he is the Lord our maker Power Is here not only ability but authority and Royal Soveraignity that as he can do all things he rules and governs all things is King of all the World Lord paramount all hold their Crowns of him and the Shields of the Earth belong unto God he is greatly to be exalted disposeth of States and Kingdoms at his pleasure establisheth or changeth turns and overturns as seems him good and hath not only might but right to do so He is the Most High ruling in the Kingdoms of the Children of Men and giving them to whomsoever he will and readily pours contempt upon Princes when they contemn his power The term for ever Even in the short Life of Man Men that are raised very high in place and popular esteem may and often do out live their own Glory but the Glory of God lasteth as long as himself for he is unchangeable his Throne is for ever and his wrath for ever and his mercy for ever and therefore Glory for ever Inf. 1. Is it not to be lamented that he is so little glorify'd and prais'd that the Earth being so full of his goodness is so empty of his praise from them that enjoy and live upon it How far are the greatest part from making this their great work to exalt God and ascribe power and glory to his name for that all their ways are his dishonour seek to advance and raise themselves to serve their own Lusts and pleasures and altogether mindless of his glory the Apostles complaint holding good against us all seeking our own things and none the things of the Lord Iesus Christ true some there are but as his meaning is so few that they are as it were drown'd and smother'd in the crowd of self seekers so that they appear not After all the judgments of God upon us how doth still luxury and excess uncleanness and all kind of profaness out-dare the very light of the Gospel and rule of holiness shining in it scarce any thing a matter of common shame and scorn but the power of godliness turning indeed our true glory into shame and glorying in that which is indeed our shame Holiness not only our true glory but that wherein the ever glorious God doth especially glory and hath made known himself so much by that name the holy God And that which is the express stile of his glorious praises uttered by Seraphims Isa. 6. Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his Glory Instead of sanctifying and glorifying this holy name how doth the Language of Hell oaths and cursâ—s abound in our Streets and Houses that blessed name that Angels are blessing and praising abused by base worms Again notwithstanding all the mercies multiply'd upon us in this Land where are our praises our Songs of deliverance our ascribing glory and â—ower to our God who hath prevented us with loving kindness and tender mercies hath removed the stroaks of his hand and made Cities and Villages populous again that were left desolate without Inhabitants Oh! why do we not stir up our hearts and one another to extol the name of our God and say give unto the Lord Glory and strengthâ— give unto the Lord the glory due to his name have we not seen the pride and glory of all flesh stain'd and abased were there ever affairs and times that more discovered the folly and weakness of Men and the Wisdom and power of God Oh! were our hearts set to magnifie him that word often repeated in that Psalm Psal. 107. Oh! that Men would praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful works to the Children of Men. Inf. 2. But what wonder that the Lord loses the reverence of his praises at the hands of the common ungodly World when even his own people fall so far behind in it as usually they do the dead cannot praise him but that they that he hath quickned by his Spirit should yet be so surprised with deadness and dullness as to this Exercise of exalting God this is very strange for help of this 1. We should seek after a fit temper labour to have our hearts brought to a due disposition for his praises and 1. That they be spiritual spiritual services require that but this most as being indeed the most spiritual of all affection to the things of this Earth draw down the Soul and make it so low set that it cannot rise to the height of a Song of praise and thus if we observ'd our selves we would find that when we let our hearts fall and entangle themselves in any inferiour desires and delights as they are unfitted generally for holy things so especially for the praises of our holy God Creature loves abase the Soul and turn it to Earth and praise is altogether heavenly 2. Seek a heart purify'd from self-love and possest with the love of God the heart that is ruled by its own interest is scarce ever content still subject to new disquiet self is a vexing thing for readily all things do not sute our humours and wills and the least touch that is wrong to a selfish mind distempers it and disrelishes all the good things about it a childish condition it is if crost but in a toy throw away all Whence are our frequent frettings and grumblings and that we can drown a hundred high favours in one little displeasure and still our finger is upon that string more male-content and repining for one little cross than praises for all the mercies we have received Is not this evidently the self-love that abounds in us Whereas were the love of God predominant in us we would love his doings and disposals and bless his name in all whatsoever were his will would in that view be amiable and sweet to us however in it self harsh and unpleasant Thus would we say in all this is the will and the hand of my Father who doth all wisely and well blessed be his name The Soul thus framed would praise in the deep of troubles not only in outward afflictions but in the saddest inward condition would be still extolling God and saying however he deal with me he is worthy to be loved and praised he is great and holy he is good and graâ—cious and whatsoever be his way and thoughts towards me I wish him glory if he will be pleased to give me light and refreshment blessed be he and if he will have me to be darkness again blessed be he glory to his name yea what though he should utterly reject me is he not for that to be accounted infinitely merciful in the saving of others must he cease to be praise worthy for my sake if he condemn yet he is to be praised being merciful to so many others yea even in so dealing with me is he to be praised for in that he is just Thus would pure love reason for him and render praise to him but our ordinary way is most untoward
mention'd and carries along with it this inward and real not acted courteousness Not to insist on it now it gains at all hands with God and with Men receives much Grace from God and kills envy and commands respect and good will from Men. Those showers of grace that slide off from the lofty Mountains rest on the Valleys and make them fruitful He giveth grace loves to bestow it wherethere is most room to receive it and most return of ingenuous and entire praises upon the receipt and such is the humble Heart and truly as much humility gains much grace so it grows by it 1. 'T is one of the Worlds reproaches against those that go beyond their size in Religion that they are proud and self conceited Christians beware there be nothing in you justifying this sure they that have most true grace are least guilty of it common knowledge and gifts may puff up but grace does not He whom the Lord loads most with his richest gifts stoops lowest as pressed down with the weight of them the Free Love of God humbles the Heart most to which it is most manifested And towards Men it graces all Grace and all gifts and glorifies God and teaches others so to do It is the preserver of Graces sometimes seems to wrong them by hiding them but indeed it is their safety Hezekiah by a vain shewing of his jewels and treasures forfeited them all Verse 9. 9 Not rendring evil for evil or railing ofr railing but contrary wise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing OPposition helps Grace both to more strength and more lustre when Christian Charity is not encounter'd with the Worlds malignance it hath an easier task but assaulted and overcoming it shines the brighter and rises higher and thus it is when it renders not evil for evil To repay good with evil is amongst Men the top of iniquity yet this is our universal guiltiness towards God he multiplying mercies and we vying with multiply'd sins as the Lord complains of Israel as they were increased so they sinned The lowest step of good mutual amongst Men is not to be bent to provoke others with injuries and being unoffended to offend none but this not to repay offences nor render evil for evil is a Christians rule and yet further to return good for evil and blessing for cursing is not only counsell'd as some vainly distinguish but commanded It is true the most have no ambition for this degree of goodness aspire no further but to do or say no evil unprovoked and think themselves sufficiently just and equitable if they keep in that but this is lame is but half the rule Thou thinkest injury obliges thee or if not so yet excuses thee to revenge or at least disobliges thee unties thy engagement of wishing and doing good but these are all gross practical errours For 1st The second injury done by way of revenge differs from the first that provoked it little or nothing but only in point of time and certainly no one Man's sin can procure priviledge to another to sin in that or the like kind If another hath broken the bonds of his allegiance and Obedience to God and of charity to thee yet thou art not the less ty'd by the same Bonds still 2dly By revenge of injuries thou usurpest upon God's prerogative who is the Avenger as the Apostle teaches Rom. 12. this doth not forbid either the Magistrats Sword for just punishment of Offenders or the Souldiers Sword in a just War but such revenges as without authority or a lawfull call the pride and perversness of Men do multiply one against another In which is involv'd a presumptuous contempt of God and his supreme authority or at least the unbelief and neglect of it 3dly It cannot be genuine upright goodness that hath its dependance upon the goodness of others that are about us that as they say of the vain glorious Man his vertue lyeth in the beholders eye if thy Meekness and Charity be such as lyeth in the good and mild carriage of others towards thee in their Hand and Tongues thou art not owner of it intrinsecally such quiet and calm if none provoke thee is but an accidental uncertain cessation of thy turbulent Spirit unstirr'd but move it and it acts it self according to it self sends up that Mind that lay at the bottom but true Grace doth then most manifest what it is when those things that are most contrary surround and assault it it cannot correspond and hold game with injuries and raylings hath no faculty for that for answering evil with evil a Tongue enur'd to graciousness and mild Speeches and Blessings and a heart stor'd so within can vent no other try it and stir it as you will A Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him but according to what he is through the grace and Spirit of God in him as they say quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis the same things are differently received and work differently as the Nature and way is of that which receives them A sparkle blows up one of a sulphureous temper and many Coals greater injuries and reproaches are quench'd and loose their force being thrown at another of a Cool Spirit Prov. 17. 27. They that have malice and bitterness and cursings within though these sleep it may be yet awake them with the like and the Provision comes forth out of the abundance of the heart give them an ill word and they have another or two for one in readiness for you where the Soul is furnished with spiritual blessings there blessings come forth even in answer to reproaches and indignities the mouth of the Wise is a Tree of Life says Solomon can bear no other fruit but according to its kind and the Nature of the root an honest spiritual heart pluck at it who will they can pull no other fruit but such fruit Love and Meekness lodge there and therefore whosoever knocks these make the answer Let the World account it a despicable simplicity seek you still more of that Dove-like Spirit the Spirit of meekness and blessing a poor glory to vie railings and contest in that faculty or any kind of vindictive returns of evil the most abject creatures have of that great Spirit as follish poor Spirited persons account it but it is the glory of Man to pass by a transgression the noblest victory and as we mention'd the highest example God is our Pattern in Love and Compassions we are well warranted to do 't in this Men esteem much more of some other vertues that make more shew and trample upon these Love and Compassion and Meekness but though these violetâ— grow low and are of a dark colour yet they are of a very sweet and diffusive smell odoriferous Graces and the Lord propounds himself our example in them Matth. 5. 't is to be truly the Children of your Father your
as I am of Christ. Is it thus with us are we zealous and emulous followers of that which is good exciting each other by our example to a Holy and Christian Conversation provâ—king one another so the Apostles word is to love and to good works Or are not the most mutual corrupters of each other and the Places and Societiâ—â— where they live some leading and others following in their ungodliness not regarding the course of those that are most desirous to walk holily or if at all doing it with a corrupt and evil eye not to study and follow what is good in them their way of Holiness but to espy any the least wrong step to take exact notice of any imperfection and sometimes malign'd only and by this either to reproach Religion or to hearten or harden themselves in their irreligion and ungodliness seeking warrant for their own willing licentiousness in the unwilling failings of God's Children And in their converse with such as themselves following their prophane way and flattering and blessing one another in it What need we be so precise and if I should not do as others they would laugh at me I should pass for a fool well thou wilt be a fool in the most wretched kind rather than be accounted one by such as are fools and know not at all wherein true Wisdom consists Thus the most carried with the stream of this wicked World their own inward corruption easily agreeing and suting with it every man as a drop falling into a Torrent and easily made one and running along with it into that dead Sea where it empties it self But they whom the Lord hath a purpose to sever and save he carries a contrary course even to that violent sâ—ream and these are the Students of Holiness the Followers of Good that leâ—d their endeavours thus and look on all sides diligently on what may animate and advance them on the example of the Saints in former times and on the good they espy in those that live together with them and above all studying that perfect Rule in the Scriptures and that highest and first pattern there so often set before them even the Author of that Rule the Lord himself to be holy as he is hâ—ly to be bountiful and merciful as their Heavenly Father and in all labouring to be as the Apostle exhorts Fellowers of God as dear Children As Children that are beloved of their Father and do love and reverence him will be ambitious to be like him and particularly aim at the following any Vertues or Excellency in him now thus 't is most reasonable in the Children of God their Father being the highest and best of all Excellency and Perfection But this Excellent pattern is drawn down nearer their view in the Son Iesus Christ where we have that highest Example made low and yet losing nothing of its perfection may study God in Man and read all our Lesson without any blot even in our own Nature and this truely the only way to be the best Proficients in this following and imitating of all good In him all even those blessings that men most despise God teaching them by acting them and calling us to follow Learn of me for I am â—eek and lowly in heart but this is too large a subject Would you advance in all Grace study Christ much and you shall find not only the pattern in him but strength and skill from him to follow it 2. The Advantage who is he that wâ—ll harm you The very name of it says so much a good worthy the following 〈◊〉 it self but there is this further to perswade it that besides higher benefit it oftentimes cuts off the occasions of present evils and disturbances that otherwise men are incident to Who is he Men even evil men will often be overcome by our blameless and harmless behaviour 1. In the Life of a Godly Man taken together in the whole body and frame of it there is a grave beauty or comeliness that oftentimes forces some kind of reverence and respect to it even in Ungodly minds 2. Though a Natural man cannot love them spiritually as Graces of the Spirit of God for so only the partakers of them are Lovers of them yet he may have and usually hath a natural liking and esteem of some kind of vertues which are in a Christian and are not in their right nature in any other to be found tho a Moralist may have somewhat like them Meekness and Patience and Charity and Fidelity c. 3. These and other such-like Graces do make a Christian life so inoffensive and calm that except where the matter of their God or Religion is made the Crime malice it self can scarce tell where to â—asten its Teeth or lay hold hath nothing to pull by though it would yea oftentimes for want of work or occasions 't will fall a sleep for a while whereas Ungodliness and Iniquity sometimes by breaking out into notorious Crimes draws out the Sword of Civil Justice and where it rises not so high yet it involves Men into frequent contentions and quarrels Prov. 23. 29. how often are the lusts and pride and covetousness of men paid with dangers and troubles and vexations that besides what is abiding do even in present spring out of them now these the Godly pass free of by their just and mild and humble carriage whence so many jars and strifs amongst the greatest part but from their unchristian Hearts and Lives from their lusts that war in their members their self-love and unmortified Passions he will bate nothing of his Will nor the other of his Thus where Pride and Passion meets on both sides it cannot be but a fire will be kindled when hard Flints strike together the sparkles will fly about but a soft mild spirit is a great preserver of its own peace kills the power of contest as Wooll packs or such like soft matter most deaâ— the force of Bullets A soft answer turns away wrath says Solomon beats it off breaks the bone as he says the very strength of it as the bones are in the body And thus we find it they that think themselves high-spirited and will beâ—r least as they speak are often even by that forcâ—d to low most or to burst under 't while Humility and Meekness escape many a burden and many a blow always keeps peace within and often without too Obs. 1. If this were duely considered might it not do somewhat to induce your minds to love the way of Religion for that it would so much abate the turbulency and unquietness that abounds in the lives of men a great part whereof the most do procure by the earthliness and distemper of their own carnal minds and the disorder in their ways that arises thence 2. You whose hearts are set towards God and your Feet entred into his ways I hope you find no reason for a change but many to commend and endear that way to you every day more
the particular resemblance of it with the rule of Christianity Baptism the like figure c. In them 1. The end of Baptism 2. The proper vertue or efficacy of it for that end A resemblance in both these to Noah's preservation in the flood Save us This is the great common end of all the Ordinances of God that one high mark they all aim at And the great and common mistake of them is that they are not so understood and used We come and fit a while and if we can keep awake give the Word the hearing but how few of us receiâ—e it as the ingraâ—ted Word that is able to save our Souls were it thus taken what sweetness would be found in it that most as hear and read it are strangers to How precious would these lines be if we lookâ—â— on them thus saw them meeting and concentring in Salvation as their end Thus likewise the Sacraments considered indeed as Seals of this Inheritance annexed to the great Charter of it Seals of Salvation this would powerfully beget a sit appetite for the Lord's Supper when we are invited to it and would beget a due esteem of Baptism would teach you more frequent and fruitful thoughts of your own and more pious considerations of it when you require it for your Children A natural eye looks upon Bread and Wine and Water and the outward difference of their use there that they are set apart and differenced as is evident by external circumstances from their common use but the main of the difference where their excellency lies it sees not as the eye of faith above that espies Salvation under them and Oh! what another thing are they to it than to a formal user of them We aspire to know the hidden rich things of God that are wrapt up in his Ordinances We stick in the shell and superfice of them and seek no further that makes them unbeautiful and unsavoury to us and that use of them turns into an empty custome Be more earnest with him that hath appointed them and made this their end to save us that he would clear up the eye of our Souls to see them thus under this relation and see how they â—uit to this their end and tend to it and seriously 〈◊〉 Salvation in them from his own hand and we shall find it Save us So that this Salvation of Noah and his Family from the Deluge and all outward deliverances and Salvations but dark shadows of this let them not be spoke of these reprivalls and prolongings of this present liâ—e to the deliverance of the Soul from death the Second death the stretching of a moment to the concernment of Eternity How would any of you welcome a full and sure protection from common dangers if such were to be had that you should be ascertained of safety from Sword and Pestilence that what ever others suffered about you you and your Family should be free And they that have escaped a near danger of this kind resting there as if no more were to be feared whereas this common favour may be shew'd to these that are far off from God and what though you be not only thus far safe but I say if you were secured for afterwards which none of you absolutely are yet when you are put out of danger of Sword and plague still death remains and sin and wrath may be remaining with it and shall it not be all one to dye under these in a time of publick peace and welfare as if it were now Yeâ— something more unhappy by the increase of the heap of sin and wrath guiltiness augmented by life prolong'd and more grievous to be pulled away from the World in the middle of peacable enjoyment and Everlasting darkness to succeed to that short Sun-shine of thy day of ease happiness of a short date and misery for ever What availed it wicked Cham to outlive the flood to Inherit a Curse after it to be kept undrown'd in the waters to see himself and his posterity blasted with his Fathers Curse Think seriously what will be the end of all thy temporary safety and preservation if thou share not in this Salvation and find not thy self sealed and marked for it to flatter thy self with a dream of happiness and walk in the light of a few sparkles that will soon dye out and then lie down in sorrow a sad bed that the most have to go to after they have wearied themselves all the day all their life being in a chase of Vanity The next thing is the power and vertue of this means for its end That it hath a Power is clear in that it is so expresly said it doth save us which kind of power is as clear in the way of it here exprest not by a natural force of the Element though adapted and sacramentally used it only can wash away the silth of the Body its Physical Efficacy or power reaches no further but it is in the hand of the Spirit of God as other Sacraments and as the Word it self is to purifie the Conscience and convey Grace and Salvation to the Soul by the reference it hath to and union with that which it represents It saves by answer of a good Conscience unto God and it affords that by the Resurrection of Iesus from the dead Thus then we have a true Accompt of the Power of this and so of other Sacraments and a discovery of the error of two extreams 1. Of those that ascribe too much to them as if they wrought by a Natural inherent Vertue and carried Grace in them inseparably 2. Of those that ascribe too little to them making them only signs and badges of our Profession signs they are but more than signs meerly representing they are means exhibiting and seals confirming Grace to the Faithful But the working of Faith and the conveying of Christ into the Soul to be received by Faith is not a thing put into them to do of themselves but still in the Supream hand that appointed them and he indeed both causes the Souls of his own to receive these his Seals with faith and makes them effectually to confirm that Faith which receives them so They are then in a word neither empty signs to them that believe nor effectual Causes of Grace to them that believe not The mistake on both sides arises from the inconsideration of the relative Nature of these Seals and that kind of Union that is betwixt them and the Grace they represent which is real though not Natural or Physical as they speak So that though they do not save all that partake of them yet they do really and effectually save Believers for whose Salvation they are means as the other external Ordinances of God do Though they have not that Power which is peculiar to the Author of them yet a Power they have such as befits their Nature and by reason of which they are truely said to Sanctifie and Justifie and so to
thou mayest learn to forget it more But this I say to be done with the tenderest bowels of pity feeling the cuts thou art forc't to give in that necessary incision and use mildness and patience Thus the Apostle instructs his Timothy Reprove rebuke exhort but do it with long suffering with all long suffering 2. Tim. 4. 2. And even they that oppose instruct says he with meekness if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth chap. 2. verse 25 4. If thou be interessed in the offence even by unfeigned free forgiveness so far as thy concern goes let it be as if it had not been And though thou meet with many of these Charity will gain and grow by such occasions And the more it hath covered the more it can cover cover a multitude says our Apostle Covers all sins says Solomon yea though thou be often put to 't by the same party what made thee forgive once well improved will stretch our Saviours rule to seventy times seven times in one day And truly even this Men mistake grosly that think it is greatness of Spirit to resent wrongs and baseness to forgive them on the contrary it is the only excellent Spirit scarce to feel a wrong or feeling straight to forgive it 't is the greatest and the best of Spirits that enables to this the Spirit of God that Dove like Spirit that rested on our Lord Jesus and from him derived to all that are in him I pray you think is it not a token of a tender sickly body to be altered with every touch from every blast it meets with and thus is it of a poor weak sickly Spirit to endure nothing to be distemper'd at the least air of an injury yea with the very fancy of it where there is none Inf. 1. Learn then to beware of these evils that are contrary to this Charity do not dispute with your selves in rigid remarks and censures when the matter will bear any better sense 2. Do not delight in tearing a wound wider and stretching a real failing to the utmost 3. In handling of it study gentleness and pity and meekness these will advance the cure whereas thy flying out into passion against thy fallen Brother will prove nothing but as the putting of thy nail into the sore that will readily rankle it and make it worse even sin may be sinfully reproved and how thinkest thou that sin shall redress sin and reduce the sinner There is a great deal of spiritual art and skill in dealing with another's sin and requires much spiritualness of mind and much prudence and much love a mind clear from passion for that blinds the eye and makes the hand rough that a Man neither rightly sees nor handles the sore he goes about to cure and many are lost through the ignorance and neglect of that due temper to be brought to this work Men think otherwise that their rigours are much spiritualness but they mistake it Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a Man be overtaken in a fault yea which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self least thou be also tempted 4. For thy self as an offence touches thee learn to delight as much in that Divine way of forgiveness as carnal minds do in that base and inhumane way of revenge 't is not as they Judge a glory to ruffle and swagger for every thing but the glory of Man to pass by a transgression makes him God like And consider thou often that love that covers all thine that blood that was shed to wash off thy guilt needs any more be said to gain all in this that can be required of thee Now the other point of doing good is 1. In one particular ver 9. Then dilated to a general rule ver 20. Verse 9. 9. Use Hospitality one to another without grudging THE particular of Hospitality or kindness to strangers being in those times and places in much use in travel and particulary needful often among Christians one to another then by reason of hot and general persecutions but under the name of this are compris'd I conceive all other supply of the wants of our Brethren in outward things Now for this the way and measure indeed must receive its proportion from the estate and ability of persons But certainly the great straitning of hands in these things is more from the straitness of hearts than of means a large heart with a little estate will do with much cheerfulness and little noise while hearts glewed to the poor riches they possess or rather are possest by can scarce part with any thing till they be pull'd from all Now for supply of our brethrens necessities one good help is the retrenching of our own superfluities turn the stream into that channel where it will refresh thy brethren and enrich thy self and let it not run into the dead Sea Thy vain excessive entertainments thy gaudy variety of dresses these thou dost not challenge thinking its of thine own but know as follows thou art but Steward of it and this is not faithful laying out canst not answer it yea its robbery thou robbest thy poor brethren that want necessaries whilst thou lavishest thus on unnecessaries such a feast such a suit of apparel direct robbry in the Lords eye and the poor may cry that is mine that you cast away so vainly by which both I and you might be profited Prov. 3. 27. 28. Without grudging Some look to the actions but few to the intention and posture of mind in them and yet that is the main 't is all indeed even with Men so far as they can perceive it much more with thy Lord who always perceives it to be full He delights in the good he does his creatures he would have them so to one another especially his Children to have this tract of his likeness See then when thou givest alms or entertainest a stranger that there be nothing either of under grumbling or crooked self seeking in it Let the left hand have no hand in it not so much as know of it as our Saviour directs not to please Men or to please thy self or simply out of a natural pity or consideration of thy own possible incidency into the like case which many think very well if they be so moved but here a higher principle moving thee love to God and to thy Brother in and for him this will make it cheerful and pleasant to thy self and well pleasing to him for whom thou dost it We lose much in actions of themselves good both of piety and charity through disregard of our hearts in them and nothing will prevail with us to be more intent this way to look more on our hearts but this to look more on him that looks on them and Judges and accepts all according to them Though all the sins of former Ages gather and fall into the latter times this is pointed out as the grand evil uncharity
sure if God be able to make his party good pride shall not escape ruin he will break it and bring it low for he is set upon that purpose and will not be diverted But he giveth grace Pours out plentifully upon humble hearts his sweet dews and showers slide off the Mountains and fall on the low Valley of humble hearts and make them pleasant and fertile The swelling heart puft up with a fancy of fullness hath no room for Grace is lift up is not hollow'd and sitted to receive and contain the graces that descend from above and again as the humble heart is most capable as emptied and hollowed can hold most so it is most thankful acknowledges all as received but the proud cries all his own the return of Glory that is due from Grace comes most freely and plentifully from an humble heart and he delights to enrich it with Grace and it delights to return him Glory the more he bestows on it the more it desires to honour him withal and the more it doth so the more readily he bestows still more upon it and this is the sweet intercourse betwixt God and the humble Soul this is the noble ambition of humility in respect whereof all the aspirings of pride are low and base when all is reckoned the lowliest mind is truly the highest and these two agree so well that the more lowly it is 't is thus the higher and the higher thus it is still the more lowly Oh! my Brethren want of this is a great cause of all our wants why should our God bestow on us what we would bestow on our idol-self or if not to idolize thy self yet to idolize the thing the gift that grace bestowed to fetch thy believing and comforts from that which is to put it in his place that gave and to make Baal of it as may be read Hosea 2. 8. Now he will not furnish thee thus to his own prejudice therein seek to have thine heart on a high design seeking Grace still not to rest in any gift nor to grow vain and regardless of him upon it If we had but this fixed with us what gift or grace I seek what comfort I seek it shall no sooner be mine but it shall all be thine again and my self with it I desire nothing from thee but that it may come back to thee and draw me with it unto thee this is all my end and all my desire The thing thus presented would not come back so often unanswered This is the only way to grow quickly rich come still poor to him that hath enough ever to enrich thee and desire of his riches not for thy self but for him mind entirely his Glory in all thou hast and seekest to have what thou hast use so and what thou wantest vow it so let it be his in thy purpose even before it be thine in possession as Hanna did in her suit 1 Sam. 1. 11. for a Son and thou shalt obtain as she did and then as she was be thou faithful in the performance Him whâ—m I received says she by petition I have returned to the Lord. It is no question the secret pride and selfness of our hearts that prejudges much of the bounty of his hand in the measure of our Graces and the sweet embraces of his love which we should otherwise find The more we let go of our selves still the more should we receive of himself Oh foolish we that refuse so blessed an exchange To this humility as in these words 't is taken in the notion of our inward thoughts touching our selves and carriage in relation to others the Apostle joyns the other Humility in relation to God being indeed the different actings one and the same Grace and inseparably connexed each with the other Verse 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time THIS is prest by a reason of equity and necessity both in that word the mighty hand of God he is Sovereign Lord of all and all things do obeisance to him Therefore it is just that you his People professing Loyalty and Obedience to him be most submissive and humble in your subjection to him in all things Again the necessity his mighty hand There is no striving it is a vain thing to flinch and struggle for he doth what he will and his hand is so mighty that the greatest power of the creature is nothing to it yea it is all indeed derived from him and therefore cannot do any whit against him if thou wilt not yield you must yield if thou will not lead you shall be palled and drawn therefore submission is your only course The third reason is of Utility or certain Advantage as there is nothing gain'd yea you are certainly ruin'd by reluctance so this humble submission is the only way to gain your point What would you have under any affliction but be delivered and raised up thus alone you attain that humble your selves and he shall raise you up in due time This is the end why he humbles you lays weights upon you that you may be deprest Now when it is gained that you are willingly so then the weights are taken off and you are lifted up by his gracious â—and otherwise it is not enough that he hath humbled you by his hand unless you humble your selves under his hand many have had great and many pressures 〈◊〉 afâ—liction after another and been humbled and yet not humble as they commonly express the difference humbled by force in regard of their outward condition but not humbled in their inward temper and therefore as soon as the weight is off as heaps of Wool they rise up again and grow as big as they were â—nf If we would consider this in our particular trials and aim at this deportment it were our wisdom are they not mad that under any stroke quarrel or struggle against God what gain your Children thus at your hands but more blows not only is this an unâ—eemly and unhappy way openly to resist and strive but even secretly to fret and grumble for he hears the least whispâ—â—ing of the heart and looks most how that behaves it self under his hand Oh! humble acceptance of his chastisement is our duty and our peace that which gains most on the heart of our Father and makes the rod soonest fall out of his hand And not only would we learn this in our outward things but in our spiritual condition as the thing the Lord is much taken with in his Children there is a stubbornness and freting of Heart concerning our Souls that arises from pride and untamedness of our nature and yet some take a pleasure in it touching the matter of comfort and assurance if it be with held or which they take more liberty in be it sanctification and victory over sin they seek and yet find little or no success but the Lord holding them at under in these they then vex
a living foundation having influence into the building for perfecting it for 't is a living House and the foundation is a root sending life to the stones that they grow up as this Apostle speaks 1 Epistle 2. chap. It is the unactiveness of Faith on Jesus that keeps us so imperfect and wrestling still with our corruptions without any advance we wrestle in our own strength too often and are justly then necessarily foiled it cannot be otherwise till we make him our strength this we are still forgetting and had need to be remembred and to remember our selves frequently of it we would be at doing for our selves and insensibly fall into this folly after much smart for it if we be not watchful against it There is this wretched natural Independency in us that is so hard to beat out all our projectings are but castles in the air imaginary buildings without a foundation till once laid on him But never shall we find heart peace sweet peace and progress in holiness till we be driven from it to make him all our strength to do nothing to attempt nothing to hope nor expect nothing but in him and then shall we indeed find his fullness and all-sufficiency and be more than conquerors through him who hath loved us But the God of all Grace Our many wants and great weakness had need to have a very full hand and a very strong hand to go to for our supplies and support and such we have indeed our Father is the God of all Grace a Spring that cannot be drawn dry no nor so much as any whit diminisht Of all Grace The God of imputed Grace of infused and increased Grace of furnished and assisting Grace The Work of Salvation all Grace from beginning to end free Grace in the plot of it laid in the Counsel of God and performed by his own hand all of it his Son sent in the flesh and his Spirit sent into the hearts of his chosen to apply Christ. All Grace in him the living Spring of it and flows from him all the various actings and all the several degrees of Grace he the God of pardoning Grace that blots out the transgressions of his own Children for his own name's sake that takes up all quarrels and makes one act of oblivion serve for all reckonings betwixt him and them and as the God of pardoning Grace so withal the God of sanctifying Grace that resines and purifies all these he means to make up into Vessels of Glory and hath in his hand all the sit means and ways of doing this purges them by afflictions and outward trials by the reproaches and hatreds of the world little known of the prophane world how serviceable they are to the Graces and Comforts of a Christian when they indignifie and persecute him yea little doth a Christian himself sometimes think how great his advantage is by those things till he find it and wonders at his Father's Wisdom and Love but most powerfully are the Children of God sanctified by the Spirit within them without which indeed no other thing could any whit advantage them in this that divine fire kindled within them is daily resining and sublimating them that Spirit of Christ conquering sin and by the mighty flame of his love consuming the earth and dross that is in them making their affections more spiritual and diâ—ingag'd from all creature delights and thus as they receive the beginnings of Grace freely so all the advances and increases of it life from their Lord still flowing and causing them grow abating sins power strengthning a fainting Faith quickning a languishing Love teaching the Soul the ways of wounding strong corruptions and fortifying its weak Graces yea in wonderful ways advancing the good of his Children by things not only harsh to them as afflictions and tentations but by that which is directly opposite in its nature sin it self raising them by their falls and strengthning them by their very troubles working them to humility and vigilance and sending them to Christ for sterngth by the experience of their weaknesses and failings And as the God of pardoning Grace and sanctifying Grace in the beginning and growth of it so the God of supporting Grace that supervenient influence without which the Graces plac'd within us would lie dead and fail us in the time of greatest need This is the immediate assisting power that bears up the Soul under the greatest services and backs it in the hardest conflicts fresh auxiliary strength when we and and all the grace we have within dwelling in us is surchar'd then he steps in and opposes his strength to a prevailing and confident enemy that is at point of insulting and triumph when tentations have made breach and enter with full force and violence he lets in so much present help on a sudden as makes them give back and beats them out when the enemy comes in as a flood the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him and no siege so close as to keep out this aiâ— for it comes from above And by this a Christian learns that his strength is in God whereas if his received Grace were always party enough and able to make it self good against all incursions though we know we have received it yet being within us we woubld possibly sometimes forget the receit of it and look on it more as ours than his more as being within us than as â—lowing from him but when all the forces we have the standing Garison is by far overmatcht and yet we find the aâ—â—ailants beaten 〈◊〉 then we must acknowledge him that sends sue 〈◊〉 ascâ—â—ble relief to be as the Psalmist speaks a present help in time of need All St. Pauls constant strength of Grace inherâ—nt in him could not sâ—nce him so well as to award the peircing point of that sharp tentation whatsoever it was that he records and the redoubled by â—fettings that he felt came so thick upon him he was driven to his knees by it to cry for help to be sent down without which he found he could not hold out and he had an answer assuring him of help a secret support that should maintain him my grace is sufficient for thee though thine own be not that is that which I have given thee yet mine is that is it is that which is in me and which I will put forth for thy assistance And this is the great advantage and comfort that we have a Protector who is Almighty and is always at hand who can and will hear us whensoever we are beset and straitned That Captain had reason who being required to keep Millan for the King of France went up to the highest turret and cry'd three times King of France and refused the Service because the King heard him not nor no body answered for him meaning the great distance and so the difficulty of sending aid when need should require but we may be confident of our supplies in the suddenest surprizes
and walk more discontented and nothing pleases them as peevish Children upon the refuse of somewhat they would have take displeasure and make no account of the daily provision made for them and all the other benefits they have by the care and love of their Parents This is a folly very unbeseeming the Children that are the Children of Wisdom and should walk as such And till they learn more humble respect of their Father's Will they are still the further off from their purpose were they once brought to submit the matter and give him heartily his Will he would readily give them theirs as far as were for their good as you say to your Children of any thing they are too stiff and earnest in and keep a noise for cry not for it and you shall have it And this is the thing we observe not that the Lord often by his delays is aiming at this and were this done we cannot think how graciously he would deal with us his gracious design is to make much room for grace by much humbling especially some Spirits that need much trying or that he means much enabling to for a singular service and thus the time is not lost as we think it it furthers our end while we think contrary 't is necessary spent time and pains that is given to the unballasting of a Ship casting out the Earth and Sand when it is to be loaden with Spices we must be emptied more if we would have of that fullness and riches that we are longing for So long as we some and chafe against his way though it be in our best suits we are not in a posture for a favourable answer would we wring things out of his hand by fretfullness that is not the way no but present humble submissive suits Lord this is my desire but thou art wise and gracious I refer the matter to thy will for the thing and for the measure and time and all were we molded to this composure then were mercy near when he hath gained this broke our will and tamed our stoutness then he relents and pities See Ier. 30. 18. This I would recommend in any estate the humble folding under the Lord's hand kissing the rod and falling low before him and this the way to be raised but it may be one that thinks he hath tried this a while and is still at the same point hath gained nothing and therefore falls back to his old repinings Let such a one know his humbling and compliance was not upright it was a fit of false constrained submission and therefore lasts not it was but a tempting of him instead of submitting to him Oh! will he have a submission I will try 't but with this reserve that if after such a time I gain not what I seek I shall think it is lost and that I have reason to return to my discontent though he says not thus yet this is secretly under it No but wouldst thou have it right it must be without condition without reserve no time nor nothing prescribed and then he will make his word good He will raise thee up and that In due time Not thy fancied time but his own wisely appointed time Thou that thinkest now I am sinking if he help not now 't will be too late yet he sees it otherways he can let thee sink yet lower and yet bring thee up again he doth but stay till the most fit time thou canst not see it yet but thou shalt see it that his chosen time is absolutely best he waiteth to be gracious doth he wait and will not thou Oh! the firm belief of his Wisdom Power and Goodness what difficulty will it not surmount So then be humble under his hand submit not only thy goods thy health thy life but thy soul. Seek and wait for thy pardon as a condemned Rebel with thy rope about thy neck lay thy self low before him at his feet stoop and crave leave to look up and speak and say Lord once I am justly under the sentence of death if I fall under it thou art righteous and I do here acknowledge it but there is deliverance in Christ thither I would have recourse yet if I be beaten back and held out and faith with held from me and I perish as it were in view of salvation see the rock and yet cannot come at it but drown what have I to say in this likewise thou art righteous only if it seem good unto thee to save the vilest most wretched of sinners and shew great mercy in pardoning so great debts the higher will be the glory of that mercy however here I am resolved to wait till either thou graciously receive me or absolutely reject me if thou do this I have not a word to say against it because thou art gracious I hope I hope yet thou wilt have mercy on me I dare say that this promise belongs to a Soul and it shall be raised up in due time And what though most or all our life should pass without much sensible taste even of spiritual comforts a poor all it is let us not over esteem this moment and so think too much of our better or worse condition in it either in Temporals yea or in Spirituals such as are more arbitrary and accessary to the name of our Spiritual Life providing we can humbly wait for free grace and hang on the word of promise we are safe if the Lord will clearly shine on us and refresh us this is much to be desired and prized but if he so think fit what if we should be all our days held at a distance and under a cloud of wrath it is but a moment in his anger then follows a life time in his favour an endless life time 't is but sorrow for a night and joy comes in the morning that clearer morning of Eternity to which no evening succeeds Verse 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you AMongst other spiritual secrets this is one and a prime one the combinement of lowliness and boldness humble confidence This the true temper of a Child of God towards his great and good Father nor can any other have it but they that are indeed his Children and have within them that Spirit of adoption which he sends into their hearts And these two here the Apostle joyns together Humble under the hand of God and yet cast your care on him upon that same hand under which you ought to humble your selves must you withal cast over your care all your care for he careth for you Consider 1. The nature of this Confidence 2. The Ground of it The Nature casting all your care on him The ground or warrant of it for he careth for you Every man hath some desires and purposes that are predominant with him beside the daily exigences of his life he is compast with and in both according to their importance or his esteem and the difficulties occurring in them he