have been of God 2 Cor. 1.4 as the Apostle did in time of his Troubles And the more we do in this kind to others the more ability we have to do so still He that faithfully useth the graces of God shall have them increased whereas in other things The more we spend the less we have till all be gone Money and Goods and Lands and great Estates may soon be spent by use or gift liberality or prodigality bounty or magnificence c. But here it is otherwise The more free and liberral any man is of his Graces in a right use of them The more his stock increases and the richer he is in a spiritual endowment the more he gives the more he gains till he be filled brim-full with the fulness of God in everlasting glory Thus much of the fourth help to proficiency viz. Exercisese 5. The last help to proficiency is guod society make use of it for a man either is or is like to be such an one as his Companions are A man is much bettered or worsed by company For the words of the wise are as nails and goads Eccles And do minister grace to the hearers Ephesians c. 4.29 E Contra the language of evil company is like an open Sepulchre and the poyson of Asps full of filthiness and deadly poyson so is the discourse of such full of blasphemies against God of Reproaches and railing at men not of their mind and as contagiously infectious as the poyson of Alps For which there is no remedy but cutting of Rom. 3.13 So here the only remedy is cutting off such company from us or such dangerous tongues in our Saviours sense Mat. 18.8 least being incurably infected we perishby the poyson of it Naturalists observe That the Stag or Hart and the Serpent the Wolves and Sheep cannot agree and Vines and Coleworths can never grow together and so it is with good men when mixt with ill company there can be no agreement e contra Vines and Olives the Fig-tree and Rue or Herb-grace planted at his root yea Lilies and Roses are much the more fragrant if Garlick be planted by them so wise and hot Christians will do And the Lizard loves a man so well that he preserves him from the Serpent so will a good companion do Bad acquaintance cannot be avoided But bad Familiars may Let this be our practise and prosper vid. Keck 1. Tom. p. 1388. c. Magir. p. 206 207. From this last particular in this verse you have heard the main end of all our preaching and your learning viz. That increasing in grace and abounding in good works is a Christians excellency as well as it is his duty This point hath been proved and confirmed to you at large The Uses were of Lamentation Reproof Exhortation Examination and Consolation The three first of these are dispatcht already The two last remains so that I am now upon the fourth viz. Of Examination Use 4. The fourth Use is of Examination which puts us upon the Trial whether we do increase and abound as we ought to do and for the better effecting of this tryal and our more certainty therein forasmuch as we are fallen upon the Scripture-allegory which doth often compare the faithful to the Trees of the garden of God as the Vires Palms and Cedars c. let me give you a tast of your tryal from some signs which do appear in Trees whether they do thrive and prosper or not which signs do arise from the Root Body Bark Branch Fruit and Stature of such Trees 1. The Root The Tree firmly rooted grows amain and prospers Oh that this were our case this is that which the Apostle prays for heartily and perswades to seriously Ephes 3.16 to 20. and Col. 2.6 7. viz. That they may be strengthned well rooted and firmly established in the faith able to comprehend c. So were most of the Martyrs and Professors of Jesus in all ages these could stand in a storm and abide terrible blasts Neither Persecuters nor Seducers could pluck them up by the roots Such were some of the Churches of Asia viz. Smyrna Thyatira and Philadelphia Rev. 2.8 18. 3.7 yet had they Persecutors Seducers c. To try what they could do This is the drist of the Ministry Ephes 4.13 to 17. That we may become perfect men no more children tossed to and fro and carried about c. But speaking the truth might grow up in Christ in all things Now that you may be sure that you are well rooted look what faith you have for Faith is a root which in a well grown Christian is very strong it sendeth forth its suckers to the Rivers The waters of life which bring in supply and do enable us to 1. Great obedience as in Abraham offering up Isaac Gen. 22. The rich in Faith are so in good works This Root yields abundance of good fruit The poor of this world that are rich in faith are chosen of God and Heirs of the kingdom promised by him Jam. 2.5 The rich in this world that have learned not to be high-minded nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God c. And to do good to be rich in good works These lay a good foundation for the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Poor Lazarus and rich Abraham both being rich in Faith do enjoy the same Glory with God this is a good root that sends up its branches and fruit as high as heaven this faith doth perform 2. Great Conquests over sin and great corruptions The Faith of Miracles could remove Mountains so can this For by faith we do resist the Devil 1 Pet. 5.8 9. And put him to flight Jam. 4.7 3. To stand against great discouragement as Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him and that woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 to 29. Who by faith still waited upon Christ against the discouragement of his not being sent to such and terming her a Dog 4. And in great dangers A good man shall not be moved for ever nor be afraid of evil tidings His heart is fixed c. Psalm 112.6 7. And our Saviour adviseth viseth us John 14.1 2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled Why Mark their belief in God believe also in me and heavenly Mansions are prepared for you and you shall be with me Thus Faith is a blessed root the Tree so rooted shall prosper And concerning this we all had need to pray with him in the Go pel Mark 9.24 And that with tears saying Lord I believe help thou my unbelief thus Faith is the Christians root producing Obedience Courage Patience and Peserverance 2. Body Look upon the body of a Tree and Judge of its proficiency so upon the grace and strength of a Christian In a tree that is now become Timber fit to be a Pillar a principle beam in the building which was but a Twig c. In Corn
wrath Psalm 112.10 The wicked shall see and grieve and perish and melt away the desire or Hope of the wicked shall perish Such hopes are like dust or chaff fome or thin froth smoak that is soon dispersed or a Guest that stays but a day saith the wise man Eccles 5.14 Or like an unfaithful man in time of Trouble a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt Prov. 25.19 saith Solomon Ap. Should I bring these things down to our times when should I end and conclude this Subject For how many did hope that upon the death of the late King both Name and Thing King and King-ship hath been dead for ever and that either Anarchy or Tyranny Stratocracy or Oligarchy c. viz. the Rump should have domineered over us for ever And that King Kingdom Settlement or Free Parliament conducing thereto should never have appeared more Others had better hopes and now God hath decided the business You know the point from this helmet of salvation viz. Doct. A Christians hope of salvation is to him an helmet which he must take and make use in this spiritual Warfare This hath been explicated confirmed and applyed in part The first Use did reprove doubtful and despairful persons The second Those that hope in the Creature in humane inventions or in their own Merits And thirdly The vain hopes of evil men in and after vain or evil things Instances of which are innumerable 1. Balaam 2. Abimeleck 3. Ahab 4. Zimri 5. Athaliah 6. Sennacherib 7. Israel hoping in Egypt 8. Those Covenanters with death and hell And 9. Those Husbandmen in the Gospel who slew the Heir and did seize upon his inheritance hoping they had much advantaged themselves thereby Mat. 21. whereas indeed they utterly undid themselves by so doing as it is evident to this day 1600. years since These nine Instances were propounded unto you with a brief Application to these times and expression of the righteous Judgements of God against such sinful and ungodly hopes Thus far I have proceeded I do now descend to the Uses of Examination and Exhortation which you may conjoyn together for brevity sake The second and third Use of Examination and Exhortation is A Christians hope of salvation a helmet then try and examine your selves what Use you make of it You have heard it opened in the Causes and Effects of it c. 1. Now do you importune God much for this Grace of Hope he is the Donor of this and every perfect gift He is the Fountain of all good and to him we must have recourse 2. How do we cherish Faith the Root and Instrumental cause of this Faith is a principal grace as you have heard Then use all means to strengthen it and starve it not 3. Doth our hope of salvation make us act the more strenuously and vigorously For the 1. Glory of God from whom we expect salvation according to what we pray for Orat. Dom. Pet. 1. hollowed be thy Name Glorifie him in all things Ap. How can we hope for such honour from him whom we wilfully dishonour daily Be you exhorted and perswaded to mend what is amiss in this particular 2. And for our own Salvation in the way of it and in the pursuit of whatsoever may further the same Ap. These are the final causes and ends of your hope do you answer them 4. Hope it is Spes piorum and is appropriated only to the godly See that you be such these are the proper Bottles fit for such Wine The wicked have no hope being without God in the world Ephes 2.12 1 Thes 4.13 5. What are the Objects of our hope Is our hope fixed upon God Christ his Word and his Mercy Goodness and the manifold benefits Veniae Gratiae Gloriae of Pardon Grace and Glory the fruits of his Mercy and the streams of that fountain of living water For the Mercies of God fail not Ap. Do we esteem the fruition of these the greatest Blessings or is our hope set upon the world the pleasures profits and preferments of the same 1. Sensual and sinful pleasures are as much as some Epicuri de grege porci Epicures and others do hope for 2. With others Gold is their hope and gain their godliness Job 31.24 He did not so And Mammon their God Mat. 6.24 3. And the Glory Pomp and Preferment of this world have caused many to fall down and worship the God of this world This our Saviour refused 6. How are our minds prepared 1 Pet. 1.13 and our lives purified 1 John 3.3.1 To entertain such a perseverance as is required of us viz To hold fast our confidence and rejoycing of hope firm and stedfast unto the end Heb. 3.6 14. And 2. Such a full assurance of Hope unto the end as is expected and desired by us Heb. 6.11 which must be accomplished by diligence Faith and Patience not slothfulness Ap. We must be at pains to reach this Assurance and great diligence must be used to keep it free and full without anxiety and doubting Let this be your work 7. What effects have this our hope of salvation wrought and produced in us Are we hereby taught to be more heavenly minded Are our hearts there where our hopes are And are we more conformable to heavenly conditions and qualifications there is perfect Peace Vnity Amity Love and Concord all in agreement and one God and Father over all who is infinitely good Ap. But we on earth have had many Masters none of the best and amongst our selves are full of Fractions and divisions Machiavels wicked rule hath had great power influence and prevalence with us for many years viz. Divide impera which hath been mightily acted by a Jesuited party Divide and Rule We have more resembled a wilderness of Bears and Lions Wolves and Tigers rather then a Paradise of God a place of peace where the Lion and the Lamb lye down in peace together Isa 11.6 to 10. and 65.25 We have broken one anothers heads and hands and hearts and Estates and how all things have suited with this Helmet of Salvation I leave to wise experienced Christians to determine Tantaene animis coelestibus Irae Great anger among heavenly minds was strange to Heathens The good Lord mend it now among Christians 2. How much more humble are we then formerly This is a valley of grace Capsula virtutum a Cabinet of vertues the first step to heaven to which God gives his grace and then adds Exaltation Ap. Yet how few have and embrace this 3. How much Self-denial all in reference to the things of this world hath this hope wrought in us Who denys himself the more in respect of dishonest gain Or willingly restores things unlawfully gotten We hope for heaven yet we would willingly hold the worst gotten goods on earth Ap. How these things suit I know not 4. What Patience upon earth in bearing Afflictions and Injuries Hath our hope of heaven wrought in us 5. And lastly What
perfect in Jesus Christ And this growth must be 1. Real not imaginary asin melancholly persons who fancy things to be great which are little or nothing at all 2. Vniversal to all parts and to all Times Parts there must be no Rickets in Religion and Grace as there is in Nature when growth is in some parts only not in others though that as this is too frequent in our Times and for times we know Natural things cease to grow at a certaine time as all Creatures do that grow But it must not be so with us in this case our growth in Grace must last while we live for here we cannot attain to our full stature and measure of perfection 3. Effectual This growth must be to some good purpose as when a Child can do the work of a Man we say he is well grown and to good purpose So when we Sapling-poles are become Timber-Trees fit for any use in the most magnificent Buildings So also it may be when well-grown Christians are become usefull as Pillars in Gods House which is his spiritual Building and men of age and strength for use ☞ Now this encrease in Grace is put upon us upon excelleut good grounds viz. From the excellency necessity sufficiency of Grace in reference to God our selves our present and future condition I. The Excellency of Grace appears in reference to God Because it is a Beam a Raie of Divine Excellency and Beauty so much of Grace so much of God and of his blessed Image The Lord Jesus purchased it Merito passionis intercessionis the holy Spirit that doth impart it doth beautifie and dignifie us therewith II. The necessity of Grace appears in respect of our selves both in our Persons and Estates Touching our persons Grace repairs the defects of soul and body it is light in the mind order in the affections c. It sets the body also in a right way by having so good a Guide whereas before The blind mind led the blind body Estates Grace doth advantage us for the 1. Present 2. Future 1. For the present it enriches for it hath the promise of this and a better life Deut. 28.1 c. Prov. 3.16 Length of days Riches and Honour are in her right and left hand and all things shall be added to such Mat. 6.33 For as 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having the promise c. Object But the godly want and are oft in necessity Answ These things are given but as they are expedient And a little that a righteous man hath is better c. Psal 37.16 There is a Nimium honoris voluptatis divitiorum c. We may have so much too much of these that we may forget or deny God as Agur speaks Prov. 30.8 9. And the wicked stourish to perish Psa l. 927. But there is Non nimium Gratiae We can never have too much Grace This cannot be bought for money The words Mat. 25.9 Go c. and buy for your selves are words Deridentium non Consulentium intiating that those who neglect to get Grace here have no means left to get any then when it is too late Thus Elijah did 1 King 18.27 He mocks Baals Priests for their folly See the Annotations 2. For the future if we have Grace we shall be admitted with the wise else excluded and shut out with the foolish Virgins Mat. 25.10 11 12. There is a necessity therefore of Grace if salvation be necessary III. The sufficience of Grace appears in our present and future condition 1. In our present condition consider that Grace doth sanctifie prosperity and gives a lustre to every natural ability and perfection else Strength Beauty Wisdom Honour Eloquence Riches and the most eminent Endowments are of no value or repute at all but are most pernicious if ill-imployed Grace strengthens to bear and to resist temptations 2 Cor. 12.9 and carries us through crosses with strength and comfort Isa 40.29 31. For God doth strengthen them to mount up with wings as Eagles to run and walk and not faint It gives content in every condition Phil. 4.11 In want c. and satisfies the endless and restless desires of the soul it being a Well a Fountain of water springing up to everlasting life 2. And for the Future in what we hope for It makes way to glory therefore it is so called 2 Cor. 3.18 and is conjoyned with it Psalm 84.11 The Lord will give Grace and Glory and where he gives the first he will be sure to give the second It removes impediments that lie in our way to hinder us Grace puts the Lion out of the way and plucks up the hedge of Thorns which do deter and hinder slothful men from the pursuit of Glory See Prov. 15.19 22.13 26.13 Grace doth administer all helps and furtherances which may animate and enable us in the way to life and glory It will perswade us to make use of all Ordinances Opportunities and Means whereby we may be filled with abundance of Grace till we attain the fulness of glory Thus much of the Grace which we are to increase in The next thing to be spoken of according to the Method propounded is 5. A view of those good works in which you are so to abound concerning which we must premise and consider I. The Rules that declare and determine our works to be good works 1. Our works must be warranted by the word of God that it is the light by which our deeds are made manifest that they are wrought in God John 3.21 In his sight and by his rule which he worketh in us and enables us to do Hoc in Deo facimus quod Deo in nobis faciente datur nobis ut faciamus Fulgen. de prae ad Mon. l. 1. 2. Look we to our selves for the Tree must be good and then the fruit will be so else never Mat. 7.17 18. 12.33 We must be Believers for when they asked our Saviour the Question Iohn 6.28 29. What they might do to work the works of God Christ answers them and said This is the work of God that ye believe on him c. This is our first work with this we must begin By Faith we are justified and accepted of God as good Trees by whom we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works Ephes 2.8.9.10 Our persons being accepted our works will be so also 3. To this we must add a preparation and purging our selves from dross That we may be vessels of honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2-21 This we must do if we would have our works accepted as good in the sight of God 4. Besides we must make it a matter of most concernment It must be our Meat as our Saviour speaks to do the Will of God and to finish his work John 4.34 The works of God which are good to do them must be our main business 5. The Ends to