basenesse and wickednesse whereby their carnall ends may be attain'd and themselves exalted but these men and their honour will quickly be laid in the dust Oh! but the readiest the surest the safest the sweetest way to attaine to true honour Qui parvus est in reputatione propria magnus est in reputatione divina Gregory 8 Motive is to be humble to lye low Humility makes a man precious in the eye of God He that is little in his owne account is great in Gods esteem The eighth and last Consideration that I shall propound is this Consider humility keeps the soule free from many darts of Satans casting and snares of his spreading As you may see in the three Children in Daniel and in those Worthies in the 11 of the Hebrewes of whom this world was not worthy As the lowest shrubs are freed from many violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rend the tallest Cedars So the humble soule is free from a world of temptations that proud and lofty soules are shaken and torne in pieces with The Devil hath least power to fasten a temptation upon an humble soule He that hath a gratious measure of Humility is neither affected with Satans proffers nor terrified with Satans threatniugs The golden Chaine does not allure him nor the iron Chaine does not daunt him I have read of one who seeing in a Vision many snares of Satan spread upon the earth he sate downe and mourned Quis pertran siet ista The answer was Humilitas pertransiet and said with himselfe Who shall passe through these whereunto he heard a voyce answering Humility shall passe through them A proud heart is as easily conquered as tempted vanquished as assaulted But the Humble soule when tempted sayes with that worthy Convert I am not the man that I was Ego non sum ego There was a time when my heart was proud and lifted up and then thou couldst no sooner knock but I opened no sooner call but I answered no sooner tempt but I did assent Oh! but now the Lord taught me to be humble I can resist though I can't dispute I can fight but not yeeld Mistriss Catherine Bretterge an humble precious soule being once in a great Conflict with Satan said thus to him Satan Reason not with me I am but a weake woman if thou hast any thing to say say it to my Christ he is my Advocate my strength and my Redeemer and he shall plead for me An humble soule is good at turning Satan over to the Lord Jesus and this increases Satans Hell It is reported of Satan that he should say thus of a Learned man Thou doest alwayes overcome me when I would throw thee downe thou liftest up Tu me semper vincis thy selfe in assurance of Faith and when I would exalt and promote thee thou keepest thy selfe in humility and so thou art too hard for me The onely way to avoid Cannon-shot as they say is to fall downe flat No such way to be freed from temptations as to keep low And so I have done with the first Head namely The Motives that should move and provoke us to keep humble to be base to be nothing in our owne eyes I shall now come to some Helps and Directions that may be usefull to keep us humble and low in our owne eyes And the first is this Dwell much upon the greatnesse of Gods mercy and goodnesse 1 Direction to you Nothing humbles and breaks the heart of a sinner like mercy and love Soules that converse much with sinne and wrath may be much terrified but souls that converse much 'T is said of Adam that he turned his â—â—ce to the Garden of Eden and wept sore with grace and mercy will be much humbled Luke 7. the Lord Jesus shewes mercy to that notorious sinner and then she falls downe at his feet and loves much and weeps much c. In the 1 Chron. 17. it was in the heart of David to build God a house God would not have him doe it yet the Messenger must tell David that God would build him a house and establish his Son upon the Throne for ever Look Vers 10 11. into the 15 16 17 verses and there you shall find that David le ts fall such an humble speech which he never did before that God had sent him that message of advancement And 2. Sam. 9. 7 8. David the King came and sat before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and what is mine house that thou hast As Honey flowes naturalâ—y from the Bee so does mercy flow naturally from God brought me hitherto And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes O God for thou hast also spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come c. And this sweetly and kindly melts him and humbles him before the Lord. Oh if ever you would have your soules kept low dwell upon the free grace and love of God to you in Christ Dwell upon the firstnesse of his love dwell upon the freenesse of his love the greatnesse of his love the fullnesse of his love the unchangeablenesse of his love the everlastingnesse of his love and the activity of his love if this doe not humble thee there is nothing on earth will doe it Dwell upon what God hath undertaken for you Dwell upon the choyce and worthy gifts that he ha's bestowed on you And dwell upon that glory and happinesse that he ha's prepared for you and then be proud if you can Secondly Keep faith in continuall exercise upon Christ as 2 Direction crucified and upon Christ as glorified There are two speciall sights of Christ that tend much to humble and abase a soule The one is A sight of Christ in his misery in the 12 of As one scale goes up the other goes downe So as faith goes up the heart goes downe Zech. ver 10. And the other is A sight of Christ in his glory Rev. 1. 7. Isa 6. 1 3 5. compared 'T is dangerous to be more notion then motion to have faith in the head and none in the heart to have an idle and not an active faith 'T is not enough for you to have faith but you must look to the acting of your faith upon Christ as crucified and upon Christ as glorified Soules much in this will be very little and low in their owne eyes The great reason why the soule is no more humble is because faith is no more active Thirdly Study your owne natures more and what ever evill 3 Direction you behold in other mens practises labour to see the same in your owne nature There is the seed of all sins of the vilest and worst of sins in the best men When thou seest another drunk thou mayest Imibria sued Scenola for that he received not his weapon deep enough into his body Aug. see the seed of that sin in thy owne nature When
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
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
rebellious sinner or rebellious Sabboth-breaker or rebellious Rev 3. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them The words are very significant in the Orâ—ginall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will indwell in their There are two in 's in the Originall as if God could never have enough communion with them drunkard or rebellious curser c. let such rebellious sinners know that Christ hath received Gifts even for the rebellious That the Lord God might dwell amongst them That is that the Lord God might have sweet fellowship and communion with them 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 at the doore and knocke I that have Heaven to give and Peace to give and Pardon to give and Grace to give and my Selfe to give I that have tryed gold to inrich you and white rayment to cloath you and eye-salve to anoint you I stand at the doore and knocke if any man will open the doore let him be never so guilty never so filthy never so unworthy c. I will come in and sup with him and he with me Lord at whose doore doest thou stand knocking Is it at the rich mans doore Or at the righteous mans doore Or at the humbled mans doore Or at the weary and heavy laden mans doore Or at the mourners doore Or at the qualified or prepared mans doore No sayes Christ 't is at none of these doores At whose then O blessed Lord At the Luke-warm Laodiceans doore At their doore that are neither hot nor cold that are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked These sayes Christ are the worst of the worst and yet if any of these wretches these Monsters of mankind will open the doore I will come in and will sup with them and they with me c. I have read a remarkeable story of a great Rebell that had Bodin relates this story raised a mighty party against a Roman Emperour The Emperour upon this being much provok't and stirr'd in spirit made a Proclamation That whosoever brought in the Rebell dead or alive should have a great sum of money The Rebell hearing of this comes and presents himselfe unto the Emperour and demanded of him the sum of money Whereupon the Emperour reasons thus If I should now cut him off the world would say I did it to save my money and so he pardoned him and gave him the great sum of money notwithstanding all his former Rebellion Oh! shall a Heathen Emperour doe thus to a Rebell that was in Armes against him And will not God doe as much for poore rebellious sinners Surely he will What though thou hast been in Armes against God and Mustered Rom. 5. 10. Col. 1. 21. Rom. 6. 13 16 19 20. up all the strength and force thou couldest even all the members of thy body and faculties of thy soule against God and Christ and Holinesse Yet know that the King of Israel is a mercifull King he is a God of Pardons he delights to make his Grace glorious and therefore is very willing to shew mercy to the greatest Rebels to the worst of sinners witnesse Manasses Mary Magdalen the Thief Paul and others The greatnesse of mans sins doe but set off the riches of free grace Sins are debts and God can as easily blot out a debt of many thousands as he can a lesser debt therefore let not the greatest Rebell despaire but believe and he shall find that where sin ha's abounded there Grace shall super-abound c. And thus much for this Observation we shall now proceed to the next words Viz. EPHES. 3. 8. That I should Preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ A Little to open the words That I should Preach That is declare good newes or the glad tidings of salvation that 's brought by Jesus Christ to sinners The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament answers to the Hebrew word Bessorah in the Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evaggelisasthi from Evaggâ—lize both signifying Good newes glad tidings or a Joyfull Message That I should Preach among the Gentiles The word that 's here rendred Gentiles is sometimes used generally for all men or all Nations So 't is used in Mat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 25. 32. Mat. 28. 19. Sometimes this Greek word is used more especially for the people of the Jewes so in John 11. 48 50 51 52. Acts 10. 22. And sometimes it is used for the Gentiles distinguished from the Jewes so in Matthew 6. 32. By the Gentiles here you are to understand those poore Phil. 2. 12 13 Heathens that were without God in the world that never had heard of Christ nor those Unsearchable Riches that be in him as you may clearly see by comparing this Text with that Gal. 1. 15 16. But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveale his Son in me that I might preach among the Heathen Saith he Immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood The first Observation that I shall speak to from these words thus opened is this That the Gifts and Graces that God bestowes upon his people should be improved imployed and Observâ— exercised by his people The Greek word Caris that 's here rendred Grace we shewed you had a three-fold signification in the Scripture Sometimes it denotes the favour of God sometimes the common gifts of the Spirit and sometimes the saving Graces of the Spirit Now sayes Paul that singular favour that God ha's confer'd upon me and all those common gifts and speciall graces with which he ha's inriched me they are all to be imployed and exercised Vnto me is this Grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ So that there is nothing more clear then this viz. That the gifts and graces that God bestowes upon his people should be imployed improved and exercised by his people To me is this grace given Not that I should be idle but active not that I should be negligent but diligent not that I should hide my Talents but improve them I shall touch upon a few Scriptures that speak out this truth and then open it to you 2 Tim. 1. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God that is in thee As the fire is increased and preserved by blowing so are our graces Some think that 't is a metaphor taken from Calvin and others a spark kept in ashes which by gentle blowing is stirred up till it take a flame Others say 't is an allusion to the fire in the Temple which was alwayes to be kept burning We get nothing by dead and uselesse habits Talents hid in a napkin gather rust the noblest faculties are imbased when not improved when not
setting his feet upon the neck of pride Now the first property that I shall lay downe of an humble soule is this An humble soule under the highest spirituall discoveries and under the greatest outward mercies forgets not his former sinfullnesse and his former outward meannesse Paul 1 Property 2 Cor. 12 1 2 3 4. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Chrysostome observes it of Paul as his greatest honour that although he had obtained pardon of God for his sins yet he is not ashamed to reckon them up to the world Rom. 7. 23. The Spouse of Christ under all the kisses and embraces of Christ acknowledges her selfe to be black Cant. 1. 2. 5. compared Gen 32. 10. Omnia mea me cum porto All my Goods I carry with me had been taken up into the third Heavens and had glorious revelations and manifestations of God he cryes out I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter and Injurious Under the choycest discoveries he remembers his former blasphemies So Rom. 7. 23. I see a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members He had been at this time about fourteene yeares converted as some judge He was a man that lived at as high a rate in God as any we read of a man that was filled with glorious discoveries and revelations and yet under all discoveries and revelations he remembers that body of sin and death that made him cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Who shall ease me of my burden who shall knock off these Chaines that make my life a hell I will by a few instances prove the other branch Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies saith Jacob for with my staffe I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands I remember saith he when I went over Jordan I was as a footman that carried all his wealth with him Under his outward greatnesse he forgets not his former meannesse An humble soule is good at looking back upon his former low estate upon his thred-bare Coat that was his best and onely Robe So David 1 Chron. 17. 16 17. And David the King came and sat before the Lord and said What am I O Lord God and what is mine house that thou hast brought me hitherto And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes O God for thou hast also spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come said Bias one of the seven wise men of Greece 1 Chron. 17. 16 17. Iphicrares that noble Captain â—ryed ouâ— From how smal to how great an estate am I raised So does the humble soule when God turnes his brasse into silver his iron into gold his pence into pounds Agathocles who of a Potters son was made King of Sicily would always be served in earthen vessells Psa 73. 3. 13 Iob 21. 7. 16 Vers 14 15. and hast regarded me according to the state of a man of high degree Who am I O Lord God and what is mine house David remembred the meannesse of his birth he remembred his Shepheards Crook as Jacob did his Travelling Staffe Mercies make an humble soule glad but not proud An humble soule is lowest when his mercies are highest he is least when he is greatest he is lowest when he is highest he is most poor when he is most rich Nothing melts like mercy nothing drawes like mercy nothing humbles like mercy mercy gives the humble soule such excellent Counsell as Plasilla the Empress gave her Husband Theodosius Remember Oh Husband saith she what lately you were and what now you are so shall you Governe well the Empire and give God his due praise for so great an advancement The voyce of mercy is Remember what lately thou wert and what now thou art and be humble Now proud men that are lifted up from the dunghill that abound in worldly wealth ah how do's their blood rise with their outward good the more mercies they have the more proud they are mercies doe but puffe and swell such soules in a croud of mercies they cry out in the pride of their hearts Depart from us O God for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him A second Property of an humble soule is this He overlookes his owne righteousnesse and lives upon the righteousnesse of another to wit the Lord Jesus So the Apostle Phil. 3. 8 9 10. overlooks his owne righteousnesse and lives wholly 2 Property Phil. 3. 8 9 10 ver 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs-meat i. e. courâ— contemptible Isa 64. 6. upon the righteousnesse of Christ I desire to be found in him saith he not having mine owne righteousnesse away with it it 's drosse it 's dung it 's dogs-meat 't is a rotten righteousnesse an imperfect righteousnesse a weak righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by Faith That is a spotlesse righteousnesse a pure righteousnesse a compleat righteousnesse an incomparable righteousnesse And therefore an Cant. 4. 2. Rev. 14. 5. Col. 2. 10. humble soule overlookes his owne righteousnesse and lives upon Christs righteousnesse Remember this all the sighing mourning sobbing and complaining in the world doth not so undeniably evidence a man to be humble as his overlooking his own righteousnesse and living really and purely upon the righteousnesse of Christ This is the greatest demonstration of humility that can be shewne by man Men may doe much heare much pray much fast much and give much c. Mat. 6 Chap. 23. Isa 58. and yet be as proud as Lucifer as you may see in the Scribes Pharisees and those in Isa 58. who in the pride of their hearts made an Idol of their owne righteousnesse Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest it not wherefore Vers 3. have we afflicted our soules and thou takest no knowledge O! but for a man now to trample upon his owne righteousnesse and to live wholly upon the righteousnesse of another this speaks out a man to be humble indeed there is nothing that the heart of man stands more averse to then this of coming off from his owne righteousnesse Man is a Creature apt to warme himselfe with the sparks of his owne fire though he doth lye downe for it in Eternall sorrow Man is naturally Isa 50. 11. Rom. 10. 4. prone to goe about to establish his owne righteousnesse that he might not subject to the righteousnesse of Christ he will labour as for life to lift up his owne righteousnesse and to make a Saviour of it I but an humble soule disclaimes his owne righteousnesse All our righteousnesse is as filthy raggs Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall Psal 143. 2. no man
here rendred Peace signifies the quietnesse and silence of his mind he did not hold his tongue onely for many a man may hold his tongue and yet his mind and heart may kick and swell against God but his very mind was quiet and still there was a heavenly calme in his Spirit he was dumb and silent because the Lord had done it So in Acts 10. 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God We are not here to heare what may tickle our eares or please our fansies or satisfie our lusts no but we are here to hear what God will say our hearts stand ready pressed to subject themselves to whatever God shall declare to be his will we are willing to heare that we may doe that we may obey sincerely and universally the good pleasure of our God knowing that 't is as well our dignity as our duty so to doe There are three things in an humble soule that doe strongly incline it to duty The first is Divine Love The second is Divine Presence The third is Divine Glory The Dove made use of her wings to fly to the Ark so does an humble soule of his duties to fly to Christ Though the Dove did use her wings yet she did not trust in her wings but in the Ark So though an humble soule does use duties yet he does not trust in his duties but in his Jesus But now proud hearts they hate the truth they cry out Who is the Lord that we should obey him And what are his Commandements that we should submit to them I but an humble soule falls under the power of truth and counts it his greatest glory to be obedient to all truth A fifth property of an humble soule is this An humble soule lives not upon himselfe nor upon his owne actings but upon the Lord Jesus and his actings Poore men you know they doe not live upon themselves they live upon others they live upon the care of others the love of others the provision of others why thus an humble soule lives upon the care of Christ the love of Christ the promise of Christ the faithfulnesse of Christ the discoveries of Christ he lives upon Christ for his Justification Phil. 3. from ver 7. to 10 He lives upon Christ for his Sanctification Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North winde and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out And he lives upon Christ for his Consolation Cant 2. 3. As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the Sons I sate downe under his shaddow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast And he lives upon Christ for the performance of all holy actions Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me An humble soule sees in Christ * Plenitudo abundantiae and plenitudo redandantiae Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good Christ is quicquid appetibile as Origen speaks whatever we can desire Isa 58. 2. 7. Luke 7. 4 5 6 7. 6 Property A proud heart resists and is resisted this is duro durum flint to flint fire to fire Job 13. 25. An humble soule blesses God as well for crosses as mercies as well for adversity as for prosperity as well for frowns as for smiles c. because he judges himself unworthy of the least rebukes from God a fullnesse of Abundance and a fullnesse of redundancy and here his soul lives and feeds An humble soul sees that all his stock is in the hands of Christ his stock of Graces his stock of Comforts his stock of experiences are in the hands of Jesus Christ who is the Great Lord Keeper of all a Believers Graces and of all his Comforts and therefore as Children live upon them in whose hand their stock is be it a Brother or a Friend Why so an humble soule sees its stock is in the hand of the Lord Jesus and therefore he lives upon Christ upon his love and his provision and his undertakings c. But now proud hearts live not upon the Lord Jesus Christ they live upon themselves and upon their owne duties their owne righteousnesse their owne actings as the Scripture evidences Christ dwells in that heart most eminently that hath emptied it selfe of it selfe Christ is the humble mans Manna upon which he lives and by which he thrives A sixth Property of an humble soule is this He judges himselfe to be below the wrath and judgements of God An humble soule looks upon himselfe as one not worthy that God should spend a rodd upon him in order to his reformation edification or salvation As I am unworthy saith an humble soule that God should smile upon me so I am unworthy that he should spend a frowne upon me Job 13. 25. Wilt thou break a leafe driven too and fro and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble Why I am but a leaf I am but a little dry stubble I am below thy wrath I am so very very bad that I wonder that thou shouldst so much as spend a rod upon me What more weak worthlesse slight and contemptible then a leafe then dry stubble why Lord sayes Job I am a poor weak and worthlesse Creature I wonder that thou shouldst take any paines to doe me good I can't but count and call every thing a mercy that is lesse then hell So David in 1 Sam. 24. 14. After whom is the King of Israel come out after whom dost thou pursue after a dead Dogg after a Flea The language of a humble soule when God begins to be angry is this Lord I can blesse thee that thou wilt take any paines with me but I humbly acknowledge that I am below the least rodd I am not worthy that thou shouldst frowne upon me threaten me strike me or whip me for my internall and eternall good But proud hearts think themselves wronged when they are afflicted they cry out with Cain Our punishment is greater then we can beare Gen. 4. 13. 7 Property Another Property of an humble soule is this An humble soule doth highly prize the least of Christ The least smile the least good word the least good look the least truth the least mercy is highly valued by an humble soule The Cananitish woman in the 15 of Matthew sets a high Vers 27. Faith will pick an Argument out of a repulse and turn discouragements into incouragements Luther would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible such a price he set upon it from the sweet that he found in it Song 1. 3. John 10. 4 5. Psal 27. 4. Mat. 9. 20. 21. Acts 24. 14. 1 Cor. â—9 22. Austin
4 And lastly The Reason why Christ gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones For the first What are those best gifts that Christ bestowes upon his best beloved ones I shall not instance in those Common gifts that they have in common with others But rather shew unto you those speciall gifts that he bestowes upon them and of those I shall single out them that are most choyce and that carry most in them of the glory favour and good will of him that dwelt in the Bush And the first is this He gives Light to his beloved ones and Light is a pleasant Eccles 11. 7. thing to behold as the wise man speaks He gives spirituall light which is a mercy of mercies Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some upon thee Life â—â—hâ—uâ—lighâ—s but a lifelesse life give thee light So John 1. 7 8 9. He was not that light but was sent to bear witnesse of that light that was the true light that lightneth every man that cometh into the world Vide Cameron and Augustine on the words When Telemachus saw a great light that guided him and his father in a dark Roâ—me Surely sed he there is some God in it Mal. 4. 2. He gives that light whereby his people are inabled to see sin to be the greatest evill and himselfe to be the chiefest good He gives that light that melts the soule that humbles the soule that warmes the soule that quickens the soule that quiets the soule and that glads the soule Man is not borne with heavenly light in his heart as he is borne with a tongue in his mouth Till Christ comes and sets up a light in the soule the soule lives in darknesse and lyes in darknesse yea is darknesse in the very abstract Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. Saints are alwayes in the Sun-shine therefore they should be like a Christall glasse with a light in the midst which appeareth in every part A Christian should be like the Lamp in the story that never 2 Cor. 3. 5. If there be such a power in fallen man to repent and believe c. to what purpose was the coming of Christ into the world 1 John 2. 9 1 John 3. 8. And why doe naturall men when their consciences are awaken'd so cry out That they arâ— as able to stop the Sun in his course to raise the dead and to make a world as they are able of themselves to repent c. went out Were it not for the Sun it would be perpetuall night in the world notwithstanding all Star-light and Torch-light and Moon-light 'T is not the Torch-light of Naturall parts and Creature-comforts nor the Star-light of Civill honesty and Common gifts Nor yet the Moon-light of temporary faith and formall profession that can make day in the soule till the Son of righteousnesse rise and shine upon it And that 's the first thing he gives Light Now the second thing he gives is Repentance Repentance is not a Flower that growes in Natures Garden Acts 5. 31. Him hath God the father exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins So in 2 Tim. 2. 25. The servant of the Lord must in meeknesse instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth By these Scriptures 't is clear that Repentance is no flower that growes in Natures Garden though Arminians teach and Print That if men will but put out their power and their strength they may repent c. But severall that have been of this Opinion have experienced the falsenesse of it when it ha's been too late The Ethiopian cannot change his skin nor the Leopard his spots Jer. 13. 23. And certainly if there were such a power in man to repent as some would make the world believe man would never miscarry everlastingly for his not repenting Oh! is it good dwelling with everlasting burnings with a devouring fire Is it good being for ever shut out from the presence of the Aut paenitendum out pereundum Lord and the glory of his power Certainly if there were such a power in vaine man to repent no man would goe to hell for not repenting And many that have boasted much of their abilities to repent when they have been upon a dying bed would have given a thousand worlds were there so many in their power that they could but repent Luther confesses That before his Conversion he met not Homo ipsius paenitentiae paenitere debâ—t Salv. Paenitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudeâ— Luther with a more displeasing word in all the study of Divinity then this word Repent But after the Lord had converted him and manifested himselfe to him he delighted in this worke Then he could sorrow for his sins and rejoyce in his sorrow Repentance strips the soule stark naked of all the Garments of the old Adam and leaves not so much as the shirt behind In this rotten building there is not one stone left upon another As the Flood drowned Noah's owne friends and servants as well as strangers so true Repentance drownes all darling lusts True Repentance is the cutting off the right hand and the pulling out of the right eye and is this such an easie thing surely no. True Repentance is a gift that is from above and if the Lord does not give it man will eternally perish for the want of it You may read much more of this in my Treatise call'd HEAVEN ON EARTH Thirdly Christ gives his Spirit Rom. 5. 5. The love of Spiritus sanctus estres delicata God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us So in 1 John 3. ult And hereby we know that he abideth in us how by the spirit which he hath given John 14. 26. us So in Chap. 4. 13. The spirit that the Lord Christ gives is an inlightning spirit 't is the Candle of the Lord set up in the hearts of the Saints to guide them in the way everlasting 'T is a sanctifying spirit a spirit of burning Isa 4. 4. He is a fire to inlighten the soule and a fire to inliven the soule and Nil nisi sanctum a sancto spiritu prediere potest a fire to warme the soule c. Whatsoever is of the spirit is spirit It is nimble and lively and active and full of life and motion as the Spirit is A man without the spirit of the Lord is a dull dromish Creature as the Latines call a dull dromish man A fire-lesse man so we may call a man that hath not the spirit a spiritlesse man The spirit that Christ gives is A sealing spirit Ephes 1. 13. and a Leading spirit Rom. 8. He leads from sin he leads from wrath he leads from
ha's bestowed upon them such choyce spirituall blessings the least of which will out-weigh all temporall blessings Well Christians remember this you act below your spirituall birth your holy calling when you suffer your hearts to be troubled and perplexed for the want of temporall things Can you read speciall love in these Does your happinesse lye in the injoyment of them Are not the Angels happy without them Was not Lazarus more happy then Dives Yes O then let not the want of those things trouble thee the injoyment of which can never make thee happy Should the Child be troubled for want of a Rattle or a Babie that is proclaimed Heire of a Crowne And why then should a Christian that is Heire apparent to a Heavenly Crowne be troubled upon the want of worldly toyes c. Jerous tells us of one Didymus a godly Preacher who was Socrates Scho. l. 4. c. 20. blind Alexander a godly man coming to him askt him Whether he was not sore troubled and afflicted for want of his sight O yes said didymus It 's a great affliction and trouble to me Then Alexander chid him saying Hath God given you the excellency of an Angel of an Apostle and are you troubled for that which Rats and Mice and bruit-beasts have 'T is great folly 't is double iniquity for a Christian to be troubled for the want of those things that God ordinarily bestowes upon the worst of men Oh the mercies that a Christian ha's in hand Oh the mercies that a Christian ha's in the Promises Oh the mercies that a Christian ha's in hope are so many so precious and so glorious that they should bear up his head and heart from fainting and sinking under all outward wants There goes a Story among Scholars Of Aesops deceiving Mercury He having promised him one part of his Nuts keepes all the meat to himselfe and gives the other the shells Cyprian in his Sermon De lapsis reporteth of divers who forsaking the Lord were given over to eviâ—l spirits and died fearfully A backslâ—der may say Opera impensa peâ—it All my paines and charge is lost Ah Christians God ha's given you the meat but the world the shells why then should you be troubled for want of the shells when God ha's given you the kernell c. Seventhly If the Lord hath given his people the best of Gifts Oh then let not them leave off that God that hath bestowed such choyce and noble favours on them Jerem. 2. 11 12 13. Hath a Nation changed their Gods which are yet no Gods but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord. Why For my people have committed two evills they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters c. This was that that aggravated the Israelites sin Psal 105. 106. That They forsooke that God that had confer'd upon them many rich and royall favours But O then what madnesse and folly is it in you that you should forsake that God that hath done such mighty things for your soules I may say to keep you close to God as Saul said to his servants to keep them close to him 1 Sam. 22. 7. Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him heare now ye Benjamites will the Son of Jesse give every one of you fields and Vineyards and make you all Captaines of thousands and Captaines of hundreds Ah Christians can the world give you spirituall life Can the world give you peace of conscience pardon of sin the favour of God the hopes of glory No O then never leave nor forsake that God that ha's given you all these royall favours which none can give nor take but himselfe He that forsakes Diis proximuâ— ille est quem ratio non ira movet Sen. He is next to God whom reâ—son and not anger moveth Did an impatient soul buâ— see himself iâ— a glasse he would loath himselfe for saith Homer his eyes sparkle like sire his heart swels his puls beats c. In a word aâ— impatiem soul is a bed lam a monster a devil c. God forsakes his owne mercies he forsakes his life his joy his Crowne his all in all No evill to this of forsaking the greatest good It makes a mans life a very hell Such shall be written in the dust Jer. 17. 13. Eighthly and lastly Be not impatient nor froward when God shall take away some lesser mercies from you Hath God given you the best and the greatest gifts that your soules can begg or himselfe can give And will you be froward or impatient when he shall come to take away lesser mercies What wilt thou be an impatient soule when God comes and writes death upon such a neere mercy and passes the sentence of death upon such and such desirable mercies Verily this is the way to provoke God to strip thee naked of thy choycest ornaments and to put thee in Chaines or else to turne thee a grasing among the beasts of the field as he did Nebuchadnezzar God gives the best and takes away the worst he gives the greatest and takes away the least the sense of which made Job blesse God when stript of all If a man should give you a Pearle and take away a pin if he should give you a bagge of gold and take away a bagge of Counters would it not be madnesse in you to be impatient and froward Does God take away a pin and ha's he not given you a Pearle for it He ha's given thee a pound O Christian for every penny that he ha's taken from thee therefore be not froward nor impatient Remember Christians how many in the world there be that sit sithing and mourning under the want of those very favours that you doe enjoy Why does the living man complaine What out of the grave and complaine What out of hell and complaine This is mans sin and Gods wonder But now some poor sinners may say Here 's good Newes for Saints but what 's all this â—o us all this while Read also Pro. 1. 20. to 29. Ch. 8. 1. to 8. Chap. 9. 1. to 7. Isa 43. 22 23 24 25. Jer. 51. 5. Why I 'le tell you I have something to say for the comfort and incouragement of poor sinners Ah sinners Christ is willing to bestow the best Gifts upon the worst sinners take one Text for all 't is a sweet one and full to the point in hand Psal 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity Captive thou hast received Gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them Christ hath received Gifts as a Steward from the hand of None so faith â—ull as Christ Heb. 3. 5 6. the father to dispence them among men yea among the rebellious the worst of men If there be here at this time any
31. Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judca and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied The more their graces were increased the more their comforts were augmented If one drop of the joy of the Holy Ghost should fall into hell it would swallow up all the torments of hell saith Austin Oh! who would not then labour to increase in grace that he may abound in joy c. The Promise lyes most fair before their eyes that are rich in grace their interest in it is most clear and rarely that they goe without it unlesse it is by taking part sometimes with Satan against their interest in Christ or somtimes through the power of unbelief which indeed cuts off all the comfort of the soule or by looking after other lovers or by not hearkning to the voyce of the Comforter c. Christians you often complaine of the want of joy and comfort oh doe but abound in grace and you won't complaine of the want of comfort Without delight the soule cannot live saith one take away all delight and the soul dyes Let this that ha's been spoken provoke every Christian to labour to be rich in grace c. But secondly Consider this You have singular opportunities and choyce advantages to be rich in grace There is a price put into your hands but where are your hearts In former times God gave out grace by drops but now by Flaggons Opportunities if not improved will as Cant. 2. 5. that sword that Hector gave Ajax be turned into your owne bowels This will be a sword in thy bowels that there hath been soule-inriching opportunities and thou hast neglected them and turned thy back upon them The thoughts of this will one day be the Scorpions that will vex thee the rod that will lash thee the thornes that will prick thee and the worm that will gnaw thee The Storke saith the Prophet knowes Jer. 8. 7. his appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. The Market for your soules is open slip not your season least with the foolish Virgins you Mat. 25. goe to buy when 't is too late The Merchant will not slip his opportunity of buying nor the Saylor his of sailing nor the Husbandman his of sowing and why should you slip yours of growing rich in grace Many men loose their soules as Saul lost his Kingdome by not discerning their time to be spiritually rich Tamarlen at first hung out a white flagge but if they slipt Such â—here have been who by giving a glasse of water opportunely have obtain'd a Kingdome as you may see in the story of Thâ—umâ—stus and King Agrippa c. that opportunity then a red and so death and destruction followed c. The Lord Jesus hangs out the white flagge of mercy in these dayes to intice soules to come in and to share with him in his glorious and unsearchable riches in the riches of his grace and mercy but if you stand out Christ hath a red flagge and if that be once put out you are lost for ever Thrice happy are those that take the first opportunity of closing with Christ and of subjecting themselves to Christ Plutarch writes of Hanniball That when he could have taken Rome he would not but when he would have taken Rome he could not When many men may have mercy they won't and when they would have mercy they shan't Mercy and Prov. 1. 24 â—l Rev. 3. 20. grace is sometimes upon the bare knee Christ stands knocking at sinners doores he is willing to come in and make sinners rich and happy for ever he calls upon soules to open to him Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Prov. 24. 7 8 c. doores and the King of glory shall come in who is the King of glory The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battell The King of glory comes not vacuis manibus empty-handed no he comes with his hands and heart full of rich and royal Presents and blest and enricht for ever are those that open to this King of glory c. Thirdly Consider this Soules rich in grace shall have their names immortall Every man naturally would have if it were possible his name immortal now there 's no way in the world to have your names immortal like this of growing rich in grace A man that 's spiritually rich shall live and his name shall live when he is dead In Nehem. 7. 2. 't is said of Hannaniah that he was a faithfull man and feared God above many Or He feared God above multitudes as the Hebrew hath it His Merâ—bbim from Rabâ—b name lives though his body for many hundred years hath been turn'd to dust So in Acts 7. 55. Stephen was a man full of the Holy Ghost Though Stephen were stoned yet his name lives his memoriall is precious among the Saints to this very day So in Heb. 11. 38. They were such of whom this world was not worthy And in the third Epistle of John the six first Verses compared with vers 12. Gaius and Demetrius Ego si bonam faâ—ram servassâ— sat dives ero If I may but keep a good name I have wealth enough said Plaâ—t who were rich in grace have Crownes of honour set upon their heads their names live and are a sweet savour to this very day c. So in Psal 112. 6. The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance but the name of the wicked shall rot The great mans name and the rich mans name shall rot saith he but the name of the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance The Persians use to write their Kings names in golden Characters so the Lord writes the names of soules rich in grace in golden Characters Their names are alwayes Heires to their lives believe it there 's no such way in the world to have immortall names like this of growing rich in grace One man thinks to make his name immortall by making himself great another by heaping up silver and gold as the dust of the A good name yields a fragrant smell over Towne Country it puts a shining lustre upon the countenance it fitteth to any publick employment in Ministry or Magistracy it stops many a foul mouth and it makes men live when they are dead earth or the stones of the street and another by doing some strange exploites c. But for all this the Lord will make good his word The name of the wicked shall rot if God be God his name must rot but the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance they leave their Names behind for a blessing Isa 65. 15. 'T is sad to consider what many poor carnall Creatures have done and suffered to make their names immortall
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
Luke 10. 16. He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that despises you despises me This honourable account God hath of all his faithfull servants in this imployment The fifth thing that speaks out this truth is this They serve an honourable Master They serve him that is all ear to hear all hand to punish all power to protect all wisedome to direct all goodnesse to relieve and all mercy to pardon They Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia Aug. He hath all that hath the haver of all serve that God that is Optimum maximum the best and greatest God hath within himselfe all the good of Angels men and universal nature he hath all dignity all glory all riches all treasure all pleasure all delight all joy all beatitudes Mark abstracts doe better expresse God then concretes and adjectives God is being bonity beauty power wisedome justice mercy and love it selfe God is love saith the Apostle in the very abstract God is one infinite perfection in himselfe which is eminently and virtually all perfections 'T is truly said of God that he is Omnia super oâ—nia of the Creatures And Oh then what an honour must it be to those that are imployed under so honourable a Master Sixthly Their very worke and service is honourable Why else did the Apostle cry out Who is sufficient for these things Their maine work is to treat with sinners about eternity c. There is no such Embassage in the world as this is in which they are imployed Ephes 6. 19 20. Pray for me that I may make knowne the Mystery of the Gospel for which I am an Ambassadour in bonds Faithfull Ministers doe represent the person of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords their work is to treat of Peace between God and man or of open Hostility between the Creator and the Creature 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Seventhly and lastly Their Reward from God is honourable Though the world Crowne them with thornes as it did their Lord and Master before them yet God will Crowne them with honour Dan. 12. 3. They shall shine as the Stars in the Firmament You know Ambassadors have not preferments while they are abroad but when they come home into their owne Countrey then their Princes prefer them and put much honour upon them So will God deale with his Ambassadors 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there God will at last highly reward those very services that men don't regard c. is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto all them also that love his appearing So in Isa 49. 4 5. I have laboured in vaine I have spent my strength for nought and in vaine yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my reward with my God Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength So in 2 Cor. 2. 15. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved Latimer in one of his Sermons speaking of a Minister who gave this answer why he left off Preaching because he saw he did no good This saith Latimer is a very naughty naughty answer and in them that perish Ministers shall be rewarded according to their faithfulnesse and diligence though some perish It shall be with them as with Vine-dressers you know Vine-dressers are rewarded according to their diligence and faithfulnesse though some Vines never bear nor bring forth fruit at all As Ministers are diligent and faithfull so the reward the Crowne shall be given full at last You know the Barber is as much rewarded for trimming a Black-a-more though all his paines in rubbing him can never make him white as he is for trimming and rubbing of another man that is white and by a little paines is made more white This is many-a-faithfull Ministers grief that he takes a great deale of paines in rubbing and washing as it were to make soules white and clean pure and holy and yet they remaine after all as black as hell but surely their reward shall be never the lesse with God The Nurse looks not for her wages from the Child but from the Parent If Ministers like clouds sweat themselves to death that soules may be brought to life great will be their reward though those soules should perish for ever for whom they have wept sweat and bled God won't deale by faithfull Ministers as Exerxes did by his Steer-man who crowned him in the morning and beheaded him in the evening of the same day No God will set an everlasting Crowne upon their heads who remaine laborious and faithfull to the death The world for all their paines will Crowne them with thornes but God at last will Crowne them with glory he will set a Crowne of pure gold upon their heads for ever And thus you have the Point proved The second thing that I am to doe is to shew you What Honour that is which is justly due to faithfull Ministers Now this I shall shew you in three things there is a threefold honour that is due unto them First Honourable Countenance is due to them that are in so honourable a place and Office as they are in 1 Cor. 14. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Under-rowers to Christ the Master-Pilot helping forward the ship of the Church to the haven of Heaven Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Thess 5. 12 13. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteeme them very highly in love for their worke sake Or To esteeme them more then exceedingly or more then abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek will bear And so in 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word that is here rendred Labour signifies not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour but to labour with much travel and toyle to labour even to lassitude as he doth that cleaveth wood or that toileth in harvest or that goeth a warfare Preaching is a Our Saviour at little paâ—t â—hirty was â—eckoned by the Jewes to be towards fifty John 8. 57. he had so spent himself in preaching Preaching is a spending painfull work most painfull work and enfeebleth a man exceedingly whence the Prophet cryes out My leannesse my leannesse Isa 24. 16. No paines no labour no work to that of the braine to that of the mind nor none so worthy of praise as those that are most in that labour in that work No mens work is so