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
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
this is the best to keep them from falling Job feares and conquers on the dunghill Adam presumes and falls in Paradise Nehemiah fears and stands Nehem. 5. 15. Peter presumes and falls Mat. 26. Mr. Sanders the Martyr in Queene Mary's dayes feares and stands Dr. Pendleton presumes and falls from a Professor to be a Papist When Agamemnon said What should the Conquerour feare Casander presently answered Quod nihil timet He should feare this most of all that he fears not at all And so I have done with the Reasons of the point I shall now come to the Uses of it And the first is this Is it so that the most holy soules are the most humble soules Then this shewes you That the number of holy soules is very few Oh how few be there that are low in their owne eyes The number of soules that are high in the esteeme of God and low in their owne esteem are very few Oh the pride of England Oh the pride of London Pride in these A proud heart resists and is resâ—sted this is duâ—o duâ—um flint to flint fire to fire yet downe he must dayes ha's got a whores fore-head yet pride cannot climb so high but Justice will sit above her Bernard saith that Pride is the rich mans Cousen I may add And the poore mans Cousen and the prophane mans Cousen and the Civil mans Cousen and the formall mans Cousen and the Hypocrites Cousen yea all mens Cousen and it will first or last cast down and cast out all the Lucifers and Adams in the world Secondly As you would approve your selves to be high in the account of God as you would approve your selves to be not onely good but eminently good Keep humble Since England was England since the Gospel shined amongst us there was never such reason to presse this duty of humility as in these dayes of pride wherein we live and therefore I shall endeavour these two things First to lay downe some Motives that may work you to be humble Secondly to propound some Directions that may further you in this work First for the Motives Consider First how God singles out humble soules from all others ot 1 Motive poure out most of the Oyle of Grace into their hearts No Vessels that God delights to fill like broken vessels like contrite spirits Jam. 4. 6. He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble The Greek word signifies To set himselfe Anâ—itassetai in battell array God takes the winde and hill of a proud soule but he gives grace to the humble The silver dewes flow downe from the Mountaines to the lowest valleyes Abraham was but dust and ashes in his owne eyes I but saith Gen. 18. 17. God Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe No I will not An humble soule shall be both of Gods Court and his Counsel too Humble Jacob that was in his Gen. 32. 10. owne eyes lesse then the least of all mercies what a glorious Vision had he of God when the Ground was his Bed and Gen. 28. the Stone his Pillow and the Hedges his Curtaines and the Heavens his Canopie Then he saw Angels ascend and descend An humble soule that iies low O what sights of God He that is in the low pits and caves os the earth sees the starres in the fiâ—mament when they who are upon the tops of the mountains discerne them not hath he what glory doth he behold when the proud soule sees nothing God poures in grace to the humble as men poure in liquor into an empty vessel he does not drop in grace into an humble heart but he poures it in The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire the wood and the Sacrifice So the hearts of men under the Gospel must be humble empty of all sprituall pride and self-conceitednesse that so they may receive the fire of the Spirit and Jesus Christ who offered himselfe for a Sacrifice for our sins Humility is both a Grace and a vessel to receive Grace There 's none that sees so much need of grace as humble souls there 's none prises grace like humble soules there 's none improves grace like humble soules Therefore God singles out the humble soule to fill him to the brim with grace when the proud is sent empty away Secondly Of all Garments humility doth best become Christians 2 Motive and most adorne their profession Faith is the Champion of grace and Love the Nurse but Humility the beauty of grace 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be clothed with humility The Greek word imports That Humility is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ribbon or string that tyes together all those pretious Pearles the rest of the graces If this string break they are all scattered The Greek word that is rendred Cloathed comes of another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek word that signifies to knit and tye knots as delicate and curious women use to doe of Ribbons to adorne their heads and bodies as if humility were the knot of every vertue the grace of every grace Chrysostome calls Humility 'T is reported of the Christall that it hath such a virtue in it that the very touching of it quickens other stones and puts a lustre and beauty upon them so does humility put a lustre upon every grace The Root Mother Nurse Foundation and Band of all Virtue Bazill calls it The Store-house and Treasury of all good For what 's the scandall and reproach of Religion at this day nothing more then the pride of Professors Is not this the language of most They are great Professors O but very proud they are great hearers they will run from Sermon to Sermon and cry up this man and cry up that man O but proud They are great talkers O but as proud as the Devil c. Oh that you would take the Counsel of the Apostle Be cloathed with humility And that Col. 3. 12. Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and Beloved Bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long-suffering No Robes to these The Third Motive is this Humility is a Load-stone that 3 Motive drawes both the heart of God and man to it In Isa 57. Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit The Lord singles out the humble soule of all others to make him an Habitation for himselfe Here is a wonder God is on high and yet the higher a man lifts up himselfe the farther he is from God And the lower a man humbles himselfe the neerer he is to God of all soules God delights most to dwell with the humble for they doe most prize and best improve his pretious presence In Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Prov. 22. 4. By humility
basenesse and wickednesse whereby their carnall ends may be attain'd and themselves exalted but these men and their honour will quickly be laid in the dust Oh! but the readiest the surest the safest the sweetest way to attaine to true honour Qui parvus est in reputatione propria magnus est in reputatione divina Gregory 8 Motive is to be humble to lye low Humility makes a man precious in the eye of God He that is little in his owne account is great in Gods esteem The eighth and last Consideration that I shall propound is this Consider humility keeps the soule free from many darts of Satans casting and snares of his spreading As you may see in the three Children in Daniel and in those Worthies in the 11 of the Hebrewes of whom this world was not worthy As the lowest shrubs are freed from many violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rend the tallest Cedars So the humble soule is free from a world of temptations that proud and lofty soules are shaken and torne in pieces with The Devil hath least power to fasten a temptation upon an humble soule He that hath a gratious measure of Humility is neither affected with Satans proffers nor terrified with Satans threatniugs The golden Chaine does not allure him nor the iron Chaine does not daunt him I have read of one who seeing in a Vision many snares of Satan spread upon the earth he sate downe and mourned Quis pertran siet ista The answer was Humilitas pertransiet and said with himselfe Who shall passe through these whereunto he heard a voyce answering Humility shall passe through them A proud heart is as easily conquered as tempted vanquished as assaulted But the Humble soule when tempted sayes with that worthy Convert I am not the man that I was Ego non sum ego There was a time when my heart was proud and lifted up and then thou couldst no sooner knock but I opened no sooner call but I answered no sooner tempt but I did assent Oh! but now the Lord taught me to be humble I can resist though I can't dispute I can fight but not yeeld Mistriss Catherine Bretterge an humble precious soule being once in a great Conflict with Satan said thus to him Satan Reason not with me I am but a weake woman if thou hast any thing to say say it to my Christ he is my Advocate my strength and my Redeemer and he shall plead for me An humble soule is good at turning Satan over to the Lord Jesus and this increases Satans Hell It is reported of Satan that he should say thus of a Learned man Thou doest alwayes overcome me when I would throw thee downe thou liftest up Tu me semper vincis thy selfe in assurance of Faith and when I would exalt and promote thee thou keepest thy selfe in humility and so thou art too hard for me The onely way to avoid Cannon-shot as they say is to fall downe flat No such way to be freed from temptations as to keep low And so I have done with the first Head namely The Motives that should move and provoke us to keep humble to be base to be nothing in our owne eyes I shall now come to some Helps and Directions that may be usefull to keep us humble and low in our owne eyes And the first is this Dwell much upon the greatnesse of Gods mercy and goodnesse 1 Direction to you Nothing humbles and breaks the heart of a sinner like mercy and love Soules that converse much with sinne and wrath may be much terrified but souls that converse much 'T is said of Adam that he turned his â—â—ce to the Garden of Eden and wept sore with grace and mercy will be much humbled Luke 7. the Lord Jesus shewes mercy to that notorious sinner and then she falls downe at his feet and loves much and weeps much c. In the 1 Chron. 17. it was in the heart of David to build God a house God would not have him doe it yet the Messenger must tell David that God would build him a house and establish his Son upon the Throne for ever Look Vers 10 11. into the 15 16 17 verses and there you shall find that David le ts fall such an humble speech which he never did before that God had sent him that message of advancement And 2. Sam. 9. 7 8. David the King came and sat before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and what is mine house that thou hast As Honey flowes naturalâ—y from the Bee so does mercy flow naturally from God brought me hitherto And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes O God for thou hast also spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come c. And this sweetly and kindly melts him and humbles him before the Lord. Oh if ever you would have your soules kept low dwell upon the free grace and love of God to you in Christ Dwell upon the firstnesse of his love dwell upon the freenesse of his love the greatnesse of his love the fullnesse of his love the unchangeablenesse of his love the everlastingnesse of his love and the activity of his love if this doe not humble thee there is nothing on earth will doe it Dwell upon what God hath undertaken for you Dwell upon the choyce and worthy gifts that he ha's bestowed on you And dwell upon that glory and happinesse that he ha's prepared for you and then be proud if you can Secondly Keep faith in continuall exercise upon Christ as 2 Direction crucified and upon Christ as glorified There are two speciall sights of Christ that tend much to humble and abase a soule The one is A sight of Christ in his misery in the 12 of As one scale goes up the other goes downe So as faith goes up the heart goes downe Zech. ver 10. And the other is A sight of Christ in his glory Rev. 1. 7. Isa 6. 1 3 5. compared 'T is dangerous to be more notion then motion to have faith in the head and none in the heart to have an idle and not an active faith 'T is not enough for you to have faith but you must look to the acting of your faith upon Christ as crucified and upon Christ as glorified Soules much in this will be very little and low in their owne eyes The great reason why the soule is no more humble is because faith is no more active Thirdly Study your owne natures more and what ever evill 3 Direction you behold in other mens practises labour to see the same in your owne nature There is the seed of all sins of the vilest and worst of sins in the best men When thou seest another drunk thou mayest Imibria sued Scenola for that he received not his weapon deep enough into his body Aug. see the seed of that sin in thy owne nature When
what thou wouldest have as you may see in Ephes 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit rf Promise The Originall runs thus In whom believing you were sealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While faith is busied and exercised about Christ and those varieties of glories and excellencies that are in him the Lord comes and by his spirit seales the life and love and glory of them Thus by Divine assistance I have dispatched the first thing viz. The deciphering of weake Christians The second thing that I propounded for the further opening and clearing of this Point was To hold forth to you those things that tend to support comfort and uphold weak Christians And truly I must needs say that if ever there were a time wherein weak Christians had need of support I verily believe this is the time wherein we live for by the horrid prophanenesse of men on the one hand and the abominable loose and rotten Principles of others on the other hand the hearts of many weak Christans especially are sadded that God would not have sadded and their spirits wounded and grieved that God would have comforted and healed and therefore I shall dwell the longer upon this second thing And the first thing that I shall lay downe by way of Support is this 1 Support He that loâ—kt upon the brazen Serpent though with a weak sight was healed a throughly as he that lookt upon it with a stronger sight A weak faith is a joynt possessor though no faith can be â— joynt purâ—haser of Christ That the weakest Christians have as much interest and propriety in Christ and all the fundamentall good that comes by Christ as the strongest Saints in the world have Weak Saints are as much united to Christ as much justified by Christ as much reconciled by Christ and as much pardoned by Christ as the strongest Saints 'T is true weak Christians cannot make so much improvement and advantage of their interest in Christ as strong Saints can they have not that power that wisedome that spirituall skill to make that advantage of their interest and propriety in Christ as strong Saints have Yet have they as much interest and propriety in the Lord Jesus and all the fundamentall good that comes by him as the strongest Saint that breaths The sucking Child hath as much interest and propriety in the father and in what is the fathers as the Child that 's growne up to age Though the young Child ha's not that skill nor that power nor wisedome to improve that interest to his advantage as he that 's growne up in years hath It 's just so here A soule weak in grace hath as much interest in the Lord as the strongest Saint hath though he hath not that skill to improve that interest And is not this a singular comfort and support Verily were there no more to bear up a poor weak Saint from fainting under all his sins and sorrowes and sufferings yet this alone might doe it c. The Second Support and Comfort to weake Saints is this That God doth with an eye of love reflect upon the least good 2 Support that is in them or done by them And is not this a glorious Comfort and Support that the Lord looks with an eye of love upon the least good that 's in you or done by you You cannot have a good thought but The least Star gives light the least drop moystens God looks upon that thought with an eye of love Psal 32. 5. I said I would confesse my sin and thou forgavest mine iniquity I said it in my thoughts that I would confesse my sin and thou presently meeting me with pardoning mercy forgavest mine iniquity So in Mal. 3. 16. And there was a Book of Remembrance written for them that feare the Lord and that thought upon his name They had but some thoughts of God and God reflects upon those thoughts with an eye of love Isa 38. 5. I have heard thy prayers I have seene thy teares Tears we look upon but as poor things and yet God looks upon them as Pearles and therefore he puts them into So in Ps 6. 8. One observes that there are 2 strong things in Tears 1 Deorsum fluunt coelum terunt They drop downward and fall to the earth yet they teach upwards and pierce the Pereâ— 2 Muliae sunt loquuntur They hold their peace yet cry very loud his Bottle as the Psalmist speaks There is not a bit of bread nor a drop of drink thou givest but God casts an eye of love upon it Mat. 25. 35 36. There is not a desire that arises in thy soule but the Lord takes notice of it Prov. 10. 17. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble Weak Saints are full of desires their whole life is a life of desires they are stil a breathing out holy desires Lord Pardon such a sin and give me power against such a sin and strength Lord to withstand such a Temptation and grace Lord to uphold me under such an Affliction c. and the Lord hears and answers such gracious breathings and longings It was holy Jewell's desire That he might dye Preaching and God lookt with an eye of love upon his desire and he had it It was Latimer's desire That he might shed his heart blood for Christ and God lookt with an eye of love upon the breathings of his heart and he had it The Israelites did but groan and God lookt upon their groans with an eye of love he comes downe he makes his Arme bare he tramples upon their proud Enemies and by Miracles he saves them O weak Christian Is not this a singular comfort that the Lord reflects with an eye of love upon your thoughts upon your desires upon your tears and upon your groanings c. What though others slight you what though others take no notice of you yet the Lord casts an eye of love upon you Some think its very strange that God should set downe in Scripture the story of Jacob a poor Countrey-man Gen. 31. that he had a few Ewes and Lambs streaked and spotted and yet take no notice of the great Emperours and Kings of the Earth nor of their great actions and Warlike designes in the world But this is to shew that tender love and respect that God bears to his Children above what he does to the great ones of this World God is more taken with Lazarus patcht Coat then with Dives silken Robe c. A third thing that I shall propound for the Support and Comfort of weak Saints is this Consider the Lord looks more upon your Graces then he 3 Support doth upon your weaknesses Or thus The Lord will not cast away weake Saints by reason of the weaknesses that cleaves to their persons or services In 2 Chron. 30. 18
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
ha's bestowed upon them such choyce spirituall blessings the least of which will out-weigh all temporall blessings Well Christians remember this you act below your spirituall birth your holy calling when you suffer your hearts to be troubled and perplexed for the want of temporall things Can you read speciall love in these Does your happinesse lye in the injoyment of them Are not the Angels happy without them Was not Lazarus more happy then Dives Yes O then let not the want of those things trouble thee the injoyment of which can never make thee happy Should the Child be troubled for want of a Rattle or a Babie that is proclaimed Heire of a Crowne And why then should a Christian that is Heire apparent to a Heavenly Crowne be troubled upon the want of worldly toyes c. Jerous tells us of one Didymus a godly Preacher who was Socrates Scho. l. 4. c. 20. blind Alexander a godly man coming to him askt him Whether he was not sore troubled and afflicted for want of his sight O yes said didymus It 's a great affliction and trouble to me Then Alexander chid him saying Hath God given you the excellency of an Angel of an Apostle and are you troubled for that which Rats and Mice and bruit-beasts have 'T is great folly 't is double iniquity for a Christian to be troubled for the want of those things that God ordinarily bestowes upon the worst of men Oh the mercies that a Christian ha's in hand Oh the mercies that a Christian ha's in the Promises Oh the mercies that a Christian ha's in hope are so many so precious and so glorious that they should bear up his head and heart from fainting and sinking under all outward wants There goes a Story among Scholars Of Aesops deceiving Mercury He having promised him one part of his Nuts keepes all the meat to himselfe and gives the other the shells Cyprian in his Sermon De lapsis reporteth of divers who forsaking the Lord were given over to eviâ—l spirits and died fearfully A backslâ—der may say Opera impensa peâ—it All my paines and charge is lost Ah Christians God ha's given you the meat but the world the shells why then should you be troubled for want of the shells when God ha's given you the kernell c. Seventhly If the Lord hath given his people the best of Gifts Oh then let not them leave off that God that hath bestowed such choyce and noble favours on them Jerem. 2. 11 12 13. Hath a Nation changed their Gods which are yet no Gods but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord. Why For my people have committed two evills they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters c. This was that that aggravated the Israelites sin Psal 105. 106. That They forsooke that God that had confer'd upon them many rich and royall favours But O then what madnesse and folly is it in you that you should forsake that God that hath done such mighty things for your soules I may say to keep you close to God as Saul said to his servants to keep them close to him 1 Sam. 22. 7. Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him heare now ye Benjamites will the Son of Jesse give every one of you fields and Vineyards and make you all Captaines of thousands and Captaines of hundreds Ah Christians can the world give you spirituall life Can the world give you peace of conscience pardon of sin the favour of God the hopes of glory No O then never leave nor forsake that God that ha's given you all these royall favours which none can give nor take but himselfe He that forsakes Diis proximuâ— ille est quem ratio non ira movet Sen. He is next to God whom reâ—son and not anger moveth Did an impatient soul buâ— see himself iâ— a glasse he would loath himselfe for saith Homer his eyes sparkle like sire his heart swels his puls beats c. In a word aâ— impatiem soul is a bed lam a monster a devil c. God forsakes his owne mercies he forsakes his life his joy his Crowne his all in all No evill to this of forsaking the greatest good It makes a mans life a very hell Such shall be written in the dust Jer. 17. 13. Eighthly and lastly Be not impatient nor froward when God shall take away some lesser mercies from you Hath God given you the best and the greatest gifts that your soules can begg or himselfe can give And will you be froward or impatient when he shall come to take away lesser mercies What wilt thou be an impatient soule when God comes and writes death upon such a neere mercy and passes the sentence of death upon such and such desirable mercies Verily this is the way to provoke God to strip thee naked of thy choycest ornaments and to put thee in Chaines or else to turne thee a grasing among the beasts of the field as he did Nebuchadnezzar God gives the best and takes away the worst he gives the greatest and takes away the least the sense of which made Job blesse God when stript of all If a man should give you a Pearle and take away a pin if he should give you a bagge of gold and take away a bagge of Counters would it not be madnesse in you to be impatient and froward Does God take away a pin and ha's he not given you a Pearle for it He ha's given thee a pound O Christian for every penny that he ha's taken from thee therefore be not froward nor impatient Remember Christians how many in the world there be that sit sithing and mourning under the want of those very favours that you doe enjoy Why does the living man complaine What out of the grave and complaine What out of hell and complaine This is mans sin and Gods wonder But now some poor sinners may say Here 's good Newes for Saints but what 's all this â—o us all this while Read also Pro. 1. 20. to 29. Ch. 8. 1. to 8. Chap. 9. 1. to 7. Isa 43. 22 23 24 25. Jer. 51. 5. Why I 'le tell you I have something to say for the comfort and incouragement of poor sinners Ah sinners Christ is willing to bestow the best Gifts upon the worst sinners take one Text for all 't is a sweet one and full to the point in hand Psal 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity Captive thou hast received Gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them Christ hath received Gifts as a Steward from the hand of None so faith â—ull as Christ Heb. 3. 5 6. the father to dispence them among men yea among the rebellious the worst of men If there be here at this time any
Jesus and Oh that I could perswade with you to get an interest in this Christ get this Christ and you get all misse him and you misse all 'T is a matter of eternall concernment to your soules nothing can make that man miserable that hath this rich Christ nothing can make that man happy that wants this rich Christ In Prov. 4. 5 7. Get wisedome that 's Christ get understanding forget it not Vers 7. Wisedome is the principall thing therefore get wisedome and with all thy getting get understanding And so in Prov. 16. 16. How much better is to get wisedome then gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen then silver Hadst thou all the power of the world without an interest 1 Cor. 1. 25. to 29. in Christ thou wouldest be but weak Hadst thou all the wit and learning in the world without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but a foole Hadst thou all the honours in the world yet without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but base Hadst thou all the wealth in the world Dan. 4. 17. Luke 16. 2◠23 24 25 26. Mat. 13. 45 46 47. yet without an Interest in Christ thou wouldest be but a beggar c. Oh therefore labour for an Interest in Christ Oh turne the wise Merchant at last The wise Merchant in the Gospel parts with all to buy the Pearle to get an interest in Christ Oh! 't is your greatest wisedome 't is of an eternall concernment to your soules to sell all to part with all for an interest in the Lord Jesus Oh doe not deale with your soules when Christ is tendered and offered to you as sometimes simple people doe when they goe to Market they might have a good penny-worth but that they are loath to part with some old peece of gold that ha's been given them by a father or a friend somewhat willing they are to have the good penny-worth but unwilling they are to part with their gold 'T is so with many poore sinners when the Lord Jesus Christ is presented to their soules as a very glorious penny-worth somewhat willing they are to have him but unwilling they are to part with their old gold with some old sweet darling lust But sinners don't you deceive your own soules sin and your soules must part or Christ and your soules can never meet Sin and your soules must be two or Christ and your soules can never be one Christ is a most precious commodity Prov 8. 11. he is better then Rubies or the most costly Pearles and you must part with your old gold with your shining gold your old sins your most shining sins or you must perish for ever Christ is to be sought and bought with any paines at any price we cannot buy this gold too deare He is a Jewel more worth then a thousand worlds as all know that have him Get him and get all misse him and misse all Now if ever you would get an interest in Christ and so by gaining an Interest in him be possest of all the riches and glory that come by him then be sure to get your hearts possest with these nine Principles that follow And the first is this That the great end and designe of Christs coming into the world was the Salvation of sinners Get this Principle rooted in your spirits I came not to call the righteous saith he but sinners to repentance And Ma◠9. 13. Mark 2. 17. in 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners Christ layes aside his Royal Crowne he puts off his glorious Robe he leaves his fathers bosome he takes a journey from Heaven to Earth and all to save poore lost sinners That which Christ had most in his eye and upon his heart in his coming into the world was the salvation of sinners Lay up this truth feed upon this Honey-comb Secondly Get this Principle rooted in your hearts Viz. That none ever yet obtained an interest in Christ but unworthy creatures When you are pressed to get an Interest in Christ you are ready to say O I am unworthy Will Christ ever looke after such a one as I am I answer Yes For this is a most certaine Principle That none ever attain'd an interest in Christ but unworthy creatures Was Paul worthy before he had an interest in Christ Wbat worthinesse was in Mathew when Christ call'd him from the Receipt of Custome And what worthinesse was in Zacheus when Christ call'd him downe from the Cycomore Tree and told him that This day salvation was come to his house Was Manasses or Mary Magdalen worthy before they had an Interest in Christ Surely no. Though you are unworthy yet Christ is worthy Though you have no merit yet God ha's mercy Though there is no salvation for you by the Law yet there is salvation for you by the Gospel Againe Christ requires no worthinesse in any man before Such as shall goe to prove he does must make a new Gospel a new Bible he believes and he that won't believe before he is worthy will never believe If you look upon God with an Evangelical eye you shall see that he that is most unworthy is most capable of mercy A real sense of our owne unworthinesse renders us most fit for Divine mercy This Objection I am unworthy is an unworthy Objection and speaks out much pride and ignorance of the Gospel and of the freenesse and riches of Gods grace c. Thirdly Let this Principle dwell in you Viz. That Christ hath lost none of his affections to poor sinners by going to heaven Oh! how did his bowels work towards sinners when he was on earth And certainly they work as strougly towards them now he is in heaven His love his heart his good will is as much towards them as ever Christ is Alpha and Omega Rev 1. 8. the phrase is taken from the Greek letters whereof Alpha Heb. 13. 8. Vide Grotius is the first and Omega the last I am before all and I am after all Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Christ is the same before time in time and after time Christ is unchangeable in his Essence in his Promises and in his Love to poore sinners Fourthly Get this Principle riveted in your hearts That he is able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Originall word signifies all manner of perfection Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost That is to all ends and purposes perfectly and perpetually he needs none to helpe him in the great businesse of redemption he is a thorow Saviour he ha's Trod the Wine-presse alone Isa 63. 3. Fifthly Get this Principle riveted in your hearts That the want of such preparations or qualifications Some men there be that would have men better Christians