here rendred Peace signifies the quietnesse and silence of his mind he did not hold his tongue onely for many a man may hold his tongue and yet his mind and heart may kick and swell against God but his very mind was quiet and still there was a heavenly calme in his Spirit he was dumb and silent because the Lord had done it So in Acts 10. 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God We are not here to heare what may tickle our eares or please our fansies or satisfie our lusts no but we are here to hear what God will say our hearts stand ready pressed to subject themselves to whatever God shall declare to be his will we are willing to heare that we may doe that we may obey sincerely and universally the good pleasure of our God knowing that 't is as well our dignity as our duty so to doe There are three things in an humble soule that doe strongly incline it to duty The first is Divine Love The second is Divine Presence The third is Divine Glory The Dove made use of her wings to fly to the Ark so does an humble soule of his duties to fly to Christ Though the Dove did use her wings yet she did not trust in her wings but in the Ark So though an humble soule does use duties yet he does not trust in his duties but in his Jesus But now proud hearts they hate the truth they cry out Who is the Lord that we should obey him And what are his Commandements that we should submit to them I but an humble soule falls under the power of truth and counts it his greatest glory to be obedient to all truth A fifth property of an humble soule is this An humble soule lives not upon himselfe nor upon his owne actings but upon the Lord Jesus and his actings Poore men you know they doe not live upon themselves they live upon others they live upon the care of others the love of others the provision of others why thus an humble soule lives upon the care of Christ the love of Christ the promise of Christ the faithfulnesse of Christ the discoveries of Christ he lives upon Christ for his Justification Phil. 3. from ver 7. to 10 He lives upon Christ for his Sanctification Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North winde and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out And he lives upon Christ for his Consolation Cant 2. 3. As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the Sons I sate downe under his shaddow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast And he lives upon Christ for the performance of all holy actions Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me An humble soule sees in Christ * Plenitudo abundantiae and plenitudo redandantiae Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good Christ is quicquid appetibile as Origen speaks whatever we can desire Isa 58. 2. 7. Luke 7. 4 5 6 7. 6 Property A proud heart resists and is resisted this is duro durum flint to flint fire to fire Job 13. 25. An humble soule blesses God as well for crosses as mercies as well for adversity as for prosperity as well for frowns as for smiles c. because he judges himself unworthy of the least rebukes from God a fullnesse of Abundance and a fullnesse of redundancy and here his soul lives and feeds An humble soul sees that all his stock is in the hands of Christ his stock of Graces his stock of Comforts his stock of experiences are in the hands of Jesus Christ who is the Great Lord Keeper of all a Believers Graces and of all his Comforts and therefore as Children live upon them in whose hand their stock is be it a Brother or a Friend Why so an humble soule sees its stock is in the hand of the Lord Jesus and therefore he lives upon Christ upon his love and his provision and his undertakings c. But now proud hearts live not upon the Lord Jesus Christ they live upon themselves and upon their owne duties their owne righteousnesse their owne actings as the Scripture evidences Christ dwells in that heart most eminently that hath emptied it selfe of it selfe Christ is the humble mans Manna upon which he lives and by which he thrives A sixth Property of an humble soule is this He judges himselfe to be below the wrath and judgements of God An humble soule looks upon himselfe as one not worthy that God should spend a rodd upon him in order to his reformation edification or salvation As I am unworthy saith an humble soule that God should smile upon me so I am unworthy that he should spend a frowne upon me Job 13. 25. Wilt thou break a leafe driven too and fro and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble Why I am but a leaf I am but a little dry stubble I am below thy wrath I am so very very bad that I wonder that thou shouldst so much as spend a rod upon me What more weak worthlesse slight and contemptible then a leafe then dry stubble why Lord sayes Job I am a poor weak and worthlesse Creature I wonder that thou shouldst take any paines to doe me good I can't but count and call every thing a mercy that is lesse then hell So David in 1 Sam. 24. 14. After whom is the King of Israel come out after whom dost thou pursue after a dead Dogg after a Flea The language of a humble soule when God begins to be angry is this Lord I can blesse thee that thou wilt take any paines with me but I humbly acknowledge that I am below the least rodd I am not worthy that thou shouldst frowne upon me threaten me strike me or whip me for my internall and eternall good But proud hearts think themselves wronged when they are afflicted they cry out with Cain Our punishment is greater then we can beare Gen. 4. 13. 7 Property Another Property of an humble soule is this An humble soule doth highly prize the least of Christ The least smile the least good word the least good look the least truth the least mercy is highly valued by an humble soule The Cananitish woman in the 15 of Matthew sets a high Vers 27. Faith will pick an Argument out of a repulse and turn discouragements into incouragements Luther would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible such a price he set upon it from the sweet that he found in it Song 1. 3. John 10. 4 5. Psal 27. 4. Mat. 9. 20. 21. Acts 24. 14. 1 Cor. â—9 22. Austin
Alexander had with the Conquest of halfe the world and the fruition of all the treasures pleasures and glories of Asia So an humble soule is more contented and satisfied with Daniel's pulse and John's Coat then proud Princes are with their glistering Crownes and golden Scepters The fourteenth Property of an humble soule is this It can 14 Property rejoyce in the graces and gracious actings of others as well as in its owne An humble Moses could say when Eldad and Medad Prophecied in the Camp Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon Numb 11. 26-30 them So humble Paul in Acts 26. 29. And Paul said I would to God that not onely thou but also all that hear me this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A little and a gâ—eat way day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bonds I heartily wish and pray for thine owne sake that not onely in a low but in an eminent degree both thou and all that are here present were as far Christians as I am Onely I The Ancient Church had her Diptyâ—hs or publick tables wherein the peâ—sons most noted for piety were recorded Plato called Aristotle the Intelligent Readerâ— and Aristotle set up an Altar in honour of Plato would not wish them Imprisoned as I am An humble soule is no churle there is no envy in spirituall things one may have as much of spirituals as another and all alike So in 1 Thess 1. 2 3. We give thanks to God alwayes for you all making mention of you in our prayers Remembring without ceasing your worke of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our father So in the 2 Epistle 1. 2 3 4. Grace be unto you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ We are bound to thanke God alwayes for you brethren as it is meet because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth So that we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure Ezekiel can commend Daniel his contemporary matching him with Noah Ezek. 14. 14. 2 Pet. 3. c. and Job for his power in prayer And Peter highly praises Pauls Epistles though he had been sharply reproved in one of them Oh! but proud soules will be still a casting disgrace and contempt upon those excellencies in others that they want Caesar Bâ—rgâ— a emulating imitating Julius Caesar used to say Aut Caesar aut nullut But not long after he was slaine in the Kingdome of Navarre in themselves A proud Cardinall in Luthers time said Indeed a reformation is needfull and to be desired but that Luther a rascally Fryer should be the man should doe it is intollerable Pride is like certaine Flies called Cantharides who light especially upon the fairest wheat and the most blown Roses Though Licinius who was joyned with Galerius in the Empire was so ignorant that he could not write his owne name yet as Eusebius reports he called the Liberall Arts a publick poyson This age is full of such Monsters that envy every light that outshines their owne and that throw dirt upon the graces and excellencies of others that themselves may onely shine Pride is notable both at Substraction and at Multiplication A proud heart alwayes prizes himselfe above the Market he reckons his owne pence for pounds and others pounds for pence he looks upon his owne Counters as gold and upon others gold as Counters All Pearles are counterfeit but what he wears The fifteenth Property of an humble soul is He will rather 15 Property Psal 94. 1. Rom. 12. 19. I maytruly say of thehumble soul what Tul ly said of Caesar Nihil obli visci solet nisi injurias that he forgot nothing but injuries bear wrongs then revenge wrongs offered The humble soule knowes that Vengeance is the Lords and that he will repay c The humble soule loves not to take the sword into his owne hand he knowes the day is a coming wherein the Lord will give his Enemies two blowes for one and here he rests An humble soule when wrongs are offered is like a man with a sword in one hand and a salve in the other could wound but will heale Psal 35. 11 12 13 14 15 16. False witnesses did rise up they laid to my charge things that I knew not They rewarded me evill for good to the spoiling of my soule But as for me when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth I humbled my soule with fasting and my prayer returned into my owne Aâ—gustus Caesar in whose time Christ was born bid Catullus the â—aiâ—ing Poet to supper to shew that he had forgiven him bosome I behaved my selfe as though he had been my friend or brother I bowed downe heavily as one that mourneth for his mother c. The Scripture abounds in instances of this nature Dyonisius having not very well used Plato at the Court when he was gone fearing least he should write against him he sent after him to bid him not to write against him Sayes he Tell Dyonisius that I have not so much leisure as to think of him So humble wronged soules are not at leisure to think of the wrongs and injuries that others doe them Mr. Fox that wrote the Book of Martyrs would be sure to doe him a kindnesse that had done him an injury So that it used to be a Proverb If a man would have Mr. Fox doe him a kindnesse let him doe him an injury An humble soule is often in looking over the wrongs and injuries that he ha's done to God and the sweet and tender carraiage of God towards him notwithstanding those wrongs and injuries and this wins him and works him to be more willing and ready to beare wrongs and forgive wrongs then to revenge any offered wrongs The sixteenth Property of an humble soule is this An humble soule though he be of never so rare abilities yet he will not 16 Property Isa 11. 6. disdaine to be taught what he knowes not by the meanest persons A Child shall lead the humble soule in the way that is good he cares not how mean and contemptible the person is if a guide or an instructer to him Apollo an Eloquent man and mighty in the Scripture a Master in Israel yet sits by an Aquilla a Tent-maker and Vide Beza on the words Priscilla his wife to be instructed by them Acts 18. 24 25 26. Sometimes the poorest and the meanest Christian may for counsel and comfort be a God to another as Moses was to Aaron As an humble soule knowes that the Starres have their scituation in Heaven though sometimes he sees them by their reflection in a puddle in the bottome of a well or in a stinking
living be justified So Job Though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Iob 9. 15. Judge Proud Pharisees blesse themselves in their owne righteousnesse I thank God I am not as this Publican I fast twice Lu. 18. 11 12 A proud heart eyes more his seeming worth then his reall want Rev. 4 10 11. Non decet Christianum in hac vita coronari said the Christian Souldier in the weeke c. I but now a soule truly humbled blushes to see his owne righteousnesse and glories in this that he has the righteousnesse of Christ to live upon Rev. 4. 10 11. the twenty foure Elders throw downe their Crownes at the feet of Christ By their Crownes you may understand their gifts their excellencies their righteousnesse they throw downe these before Christs Throne to note to us that they did not put confidence in them and that Christ was the Crowne of Crownes and the top of all their Royalty and glory An humble soule looks upon Christs righteousnesse as his holy Crowne Thirdly The lowest and the meanest good worke is not below V. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to gaine with joy and delight of heart Ah! says Paul 't is my greatest joy my greatest delighttogain souls to Christ The word also signifies craft or guile Ah! humble Paul will use a holy craft a holy guile to win soules To know the Art of Alms is greater then to be crown'd with the Diadem of Kings yet to convert one soul is greater then to poure out ten thousand Talents into the baskeâ—s of the poore Chrysostome John 13. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 8. Phil. 2. 6. Col. 1. 19. 2. 3. John 13. 5. Proud hearts can't stoop to low services they say this work that is below their parts place parentage employments Cirius Scipiâ— These Heathens will rise in judgement against many proud professâ—rs in these dayes who scorne to stoopto mean services c. 4 Property Veniat veniat ver bam Domini submittemus illi sex cenia sâ— nobis essent colla Said Baldassar a German Minister So 't is with all that are high in worth humble in heart Lev. 10. 2 3. God will be sanctified either actively or passively Aut à nobis aut in nos either in us or upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word oâ—ten signifies a modest quietnesse of mind the troubled affections being allayed So here In Lam. 3. 27 28 29. It signifies to submit unto God and to be patient in affliction and so it may betaken here Nunquam nimis dicitur quod nanquam satis discitur we can never hear that too often that we can never learn too wel Militi multa agenda patienda plura The christian souldier must doe many things suffer more 5 Property If Seneca said of his wise man Majore parte illic est unde descendit He is more in Heaven then in earth this is much more true of humble holysouls Dulce nomen Christi Sweet is the name of Christ Christ may well be compared to the trees of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47 12. which were both for meat Medicine an humble soule An humble David will dance before the Ark he enjoyed so much of God in it that it caused him to leap and dance before it but Michal his wife despised him for a foole and counted him as a simple vaine fellow looking upon his carriage as vaine and light and not becoming the might Majesty and glory of so glorious a Prince Well sayes this humble soule if this be to be vile I will be more vile Great Paul yet being humble and low in his owne eyes he can stoop to doe service to the least and the meanest Saint 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21. For though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all that I might gaine the more And unto the Jewes I became as a Jew that I might gaine the Jewes To them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gaine them that are under the Law To them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gaine them that are without Law To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all means gaine some Here you have an humble soule bowing and stooping to the meanest Saints and the lowest services that he might win soules So the Lord Jesus himselfe was famous in this John 13. 4. Though he was the Lord of glory and one that thought it no robbery to be equall with God one that had all perfection and fullnesse in himselfe yet the lowest work is not below this King of Kings witnesse his washing his Disciples feet and wiping them with a Towell Bonaventure though he was born of great Parentage and a great Scholler yet to keep his mind from swelling he would often sweep rooms wash vessels and make beds So that famous Italian Marquess when God was pleased by the Ministry of his word to convert him the lowest work was not below him though he might have liv'd like a King in his owne Countrey yet having tasted of that life and sweet that was in Jesus he was so humble that he would goe to Market and carry home the meanest and the poorest things the Market yielded There was nothing below him when God had chang'd him and humbled him 'T is recorded to the glory of some antient Generalls that they were able to call every common Souldier by his owne name and were carefull to provide money not onely for their Captaines and Souldiers but litter also for the meanest Beast There is not the lowest good that is below the humble soule If the work be good though never so low humility will put a hand to it so will not pride A fourth Property of an humbled heart is this An humble heart will submit to every truth of God that is made knowne to it even to those Divine truths that are most crosse to flesh and blood 1 Sam. 3. 17. Eli would faine know what God had discovered to Samuel concerning him Samuel tells him that he must break his neck that the Priesthood must be taken away from him and his Sons must be slaine in the warre why it is the Lord saith he let him doe what seemeth him good So in Levit. 10. the Lord by fire from Heaven destroyes Aarons two Sons Then Moses said unto Aaron this is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified and Aaron held his peace If God misse of his honour one way he will raine hell out of Heaven but he will have it another way this Aaron knew and therefore he held his peace when God shewed himselfe to be a consuming fire The Hebrew word that is
as a little sum multiplied is great that they cloud the face of God wound conscience grieve the spirit rejoyce Satan and make work for Repentance c. An humble soule knows that little sins suppose them so are very dangerous a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump a little staffe may kill one a little poyson may poyson one a little leak in a ship sinkes it a little Flye in the box of Ointment spoyles it a little flaw in a good cause marres it So a little sin may at once barre the door of Heaven and open the gates of Hell and therefore an humble soule smites and strikes it selfe for the least as well as the greatest Though a head of Garlike be little yet it will poyson the Leopard though he be great Though a Mouse is but little yet it will kill an Elephant if he gets up into his Trunk Though the Scorpion be little yet it will sting a Lyon to death and so will the least sin if not pardoned by the death of Christ A proud heart counts great sins small and small sins no sins and so disarmes Conscience for a time of its whipping and wounding power but at death or in Hell conscience will take up an iron rod with which it will lash the sinner for ever and then though too late the sinner shall acknowledge his little sins to be very great and his great sins to be exceeding grievous and odious c. The tenth Property of an humble soule is this It will quietly 10 Property Psal 39. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Alam which signifies to be mute or tongue-tied Lev. 10. 1 2 3 Vaiidem from Clam am which signifies the quietnesse of the mind the troubled affections being allayed 1 Sam. 3. 11-19 2 Sam. 16. 5-14 Gallesius observes upon Exod. 22. 28. the exceeding patience of those three Emperours Theodosius Honorius and Arcadius towards those that spoke evill of them bear burdens and patiently take blowes and knocks and make no noise An humble soule sees God through man he sees God through all the actions and carriages of men I was dumb saith the Prophet I opened not my mouth because thou didst it An humble soule looks through secondary causes and sees the hand of God and then layes his owne hand upon his mouth An humble soule is a mute soule a tongue-tied soule when he looks through secondary causes to the supream cause So Aaron when he saw his Sons suddenly surprised by a dreadfull and dolefull death he held his peace he bridled his passions he sits silent under a terrible stroke of Divine Justice because the fire that devoured them went out from the Lord. So when Samuel had told Eli that God would judge his house for ever and that he had sworn that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever c. It is the Lord sayes Eli let him doe what seemeth him good Eli humbly and patiently layes his neck upon the block it is the Lord let him strike let him kill c. sayes Eli. So David when Shimei manifested his desperate fury and folly malice and madnesse in raving and raging at him in cursing and reproaching of him sayes he Let him alone and let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him God sayes he will by his wise providence turne his cursing into blessing I see the Justice of God in his cursing therefore let him alone let him curse sayes David Cassianus reports that when a certaine Christian was held Captive by the Infidels and tormented by divers paines and ignominious taunts being demanded by way of scorne and reproach Tell us what Christ has done for you answered He Acts Mon. fol. 811. hath done what you see that I am not moved at all the cruelties and contumelies you cast upon me So that blessed Martyr Gyles of Brussells when the Fryers By long soo thingour own wills we have forsaken as Cassian saith the very shadow of patience sent to reduce him did at any time miscall him he ever held his peace insomuch that those wretches would say abroad that he had a dumb Devil in him Full Vessels will bear many a knock many a stroke and yet make no noise So Christians that are full of Christ that are full of the Spirit will bare many a knock many a stroke and yet make no noise An humble soule may groan under afflictions but he will not grumble in calmes Proud hearts discourse of patience but in stormes humble hearts exercise patience Philosophers have much commended it but in the houre of darknesse 't is onely the humble Christian that acts it I am afflicted sayes the humble soule but 't is mercy I am not destroyed I am fallen into the pit 't is free-grace I am not fallen into Hell God is too just to wrong me and too gratious to harme me and therefore I will be still and quiet let him doe what he will Isa 58. 1 2 3. with me sayes the humble soule But proud soules resist when they are resisted they strike when they are stricken Who is Non sic deos coluimus aut sic viximus ut ille nos vinceret said the Emperour An onius Philosophus the Lord sayes lofty Pharoah that I should obey him and Cain cryes out My punishment is greater then I am able to beare Well remember this though it be not easie in afflictions and tribulations to hold our peace yet 't is very advantagious which the Heathens seemed to intimate in placing the Image of Angeronia with the mouth bound upon the Altar of Volupia to shew that those that doe prudently and humbly conceale their sorrowes and anxieties by patience shall attaine comfort and refreshment The eleventh Property of an humble soule is this In all 11 Property John 14. 13. Ch. 15. 16. 16. 23 26. The name of Jesus hath a thousandtreasures of joy comfort in it saith Chrysostome And is therefore us'd by Paul five hundred times as some have reckoned Religious duties and services he trades with God upon the credit of Christ Lord sayes the humble soule I need power against such and such sins give it me upon the credit of Christs blood I need strength to such and such services give it me upon the credit of Christs word I need such and such mercies for the cheering refreshing quickening and strengthening of me give them into my bosome upon the credit of Christs intercession As a poore man lives and deales upon the credites of others so does an humble soule live and deale with God for the strengthening of every grace and for the supply of every mercy upon the credit of the Lord Jesus An humble soul knows that since he broke with God in Innocency God will trust him no more he will take his word no more and therefore when he goes to God for mercy he brings his Benjamin his Jesus in his armes and pleads for mercy upon
my spirit that I would not leave a man alive but blessed be God and blessed be thy Counsel An humble soule can sit downe and blesse God under reproofs An humble soule is like the Scythian King that went naked in the snow and when Alexander wondered how he could endure it he answered I am not ashamed for I am all forehead Manasses King of Judâ—h being reproved by the Aged Princely Prophet Isaiah caused him neare to the Fountaine of Silce to be sawen in sunder with a wooden Saw in the eightieth yeare os his age For which cruell fact amongst other of his sinnes he was sorely punished by God 2 Chron. 33. 11 So Cambyses King of Persia hated Prexaspes one of his Nobles that was familiar with him for reproving his drunkennesse An humble soule is all forehead able to bear reproves with much wisedome and patience Oh! but a proud heart cannot bear reproofs he scornes the Reprover and his Reproofs too Prov. 15. 12. A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him neither will he goe unto the wise Amos 5. 10. They hate him that reproveth in the gate as Ahab did good Micaiah and Herod did John Baptist and the Pharisees our Saviour Luke 16. 13. Christ being to deale with the covetous Scribes and Pharisees he layes the Law home and tels them plainly that they could not serve God and Mammon Here Christ strikes at their right eye but how doe they bear this mark in the 14 verse The Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him The Pharisees did not simply laugh at Christ but gave also externall signes of scorne in their countenance and gestures * Exemukterizon they blowed their nose at him manifesting thereby their scorning at what he said Exod. 2. 13 14 They blew their nose at him for that 's the meaning of the Originall word By their gestures they did demonstrate their horrid deriding of him they fleared and jeared when they should have feared and trembled at the wrath to come In Isa 28. 10. For precept must be upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little One observes that that was a scoff put upon the Prophet and is as if they should say Here is nothing but precept upon precept line upon line And indeed the very sound of the words in the Original carries a taunt Zau le zau kau lakau as scornfull people by the tone of their voyce and riming words scorne at such as they despise Pride and passion and other vices in these dayes goe armed touch them never so gently yet like the nettle they will sting you and if you deale with them roundly roughly cuttingly as the Apostle speaks they will swagger with you as the Hebrew did with Moses Who made thee a Judge over us And thus much for the Properties of an humble soule I come now to the next thing and that is to shew you the Reasons why the best men are the most humble men First Because they see themselves the greatest debtors to God 1 Reason for what they doe enjoy There 's no man on Earth that sees himselfe such a debtor to God as the humble man Every smile makes him a debtor to God and every good word from Heaven makes him a When a Knight died at Rome that was much in debt Augustus the Emperour sent to buy his bed conceiâ—ing that there must needs be some extraordinary vertue in it it he that was so much in debt could take any rest upon it An humble soul sees hiâ—self so much in debt for mercies in hand and mercies in hope that he can't sleep without blessing and admiring of God I have read of a Stork that cast a pearle into the bosome of a Maid which had healed her of a wound So humble souls cast the pearl of praise into the bosome of God for all his favours towards â—hem Guc Hist l. 4. 2 Reason debtor to God he looks upon all his temporals as health wealth Wife Child Friend c. and sees himselfe deeply indebted for all He looks upon his spirituall mercies and sees himselfe a great debtor to God for them he looks upon his Graces and sees himselfe a debtor for them he looks upon his Experiences and sees himselfe a debtor for them he looks upon all his priviledges and sees himselfe a debtor for them he looks upon hiâ— incomes and sees himselfe a debtor for them The more mercy he hath received the more he looks upon himselfe indebted and obliged to pay duty and tribute to God as you may see in Psal 116. 6 7 8 12 13 14 verses compared In the 6 7 8 verses he tels you of the mercies he had received from God and in the 12 13 verses sayes he What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I see my selfe saith he wonderfully indebted well what then why I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord I will pay my vowes unto the Lord in the presence of all his people c. The same you have in the 16 17 18 verses of the same Psalme So David Psal 103. 1 2 3 4. casts his eyes upon his temporall and his spirituall mercies and then cals upon his soule O my soule blesse the Lord and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases c. An humble soule knowes that 't is a strange folly to be proud of being more in debt then another 'T is true saith he I have this and that mercy in possession and such and such mercies in reversion but by all I am the more a debtor to God Caesar admired at that mad Souldier who was very much in debt and yet slept so quietly So do's an humble soule wonder and admire to see men that are so much indebted to God for mercies as many are and yet sleep so quietly and be so mindlesse and carelesse in blessing and praising of God There is nothing saith one that endures so small a time as the memory of mercies received and the more great they are the more commonly they are recompenced with ingratitude Secondly it is Because in this life they have but a tast of God In the 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gratious The best of men on this side Heaven have but a tast he is but in a tasting desiring hungring thirsting and growing condition Job 26. ult These are part of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him So in 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 12. We knew but in part and we prophecy but in part now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face The
what thou wouldest have as you may see in Ephes 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit rf Promise The Originall runs thus In whom believing you were sealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While faith is busied and exercised about Christ and those varieties of glories and excellencies that are in him the Lord comes and by his spirit seales the life and love and glory of them Thus by Divine assistance I have dispatched the first thing viz. The deciphering of weake Christians The second thing that I propounded for the further opening and clearing of this Point was To hold forth to you those things that tend to support comfort and uphold weak Christians And truly I must needs say that if ever there were a time wherein weak Christians had need of support I verily believe this is the time wherein we live for by the horrid prophanenesse of men on the one hand and the abominable loose and rotten Principles of others on the other hand the hearts of many weak Christans especially are sadded that God would not have sadded and their spirits wounded and grieved that God would have comforted and healed and therefore I shall dwell the longer upon this second thing And the first thing that I shall lay downe by way of Support is this 1 Support He that loâ—kt upon the brazen Serpent though with a weak sight was healed a throughly as he that lookt upon it with a stronger sight A weak faith is a joynt possessor though no faith can be â— joynt purâ—haser of Christ That the weakest Christians have as much interest and propriety in Christ and all the fundamentall good that comes by Christ as the strongest Saints in the world have Weak Saints are as much united to Christ as much justified by Christ as much reconciled by Christ and as much pardoned by Christ as the strongest Saints 'T is true weak Christians cannot make so much improvement and advantage of their interest in Christ as strong Saints can they have not that power that wisedome that spirituall skill to make that advantage of their interest and propriety in Christ as strong Saints have Yet have they as much interest and propriety in the Lord Jesus and all the fundamentall good that comes by him as the strongest Saint that breaths The sucking Child hath as much interest and propriety in the father and in what is the fathers as the Child that 's growne up to age Though the young Child ha's not that skill nor that power nor wisedome to improve that interest to his advantage as he that 's growne up in years hath It 's just so here A soule weak in grace hath as much interest in the Lord as the strongest Saint hath though he hath not that skill to improve that interest And is not this a singular comfort and support Verily were there no more to bear up a poor weak Saint from fainting under all his sins and sorrowes and sufferings yet this alone might doe it c. The Second Support and Comfort to weake Saints is this That God doth with an eye of love reflect upon the least good 2 Support that is in them or done by them And is not this a glorious Comfort and Support that the Lord looks with an eye of love upon the least good that 's in you or done by you You cannot have a good thought but The least Star gives light the least drop moystens God looks upon that thought with an eye of love Psal 32. 5. I said I would confesse my sin and thou forgavest mine iniquity I said it in my thoughts that I would confesse my sin and thou presently meeting me with pardoning mercy forgavest mine iniquity So in Mal. 3. 16. And there was a Book of Remembrance written for them that feare the Lord and that thought upon his name They had but some thoughts of God and God reflects upon those thoughts with an eye of love Isa 38. 5. I have heard thy prayers I have seene thy teares Tears we look upon but as poor things and yet God looks upon them as Pearles and therefore he puts them into So in Ps 6. 8. One observes that there are 2 strong things in Tears 1 Deorsum fluunt coelum terunt They drop downward and fall to the earth yet they teach upwards and pierce the Pereâ— 2 Muliae sunt loquuntur They hold their peace yet cry very loud his Bottle as the Psalmist speaks There is not a bit of bread nor a drop of drink thou givest but God casts an eye of love upon it Mat. 25. 35 36. There is not a desire that arises in thy soule but the Lord takes notice of it Prov. 10. 17. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble Weak Saints are full of desires their whole life is a life of desires they are stil a breathing out holy desires Lord Pardon such a sin and give me power against such a sin and strength Lord to withstand such a Temptation and grace Lord to uphold me under such an Affliction c. and the Lord hears and answers such gracious breathings and longings It was holy Jewell's desire That he might dye Preaching and God lookt with an eye of love upon his desire and he had it It was Latimer's desire That he might shed his heart blood for Christ and God lookt with an eye of love upon the breathings of his heart and he had it The Israelites did but groan and God lookt upon their groans with an eye of love he comes downe he makes his Arme bare he tramples upon their proud Enemies and by Miracles he saves them O weak Christian Is not this a singular comfort that the Lord reflects with an eye of love upon your thoughts upon your desires upon your tears and upon your groanings c. What though others slight you what though others take no notice of you yet the Lord casts an eye of love upon you Some think its very strange that God should set downe in Scripture the story of Jacob a poor Countrey-man Gen. 31. that he had a few Ewes and Lambs streaked and spotted and yet take no notice of the great Emperours and Kings of the Earth nor of their great actions and Warlike designes in the world But this is to shew that tender love and respect that God bears to his Children above what he does to the great ones of this World God is more taken with Lazarus patcht Coat then with Dives silken Robe c. A third thing that I shall propound for the Support and Comfort of weak Saints is this Consider the Lord looks more upon your Graces then he 3 Support doth upon your weaknesses Or thus The Lord will not cast away weake Saints by reason of the weaknesses that cleaves to their persons or services In 2 Chron. 30. 18
is anointed with the Oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes They have the Anointings of the Spirit as well as he though not so richly as he They have their measure though not that measure and proportion of the Spirit as Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good the Lord Jesus hath So in 1 John 16. Of his fulnesse have all we received Grace for Grace There is in Christ not onely a fullnesse of Abundance but also a fullnesse of Redundance There is an overflowing fullnesse in Christ as a fountaine overflowes and yet still remaines full Grace for Grace or Grace upon Grace Abundance of grace and the increases of graces one by another Grace for Grace That is as a Child in generation receives member for member Or as the Paper from the Presse receives letter for letter Or as the Wax from the Seale receives Print for Print Or as the glasse from the Image receives face for face So does the weakest Saint receive from Jesus Christ Grace for Grace That is for every grace that is in Christ there is the same grace in us in some measure There is not the weakest Saint that breaths but ha's in him some wisedome that answers to the wisedome of Christ and some love that answers to the love of Christ and some humility meeknesse and faith that answers to the humility meeknesse and faith of the Lord Jesus in truth and reallity though not in degree or quantity c. 3 Weake Saints share with Christ in the manifestations and discoveries of his father The Lord Jesus that lies in the bosome of the father hath Plutarch's reasoning is good Taton philon panta kâ—ina Friends have all things in common But God is our friend Ergo This was a â—are speech from a Heâ—â—hen the clearest and the fullest manifestations of the father that can be and he comes and opens the love and heart of the father he un-bosomes and un-bowels God to the weakest Saints as in John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my father I have made knowne unto you So in John 17. 6 7 8. 4 Weake Saints share with Christ in his Honourable Titles In the title of Sons 1 John 3. 12. Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called The wife shares with her husband in all his Titles of honour So does a Christian with his Christ See 1 Sam. 13. 17. to the 29. Col. 2. 14 15. Ephes 2. 13 14 15 16. Heb. 2. 14 15. Rom. 8. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We doe over overcome the Sons of God! And in that of Heires Rom. 8. 17. Yea they are Priests and Prophets and Kings as well as he as you may see by comparing Revelations 1. 5 6. with 1 Pet. 2. 9. c. 5 Weake Saints share with Christ in his Conquests In 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. Rom. 8. 37. Christ hath triumphed over sword famine death and Devils c. and so have they thorow him also over all these we are more then Conquerours we are over and above Conquerours Oh what a blessed thing is this that weak Saints should share with Christ in his Conquests The poor weak Souldier shares with his Generall in all his noble and honourable Conquests So does a poor weak Christian share with his Christ in all his noble and honourable Conquests 6 Lastly They share with Christ in his honour and glory And what would they have more John 12. 26. If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my father honour 1 Pet. 5. 1. Ephes 2. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Believers are already risen in Christ their head and they doe at this instant sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Christ as a publick person doth represent all believing soules and they are set downe in heavenly places in Christ Jesus In Rom. 8. 17. If we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him And in John 14. 1 2 3. I goe to prepare a place for you Christ is the Believers harbinger to prepare for them the best Mansions c. and if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also So in Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set downe with my Father in his Throne Now what would you have more weak soules Christ shares with you and you share with Christ You are apt to be discouraged because you doe not share with Christ in such measures of grace comfort and holinesse as such and such strong Saints doe Oh but remember in how many weighty things Christ and you are sharers and be dejected if you can Ah Christians what though you doe not share in the honours profits pleasures and advantages of the world yet this should be your joy and Crowne that Christ and your soules are sharers in those things that are most eminent and excellent most precious and glorious and the serious remembrance hereof should bear up your heads hopes and hearts above all the troubles temptations and afflictions that come upon you in this world c. The third thing propounded was To shew you the duty of weake Saints Who these weak Saints are you have heard Weak Saints Duties And what their Supports and Comforts are you have heard And now I shall shew you their duty in the following particulars And the first duty that I shall presse upon weak Saints is this To be thankefull for that little Grace they have 1 Duty Wilt thou be thankfull Oh Christian for the least courtesie shewed thee by men And wilt thou not be thankfull for that little measure of grace that is bestowed upon thee by God Doest thou remember Oh weak Christian that the The Lawes of Persia Macedonia and Athens condemned the ungratefull to death and certainly unthankfulnesse may well be stiled The Epitome of all Vices least measure of grace is more worth then a thousand worlds that 't is more worth then heaven it selfe Doest thou remember O weak Christian that the greatest number of men have not the least measure or dram of saving grace Doth free grace knock at thy doore when it passes by the doores of thousands And doth it cast a Pearl of price into thy bosome when others are left to wallow in their blood for ever And wilt thou not be thankfull Oh doe but consider weak souls how notoriously wicked you would have been if the Lord had not bestowed a little grace upon you Thou lookest oh soule one way and there thou hearest some a
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
yet I can truly say I dearly love the people of Christ for the Image of Christ that I see stampt upon them 'T is true I dare not say Christ is mine and heaven is mine I cannot say with such and such The Lord is my Portion yet I can say that I dearly love those that have the Lord for their portion I can truly say that the poorest and the most neglected and the most despised Saint in the world is more pretious in my eye and more deare to my soule then the greatest and the richest sinner in the world Psalme 16. 3. Well is this all O weake Saint that thou hast to say No Sir I have one thing more What 's that Why that 's this Though I dare not say that I have an interest in Christ or that I love Christ yet I dare say That my soule weeps and mournes in secret for the dishonour that is done to Christ both by my selfe and by others also I can look the Lord in the face were I now to dye and say Lord thou that knowest all thoughts and hearts thou doest know that mine eyes run downe with Rivers of teares because men keepe not thy Law Well is this all No Sir I crave your patience to heare me in one thing more What 's that O weake Christian Why that is this That I prize persons and things according to the spiritualnesse and holinesse that is in them and the more spirituall and holy any man or thing is the more is that man and thing prized by my soule I have often thought of that sweet word Psal 119. 104. Thy word is very pure therefore doth thy Much in the word is wrapt up in a little 't is more to be admired then to have Homers I liads comprized in a nut-shel The word is like the stone Garamantides that hath dâ—ops within it selfe enriching of the gracious soul servant love it Other men love it because of the profit they get by it or because of a name or this or that but I love it for the purity for the holinesse and the cleannesse of it No preaching saith the weak Saint nor no praying nor no talking nor no society that likes me and is sweet to me but that that 's most spirituall most holy It is not an Exercise trick'd and trim'd up with wit learning and eloquence 't is not the hanging of truths ears with counterfet Pearles that takes me but the more plainnesse spirituallnesse and holinesse I see in an Exercise the more is my heart raised to prize it and love it And therefore saith the weak Saint because Christ is perfectly and infinitely holy above all others I prize Christ above all Ordinances are sweet O but Christ is more sweet to my soule Saints are precious but Christ is far more precious Heaven is glorious but Christ is infinitely more glorious The first thing that I would ask if I might have it saith the weak Saint is Christ And the next thing that I would ask if I might have it is more of Christ And the last None but Christ none but Christ â—â—id the Martyr thing that I would ask if I might have it is that I might be saâ—iated and filled with the fullnesse of Christ Let the Ambition man take the honours of the world so I may but have Christ Let the Voluptuous man swim in all the pleasures of the world so I may have Christ And let the covetous man tumble up and downe in all the gold and silver of the world so I may have Christ and it shall be enough to my soule Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more to say What 's that Why it is this I find the same Conflict in my soule that Paul found in IX The best Saints in this world are lâ—ke the Tribe of Manasses halfe on this side Jordan in the Land of the Amorites and halfe on that side in the holyland And tho to be kept from sinne brings most comfâ—rt to a poore soule yet for a poore souâ—e to oppose sin and God to pardon sinne that brings most glory to God 2 Cor. 12. 7 8 9. X. Sozonem râ—lates of one who was as circumspect to be seen as to be A gracious soule is as carefull that he does not indanger another by a bad life as he is carefull to save his own life his soule after he was converted neere upon 14 years after he was taken up into as clear and choyce injoyments of God as any soule that ever I read of The Conflict that is mentioned Rom. 7. I find in my soule the whole frame of my soule understanding will and affections are set against sin I find that I hate the evill that I doe and I find That the good that I would doe I doe not and the evill that I would not doe that doe I. I find a Law in my Members rebelling against the Law of my mind and leading of me Captive to the Law of sin And this makes me often to cry out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Therefore I sometime hope that those sins that are now my burden shall never hereafter be my bane Well and 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 when the Lord gives me any strength against sin and any power to serve him and to walk close with him in his wayes it is a greater joy and comfort to my soule then all the blessings of this life Though I have not yet seen that he ha's set me as a seale upon his heart as a seale upon his arme Though I have not yet the clear assurance of his love Though his Spirit hath not yet set up such a light in my soule whereby I might run and read my right and title to himselfe and heaven yet when he doth give me but a little light through a crevis when he does but begin to cause his love to dawne upon me when he gives me but a little strength against sin and a little power to walk close with himselfe c. O this doth administer more abiding joy and more sweet peace and more sollid comfort to my soule then all the riches honours friends and favours of this world Well is this all O weake Saint No Sir I have one thing more to say What 's that Why that is this Though my interest in Christ be not cleer to me yet I can XI Psal 101. 3. Psal 139. 21 22. Psal 120. 6. truly say I would not change my condition with the men of this world for a thousand worlds 'T is true I cannot say that I have the seale and witnesse of the Spirit that many talk and boast of though I fear but a few injoy yet I can really say That I would not change my estate with men meerly civill nor with the
to me as unreasonable as it is absurd Certainly 't is one thing to judge by our graces and another thing to trust in our graces to make a Saviour of our graces There is a great deale of difference betwixt declaring and deserving And if this be not granted it will follow that the Apostle hath sent us aside to a Covenant of works when he exhorts us to use all dilligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1. 5-10 Secondly Carry home this with you If Justification and Sanctification be both of them benefits of the Covenant of Grace then to evidence the one by the other is no wayes unlawfull nor no turning aside to a Covenant of works But our Justification and Sanctification are both of them benefits and blessings of the Covenant of Grace Ergo. In Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me there 's your Justification And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me There 's your Sanctification And therefore to evidence the one by the other can be no wayes unlawfull nor no turning aside to a Covenant of works Thirdly Carry home this with you Whatever gift of God in man brings him within the compasse of Gods Promise of Eternall Mercy that Gift must be an infallible evidence of salvation and happinesse But such are those gifts mentioned in those Scriptures that prove the first head Therefore they are infallible evidences of our salvation and eternall happinesse I confesse a man may have many great gifts and yet none Covet rather graces then gifts as to pray more fervently tho lesse notionally or eloquently Stammering Moses must pray rather then well-spoken Aaron The Corinthians came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1. 7. yet were Babes and Carnall Chap. 3. 2 3. of them bring him within the compasse of Gods Promise of Eternall mercy But I say whatever gift of God in man brings him within the compasse of Gods Promise of eternall mercy that gift must be an infallible evidence of his happinesse and blessednesse For the further clearing of this I will instance in a gift of Waiting where this gift is it brings a man within the compasse of Gods Promise of eternall mercy And had a man as in a deserted state it often falls out nothing under heaven to shew for his happinesse but onely a waiting frame this ought to bear him up from fainting and sinking When the soule saith My sun is set my day is turned into night my light into darknesse and my rejoycing into mourning c. Oh! I have lost the comforting presence of God I have lost the quickening presence of God I have lost the supporting presence of God I have lost the incouraging presence of God c. and when I shall recover these sad losses I know not All that I can say is this That God keeps me in a waiting frame weeping and knocking at the door of mercy Now I say This waiting temper brings the soule within the compasse of the Promise of Eternall mercy And certainly such a soule shall not miscarry Take three Promises for this In Isa 40. ult They that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walke and not faint The mercy is the waiting-mans but the waiting-man must give God leave to time his mercy for him So in Isa 30. 18. And therefore will the Lord waite that he may be gracious unto you And therefore will he be exalted that he may have Vide Lyra Junius on the words mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of Judgement blessed are all they that waite for him So in Isa 64. 4. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him So in Isa 49. 23. They shall not be ashamed that waite for me Men are often That is they shall be advanced by me to great hap pinesle and glory to great dignity and â—elicity for in the Hebrew Dialect Adverbs of denying signifie the contrary to the import of that Verb whereunto they are joyned as might be shewed by many Scriptures ashamed that waite upon the mountaines and hills Men high and great often frustrate the expectation of waiting souls and then they blush and are ashamed and confounded that they have waited and been deceived but they shall not be ashamed that waite for me sayes God I will not deceive their expectation and after all their waiting turne them off and say I have no mercy for you Now I say where this waiting temper is which is all that many a poor soul hath to shew for everlasting happinesse and blessednesse that soule shall never miscarry That God that doth maintaine and uphold the soule in this heavenly waiting frame in the appointed season will speak life and love mercy and glory to the waiting soule And so I have done with the third Use which was to stir you up to look upon your graces with Cautions The fourth Duty is To perswade weake Saints not to turne aside from the wayes of God nor from the service of God because of any hardships or difficulties that they may meet with in his wayes or service There is a very great aptnesse in weak Saints to take offence almost at every thing and to be discouraged by the least opposition affliction and temptation and so to turne aside from the good old way Now that no difficulties nor hardships may turne you out of the way that is called holy consider seriously of these few things First Consider this The Lord will sweeten more and more his services to you He will make his work to be more and more easie to your soules he will sute thy burden to thy back and thy work to thy hand O weak soule Thou shalt find that his grace will be sufficient to hold thee up and carry thee on notwithstanding 2 Cor. 12. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 14. any difficulties or discouragements that be in the way He will shed abroad that love that shall constraine thy soule The Philosopher told his friends when they came into his little low Cottage Enteuthen ouk apeisi the oi the Gods are here with me Surely God and Christ and the Spirit are and will be with weak Saints to aid and astist them in every gracious work both to keep close to his service and to delight in his service He will make all his services to be easie to thee he will vouchsafe to thee that assisting grace that shall keep up thy head and heart from fainting and sinking under discouragements as you may see in Ezek. 36. 25 26 27 28. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my Statutes and ye shall keepe my Judgements and doe them
rebellious sinner or rebellious Sabboth-breaker or rebellious Rev 3. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them The words are very significant in the Orâ—ginall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will indwell in their There are two in 's in the Originall as if God could never have enough communion with them drunkard or rebellious curser c. let such rebellious sinners know that Christ hath received Gifts even for the rebellious That the Lord God might dwell amongst them That is that the Lord God might have sweet fellowship and communion with them 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 at the doore and knocke I that have Heaven to give and Peace to give and Pardon to give and Grace to give and my Selfe to give I that have tryed gold to inrich you and white rayment to cloath you and eye-salve to anoint you I stand at the doore and knocke if any man will open the doore let him be never so guilty never so filthy never so unworthy c. I will come in and sup with him and he with me Lord at whose doore doest thou stand knocking Is it at the rich mans doore Or at the righteous mans doore Or at the humbled mans doore Or at the weary and heavy laden mans doore Or at the mourners doore Or at the qualified or prepared mans doore No sayes Christ 't is at none of these doores At whose then O blessed Lord At the Luke-warm Laodiceans doore At their doore that are neither hot nor cold that are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked These sayes Christ are the worst of the worst and yet if any of these wretches these Monsters of mankind will open the doore I will come in and will sup with them and they with me c. I have read a remarkeable story of a great Rebell that had Bodin relates this story raised a mighty party against a Roman Emperour The Emperour upon this being much provok't and stirr'd in spirit made a Proclamation That whosoever brought in the Rebell dead or alive should have a great sum of money The Rebell hearing of this comes and presents himselfe unto the Emperour and demanded of him the sum of money Whereupon the Emperour reasons thus If I should now cut him off the world would say I did it to save my money and so he pardoned him and gave him the great sum of money notwithstanding all his former Rebellion Oh! shall a Heathen Emperour doe thus to a Rebell that was in Armes against him And will not God doe as much for poore rebellious sinners Surely he will What though thou hast been in Armes against God and Mustered Rom. 5. 10. Col. 1. 21. Rom. 6. 13 16 19 20. up all the strength and force thou couldest even all the members of thy body and faculties of thy soule against God and Christ and Holinesse Yet know that the King of Israel is a mercifull King he is a God of Pardons he delights to make his Grace glorious and therefore is very willing to shew mercy to the greatest Rebels to the worst of sinners witnesse Manasses Mary Magdalen the Thief Paul and others The greatnesse of mans sins doe but set off the riches of free grace Sins are debts and God can as easily blot out a debt of many thousands as he can a lesser debt therefore let not the greatest Rebell despaire but believe and he shall find that where sin ha's abounded there Grace shall super-abound c. And thus much for this Observation we shall now proceed to the next words Viz. EPHES. 3. 8. That I should Preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ A Little to open the words That I should Preach That is declare good newes or the glad tidings of salvation that 's brought by Jesus Christ to sinners The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament answers to the Hebrew word Bessorah in the Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evaggelisasthi from Evaggâ—lize both signifying Good newes glad tidings or a Joyfull Message That I should Preach among the Gentiles The word that 's here rendred Gentiles is sometimes used generally for all men or all Nations So 't is used in Mat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 25. 32. Mat. 28. 19. Sometimes this Greek word is used more especially for the people of the Jewes so in John 11. 48 50 51 52. Acts 10. 22. And sometimes it is used for the Gentiles distinguished from the Jewes so in Matthew 6. 32. By the Gentiles here you are to understand those poore Phil. 2. 12 13 Heathens that were without God in the world that never had heard of Christ nor those Unsearchable Riches that be in him as you may clearly see by comparing this Text with that Gal. 1. 15 16. But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveale his Son in me that I might preach among the Heathen Saith he Immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood The first Observation that I shall speak to from these words thus opened is this That the Gifts and Graces that God bestowes upon his people should be improved imployed and Observâ— exercised by his people The Greek word Caris that 's here rendred Grace we shewed you had a three-fold signification in the Scripture Sometimes it denotes the favour of God sometimes the common gifts of the Spirit and sometimes the saving Graces of the Spirit Now sayes Paul that singular favour that God ha's confer'd upon me and all those common gifts and speciall graces with which he ha's inriched me they are all to be imployed and exercised Vnto me is this Grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ So that there is nothing more clear then this viz. That the gifts and graces that God bestowes upon his people should be imployed improved and exercised by his people To me is this grace given Not that I should be idle but active not that I should be negligent but diligent not that I should hide my Talents but improve them I shall touch upon a few Scriptures that speak out this truth and then open it to you 2 Tim. 1. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God that is in thee As the fire is increased and preserved by blowing so are our graces Some think that 't is a metaphor taken from Calvin and others a spark kept in ashes which by gentle blowing is stirred up till it take a flame Others say 't is an allusion to the fire in the Temple which was alwayes to be kept burning We get nothing by dead and uselesse habits Talents hid in a napkin gather rust the noblest faculties are imbased when not improved when not
temporalls as well as in spiritualls but where will you find a man that is generally rich either in spiritualls or temporalls 'T is true you may find one Christian rich in one grace and another Christian rich in another but where will you find a Christian that is generally rich that is rich in every grace that is rich in knowledge in faith in love in wisedome in humility in meeknesse in patience in selfe-denyall Abraham was rich in Faith and Moses was rich in Meeknesse and Job was rich in Patience and Joshua was rich in Courage and David Gregory the Great was wont to say That he was poor whose soul was void of grace not whose Coffers were empty â—s money was rich in Vprightnesse c. But where will you find a Saint that 's rich in all these graces Or where will you find a man that is generally rich in respect of temporalls as to be rich in lands and rich in moneys and rich in wares and rich in Jewels c. But now the Lord Jesus Christ is generally rich both in respect of spiritualls and temporalls In having nothing I have all things saith one because I have Christ having therefore all things in him I seeke no other reward for he is the universall reward c. Seventhly You may judge of the riches of Christ by the Tribute and Rent that 's due to him He is the great Landlord and owner of all that Angels and Quicquâ—d esi dâ—bes â—â—cami Quicquid â—otes debes redimenti Bern. men possesse above and below All created Creatures are but Tennants at will to this rich Land-lord the Lord Jesus He puts out and puts in as he pleases he lifts up one and casts downe another he throwes downe the mighty and sets up the needy according to the pleasure of his owne will Psal 113. 7. Psal 148. 14. Luke 1. 52. Whom he will he destroyes and whom he will he keeps alive whom he will he binds and whom he will he sets at liberty whom he will he exalts and whom he will he abases whom he will he makes happy and whom he will he makes miserable c. The Psalmist Psal 148. upon this account calls upon all Celestiall and Terrestiall Creatures to pay their Tribute of Praise to the Lord He ha's given them all their beings and he maintaines them all in the beings that he ha's given them The Ancient Hebrewes as Josephus relates set marks and tokens sometimes on their Armes sometimes at their Gates to declare to all the world the Tribute and Praise that was due to the Lord for all his benefits and favours shew'd unto them Bernard saith We must imitate the Birds who morning and evening at the rising and setting of the Sun omit not to pay the debt of praise that is due to their Creator Eighthly and lastly Judge of the riches of Christ by the Multiplicity and variety of temporall and spirituall Gifts Christ saith to the believeâ— as the King of Israel said to the King of Syria I am thine and all that I have 1 Kings 20 4. This is aâ—vearium divâ—ni mellis an hive fuâ—l of Divinâ— comfort and Rewards that he scatters among the children of men He gives honours to thousands and riches to thousands and Peace to thousands and Pardons to thousands and the joyes and comforts of the Holy Ghost to thousands there 's not a moment that passes over his head but he is a scattering of Jewels up and downe the world he throwes some into one bosome and others into others but the best into the bosome of his Saints Oh the abundance of peace the abundance of joy and comfort Oh the fear the faith the love the kindnesse the goodnesse and sweetnesse that the Lord Jesus Christ scatters up and downe among the precious Sons and Daughters of Zion besides all temporall favours There 's not a Saint that receives so much as a cup of cold water but Mat. 10. 42. The Duke of Buâ—gandy gave 1 poor man a great rewaâ—d for offering him a Râ—pe Root being the best present the poor man had And surely so wâ—ll God bountifully reward the least sevâ—urs shew'd to his Christ rewards it abundantly into the bosome of the giver By all which you may well judge that certainly the Lord Jesus is very rich for if he were not he could never hold out in scatterring of rich rewards among so many millions and for so many thousand years as he hath done And so much for the proof of the Point viz. That the Lord Jesus is very rich We come now in the second place to discover to you The Grounds and Reasons why the Lord Jesus Christ is held forth in the Word to be so very Rich. And they are these that follow First TO incourage poore sinners to looke after and to be willing to match with him Abrahams servant to win ovre the heart of Rebekah to Jsaac brings soâ—th Jewels of silver and Jewels of gold and acquaints her what a rich match she shoâ—lâ— have by matching with Isaac so overcame her Gen. 24. And so does God dealwith poor sinners c. Poverty hinders many a match The Lord did foresee from eternity That fallen man would never look after Christ if there were not something to be gotten by Christ the Lord hath therefore in his wisedome and goodnesse to fallen man thus presEnted him as one exceeding rich that so poore sinners might fall in love with him and be willing to give up themselves to him Prov. 8. 34 35. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates waiting at the posts of my doores As Princes Guards doe at Princes Gates and doores Now the Arguments to draw out the soule thus to waite upon the Lord lyes in the next words For whoso findeth me findeth life and shall obtaine favour of the Lord. The Hebrew runs thus For finding me he shall find lives and shall draw forth the favour of the Lord. Divine favour is as it were a Jewel lockt up I but by finding Christ by getting Christ the soule gets this Jewel that is more worth then a world yea by gaining him the soule gaines lives to wit a life of grace and a life of glory and what would the soule have more A second Ground of this is Because he is Ordained by the father to convey all riches of Grace to his chosen and beloved ones John 1. 16. Of his fullnesse we all receive grace for grace And this we receive by Divine ordination John 6. 27. Labour not saith Christ for the meat that perisheth but for that which indureth to everlasting life which the Son of man Sealed that is made his Commission authenticall as men doe their deeds by their seale shall give unto you for him hath God the father sealed God the father hath sealed Christ he hath designed Christ he hath set Christ apart for this very work that he might give grace unto us God
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