the curse he leads to God he leads to Christ he leads to the Promises he leads to glory c. There is no gain-sayingt Demoâ—â—heneâ— words said one So â—herâ— is no gaâ—â—laâ—ing of the pleadings of the Spirit Againe this spirit is A comforting spirit John 14. 16. and A pleading spirit Rom. 8. 26. Every Christian ha's three Advocates pleading for him The first is that Divine Love that is in the bosome of the father The second is the Lord Jesus that is at the right hand of the father And the third is the holy Spirit that is one with the father Fourthly He gives his Blood the blood of Christ is a gift of Christ to his beloved ones Mat. 20. 28. The Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many So in John 10. 11. I am the good Sheppard the good Sheppard giveth his life for his sheep His blood was the purest blood his humane nature being most pure his blood was the noblest blood and therefore called Acts 20. 28. in Scripture The Blood of God by reason of the conjunction of the Divine Nature with the humane It was his life-blood his heart-blood that he gave it was not the blood of his finger but the blood of his heart it was precious blood Rom. 3. 25. Rom. 5. 9. Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 20. Heb. 9. 7-26 Chap. 10. 19. 1 John 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. c. Three things are called precious in the Scripture 1 Faith is called Precious Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. 2 The Promises are called Precious Promises ver 4. 3 The Blood of Christ is called Precious Blood 1 Pet. 1. 19. All your precious mercies swim to you in precious blood as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together It was an excellent saying of Luther speaking of this blood Vna guttula plus valet quam coelum terra-Luth of Christ One little drop of this blood saith he is more worth then heaven and earth Your pardon swims to you in blood your peace swims to you in blood your reconciliation is made by blood your acceptation is wrought by blood c. Sanguis Christi clavis coeli Christs Blood is Heavens Key Christs blood is a Preservative against the greatest evills Christs blood as Pliny saith of Polium is a Preservative against Serpents c. Fifthly Christ gives Pardon of sin and doe you know what a mercy that is Ask the troubled soule ask the soule that knowes what it means to lye under the wrath of the Almighty and he will tell you that pardon of sin is a gift more worth then a thousand worlds Now that pardon of sin is a gift of God you may see in Acts 5. 31. Him hath God exalted * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To his right hand That is to honour and dignity c. with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins So in Acts 26. 18. Ah soules of all mercies pardoning mercy is the most necessary mercy I may to Heaven without honours and without riches and without the smiles of creatures But I can never to Heaven without pardoning mercy As Ahab Haman Dives c. A man may be great and gracelesse he may be rich and miserable he may be honourable and damnable c. But he cannot be a pardoned soule but he must be a very blessed soule †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessednesses in he plurall Pardon of sin â—â—cludes a plurality of mercies a chaine of Pearles a chain of blessings Gen. 30. 11. Psal 32. 1 2. It intitles soules to all blessednesse it puts the Royall Crowne upon their heads Of all mercies pardoning mercy is the most sweetning mercy 't is a choyce Jewel and swims to the soule in blood Heb. 9. 22. 'T is a mercy that makes all other mercies to look like mercies and tast like mercies and work like mercies and the want of it takes off the glory and beauty of all a mans mercies and makes his life a very hell Pardon of sin is a voluminous mercy a mercy that ha's many precious mercies in the womb of it You may well call it Gad for it ushers in Troops of mercy When you can number the sands of the sea and tell the Stars of heaven then and not till then shall you be able to recount the mercies that attend pardoning mercy He that ha's this mercy cannot be miserable he that wants it cannot be happy get this and get all misse this and misse all this is a gift confer'd onely upon Christs favourites Son be Mat. 9. 2. of good cheere thy sins be forgiven thee No mercy will make a man everlastingly merry below pardoning mercy He ha's no reason to be sad that ha's his pardon in his bosome nor he ha's no reason to be glad who is upon the last step of the Ladder ready to be turned off without his Pardon And this is the fifth gift that Christ gives to his viz. Pardon of sinne Sixthly Christ gives Precious Promises 2. Pet. 1. 4. The Promises are precious beds of spices they are Vâ—res caelesieâ— bottles filled with those heavenly dews that wiâ—l never faile like that of Hagars but will cheâ—ish and nourish the soule to life eternall c. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and Precious Promises c. The Promises are a precious Book every leaf drops myrrhe and mercy The Promises are golden Vessels that are laden with the choycest Jewels that heaven can afford or the soule desire All our spirituall temporall and eternall good is to be found in the belly of the Promises Promises are big-bellied mercies there 's nothing you can truly call a mercy but you will find it in the belly of a Promise under all changes they are the comfort support and relief of the soule Psal 119. 49 50. Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me If the soule groane under the power of sin then that Promise relieves it Rom. 6. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under grace If the soule groane under the guilt of sin then that Promise relieves it Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me c. And that Promise Isa Anochi anochi ha mâ—hhe 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my owne sake and will not remember thy sins I even I am he blotting out thy transgression I even I whom thou hast offended I even I whom thou hast provoked I even I whose glorious name thou hast prophaned I even I whose righteous Law thou hast violated I even I whose holy Covenant thou hast transgressed I even I whose mercies thou hast dispised I even I
need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus as he did the widowes vessel The fountaine hath not the lesse water for the vessel it fills nor the Sun the lesse light for that it gives forth to the Starres so the Lord Jesus Christ hath never a whit the lesse for what he gives forth unto his Saints When Zelislaus the King of Poland's Generall had lost his hand in his service the King sent him a golden hand Ah Christians when you loose this or that for him he will send you a golden hand if you loose a penny for him he will give you a Pearle Christ will not live long in any mans debt if he should he would loose his glory c. Secondly If the Lord Jesus be very rich Oh then take heed of despairing by reason of your sins I confesse the least sin should humble the soule but certainly the greatest sin should never discourage the soule much lesse should it work the soule to despaire Read 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15. and despaire I had almost said if thou can'st Despairing Judas perished when as the murderers of Christ Acts 2. believing on Christ were saved Despaire is a sin exceeding vild and contemptible 't is a word of eternall reproach dishonour and confusion it declares the Devil a Conquerour and what greater dishonour can be done to Christ then for My sin is greater then can be forgiven saith Gain Thou lyest Cain saith Augustine for Gods mercy is greater then the sins of all men and its a great injury to God to distrust of his mercy a soule to proclaime before all the world the Devil a crowned Conquerour A despairing soule is Magor missabib A terrour to himselfe his heart a hell of horrour his conscience an Acheldama a field of black blood He hath no rest at home nor abroad at bed nor board but is as if infernall Devils followed him in fearfull shapes terrifying and tormenting his perplexed soule Eternity of misery feared or felt begets that Monster which like Medusas head astonisheth with its very aspect and strangles hope which is the breath of the soule As it is said Dum spiro spero so it may be inverted Dum spero spiro other miseries may wound the spirit but despaire kills it dead c. Thirdly If Christ be so rich Then take heed of presuming Christ is a Lyon as well as a Lamb he hath a sword as well as a Scepter Take heed of taking incouragement to sin upon this account that Christ is rich in grace and mercy To argue from the riches of mercy to sinfull liberty is the Devils Logick A soule that thus reasons is a soule left of God a soule that is upon the last step of the ladder a soule that Satan hath by the hand and the eternall God knowes whether he will lead him What the women sung of Saul and David that Saul 1 Sam. 18. 6 7. Rom. 6. 1 2. had slaine his thousands and David his ten thousands that I may say of despaire and presumption Despaire hath slaine her thousand but presumption hath slaine her ten thousand Shall we sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein As the beams of the Sun shining on the fire puts out the fire so the shinings of Gods mercy on us should extinguish sin in us as the Apostle argues 2 Pet. 3. 15. from Paul Rom. 2. 4. Christ seemes to say to soules as Thesius said once Goe sayes he and tell Creon Thesius offers thee a gracious offer yet I am pleased to be friends if thou wilt submit this is my first Message but if this offer prevaile not looke for me to be up in armes Ah soules if you shall abuse the riches of grace to a presumptuous sinning against Christ Christ will take up Armes and you shall dye for it The next Use is this If Christ be so rich Oh then open to Christ when he knocks Christ knocks by his word and he knocks by his rod he knocks by his spirit and he knocks by his messengers and he knocks by conscience Oh open to him for he is very rich Though you shut the doore against a poore man yet you will open it to one that is rich and why not then to Christ who would faine have entrance Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Behold I stand I that am the King of glory I that am Psal 24. 7 8 9. Rev. 17. 14. King of Kings and Lord of Lords I that am rich in mercy rich in goodnesse rich in grace rich in glory I stand at the doore and knocke I that have gold to inrich you I that have eye-salve to inlighten you I that have glorious Apparrell to cloath you I that have mercy to pardon you I that have power to save you I that have wisedome to counsell you I that have happinesse to Crowne you I stand at the doore and knocke If any man will open If the Master will not yet if the servant will if the Mistrisse will not yet if the Maid will if the Parent will not yet if the Child will if the rich man will not yet if the poore man will if the Pharisee won't yet if the Publican will I will come in and will sup with him and he with me Jesus Christ hath the greatest worth and wealth in him as the worth and value of many peeces of silver is in one piece of gold so all the heavenly excellencies that are scattered abroad in Angels and men are united to Christ yea all the whole volume of perfection which is spread through heaven and earth is epitomized in Christ They â—ay 't is true of the Oyle at Rhemes That though it be continually spent in the inauguration of their Kings of France yet it never wasts Christ is a pot of Manna a cruise of Oyle a bottomlesse Ocean of all comforts and contents that never faile A Saint may say In having nothing I have all things because I have Christ Having therefore all things in him I seeke no other reward for he is the universall reward And then againe If Christ be so rich then sit downe and wonder at his condiscending love That one so rich should fall in love with such that are Rev. 3. 17. to 21 c. poore wretched miserable blind and naked that one so high should look so low as poore we that one so great that one who is the Lord and Heire of all should match with us Heb 1 2 3 4. Phil. 3. 17 18 19 c. Ezek. 16. that have nothing at all O the breadth the length the depth the highth of Christs love to unlovely soules to such that had neither portion nor proportion that had neither externall nor internall worth that might in the
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
the most highly prized and esteemed of God doe set so low a price upon themselves And then the Use Iob 1. 8. Job was a none-such in regard of those perfections and degrees of grace that he had attained to beyond aâ—ny other Saints on earth Job was high in worth and humble in heart Job 42. 5 6. Humilitas animi sublimitas Christiani 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A me me salva Domine Aug. Deliver me O Lord from that evill man my selfe 2 Cor. 12. 1. 7 vid. Bezim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wordless words such as words are too weak to utter Isa 6. 1. 5 6. compared The clearest sight vision of God does alwayes give a man the fullest sight of his own emptinesse sinfulnesse and nothingnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a I am out off Luke 5. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man a sinner a very mixture compound of dirt and sin For the first That this is so I shall give you most clear proofs and open them to you See it in Job no man ever received a fairer or a more valuable Certificate under the hand of God or the broad Seale of Heaven for his being a soule famous in grace and holinesse then Job as you may see Job 1. 8. And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my Servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill And yet no man could speak more undervaluingly of himselfe then Job did Job 42. 5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee I abhor my selfe in dust and ashes This expression is the deepest act of abhorrency Abhorrency strictly taken is hatred wound up to the height I abhor my selfe the word that 's rendred Abhor signifies to reject to disdaine to contemne and to cast off Ah sayes Job I abhor my selfe I reject my selfe I disdaine my selfe I cast off my selfe I have a vile esteem of my selfe So our blessed Apostle who had been caught up into the third Heavens and had such glorious Revelations as could not be uttered yet he accounted himselfe lesse then the least of all Saints Not that any thing can be lesse then the least the Apostles holy Rhetorick doth not crosse Aristotle's Philosophy but the Originall word being a double diminitive his meaning is that he was as little as could be therefore he put himselfe downe so little as could not be lesse then the least Another proof you have Isa 6. 1 5 6. As Paul among the Apostles was the greatest so Esay among the Prophets was the clearest and choycest Gospel-Preacher and holds out more of Christ and of his Kingdome and glory then all the other Prophets doe Isa 6. 1. he sees the glory of the Lord in a Vision and this makes him cry out vers 5. Wee is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of uncleane lips for mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hosts I am undone the Hebrew is I am cut off I am a forlorne man why For I have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Here you have the highest and choycest among the Prophets as you had Paul before among the Apostles abasing and laying low himselfe So Peter Luke 5. 8. Depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord. When he saw that glorious Miracle wrought by the Lord Jesus he cryes out as one very sensible of his owne weaknesse and sinfullnesse Depart from me for I am a sinfull man Ah I am not worthy to be neer such Majesty and glory who am a meer bundle of vice and vanity of folly and iniquity Take another cleer instance Gen. 18. And Abraham answered Gen. 18. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnaphar vae pher dust and ashes i. e. base vile worthles Solemnly think that thou art dust and ashes and be pâ—oud if thou canst Isa 6. 1 2. Gen. 32. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am lesse then all meretes to wit in worth or weight c. and said Behold I have taken upon me to speake unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Here you have the Father of the Faithfull the greatest Believer in the world accounting himselfe dust and ashes Dust notes the basenesse of his Originall and Ashes notes his deserving to be burnt to ashes if God should deale with him in justice rather then in mercy The nearer any soule drawes to God the more humble will that soule lye before God None so neere God as the Angels nor none so humble before God as the Angels So Jacob Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant c. Jacob a man eminent in his prevailing with God a Prince that had the honour and the happinesse to overcome the God of mercy yet judges himselfe unworthy of the least mercy Ah how low is that soule in his owne eyes that is most honourable in Gods eyes David you know was a man after Gods owne heart a man highly honoured much beloved and dearly prized by the 1 Kings 15. 5. Lord yet 1 Sam. 26. 20. He counts himselfe a Flea and what 1 Sam. 26. 20. Psal 22. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tolagnath An humble soule is a little little nothing in his owne eyes is more contemptible then a Flea In Psal 22. 6. I am a worme saith he and no man The word that 's there rendred Worme is a word that signifies a very little Worm which breedeth in Scarlet a Worme that 's so little that a man can hardly see or perceive it A Worme is the most despicable Creature in the world trampled under foot by every one Sayes he I am a despicable worme in my owne eyes and in my enemies eyes And thus you see the point proved that the most holy men have been alwayes the most humble men The second thing that I am to doe is To shew you the Properties of humble soules I confesse when I look abroad in the world and observe the carriage of all sorts of men my heart is stirr'd to speak as fully and as home to this point as Christ shall help me 'T is very very sad to consider how few humble soules there be in these dayes Ah the damnable pride that reignes and rules in the hearts lives of most men God loves to heare this as a parcell of his praise Paâ—cere subjectis debellare superbos to spare the lowly and strike downe the proud Isa 23. 9. I think 't is far greater then hath been knowne in the Generations before us Ah England England what folly what damnable wickednesse is this that thou shouldest be a lifting thy selfe up in pride when God is a staining the pride of all glory and bringing into contempt the honourable of the Earth and a
setting his feet upon the neck of pride Now the first property that I shall lay downe of an humble soule is this An humble soule under the highest spirituall discoveries and under the greatest outward mercies forgets not his former sinfullnesse and his former outward meannesse Paul 1 Property 2 Cor. 12 1 2 3 4. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Chrysostome observes it of Paul as his greatest honour that although he had obtained pardon of God for his sins yet he is not ashamed to reckon them up to the world Rom. 7. 23. The Spouse of Christ under all the kisses and embraces of Christ acknowledges her selfe to be black Cant. 1. 2. 5. compared Gen 32. 10. Omnia mea me cum porto All my Goods I carry with me had been taken up into the third Heavens and had glorious revelations and manifestations of God he cryes out I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter and Injurious Under the choycest discoveries he remembers his former blasphemies So Rom. 7. 23. I see a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members He had been at this time about fourteene yeares converted as some judge He was a man that lived at as high a rate in God as any we read of a man that was filled with glorious discoveries and revelations and yet under all discoveries and revelations he remembers that body of sin and death that made him cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Who shall ease me of my burden who shall knock off these Chaines that make my life a hell I will by a few instances prove the other branch Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies saith Jacob for with my staffe I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands I remember saith he when I went over Jordan I was as a footman that carried all his wealth with him Under his outward greatnesse he forgets not his former meannesse An humble soule is good at looking back upon his former low estate upon his thred-bare Coat that was his best and onely Robe So David 1 Chron. 17. 16 17. And David the King came and sat before the Lord and said What am I O Lord God and what is mine house that thou hast 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 said Bias one of the seven wise men of Greece 1 Chron. 17. 16 17. Iphicrares that noble Captain â—ryed ouâ— From how smal to how great an estate am I raised So does the humble soule when God turnes his brasse into silver his iron into gold his pence into pounds Agathocles who of a Potters son was made King of Sicily would always be served in earthen vessells Psa 73. 3. 13 Iob 21. 7. 16 Vers 14 15. and hast regarded me according to the state of a man of high degree Who am I O Lord God and what is mine house David remembred the meannesse of his birth he remembred his Shepheards Crook as Jacob did his Travelling Staffe Mercies make an humble soule glad but not proud An humble soule is lowest when his mercies are highest he is least when he is greatest he is lowest when he is highest he is most poor when he is most rich Nothing melts like mercy nothing drawes like mercy nothing humbles like mercy mercy gives the humble soule such excellent Counsell as Plasilla the Empress gave her Husband Theodosius Remember Oh Husband saith she what lately you were and what now you are so shall you Governe well the Empire and give God his due praise for so great an advancement The voyce of mercy is Remember what lately thou wert and what now thou art and be humble Now proud men that are lifted up from the dunghill that abound in worldly wealth ah how do's their blood rise with their outward good the more mercies they have the more proud they are mercies doe but puffe and swell such soules in a croud of mercies they cry out in the pride of their hearts Depart from us O God for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him A second Property of an humble soule is this He overlookes his owne righteousnesse and lives upon the righteousnesse of another to wit the Lord Jesus So the Apostle Phil. 3. 8 9 10. overlooks his owne righteousnesse and lives wholly 2 Property Phil. 3. 8 9 10 ver 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs-meat i. e. courâ— contemptible Isa 64. 6. upon the righteousnesse of Christ I desire to be found in him saith he not having mine owne righteousnesse away with it it 's drosse it 's dung it 's dogs-meat 't is a rotten righteousnesse an imperfect righteousnesse a weak righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by Faith That is a spotlesse righteousnesse a pure righteousnesse a compleat righteousnesse an incomparable righteousnesse And therefore an Cant. 4. 2. Rev. 14. 5. Col. 2. 10. humble soule overlookes his owne righteousnesse and lives upon Christs righteousnesse Remember this all the sighing mourning sobbing and complaining in the world doth not so undeniably evidence a man to be humble as his overlooking his own righteousnesse and living really and purely upon the righteousnesse of Christ This is the greatest demonstration of humility that can be shewne by man Men may doe much heare much pray much fast much and give much c. Mat. 6 Chap. 23. Isa 58. and yet be as proud as Lucifer as you may see in the Scribes Pharisees and those in Isa 58. who in the pride of their hearts made an Idol of their owne righteousnesse Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest it not wherefore Vers 3. have we afflicted our soules and thou takest no knowledge O! but for a man now to trample upon his owne righteousnesse and to live wholly upon the righteousnesse of another this speaks out a man to be humble indeed there is nothing that the heart of man stands more averse to then this of coming off from his owne righteousnesse Man is a Creature apt to warme himselfe with the sparks of his owne fire though he doth lye downe for it in Eternall sorrow Man is naturally Isa 50. 11. Rom. 10. 4. prone to goe about to establish his owne righteousnesse that he might not subject to the righteousnesse of Christ he will labour as for life to lift up his owne righteousnesse and to make a Saviour of it I but an humble soule disclaimes his owne righteousnesse All our righteousnesse is as filthy raggs Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall Psal 143. 2. no man
here rendred Peace signifies the quietnesse and silence of his mind he did not hold his tongue onely for many a man may hold his tongue and yet his mind and heart may kick and swell against God but his very mind was quiet and still there was a heavenly calme in his Spirit he was dumb and silent because the Lord had done it So in Acts 10. 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God We are not here to heare what may tickle our eares or please our fansies or satisfie our lusts no but we are here to hear what God will say our hearts stand ready pressed to subject themselves to whatever God shall declare to be his will we are willing to heare that we may doe that we may obey sincerely and universally the good pleasure of our God knowing that 't is as well our dignity as our duty so to doe There are three things in an humble soule that doe strongly incline it to duty The first is Divine Love The second is Divine Presence The third is Divine Glory The Dove made use of her wings to fly to the Ark so does an humble soule of his duties to fly to Christ Though the Dove did use her wings yet she did not trust in her wings but in the Ark So though an humble soule does use duties yet he does not trust in his duties but in his Jesus But now proud hearts they hate the truth they cry out Who is the Lord that we should obey him And what are his Commandements that we should submit to them I but an humble soule falls under the power of truth and counts it his greatest glory to be obedient to all truth A fifth property of an humble soule is this An humble soule lives not upon himselfe nor upon his owne actings but upon the Lord Jesus and his actings Poore men you know they doe not live upon themselves they live upon others they live upon the care of others the love of others the provision of others why thus an humble soule lives upon the care of Christ the love of Christ the promise of Christ the faithfulnesse of Christ the discoveries of Christ he lives upon Christ for his Justification Phil. 3. from ver 7. to 10 He lives upon Christ for his Sanctification Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North winde and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out And he lives upon Christ for his Consolation Cant 2. 3. As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the Sons I sate downe under his shaddow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast And he lives upon Christ for the performance of all holy actions Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me An humble soule sees in Christ * Plenitudo abundantiae and plenitudo redandantiae Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good Christ is quicquid appetibile as Origen speaks whatever we can desire Isa 58. 2. 7. Luke 7. 4 5 6 7. 6 Property A proud heart resists and is resisted this is duro durum flint to flint fire to fire Job 13. 25. An humble soule blesses God as well for crosses as mercies as well for adversity as for prosperity as well for frowns as for smiles c. because he judges himself unworthy of the least rebukes from God a fullnesse of Abundance and a fullnesse of redundancy and here his soul lives and feeds An humble soul sees that all his stock is in the hands of Christ his stock of Graces his stock of Comforts his stock of experiences are in the hands of Jesus Christ who is the Great Lord Keeper of all a Believers Graces and of all his Comforts and therefore as Children live upon them in whose hand their stock is be it a Brother or a Friend Why so an humble soule sees its stock is in the hand of the Lord Jesus and therefore he lives upon Christ upon his love and his provision and his undertakings c. But now proud hearts live not upon the Lord Jesus Christ they live upon themselves and upon their owne duties their owne righteousnesse their owne actings as the Scripture evidences Christ dwells in that heart most eminently that hath emptied it selfe of it selfe Christ is the humble mans Manna upon which he lives and by which he thrives A sixth Property of an humble soule is this He judges himselfe to be below the wrath and judgements of God An humble soule looks upon himselfe as one not worthy that God should spend a rodd upon him in order to his reformation edification or salvation As I am unworthy saith an humble soule that God should smile upon me so I am unworthy that he should spend a frowne upon me Job 13. 25. Wilt thou break a leafe driven too and fro and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble Why I am but a leaf I am but a little dry stubble I am below thy wrath I am so very very bad that I wonder that thou shouldst so much as spend a rod upon me What more weak worthlesse slight and contemptible then a leafe then dry stubble why Lord sayes Job I am a poor weak and worthlesse Creature I wonder that thou shouldst take any paines to doe me good I can't but count and call every thing a mercy that is lesse then hell So David in 1 Sam. 24. 14. After whom is the King of Israel come out after whom dost thou pursue after a dead Dogg after a Flea The language of a humble soule when God begins to be angry is this Lord I can blesse thee that thou wilt take any paines with me but I humbly acknowledge that I am below the least rodd I am not worthy that thou shouldst frowne upon me threaten me strike me or whip me for my internall and eternall good But proud hearts think themselves wronged when they are afflicted they cry out with Cain Our punishment is greater then we can beare Gen. 4. 13. 7 Property Another Property of an humble soule is this An humble soule doth highly prize the least of Christ The least smile the least good word the least good look the least truth the least mercy is highly valued by an humble soule The Cananitish woman in the 15 of Matthew sets a high Vers 27. Faith will pick an Argument out of a repulse and turn discouragements into incouragements Luther would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible such a price he set upon it from the sweet that he found in it Song 1. 3. John 10. 4 5. Psal 27. 4. Mat. 9. 20. 21. Acts 24. 14. 1 Cor. â—9 22. Austin
loved Tully before his Coâ—version but not so much after quia nomen Jesu non erat ibi because the name of Christ was not there 8 Property price upon a crum of mercy Ah Lord sayes the humble soul if I may not have a loaf of mercy give me a piece of mercy if not a piece of mercy give me a crum of mercy If I may not have Sun-light let me have Moon-light if not Moon-light let me have star-light if not star-light let me have candle-light and for that I will blesse thee In the time of the Law the meanest things that were consecrated were very highly prized as leather or wood that was in the Tabernacle An humble soule looks upon all the things of God as Consecrated things Every truth of God is a consecrated truth 't is consecrated to a holy use and this causes the soule highly to prize it and so every smile of God and every discovery of God and every drop of mercy from God is very highly prised by a soule that walks humbly with God The name of Christ the voyce of Christ the foot-steps of Christ the least touch of the Garment of Christ the least regarded truth of Christ the meanest and least regarded among the flock of Christ is highly prized by humble soules that are interested in Christ An humble soule cannot an humble soul dares not call any thing litrle that ha's Christ in it neither can an humble soule call or count any thing great wherein he sees not Christ wherein he enjoyes not Christ An humble soule highly prizes the least nodd the least love-token the least courtesie from Christ but proud hearts count great mercies small mercies and small mercies no mercies yea pride do's so unman them that they often call mercy misery c. The eighth Property of an humble soule is this It can never be good enough it can never pray enough nor hear enough nor mourne enough nor believe enough nor love enough nor feare enough nor joy enough nor repent enough nor loath sin enough nor be humble enough c. Humble Paul looks upon his great all as nothing at all he Phil. 3. 11 12 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies â— straining of the whole body a stretching out head and hands as runners in a race do to lay hold on the mark or price proposed Psal 10. 17. Desires Iaavath from Avah that signifies so to desire and long after a thing as to haâ—e ones teeth water at it so in Mic. 7. 1. But proud hearts sit downe and pride themselves blesse themselves as if they had attained to much when hev have attain'd to nothing that can raise them above the lowest step of misery Rev. 3. 17. Isa 65. 5. Lu. 18. 11 12 forgets those things that are behind and reaches forth to those things which are before That if by any means he might attaine unto the resurrection of the dead that is that perfection of holinesse which the dead shall attaine unto in the morning of the resurrection by a Metonomie of the subject for the adjunct No holinesse below that matchlesse peerlesse spotlesse perfect holinesse that Saints shall have in the glorious day of Christs appearing will satisfie this humble soule An humble heart is an aspiring heart he can't be contented to get up some rounds in Jacobs Ladder but he must get to the very top of the Ladder to the very top of holinesse An humble heart can't be satisfied with so much Grace as will bring him to glory with so much of Heaven as will keep him from dropping into Hell he is still a crying out Give Lord give give me more of thy selfe more of thy Son more of thy Spirit give me more light more life more love c. Caesar in warlike matters minded more what was to conquer then what was conquered what was to gaine then what was gained So does an humble soule mind more what he should be then what he is what is to be done then what is done Verily Heaven is for that man and that man is for Heaven that sets up for his mark the perfection of holinesse Poor men are full of desires they are often a sighing it out O! that we had bread to strengthen us drink to refresh us cloths to cover us friends to visit us and houses to shelter us c. So souls that are spiritually poore they are often a sighing it out O! that we had more of Christ to strengthen us more of Christ to refresh us more of Christ to be a covering and shelter to us c. I had rather sayes the humble soule be a poor man and a rich Christian then a rich man and a poor Christian Lord sayes the humble soule I had rather doe any thing I had rather bear any thing I had rather be any thing then to be a Dwarse in Grace The light and glory of humble Christians rises by degrees Cant. 6. 1. 1. Looking forth as the morning with a little light 2 Faire as the Moon more light 3 Clear as the Sun i. e. Come up to a higher degree of spirituall light life and glory Lord sayes the humble soule give me much grace and then a little gold will serve my turne give me much of Heaven and a little of earth will content me give me much of the Springs above and a little of the Springs below will satisfie me c. The ninth Property of an humble soule is this It will smite 9 Property 1 Sam. 24. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strike for small sins as well as for great For those the world count no sins as well as for those that they count grosse sinnes When David had but cut off the lap of Sauls garment his A good mans heart when kindly awakened may smite him for those actions that at fiâ—sthe judged very prudent and politick How great a paine not to be born câ—ms from the prick of this small thorne Little sinnes have put severall to their wits ends when they have been set home upon their consciences heart smote him as if he had cut off his head The Hebrew word signifies to smite wound or chastize Ah! his heart struck him his heart chastised him his heart wounded him for cutting off Sauls skirt though he did it upon noble grounds viz. to convince Saul of his false jealousies and to evidence his owne innocency and integrity And so at another time his heart smote him for numbring the people as if he had murdered the people 2 Sam. 24. 10. And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly An humble soule knowes that little sins if I may so call any cost Christ his blood and that they make way for greater and that little sins multiplied become great
ditch So he knowes that godly soules though never so poor low and contemptible as to the things of this world Ephes 2. 6. are fixt in Heaven in the Region above and therefore their poverty and meannesse is no bar to hinder him from learning of them Though John was poor in the world yet many humble souls did not disdaine but rejoyce in his Ministry Christ lived poor and dyed poor Mat. 8. 20. As he was borne in another mans house so he was buried in another mans Tomb. Austin observes when Christ dyed he made no will he had no Crown-lands onely his Coat was left and that the Souldiers parted among them and yet those that were meek and lowly in heart counted it their Heaven their happinesse to be taught and instructed by him The seventeenth Property of an humble soule is this 17 Property Tully calls graâ—tude Maximam imo maâ—em omnium virtutum reliquarum The greatest yea the mother of all virtues An humble soule will blesse God and be thankefull to God as well under misery as under mercy As well when God frownes as when he smiles as well when God takes as when he gives as well under crosses and losses as under blessings and mercies Job 1. 21. The Lord gives and the Lord takes blessed be the name of the Lord. He doth not cry out upon the Sabeans and the Chaldeans but he looks through all secondary Causes and sees the hand of The Jewes have a Prov That we must leap up to Mount Gerizim which was a Mount of Blessings But creep into Mount Ebal which was a Mount of Curses To shew that we must be ready to blesse but backward to curse An humble soule can extract one contrary out of another honey out of the rock gold out of iron c. Afflictions to humble souls are the Lords Plow the Lords Harrow the Lords Flaile the Lords drawing Plaisters the Lords pâ—uâ—ing knise the Lords Potion the Lords Soap and therefore they can sit dowae and blesse the Lord and kisse the rod. God and then he layes his hand upon his owne heart and sweetly sings it out The Lord gives and the Lord takes blessed be the name of the Lord. An humble soule in every condition blesses God as the Apostle commands in the 1 Thess 5. 18. In every thing give thanks to God So 1 Cor. 4. Being reviled we blesse being persecuted we suffer The language of an humble soule is If it be thy will saith an humble soule I should be in darknesse I will blesse thee and if it be thy will I should be againe in light I will blesse thee If thou wilt comfort me I will blesse thee and if thou wilt afflict me I will blesse thee if thou wilt make me poor I will blesse thee if thou wilt make me rich I will blesse thee if thou wilt give me the least mercy I will blesse thee if thou wilt give me no mercy I will blesse thee An humble soul is quick-sighted he sees the rod in a fathers hand he sees honey upon the top of every twigg and so can blesse God he sees Sugar at the bottome of the bitterest cup that God doth put into his hand he knowes that Gods House of Correction is a School of Instruction and so he can sit downe and blesse when the rodd is upon his back An humble soule knowes that the designe of God in all is his Instruction his Reformation and his Salvation It was a sweet saying of holy Bradford If the Queen will give me my life I will thank her if she will Banish me I will thank her if she will burne me I will thank her if she will condemne me to perpetuall imprisonment I will thank her I this is the temper of an humble heart An humble soule knowes that to blesse God in prosperity is the way to increase it and to blesse God in adversity is the way to remove it An humble soule knowes that if he blesses God under mercies he hath paid his debt but if he blesses God under crosses he hath made God a debtor But oh the pride of mens hearts when the rod is upon their backs You have many Professors that are seemingly humble while the Sun shines while God gives and smiles and stroakes but when his smiles are turned into frownes when he strikes and layes on oh the murmurings the disputings the frettings and wranglings of proud soules they alwayes kick when God strikes The last Property of an humble soule is this An humble 18 Property soule will wisely and patiently bear reproof Prov. 25. 12. As an ear-ring of gold and an Ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear A seasonable reproof falling upon an humble soule hath a redoubled Grace with it It is as an ear-ring of gold and as an Ornament of fine gold or as a Diamond in a Diadem An humble David can say Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Psal 14. 5. Oyle is here Metaphorically taken for woâ—ds of repâ—oâ—f wthâ—ay be said figuraâ—ively to breake the head vide Job 19 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oyle which shall not break my head David compares the faithfull reproof of the righteous to the excellent Oyle that they used about their heads Some Translate it Let it never cease from my head That is let me never want it and so the Originall will bear too I would never want reproofs whatsoever I want But yet my prayer shall be in their calamities I will requite their reproofs with my best prayers in the day of their Calamity saith David Whereas a proud heart will neither pray for such nor with such as reprove them but in their calamities will most insult over them Some Translate it more emphatically The more they doe the more I shall think my selfe bound unto them And this was In vit Jo. Gers So Alipius loved Austin for reproving him So did David Nathan 1 Kings 1. 2 Sam. 12. 12 13. 24. 13 14 That 's a choyce and â—ender spirit that can meekly humbly imbrace reâ—roofs and blesse God sor reproofs Gersomes disposition of whom it is recorded That he rejoyced in nothing more then if he were freely and friendly reproved by any Prov. 9. 8 9. Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser Prov. 19. 25. Reprove one that hath understanding and he will understand knowledge You know how sweetly David carries it towards Abigall 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. shee wisely meets him and puts him in mind of what he was going about and he falls a blessing of her presently Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood I was resolved in my passion and in the heat of
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
there is little or no good in them and therefore thou mightest justly cut them downe But oh my father I see here a bunch and there a bunch here a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bring forth It is the custome of all Writers and very frequent in the sacred Dialect to use phrases whereby they understand much more then they do expresse an example whereof you have in this verse where Christs not breaking the bruised reed signifies his great mercy and kindness in repairing and restoring and curing the bruised weakling And so his not quenching the smoking flax is his enlivening quickening and enflaming that fire or spark of grace or goodnesse which was almost quencht c. Others understand the words of Christ seting up the profession of the Gospel in the world among the Heathens if the Jewes will not receive it grace and there a little grace surely there is a blessing in it O spare it let it not be stubb'd up let it not be destroyed So Mat. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall he not breake nor smoking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgement unto victory A bruised Reed shall he not breake The Jewish Commentators carry it thus He shall not Tyrannize over but nourish and cherrish the poore weake feeble ones that are wont to be oppressed by great ones But men more spirituall carry it thus Christ will not carry it roughly and rigorously towards poore weake tender soules whose Graces are as a bruised reed and as smoaking flax A Reed is a contemptible thing a tender thing it will break sometimes before a man is aware a bruised Reed is more tender it will be broken with a touch yet Christ will not breat such a bruised Reed i. e. a soule weak in grace Nor quench the smoaking flax The wick of a Candle is little worth and yet lesse when it smoakes as yielding neither light nor heat but rather smoakes and offends with an ill smel which men cannot bear but will tread it out But the Lord Jesus Christ will not doe so Soules whose knowledge love faith and zeale do's but smoak out the Lord Jesus will not trample under-foot nay he will cherish nourish and strengthen such to life Eternall Look what Tallow is to the wick or Oyle is to the Lamp that will the Lord Jesus be to the Graces of weak Christians Till he shall bring forth judgement unto Victory That is untill the sanctified frame of grace begun in their hearts be brought to that perfection that it prevaileth over all opposite corruption Thus you see how sweetly the Lord Jesus carries it to soules weak in grace Therefore let not those that bring forth a hundred fold despise those that bring forth but thirty nor those that have five Talents despise those that have but two The fifth Support is this That weake Saints may be very usefull to the strong and sometimes may doe more then strong Saints can As you may see in 1 Cor. 12. 14. to 28. The Apostle in this Scripture discovers the singular use of the weakest Saint in the body of Christ by the usefulnesse of the weakest and meanest Member in the naturall body to the strongest Ver. 21. The eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the foot I have no need of thee By the head and by the eye he means such Saints as were eminent in gifts graces that were adorned more richly and that shin'd more gloriously in grace and gracious abilities then others Oh these should not despise those that were not so eminent and excellent as themselves for God hath so tempered the inequality of the members in the naturall body that the more excellent and beautifull members can in no wise lack the more abject and weak members therefore slight not the weakest Saints for certainly at first or last the weakest will be serviceable to the It was a sayink of Generall Vere to the King of Denmarke That Kings cared not for Souldiers untill such time that their Crownes hung on the one side of their heads strongest A Dwarfe may be usefull to a Gyant a Child to a man Sometimes a little finger shall doe that that a limb in the body can't doe 'T is so often in Christs spirituall body I will give you a very famous instance for this At the Councel of Nice there was 318 Bishops and by the subtilty of a Philosopher disputing against the Marriage of Ministers they generally voted against it that those that were single should not marry At length up stars Paphnutius a plain Christian and in the name of Christ with the naked word of God he pleaded against them all in that case and God so wrought by his Arguments that he convinc't the 318 Bishops and carried the cause against them yea and so Socrates Eccles Histo convinc't the Philosopher of his error that before all he freely confest it As long saith he as mens words were onely pressed I could repell words with words but what is weake man A little Sta◠hath light influence tho nor the glory which is proper to the Sun to withstand the word of God I yield I am conquer'd Weak Christians may be of singular use to the strongest those that know most may learne more even from the weakest Saints Junius was converted by discoursing with a Plow-man And Acts 18. 24. to 27. Apollo though he was an Eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures as the Text speaks yet was he furthered and bettered in the knowledge of Christs Kingdome by Aquilla and Priscilla a poor Tent-maker and his wife were instrumentall to acquaint him with those things that he knew but weakly He had not ascended above John's Baptisme but they had and so communicated their light and knowledge to him The sixth Support is this Where there is but a little Grace there God expects lesse 6 Support and will accept of lesse though it be accompanied with many failings Thou sayest Oh! I have but a little grace a little faith a little love a little zeale Oh know where there is but a little grace there God expects lesse obedience and will accept of lesse service 2 Cor. 8. 12. For if there be first a willing mind It is very observable that the Eagle the Lyon those brave Creatures were not offered in Sacrifice unto God but the poor Lamb and Dove To note that your brave high lofty spirits God regards not but your poore meek contemptible spirits God accepts it is accepted according to that which a man hath and not according to that which he hath not The two Mites cast into the Treasury Luke 21. 3. by the poor widow her heart being in the action were more acceptable then two Talents cast in by others Noah's Sacrifice could not be great and yet it was greatly accepted by God In the time of the Law God accepted a handfull of Meale for a Sacrifice
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
these precious Gifts are denyed Let us therefore sit downe and wonder at this O Lord Jesus saith Bernard breaking sorth into an admiration of Christs love I love thee plusquam mea plusquam ineos plusquam me more then all my goods more then all my friends yeâ— more then my very selfe c. condiscending love of God Oh! we were once poore wretches siting upon the dunghill yea wallowing in our blood and yet behold the King of Kings the Lord of Lords ha's so far condiscended in his love as to bestow himselfe his spirit his grace and all the Jewels of his Royal Crowne upon us Oh! what heart can conceive what tongue can expresse this matchlesse love I will be thine for ever sayes Christ and my spirit shall be thine for ever and my grace thine for ever and my glory thine for ever and my righteousnesse thine for ever all I am and all I have shall be thine for ever Oh Sirs what condiscending love is this Oh! what a Christ is this But then secondly Be greatly thankefull O be greatly thankefull for the great Gifts that Christ hath bestowed upon you It 's not a little thankfullnesse that will answer and suite to the great Gifts that the Lord Jesus hath bestowed upon you Psal 103. O say with the Psalmist What shall I render to the Lord for all his favours and great benefits I will take the cup of salvation and will call upon the name of the Lord. Yea say againe Psal 71. 14. Injuries shall be writ in the dust but our mercies on Mâ—rble that our hearts may be the better provokt to praise and thankfulnesse with the same Psalmist I will yet praise thee more and more Or as 't is in the Hebrew I will add to thy praise Oh when thou lookest upon the Jewels the Pearles that Christ hath given thee say Lord I will praise thee more and more I will rise higher and higher in thy praises I will be still a adding to thy praise The very Law of Nature bespeaks great thankfullnesse where great favours are given and the Law of Custome bespeaks it and doth not the Law of grace bespeak it much more When Tamerlin had taken Bajazet among other Questions he askt him If ever he had given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour He confest immediately That he never thought of that To whom Tamerlin replied Turk Hist 220 c. 'T is no wonder so ungratefull a man should be made a spectacle of misery Oh! what doe they then deserve that are unthankfull for spirituall favours Tell me O Christians are not the Gifts that Christ ha's confer'd upon you peculiar Gifts And will you not be thankfull for them Were they There are but few upon whom God bestoweth his love 'T was alwayes a principle in morality that sweet and intimate friendship cannot be extended to many friends usually goe by paires but common Gifts you ought to be thankfull for them how much more then for peculiar Gifts for right-handed favours Tell me are not the Gifts that Christ ha's given thee rare Gifts What hadst thou been if Christ had not made a difference between thee and others by those glorious Gifts that he ha's confer'd upon thee Thou lookest upon some and seest they are very ignorant Oh! what hadst thou been if God had not bestowed the Grace of knowledge upon thee Thou lookest upon other persons that are unclean prophane and filthy why such a wretch wouldst thou have been if the Lord had not made a difference between thee and them by bestowing himselfe his grace and spirit upon thee It was long since determined in the Schools That penitents had more reason to be thankefull then innocents Sin giving an advantage to mercy to be doubly free in giving and in pardoning And so the greater obligation is left upon us to thankfullnesse Luther hath a very famous story in his writing upon the fourth Commandement in the time of the Councel of Constance he tells you Of two Cardinalls that as they were riding to the Councel they saw a Shepheard in the field weeping one of them being affected with his weeping rode to him to comfort him and coming near to him he desired to know the reason of his weeping the Shepheard was unwilling to tell him at first but at last he told him saying I looking upon this Toad considered that I never praised God as I ought for making me such an excellent Creature as a man comely and reasonable I have not blessed him that he made me not such a deformed Toad as this The Cardinall hearing this and considering that God had done far greater things for him then for this poore Shepheard he fell downe dead from his Mule his servants lifting him up and bringing him to the City he came to life againe and then cryed out Oh Saint Austine how truly didst thou say The unlearned rise and take heaven by force and we with all our learning wallow in flesh and blood The application is easie Thirdly The next Use is this If the Lord hath given the best Gifts to his people then Oh that his people would not give God the worst but the best of every thing 'T is the most wicked aâ—aâ—ice to defraud God of the oblation of our selves saith Chrysost Oh! give the Lord the best of your strength the best of your time the best of your mercies and the best of your services who hath given to your soules the best of Gifts Num. 18. 29. Out of all your Gifts ye shall offer every heave Offring of the Lord of all the best thereof even the hallowed part thereof out of it So I say of all thy Offrings offer God the best who hath given to thee the best and greatest Gifts So in Exod. 35. 22. For the service of the Tabernacle they brought bracelets and ear-rings and rings and tables all Jewels of If a man should serve the Lord a thousand years saith Austin â— would net deserve an â—oure of the reward in Heaven no not a moment much lesse an Eternity And therefore sayes he we had need doe as much as we can and doe all that we doe as well as we can c. gold and every man that Offered Offered an Offering of Gold unto the Lord. They gave the best of the best and so must we O doe not offer to God the worst of your time the worst of your strength the worst of your mercies the worst of your services That same is a very dreadfull Text Mal. 1. 8. 13 14. compared And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evill And if ye offer the lame and the sick is it not evill Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with it and accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Saith God will men be put off thus No I know they won't and why then should you deale worse with me then with men Thy Governours will have
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
Luke 10. 16. He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that despises you despises me This honourable account God hath of all his faithfull servants in this imployment The fifth thing that speaks out this truth is this They serve an honourable Master They serve him that is all ear to hear all hand to punish all power to protect all wisedome to direct all goodnesse to relieve and all mercy to pardon They Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia Aug. He hath all that hath the haver of all serve that God that is Optimum maximum the best and greatest God hath within himselfe all the good of Angels men and universal nature he hath all dignity all glory all riches all treasure all pleasure all delight all joy all beatitudes Mark abstracts doe better expresse God then concretes and adjectives God is being bonity beauty power wisedome justice mercy and love it selfe God is love saith the Apostle in the very abstract God is one infinite perfection in himselfe which is eminently and virtually all perfections 'T is truly said of God that he is Omnia super oâ—nia of the Creatures And Oh then what an honour must it be to those that are imployed under so honourable a Master Sixthly Their very worke and service is honourable Why else did the Apostle cry out Who is sufficient for these things Their maine work is to treat with sinners about eternity c. There is no such Embassage in the world as this is in which they are imployed Ephes 6. 19 20. Pray for me that I may make knowne the Mystery of the Gospel for which I am an Ambassadour in bonds Faithfull Ministers doe represent the person of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords their work is to treat of Peace between God and man or of open Hostility between the Creator and the Creature 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Seventhly and lastly Their Reward from God is honourable Though the world Crowne them with thornes as it did their Lord and Master before them yet God will Crowne them with honour Dan. 12. 3. They shall shine as the Stars in the Firmament You know Ambassadors have not preferments while they are abroad but when they come home into their owne Countrey then their Princes prefer them and put much honour upon them So will God deale with his Ambassadors 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there God will at last highly reward those very services that men don't regard c. is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto all them also that love his appearing So in Isa 49. 4 5. I have laboured in vaine I have spent my strength for nought and in vaine yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my reward with my God Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength So in 2 Cor. 2. 15. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved Latimer in one of his Sermons speaking of a Minister who gave this answer why he left off Preaching because he saw he did no good This saith Latimer is a very naughty naughty answer and in them that perish Ministers shall be rewarded according to their faithfulnesse and diligence though some perish It shall be with them as with Vine-dressers you know Vine-dressers are rewarded according to their diligence and faithfulnesse though some Vines never bear nor bring forth fruit at all As Ministers are diligent and faithfull so the reward the Crowne shall be given full at last You know the Barber is as much rewarded for trimming a Black-a-more though all his paines in rubbing him can never make him white as he is for trimming and rubbing of another man that is white and by a little paines is made more white This is many-a-faithfull Ministers grief that he takes a great deale of paines in rubbing and washing as it were to make soules white and clean pure and holy and yet they remaine after all as black as hell but surely their reward shall be never the lesse with God The Nurse looks not for her wages from the Child but from the Parent If Ministers like clouds sweat themselves to death that soules may be brought to life great will be their reward though those soules should perish for ever for whom they have wept sweat and bled God won't deale by faithfull Ministers as Exerxes did by his Steer-man who crowned him in the morning and beheaded him in the evening of the same day No God will set an everlasting Crowne upon their heads who remaine laborious and faithfull to the death The world for all their paines will Crowne them with thornes but God at last will Crowne them with glory he will set a Crowne of pure gold upon their heads for ever And thus you have the Point proved The second thing that I am to doe is to shew you What Honour that is which is justly due to faithfull Ministers Now this I shall shew you in three things there is a threefold honour that is due unto them First Honourable Countenance is due to them that are in so honourable a place and Office as they are in 1 Cor. 14. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Under-rowers to Christ the Master-Pilot helping forward the ship of the Church to the haven of Heaven Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Thess 5. 12 13. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteeme them very highly in love for their worke sake Or To esteeme them more then exceedingly or more then abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek will bear And so in 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word that is here rendred Labour signifies not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour but to labour with much travel and toyle to labour even to lassitude as he doth that cleaveth wood or that toileth in harvest or that goeth a warfare Preaching is a Our Saviour at little paâ—t â—hirty was â—eckoned by the Jewes to be towards fifty John 8. 57. he had so spent himself in preaching Preaching is a spending painfull work most painfull work and enfeebleth a man exceedingly whence the Prophet cryes out My leannesse my leannesse Isa 24. 16. No paines no labour no work to that of the braine to that of the mind nor none so worthy of praise as those that are most in that labour in that work No mens work is so
thou seest another unclean the seeds of uncleannesse thou mayest see in thy owne nature And in that thou doest not act uncleannesse as others it arises not from the goodnesse of thy nature but from the riches of Gods grace Remember this there is not a worse nature in Hell then that that is in thee and it would discover it selfe accordingly if the Lord did not restraine it it would carry thee to those horrid acts that are against the very light of nature I have read of an Italian Monster who taking his Enemy upon an advantage set his dagger to his heart made him to abjuâ—e and blaspheme the Lord â—hat so he might save his life which being done he thrust him through and with a bloody triumph insulting over him said Oh this is right noble and heroicall revenge which doth not only deprive the body of temporal life but bringeth also the immortall soule to endlesse flames everlastingly See what natures you carry with you It was a good saying of one of the fathers Other Viâ—es are in sins saith he but pride and high confidence is most apt to creep in upon duties wel done There was one that was a long time tempted to three horrid sins to be drunk to lye with his mother and to murder his father Being a long time followed with these horrid temptations at last he thought to get rid of them by yielding to that he judged the least and that was to be drunk But when he was drunk he did both lye with his mother and murder his father Why such a Hellish nature is in every soul that breaths and did God leave men to act according to their natures men would be all incarnate Devils and this world a perfect Hell Such is the corruption of our nature that propound any Divine good to it it is entertain'd as fire by water But propound any evill and it 's like fire to straw 't is like the foolish Satyr that made hast to kisse the fire 't is like that unctious matter which the Naturalists say that it sucks and snatches the fire to it with which it is consumed There was a holy man that rarely heard of other mens crimson sins but he usually bedew'd the place with his tears considering that the seeds of those very sins was in his owne nature In thy nature thou hast that that would lead thee with the Pharisees to oppose Christ and with Judas to betray Christ and with Pilate to condemne Christ and with the Souldiers to crucifie Christ c. Oh what a monster what a Devil wouldest thou prove should God but leave thee to act sutable to that finfull and wofull nature of thine Fourthly Dwell much upon the imperfection that followes and cleaves to thy best actions Oh the wandrings Oh the deadnesse the dullnesse the fruitlesnesse of thy spirit in Religious duties Man is a creature apt to hugge himselfe in Religious services and to pride himselfe in holy duties and to stroak himselfe after duties and to warme himselfe by the sparkes of his owne fire his owne performances though he does lye downe in sorrow for it Isa 50. ult When ever thou comest off from holy services sit downe and look over the spots blots and blemishes that cleave to your choycest services The fairest day ha's it clouds the richest Jewels their flawes the finest faces their spots the fairest Copies their blots and so have our finest and fairest duties Plutarch tells of a private Souldier of Julius Caesars who fought so valâ—antly in Brittaine that by his meanes he sav'd the Captaines which otherwise were in great danger to be cast away being driven into a Bogge then marching with great Plutarch in the Life of Caesar paine through the mire and dirt in the end he got to the other side but left his shield behind him Caesar wondring at his noble courage ran to him with joy to imbrace him But the poore Souldier hanging downe his head the water standing in his eyes fell downe at Caesars feet and besought him to pardon him for that he had left his Shield behind him You know how to apply it He had done gallantly yet he falls downe at Caesars feet after his brave service with teares in his eyes upon the sense of his leaving his shield behind him When we have done our best we have cause to fall downe at Jesus feet and with teares in our eyes sue out our pardon Fifthly In the day of thy prosperity forget not thy former 5 Direction poverty In the day of thy present greatnesse forget not thy former meannesse Humble Jacob in the day of his prosperity remembers his former poverty With my staffe I passed over Gen. 32. 10. Jordan and now I am become two bands And so David in his prosperity remembred that his sheep-hook was changed Psal 78. 71. 1 Chron. 17. into a Scepter and his seat of Turse into a Royall Throne And when Joseph was a Royall favourite he remembred that he had been an Imprisoned slave And when Gideon was raised to be a Saviour to Israel he remembred how God took him from the Threshing-floore Judges 6. 11. and how God changed his Threshing instrument of wood into one of iron to Thresh the Mountaines as God himselfe phraseth it Isa 41. 15. Primistaus the first King of Bohemia kept his Countrey shooes alwayes by him to remember from whence he was raised Agathocles by the furniture of his Table confest that from a Potter he was raised to be King of Sicily We live in times wherein many a man hath been raised from the dunghill to sit with Princes And O that such were wise to remember their former low and contemptible beings and to walk humbly before the Lord Otherwise who can tell but that greater contempt shall be poured forth upon them then that which they have poured upon Princes Sixthly Looke upon all that you have received and all that 6 Direicton you shall hereafter receive as the fruit of free Grace Look upon thy Adoption and write this Motto This is the fruit of free Grace Look upon thy Justification and write this Motto This is the fruit of free Grace Look upon all thy Graces and write These are the fruits of free Grace Look upon thy Experiences and write These are the fruits of free Grace Look upon thy strength to withstand Temptations and write This is the fruit of free Grace Look upon Divine power to conquer Corruptions and write This is the fruit of free Grace Look upon the Bread thou eatest the Beer thou drinkest the Cloaths thou wearest c. and write These are all the fruits of free Grace 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received And if thou hast received it why doest thou glory as though thou hadst not received it Who maketh thee to differ Episcopius a great Insolent Arminian answered Ego me ipsum disceâ—ne I make
my selfe to differ to wit by the improvement of Nature This Age is full of such proud Monsters But an humble soule sees free grace to be the Spring and Fountaine of all his mercies and comforts he writes free Grace upon all his temporalls and upon all his spiritualls c. The Seventh Direction is Meditate much upon these two 7 Direction things First The great mischiefe that sinne hath done in the World It cast Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradice it hath layen the first corner-stone in Hell and ushered in all the evils and miseries that be in the world It hath threw downe Abraham the best Believer in the world and Noah the most Righteous man in the world and Job the Uprightest man in the world and Moses the Meekest man in the world and Paul the greatest Apostle in the world Oh the Diseases the crosses the losses the miseries the deaths the hells that sin hath brought upon the world Bazill wept when he saw the Rose because it brought to to his mind the first sin from whence it had the prickles which it had not while man continued in Innocency as he thought Oh when he saw the prickles his soule wept So when we see heare or read of the blood misery warres and ruines that sin ha's brought upon us ler us weep and lye humble before the Lord. Secondly Mediate much on this That many wicked men Mat. 23. 15. take more paines to damne their soules and goe to Hell then thou doest to save thy soule and to get to Heaven Oh what paines doe wicked men take to damne their souls and goe to Hell Lanctantius saith of Lucian that he spared Such a mad Devil was Catalin neither God nor man He took paines to make himselfe twice told a Child of wrath It is said of Marcellus the Roman Generall That hee could not be quiet Nec victor nec victus neither Conquered nor Conquerour Such restlesse wretches are wicked men The Drunkard rises up in the morning and continues till Isa 5. 11. mid-night till wine inflame him The unclean person wasts his time and strength and estate and all to ruine his owne soule Theotimus being told by his Physitian that if he did not leave his lewd courses he would loose his sight answered Vale lumen amicum Then farewell sweet light What a deale of paines does the Worldling take He rises up early and goes to Bed late and leaves no stone unturn'd and all to make himselfe but the more miserable in the close Pambus in the Ecclesiasticall History wept when he saw a Harlot drest with much care and cost partly to see one Socrates Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 28. take so much paines to goe to Hell and partly because he had not been so carefull to please God as shee had been to please a wanton lover Oh Sirs what reason have you to spend your dayes in weeping when you look abroad and see what paines most men take to damne their soules and goe to Hell and then consider what little paines you take to escape Hell to save your soules and goe to Heaven Eighthly Get more internall and experimentall knowledge 8 Direction and acquaintance with God If ever you would keep humble no knowledge humbles and abases like that which is inward and experimentall We live in dayes wherein there is abundance of notionall light many Professors know much of God notionally but know nothing of God experimentally They know God in the History but know nothing of God in the Mystery They know 'T is a sad thing to be often eating of the Tree of Knowledg but never to tast of the Tree of Life much of God in the letter but little or nothing of God in the spirit and therefore 't is that they are so proud and high in their owne conceits when as he that experimentally knowes the Lord is a Worme and no man in his owne eyes As the Sun is necessary to the world the eye to the body the Pilate to the Ship the Generall to the Army So is experimentall knowledge to the humbling of the soule Who more experimentall in their knowledge then David Job Isaiah and Paul And who more humble then these Worthies Seneca observed of the Philosophers That when they grew more learned they were lesse morall So a growth in notions will bring a great decay in humility and zeale as it 's too evident in these dayes Well remember this a drop of experimentall knowledge will more humble a man then a sea of notionall knowledge Ninthly Looke up to a crucified Christ for speciall power 9 Direction and strength against the pride of your hearts 'T is sad in these knowing times to think how few there are that know the right way of bringing under the power of any sin Most men scarce look so high as a crucified Christ for power against their powerfull sins One soule sits downe and complaines Such a Psal 10. 4. It was the the blood of the Sacrifice and the Oyle that cleansed the Leper in the Law and that by them was meant the blood of Christ and the grace of his Spirit is agreed by all lust haunts me I 'le pray it downe Another saith such a sin followes me and I 'le hear it downe or watch it downe or resolve it downe and so a crucified Christ is not in all their thoughts Not but that you are to hear pray watch and resolve against your sins but above all you should look to the acting of Faith upon a crucified Christ As he said of the sword of Goliah None like to that So I say none like to this for the bringing under the pride of mens hearts The weaker the House of Saul grew the stronger the House of David grew The weakning of your pride will be the increase and strengthening of your Humility and therefore what the King of Syria said unto his fifty Captaines Fight neither with small nor great but with the King of Israel So say I if you woulk keep humble if you would lye low draw forth your Artillery place your greatest strength against the pride of your soules The death of Pride will be the resurrection of Humility And that this may stick upon you I shall lay downe severall Propositions concerning Pride and I am so much the more willing to fall upon this work and to make it the subject of our discourse at this time because this horrid sin doth appeare so boldly and impudently and that not onely among prophane persons but Professors also There are ten Propositions that I shall lay downe concerning Pride And the first is this Of all sinnes Pride is most dangerous to the soules of Men. Pride is a sin that will put the soule upon the worst of sinnes Pride is a gilded misery a secret poyson a hidden plague 'T is the Ingeneere of deceipt the Mother of hypocrisie the Parent of envy the Moth of holinesse the