The Revival of Grace, Part 2 · Chapter 4 – Chapter 5
CAP. IV. Graces enumerated Improvable by the laſt Will of Chriſt.
I Have performed, …, at potui …amen.if not as I would, yet (as Bernard ſaid) as I could the three firſt parts of my Promiſe. I ſhall now endeavour the performance of the fourth, viz. in a particular enumeration of thoſe graces which I apprehend may be much improved by the conſideration of Chriſt's laſt Will or Teſtament renewedly remembred at the Communion of the Lord's body. And
Sect. 1.
1. Firſt, Faith is one Grace which is improvable by due managing our thoughts of Chriſt's ordaining his laſt Will ere he died, and dying, to ratifie and make his laſt Will firm and irrevocable. This gives us greateſt aſſurance of the truth of the Promiſes, and ſo addeth to the evidence of things that are not ſeen. Man verily believeth, and boldly pleadeth his title and right to the Legacy which his dying friend bequeathed to him.
Sect. 2.
Secondly, Hope and Expectation of enjoying the good things promiſed, is another grace improvable by the application of Chriſt's Death dying a Teſtator and ordaining his laſt Will. The certainty of future enjoying, and the goodneſs of the thing to be enjoyed, is the life of hope, the root and ſtrength of it. Now, the goodneſs of that we expect, foreign, & foreign.and the certainty of our future enjoyment, are jointly contained and declared in the laſt Will of our Lord, to which in more particular manner we hope to ſpeak.
Sect. 3.
3. Longing deſires of ſurer intereſs in the Covenant or Teſtament of Chriſt, and deſire of nearer union unto Chriſt, is improvable upon the reflections of our ſerious thoughts on the Death of Chriſt dying and making his VVill. Every one who needeth, would wiſh himſelf of the kindred, and affinity of that rich, bountiful and kind friend, who enricheth all his kindred by his large Legacies at his Death; and he will deſire to be ſo related unto Chriſt, who duly conſiders what may be obtained by Chriſt.
Sect. 4.
4. Love to the Lord, and a high prizing of his perſon and concernments is an other Grace of the believer improveable by this meditation of Chriſts Death as the Death of a Teſtator. Every one honoureth the remembrance, and ſpeaketh well of him who doth liberally, and wiſely provide for his indigent and needy relations; ſtrangers do value ſuch an one, and much more doth his ingenuous and conſiderate Friend.
Sect. 5.
5. Zeal to his glory and honour, a ſpiritual fervency of heart in all that ſuch a Friend is any whit concerned in is another qualification of a believer and this alſo is improved by the due manage of our knowledge of Chriſts laſt Will and Teſtament. Were there but little cordial Friendſhip in the heart of a believer toward Chriſt, yet a little Friendſhip would kindle much Zeal for ſuch love and bounty as is expreſſed by Chriſt in his Will and laſt Teſtament, to us.
Sect. 6.
6. Joy and Gladneſs in the Lord the heart will rejoice in its own intereſs in Chriſt, and glory in Chriſt, when the great and good things done for it by Chriſt, and ſetled upon it by the laſt Will of Chriſt, are known and duely conſidered. It is a vanity yet common among men to glory and rejoice in their rich Relations, and in their ample eſtates given to them by the will of ſuch Friends; but it is no vanity in a believer to rejoice and glory in his large Legacyes bequeathed to him by Chriſt for the greatneſs and goodneſs of theſe things (with the unbeleif and vilifyings which others caſt upon believers) their hopes and their Lord do warrant, yea call for it.
Sect. 7.
7. Thankfulneſs and gratefull return of praiſe unto him who hath ſo remembred us, is another grace improveable upon the conſiderate obſervance of Chriſt making his laſt Will; and upon our meditating on his will it is ſo apparently due, that every one doth uſher in the mention of a Legacy or great gift by will with thanks to the Giver; I thank him he remembred me. &c.
Sect. 8.
8. Humility and a lowly temper of ſoul, a ſober eſteem of our ſelves (who have what we have, and do hope for all that we can expect, of free gift) is another grace or Chriſtian habit improvable by due and ſerious conſidering Chriſt's laſt Will and Teſtament made by himſelf before his Death, and confirmed by his Death. We had been all poor ſheaks, and pitifull beggars, if it had not been for this rich and great Friend of ours. I have heard men blow down the pride of ſome, (who were ſet up as we are by anothers bounty,) with one blaſt ſuch had not been worth one groat if his Friend had not put him into his Will; ſo do thou Chriſtian conſider, and ſo ſay.
Sect. 9.
9. Patience in ſuffering for Chriſt's ſake; nay Patient bearing all the afflictions of our whole life, is another grace which may be much increaſed by our due obſerving and applying our thoughts unto Chriſt's laſt Will or Teſtament. He can never ſuffer too much for Chriſt, who hath ſo much given to him by Chriſt; nor may he be at any time weary of the labour he undergoeth for Chriſt who underſtandeth what is his legacy in the Teſtament or Will of Chriſt.
Sect. 10.
10. Sorrow for doing ſo little for him, and grief for doing any thing at any time againſt Chriſt, is another effect of our meditations and due obſervations of the love of Chriſt manifeſted to us in his laſt Will. This part of repentance is improveable by theſe like reflections on Chriſt Dying a Teſtator, and putting us into his laſt Will. If there be any ingenuity leſt among the Friends of a Dying perſon who giveth largely to them all, though they all did ſlight reproach, oppoſe and wrong him, this gift will draw out tears for their former carriage toward him.
Sect. 11.
11. Setled purpoſe to live in future dayes more worthy of, (at leaſt with endeavours after a carriage and deportment which may be more anſwerable to) the love of Chriſt Dying for us, and ſo carefully and bountifully remembring us before he died. Renewed obedience is another effect which will be promoted and advanced by ſuch thoughts.
Sect. 12.
12. A loving and peaceable diſpoſition towards believers, our joint Legatees, who were in the heart of Chriſt as well as we, and who are by the Will of Chriſt made joint-heirs with us. Charity and Brotherly-kindneſs is a grace improvable by theſe ſweet influences of Chriſt's love equally providing for them and us by his Will; we ſhall be conſtrained to love thoſe whom we know Chriſt ſo loved. And thus you have in this Chapter the brief Summary of what graces may be increaſed. Now the ſpecial influence which the laſt Will of Chriſt dying hath on the ſoul for the increaſe of each of theſe graces, will occaſion the reſuming of them in the order I have here laid down, and ſo will be our employment, and your farther entertainment in the next Chapter.
CAP. V. Faith Improved by the laſt Will of Chriſt.
IN this Chap. I foreſee I ſhall be much longer than in all the former; and its length will neceſſitate me to caſt it into more branches: for I muſt diſcourſe particularly and diſtinctly on thoſe twelve Graces mentioned in the fourth Chapter. I ſhall allot therefore a particular Section to each particular Grace, in which Sections I hope to clear it, That the laſt VVill of Chriſt hath a ſpecial Influence on the conſiderate meditating ſoul to improve its Grace.