inward meanes So for the outward means by his spirituall providence he affords unto some more and greater meanes and a longer time to others lesse He also doth blesse the means more unto some then unto others Againe another inward working cause is the speciall diligence of Gods people themselves exciting and stirring up and also exeâ—cising that grace which is given them applying the meanes unto their hearts and bringing all home in private that was done in publique this is the reason why though some do vertuously yet others do excell in grace even their practise of Piety and their Christian diligence And as thus ye have heard the working causes per se by themselves so also per accidens by accident the Lord sometimes makes the sence of sinne a means to break the heart and that sinner that hath bin exceeding â—â—nful that sinner afterwards somtimes becomes a notable Saint this is the first generall ground from the inward working causes The second generall ground is from the finall cause and that is double for his owre gâ—ory and his peoples good for this double reason though others do vertuously yet the Lord will have some to excell in grace First for his own gloâ—y thus in dangerous times Elijah he must stop up the three children they must be willing to step into the Furnance and Dâ—nie into the Denne rather then the Religion and Woâ—ship of God shall â—e demolished and beaten down though therfore he have many Worthies yet the Lord will have some speciall Worthies that not onely shall have grace but also much grace for his honouâ— Thus foâ— his own glory thâ—ugh others do vertuâ—usly yet the Lord will have some to excell in grace So also for the good of his people to draw them on when they are backward to strengthen them when they are weake and to incourage them when they aâ—e faint-hearted Why had Caleb and Joshuâ— an excellent spirit given them why to strengthen and incouâ—age others that were weake and fâ—int-hearted therefore when the people were discouâ—aged Vp say they fâ—â—r not the people of the Land â—â—r thâ—ir strength is deâ—arted fâ—oâ— them uâ—d thâ—y shall be but as bread â—or us This from the working 〈◊〉 and also from the finall cause you see reasons why though others do vertuously yet the Lord will have some to excell in grace But why is this their praise and glory why the reason of that is taken from the definition of true honour that is truly honourable which the wisest and the best do speak in the praise of That is not honourable which every man speaks well of though I am perswaded in respect of this Saint of God who ever he or she was that did speak against her while the tongue was against her the conscience was for her but that is truly honourable which is commended by the wisest and by the best by the wisest Prophets and the wise Apostles For the wise Prophets when they come to commend persons whom do they speak well of why holy persons holy soules the Saints that do expresse the power of grace in their lives And for a wise Apostle tell me where Paul is commending any but a Saint especially nay if an Angell must come from heaven to speak in the praise and commendation of any man here on earth it shall be onely in praise and commendation of a Saint this is plain in the 9. of Daniel there Daniel is humbling of his soule and breaking of his spirit for his own sinnes and the sinnes of the people well now an Angell is dispatced from Heaven with a message to him and he brings him this newes Oh Daniel thou art a man greatly beloved thus an Angell will rejoyce to bring good tydings from Heaven for the praise and commendation of a Saint upon Earth But what do I speak either of Saints or Angels even God himselfe doth account their death to be precious hee hath a high opinion of them he hath high prizing thoughts of them as you have heard Here you see the reasons of this truth why though many doe vertuously yet some of Gods people do excell in grace and this is their glory and honour We have a question before we câ—me to Application it is this Wherein appeares this excellency in grace I answer in short It appeares in the matter that is done or suffered and in the manner of doing it First in the matter that is to be done both in avoiding evill and in doing good For the avoiding of evill and all this you shall see in this godly soul that we have discoursed of She is a woman of an excellent spirit that indeavours so to avoid all sinne her speciall sinne which David cals his owne iniquity and the speciall sinnes of the time here is an admirable spirit indeed and certainly herein did this blessed child of God shine out most chearly in that she laboured to avoid all finne and her own sinne and the sinnes of these dayes and times Again for the doing of good she that indeavours to perform all duties and especially her duties and those duties that the world hates and scornes and speakes ill off certainly such a woman as this is of an admirable spirit yet this also was the spirit of this Saint of God in that she indeavoured to do all duties injoyned and for those that concerned her in her place she shined out admirably in them yea she was constant and diligent in performing those duties which a wicked heart most hates as redeeming of the time walking precisely growing in grace standing for God with zeale of heart and the like this argues an excellencie And as thus in doing the will of God in his command so also for a patient subjecting unto the will of God in his providence Though the Saint of God had much experience in matter of prosperity yet she had had also great experience in matter of adversity yet notwithstanding was not that an admirable speech of her Iâ— is the Lord let doe what seemes him good had any dâ—ne this but the Lord I should never have borne it but seeing the Lord hath done it why should I be impatient under it Nay when her Child her dear and onely Sonne was dead this was that which stayed her spirit that the Lord had done it And as thus for the matter so also for the manner too when this is done sincerely with constancie and continuance truly that was a pretty time of tryal which she had for 30. years together and for the measure thus with zeal when this manner and measure is added to that matter there must needs be an excellencie together with this effect growth in grace and this end the glory of God when for for the matter it is thus universally against all sinne our sinne and the sinnes of the Time unto all duties our duties and the contemned duties of the Time And thus in respect of suffering patiently submitting unto the will of God and when for
ones upon earth even unto those that do excell in vertue and excell in grace Should a man come unto every man and unto every woman in this place and ask them this question vvhat kind of persons have the highest roome in your soules whom dâ—e you most highly prize and most dearly love this is a most sensible thing and bâ—ing applyed will come close unto the quick is it a gracious man yea or no is it an excellent man in praise yea or no if it be not from God I tell thee this day that the Lord marks thee out this day for a bad man what can be more plain then that in 1 Jâ—h 3. 10. by this is manifested a chiâ—â— of God and a child of the Divell a child of God is one that loves God anâ—â—â—rkâ—s righteousnesse and he loves his brother especially his brother in â—race above hiâ— bâ—â—ther in nâ—tuâ—e why ye must live with those whom ye love Oh this child of God that is now deaâ— she loved the Saints of God while she lived and theâ—eâ—ore now she lives with the Saints of God being dead This loving of the brâ—thâ—eâ— is not as the cause why we are in a blessed state for so Christ is but as an evidence so indeed it is This for the second Use Use 3. The third Use is to perswade good men bad men all men to come unto God and to get much from God even to excell in grace that so at deâ—th they may be able to say in truth what our Saviour said for peâ—fection Oh saith he in John 17. 1. Faâ—her I have finisht the work which thou gavâ—st me to dâ— now therefore Fâ—ther glâ—rifie me There was a work given him to doe and a work given him by God this work must be done it was so then he prayes Now therfore Father glorifie me So the Lord hath given thee and given me a work to do a work in generall a work in speciall a work to do a work to finish and it is the work which the Lord hath given us now then let it be thy indeavour to finish it and then when death comes thou maist pray in truth as thy Saviour did for perfection Father the worke which thou gavest me to doe I have done it yea Father I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do now therefore Fatheâ— glorifie me And here now take both the means for this and also the Argument to it 1. For the means whereby we may come excell in gâ—ace for this is thy glory and this is thy commendation they are these three 1. The Lord Christ the Fountain of grace 2. The spirit of Christ the Author and Workâ—â— of grace some speciall and particular graces of Gods spirit And 3. the right making use of the meanes of grace For the first of these to wit Christ the fountain of grace Would a man have grace yea would a man be full of grace why the Text tells us that there is a fulnesse of grace in Christ and of his fulnesse we must all receive grace for grace And would a man indeed be excellent let him labour in a speciall manner to be filled with Gods Spirit oh that evill jearing spirit that is in persons against Gods Spirit at any time at their best leisure let them read what I would commend unto them and they shall finde in the book of God that when it is said that such a man did something that was excellent then the text tells us that the Spirit of God was upon him and the Spirit of God filled him Sampson was a strong man yet when he did any admirable act of strength you shall find that the Spirit of God stirred him up Elijah did great great things but then the Spirit of God came upon him Elisha also did great things but then the Spirit of God came upon him So in Luke 1. there it is said that the Mother of John was filled with rhe Holy Ghost and the Father there was filled with the Holy Ghost and then he spake unto admiration ver 37. and 34. So in the Acts of the Apostles in the 1. of the Acts there the promise is made that the Apostles shall be filled with the Holâ— Ghost and in Acts 2. what wonders do they but first they are filled with the Holy Ghost So you shall find in Acts 3 4 5. Then the Apostles filled with the Holy Ghost and Then the Apostles filled with the Holy Ghâ—st did so and so So in Acts 6. and in Acts 7 there is Stephen full of the Holy Ghost an admirable man and Paul in Acts 11. being full of the Holy Ghost set his eyes there on a wicked Wretch who is that why a man that hindred the passage of the Gospell that Bariesus that sought to turn the Deputy from the Faith Pauâ— looking on him he said Oh full of all subtilty and malice thou child of the Divell and enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the straight wayes of the Lord Thus you see that when any either admirable speech hath bin spoken or any admirable thing hath bin done still persons have bin filled with the Holy Ghost Thus labour to partake of the fulnesse of Christ and labour to be filled with the Holy Ghost And for the speciall grace of Gods Spirit as in the body of a man that is strong lusty active and able some parts are to supply with spirits for nourishments and for growth as the stomack liver and heart so in the soul of a child of God there are certain graces that are usefull for all practises such as are these 〈◊〉 Faith Hope Love and Fear these are all Mother graces hâ— but above all the fiâ—st â—o the grace of Faith this will direct a man what he should dâ— this will perswade a man why he should do and this will inable a man hâ—w he should dâ— yea to work wonders all the wonders that have bin in the world have bin wâ—nderfull by their Faith And for Hope that is an admirable grace to make a man rare in gâ—ace dâ—e not you remember what is said in Jâ—h 1. 3. he that hath this hope what hâ—pe is that why this hope to see Christ and tâ— be like him he that hath this hope what doth he why he doth purifie himself even as Châ—ist is pure and that other Text also in 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. Seeing these things mâ—st be dissolved â—h what mâ—nner of persons ought wee to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse why what is the matter why because the time shall come when the Heaven shall passe away with a noise the Element shall melt with fervent heat and the Earth with the things that are therein shall be burnt up and then we looke for â—ew Heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousnesse we look for a new Heaven a new earth that is we look for another place of habitation even in heaven for properly there is no earth
in heaven but as these heavens and this earth is now the place of our habitation so after death we looke for another place of habitation then this even in heaven Seeing then our hope is in heaven to have another and a better a more happy and blessed place of habitation then wee have here below now therefore what manner of persons ought we to be For Love now Faith is an intaking grace but when it would put it selfe out for the doing of any good then it takes hold on Love Faith works by love saith the Apostle it works love and it works by love and this love of God as the Apostle speaks will constrain a man to live unto God yea to the utmost of his desires and indâ—avours the love of grace will not make a man stint himself in his deâ—â—res after grace no as those persons that do love money would not only have this hundred or that 1000. but many hundreds and many thousands especially if they love it for it selfe then there is no end of their desires after money So let a man turn the stâ—eam of his desires towards grace and then he will long after it unmeasurably he will never stint his desires after it and say Thus much grace will serve me and so much grace will content me And as love thus will put a man on unto that is good so lastly for Feare it will pluck a man back from the doing of what is evill therefore that man there in the book of Nehemâ—ah was faithfull above many because he feared God above many Lastly the meanes of grace in the use and the right use of them when men heaâ— Sermons and then afterwards preach them over and over again to themselves that they may have grace in their hearts and expresse grace in their lives Oh this duty of meditation in bringiâ—g things home unto the heart is one of the â—peciall means to make the soule rich in expressing the power of godlinesse in life and conversation this for the means of it Now for the Arguments to it and they are four From God the thing our selves and others Why shouâ—d thou and I labour thus to be rare and excellent in grace why first because God bids us if there were no more but this it is enough for thee and me that God bids us labour to be so thus in 1 Peâ— 5 the Lord is calling upon us to grow in grace and in Mat. 5. last verse Be ye peâ—fâ—ct as yâ—ur 〈◊〉 Fâ—ther is perfect what can we be as perfect as God is faâ— be we from that conceit but we should labour to be like unto God for there he is speaking how God doth good to the bad nay God doth good to his enemies now let us bâ—ing our selves unto this rule of perfectiâ—n Certainly if a man doth excell in vertue and be rare in grace in the world he shall have enemies â—ost thou love them canst thou pray heartily for them this is now to be perfect as thy heavenly â—â—ther is perfect Secondly look on the thing it selfe it is in it self a most câ—mmendable thing you shall find that the Lord doth study to find out tearmes to to put upon his people that are rare in grace for their praise and commâ—ndation as Abraham Moses David and Daniel oh for Daniel the Lord comes again again to him to tell him Oh Daniel a man of desires a man greatly beloved the heart of God is so taken with him that herepeats it again Oâ— Daniel a man greatly beloved that is a rare expression of the Holy Ghost for the praise and commendation of such a man as doth excell in grace Thirdly look on ouâ— selvs in regard of our own persons in heart and in regard of life 1. For our hearts to have the love of God towards a man and the blessing of God in a speciall manner upon the spirit of a man oh this is an admirable thing indeed to bee inriched in the world oh we say this is an excellent thing and how will men â—iâ—e early and go to bed late and all for what why for this that the Lord may bâ—eâ—se them with a rich state in the world But oh the blessing of God on the sâ—ule of a man in making a man â—ich in grace this is an excellent thing indeed one dâ—am of grace is worth all the world now the Lord will inrich thoâ—e in grace that do use well the means of grace Take heed how you heâ—â— saith Christ for looâ— in what manner of heâ—ring you hear â—nd with what meâ—sure of diligenâ—e afâ—er hearing you use sâ— God will measure out again to you Thus in regard of a mans heart within 2. In regard of a mans life without truly our life is but shoâ—t we have a great deâ—l of work to do and but little time therfore saith the wisemâ—n Eccles 9. What soever thou findest to do do it with all thy might saith he why so why for as the time is short so after death there is no working then the time of this life is a working time after death is the receiving of wages though a wicked man shold do never so much in hell yet that couâ—d not any way comfort him but what he hath done in the body look to that mainly And as thus for ouâ— selvs so lastly for others and that both for them also from them For them doâ—t â—hou wish well to thy Countrey dost thou wish well to Engâ—and dost thou wish well to this City of Yorâ—e to the Parish the Family where thou liveâ—t oh then labour for this excelâ—ent state if thou dâ—e excell in grace thou art the person that must prevail with God for wife for child for Church for state for County for â—ingdom all if there be any hope to prevail with God in mercy his excellent ones must do it but when there is no hope then saith the Lord Though Noah Daniel Joâ— should all joyn together in prayer I would not hear them implying thus much That then the case is desperate when such excellent ones cannot prevail And as thus for others so also from others Would'st thou receive strength and incouragement from persons in the worst times why then it must be from the Saints that dâ— excell in grace In evill and dangerous times Câ—leâ— Jâ—shuâ—h who were rare Saints Elyah a rare Saint Dâ—niel a rare Saint they must step up that so from them Gods people being discouraged distressed might receive comfort incouragement And here now Her whom in the beginning I set out unto you by way of Commendation I now again set before you as a pattern for the imitatiâ—n FINIS AN ELEGIE UPON The much lamented Death of that vertuous Lady and unparallel'd Matron ELIZABETH HOYLE LATE Wife to the Worshipfull Thomas Hoyle Alderman of the City of Yorke who surprized with an Apâ—plexie at her private Devotionâ— departed this lifâ— Decemb. 9. 1639. Come my people enter thou