could I obtain a mortifying strengthening Grace and a dead blow to every Lust 't were enough This is the Christian 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every Ordinance These things premis'd I now come to my first Proposal viz. to shew what is the least measure of Grace this I shall do by considering two things 1. What Infirmities they are which do not necessarily exclude it or with which it may be consistent 2. To come nearer to our purpose What are it's Effects without which there can be no measure of Grace As to the first those Infirmities are chiefly three 1. The least measure of Grace may consist with a great measure of Ignorance for the best and strongest do know but in part and the great Doctor of the Gentiles includes himself in the number 1 Cor. 13.9 12. And Christ's own Disciples were unacquainted with the very fundamental Principles of Religion such as the Resurrection of the dead 'till they saw it with their Eyes in Christ's Resurrection 2. It may consist with a great many Doubts and Fears touching our everlasting Condition for the assurance of Faith is a Love-token which Christ sends from Heaven but to very few strong well-grown Christians lest it should be abus'd to Licentiousness Slothfulness and carnal Security and as much as is wanting of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle speaks of Heb. 10.22 full assurance of Faith so much of Doubts and Fears are there in the Soul as it is in hot Water whatever is short of the extream Degrees of Heat there are so many Degrees of Cold in it so it is for Faith and Doubts Tho' Faith indeed as 't is consider'd objectively for an Act of the Soul laying hold on Christ admits of no Degrees but consider'd as an Habit infus'd it increaseth or diminisheth according to the Believer's Care and Industry yea 't is no hard matter to prove that Abraham himself the father of the faithful did very much falter in his Faith Gen. 15.4 The Lord made him a promise of seed by Sarah and yet out of Diffidence of God's Promise he went in unto his maid else certainly had his Faith been exercis'd he might soon have silenc'd Sarah when she made the motion in Gen. 16.2 Behold now the Lord restrained me from bearing I pray thee go in unto my maid And in Gen. 17.18 he discovers the weakness of his Faith again for when God had told him he would give him a son by Sarah v. 16. he prays for Ishmael there and that this proceeded from the weakness of his Faith appears clearly from the Lord's Answer to that Prayer v. 19. And God said Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed and thou shalt call his name Isaac as if he should say Why dost thou doubt of my Promise and misbelieve my Word and out of that diffidence of a Child by Sarah dost thou pray for Ishmael I tell thee again thou shalt have a Son by Sarah and that indeed and of a truth And how often doth Christ upbraid his Disciples with this O ye of little faith and where there is but little Faith there is much Doubtings but none dare deny they had Grace therefore the least measure of Grace is consistent with much Doubtings and Fears 3. There may be the least measure of Grace where there are many and strong Corruptions as we read of Rahab Sampson and others that were guilty of repeating the same Sins and those of the first magnitude and yet we see them reckon'd among the Faithful Heb. 11. 'T is true the least measure of true Grace disposseth the old Man of the Heart that Sin shall not sit on the Throne there any more the Believer is not the Servant of Sin nor allows the least Sin in himself In the ungracious Person Sin and Satan rule the rost and all is quiet but when a stronger than he comes to wit the Lord Jesus he is dispossess'd and so 't is no longer Satan's House he loseth his Title and Sin is but an Usurper tho' it remains there and thence comes the lasting Combat betwixt Flesh and Spirit having their Vicissitudes of Prevalency over each other This made an eminent Champion in Christianity complain Rom. 7.19 For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do how much more prevalent are Lusts in a weak Christian But Secondly As to it's Effects they are again chiefly three for 1. Where there is a measure of Grace there is a filial Fear of God which when strong Temptations are ready to prevail will come in to the Soul's rescue and make a Believer to say with Joseph How shall I do this great evil and Sin against God against that good God that hath done me good and not evil all my days against a holy and just God which cannot abide Iniquity and will render unto me and to every one according to our works against an all-seeing God that see'th in secret and rewardeth openly And as this Fear fortifys the Soul against presumptuous Sins so it spurs the Soul on to run the ways of God's commandments and therefore it is coupled with the keeping of God's Commands as the cause and the effect as the means and the end fear God that thou may'st keep his commandments This fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom it is the primum vivens and ultimum moriens the very heart of the new Creature for as soon as ever spiritual Life is breath'd into the Soul this Fear and Awe of God mingles it self with all the Thoughts Words and Actions and this Fear too lays the Top-stone in the spiritual Building for we are to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 2. Where there is a measure of Grace there is a desire to fear God Neh. 1.11 Lord hear the prayers of thy servants that desire to fear thy name they could not say they fear'd his name but might boldly say they desir'd it And as it is in Sin a Desire tho' it proceeds no farther is a Sin so gracious Desires are accepted of God and the will to do good is taken for the deed As Heart-adultery and Heart-murther tho' terminated in the Will yet are great Sins in the sight of God so are the gracious Ebullitions and holy Breathings of the Soul as precious in his sight as the other are odious But lest any should turn this Grace of God into Wantonness you must consider that this Desire has it's Concomitants and Properties to attend it which distinguisheth it from the cold lazy Velleities of the ungodly for it is First a serious hearty Desire Secondly a lasting growing Desire Thirdly it is mingled with Sorrow that it can go no farther Fourthly it is attended with a Restlessness 'till it can proceed to act Fifthly it drives the Believer therefore often on his Knees to beg Strength to do as well as to will Sixthly it is such as is oppos'd and resisted by Temptations that
of their ignorance of the nature of Grace and their mistakes about the exercises and operations of Grace especially by reason of the motes in their eyes of Faith they think they have no Faith because they want the assurance of faith which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not of the essence of Faith but a consequent of it and a reflex act of the Soul upon it self attain'd by a long continu'd course of holy and close walking with God which few Believers have but Faith is a recumbant act of the Soul upon Christ and is usually express'd by the instance of one that having suffer'd shipwrack cast himself upon a floating plank of the ship and there sticks in a trembling doubtfull hope of coming ashore 2. Because they cannot distinguish betwixt Grace in ideâ and Grace in subjecto in actu signato and in actu exercito as in 1 Cor. 13.7 8 9 c. The wonderfull operations of Charity are describ'd there now because weak Christians can find no such effects in themselves they presently conclude themselves to be no better than sounding brass and tinkling cymbals meer empty nothings and no real Christians but they ought to distinguish betwixt this Grace in it's own abstracted nature and as it is in the subject mixt with the flesh and contrary elements of corruptions and so it is not so operative in the best of Christians as being obstructed by it's contrary qualities Fire by it self is visible and active but not so in the flint and yet we know it is there tho' conceal'd under the other elements so we may judge of Charity and other Graces with the mixtures of contrary imperfections which do retard and make them come short of their genuine productions 3. It is because they compare themselves with the uppermost in Christ's school for proficiency and because they are not such glorious lights in the firmament of the Church as St. Paul St. John and other Scripture Saints therefore in their own opinion they are but Meteors and wandring Stars Hypocrites and Unbelievers But they should know that as it is in the Kingdom of Glory so it is in the Kingdom of Grace one star differeth from another and the members of the body mystical as in the body natural are not of equal strength and bigness All Christians should therefore labour to be of the body of Christ and not be discouraged though they be but the meanest finger or the lowest toe for their head will be sure to take care of them and bring them at last to himself We must be sure to get the same Grace as others for truth though we cannot attain to the same grace for measure we must try our selves by the same touch-stone tho' not weigh our selves in the same ballance we must be of the same mettal as others though not of the same weight 4. Because they examine themselves in an unseasonable time when overcome with sadness and black melancholick thoughts then indeed they are to seek for the least Grace But we must consider that though this self-examination is necessary yet it is not at all times to be used Having thus briefly dispatch'd what I at first proposed to speak to I come now in the last place to apply the whole This truth concerns four sorts of people 1. The Ministers of the Gospel 2. Strong Christians 3. Weak Christians 4. Such as are aliens from the common-wealth of Israel 1. Ministers should have the same mind in them as was in Christ Jesus when they see a bruised reed to support it and carry on the work of Grace in Christian hearts we must encourage the weak hearted and strengthen feeble knees for we are the immediate subordinate outward agents to do this work for Christ and to fulfill this promise of his Epiphanius calls St. James the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the WALL of the people and so should we be an impregnable wall about our people for to defend them especially at this time of Apostacy from Seducers and false teachers There are wolves in sheep's clothing that will soon make a havock of Christ's lambs that will by their Sophistry seduce young Christians unless we fortify them not only by our constant preaching of the truth in publick but also by our personal application of that truth to them in private 2. Strong Christians should make it appear that they are so by serving the Lord Christ in this work and labour of love by taking their weak brethren by the hand and helping them out of the mire of temptations you know whose language it was Am I my brother's keeper a cursed Cain's be you therefore blessed in incouraging the feeble instructing the ignorant and confirming the doubtful comfort weak Believers against the violence of the persecutor arm them against the Sophistry of the Seducer and by your exemplary lives teach them to mortify the flesh to bridle the tongue to adorn their profession with a holy conversation and to prepare themselves against approaching miseries In all your stations and relations do all the good you can for YOUR LORD'S and MASTER'S sake 3. Here is a word to weak Christians here is a cordial for them to restore their fainting Spirits when surpriz'd with any fears touching their persevering to the end of their warfare 1. Be of good comfort thy life spiritual and eternal is hid with Christ in God say not thou art a bruised reed for with this will Christ break Satan's head and he will not cease 'till he hath brought forth Judgement unto compleat Victory in thy Soul All the power and malice of Hell shall not be able to extinguish the least spark of Grace in any Soul 2. Take the cup of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord bless God whilst thou livest for thy new creation and preservation take up David's language My soul praise thou the Lord all that is within me bless his holy name what shall I render unto the Lord for all his care and kindness his preservation and providence Alas how soon had Satan winnowed me if the Lord had not prayed for me and upheld me his almighty arm supported me else I had long ago inevitably dropt into everlasting burning 3. Love him with all your heart with all your soul all this care and tenderness towards you is the fruit of his love Oh! then let love in him beget the like love in you beget an earnest desire to run the ways of his commandments with great delight Oh! pant and breath after him and rest no where but in the bosom of his love 4. Be you tender of him and careful to please him as the Spouse was Cant. 2.6 7. she was weak in knowledge and in Grace and therefore Christ's left hand is under her head and his right hand embraceth her then she chargeth her self in her particular members not to disturb him 5. Take heed you quench not this smoking flax your selves which is done First by negligence and carelessness in God's service we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the Grace of God that is in us or else it will dy of it self if we do not blow this fire into a flame it will quench unknown to us Secondly By returning to folly again this is the water that quencheth the sparkle of Grace and is abominable to God and therefore compared by him to the vomiting of a dog and to the wallowing of a sow in the mire Thirdly By accompanying wicked Men which are as floods of waters and waves of the sea to quench this sparkle and so term'd by the Prophet David in several Psalms therefore avoid them as you would avoid the Devil for they are his instruments 4. The fourth use is to strangers from the covenant of promise that they would consider what a blessed condition it is to have Christ for a guardian and how happy are the people that are under his tuition 't is impossible to conceive how wonderfully careful and tender he is of the weakest Believer the relations of a Shepherd a father of a mother Husband c. do prove it and preach it Oh! then let all be hence incited to take him upon his own terms that they may be under his care and tenderness that he may keep you in all your ways defer not therefore to close with him that you may be thus and eternally happy Now to God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost be ascribed all honour praise and dominion now and for ever Amen FINIS
THE BRUISED REED OR A SERMON Preach'd at the Cathedral Church of St. ASAPH FOR THE Support of weak Christians By D. MAVRICE D. D. sometime Chaplain in New Colledge OXON OXFORD Printed at the THEATER 1700. Matth. 12.20 A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench 'till he send forth judgement unto victory IF the Scope of this Chapter be seriously consider'd it may be of use to Preachers and Hearers a division which contains all the Members of the Church universal the whole Christian World for in the Pharisees here all Hearers may see what is to be avoided and in Christ all Preachers may see what is to be practis'd by what is culpable in the one and commendable in the other 1. The Pharisees entertain hard thoughts of that great Prophet of his Church which was sent to bring them from Darkness to Light and from those devious paths of Superstition and Errours which they ran into unto the way of Life and Salvation Secondly This Prejudice against their Teacher was a strong Bolt upon the Doors of their Hearts that hinder'd them from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiving the Truth in the Love of it Thirdly They proceed to blaspheme Christ's Doctrine and are offended at his Followers and from the weakness of the Disciples in plucking the ears of corn on the Sabbath day they take occasion to oppose the Gospel as if it were a door open'd by Christ to Licentiousness and Prophaness Fourthly They have a cloak for their Malice namely the strict command of observing the Sabbath tho' indeed it was as Christ proves but their own superstitious Conceit and false Exposition of the Command for the Law allow'd of Works of Necessity such as plucking the ears of corn to satisfy Hunger and Works of Mercy such as healing the man with the wither'd hand on the Sabbath day Fifthly They were obstinate in their Errours and would not be convinc'd by him that was Truth it self tho' he endeavour'd it by Scripture Reasons and Examples and those so strong and forcible that they could not gainsay them Sixthly The Prejudice in their Hearts broke out at their Lips in calling him a devil and their Malice was vented in their Counsels and Purposes to kill him so that as all the Expositours that I have read on the 31. and 32. v. conclude they stop'd not 'till they sinned against the holy Ghost which is the unpardonable Sin spoken of there Therefore let Hearers take heed lest they give place to the Devil by entertaining any Prejudices against the Persons Conversation or Doctrine of their Teachers for that if cherished will break out into opprobrious Speeches and at last end in a wilfull Opposition to the Truth against Knowledge and Conscience and in a bidding defiance to the Almighty Take heed you stand not against Convictions and avoid that rock of offence on which the Pharisees suffer'd Shipwrack but open the windows of your Souls that the Light of the glorious Gospel may shine in your Hearts and that you may walk as Children of the Light in your Lives 2. Here is a Pattern propos'd to Preachers the grand Exemplar for us to write after the LORD JESUS and that in the Prophecy and the History First In supporting the weak Disciples and defending them against the Aspersions and Calumnies of their Adversaries as you may read in the Beginning of this Chapter Secondly In stopping the Mouths of Gain-sayers with invincible Arguments drawn from Scripture Reasons Authority and Examples v. 3 4 c. Thirdly In Meekness Patience and Calmness of Spirit withdrawing himself from the hand of Violence and going where he might do more good v. 14 15 c. Fourthly In Mercyfulness and Tenderness to Men's Souls and Bodies in Diligence and Constancy in Preaching and doing good without any leaven of Ostentation or vain Glory v. 15 16. for he charged them that they should not make him known Fifthly In encouraging and cherishing the least measure of Grace wherever he found it and using all means to bring it to perfection as in the Text A bruised reed shall he not break c. For there is in the words a Litote where less is spoken than is meant and a double Metaphor expressing the wonderful Mildness Gentleness and Tenderness of Christ towards his weak Servants who are so feeble as a Reed and that bruised too not only toss'd too and fro like a Reed by every wind of temptation but bruised dejected and cast down not able to stand or look up towards Heaven being so full of Deadness and Diffidence and Despondency Such weak Believers he is so far from slighting trampling upon and laying aside as well he might as being unprofitable and useless for what is a Reed crush'd and bruis'd good for unless it be for the Fire that he will encourage support and strengthen them And when poor Believers are as smoking flax having the least Sparkle of Grace in them for as the Proverb is there is no smoke without some fire tho' it be buried in ashes Christ will be so far from despising the day of small things and extinguishing this Sparkle that he will cherish and nourish it and blow it to a Flame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 donec pronunciet sententiam quâ se victorem declaret omnium inimicorum suorum 'Till he pronounces the Sentences and declares himself the Conquerour of his and their spiritual Enemies that would really break the bruised reed and quench the smoking flax Having thus strip'd the Text of it's Rhetorical Garments the Observation is naked and plain and that is this The Lord Jesus is very tender of weak Christians and exceeding carefull to preserve the least measure of Grace in them I am not ignorant that some take the Words for Christ's mercifull dealing with troubled Consciences and afflicted Souls that are bruised and crushed under the sense of Divine Wrath for Sin that are full of Doubts and Fears touching their everlasting Condition without any Candle-light of God's Countenance and Favour But I conceive the Metaphor may reach both Senses especially the first and methinks the learned Jesuit Maldonate hits the nail on the head when he saith Adeo quietè attentè ambulabit ut etiamsi super arundinem quassatam ambulet tamen non confringet He will tread so tenderly so warily so gingerly that tho' he tread upon a bruised Reed yet it shall be no more bruised for him I proceed therefore to handle the point which I shall endeavour to do by shewing I. What is the least measure of Grace II. That Christ is tender of such III. How he doth shew it IV. The Reasons why he do's so V. and Lastly Apply the whole to our selves I. First then I am to shew what is that which we may term the least measure of Grace the minimum quod non of Grace without which a Man cannot upon Scripture Grounds be denominated gracious and having which he may be assur'd that he is
be deferr'd from such an unwelcome profession that was so displeasing to Flesh and Blood and therefore lest those young Gospellers should be discourag'd he puts his Divinity on work to feed them 2. As he will not impose upon them hard services so he will not expose them to great sufferings They need not such thorns in the flesh to keep them low as St. Paul had after his high Raptures and Revelations If ye seek me saith Christ Jo. 18.1 let these go their way that is these are yet unfit to ascend the stage of sufferings they are not able to act the Tragedy which I must under your bloody hands therefore let these go their way excus'd and suitable to this care and tenderness is his Promise 1 Cor. 10.13 He will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape He is cloth'd with the same Flesh and Blood as we are sin only excepted and therefore he knows what Mould we are made of and so will proportion our burthen to our backs Here by the way I might answer the objection of an afflicted Believer who doubts of his interest in Christ from or by reason of his heavy Pressures and says with Rebeccah If it be so why am I thus If I be a child of God why do I feel a Hell in my Soul as if I were in Hell already if my Soul be bound up in the bundle of Life why am I become a prey to the roaring Lyon as appears by his continual buffetting of me but O believing Soul thou should'st from thence argue the contrary and conclude for thy comfort from these strong struglings in thy Soul that there are two Nations within thee such as they in Rebeccah's Womb the one from Heaven heavenly the other from Earth earthly and be sure that at last the elder shall serve the younger Nature shall be subdu'd by Grace and therefore thou may'st argue from the weight of thy afflictions that thou art not only a true Believer but a strong Believer whom God loads so heavily for he will lay upon none but what they are able to bear 3. He preserves them from strong Temptations by praying for them that they may be able to bear them and that the bruised reed may never be a broken reed and the smoking flax be never quenched this is the drift of Christ's Prayer for his Disciples in Jo. 17. and not for them only but for all Babes in Christ that shall be born to him to the end of the World Jo. 17.20 So Christ prays for St. Peter when Satan would have winnowed him Luke 22.31 The poysonous breath of that subtle Serpent had soon fann'd away this weak Disciple from Christ's Floor if Christ had not suddenly interpos'd by his Intercession and so do's he still continue his prevailing intercession in Heaven for his weak Members that they shall never miscarry as long as he is at God's right hand to mediate for them and thus he preserves them from strong Temptations by not imposing hard services on them nor exposing them to great sufferings and by praying for them 2. He manifests his tender care of weak Believers by sanctifying their Weakness to them that their failings shall be their Advantages and that they may be gainers by their losses St. Peter stood too firm on his own legs he was too confident of his own strength when he tells Christ that tho' all should forsake him yet would not he and yet he was the first that did it because he lean'd too much on his own staff which prov'd to him but a broken Reed He had not yet it seems learn'd that great and hard lesson of SELF-DENIAL for if he had learn'd to deny himself he would never had deny'd his Master as he did most shamefully three times Therefore doth Christ force him to a triple Confession of his Faith in him and Love to him Jo. 21.15 16 17. Lovest thou me more than these where by his modest answer you may observe the self Diffidence and Humility which he gain'd by his Fall Lord thou knowest that I love thee There is now no self-exaltation above others he doth not say now tho' all should hate thee yet I will love thee and cleave to thee no but he referrs himself to Christ's all-seeing eye who saw more by him than he could know by himself and therefore he would say nothing lest he should judge amiss so humble so low so vile was he become in his own eyes Thus when a poor Christian is sensible of his own Weakness and finds those sons of Zerviah his Lusts to be too strong for him and therefore fears like David to fall one day into their hands then doth he become a dayly petitioner to the great God for strength he prays more feelingly more fervently and will not be deny'd and this is his strength so Jacob's wrestling with God is call'd his strength Hos 12.3 When he sees how slovenly he is in every work and duty which God calls him to how he bungles in his holiest performances and has greater reasons than the Apostle Rom. 7.18 to say To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not he is filled with self-abhorrence humility and poverty of spirit which are precious graces in the sight of God Whereas naturally we take a pride in our performances and those duties which grow upon Nature's stock do fill the hypocritical Professor with a vain conceit of self-righteousness and makes him rest in opere operato the work done but on the other side a true Believer out of self-diffidence runs out of himself to Christ he dares not venture to stay under the roof of his own works or duties but comes up like the Spouse in the Canticles from a wilderness of temptation leaning on his beloved Christ Jesus and so continually with St. Paul magnifies God's superabundant Grace towards him for else he is in himself but a firebrand of Hell undone for ever 3. He manifests this tenderness and care towards weak Believers by sending them help in a time of need in relieving them at a dead lift when this sparkle is even extinguish'd then will the Lord wonderfully step in many times to help as he promiseth Heb. 4.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a help in a good opportunity The temporal deliverance which the Jews had from the Assyrians Isaiah 37. was a type and a figure of that spiritual deliverance which the Lord gives this bruised reed when it is ready to break when the new Creature is ready to give up the Ghost the City Jerusalem was as a woman in travel the children were come to the birth but there was no strength to bring forth a miserable streight Then came one of Heaven's deputies as a skilfull Midwife to give them speedy deliverance Many are the experiences of the Servants of God of his Providence towards them in rescuing them from the very
Jaws of the roaring Lyon when he was ready to devour them by reclaiming them by some seasonable Providence when they were ready to commit some horrid abomination that would have dishonour'd God and made his enemies to blaspheme and have wounded their Profession their Consciences and good Names for ever a passage to this purpose I have read in the Life of a reverend and godly Divine of this Kingdom which is so remarkable that I cannot omit it This reverend Minister being at his house very late in a winter night ready to go to his rest when all his Family were asleep a sudden thought took him that he must go to such a Man's house that liv'd a pretty distance from him at first he strugled against those motions and endeavour'd to stifle them as being unreasonable enthusiastical impressions that should move him to go to such a house without any occasion apparent to him and that in an unseasonable time of the night and for ought he knew the suggestions might be satanical But he could have no rest in his Spirit 'till he took a Candle and Lantern and went and so knock'd at the Man's door a while before any Body answer'd at length the Man of the house comes and opens the door This Minister told him of the strange and strong impulse that mov'd him to come thither and that he had no business Nay then says the poor Man with tears in his eyes I see the wonderful mercy of God in sending you hither to rescue my Soul and Body from the Devil for just now was I when I had got all my houshold to their rest fully purposing with this cord to dispatch my self away and now blessed be God for his gracious providence in preventing it by your coming Here was a seasonable help when the smoking flax was even quenching the Lord stept in wonderfully with relief so careful and tender is he of the weakest Christian 4. By preserving them from false Teachers and Seducers 'till they have their senses to discern between Good and Evil between Truth and Falshood therefore a strict charge is given by him Cant. 2.15 Take us the foxes the little foxes that spoil the vines for our vines have tender grapes especially care is to be had of weak Believers which are as tender grapes lest the foxes and little foxes that is Hereticks and Schismaticks seduce them and here St. Bernard observes touching the Pronouns US and OUR Poterat dicere capite mihi sed maluit dicere nobis consortio delectatus and he so unites our welfare with his own that he takes as great care of us as of himself and of the whole Church together and every particular Member thereof from the greatest to the least IV. The Fourth Particular to be consider'd in the handling of this Text is to shew the Reasons why Christ is so tender of weak Christians and those are these 1. Because Grace may be hinder'd in it's Growth by such things as the Believer cannot prevent as for instance A Believer may be living in a wicked Family where there is no fear of God and there he has much ado to keep his Sparkle alive 1 Kings 14.13 The Lord takes notice of that little goodness that was in Abijah in the house of Jeroboam a little Grace in such a Family went far Even so doth the Holy Ghost commend that small measure of Piety that was in Lot which surely was but a Sparkle in a sea of Corruption as we may see by tracing his Conversation for first out of a sinful fear of the filthy Sodomites he proffers them his two Daughters for to commit Uncleanness with them his Drunkenness and Incest recorded in Scriptures are as a Scylla and Charybdis for all Christians to beware and fear to come near them the latter being such a sin as the Apostle says 1 Cor. 5.1 as is not so much as nam d among the unbelieving Gentiles much less practis'd by them and one would think that the commission of one such sin of Incest might terrify the weakest Believer in the World that had any fear of God before his eyes from ever committing the like again and not only so but would make him go mourning all his days but we find that the sin of Drunkenness that opens every door in the Soul to the spiritual enemy le ts in this abomination again and that suddenly too for the next night he lay with his other Daughter from both which incestuous mixtures proceeded the cursed Brood of Moabites and Ammonites that were the greatest scourge of the people of God in all the World yet for all these gross miscarriages carriages and great sins he was still a smoking flax and therefore the Lord in mercy passeth by his enormities and considering the place of his abode gives him a grain of allowance for being so good among a people so bad 2 Pet. 2.7 8. He has the Epithets of just and righteous and godly because he was vex'd that they were so ungodly So doth the Lord exercise the same indulgence towards the Church of Pergamus because she dwelt in the very confines of Hell Rev. 2.13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is and where was that where Godliness was persecuted and Idolatry was practis'd together with the community of Wives maintain'd which was the doctrine of the Nicolaitans Now to hold fast the Christian Profession and not to deny the Faith in the Devil's quarters was an Argument of a Heaven-born Nature and therefore God will dispense with other Weaknesses Only when a Christian's lot is cast into such a wicked place where Satan dwelleth either for false Doctrine and Worship or Sodomitical Practices 't is his duty to bewail it with the Prophet David Psalm 120.5 6. Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar my Soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace he longed to be away from them and so did the Prophet Isaiah mourn because he dwelt among a people of unclean lips Isa 6.5 2. Grace may be hinder'd in it's growth by reason of a Believer's constitution of Body for the philosophical Axiom holds true in Grace as it doth in Morality mores animi sequuntur temperamentum corporis for we find cholerick Bodys very apt to fall into immoderate Anger and unbridled Passion upon the least provocation and are often to seek for that excellent Grace of Patience and those that are phlegmatick are not so active and zealous in the service of God as others that are but of an equal stature in Grace so the melancholick cannot rejoyce in God and be so chearful in holy duties as others and those that are sanguine cannot be so serious and the weak crazy Bodies cannot spend so much time and strength in Watching Fasting and Prayer as those that are of a stronger constitution for without controversy tho' Grace do's not depend upon the temper of the Body quoad esse causam in
of Grace differs only gradually from the greatest measure they are the same in kind and nature as the least drop of water is water and the least spark of fire is fire therefore Christ's care and love is not restrain'd to the degree of Grace but extends to the whole species of new creatures small and great weak and strong 2 Pet. 1.1 The Apostle writes to them that had obtain'd like pretious faith with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was not equal in degree with his but being of the same nature and kind it was of equal price and value with God and therefore Christ will being exceeding careful to keep this heavenly treasure Little Grace is a little grain of mustard-seed which grows and spreads into a great tree and it is compar'd so for it's smallness at first as well as for it's growth at last And if thou hast but the least Grace I dare tell thee that God hath done more for thee in that than if he should in making that which is now so weak as perfect as the Saint's Grace is now in Heaven and that for two reasons 1. Because it was an act of greater power to work Grace out of no Grace than to add that Grace by perfectional Grace There is a greater gulf between no Grace and Grace than between weak Grace and strong between a Chaos and nothing than between a Chaos and the beautiful frame of this World The first day's work of both creations is the greatest and therefore God will by no means despise the day of these small things which as inconsiderable as we think them to be are the effect of the same almighty power as created the World 2. It is an act of greater mercy to give us the first Grace in conversion than to crown that Grace with Glory it is a greater favour and condescension in a Prince to marry a poor damsel than having married her to cloth her like a Princess he was free to do or not to do the former but now his relation to her obliges him to do the latter even so might God have chosen whether he would have given thee Grace or not at the first but having done this thy relation to him and his covenant also do oblige him to preserve that Grace and add more 'till he hath fitted thee as a bride for himself in Glory therefore let the weakest Christian never doubt of Crist's care and tenderness towards him for he that hath done the greater acts of power and mercy to him will certainly do the lesser he that gave him spiritual life equal to the best Saint in Heaven in quality and nature will surely give it nourishment and growth 'till it comes to perfection or as it is in my Text 'till he bring forth judgement unto victory 5. The covenant of Grace comprehends the weak as well as the strong Christian If children then heirs heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 The promise there is not to children grown to this or that strength or stature if thou beest a child tho' in the cradle the promises are thy portion yea thou may'st plead for his care and maintenance 'till thou possess the inheritance in Heaven upon thy state and relation and not upon thy weaker or stronger Grace Some Believers have more Grace from Christ than others and so have more skill to improve these promises than their weaker Brethren whereby their present profits and incomes from the promises are greater but they have no more interest in Christ than the other and consequently the weak Christian's title is as true to the promise as that of the strong tho' the foot is the lowest member of the body yet it cannot say but that the tongue will speak for it and the head take care of it for the foot is in the body and so is the meanest Believer in the body of Christ therefore those do disfigure the promises that make them look asquint with an eye upon one Believer and not upon another whereas they equally belong to all He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life Jo. 3.36 and who is meant there is it he that believes above doubting surely no but we may be assur'd of this that he that commands us to receive the weak in faith will not himself reject them 6. Grace may be weak in one respect and yet strong in another a Christian may be weak in his active and strong and resolute in his passive obedience Rahab's Faith was but a grain of mustard seed yet it was of the right kind because she held out a professor in Jericho her godly courage and hope were strong in the Lord else she had never continu'd her obedience to the true God among such a number of Idolaters A Believer may be wanting in his zeal and activity in God's service and resisting temptations in mastering corruptions yet as a tree in winter he grows downward in humility self-abhorrence and his whole dependance is upon God through Christ in the sense of his wants and so being deeply rooted in these the Lord will sooner dispense with his outward infirmities 7. The number of weak Believers is far greater than that of the strong and therefore if Christ takes not special care to carry his lambs in his bosom his fold is like to be very empty There are more sparrows than Eagles more bruised reeds than Cedars and more babes in Christ than strong well grown Christians in God's Family therefore if he were not a very tender nursing Father to these those eternal mansions of Glory should be like to want inhabitants 8 and lastly Hereby God sheweth his strength and power and so more Glory redounds to Christ by this care in keeping alive a sparkle of Grace in an ocean of corruption 2 Cor. 12.9 My strength is made perfect in weakness that is not intrinsecally but declaratively not made so but manifested to the Sons of Men to be so This cuts the very comb of pride in all and leaves no room for self-exaltation when God is both the founder and finisher of their Grace And that which highly advanceth his Glory is that he alone holdeth as our Souls so our Grace in life This not only magnifies but omnifies his power and causeth the poor Christian to lay the crown of all his services upon the head of Christ and to cry out with St. Paul It is not I but the grace of God which was with me and when all is done and the race is run in glory to cast his crown with the elders before the throne of Christ saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory honour and power Rev. 4.10 11. Having thus done with the reasons I shall answer an objection that meets me in my way which is this If Christ be so tender of them why are they so full of fears and doubts and hard thoughts of themselves touching their spiritual and eternal condition as usually they are 1. I answer It is by reason