Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The summe and substance of XV. sermons. Preached by that faithful and painful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London. They being his last sermons. To which is added a funerall sermon, being the very last sermon he ever preached.

Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The summe and substance of XV. sermons. Preached by that faithful and painful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London. They being his last sermons. To which is added a funerall sermon, being the very last sermon he ever preached.

Table of contents

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Title page

To the Chriſtian Reader.

Sermon I. At Lawrence J•y, London. March 9. 1650/1.

Sermon II. At Lawrence Jury, London. 1650.

Sermon III. At Lawrence Jury, London. March 16. 1650/1.

Sermon IV. At Lawrence Jury, London. March 16. 1650/1.

V. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. March 23. 1651.

VI. Sermon At Lawrence Ju•y, London. March 30. 1651.

VII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. March 30. 1651.

VIII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 6. 1651.

IX. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 6. 1651.

X. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. April 13. 1651.

XI. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 13. 1651.

XII. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. April 20, 1651.

XIII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 20. 1651.

XIII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 20. 1651.

XV. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. April 27. 1651. This was the laſt Sermon that ever Mr. Love preached.

A Funeral Sermon preached by Mr Love at the Funeral of Miſtris B. at Lowrence Ju•y London. April 29. 1651. being the laſt Sermon that ever he preached

An Alphabeticall Table.

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GRACE: THE TRUTH and GROWTH AND DIFFERENT DEGREES thereof. The ſumme and ſubſtance of XV. SERMONS. Preached by that faithful and painful ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE, Late Miniſter of Lawrence Jury, LONDON. They being his laſt SERMONS. To which is added a Funerall Sermon, being the very laſt Sermon he ever preached.

The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of Muſtardſeed which a man took and ſowed in his field, which indeed is the leaſt of all ſeeds, but when it is grown, it is the greateſt amongſt herbs, and becomes a tree, &c.

Mat. 12. 31. 32.

London, Printed by E. G. for J. Rothwell, at the Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard. 1652.

To the Chriſtian Reader.

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OUr purpoſe in publiſhing this ſmall Treatiſe, is not to make old ſores bleed, or foment any ones diſcontent, or renew any ones griefe, concerning the much lamented death of this godly and Reverend Author; nor ſhall we mention what great loſſe the Church of God had in the death of ſo uſeful and hopeful a Miniſter: But we ſhall in a few words acquaint thee why this little piece is thus made publique.

There are many imperfect copies of Mr. Love's Sermons, which are likely to be obtruded into the world, by ſome who regard no other end in publiſhing and printing books, then their own private gain; To prevent which, we have from his own notes publiſhed theſe Sermons, and ſhall deſire the Reader to [Page] take notice, that whatever Sermons of this Author ſhall be thought fit to be publiſhed, ſhall be atteſted with ſome of our hands, who are intruſted with his Papers, and hope none will be ſo injurious to the Author and others, as to preſume to print any thing of Mr. Love's without the ſaid Atteſtation.

Thou haſt here but the marrow and ſubſtance of the laſt Sermons preached by that late faithfull Servant of God. Pulpit-repetitions and enlargments are here omitted, we having endeavoured to accommodate thee in the price in buying, and in thy pains in reading, that thou mightſt have much fruit, though there be not many leaves. Libri rerum non verborum ſoecundi. Thoſe bookes are beſt that have much worth and weight in a little bulk, and ſuch is this if we miſtake not.

The Reverend Author, though he had not attained many yeers, yet he had gotten much experience about ſoul-affairs. Theſe were his laſt Meditations, and therefore the more deſired by, and we hope will [Page] be the more acceptable to thoſe, to whoſe ſouls his Miniſtry was profitable and precious. Thou wilt finde here no new, uncouth, and unſcripturall expreſſions, but plain practicall Doctrine, old Divinity, ſound, ſolid, and conſcience-ſearching truths. The gracious Author preaching and preſſing them on the hearts of his hearers, from his own experience of them. Neither wilt thou meet with any railings or reproachings of the publick and preſent Governours, (the uſual, though the moſt unjuſt, charge againſt the Presbyterian Miniſters.) This whole diſcourſe is not about State, but Soul-affairs, which is another reaſon why it is publiſhed, to check the licentiouſneſſe of this Age, which hath ſurfetted upon abſurd and unprofitable Pamphlets. The Lord give thee to have thy ſpiritual ſenſes exerciſed, Heb. 5. 14. to diſcern both good and evil. But alas! What between State-mutations, and Church-diſſenſions, ſpiritual truths lie by neglected. It is much to be feared the Work of Grace goes on but ſlowly, few enquire into [Page] their Soul-ſtate. But to enquire into our ſpirituall eſtate is the beſt huſbandry in the world. If we are to be diligent to know the ſtate of our flocks, Pro. 27. 23 then ſurely we ſhould give all diligence to know how it is with our precious and immortall ſouls. The benefit and profit of this ſoul-ſearching, will abundantly recompence our pains and care in performing it.

There are two great miſtakes to which the beſt Chriſtians are very ſubject.

1. Either to deſpiſe and diſparage the work of grace, if their meaſures be ſmall.

2. Or elſe, if their attainments be ſomewhat conſiderable, to ſit down contented with their acquired meaſures.

We beſeech you take heed of both theſe evils, which are both alike; unthankfulneſſe to God, and injuriouſneſſe to your own ſoul, the one deſpiſeth the truth, and the other neglects the Growth of Grace.

1. If thou art one of the tender Plants in Chriſts Orchard, a weak [Page] Lamb in his Flock, a Babe in his Family, yet Oh, deſpiſe not the day of ſmall things in thy ſoule; though thy gifts be few, & thy comforts fewer, yet tread not out thy ſelfe the ſmoaking flax; ſtay thy ſelfe upon his name who is a rock of Ages, and whoſe work is perfect, and his grace unchangable, who will bring forth judgement unto victory. Sleight not the leaſt meaſure of grace: though the firſt and ruder draught be but drawn on thy ſoule, yet be comforted in this, that the image of Chriſt is begun to be renewed there. But be ſure thy grace be right. Temporary faith, partial obedience, mercenary love, pretended zeale, legall ſorrow, feigned humility, may make up a lifeleſſe picture of a profeſſor, who hath the form without the power of Godlineſſe: but it is true Grace that makes a true Chriſtian. Common gifts and graces may bring a man neer heaven, but they will never bring a man into heaven. This Treatiſe therefore will teach thee to bring thy grace to the true touch-ſtone. It is one of the ſaddeſt [Page] conſiderations that can ſettle on the heart of a Chriſtian, to think how high a formall hypocrite may goe towards Heaven with his ſeeming grace, and how low a true child of God may fall by ſin towards Hell, and yet have real Grace. It is a dreadfull thing to think how many Profeſſors in our age reſt in duties performed, and parts acquired, and never examine themſelves whether they are in the faith, and have attained that true Grace which Reprobates and hypocrites can never have. When we finde in Scripture, Gen. 4. 3. Cain ſacrificing, Ex 9. 27 Pharaoh confeſſing his ſin, 1 Kings 21. 27. Ahab faſting, 1 Sam. 24. 16. Saul weeping, 2 Kings 10 16. Jehu reforming, Mat. 27. 3 Judas repenting and reſtoring, Act. 8. 13 Simon Magus believing, Mar. 6. 20. Herod rejoycing, and Acts 24. 25. Felix trembling at the Word, and yet not one of theſe had one dram of Grace. How carefull ſhould we then be to examine and prove our ſelves whether we are in a ſtate of true grace? Oh! it is very ſad to fall ſhort of them that fall ſhort of Heaven. As for the moſt part of Profeſſors of our times; it is [Page] much to be feared, that their ſpirituall trading lies more for the increaſe of gifts and parts, (in which their Religion conſiſts) then for Grace, Plus ſcientiae, minuf conſcientiae. which is the true reaſon why we have ſo little truth and peace amongſt us: for parts puffe up the minde, pride begets contention, and contention encreaſeth errour. Former times had leſſe gifts, but more Grace, leſſe knowledge and more conſcience.

1. If thou art one of thoſe, that upon good Scripture-grounds canſt ſay thou haſt the truth of Grace,Iſa 5. 8. labour then after growth in Grace. Oh labour, that whilſt others are joyning houſe to houſe, and laying field to field, till they be placed alone in the midſt of the earth,2 Pet. 1. 6, 7, 8. that you give all diligence to adde to your faith vertue, and to your vertue knowledge, and to your knowledge temperance, and to your temperance patience, and to patience godlineſſe, and to godlineſſe brotherly-kindneſſe, and to brotherly-kindneſſe charity, that theſe graces may be in you and abound, that you may be neither barren nor unfruitfull [Page] in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus.

No Chriſtian ſhould content himſelfe with any meaſures of Grace attained, for he is like to make uſe of all the grace he hath, had he a Benjamins portion. The time is comming when one dram of true grace, will be of more worth then all the world.Plus valebit conſcientia pura quàm marſupia plena. The comforts of grace, the joy and peace of believing, will be Cordials to you when you are dying, and will ſet up ſuch a light in the ſoule, which the ſhadow of death ſhall neither damp nor darken. But alas! moſt men are labouring, more after wealth then faith, more after greatneſſe in the world then true grace of whom when they die it may be ſaid, They had laid up goods for many yeers; but it cannot be ſaid, In them was found ſome good thing towards the Lord. Men doe uſually lay up riches for a deare yeere, they'l ſay, they know not what need they may have before they come to die: Be then as wiſe and provident for your precious ſouls. Your temptations and [Page] trials may be ſuch, that you may have uſe for all your faith and patience. Rev. 13. 10 Eate (ſaid the Angel to Elijah,) for the journey is long. 1 Kings 19. 7. It is no ſhort way to Heaven, nor is the oppoſition ſmall thou ſhalt meet withall in thy paſſage thither. Oh then get thy ſoule well ſtored with ſpirituall proviſion of grace, and the comforts of it. It is true, thy ſafety is in the being, but thy comfort ſtands in the ſtrength and activity of thy graces. Weake Grace is ſaving, but ſtrong Grace is comfortable; truth of grace ſhal be rewarded with heaven, growth of Grace doth, as it were, antedate heaven. The leaſt true grace wil bring thee to Heaven, but the more Grace thou haſt, the fitter for, and ſurer thou wilt be of Heaven. The Lord make theſe and all the labours of his ſervants profitable to his Church. Ye therefore, beloved ſeeing you know theſe things before, 2 Pet. 3 [...] 7 18. beware leſt ye alſo, being led away with the errour of the wicked, fall from your own ſtedfaſtneſſe. But grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our [Page]Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; to him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Reader we remain Ready to ſerve thee in thy Soul-affairs,

EDMUND CALAMY.

SIMEON ASHE.

JEREM. WHITAKER.

WILLIAM TAYLOR.

London, February 13. 1651-52.

Sermon I. At Lawrence J [...]y, London. March 9. 1650/1.

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1. KINGS 14. part of the 13. verſe.‘—Becauſe in him there is found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael in the houſe of Jeroboam.’

THis Chapter conteins in it Ahijahs Propheſie, foretelling what diſmall judgements ſhould befal Ieroboam and his poſterity, for his Idolatry in worſhip, and defection from the Government and houſe of David. For which ſins God did deſtroy him and his poſterity: and not only the bad,1 Kings 15. 29. but the good were puniſhed for their fathers guilt. For ſo it is intimated in this verſe, out of which the Text is taken. Here was a young man, Ieroboam's ſon that ſhould die for the fathers fault; and yet here was a mitigation of the puniſhment, that he ſhould not die after the ſame manner that the reſt did, he ſhall goe to his grave in peace, becauſe in him there is found ſome good, &c. Behold the goodneſſe of God! a little good in him, and yet the great God takes notice of the little good in him. God found as it were one pearle in a heap of pebbles, one good young man in Jeroboams houſhold, that had ſome good [Page] in him towards the Lord God of Iſrael.

In the whole verſe, three parts.

I. A lamentation for the death of this ſon of Jeroboam; It is ſaid, all Iſrael ſhall mourn for him, and ſo they did, v. 18.—which argued there was goodneſs in him; for if he had not been deſired and prized while he lived, he would not have been ſo lamented at his death.

II. A limitation of his puniſhment, he only of Jeroboams family ſhall come to the grave, the reſt of his poſterity that died in the City, dogs ſhould eat, and him that dieth in the field, ſhould the fowles of the ayre devoure. verſ. 11.

III. The commendation of his life, in him was found ſome good, &c. (of this I am now to treat.)

He is commended by the Holy Ghoſt; for his goodneſſe is ſet forth.

1. By the quality of his goodneſſe; it was a good thing, not a good word only, or a good purpoſe or inclination, with which too many content themſelves, but it was a good action.

2. By the quantity of it; it was but ſome little good thing that was found in him, and yet that little good God did not deſpiſe or over-look.

3. By the ſincerity of his goodneſſe; there are two notable demonſtrations of this young mans goodneſſe.

1. It was towards the Lord God of Iſrael.

[Page] 2. It was in Jeroboams houſe.

1. His goodneſſe was towards the Lord God of Iſrael. This argued Pauls ſincerity, that in his2 Cor. 12 19. ſpeaking, writing and actions he could and did appeal to God.Gal. 1. 20. That Religion ſaith the Apoſtle, is Jam. 2. 27 pure and undefiled, that is, ſo before God and the Father. Many Hypocrites may be good towards men, who are not ſo towards God; to be rich indeed, is to be Luke 12. 21. rich towards God. True repentance is As 20. 21. repentance towards God; and he is unblamable indeed that isAct. 24. 16. void of offence towards God, as well as towards men.

2. He was good in the houſe of Jeroboam. A wicked man may ſeeme good in a good place, but to be good in a bad place argues men to be good indeed. To be good in Davids houſe, this was not ſo much; but for this young man to be good in the houſe of Jeroboam his father, whom the Scripture brands for his Idolatry, that he made all Jſrael to ſin and yet could not make his ſon to ſin; this argued he was ſincerely good: as it did argue Lots ſincerity to be righteous in Sodom; for Job to be good in Chaldea; and to be Saints in Nero's Palace, and to feare God in Jeroboams family, this is goodneſſe indeed.

There is onely one difficulty in the Text, viz. What was that good thing that was found in Abijah.

For anſwer to this, 'tis true, the Scripture doth not particularly expreſſe what that good thing was which was found in him: [Page] but Toſtatus and P. Martyr affirme from the Hebrew Rabbins, that when the Jews of the ten Tribes did on their appointed times repair to Ieruſalem to worſhip according to the command of God, and Jerboam commanded Souldiers to intercept them: this Abijah did hinder the ſouldiers to kill them, and gave them paſſes to go to Jeruſalem to worſhip God, and incouraged them therein, notwithſtanding the rage of his father, who had forſaken the true worſhip of God, and ſet up Calves at Dan and Bethel.

Others think the goodneſſe of this young Prince was in this, that he would not conſent to his father in taking away the government from the houſe of David; but where the Scripture hath not a tongue to ſpeak, we have not an eare to hear, and therefore we ſhall not undertake to determine what the Scripture hath not determined.

There are many collaterall obſervations which I ſhall deduce from the ſeverall circumſtances in the text, and but name ſome of them. From the conſideration that this good Abijah died:

Good men, and uſefull,1. Obſervation. and hopefull inſtruments may be taken away by death, when wicked men may live long upon the earth.

Bad Jeroboam lived long, his good ſonne died ſoon; ſo true is that of Solomon, A righteous man may periſh in his righteouſneſſe, when a wicked man may prolong his dayes in his wickedneſſe; Briers and Thorns and Thiſtles wither [Page] not ſo ſoon as Lilies and Roſes, they may be taken out of the world, of whom the world is not worthy, and they remaine behind, who are not worthy to live in the world.

2. From the conſideration of the death of godly Abijah, 1 Kings 16. 26. when wicked Nadab the other ſon of Ieroboam lived,—Obſerve

That good children may be taken away by death from their parents,2. Obſervation. when ungodly children may live to be a ſhame and a curſe to their parents

3. From the conſideration of the cauſe why this gracious young man died ſo ſoon, it was for his fathers ſins, as we may gather from verſ. 9, 10, 11, 12.

That good children as well as bad may be outwardly puniſhed,3. Obſervation. for the ſins of their parents.

4. From all Iſraels lamenting the death of this hopefull young man; Obſerve

That good men who have been,4. Obſervation. and might be further uſefull in their lives,Iſa. 57. 1. 1— ſhould be much lamented at their death; they that have lived deſired, ſhould die lamented.

5. From theſe words, he ſhall go to his grave in peace;

It is a great bleſſing to go to ones grave in peace in times of war and common calamity.5. Obſervation.

He was good towards God;

He is good indeed,6. Obſervation. who is ſo to God, as well as unto men; many are good in mans ſight, that are not ſo in the ſight of God.—Rom. 2. 28.

There are two other circumſtances upon which I ſhall a little inlarge my ſelfe, before [Page] I come to the main point I intend to handle

From the age of this ſon of Ieroboam, who is here commended for his goodneſſe, it is ſaid, he was a childe, verſ. 12. Whence it may be obſerved,

It is very commendable to ſee goodneſſe in young people: to ſee young men good men,1. Doct. is a very commendable thing.

There were many good men in that time but to be good ſo ſoon as Abijah was, when he was a child, the Scripture records this to his praiſe.

1. I ſhall ſhew you that it is a commendable thing to ſee young men good men. This I prove,

Firſt, Becauſe the Scripture makes very honourable mention of young men, when good men; as firſt of Obadiah, 1 Kings 18. 12. that he feared the Lord from his youth. And it is recorded to the honour of2 Tim. 3. 15. Timothy that be knew the holy Scriptures from a child. Ierome conceives that Iohn was the moſtJoh. 13. beloved diſciple, becauſe he was the youngeſt of allJer. 2. 2. God remembers the kindneſſe of our youth. God takes more kindly the kindneſſe of our youth then of our age. It was matter of joy unto Iohn, that he found 2 Epiſt. John 4. children walking in the truth.

Secondly, Becauſe God commends morall and common goodneſſe in the young man Mar. 10. 21. in the Goſpell, Chriſt is ſaid to love him, for his moral goodneſſe and naturall ingenuity

2. The reaſon why it is ſo commendable in a young man to be a good man, is this, becauſe [Page] their temptations are more, and their affections are ſtronger to carry them from God; youth hath a ſtronger aptitude and proclivity to ſinne then any other age, their blood is ſooner ſtirr'd up to choler, and their ſtrength to luſt. As every relation hath its ſpeciall ſin, ſo every age of a mans life; old age is peeviſh and covetous; middle age proud, malicious and revengful; young men are uſually raſh, luſtful and voluptuous; and therefore Paul bids2 Tim. 2. 22. Timothy fly all youthfull luſts; and therefore ſeeing youth is expoſed to ſo many temptations, and ſubject to ſo many corruptions,—it is rare to ſee young men good.

Oh then be exhorted you that are young, to become religious betimes;1 Vſe. and to quicken you hereunto, Conſider.

1. If you be not good in your youth, you can never uſe the Pſalmiſts arguments, Caſt me not off O Lord in the time of my old age, for ſake me not when my ſtrength faileth, v. 9.—and his argument he had before,Pſ. 71. 9. compared with v. 5. v. 5. for thou art my hope, and h [...]ſt been my truſt from my youth, and who would be without ſuch an argument on his death-bed?

2. Conſider, there are recorded in Scripture many young men that were good, of al ſorts and conditions, and of all callings; and the Holy Ghoſt doth not only ſet down their goodneſſe, but their age in which they were good: Solomon a young King, Obadiah a young Courtier, Daniel a young Prophet, [Page] Iohn a young Apoſtle, Timothy a young preacher, and here Abijah a young Prince; and all theſe were good men, and are recorded for our example and incouragement.

3. Conſider, that God in the diſpenſations of his grace beſtows it upon young men, and paſſeth by the elder. Thus Abel the younger was righteous, and Cain wicked: Iacob the younger brother loved, and Eſau hated; Thus David the youngeſt of Ieſſes ſons,1 Sam. 16. 11, 12. and yet the beſt of them, and the choſen of the Lord.

God doth many times do as Iacob did when he bleſſed the children of Ioſeph, he ſtretched out his right hand Gen. 48. 14. & laid it upon the head of Ephraim the younger,—ſo doth God in the diſpenſation of his grace many times pitch on the youngeſt, God ſaith, as Ioſeph, of all the reſt, bring me Benjamin, and gives him a double portion.

4. The time of your youth is the freeſt age of your life to betake your ſelves to the exerciſe of religion and duties of godlineſſe. Young men that are ſervants, have more freedome and leſſe cares then when they grow in yeers, and the1 Cor. 7. 33. cares & incumbrances of a family fill their hands and clog their hearts.

5. Conſider, if thou art not gracious in youth, the fins of thy youth may trouble thy conſcience in thy old age. Many young men who are active and venturous in the heat of their youth, get thoſe bodily bruiſes and blows, that they feel the ache thereof to their dying day. Thou that giveſt a blow or [Page] a bruiſe to thy conſcience in thy youth, mayeſt feel this in thy old age.

Thoſe ſins which now thou feeleſt not, may be a trouble to thy conſcience, and an aking to thy heart, when thou lyeſt on thy death bed. And though God do not remēber the ſins of your youth to damne your ſouls; yet he may make you remember them ſo as to be a trouble to your conſciences.Quae fueru [...] inania juven [...]utis gaudia, haec ſunt ac [...]rba ſenectutis gravamina. Theſe things which are the joyes of youth, may be the bitter burdens of old age. Take heed of laying a loade on thy conſcience when thou art young, leſt God write bitter things againſt thee when old, and make thee to poſſeſſe the ſins of thy youth, Job 13. 26. and fill thy bones with the ſins of thy youth. Job 29. 11.

A ſecond uſe of reproofe of two ſorts of people.

Firſt, Of thoſe who inſtead of being good when young, are wicked when they are young, ſuch as fill their youth with manifold evils. Uſually youth is ſubject to theſe evils:

1. Pride is the ſin of youth, a Preacher muſt not be a young novice,1 Tim. [...]. 6. leſt he be lifted up with pride.

2 Raſhneſſe and indiſcretion is uſually the ſin of a young head. Exhort young men (ſaith Paul to Titus) to be ſober [...]minded, Tit. 2. 6. [...] to be diſcreet or wiſe; how raſh and heady was the counſell of the young men to Rehoboam, which made him loſe his Kingdom? yeeres teach experience.

[Page] 3. Luſtfulneſſe, which was the ground of Paul's caution to young Timothy. 2 Tim. 2. 22 It Timothy, who was ſo abſtemious a man, that Paul gave him advice to drink ſome wine with his water, had need of this caution, how much more have they that are not ſo exerciſed in duties of mortification? Which gave Solomon ground to give that counſel, Put away the euils of thy fleſh, Eccl. 11. 10 for childhood and youth are vanity. He was a young man that followed the harlot to her houſe.Prov. 7. 7.

4. Fickleneſſe and unſetledneſſe of judgement; and therefore in times of errour, the younger ſort are moſt ſubject to be ſeduced; Children are toſſed to and fro with every winde of doctrine: Eph. 4. 14. the hebrew calls a young man [...], which comes from [...], and ſignifies to toſſe to and fro, [...] from [...] movit de loco in locum. intimating that they are unſetled and unſtaied in their judgements and reſolutions.Mat. 19. 22. How ſoon was the minde of that rich and forward young man changed,2 King. 2. 23. mentioned in the Goſpel?

5. To ſcoffe and condemn the aged;Job 30. 1, 12. they were children who did mock the aged Prophet; the young men derided Job.

6 Senſual pleaſures and paſtimes,Eccl. 11. 9.—they do rejoyce and chear their hearts in the days of their youth;Judg. 14. 10. Sampſon made a feaſt, for ſo uſed the young men to do.

Secondly, Job 1. 4. Reproof lights heavily on thoſe who ſeem to be good in their youth, but in their old age caſt off goodneſs; how many are like Joaſh, who ſeemed to be a good [Page] young man whilſt he ſeemed to be under the tuition of Jehojada, but when he was dead, how did he break out.

How many are there in the world, who have loſt their affection and deſires after God, which they had in their youth? It was a brand ſet upon Solomon, who, though when young, was well taught by his mother; Prov. 31. 1. yet when he grew old, his wives turned away his heart from God. So David had his firſt days which were better then his laſt. Even ſo amongſt us, we have too many, who when they were young did love Religion, and delight in Ordinances, and when they became old have abated exceedingly, which may make them to fear the ſincerity of their goodneſs; for he that is truly good in youth will be ſo in his old age.

A ſecond remarkable circumſtance is this, that this young Abijah was good in the houſe of Jeroboam. Whence obſerve

That it is a great commendation for men to retein their goodneſs whileſt they live in bad places and families; That this is ſo, we may ſee by that commendable mention the Scriptures make of ſuch as were good in evill places. Thus God commends the Church of Pergamus, I know thy works, and where thou dwelleſt, even where Satans ſeat is,Rev. 2. 13. and thou holdeſt faſt my name, and haſt not denied my faith, even in thoſe days wherein Antipas my faithful Martyr, who was ſlain amongſt you, where Satan dwelleth. Pergamus was a City [Page]more given to Idolatry then all the Cities of Aſia, and yet there were ſome that held faſt the name of Chriſt,Phil. 4. 22. and did not deny his faith: to be a Saint in Nero's family is very commendable.

And the reaſon thereof is,

1. Becauſe many of Gods children have failed, and abated much of their goodneſſe in bad places. How did Peter fall in the High Prieſts Hall; though when in good company he was zealous, yet there he denied Chriſt. So Abraham when he was in Gerar, and Iſaac alſo, denied their wives: ſo Joſeph in Pharaoh's Court, and learn't the Court Oath, to ſwear by the life of Pharaoh. Hence God commands the children of Iſrael, not to mixe themſelves with the Heathens, leſt they learn their manners and cuſtoms. Bad places are like bad aire for zeale to breath in; as ſheep amongſt brairs loſe part of their fleece, ſo good men in bad company loſe part of their goodneſſe.Heb. 12. 15 As one ſcabbed ſheep may infect a whole flock: ſo one root of bitterneſs may ſpring up and defile many.

2. Reaſ. Becauſe it is a cleer evidence of the ſincerity of a mans goodneſs, to be good in a bad place. This ſhews thy grace to be grace indeed, when thou haſt diſcouragements to be good, and then art holy; this is a demonſtration that thou art ſincerely good, and that thy goodneſs is not counterfeit and taken up upon any ſiniſter and hypocritical end. It is good to be good with the good; but [Page] it is moſt excellent to be good amongſt the bad, and to be beſt amongſt the worſt.

From hence learn the power and unlooſeableneſs of ſaving grace;Vſe. 1. grace makes a man good in the worſt times; let a man be caſt into priſon or bad company (which is the worſt temptation) yet he ſhall not loſe his grace: true grace is compared to oyle; now caſt oyl into a veſſel of water, and the oyl will not mix with the water, but will lie on the top; grace will ſwim upon the water of temptation▪ As all the water in the ſalt ſea cannot make the fiſh ſalt: ſo all the wicked in the world cannot change the nature of grace; a good man like the fiſh retains his goodneſs in bad places; thus Joſeph retained his goodneſſe in the Court of wicked Pharaoh, Nehemiah in the Court of Artaxerxes, Obadiah in Ahab's Court, Daniel in Nebuchadnezzars, the Saints in Nero's houſhold, and Abijah in wicked and idolatrous Ieroboam's houſe.

Though it be a commendable thing to be good in bad places;2. yet you ought to bewail your living in bad places: it is your miſery, though not your ſin; thus did Iſaiah, Wo is me, I am undone; Iſa. 6. [...] becauſe I am a man of unclean lips, Pſal. 120 5 and I dwell in the midſt of a people of unclean lips; ſo David, Wo is me that I dwell in Meſech, and have my habitation in the tents of Kedar, i. e. with the ſinful, idolatrous and barbarous people, the poſterity of Iſhmael; Gen. 25. 13 thus Lots righteous ſoul was vexed from day to [Page]day, 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8. while he dwelt in Sodom, and ſaw their unclean converſations.

Hence we may gather,3 that it is our duty, the more bad the place or family is where God hath caſt your dwelling, the better and more blameleſs you ſhould labour to be; you will by this adorn your Profeſſion, ſtop the mouths of adverſaries, allure and win others to imbrace Chriſtianity.Phil. 2. 15.—We muſt be blameleſs and harmleſs, the Sons of God without rebuke, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe nation, amongſt whom ye ſhine as lights in the world. Stars ſhine brighteſt in a dark night, & fire burneth hotteſt in a cold and froſty day: ſo ſhould thy ſtar of profeſſion ſhine brighteſt in darkeſt places, where thou liveſt, and the fire of thy zeal burn hotteſt in cold time, when the love of many waxes cold.

Then certainly it is a vain plea for men to excuſe their wickedneſs,4 becauſe they live in bad places; this was Abrahams fault to excuſe his lie by being at Gerar. Seneca blames menGen. 20. 11 of laying the fault of their badneſs on the place where they live:Non ego ſ [...]m ambitioſus, ſed nemo Romae aliter vivere poteſt: non ego ſum ſumptuoſus, ſed urbs ipſa magnas impenſas exigit. Sen. I am not ambitious by nature, but no man that lives at Rome can be otherwiſe. I am not given to coſtly and rich Apparel, but I muſt do ſo when I am at Rome. It is the badneſſe of thy heart, and not the place that makes thee bad; no place though never ſo good, can exempt a man from ſin; the Angels ſinned in Heaven, Adam in Paradiſe, Judas in Chriſts family, and no place though never ſo bad can excuſe a man from ſin.

[Page] If it be ſo commendable to be good in bad places,5 then it is abominable to be bad in good places, to be dirty ſwine in a fair meadow; Oh how many are bad in good families, who deſpiſe good counſels, and hate the duties of Religion in religious families! If it was bad for Peter to be evil amongſt the High-Prieſts ſervants, how abominable was it for Judas to be a Traitor amongſt the Apoſtles, and in the family of Chriſt himſelf!

Delight not to be in bad places and companys;6 to delight in ſuch, argues thou art bad thy ſelf.Bonus mali conſortio fecilè pej [...]ratur. We are to hate the garment ſpotted with the fleſh; ſome expound this, To avoid the occaſions of ſin: but Mr. Perkins gives this ſenſe,Jude 23. To hate bad company, and he ſaith, it alludes unto the Ceremonial law, That if a man had a leprous garment, Lev. 15. 4. or a [...]ga [...]ment any otherwiſe made unclean, his company was to be a voided. God therefore gave that command,Deut. 22. 10. Not to plough with an Oxe and an Aſſe together the Aſſe was an unclean creature, and the Oxe was one of the clean beaſts, and they muſt not be in the ſame yoke; To note, (ſay Divines) that Gods people and prophane perſons muſt not be yoked together. Though they may occaſionally meet together,1 Cor. 5. 9, 10. yet they muſt not be yoked together; a man may trade with the wickedeſt man alive,Pſa. 26. 4, 5 commerce is not forbidden, but our joyning with wicked men in a needleſſe familiarity.

Keep company with the godly,7. and delight your ſelves with ſuch as are good. It is [Page] lawful to be in bad company when a juſt occaſion calls, but it is profitable to be in good company. He that walketh with wiſe men ſhall be wiſe, Pro. 13. 20 but he that is a companion of fools ſhall be deſtroyed. As a man that comes in a ſhop of perſumes wil carry away the ſent with him: ſo a man by converſing with the godly ſhall carry away ſome good with him. Labour to to chuſe thoſe for thy companions from whom thou mayeſt get ſome good; but if God ſhould caſt thee into a houſe like the family of Jeroboam, imitate good Abijah, of whom it is ſaid, That in him was found ſome good to the Lord God of Iſrael, even in the houſe of Ieroboam.

Sermon II. At Lawrence Jury, London. 1650.

1 KING. 14. part of the 13. verſe.‘—Becauſe in him there is found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael, in the houſe of Jeroboam.’

HAving diſpatched the Obſervations which may be gathered from the circumſtance in the Text, I come to that main Doctrine which I intend to handle, which is;

God doth not onely exactly take notice of,Doct. but alſo tenderly cheriſh, and graciouſly reward the ſmalleſt beginnings, and weakeſt meaſures of [Page] grace, which he works in the hearts of his own people.

I might produce a cloud of teſtimonies to confirm this point. Our Saviour Chriſt ſaid, that be wil not break the bruiſed reed, nor quench the ſmoking flax. Obſerve,Mat. 12. 20 it is not ſaid; the ſtrong Oak ſhal not be broken, but the bruiſed reed ſhall not be broken; not the light and flaming torch, but the ſmoking flax, ſhal not be quenched.—Smoking flax, where there is but little fire, and much ſmoke of infirmity, yet Chriſt will not quench it,Verba p [...]iu [...] ad cor noſtrum quàm ad cor Dei accommodata. i. e. he will-cheriſh it; here is the figure Meioſis, here is leſſe ſpoken then intended.—He will be ſo far from quenching, that he will cheriſh the ſmoking fl [...]x; as in another place God is ſaid,Pſal. 51. 17 that he will not deſpiſe a broken heart, i. e. He will highly eſteem it.

Solomon ſpeaks of the fig-tree putting forth her green figs, and the Vine with her tender grapes gives a good ſmell, that is, the little meaſure and weak beginnings of grace in young Converts, do pleaſe the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and are as a ſweet ſmel in his noſtrils. Again, Chriſt ſaith,Cant. 2. 13. Let us ſee if the vine flouriſh, whether the tender gr [...]p [...] appear, and the pomegranate bud forth. The green buds regarded by Chriſt as well as the ripe and grown fruit.Cant. 7. 1 [...].

In opening of the Doctrine, I ſhall endeavour to clear theſe two things;

1. That ſome of Gods people have but weak meaſures and ſmall beginnings of grace.

[Page] 2. Though there be but a little grace, yet God will regard and reward it.

1. That ſome of Gods people have but a little grace,—,1. Propſition. have but the beginnings of grace wrought in their ſouls.

In the handling whereof are three things,

1. The truth of the Propoſition may be made good from the Scriptures.

2. I will lay down notes of diſcovery, to know ſuch as have but ſmall meaſures of grace wrought in them.

3. And then ſhew why God in his wiſdom will not ſuffer his people to be all of an equall ſtrength and ſtature in grace.

1. How douth it appear that ſome of Gods people are but weak in grace?1 Queſt

1. By the different names and titles that are given unto Chriſtians in holy Scriptures,1. Anſw. arguing they are of different meaſure and growth in grace. 1.Rom. 15. 1 Some are called ſtrong men, and others weak. 2. Some are called 1 Cor. 3. 1 Babes in Chriſt, and others called grown men. 3.1 Joh. 2. 14 Some are calledIſa. 61. 3. Trees of Righteouſneſ [...], Pſal: 92. 12 Plants of renown, Mat. 12. 20 that grow like Cedars in Lebanon: Others are but a bruiſed reed. Some areCant. 1. 8. Kids in Chriſts flock, and Lambs: 1 Joh. 21. 15, 16, 17. Others are as the He-Goats that go ſtately before the flock. 4. Some have grace flaming forth in much zeal and vivacity, they haveIſa. 4. 4. the ſpirit of burning; and others are but ſmoking flax, i. e. Chriſtians that have much of the ſmoke of infirmity, & but little of the flame of grace.

[Page] 2. By the Analogy that is between ſpiritual and natural differences of age,2 Anſw. ſtrength, and ſtature in man; the Holy Scripture exactly ſets down all the different degrees of grace, under the ſimilitude of the different ages of men.

1. There is aGal. 4. 19 forming of Chriſt in the heart, and ſo a ſpiritual conception.

2. There are thoſe that are but new-born Babes in Chriſt.1 Pet. 1. 23 &c. 2. 2.

3. There are ſome that are advanced from infancy to be Young-men. 1 Joh. 2. 13

4. There are ſome that are grown men in Chriſt,ibid. Old men.—And all this doth but ſet forth the different degrees of grace that are in Chriſtians, ſome having leſs ſome more. —In the Church of Chriſt, which is his Orchard, there are trees of all ſorts, Spikenard and Saffron, Calamus and Cynamon with all trees of Frankinzenſe,Cant. 2. 14 Myrre and Aloes,Brightman. &c. Brightman on this Scripture notes, that hereby is meant the ſeveral ſorts of Chriſtians. Spikenard & Saffron are young weak Profeſſors; theſe are tender Plants that ſcarce lift up the head above the ground. Calamus & Cynamon which are ſhrubs of two cubits high, more Chriſtians of a middle ſize; & the other trees note Chriſtians of a more eminent meaſure and growth in grace.

A ſecond queſtion, How may a man know himſelf,2 Queſt. that be is but of a little meaſure and ſmall beginning in grace?

1. To be much in dependance on duties,Anſw. 1. [Page] argues thou art but weak in grace. A young Chriſtian is like a young Carpenter, he makes many chips, & hath many blows, but doth not make ſuch ſmooth work as an experienced Carpenter, who will make fewer chips, and at fewer blows better work: ſo young Chriſtians, they are much in the uſe of duty, but they are ap to relie upon duty; they think duties make them Saints, & they are apt to make Saviours of their duties. Young Chriſtians are 1. Affectionate in duties, and 2. Frequent in their duties. 3. And ſee not their failings in their duties, and ſo are apt to reſt on their duties. As it is a ſigne of an Apoſtate Profeſſor to caſt off duty, ſo alſo a note of a young and weak Profeſſor to reſt too much upon his duties.

2. A weak Chriſtian is not clearly inſighted into the cloſe & ſpirituall failings,Aaſw. 2. which cleave to his performances. He doth ſee his gifts, and takes notice of his affections, but he doth not ſee the vanity of his minde, the unſoundneſs of his ends, his carnal dependance upon his duty, ſelf-love and vaine glory; but in tract of time a grown Chriſtian doth take notice of theſe things in himſelf; an experienced Chriſtian will take as much notice of his failing in duty, as of his ability in it, and though he diſcerne an inlargement of gifts and graces in him at ſome times; yet he ſtill diſcerns much ſpiritual pride, popular applauſe, oſtentation of gifts, too much forwardneſſe in ſetting out his parts, which a [Page] weak Chriſtian ſeldom perceives.

3. To have a ſcrupulous conſcience aboutAnſw 3. matters of indifferency argues a weak Chriſtian;Rom. 14. 1. for ſo the Apoſtle cals them, weak in the faith, Rom. 15. 1. ſuch as did binde the conſcience when the Scriptures left it free. One believer thought he might eat any thing, and another doubted of the lawfulnes of eating ſundry things. Now thoſe that doubted, the Apoſtle calsRom 14. 21. Weak; and the weak conſcience is apt to be defiled. Not to know our liberty, & to abuſe our liberty,1 Cor. 8. 7. c. 9. 2. is an argument we have but little grace. Young Converts make more ſinners then ever God made, they perplex and intangle themſelves meerly in indifferent things. It is true, there ought to be a conſciencious tenderneſſe in all Chriſtians: tenderneſſe of conſcience is our duty, but a tormenting, intangling ſcrupuloſity is our infirmity: and yet as a weak Chriſtian is better then no Chriſtian, a weake faith is better then a dead faith; ſo a ſcrupulous conſcience is better then a ſeared conſcience.

4. To be ſo intently ſet on the exerciſes of Religion as to neglect our particular callings,Anſw. 4. is a ſigne we are but weak in grace. It was a good ſaying of that famous man of God, Dr. Sibbs; I like that Chriſtian well, that will hear much and live much, that, will pray much and work much. Dr. Sibbs. In young Converts their affections are ſtrong and ſtirring, and they think they can never hear enough, and they many times do neglect the duties of their [Page] callings, which doth argue their weakneſſe and infirmity. An experienced grown Chriſtian, is regular in his general and particular calling; ſo as the one ſhall not juſtle and hinder the other.

5. To have mens perſons in admiration argues weakneſſe in grace;Anſw. 5, ſuch were the Corinthians who had mens perſons in admiration: the Apoſtle calls them, Children, Babes and poor, low, and carnall Chriſtians: Babes, though they had the life of Chriſtians; yet they had but little of the ſtrength of Chriſtians. —They were carnal, 1 Cor. 3. 1, 4. they ſavoure'd more of the fleſh then of the Spirit. Ignorance is often a cauſe of admiration; weak Chriſtians who have but little knowledge, are apt to be ſo taken with mens perſons, that one cryes, I am of Paul,Jam. 2. 1. [...]. and another, I am of Apollo, and ſo fall into the ſin condemned of having the faith of Chriſt with reſpect of perſons, to cry up one Miniſter, and to cry down others. To idolize ſome, & to deſpiſe others argues that thou art weak in faith. A ſolid Chriſtian loves all good miniſters, and can contemne none.

6. To be eaſily ſeduced and led away into error, argues but weakneſſe in grace.Anſw. 6. Thoſe the Apoſtle calls Children who are toſſed to and fro, Eph. 4. 14. and carried about with every winde of doctrine. Weakneſſe of head doth argue that grace is not very ſtrong in thy heart. The way not to fall from our ſtedfaſtneſſe, is, to grow in grace; for the Apoſtle Peter doth joyn [Page] thoſe two duties together,2 Pet. 3. 17 18. having given a caution, verſ. 17. not to fall from ſteadfaſtneſſe, verſ. 18. He gives counſel to grow in grace; ſtrong Chriſtians are ſtedfaſt, whereas weak ones are inconſtant; and therefore thoſe Profeſſors that have been whirl'd about with divers opinions, it is an evidence they have but weak grace, if any.

7. Such as are only acquainted with the common Principles of Religion,Anſw. 7. without further ſearch into the depths and myſteries of Religion.—There are ſome Profeſſors who may be fitly ſtiled Babes in Chriſt, becauſe they have need of milk, being unskilfull in the Word of Righteouſneſſe,Heb. 5. 12, 13. that is, in the more ſolid doctrines of the Goſpel, concerning Chriſt, who is our Righteouſneſs. Thus the Diſciples and Apoſtles of Chriſt knew but little of the myſtery of our Redemption at firſt, and were ignorant concerning theLuke 9. 45. Paſſſion of Chriſt, of theMar. 9. 10. Reſurrection, as alſo of theJohn 10, 16, 17. Aſcenſion of Chriſt, till the Holy Ghoſt came and taught them theſe things, and brought thoſe things to remembrance that Chriſt had taught them.

8. Weak Chriſtians are ſtrong in affections,Anſw. 8. and not in judgment, they have uſually more heat then light; young Chriſtians are like young horſes, they have much metal, but are not ſo fit for a journey, becauſe they are not ſo through paced: there are many Chriſtians that have much zeal and affection, but are not ſo ſolid in their judgments; but [Page] this argues much weakeneſſe in grace.

9. A weak Chriſtian is one that cannot bear reproof.Anſw. 9. Sharp weather will diſcover whether thou art of a weak or ſound body;—ſo a ſharp reproof will diſcover whether thou art of a weak ſpiritual temper & conſtitution. When Nathan came to David he could bear the reproof, though the Prophet told him to his face, He was the man that had ſinned; but Aſa, 2 Sam. 12. 7. though a good man, could not endure the faithfull reproof of a Prophet,2 Chron. 16. 10. But was wroth with the Seer, and put him in the priſon-houſe.

10. A weak Believer is one that can truſt God for his ſoul,Anſ. 10. but not for his body.—So Jeſus Chriſt argues that thoſe had little faith, Mat. 6. 30. who did expect heaven and happineſſe from God their Father, and durſt truſt him with their ſouls and eternal concerments, & yet durſt not truſt him for food & raiment. There are thoſe that dare truſt God for heaven, and yet not truſt him for earth, but theſe are [...] of little faith. The Diſciples when they wanted bread, [...]. began to reaſon amongſt themſelves how they ſhould be ſupplyed. —Oh ye of little faith (ſaith Chriſt) Why do you thus reaſon? Mat. 16. 8. Can you truſt me for the bread of eternal life, and dare you not truſt me for the bread of this life?

Be not then diſcouraged you that diſcern in your ſelves but ſmall meaſures of grace;1 Vſe. look on your wants and imperfections, ſo as to grow in grace, and not to be content with [Page] any meaſure: But look not on the ſmall beginnings in grace, as diſcouragement to you. When you ſee in a field a great Oake, you may ſay, this great tree was once but a ſmall acorne. Thoſe Chriſtians who are now but ſmall ſpriggs, may hereafter be tall Cedars: ſay to thy ſoul, though I am but weak, yet I ſhall be ſtrong: grace where it is true will be growing, the ſmoking flax may be a burning and ſhining lampe in Gods Candleſtick: and therefore as you muſt not be content with the greateſt meaſure of grace; ſo neither be diſcouraged with the leaſt meaſure of Grace. A grain of muſtard ſeed,Mat. 17. 20 may grow a great tree.

Content not your ſelves with ſmall meaſures of grace;2 Vſe. a little of the world will not content you.—In the womb a foot contents us, three foot in the Cradle, and ſeven foot in the grave: but betwixt the Cradle and the grave, a whole world will not content us, and ſhall a little grace content us? For wealth and deſire of it, thou art as the Horſe-leech which cries, give, and as the grave that never ſaith it is enough; and for grace wilt thou be content with a little?

Sermon III. At Lawrence Jury, London. March 16. 1650/1.

[Page]

1. KINGS 14. part of the 13. verſe.‘—Becauſe in him there is found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael in the houſe of Jeroboam.’

WE have given ſome Scripture Characters of thoſe that have a little grace, now we proceed to reſolve a third queſtion.

3. Queſt. 3 Queſt. Why doth God ſo order and ordain it, that among his own people all ſhall not be of an equal ſtature in Chriſt, but there are of them ſome in whom there ſhall be but the beginnings of grace found?

Anſw. Anſw. It is true, it is not with Regeneration as it was in the Creation; it is not with the Trees of Righteouſneſſe, as it was with the Trees of Paradiſe, which were created all perfect at the firſt: but it is not ſo in the Work of Grace, we are not perfectly ſanctified, nor at once, but we perfect holineſſe in the fear of God, and that by degrees; and God hath given to ſome of his people but ſmall beginnings and meaſures of grace, and that for theſe Reaſons.

1. To put a difference between our eſtate on earth, and our being in heaven. In heaven we ſhall all have an equal ſtature in grace, [Page] though it be diſputed that there are different degrees of glory. But in heaven the ſpirits of juſt men ſhall all be made perfect, Heb. 12. 23 and there we ſhall all come unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt. Eph. 4. 13. All believers here are juſtified by God alike. God doth not acquit the ſtrong, and hold guilty the weak, but juſtification is alike to all, but our ſanctification is not alike, but when we come to heaven, our ſanctification ſhall be then as our Juſtification is now, that is, perfect and equal, we ſhall have not only a perfection of parts, but of degrees.

2. This is to make men live in a continual dependance upon divine influxe and ſupplies from the Spirit of God. If children ſhould be born perfect men as Adam was created, we ſhould not then ſee that continual need of, & dependance on our Parents. We are bred in the womb, and afterward born in the world, and then by degrees grow up from ſtature to ſtature; and ſo it is in grace, God deals thus—Converting grace doth not make us ſo perfect as we ſhall be afterward. At the firſt Creation he made the trees all fruitful, and at their full growth; but now 'tis otherwiſe, they are firſt kernels or ſeeds, then plants before they are grown trees, and they have dependance on the influences of heaven: ſo we are firſt babes, then young men, and then ſtrong men in Chriſt, to keep our ſouls in a dependance on Gods grace.

[Page] 3. For the greater ornament of the myſtical body of Chriſt. In a natural body, if every member ſhould be of an equal bigneſſe, the body would be monſtrous: but the body is ſo proportioned in its different members, that the leſſer become ſerviceable to the greater, and ſo they all orderly diſcharge their mutual operations. As in Muſick there would be no harmony, if the ſtrings were all of an equal bigneſſe; but one ſtring being the baſe, and the other the treble, that makes the Muſick to be more melodious; ſo it is in grace, the different degrees of grace makes the body of Chriſt more harmonious. It is here as in ſome curious piece of needle work; if all the ſilkes were of one colour, it would not ſet out the work with ſo much luſtre and amiableneſſe, as the variety of colours will do.

4. To make Gods people ſee a neceſſity of maintaining fellowſhip and communion together, to edifie and build up each other. There would be no need of Chriſtian diſcourſe and holy fellowſhip, did not our weakneſſe require it. As among the members of the body, God hath ſo ordered them, that each member is ſerviceable to another, the eye cannot ſay to the hand, I have no need of thee: 1 Cor. 12. 21. ſo among the people of God, ſome being weak, others ſtrong, there is a neceſſity of maintaining Communion together. There is an inſtinct in nature, that things weak in themſelves cleave to thoſe things which are ſtronger then they.Pro. 30. 26 The Conies are but a feeble [Page]flock, yet make they their houſes in the rocks: among birds the Dove the ſillieſt and moſt ſhiftleſſe creature,Cant. 2. 14. yet ſhe hides her ſelf in the clefts of the rock; the Vine among the trees the weakeſt, yet it clings to the wall; the Hopps among the plants, yet it twines about the pole. So God hath ordered it in his infinite wiſdom, that ſome Chriſtians ſhould be ſtronger, and ſome weaker in grace, that the ſtrong may help the weake, and each be ſerviceable to one another.

5. To ſet out the glory of God in all his glorious attributes.

1. This different ſize of grace in Chriſtians, doth glorifie the mercy of God, and the free grace of God, who when there are ſome Chriſtians that have but a little grace, yet God rewards thoſe ſmall meaſures of grace with great meaſures of glory.

1. This magnifies the power of God, who when we are weak, yet the great God manifeſts his power in our weakneſſe,2 Cor. 12. 9, 10. yea, his ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſſe. Ver. 10▪ And therefore Paul addes, verſ. 10. For when I am weak, then am I ſtrong, that is, in Chriſt. Is it not a demonſtration of great power, to keep a ſmall ſparke of fire that it ſhall not be quenched in a flood of water? yet behold that little ſpark of grace in thee, ſhall not be quenched in thee by the flood and torrent of thy corruptions. It is by Gods power that the leaſt meaſure of grace ſhall be preſerved. There is not ſo much of Gods power [Page] ſeen in preſerving the Angels, as a weak Believer; for the Angels, though mutable, yet are perfect creatures, they have no weights of ſins and corruptions to pull them down. But alas! we have ſuch a bias and inclination to ſin, that we are apt to be turned aſide from God every moment. The Power of God is more ſeen in preſerving a poor believer in the ſtate of grace, then in preſerving the Angels in the ſtate of innocency. And as Gods power is ſeen in preſerving of a little grace, ſo it's alſo ſeen in the increaſing of ſmall grace. Grace is like to that cloud wch the Prophets ſervants ſaw, which at firſt was but like a mans hand, but afterwards, it overſpread the whole heavens. 1 Kings 18 44, 45. True grace is of a ſpreading and increaſing nature; and therfore the increaſe of our graces may be ſhadowed out in the viſion of the waters of the Sanctuary, which at firſt were but to the ankles after that to the knees, then to the loynes, and at laſt ſo deep that they could not be paſſed over. Ezek. 47. 3, 4, 5.

3. God doth hereby glorifie his wiſdome, As Gods wiſdome is demonſtrated in the world, by the variety of creatures, which are not all of the ſame bulk and bigneſſe, but ſome bigger and ſome leſſer: ſo in the Church of God, his wiſdom appears, that ſome Chriſtians are of greater, and ſome of a leſſer meaſure of grace. Search the whole Creation and you ſhall find the wiſdome of God in the variety of Creatures. In the heavens [Page] there are the greater and leſſer lights, and ſo ſtarres of different magnitude, doe beautifie and beſpangle the heavens: ſo in the ſea there are greater and leſſer fiſhes: in the air the great Eagle and little Sparrow: on the earth the Elephant and little Dog: amongſt the creeping things there's the great Serpent and the little Piſmire: amongſt the vegetables, the tall Cedar and the Hyſop on the wall: And alſo amongſt the rationall Creatures, there is a Gyant and a Dwarfe: a grown man of a tall ſtature, and a childe but of a ſpan long. So is Gods wiſdome greatly illuſtrated, that as there is variety of natural proportions in the world; ſo there are various proportions of grace in his Church amongſt his children.

Before I come to apply this point, which is of very great uſe to Gods children, for their comfort; I ſhall lay down ſome general Poſitions about ſmall meaſures of grace.

That in the Church there are found more weak Chriſtians then ſtrong,1. Poſit. more young Converts then old and grown Chriſtians.

As in a Forreſt there are more young ſprouts then old trees, in a garden more young ſlips then old roots, in the world more young children then old men. In Niniveh there were 120000 Infants, but there was not ſuch a number of old men.Jon. 4. 11. Quò perfect [...]res, [...]ò pauciores. By how much things are perfect, by ſo much they are the fewer. Look amongſt other creatures, thoſe [Page] that are of a bigger bulk are of a leſſer number, as in the ſea there are more young and little fiſh then great whales; on the earth the ſmalleſt things are innumerable; Jer. 46. 23. in the aire there are more ſwarms of flies, then flocks of birds; ſo in the Church of God there are more that are young and weak Converts then old Chriſtians. It is with moſt Chriſtians as it was with Jonathans ſignal arrows, which he ſhot to warn David by,1 Sam. 20. 36. of which two fel ſhort, and but one beyond the mark:—So where one Chriſtian ſhoots home to the mark of the price of the high calling in Chriſt Jeſus, there are many fall ſhort.

That there are many that have but weak meaſures and ſmall beginnings of grace,2. Poſit. who have been a long time under the Profeſſion of Religion, and under the means of grace; ſuch were the Hebrews, who for the time that they ought to be teachers, yet had need that one ſhould teach them again, Heb. 5. 12. which be the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God, and are become ſuch as have need of milk and not of ſtrong meat; and I may accommodate to this purpoſe that ſpeech of Chriſt,Mat. 19. 30 Many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. There are many who went out early, and took as it were the firſt ſtep in Profeſſion of Religion; and yet others have over-gone them, who went out after them. Many who have but weak meaſures of grace, have been of long ſtanding under the meanes of grace. And therefore Chriſtians are not to judge the [Page] ſtrength of grace by their Profeſſion, but by their Proficiency; It is not how many yeares you have been Profeſſors, but what experience and judgment have you gotten under Ordinances.

That the ſmalleſt meaſures of grace cannot merit eternal life and glory,3. Poſit. becauſe great meaſures cannot.Miſerationes Dei ſunt merita noſtra. In merit there ought to be a proportion; but between grace and glory there is none; our ſervices are imperfect, our ſalvation is perfect; our ſervices but momentary, our glory is eternal;Deus coronat non merita noſtra, ſed dona ſua. there is no compariſon between our light duties and eternal weight of glory.Cant. 2. 14 The Church in the Canticles is deſcribed according to the ſeveral parts of her body: Her voice is ſweet, her Countenance comely, and her Doves eyes are btautifull. Behold thou art fair my Love, (ſaith Chriſt) thou haſt Doves eyes, Cant. 1. 15 thy Cheekes are comely with rowes of Jewels, and thy neck with chains of Gold. Now it is very obſervable,Cant. 1. 10. that though Chriſt commends the Churches Eyes, her Hair, her Teeth, her Lips and Speech, her Temples, her Breaſts, her Neck, &c. Cant. 4. 1, 2 3, 4, &c. yet he doth not commend her hands, to ſhew that though ſhe be adorned with many graces, as with ſo many beautiful ornaments and cōmely lineaments, yet ſhe merits nothing at the hands of Chriſt by all her doings. The Churches beauty is perfect through the comelineſſe of Chriſt. Ezek. 16. 14.

That believers ought not to reſt ſatisfied with the ſmall meaſures of grace,4. Poſit. they have [Page] received; though a little grace may bring you to heaven, yet you are not to take up therewith; but if you have got a little grace, labour for more; and to quicken you hereunto, Conſider,

1. Small meaſures of grace are not ſo ſenſible and evidential to your ſelves, little things becauſe they are little, are not ſeen. There may be a little duſt hovering up and down in the aire, yet becauſe it is ſmall we ſee it not: this i [...] the reaſon why Chriſtians doubt; grace is little, and therefore it is not diſcern'd.Mat. 8. 26. compared with Mar. 4. 40. Compare Mat. 8. 28. with Mar. 4. 40. and we ſhal finde, that in Matthew, Chriſt ſaith, in his reproof to his diſciples, O ye of little faith. And in Mark, How is it that ye have no faith? You may from the variety of theſe expreſſions gather this, that a little faith unexerciſed, as to comfort, is as good as no faith: it was ſo little, it was as good as none in that particular exigence they were in; you may have a little grace, and yet as to comfort, that little and weak grace may not further thee in a way of ſtrong conſolation. Not but that a weak Chriſtian is accepted, that the weaker Chriſtian may lie in his Fathers boſome;—yet it is the ſtrength of grace that gives us ſtrong conſolation.

2. Conſider, that ſmall meaſures of grace, though they may bring you to heaven, yet they are not ſo uſefull to others; a weak Chriſtian cannot do much good in Chriſtian converſe, becauſe they want judgement [Page] and experience in the wayes of God; and therfore ſuch are not to be received to doubtfull diſputations, Rom. 14. 1, &c. 15. 1. but are to be born withal.Gal. 6. 1. Spiritual and ſtrong Chriſtians are moſt uſeful. Young converts are not fit for ſome exerciſes about Religion; they are not fit to ſtrengthen others. When thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy brethren: Luk. 22. 32 It is not to be underſtood of his firſt converſion; but of his Progreſſe in Religion, as if Chriſt had ſaid; when thou art ſtrengthned thy ſelf, ſtrengthen thy brethren.—There are ſome duties which young converts are not fit for;Mar. 16. 16 17. A piece of new cloth is not fit for an old garment, neither old bottles fit for new wine. Pareus. Pareus and moſt Expoſitors refer that place to that caſe of conſcience,Verſ. 14. Why Chriſts diſciples did not faſt often:—They were like old and weak bottles, and ſo were not fit for that ſtrong duty which was as new wine, and would be apt to break them. Chriſt ſaid to his diſciples, That he had many things to ſay unto them, Joh. 16. 12 which in regard of their weakneſſe they were not then able to hear.

3, Nor are ſmall meaſures of grace ſo honourable to God; God is glorified, Joh. 15. 8. when his people bear much fruit. Much meanes and paines and little fruit, is a ſhame to the Vine dreſſer; and therefore believers muſt not reſt ſatisfied with ſmal meaſures of grace.

It is our duty to improve thoſe ſmal meaſures of grace which God hath given us.5. Poſit.

And conſider, As he that is faithfull in a little,[Page]God will make him ruler over much. Luk. 19. 17 Uſe of grace will increaſe it;—yet if thy grace be increaſed, aſcribe all to God, it is Gods pound, and not thy pains hath gained.

1. Vſe is of comfort to weak Chriſtians,1. Vſe. to thoſe young Abijahs, in whom there is found but ſome little good. Let ſuch know to their comfort,

1. Though thy grace be but little in quantity, yet it is much in value. A pearle, though but litle in ſubſtance, yet it is of great worth, ſo a little grace is of great value; The heart of a wicked man is nothing worth; you may have much knowledge, and ſeeming grace, but no true worth. A ſhop full of barrels will not make a man rich, unleſſe thoſe veſſels be full of commodities: gifts as to heaven, are but the lumber of a Chriſtian, it is grace that makes him rich towards God.

2. Though thy grace be little for the preſent, yet it will grow for the future to a greater meaſure.Mat. 13. 31 32. The little grain of Muſtardſeed (the leaſt of ſeeds) will in time grow up to a tree. Grace is fitly compared to leaven, which is of a ſpreading nature;Mat. 13. 33 1 to the cloud which the Prophets ſervant ſaw,Kings 18. 44. and to the waters of the Sanctuary, Ezek. 47. 3. 4. which did all increaſe. An Infant of dayes ſhall proceed by degrees, till he become like the Ancient of dayes, perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect. Arbor procera Cypreſſu [...]. Naturaliſts obſerve, that the ſeeds of the Cypreſſetree are very ſmall, and yet of them proceeds a very high tree: Such is the birth and growth of grace.

[Page] 3. The little meaſure of grace once begun in the ſoul ſhall be perfected.Mat. 12. 20—God wil not break the bruiſed reed, nor quench the ſmoaking flax until judgment be perfected in victory. By judgment is meant there, the work of Sanctification, till that comes to be prevalent over corruption. Paul was confident,Phil. 1. 6. That the that bad begun a good work in them, would finiſh it, unto the day of Jeſus Chriſt. 1 Theſ. 5. 24. The Lord is faithful and will doe it. God hath commanded us to go on to perfection, Heb. 6. 1. and he doth not command impoſſibilities. God blames men of folly, in not proceeding to finiſh when they have begun to build. Luke 14. 28, 29. God will never begin to reare up a ſtructure of grace, and never finiſh it.—Beſides, God hath promiſed to perfect that which concerns his ſervants. Pſal. 138. 8.

4. The weakeſt Chriſtian hath grace alike for quality, though not for quantity, though thy grace be not ſo much; yet it is as true as others: though but a convert of yeſterday: yet grace as true as of an old Stander in Religion.—Faith is alike precious in all believers;2 Pet. 1. 1. for quality, though not for quantity. —Faith in all believers is alike,

1. In reſpect of the Author, God.

2. The Object, it holds upon the ſame Chriſt.

3. The Means of working it are the ſame, viz. the Word and Spirit. A little grace is true grace. Fire in the ſparke is as well fire as the flame: the filings of gold are gold, as well as the whole [Page] wedge, a drop of water is water, as well as the whole Ocean. A little grace is true grace.

4. The End, it hath the ſame ſalvation of ſoul, 1 Pet. 1. 9.

5. God will not put your weak grace to tryal beyond your ſtrength;Iſa. 27. 8. God will debate with it in meaſure; he will ſtay his rough wind in the day of his Eaſt-wind.—Thou ſhalt not have ſuch boiſterous ſtormes of temptation, as a ſtrong Chriſtian—God will not ſuffer us to be tempted above what we are able. 1 Cor. 10. 13. God will take care that the ſpirit ſhall not faile. Iſa. 57. 16.

6. Take this for your comfort, the leaſt meaſure of grace is enough to bring you to heaven. This is not ſpoken to make you idle, but only to comfort a perplexed conſcience. Many becauſe their grace is weak, they think they have no grace.Rev. 3. 8. I have ſet before thee (ſaith Chriſt to the Church of Philadelphia) an open door, and no man can ſhut in for thou haſt a little ſtrength, and haſt kept my Word, and haſt not denyed my name. It is true, our comfort lies much in the comparative degree, but our ſalvation in the poſitive degree; ſtrong grace hath ſtrong comfort; much faith will bring thee with much comfort to heaven; but a little faith will bring thee ſafely to heaven.

Sermon IV. At Lawrence Jury, London. March 16. 1650/1.

[Page]

1. KINGS 14. part of the 13. verſe.‘—Becauſe in him there is found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael in the houſe of Jeroboam.’

BEfore we come to the uſe of Caution, I ſhall here ſtate a caſe of conſcience, which is this, A caſe of conſcience reſolved. That if amongſt Gods People there are ſome found that have but little grace, and but ſmall meaſures found in them; Then what is the leaſt meaſure of geace, leſs then which a man cannot be ſaid to be in the ſtate of grace?

This is a practical and uſeful caſe.

Firſt: this is of great uſe to Chriſtians, who are but of a lower form in Religion, and have but little grace; yet they may know that little they have: and though they have not attained ſtrength of grace; yet they may know the truth of grace in themſelves: and although they come ſhort of ſtrong believers, yet they ſhall hereby know they go beyond the hypocrite: for the leaſt meaſure of grace, is better then the greateſt meaſure of gifts.

Secondly, the knowledge of this will quicken the ſoule unto due indevours after a further increaſe. This will teach them to abound more and more. 1. Theſ 4. 1

[Page] Now that we may diſcover what is the loweſt degree of true grace, we ſhall ſhew you it in ſome of theſe following particulars.

1. A light in the ſoul to ſee the evill and the miſchievous nature of ſin, though not an ability to mortifie ſin. The entrance of Gods Word giveth light, and giveth underſtanding to the ſimple, Pſal. 119. that is, the firſt work of the Word upon the ſoul, the very beginning of converting; grace in the heart is light, whereby thou ſeeſt ſin and its ſinfulneſſe. And it was in the firſt creation, the firſt thing that was created was light: ſo in the ſecond creation, the firſt work is to open the eyes of the blind, and to turn them from darkneſſe to light, Acts 26. 18 and from the power of Satan unto God. Upon the work of converſion in the ſouie, the firſt degree of grace is to be inlightned with the light of the living So that where this light is wanting;Job 33. 30. there cannot be a work of grace.

2. A ſetled and fixed purpoſe of heart to leave ſin, and to cleave unto God.—Grace doth not conſiſt ſo much in an actual mortifying of ſin, as in an unfeigned and ſettled purpoſe of heart to leave every ſin.

The Prodigals reſolution to go to his fathers houſe,Luke 15. 17, 18. argued ſome grace in him. I will ariſe and go to my fathers houſe, that is, I will leave my wicked company and courſes▪ and it is ſaid, His father ſaw him afar off, and ran and met him. The Lord did work in him a purpoſe to leave his ſin. Gregory on this [Page] ſaith,Greg. That remiſſion of ſin came to his heart before his Confeſſion breake out in his ſpeech to his father. So David, I acknowledged my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; Pſal. 32. 5. I ſaid I will confeſſe my tranſgreſſion to the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin. Auguſt. Auguſtine obſerves on this place, That David doth not ſay he did confeſſe, but he purpoſed to confeſſe hi [...] ſin, and yet this his purpoſe was true grace, though one of the leaſt meaſures of grace. That holy purpoſe of David argued grace in him, when he ſaid,Pſal. 17. 3. I have purpoſed and will not tranſgreſſe thy law, Pſal. 119. 106. I have ſworn and will perform it, that I wil keep thy righteous judgements. It argues grace when a ſoul doth cleave unto the Lord with ful purpoſe of heart. Act. 11. 23.

3. Another low meaſure of grace is this; A ſenſible complaint of the want of grace. Thus he that came to Chriſt, and ſaid with teares, Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief, he had grace.Mar. 9. 24. He doth not ſay, Lord help my faith, but Lord help my unbelief. His expreſſion about his unbelief, did note not onely his want, but his ſenſibleneſſe of his want. This is that Poverty of Spirit, which hath the firſt place in the Beatitudes;Mat. 5. 3. this is the loweſt round of the ladder. The Apoſtle tels us, That the Spirit helps our infirmities, in ſighs and groans that cannot be uttered. Rom. 8. 26. Obſerve here, that it's not ſaid the Spirit helps us with comforts and joyes, but with ſighs and groans, whence we may learn that the Spirits help is as well in ſighs and groans, and ſenſible complaints [Page] of our wants, as in holy raviſhments. Strength of grace is ſeen in holy joyes and raviſhments of Spirit, but truth of grace may be ſeen & diſcerned in ſighs, groans and complaints of our wants; they are ſaid to be ſighes and groans which cannot be uttered, not in regard of their greatneſſe; but (as Maſter Perkins obſerves) in regard of their weakneſſe.Perkins. Curae leves loqueuntur, ingentes ſtupent. Gods children at firſt wanting ability to expreſſe their own thoughts. To be ſenſible of the want of grace is grace; for nature cannot make a man duly ſenſible of the want of grace, nor ſenſibly to complain of that want.

4. Earneſt deſire after more grace, argues there is grace in the ſoul, though it be but ſmall. I do not place the beginning of grace in an ability to exerciſe grace; but rather in an earneſt deſire after grace. Deſire after grace, is accounted by God the grace it ſelfe we deſire; for ſo we finde that Nehemiah's deſire to fear the Lord, is counted for actuall fearing God.Neh. 1. 11. compared with Neh. 5. Deſires are the ſeeds of grace, and the graces themſelves are the bloſſomes and ſweet fruit that ſpring from thence; grace exerciſed is the fruit of a holy deſire after grace.

That the deſires after grace is in Gods acceptation grace, may be thus demonſtrated.

1. Gods people have appealed unto God, concerning the uprightneſſe of their hearts, meerly by their deſires;—ſo ſaith the Church.Iſa. 26. 8, 9. The d [...]ſire of our ſoul is to thy name, and the remembrance of thee; and with my[Page]ſoul have I deſired thee in the night.

2. God hath made many gracious promiſes, not only to the acting and exerciſing of grace, but to the deſires after grace. Bleſſed are they that do hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſſe: Mat. 5. 6. for they ſhal be filled.—If any man thirſt (ſaith Chriſt) let him come unto me and drink; Joh. 7. 37. nay there is a general and univerſal invitation to every one that thirſteth, to come to the waters; and God hath promiſed to give to him that is at hirſt of the fountain of the water of life freely. Iſa. 55. 1. The Lord hath promiſed to fulfil the deſire of thoſe that fear him, Rev. 21. 6. and wil heare the deſire of the humble. Pſa. 145. 19 So that by theſe promiſes it doth appear,Pſal. 10. 17. that hungring and thirſting, & deſires after grace, are graces in Gods account and acceptation.

Now leſt men ſhould reſt in lazy and ſluggiſh deſires, and thereby neglect the exerciſe of grace, I ſhall give you an account in what ſenſe the Scripture reckons upon deſires after grace, to be grace.

1. They are ſupernatural deſires. 'Tis true there are natural deſires in the ſoul after that which is good,—it is the language of nature,Pſal. 4. 6. Who wil ſhow us any good; now theſe deſires may and do ariſe from the motion of the natural and unſanctified will of man; and theſe deſires are after happineſſe, and not after holineſſe; ſuch were the deſires of Balaam: who ſaid,Numb. 23. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my laſt end be like his. This was but a natural deſire. But true deſires in [Page] the ſoul are after heaven, for holineſſe ſake.Veluntatem fi [...]is, non mediorum. Bern. Bernard notably ſets out theſe deſires of natural men,—That they have a deſire of the End, and not of the Means.

2. Deſires after grace are joyned with holy indeavours; and therefore the Apoſtle joyns deſire and zeal together;2 Cor. 7. 11. to intimate that true deſires are alwayes joyned with zealous indeavours. Thus the Apoſtle alſo joyneth a readineſſe of will, and performance together. God will never accept the will for the deed, unleſſe there be an indeavour to performe,2 Cor. 8. 11. what we ſay we are willing to do. And therefore Solomon rightly deſcribes, how pernicious deſires are without indeavours. The deſires of the flothfull (ſaith he) kil him, becauſe his hands refuſe to labour. Bernard deſcribes the lazineſſe to the life: Carnal men love to obtain, Pro. 21. 25 but love not to follow Chriſt: they will not indeavour to ſeek him whom they deſire so finde. Conales cupiunt Chriſtum conſequi, ſed non ſe quinon cu rant quaerere quem deſiderant iavenire

3. Deſires which are true and gratious are unſatisfiable; thus David ſpeaks of his deſires: My ſoul (ſaith he) breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times; yea he further deſcrib es the ardency and unſatisfiableneſſe of his deſires by the Harts panting after the water-brooks. Bern. The Hart is naturally the moſt thirſty of all creatures,—Pſal. 119. 20. but this thirſt is much increaſed when the poor beaſt is chaſed with dogs: even ſo the true deſires of the ſoul after grace,Pſal. 42. 1. are earneſt, ardent and vehement deſires.2 Cor. 7. 11.

[Page] 4. You may know true deſires after grace by their Object. Deſires they are not gracious, if they be more after outward things then after God.Pſal. 42. 2. So David, My ſoul thirſteth after God, after the living God. Pſal. 63. 1. My ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth after thee in a dry and thirſty land where no water is. Thus his ſoul longed, and did break with longing after Gods judgements.—Now therefore wouldeſt thou know whether thou haſt any begining of grace in thy ſoul,Pſa. 119. 20 examine what thy deſires are; perhaps thou canſt not pray, but thou deſireſt to pray: perhaps thou canſt not mourn for ſin, but doſt thou mourn that thou canſt not mourn? Perhaps thou doſt not believe, (as thou feareſt) but doſt thou deſire to believe? Perhaps thou canſt not repent, but doſt thou deſire to repent, and doſt thou labour to repent? Then thou mayeſt conclude that thou haſt ſome beginnings of true grace in thy ſoul.

5. We may know the truth of grace though it be little, by the earneſt deſire after the Word and the means of grace.—Thus Peter ſets forth our deſires,1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. There is in a child a natural inſtinct as ſoon as ever it is born, to deſire after the mothers breaſt: the Apoſtle makes it a reſemblance of a ſpiritual man; a man ſpiritually new born, wil deſire after the Word, the means of grace, that he may grow in grace.

[Page] 6. An indeared love to thoſe that have grace.1 Joh. 3. 14. By this you know you are paſt from death to life, becauſe you love the brethren. Caſuiſts upon this text, ſay, that love to Gods children is the firſt grace, and firſt appears in young converts. The natives in New England, it is obſerved, upon their converſion, (for God hath begun there to bring ſome of thoſe poor creatures from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan to himſelf) the firſt appearance of grace in them, is in their love and reſpect to thoſe that are truly gracious. Thus I have ſhewed you an anſwer to the queſtion, what are the leaſt meaſures of grace, without which, or ſome of them, a man cannot be ſaid to have grace, and whereſoever any of theſe are, that mans condition is ſafe, and theſe little meaſures of grace will bring a man to heaven.

I ſhall here lay down ſome cautions to prevent miſ-application.—

Though theſe ſmall meaſures of grace are ſaving,1. Caution. yet you muſt not content your ſelves with them. Take heed, leſt what I have ſaid, for the ſupport of the weakneſſe of ſome Chriſtians, become not a pillow for the idleneſs of others; But let us ſtriue to go on unto perfection. We muſt not ſit down with any meaſure of grace.Heb. 6. 1. And to perſwade you hereunto;

1. Conſider, that things meerly neceſſary and ſufficient to maintain a natural life, wil not content a man: what man is content, [Page] though he hath clothes enough to hide his nakedneſs, and food enough to keep life and ſoul together?—But he deſires not onely clothes for nakedneſs, but ornament, & not only food for hunger and neceſſity, but delight. Now ſhall men be unbounden after their deſires for outward things, and ſhall they ſit down and ſay they have enough for heavenly things?

2. Conſider, if thou contenteſt thy ſelf with a ſmall meaſure of grace, though thou ſhalt have the fruit of thy grace when thou dieſt, yet thou wilt want the comfort of thy grace whileſt thou liveſt. It is ſtrength of grace that gives aſſurance. Weak grace will bring thy ſoule to heaven, but it is the ſtrength of grace will bring heaven into thy ſoul.Iſa. 32. 17. The work of Righteouſneſs ſhall be Peace, and the effect of Righteouſneſs ſhall be quietneſs and aſſurance for ever. A childe of God hath ſeldom peace and comfort from the habit of Righteouſneſs, but from the exerciſe of Righteouſneſs. He that lacketh theſe things (ſaith Peter) is blinde, and cannot ſee afar off, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 9, 10, 11. This is not ſpoken of wicked men who have no grace, but of ſuch who have grace: and becauſe they exerciſe it not, do not diſcern the comfortable fruits of grace in their ſouls. A little faith unexerciſed, is as to comfort (as we have ſhewed) as good as no faith.Mat. 8. 26. compared with Mar. 4. 40.—They that adde not to the ftocke of grace, will want the comfort of grace. So that a weak Chriſtian, who is compared by [Page] Peter to a pu [...]blinde man: He cannot ſee (becauſe the eye-ſight of his faith is weak) afar off; 2 Pet. 1. 9. [...]. he cannot ſee his name writ in heaven; —He will want the comfortable evidence of grace in his heart, who contents himſelf with meaſures of grace.

The ſecond caution is, Take not thoſe things to be evidences of the truth of grace,2. Caution. which are evidences onely of the growth and ſtrength of grace. Weak Converts do involve themſelves in a Labyrinth of miſery, in judging themſelves by thoſe ſymptomes, which are evidences only of the ſtrength of grace. Thou muſt not judge thy ſelf whether thou art in the ſtate of grace by this; as whether thou haſt raviſhing joyes and comforts of the Holy Ghoſt; theſe are things that God indulgeth to ſome few, and thoſe of a long ſtanding in the ſchool of Chriſt. In a School, a ſcholler muſt not compare himſelf with one of the higheſt Form: if thou wouldeſt judge of the truth of thy grace, judge by the loweſt meaſure. The reaſon why hypocrites and low-form Chriſtians do miſtake, is this: hypocrites judge they have grace becauſe they have gifts, and weak Chriſtians judge they have no grace becauſe they do not finde ſuch meaſures of grace in them as are in others. We do not uſe to ſay, it is not day becauſe it is not noon.—It is unthankfulneſs to God, and uncharitableneſs to our ſelves, to argue a nullity of grace from the weakneſs of it; & therefore if thou [Page] canſt not ſay, I ſee my grace, yet it's well if thou canſt ſay, Bleſſed be God, I ſee my ſin; If thou canſt not ſay that thou leaveſt ſin, yet it's well if thou canſt ſay, I have a full purpoſe of heart to do ſo: if thou canſt but cry out for the want of grace, yet comfort thy ſelf, and do not conclude thou haſt no grace

Do not conclude you have ſmall meaſures of grace,3. Caution. becauſe you have but ſmal meaſures of comfort; this is the fault of young converts, they take meaſure of their grace by their comfort, which is a falſe and deceitful rule; growth of grace is not to be meaſured by the working of joy: the ſweet bloſſome of joy may fall off, when the fruit of grace may come on; yea ſometimes Chriſtians of the greateſt meaſure of grace, may have the leaſt meaſure of comfort; and all to let us know, that as the being and exerciſe, ſo the comforts of our graces comes from free grace. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who was annointed above his fellows, and was full of grace and truth, yet in the time of his deſertion was without comfort, when by reaſon of the ſuſpenſion of the favour of God his Father, he cryed out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me. And ſo ſometimes Chriſtians that have but little meaſures of grace, may have much comfort; and this is the reaſon of that flaſh of joy that young converts have; it is Gods indulgence towards them, to give them great joy at their firſt converſion: and indeed their joy at that time is the [Page] more taken notice of, becauſe uſually ſuch have much trouble of minde when they paſs through the pangs of the new birth, the change is then ſpecifical, which afterwards is but gradual: and ſo though they have afterwards more grace, more ſetled joys and comforts, yet at their firſt converſion they may have more ſenſe of their joyes, though afterwards they may find an increaſe of grace, when joy may be as real, though not ſo ſenſible; and therefore do not judge thy grace by thy comfort.

Do not conclude the meaſure of thy grace little,4. Caution. becauſe thou haſt but a little meaſure of gifts. Gifts are the iſſues of time and experience, and the fruits of ſtudies advantaged by the ſtrength of natural parts. A man may have a quick and pregnant invention, a profound judgement, a retentive memory, a clear elocution, and the like, and yet none of theſe things can be arguments of grace, but all are but natural endowments. Gifts may be high, and grace may be low: Thus it was with the Church of Corinth, they were inriched with utterance and knowledge, 1 Cor. 1. 5. & v. 7. and they came behind other Churches in no gift; and yet the Apoſtle ſpeaks of theſe very Corinthians, that they were very low in grace:1 Cor. 3. 1, 3 for ſo he taxeth them, 1 Cor. 3 1. that they were not ſpiritual, but carnal men, Babes in Chriſt, that by reaſon of their envying, ſtrife and diviſions, they were carnal, and walked as men; thus the Church of Laodicea was rich, [Page]and increaſed in gifts, and grew proud of it too,Rev. 3. 17. and yet for grace was poor, and naked, and blinde, and miſerable. It is with ſome Profeſſors as it is with a well read Schollar, who having read many books of Geography and the Deſcription of places, can diſcourſe of them very well, but if he were to travel thoſe countries, of which he hath ſo often read, he would ſoon be at a loſs:— So gifts may carry men far from matter of diſcourſe about Religion, but its only grace that inables a man to practice Religion. A childe of God that hath but a little meaſure of gifts, may have for all that much grace. Of all the ſeven Churches of Aſia, it is ſaid of Philadelphia, Rev. 3. 8. that ſhe had but a little ſtrength that is but little ſtrength of parts and gifts, and yet that Church was very eminent for grace; for ſhe with as much, if not more faithfulneſs then the other Churches, did keep the word of Chriſts patience, and did not deny his name. 1 Cor. 12. 31 Judge not therefore they grace by thy gifts. It is good to covet earneſtly the beſt gifts, but the way of true grace (though but weak) is a more excellent way.

I ſhall conclude this point with ſome further conſolation to the people of God, that have but weak meaſures of grace.

Though thou art but weak in thy ſelf,1. Comfort. yet thou haſt much ſtrength from without thee, or rather it is in thee, becauſe of the Spirit of Chriſt that dwels in their hearts, that do believe the devil doth all he can to make a [Page]little faith faile, Luk. 22 32—but Chriſt prays that it fail not. Great are the confederacies of the world, the fleſh and the devil againſt thy little grace,1. Joh. 4. 4. but be of good comfort. 2 Cor. 12 9 Ye are of God little children (ſaith St. John) and have overcome them, Iſa. 26. 4. becauſe greater is he that is in you, then be that is in the world: and the weaker thou art,Jude 24. the more advantage hath God to magnifie the glory of his power in thy weakneſſe.1 Pet. 1. 5.

1. Comfort your ſelves ye weak Chriſtians, for you have a ſtrong God. Heb. 7. 25. [...] i. e. perfectè & perpetuò— [...]. Non ſolùm perpetui tatem temporh ſignificat, [...], ſed omnimodem perfectionem. In the Lord Jehoboah is everlaſting ſtrength.—Your God is able to keep you from falling, and to preſent you faultleſſe before the preſence of his glory with exceeding joy. He is able through his Almighty power through faith to keep you unto ſalvation. —you have a ſtrong God, fear not, his power will be magnified in your weakneſs.

2. You have a ſtrong Saviour, though your grace is weak, yet he is able to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him. Camer. in Myr. —Chriſt is the1 Cor. 1. 24. Wiſdom and the power of God to thoſe that are called; Yea he is called a ſtrong Redeemer. Our Redeemer is ſtrong, the Lord of haſts is his name—Satan is indeed the Prince of the power of the aire:c Rom. 6. 10. for ſo he is called, Eph. 2. 2 but Jeſus Chriſt is truly the great power of God, who is able, becauſe [...]. po [...]. ſtronger then the ſtrong man arm'd, to bruiſe Satan under the feet of his Saints.

3. You lie under a ſtrong Word, which is able to carry on the work of grace, which is [Page]begun in you. The Word of God, though it bee fooliſhneſſe to them that periſh,1 Cor. 1. 18 yet it is the power of God to them that are ſaved;Rom. 1. 16, yea it is an Engine, mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds,2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. caſting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it ſelfe againſt the knowledge of God,Act. 20. 32 and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt; wherefore the Apoſtle prayes, Jam. 1. 21. Now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. [...] which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance amongſt all them that are ſanctified; ſo that cheer up, though faith be weak, yet the word of God is ſtrong; it is that ingrafted Word which is able to ſave your ſoules:2 Tim. 2. 19. yea, in a word, Singula verba ponddui haebent, certitud [...] haec nititur primò fundamento, ſecunc ò non quocunque, ſed firma, tertiò non hominis, ſed Dei, quartò non vacillante, ſed ſtante & obſ [...]gnaro. The Word of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for inſtruction in righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be made perfect, and throughly furniſhed unto all good works.

4. You are weak but you ſtand on a ſure foundation. 1. It is a foundation. 2. A ſure foundation. 3. It is a foundation of God: And 4. it is the foundation of God that cannot ſhake, but ſtandeth firm. Now the weak believer ſtands by the immutable decree of God, which here the Apoſtle cals the foundation of God.

5. Weak believers are aſſiſted by a ſtrong ſpirit.Dr. Prideaux. The ſpirit of God is not only a ſpirit of grace and ſupplication, but it is alſo a ſpirit of power. Zech. 12. 10. And therefore let weak believers chear up themſelves,2 Tim. 1. 7. though they have but [Page] little grace,In te ſta [...] & non ſtas. Aug. yet that little grace is upheld and maintained by the great power of God unto ſalvation.

The truth and eſſence of grace is not diſcern'd ſo much by good acts,2. Comfort. as by good affections.Cant. 4. 10.—How fair is my love, my ſiſter, ſaith Chriſt to the Spouſe? God reckons of our beauty by our love, and of our perfection by the ſincerity of our affections. Natural abilities, to which formaliſts and hypocrites may come up, may and doe reſemble good actions, but they cannot come up to good affections. A Painter may paint the colour of the face, but his art cannot give heat unto the picture. Good actions may give you the reſemblance of a Chriſtian. So what Jehu did reſembled a true Reformer; but they are good affections that doe ſet out the life and heat of true grace. Judge they grace therefore by thy affections, and take comfort in this, though thou art little and low in actions, if thou art warm and working in thy affections.

The third and laſt comfort is this, That little grace ſhall be laſting grace.3. And laſt comfort. Adam had perfection, but had not perſerverance; and thou (poor ſoul!) haſt imperfection of grace, but haſt perſerverance in grace. The moſt violent and impetuous flood of corruption ſhall not quench the leaſt meaſure; the leaſt ſpark of true grace, the moſt boyſterous blaſt of temptation ſhall not extinguiſh this poor ſmoaking flax, not one drop of his divine [Page] oyntment ſhall be ſpilt as water upon the ground. Comets may blaze a while, and then they fall;Stella cadens non eſt ſtella. to ſhew that it was a Comet and not a Star.—True Stars doe not, cannot fall. Oh then bleſſe God, who though in his anger, he breaks the Nations like a Potters vessel with an iron mace; yet ſuch is his tenderneſſe over weak believers, he will not break the bruiſed reed and though he put out the candle of the wicked, yet he will not quench the ſmoaking flax. The ſeeming graces of hypocrites ſhall periſh and come to nothing, when true grace ſhall hold out.—The painted face decayes ſoon, but the naturall complexion laſts. A child of God may be toſſed by reaſon of corruption and temptation in a troubleſome ſea, but that ſhip ſhall never be ſhipwrackt, whereof Chriſt is the Pilot, the Scriptures the Compaſſe, the Promiſes the Tacklings, Hope the Anchor, Faith the Cable, the holy Ghoſt the winds, and holy affections the Sailes, which are filled thus with the gales of the Spirit—&c. Fear not therefore little flock; for it is your fathers pleaſure to give you a Kingdome.

V. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. March 23. 1651.

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1. KINGS 14. part of the 13. verſe.‘—Becauſe in him there is found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael in the houſe of Jeroboam.’

HAving finiſhed the former part of the doctrine about little meaſures of grace; I come now to the ſecond part, which is this, That God doth exactly take notice, tenderly cheriſh, and graciouſly reward the leaſt beginnings, and the ſmalleſt meaſures of grace in the hearts of his people. Second part of the doctrine.

In the proſecution of which point, I ſhall proceed in this method.

1. I ſhall prove the truth of it.

2. I wil alſo endeavour to give you the grounds hereof, and then make application.

Firſt, that God doth thus cheriſh the ſmal beginnings of grace, wil appear, if we conſider, 1. Theſe Scripture-inſtances,Mat. 12. 10 Mat. 12, 20. He wil not quenh the ſmoking flax, that is, by the figure Meioſis, (as I have ſhewn already) he wil kindle it.—He wil not break the bruiſed reed, that is, he wil ſtrengthen it.—God regards not the flame only,Cant. 2. 13. but the ſmoking of grace; not the ripe fruit, but the tender buds. Chriſt would have accepted of green ſigs of the fig-tree, though the time of ripe [Page] fruits was not yet come; ſo ſome expound that place, Mar. 11. 13. Chriſt accepts not only the honey, Mar. 11. 13 but the honey-comb too, that is, ſay Expoſitors,Cant. 5. 1. Trap. in loc. not only the excellent ſervices, but even the meaner ſervices of his people; God takes notice of the cries of our heart, even the deſires of the humble,Exo. 14. 15 even the moſt inward groanings of the ſoule; not a good word but God takes notice of it; nay,1 Pet. 3. 6. God takes not onely notice of the leaſt good that is in his people, but he eyes alſo the common good that is in ſuch as have no grace; thus when the young man came to Chriſt,—though he had no true grace, yet it is ſaid, Jeſus loved him. Mar. 10. 21 And he took notice of that diſcreet anſwer of that Scribe mentioned by St. Marke, Mar. 12. 34 and ſaid unto him, Thou art not far from the Kingdom of heaven.

2. The truth of this point, may be made out by thoſe ſweet and gracious promiſes, God hath made to grace though weak I wil give you one inſtead of many, mentioned by the Prophet Iſaiah, Iſa 40. 11. He ſhall feed his flock like a Shepheard, he ſhall gather the Lambs with his arm, and carry them in his boſome, and gently lead thoſe that are with young.

3. By counſels that Chriſt giveth to us, how we our ſelves ſhould carry our ſelves to thoſe that are weak, viz. to uſe them with all tenderneſſe.—Now if God would have others, then ſurely himſelfe wil deal with weake believers with much tenderneſſe.

1. God would have the ſtrong to bear withRom 13. 1. [Page] the weak, Pſa. 103. 6. to bear with their infirmities, and not to pleaſe our ſelves, and ſurely then God will bear with them, and forbear them. See Pſal. 103.

2. We are to receive them into our fellowſhip. —Him that is weak in the faith receive you. Rom. 14. 1. And ſurely God will not reject ſuch out of Communion with himſelf and Son.

3. We muſt do nothing that will or may juſtly offend or grieve the weak. We muſt not walk uncharitably, Rom. 14. 15. 21. and grieve our brother with our meat. 1 Cor. 8. 12 We muſt not make him ſtumble that is weak.

4. We ſhould reſtore a weak Brother that is fallen,Gal. 6. 1. [...]. and put him in joynt again, with the ſpirit of meekneſſe [...] you that are ſpiritual, that is, ſtrong Chriſtians, help up ſuch as are fallen through weakneſſe.

5. We muſt ſtrengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, Iſa. 35. 3. and ſay to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong. Heb. 1 [...]. 12 13. We muſt help to lift up hands that hang down, and ſtrengthen the feeble knees, leſt that which is lame be turned out of the way, but rather that it be healed. We muſt not be like the Herd of Deere, who puſh away from them the poor wounded Deere, but we muſt endeavour the healing of the wounded, 1 Theſ. 5. 14. and comfort the feeble-minded, and ſupport the weak, be patient towards all men: [...], ſublevat infirma [...] alia qui ruitures Beza. Support the weak, i.e. Set your ſhoulder to bear them up, who will ſtand, but are weak.—Hold them up as a Crutch doth a body [Page] that is lame: help to ſtand, [...] propriè ni [...]entem, & con [...]ntem, ſed non ſufficient [...]m, nec ſa [...] virium h [...]bentem adjuvare. C.A. Lap. who is for weakneſſe like to fall.—Let your charity helpe to hold them up, even as a beame holds up a houſe that is ready to fall. Now it God enjoynes us to have all this care of thoſe that are weak in grace, to cheriſh, ſupport and comfort them, then ſurely the God of Mercy and Compaſſion, will be very careful to cheriſh the ſmalleſt meaſures of grace in the weakeſt Believers.

Why doth God cheriſh the least meaſures of grace in his people?2 Queſt.

Becauſe the leaſt meaſure of grace is of a very great value;Anſw. 1. the leaſt grace and leaſt meaſure or degree of it, is the purchaſe of Chriſts blood, and the merit of his great ſufferings. The ſmalleſt ſpark of a diamond is precious; pearles and precious ſtones are but little for quantity, but great for quality and eſteem. The leaſt degree of grace is the Work of God, and God will not forſake his own Work.—

Little grace is of the ſame manner and excellency2. Anſw. with the greateſt degree of grace▪ for as the very filings of gold are of the ſame nature with gold, ſo the leaſt meaſure o [...] of grace is grace.—The faith of all believers is the ſame faith ſpecifically, though not the ſame gradually, their faith is in all alike precious, but not alike ſtrong.1. Pet. 1. 1.

Becauſe God is the Author of weak grace as well as of ſtrong.—Solomon gives a good rule why the rich ſhould not ſleight the3. Anſw. [Page] poor.Prov. 22. 2. Becauſe God is the Author and maker of them both. And God will not ſleight the poor in ſpirit, no more then thoſe that are rich in grace; for he is the maker of them both. It is an argument to us why we ſhould not deſpiſe the poor, becauſe God made him; and therefore ſurely much more becauſe the Lord made the poor and weak Chriſtian, he will not depiſe, &c.—

Job ſaith,Job 31. 13. He did not deſpiſe the cauſe of his man ſervant or maid ſervant, and he gives a reaſon for it,Verſ. 15. verſ. 15. Did not be that made me in the womb, make him, and did not be faſhion us in the womb? which holds as a very firm argument why the rich ſhould not deſpiſe the poor, and ſo why the rich in grace ſhould not deſpiſe thoſe that are poore in grace; for God made and faſhioned them both. Now what is a reaſon unto us, God is alſo pleaſed to make a reaſon unto himſelf, That he will not forſake what he hath formed; for ſo the Prophet Iſaiah, The Lord that created thee O Jacob,Iſa. 43. 1. and be that formed thee O Iſrael, fear not; for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name; for then art mine. And again, Thus ſaith the Lord that made thee and formed thee from the womb: Fear not O Jacob my ſervant, and thou Ieſurun whom I have choſen; yea though he be the worme Jacob, Iſa. 44. 1. yet God that made him will not cruſh him, but cheriſh him. See a gratious promiſe made to thoſe that have but little grace, upon this very ground, that God is the Author of that [Page] little grace. Thy people alſo ſhall be all righteous, they ſhall inberit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hand, that I may be glorified. A little one ſhal become a thouſand, and a ſmal one a ſtrong Nation; Iſa. 66. 21, 22. I the Lord will haſten it in his time.

The Lord will perfect his work that concerneth his People, Pſal. 138. 8. i.e. He will perfect and encourage the leaſt beginnings of grace, becauſe Grace is his work in his ſervants. It is a very good argument in Prayer, O Lord, for ſake not the work of thy hands. And though in reſpect of outward things God may deſtroy him whom his hands have made and faſhioned, Job 10. 8. but it is otherwiſe in reſpect of grace. God will not deſtroy any meaſure of grace which is the work of his hands. Property is the ground of love, care and tenderneſſe: as a man will look to a weak childe, becauſe it is his childe, and will repair a weak houſe, becauſe it is the houſe wherein he dwells. And that is the third demonſtration of Gods tender care over his people, that the meaneſt meaſure of grace ſhall not be deſerted or forſaken, becauſe God is the Author of it.

A fourth reaſon may be drawn from the Covenant of grace, the nature and tenor whereof, is to accept of ſincerity in ſtead of perfection, deſires for deeds, purpoſes for performances, pence for pounds, and mites for millions; and therefore God will accept and reward the leaſt meaſure of grace, that is, in truth and ſincerity. God requires of [Page] Abraham, Gen. 17. 1. & 25. 1. [...] De victimis perfect is & immaculatis dicitur. Vſe. when he renewed with him the Covenant of grace; Be thou perfect, (i.e. upright) and walk ſo before me, and I will be thy exceeding great reward.

To make ſome Application of this truth. We may from hence deduce theſe inferences following: If God doth cheriſh and will reward the ſmalleſt meaſures of grace;1. Inference.

Then it will follow, That God takes notice of the ſmalleſt ſins to puniſh them. He that graciouſly eyes the very buddings of grace, will alſo juſtly eye the buddings of corruption in his own people.Exod. 4. 24 That he was ready to have ſlaine Moſes for his neglecting of circumciſing his ſon; and thus the Lord made a breach upon Vzzah, 2 Sam. 6. 7 when he put forth his hand and ſtayed the ſhaking of the Ark:Amos 3. 2. You have I known (ſaith God of his people,) only of all the Families of the earth, therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities.

It is true,Numb. 23. 21. it is ſaid, The Lord beholds not iniquity in Jacob, neither ſees perverſneſſe in Iſrael,—but this is not, as the Antinomians gloſſe upon it, as if God did not ſee ſin in his people, and is never diſpleaſed with their ſins: But the meaning is, that God ſees not ſin in his people, ſo as eternally to puniſh it.—And moreover, the moſt proper ſenſe of that place is this, That whereas Balak hired Balaam to eurſe the People of Iſrael, and that falſe Prophet for the wages of unrighteouſneſſe was ready enough to have taken [Page] all occaſions of curſing them, yet he could not faſten any curſe upon them at that time, becauſe there was no provoking ſin amongſt them; and therefore he gave Balak counſel to tempt them to ſin, and ſo by the ſtumbling-block of the Midianitiſh women,Vid. Gataker in loc. he drew Iſrael to idolatry and adultery, and ſo made them fall. But God doth ſee ſin in his own people, yea the leaſt ſin, yea he eyes their failings, though not to damne them for them, yet to chaſtiſe them for them. God ſees the purpoſes of ſin, as well as the purpoſes of grace. It is ſaid of Balak, that he aroſe and warred againſt Iſrael. Now we doe not read that ever Baalak did actually wage warre againſt Iſrael, Joſh. 24. 9. onely he did intend and purpoſe it, and for that end ſent and called Balaam the ſon of Be or to curſe them, and yet the Holy Ghoſt reckons upon his wicked purpoſe as if he had accompliſh't it.

Learn from hence,2. Inference. That the ſame minde ſhould be in Chriſtians of greater growth to the weak, as was in Chriſt Jeſus; who though he be higher then the higheſt, yet he looks upon the poor and lowly without diſdain, and ſo ſhould we. The heaven is the throne, and the earth is the footſtoole of the Lord, and yet this great God will not deſpiſe the weakeſt Saint, but will look even to him that is poor and of a contrite ſpirit, Iſa. 66. 1, 2. and trembleth at his word. He will look on the poor, weak, trembling ſoule, and ſhall we look off from ſuch [Page] with pride and diſdain, and ſet ſuch at our footſtoole? ſhall Chriſt give the Lambe i [...] his Scutchion, and wilt thou give the Lion ſhall he like a Lambe be meek and gentle, and thou like the Lion be ſtout, haughty and ſtately, that contemns all the beaſts of the Forreſt? Oh be not you ſupercilious and contemptuous towards weak Chriſtians, who are injured and diſcouraged by ſtrong Chriſtians.

1. When they are put upon ſuch auſterities of Religion, as are far beyond their ſtrength and growth. When theſe poor, torn tottered and rent bottles are put upon to hold new wine, alas poor ſouls,Mat. 9. 16, 17. they are diſcouraged; wherefore Chriſt proportions his doctrine to their capacities, and will not ſay that to them which they cannot at preſent hear, and ſo proportions out their duties to their abilities, and will not out match their ſtrength with his commands. Faſting and ſuffering was a hard duty, and therfore he will excuſe them till they have had more time and more experience in the wayes of God, till the Holy Ghoſt come down upon them, and they have more grace; which is a good rule for us, not to diſcourage young beginners in the ſchoole of Chriſt, not to put them to read ſuch Authors as are above their capacities.

2. When ſtrong Chriſtians are too ſharp and rigorous in bitter reproofs, for the failings and infirmities of weak Chriſtians. [Page] Young converts like young twigges muſt be gently handled, elſe you will break them; you muſt excuſe their failings, hide their wants, commend their performances, cheriſh their forwardneſſe, reſolve their doubts, bear their burdens, and by this gentleneſſe bring them into a love of Religion, that they may not diſtaſte it as ſoon as they know it.

3. By ſetting light by their gifts. Alas, how ſoon is the ſmoaking flax quenched, by the too much ſuperciliouſneſſe of thoſe that think themſelves bright torches? how eaſily is the poor ſpark of grace trod out by the foat of pride?

4. By puzling them with doubtful diſputes, contrary to that of the Apoſtle,Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weake, in the faith receive, but not unto doubtfull diſput ations.

5. By giving them ill example. Weak Chriſtians are more apt to be led by example then by Precept:Gal. 2, 12, 13. When Peter, who was a Pillar in the Church, and a ſtrong Chriſtian, for fear of Perſecution for ſook the Gentiles, and ſeparated and withdrew himſelfe, then others of the Jewes, (which in all likelihood were weak Chriſtians) diſſembled alſo. Thus Paul argues to abſtain from giving ill example, about the eating the Idolothyta; If any man ſee thee which haſt knowledge, i.e. who art a ſtrong Chriſtian, ſit at meas in the Idols Temple, ſhall not the conſcience of him that is weak, he imboldened to eat thoſe things that are offered to idols?

And therefore let Chriſtians learn from, [Page] God, to cheriſh the weak beginnings of grace in the people of God. Look not on me, ſaith the Church, becauſe I am black, becauſe the Sun hath looked upon me, i.e. look not on me with a lofty and diſdainful look, and with a coy countenance; and then the Church addes, My mothers children were angry with me, that is, other Congregations and People did diſeſteem and diſdain me for my infirmity.Heb. 1. ult. But this should not be amongſt Chriſtians, but the ſtrong ſhould cheriſh the weak. Angels deſpiſe not the pooreſt Chriſtians, but do miniſter unto them.

Learn from hence,3. Inference. how God doth by leaſure and degrees, carry on in the hearts of his people the work of grace unto further perfection. Muſhromes and ſuch like worthleſſe things, like Jonas his gourd may ſpring up in one night; but things of moſt moment, are of longeſt growth before they come to perfection. The Elephant amongſt the Beaſts, and the Oake amongſt the Trees, and Man amongſt the rational creatures, are longeſt before they grow up to their full and perfect dimenſions. And as it is in nature, ſo it is in grace; there is a progreſſe from leſſe to greater: all this work is by degrees. The godly are called Trees of Righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 61. 3. and yet this is by degrees. There is firſt the budding forth of the earth, and then thoſe things that are ſown ſpring forth, &c. v. 11. And therefore let young Converts learne from hence not to be diſcouraged. Gods [Page] works both of nature and grace are perfected by degrees.

1. Though God regards the leaſt meaſures of grace,2. Vſe of Caution. let not this make you regardleſſe to grow in grace. In the firſt creation God ſaid to the creatures, Increaſe and multiply, and by vertue of that word the earth brings forth to this day. Now it is ſo in the new and ſecond Creation; the Lord expects that our grace ſhould increaſe and multiply.

2. Though you have but a little grace,2. Caution. yet do not deſpiſe it, or diſparage it.—Oh, do not deſpiſe the day of ſmall things in the ſoul. Do not tread upon the bunch of grapes, Zech. 4. 6. upon the new wine in the cluſter, but ſay, there is a bleſſing in it. Do not deſpiſe a little grain of muſtard-ſeed, it will grow to a tree; true grace is a ſpark of heaven, do not tread it out; deſpiſe not the leaſt, and be not ſatisfied with the greateſt meaſure of grace.

1. Let this comfort thy poor ſoul (Oh weak Chriſtian!) whoſe burden it is,3. Vſe of Comfort. that thou haſt much corruption and but little grace. God will look over a great deale of ſin, and will take notice of the leaſt grace. God will not in refining his gold and ſilver loſe one dram of grace, though it lie among a heap of rubbiſh. Chriſt is ſaid, to have his Fan in his hand, Mat. 3. 12. he will throughly purge his floore, and gather his wheat into his garner. Now the uſe of a Fan is to caſt out the worſt and keep in the beſt, to drive away the chaffe and ſave the wheat: ſo Chriſt, though he purge [Page] out the chaffe of corruption, yet he will ſave and preſerve every grain of grace. It is otherwiſe with the devils Sieve. Chriſt tells Peter, that Satan deſired to ſift him. Luk. 22. 31 Now the uſe of the Sieve is contrary to the Fan, for that keeps the waſte and lets out the beſt. The devil doth all he can to deſtroy our grace, and to increaſe our ſin. But 'tis otherwiſe, God will kill thy corruptions and cheriſh thy graces, and if the leaſt grace be in the ſoul, though with a mixture of much corruption, God will not deſpiſe it.

God carries the moſt tender regard to thoſe that are weak in grace;2. Comfort. the weak child is ſtill carried in our armes, and the weakeſt of the flock the good ſhepherd will carry in his boſome.Iſa. 40. 11. Chriſt gave Peter charge in the firſt place to feed his Lambs. Joh. 21. 15

1. Gods care over weak Chriſtians is ſuch that he will not ſuffer them to be tempted above what they are able, but with the temptation will make a way to eſcape, that they ſhall be able to [...]ar it. God doth conſider we are but duſt; and the wiſe Phyſician of our ſoules will mercifully weigh every grain of every doſe, and will not outmatch their ſtrength whoſe ſtrength is ſmall.

2. God will not put them on difficult duties at the firſt.—Chriſt taught his diſciples ſuch doctrines as their weakneſſe could bear.

3. God will bear with their infirmities; he teacheth his children to go,Hoſ. 11. 1, 3 and holds them up by the armes.

VI. Sermon At Lawrence Ju [...]y, London. March 30. 1651.

[Page]

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘Be ſtrong in the grace of God that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

HAving lately handled the Doctrine of the ſmall beginnings, and the leaſt meaſures of true grace, and ſhewn you how God will accept and reward them, by opening to you that paſſage in 1 Kings 14. 13. —Concerning Jeroboam's ſonne, in whom there was found ſome good.—And leſt that doctrine ſhould accidentally (through the corruption of our deceitfull hearts) beget in us ſpiritual ſloth, and ſatisfaction in weak degrees of grace; therefore I ſhall proſecute my diſcourſe concerning the degrees of grace, and ſhew you, that though God regards weak grace, yet we muſt all labour to obey this Apoſtolical injunction, to be ſtrong in the grace of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus.

In the whole verſe you have three parts.

1. A loving Compellation, My ſon.

2. A preſſing exhortation, Be ſtrong in grace.

3. The reaſon of it, in the illative, Therfore.

1. For the Compellation.Act. 16. 2. Qu [...]re, How Timothy could be Pauls ſon,Phil. 3. 5. for his father was a Greek, 1 Tim. 1. 2. but Paul was a Jew of the Tribe of Benjamin? Timothy then was not Pauls ſon in the fleſh, but in the faith. Now,

[Page] A further queſtion is, Why is he called Paul's Son?

Baldwin gives this reaſon, Becauſe (ſayes he) Paul begat him to the faith, al Iedging that in 1 Cor. 4. 17.2 Cor. 4. 17 compared with Verſ. 14. compared with verſ. 14. where Paul calls the Corinthians, whom he had converted to the faith, his beloved ſonnes, verſ. 14. and ſo he calls Timothy, verſ. 17. But Timothy was not Pauls ſon in that ſenſe: for as Eſtius ſhewes, he was converted long before Paul knew him,2 Tim. 1. 5. by the godly inſtructions of his Grandmother Lois, 2 Tim. 3. 15. and his Mother Eunice.

The true reaſons, why Paul called Timothy his ſon, were

1. Becauſe Paul was aged, and Timothy young, and it was uſual for the old to call the younger ſonnes.

2. Becauſe he confirmed him in the faith.

3. Becauſe he loved him as a ſonne, and Timothy loved Paul as a father.

4. Becauſe as a ſonne with the father he ſerved Paul in the Goſpel.Phil. 2. 23.

Before I come to the main doctrines, let me obſerve ſomething in the paſſage to it; upon theſe reaſons Paul calls Timothy his ſon: From the compellation, My ſon, Obſerve

1. That Miniſters ſhould uſe loving inſinuations towards their hearers,1. Obſervation. to uſher in uſeful inſtructions.

Soft words turn away wrath, and hard flints are broken upon ſoft pillows. This was Pauls practice here and elſewhere▪ he gained their affections, the better to reform their judgements.

[Page] 2. And then in that he calls him My Son, 2. Obſervation. in relation to himſelf as a father, Obſerve

That religion puts men into the neereſt union and the moſt indeared relations. They who are glued together in the bloud of Chriſt, are knit together in the ſtrongeſt bonds.

Now from the reaſon of the duty,Sanguine Chriſti conglutinati. Salvian. Therefore my ſon, &c. Expoſitors do vary what this illative particle hath a reference to: Some make it to refer to v. 7. of the foregoing chapter, and ſo Eſtius, God hath not given us the ſpirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a ſound minde; and if ſo,

Then obſerve,—That the receiving the firſt degrees of grace,3. Obſervation. ſhould be a ſwaying reaſon to move us to grow in grace.

Others refer it to Pauls example, v. 8. or to the example of One ſiphorus, v. 16. from whence may be obſerved,

That the good example of good men, ſhould be an argument to us to increaſe in goodneſſe.4. Obſerv.

If it referre to the 15. verſe. This thou knoweſt that all they which are in Aſia be turned away from me, of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes; and thus Theodoret refers it: Then obſerve

That other mens Apoſtacy from the Profeſſion of grace,5. Obſerv. ſhould make the godly more careful to grow ſtrong in grace. But I ſhall handle the text without any relative conſideration.

[Page] Be ſtrong in the grace which is in Chriſt. Jeſus.]Explication of the text▪ Timothy may be conſidered in a double capacity, either as a Miniſter, or as a private Chriſtian; If as a Miniſter, then the force of the exhortation lies in this:Rom. 1. 5. that he ſhould increaſe in miniſterial gifts and graces; Eph. 3. 8. whence may be obſerved,

That Miniſters of all men ſhould grow in the truth,6. Obſerv. and in Miniſterial gifts; becauſe as they grow, ſo will the people grow under their Miniſtry. Miniſters do receive grace and Apoſtleſhip for obedience to the faith among all Nations, Rom. 1. 5.

And grace is given unto them, that they may preach unto others the unſearchable riches of Chriſt, Eph. 3. 8.

2. If he be conſidered as a private Chriſtian,7. Obſerv. then he is exhorted not to content himſelf with grace received, but to labour after more ſtrength of grace.—

Be ſtrong in the grace which is in Chriſt Jeſus.] Grace may be ſaid to be in Chriſt two waies: either

1. As the ſubject recipient of grace, or

2. As a fountain redundant and overflowing to his people.

Grace is in Chriſt in all fulneſſe, from whence his people receive grace for grace. Joh. 1. 16.

There are two obſervations which I ſhall note from the words, conſidering the exhortation, without reference to what went before, or follows after.

That believers are not to reſt ſatisfied in weakDoct. 1. [Page] meaſures of grace already received, but to endeavour to attain greater ſtrength of grace.

That Chriſt is the ſubject in which all grace is,Doct. 2. and the fountain from which believers muſt receive all their grace.

In the opening of the firſt doctrine, the firſt thing is to make it appeare, That believers muſt not reſt ſatisfied with weak meaſures of grace received, but muſt labour after more grace. And this I ſhall prove

1. By inſtances of two ſorts. 1. That believers have grown from weak grace to ſtrong grace, who out of weakneſſe were made ſtrong. Heb. 11▪ 34. There are expoſitors who refer this place to Hezekiahs recovery, 1 Kin. 20.—but it may have a more general extent and application. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of Gods people (ſaies he) They go from ſtrength to ſtrength, every one of them in Zion appears before God. Pſal. 84. 7. It is true, the proper reference of theſe words is to the Jewes going up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, when the males went thrice a yeere up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, according to the law, Exod 23. 14, 17. yet Ainſworth underſtands it of our growth in grace; ſo we are ſaid to be changed from glory to glory, that is, from little degrees of grace to greater; grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected; true grace is ſtill aſpiring unto perfection,2 Cor. 3. 18 and therefore ſayes Paul, Phil. 3 11. if by any means I might attain the Reſurrection of the dead, his meaning is, that I may attain that perfection of holineſſe which accompanies the ſtate of the Reſurrection [Page] a Metonymie of the ſubject for the adjunct; he is ſtill preſſing forward that he might attain further degrees of grace; and for that end Paul, he forgat what was behind, and reached forth to thoſe things that were before, ver. 13. And though Paul, Eph. 3. 4. had very great knowledge in the myſterie of Chriſt, yet he ſtil deſired to know more and more of Chriſt.

2 By inſtances, wherein Gods people have prayed for the ſtrength of grace. Eph. 3. 16. I how my knees (ſayes Paul) unto the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that he would grant unto you according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man. And ſpeaking of the Romans,Rom. 15, 13, 14. Rom. 15. 13, 14. he ſayes, I am perſwaded you are full of goodneſſe and knowledge; yet becauſe the beſt and moſt learned know but in part, and ſee but darklie through a glaſſe, 1 Cor. 13 12. he prays that God would fill them with all joy and peace in believing, that they might abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghoſt.Phil. 1. 9. So he prayes, that their love might abound more and more in knowledge,Col. 1. 9, 10 and in all judgement; and that they may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wiſdom and ſpirituall underſtanding, that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleaſing, and be fruitfull in every good work, increaſing in the knowledge of God. Thus Gods people have prayed for a further increaſe in grace. Paul after his converſion increaſed more in ſtrength, whereby he was enabled [Page]to confound the oppoſing Jewes at Damaſcus, Acts 9. 22.

2. By Commands.2. Proofe. Heb. 6. 1. Leaving the firſt principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, we muſt goe on to perfection; 2 Pet. 1. 5. Eph. 6. 10. we muſt give diligence to adde grace to grace; 1 Cor. 16. 13. ſo we are commanded to be ſtrong in the Lord, 1 Theſ. 4. 1 to ſtand faſt in the faith, to quit your ſelves like men, and be ſtrong, and to abound more and more. 1. Cor. 15. ult. Many ſuch commands are ſcattered up and down the Scripture, which ſhews our duty to grow more and more, and to attain unto greater meaſures of grace.

3. By promiſes, that Gods people ſhall do ſo. The path of the juſt is as the ſhining light, that ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day, Pro. 4. 18. that is, they ſhall increaſe more and more in ſtrength.Pſal. 18. 35, 36. Gods gentleneſſe makes his people great, and inlargeth their ſteps under them.2 Sam. 18. 3.— The feeble among them at that day ſhall be as David, Erit bic fortis fide & ſpiritu qualis David praedicatur. Par. Adverſar. and the houſe of David ſhall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them. Pareus in his ſhort notes which he cals his Adverſaria, ſaith, He that is weak in faith, ſhall be as David, ſtrong in faith.

Why ſhould believers not reſt ſatisfied with the firſt beginnings of grace, [...] Queſt. but labour to be grown and ſtrong Chriſtians?

The reaſons may be drawn,Anſw. 1. Partly from the neceſſity of it, Why you muſt doe it. And 2. From the danger, If you doe it not.

1. From the neceſſity of it, there are theſe reaſons:

1. If you conſider the ſtrong temptationsReaſon 1. [Page] you are like to meet withall from the divel. We are therefore commanded to be ſtrong in the Lord; Eph. 6. 10, 11. 12. to put on the whole Armour of God, that we might be able to ſtand againſt the wiles of the devil. For we wreſtle not againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities and Powers, and againſt the Rulers of the darkneſſe of this world. Now ſhall the divel be ſtrong and armed, and ſhal we be content to be unarmed and weak Chriſtians? it is worth your noting in the Epiſtle of John, (ſaies he) I write unto you yong men, becauſe ye are ſtrong, and the Word of God abideth in you, 1 Joh. 2. 14. Verſ. 12. and ye have overcome the wicked one. But when he writes to children, he ſayes, I write to you, becauſe your ſins are forgiven for his names ſake; intimating that though weak grace be ſufficient to evidence to us the pardon of ſin, yet it is ſtrong grace which is able to overcome the temptations of the devil. The devil ſhall not overcome the weakeſt meaſure of grace, but the ſtronger our grace is, the more able we are to reſt and overcome that enemy of our ſalvation.1 Pet. 5. 8, 9 The divel is called a roaring lyon, whom we muſt reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith; [...]. it is not weak faith which is able to grapple with the devil, therefore ought we to be grown and ſtrong Chriſtians.

2. If we conſider the ſtrong oppoſition we are like to meet with from the world;2. Reaſon. we may be put upon it as Paul, to fight with beaſts; 1 Cor. 15. 32. ſuch manner of unreaſonable men we may meet withall, and therefore we are commanded [Page] to watch, and to ſtand faſt in the faith, Ch. 16. 13. to quit our ſelves like men, and be ſtrong; and the reaſon is given, v. 9. There are many Adverſaries we are like to meet with; and therefore we had need to pray with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 138. 3, 7. to be ſtrengthned and ſaved by the right hand of the Lord. Weak faith, it is not fit to be in a crowd of oppoſition; and therefore we ſhould labour to grow ſtrong in the grace of God.

3. We have many ſtrong corruptions in our hearts,3. Reaſon. which weak grace wil never be able to mortifie; ſtrong paſſions, ſtrong luſts, and how ſhall weak grace be able to grapple with, and have a conqueſt over theſe? If thy graces are weak when thy corruptions are ſtrong, thou wilt be miſerably foiled by thy corruptions; therefore pray for ſtrengthning and aſſiſting grace, whereby thou mayſt be able not only to reſiſt, but to ſubdue and mortifie the ſtrongeſt luſts and paſſions in thy heart.

Another ground of the doctrine is taken from the danger, if you grow not ſtrong in grace [...] As

1. Others that made profeſſion of Religion after you, in time wil goe before you in meaſures and degrees of grace: ſo it is ſaid,Mat. 19. 30. compared with Mat. 20. 12, 16. That many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. Thoſe who were firſt in the profeſsion of the Goſpel ſhall be laſt in the degrees and meaſures of grace, becauſe they have not improved grace to a further increaſe of it.

[Page] 2. If thou doſt not grow ſtrong in grace thou wilt be ſure to decay,Non pr [...] gredi, eſt regredi. and to grow weaker: for not to go forward in grace, is to go backward. Grace may be loſt in ſome degree, and to its exerciſe and comfort, though not to its being and therefore ſayes the Apoſtle, If theſe things be in you and abound, 2 Pet. 1. 8. Re [...]. 3. 2.— they make you that ye ſhall neither be barren, nor unfruitfull. Intimating, that you will be barren if you doe not adde grace to grace. Weake things, if they be not watched over, and ſtrengthned, will be ready to die.

3. Though thou canſt not loſe the being of thy grace,3 yet thou wilt loſe the comfort of it, and thou mayeſt be in as much trouble and perplexity as if thou hadſt no grace at all. Its true, weak grace will bring thy ſoul to heaven, but its onely ſtrong grace which will bring heaven into thy ſoule. Little grace is like a little mote, which is not ſeen becauſe it is little. Little grace is as it were no grace, as that man in the Goſpel, he cals his faith unbeliefe;Mar. 9. 24. Lord (ſayes he) help my unbeliefe. Weakneſſe of grace makes mens perſwaſions of Gods love to be preſumption, their zeale to be lukewarmneſſe, their grace to be but gifts, and (as here) their faith to be but unbeliefe. It is ſtrong grace which gives gladneſſe of heart, and hope in God; therefore ſaies Jeremy, My ſtrength, Lam. 3. 18. and my hope is periſhed from the Lord. When ſtrength in grace decayes, there hope & comfort decayes alſo. It is the Apoſtles prayer in the Inſcription [Page] of many of his Epiſtles, that grace and peace may be multiplied: If therefore you doe not increaſe your graces, you wil neither increaſe nor keep your comforts. He that lacketh theſe things is blind (ſayes the Apoſtle Peter) and he cannot ſee afar off; 2 Pet. 1. 9. it is not meant of a total lack of grace, (as hath been ſhewn) for as after is expreſſed, he is purged from his old ſins, though he forgets it, having loſt the ſenſe of pardon for want of adding grace to grace.—

4. Weak grace under great trials wil expoſe a man to doubts and falls, as if he had no grace at all; little grace wil keep a man in ſmall trials, but not in greater. Little grace, as to the ſtrait a man may be in, may be as good as no grace; and therefore when the diſciples were at ſea,Mat. 8. 26. compared with Mar. 4. 40. and a great tempeſt aroſe, in ſo much that they were afraid; that which in Matthew is ſaid to be little, in Mark is ſaid to be no faith. Intimating, that as to that particular exigency and ſtrait they were in, their little faith did ſtand them in no more ſtead, then if they had had no faith at all. So Peter, Chriſt cals him [...]:Mat. 14 31. Becauſe though he began to walk upon the waves, but [...] When the wind grew boyſterous, Ver. 29. he was [...] & began to ſink. Peter did not ſink into the sea, before his faith began to ſink in his ſoul. He that faints in the day of adverſity, it argues his ſtrength is ſmall,Pro. 24. 10 ſo ſaith Solomon.

I ſhould now proceed to a ſecond particular,Vſe. and that is to give ſome Scripture-notes [Page] of that man who is grown in grace;—b [...] let me ſhut up this Sermon, with a ſharp and juſt reproofe of many profeſſors in our time, who go from one ordinance to another, and yet make little progreſſe or increaſe in Religion. They may be fitly compared to a company of Ants, who are very buſie about a mole-hill, and run to and fro, but never grow great: Even ſo we have many Chriſtians, they run from one Church to another, from one Preacher to another, and it may be from one opinion to another, but never grow up in the true grace, and in the true knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt.—But I ſhall meet with ſuch people hereafter in this diſcourſe.—

VII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. March 30. 1651.

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘—My ſon, be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

HAving in the former Chapter obſerved from this Apoſtolicall injunction to Timothy, Wch is obligatory to all Chriſtians:

That it is the duty of all believers not to reſt ſatisfied in weak meaſures of grace which they have received,Doct. but they are to endeavour to attain unto greater ſtrength of grace.—

This point we have proved both by Scripture-inſtances, as alſo by ſeverall reaſons. [Page] Now I proceed to anſwer this queſtion, viz.

VVhat are the notes the Scripture layes down of ſtrong and grown Chriſtians?Queſt.

We are to know there are marks in Scripture, both of the truth of grace, as alſo of the ſtrength of grace, and theſe muſt not be confounded but diſtinctly conſidered. Our preſent queſtion is about marks of growth in grace.

1. Such as are grown in grace,1 Anſw. do ordinarily enjoy a grounded aſſurance,1 Joh. 4. 18 N [...]n ità pellitur timor quin animo [...] neſtros ſollicitet, ſed it à pellitur ut non turbet, nequ [...] impediat pacem noſtr [...]m. Calvin. and comfortable manifeſtation of the love of God in Chriſt to their ſouls. So St. John ſaith, Perfect love caſteth out fear; The more perfect love is, the leſſe of tormenting fear is in the ſoul, and the reaſon of our fear and doubting is for want of love. We cannot comprehend the great love of God in Chriſt to our ſouls, till we are ſtrengthened with might by his Spirit in the inder man; which you will ſee in the Apoſtles Prayer for the Epheſians, Eph. 3. 16, 17, 18. that God would grant unto them according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthened with might by his Spirit: that Chriſt might dwell in their hearts by faith, and that they might be rooted and grounded in love: and that they might be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Chriſt, &c. So that the more ſtrength of grace is in the ſoul, the clearer is our comprehenſion of Chriſts love to the ſoul.

2. Strong and grown Chriſtians are able2 Anſw. [Page] experimentally to comfort others with the ſame comfort, 2 Cor. 1. 4. wherewith they themſelves are comforted of God; and when they are converted they are able to ſtrengthen their brethren, Luke 22. 33. expounded. as Chriſt ſpeak [...] to Peter. By Converſion in that place, is not meant the firſt work of grace wronght in the ſoul; for that was wrought in Peter before his fall, but the meaning is, Peter, when thou art ſtrengthened and recovered from thy fall, when thou haſt recovered strength again, then ſee that thou be careful to ſtrengthen others, who perhaps may fall into the ſame weakneſs with thy ſelf.—If any man be overtaken with a fault, Gal 6. 1. expounded. (ſaith Paul to the Galatians) you that are ſpiritual reſtore ſuch a man in the ſpirit of meekneſſe. You that are ſpirituall, i.e. you that are grown and experienced Chriſtians, ſee that you do indeavour to recover ſuch a fallen brother. Paul prayes for the Philippians, that their love may abound yet more and more in all knowledge and judgment; Phil. 1. 9. expouuded. that is, that they might have knowledge with judgment and experience, ſo as they might uſe their judicious knowledge in love for the edification of others, that were but weak in grace: and in the Epiſtle to the Romanes, the ſame Apoſtle layes down this Character of a ſtrong Chriſtian,Rom. 15. 14.—I am perſwaded of you my Brethren, that you are full of goodneſſe, filled with all knowledge, able alſo to admoniſh one another: from whence we may gather the Character mentioned, that the more perfect any Chriſtian is in knowledge, or any other [Page] grace, the more able he is to admoniſh others for their edification.

Grown Chriſtians are ſuch as underſtand3. Anſw. the great and profound myſteries of Religion; they are not only ſuch as uſe milk, Heb. 5. 13. and underſtand only the firſt and plain Principles,Verſ. 14. ſuch as the Apoſtle calls Babes and unskilful in the Word of Righteouſneſſe:—but they are ſuch as are able to digeſt ſtrong meat, i.e. the deep myſteries of the Goſpel, they doe in ſome meaſure underſtand, and have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern both good and evil, that is, to judge between true doctrines and falſe. Strong and grown Chriſtians have ſuch an eare, as is able to try words, (as it is in Job) even as the mouth tryeth meats. —It is an obſervation of the learned Mercer, Job 34. 3. that the ſame word in Hebrew which ſignifiesJob 12. 11. an Eare, [...] Aurtum & ſtaterae idē [...] eſt nom [...]n in Hebraeo, du [...] enim aures ſunt quaſi bilances quib [...] expenduntur quae audimus. Mercer. in the duall number ſignifies a pair of ballances,—to note thus much, that an experienced and judicious Chriſtian will weigh whatſoever he heareth, before he believeth it. For as the tongue of the ballance ſtandeth as a Judge between the two ſcales, ſo ſhould the heart of every man weigh what he hears, and ſo will every grown and judicious Chriſtian. He will not take up truth upon truſt, but he conſidereth firſt, and believeth afterwards.—Nor will a grown Chriſtian take up with inferiour knowledge but will like a grown Scholler, [...] & [...], ut [...] ci [...]um, ſic mens verba. be ſearching after the deep things of God.Chryſoſt. 4. Anſw.

A grown, experienced and ſtrong Chriſtian, [Page] is moſt converſant and imployed in the moſt ſtrict and ſevere exerciſes of Religion which tend moſt to mortification: weak Chriſtians are all for eaſie and ordinary exerciſes, as hearing and reading good books; but a ſtrong Chriſtian is much in ſpirituall watchfulneſſe, ſecret prayer, frequent faſting, ſelf-denyal, and heavenly meditation, and ſuch like duties as have a ſpecial influence upon the mortification of ſin and corruption. A childe whoſe parts and ſtrength is weak,Luk. 5. 33, 34, 35, &c. 5. Anſw. is not converſant about ſuch arduous and great undertakings as a grown man.

He can believe the accompliſhment of Promiſes and Scripture Propheſies, though Gods Providence ſeeme to make againſt them, and though there ſeem no outward probabilities for them. Thus it argued Abraham was ſtrong in faith,Rom. 4. 18, 19. 20. expounded. who againſt hope believed in hope; and being not weak in faith, he conſidered not his own body now dead.—There were ſeverall things might have ſtaggered Abrahams faith, had it not been very ſtrong.

1. There were fifteen years at leaſt between the making of the promiſe of giving him a ſon, and the fulfilling of it.Compare Gen. 15. 4. with Gen. 16. 16. & with Gen. 21. 5.

2. Abraham was about an hundred yeares old before he had a ſon, and ſo unlikely to have children.

3. Sarah's womb dead, and no ordinary hope of Procreation.

4. And after the promiſed ſonne was born, God calls upon Abraham to offer him up, [Page] and yet notwithſtanding all this, he ſtaggered not at the promiſe [...]of God through unbeliefe, Rom 4. 20, 21. but was ſtrong in faith, giving glory to God, and was fully perſwaded, that what he had promiſed, he was able alſo to performe.

A ſtrong believer can ſuffer as well as do for the ſake oſ Chriſt.6. Anſw. Greater ſtrength of grace is required to ſuffer for the truth, then to profeſſe the truth; and therefore our Saviour propounds this to the ambitious ſuitors, the ſons of Zebedee; Are yee able to drink of the Cup that I ſhall drink of? Mar. 20. 22 23. and to be baptized with the Baptiſm wherewith I am baptized withall? implying thus much, that they did not well underſtand their own ſtrength, that there was more grace required to ſuffer for the name of Chriſt, then to believe on the name of Chriſt, and accordingly as is our ſtrength of grace, ſo is our courage for the cauſe of Chriſt, leſſe or more. Nicodemus when he had but little grace, he came to Jeſus, but yet in the night, John 3. 2. by ſtealth; he durſt not openly appear for Chriſt, but afterwards as he grew in grace and knowledge of Chriſt, ſo he grew in courage for Chriſt, And when the cauſe of Chriſt was debated in the aſſembly of the chief Prieſts and Phariſees, there Nicodemus boldly pleads the cauſe of Chriſt.John 7. 50.—Doth our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doth? Nay we reade afterward of a higher reſolution of this once fearful Nicodemus, when Chriſt was crucified and at the loweſt.— [Page] We finde that Necodemus, which (ſaith the text) came at firſt to Jeſus by night, Joh. 19. 39. brought a hundred pound weight of mixture of Myrrhe and Aloes for the Burial of Chriſt. Ver. 38. The like inſtance we have in Ioſeph of Arimathea, who was a diſciple of Chriſt, but ſecretly for fear of the Jews.—But afterwards, when he had got more ſtrength of grace, the Scripture tells us, He went in to Pilate boldly, and craved the body of Ieſus. Mar. 15. 43 To profeſſe Chriſt boldly, in a time when dangers and difficulties attend that Profeſſion, argues a ſtrong faith; a weakly Conſtitution dare not go out, unleſſe the weather be faire; But a ſtrong body can indure the hardeſt weather. A weak and young Convert is fitter to live in the proſperity of the Goſpel; but an old experienced Chriſtian like an old tried ſouldier, will not ſhrink in the hardeſt trials.—If thou faint in the day of adverſity; Prov. 24. 10. it is becauſe thy ſtrength is ſmall.

He is one that is able to govern his tongue,7. Anſw. that though paſſion be in the heart, yet through the ſtrength of his grace he bridles it in, and reſtraines it, ſo as it ſhall not break into open railings, revilings and clamours as others do. St. James gives this character of a ſtrong Chriſtian;Jam. 3. 2. If any man offend not in word, the ſame is a perfect man; not legally but Evangelically; He is a perfect man. i.e. He is grown ſtrong in the grace of God.

He is one that dares truſt Gods providence for outward things,8. Anſw. however he is in [Page] ſtraits;Mat. 6. 25, 30. as it argues littleneſſe of faith, to diſtruſt Chriſt for food and raiment: ſo it argues ſtrength of faith, that though the viſion tarry, and no deliverance appear, yet then to live by faith,Hab. 2. 4. as the juſt are ſaid to do, this argues ſtrength of faith.

He is one that labours for unity in the Church,Anſw. 9. as wel as for purity in the Church. He will labour for his power that Chriſts coat ſhall be without rent, as well as with out ſpot. This character I gather from that exhortation of the Apoſtle,Phil. 3. 15. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded, and if in any thing ye be otherwiſe minded, God ſhall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheleſſe, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the ſame thing. It is a note thou art weak, when thou makeſt a ſtirre in the Church about thy opinions; weak children are moſt froward; when children are weak and ſickly, nothing will pleaſe them: ſo it is with ſome weak ones in the Church, their humour is ſuch; you know not how to pleaſe them; but a grown experienced Chriſtian is ſober and wiſe, and very earneſt to preſerve unity in the Church of Chriſt.

Before I proceed to ſpeak any more about ſtrength of grace;Vſe 1. I ſhall make ſome application of what I have delivered about the marks and ſigns of ſtrong grace, and the uſe I ſhall make, ſhall be to give you ſome cautions about theſe foregoing characters, and there is need of a twofold Caution.

[Page] 1. Take heed you do not imagine your ſelves ſtrong in grace, when you are weak; this is a dangerous miſtake.

2. Take heed of thinking and judging your ſelves weak in grace, when you are ſtrong in grace; this is an uncomfortable miſtake. There is a man (ſaith Solomon) that maketh himſelf rich, Prov. 13. 7. and bath nothing; and there is a man that maketh himſelf poor, and yet hath great riches. I would therefore caution you that you may neither live above nor beneath what you have, that you may not proudly fancy you have what you have not, nor diſcouragedly fear you want what you indeed have.

2. You are not to meaſure the ſtrength of grace by the length of your Profeſſion.1 Vſe of Caution. Many who are long ſtanders in the Profeſſion of Religion, are but ſlow walkers in the wayes and practice of Religion; the ſouls Proficiency in grace, is not the iſſue of length of time, but the fruit of free grace. There were thoſe in the Church for ſo long a time, that they ought to have been teachers of others, Heb. 5. 12. but they had attained but little growth or ſtrength of grace. They that came at the eleventh houre had their penny, as well as thoſe that came early into the Vineyard. The ſcope of which Parable is (as ſome interpreters ſay) to ſhew that thoſe who come late to the Profeſſion of Religion,Mat. 20. 16 expounded. may yet out-go many in gifts and graces, who have been long before them in Profeſſion. How many [Page] amongſt us, their years ſpeak them eighty, but their knowledge and grace not eighteen.

2. Meaſure not the ſtrength of grace, by the ſtrength of your affections to ſome of the wayes of God. The love of a newly married Couple may be more found at firſt, afterwards it's more ſolid. Women who are the weaker veſſels are uſually more affectionate. Weak Chriſtians are uſually moſt affectionate. When the Creeple was cured, we read that upon his firſt cure he leaped for joy;Acts 14. 10 it's likely he did not continue to do ſo: the newneſſe of the change did much affect him, and ſo it doth young converts.

3. Meaſure not the ſtrength of grace, by the abundance of the means of grace which you enjoy. Alas, Laodicea had a glorious light ſhining amidſt her; ſhe was one of the ſeven Candleſticks. And becauſe ſhe had ſuch meanes of grace, ſhe miſtook her ſelfe, ſaying,Rev. 3. 17. I am rich, and increaſed with goods, and have need of nothing. But ſaid Chriſt, Theu knoweſt not that thou art wretched, and miſerable, and poor, and blinde, and naked.

4. Meaſure not the ſtrength of grace by the ſtrength of your gifts. There is a new diſeaſe amongſt children called the Rickets, when children grow big in the head, but weak in their limbs: this diſeaſe is ſpiritually upon the ſouls of many our of Profeſſors; their heads grow in reſpect of gifts & knowledge, but they do not grow ſtrong to walk in the wayes of God; they are like the Moon, increaſing [Page] in light, but not in heat. In the dayes of the Schoolmen the gifts of men were very high, and yet the power of godlineſſe was at a low ebbe in thoſe dayes; there were in thoſe times many ſublime notions, Seraphical ſpeculations, curious diſtinctions, ſubtile objections, and elaborate anſwers to them, grave and weighty ſentences; but alas, but a little of the power of grace in the hearts of thoſe men and them they taught.

2. Caution is,2. Caution. to prevent miſtakes of thoſe who are apt to judge themſelves weak in grace, when indeed they are ſtrong in grace.

1. Becauſe thou haſt not perfection of grace, do not therefore conclude thou haſt not ſtrength of grace. Truth of grace is one thing, and ſtrength of grace is another; ſo ſtrength of grace is one thing, and perfection of grace is another. You muſt ſtay for perfection till you come to heaven; it is there only, where the ſpirits of juſt men are made perfect. Heb. 12 23 It is a witty obſervation that one hath; In Grammar (ſaith he) tbe Preſent tenſe is accompanied with the Preter-imperfect tenſe, but the Future with the Preter-pluterfect tenſe. Even ſuch is our preſent ſtate of grace, it's accompanied with imperfections;—but our future ſhall be more then perfect;Ecel. 7. 20. There is no Perfection here. There is not a juſt man on earth that doth good, Pro. 20. 9. and ſinneth not, (ſaith Solomon) Who can ſay, I have made my heart clean? If I waſh my hands with ſnow-water, (ſaith Iob) and make my ſelf never ſo clean; yet ſhalt thou [Page]plunge me in the ditch, and my owne clothes ſhall abhorre me. i.e. Though I have by Regeneration ſome grace, yet all my defilements ſhall never in this life be put away. In the Propheſie of Zechariah we have the Lord ſpeaking thus: I will refine them as ſilver, and well try them as gold is tryed; and yet in the Prophet Isaiah God ſaith,Zech. 13. 9. I have refined thee, but not with ſilver; Iſa. 48. 10. to reconcile both places, The meaning is, that though God begin to refine his people, yet they are not perfectly refined.

2. Do not judge thy ſelf weak in grace, becauſe thou haſt not ſtrong affections. God doth make up in the experience of old and grown Chriſtians, what is wanting of the great affections they had at their firſt converſion.Mr. Greenham. Holy Greenham often prayed that he might keep up his young zeal with his old diſcretion. What is wanting in affections God makes up to thee in ſolidity of judgement, clearneſſe of knowledge, abundance of experience, and ſtableneſſe in the faith.

3. Judge not the ſtrength of thy grace by the ſtrength of thy comforts, the fruit may grow ſtrong, when the bloſſome is off. I have ſpoken of this before; and therefore will adde this, that heavenly joyes and raptures are very ſparingly found among Gods people. They are Gods ſpecial indulgences to ſome of his ſpecial children. I wil conclude with a Saying of that godly and learned Scotchman,Mr. Rollock. Whilſt I live (ſaith he) I never expect to ſee perfect Reformation in the[Page]Church, or feel perfect raviſhing joyes in my heart

VIII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 6. 1651.

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘Be ſtrong in the grace of God that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

I Proceed now to anſwer ſome caſes of conſcience, which may be deduced from the Doctrine I have laid down.

1. Whether ſtrong temptations may be conſiſtent with ſtrong grace? Caſe 1. This is a needful and practical Caſe, becauſe the People of God, when tempted by the devil, they do not only queſtion the ſtrength, but the truth of their grace.

Before I reſolve this Caſe, I ſhall premiſe theſe general poſitions.

1. It is certain,Poſit 1. where there is truth of grace, there may be ſtrong temptations from the devil. The devil is like a thiefe, which robs not out-houſes, where there is nothing but dung and ſtraw; but the Cabinets that are in the Cloſet: ſo this great thief of the world, he is not ſo eager to rob and ſpoil the out-houſes, wicked and ungodly men; but thoſe who have the riches of grace in the cabinets of their hearts, theſe he labours to rob and ſpoile: or as a Pirate, who ſets not upon an empty veſſel, but upon a ſhip laden with rich merchandize; thoſe who are [Page] fraught with the rich gifts of grace, the devil by his temptations, will labour to make prize of for himſelf.

2. Let the temptations of the devil be never ſo ſtrong,Poſit. 2. yet they ſhall not be above the ſtrength of grace, which believers have received from God.1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that you are able. He will proportion the burden to the back, and the ſtroak to the ſtrength of him who is to bear it; if temptations increaſe, our ſtrength ſhall alſo increaſe, whereby we may be able to grapple with them.

3. It is evident,Poſit. 3. that the temptations of the devil are alwayes ordinarily moſt ſtrong, after Gods people have diſcharged ſome extraordinary duties to God, or have received moſt diſcoveries of grace from God. In both theſe Caſes the devils temptations are uſually great. You finde that immediately after the Celebration of the Lords Supper the devil deſired to winnow the diſciples; Luke 22. 31. after they had performed that extraordinary ſervice to God, the devil was deſirous preſently to ſet upon them. So you finde that after Chriſt had in an extraordinary manner,Mat. 4. 2, 3 fasted forty dayes and forty nights, he was immediately after tempted of the devil;Dr. Halls obſervations. and ſo alſo after his baptiſme, no ſooner was he out of the water of Baptiſme, but he was in the fire of temptation. The Iſrael of God can be no ſooner out of Egypt, but this helliſh Pharoah purſues them. And Hezekiah had no ſooner kept the ſolemn [Page] Paſſeover, but Senacherib comes up againſt him. All this is to ſhew us, that after we have put forth moſt grace in a duty, then the devil will labour to play his aftergame with us, if he miſſe of his fore-game; if Satan cannot keep us from duty and from inlargment in duty, he will flie-blow our duties by pride and ſo marre them. And then after we have received the moſt eſpecial manifeſtations from Gods love and favour in Chriſt, then may we expect to be aſſaulted by the devil: Thus Paul, after he had thoſe heavenly raptures, 2 Cor. 12. 7. and abundance of Revelations; the devil ſet upon him with vile temptations; he had the meſſenger of Satan to buffet him, a thorn in the fleſh; which is not to be meant of any diſeaſe, but of ſome ſharp temptation from the devil. So you finde that immediately after that voice to Chriſt,Mat. 3. 17. This is my well beloved ſon, in whom I am well pleaſed, that then the Tempter came to him. Hence you may gather from that connexion between thoſe two Petitions in the Lord Prayer, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, and lead us not into temptation: to note to us, that no ſooner can we get the evidence of our pardon, but we may expect to be tempted of the devil.

4. That men who have the greateſt ſtrength of grace,Poſit. 4. are like to meet with the fierceſt aſſaults, and the ſtrongeſt temptations from the divel; and this brings me to anſwer the Caſe, That ſtrength of grace may be conſiſtent with ſtrong temptations. To clear and confirm [Page] this, there are theſe two particulars to be enquired into.

1. Wben temptations may be ſaid to be ſtrong?

2. How, and why ſuch ſtrong temptations may be conſiſtent with ſtrong grace?

1. When temptations may be ſaid to be ſtrong?Queſt. 1.

1. Then may temptations be ſaid to be ſtrong,Anſw. 1. when the ſollicitations of the devil to ſin are urgent with the ſoule, when they are not weak and faint ſuggeſtions, but violent aſſaults, which wil not be removed until aſſented to; when the divel haunts a man ſo that he wil not let him alone, then may they be ſaid to be ſtrong. Thus it is ſaid, Satan ſtood up againſt Iſrael,—i.e. He ſet himſelfe to tempt David. And provoked him, 1 Chron. 21. 1. i. e. He would not let him alone, but haunted him with helliſh importunity,—till he had numbred the people.

2. When they are frequent and continued. Small temptations often ſuggeſted become ſtrong. Small drops of water by frequent falling make hollow the hard ſtone; which a few great and forcible blows wil not doe: ſo temptations, though but to ſmall ſins, if they be continued, may have greater entrance into the heart then a violent aſſault may.

3. When they are ſuited by the devil to a mans diſpoſition or preſent condition; ſo was that temptation by which the devil ſet upon Chriſt, after he had faſted forty daies and forty nights: Command, ſays he, that theſe [Page]ſtones be made bread. Mat. 4. 3. It was ſuited to his preſent condition, meat for his hunger. If you offer meat to a naked man, he values it not, or cloaths to a hungry man, becauſe it is not ſuited to his preſent exigence: but if the gift you offer be ſuited to the mans neceſſity, cloaths to him that is naked, and meat to him that is hungry, then it becomes acceptable. The devil doth not caſt temptations at random, he is more ſubtil then to row againſt wind and tide, he knowes which way the ſtream of our affections and diſpoſitions runs, and he ſuits his baits accordingly.Jam. 1. 14. Every man (ſayes the Apoſtle) is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own luſt and enticed. [...],—Metaphora à Piſcat [...]ribus, qui ineſcant, & h [...]me captant. Beza. It is a metaphor taken from Fiſhermen, who have this skill, that according to the nature of the fiſh, ſo they wil ſuit their bait, whereby they lie in wait to deceive either the ſight or the taſte of the poor fiſh. The divel is the great fiſher of ſouls, and makes uſe of ſuch temptations which are moſt likely to take; he obſerves to what ſins a mans Relations, Calling or opportunities lay him moſt open & obnoxious, and accordingly he layes his ſnare, and ſpreds his net. Though its true, that every man hath a principle within him ſuiting to every ſinne; yet it is as true that every man is not equally active for, or diſpoſed unto every ſin. The divel ſees what ſin is moſt predominant in man, and ſo he frameth a temptation ſutable; He ſets a wedge of Gold before a covetous Achan; Cozby an [Page] harlot, before an adulterous Zimri; a faire preferment before an ambitious Abſalom: he knows well, that a fit object preſented is a victory half obtained. In theſe three caſes temptations may be ſaid to be ſtrong.

How doth it appear that temptations ſo urgent,2 Queſt. ſo continued, and ſo ſuited, may be conſiſtent with ſtrong grace?

By inſtances,Anſw. 1. whereby it appears the beſt of Gods children have been moſt tempted. Job a holy man, yet with what ſtrong temptations was he aſſaulted? the devil impoveriſhed him in his ſtate, and ſo would tempt him to diſtruſt Gods providence; took away the lives of his children, to make him queſtion providence; tormenting him with grievous diſeaſes, to make him clamour againſt providence; and above all this tempted him to curſe God and die, by the inſtigations of his wife;Job 2. 8. and yet though Job was thus haunted by the devil, he was a believer ſtrong in grace, and the moſt eminent Saint in that age, and that part of the world at that time, as God himſelfe teſtifies of him, that there was none like him upon earth, a perfect and an upright man.—He was not only for riches the greateſt of all the men of the Eaſt, but for holineſſe the greateſt upon the earth; yet thus was he afflicted and aſſaulted by the devil.

Another inſtance there is of David, an eminent believer, and hath this commendation, that he was a man after Gods own heart, [Page] and yet how furiouſly was he tempted by the devil? one while Satan moved him to number the people, another time to defile another mans wife, another time to counterfeit himſelfe mad before Achiſh King of Gath, another time to judge all his holy duties to be in vain, and at another time to queſtion the faithfulneſſe of God in his promiſe to make him King. He ſaid in his haſte that all men were lyers, even Samuel the Prophet alſo.Mat. 16. 16 17. compared with 16. Ch. 22, 24. Thus Peter an eminent Apoſtle of Chriſt, after he had made ſuch a glorious confeſſion of his faith, and had diſcovered more grace then in all his life time before, you finde him ſuddenly after by an inſtigation from the devil, begin to rebuke Chriſt, and counſelling him to ſpare himſelfe. And thus Paul that had ſuch high and heavenly raptures, ſuch divine extaſies, yet had he the meſſenger of Satan to buffet him. But above all inſtances, you have Jeſus Chriſt, who though he had perfect grace, and was full of grace and truth; yet this could not exempt him from the temptations of the divel. He was full of the holy Ghoſt, yet was he forty daies tempted of the divel, & that with ſtrong temptations; if you conſider their continuance, their urgency one after another, and ſuitability to that his preſent condition. So that it is plainly manifeſt, that ſtrong temptations may be conſiſtent with ſtrength of grace by theſe inſtances given.

2. It appears alſo by reaſons drawn,

[Page] 1. From God, for the clearer illuſtration of the glory of his own Attributes:Reaſon 1. and therefore the Scripture is clear in this. Particularly to ſhew how the temptations of Gods people make his Attributes to be more illuſtrious. As firſt, his Faithfulneſſe: God who is faithfull will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that you are able. 1 Cor. 10. 13. And then his Wiſdom:2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation. He will by his wiſdom finde a way for their eſcape. And then alſo hereby will his pitty and compaſſion be made glorious;Heb. 2. 17. therefore Chriſt became like unto us, that he might be a merciful High-Prieſt, able to ſuccour and pitty thoſe that are tempted. And then laſtly, the glory of his Power. In our weakneſſe God wil manifeſt his power, for his ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſſe. 2 Cor. 12. 9 Thus it pleaſes God to exerciſe his people with great afflictions and temptations; for the ſetting out of his own glorious Attributes, and magnifying of his own name.

2. Another Reaſon may be drawn from Gods people themſelves.Reaſon 2.

1. God in afflicting his children aimes at their good. Thus when the devil tempted David to number the people,2 Chron. 21. 1. and when he was ſacrificing at the floore of Ornan the Jebuſite,1 Chron. 3. 1. there did God tel him that the Temple ſhould be built, this was the iſſue of his temptation. So when Job was ſo tempted and afflicted, the iſſue of all was for his good. Jobs graces had never been ſo illuſtrious, had not [Page] the divels temptations been ſo furious. This is one end of Gods afflicting his people, that their graces may become more orient.

2. Another may be to check pride. There is no greater temptation in the world to pride, then eminency in grace. Pride it is that worſt fruit, which growes upon the beſt ſtock. 'Tis not ſo much the ornaments of the body, as the endowments of the mind which ſtirs up pride;2 Cor. 12. 9 and this was Pauls caſe, after his abundance of Revelations, there was a thorn in his fleſh, a meſſenger of Satan to buffet him, leſt he ſhould be lifted up. God wil ſuffer thoſe which have ſtrong grace to be ſtrongly tempted, to check the pride of their hearts.

3. The godly are more able to grapple with ſtrong temptations then weaker Chriſtians are, and ſo God ſuits the ſervice and ſufferings of his people, to the proportion of the ſtrength of grace.

3. Another reaſon may be taken from the devil,Reaſon. 3. from that malice which he bears to all the people of God, and eſpecially to thoſe who have moſt grace; whom God loves moſt, the devil hates moſt. When the voice from Heaven ſaid to Chriſt, Thou art my welbeloved ſonne, then came the devil to aſſault and to tempt him; if you are the objects of Gods deareſt love, you wil be the objects of the devils deepeſt rage: and though he cannot damne thy ſoule, yet he wil trouble thy conſcience; if he cannot break thy head, he will bruiſe thy heel.

[Page] 2. It alſo proceeds from the devils knowledge, as wel as his malice; he knows, if he can but get thoſe which are ſtrong in grace to ſin, he ſhall doe the more miſchiefe, as

1. It wil open the mouth of wicked men to blaſpheme God and Religion, as in the caſe of David, 2 Sam. 1 [...]. 14. By this deed thou hast given great [...]ecaſion to the enemies of the Lord to blaſpheme. How were the mouths of Gods enemies opened to blaſpheme his name?

2. It wil imbolden the weak to ſin with more freedom, when they ſhall ſee thoſe which are eminent to fall: and thus the example of Peter made the Gentiles to Judaize.Gal. 2. 14. When the ſtrong ſhall abuſe his liberty, he becomes a ſtumbling block to thoſe which are weak.1 Cor. 8. 9. When Phigellus and Hermogenes turned away from the faith how did all Aſia turn aſide alſo?2 Tim. 1. 15 Men of eminent gifts, when they ſhall apoſtatize, how doe they draw others in abundance?

3. It wil provoke God to inflict heavy judgements on the places where you dwel. Thus the divel knew that if he could get David to number the people, it would procure a judgement upon them; and therefore it is not ſaid, he ſtood up againſt David, but againſt Iſrael, and provoked him to number the people; 2 Chron. 21. 1. he wel knew, if he could prevaile with David, all Iſrael ſhould ſuffer for it. Thus we ſee, that where there is ſtrength of grace, there may be and are ſtrong temptations.Object.

But here may an objection be raiſed from [Page] that of John, 1 Joh. 5. 18 where it is ſaid, He that is born of God ſinneth not, 1 Joh. 2. 18. and keepeth himſelfe that the wicked One toucheth him not, & that they which are ſtrong have overcome the wicked one. And if this be ſo, how can that be truth, that ſtrong temptations from the devil, may be confiſtent with ſtrong grace in the heart?

When it is ſaid,Sol. the wicked one toucheth him not, it is not to be taken abſolutely, as if the divel did not tempt a man at all, therefore there muſt be a reſtriction of the clauſe, he touches him not, that is, with a deadly touch; and ſo Cajetan, This phraſe exeludes not the kinds of temptations, but that we are not burt or eternally doſtroyed by them But I conceive rather that theſe words have a peculiar reference to the 16 verſe, where is mention made of a ſin unto death; the divel ſhall not prevaile, or touch a man ſo, as to commit that ſin which is unto death. Though he may tempt, and wil be continually aſſaulting a man, yet he ſhall never prevaile againſt him, ſo as to draw him to the committing of that ſinne.

1. From hence we may learn the indulgence of God to weak Chriſtians;Vſe 1. whilst their graces are weak their temptations ſhall not be ſtrong. God wil not put weak Chriſtians upon ſuch ſtrong trials, as thoſe [...] have obtained greater meaſures of grace Not every man in Davids Army was put [...] break through the Army of the Philiſtin [...] to fetch of the waters of the Well of Bethlehem, [Page] but Davids three Worthles. God will not put young Converts to break through an Hoſt of temptations, until they ſhall have obtained experience and ſtrength of grace to grapple with them.

2. Hence alſo learn,Vſe 2. that men of the ſtrongeſt and moſt eminent gifts and graces ought not to preſume upon their own ſtrength. Conſider thy ſelf, leſt thou alſo be tempted. Gal. 6. 1. Thou which art moſt ſpiritual, take heed leſt thou be foiled. Some mens pride may make them think they are above Ordinances, yet their own experience may ſatisfie them that they are not above temptations; and certainly they which are not above temptations, wil ſtil ſtand in need of Ordinances; now no man in the world, either is or ſhall be above temptation; if any, ſurely Adam would, yet he in Paradiſe, the beſt of places; and in In noeency, the beſt of ſtates, was not exempted from the temptations of the divel, and thereby fell; therefore let no man preſume upon his own ſtrength.

3. Remember this for thy comfort, that though the divel tempt thee with ſtrong temptations, yet he ſhall never have his wil againſt thee. It is true, a godly man may fall into that particular act unto which the devil tempts him, yet as to the devils general aime (the damning of thy ſoul) he ſhall never have his wil. It is a notable expreſſion that of our Saviours to Peter, ſayes he, Satan hath deſtred to have you, Luk. 22. 31 that he may ſift you as [Page]wheat: Satan hath deſired to have thee, that was the devils general aym. Though he may have his wil as to a particular act, and thou mayeſt yield to his temptation, yet he ſhall never carry thee with himſelf into Hell.

4. Remember to your great comfort, you who are the people of God, and harraſſed with the divels temptations; thou complaineſt that they are great for kind, long for continuance, and the more dangerous becauſe ſuited to thy preſent condition. Remember, that thus the divel dealt with Jeſus Chriſt, his temptations were ſuited, continued, and for kinds groſs, being to diſtruſt providence, to ſelf-murder, and to blaſphemy; and why was all this, but for thy comfort? he ſuffered being tempted, that he might be able to pity, compaſſionate,Heb. 2. 18. and ſuccour thee, being in the ſame condition.

IX. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 6. 1651.

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘—My ſon, be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

WE proceed now to the ſecond Caſe of conſcience, concerning ſtrength of grace, which is this:

Whether ſtrength of grace may be conſiſtent with ſtrength of luſt and corruption in the he art?Caſe 2.

In the anſwering whereof I ſhall ſpeak to theſe particulars:

[Page] 1. When may corruptions be ſaid to be ſtrong?

2. Why thoſe that have ſtrong grace, have many times ſtrong corruptions?

3. What ſtrong corruptions are they that thoſe that are ſtrong in grace, are moſt ſubject unto?

4. In what caſes, and with what limitations may ſtrength of corruptions conſiſt with ſtrength of grace?

1. When may corruptions and luſts be ſaid to be ſtrong in the ſoule?Queſt. 1.

1. When ſins are committed with complacency.Anſw. 1. Sin at firſt is like a ſnake that is almoſt ſtarved by reaſon of the cold, and is very weak and feeble; but if it be laid in the boſome, then it gathers ſtrength, and after a while ſin revives and becomes a delight in the ſoul. If thou were at firſt troubled at ſin, and afterwards takeſt pleaſure in ſin, its a ſigne that ſin hath a great hand over thee. Thus God complaines of his people, What hath my beloved to doe in my houſe? Jer. 11. 15.—When thou doſt evil then thou rejoyceſt. We may know the power and ſtrength of corruption in us, by ſins activity in us, and by our chearſulneſs and complacency in ſin.

2. By the frequency of ſin, as a relapſe into a diſeaſe,Anſw. 2 argues the ſtrength of that peccant humour in the body: ſo reiterated and multiplied acts of the ſame ſin, argue the power and ſtrength of that ſin in our hearts. Corruption gathers ſtrength even as grace doth [Page] by the frequent acting and exerciſe of it.

3. When ſin is perſiſted in againſt the cheeks of conſcience.Anſw. 3. And it argues the ſtrength of a ſtreame that it beares down before it whatſoever bank would check the courſe of it: So it alſo argues that there is a ſtrong current of corruption in thy ſoul, that bears down before it all the warnings, checks and reproofs of conſcience.

2. Why have thoſe that have the ſtrongeſt graces,Queſt. 2. many times alſo the ſtrongest corruptions?

1. It ariſeth from the natural temperature and conſtitution of the body,Anſw. 1. which doth diſpoſe men to ſome ſin more then another, although they have ſuch eminency of grace; and hence it is, that thoſe who are naturally and conſtitutionally paſſionate, and given to anger, though they may have a great meaſure of grace, yet what ado have they to bridle in their anger? what ado to be greatly angry, and not greatly ſinful? And ſo ſuch whoſe temperature inclines them to be luſtful, though they have much grace, yet all little enough to ſuppreſſe luſtfull thoughts and wanton looks in them.

2. God ſuffers this to humble his People,Anſw. 2. and to keep them humble under their great meaſures of grace. It is obſervable in nature, that thoſe creatures which have the moſt excellency in them, have ſomething alſo of defect and deformity in them, as if the God of nature did it to keep them humble. The Peacock hath glittering feathers, and yet [Page] black feet; The Swan hath white feathers, but under that a black skin; The Eagle hath many excellencies, quick ſight, and high flight, but yet very ravenous; The Camel and Elephant are great and ſtately creatures, but of a deformed ſhape: So it is in the ſtate of grace, God doth ſuffer ſome ſtrong & unſubdued corruptions to remain in them, who have not only truth, but ſtrength of grace, and this is to keep them humble.2 Cor. 12. 7. Thus Paul after his great Revelation, had a meſſenger of Satan to buffet him, and a thorne in the fleſh to afflict and keep him humble; the thorn in the fleſh did let out the impoſtumated matter of pride out of his heart; and the conſiderations of their corruptions doth much affect the hearts of the godly, that they become, 1. More condeſcending and compaſſionate to the weak. 2. They do depend leſſe upon their own righteouſneſſe. They ſee it is in vain to think of eſtabliſhing their own righteouſneſſe, and that it is too weak a foundation to lay the weight and ſtreſſe of their ſalvation upon: the Covering is too narrow, and the Bed is too ſhort for them to reſt quietly upon. 3. They are hereby brought to think better of others then of themſelves, yea to judge themſelves the leaſt of Saints, and the greateſt of ſinners.

3. This is from Satans malice,Anſw. 3. who if he can draw out great corruptions from them who are eminent in grace;

1. He thereby aims to blemiſh Religion [Page] and to darken the honour of Profeſſion, and in this caſe uſually fights againſt none, great nor ſmall, but the King of Iſrael, viz. ſuch as are eminent for holineſſe. When David fell into thoſe great ſins of murder and adultery, Satan had a main end granted him, to make the way of true Religion ſtink and be abhorred.2 Sam. 12. 14.

2. Hereby Satan hath his end to imbolden thoſe that are weak to ſin. The ſins and great miſcarriages of ſuch as are great Profeſſors are great ſtumbling blocks in the way of the weak to make them fall.1 Cor. 8. 10

3. Hereby the peace and purity of conſcience is violated; the devil will play at ſmall game rather then at no game: and if he cannot prevail to damn thy ſoul, yet he will endeavour to diſquiet thy conſcience.

3. What are thoſe great corruptions and ſins unto which ſtrong believers are incident?Queſt. 3.

1. To loſe thoſe ſtrong affections which they had at their firſt Converſion.Anſw. 1. Holy Greenham complained, that it was very difficult to keep together his old diſcretion and young zeal.—Young Chriſtians (as hath been already obſerved) have ſtrong affections, and but weak judgements. Their heat is more then their light. Their preſent apprehenſion and ſenſe is great and high, their experience little and low; And ſo alſo ſtrong Chriſtians, who may have much grace, yet tha flood and fluſh of affections may be much abated, and it is the fault of old profeſſors, [Page] that they do not labour to maintain the primitive vigour and vivacity of their firſt affections;Rev. 2. 3, 4. they are too apt to leave their firſt love, yet we muſt know they do not decay ſo as to be bankerupts, in grace. In the godly the decay and declining, though it may be great, yet it is neither total nor final; though he may fail, yet he is not a banquerupt, he hath ſtill a ſtock remaining which can never be quite ſpent, a fountaine which can never be quite dry.Joh. 4. 14. He hath in him a Well of water ſpringing up to eternall life. The water of a fountain may be mudded, but it will clear it ſelf again. It may be damm'd up in one place, but it will break out in another; ſo it is with grace. A tree, you know, in Winter-ſeaſon, the fruit and leaves fall off, and it ſeems as if it were dead, but there is life in the root; ſo it is in Chriſtians, their beauty and bloſſom may fall off, their fruit dry up, their leaves drop off, the beauty, the exerciſe and the fruits of grace may ceaſe for a time, and yet the root of the matter is in them. Job 19 28 It often fares with old Profeſſors, as it did with old David, 1 King. 1. 1. of whom it is ſaid, that all the cloaths he did wear, could not get or keep beat in him: So they, all the duties they perform, and all the Ordinances they enjoy, cannot keep up that youthful heat of vigorous affections which once they had. Many of Gods children have not now as once they had, ſuch complacency in God, ſuch fervency in prayer, ſuch attention in hearing, ſuch [Page] delight in Sabbaths, ſuch mournfulneſſe and tenderneſſe of ſpirit, ſuch hatred of ſin. Now they have not ſuch aggravating thoughts of ſin, as in former times, nor the occaſions unto ſin, ſo avoided as formerly. How many are there, who heretofore look't on every ſin as an hainous evil, but now do not ſo: time was when every gnat ſeemed a camel, and every mote a beame, and every mol [...]hil a mountain, but now they can extenuate and excuſe their ſin. Heretofore the moſt pleaſing ſin was abominable, the ſmalleſt deteſtable, and the higheſt intolerable, but it is otherwiſe now through ſpiritual decayes and abatement in our affections. There are many heretofore when they fell into ſin, were wont to walk ſadly, to [...]igh deeply, weep bitterly, pray affectionately: but now do not theſe things with thoſe warme and working affections as formerly. The time was when many Profeſſors of Religion, prepared themſelves for holy duties with more care, attended to them with more diligence, delighted in them with more complacency, and gained more profit and edification by them then now they do. And that's the firſt ſin, that thoſe who have grace, both in truth and ſtrength, are apt to fall into, viz. ſpiritual decay.

2. Such as are ſtrong Chriſtians are very ſubject to ſpiritual pride,Anſw. 2. and to be highly conceited of their own gifts, parts and graces. Spiritual pride is a ſecret ſpiritual corruption, [Page] that is in the moſt ſpirituall and gracious heart; it is a bad fruit that growes on the beſt root: there is nothing better then grace, and there is nothing more abominable then ſin, and there is no ſin ſo bad as pride, and there are none ſo apt to fall into this ſin of pride, as they that have much grace, and there is nothing weakens a ſtrong Chriſtian more then pride, and nothing argues weakneſſe more then this boaſting.

3. To behave themſelves with contempt and ſuperciliouſneſſe towards weak Chriſtians,Anſw. 3. is an ordinary fault of the ſtrong. There is not any one thing in Scripture more often mentioned then this, that we ſhould not deſpiſe or diſcourage the weak, which notes an aptneſſe in the ſtrong to be faulty herein.Rom. 14. 1, 2, 3. Let us not judge one another any more. The word [...] notes,Verſ. 13. [...]. they were wont to do ſo before. Spiritual pride is a root of bitterneſſe, which bears theſe two bitter fruits. 1. An over-valuing of our ſelves. 2. An undervaluing of other mens perſons and gifts.

4. Strong Chriſtians are apt to put too much duty and task upon the weak.— Johns diſciples failed in this towards the diſciples of Chriſt about faſting.Mat. 9. 16, 17. Strong Chriſtians ſhould deal tenderly with the weak, they ſhould excuſe their failings, conceale their weakneſſes, commend their performances, cheriſh their forwardneſſe, reſolve their doubts, bear their burdens, and hereby make the way of Religion to be [Page] lovely and amiable to them, whereas by their too much auſterity the weak are diſheartned at their firſt entrance.

5. To be content with meaſures of grace. How apt are they that have grace to ſay in one ſenſe, as he ſaid in another, Soul, take thine eaſe, Luk. 12 19 thou haſt goods laid up for many years; and hereupon many grow ſlack and careleſſe in holy duties, and do not improve ordinances for the increaſe of their graces. The beſt of Chriſtians are apt to fall into this ſatiety, then which nothing can be more prejudicial to the ſoul. The devil tempts thoſe that have but a little grace to thinke they have none, and thoſe that have more grace to think they have enough. The beſt are apt to miſtake themſelves in this, to think that there is a juſt dimenſion and full growth of grace attainable in this life: Whereas indeed the beſt improvement of having much grace, is to deſire more, and not to be ſatisfied with any meaſure of grace till we come to a perfect man, Eph. 4. 13. unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, and that's not attainable in this life. Perfection is the aime of this life, but it is the reward of another life. We ſhould endeavour after Perfection in grace, but we ſhall not attain it till grace be perfected in glory.

4. In what caſes,Queſt. 4. and with what limitations may ſtrength of corruptions conſiſt with ſtrength of grace?

The reſolving of this queſtion is of very [Page] much uſe to the ſoul: for that ſoul that is over-maſtered with ſtrong corruptions, may not only queſtion the ſtrength of his grace, but the being of it. How may I then know, that I have both the truth and ſtrength of grace in me, though I am overpowered ſometimes by ſtrong and prevailing corruptions?

1. If you maintain in you a ſtrong oppoſition againſt your corruptions.Anſw. 1 The fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, but doth the Spirit luſt againſt the fleſh? Gal. 5. 17. though you cannot fully ſubdue ſin, yet do you ſtrongly oppoſe it? if ſo, there is grace and ſtrength of grace too, which is able to make and hold up this oppoſition. An uncontrolled ſubjection unto ſin, argues the ſtrength of ſin; but an irreconcileable oppoſition of ſin argues the ſtrength of grace. Strength of grace is not ſo much ſeen in thoſe particular acts of ſuppreſſion, and actual overcoming of it, as in that conſtant and habitual frame of heart in the oppoſition of ſinne.

2. Though ſin be ſtrong,Anſw. 3. yet grace may be ſtrong too in thy ſoul. If thou haſt a ſtrong meaſure of humiliation, though thy ſin be great, if thy ſorrow be great too, it evidenceth thy grace is ſo alſo. It was great grace in Manaſſeh, 1 Chron. 23. 12. that he humbled himſelf greatly, though he had been a very great ſinner.

3▪ If thou haſt ſtrong cryes to God againſt thy ſins, this argues grate, though it be ready to be d [...]flowered by thy corruptions. If [Page] when corruptions and temptations prevaile, thou prayeſt to the Lord with ſtrong cry [...] and teares, Deut. 22. 26. 27. this argues grace, yea and the ſtrength of grace.

4. If thou haſt ſtrong affections that carry thee to Chriſt,Anſw. 4. certainly thou haſt grace, though thy ſtrong corruptions often carry thee from Chriſt. Peter had more infirmities and corruptions and ſins, then all the diſciples beſides (excepting Judas.) He tooke Chriſt aſide, gave him carnal counſel, and ſaid as to his ſufferings,Mat. 16. 22 Far be it from the Lord, this ſhall not be unto thee; for which Chriſt ſaid to him, Get thee behind me, Satan. He dreams of merit, and boaſts of what he had done for Chriſt, at it is obſerved of him, when he ſaid to Chriſt,Mat. 19. 27 Behold, we have forſaken all and followed thee, what ſhall we have therefore? Peter of all the diſciples was the moſt confident of his own ſtrength; and boaſts what he would do and ſuffer for Chriſt; Though all men ſhould be offended becauſe of thee; Mat. 26. 33 35. yet will I never be offended. And if I ſhould die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Nay and preſently after this confident undertaking, Peeer denies Chriſt, and ſwear: and curſes that he knew him not. Some obſerve, that Peters curſing, was not only his curſing of himſelfe if he knew Chriſt, but that he alſo curſed Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo he might appear to them to be none of his diſciples; and yet notwithſtanding all this Peter had not only truth and reality, but eminency [Page] and ſtrength of grace: for though temptations and corruptions did ſometimes prevail, yet he had ſtrong affections towards Jeſus Chriſt; he did and ſuffered that which few or none of the other diſciples did.

1. He was the man,Mat. 26. 75 that of all the diſciples wept moſt bitterly for his ſins.

2. Peter was the firſt that ran to the ſepulchre,Joh. 20. 5. and went into the ſepulchre to ſee what was become of Chriſt.

3. He was the man,Joh. 21. 7. who hearing that Chriſt was riſen and on the ſea-ſhore, leap't into the ſea for joy.

4. He was the man that made the firſt Sermon,Act. 1. 15. and firſt preached the Goſpel after the Aſcenſion of Chriſt.

5. He had that love to Chriſt which was as ſtrong as death; for he ſuffered death, and was crucified, (as ſay Eccleſiaſtical Writers) but would not be crcuified, but with his heels upwards, deeming it too great an honour to be crucified in the ſame manner that his Lord and Maſter was; ſo that the ſtrength of his affections, did argue notwithſtanding his great failings, the ſtrength of grace in him.

To make application of what hath been ſpoken in this caſe of Conſcience.—Applicatian. Vſe 1.

Though in the caſes before mentioned, ſtrength of grace may be conſiſtent with ſtrength of corruptions; yet there are other cases wherein they are altogether inconſiſtent.

[Page] 1. When the ſtrength and workings of corruptions are not clearly diſcovered to the ſoul; for grace alwayes, as a light ſet up in the ſoul, doth diſcover the darkneſſe of corruption.

2. Where corruptions are not ſenſibly bewailed, it is to be feared that there is not ſtrength of grace.

3. Where occaſions to thoſe ſtrong prevailing ſins and corruptions are not heedfully avoided. Certainly if thou haſt grace to make thee ſenſible of what corruptions thou art incident unto, thy grace will make thee walk ſo circumſpectly, as to avoid all occaſions leading thereunto.

4. If they be not ſtrongly reſiſted, and the beginnings of each corruption not diligently ſuppreſſed, in this caſe ſtrength of grace and ſtrength of corruption are utterly inconſiſtent.

5. Though there may be ſtrong grace and ſtrong coriuption in the ſoul, yet the reign of any one corruption is utterly inconſiſtent with grace and the ſtrength of it. Let not ſin reign in your mortall bodies. Rom. 6. 12, 14. expounded, and compared with Rom. 7. 23. Sin ſhall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace; which is not to be underſtood in the Antinomiſis ſenſe, that believers are not under the mandatory power of the moral Law: But the meaning of the word (Law) as Beza interprets it, is the law of ſin, and ſo the Apoſtle Paul, chap. 7. 23, mentions a law in his members that did war againſt the [Page]law of his minde, and did hring him into captivity to the law of ſin, that is; ſin would have ſwayed in him with the power and force of a law. And this argued grace and the ſtrength of grace in Paul, that though he was over-born by the ſtrength of corruption and ſin, and taken Priſoner by it, yet he never yielded to it as to a lawfull Soveraign; for ſo he addes, verſ. 29. So then with the mind. I ſerve the law of God, Rom. 7. 25. but with my fleſh the law of ſin. It may be ſaid of the corruptions in Gods children, what was ſhewed to Daniel concerning the beaſts, They had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a ſeaſon. Dan. 9. 12.

6. When we ſay there is a conſiſtency between grace and corruption; I would be underſtood of ſpiritual and inward corruptions, as hardneſſe of heart, ſpiritual pride, deadneſſe in duties: for into groſſe external, open acts of evil, ſtrong Chriſtians do ſeldom fall.

7. We muſt alſo be further informed, that if we conſider particular acts of ſin, ſome one luſt may ſeem to be more ſtrong in a godly Chriſtian, then in a meer moral man. As for inſtance, in the caſe of luſt, when we conſider how David did abuſe his neigh bours wife, and how Abimelech would not touch another mans wife; one would have judged David the heathen, and Abimelech the believer, and therefore the ſtrength of grace or corruption muſt not be judged by any [Page] one particular act when ſome impetuous temptation hath prevailed.

8. Laſtly, we are to know that a corruption may be really weak'ned when ſenſibly ſtrong. As a man in a Feaver is ſeemingly ſtrong, but is really weak: ſo corruption may be then moſt enfeebled when in our apprehenſion it is moſt inraged; it may rave and rage when it is in crucifying. As a cole glows moſt juſt before its going out; a candle burnt't down in the ſocket gives a blaze a little before it be extinct: ſo it is when corruption is ready to expire. As in a meer moral man ſin may be reſtrained when it is not ſubdued; corruption may be quiet where it is not mortified: So in a regenerate perſon it may be ſubdued and mortified, where yet it may rage as if unreſtrained. A mans laſt gaſpe may be the ſtrongeſt breath: So when corruption is ready to give up the Ghoſt it may ſeem to breath ſtrongeſt. As a bird may flutter when his neck is broken: ſo ſin may ſeemingly reſiſt grace, when the power, ſtrength and life of it is utterly broke.

X. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. April 13. 1651.

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘Be ſtrong in the grace of God that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

WE have already handled two great Caſes of Conſcience about ſtrength of [Page]grace, about the conſiſtency of ſtrong temptations and ſtrong cortuptions with the ſtrength of grace, and ſhall now proceed to a third Caſe, which is this,

3. Whether ſtrength of grace may conſiſt with the want of thoſe ſtrong affections,Caſe 3. which Chriſtians have had at their firſt converſion?

In anſwering whereof I ſhall endeavour to ſhew three things.

1. When a man may be ſaid to loſe his firſt affections?

2. In what Caſes may a ſtrong Chriſtian want ſtrong affections?

3. Whence it is that thoſe that have ſtrong grace may want ſuch ſtrong affections as they had at their firſt Converſion?

1. When may a Chriſtian be ſaid to loſe his firſt affections? Queſt. 1. Affections are fitly compared to the pulſes of the ſoul, by which may judgement be given of the ſtate and temper of the ſoul; and that we may know when theſe affections beat low and are decayed, we may make judgement hereof.

1. When we have not ſuch eager deſires after duties.Anſw. 1. It is very remarkable, that at a Chriſtians firſt converſion, he is ſo earneſt and eager after holy duties, that he will hardly allow time for the duties of his particular calling; nay how have men at firſt tyed themſelves to hear ſo many Sermons, make ſo many Prayers, read ſo many Chapters, ſpend ſo many houres in holy Meditation by our ſelves, and good conference [Page] with other Chriſtians? But alas, afterward this fervour begins to cool and remit, and men pray leſſe, and hear more ſeldome, and this is from the multitude of their wordly occaſions. Uſually men at their firſt converſion, (which as Divines have obſerved) ordinarily doth fall out between the eighteenth and twenty eighth year of their age (though God indeed be tyed to no year) yet men at that age have uſually leſſe of the world, and ſo it comes to paſſe, that afterward when the cares and profits, and pleaſures of the world ſteal away their affections, that they grow much more remiſſe then they were at the beginning.

2. Affections may be judged to be decayed when men have not ſuch raviſhing joyes as we were wont to have.Anſw. 2. How many have been at firſt in Davids frame of heart,Pſal. 122, 1 I was glad when they ſaid to me, come let us go into the houſe of the Lord? but afterwards the overeflowing of this flood of joy by dogrees hath abated.

3. When ſenſible profit by Ordinances is abated.Anſw. 3. A man may profit by Ordinances, and yet not be ſenſible of that his profiting. A Chriſtian may grow at the root in ſolidity of grace, though it may be not ſhoot up ſo much in bloſſomes of affection.

2. In what Caſes may a ſtrong Chriſtian want ſtrong affections?Queſt. 2.

1. In caſe you have leſſe ſin in duties,Anſw. 1. though leſſe affections. A weak young convert hath oftentimes much affection in holy [Page] duties, but much corruption too. They are very ſubject to raſhneſſe and precipitancy in their Prayers, and to be proud of any ſmall meaſures of grace in duty, and too apt to have carnal dependance upon their duties: But old experienc't Chriſtians, as they have often leſſe affection, ſo leſſe ſin in duties. Papiſts have very much affection in the performance of their devotions: but alas, they have the leaven of this errour in their beſt duties, that they think they merit by them: but grown and knowing Chriſtians, though they may not be ſo affectionate in duty, as the weak, yet they may exerciſe much more grace then they do. And ſo alſo it is after duties are performed. Weak Chriſtians are apt to indulge their corruptions afterwards, thinking they have made a compenſation for their ſins by their duties: But an experienced grown Chriſtian, though not ſo affectionate in duty, yet he is carefull afterwards that he do not by ſin ſpoyle all his duties.

2. A ſtrong Chriſtian may want ſtrong affections,Anſw. 2 in caſe he hath ſtrength of judgement to recompence the want of his affections. Young trees are more ſappy, but old trees are more ſolid; Wherefore the Apoſtle prayes for the Philippians, not only that tbeir love might abound, but that their judgement might alſo abound. Phil. 1. 9. As a man that is come to his full age, though he do not grow in bulke and extenſion of parts; yet he grows intenſively, [Page] and in the conſolidation of the parts of the body: ſo old and experienced Chriſtians, [...]hough they have not ſo much affection; yet they have more ſolidity and clearneſſe of judgement, more experimental knowledge in the profound myſteries of the Goſpel, and more diſtinct apprehenſions of the deep things of Chriſt. A ſtrong believer, what he wants in affections he hath compenſated to him in a diſtinct and experimental knowledge of the deceitfulneſſe of his heart, of the vanity of the world, of the ſinfulneſſe of ſin, and of the tranſcendent excellency of Chriſt. New converts are raſh, inconſiderate, injudicious; and therefore we have a promiſe made to new converts, that they ſhall proceed in grace. It is a promiſe made to the Gentiles when the Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall come amongſt them, that though at the firſt they were raſh, yet it is ſaid,Iſa. 32. 4. The heart of the raſh ſhall underſtand knowledge, and the tongue of the ſtammerers ſhall be ready to ſpeak plain. Affection without knowledge will be but raſhneſſe, which (like metal in a young horſe) will be apt to precipitate him and make him ſtumble. An experienced Chriſtian though he have not ſo much ſeeming metal in his affection, yet ſhall rid more way to heaven by farre then a young Convert, and that without fear of ſtumbling. At the firſt kindling of the fire, there may be more ſmoak, though afterward the flame will be clearer: So when at firſt thou haſt much affection, [Page] afterwards thou ſhalt have a clearer judgment.

3. A ſtrong Chriſtian may want ſtrong affections in caſe it proceed from a natural temper,Anſw. 3. and not from a ſinful careleſſe diſtemper. There are ſome perſons that are naturally of a ſoft and tender diſpoſition, and theſe are naturally more affectionate; nay the woman who is the weaker veſſel, commonly her heart holds moſt affection: And ſo likewiſe there are ſome who naturally are more bound up in their affections, and are of a reſerved temper, who naturally do not break out into any great expreſſion either of the paſſion of joy or grief. We read in the Goſpel, that they that expreſt moſt affection to Chriſt at his death, and made the moſt paſſionate lamentation for him, were the women, Luke 23. 27. who naturally are of a more melting diſpoſition. Some mens diſpoſitions are like ice, they will eaſily thaw and melt; others like iron, it muſt be a a hot fire that will [...] them down: So it is, ſome men will be more affectionate upon a ſmall occaſion then others upon a greater, and this is from naturall diſpoſition. Melancthon was not ſo affectionate as Luther, but it is obſerved that he was more judicious.

4. In caſe of ſickneſſe and old age, and bodily weakneſſe,Anſw. 4. He that hath ſtrength of grace may yet want ſtrength of affection. The expreſſion of our affection depends much upon the temperature of the body, if [Page] bodily ſtrength and vigour be impaired, our affections muſt needs flag. As the ebbing and flowing of the ſea depends upon the motion and influence of the Moon: So our affections do ebbe and flow much what, as the ſtrength or weakneſſe of the body hath an influence upon them. As a Muſician when he is grown old, cannot ſo dexterouſly handle an inſtrument, as when he was young, though perhaps he hath now more judgement and experience in muſick; ſo it is in old age, that brings experience in the wayes of God, yet may abate affections. Old age and ſickneſſe makes the body like a tyred horſe to the active ſoul; an active traveller would faine ride away to his journeys end, but his horſe is tyred. An aged ſickly Chriſtian may have as much grace and more then ne had at firſt, and yet not be ſo able to pray; and ſo a Miniſter not ſo able to preach affectionately as before; and this from the indiſpoſition of the body.

3. Whence it is that thoſe that have ſtrength of grace,Queſt. 3. may yet want thoſe ſtrong affections which they had at their firſt converſion?

1. Becauſe at firſt converſion grace was but particularly imployed,Anſw. 1 which afterwards was more diffuſed and generally imployed. When much water runs in one Channel it makes the ſtream the ſtronger; but when there are many rivulets cut out, though there is as much and more water, yet there is not the ſame ſtrength of ſtream: So it is at [Page] our firſt converſion, all our affections made but up one ſtream, and ſo our affections ſeemed the ſtronger. A new convert hath not ſo many duties to performe as a grown Chriſtian hath, becauſe he doth not know ſo many duties. It may be at firſt all his affections run out to pray, and hear the Word, and read good books, and whileſt all the affections run in this one channel they ſeem to be very ſtrong; whereas a grown Chriſtian he hath not only theſe generall duties, but many particular duties of his calling and relations to follow, he hath many duties to perform to God and men, which a new convert knowes not, and therefore it is that though his affections may ſeem weaker, yet his grace is as ſtrong as before & ſtronger.

2. This is from the newneſs of the condition. Naturally we are much affected with any new thing,Anſw. 2. as for example, for a man that hath been many years in a dark dungeon, to be ſuddenly brought into the light, the ſuddenneſſe of the change would much affect a man. This is the ſtate of our ſouls at our firſt converſion; we are therefore brought from darkneſſe into light, and from the power of Satan unto God. 1 Pet. 2. 9. By the grace of converſion, God calls us out of darkneſſe into his marvellous light; and becauſe it is ſo marvellous, therefore it doth ſo much affect. The change at firſt converſion is very great, a man be comes another man, and man is ſo affected, that he is put into a kinde of aſtoniſhment. [Page] Yet in this caſe we muſt diſtinguiſh between ſolid affections, and floting and tranſient paſſions, which do wear off preſently, and vaniſh ſuddenly. The affections of ſome Chriſtians, eſpecially young ones, are like thoſe colours which are not in grain, they will ſoon fade. It is with a young Convert as with a man going to execution, while he is upon the ladder a pardon is unexpectedly brought, how will this man be tranſported with joy? he will leap for joy, he will in that caſe be all joy & exultation for the preſent, and it may be afterward the fluſh & torrent of his joy is abated, though his life be as dear to him as ever: So when the ſoul hath been brought by the Law of God to a ſight of its loſt condition, & then the Goſpel hath proclaimed a pardon, & the Spirit of God hath ſet on the comfort of that pardon upon his heart. Oh what raviſhments hath that ſoule for the preſent! which perhaps he ſhall not long retain, the violence of his joy is abated, but the ſolidity of it remains. The ſoule is much affected with its firſt meeting with Chriſt, and though the fluſh of that joy be over, yet the ſouls love to Chriſt is as much, and its prizing Communion with Chriſt the ſame. The Creeple when he was reſtored to ſtrength,Act. 3. 8. went leaping and praiſing God, becauſe the unexpectedneſſe of the cure did mightily affect his heart; and this is a ſecond reaſon why thoſe who are grown and ſolid Chriſtians, yet perhaps may not retain the [Page] ſame meaſure of affections they had at their firſt converſion.

3. A third Reaſon may be taken from Gods indulgence to young Converts,Anſw 3. who uſually gives in comfort according to the neceſſity of his people. It is with God our heavenly Father as with naturall Parents, they are moſt tender over their new-born children.Luke 15. 22. That parable of the returning Prodigall is very full to this purpoſe; his father did not onely receive him mercifully, but bountifully too, he gave him more then was for neceſſity; not onely ſho [...]s, but a ring; not only clothes, but the beſt robe; not only bread, but the fatted calfe, and muſick at this Feaſt, and all this was for this newly converted and repenting ſon, though his father did not entertain him ſo every day. So our God, at our firſt converſion expreſſeth much of his bounty and indulgence to his children, though afterward we may have the ſame love of God, & the ſame love to God, though the expreſſions may not be the ſame now, as formerly in thoſe daies of Gods bounty.

Let us from hence learn,Vſe. that though we have loſt thoſe affections which we had, yet we muſt

1. Labour to be ſenſible of, and humbled for thoſe decayes. A decayed condition is an uncomfortable condition; though thou haſt ſo much grace as will bring thee to heaven, yet by thy decayes thou wilt be very uncomtable here on earth.

[Page] 2. Labour to get thoſe decays repaired. If thou haſt left thy firſt love, Rev. 2. 4, 5. repent and doe thy firſt works.

3. Make up the want of former affections in ſolidity of knowledge and judgement; and if the candle give not ſo great a blaze, let it give a more clear and conſtant light.

4 Labour to keep up the primitive vigour of your affections.

1. Remember you may loſe that in a ſhort time, which you may be a long time in recovering. A man may loſe more ſtrength in one weeks ſickneſſe, then many months will make reparation. A wound may be quickly made, but not ſo ſoon cured. Philoſophers wil tel us, that the way from the habit to the privation is far eaſier, then from the privation to the habit; it is far eaſier to make a ſeeing man blind, then to make a blind man ſee; ſo it is far eaſier to loſe our holy affections, then it is to recover them.

2. Labour to keep up your holy affections: for the truth of grace is more diſcerned by our affections then our actions. Acts of grace may be eaſier diſſembled then gracious affections. A Painter may paint the colour, but not the heat of the fire.

3. Labour to keep up affections as they were at firſt, becauſe it is very hard to retain them: it is hard to keep them wound up to any height. Fluſh of ſpirituall joy is like the ſea; the tide doth not ſo flow, but the ebbe doth fall as low. Bernard ſaid of theſe ſtrong [Page] guſts and great fluſh of theſe ſpirituall joyes and gracious affections,Rara hora, brevis mora. They come but ſeldom, and ſtay but a ſhort time. As in nature there is a ſpring, and then the fall of the leafe, and one day is clear, and another is cloudy: ſo it is with the beſt Chriſtian, his affections are not alwaies at the ſame pitch, at the ſame height; but it ſhould be our endeavour to cheriſh and maintain in our ſoules our firſt flouriſhing affections, in and towards the waies of God.

XI. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 13. 1651.

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘—My ſon, be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

HAving diſpatched three Caſes of conſcience concerning ſtrength of grace; I now proceed to a fourth, viz.

VVhether a man that hath ſtrength of grace,Caſe 4. may want the comfort of his grace?

I ſhall anſwer this queſtion affirmatively;Anſw. A man that hath the ſtrength of grace yet may want the comfort of it: Strength of grace (as you have heard) doth not exempt a man from temptations from the divel, nor from deſertions from God. It is an undoubted rule, there may be ſtrength of grace, where there is not the comfort and evidence of it. A child of light may walk in darkneſſe [Page] for a time; and though he have the holy Ghoſt working grace, and encreaſing grace in his heart, yet he may want the oyle of gladneſſe, though he have received a precious anoynting of grace.1 Joh. 2. 27 A child of God, as to his ſpirituall condition, may for a time be in the ſame condition that Paul and the Marriners were in, who for many daies had neither ſun nor ſtars appearing, Act. 27. 20 being under no ſmall tempest, hopes of being ſaved being taken away: So it fares with Gods deareſt children, they may be in the dark and can ſee no light, they may have the graces of the Spirit, and yet want the comforts of the Spirit.

In the opening of which point I ſhall thus proceed.

1. I wil prove this from Scripture, that a child of God may be ſtrong in grace, and yet want the comfort of his grace.

2 I wil lay down ſome reaſons, why it is thus.

3. Some directions, how thoſe that have grace, and yet doe want the comfort of their graces, ſhould procure unto themſelves the comfort of their graces.

4. And then I ſhall commend ſome comfortable conſiderations to ſuch as have grace, but want the comfort of it.

1. For the firſt, I ſhall give you inſtances both in the Old and New Teſtament, that thoſe that have been ſtrong in grace have wanted comfort.

1. Job a man eminent for grace, a perfect [Page]and upright man, and one that feared God and eſchewed evil: and yet you have Job complaining, Wherefore hidest thou thy face, Job 13. 24. and holdeſt me for thine enemy? nay, God did not onely hide his face, but handle him as his enemy; for he thus makes his moan,Job 16. 9. He tears me in his wrat [...], that is to be referred to God, and not unto the divel, or to Jobs unmercifull enemies, or uncharitable friends. He teareth me, that is, God teareth me. Who in my apprehenſion (ſaith Job) hateth me, and gn [...]ſheth upon me with his teeth, and as an enemy, ſharpneth his eyes upon me. And that theſe ſad apprehenſions were upon Job, that God was his enemy, ſee him further lamenting himſelf, He hath deſtroyed me on every ſide, Job 19. 10, 11. and I am gone, and mine hope hath he removed as a tree, he bath alſo kindled his wrath againſt me, and counted me unto him as one of his enemies. Yea, deſtruction from God was a terrour to him. Job 31. 23.

2. Aſaph, a holy man, yet thus complains, Will the Lord eaſt off for ever, and will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promiſe faile for evermore? hath God forgotten to be gracious?Pſal. 77. 7, hath he in anger ſhut up his tender mercies? Theſe are the ſad expoſtulations of a troubled ſpirit caſt down under deep dejections, and in the dark, by reaſon of the ſuſpenſion of divine favour.

3. David, a man after Gods heart, whoſe gracious breathings though the whole book of Pſalms, ſhew that he was a man of an excellent ſpirit, and had much grace. Yet David [Page] wanted the comfort of his grace, when his ſoul was caſt down, and his ſpirit was diſquieted within him. And ſo

4. Heman, a man who for wiſdom ſo eminent, that the Holy Ghoſt uſeth him as an inſtance of wiſdome,Pſal. 42. 5. As wiſe as Heman, and yet in the 88. Pſalme, quite through that Pſalme,Pſal. 88. was a ſtraine of as ſad a complaint as you ſhall meet withall in the whole book of God. Thou haſt laid me in the loweſt pit, in darkneſſe, in the deep, thy wrath lyeth hard upon me, and thou haſt afflicted me with all thy waves. So little comfort had theſe holy men though they were eminent in grace. It is true of many dear children of God, what was ſaid of the Apoſtles and diſciples of Chriſt; Whither I go (ſaith Chriſt) ye know, and the way ye know: John 14. 4, 5. expounded and reconciled. Aug. To which ſpeech of Chriſt, Thomas anſwers in the next verſe, Lord, we know not whither thou goeſt, and how can we know the way? Auguſtine doth thus reconcile this, They did know whither Chriſt went, but they durſt not once believe that they had ſuch knowledge, they did not know their own knowledge: The expreſſions of Chriſt were different from thoſe words of Thomas, the Lord Jeſus ſpake as it was; and Thomas ſpake as he thought. The Apoſtles had grace, and yet wanted the comfort and aſſurance of it. I will not inſtance here of the Lord Jeſus, who though he was full of grace and truth, yet he wanted comfort when he was in that bitter agony, and cryed out, My God, my God, [Page]why haſt thou forſaken me? Indeed in the new Teſtament there are not ſo many inſtances of thoſe that wanted the comfort of their graces, as we finde in the Old Teſtament. And the reaſon is this, Profeſſion at the firſt publiſhing and promulgation of the Goſpel, met with ſo many and ſuch ſharp afflictions, that God did indulge them, and made their inward graces to abound, as their outward ſufferings did abound. 2 Cor. 1. 4. Theſe inſtances may ſuffice to prove that it is truth, believers who are ſtrong in grace, yet may want the comfort of their graces.

2. To give you ſome grounds of this, the reaſons may be drawn, either 1. From God, Or 2. From our ſelves. Or 3. From the devil.

1. Reaſon is from the Lord, to with-hold from them to whom he hath given grace the comfort of their grace.

1. To manifeſt his divine authority and abſolute ſoveraignty over his people. As the natural light of the day, and darkneſſe of the night are at Gods diſpoſe; ſo alſo is this ſpiritual ligh of comfort, and the darkneſſe of a deſerted and dejected ſpirit. God gives divi [...]e and ſpiritual conſolations out of the goodneſſe of his will, and withdraws them, to ſhew the abſoluteneſſe and ſoveraign liberty of his Will.

2. To let his people know, that comfort is not eſſential to holineſſe, neither inſeparably and neceſſarily belonging to grace. Though there cannot be [Page] true peace, where there is no grace; yet there may be true grace, where there is no peace.

3. God in the diſpenſation both of grace and comfort, ſhews himſelf a free and gracious Agent; and all our graces which God works in us, are meerly from Gods grace to us. He will give comfort when and to whom he pleaſeth, but ſtill as a reward of his own free grace, the comfort of a pardon. The comfortable knowledge of our pardon is as well from Gods free grace as the pardon it ſelf; and therefore God ſuſpends the comfort of grace to make us looke up to him for it. When thou repenteſt, God gives a pardon, but therein he rewards his owne work in thee. To give a pardon or ſenſe of a pardon is an act of meer liberality in God.

4. God doth this to put a difference between heaven and earth. Heaven is a place for comfort, earth for duty: earth is for the getting of grace, heaven for the rewarding of grace. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, like the good Maſter of the Feaſt, reſerves the beſt for laſt. The ſons of Nobles, when they travel into forraign parts, have no more allowances then what will accommodate their travels, the inheritance is reſerved for them, when they come to their fathers houſe: So believers, who are ſtrangers and pilgrimes here, they have ſo much grace and comfort as befits their paſſage to heaven; but they have an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, but is reſerved in the [Page] heavens. God thinks it not ſit to give conſtant comforts in an inconſtant world, nor full comforts in an empty world, nor laſting comforts in a tranſitory world.

2. Reaſon may be taken from our ſelves, and that in many regards, that have much grace, yet may have but a little comfort; and this may ſpring from a threefold root in us;

1. From ſomething that is meerly natural in us.

2. From ſomething that is ſpiritual and good.

3. From ſomething that is evil in us.

1. This may ariſe from the prevalency of a natural melancholy in the body, whereby the underſtanding may be darkned, the fancy troubled, reaſon perverted, and the ſoul ſadned. Melancholy is the mother of diſcomfort, and the nurſer of doubting. It was (as ſome think) depth of melancholy that prevailed upon Nebuchadnezzar, that he did not know, whileſt under the power of that diſtemper whether he was a man or a beaſt: And in the like manner may this bodily melancholy ſo far diſtemper thy ſoul, that th [...] who haſt grace, yet mayeſt not know whether thou art a childe of God, or a childe of the devil. It is no more wonder to ſee a melancholy man doubt and queſtion his ſpiritual condition, then it is to ſee a childe cry when he is beaten, or to heare a ſick man groan. You may ſilence a melancholy man when you are not able to comfort him, and [Page] though you may reſolve his doubts and ſcruples by evident and convincing anſwers and arguments, yet let but ſuch a man retire alone, and brood over his melancholy thoughts, by the prevalency of this perturbing humour, all is forgotten, and he is as unſatisfied, as if you had ſaid nothing to him. And you may perceive, that it is the power of melancholy, that is the cauſe of a mans diſtemper, when he is very much troubled, and yet can give no diſtinct account of any particular thing that doth trouble him.

2. This diſcomfort often ariſeth from that which is good in us, viz. from that holy jealouſie and tenderneſſe of conſcience, which makes a childe of God ſuſpect and inquire into his condition: and though he have true grace, and much grace, yet he is afraid leſt all be but a deluſion; in ſuch caſes the ſoul doth ſo pore on ſin and infirmities, that it cannot ſee its own evidences. A tender conſcience is more apt to be dejected in the ſight of ſinne, then to be comforted in the ſenſe of grace, and the reaſon of this is, becauſe ſin doth more directly fall under the cognizance of our conſcience, eſpecially a natural conſcience.Gal. 5. 17. The works of the fleſh are manifeſt, but the fruits of grace and of the ſpirit are not ſo eaſily diſcerned.

3. This diſcomfort uſually ſprings from a root of bitterneſſe, even in the beſt of Gods children, and that whereby God doth puniſh the ſins of his people.

[Page] 1. Their quenching the motions of the Spirit. Res delicata eſt, ſpiritus Dei ità nos tractat, ſicut tractatur, If you grieve the Spirit of God, it is juſt with God to grieve your ſpirits: you never ſend Gods Spirit ſad to heaven, but God may make ſad your ſpirits on earth.

2. Sleightineſſe and fearleſſeneſſe of heart towards God. When children grow ſaucy, peremptory and malapert before their parents, 'tis no wonder if a fathers frown correct not their irreverence. Moſt of thoſe who lie uncomfortably under ſenſe of diſpleaſure of God, may thank themſelves for it, they have provoked God by their bearing them ſelves too much upon his love, and growing ſecure and fearleſſe to offend God. God loves to have his children come near him in an holy confidence that he is their father, but yet to keep their diſtance by humble reverence.

3. Another ſin that God puniſhes in his children, by withholding comfort from them that are ſtrong in grace, is their ſuperciliouſneſſe, contempt and uncompaſſionateneſſe towards others that are but weak in grace. God own people are very much to blame herein, in rigour and unmercifulneſſe towards thoſe that are weak in the faith, deſpiſing all that are inferiour to them in gifts and graces, whereby they often break the bruiſed reed, and quench the ſmoaking flax, and want bowels of pitty and tenderneſſe towards their brethren. To take down pride, God often brings ſuch, even his own people, [Page] to be low in comfort; and it is but juſt that they ſhould want comfort, who have neglected to comfort and cheriſh thoſe that were weak in grace.

4. A growing cold and lazy, and heedleſſe in holy duties. If we put off God without true ſervice, God may juſtly put us off without true comfort. This rule holds in ſpiritual affairs, He that will not work ſhall not eat. If we abate in the ſanctifying work of the Spirit, it is but juſt that God withhold the comforting work of the Spirit. The ſluggard ſaith Solomon, hath poverty enongh, ſo if we grow lazy and ſluggiſh in holy duties, it is juſt that our ſtock of comfort do decay. Though holy duties do not merit comforts, yet comfort uſually riſeth and falls according to our diligence in duties. True grace is never ſo apparent to, and ſenſible in the ſoul, as when it is in action; and therefore want of exerciſe muſt needs cauſe want of comfort. As fire in the flint is never ſeen or felt, till it be ſtruck out by the Steel: ſo is grace and the comfort of grace, never ſo ſenſible as when it is exerciſed much in holy duties.

5. Any one ſin indulged by, or concealed in the conſcience, is enough to marre all your comfort. Concealed guilt contracts horrour. The Candle will never burn clear whileſt there is a thief in it. Sin in the conſcience is like Ionah in the ſhip, which cauſeth a tempeſt, that the conſcience is like a [Page] troubled ſea whoſe waters cannot reſt: or it is like a mote in the eye, which cauſeth a perpetual trouble while it is there: or like the winde gathered in the caverns of the earth, makes earthquakes and terrible eruptions. It is juſt with God,Jer. 2. 19. that a mans own iniquities ſhould correct him, and his back-ſliding ſhould reprove him. Concealed guilt, though it may not bring a childe of God to hell, yet for a time it may bring hell into his conſcience. So that by all theſe particulars we may ſee,Pro. 14. 14. that if our comforts be abated, we may thank our ſelves for it.

3 Reaſon is taken from the reſtleſſe rage and malice of Satan, who when he cannot do the greater, will do the leſſe: and if he cannot damn thy ſoul, he will labour all he can to diſquiet thy conſcience. The devill aim [...] principally to make us walk ſinfully, and if not ſo, then uncomfortably: if he cannot make us live without God and Chriſt, and grace in the world, then he indeavours to make us live beſide the comfort of our grace. And hence it is, that many dear children to God, who have truth and ſtrength of grace in them, yet heark'ning too much to Satan, live beſide the comfort of their grace.

3. But what ſhall I do,Queſt. 3. that want the comfort of my grace, to procure it, that ſo I may have comfort anſwerable to grace?

1. Live more in the exerciſe of grace;Anſw. 1. and and that is the ready way, not only to increaſe [Page] grace, but to obtain the comfort of grace. It was the Apoſtolical ſalutation, Grace and Peace be multiplied. If grace be multiplied, (and that it will by the exerciſe of it) then peace will alſo be multiplied.Iſa. 32. 17. The work of Righteouſneſſe ſhall be peace, and the effect of Righteouſneſſe, Pſal. 119. 165. quietneſſe and aſſurance for ever. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing ſhall offend them.

2. Leave no ſin unrepented of;Anſw. 2 take heed of guilt of ſin lying on the conſcience; take away the thief out of the candle, and it will burn clear. If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far from thee, Job 11. 14, 15. and let not wickedneſſe dwell in thy tabernaoles; for thou ſhalt then life up thy face without ſpot, yea thou ſhalt be ſtedfaſt, and ſhalt not feare. Job 13. 18. Behold now (ſaith Iob) I have ordered my couſe, I know that I ſhall be juſtified; the more ordered our wayes are, the more ſteddy and full are our comforts, the more ſin in the ſoul, the leſſe comfort in that ſoul.

3. Call to minde former experiences that thy ſoul hath had of God.Anſw. 3. Thus did David, when by reaſon of the diſcomfort of this ſoul, he cried out, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted in me? Oh my God, my ſoul is caſt down within me, therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan,Pſal. 42, 5, 6 and of the Hermonites, that is, I will remember thee, and what thou didſt at Jordan, when thou didſt dry up the river, and thy people paſſed on dry land into Canaan. And I will remember the land of the Hermonites, [Page] that is, what thou didſt unto Og King of Baſhan, and to Sihon King of the Amor [...]tes, for Hermon was part of the Countrey of thoſe Kings.Joſh. 12. 1. So the Pſalmiſt was under great diſcomfort, when he cried, Will the Lord caſt me off for ever? Is his mercy clean gone from me, &c. But he recovers himſelf out of that ſad caſe by remembring former experiences, for ſo he addes,Pſ. 77. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12. verſ. 12. I will remember the works of the Lord; ſurely I will remember thy wonders of old, I will meditate of all thy works, and talk of thy doings. Paſt experience ſhould be preſent incouragements.

4. Attribute to God the glory of his own grace,Anſw. 4. and this is the way to enjoy the comfort of our grace. Say with the Church, Not unto us O Lord, Pſ. 115. 1. not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory. It will be juſt with God to deny you the comfort of grace, if you deny him the glory of his grace. Want of comfort is Gods Phyſick, to cure our ſouls of ſpiritual pride: and humble thankfulneſſe for the leaſt grace, is the way to enjoy the comfort of all our graces.

5. Spend more time in cheriſhing thy comforts then in queſtioning of them.Anſw. 5. It is the fault of ſome Chriſtians, to ſpend more time in fruitleſſe complaints of the want of comfort, then in faithful indeavours after comfort in Gods way. There are thoſe who are more inquiſitive how they loſt their comforts, then careful how to recover them; and ſo indeed they weaken their own hands, [Page] but do ſtrengthen the hands of Satan.

A fourth general propounded in the ſolution of this Caſe, was this: What may be the comfortable conſiderations which may be gathered from the truth delivered, viz. That ſtrong Chriſtians may be but weak in comfort? Now the handling of this laſt, wil be an application of the other three particulars, by way of conſolation to thoſe that may perhaps now have ſtrong grace, but weak comfort.

1. The godly are never without the ground of comfort,Conſolat. though they may be without the ſenſe of comfort. Though they may be without preſent feeling, yet they do not want real cauſe of conſolation. They have an undoubted right to comfort, though not a clear ſight of comfort. A childe may have right to an inheritance, though he be not able to demonſtrate and prove his right. Perhaps a man cannot read his evidences for his land, and yet thoſe evidences give him a right to his lands: So it is with a childe of God, he hath comfort ſowen, though perhaps he cannot preſently reap it. Light is ſowen for the righteous, and joy for the upright of heart. As it was with Hagar in the wilderneſſe of Beer-ſheba, her water was ſpent in the bottle, and ſhe caſt her childe away from her, becauſe ſhe could not endure to ſee him die; ſhe lift up her voice and wept that ſhe and her child ſhould both miſerably periſh by thirſt, and yet there was a Well of [Page] water hard by her,Gen. 12. 16 17. but ſhe ſaw it not: ſo it is with many a poor ſoule, who are athirſt for comfort, and (as they think) ready to periſh, and yet there is a Well of water of life and comfort faſt by, but they want the eye of faith to ſee it. And this is a great comfort, that a child of God, though he may want comfort, yet he hath right unto comfort, in that he hath truth of grace in him.

2. At that time when God withholds comfort from thee, yet he doth really love thee. Jeſus Chriſt doth ſometimes ſerve his children, as Joſeph ſerved his brethren. He ſpake roughly to them, and he put them in priſon, and yet Joſeph did dearly love his brethren, and his bowels did yern towards them. Thus Jeſus Chriſt, his real love is the ſame to his children at all times, though the manifeſtation of it may not be alwaies alike; Joſeph knew his brethren, though his brethren did not know him. The Lord knows who are his, though thoſe that are his perhaps do not know that they are ſo. Jeſus knew Mary, though ſhe did not know him.Joh. 20. 15.

There may be as much mercy to us in withdrawing of comfort, as in the giving of comfort. God many times in wrath lets a man be filled with the ungrounded comfort of ſuppoſed grace. Oh (beloved) it is farre better to want comfort then grace. Many a man that hath no true grace, yet hath ſeeming comfort; but a child of God is often without comfort, that he may examine and [Page] exerciſe his grace, and ſo at laſt enjoy a wel-grounded joy, and a wel-bottom'd conſolation. Grace is the beſt foundation of ſpirituall conſolation.

XII. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. April 20, 1651.

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘Be ſtrong in the grace of God that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

I Have already handled four caſes of conſcience, concerning ſtrength of grace, viz:

1. Whether ſtrong temptations may be conſiſtent with ſtrength of grace?

2. Whether ſtrong corruptions may conſiſt with the ſtrength of grace?

3. Whether a man may be ſtrong in grace, and and yet want thoſe ſtrong affections which he had at his firſt converſion?

4. Whether a man may have ſtrength of grace, and yet want the comfort of his grace?

I ſhall proceed now to a fifth Caſe of Conſcience, viz.

Whether a man may be ſaid to have ſtrength of grace,Caſe 5. who hath but weak gifts?

In the opening of which Caſe I ſhall thus proceed:

1. I wil premiſe ſome propoſitions.

2. I ſhall poſitively reſolve the Caſe.

3. And then give you ſome practicall in reference, by way of Application.

Ile begin with the firſt, namely the Poſitions, [Page] and they are theſe four following:

This firſt Poſition is this,Poſit. 1. That though all believers they have the ſame Spirit, yet God in his wiſdom thinks it fit they ſhalnot have the ſame gifts.1 Cor. 12. There are (ſaith the Apoſtle) diverſities of gifts, but the ſame Spirit. As it is with flowers, there is not the ſame ſmell but different ſmels to different flowers, and yet all their ſents have the ſame influence from above; and as it is with inſtruments of muſick, there are divers ſounds in the Organ, but the ſame breath doth cauſe the ſeverall ſounds: So in the Church of God, though there is the ſame influence of the Spirit of God, yet not the ſame meaſure of gifts in each member of the Church.

The ſecond Poſition is this,Poſit. 2. that diverſity of gifts is not to be aſcribed to mans induſtry, diligence or education, but to the free pleaſure and diſpenſation of God. It is true, much may be aſcribed to ſtudy, and induſtry, and diligence in a way of gifts, which was the ground of the Apoſtles exhortation, Give attendance to reading, 1 Tim. 4. 13. Ver. 15. to exhortation, to doctrine, &c. and meditate on theſe things, give thy ſelf wholly to them, that thy profiting may appeare to all. The Apoſtle ſpeaks there of profiting in miniſteriall gifts: which gifts, diligence and ſtudy doe much advantage and promote: yet though we were all equall in ſtudy and diligence, there would be a diverſity in our gifts, leſt men ſhould vaunt of their induſtry in acquiring gifts, and thereby [Page] exclude Gods bounty in beſtowing them, Pſal. 127. 1. Except the Lord build the houſe, Pſal. 137. 1 they labour in vain that build it. (ſaith Hilderſa [...]) Suppoſe that two men were to read the ſame books, and to ſtudy the ſame matter every day, yet the one may be a dun [...]e, and a man of low gifts, and the other may have rare parts and excellent endowments; this is to ſhew who we are beholding to, that is God, whoſe diſpenſation of gifts are many and variouſly beſtowed. Hence it is the Apoſtle telleth us, That all theſe gifts worketh that one and the ſelf-ſame Spirit, dividing to every man ſeverally as he will; 1 Cor. 12. 11. ſo that though one man differ from another in gifts, yet it is God that maketh him to differ.

The third Poſition is this,Poſit. 3. That a man may be excellent in one gift, and yet defective in other gifts, one man ſhall not have all; this is very obſervable by inſtances you have in Scripture. The firſt inſtance is between Paul and Barnabas; if you look unto Paul, his gift was the gift of utterance, and freedom of ſpeech, inſomuch that at Lyst [...] Paul was taken for Mercury the God of Eloquence,Act. 14. 11. becauſe he was the chiefe Speaker, and though it is ſaid of Paul, that he was rude of ſpeech, that is, not as if it were ſo indeed, but in the opinion and conceit of the Corinthians, who being ſeduced by falſe teachers, hearkned to their diſparagements of Paul. 2 Cor. 11. 6 Paul he was a moſt eloquent man,Act. 4. 36. and had much of the gift of utterance, but now B [...]rnabas did excel Paul in another gift, to comfort [Page] thoſe who were troubled in conſcience; he was a ſon of Conſolation, Act. 11. 24. to comfort troubled conſciences. So likewiſe in the caſe of Peter and the other Apoſtles; Divines gather from Chriſts commiſſion to Peter, ſingling him out, when he ſaid, Peter, feed my Lambs; Peter, lovest thou me? Joh. 11. 15. The Reaſon that ſome Expoſitors give, why Peter was ſingled out, was this; becauſe Peter had an excellent gift in preaching, and in feeding the Lambs of Chriſt, that is, weak Believers. Moreover, it is ſaid of James and John, that they were called Sonnes of Thunder, Mar. 3. 17. Boan [...]rges. as having a more powerfull gift from God, to terrifie and awake a ſinners conſcience, then Peter and other Apoſtles had. So that though ſome of the Apoſtles had moſt excellent gifts, yet ſome of them excelled others in ſome one gift.

The fourth Poſition is,Poſit. 4. That there are Caſes, wherein men may have great gifts, but weak grace. God is pleaſed ſometimes to carry mens gifts very high, when their graces have not a proportionable elevation, and the reaſon is, becauſe gifts are for the good of others, for the edification of the Church of God,1 Cor. 5. 7. compared with 1 Cor. 3. 1. and not for the good of a mans ſelf only; They were wanting in no gift, and had all knowledge; and yet when he mentions their graces, he ſaith, I could not ſpeak to you as ſpirituall, but carnal; They outſtrip other Churches in gifts, yet they came ſhort of other Churches in grace. Such was the Church of [Page] Laodicea, ſhe was rich in gifts,Rev. 3. 11. and poor in grace. Now there are foure Caſes wherin men may have ſtrong gifts, and yet but little grace.

1. When mens notions are clear and ſtrong,Caſe 1. but mens experiences and affections but low and weak, to have more expreſſion [...] then impreſſions; to be like the Moon, that though from the waine it grows big, and increaſes to the full; yet it increaſes only in light, and not in heat: So men when they meerly increaſe in light of notions and ſpeculations, and not in heat of affection towards God, and the practical part of Chriſtianity; and it is to be feared, that much of the Religion of theſe times is of this ſtamp, it is more in notion then motion, more in talking then walking, more in parts then grace.

2. When thy gifts are not influential upon thy life.Caſe 2. Look as it is in that diſeaſe of the Rickets, that children are liable to, they may grow big in the head, and yet decay in the lower parts: So there are ſome (as it hath been ſhown) who have the diſeaſe of the ſpiritual Rickets, they do grow big in the head, big in gifts, and yet decay in their vitals, decay in grace and the exerciſe of it.

3. When their gifts do but tend to the promotion of diviſion in the Church,Caſe 3. and pride in their own hearts. This was diſcovered in the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 1. 7. they came behinde in no gift; but ſee what he ſaith in [Page] Verſ. 11. For it hath been declared unto me of you (my brethren) by them which are of the bouſe of Cloe,Verſ. 11. that there are contentions among you. And then in verſ. 12. Now this I ſay, Verſ. 12. that everyone of you ſaith, I am of Paul, I of Apollos, I of Cephas, and I of Chriſt, they were carnal as to grace, and walked as men, though they were high in gifts, and when gifts engender ſtrife in the Church and pride in a mans own heart, and when they doe elevate and puffe up the heart with vaine and high conceits; this is an argument they are but meere gifts. The Corinthians were in every thing inriched by God; in all utterance and in all knowledge, ſo that they came behind in no gift,1 Cor. 15. 7. they had abundance of knowledge,1 Cor. 8. 1. but knowledge puffeth up, charity edifieth.

4. When gifts are encreaſed meerly by vertue of continuall ſtudy and induſtry,Caſe 4. when gifts proceed meerly from ſtrength of natural parts, advantaged by education, ſtudy and diligence; if gifts do meerly proceed from that fountain, there may be much gifts, but little grace. The greateſt ſchollers are not alwaies the beſt men, the reaſon is, becauſe their gifts are gotten by induſtry and diligence; their gifts may be high, when their graces are low.

The fifth Poſition,Poſit. 5. there are caſes wherein men may decay and be weak in gifts, and yet may be ſaid to have ſtrength of grace.

1. If it proceed meerly from a naturall,Caſe 1. [Page] not a ſinfull defect. If weak gifts proceed from ſinfull defects, it argues grace is but weak, as if it proceeds from negligence, from ſloth, from careleſneſſe to attend upon Ordinances, from idleneſſe in not reading, in not meditating, in not praying, not uſing holy conference, then grace decayes with gifts, theſe are ſinful defects; but now if gifts proceed meerly from naturall defects, as a man of a ſhallow capacity, of a ſlow ſpeech, of a bad memory, of a weakly body, that either through ſickneſſe or old age the body is weakned, in that there are natural decayes in the body, becauſe the putting forth of gifts depends upon the temperature and diſpoſition of the body. As it is with an inſtrument of muſick that is out of tune, it make [...] no melody though the inſtrument be good: So a body out of tune, hath not that uſe of, or putting out of gifts. As it is with an old Preacher, his gifts may decay when he is an old man, that he may not have ſuch freedom of ſpeech, ſuch clearneſſe of judgement, ſuch ſtrength of memory; as the body decayes, the gift of Elocution wil decay, and his memory may decay, that he may not be ſo ready in delivering the Word, but yet he may have as great ability in preaching, yea more experience, more ſolid judgement, and more clear underſtanding in the myſteries of the Goſpel, then a young man can have: ſo it is with Chriſtians, their gifts may decay, as the temper of the body decayes; as it is with a [Page] Muſician, when he is a young man his joints being more plyable, playes more nimbly and melodiouſly upon an inſtrument of muſick, but when he comes to be an old man he cannot play ſo nimbly and melodiouſly, his joynts being ſtiffe, but yet he hath more skill then a young man hath. When this doth not proceed from ſinful defects, but from natural defects, then may a mans grace be ſtrong, though his gifts and parts be weak.

2. If you want thoſe externall advantages to further and promote the growth of gifts,Caſe 2. as for example, A Chriſtian that follows an ordinary trade, which carries a Water-tankard on his ſhoulder, he may attain more brokenneſſe of heart, more humility and ſelf-denial, more experience of the goodneſs of God toward his ſoule, and of the method of God, then he who perhaps is in ſome great, honourable, and eminent imployment: But that Chriſtian who hath this mean imployment, and ſuch poore education, ſhall not attain thoſe gifts, that others have attained who have greater advantages. As it is with a Scholler that hath been divers yeers at the Univerſity, he hath thoſe external advantages, as education and literature, that his gifts and parts may be much increaſed; when perhaps a poore man that follows the Plough, may attain to more grace, and more acquaintance with the waies of God. Now if ſuch a man have not ſo many gifts as others, it is not his ſin: God doth not require more then he gives.

[Page] 3. If you have not a calling to uſe or put forth the exerciſe of your gifts.Caſe 3. Your gifts may decay, though grace do not decay. Gifts are encreaſed by exerciſe, the leſſe they are exerciſed the more they decay: if thou haſt not an opportunity to exerciſe thy gifts as in former times, to pray in company, to uſe holy conference, as in former times thou hadſt; in ſuch a caſe a Chriſtian who is ſtrong in grace may grow weaker in gifts.

4. If what you want in gifts you make up in humility.Caſe 4. Strength of grace is not to be meaſured by notions and ſpeculations in the head, but by humility in the heart; therefore if thy gifts be weak, if thy humility be great, thou haſt ſtrength of grace: the leſſe bloſſomes there are on the branches, the more ſap there is in the root. He that hath great parts, and is proud of them, it is much to be feared hath leſſe grace, then that man who hath but few gifts, and low parts; but in the ſenſe of their own weakneſſe, hath low and ſelf-denying thoughts of himſelf.Caſe 5.

5. Laſtly, if what you want in gifts you make up in your practice, by a holy and conſcionable walking. That Martyr that ſaid, I cannot diſpute, but I can burn for the truth, had more grace, then thoſe that could diſpute, but not burn.

The application of this Caſe is onely for Caution,Vſe 1. and I ſhall give you a threefold Caution.

[Page] 1 Caution. Take heed ye be not proud of the greateſt meaſure of gifts you have; there is nothing in the world that a man is ſo apt to be proud of as his gifts; a man is not ſo apt to be proud of grace, becauſe he hath a principle to check his pride, but he is apt to be proud of his gifts; a man is not ſo apt to be proud of outward endowments, as clothing, riches and the like, as he is apt to be proud of his gifts. Expoſitors that do handle the propheſie of Ezekiel, they ſay that Ezekiel is called ninety three times (Thou ſon of man) in that Propheſie; now there is no other Prophet that is mentioned in all the Bible, but onely one, which is called The ſon of man, Dan. 8. 7. and that is Daniel. Now expoſitors give this reaſon why he is called by this title, becauſe he was a Prophet of the greateſt gifts, and had the moſt glorious viſions of all the other Prophets. Compare this Prophecy with Iſaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hoſea, or all the reſt, yet Ezekiels propheſie is a more dark, myſterious, profound book. Now Ezekiel being a Prophet of the greateſt gifts; God takes this care to keep his heart low, Thou Son of man, Thou Son of man, and all is to keep his heart low; which doth teach us thus much, that thoſe that have great gifts, they ought to ſpend a great deal of time to keep their hearts humble and low, becauſe there is a flatuous humour in our nature, whereby we are apt to ſwell and be puft up in the ſenſe of our own gift.

[Page] 2. Caution. Prize a little grace before a great meaſure of gifts; ye will prize a pearle though no bigger then a pea, more then a great heap of ſtones. There is great reaſon why we ſhould prize a little grace before much gifts.

1. Grace will laſt when gifts are withering. Blazing Comets will fall when the Star never falls;Reaſon 1. a falling Star is no Star but only a Comet: So the hypocrites may have a great blaze of their gifts, and yet may fall like Comets that hover in the aire. Grace is like a Star that keeps fixed in its orbe; there is a great deal of difference betwixt a painted face and a natural complexion, the painted face will not alwayes laſt, but natural complexion that will alwayes remain. Gifts are put paint, the ornament of the creature, but true grace which is as the natural complexion that will remain.

2. Prize a little grace before much gifts,Reaſon. 2. becauſe gifts will leave thee ſhort of heaven. Chriſt told the learned Scribe, that he was not far from the Kingdome of heaven, but alas, for all his gifts and learning, he fell ſhort of heaven. Many will ſay to me, (ſaid Chriſt) in that day, Mat. 7. 22. Lord, have not we propheſied in thy name, and in thy name caſt out devils, and in thy name done many wondrous works. You ſee it is obſervable, theſe men might pretend to high and great gifts, and yet they to whom God opened the ſacrets of his Kingdome, againſt them he ſhut the gates of heaven. [Page] A man may be a Preacher, and have the ſecrets of heaven opened to him, and yet have the gates of heaven ſhut againſt him. A man may attain the gift in Chriſts name to caſt out devils, a great and a miraculous gift, and yet thoſe men that caſt out devils were themſelves caſt to devils. We have done many wondrous works, they that did wonders were made a wonder▪ they that had ſo much gifts came ſhort of heaven, yea they who may preach to others may themſelves be caſt-awayes.

3. Do not miſtake ſtrength of gifts to be ſtrength of grace.3. Cant. Parents would not judge their children ſtrong when their heads and breaſts are big, and their feet but feeble; ſo you may grow big in your heads, in notions and ſpeculations, in gifts, and yet feeble in practice of grace. Now that you may not miſtake your ſelves, and may not be deceived; I'le ſhew you how you may know the difference betwixt thoſe that have ſtrong gifts, and thoſe that have ſtrong grace. In the generall take this: As Art reſembles nature, ſo gifts reſemble grace. Now there are four differences.

1. As grace ſtrengthens, corruption weakens.1. Difference. It is with grace and luſts as it was with the houſe of Saul and the houſe of David. As Davids houſe grew ſtronger and ſtronger, ſo Sauls houſe grew weaker and weaker. As the Ark was ſet up, Dagon was throwne down; the Dagon of corruption will be thrown down before the Ark of grace, and [Page] the Ark of the Covenant; But gifts may ſtrengthen, and yet corruptions never the weaker. Indeed gifts diſcover corruption, but we are not able to mortifie and ſubdue it. Gifts diſcover many corruptions, but mortifie none. Gifts take a cognizance of many a ſin, but never put a period to any. Men that have gifts are reſembled to the Moon, and men that have grace are reſembled to the Sun; the Moon hath an influence upon the water to make that move; to ebbe and flow: the Moon ſheds light upon all creatures, but no heat, to make thoſe creatures grow and ſpring: So a man of gifts may have light, but no heat to thoſe gifts to make grace to grow, and make ſin to fade and wither. Gracious men are like the Sun, that doth not only give light but heat, by the influence thereof things ſpring and grow out of the earth;Surgunt indocti & rapiunt [...]aelum & no [...] cum doctrin [...] noſtra perimus. Aug. 2. Difference. the great parts of a gifted man, often occaſionally ſtrengthen his corruptions, but do not weaken them, Auguſtine could ſay, Ignorant and illiterate man, they take heaven; when others with all their Schollerſhip go to hell.

2. Where there is ſtrength of grace, there the heart is more humbled under the meaſures of grace received; the ſtronger the graces are, the more the heart is humbled. But ſtrength of parts in moſt men makes them proud and lofty. Empty veſſels make the greateſt noiſe, and ſo do ſhallow ſtreams: So men that have great gifts are often empty of grace, 1 Cor. 8. 1. They are puft up with [Page] pride, who have more gifts then grace, and by the humility of the ſoule you may know whether that ſoule be ſtronger in grace then in gifts.

3. He looks more after the ſupply of the grace he wants,3. Difference. then in a way of contentment in the grace he hath. This argued Paul had much grace, when he thus ſpeaks, I doe ſtrive after more and more grace, Phil. 3. 13. expounded. if by any means I might attain the reſurrection of the dead, that is, I doe labour after perfection of grace, which thoſe ſhall have that are raiſed from the dead, and exalted in heaven, but now a man that hath gifts, is more apt to look what he hath then what he wanteth. Men of gifts are more apt to look upon their attainments then their imperfections, they look upon their gifts in a multiplying glaſſe, more then they are;Munera non vulnera oſtendit. 4. Difference. and upon their failings in an extenuating glaſſe, leſſe then they are.

4. The more grace any one hath, the more communicative he is, that others may be partakers of the ſame grace, When the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the duties of husbands and wives, he would have them further one another in the way to heaven, conſidering they are heires together of the grace of God. Chriſt alſo ſpeaks to Peter, 1 Pet. 3. 7. Luk. 22. 32 33. When thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy brethren. By Converſion is not meant Gods firſt act in bringing Peters ſoule home to Chriſt, but it is meant by an eſtabliſhing worke of grace, as if Chriſt ſhould have ſaid, Peter, now thy grace is weak, and it will [Page] be weaker by thy fall, but when thou art recovered from thy fall, and deniall of thy Maſter, then ſtrengthen thy brethen, labour to ſtrengthen the graces of other men, when thy graces are ſtrong, and thy ſtrength recovered, and this is a very good evidence that thou haſt not onely grace, but ſtrength of grace thy ſelfe, when thou art carefull to ſtrengthen others: but ſuch as have gifts only, with little or no grace, they are loath to communicate their gifts unto others, they would willingly monopolize their gifts, and grudge to impart them to others, they would not have other men have the like gifts with themſelves, leſt their glory ſhould be darkned. They are not of John Baptiſts mind, who cared not though he decreaſed, ſo as Chriſt encreaſed, but rather they are like to one Aſpendius a skilfull Muſician, who would never play on his inſtrument before any of his profeſſion, leſt they ſhould learn his skill. This is a notable diſcovery whether thou haſt ſtrong grace, or ſtrong gifts only, which thou mayſt know by thy willingneſſe and readineſſe to communicate unto others, what God hath imparted unto thee.

XIII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 20. 1651.

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2 TIM. 2. 1.‘—My ſon, be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

YOu have heard the firſt Doctrine opened, viz. That believers are not to be ſatiſgfied in weak meaſures of grace already received, but ought to endeavour to attain greater ſtrength of grace. I ſhall now proceed to the improvement of this point by making ſome application of it; and I ſhall direct the uſe to two ſorts of Chriſtians.

1. To ſuch as are weak in the faith.

2. To ſuch as are ſtrong and grown Chriſtians.

1. With weak believers I would leave theſe directions and conſolations following.Vſe 1.

1. It is your wiſdom to looke more after the truth of your grace, then after the meaſure of it. It is an errour in many Chriſtians, eſpecially young Converts, that they bring their graces rather to the ballance then to the touch-ſtone,Joh. 21. 1 [...]. they weigh them when they ſhould try them. Peter being asked by Chriſt, Simon, l [...]v [...]ſt thou me more then theſe? he anſwers not about the meaſure of his love, but about the truth of his love, Lord, I love thee, and thou knoweſt that I love thee. It is not the quantity or meaſure, but the nature and eſſence [Page] of grace, which is mainly conſiderable. If thou haſt grace in truth and reality, it will encreaſe; be ſure thy grace be right, and as the light ſhineth more and more to the perfect day, and as the nature of the leaven is, that it doth ſpread through the whole lump, ſo is grace, it is of a ſpreading and encreaſing nature; and therefore be carefull thy grace for nature and for eſſence be true, and for the meaſure of it, it wil then encreaſe.

2. In ſinding out the truth of grace, we muſt not meaſure it ſo much by actions as affections and holy diſpoſitions of the heart: the bent, frame, and tendencies of the heart are the beſt diſcoverers of grace in the heart. When a Chriſtian caſts up all the ſtock of grace he hath, he wil finde that it doth conſiſt more in deſires then endeavours, & more in endeavours and attempts to perform holy duties, then in performance it ſelf. Natural life is more diſcernable by the heat, then by the colour: a Painter may counterfeit the one, but not the other. When the Lord Jeſus is deſcribing the beauty of his Spouſe, he doth not ſay, How faire are thy looks, but, How fair is thy love. Cant. 4. 10.

3. Be not diſcouraged, though men of glorious gifts fall away: for the pooreſt Chriſtian that hath but the ſmalleſt meaſure of grace ſhal never fall away. The gifts of a Formaliſt may quickly wither, for they have their root in nature: but the graces of a true Chriſtian ſhal never periſh, becauſe they have their root [Page] in Chriſt, A Chriſtians life is hid with Chriſt, hid in him as in a root,Col. 33. as in the fountain of life. A painted face may ſoon fade, ſo doth not a true and natural complexion; the varniſh of a formal hypocrite is ſoon waſh't out, but when true grace like a colour in grain, hath grown habitual in the ſoul, it is not removeable; ſooner will the Sun diſcard its own beams, then Chriſt will deſert and deſtroy the leaſt meaſure of true grace, which is a beam from that Sun of Righteouſneſſe.

3. Improve your little grace well; this is the way to have more.Luke 19. 1 To him that hath ſhall it be given, i. e. more ſhall be given. God never gave any man a talent to hide it in a napkin. The leaſt meaſure of grace is accountable for. God is improved,

1. When we aſcribe all the glory of grace unto God; as he ſaid right,Luk. 19. 10 Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. Thy pound, and not my pains; We ſhould do all to the praiſe of the glory of Gods grace. If we give God the glory of his grace, he will give us the comfort of our grace, and the increaſe of it.

2. When for the edification and building up of others in their moſt holy faith: to do good to others is the beſt way to get more good our ſelves: The more the Well is drawn, the more water comes, and the better the water is; ſo the more thy grace is exerciſed, the more grace thou wilt have, and the ſweeter will the comfort be of thy grace.

5. To weak Chaiſtians. Do not deny the [Page] truth of grace in your ſouls, becauſe you cannot finde the ſtrength of grace in your ſouls. A poor weak man in a Conſumption cannot lift up ſuch a weight, nor can he bear ſuch a burden as a man in ſtrength and health can do, yet he hath life as well as the ſtrongeſt man in the world. It may be day when it is not noon, thou mayſt in reſpect of ſpiritual eſtate, have the ſtrength of a child, though not the ſtrength of a man. It is not only an act of untbank fulneſſe to God; but alſo of uncharitableneſſe to a mans own ſoul, to conclude a nullity of grace from the weakneſſe of it.

6. Look not ſo much on your ſins, but look upon your grace alſo, though weak grace. Weak Chriſtians look more on their ſins then on their graces, yet God looks on their graces, and overlooks their ſins and infirmities: ſaith the Holy Ghoſt,Jam. 5. 13. Ye have heard of the patience of Job. He might alſo have ſaid, Ye have heard of the impatiency of Job, but God reckons of his people, not by what is bad in them, but by what is good in them. Mention is made of R [...]habs entertainment of the ſpies, but no mention is made that ſhe told the lie when ſhe did ſo, that which was well done was mentioned to her praiſe, and what was amiſſe is buried in ſilence, or at leaſt is not recorded againſt her and charged upon her. He that drew the picture of Alexander with his ſcarre on his face, drew him with his finger on his ſcarre. God layes [Page] the finger of mercy upon the ſcarres of our ſins. Oh it is good ſerving ſuch a Maſter, who is ready to reward the good we do, and is ready to forgive and paſſe by what is amiſſe; and therefore thou that haſt but a little grace, yet remember God will have his eye on that little grace. He will not quench the ſmoaking flax, Mat. 12. 20 nor breake the bruiſed reed.

7. Learn this for thy comfort, that though thou haſt but a little grace, yet that little grace ſhall not be extinguiſhed by thy ſtrong corruption, but at laſt it ſhall over-maſter your corruptions. What was ſaid of Eſau and Jacob, Gen. 25. 23 the one ſhall be ſtronger then the other, and the elder ſhall ſerve the younger, and ſo it came afterwards to paſſe in the time of Jehoſaphat, when there was no King in Edom; 1 King 22. 47. That may be fitly applyed to the affairs of the ſoul, the elder ſhal ſerve the younger; corruption in the ſoul is elder then grace in the ſoul, and corruption is ſo oppoſite to grace, that it labours for the extinction of grace, but this ſparke ſhall live in the midſt of the ſea of corruption, till at laſt that great deep ſhall be made dry; and the houſe of David ſhall at laſt quite put down the houſe of Saul, the Name of the Lord will perform this. And therefore thou that art but a weak Chriſtian, learn to ſtay thy ſelf on the Name of the Lord, till judgement be brought forth into victory.

2. Vſe of this doctrine is unto ſtrong believers, ſuch as have attained unto a higher [Page] forme of grace in the ſchool of Chriſt.

2. Though you are ſtrong in grace, yet remember it is not the grace of God in you, but the free grace of God towards you, by which you are juſtified. It is not our inherent righteouſneſſe, but the imputed righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt that is our Juſtification. Oh conſider, you that have moſt grace, what would become of you were it not for free grace? Free grace is the ſureſt and only refuge for a ſoul to flie unto. God can finde matter of condemnation againſt you not only for your worſt ſins, but your beſt duties. The beſt Chriſtian hath no reaſon to venture his ſoul on the beſt thought that ever he conceived, nor on the moſt holy duty that ever he performed, nor on the higheſt grace that ever he exerciſed. A famous inſtance hereof we have in Nehemiab, who had much grace, and did much for God, his people, his houſe, his cauſe, yet prayes after all this,Nehem. 13. 22. Spare me according to the greatneſſe of thy mercy. Intimating that God might finde therein matter enough to ruine him, if God did not ſpare him for his mercies ſake. So Paul in the diſcharge of his Miniſtery, proceeded with ſo much uprightneſſe, that he ſpeaks thus of himſelf,1 Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by my ſelfe, yet am I not hereby juſtified. He knew that all the grace and excellency, and uprightneſſe in him would not make him righteous in the ſight of God.2 Chro. 11. 19. We read of Iehoſaphat, that when he had muſtered up [Page] all his ſtrength, which was very great,1 Chro. 11. 19. for he had eleven hundred thouſand men in his militia, yet he goes to God, and prayes, Lord, we have no might or power againſt theſe multitudes, 2 Chro. 10. 12. and we know not what to do, only our eyes are up to thee: So when a Chriſtian hath muſtered up all the ſtrength of his grace, and conſiders the great power of his corruptions which do ſet themſelves againſt him, he had beſt go to God and ſay, Lord I have no power againſt theſe many and great corruptions, but my eyes are to thy grace that thou mayſt help me. As in a pair of Compaſſes, one foot is fixed in the Center, whilſt the other turns about the circumference: ſo muſt the ſoul fix and ſtay it ſelfe on Chriſt, whileſt it is exerciſed about holy duties. Though Chriſt (as I formerly mentioned,) commended many parts of the Spouſe, yet not her hands, to teach us, that all the Spouſe could do,Cant. 4. 1. to 8. could not make her amiable in the eyes of Chriſt, nor the Spouſes working for Chriſt, but Chriſts work in the Spouſe made her beautiful. Oh it is very hard through ſtrength of grace to abound, in the work of the Lord, and yet keep the heart humble: And therefore

2. Conſider, they that have moſt grace, yet have great cauſe to be humbled, and that in many reſpects.

1. Thou haſt not ſo much grace and perfection as once thou hadſt: Once man was beautified and beſpangled with many glorious [Page] perfections before the fall, it might have been ſaid of man, that he was perfect as his heavenly father was perfect, for God made man upright, that is, perfect, nothing was wanting then to make man both an happy and holy creature; but alas, the image of God in us is now obliterated and defaced.

2. He that hath moſt grace,Phil. 3. 12, 13. hath not ſo much as he ſhall have in heaven. Not that I am perfect already, but I forget thoſe things that are behind, and I preſſe forward unto thoſe things that are before, yea I preſſe (ſaith the Apoſtle) toward the mark of the price of the High Calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. We read under the law of ſeverall things that were to be a cubit and half high and broad,Ex. 25. 10. it being an imperfect meaſure,The errour of the Familiſticall Perfectiſts very pernicious. it was to note, that no man in this life hath an exactneſſe and perfection, the uttermoſt that is attainable by us in this life, is but imperfect. In this life there is a plus ultra, Heb. 12. 23 ſomething ſtill to be attained in religion,1 Joh. 3. 2. but in heaven men ſhall be perfect. We ſhall in heaven be like to Jeſus Chriſt, whom though we now ſee but darkly and in a glaſſe, then we ſhall ſee him as he is.

3. They that have much grace, yet ſhould be humbled, for there are thoſe that have more grace then you, and yet have had leſſe time and fewer advantages then you have; there are thoſe that have gone before you much for ſtrength of grace, and yet have come behind you for means of grace: there are thoſe who were the laſt and are firſt,Mat. 20. 16 and before you.

[Page] 4 Be humbled under much grace; for ye have not ſo much grace as you ſhould have had, concerning the means of grace you have lived under. How many years have you been in the ſchool of Chriſt, and yet what little proportionable progreſſe have you made in the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt? we may all bluſh to think what dunces we have been in the ſchool of Chriſt. The trees of the garden ſhould bear nore fruit then the trees of the forreſt:Luke 13. 6, 7. the Fig-tree therefore which was unfruitful, was the more intolerable, becauſe it was in the garden, in the vineyard. What the Apoſtle complains of the Hebrews, we our ſelves may juſtly take up the complaint againſt our ſelves,Heb, 5. 12. that For the time we ought to have been teachers, and yet have need that one teach us again what are the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God, and are become ſuch as have need of milk, and not of ſtrong meat.

5. They that have much grace, and are ſtrong in grace, yet have cauſe to be humble, becauſe its likely they had more grace and did more good heretofore then now; and who is there almoſt that is not decayed, that hath not in ſome degree or other left their firſt love? Rev. 2. 5. have you not had (I ſpeak to grown and experienced Chriſtians) more love and zeal to God, more hatred of ſin, more griefe for ſinne, more feare of offending God then now you have? are there not many that have and do expreſſe [Page] leſſe deſire after duty, leſſe fervency, leſſe frequency, leſſe delight in holy duties then formerly? Alas! how many through pride and ſpiritual improvidence, through neglect of Ordinances, and worldly mindedneſſe have much abated in their ſpiritual eſtate!

6. Be humbled, that though you be ſtrong in grace, yet you have many corruptions in you more ſtrong then many graces. More are our vain thoughts then our meditations, and more are the things we are ignorant of then the things we know.Quantum eſt quod neſcimus. Corruption is ſtrong enough to keep grace low, but in the beſt grace is not ſtrong enough to bring corruption under. When we would do good, evil is perſent and powerful with us, Rom 7. 21. to hinder us from doing of good: but when we are doing of evil, good is not preſent to hinder us from that evil: we are more in ſinning then in obeying. Our corruptions are like Goliath our grace as David. We exerciſe more kinds of ſins then graces: as in a ſield there are more briats and thorns then uſefull trees, and in a garden more unprofitable weeds then roſes and lilies; ſo in the ſouls of the beſt there are whole ſwarmes of vain, earthly and ſinful thoughts, when there are but very few holy and heavenly thoughts.

7. Another argument why ſtrong Chriſtians ſhould be humble, is this, that though they may have grace, yet they are ſubject to fall into that ſin, which is moſt contrary to that grace wherein they are moſt eminent. [Page] Abraham was moſt eminent for faith;Rom. 4. 20. he is ſaid to be ſtrong in faith, he is called the father of the faithfull. Gal. 3. 9. They which be of faith are bleſſed with faithfull Abraham: and yet for all this Abraham fell into diſtruſt of Gods providence and power, when he ſpake untruly, and denied his wife. Gen. [...]0. 2. So Job was renowned for his patience, You have heard of the patience of Job, (ſaith St. James,)Jam. 5. 11. and yet we read in the ſtory of Jobs trials,Job 6. 9. that his impatiency did break out in many raſh ſpeeches and wiſhes. So Moſes was eminently meek, it was ſaid of him, The man Moſes was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. And yet it is ſaid of him,Num. 12. 2. that his ſpirit was provoked, Pſ. 106. 33. ſo that he ſpake unadviſedly with his lips: and you ſhall finde meek Moſes thus expoſtulating with God himſelf, I am not able to bear all the people alone, becauſe it is too heavy for me, and if thou deal thus with me, kill me I pray thee out of hand; and if I have found fovour in thine eyes, Num. 11. 14, 15. let me not ſee my wretchedneſſe.

8. This further conſideration may alſo humble us, that in the higheſt and greateſt exerciſe of grace there is much mixture of ſin. We may obſerve, that even thoſe good actions, for which many of the People of God are recorded in Scripture, are yet blemiſh't with ſome notable defect R [...]hab's faith in entertaining the Spies, was blemiſh't with this failing, in telling a lie concerning them. It was alſo good the Midwives did [Page] when they refuſed to obey that bloody decree of the King of Egypt, Exod. 1. 17, 19. and would not kill the male-children of the Hebrews, and yet they miſcarried as ſome obſerve in their anſwer to the King, when they made their excuſe. Wee are apt to mingle ſin with the beſt action we do, and ſo apt to plough with an Oxe and an Aſſe; and our corruptions are apt to diſcover themſelves, even while we are upon the exerciſe our grace.

3. Let the ſtrong labour to be more ſtrong, that ſo they may be ſtrengthened with all might, Col. 1. 11. according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-ſuffering with joyfulneſſe. And therefore it is that the Apoſtle prayes for the Romones, that they may be filled by the God of h [...]pe, Rom. 15. 13, 14. with all joy and peace in believing, that they might abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost; and yet in the next verſe he told them, I my ſelf am perſwaded of you (my Brethren) that ye are full of goodneſſe, and that ye are filled with all knowledge. And as he prayes for the Romanes, upon the ſame termes he preſſeth the Theſſaionians, of whom he thus ſpeakes.1 Theſ. 4. 9 10. Now as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you, for ye your ſelves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed you do it towards all the Brethren which are in all Macedonia, but we beſeech you, Brethren, that ye increaſe more and more. The righteous (ſaith Job) ſhall hold on his way, Job 17. 9. and he that hath clean hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger.

[Page] To quicken you hereunto, conſider

1. The more grace we have on Earth, the more glory we ſhall have in Heaven. As God doth unequally diſpenſe his gifts in this life,Sicut Deus ſuae d [...]na in hac vita inaequaliter c [...]mmunicat, ſic coronat. Bucha. ſo accordingly he crowns. There are degrees of torments in hell, the hypocriticall Scribes and Phariſees, who devoured widows houſes, and for a pretence made long prayers, are doomed by Chriſt himſelfe to receive greater damnation, Mat. 23. 14. and that ſervant who knew his Lords will, and prepared not himſelf, neither did according to his wil, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. Now if there are different degrees of torments in hell, then ſurely there are different degrees of glory in Heaven, and thoſe according to different degrees of grace here on earth.

2. It is of the nature of grace to grow and increaſe;Luk. 12. 47 and therefore if thou hadſt grace, either in truth of it, or in ſtrength of it, it wil certainly grow. Grace in Scripture is compared to a grain of muſtard-ſeed, the leaſt of ſeeds, which afterwards ſprouts and ſprings ſo,Mat. 13. 31 32, 33. a [...] that it becomes the largeſt of plants. In the ſame chapter grace is compared unto leaven, which being put into the heap of meale, leaveneth the whole: ſo grace (as I touched before) in the heart, is of a ſpreading nature, and wil diffuſe it ſelfe into all the parts, powers, and faculties of ſoule and body. Chriſtians are therefore compared to the branches of a Vine,Joh. 15. 1. which of all trees grows moſt, and brings forth moſt fruit. A [Page] Picture doth not grow, but a living child wil grow.

3. Such as are ſtrong Chriſtians ſhould yet grow more and more, becauſe in this world there is not ſtint and meaſure ſet for ſpiritual growth: the maximum quod ſic of a Chriſtian, is this, he muſt grow in grace til his head reach up to heaven, til grace be perfected in glory.

4. Shall worldlings ſet no bounds to their deſires after wealth and land, and yet wilt thou take up with poore meaſures of grace for Religion? The ordinary anſwer of ignorant people is, What? muſt we be wiſer then our forefathers?Si dixiſti ſufficit periiſ [...]i. and yet thoſe people would be richer then their forefathers were, and thoſe that have great wealth left them by their forefathers, yet are not ſatisfied with it unleſſe they increaſe their eſtate: let this ſhame that ſlothfulneſſe and ſupine negligence of many, who content themſelves with meaſures of grace.

5. And laſtly, conſider, that thoſe who were eminent for grace, in what eſteem were they in the Church of God, and with what honourable mention are they recorded in the Word of God; ſuch are remembred to be of note in the Church of God.Rom. 16. 7. [...] See what an Eulogium the Holy Ghoſt gives Job, that there was none like him in the earth. Job 1. 8. God loves thoſe that are ſingularly and excellently good, and ordinary pitch doth not ſo pleaſe him.Mat. 5. 46. What do ye more then others? Solomon was [Page] ſo renowned for wiſdome, that it is ſaid, That amongst many Nations there was no King like him, [...]. Nehem. 13 26. that is, for wiſdom. So Hezekiah was eminent for truſting in God, Who feared not to break in pieces the broken ſerpent, but truſted in God, none like him of all the Kings [...]f Judah. 2 King. 18. 4, 5. And ſo eminent was the zeale of good Joſiah after a thorough reformation, that he is alſo crowned with this commendation,2 King. 23. 25. And like him was there no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his ſoule, and with all his might. By all which inſtances it is cleare, of what honourable eſteem have the eminent particular graces of Gods ſervants been in the ſight of the Lord.

XIII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 20. 1651.

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘—My ſon, be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

HAving in the laſt foregoing Sermons, treated of grace in its ſtrength and growth, I am come to ſpeak to this additional clauſe in the text, viz, That is in Chriſt Jeſus: which paſſage is here inſerted by the Apoſtle, that he might let Timothy know to whom he was beholding, for all the grace he had received, even unto Jeſus Chriſt. In the tenth verſe he ſpeaks of ſalvation that is in [Page]Chriſt Jeſus; and here of grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus: so note,

1. That Jeſus Chriſt is the fountaine and foundation, both of grace and glory. Jeſus Chriſt gives grace, and Jeſus Chriſt gives alſo ſalvation, with eternall glory, Ver. 10.

2. That thoſe who receive grace from Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall alſo receive ſalvation by him, for there is an inſeparable union between grace and glory.

The grace of God that is in Chriſt Jeſus. Grace may be ſaid to be in Chriſt

1. As a ſubject recipient, and ſo Chriſt is ſaid to be full of grace and truth; John 1. 14. he had the Spirit without meaſure, it pleaſed the Father, that in him all fulneſſe ſhould dwel. John 3. 34.

2. In Chriſt Jeſus, Col. 1. 19. as a fountain redundant over-flowing & ever-flowing to his people, for of his fulneſſe we receive grace for grace. John 1. 16.

Again, when it is ſaid that grace is in Chriſt Jeſus, we muſt conſider Chriſt

1. As God co-eſſential with the Father, and he is the Author and giver of grace, and of every good and perfect gift.

2. Conſider him as Mediatour God-man, and ſo he is the purchaſer and procurer of grace, and of all the bleſſings of the New Convenant, for the bleſſing of Abraham commeth upon the Gentiles, Gal. 3. 14. [...], through Chriſt. Heb. 12. [...], through Chriſt Jeſus. So that by this phraſe, In Chriſt Jeſus, there are three things implied.

1. That Jeſus Chriſt is the Author and Giver of grace; he onely is the Author and [Page]Finiſher of faith, and every grace in his people.

2. That Chriſt is the purchaſe of grace, ſo that all the grace that is beſtowed upon us by God, it is through Chriſt, and for his ſake; Grace is from Chriſt as a fountain, and by Chriſt as a Conduit.

3. That Chriſt is the preſerver of grace, all the grace that is in us is in Christ Jeſus, he keeps all our graces for us: As the beams of the Sun may be ſaid to be the Sun, becauſe they are preſerved by their union with the Sun. Our life is bid with Chriſt in God, Col. 3. 3. hid as the life of a tree is hid in the root, and the being of a ſtream is hid in the fountain. And herein is the comfort of believers, that their condition is more ſtable and immutable and ſafe, then ever Adam was in innocency, for he had all perfections of a creature, but they were in their own keeping; but now all the grace that is in a believer is in Chriſt Jeſus, by whom and in whom grace is ſafely preſerved, ſo as it ſhall never periſh.

The point of doctrine I obſerve from theſe words is this:

That all thoſe meaſures of grace,Doct. whereof believers are partakers, they receive them in and from Jeſus Chriſt.

In the handling of which point I will thus proceed:

1. Shew you the truth of it.

2. Give you the reaſons and grounds of it.

[Page] Now to prove that all grace is received in and through Chriſt.

1. I will ſhew the truth of this by many reſemblances, to which Chriſt is compared in the Scripture.

2. By many types of Chriſt in the Old Teſtament.

3. By many expreſſe teſtimonies in the New Teſtament concerning this turth.

[...]. There are many reſemblances in Scripture which do illuſtrate this, that all grace is from Chriſt Jeſus.

1. He is compared to a root. He is called the root of Jeſſe,Iſa. 11. 10. not only becauſe he came of the ſtock of David, but that he gives grace to Jew and Gentile that do believe: for to him ſhall the Gentiles ſeek, as it followes in the next words. Now that the Prophet there ſpeaks of Chriſt, is plain by the Apoſtles expreſſe application of that propheſie unto Chriſt,Rom. 15. 2. calling him the root of Jeſſe, in whom the Gentiles ſhould truſt. And Chriſt ſpeaks of himſelfe,Joh. 15. 1. I am the Vine. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it ſelf except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me; the life, ſap, nouriſhment, growth and fruitfulneſſe of a branch is altogether from the root, with which the branches have union and communion.

2. Chriſt is called the Head of his people; He is the Head of the body of the Church. Now as ſenſe and motion is derived from the head to the members of the body;Col. 1 18. ſo alſo is [Page] grace derived from Jeſus Chriſt to every true believer, every living member of his body.

3. Chriſt is called the Sun of Righteouſneſſe becauſe as heat and light are communicated by the Sun to things here below,Mal. 4. 2. ſo there is a ſweet influence of grace from Chriſt upon believers.Niſi deſuper. As by vertue of the Sunnes influence the vegetable and ſenſible creatures live, move and grow; ſo alſo the life and growth of grace in the ſoul is from that divine influence which Jeſus Chriſt doth ſhed upon believers.

4. Chriſt is compared to a fountain,Zech. 13. 1. even a fountaine opened to the houſe of David, and to the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, for ſin and for uncleanneſſe. So that as water doth ſtream forth in the river from the fountain, ſo grace flowes down from Jeſus Chriſt upon believers, who is a fountain, where all fulneſſe of grace for ever dwels, and from whence all grace is drawn and derived; and this is the firſt proof.

2. This truth may be demonſtrated by the many types of Chriſt in the old Teſtament which did ſhadow out unto us this, that all grace is from Jeſus Chriſt. I ſhall mention ſome.

1. Aaron the High Prieſt was to lay his bands on the People, and to bleſſe them. Lev. 9. 22. And herein he was a type of Chriſt our great and heavenly High Prieſt, through whom we are bleſſed with all grace.Eph. 1. 3. God having bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places Act. 3. 2 [...]. [Page] in Chriſt. Jeſus Chriſt is ſent by God to bleſſe his people, and to turn every one of them from their iniquities. And therefore it is recorded by St. Luke that a little before the Aſcenſion of our bleſſed Saviour,Luk. 24 50 he laid his hands upon his diſciples, and bleſſed them: and ſo he doth ſtill bleſſe all true believers with the ſpiritual bleſſing of grace.

2. Another type of Chriſt was Joſeph, who in many things was a type of Chriſt,Gen. 37. 3. Joſeph was the beſt beloved of his fathers children; Mat. 30. 17. ſo was Jeſus Chriſt,Col. 1. 11. the ſon of his fathers love: Joſeph was hated of his brethren, Gen. 37. 20, 21. and ſold for twenty pieces of ſilver; ſo was Jeſus Chriſt, he came unto his own, and his own received him not, he was rejected by them, and ſold for thirty pieces of ſilver. Joh. 1. 12. Joſeph was carryed into Egypt; and ſo perſection drove Chriſt into Egypt preſently after he was born. Gen. 37. 28 Joſeph was falſly accuſed and condemned: Mat. 2. 20 ſo was Chriſt. Joſephs troubles ended in his advancement;Gen. 39. 20 ſo all the troubles of Chriſt, wrought for him a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory: Phil. 2. 9. God having therefore highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, for now Chriſt is ſate down at the right hand of the Father; But eſpecially in this, Joſeph did type out Jeſus Chriſt, that in that dreadfull laſting famine in Egypt, Gen. 41. 55, 56, 57. Joſeph had the cuſtody of all the corne in the land, and he had the iſſuing out of all the Proviſion for bread, in all the land of Egypt: So the Lord Jeſus is the Lord Keeper of all that ſtore of grace, [Page] with which believers are furniſhed, which grace is given to help them in time of need. Jeſus Chriſt hath the Key of David, he hath the Key of the treaſury of grace.

3. Another type of Jesus Chriſt was Ioſhua, who gave unto Iſrael entrance and poſſeſſion of the good land of Canaan. Pſa. 84. 11. He will give grace and glory, and no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly. Heb. 4. 8, 9. Our Jeſus gives his people a better reſt then ever Ioſhua brought Iſrael unto.

4. Another type of Chriſt was the Candleſtick of the tabernacle, the ſeven lamps whereof did give light unto the whole tabernacle. Now theſe ſeven lamps, Exo. 25. 37 what did they type out but the graces of the Spirit of Chriſt, for ſo it is ſaid, that there were ſeven lamps of fire burning before the throne, Rev. 4. 5. which are the ſeven ſpirits of God. Zech. 42. The Holy Ghoſt and the graces of it, being ſo deſcribed by ſeven ſpirits in this regard, becauſe of the variety and protection of that grace which is in the Lord Jeſus, and by his Spirit communicated to all his members.

3. The third proof of this doctrine may be drawn from the conſideration of thoſe clear teſtimonies of this truth in the New Teſtament. St. John ſpeaks thus of Chriſt that of his fulneſſe we have received, and grace for grace. Joh. 1. 16. expounded. Plenitudo repletiva & dissusiva In Chriſt there is not only plenty, but bounty; not only an abundance of all grace, but a redundance of grace. Chriſtians have the fulneſſe of a veſſel, but Chriſt hath [Page] the fulneſſe of a fountain. Plenitude vaſis Plenitudo fontis. Take a drop of water out of a veſſel, and it is not ſo full as before, but draw as much water as you pleaſe out of the Well of the water of life, and there is no want of water. From Chriſt we receive grace for grace, that is, ſay ſome, the grace of the New Teſtament, added to that grace which was revealed under the Old Teſtament.Perf [...]ctio partium, non graduum. Or grace for grace, that is, ſay others, a perfection of grace according to the Perfection that is in Chriſt. As in a natural generation, the childe doth receive from his Father limme for limme, and part for part: ſo in this ſpiritual regeneration, Jeſus Chriſt (the everlaſting Father) doth give grace for grace.Iſa. 6. 9. Or you may underſtand this expreſſion grace for grace, that Jeſus Chriſt is not only the Author of grace, but gives grace for grace, that is, one grace after another, grace upon grace; Gramati nova gratiâ cumulat [...]m. the being of grace, and the increaſe of grace are both from Chriſt. This alſo appears that Chriſt is the Author and beſtower of all grace, by that ordinary prayer wherewith the Apoſtle doth uſually cloſe up his Epiſtles,2 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with you all. The like Prayer we have to the Romans, Rom. 16. 24 to the Galatians, brethren The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with your ſpirit. Gal. 6 18 So alſo in the cloſe of the Epiſtles to the Philippians, Phil. 4. 23. Theſſalonians, 1 Theſ. 5. 28. and to Timothy, Grace be with thee. Amen. 1 Tim. 6. 21 All this is to note that Jeſus Chriſt is the fountain from whence, and the Conduit by whom all grace [Page] is conveyed unto believers.Zech. 4. 12. As in the viſion that the Prophet Zechary ſaw, There were two Olive Branches, which through the two golden Pipes, did empty the golden oyle out of themſelves: So Jeſus Chriſt, that true Olive tree, doth drop and diſtil grace upon his Church, whereby they receive from his fulneſſe grace for grace.

But in giving this honour unto Chriſt,1 Object. do you not derogate from God the Father, when you ſay that all grace is from Chriſt?

1. It is no derogation to God the Father to aſcribe this unto Chriſt,1. Anſw. becauſe it pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell.

2. And beſide, Chriſt and the Father are one. 2. Anſw. In ſaying all grace is from Chriſt, we alſo ſay all is from the Father too;Col. 1. 19. and in ſaying it is from the Father,Joh. 10. 30 we ſay it is from Chriſt too.Rom. 1. 7. And therefore it is an ordinary prayer prefixed in the beginning of moſt of the Epiſtles;1 Cor. 1. 3. Grace be unto you, 2 Cor. 1. 2. from God the Father, Gal. 1. 3. and from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Eph. 1. 2. So that in the ſubſcription,Phil. 1. 2. and in the inſcription of each Epiſtle,Col. 1. 2. grace is aſcribed to God the Son,1 Theſ. 1. 1, &c. but ſo as not excluding God the Father, and to God the Father not excluding the Son.

3. And then again, Jeſus Chriſt is commiſſionated and deſigned by the Father, to give out grace to his people: for ſo Chriſt ſpeaks of himſelf,Joh. 64 [...] I came down from heaven, not to do mine own wil, but the wil of him that ſent me. Now it is the will of God, that from Chriſt believers ſhould receive both juſtifying and [Page] ſanctifying grace. Our ſanctification is Gods Will, 1 Theſ. 4. 3 and Chriſt came to fulfil that will of God: for ſo ſpeaks the Apoſtle, Sacrifice and offering, Heb. 10. 9, 10. and burnt-offerings, and offering for ſin, thou wouldeſt not, neither haſt pleaſure therein, then ſaid I, Lo, I come to do thy will (Ob God;) by which Will we are ſanctified, through the offering of the body of Ieſus Chriſt once for all. So that the Will of God the Father, and the Will of Jeſus Chriſt are the ſame in the beſtowing of grace. Jeſus Chriſt received a commiſſion from God the Father, to beſtow grace upon his people; and will you ſee how that Commiſſion runs, you ſhal finde it in the Prophet Iſaiah; Iſa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, becauſe the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath ſent me to binde up the breken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the priſon to them that are bound. Chriſt had a Commiſſion under his Fathers hand and Seale,John 6. 27. For him hath the father ſealed: Joſeph received authority from Pharaoh, and it was no diſhonour to Pharaoh that Ieſeph was commiſſionated to iſſue out all the ſtores of corne to the Egyptians in the time of that famine: no more is it any diſhonour to the Father, that Jeſus Chriſt doth beſtow and convey grace upon believers.

But doth not this put the Spirit out of office,2. Object. who is called the holy Spirit, and the Spirit of grace, becauſe he doth work grace and holineſſe [Page] in the hearts of the People of God?

What Chriſt is ſaid to work,Solution. that the holy Spirit alſo doth; becauſe by the Spirit of God Chriſt worketh. It is a good rule, that the works of the bleſſed Trinity ad extra are undivided,Opera Trinitatis ad extra ſunt indiviſae. all thoſe works which are external, and relative to the creatures, as to create, preſerve, redeem, ſanctifie, &c. are in reſpect of the things wrought equally common to all the Perſons of the bleſſed Trinity. So that we may ſay,John 5. 19. whatſoever things that the Father doth, thoſe things doe the Son likewiſe, and thoſe things alſo doth the Holy Ghoſt; the work of Sanctification is equally aſcribed unto all the Perſons.Jude v. 1. God the Father ſanctifies his people. God the Son doth ſanctifie his members,1 Cor. 1. 30. for he is their ſanctifications. He loved the Church, and gave himſelfe for it, that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe it, with the waſhing of water through the Word. Eph. 5. 25, 26. And yet the work of Sanctification is moſt frequently aſcribed to the Holy Ghoſt; Goodneſſe, Righteouſneſs and Truth, Eph. 5. 9. and indeed all grace being called the fruit of the Spirit; and the Spirit is called the Spirit of grace and ſupplication, and the Spirit of holineſſe and ſanctification. Gal. 5. 22. So our Regeneration is aſcribed unto God the Father. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope. 1 Pet. 1. 3. And ſo alſo we are the children of Chriſt by Regeneration, for in this reſpect Chriſt is called the Father of Eternity. Iſa. 9. 6. Behold (ſaith the Prophet [Page] in the name of Chriſt) I and the children which thou haſt given me; Iſa. 18. 8. and that there the Prophet ſpeaks of Chriſt, is cleare from the application of it to him in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews. Heb. 2. 13. Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Neither is the Holy Ghoſt excluded from this working of grace & regeneration in us, for Chriſt tels Nicodemus, that except a man be born again, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God. Joh. 3. 3, 4. So it is ſaid, that God the Father bleſſed Abraham; and yet the bleſſing of Abraham came upon the Gentiles through Chriſt, that they might receive the promiſe of the Spirit. By all which inſtances it doth appear,Gal. 3. 14. that though there are diverſ [...] ties of gifts, yet the ſame Spirit, and though there are differences of adminiſtrations, yet the ſame Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Author of all grace through the holy Spirit.

2. The reaſon and ground of this, why Jeſus Chriſt is the Author, Purchaſer and conveyer of grace to his People, is,

1. Becauſe God the Father hath appointed Jeſus Chriſt, as Mediatour, to tranſact the great work of ſanctifying and ſaving his Elect.

2. Becauſe by this ſhall the reproach be rowled away from Chriſt, who in his life time was reputed the greateſt of all Male-factors, and accordingly ſuffered death. They were wont to ſay, can any good come [...] of Nazareth? God hath therefore given [Page] him a name above all names, that he ſhould not only be anointed with oyl above his fellows, by his receiving the Spirit without meaſure, but that the oyl that was poured upon the head of our High-Prieſt ſhould run down upon the skirts of his garments; and that grace which was abundant in him, ſhould alſo be redundant to his Church, and run down, and diffuſe it ſelf to all his members.

3. To manifeſt that Jeſus Chriſt was the ſecond Adam, and came into the world to repaire the breaches which the ſin of the firſt Adam had made. For by the fall we did not only contract upon our ſelves the guilt of Adams ſin, to take off which we have need of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed, but we have drawn upon our ſelves the filthineſſe and pollution of ſin, to take away the power whereof, only the grace, holineſſe, and inherent righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed to us doth avail: and as the firſt Adam was the Author and conveyer both of the guilt, filthineſſe, and puniſhments of ſin to his poſterity; ſo Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam conveighs the life of grace into all his. As the firſt Adam was the author to communicate natural life, as he was made a living ſoule; 1 Cor. 15. 45. ſo the ſecond Adam did communicate the ſpiritual life of grace as he was made a quickuing ſpirit. From the firſt Adam by natural generation and propagation, we receive corruption for corruption; ſo from the ſecond Adam we receive grace for grace.

[Page] 1. Vſe of this Doctrine is for Confutation.

1. Of the Socinians errour, who ſay that all grace in Chriſt, whether his active or paſſive righteouſneſſe, was only to qualifie his perſon, and to merit his own glorification, without any reference unto us, unleſſe as an exemplar or patterne. But this opinion is ſufficiently confuted by this Doctrine, by which hath been ſhown, that as all our grace is from Chriſt, ſo that abundance of grace that is in Chriſt is for us. As the woman hath abundance of milk in her breſt, not for her ſelf, but for her childe; and the Sun hath abundance of light, not for it ſelf, but for the world: So Jeſus Chriſt is full of grace and truth, but this fulneſſe is in order to the filling of his members. As in the natural body there are ſome ſpecial parts, that do ſtand as officers unto all the reſt; the stomack receives much meat, not for it ſelf, but that it might communicate it to all the members; the head hath the ſenſes ſeated in it, not for it ſelf, but for the whole body: So it is in the myſtical body, whereof Chriſt is the head; the abundance of grace, which is treaſured up in Chriſt, is in order to ſupply every member with grace. For their ſakes (ſaith Chriſt himſelf of his elect,) I ſanctifie my ſelfe; Joh. 17. 19. that they alſo might be ſanctified through the truth. Some do refer this to Chriſt, being ſet apart to the office of Mediatour, that it was not for his own ſake, but for the ſake of his members, and though [Page] there be grace enough in Chriſt to qualifie his perſon, yet alſo there is grace enough in him to juſtifie our perſons too, and ſanctifie our natures.

2. This alſo reproves the errour, pride and folly of the Pelagians, Papiſts and Arminians, who derogate from God, and arrogate to themſelves. Theſe people like Sampſon, have loſt their ſpiritual ſtrength, but do not, will not know that it is departed from them; They are poor, and yet are proud,Sub laudibus naturae la [...]nt inimici gratiae. Aug. and while they are ſetting up the praeiſe of nature, they do prove themſelves the enemies of grace. Alas, while they boaſt of a liberum arbitrium, they have cauſe to bewail a ſervum arbitrium, a [...] Luther calls it. It is true, man by the fall did not loſe the faculty it ſelf, but he hath loſt the rectitude of it. And yet proud man will be like the ſpider, ſpinning out a thread of his own, and thinking to climbe up to heaven by threads ſpun out of his own bowels, but let ſuch who rejoyce in this Mihi ſoli debeo, Job. 8. 14. take heed at laſt, that his hope be not cut off, and that his truſt become like a ſpiders web. Alas poor proud wretch! who made thee to differ? Grevincovius the Arminian makes this proud anſwer to the Apoſtles queſtion, I my ſelf made my ſelf to differ. This is Divinity much like that of the Heathens. Seneca ſaid, That we live, this is of God, but that we live well, that's of our ſelves. And Cicero hath alſo this ſaying, and he tells us it is the judgment of all men, That proſperity and ſcceſſe is [Page]from God, and muſt be ſought of God, but wiſdom that is gotten by our ſelves, which gave Auguſtine occaſion to paſſe this cenſure upon him; [...]icero in endeavouring to make men free, he made them ſacrilegious. But let us take heed of this proud leaven of Arminianiſme, and learn from hence to be convinced of the emptineſſe and inſufficiency of our nature to any ſupernaturall good. For alas! We are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God. We have no grace but what we receive from Chriſt, And grace is no way grace unleſſe it be every way free. We have little reaſon to boaſt of the freedome of our will to any thing that is ſpiritually good, becauſe our wil is not free til it be by grace made free. Voluntas libera liberata. Aug. We have no power to become the ſons of God, till it be given us to believe on his name, and ſuch are born not of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

XV. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. April 27. 1651. This was the laſt Sermon that ever Mr. Love preached.

2 TIM. 2. 1.‘—My ſon, be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus.’

FRom the laſt clauſe in this text, viz. Grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus, we have gathered this obſervation, that

All thoſe meaſures of grace whereof beli [...] vers are partakers, they doe receive them [Page] in and from Jeſus Chriſt.

That this is ſo, we have proved, not onely by the types of the Old Teſtament, but alſo by the expreſſe teſtimony of the New Teſtament, and have alſo given the grounds and reaſons of this point, with ſome Application, by way of reproofe and confutation of the Arminian and Socinian errours. It remains we make ſome further Application of this point, and ſo conclude the whole diſcourſe.

2. Vſe is by way of exhortation unto theſe duties following.

1. Doſt thou receive all thy grace from Jeſus Chriſt, then labour to be humble in the acknowledgement of this. Let the conſideration and conſcientious application of this doctrine, quell all boaſting in us of any excellency received. Our wiſdom, righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. and redemption, are all from Chriſt, and therefore he that gloryeth let him glory in the Lord. Conſider, who maketh thee to differ from another? and what haſt thou that thou didſt not receive? now if thou didſt receive it, why didſt thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? 2 Cor 4. 7. Who but a proud foole would magnifie himſelfe in that, which either another giveth him, or another hath done for him. We count it an odious pride and folly in a man to boaſt himſelfe of that which another hath done. And therefore the Apoſtle profeſſeth, that he did not carry himſelfe as thoſe falſe teachers had done, [Page] who were crept into the Church of Corinth. ſaith the Apoſtle,2 Cor. 10 15, 16. We doe not boaſt of things beyond our meaſure, that is, of other mens labours, nor boaſt in another mans line of things made ready to our hand. Now all grace is made ready to our hands, and is onely the worke of Jeſus Chriſt in us, who worketh all our works for us. Ammianus Marcellinus tels us of one Lampadius, a great perſon in Rome, who in all parts of the City, where other men had beſtowed coſt in building, he would ſet up his own name, not as a Repairer of the work,Ego & [...]. but as the chiefe Builder. Such folly are they guilty of, who wil ſet their owne names before Gods, over the work of grace in their own ſouls. Oh remember that boaſting is excluded by the law of faith. Faith is that grace which emptieth the creature of all its conceited excellencies,Rom. 3. 27. and faith is that grace which wil give God the praiſe of the glory of all his grace. Shall the groom of the ſtable boaſt of his maſters horſes? and the Stage-player of his borrowed robes? ſhall the mud wall be proud that the Sun-ſhines upon it? We muſt ſay of all the good that is in us, as the young man ſaid to the Prophet of his hatchet, Alas Maſter, it was borrowed. The Church of God is compared to the Moon. Now all the light which the Moon giveth to the world,2 King. 6 [...]5 ſhe doth but diſtribute what is lent her;Cant. 6. 10. Lucem acceptam refere. all our graces and the ſhining of them, whereby our light is ſeen before men, is but a borrowed light from the Sun of [Page] righteouſneſſe. David ſets us an excellent pattern, when he makes that humble acknowledgement: Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael our Father, for ever and ever. Thin [...] (Oh Lord) is the greatneſs, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, 1 Chron. 29. 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16. and the majeſty, for all that is in heaven or in earth is earth is thine; thine is the Kingdom (Oh Lord) and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reigneſt over all: and in thine hand is power and might, and in thy hand is to make great, and to give ſtrength unto all. Now therefore our God, we thank thee, and praiſe thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we ſhould offer ſo willingly after this ſort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee, Oh Lord our God all this ſtore that we have prepared to build thee an houſe for thine own name, commeth of thine hand, and is all thine own; which is an excellent pattern of humility after inlargement in duty. David and the people had offered both bountifully and willingly towards the houſe of God, the Lord had enlarged both their hearts and their hands. Now all they did for God, is here aſcribed to Gods grace and bounty towards them. It is excellent humility to aſcribe our enlargement of Gods ſervice, to the enlargement of Gods grace towards us; the way to have grace increaſed, is humbly to acknowledge from whence we receive every grace.

2. Aſcribe unto Jeſus Chriſt the glory of [Page] all the grace you have been made partakers of. Thus did Paul upon all occaſions,1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me, and by the grace of God I am what I am. I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me, Gal. 2, 20. [...] and the life which I now live in the fleſh, I live by the faith of the Son of God. It was wel done of that good and faithfull ſervant to ſay, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds; Luk. 19. 16 he doth not ſay, Lord, my pains, but thy pound hath gained. When we give God the glory of his grace, God wil give us the comfort and increaſe of our grace. Learn therefore to aſcribe unto Chriſt, the initial, progreſſive, & conſummative work of grace in your ſouls, Jeſus Chriſt only, who hath begun a good work in you, Phil. 1. 6 [...] wil perform it until his own day. Heb. 12. 2. Jeſus Chriſt is the author and finiſ [...]er of our faith. Rev. 1. 8. He is the Alpha and the Omega. And therefore the Apoſtle prayes, The God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Jeſus Chriſt, after that ye have ſuffered awhile, make you perfect, ſtabliſh [...] ſtrengthen, and ſettle you. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Grace is rather like Manna that comes from heaven, then the Corn that grows out of the earth. Grace is inſpired from heaven. Gifts and parts are acquired by induſtry and pains here on earth. What God ſaid by way of compariſon between Canaan and Egypt, is very applicable to this purpoſe. For thus the Lord ſpeaks to Iſrael, Deut. 11. 10, 11, 12. The Land whether thou goeſt in to poſſeſſe it, is not as the Land of Egypt, whence tho [...] cameſt out, where thou ſoweſt thy[Page]ſeed, and watereſt it with thy foot, as a garden of hearbs, but the Land whither ye goe to poſſeſſe it, is a land of hils and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven, a land which the Lord thy God careth for. Thus it is with grace and nature; nature may be, and is improved with induſtry and pains, and is like Egypt, which might be watered by the foot, i.e. with digging gutters and trenches, which is the labour of the foot, to let in the ſtreams of the river of Nilus, when he yeerly overflows his banks, but grace is like the rain from heaven, which onely falleth where God doth appoint,Amos 4. 7. who cauſeth it to rain upon one City, and not upon another, and one piece is rained upon, and the piece whereupon it raineth not, withereth.

3. Diſclaim all merit and ſelf-ſufficiency, for ſo much as we arrogate to our own merit, ſo much as we derogate from the free grace and mercy of God. If with Ephraim God hath enlarged his grace towards thee, that thou art like a green fig-tree, Hoſ. 14. 8. yet let God have the glory of all thy fruitfulneſſe, and let him ſay, from me is thy fruit found. Oh conſider,Rom. 11. 18. that thou beareſt not the root, but the root thee. Say, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name do we give the praiſe. A gracious heart knows his own inability, and his own inſufficiency and imperfection, that he is unable to overcome the leaſt ſin though never ſo ſmall, to exerciſe any grace though never ſo weak, to perform the leaſt duty, though [Page] never ſo eaſie: and as we have cauſe to acknowledge our inability, ſo alſo our ſinfull imperfections; if God ſhould enter into judgement with us, he might condemne us, not only for our worſt ſins, but for our beſt duties.

4. Have an eye to Jeſus Chriſt; Look up to him the author and finiſher of our faith. Heb. 12. 2. [...]. The word looking unto, ſignifies in the original, ſuch a looking unto, as that we look off thoſe things which may divert our looking up to Jeſus. Labour (my beloved) to look ſtill unto Chriſt as the author of grace, when you have the greateſt exerciſe, or increaſe, or comfort of your grace. Say when thou haſt the greateſt ſtrength of grace, as Iehoſhaphat did, when he had that great ſtrength of men 500000. Lord, 2 Chro. 20. 1 [...]. we know not what to do, only our eyes are upon thee. There are theſe three things which we ſhould eye in Chriſts giving us grace.

1. How voluntarily and freely Jeſus Chriſt doth iſſue out his grace to his people. Never did a mother more willingly give her child ſuck, when her breaſt [...] did ake and were ready to break, then Jeſus Chriſt doth beſtow grace upon his people. Chriſt doth not like a merchant ſell his grace, but like a King freely beſtow [...] all: ſee the tenor of the Covenant of grace how free it was,Iſa. 55. 1. Ho, every [...] that thirſteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eate, yea come, buy wine and milk, without money and without[Page]price. Let him that is athirſt come, and whoſoever will, Rev. 22. 17 let him take the water of life freely; nothing is ſo free as grace: it is offered and is beſtowed upon the freeſt termes imaginable. All that Chriſt requires,Prov. 8. 31. is but our receiving it. It is the delight of Chriſt to ſhew mercy, and beſtow grace upon his people. It is the meat of Chriſt to do the Will of God that ſent him,Joh. 4. 34. and to finiſh his work. Never was man more willing to eat his meat when he is hungry, then Jeſus Chriſt was to do good and beſtow grace upon them that wanted it. So alſo it is ſaid of Chriſt in Pſal. 72. (which is clearly a prophesie of Jeſus Chriſt) that he ſhould come down like raine upon the mowen graſſe, Pſal. 7 [...]. 6 and as ſhowers that water the earth. Now there is nothing comes down more ſweetly and freely, then the rain upon a dry and thirſty ground.

2. Secondly, look unto Jeſus the Author of grace, how irreſiſtibly he doth communicate his grace. I will work, and who can let it? It's true,Iſa. 43. 13. not only of Gods eternal deliverances, but is as true of Gods working grace in the hearts of his people. Who ſhall let?

1. Satan ſhall not, for though he be a ſtrong man, and armed, and hath got poſſeſſion, yet when Chriſt comes, he is [...], ſtronger then Satan.

2. Sin ſhall not be able to hinder Gods work of grace. Grace ſhall be too hard for the ſtrongeſt oppoſition, that is made againſt it. It is true, a man may and doth reſiſt the [Page] grace of God, with a gainſaying and contradicting reſiſtance, but not with an overcoming reſiſtance.

3. Thirdly, look up to Jeſus the beſtower of grace, how proportionably he gives grace ſuitable, and anſwerable to thy temptations and need.1 Cor. 12. 11. God divides to every one his grace [...]nd gifts, ſeverally as he will, and yet he gives grace that ſhall be enough. My grace is ſufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12. 9 ſaid God to Paul, ſufficient to quell corruptions, ſufficient to repell temptation, ſufficient to make thee wait upon me, [...]ill I give thee deliverance.

5. Be exhorted to have recourſe to Jeſus Chriſt for ſupply of grace. Go to Jeſus, and by the Prayer of faith approach to the Throne of grace, and beg grace to help thee in time of need. Go unto God by Chriſt, and God through Chriſt will ſupply all your wants.Phil. 4. 19. [...]. My God, ſaith Paul to the Philippians, ſhall ſupply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Ieſus Chriſt. Go to this God, and expreſſe your ſelves before his throne, with ſenſible complaints, and earneſt requeſts, ſay, Lord, ſeeing there is ſo much water in the fountain, why ſhould my ciſterne be empty? ſuch fulneſſe of grace in Chriſt, and ſo little grace in my heart? Lord,Pſal. 58. 18 haſt thou not gifts for men, yea for the rebellious alſo, and that's the worſt that can be ſaid of me, and haſt thou not a bleſſing for me alſo?

3. Vſe of caution, though we ſay that all grace is in and from Chriſt.

[Page] 1. This ſhould not cut off our endeavours after grace:Cant. 1. we ſhould ſo earneſtly labour to get grace, as if there were no way to have it but by our endeavours, we ſhould ſo ſtrive to get heaven, as if it were to be gotten by by our fingers, by our own pains. Gods promiſes and purpoſes of giving grace ſhould rather quicken, and greaten, then any ways ſlacken our endeavours after grace. See how the apoſtle makes Gods working grace in us, a ground why we ſhould work: Work out your own ſalvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. 12, 13. for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleaſure. And again, I know the thoughts that I think towards you (ſaith the Lord,) thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end; but ſee alſo how God joyns their duty with his promiſe, the means unto the end: Jer. 29. 11, 12. Then ſhall ye call upon me, and ye ſhal go, and pray unto me, and I wil hearken unto you. So alſo in the propheſie of Ezekiel, the Lord had promiſed to do great things for them,Ezek. 36. 37. and then addes, Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the houſe of Israel, to do it for them. Gods promiſe to David to build him an houſe, did not at all ſlack his prayer to God for that purpoſe; for thus we finde David praying, Thou, O my God haſt told thy ſervant, 1 Chro 17. 25, 26, 27. that thou wilt build him an houſe, therefore thy ſervant hath found in his heart to pray before thee. And now Lord (thou art God, and haſt promiſed this goodneſſe to thy ſervant) now therefore let it pleaſe [Page]thee to bleſſe the houſe of thy ſervant, that it may be before thee for ever, for thou bleſſeſt, O Lord, and it ſhall be bleſſed for ever. 1 Cor. 15, 10. Thus alſo did Paul, By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was beſtowed upon me, was not in vaine, but I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me. See how he joyns Gods grace and his own indeavours together. Thou muſt then ſo indeavour after grace, as if it were to be gotten by labour, and not beſtowed by favour, yet when thou haſt done all thou canſt, thou muſt acknowledge grace to be free, as if thou hadſt not laboured at all.

2. Though there be abundance of grace in Chriſt,Cant. 2. yet let all ſuch as have no intereſt in Chriſt, take heed how they flatter themſelvs into a conceit, that they ſhall receive grace frō Chriſt; Intereſt in the Perſon, gives communication of his grace. As it was in Chriſts Perſon, he could not have had thoſe excellencies and attributes which were in God, had not his two natures humane and divine been perſonally united in him. And therefore it is ſaid by vertue of the hypoſtatical union,Col. 2 9. that in him, i. e. in his Perſon, dwelleth all the fulneſſe of the Godhead bodily. So unleſſe there be that myſtical union between Chriſt and us, we could not be Partakers nor grow ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Ieſus. Vnion is the ground of Communion, Joh. 1. 12, 16. compared. and therefore we read firſt of receiving Chriſt, and then afterwards of receiving of his fulneſſe grace for [Page]grace. Though thou art near Chriſt by Profeſſion, yet if thou art not one with Chriſt by faith, thou canſt not receive any vertue from him. If a man tie food to any part of his body, it will not nouriſh him, becauſe it is not received, concocted or concorporated; that only nouriſhes, which becomes one and the ſame ſubſtance with us. So we receive ſtrength and increaſe of grace from Chriſt, as we are united unto him by faith Take a graft, and tie it to a tree, and it brings forth no fruit, but let it be united unto a tree by implantation, then the graft growes fruitful: ſo without Chriſt, (or as it is in the Original) ſeparate from Chriſt you can do nothing. John 15. 5▪ [...]. Rom. 6. 5. He that by faith is not planted together in the likeneſſe of Chriſts death, ſhall never receive ſpiritual nouriſhment from him. He that doth not abide in Chriſt, is caſt forth as a Branch, he was never a true Branch,Job 15. 6, [...]. only ſeemed to be one. Chriſt is a fountain of grace, but it is faith that draws out of this fountain, Chriſt is a treaſury of grace, but it is faith that unlocks this treaſury. By our communion with Chriſt we receive grace for grace. We are made by love, meekneſſe and patience like unto Chriſt, but by faith we are made one with Chriſt; and that Union is the cauſe of communion, and therefore Chriſtleſſe perſons are graceleſſe perſons.

3. If men want grace, yet let them know,Caut. 3. that not Chriſt, but themſelves are to blamed. [Page] There is fulneſſe in Chriſt, there is grace enough in Chriſt, in him there is fulneſſe of ſufficiency, of efficiency, and of redundancy; but if a veſſel be ſtopt, caſt it into the Sea, and it will receive no water; and the fault is in the veſſel which is ſtopt, there is no want of water in the Sea. They that have the river-water or conduit-water come into their houſes, if no water come, you muſt not conclude there is no water in th [...] river or fountain, but that the Pipes are either ſtopt or broken; So it is, if ever you are ſtraitened, you are ſtraitned in your own bowels, and not ſtraitened in your God. If a houſe be dark, it is not for any want of light in the Sun, but for want of windowes in the houſe: So if thou wanteſt grace, it is not for want of grace in Chriſt, but for want of faith in thy ſoul, to draw and derive more grace from Chriſt.

4. Envy not the grace of God in others.Caut. 4. Though Chriſt ſhould beſtow more grace on others then on thee, yet thy eye muſt not be evil, Mat. 20 15 becauſe he is good. Thou ſhouldſt not have an envious eye, becauſe Chriſt hath a bountiful hand. It is not only a fault in wicked men, to envy the grace that is in good men, as Cain envied Abel, becauſe his ſacrifice was accepted, and his own rejected, but alſo even good men are too apt to envy one another. Ioſephs brethren envied their brother, becauſe he was beloved of his father,John 21. 20, 21. and Peter (it is thought) envied Iohn the beloved [Page] diſciple. But take heed of envy, it's diſhonourable to God, and often hinders us from receiving mercy and grace from God. To envy Chriſts diſpenſing of his grace, to whom and in what meaſure he pleaſes, is unbecoming a Chriſtian; to rejoyce in others happineſſe, is to do as the Angels of heaven; to envy others good is like the devils in hell. Would a father take it well that his children fall out about their portions, which their father hath given them. God is abſolutely free, to give one or two, or five talents, as he pleaſes, and if another have more grace then thou, yet be thankful for that grace thou haſt, and envy no man.

Laſtly, Leſſen not thy grace thou haſt received.Caut. 5. As there is no ſin ſmall, becauſe it is an offence againſt the great God: ſo there is no grace little, becauſe it comes from the great God. Unthankfulneſſe hinders this oyl from running. As a man muſt not be contented with the greateſt meaſure of grace, ſo he muſt not be unthankful for the leaſt meaſure of grace. Conſider, it is Jeſus Chriſt that hath begun the work of grace: that there is ſome little good wrought in thee, is the work of Chriſt, and he that hath begun a good work will alſo finiſh it; he that hath given grace a being in thy ſoul, Pſal. 138. [...] 8. will alſo ſtrengthen thee with ſtrength in thy ſoul, and perfect what concerneth thee. Do not thou thy ſelf quench the flax that begins to ſmoak, nor break the reed that is bruiſed, but be [Page] thankful to Chriſt that hath handled this ſmoaking flax,Mat. 12. 20 and wait upon him, who wil ſo accompliſh his work, that he will ſend forth judgement unto victory.

A Funeral Sermon preached by Mr Love at the Funeral of Miſtris B. at Lowrence Ju [...]y London. April 29. 1651. being the laſt Sermon that ever he preached

JOB 30. 23.‘For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the houſe appointed for all living.’

IN the handling of theſe words 'tis needfull I ſhould diſpatch theſe two things.

1. Give you the ſcope.

2. The ſenſe of the words.

For the firſt, the ſcope of the words, becauſe they are uſher'd in with an illative or cauſal particle (For) which carries a reference to ſomewhat that goeth before, and that you may diſtinctly take notice of the reference, you muſt look back to the 18. verſe of this chapter, there Iob tells you of a ſtrong diſeaſe under which he laboured, By the great force of my diſeaſe is my garment changed, Verſ. 18. it hind [...]th me about as the collar of my coat. It ſeemes the diſeaſe was ſo ſtrong upon him, it even ſtrangled his breath, it was as a collar about his neck, upon the ſenſe of this his diſeaſe, he breaks out into this holy meditation, For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the houſe appointed for all living. Now take a hint from the ſcope and [Page] context, that ſiekneſſes and diſeaſes they ſhould be remembrancers of us about our dying. Sick men ſhould alwayes think with themſelves they are dying men, and they that die daily, need not fear dying ſuddenly. So I come to the ſenſe of the words, I know. It is not to be underſtood of a notional or ſpeculative knowledge,Non ſolùm [...]em notam' ſed quaſi peculiari experientiâ ſibi perſuaſam, ſignifica [...]. Pined. Experio [...] Jun. that doth ſignifie a bare and naked knowledge of a general truth; but ſuch kinde of knowledge as is practical and experimental: and ſo alſo did Junius tranſlate it. This experimental knowledge wrought in Iob holy preparations for death I know, and by experience can tell, I have ſuch a kinde of knowledge, that hath practicalneſſe and experience in it. (That thou wilt bring me to death) This ſhewed the holineſſe of Iob in oppoſition to the doctrine of the Heathens, who gueſt that all ſuch events fell out by fate and fortune, and not by the determinate decree and counſel of the moſt High. (And to the houſe appointed for all living.) Though he doth not ſpeake here where this houſe is,Job 17. 13. yet it doth in Iob. 17. 13. If I wait, the grave is mine houſe, and I have made my bed in the darkneſſe. Now that which was his houſe, muſt be the houſe of all living, that is, the grave. Now the grave is compared to an houſe. 1. Alluding to the Egyptian Sepulch [...]es, which were made like a houſe with ſeveral arched rooms. 2. Becauſe there we dwell in ſilence. Thus ye have the words briefly paraphraſed unto you. Now [Page] I ſhall give you ſome practical deduction from them, For I know that thou wilt bring me to death. Theſe words are the gracious ſpeech of Iob, touching his own mortality, and in them we have three particulars.

1. The Rationality of this ſpeech. He brings it in with an illative. For,

2. The Particularity of it. He drawes a particular meditation of death, &c. Me. [...]

3. The piety of it, he acknowledges Gods hand in bringing him to death. Thou, and not chance or fortune.

For the firſt, the Rationality of it. Holy Job doth not ſpeak of his death without ſome cauſe, but for the ground and reaſon foregoing. By the great force of my diſeaſe is my garment changed, it bindes me about as the Collar of my Coat; and then he breaks out into this holy meditation, For I know thou wilt bring me to death. From thence obſerve, That it is a very Rational thing in weakneſſe to have holy meditations about death. [...]oct 1. Job lay under a diſeaſe, that even was ready to choak and ſtrangle him, and then he breaks out into this holy meditation, For I know thou wilt bring me to death, &c. It is obſervable, the Ancients take notice that David made three Pſalmes, when he lay upon his ſick-bed, Pſalm. 6 Pſalm 30. Pſalm 39. and in all thoſe Pſalmes there are divine raptures and holy meditations about death. Iob. 17. 1. My breath is corrupt, my dayes are extinct, the grave is ready for me. He doth not mean an ill ſavour [Page] in his breath, but it was an obſtruction and ſtopping in his breath, that is, he was ſhort-breathed, and ſtraitned under a violent diſeaſe. It is conceived that Job had that diſeaſe which is called the Tiſſick, and the conſideration of this diſeaſe, made him think that the grave was ready for him. So Heman lay und [...] a violent diſeaſe, Pſal. 88. 3, 4, 5. For my ſoul is full of trouble, and my life draws nigh to the grave, Pſa. 88. 3, 4 5. I am accounted with them that go down into the pit, I am as a man that hath no ſtrength, free among the dead, like the ſtain that lye in the grave, whom thou numbreſt no more, and they are cut off from thy hands. When ſickneſſe is in the chamber, then death is at the window. Diſeaſes are but the meſſengers, harbingers and fore-runners of death; in the Prophets phraſe, Death is come up into our windowes: ler. 9. 21. When diſeaſes are in the houſe, then death is at the threſhold. So Job reckoneth, When I lye down, Job 7. 4, 5. I ſay, when ſhall I riſe, and the night be gone? and I am full of toſſings to and fro, unto the dawning of the day, and then he ſaith, My fleſh is clothed with wormes, and clods of duſt. My skin is broken, and become loathſome.

Firſt Vſe, Vſe 1. is to condemn thoſe, that when they lye on a ſick-bed, they hope for life, but never think of death, their own guiltineſſe and their own wickedneſſe of living doth ſo fill them with fear and horrour, that the thoughts of death are irkſome and tedious to them. Juſt like Lewis the eleventh [Page] King of France, when he lay ſick of a dangerous diſeaſe, he charged his ſervants and attendants, that they ſhould not ſpeak of death in his hearing. Many mens bodies are Magazines and Hoſpitals of diſeaſes, who when they are living never think of death, though there is but little betwixt them and the grave.

Second Vſe, Vſe 2. is to thoſe that are healthful and ſtrong; 'tis true, diſeaſes are the immediate harbingers and fore-runners of death in an ordinary way, yet you may ſoon dye though a diſeaſe ſeize not on you. As the fruits of a tree do more periſh by extraordinary windes and tempeſts, then do ſtay upon the tree, and are gathered by the husbandman: So violent diſeaſes may ſoon kill you, though marrow be in your bones, and ſtrength in your joynts. Paracelſus a skilful Phyſician, he gloryed, that if any man would follow his Phyſical Preſcriptions, he ſhould not dye any violent death, but meerly through age, and yet that boaſting man before he was forty yeares of age, he himſelf dyed of a Feaver. Thus I have done with the firſt conſideration, the Reaſonableneſſe of this; I am under a ſore diſeaſe, and therefore I do think of death.

Secondly, the Particularity of Johs ſpeech is to be obſerved. Job doth not ſtand upon that general concluſion, There is no man that liveth but he ſhall ſee death, Pſal. 88. 48. He doth not ſpeak in general ſo, but I know [Page]I must die. From thence obſerve this point,

That general Concluſions about death, Dect. 2. ſhould be enforced upon the ſoul by particular applications. Beloved, we ſhould not only have general notions and empty ſpeculations about death, but practical and particular concluſions concerning our death, ſuch as may lay an awe upon the conſcience. Thus in the caſe of the godly,Job 5. 26. 27. ſaid Eliphaz, Thou ſhalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a ſhock of Corne cometh in his ſeaſon; and then he addes, verſ. 27. Lo this, we have ſearched it, hear it, and know thou it for thy good. General Concluſions that all muſt dye, muſt be enforced upon the ſoul with particular applications, to turne you from the world, to beget in you ſerious thoughts touching your future and eternal welfare. General truths do not carry that force upon the conſcience, unleſſe they are drawn by applicative inference; and therefore. Pſ. 73. ult. The Pſalmiſt ſaith not only It is good to draw near unto God, but it is good for me.

The third particular, is the Piety of J [...]bs ſpeech, in theſe words, Thou wilt bring me to death. Now there are three particulars in it which note Iobs Faith and Piety.

1. He doth not aſcribe dying to fate and fortune, but to the Providence of the moſt High. From thence obſerve,

That it is the property of the godly, Doct. 3. to ſee Gods band in taking away men by death. It was but [Page] the dotage of the Heathen that knew not God, to aſcribe events to blind fortune, and it was the corruption of the Chaldeans to overlook the Deity in all fatal events; Yet Iob he deſired to ſee and ſubmit to death, and to Gods hand in bringing it upon him. Thou wilt bring me to death. Another thing obſervable is this, I know thou wilt bring me to death. It is not a notional and bare knowledge of the underſtanding, but ſuch a kinde of knowledge that is conſiderate and practical, which works upon the affections. From thence obſerve,

That though all men do know notionally they muſt dye, Doct. 4. yet only godly men know it practically and conſiderately. To know practically of your dying, conſider before hand, how ſhall I do to launch into the eternal gulfe? what ſhall become of me in another world, when I leave this? Is my peace made with God? Is my perſon juſtified? Am I in a ſtate of grace? Now Iobs ſpeech hath latitude in it, I know thou wilt bring me to death, that is, I do ſo know it, that I will provide for it, and I will prepare for it, and I will lay a foundation for eternal life. Solomon ſpeaking of Funeral ſolemnity,Ec [...]l. 7. 2. ſaith he, It is better to go to the houſe of mourning, then to go to the houſe of feaſting, that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. I but all men that do do not lay death to heart, they may perhaps talk of death at a Funeral, but the living they ſhall lay it to heart, [...] lay it upon the heart, [Page] as the Hebrew, they ſhall lay it to heart, and lay it upon their hearts, ſo Tremelius. Dabit ad Cor ſuum Ar. Mont. Inditur [...] eſt iſtud anim [...] ſu [...]. Tremel. A wicked man layes it upon his tongue, but a godly man layes this truth upon his heart. There is none but a godly man, that ſo knowes any thing of dying; as to know it ſo practically, affectionately and conſiderately, and ſo as to do theſe three things.

1. None but a godly man conſiders of his dying, that he dies deſervedly, he taſtes the bitterneſſe, and feels the burden of ſin; in his diſeaſes and ſenſe of approaching death, he conſiders with himſelf, that it is not a diſeaſe that will bring him to his grave, but the ſins of his life that kill him.

2. None knowes that he muſt dye ſo as a godly man, whoſe care it is to dye preparedly. A godly man he knows he muſt dye, and this knowledge makes him prepare for a dying time, to live every day as his laſt day. The Prophet he ſpake of death in the former part of Pſal. 90.Pſal. 90 11. 12. that the dayes of man are threeſcore and ten. See what followes, So teach us to number [...]ur dayes, that we may apply our hearts unto wiſdom; he doth mean by numbering our dayes, to live ſo exactly as to count the number of our dayes to be ſo few, every day [...] as if this were the laſt day; and this time as the time of the coming of Chriſt to judgement.

3. None but a godly man knows of his dying, ſo as to conſider that there is a neceſſity that ſin muſt dye in him before his body [Page] dies. [...] an Heathen could ſay, Let thy vices dye before thee. [...] ant [...] [...] viti [...]. Sen. There muſt not be only a ſuſpenſion, but a mortification of ſin. A godly man conſiders, though I live blameleſly, that men cannot ſay, Black is mine eye to any outward practice, yet I muſt have my inward luſts and corruptions dye before my body dye; and therefore they ought to be converſant in things that tend to mortification [...] this is to know death conſiderately and affectionately; whereas wicked men conſider of death notionally, their ſenſes tell them that all muſt die. They ſay all men, men, young and old, rich and poor muſt dye; but this is but matter of diſcourſe in them, but the godly know it with ſavoury knowledge.

Thirdly, Iobs Piety was, in that he doth repreſent death to himſelf, not in a formidable and dreadful way, but under a comfortable repreſentation; For I know thou wilt bring me to death [...] and to the houſe, &c. He doth repreſent the grave under the notion of a houſe, as he repreſents it elſewhere. From thence obſerve this point.

That a child of God that hath not allowed guilt upon his conſcience, Doct. 5. he may and ought to re-preſent death to himſelf in ſuch familiar repreſentations, as may make it leſſe dreadful and more deſirable. Sometimes it is repreſented as going to bed, They ſhall reſt in their bed. A godly man when he lyeth upon his death-bed, and by ſickneſſe is weary of his life,Iſa. 57. 2. toſſing [Page] to and fro till the dawning of the day, let him think the grave will be but a bed of reſt unto him; ſo death is often ſtiled a ſleep. And many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the earth, Dan. 12. 2. ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt. Death is embalmed with ſweet and comfortable language.

The grave is the houſe for all the living to be lodged in. Doct. 6. If I wait, the grave is mine houſe, I have made my bed in the darkneſſe. Job 17. 13. The grave is the houſe that I muſt go to, as after a hard dayes labour in my houſe I go to bed in a dark night: So we go to our beds, as into our graves for a long night; going to bed is but for a ſhort night, but going to the grave is for a long night; death is ſomtimes repreſented with dreadful conſiderations, but with amiableneſſe too. There is an abhorrency in nature againſt death, it is embalmed by Jeſus Chriſt; he lay in the grave three dayes, to embalme the grave to you, though your beds be cloudy and dark, yet ye reſt in them till the Reſurrection-day. For the opening of the doctrine.

I ſhall diſpatch theſe two Queries.

1. I ſhall ſhew you, why the grave is compared to an houſe.

2. I ſhall ſhew you, what kinde of houſe the grave is.

For the firſt Query,Query 1. why the grave is compared to an houſe?

1. This Reaſon ſome Authors give, becauſe [Page] in ancient times, (as hath been hinted) among the Egyptians their graves and ſepulchres, they were made after the faſhion of houſes, with Arches, and ſuch kind of ſuperſtructures; therefore they ſay it is called an houſe.

2. Other Authors give this reaſon; becauſe that as a man after a dayes labour abroad, he comes to his houſe for reſt, ſo a man after a lifes labour in this world, he comes to his grave, as to his houſe for reſt.

The ſecond Query is this,Query 2 what kinde of houſe is the grave? Now I will give you theſe four properties of this houſe. 1. It is a deſolate and a loneſome houſe. 2. It is a dark houſe. 4 It is an old houſe. 4 It is a ſilent houſe. For the firſt, the grave is

1. A deſolate and a loneſome houſe.Job 3. 14. I ſhall be, ſaid Iob, with Kings & Counſellers of the earth which build deſolate places for themſelves, that is, they build tombs, and monuments where they ſhall lye, and then they ſhall leave all their attendance.Ezek. 26. 20. When I ſhall bring thee down with them that deſcend into the pit, with the people of old time, and ſhall ſet thee in the low parts of the earth, in places deſolate of old, with them that go down into the pit, that thou be not inhabited. Job 17. 14. I have ſaid to corruption, Thou art my Father, and to the wormes, Thou art my mother and my ſiſter: there is all the company you will have, corruption and the wormes; friends bring you to your grave, and there they leave you.

[Page] 2. Your grave is a dark houſe, I have made my bed in the darkneſſe, that is, in the grave. The grave is like the ſleeping room in a houſe, not like the dining room and working room. The dining room is to be light, and ſo the working room, but the ſleeping room is dark. 'Tis but the ſtopping of the mouth of the grave, and it is but the drawing of the Curtains of the bed, where thou ſhalt lye in darkneſſe till the Reſurrection [...] day. In the grave there is neither the light of the body, which is the eye; nor the light of the aire, which is the Sun: the Sun it ſhall not ſhine there, nor the body ſee there; Therefore Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce, Oh young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walk in the wayes of thy heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes, but know thou that for all theſe things God will bring thee unto judgement. And verſ. 8. He had ſaid remember the dayes of darkneſſe; for they ſhall be many. The meaning is this, The continuance in the grave, which is the houſe of darkneſſe, ſhall be long, even to the end of the world.

3. The grave is an old houſe, as old as Adam, he digged his grave with his owne fingers;Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin, and ſo death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned. The grave it is a laſting houſe, a houſe where thou muſt ſtay a great while. Eccleſ. 11. 5. Alſo when they ſhall be afraid of that which is[Page]high, and fear ſhall be in the way, and the Almond tree ſhall flouriſh, and the Graſhopper ſhall be a burden, and deſire ſhall faile, becauſe man goeth to his leng home, and the mourners go about the ſtreets, 'Tis a long home, a kinde of a houſe of eternity, a long while till Chriſts comming to judgement, our long home, in oppoſition to our preſent houſes, that is; our ſhort home. Your houſes are your ſhort homes, but the graves are your long homes.

4. The grave is a ſilent houſe, Pſal. 31. 17. Let me net be aſhamed, Oh Lord, for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be aſhamed and let them be ſilent in the grave. The Pſalmiſt prayes here for deliverance from his Perſecutors, here is nothing but clamour, perſecution and oppoſition, and one ſhall not have a good word from them. But as Iob comfort [...] himſelf in the grave, There the voice of the Oppreſſor ſhall not be heard: Job 3. 18. So may we, we ſhall be at reſt and ſilence there, there the weary ſhall be at reſt, and there the Priſoners ſhall reſt together. For the Uſes of this point.

The firſt Vſe, is an uſe of comfort to the godly, they may be comforted upon this doctrine. This doctrine is a doctrine that is dreadful to wicked men, their graves are dungeons to them; but to Gods children the grave is an houſe. Now you may be comforted upon theſe four conſideratious.

1 That though the grave be an houſe, yet be comforted, it is a reſting houſe, Iob▪ 3 17. There the wicked ceaſe from troubling, Job 3. 1 [...], 1 [...]. and there [Page]the weary be at reſt. He ſpeaks here of the grave in verſ. 13. For now ſhould I have lien ſtill and been quiet, I ſhould have ſlept, then had I been at reſt. There is no work to be done in this houſe, Eccleſ. 9. 10. Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdom in the grave whither thou goeſt. Iſa. 57. 2. They ſhall reſt in their beds.

2. That though the grave be a houſe, yet be comforted, it is but a ſleeping houſe, it is not a houſe where thou ſhalt be everlaſtingly. Beloved though it be a houſe, yet it is but a ſleeping houſe; it ſhall not alwayes keep your bodies; that is the meaning of Pauls exultation: O death, where is thy ſting? Oh grave where is thy victory? 1 Cor. 15. 57. He refers it to the Reſurrection; the grave though it compaſſe us, yet it ſhall not conquer us.

1. Though the grave be a houſe, yet be comforted, it is but a hiding houſe, ſuch a houſe as is but a hiding place for Gods people. Job. 14. 13. Oh that thou wouldſt hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me in ſecret untill thy wrath be paſt, that thou wouldſt appoint me a ſet time and remember me. Times may be ſo calamitous, that there may be more ſafety under ground then above ground, they that have layen a long time in their graves, may be more happy then thoſe that are living,Iſa. 26. 20. Iſa. 26. 20. Come my peeple, enter thou into thy chambers, and ſhut thy door about thee, hide thy ſelf, as if it were for a little moment [Page]until the indignation be overpaſt. Though ſome refer this to a temporal deliverance, yet others refer it to the grave, where God lodges his children, when he takes them from the evil to come.

Though the grave be a houſe, yet be comforted it is a perfumed houſe, a houſe imbalmed and perfumed by Chriſts lying in the grave. All the acts that Chriſt did, they were for our ſakes. Chriſt died to ſave us by dying. Chriſt lay buried in the grave, to make the grave a bed of reſt, he roſe again from the dead to ſanctifie our reſurrection, and by his preſence there he hath perſumed this bed; this houſe the grave.

Second Vſe for inſtruction. 1. Here is matter of meditation; when you are in your own houſes, bethink your ſelves thus, Now I am here walking in my houſe, from chamber to chamber, but ere long my chamber ſhall be in the duſt. Now I am comming to my bed in a dark night, but ere long God wil put out the candle of my life, and wil lay me in the grave, as in a bed of darkneſſe. Now I am in my own houſe, but ere long my houſe wil caſt me our to my grave, and that is the houſe that wil take me in.

2. Let it check in you all covetous and inordinate deſires after worldly things; Thou ſhalt come from lying in the dark houſe in the womb, to lye in the dark houſe of the grave. Oh what a vaſt company of inordinat and luxurious deſires are there in the hearts [Page] of men. In the womb one foot, in the cradle three foot wil content you, and in the grave ſix foot, but when thou liveſt in the world a whole world wil not content you, there is ſuch inordinate and luxurious deſires in mens hearts, when they have all affluence and confluence of creature comforts; Now they muſt have their variety of Houſes, a Countrey-houſe, a Summer-houſe, a Winter houſe, yet thou muſt exchange thy many houſes for one houſe, 'Tis worthy your notice that paſſage you read of in Scripture, 1 Sam. 10. 24. Samuel when he had anointed Saul King, and the people had choſen him; what ſignal doth he give him to confirme him anointed, it was to goe to Rachels Sepulchre; now the reaſon is this, that he might not be glutted with the preferments & honours he was entring upon. The Emperours of Conſtantinople, in their inaugurations, on their Coronation daies,Iſa 57. 1. Elige ab his ſaxis ex quo invictiſſime Caeſaer ipſe tibi tumulum me fabricare velis. had a Maſon came and ſhewed them ſeverall Marble-ſtones, and asked them to chooſe which of thoſe ſhould be made ready for their Grave-ſtone. And ſo we read of Joſeph of Arimathea, that he had his Tombe in his garden to check the pleaſures of the place. Now in thy houſe thou haſt ſuperfluity and abundance. I can goe now to variety of houſes; bu [...] one day thou ſhalt leave all thy houſes, and go to one houſe, and there leave all your company and your friends.

But how can this be true, Object. 1. when the Scripture[Page]ſaith, Joh. 8. 51. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, if a man keep my ſaying, he ſhall never ſee death.

To this I anſwer, that this Scripture intends not a natural and corporal death, but a ſpiritual and eternal death, and it is ſaid, John 11. 25, 26. I am the reſurrection and the life, he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet he ſhall live, and whoſoever liveth and believeth in me ſhall never die: That is, though he die naturally, yet he ſhall live eternally.

But you will ſay,2. Object. Enoch was not buried, and Elijah was carried up in a chariot.

Particular examples doe not fruſtrate general rules;Sol. though they were not laid in their graves, yet they underwent ſomething equivalent to death. There was a particular reaſon why God tranſlates Enoch and Elijah, becauſe they were to be types of Chriſts Reſurrection, and pledges of ours.

But ſome wil ſay,3. Obj. 1 Cor. 15. 51. We ſhall not all ſleep, but we ſhall be changed; therefore at the laſt day they ſhall not be buried, and the grave not the houſe of all men, but thoſe that are then living ſhall be ſuddenly carried up to Heaven.

To this I anſwer, that at the laſt day, though men ſhall not come to the grave,Sol. yet they ſhall be taken up when the trumpet ſhall ſound, and ſhall goe through the fire, and they ſhall in their tranſlation undergoe ſomething that ſhall be [Page] equivalent to a death, and to a buriall.

2. Laſtly, we are tied to this decree of death, though God be not tied, Rom. 5. 14. and Rom. 9. 27. By thoſe places we are to underſtand, all men doe deſerve to die, though God may exempt ſome,Rom. 5. 13. De jure mortis in omnes homines loquitur Apoſtol [...], licet Deus aliquos à morte peſſet eximere. Rivet. as thoſe that live to ſee the end of the world, from a death as ours is. Death is the end of all men, and the grave is the houſe appointed for all living. Death hath paſſed upon all men becauſe all have ſinned. All deſerve to die; and even thoſe that are changed at the laſt day undergo ſomething equivalent to death it ſelfe.

FINIS.

An Alphabeticall Table.

[Page]

A

ADmiration of mens perſons page. 22

Affections rather then actions evidence the truth of grace 54

Strong aſſurance 26

Strong affections 121

Why we ſhould be carefull to preſerve our firſt affections 126

Holy affections arguments of grace 160

Our All to be aſcribed to Chriſt 189

B

BAd company a ſnare 12

Good in bad places commendable 13

Miſery to live in bad places ib.

We muſt ſhun bad company and places 11

Againſt boaſting of our own merit 189, 193

None blameable but our ſelves, if we want grace 197

C

GOod company 16

Be not content with meaſures of grace 25

Communion of Saints 29

Reaſons why we muſt not content our ſelves with a little grace 33

Complaint of our corruptions 41

Little comfort of much grace 49

God will cheriſh leaſt meaſures of grace 57

[Page] Comfort of grace may be lost 78

Experienced Chriſtians muſt comfort others 82

Caſes of conſcience about temptation 92

About corruptions 104

Strong corruptions cōſiſtent with ſtrong grace 105

Caſe of conſcience about affections 127

Caſe of conſcience about the comfort of grace 128

A man may have grace and want comfort 131

A godly man hath right to comfort 142

True grace is communicative 155

How grace is ſaid to be in Chriſt 176

Chriſt is the author of grace 177

Chriſt commiſſionated by God the Father to give grace 197

D.

BEſt muſt die 4

Dependance on duty 19

Dependance on divine influxe 27

Why there are different degrees of grace 28

Deſires after more grace 43

Deſires ſupernatural and active, earneſt after grace 44

Devils malice and knowledge in tempting us 98

Devil ſhal never have his wil on Gods people 101

Devil may mar our comfort 139

Divers Chriſtians have divers gifts 148

Of diviſion in the Church 150

Decay of gifts unexerciſed 151, 152

We muſt not deſpiſe the leaſt grace 199

Diſeaſes ſhould mind us of death 202

We ſhould meditate on death 204

[Page] And on our particular death 205

Gods hand must be ſeen in Death ib.

Sin cauſe of death 206

E.

VAine excuſe of wickedneſſe 46

Evidences of the growth and ſtrength of grace differ 49

Good example 72

Exerciſe grace 139

Former experiences comfortable 146

One may excel in one gift, and not in another 148

Eminent for grace in great eſteem 175

We muſt have our eye on Chriſt 192

F

FAlling from Firſt love 19

Precious Faith alike in all Believers 36

Frequency in ſinning 103

Men of great gifts may fall away 162

Chriſt a Fountaine 179

All fulneſſe in Chriſt 178

God the Father and Chriſt one 179

Against Free-wil 186

G.

SAving grace unloſeable 12

Smallest meaſures of grace are cheriſhed by God 16

Some of Gods children have but ſmall meaſures of grace 18

Different degrees of grace 19

A little grace not ſo uſeful, nor ſo evidential 34

True grace wil grow 36

We muſt grow in grace 74

[Page] Commands and promiſes of growth 75

Not to grow better, is to grow worſe 78

Glory of Gods Attributes ſeen in ſuccouring us in great temptation 97

God a free agent in giving grace, or comfort of grace 134

Glory of grace due to God 141

Though believers have the ſame Spirit, yet not the ſame gifts 147

Little grace better then great gifts 156

Difference between gifts and grace 157

None have ſo much grace as they ſhould 168

Glory in heaven proportioned to our grace here 173

Its of the nature of grace to grow 174

Grave is an houſe 218

H.

COrruptions are to humble us 104

Humiliation ſuitable to corruptions 102

They that have much grace have much cauſe to be humbled 167

Chriſt a head 178

What kind of houſe the grave is 220

I.

INjuries to weak Christians 64

Judgement and ſpiritual knowledge 119

Holy jealouſie 136

Indulgence to any luſt marres our ſpiritual comfort 138

Improvement of grace 163

We are juſtified by Gods free grace, and not by grace inherent in us 166

Joſeph a type of Chriſt 182

[Page] Joſhua a type of Chriſt 181

Chriſt gives grace irreſiſtibly 193

We muſt endeavour to get grace 195

Intereſt in Christ, and then in his grace 196

K

KNowledge of the myſteries of the Goſpel 83

Weak in knowledge 23

Practicall knowledge 201

Conſiderate knowledge of death 204

L.

SPiritual light in the ſoule 40

Love of the Word, and of the Saints 46

Little grace ſhall be laſting, and ſhall not be extinguiſhed 54, 165

Loſſe of firſt love, and firſt affections 106, 128

Spiritual lazineſſe 138

M.

AGainſt Popiſh merit 35

Of the leaſt meaſure of grace 39

Miniſters muſt uſe loving inſinuations 71

Miniſters ſhould grow in grace 72

Miſtakes about meaſures of grace 86

VVe muſt not meaſure our grace by our profeſſion or gifts, &c. 87

Natural melancholy, hinders comfort 135

N.

NEglect of our callings 21

Some affectionate by natural temper 121

All things new at firſt converſion 123

O.

OLD-age may make affections flag 9

P.

WE are not perfect at once 27, 66

Gods power can preſerve weak grace 31

Purpoſe of ſoul to leave ſin 40

Promiſes made to the deſire after grace 43

We muſt labour after perfection 47

Promiſes muſt be believed, though Providences ſeem to croſſe them 82

Pride checkt by temptations 98

Strong Chriſtians muſt not preſume 101

Profeſſors ſins gratifie Satan 105, 106

Spirituall pride 109

Pride in our gifts 153

Pride of Papiſts and Pelagians 185

Chriſt gives grace proportionably 194

Preparation for death 206

Q.

OF quenching the Spirit 137

R.

REigne of luſt 115

Chriſt a Root 178

Reproach rowled away from Chriſt 182

Socinians enemies to the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt 183

Reſt in the grave 212

S

A Note of ſincerity to be good in bad places 12

Signes of weak grace 20

Spiritual failings and ſins 21

A ſcrupulous conſcience ib.

God wil not try us beyond our ſtrength 38

[Page] Chriſtians have a ſtrong God, a ſtrong Saviour, ſtrong promiſes 53

God ſees the leaſt ſin in believers 62

Satans Sieve, and Gods Fan 68

VVhy Timothy called Pauls ſon 70

How grace is ſaid to be ſtrong 72

Strong grace becauſe ſtrong temptation and oppoſitions, and ſtrong corruptions 76

Signes of ſtrong Chriſtians 81

Suffering for Chriſt a duty, as wel as doing for Chriſt 83

Sins of Gods people provoking 99

Superciliouſnes towards weak Chriſtians 109

Gods Soveraignty to give or withhold comfort 133

Sleightneſſe of Spirit 137

Chriſt Sun of Righteouſneſſe 178

Neither Satan nor Sin ſhall hinder grace 194

Goe to Chriſt for ſupply of grace ib.

T.

MAny dare not Truſt God for outward things 25

Government of the Tongue 84

Great and ſtrong Temptations conſiſtent with ſtrong grace 90

Temptations ſhall not exceed grace 91

Devils tempts beſt most, of which inſtances 93 95

VVhen temptations ſtrong 93

Reaſons why beſt moſt tempted 96

God by temptations aims at our good 97

Jeſus Chriſt was tempted 102

Natural temperature diſpoſeth to ſome ſins 104

[Page] Types of Chriſt 180, 181

V

REligion makes neereſt Union 70

Unity in the Church 87

Uncompaſſionateneſſe 138

Ungrounded comfort and joy 143

Chriſt gives grace voluntarily 192

W

WEake eaſily ſeduced 23

Weak in knowledge ib.

Weak in judgement 24

Weak Chriſtians not bear Reproofe ib.

Weak Chriſtians muſt not be diſcouraged 25

Gods wiſdom ſeen in the variety of meaſures of grace 31

More weak then ſtrong Chriſtians 32

How we muſt carry our ſelves to weak ones 60

Gods care over weak Chriſtians 68

Of weak gifts 144

Directions to weak Chriſtians 163

Works of the bleſſed Trinity relative to the creature, undivided 181

Y

COmmendable to good in Youth 6

Youth ſubject to temptations ib.

Examples of good young men 7

Sins of youth trouble us when old 8, 9

Gods indulgence to young convers 125

FINIS.

Information about this book

Title statement

Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The summe and substance of XV. sermons. Preached by that faithful and painful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London. They being his last sermons. To which is added a funerall sermon, being the very last sermon he ever preached.

Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.

Edition statement

1652

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Date

2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A49244

ID [STC]

Wing L3156

ID [STC]

ESTC R214001

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99826242

ID [PROQUEST]

99826242

ID [VID]

30639

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A49244)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 30639)

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Source

— Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The summe and substance of XV. sermons. Preached by that faithful and painful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London. They being his last sermons. To which is added a funerall sermon, being the very last sermon he ever preached., Love, Christopher, 1618-1651., Cross, Thomas, fl. 1632-1682, engraver..

Extent

[12], 217, [9] p. : port.

printed by E.G. for J. Rothwell, at Sun and Fountain in Paul's Church-yard,. London :: 1652.. (With engraved portrait of author.) (The plate is signed: T. Cross sculpsit.) (Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library.)

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