The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Sermon 3

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ · Sermon 3

p. 168EPHES. 3. 8.

That I ſhould Preach among the Gentiles, the Ʋnſearchable Riches of Chriſt.

A Little to open the words.

That I ſhould Preach.

That is, declare good newes, or the glad tidings of ſalvation, that's brought by Jeſus Chriſt, to ſinners. The Greek word foreign in the New Teſtament, anſwers to the Hebrew word Beſſorah, in the Old Teſtament, foreign. Evaggeliſaſthi, from Evagg…lize.both ſignifying Good newes, glad tidings, or a Joyfull Meſſage.

That I ſhould Preach among the Gentiles.

The word that's here rendred Gentiles, is ſometimes uſed generally for all men, or all Nations: So 'tis uſed in Mat. foreign.25. 32. Mat. 28. 19. Sometimes this Greek word is uſed more eſpecially for the people of the Jewes, ſo in John 11. 48, 50, 51, 52. Acts 10. 22. And ſometimes it is uſed for the Gentiles, diſtinguiſhed from the Jewes, ſo in Matthew 6. 32.

By the Gentiles here you are to underſtand thoſe poore Phil. 2. 12, 13Phil 2:12Phil 2:13Heathens that were without God in the world, that never had heard of Chriſt, nor thoſe Unſearchable Riches that be in him, as you may clearly ſee by comparing this Text with that, Gal. 1. 15, 16. But when it pleaſed God, who ſeparated me, from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace, to reveale his Son in me, that I might preach among the Heathen. (Saith p. 169he) Immediately I conſulted not with fleſh and blood.

The firſt Obſervation that I ſhall ſpeak to, from theſe words thus opened, is this.

That the Gifts and Graces that God beſtowes upon his people, ſhould be improved, imployed, and Obſerv…exerciſed by his people.

The Greek word Caris, that's here rendred Grace, we ſhewed you had a three-fold ſignification in the Scripture. Sometimes it denotes the favour of God; ſometimes the common gifts of the Spirit; and ſometimes the ſaving Graces of the Spirit. Now, ſayes Paul, that ſingular favour that God ha's confer'd upon me, and all thoſe common gifts, and ſpeciall graces with which he ha's inriched me, they are all to be imployed and exerciſed. Ʋnto me is this Grace given, that I ſhould preach among the Gentiles, the Ʋnſearchable Riches of Chriſt.

So that there is nothing more clear then this, viz. That the gifts and graces that God beſtowes upon his people, ſhould be imployed, improved, and exerciſed by his people.

To me is this grace given. Not that I ſhould be idle, but active; not that I ſhould be negligent, but diligent; not that I ſhould hide my Talents, but improve them.

I ſhall touch upon a few Scriptures that ſpeak out this truth, and then open it to you. 2 Tim. 1. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou ſtir up the gift of God that is in thee. As the fire is increaſed and preſerved by blowing, ſo are our graces. Some think that 'tis a metaphor taken from Calvin, and others.a ſpark kept in aſhes, which by gentle blowing is ſtirred up, till it take a flame. Others ſay, 'tis an alluſion to the fire in the Temple, which was alwayes to be kept burning. We get nothing by dead and uſeleſſe habits: Talents hid in a napkin, gather ruſt; the nobleſt faculties are imbaſed, when not improved, when not exerciſed. Phil. 2. 12. Worke out your p. 170owne ſalvation with feare and trembling. The Greek is, Worke till you get the worke through. The reaſon why many mens foreign. Katergazeſth….hearts tremble, and are ſo full of fears and doubts, is becauſe their ſalvation is not wrought out, they doe not make through work in their ſoules: They put not that queſtion home, whether they have grace, or no; an intereſt in Chriſt, or no. They doe not riſe with all their ſtrength againſt ſin, nor with all their power to ſerve the Lord, and therefore feares and doubts doe compaſſe them round about. So in 1 Cor. 15. ult. Be ſtedfaſt, and unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the worke of the Grace is bettered & made more perfect by acting. Neglect of our graces, is the ground of their decreaſe and decay. Wells are the ſweeter for drawing.Lord, foraſmuch as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord.

Be ſtedfaſt. 'Tis a Metaphor taken from a foundation, on which a thing ſtands firmly; or a ſeat, or chaire, wherein one ſits faſt.

Ʋnmoveable, ſignifies one that will not eaſily move his place, or opinion.

Abounding, or Excelling in the worke of the Lord.

Knowing that your labour is not in vaine. The Greek is, Labours unto wearineſſe. The Apoſtle would have them labour unto wearineſſe; For (ſaith he) 'Tis not in vaine: It will turne to a good account, it will yield you much of heavenhere, and make you high in heaven hereafter.

There are onelyonly two things that I ſhall endeavour to doe, for the opening of the Point.

1 To ſhew you why perſons muſt improve, imploy, and exerciſe the graces and gifts that God hath beſtowed upon them. And then

2 The End to which they are to exerciſe thoſe graces and gifts.

For the firſt: There are theſe twelve Reaſons why gracious ſoules ſhould exerciſe and improve their gifts and graces. Friends, this Point is a Point of as ſingular uſe, and of as great concernment to you, as any that I know the Scripture ſpeaks of; and therefore I deſire you to lend your moſt ſerious and ſolemne attentions.

Firſt, They muſt exerciſe and improve their graces,

Becauſe the exerciſe and improvement of their graces, is p. 171the ready way to be rich in grace.Our graces are like Gideo…s Army, but a handfull in compariſon…; but our ſins are like the M…dianites, in▪ numerable as Grathoppers.

As ſin is increaſed in the ſoule by the frequent actings of it, ſo grace is nouriſhed and ſtrengthned in the ſoule, by its frequent actings. The exerciſe of grace is alwayes attended with the increaſe of grace. Prov. 10. 4. The diligent hand maketh rich; or, the nimble hand, the hand that's active and agile, that will ſee nothing loſt for looking after; that hand maketh rich. Ruth 2. How did Boaz follow the buſineſſe himſelfe? his eyes were in every corner, on the ſervants, and on the Reapers, yea, on the Gleaners too.

It is recorded of Severus, That his care was not to looke what men ſaid of him, or how they cenſured him, but to looke One day God will require of men, Non quid legerint, ſed quid egerint, nec quid dixerint, ſed quomedo vixerint.what was to be done by him. He will riſe in judgement againſt thoſe Profeſſors that look more what this man, and the other man ſaith of them, then what is to be done by them. The heart of a Chriſtian is to be taken up with what is to be done by him, and not with what this man thinks, or the other judges of him.

Pacunius hath an elegant ſaying, I hate (ſaith he) the men that are idle in deed, and Philoſophicall in word. God loves (ſaith Luther) Curriſtas, not Quariſtas, The runner, not the queſtioner. Grace growes by exerciſe, and decayes by diſuſe. Though both armes grow, yet that which a man moſt uſeth, is the ſtronger, and the bigger; ſo it is both in gifts and graces. In Birds, their wings which have been uſed moſt, are ſweeteſt; the Application is eaſie. Such men as are contented with ſo much grace as will bring them to glory, The reaſon (ſay ſome) why Chriſt corſed the fig…ee, tho the time of bea… ing fruit was not come, was becauſe it made a glorious ſhew with leaves, and promiſed much, …ut brought fo… nothing.with ſo much grace as will keep hell and their ſoules aſunder, will never be rich in grace, nor high in comfort, or aſſurance, ſuch ſoules uſually goe to heaven in a ſtorme. O how weather-beaten are they before they can reach the Heavenlyharbour?

Secondly, They muſt exerciſe their gifts and graces,

Becauſe 'tis the maine end of Gods giving gifts and graces to them.

Grace is given to trade with, 'tis given to lay out, not to lay up. Grace is a Candle that muſt not be put under a buſhell, but ſet upon a Candle-ſtick. Grace is a golden treaſure p. 172that muſt be improved, not hoarded up, as men doe their gold. Grace is a Talent, and 'tis given for this very end, that it ſhould be imployed and improved for the honour and advantage of him that gave it. The ſlothfull ſervant, in Gods account, is an evill ſervant, and accordingly God ha's denoted him, and doomed him for his ill husbandry, to deſtruction, Mat. 25. 24--31.

What a ſhame is it (ſaith one) that faith ſhould not be able Hierom.to doe that which infidelity hath done? What, not better fruit in the Vineyard, in the Garden of God, then in the wilderneſſe? What, not better fruit grow upon the Tree of Life, then upon the root of nature? &c.

And then thirdly,

Becauſe grace exerciſed and improved, will doe that for us, that all other means in the world can never doe for us.

I ſhall evidence this truth in ſome remarkeable inſtances.

Suppoſe the guilt of ſin be upon a mans ſoule, even as a heavy mountaine, there's nothing but the exerciſe of grace now that can remove this guilt. The man prayes, and yet guilt ſticks upon him, he heares, and yet guilt as a mountaine lyes heavy upon him; he mournes, he ſighes, he groanes, and yet guilt ſticks upon him; he runs from Ordinance, to Ordinance, No Iſraelite that was bit or ſtung with the fiery Serpent, could be hea…ed, but by looking up to the brazen Serpent.and from ordinary ſervices, to extraordinary, and yet guilt followes him; he runs from man to man, Sir was ever any mans caſe like mine? I have prayed thus long, I have heard thus long, I have mourned thus long, &c. and yet guilt lyes as a mountaine upon my ſoule. There's nothing now below the exerciſe of grace, that will remove this, 'tis onelyonly faith in the Promiſes of remiſſion, that will remove the guilt of ſin, that lyes ſo heavy upon the ſoule. 'Tis onelyonly faith's application of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, that can take Thoſe ſpots a chriſtian finds in his owne heart, can only by a hand of faith …e waſht out in the blood of the Lamb.off this burden that ſinks the ſoule, even as low as hell. Faith muſt make a Plaiſter of the blood of Chriſt, and apply it to the ſoule, or the ſoule will dye under its guilt. There's nothing below this can doe it; faith's application of the blood of Chriſt, takes off the guilt, and turnes the ſtorme to a calme. Rom. 5. 1. Being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

p. 173Againe, Suppoſe that the power and prevalency of ſin hinders the ſoules ſweet communion with God, ſo that the Much leſſe th…n can the Papiſts purga tories, watchings▪ whipings, &c. or St. Francis his kiſſing or licking of Leper's ſores, which wil… cleanſe the …retting Leproſie of ſin, &c. A touch of …aith cureth the woman, as well as a f…ll hold. 'Tis the exerciſe of the graces of the ſpirit, by which we mortifie the deeds of the fleſh, Rom. 8. 13. It is not our ſtrong reſolutions or purpoſes, that will be able to over-maſter theſe e…emies. A …oul-ſore will run till it be indeed healed, though we ſay it ſhall not.Rom 8:13ſoule cannot ſport it ſelfe, and joy and delight it ſelfe in God, as in the dayes of old; it cannot ſee God ſmiling, ſtroaking, and ſpeaking kindly, as in former dayes. Now there's nothing in all the world that can eaſe the ſoule of this burden of ſin, below the exerciſe of grace. Oh ſaith ſuch a poore ſoule, I pray, Sir, and yet I ſin; I reſolve againſt ſin, and yet I ſin; I combate againſt ſin, and yet I am carried Captive by ſin; I have left no outward means unattempted, and yet after all, my ſins are too hard for me; after all my ſweating, ſtriving and weeping, I am carried downe the ſtreame: There's nothing now but the actings of faith upon a crucified Chriſt, that will take off this burden from the ſoule of man: Now you muſt make uſe of your graces, to draw virtue from Chriſt; now faith muſt touch the hem of Chriſts garment, or thou wilt never be healed. 'Tis juſt with a ſoule in this caſe, as it was with the ponre widow, Luke 8. 43. to 49. that had a bloody iſſue, ſhe leaves no means unattempted, whereby ſhe might be cured; ſhe runs from one Phyſitian to another, till ſhe had ſpent all that ſhe was worth, till ſhe had brought a noble to nine-pence; and now ſayes ſhe, If I could but touch the hem of his Garment, I ſhould be whole. Hereupon ſhe crowds through the crowd to come to Chriſt, and being got behind him, ſhe touches the hem of his garment, and immediately ſhe was made whole. The cure being thus wrought, Chriſt uncrownes himſelfe, to crowne her faith. And he ſaid unto her, daughter be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole, goe in peace. He doth not ſay, woman thy trembling hath made thee whole; or woman thy ſweating and ſtruggling in a crowd to come to me, hath made thee whole; or woman thy falling downe and abaſing thy ſelfe, (though ſhe did all this) but, woman thy faith hath made thee whole. Ah Chriſtians, 'tis not your trembling, or your falling downe, or your ſweating in this and that ſervice, that will ſtop the bloody iſſue of your ſins, but believing in Chriſt. 'Tis ſad to conſider how few Profeſſors in theſe dayes, have attain'd the right way of mortifying of ſin; they uſually goe out againſt p. 174their ſins, in the ſtrength of their owne purpoſes, prayers, and reſolutions, &c. and ſcarce look ſo high as a crucified Chriſt, they mind not the exerciſe of their faith upon Chriſt, and therefore it's a righteous thing with Chriſt, that after all, they ſhould be carried captive by their ſins. Nothing eats out ſin, like the actings of grace; nothing weakers and waſts the ſtrength of ſin, like the exerciſe of grace. Oh did men believe more in Chriſt, ſin would dye more; did they believe the threatnings more, ſin would dye more; did they believe the Promiſes more, ſin would dye more; did they believe reigning with Chriſt more, ſin would dye more. He that hath 1 John 3. 3.1 John 3:3this hope, purifies himſelfe, even as Chriſt is pure.

Againe, Suppoſe that the ſoule be followed with black, diſmall, fiery temptations, there's nothing now in all the world that can Divinely ſtrengthen and fence the ſoule againſt theſe Luther ſaid, I am without ſet upon by all the world, and within by the Devi…l & all his Angels, and yet by the exerciſe of grace▪ he became victorious over them all, &c.temptations, but the exerciſe of grace, the improvement of grace. 'Tis true, you are to hear, read, pray, meditate, &c. but all theſe without the exerciſe of grace in them, will never make you victorious over Satans temptations. Nothing puts Satan to it, like the exerciſe of grace.

'Tis ſaid of Satan, that he ſhould ſay to a holy man, who was much in the exerciſe of grace, (Tu me ſemper vincis) Thou doeſt alwayes overcome me. Epheſ. 6. 16. Above all take the ſhield of faith, whereby ye may be able to quench the fiery darts of the Devil. Whatſoever piece of Armour you neglect, be ſure that you neglect not the Shield of faith. The Greek word that's here rendred a Shield, comes from another foreign.word that ſignifies a doore, or a gate; to note, that as a doore or a gate doth ſecure our bodies, ſo will the ſhield of faith ſecure our ſoules againſt the fiery darts of the Devill. Above all take the ſhield of faith, whereby ye may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Devil. The Apoſtle alludes to the cuſtome of the Scythians, who uſed to dip the heads of their Arrowes, or Darts, in the gall of Aſpes and Vipers, the venomous heat of which, like a fire in their fleſh, kill'd the wounded with torments, the likeſt hell of any other: But the Souldiers then had generally Shields of raw neats leather, as **Polebius and Vigetius, &c.ſeverall Writers teſtifie, and when the fiery darts lighted p. 175upon them, they were preſently quencht. So theſe fiery darts of Satan, when they light upon the ſhield of faith, they are preſently quenched, and there is no other way to doe it; till the Lord draw out a mans faith to act upon the Promiſes, and upon Chriſt, theſe fiery darts will not be quencht.

Againe, Suppoſe that the world, the ſmiling world, or the frowning world, the tempting world, or the perſecuting world, Faith is a better Engineer then Daedalus, and yet he mide wings, with which he made an eſcape over the high walls within which he was impriſoned. This world is the ſoules priſon, yet faith is ſuch an Engineer, that it can make wings for the ſoule to fly out, &c.ſhould lye as a heavy ſtone or burden upon your hearts, as it doth upon the hearts of thouſands in theſe dayes (witneſſe their attempting any thing to get the favours, honours, and riches of this world: Ah how many have turn'd their backs upon God, and Chriſt, and truth, &c. to gaine the world) how will you get off this burden? No way in the world, like to the exerciſe and actings of grace. Many men heare much, and yet remaine worldly; and pray like Angels, and yet live as if there were no heaven nor hell. They will talk much of heaven, and yet thoſe that are ſpirituall and wiſe, doe ſmell their breath to ſtink ſtrong of earth; and all the art, and parts, and gifts in the world, can never cure them of this ſoule-killing diſeaſe, but the exerciſe of grace, till faith break forth in its glorious actings. A man may hear and pray many years, and yet be as carnall, baſe, and worldly as ever. There is no way under Heaven to remove this ſtone, this burden, but the exerciſe of faith and love, &c. Cant. 8. 6, 7. 1 John▪ 4. 5. For whatſoever is borne of God, overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith, who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jeſus is the Son of God?

Not that the habit of faith overcometh the world, but faith in the exerciſe of it, conquers the world, and that it does theſe three wayes.

Firſt, Faith in the exerciſe of it preſents the world to the ſoule, under all thoſe notions that the Scripture holds forth the Divi…ae corporales paupertati… plenae ſunt. Earthly Riches are full of poverty, ſaith Auſtin.world unto us by.

The Scripture holds forth the world as an impotent thing, as a mixt thing, as a mutable thing, as a momentary thing. Now faith comes and ſets this home with power upon the ſoule, and this takes the ſoule off from the world.

p. 176Secondly, Faith doth it by cauſing the ſoule to converſe with more glorious, ſoule-ſatisfying, ſoule-delighting, and ſoule-contenting objects.

2 Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18. Though our outward man periſh, yet our inward man is renewed day by day, (how comes this to paſſe?) while we **foreign. Whiles we lo…k up…n eternall th…ngs, as a man looks upon the mark that he aimes to hit.looke not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things that are not ſeen; for the things that are ſeen, are temporall, but the things that are not ſeen, are eternall. Now when faith is buſied and exerciſed about ſoule-ennobling, ſoule-greatning, ſoule-raiſing, and ſoule-cheering objects, a Chriſtian tramples the world under his feet; and now heavy afflictions are light, and long afflictions ſhort, and bitter afflictions ſweet unto him, &c. Now ſtand by world, welcome Chriſt, &c.

So in Heb. 11. It was the exerciſe of faith and hope upon noble and glorious objects, that carried them above the world, above the ſmiling world, and above the frowning world; above the tempting world, and above the perſecuting world; as you may ſee by comparing ſeverall verſes of that Chapter together. Verſ. 9, 10. By faith he ſojourned Every man is as the objects are, about which his ſoule is moſt converſant, &c.in the land of Promiſe, as in a ſtrange Countrey, dwelling in Tabernacles with Iſaac and Jacob, the Heires with him of the ſame Promiſe; for he looked for a City which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God. Verſ. 24, 25, 26. And by faith Moſes when he was come to yeares, refuſed to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter, chooſing rather to ſuffer afflictions with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon. Eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches then the treaſures in Aegypt, for he had reſpect to the recompence of reward. Verſ. 27. By faith he forſooke Aegypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible. And in verſ. 35. They refuſed deliverance, that they might obtaine a better Reſurrection.

So in Heb. 10. 34. They tooke joyfully the ſpoyling of their Goods, (Upon what account?) Knowing in themſelves, that they had in Heaven a better and more induring ſubſtance.

p. 177Thirdly, and laſtly, Faith doth it by aſſuring the ſoule of Injoying of better things; For my part I muſt confeſſe, ſo farre as Heb. 11. 1.Heb 11:1I underſtand any thing of the things of God, I cannot ſee how a ſoule under the power of a well grounded Aſſurance can be a ſervant to his ſlave, I meane the world; I confeſſe, men may talke much of heaven, and of Chriſt, and Religion, &c. but give In my treatiſe call'd Heaven on earth, you may find many conſideratiōs to evince this, and to that I referre you, &c.me a man that doth really and clearely live under the power of divine Aſſurance, and I cannot ſee how ſuch a one can be carried out in an inordinate love to theſe poore tranſitory things. I know not one inſtance in all the Scripture that can be produced to prove that ever any precious Saint that hath lived in the aſſurance of divine love, and that hath walkt up and downe this world with his pardon in his boſome, have ever been charged with an inordinate love of the world: that's a ſad word, 1 Joh. 2. 15.

Now a fourth reaſon of this poynt why perſons are to exerciſe their Graces, is, Becauſe its the beſt way to preſerve their ſoules from Apoſtaſie and back ſliding from God, 2 Pet. 1. 5-11. Adde to your faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience Godlineſſe, &c. For if ye doe theſe things ye ſhall never fall. foreign.Adde to your faith vertue. The Greeke word that's here rendered Adde, hath a great emphaſis in it; 'tis taken from danſing round, linke them, ſaith the Apoſtle, hand in hand, as in danſing, virgins took hands, ſo we muſt joyne hand to hand in theſe meaſures of Graces, leade up the dance of Graces, as in Pul…brior in praelio occiſus miles, quam fugâ ſalvus.the Galliard every one takes his turne. So in Chap. 3. 17, 18. Ye therefore beloved, ſeeing ye know theſe things, beware leſt ye alſo being led aſide with the error of the wicked, fall from your owne ſtedfaſtneſſe. There are many turne aſide, and ſhake hands with God and Chriſt, and truth, and the words of Righteouſneſſe: and therefore you had need to take heed that you fall not as others have fallen before you. But how ſhall we be kept from apoſtatizing? why, Grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. 'Tis a growth in grace, 'tis the exerciſe of grace that will make a man ſtand when others fall, yea when Cedars fall, &c.

Fifthly, All other exerciſes without the exerciſe of Grace, will profit nothing.

p. 178Or if you will, take it thus;

All other exerciſes will be leſſe to us without the exerciſe of Grace, therefore we had need to Improve our Graces. When the houſe is on fire, if a man ſhould onelyonly pray, or cry, &c. he may be burnt for all that; therefore he muſt be active and ſtirring, he muſt run from place to place, and call out for helpe, and muſt worke even in the fire, and beſtirre himſelfe as for life, in the uſe of all meanes, whereby the fire may be quenched; ſo if Grace be not acted, its not all a mans praying and crying, &c. that will profit him, or better him, grace muſt be exerciſed, or all will be loſt, prayers loſt, teares loſt, time loſt, ſtrength loſt, ſoule loſt, &c. 1 Tim. 4. 7, 8. But refuſe prophane and old wives foreign make a faire excuſe.fables: ſhift them off, as the word is, ſett them by, ſay thou art not at leiſure to attend them, make a faire excuſe, as the word notes, tell them thou haſt buſineſs of an eternall concernment to look after, and exerciſe thy ſelfe rather unto Godlineſs, or foreign is not to be taken in a ſenſe wherein little ſignifies nothing at all, but as when it is ſet in compariſon and oppoſition to ſome greater matter, as here in oppoſition to foreign for all things. Let the Patient take ſuch or ſuch a potion that in its ſelfe is good, yet if it want ſuch or ſuch a particular ingredient, it workes not, it do's no good, 'tis ſo here.lay aſide thy upper Garments, as runners and wraſtlers doe, (to which the Apoſtle alludes) and beſtirre thy ſelfe luſtily; for ſays he in the 8 ver. Bodily exerciſe profits little, but Godlineſſe is profitable unto all things, and hath the promiſe of this life and of that which is to come. The Babylonians are ſaid to make 360 ſeverall Commodities of the Palme Tree, but what are thoſe hundred Commodities to thoſe thouſands that attend holineſs, that attend the exerciſe of grace? nothing makes a man rich in ſpiritualls, like the frequent and conſtant actings of grace. In the fourth of the Heb. 2. The word did not profit them that heard it, becauſe it was not mixt with faith. He doth not ſpeake there of unbeleevers, but of thoſe that had Grace in the habit, but not in the exerciſe, and therefore the word did not turne to their Accounts, they heard and were never the better, and what was the Ground of it? why, it was becauſe they did not exerciſe Faith upon the word: the words that fell from the Preachers lips into their ears, were a ſweete potion, but they did not worke kindly, becauſe there wanted the Ingredients of faith: faith is one of thoſe Glorious Ingredients, that muſt make every Sermon, every truth, worke for the ſouls advantage; nothing will worke for a beleevers good, for his gaine, if his graces lie aſleepe.

p. 179Sixthly, Becauſe it is the end of all the Dignity and Glory that God hath conferr'd upon his people, therefore they muſt exerciſe and Improve their Grace In the 1 Pet. 2. 9. But ye are a choſen Generation, a Royall Prieſthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, that ye may ſhew forth the praiſes of him who hath called you out of Darkneſs into his marvelous light.

Ye are a choſen Generation; that is, a pickt people, the dearely beloved of his ſoule; ſuch as he firſt choſe for his love, and then loves for his choice.

A Royall Prieſthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar people. The Greeke is, A people of purchaſe; ſuch as comprehendeth as it foreign.were all Gods gettings, his whole ſtocke, that he makes any reckoning off.

That ye may ſhew forth, or as 'tis in the Greek, that ye may hopos tas aretas exaggeilete.preach forth, that ye may publikely declare the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkneſs into his marvelous light; that ye may ſo hould forth the vertues of him that hath conferr'd all this Dignity and Glory upon you, as to excite others to Glorifie your father which is in heaven. You know the picture of a deare Friend is not to be thruſt in a Corner, but in God himſelfe is wronged by the injury …hat is done to his Image. The contempt is done to the King himſel…, that is done to his Image or Coyn. As Suet…nius wri…es.ſome Conſpicuous place of the houſe; why, our Graces are the very Image of Chriſt, they are his picture, and therefore to be held forth to open view. Theſe Candles muſt not be put under a buſhell, but ſet up in a Candleſticke. Jewels are to ware not to hide, ſo are our Graces.

It was a Capitall Crime in Tiberius dayes to carry the Image of Auguſtus upon a ring or coin into any fordid place, and ſhall not Chriſtians be more mindfull and carefull, that their Graces which are Chriſts Image, be no wayes obſcured, but that they be kept alwayes ſparling and ſhining? Chriſts glory and thy comfort, oh Chriſtian, lies much in the ſparkling of thy graces. Pearles are not to be thruſt in mudd walls, or hung in ſwines ſnoutes, but to be hung on the breaſts.

Seventhly, Gratious ſoules muſt exerciſe their Grace, becauſe the more Grace is exerciſed and impro…ed, with the more Pſal. 40. 7, 8 Pſal. 119. 97, …8, 99, 100, 103, 104, 111, 112.Ps 40:7Ps 40:8Ps 119:97Ps 119:8Ps 119:99Ps 119:100Ps 119:103Ps 119:104Ps 119:111Ps 119:112eaſe and delight will all religious ſervices be performed. When grace is improved and exerciſed, gracious ſervices are eaſily performed. As the more naturall ſtrength is exerciſed and improved, p. 180with the more eaſe and pleaſure are all bodily ſervices performed; ſo the more grace is acted and improved, with the more eaſe and delight all Chriſtian ſervices are performed. Such ſoules finde wages in their very worke, they finde not Rom. 6. 22.Rom 6:22onelyonly for keeping, but alſo in keeping of his commands there is Pſal. 19. 11.Ps 19:11great reward; all the wayes of the Lord are wayes of pleaſantneſſe Prov. 3. 17. P…al. 65. 11.Prov 3:17to them, and they finde that all his pathes drop marrow and fatneſſe. Ah Chriſtians! as ever you would have the ſervices of God to be eaſie and delightfull to your ſoules, looke to the exerciſe and Improvement of your Graces; and then your worke will be a joy.

Eighthly, You muſt exerciſe and improve your gifts and graces, becauſe the more grace is improved, the more God will be Abrahams ſaith made him rejoyce and obey. Heb. 11. Faith is as the ſpring in the watch that moves the wheeles, not a grace ſtirs, till faith ſets it on worke. Rom. 4. 3. &c.Heb 11Rom 4:3honoured. In Rom. 4. 19, 20, 21. And being not weake in faith, he conſidered not his owne body, now dead, when he was about an hundred yeares old; neither the deadneſſe of Sarahs womb, he ſtaggered not at the promiſe of God through unbeleefe, but was ſtrong in faith, giving glory to God: and being fully perſwaded that what he had promiſed, he was able to performe.

He gave glory to God. But how did he give glory to God? was it a dead habit of faith that ſet the Crowne of honour upon the head of God? no, it was the lively actings of his faith upon the promiſe and the promiſer, that gave glory to God. All the honour and glory that God hath from beleevers in this life, is from the actings of their grace. 'Twas Abrahams acting of faith that was his high honouring of God. Chriſtians, I would intreat this favour of you, that you would be often in the meditation of this truth, viz. That all the honour that God hath from beleevers in this life, is from the actings and the exerciſe of their Graces. When thou goeſt to prayer, then thinke thus with thy ſelfe, is it ſo, that all the honour that God It is reported in the life of Luther, that when he pra… ed, it was Tan…a reverentia ut ſi Deo & tanta fiducta ut ſi amico, &c. Jonah 2. u…t.Jonah 2ſhall have from my ſoule in prayer, will be from the actings of grace in prayer? oh then what cauſe have I to ſtirre up my ſelfe to lay hold on God, and to blow up all thoſe ſparkes of grace that be in me; As a body without a ſoule, much wood without fire, a bullet in a Gun without powder, ſo are words in prayer without the Spirit, without the exerciſe of the graces of the Spirit. Jonah acted his faith when he was in the belly p. 181of hell, and Daniel acted faith when he was in the Lyons den, Dan. 6. 23.Dan 6:23and the Theife acted faith when he was on the Croſſe, and Jeremiah acted faith when he was in the Dungeon, and Job So did the Publican, he prayed much though he ſpake little: or a…io brevis penetrat coelum. The hotteſt ſprings ſend forth their waters by ebullitions. foreign Auguſtin cryes out againſt them that did not profit by afflictions perdidiſtis utilitatem calamitatis. Auguſt. de Civit. l. 2. c. 33.acted faith when he was on the dunghill, and David acted faith when he was in his greateſt diſtreſſe, and ſo did Moſes in Exod. 14. And you know the iſſue of all was, much glory to God, and much good to them; his heart will never be long a ſtranger to joy and peace, who is much in the exerciſe and actings of grace.

Ninthly, Becauſe the more Grace is improved, the more afflictions and tribulations will be leſſened and ſweetend to us. 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17. Though our outward man decreaſes, yet our inward man is renewed day by day; or, day and day.

When Peter Martyr was dying, he ſaid, My body is weake, but my minde is well, well for the preſent, and will be better for ever hereafter. This is the Godly mans Motto, for Afflictions there is Glory, for light afflictions a weight of glory, for momentary afflictions eternall Glory: ſo in the 10 and 11 Chapters of the Hebrewes. Oh friends, if your graces were more exerciſed and improved, afflictions would be more ſweete; this would turne the Croſſe into a Crowne, this would turne bitter into ſweete, and long winter nights into ſummer dayes: It would make every condition to be a Paradiſe to you, &c.

Tenthly, If Grace be not exerciſed and improved, the ſoule Saints ſhould be like a Seraphim beſet all over with eyes and lights, as Baſſarion ſaid. T…e fearefull Ha…e (they ſay) ſleepeth with her eyes open; oh how watchfull then ſhould a Chriſtian be?may be eaſily ſurpriſed, conquered, and vanquiſhed by a tempting Devill, and an intiſing world: when the ſword is in the ſcabbard, the traveller is eaſily ſurpriſed, and when the Guard is aſleepe, the Citie is quickly conquered. The ſtrongeſt creature the Lyon, and the wiſeſt creature the Serpent, if they be dormant, are as eaſily ſurpriſed as the weakeſt wormes; ſo the ſtrongeſt and wiſeſt Saints, if their graces be aſleepe, if they be onelyonly in the habit, and not in exerciſe, they may be as eaſily ſurpriſed and vanquiſhed as the weakeſt Chriſtians in all the world, as you may ſee in David, Solomon, Sampſon, Peter. Every enemy inſults over him that hath loſt the uſe of his weapons, &c.

Eleventhly, We muſt improve our Graces, becauſe decayes in Grace are very great loſſes to us. By decaying in grace, wee p. 182come to looſe our ſtrength, our beſt ſtrength, our ſpirituall Spirituall loſſes are hardly recovered, a man may eaſi…y run dow…e the hill, but he cannot ſo eaſily get up. Philoſophers ſay, that the way from the habit to the privation, is eaſier then the way from the privation to the habit. As a man may ſoon put an inſt…ument out of tu…e, but not ſo ſoon put in againe. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Jer. 13. 23. James 1. 17. Eph. 2. 1, 2, 3.1 Cor 2:14Jer 13:23Jas 1:17Eph 2:1Eph 2:2Eph 2:3ſtrength, our ſtrength to doe for God, our ſtrength to waite on God, and walke with God, our ſtrength to bare for God, our ſtrength to ſuffer for God; by decaying in Grace we come to looſe that Joy that's unſpeakeable and full of Glory, and that comfort and peace that paſſes underſtanding, and to looſe the ſence of that favour that's better then life. Now our faith will be turned into feare, our danſing into mourning, our rejoycing into ſighing, and when, O Chriſtian, thou beginneſt to fall, and to decay, who knowes how farre thou mayſt fall? how much thy graces may be impaired? and how long it may be before thy Sunne riſe when once 'tis ſett? therefore you had need to exerciſe and improve your Graces.

Twelfthly, and laſtly, You are to improve your Graces, becauſe ſoules truly gratious, have a power to doe good. I doe not ſay that a man in his naturall eſtate (though Arminians doe) hath power in himſelfe to doe ſupernaturall acts, as to beleeve in God, to love God, and the like, &c. for I thinke a Toad may as well ſpitt cordialls, as a naturall man doe ſupernaturall actions: nor I doe not ſay that all the Grace wee have is not from God, nor that man in his naturall eſtate is not dead Godward, and Chriſt-ward, and holyneſſe-ward, and heavenward: But this I ſay, that ſoules truly gratious have a power to doe good. 'Tis ſad to think how many profeſſors doe excuſe their negligence, by pretending an Inability to doe good, or by When Charles Largius had excited Lipſius to the ſtudy of tru… wiſedom, my mind is to it, ſaid Li…ſius, and then he fa…s to …iſhing; what ſaid Langius, …rt thou pur…oſing when …hou ſhouldeſt be doing. Juſt. Lip de Conſtan. l. 2. 5.ſitting downe diſcouraged, as having in their hands no power at all; what can we doe, ſay they, If the Lord doe not breath upon us, as at firſt converſion? we can doe nothing. I thinke in my very Conſcience, that this is one reaſon of much of that ſlightneſſe, neglect, and omiſſion of duties, that is among profeſſors in theſe dayes. So that God may complaine as he doth in the 64 of Iſa. 7. There is no man that ſtirreth up himſelfe to take hold of mee, they are as men aſleepe, that ſit ſtill and doe nothing. But certainly they that are truly united to Chriſt, are not acted as dead ſtocks, as if every time and moment of their acting God-wards, and holyneſſe-ward, they received new life from the Spirit of Chriſt, as at firſt converſion they did, and I am confident for want of the knowledge and due conſideration p. 183of this truth, many profeſſors take ſuch libertie to themſelves, as to live in the neglect of many precious duties of Godlineſſe, for which firſt or laſt they will pay deare. But remembring that 'tis not a flood of words, but weighty arguments that convinces and perſwades the ſoules and conſciences of men. I ſhall give you foure reaſons to demonſtrate, That Beleevers have a power to doe good; and the firſt is this.

Firſt, Becauſe they have life, and all life is a power to act Omnis vita eſt propter delectationem.by; naturall life is a power to act by, ſpirituall life is a power to act by, eternall life is a power to act by. The Philoſopher ſayth, That a fly is more excellent then the heavens, becauſe the fly hath life, which the heavens have not, &c.

Secondly, Elſe there is no juſt Ground for Chriſt to charge Omiſſion of diet breeds diſeaſes, ſo doth omiſſion of dutie, and makes worke either for repentance, hel, or the phyſitian of ſouls.the guilt of ſins upon them; as neglect of Prayer, Repentance, Mortification, nor the guilt of Careleſneſſe, and Sloathfullneſſe, &c. which he doth, if they can act no further, nor no longer then the Holy-Ghoſt acts them, as at their firſt converſion, notwithſtanding their union with Chriſt, and that ſpirituall principle of life that at firſt they received from Chriſt; Certainly if it be ſo, it will not ſtand with the unſpotted Juſtice of God to charge the guilt of ſins of omiſſion upon Beleeving ſoules, if they have no power to act, but are as ſtocks and ſtones, &c. as ſome dreame.

A third Ground is this; If there be not ſome power in Beleevers to doe good, then we ſhould not have as much benefit by the Ipſe unus erit tibi omnia, quia in ipſ… uno bono, bona ſunt omnia. Auguſt.ſecond Adam as we had by the firſt Adam. The firſt Adam if he had ſtood would have Communicated a power to all his ſons and daughters to have done good, and being corrupted he doth communicate power to ſin, as all his children finde by ſad and wofull experience; and ſhall not Chriſt much more communicate a power to us to doe good in our meaſure? ſurely he doth, though few minde it, and fewer improve it as they ſhould. If there be not ſuch a power in beleevers, how have they gain'd more by the ſecond Adam, then they loſt by the firſt? and wherein lyes the excellency of the ſecond above the firſt? &c.

Fourthly, and laſtly, All thoſe exhortations are voyd and of none effect, if there be not ſome power in ſoules truly gratious to doe good, as all thoſe exhortations to watchfullneſſe, To ſtirre p. 184up the Grace of God that is in us, and to worke out our owne ſalvation with feare and trembling; and that alſo, Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure. To what purpoſe are all theſe precious exhortations, if the regenerate man have no power at all to act any thing that's good? Nay then, beleevers under the Covenant of Grace, ſhould be in no better a Condition then unregenerate men that are under a Covenant of workes, who ſee their duties diſcovered, but have no power to performe: which is contrary, as to other Scriptures, ſo to that, Pſal. 40. 7, 8, 9. Then ſaid I, loe, I come: in the volume of thy booke it is written of me: I delight to doe thy will, O my God: yea thy law is within my heart, or, thy law is in the midſt of my Bowells, as the Hebrew reads it. And to that of Ezek. 36. 25, 26, 27. &c. A ſoule truly gratious can ſincerely ſay, Thy law O Lord, is in the midſt of my bowells, and I delight to doe thy will O Lord, I confeſſe I cannot doe it as I ſhould, nor I ſhall never doe it as I would, till I come to heaven; but this I can ſay in mu…h uprightneſſe, that, Thy law is in my heart, and I delight to doe thy will, O father. And ſo Paul, With my minde I ſerve the Law of God, though with my Rom. 7. ult.Rom 7fleſh the Law of ſinne.

And we have many promiſes concerning divine Aſſiſtance, and if wee did but ſtirre up the Grace of God that is in us, Iſa. 41. 10. Heb. 13. 5, 6, &c.Isa 41:10Heb 13:5Heb 13:6we ſhould finde the Aſſiſtance of God, and the Glorious breakings forth of his power and love, according to his promiſe, and the worke that he requires of us, Iſa. 26. 12. Chap. 64. 5. &c. Though no beleever doth what he ſhould doe, yet doubtleſſe every beleever might doe more then he doth doe, in order to Gods glory and his owne and others internall and eternall good. Affection without endeavour is like Rachel, beautifull, but barren. They are bleſſed that doe what Bea…i ſunt qui praecepta faciunt, etiam ſi non perficiunt. Aug.they can, though they cannot but under-doe.

When Demoſthenes was asked, What was the firſt part of an Orator, what the ſecond, what the third, anſwered, action; the ſame may I ſay, if any ſhould aske me, what is the firſt, the ſecond, the third part of a Chriſtian, I muſt anſwer, action. Luther ſaith, He had rather obey, then worke Miracles: obedience is better then ſacrifice.

p. 185But Sir, you will ſay, What is the meaning of that Text, (that is ſo often in the mouths of Profeſſors) Without me you can doe nothing? John 15. 5.

I anſwer, All that that Text holds forth, is this, That if a man ha's not union with Chriſt, if he be not implanted into Chriſt, he can doe nothing. Without me (that is, ſeparate from me, or apart from me (as the words may be read) foreign is Secrſim a me. Vide Beza, C…meron, and Piſ…at.you can doe nothing. If you are not implanted into me, if by the ſpirit and faith, you art not united unto me, you can doe nothing. The arme may doe much, it may offend an enemy, and it may defend a mans life, by virtue of its union with the head; but if you ſeparate the arme from the head, from the body, what can it doe? Certainly the ſoule, by virtue of its union with Chriſt, may doe much, though ſuch as are ſeparated from Chriſt, can doe nothing, at leaſt, as they ſhould. Union with Chriſt is that wherein the ſtrength, comfort, and happineſſe of the ſoule does conſiſt.Ah Chriſtians! if you would but put out your ſelves to the utmoſt, you would find the Lord both ready and willing to aſſiſt you, to meet with you, and to doe for you, above what you are able to aske, or thinke.

Caeſar by continuall employment, overcome two conſtant Diſeaſes, the Head-ach, and the Falling-ſickneſſe. Oh! the ſpirituall Diſeaſes that the active Chriſtian overcomes? Among the Aegyptians, Idleneſſe was a capitall crime. Among the Lucani, he that lent money to an idle perſon, was to looſe it. Among the Corinthians, the ſloathfull were delivered to the Carnifex, ſaith Diphilus. Oh! the deadly ſins, the deadly temptations, the deadly judgements, that idle and ſloathfull Chriſtians are given up to; therefore be active, be diligent, be abundant in the worke of the Lord. Idleneſſe is the very Source of ſin: Standing pooles gather mud, and nouriſh and breed venomous Creatures; and ſo doe the hearts of idle and ſloathfull Chriſtians, &c.

Now the ſecond thing that we are to doe for the further opening of this Point, is to ſhew you

p. 186The ſpeciall Ends that the Gifts and Graces that God ha's bestow'd upon Believers, ſhould be exerciſed, and improved to. And they are theſe that follow.

FIrſt, They are to be improved and exerciſed to the honour 1 Cor. 10. 31.1 Cor 10:31of God, to the lifting up of God, and to the keeping up of his name and glory in the world.

He that improves not his gifts and graces to this end, croſſes the grand end of Gods beſtowing ſuch royall favours on him. Graces and gifts are Talents that God hath given you to trade with, and not to hide in a Napkin. The idle ſervant, Mat. 25.Matt 25in Chriſts account, was an evill ſervant: The idle ſoule, in Chriſts account, is an evill ſoule, and accordingly Chriſt will deale with him.

Seneca calls ſloath, The Nurſe of beggery, the Mother of miſery; and ſloathfull Chriſtians find it ſo. Chriſtians, God ha's given you grace, that you ſhould give him glory: His honour ſhould be dearer to you, then your Jewels, then your Crownes, then your lives; I, then your very ſoules. Thou liveſt no longer, then thou liveſt to his praiſe.

It is recorded, that Epaminondes the Commander in chief of the Thebanes, That he did not glory in any thing but this, that his father, whom he dearly loved and honoured, was living, when he won three famous Battells againſt the Lacedemonians, Plutarch in his Morals.that were then held for their valour, to be invincible, regarding more the honour and content his father ſhould receive of it, then his owne. Shall a Heathen thus ſtrive to honour his earthly father? And ſhall not Chriſtians ſtrive more to honour their heavenly father, with all the gifts and graces that he ha's confer'd upon them?

But you will ſay, How ſhould we honour the Lord?

p. 187I anſwer:

Firſt, By a free and frequent acknowledgement, that all Anſw.your graces flow from the Lord Jeſus, the fountaine of grace. 1 John 16. Of his fullneſſe we all receive grace for grace. Jam. 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift comes downe from above, &c. Thou muſt ſay, O Chriſtian, I have nothing but what I 1 Cor. 4. 7.1 Cor 4:7have received, I have no light, no life, no love, no ioy, no peace, but from above. The Jewels that hang in my breaſts, and the Chaines of Pearle that be about my neck, and the golden Crowne that is upon my head, and all ſparkling Diamonds Ezek. 16. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Pſal. 45. 8.—ult.Ezek 16:11Ezek 16:12Ezek 16:13Ezek 16:14Ezek 16:15Ps 45:8in that Crowne, are all from above. All thoſe Princely Ornaments by which I am made more beautifull and lovely, then others; and all thoſe beds of ſpices, and ſweet flowers, by which I am made more deſirable, and dilectable, is from above. Say I am nothing, I have nothing of my owne; all I am, and all I have, is from on high: We have given thee of 1 Chron. 29. 14.1 Chr 29:14thine owne, ſayes David. So doe thou ſay, Lord, the love with which I love thee, is thine owne; and the faith by which I hang upon thee, is thine own; and the fear by which I feare Deus nihil coronat niſi dona ſua. Aug.before thee, is thine owne; and the joy which I rejoyce before thee with, is thine owne; and the patience with which I wait upon thee, is thine owne, &c, And therefore ſay as David did, upon the receipt of mercy, Bleſſed be thou Lord God of Iſrael, our father for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatneſſe, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the Majeſty, for all that is in the heaven, and in the earth, is thine: Thine is the Kingdome, O 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 thine hand it is to make great, and to give ſtrength unto all. Now therefore our God, we thanke thee, and praiſe thy glorious name.

Secondly, You muſt honour him By acknowledging the dependancy of your graces, upon the fountaine of grace. And that your ſtrength to ſtand, lyes not ſo much in your graces, as in their dependancy upon the fountaine of grace, as in their conjunction with the God of grace. A man by his arme may do much, but 'tis mainly by reaſon of its union, and conjunction p. 188with the head: 'Tis ſo between a Chriſtians graces, and Chriſt. The ſtream does not more depend upon the fountaine, nor the branch upon the root, nor the Moon upon the Sun, nor the Child upon the Mother, nor the effect upon the cauſe, then our graces doe depend upon the fountaine of grace, Pſ. 138. 3. Phil. 4. 12, 13.

Now that our very graces doe thus depend upon the fountaine Though our graces be ou… beſt Jewe's, yet they are imperfect, and as the Moon ſhines by a borrowed light, ſo doe our graces; i… it were not for the Sun of righteouſneſs, all our graces would give …o light, &c.of grace, and that our ſtrength to ſtand, lyes not ſo much in our graces, as in Chriſt, is clear by this, That the graces of the Saints may and doe moſt faile them, when they have moſt need of them. Mark 4. 40. And he ſaid, why are yee ſo fearfull? How is it that you have no faith? When the wind was high, their faith was low; when the ſtorme was great, their faith was little. So Luke 8. 25. And he ſaid unto them, where is your faith? Are you now to ſeek it, when you ſhould uſe it? Peter denyed Chriſt, when he had need by faith to have confeſſed Chriſt. Moſes faith fail'd him, when it ſhould have been moſt ſerviceable to him, Nu. 20. 12. And Davids courage fail'd him, when it ſhould have been a buckler to him, 1 Sam. 21. 13, 14. And the Diſciples love fail'd them, when it ſhould have been moſt uſefull to them, John 14. 28. And Job's wiſedome and patience fail'd him, when they ſhould have been greateſt ſupporters to him. By all which 'tis moſt clear, that not onelyonly our ſelves, but alſo our very graces muſt be ſupported by the God of grace, the fountaine of grace, or elſe they will be to ſeek when we moſt need them. Though grace is a glorious Creature, it is but a creature, and therefore muſt be upheld by its Creator. Though grace be a beautifull Child, yet 'tis but a child, that muſt be upheld by the fathers armes. This Chriſtians, you muſt remember, and give glory to God.

Thirdly, You muſt honour him by uncrowning your graces, to crowne the God of your graces. By taking the Crowne off Certum eſt nos facere quod facimus, ſed ille facit, ut ſa…iamus, ſaith Aug…ſtine. True it is, that we doe what we doe, but it is as true, that Chriſt maketh us to do what we doe. Cant. 5. 10—ult.Song 5:10your owne heads, and putting it upon his, or by laying it downe at his feet, as they did theirs in Rev. 4. 10. Acts 3. 11. 12, 16. & Chap. 4. 7, 8, 9, 10. Theſe Scriptures are Wells of living waters, they are Bee-hives full of honey, ſee and taſt. The Lord ha's often uncrown'd himſelfe, to Crown p. 189his peoples graces, as you may ſee in theſe following Scriptures, Mat. 9. 22. Chap. 15. 28. Mark 10. 52. Luke 7, 50. And why then ſhould not his people uncrowne their graces, to crowne him? That which others attribute to your graces, doe you attribute to the God of grace. You muſt ſay, though our graces are precious, yet Chriſt is more precious; though they are ſweet, yet Chriſt is moſt ſweet; though they are lovely, yet Chriſt is altogether lovely. Your graces are but Chriſts Picture, Chriſts Image, and therefore don't you worſhip his Image, and in the mean while neglect his perſon: make much of his Picture, but make more of himſelfe; let his Picture have your eye, but let himſelfe have your heart. Your Prov. 23. 26.Prov 23:26graces are but Chriſts hands, by which he works, be you therefore carefull that you don't more mind the workmans hands, then the workman himſelfe: Your graces are but Chriſts ſervants, therefore don't ſmile upon the ſervant, and look aſquint upon the Maſter. Your graces are but Chriſts favourites, therefore don't ſo ſtare upon them, and be taken with them, as to forget the Prince on whom they wait, &c. All I drive at is this, That not your graces, but Chriſt may be all in all unto you, &c.

The ſecond end to which you muſt improve your gifts and John 1. 39.—u…t. Ch. 4. 1-43. l…d. 2. 3. Acts 5. 26, 29. Bo un eſt comm…n cat…vum.John 1:39Acts 5:26Acts 5:29graces, is, To the good of others. Pſal. 66. 16. Come and hear all ye that feare God, and I will declare what he hath done for my ſoule. Pſal. 34. 8. O taſt and ſee that the Lord is good, bleſſed is the man that truſteth in him. God ha's given you gifts and grace, to that very end, that you ſhould improve them for others good. 'Tis the very nature of grace to be diffuſive and communicative; grace can't be long conceal'd. The better any thing is, the more communicative it will be. Grace is as fire in the bones, as new Wine in the bottles, you cannot hide it, you muſt give vent to it. Acts 4. 20. We cannot but ſpeake the things that we have heard and ſeene; as Croeſus his dumb Son did for his father. Can the fire ceaſe to turne all combuſtible matter into fire? Can the Candle once throughly lighted, ceaſe to ſpend it ſelfe for the enlightning of others? then may the precious Sons of Zion ceaſe to give light to others by their examples, counſels, and p. 190communicating their experiences. No way to honour God, no way to win ſoules, nor no way to increaſe your owne gifts and graces, then to exerciſe them for the good of others. Grace is not like to worldly vanities, that diminiſh by diſtribution; nor like Candles, which keep the ſame light, though a thouſand are lighted by them. Grace is like the widows Oyle, which multiplied by powring out; and like thoſe 2 Kings 4. Mat. 25.2 Kgs 4Matt 25Talents, which doubled by imployment.

'Twas a good ſaying of one, For inſenſible riches thoſe who pay their money, doe diminiſh their ſubſtance, and they who Chryſoſt. Hom. Gen. 15.Gen 15receive, are made richer; but theſe not ſo; but both he who numbreth, doth much increaſe his ſubſtance, and doth add much to the riches of the receiver.

Againe, By how much more we poure out of theſe flowing ſpirituall things, by ſo much thoſe ſpreading in abundance are Chryſoſt. Hom. Gen. 8. p. 37.Gen 8greater to us; for in this cauſe it doth not happen as in money; for there they who tell out to their neighbour, diminiſh their owne ſubſtance, and by how much the more he ſpendeth, by ſo much the leſſe money he poſſeſſeth; but in ſpiritualls 'tis quite otherwiſe.

No way to advance the Kingdome of Chriſt in the world, like this, of improving your gifts and graces to the advantage and profit of others. No love nor pity to the precious ſoules Rom. 1. 11, 12. 2 Cor. 9. 6. Suetonius tells of Auguſtus, That in reading all ſorts of good Authors he skillfully p…ckt out the prime precepts and patterns of valour …nd virtue, & ſent the ſ…me to ſuch of his ſervan…s and unde-…fficers for tokens, as he thought they might doe m…ſt good unto.Rom 1:11Rom 1:122 Cor 9:6of men, like this. No way to abound in grace, to be rich in grace, like this: Nor no way to be high in heaven, like this. Art thou, O Chriſtian, bound to doe good to others, by communicating earthly things? And art thou not much more bound to doe them good by communicating of ſpirituall things? Surely thou art. Why are Chriſtians ſo often in Scripture compar'd to Trees, but becauſe of their fruitfullneſſe and uſefullneſſe to others? And why are they called Stewards of the manifold gifts of God, but to note to us, that their gifts are not to be incloſed, but imployed for the good of others? And why ha's Chriſt put a box of precious Ointment into every Chriſtians hand, but that it ſhould be opened for the benefit of others? Certainly he that is good, is bound to doe good, for gifts and graces are given, not onelyonly to make us good, and keep us good, but alſo to make us, yea, to prevoke p. 191us to doe good. Lilmod lelammed, We therefore learn, that we may teach, is a Proverb among the Rabbins. And I doe therefore lay in, and lay up (ſaith the Heathen) that I may draw forth againe, and lay out for the good of many. I think they are no good Chriſtians that ſhall ſcorne to learne this good leſſon, though of a Heathen. And O that all that write themſelves Chriſtians, were ſo good as to imitate the good that ſhin'd in many Heathens! To me 'tis ſad, that Chriſtians that live and act below the very Heathens, ſhould be offended to hear now and then of thoſe excellencies that ſparkled in the very Heathens. I think that is a very evill ſpirit, that can't indure to heare of thoſe excellencies in others, that he wants in himſelfe. Certainly he is a brave Chriſtian, and ha's much of Chriſt within, that accounts nothing his own, that he does not communicate to others. The Bee doth ſtore her Hive out of all ſorts of flowers, for the common benefit, and why then in this ſhould not every Chriſtian be like a Bee?

Syneſius ſpeaks of ſome, who having a treaſure of rare abilities in them, would as ſoon part with their hearts, as their conceptions. I think they are rather Monſters then reall Chriſtians, that are of ſuch a ſpirit.

The third and laſt thing to which you are to improve your gifts and graces, is, To the benefit and profit of your own ſoules. The good of the ſoule is ſpecially to be minded 1 Becauſe 'tis the moſt Noble part of man. 2 Becauſe the Image of God is moſt fairly ſtampt upon it. 3 Becauſe it is firſt converted. 4 Becauſe it ſhall be firſt glorified.Not to improve them to your owne internall and eternall good, is with a high hand to croſſe the maine end of Gods conferring them upon you. Ah Chriſtians! you muſt improve them to the ſtrengthening of you againſt temptations, to the ſupporting of you under afflictions, to the keeping under of ſtrong corruptions, to the ſweetning of all mutations, and to the preparing and fitting of you for the dayes of your diſſolution.

I ſhall content my ſelfe with giving you this hint, becauſe I have before ſpoken more fully to this head.

And thus we have done with the Doctrinall part.

We ſhall come now to make ſome Uſe and Application of this Point to our ſelves.

If this be ſo, That 'tis the Duty of Chriſtians to improve p. 192and exerciſe the gifts and graces that the Lord hath given them.

Then in the firſt place, this looks very ſowrely and wiſhly upon all lazie, idle, negligent Chriſtians, that doe not ſtir up Ʋſe.themſelves to lay hold on God, that doe not ſtir up the grace of the Lord in them. 'Tis ſad to conſider, how many Chriſtians Cupid complained, He could never …aſten upon the Muſes, becauſe he could never find them idle. No Chriſtians ſo f…ee from Satans aſſaults as active Chriſtians are; nor none ſo temp…ed, as idle Chriſtians.can ſtir up themſelves to lay hold on all opportunities to make themſelves great and rich in the world, and yet ſuffer their golden gifts and graces even to grow ruſtie for want of exerciſe. 'Tis ſad to ſee how buſie many men are, to exerciſe and improve a Talent of riches, who yet bind up their Talents of gifts and grace in a Napkin: By theſe God looſes much honour and praiſe, and themſelves looſe much comfort and content, and others looſe much profit and benefit, and the Goſpel looſes much credit and glory.

But the maine Uſe that I ſhall make of this Point, ſhall be To exhort and ſtir you all up, to make a bleſſed improvement of your graces.

And indeed it is a Point of moſt ſingular uſe to us all our The Jewiſh Rabbins report, That he ſame night that Iſrael de parted out of Aegypt, towards Canaan. all the Idols & Idolatrou. Temples in Aegypt, by lightning, and earth quakes, were broken downe. So when grace & holineſſe is ſet up in the heart, all the Idols of Satan, which are me…sluſt, are throwne downe.dayes, a truth that is every day of very great concernment to our ſoules.

Now there are ſeven Conſiderations that I ſhall propound by way of Motive, to ſtir up your ſoules to make a bleſſed improvement of the grace and gifts you have received.

And the firſt is this, Seriouſly conſider, that the exerciſe and improvement of grace in your ſoules, will be more and more the death and ruine of ſin in your ſoules.

Take it from experience, There is not a choycer way then this, for a man to bring under the power of his ſin, then to keep up the exerciſe of his grace. Sin and Grace are like two Buckets at a Well, when one is up, the other is downe: They are like the two Lawrels at Rome, when one flouriſhes, the other withers. Certainly the readieſt, and the ſureſt way to bring under the power of ſin, is, to be much in the exerciſe of grace, Rom. 8. 10. And if Chriſt be in you, the body is dead, becauſe of ſin, but the ſpirit is life, becauſe of righteouſneſſe. The life and activity of Chriſt and grace in the ſoule, is the death and deſtruction of ſin in the ſoule: The more p. 193grace acts in the ſoule, the more ſin withers and dyes in the ſoule; the ſtronger the houſe of David grew, 2 Sam. 3. the weaker the houſe of Saul grew. As the houſe of David grew every day ſtronger and ſtronger, ſo the houſe of Saul every day grew weaker and weaker: So the activity of the new Mat. 21. 12, 13, 14.Matt 21:12Matt 21:13Matt 21:14man, is the death of the old man. When Chriſt began to beſtir himſelfe in the Temple, the money-changers quickly fled out: So when grace is active and ſtirring in the ſoule, corruption quickly flyes. A man may find out many wayes to hide his ſin, but he will never find out any way to ſubdue his ſin, but by the exerciſe of grace. Of all Chriſtians, none ſo mortified as thoſe in whom grace is moſt exerciſed. Sin is a Viper that muſt be kill'd, or 'twill kill you for ever; and there is no way to kill it, but by the exerciſe of grace.

Secondly, Conſider this by way of motive to provoke you Mat. 5. 16. The exerciſe of virtue will draw I ve from a mans very enemies. Tilligny for his …are virtues was reſerved from death, by his greateſt enemies, at the M…ſſacre of Paris; as you may ſee in the French Hiſtory, in the life of Charls the Ninth.Matt 5:16to exerciſe and improve your Graces; The exerciſe and improvement of your Graces, will provoke others to bleſſe and admire the God of Grace. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven. The light of your Converſation, and the light of your graces; Oh! how many thouſand ſoules be there now triumphing in heaven, whoſe gifts and graces ſhin'd gloriouſly when they were on earth: and ah! how many thouſands are there now on earth, that bleſſe and admire the Lord for the ſhine of their graces, who are now in heaven; That bleſſe the Lord for the Faith of Abraham, and the Zeale of David, and the Meekneſſe of Moſes, and the Patience of Job, and the Courage of Joſhua, &c. Ah Chriſtians! as you would ſtirre up others to exalt the God of grace, look to the exerciſe and improvement of your graces. When poor ſervants ſhall live in a family, and ſee the faith of a Maſter, and the love of a Maſter, and the wiſedome of a Maſter, and the patience of a Maſter, and the humility of a Maſter, &c. ſhining like ſo many ſtars of heaven, oh how doth it draw forth their hearts to bleſſe the Lord, that ever they came into ſuch a family? 'Tis not a profeſſion of Religion, but the exerciſe and improvement of grace, that contributes ſo much to the lifting up of the glory of the Lord, and to the greatning of his praiſe in the p. 194world. Many Saints have had their hearts warmed and heated by ſiting by other Saints fire, by eying and dwelling upon other Saints graces. Ah! when mens graces ſhine as Moſes his face did; when their lives, as one ſpeaketh of Joſeph's life, is a very heaven, ſparkling with variety of virtues, as with ſo many bright Stars; ah! how are others ſtirr'd up to glorifie God? and to cry out theſe are Chriſtians indeed? theſe are an honour to their God, a Crowne to their Chriſt, and a credit to their Goſpel: Oh! if they were all ſuch, we would be Chriſtians too. 'Tis a very great ſtumbling-block to many poor ſinners, to ſee men that make a very great and large profeſſion Thoſe in whom virtue is extinguiſhed, are like unto painted, and printed papers, which ignorant men honour and worſhip inſtead of Chriſt. Rawleigh.of Chriſt, never to exerciſe and ſhew forth the virtues of Chriſt; they profeſſe they know him, and yet by the non exerciſe of his virtues, they deny him.

'Twas one of Matchavils Principles, That the appearance of virtue was onelyonly to be ſought, becauſe the uſe of it (ſaith he) is a trouble, but the credit of it a helpe. I am afraid that this curſed, ſoule-damning Principle, is the beſt flower that growes in many mens Gardens in theſe dayes. Though there is no virtue, but is as a bright ſtone in a dark night, it ſhines and ſhewes its clearneſſe and beauty, 'tis as pure gold, the brighter for paſſing through the fire, yet how doe moſt Hypocritis nihil eſt crudelius, impatientius & vindicta cupidius. There is not a more cruel creature more impatient and vindictive, then an hypocrite, ſaith Luther, who had the experience of it; therefore truſt not to the Matchavils of the times.covet rather the name of virtue, then to be really virtuous? Such, I believe, ſhall have the hotteſt, and the loweſt place in hell. Well Chriſtians, remember this, 'tis not a ſhew of grace, but the exerciſe of grace, that will provoke others to glorifie the fountaine of grace. That's a very remarkeable Scripture, 1 Theſſ. 2. 2, 3, 8. compared. We give thanks to God alwayes for you, making mention of you in our prayers: Remembring without ceaſing, your worke of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in the ſight of God, and our father. For from you ſounded out the word of the Lord, not onelyonly in Macedonia, and Achaia, but alſo in every place your faith to God-ward is ſpread abroad. In this eighth verſe you have an elegant Metaphor, which ſignifies, that their faith was ſo lively, that with its ſound, as it were, it ſtirred up other Nations. The Greek word (Exechetai) is to ſound as with the ſound of a Trumpet, to make ſound afar off. p. 195Sayes the Apoſtle, your graces made a noiſe like a Trumpet, Pliny tells of ſome in the remote parts of India, that they have no mouths. We have many ſuch Monſters among us, that have no mouths to bleſſe God for the good that ſhines in others.they ſtirr'd up others to be gracious and active, as the Trumpet ſtirs up men to warre. So in 2 Pet. 1. 3, 4. Wee are bound to give thanks to God alwayes for you brethren, as it is meet, becauſe that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth: So that we our ſelves glory in you in the Churches of God, for your patience and faith, in all your perſecutions and tribulations that you endure. Hoc enim Angelicum, this is the Character of the Angelicall nature, to rejoyce in the graces and gracious actings of others: He that acts otherwiſe, holds forth the Image of the Devil, and declares himſelfe a native of hell.

Thirdly, Conſider, That the exerciſe and improvement of graces, may be a ſpeciall means to ſtir up the exerciſe of grace in others.

Your improvement of grace may be a ſpeciall means to ſtir The complaint is ancient in Seneca, That comonly men live not ad rationem, but ad ſimilitudinem. Se…. de vita beati. cap. 1.up others to improve their graces alſo. 1 Theſſ. 1. 7. So that we were enſamples to all that believe in Macedonia, and Achaia. Or as the Greek is, **foreign.You were Types moulds, Patterns of piety to them that were in Chriſt long before you. So in 2 Cor. 9. 2. For I know the forwardneſſe of your minde, for which I boaſt of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year agoe, and your zeale hath provoked very many. I knew you were forward, and this I beaſted of, I made it my glory to tell how grace ſhin'd in your ſoules. And, ſaith he, your zeale hath provoked many. When they ſaw how warm, and lively, and active, how open-handed, and open-hearted you were to the poor Saints, their hearts were ſtir'd up to acts of charity alſo. Stories ſpeak of ſome that could not ſleep when they thought of the Trophies of other Worthies that Praecepta docent, exempla movent. Precepts may inſtruct, but examples doe perſwade.went before them. The higheſt examples are very quickning and provoking

That this may ſtick upon your ſouls, I beſeech you bed and board, riſe and walke with this one Conſideration, viz. That all the good you provoke others to, by Counſell or example, ſhall be put downe to your Account. It ſhall certainly turne to your internall and eternall advantage. In the great day Chriſt will make honorable mention of all the good that thou haſt ſtir'd p. 196and provok't others too, and will reward thee for it before Angels and men. The faith, the love, the hope, the charity, the patience, &c. that thou haſt provok't others too, ſhall be put downe to thy account, as if thou hadſt been the onelyonly actor of them, &c. As all the ſins that men provoke or ſtirre up others to by their Counſell or example, ſhall be put downe to their Accounts: as you may ſee in David; David did but ſend a Letter concerning the death of Ʋriah, and yet the 2 Sam. 12. 92 Sam 12:9charge cometh; Thou haſt ſtaine Ʋriah with the ſword; as whatſoever is done, by letter, counſell, or example, to provoke others to ſin, ſhall certainly be charged upon mens accounts at laſt; ſo whatſoever good thou doeſt ſtirre up others to, that They ſhall ſhine as ſo many Suns in heaven, who are much in ſtirring and provoking of others to the exerciſe of grace and holineſſe. Dan. 12. 3. Dan. 6. 1, 2.Dan 12:3Dan 6:1Dan 6:2ſhall be ſet upon thy ſcore, and ſhall turne to thy eternall account in the day of Chriſt: Oh! who would not then labour, with all their might, even day and night to ſtirre up the Grace of the Lord in themſelves and others, ſeeing it ſhall turne to ſuch a Glorious Account, in that day wherein Chriſt ſhall ſay (to his Father) Lo here am I, and the children that thou haſt given me, &c.

Fourthly, Conſider this, The exerciſe and Improvement of Grace, Contributes very much both to the ſtopping the mouths of your enemies, and to the rendering of you lovely in the very eyes of your enemies: oh! there's nothing in all the world that contributes ſo much to the ſtopping of the mouthes of your enemies, and to the rendering of your ſoules lovely in the eyes of your enemies, as the exerciſe & improvement of your Graces; as you may ſee in David, David improved his Grace to a glorious height, and ſays Saul, Thou art more righteous then I: 1 Sam. 24. 17.1 Sam 24:17John improved his Grace to a glorious height, and was much in the exerciſe of it; and what follows? why, Herod fear'd and reverenced him, knowing that he was a juſt and a holy man Mark 6. 20. So what a deal of reſpect and hono…r did Alexander the Great pu… upon Jadus the High Prieſt, Theodoſius upon Anbroſe, and Conſtantine upon Paph…utius, kiſſing that eye of his that was bored out for the cauſe of Chriſt, &c.Mark 6:20O! how did the wiſdome, faith, and holineſſe, of Joſeph, Daniel, and the three children, ſilence their moſt enraged adverſaries? yea, what a deale of honour did the exerciſe of their graces cauſe thoſe Heathen Princes to put upon them? 1 Pet. 2. 15. For ſo is the will of God, that by well-doing ye may put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men. 'Tis not all the talking and profeſſion in the world, that can ſtop the mouths of fooliſh p. 197men; it muſt be well-doing, grace improved, grace exerciſed, and manifeſted in wayes of holineſſe, that muſt work ſo great a wonder, as to ſtop the mouths of wicked men.

The Greek word that is here Tranſlated **foreign.well-doing, is a Participle of the Preſent Tenſe, and notes, the continuall cuſtome of well-doing. And indeed, nothing but a continuall courſe of well-doing, will be able to ſtop the mouths of wicked perſons. 'Tis not a fit of holineſſe, but a courſe, that can produce ſo great a Miracle, as to ſtop the mouths of wicked men. That ye might ſtop the mouths of ungodly men.

The Greek is, That ye may muzzle, or halter up. There's foreign, from foreignno way in the world, to button, muzzle, or halter up the mouths of wicked men, but by the exerciſe of your graces in wayes of well-doing. Oh this will cauſe you to be well thought of, and well ſpoken of; this is that that will make even wicked men to ſay, theſe are Chriſtians indeed; theſe are they that have not onelyonly a name to live, but are alive; that have not onelyonly a forme of godlineſſe, but the power. A Chriſtians exerciſe of faith in times of wants, and of patience, in times of affliction, and of courage in times of temptation, and of contentation in times of oppoſition, &c. does mightily ſilence and ſtop the mouths of the worſt of men.

Henry the Second of France, being preſent at the Martyrdome of a certaine Taylor burnt by him for Religion, was ſo terrified by beholding the wiſedome, courage, faith, and conſtancy Epi…. Hiſt. Gal. 82.of the ſaid Martyr, that he ſwore at his going away, That he would never be any more preſent at ſuch a ſight.

Fifthly, Dwell much upon the ſweet nature of grace, if you would have your ſoules carried out to the exerciſe and improvement of grace.

The name of grace, and the nature of grace, is very ſweet. The Hebrew word that's rendred Grace, ſignifies favour, and mercy; and it anſwers to the Greek word Caris, that ſignifies Grace is a Pan…ply againſt all troub…e…, and a Paradiſe of all pleaſures.favour and mercy; and ſome derive the Greek word from a word that ſignifies Joy, becauſe grace begets the greateſt joy and ſweetneſſe in the ſpirits of men, that poſſibly can be.

p. 198Grace is compared to the ſweeteſt things, to ſweet Spices, to Wine and Milke: Grace is a beam of the Sun of righteouſneſſe, Cant. 4. 10, 14, 16. Cha. 6. 2. Iſa. 55. 1, 2.Song 4:10Song 4:14Song 4:16Isa 55:1Isa 55:2the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Grace is a ſweet Flower of Paradiſe, a ſpark of glory, &c. 'tis cheriſht and maintain'd by that ſweet word that's ſweeter then the honey, or the honeycombe, and by ſweet union and communion with the father and the Son: 'Tis exercis'd about the ſweeteſt objects, viz. Pſal. 119. 103. 1 John 1. 3, 4.Ps 119:1031 John 1:31 John 1:4God, Chriſt, Promiſes, and future Glory. It ſweetens all your ſervices, and duties; your beſt performances are but ſtinking ſacrifices, if they are not attended with the exerciſe of grace. Grace is that heavenly ſalt, that makes all our ſervices ſavoury and ſweet in the noſtrills of God. Grace is of the greateſt and ſweeteſt uſe to the ſoule; 'tis an Anchor at ſea, and a Shield at land; 'tis a ſtaffe to uphold the ſoule, and a ſword to defend the ſoule; 'tis bread to ſtrengthen the ſoule, and wine to cheer the ſoule; 'tis Phyſick to cure all diſeaſes, and a Plaiſter to heale all wounds, and a Cordiall to ſtrengthen the ſoule under all faintings, &c. Grace is thy eye to ſee for Chriſt, thy ear to hear for Chriſt, thy head to contrive for Chriſt, thy tongue to ſpeak for Chriſt, thy hand to doe for Chriſt, and thy feet to walk with Chriſt. Grace makes men of the forwardeſt, ſowreſt, crabbedſt natures, to be of a ſweet, lovely, amiable, pleaſing temper. It turnes Lyons into Lambs, Wolves into Sheep, Monſters into Iſa. 11. 7, 8, 9.Isa 11:7Isa 11:8Isa 11:9Men, and Men into Angels, as you may ſee in Manaſſes, Paul, Mary Magdalen, Zacheus, and others: Yet ſometimes La…imer told the Clergy, and the Biſhops, That if they would not learne diligence and vigilance of the Prophets and Apoſtles, they ſhould learne it of the Devill, who goes up and downe his di…ceſſe.Grace in a rugged unhewne nature, is like a gold ring on a leprous hand, or a Diamond ſet in iron, or a Jewel in a Swines ſnout, &c.

Sixthly, By way of Motive, conſider this, That wicked men doe exerciſe and improve to the uttermoſt, all thoſe principles of wickedneſſe that be in them, againſt the wayes of God, the honour of God, and the comforts of the Saints.

Now ſhall wicked men improve all their Principles to the uttermoſt againſt God, his truth, and Saints, &c. And ſhall not Saints improve their graces to the honour of God, the advancement of truth, and the joy and benefit one of another? You may ſee the activity of wicked mens ſpirits, in p. 199Prov. 4. 16. They ſleep not unleſſe they have done miſchief, and their ſleep is taken away, unleſſe they cauſe ſome to fall. Oh they cannot reſt. The wicked are like the troubled Sea (as Eſay ſpeaks) when it cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt up Iſa. 57. 20. 21. The Hebrew word foreign R…ſhang ſignifies properly foreign … laborious ſinner, a practitioner in ſin; The Verb Raſhang ſignifies to make a ſtir, to be exceeding buſie, unquiet, or troubleſome, &c.Isa 57:20Isa 57:21mire and dirt. So in 2 Pet. 2. 14. Having eyes full of adultery that cannot ceaſe from ſin, beguiling unſtable ſoules. An heart they have, exerciſed with covetous practices curſed children; they break all Promiſes and Covenants with God and man, as Sampſon did the new Ropes. So in Prov. 19. 19. A man of great wrath ſhall ſuffer puniſhment, for if thou deliver him, yet thou muſt doe it againe. The Hebrew word (Toſiph) ſignifies to adde; ſayes he, thou muſt adde deliverance to deliverance, for he will ſtill be a adding ſin to ſin: So the radix (Jaſaph) is uſed, Deut. 29. 19. and in ſeverall other Scriptures. Such ſinners make God a God of clouts, one that will not doe as he ſayes. Ahab after he was threatned with utter rooting out, begat fifty Sons, as it were to croſſe God, and to try it out with him. Let God thunder Jer. 9. 3.Jer 9:3in his judgements, yet he will add ſin to ſin, he will proceed from evill to evill, till he comes to the very top of evill, viz. to be hardned in ſin, and to ſcoffe at holineſſe, &c.

The old Italians were wont in time of thunder, to ſhoot Wi…neſſe Ahab, Hama…, Jehu, Jeroboa…, the ſo…le in the Goſpel, and thoſe in Mat. 23. 14, 15, 16.Matt 23:14Matt 23:15Matt 23:16off their greateſt Ordnance, and to ring their greateſt Bells, to drowne the noyſe of the Heavens: So let God thunder from Heaven, yet wicked men will ſo improve their wicked principles, that their conſciences may not hear the noyſe of the Thunder-claps of Divine diſpleaſure. The covetous man will improve his earthly Principles; and the ambtious man, his ambitious Principles; and the voluptuous man, his voluptuous principles; and the unchaſt man, his unclean principles; and the erroneous man, his erroneous Principles; and the blaſphemous man, his blaſphemous Principles, &c. Ah Sirs! ſhall wicked men thus improve their wicked Principles to the uttermoſt, againſt God, Chriſt, and Religion, and againſt the proſperity, peace, joy, and happineſſe of the Saints? And ſhall not Saints improve their graces to the uttermoſt, for the honour of the Lord, the advancement of Religion, and the mutuall profit and benefit of each other?

p. 200Seventhly, The more high and excellent any man is in grace, the more highly he ſhall be exalted in glory.

Oh therefore exerciſe your Grace, improve your grace; as you would be high in Heaven, labour to improve your graces much while you are here on earth; for glory will be given out at laſt according to the exerciſe and improvement of your grace.

The more high and improved a mans graces be, the more that man will doe for God; and the more any man doth for God, the more at laſt ſhall he receive from God, 1 Cor. 15. laſt. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, Darius before he came to the Kingdom, received a Ga…ment for a gift, of one Syloſ…, and when he became King, he rewarded him with the command of his Countrey Sanus, &c.alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord, foraſmuch as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. So Gal. 6. He that ſowes ſparingly, ſhall reap ſparingly; but he that ſowes liberally, ſhall reap liberally. The more any man hath improved his Grace, the more that man will be able to bare and ſuffer for God; and the more any man bears and ſuffers for God, the more glory ſhall that man have at laſt from God, Mat. 5. 11, 12. Bleſſed are ye when men ſhall revile you, and perſecute you, and ſhall ſay all manner of evill againſt you falſly for my ſake, rejoyce and be exceeding glad, or Leap and dance for joy: Why ſo? For great is your reward in heaven. God is a liberall Pay-maſter, and no ſmall things Chaire…e kai agal…iaſthe Leap & ſkip for joy, &c.can fall from ſo great and ſo gratious a hand as his. The more excellent any man is in Grace, the more he is the delight of God, Pſal. 16. 3, 4. My goodneſſe extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Now this is ſpoken in the perſon of Chriſt, for the Apoſtle applies theſe words to Chriſt: Now ſaith Chriſt, My goodneſſe reaches not to thee, oh father, Acts 2 25. The ſa he delights in all his Children, yet ſomtimes he delights more in one, then in another, &c.Acts 2:25but to the Saints, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. And doubtleſſe, they that are his greateſt delight on earth, ſhall be poſſeſt of the greateſt glory in Heaven. If fathers give the greateſt portions to thoſe Children in whom they delight, why ſhould not Chriſt? Is it equity in the one, and iniquity in the other? Surely no: Chriſt may doe with his owne as he pleaſes.

Againe, The more any man improves his Grace, the p. 201clearer, ſweeter, fuller, and richer is his injoyments of God here: There's no man in all the world that hath ſuch injoyments of God, as that man hath, that moſt improves his Graces. 'Tis not he that knows moſt, nor him that hears moſt, nor yet he that talkes moſt, but he that exerciſes Grace moſt, that hath moſt communion with God, that hath the cleareſt viſions of God, that hath the ſweeteſt diſcoveries, and manifeſtations of God. Now certainly if they that improve their graces moſt, have moſt of God here, then without controverſie, they ſhall have moſt of God hereafter. Doubtleſſe a man may as well plead for equall degrees of Grace in this world, as for equall degrees of glory in the other world.

Againe, If thoſe who are moſt graceleſſe and wicked, ſhall be moſt tormented, then certainly they that are moſt gracious, ſhall be moſt exalted in the day of Chriſt: But the more wicked any man is, the more ſhall he be tormented in the Mat. 23. 14. Luke 12. 47, 48.Matt 23:14Luke 12:47Luke 12:48day of vengeance. Woe to you Scribes and Phariſees, hypocrites, for ye ſhall receive the greater damnation. The darkeſt, the loweſt, the hotteſt place in hell, is provided for you; therefore it roundly followes, That thoſe that are moſt gracious, ſhall at laſt be moſt glorious.

And thus much for the Motives that tend to provoke all the precious Children of Zion, to make a through improvement of the Gifts and Graces that the Lord ha's beſtow'd upon them.

I ſhall now come to the reſolution of a weighty Queſtion, and ſo conclude this Point, (which I have been the longer upon, by reaſon of its very great uſefullneſſe in theſe dayes, wherein men ſtrive to exerciſe any thing, yea, every thing but grace and holineſſe, &c.)

Now the Queſtion is this.

When may a ſoule be ſaid to be excellent in Grace, or Queſt.to have highly improved Grace?

Now to this Queſtion I ſhall give theſe following Anſwers.

p. 202Firſt, A ſoule that's high and excellent in grace, that hath improved his Graces to a conſiderable height, will keepe humble and unſpotted under great outward injoyments. 'Tis ſaid of Daniel, that he had an excellent ſpirit; and herein Many are ſeemingly good, till they come to be great, and then they prove ſtark naught, l…ke the Monk in the Fable.did his excellent ſpirit appear, in that he was holy and humble in heart, though high in place and worth, &c. Dan. 6. 3-7. Daniel keeps humble and holy, when he is lifted high, yea, made the ſecond man in the Kingdome: Malice it ſelfe could not find any thing againſt him, but in the matter of his God. 'Tis much, to be very gracious when a man is very great; and to be high in holineſſe, when advanc'd to high places; uſually mens blood riſes with their outward good: Certainly they are worthy ones, and ſhall walk with Chriſt Rev. 3. 4.Rev 3:4in white, whoſe Garments are not defiled with greatneſſe, or riches, &c.

Secondly, They that have highly improved their graces, will comply with thoſe commands of God that croſſe nature, that are contrary to nature: And doubtleſſe that man ha's improv'd his graces to a very high rate, whoſe heart complies with thoſe Commands of God, that are croſſe and contrary to nature: As for a man to love them that loath him, Mat. 5. 44. They uſe to ſay, If any man would have Mr. Fox doe him a good turne, let him doe him an injury, &c.Matt 5:44to bleſſe them that curſe him, to pray for them that perſecute him, &c. 'Tis nothing to love them that love us, and to ſpeak well of them that ſpeak well of us; and to doe well, and carry it well towards them, that carry it well towards us: Oh! but for a man to love thoſe that hate him; to be courteous to them that are curriſh to him; to be ſweet to them that are bitter to him, &c. this ſtrongly demonſtrates a high improvement of grace. Certainly that man is very very good, who ha's learned that holy Leſſon of overcoming evill with good. Such a one was Stephen, Acts 7. 55—ult. Rom. 12. ult.Rom 12He was a man full of the holy Ghoſt: That is, of the Gifts and graces of the Holy Ghoſt; he was much in the exerciſe of Grace, he can pray, and ſigh for them, yea, even weepe teares of blood for them, who rejoyced to ſhed his blood: So did Chriſt weep over Jeruſalem, ſo did Titus, ſo did Marcellus over Syracuſe, ſo did Scipio over Carthage, but they ſhed teares for them, whoſe blood they were to ſhed; p. 203but Chriſt ſhed teares for them, who were to ſhed his blood. So Abraham being ſtrong in faith gave glory to God. How? Rom. 4.Rom 4why, by complying with thoſe commands of God, that were very contrary to fleſh and blood; as the offering up of his Son, his onelyonly Son, his beloved Son, his Son of the Promiſe, and by leaving his owne Countrey, and his near and dear relations, upon a word of Command. The Commands of God ſo change the whole man, and make him new, that you can hardly know him to be the ſame man, ſaith one. Well Sirs, Lactant. defalſa. ſapient. lib. 3. cap. …7.remember this, 'tis a dangerous thing to neglect one of his Commands (though it be never ſo croſſe to fleſh and blood) who by another is able to command you into nothing, or into hell. Let Luther hate me, and in his wrath call me a thouſand times Devill, yet I will love him, and acknowledge him to be a moſt precious ſervant of God, ſaith Calvin, &c.

Thirdly, conſider this, Such ſoules will follow the Lord fully, that have made an improvement of their graces. Oh! this was the glorious commendations of Caleb; and Joſhua, in Numb. 14. 24. that They followed the Lord fully, in the face of all difficulties and diſcouragements: They had another ſpirit in them, ſayes the Text, they would goe up and poſſeſſe the Land, though the Walls were as high as Heaven, and Veni, vidi, vici, I came, I ſaw, I overcame, ſaid that Emperour.the Sons of Anak were there; they made no more of it, then to goe ſee and conquer.

They followed the Lord fully: In the Hebrew it is, They fullfilled after me. The Hebrew word is a metaphor taken from a Ship under ſaile, that's carried with a ſtrong wind, as fearing neither Sands, nor Rocks, nor Shelves, &c. Such have little, if any thing of Chriſt within, who follow him by halves, or haltingly.

I remember Cyprian brings in the Devil triumphing over Chriſt thus, As for my followers, I never dyed for them, as Chriſt did for his, I never promiſed them ſo great reward, as Chriſt hath done to his, and yet I have more followers then he, and they doe more for me, then his doe for him. O where is that ſpirit in theſe dayes, that was upon thoſe Worthies? Pſal. 44. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falſely in thy Covenant; our p. 204heart is not turned backe, neither have our ſteps declined from thy way, though thou haſt ſore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of death.

Fourthly, Such ſoules that have improved their Graces to a conſiderable height, will bleſſe God as well when he frowns, as when he ſmiles.

As well when he takes, as when he gives; when he ſtrikes, as when he ſtrokes, as you may ſee by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together. When the Lord had ſtript Job of all, and had ſet him naked upon the dunghill, why then Job 1. …1. Levit. 10. 3. 2 Sam. 15. 25, 26. Iſa. 63. 14, 15.Job 1:1Lev 10:32 Sam 15:252 Sam 15:26Isa 63:14Isa 63:15ſayes Job, The Lord gives, and the Lord taketh away, and bleſſed be the name of the Lord. Where Grace is improved to a conſiderable height, it will work a ſoule to ſit downe ſatisfied with the naked injoyment of God, without other things. John 14. 8. Shew us the father, and it ſufficieth us. The ſight Chriſtus eſt mihi pro omnibus, ſayes a Chriſtian, as he ſaid, Plato eſt mihi pro omnibus.of the father without honours, the ſight of the father without riches, the ſight of the father without mens favour, will ſuffice the ſoule: As Jacob ſaid, It is enough that Joſeph is alive; ſo ſayes the ſoule that's high in Grace, 'tis enough that Jeſus is alive, &c.

Fifthly, Soules that have improved their Graces to a conſiderable height, will be good in bad times, and in bad places.

Such ſoules will bear up againſt the ſtream of evill examples, in the worſt of times, and in the worſt of places. Abraham Though the Fiſhes live in the ſalt ſea, yet they are freſh: So though ſoules eminently gracious, live among the wicked, yet they retaine their ſpiritualneſſe, freſhneſſe, and li…e.was righteous in Chaldea: Lot was juſt in Sodome: Daniel holy in Babylon: Job upright and fearing God, in the Land of Ʋz, which was a prophane and moſt abominable ſuperſtitious place: Nehemiah zealous in Damaſco. Oh take me a man that hath improved his grace, and the worſer the times are, the better that man will be; he will bear up bravely againſt the ſtream of evill examples; he will be very good, when times, and all round about him are very bad.

Some ſay that Roſes grow the ſweeter, when they are planted by Garlick: Verily Chriſtians that have gloriouſly improved their Graces, are like thoſe Roſes, they grow ſweeter, and ſweeter, holier and holier, by wicked men. The beſt p. 205Diamonds ſhine moſt in the dark, and ſo doe the beſt Chriſtians ſhine moſt in the worſt times.

Sixthly, Such turne their principles into practice. They turne their ſpeculations into power, their notions into ſpirit, their glorious inſide into a golden outſide, Pſal. 45. 13.

Seventhly, Such as have made a conſiderable improvement of their gifts and graces, Have hearts as large as their heads: Whereas moſt mens heads have outgrowne their hearts, &c.

Eighthly, Such are alwayes moſt buſied about the higheſt things, viz. God, Chriſt, Heaven, &c. Phil. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 4. ult. Rom. 8. 18.

Ninthly, Such are alwayes a doing or receiving good: As Chriſt went up and downe doing good, Mat. 4. 23. Chap. 9. 35. Mark 6. 6.

Tenthly, and laſtly, Such will mourne for wicked mens ſins, as well as their owne. O the teares, the ſighes, the groanes, Pſalm 119. Jer. 9. 1, 2. 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8, 9.Ps 119Jer 9:1Jer 9:22 Pet 2:72 Pet 2:82 Pet 2:9that others ſins fetch from theſe mens hearts! Pambus, in the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory, wept when he ſaw a Harlot dreſſed with much care and coſt, partly to ſee one take ſo much paines to goe to hell, and partly becauſe he had not been ſo carefull to pleaſe God, as ſhe had been to pleaſe a wanton Lover.

I have at this time onelyonly given you ſome ſhort hints, whereby you may know whether you have made any conſiderable improvement of that grace the Lord hath given you. I doe intend (by Divine permiſſion) in a convenient time to declare much more of this to the World: I ſhall follow all what ha's been ſaid, with my prayers, that it may help on your internall, and eternall welfare.