least Satan may suggest why what is this a poor thing that can hardly crawl towards Christ in a duty so weak there is little or nothing to be seen of the Image of God in his heart because there is so little Ay but Christians you do not know under what designment this little is what great things the Lord hath to manage by this little grace Daniel when the Lord shewed him the great revolutions that were to be in the world he shewed him a Mountain a mighty mountain And he shewed him also a little Stone that was cut out of the Mountain without hands and this stone should be bigger than the Mountain The Mountain if you take it to be the Roman Empire that was as a Mountain that filled a great part of the Earth ay but the little Stone that is cut out of the Mountain without hands that shall cover all the face of the Earth in its time So I say do but you make it your business to discover grace and never prescribe any limits as to that grace A little grace may be under a great design little David did more then the mighty man Saul that was taller than all the Israelites he was under a greater designment I pray consider this with me under these two branches 1. The least grace may be under a designment for greatest service for the time to come Christ is Prophecied of as a root that should grow out of a dry ground so Christ is compared he promised but little there was but a very slender appearance of Jesus at the first that ever he should be the man in whom all the Promises and Prophecies should center A Carpenters Son this is but the Son of a Carpenter say they an unlikely thing that all the Promises and Prophecies of the Messiah should center in him and have their accomplishment in him Even so it may be with Christians little beginnings many times do work and boil up and improve unto greatest undertakements If you nakedly consider how the Lord dealt with his own Disciples one would wonder that they should be his hearers three years and and an half and when all came to all had not so much Faith as to believe that this was really he that they should not have grace enough to bear them out in one brush of trial that they met with in the apprehending of our Lord but they must all forsake him when he was upon the Cross That indeed was something a great trial but to forsake him as soon as ever he was apprehended and for Peter to deny him as soon as ever he was challenged this do's not discover greatness of grace Truly these men as I may say were men of little stature and the Kingdom of Heaven in them during that time they lived with Christ and heard the Lord Christ was but as a grain of Mustard Seed and yet these were the men that must do the great work of God in the World So it may be there is but a little grace in thy Childs Heart or in thine own Heart but that little grace may be under a great designment for great service and therefore it is that the Lord will look after a little because he knows what it is that you are designed for and that every one is designed for 2. The least grace may be under a designment for the greatest injoyments that is God may design a Person for the greatest enjoyments that hath now but the least grace Many times Children that are weakest have most of the manifestations of the tender affections of the Mother Truly so I may say the Lord doth lead those many times by the hand that he hath given but little grace to when others are as it were turned to go of themselves the Lambs are carried in the Bosom of the Shepherd Isa 40.11 the Lord promiseth that he will raise up a Shepherd that shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his Bosom Christians though you be but little yet I Pray consider you may be under a designment of great enjoyments the Lord doth many times give you as it were the sweet of the Gospel whilst he feeds others with courser and harsher fare The Lord giveth you the dainties of the Covenant and of the Promises when he doth treat with others with more course or more common Providences Christians I pray consider not only for the present but for the time to come you may be under the greatest designments for the greatest enjoyments and therefore it is that God will not lose the least grain what sieve soever he makes use of to be sure his Eye and his Hand will be upon the least grain in the sieve because of their designment 3. The Lord will take care of those that have the least grace because those that have the least grace have a full right I pray do but observe there is no gradual difference in Gospel right if I have a right to an Estate wrapt up in a scroul of paper it is as much as the right that another hath to his Estate that is written or enlarged upon in a sheet truly so it is with Christians little grace gives a full right and therefore the Lord will look after it or else he must suffer his own right to be lost the right that he hath given to be void if he doth not look after the least grace I will open this in these two Branches 1. The greatest promises are made to the least of graces I pray turn to that passage of our Lord in the first Sermon that ever he preached upon the Mount in Mat. 5. Blessed say he are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven What can you have more than the Kingdom not the Kingdoms of the Earth but the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom without limitation Theirs is the throne of the Kingdom and their is the Crown of the Kingdom theirs is the Blessedness the glory of the Kingdom and who are these to whom this Kingdom in all its glory is thus annexed by promise It is those who are poor in Spirit that have but a little grace and yet are sensible of their little Christians there is no graduall variation in right though there are always gradual variations in the comfort of your right you shall scarce meet with two Christians that have in all points an equal ballance of comfortable enjoyment of their Right and yet their Right is the same thy promise is my promise and the Blessing that is a Christians by Covenant that hath attained to the greatest measures of grace these very Blessings and this very Covenant may with all its Blessings belong to him that hath least grace May a man that is well thriven in grace say all this is mine as God said to Abraham when he led him forth come saies he look towards the East and the West and the North and the South Behold all this Land will I
are blessed with this in Christ Jesus 6. Another Spiritual Blessing is this A reserved Inheritance of all full and Spiritual and comprehensive blessednesses My friends here we have to allude to the people of Israel in the wilderness it may be some few Cottages or Tabernacles that are transitory as those People had some moving resting-places Here is a little grace planted a little faith and a little love and this grows up pretty likelily and pretty promisingly but what is this to the inheritance where that which is in part shall be done way where there is no such thing as grace in part no such thing as love in part no such thing as joy in part no such thing as communion in part for that which is in part shall be done away I think the Apostle speaks fully to our purpose where he tells us of an inheritance reserved 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ You see the Apostle mentions the same Relations that are here in the Text why what is the matter Blessed Peter Why says he the matter is this The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you verse 4. Why friends what is this inheritance Why there I shall inherit the Covenant in its fulness I shall not say that either I want any Law in my heart or in my Head in my inward or in my outward man I shall have no reason to complain that I want the least blessing of the least promise Why Christians this is your inheritance and are not here Spiritual Blessings that are the proper matter of this Inheritance Now the Apostle tells us that he hath blessed us with this in Christ verse 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to â—he purpose of him that worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will How far Christ is concerned in this Spiritual blessing â—ou may easily observe if so be that you â—ither consider the type or the antitype as â—o the type which was Joshua or Jesus Moâ—â—s must not bring the people into their Inheritance indeed in Moses's Time they might have some Bunches of the Grapes of the good land but Moses must not bring them in it must be Joshua that must bring them in So I say my Friends it is not this or that or the other but the Lord Jesus alone that must bring his people into the possession of this reserved inheritance here is indeed a Cluster of Spiritual Blessings infinitely exceeding all the capacities of the Sons and Daughters of men though most of all inlightned by the Spirit to comprehend in whom says he we have obtained an Inheritance who is this whom It is the Lord Jesus Christ to gather together in one all things in Christ in whom we have obtained an Inheritance As much as if the Apostle had said as the Apostle doth in Christs own case we see not yet all thingâ— put under him So I may say you have noâ— yet obtained the Inheritance no more had Paul no more had these Ephesians but yeâ— he speaks as one having full assurance in whom we have obtained answerable to that of our Lord in Joh. 14.2 I go to preparâ— a place for you And the Apostle takeâ— it up and otherwise phrases it Heb. 6 2â— Whither the forerunner is for us entred speaking of the Inheritance that is above whither cur forerunner is for us entered so that this another Spiritual Blessing wherewith we are blessed in Christ Jesus 7. But another spiritual blessing wherewith we are blessed in Christ Jesus is this The Seal and Earnest of what is to come and the very Spirit is made the very matter of this Blessing wherewith he hath blessed us in Christ Jesus I pray do but cast your eyes upon verse 13. In whom ye also trusted still he continues his discourse and fixes Christ at the bottom of all 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 of promise verse 14. which is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory Here is a comprehensive spiritual blessing indeed which is the Seal of the eternal Inheritance and the Earnest of it as if the Lord should say when he sends forth his Spirit go my holy Spirit go and seize upon such a heart and seal up such a Soul for the eternal Inheritance and as if he should say to his Son Lo my Son I have given my Spirit to such a one whom thou hast shed thy blood for and lo I send him as the Earnest of the Inheritance that thou hast purchased as the Earnest of my eternal love to thee as the Earnest of my eternal Communion with thee as the earnest of my answering of thy prayer and the import of all thy blood Lo I have sent him and lo he is to them an Earnest Now Sirs this is a great blessing a very glorious blessing indeed God might have designed and kept the design in his own breast or he might have divulged it yet have given us no earnest or pledge of it what needed all that between God and us Christ might have taken his word and we had good reason to rest upon any report that the Lord Christ makes of his confidence in the Father but the Lord Christ and the Father did concur together in this that we should have the Blessing notwithstanding all notwithstandings and that it should be sure to all the seed Yet for our further satisfaction says the Lord behold I give my promise and I give the promised Spirit and that Spirit shall be my Seal upon their hearts and my seal upon their understandings so that look into your hearts and into your understandings and upon this inquiry whose are you Do but make a reflection whose Seal whose Image whose Superscription is this You shall find that the Spirit of the Lord is as it were Gods assuring Seal Ay but it may be you will say this is a great while to come It may be Ten or Twenty or Thirty or Forty years to come Well if those do not satisfy you that you are sealed the Spirit also shall be an Earnest of the Inheritance an Earnest of the future personal blessedness and glory which God hath blessed you with in Christ It is not only Heaven but the personal condition and state of Saints in Heaven that is the glory of their Inheritance and this is another thing 8. But then in the 8th place another Spiritual blessing wherewith the God and Father of Jesus Christ does bless Christians is this Practical experiences of the power of Gods grace
Neighbours have you not Children have you not Husbands or Wives Though they be Christian yet I appeal to you all may not you also be a greater Spiritual blessing unto them then you are May you not be a greater Spiritual blessing to your servants or to your Children then you are Great are the designs of many to lay up great things for their Children alas these parents are but temporal or temporary blessings to their Children whilest their hearts are set upon the world for them and truly it may be said of most Masters that they are but temporal blessings unto their servants they are but Family blessings to them O Sirs that we could make it more our business to be Spiritual blessings unto others hath God blessed you with all Spiritual blessings in Christ How do you know but he hath blessed your Children with some Spiritual blessing in you and blessed your Servants with some Spiritual blessing in you With-hold not that from your Children which is their right or at least for ought you know may be their right if you will not give it forth I tell you God hath other ways but you shall lose the glory and honour of it Let me tell you this when we say that God hath blessed such a child with a good Father we mean that he hath blessed that Father with Spiritual blessings for the good of the child and such a one is happy and blessed in such a Husband what do we mean but this that God hath blessed him with Spiritual blessings for the good of his Wife and so in all other relations what ever O blessed are that Church and that people and that family in whom there is a great Emulation who shall be the greatest Spiritual blessing each to other and this seems also to be a very natural inference If God hath blessed us in Christ Jesus with all Spiritual blessings then surely God may bless others in us with some Spiritual blessing and if God hath blessed others in us with some Spiritual blessings then why should we with-hold from them that which â—s their own God hath given them the â—ight God hath given them the blessing why should we with-hold the blessing from them Would you be so dealt withal by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I row not therefore Christians by the love you have to Christ by the hopes you have â—o receive out of the hands of Christ what â—s lodged there by the grace of the heart of God what ever grace God hath lodged in our hearts what ever Spiritual gifts God â—ath lodged in your heads improve it as a â—piritual blessing to others even to those â—or whom you are concerned and then â—y friends you may more comfortably exâ—ect the fulfilment the accomplishment â—nd the sealing up of this word every day more and more and the experience of it that you may come by frequent renewed experience to say and would it not be well with you if every day you could say and every evening you could say Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed me with all Spiritual blessings in Christ SERMON III. Ephesians 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of oâ—â— Lord Jesus Christ who hath blesseâ— us with all Spiritual Blessings Heavenly places in Christ WHat the present state of the Christian Ephesians were at thâ— time of the writing of this Epistle seeâ— to be uncertain It is probable it was a stâ—â—â— of affliction and the probability of it yâ—â— may found upon diverse passages in 〈◊〉 Scripture which I shall now wave It seeâ—â— most likely what ever their secular est … was that their Spiritual Estate was atten … with more than ordinary enjoyments and beautified with more then ordinary priviledges But Christians however it was with them you know how it is with us under secular and temporal discouragements it is the Christians wisdom to seek out for some Spiritual incouragements when there seems to be a confederacy on Earth to encroach upon the remains of our temporal blessings 't is the interest of Christians to look above and to consider what is the combination of Heaven and the concurrence of the blessed Trinity about their Spiritual blessings Christians I do not know all your Estates but this in general I may propose if you be Christians indeed however it is with you here below you are blessed with all beyond all possibility of reverse above for says the Apostle here Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ Three things lye wrapt up in the words The first is a discovery of the Saints state his Scripture Gospel state It is an unalterable and universal state of Blessedness It is not some singular or some single petty blessing that is annexed and affixed by an Irrevocable act of grace upon him but it is all blessings all Spiritual blessings 2. Secondly You have the security of this their blessed state discovered It is not a blessedness lodged upon or lodged in their own persons such was Adams blessedness and you know what little safety and security there was in that It is not a blessedness that is fixed here below but it is a blessedness that as to the principal Concerns of it is fixed above in Heavenly places in Christ not in Christians in an earthly Paradise but in Heavenly places in Christ 3. Thirdly You have in these words the author of all this blessedness and that is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I have been discovering what those Spiritual blessings are wherewith the God and Father of Jesus Christ hath blessed every Christian my business at this time will lye in the resolve of this inquiry Qu. Why or whence is it that we are blessed with all Spiritual blessings in Christ An. With all plainness and brevity I shall endeavour to resolve this inquiry and improve it and in the resolve of it I shall not exceed not only the bounds of this Chapter but of the words that I have read unto you It is matter of wonder in Heaven that a poor Christian that hath an empty heart on Earth That a poor Christian whose conversation and whose duties are mostly empty of Spiritual service should be blessed with all Spiritual blessings Certainly Sirs the Angels in Heaven that are privy to this transaction of grace are filled with admiration that we that are senseless of that grace should yet notwithstanding be so blessed Those glorious Spirits that never offended that they should have but their measures proportioned to their practices and that we should have our measures pressed down and running over given unto us notwithstanding our general principles and practices are against the designs of Heaven It is matter of wonder to a serious Christian a Christian that makes it his business to inquire and examine his own frame both by Gospel promises and by Gospel priviledges
me feed my lambs O Christians the great care and the great provision that is made in both Testaments and the great injunctions that are laid upon those that are concerned in the administration of both Testaments is to look after the meanest Christians which must needs discover this great truth that the meanest Christian that is a Christian indeed shall not miscarry but I shall open this further to you in two branches 1. That the least grace in the least Christian is the product of the greatest grace that works in the Blessed Trinity There is nothing in the least Christian but the great and infinite grace of the Blessed Trinity concurred to the producing of it This I would only illustrate to you by a passage of our Lord in Matth. 13. v. 31. where he compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a grain of mustard seed why what is the Kingdom of Heaven but the Administration of the Gospel according to the Eternal Counsels of God that are past in Heaven Now saies he The Kingdom of Heaven is as a grain of mustard seed Why but Lord might they say here is a grain that hath brought forth and spread abundantly this is like the Kingdom of Heaven indeed ay but saies he the little grain though it be the least of all grains is a fit similitude and comparison for the Kingdom of Heaven To what shall I liken the Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven saies he is like a grain of mustardseed which a man took and sowed in his field So that there is the whole resemblance of the Kingdom of Heaven even in a little grain as soon as ever it is sown as much as when it is in its greatest flourish after its full growth there is a real and a comprehensive resemblance of it in the least seed of grace that is sown in thy heart there is the Grace of the Kingdom manifested in thee the Righteousness of the Kingdom is manifested in thee The offices of all persons concerned in the Kingdom they are all manifested in thee Jesus Christs mediation and the Spirits Sanctification and the Fathers Justification these are all manifested upon the least work of grace that is wrought in thee I tell you there is a substantial manifestation of all the blessednesses of the Kingdom of Heaven in the least work of grace that is wrought upon any Heart 2. The least work of grace upon the Heart of the least Christian is a manifestation not only of the Kingdom of Heaven but a real demonstration of the Kingdom of Glory A demonstration á priori as they call it a demonstration of that which is antecedent or anantecedent demonstration of the Kingdom of Glory as well as the greatest flourishes of grace I pray Christians consider you that are young in grace you have a demonstration in you an antecedent demonstration of the Kingdom of Glory I pray what is the Kingdom of Glory but the flourish of that love that I have now wrought in me in the Kingdom of grace It is the increase of my likeness to God and to Jesus Christ in Heaven that is now begun in me this is the Kingdom of Glory Now this little work of grace is an antecedent demonstration of an incomprehensible weight of Glory that is to be put upon the People of God when they come in Heaven and this you may see evidenced in the parable that I last mentioned and in the other parables that our Lord Jesus Christ doth make use of 3. A Third Proposition is this That the greatest and dreadfullest threatnings are denounced against discouraging carriages towards those that have least grace as well as towards those that have greatest Nay let me also tell you this that although they themselves be under the tokens of Gods displeasure yet their Relation to God doth heightenthem as aggravations of their enemies carriage towards them I find not a greater threatning ever came out of the mouth of Christ Jesus when he was on Earth then this It were better say's he for that man that he had a Milstone hanged about his neck and he cast into the midst of the Sea then he should offend one of these little ones that believeth on me he speaks not of little ones as to nature but of little ones as to grace The design of the Jews was to lay stumbling blocks before the little ones that is those that had a little love to Christ those that had a little Faith on Christ those whose hearts were engaged by that little fire of grace that was in them to follow the Lord Jesus Christ Says Christ If any man doth offend one of these little ones it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the midst of the Sea But I shall open this likewise in these two branches 1. Gods severest execution of threatnings takes its rise from the adversaries carriage towards the least of those that belong to him As for instance you know God threatned that he would have perpetual War with Amaleck and why with Ameleck more then with Moab or with Edom or the other Nations that gave disturbance to his People you shall find the reason to be because they watched their opportunity and smote the hinmost of the People they did not march upon the front of the People but they watched their advantage and they smote the hinmost and feeblest of the People therefore says God I will have perpetual War with Amaleck and this lay as it were reserved in the Bosom of God till the first King that ever appeared upon the Throne of Israel Saul was not commanded to rally his Forces and go against Egypt that Old Enemy that Old Oppressor nor against Moab and those that inveigled them and inticed them in the matter of Baal Peor but go says God to Saul and utterly destroy Amalek 1 Sam. 15. from off the face of the Earth And Saul he did spare none but poor King Agag and God was so incensed against him that he sent Samuel his Prophet to him to tell him that God had rent the Kingdom of Israel from him at the 28. v. because he did not execute the fierceness of his wrath against Amalek for smiting the hindmost of the People and those that were feeble amongst them as they came out of Egypt And truly Friends this is the design and hath been all along the design of your spiritual adversaries they seldom march upon the Front but in the Spirit of Amalek they wait for their advantage upon those that are weak and feeble And for my part I do think that this will be one of the greatest aggravations of the sin of the Devils that they have Tempted the little ones that have followed Jesus Christ I pray take notice of another passage concerning the poor and weak condition the people of Israel were in the time of Obadiah you shall find in that Prophecy that the Assyrians came upon them and makes a
and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Now Christian I pray what is the discouragement that lieth upon thee thou sayest thou art feeble and thou art weak and thou art poor thou art empty thy heart is empty thy head empty and thy affections empty thy prayers are empty thy conversation empty all this is true God knows it is true whence comes all this O thou art fallen in the streets by reason of the feebleness of thy grace and the weakness that doth attend thy duties thou canst hardly set a step but thou fallest thou goest stumbling and stambling on to Heaven and thou hast not strength enough scarce to go through any discouragement Well friend though it be thus with thee yet consider here is the word of the Lord for thy encouragement The feeble amongst them shall be as David And I pray in whose hand is the custody or keeping of the Blessing that is wrapt up in this promise Is it not in the hand of Christ All this courage and all this strength and all these parts and all this grace that must make thee like David A man after Gods own heart to fulfil actually all his will all this is in the hands of Christ And the feeble shall be as David And therefore I pray Sirs though you see but little in your own hearts yet be not discouraged you do not see all that is in the heart and hand of Christ for you That is the first 2. You complain of your feebleness and littleness alas you are as Corn that is dwindled up as we say the least of grains Ay but consider there is the seminal vertue of more in you That little grace that is in you hath a seminal vertue in it God knoweth saith the Apostle who are his Those that are born of God that have the seed of God in them God knows them So that though thou doest not know by reason of thy littleness what thou art yet God knows notwithstanding thy littleness what thou art he knows that there is a seed of grace in thee and therefore I say be not discouraged 2. Secondly Is it so that the Lord Jesus Christ will look after his little ones and will not suffer the least grain to fall upon the Earth Then be you putting forth a little though it be but a little Thou complainest thou art but little truly I am affraid that many mens complaints are attended with as much formality as ever the Scribes and Pharisees Religion was Now I say if it be but a little thou hast reason the more to be putting forth that little And let me tell you Jesus Christ doth expect that you should be putting forth your little that it may appear that you are wheat indeed that you are Christians indeed And though you cannot do so much as another doth yet I beseech you consider if you be but a grain you may do more than others that are behind you that have not the least grain of grace wrought in them you may do more than they do I will urge this with two considerations 1. The first is this A little improvement made by us goeth a great way with God A little Gospel improvement made of a little on Earth goes a great way in Heaven And let me tell you this also further that there are no bounds that can possibly be supposed to be prescribed to the acceptance and to the reward of the improvment of a little grace You know not my friends but a weak one may become a Nation and a feeble one may be multiplyed by the Blessing of God into many Nations you know not how God may bless a little improvement Therefore my exhortation to you is to stir up your selves to be putting forth something if you have but a little faith let it appear that you have a little and if you haue but a little love to the Lord Jesus Christ to his person and Offices let that little appear Sirs and though it do appear but little on earth yet let me tell you it will go a great way in Heaven You may observe this by that poor Woman that had but one poor mite to cast into the treasury and Jesus Christ sat at the door observing how rich men came and cast into the treasury of the House of the Lord a great deal and this poor Woman comes that had but one mite she cast in all that she had I pray observe how far this goes with Christ Christ could not forbear but calls his disciples to him saith Verily I say unto you this Woman hath cast in more than they all Why my friends if you have but a mite cast it in though you can but sigh or groan though you can do but little yet do a little for the Lord Jesus Christ do a little for him in your hearts do a little for him in your families amongst yours Children and Servants It may be you have but little to be doing withal I pray be doing something with your little It is for the Lord Christ you know not how far in Heaven a little that is done on Earth may go 2. Hath the Lord taken such cae to preserve his little ones though they be the least grains and that in all the Commontions and Revolutions of affairs when God is sifting his people in the sieve of the Nations that he knows do hate them wh … perfect hatred then methinks This should speak encouragement unto the little ones not only to put forth a little for Christ but this also should lay an engagment upon them to be willing to suffer any thing rather than to part with the care and protection of God and Christ You have a little Sirs well here stands the case will you part with and for go that God and that Christ that have the care and the charge of your little grace or will you stick to him Methings you should be willing to suffer a little for Christ rather than to part with that great security that is betrusted with Christ for you The apostle had but little of the world yet he met with great sufferings it may be you have but little grace in the world and God calls you to little sufferings in comparison with those thut are truly and formally great sufferings Why now Sirs I pray be willing to part with something for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ suffer the loss of something I do not speak as to temporalls but I speak as to those things that your hearts are most addicted too suffer the loss of something You see a little grace hath a deal of care taken about it I pray Christians if there be any thing in you that is sinful do you part with it do not only suffer the loss of a little but suffer the loss of your All that is offensive to the Lord Jesus Christ because the Lord Jesus Christ hath said
A DISCOURSE OF Spiritual Blessings Or a Discovery I. That every Christian is blessed with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ In four Sermons II. That God hath a high account of the least Grace in the Saints In three Sermons By Mr. John Cromwell late Pastor of a Church of Christ in the City of Norwich Col. 3.11 But Christ is all and in all LONDON Printed by T. S. for Edward Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market-place 1685. TO THE Christian Reader IT is the unspeakable unhappiness of all the Children of Men whilst in a natural condition that they are favoured only with Temporal Blessings and as an aggravation of their misery their Spirit standeth primarily and chiefly towards those Earthly Enjoyments they are minding Earthly things Phil. 3.19 their highest pursuits are after these they estimate and value themselves according to the measures of these which they have enrichment with they are carnally minded which is death Rom. 8.6 They are dead to the things of God which are of highest concernment to their Souls On the other hand all even the lowest Christians are Priviledged not only with some but with all Spiritual Blessings Eph. 1.3 So as they are rightly denominated Spiritual Men 1 Cor. 2.15 Gal. 6.1 They are so in their principles Indeed by a non-improvement thereof although the standing frame of their heart is to Spiritual things yet many if not most come exceedingly short in point of practice that it may be said to them as 1 Cor. 3.1 Are ye not carnal and walk as men They are apt to Divisions and so are Carnal v. 3. To build hay and stubble that which will not abide the fire and is of little value upon the true foundation and so are carnal too worldly and do not exercise Grace in its due height upon all occasions and so are carnal To reduce or advance Christians unto their proper frame and temper of spirituality this eminent and judicious Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. John Cromwell the Author of the ensuing Sermons hath discovered what Spiritual Blessings they are intrusted with It is a matter of lamentation that such a labourer in the Lords Vineyard should so early be transplanted to eternity and that when so many other eminent Ministers have lately been removed from that place by death These Sermons were taken from his mouth by the Pen of a ready Writer they would have come forth in a better dress and with much more advantage if they had been polished with his own hand but as they are here presented to view they may be exceedingly useful to those whose Citizenship is in heaven their affections in Heaven their conversations in Heaven whilst they are on Earth Indeed they evidence that he himself had arrived at a more than ordinary strain of Spirituality which is a great excellency because Spiritual Blessings are most excellent the best of Blessings They have the best Original they have the best Father even him who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 1.3 They come from the best place not from Earth but Heaven in heavenly places from Gods Throne thence he giveth forth all these of the best nature it may be rendred in heavenlies i.e. Not only in heavenly places but in heavenly things Yea Spiritual Blessings have a tendency to the imbellishing and adorning the noblest part the immortal Soul a man may be enriched with temporal Blessings and his Spirit may be the worse for these but ever is the better for these Spiritual Blessings They furnish for the best operations and actings Earthly things may indispose for the highest Services and most glorious imployments they may be clogs and heavy weights pressing down which must be cast off in running the Christian race Heb. 12.1 But Spiritual Blessings capacitate for the choicest actings they give the best discerning of matters which are of highest concernment and greatest moment 1 Cor. 2.15 The Spiritual man judgeth all things i. e. Spiritual men are enabled to pass right Judgment upon Divine matters and what concern themselves their own conditions their own Salvation and what is conducible to it and this far beyond what a natural man one in a natural condition by the greatest parts can attain unto They capacitate to be Spiritually helpful unto others who are fallen by temptation Gal. 6.1 If a man be overtaken with a fault ye which are Spiritual restore such a one put him in joint again They help to descry the ways and methods of Satan in tempting and of Jesus Christ in succouring They qualify to encounter and conflict with Spiritual enemies and resist Spiritual evils which there is the greatest difficulty in the withstanding of Eph. 6.12 The grace of humility helpeth to expell Spiritual pride and the grace of love helpeth against self-love Spiritual Blessings will enable to make improvement of all occurrences towards the highest advantage he that is carnal maketh an ill use of all that is before him he turneth all to sin to himself he setteth corruption or sin on work by all Enjoyments Riches Pleasures Relations yea even by the gracious actings of the Saints but he that is Spiritual maketh use not only of enjoyments but even of the worst befalments as Tryals and afflictions towards Raising heightning and mounting his Soul more towards God he by a Spiritual Chymistry can extract good out of the worst that betideth him Spiritual Blessings will advance to a choosing the highest and best ends When others have inferiour base and low ends of their actings such as are priviledged with these will make God their ultimate and chiefest end they have a frame for doing all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Yea Spiritual Blessings are discriminating differencing of Christians from others 1 Cor. 2. v. 14 15. And so they are evidences of the special favour and love of God v. 10. Whereas a man may have other enjoyments and yet be an object of the highest wrath and indignation of the Almighty And once more Spiritual blessings they are eternal Blessings other things are of no continuance a man may soon be stripped and dispossessed of them but Spiritual Blessings will never be lost they will abide for ever all which sufficiently argue that they have a transcendent excellency far above other things And all these are dispensed out in Jesus Christ Eph. 1.3 They may have a large measure of temporal things and yet be out of Christ but these are all vouchsafed in him they are the fruit of his purchase obtained by a union with him He is the great repository the store house where all Spiritual Blessings are treasured up Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell that we might have recourse to him for all supplies evermore Those in a Christless condition are destitute thereof whatever their attainments be and the great reason why Christians are no more replenished therewith is because they repair no more to him that they may have supplies None are to
they would not yield up their members as instruments of unrighteousness unto Sin why so because the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in your mortal bodies and therefore says he don't yield your members don't yield your hands and don 't yield your tongues and don 't yield your ears nor don 't yield any of your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto Sin because the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in your mortal bodies and thus now I have taken notice of these diverse Spiritual blessings which the Apostle doth here instance in by way of illustration of this great Gospel mystery of grace and that is that God hath blessed every Christian with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus I will wave the reasons and I will also wave the resolve of other inquiries that might be made and wrap up all in these three or four inferences VSE 1 First Is it so my friends that Christians are blessed with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus Then Christians should be always Spiritual in Christ Jesus Shew me your blessings Sirs let it appear that your blessings are not like the blessings of the men of this world Nay nor only confined to the blessings that the hypocrites of this world have received from God don't shew me your gifts in prayer but let your graces be discovered in your praying Christians you should be Spiritual in all manner of conversation why because God hath blessed you in Christ Jesus with all Spiritual blessings for a man that pretends to this blessedness for such a one to be carnal for such a one to be earthly minded for such a one to be proud for such a one to be debauched in his Spirit and Principles and Practices how unbecoming is this to so great a pretence as you all make If I should come to you one by one and say to you friend don't you hope that God hath blessed you with all Spiritual blessings in Christ what means then this formality in duty this is not to be Spiritual What means this anger passion upon every provocation this does not argue that you are blessed with a Spirit of meekness why my friends if you be blessed with all Spiritual blessings then I pray let all your Spiritual blessings appear more or less in your whole conversation for a professor that pretends to be so blessed for him to be formal in his Prayer and for him to be dead and dull in Duty for him to be light and vain and frothy in his Conversation this is not like one that is blessed with all Spiritual blessings Christians the inference is natural if you be blessed with all Spiritual blessings then shew forth all your Spiritual blessings in all your duties be Spiritual in every thing The Apostle has a parallel expression to this wherein he gives us an account of his conversation in the 3 Phil. 20. For our conversation is in heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ that is the first inference VSE 2 The 2d is this Has God blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Then let those that pretend to a being thus blessed by the God and Father of Jesus Christ glorify the God Father of Jesus Christ with all their blessings Glorify him not only with what you have received but also upon the whole of the blessings that are to be received Christians you may rejoyce in what is in the hand of Christ for you as well as in what is in your own hearts I am persuaded that Adam was as perfect as God can make a creature out of Christ and yet you see no sooner doth the Woman come and tell him that the fruit is pleasant and fair but he takes it eats and so destroys all surely Christians you may rejoice in that little you have but you may more rejoice in that great deal that Christ hath for you you have received a little from and by Christ ay but Christ hath received a great deal more for you and therefore balance all your secular wants and secular troubles with this that you are blessed with unseen blessings It was Christs advice to his disciples to lay up treasure in Heaven it is the practice of the grace of God the grace of God hath done that which Jesus Christ advised his disciples and hearers to do What has he done Why he hath laid up treasure where neither moth can corrupt nor Thieves break through and steal And therefore rejoice glorify God for and in the view under the sense and apprehension of what you are blessed with in Christ I will freely say this one thing if I would choose of the two what to rejoice in I had rather rejoice in what I am blessed with in Christ Jesus then in all the gifts and graces that I have in my own heart and I think 't is safest to do so But then VSE 3 Thirdly Has God blessed you with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus Then never confine and limit your expectations from God or from Jesus Christ This naturally follows for why should a Christian that hath liberty to expect all content himself with less Christians should say upon every receipt Lord here is not all and be at him for more wait still upon Christ for more Cry still unto Christ for more and say Lord here is not all This is not all of the Spiritual Blessings that the Father have blessed me withal in thy self This is not all and therefore under your fullest receipts still Christians wait for more has the grace of God been so abundant as to bless you with all and will you shew so little grace as to be contented with a little I do not like neither I am perswaded does God like the tempers of most Professors which is a modest I call it a modest because 't is so generally apprehended but it is a sinful modest contentedness with a little if God give you any thing bless God for a little but never be satisfied with a little but ever and anon come to the Throne of grace and say Father here is not all in my heart that thou hast blessed me withal in Christ Come to the Lord Christ and say Lord here is not all the Father trusted thee withal for my Soul here is not all the faith all the love all the meekness c. But I am blessed with all Spiritual Blessings I say Christians having received a little be still pressing after more But then VSE 4 Fourthly and lastly Hath God blessed you with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Then Christians in the midst of all your wants and in the midst of all your straits be you still pressing after a more true and genuine improvement of all your Spiritual blessings If God hath blessed you with all Spiritual blessings in Christ then labour you under Christ to be Spiritual blessings unto others have you not
testimony of this in general in many places but especially in the shutting up of his ministry and of his life here below in Matth. 28. Go ye therefore says he and teach all nations go ye therefore Wherefore At the 18 verse All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth if he had had only power given him in Heaven he could not have Blessed sinners on Earth if he had had power given him only on Earth he could not have commanded the Blessings of Heaven But says he all power all authority is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all nations Lord to what end might the disciples say must we go Well says Christ I am the Lord of all the Blessings I have an absolute power to dispose of all the Blessings of Heaven and to manage all the heavenly Blessings upon Earth Therefore says he Go preach go teach all nations Go tell sinners that I am ready to bless them I have a heart that is willing to bless them I have a treasure to supply them fully according to all their necessities and according to all their straits Go preach the Gospel to every creature to every Saint and to every sinner I am Lord of all and therefore if you do observe it the commission that Christ gives to his disciples to his Ministers has a peculiar reference unto the Authority that he hath received all the authority that he hath received hath a peculiar reference to them and therefore it must needs discover that whatsoever he received as Soveraign he received for us and therefore no wonder that God blesses us with all in him because he hath made him Lord of all Christians want you peace Christ is Lord of it Want you grace Christ is the Anointed Lord of grace he hath made him Lord of all 2. Secondly The Lordship that Jesus Christ hath in and over us that are to be Blessed and in and over all the blessings that are to be conferred upon us he doth mannage and execute in a way accommodated to the general and particular cases of every Christian As now suppose that I or any of you were made Lord of the treasures that are lodged up for the poor It may be there is one that cannot stir out of doors and there is another that it may be can stir but cannot come at the time and to the place appointed others may it may be some cannot because of natural infirmities now the Lord he that is the Lord Treasurer the Lord Disposer of all those blessings he can accommodate himself to the conditions of every one he can go from house to house to see how many poor there are and what it is that you want do you want Bread or do you want Drink or do you want clothes what is it that you want I see you cannot come abroad and I am come to see your wants truly so my Friends our Lord Christ can accommodate himself to every ones condition he sees that poor creatures cannot make out unto him one is blind and another is lame and another is dead-hearted and discouraged and another is tempted and fettered and cannot go out unto the Lord ay but the Lord can come to them he can come to your cottages to your houses and the Lord can accommodate himself to you say to you Children what want you Children what ails you God hath made me Lord of all Spiritual blessings for you what want you want you wisdom and want you strength and want you peace and want you grace what is it that you want I see you cannot come to me because you want strength and you want a heart to come but I can come to you and I am come to you Thus the Lord of all can accommodate himself It was a great offence that the Scribes those devout superstitious Pharisees took against Christ that he could accommodate himself to the Publicans and Harlots and sinners of the day that could not come out to him but he must go to them and feast with them and this was an offence to them O says Christ I am sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel the sheep do not seek the shepherd but the shepherd is to seek the sheep a poor creature it may be cannot come to the Lord Jesus yet he notwithstanding all his Lordship and all his grandure and all his greatness I tell you Sirs he is such a Lord as can accommodate himself to the conditions of every one and therefore no wonder that the God of all grace hath intrusted him with all and hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in him that is the Lord and Master of so much grace Fourthly The 4th reason is this we are blessed with all Spiritual Blessings in him Because he is the Jesus of the New Testament When the Angel by a special commission was sent from God to name the Child he gives him this name Matt. 1.21 Joseph it seems was an honest a sober and a good man and upon that he had a mind to put away Mary privily that was betrothed to him but the Angel appeared to Joseph verse 20. and said unto him Joseph thou Son of David fear not to take to thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost and she shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Now my Friends if you do but observe how the Justice of God hath stated the Method of this Salvation you will see reason enough why God should bless us with all the Blessings of our Salvation in him I will open this also in these two Branches 1. The Justice of God hath stated the Method of our Salvaton to be in a way of suffering and in a way of purchase That we should have no pardons but what should be the price of blood that we should have no peace but what should be the price of blood that we should have no communion but what blood is at the bottom of that we should have no manner of fellowship with God here or hereafter but what is laid and founded in the blood of the Son of God this was the way and method that the Justice of God had stated Says Christ Heb. 10.5 6 7. Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God As if he had said Lord is there any peace to be purchased for transgressors here is my blood Is there any grace to be bought for sinners Lord here is my blood for it Is there any reconciliation to be wrought I am willing to offer my self to be a propitiation for thy Enemies Lo here I am Lord is there any Spiritual Blessing to be obtained by suffering Lo I come to do thy will
my God I have slighted Ay Christian thou mayest say so but it is Blasphemy for thee to say or think that ever Christ could say so in truth he never provoked his God he never dishonoured his God he never did any thing that might disoblige his God Christ never did He in whom thou art blessed it is God as the God of Christ that hath blessed thee and therefore Christian great encouragement there is unto thy Soul Secondly As he is Christs God all the promises were not only summed up in him that were made to Christians but the Blessedness of all the promises have a primary respect and relation unto him My meaning plainly is this God hath promised thee peace Ay but this peace hath reference unto the honouring and glorifying of the man Jesus Whose God hath Blessed thee with this peace in him Jesus hath the glory of all and God eyes the glory of Jesus in all the promises he makes to us and so my friends all the promises were not only designedly given for the advancement of him but all the promises were summed up in him When God made the promise of a seed to Abraham Abraham had enough he was under some discontent before but now says God I will not only give thee a Child one to be thine Heir but I will give thee a Son and that Son that I will give thee shall be my Heir One in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be Blessed Now Abraham had enough you never find Abraham seeking any more Children at the hands of God no having an Isaac a seed in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed Now Abraham is satisfyed and therefore the Lord in the prophesy of the Prophet Isaiah doth thus explain himself when he promiseth the Lord Jesus Christ Isa 55.4 Behold I have given him for a witness or a Covenant to the people I will give him Who I will give my Son Jesus for a Covenant to the people That is as much as if God should say I will give him for All he is as it were the Sums and Substance of all say but Christ and you say All. When God gives Christ to a poor Creature he gives all the Promises all the Covenants and all the Blessings of Earth and all the Blessings of Heaven all the Blessings of providence and all the Blessings that are reserved in the everlasting Mansions And thus now you see in these respects upon what account it is that the Apostle seems to lay the Emphasis upon this word Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath Blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings c. I shall give you but 3 or 4 inferences USE 1 Is it so my friends that God as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath Blessed Christians with all Spiritual Blessings Then In the first place Vain are the attempts of any of the enemies of Christians to interpose between them and their Blessings Though they may sometimes interpose between them and some of the means of their Blessings yet I say vain are the attempts of their enemies against their Blessings Why Because that God as the God and Father of Jesus Christ hath blessed them with all Blessings Now you may observe that the Devil hath been all along at it and he makes it his design business from time to time from age to age and from dispensation to dispensation to interpose between the Lords people and their Blessings but still in vain and therefore the Psalmist eyeing the Lord Jesus and eying by faith this blessedness wherewith the God of the man Jesus should bless Christians he cryes out in the 2 Psal 1. Why do the heathen Rage and the people imagine a vain thing Their great design was to keep the people of God from those Blessings that God had designed by promise to give to them There they were imagining and consulting and there they were designing well but observe it that very thing that they thought would be the compleatment of all their designes tending to this purpose was the greatest in-let to all these Blessings Certainly they were in great Joy and had much satisfaction upon their Spirits when they got Christ nailed upon the Cross but their very nailing and crucifying of him made way for all these Blessings It opened as it were all the treasures of grace it opened all the Relations that were discovered and the Blessings upon the death of the Lord Jesus Christ came flowing out of the promises and flowing out of Relations and the World was filled with these Blessings So that I say whatsoever devises the World hath to interpose between Christians and their Blessings they will be in vain if they take up one conduit God will lay many more And if they give an obstruction one way he will proceed other waies and manage it It is the God of Jesus Christ that hath blessed Christians and therefore Christians have their Blessings sure USE 2 Secondly Then methinks Christians you should look unto God as the God and Father of Christ under all the discouragements that arise upon your own Spirits from your own violations of the obligations of his Relation to you My meaning is this when you cannot comfortably go to God as your God for a blessing you may comfortably go to God as Christs God for any Blessing Why my friends here lay the case O saies thy conscience thou never comest to the word of God but thou despisest the God of the word and thy heart is shut against the word even from thy Child-hood and in thy Child-hood the Devil shuts up thy heart and the World shuts up thy heart and thy corruptions shut up thy heart but whatsoever it is that shuts up thy heart or whatsoever it is that gives being to any disobligement thou art guilty of be not discouraged though thou canst not go to him for a Blessing as thy God because thy conscience tell thee that thou hast sinned against thy God yet thou mayst go to him at that time as Christs God for God as the God of Christ Jesus hath Blessed thee with all Spiritual Blessings Therefore Christians under all your discouragements that arise from the sense of your own unworthiness let this be your way to look upon God as the God of Christ and go to God for Blessings as the God of Christ VSE 3 Doth God bless us with all Spiritual Blessings as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Then my friends you may here take occasion to magnify the Mystery of the Gospel And you may see great reason why you should glorify these persons that are principally concerned in the mysteries of the Gospel No wonder the Apostle breaks out Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus-Christ And can your hearts hold from breaking out in the praises of God O Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath Blessed us with
give thee So I may say to a Christian Christian come look from the one end of the Scripture to the other look upwards look downwards look on this hand and look on the other hand from the East to the West from the North to the South Behold all this God hath given thee Ay but I am poor saies the Christian it is no matter thy poverty doth not destroy thy right thy Poverty makes no alteration in thy right do not say in thy Heart this is for those that are tall Cedars this is for those that are fruitful but as for me alas I am not well if there be but a little though never so little thy right is the same a little grace you see doth give right to the greatest blessings and the greatest blessings are established upon the least grace Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven There is nothing in the Kingdom but what is theirs that are poor in Spirit that have but little and are sensible that they have but a little though they have but a little yet blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven 2. The same grace that gives the right makes the difference the gradual difference Though there be a gradual difference in the receipt yet it is the same grace It may be the Lord hath given thee five Talents it may be to another he hath given but two and it may be he hath given to another but one Talent well but yet I say it is the same grace that gives all those Talents and that gives a like right with those various or disproportioned gifts it is the same grace all issue from the same Fountain and therefore it is that the least grace will be looked after He that gave thee a right to five Talents gave thy Brother as good and as equal a right to one he that gave thy Neighbour a Possession of a great measure of grace and thereby it may be his right is more manifested it was the same grace that gave thee the Possession of a little grace and yet thy right is as substantial and true because the grace that giveth grace differenceth in its giving and yet gives the same right under these different gifts 4. The least grace discovers an interest in the greatest relations as well as the highest degree of grace do's Where there is a great deal of grace you say surely this is a Child of God Ay and there is one that hath but a grain of grace that is as surely the Child of God as he that hath more he is as surely born of God as he that hath the greatest degree of grace here is one that it may be can fill a Prayer with grace and here is another that hath hardly grace enough to stock a few Petitions or it may be he hath grace to stock a Confession or two and he puts forth that little grace that he hath in his Confession or Petitions what then I tell you God will take care of the one as well as of the other the least grain shall not fall to the ground because the least grain gives a discovery of an interest in the greatest relations thou sayest surely this is a Man of God why O he hath a great deal of grace and I say as surely that poor man is a Man of God why because he hath a little grace A Member of Jesus Christ is that man whose grace is flourishing Ay and that man is also a Member of Jesus Christ whose grace lies under the ashes there are no Flamings forth as yet Ay but my Friends there is a spark under the Embers I shall likewise open this in these two Branches 1. The first is this Greatest relations do not depend upon the proportions of the graces of the relations nay let me tell you that those relations that do discover the greatest intimacy and bring a Man within the greatest Blessedness these do not depend or hang upon the proportion of the graces of those relations O sayes the Spouse in the Conclusion of the Book of Canticles O that thou wert as my Brother that sucked the Breasts of my Mother 8. Cant. v. 1. So I may say it is many times with the Lords People they cry out O that Jesus Christ would reveal himself to me O he discovers himself to such and such O that he were as my Brother I dare not call him my Brother Ay but though thou darest not call him thy Brother thou canst humbly hope that thou art his Servant though thou canst not with that Freedom and fulness of assurance call him thy Brother O that he were as my Brother as one that sucked the Breasts of my Mother O that I were but in full communion with him Well it may be thou art not yet in that fulness of Freedom of Spirit that thou canst not as yet call him thy Brother yet thou mayst do so though thou hast but little grace Relations do not bear proportions according to the proportion of the graces of the related and therefore it is that God will look after the least grain of grace because the least is his It is my little grain of Corn this is my little grace this is my little Faith and my little Love and this is my little meekness the least degree of grace doth discover an interest in the greatest relations and greatness of relation doth not bear proportion to greatness of enjoyment 2 Secondly That those relations that a Christian stands in unto God immediately up-his entring into the relation all the blessings of the relation lye before him Now the least degree of grace doth admit to the Relation and now being admitted all the blessedness all the glory all the sweetness all the comfort all the happiness of the Relation lye before this man as well as before him that hath the greatest degree of grace You will say what is the glory of the Relation Nay what glory is there that is not in any relation that belongs to the Gospel In every Gospel Relation there is a fulness of glory and a fulness of Blessedness Now no sooner is a poor creature admitted into the Relation but all the blessedness of the Relation ly's open before him And the least degree of grace admits into the Relation The Lord doth not deal with his people that are related to him as we do first bring him into one Relation and then into another Relation and then into a higher Relation and then into a nearer Relation As now many times men bring one first into their Family take him up it may be by the high way or a neighbours Child and make him a poor and mean Servant in the Family it may be a Scullion or the like and then take him up to a higher place after that to a higher place till at length he come to make him his Child and not only his Child but his heir But now I pray friends consider
and groans sent up to Heaven in a way of grace I tell you this does more for God and with God than a thousand gifts can do And if so pray consider what difference God makes between the wicked and the seed observe the difference Vse 3 Is it so that God will not suffer the least grain to fall to the Earth In these and in such times as these Then I pray Sirs Do not trust your selves but God There are many that trust their own graces too much and the grace of God too little they think they have grace to keep them I am sure it is little sign of grace when that grace doth put you off from betrusting the grace of God Christians trust God more and your selves less alas what can a little do Christians I pray lay the stress of your security upon what God hath promised Yet saies God there shall not the least grain fall to the Earth Here is a promise of free grace and there cannot be any thing at all in the grain to ensue or to merit this security alas Sirs what is there in our hearts that hath most that we should talk of securing our selves Let him that stands saies the Apostle take heed lest he fall So I may tell you Sirs our Zeal is no security our Faith in it self is no sufficient security but it is the grace of God that made the promise that gives the Christian security in such a time Such a man was tempted a while agoe to turn his back upon Jesus Christ and he hath bidden farwell to Jesus Christ and is gone I pray what security have you that you may not be the next is it your graces that keep you No no it is the grace of God that secures you and the grace of God that keeps you and therefore I pray lay more stress upon that though you lay less stress upon your own I will open this in two Branches 1. Grace that is in you is but a Stream from the Fountain of Grace that is in God And it is but as the drop of a Bucket unto the fulness of Grace and Holiness that is in Christ Who made me says Cain my Brothers keeper when God askt him where his Brother Abel was Truly I may say to you God never made your own Graces the sole keepers of your own Souls Who made them God did not I am sure because our own Graces without the Grace of God can never keep our Souls from the temptations we meet withal and therefore Sirs I pray trust a little more to this God that hath promised yet shall not the least grain fall to the Earth not because it is a grain but because God hath promised that the least grain shall not fall But then the second thing that I would say is this 2. Your own Graces that you have in your own hearts are easily ballanced by the wickedness that is in the hearts of your Enemies And I am sure they have more policy and more power to manage their wickedness against your Grace than you have wisdom or power to manage your Grace against their wickedness The Devil hath more wickedness in his nature than you have grace in your nature it is top-full of wickedness I am sure your nature is not top-full of grace We wrestle not says the Apostle with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers Alas you are neither principality nor power in your own grace Do but ballance your security and you will easily see the need of trusting to God and not to your own grace Vse 4 Is it so that God hath said that the least grain shall not fall to the Earth Oh then How does it concern every one to know whether they have a grain of grace or no. Truly my Friends I do think it is a matter of very great concernment that you should be and we should be all fully satisfied in this The least grain shall not fall ay but an Ear that hath no grain in it may fall the least grain shall not fall ay but the Chaff God casts away he will throughly purge his floor and the Chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire Now my Friends I am not enquiring after your profession of grace but the grace that is the matter of your profession neither am I going about to discover a great deal of grace full and florid grace but my business is to enquire after the least grace and to discover unto you whether you have attained unto that blessedness to be one of God's grains the grain that is here in the Promise though it be one of the least of the grains I would only say this one thing before I descend to particulars Do not say you have grace enough and therefore you are not concerned in the enquiry I am sure it is no sign of a great deal of grace to be shie of the discovery of a little grace and a great deal of grace may be hid when God chuses the discovery by a little But you will say Oh that I were but one of the least of these grains of God! Oh that I were but one of those that God hath sanctified though I were the least of all his Saints that he hath sanctified Well my Friends give me leave and I will open this to you in these two particulars Would you know whether you be in the compass of the least of these grains 1. Then in the first place I pray inquire how stands your hearts affected how stand your hearts affected to more and to those in whom there is more Those that have a natural life they naturally incline to manifest their love and their natural kindness to those that are allied The Child is naturally inclined to those that are allied Nature's dictates determine the heart in that case so does New Nature incline to the same How stands your hearts affected to those that have a great deal of grace How stand you affected to him that hath the Treasures of all grace He that hath a little loves Jesus Christ he loves Christ as the Treasury of more though Christ at present suspends the giving of more though he sees but little in his own heart yet he cannot but love Jesus Christ that hath the dispose of all It is one sign of true grace that it is alwaies inclined to have more Now Sirs open your hearts for this word How stand they affected to Christ How stand they affected to such Ordinances where God does most ordinarily work grace Says God to Ezekiel Thou art to this people as a lovely Song O poor people There are many more pleased with the gifts of the Minister than the grace of the Minister Sirs I pray consider How stand your hearts affected to grace He that hath a little would not lose a little A Child tends naturally to have life continued and to have more So I say How stand your hearts affected to living Ordinances a living Mediator a Mediator that