and manifestations when their Visions are onely the Visions of their owne hearts and their Manifestations are plaine delusions Ah but sayes the Apostle Little Children let none of these deceive you I tell you he and onely he that doth righteousnesse is righteous as God is righteous Children you know may be easily cousened and made to take Counters for gold because they are broader and brighter Children in grace are soon deceived hence is it that they are so cousened Little Children keep your 1 John 5. 21. The Idols that are here mentioned are surely those that the Gnosticks used to worship viz. The Images and pictures of Simon Magus and Helena as might be made evident out of Eâ—sebius selves from Idols So in Heb. 12. 12 13. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees Some think that the Apostle Alludes to those Combates of the Heathens wherein it was a token of yielding when a man hung downe his hands You are weake saith the Apostle and by reason of Trials you are apt to hang downe your hands and to give up all as lost therefore sayes he lift up your hands to fight and your feet to run take heart and courage faint not give not over turne not aside because of the sharpnesse of afflictions But soules strong in grace will hold on in the wayes of grace and holinesse in the face of all dangers and deaths Psal 44. c. Ninthly Weake Christians are apt to make sense and feeling the Judge of their spirituall estates and conditions And therefore upon every turne they are apt to judge themselves miserable and to conclude that they have no grace because they cannot feele it nor discerne it nor beleeve it and so making sense feeling and reason the judge of their estates They wrong and perplex and vex their precious soules and make their lives a very Hell As if it were not one thing to be the Lords and another thing for a man to know that he is the Lords As if it were not one thing for a man to have grace and another thing to know that he hath grace The Canaanite woman had strong faith but no Assurance Mat. 15. that we read of Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father Mark they are first the Sons of God and then the Spirit cryes Abba father 1 John 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye have Eternall life Mark they did beleeve and they had Eternall life in respect of Christ their head who as a publick person was gone to Heaven to represent all his Saints And they had Eternall life in respect of the Promises And they had Eternall life in respect of the beginnings of it and yet they did not know it they did not believe it Therefore these things write I unto you that beleeve on the name of the Son of God saith he that ye may know that ye have Eternall life and that this life is in his Son Ponder on Mich. 7. 7 8 9. Much of this you may read in my Treatise call'd HEAVEN ON EARTH or A well-grouded Assurance of mens everlasting happinesse and blessednesse in this World and to that I referre you The word shall judge us at last and therefore strong Saints John 12. 48. make onely the word of God the judge of their Spirituall conditions now as Constantine made it the Judge and decider of all opinions Tenthly Their thoughts and hearts are more taken with the love-tokens and the good things they have by Christ then with the person of Christ Oh their graces their comforts their inlargements their meltings and their warmings c. are the things that most take them Their thoughts and hearts are so exercised and carryed out about these that the person of Christ is much neglected by them The Child is so taken with Babies and Rattles c. that the Mother is not minded And such is the carriage of weak Christians towards Christ But now souls strong in grace are more taken with the person of Christ then they are with the Love-tokens of Christ They blesse Christ indeed Christ is the most sparkling Dâ—amond in the Ring of glory c. for every dram of grace and for every good word from heaven and for every good look from heaven I but yet the person of Christ that 's more to them then all these This is remarkeable in the Church Cant. 5. 9 10. What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved O thou fairest among women c. My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand c. She doth not say My Beloved is one that I That wise is but weak in her love that is more taken with her husbands presents then with his person have got so many thousands by and heaven by and pardon of sin by and peace of Conscience by Oh no but he is white and ruddy Her soule was taken most with the person of Christ Not but that every one is to mind the graces of Christ and to be thankfull for them I but 't is an Argument of weaknesse of grace when the heart is more exercised about the bracelets and the kisses and the Love-tokens of Christ then it is about the person of Christ But now saith one strong in grace My Christs person to a strong Christian is the greatest Cordiall in all the world bracelets are precious but Christ is more precious the streames of grace are sweet but the fountaine of grace is most sweet the beams of the Sun are glorious but the Sun it selfe is most glorious A naked Christ a despised Christ a persecuted Christ is more valued by a strong Christian then Heaven and Earth is by a weak Christian Eleventhly Soules weake in Grace are easily stopt and taken off from acting graciously and holily when discouragements face them This you may see in that remarkeable instance concerning Peter in the 26 of Matthew from the 69 to the end A silly wench outfaces him she daunts and dis-spirits this self-confident Champion she easily stops and turnes him by saying Thou wast with Jesus of Galilee v. 70. But he denied it before them all saying I know not what thou sayest He makes as if he did neither understand her words or her meaning and this false dissembling was a true denying of Christ Now Mark saith Chap. 14. 68. That upon the very first deniall of Christ the Cock crew and yet this faire warning could not secure him but when another Maid saw him and said This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth vers 72. He denied it with Cavebis autem si pavebis an Oath saying I doe not know the man This was fearfull and dreadfull and the worse because his Master whom he forsware was now upon his Tryall and might say with wounded Caesar
will not indure sound doctrine but after their owne lusts shall they heap up to themselves teachers having itching eares This Age yea this City is full of such slight light mad soules that love nor like nothing but what 's empty and airy Jnnius confesses That in his time there was one confest that he had spent above twenty years in trying Religions pretending that Scripture Try all things and hold fast that which is good 'T is sad to see how many in our dayes under pretences of Angelicall attainments make it their businesse to inrich mens heads with high empty airy notions instead of inriching their soules with saving truths if these are not strangers to that wisedome that is from above I know nothing Prov 11. 13. He that winneth soules is wise The Hebrew Velokeahh He is the best Preacher not that tickles the ear but that breaks the heart Non qui aures â—eâ—ige it sed qui corpupigerit word signifies to catch soules by using all Art and industry as Fowlers doe to take Birds No wisedome to that which wins soules from sin and the world and that wins soules to Christ and holinesse no teaching to this Remember this you will never be rich in grace if you care not who you hear nor what you hear That Christ that commands you to take heed how you hear commands you also to take heed who you hear And every soule won to God is as a new Pearl added to a Ministers Crowne c. But you will say to me How should we know which is a soule-inriching Ministry that so we may waite on it Take these three Rules First Judge not of a soule-inriching Ministry by the voyce of the Minister nor by the multitude of hearers that follow him nor by his affected tone nor by his Rhetorick and flashes of wit but by the holinesse heavenlinesse and spirituallnesse of the matter Some Preachers affect Rhetoricall straines they seek abstrucities Many Ministers are like empty Orators that have a flood of words and a drop of mâ—tter Multa loquuntur nihil diâ—unt and love to hover and soare aloft in dark and cloudy expressions and so shoot their Arrowes over their hearers heads instead of bettering their hearers hearts Gay things in a Sermon are onely for men to gaze upon and admire What are high straines and flashes of wit new-minted words and phrases but like gay weeds and blew-bottles to the good Corne Truth is like Solomons Spouse All glorious within She is most beautifull when most naked as Adam was in Innocency Non quanta elâ—quentia sed quanta evidentia Aug. The Oracle would have Phillip of Macedon use silver Lances in winning an impregnable Fort c. but Ministers must not use golden sentences strong lines froth of wit It is Iron and not gold that killeth in the Incounter it is the steele Sword not the golden that winneth the field c. Secondly Judge of it by its revealing the whole Councell of God the whole will of God revealed in his word In Acts 20. 27. For I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole Councell of God Some there be that make it Optimus textâ—arius est optimus Theologus their businesse onely to advance the glory of Christ and to darken the glory of the father and some cry up the glory of the Father and yet cast clouds and darknesse upon the glory of the Son and what dirt and scorne is cast upon the spirit by many vaine blasphemous persons in these times is notoriously knowne and if these men are not far from declaring Agluâ—aidas never relished any dish better then whaâ— was distasted by others So doe serious experienced Saints relish those very truths best that such corrupt teachers distast most c. the whole Councel and will of God I know nothing Christ must be held out in all his Offices for they all tend to the inriching of poore soules to the adding of Pearls to a Christians Crowne And cleerly 't is sad to consider how many there be that cry up one Office and cry downe another Some cry up the Kingly Office of Christ but mind not his Propheticall Office and some cry up his Propheticall Office but trample upon his Kingly Office and some cry up both his Kingly and Propheticall Office and yet make slight of his Priestly Office Christians fixe your selves under his Ministry that gives the Father his due the Son his due and the Spirit his due that makes it his businesse to open the treasures and the riches both of the one and the other and to declare to you the whole will of God for many there be Rom. 1. 18. that with-hold the word in unrighteousnesse and that will onely acquaint you with some parts of the will of God and keep you ignorant of other parts whose condemnation will be great as well as just c. Melius est ut nos reprehendant gramatici quam ut non intelligunt populi Aug. in Psalm 138. Christ and his Apostles laboured to make men Christians not Criticks Thirdly and lastly You may judge of it by its coming neerest to the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles There was no Ministry so soule-inriching and soule-winning as the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles Oh the thousands that were brought in by one exercise Let men of frothy wits say what they will there are no Preachers to these that come neerest in their Ministry to Christ and his Apostles Loquamur verba Scripturae c. said that incomparable man Peter Hamus Let us speake the very words of Scripture for so did Christ the Prophets and Apostles let us make use of the Language of the Holy Ghost and for ever abominate those that prophanely disdaine at the stately plainnesse of Gods blessed Booke and that thinke to correct the Divine wisedome and eloquence with their owne infancy and Sophistry Gods holy things ought to be handled with fear and reverence rather then with wit and dalliance Spirituall nicenesse is the next degree to unfaithfullnesse No Ministry to that which comes neerest to Christ c. The Third Direction is this If ever you would be rich in grace be rich in spiritualls then keepe humble Psal 25. The humble he will teach his way and the meeke he will guide in judgement James 4. He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble He sets himselfe in battell array against the proud as the Greek ha's it but he gives grace to Antitassetai the humble He poures grace into an humble soule as men doe water or wine into an empty vessel Of all soules humble soules doe most prize spirituall riches of all soules they most improve spirituall riches of all soules they are most fearfull of loosing spirituall riches In Isa 57. 15. Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity with him will I dwell that is of an humble and contrite spirit and that trembles
not doting upon their discouragements upon things that are seen but upon things that are not seene The things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall An eye fixt upon incouragements makes heavy afflictions light long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet Those blessed Martyrs found it so that were cast out all night in a cold frosty night and were to be burnt the next day who thus comforted themselves The winter is sharpe but Paradise is sweet here we shiver for cold but the bosome of Abraham will make amends for all Weak Christians have eyes to behold their discouragements but none to see their incouragements they look more upon their corruption then upon their sanctification Upon their disobedience then their obedience upon their distrust then upon their faith upon the old man then upon the new and this keeps them low and weak in spirituals it causes a leannesse in their soules Sixthly The zeale of weake Christians usually out-strips their wisedome and knowledge Weak Christians are very Zealous but not according to knowledge Rom. 10. 2. For I beare them record that they They were very zealous but not true Zelors have a zeale of God but not according to knowledge They are very peevish and pettish and censorious but they want wisedome and knowledge to mannage their zeale to Gods glory and their brethrens good Such zeale had those two Rabbins that set upon Charles the Fifth to perswade him to David Rabâ—nita and Shilomoh Molâ—hâ— Alsted Chr. â—26 turne Jew as judging their Religion to be the onely Religion in the world and for which they were put to a cruell death in the year 1530. A great zeale they had to the winning over of him to Judaisme but this zeale was their ruine Zeale without knowledge is as wild-fire in a fooles hand 't is like the Devil in the Demoniack that sometimes cast him into the fire and sometimes into the water So the Disciples of Christ Josephus in â—he 1â— 12 Chapters of his Book tells you of some that imposed this name of Zelote upon themâ—elves as if they were zealous for the honour and service of God and under this pretence committed all â—iots and imaginable wick eâ—nesse 'T were well if we had no such Monsters among us in these dayes were weak in their light and furious in their zeale Luke 9. 54. Let fire come downe from Heaven and consume them say they But mark what Christ saith vers 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of That is you know not what spirit acts you you think that you are acted by such a spirit as Elias of old was acted by but you erre saith Christ You have a zeale but not according to knowledge therefore 't is a humaine affection and not a Divine motion Zeale is like fire in the Chimney 't is one of the best servants but out of the Chimney 't is one of the worst Masters Zeale kept by knowledge and wisedome in its proper place is a choyce servant to Christ and Saints But zeale not bounded by wisedome and knowledge is the high-way to undoe all and to make a hell for many at once Weak Christians are usually most zealous about Circumstances and things that have least of God and Christ and the power of holinesse in them and most cold about substances as wofull experience doth evidence in these dayes Zeale ordered by wisedome feeds upon the faults of offendors not on their persons It spends it selfe and it 's greatest heat principally upon those things that concerne a mans selfe 'T is most exercised about substantials Titus 2. 14. But that which is rash is most exercised about circumstantials Gal. 1. 14. Paul was in the dayes of his ignorance very zealous for the Traditions of his fathers c. Seventhly Among all Saints the weakest Saints act most like carnall sinners No Saint so like a sinner as a weak Saint 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. And I Brethren could not speake unto you as unto spirituall but as unto carnall even as unto Babes in Christ I have fed you with milke and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able for are ye not yet carnall for whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnall and walke as men for while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnall They were advanced but very little above the imperfections and passions and sins of meer men of such which had nothing of the Spirit in them c. Doe wicked men quarrell with their Teachers as shallow triviall Teachers when themselves are in fault as being not capable of more Mysterious matter So did these Babes here Doe wicked In many things weak Christians are carnall mens Apes men impute their not profiting to the Minister as he that having a thorne in his foot complaines of the roughnesse of the way as the cause of his limping when as it was the thorn and not the roughnesse of the way that hurt him Or as she that being struck with a suddaine blindnesse bid open the window when as it was not the want of light but want of sight that troubled her So did these Babes in the Text lay the fault of their non-proficiency upon their Teachers when the fault was wholly in themselves Now he calls them Carnall partly because the flesh was strong in them and partly because they followed and relished the things of the flesh and partly because they did in their actions resemble carnall men Doe carnall and wicked men cry up one good man and cry downe another Doe they lift up one and abase another So did they Are wicked men full of envy strife and divisions So were they And these overflowings of the Gall and Spleen come from a fullnesse of bad humours from that abundance of carnality that was in them But now soules strong in grace are higher then carnall men as Saul was higher then the people by head and shoulders Soules strong in grace have their feet where carnall mens heads are Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath Soules that are strong in grace doe act rather like Angels then like carnall men they doe as much resemble the father of Spirits as carnall men doe the father of Lyes Eighthly Soules weake in Grace are easily drawne aside out of the wayes of holinesse You know a man that hath but a little bodily strength is easily thrust out of the way so it is with soules weak in grace 1 John 3. 7. Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous even as he is righteous Saith the Apostle Little Children let no man deceive you Many in these dayes under pretences of high and glorious injoyments of God neglect and despise righteousnesse and holinesse crying up Visions
the poor man had and will not our God whose very nature is goodnesse kindnesse and sweetnesse c. doe much more surely he will reward the least good done by the weakest Saint Therefore be not discouraged weak Christians though you should meet with hard measure from the world though they should reward your weak services with reproaches c. for the Lord will reward you he will not despise the day of small things What though O pretious soule thy language be clipt and broken what though thou canst but chatter like a Crane what though thou canst not talk so fluently and eloquently for Christ as others what though thy hand be weak that thou can'st not doe so much for Christ as others nor doe so well for Christ as others yet the Lord seeing thy heart sincere will reward thee Thou shalt have an everlasting rest for a little labour and a great reward for a little work The ninth Support is this 9 Support When Latimer was at the stake ready to be burned he breathed out those sweet wordâ— Fidelis est Deus c. God is faithfull c. Acts Mon. â—ol 1579. That as your Graces are weaker then others so your Temptations shall be fewer and your Afflictions lighter then others God in much wisedome and love will sute your burdens to yoar backs he will sute all your temptations and afflictions to your strength your burdens shall not be great if your strength be bur little as you may see 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no Temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will will the Temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it The Lord Oh weak Christian will sute thy burden to thy back and his strokes to thy strength This is most evident in Scripture That the strongest in Grace have alwayes been most tempted afflicted and distressed If Abraham excell others in Faith God will try the Gen. 22. strength of Abrahams faith to the uttermost and put him to that that he never put man to before If Moses excell all Num. 12. 3. Exod. 16. 7 8. Numb â—4 27. 36. Chap. 16. 11. Ex. 15. 24. â—ames 5. 11. Read the 1 〈◊〉 7 Chapters of Iob. 〈◊〉 Cor. 12. 1. to 11. others in meeknesse the Lord will try the strength of that grace and Moses shall have to doe with as proud and as murmuring a Generation as ever man had to doe with If Job carry the day from all others in point of Patience he shall be exercised with such strange and unheard of afflictions as shall try not onely the truth but also the strength of his patience to the uttermost If Paul have more glorious Revelations then the rest of the Apostles Paul shall be more buffetted and exercised with Temptations then the rest of the Apostles And thus you see it clear by all these Instances That the best and choycest Saints have alwayes met with the worst and greatest Temptations and afflictions So when the Disciples were in the lowest forme when they were weak in grace the Lord Jesus exercises them but with light afflictions but when they had a greater measure of the Spirit poured upon them then their troubles were encreased and multiplied and their former troubles in comparison of the later were but Acts 2. 1. to 21. as scratches of pins to stabs at the heart When the Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon them then they were afflicted opposed and persecuted with a witnesse When they had a greater measure of the Spirit to inable them to bear the hatred frownes stroaks and blowes of the enraged world then all of them had the honour to suffer a violent death for Christ as Histories doe evidence That 's a very remarkable Scripture Luke 24. 49. And behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem untill ye be indued with power from on high The Lord Jesus would not have them goe from Jerusalem till they were indued with power from on high By the promise of the father is meant the gifts and graces of the Spirit that 's promised in Isa 44. 3. Joel 2. 28. John 14. 16. 15. 26. Tarry ye here sayes Christ at Jerusalem till ye be compleatly armed and fitted for all incounters till ye be indued with power Or as the Greek carries it Till ye be cloathed They were as naked persons they had but a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit so that they were not compleat they were not cloathed with the Spirit till after the Ascension of Christ Now saith Christ Tarry untill such time as ye are cloathed with the Spirit The Lord Jesus knew well enough that they should meet with bitter opposition terrible Afflictions and dreadfull persecutions for his and the Gospel sake therefore tarry saith he untill ye be cloathed with the holy Ghost That so nothing may daunt ye nor sink ye The tenth Support is this That your persons stand not before God in your 〈◊〉 righteousnesse 10 Support but in the perfect spotlesse and matchlesse righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus Weak hearts are apt to sit downe troubled and discouraged when they look upon that body of sin that is in them and those imperfections that attend their chiefest services they are ready to say we shall one day perish by the strength of our lusts or by the defects of our services Oh but weak soules should remember this to strengthen them against all discouragements that their persons stand before God cloathed The costly Cloak of 〈◊〉 which Dâ—oninisius sould to the Carthaginians for an hundred Talents was a meane and beggerly ragge to that embroydered mantle that Christ does put upon the weakest Saints with the righteousnesse of their Saviour and so God ownes them and looks upon them as persons wrapt up in his Royall Robe Hence 't is that he is called Jer. 23. 6. Jehovah Tsidkenu The Lord our Righteousnesse And so in 1 Cor. 1. 30. he is of God made unto us Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Though weak Saints have nothing of their owne yet in Christ they have all for in him is all fullnesse Col. 1. 19. both repletive and diffusive both of abundance and of redundance both of plenty and of bounty He is made to weak Saints Wisedome by his Propheticall Office and he is made to weak Saints Righteousnesse and Sanctification by his Priestly Office and he is made to weak Saints Redemption by his Kingly Office So in Col. 2. 10. And ye are compleat in him which is the head of all Principallity and Power Varro reports of 288 severall Opinions that was among the Philosophers about the compleat happinesse of man but they were out in them all One judging his happinesse lay in this and another in that they caught at the shadow
and to present his sins in such a dreadfull dresse as shall amaze him c. It often proves very prejudiciall and dangerous to weak Saints when their infirmities are aggravated beyond Scripture-grounds and beyond what they are able to beare He that shall lay the same strength to the rubbing of an earthen dish as he does to the rubbing of a Pewter platter instead of cleaning it shall surely break it all to pieces The application is easie c. Secondly There is a Mantle uf Faithfullnesse that is to be cast over the infirmities of weake Saints A man should never discover the infirmities of a weak Saint especially to such that have neither skill nor will to heale and bury them The world will but blaspheme and blaze them abroad to the dishonour of God to the reproach of Religion and to the grief and scandall of the weak c. They will with Ham rather call upon others to scoffe at them then bring a Mantle to cover them c. Ham was curst for that he did discover his fathers nakednesse to his brethren when it was in his power to have covered it he saw it and might have drawne a Curtaine over it but would not and for this by a Spirit of Prophesie he was curst by his father Gen. 9. 22. This Age is full of such Monsters that rejoyce to blaze abroad the infirmities of the Saints and these certainly Justice ha's or will curse Thirdly There is a Mantle of Compassion that must be I have knowne a good old man said Bernard who whâ—n he had hevd of any that had committed some noâ—orious offence was wont to say with hâ—mselfe Ille hodie ego cras He fell to day so may I to morrow c. cast over the weaknesses and infirmities of weake Saints When a weak Saint comes to see his sin and the Lord gives him to lye downe in the dust and to take shame and confusion to himselfe that he hath dishonoured God and caused Christ to bleed afresh and griev'd the Spirit c. Oh now thou must draw a covering and cast a Mantle of love and compassion over his soule that he may not be swallowed up with sorrow now thou must confirme thy love to him and carry it with as great tendernesse and sweetnesse after his fall as if he had never fallen this the Apostle presses 2 Cor. 2. 7. Love sayes the wise man covereth all sinne Loves Mantle is very large Love claps a Plaister upon every soare Love ha's two hands and makes use of both to hide the scarres of weak Saints Christ O strong Saints casts the Mantle of his righteousnesse over your weaknesses and will not you cast the Mantle of love over your brothers infirmities Tenthly 'T is the Duty of strong Saints to sympathize with the weake To rejoyce with them when they rejoyce and to mourne with them when they mourne 2 Cor. 11. 29. Who is weake and I am not weake who is †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scandalâ—zeâ—ai Scandalized offended and I * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As â—ot on fire Thuan. Hist burne not Thuanus reports of Ludonicus Marsacus a Knight of France when he was led with other Martyrs that were bound with Coards going to Execution and he for his dignity was not bound he cryed Give me my Chaines too let me be a Knight of the same Order It should be between a strong Saint and a weak as 't is between two Lute-strings that are tuned one to another no sooner one is struck but the other trembles no sooner should a weake Saint be struck but the strong should tremble Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them Heb. 13. 3. The Romanes punished one that was seen looking out at his window with a Crowne of Roses on his head in a time of publick calamity and will not God punish those that don't simpathize with Joseph in his afflictions surely he will Amos 6. 1 ult Lastly 'T is the Duty of the strong to give to the weake the honour that is due unto them 1 Pet. 3. 7. They have the same Name the same Baptisme the same Profession the same Faith the same Hope the same Christ the same Promises the same Dignity and the same Glory with you therefore speak honourably of them and carry it honourably towards them Let not them be under your feet that Christ ha's laid near his heart c. And so much for this second Doctrine We come now to the next words EPHES. 3. 8. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this Grace given c. WEE shall speak now to the word Grace The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek word Caris that 's here rendred Grace hath a two-fold signification Somtimes it 's taken for the gracious favour and good will of God whereby he is pleased of his owne free love to accept and owne poor sinners in the Son of his love for his owne This is called the first Grace because 't is the fountaine of all other graces and the Spring from whence they flow And it 's therefore called Grace because it makes a man gracious with God Secondly This word Caris that 's here rendred Grace is taken for the gifts of Grace and they are of two sorts Speciall or Common Common grace is that which Hypocrites may have and in which they may excell and goe beyond the choycest Saints As in a gift of knowledge a gift of utterance a gift of prayer a gift of tongues c. A Mat. 7. 21 22 23 25. Ch. 1. 13. man may have these and many other excellent gifts and yet miscarry yea fall as low as hell witnesse Judas Demas the Scribes and Pharisees c. Secondly There is speciall Grace as Faith Love Humility Meeknesse which the Apostle reckons up Gal. 5. 22 23. Now here by Grace you may either understand the gracious favour of God Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this choyce favour given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ or else you may take it for the gifts of grace both saving and common which the Apostle had given him in order to the discharge of his Ministeriall Office which by the speciall favour of God he was advanced to The word Grace being thus opened we may from thence Observe First That the Lord gives his best Gifts to his best Beloved ones Vnto me saith the Apostle who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this Grace given For the opening and clearing of this point I shall premise these foure things 1 To shew you what those best gifts are that God bestowes upon his best beloved ones 2 I shall shew you the manner of his giving the best gifts to his beloved ones Or the difference there is between Christs giving and the worlds giving 3 And then the excellency of those gifts that Christ gives above all other gifts that the world gives
the curse he leads to God he leads to Christ he leads to the Promises he leads to glory c. There is no gain-sayingt Demoâ—â—heneâ— words said one So â—herâ— is no gaâ—â—laâ—ing of the pleadings of the Spirit Againe this spirit is A comforting spirit John 14. 16. and A pleading spirit Rom. 8. 26. Every Christian ha's three Advocates pleading for him The first is that Divine Love that is in the bosome of the father The second is the Lord Jesus that is at the right hand of the father And the third is the holy Spirit that is one with the father Fourthly He gives his Blood the blood of Christ is a gift of Christ to his beloved ones Mat. 20. 28. The Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many So in John 10. 11. I am the good Sheppard the good Sheppard giveth his life for his sheep His blood was the purest blood his humane nature being most pure his blood was the noblest blood and therefore called Acts 20. 28. in Scripture The Blood of God by reason of the conjunction of the Divine Nature with the humane It was his life-blood his heart-blood that he gave it was not the blood of his finger but the blood of his heart it was precious blood Rom. 3. 25. Rom. 5. 9. Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 20. Heb. 9. 7-26 Chap. 10. 19. 1 John 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. c. Three things are called precious in the Scripture 1 Faith is called Precious Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. 2 The Promises are called Precious Promises ver 4. 3 The Blood of Christ is called Precious Blood 1 Pet. 1. 19. All your precious mercies swim to you in precious blood as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together It was an excellent saying of Luther speaking of this blood Vna guttula plus valet quam coelum terra-Luth of Christ One little drop of this blood saith he is more worth then heaven and earth Your pardon swims to you in blood your peace swims to you in blood your reconciliation is made by blood your acceptation is wrought by blood c. Sanguis Christi clavis coeli Christs Blood is Heavens Key Christs blood is a Preservative against the greatest evills Christs blood as Pliny saith of Polium is a Preservative against Serpents c. Fifthly Christ gives Pardon of sin and doe you know what a mercy that is Ask the troubled soule ask the soule that knowes what it means to lye under the wrath of the Almighty and he will tell you that pardon of sin is a gift more worth then a thousand worlds Now that pardon of sin is a gift of God you may see in Acts 5. 31. Him hath God exalted * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To his right hand That is to honour and dignity c. with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins So in Acts 26. 18. Ah soules of all mercies pardoning mercy is the most necessary mercy I may to Heaven without honours and without riches and without the smiles of creatures But I can never to Heaven without pardoning mercy As Ahab Haman Dives c. A man may be great and gracelesse he may be rich and miserable he may be honourable and damnable c. But he cannot be a pardoned soule but he must be a very blessed soule †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessednesses in he plurall Pardon of sin â—â—cludes a plurality of mercies a chaine of Pearles a chain of blessings Gen. 30. 11. Psal 32. 1 2. It intitles soules to all blessednesse it puts the Royall Crowne upon their heads Of all mercies pardoning mercy is the most sweetning mercy 't is a choyce Jewel and swims to the soule in blood Heb. 9. 22. 'T is a mercy that makes all other mercies to look like mercies and tast like mercies and work like mercies and the want of it takes off the glory and beauty of all a mans mercies and makes his life a very hell Pardon of sin is a voluminous mercy a mercy that ha's many precious mercies in the womb of it You may well call it Gad for it ushers in Troops of mercy When you can number the sands of the sea and tell the Stars of heaven then and not till then shall you be able to recount the mercies that attend pardoning mercy He that ha's this mercy cannot be miserable he that wants it cannot be happy get this and get all misse this and misse all this is a gift confer'd onely upon Christs favourites Son be Mat. 9. 2. of good cheere thy sins be forgiven thee No mercy will make a man everlastingly merry below pardoning mercy He ha's no reason to be sad that ha's his pardon in his bosome nor he ha's no reason to be glad who is upon the last step of the Ladder ready to be turned off without his Pardon And this is the fifth gift that Christ gives to his viz. Pardon of sinne Sixthly Christ gives Precious Promises 2. Pet. 1. 4. The Promises are precious beds of spices they are Vâ—res caelesieâ— bottles filled with those heavenly dews that wiâ—l never faile like that of Hagars but will cheâ—ish and nourish the soule to life eternall c. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and Precious Promises c. The Promises are a precious Book every leaf drops myrrhe and mercy The Promises are golden Vessels that are laden with the choycest Jewels that heaven can afford or the soule desire All our spirituall temporall and eternall good is to be found in the belly of the Promises Promises are big-bellied mercies there 's nothing you can truly call a mercy but you will find it in the belly of a Promise under all changes they are the comfort support and relief of the soule Psal 119. 49 50. Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me If the soule groane under the power of sin then that Promise relieves it Rom. 6. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under grace If the soule groane under the guilt of sin then that Promise relieves it Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me c. And that Promise Isa Anochi anochi ha mâ—hhe 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my owne sake and will not remember thy sins I even I am he blotting out thy transgression I even I whom thou hast offended I even I whom thou hast provoked I even I whose glorious name thou hast prophaned I even I whose righteous Law thou hast violated I even I whose holy Covenant thou hast transgressed I even I whose mercies thou hast dispised I even I
dispossessing of his Son If thou canst believe saith Christ all things are possible And the poore man said with teares Lord I believe helpe my unbelief And presently Christ charged the foule spirit to come out of him c. A believing husband a belâ—eving wife a believing Child or a believing servant may bring downe by the actings of faith many a blessing upon their relations Faith hath a happy hand and never but speeds in one kind or another It hath what it would either in money or moneys worth Apollenius saith Sozonem Never askt any thing of God either for himselfe or his friends but he had it And one pointing to Luther said There 's a man can have any thing of God that he will aske And as faith brings downe blessings upon our owne heads Faith hath a kind of Omnipotency in it iâ—'s able to do all thingâ— c. and the heads of our friends so it often brings downe wrath upon our enemies There 's nothing contributes so much to our enemies ruine as faith doth I am confident it hath neither been Armies nor Navies nor Parliaments that have had the chief hand in bringing howne the proud and stout enemies of Christ and Zion in this and other Nations but the faith of his despised people One Enemy may stand before Mary Queen of Scots that was Moâ—her o King James was wont to say That she feared Mâ— Knockes prayers who was a man of much â—â—iâ—h more then an Army of ten thousand men the face of another but what enemy can stand before the face and power of faith That 's a remarkable Scripture Heb. 11. 33. Who through faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained Promises stopped the mouths of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of Alians Other means were used but that which did the work and struck all dead was faith faith ingages God in every incounter and who can stand before a consuming fire Polybius speaking of Horatiâ—s his keeping of the field against his Enemies Forces saith That his enemies were more afraid of his faith then of his war like strength And truly there is nothing that renders men more dreadfull to an understanding enemy then their faith Oh! 't is brave for men to believe downe the powers of darknesse to believe downe those that war against the Lamb c. No way to get an Enemy downe like this nor no way to keep an Enemy downe like this No way to save a Kingdome like this nor no way to keep a Kingdome like this the Nation is beholding to none so much as to believing soules Oh England England thou hadst long before this been a prey to men that delight in blood had it not been for the faith of the Worme Jacob c. Christians as you would have Christ goe on and doe more and more glorious things for England as you would be Crown'd with the choycest and the chiefest blessings and as you would have vengeance executed upon all that hate that wage war against and persecute Christ and the Saints be mighty in believing Ninthly and lastly Faith is a root Grace and will the branches flourish if the root wither O therefore water this root have an eye to this root If you have a choyce root in any of your Gardens Oh how carefull are you of it you will mind it and water it and look to it c. Well of all graces faith is the root grace and if this dye you will find your graces to languish your hope love fear patience humility joy c. can never out-live your faith these live together and they dye together therefore above all labour to be rich in faith for this is a root grace and if this flourish all other graces will flourish but if this decay all other graces will loose their strength beauty and glory c. And thus much for the fifth Proposition We come now to the sixth Proposition and that is this That no gracious soules doe at all times alike grow and thrive in spirituall riches A Child sometimes shootes up more in a month then he doth at other times in many months and sometimes more And don't Plants and Trees sometimes shoot up more in a week then â—n many c. in a year then he does afterwards in many years So many a Christian thrives more and gets more spirituall riches in one moneth then in many in one year then in many I appeale to your experiences Christians don't you find it so I know you doe To cite Scripture to prove this would be to cast water into the sea and to light Candles to see the Sun at noone Sin and Satan doe sometimes work more violently and more strongly in the soules of Saints then at other times Now when sin and Satan work most and prevaile most then grace thrives least As the life of grace is the death of sin and the growth of grace the decay of sin so the increase of sin is the decay of grace and the strengthning No ships have it all times the same gales of wind c. of sin is the weakning of grace Againe No Saints have at all times alike gales of the spirit of God and therefore they doe not grow in spirituall riches at all times alike A man thrives in spirituall riches as the gales of the spirit of God are upon him and no otherwise When the spirit of the Lord doth blow most sweetly Cant. 4. ult and strongly upon his heart then his graces thrive and flourish most then those beds of spices doe yeeld the most fragrant smell But when the spirit of the Lord doth withdraw and with-hold his influences how does the strength and glory Latimer said of the Spirit That 't is coming and going c. of grace wither and decay The Herb Heliotropium doth turne about and open and shut according to the motion of the Sun so doe the graces of the Saints according to the internall gales motions and operations of the spirit c. Againe No Saints have at all times the like externall advantages and opportunities of growing rich in spiritualls They have not the word it may be in that power and life as formerly or it may be they injoy not the communion of Saints as formerly or if they doe yet perhaps those that have formerly been as fire to warme and inflame them are now become water to coole them and deaden them or it may be they have not those advantages for Closet duties as formerly or it may be the course of nature is changed and if so 't is no wonder that they thrive not in spiritulls as formerly When Children have not as good food and as good lodging and as good looking after as at other times no wonder if they thrive not as at other times When men have not the same advantages and
downe yea they would have him downe root and branch but there 's no such way for his totall and finall overthrow as the Preaching of Christ for the more the glory fullnesse perfection and excellency of Christ is discovered the more the horrid vilenesse and matchlesse wickednesse of the man of sin will be discovered and abhorred c. 2 Thess 2. 3 4 7 8 9 10. And then In the Canon Law the Pope is said to be Sâ—lutus omni lege humana shall that wicked one be revealed The Greek word Anomos properly signifies a lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse Monster one that holdeth himselfe subject to no Law Pope Nicholas the First said That he was above Law because Constantine had stiled the Pope God And of the same opinion were most of the Popes Whom he shall consume The Greek word signifies to consume Analosei by little and little till a thing come to nothing With the spirit of his mouth That is with the evidence and glory of his word in the mouths of his Messengers The Ministers of the word are as a mouth whereby the Lord breatheth Bellarmine confesseth to his great grief That ever since the Lutherans have declared the Pope to be Antichrist his Kingdome hath not only nâ—t increased but every day more more decreased and decayed Lib. 3. de papa RoÌ„ cap. 21. out that glorious mighty and everlasting Gospel which shall by degrees bruâ—se Antichrist and all his adherents and break them in sunder like a rod of Iron c. When Christ was born all the Idols that were set up in the world as Historians write fell down When Jesus Christ comes to be lifted up in a Nation in a City in a Towne in a Family yea in any heart then all Idols without and within will fall before the power presence and glory of Jesus Since Luther began to lift up Christ in the Gospel what a deale of ground ha's Antichrist lost and he does and will looâ—â— more and more as Christ comes to be more and more … ened and lifted up in the Chariot of his word Many in these dayes that speak much against Antichrist have much of Antichrist within them And certainly there is no such way to cast him out of mens hearts and out of the world as the Preaching and making knowne of Christ as the exalting and lifting up of Christ in the Gospel of grace A fourth Reason why they are to Preach Christ to the people is this Because else they contract upon themselves the blood of soules There 's no other way for them to avoid the contracting of the blood of men and womens soules upon them but the The Germans have this Proverb say they The pavement of hell is made â—f the bare skuls of Priests and the glorious Crests of gallants Theâ—r meâ—ning is that the more eminent any one is in Church or State doth not imploy his eminency accordingly the more low shall they lye in hell Rev. 18. 11 12 13 14. Preaching of Christ unto them Now a man were better to have all the blood in the world upon him then the blood of one soule The blood of soules of all blood cryes loudest and wounds deepest The lowest the darkest and the hottest place in Hell will be the sad and dreadfull portion of such upon whose skirts the blood of soules shall be found at last Hence that passage of Paul in 1 Cor. 9. 16. Woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel The Motto that should be writ upon Preachers Study doores and on their wals and on all the Books they look on on the beds they lye on and on the seats they sit on c. should be this The Blood of soules The Blood of soules The soule is the better the noble part of man it bears most of the Image of God 't is capable of union and communion with God Christ sweat for it and bled for it and therefore woe to those Merchants that make merchandize of the soules of men This was a comfort and an honour to Paul that he kept himselfe from the blood of soules Acts 20. 25 26 27. He appeales to them that they were witnesses that he was free from the blood of all men Paul had held out Jesus Christ in his Natures in his Names in his Offices and in all his excellencies and perfections and so frees himselfe from the blood of all men And Ministers can no way secure themselves from the blood of soules but by Preaching up and living out a crucified Jesus The last Reason is this Because the Preaching of Christ contributes most to their comfort here and to their reward hereafter therefore they are to Preach the Lord Christ to the people When Luther was upon a dying bed this was no small Bernard comfortably observes That Ministers have their reward Secundum laborem not Secundum proventum joy and comfort to his spirit Thee O Lord saith he have I knowne thee have I loved thee have I taught thee have I trusted and now into thy hands I commend my spirit There can be no greater joy to a Minister then by Preaching Christ to win soules to Christ 1 Thess 2. 19 20. For what is our hope or joy or Crowne of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ye are our glory and joy They that by Preaching Christ win soules to Christ shall shine as the Starres in the Firmament Dan. 12. 3. Every soule won to Christ is a glorious Pearle added to a Preachers Crowne 1 Pet. 5. 4. And when the chief Shepheard shall appeare you shall receive a Crowne of glory A Crowne imports perpetuity plenty and dignity the height of humane ambition It is the opinion of some That there are three places of exaltation in heaven The first and highest is for converting Ministers The second is for suffering Martyrs The third is for persevering Christians Without doubt those Ministers shall be high in heaven who make it their heaven to hold forth Christ and to win soules to Christ who are willing to be any thing to be nothing that Christ may be all in all to poore soules And thus I have given you the Reasons of the Point I shall now come to the second thing which is the maine and that is to shew you How Ministers are to Preach Christ to the people Many weak and slight spirits in these dayes think that 't is 2. Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Almost every Upstart in these dayes thinks himself sufficient Who am I sayes Moses who am I not saith every green-head in these dayes as easie to Preach as to play and so they hop from one thing to another and those that are not qualified nor fit for the least and lowest imployment yet judge themselves fit enough for the greatest and the weightiest imployment in the world and that which would certainly break the backs not onely of the
pittifull work would they make Yea for want of a Christ within how little of Christ doe they understand How little of Christ doe they make known notwithstanding all their borrowed helps Paul was a man that had got a Christ within him Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life that I live is by the faith of the Son of God c. Compare this with Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travell in birth till Christ be formed in you A Christ within makes him travel in birth Odino 2 Cor. 11. 23. ult As Nurses to Princes children are fed with the most delicate fare but not for their owne sakes buâ— for the childrens sake to whom they give Nurse So 't is with many Ministers that want a Christ within â— Tim. 2. â—4 25. The Greek word Translated I travell in birth signifies not onely the travel of the woman at the birth of the Child but also the painfull bearing thereof before the birth The paines of travel breed not a greater desire to see a Man-child borne into the world then Paul's love bred in him till Christ were anew formed in them No man did so much for the winning of soules to Christ as Paul nor no man had so much of a Christ within him as Paul Nothing will naturalize a Ministers heart to his work like a Christ within nothing will make him so wise so painfull so watchfull so carefull to win soules as a Christ within nothing will make him hold out and hold on in the work of the Lord in the face of all oppositions persecutions dangers and deaths as a Christ within Nothing will make a man strive with sinners and weep over sinners and waite upon sinners for their returne as a Christ within Such Ministers that have not a Christ within them will find to comfort and as little successe in their Preaching of Christ Above all gettings get a Christ within or else after all thy Preaching thy selfe will be a cast-away Secondly They that would Preach Christ to the people must Study more Scripture truths Scripture Mysteries then humane Histories They must study Gods Book more then all other Books The truth and antiquity of the Book of God finds no companion either in Age or Authority No Histories are comparable to the Histories of the Scriptures Moses is sound more ancient then all those whom the Grecians make most antient as Homer Hesiod and Jupiter himsâ—lâ— whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their Divinity For 1 Antiquity 2 Rariety 3 Variety 4 Brevity 5 Perspicuity 6 Harmony 7 Verity Gregory calls the Scripture Cor animam Dei The heart and soule of God for in the Scriptures as in a glasse we may see how the heart and soule of God stands towards his poore creatures It was the glory of Apollos that he was mighty in the Scripture Acts 18. 24. John 5. 39. Search the Scripture saith Christ The Greek word signifies to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 search as men search for gold in Mines You must search the Scripture not superficially but narrowly The Scriptures are a great depth wherein the choycest treasures are hid therefore you must digge deep if you will find Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you Or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the word of Christ indwell in you as an ingrafted word incorporated into your soules Let the word be so concocted and digested by you as that you turne it into a part of your selves You must be familiarly acquainted with the word you must not let it passe by you as a stranger or lodge and sojourne with you as a wafairing man it must continually abide with you and dwell richly in you 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes All Books and helps are not comparable to the Bible for the compleating and perfecting of a man for the work of the Ministry That which a Papist reports of their Sacrament of the Masse That there are as many Mysteries in it as there are drops in the sea dust on the earth Angels in heaven Starres in the skie Attomes in the Sun-beams or sands on the sea-shore Whiles they burned us said Reverend Moulin for reading the Scriptures we burnt with zeale to be reading of them But where is this brave spirit now c. may be truly asserted of the word of God No study to the study of the Scripture for profit and comfort Count Anhalt that Princely Preacher was wont to say That the whole Scriptures were the swadling bands of the child Jesus he being to be found almost in every page in every verse in every line Luther would often say That he had rather that all his Bookes should be burnt then that they should be a means to hinder persons from studying of the Scripture The third and last Rule I shall lay downe is this Such as would Preach Christ aright to the people had need Dwell much upon the vanity of humane doctrines The vanity of which doctrines may be thus discovered First They doe not discover sin in its uglinesse and filthinesse as the Scriptures doe They search but to the skin they reach not to the heart they doe not doe as the Master did in Jonah's ship when they were in a storme Secondly Humane doctrines have no humbling power in These things had need be seriously minded in these dayes wherein â—umane doctrines are so much exalted and admired them They may a little tickle you but they can never humble you they cannot cast downe Satans strong holds they cannot melt nor break the heart of a sinner they cannot make him cry out with the Leaper Vnclean unclean Thirdly Humane doctrines nourish not the noble part the soule of man The Prodigal was like to starve before he returned to his fathers house A man may study much and labour much and lay out much of his time and spirits about humane doctrines and yet after all be like to Pharoah's lean Kine A man that studies humane doctrines doth but feed upon ashes Fourthly Humane doctrines cannot cure a wound in the conscience The diseased woman spent all she had upon Physitians but was not a penny the better The remedy is too weak for the disease Conscience like Prometheus Vulture will still lye gnawing notwithstanding all that such doctrines can doe Fifthly Humane doctrines are so far from inriching the soule that they usually impoverish the soule They weaken the soule they expose the soule to the greatest wants and to the greatest weaknesses they play the Harlot with the soule they impoverish it and bring it to a morsel of bread Who so poore in spirituall experiences and heavenly injoyments as such that sit under the droppings
Seventh of England believed hâ—m not therefore trusted him not with shipping and so lost all the purchase of that faith which purchase may yet be recovered if the Lord shall please to own and crown the just and noble designe of Generall Pen c. that moves all the golden wheeles of obedience In Heb. 11. you read what those Worthies did they left their Countrey their kindred upon a bare command of God Faith hath Rachel's eye but Leah's womb it makes soules very fruitfull in wayes of well-doing Faith is as the spring in the Watch that moves the wheels not a grace stirs till faith sets it on work Faith is like Solomons virtuous woman that sets all her maidens to work Faith sets joy on work Abraham desired to see my day and saw it and rejoyced Faith sets love on work It workes by love Gal. 5. 6. It sets hope on work Rom. 8. 24 25. It sets godly sorrow at work Zech. 12. 10. It sets patience at work I believe that God is wise and loving and what he does is out of some noble designe to doe my soule good this spins out patience Faith fits a man to doe to suffer to waite to walk c. therefore labour above all to be rich in faith And then sixthly Of all graces faith renders the soule most invincible and therefore you should labour above all to be rich in faith It renders the soule invincible and unconquerable under all the hardships and tryalls it meets with in this world Faith makes a man triumph in all the changes and conditions of this life It was their faith that made them invincible in Dan. 3. 16 17 18. O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter if it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King But if not be it knowne unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship thy golden Image which thou hast up And so Daniels faith stopt the Lyons mouths it made him too strong for the strongest Beasts of prey as you may see in Dan. 6. Though the Enemies of a believer are very subtile strong and experienced and though the battell be hot and long yet a soule rich in faith shall have the day Faith will render a believer victorious in the close He may suffer death as Mori posse vinci non posse Cyp. Cyprian said to Cornelius but never Conquest Faith renders the soule a Lyon a Rock c. It is reported of some of the Roman and Grecian Captaines that they proved alwayes As may be fully seen in the Book of Martyrs and in Heb. 11. victorious and were never beaten by any Such is the nature of faith it renders a soule victorious in all ingagements In all ingagements faith brings a man bravely off and inables him to keep his ground and triumph Psal 60. 6 7 8 9 10. God hath spoken in his holinesse I will rejoyce I will divide Shechem and meet out the valley of Succoth Gilead is mine and Manasseh is mine Ephraim also is the strength of my Faith alaers the Tenses it puts the future into the present Gilead is mine c. head Judah is my Law-giver Moab is my wash-pot over Edom will I cast out my shooe Philistia triumph thou because of me c. 'T is not great resolutions nor bigge words nor high looks but faith that will make a man stand fast in shaking times No hand can put the Garland upon a Christian but the hand of faith c. And then seventhly Above all labour to be rich in faith because Satan will labour might and maine to weaken your faith Oh! the great designe of Satan is not so much to weaken you in externalls as it is to weaken you in internalls Satan can be contented that men should have their heads full of notions and their mouths full of Religion and their baggs full of gold and their chests full of silver and their shops full of wares so their soules be either voyd of faith or but poor and low in faith Satans greatest plot is to weaken the faith of Christians Luke 22. 31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift Satan knowes that Nihil retinet qui fidem perdidit you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Satan hath an akeing tooth at thy faith his designe is upon that he will labour might and maine to weaken that to frustrate that and therefore I have prayed that thy faith faile not And then eighthly Consider this of all graces faith contributes most to the bringing downe of mercies and blessings upon your selves and friends and therefore you should above all labour to be rich in this particular grace of faith Faith contributes to the bringing downe of blessings upon our selves In Dan. 6. 23. Daniel was delivered saith the Text because he believed in his God 'T was his faith and not his prayers 't was his faith and not his teares 't was his faith and not his sighes that stopt the Lyons mouths and wrought deliverance for him So in Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unlesse I had believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living So in 2 Chron. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper and so they did That 's a very famous Scripture to this purpose 2 Chron. 13. 15 16 17. Then the men of Judah gave a shout and as the men of Judah shouted it came to passe that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel Were men more rich in faith they would be more rich in other blessings c. before Abijah and Judah and the Children of Israel fled before Judah and God delivered them into their hands And Abijah and his people slew with a great slaughter so there fell downe slaine of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men Here was a dreadfull slaughter no wars no slaughters comparable to those the Scripture speaks of And the reason is rendred vers 18. Because they relyed upon the Lord God of their fathers And as faith is the onely way to bring downe a blessing upon our selves so faith is the onely way to bring downe blessings upon our friends and relations Though another man cannot be saved by my faith yet he Gen. 39. may be blest with many blessings upon the account of my faith In Mat. 15. 22. to 29. it was the Canaanitish womans faith that brought a blessing of healing upon her daughter And so in Mat. 8. 6. to 14. the Centurions faith heal'd his servant that was sick of a Palsie and from that very houre he was healed The servant got well by his Masters faith And so likewise in Mark 9. the faith of the father prevailed for the