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
best and strongest men but even of the very Angels should not God put under his everlasting armes No labour to that of the mind no travel to that of the soule and those that are faithfull in the Lords Vineyard find it so Luther was won't to say That if he were againe to choose his calling he would dig or doe any thing rather then take upon him the Office of a Minister And many other eminent lights have been of the same opinion with him But what are those Rules that every Preacher is to observe How Christ must be Preached shewed in 11 things in his Preaching of Christ to the people I Answer These Eleven FIrst Jesus Christ must be Preached Plainly Perspicuously so as the meanest capacity may understand what they say concerning Christ they must Preach Christ for edification and not to work admiration as too many doe in these dayes Paul was excellent at this kind of Preaching 1 Cor. 14. 18 19. he had rather speak five words to edification Preaching is not a matter of parts words or wit 't is Scripture demonstration that works upon the conscience and that God ownes and crownes then ten thousand words to work admiration in ignorant people So in 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. And my speech and my preaching was not with intising words of mans wisedome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power That your faith should not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God As if he should say Such Preach with little power who come with the excellency of speech or with the intising words of mans wisedome Ah! many there are I speak it with grief and to their shame that delight to soare aloft in obscure discourses and to expresse themselves in new-minted words and phrases and to shew high straines and flashes of wit and all to work admiration in the ignorant Such kind of Preachers are as clouds and painted glasse-windowes that hinder the It was a saying of Luther From a vaine-glorious Doctour from a câ—nâ—â—ntious Pastour and from unprofitable Questions good Lord deliver his Church light from shining in upon soules that hinder the Sun of righteousnesse from breaking forth in his beauty and glory upon the spirits of poore Creatures Woe unto these men in the day when such soules shall plead against them when they shall say Lord here are the persons whose Office and worke was to make darke things plaine and they have made plaine things darke and obscure that we might rather wonder at them then any wayes profit by them Aarons Bels were of pure gold our whole Preaching must be Scripture-proof or we and our works must burne together The profoundest Prophets accommodated themselves to their hearers capacities Holy Moses covers his glistering face with a Vaile when he was to speak to the people Yea 't is very observeable that the Evangelists spake vulgarly many times for their hearers sake even to a manifest incongruity as you may see in John 17. 2. Rev. 1. 4. But above all it is most observeable concerning God the father who is the great Master of speech when he spake from Heaven he makes use of three severall Texts of Scripture in one breath Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Si vis fieri bonus concionatur Son in whom I am well pleased heare him This is my beloved Son that Scripture you have in Psal 2. 7. In whom I am well pleased this you have in Isa 42. 1. Heare him this da operam â—t sis bonus Bâ—blicus If you will be a good Preacher study to be well acquâ—inted with the Scripture said one in the Monastry you have in Deut. 18. 15. All which may bespeak them to blush who through curious wisenesse disdaine at the stately plainnesse of the Scripture Oh how unlike to God are such Preachers that think to correct the Divine Wisedome and Eloquence with their owne infancy vanity novelty and sophistry Yea Jesus Christ himselfe the great Doctour of the Church teaches this lesson Mark 4. 33. And with many such Parables spake he the word unto them as they were able to hear it Not as he was able to have spoken he could have exprest himselfe at a higher rate then all mortals can he could have been in the Clouds he knew how to knit such knots that they could never untye but he would not he delights to speak to his hearers shallow capacities So in John 16. 12. I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now He that speaks not to the hearers capacities is as a Barbarian to them and they to him He is the best Preacher saith Luther that Preaches vulgarly that Preaches most plainly He is not the best Preacher that tickles the ear or that works upon the fancy c. but he that breaks the heart and awakens the conscience 'T is sad to consider how many Preachers in these dayes are like Heraclitus who was called The darke Doctour because he affected dark speeches Oh! how doe many in these dayes affect sublime notions uncouth phrases making plaine truths difficult and easie truths hard They darken councel by words without knowledge Job 38. 2. But how unlike to Christ the Prophets and Apostles these dark Doctours are I will leave you to judge nor would I have their accounts to make up for all the world I will leave them to stand or fall to their owne Master God loves ownes and crownes plaine Preaching though some account it foolishnesse yet to them that are saved 't is the power of God and the wisedome of God 1 Cor. 1. 20-30 I have stayed the longer upon this first Direction because of its great usefulnesse in these deluding dayes Secondly As they must Preach Christ plainly so they must Prov. 13. 17. Chap. 25. 13. Job 33. 23. Preach Christ Faithfully Ministers are Stewards 1 Cor. 4. 2. and you know it is the duty of a Steward to be faithfull in his Stewardship to give to every man the portion that is due to him cheering up those hearts that God would have cheered and weakning those wicked hands that God would have weakned and strengthning those feeble knees that God would have strengthned Ministers are Ambassadours and you know it is the great concernment of Ambassadours to be very faithfull in their Masters Messages God looks more and is affected and taken more with a Ministers faithfulnesse then with any thing else A great voyce an affected tone studied notions and silken expressions may affect and take poore weake soules but 't is onely the faithfulnesse of a Minister in his Ministerial work that takes God that wins upon God Mat. 25. 21 23. Well done good and faithfull servant The Office of a Minister is the highest Office and if his Office be highest his saiâ—hfullnesse must be answerable or he will be doubly miserable enter thou into the joy of the Lord. A joy too big to enter into thee and therefore thou
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
him Heire of all things he refused the Riches that the King of Sodome offered Gen. 14. 21. Chap. 15. 1. him because God was his Shield and his exceeding great Reward The greatest bargaine that a soule rich in Grace will make with God for himselfe is this Give me but bread to eat and cloaths to wear and thou shalt be my God so it was with that brave soul Gen. 28. 21. he desires but Food and Rayment Marke he asks food not junkets Rayment not Ornaments A little will serve a man that is strong in grace much will not serve a man that is weak in grace nothing will serve a man that is voyd of grace Soules weak in grace have their hearts much working after these poore low things as you may see Mat. 18. 1. Who shall be greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven The Question is stated by the Disciples that one would have thought should have had their hearts and thoughts in Heaven but they dream'd of an earthly Kingdome where honours and Offices should be distributed as in the dayes of David and Solomon And 't is observeable in Mark 9. 33 34. they are at it againe And he came to Capernaum and being in the house he asked them What was it that ye disputed among your selves by the way But they So in Luke 9. 46. held their peace they were asham'd to tell him for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be greatest Saith one I 'le have this saith another I 'le have that c. Or as 't is in the Greek they disputed who was greatest sayes one I am greater then thou no says another I am greatest It is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T is meâ—â—â—n Who was greatest Argument of a Childish disposition to be taken more with Rattles and Baubles then with Jewels and Pearles That Christian hath little of the power of grace within him whose heart is so strongly carried out to these vanities below Men that are growne up to years of understandiug prefer one piece of gold above a thousand new Counters A soule that is strong in grace that is high in its spirituall enjoyments prefers one good word from God one good look from Christ above all the glory of this world Lord saith he lift thou up the The Philosophers preserâ—ed the Kings countenance before his Coyne light of thy countenance upon me Warme my heart with the beams of thy love and then a little of these things will suffice You see Moses and all those Worthies in the 11 of the Hebrewes who were men strong in grace how bravely they trample upon all things below God they lav'd their Families and their Countreyes where they liv'd like Princes to wander in a Wildernesse upon the bare Command of God So Luther a man strong in grace when he had a Gowne and Money given him by the Elector he turned himselfe about and said I protest God shall not put me off with these poore low things Soules that know by experience what the bosome of Christ is what spirituall Communion is what the glory of Heaven is will not be put off by God nor man with things that are mixt mutable and momentary And to shame many professors in these dayes I might bring in a Cloud of Witnesses even from among the very Heathen who never heard of a Crucified Christ and yet were more Crucified to things below Christ then many of them that pretend much to Christ But I shall forbear onely desiring that those that think and speak so scornfully and contemptuously of Heathens may not at last be found worse then Heathens yea be judged and condemned by Heathens in the great and terrible day of the Lord. Secondly In order to a further deciphering of weak Christians I shall lay downe this That weak Saints doe usually over-feare troubles before they come Yea those future evills that forty to one may never fall out The very empty thoughts and conceit of trouble is very terrible and perplexing to a weak Saint When it was told The Chamelion saith Pliny is the most searfull of all Creatures and doth therefore turne into all colouâ—s to save it self and so 't is often with weak Christians the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart was moved and the heart of his people as the Trees of the wood are moved with the wind Isa 7. 2. Their heart quaked and quivered as we say like an Aspen leaf It is an Elegant expression shewing in their extremity the basenesse of their feares arguing no courage or spirit at all in them The very newes and conceit of trouble or calamities oh how doth it perplex and vex and grieve and overwhelme weak Christians The very hearing of trouble at a distance makes them to stagger and reele and ready to say Will God now save Will he now deliver It puts them into those shaking fits that they know not what to doe with themselves nor how to performe the service they owe to God or man Now tell me can you call that a stout spirit a strong spirit Pray for me said Latimer in his Letter to Ridley for I am sometimes so fearfull thaâ— I would creep into a Mouse-hole Acts Mon. 1565 that is daunted with the very report and thoughts of Calamity Or that does torment men with immoderate feare of a thousand things that happily shall never fall out as feares of forraigne Invasions or feares of home-bred Confusions fears of change of Religion or being surprised with such or such Diseases or being ruin'd in their outward estate by such and such devises or disadvantages or by falling under the frownes of such a great man or under the anger and revenge of such and such a man and a thousand such like things Now this speaks out much weaknesse in grace Soules strong in grace are carried up above these fears yea with the Leviathan in Job they can laugh at the shaking of the spear Job 41. 29. Psal 23. 4. they can say with David Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we will feare no evill for thou art with us thy rod and thy staffe doe comfort us But weak soules are Bucephalus was not afraid of his burden the shadow onely frighted him So weak Christians are afraid of the shadow of the crosse afraid of their owne shadow the very shadow of trouble will exceedingly trouble such soules and oftentimes make their lives a very hell Thirdly Fainting in the day of Adversity speaks out the soule to be but weak in Grace Weak Christians are overcome with little crosses the least crosse doth not onely startle them but it sinks them and makes them ready to sit downe and to cry out with the Church Behold you that passe by see whether there be any sorrow like my sorrow Before trouble comes weak Christians Lam. 1. 12. are apt to think that they can bear much and indure much
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
stark naught lâ—ke the Monk in the Fable did his excellent spirit appear in that he was holy and humble in heart though high in place and worth c. Dan. 6. 3-7 Daniel keeps humble and holy when he is lifted high yea made the second man in the Kingdome Malice it selfe could not find any thing against him but in the matter of his God 'T is much to be very gracious when a man is very great and to be high in holinesse when advanc'd to high places usually mens blood rises with their outward good Certainly they are worthy ones and shall walk with Christ Rev. 3. 4. in white whose Garments are not defiled with greatnesse or riches c. Secondly They that have highly improved their graces will comply with those commands of God that crosse nature that are contrary to nature And doubtlesse that man ha's improv'd his graces to a very high rate whose heart complies with those Commands of God that are crosse and contrary to nature As for a man to love them that loath him Mat. 5. 44. They use to say If any man would have Mr. Fox doe him a good turne let him doe him an injury c. to blesse them that curse him to pray for them that persecute him c. 'T is nothing to love them that love us and to speak well of them that speak well of us and to doe well and carry it well towards them that carry it well towards us Oh! but for a man to love those that hate him to be courteous to them that are currish to him to be sweet to them that are bitter to him c. this strongly demonstrates a high improvement of grace Certainly that man is very very good who ha's learned that holy Lesson of overcoming evill with good Such a one was Stephen Acts 7. 55 ult Rom. 12. ult He was a man full of the holy Ghost That is of the Gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost he was much in the exercise of Grace he can pray and sigh for them yea even weepe teares of blood for them who rejoyced to shed his blood So did Christ weep over Jerusalem so did Titus so did Marcellus over Syracuse so did Scipio over Carthage but they shed teares for them whose blood they were to shed but Christ shed teares for them who were to shed his blood So Abraham being strong in faith gave glory to God How Rom. 4. why by complying with those commands of God that were very contrary to flesh and blood as the offering up of his Son his onely Son his beloved Son his Son of the Promise and by leaving his owne Countrey and his near and dear relations upon a word of Command The Commands of God so change the whole man and make him new that you can hardly know him to be the same man saith one Well Sirs Lactant. defalsa sapient lib. 3. cap. â—7 remember this 't is a dangerous thing to neglect one of his Commands though it be never so crosse to flesh and blood who by another is able to command you into nothing or into hell Let Luther hate me and in his wrath call me a thousand times Devill yet I will love him and acknowledge him to be a most precious servant of God saith Calvin c. Thirdly consider this Such soules will follow the Lord fully that have made an improvement of their graces Oh! this was the glorious commendations of Caleb and Joshua in Numb 14. 24. that They followed the Lord fully in the face of all difficulties and discouragements They had another spirit in them sayes the Text they would goe up and possesse the Land though the Walls were as high as Heaven and Veni vidi vici I came I saw I overcame said that Emperour the Sons of Anak were there they made no more of it then to goe see and conquer They followed the Lord fully In the Hebrew it is They fullfilled after me The Hebrew word is a metaphor taken from a Ship under saile that 's carried with a strong wind as fearing neither Sands nor Rocks nor Shelves c. Such have little if any thing of Christ within who follow him by halves or haltingly I remember Cyprian brings in the Devil triumphing over Christ thus As for my followers I never dyed for them as Christ did for his I never promised them so great reward as Christ hath done to his and yet I have more followers then he and they doe more for me then his doe for him O where is that spirit in these dayes that was upon those Worthies Psal 44. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant our heart is not turned backe neither have our steps declined from thy way though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death Fourthly Such soules that have improved their Graces to a considerable height will blesse God as well when he frowns as when he smiles As well when he takes as when he gives when he strikes as when he strokes as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together When the Lord had stript Job of all and had set him naked upon the dunghill why then Job 1. â—1 Levit. 10. 3. 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. Isa 63. 14 15. sayes Job The Lord gives and the Lord taketh away and blessed be the name of the Lord. Where Grace is improved to a considerable height it will work a soule to sit downe satisfied with the naked injoyment of God without other things John 14. 8. Shew us the father and it sufficieth us The sight Christus est mihi pro omnibus sayes a Christian as he said Plato est mihi pro omnibus of the father without honours the sight of the father without riches the sight of the father without mens favour will suffice the soule As Jacob said It is enough that Joseph is alive so sayes the soule that 's high in Grace 't is enough that Jesus is alive c. Fifthly Soules that have improved their Graces to a considerable height will be good in bad times and in bad places Such soules will bear up against the stream of evill examples in the worst of times and in the worst of places Abraham Though the Fishes live in the salt sea yet they are fresh So though soules eminently gracious live among the wicked yet they retaine their spiritualnesse freshnesse and liâ—e was righteous in Chaldea Lot was just in Sodome Daniel holy in Babylon Job upright and fearing God in the Land of Vz which was a prophane and most abominable superstitious place Nehemiah zealous in Damasco Oh take me a man that hath improved his grace and the worser the times are the better that man will be he will bear up bravely against the stream of evill examples he will be very good when times and all round
living be justified So Job Though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Iob 9. 15. Judge Proud Pharisees blesse themselves in their owne righteousnesse I thank God I am not as this Publican I fast twice Lu. 18. 11 12 A proud heart eyes more his seeming worth then his reall want Rev. 4 10 11. Non decet Christianum in hac vita coronari said the Christian Souldier in the weeke c. I but now a soule truly humbled blushes to see his owne righteousnesse and glories in this that he has the righteousnesse of Christ to live upon Rev. 4. 10 11. the twenty foure Elders throw downe their Crownes at the feet of Christ By their Crownes you may understand their gifts their excellencies their righteousnesse they throw downe these before Christs Throne to note to us that they did not put confidence in them and that Christ was the Crowne of Crownes and the top of all their Royalty and glory An humble soule looks upon Christs righteousnesse as his holy Crowne Thirdly The lowest and the meanest good worke is not below V. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to gaine with joy and delight of heart Ah! says Paul 't is my greatest joy my greatest delighttogain souls to Christ The word also signifies craft or guile Ah! humble Paul will use a holy craft a holy guile to win soules To know the Art of Alms is greater then to be crown'd with the Diadem of Kings yet to convert one soul is greater then to poure out ten thousand Talents into the baskeâ—s of the poore Chrysostome John 13. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 8. Phil. 2. 6. Col. 1. 19. 2. 3. John 13. 5. Proud hearts can't stoop to low services they say this work that is below their parts place parentage employments Cirius Scipiâ— These Heathens will rise in judgement against many proud professâ—rs in these dayes who scorne to stoopto mean services c. 4 Property Veniat veniat ver bam Domini submittemus illi sex cenia sâ— nobis essent colla Said Baldassar a German Minister So 't is with all that are high in worth humble in heart Lev. 10. 2 3. God will be sanctified either actively or passively Aut à nobis aut in nos either in us or upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word oâ—ten signifies a modest quietnesse of mind the troubled affections being allayed So here In Lam. 3. 27 28 29. It signifies to submit unto God and to be patient in affliction and so it may betaken here Nunquam nimis dicitur quod nanquam satis discitur we can never hear that too often that we can never learn too wel Militi multa agenda patienda plura The christian souldier must doe many things suffer more 5 Property If Seneca said of his wise man Majore parte illic est unde descendit He is more in Heaven then in earth this is much more true of humble holysouls Dulce nomen Christi Sweet is the name of Christ Christ may well be compared to the trees of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47 12. which were both for meat Medicine an humble soule An humble David will dance before the Ark he enjoyed so much of God in it that it caused him to leap and dance before it but Michal his wife despised him for a foole and counted him as a simple vaine fellow looking upon his carriage as vaine and light and not becoming the might Majesty and glory of so glorious a Prince Well sayes this humble soule if this be to be vile I will be more vile Great Paul yet being humble and low in his owne eyes he can stoop to doe service to the least and the meanest Saint 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21. For though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all that I might gaine the more And unto the Jewes I became as a Jew that I might gaine the Jewes To them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gaine them that are under the Law To them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gaine them that are without Law To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all means gaine some Here you have an humble soule bowing and stooping to the meanest Saints and the lowest services that he might win soules So the Lord Jesus himselfe was famous in this John 13. 4. Though he was the Lord of glory and one that thought it no robbery to be equall with God one that had all perfection and fullnesse in himselfe yet the lowest work is not below this King of Kings witnesse his washing his Disciples feet and wiping them with a Towell Bonaventure though he was born of great Parentage and a great Scholler yet to keep his mind from swelling he would often sweep rooms wash vessels and make beds So that famous Italian Marquess when God was pleased by the Ministry of his word to convert him the lowest work was not below him though he might have liv'd like a King in his owne Countrey yet having tasted of that life and sweet that was in Jesus he was so humble that he would goe to Market and carry home the meanest and the poorest things the Market yielded There was nothing below him when God had chang'd him and humbled him 'T is recorded to the glory of some antient Generalls that they were able to call every common Souldier by his owne name and were carefull to provide money not onely for their Captaines and Souldiers but litter also for the meanest Beast There is not the lowest good that is below the humble soule If the work be good though never so low humility will put a hand to it so will not pride A fourth Property of an humbled heart is this An humble heart will submit to every truth of God that is made knowne to it even to those Divine truths that are most crosse to flesh and blood 1 Sam. 3. 17. Eli would faine know what God had discovered to Samuel concerning him Samuel tells him that he must break his neck that the Priesthood must be taken away from him and his Sons must be slaine in the warre why it is the Lord saith he let him doe what seemeth him good So in Levit. 10. the Lord by fire from Heaven destroyes Aarons two Sons Then Moses said unto Aaron this is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified and Aaron held his peace If God misse of his honour one way he will raine hell out of Heaven but he will have it another way this Aaron knew and therefore he held his peace when God shewed himselfe to be a consuming fire The Hebrew word that is
loved Tully before his Coâ—version but not so much after quia nomen Jesu non erat ibi because the name of Christ was not there 8 Property price upon a crum of mercy Ah Lord sayes the humble soul if I may not have a loaf of mercy give me a piece of mercy if not a piece of mercy give me a crum of mercy If I may not have Sun-light let me have Moon-light if not Moon-light let me have star-light if not star-light let me have candle-light and for that I will blesse thee In the time of the Law the meanest things that were consecrated were very highly prized as leather or wood that was in the Tabernacle An humble soule looks upon all the things of God as Consecrated things Every truth of God is a consecrated truth 't is consecrated to a holy use and this causes the soule highly to prize it and so every smile of God and every discovery of God and every drop of mercy from God is very highly prised by a soule that walks humbly with God The name of Christ the voyce of Christ the foot-steps of Christ the least touch of the Garment of Christ the least regarded truth of Christ the meanest and least regarded among the flock of Christ is highly prized by humble soules that are interested in Christ An humble soule cannot an humble soul dares not call any thing litrle that ha's Christ in it neither can an humble soule call or count any thing great wherein he sees not Christ wherein he enjoyes not Christ An humble soule highly prizes the least nodd the least love-token the least courtesie from Christ but proud hearts count great mercies small mercies and small mercies no mercies yea pride do's so unman them that they often call mercy misery c. The eighth Property of an humble soule is this It can never be good enough it can never pray enough nor hear enough nor mourne enough nor believe enough nor love enough nor feare enough nor joy enough nor repent enough nor loath sin enough nor be humble enough c. Humble Paul looks upon his great all as nothing at all he Phil. 3. 11 12 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies â— straining of the whole body a stretching out head and hands as runners in a race do to lay hold on the mark or price proposed Psal 10. 17. Desires Iaavath from Avah that signifies so to desire and long after a thing as to haâ—e ones teeth water at it so in Mic. 7. 1. But proud hearts sit downe and pride themselves blesse themselves as if they had attained to much when hev have attain'd to nothing that can raise them above the lowest step of misery Rev. 3. 17. Isa 65. 5. Lu. 18. 11 12 forgets those things that are behind and reaches forth to those things which are before That if by any means he might attaine unto the resurrection of the dead that is that perfection of holinesse which the dead shall attaine unto in the morning of the resurrection by a Metonomie of the subject for the adjunct No holinesse below that matchlesse peerlesse spotlesse perfect holinesse that Saints shall have in the glorious day of Christs appearing will satisfie this humble soule An humble heart is an aspiring heart he can't be contented to get up some rounds in Jacobs Ladder but he must get to the very top of the Ladder to the very top of holinesse An humble heart can't be satisfied with so much Grace as will bring him to glory with so much of Heaven as will keep him from dropping into Hell he is still a crying out Give Lord give give me more of thy selfe more of thy Son more of thy Spirit give me more light more life more love c. Caesar in warlike matters minded more what was to conquer then what was conquered what was to gaine then what was gained So does an humble soule mind more what he should be then what he is what is to be done then what is done Verily Heaven is for that man and that man is for Heaven that sets up for his mark the perfection of holinesse Poor men are full of desires they are often a sighing it out O! that we had bread to strengthen us drink to refresh us cloths to cover us friends to visit us and houses to shelter us c. So souls that are spiritually poore they are often a sighing it out O! that we had more of Christ to strengthen us more of Christ to refresh us more of Christ to be a covering and shelter to us c. I had rather sayes the humble soule be a poor man and a rich Christian then a rich man and a poor Christian Lord sayes the humble soule I had rather doe any thing I had rather bear any thing I had rather be any thing then to be a Dwarse in Grace The light and glory of humble Christians rises by degrees Cant. 6. 1. 1. Looking forth as the morning with a little light 2 Faire as the Moon more light 3 Clear as the Sun i. e. Come up to a higher degree of spirituall light life and glory Lord sayes the humble soule give me much grace and then a little gold will serve my turne give me much of Heaven and a little of earth will content me give me much of the Springs above and a little of the Springs below will satisfie me c. The ninth Property of an humble soule is this It will smite 9 Property 1 Sam. 24. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strike for small sins as well as for great For those the world count no sins as well as for those that they count grosse sinnes When David had but cut off the lap of Sauls garment his A good mans heart when kindly awakened may smite him for those actions that at fiâ—sthe judged very prudent and politick How great a paine not to be born câ—ms from the prick of this small thorne Little sinnes have put severall to their wits ends when they have been set home upon their consciences heart smote him as if he had cut off his head The Hebrew word signifies to smite wound or chastize Ah! his heart struck him his heart chastised him his heart wounded him for cutting off Sauls skirt though he did it upon noble grounds viz. to convince Saul of his false jealousies and to evidence his owne innocency and integrity And so at another time his heart smote him for numbring the people as if he had murdered the people 2 Sam. 24. 10. And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly An humble soule knowes that little sins if I may so call any cost Christ his blood and that they make way for greater and that little sins multiplied become great
and the feare of the Lord are riches and honour c. The Hebrew is The heele of humility Riches and honour follow humility at the very heeles One of the Ancients used to say that Humility is the first second and third Grace of a Christian Humility is a very drawing grace it drawes men to think well and speak well of Christ the Gospel and the people of God It makes the very world to say I these are V is magnus esse incipe ab imâ— Wilt thou be great begin from below saith the Fathâ—r Christians indeed they are full of light and vet full of lowlinesse they are high in worth and yet humble in heart Oh these are the Crown and the glory of Religion An humble soule is like the Violet that by its fragrant smell drawes the eye and the hearts of others to him Mat. 18. 14. They are the greatest in the Kiâ—gdome of Heaven He that is least in his owne account is alwayes greatest in Gods and in good mens account The fourth Motive is this Consider All the world cannot 4 Motive keep him up that doth not keep down his owne spirit One ask't a Philosopher what God was a doing he answered * Totam ipsius occupationem esse in elevatione humilium superlorum dejectione That his whole worke was to lift up the humble and to cast downe the proud That man cannot possibly be kept up whose spirit is not kept downe as you may cleerly see in Pharoah Haman Herod and Nebuchadnezzar all the world could not keep them up because their spirit was not kept downe Prov. 29. 27. A mans pride shall bring him low for it sets God against him and Angels against him and men against him yea even those that are as proud as himselfe Dyonisius a proud King of Sicily fell from a King to a Schoolmaster History is full of such instances 'T is very observable that whereas one Drunkard loves another one Swearer loves another and one Thief loves another and one Unclean person loves another c. yet one proud person can't indure another but seeks to undermine him that he alone may bear the Bell and carry the commendations the praise the promotion It is storyed of the Romans that were the proudest people on the Earth that they reckoned it as a parcell of their praise that they brought down the proud All the world Sirs will not keep up those persons that doe not keep downe their spirits Proud Valerian the Roman Emperour fell from being an Emperour to be a foot-stoole to Sapor King of Persia as oft as he took Horse Henry the fourth Emperour in sixty-two Battels had generally the better and yet was deposed and driven to that misery that he desired onely a Clarkship in a house at Spira that himselfe had built And oh that Professors would think of this in these dayes in which we live All the world shall not keep up those which doe not keep downe their owne spirits The very designe of God is to staine the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt the honourable of the earth Therefore now if men in our dayes shall grow proud and Isa 23. 9. high under mercies and Divine appearances Justâ—ce will be above them and turne their glory into shame and lay their honour in the dust If your blood rises with your outward good you will certainly fall and great will be your fall The fifth Consideration to provoke us to be humble is 5 Motive this Let us have alwayes our eye fixed upon the example of Jesus Christ and his humble and lowly carriage Christ by his owne example labours to provoke his Disciples to keep humble and to walk lowly in John 13. 4 5 12 13 14 15 verses compared He rifes and washes his Disciples feet c. and mark what he aimes at in that carriage of his vers 12 13 14. Know ye what I have done unto you saith he Yee call me Master and Lord and yee say well for so I am if I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet yee also ought to wash one anothers feet for I have given you an example that you should doe as I have done to you I have given you an example saith Christ and I would have you to imitate my example Example is the most powerfull Rhetorick the highest and noblest example should be very quickning and provoking Oh here you have the greatest the noblest example of humility that was ever read or heard of Upon consideration of this great and eminent example of Christs humility Guericus a good man cryed out Thou hast overcome me O Lord thou hast overcome my pride this example of thine hath mastered me Oh that we could say with this good man Thou hast overcome O Lord thou hast overcome our proud hearts by this example thou hast over-mastered our lofty spirits This example of Christs humility you have further set forth Phil. 2. 6 7 8. Who being in the forme of God that is in the Nature and Essence of God being very God cloathed with Divine glory and Majesty as God thought it not robbery it being his right by Nature to be equall with God The Greek words that are rendred He thought it no robbery doe import He made it not a matter of Triumph or ostentation to be equall with God it being his right by nature and therefore the challenging of it could be no Usurpation of anothers right of taking to himselfe that which was not his owne He thought it no robbery to be equall with God The Greek is Equalls that is every way equall not a Secondary and inferiour God as the Arrians would have him But made himselfe of no reputation The Greek is Emptied himselfe Vers 7. that is he suspended and laid aside his glory and Majesty or dis-robed himselfe of his glory and dignity and became a sinner both by Imputation and by Reputation for our sakes And vers 8. He humbled himselfe This Son of Righteousnesse went ten degrees back in the Diall of his Father that he might come to us with healing under his wings And became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse In these words there is a kind of gradation for it is more to become obedient then to humble himselfe and more to yeeld unto death then to become obedient and yet more to be crucified then simply to dye for it was to submit himselfe to a most painfull ignominious and cursed death He became obedient that is saith Beza To his dying day his whole life being nothing but a continuall death I have read of an Earl called Eleazarus that being given to immoderate anger was cured of that disordered affection by studying of Christ and his patience he still dwelt upon the meditation of Christ and his patience till he found his heart transformed into the similitude of Jesus Christ And oh that you would never leave pondering upon that glorious
my selfe to differ to wit by the improvement of Nature This Age is full of such proud Monsters But an humble soule sees free grace to be the Spring and Fountaine of all his mercies and comforts he writes free Grace upon all his temporalls and upon all his spiritualls c. The Seventh Direction is Meditate much upon these two 7 Direction things First The great mischiefe that sinne hath done in the World It cast Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradice it hath layen the first corner-stone in Hell and ushered in all the evils and miseries that be in the world It hath threw downe Abraham the best Believer in the world and Noah the most Righteous man in the world and Job the Uprightest man in the world and Moses the Meekest man in the world and Paul the greatest Apostle in the world Oh the Diseases the crosses the losses the miseries the deaths the hells that sin hath brought upon the world Bazill wept when he saw the Rose because it brought to to his mind the first sin from whence it had the prickles which it had not while man continued in Innocency as he thought Oh when he saw the prickles his soule wept So when we see heare or read of the blood misery warres and ruines that sin ha's brought upon us ler us weep and lye humble before the Lord. Secondly Mediate much on this That many wicked men Mat. 23. 15. take more paines to damne their soules and goe to Hell then thou doest to save thy soule and to get to Heaven Oh what paines doe wicked men take to damne their souls and goe to Hell Lanctantius saith of Lucian that he spared Such a mad Devil was Catalin neither God nor man He took paines to make himselfe twice told a Child of wrath It is said of Marcellus the Roman Generall That hee could not be quiet Nec victor nec victus neither Conquered nor Conquerour Such restlesse wretches are wicked men The Drunkard rises up in the morning and continues till Isa 5. 11. mid-night till wine inflame him The unclean person wasts his time and strength and estate and all to ruine his owne soule Theotimus being told by his Physitian that if he did not leave his lewd courses he would loose his sight answered Vale lumen amicum Then farewell sweet light What a deale of paines does the Worldling take He rises up early and goes to Bed late and leaves no stone unturn'd and all to make himselfe but the more miserable in the close Pambus in the Ecclesiasticall History wept when he saw a Harlot drest with much care and cost partly to see one Socrates Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 28. take so much paines to goe to Hell and partly because he had not been so carefull to please God as shee had been to please a wanton lover Oh Sirs what reason have you to spend your dayes in weeping when you look abroad and see what paines most men take to damne their soules and goe to Hell and then consider what little paines you take to escape Hell to save your soules and goe to Heaven Eighthly Get more internall and experimentall knowledge 8 Direction and acquaintance with God If ever you would keep humble no knowledge humbles and abases like that which is inward and experimentall We live in dayes wherein there is abundance of notionall light many Professors know much of God notionally but know nothing of God experimentally They know God in the History but know nothing of God in the Mystery They know 'T is a sad thing to be often eating of the Tree of Knowledg but never to tast of the Tree of Life much of God in the letter but little or nothing of God in the spirit and therefore 't is that they are so proud and high in their owne conceits when as he that experimentally knowes the Lord is a Worme and no man in his owne eyes As the Sun is necessary to the world the eye to the body the Pilate to the Ship the Generall to the Army So is experimentall knowledge to the humbling of the soule Who more experimentall in their knowledge then David Job Isaiah and Paul And who more humble then these Worthies Seneca observed of the Philosophers That when they grew more learned they were lesse morall So a growth in notions will bring a great decay in humility and zeale as it 's too evident in these dayes Well remember this a drop of experimentall knowledge will more humble a man then a sea of notionall knowledge Ninthly Looke up to a crucified Christ for speciall power 9 Direction and strength against the pride of your hearts 'T is sad in these knowing times to think how few there are that know the right way of bringing under the power of any sin Most men scarce look so high as a crucified Christ for power against their powerfull sins One soule sits downe and complaines Such a Psal 10. 4. It was the the blood of the Sacrifice and the Oyle that cleansed the Leper in the Law and that by them was meant the blood of Christ and the grace of his Spirit is agreed by all lust haunts me I 'le pray it downe Another saith such a sin followes me and I 'le hear it downe or watch it downe or resolve it downe and so a crucified Christ is not in all their thoughts Not but that you are to hear pray watch and resolve against your sins but above all you should look to the acting of Faith upon a crucified Christ As he said of the sword of Goliah None like to that So I say none like to this for the bringing under the pride of mens hearts The weaker the House of Saul grew the stronger the House of David grew The weakning of your pride will be the increase and strengthening of your Humility and therefore what the King of Syria said unto his fifty Captaines Fight neither with small nor great but with the King of Israel So say I if you woulk keep humble if you would lye low draw forth your Artillery place your greatest strength against the pride of your soules The death of Pride will be the resurrection of Humility And that this may stick upon you I shall lay downe severall Propositions concerning Pride and I am so much the more willing to fall upon this work and to make it the subject of our discourse at this time because this horrid sin doth appeare so boldly and impudently and that not onely among prophane persons but Professors also There are ten Propositions that I shall lay downe concerning Pride And the first is this Of all sinnes Pride is most dangerous to the soules of Men. Pride is a sin that will put the soule upon the worst of sinnes Pride is a gilded misery a secret poyson a hidden plague 'T is the Ingeneere of deceipt the Mother of hypocrisie the Parent of envy the Moth of holinesse the
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
cursing banning and a blaspheming God to his very face Had not the Lord given thee a little grace ten thousand to one but thou hadst been one in wickednesse among these Monsters of mankind And thou lookest another way and there thou seest persons dicing carding drabbing and drunkening c. why had not the Lord vouchsafed to thee some tasts and sips of grace thou mightest have been as vild as the vildest among them Ah weak Saints you doe not think what an awakened conscience would give for a little of that little grace that the Lord ha's given you Were all the world a lump of gold and in their hand to give they would give it for the least spark of grace for the least drop of mercy I have read of a man who being in a burning Feaver profest One of the Kings of England in his straites cryed out A Kingdome for a Horse a Kingdome for a Horse So do awakened coâ—sciences cry out A Kingdome for a Christ a Kingdome for a Christ or a little grace That if he had all the world at his dispose he would give it all for one draught of Beer So would an awakened conscience for one dram of grace O saith such a soule when I look up and see God frowning when I look inward and feele conscience gnawing and accusing when I look downward and see hell open to receive me and when I look on my right and left hand and see Devils standing ready to accuse me O had I a thousand worlds I would give them all for a little lirtle drop of that grace that such and such soules have whom I have formerly slighted and despised Oh! what would not a damned soule that hath been but an houre in hell give for a drop of that grace that thou hast in thy heart Think seriously of this and be thankfull Well remember one thing more and that is this viz. That there is no such way to get much grace as to be thankefull for a little grace He who opens his mouth wide in praises shall have his heart filled with graces Ingratitude stops the ear of God and shuts the hand of God and turnes away the heart of the God of grace and therefore you had need be thankfull for a little grace Unthankfullnesse is the greatest injustive that may be 't is a with-holding from the great Land-lord of heaven Lycurgus saith Musculus amongst all his Lawes made none against the Ungratefull because that was thought a thing so prodigious â—s not to be committed by man Isa 1. 3 4. and earth his due his debt Phillip branched his Souldier that begged the land of one that had relieved him and kindly entertained him with ingratis hospes The Vngratefull Guest Oh weak Saints give not God an occasion by your ingratitude to brand you and to write upon your foreheads Vngratefull Children Had it not been for unthankfullnesse Adam had been in Paradise the lapsed Angels in heaven and the Jewes in their owne Land of Promise The Jewes have a saying That the World stands upon three things The Law Holy Worship and Retribution And if these things fall the world will fall You know how to apply it But that I may in good earnest stir up your soules to thankfullnesse will you take home with you these things that happily have never or seldome been thought of by you First Consider That there is more need of Praises then Gods favours and mercies seldome or never come single there is a series a concatenatioÌ„ of them and every former drawes on a â—uture there is of Prayers Two things doe with open mouth proclaime this truth And the first is this Our mercies doe out-weigh our wants This is true in temporals but infinitely more in spiritualls and eternalls Thou wantest this and that outward mercy and what 's thy want oh soule of this and that single mercy to the multitudes of mercies that thou doest enjoy And as for spiritualls there 's nothing more clear then this that thy spirituall mercies doe infinitly out-weigh thy spirituall wants Thou wantest this and that spirituall mercy but what are those wants to that God that Christ and all those spirituall blessings in heavenly places with which thou art blest in Christ Jesus Ephes 1. 4. Secondly Consider this That all your wants and miseries are deserved and procured by your owne sins Jer. 4. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth God and Christ are the sole fountaine from whence all these streames of living waters flow unto thy heart And Chap. 50. 25. Your iniquities have turned away these things and your sins have with-holden good things from you But now all your mercies are unmerited and undeserved they all flow in upon you from the free love and favour of God and therefore there 's more need of praises then of prayers And oh that the high praises of God were more in your mouths upon this very account And oh that with David you would summon all the faculties of your soules to praise the Lord who hath freely fill'd you and followed Psal 149. 2. Psal 103. 1. to 5. you with the riches of mercy all your dayes But secondly Consider this Thankefullnesse is a surer and a better evidence of our sincerity and spirituall intenuity then praying or hearing or such like services are Thanksgiving is a selfe-denying grace 't is an uncrowning our selves and the Creatures to set the Crowne upon the head of our Creator it is the making our selves a footstoole that God may be lifted up upon his Throne and ride 'T is much to be feared that that man is Christlesse and gracelesse that is earnest in craving mercies but slow and dull in returning praises 'T is a signe that the Dumb Devill ha's possest such a man in a holy triumph over all It is a grace that gives God the supremacy in all our hearts thoughts desires words and marks Selfe-love flesh and blood and many low and carnall considerations may carry men to pray and hear and talk c. The whip may work a shame to begge but thankfullnesse is the free-will Offering of a Child There 's nothing that so clearly and so fully speaks out your sincerity and spirituall intenuity as thankfullnesse doth Therefore weak Saints if you would have a substantiall evidence of your sincerity and spirituall intenuity be thankfull for a little grace The little Birds doe not sip one drop of water but they look up as if they meant to give thanks To shew us what we should doe for every drop of grace c. The third and last Consideration to set this home is this A thankefull soule holds consort with the musick of Heaven By thankfullnesse thou holdest a correspondency with the Rev. 4. 6 7 8 9. 5. 12 13 14. Angels who are still a singing Hallelujahs to him that sits upon the Throne and is
blessed for ever In heaven there is no prayers but all praises I am apt to think that there can't be a clearer nor a greater argument of a mans right to heaven and ripenesse for heaven then this being much in the work of heaven here on earth There is no grace but Love nor no Epictetus wisht he were a Nightingale to be ever singing And what then should a Saint wish c. duty but Thankfullnesse that goes with us to heaven I but weak Saints may say Sir We judge that there is weight in what you say to provoke us to thankefullnesse But did we know that we had true Grace though it were never so little though it were but as the graine of Mustard-seed we would be thankefull But this is our condition we live betweene feares and hopes one day hoping we shall to heaven and be happy for ever Another day we are fearing that we shall to hell and miscarry for ever And thus we are up and downe backward and forward sometimes we believe we have grace and at other times we doubt we have none Sometimes we have a little light and suddenly our Sun is clouded one day we are ready to say with David The Lord is our portion and the next day we are ready to complaine with Jonah that we are cast out from the presence of the Lord. Me-thinks I hear a weak Saint saying thus to me Sir I would faine have an end put to this controversie that ha's been long in my soule viz. Whether I have grace or no and if you please I will tell you what I find and so humbly desire your judgement and opinion upon the whole Well speak on poore soule and let me heare what thou hast found in thine owne soule Why Sir then thus I finde first a holy restlesnesse in my soule till with old Simeâ—n I have gotten Christ in my armes yea till I Luke 2. 25. to 33. The Child is restlesse till it be in the Mothers Armes Cant. 5. 10. have gotten Christ into my heart I goe from Duty to Duty and from Ordinance to Ordinance and yet I cannot rest because I cannot find him whom my soule loves I am like Noah's Dove that could not rest untill he had gotten into the Ark. Oh I cannot be quiet till I know that I am hous'd in Christ My soule is like a ship in a storme that is tost hither and thither Oh! where shall I find him Oh! how shall I obtaine him who is the chiefest of ten thousand What Absolom said in another case I can say in this saith the poor soule in his banishment he could say What 's all this to me so long as I can't see the Kings face And truly the language of my soule is this What 's honour to me And riches to me And the favour of Creatures to me so long as I goe mourning without my Christ so long as I see not my interest in my Christ Well have you any thing else to say O weake Christian Yes Sir I have one thing more to say What 's that Why it is this I can truly say That the poorest the most distressed and afflicted man in the world is not fuller of desires nor stronger Tota vita beni Christiani sanctum desiderium est in his desires then I am The poor man desires bread to feed him and the wounded desires a Plaister to heale him and the sick man desires Cordialls to strengthen him c. But these are not fuller of desires after those things that are sutable to them then I am of holy and heavenly desires Oh that I had more of God! Oh that I were filled with Christ Oh that I had his righteousnesse to cover me His grace to pardon me His power to support me His wisedome to councell me his loving-kindnesse to refresh me And his happinesse to Crowne me c. Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more to tell you What 's that Why that is this Though I dare not say that Christ is mine yet I can truly say that Christ his love his works his grace his word are the maine objects of my contemplation and meditation Oh Some Contemplatioâ—s have Generationem longam fruitionem brevem but these are not the conâ—em plations of the Saints I am alwayes best when I am most a meditating and contemplating of Christ his love his grace c. Psal 139. 17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God How great is the summe of them Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more to say What 's that Why it is this I can truly say That the want of Christs love is a greater grief and burden to my soule then the want of any outward thing in this world I am in a wanting condition as to temporals I want health and strength and Trading friends and money that answereth to all things as Solomon speaks and yet all these wants doe not so grieve me and so afflict and Eccl. 10. 19. trouble me as the want of Christ as the want of grace as the want of the discoveries of that favour that 's better then Psa 63. 3 4. life Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir there 's one thing more What 's that Why that is this That I would not willingly nor resolvedly sin against Christ V. for a world 'T is true I dare not say I have an interest in I will rather leap into a bonsire then willfully to commit wickednesse willfully to against God Christ yet I dare say that I would not willingly and resolvedly sin against Christ for a world I can say through grace were I this moment to dye that my greatest feare is of sinning against Christ and my greatest care is of pleasing Christ I know there was a time when my greatest care was to please And I said A selme had rather gâ—e to hâ—ll â—ure from sin then to heaven polluted wiâ—h that filth The Primitive Christians chose rathet to be â—hrowne to Lyâ—ns without then left to lusts within Ad Leonem magis quam Leonem saith Tertullian VI. It is repâ—red of Bucer and Calvin That they loved aâ—l them in whom they could espâ—e Aliquâ—a Christi any thing of Christ 'T is justi so with these poore hearts that question their present condition Jer. â— 1. 2 3. VII Psa 119. 136 my selfe and the Creature and my greatest fear was of displeasing the Creature I can remember with sorrow and sadnesse of heart how often I have displeased Christ to please my selfe and displeased Christ to please the Creature but now 't is quite otherwise with me my greatest care is to please Christ and my greatest fear is of offending Christ Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more What 's that Why that 's this Though I dare not say that Christ is mine and that I have an interest in him
know but little of that they shall know when they shall come to know even as they are knowne And yet these weak and imperfect glimpses that they have of God and Heaven here are infallible pledges of that perfect knowledge and full prospect that they shall have of God and heaven hereafter So that that little spark of joy thou hast is an earnest of those everlasting joyes that shall rest upon thy head when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Riddle Aenigma is properly Obscura allegoria an obscure Allegory 't is an Allegory with a mask on 't is a cloudy knotty intricate speech sealed and lockt up from vulgar apprehensions That 's a Riddle all sorrow and mourning shall flye away Isa 35. 10. c. And those sips of comfort thou hast now are an earnest of thy swimming in those everlasting pleasures that be at gods right hand Psal 16. ult The least measures of grace are an earnest of greater measures God will not loose his earnest though men often loose theirs God will not despise the day of small things he will make those that bring forth but thirty fold to bring forth sixty fold and those that bring forth sixty fold to bring forth a hundred fold c. He his Son and Spirit are all eminently and fully ingaged to carry on the work of grace in his Childrens soules Therefore doe not sit downe and say my light is but dim and my love but weak and my joy but a spark that will quickly goe out c. But alwayes remember That those weak measures of grace thou hast are a sure evidence of greater measures that God will confer upon thee in his owne time and in his owne wayes Isa 64. 4 5. Fifthly When you looke upon your Graces be sure that you looke more at the truth of your Graces then at the measure of your Graces You must rather bring your Graces to the Touch-stone to try their truth then to the ballance to weigh their measure Many weak Christians are weighing their graces when they should be a trying the truth of their graces as if the quantity and measure of grace were more considerable then the Essence and nature of grace and this is that that keeps many weak Saints in a dark doubting questioning and despairing condition yea this makes their lives a very hell Weak Saints if you will not observe this rule this Caution when you look upon your graces you will goe sighing and mourning to your Graves Ah poor hearts you should not be more cruell to your owne soules then God is When God comes to make a judgement of your spirituall estates he doth not bring a paire of scales to weâ—gh your graces but a Touchstone to try the truth of your graces and so should you deale by your owne soules If you deale otherwise you are more cruell to your soules then God would have you And if you are resolved That in this you will not imitate the Lord then I dare prophesie that joy and peace shall be none of your Lam. 1. 16. Guests and he that should comfort you will stand a farre off 'T is good to owne and acknowledge a little grace though it be mingled with very much corruption as that poor soule did Mark 9. 24. And straightway the father of the Child Grace is homogeneall â—very winkling of light is light every drop of water is water every spark of fire is fire every drop of honey is honey So every drop of grace is grace and if the lâ—ast drâ—p or spark of grace be not woâ—th ac knowledging 't is worth nothing cryed out and said with teares Lord I believe help thou mine unbeliefe He had but a little little faith and this was mixt with abundance of unbelief and yet notwithstanding he acknowledges that little faith he had Lord I believe help my unbeliefe His faith was so weak that he accounts it little better then unbelief Yet sayes he Lord I believe help my unbeliefe The least measure of faith will make thee blessed here and happy hereafter A Doctor cryed out upon his dying Bed Credo languida fide sed tamen fide Much faith will yeeld unto us here our Heaven and any faith if true will yield us heaven hereafter So the Church in Cant. 1. 5. I am black but comely She had nothing to say for her beautifullnesse yet she acknowledgeth her comelinesse I am black but comely Though she could not say she was clear yet she could say she was comely As she was free to confesse her blacknesse so she was ingenuous to acknowledge her comelinesse I am black but comely Ah Christians will you deale worse with your owne soules then you deale with your Children When you goe to make a Judgement of your Childs affections you look more to the truth of their affections then you doe to the strength of their affections and will you be lesse ingenious and favourable to your owne soules If he deserves to be branded that feasts his Child and starves his wife what doe you deserve that can acknowledge the least naturall good that is in a Child and yet will acknowledge none of that spirituall and heavenly good that is in your soules Sixthly and lastly When you looke upon your Graces look that you doe not renounce and reject your Graces seene in the light of the spirit as a weake and worthlesse evidence of your interest in Christ and that happinesse that comes by Christ I know in these dayes many cry up Revelations and Visions Grace saith one is the foundation of all our felicity and comprebends all blessings As Mâ—nna is said to have done all goâ—d tasts Johns Epistles are a rich Treasury for Christian Assurance yea the Visions of their owne hearts and make slight of the graces of Christ in the hearts of his people Yea they look upon grace as a poor weak thing Ah Christians take heed of this else you will render null in a very great measure many precious Scriptures especially the Epistle of John which were penned for the Comfort and Support of weak Saints But that this may stick and work be pleased to carry home with you these three things First Other precious Saints that are now triumphing in heaven have pleaded their interest in Gods love and hopes of a better life from Graces inherent I 'le onely point at those Scriptures that speak out this truth 1 John 3. 14. Chap. 2. 3 4. Job 23. 10 11 12. And the whole 31 Chapter of Job Psal 119. 6. Isa 38. 2 3. 2 Cor. 1. 12. All these Scriptures with many others that Christians may doubtlesse look to their graces as Evidences of their part in Christ and salvaâ—ion and the clearer and stronger they are the greater will be their comfort but not as Causes might be produced doe with open mouth proclaime this Truth And surely to deny the fruit growing upon the Tree to be an Evidence that the Tree is alive is
So in Psal 63. 8. My soule followeth hard after thee I but how comes this to passe Thy right hand upholds me I feele thy hand under me drawing of my soule off after thee Oh! were not thy gracious hand under me I should never follow hard after thee The Lord will put under his everlasting armes O weak Christian and therefore though thy feet be apt to slide yet his everlasting armes shall bear thee up therefore be not discouraged doe not turne aside from those paths that drop marrow and fatnesse though there be a Lyon in the way Secondly Consider this O weak Saint That there is lesse danger and hardship in the wayes of Christ then there is in the wayes of sin Satan or the world Prov. 11. 18 19. 21. 21. That soule doth but leap out of the Frying-pan into the fire that thinks to mend himselfe by turning out of the way that is called holy Oh! the horrid drudgery that is in the wayes of sin Satan or the world Thy worst day in Christs service is better then thy best dayes if I may so speak in sin or Satans service Satan will pay the sinner home at last with the losse of God Christ Heaven and his soule for ever But in the way of righteousnesse is life joy peace honour and in the path-way thereof there is no death Prov. 12. 28. His wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all his paths are peace Prov. 3. 17. Thirdly Remember O weak Saint That all those hardships that thou meetest with doe onely reach the outward man They onely reach the ignoble the baser part of man they meddle not they touch not the noble part With my mind I serve the Law of God though with my flesh the Law of sin Rom. 7. 22. And vers 25. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man And indeed many of the Heathen have incouraged themselves for this very consideration against the troubles and dangers of this life All the Arrowes that are Anaxagoras Pla to and others shot at a Christian stick in his Buckler they never reach his conscience his soule The raging waves beat sorely against Noah's Ark but they toucht not him The soule is of too noble a nature to be toucht by troubles Jacob's hard service under Laban and his being nipt by the frost in winter and Gen. 31. 40. scorcht by the Sun in summer did onely reach his outward man his soule had high communion and sweet fellowship with God under all his hardships Ah Christian bear up bravely for whatever hardships thou meetest with in the wayes of God shall onely reach thy outward man and under all these hardships thou mayest have as high and sweet Hos 2. 14. communion with God as if thou hadst never knowne what hardships meant Fourthly Tell me O weake Saints have not you formerly injoyed such sweet refreshings while you have been in the very service of God as hath out-wayed all the troubles and hardships that your soules have met with I know you have and you know that you have often found that Scripture made good upon your hearts Psal 19. 11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward Mark he doth not say For keeping of them there is great reward though that 's a truth But in keeping Austin saith If a man should â—erve the Lord â— thousand â—ears in would â—â—t dâ—serve an boure of the reward in Heaven much lesse an Eternity c. of them there is great reward While the soule is at work God throwes in the reward Don't you remember O weak Christians when you have been in the service and way of God how he hath cast in joy at one time and peace at another c Oh! the smiles the kisses the sweet discoveries that your soules have met with whilst you have been in his wayes Ah poore soules don 't you know that one houres being in the bosome of Christ will make you forget all your hardships heaven at last will make amends for all and the more hardships you find in the wayes of God the more sweet will heaven be to you when you come there O how sweet is a Harbour after a long storme and a Sun-shine day after a dark and tempestuous night and a warme Spring after a sharp winter The miseries and difficulties that a man meets with in this world will exceedingly sweeten the glory of that other world Lastly Consider What hardships and difficulties the men of this world run through to get the world and undoe their owne soules They rise early goe to bed late they goe from one end of the world to another and venture through all manner of dangers Psal 127. 2. Mat. 16. 16â— deaths and miseries to gaine those things that are vaine uncertaine vexing and dangerous to their soules And wilt not thou as a good Souldier of Christ endure a little hardship 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. for the honour of thy Captaine and thine owne internall and eternall good Thou art listed under Christs Colours and therefore thou must arme thy selfe against all difficulties and discouragements The number of difficulties makes the Christians Conquest the more illustrious A gracious man should be made up all of fire overcoming and consuming all oppositions As Chrysostome said of Peter as fire does the stubble All difficulties should be but whet-stones to his fortitude The fifth Duty is this You that are weake Saints should observe how Christ keepes your wills and affections That man is kept indeed whose will and affection is kept close to Christ And that man is lost with a witnesse whose will and affections are won from Christ Weak Saints are more apt to observe their owne actions then their wills and affections and this proves a snare unto them therefore observe your affections how they are kept for if they are kept close to Christ if they are kept faithfull to Christ though thy foot may slide from Christ all is well The Apostle Rom. 7. observ'd that his will and affections were kept close to Christ even then when he was Tyrannically Captivated and carried by the prevalency of sin from Christ With my mind I serve the Law of God sayes he and what I doe I allow not therefore it is no more I that doth it but sin that dwelleth in me My will stands close to Christ and my affections are faithfull to Christ though by the prevalency of corruption I am now and then carried Captive from Christ 'T is one thing to be taken up by an Enemy and another thing for a man to lay downe his Weapons at his Enemies feet I am saith the Apostle a forc't man I doe what I hate I doe what I never intended The heart may be sound when more externall and inferiour parts are not The heart of a man may be sound God-ward and Christ-ward and holinesse-ward when yet there may be many defects and weaknesses in
these precious Gifts are denyed Let us therefore sit downe and wonder at this O Lord Jesus saith Bernard breaking sorth into an admiration of Christs love I love thee plusquam mea plusquam ineos plusquam me more then all my goods more then all my friends yeâ— more then my very selfe c. condiscending love of God Oh! we were once poore wretches siting upon the dunghill yea wallowing in our blood and yet behold the King of Kings the Lord of Lords ha's so far condiscended in his love as to bestow himselfe his spirit his grace and all the Jewels of his Royal Crowne upon us Oh! what heart can conceive what tongue can expresse this matchlesse love I will be thine for ever sayes Christ and my spirit shall be thine for ever and my grace thine for ever and my glory thine for ever and my righteousnesse thine for ever all I am and all I have shall be thine for ever Oh Sirs what condiscending love is this Oh! what a Christ is this But then secondly Be greatly thankefull O be greatly thankefull for the great Gifts that Christ hath bestowed upon you It 's not a little thankfullnesse that will answer and suite to the great Gifts that the Lord Jesus hath bestowed upon you Psal 103. O say with the Psalmist What shall I render to the Lord for all his favours and great benefits I will take the cup of salvation and will call upon the name of the Lord. Yea say againe Psal 71. 14. Injuries shall be writ in the dust but our mercies on Mâ—rble that our hearts may be the better provokt to praise and thankfulnesse with the same Psalmist I will yet praise thee more and more Or as 't is in the Hebrew I will add to thy praise Oh when thou lookest upon the Jewels the Pearles that Christ hath given thee say Lord I will praise thee more and more I will rise higher and higher in thy praises I will be still a adding to thy praise The very Law of Nature bespeaks great thankfullnesse where great favours are given and the Law of Custome bespeaks it and doth not the Law of grace bespeak it much more When Tamerlin had taken Bajazet among other Questions he askt him If ever he had given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour He confest immediately That he never thought of that To whom Tamerlin replied Turk Hist 220 c. 'T is no wonder so ungratefull a man should be made a spectacle of misery Oh! what doe they then deserve that are unthankfull for spirituall favours Tell me O Christians are not the Gifts that Christ ha's confer'd upon you peculiar Gifts And will you not be thankfull for them Were they There are but few upon whom God bestoweth his love 'T was alwayes a principle in morality that sweet and intimate friendship cannot be extended to many friends usually goe by paires but common Gifts you ought to be thankfull for them how much more then for peculiar Gifts for right-handed favours Tell me are not the Gifts that Christ ha's given thee rare Gifts What hadst thou been if Christ had not made a difference between thee and others by those glorious Gifts that he ha's confer'd upon thee Thou lookest upon some and seest they are very ignorant Oh! what hadst thou been if God had not bestowed the Grace of knowledge upon thee Thou lookest upon other persons that are unclean prophane and filthy why such a wretch wouldst thou have been if the Lord had not made a difference between thee and them by bestowing himselfe his grace and spirit upon thee It was long since determined in the Schools That penitents had more reason to be thankefull then innocents Sin giving an advantage to mercy to be doubly free in giving and in pardoning And so the greater obligation is left upon us to thankfullnesse Luther hath a very famous story in his writing upon the fourth Commandement in the time of the Councel of Constance he tells you Of two Cardinalls that as they were riding to the Councel they saw a Shepheard in the field weeping one of them being affected with his weeping rode to him to comfort him and coming near to him he desired to know the reason of his weeping the Shepheard was unwilling to tell him at first but at last he told him saying I looking upon this Toad considered that I never praised God as I ought for making me such an excellent Creature as a man comely and reasonable I have not blessed him that he made me not such a deformed Toad as this The Cardinall hearing this and considering that God had done far greater things for him then for this poore Shepheard he fell downe dead from his Mule his servants lifting him up and bringing him to the City he came to life againe and then cryed out Oh Saint Austine how truly didst thou say The unlearned rise and take heaven by force and we with all our learning wallow in flesh and blood The application is easie Thirdly The next Use is this If the Lord hath given the best Gifts to his people then Oh that his people would not give God the worst but the best of every thing 'T is the most wicked aâ—aâ—ice to defraud God of the oblation of our selves saith Chrysost Oh! give the Lord the best of your strength the best of your time the best of your mercies and the best of your services who hath given to your soules the best of Gifts Num. 18. 29. Out of all your Gifts ye shall offer every heave Offring of the Lord of all the best thereof even the hallowed part thereof out of it So I say of all thy Offrings offer God the best who hath given to thee the best and greatest Gifts So in Exod. 35. 22. For the service of the Tabernacle they brought bracelets and ear-rings and rings and tables all Jewels of If a man should serve the Lord a thousand years saith Austin â— would net deserve an â—oure of the reward in Heaven no not a moment much lesse an Eternity And therefore sayes he we had need doe as much as we can and doe all that we doe as well as we can c. gold and every man that Offered Offered an Offering of Gold unto the Lord. They gave the best of the best and so must we O doe not offer to God the worst of your time the worst of your strength the worst of your mercies the worst of your services That same is a very dreadfull Text Mal. 1. 8. 13 14. compared And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evill And if ye offer the lame and the sick is it not evill Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with it and accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Saith God will men be put off thus No I know they won't and why then should you deale worse with me then with men Thy Governours will have
the best I the best of the best and will you deale worse with me saith God then with your Governours Will you thus requite me for all my savours O foolish people and unwise is this your kindnesse to your friend Vers 13 14. Ye said also behold what a wearinesse is it and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of hosts and ye have brought that which was torne and the lame and the sicke thus ye brought an Offering should I accept this of your hands saith the Lord. Oh! that God had not cause to complaine thus of many of your soules to whom he hath showne much love But mark what followes vers 14. But cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my name is dreadfull among the Heathen If you have better in your hands and yet shall goe to put off God with the worst the curse will follow Think of it and tremble all you that deale fraudulently and false-heartedly with God Ah Christians you must say world stand behind sin and Satan get you behind us for the best Gifts the choycest favours that ever were given we have received from the father of light and therefore by his Gifts he hath obliged our soules to give him the best of our time strength and services and therefore we will not be at your call or beck any longer Oh say the Lord hath given us the best Gifts and cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Fourthly This should bespeake the people of God to trust and leane 2 Tim. 4. 8. upon God for lesser Gifts Hath God given thee a Crowne and wilt thou not trust Heb. 11. 10. Chap. 12. 28. him for a crum Hath he given thee a house that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Hath he given thee a Kingdome that shakes not and wilt thou not trust him for a Cottage for a little house-roome in this world Hath he Rom. 8. 32. given thee Himselfe his Son his Spirit his Grace and wilt thou not trust him to give thee bread and friends and Mat. 6. 32. cloaths and other necessary mercies that he knowes thou needest Ha's he given thee the greater and will he stand with thee for the lesser Surely no. Wilt thou trust that man for much that ha's given thee but a little And wilt thou not trust that God for a little that ha's given thee much Wilt thou not trust him for pence that ha's given thee pounds Oh Sirs hath the Lord given you himselfe the best of favours and will not you trust him for the least favours Hath he given you Pearls and will not you trust him for pins c. Does not the Apostle argue sweetly Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his owne Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us Prov. 8. 23. to â—2 Vide Mâ—t. 3. uâ—â— all things What sayes the Apostle hath he given us his Son his onely Son his bosome Son his beloved Son the Son of his joy the Son of his delight Oh how can he then Taâ—â—um possâ—mus quâ—â—tum credimus Cyp. but cast in all other things as paper and pack-threed into the bargaine Oh that Christians would learne to reason themselves out of their feares and out of their distrusts as the Apostle doth Oh! that Christians would no longer rend and wrack their precious soules with feares and cares but rest satisfied in this That he that ha's been so kind to them in spiritualls will not be wanting to them in temporalls Fifthly If the Lord hath given the best Gifts to his people this should then bespeake his people not to envy the men of the world for those lesser favours that God ha's confer'd upon them David three severall times gâ—ves himselfe this counsell Not to envy at others Psal 37. 1 7 8. comp So Psal 73. 21. It was horrid wickednesse in Ahab to envy poor Naboth because of his Vineyard And is it a virtue in you that are Christians to envy others because their outward mercies are greater or sweeter then yours Should the Prince upon whose head the Royall Crowne is set and about whose neck the golden Chaine is put envy those whose hands are full of Sugar-plums whose laps are full of Rosemary c. Hath not God Oh Christians put a Royall Crowne of glory upon your heads and a golden Chaine of grace about your necks and his Sons glorious Robe upon your backs and why then should your hearts rise against others mercies Oh! reason your selves out of this sinfull temper I would have every Christian thus to argue Hath not the Lord given me himselfe is not one dram of that grace that God hath given me more worth then ten thousand worlds and why then should I envy at others mercies There was a Souldier which for breaking his rank in reaching after a bunch of Grapes was condemned to dye by Martiall Law and as he went to execution he went eating of his Grapes Upon which some of his fellow Souldiers were somewhat troubled saying He ought then to minde somewhat else To whom he said I beseech you Sirs doe not envy me my Grapes they will cost me deer you would be loath to have them at the rate that I must pay for them So say I Oh Saints doe not envy the men of this world because of their honours riches c. for you would be loath to have them at the rate that they must pay for them Oh! there is a day of reckoning a coming a day wherein all the Nobles and brave Gallants in the world must be brought to the Bar and give an account how they have improved and imployed all the favours that God ha's confer'd upon them therefore envy them not Is it madnesse and folly in a great favourite at Court to envy those that feast themselves with the scrapps that come from the Princes Table O then what madnesse and folly is it that the favourites of heaven should envy the men of the world who at best doe but feed upon the scraps that come from Gods Tables Spiritualls are the choyce meat temporalls are but the scraps Temporalls are the bones spiritualls are the marrow Is it below a man to envy the dogs because of the bones And is it not much more below a Christian to envy others for temporalls when himselfe injoyes spiritualls Sixthly Be not troubled for the want of lesser Gifts John 14. 1 2 3. It is to me a sad thing to see gracious soules that have some comfortable satisfaction in their owne hearts that the Lord hath given Christ and grace to them c. goe up and downe whining and weeping because they have not health or wealth or Child or Trade c. when the Lord
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
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
hath ordained to convey all fullnesse of light to the Aire by the Sun and therefore hath put a greater fullnesse of light into the Sun God hath ordained all fullnesse of nourishment to the branches by the roots and therefore hath put a fullnesse of juice into the roots So the Lord hath ordained that all the riches of grace of peace of glory c. that Believers shall injoy here and in Heaven they shall have from this Son of righteousnesse from this blessed root the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore the father hath filled this Son with light this root with heavenly juice because he is by Divine ordination to convey all spirituall and glorious John 15. 21 22. Sirens are said to sing curiously while â—hey live but to râ—are horribly when they dye So will all those that have rerected so rich a Jesus as ha's been tendred â—o them when the Lord Jesus shall plead with them c. Riches into the hearts of his chosen and beloved ones A third Ground is To take away all excuse from ungodly and wicked men and that they may be found speechlesse in the day of vengeance when the Lord shall come to reckon with them Ah sinners How will you that have turn'd your backs upon Christ who is thus rich be able to answer it in the day when God shall reason the case with you When God shall say sinners Ha's it not been often told you that Christ is rich in mercy and rich in goodnesse and rich in grace rich in pardons rich in loves and rich in glory rich in spiritualls rich in temporalls and rich in eternalls and yet you have slighted this Christ you have turned your backs upon this Christ you have preferred your lusts and the world and the service of the Devil above this Christ Oh! How dumb how speechlesse will sinners be when the Lord shall thus plead with them Oh how will their countenances be changed their thoughts troubled their joynts loosed their consciences enraged and their soules terrified when they shall see what a rich Match they have refused and thereupon how justly they are for ever accursed c. Lastly It is upon this account That he may be a compleat Redeemer to us and that nothing may hinder our soules closing with the Lord Jesus Christ. We stand in need of one that 's rich rich in grace to pardon us rich in power to support us and rich in goodnesse to relieve us and rich in glory to Crowne us there 's none but such We may say of Christ as Writers say of the Jasper it 's easier to admire then declare it and far more easier to say what he is not then what he is a Christ can serve our turnes We stand in need of one that 's rich that 's generally rich one that 's rich in money to pay all our debts We have run much upon the score with God and none can pay this score but Christ our sins are debts that none can pay but Christ 'T is not our teares but his blood 't is not our sighes but his sufferings that can satisfie for our sins We are much in debt to God for the ground we tread on the aire we breath in the beds we lye on the bread we eat the cloaths we wear c. and none can pay this debt but Christ Angels and Saints may pitty us but they cannot discharge the least debt for us c. Christ must pay all or we are Prisoners for ever c. We stand in need of one that 's rich in goodnesse we are a needy people and are still in want Christ must be still a giving or we shall be still a languishing if he shut his hand we perish and returne to dust Our temporall wants are many our spirituall wants are more and if Christ don't supply them who will who can Nay our wants are so many and so great that Christ himselfe could not supply them were he not very very rich And thus I have given you a brief account of the Reasons of the Point Why the Lord Jesus is held forth by the Scripture to be so very rich We shall now come to the third thing propos'd and that is The Excellency of the Riches of Christ above all other riches in the World I shall briefly run over this third branch and so come to the Application which is most in my eye and upon my heart The Excellency of the Riches of Christ above all other Riches FIrst The riches of Christ are Incomparable riches In Prov. 3. 13 14 15. Happy is the man that findeth wisedome that is the Lord Jesus Christ and the man that getteth understanding for the merchandize of it is better then the merchandize of silver and the gaine thereof then fine gold She is more precious then Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her One grain of Grace is far beyond all the gold of Ophir and all the silver of the Indies which is but the guts and garbidge of the earth We may say of the riches of this world compared with the riches of Christ as Gideon sometime said of the Vintage of Abiezer The gleanings of Ephraim are better then the Vintage of Abiezer So the gleanings the smallest gatherings of the riches of Christ are far better more excellent more satisfying more contenting and more ravishing then all the riches of this world The whole Turkish Empire saith Luther is but a crust that God throwes to a Dogge The wise Merchant Mat. 13. Riches are called Thick clay Hab. 2. 6. which will sooner breake the back then lighten the heart c. 44 45. parts with all to gaine this Pearle of price the truth is other riches are but a burden Gen. 13. 2. Abraham was very rich in Cattell in silver and in gold The Hebrew word Cabbedh is He was very heavy in Cattell in silver and in gold To signifie that riches are but heavy burdens A little will serve nature lesse will serve grace but nothing will serve mens lusts Pheraulas a poor man on whom Cyrus bestowed so much that he knew not what to doe with his riches being wearied out with care in keeping of them he desired rather to live quietly though poor as he had done before then to possesse all those riches with discontent therefore he gave away all his wealth desiring onely to enjoy so much as might supply his necessities Let worldly Professors think seriously of this story and blush c. Secondly the riches of Christ are Inexhaustible riches as Earthly riches are true Gardens of Adonis where we can gâ—â—her nothing but triviall flowers surrounded with many bryars I have hinted before Christ can never be drawne dry The Spanish Ambassador coming to see the Treasury of St. Mark in Venice which is cryed up throughout the world fell a groping whether it had any bottome and being asked why answered In this among other things my
ship an arrow a dream a post c. This Valerian Valens and Bajazet three proud Emperours found by experience and so have many Kings and Generalls and Nobles as Scripture and History doe abundantly evidence Earthly riches are very uncertaine 1 Tim. 6. 17. They are ever upon the wing they are like Tennis-balls which are bandied up and downe from one to another As the Bird hopps from twig to twig so doe riches from man to man This age can furnish us with multitudes of instances of this nature c. Seventhly and lastly They are the most Vsefull riches to sweeten all other riches mercies and changes c. which speaks out the Excellency of these riches above all other riches The more usefull any thing is the more excellent it is Now the riches of Christ are of all things the most usefull to poore soules When the soule is under the guilt of sin nothing relieves it like the riches of Christ When the soul is surrounded with temptations nothing strengthens it like the riches of Christ When the soule is mourning under afflictions nothing comforts it like the riches of Christ When state friends and trading failes nothing makes a Christian sing care away like the riches of Christ c. The riches of Christ sweeten all other riches that men enjoy If a man be rich in parts Earthly riches cannot in rich the soule noâ— better the soule oftentimes under silk and sattin apparrell there is a thred-bare soule or rich in grace rich in faith rich in knowledge rich in wisedome rich in joy rich in peace c. Or if a man be rich in temporalls rich in money rich in wares rich in Jewels rich in Lands c. the glorious and unsearchable riches of Christ sweetens all his riches and the want of these riches imbitters all the riches that men enjoy When mens consciences are inlightned and awakened then they cry out What are all these worldly riches to us except we had an interest in the riches of Christ As Absolom once said What are all these to me except I see the Kings face I have read of one that upon his dying bed called for his baggs and laid a bagge of gold to his heart and then cryed out Take it away it will not doe it will not doe There are three things that earthly riches can never doe They can never satisfie Divine Justice They can never pacifie Divine wrath Nor they can never quiet a guilty conscience And till these things are done man is undone The Crowne of gold can't cure the Head-ach nor the honourable Garter can't cure the Gout nor the Chaine of Pearles about the neck cannot take away the paine of the Teeth Oh but the unsearchable riches of Christ give ease under all paines and torments Nugas the Scythian King despising the rich Presents and Ornaments that were sent unto him by * Michael Palâ—olegas the Emperour of Constantinople asked him that brought them Whether those things could drive away calamities diseases or deaths looking upon all those Presents as no Presents that could not keep off calamities from him Verily all the riches and glories of this world cannot keep off the least calamity neither can they make up the want of the least mercy But the riches of Christ doe both keep off calamities and make up the want of all mercies that the soule craves or needs All which speaks out the Excellency of the riches of Christ above all other riches We come now unto The Vses of this Point AND the first Use that we shall make is a Use of Exhortation to exhort you all seeing Christ is so rich to labour to be spiritually rich Oh labour to be rich in grace In the handling of this Use I shall propound this method 1 I shall lay downe some Considerations that may provoke your soules to labour to be rich in grace 2 I shall propound some Directions or Helps to help you to be rich in grace which is as much a mercy as a Duty c. 3 I shall lay downe some Propositions concerning the soules being rich in grace 4 I shall shew you how you may know whether you are the persons that are rich in grace or no. I shall begin with the first and be a little the more large upon it because it is a point of mighty weight and concernment and then be the more brief in the three following particulars For the first By way of Motive I shall onely propound these following Considerations to provoke your soules to labour to be rich in grace Laborandum was one of the Emperours Motto and must be every Christians First Consider That the more rich the soule is in grace the higher the soule will be in joy and comfort 'T is the greatest measures of grace that usher in the greatest O the joyes the joyes the unconceiveable joyes cryed out Mistris Katharine Bretterge who had attained to a great measure of grace c. measure of joy and comfort into a believing heart Christians have you tasted of the Consolations of God Have you at times sate downe and drank of these wells of salvation Are your hearts carried out for more of those waters of life Then labour to be rich in grace A little Star yeelds but a little light and a little grace will yield but a little comfort but great measures of grace will yield a man not onely a Heaven hereafter but also a Heaven of joy here Divine comfort is a choyce Flower a precious Jewel and onely to be found in their bosomes that are rich in grace Spirituall comforts are such Strong-waters that weak Christians are not able to bear them Great measures of grace carry with them the greatest evidence of the truth of grace and the clearer evidence there is in the soule of the truth of grace the higher will joy and comfort spring The soule is apt to hang her comforts on every hedge to shift and shark in every bye corner for comfort but as aire lights not without the Sun and as fuell heats not without fire so neither can any thing soundly comfort a Christian without the God of grace without his being rich in grace Great measures of grace carry with them the greatest evidence of a mans union and communion with God and the more a mans union and communion with God is evidenc't the more Aeterna erit exultatio quae bono laetatur aeterno c. will the soul be filled with that joy that is unspeakable and full of glory and with that comfort and peace that passes understanding In great measures of grace a man may read most of the love and favour of God and the more a man sees of the love and favour of God to him the more high the springs of comfort rise in him In great measures of grace as in a Christall glasse the soule sees the glorious face of God shining and sparkling and this fills the soule with joy Acts 9.
measure of Grace will bear the soule out under a great name as well as under great means For a man Quid tibi prâ—dest nomen ubi res nâ—n invenitur What will the name availe where tâ—e thing is waâ—ting saith Augâ—stâ—ne to have a great name to live and yet to have but a little life is a stroak of stroaks to be high in name and little in worth is a very sad and sore judgement to have a name to be an eminent Christian and yet to be poor in faith in love in wisedome in knowledge c. is the greatest unhappinesse in the world This stroak is upon many in these dayes but that which is saddest of all is this they feele it not they observe it not but now he that is rich in grace hath something within that will beare him out under a great name in the world Againe A great measure of Grace will bear you out under great desires as well as under a great name A man that 's rich in Grace may ask what he pleases he is one much in with God and God will deny him nothing the best of the best is for this man he may have any thing he may have every thing that heaven affordeth is able to improve much and therefore he may ask much and have it 'T was a sweet saying of one O Lord I never come to thee but by thee I never goe from thee without thee Sozonem saith of Apollonius That he never asked any thing of God but he had it And another speaking of Luther saith Hic homo potuit apud Deum quod voluit He could have what he would of God Rich men may long for this and that and have it they have something that will fetch it but poor men may not Oh now who would not labour as for life to be rich in Grace Oh this will bear you out under great means and under great names and under great desires therefore rest not satisfied with a little Grace But then sixthly and lastly Soules rich in Grace are the honour of Christ and the glory of Christianity As 't is the glory of the stock when the Grafts grow and thrive in it even so it is the glory of Christ when those that are ingrafted into him thrive and grow This declares to all the world that Christ keeps a good house and that he doth not feed his Children with trash but with the choisest delicates that he is open-handed and free-hearted 'T is the glory of the father when the Child growes rich under him and the glory of the Master when the Servant growes rich under him and so 't is the glory of Christ when poore soules grow rich under him The name of Christ and the honour of Christ is kept up in this world by souls that are rich in grace they are the persons that make others think well and speak well of Christ You may at your leisure read the first and second Epistles to the Thessalonians and there you shall see what an honour they were to the Lord Jesus and the Gospel who abounded in spirituall riches Such Christians that are like to Pharoah's leane Kine reproach three at once God the Gospel and their Teachers And this Age is full of such Christians 'T is your greatest work in this world to keep up the honour and the glory of the Lord and this you can never you will never doe except you labour to be rich in Grace Let others labour for the meat that perisheth doe you labour for that which endureth to everlasting life When you come to dye and when you come to make up your Accounts 't will never be a grief but a joy unto you that you have made it your greatest businesse and work in this world to be rich in Grace But here you may say What Meanes must we use that we may grow rich in Grace I Answer FIrst Let no discouragements take you off from labouring to be inriched with spirituall riches A soule that would be spiritually rich must be Divinely resolved that come what come can he will hold on in the use of means that he may be rich with the riches of Christ Josh 24. 15. Joshua was resolute in this Point Choose you whom you will serve whether the Lord or those other Gods that your fathers served as for my part I and my house will serve the Lord. Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the straight Gate The Greek Agenizesthe Many men are like Cicero not throughly resolved in themselves whether to follow Pompey oâ— Caesar the riches of this world or the riches of another world such men will still be poore word signifies To strive with all your might with all your strength to strive even to an Agony to strive as they did for the Garlands in the Olympick Games The word here used seemeth to alude to their striving for the Garland where they put out themselves to the utmost So in John 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which indures to everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the father sealed I have read of one that did not feare what he did nor what he suffered so he might get riches For saith he men doe not aske how good one is or how gracious one is but how rich one is Oh Sirs the day is a coming when God will ask how rich your soules are how rich you are in faith in wisedome in knowledge in fear c. and not how rich you are in money or in Jewels or in Land or in Goods but how rich are you in Grace which should provoke your soules to strive in the face of all discouragements to be rich in Grace What will not the Merchant doe and the Marriner doe for these temporall riches Oh the dangers the hazards the tempests the stormes the deaths that they run through for earthly riches which are never without their sting And shall not Christians labour in the face of all oppositions after spirituall riches It is reported of Nevessan the Lawyer that he should say He that will not venture his body can never be valiant and he that will not venture his soule will never be rich I am sure that man that will not venture and venture hard in the face of all discouragements to be spiritually rich will never be rich he may be good in the maine and may goe to heaven in a storme but he will never be rich in spiritualls that will not venture himselfe to the uttermost for the gaine of spirituall riches Secondly Be fixed under a Christ-exalting and a soule-inriching Ministry Under that mans Ministry that makes it his businesse not a thing by the bye but his businesse his work not to tickle the eare to please the fansie but to inrich the soule to win the soule and to build up the soule 2 Tim. 4. 3. For the time will come when they
thread of The very Heâ—then man could say Quando sapiens loquitur aulea animi aperdit When a wise man speaketh he openeth the rich treasures and wardrobe of his mind c. scarlet with talking of nothing but a crucified Christ and thin like a thread not swell'd with other vaine and wicked discourses The old zealous Primitive Christians did so frequently and so effectually mind and talke of the Kingdome of Heaven and of the riches and glory of that State that the Ethnicks begun to be a little jealous that they affected the Roman Empire when alasse their ambition was of another and a nobler nature Psal 37. 30. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisedome and his tongue talketh judgement for the Law of the Lord is in his heart Prov. 12. 18. The tongue of the wise is health his tongue is a Tree of life whose leaves are medicinable No way to be rich in spiritualls like being much in with such precious soules whose tongues drop marrow and fatnesse Utterance is a gift and dumb Christians are blame-worthy as well as dumb Ministers We should all strive to a holy ability and dexterity of savoury discourse If Christ should come to many of us as he did to his two Disciples in that last of Luke on Sabboath-dayes and other times and say to us as to them What manner of communication had ye or have yee Oh! with what palenesse of face and sadnesse of countenance should we look The story of Loquere ut videam is common Speake that I may see thee said Socrates to a faire Boy When the heart is full it overfloweth in speech we know Mettals by their tinkling and men by their talking Happy was that tongue in the Primitive time that could sound out Aliquid Davidicum Any thing of Davids doing but much more happy is he that speaks out Aliquid Christi Any thing of Christ from experience Seventhly If ever you would be spiritually rich Then take heed of eating or tasting of forbidden fruit This stript Adam of his Crowne of his Jewels and of all his rich Ornaments in a moment and of the richest and Becanus tells us That the Tree of Knowledge was Ficus indica and that it bears many leaves and little fruit and so 't is with those that tast and eat of forbidden fruit c. greatest Prince that ever breathed made him the miserablest Beggar that ever liv'd O take heed of tasting of poyson of eating of poyson A person that hath eate poyson will not thrive let him take never such wholsome food the choycest Cordials will not increase blood and spirits and strength but the man will throw up all Poore soules that have been tasting of poyson are apt to find fault with the Minister and sometimes with this and that as the cause of their not growing rich in spiritualls When alasse the onely cause is their eating of poyson These are like him in Seneca that having a thorne in his foot complained of the roughnesse of the way as the cause of his limping Sirs 't is not the Minister nor this nor that but your eating of forbidden fruit that is the cause of your non-thriving in spiritualls Sin is the souls sicknesse and nothing more prejudices growth then sicknesse Christians if ever you would be trees not onely having the leaves of honour but the fruites of righteousnesse then take heed of sin abhor it more then hell and fly from it as from your deadliest enemy c. Eighthly and lastly Be sure to maintaine a secret trade with God You know many men come to be very rich in the world Acts 10. 3 9. Gen. 21. 33. Exod. 14. 15. 1 Sam. 1. 13. by a secret trade Though many have not such an open trade as others yet they have a more secret Trade and by that they gaine very great Estates as many of you here in London know by experience Take it friends as an experienced truth there is no such way under heaven to be rich in spiritualls as by driving of a secret Trade heavenwards 'T is true it 's good for men to attend upon this and that and the other publick administration for in all Divine administrations God shewes his beauty and glory I but such that delight to be more Psal 63. 2 3. Psal 27. 4. Psal 84. 10. upon the publick stage then in the Closet will never be rich in spiritualls they may grow rich in notions but they will never grow rich in gracious experiences Oh! God loves to see a poore Christian to shut his closet doore and then to open Mat 6. 6. his bosome and poure out his soule before him God hath very discoveries for soules that drive a secret Trade The best wine the best dainties and delicates are for such And I never knew any man or woman in my life that was richer in grace then those that were much in closet communion with God Much of a Christians spirituall strength lyes in secret prayer as Sampson's did in his haire Nothing charmes Satan and weakens sin like this Secret Prayers are the pillars of smoke wherein the soule ascendeth to God out of the wildernesse of this world Secret prayer is Jacobs Ladder where you have God discending downe into the soul and rhe soule sweetly ascending up to God No way to be rich in spirituals like this therefore be sure to maintaine and keep up a secret Trade between God and your owne soules Oh let God heare often of you in secret In Cant. 7. 5. The King is held in the Galleries Oh! in the secret walks the soule meets with the King of glory Oh! there the soule hangs upon Christ there the soule sucks and drawes virtue from Christ and there the soule is made rich with the riches of Christ Christ is much delighted and taken with secret prayer Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the staires that art got into a hole let me heare thy voyce let me see thy countenance for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is lovely Secret meales are very fatning and secret duties are very soule-inriching Christians set more close to this work and if you don't thrive by it trust me no more And thus you see by what means you may grow rich in grace The third thing I propounded to speak to was Some Propositions concerning Spirituall Riches Some Propositions concerning spirituall Riches And the first Proposition is this ALL that doe grow rich in Grace they grow rich gradually The Sun ascends by degrees Children Plants and Trees they grow by degrees so doe Saints in spiritualls It 's true many men as to temporalls by the death of some friend or this or that providence grow rich on a suddaine But no soule that 's rich in grace but growes rich gradually In Prov. 4. 18. But the path of the just is like the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day
opportunites to grow rich in the world as formerly doe we wonder that they thrive not as before Surely no. And sometimes this arises from the breaking of some bone by sin David found it so Many a man by breaking a bone Psal 50. is much hindered from thriving in the world O this broken arme this broken legge hath lost me many a faire pound which otherwise I might have got O friends sin is the breaking of the bones the breaking of a mans peace and communion Isa 59. 1 2. Chap. 64. 7. Gal. 6. 1. with God 't is the breaking of his hope and confidence in God 't is the dis-joyning of a man from God and so it hinders a mans spirituall growth Believe it Christians if you play and dally with sin if you fall in with sin if you make one with sin you will never grow rich in spiritualls Sin will cause such a breaking of bones as will undoubtedly hinder the prosperity of your soules And so much for the sixth Proposition The seventh and last Proposition I shall propound is this A man may grow rich in those Graces that are more remote from Christ that are lesse conversant about Christ when he doth not grow rich in those Graces that as speciall favourites stand alwayes at the elbow of Christ and are most busied and conversant about Christ Let me open it thus to you You know at Court there are some that have the honour to attend alwayes at the Princes elbow and there are others that appertaine to the same Prince but are more remote in their imployments for him c. So in the soule there are some graces that are more remote and not so conversant about the person of Christ as now Humility Self-denyall Patierce Meeknesse Temporance Sobriety and the like Now though these graces doe appertaine to the same Prince though they are all servants of the Lord Jesus yet notwithstanding they are more remote and busied about other objects and things O but now faith and love are choyce favourites that alwayes stand at the elbow of Christ faith and love are Christs greatest favourites in Heaven Now I say a Christian may grow rich in those graces that are more remote from Christ that are lesse conversant about the person of Christ when he doth not grow rich in those particular graces that are most active about the person of Christ He may grow rich in Humility in Self-deniall in Meeknesse in Temperance c. when he doth not grow up in joy and delight Some Limbs and branches of a Tree grow more then others and comfort c. The Tree growes downward when it doth not grow upward so a soule may grow rich in some particular graces when he doth not grow rich in other graces he may grow rich in those graces that are more remote from Christ when he doth not grow rich in those graces that are more conversant about the person of Christ And so I have done with these Propositions the serious minding of them may prevent many Objections and to many give satisfaction in severall cases c. The fourth and last thing propounded was to give you Some Notes of a person that is Spiritually Rich. Cleerly As there are few worldly rich men to those that are poore so there are few in this professing Age that will be found to be spiritually rich compared with the multitude of Laodiceans that swarme in these times We have many that say they are rich and that think they are rich when the truth is they have either no grace or but a very little grace And these five following things doe clearly evidence it c. Notes of a person that is spiritually rich FIrst Rich men have more variety of objects to delight themselves with then poore men have They have Houses and Gardens and Lands and Cattell and Silver and Gold and Jewels and Pearls and what not to delight themselves with Oh but poore men have not such variety of objects to delight themselves with as rich men have It 's just thus in spirituall riches A man that 's rich in grace hath more variety of spirituall objects about which his soule is most conversant then a man that is poor in grace Joseph in Pharâ—ah's Court had more variety of objects to delight him then his brethren had to delight themselves in their fathers house c. He ha's more objects of love of joy of delight of content to busie and exercise his soule about then others that are weak in grace 2 Cor. 6. 10. Injoying nothing and yet possessing all things A soule rich in grace possesses and injoyes all things in Christ and Christ in all things They injoy all good in him who is the chiefest good who is the spring and fountaine of good I have spoken largely to this already and therefore shall content my selfe in giving you this hint It stands you upon to inquire what variety of Objects you have to delight your soules in But Secondly Rich men can reach to those things that poore men cannot reach to I would have such and such things saith the poore man as the rich man hath I would fare as he fares and weare as he wares and doe as he does but my stock will not reach it So a soul that is spiritually rich can reach to those things that one that is poore in grace cannot reach unto He can reach to those joyes to those comforts and to those contents to those heights of communion with God and to those Visions and apprehensions of God that a soule that is not rich in grace cannot reach to Oh! I would faine have that comfort and that joy and that peace and that communion with God and those Visions of God that such and such soules have saith a poore Christian but I cannot my stock will not reach to it It 's an Argument a man is growne higher when he can reach higher then he could before whether it be a beam or a pin c. So it 's an Argument that a soule is grown rich in grace when he can reach beyond what formerly he could reach unto when he can reach beyond his inlargements beyond his incomes beyond his comforts to a Christ When in duty he can reach above duty when in an Ordinance he can reach to Christ above the Ordinance when under inlargements he can reach above inlargements to Jesus Christ Oh but now a man that hath but a little grace he can rarely reach above his duties above Ordinances above Inlargements to Christ he is very apt to sit downe and warm himselfe with the sparkes of his owne fire and to feed upon Isa 50. 11. Isa 44. 20. ashes as the Prophet speaks c. But now a soule that is rich in grace sayes Well these Ordinances are not Christ these refreshings are not Christ these meltings are not Christ these inlargements are not Christ these are sweet but he is more sweet these are very precious but he
need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus as he did the widowes vessel The fountaine hath not the lesse water for the vessel it fills nor the Sun the lesse light for that it gives forth to the Starres so the Lord Jesus Christ hath never a whit the lesse for what he gives forth unto his Saints When Zelislaus the King of Poland's Generall had lost his hand in his service the King sent him a golden hand Ah Christians when you loose this or that for him he will send you a golden hand if you loose a penny for him he will give you a Pearle Christ will not live long in any mans debt if he should he would loose his glory c. Secondly If the Lord Jesus be very rich Oh then take heed of despairing by reason of your sins I confesse the least sin should humble the soule but certainly the greatest sin should never discourage the soule much lesse should it work the soule to despaire Read 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15. and despaire I had almost said if thou can'st Despairing Judas perished when as the murderers of Christ Acts 2. believing on Christ were saved Despaire is a sin exceeding vild and contemptible 't is a word of eternall reproach dishonour and confusion it declares the Devil a Conquerour and what greater dishonour can be done to Christ then for My sin is greater then can be forgiven saith Gain Thou lyest Cain saith Augustine for Gods mercy is greater then the sins of all men and its a great injury to God to distrust of his mercy a soule to proclaime before all the world the Devil a crowned Conquerour A despairing soule is Magor missabib A terrour to himselfe his heart a hell of horrour his conscience an Acheldama a field of black blood He hath no rest at home nor abroad at bed nor board but is as if infernall Devils followed him in fearfull shapes terrifying and tormenting his perplexed soule Eternity of misery feared or felt begets that Monster which like Medusas head astonisheth with its very aspect and strangles hope which is the breath of the soule As it is said Dum spiro spero so it may be inverted Dum spero spiro other miseries may wound the spirit but despaire kills it dead c. Thirdly If Christ be so rich Then take heed of presuming Christ is a Lyon as well as a Lamb he hath a sword as well as a Scepter Take heed of taking incouragement to sin upon this account that Christ is rich in grace and mercy To argue from the riches of mercy to sinfull liberty is the Devils Logick A soule that thus reasons is a soule left of God a soule that is upon the last step of the ladder a soule that Satan hath by the hand and the eternall God knowes whether he will lead him What the women sung of Saul and David that Saul 1 Sam. 18. 6 7. Rom. 6. 1 2. had slaine his thousands and David his ten thousands that I may say of despaire and presumption Despaire hath slaine her thousand but presumption hath slaine her ten thousand Shall we sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein As the beams of the Sun shining on the fire puts out the fire so the shinings of Gods mercy on us should extinguish sin in us as the Apostle argues 2 Pet. 3. 15. from Paul Rom. 2. 4. Christ seemes to say to soules as Thesius said once Goe sayes he and tell Creon Thesius offers thee a gracious offer yet I am pleased to be friends if thou wilt submit this is my first Message but if this offer prevaile not looke for me to be up in armes Ah soules if you shall abuse the riches of grace to a presumptuous sinning against Christ Christ will take up Armes and you shall dye for it The next Use is this If Christ be so rich Oh then open to Christ when he knocks Christ knocks by his word and he knocks by his rod he knocks by his spirit and he knocks by his messengers and he knocks by conscience Oh open to him for he is very rich Though you shut the doore against a poore man yet you will open it to one that is rich and why not then to Christ who would faine have entrance Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Behold I stand I that am the King of glory I that am Psal 24. 7 8 9. Rev. 17. 14. King of Kings and Lord of Lords I that am rich in mercy rich in goodnesse rich in grace rich in glory I stand at the doore and knocke I that have gold to inrich you I that have eye-salve to inlighten you I that have glorious Apparrell to cloath you I that have mercy to pardon you I that have power to save you I that have wisedome to counsell you I that have happinesse to Crowne you I stand at the doore and knocke If any man will open If the Master will not yet if the servant will if the Mistrisse will not yet if the Maid will if the Parent will not yet if the Child will if the rich man will not yet if the poore man will if the Pharisee won't yet if the Publican will I will come in and will sup with him and he with me Jesus Christ hath the greatest worth and wealth in him as the worth and value of many peeces of silver is in one piece of gold so all the heavenly excellencies that are scattered abroad in Angels and men are united to Christ yea all the whole volume of perfection which is spread through heaven and earth is epitomized in Christ They â—ay 't is true of the Oyle at Rhemes That though it be continually spent in the inauguration of their Kings of France yet it never wasts Christ is a pot of Manna a cruise of Oyle a bottomlesse Ocean of all comforts and contents that never faile A Saint may say In having nothing I have all things because I have Christ Having therefore all things in him I seeke no other reward for he is the universall reward And then againe If Christ be so rich then sit downe and wonder at his condiscending love That one so rich should fall in love with such that are Rev. 3. 17. to 21 c. poore wretched miserable blind and naked that one so high should look so low as poore we that one so great that one who is the Lord and Heire of all should match with us Heb 1 2 3 4. Phil. 3. 17 18 19 c. Ezek. 16. that have nothing at all O the breadth the length the depth the highth of Christs love to unlovely soules to such that had neither portion nor proportion that had neither externall nor internall worth that might in the