what thou wouldest have as you may see in Ephes 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit rf Promise The Originall runs thus In whom believing you were sealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While faith is busied and exercised about Christ and those varieties of glories and excellencies that are in him the Lord comes and by his spirit seales the life and love and glory of them Thus by Divine assistance I have dispatched the first thing viz. The deciphering of weake Christians The second thing that I propounded for the further opening and clearing of this Point was To hold forth to you those things that tend to support comfort and uphold weak Christians And truly I must needs say that if ever there were a time wherein weak Christians had need of support I verily believe this is the time wherein we live for by the horrid prophanenesse of men on the one hand and the abominable loose and rotten Principles of others on the other hand the hearts of many weak Christans especially are sadded that God would not have sadded and their spirits wounded and grieved that God would have comforted and healed and therefore I shall dwell the longer upon this second thing And the first thing that I shall lay downe by way of Support is this 1 Support He that loâ—kt upon the brazen Serpent though with a weak sight was healed a throughly as he that lookt upon it with a stronger sight A weak faith is a joynt possessor though no faith can be â— joynt purâ—haser of Christ That the weakest Christians have as much interest and propriety in Christ and all the fundamentall good that comes by Christ as the strongest Saints in the world have Weak Saints are as much united to Christ as much justified by Christ as much reconciled by Christ and as much pardoned by Christ as the strongest Saints 'T is true weak Christians cannot make so much improvement and advantage of their interest in Christ as strong Saints can they have not that power that wisedome that spirituall skill to make that advantage of their interest and propriety in Christ as strong Saints have Yet have they as much interest and propriety in the Lord Jesus and all the fundamentall good that comes by him as the strongest Saint that breaths The sucking Child hath as much interest and propriety in the father and in what is the fathers as the Child that 's growne up to age Though the young Child ha's not that skill nor that power nor wisedome to improve that interest to his advantage as he that 's growne up in years hath It 's just so here A soule weak in grace hath as much interest in the Lord as the strongest Saint hath though he hath not that skill to improve that interest And is not this a singular comfort and support Verily were there no more to bear up a poor weak Saint from fainting under all his sins and sorrowes and sufferings yet this alone might doe it c. The Second Support and Comfort to weake Saints is this That God doth with an eye of love reflect upon the least good 2 Support that is in them or done by them And is not this a glorious Comfort and Support that the Lord looks with an eye of love upon the least good that 's in you or done by you You cannot have a good thought but The least Star gives light the least drop moystens God looks upon that thought with an eye of love Psal 32. 5. I said I would confesse my sin and thou forgavest mine iniquity I said it in my thoughts that I would confesse my sin and thou presently meeting me with pardoning mercy forgavest mine iniquity So in Mal. 3. 16. And there was a Book of Remembrance written for them that feare the Lord and that thought upon his name They had but some thoughts of God and God reflects upon those thoughts with an eye of love Isa 38. 5. I have heard thy prayers I have seene thy teares Tears we look upon but as poor things and yet God looks upon them as Pearles and therefore he puts them into So in Ps 6. 8. One observes that there are 2 strong things in Tears 1 Deorsum fluunt coelum terunt They drop downward and fall to the earth yet they teach upwards and pierce the Pereâ— 2 Muliae sunt loquuntur They hold their peace yet cry very loud his Bottle as the Psalmist speaks There is not a bit of bread nor a drop of drink thou givest but God casts an eye of love upon it Mat. 25. 35 36. There is not a desire that arises in thy soule but the Lord takes notice of it Prov. 10. 17. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble Weak Saints are full of desires their whole life is a life of desires they are stil a breathing out holy desires Lord Pardon such a sin and give me power against such a sin and strength Lord to withstand such a Temptation and grace Lord to uphold me under such an Affliction c. and the Lord hears and answers such gracious breathings and longings It was holy Jewell's desire That he might dye Preaching and God lookt with an eye of love upon his desire and he had it It was Latimer's desire That he might shed his heart blood for Christ and God lookt with an eye of love upon the breathings of his heart and he had it The Israelites did but groan and God lookt upon their groans with an eye of love he comes downe he makes his Arme bare he tramples upon their proud Enemies and by Miracles he saves them O weak Christian Is not this a singular comfort that the Lord reflects with an eye of love upon your thoughts upon your desires upon your tears and upon your groanings c. What though others slight you what though others take no notice of you yet the Lord casts an eye of love upon you Some think its very strange that God should set downe in Scripture the story of Jacob a poor Countrey-man Gen. 31. that he had a few Ewes and Lambs streaked and spotted and yet take no notice of the great Emperours and Kings of the Earth nor of their great actions and Warlike designes in the world But this is to shew that tender love and respect that God bears to his Children above what he does to the great ones of this World God is more taken with Lazarus patcht Coat then with Dives silken Robe c. A third thing that I shall propound for the Support and Comfort of weak Saints is this Consider the Lord looks more upon your Graces then he 3 Support doth upon your weaknesses Or thus The Lord will not cast away weake Saints by reason of the weaknesses that cleaves to their persons or services In 2 Chron. 30. 18
dispossessing of his Son If thou canst believe saith Christ all things are possible And the poore man said with teares Lord I believe helpe my unbelief And presently Christ charged the foule spirit to come out of him c. A believing husband a belâ—eving wife a believing Child or a believing servant may bring downe by the actings of faith many a blessing upon their relations Faith hath a happy hand and never but speeds in one kind or another It hath what it would either in money or moneys worth Apollenius saith Sozonem Never askt any thing of God either for himselfe or his friends but he had it And one pointing to Luther said There 's a man can have any thing of God that he will aske And as faith brings downe blessings upon our owne heads Faith hath a kind of Omnipotency in it iâ—'s able to do all thingâ— c. and the heads of our friends so it often brings downe wrath upon our enemies There 's nothing contributes so much to our enemies ruine as faith doth I am confident it hath neither been Armies nor Navies nor Parliaments that have had the chief hand in bringing howne the proud and stout enemies of Christ and Zion in this and other Nations but the faith of his despised people One Enemy may stand before Mary Queen of Scots that was Moâ—her o King James was wont to say That she feared Mâ— Knockes prayers who was a man of much â—â—iâ—h more then an Army of ten thousand men the face of another but what enemy can stand before the face and power of faith That 's a remarkable Scripture Heb. 11. 33. Who through faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained Promises stopped the mouths of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of Alians Other means were used but that which did the work and struck all dead was faith faith ingages God in every incounter and who can stand before a consuming fire Polybius speaking of Horatiâ—s his keeping of the field against his Enemies Forces saith That his enemies were more afraid of his faith then of his war like strength And truly there is nothing that renders men more dreadfull to an understanding enemy then their faith Oh! 't is brave for men to believe downe the powers of darknesse to believe downe those that war against the Lamb c. No way to get an Enemy downe like this nor no way to keep an Enemy downe like this No way to save a Kingdome like this nor no way to keep a Kingdome like this the Nation is beholding to none so much as to believing soules Oh England England thou hadst long before this been a prey to men that delight in blood had it not been for the faith of the Worme Jacob c. Christians as you would have Christ goe on and doe more and more glorious things for England as you would be Crown'd with the choycest and the chiefest blessings and as you would have vengeance executed upon all that hate that wage war against and persecute Christ and the Saints be mighty in believing Ninthly and lastly Faith is a root Grace and will the branches flourish if the root wither O therefore water this root have an eye to this root If you have a choyce root in any of your Gardens Oh how carefull are you of it you will mind it and water it and look to it c. Well of all graces faith is the root grace and if this dye you will find your graces to languish your hope love fear patience humility joy c. can never out-live your faith these live together and they dye together therefore above all labour to be rich in faith for this is a root grace and if this flourish all other graces will flourish but if this decay all other graces will loose their strength beauty and glory c. And thus much for the fifth Proposition We come now to the sixth Proposition and that is this That no gracious soules doe at all times alike grow and thrive in spirituall riches A Child sometimes shootes up more in a month then he doth at other times in many months and sometimes more And don't Plants and Trees sometimes shoot up more in a week then â—n many c. in a year then he does afterwards in many years So many a Christian thrives more and gets more spirituall riches in one moneth then in many in one year then in many I appeale to your experiences Christians don't you find it so I know you doe To cite Scripture to prove this would be to cast water into the sea and to light Candles to see the Sun at noone Sin and Satan doe sometimes work more violently and more strongly in the soules of Saints then at other times Now when sin and Satan work most and prevaile most then grace thrives least As the life of grace is the death of sin and the growth of grace the decay of sin so the increase of sin is the decay of grace and the strengthning No ships have it all times the same gales of wind c. of sin is the weakning of grace Againe No Saints have at all times alike gales of the spirit of God and therefore they doe not grow in spirituall riches at all times alike A man thrives in spirituall riches as the gales of the spirit of God are upon him and no otherwise When the spirit of the Lord doth blow most sweetly Cant. 4. ult and strongly upon his heart then his graces thrive and flourish most then those beds of spices doe yeeld the most fragrant smell But when the spirit of the Lord doth withdraw and with-hold his influences how does the strength and glory Latimer said of the Spirit That 't is coming and going c. of grace wither and decay The Herb Heliotropium doth turne about and open and shut according to the motion of the Sun so doe the graces of the Saints according to the internall gales motions and operations of the spirit c. Againe No Saints have at all times the like externall advantages and opportunities of growing rich in spiritualls They have not the word it may be in that power and life as formerly or it may be they injoy not the communion of Saints as formerly or if they doe yet perhaps those that have formerly been as fire to warme and inflame them are now become water to coole them and deaden them or it may be they have not those advantages for Closet duties as formerly or it may be the course of nature is changed and if so 't is no wonder that they thrive not in spiritulls as formerly When Children have not as good food and as good lodging and as good looking after as at other times no wonder if they thrive not as at other times When men have not the same advantages and
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
upon the promise and the promiser that gave glory to God All the honour and glory that God hath from beleevers in this life is from the actings of their grace 'T was Abrahams acting of faith that was his high honouring of God Christians I would intreat this favour of you that you would be often in the meditation of this truth viz. That all the honour that God hath from beleevers in this life is from the actings and the exercise of their Graces When thou goest to prayer then thinke thus with thy selfe is it so that all the honour that God It is reported in the life of Luther that when he praâ—ed it was Tanâ—a reverentia ut si Deo tanta fiducta ut si amico c. Jonah 2. uâ—t shall have from my soule in prayer will be from the actings of grace in prayer oh then what cause have I to stirre up my selfe to lay hold on God and to blow up all those sparkes of grace that be in me As a body without a soule much wood without fire a bullet in a Gun without powder so are words in prayer without the Spirit without the exercise of the graces of the Spirit Jonah acted his faith when he was in the belly of hell and Daniel acted faith when he was in the Lyons den Dan. 6. 23. and the Theife acted faith when he was on the Crosse and Jeremiah acted faith when he was in the Dungeon and Job So did the Publican he prayed much though he spake little or aâ—io brevis penetrat coelum The hottest springs send forth their waters by ebullitions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augustin cryes out against them that did not profit by afflictions perdidistis utilitatem calamitatis August de Civit. l. 2. c. 33. acted faith when he was on the dunghill and David acted faith when he was in his greatest distresse and so did Moses in Exod. 14. And you know the issue of all was much glory to God and much good to them his heart will never be long a stranger to joy and peace who is much in the exercise and actings of grace Ninthly Because the more Grace is improved the more afflictions and tribulations will be lessened and sweetend to us 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. Though our outward man decreases yet our inward man is renewed day by day or day and day When Peter Martyr was dying he said My body is weake but my minde is well well for the present and will be better for ever hereafter This is the Godly mans Motto for Afflictions there is Glory for light afflictions a weight of glory for momentary afflictions eternall Glory so in the 10 and 11 Chapters of the Hebrewes Oh friends if your graces were more exercised and improved afflictions would be more sweete this would turne the Crosse into a Crowne this would turne bitter into sweete and long winter nights into summer dayes It would make every condition to be a Paradise to you c. Tenthly If Grace be not exercised and improved the soule Saints should be like a Seraphim beset all over with eyes and lights as Bassarion said Tâ—e fearefull Haâ—e they say sleepeth with her eyes open oh how watchfull then should a Christian be may be easily surprised conquered and vanquished by a tempting Devill and an intising world when the sword is in the scabbard the traveller is easily surprised and when the Guard is asleepe the Citie is quickly conquered The strongest creature the Lyon and the wisest creature the Serpent if they be dormant are as easily surprised as the weakest wormes so the strongest and wisest Saints if their graces be asleepe if they be onely in the habit and not in exercise they may be as easily surprised and vanquished as the weakest Christians in all the world as you may see in David Solomon Sampson Peter Every enemy insults over him that hath lost the use of his weapons c. Eleventhly We must improve our Graces because decayes in Grace are very great losses to us By decaying in grace wee come to loose our strength our best strength our spirituall Spirituall losses are hardly recovered a man may easiâ—y run dowâ—e the hill but he cannot so easily get up Philosophers say that the way from the habit to the privation is easier then the way from the privation to the habit As a man may soon put an instâ—ument out of tuâ—e but not so soon put in againe 1 Cor. 2. 14. Jer. 13. 23. James 1. 17. Eph. 2. 1 2 3. strength our strength to doe for God our strength to waite on God and walke with God our strength to bare for God our strength to suffer for God by decaying in Grace we come to loose that Joy that 's unspeakeable and full of Glory and that comfort and peace that passes understanding and to loose the sence of that favour that 's better then life Now our faith will be turned into feare our dansing into mourning our rejoycing into sighing and when O Christian thou beginnest to fall and to decay who knowes how farre thou mayst fall how much thy graces may be impaired and how long it may be before thy Sunne rise when once 't is sett therefore you had need to exercise and improve your Graces Twelfthly and lastly You are to improve your Graces because soules truly gratious have a power to doe good I doe not say that a man in his naturall estate though Arminians doe hath power in himselfe to doe supernaturall acts as to beleeve in God to love God and the like c. for I thinke a Toad may as well spitt cordialls as a naturall man doe supernaturall actions nor I doe not say that all the Grace wee have is not from God nor that man in his naturall estate is not dead God-ward and Christ-ward and holynesse-ward and heaven-ward But this I say that soules truly gratious have a power to doe good 'T is sad to think how many professors doe excuse their negligence by pretending an Inability to doe good or by When Charles Largius had excited Lipsius to the study of truâ— wisedom my mind is to it said Liâ—sius and then he faâ—s to â—ishing what said Langius â—rt thou purâ—osing when â—hou shouldest be doing Just Lip de Constan l. 2. 5. sitting downe discouraged as having in their hands no power at all what can we doe say they If the Lord doe not breath upon us as at first conversion we can doe nothing I thinke in my very Conscience that this is one reason of much of that slightnesse neglect and omission of duties that is among professors in these dayes So that God may complaine as he doth in the 64 of Isa 7. There is no man that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of mee they are as men asleepe that sit still and doe nothing But certainly they that are truly united to Christ are not acted as dead stocks as if every time and moment of their acting God-wards and
Jesus and Oh that I could perswade with you to get an interest in this Christ get this Christ and you get all misse him and you misse all 'T is a matter of eternall concernment to your soules nothing can make that man miserable that hath this rich Christ nothing can make that man happy that wants this rich Christ In Prov. 4. 5 7. Get wisedome that 's Christ get understanding forget it not Vers 7. Wisedome is the principall thing therefore get wisedome and with all thy getting get understanding And so in Prov. 16. 16. How much better is to get wisedome then gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen then silver Hadst thou all the power of the world without an interest 1 Cor. 1. 25. to 29. in Christ thou wouldest be but weak Hadst thou all the wit and learning in the world without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but a foole Hadst thou all the honours in the world yet without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but base Hadst thou all the wealth in the world Dan. 4. 17. Luke 16. 2◠23 24 25 26. Mat. 13. 45 46 47. yet without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but a beggar c. Oh therefore labour for an Interest in Christ Oh turne the wise Merchant at last The wise Merchant in the Gospel parts with all to buy the Pearle to get an interest in Christ Oh! 't is your greatest wisedome 't is of an eternall concernment to your soules to sell all to part with all for an interest in the Lord Jesus Oh doe not deale with your soules when Christ is tendered and offered to you as sometimes simple people doe when they goe to Market they might have a good penny-worth but that they are loath to part with some old peece of gold that ha's been given them by a father or a friend somewhat willing they are to have the good penny-worth but unwilling they are to part with their gold 'T is so with many poore sinners when the Lord Jesus Christ is presented to their soules as a very glorious penny-worth somewhat willing they are to have him but unwilling they are to part with their old gold with some old sweet darling lust But sinners don't you deceive your own soules sin and your soules must part or Christ and your soules can never meet Sin and your soules must be two or Christ and your soules can never be one Christ is a most precious commodity Prov 8. 11. he is better then Rubies or the most costly Pearles and you must part with your old gold with your shining gold your old sins your most shining sins or you must perish for ever Christ is to be sought and bought with any paines at any price we cannot buy this gold too deare He is a Jewel more worth then a thousand worlds as all know that have him Get him and get all misse him and misse all Now if ever you would get an interest in Christ and so by gaining an Interest in him be possest of all the riches and glory that come by him then be sure to get your hearts possest with these nine Principles that follow And the first is this That the great end and designe of Christs coming into the world was the Salvation of sinners Get this Principle rooted in your spirits I came not to call the righteous saith he but sinners to repentance And Ma◠9. 13. Mark 2. 17. in 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners Christ layes aside his Royal Crowne he puts off his glorious Robe he leaves his fathers bosome he takes a journey from Heaven to Earth and all to save poore lost sinners That which Christ had most in his eye and upon his heart in his coming into the world was the salvation of sinners Lay up this truth feed upon this Honey-comb Secondly Get this Principle rooted in your hearts Viz. That none ever yet obtained an interest in Christ but unworthy creatures When you are pressed to get an Interest in Christ you are ready to say O I am unworthy Will Christ ever looke after such a one as I am I answer Yes For this is a most certaine Principle That none ever attain'd an interest in Christ but unworthy creatures Was Paul worthy before he had an interest in Christ Wbat worthinesse was in Mathew when Christ call'd him from the Receipt of Custome And what worthinesse was in Zacheus when Christ call'd him downe from the Cycomore Tree and told him that This day salvation was come to his house Was Manasses or Mary Magdalen worthy before they had an Interest in Christ Surely no. Though you are unworthy yet Christ is worthy Though you have no merit yet God ha's mercy Though there is no salvation for you by the Law yet there is salvation for you by the Gospel Againe Christ requires no worthinesse in any man before Such as shall goe to prove he does must make a new Gospel a new Bible he believes and he that won't believe before he is worthy will never believe If you look upon God with an Evangelical eye you shall see that he that is most unworthy is most capable of mercy A real sense of our owne unworthinesse renders us most fit for Divine mercy This Objection I am unworthy is an unworthy Objection and speaks out much pride and ignorance of the Gospel and of the freenesse and riches of Gods grace c. Thirdly Let this Principle dwell in you Viz. That Christ hath lost none of his affections to poor sinners by going to heaven Oh! how did his bowels work towards sinners when he was on earth And certainly they work as strougly towards them now he is in heaven His love his heart his good will is as much towards them as ever Christ is Alpha and Omega Rev 1. 8. the phrase is taken from the Greek letters whereof Alpha Heb. 13. 8. Vide Grotius is the first and Omega the last I am before all and I am after all Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Christ is the same before time in time and after time Christ is unchangeable in his Essence in his Promises and in his Love to poore sinners Fourthly Get this Principle riveted in your hearts That he is able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Originall word signifies all manner of perfection Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost That is to all ends and purposes perfectly and perpetually he needs none to helpe him in the great businesse of redemption he is a thorow Saviour he ha's Trod the Wine-presse alone Isa 63. 3. Fifthly Get this Principle riveted in your hearts That the want of such preparations or qualifications Some men there be that would have men better Christians
of humane doctrines Sixthly Humane doctrines make men servants to the humours and corruptions of men They make men pleasers of men rather then pleasers of God Yea they make men set up themselves and others sometimes in the roome of Christ and sometimes above Christ I hope these few short hints may prevaile with some to fall in with this counsel that so they may the better Preach the Lord Jesus to the people And so much for this Doctrine EPHES. 3. 8. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this Grace given that I should Preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ. HAving spoken much concerning Ministers Duty I shall now speake a little concerning their Dignity and so finish this Text. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this Grace given that I should Preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ This grace this favour this honour is given to me that I should Preach c. I look not upon it as a poor low mean contemptible thing but as a very great honour That I should Preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ The Observation that I shall speak a little to is this That the Office of a Minister or Preacher is honourable For the understanding of this Point Premise with me two things First That by a Minister I understand one that is qualified according to Gospel Rules and that is internally called by God and externally called by the people of God to the Ministeriall Office The second thing that I would have you Premise with me for the understanding of the Point is this That the common Apellation of those that are set apart for the Preaching of the Gospel in the New Testament is DIAKONOI Ministers So in 1 Cor. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 6. Chap. 6. 4. Chap. 11. 15. 23. 1 Tim. 4. 16. And in divers other places the word Minister is a Title of Office service or administration given frequently to the Preachers of the Gospel As for the names of Ambassadors Stewards and the like wherewith they are often honoured they are figurative and given to them by allusion onely These two things being Premised we shall now proceed to the opening of the Point And in the first place I shall prove That the Office of a Minister is an honourable Office And then in the second place I shall shew you What honour is due to them And then in the third place I shall shew you How you are to honour them And then in the last place we shall bring home all by A word of Application Christians Give me leave to tell you this by the way That since the Gospel hath shined in England a godly faithfull painfull Ministry was never more subtily and vehemently struck at by men that make a faire shew and by men of corrupt opinions and wicked lives This Age affords many Church-Levellers as well as State-Levellers Some there be that under that notion of Plucking up corrupt Ministers would pluck up by the very roots the true Ministry But God ha's and will be still too hard for such men if they will be Monsters God will be sure to be Master His faithfull Ministers Revel 2. 1. are stars that he holds in his right hand and men shall as soon pull the Sun out of the Firmament as pull them out of the hand of God Now considering that there is such a spirit abroad in the world I hope no sober serious Christians will be offended at my standing up to vindicate the Honour of a godly faithfull Ministry In order to which I shall first prove that the Office of a Minister is honourable and to me these following things speak it out First The severall Names and Titles that are given to them in Scripture doth speak them out to be honourable They are called Fathers Stewards Ambassadours Overseers and Angels as you all know that know any thing of Scripture To spend time to prove this would be to light Candles to see the Sun at noon Secondly Their worke is honourable Their whole work is about soules about winning soules to Christ and about building soules up in Christ and to these two heads the main work of the Ministry may be reduced The more noble the soule is O anima Dei insignita imagine desponsaâ—a fide donata spiritu c. Bernard O Divine soul invested with the Image of God espouseâ— to him by faith c. the more honour 't is to be busied and exercised about it Jam. 5. 20. Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Let him know That is let him take notice that an honourable and glorious work is done by him The soule is the immediate work of God the soule is the Image of God the soule is capable of union and communion with God the soule is more worth then a world yea then a thousand worlds Christ prayed for soules and wrought Miracles for soules and wept for soules and left his fathers bosome for soules and bled out his heart blood for soules and is gone to heaven to make provision for soules yea he is now a making intercession for soules All which speaks out the excellency of their Office whose whole work is about soules The Jewes say of Moses his soule That it was sucked out of his mouth with a kisse Soules are deare and sweet to God A third thing that speaks out this truth is this They are fellow-labourers with God They are Co-workers with God in the salvation of sinners And this is a mighty honour to be a fellow-labourer with God to be a co-worker with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. For we are labourers together with God Who would not work hard with such sweet company Who Mat. 5. 14. John 5. 35. Maâ— 5. 13. Mark 9. 49 50. would not affect prize love and honour such service Ministers are called the light and salt of the world because they inlighten blind soules and season unsavoury soules and so save them from corruption and perdition Oh! to be joyned in any work with God is an honour beyond what I am able to expresse The Senate of Rome accounted it a diminution of Augustus Caesars dignity to joyne any Consuls with him for the better carrying on the Affaires of the State Oh but our God doth not think it a diminution of his dignity that even his poore despised servants should be fellow-labourers and co-workers with him in the salvation of soules Fourthly The honourable account that the Lord hath of them in this imployment speaks out this truth That their Office is honourable In Mat. 10. 41 42. compared He that Kings and Princes have their Ambassadors in very high account so ha's God his receiveth you receiveth me he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward And