and manifestations when their Visions are onely the Visions of their owne hearts and their Manifestations are plaine delusions Ah but sayes the Apostle Little Children let none of these deceive you I tell you he and onely he that doth righteousnesse is righteous as God is righteous Children you know may be easily cousened and made to take Counters for gold because they are broader and brighter Children in grace are soon deceived hence is it that they are so cousened Little Children keep your 1 John 5. 21. The Idols that are here mentioned are surely those that the Gnosticks used to worship viz. The Images and pictures of Simon Magus and Helena as might be made evident out of Eâ—sebius selves from Idols So in Heb. 12. 12 13. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees Some think that the Apostle Alludes to those Combates of the Heathens wherein it was a token of yielding when a man hung downe his hands You are weake saith the Apostle and by reason of Trials you are apt to hang downe your hands and to give up all as lost therefore sayes he lift up your hands to fight and your feet to run take heart and courage faint not give not over turne not aside because of the sharpnesse of afflictions But soules strong in grace will hold on in the wayes of grace and holinesse in the face of all dangers and deaths Psal 44. c. Ninthly Weake Christians are apt to make sense and feeling the Judge of their spirituall estates and conditions And therefore upon every turne they are apt to judge themselves miserable and to conclude that they have no grace because they cannot feele it nor discerne it nor beleeve it and so making sense feeling and reason the judge of their estates They wrong and perplex and vex their precious soules and make their lives a very Hell As if it were not one thing to be the Lords and another thing for a man to know that he is the Lords As if it were not one thing for a man to have grace and another thing to know that he hath grace The Canaanite woman had strong faith but no Assurance Mat. 15. that we read of Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father Mark they are first the Sons of God and then the Spirit cryes Abba father 1 John 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye have Eternall life Mark they did beleeve and they had Eternall life in respect of Christ their head who as a publick person was gone to Heaven to represent all his Saints And they had Eternall life in respect of the Promises And they had Eternall life in respect of the beginnings of it and yet they did not know it they did not believe it Therefore these things write I unto you that beleeve on the name of the Son of God saith he that ye may know that ye have Eternall life and that this life is in his Son Ponder on Mich. 7. 7 8 9. Much of this you may read in my Treatise call'd HEAVEN ON EARTH or A well-grouded Assurance of mens everlasting happinesse and blessednesse in this World and to that I referre you The word shall judge us at last and therefore strong Saints John 12. 48. make onely the word of God the judge of their Spirituall conditions now as Constantine made it the Judge and decider of all opinions Tenthly Their thoughts and hearts are more taken with the love-tokens and the good things they have by Christ then with the person of Christ Oh their graces their comforts their inlargements their meltings and their warmings c. are the things that most take them Their thoughts and hearts are so exercised and carryed out about these that the person of Christ is much neglected by them The Child is so taken with Babies and Rattles c. that the Mother is not minded And such is the carriage of weak Christians towards Christ But now souls strong in grace are more taken with the person of Christ then they are with the Love-tokens of Christ They blesse Christ indeed Christ is the most sparkling Dâ—amond in the Ring of glory c. for every dram of grace and for every good word from heaven and for every good look from heaven I but yet the person of Christ that 's more to them then all these This is remarkeable in the Church Cant. 5. 9 10. What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved O thou fairest among women c. My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand c. She doth not say My Beloved is one that I That wise is but weak in her love that is more taken with her husbands presents then with his person have got so many thousands by and heaven by and pardon of sin by and peace of Conscience by Oh no but he is white and ruddy Her soule was taken most with the person of Christ Not but that every one is to mind the graces of Christ and to be thankfull for them I but 't is an Argument of weaknesse of grace when the heart is more exercised about the bracelets and the kisses and the Love-tokens of Christ then it is about the person of Christ But now saith one strong in grace My Christs person to a strong Christian is the greatest Cordiall in all the world bracelets are precious but Christ is more precious the streames of grace are sweet but the fountaine of grace is most sweet the beams of the Sun are glorious but the Sun it selfe is most glorious A naked Christ a despised Christ a persecuted Christ is more valued by a strong Christian then Heaven and Earth is by a weak Christian Eleventhly Soules weake in Grace are easily stopt and taken off from acting graciously and holily when discouragements face them This you may see in that remarkeable instance concerning Peter in the 26 of Matthew from the 69 to the end A silly wench outfaces him she daunts and dis-spirits this self-confident Champion she easily stops and turnes him by saying Thou wast with Jesus of Galilee v. 70. But he denied it before them all saying I know not what thou sayest He makes as if he did neither understand her words or her meaning and this false dissembling was a true denying of Christ Now Mark saith Chap. 14. 68. That upon the very first deniall of Christ the Cock crew and yet this faire warning could not secure him but when another Maid saw him and said This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth vers 72. He denied it with Cavebis autem si pavebis an Oath saying I doe not know the man This was fearfull and dreadfull and the worse because his Master whom he forsware was now upon his Tryall and might say with wounded Caesar
world Ah how many have turn'd their backs upon God and Christ and truth c. to gaine the world how will you get off this burden No way in the world like to the exercise and actings of grace Many men heare much and yet remaine worldly and pray like Angels and yet live as if there were no heaven nor hell They will talk much of heaven and yet those that are spirituall and wise doe smell their breath to stink strong of earth and all the art and parts and gifts in the world can never cure them of this soule-killing disease but the exercise of grace till faith break forth in its glorious actings A man may hear and pray many years and yet be as carnall base and worldly as ever There is no way under Heaven to remove this stone this burden but the exercise of faith and love c. Cant. 8. 6 7. 1 John 4. 5. For whatsoever is borne of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God Not that the habit of faith overcometh the world but faith in the exercise of it conquers the world and that it does these three wayes First Faith in the exercise of it presents the world to the soule under all those notions that the Scripture holds forth the Diviâ—â—ae corporales paupertatiâ— plenae sunt Earthly Riches are full of poverty saith Austin world unto us by The Scripture holds forth the world as an impotent thing as a mixt thing as a mutable thing as a momentary thing Now faith comes and sets this home with power upon the soule and this takes the soule off from the world Secondly Faith doth it by causing the soule to converse with more glorious soule-satisfying soule-delighting and soule-contenting objects 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. Though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day how comes this to passe while we * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whiles we loâ—k upâ—n eternall thâ—ngs as a man looks upon the mark that he aimes to hit looke not at the things which are seen but at the things that are not seen for the things that are seen are temporall but the things that are not seen are eternall Now when faith is busied and exercised about soule-ennobling soule-greatning soule-raising and soule-cheering objects a Christian tramples the world under his feet and now heavy afflictions are light and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet unto him c. Now stand by world welcome Christ c. So in Heb. 11. It was the exercise of faith and hope upon noble and glorious objects that carried them above the world above the smiling world and above the frowning world above the tempting world and above the persecuting world as you may see by comparing severall verses of that Chapter together Vers 9 10. By faith he sojourned Every man is as the objects are about which his soule is most conversant c. in the land of Promise as in a strange Countrey dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the Heires with him of the same Promise for he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Vers 24 25 26. And by faith Moses when he was come to yeares refused to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Aegypt for he had respect to the recompence of reward Vers 27. By faith he forsooke Aegypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible And in vers 35. They refused deliverance that they might obtaine a better Resurrection So in Heb. 10. 34. They tooke joyfully the spoyling of their Goods Upon what account Knowing in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and more induring substance Thirdly and lastly Faith doth it by assuring the soule of Injoying of better things For my part I must confesse so farre as Heb. 11. 1. I understand any thing of the things of God I cannot see how a soule under the power of a well grounded Assurance can be a servant to his slave I meane the world I confesse men may talke much of heaven and of Christ and Religion c. but give In my treatise call'd Heaven on earth you may find many consideratioÌ„s to evince this and to that I referre you c. me a man that doth really and clearely live under the power of divine Assurance and I cannot see how such a one can be carried out in an inordinate love to these poore transitory things I know not one instance in all the Scripture that can be produced to prove that ever any precious Saint that hath lived in the assurance of divine love and that hath walkt up and downe this world with his pardon in his bosome have ever been charged with an inordinate love of the world that 's a sad word 1 Joh. 2. 15. Now a fourth reason of this poynt why persons are to exercise their Graces is Because its the best way to preserve their soules from Apostasie and back sliding from God 2 Pet. 1. 5-11 Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience Godlinesse c. For if ye doe these things ye shall never fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adde to your faith vertue The Greeke word that 's here rendered Adde hath a great emphasis in it 't is taken from dansing round linke them saith the Apostle hand in hand as in dansing virgins took hands so we must joyne hand to hand in these measures of Graces leade up the dance of Graces as in Pulâ—brior in praelio occisus miles quam fugâ salvus the Galliard every one takes his turne So in Chap. 3. 17 18. Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things beware lest ye also being led aside with the error of the wicked fall from your owne stedfastnesse There are many turne aside and shake hands with God and Christ and truth and the words of Righteousnesse and therefore you had need to take heed that you fall not as others have fallen before you But how shall we be kept from apostatizing why Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 'T is a growth in grace 't is the exercise of grace that will make a man stand when others fall yea when Cedars fall c. Fifthly All other exercises without the exercise of Grace will profit nothing Or if you will take it thus All other exercises will be lesse to us without the exercise of Grace therefore we had need to Improve our Graces When the house is on fire if a man should onely pray or cry
about him are very bad Some say that Roses grow the sweeter when they are planted by Garlick Verily Christians that have gloriously improved their Graces are like those Roses they grow sweeter and sweeter holier and holier by wicked men The best Diamonds shine most in the dark and so doe the best Christians shine most in the worst times Sixthly Such turne their principles into practice They turne their speculations into power their notions into spirit their glorious inside into a golden outside Psal 45. 13. Seventhly Such as have made a considerable improvement of their gifts and graces Have hearts as large as their heads Whereas most mens heads have outgrowne their hearts c. Eighthly Such are alwayes most busied about the highest things viz. God Christ Heaven c. Phil. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 4. ult Rom. 8. 18. Ninthly Such are alwayes a doing or receiving good As Christ went up and downe doing good Mat. 4. 23. Chap. 9. 35. Mark 6. 6. Tenthly and lastly Such will mourne for wicked mens sins as well as their owne O the teares the sighes the groanes Psalm 119. Jer. 9. 1 2. 2 Pet. 2. 7 8 9. that others sins fetch from these mens hearts Pambus in the Ecclesiasticall History wept when he saw a Harlot dressed with much care and cost partly to see one take so much paines to goe to hell and partly because he had not been so carefull to please God as she had been to please a wanton Lover I have at this time onely given you some short hints whereby you may know whether you have made any considerable improvement of that grace the Lord hath given you I doe intend by Divine permission in a convenient time to declare much more of this to the World I shall follow all what ha's been said with my prayers that it may help on your internall and eternall welfare EPHES. 3. 8. The Vnsearchable Riches of Christ NOw the next Observation that we shall begin with is this That the Lord Jesus Christ is very Rich. And the second will be this That the great businesse and worke of the Ministry is to hold forth to the people the Riches of Christ We shall begin with the first Point at this time namely That the Lord Jesus Christ is very rich For the opening of this Point we shall attempt these three things 1 To demonstrate this to be a truth That the Lord Jesus is very rich 2 The Grounds why he is thus held forth in the word to be one full of Vnsearchable Riches 3 To shew you the Excellency of the riches of Christ above all other Riches in the world And then the Use of the Point For the first That the Lord Jesus Christ is very rich First Expresse Scripture speaks out this truth He is rich in goodnesse Rom. 2. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse that is ready to be imployed for thy internall and To chreston His native goodnesse c. eternall good c. Againe He is rich in wisedome and knowledge Col 2. 3. In whom speaking of Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Christ was content that his riches should be hid from the world therefore doe not thou be As man is an Epitome of the whole world so is Christ of all wisedome and knowledge c. angry that thine is no more knowne to the world What is thy one mite to Christs many millions c. Againe He is rich in grace Ephes 1. 7. By whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace Againe He is rich in glory Ephes 1. 18. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints So in Chap. 3. 16. That he would grant unto you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the Nec Christus nec coelum patitur hyperbolem Neither Christ nor heaven can be hyperbolized inner man So in Phil. 4. 19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus The riches of glory are unconceiveable riches Search is made through all the bowells of the earth for something to shadow it by The riches of this glory is fitter to be believed then to be discoursed of as some of the very Heathens have acknowledged But secondly As expresse Scripture speaks out this truth That Christ is very rich so there are eight things more that doe with open mouth speak out Christ to be very rich First You may judge of his riches by the dowry and portion his father hath given him In Psal 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession He is the heir of all things all things above and below in heaven and earth are his Heb. 1. 2. God hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heire of all things Christ is the richest Heire in heaven and earth Men cry up this man to be a good match and that and why so but because they are great Heires Ah! but what are all the great Heires of the world to this Heire the Lord Jesus Joseph gave Portions to all his brethren but to Benjamin a Portion five times as good as what he gave the residue So the Lord scatters Portions among the Sons of men he gives brasse to some gold to others temporalls to some spiritualls to others but the greatest portion of all he hath given into the hands of Christ whom he hath made the Heire of all things Rev. 11. 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever So in Chap. 19. 11 12. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white Horse and he that sat upon him was called faithfull and true and in righteousnesse he doth judge and make war His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crownes Mark that what are Princes single Crownes and the Popes tripple Crowne to Christs many Crownes Certainly he must be very rich that ha's so many Kingdomes and Crownes waite but a while and you shall see these Scriptures made good c. Secondly You may judge of his riches by his Keeping open house for the reliefe and supply of all created creatures both in heaven and in earth Crassus was so rich that he maintain'd a whole Army with his owne Reâ—enues â—ut what is this to what Jesus does c. Psal 145. 16. You look upon those as very rich that keep open house for all commers and goers why such a one is the Lord Jesus Christ he keeps
open house for all commers and goers for all created creatures both in heaven and earth Psal 104. 24. The earth is full of thy riches so is the great and wide sea where are things creeping innumerable both small and great He opens his hand and he satisfies every living creature sayes the Psalmist So Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come and buy wine and milke without money and without price wherefore doest thou lay out thy money for that which is not bread and thy strength for that which doth not profit All Creatures high and low honourable and base noble and ignoble blessed and cursed are fed at the cost and charge of the Lord Jesus Christ They are all fed at his Table and maintained by what comes out of his treasury his purse All Angels and Saints above and all Saints and sinners below are beholding to Christ for what they injoy Oh the multitudes the numberlesse number of those that live upon the cost and charge of Christ Can you number the Stars of heaven Can you number the sands upon the sea-shore Then may you number the multitudes the millions of Angels and men that are maintained upon the cost and charge of the Lord Jesus In Col. 1. 16 17. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and by him all things consist Thirdly You may judge of the riches of Christ by The time that he hath fed and cloathed cherished and maintained so many innumerable millions of Angels and men He hath maintained his Court above and below upon his owne cost and charge for almost six thousand years Oh to keep such a multitude if it were but for a day would speak him out to be richer then all the Princes in the World But to keep so many millions and to keep them so long what do's this speak out but that Christ is infinitely rich rich in goodnesse and mercy It would begger all the Princes on earth to keep but one day the least part of those that Christ maintaines every day c. But Fourthly You may judge of the riches of Christ by this That he doth not onely inrich all the Saints but all of the Saints That is He inriches all the faculties of their soules he inriches their understandings with glorious light their consciences with quicknesse purenesse tendernesse and quietnesse and their wills with holy intentions and heavenly resolutions and their affections of love joy feare c. with life heat and warmth and with the beauty and glory of the most soul-inriching soule-delighting soule-ravishing and soule-contenting objects c. All Saints experiences seale to this truth and therefore a touch shall suffice c. Fifthly Judge of the riches of Christ by this That notwithstanding all the vast expence and charge that he is at and hath been at for so many millions of thousands and that for neare six thousand yeares yet he is never the poorer his purse is never the emptier There is still in Christ a fullnesse of Abundance and a fullnesse of Redundance notwithstanding all that he hath expended It were blasphemy to think that Christ should be a penny the poorer by all that he hath laid out for the relief of all those that have their dependance upon him Col. 1. 19. It pleased the father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Not stay or abide a night or a day and away but should They say 't is true of the Oyle at Rhemes That though it be continually spent in the inauguration of their Kings of France yet it never wasteth I am sure though all Creatures spend continually on Christs stock yet it never wasteth dwell The Sun hath not the lesse light for filling the stars with light A Fountaine hath not the lesse for filling the lesser vessels There is in Christ Plenitâ—do fontis The fullnesse of a fountaine The overflowing Fountaine powres out water abundantly and yet remaines full why the Lord Jesus is such an overflowing Fountaine he fills all and yet remaines full Christ ha's the greatest worth and wealth in him as the worth and value of many pieces of silver is in one piece of gold so all his petty excellencies scattered abroad in the Creature are united to Christ yea all the whole volume of perfections which is spread through Heaven and Earth is Epitomized in him c. Sixthly The Lord Jesus is Generally rich and that speaks him out to be rich indeed he is generally rich You have few persons that are generally rich that is a rich man indeed that is generally rich that is that is rich in money and rich in Land and rich in Commodities and rich in Jewels c. Now the Lord Jesus Christ is one that is generally rich he is rich in all spiritualls he is rich in goodnesse rich in wisedome and knowledge he is rich in grace and rich in glory Yea he is generally rich in respect of temporalls He is the Heire of all things he is the Heire of all the Gold in The Philosopher once said Solus sapiens dives Onely the wise man is the rich man c. the world and of all the Silver and of all the Jewels and of all the Land and of all the Cattell in the world as you may see by comparing some Scriptures together Hos 2. 5 8 9. For their Mother hath played the Harlot she that conceived them hath done shamefully for she said I will goe after my Lovers that gave me my bread and my water and my wool and my flax my Oyle and my drinke But mark what followes vers 8 9. For she did not know that I gave her corne and wine and Oyle and multiplied her silver and gold which they prepared for Baal therefore will I returne and take away my Corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakednesse So in Psal 24. 1. The earth is the Lords and the fullnesse thereof the round world and all that dwell therein All others are either Usurpers or Stewards 'T is the Lord Jesus that is the great Landlord of Heaven and Earth So in Psal 50. 8 9 10. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt-offrings I will take no Bullock out of thy house nor He-goats out of thy folds for every Beast of the Forrest is mine and the Cattell upon a thousand hills I know all the Fowles of the mountaines and the wild Beasts of the fields are mine If I were hungry I would not tell thee for the world is mine and the fullnesse thereof 'T is all mine saith the Lord. Thus you see that the Lord is generally rich rich in houses in Lands in Gold in Silver in Cattell c. in all
Jesus and Oh that I could perswade with you to get an interest in this Christ get this Christ and you get all misse him and you misse all 'T is a matter of eternall concernment to your soules nothing can make that man miserable that hath this rich Christ nothing can make that man happy that wants this rich Christ In Prov. 4. 5 7. Get wisedome that 's Christ get understanding forget it not Vers 7. Wisedome is the principall thing therefore get wisedome and with all thy getting get understanding And so in Prov. 16. 16. How much better is to get wisedome then gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen then silver Hadst thou all the power of the world without an interest 1 Cor. 1. 25. to 29. in Christ thou wouldest be but weak Hadst thou all the wit and learning in the world without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but a foole Hadst thou all the honours in the world yet without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but base Hadst thou all the wealth in the world Dan. 4. 17. Luke 16. 2◠23 24 25 26. Mat. 13. 45 46 47. yet without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but a beggar c. Oh therefore labour for an Interest in Christ Oh turne the wise Merchant at last The wise Merchant in the Gospel parts with all to buy the Pearle to get an interest in Christ Oh! 't is your greatest wisedome 't is of an eternall concernment to your soules to sell all to part with all for an interest in the Lord Jesus Oh doe not deale with your soules when Christ is tendered and offered to you as sometimes simple people doe when they goe to Market they might have a good penny-worth but that they are loath to part with some old peece of gold that ha's been given them by a father or a friend somewhat willing they are to have the good penny-worth but unwilling they are to part with their gold 'T is so with many poore sinners when the Lord Jesus Christ is presented to their soules as a very glorious penny-worth somewhat willing they are to have him but unwilling they are to part with their old gold with some old sweet darling lust But sinners don't you deceive your own soules sin and your soules must part or Christ and your soules can never meet Sin and your soules must be two or Christ and your soules can never be one Christ is a most precious commodity Prov 8. 11. he is better then Rubies or the most costly Pearles and you must part with your old gold with your shining gold your old sins your most shining sins or you must perish for ever Christ is to be sought and bought with any paines at any price we cannot buy this gold too deare He is a Jewel more worth then a thousand worlds as all know that have him Get him and get all misse him and misse all Now if ever you would get an interest in Christ and so by gaining an Interest in him be possest of all the riches and glory that come by him then be sure to get your hearts possest with these nine Principles that follow And the first is this That the great end and designe of Christs coming into the world was the Salvation of sinners Get this Principle rooted in your spirits I came not to call the righteous saith he but sinners to repentance And Ma◠9. 13. Mark 2. 17. in 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners Christ layes aside his Royal Crowne he puts off his glorious Robe he leaves his fathers bosome he takes a journey from Heaven to Earth and all to save poore lost sinners That which Christ had most in his eye and upon his heart in his coming into the world was the salvation of sinners Lay up this truth feed upon this Honey-comb Secondly Get this Principle rooted in your hearts Viz. That none ever yet obtained an interest in Christ but unworthy creatures When you are pressed to get an Interest in Christ you are ready to say O I am unworthy Will Christ ever looke after such a one as I am I answer Yes For this is a most certaine Principle That none ever attain'd an interest in Christ but unworthy creatures Was Paul worthy before he had an interest in Christ Wbat worthinesse was in Mathew when Christ call'd him from the Receipt of Custome And what worthinesse was in Zacheus when Christ call'd him downe from the Cycomore Tree and told him that This day salvation was come to his house Was Manasses or Mary Magdalen worthy before they had an Interest in Christ Surely no. Though you are unworthy yet Christ is worthy Though you have no merit yet God ha's mercy Though there is no salvation for you by the Law yet there is salvation for you by the Gospel Againe Christ requires no worthinesse in any man before Such as shall goe to prove he does must make a new Gospel a new Bible he believes and he that won't believe before he is worthy will never believe If you look upon God with an Evangelical eye you shall see that he that is most unworthy is most capable of mercy A real sense of our owne unworthinesse renders us most fit for Divine mercy This Objection I am unworthy is an unworthy Objection and speaks out much pride and ignorance of the Gospel and of the freenesse and riches of Gods grace c. Thirdly Let this Principle dwell in you Viz. That Christ hath lost none of his affections to poor sinners by going to heaven Oh! how did his bowels work towards sinners when he was on earth And certainly they work as strougly towards them now he is in heaven His love his heart his good will is as much towards them as ever Christ is Alpha and Omega Rev 1. 8. the phrase is taken from the Greek letters whereof Alpha Heb. 13. 8. Vide Grotius is the first and Omega the last I am before all and I am after all Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Christ is the same before time in time and after time Christ is unchangeable in his Essence in his Promises and in his Love to poore sinners Fourthly Get this Principle riveted in your hearts That he is able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Originall word signifies all manner of perfection Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost That is to all ends and purposes perfectly and perpetually he needs none to helpe him in the great businesse of redemption he is a thorow Saviour he ha's Trod the Wine-presse alone Isa 63. 3. Fifthly Get this Principle riveted in your hearts That the want of such preparations or qualifications Some men there be that would have men better Christians
are in Christ c. Heaven on Earth Or A serious discourse touchinga well-grounded Assurance of mens everlasting happinesse and blessednesse A Book of Short-Writing the most easie exact and speedy method by Theophilus Metcalfe A Copy-Book teaching to write several hands A Treatise of Christs Personall Reigne on Earth written by Mr. Robert Maton Another by Mr. Farmer A Description of the State of Great Brittain written eleven hundred years since by that famous Author Gildas Sir-named the Wise Satans Stratagems or The Devils Cabinet Councel discovered shewing the way to end Controversies in Religion by Jacobus Accontius A Treatise of Church-Government by several Ministers A Treatise of Civil Government by Robert Spye A Glasse for the times confuting divers Errours A Sermon before the Parliament by Samuel Gibson Entituled The Ruine of the Authors and fomenters of Civil Warres The Life and Death of William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury A Speech by Sir Francis Bacon in Parliament Quinto Jacobi concerning the Scotish Nation An Heavenly Wonder or a Christian Cloath'd with Christ Purposely penned to comfort Christs sin-sick Spouse by Samuel More sometimes Minister at Brides The New Creature With a Description of the true Marks and Characters thereof Several Arguments for the unity of all true Believers by Richard Bartlet Which is a seasonable Duty and very necessary to be studied and practiced by all that love truth and peace declared by many Scriptures Sirs ye are brethren why doe ye wrong one another Acts 7. 26. Phil. 2. 3. Jam. 3. 14 15 16 17. Rom. 14. 19. Let us then follow those things which make for peace and wherewith one may edifie another THE Vnsearchable Riches OF CHRIST EPHES. 3. 8. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints THE Greek is a Comparative made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minissimus Estius a Superlative Lesse then the least of all Saints is a double diminitive and signifies lesser then the least if lesser might be Here you have the greatest Qui parvus est in reputatione propria magnus est in reputatione divina Gregory He that is little in his own account is great in Gods esteeme Apostle descending downe to the lowest step of humility Great Paul is least of Saints last of the Apostles and greatest of sinners The choycest Buildings have the lowest foundations the best Balsome sinkes to the bottome those eares of Corne and boughes of Trees that are most fill'd and best laden bowe lowest So doe those soules that are most loaden with the fruits of Paradise Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints Is this Grace given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is alwayes taken in Scripture for a free gift a grace gift but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken not only for the favour of God but also for his gratious gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 25. 32. Cha. 28. 19. Io 11. 48. 50. 51. Acts 10. 22. Mat. 6. 32. Ipse unus erit tibi omnia quia ipso uno bono bona sunt omnia Aug. One Christ will be to the instead of all things else because in him are all good things to be found Gal. 1. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nec Christus nec coelum patitur hype bolen A man cannot hyper bolize in speaking of Christ and Heaven In the Greek or was this Grace given The word that 's here rendred Grace is taken in Scripture not onely for the favour of God but also for his Gratious gifts and so you are to understand it in this place Grace is taken for the gifts of Grace and they are two-fold Common or Speciall Some are Common to Believers and Hypocrites as knowledge tongues a gift of prayer c. Some are Speciall and peculiar to the Saints as feare love faith c. Now Paul had all these the better to fit him for that high and noble Service to which he was call'd That I should Preach That is declare good newes or glad tidings The Greek word answers to the Hebrew word which signifies good newes glad tidings and a Joyful Message That I should Preach among the Gentiles Sometimes this Greek word is generally used for all men or for all Nations Sometimes the word is used more especially for the people of the Jewes Sometimes 't is used for the Gentiles distinguished from the Jewes so 't is used Mat. 6. 32. For after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke and so 't is used here those that are without God in the world that stand in Armes against God that are ignorant of those riches of Grace that are in Christ This Grace is given to me that I should preach among the poore Heathens the unsearchable riches of Christ That I might Preach among the Gentiles What my selfe No but The unsearchable riches of Christ The Greek word signifies Not to be traced out Here 's Rhetorick indeed here 's riches unsearchable riches unsearchable riches of Christ Riches alwayes imply two things First Abundance Secondly Abundance of such things as be of worth Now in the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest riches the best riches the choycest riches in Christ are riches of Justification Tit. 2. 14. in Christ are riches of Sanctification Phil. 4. 12 13. in Christ are riches of Consolation 2 Cor. 12. 9. and in Christ are riches of Glorification 1 Pet. 1. But of these glorious unsearchable riches of Christ we shall speak Omnebonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good hereafter I shall begin at this time with the first words Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints There are these two Observations that naturally flow from these words First That the most holy men are alwayes the most Observat 1. humble men None so humble on Earth as those that live highest in Heaven Or if you will take the Observation thus That those that are the most highly valued and esteemed of by God are lowest and least in their owne esteeme Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints c. The Second Observation is That there are weake Saints as well as strong little Observat 2. Saints as well as great Or thus All Saints are not of an equall growth or stature I shall begin with the first Observation That the most holy men are alwayes the most humble men Soules that are the most highly esteemed and valued by God doe set the least and lowest esteem upon themselves Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints c. In the handling of this Point I shall doe these three things 1 I shall prove that the most holy soules are alwayes the most humble soules 2 I shall shew you the Properties of soules truly humble 3 I shall shew you the Reasons why those that are
the most highly prized and esteemed of God doe set so low a price upon themselves And then the Use Iob 1. 8. Job was a none-such in regard of those perfections and degrees of grace that he had attained to beyond aâ—ny other Saints on earth Job was high in worth and humble in heart Job 42. 5 6. Humilitas animi sublimitas Christiani 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A me me salva Domine Aug. Deliver me O Lord from that evill man my selfe 2 Cor. 12. 1. 7 vid. Bezim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wordless words such as words are too weak to utter Isa 6. 1. 5 6. compared The clearest sight vision of God does alwayes give a man the fullest sight of his own emptinesse sinfulnesse and nothingnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a I am out off Luke 5. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man a sinner a very mixture compound of dirt and sin For the first That this is so I shall give you most clear proofs and open them to you See it in Job no man ever received a fairer or a more valuable Certificate under the hand of God or the broad Seale of Heaven for his being a soule famous in grace and holinesse then Job as you may see Job 1. 8. And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my Servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill And yet no man could speak more undervaluingly of himselfe then Job did Job 42. 5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee I abhor my selfe in dust and ashes This expression is the deepest act of abhorrency Abhorrency strictly taken is hatred wound up to the height I abhor my selfe the word that 's rendred Abhor signifies to reject to disdaine to contemne and to cast off Ah sayes Job I abhor my selfe I reject my selfe I disdaine my selfe I cast off my selfe I have a vile esteem of my selfe So our blessed Apostle who had been caught up into the third Heavens and had such glorious Revelations as could not be uttered yet he accounted himselfe lesse then the least of all Saints Not that any thing can be lesse then the least the Apostles holy Rhetorick doth not crosse Aristotle's Philosophy but the Originall word being a double diminitive his meaning is that he was as little as could be therefore he put himselfe downe so little as could not be lesse then the least Another proof you have Isa 6. 1 5 6. As Paul among the Apostles was the greatest so Esay among the Prophets was the clearest and choycest Gospel-Preacher and holds out more of Christ and of his Kingdome and glory then all the other Prophets doe Isa 6. 1. he sees the glory of the Lord in a Vision and this makes him cry out vers 5. Wee is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of uncleane lips for mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hosts I am undone the Hebrew is I am cut off I am a forlorne man why For I have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Here you have the highest and choycest among the Prophets as you had Paul before among the Apostles abasing and laying low himselfe So Peter Luke 5. 8. Depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord. When he saw that glorious Miracle wrought by the Lord Jesus he cryes out as one very sensible of his owne weaknesse and sinfullnesse Depart from me for I am a sinfull man Ah I am not worthy to be neer such Majesty and glory who am a meer bundle of vice and vanity of folly and iniquity Take another cleer instance Gen. 18. And Abraham answered Gen. 18. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnaphar vae pher dust and ashes i. e. base vile worthles Solemnly think that thou art dust and ashes and be pâ—oud if thou canst Isa 6. 1 2. Gen. 32. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am lesse then all meretes to wit in worth or weight c. and said Behold I have taken upon me to speake unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Here you have the Father of the Faithfull the greatest Believer in the world accounting himselfe dust and ashes Dust notes the basenesse of his Originall and Ashes notes his deserving to be burnt to ashes if God should deale with him in justice rather then in mercy The nearer any soule drawes to God the more humble will that soule lye before God None so neere God as the Angels nor none so humble before God as the Angels So Jacob Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant c. Jacob a man eminent in his prevailing with God a Prince that had the honour and the happinesse to overcome the God of mercy yet judges himselfe unworthy of the least mercy Ah how low is that soule in his owne eyes that is most honourable in Gods eyes David you know was a man after Gods owne heart a man highly honoured much beloved and dearly prized by the 1 Kings 15. 5. Lord yet 1 Sam. 26. 20. He counts himselfe a Flea and what 1 Sam. 26. 20. Psal 22. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tolagnath An humble soule is a little little nothing in his owne eyes is more contemptible then a Flea In Psal 22. 6. I am a worme saith he and no man The word that 's there rendred Worme is a word that signifies a very little Worm which breedeth in Scarlet a Worme that 's so little that a man can hardly see or perceive it A Worme is the most despicable Creature in the world trampled under foot by every one Sayes he I am a despicable worme in my owne eyes and in my enemies eyes And thus you see the point proved that the most holy men have been alwayes the most humble men The second thing that I am to doe is To shew you the Properties of humble soules I confesse when I look abroad in the world and observe the carriage of all sorts of men my heart is stirr'd to speak as fully and as home to this point as Christ shall help me 'T is very very sad to consider how few humble soules there be in these dayes Ah the damnable pride that reignes and rules in the hearts lives of most men God loves to heare this as a parcell of his praise Paâ—cere subjectis debellare superbos to spare the lowly and strike downe the proud Isa 23. 9. I think 't is far greater then hath been knowne in the Generations before us Ah England England what folly what damnable wickednesse is this that thou shouldest be a lifting thy selfe up in pride when God is a staining the pride of all glory and bringing into contempt the honourable of the Earth and a
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
loved Tully before his Coâ—version but not so much after quia nomen Jesu non erat ibi because the name of Christ was not there 8 Property price upon a crum of mercy Ah Lord sayes the humble soul if I may not have a loaf of mercy give me a piece of mercy if not a piece of mercy give me a crum of mercy If I may not have Sun-light let me have Moon-light if not Moon-light let me have star-light if not star-light let me have candle-light and for that I will blesse thee In the time of the Law the meanest things that were consecrated were very highly prized as leather or wood that was in the Tabernacle An humble soule looks upon all the things of God as Consecrated things Every truth of God is a consecrated truth 't is consecrated to a holy use and this causes the soule highly to prize it and so every smile of God and every discovery of God and every drop of mercy from God is very highly prised by a soule that walks humbly with God The name of Christ the voyce of Christ the foot-steps of Christ the least touch of the Garment of Christ the least regarded truth of Christ the meanest and least regarded among the flock of Christ is highly prized by humble soules that are interested in Christ An humble soule cannot an humble soul dares not call any thing litrle that ha's Christ in it neither can an humble soule call or count any thing great wherein he sees not Christ wherein he enjoyes not Christ An humble soule highly prizes the least nodd the least love-token the least courtesie from Christ but proud hearts count great mercies small mercies and small mercies no mercies yea pride do's so unman them that they often call mercy misery c. The eighth Property of an humble soule is this It can never be good enough it can never pray enough nor hear enough nor mourne enough nor believe enough nor love enough nor feare enough nor joy enough nor repent enough nor loath sin enough nor be humble enough c. Humble Paul looks upon his great all as nothing at all he Phil. 3. 11 12 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies â— straining of the whole body a stretching out head and hands as runners in a race do to lay hold on the mark or price proposed Psal 10. 17. Desires Iaavath from Avah that signifies so to desire and long after a thing as to haâ—e ones teeth water at it so in Mic. 7. 1. But proud hearts sit downe and pride themselves blesse themselves as if they had attained to much when hev have attain'd to nothing that can raise them above the lowest step of misery Rev. 3. 17. Isa 65. 5. Lu. 18. 11 12 forgets those things that are behind and reaches forth to those things which are before That if by any means he might attaine unto the resurrection of the dead that is that perfection of holinesse which the dead shall attaine unto in the morning of the resurrection by a Metonomie of the subject for the adjunct No holinesse below that matchlesse peerlesse spotlesse perfect holinesse that Saints shall have in the glorious day of Christs appearing will satisfie this humble soule An humble heart is an aspiring heart he can't be contented to get up some rounds in Jacobs Ladder but he must get to the very top of the Ladder to the very top of holinesse An humble heart can't be satisfied with so much Grace as will bring him to glory with so much of Heaven as will keep him from dropping into Hell he is still a crying out Give Lord give give me more of thy selfe more of thy Son more of thy Spirit give me more light more life more love c. Caesar in warlike matters minded more what was to conquer then what was conquered what was to gaine then what was gained So does an humble soule mind more what he should be then what he is what is to be done then what is done Verily Heaven is for that man and that man is for Heaven that sets up for his mark the perfection of holinesse Poor men are full of desires they are often a sighing it out O! that we had bread to strengthen us drink to refresh us cloths to cover us friends to visit us and houses to shelter us c. So souls that are spiritually poore they are often a sighing it out O! that we had more of Christ to strengthen us more of Christ to refresh us more of Christ to be a covering and shelter to us c. I had rather sayes the humble soule be a poor man and a rich Christian then a rich man and a poor Christian Lord sayes the humble soule I had rather doe any thing I had rather bear any thing I had rather be any thing then to be a Dwarse in Grace The light and glory of humble Christians rises by degrees Cant. 6. 1. 1. Looking forth as the morning with a little light 2 Faire as the Moon more light 3 Clear as the Sun i. e. Come up to a higher degree of spirituall light life and glory Lord sayes the humble soule give me much grace and then a little gold will serve my turne give me much of Heaven and a little of earth will content me give me much of the Springs above and a little of the Springs below will satisfie me c. The ninth Property of an humble soule is this It will smite 9 Property 1 Sam. 24. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strike for small sins as well as for great For those the world count no sins as well as for those that they count grosse sinnes When David had but cut off the lap of Sauls garment his A good mans heart when kindly awakened may smite him for those actions that at fiâ—sthe judged very prudent and politick How great a paine not to be born câ—ms from the prick of this small thorne Little sinnes have put severall to their wits ends when they have been set home upon their consciences heart smote him as if he had cut off his head The Hebrew word signifies to smite wound or chastize Ah! his heart struck him his heart chastised him his heart wounded him for cutting off Sauls skirt though he did it upon noble grounds viz. to convince Saul of his false jealousies and to evidence his owne innocency and integrity And so at another time his heart smote him for numbring the people as if he had murdered the people 2 Sam. 24. 10. And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly An humble soule knowes that little sins if I may so call any cost Christ his blood and that they make way for greater and that little sins multiplied become great
this is the best to keep them from falling Job feares and conquers on the dunghill Adam presumes and falls in Paradise Nehemiah fears and stands Nehem. 5. 15. Peter presumes and falls Mat. 26. Mr. Sanders the Martyr in Queene Mary's dayes feares and stands Dr. Pendleton presumes and falls from a Professor to be a Papist When Agamemnon said What should the Conquerour feare Casander presently answered Quod nihil timet He should feare this most of all that he fears not at all And so I have done with the Reasons of the point I shall now come to the Uses of it And the first is this Is it so that the most holy soules are the most humble soules Then this shewes you That the number of holy soules is very few Oh how few be there that are low in their owne eyes The number of soules that are high in the esteeme of God and low in their owne esteem are very few Oh the pride of England Oh the pride of London Pride in these A proud heart resists and is resâ—sted this is duâ—o duâ—um flint to flint fire to fire yet downe he must dayes ha's got a whores fore-head yet pride cannot climb so high but Justice will sit above her Bernard saith that Pride is the rich mans Cousen I may add And the poore mans Cousen and the prophane mans Cousen and the Civil mans Cousen and the formall mans Cousen and the Hypocrites Cousen yea all mens Cousen and it will first or last cast down and cast out all the Lucifers and Adams in the world Secondly As you would approve your selves to be high in the account of God as you would approve your selves to be not onely good but eminently good Keep humble Since England was England since the Gospel shined amongst us there was never such reason to presse this duty of humility as in these dayes of pride wherein we live and therefore I shall endeavour these two things First to lay downe some Motives that may work you to be humble Secondly to propound some Directions that may further you in this work First for the Motives Consider First how God singles out humble soules from all others ot 1 Motive poure out most of the Oyle of Grace into their hearts No Vessels that God delights to fill like broken vessels like contrite spirits Jam. 4. 6. He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble The Greek word signifies To set himselfe Anâ—itassetai in battell array God takes the winde and hill of a proud soule but he gives grace to the humble The silver dewes flow downe from the Mountaines to the lowest valleyes Abraham was but dust and ashes in his owne eyes I but saith Gen. 18. 17. God Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe No I will not An humble soule shall be both of Gods Court and his Counsel too Humble Jacob that was in his Gen. 32. 10. owne eyes lesse then the least of all mercies what a glorious Vision had he of God when the Ground was his Bed and Gen. 28. the Stone his Pillow and the Hedges his Curtaines and the Heavens his Canopie Then he saw Angels ascend and descend An humble soule that iies low O what sights of God He that is in the low pits and caves os the earth sees the starres in the fiâ—mament when they who are upon the tops of the mountains discerne them not hath he what glory doth he behold when the proud soule sees nothing God poures in grace to the humble as men poure in liquor into an empty vessel he does not drop in grace into an humble heart but he poures it in The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire the wood and the Sacrifice So the hearts of men under the Gospel must be humble empty of all sprituall pride and self-conceitednesse that so they may receive the fire of the Spirit and Jesus Christ who offered himselfe for a Sacrifice for our sins Humility is both a Grace and a vessel to receive Grace There 's none that sees so much need of grace as humble souls there 's none prises grace like humble soules there 's none improves grace like humble soules Therefore God singles out the humble soule to fill him to the brim with grace when the proud is sent empty away Secondly Of all Garments humility doth best become Christians 2 Motive and most adorne their profession Faith is the Champion of grace and Love the Nurse but Humility the beauty of grace 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be clothed with humility The Greek word imports That Humility is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ribbon or string that tyes together all those pretious Pearles the rest of the graces If this string break they are all scattered The Greek word that is rendred Cloathed comes of another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek word that signifies to knit and tye knots as delicate and curious women use to doe of Ribbons to adorne their heads and bodies as if humility were the knot of every vertue the grace of every grace Chrysostome calls Humility 'T is reported of the Christall that it hath such a virtue in it that the very touching of it quickens other stones and puts a lustre and beauty upon them so does humility put a lustre upon every grace The Root Mother Nurse Foundation and Band of all Virtue Bazill calls it The Store-house and Treasury of all good For what 's the scandall and reproach of Religion at this day nothing more then the pride of Professors Is not this the language of most They are great Professors O but very proud they are great hearers they will run from Sermon to Sermon and cry up this man and cry up that man O but proud They are great talkers O but as proud as the Devil c. Oh that you would take the Counsel of the Apostle Be cloathed with humility And that Col. 3. 12. Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and Beloved Bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long-suffering No Robes to these The Third Motive is this Humility is a Load-stone that 3 Motive drawes both the heart of God and man to it In Isa 57. Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit The Lord singles out the humble soule of all others to make him an Habitation for himselfe Here is a wonder God is on high and yet the higher a man lifts up himselfe the farther he is from God And the lower a man humbles himselfe the neerer he is to God of all soules God delights most to dwell with the humble for they doe most prize and best improve his pretious presence In Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Prov. 22. 4. By humility
and the feare of the Lord are riches and honour c. The Hebrew is The heele of humility Riches and honour follow humility at the very heeles One of the Ancients used to say that Humility is the first second and third Grace of a Christian Humility is a very drawing grace it drawes men to think well and speak well of Christ the Gospel and the people of God It makes the very world to say I these are V is magnus esse incipe ab imâ— Wilt thou be great begin from below saith the Fathâ—r Christians indeed they are full of light and vet full of lowlinesse they are high in worth and yet humble in heart Oh these are the Crown and the glory of Religion An humble soule is like the Violet that by its fragrant smell drawes the eye and the hearts of others to him Mat. 18. 14. They are the greatest in the Kiâ—gdome of Heaven He that is least in his owne account is alwayes greatest in Gods and in good mens account The fourth Motive is this Consider All the world cannot 4 Motive keep him up that doth not keep down his owne spirit One ask't a Philosopher what God was a doing he answered * Totam ipsius occupationem esse in elevatione humilium superlorum dejectione That his whole worke was to lift up the humble and to cast downe the proud That man cannot possibly be kept up whose spirit is not kept downe as you may cleerly see in Pharoah Haman Herod and Nebuchadnezzar all the world could not keep them up because their spirit was not kept downe Prov. 29. 27. A mans pride shall bring him low for it sets God against him and Angels against him and men against him yea even those that are as proud as himselfe Dyonisius a proud King of Sicily fell from a King to a Schoolmaster History is full of such instances 'T is very observable that whereas one Drunkard loves another one Swearer loves another and one Thief loves another and one Unclean person loves another c. yet one proud person can't indure another but seeks to undermine him that he alone may bear the Bell and carry the commendations the praise the promotion It is storyed of the Romans that were the proudest people on the Earth that they reckoned it as a parcell of their praise that they brought down the proud All the world Sirs will not keep up those persons that doe not keep downe their spirits Proud Valerian the Roman Emperour fell from being an Emperour to be a foot-stoole to Sapor King of Persia as oft as he took Horse Henry the fourth Emperour in sixty-two Battels had generally the better and yet was deposed and driven to that misery that he desired onely a Clarkship in a house at Spira that himselfe had built And oh that Professors would think of this in these dayes in which we live All the world shall not keep up those which doe not keep downe their owne spirits The very designe of God is to staine the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt the honourable of the earth Therefore now if men in our dayes shall grow proud and Isa 23. 9. high under mercies and Divine appearances Justâ—ce will be above them and turne their glory into shame and lay their honour in the dust If your blood rises with your outward good you will certainly fall and great will be your fall The fifth Consideration to provoke us to be humble is 5 Motive this Let us have alwayes our eye fixed upon the example of Jesus Christ and his humble and lowly carriage Christ by his owne example labours to provoke his Disciples to keep humble and to walk lowly in John 13. 4 5 12 13 14 15 verses compared He rifes and washes his Disciples feet c. and mark what he aimes at in that carriage of his vers 12 13 14. Know ye what I have done unto you saith he Yee call me Master and Lord and yee say well for so I am if I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet yee also ought to wash one anothers feet for I have given you an example that you should doe as I have done to you I have given you an example saith Christ and I would have you to imitate my example Example is the most powerfull Rhetorick the highest and noblest example should be very quickning and provoking Oh here you have the greatest the noblest example of humility that was ever read or heard of Upon consideration of this great and eminent example of Christs humility Guericus a good man cryed out Thou hast overcome me O Lord thou hast overcome my pride this example of thine hath mastered me Oh that we could say with this good man Thou hast overcome O Lord thou hast overcome our proud hearts by this example thou hast over-mastered our lofty spirits This example of Christs humility you have further set forth Phil. 2. 6 7 8. Who being in the forme of God that is in the Nature and Essence of God being very God cloathed with Divine glory and Majesty as God thought it not robbery it being his right by Nature to be equall with God The Greek words that are rendred He thought it no robbery doe import He made it not a matter of Triumph or ostentation to be equall with God it being his right by nature and therefore the challenging of it could be no Usurpation of anothers right of taking to himselfe that which was not his owne He thought it no robbery to be equall with God The Greek is Equalls that is every way equall not a Secondary and inferiour God as the Arrians would have him But made himselfe of no reputation The Greek is Emptied himselfe Vers 7. that is he suspended and laid aside his glory and Majesty or dis-robed himselfe of his glory and dignity and became a sinner both by Imputation and by Reputation for our sakes And vers 8. He humbled himselfe This Son of Righteousnesse went ten degrees back in the Diall of his Father that he might come to us with healing under his wings And became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse In these words there is a kind of gradation for it is more to become obedient then to humble himselfe and more to yeeld unto death then to become obedient and yet more to be crucified then simply to dye for it was to submit himselfe to a most painfull ignominious and cursed death He became obedient that is saith Beza To his dying day his whole life being nothing but a continuall death I have read of an Earl called Eleazarus that being given to immoderate anger was cured of that disordered affection by studying of Christ and his patience he still dwelt upon the meditation of Christ and his patience till he found his heart transformed into the similitude of Jesus Christ And oh that you would never leave pondering upon that glorious
fore-runner of a fall Pride goes before destruction and a haughty mind before a fall Herod fell from a Throne of Gold to a Bed of dust Prov. 16. 18. Chap. 18. 12. Nebuchadnezzar fell from the state of a mighty King to be a Beast Adam fell from Innocency to Mortality The Angels fell from Heaven to Hell from felicity to misery The tenth and last Proposition is this God will by an invisible power carry the day against proud soules You that it escape and ruffle it out and carry it with a high hand remember this God will by an invisible power carry the day against you when you think not of it he will Pope Innocent the fourth as he was walking securely in his Pallace heard that sorrowfull and dreadfull Summons Veni miser in judicium come thou wretch receive thy judgement and soon after he was found dead Eccl. 8. 11. eat you out like a Moth. Isa 47. 10 11. For thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse thou hast said None seeth me Thy wisedome and thy knowledge it hath perverted thee And thou hast said in thine heart I am and none else besides me Therefore shall evill come upon thee thou shalt not know from whence it riseth and mischiefe shall fall upon thee thou shalt not be able to put it off And desolation shall come upon thee suddainly which thou shalt not know Impunity oftentimes causeth impudency but Quod defertyr non aufertur Forbearance is no Acquittance The longer the hand is lifted up the heas vier will be the blow at last Of all Mettals Lead is the coldest but being melted it becomes the hottest Humble souleknow how to apply this and Proud soules shall sooner or later experience this I shall now proceed to a second Observation namely That all Saints are not of an equall cize and growth in Grace and Holinesse Some are higher and some are lower some are stronger and some are weaker in spirituall Graces and Heavenly Excellencies Vnto me who am lesse then the least c. Among true Believers some may be found to be but weak Believers This Point flowes as naturall from the words as the stream do's from the fountaine and no Point more clear in all the Scripture then this In Rom. 14. 1. you read of some that are weake in the faith Them that are weake in the faith receive saith the Apostle None are to be rejected in whom Aliquid Christi any thing of Christ is to be found And so Mat. 14. 31. there is mention made of little faith 1 Cor. 9. 22. To the weak became I as weake that I might gaine the weake You read of Babes in Grace 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby if so be that yee have tasted that the Lord is gratious 1 John 2. 12 13 14. there is mention made of little children of young men and of Fathers All are not Fathers in grace nor all are not young men in grace there are some Children in grace It is with Christians as t is with Planets The Moon goes her course in a month the Sun in a year the rest not in many years yet at length they finish A Christian in this life hath his degrees of growth he is first a Child in Grace and then a young Man in Grace and then a Father in Grace For the further opening of this Point I shall endeavour these foure things 1 I shall endeavour to decipher to you soules weak in Grace 2 I shall endeavour to lay downe those things that may Incourage Support and Comfort soules that are weak in Grace 3 I shall speake to the Duties that lye upon those that are weak in Grace 4 The Duties that lye upon those that are strong in grace towards those that are weak in grace Of these foure we shall speak as the Lord shall assist I shall begin with the first To decipher soules weak in Grace The first thing by which I shall decipher soules weak in Grace is this Weak Christians are usually carried much out after the poore low things of this world They are much in carking and caring for them and in pursuing and hunting greedily after them That 's a clear Text for this Mat. 6. 24. to the end Christ labours by severall weighty Arguments to fence and fortifie his Disciples against those dissident doubtfull carking cares that divide distract distemper torture and teare the heart in a thousand pieces And yet neither these Arguments nor yet the presence of him who was the great Land-lord of Heaven and Earth and whose love and bowels were still yearning towards them and whose speciall eye of providence was still over them could rid their heads and hearts of these worldly cares that doe but vex and perplex the soules of men And 't is very observable that after this smart Lecture that Christ had read them they did strive three severall times who should be greatest and highest in worldly Enjoyments Their hearts should have been onely in Heaven and yet they strive for Earth as if there were no Heaven or as if Earth were better then Heaven All which do's cleerly evidence that their Graces were very weak and their corruptions very strong Men that have little of the upper springs within are carried out much after the springs below Baruch was good but weak in Grace he had but some sips and tasts of the glory of that other world and Jerem. 45. 1 2 3 4 5. that made him when God was a pulling downe all worldly glory to seek for Earth as if there were no Heaven Certainly there is but little of Christ and Grace within where the heart is so strongly carried on t after these things without Where there is such strong love and workings of heart after these poor things it speaks out soules enjoyment of God to be but poor and low In the Old Testament the Jewes being Babes and Infants in grace and holinesse had a world of Temporall Promises and very few Spirituall Promises But now in the dayes of the Gospel the Lord is pleased to double and trebble his spirit upon his people and now you meet with very few temporall Promises in the Gospel but the Gospel is fill'd with spirituall Promises the Gospel drops nothing but marrow and fatnesse love and sweetnesse and therefore God looks in these dayes that men should grow up to a greater height of holinesse heavenlinesse and spiritualnesse then what they attained to in those dark dayes wherein the Sun shin'd but dimly Men rich and strong in Grace look upon the world with a holy scorne and disdaine as Themistocles when he saw in the dark a thing like a Pearle he scorn'd to stoop for it himselfe saying to another Stoop thee for thou art not Themistocles Abraham a man strong in Grace look't with a holy scorne and with an eye of disdaine upon these poor things When Melchisedech from God had made
but alasse when the day of Tryall comes upon them when they are put to it they prove but men of poor and impotent spirits and then they roare and complaine and lye downe in the dust suffering crosses and losses to bind them hand and foot and to spoyle them of all their Comforts And now though they have many comforts for one crosse yet one crosse doth so damp and daunt their hearts that joy and comfort flyes away from them and they sit down overwhelmed Certainly this speaks out little of Christ within All Rachels comforts were no comforts because her Children were not This speaks out much weaknesse within Prov. 24. 10. If thou faintest in the day of adversity thy strength is small If thou shrinkest if thou abatest and slackest in the day of adversity thy strength is small Man hath no triall of his strength till he be in trouble faintnesse then discovers weaknesse Afflictions try what sapp we have as hard weather tryes what health we have A weak Christian sinks under a little burden every frowne every sowre word every puffe of wind blowes him downe and makes him sinke under his burden But now a soule strong in grace bears up bravely against all winds and weather That 's a brave Text and worthy to be written in letters of gold that you have in Gen. 49. 23 24. Joseph's Bow abode in strength though the Archers sorely grieved him shot at him and hated him And the armes of his hands were made strong by the mighty God of Jacob The Archers that sorely grieved him were his Barbarous Brethren that sould him his Adulterous Mistresse that Harlot-like hunted for his precious life his injurious Master that without any desert of his imprisoned him the tumultuating Egyptians that were pined with hunger perhaps spake of stoning him and the envious Courtiers and Inchanters spake evilly of him before Pharoah to bring him out of favour All these shot sorely at him The word that is rendred Archers in the Hebrew is Arrow-masters which terme implieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cunning and skilfulnesse in shooting They were cunning and skilfull to hit the mark and they shot at him as at a mark But yet his Bow abode in strength When God in the midst of weaknesse makes a soul strong that soul will not only face enemies and difficulties but triumph over them Those that are strong in grace seldome want courage or counsell when they are at the worst They alwayes find their hope to be an Anchor at Sea and their faith a Shield upon Land and therefore they triumph in all stormes and dangers They stand firme when they are under the greatest pressures 2 Cor. 11. 23. I labours more abundant In stripes above measure If we perish Christ perisheth with us said Luther in prisons more frequent in deaths often c. And yet he triumphs in 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in singlenesse and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedome but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards Strong Paul rejoyced in his sufferings for Christ and therefore often sings out I Paul a Prisoner of Jesus Christ not I Paul wrapt up in the third Heaven He prefer'd his Crowne of Thornes before a Crowne of gold his Prison raggs above all Royall Robes Fourthly A weak Christian thinks that little to be much that he suffers for Christ In Mat. 19. 27. Then answered Peter and said unto him Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have Their worldly case in following Christ was little worse then when they onely Traded in Fishing and yet we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have This their All was not worth a speaking of and yet for this they look for some great worldly reward and recompence We have forsaken all A great All sure a few broken Boats and a few tatter'd Weak Christians are like Children they look for a great reward for a little work and torne Nets and a little old Houshold-stuffe and Christ maintain'd them too upon his owne cost and charge and yet say they We have forsaken all and followed thee Neither is it without an Emphasis that they begin with a Behold Behold we have forsaken all as if Christ were greatly beholding to them Let their wills but be crost a little by servants children friends c. Or let them but suffer a little in their Names or Estates c. and presently you shall have them a sighing it out No sorrow like our sorrow no losse to our losse no crosse to our crosse c. Whereas soules strong in grace suffer much and yet count that much but little A soule strong in grace can suffer much and yet make nothing of it I am heartily angry saith Luther who suffered very much with those that speak of my sufferings which if compared with that which Christ suffered for me are not once to be mentioned in the same day c. Fifthly Those that are weak in Grace dwell more upon what may discourage them in the wayes of Grace and Holinesse then they doe upon what may incourage them They dwell more upon their sins then upon a Saviour more upon their misery then upon free grace and mercy more upon that which may feed their feares then upon that that may strengthen their faith more upon the Crosse then upon the Crowne more upon those that are against them then those that are for them Isa 51. 12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall dye and of the Son of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressor as if he were ready to destroy and where is the fury of the Oppressor This same is intimated Rom. 4. 19 20. Abraham being not weak in faith he considered not his owne body being dead nor yet the deadnesse of Sarahs womb Mark being not weak in faith Soules weak in faith are very apt to dwell upon discouragements but strong Christians look above all discouragements He considered not The Greek is He cared not for his owne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 body he did not mind that but in the 20 verse He considered him that had promised Soules strong in grace dwell more upon their incouragements to holinesse and beleeving then upon their discouragements He considered him that had promised He had an eye fixed upon the faithfulnesse of God and the Sufficiency and Almightinesse of God and this bore up his heart above all discouragements So in 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory while we look not mark they are
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
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
blessed for ever In heaven there is no prayers but all praises I am apt to think that there can't be a clearer nor a greater argument of a mans right to heaven and ripenesse for heaven then this being much in the work of heaven here on earth There is no grace but Love nor no Epictetus wisht he were a Nightingale to be ever singing And what then should a Saint wish c. duty but Thankfullnesse that goes with us to heaven I but weak Saints may say Sir We judge that there is weight in what you say to provoke us to thankefullnesse But did we know that we had true Grace though it were never so little though it were but as the graine of Mustard-seed we would be thankefull But this is our condition we live betweene feares and hopes one day hoping we shall to heaven and be happy for ever Another day we are fearing that we shall to hell and miscarry for ever And thus we are up and downe backward and forward sometimes we believe we have grace and at other times we doubt we have none Sometimes we have a little light and suddenly our Sun is clouded one day we are ready to say with David The Lord is our portion and the next day we are ready to complaine with Jonah that we are cast out from the presence of the Lord. Me-thinks I hear a weak Saint saying thus to me Sir I would faine have an end put to this controversie that ha's been long in my soule viz. Whether I have grace or no and if you please I will tell you what I find and so humbly desire your judgement and opinion upon the whole Well speak on poore soule and let me heare what thou hast found in thine owne soule Why Sir then thus I finde first a holy restlesnesse in my soule till with old Simeâ—n I have gotten Christ in my armes yea till I Luke 2. 25. to 33. The Child is restlesse till it be in the Mothers Armes Cant. 5. 10. have gotten Christ into my heart I goe from Duty to Duty and from Ordinance to Ordinance and yet I cannot rest because I cannot find him whom my soule loves I am like Noah's Dove that could not rest untill he had gotten into the Ark. Oh I cannot be quiet till I know that I am hous'd in Christ My soule is like a ship in a storme that is tost hither and thither Oh! where shall I find him Oh! how shall I obtaine him who is the chiefest of ten thousand What Absolom said in another case I can say in this saith the poor soule in his banishment he could say What 's all this to me so long as I can't see the Kings face And truly the language of my soule is this What 's honour to me And riches to me And the favour of Creatures to me so long as I goe mourning without my Christ so long as I see not my interest in my Christ Well have you any thing else to say O weake Christian Yes Sir I have one thing more to say What 's that Why it is this I can truly say That the poorest the most distressed and afflicted man in the world is not fuller of desires nor stronger Tota vita beni Christiani sanctum desiderium est in his desires then I am The poor man desires bread to feed him and the wounded desires a Plaister to heale him and the sick man desires Cordialls to strengthen him c. But these are not fuller of desires after those things that are sutable to them then I am of holy and heavenly desires Oh that I had more of God! Oh that I were filled with Christ Oh that I had his righteousnesse to cover me His grace to pardon me His power to support me His wisedome to councell me his loving-kindnesse to refresh me And his happinesse to Crowne me c. Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more to tell you What 's that Why that is this Though I dare not say that Christ is mine yet I can truly say that Christ his love his works his grace his word are the maine objects of my contemplation and meditation Oh Some Contemplatioâ—s have Generationem longam fruitionem brevem but these are not the conâ—em plations of the Saints I am alwayes best when I am most a meditating and contemplating of Christ his love his grace c. Psal 139. 17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God How great is the summe of them Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more to say What 's that Why it is this I can truly say That the want of Christs love is a greater grief and burden to my soule then the want of any outward thing in this world I am in a wanting condition as to temporals I want health and strength and Trading friends and money that answereth to all things as Solomon speaks and yet all these wants doe not so grieve me and so afflict and Eccl. 10. 19. trouble me as the want of Christ as the want of grace as the want of the discoveries of that favour that 's better then Psa 63. 3 4. life Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir there 's one thing more What 's that Why that is this That I would not willingly nor resolvedly sin against Christ V. for a world 'T is true I dare not say I have an interest in I will rather leap into a bonsire then willfully to commit wickednesse willfully to against God Christ yet I dare say that I would not willingly and resolvedly sin against Christ for a world I can say through grace were I this moment to dye that my greatest feare is of sinning against Christ and my greatest care is of pleasing Christ I know there was a time when my greatest care was to please And I said A selme had rather gâ—e to hâ—ll â—ure from sin then to heaven polluted wiâ—h that filth The Primitive Christians chose rathet to be â—hrowne to Lyâ—ns without then left to lusts within Ad Leonem magis quam Leonem saith Tertullian VI. It is repâ—red of Bucer and Calvin That they loved aâ—l them in whom they could espâ—e Aliquâ—a Christi any thing of Christ 'T is justi so with these poore hearts that question their present condition Jer. â— 1. 2 3. VII Psa 119. 136 my selfe and the Creature and my greatest fear was of displeasing the Creature I can remember with sorrow and sadnesse of heart how often I have displeased Christ to please my selfe and displeased Christ to please the Creature but now 't is quite otherwise with me my greatest care is to please Christ and my greatest fear is of offending Christ Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more What 's that Why that 's this Though I dare not say that Christ is mine and that I have an interest in him
prophane men of this world for ten thousand worlds c. Well is this all O soule No Sir I have but one thing more and then I have done Well what 's that Why that is this I find my soule carried forth to a secret resting relying leaning staying and hanging upon Christ for life and happinesse Though I know not how it shall goe with me yet I Job 13. 15. 2 Kings 7. 3 4 5. Esth 4. 16. have throwne my selfe into his armes I leane upon him there I 'le hang and there I 'le rest and stay If I must perish I 'le perish there And thus Sir I have opened my state and condition to you And now I doe earnestly desire your judgement upon the whole Well then this I shall say as I must answer it in the day of my appearing before God That had I as many soules as I have haires on my head or as there be Starres in heaven I could freely adventure the losse of them all if these things doe not undeniably speake out not onely the truth but also the strength of Grace c. Nay let me tell you That he that finds but any of these things really in his soule though the Lord hath not given him a clear and full manifestation of his love and favour c. yet while breath is in his body he ha's eminent cause to blesse God and to walke thankefully and humbly before him The second use of the Point is this Live up to that little Grace you have Thou sayest O weak Christian thou hast but a little light a little love a little zeale a little faith c. Well grant it but know that 't is thy duty to live up to those measures of To speake well saith Isiodorus Peluâ—iota is to sound like a â—ymbal but to doe well is to act like an Angel c grace thou hast And this is the second head that I shall presse upon you live up and live out that grace you have And if ever there were a season to presse this Point home upon soules this is the season in which we live And considering that 't is not a flood of words but weight of Argument that carries it with ingenuous spirits I shall therefore propound these following things to their serious consideration First Consider this Living up to your Graces carries If Seneca said of his wise man Majore paâ—te illic est unde descendit He is more in heaven then in earth May not I say this is much more true of the godly c. with it the greatest evidence of the truth of Grace That man that lives not up to his grace let him be strong or weak wants one of the best and strongest demonstrations that can be to evidence the truth of his grace If you would have a clear evidence that that little love that little faith that little zeale you have is true then live up to that love live up to that faith live up to that zeale that you have and this will evidence it beyond all contradiction c. Secondly Consider this God and your owne soules will be very great loosers if you live not up to those measures of Grace you have God will loose many prayers and many praises he will loose much honour and glory and service which otherwise Of all losses spirituall losses are the saddest and greatest and fercht up with the greatest difficulty he might have and you will loose much peace much comfort much rest quietnesse and content that otherwise your soules might enjoy c. Thirdly Consider this Your not living up to that little light and grace you have will open the mouths of gracelesse souls against your gracious God and against his gracious ones and against his gracious wayes You think because of the weaknesse of your grace you must be borne with in this and that and what not But remember it is your duty to live up to the light and grace you have and nothing below this will effectually stop the mouths 1 Pet. 2. 15. Ye may put to silence the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to muzzle to halter up or button up their mouths as we say O there is nothing that will so muzzle bâ—tton up the mouthes of vaine men as Christians siving up to that light grace they have of gracelesse wretches from barking against the wayes of God the truths of God and the people of God Vaine men will be often a reasoning thus Though such and such men and women have not such great knowledge such clear light such strong love and such burning zeale as David Paul and other Worthies yet they have so much light and knowledge as tells them that they should not carry themselves thus and thus as they doe Their light and knowledge tells them that they should be just and righteous in their dealings and in all their wayes and designes c. Though they have not such great measures of spirituall injoyments as such and such yet that little grace they have should lead them b y the hand to doe things worthy of that Christ and that Gospel they professe c. Let me a little expostulate the point with you weak Saints you know that you should not be stirr'd and heated by every straw that is in your way why don't you in this then live up to your light You know that you should not be overcome of evill but overcome evill with good And why don't you in this live up to your light You know that you should Doe good Rom. 12. 21. Mat. 5. 44. uâ—t to those that doe hurt to you why doe not you in this live up to your light You know that you should doe your duties to others though they neglect their duties to you 'T is not the neglect of a husbands duty that frees the wife from the discharge of hers Nor the neglect of a wives duty that frees the husband from the discharge of his You know this don't you yes why don't you then live up to your light Why doe you by your contrary actings open the mouths of others against God and his wayes You know that you should be exemplary in your relations in your Generation and in your conversations You know that you should be examples of holinesse meeknesse sweetnesse patience and contentednesse and why then don 't you live up to your knowledge in these things You know that you should doe to others as you would have others to doe to you And why in this don 't you live up to your knowledge Ah that you that are weak did not cause the mouths of wicked men to be opened against God his truths and wayes Therefore by your living below that light and knowledge that God ha's given you I beseech you as you tender the honour of God and as you would stop the mouths of vaine men live up to those measures of grace that the Lord ha's given you No way to comfort-like
4 And lastly The Reason why Christ gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones For the first What are those best gifts that Christ bestowes upon his best beloved ones I shall not instance in those Common gifts that they have in common with others But rather shew unto you those speciall gifts that he bestowes upon them and of those I shall single out them that are most choyce and that carry most in them of the glory favour and good will of him that dwelt in the Bush And the first is this He gives Light to his beloved ones and Light is a pleasant Eccles 11. 7. thing to behold as the wise man speaks He gives spirituall light which is a mercy of mercies Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some upon thee Life â—â—hâ—uâ—lighâ—s but a lifelesse life give thee light So John 1. 7 8 9. He was not that light but was sent to bear witnesse of that light that was the true light that lightneth every man that cometh into the world Vide Cameron and Augustine on the words When Telemachus saw a great light that guided him and his father in a dark Roâ—me Surely sed he there is some God in it Mal. 4. 2. He gives that light whereby his people are inabled to see sin to be the greatest evill and himselfe to be the chiefest good He gives that light that melts the soule that humbles the soule that warmes the soule that quickens the soule that quiets the soule and that glads the soule Man is not borne with heavenly light in his heart as he is borne with a tongue in his mouth Till Christ comes and sets up a light in the soule the soule lives in darknesse and lyes in darknesse yea is darknesse in the very abstract Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. Saints are alwayes in the Sun-shine therefore they should be like a Christall glasse with a light in the midst which appeareth in every part A Christian should be like the Lamp in the story that never 2 Cor. 3. 5. If there be such a power in fallen man to repent and believe c. to what purpose was the coming of Christ into the world 1 John 2. 9 1 John 3. 8. And why doe naturall men when their consciences are awaken'd so cry out That they arâ— as able to stop the Sun in his course to raise the dead and to make a world as they are able of themselves to repent c. went out Were it not for the Sun it would be perpetuall night in the world notwithstanding all Star-light and Torch-light and Moon-light 'T is not the Torch-light of Naturall parts and Creature-comforts nor the Star-light of Civill honesty and Common gifts Nor yet the Moon-light of temporary faith and formall profession that can make day in the soule till the Son of righteousnesse rise and shine upon it And that 's the first thing he gives Light Now the second thing he gives is Repentance Repentance is not a Flower that growes in Natures Garden Acts 5. 31. Him hath God the father exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins So in 2 Tim. 2. 25. The servant of the Lord must in meeknesse instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth By these Scriptures 't is clear that Repentance is no flower that growes in Natures Garden though Arminians teach and Print That if men will but put out their power and their strength they may repent c. But severall that have been of this Opinion have experienced the falsenesse of it when it ha's been too late The Ethiopian cannot change his skin nor the Leopard his spots Jer. 13. 23. And certainly if there were such a power in man to repent as some would make the world believe man would never miscarry everlastingly for his not repenting Oh! is it good dwelling with everlasting burnings with a devouring fire Is it good being for ever shut out from the presence of the Aut paenitendum out pereundum Lord and the glory of his power Certainly if there were such a power in vaine man to repent no man would goe to hell for not repenting And many that have boasted much of their abilities to repent when they have been upon a dying bed would have given a thousand worlds were there so many in their power that they could but repent Luther confesses That before his Conversion he met not Homo ipsius paenitentiae paenitere debâ—t Salv. Paenitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudeâ— Luther with a more displeasing word in all the study of Divinity then this word Repent But after the Lord had converted him and manifested himselfe to him he delighted in this worke Then he could sorrow for his sins and rejoyce in his sorrow Repentance strips the soule stark naked of all the Garments of the old Adam and leaves not so much as the shirt behind In this rotten building there is not one stone left upon another As the Flood drowned Noah's owne friends and servants as well as strangers so true Repentance drownes all darling lusts True Repentance is the cutting off the right hand and the pulling out of the right eye and is this such an easie thing surely no. True Repentance is a gift that is from above and if the Lord does not give it man will eternally perish for the want of it You may read much more of this in my Treatise call'd HEAVEN ON EARTH Thirdly Christ gives his Spirit Rom. 5. 5. The love of Spiritus sanctus estres delicata God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us So in 1 John 3. ult And hereby we know that he abideth in us how by the spirit which he hath given John 14. 26. us So in Chap. 4. 13. The spirit that the Lord Christ gives is an inlightning spirit 't is the Candle of the Lord set up in the hearts of the Saints to guide them in the way everlasting 'T is a sanctifying spirit a spirit of burning Isa 4. 4. He is a fire to inlighten the soule and a fire to inliven the soule and Nil nisi sanctum a sancto spiritu prediere potest a fire to warme the soule c. Whatsoever is of the spirit is spirit It is nimble and lively and active and full of life and motion as the Spirit is A man without the spirit of the Lord is a dull dromish Creature as the Latines call a dull dromish man A fire-lesse man so we may call a man that hath not the spirit a spiritlesse man The spirit that Christ gives is A sealing spirit Ephes 1. 13. and a Leading spirit Rom. 8. He leads from sin he leads from wrath he leads from
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
whose Chastisements thou hast slighted will blot out thy transgressions for my owne sake I even I is a passionate and emphaticall expression Gods goodnesse runs over to sinfull Creatures and Where sin abounds there grace doth super-abound If the Creditor himselfe blot out the debt and crosse the Mat. 6. 12 14 15. 18. 24 â—7 33. Luke 7. 41 to 4â— Book surely it shall never be remembred more Our sins are debts which God who hath the power of life and death of heaven and hell of condemning and absolving hath engaged himselfe to blot out as a thick cloud Isa 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins An under Officer may blot out an Indictment and yet the offendor may be never the better for it but if the King who is the supream Judge shall blot it out then the offendor is safe The Application is easie If the soule be diserted then that Promise relives it Mich. 7. 18 19. He will turne againe he will have compassion upon us c. If the soule be sliding and ready to fall then that Promise supports and upholds it Psal 37. 24. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand â—i Jehâ—vah somech jâ—do Or as the Hebrew ha's it The Lord upholding him with his hand The Hebrew Participle Somech notes a continued act of God God ha's still his everlasting armes under his Deut. 33. 26. 22. people so that they shall never totally nor finally fall And the root Samuch from whence this word is derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to sustaine or uphold as the tender Mother doth the little Babe The safety and security of the Child lyes not so much in the Childs hanging about the Mothers neck as in the Mothers holding it fast in her armes So our safety and security lyes not so much in our weak holding upon Christ but in Christs holding of us fast in his everlasting armes This is our glory and our safety that Christs left hand is alwayes under us and his right hand does alwayes embrace us Cant. 2. 6. If the soule be forsaken by friends then that Promise relieves it Heb. 13. 5 6. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee There are five Negatives in the Greek to assure Gods people that he will never forsake them Five times this precious Promise is renewed in the Scripture that we might have the stronger Consolation and that we may presse and oppresse it till we have gotten all the sweetnesse out of it and verily many precious soules have suckt much sweetnesse out of the breasts of this Promise when their nearest relations and their dearest friends have forsaken them and forgotten them God loves that his people should put his Bonds his Promises in suite and he that does shall find God near him though friends should leave him and the world be in armes against him c. If the soule be tempted then that word of Promise relieves it 1 Cor. 10. 13. But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able c. The Promises are a Christians Magna Charta they are his chief Evidences for heaven Men highly prize their Charters and Priviledges and carefully keep the Conveyances and Assurances of their Lands Oh! how should Saints then treasure up and keep these Precious Promises which the Lord ha's given them and which are to them instead of all Assurances for their protection maintenance deliverance comfort and everlasting happinesse And thus much for the sixth gift the Lord gives viz. The Promises Seventhly The Lord gives Grace Of his fullnesse we all John 1. 16. have received Grace for Grace The Lord gives that grace the least dram of which is more worth then Heaven and Earth It was an excellent saying of one of the Ancients I had Hierom. rather have St. Pauls Coat with his heavenly Graces then the Purple of Kings with their Kingdomes Grace is that A good symbole was atâ—â—buted to Emilian the Roman Emperour Non gens sed mens non genus sed genius Not race or place but grace truly sets forth a man which truly ennobles the soule it raises the soule up to converse with the highest and with the noblest objects and every man is as the objects are with which he converses if the objects are noble the man is so if the objects are base with which a man converses the man is base A man may better know what he is by eying the objects with which his soule does mostly converse then by observing his most glorious and pompious services The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Abraham was a Prince of God among the Hittites The Jewes say That those seventy persons that went downe with Jacob into Aegypt were more Pro. 12. 26. Gen. 23. 6. worth then the seventy Nations of the world Indeed it 's onely grace that makes a man truly noble When one heard the King of Persia stil'd The Great King saith he I acknowledge none more excellent then my selfe unlesse more righteous nor none greater unlesse better Grace as it 's bred by the noblest means so 't is preserved and maintained in the soule by the choycest means viz. Vnion and Communion with God c. Grace is glory in the bud and glory is grace at the full Grace makes a man all glorious Psal 45. 13. within and without Grace is a ring of gold and Christ is the sparkling Diamond in that ring Eighthly He gives Peace John 14. 27. My peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world Rom. 5. 1. Hos 2. 21 22 23. Job 5. 19 to 25. giveth give I unto you Christ gives peace with God and peace with Conscience and peace with the Creatures Dulce nomen pacis The very name of Peace is sweet The Hebrews when they wished all happinesse to any used but this one word Peace be with you And the Ancients Martimus the Emperours Motto was Pax bello potior Give me peace and let others quarrell were wont to paint Peace in the forme of a Woman with a Horne of Plenty in her hand all blessings Ask a soule that ha's been under terrors of conscience and he will tell you that of all gifts inward Peace is the most Princely gift c. Ninthly He gives Glory John 10. 28. My sheep heare my voyce and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life Rom. 7. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life Now the glory that Christ gives is Reall glory 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crowne of Glory The Greek word Apokeitai signifies two things 1 A designation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Crowne And 2 A reservation and safe keeping of it for him untill the Coronation day Againe the glory he
bâ—st Gifts to his Dearest ones I shall onely give you these six FIrst Because he loves them with the dearest with the choycest and with the strongest love therefore he gives them the best Gifts Christ doth not love Believers with a low flat dull common love with such a love as most men love one another with but with a love that is like himselfe Now men will give as they love 1 Sam. 1. 4 5. And Elkanah gave to Penninah his wife and to all her sonnes and daughters Portions but unto Hannah he gave a worthy Portion for he loved her Jiâ—â—en manah ahhath appaiim In the Hebrew it is He gave her a Gift of the face That is a great an honourable Gift Men look upon great and honourable Gifts with a sweet and cheerfull countenance So the Gifts that Jesus Christ gives to Believers are Gifts of the face that is they are the greatest Gifts the honourablest Gifts the choycest Gifts Gifts fit for none but a King to Mundus cadaver est petentis cum sunt Canis The world is a Carcasse and those that hunt after it are Doggs is an Arabick Proverb give Augustus in his solemne Feasts gave trifles to some but gold to others The Lord Jesus scatters the trifles of this world up and downe as Luther well speaks The whole Turkish Empire is but a crust that God throwes to a Dogge God scatters giftlesse Gifts viz. the honours riches and favours of this world up and downe among the worst of men but as for his gold his spirit his grace his Son his favour these are Jewels that he onely casts into the bosome of Saints and that because he dearly loves them Secondly Christ gives the best Gifts to his people Beeause Wicked men are onely principled to abuse mercy which occasions God so often to raine hell out of heaven upon them as he did once up on Sodome Gomorrah for abusing of mercy Gen. 25. 5. they are best principled and fitted to make a Divine improvement of them There 's no men on earth that are principled and fitted for the improvement of the speciall Gifts that Christ gives but his owne people None have such principles of wisdome love holinesse and faithfullnesse to make an improvement of the joy the peace the comfort that the Lord gives as his people Ergo. Abraham gave unto the Sons of the Concubines Gifts and sent them away but unto Isaac he gave all that he had As Isaac was better beloved then the Concubines Sons so Isaac was better principled to improve love then they were The application is easie Thirdly He doth it upon this account That he may the more indeere the hearts of his people to him The greatest designe of Christ in this world is mightily to indeere the hearts of his people and indeed it was that which was in his eye and upon his heart from all eternity It was this designe that caused him to lay downe his Crowne and to take up our Crosse to put off his Robes and to put on our Raggs to be condemned that we might be justified to undergo the wrath of the Almighty that we might for ever be in the armes of his mercy He gives his Spirit his Grace yea and his very selfe and all to indeere the hearts of his people to himselfe When Isaac would indeere the heart of Rebeckah then the Bracelets the Jewels and the Ear-rings are cast into her bosome So the Lord Jesus casts his Gen. 24. 53. heavenly Bracelets Jewels and Ear-rings into the bosomes into the laps of his people out of a designe to indeere himselfe unto them Prov. 17. 8. A Gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it whither soever it turneth it prospereth In the Hebrew 'tis thus A Gift is as a stone of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is it makes a man very acceptable and gracious in the eyes of others A Gift is like that precious stone Pantarbe that hath a marvellous consiliating property in it Or like the wonder-working Load-stone that as some Writers observe hath among other Properties this That it makes those that have it well-spoken men and well accepted of Princes Certainly the Gifts that Jesus Christ gives to his doe render him very acceptable and precious in their eyes Christ to them is the Crowne of Crownes the Heaven of Heaven the Glory of Glories he is the most sparkling Diamond in the Ring of Glory Prov. 18. 16. A mans Gift maketh roome for him and bringeth him before great men The Gifts that Jesus Christ gives widen the heart and inlarge the soule of a Believer to take in more of himselfe Naturally we are narrow-mouthed Heaven-ward and wide-mouthed earth-ward But the Lord Jesus by casting in his Jewels his Pearles his precious Gifts into the soule doth widen the soule and inlarge the soule and make it more capacious to entertaine Psal 24. 7 8 9 10. himselfe Christ by his Gifts causes all doores to stand open that the King of glory may enter in Now the fourth Reason of the Point is Because Christ expects more from his people then he doth from all the world besides therefore he gives them the best Gifts Where the Lord expects and looks for most there he gives 'T was a good saying of Just Maâ—tyr Non in verbis sed infactis res nostrae religionis consislunt God loves saith Luther curristas not quaristas the â—unner not the question or c. most Though Believers are but A little little flock though they are but A remnant though they are A fountaine sealed A spring shut up A Garden inclosed yet Christ looks for more from them then from all the world besides He looks for more love from them then from all the world besides and he expects more service from them then from all the world besides and he looks for more honour from them then from all the world besides Mal. 1. 6. A Son honoureth his father and a servant his Master if I am your father where is my honour And if I am your master where is my feare He looks for more fear from them then from all the world besides and for more honour from them then from all the world besides and for more prayers and praises Some say that the Panther wil leap three times after his prey but if he misse it the 3d time he will leap no more 'T were well for Saints if Satan would doe so c. 1 Chr. 21. 1. Job 2. 9. Mat. 26. 2 Cor. 12. 7. Mat. 4. 1 12. from them then from all the world besides Fifthly The Lord Jesus gives the best gifts to his owne people That he may fence and strengthen them against the worst Temptations There are no men on earth that lye open to temptations as Saints the best men have been alwayes the most tempted The more excellent any man is in grace and holinesse the more shall that man be
Lucani he that lent money to an idle person was to loose it Among the Corinthians the sloathfull were delivered to the Carnifex saith Diphilus Oh! the deadly sins the deadly temptations the deadly judgements that idle and sloathfull Christians are given up to therefore be active be diligent be abundant in the worke of the Lord. Idlenesse is the very Source of sin Standing pooles gather mud and nourish and breed venomous Creatures and so doe the hearts of idle and sloathfull Christians c. Now the second thing that we are to doe for the further opening of this Point is to shew you The speciall Ends that the Gifts and Graces that God ha's bestow'd upon Believers should be exercised and improved to And they are these that follow FIrst They are to be improved and exercised to the honour 1 Cor. 10. 31. of God to the lifting up of God and to the keeping up of his name and glory in the world He that improves not his gifts and graces to this end crosses the grand end of Gods bestowing such royall favours on him Graces and gifts are Talents that God hath given you to trade with and not to hide in a Napkin The idle servant Mat. 25. in Christs account was an evill servant The idle soule in Christs account is an evill soule and accordingly Christ will deale with him Seneca calls sloath The Nurse of beggery the Mother of misery and sloathfull Christians find it so Christians God ha's given you grace that you should give him glory His honour should be dearer to you then your Jewels then your Crownes then your lives I then your very soules Thou livest no longer then thou livest to his praise It is recorded that Epaminondes the Commander in chief of the Thebanes That he did not glory in any thing but this that his father whom he dearly loved and honoured was living when he won three famous Battells against the Lacedemonians Plutarch in his Morals that were then held for their valour to be invincible regarding more the honour and content his father should receive of it then his owne Shall a Heathen thus strive to honour his earthly father And shall not Christians strive more to honour their heavenly father with all the gifts and graces that he ha's confer'd upon them But you will say How should we honour the Lord I answer First By a free and frequent acknowledgement that all your graces flow from the Lord Jesus the fountaine of grace 1 John 16. Of his fullnesse we all receive grace for grace Jam. 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift comes downe from above c. Thou must say O Christian I have nothing but what I 1 Cor. 4. 7. have received I have no light no life no love no ioy no peace but from above The Jewels that hang in my breasts and the Chaines of Pearle that be about my neck and the golden Crowne that is upon my head and all sparkling Diamonds Ezek. 16. 11 12 13 14 15. Psal 45. 8. ult in that Crowne are all from above All those Princely Ornaments by which I am made more beautifull and lovely then others and all those beds of spices and sweet flowers by which I am made more desirable and dilectable is from above Say I am nothing I have nothing of my owne all I am and all I have is from on high We have given thee of 1 Chron. 29. 14. thine owne sayes David So doe thou say Lord the love with which I love thee is thine owne and the faith by which I hang upon thee is thine own and the fear by which I feare Deus nihil coronat nisi dona sua Aug. before thee is thine owne and the joy which I rejoyce before thee with is thine owne and the patience with which I wait upon thee is thine owne c And therefore say as David did upon the receipt of mercy Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our father for ever and ever Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the Majesty for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine Thine is the Kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Now therefore our God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name Secondly You must honour him By acknowledging the dependancy of your graces upon the fountaine of grace And that your strength to stand lyes not so much in your graces as in their dependancy upon the fountaine of grace as in their conjunction with the God of grace A man by his arme may do much but 't is mainly by reason of its union and conjunction with the head 'T is so between a Christians graces and Christ The stream does not more depend upon the fountaine nor the branch upon the root nor the Moon upon the Sun nor the Child upon the Mother nor the effect upon the cause then our graces doe depend upon the fountaine of grace Ps 138. 3. Phil. 4. 12 13. Now that our very graces doe thus depend upon the fountaine Though our graces be ouâ— best Jewe's yet they are imperfect and as the Moon shines by a borrowed light so doe our graces iâ— it were not for the Sun of righteousness all our graces would give â—o light c. of grace and that our strength to stand lyes not so much in our graces as in Christ is clear by this That the graces of the Saints may and doe most faile them when they have most need of them Mark 4. 40. And he said why are yee so fearfull How is it that you have no faith When the wind was high their faith was low when the storme was great their faith was little So Luke 8. 25. And he said unto them where is your faith Are you now to seek it when you should use it Peter denyed Christ when he had need by faith to have confessed Christ Moses faith fail'd him when it should have been most serviceable to him Nu. 20. 12. And Davids courage fail'd him when it should have been a buckler to him 1 Sam. 21. 13 14. And the Disciples love fail'd them when it should have been most usefull to them John 14. 28. And Job's wisedome and patience fail'd him when they should have been greatest supporters to him By all which 't is most clear that not onely our selves but also our very graces must be supported by the God of grace the fountaine of grace or else they will be to seek when we most need them Though grace is a glorious Creature it is but a creature and therefore must be upheld by its Creator Though grace be a beautifull Child yet 't is but a child that must be upheld by the fathers armes This Christians you
a treasure of rare abilities in them would as soon part with their hearts as their conceptions I think they are rather Monsters then reall Christians that are of such a spirit The third and last thing to which you are to improve your gifts and graces is To the benefit and profit of your own soules The good of the soule is specially to be minded 1 Because 't is the most Noble part of man 2 Because the Image of God is most fairly stampt upon it 3 Because it is first converted 4 Because it shall be first glorified Not to improve them to your owne internall and eternall good is with a high hand to crosse the maine end of Gods conferring them upon you Ah Christians you must improve them to the strengthening of you against temptations to the supporting of you under afflictions to the keeping under of strong corruptions to the sweetning of all mutations and to the preparing and fitting of you for the dayes of your dissolution I shall content my selfe with giving you this hint because I have before spoken more fully to this head And thus we have done with the Doctrinall part We shall come now to make some Use and Application of this Point to our selves If this be so That 't is the Duty of Christians to improve and exercise the gifts and graces that the Lord hath given them Then in the first place this looks very sowrely and wishly upon all lazie idle negligent Christians that doe not stir up themselves to lay hold on God that doe not stir up the grace of the Lord in them 'T is sad to consider how many Christians Cupid complained He could never â—asten upon the Muses because he could never find them idle No Christians so fâ—ee from Satans assaults as active Christians are nor none so tempâ—ed as idle Christians can stir up themselves to lay hold on all opportunities to make themselves great and rich in the world and yet suffer their golden gifts and graces even to grow rustie for want of exercise 'T is sad to see how busie many men are to exercise and improve a Talent of riches who yet bind up their Talents of gifts and grace in a Napkin By these God looses much honour and praise and themselves loose much comfort and content and others loose much profit and benefit and the Gospel looses much credit and glory But the maine Use that I shall make of this Point shall be To exhort and stir you all up to make a blessed improvement of your graces And indeed it is a Point of most singular use to us all our The Jewish Rabbins report That he same night that Israel de parted out of Aegypt towards Canaan all the Idols Idolatrou Temples in Aegypt by lightning and earth quakes were broken downe So when grace holinesse is set up in the heart all the Idols of Satan which are meâ—slust are throwne downe dayes a truth that is every day of very great concernment to our soules Now there are seven Considerations that I shall propound by way of Motive to stir up your soules to make a blessed improvement of the grace and gifts you have received And the first is this Seriously consider that the exercise and improvement of grace in your soules will be more and more the death and ruine of sin in your soules Take it from experience There is not a choycer way then this for a man to bring under the power of his sin then to keep up the exercise of his grace Sin and Grace are like two Buckets at a Well when one is up the other is downe They are like the two Lawrels at Rome when one flourishes the other withers Certainly the readiest and the surest way to bring under the power of sin is to be much in the exercise of grace Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse The life and activity of Christ and grace in the soule is the death and destruction of sin in the soule The more grace acts in the soule the more sin withers and dyes in the soule the stronger the house of David grew 2 Sam. 3. the weaker the house of Saul grew As the house of David grew every day stronger and stronger so the house of Saul every day grew weaker and weaker So the activity of the new Mat. 21. 12 13 14. man is the death of the old man When Christ began to bestir himselfe in the Temple the money-changers quickly fled out So when grace is active and stirring in the soule corruption quickly flyes A man may find out many wayes to hide his sin but he will never find out any way to subdue his sin but by the exercise of grace Of all Christians none so mortified as those in whom grace is most exercised Sin is a Viper that must be kill'd or 't will kill you for ever and there is no way to kill it but by the exercise of grace Secondly Consider this by way of motive to provoke you Mat. 5. 16. The exercise of virtue will draw I ve from a mans very enemies Tilligny for his â—are virtues was reserved from death by his greatest enemies at the Mâ—ssacre of Paris as you may see in the French History in the life of Charls the Ninth to exercise and improve your Graces The exercise and improvement of your Graces will provoke others to blesse and admire the God of Grace Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven The light of your Conversation and the light of your graces Oh! how many thousand soules be there now triumphing in heaven whose gifts and graces shin'd gloriously when they were on earth and ah how many thousands are there now on earth that blesse and admire the Lord for the shine of their graces who are now in heaven That blesse the Lord for the Faith of Abraham and the Zeale of David and the Meeknesse of Moses and the Patience of Job and the Courage of Joshua c. Ah Christians as you would stirre up others to exalt the God of grace look to the exercise and improvement of your graces When poor servants shall live in a family and see the faith of a Master and the love of a Master and the wisedome of a Master and the patience of a Master and the humility of a Master c. shining like so many stars of heaven oh how doth it draw forth their hearts to blesse the Lord that ever they came into such a family 'T is not a profession of Religion but the exercise and improvement of grace that contributes so much to the lifting up of the glory of the Lord and to the greatning of his praise in the world Many Saints have had their hearts warmed and heated by siting by other Saints fire by eying and dwelling upon other Saints
unstable soules An heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed children they break all Promises and Covenants with God and man as Sampson did the new Ropes So in Prov. 19. 19. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment for if thou deliver him yet thou must doe it againe The Hebrew word Tosiph signifies to adde sayes he thou must adde deliverance to deliverance for he will still be a adding sin to sin So the radix Jasaph is used Deut. 29. 19. and in severall other Scriptures Such sinners make God a God of clouts one that will not doe as he sayes Ahab after he was threatned with utter rooting out begat fifty Sons as it were to crosse God and to try it out with him Let God thunder Jer. 9. 3. in his judgements yet he will add sin to sin he will proceed from evill to evill till he comes to the very top of evill viz. to be hardned in sin and to scoffe at holinesse c. The old Italians were wont in time of thunder to shoot Wiâ—nesse Ahab Hamaâ— Jehu Jeroboaâ— the soâ—le in the Gospel and those in Mat. 23. 14 15 16. off their greatest Ordnance and to ring their greatest Bells to drowne the noyse of the Heavens So let God thunder from Heaven yet wicked men will so improve their wicked principles that their consciences may not hear the noyse of the Thunder-claps of Divine displeasure The covetous man will improve his earthly Principles and the ambtious man his ambitious Principles and the voluptuous man his voluptuous principles and the unchast man his unclean principles and the erroneous man his erroneous Principles and the blasphemous man his blasphemous Principles c. Ah Sirs shall wicked men thus improve their wicked Principles to the uttermost against God Christ and Religion and against the prosperity peace joy and happinesse of the Saints And shall not Saints improve their graces to the uttermost for the honour of the Lord the advancement of Religion and the mutuall profit and benefit of each other Seventhly The more high and excellent any man is in grace the more highly he shall be exalted in glory Oh therefore exercise your Grace improve your grace as you would be high in Heaven labour to improve your graces much while you are here on earth for glory will be given out at last according to the exercise and improvement of your grace The more high and improved a mans graces be the more that man will doe for God and the more any man doth for God the more at last shall he receive from God 1 Cor. 15. last Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable Darius before he came to the Kingdom received a Gaâ—ment for a gift of one Sylosâ— and when he became King he rewarded him with the command of his Countrey Sanus c. alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. So Gal. 6. He that sowes sparingly shall reap sparingly but he that sowes liberally shall reap liberally The more any man hath improved his Grace the more that man will be able to bare and suffer for God and the more any man bears and suffers for God the more glory shall that man have at last from God Mat. 5. 11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad or Leap and dance for joy Why so For great is your reward in heaven God is a liberall Pay-master and no small things Chaireâ—e kai agalâ—iasthe Leap skip for joy c. can fall from so great and so gratious a hand as his The more excellent any man is in Grace the more he is the delight of God Psal 16. 3 4. My goodnesse extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Now this is spoken in the person of Christ for the Apostle applies these words to Christ Now saith Christ My goodnesse reaches not to thee oh father Acts 2 25. The sa he delights in all his Children yet somtimes he delights more in one then in another c. but to the Saints and to the excellent in whom is all my delight And doubtlesse they that are his greatest delight on earth shall be possest of the greatest glory in Heaven If fathers give the greatest portions to those Children in whom they delight why should not Christ Is it equity in the one and iniquity in the other Surely no Christ may doe with his owne as he pleases Againe The more any man improves his Grace the clearer sweeter fuller and richer is his injoyments of God here There 's no man in all the world that hath such injoyments of God as that man hath that most improves his Graces 'T is not he that knows most nor him that hears most nor yet he that talkes most but he that exercises Grace most that hath most communion with God that hath the clearest visions of God that hath the sweetest discoveries and manifestations of God Now certainly if they that improve their graces most have most of God here then without controversie they shall have most of God hereafter Doubtlesse a man may as well plead for equall degrees of Grace in this world as for equall degrees of glory in the other world Againe If those who are most gracelesse and wicked shall be most tormented then certainly they that are most gracious shall be most exalted in the day of Christ But the more wicked any man is the more shall he be tormented in the Mat. 23. 14. Luke 12. 47 48. day of vengeance Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye shall receive the greater damnation The darkest the lowest the hottest place in hell is provided for you therefore it roundly followes That those that are most gracious shall at last be most glorious And thus much for the Motives that tend to provoke all the precious Children of Zion to make a through improvement of the Gifts and Graces that the Lord ha's bestow'd upon them I shall now come to the resolution of a weighty Question and so conclude this Point which I have been the longer upon by reason of its very great usefullnesse in these dayes wherein men strive to exercise any thing yea every thing but grace and holinesse c. Now the Question is this When may a soule be said to be excellent in Grace or to have highly improved Grace Now to this Question I shall give these following Answers First A soule that 's high and excellent in grace that hath improved his Graces to a considerable height will keepe humble and unspotted under great outward injoyments 'T is said of Daniel that he had an excellent spirit and herein Many are seemingly good till they come to be great and then they prove
hath ordained to convey all fullnesse of light to the Aire by the Sun and therefore hath put a greater fullnesse of light into the Sun God hath ordained all fullnesse of nourishment to the branches by the roots and therefore hath put a fullnesse of juice into the roots So the Lord hath ordained that all the riches of grace of peace of glory c. that Believers shall injoy here and in Heaven they shall have from this Son of righteousnesse from this blessed root the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore the father hath filled this Son with light this root with heavenly juice because he is by Divine ordination to convey all spirituall and glorious John 15. 21 22. Sirens are said to sing curiously while â—hey live but to râ—are horribly when they dye So will all those that have rerected so rich a Jesus as ha's been tendred â—o them when the Lord Jesus shall plead with them c. Riches into the hearts of his chosen and beloved ones A third Ground is To take away all excuse from ungodly and wicked men and that they may be found speechlesse in the day of vengeance when the Lord shall come to reckon with them Ah sinners How will you that have turn'd your backs upon Christ who is thus rich be able to answer it in the day when God shall reason the case with you When God shall say sinners Ha's it not been often told you that Christ is rich in mercy and rich in goodnesse and rich in grace rich in pardons rich in loves and rich in glory rich in spiritualls rich in temporalls and rich in eternalls and yet you have slighted this Christ you have turned your backs upon this Christ you have preferred your lusts and the world and the service of the Devil above this Christ Oh! How dumb how speechlesse will sinners be when the Lord shall thus plead with them Oh how will their countenances be changed their thoughts troubled their joynts loosed their consciences enraged and their soules terrified when they shall see what a rich Match they have refused and thereupon how justly they are for ever accursed c. Lastly It is upon this account That he may be a compleat Redeemer to us and that nothing may hinder our soules closing with the Lord Jesus Christ. We stand in need of one that 's rich rich in grace to pardon us rich in power to support us and rich in goodnesse to relieve us and rich in glory to Crowne us there 's none but such We may say of Christ as Writers say of the Jasper it 's easier to admire then declare it and far more easier to say what he is not then what he is a Christ can serve our turnes We stand in need of one that 's rich that 's generally rich one that 's rich in money to pay all our debts We have run much upon the score with God and none can pay this score but Christ our sins are debts that none can pay but Christ 'T is not our teares but his blood 't is not our sighes but his sufferings that can satisfie for our sins We are much in debt to God for the ground we tread on the aire we breath in the beds we lye on the bread we eat the cloaths we wear c. and none can pay this debt but Christ Angels and Saints may pitty us but they cannot discharge the least debt for us c. Christ must pay all or we are Prisoners for ever c. We stand in need of one that 's rich in goodnesse we are a needy people and are still in want Christ must be still a giving or we shall be still a languishing if he shut his hand we perish and returne to dust Our temporall wants are many our spirituall wants are more and if Christ don't supply them who will who can Nay our wants are so many and so great that Christ himselfe could not supply them were he not very very rich And thus I have given you a brief account of the Reasons of the Point Why the Lord Jesus is held forth by the Scripture to be so very rich We shall now come to the third thing propos'd and that is The Excellency of the Riches of Christ above all other riches in the World I shall briefly run over this third branch and so come to the Application which is most in my eye and upon my heart The Excellency of the Riches of Christ above all other Riches FIrst The riches of Christ are Incomparable riches In Prov. 3. 13 14 15. Happy is the man that findeth wisedome that is the Lord Jesus Christ and the man that getteth understanding for the merchandize of it is better then the merchandize of silver and the gaine thereof then fine gold She is more precious then Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her One grain of Grace is far beyond all the gold of Ophir and all the silver of the Indies which is but the guts and garbidge of the earth We may say of the riches of this world compared with the riches of Christ as Gideon sometime said of the Vintage of Abiezer The gleanings of Ephraim are better then the Vintage of Abiezer So the gleanings the smallest gatherings of the riches of Christ are far better more excellent more satisfying more contenting and more ravishing then all the riches of this world The whole Turkish Empire saith Luther is but a crust that God throwes to a Dogge The wise Merchant Mat. 13. Riches are called Thick clay Hab. 2. 6. which will sooner breake the back then lighten the heart c. 44 45. parts with all to gaine this Pearle of price the truth is other riches are but a burden Gen. 13. 2. Abraham was very rich in Cattell in silver and in gold The Hebrew word Cabbedh is He was very heavy in Cattell in silver and in gold To signifie that riches are but heavy burdens A little will serve nature lesse will serve grace but nothing will serve mens lusts Pheraulas a poor man on whom Cyrus bestowed so much that he knew not what to doe with his riches being wearied out with care in keeping of them he desired rather to live quietly though poor as he had done before then to possesse all those riches with discontent therefore he gave away all his wealth desiring onely to enjoy so much as might supply his necessities Let worldly Professors think seriously of this story and blush c. Secondly the riches of Christ are Inexhaustible riches as Earthly riches are true Gardens of Adonis where we can gâ—â—her nothing but triviall flowers surrounded with many bryars I have hinted before Christ can never be drawne dry The Spanish Ambassador coming to see the Treasury of St. Mark in Venice which is cryed up throughout the world fell a groping whether it had any bottome and being asked why answered In this among other things my
He proceeds from virtue to virtue untill at length he shines like the Sun in its strength And so in Mal. 4. 2. Vnto you that feare my name shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing under his wings and you shall goe forth and grow up as Calves of the stall Hos 14. 5 1 7. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon His branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree and his smell as Lebanon They that dwell under his shadow shall returne they shall revive as the corne and grow as the Vine The sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon I shall but hint at this now because I have spoken more fully to it already c. The second Proposition is this Few or none are rich in all Graces There are some men in the world that are generally rich that are rich in money and rich in land and rich in goods But where you have one man that is a generall rich man in this sense you have ten thousand that are onely rich in some one thing as Money Goods or Land c. so it is here 'T is a hard thing if possible to find a soule that 's generally rich That is rich in every grace that 's rich in faith and rich in wisedome and rich in love and rich in patience c. Abraham was rich in Faith and Job was rich in Patience and Moses was rich in Meeknesse and David was rich in zeale c. but none of these were rich in every grace And so in these dayes you may find one Christian rich in one grace and another Christian rich in another grace but where will you find a Christian that is rich in every grace Such that are rich in some graces are yet very defective and lame in other graces No grace growes alike in all Saints In the Parable some brought forth thirty some sixty some a hundred c. The Saints once at Rome were richer in wisedome and knowledge then the Saints at Thessalonica Rom. 15. 14. And the Saints at Thessalonica were richer in faith love patience and charity then the Saints at Rome 1 Thess 1. 4. 2. 8. compared with 2 Epist 1. 3 4. It is with Saints as with sinners one sinner excells in one vice another in another vice So one Saint excells in one virtue and another in another virtue one is rich in joy in comfort another is rich in humility in feare another in faith and hope and another in love c. And mark how this arises It arises sometimes from hence that every Saint doth indeavour to excell in that particular grace that is most opposite to his bosome sin Now every Saints bosome sin is not alike it may be pride is one mans bosome sin and hypocrisie another mans bosome sin c. Now it 's the very nature of grace to make a man strive to be most eminent in that particular grace that is most opposite to his bosome sin and upon this account it comes to passe that one is rich in one grace and another in another Againe Some Saints have frequent occasions to act and exercise such and such graces others are called forth to act such and such graces now the more any particular grace is acted the more that particular grace is increased frequent acts cause a stronger habite both in graces and in sins If all Christians should be rich in all graces what difference would there be between heaven and earth what need would there be of Ordinances and when would Christians long to be dissolved and to be with Christ c. The third Proposition is this Soules may be rich in Grace and yet not know it and yet not perceive it The Child is Heire to a Crowne to a great Estate but The Sun ascends with out perception and so 't is often in this supernaturall motion c. The Greeks derive their word for desire from a root that signifies to burn Now if one should heap never so much fuell upon a fire iâ— would not quench it but kindle it the more The Application is easie Gen. 28. knowes it not Moses his face did shine and others saw it but he perceived it not So many a precious soule is rich in grace and others see it and know it and blesse God for it and yet the poore soule perceives it not Now because a right understanding of this may be of much use to some sadded dejected soules I will shew you how this comes to passe First Sometime it arises from the soules strong desires of spirituall riches The strength of the soules desires after spirituall riches doth often take away the very sence of growing spiritually rich Many covetous mens desires are so strongly carried forth after earthly riches that though they doe grow rich yet they cannot perceive it they cannot believe it 'T is just so with many a precious Christian his desires after spirituall riches are so strong that they take away the very sence of his growing rich in spiritualls Many Christians have much worth within them but they see it not 'T was a good man that said The Lord was in this place and I knew it not c. Againe This ariseth sometimes from mens neglecting the casting up of their Accounts Many men thrive and grow rich and yet by neglecting the casting up of their Accounts they cannot tell whether they goe backward or forward 'T is so with many precious soules they grow in grace and are Seneca reports of one Sexius that he would every night ask himselfe these three Questions 1 What evill hast thou healed this day 2 What vice hast thou stood against this day 3 In what part art thou bettered this day c. spiritually rich and yet by neglecting the casting up of their accounts they doe not know it they doe not perceive it c. Againe Sometimes it ariseth from the soules too frequent casting up of its Accounts If a man should cast up his Accounts once a week or once a moneth he may not be able to discerne that he doth grow rich and yet he may grow rich but let him but compare one year with another and he shall clearly see that he doth grow rich Though most are to blame for neglecting the casting up of their accounts yet some are to blame for casting up their accounts too often for by this means they are not able to perceive their spirituall growth and so can neither be so thankfull nor so cheerfull as otherwise they might Let there be some considerable time between your casting up of your Accounts and you will find that your soules are growne rich though for the present you perceive it not But then againe Sometimes it ariseth from the soules mistake in casting up of its accounts The soule many times mistakes 't is in a hurry and there the soule puts downe ten for a hundred and a
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
need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus as he did the widowes vessel The fountaine hath not the lesse water for the vessel it fills nor the Sun the lesse light for that it gives forth to the Starres so the Lord Jesus Christ hath never a whit the lesse for what he gives forth unto his Saints When Zelislaus the King of Poland's Generall had lost his hand in his service the King sent him a golden hand Ah Christians when you loose this or that for him he will send you a golden hand if you loose a penny for him he will give you a Pearle Christ will not live long in any mans debt if he should he would loose his glory c. Secondly If the Lord Jesus be very rich Oh then take heed of despairing by reason of your sins I confesse the least sin should humble the soule but certainly the greatest sin should never discourage the soule much lesse should it work the soule to despaire Read 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15. and despaire I had almost said if thou can'st Despairing Judas perished when as the murderers of Christ Acts 2. believing on Christ were saved Despaire is a sin exceeding vild and contemptible 't is a word of eternall reproach dishonour and confusion it declares the Devil a Conquerour and what greater dishonour can be done to Christ then for My sin is greater then can be forgiven saith Gain Thou lyest Cain saith Augustine for Gods mercy is greater then the sins of all men and its a great injury to God to distrust of his mercy a soule to proclaime before all the world the Devil a crowned Conquerour A despairing soule is Magor missabib A terrour to himselfe his heart a hell of horrour his conscience an Acheldama a field of black blood He hath no rest at home nor abroad at bed nor board but is as if infernall Devils followed him in fearfull shapes terrifying and tormenting his perplexed soule Eternity of misery feared or felt begets that Monster which like Medusas head astonisheth with its very aspect and strangles hope which is the breath of the soule As it is said Dum spiro spero so it may be inverted Dum spero spiro other miseries may wound the spirit but despaire kills it dead c. Thirdly If Christ be so rich Then take heed of presuming Christ is a Lyon as well as a Lamb he hath a sword as well as a Scepter Take heed of taking incouragement to sin upon this account that Christ is rich in grace and mercy To argue from the riches of mercy to sinfull liberty is the Devils Logick A soule that thus reasons is a soule left of God a soule that is upon the last step of the ladder a soule that Satan hath by the hand and the eternall God knowes whether he will lead him What the women sung of Saul and David that Saul 1 Sam. 18. 6 7. Rom. 6. 1 2. had slaine his thousands and David his ten thousands that I may say of despaire and presumption Despaire hath slaine her thousand but presumption hath slaine her ten thousand Shall we sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein As the beams of the Sun shining on the fire puts out the fire so the shinings of Gods mercy on us should extinguish sin in us as the Apostle argues 2 Pet. 3. 15. from Paul Rom. 2. 4. Christ seemes to say to soules as Thesius said once Goe sayes he and tell Creon Thesius offers thee a gracious offer yet I am pleased to be friends if thou wilt submit this is my first Message but if this offer prevaile not looke for me to be up in armes Ah soules if you shall abuse the riches of grace to a presumptuous sinning against Christ Christ will take up Armes and you shall dye for it The next Use is this If Christ be so rich Oh then open to Christ when he knocks Christ knocks by his word and he knocks by his rod he knocks by his spirit and he knocks by his messengers and he knocks by conscience Oh open to him for he is very rich Though you shut the doore against a poore man yet you will open it to one that is rich and why not then to Christ who would faine have entrance Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Behold I stand I that am the King of glory I that am Psal 24. 7 8 9. Rev. 17. 14. King of Kings and Lord of Lords I that am rich in mercy rich in goodnesse rich in grace rich in glory I stand at the doore and knocke I that have gold to inrich you I that have eye-salve to inlighten you I that have glorious Apparrell to cloath you I that have mercy to pardon you I that have power to save you I that have wisedome to counsell you I that have happinesse to Crowne you I stand at the doore and knocke If any man will open If the Master will not yet if the servant will if the Mistrisse will not yet if the Maid will if the Parent will not yet if the Child will if the rich man will not yet if the poore man will if the Pharisee won't yet if the Publican will I will come in and will sup with him and he with me Jesus Christ hath the greatest worth and wealth in him as the worth and value of many peeces of silver is in one piece of gold so all the heavenly excellencies that are scattered abroad in Angels and men are united to Christ yea all the whole volume of perfection which is spread through heaven and earth is epitomized in Christ They â—ay 't is true of the Oyle at Rhemes That though it be continually spent in the inauguration of their Kings of France yet it never wasts Christ is a pot of Manna a cruise of Oyle a bottomlesse Ocean of all comforts and contents that never faile A Saint may say In having nothing I have all things because I have Christ Having therefore all things in him I seeke no other reward for he is the universall reward And then againe If Christ be so rich then sit downe and wonder at his condiscending love That one so rich should fall in love with such that are Rev. 3. 17. to 21 c. poore wretched miserable blind and naked that one so high should look so low as poore we that one so great that one who is the Lord and Heire of all should match with us Heb 1 2 3 4. Phil. 3. 17 18 19 c. Ezek. 16. that have nothing at all O the breadth the length the depth the highth of Christs love to unlovely soules to such that had neither portion nor proportion that had neither externall nor internall worth that might in the
therein lyes their glory and perfection Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgement because as he is so are we in this world As he so are we The Child is not more like the father then then we are like our Saviour The Child is the father multiplied the father of a second edition Our Summum bonum consists in our full communion with Christ and in our full conformity to Christ Oh if men were more universally conformable to Christ in their affections ends designes and actings c. they would have abundantly more clear full and glorious evidences of their interest in Christ A more full conformity to Christ in heart and life will make your lives a very Heaven c. Fourthly Interest Christ in the glory of all you injoy and in the glory of all you doe This is a precious way to have your interest in Christ more 1 Cor. 10. 31. and more evidenced to your owne soules Such as are good at this as are much in this will find Christ every day a clearing up more and more their interest in himselfe 'T is not usually long night with such soules O Christians interest Christ more and more in the glory of all your graces interest him in the glory of all your duties interest him in the glory of all your abilities as Christ doth interest you in himselfe in John 1. 16. Rev. 1. 5 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. his spirit in his graces in his riches in his Titles in his dignities in his offices Ah Christians did you interest Christ more in all you have in all you are and in all you doe you would never be so full of feares and doubts and questions about your interest in Christ as you are Your interessing of Christ in all you have and doe will speak out not onely the The mother that strongly loves her child dâ—es not question the truth of he love to her child truth of your love but also the strength and greatnesse of your love and where men love much where they love strongly there they doe not question the truth of their love The Heathen Gods were contented to divide their honours amongst themselves and hence the Senate of Rome rejected Christ from taking him to be a God after that they had consulted about it For said they if Christ come to be acknowledged a God he will not share with the rest he will have all himselfe And so upon this reason they refused him Christians Christ will not have any competitor he will rather part with any thing then with his glory Isa 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another neither my praise to graven Images Christ will rather part with his life then with his honour therefore let every Christian say as David does 1 Chron. 29. 11 12 13. Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the Majesty for all that is in the Heaven and in the earth is thine Thine is the Kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all And in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Now therefore our God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name And cleerly friends the more your hearts are led forth to interest Christ in all you injoy and in all you doe the more clear and glorious evidence you will have of your interest in Christ let his honour and glory lye nearer and nearer to your hearts and you shall see that he ha's set you as a seale upon his arme as a seale upon his heart The fifth meanes to gaine the knowledge of your interest in Christ is By cleaving to Christ and whatsoever is deare to Christ in the face of all miseries difficulties and dangers It 's nothing to cleave to Christ in faire weather when every Psal 44. Acts 5. Heb. 11. Dan. 3. Acts 21. 13. one cleaves to Christ when every one professes Christ but to cleave to him in a storme when every one runs from him this speaks out a child-like disposition it speaks out a Jacob's spirit Surely he must needs have much of Christ that nothing can take off from cleaving to Christ When the soule sayes to Christ as Ruth said to Naomi Whither thou Ruth 1. 15 16 17 18. goest I will goe and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God shall be my God The Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me When neither the frownes of men nor the reproach of men nor the contempt of men nor oppositions from men can take the soule off from cleaving to Christ it will not be long before Christ speaks peace to such a soule Psal 63. 8. My soule followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholds me In the Hebrew 'tis My soule cleaveth to thee or Dabka naphshi is glewed to thee as Jonathan's soule cleav'd to David and as Jacob's soule cleav'd to Rachel in the face of all difficulties and troubles Doubtlesse when the soule cleaves to Christ in the face of all afflictions and difficulties this carries with it Shaâ—nma one of Davids Worthies stood and defended the field when all the rest fled very much evidence of its interest in Christ In temporalls men cleave to persons and things as their interest is in them and so 't is in spirituals also Christ cannot Christ will not throw such to hell that hang about him that cleave to him Sixthly and lastly If you would know whether you have an interest in Christ Then be very much in observing what interest Christ ha's in you Observe whether he ha's the interest of a head a husband a father or no Christ ha's a generall interest in all creatures as he is the Creator and Preserver of them And he ha's a heads interest a husbands interest a fathers interest onely in them that have a saving interest in him The interest of the head the husband the father is the greatest interest 't is the sweetest interest 't is a commanding interest 't is a growing interest 't is a peculiar interest 't is a lasting interest and really if the Lord Jesus hath such an interest in you you may be as confident that you have a reall and glorious interest in him ' as you are confident that you live And thus much for the means whereby you may come to know your interest in rich Jesus Before I close up this discourse give me leave to speak a few words to poore sinners who to this very day are afar off from this Jesus who is so rich in all excellencies and glories A VSE of Exhortation to Christ-less soules Ah poore hearts you have heard much of the riches of the Lord