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
gives the soule is Soule-filling glory glory that fills the understanding with the cleerest and the Psal 16. ult Psal 17. ult 2 Coâ— 12. 1 to 6. Pericula non respicit Martyr coronas respicit saith Basil brightest light glory that fills the will with the greatest freedome glory that fills the affections with the choycest joy and delight Againe the glory he gives is Incomparable glory Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us The Greek word Logizomai that is here rendred I reckon is not a word of doubting but a word of concluding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ready to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on us I conclude by Arguments that our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared to that illustrious and glorious glory that is ready to be revealed on us as 't is in the Greek I have cast up the account saith the Apostle as wise Merchants use to cast up theirs and I find in the ballancing of the account that there 's nothing to be compared with this glory that shall be revealed Againe the glory he gives is Vnmoveable glory all worldly glory is tottering and shaking Princes Crownes hang now but upon one side of their heads The Lord of Hosts hath Isa 23. 9. purposed it to staine or pollute the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth The Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jegnâ—sah hath purposed it or as 't is in the Hebrew The Lord hath consulted it And the councell of the Lord shall stand It is agreed upon in heaven that the pride of all glory shall be stained and polluted or throwne downe as some polluted filthy thing that is trampled upon and trodden under foot Oh! but this glory that Christ gives is unmoveable glory Heb. 12. 28 't is permanent glory 't is glory that cannot be changed stain'd nor polluted Againe the glory he gives is suited glory 't is glory that Jo 14. 1 2 3. is suited to the backs hearts hopes desires and capacities of his servants Againe the glory he gives is never fading glory 't is glory that fadeth not away When a man hath been in heaven 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper name of a Flower which is still â—â—esh and green Isa 40. 6 7 8. as many millions of years as there be Starres in heaven his glory shall be as fresh and as greene as it was at his first entrance into heaven All worldly glory is like the Flowers of the field but the glory that Christ gives is lasting and durable like himselfe c. Tenthly and lastly He gives Himselfe and verily this is a gift of gifts indeed John 6. 51. 63. So in Ephes 5. 20. A Saint may say me thinks I hear Christ saying to me as Austin prayes Lord saith he what ever thou hast given take all away onely give me thy selfe Eschines said to Socrates Others said he give thee silver and gold and precious Jewels but I give thee my selfe So the soule may say One friend gives me bread and another gives me cloaths and another gives me house-roome c. Oh! but thou givest me thy selfe Christ put into the ballance will out-weigh all other gifts that he bestowes upon the sons of men Christ is the richest gift Oh! there are Unsearchable Riches in Christ as hereafter I shall shew you He is the choycest and the rarest gift he is a gift given but to a few rich and rare Jewels are not commonly but more rarely given so is Christ Though Israel be as the sand of the sea yet a Rom. 9. 27. remnant onely shall be saved A garden inclosed a spring Caâ—t 4. 12. Luke 12. 32. shut up a fountaine sealed is my well-beloved Feare not little little flâ—cke it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome Christ is a drawing gift a gift that drawes all other gifts along with him If he have given us his Son how shall Rom. 8. 32. he not with him freely give us all things Christ is a drawing gift When God the father hath cast this incomparable Jewel into a mans bosome he can't deny him any thing Such a soule may well say Hath he given me a Christ and will he not give me a crum Hath he given me his Sonne which is the greatest mercy and will he stand with me for lesser mercies surely no. In a word Christ is of all gifts the sweetest gift As the Tree Exod. 15. 25. sweetned the bitter waters so this gift the Lord Jesus of whom that Tree was a Type sweetens all other gifts that are bestowed upon the sons of men he turnes every bitter into sweet and makes every sweet more sweet And so I come to the second thing propounded and that was The Difference between Christs giving The Difference between Christs the worldâ— giving and the Worlds giving And this I shall shew you in the following Particulars FIrst The world gives but they give grudgingly But 2 Cor. 9. 7. when Christ gives he gives freely Isa 55. 1. Ho every â— Peâ— 4. 9. No Offrings to free will Offrings one that thirsteth let him come and buy wine and milke without money and without price So in Rev. 21. 6. I will give to every one that is athirst of the water of life freely To doe good and not to doe it freely handsomely is nothing A benefit given with grudging is a stony loaf onely taken for necessity Secondly The world they give but they give poorly Saul had buâ— five pence to give the Seer the Seer after much good cheer gives him no lesse then the Kingdome 1 Sam. 9 8. 10. So God deales with his nigardly but Christ gives plenteously richly 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertaine riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy When Caesar gave one a great Reward This saith he is too great a gift for me to receive but saith Caesar 'T is not too great a gift for me to give So though the least gift that Christ gives in some sence is too much for us to receive yet the greatest gifts are not too great for Christ to give 'T is said of Araunahs that Noble Jebusite renowned for his bounty That he had but a subjects purse but a Kings heart But the Lord Jesus hath not onely a Kings heart but he hath also a Kings purse and gives accordingly Thirdly The world give but they give tauntingly they give upbraidingly they hit men in the teeth with the gifts they give I but the Lord Jesus Christ gives and he gives willingly he upbraids none with the gifts he gives Jam. 1. 5. If any man lack wisedome let him aske it of God that gives liberally and
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
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
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
my spirit that I would not leave a man alive but blessed be God and blessed be thy Counsel An humble soule can sit downe and blesse God under reproofs An humble soule is like the Scythian King that went naked in the snow and when Alexander wondered how he could endure it he answered I am not ashamed for I am all forehead Manasses King of Judâ—h being reproved by the Aged Princely Prophet Isaiah caused him neare to the Fountaine of Silce to be sawen in sunder with a wooden Saw in the eightieth yeare os his age For which cruell fact amongst other of his sinnes he was sorely punished by God 2 Chron. 33. 11 So Cambyses King of Persia hated Prexaspes one of his Nobles that was familiar with him for reproving his drunkennesse An humble soule is all forehead able to bear reproves with much wisedome and patience Oh! but a proud heart cannot bear reproofs he scornes the Reprover and his Reproofs too Prov. 15. 12. A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him neither will he goe unto the wise Amos 5. 10. They hate him that reproveth in the gate as Ahab did good Micaiah and Herod did John Baptist and the Pharisees our Saviour Luke 16. 13. Christ being to deale with the covetous Scribes and Pharisees he layes the Law home and tels them plainly that they could not serve God and Mammon Here Christ strikes at their right eye but how doe they bear this mark in the 14 verse The Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him The Pharisees did not simply laugh at Christ but gave also externall signes of scorne in their countenance and gestures * Exemukterizon they blowed their nose at him manifesting thereby their scorning at what he said Exod. 2. 13 14 They blew their nose at him for that 's the meaning of the Originall word By their gestures they did demonstrate their horrid deriding of him they fleared and jeared when they should have feared and trembled at the wrath to come In Isa 28. 10. For precept must be upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little One observes that that was a scoff put upon the Prophet and is as if they should say Here is nothing but precept upon precept line upon line And indeed the very sound of the words in the Original carries a taunt Zau le zau kau lakau as scornfull people by the tone of their voyce and riming words scorne at such as they despise Pride and passion and other vices in these dayes goe armed touch them never so gently yet like the nettle they will sting you and if you deale with them roundly roughly cuttingly as the Apostle speaks they will swagger with you as the Hebrew did with Moses Who made thee a Judge over us And thus much for the Properties of an humble soule I come now to the next thing and that is to shew you the Reasons why the best men are the most humble men First Because they see themselves the greatest debtors to God 1 Reason for what they doe enjoy There 's no man on Earth that sees himselfe such a debtor to God as the humble man Every smile makes him a debtor to God and every good word from Heaven makes him a When a Knight died at Rome that was much in debt Augustus the Emperour sent to buy his bed conceiâ—ing that there must needs be some extraordinary vertue in it it he that was so much in debt could take any rest upon it An humble soul sees hiâ—self so much in debt for mercies in hand and mercies in hope that he can't sleep without blessing and admiring of God I have read of a Stork that cast a pearle into the bosome of a Maid which had healed her of a wound So humble souls cast the pearl of praise into the bosome of God for all his favours towards â—hem Guc Hist l. 4. 2 Reason debtor to God he looks upon all his temporals as health wealth Wife Child Friend c. and sees himselfe deeply indebted for all He looks upon his spirituall mercies and sees himselfe a great debtor to God for them he looks upon his Graces and sees himselfe a debtor for them he looks upon his Experiences and sees himselfe a debtor for them he looks upon all his priviledges and sees himselfe a debtor for them he looks upon hiâ— incomes and sees himselfe a debtor for them The more mercy he hath received the more he looks upon himselfe indebted and obliged to pay duty and tribute to God as you may see in Psal 116. 6 7 8 12 13 14 verses compared In the 6 7 8 verses he tels you of the mercies he had received from God and in the 12 13 verses sayes he What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I see my selfe saith he wonderfully indebted well what then why I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord I will pay my vowes unto the Lord in the presence of all his people c. The same you have in the 16 17 18 verses of the same Psalme So David Psal 103. 1 2 3 4. casts his eyes upon his temporall and his spirituall mercies and then cals upon his soule O my soule blesse the Lord and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases c. An humble soule knowes that 't is a strange folly to be proud of being more in debt then another 'T is true saith he I have this and that mercy in possession and such and such mercies in reversion but by all I am the more a debtor to God Caesar admired at that mad Souldier who was very much in debt and yet slept so quietly So do's an humble soule wonder and admire to see men that are so much indebted to God for mercies as many are and yet sleep so quietly and be so mindlesse and carelesse in blessing and praising of God There is nothing saith one that endures so small a time as the memory of mercies received and the more great they are the more commonly they are recompenced with ingratitude Secondly it is Because in this life they have but a tast of God In the 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gratious The best of men on this side Heaven have but a tast he is but in a tasting desiring hungring thirsting and growing condition Job 26. ult These are part of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him So in 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 12. We knew but in part and we prophecy but in part now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face The
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
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
holynesse-ward they received new life from the Spirit of Christ as at first conversion they did and I am confident for want of the knowledge and due consideration of this truth many professors take such libertie to themselves as to live in the neglect of many precious duties of Godlinesse for which first or last they will pay deare But remembring that 't is not a flood of words but weighty arguments that convinces and perswades the soules and consciences of men I shall give you foure reasons to demonstrate That Beleevers have a power to doe good and the first is this First Because they have life and all life is a power to act Omnis vita est propter delectationem by naturall life is a power to act by spirituall life is a power to act by eternall life is a power to act by The Philosopher sayth That a fly is more excellent then the heavens because the fly hath life which the heavens have not c. Secondly Else there is no just Ground for Christ to charge Omission of diet breeds diseases so doth omission of dutie and makes worke either for repentance hel or the physitian of souls the guilt of sins upon them as neglect of Prayer Repentance Mortification nor the guilt of Carelesnesse and Sloathfullnesse c. which he doth if they can act no further nor no longer then the Holy-Ghost acts them as at their first conversion notwithstanding their union with Christ and that spirituall principle of life that at first they received from Christ Certainly if it be so it will not stand with the unspotted Justice of God to charge the guilt of sins of omission upon Beleeving soules if they have no power to act but are as stocks and stones c. as some dreame A third Ground is this If there be not some power in Beleevers to doe good then we should not have as much benefit by the Ipse unus erit tibi omnia quia in ipsâ— uno bono bona sunt omnia August second Adam as we had by the first Adam The first Adam if he had stood would have Communicated a power to all his sons and daughters to have done good and being corrupted he doth communicate power to sin as all his children finde by sad and wofull experience and shall not Christ much more communicate a power to us to doe good in our measure surely he doth though few minde it and fewer improve it as they should If there be not such a power in beleevers how have they gain'd more by the second Adam then they lost by the first and wherein lyes the excellency of the second above the first c. Fourthly and lastly All those exhortations are voyd and of none effect if there be not some power in soules truly gratious to doe good as all those exhortations to watchfullnesse To stirre up the Grace of God that is in us and to worke out our owne salvation with feare and trembling and that also Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure To what purpose are all these precious exhortations if the regenerate man have no power at all to act any thing that 's good Nay then beleevers under the Covenant of Grace should be in no better a Condition then unregenerate men that are under a Covenant of workes who see their duties discovered but have no power to performe which is contrary as to other Scriptures so to that Psal 40. 7 8 9. Then said I loe I come in the volume of thy booke it is written of me I delight to doe thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart or thy law is in the midst of my Bowells as the Hebrew reads it And to that of Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. c. A soule truly gratious can sincerely say Thy law O Lord is in the midst of my bowells and I delight to doe thy will O Lord I confesse I cannot doe it as I should nor I shall never doe it as I would till I come to heaven but this I can say in muâ—h uprightnesse that Thy law is in my heart and I delight to doe thy will O father And so Paul With my minde I serve the Law of God though with my Rom. 7. ult flesh the Law of sinne And we have many promises concerning divine Assistance and if wee did but stirre up the Grace of God that is in us Isa 41. 10. Heb. 13. 5 6 c. we should finde the Assistance of God and the Glorious breakings forth of his power and love according to his promise and the worke that he requires of us Isa 26. 12. Chap. 64. 5. c. Though no beleever doth what he should doe yet doubtlesse every beleever might doe more then he doth doe in order to Gods glory and his owne and others internall and eternall good Affection without endeavour is like Rachel beautifull but barren They are blessed that doe what Beaâ—i sunt qui praecepta faciunt etiam si non perficiunt Aug. they can though they cannot but under-doe When Demosthenes was asked What was the first part of an Orator what the second what the third answered action the same may I say if any should aske me what is the first the second the third part of a Christian I must answer action Luther saith He had rather obey then worke Miracles obedience is better then sacrifice But Sir you will say What is the meaning of that Text that is so often in the mouths of Professors Without me you can doe nothing John 15. 5. I answer All that that Text holds forth is this That if a man ha's not union with Christ if he be not implanted into Christ he can doe nothing Without me that is separate from me or apart from me as the words may be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Secrsim a me Vide Beza Câ—meron and Pisâ—at you can doe nothing If you are not implanted into me if by the spirit and faith you art not united unto me you can doe nothing The arme may doe much it may offend an enemy and it may defend a mans life by virtue of its union with the head but if you separate the arme from the head from the body what can it doe Certainly the soule by virtue of its union with Christ may doe much though such as are separated from Christ can doe nothing at least as they should Union with Christ is that wherein the strength comfort and happinesse of the soule does consist Ah Christians if you would but put out your selves to the utmost you would find the Lord both ready and willing to assist you to meet with you and to doe for you above what you are able to aske or thinke Caesar by continuall employment overcome two constant Diseases the Head-ach and the Falling-sicknesse Oh! the spirituall Diseases that the active Christian overcomes Among the Aegyptians Idlenesse was a capitall crime Among the
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
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
this and be rich in all be weak in this and be weak in all Faith hath an influence upon all other graces it is like a silver threed that runs through a Chaine of Pearles it puts strength and vivacity into all other graces You never knew a man rich in any grace that ha's not been rich in faith Every mans hope joy feare love humility patience c. is as his faith is In Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the evidence of things not seene and the substance of things hoped for Or as the Greek ha's it The subsistance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hoped for All other graces live upon faiths cost and charge Look what the breast is to the Child wings to the bird Oyle to the wheeles and the soule to the body that is faith to all other graces in the soule of man It 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 lustr◠and a beauty upon them I am sure 't is true of faith there is such a Divine virtue and power in faith that it will quicken and cast a lustre and a beauty upon all other graces in the soule of man and therefore you should labour as for life to be rich in this particular grace of faith Thirdly Consider this Of all Graces that be in the soule of man faith is the most usefull grace and therefore you should above all labour to be rich in faith 'T is a Christians right eye without which he cannot see for Christ 't is his right hand without which he cannot doe for Christ 't is his tongue without which he cannot speak for Christ 't is his very vitall spirits without which he cannot act for Christ Some say that King Midas had obtained of the Gods that whatsoever he touch'd should be turn'd into gold I am sure that whatever faith toucheth it turnes into gold that is into our good If our faith touches the Promises it turns them into our good whatsoever faith layes its hand upon it appropriates to it selfe and turnes it into the soules good If Psal 63. 1. Psal 89. 26. John 20 28. faith looks upon God it saith This God is my God for ever and ever and he shall be my guide unto death When it looks upon Christ it saith with Thomas My Lord and my God When it looks upon the Crowne of righteousnesse it saith This Crowne is laid up for me c. Faith is bread to nourish us and wine to cheere us and a Cordiall to strengthen us Faith is a sword to defend us a guide to direct us a staffe to support us a plaister to heale us a friend to comfort us and a golden key to open heaven unto us Faith of all graces is the most usefull grace to the soule of man Without faith it is impossible Heb. 11. 6. to please God All those services are lost wherein faith hath not a hand You may write losse upon all the prayers Heb. 4. 2. you make and upon all the Sermons you hear and upon all the teares you shed and upon all the almes you give if all be not managed by a hand of faith Fourthly You should labour above all to be rich in faith because faith is that Princely Grace that Christ is most taken with Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes that is with that piercing eye of faith that looks up to my Mercy-seat with one Chaine of thy neck There are two things that with open mouth speake out Christ to be most taken with the faith of his people And the first is His uncrowning himselfe to Crowne his peoples faith Christ doth often take the Crowne off his owne head and puts it upon the head of faith witnesse such passages as these which are frequent in Scripture Thy faith hath healed thee Thy faith hath saved thee Thy faith hath made thee whole c. Christ takes the Crowne off his owne head and puts it upon the head of faith and no wonder for of all graces faith takes the Crowne off a mans owne head and puts it upon the head of Christ Man naturally is apt to Crowne any thing but Christ he is apt to Crowne his prayers and Crowne his desires and Crowne his indeavours c. Oh but now faith acts like a King of Kings and uncrownes all and sets the Crowne upon the head of Christ And then a second thing that speaks out Christ to be most taken with the grace of faith is this That he overlooks all other graces in comparison of faith as you may see in the Canaanite woman Mat. 15. 21-29 The poore woman shewes a great deale of compassion a great deale of wisedome a great deale of humility a great deale of love and a great deale of self-deniall but in the close saith Christ O woman greae is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt He doth not say O woman great is thy love nor O woman great is thy wisedome nor O woman great is thy humility and self-deniall nor O woman great is thy patience c. but O woman great is thy faith He overlooks as it were all other graces and sets the Crowne upon the head of faith O woman great is thy faith So in Mark 5. the woman that had a bloody issue twelve yeares comes to Christ for cure and in the close of the story saith Christ to her Woman thy faith hath made thee whole He doth not say Woman thy pressing hard to come to me hath made thee whole but Thy faith hath made thee whole He doth not say Woman thy earnest desires and indeavours to be made whole ha's made thee whole but Thy faith hath made thee whole He doth not say Woman thy feare and trembling hath made thee whole but Thy faith hath made thee whole c. So in Luke 7. ult Thy faith hath saved thee goe in peace Though she wept much and loved much yet Christ doth not say Thy teares have saved thee thy sorrow hath saved thee He doth not say Thy humility thy charity hath saved thee but O woman thy faith hath saved thee Christ overlooks all other graces as it were and casts a lovely eye upon the grace of saith c. And then againe in the fifth place You should above all labour to be rich in faith because of all graces in the soule of man faith makes him most lively and active There 's no grace I say no grace in the soule of man that makes him so full of life and action as the grace of faith Faith is the Primum Mobile the first pin the first wheele True faith puts forth it self into vitall operations Ferdinands of Arragon believed the story told him by Columbus and therefore he furnished him with ships got the West-Indies by his faith in the undertaker But Henry the
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
pittifull work would they make Yea for want of a Christ within how little of Christ doe they understand How little of Christ doe they make known notwithstanding all their borrowed helps Paul was a man that had got a Christ within him Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life that I live is by the faith of the Son of God c. Compare this with Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travell in birth till Christ be formed in you A Christ within makes him travel in birth Odino 2 Cor. 11. 23. ult As Nurses to Princes children are fed with the most delicate fare but not for their owne sakes buâ— for the childrens sake to whom they give Nurse So 't is with many Ministers that want a Christ within â— Tim. 2. â—4 25. The Greek word Translated I travell in birth signifies not onely the travel of the woman at the birth of the Child but also the painfull bearing thereof before the birth The paines of travel breed not a greater desire to see a Man-child borne into the world then Paul's love bred in him till Christ were anew formed in them No man did so much for the winning of soules to Christ as Paul nor no man had so much of a Christ within him as Paul Nothing will naturalize a Ministers heart to his work like a Christ within nothing will make him so wise so painfull so watchfull so carefull to win soules as a Christ within nothing will make him hold out and hold on in the work of the Lord in the face of all oppositions persecutions dangers and deaths as a Christ within Nothing will make a man strive with sinners and weep over sinners and waite upon sinners for their returne as a Christ within Such Ministers that have not a Christ within them will find to comfort and as little successe in their Preaching of Christ Above all gettings get a Christ within or else after all thy Preaching thy selfe will be a cast-away Secondly They that would Preach Christ to the people must Study more Scripture truths Scripture Mysteries then humane Histories They must study Gods Book more then all other Books The truth and antiquity of the Book of God finds no companion either in Age or Authority No Histories are comparable to the Histories of the Scriptures Moses is sound more ancient then all those whom the Grecians make most antient as Homer Hesiod and Jupiter himsâ—lâ— whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their Divinity For 1 Antiquity 2 Rariety 3 Variety 4 Brevity 5 Perspicuity 6 Harmony 7 Verity Gregory calls the Scripture Cor animam Dei The heart and soule of God for in the Scriptures as in a glasse we may see how the heart and soule of God stands towards his poore creatures It was the glory of Apollos that he was mighty in the Scripture Acts 18. 24. John 5. 39. Search the Scripture saith Christ The Greek word signifies to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 search as men search for gold in Mines You must search the Scripture not superficially but narrowly The Scriptures are a great depth wherein the choycest treasures are hid therefore you must digge deep if you will find Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you Or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the word of Christ indwell in you as an ingrafted word incorporated into your soules Let the word be so concocted and digested by you as that you turne it into a part of your selves You must be familiarly acquainted with the word you must not let it passe by you as a stranger or lodge and sojourne with you as a wafairing man it must continually abide with you and dwell richly in you 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes All Books and helps are not comparable to the Bible for the compleating and perfecting of a man for the work of the Ministry That which a Papist reports of their Sacrament of the Masse That there are as many Mysteries in it as there are drops in the sea dust on the earth Angels in heaven Starres in the skie Attomes in the Sun-beams or sands on the sea-shore Whiles they burned us said Reverend Moulin for reading the Scriptures we burnt with zeale to be reading of them But where is this brave spirit now c. may be truly asserted of the word of God No study to the study of the Scripture for profit and comfort Count Anhalt that Princely Preacher was wont to say That the whole Scriptures were the swadling bands of the child Jesus he being to be found almost in every page in every verse in every line Luther would often say That he had rather that all his Bookes should be burnt then that they should be a means to hinder persons from studying of the Scripture The third and last Rule I shall lay downe is this Such as would Preach Christ aright to the people had need Dwell much upon the vanity of humane doctrines The vanity of which doctrines may be thus discovered First They doe not discover sin in its uglinesse and filthinesse as the Scriptures doe They search but to the skin they reach not to the heart they doe not doe as the Master did in Jonah's ship when they were in a storme Secondly Humane doctrines have no humbling power in These things had need be seriously minded in these dayes wherein â—umane doctrines are so much exalted and admired them They may a little tickle you but they can never humble you they cannot cast downe Satans strong holds they cannot melt nor break the heart of a sinner they cannot make him cry out with the Leaper Vnclean unclean Thirdly Humane doctrines nourish not the noble part the soule of man The Prodigal was like to starve before he returned to his fathers house A man may study much and labour much and lay out much of his time and spirits about humane doctrines and yet after all be like to Pharoah's lean Kine A man that studies humane doctrines doth but feed upon ashes Fourthly Humane doctrines cannot cure a wound in the conscience The diseased woman spent all she had upon Physitians but was not a penny the better The remedy is too weak for the disease Conscience like Prometheus Vulture will still lye gnawing notwithstanding all that such doctrines can doe Fifthly Humane doctrines are so far from inriching the soule that they usually impoverish the soule They weaken the soule they expose the soule to the greatest wants and to the greatest weaknesses they play the Harlot with the soule they impoverish it and bring it to a morsel of bread Who so poore in spirituall experiences and heavenly injoyments as such that sit under the droppings
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