I rather speak of positive truths to see Gods grace and favour and blesse God for it in every thing we have Doth all that we have in Christ come from grace the grace in us and comforts and outward things meerely from grace Then esteeme them more from the spring from whence they come then for themselves The necessaries of this life food and raiment they are but meane things in themselves but if we consider what spring they come from from the blood of Christ that hath purchased them and from the grace and love of Christ grace will adde value to them grace will make all sweet that we have when we can say I have this from the grace of God as Iacob said These are the children that God hath given me of his bounty and grace This is the provision the helpe and comfort that I have from the grace of Christ for the same grace that gives Heaven gives necessaries and daily bread Let us look on every thing and put the respect of grace upon every thing It is grace that we meet with afflictions wherby we are corrected God might have let us goe on in the hardnesse of our hearts looke upon every thing as a fruit of Gods grace and favour What is the reason that we are no more thankful for common benefits Because we looke not on them as issuing from grace Take away grace the free favour of God extract this quintessence take the love of God out of things what are they Let a man be rich if he have it not from the love and mercy of God what will all be in time but snares Let a man be great in the world if it be not from the grace of God what is it As God saith I will curse you in your blessings without grace we are cursed in those things that else are blessings take grace from Adam in Paradise and Adam is afraid in Paradise and hides his head Take the favour of the King from Haman and nothing will do him good take the favour of the King from Absalom and all other liberties that he had are nothing worth when he must not go to the Court so take the grace and favour of God away that sweetens all they will prove snares and we shall finde by experience that God will curse us in all our blessings Let us labour therefore to have a sensible feeling of this free grace and mercy of God in Christ. And to adde this further the grace of Christ it is a fruitfull grace it is a rich grace as the Apostle saith here you know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who became poore to make us rich by his poverty The favour of God and Christ it is no empty favour it is not like the Winter Sunne that casts a goodly countenance when it shines but gives little comfort and heat Many men give sweet and comfortable words but there is nothing followes it is but a barren favour It is not so with Gods favour to give only a shining countenance but no warmth no saith the Apostle you know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who though he were rich he became poore It was a grace that made him empty himselfe of himselfe to make us full it made him poore to make us rich he abased himselfe to make us glorious As is the man so is his strength saith the Proverbe so as is the person such is the favour and good will we expect from him Now Christ being so potent a person being God and man his grace must needs be wondrous rich suitable to his greatnesse If God will free a man he will free him from all miseries if he advance a man he will advance him to Heaven if he will punish a man he will punish him to hell his wrath shall seise on him for ever what hee doth he will do like a God the grace of Christ it is a powerfull rich grace Therefore let us examine our selves am I in the favour of God and of Christ if I be surely it is a rich favour it tends to the best riches he became poore to make me rich Where is my faith my love my hope my contentation my patience and victory over temptations and lusts Is it a dead favour Am I in the favour of Christ and finde no fruits of it Certainly it is but an illusion therefore as yet I am not in the compasse of Christs favour Therefore I must wait in the use of meanes and humbling my selfe he gives grace to the humble And with a sense of our spirituall poverty let us pray to God to shine on us in Christ that wee may finde the fruit of his love inriching us with grace Oh that my faith and hope and grace were more Oh let this evidence that I am in thy favour by the fruits of it that I may finde those riches that thou hast procured by thy poverty And let us not rest till we finde the fruits of this grace though not alway in the comfort yet in the strength and ability that wee may performe in some measure what is required Though we have not much of the comfort that we desire yet if we have strength we have that that is better It is better to have grace then comfort here God reserves that for another world But let us alwayes looke for one of them either sensible peace and joy oâ— if not that yet strength against our corruptions and ability to doe God service in some measure to do something above nature holy desires and ability and strength they come not from nature but from the favour of Christ therefore having these I know I am in the love of Christ these are favours that hee bestowes onely upon his owne favours of the left hand he gives to castawayes but his speciall favours the riches of grace he gives only to his children Therefore let us labour to finde somewhat wrought in our natures that may evidence to us that we are in this rich favour of God Lastly this grace of Christ being free that we neither desired it nor deserved it why may not Manasses take hope as well as David if he submit himselfe though hee were so horrible a sinner as he was Why may not Paul a persecutor finde mercy as well as Timothy that was brought up to goodnesse from his youth It is free therefore let no man despaire that hath beene a wicked liver in former time The best stand in need of grace and it is of grace that they are what they are as S. Paul saith By grace I am that I am and the worst if they come in and submit themselves and take Christ for their Lord and submit to his government and will be ruled by his word and Spirit and not continue to live in rebellious courses they may partake of this grace But againe let none presume for though it be free grace yet we must confesse our sinns and forsake
like unto Christ it hath a force to stirre us up to that that is good Tit. 2.11.12 The Apostle enforceth selfe-denial a hard lesson and holinesse to God justice to others and sobriety to our selves What is the argument he useth The grace of God hath appeared The grace of God hath shined as the word signifieth He meanes Christ appeared but hee saith The grace of God hath appeared when Christ appeared grace appeared Christ is nothing but pure grace clothed with our nature What doth this appearing of grace teach us To deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live holily and righteously and soberly c. Holily and religiously in regard of God justly in regard of men and not only justly but bountifully for bounty is justice It is justice to give to the poore With hold not good from the owners they have right to that we have Grace when it appeares in any soule it is a teacher it teacheth to deny all that is naught and it teacheth to practise all that is good it teacheth to live holily and righteously in this present evill world Many men like the Text thus farre The grace of God bringeth salvation Oh it is a sweet Text I but what followes what doth that grace teach thee It teacheth to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts it doth not teach men to follow and set themselves upon the workes of the Devill but to live soberly and justly and righteously in this present evill world It is said of the Woman in the Gospell She loved much because much was forgiven her what made that blessed woman so inlarged in her affection and love to Christ She had experience of the pardon of many sins and having felt the love of Christ she loved him againe And what is the reason that those that are converted from dangerous courses of life do often prove the most fruitfull Christians Because they have felt most love and mercy Who was more zealous then the blessed Apostle S. Paul Oh he found rich and abundant love How large is he in fetting forth the mercy of God Oh the height and breadth and depth Nothing contents him no expressions when he speakes of Gods mercy because he had beene a wretched man and found mercy Let no man be discouraged if he have beene never so sinfull if he come in The more need he hath of mercy the more aboundant God is as the Apostle saith here You know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. And those that have felt most grace will bee most wrought on to shew the fruits of that grace in all good workes in duties towards God and men And if we finde not our hearts wrought on by the confideration of the grace of Christ apprehended and knowne to this end We turne the grace of God into wantonnesse it is a sign of an ill condition the Scripture speakes nothing but discomfort to such that take occasion from the free grace and infinite and boundlesse mercy of God to be loose and carelesse in their lives and conversations that think it is a time of liberty and we may doe what we list though the tongues of men say not so nor they dare not for shame yet their lives speak it would men else live in swearing and other debaucht carriage that is offensive to God and men Do they know that there is a God a Christ and mercy Doth mercy and grace teach them that lesson No it teacheh us to deny such base lives and lusts and to live holily and soberly and justly in this world Therefore such men are Atheists either they must not beleeve the Scriptures or else exclude themselves from interest in mercy for as yet they are not in the state of grace in whom the consideration of mercy and grace doth not worke better effects then these The Gospell hath as strong encouragements and stronger to be good and gracious then the Law Grace inforceth strictnesse of life more sweetly and strongly then the Law The Law saith We must not take the name of God in vaine and we must be subject to our superiours and to live chastly c. under a curse Doth not the grace of God teach this as well as the Law and from a higher ground It teacheth the same thing by arguments taken from love and grace A man perisheth by the Law in such sins but then there is a pardon offered if men will come under the government of Christ and lead new lives but if men refuse there is a superadded guilt not only justice condemnes such wretches but mercy it selfe because they refuse mercy upon these termes rather then they will leave their sinfull courses mercy and justice both meet to condemne such persons Let us take heed therefore of abusing the mercy and love of God for then we quite overthrow Gods end in the Gospell for why doth he conveigh all to us by love and mercy and grace but that it may worke the same disposition againe in us to him or else we overturne the end of the Gospell Let us take heed of this as ever we will finde interest in this grace without which we are the miserablest wretches that live it were better for us that we had never heard of Christ and the Gospell then to live in sins against conscience under the manifestation and publication of grace Now together with the grace of Châ—ist the Apostle brings the example of Christ that both may stirre them up to the duties of mercy and bounty and fruitfulnesse Indeed the grace of Christ makes his example more sweet Men willingly looke upon examples The examples of great and excellent Persons The example of loving and bountifull Persons The example of such as are loving and bountifull to us in particular The example of such as we have interest in that are neere and deere to us and we to them These foure things commend examples Now is there any greater or more excellent person then Christ Is there any fuller of love and mercy and grace then he that hath made himselfe poore to make us rich And all of us if we be Christians indeed we have interest in this our hearts and consciences by the Spirit of God have some perswasion of this And then againe he is deare and neere unto us he is our Head and Husband he is all in all unto as Therefore the example of Christ joyned with his grace it is a wondrous forcible example How shall we make this example of Christ profitable to us First of all let us looke often into the grace of Christ the grace and free mercy of God in giving Christ consider how God hath laid forth all his riches in Christ and consider how miserable we had beene without Christ even next unto Divels in misery A man is the most miserable creature under Heaven if he have not interest in Christ he is a lost creature Let us dwell upon the meditation and
the more we shall attaine this Therefore let us labour that Christ may be all in all in us that as the soule doth act the body so the Spirit of Christ may act us that Christ may speake in us and think in us and love in us by his Spirit that he may dwell in us and joy and hate in us by his Spirit that we may put off our selves and our carnall affections and the Spirit of the world and that we may put on Christ and be clothed with him that we may say with S. Paul I live not but Christ lives in me by his Spirit whence was Paul stirred up to that Oh saith he Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. The grace of Christ stirred him up Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me and by his Spirit he witnesseth to my soule that he did so Therefore the life that I live is by the Spirit of Christ Christ lives in me But to come to the particular duty whereunto the grace and example of Christ should stir us up to be like him that is in kindnesse and mercy and bounty to the poore Saints for that is the scope of the Apostle here in this and the next Chapter You know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who though he was rich he became poore c. Wherfore doth the Apostle bring all this To move them to the duty of bounty and liberality This duty it is legall from the example of Christ it is a thing that hath much equity in it and it is enough to a Christian heart that hath the love of God to put him in minde of the grace of God to him you need not beat upon him or presse him further then thus You know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ remember you are a Christian you have felt the experience of Gods love in Christ every man will judge of the equity that we should therefore be gracious and kinde and loving to others in imitation of Christ because he hath beene so to us Wherein stands the equity First it may appeare in this if we consider in how neere a relation those that need our help are to us and likewise to Christ. First what is their relation to us Not only that they are our flesh for so are all men but they are heires of the same salvation bought with the death of the same Christ such as Christ feeds with his owne body and blood such as he clothes with his owne righteousnesse they are fellow members with us fellow heires of Heaven and members of Christ such as he died for to redeeme with the price of his owne blood there is an undeniable equity if we consider their condition their relation to Christ and to us Againe there is a marvellous binding equity to see the grace of God to us in particular Christ became poore to make us rich in grace here and in glory hereafter and shall not I out of my riches give somewhat to the poore Is it not equall Christ from Heaven came in my nature and flesh to visit me as it is in the Song of Zachary The day spring from on high hath visited us and shall not I visit Christ in his members He came from Heaven to Earth to take notice of my wants and miseries to doe and suffer that that I should have done and suffered he feeds me with his body and blood that is with his satisfaction to Divine justice by his death and shall not I feed his poore members Christ clothes me with his righteousnesse and shall not I cloth Christ in his poore members In the consideration of these things the Spirit of God will be effectuall to stir us up to this marvellous neglected duty of kindnesse and mercy to those that stand in need And because Christ is our paterne herein let us labour to imitate Christ in the manner of releeving and shewing kindnesse and communicating to others that we may doe it as CHRIST hath done How is that First Christ prevented us when we never desired him so we should prevent others Sometimes the modesty of those that want is such that they will not lay open their wants we should see it and prevent it he gives too late oft times that gives to a man that asks him Therefore herein let us imitate Christ to consider of the miseries of others he looked on and considered the miseries of mankinde and it drew him from Heaven to the Virgins wombe from thence to the Crosse to the grave even as low as Hell in his preventing love and mercy Therefore when wee see any need especially if there be any worth in them in any kinde let us not stay till it be wrested from us by intreaty for it is dearely bought oft times that comes that way but prevent them in mercy as Christ hath done to us Secondly what Christ did for us he did marvellous chearfully and readily oh what a desire he had to eate his last Passeover a little before he was crucified With a desire have I desired to eat this passeover with you he was chearfull in it he had a great desire to doe us good and as he saith Ioh. 4. when his disciples put him in mind of eating when he had not eat in a long time before saith he It is meat and drink to me to do the will of my Father so whatsoever we do to others we should do it chearefully and readily as he did Againe whatsoever Christ did for us he did it out of love and grace and mercy he did it inwardly from his very bowels so when we do aâ—ny thing for others we should not onely doe the deed but doe it from an inward principle of love and mercy Therefore the Scripture phrase is powre out thy bowels and saith S. Iohn if a man see his brother in need and pretend he loves God and yet relieves him not how is there bowels in such a man and so in Micah 6. He hath shewed thee oh man what is good to love mercy not onely to be mercifull to do works of mercy but to love it to do what we do out of love and affection and powre out thy heart to thy flesh as it is in I say to give the heart and affection when we do any thing or else we may give with the hand and denie with the heart A man may give a thing so untowardly that one may see it comes against his heart and will Therefore let us labour to doe that we doe with our whole man especially from our heart and affection and bowels It is said of Christ in the Gospell when he saw the people in misery his bowels yearned within him the workes of grace and mercy in Christ they came from his bowels first Let us worke our hearts to pitie and love and mercy first that it may come from the soule as well as from the outward man Againe Christ
for God to be included in the Wombe of a Virgin for happinesse it selfe to become a Curse for him that hath the Riches of all in him to become poore for our sakes for him that ever enjoyed his Fathers presence to want the beames of it for a time that he might satisfie his Fathers justice and undergoe his wrath for our sinnes here is a matter of wonderment indeed And shall we thinke so great a Mysterie as this was for small purpose That the great God should take upon him a Piece of Earth That he should become a poore and weake man The immortall God to take upon him our flesh and to dye That he whom Heaven and Earth cannot comprehend should be inclosed in the Wombe of a Virgin For him to be so abased as there was never any abasement like unto Christs because of the greatnesse of his Person If Angels had done so alas they were inferiour creatures they were servants to God but for the Sonne of God to take our nature when it was so low for so excellent a Person to be abased so low There was none ever suffered that that God in our flesh suffered For as communion with his Father was sweeter to him then to all men besides so for him to want communion with his Father upon the Crosse when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It was the greatest abasement to him being the most sensible of it therefore there was no suffering like that of Christs And shall we thinke so great a matter was for small purpose for little sinnes or for few sinnes onely Oh no it was to give a foundation to our Faith in all extremitie of temptations to stay our Conscience in the guilt of great and crying sinnes Oh despaire not despaire not this Great Mysterie the Apostle speakes of for the great God to become man it was for great sinnes that where Sinne hath abounded Grace might super-abound God intended in this to set downe the accusing Conscience to quiet and still it God is offended it is true but God manifest in the flesh hath made reconciliation and satisfaction Hee was a Sacrifice for sinne and God will answer God God the Sonne will answer the displeasure of God the Father because he is appointed to this Office by him He is set forth as it is Rom. 3. to be the propitiation Therefore in all risings of Conscience in the time of trouble in the houre of death let us remember this Great Mysterie God manifest in the flesh Gods purpose in this was to triumph as it were over all the clamours of Conscience whatsoever over all things that Satan object what he will here is a shield put into the hand of Faith to beat back all his fierie darts God in the Covenant of Grace which is founded in Christ in God in our nature doth intend to be gracious to sinners It is a greater Mysterie then that of the Creation For God there did good to a good man he made Adam good and continued him good while he stood but after the fall God intended to rayse up the doubting unbeleeving soule against the greatest ills of sin and despaire and against all objections for sinne whatsoever from the greatnesse of sin either naturall or actuall It is the glory of God in the Gospel to glorifie his mercy and goodnesse in prevailing and triumphing over the greatest ills that can be Now he is good to sinners and to great sinners so that if there be Faith wrought by the Spirit of God raysing up our soules to lay hold of this God manifest in the flesh let us not be discouraged with any sin our sinnes are but the sinnes of men but God manifest in the flesh was made a Sacrifice for our sinnes and hath given a price answerable What temptation will not vanish as a cloud before the wind when we see Gods love in sending his Sonne and Christs love in taking our nature on him to reconcile us by the Sacrifice of his bloud Therefore let us treasure up this comfort it is a Spring of comfort a Well of consolation as the Scripture speaks therefore let us such comâ—ort out of this Brest of consolation We may turne over things now in the time of peace with ease but in the time of temptation when the soule is touched with guilt and Satan plyes us with temptations the soule will have no rest but in an infinite ground of comfort The soule is prone naturally to mis-give and to forecast the worst and to conceive hardly of God in the time of temptation as an enemie and Satan is then busie about nothing so much as that we should have hard conceits of God and to make us forget the maine end of the great worke of our Redemption which is to undermine our unbeleefe by all meanes by setting before the soule such grounds as the most unbeleeving heart in the world if it did consider of would fasten and lay it selfe upon Therefore let us labour to cherish at such times especially large thoughts of the infinite goodnesse and mercie of God and of the love of Christ condescending so low as to be manifest in the flesh for our sakes It is a point of wondrous comfort that now in CHRIST JESUS God becomming man we can in him break through the justice of God For as I said when Conscience is awaked there are other manner of conceits of God then when it is sleepie and drowsie A sleepie Christian hath a sleight conceit of God as if he as little thought of his sinnes as he doth himselfe Oh but when Conscience is awaked and when we are drawne from the pleasures of sinne and they from us and Conscience hath nothing to doe but to looke upon God and upon the time to come which is eternity then if there be not somewhat for Conscience to oppose that is equall to the justice of God if there be not somewhat about us to cloath us and arme us to passe thorow the justice what will become of us Therefore it is a fruitfull consideration that God was manifest in our flesh and that to give satisfaction to God that so Conscience might have full satisfaction This teacheth us what we should doe when we find any trouble rise in our Conscience for sins and unworthinesse Cast our selves upon God in our flesh God that became flesh for us and dyed for us let us stay our selves there I am unworthy a lumpe of sinne there is nothing in me that is good Oh but I have all in Christ he is righteousnesse for me he hath abundance for me his fulnesse is for me Therefore you have it Coloss. 2.16 The fulnesse of the God-head dwells in him bodily To what purpose is this fulnesse in him He shewes in the words following In him wee are compleate Suppose in our selves we be sinners and weake that we are as ill as sinne or the Devill
consideration of this till we feele our hearts warmed If one passe through the Sunne shine it doth not much heat but if the Sunne beat upon a thing there will be a reflection of heat so let us stay upon this consideration of the infinite love and mercy of Christ to us wretches and this warming the heart it will transforme us to the likenesse of Christ as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.18 We all as in mirrour beholding the Glory of God he meanes the glory of Gods mercy in Christ We are transformed and changed from glory to glory from one degree of grace to another The serious consideration of the love and mercy of God in Christ it is a wondrous sweet thing and it hath a transforming power with it And that is the reason why the Gospell converts men and not the Law The Law never converts a man but together with the Spirit it will cast him downe but the Gospell which is the promulgation of grace and mercy to penitent sinners that confesse their sinnes and forsake them and come under a new government of grace the publishing of this hath the spirit of grace with it to worke conversion therefore it is called the ministery of the Spirit because the Spirit goes with the doctrine of grace to change us and make us gracious to perswade us that God loves us and to stir us up to performe all duties in that sweet affection that God requires in the Gospell the affection of love Therefore if we bee or ever were converted it is this way our hearts are wrought on by the consideration of the love and mercy of God in Christ so that love begets love and mercy begets a sweetnesse in us to God againe In the nature of the thing it cannot be otherwise when the soule stands convinced of the sweet mercy of God in Christ and of the sweet love of Christ who being God became man to take our nature and suffer the punishment that was due to us and is now in Heaven appearing and making intercession for us it cannot bee but the soule will be stirred up to a desire of conformity to this blessed Saviour Therefore let us let goe all disputing of election concerning Gods decree and let us doe our duty and depend upon God in the use of the meanes Let us labour to see the love of God in Christ and that will put all questions out of question though in some cases we must labour to know how to vindicate the truth but when it comes to our owne particular lay other things aside let us doe our duty in the use of meanes and thinke of the end of the Gospell of the end of Christs incarnation and death namely to reveale the bowels of Gods mercy to sinners and then we shall finde the intendment of all working upon us that God had an eternall purpose to save us Againe if we would make good use of the example of Christ we must converse with those that have the Spirit of Christ in them as Christ is in every good Christian and see what lovely things the Spirit of Christ discovers in them that will have a transforming power likewise And certainly next to the meditation of Christ and the excellencies that are in him I know no way more effectuall then holy communion with those that are led with the Spirit of Christ when we see the sweet fruit of it in others It hath beene a meanes sanctified to do a great deale of good to many those that delight not in it they never knew what the likenesse of Christ meant for those that desire to be like to Christ they love the shining of Christ in any In these carelesse times all companies are alike one with another indeed when mens callings thrust them upon it they must be allowed to converse with all men but in familiar and intimate society those that doe not make choise of those that finde some worke of grace on their hearts by the Spirit of God they may well doubt of their condition for grace it will make us love the like As we see creatures of the same kind they love and company one with another Doves with Doves and Lambes with Lambes so it must bee with the children of God or else we doe not know what the Communion of Saints meanes which indeed is a thing little understood in the world These times of security are times of confusion affliction will make us know one another better Againe if we would make use of the example of Christ let us put cases some times to our selves what Christ would doe or not doe in such a case I professe my selfe to be a member of Christ to bee one with him and hee one with mee Would CHRIST bee cruell if hee were on earth would he sweare and looke scornefully upon others would he undermine others and cover all with a pretence of justice Oh no it is the Devils worke to doe so If we be not members of Christ woe unto us and if we be doe such courses suit with such a neerenesse to Christ Either let us be religious to purpose or else disclame all for it is better a great deale never to owne religion then to owne it and to live gracelesse lives under the profession of Christ. Now to stir us up to expresse Christ in our lives and conversations Let us consider The more like we are to Christ the more he delights in us for every one delights in those that are like them and what a sweet state is it for God and Christ to delight in us â—od the Father will delight in us because we are like the Son of his delight whom doth God delight most in In his owne blessed Sonne and who come neerest in his delight to his Sonne Those that expresse him in their lives and conversations The more like we are to Christ the more like we shall be one to another As if there be one Statue or Picture or Effigies that is set for the first sample the neerer the rest come to that the more like they are one to another so I say the neerer Christians come to the first paterne of goodnesse Christ himselfe who is Gods master-piece as it were that which he glories in the more we come to be like one another and love and joy one in another What is the sweet communion that we shall have one with another for ever in Heaven Is it not that the Spirit shall be all in all in every one and each shall looke upon another as perfect in grace and love and so shall solace and delight themselves first in God and Christ and then in one another admiring and reverencing the graces and sweetnesse one of another This is the very joy of Heaven it selfe and it is the Heaven upon Earth when we can joy and solace our selves one in another as we are good Now the neerer wee come to Christ who is the Image of God
would presently finde either want in grace or comfort There is not one of many that are acquainted with the nature of this spirituall communion with Goâ— and therefore they doe not enjoy the happinesse that those doe who are thus qualified that are poore in spirit Againe a man that is poore in spirit is very tractable as it is in Esay A Child shall lead them The Lamb and the Lion shall feed together c. and a Child shall lead them that is such an one you shall lead him with any counsell let the person be never so meane having smarted for his sins and his owne counsell and wayes a child shall lead him that is any man shall lead and move him to that which is good he stands not upon termes And alway hee that is poore in spirit hee is no upbraider of other mens wants he is more sensible of his owne then that he sees in other men hee is not prone to upbraid and object against them their wants and conditions hee is so taken up with the sense of his owne And lastly he that is poore in spirit is humbled in himselfe for spirituall wants not so much for outward things but because he hath not a large heart to God because he findes impatience because he finds not that heavenly mindednesse and strength to goe through the duties that God requires that his flesh is so backward these things abase him and bring him on his knees and not so much outward things and answerably hee lookes for spirituall supply When a man is humble and poore in spirit he is not abased with any outward thing that that he would have is mercy and grace The Apostle when hee would pray for all happinesse to the Churches he prayes for grace mercy and peace for as they are more sensible of their spirituall wants so they are carryed in their desires after that that may give them satisfaction that way Let us labour to bring out soules to this blessed temper to bee poore in spirit the happy temper that our Saviour began his preaching withall the first thing that he fals upon is Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven But before I come to any directions for the getting this spirituall poverty we must know and premise this caution that wee must not be so poore in spirit as to deny the worke of grace in our hearts It is one thing to bee poore in spirit and to see our wants and it is another thing to bee unthankfull and unkinde to deny the worke of grace and so to gratifie Satan wee must not give false witnesse against our selves and so deny the worke of Gods Spirit in us it is not poverty but darknesse of spirit we are not acquainted with that grace that God hath enriched us with Therefore where the soule is in a right temper there is a double eye one to see the defects and the staines of those graces we have to see what we are wanting in of what we should be and to see how our graces are stained and that there is a mingling of our corruptions with them The viewing with the one eye that wee have any grace that should make us cheerfull and thankefull and comfortably goe on considering that there are some beginnings that God will perfect for hee never repents of his beginnings And then a sight of the want and of the staines of those graces that we mingle our corruptions with them that workes againe this poverty of spirit to go still out of our selves to desire grace to purge and cleanse our selves more and more Therefore I beseech you let us remember that that we doe not unthankfully deny the worke of grace and thinke that to be poverty of spirit as some do out of covetousnesse because they have not that they would have they think they have nothing at all that is a spirituall covetousnesse But let us be wise to discerne what God hath wrought in our hearts what he hath done for and in our soules A holy man you shall have him much in mourning and complaining but it is of himselfe not of God as if God were wanting to him you shall have a holy man in a perpetuall kinde of despaire but it is in himselfe he hopes in God still Remember this caution that as wee complaine so let us be sure it be of our selves alway justifie God in his mercy and if we despaire let us despaire of our selves that we can do nothing of our selves but be sure to maintaine all we can the hope of Gods rich mercy in Christ. Now having premised this caution The way to come to spirituall poverty among many others is First to bring our selves into the presence of God to the presence of greater lights then our own men that think themselves some body when they are alone yet when they consider God sees them whose eyes are a thousand times brighter then the sun then they learne to abhor themselves in dust and ashes as we see Iob did when God talked with him when he saw God and Abraham when he talked with God he accounts himselfe dust and ashes Let us bring our selves into the presence of God consider his holinesse his justice And withall let us bring our selves to greater lights then our owne that is oft come into the company of those that have greater grace then our selves The Starres give no light when the Sunne is up the Starres are somebody in the night but they are nothing in the day and those that are conceited of their owne excellencies when they come into the presence and company and converse with those that are better then themselves their spirits fall downe they are abased It is a good course therefore not to love alway to be best in the company as it is some mens vanity because they will be conceited of their owne worth but to present our selves before God in his ordinances and present our selves in communion and fellowship with others that are greater and richer in grace then our selves and so we may see our owne wants This is one directâ—on to get spirituall poverty Againe that we may come to be poore in spirit let us consider what we are that we are creatuâ—es the terme whence creation begins is just noâ—hing it is so in the creatures in the world God made all of nothing and is it not so in the new creature much more Therefore if I will be anything in my selfe as of my selfe surely I must looke to be no creature of Gods making for grace is Gods creature therefore it must rise of nothing there must be a sight of our owne nothingnesse Indeed a Christian in himselfe is nothing now in the state of grace whatsoeâ—er he is for grace or glory it is out of himselfe hee hath nothing in himselfe as of himselfe all that he hath he hath from Christ. He is poore in himselfe
will give him Teachers that shall suit his disposition But if he be a Child of God and have a sincere heart to know the Truth he shall meet with some that shall be as sincere againe to tell him the Truth Therefore we should lesse pitie men when we see them runne into errours God sees that they have naughtie dispositions Indeed if they be silly soules God will have mercy on them if they be sincere though they be in errour but if we see men that may know the Truth and yet runne into errours know that such a man hath a poysoâ—ous heart a malicious bent of heart against the Truth or else God would not give him up to such and such things as he is carryed with there is much in that mans disposition that is carryed away with false Teachers I meane where Light is discovered But where God gives a willing mind there he opens his meaning Wisedome is easie to him that will understand And take heed of passion and prejudice of carnall affections that stirre up passion for they will make the soule that it cannot see Mysteries that are plaine in themselves As we are strong in any passion so we judge and the heart when it is given up to passion it transformes the Truth to it owne selfe as it were Even as where there is a suffusiâ—n of the eye as in the Jaundis or the like it apprehends Colours like it selfe so when the taste is vitiated it tasts things not as they are in themselves but as it selfe is so the corrupt heart transformes this sacred Mysterie to it owne selfe and oft times forceth Scripture to defend its owne sinne and the corrupt state it is in it will beleeve what it list what it loves it will force it selfe to beleeve although it be contrarie to divine Mysteries when the heart is deepely engaged in any passion or affection Let us labour therefore to come with purged hearts it is the exhortation of the Apostles Iames and Peter to receive these Mysteries they will lodge onely in cleane hearts Let us labour to see God and Christ with a cleare eye free from passion and covetousnesse and vaine-glory We see a notable example of this in the Scribes When they were not led with passion and covetousnesse and envie against Christ how right they could judge of the Gospel the unfolding of the Prophesies to the Wise-men they could tell aright that he should be borne in Bethlehem but when Christ came among them opposed their lazie proud kind of life that kept people in awe with their vaine Ceremonies c. then they sinned against the Holy-Ghost and against their owne light and maliced Christ and brought him to his end So it is with men when their mindes be cleare before they be over-cast with passion and strong affections to the world they judge clearely of divine things but when those passions prevaile with them they are opposite to that Truth that before they saw in Gods just judgement such is the antipathy emulation of the heart against this sacred Mysterie The heart of it selfe is an unfit Vessell for these holy Mysteries let us desire God to purge and to cleanse them It is said of the Pharises in the Gospel that when Christ spake great matters they scoffed at him But what sayth the Text Luke 16. They were covetous Let a covetous proud man come to heare the Word he cares not to heare these Mysteries his heart is so engaged to the world he scornes and laughs at all And men are unsetled sometimes they will grant Truths sometimes they will not as their passions lead them As we see in them towards S. Paul Act. 23. before he discovered himselfe to be a Pharise This man is not worthie to live but when he discovered himselfe to be on their side I am a Pharise and the sonne of a Pharise oh how finely doe they mince the matter Perhaps an Angell hath revealed it to him c. He was an honest man then So men eyther judge or not judge as their passions and affections carrie them Therefore it is of great consequence to come with cleane hearts and minds to the Mysteries of God There is besides this Mysterie a Mysterie of iniquitie that S. Paul speakes of 2 Thess. 2. There is the Mysterie of Antichrist as well as the Mysterie of Christ. And why is that called a Mysterie Because there is mischiefe and errour and wickednesse conveyed under seeming Truth and goodnesse and vertue even as in this Grace and Goodnesse is conveyed to the world under a shew of basenesse and meanenesse Therefore in Rev. 7. it is said the Beast hath Mysterie in her forehead Indeed there is the Mysterie of iniquitie in Poperie it was literally performed in Iulius the second for in his Papall Croâ—ne there was written Mysterium c. till at last it was blotted out and in stead thereof was written Iulius Secundus Papa They began to smell it might be found out This is recorded by those that saw it It is a Mysterie indeed but a Mysterie of iniquitie But more particularly How a Mysterie of iniquitie Because under the Name of Christ and of Christian Religion he is Antichrist opposite to Christ He is both opposite the word signifieth Antichrist and aemalus one that would be like Christ a Vice Christ. He is such an opposite as yet he would be his Vicar Under colour of Religion he overthrowes all Religion and while he would be Head of the Catholike Church he is the Head of the Catholike Apostacie These God will have in the Church together the Mysterie of Godlinesse and Vngodlinesse of Christ and Antichrist Why That the one may be a foyle to the other And how shall men magnifie and relish and highly esteeme this Mysterie I speake of except they looke by way of opposition to the Mysterie of Antichrist and see how contrary those courses are Alas the reason why they so oppose as they doe the Gospel and the puritie of it is because they are contrary Mysteries that must be maintained by ignorance the Gospel that is a Mysterie that must be revealed and God hath ordained that it should be revealed more more Therfore those that would second Poperie that are friends of that they are enemies to the Gospel to the publishers of it they cannot carry their conveiance handsomely All Popish spirits are enemies to the Mysterie of Godlinesse because where this is it blowes upon the Mysterie of iniquitie as indeed the overthrowing of errour is the discovering of it for none would willingly be couzened Poperie must be discovered with the breath of Christ that is with a Mysterie which is too sharpe a breath for his Mysterie to feele therefore blame them not that they are so bitter opposites to the publishing of divine Truths the one Mysterie consumes the other As Moses Rod devoured all the other Rods
Divine Power so he will justifie his Mysticall Body and as he hath conquered in his owne person so he will by his Spirit conquer for his Church And as he will overcome for his Church so he will overcome in his Church stronger is he that is in the Church in you then he that is in the World and Gods children will be triumphant though they may be discouraged in respect of the present carriage of things yet the Spirit that is in them above the World will gather strength by little and little and it will appeare at length notwithstanding present discouragements undoubtedly the best things will have a true lustre and glory at length how-ever they seeme to be carryed for the present You see as Christ hath justified himselfe to be the true Messias and as he hath justified himselfe so he will justifie all his there is the same reason for both For our further instruction and comfort let us consider that in regard of God likewise we shall be justified from our sinnes in our consciences here and at the Day of Judgement before Angels and Devils and men As Christ was justified from our sinnes himselfe and he will justifie every one of us by his Spirit his Spirit shall witnesse to our Soules that we are justified and likewise his Spirit shall declare it at the Day of Judgement it shall be openly declared that we are so indeed There is a double degree of justification one in our conscience now another at the Day of Judgement Then it shall appeare that we have beleeved in Christ and are cleansed from our sinnes when we shall stand on the right hand of Christ â—s all that cleave to Christ by faith then it shall appeare that by him we are justified from all our sinnes whatsoever Againe Christ was justified in the Spirit Then hence we may learne our dutie we ought all of us to justifie Christ. To whom is Christ justified by the Spirit onely to his owne Church and Children not to the reprobate World We may know that we are members of Christ if wee be of the number of those that justifie Christ. How doe we justifie Christ We justifie Christ when from an inward worke of the Spirit we feele and acknowledge him to be such an one as he is Christ is God Now when we relie upon him as our Rock in all temptations we justifie Christ to be so when we kisse the Sonne with the kisses of faith of subjection of obedience of reverence and love this is to justifie Christ to be the Sonne of God as it is Psal. 2. Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry Those that in temptation are to seeke for their comfort they doe not justifie Christ they doe not live as if he were a Saviour not as if he were a God in temptations to despaire they justifie not Christ. Those that have Christ illuminating their understandings to conceive the Mysteries of Religion they justifie Christ to be the Prophet of his Church because they feele him enlightning their understandings Those that find their consciences pacified by the obedience and sacrifice of Christ they justifie him to be their Priest for they can oppose the bloud of Christ sprinkled on their hearts to all the temptations of Satan and to the risings of their owne doubting conscience their hearts being sprinkled with the bloud of Christ they can goe to God and the bloud of Christ speakes for them Peace it pleads Mercie Mercie Thus we justifie Christ as a Priest when we rest in his Sacrifice and doe not with Papists runne to other Sacrifices this is not to justifie Christ To justifie Christ God-man is to make him a perfect Mediator of intercession and redemption to make him all in all They doe not justifie Christ that thinke God was made man to patch up a salvation that he must doe a part and we must merit the rest oh no take heed of that account all our obedience and all that is from us as menstruous clothes not able to stand with the Justice of God In a word we justifie and declare and make good that he is our King and put a Kingly Crowne upon his head when we suffer him to rule us and to subdue our spirits and our rebellions when we cherish no contrarie motions to his Spirit when we rest in this World and not traditions but stoupe to the Seepter of Christs Word this is to justifie him as a King Thus we should labour to justifie and declare to the World the excellencie and power of Christ in our hearts that we may make Religion lovely and make it be entertained in the World because we shew it to be an excellent powerfull thing Let us examine our hearts whether we thus justifie Christ or no that by our carriage towards him we make it good that he is such an one as the Scripture sets him forth to be In particular we justifie him that he rose from the dead when we beleeve that we are freed from our sinnes our Suretie being out of Prison We justifie him as ascended into Heaven when we have heavenly affections and when we consider him as a publike person gone to Heaven in our name We justifie him as sitting at the right hand of God when we mind the things that are above and not that are here below or else we denie these things wee beleeve them not we justifie them not when our conversations are not answerable to the things we beleeve If we be the children of Wisedome undoubtedly we shall justifie Wisedome If we be the members of Christ we shall justifie our Head if wee be his Spouse we shall justifie our Husband Let us examine our selves that we doe in this kind and never thinke our state good till we can justifie Christ. In the next place for our direction as Christ justified himselfe by his Spirit by his Divine Power so let us know that it is our dutie to justifie our selves to justifie our profession justifie all Divine Truth Let us make it good that we are the Sonnes of God that we are Christians indeed not onely to have the name but the annointing of Christ that we may cleare our Religion from false imputations or else instead of justifying our profession we justifie the slanders that are against it The World is readie to say None are worse then Christians and their Religion is all but words and shewes and formes Shall wee justifie these slanders No let us by the Spirit of God justifie our Religion let us shew that Religion is a powerfull thing and so indeed it is For Divine Truth when it is imbraced and knowne it alters and changeth the manners and dispositions it makes of Lions Lambes it makes our natures mild and tractable and sweet it rayseth a man from Earth to Heaven Let us justifie this our Religion and profession against all gainesayers whatsoever Wisedome is justified
meerely with the Word and with suffering their weapons were nothing but patience and Preaching offering the Word of Christ to them and suffering indignities as S. Austin sayth the World was not overcome by fighting but by suffering So the Lambes overcame the Lyons the Doves overcame the Birds of prey the Sheep overcame the Wolves I send you sayth Christ as Sheepe among Wolves and how by nothing but by carrying a Message and suffering constantly and undauntedly for going with their Message for they had cruell bloody Lawes made against them that were executed to the utmost yet by these meanes they overcame by Preaching and sealing the Truth that they taught by suffering a strange kind of conquest The Turks conquer to their Religion but it is by violent meanes it is a Religion of blood but here as I sayd meanenesse overcame greatnesse ignorance overcame learning simplicity overcame pride basenesse overcame glory a Mysterie in this respect Againe if wee consider the Truth that they taught being contrarie to the nature of man contrarie to his affections to enforce selfe-denyall to men that naturally are full of selfe-love that make an Idoll of their wit and will for them to come to be taught to be fooles in respect of wit and to resigne up their wills to the will of another for these men to beleeve things that are above beleefe to carnall men as St. Austin observes it was the wonder of the world what a kind of doctrine was this to win such entertainment in the world as it did yet it did make men denie themselves denie their wits their wills their goods their lives Therefore in this respect it was a great Mysterie that Christ should be beleeved on in the World Againe if we consider another circumstance it addes to the Mysterie that is the suddennesse of the conquest the world was conquered to the Faith and obedience of Christ. In a short time after Christ one man S. Paul spread the Gospel almost all the world over he conquered almost all the world he spread the savour of the Gospel like Lightning suddenly and strongly because there was an Almighty Power and Spirit accompanying the glorious Gospel and thereupon it came to be thus effectuall with the world Againe it is a wonder in respect of Christ whom the world beleeved on What was Christ Indeed he was the Sonne of God but he appeared in abased flesh in the forme of a servant he was crucified and for the proud world to beleeve in a crucified Saviour it was a Mysterie Lastly it is a great mysterie especially in respect of Faith it selfe Faith being so contrarie to the nature of man For the heart of man where Faith is wrought to go out of it selfe and to embrace a beginning and Principle and rising of life from another to seeke justification and salvation by the righteousnesse and obedience of another for the proud heart of man to stoupe to this to acknowledge no righteousnesse of its owne to stand before the Tribunall of God but to have all derived from Jesus Christ to fetch forgivenesse of sins out of the death of another to wrap it selfe in the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ given of God for it the heart of man without a supernaturall worke of the Spirit to subdue it will never yeeld to this because proud flesh and bloud will alway have somewhat in it selfe to dote upon and to set it out before God and when it finds nothing in it selfe then it despaires for the heart of man thus to goe out of it selfe and rely onely upon the righteousnesse of Christ not having its owne righteousnesse this is the greatest Mysterie Especially for a guiltie Soule that hath its eyes opened to discerne of its owne estate for a conscience awakened to trust in God being a holy God a just God for these two to meet together God and a doubting galled misgiving conscience fore-casting the worst for such a conscience to find peace by this act of Faith casting it selfe upon Christ this is more then can be done by any power of nature There is somewhat in nature for all legall obedience man naturally hath some seedes to love his Parents to hate Murther and the like but to go out of himselfe and cast himselfe upon Gods love and mercy in Christ there is no seeds of this in nature but all against Faith in Christ oft times when a man is cast downe all in the world seemes to make against him and then for a man to have his heart raysed up by an Almightie power to beleeve certainely this must be a Mysterie I say when all makes against him his Conscience makes against him and the Judgement of God against him and Satans temptations against him all the frame of things present seemes to be against him God himselfe oft times seemes to be against him to be an offended God justly offended with his sinnes for the soule in this case to cast it selfe upon God in Christ there must needs be a hidden and excellent deepe worke on the soule This is the greatest Mysterie the greatest difficultie is in this branch considering how contrarie to the heart of man Faith is Let us take heed of shallow conceits of Faith as if it were an easie common universall grace to beleeve No beloved it is a supernaturall powerfull worke Saint Paul sets it out divinely and largely in Ephes. 1.18 Hee calls it the Mightie power of God it requires not onely a Power but an Almighty Power to rayse the heart of man to beleeve For even as the worke of Redemption by Christ is a greater worke in it selfe then the worke of Creation so also the worke of Conversion though they be all one to an infinite Power yet the thing it selfe is more difficult to make the heart of man to beleeve then to make a world of nothing for when God made the world there was nothing to oppose there he had to doe with simple nothing but when God comes to make the heart beleeve he findes opposition and rebellion he finds man against himselfe he finds the heart and conscience against it selfe he finds opposition from Satan that helps mans distrustfull heart then all meet together afflictions the sense of Gods anger and mans guiltie conscience now to make such a man beleeve is more then to create a world And as God shewed more power so he shewed more mercy in the worke of Redemption then in the Creation In the Creation there he did good to a good man Adam was created good and he should had he stood have continued in a good condition but in the worke of Redemption God doth good to evill men God transcends in his love because the glory of his mercie reignes in the worke of Redemption so that the power and wisedome and mercie being greater in the worke of Redemption it requires a more super-natural power in the soule to apprehend this
then he could doe if he were on the Earth if the Sun were lower what wouâ—d become of the Earth But being so remote and so farre above he hath opportunity to shine over the greatest part of the Earth at once being greater then the Earth he shineth over more then halfe the Earth at once Christ being in Heaven as the Sunne of Righteousnesse he shines more gloriously over all and we have more comfort and benefit and influence from Christ now in Heaven then we could if he were on Earth Must we needs make him bodily present every where as the Papists doe and other Heterodox strange conceited men in Germanie What need we doe thus when there may be influence from Christ now in Heaven to us on Earth as we see in other things without confusion of his Divine properties to his Body or making his Body as his God-head is Therefore seeke him not bodily any where but in Heaven Those Opinions overthrow three Articles of our Faith at once He ascâ—nded into Heaven He sitteth at the right hand of God and He shall come to judge the quicke and the dead And where is his Body in the meane time in the Sacrament No he is received up in glory Therefore we must have our thoughts in heaven when we are about that businesse we must lift up our hearts as it is in our Liturgie which is taken out of the ancient Liturgie We lift them up unto the Lord we must have holy thoughts raysed up to Christ in Heaven Againe is Christ received up to glory Here is singular comfort considering what I said before that he is ascended as a publike person in our behalfe in our nature for our good Therefore when we thinke of Christ in Heaven think of our Husband in Heaven thinke of our selves in Heaven We are set together in heavenly places with Christ as the Apostle saith Ephes. 2. We have a glorious life but it is hid with Christ in Heaven When Christ himselfe shall be revealed our life shall be revealed though we creepe upon the Earth as wormes yet notwithstanding we have communion and fellowship with Christ who is joyned with us in the same Mysticall Body who is now at the right hand of God in Heaven and he that hath glorified his naturall Body in Heaven that he tooke upon him he will glorifie his Mysticall Body for he tooke flesh and blood his naturall Body for the glory of his Mysticall Body that he might bring his Church to glory Therefore we ought as verily to beleeve that he will take his Mysticall Body and every particular member of it to Heaven as he hath taken his naturall Body and hath set it there in glory It is a comfort in the houre of death that we yeeld up our soules to Christ who is gone before to provide a place for us this was one end of his taking up to Heaven to provide a place for us Therefore when we die we have not a place to seeke our house is provided before hand Christ was taken up to glory to provide glory for us Even as Paradise was provided for Adam before he was made so we have a heavenly Paradise provided for us we had a place in Heaven before we were borne What a comfort is this at the houre of death and at the death of our friends that they are gone to Christ and to glory We are shut out of the first Paradise by the first Adam our comfort is that now the heavenly Paradise in Christ is open This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise sayth Christ to the good Theefe There was an Angell to keepe Paradise when Adam was shut out but there is none to keepe us out of Heaven nay the Angels are ready to convey our soules to Heaven as they did Lazarus and as they accompanied Christ in his Ascension to Heaven so they doe the soules of his children Likewise in our sinnes and infirmities when we have to deale with God the Father whom we have offended with 〈◊〉 sinnes let he 〈…〉 comfort from hence Christ is ascended into Heaven to appeare before his Father 〈◊〉 a Mediator for us and therefore God turnes 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 from us we have a friend a favorite in the Court of Heaven the Sonne of God himselfe at his Fathers right hand he makes inteâ—â—â—ssioâ— for us As Ionathan appeareth in 〈◊〉 Court to speake a good word and to plead for David so our Ionathan Iesus Christ but with farre better successe appeares in the Court of Heaven for us continuing our peace with God in our daily breaches perfuming our prayers And there is no danger of his death for He is a Priest for ever at the right hand of God to make intercession for us his very presenting himselfe in Heaven speaks for us As if he should say These persons that aske in my Name they are such persons as I was borne for such as I obeyed for such as I dyed for such as I was sent into the world to work the great wolke of Redemption for for he wrought our Redemption in his abased estate but he applyes it as he is exalted application is as necessary as merit we have no good by the worke of Redemption without application and for that end he appeares in heaven for us and pleads for us For even as there is speech attributed to Abels blood it cryed Vengeance Vengeance so Christ appearing now in heaven for us his blood cryes Mercie Mercie these are those I shed my blood for Mercie Lord The very appearing of him that shed his blood it cryes for mercy at the Throne of Mercie which is therefore a Throne of Mercie because he is there he shed his blood to satisfie Justice to make way for Mercie In the Law the High-Priest after he had offered a Sacrifice of blood he was to goe into the Holy of Holies so Christ after he had offered himself for a Sacrifice he went into the Holy of Holies into heaven to appeare before God And as the High-Priest when he went into the Holy of Holies he had the names of the twelve Tribes on his brest to shew that he appeared before God for them all so Christ being gone into the Holy of Holies into heaven he hath all our names upon his brest that is in his heart the name of every particular beleever to the end of the world to present them before God Therefore when we have to deale with God thinke of Christ now glorious in heaven appearing for us God can denie him nothing nor denie us any thing that we aske in his Name we have his Promise for it It is a ground likewise of contentment in all conditions whatsoever our wants be What if we want comfort houses c. on Earth when we have Heaven provided for us and Glory provided for us when we are already so glorious in our Head Shall not any condition content a man in this world
And certainly if troubles come we should many of us be better then we are now afflictions would be so farre from doing us harme that they would refine us we shall lose nothing but that that doth us hurt that that we may well spare that that hinders our joy and comfort But I say let us comfort our selves in respect of the present state of the Church Christ rules in the midst of his enemies in the midst of crosses and persecutions not to free us alway from them but he rules in turning them to good in strengthning exercising our graces and he rules in the midst of his Church at this time by turning his enemies cruelty to the good of the elect As he ruled in the Israelites when he suffered Pharaoh to goe on in the hardnesse of his heart but he had a time for Pharaohs ruine so Christ hath a time for the persecutors of the Church as he had for all the ten persecuting Emperours that came to fearefull and base ends Was there ever any man fierce against God and prospered sayth Iob. Was there ever any that set themselves against the Church of God and prospered No No It is with the Church as it was with Christ to have looked on Christ hanging and bleeding on the Crosse to have seen him groveling on the ground in the Garden men would be readie to take offence what he the Saviour of the world But stay and see him in the Text assumed to Glory and then there would be no offence taken at Christ. So it is in the Church You see the Church suffers persecution but lay one thing with another see the Church in Heaven with the Head of the Church see the Church advanced see it in glory ere long see it refined and fitted by sufferings to come better out of afflictions then it went in and then none will take scandall at the afflictions of the Church as they ought not at the abasement of Christ for though he was God manifest in weake flesh yet we see he ascended up in glory There is a comfortable speech Ierem. 30.7 It is even the time of Iacobs trouble but he shall be delivered out of it So we may say This is the time of the Churches trouble but the Church shall be delivered out of it The enemies have their time to afflict and trample upon the Church but Christ hath his time to trample on them Let us wait and expect with comfort better times The Kingdomes of the world will be knowne to be the Lord Iesus Christs there will be a further subjection to Christs Kingdome then ever there was since the first times when the fulnesse of the Gentiles and the conversion of the Iewes shall be Let us comfort our selves with the times to come Christ is in glory and he will bring his Church to further glory even in this world besides eternall glory at the latter day Rejoyce not over me oh mine enemie for though I be fallen yet shall I rise Let not the enemies of the Church insult over-much though the Church be fallen yet she shall rise againe after three dayes sayth the Prophet Christ though he were abased as low as possible he could be yet after three dayes he arose so the Church shall rise out of her troubles after three dayes that is after a certaine time that we know not but the exact time is onely in the hands of Christ but certainely there are glorious times of the Church comming Consider the wonderfull love of Christ that would suspend his glory so long the glory of Heaven was due to him upon his Incarnation by vertue of the union of his humane nature with the divine for that nature that was united to the God-head it must needs have right to glory by that very union What should hinder when it was so neere to God as to be one Person to be taken into the union of the Person Oh but where had our salvation beene then if Christ had entred into glory upon his Incarnation if he had not shed his blood if he had not beene abased to the death of the Crosse Therefore the Schoole-men speake well he enjoyed the presence of God affectione justitiae with the affection of Justice and all Vertues that is he was as gracious from the beginning from his Incarnation for matter of Grace and love of all that is good yet not affectione accommoda There was a neerenesse to God in pleasure and joy and comfort this he denyed himselfe till he was assumpted to glory after his Resurrection and this he did in love to us that he might suffer and be abased to worke out our Salvation that redundance of glory that should have beene upon his Person presently upon the Union it was stayed till his Resurrection that he might accomplish and fulfill our Salvation What a mercie and love was this So it is with the Church it is glorious as it hath Union with Christ Is not the Church a glorious thing that is joyned to Christ that is Lord of Lords and King of Kings the Ruler of Heaven and Earth What is the reason the Church is so abased thâ—n If the Church were not abased it could not be conformed to Christ. Christ that he might worke our Salvation he must be abased and have suspension and stopping of the glory due to him till the Resurrection Of necessitie we must be conformed to Christ as farre as we may and that we may be conformed to him in abasement and suffering there must be a stop of our glory till we be dead and turned to dust untill we rise againe untill Christ come to be glorious in his Saints If Christ as I formerly sayd had shewed all his glory in his abasement hee could never have suffered the Devill himselfe would have done him no harme there had beene no pretence the Pharises would never have persecuted him and hated him if they had seene him to have beene such a person as he was but he veiled his glory that he might suffer If the World did but see the thousand part of the glory that of due belongs to Christians would they revile them and disgrace and maligne and trample on them Certainely they would not This is discovered in Scripture but the World to discover their Atheisme that they beleeve not the Word of God take no notice of it And that the children of God may be conformed to their Head and that way may be made to the malice of wicked men to trample upon them they goe in the shape of miserable men Therefore let us not be discouraged for any abasement we have a glorious life hid with Christ which shall be revealed one day in the meane time in the midst of abasement let us beleeve Glory And let me adde this to the rest As the same Body wherein Christ was spit upon and mangled and crucified in the same Body he rose againe and in the same Body ascended
cannot see the nature of God in any thing in the world so much as in Christ in Christ we see as in a glasse his infinitie sweet Wisedome his Justice and Holinesse in hating and loathing of sinne But the maine of all is his Mercy and Goodnesse which set him on worke to contrive this great worke of Redemption by the Incarnation and death of Christ the infinite rich glorious aboundant mercy that is the maine thing wherein God is glorious now in Christ therefore every where you have these and the like titles put to his goodnesse and mercy The bounty of God appeared and the riches of his mercy and the exceeding great height and breadth and depth of his love There are no words large enough to set out the goodnesse and mercy of God in Iesus Christ. Therefore I will onely speake of this Attribute because this beares the mastery among all the other Attributes though God be equally powerfull and just and yet he expresseth his mercy and grace most of all in Iesus Christ towards poore wretched man For after the fall man being miserable and sinfull what Attribute can exalt it selfe but Mercy to misery and grace to sinfull man in pardoning his sinne considering in what termes man stood there was no other Attribute could exalt it selfe but grace and mercy to triumph over misery and sinne As it is in a City those that are otherwise equall in honour yet sometimes one beares rule above another and he that is now Magistrate and chiefe take him at another time he is inferiour to others so since the fall the mercy of God beares office and is chiefe Governour and Commander over all the Attributes of God For as I said what moved God to set his Wisedome on worke to contrive such a thing as the salvation of man-kinde to reconcile God and man in one person his Mercy moved him What moved him to satisfie his Justice It was that an excellent way might be made without prejudice to any other of his Attributes for his free grace and Mercy that is it that set all the other on worke that is the maine triumphing Attribute considering man now standing in that exigence of Mercy therefore Glory to God in the highest heavens especially for his free grace and Mercy in Christ. Now that you may understand this sweet point which is very comfortable and indeed the grand comfort to a Christian doe but compare the glory of God that is the excellency and eminency of Gods mercy and goodnesse and greatnesse of this work of Redemption by Christ with other things God is glorious in the worke of Creation The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth manifests the glory of God every creature indeed hath a beame of the glory of God especially those celestiall bodies in the heavens they praise God in their kinds but with our mouthes they give us matter of praise and if we have gracious hearts we take notice of it and magnifie him for his goodnesse his goodnesse appeares in the use of the creatures and his greatnesse in the bulke of the creatures his wisedome in ordering and ranking of them so that his mercy shines in all things in heaven and earth marvelously oh but beloved heaven and earth shall come to nothing ere long and what is all this glory of the goodnesse and greatnesse of God to us if we be sent to hell after this short life is ended what comfort is it that we goe on the earth and enjoy the comforts that God gives us in this world and then to perish for ever therefore the glory and goodnesse of God doth not so gloriously appeare in the creation of the world Nay the glory of Gods love and mercy shined not to us so when we were in Adam not to Adam for there God did good to a good man he created him good and shewed goodnesse to him that was not so much wonder but for God to shew mercy to an enemy to a creature that was in opposition to him that was in a state of rebellion against him it is a greater wonder and more glory It was a marvelous mercy for God to make man out of the earth but here God was made man he became man himselfe there all was done with one word Let us make man it was easily done But in this for Christ to become man for us and to suffer many things to be made a curse for us it was not so easie a matter therefore herein there is a great manifestation of the glory of Gods goodnesse and mercy to us for God hath set himselfe to bee glorious in his mercy and goodnesse and grace in Christ hee hath set himselfe to triumph over the greatest ill in man which is sinne in the glorious worke of Redemption So that you see here is the greatest glory and mercy of God appeares in our Redemption by Iesus Christ the foundation of which is his incarnation In Exod. 34.6 God doth make an answer to Moses who desired to see the glory of God that he might have it manifested to him not out of curiosity but that he might love God the more how doth God manifest his glory to him Iehovah strong mercifull glorious pardoning sinne and Iniquity when God would set himselfe to shew his glory in answering Moses petition he doth it in setting out his glorious mercy and grace and loving kindnesse in pardoning sin and iniquity to shew that he will now have his glory most appeare in the sweet Attribute of mercy and compassion in the forgivenesse of sinnes c. In Titus 2. 12. The grace of God hath appeared teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts c. The grace of God hath appeared Grace hath not a body to appeare visibly I but Christ appeared and when he appeared it was as if grace and love had beene incarnate and tooke a body so that grace and mercy most of all shines in the Incarnation of Christ. I need not cleere the point further but onely make a little use of it and so end Doth the grace and love and mercy of God those sweet Attributes now appeare and shew themselves in Iesus Christ. I beseech you let us remember it there is no point of Divinitie of more use and comfort especially in the greatest plunges and extremities for it answereth all objections the greatest and strongest that can be made The sinner will object my sinnes are great of long continuance and standing they are of a deepe dye Looke then upon God in Christ and consider his end in the Incarnation of Christ it was that his mercy and goodnesse and grace should be exalted and triumph over all mans unworthinesse the greater thy sinnes are the greater will be the glory of his mercy and that is it God seekes for now to be glorious in his mercy Againe thy heart tells thee that if there be any mercy shewed to such a wretch as thou art
us consider there is peace made betweene God and us and put up our requests in the Name of Christ and wee shall finde that peace that passeth understanding Againe if we would maintaine thâ—s peace let us be alway doing some-what that is good and pleasing to God in the same Chapter Phil. 4.8 Finally Brethren whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure c. Think of these things and what then The God of peace shall be with you The peace of God and the God of peace shall be with you there must be a thinking of whatsoever is good the thoughts must be exercised that way and there must be a practice of that we thinke of this is one meanes to maintaine this peace with God The very Heathen had this reward of God I meane in this life that when they did good to their Country and one to onother they had content of conscience they had a peace sutable For in this world there is a sutable pleasure of conscience contentment upon every thing that is good God rewards it in this world for as the heat followeth the fire alway naturally it cannot be without heat so the thinking and practising of that which is good especially when it is joyned with some opposition of corrupt nature when the light of nature is above the corruption of nature If a man be a Pagan he shall have this reward in this world a kind of inward peace for we see how comfortably they speake sometimes upon some notable performance for then Country Now the God of peace will be with us much more when we have laid the foundation of our peace aright in the mercy of God in Christ besides what is reserved heaven and happines in this world we shall find the peace of God in the doing that which is good As for those that live in the Church and are not yet in the state of grace that have lived wicked lives let them consider that yet the day of grace continues as yet the Scepter of mercy is held forth in the Ministery there is a day of Jubily for them to returne from their former captivity let them not abuse the patience of God and thinke to doe it afterward for that is the way to harden the heart more and more And this Scripture puts an effectuall argument into the hearts of all that are in ill termes with God that have not made their peace or that have had peace and have broken it here is an effectuall way of pleading with God Glory to God on high c. If the soule can say I consider my folly and madnesse in running into sinne thou mightest justly damne me if thoâ— wouldst it is thy mercy I am not sent to hell oh but thou shalt have the greater glory if I find mercy therefore that I may say Glory to God on high let me finde peace on earth speake peace by thy Spirit to my soule say I am thy salvation â— This was the end of thy sending of Christ the end of Creation the end of Providence all to bring thee glory thou mightest have the glory of thy Justice to damne me oh but it will be the glory of thy mercy to save me that as my sins have abounded so thy glory shall more abound Oh Lord extend the bowels of thy mercy will not the Lord be jealous of his glory when you alleage it certainely he will you see the Angels here crie Glory to God on high peace on earth the way to bring peace is to alleadge the glory of Gods mercy in Christ it is a prevailing way Now to stirre us up more and more to search the grounds of our peaceâ— I beseech you let us consider the fearefull estate of a man that hath not made his peace with God how-ever Christ have dyed that will not serve the turne but if Christ be food if he be not eaten if he be a garment and not be put on if Christ be a foundation if we doe not build on him what benefit is it to us Therefore those that have not been brought by the Spirit of God to communion with Christ alas they are under the wrath of God however God doth use them as Princes doe Traytors in the Tower he gives them the liberty of the prison yet the sentence of death is not revoked all the delights of a Prisoner in the Tower doth not content him he knowes he is in ill tearmes with his Prince so till wee have made our peace with God by hearty confession of our sinnes by shaming of our selves by a particular faith beleeving the forgivenesse of our sinnes and a resolution against all sinne for the time to come alas wee have not sued out our pardon all our delights are but as those of a prisoner in the Tower Therefore aske thy soule hast thou sued out thy pardon is there reconciliation wrought betweene God and thee and accounts made even If we confesse and forsake our sinnes we shall find mercy it is the Word of the God of heaven who is truth it selfe he hath pawned his fidelity and truth on it to forgive us if wee confesse hee is content to be thought unjust and unfaithfull if he doe not forgive if wee ingenuously without all guile of spirit lay open our sinnes and take shame to our selves If wee doe not make our peace with God what a case are we in God himselfe ere long will appeare our enemy Christ whom we thinke will save us will be our Judge and a terrible Judge the Lambe will be angry Who shall cover us from the wrath of the Lambe we thinke of Christ as an innocent meeke Lambe onely that will not be angrie The rebellious Kings and Potentates that â—ight against Christ and his Church they thinke to trample on Christ and his Gospell but the time will come when they shall desire the mountaines to cover them and if his wrath be kindled Psal. 2. Who shall abide it hee speakes there of Christ Happy are they that trust in him As for the Holy-Ghost how can they looke for comfort from him they have grieved him therefore hee will grieve their conscience The Holy-Ghost as he is the God of all comfort and consolation so he is the ground of all terrour to wicked men when he hath knocked at their hearts by the ministery of his Word to open and to let him in but they would not And the Angels are ready executioners of Gods vengeance upon any occasion and others creatures wayte but for a command from God to execute his wrath upon sinners the heavens are ready to raine upon them as in the flood and the earth is ready to swallow them as it did Corah the beasts that carry us the creatures wee use waite for a command from God to destroy us our meate to choake us the ayre to infect us the water to drowne us they are all
this Spirit that worketh this in us and assures us of Gods good pleasure it alters and changeth our dispositions that wee shall have a good pleasure in God for there is a mutuall good pleasure God hath a good pleasure in us as his and we have a good pleasure in God wrought by the Spirit the Spirit not onely witnesseth but worketh this sweet and gracious disposition to God God delights in us and we in God God delights in the Church above all things the Church is his wife and Spouse his body his friends his children and those that have the Spirit of God delight in them too Psal. 16 All my delight is in the excellent and Pro. 8. My delight is in the Sonnes of men saith Christ which he shewed by taking the base nature of man upon him so all that have the Spirit of Christ delight in the Church and people of God All my delight is in the Saints on earth God saith his delight is in his Church Hos. 2. So all that have the Spirit of God they delight in the people of God God delights in obedience more then Sacrifice Gods people that he delights in they yeeld their bodies and soules a Sacrifice to God Rom. 12. They will seeke out what is well pleasing and acceptable to God God accepts them in Christ and he is acceptable to them in Christ Iesus and they seeke out what pleaseth him and is acceptable to him as the sonnes of Isaac sought out what might please their old father what he could relish so Gods children seeke out what duties God relisheth best Thanksgiving is a Sacrifice with which God is well pleased is it so then they will seeke out that that may please him God by his Spirit will worke in them a disposition to please him in all things therefore the people of God are said to bee a voluntary free people zealous of good workes being set at liberty the Spirit infusing and conveying the love and good pleasure of God in Christ to them it sets their wils at liberty to devise to please God in all things they have as David prayes Psal. 51. A free Spirit As God not out of any respect from us but freely from his owne bowels loved us and gave Christ to us and delighted in us so the soule freely without any base respects loves God againe Those therefore that doe duties for base aymes and forced as fire out of a flint not as water out of a spring that duty comes not naturally and sweetly from them God hath no pleasure in them because they have none in God but the good they doe is extorted and drawne from them Let us try our selves therefore if wee have tasted Gods good will towards us we will have a good pleasure to him againe whatsoever is Gods pleasure shall be our pleasure what pleaseth him shall please us If it please him to exercise us with crosses and afflictions and losses what pleaseth God shall please me for when he hath once loved me freely in Christ every thing that comes from him tastes of that free love if hee correct me it is out of free love and mercie all the wayes of God are mercy and truth his way of correction and sharp dealing it is a way of love and free mercy therefore if it please him it shall please me my will shall be his will Againe if wee finde the free love of God to us in Christ it will quicken us to all duties and strengthen us in all conditions but these evidences shall suffice let us search our hearts how we stand affected to God and to the best things wee delight in them if God delight in us And if wee doe not find our selves yet to be the people of Gods delight towards whom God hath thoughts of love as the Prophet speaks what shall we doe Attend upon the meanes of salvation the Gospell of peace and reconciliation and wayte the good time and doe not stand disputing this is that that hinders many their disputing and cavilling that perhaps God hath not a purpose to save me and that the greatest part of mankind goe the broad way c. Leave disputing and fall to obeying God hath a gracious purpose to save all that repent of their sinnes and believe in Christ this is Gospell I will leave secret things they belong to God revealed things belong to me I will desire of God his Spirit to repent of my sinnes and to believe and cast my selfe in the armes of his mercy in Christ and then let God doe as hee please if I perish I will perish in the armes of Christ let us labour to bring our hearts to waite in the use of the means for Gods good Spirit to inable me to see my state by nature and to get out of it by casting my selfe upon Gods love in Christ. And object not the greatnesse of any sinne to hinder the comfort of Gods mercy it is a free mercy the ground of it is from himselfe and not from thee It was free to Manasses that had sinned no man more being a King and being the sonne of a good father his sinnes spread further then ours can doe answerable to the greatnesse of his person being an infinite and free mercy it extends to the greatest sinners let no man pretend any sinne or unworthinesse if he seriously repent if any sinne or unworthinesse could keepe it backe it were something but it is a free mercy and love from Gods owne bowels in Christ. And consider how God offers this in the Gospel and layes a command it is thy duty to have a good conceit of God in Christ We ought not to suspect a man that is an honest man and will God take it wel at our hands to suspect him that he is so and so he maks a shew of his love mercy in Christ but perhaps he intends it not put it out of question by believing if thou have grace to believe the mercy of God in Christ thou makest thy selfe a member of Christ and an heire of heaven thou questionist whether thou bee one that Christ dyed for or no believe in him and obey him and thou puttest that question out of question thou doubtest whether God love thee or no cast thy self upon the love of God in Christ and then it is out of question whosoever hath grace to cast himselfe upon the free love of God he fulfils the covenant of grace stand not disputing and wrangling but desire grace to obey and thâ—n all questions concerning thy eternall estate are resolved all is cleare If these things will not move you then let all men know that live in a sinfull condition that they had better have lived in any part of the world then in these glorious times and places of light for when they heare the love of God in Christ laid open to them if they will come in and receive Christ and cast themselves
them or else we shall find no grace we must be poore in Spirit and sensible of our misery for God inricheth those that are empty and poore The rich he sends empty away We must sue to God for grace by the Spirit of grace and take heed that we turne not these offers of grace to occasions of wantonnesse and so divide Christ to take out of Christ what we list and leave what we list we must know that Christ as he is our Iesus to save us so he is our Lord as he saith here The Lord Iesus Christ we must submit to him for the time to come and then we shall finde experience of his sweet grace The next thing I obserue briefly is that This grace must be knowne Saith the Apostle here you know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. A man may know his riches he may know his interest in Christ. The Apostle useth it here as an argument to perswade them to good works that that is used as an argument must be knowne before the thing can be perswaded A thing cannot be made light by that which is darker then it selfe but the Apostle here useth this as an argument you know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ so that these truths are taken for granted That all grace comes by the poverty of Christ. And then that we may know our selves to be interessed in it that Christs poverty was for us A man that is a true Christian may know his share and interest in the grace of Christ or else how should he be perswaded by this as an argument if he know it not Or how shall he be comfortable excepâ— he know that he hath interest in Christ It may be knowne out of the Scriptures as a history that Christ is gracious for matter of fact the Devils know it as well as we and Iudas knew it but hee speakes here of a knowledge with interest you know it by experience the Spirit witnesseth to your spirits so much that Christ gave himselfe for you I know the grace of Christ as mine as belonging to me as if there were no man in the world besides and as this knowledge is with interest so it stirs up to due All other knowledge but knowledge with interest may stand with desperation and what good will it doe to know in generall that Christ came to save sinners and yet go to Hell for all that It is the knowledge that applyes Christ in particular that saves a man that knowledge that determines the generall to my owne person Therefore we must labour for this Christ was poore for me He loved me and gave himselfe for me The love and free grace of Christ it may and it ought to be knowne We ought to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure It may be knowne but it cannot be knowne without a great deale of diligence and selfe deniall This knowledge is a super-added grace It is one thing to be a sound Christian and another thing to know it A man cannot know it by reflexion but he must first be good in exercise he must finde grace working he must give all diligence to make his calling and election sure to him It may be sure in it selfe but it cannot be sure to him without diligence therefore those that know their estate in grace they are fruitfull growing carefull watchfull Christians It is no wonder that in these secure times if we aske many whether they know themselves to be in the state of grace upon sound grounds they wish well and they have many doubtings There are many that have the seeds and the worke of grace in them but the times are so secure that they know it not Vsually it is made knowne to us in the worst times either in the time of affliction and temptation and triall or after when wee have fought the good fight and overcome our corruptions To him that overcommeth will I give of the hidden Mannah that is he shall have a sweet sense of Christ to be Mannah to be bread of life to him to him that conflicts and gets the victory over his corruptions The reason why many feele not that sweet comfort from the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ it is because either they doe not conflict with their base corruptions or if they doe strive they get but a little ground of them And let us take heed of that cold and injurious conceit as if it were a thing not to be known whether we belong to Christ or no. What doe we think that Christ would come in the flesh and become poore nay become a curse for us and that he is now in Heaven for us and all that we should doubt whether we be in his love or no and that we should not labour to finde our portion in that love What a wrong is this to the grace of Christ Is not all his dealing towards us that we might be joyfull in our selves and thankfull and fruitfull to him and how can this be without some knowledge that our state is good How can wee live well and dye comfortably without it Therefore let us make it the maine scope and aime of our indeavour Oh the happinesse of that Christian that is good and knowes himselfe to be so What in this world can fall very uncomfortably to such a man Nothing in the world can take downe his courage much whereas another man that doubts of this can never be comfortable in any condition he cannot be joyfull and thankfull in prosperity he cannot be comfortable in adversity for hee knowes not from what ground this comes whether it be in love to him or no. You see from hence likewise that grace is no enemy to good workes neither the freedome of Gods favour being without any merit on our part nor the knowledge and assurance of salvation it is no enemy to diligence and to good works nay it is the foundation of them The Apostle doth not use it here as an argument to neglect good workes no he stirs them up by it If any thing in the world will worke upon a heart that hath any ingenuity it is the love and favour and grace of God the love of Christ constraineth the love of Christ as knowne it melts the heart The knowledge of the grace of Christ it is very effectuall to stir us up as to all duties so especially to the duty of bounty and mercy for experience of grace it will make us gracious and kinde and loving and sweet to others Those that have felt mercy will be ready to shew mercy those that have felt grace and love they will be ready to reflect and shew that to others that they have felt themselves Those that are hard hearted and barren in their lives and conversations it is a signe that the Sunne of righteousnesse never yet shined on them There is a power in grace and grace knowne to assimilate the soule to be
gave that that was his owne his owne body his owne life for his sheepe and his owne endeavour whatsoever he gave was his owne so if we will be kind to others we must do it of our owne we must not doe good with that that we have gotten from others by unjust means for the sacrifice of the wicked in this kind is an abomination to the Lord. Let us have interest in that we give Christ gave his owne life and God gave his owne Sonne for us And as Christ gave his owne selfe so he gave himselfe in life and death for us he did not reserve all for his death but for us he was borne for us he lived for us he died he deferred not all till his death Christ did us wondrous good by his death and men may doe much good when they die but let us endeavour to be like Christ in both to do good while we live and do good when we die likewise The common speech is the gifts of dying men are dying dead gifts it is a speech tending to the disparagement of gifts in that kind because they are not so acceptable as the gifts of living men in many respects notwithstanding let not men be discouraged from doing good even when they die Indeed it is most comfortable to do it while they live Because It is an evidence then that they have a spirit of faith to depend upon the promise of God It is no exercise of faith to give when a man can keepe it no longer Againe he that doth good while he liveth he hath the prayers of others he is under the blessing of the poore and that is a sweet thing Suppose the poore be barbarous base people that they blesse not a man with their words yet their sides blesse him Now those that deferre all till they die they want this comfort they are not under the blessing of the poore The rule of our religion is that we have no good by the prayers of others I will not discusse that point now but undoubtedly it is a sweet comfort that we have of that we do while we live by the blessing and prayers of the poore to whom we do good Then againe in civill respects it is our owne and we are sure it is well bestowed When we are dead the propriety is gone from us it comes into the possession of another man and we know not how he will dispose of it Perhaps he may die before thee that needs thy helpe or thou mayest die or thou mayest not have the same mind therefore while thou hast a heart and opportunity to do good forget not to do it presently We have need to be urged in these cold dead timâ—s to labour that the grace of Christ may be effectuall in our hearts to do all the good we can in our life time as Christ did And let us labour to do it as he did constantly that we may never be wearie of well doing In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening let not thy hand rest It is comfort enough that it is called seed who grieves to cast his seed into the ground he knowes he shall have a plentifull returne so all that we give it is seed we see it not for the presenâ— no more we do the seed that is sowne but Cast thy bread upon the waters and after many dayes thou shalt find it Though we see not this seed for the present yet we shall have a plentifull harvest Onely labour to do it with discretion for men do not sow upon the stones nor upon the fallow ground they do not scatter their seed in any place sowing is a regular thing men cast seed into ground that is prepared therefore there must be spirituall discretion the wisdome of a steward in this kind Psal. 112. The just man doth all things with wisdome and discretion But must we not be liberall and kind and bountifull to all Yes in case of necessity then we are to looke to mans nature because he is a partaker of our nature and he is such an one as may be a member of Christ and one for whom Christ died for ought we know he now beares the image of Christ and he may come to the obedience of Christ and our kindnesse may be effectuall to bring him to goodnesse Therefore as we if we be in need doe not stand upon it but receive kindnesse from wicked men so when wicked men are in need we must not stand upon it but give to wicked men we must do as we would be done by in such cases in necessity But our kindnesse must be most to those that are nearest God to those of the family and houshold of faith to those that God loves most we must bee most kinde to whom God hath dispensed the greatest things wee should not deny the lesse Indeed it is a hard matter to give wisely in these times and not to abuse the sweet affection and grace of pity it is an affection in all but it is a grace in them that are good because there are so many wretched people that live without God without Church without Common-wealth without mariage without baptisme like beasts If any thing be an object of pity certainly this is that there are so many that carry Gods image on them that are Gods creatures and for ought we know such as Christ died for that they should be suffered to live irregular debaucht and base lives scandalous to the Church and State And without question if things be not better looked unto these will be instruments of much mischiefe by Gods just judgment because there be good lawes that are not executed The best mercy to such is to see them set on worke and to give them correction But then for such as are beginning the world that are poore and cannot set up and those that have the Church of God in their families that are ready to fall and a little reliefe would keepe them that they fall not into inordinate courses it is mercy to set them up and maintaine them and also by upholding those that are in the ministery There are many wayes in the Church and State A wise man can never want objects of mercy and charity as Christ saith The poore you shall have alway with you but as I said we must labour for a spirit of wisdome to doe good as we should and not to feed Drones instead of Bees The Spirit of God is frequent in pressing this point but this argument in the Text it may melt any mans heart and take away all objections The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. If a man object he that I should give to is an unworthy person Doe but think how worthy we were of the favour of Christ to us And then againe consider if there be any goodnesse in them we give it to Christ in them as Salvianus saith well