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
my selfe to differ to wit by the improvement of Nature This Age is full of such proud Monsters But an humble soule sees free grace to be the Spring and Fountaine of all his mercies and comforts he writes free Grace upon all his temporalls and upon all his spiritualls c. The Seventh Direction is Meditate much upon these two 7 Direction things First The great mischiefe that sinne hath done in the World It cast Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradice it hath layen the first corner-stone in Hell and ushered in all the evils and miseries that be in the world It hath threw downe Abraham the best Believer in the world and Noah the most Righteous man in the world and Job the Uprightest man in the world and Moses the Meekest man in the world and Paul the greatest Apostle in the world Oh the Diseases the crosses the losses the miseries the deaths the hells that sin hath brought upon the world Bazill wept when he saw the Rose because it brought to to his mind the first sin from whence it had the prickles which it had not while man continued in Innocency as he thought Oh when he saw the prickles his soule wept So when we see heare or read of the blood misery warres and ruines that sin ha's brought upon us ler us weep and lye humble before the Lord. Secondly Mediate much on this That many wicked men Mat. 23. 15. take more paines to damne their soules and goe to Hell then thou doest to save thy soule and to get to Heaven Oh what paines doe wicked men take to damne their souls and goe to Hell Lanctantius saith of Lucian that he spared Such a mad Devil was Catalin neither God nor man He took paines to make himselfe twice told a Child of wrath It is said of Marcellus the Roman Generall That hee could not be quiet Nec victor nec victus neither Conquered nor Conquerour Such restlesse wretches are wicked men The Drunkard rises up in the morning and continues till Isa 5. 11. mid-night till wine inflame him The unclean person wasts his time and strength and estate and all to ruine his owne soule Theotimus being told by his Physitian that if he did not leave his lewd courses he would loose his sight answered Vale lumen amicum Then farewell sweet light What a deale of paines does the Worldling take He rises up early and goes to Bed late and leaves no stone unturn'd and all to make himselfe but the more miserable in the close Pambus in the Ecclesiasticall History wept when he saw a Harlot drest with much care and cost partly to see one Socrates Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 28. take so much paines to goe to Hell and partly because he had not been so carefull to please God as shee had been to please a wanton lover Oh Sirs what reason have you to spend your dayes in weeping when you look abroad and see what paines most men take to damne their soules and goe to Hell and then consider what little paines you take to escape Hell to save your soules and goe to Heaven Eighthly Get more internall and experimentall knowledge 8 Direction and acquaintance with God If ever you would keep humble no knowledge humbles and abases like that which is inward and experimentall We live in dayes wherein there is abundance of notionall light many Professors know much of God notionally but know nothing of God experimentally They know God in the History but know nothing of God in the Mystery They know 'T is a sad thing to be often eating of the Tree of Knowledg but never to tast of the Tree of Life much of God in the letter but little or nothing of God in the spirit and therefore 't is that they are so proud and high in their owne conceits when as he that experimentally knowes the Lord is a Worme and no man in his owne eyes As the Sun is necessary to the world the eye to the body the Pilate to the Ship the Generall to the Army So is experimentall knowledge to the humbling of the soule Who more experimentall in their knowledge then David Job Isaiah and Paul And who more humble then these Worthies Seneca observed of the Philosophers That when they grew more learned they were lesse morall So a growth in notions will bring a great decay in humility and zeale as it 's too evident in these dayes Well remember this a drop of experimentall knowledge will more humble a man then a sea of notionall knowledge Ninthly Looke up to a crucified Christ for speciall power 9 Direction and strength against the pride of your hearts 'T is sad in these knowing times to think how few there are that know the right way of bringing under the power of any sin Most men scarce look so high as a crucified Christ for power against their powerfull sins One soule sits downe and complaines Such a Psal 10. 4. It was the the blood of the Sacrifice and the Oyle that cleansed the Leper in the Law and that by them was meant the blood of Christ and the grace of his Spirit is agreed by all lust haunts me I 'le pray it downe Another saith such a sin followes me and I 'le hear it downe or watch it downe or resolve it downe and so a crucified Christ is not in all their thoughts Not but that you are to hear pray watch and resolve against your sins but above all you should look to the acting of Faith upon a crucified Christ As he said of the sword of Goliah None like to that So I say none like to this for the bringing under the pride of mens hearts The weaker the House of Saul grew the stronger the House of David grew The weakning of your pride will be the increase and strengthening of your Humility and therefore what the King of Syria said unto his fifty Captaines Fight neither with small nor great but with the King of Israel So say I if you woulk keep humble if you would lye low draw forth your Artillery place your greatest strength against the pride of your soules The death of Pride will be the resurrection of Humility And that this may stick upon you I shall lay downe severall Propositions concerning Pride and I am so much the more willing to fall upon this work and to make it the subject of our discourse at this time because this horrid sin doth appeare so boldly and impudently and that not onely among prophane persons but Professors also There are ten Propositions that I shall lay downe concerning Pride And the first is this Of all sinnes Pride is most dangerous to the soules of Men. Pride is a sin that will put the soule upon the worst of sinnes Pride is a gilded misery a secret poyson a hidden plague 'T is the Ingeneere of deceipt the Mother of hypocrisie the Parent of envy the Moth of holinesse the
blessed for ever In heaven there is no prayers but all praises I am apt to think that there can't be a clearer nor a greater argument of a mans right to heaven and ripenesse for heaven then this being much in the work of heaven here on earth There is no grace but Love nor no Epictetus wisht he were a Nightingale to be ever singing And what then should a Saint wish c. duty but Thankfullnesse that goes with us to heaven I but weak Saints may say Sir We judge that there is weight in what you say to provoke us to thankefullnesse But did we know that we had true Grace though it were never so little though it were but as the graine of Mustard-seed we would be thankefull But this is our condition we live betweene feares and hopes one day hoping we shall to heaven and be happy for ever Another day we are fearing that we shall to hell and miscarry for ever And thus we are up and downe backward and forward sometimes we believe we have grace and at other times we doubt we have none Sometimes we have a little light and suddenly our Sun is clouded one day we are ready to say with David The Lord is our portion and the next day we are ready to complaine with Jonah that we are cast out from the presence of the Lord. Me-thinks I hear a weak Saint saying thus to me Sir I would faine have an end put to this controversie that ha's been long in my soule viz. Whether I have grace or no and if you please I will tell you what I find and so humbly desire your judgement and opinion upon the whole Well speak on poore soule and let me heare what thou hast found in thine owne soule Why Sir then thus I finde first a holy restlesnesse in my soule till with old Simeâ—n I have gotten Christ in my armes yea till I Luke 2. 25. to 33. The Child is restlesse till it be in the Mothers Armes Cant. 5. 10. have gotten Christ into my heart I goe from Duty to Duty and from Ordinance to Ordinance and yet I cannot rest because I cannot find him whom my soule loves I am like Noah's Dove that could not rest untill he had gotten into the Ark. Oh I cannot be quiet till I know that I am hous'd in Christ My soule is like a ship in a storme that is tost hither and thither Oh! where shall I find him Oh! how shall I obtaine him who is the chiefest of ten thousand What Absolom said in another case I can say in this saith the poor soule in his banishment he could say What 's all this to me so long as I can't see the Kings face And truly the language of my soule is this What 's honour to me And riches to me And the favour of Creatures to me so long as I goe mourning without my Christ so long as I see not my interest in my Christ Well have you any thing else to say O weake Christian Yes Sir I have one thing more to say What 's that Why it is this I can truly say That the poorest the most distressed and afflicted man in the world is not fuller of desires nor stronger Tota vita beni Christiani sanctum desiderium est in his desires then I am The poor man desires bread to feed him and the wounded desires a Plaister to heale him and the sick man desires Cordialls to strengthen him c. But these are not fuller of desires after those things that are sutable to them then I am of holy and heavenly desires Oh that I had more of God! Oh that I were filled with Christ Oh that I had his righteousnesse to cover me His grace to pardon me His power to support me His wisedome to councell me his loving-kindnesse to refresh me And his happinesse to Crowne me c. Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more to tell you What 's that Why that is this Though I dare not say that Christ is mine yet I can truly say that Christ his love his works his grace his word are the maine objects of my contemplation and meditation Oh Some Contemplatioâ—s have Generationem longam fruitionem brevem but these are not the conâ—em plations of the Saints I am alwayes best when I am most a meditating and contemplating of Christ his love his grace c. Psal 139. 17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God How great is the summe of them Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more to say What 's that Why it is this I can truly say That the want of Christs love is a greater grief and burden to my soule then the want of any outward thing in this world I am in a wanting condition as to temporals I want health and strength and Trading friends and money that answereth to all things as Solomon speaks and yet all these wants doe not so grieve me and so afflict and Eccl. 10. 19. trouble me as the want of Christ as the want of grace as the want of the discoveries of that favour that 's better then Psa 63. 3 4. life Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir there 's one thing more What 's that Why that is this That I would not willingly nor resolvedly sin against Christ V. for a world 'T is true I dare not say I have an interest in I will rather leap into a bonsire then willfully to commit wickednesse willfully to against God Christ yet I dare say that I would not willingly and resolvedly sin against Christ for a world I can say through grace were I this moment to dye that my greatest feare is of sinning against Christ and my greatest care is of pleasing Christ I know there was a time when my greatest care was to please And I said A selme had rather gâ—e to hâ—ll â—ure from sin then to heaven polluted wiâ—h that filth The Primitive Christians chose rathet to be â—hrowne to Lyâ—ns without then left to lusts within Ad Leonem magis quam Leonem saith Tertullian VI. It is repâ—red of Bucer and Calvin That they loved aâ—l them in whom they could espâ—e Aliquâ—a Christi any thing of Christ 'T is justi so with these poore hearts that question their present condition Jer. â— 1. 2 3. VII Psa 119. 136 my selfe and the Creature and my greatest fear was of displeasing the Creature I can remember with sorrow and sadnesse of heart how often I have displeased Christ to please my selfe and displeased Christ to please the Creature but now 't is quite otherwise with me my greatest care is to please Christ and my greatest fear is of offending Christ Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more What 's that Why that 's this Though I dare not say that Christ is mine and that I have an interest in him
prophane men of this world for ten thousand worlds c. Well is this all O soule No Sir I have but one thing more and then I have done Well what 's that Why that is this I find my soule carried forth to a secret resting relying leaning staying and hanging upon Christ for life and happinesse Though I know not how it shall goe with me yet I Job 13. 15. 2 Kings 7. 3 4 5. Esth 4. 16. have throwne my selfe into his armes I leane upon him there I 'le hang and there I 'le rest and stay If I must perish I 'le perish there And thus Sir I have opened my state and condition to you And now I doe earnestly desire your judgement upon the whole Well then this I shall say as I must answer it in the day of my appearing before God That had I as many soules as I have haires on my head or as there be Starres in heaven I could freely adventure the losse of them all if these things doe not undeniably speake out not onely the truth but also the strength of Grace c. Nay let me tell you That he that finds but any of these things really in his soule though the Lord hath not given him a clear and full manifestation of his love and favour c. yet while breath is in his body he ha's eminent cause to blesse God and to walke thankefully and humbly before him The second use of the Point is this Live up to that little Grace you have Thou sayest O weak Christian thou hast but a little light a little love a little zeale a little faith c. Well grant it but know that 't is thy duty to live up to those measures of To speake well saith Isiodorus Peluâ—iota is to sound like a â—ymbal but to doe well is to act like an Angel c grace thou hast And this is the second head that I shall presse upon you live up and live out that grace you have And if ever there were a season to presse this Point home upon soules this is the season in which we live And considering that 't is not a flood of words but weight of Argument that carries it with ingenuous spirits I shall therefore propound these following things to their serious consideration First Consider this Living up to your Graces carries If Seneca said of his wise man Majore paâ—te illic est unde descendit He is more in heaven then in earth May not I say this is much more true of the godly c. with it the greatest evidence of the truth of Grace That man that lives not up to his grace let him be strong or weak wants one of the best and strongest demonstrations that can be to evidence the truth of his grace If you would have a clear evidence that that little love that little faith that little zeale you have is true then live up to that love live up to that faith live up to that zeale that you have and this will evidence it beyond all contradiction c. Secondly Consider this God and your owne soules will be very great loosers if you live not up to those measures of Grace you have God will loose many prayers and many praises he will loose much honour and glory and service which otherwise Of all losses spirituall losses are the saddest and greatest and fercht up with the greatest difficulty he might have and you will loose much peace much comfort much rest quietnesse and content that otherwise your soules might enjoy c. Thirdly Consider this Your not living up to that little light and grace you have will open the mouths of gracelesse souls against your gracious God and against his gracious ones and against his gracious wayes You think because of the weaknesse of your grace you must be borne with in this and that and what not But remember it is your duty to live up to the light and grace you have and nothing below this will effectually stop the mouths 1 Pet. 2. 15. Ye may put to silence the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to muzzle to halter up or button up their mouths as we say O there is nothing that will so muzzle bâ—tton up the mouthes of vaine men as Christians siving up to that light grace they have of gracelesse wretches from barking against the wayes of God the truths of God and the people of God Vaine men will be often a reasoning thus Though such and such men and women have not such great knowledge such clear light such strong love and such burning zeale as David Paul and other Worthies yet they have so much light and knowledge as tells them that they should not carry themselves thus and thus as they doe Their light and knowledge tells them that they should be just and righteous in their dealings and in all their wayes and designes c. Though they have not such great measures of spirituall injoyments as such and such yet that little grace they have should lead them b y the hand to doe things worthy of that Christ and that Gospel they professe c. Let me a little expostulate the point with you weak Saints you know that you should not be stirr'd and heated by every straw that is in your way why don't you in this then live up to your light You know that you should not be overcome of evill but overcome evill with good And why don't you in this live up to your light You know that you should Doe good Rom. 12. 21. Mat. 5. 44. uâ—t to those that doe hurt to you why doe not you in this live up to your light You know that you should doe your duties to others though they neglect their duties to you 'T is not the neglect of a husbands duty that frees the wife from the discharge of hers Nor the neglect of a wives duty that frees the husband from the discharge of his You know this don't you yes why don't you then live up to your light Why doe you by your contrary actings open the mouths of others against God and his wayes You know that you should be exemplary in your relations in your Generation and in your conversations You know that you should be examples of holinesse meeknesse sweetnesse patience and contentednesse and why then don 't you live up to your knowledge in these things You know that you should doe to others as you would have others to doe to you And why in this don 't you live up to your knowledge Ah that you that are weak did not cause the mouths of wicked men to be opened against God his truths and wayes Therefore by your living below that light and knowledge that God ha's given you I beseech you as you tender the honour of God and as you would stop the mouths of vaine men live up to those measures of grace that the Lord ha's given you No way to comfort-like
So in Psal 63. 8. My soule followeth hard after thee I but how comes this to passe Thy right hand upholds me I feele thy hand under me drawing of my soule off after thee Oh! were not thy gracious hand under me I should never follow hard after thee The Lord will put under his everlasting armes O weak Christian and therefore though thy feet be apt to slide yet his everlasting armes shall bear thee up therefore be not discouraged doe not turne aside from those paths that drop marrow and fatnesse though there be a Lyon in the way Secondly Consider this O weak Saint That there is lesse danger and hardship in the wayes of Christ then there is in the wayes of sin Satan or the world Prov. 11. 18 19. 21. 21. That soule doth but leap out of the Frying-pan into the fire that thinks to mend himselfe by turning out of the way that is called holy Oh! the horrid drudgery that is in the wayes of sin Satan or the world Thy worst day in Christs service is better then thy best dayes if I may so speak in sin or Satans service Satan will pay the sinner home at last with the losse of God Christ Heaven and his soule for ever But in the way of righteousnesse is life joy peace honour and in the path-way thereof there is no death Prov. 12. 28. His wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all his paths are peace Prov. 3. 17. Thirdly Remember O weak Saint That all those hardships that thou meetest with doe onely reach the outward man They onely reach the ignoble the baser part of man they meddle not they touch not the noble part With my mind I serve the Law of God though with my flesh the Law of sin Rom. 7. 22. And vers 25. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man And indeed many of the Heathen have incouraged themselves for this very consideration against the troubles and dangers of this life All the Arrowes that are Anaxagoras Pla to and others shot at a Christian stick in his Buckler they never reach his conscience his soule The raging waves beat sorely against Noah's Ark but they toucht not him The soule is of too noble a nature to be toucht by troubles Jacob's hard service under Laban and his being nipt by the frost in winter and Gen. 31. 40. scorcht by the Sun in summer did onely reach his outward man his soule had high communion and sweet fellowship with God under all his hardships Ah Christian bear up bravely for whatever hardships thou meetest with in the wayes of God shall onely reach thy outward man and under all these hardships thou mayest have as high and sweet Hos 2. 14. communion with God as if thou hadst never knowne what hardships meant Fourthly Tell me O weake Saints have not you formerly injoyed such sweet refreshings while you have been in the very service of God as hath out-wayed all the troubles and hardships that your soules have met with I know you have and you know that you have often found that Scripture made good upon your hearts Psal 19. 11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward Mark he doth not say For keeping of them there is great reward though that 's a truth But in keeping Austin saith If a man should â—erve the Lord â— thousand â—ears in would â—â—t dâ—serve an boure of the reward in Heaven much lesse an Eternity c. of them there is great reward While the soule is at work God throwes in the reward Don't you remember O weak Christians when you have been in the service and way of God how he hath cast in joy at one time and peace at another c Oh! the smiles the kisses the sweet discoveries that your soules have met with whilst you have been in his wayes Ah poore soules don 't you know that one houres being in the bosome of Christ will make you forget all your hardships heaven at last will make amends for all and the more hardships you find in the wayes of God the more sweet will heaven be to you when you come there O how sweet is a Harbour after a long storme and a Sun-shine day after a dark and tempestuous night and a warme Spring after a sharp winter The miseries and difficulties that a man meets with in this world will exceedingly sweeten the glory of that other world Lastly Consider What hardships and difficulties the men of this world run through to get the world and undoe their owne soules They rise early goe to bed late they goe from one end of the world to another and venture through all manner of dangers Psal 127. 2. Mat. 16. 16â— deaths and miseries to gaine those things that are vaine uncertaine vexing and dangerous to their soules And wilt not thou as a good Souldier of Christ endure a little hardship 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. for the honour of thy Captaine and thine owne internall and eternall good Thou art listed under Christs Colours and therefore thou must arme thy selfe against all difficulties and discouragements The number of difficulties makes the Christians Conquest the more illustrious A gracious man should be made up all of fire overcoming and consuming all oppositions As Chrysostome said of Peter as fire does the stubble All difficulties should be but whet-stones to his fortitude The fifth Duty is this You that are weake Saints should observe how Christ keepes your wills and affections That man is kept indeed whose will and affection is kept close to Christ And that man is lost with a witnesse whose will and affections are won from Christ Weak Saints are more apt to observe their owne actions then their wills and affections and this proves a snare unto them therefore observe your affections how they are kept for if they are kept close to Christ if they are kept faithfull to Christ though thy foot may slide from Christ all is well The Apostle Rom. 7. observ'd that his will and affections were kept close to Christ even then when he was Tyrannically Captivated and carried by the prevalency of sin from Christ With my mind I serve the Law of God sayes he and what I doe I allow not therefore it is no more I that doth it but sin that dwelleth in me My will stands close to Christ and my affections are faithfull to Christ though by the prevalency of corruption I am now and then carried Captive from Christ 'T is one thing to be taken up by an Enemy and another thing for a man to lay downe his Weapons at his Enemies feet I am saith the Apostle a forc't man I doe what I hate I doe what I never intended The heart may be sound when more externall and inferiour parts are not The heart of a man may be sound God-ward and Christ-ward and holinesse-ward when yet there may be many defects and weaknesses in
about him are very bad Some say that Roses grow the sweeter when they are planted by Garlick Verily Christians that have gloriously improved their Graces are like those Roses they grow sweeter and sweeter holier and holier by wicked men The best Diamonds shine most in the dark and so doe the best Christians shine most in the worst times Sixthly Such turne their principles into practice They turne their speculations into power their notions into spirit their glorious inside into a golden outside Psal 45. 13. Seventhly Such as have made a considerable improvement of their gifts and graces Have hearts as large as their heads Whereas most mens heads have outgrowne their hearts c. Eighthly Such are alwayes most busied about the highest things viz. God Christ Heaven c. Phil. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 4. ult Rom. 8. 18. Ninthly Such are alwayes a doing or receiving good As Christ went up and downe doing good Mat. 4. 23. Chap. 9. 35. Mark 6. 6. Tenthly and lastly Such will mourne for wicked mens sins as well as their owne O the teares the sighes the groanes Psalm 119. Jer. 9. 1 2. 2 Pet. 2. 7 8 9. that others sins fetch from these mens hearts Pambus in the Ecclesiasticall History wept when he saw a Harlot dressed with much care and cost partly to see one take so much paines to goe to hell and partly because he had not been so carefull to please God as she had been to please a wanton Lover I have at this time onely given you some short hints whereby you may know whether you have made any considerable improvement of that grace the Lord hath given you I doe intend by Divine permission in a convenient time to declare much more of this to the World I shall follow all what ha's been said with my prayers that it may help on your internall and eternall welfare EPHES. 3. 8. The Vnsearchable Riches of Christ NOw the next Observation that we shall begin with is this That the Lord Jesus Christ is very Rich. And the second will be this That the great businesse and worke of the Ministry is to hold forth to the people the Riches of Christ We shall begin with the first Point at this time namely That the Lord Jesus Christ is very rich For the opening of this Point we shall attempt these three things 1 To demonstrate this to be a truth That the Lord Jesus is very rich 2 The Grounds why he is thus held forth in the word to be one full of Vnsearchable Riches 3 To shew you the Excellency of the riches of Christ above all other Riches in the world And then the Use of the Point For the first That the Lord Jesus Christ is very rich First Expresse Scripture speaks out this truth He is rich in goodnesse Rom. 2. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse that is ready to be imployed for thy internall and To chreston His native goodnesse c. eternall good c. Againe He is rich in wisedome and knowledge Col 2. 3. In whom speaking of Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Christ was content that his riches should be hid from the world therefore doe not thou be As man is an Epitome of the whole world so is Christ of all wisedome and knowledge c. angry that thine is no more knowne to the world What is thy one mite to Christs many millions c. Againe He is rich in grace Ephes 1. 7. By whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace Againe He is rich in glory Ephes 1. 18. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints So in Chap. 3. 16. That he would grant unto you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the Nec Christus nec coelum patitur hyperbolem Neither Christ nor heaven can be hyperbolized inner man So in Phil. 4. 19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus The riches of glory are unconceiveable riches Search is made through all the bowells of the earth for something to shadow it by The riches of this glory is fitter to be believed then to be discoursed of as some of the very Heathens have acknowledged But secondly As expresse Scripture speaks out this truth That Christ is very rich so there are eight things more that doe with open mouth speak out Christ to be very rich First You may judge of his riches by the dowry and portion his father hath given him In Psal 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession He is the heir of all things all things above and below in heaven and earth are his Heb. 1. 2. God hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heire of all things Christ is the richest Heire in heaven and earth Men cry up this man to be a good match and that and why so but because they are great Heires Ah! but what are all the great Heires of the world to this Heire the Lord Jesus Joseph gave Portions to all his brethren but to Benjamin a Portion five times as good as what he gave the residue So the Lord scatters Portions among the Sons of men he gives brasse to some gold to others temporalls to some spiritualls to others but the greatest portion of all he hath given into the hands of Christ whom he hath made the Heire of all things Rev. 11. 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever So in Chap. 19. 11 12. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white Horse and he that sat upon him was called faithfull and true and in righteousnesse he doth judge and make war His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crownes Mark that what are Princes single Crownes and the Popes tripple Crowne to Christs many Crownes Certainly he must be very rich that ha's so many Kingdomes and Crownes waite but a while and you shall see these Scriptures made good c. Secondly You may judge of his riches by his Keeping open house for the reliefe and supply of all created creatures both in heaven and in earth Crassus was so rich that he maintain'd a whole Army with his owne Reâ—enues â—ut what is this to what Jesus does c. Psal 145. 16. You look upon those as very rich that keep open house for all commers and goers why such a one is the Lord Jesus Christ he keeps
to Ministers when their people are like them in knowledge wisedome love humility holinesse Plutarch said of Demosthenes That he was excellent at praising the worthy acts of his Ancestors but not so at imitating them Ah! many in these dayes are excellent at praising and commending the holy and gracious actings of their Prayer is Porta coeli c'avis Paradisi The gate of heaven a key to let us into Paradise The Jewes fable That our Saviour by finding out the right pronouâ—ciation of the name of God did all his Miracles But certainly the right invocation of the name of God would even make Ministers work Miracles indeed Ministers but not so at imitating them Fourthly You must honour them By bearing them upon your hearts when you appeare before the Lord in the mount Ephes 6. 18 19. 2 Thess 3. 1 2. 1 Thess 5. 25. Col. 1. 4. 3. Heb. 13. 18. Acts 12. 5. All these Scriptures doe bespeak Christians to bear their faithfull Ministers upon their hearts when they are a wrestling with God None usually are opposed as they their wants are many their weaknesses are more their work is great their strength is small O pray pray more and more for them yea pray believingly pray affectionately pray fervently pray unweariedly that they may speak from the heart to the heart that they may speak things that are seasonable and sutable to the capacities and conditions of his people They can tell when they want your prayers and when they enjoy your prayers did you pray more for them they might doe more for your internall and eternall good then now they doe Lastly You must honour them By adhering to them and biding with them in all their tryals afflictions and tribulations that doe or shall attend them 'T is brave to owne them in a storme to owne them when others disowne them when others oppose them and act highly against them Paul lookt upon himself as much honored by Onesiphorus owning of him in his chains 2 Tim. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy unto the house The Saints in the Primitive times did so stick and cleave to those that were in bonds that the very heathen admiringly cryed out Looke how the Christians love one another of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine But when he was in Rome he sought me out very diligently and found me The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day And in how many things he ministred unto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well Chrysostome in an Oration sayes of Christians That they would not be kept from visiting the Confessors in Prison although it was forbidden with many threatning terrours and it was great danger to them But to draw to a close You have heard that the Office of a faithfull Minister is honourable and you have heard what honour is due unto them Let me therefore desire you all To take heed of scorning contemning and despising those that are faithfull that are qualified according to Gospel Rules That 's a sad word 2 Chron. 36. 15 16 17 18. God sent his Messengers early and late to reclaime them but they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy nor no healing David never plaid such a harsh part all his dayes as he did to the Ammonites that dispitefully used his Ambassadours as you may see at large in 2 Sam. 10. Ambassadouâ—s are inviolable by the Law of Nations and the least indignity offâ—red to them is to be as severely punished as if it had been offered to the person of that Prince whom they represent The Romanes sacked the famous City of Corinth and razed it to the ground for a little discourtesie they offered to their Ambassadours And they slew many of the Illyrians and the Tarentines for misusing of their Ambassadours And doe you think that the Lord is not as tender of the credite and honour of his faithfull Ministers and that he will not avenge the affronts wrongs and injuries that are done unto them Surely he will Jer. 29. 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Behold I will send unto them the Sword the Famine and the Pestilence and will make them like vile Figgs that cannot be eaten they are so evill And I will persecute them with the sword with the famine and with the Pestilence And I will deliver them to be removed to all the Kingdomes of the earth to be a curse and astonishment and an hissing and a reproach among all Nations whither I have driven them But why will God doe this Because they have not hearkened See 2 Kin. 17. 13 14 15. The Lamps went out and Leander was drowned said he in the History to my word saith the Lord which I sent unto them by my servants the Prophets rising up early and sending them but ye would not heare saith the Lord. Now mark though these temporal judgements are not visible among us yet spirituall judgements which are the worst of judgements are very visible Though there be no sword no famine no Pestilence yet there is spirituall madnesse spirituall drunkennesse spirituall giddinesse Oh! the blind minds the corrupt judgements the hard hearts the seired consciences that are to be found among the Professors of this age As there are no mercies Jer. 13. 13. Ezek. 23. 33. 1 Tim. 4. 2. Tit. 1. 15. to spirituall mercies so there are no judgements to spirituall judgements Oh the slightnesse the coldnesse the deadnesse the barrennesse that is abroad in the world God suites his judgements to mens sins the greatest sins are alwayes attended with the greatest judgements In these dayes men sin against more glorious means more great love more clear light more tender bowels of mercy c. then formerly and therefore God gives men up to more sad and dreadfull spirituall judgements then formerly They say when Hercules drew up Cerberus from hell he led him in a Chaine and he went quietly till he came to the Horizon and saw the peeping of the light but then he pulled so strongly that he had like to have pulled the Conquerour and all back againe Ah! 't is sad when men had rather live in darknesse and dye in darknesse and to hell in darknesse then they will see the light injoy the light and walk in the light Many fret at the light and at those that bring it as the Aethiopians once a year solemnly curse the Sun Such soules stand in much need of pity and prayer And thus according to my weak measure I have given out what God ha's given in from this Scripture and shall follow it with my prayers that it may be a word of life and power both to Writer Reader and Hearer Amen Soli Deo Gloria in Aeternum FINIS