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
him Heire of all things he refused the Riches that the King of Sodome offered Gen. 14. 21. Chap. 15. 1. him because God was his Shield and his exceeding great Reward The greatest bargaine that a soule rich in Grace will make with God for himselfe is this Give me but bread to eat and cloaths to wear and thou shalt be my God so it was with that brave soul Gen. 28. 21. he desires but Food and Rayment Marke he asks food not junkets Rayment not Ornaments A little will serve a man that is strong in grace much will not serve a man that is weak in grace nothing will serve a man that is voyd of grace Soules weak in grace have their hearts much working after these poore low things as you may see Mat. 18. 1. Who shall be greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven The Question is stated by the Disciples that one would have thought should have had their hearts and thoughts in Heaven but they dream'd of an earthly Kingdome where honours and Offices should be distributed as in the dayes of David and Solomon And 't is observeable in Mark 9. 33 34. they are at it againe And he came to Capernaum and being in the house he asked them What was it that ye disputed among your selves by the way But they So in Luke 9. 46. held their peace they were asham'd to tell him for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be greatest Saith one I 'le have this saith another I 'le have that c. Or as 't is in the Greek they disputed who was greatest sayes one I am greater then thou no says another I am greatest It is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T is meâ—â—â—n Who was greatest Argument of a Childish disposition to be taken more with Rattles and Baubles then with Jewels and Pearles That Christian hath little of the power of grace within him whose heart is so strongly carried out to these vanities below Men that are growne up to years of understandiug prefer one piece of gold above a thousand new Counters A soule that is strong in grace that is high in its spirituall enjoyments prefers one good word from God one good look from Christ above all the glory of this world Lord saith he lift thou up the The Philosophers preserâ—ed the Kings countenance before his Coyne light of thy countenance upon me Warme my heart with the beams of thy love and then a little of these things will suffice You see Moses and all those Worthies in the 11 of the Hebrewes who were men strong in grace how bravely they trample upon all things below God they lav'd their Families and their Countreyes where they liv'd like Princes to wander in a Wildernesse upon the bare Command of God So Luther a man strong in grace when he had a Gowne and Money given him by the Elector he turned himselfe about and said I protest God shall not put me off with these poore low things Soules that know by experience what the bosome of Christ is what spirituall Communion is what the glory of Heaven is will not be put off by God nor man with things that are mixt mutable and momentary And to shame many professors in these dayes I might bring in a Cloud of Witnesses even from among the very Heathen who never heard of a Crucified Christ and yet were more Crucified to things below Christ then many of them that pretend much to Christ But I shall forbear onely desiring that those that think and speak so scornfully and contemptuously of Heathens may not at last be found worse then Heathens yea be judged and condemned by Heathens in the great and terrible day of the Lord. Secondly In order to a further deciphering of weak Christians I shall lay downe this That weak Saints doe usually over-feare troubles before they come Yea those future evills that forty to one may never fall out The very empty thoughts and conceit of trouble is very terrible and perplexing to a weak Saint When it was told The Chamelion saith Pliny is the most searfull of all Creatures and doth therefore turne into all colouâ—s to save it self and so 't is often with weak Christians the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart was moved and the heart of his people as the Trees of the wood are moved with the wind Isa 7. 2. Their heart quaked and quivered as we say like an Aspen leaf It is an Elegant expression shewing in their extremity the basenesse of their feares arguing no courage or spirit at all in them The very newes and conceit of trouble or calamities oh how doth it perplex and vex and grieve and overwhelme weak Christians The very hearing of trouble at a distance makes them to stagger and reele and ready to say Will God now save Will he now deliver It puts them into those shaking fits that they know not what to doe with themselves nor how to performe the service they owe to God or man Now tell me can you call that a stout spirit a strong spirit Pray for me said Latimer in his Letter to Ridley for I am sometimes so fearfull thaâ— I would creep into a Mouse-hole Acts Mon. 1565 that is daunted with the very report and thoughts of Calamity Or that does torment men with immoderate feare of a thousand things that happily shall never fall out as feares of forraigne Invasions or feares of home-bred Confusions fears of change of Religion or being surprised with such or such Diseases or being ruin'd in their outward estate by such and such devises or disadvantages or by falling under the frownes of such a great man or under the anger and revenge of such and such a man and a thousand such like things Now this speaks out much weaknesse in grace Soules strong in grace are carried up above these fears yea with the Leviathan in Job they can laugh at the shaking of the spear Job 41. 29. Psal 23. 4. they can say with David Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we will feare no evill for thou art with us thy rod and thy staffe doe comfort us But weak soules are Bucephalus was not afraid of his burden the shadow onely frighted him So weak Christians are afraid of the shadow of the crosse afraid of their owne shadow the very shadow of trouble will exceedingly trouble such soules and oftentimes make their lives a very hell Thirdly Fainting in the day of Adversity speaks out the soule to be but weak in Grace Weak Christians are overcome with little crosses the least crosse doth not onely startle them but it sinks them and makes them ready to sit downe and to cry out with the Church Behold you that passe by see whether there be any sorrow like my sorrow Before trouble comes weak Christians Lam. 1. 12. are apt to think that they can bear much and indure much
the best I the best of the best and will you deale worse with me saith God then with your Governours Will you thus requite me for all my savours O foolish people and unwise is this your kindnesse to your friend Vers 13 14. Ye said also behold what a wearinesse is it and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of hosts and ye have brought that which was torne and the lame and the sicke thus ye brought an Offering should I accept this of your hands saith the Lord. Oh! that God had not cause to complaine thus of many of your soules to whom he hath showne much love But mark what followes vers 14. But cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my name is dreadfull among the Heathen If you have better in your hands and yet shall goe to put off God with the worst the curse will follow Think of it and tremble all you that deale fraudulently and false-heartedly with God Ah Christians you must say world stand behind sin and Satan get you behind us for the best Gifts the choycest favours that ever were given we have received from the father of light and therefore by his Gifts he hath obliged our soules to give him the best of our time strength and services and therefore we will not be at your call or beck any longer Oh say the Lord hath given us the best Gifts and cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Fourthly This should bespeake the people of God to trust and leane 2 Tim. 4. 8. upon God for lesser Gifts Hath God given thee a Crowne and wilt thou not trust Heb. 11. 10. Chap. 12. 28. him for a crum Hath he given thee a house that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Hath he given thee a Kingdome that shakes not and wilt thou not trust him for a Cottage for a little house-roome in this world Hath he Rom. 8. 32. given thee Himselfe his Son his Spirit his Grace and wilt thou not trust him to give thee bread and friends and Mat. 6. 32. cloaths and other necessary mercies that he knowes thou needest Ha's he given thee the greater and will he stand with thee for the lesser Surely no. Wilt thou trust that man for much that ha's given thee but a little And wilt thou not trust that God for a little that ha's given thee much Wilt thou not trust him for pence that ha's given thee pounds Oh Sirs hath the Lord given you himselfe the best of favours and will not you trust him for the least favours Hath he given you Pearls and will not you trust him for pins c. Does not the Apostle argue sweetly Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his owne Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us Prov. 8. 23. to â—2 Vide Mâ—t. 3. uâ—â— all things What sayes the Apostle hath he given us his Son his onely Son his bosome Son his beloved Son the Son of his joy the Son of his delight Oh how can he then Taâ—â—um possâ—mus quâ—â—tum credimus Cyp. but cast in all other things as paper and pack-threed into the bargaine Oh that Christians would learne to reason themselves out of their feares and out of their distrusts as the Apostle doth Oh! that Christians would no longer rend and wrack their precious soules with feares and cares but rest satisfied in this That he that ha's been so kind to them in spiritualls will not be wanting to them in temporalls Fifthly If the Lord hath given the best Gifts to his people this should then bespeake his people not to envy the men of the world for those lesser favours that God ha's confer'd upon them David three severall times gâ—ves himselfe this counsell Not to envy at others Psal 37. 1 7 8. comp So Psal 73. 21. It was horrid wickednesse in Ahab to envy poor Naboth because of his Vineyard And is it a virtue in you that are Christians to envy others because their outward mercies are greater or sweeter then yours Should the Prince upon whose head the Royall Crowne is set and about whose neck the golden Chaine is put envy those whose hands are full of Sugar-plums whose laps are full of Rosemary c. Hath not God Oh Christians put a Royall Crowne of glory upon your heads and a golden Chaine of grace about your necks and his Sons glorious Robe upon your backs and why then should your hearts rise against others mercies Oh! reason your selves out of this sinfull temper I would have every Christian thus to argue Hath not the Lord given me himselfe is not one dram of that grace that God hath given me more worth then ten thousand worlds and why then should I envy at others mercies There was a Souldier which for breaking his rank in reaching after a bunch of Grapes was condemned to dye by Martiall Law and as he went to execution he went eating of his Grapes Upon which some of his fellow Souldiers were somewhat troubled saying He ought then to minde somewhat else To whom he said I beseech you Sirs doe not envy me my Grapes they will cost me deer you would be loath to have them at the rate that I must pay for them So say I Oh Saints doe not envy the men of this world because of their honours riches c. for you would be loath to have them at the rate that they must pay for them Oh! there is a day of reckoning a coming a day wherein all the Nobles and brave Gallants in the world must be brought to the Bar and give an account how they have improved and imployed all the favours that God ha's confer'd upon them therefore envy them not Is it madnesse and folly in a great favourite at Court to envy those that feast themselves with the scrapps that come from the Princes Table O then what madnesse and folly is it that the favourites of heaven should envy the men of the world who at best doe but feed upon the scraps that come from Gods Tables Spiritualls are the choyce meat temporalls are but the scraps Temporalls are the bones spiritualls are the marrow Is it below a man to envy the dogs because of the bones And is it not much more below a Christian to envy others for temporalls when himselfe injoyes spiritualls Sixthly Be not troubled for the want of lesser Gifts John 14. 1 2 3. It is to me a sad thing to see gracious soules that have some comfortable satisfaction in their owne hearts that the Lord hath given Christ and grace to them c. goe up and downe whining and weeping because they have not health or wealth or Child or Trade c. when the Lord
about him are very bad Some say that Roses grow the sweeter when they are planted by Garlick Verily Christians that have gloriously improved their Graces are like those Roses they grow sweeter and sweeter holier and holier by wicked men The best Diamonds shine most in the dark and so doe the best Christians shine most in the worst times Sixthly Such turne their principles into practice They turne their speculations into power their notions into spirit their glorious inside into a golden outside Psal 45. 13. Seventhly Such as have made a considerable improvement of their gifts and graces Have hearts as large as their heads Whereas most mens heads have outgrowne their hearts c. Eighthly Such are alwayes most busied about the highest things viz. God Christ Heaven c. Phil. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 4. ult Rom. 8. 18. Ninthly Such are alwayes a doing or receiving good As Christ went up and downe doing good Mat. 4. 23. Chap. 9. 35. Mark 6. 6. Tenthly and lastly Such will mourne for wicked mens sins as well as their owne O the teares the sighes the groanes Psalm 119. Jer. 9. 1 2. 2 Pet. 2. 7 8 9. that others sins fetch from these mens hearts Pambus in the Ecclesiasticall History wept when he saw a Harlot dressed with much care and cost partly to see one take so much paines to goe to hell and partly because he had not been so carefull to please God as she had been to please a wanton Lover I have at this time onely given you some short hints whereby you may know whether you have made any considerable improvement of that grace the Lord hath given you I doe intend by Divine permission in a convenient time to declare much more of this to the World I shall follow all what ha's been said with my prayers that it may help on your internall and eternall welfare EPHES. 3. 8. The Vnsearchable Riches of Christ NOw the next Observation that we shall begin with is this That the Lord Jesus Christ is very Rich. And the second will be this That the great businesse and worke of the Ministry is to hold forth to the people the Riches of Christ We shall begin with the first Point at this time namely That the Lord Jesus Christ is very rich For the opening of this Point we shall attempt these three things 1 To demonstrate this to be a truth That the Lord Jesus is very rich 2 The Grounds why he is thus held forth in the word to be one full of Vnsearchable Riches 3 To shew you the Excellency of the riches of Christ above all other Riches in the world And then the Use of the Point For the first That the Lord Jesus Christ is very rich First Expresse Scripture speaks out this truth He is rich in goodnesse Rom. 2. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse that is ready to be imployed for thy internall and To chreston His native goodnesse c. eternall good c. Againe He is rich in wisedome and knowledge Col 2. 3. In whom speaking of Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Christ was content that his riches should be hid from the world therefore doe not thou be As man is an Epitome of the whole world so is Christ of all wisedome and knowledge c. angry that thine is no more knowne to the world What is thy one mite to Christs many millions c. Againe He is rich in grace Ephes 1. 7. By whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace Againe He is rich in glory Ephes 1. 18. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints So in Chap. 3. 16. That he would grant unto you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the Nec Christus nec coelum patitur hyperbolem Neither Christ nor heaven can be hyperbolized inner man So in Phil. 4. 19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus The riches of glory are unconceiveable riches Search is made through all the bowells of the earth for something to shadow it by The riches of this glory is fitter to be believed then to be discoursed of as some of the very Heathens have acknowledged But secondly As expresse Scripture speaks out this truth That Christ is very rich so there are eight things more that doe with open mouth speak out Christ to be very rich First You may judge of his riches by the dowry and portion his father hath given him In Psal 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession He is the heir of all things all things above and below in heaven and earth are his Heb. 1. 2. God hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heire of all things Christ is the richest Heire in heaven and earth Men cry up this man to be a good match and that and why so but because they are great Heires Ah! but what are all the great Heires of the world to this Heire the Lord Jesus Joseph gave Portions to all his brethren but to Benjamin a Portion five times as good as what he gave the residue So the Lord scatters Portions among the Sons of men he gives brasse to some gold to others temporalls to some spiritualls to others but the greatest portion of all he hath given into the hands of Christ whom he hath made the Heire of all things Rev. 11. 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever So in Chap. 19. 11 12. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white Horse and he that sat upon him was called faithfull and true and in righteousnesse he doth judge and make war His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crownes Mark that what are Princes single Crownes and the Popes tripple Crowne to Christs many Crownes Certainly he must be very rich that ha's so many Kingdomes and Crownes waite but a while and you shall see these Scriptures made good c. Secondly You may judge of his riches by his Keeping open house for the reliefe and supply of all created creatures both in heaven and in earth Crassus was so rich that he maintain'd a whole Army with his owne Reâ—enues â—ut what is this to what Jesus does c. Psal 145. 16. You look upon those as very rich that keep open house for all commers and goers why such a one is the Lord Jesus Christ he keeps
are in Christ c. Heaven on Earth Or A serious discourse touchinga well-grounded Assurance of mens everlasting happinesse and blessednesse A Book of Short-Writing the most easie exact and speedy method by Theophilus Metcalfe A Copy-Book teaching to write several hands A Treatise of Christs Personall Reigne on Earth written by Mr. Robert Maton Another by Mr. Farmer A Description of the State of Great Brittain written eleven hundred years since by that famous Author Gildas Sir-named the Wise Satans Stratagems or The Devils Cabinet Councel discovered shewing the way to end Controversies in Religion by Jacobus Accontius A Treatise of Church-Government by several Ministers A Treatise of Civil Government by Robert Spye A Glasse for the times confuting divers Errours A Sermon before the Parliament by Samuel Gibson Entituled The Ruine of the Authors and fomenters of Civil Warres The Life and Death of William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury A Speech by Sir Francis Bacon in Parliament Quinto Jacobi concerning the Scotish Nation An Heavenly Wonder or a Christian Cloath'd with Christ Purposely penned to comfort Christs sin-sick Spouse by Samuel More sometimes Minister at Brides The New Creature With a Description of the true Marks and Characters thereof Several Arguments for the unity of all true Believers by Richard Bartlet Which is a seasonable Duty and very necessary to be studied and practiced by all that love truth and peace declared by many Scriptures Sirs ye are brethren why doe ye wrong one another Acts 7. 26. Phil. 2. 3. Jam. 3. 14 15 16 17. Rom. 14. 19. Let us then follow those things which make for peace and wherewith one may edifie another THE Vnsearchable Riches OF CHRIST EPHES. 3. 8. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints THE Greek is a Comparative made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minissimus Estius a Superlative Lesse then the least of all Saints is a double diminitive and signifies lesser then the least if lesser might be Here you have the greatest Qui parvus est in reputatione propria magnus est in reputatione divina Gregory He that is little in his own account is great in Gods esteeme Apostle descending downe to the lowest step of humility Great Paul is least of Saints last of the Apostles and greatest of sinners The choycest Buildings have the lowest foundations the best Balsome sinkes to the bottome those eares of Corne and boughes of Trees that are most fill'd and best laden bowe lowest So doe those soules that are most loaden with the fruits of Paradise Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints Is this Grace given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is alwayes taken in Scripture for a free gift a grace gift but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken not only for the favour of God but also for his gratious gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 25. 32. Cha. 28. 19. Io 11. 48. 50. 51. Acts 10. 22. Mat. 6. 32. Ipse unus erit tibi omnia quia ipso uno bono bona sunt omnia Aug. One Christ will be to the instead of all things else because in him are all good things to be found Gal. 1. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nec Christus nec coelum patitur hype bolen A man cannot hyper bolize in speaking of Christ and Heaven In the Greek or was this Grace given The word that 's here rendred Grace is taken in Scripture not onely for the favour of God but also for his Gratious gifts and so you are to understand it in this place Grace is taken for the gifts of Grace and they are two-fold Common or Speciall Some are Common to Believers and Hypocrites as knowledge tongues a gift of prayer c. Some are Speciall and peculiar to the Saints as feare love faith c. Now Paul had all these the better to fit him for that high and noble Service to which he was call'd That I should Preach That is declare good newes or glad tidings The Greek word answers to the Hebrew word which signifies good newes glad tidings and a Joyful Message That I should Preach among the Gentiles Sometimes this Greek word is generally used for all men or for all Nations Sometimes the word is used more especially for the people of the Jewes Sometimes 't is used for the Gentiles distinguished from the Jewes so 't is used Mat. 6. 32. For after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke and so 't is used here those that are without God in the world that stand in Armes against God that are ignorant of those riches of Grace that are in Christ This Grace is given to me that I should preach among the poore Heathens the unsearchable riches of Christ That I might Preach among the Gentiles What my selfe No but The unsearchable riches of Christ The Greek word signifies Not to be traced out Here 's Rhetorick indeed here 's riches unsearchable riches unsearchable riches of Christ Riches alwayes imply two things First Abundance Secondly Abundance of such things as be of worth Now in the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest riches the best riches the choycest riches in Christ are riches of Justification Tit. 2. 14. in Christ are riches of Sanctification Phil. 4. 12 13. in Christ are riches of Consolation 2 Cor. 12. 9. and in Christ are riches of Glorification 1 Pet. 1. But of these glorious unsearchable riches of Christ we shall speak Omnebonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good hereafter I shall begin at this time with the first words Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints There are these two Observations that naturally flow from these words First That the most holy men are alwayes the most Observat 1. humble men None so humble on Earth as those that live highest in Heaven Or if you will take the Observation thus That those that are the most highly valued and esteemed of by God are lowest and least in their owne esteeme Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints c. The Second Observation is That there are weake Saints as well as strong little Observat 2. Saints as well as great Or thus All Saints are not of an equall growth or stature I shall begin with the first Observation That the most holy men are alwayes the most humble men Soules that are the most highly esteemed and valued by God doe set the least and lowest esteem upon themselves Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints c. In the handling of this Point I shall doe these three things 1 I shall prove that the most holy soules are alwayes the most humble soules 2 I shall shew you the Properties of soules truly humble 3 I shall shew you the Reasons why those that are
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
example of Christs Humility till your hearts be made humble like the heart of Christ Oh that that sweet word of Christ Mat. 11. 29. might stick upon all your hearts Take my yoke upon you and learne of me for I am meek and lowly and you shall find rest to your soules Bonaventure Engraved this sweet saying of our Lord Learne of mee for I am meek and lowly in heart in his Study It was a good Law that the Ephesians made that men should propound to themselves â—he bâ—st parterns and ever bear in mind some eminent man And oh that this saying was Engraven upon all your foreheads upon all your hearts Oh that it was Engraven upon the dishes you eat in the cups you drink in the seats you sit on the Beds you lye on c. Jerome having read the Religious life and death of Hilaron folding up the Book said Well Hilaron shall be the Champion whom I will imitate Oh when you look upon this glorious example of Christ say The Lord Jesus his example shall be that that my soule shall imitate Sixthly Consider Humility will free a man from perturbations and distempers 6 Motive When there are never such great stormes without humility will cause a calme within There are a great many stormes abroad and there 's nothing will put the soule into a quiet condition but Humility An humble soule saith who am I that I may not be despised Who am I that I may not be reproached abused slighted neglected That which will break a proud mans heart will not so much as break an humble mans sleep In the midst of a storme an humble soule is still in a calme When proud hearts are at their wits ends stamping swearing and swaggering at God and man and providence an humble soule is quiet and still like a ship in a Harbour 2 Sam. 16. 6. to 13. Shimei comes rayling and cursing of David and calls him a bloudy man and a man of Belial that is a Runnagado one who being desperately wicked had shaken off the yoke of Government and would be under no Law So the Hebrew word Jagnal signifies men without yoke or lawlesse Therefore the Septuagint commonly Translate it Paranomos altogether irregular It signifies most flagitious men and notorious and desperately wicked stigmatized Villaines even incarnate Devis and yet David holds his peace though provoked by his mighty men to revenge himselfe Oh! how would this cursing and railing have madded and broken many a proud mans heart and yet it stirres not David Fulgentius after he was extreamly persecuted he had â—n Plura pro 〈…〉 â—ole advantage to seek revenge but he would not for saith 〈◊〉 We must suffer more for Christ then so What though I am thus and thus wronged What though I have an opportunity for revenge yet I must suffer more then so for Christ sayes the humble soule An humble soule when wrongs are offered him is like a man with a sword in one hand and salve in another he could kill but will cure One wondring at the patience and humble carriage of Socrates towards one that reviled him Socrates said If we should meet one whose body were more unsound then ours should we be angry with him and not rather pitty him Why then should we not doe the like to him whose soule is more diseased then ours An humble soule when he meets with this and that wrong from men he knowes that their soules are diseased and that rather moves him to pity then to revenge wrongs offered A proud heart swells and growes bigge when in the least wronged and is ready to call for fire from Heaven and to take any opportunity for revenge of wrongs offered No man so abused as I no man thus stiled as I sayes the proud soule O but an humble soule in patience possesses himselfe in all trialls and stormes Gallesius observes upon Exod. 22. 28. the patience and Willet on Ex. 28. Qu. 51. humble carriage of those three Emperours Theodosius Honorius and Arcadius towards those that spake evill of them they would have them subject to no punishment for they said If it come from lightnesse of spirit it is to be contemned if from madnesse 't is worthy of pity if from injury it is to be forgiven for injuries and wrongs are to be pardoned And this is the true temper of an humble foule and by this he enjoyes peace and quiet in the midst of all earth-quakes and heart-quakes The seventh Consideration is this Consider Humility 7 Motive exalteth He that is most humble is and shall be most exalted and most honoured No way to be high like this of being low Moses was the meekest man on Earth and God made him the honourablest calling of him up unto himselfe into the Mount making knowne his glory to him and making of him the Leader of his people Israel Gideon was very little in his owne eyes he was the least of his Fathers house in his owne apprehension and God exalts him making him the Deliverer of his Israel It was a good saying of one Wilt thou be great begin from below As the Roots of the Tree descend so the Branches ascend The lower any man is in this sence the higher shall that man be raised Mat. 23. 12. And whosoever shall exalt himselfe shall be abased and he that shall humble himselfe shall be exalted God that 's wisedome it selfe hath said it and he will make it good though thou seest no wayes how it should be made good The lowest valleyes have the blessing of fruitfulnesse while the high Mountaines are barren Prov. 18. 12. Before destruction the heart of man is lofty and before honour is humility David came not to the Kingdome till he could truly say Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lifted up Psal 131. 1 2. Abigall was not made Davids wife till she thought it honour enough to wash the feet of the meanest of Davids servants 1 Sam. 25. Moses must be forty years a stranger in Midian before he become King in Jeshurun He must be struck sick to death in the Inn before he goes to Pharoah on that Noble Ambassage It was a sweet Observation of Luther That for the most part when God set him upon any speciall service for the good of the Church he was brought low by some fit of sicknesse or other Surely as the lower the ebb the higher the tide So the lower any descend in Humility the higher they shall ascend in honour and glory The lower this foundation of Humility is laid the higher shall the roofe of honour be over-laid If you would turne spirituall purchasers of honour or of whatsoever else is good no way like this of Humility We live in times wherein men labour to purchase honour some by their money others by their friends others by making themselves slaves to the lâ—sts of men others by being prodigall of their blood and many by giving themselves up to all manner of
blinder of hearts the turner of Medicines into Malladies and A world of instances out of Histories might be given if it were needful further to evidence this truth Remedies into diseases 'T is the Originall and root of most of those notorious Vices that be to be found among the Children of men It was pride that put Herod upon seeking the blood of Christ 'T was Pride that put the Pharisees upon the persecuting of Christ 'T was Pride that made Athaliah destroy all the seed Royall of the house of Judah that he might reigne 2 Chron. 21. 10. 'T was Pride that put Joab upon murdering perfidiously under colour of friendship Abner 2 Sam. 3. 27. and Amasa 2 Sam. 10. 9 10. Zimri out of Ambition to Reigne murdered Elah his Lord 1 Kings 16. 8 9 10. Omri out of Pride and Ambition to Reigne rose up against Zimri and enforced him to burne himselfe in the Kings Palace 1 Kings 16. 18. 'T is Pride that hath ushered in all the contentions that be in Townes Cities Countries Families and Pulpits throughout the world It was Pride and Ambition to Reigne that put Absalom upon pursuing his Fathers life from whom he had received life It is very remarkeable that the Pride and Ambition of Nebuchadnezzar did usher in the destruction of the Assyrian Monarchy And the ambition and pride of Cyrus that did usher in the overthrow of the Babylonian Monarchy And the ambition and pride of Allexander was the cause of the annihillation of the Persian Monarchy And it was the pride and ambition of the Roman Commanders was the cause of the utter subversion of the Grecian Monarchy There is no tongue that can expresse nor heart that can conceive the horrid sins and miseries that pride hath ushered in among the Children of men All sin will downe with a proud heart that is resolved to rise Great sins are no sins with such a soule he makes nothing of those very sins that would make the very Heathen to blush The second Proposition that I shall lay downe concerning Pride is this Where Pride hath possest it selfe throughly of the soule it turnes the heart into steele yea into a rock As you may see in Pharoah pride turned his heart into Proud soules are of his mind that said Non persuadebts etiam si persuaseris Though you do convince me yet will I not be convinced steele yea into a very rock God strikes againe and againe he sends plague upon plague and yet the more he is plagued the more he is hardened His pride turn'd his soule into a Rock he is no more sensible of the frownes of God the threatnings of God the plagues the strokes of God then a Rock Pride had heardened his heart he stirs not he yeilds not It was the pride of Saul that turned his heart into steele I have sinned saith he yet honour me before the people God gave him many a blow many a knock and many a check and yet after all Honour me before the people Oh how desperately 1 Sam. 15. 30. was his heart hardened in Pride In Dan. 5. 10. Nebuchadnezzers mind saith the Text was hardened in pride He saw the vengeance of the Almighty upon his Predecessors and God took him up and lasht him till the blood came and yet he made nothing of it because his heart was hardened in Pride Pride sets a man in opposition against God Other sins are aversions from God but this sin is a coming against God In other sins a man flies from God but in this sin a man flies upon God James 4. 6. God resisteth the proud A man doth not resist another till he is set upon the Traveller doth not resist untill such time as the Thief sets upon him Saith the Text God resisteth the proud It intimates thus much to us That the proud heart sets upon God himselfe and therefore God resists him The Greek word is Antitasetai he places himselfe in Battell array against the proud God brings forth his Battalia against the proud and they bring forth their Battalia against God A proud heart resists and is resisted this is duro durum flint to flint fire to fire yet in the day of Gods wrath the proud shall be burnt up as stubble both branch and root Mal. 4. 1. The third Proposition concerning Pride is this Pride is a sin that shales forth and shewes it selfe not one way but many wayes For instance First Sometimes it shewes it selfe in the lookes Prov. 6. 17. he tells you of seven things that the Lord hates and one Profuto oculis animus inhabitat Plin. is A proud look The Hebrew word there is The haughty eye The haughty eye God hates Mens hearts usually shew themselves in their eyes Psal 131. 1. Mine heart is not haughty nor mine eye lofty There be such who shew pride in their very looks but the Lord looks aloof at them Psalme 138. 6. Secondly Sometimes Pride shewes it selfe in words Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty And in Chap. 3. 15. Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands It was a very proud saying of one Coelum gratis non accipiam I will not have Heaven but at a rate And of another Wee have not so liv'd and deserved of God that the Enemy should vanquish us These were the proud ones that spake loftily and that set their mouths against the Heavens as the Psalmist speaks Psal 73. 6 8 9. comp And such a one was Henry the Second hearing that his City Mentz was taken he used this proud blasphemous speech I shall never love God any more that suffered a City so deare to me to be taken away from me Such a proud wretch both in words and actions was Senacherib as you may see in Isa 27. from the 8 verse to the 18. Thirdly Sometimes Pride shewes it selfe in the habit of the body So Herod's pride appeared Acts 12. 21. Herod was arrayed in Royall Apparrell In cloath of silver saith Josephus which being beaten upon by the Sun-beams dazzled the peoples eyes and drew from them that blasphemous Acclamation It is the voyce of God and not of man The people being most commonly like the Bohemian Curres that used to fawne upon a good Sute So the Rich man Luke 16. 19. was cloathed in Purple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Silke He was commonly so cloathed it was his every-dayes weare as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek word implyeth But here a Question may be askt May not persons habite themselves according to their dignities ranks and places that God hath put them in in the world I answer They may and ought so to doe if God hath lifted them up in the world above others they may wear better Apparrell then others Gen. 41. 42. Esth 6. 8. Psal 45. 13 14. 2 Sam. 13. 18. Lam.
fore-runner of a fall Pride goes before destruction and a haughty mind before a fall Herod fell from a Throne of Gold to a Bed of dust Prov. 16. 18. Chap. 18. 12. Nebuchadnezzar fell from the state of a mighty King to be a Beast Adam fell from Innocency to Mortality The Angels fell from Heaven to Hell from felicity to misery The tenth and last Proposition is this God will by an invisible power carry the day against proud soules You that it escape and ruffle it out and carry it with a high hand remember this God will by an invisible power carry the day against you when you think not of it he will Pope Innocent the fourth as he was walking securely in his Pallace heard that sorrowfull and dreadfull Summons Veni miser in judicium come thou wretch receive thy judgement and soon after he was found dead Eccl. 8. 11. eat you out like a Moth. Isa 47. 10 11. For thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse thou hast said None seeth me Thy wisedome and thy knowledge it hath perverted thee And thou hast said in thine heart I am and none else besides me Therefore shall evill come upon thee thou shalt not know from whence it riseth and mischiefe shall fall upon thee thou shalt not be able to put it off And desolation shall come upon thee suddainly which thou shalt not know Impunity oftentimes causeth impudency but Quod defertyr non aufertur Forbearance is no Acquittance The longer the hand is lifted up the heas vier will be the blow at last Of all Mettals Lead is the coldest but being melted it becomes the hottest Humble souleknow how to apply this and Proud soules shall sooner or later experience this I shall now proceed to a second Observation namely That all Saints are not of an equall cize and growth in Grace and Holinesse Some are higher and some are lower some are stronger and some are weaker in spirituall Graces and Heavenly Excellencies Vnto me who am lesse then the least c. Among true Believers some may be found to be but weak Believers This Point flowes as naturall from the words as the stream do's from the fountaine and no Point more clear in all the Scripture then this In Rom. 14. 1. you read of some that are weake in the faith Them that are weake in the faith receive saith the Apostle None are to be rejected in whom Aliquid Christi any thing of Christ is to be found And so Mat. 14. 31. there is mention made of little faith 1 Cor. 9. 22. To the weak became I as weake that I might gaine the weake You read of Babes in Grace 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby if so be that yee have tasted that the Lord is gratious 1 John 2. 12 13 14. there is mention made of little children of young men and of Fathers All are not Fathers in grace nor all are not young men in grace there are some Children in grace It is with Christians as t is with Planets The Moon goes her course in a month the Sun in a year the rest not in many years yet at length they finish A Christian in this life hath his degrees of growth he is first a Child in Grace and then a young Man in Grace and then a Father in Grace For the further opening of this Point I shall endeavour these foure things 1 I shall endeavour to decipher to you soules weak in Grace 2 I shall endeavour to lay downe those things that may Incourage Support and Comfort soules that are weak in Grace 3 I shall speake to the Duties that lye upon those that are weak in Grace 4 The Duties that lye upon those that are strong in grace towards those that are weak in grace Of these foure we shall speak as the Lord shall assist I shall begin with the first To decipher soules weak in Grace The first thing by which I shall decipher soules weak in Grace is this Weak Christians are usually carried much out after the poore low things of this world They are much in carking and caring for them and in pursuing and hunting greedily after them That 's a clear Text for this Mat. 6. 24. to the end Christ labours by severall weighty Arguments to fence and fortifie his Disciples against those dissident doubtfull carking cares that divide distract distemper torture and teare the heart in a thousand pieces And yet neither these Arguments nor yet the presence of him who was the great Land-lord of Heaven and Earth and whose love and bowels were still yearning towards them and whose speciall eye of providence was still over them could rid their heads and hearts of these worldly cares that doe but vex and perplex the soules of men And 't is very observable that after this smart Lecture that Christ had read them they did strive three severall times who should be greatest and highest in worldly Enjoyments Their hearts should have been onely in Heaven and yet they strive for Earth as if there were no Heaven or as if Earth were better then Heaven All which do's cleerly evidence that their Graces were very weak and their corruptions very strong Men that have little of the upper springs within are carried out much after the springs below Baruch was good but weak in Grace he had but some sips and tasts of the glory of that other world and Jerem. 45. 1 2 3 4 5. that made him when God was a pulling downe all worldly glory to seek for Earth as if there were no Heaven Certainly there is but little of Christ and Grace within where the heart is so strongly carried on t after these things without Where there is such strong love and workings of heart after these poor things it speaks out soules enjoyment of God to be but poor and low In the Old Testament the Jewes being Babes and Infants in grace and holinesse had a world of Temporall Promises and very few Spirituall Promises But now in the dayes of the Gospel the Lord is pleased to double and trebble his spirit upon his people and now you meet with very few temporall Promises in the Gospel but the Gospel is fill'd with spirituall Promises the Gospel drops nothing but marrow and fatnesse love and sweetnesse and therefore God looks in these dayes that men should grow up to a greater height of holinesse heavenlinesse and spiritualnesse then what they attained to in those dark dayes wherein the Sun shin'd but dimly Men rich and strong in Grace look upon the world with a holy scorne and disdaine as Themistocles when he saw in the dark a thing like a Pearle he scorn'd to stoop for it himselfe saying to another Stoop thee for thou art not Themistocles Abraham a man strong in Grace look't with a holy scorne and with an eye of disdaine upon these poor things When Melchisedech from God had made
19 20. there came a multitude of people to eat the Passeover but they were not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary therefore Hezekiah puts up a Prayer for them and the Text saith That the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people lookt upon their uprightnesse and so past over all their other weaknesses He did not cast off Peter for his horrid sins but rather looks upon him with an eye of love and pity Mark 16. 7. But goe your way tell his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him as he said unto you Oh admirable love Oh matchlesse mercy where sin abounds grace do's super-abound This is the glory of Christ that he carries it sweetly towards his people when they carry themselves unworthily towards him Christ looks more upon Peters sorrow then upon his sin upon his tears then upon his Oaths c. The Lord will not cast away weake Saints for their great unbeliefe because there is a little faith in them He will not throw them away for that hypocrifie that 's in them because of that little sincerity that 's in them He will not cast away weak Saints for that Pride that 's in them because of those Rayes of humility that shine in them He will not despise his people for their passions because of those graines of meeknesse that are in them We will not throw away a little gold because of a great deale of drosse that cleaves to it nor a little wheat because mixt with much chaffe and will God will God We will not cast away our Garments because of some spots nor our Books because of som blots nor our Jewels because of some flawes and do we think that the Lord will cast away his dearest ones because of their spots and blots and flawes Surely no God looks more upon the bright side of the Cloud then the dark James 5. 11. Remember the patience of Job 'T is not Remember the murmuring of Job the cursing of Job the complainings of Job the impatience of Job but Remember the patience of Job God looks upon the Pearle and not upon the spot that is in it So in Heb. 11. 30 31. there 's mention made of Rahabs faith love and peaceable behaviour towards the Spies but no mention made of her lye the Lord overlooks her weaknesse and keeps his eye upon her virtues Where God sees but a little grace he doth as it were hide his eyes from those circumstances that might seem to deface the glory of it So in 1 Pet. 3. 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. Mark there was but one good word in Sarahs speech to Abraham she call'd her Husband Lord the speech otherwise was a speech of unbeliefe yet the holy Ghost speaking of her in reference to that speech conceales all the evill in it and mentions onely the reverent title she gave to her Husband commending her for it He that drew Alexander whilst he had a scar upon his face drew him with his finger upon the scar So when the Lord comes to look upon a poore soule he layes his finger upon the scar upon the infirmity that he may see nothing but grace which is the beauty and the glory of the soule Ah but weak Christians are more apt to look upon their infirmities then on their graces and because their little gold is mixt with a great deale of drosse they are ready to throw away all as drosse Well remember this the Lord Jesus hath as great and as large an interest in the weakest Saints as he hath in the strongest He hath the interest of a Friend and the interest of a Father and the interest of a Head and the interest of a Husband and therefore though Saints be weak yea though they be very weak yet having as great and as large an interest in them as in the strongest Saints he can't but overlook their weaknesse and keep a fixed eye upon their graces A fourth Support is this 4. Support That the Lord will graciously preserve and strengthen those weake graces that are in you Though your graces be as a spark of fire in the midst of an Ocean of corruption yet the Lord will preserve and blow up The tallest Oak was once â—n A corn the deepest Doctor was once in his Horn-book that spark of fire into a flame It was the Priests Office in the time of the Law to keep the fire in the Sanctuary from going out and it is the Office of our Lord Jesus as he is our High Priest our Head our Husband our Mediator for to blow up that heavenly fire that he hath kindled in any of our soules His honour his faithsulnesse and his goodnesse is engaged in it and therefore he cannot but doe it else he would loose much love and many prayers and praises did he not cherish preserve and strengthen his owne work in his owne people The faith of the Disciples was generally weak as I have formerly shew'd you and yet how sweetly doth the Lord Jesus John 16. Acts 2. carry it towards them He was still a breathing out light life and love upon them he was still a turning their water into wine their bitter into sweet and their discouragements into incouragements and all to raise and keep up their spirits His heart was much in this thing therefore sayes he 'T is necessary that I leave you that I may send the Comforter to be a comfort and a guide unto you I will poure out my spirit upon you Isa 60. 22. that a little one may become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation and that the feeble may be as David and the house of David as God as the Angel of the Lord. That 's a sweet Zech. 12. 8. Text Isa 65. 8. Thus saith the Lord as the new wine is found in the Clusters and one saith destroy it not for a blessing is in it so will I doe for my servants sake c. Oh! saith Christ to the father here are a company of weak Saints that have some buddings of grace Oh doe not destroy it father there is a blessing in it though it be but weak The Genuine sence of the similitude I think is this when a Vine being blasted or otherwise decayed is growne so bad and so barren that scarce any good Clusters of Grapes can be discerned on it whereby it may be deemed to have any life or of ever becoming fruitful againe and the Husband-man is about to grub it up or cut it downe to the ground One standing by sees here a cluster and there a little cluster and cryes out O don't grub up the Vine don't cut downe the Vine it ha's a little life and by good Husbandry it may be made fruitfull We may look upon the Lord Jesus Christ as thus pleading with his fathers Justice Father I know thou seest that these soules are dry and barren and that
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
and to present his sins in such a dreadfull dresse as shall amaze him c. It often proves very prejudiciall and dangerous to weak Saints when their infirmities are aggravated beyond Scripture-grounds and beyond what they are able to beare He that shall lay the same strength to the rubbing of an earthen dish as he does to the rubbing of a Pewter platter instead of cleaning it shall surely break it all to pieces The application is easie c. Secondly There is a Mantle uf Faithfullnesse that is to be cast over the infirmities of weake Saints A man should never discover the infirmities of a weak Saint especially to such that have neither skill nor will to heale and bury them The world will but blaspheme and blaze them abroad to the dishonour of God to the reproach of Religion and to the grief and scandall of the weak c. They will with Ham rather call upon others to scoffe at them then bring a Mantle to cover them c. Ham was curst for that he did discover his fathers nakednesse to his brethren when it was in his power to have covered it he saw it and might have drawne a Curtaine over it but would not and for this by a Spirit of Prophesie he was curst by his father Gen. 9. 22. This Age is full of such Monsters that rejoyce to blaze abroad the infirmities of the Saints and these certainly Justice ha's or will curse Thirdly There is a Mantle of Compassion that must be I have knowne a good old man said Bernard who whâ—n he had hevd of any that had committed some noâ—orious offence was wont to say with hâ—mselfe Ille hodie ego cras He fell to day so may I to morrow c. cast over the weaknesses and infirmities of weake Saints When a weak Saint comes to see his sin and the Lord gives him to lye downe in the dust and to take shame and confusion to himselfe that he hath dishonoured God and caused Christ to bleed afresh and griev'd the Spirit c. Oh now thou must draw a covering and cast a Mantle of love and compassion over his soule that he may not be swallowed up with sorrow now thou must confirme thy love to him and carry it with as great tendernesse and sweetnesse after his fall as if he had never fallen this the Apostle presses 2 Cor. 2. 7. Love sayes the wise man covereth all sinne Loves Mantle is very large Love claps a Plaister upon every soare Love ha's two hands and makes use of both to hide the scarres of weak Saints Christ O strong Saints casts the Mantle of his righteousnesse over your weaknesses and will not you cast the Mantle of love over your brothers infirmities Tenthly 'T is the Duty of strong Saints to sympathize with the weake To rejoyce with them when they rejoyce and to mourne with them when they mourne 2 Cor. 11. 29. Who is weake and I am not weake who is †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scandalâ—zeâ—ai Scandalized offended and I * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As â—ot on fire Thuan. Hist burne not Thuanus reports of Ludonicus Marsacus a Knight of France when he was led with other Martyrs that were bound with Coards going to Execution and he for his dignity was not bound he cryed Give me my Chaines too let me be a Knight of the same Order It should be between a strong Saint and a weak as 't is between two Lute-strings that are tuned one to another no sooner one is struck but the other trembles no sooner should a weake Saint be struck but the strong should tremble Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them Heb. 13. 3. The Romanes punished one that was seen looking out at his window with a Crowne of Roses on his head in a time of publick calamity and will not God punish those that don't simpathize with Joseph in his afflictions surely he will Amos 6. 1 ult Lastly 'T is the Duty of the strong to give to the weake the honour that is due unto them 1 Pet. 3. 7. They have the same Name the same Baptisme the same Profession the same Faith the same Hope the same Christ the same Promises the same Dignity and the same Glory with you therefore speak honourably of them and carry it honourably towards them Let not them be under your feet that Christ ha's laid near his heart c. And so much for this second Doctrine We come now to the next words EPHES. 3. 8. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this Grace given c. WEE shall speak now to the word Grace The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek word Caris that 's here rendred Grace hath a two-fold signification Somtimes it 's taken for the gracious favour and good will of God whereby he is pleased of his owne free love to accept and owne poor sinners in the Son of his love for his owne This is called the first Grace because 't is the fountaine of all other graces and the Spring from whence they flow And it 's therefore called Grace because it makes a man gracious with God Secondly This word Caris that 's here rendred Grace is taken for the gifts of Grace and they are of two sorts Speciall or Common Common grace is that which Hypocrites may have and in which they may excell and goe beyond the choycest Saints As in a gift of knowledge a gift of utterance a gift of prayer a gift of tongues c. A Mat. 7. 21 22 23 25. Ch. 1. 13. man may have these and many other excellent gifts and yet miscarry yea fall as low as hell witnesse Judas Demas the Scribes and Pharisees c. Secondly There is speciall Grace as Faith Love Humility Meeknesse which the Apostle reckons up Gal. 5. 22 23. Now here by Grace you may either understand the gracious favour of God Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this choyce favour given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ or else you may take it for the gifts of grace both saving and common which the Apostle had given him in order to the discharge of his Ministeriall Office which by the speciall favour of God he was advanced to The word Grace being thus opened we may from thence Observe First That the Lord gives his best Gifts to his best Beloved ones Vnto me saith the Apostle who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this Grace given For the opening and clearing of this point I shall premise these foure things 1 To shew you what those best gifts are that God bestowes upon his best beloved ones 2 I shall shew you the manner of his giving the best gifts to his beloved ones Or the difference there is between Christs giving and the worlds giving 3 And then the excellency of those gifts that Christ gives above all other gifts that the world gives
4 And lastly The Reason why Christ gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones For the first What are those best gifts that Christ bestowes upon his best beloved ones I shall not instance in those Common gifts that they have in common with others But rather shew unto you those speciall gifts that he bestowes upon them and of those I shall single out them that are most choyce and that carry most in them of the glory favour and good will of him that dwelt in the Bush And the first is this He gives Light to his beloved ones and Light is a pleasant Eccles 11. 7. thing to behold as the wise man speaks He gives spirituall light which is a mercy of mercies Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some upon thee Life â—â—hâ—uâ—lighâ—s but a lifelesse life give thee light So John 1. 7 8 9. He was not that light but was sent to bear witnesse of that light that was the true light that lightneth every man that cometh into the world Vide Cameron and Augustine on the words When Telemachus saw a great light that guided him and his father in a dark Roâ—me Surely sed he there is some God in it Mal. 4. 2. He gives that light whereby his people are inabled to see sin to be the greatest evill and himselfe to be the chiefest good He gives that light that melts the soule that humbles the soule that warmes the soule that quickens the soule that quiets the soule and that glads the soule Man is not borne with heavenly light in his heart as he is borne with a tongue in his mouth Till Christ comes and sets up a light in the soule the soule lives in darknesse and lyes in darknesse yea is darknesse in the very abstract Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. Saints are alwayes in the Sun-shine therefore they should be like a Christall glasse with a light in the midst which appeareth in every part A Christian should be like the Lamp in the story that never 2 Cor. 3. 5. If there be such a power in fallen man to repent and believe c. to what purpose was the coming of Christ into the world 1 John 2. 9 1 John 3. 8. And why doe naturall men when their consciences are awaken'd so cry out That they arâ— as able to stop the Sun in his course to raise the dead and to make a world as they are able of themselves to repent c. went out Were it not for the Sun it would be perpetuall night in the world notwithstanding all Star-light and Torch-light and Moon-light 'T is not the Torch-light of Naturall parts and Creature-comforts nor the Star-light of Civill honesty and Common gifts Nor yet the Moon-light of temporary faith and formall profession that can make day in the soule till the Son of righteousnesse rise and shine upon it And that 's the first thing he gives Light Now the second thing he gives is Repentance Repentance is not a Flower that growes in Natures Garden Acts 5. 31. Him hath God the father exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins So in 2 Tim. 2. 25. The servant of the Lord must in meeknesse instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth By these Scriptures 't is clear that Repentance is no flower that growes in Natures Garden though Arminians teach and Print That if men will but put out their power and their strength they may repent c. But severall that have been of this Opinion have experienced the falsenesse of it when it ha's been too late The Ethiopian cannot change his skin nor the Leopard his spots Jer. 13. 23. And certainly if there were such a power in man to repent as some would make the world believe man would never miscarry everlastingly for his not repenting Oh! is it good dwelling with everlasting burnings with a devouring fire Is it good being for ever shut out from the presence of the Aut paenitendum out pereundum Lord and the glory of his power Certainly if there were such a power in vaine man to repent no man would goe to hell for not repenting And many that have boasted much of their abilities to repent when they have been upon a dying bed would have given a thousand worlds were there so many in their power that they could but repent Luther confesses That before his Conversion he met not Homo ipsius paenitentiae paenitere debâ—t Salv. Paenitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudeâ— Luther with a more displeasing word in all the study of Divinity then this word Repent But after the Lord had converted him and manifested himselfe to him he delighted in this worke Then he could sorrow for his sins and rejoyce in his sorrow Repentance strips the soule stark naked of all the Garments of the old Adam and leaves not so much as the shirt behind In this rotten building there is not one stone left upon another As the Flood drowned Noah's owne friends and servants as well as strangers so true Repentance drownes all darling lusts True Repentance is the cutting off the right hand and the pulling out of the right eye and is this such an easie thing surely no. True Repentance is a gift that is from above and if the Lord does not give it man will eternally perish for the want of it You may read much more of this in my Treatise call'd HEAVEN ON EARTH Thirdly Christ gives his Spirit Rom. 5. 5. The love of Spiritus sanctus estres delicata God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us So in 1 John 3. ult And hereby we know that he abideth in us how by the spirit which he hath given John 14. 26. us So in Chap. 4. 13. The spirit that the Lord Christ gives is an inlightning spirit 't is the Candle of the Lord set up in the hearts of the Saints to guide them in the way everlasting 'T is a sanctifying spirit a spirit of burning Isa 4. 4. He is a fire to inlighten the soule and a fire to inliven the soule and Nil nisi sanctum a sancto spiritu prediere potest a fire to warme the soule c. Whatsoever is of the spirit is spirit It is nimble and lively and active and full of life and motion as the Spirit is A man without the spirit of the Lord is a dull dromish Creature as the Latines call a dull dromish man A fire-lesse man so we may call a man that hath not the spirit a spiritlesse man The spirit that Christ gives is A sealing spirit Ephes 1. 13. and a Leading spirit Rom. 8. He leads from sin he leads from wrath he leads from
whose Chastisements thou hast slighted will blot out thy transgressions for my owne sake I even I is a passionate and emphaticall expression Gods goodnesse runs over to sinfull Creatures and Where sin abounds there grace doth super-abound If the Creditor himselfe blot out the debt and crosse the Mat. 6. 12 14 15. 18. 24 â—7 33. Luke 7. 41 to 4â— Book surely it shall never be remembred more Our sins are debts which God who hath the power of life and death of heaven and hell of condemning and absolving hath engaged himselfe to blot out as a thick cloud Isa 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins An under Officer may blot out an Indictment and yet the offendor may be never the better for it but if the King who is the supream Judge shall blot it out then the offendor is safe The Application is easie If the soule be diserted then that Promise relives it Mich. 7. 18 19. He will turne againe he will have compassion upon us c. If the soule be sliding and ready to fall then that Promise supports and upholds it Psal 37. 24. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand â—i Jehâ—vah somech jâ—do Or as the Hebrew ha's it The Lord upholding him with his hand The Hebrew Participle Somech notes a continued act of God God ha's still his everlasting armes under his Deut. 33. 26. 22. people so that they shall never totally nor finally fall And the root Samuch from whence this word is derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to sustaine or uphold as the tender Mother doth the little Babe The safety and security of the Child lyes not so much in the Childs hanging about the Mothers neck as in the Mothers holding it fast in her armes So our safety and security lyes not so much in our weak holding upon Christ but in Christs holding of us fast in his everlasting armes This is our glory and our safety that Christs left hand is alwayes under us and his right hand does alwayes embrace us Cant. 2. 6. If the soule be forsaken by friends then that Promise relieves it Heb. 13. 5 6. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee There are five Negatives in the Greek to assure Gods people that he will never forsake them Five times this precious Promise is renewed in the Scripture that we might have the stronger Consolation and that we may presse and oppresse it till we have gotten all the sweetnesse out of it and verily many precious soules have suckt much sweetnesse out of the breasts of this Promise when their nearest relations and their dearest friends have forsaken them and forgotten them God loves that his people should put his Bonds his Promises in suite and he that does shall find God near him though friends should leave him and the world be in armes against him c. If the soule be tempted then that word of Promise relieves it 1 Cor. 10. 13. But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able c. The Promises are a Christians Magna Charta they are his chief Evidences for heaven Men highly prize their Charters and Priviledges and carefully keep the Conveyances and Assurances of their Lands Oh! how should Saints then treasure up and keep these Precious Promises which the Lord ha's given them and which are to them instead of all Assurances for their protection maintenance deliverance comfort and everlasting happinesse And thus much for the sixth gift the Lord gives viz. The Promises Seventhly The Lord gives Grace Of his fullnesse we all John 1. 16. have received Grace for Grace The Lord gives that grace the least dram of which is more worth then Heaven and Earth It was an excellent saying of one of the Ancients I had Hierom. rather have St. Pauls Coat with his heavenly Graces then the Purple of Kings with their Kingdomes Grace is that A good symbole was atâ—â—buted to Emilian the Roman Emperour Non gens sed mens non genus sed genius Not race or place but grace truly sets forth a man which truly ennobles the soule it raises the soule up to converse with the highest and with the noblest objects and every man is as the objects are with which he converses if the objects are noble the man is so if the objects are base with which a man converses the man is base A man may better know what he is by eying the objects with which his soule does mostly converse then by observing his most glorious and pompious services The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Abraham was a Prince of God among the Hittites The Jewes say That those seventy persons that went downe with Jacob into Aegypt were more Pro. 12. 26. Gen. 23. 6. worth then the seventy Nations of the world Indeed it 's onely grace that makes a man truly noble When one heard the King of Persia stil'd The Great King saith he I acknowledge none more excellent then my selfe unlesse more righteous nor none greater unlesse better Grace as it 's bred by the noblest means so 't is preserved and maintained in the soule by the choycest means viz. Vnion and Communion with God c. Grace is glory in the bud and glory is grace at the full Grace makes a man all glorious Psal 45. 13. within and without Grace is a ring of gold and Christ is the sparkling Diamond in that ring Eighthly He gives Peace John 14. 27. My peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world Rom. 5. 1. Hos 2. 21 22 23. Job 5. 19 to 25. giveth give I unto you Christ gives peace with God and peace with Conscience and peace with the Creatures Dulce nomen pacis The very name of Peace is sweet The Hebrews when they wished all happinesse to any used but this one word Peace be with you And the Ancients Martimus the Emperours Motto was Pax bello potior Give me peace and let others quarrell were wont to paint Peace in the forme of a Woman with a Horne of Plenty in her hand all blessings Ask a soule that ha's been under terrors of conscience and he will tell you that of all gifts inward Peace is the most Princely gift c. Ninthly He gives Glory John 10. 28. My sheep heare my voyce and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life Rom. 7. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life Now the glory that Christ gives is Reall glory 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crowne of Glory The Greek word Apokeitai signifies two things 1 A designation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Crowne And 2 A reservation and safe keeping of it for him untill the Coronation day Againe the glory he
gives the soule is Soule-filling glory glory that fills the understanding with the cleerest and the Psal 16. ult Psal 17. ult 2 Coâ— 12. 1 to 6. Pericula non respicit Martyr coronas respicit saith Basil brightest light glory that fills the will with the greatest freedome glory that fills the affections with the choycest joy and delight Againe the glory he gives is Incomparable glory Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us The Greek word Logizomai that is here rendred I reckon is not a word of doubting but a word of concluding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ready to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on us I conclude by Arguments that our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared to that illustrious and glorious glory that is ready to be revealed on us as 't is in the Greek I have cast up the account saith the Apostle as wise Merchants use to cast up theirs and I find in the ballancing of the account that there 's nothing to be compared with this glory that shall be revealed Againe the glory he gives is Vnmoveable glory all worldly glory is tottering and shaking Princes Crownes hang now but upon one side of their heads The Lord of Hosts hath Isa 23. 9. purposed it to staine or pollute the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth The Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jegnâ—sah hath purposed it or as 't is in the Hebrew The Lord hath consulted it And the councell of the Lord shall stand It is agreed upon in heaven that the pride of all glory shall be stained and polluted or throwne downe as some polluted filthy thing that is trampled upon and trodden under foot Oh! but this glory that Christ gives is unmoveable glory Heb. 12. 28 't is permanent glory 't is glory that cannot be changed stain'd nor polluted Againe the glory he gives is suited glory 't is glory that Jo 14. 1 2 3. is suited to the backs hearts hopes desires and capacities of his servants Againe the glory he gives is never fading glory 't is glory that fadeth not away When a man hath been in heaven 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper name of a Flower which is still â—â—esh and green Isa 40. 6 7 8. as many millions of years as there be Starres in heaven his glory shall be as fresh and as greene as it was at his first entrance into heaven All worldly glory is like the Flowers of the field but the glory that Christ gives is lasting and durable like himselfe c. Tenthly and lastly He gives Himselfe and verily this is a gift of gifts indeed John 6. 51. 63. So in Ephes 5. 20. A Saint may say me thinks I hear Christ saying to me as Austin prayes Lord saith he what ever thou hast given take all away onely give me thy selfe Eschines said to Socrates Others said he give thee silver and gold and precious Jewels but I give thee my selfe So the soule may say One friend gives me bread and another gives me cloaths and another gives me house-roome c. Oh! but thou givest me thy selfe Christ put into the ballance will out-weigh all other gifts that he bestowes upon the sons of men Christ is the richest gift Oh! there are Unsearchable Riches in Christ as hereafter I shall shew you He is the choycest and the rarest gift he is a gift given but to a few rich and rare Jewels are not commonly but more rarely given so is Christ Though Israel be as the sand of the sea yet a Rom. 9. 27. remnant onely shall be saved A garden inclosed a spring Caâ—t 4. 12. Luke 12. 32. shut up a fountaine sealed is my well-beloved Feare not little little flâ—cke it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome Christ is a drawing gift a gift that drawes all other gifts along with him If he have given us his Son how shall Rom. 8. 32. he not with him freely give us all things Christ is a drawing gift When God the father hath cast this incomparable Jewel into a mans bosome he can't deny him any thing Such a soule may well say Hath he given me a Christ and will he not give me a crum Hath he given me his Sonne which is the greatest mercy and will he stand with me for lesser mercies surely no. In a word Christ is of all gifts the sweetest gift As the Tree Exod. 15. 25. sweetned the bitter waters so this gift the Lord Jesus of whom that Tree was a Type sweetens all other gifts that are bestowed upon the sons of men he turnes every bitter into sweet and makes every sweet more sweet And so I come to the second thing propounded and that was The Difference between Christs giving The Difference between Christs the worldâ— giving and the Worlds giving And this I shall shew you in the following Particulars FIrst The world gives but they give grudgingly But 2 Cor. 9. 7. when Christ gives he gives freely Isa 55. 1. Ho every â— Peâ— 4. 9. No Offrings to free will Offrings one that thirsteth let him come and buy wine and milke without money and without price So in Rev. 21. 6. I will give to every one that is athirst of the water of life freely To doe good and not to doe it freely handsomely is nothing A benefit given with grudging is a stony loaf onely taken for necessity Secondly The world they give but they give poorly Saul had buâ— five pence to give the Seer the Seer after much good cheer gives him no lesse then the Kingdome 1 Sam. 9 8. 10. So God deales with his nigardly but Christ gives plenteously richly 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertaine riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy When Caesar gave one a great Reward This saith he is too great a gift for me to receive but saith Caesar 'T is not too great a gift for me to give So though the least gift that Christ gives in some sence is too much for us to receive yet the greatest gifts are not too great for Christ to give 'T is said of Araunahs that Noble Jebusite renowned for his bounty That he had but a subjects purse but a Kings heart But the Lord Jesus hath not onely a Kings heart but he hath also a Kings purse and gives accordingly Thirdly The world give but they give tauntingly they give upbraidingly they hit men in the teeth with the gifts they give I but the Lord Jesus Christ gives and he gives willingly he upbraids none with the gifts he gives Jam. 1. 5. If any man lack wisedome let him aske it of God that gives liberally and
world Ah how many have turn'd their backs upon God and Christ and truth c. to gaine the world how will you get off this burden No way in the world like to the exercise and actings of grace Many men heare much and yet remaine worldly and pray like Angels and yet live as if there were no heaven nor hell They will talk much of heaven and yet those that are spirituall and wise doe smell their breath to stink strong of earth and all the art and parts and gifts in the world can never cure them of this soule-killing disease but the exercise of grace till faith break forth in its glorious actings A man may hear and pray many years and yet be as carnall base and worldly as ever There is no way under Heaven to remove this stone this burden but the exercise of faith and love c. Cant. 8. 6 7. 1 John 4. 5. For whatsoever is borne of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God Not that the habit of faith overcometh the world but faith in the exercise of it conquers the world and that it does these three wayes First Faith in the exercise of it presents the world to the soule under all those notions that the Scripture holds forth the Diviâ—â—ae corporales paupertatiâ— plenae sunt Earthly Riches are full of poverty saith Austin world unto us by The Scripture holds forth the world as an impotent thing as a mixt thing as a mutable thing as a momentary thing Now faith comes and sets this home with power upon the soule and this takes the soule off from the world Secondly Faith doth it by causing the soule to converse with more glorious soule-satisfying soule-delighting and soule-contenting objects 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. Though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day how comes this to passe while we * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whiles we loâ—k upâ—n eternall thâ—ngs as a man looks upon the mark that he aimes to hit looke not at the things which are seen but at the things that are not seen for the things that are seen are temporall but the things that are not seen are eternall Now when faith is busied and exercised about soule-ennobling soule-greatning soule-raising and soule-cheering objects a Christian tramples the world under his feet and now heavy afflictions are light and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet unto him c. Now stand by world welcome Christ c. So in Heb. 11. It was the exercise of faith and hope upon noble and glorious objects that carried them above the world above the smiling world and above the frowning world above the tempting world and above the persecuting world as you may see by comparing severall verses of that Chapter together Vers 9 10. By faith he sojourned Every man is as the objects are about which his soule is most conversant c. in the land of Promise as in a strange Countrey dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the Heires with him of the same Promise for he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Vers 24 25 26. And by faith Moses when he was come to yeares refused to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Aegypt for he had respect to the recompence of reward Vers 27. By faith he forsooke Aegypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible And in vers 35. They refused deliverance that they might obtaine a better Resurrection So in Heb. 10. 34. They tooke joyfully the spoyling of their Goods Upon what account Knowing in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and more induring substance Thirdly and lastly Faith doth it by assuring the soule of Injoying of better things For my part I must confesse so farre as Heb. 11. 1. I understand any thing of the things of God I cannot see how a soule under the power of a well grounded Assurance can be a servant to his slave I meane the world I confesse men may talke much of heaven and of Christ and Religion c. but give In my treatise call'd Heaven on earth you may find many consideratioÌ„s to evince this and to that I referre you c. me a man that doth really and clearely live under the power of divine Assurance and I cannot see how such a one can be carried out in an inordinate love to these poore transitory things I know not one instance in all the Scripture that can be produced to prove that ever any precious Saint that hath lived in the assurance of divine love and that hath walkt up and downe this world with his pardon in his bosome have ever been charged with an inordinate love of the world that 's a sad word 1 Joh. 2. 15. Now a fourth reason of this poynt why persons are to exercise their Graces is Because its the best way to preserve their soules from Apostasie and back sliding from God 2 Pet. 1. 5-11 Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience Godlinesse c. For if ye doe these things ye shall never fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adde to your faith vertue The Greeke word that 's here rendered Adde hath a great emphasis in it 't is taken from dansing round linke them saith the Apostle hand in hand as in dansing virgins took hands so we must joyne hand to hand in these measures of Graces leade up the dance of Graces as in Pulâ—brior in praelio occisus miles quam fugâ salvus the Galliard every one takes his turne So in Chap. 3. 17 18. Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things beware lest ye also being led aside with the error of the wicked fall from your owne stedfastnesse There are many turne aside and shake hands with God and Christ and truth and the words of Righteousnesse and therefore you had need to take heed that you fall not as others have fallen before you But how shall we be kept from apostatizing why Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 'T is a growth in grace 't is the exercise of grace that will make a man stand when others fall yea when Cedars fall c. Fifthly All other exercises without the exercise of Grace will profit nothing Or if you will take it thus All other exercises will be lesse to us without the exercise of Grace therefore we had need to Improve our Graces When the house is on fire if a man should onely pray or cry
graces Ah! when mens graces shine as Moses his face did when their lives as one speaketh of Joseph's life is a very heaven sparkling with variety of virtues as with so many bright Stars ah how are others stirr'd up to glorifie God and to cry out these are Christians indeed these are an honour to their God a Crowne to their Christ and a credit to their Gospel Oh! if they were all such we would be Christians too 'T is a very great stumbling-block to many poor sinners to see men that make a very great and large profession Those in whom virtue is extinguished are like unto painted and printed papers which ignorant men honour and worship instead of Christ Rawleigh of Christ never to exercise and shew forth the virtues of Christ they professe they know him and yet by the non exercise of his virtues they deny him 'T was one of Matchavils Principles That the appearance of virtue was onely to be sought because the use of it saith he is a trouble but the credit of it a helpe I am afraid that this cursed soule-damning Principle is the best flower that growes in many mens Gardens in these dayes Though there is no virtue but is as a bright stone in a dark night it shines and shewes its clearnesse and beauty 't is as pure gold the brighter for passing through the fire yet how doe most Hypocritis nihil est crudelius impatientius vindicta cupidius There is not a more cruel creature more impatient and vindictive then an hypocrite saith Luther who had the experience of it therefore trust not to the Matchavils of the times covet rather the name of virtue then to be really virtuous Such I believe shall have the hottest and the lowest place in hell Well Christians remember this 't is not a shew of grace but the exercise of grace that will provoke others to glorifie the fountaine of grace That 's a very remarkeable Scripture 1 Thess 2. 2 3 8. compared We give thanks to God alwayes for you 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 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad In this eighth verse you have an elegant Metaphor which signifies that their faith was so lively that with its sound as it were it stirred up other Nations The Greek word Exechetai is to sound as with the sound of a Trumpet to make sound afar off Sayes the Apostle your graces made a noise like a Trumpet Pliny tells of some in the remote parts of India that they have no mouths We have many such Monsters among us that have no mouths to blesse God for the good that shines in others they stirr'd up others to be gracious and active as the Trumpet stirs up men to warre So in 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. Wee are bound to give thanks to 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 Hoc enim Angelicum this is the Character of the Angelicall nature to rejoyce in the graces and gracious actings of others He that acts otherwise holds forth the Image of the Devil and declares himselfe a native of hell Thirdly Consider That the exercise and improvement of graces may be a speciall means to stir up the exercise of grace in others Your improvement of grace may be a speciall means to stir The complaint is ancient in Seneca That comonly men live not ad rationem but ad similitudinem Se◠de vita beati cap. 1. up others to improve their graces also 1 Thess 1. 7. So that we were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia Or as the Greek is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You were Types moulds Patterns of piety to them that were in Christ long before you So in 2 Cor. 9. 2. For I know the forwardnesse of your minde for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a year agoe and your zeale hath provoked very many I knew you were forward and this I beasted of I made it my glory to tell how grace shin'd in your soules And saith he your zeale hath provoked many When they saw how warm and lively and active how open-handed and open-hearted you were to the poor Saints their hearts were stir'd up to acts of charity also Stories speak of some that could not sleep when they thought of the Trophies of other Worthies that Praecepta docent exempla movent Precepts may instruct but examples doe perswade went before them The highest examples are very quickning and provoking That this may stick upon your souls I beseech you bed and board rise and walke with this one Consideration viz. That all the good you provoke others to by Counsell or example shall be put downe to your Account It shall certainly turne to your internall and eternall advantage In the great day Christ will make honorable mention of all the good that thou hast stir'd and provok't others too and will reward thee for it before Angels and men The faith the love the hope the charity the patience c. that thou hast provok't others too shall be put downe to thy account as if thou hadst been the onely actor of them c. As all the sins that men provoke or stirre up others to by their Counsell or example shall be put downe to their Accounts as you may see in David David did but send a Letter concerning the death of Vriah and yet the 2 Sam. 12. 9 charge cometh Thou hast staine Vriah with the sword as whatsoever is done by letter counsell or example to provoke others to sin shall certainly be charged upon mens accounts at last so whatsoever good thou doest stirre up others to that They shall shine as so many Suns in heaven who are much in stirring and provoking of others to the exercise of grace and holinesse Dan. 12. 3. Dan. 6. 1 2. shall be set upon thy score and shall turne to thy eternall account in the day of Christ Oh! who would not then labour with all their might even day and night to stirre up the Grace of the Lord in themselves and others seeing it shall turne to such a Glorious Account in that day wherein Christ shall say to his Father Lo here am I and the children that thou hast given me c. Fourthly Consider this The exercise and Improvement of Grace Contributes very much both to the stopping the mouths of your enemies and to the rendering of you lovely
love to grace and because of an excellency that they see in grace Grace is a very sparkling Jewel and he that loves it and pursues after it for its owne native beauty ha's much of it within him c. Thirdly 'T is your Principle That men must subject themselves and square all their actions by the word of God Now what will make a man live up to this Principle will a little grace Surely no. But great measures of grace will Isa 8. 20. Zacharias and Elizabeth were rich in grace and they liv'd up to this Principle Luke 1. 5. They walked in all the Commandements of the Lord blamelesse The Apostles were rich in grace and they liv'd up to this Principle 2 Cor 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world So in 1 Thess 2. 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how holily justly and unblameably we have behaved our selves among you that believe Oh here are soules that live up to their Principles A Christian that is rich in grace is excellent all over George Prince of Anhalt his family is said to have been Ecclesia Academia Curia A Church a Vniversity and a Court. A Christian that is rich in grace ha's a heart as large as his head yea a heart that is as large as the whole will of God Acts 13. 22. I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after my owne heart which shall fullfill all my will In the Greek 't is All my wills to note the universality and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincerity of his obedience Soules rich in grace practice that themselves which they prescribe to others Lessons of Musick and Copies must not be read onely but acted also Soules rich in grace are good at this and they will be good in all places and cases They are as good at the particular Duties of Religion as at those that are more generall they are good Fathers and good Masters and good Husbands as well as good Christians in a more generall sense But now soules that have but a little grace they are much in the generall Duties of Religion but very defective in the particular Duties of Religion as sad experience does abundantly evidence Those that have a blemish in their eye think the skie to be ever cloudy and nothing is more common to weak spirits then to be criticising and contending about others Duties and to neglect their owne But such that are rich in grace make it their glory to subject themselves to the rule of righteousness As Baldasser a German Minister cryed out Let the word of the Lord come let it come saith he and we will submit to it if we had many hundred necks to put under It must be much grace that must inable a man freely fully and sweetly to subject himselfe and his actions to the word of the Lord. Fourthly 'T is your Principle That you must deny your selves your owne profit ease pleasure c. for a publick good And this the Scripture requires 'T is your Principle to deny your selves your own honour pleasure profit c. for a publick advantage when your particular advantages stand in competition 'T is a base unworthy spirit for a man to make himselfe the Centre of all his actions The very heathen man could say A mans Countrey and his friend and others chalenge a great part of him with the publick Now selfe must be laid by and the publick must carry the day Oh but will a little grace inable a man to live up to this Principle Wofull experience shewes the contrary I but now take me a man that is rich in grace and he will live up to this golden Principle as you may see in Nehem. 5. 14 15 16 17 18. Nehemiah was a man eminent in grace and he chooses rather to live upon his owne Purse then upon the publick purse Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their Governour in the Land of Judah from the twentieth year even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the King that is twelve years I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governour Behold the former Governours that had been before me were chargeable unto the people and had taken of them bread and wine besides forty Sheckles of silver yea even their servants did bear rule over the people but so did not I because of the fear of God yea also I continued in the worke of this wall neither bought we any land and all my servants were gathered thither unto the worke Moreover there were at my Table an hundred and fifty of the Jewes and Rulers besides those that came in to us from among the Heathen And yet for all this saith he I required not the bread of the Governour because the bondage was heavy upon the people Oh! here was a brave spirit indeed he was far from inriching himselfe by others ruines from emptying others Purses to fill his owne But he is dead and it seemes this brave spirit is buried with him there are few of his name and fewer of his spirit if any in this world and therefore well might he pray Thinke upon me my God for good according to all that I have done for this people And accordingly God did think upon him for good and made him very famous and glorious in his Generation And that 's a remarkable passage concerning Moses Numb 14. 12. to 21. I will smite them with the Pestilence and dis-inherite them and will make of thee a great Nation and mightier then they saith God to Moses Therefore let me alone to destroy them and cut them off for they are a rebellious Generation And I will make thee a mighter Nation for honour riches and power then they Nay saith Moses this may not be Lord. Oh the people must be spared the people must be pardoned and the people must have thy presence with them and rather then it should be otherwise let my name Lord be blotted out of the Book of life Lord I care not how ill it goes with my particular so long as it may goe well with the generall let me dye so they may live Can the self-seekers of our age think seriously of this and not blush So Mordecai was a man of a brave publick spirit Esther 10. 3. Mordecai the Jew was next unto King Ahassuerus and great among the Jewes and accepted of the multitude of his brethren seeking the wealth of his people Or as the Hebrew ha's it Seeking good for his people That is he made it his businesse to seek their good Christ also was full of grace Christ healed others but was burt himselfe he â—ed and filled others but was hungry himselfe c. and had a brave publick spirit he laid out himselfe and laid downe himselfe for a publick good and so did Paul c. Few in our dayes are of his opinion
therein lyes their glory and perfection Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgement because as he is so are we in this world As he so are we The Child is not more like the father then then we are like our Saviour The Child is the father multiplied the father of a second edition Our Summum bonum consists in our full communion with Christ and in our full conformity to Christ Oh if men were more universally conformable to Christ in their affections ends designes and actings c. they would have abundantly more clear full and glorious evidences of their interest in Christ A more full conformity to Christ in heart and life will make your lives a very Heaven c. Fourthly Interest Christ in the glory of all you injoy and in the glory of all you doe This is a precious way to have your interest in Christ more 1 Cor. 10. 31. and more evidenced to your owne soules Such as are good at this as are much in this will find Christ every day a clearing up more and more their interest in himselfe 'T is not usually long night with such soules O Christians interest Christ more and more in the glory of all your graces interest him in the glory of all your duties interest him in the glory of all your abilities as Christ doth interest you in himselfe in John 1. 16. Rev. 1. 5 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. his spirit in his graces in his riches in his Titles in his dignities in his offices Ah Christians did you interest Christ more in all you have in all you are and in all you doe you would never be so full of feares and doubts and questions about your interest in Christ as you are Your interessing of Christ in all you have and doe will speak out not onely the The mother that strongly loves her child dâ—es not question the truth of he love to her child truth of your love but also the strength and greatnesse of your love and where men love much where they love strongly there they doe not question the truth of their love The Heathen Gods were contented to divide their honours amongst themselves and hence the Senate of Rome rejected Christ from taking him to be a God after that they had consulted about it For said they if Christ come to be acknowledged a God he will not share with the rest he will have all himselfe And so upon this reason they refused him Christians Christ will not have any competitor he will rather part with any thing then with his glory Isa 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another neither my praise to graven Images Christ will rather part with his life then with his honour therefore let every Christian say as David does 1 Chron. 29. 11 12 13. Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the Majesty for all that is in the Heaven and in the earth is thine Thine is the Kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all And in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Now therefore our God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name And cleerly friends the more your hearts are led forth to interest Christ in all you injoy and in all you doe the more clear and glorious evidence you will have of your interest in Christ let his honour and glory lye nearer and nearer to your hearts and you shall see that he ha's set you as a seale upon his arme as a seale upon his heart The fifth meanes to gaine the knowledge of your interest in Christ is By cleaving to Christ and whatsoever is deare to Christ in the face of all miseries difficulties and dangers It 's nothing to cleave to Christ in faire weather when every Psal 44. Acts 5. Heb. 11. Dan. 3. Acts 21. 13. one cleaves to Christ when every one professes Christ but to cleave to him in a storme when every one runs from him this speaks out a child-like disposition it speaks out a Jacob's spirit Surely he must needs have much of Christ that nothing can take off from cleaving to Christ When the soule sayes to Christ as Ruth said to Naomi Whither thou Ruth 1. 15 16 17 18. goest I will goe and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God shall be my God The Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me When neither the frownes of men nor the reproach of men nor the contempt of men nor oppositions from men can take the soule off from cleaving to Christ it will not be long before Christ speaks peace to such a soule Psal 63. 8. My soule followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholds me In the Hebrew 'tis My soule cleaveth to thee or Dabka naphshi is glewed to thee as Jonathan's soule cleav'd to David and as Jacob's soule cleav'd to Rachel in the face of all difficulties and troubles Doubtlesse when the soule cleaves to Christ in the face of all afflictions and difficulties this carries with it Shaâ—nma one of Davids Worthies stood and defended the field when all the rest fled very much evidence of its interest in Christ In temporalls men cleave to persons and things as their interest is in them and so 't is in spirituals also Christ cannot Christ will not throw such to hell that hang about him that cleave to him Sixthly and lastly If you would know whether you have an interest in Christ Then be very much in observing what interest Christ ha's in you Observe whether he ha's the interest of a head a husband a father or no Christ ha's a generall interest in all creatures as he is the Creator and Preserver of them And he ha's a heads interest a husbands interest a fathers interest onely in them that have a saving interest in him The interest of the head the husband the father is the greatest interest 't is the sweetest interest 't is a commanding interest 't is a growing interest 't is a peculiar interest 't is a lasting interest and really if the Lord Jesus hath such an interest in you you may be as confident that you have a reall and glorious interest in him ' as you are confident that you live And thus much for the means whereby you may come to know your interest in rich Jesus Before I close up this discourse give me leave to speak a few words to poore sinners who to this very day are afar off from this Jesus who is so rich in all excellencies and glories A VSE of Exhortation to Christ-less soules Ah poore hearts you have heard much of the riches of the Lord
downe yea they would have him downe root and branch but there 's no such way for his totall and finall overthrow as the Preaching of Christ for the more the glory fullnesse perfection and excellency of Christ is discovered the more the horrid vilenesse and matchlesse wickednesse of the man of sin will be discovered and abhorred c. 2 Thess 2. 3 4 7 8 9 10. And then In the Canon Law the Pope is said to be Sâ—lutus omni lege humana shall that wicked one be revealed The Greek word Anomos properly signifies a lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse Monster one that holdeth himselfe subject to no Law Pope Nicholas the First said That he was above Law because Constantine had stiled the Pope God And of the same opinion were most of the Popes Whom he shall consume The Greek word signifies to consume Analosei by little and little till a thing come to nothing With the spirit of his mouth That is with the evidence and glory of his word in the mouths of his Messengers The Ministers of the word are as a mouth whereby the Lord breatheth Bellarmine confesseth to his great grief That ever since the Lutherans have declared the Pope to be Antichrist his Kingdome hath not only nâ—t increased but every day more more decreased and decayed Lib. 3. de papa RoÌ„ cap. 21. out that glorious mighty and everlasting Gospel which shall by degrees bruâ—se Antichrist and all his adherents and break them in sunder like a rod of Iron c. When Christ was born all the Idols that were set up in the world as Historians write fell down When Jesus Christ comes to be lifted up in a Nation in a City in a Towne in a Family yea in any heart then all Idols without and within will fall before the power presence and glory of Jesus Since Luther began to lift up Christ in the Gospel what a deale of ground ha's Antichrist lost and he does and will looâ—â— more and more as Christ comes to be more and more … ened and lifted up in the Chariot of his word Many in these dayes that speak much against Antichrist have much of Antichrist within them And certainly there is no such way to cast him out of mens hearts and out of the world as the Preaching and making knowne of Christ as the exalting and lifting up of Christ in the Gospel of grace A fourth Reason why they are to Preach Christ to the people is this Because else they contract upon themselves the blood of soules There 's no other way for them to avoid the contracting of the blood of men and womens soules upon them but the The Germans have this Proverb say they The pavement of hell is made â—f the bare skuls of Priests and the glorious Crests of gallants Theâ—r meâ—ning is that the more eminent any one is in Church or State doth not imploy his eminency accordingly the more low shall they lye in hell Rev. 18. 11 12 13 14. Preaching of Christ unto them Now a man were better to have all the blood in the world upon him then the blood of one soule The blood of soules of all blood cryes loudest and wounds deepest The lowest the darkest and the hottest place in Hell will be the sad and dreadfull portion of such upon whose skirts the blood of soules shall be found at last Hence that passage of Paul in 1 Cor. 9. 16. Woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel The Motto that should be writ upon Preachers Study doores and on their wals and on all the Books they look on on the beds they lye on and on the seats they sit on c. should be this The Blood of soules The Blood of soules The soule is the better the noble part of man it bears most of the Image of God 't is capable of union and communion with God Christ sweat for it and bled for it and therefore woe to those Merchants that make merchandize of the soules of men This was a comfort and an honour to Paul that he kept himselfe from the blood of soules Acts 20. 25 26 27. He appeales to them that they were witnesses that he was free from the blood of all men Paul had held out Jesus Christ in his Natures in his Names in his Offices and in all his excellencies and perfections and so frees himselfe from the blood of all men And Ministers can no way secure themselves from the blood of soules but by Preaching up and living out a crucified Jesus The last Reason is this Because the Preaching of Christ contributes most to their comfort here and to their reward hereafter therefore they are to Preach the Lord Christ to the people When Luther was upon a dying bed this was no small Bernard comfortably observes That Ministers have their reward Secundum laborem not Secundum proventum joy and comfort to his spirit Thee O Lord saith he have I knowne thee have I loved thee have I taught thee have I trusted and now into thy hands I commend my spirit There can be no greater joy to a Minister then by Preaching Christ to win soules to Christ 1 Thess 2. 19 20. For what is our hope or joy or Crowne of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ye are our glory and joy They that by Preaching Christ win soules to Christ shall shine as the Starres in the Firmament Dan. 12. 3. Every soule won to Christ is a glorious Pearle added to a Preachers Crowne 1 Pet. 5. 4. And when the chief Shepheard shall appeare you shall receive a Crowne of glory A Crowne imports perpetuity plenty and dignity the height of humane ambition It is the opinion of some That there are three places of exaltation in heaven The first and highest is for converting Ministers The second is for suffering Martyrs The third is for persevering Christians Without doubt those Ministers shall be high in heaven who make it their heaven to hold forth Christ and to win soules to Christ who are willing to be any thing to be nothing that Christ may be all in all to poore soules And thus I have given you the Reasons of the Point I shall now come to the second thing which is the maine and that is to shew you How Ministers are to Preach Christ to the people Many weak and slight spirits in these dayes think that 't is 2. Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Almost every Upstart in these dayes thinks himself sufficient Who am I sayes Moses who am I not saith every green-head in these dayes as easie to Preach as to play and so they hop from one thing to another and those that are not qualified nor fit for the least and lowest imployment yet judge themselves fit enough for the greatest and the weightiest imployment in the world and that which would certainly break the backs not onely of the
fire out of his mothers breast murderer of the soules of men Ministers must say as Hector in Homer I will combate with him though his hands were as fire and his strength as iron Let mens hands be as fire and their strength as iron yet Ministers must deale with them and strive to make a conquest on them Exek 2. 3 ult Luther professed That he had rather be accounted any thing then be accused of wicked silence in Christs cause Let me be accounted sayes he proud let me be accounted covetous let me be accounted a murdered yea guilty of all Vices so I be not proved guilty of wicked silence in the cause of Jesus Christ Themistocles being about to speak to the Generall of the Greeks Army against Exerxes he held up his staffe as if he had been about to strike him Strike said Themistocles but yet heare So should Ministers say strike but yet heare raile but yet heare despise but yet heare censure but yet heare oppose but yet heare doe what you will but yet heare Non amat qui non zelat saith Augustine He is no friend to God that is not zealous for him When one desired to know what kind of man Basil was there was saith the History presented to him in a dream a pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one and on a light fire for God So every Minister The father payes the Nurse though the child dies The Doctour has his Fee though the patient dyes And the Vine dresser ha's his reward though the Vines wither So will God deal with faithfull Ministers 2 Cor. 2. 15. â—sa 49. 2 3 4. should be all on a fire for God Sixthly They are to Preach Christ Laboriously painfully frequently a Minister must be like the Bee that is still a flying from one Flower to another to suck out Honey for the good of others Should not that dreadfull word make every idle Shepheard tremble Jer. 48. 10. Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently 1 Cor. 15. ult Be yee stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Oh! the dreadfull woes that are pronounc't in Scripture against idle Shepheards Jer. 23. 1. Ezek. 13. 3. Chap. 34. 2. Zech. 11. 17. Mat. 23. 13 14 15 16 23 25 27. The great Shepheard of our soules the Lord Jesus was still a feeding of his flock and much in provoking others to the same work John 21. Feed my Lambs feed my sheep 2 Tim. 4. Preach the word in season and out of season Christ wept for soules and bled for soules and prayed for soules and shall not Ministers sweat much for soules and work much for the good of soules Doubtlesse they will give up but a sad account to Christ that make any thing serve to fill up the houre that spend two or three houres at the end of a week to fit If a Minister had as many eyes as Argus to watch and as many hands as Brtareus â—o labour he might find imployment enough for them all themselves for Sabbaoth-Exercises Idlenesse is hatefull in any but most abhominable and intolerable in Ministers and sooner or later none shall pay so deare for it as such witnesse the frequent woes that are denounced in Scripture against them Where should a Souldier dye but in the field And where should a Minister dye but in the Pulpit Pompey in a great dearth at Rome having provided store of provisions for his Citizens that were ready to perish and being ready to put to sea he commanded the Pilot to hoise saile and be gone the Pilot told him That the Sea was tempestuous and that the voyage was like to be dangerous It matters not said Pompey hoist up saile 't is not necessary that we should live 't is necessary that they should be preserved The Angels on Jacob's ladder were some ascending others discending none standing oâ— sitting still Ministers must be like them from ruine and famine So should Ministers say 't is not necessary that we should live but 't is necessary that poor soules should live and be happy for ever 't is necessary that they should be acquainted with the things of their peace 't is necessary that they should be delivered from the power of Satan and from wrath to come and therefore 't is necessary that we should be frequent and abundant in the worke of the Lord and not plead stormes or tempests or that a Lyon is in the way It was Vespasian the Emperours speech and may well be applyed to Ministers Oportet imperatorem stantem mori Sueton. An Emperour ought to dye standing A â— Preacher is Qâ—intillian 〈◊〉 oâ— an Orator should be Vir bonus dicendi peritus A well spoken and well deeded person Seventhly As they are to Preach Christ painfully so they are to Preach Christ Exemplarily 1 Pet. 5. 3. Be thou an example to the flock They must Preach Christ as well in life as in doctrine Ministers must not be like the Druggs that Physitians say are hot in the mouth and cold in operation hot in the Pulpit and cold and carelesse in their lives and conversations They must say as Gideon said to his Souldiers Judg. 17. 17. Looke on me and doe likewise Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heaven They are John the Abbot professeth That he had never taught others any thing which he had not first practiced himselfe called Angels and they are called Starres because they should shine in righteousnesse and holinesse What Caesar once said of his wife That it was not enough for her to be without fault but she should be without all suspition of fault may well be applyed to Ministers who of all men in the world should be most free from the very appearances of evil The lives of Ministers oftentimes doe convince more strongly then their words their tongues may perswade but their lives command Talke not of a good life said the Heathen but let thy life Tace lingua loquere vita speake God appointed that both the weights and measures of the Sanctuary should be twice as large as those of the Common-wealth to shew that he expects much more of those that doe waite upon him in the Sanctuary then he doth of others Ministers should be like Muske among linnen which casts a fragrant smell or like that box of Spikenard which being broken open filled the house with its odour Gregory saith of Athanasius That his life was a continuall Sermon and woeing men to Christ Aristotle requires this in an Orator That he be a good man How much more then 1 Sam. 2. 17. should Gods Orators be good and gracious When Eli's Sons were wicked the people abhorred the Offering of the Lord and what is that that renders the things of 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