rich in spiritualls and Oh! how were they envied by Corah Dathan and Abiram and other wicked wretches T was said of Caesar and Pompoy That the one could not indure a superiour nor the other an equall Ezra Nehemiah and Mordecai were rich in spiritualls and who more envied Among all the Prophets and Apostles those have been most envied that have most abounded in spirituall worth and to this very day none are such objects of scorne and envy as those that have most of Christ within Men that have more leaves then fruit that have a golden outside but a thred-bare inside are lesse envied then those that are all glorious within Men of greatest excellencies Psal 45. 13. are the maine objects upon which the eye of envy is placed Sauls envious eye was placed upon David and Cain's upon Abel and Esau's upon Jacob and Herod's upon John and the Pharisees upon Christ Envious soules are like the Ravens that flye over the sweet Garden and light upon the stinking Carrion Envy doth ever ascend it never discends An envious man can with more ease dye miserably Socrates calls Envy Seâ—ram animae Thâ— soules saw c. then see another live happily An envious heart weeps to see others mercies and joyes to see others miseries An envious heart is like the Mear-maid which never sings but in a storm and never mournes but in a calme An envious man cannot indure those excellencies in others that he wants in himselfe he loves not any light that out-shines his owne any Crowne that out-weighs his owne c. Cimon the famous Generall of the Athenian Common-wealth hearing a friend of his highly commending his Martiall Atchievements answered That they were not worthy of commendations because they were not envied c. Fifthly Rich men are most tempted and assaulted Pirates doe not use to set upon empty Vessels but those that are most richly laden And Beggars need not feare the Thief though the rich man doe Those that have been most rich in spiritualls have been most assaulted and tempted by God and Satan will tâ—y to the utmost those particular graces wherein any Christian do'â— excell c. Satan witnesse Abraham Job Joshua Peter Paul yea Christ himselfe The best men have alwayes been most and worst tempted none so much in the Schoole of temptation as those that are most rich in grace There are none that are such blocks such mountaines in Satans way as these none doe him that mischief as these none are so active and so resolute in their oppositions against him as they c. and therefore none so assaulted and tempted as they And thus by these five things you may know whether you are rich in grace or no. The next Use is this If the Lord Jesus Christ be so rich then doe not joyne any thing with him in the great worke of your redemption and salvation There is riches enough in Christ to pay all your debts and to satisfie Divine Justice to the utmost farthing without being beholding to your prayers teares or humiliations Christ will be Alexander or Nemo on earth Kings love no consorts power is impatient of participation When Augustus Caesar desired the Senate to joyne two Consuls with him for the carrying on the Government of Suetonius the State the Senators answered That they held it a diminution to his dignity to joyne any with so incomparable a man as Augustus Caesar was Was it a diminution to his dignity to joyne others with We must say of Christ as it was once said of Caesar Sâ—cium habet neminem He may have a companion but he must not have a competiâ—or c. him in the Government of the State And is it not a diminution of the dignity and glory of Christ to joyne your actions and your indeavours with his blood in the businesse of your redemption In Isa 63. 3. I have trodden the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with me And in Isa 44. Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer and he that formed thee from the womb I am the Lord that maketh all things that stretcheth forth the heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the earth by my selfe 'T is a sad reproach to Christ to joyne any thing with him in the great businesse of your salvation therefore abhor it more then hell it selfe let Christ be all in all Againe Thirdly If Christ be so rich then take heed of three things First Take heed of sitting downe dejected and discouraged under any losses or troubles that doe befall you or that have or shall befall you for the name of Christ Christ is generally rich he is able to make up all your losses and wants Phil. 4. 19. But my God shall supply all your