and that which is spoken to all is taken as spoken to none Doctrine is but the drawing of the bow Application is the hitting of the mark How many are wise in generals but vaine in their practical inferences such Preachers are fitter for Rome then England soules may goe sleeping and dreaming to Hell before such Preaching ere such Preachers will awaken them and shew them their danger Oh that therefore the people were so wise as that when sin is reproved judgements threatned mercies promised and Christ freely and fully offered they would apply all to their owne soules This is the misery of many in our dayes they come to Sermons as Beggars come to Banquets carrying nothing but the scraps away with them Tenthly They must Preach the word Acceptably as well as rightly Eccles 12. 10. The Preacher sought to find out Bikkesh ni Pâ—hil from Bakash signifies an eaâ—nest vehement seeking c. acceptable words or words of delight as the Hebrew ha's it and that which was written was upright even words of truth Ministers words should be Divinely delectable and desirable they should Divinely please and Divinely profit they should 'T was a fiâ—e commendation given by Quintiliian of Thucydides Thucydides writes thick and quick close clear he is solid sâ—ccint seâ—tentious and judicious Divinely tickle and Divinely take both ear and heart A Minister should be a weighty speaker he should cloath his Doctrine in such a comely lovely dresse as that he may by it slide insensibly into his hearers hearts Ministers should cloath their matter with decent words The leaves give some beauty to the Tree Good matter in an unseemly language is like a bright Taper in a sluttish Candlestick or like a faire body in unhandsome cloaths or like a gold-ring on a Leprous hand Truth saith one loves to be plaine but not sluttish as she loves not to be clad in gay colours like a wanton strumpet so not in lowsie raggs like a nasty Creature Aarons bels were golden bels Dulce sonantes sounding pleasantly and not as sounding brasse or tinkling Cymbals Holy Eloquence is a gift of the Holy Ghost and may doubtlesse as Acts 18. 24. well as other gifts of the spirit be made prudently usefull to the setting forth of Divine truth and the catching of soules 2 Cor 12. 16. by craft as the Apostle speaks surely where it is it may be made use of as an Aegyptian Jewel to adorne the Tabernacle Lactantius hath well observed That Philosophers Orators Lib. 5. cap. 1. and Poets were therefore very pernicious in that they easily insnared incautious minds with sweetnesse of speech Therefore Basil Bucer were curt and concise full and clear in their discourses his advice is Even in delivering the truth of Christ to sweeten the speech for the winning of them to Christ who will neither heare nor read nor value nor regard the truth except it be pollished and trimmed up in a lovely dresse In the last place and so to adde no more as they must Preach the word acceptably so they must Preach the word Constantly they must not lay downe the Bible to take up the sword as some have done for worldly advantages 1 Cor. 7. 20. 24 Acts 6. 2. they must not leave the word to serve Tables as others have done upon the same account they must not change their black Clokes for scarlet Clokes they must abide and continue in their places and imployments they must neither change their work nor their Master Acts 6. 4. But we will give our selves continually to pray and to the Ministry The Shew-bread stood all the week before the Lord â—o shew that Preaching is not out of season on any day of the word They would not assigne their charge to some Surrogates or Deputies that themselves might live at ease No they were peremptorily resolv'd to hold on to continue in these two choyce duties Prayer and Ministry of the word So in Chap. 26. 22. Having therefore obtained helpe of God I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great saying no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come 1 Tim. 4. 15 16. Meditate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 En toutois isihi Spend thy â—me in them upon these things give thy selfe wholy to them that thy profiting may appear to all or in all things Take heed unto thy selfe and unto thy doctrine Continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy selfe and them that heare thee 2 Tim. 3. 14. But * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mene. Abide keep hy station â—hou wilt be put to 't thou wilt meâ—â— with earthquakes continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them Eccles 12. 9. And moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught the people knowledge yea he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many Proverbs Hosea was four-score years a Prophet to Israel and yet did not convert them yet notwithstanding all discouragements he continued constant and that with abundance of freshnesse and livelinesse Chrysostome compares good Pastours to Fountaines that Châ—ysost in Mat. Hom. 15. ever send â—â—rth waters or Conduites that are alwayes running though no Paile be put under Erasmus saith of Hierom Minima pars noctis dabatur somno minor cibi nulla otio He allowed least time for sleep little for food none for idlenesse It best becomes a Minister to dye Preaching in a Pulpit Now if this be so Then by way of Use let me say That this truth lockes very sowrely and wishly upon all those that Preach any thing rather then Christ The Lord be mercifull to them how have they forgotten the great work about which their heads and hearts should be most exercised to wit the bringing in of soules to Christ and the building up of soules in Christ where doe we find in all the Scripture that Christ his Prophets or Apostles did ever in their Preaching meddle with businesses of State or things of a meer civil concernment My Kingdome is not of this world Who ha's made me a Judge sayes Christ I hope it will not be counted presumption in me if I shall propound a few Rules for such to observe that are willing to Preach Christ to poore soules I will onely propound three And the first is this If you would Preach Christ to the people according to the Rules last mentioned then You must get a Christ within you There 's nothing that makes a man indeed so able to Preach Christ to the people as the getting a Christ within him And 't is very observeable that the great Rabbies and Doctours that want a Christ within they doe but bungle in the work of the Lord in the Preaching of a crucified Jesus and were it not for the help of Austine Chrysostome Ambrose and Tertullian c. what sad dead and
To read much and practice nothing is to hunt much and catch nothing Suetonius reports of Julius Caesar That seeing Alexanders statue he fetched a deep sigh because he at that Age had done so little Ah! what cause have most to sigh that they have heard so much and read so much and yet done so little Surely 't is more honourable to doe great things then to speak or read great things 'T is the doer that will 'T was a saying of Augustine one thousand two hundred years agoe That we must take heed least whilst we fear our exhortation being cooled prayer be not â—amped and pride inflamed be most happy at last John 13. 17. In vitae libro Scribuntur qui quod possunt faciunt si quod debent non possunt Bâ—rn They are written in the Book of Life that doe what good they can though they cannot doe as they would I have read of a good man coming from a publick Lecture and being askt by one whether the Sermon was done answered with a sad sigh Ah! it is said but not done My third Request is this That you will pray over what you read Many read much and pray little and therefore get little by all they read Galen writes of a Fish called Vrana Scopos that ha's but one eye and yet looks continually up to Heaven When a Christian ha's one eye upon his Book the other should be looking up to Heaven for a blessing upon what he reads When one heard what admirable Victories Scanderbeg's Sword had wrought he would needs see it and when he saw it sayes he This is but an ordinary sword alasse what can this doe Scanderbeg sent him word I have sent thee my Sword but I have the arme that did all by it Alasse what can Christs Sword Christs word doe without his arm Therefore look up to Christs arme in prayer that so his Sword his word may doe great things in your soules Luther professeth That he profited more by prayer in a short space then by study in a longer as John by weeping got the sealed Book open My fourth Request to you is this That Ingratitude say some is a monster in nature a solicisme in manners and a Paradox in grace damning up the course of Donations Divine and humane if by the blessing of the Lord upon my weake endeavours any leafe or line should drop myrrhe or mercy marrow or fatnesse upon your spirits that you will give all the glory to the God of Heaven for to him alone it does belong Through grace I know I am a poore Worme I am nothing I have nothing but what I have received The Crowne becomes no head but Christs Let him who is our all in all have the honour and the glory of all and I have my end Pliny tells of some in the remote parts of India that have no mouths and yet live on the smell of Hearbs and sweet Flowers But I hope better things of you even such as accompany salvation My fifth Request to you is this That you would let me lye neere your hearts when you are in the Mount especially 1 Thess 5. 25. 2 Thess 3. 1. Heb. 13. 18. Col. 4. 3. Phil. 1. 19. â— Cor. 1. 11. Acts 12. 5. O pray pray hard for me that the spirit of the Lord may be redoubled upon me that his word may prosper in my mouth that it may run and be glorified and that I may be high in my communion with God and holy and unblameable in my walkings with God and that it may be still day with my soule that I may live and dye in the joyes and comforts of the holy Ghost and that when my Sun is set my glasse out my work done my race run I may rest in the Rev. 14. 13. everlasting armes of Divine love c. My last and least Request to you is this That you will please to cast a Mantle of love In every Pomgranate there is at least one rotten kernell to be found said Grates the Philosopher over the mistakes of the Presse and doe me that right and your selves the courtesie as before you read to correct any materiall faults that you shall find pointed at in the Errata Gods easie passing over the many and daily Errata's of your lives cannot but make you so ingenuous as readily to passe over the Errata's in this Book You are choice Jewels in my eye you lye neer unto my heart I am willing to spend and be spent for your sakes My earnest and humble desire is That my service and Rom. 15. 31. labour of love may be accepted by you and that it may worke much for your internall and eternall welfare And that an abundant 2 Pet. 1. 11. Ch. 1. 8. entrance may be administred to you into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And that you may be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory and with that peace that passes understanding This is and by grace shall be the Prayer of him who desires to approve himselfe faithfull to Christ his truths his interests and his people and who is Your soules servant in all Gospel Engagements THOMAS BROOKS THE Contents THE words opened Page 1 2. The first Doctrine Those that are lowest in their owne esteem are highest in Gods estem Proved 3 c. Eighteen Properties of an humble soule 6. to 27. Five Reasons of the Point 27 30 Eight Motives to provoke persons to be humble 31 41 Nine Directions and Helps to keep us humble and low in our owne eyes 41 49 The dangerous Nature of Pride held forth in nine Propositions Also six wayes wherein Pride shewes it selfe 49 58 The second Doctrine All Saints are not of an equall cize and growth in grace and holinesse 58 59 Twelve things by which soules weake in grace are discovered and deciphered 59 75 Twelve Supports and Comforts to uphold Weake Christians Wherein also you may see how Christ and they are sharers 75 96 Six Duties that lye upon weake Siants And in the opening of them severall weighty Questions are propounded and answered 96-124 The Duties of strong Saints to the weake shewed in eleven particulars 124-136 The third Doctrine That the Lord gives the bests gifts to his best beloved ones 136 137. What those best gifts are that Christ bestowes upon his dearest ones shewed in ten particulars 137-147 The Difference between Christs giving and the worlds giving shewed in six things 147-149 The Excellency of those gifts that Christ gives above all other gifts that the world gives shewed in five things 149-151 Six Reasons why God gives the best gifts to his dearest ones 151-157 Eight Inferences or Vses made of this Point 157-165 A Word to Sinners 165-168 The fourth Doctrine That the gifts and graces that God bestowes upon his people should be improved imployed and exercised by his people This Point proved and opened 168-170 Twelve Reasons why gracious soules should exercise
this is the best to keep them from falling Job feares and conquers on the dunghill Adam presumes and falls in Paradise Nehemiah fears and stands Nehem. 5. 15. Peter presumes and falls Mat. 26. Mr. Sanders the Martyr in Queene Mary's dayes feares and stands Dr. Pendleton presumes and falls from a Professor to be a Papist When Agamemnon said What should the Conquerour feare Casander presently answered Quod nihil timet He should feare this most of all that he fears not at all And so I have done with the Reasons of the point I shall now come to the Uses of it And the first is this Is it so that the most holy soules are the most humble soules Then this shewes you That the number of holy soules is very few Oh how few be there that are low in their owne eyes The number of soules that are high in the esteeme of God and low in their owne esteem are very few Oh the pride of England Oh the pride of London Pride in these A proud heart resists and is resâ—sted this is duâ—o duâ—um flint to flint fire to fire yet downe he must dayes ha's got a whores fore-head yet pride cannot climb so high but Justice will sit above her Bernard saith that Pride is the rich mans Cousen I may add And the poore mans Cousen and the prophane mans Cousen and the Civil mans Cousen and the formall mans Cousen and the Hypocrites Cousen yea all mens Cousen and it will first or last cast down and cast out all the Lucifers and Adams in the world Secondly As you would approve your selves to be high in the account of God as you would approve your selves to be not onely good but eminently good Keep humble Since England was England since the Gospel shined amongst us there was never such reason to presse this duty of humility as in these dayes of pride wherein we live and therefore I shall endeavour these two things First to lay downe some Motives that may work you to be humble Secondly to propound some Directions that may further you in this work First for the Motives Consider First how God singles out humble soules from all others ot 1 Motive poure out most of the Oyle of Grace into their hearts No Vessels that God delights to fill like broken vessels like contrite spirits Jam. 4. 6. He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble The Greek word signifies To set himselfe Anâ—itassetai in battell array God takes the winde and hill of a proud soule but he gives grace to the humble The silver dewes flow downe from the Mountaines to the lowest valleyes Abraham was but dust and ashes in his owne eyes I but saith Gen. 18. 17. God Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe No I will not An humble soule shall be both of Gods Court and his Counsel too Humble Jacob that was in his Gen. 32. 10. owne eyes lesse then the least of all mercies what a glorious Vision had he of God when the Ground was his Bed and Gen. 28. the Stone his Pillow and the Hedges his Curtaines and the Heavens his Canopie Then he saw Angels ascend and descend An humble soule that iies low O what sights of God He that is in the low pits and caves os the earth sees the starres in the fiâ—mament when they who are upon the tops of the mountains discerne them not hath he what glory doth he behold when the proud soule sees nothing God poures in grace to the humble as men poure in liquor into an empty vessel he does not drop in grace into an humble heart but he poures it in The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire the wood and the Sacrifice So the hearts of men under the Gospel must be humble empty of all sprituall pride and self-conceitednesse that so they may receive the fire of the Spirit and Jesus Christ who offered himselfe for a Sacrifice for our sins Humility is both a Grace and a vessel to receive Grace There 's none that sees so much need of grace as humble souls there 's none prises grace like humble soules there 's none improves grace like humble soules Therefore God singles out the humble soule to fill him to the brim with grace when the proud is sent empty away Secondly Of all Garments humility doth best become Christians 2 Motive and most adorne their profession Faith is the Champion of grace and Love the Nurse but Humility the beauty of grace 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be clothed with humility The Greek word imports That Humility is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ribbon or string that tyes together all those pretious Pearles the rest of the graces If this string break they are all scattered The Greek word that is rendred Cloathed comes of another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek word that signifies to knit and tye knots as delicate and curious women use to doe of Ribbons to adorne their heads and bodies as if humility were the knot of every vertue the grace of every grace Chrysostome calls Humility 'T is reported of the Christall that it hath such a virtue in it that the very touching of it quickens other stones and puts a lustre and beauty upon them so does humility put a lustre upon every grace The Root Mother Nurse Foundation and Band of all Virtue Bazill calls it The Store-house and Treasury of all good For what 's the scandall and reproach of Religion at this day nothing more then the pride of Professors Is not this the language of most They are great Professors O but very proud they are great hearers they will run from Sermon to Sermon and cry up this man and cry up that man O but proud They are great talkers O but as proud as the Devil c. Oh that you would take the Counsel of the Apostle Be cloathed with humility And that Col. 3. 12. Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and Beloved Bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long-suffering No Robes to these The Third Motive is this Humility is a Load-stone that 3 Motive drawes both the heart of God and man to it In Isa 57. Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit The Lord singles out the humble soule of all others to make him an Habitation for himselfe Here is a wonder God is on high and yet the higher a man lifts up himselfe the farther he is from God And the lower a man humbles himselfe the neerer he is to God of all soules God delights most to dwell with the humble for they doe most prize and best improve his pretious presence In Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Prov. 22. 4. By humility
4. 5. Mat. 11. 8. Gen. 27. 15. Isa 52. 1. Hos 2. 13. Exod. 28. 40. I cite these Scriptures so much the rather because some through weaknesse and peevishnesse stumble and are not satisfied herein There is nothing in the Law of God or nature against it But you may say May not persous sin in their Apparrell I answer Yes and that in foure Cases 1 When 't is not Modest but carries with it provocation to lust and wantonnesse Prov. 7. 10. There met the young man A woman in the Attire of an Harlot The Hebrew word signifies a Habit or Ornament finely set and fitted to the body And saith the Text She was suttle of heart or trust up about the Breasts with her upper parts naked so Levi-Ben-Gersom reads the words She met him with her naked Breasts At this day too commonly used by such as would not be held Harlots Oh what a horrid shame and reproach is it to Reâ—igion the wayes of God and the people of God that Professors should goe so One saith That superfluous Apparrell is worse then whoredoome because whoredome onely corrupts chastity but this corrupts Nature Another saith If women adorne themselves so as to provoke men to lust after them though no ill follow upon it yet those women shall suffer eternall damnation because they offered poyson to others though none would drinke of it 2 Persons sin in their Apparell when as they exceed their degree and rank in costly Apparrell which is that which is condemned by the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 3. The Apostle doth not simply condemne the wearing of gold but he condemnes it in those that goe above their degree and rank The words are rather an Admonition then a Prohibition 3 It 's sinfull when 't is so expensive as that it hinders works of Mercy and Charity Oh how many Proud soules be there in these dayes that lay so much upon their backs that they can spare nothing to fill the Poores bellies Silke doth quench the fire of the Kitchin saith the French Proverb The meaning is that it doth hinder works of Charity and Mercy Surely those that put on such costly Ornaments upon their backs as close up the hand of Charity will at last share with Dives in his misery 4 When persons habite themselves in strange and forraine fashions which is the sin shame and reproach of many among us in these dayes Now that is strange Apparrell which is not peculiar to the Nations where men live The Lord threatens to punish such Zeph. 1. 8. that are cloathed with strange Apparrell There are too many women and men in our dayes that are like the Egyptian Temples very Gypsies painted without and spotted within Varnish without and Vermin within Mercury being to make a Garment for the Moon as one saith could never fit her but either the Garment would be too bigge or too little by reason she was alwayes increasing or decreasing May not this be applied to the vaine curiosity of too too many Professors in these dayes whose curiosity about their cloaths can never be satisfied I shall conclude this Head with this Councel Cloath your selves with the Silke of Piety with the Sattin of Sanctity and with the Purple of Modesty and God himselfe will be a Suiter to you Let not the Ornaments upon your backs speak out the vanity of your hearts Fourthly Sometimes Pride shewes it selfe by the gesture and carriage of the body In Isa 3. 16. the Daughters of Sion were haughty and walked with stretched out necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as they goe making a tinkling with their feet Oh Earth Earth doest thou not groan to bear such Monsters as these Fifthly And sometimes Pride shewes it selfe in contemptuous challenges of God as Pharoah Who is the God of the Hebrewes that I should obey him Sixthly Sometimes Pride shewes it selfe by bragging promises I will arise I will pursue I will overtake I will divide Exod. 14. the spoyle and my lusts shall be satisfied The fourth Proposition that I shall lay downe is this Pride is a sin that of all sins makes a man or woman most like to Satan Pride is Morbus Satanicus Satans Disease Pride is so base a disease that God had rather see his dearest Children to be buffeted by Satan then that in Pride they should be like to Satan 2 Cor. 12. 7. When Paul under the abundance of Revelations was in danger of being pufft up the Lord rather then he would have him proud like to Satan suffers him to be buffeted by Satan Humility makes a Man like to Angels and Pride makes an Angel a Devil Pride is worse then the Devil for the Devil cannot hurt thee till Pride hath possest thee If you would see the Devil Limned to the life look upon a proud soule for as face answers to face so doth a proud soule answer to Satan Proud soules are Satans Apes and none imitate him to the life like these And oh that they were sensible of it before it be too late before the doore of darknesse be shut upon them A fifth Proposition is this Pride cannot climb so high but Justice will sit above her One askt a Philosopher what God was a doing he answered That his whole worke was to exalt the humble and pull downe the proud It was Pride that turned Angels into Devils they would be above others in Heaven and therefore God cast them downe to Hell Pride saith Hugo was borne in Heaven but forgetting by what way she fell from thence she could never find the way thither againe The first man would know as God and the Babel builders would dwell as God but Justice set above them all This truth you see verified in the Justice of God upon Pharoah Haman Herod Beltshazzar and Nebuchadnezzer all these would be very high but Justice takes the right hand of them all and brings them downe to the dust Yea Pride cannot climb so high in the hearts of the Saints but Divine Justice will be above it Vzziah his heart was lifted up 2 Chron. 26. 27. but Justice smites him with a Leprosie and so he died out of griefe and sorrow saith Josephus David glories in his owne greatnesse 2 Chron. 29. 32. and for this seventy-thousand fall by the hand of Justice Hezekiah's heart was lifted up but wrath was upon him and upon all Judah and Jerusalem for it 2 Chron. 29. 32 33. Pride sets it selfe against the Honour Being and Soveraignty of God therefore Justice will in spight of all sit above her Other sins strike at the word of God the people of God and the Creatures of God but Pride strikes directly at the very Being of God and therefore Justice will be above her Nebuchadnezzer was Proud and God smites his reason and turnes him into a Beast Oh how many young Professors Staupecius was proud of his memory and Justice smote it are there in our dayes who have been proud of their notions and
this no way to the Crowne like this he will not be long a Babe in grace who lives out that little grace he ha's Fourthly Living up to your light is the readiest and the onely way to fetch up and to recover all that hath been lost by your living below your light By your living below your light God your owne soules and the Gospel have lost much yea and others also have lost much light comfort strength and quicknesse c. that they might have had had you but liv'd up to that little grace you Bernard paraphrasing on that of Solomon A Lâ—lly amongst thorns saith the manners or lines of men as Lillies have their colours and odouâ—â— that which comes from a pure heart and a good Conscience hath he colour of a Lilly if a good name fallow it is more truly a Lil'y when neither cander nor odour of the Lilly is wanting Non enim passibus ad deum sed affectibus currimus had Now there is no way on earth to recover and to fetch up these losses but by living up to that grace you have Ah Christians 't is not your running from Sermon to Sermon not that I speak against frequent hearing of the word nor your crying up this man and that man or this notion or that or this way or that that will recover and fetch up the honour that God hath lost by your living below your graces 't is onely your living up to your graces that will make up all the breaches that have been made upon his honour and the Gospel and upon the comfort and peace of your owne soules and others Well remember this all the honour that God hath from you in this life is from your living up to that light knowledge love feare and faith that he ha's given you There 's nothing that will make up all losses but this therefore I begg of you upon the knees of my soule that you would take this one thing home with you and goe into your Closets and lay your hands upon your hearts and say Well the Lord hath lost much and my owne soule hath lost much and others have lost much by my living below that little Grace I have and therefore I will now make it my businesse by assisting Grace to live up to those measures of Grace that I have received more then yet I have done all my dayes I will by the strength of Christ make it more my duty and my worke to live out what God ha's given in then ever yet I have done that so the Lord and the Gospel may be no further loosers but gainers by me The fifth and last Motive is this The readiest and the surest Job 17. 9. Cant. 6. 10. Prov. 4. 18. Hâ—story reports of a Countrey in Asrica where the peoples industry hath an abundant reward for every bushelâ— of seed they sow they receive 150 mcrease afâ—er Blazaâ—ium Plin l. 18. c. 10. The appâ—ication is easie Prov. 10. 4. Dyonisius gave him his money agaâ—ne fâ—om whom he had taken much after that he heaâ—d he emplâ—yed a little well And will God beworse then a Heâ—then way to get more Grace is to live up to that little Grace you have He that lives up to a little light shall have more light he that lives up to a little knowledge shall have more knowledge he that lives up to a little faith shall have more faith and he that lives up to a little love shall have more love c. There is no such way to attaine to greater measures of grace as for a man to live up to that little grace he hath Verily the maine reason why many are such Babes and shrubs in grace is because they don't live up to their attainments He that won't improve two Talents shall never have the honour to be trusted with five But he that improves a little shall be trusted with much The diligent hand maketh rich He that is active and agile that works as well as wishes that adds endeavours to his desires will quickly be a Cedar in grace Ah Christians you have a God that 's great a God that 's good a God that 's gracious and a God that is rich that loves not to see his Children to be alwayes weaklings and striplings in grace The very Babe by drawing the Breasts gets strength and nourishment O you Babes in grace put out that little strength you have be you still a drawing at the breasts of Christ at the breasts of the Promises and strength will come nourishment will follow c. The third Duty that I would presse upon weake Saints is this Be sure that you alwayes reflect upon your Graces and whatsocver good is in you with Cautions This is a weighty Point and doth bespeak your most serious attention There are six Rules or Cautions that weak Saints should alwayes observe in their looking upon their graces And the first is this Looke upon all your Graces as gifts Of thine owne aith David have we given thee 1 Chr. 29. 14. of Grace as favours given you from above as gifts dropt out of heaven into your hearts as flowers that are given you out of the Garden of Paradise A man should never look upon his grace but he should look upon it as a flower of Paradise as a gift that God hath cast into his bosome from heaven 1. Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou that thou hast not received c. Thou talkest of light of love of fear of faith c. but what are all these but Pearles of glory that are freely given thee by the hand of grace Every good As all light flowes from the Sun and all water from the sea so all good flowes from Heaven and perfect gift comes downe from above The greatest excellencies in us doe as much depend upon God as the light doth upon the Sun When thou lookest upon thy wisedome thou must say Here 's wisedome I but 't is from above Here is some weak love working towards Christ but 't is from above Here 's joy and comfort and peace but these are all the flowers of Paradise they never grew in natures Garden When a soule looks thus upon all those costly Diamonds with which his heart is deckt he keeps low though his graces are high Where this rule is neglected the soule will be endangered of being swell'd and pufft Mr. Fox was used to say That as he got much good by his sins so he got much hurt by his graces When you look upon the stream remember the fountaine when you look upon the flower remember the root when you look upon the stars remember the Sun and when you look upon your graces remember the fountaine of grace else Satan will be too hard for you Satan is so artificiall so subtill and critical that he can make your very graces to serve him against your graces conquering joy by joy sorrow by sorrow
know but little of that they shall know when they shall come to know even as they are knowne And yet these weak and imperfect glimpses that they have of God and Heaven here are infallible pledges of that perfect knowledge and full prospect that they shall have of God and heaven hereafter So that that little spark of joy thou hast is an earnest of those everlasting joyes that shall rest upon thy head when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Riddle Aenigma is properly Obscura allegoria an obscure Allegory 't is an Allegory with a mask on 't is a cloudy knotty intricate speech sealed and lockt up from vulgar apprehensions That 's a Riddle all sorrow and mourning shall flye away Isa 35. 10. c. And those sips of comfort thou hast now are an earnest of thy swimming in those everlasting pleasures that be at gods right hand Psal 16. ult The least measures of grace are an earnest of greater measures God will not loose his earnest though men often loose theirs God will not despise the day of small things he will make those that bring forth but thirty fold to bring forth sixty fold and those that bring forth sixty fold to bring forth a hundred fold c. He his Son and Spirit are all eminently and fully ingaged to carry on the work of grace in his Childrens soules Therefore doe not sit downe and say my light is but dim and my love but weak and my joy but a spark that will quickly goe out c. But alwayes remember That those weak measures of grace thou hast are a sure evidence of greater measures that God will confer upon thee in his owne time and in his owne wayes Isa 64. 4 5. Fifthly When you looke upon your Graces be sure that you looke more at the truth of your Graces then at the measure of your Graces You must rather bring your Graces to the Touch-stone to try their truth then to the ballance to weigh their measure Many weak Christians are weighing their graces when they should be a trying the truth of their graces as if the quantity and measure of grace were more considerable then the Essence and nature of grace and this is that that keeps many weak Saints in a dark doubting questioning and despairing condition yea this makes their lives a very hell Weak Saints if you will not observe this rule this Caution when you look upon your graces you will goe sighing and mourning to your Graves Ah poor hearts you should not be more cruell to your owne soules then God is When God comes to make a judgement of your spirituall estates he doth not bring a paire of scales to weâ—gh your graces but a Touchstone to try the truth of your graces and so should you deale by your owne soules If you deale otherwise you are more cruell to your soules then God would have you And if you are resolved That in this you will not imitate the Lord then I dare prophesie that joy and peace shall be none of your Lam. 1. 16. Guests and he that should comfort you will stand a farre off 'T is good to owne and acknowledge a little grace though it be mingled with very much corruption as that poor soule did Mark 9. 24. And straightway the father of the Child Grace is homogeneall â—very winkling of light is light every drop of water is water every spark of fire is fire every drop of honey is honey So every drop of grace is grace and if the lâ—ast drâ—p or spark of grace be not woâ—th ac knowledging 't is worth nothing cryed out and said with teares Lord I believe help thou mine unbeliefe He had but a little little faith and this was mixt with abundance of unbelief and yet notwithstanding he acknowledges that little faith he had Lord I believe help my unbeliefe His faith was so weak that he accounts it little better then unbelief Yet sayes he Lord I believe help my unbeliefe The least measure of faith will make thee blessed here and happy hereafter A Doctor cryed out upon his dying Bed Credo languida fide sed tamen fide Much faith will yeeld unto us here our Heaven and any faith if true will yield us heaven hereafter So the Church in Cant. 1. 5. I am black but comely She had nothing to say for her beautifullnesse yet she acknowledgeth her comelinesse I am black but comely Though she could not say she was clear yet she could say she was comely As she was free to confesse her blacknesse so she was ingenuous to acknowledge her comelinesse I am black but comely Ah Christians will you deale worse with your owne soules then you deale with your Children When you goe to make a Judgement of your Childs affections you look more to the truth of their affections then you doe to the strength of their affections and will you be lesse ingenious and favourable to your owne soules If he deserves to be branded that feasts his Child and starves his wife what doe you deserve that can acknowledge the least naturall good that is in a Child and yet will acknowledge none of that spirituall and heavenly good that is in your soules Sixthly and lastly When you looke upon your Graces look that you doe not renounce and reject your Graces seene in the light of the spirit as a weake and worthlesse evidence of your interest in Christ and that happinesse that comes by Christ I know in these dayes many cry up Revelations and Visions Grace saith one is the foundation of all our felicity and comprebends all blessings As Mâ—nna is said to have done all goâ—d tasts Johns Epistles are a rich Treasury for Christian Assurance yea the Visions of their owne hearts and make slight of the graces of Christ in the hearts of his people Yea they look upon grace as a poor weak thing Ah Christians take heed of this else you will render null in a very great measure many precious Scriptures especially the Epistle of John which were penned for the Comfort and Support of weak Saints But that this may stick and work be pleased to carry home with you these three things First Other precious Saints that are now triumphing in heaven have pleaded their interest in Gods love and hopes of a better life from Graces inherent I 'le onely point at those Scriptures that speak out this truth 1 John 3. 14. Chap. 2. 3 4. Job 23. 10 11 12. And the whole 31 Chapter of Job Psal 119. 6. Isa 38. 2 3. 2 Cor. 1. 12. All these Scriptures with many others that Christians may doubtlesse look to their graces as Evidences of their part in Christ and salvaâ—ion and the clearer and stronger they are the greater will be their comfort but not as Causes might be produced doe with open mouth proclaime this Truth And surely to deny the fruit growing upon the Tree to be an Evidence that the Tree is alive is
Seventh of England believed hâ—m not therefore trusted him not with shipping and so lost all the purchase of that faith which purchase may yet be recovered if the Lord shall please to own and crown the just and noble designe of Generall Pen c. that moves all the golden wheeles of obedience In Heb. 11. you read what those Worthies did they left their Countrey their kindred upon a bare command of God Faith hath Rachel's eye but Leah's womb it makes soules very fruitfull in wayes of well-doing Faith is as the spring in the Watch that moves the wheels not a grace stirs till faith sets it on work Faith is like Solomons virtuous woman that sets all her maidens to work Faith sets joy on work Abraham desired to see my day and saw it and rejoyced Faith sets love on work It workes by love Gal. 5. 6. It sets hope on work Rom. 8. 24 25. It sets godly sorrow at work Zech. 12. 10. It sets patience at work I believe that God is wise and loving and what he does is out of some noble designe to doe my soule good this spins out patience Faith fits a man to doe to suffer to waite to walk c. therefore labour above all to be rich in faith And then sixthly Of all graces faith renders the soule most invincible and therefore you should labour above all to be rich in faith It renders the soule invincible and unconquerable under all the hardships and tryalls it meets with in this world Faith makes a man triumph in all the changes and conditions of this life It was their faith that made them invincible in Dan. 3. 16 17 18. O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter if it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King But if not be it knowne unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship thy golden Image which thou hast up And so Daniels faith stopt the Lyons mouths it made him too strong for the strongest Beasts of prey as you may see in Dan. 6. Though the Enemies of a believer are very subtile strong and experienced and though the battell be hot and long yet a soule rich in faith shall have the day Faith will render a believer victorious in the close He may suffer death as Mori posse vinci non posse Cyp. Cyprian said to Cornelius but never Conquest Faith renders the soule a Lyon a Rock c. It is reported of some of the Roman and Grecian Captaines that they proved alwayes As may be fully seen in the Book of Martyrs and in Heb. 11. victorious and were never beaten by any Such is the nature of faith it renders a soule victorious in all ingagements In all ingagements faith brings a man bravely off and inables him to keep his ground and triumph Psal 60. 6 7 8 9 10. God hath spoken in his holinesse I will rejoyce I will divide Shechem and meet out the valley of Succoth Gilead is mine and Manasseh is mine Ephraim also is the strength of my Faith alaers the Tenses it puts the future into the present Gilead is mine c. head Judah is my Law-giver Moab is my wash-pot over Edom will I cast out my shooe Philistia triumph thou because of me c. 'T is not great resolutions nor bigge words nor high looks but faith that will make a man stand fast in shaking times No hand can put the Garland upon a Christian but the hand of faith c. And then seventhly Above all labour to be rich in faith because Satan will labour might and maine to weaken your faith Oh! the great designe of Satan is not so much to weaken you in externalls as it is to weaken you in internalls Satan can be contented that men should have their heads full of notions and their mouths full of Religion and their baggs full of gold and their chests full of silver and their shops full of wares so their soules be either voyd of faith or but poor and low in faith Satans greatest plot is to weaken the faith of Christians Luke 22. 31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift Satan knowes that Nihil retinet qui fidem perdidit you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Satan hath an akeing tooth at thy faith his designe is upon that he will labour might and maine to weaken that to frustrate that and therefore I have prayed that thy faith faile not And then eighthly Consider this of all graces faith contributes most to the bringing downe of mercies and blessings upon your selves and friends and therefore you should above all labour to be rich in this particular grace of faith Faith contributes to the bringing downe of blessings upon our selves In Dan. 6. 23. Daniel was delivered saith the Text because he believed in his God 'T was his faith and not his prayers 't was his faith and not his teares 't was his faith and not his sighes that stopt the Lyons mouths and wrought deliverance for him So in Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unlesse I had believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living So in 2 Chron. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper and so they did That 's a very famous Scripture to this purpose 2 Chron. 13. 15 16 17. Then the men of Judah gave a shout and as the men of Judah shouted it came to passe that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel Were men more rich in faith they would be more rich in other blessings c. before Abijah and Judah and the Children of Israel fled before Judah and God delivered them into their hands And Abijah and his people slew with a great slaughter so there fell downe slaine of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men Here was a dreadfull slaughter no wars no slaughters comparable to those the Scripture speaks of And the reason is rendred vers 18. Because they relyed upon the Lord God of their fathers And as faith is the onely way to bring downe a blessing upon our selves so faith is the onely way to bring downe blessings upon our friends and relations Though another man cannot be saved by my faith yet he Gen. 39. may be blest with many blessings upon the account of my faith In Mat. 15. 22. to 29. it was the Canaanitish womans faith that brought a blessing of healing upon her daughter And so in Mat. 8. 6. to 14. the Centurions faith heal'd his servant that was sick of a Palsie and from that very houre he was healed The servant got well by his Masters faith And so likewise in Mark 9. the faith of the father prevailed for the
best and strongest men but even of the very Angels should not God put under his everlasting armes No labour to that of the mind no travel to that of the soule and those that are faithfull in the Lords Vineyard find it so Luther was won't to say That if he were againe to choose his calling he would dig or doe any thing rather then take upon him the Office of a Minister And many other eminent lights have been of the same opinion with him But what are those Rules that every Preacher is to observe How Christ must be Preached shewed in 11 things in his Preaching of Christ to the people I Answer These Eleven FIrst Jesus Christ must be Preached Plainly Perspicuously so as the meanest capacity may understand what they say concerning Christ they must Preach Christ for edification and not to work admiration as too many doe in these dayes Paul was excellent at this kind of Preaching 1 Cor. 14. 18 19. he had rather speak five words to edification Preaching is not a matter of parts words or wit 't is Scripture demonstration that works upon the conscience and that God ownes and crownes then ten thousand words to work admiration in ignorant people So in 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. And my speech and my preaching was not with intising words of mans wisedome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power That your faith should not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God As if he should say Such Preach with little power who come with the excellency of speech or with the intising words of mans wisedome Ah! many there are I speak it with grief and to their shame that delight to soare aloft in obscure discourses and to expresse themselves in new-minted words and phrases and to shew high straines and flashes of wit and all to work admiration in the ignorant Such kind of Preachers are as clouds and painted glasse-windowes that hinder the It was a saying of Luther From a vaine-glorious Doctour from a câ—nâ—â—ntious Pastour and from unprofitable Questions good Lord deliver his Church light from shining in upon soules that hinder the Sun of righteousnesse from breaking forth in his beauty and glory upon the spirits of poore Creatures Woe unto these men in the day when such soules shall plead against them when they shall say Lord here are the persons whose Office and worke was to make darke things plaine and they have made plaine things darke and obscure that we might rather wonder at them then any wayes profit by them Aarons Bels were of pure gold our whole Preaching must be Scripture-proof or we and our works must burne together The profoundest Prophets accommodated themselves to their hearers capacities Holy Moses covers his glistering face with a Vaile when he was to speak to the people Yea 't is very observeable that the Evangelists spake vulgarly many times for their hearers sake even to a manifest incongruity as you may see in John 17. 2. Rev. 1. 4. But above all it is most observeable concerning God the father who is the great Master of speech when he spake from Heaven he makes use of three severall Texts of Scripture in one breath Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Si vis fieri bonus concionatur Son in whom I am well pleased heare him This is my beloved Son that Scripture you have in Psal 2. 7. In whom I am well pleased this you have in Isa 42. 1. Heare him this da operam â—t sis bonus Bâ—blicus If you will be a good Preacher study to be well acquâ—inted with the Scripture said one in the Monastry you have in Deut. 18. 15. All which may bespeak them to blush who through curious wisenesse disdaine at the stately plainnesse of the Scripture Oh how unlike to God are such Preachers that think to correct the Divine Wisedome and Eloquence with their owne infancy vanity novelty and sophistry Yea Jesus Christ himselfe the great Doctour of the Church teaches this lesson Mark 4. 33. And with many such Parables spake he the word unto them as they were able to hear it Not as he was able to have spoken he could have exprest himselfe at a higher rate then all mortals can he could have been in the Clouds he knew how to knit such knots that they could never untye but he would not he delights to speak to his hearers shallow capacities So in John 16. 12. I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now He that speaks not to the hearers capacities is as a Barbarian to them and they to him He is the best Preacher saith Luther that Preaches vulgarly that Preaches most plainly He is not the best Preacher that tickles the ear or that works upon the fancy c. but he that breaks the heart and awakens the conscience 'T is sad to consider how many Preachers in these dayes are like Heraclitus who was called The darke Doctour because he affected dark speeches Oh! how doe many in these dayes affect sublime notions uncouth phrases making plaine truths difficult and easie truths hard They darken councel by words without knowledge Job 38. 2. But how unlike to Christ the Prophets and Apostles these dark Doctours are I will leave you to judge nor would I have their accounts to make up for all the world I will leave them to stand or fall to their owne Master God loves ownes and crownes plaine Preaching though some account it foolishnesse yet to them that are saved 't is the power of God and the wisedome of God 1 Cor. 1. 20-30 I have stayed the longer upon this first Direction because of its great usefulnesse in these deluding dayes Secondly As they must Preach Christ plainly so they must Prov. 13. 17. Chap. 25. 13. Job 33. 23. Preach Christ Faithfully Ministers are Stewards 1 Cor. 4. 2. and you know it is the duty of a Steward to be faithfull in his Stewardship to give to every man the portion that is due to him cheering up those hearts that God would have cheered and weakning those wicked hands that God would have weakned and strengthning those feeble knees that God would have strengthned Ministers are Ambassadours and you know it is the great concernment of Ambassadours to be very faithfull in their Masters Messages God looks more and is affected and taken more with a Ministers faithfulnesse then with any thing else A great voyce an affected tone studied notions and silken expressions may affect and take poore weake soules but 't is onely the faithfulnesse of a Minister in his Ministerial work that takes God that wins upon God Mat. 25. 21 23. Well done good and faithfull servant The Office of a Minister is the highest Office and if his Office be highest his saiâ—hfullnesse must be answerable or he will be doubly miserable enter thou into the joy of the Lord. A joy too big to enter into thee and therefore thou
fire out of his mothers breast murderer of the soules of men Ministers must say as Hector in Homer I will combate with him though his hands were as fire and his strength as iron Let mens hands be as fire and their strength as iron yet Ministers must deale with them and strive to make a conquest on them Exek 2. 3 ult Luther professed That he had rather be accounted any thing then be accused of wicked silence in Christs cause Let me be accounted sayes he proud let me be accounted covetous let me be accounted a murdered yea guilty of all Vices so I be not proved guilty of wicked silence in the cause of Jesus Christ Themistocles being about to speak to the Generall of the Greeks Army against Exerxes he held up his staffe as if he had been about to strike him Strike said Themistocles but yet heare So should Ministers say strike but yet heare raile but yet heare despise but yet heare censure but yet heare oppose but yet heare doe what you will but yet heare Non amat qui non zelat saith Augustine He is no friend to God that is not zealous for him When one desired to know what kind of man Basil was there was saith the History presented to him in a dream a pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one and on a light fire for God So every Minister The father payes the Nurse though the child dies The Doctour has his Fee though the patient dyes And the Vine dresser ha's his reward though the Vines wither So will God deal with faithfull Ministers 2 Cor. 2. 15. â—sa 49. 2 3 4. should be all on a fire for God Sixthly They are to Preach Christ Laboriously painfully frequently a Minister must be like the Bee that is still a flying from one Flower to another to suck out Honey for the good of others Should not that dreadfull word make every idle Shepheard tremble Jer. 48. 10. Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently 1 Cor. 15. ult Be yee stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Oh! the dreadfull woes that are pronounc't in Scripture against idle Shepheards Jer. 23. 1. Ezek. 13. 3. Chap. 34. 2. Zech. 11. 17. Mat. 23. 13 14 15 16 23 25 27. The great Shepheard of our soules the Lord Jesus was still a feeding of his flock and much in provoking others to the same work John 21. Feed my Lambs feed my sheep 2 Tim. 4. Preach the word in season and out of season Christ wept for soules and bled for soules and prayed for soules and shall not Ministers sweat much for soules and work much for the good of soules Doubtlesse they will give up but a sad account to Christ that make any thing serve to fill up the houre that spend two or three houres at the end of a week to fit If a Minister had as many eyes as Argus to watch and as many hands as Brtareus â—o labour he might find imployment enough for them all themselves for Sabbaoth-Exercises Idlenesse is hatefull in any but most abhominable and intolerable in Ministers and sooner or later none shall pay so deare for it as such witnesse the frequent woes that are denounced in Scripture against them Where should a Souldier dye but in the field And where should a Minister dye but in the Pulpit Pompey in a great dearth at Rome having provided store of provisions for his Citizens that were ready to perish and being ready to put to sea he commanded the Pilot to hoise saile and be gone the Pilot told him That the Sea was tempestuous and that the voyage was like to be dangerous It matters not said Pompey hoist up saile 't is not necessary that we should live 't is necessary that they should be preserved The Angels on Jacob's ladder were some ascending others discending none standing oâ— sitting still Ministers must be like them from ruine and famine So should Ministers say 't is not necessary that we should live but 't is necessary that poor soules should live and be happy for ever 't is necessary that they should be acquainted with the things of their peace 't is necessary that they should be delivered from the power of Satan and from wrath to come and therefore 't is necessary that we should be frequent and abundant in the worke of the Lord and not plead stormes or tempests or that a Lyon is in the way It was Vespasian the Emperours speech and may well be applyed to Ministers Oportet imperatorem stantem mori Sueton. An Emperour ought to dye standing A â— Preacher is Qâ—intillian 〈◊〉 oâ— an Orator should be Vir bonus dicendi peritus A well spoken and well deeded person Seventhly As they are to Preach Christ painfully so they are to Preach Christ Exemplarily 1 Pet. 5. 3. Be thou an example to the flock They must Preach Christ as well in life as in doctrine Ministers must not be like the Druggs that Physitians say are hot in the mouth and cold in operation hot in the Pulpit and cold and carelesse in their lives and conversations They must say as Gideon said to his Souldiers Judg. 17. 17. Looke on me and doe likewise Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heaven They are John the Abbot professeth That he had never taught others any thing which he had not first practiced himselfe called Angels and they are called Starres because they should shine in righteousnesse and holinesse What Caesar once said of his wife That it was not enough for her to be without fault but she should be without all suspition of fault may well be applyed to Ministers who of all men in the world should be most free from the very appearances of evil The lives of Ministers oftentimes doe convince more strongly then their words their tongues may perswade but their lives command Talke not of a good life said the Heathen but let thy life Tace lingua loquere vita speake God appointed that both the weights and measures of the Sanctuary should be twice as large as those of the Common-wealth to shew that he expects much more of those that doe waite upon him in the Sanctuary then he doth of others Ministers should be like Muske among linnen which casts a fragrant smell or like that box of Spikenard which being broken open filled the house with its odour Gregory saith of Athanasius That his life was a continuall Sermon and woeing men to Christ Aristotle requires this in an Orator That he be a good man How much more then 1 Sam. 2. 17. should Gods Orators be good and gracious When Eli's Sons were wicked the people abhorred the Offering of the Lord and what is that that renders the things of God