31. Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judca and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied The more their graces were increased the more their comforts were augmented If one drop of the joy of the Holy Ghost should fall into hell it would swallow up all the torments of hell saith Austin Oh! who would not then labour to increase in grace that he may abound in joy c. The Promise lyes most fair before their eyes that are rich in grace their interest in it is most clear and rarely that they goe without it unlesse it is by taking part sometimes with Satan against their interest in Christ or somtimes through the power of unbelief which indeed cuts off all the comfort of the soule or by looking after other lovers or by not hearkning to the voyce of the Comforter c. Christians you often complaine of the want of joy and comfort oh doe but abound in grace and you won't complaine of the want of comfort Without delight the soule cannot live saith one take away all delight and the soul dyes Let this that ha's been spoken provoke every Christian to labour to be rich in grace c. But secondly Consider this You have singular opportunities and choyce advantages to be rich in grace There is a price put into your hands but where are your hearts In former times God gave out grace by drops but now by Flaggons Opportunities if not improved will as Cant. 2. 5. that sword that Hector gave Ajax be turned into your owne bowels This will be a sword in thy bowels that there hath been soule-inriching opportunities and thou hast neglected them and turned thy back upon them The thoughts of this will one day be the Scorpions that will vex thee the rod that will lash thee the thornes that will prick thee and the worm that will gnaw thee The Storke saith the Prophet knowes Jer. 8. 7. his appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. The Market for your soules is open slip not your season least with the foolish Virgins you Mat. 25. goe to buy when 't is too late The Merchant will not slip his opportunity of buying nor the Saylor his of sailing nor the Husbandman his of sowing and why should you slip yours of growing rich in grace Many men loose their soules as Saul lost his Kingdome by not discerning their time to be spiritually rich Tamarlen at first hung out a white flagge but if they slipt Such â—here have been who by giving a glasse of water opportunely have obtain'd a Kingdome as you may see in the story of Thâ—umâ—stus and King Agrippa c. that opportunity then a red and so death and destruction followed c. The Lord Jesus hangs out the white flagge of mercy in these dayes to intice soules to come in and to share with him in his glorious and unsearchable riches in the riches of his grace and mercy but if you stand out Christ hath a red flagge and if that be once put out you are lost for ever Thrice happy are those that take the first opportunity of closing with Christ and of subjecting themselves to Christ Plutarch writes of Hanniball That when he could have taken Rome he would not but when he would have taken Rome he could not When many men may have mercy they won't and when they would have mercy they shan't Mercy and Prov. 1. 24 â—l Rev. 3. 20. grace is sometimes upon the bare knee Christ stands knocking at sinners doores he is willing to come in and make sinners rich and happy for ever he calls upon soules to open to him Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Prov. 24. 7 8 c. doores and the King of glory shall come in who is the King of glory The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battell The King of glory comes not vacuis manibus empty-handed no he comes with his hands and heart full of rich and royal Presents and blest and enricht for ever are those that open to this King of glory c. Thirdly Consider this Soules rich in grace shall have their names immortall Every man naturally would have if it were possible his name immortal now there 's no way in the world to have your names immortal like this of growing rich in grace A man that 's spiritually rich shall live and his name shall live when he is dead In Nehem. 7. 2. 't is said of Hannaniah that he was a faithfull man and feared God above many Or He feared God above multitudes as the Hebrew hath it His Merâ—bbim from Rabâ—b name lives though his body for many hundred years hath been turn'd to dust So in Acts 7. 55. Stephen was a man full of the Holy Ghost Though Stephen were stoned yet his name lives his memoriall is precious among the Saints to this very day So in Heb. 11. 38. They were such of whom this world was not worthy And in the third Epistle of John the six first Verses compared with vers 12. Gaius and Demetrius Ego si bonam faâ—ram servassâ— sat dives ero If I may but keep a good name I have wealth enough said Plaâ—t who were rich in grace have Crownes of honour set upon their heads their names live and are a sweet savour to this very day c. So in Psal 112. 6. The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance but the name of the wicked shall rot The great mans name and the rich mans name shall rot saith he but the name of the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance The Persians use to write their Kings names in golden Characters so the Lord writes the names of soules rich in grace in golden Characters Their names are alwayes Heires to their lives believe it there 's no such way in the world to have immortall names like this of growing rich in grace One man thinks to make his name immortall by making himself great another by heaping up silver and gold as the dust of the A good name yields a fragrant smell over Towne Country it puts a shining lustre upon the countenance it fitteth to any publick employment in Ministry or Magistracy it stops many a foul mouth and it makes men live when they are dead earth or the stones of the street and another by doing some strange exploites c. But for all this the Lord will make good his word The name of the wicked shall rot if God be God his name must rot but the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance they leave their Names behind for a blessing Isa 65. 15. 'T is sad to consider what many poor carnall Creatures have done and suffered to make their names immortall
him Heire of all things he refused the Riches that the King of Sodome offered Gen. 14. 21. Chap. 15. 1. him because God was his Shield and his exceeding great Reward The greatest bargaine that a soule rich in Grace will make with God for himselfe is this Give me but bread to eat and cloaths to wear and thou shalt be my God so it was with that brave soul Gen. 28. 21. he desires but Food and Rayment Marke he asks food not junkets Rayment not Ornaments A little will serve a man that is strong in grace much will not serve a man that is weak in grace nothing will serve a man that is voyd of grace Soules weak in grace have their hearts much working after these poore low things as you may see Mat. 18. 1. Who shall be greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven The Question is stated by the Disciples that one would have thought should have had their hearts and thoughts in Heaven but they dream'd of an earthly Kingdome where honours and Offices should be distributed as in the dayes of David and Solomon And 't is observeable in Mark 9. 33 34. they are at it againe And he came to Capernaum and being in the house he asked them What was it that ye disputed among your selves by the way But they So in Luke 9. 46. held their peace they were asham'd to tell him for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be greatest Saith one I 'le have this saith another I 'le have that c. Or as 't is in the Greek they disputed who was greatest sayes one I am greater then thou no says another I am greatest It is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T is meâ—â—â—n Who was greatest Argument of a Childish disposition to be taken more with Rattles and Baubles then with Jewels and Pearles That Christian hath little of the power of grace within him whose heart is so strongly carried out to these vanities below Men that are growne up to years of understandiug prefer one piece of gold above a thousand new Counters A soule that is strong in grace that is high in its spirituall enjoyments prefers one good word from God one good look from Christ above all the glory of this world Lord saith he lift thou up the The Philosophers preserâ—ed the Kings countenance before his Coyne light of thy countenance upon me Warme my heart with the beams of thy love and then a little of these things will suffice You see Moses and all those Worthies in the 11 of the Hebrewes who were men strong in grace how bravely they trample upon all things below God they lav'd their Families and their Countreyes where they liv'd like Princes to wander in a Wildernesse upon the bare Command of God So Luther a man strong in grace when he had a Gowne and Money given him by the Elector he turned himselfe about and said I protest God shall not put me off with these poore low things Soules that know by experience what the bosome of Christ is what spirituall Communion is what the glory of Heaven is will not be put off by God nor man with things that are mixt mutable and momentary And to shame many professors in these dayes I might bring in a Cloud of Witnesses even from among the very Heathen who never heard of a Crucified Christ and yet were more Crucified to things below Christ then many of them that pretend much to Christ But I shall forbear onely desiring that those that think and speak so scornfully and contemptuously of Heathens may not at last be found worse then Heathens yea be judged and condemned by Heathens in the great and terrible day of the Lord. Secondly In order to a further deciphering of weak Christians I shall lay downe this That weak Saints doe usually over-feare troubles before they come Yea those future evills that forty to one may never fall out The very empty thoughts and conceit of trouble is very terrible and perplexing to a weak Saint When it was told The Chamelion saith Pliny is the most searfull of all Creatures and doth therefore turne into all colouâ—s to save it self and so 't is often with weak Christians the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart was moved and the heart of his people as the Trees of the wood are moved with the wind Isa 7. 2. Their heart quaked and quivered as we say like an Aspen leaf It is an Elegant expression shewing in their extremity the basenesse of their feares arguing no courage or spirit at all in them The very newes and conceit of trouble or calamities oh how doth it perplex and vex and grieve and overwhelme weak Christians The very hearing of trouble at a distance makes them to stagger and reele and ready to say Will God now save Will he now deliver It puts them into those shaking fits that they know not what to doe with themselves nor how to performe the service they owe to God or man Now tell me can you call that a stout spirit a strong spirit Pray for me said Latimer in his Letter to Ridley for I am sometimes so fearfull thaâ— I would creep into a Mouse-hole Acts Mon. 1565 that is daunted with the very report and thoughts of Calamity Or that does torment men with immoderate feare of a thousand things that happily shall never fall out as feares of forraigne Invasions or feares of home-bred Confusions fears of change of Religion or being surprised with such or such Diseases or being ruin'd in their outward estate by such and such devises or disadvantages or by falling under the frownes of such a great man or under the anger and revenge of such and such a man and a thousand such like things Now this speaks out much weaknesse in grace Soules strong in grace are carried up above these fears yea with the Leviathan in Job they can laugh at the shaking of the spear Job 41. 29. Psal 23. 4. they can say with David Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we will feare no evill for thou art with us thy rod and thy staffe doe comfort us But weak soules are Bucephalus was not afraid of his burden the shadow onely frighted him So weak Christians are afraid of the shadow of the crosse afraid of their owne shadow the very shadow of trouble will exceedingly trouble such soules and oftentimes make their lives a very hell Thirdly Fainting in the day of Adversity speaks out the soule to be but weak in Grace Weak Christians are overcome with little crosses the least crosse doth not onely startle them but it sinks them and makes them ready to sit downe and to cry out with the Church Behold you that passe by see whether there be any sorrow like my sorrow Before trouble comes weak Christians Lam. 1. 12. are apt to think that they can bear much and indure much
bâ—st Gifts to his Dearest ones I shall onely give you these six FIrst Because he loves them with the dearest with the choycest and with the strongest love therefore he gives them the best Gifts Christ doth not love Believers with a low flat dull common love with such a love as most men love one another with but with a love that is like himselfe Now men will give as they love 1 Sam. 1. 4 5. And Elkanah gave to Penninah his wife and to all her sonnes and daughters Portions but unto Hannah he gave a worthy Portion for he loved her Jiâ—â—en manah ahhath appaiim In the Hebrew it is He gave her a Gift of the face That is a great an honourable Gift Men look upon great and honourable Gifts with a sweet and cheerfull countenance So the Gifts that Jesus Christ gives to Believers are Gifts of the face that is they are the greatest Gifts the honourablest Gifts the choycest Gifts Gifts fit for none but a King to Mundus cadaver est petentis cum sunt Canis The world is a Carcasse and those that hunt after it are Doggs is an Arabick Proverb give Augustus in his solemne Feasts gave trifles to some but gold to others The Lord Jesus scatters the trifles of this world up and downe as Luther well speaks The whole Turkish Empire is but a crust that God throwes to a Dogge God scatters giftlesse Gifts viz. the honours riches and favours of this world up and downe among the worst of men but as for his gold his spirit his grace his Son his favour these are Jewels that he onely casts into the bosome of Saints and that because he dearly loves them Secondly Christ gives the best Gifts to his people Beeause Wicked men are onely principled to abuse mercy which occasions God so often to raine hell out of heaven upon them as he did once up on Sodome Gomorrah for abusing of mercy Gen. 25. 5. they are best principled and fitted to make a Divine improvement of them There 's no men on earth that are principled and fitted for the improvement of the speciall Gifts that Christ gives but his owne people None have such principles of wisdome love holinesse and faithfullnesse to make an improvement of the joy the peace the comfort that the Lord gives as his people Ergo. Abraham gave unto the Sons of the Concubines Gifts and sent them away but unto Isaac he gave all that he had As Isaac was better beloved then the Concubines Sons so Isaac was better principled to improve love then they were The application is easie Thirdly He doth it upon this account That he may the more indeere the hearts of his people to him The greatest designe of Christ in this world is mightily to indeere the hearts of his people and indeed it was that which was in his eye and upon his heart from all eternity It was this designe that caused him to lay downe his Crowne and to take up our Crosse to put off his Robes and to put on our Raggs to be condemned that we might be justified to undergo the wrath of the Almighty that we might for ever be in the armes of his mercy He gives his Spirit his Grace yea and his very selfe and all to indeere the hearts of his people to himselfe When Isaac would indeere the heart of Rebeckah then the Bracelets the Jewels and the Ear-rings are cast into her bosome So the Lord Jesus casts his Gen. 24. 53. heavenly Bracelets Jewels and Ear-rings into the bosomes into the laps of his people out of a designe to indeere himselfe unto them Prov. 17. 8. A Gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it whither soever it turneth it prospereth In the Hebrew 'tis thus A Gift is as a stone of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is it makes a man very acceptable and gracious in the eyes of others A Gift is like that precious stone Pantarbe that hath a marvellous consiliating property in it Or like the wonder-working Load-stone that as some Writers observe hath among other Properties this That it makes those that have it well-spoken men and well accepted of Princes Certainly the Gifts that Jesus Christ gives to his doe render him very acceptable and precious in their eyes Christ to them is the Crowne of Crownes the Heaven of Heaven the Glory of Glories he is the most sparkling Diamond in the Ring of Glory Prov. 18. 16. A mans Gift maketh roome for him and bringeth him before great men The Gifts that Jesus Christ gives widen the heart and inlarge the soule of a Believer to take in more of himselfe Naturally we are narrow-mouthed Heaven-ward and wide-mouthed earth-ward But the Lord Jesus by casting in his Jewels his Pearles his precious Gifts into the soule doth widen the soule and inlarge the soule and make it more capacious to entertaine Psal 24. 7 8 9 10. himselfe Christ by his Gifts causes all doores to stand open that the King of glory may enter in Now the fourth Reason of the Point is Because Christ expects more from his people then he doth from all the world besides therefore he gives them the best Gifts Where the Lord expects and looks for most there he gives 'T was a good saying of Just Maâ—tyr Non in verbis sed infactis res nostrae religionis consislunt God loves saith Luther curristas not quaristas the â—unner not the question or c. most Though Believers are but A little little flock though they are but A remnant though they are A fountaine sealed A spring shut up A Garden inclosed yet Christ looks for more from them then from all the world besides He looks for more love from them then from all the world besides and he expects more service from them then from all the world besides and he looks for more honour from them then from all the world besides Mal. 1. 6. A Son honoureth his father and a servant his Master if I am your father where is my honour And if I am your master where is my feare He looks for more fear from them then from all the world besides and for more honour from them then from all the world besides and for more prayers and praises Some say that the Panther wil leap three times after his prey but if he misse it the 3d time he will leap no more 'T were well for Saints if Satan would doe so c. 1 Chr. 21. 1. Job 2. 9. Mat. 26. 2 Cor. 12. 7. Mat. 4. 1 12. from them then from all the world besides Fifthly The Lord Jesus gives the best gifts to his owne people That he may fence and strengthen them against the worst Temptations There are no men on earth that lye open to temptations as Saints the best men have been alwayes the most tempted The more excellent any man is in grace and holinesse the more shall that man be
need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus as he did the widowes vessel The fountaine hath not the lesse water for the vessel it fills nor the Sun the lesse light for that it gives forth to the Starres so the Lord Jesus Christ hath never a whit the lesse for what he gives forth unto his Saints When Zelislaus the King of Poland's Generall had lost his hand in his service the King sent him a golden hand Ah Christians when you loose this or that for him he will send you a golden hand if you loose a penny for him he will give you a Pearle Christ will not live long in any mans debt if he should he would loose his glory c. Secondly If the Lord Jesus be very rich Oh then take heed of despairing by reason of your sins I confesse the least sin should humble the soule but certainly the greatest sin should never discourage the soule much lesse should it work the soule to despaire Read 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15. and despaire I had almost said if thou can'st Despairing Judas perished when as the murderers of Christ Acts 2. believing on Christ were saved Despaire is a sin exceeding vild and contemptible 't is a word of eternall reproach dishonour and confusion it declares the Devil a Conquerour and what greater dishonour can be done to Christ then for My sin is greater then can be forgiven saith Gain Thou lyest Cain saith Augustine for Gods mercy is greater then the sins of all men and its a great injury to God to distrust of his mercy a soule to proclaime before all the world the Devil a crowned Conquerour A despairing soule is Magor missabib A terrour to himselfe his heart a hell of horrour his conscience an Acheldama a field of black blood He hath no rest at home nor abroad at bed nor board but is as if infernall Devils followed him in fearfull shapes terrifying and tormenting his perplexed soule Eternity of misery feared or felt begets that Monster which like Medusas head astonisheth with its very aspect and strangles hope which is the breath of the soule As it is said Dum spiro spero so it may be inverted Dum spero spiro other miseries may wound the spirit but despaire kills it dead c. Thirdly If Christ be so rich Then take heed of presuming Christ is a Lyon as well as a Lamb he hath a sword as well as a Scepter Take heed of taking incouragement to sin upon this account that Christ is rich in grace and mercy To argue from the riches of mercy to sinfull liberty is the Devils Logick A soule that thus reasons is a soule left of God a soule that is upon the last step of the ladder a soule that Satan hath by the hand and the eternall God knowes whether he will lead him What the women sung of Saul and David that Saul 1 Sam. 18. 6 7. Rom. 6. 1 2. had slaine his thousands and David his ten thousands that I may say of despaire and presumption Despaire hath slaine her thousand but presumption hath slaine her ten thousand Shall we sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein As the beams of the Sun shining on the fire puts out the fire so the shinings of Gods mercy on us should extinguish sin in us as the Apostle argues 2 Pet. 3. 15. from Paul Rom. 2. 4. Christ seemes to say to soules as Thesius said once Goe sayes he and tell Creon Thesius offers thee a gracious offer yet I am pleased to be friends if thou wilt submit this is my first Message but if this offer prevaile not looke for me to be up in armes Ah soules if you shall abuse the riches of grace to a presumptuous sinning against Christ Christ will take up Armes and you shall dye for it The next Use is this If Christ be so rich Oh then open to Christ when he knocks Christ knocks by his word and he knocks by his rod he knocks by his spirit and he knocks by his messengers and he knocks by conscience Oh open to him for he is very rich Though you shut the doore against a poore man yet you will open it to one that is rich and why not then to Christ who would faine have entrance Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Behold I stand I that am the King of glory I that am Psal 24. 7 8 9. Rev. 17. 14. King of Kings and Lord of Lords I that am rich in mercy rich in goodnesse rich in grace rich in glory I stand at the doore and knocke I that have gold to inrich you I that have eye-salve to inlighten you I that have glorious Apparrell to cloath you I that have mercy to pardon you I that have power to save you I that have wisedome to counsell you I that have happinesse to Crowne you I stand at the doore and knocke If any man will open If the Master will not yet if the servant will if the Mistrisse will not yet if the Maid will if the Parent will not yet if the Child will if the rich man will not yet if the poore man will if the Pharisee won't yet if the Publican will I will come in and will sup with him and he with me Jesus Christ hath the greatest worth and wealth in him as the worth and value of many peeces of silver is in one piece of gold so all the heavenly excellencies that are scattered abroad in Angels and men are united to Christ yea all the whole volume of perfection which is spread through heaven and earth is epitomized in Christ They â—ay 't is true of the Oyle at Rhemes That though it be continually spent in the inauguration of their Kings of France yet it never wasts Christ is a pot of Manna a cruise of Oyle a bottomlesse Ocean of all comforts and contents that never faile A Saint may say In having nothing I have all things because I have Christ Having therefore all things in him I seeke no other reward for he is the universall reward And then againe If Christ be so rich then sit downe and wonder at his condiscending love That one so rich should fall in love with such that are Rev. 3. 17. to 21 c. poore wretched miserable blind and naked that one so high should look so low as poore we that one so great that one who is the Lord and Heire of all should match with us Heb 1 2 3 4. Phil. 3. 17 18 19 c. Ezek. 16. that have nothing at all O the breadth the length the depth the highth of Christs love to unlovely soules to such that had neither portion nor proportion that had neither externall nor internall worth that might in the
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