me feed my lambs O Christians the great care and the great provision that is made in both Testaments and the great injunctions that are laid upon those that are concerned in the administration of both Testaments is to look after the meanest Christians which must needs discover this great truth that the meanest Christian that is a Christian indeed shall not miscarry but I shall open this further to you in two branches 1. That the least grace in the least Christian is the product of the greatest grace that works in the Blessed Trinity There is nothing in the least Christian but the great and infinite grace of the Blessed Trinity concurred to the producing of it This I would only illustrate to you by a passage of our Lord in Matth. 13. v. 31. where he compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a grain of mustard seed why what is the Kingdom of Heaven but the Administration of the Gospel according to the Eternal Counsels of God that are past in Heaven Now saies he The Kingdom of Heaven is as a grain of mustard seed Why but Lord might they say here is a grain that hath brought forth and spread abundantly this is like the Kingdom of Heaven indeed ay but saies he the little grain though it be the least of all grains is a fit similitude and comparison for the Kingdom of Heaven To what shall I liken the Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven saies he is like a grain of mustardseed which a man took and sowed in his field So that there is the whole resemblance of the Kingdom of Heaven even in a little grain as soon as ever it is sown as much as when it is in its greatest flourish after its full growth there is a real and a comprehensive resemblance of it in the least seed of grace that is sown in thy heart there is the Grace of the Kingdom manifested in thee the Righteousness of the Kingdom is manifested in thee The offices of all persons concerned in the Kingdom they are all manifested in thee Jesus Christs mediation and the Spirits Sanctification and the Fathers Justification these are all manifested upon the least work of grace that is wrought in thee I tell you there is a substantial manifestation of all the blessednesses of the Kingdom of Heaven in the least work of grace that is wrought upon any Heart 2. The least work of grace upon the Heart of the least Christian is a manifestation not only of the Kingdom of Heaven but a real demonstration of the Kingdom of Glory A demonstration á priori as they call it a demonstration of that which is antecedent or anantecedent demonstration of the Kingdom of Glory as well as the greatest flourishes of grace I pray Christians consider you that are young in grace you have a demonstration in you an antecedent demonstration of the Kingdom of Glory I pray what is the Kingdom of Glory but the flourish of that love that I have now wrought in me in the Kingdom of grace It is the increase of my likeness to God and to Jesus Christ in Heaven that is now begun in me this is the Kingdom of Glory Now this little work of grace is an antecedent demonstration of an incomprehensible weight of Glory that is to be put upon the People of God when they come in Heaven and this you may see evidenced in the parable that I last mentioned and in the other parables that our Lord Jesus Christ doth make use of 3. A Third Proposition is this That the greatest and dreadfullest threatnings are denounced against discouraging carriages towards those that have least grace as well as towards those that have greatest Nay let me also tell you this that although they themselves be under the tokens of Gods displeasure yet their Relation to God doth heightenthem as aggravations of their enemies carriage towards them I find not a greater threatning ever came out of the mouth of Christ Jesus when he was on Earth then this It were better say's he for that man that he had a Milstone hanged about his neck and he cast into the midst of the Sea then he should offend one of these little ones that believeth on me he speaks not of little ones as to nature but of little ones as to grace The design of the Jews was to lay stumbling blocks before the little ones that is those that had a little love to Christ those that had a little Faith on Christ those whose hearts were engaged by that little fire of grace that was in them to follow the Lord Jesus Christ Says Christ If any man doth offend one of these little ones it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the midst of the Sea But I shall open this likewise in these two branches 1. Gods severest execution of threatnings takes its rise from the adversaries carriage towards the least of those that belong to him As for instance you know God threatned that he would have perpetual War with Amaleck and why with Ameleck more then with Moab or with Edom or the other Nations that gave disturbance to his People you shall find the reason to be because they watched their opportunity and smote the hinmost of the People they did not march upon the front of the People but they watched their advantage and they smote the hinmost and feeblest of the People therefore says God I will have perpetual War with Amaleck and this lay as it were reserved in the Bosom of God till the first King that ever appeared upon the Throne of Israel Saul was not commanded to rally his Forces and go against Egypt that Old Enemy that Old Oppressor nor against Moab and those that inveigled them and inticed them in the matter of Baal Peor but go says God to Saul and utterly destroy Amalek 1 Sam. 15. from off the face of the Earth And Saul he did spare none but poor King Agag and God was so incensed against him that he sent Samuel his Prophet to him to tell him that God had rent the Kingdom of Israel from him at the 28. v. because he did not execute the fierceness of his wrath against Amalek for smiting the hindmost of the People and those that were feeble amongst them as they came out of Egypt And truly Friends this is the design and hath been all along the design of your spiritual adversaries they seldom march upon the Front but in the Spirit of Amalek they wait for their advantage upon those that are weak and feeble And for my part I do think that this will be one of the greatest aggravations of the sin of the Devils that they have Tempted the little ones that have followed Jesus Christ I pray take notice of another passage concerning the poor and weak condition the people of Israel were in the time of Obadiah you shall find in that Prophecy that the Assyrians came upon them and makes a
disquieted about their acceptance O that I did but know that God did accept me O that I did but know that I were accepted in Christ Jesus Why truly Christians this is one of your proper Spiritual Blessings a Blessing which the Spirit is principally concerned in the manage of He hath made us says he accepted Though there be never so little grace in the heart yet it is accepted two Mites that the poor Widow cast into the Treasury you know what acceptation it found with the Lord Jesus Christ Verily says he I say unto you she hath cast in more then they all they of their abundance have cast into the Treasury but she hath cast in even all that she hath O Sirs if you have never so little grace cast it into your prayers and cast it into your Sermons and cast it into imploy it in your conversations Verily will Christ say this man hath done more then such a one he had but a few gifts and he imployed them all he hath but a little grace and behold I see this little iâ— every duty Verily he hath done more like a Christian then others that have a great deal and yet not half so much considering their proportion to be found in their duties The hand of thâ— Lord hath been open and hath fille many of your understandings with a great deal of Gopel light but alas there is but little of it seen in your lives and in your hearts it may be you are filled with grace ay but there is but little of this grace to be seen in your duties There comes a poor humble Christian with his Mite to pray and with his Mite to hear and behold he casts all in and the Lord sees that all the grace that is in his heart he puts forth in every duty and he exerciseth in every Ordinance Verily says Christ I say unto you she hath done more then they all Therefore my friends let me tell you the God Father of Jesus Christ for still we must consider him under that notion I say the God and father of Jesus Christ hath made us accepted in the beloved if there be any thing that is unacceptable in thee if there be nothing to be seen in thee but what is disobliging yet the Lord hath made you that are Christians accepted in the beloved not accepted in your own graces not accepted in your selves not accepted for this or that or the other but all your acceptance is still in Christ who hath made us accepted in the beloved Now my friends that the Spirit of the Lord doth manage this this also is evident if we do but consider what it is wherein our personal acceptation lies doth it lie in our gracious qualifications which we receive from Jesus Christ why those we receive by the Spirit doth the Lord accept us upon the account of the exercise of any grace in any duty why truly all this is also from the same Spirit There are says the Apostle diversity of gifts and diversity of operations ay but still there is one and the same Spirit It is the same Spirit It may be there is a great deal of humility in thy duty or in thy heart and thou art accepted in Jesus Christ but how camest thou by this humility how camest thou by this meekness why the Spirit of the Lord hath rested upon thee in the form of a Dove as the Spirit of meekness and as the Spirit of lowliness and as the Spirit of selfdenial The same spirit that rested upon Christ the same Spirit also hath rested upon thee So that you see also in this third great Spiritual Blessing how far the Spirit and how much the son is also concerned to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved O my friends that there should be such a mystery as this and all the Priviledges advantages of it should be ensured to all the seed in Jesus Christ It is God that makes us and not we our selves accepted in the Beloved wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved I will break off with this one short Reflexion upon what I have already delivered VSE You see my Brethren in the worst of times here is the Best of Blessings ensured in the worst of circumstances here are the gloriousest priviledges in safe hands for you what can you desire more then all Spiritual Blessings of the God and Father of Jesus Christ what can You desire more It may be he hath Blessed such a one with temporal Blessings such a one he hath Blessed with wisdom and such a one with strength and such a one with riches and honour and the like ay but my Friends he hath not blessed every one with all Temporal Blessings says Esau to his Brother Jacob I have enough my Brother ay but it was only Jacob It was only Israel that had prevailed with God that could say I have all My Brother I have all things what did he mean I have God for my exceeding great reward and I have all things in the Covenant I have all things in the blessing I have all things in the promise Now Christians take an occasion from hence to make an estimate of the vast difference that there is between a Christian indeed and one that is but a Christian in shew one that lay under great worldly disadvantages and yet a Christian and one that lay under or that is advanced up to the top of all secular advantages and blessings and preferments even by God himself Would you know Christians where the difference lay why it lies here the one hath all and that for ever and the other hath but what he hath in part and that not secured neither worldlings they have not their greatness in Christ they have not their honour given them in Christ they have not their Relations given them in Christ No no my Friends but now the meanest Christian hath not only all things but all things ensured him in Christ he is not only a better man then the greatest worldling is upon the account of the extent but also upon the account of the Method and Manner wherein all is give him and secured to him There is not a person in the world that can say or ever could say I have all things Nebuchadnezzar in all his glory could not say I have all things But a poor Christian a poor persecuted Paul could cry out I have all things and I can do all things even then when he had nothing at all in comparison says he I have all things and abound Now Christians I pray you rejoyce in your condition And I beseech you sinners become all Christians for whilest you are as you are you have but some things and what you have is all out of Christ but do but become Christians do but give up your heads and hearts to the Lord and then you may say Blessed be the God and father of
Riches of his inheritance in the Saints Now I shall shew you that all this is vouchsafed to Christians in Christ you shall find the Apostle Col. 2. v. 3. telling us that in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Why what wisdom and knowledge Why that wisdom and that knowledge that the eternal grace of God did design for Christians so that we are blessed with this wisdom and knowledg in Christ Look into your understandings and hearts alas there is but little there there is no treasures there but look into the Lord Jesus and there are all treasures even for foolish Christians hid and lodged there in him is hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge And that the Spirit of the Lord is alike concerned in this you shall observe if you do but consult the Apostles experience in 1 Cor. 2.9 Where he speaks of things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever entered into the heart of man to conceive But says he at the 10th verse God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit The revelation of the secrets of the heart of God is made manifest or is made known unto Christians by the Spirit of God The Apostle prosecutes illustrates this mystery by that which is commonly observ'd amongst men in v. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him I do not know the grace that is in another mans heart I do not know the secret purposes and devices that are in your hearts but your own Spirits are privy to them even so says the Apostle the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Christians let me tell you there is no saving secret in the heart of God the Father there is no saving secret in the heart of Christ the Son but the Lord hath blessed us with the knowledge and the Revelatioâ— of that in Christ for so the Apostle says in the 16 verse For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him but we have the mind of Christ Why Blessed Paul how camest thou a persecutor to know the mind of Christ An injurious and Blasphemous wretch how camest thou to be so intimate with that Jesus whom thou persecutedst even unto death in his members Why the Apostle tells you plainly not by any natural advantage of learning though he was a learned man not by any advantage of his parts though he was a man of clear natural understanding and apprehension but says he we have the mind of Christ and that by the Spirit of God by the Spirit of Jesus Christ So that you see here is another great Spiritual blessing a revelation of saving secrets 5. Another spiritual blessing that I shall superadd is this An Vniversal heading under Christ or incorporation with Jesus Christ One would think it a wonder that ever such a man that was a limb of the Devil should be made a member of the Body of Jesus A Notorious Drunkard a Notorious Blasphemer and a dreadful and implacable persecutor of Christ and his ways that ever such a one should be incorporated into and made a member of the Lord Jesus is not this a spiritual blessing indeed A blessing wherein the Spirit of God is principally concerned in the manage of this the Apostle takes notice of verse 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on earth even in him And more plainly Ephes 4.12 Where he doth expresly give us an account of the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ and he tells us there that all the gifts that were given by Christ were for the edifying of his body Do but reflect upon a passage in the 2. Chapter and there you shall see the state of sinners discovered to be as desperate and as vile as you can possibly suppose a sinners state to be Dead in trespasses and sins Children of disobedience in whom the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit of Hell did effectually work Why Lord shall ever those be incorporated shall ever those be made members of so blessed a body as the Body of Jesus Nay this is not all but says he Ye were Children of wrath The Wrath of God smoaked against you and all the threatnings and denunciations of Gods wrath against sinners belonged to you just as an inheritance belongs to a proper and right Heir and that is not all neither but verse 12. Ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the World Lord shall such as these be made members of such a blessed Body as the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ is Ay my Friends here is the great blessing that God hath Blessed us with in Christ Jesus that notwithstanding all this misery and notwithstanding the desperateness that doth attend this miserable Estate yet they are to be gathered together and headed all under one Jesus I pray take notice of one expression in the conclusion of this Chapter where he calls them all complexively considered his Body and his fulness verse 23. Which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Now my Friends this is another Spiritual blessing that God hath blessed us withal and that is heading of us under or an incorporating us into the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ so that there can be no Blessing no priviledge belong to the Head but of necessity it falls naturally down upon the Body So the head anointed the Garments shall be drenched not only Aarons Beard but the very Skirts of his Garments shall be drenched throughout Is the Head advanced into glory I tell you the Head in glory will never rest till the members of his Body that are in a vile deplorable forlorn condition here be made like unto him Father says he I will John 17.24 that those also whom thou hast given me be with me c. One would wonder that God should cast off the seed of Abraham and implant Gentiles in their Room and yet you see in Rom. 11. the Lord does thus and the Apostle concludes with this verse 33. O the depth of the Riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God That the natural branches should be cut off and Idolatours that had no promises Idolatours that had no Relations at all but only of Creatures to God and who had done more to violate their Relations and forfeit all the Priviledges of their Relations then the very Beasts of the Field and the most venomous and poisonous Toad ever did yet says the Apostle The natural branches were cut off that you might be graffed in O the depth of the riches of Gods grace Surely Christians this is a great Spiritual Blessing that the Lord is pleased to vouchsafe to us to head us under Christ We
are blessed with this in Christ Jesus 6. Another Spiritual Blessing is this A reserved Inheritance of all full and Spiritual and comprehensive blessednesses My friends here we have to allude to the people of Israel in the wilderness it may be some few Cottages or Tabernacles that are transitory as those People had some moving resting-places Here is a little grace planted a little faith and a little love and this grows up pretty likelily and pretty promisingly but what is this to the inheritance where that which is in part shall be done way where there is no such thing as grace in part no such thing as love in part no such thing as joy in part no such thing as communion in part for that which is in part shall be done away I think the Apostle speaks fully to our purpose where he tells us of an inheritance reserved 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ You see the Apostle mentions the same Relations that are here in the Text why what is the matter Blessed Peter Why says he the matter is this The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you verse 4. Why friends what is this inheritance Why there I shall inherit the Covenant in its fulness I shall not say that either I want any Law in my heart or in my Head in my inward or in my outward man I shall have no reason to complain that I want the least blessing of the least promise Why Christians this is your inheritance and are not here Spiritual Blessings that are the proper matter of this Inheritance Now the Apostle tells us that he hath blessed us with this in Christ verse 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to â—he purpose of him that worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will How far Christ is concerned in this Spiritual blessing â—ou may easily observe if so be that you â—ither consider the type or the antitype as â—o the type which was Joshua or Jesus Moâ—â—s must not bring the people into their Inheritance indeed in Moses's Time they might have some Bunches of the Grapes of the good land but Moses must not bring them in it must be Joshua that must bring them in So I say my Friends it is not this or that or the other but the Lord Jesus alone that must bring his people into the possession of this reserved inheritance here is indeed a Cluster of Spiritual Blessings infinitely exceeding all the capacities of the Sons and Daughters of men though most of all inlightned by the Spirit to comprehend in whom says he we have obtained an Inheritance who is this whom It is the Lord Jesus Christ to gather together in one all things in Christ in whom we have obtained an Inheritance As much as if the Apostle had said as the Apostle doth in Christs own case we see not yet all thingâ— put under him So I may say you have noâ— yet obtained the Inheritance no more had Paul no more had these Ephesians but yeâ— he speaks as one having full assurance in whom we have obtained answerable to that of our Lord in Joh. 14.2 I go to preparâ— a place for you And the Apostle takeâ— it up and otherwise phrases it Heb. 6 2â— Whither the forerunner is for us entred speaking of the Inheritance that is above whither cur forerunner is for us entered so that this another Spiritual Blessing wherewith we are blessed in Christ Jesus 7. But another spiritual blessing wherewith we are blessed in Christ Jesus is this The Seal and Earnest of what is to come and the very Spirit is made the very matter of this Blessing wherewith he hath blessed us in Christ Jesus I pray do but cast your eyes upon verse 13. In whom ye also trusted still he continues his discourse and fixes Christ at the bottom of all in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise verse 14. which is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory Here is a comprehensive spiritual blessing indeed which is the Seal of the eternal Inheritance and the Earnest of it as if the Lord should say when he sends forth his Spirit go my holy Spirit go and seize upon such a heart and seal up such a Soul for the eternal Inheritance and as if he should say to his Son Lo my Son I have given my Spirit to such a one whom thou hast shed thy blood for and lo I send him as the Earnest of the Inheritance that thou hast purchased as the Earnest of my eternal love to thee as the Earnest of my eternal Communion with thee as the earnest of my answering of thy prayer and the import of all thy blood Lo I have sent him and lo he is to them an Earnest Now Sirs this is a great blessing a very glorious blessing indeed God might have designed and kept the design in his own breast or he might have divulged it yet have given us no earnest or pledge of it what needed all that between God and us Christ might have taken his word and we had good reason to rest upon any report that the Lord Christ makes of his confidence in the Father but the Lord Christ and the Father did concur together in this that we should have the Blessing notwithstanding all notwithstandings and that it should be sure to all the seed Yet for our further satisfaction says the Lord behold I give my promise and I give the promised Spirit and that Spirit shall be my Seal upon their hearts and my seal upon their understandings so that look into your hearts and into your understandings and upon this inquiry whose are you Do but make a reflection whose Seal whose Image whose Superscription is this You shall find that the Spirit of the Lord is as it were Gods assuring Seal Ay but it may be you will say this is a great while to come It may be Ten or Twenty or Thirty or Forty years to come Well if those do not satisfy you that you are sealed the Spirit also shall be an Earnest of the Inheritance an Earnest of the future personal blessedness and glory which God hath blessed you with in Christ It is not only Heaven but the personal condition and state of Saints in Heaven that is the glory of their Inheritance and this is another thing 8. But then in the 8th place another Spiritual blessing wherewith the God and Father of Jesus Christ does bless Christians is this Practical experiences of the power of Gods grace
they would not yield up their members as instruments of unrighteousness unto Sin why so because the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in your mortal bodies and therefore says he don't yield your members don't yield your hands and don 't yield your tongues and don 't yield your ears nor don 't yield any of your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto Sin because the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in your mortal bodies and thus now I have taken notice of these diverse Spiritual blessings which the Apostle doth here instance in by way of illustration of this great Gospel mystery of grace and that is that God hath blessed every Christian with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus I will wave the reasons and I will also wave the resolve of other inquiries that might be made and wrap up all in these three or four inferences VSE 1 First Is it so my friends that Christians are blessed with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus Then Christians should be always Spiritual in Christ Jesus Shew me your blessings Sirs let it appear that your blessings are not like the blessings of the men of this world Nay nor only confined to the blessings that the hypocrites of this world have received from God don't shew me your gifts in prayer but let your graces be discovered in your praying Christians you should be Spiritual in all manner of conversation why because God hath blessed you in Christ Jesus with all Spiritual blessings for a man that pretends to this blessedness for such a one to be carnal for such a one to be earthly minded for such a one to be proud for such a one to be debauched in his Spirit and Principles and Practices how unbecoming is this to so great a pretence as you all make If I should come to you one by one and say to you friend don't you hope that God hath blessed you with all Spiritual blessings in Christ what means then this formality in duty this is not to be Spiritual What means this anger passion upon every provocation this does not argue that you are blessed with a Spirit of meekness why my friends if you be blessed with all Spiritual blessings then I pray let all your Spiritual blessings appear more or less in your whole conversation for a professor that pretends to be so blessed for him to be formal in his Prayer and for him to be dead and dull in Duty for him to be light and vain and frothy in his Conversation this is not like one that is blessed with all Spiritual blessings Christians the inference is natural if you be blessed with all Spiritual blessings then shew forth all your Spiritual blessings in all your duties be Spiritual in every thing The Apostle has a parallel expression to this wherein he gives us an account of his conversation in the 3 Phil. 20. For our conversation is in heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ that is the first inference VSE 2 The 2d is this Has God blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Then let those that pretend to a being thus blessed by the God and Father of Jesus Christ glorify the God Father of Jesus Christ with all their blessings Glorify him not only with what you have received but also upon the whole of the blessings that are to be received Christians you may rejoyce in what is in the hand of Christ for you as well as in what is in your own hearts I am persuaded that Adam was as perfect as God can make a creature out of Christ and yet you see no sooner doth the Woman come and tell him that the fruit is pleasant and fair but he takes it eats and so destroys all surely Christians you may rejoice in that little you have but you may more rejoice in that great deal that Christ hath for you you have received a little from and by Christ ay but Christ hath received a great deal more for you and therefore balance all your secular wants and secular troubles with this that you are blessed with unseen blessings It was Christs advice to his disciples to lay up treasure in Heaven it is the practice of the grace of God the grace of God hath done that which Jesus Christ advised his disciples and hearers to do What has he done Why he hath laid up treasure where neither moth can corrupt nor Thieves break through and steal And therefore rejoice glorify God for and in the view under the sense and apprehension of what you are blessed with in Christ I will freely say this one thing if I would choose of the two what to rejoice in I had rather rejoice in what I am blessed with in Christ Jesus then in all the gifts and graces that I have in my own heart and I think 't is safest to do so But then VSE 3 Thirdly Has God blessed you with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus Then never confine and limit your expectations from God or from Jesus Christ This naturally follows for why should a Christian that hath liberty to expect all content himself with less Christians should say upon every receipt Lord here is not all and be at him for more wait still upon Christ for more Cry still unto Christ for more and say Lord here is not all This is not all of the Spiritual Blessings that the Father have blessed me withal in thy self This is not all and therefore under your fullest receipts still Christians wait for more has the grace of God been so abundant as to bless you with all and will you shew so little grace as to be contented with a little I do not like neither I am perswaded does God like the tempers of most Professors which is a modest I call it a modest because 't is so generally apprehended but it is a sinful modest contentedness with a little if God give you any thing bless God for a little but never be satisfied with a little but ever and anon come to the Throne of grace and say Father here is not all in my heart that thou hast blessed me withal in Christ Come to the Lord Christ and say Lord here is not all the Father trusted thee withal for my Soul here is not all the faith all the love all the meekness c. But I am blessed with all Spiritual Blessings I say Christians having received a little be still pressing after more But then VSE 4 Fourthly and lastly Hath God blessed you with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Then Christians in the midst of all your wants and in the midst of all your straits be you still pressing after a more true and genuine improvement of all your Spiritual blessings If God hath blessed you with all Spiritual blessings in Christ then labour you under Christ to be Spiritual blessings unto others have you not
what then Saies the Apostle that I think had his share in Sufferings These light afflictions work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Now upon this account it is that God looks after the least grain I shall pass to the improvement and deliver my sense as to the improveableness of it in these five or six practical Conclusions Vse 1 And the first is this Will God in the siftings of Israel take care that the least grain do not fall to the Earth Then let every one look upon themselves as greatly concerned to be made Gods grains My meaning is to get grace though it be never so little Satan hath two designs by way of dilemma upon you if you escape the one a thousand to one but you fall into the other and what are these designs of Satan truly the design lyes here What shouldest thou be content with so little when others that have been more sinful have more despise and slight the little because it is not likely thou shouldest ever attain to much and how does he manage it Thou art old he saies to one and therefore it is not likely thou shouldest live long and therefore canst not expect to grow if thou hadst begun betimes it had been something like And to those that are young all in good time yet See but such a one that liv'd a long time in the enjoyment of his pleasure and God look't upon him and see how he grew up to a great deal of grace in a little time here 's the dilemma now between the one and the other My friends I beseech you therefore fix upon a little grace I will open this in two Branches 1. In the midst of his severest dispensations God will find out a little grace It may be you will say will God look upon me If I were as David may the poor Soul say and may another say if I were as the Angel of the Lord the Lord would find me out nay stay proud Soul it is enough if thou beest but weak let grace take it 's own time to make thee as David the weak shall be as David and David as the Angel of the Lord. Friends I would beg of you that you would not live without a little grace and that you would live chearfully with a little grace until God give more 2. The Second is this That a little in being is as much as all in reversion Art thou but a small grain Pray who made thee a small grain Hath not he also the residue of the Spirit Cannot he make the dry Tree to grow out of the dry ground Cannot he make a little one a Nation Surely he hath the residue of the Spirit Let me tell you God never begins with great things in the most remarkable proceeds of grace that are by past and that are to come but he alwayes begins with a little and so glorifies both his grace and his power in making that little greater than all Therefore pray Sirs let me perswade you you that are young and you that are old if you canhope for a great deal give God no rest till he give you a little till he make you a little Christian give him no rest Oh bring your Children and cry Lord a little grace for this Child Oh bring your Servants cry Lord a little grace for this Servant Oh cast your hearts at the Footstool of the Throne and say Lord a little grace for this graceless heart if it be but a little Lord. As thy Soul liveth saies the Woman to the Prophet I have but a little meal in the barrel and a little oyl in the cruse What then says the Prophet come make me a Cake So I say my friends as the Lord liveth if he hath created a little grace he will create more and therefore my Friends bless God for a little and be not contented without a little Vse 2 Will not the Lord suffer the least grain to fall to the Earth in all the siftings Then you may see the vast differences that are between the righteous and the wicked and that in God's providential proceedings I will throw says he the Tribes of Israel into the Sieve of the Nations and what then let the Chaff go let the Chaff go let the heads that have not grain in them fall to the Earth Oh says he but the least grain shall not fall to the Earth you have God's Word for it The great difference that God makes in his general Judgments between the righteous and the wicked I will open this in two Branches 1. There is more that God likes in the least grain than there is in heaps of the Chaff of the wicked there is more that God likes in the heart of the poorest Christian than God can discover in a whole Nation of Hypocrites put together No there is not so much as a poor Christian hath that hath but a little grace cast them into the ballance and they are altogether lighter than vanity When it came to the pinch indeed saies God I gave Ethiopia for thee and Seba for thee So I tell you my Friends that God makes no account of the chaff though it be never so bulky but he makes much of a little grain the least grain shall not fall to the Earth let the chaff go whither it will burn it with unquenchable fire saies the Lord the least grain shall not fall away but the bulky chaff shall be burnt with unquenchable fire 2. That little that a Christian hath can do more with God and for God than all that others have can do It may be such a one hath great parts well and what does he do for God and another he hath a great bulk of gifts what can he do for God What can he do Truly all he can do is only this to dissemble with God and to dishonour God The times have been wherein gifts have been magnified above grace and not long since by many but what is come of it See the providences of God how they are wheel'd about And now grace is the only thing that will stand us instead in our day and all the gifts that all the professors of England had cannot do so much as a little grace it may be you have a name to live and profess much but where is your grace One saies I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos and what then Where 's the Image of Christ you may be of Paul while you live and go to Hell when you die You may be of Apollos when you are in the Body and when you die for ought I know you may be haled to judgement by the Divels in Hell Such a one you say he prayes he is a mighty man in Prayer Sirs I tell you I value no more my own Prayers that are Prayers of gifts and there is no more in them and God is no more glorified in them than an empty sound But a few sighs
that notwithstanding all your sufferings he will look after that little grace that is in you USE 2 There are some that are grains of a bigger that are of a greater size in Christianity I pray do not you despise those that are less but encourage their growth to a greater degree do not despise them because they are little This is a great evil amongst Christians and I tell you of it in the name of the Lord it is an evil and a very great evil even amongst old professors that they are apt and ready to despise those that are young And men of great attainments that think their heads are full and I could wish their Hearts were fuller than their heads there are many that have full heads but God knows have very empty Hearts but I say Christians I beseech you in the Lord and by the Lord that you would carry it as becomes you towards those that are little those that have but a little grace do what in you ly's to increase that little to cherish that little I should urge this with diverse considerations I will only say this Christians the encrease of their little will be also your encrease their blessing will be your blessing as you are members of the whole It may be you have a great deal of grace but let me tell you suppose you have God may make them very useful to you and more useful than those that have more grace were ever made to you It may be there are two Christians come together men that do pretend to a great deal of grace they fall into discourse together and what is the subject of their discourse alas it may be it is nothing that doth concern the mutual advance of grace in each other but there comes a poor Christian that hath but little and he falls of inquiring O how shall I get more grace and discovers an earnestness and zeal of spirit after more grace and many other things of this nature might be urged I will but only add this I pray Christians you that have a great deal of grace how came you by that great deal was it not all by grace did not other Christians help you did they discourage you did they cast stumbling blocks of iniquity before your face did they receive you to doubtful disputations No no they were ready to cherish and encourage you and so God gave the encrease But this is that that I would have you to take along with you that their little may be better than your great deal if they improve their little better then you do your great deal and it may be true in this sense that they that have least may have most and they that are last may come to be first and therefore Christians you that think you have a great deal see that you carry it as becomes you to those that have but little USE 3 I would speak something to those that are neither great nor little Christians those that have no grace at all neither more nor less I have three words to say to you 1. Suppose that the Lord should now begin this sifting work among you I pray what promise have you to secure you For ought I know you may be sifted out of the sieve the Tempest may come and blow you with the Chaff into unquencheable fire therefore I beseech you consider there are ten thousand times ten thousand that have been baptized in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost that are damned in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and for ought I know this may be your case ere long if you do not look after a little grace to get it in due time I pray Sirs consider with your selves what security you have in case there should be such a dispensation as is here threatned that God should sift you and it may be Satan may have liberty to raise the wind whilst God is sifting in the sieve of the Nations what will become of the Chaff Christ tells you that he will come ay he will come but it is in another sense to you he will come and will throughly purge his floor with his Fann and the Wheat he will gather into his garner but the Chaff shall be burned with unquencheable fire I pray Sirs do but consider this one thing is it not better for you to have a promise of security now than to defer it upon hopes that you may have it hereafter the promise reaches to the least of the grains and no further and I have no commission to say any further to you by way of security But then 2. Is it so that there is such a promise made to the least grain why let me tell you the promise of security lay's open to you though for the present as you are sinners and while you are so I cannot say that the promise doth reach you Yet notwithstanding you are so I may tell you the promise is open to you and let me further tell you that the Heart of the Trinity doth concur with the promise and doth stand open to receive you What think you of this sinners the promises of Sanctification are open the promises of Salvation by grace are open to you Though I cannot say that to day thou art within the reach of the promises yet if I could say that before to morrow thou hast received grace though but as a grain of mustard seed to morrow I could say and say it in the name of the Lord come what will come God and Christ will look after this Soul Is it not better for you then to day whilst it is called to day to open your Hearts for Christ and for the Spirit of Christ and to get a little grace though never so little to day whilst it is called to day O Sinners get a little grace and be content to begin with a little It is a little grace that will bring you within the reach of the promise Do not say within your selves then belike you think we have no grace at all why truly if you be sinners I say you have not grace not so much as a grain of mustard seed and I say you are not yet within the reach of the promise but I say if you get but a little grace though never so little that you may but be truly called a grain then I may see though it be never so little yet the greatest promises of protection are made to you and you are the Persons that are concerned in this promise 3. The third thing that I would say to you that are no Grains that have no grace at all is this I pray do but consider with your selves when God and Christ and the Spirit come to pass judgment and to give in evidence against you what will you be able to answer What will you say that grace was never offered to you I must be forced to appear and all the Ministers that ever you have heard and