condition. Though there is nothing more dangerous—yet there is

condition. Though there is nothing more dangerous—yet there is

It is not falling into the water—but lying in the water, that drowns. It is not falling into sin—but lying in sin, that damns. If sin and your heart be two, Christ and your heart are one. If your heart is Christward, you are so happy that nothing can make you miserable.

6. Sixthly, Take heed of making sense and feeling a judge of your condition. Though there is nothing more dangerous—yet there is nothing more ordinary, than for weak saints to make their sense and feeling the judge of their condition. Ah, poor souls! this is dishonorable to God, and very disadvantageous to yourselves. Sense is sometimes opposite to reason—but always to faith; therefore do as those worthies did, 2 Cor. 5:8, 9, "We walk by faith—and not by sight." [Sense and reason in spiritual things, says Luther, is noxia bestia—a harmful beast, that will destroy and pull down what faith builds up.]

For a man to argue thus: Surely God is not my God, for I am not enlightened, I am not quickened, I am not melted, I am not raised, I am not enlarged as formerly. Oh! I have not those sweet answers and returns of prayer that once I had! Oh! I cannot find the Lord's quickening presence, nor his enlivening presence, nor his humbling presence, nor his encouraging presence, as once I have; therefore surely my condition is not good. Oh! I am more backward to good than formerly, and more prone to evil than formerly, therefore I am afraid that God is not my God, and that the work of grace is not thorough upon me. Oh! God does not look upon me as in the days of old, nor speak to me as in the days of old, nor behave towards me as in the days of old, and therefore I am afraid that all is naught.

Truly, if you will make sense and feeling the judge of your estate and condition, you will never have peace nor comfort all your days. Your estate, O Christian, may be very good, when sense and feeling says it is very bad. That child cannot but be perplexed, who thinks his father does not love him, because he does not always feel him smoothing and stroking of him. Christians, you must remember that it is one thing for God to love you—and another thing for God to tell you that

he loves you. Your happiness lies in the first—your comfort in the second. God has stopped his ear against the prayers of many a precious soul whom he has dearly loved. [Psalm 80:4; Lam. 3:34; Psalm 119:25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159; 42:5; Cant. 3:1-3; Isaiah 54:7-8.]

The best of men have at times lost that quickening, ravishing, and comforting presence of God, which once they have enjoyed. And truly, he who makes sense and carnal reason a judge of his condition, shall be happy and miserable, blessed and cursed, saved and lost, many times in a day, yes, in an hour! The counsel that I would give to such a soul that is apt to set up reason in the room of faith is this, Whatever your estate and condition be, never make sense and feeling the judge of it—but only the word of God. Did ever God appoint carnal reason, sense, and feeling, to be a judge of your spiritual estate? Surely not. And why, then, will you subject your soul to their judgments? God will judge you at last by his word: John 12:48, "The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge you in the last day."

Carnal reason is an enemy to faith; it is still a-crossing and contradicting of faith; it fills the mind full of cavils and prejudices, full of pleas and arguments, to keep Christ and the soul asunder, and the soul and the promises asunder, and the soul and peace and comfort asunder. It will never be well with you so long as you are swayed by carnal reason, and rely more upon your five senses than the four evangelists. Remember Job was as famous for his confidence as for his patience: "Though he slays me—yet will I trust in him," Job 13:15. As the body lives by breathing, so the soul lives by believing, etc.

IV. The Duties of Strong Saints to the Weak.

We come now to the last thing propounded, and that is, the duties of strong saints to those who are weak. I intend at this time to finish this point, and therefore shall not speak everything that might be spoken, being not of their minds, who think a man never speaks enough, who speaks not all that may be spoken to an argument. I shall, as near as I can, instance in those duties which are most weighty and worthy. And surely those souls who are serious and conscientious in the discharge of these, cannot, nor will not, be negligent in the discharge of the rest. Now there are eleven duties that strong saints are to perform to those who are weak.

And the first is this.

[1.] Those who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak.

Romans 15:1, "We then who are strong," says the apostle, "ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." The word that is rendered to bear signifies to bear as pillars do bear the weight and burden of the house; to bear as porters do bear their burdens, or as the bones do bear the flesh, or rather as parents bear their babes in their arms.

"Bear the infirmities." Mark, he does not say the enormities—but the infirmities; he does not say the wickedness—but the weakness. The strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak. The Lord bears with the weakness of his children. Peter is weak, and sinful through weakness; he will not let the Lord Jesus wash his feet, John 13; but the Lord Jesus knowing that this was from weakness, and not from wickedness, he passes it over, and notwithstanding his unkind refusal, he washes his feet. Thomas is very weak: "I will not believe," says he, "except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side," John 20:25. Now this Christ bears with much tenderness and sweetness, as you may see in ver. 27, "Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither your fingers, and behold my hands, and reach hither your hand, and thrust it into my side, and be

not faithless—but believing." The Lord Jesus does, as it were, open his wounds afresh; he overlooks his weakness. Well, says he, seeing it is so that you will not believe, I will rather bleed afresh than you shall die in your unbelief.

So the three disciples whom Christ had singled out to watch with him one hour, Mat. 26, they showed a great deal of weakness to be sleeping, when their Lord was a-sorrowing; to be snorting when their Savior was sighing, etc. Yet Christ bears this, and reacts sweetly towards them, and excuses their weakness: ver. 41, "The spirit is willing—but the flesh is weak." Oh how sweetly does the Lord behave! Every new man is two men; he has a contrary principle in him, the flesh and the spirit. The spirit, the noble part, is willing—but the flesh, the ignoble part, is weak and wayward.

Now shall the Lord thus bear with his weak ones, and shall not strong saints bear also? Remember, strong Christians, there was a day when you were as weak as others, as apt to fall as others, as easily conquered as others; and if then the Lord behaved sweetly towards you, let the same spirit be in you towards those who are weak. It will be no grief of heart to you, if in this you act like your Lord and Savior.

If you do not bear with the infirmities of the weak, who shall? who will? This wicked world cannot, nor will not. The world will make them transgressors for a word, and watch for their halting; and therefore you had need to bear with them so much the more, Isaiah 29:21, Jer. 20:10. The world's cruelty should stir up your compassions.

[2.] Secondly, As it is your duty to bear with them, so it is your duty to receive them into communion with you.

Romans 14:1, "Receive him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters." That is, him who is not thoroughly persuaded of all things pertaining to Christian liberty, about things

indifferent. He does not say, "Those who have no faith receive." For there is no rule for the saints or churches to receive them into communion, who have no faith, who have no fellowship with the Father and the Son. But "Receive him whose faith is weak."

The word that is here rendered receive, signifies to receive into our bosom with charitable affection. The Greek word signifies three things.

(1.) It signifies to receive weak saints into our heart; to receive them with the greatest tenderness, affection, pity, and compassion that possibly can be. So the same Greek word is used in the Epistle of Philemon, ver. 12, where Paul entreats Philemon "to receive Onesimus who is my very heart." The word there is the same word with this in the text. So must the strong receive the weak, even as their own heart; receive them with the greatest affection, with the greatest compassion that possibly can be.

(2.) The word signifies patiently to bear with the weak when they are received; and not to take them into your bosom, into your communion one day and cast them out the next—but patiently to bear with them, as well as affectionately to receive them.

It was the heathen prince Xerxes, who crowned his steersman in the morning—and beheaded him in the evening of the same day, etc.

(3.) The word signifies by fatherly instruction to seek to restore him. It is not the will of Christ that weak saints should be rejected, or that the door of entrance should be shut against them, until they are stronger, or until they have attained to such heights and such perfections of grace and divine enjoyments of God as others have attained. Remember this, as the weakest faith, if true, gives the soul a right to all that internal and eternal worth that is in Christ: so the weakest faith, if true, gives a man a real right unto all the external privileges and favors that come by Christ. In Romans 15:7, "Therefore receive one another—as Christ also received us to the

glory of God." This is the standing rule for all the saints and churches in the world to go by. It is not their wills—but these two scriptures last cited, which are the standing rules by which all the churches on earth are to go by, in the admission of members.

"Those who are weak in the faith" are to be received by you, because the Lord Jesus has received them. Christ does not receive the strong —and cast off the weak. No; the Lord Jesus gathers the weak into his bosom, and tenderly dandles them upon his knee. He receives the weak—as well as the strong; therefore says the apostle, "As the Lord has received them—so do you."

Bucer rejected none in whom he saw aliquid Christi—anything of Christ—but gave them the right hand of fellowship. Such people and churches can never answer it to Christ—who keep the door of admission shut against souls truly gracious, though they are but weak in grace, though they have not attained to such a measure of light, or degrees of love, or to such perfections in holiness—as such and such have done. No; the standing rule is, "Him whom the Lord has received—receive."

If weak saints shall desire communion, and be willing to walk in the ways that Jesus Christ has appointed his saints to walk in, the churches ought to give them the right hand of fellowship. And that is the second duty that lies upon the strong, namely, that they are to receive the weak into communion and fellowship with them, and that with the greatest affection, love, and compassion, that possibly can be.

A third duty that lies upon strong saints to the weak is this:

[3.] They must look more upon their graces—than upon their weaknesses.

It is a sad thing when they shall borrow spectacles to behold their weak brethren's weaknesses, and refuse looking-glasses wherein they may see their weak brethren's graces. Saints who are strong ought to

look more upon the virtues of weak saints than upon their miscarriages. When Christ saw but a little moral good in the young man, the text says that "He looked upon him, and loved him," Mark 10:12. And shall not we look upon a weak saint and love him, when we see the love of God and the image of God upon him. Shall moral virtue take the eye, and draw the love of Christ? And shall not supernatural grace in a weak Christian, take our eyes and draw our hearts? Shall we eye a little gold in much earth? And shall we not eye a little grace where there is much corruption? [If moral virtue could be seen with mortal eyes, it would soon draw all hearts to itself, says Plato. What, then, should grace do? the least grain of which is of more worth than all the moral virtues in the world.]

It is an unsufferable weakness, I had almost said, for people to allow their affections to run out only to such who are of their judgments; and to love, prize, and value people according as they suit their opinions—and not according to what of the image of God shines in them. But if this be not far from a gospel spirit, and from that Godlike spirit which should be in saints, I know nothing. It speaks out much of Christ within, to own where Christ owns, and love where Christ loves, and embrace where Christ embraces, and to be one with everyone that is practically one with the Lord Jesus. Christ cannot but take it very unkindly at our hands—if we should disown any upon whom he has set his royal stamp. And I bless his grace that has drawn out my desires and endeavors to love, own, and honor the people of Christ, according to the appearances of Christ which I see in them. And, if I am not much mistaken, this is the highway to that joy, peace, and comfort—the lack of which makes a man's life a hell. God looks more on the bright side of the cloud, than he does on the dark—and so should we.

It was the honor of Vespasian that "he was more ready to conceal the vices of his friends, than their virtues." Surely there is much of God in that soul, that is upon a gospel account more careful and skillful to conceal the vices of weak saints, than their virtues. Many in these days do justly incur the censure which that sour philosopher passed

upon grammarians, that "they were better acquainted with the evil of Ulysses, than with their own."

[4.] Fourthly, it is the duty of strong saints, in things indifferent—to deny themselves, to please the weak.

1 Cor. 8:13, "If what I eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don't want to make another Christian stumble." Strong saints must stand unchangeably resolved neither to give offence carelessly, nor to take offence causelessly. Says the apostle, I will not stand to dispute my Christian liberty—but will rather lay it down at my weak brother's feet, than I will by the use of it offend one for whom Christ has died. 1 Cor. 9:22, "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." That is, I condescended and went to the uttermost that I possibly could, without sin—to win and gain upon the weak; I displeased myself in things which were of an indifferent nature, to please them.

You ought not, O strong Christian, by the use of your Christian liberty, to put a stumbling-block before your weak brother. Romans 15:2, "We then who are strong, ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification." He does not say, Let everyone of us please the lust of his neighbor—but let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. Let us in things of an indifferent nature so yield as to please our neighbor. There were some who thought that they might observe days; others thought they might not. Some thought they might eat meat; others thought they might only eat vegetables. Why, says the apostle, in these things which are of an indifferent nature, I will rather displease and deny myself, to profit my neighbor, than I will, by the use of my liberty, occasion my neighbor to offend. Ay, this is true Christian love indeed, for a man to cross himself to please his neighbor, so it may be for his soul's edification. But this heavenly love is driven almost out of the world,

which causes men to dislike those things in others which they flatter in themselves.

A fifth duty incumbent upon strong saints is,

[5.] To support the weak.

1 Thes. 5:14, "Support the weak, be patient towards all men." Look, what the crutch is to the lame, and the beam of the house is to the ruinated house—that ought strong saints to be to the weak. Strong saints are to be crutches to the weak, they are to be, as it were, beams to bear up the weak. Strong saints are to set to their shoulder, to shore up the weak by their counsels, prayers, tears, and examples. Strong saints must not deal with the weak, as the herd of deer do with the wounded deer; they forsake it and push it away. Oh no! When a poor weak saint is wounded by a temptation, or by the power of some corruption, then those who are strong ought to support and support such a one, lest he be swallowed up in sorrow. When you who are strong see a weak saint staggering and reeling under a temptation or affliction, Oh, know it is then your duty to put both your hands underneath, to support him so that he faints not, that he miscarries not in such an hour. Isaiah 35:3, "Strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees." [Look, what the nurse is to the child, the oak to the ivy, the house to the vine; that should strong saints be to the weak, etc., 2 Cor. 2:7.]

"Strengthen the weak hands," that is, hands that hang down; "and confirm the feeble knees," that is, such knees that by reason of feebleness are ready to fall. Strengthen such, that is, encourage them, by casting in a promise, by casting in your experiences, or by casting in the experiences of other saints, that so they may be supported. It may be his case was once yours: if so, then tell him what promises did support you, what discoveries of God did uphold you; tell him what tastes, what sights, and what in-comes you had, and how bravely you did bear up, by the strength of his everlasting arms which were under you, etc.

A sixth duty that is incumbent upon strong saints is,

[6.] To take heed of making weak saints halt and go lame in a way of holiness, or of keeping them off from the ways of God, or of turning them out of the ways of God.

That is the meaning of that scripture, as I conceive, Luke 17:2. And of that, Mat. 18:10, "Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." You are apt to slight them because they are weak in grace and holiness, and so you are apt to cause them to halt; but take heed of this, they have glistening courtiers which attend them; therefore take heed that you do not offend them, for their angels, as so many champions, stand ready to right them and fight for them. A man were better offend and anger all the devils in hell, and all the witches in the world, than to anger and offend the least of Christ's little ones. If Cain despises Abel, God will arraign him for it: "Why is your countenance cast down?" Gen. 4:6. If Miriam does but mutter against Moses, God will spit in her face for it, Num. 12:14.

That is a very dreadful word, Mat. 18:6, "But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." You make nothing of it—but says Christ, take heed, "for it would be better that a millstone," a huge millstone, as the Greek word signifies, such a one as only a donkey can turn about; (this kind of punishment the greatest malefactors among the Jews were put to in those days, says Jerome), "and cast into the middle of the sea;" so it is word for word in the Greek, the middle being deepest and furthest off from the shore, rendering his condition most miserable and irrecoverable.

[7.] Seventhly, It is the duty of strong saints to suit all things to the capacity of the weak.

To suit all their prayers and all their discourses to the capacity of the weak. Paul was good at this: "To the weak became I as weak." Paul was a man as strong in natural and acquired parts as any living, and he knew how to word it, and to carry it in as lofty strains, as any who breathed—yet who more plain in his preaching than Paul? It has many a time made my heart sad, to think how those men will answer it in the day of Christ—who affect lofty strains, high notions, and cloudy expressions—who make the plain things of the gospel dark and obscure.

Many preachers in our days are like Heraclitus, who was called "the dark doctor;" they affect sublime notions, obscure expressions, uncouth phrases, making plain truths difficult, and easy truths hard. "They darken counsel with words without knowledge," Job 38:2. Studied expressions and high notions in a sermon, are like Asahel's carcass in the pathway, which did only stop men and make them gaze —but did no ways profit them or better them. It is better to present truth in her native plainness, than to hang her ears with counterfeit pearls.

That is a remarkable scripture, 1 Cor. 3:1-2, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual—but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able." The apostle did not soar aloft in the clouds, and express the mysteries of the gospel in such a dark obscure way as that poor creatures could not be able to understand the mind of God in it. No; but he suited all his discourses to their capacities; and so must you.

[8.] Eighthly, It is your duty to labor to strengthen weak saints against sin, and to draw them to holiness argumentatively.

When a strong saint comes to deal with one that is weak, and would strengthen him against sin, he must do it argumentatively; and when he would draw to holiness, he must do it argumentatively. 1 John 2:1-2, compared with chapter 1:7, 9, "My little children, these things I

write unto you—that you sin not." What things were those he wrote? Mark, chapter 1:7, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses from all sins." Here he fences them against sin, by one of the strongest and choicest arguments that the whole book of God affords, by an argument which is drawn from the soul's communion with God. And then in verse 9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father." Here the apostle labors to strengthen weak saints argumentatively, even by the strongest arguments that the whole book of God affords. So verses 12-13, "I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you, for his name's sake," etc. So in verse 18, "Little children, it is the last times, and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time." So verse 28, "And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does righteousness is born of him." You see in all these scriptures how the apostle labors to strengthen weak saints in a way of holiness, and to fence them against ways of wickedness argumentatively, and so must you; this being the ready way to convince them, and to make a conquest upon them, etc.

The ninth duty that lies upon strong saints is,

[9.] To cast a mantle over the infirmities of the weak.

Now there is a three-fold mantle that should be cast over the infirmities of the weak. There is a mantle of wisdom, a mantle of faithfulness, and a mantle of compassion, which is to be cast over all the infirmities of weak saints.

First, Strong saints are to cast a mantle of wisdom over the infirmities of weak saints. They are not to present their sins in that

ugliness, and with such aggravations, as may terrify, as may sink, as may make a weak saint to despair, or may drive him from the mercyseat, or as may keep him and Christ asunder, or as may unfit him for the discharge of pious duties. It is more a weakness than a virtue in strong Christians, when a weak saint is fallen, to aggravate his fall to the uttermost, and to present his sins in such a dreadful dress, as shall amaze him, etc. It often proves very prejudicial and dangerous to weak saints, when their infirmities are aggravated beyond Scripture grounds, and beyond what they are able to bear. He who shall lay the same strength to the rubbing of an glass dish, as he does to the rubbing of a pewter platter, instead of cleaning it, shall surely break it all to pieces. The application is easy, etc. [Parisiensis said sometimes concerning trifles: It is, said he, as if a man should see a fly or a flea on a man's forehead, and for that should presently take a hammer to knock him on the head to kill the fly.]

Secondly, There is a mantle of faithfulness which is to be cast over the infirmities of weak saints. A man should never reveal the infirmities of a weak saint, especially to such that have neither skill nor will to heal and bury them. The world will but blaspheme and blaze them abroad, to the dishonor of God, to the reproach of religion, and to the grief and scandal of the weak, etc. They will with Ham rather call upon others to scoff at them, than bring a mantle to cover them, etc. Ham was cursed because he revealed his father's nakedness to his brethren, when it was in his power to have covered it. He saw it, and might have drawn a curtain over it—but would not; and for this, by a spirit of prophecy, he was cursed by his father, Gen. 9:22. This age is full of such monsters, who rejoice to blaze abroad the infirmities of the saints, and these certainly justice has or will curse.

Thirdly, There is a mantle of compassion which must be cast over the weaknesses and infirmities of weak saints. When a weak man comes to see his sin, and the Lord gives him to lie down in the dust, and to take shame and confusion to himself, that he has dishonored God, and caused Christ to bleed afresh, and grieved the Spirit, etc.; oh now

you must draw a covering, and cast a mantle of love and compassion over his soul, that he may not be swallowed up with sorrow. Now you must confirm your love to him, and carry it with as great tenderness and sweetness after his fall, as if he had never fallen. This the apostle presses, 2 Cor. 2:7, "Love," says the wise man, "covers all sin." Love's mantle is very large. Love claps a plaster upon every sore; love has two hands, and makes use of both, to hide the scars of weak saints.

Christ, O strong saints, casts the mantle of his righteousness over your weaknesses, and will not you cast the mantle of love over your brother's infirmities? [I have known a good old man, said Bernard, who, when he had heard of any that had committed some notorious offence, was accustomed to say with himself, He fell today—so may I tomorrow, etc.]

[10.] Tenthly, It is the duty of strong saints to sympathize with the weak; to rejoice with them when they rejoice, and to mourn with them when they mourn.

2 Cor. 11:29, "Who is weak, and I am weak? who is scandalized, offended—and I am not on fire, burn not?"

Thuanus reports of Lodovicus Marsacus, a knight of France, when he was led with other martyrs that were bound with cords, going to execution, and he for his dignity was not bound, he cried, Give me my chains too, let me be a knight of the same order.

It should be between a strong saint and a weak, as it is between two lute-strings, which are tuned one to another; no sooner one is struck —but the other trembles; no sooner should a weak saint be struck— but the strong should tremble. "Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them," Heb. 13:3.

The Romans punished one that was seen looking out at his window with a crown of roses on his head, in a time of public calamity; and will not God punish those who do not sympathize with Joseph in his afflictions? Surely he will. Amos 6:1-14.

[11.] Lastly, It is the duty of the strong to give to the weak the honor which is due unto them.

1 Peter 3:7: They have the same name, the same baptism, the same profession, the same faith, the same hope, the same Christ, the same promises, the same dignity, and the same glory with you; therefore speak honorably of them, and behave honorably towards them. Let not those be under your feet—whom Christ has laid near his heart, etc. And so much for this second doctrine, that all saints are not of an equal size and growth in grace and holiness.

Third Doctrine

That the Lord Gives the Best gifts to his

Best Beloved Ones.

"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ!" Ephesians 3:8

I shall now proceed to the third doctrine, namely, Christ gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones.

We shall speak now to the word grace. The Greek word that is here rendered grace, has a twofold signification.

First, Sometimes it is taken for the gracious favor and good-will of God, whereby he is pleased of his own free love to accept and own poor sinners in the Son of his love, for his own. This is called the first grace, because it is the fountain of all other graces, and the spring from whence they flow. And it is therefore called grace, because it makes a man gracious with God.

Secondly, This word that is here rendered grace, is taken for the gifts of grace, and they are of two sorts, special or common. Common grace is that which hypocrites may have, and in which they may excel and go beyond the choicest saints, as in a gift of knowledge, a gift of utterance, a gift of prayer, a gift of tongues, etc. A man may have these, and many other excellent gifts, and yet eternally miscarry, yes, fall as low as hell; witness Judas, Demas, the scribes and pharisees, etc., Mat. 7:21-25.

Secondly, There is special grace, as faith, love, humility, meekness, which the apostle reckons up in Gal. 5:22-23.

Now here by grace you may either understand the gracious favor of God, "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this choice favor given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ," or else you may take it for the gifts of grace, both saving and common, which the apostle had given him, in order to the discharge of his ministerial office, which, by the special favor of God, he was advanced to.

The word grace being thus opened, we may from thence observe, that the Lord gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones.

"Unto me," says the apostle, "who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given."

For the opening and clearing of this point, I shall premise these four things.

I. To show you what those best gifts are, which God bestows upon his best beloved ones.

II. I shall show you the manner of his giving the best gifts to his beloved ones, or the difference there is between Christ's giving and the world's giving.

III. And then the excellency of those gifts which Christ gives, above all other gifts which the world gives.

IV. And lastly, The reason why Christ gives his best gifts to his best beloved ones.

The Ten Best Gifts are, which Christ Bestows Upon His Dearest Ones

I. For the first, What are those best gifts, which Christ bestows upon his best beloved ones?

I shall not instance in those common gifts which they have in common with others—but rather show unto you those special gifts which God bestows upon them; and of those I shall single out those which are most choice, and which carry most in them of the glory, favor, and "good will of him who dwelt in the bush."

And the first is this:

[1.] He gives LIGHT to his beloved ones. "Light is a pleasant thing to behold," as the wise man speaks, Eccles. 11:7. He gives spiritual light, which is a mercy of mercies. Eph. 5:14, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." [shine upon you. Life without light is but a lifeless life.] So John 1:7-9, "He was not that Light—but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light—which enlightens every man who comes into the world." He gives that light whereby his people are enabled to see sin to be the greatest evil, and himself to be the chief good. He gives that light which melts the soul, which humbles the soul, which warms the soul, which quickens the soul, which quiets the soul, and which gladdens

the soul. Man is not born with heavenly light in his heart, as he is born with a tongue in his mouth. Until Christ comes and sets up a light in the soul, the soul lives in darkness, and lies in darkness, yes, is darkness in the very abstract: Eph. 5:8, "You were once darkness— but now are you light in the Lord." Saints are always in the sunshine, therefore they should be like a crystal glass, with a light in the midst, which appears in every part. "But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings." Mal. 4:2. "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6

A Christian should be like the lamp in the story—which never went out. Were it not for the sun, it would be perpetual night in the world, notwithstanding all starlight, and torchlight, and moonlight. It is not the torchlight of natural parts and creature-comforts, nor the starlight of civil honesty and common gifts, nor yet the moonlight of temporary faith and formal profession—which can make day in the soul, until the Sun of righteousness rises and shines upon it. And that is the first thing he gives—light.

Now, the second thing he gives is,

[2.] REPENTANCE. Repentance is not a flower which grows in nature's garden. Acts 5:31, "Him has God the Father exalted to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." So in 2 Tim. 2:25, "The servant of the Lord must in meekness instruct those who oppose themselves, if God perhaps will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." By these scriptures, it is clear that repentance is no flower that grows in nature's garden, though Arminians teach and print, that if men will put out their power and their strength they may repent, etc. [2 Cor. 3:5. If there be such a power in fallen man to repent and believe, etc., to what purpose was the coming of Christ into the world? 1 John 2:9; 3:8. And why do natural men, when their consciences are awakened, so cry out, that they are as able to stop the sun in his course, to raise the

dead, and to make a world, as they are able of themselves to repent? etc.] But several that have been of this opinion, have experienced the falseness of it when it has been too late: "The Ethiopian cannot change his skin, nor the leopard his spots," Jer. 13:23. And certainly, if there were such a power in man to repent, as some would make the world believe, man would never miscarry everlastingly for his not repenting. Oh, is it good dwelling with everlasting burnings, with a burning fire? Is it good being forever shut out from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power? Certainly, if there were such a power in vain man to repent, no man would go to hell for not repenting; and many who have boasted much of their abilities to repent, when they have been upon a dying bed, would have given a thousand worlds, were there so many in their power, that they could but repent.

Luther confesses, that before his conversion, he met not with a more displeasing word in all the study of divinity than this word repent; but after the Lord had converted him, and manifested himself to him, he delighted in this work; then he could sorrow for his sins, and rejoice in his sorrow.

Repentance strips the soul stark naked of all the garments of the old Adam, and leaves not so much as the shirt behind. In this rotten building there is not one stone left upon another. As the flood drowned Noah's own friends and servants, as well as strangers, so true repentance drowns all darling lusts. True repentance is the cutting off the right hand, and the pulling out of the right eye; and is this such an easy thing? Surely not! True repentance is a gift that is from above, and if the Lord does not give it, man will eternally perish for the lack of it. You may read much more of this in my treatise called Heaven on Earth.

[3.] Christ gives his SPIRIT. Romans 5:5, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is given unto us." So in 1 John 3:24, "And hereby we know that he abides in us." How? "By the Spirit whom he has given us." So in chapter 4:13. The Spirit whom

the Lord Christ gives—is an enlightening Spirit, it is the candle of the Lord set up in the hearts of the saints, to guide them in the way everlasting. It is a sanctifying Spirit, a Spirit of burning, Isaiah 4:4. He is a fire to enlighten the soul, and a fire to enliven the soul, and a fire to warm the soul, etc. Whatever is of the Spirit is spirit. It is nimble, and lively, and active, and full of life and motion, as the Spirit is. A man without the Spirit of the Lord is a dull, dronish creature. As the Latins call a dull, dronish man, a fireless man, so we may call a man who has not the Spirit, a spiritless man. The Spirit that Christ gives is a sealing Spirit, Eph. 1:13; and a leading Spirit, "those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." Romans 8:14. He leads from sin, he leads from wrath, he leads from the curse; he leads to God, he leads to Christ, he leads to the promises, he leads to glory, etc.

Again, this Spirit is a comforting Spirit, John 4:16; and a pleading Spirit, Romans 8:26. Every Christian has three advocates pleading for him: the first is, that divine love which is in the bosom of the Father; the second is, the Lord Jesus who is at the right hand of the Father; and the third is, the Holy Spirit who is one with the Father.

[4.] He gives his BLOOD. The blood of Christ is a gift of Christ to his beloved ones. Mat 20:28, "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto—but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." So in John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep." His blood was the purest blood, his human nature being most pure. His blood was the noblest blood, and therefore called in Scripture, "the blood of God," Romans 3:25 and Acts 20:28, by reason of the conjunction of the divine nature with the human. It was his life-blood, his heart-blood which he gave. It was not the blood of his finger—but the blood of his heart; it was precious blood. "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers—but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19

Three things are called precious in the Scripture.

(1.) Faith is called precious faith, 2 Peter 1:1.

(2.) The promises are called precious promises, ver. 4.

(3.) The blood of Christ is called precious blood, 1 Peter 1:19.

All your precious mercies swim to you in precious blood, as you may see by comparing these scriptures together. [Romans 5:9; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:7, 26, 10:19; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5, etc.]

It was an excellent saying of Luther, speaking of this blood of Christ, One little drop of this blood, is more worth than heaven and earth! Your pardon swims to you in blood; your peace with God swims to you in blood; your reconciliation is made by blood; your acceptance is wrought by blood, etc. Christ's blood is heaven's key; Christ's blood is a preservative against the greatest evils. Christ's blood, as Pliny says of polium, is a preservative against serpents, etc.

[5.] Christ gives PARDON of sin. And do you know what a mercy that is? Ask the troubled soul, ask the soul who knows what it is to lie under the wrath of the Almighty, and he will tell you that pardon of sin is a gift more worth than a thousand worlds. Now that pardon of sin is a gift of God, you may see in Acts 5:31, "Him has God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." [To his right hand; that is, to honor and dignity, etc.] So in Acts 26:18. Ah, souls! of all mercies, pardoning mercy is the most necessary mercy. I may go to heaven without honors, and without riches, and without the smiles of creatures; but I can never to heaven without pardoning mercy. A man may be great and graceless, he may be rich and miserable, he may be honorable and damnable, etc., [As Ahab, Haman, Dives, etc.] But a pardoned soul must be a very blessed soul.

Psalm 32:1-2. "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does

not count against him." [Blessednesses. In the plural, pardon of sin includes a plurality of mercies, a chain of pearls, a chain of blessings.] It entitles souls to all blessedness, it puts the royal crown upon their heads. Of all mercies, pardoning mercy is the most sweetening mercy; it is a choice jewel, and swims to the soul in blood, Heb. 9:22. It is a mercy which makes all other mercies to look like mercies, and taste like mercies, and work like mercies; and the lack of it takes off the glory and beauty of all a man's other mercies, and makes his life a very hell. Pardon of sin is a voluminous mercy, a mercy which has many, many precious mercies in its womb! You may well call it Gad, Gen. 30:11, for it ushers in troops of mercy. When you can number the sands of the sea, and count the stars of heaven, then, and not until then, shall you be able to recount the mercies which attend pardoning mercy. He who has this mercy cannot be miserable, and he who lacks it cannot be happy: get this and get all, miss this and miss all. Pardoning mercy is a gift conferred only upon Christ's favorites: "Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you," Mat. 9:2. No mercy will make a man everlastingly blissful—but pardoning mercy. He has no reason to be sad—who has his pardon in his bosom; nor has he has any reason to be glad, who is upon the last step of the ladder, ready to be turned off without his pardon. And this is the fifth gift that Christ gives to his, namely, pardon of sin.

[6.] Christ gives precious PROMISES. 2 Peter 1:4, "He has given unto us exceeding great and precious promises," etc. The promises are a precious book; every leaf drops myrrh and mercy. The promises are golden vessels, which are laden with the choicest jewels which heaven can afford, or the soul can desire. All our spiritual, temporal, and eternal good is to be found in the belly of the promises. [The promises are precious beds of spices; they are bottles filled with those heavenly dews that will never fail, like that of Hagar's—but will uphold and nourish the soul to life eternal, etc.]

Promises are big-bellied mercies. There is nothing you can truly call a mercy—but you will find it in the belly of a promise. Under all

changes they are the comfort, support, and relief of the soul: Psalm 119:49-50, "Remember your word unto your servant, upon which you have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for your word has quickened me." If the soul groans under the power of sin, then that promise relieves it: Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law—but under grace."

If the soul groans under the guilt of sin, then that promise relieves it: Jer. 33:8, "I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me," etc. And that promise, "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I," whom you have offended; "I, even I," whom you have provoked; "I, even I," whose glorious name you have profaned; "I, even I," whose righteous law you have violated; "I, even I," whose holy covenant you have transgressed; "I, even I," whose mercies you have despised; "I, even I, whose chastisements you have slighted," will blot out your transgressions for my own sake." "I, even I," is a passionate and emphatic expression. God's goodness runs over to sinful creatures; and "where sin abounds, there grace does superabound."

If the creditor himself blots out the debt, and crosses the book— surely it shall never more be remembered. [Mat. 6:12, 14-15, and 18:24, 27, 33; Luke 7:41-48.] Our sins are debts, which God, who has the power of life and death, of heaven and hell, of condemning and absolving—has engaged himself to blot out as a thick cloud: Isaiah 44:22, "I have blotted out as a thick cloud your transgressions, and as a cloud your sins." An under-officer may blot out an indictment, and yet the offender may be never the better for it; but if the king, who is the supreme judge, shall blot it out, then the offender is safe. The application is easy.

If the soul is deserted, then that promise relieves it: Micah 7:18-19, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us," etc. If the soul is slipping and ready to fall, then that promise supports and upholds it: Psalm 37:24, "Though he stumbles, he will not fall, for the Lord

upholds him with his hand." Deut. 33:26-27. The Hebrew particle notes a continued act of God. God has still his everlasting arms under his people, so that they shall never totally nor finally fall. And the root samach, from whence this word is derived, signifies to sustain or uphold, as the tender mother does the little babe. The safety and security of the child lies not so much in the child's hanging about the mother's neck, as in the mother's holding it fast in her arms. So our safety and security lies not so much in our weak holding upon Christ —but in Christ's holding of us fast in his everlasting arms. This is our glory and our safety, that Christ's "left hand is always under us, and his right hand does always embrace us," Cant. 2:6. "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28

If the soul be forsaken by friends, then that promise relieves it, Heb. 13:5, 6, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." There are five negatives in the Greek to assure God's people that he will never forsake them. Five times this precious promise is renewed in the Scripture, that we might have the stronger consolation, and that we may press and squeeze it until we have gotten all the sweetness out of it. And truly many precious souls have sucked much sweetness out of the breasts of this promise, when their nearest relations and their dearest friends have forsaken them and forgotten them. God loves that his people should plead his promises; and he who does shall find God near him, though friends should leave him, and the world be in arms against him, etc.

If the soul be tempted, then that word of promise relieves it, 1 Cor. 10:13, "But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able," etc. The promises are a Christian's magna charta; they are his chief evidences for heaven. Men highly prize their charters and privileges, and carefully keep the titles and deeds of their lands. Oh! how should saints then treasure up and keep these precious promises which the Lord has given them, and which are to them, for their protection, maintenance, deliverance, comfort, and

everlasting happiness! And thus much for the sixth gift the Lord gives, viz, the promises.

[7.] The Lord gives GRACE."Of his fullness we all have received grace for grace," John 1:16. The Lord gives that grace, the least grain of which is worth more than heaven and earth.

It was an excellent saying of one of Jerome, "I had rather have Paul's coat with his heavenly graces, than the purple robes of kings with their kingdoms." Grace is that which truly ennobles the soul; it raises the soul up to converse with the highest and with the noblest objects; and every man is, as the objects are, with which he converses. If the objects are noble—the man is so; if the objects are base with which a man converses—the man is base. [Not race or place—but grace, truly sets forth a man.] A man may better know what he is, by eyeing the objects with which his soul does mostly converse—than by observing his most glorious and pompous services: "The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor," Proverbs 12:26. Abraham was a prince of God among the Hittites, Gen. 23:6. The Jews say that those seventy people who went down with Jacob into Egypt were more worth than the seventy nations of the world. Indeed, it is only grace which makes a man truly noble.

When one heard the king of Persia styled "the Great King," says he, I acknowledge none more excellent than myself, unless more righteous; nor none greater, unless better. Grace, as it is bred by the noblest means, so it is preserved and maintained in the soul by the choicest means—union and communion with God, etc. Grace is glory in the bud—and glory is grace at the full. Grace makes a man all glorious within and without. Grace is a ring of gold, and Christ is the sparkling diamond in that ring.

[8.] He gives PEACE.John 14:27, "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, give I unto you." Christ gives peace with God, and peace with conscience, and peace with the

creatures. Dulce nomen pacis—the very name of peace is sweet, Romans 5:1, Hosea 2:21-23, Job 5:19-25.

The Hebrews, when they wished all happiness to any, used but this one word, "Peace be with you!" And the ancients were accustomed to paint peace in the form of a woman, with a horn of plenty in her hand—all blessings. Ask a soul who has been under terrors of conscience, and he will tell you, that of all gifts, inward peace is the most princely gift, etc. [Martinus the emperor's motto was, Give me peace, and let others quarrel.]

[9.] He gives GLORY. John 10:28, "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life." Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death—but the gift of God is eternal life."

Now the glory which Christ gives is real glory: 2 Tim. 4:7-8, "Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of glory." The Greek word signifies two things: 1, a designation of a crown; 2, a reservation and safe keeping of it for him until the coronation day.

Again, the glory which he gives is soul-filling glory; glory which fills the understanding with the clearest and the brightest light; glory which fills the will with the greatest freedom; glory which fills the affections with the choicest joy and delight, Psalm 16:11, and 17:15, 2 Cor. 12:1-6.

Again, the glory he gives is incomparable glory: Romans 8:18, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." The Greek word that is here rendered I reckon, is not a word of doubting—but a word of concluding. I conclude by arguments—that our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared to that illustrious and glorious glory "that is ready to be revealed on us," as it is in the Greek. I have cast up the account, says the apostle, as wise merchants cast up theirs, and I find in the balancing of the account—

that there is nothing to be compared with that glory which shall be revealed in us.

Again, the glory he gives is unmoveable glory. All worldly glory is tottering and shaking. Princes' crowns hang now but upon one side of their heads. "The Lord Almighty has purposed to stain" (or pollute) "the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth," Isaiah 23:9. "The Lord has purposed it," and the counsel of the Lord shall stand! It is agreed upon in heaven, that the pride of all human glory shall be stained and polluted, or thrown down, as some polluted filthy thing that is trampled under foot. Oh! but this glory which Christ gives is unmoveable glory—it is permanent glory; it is glory which cannot be changed, stained, or polluted, Heb. 12:28.

Again, the glory he gives is suitable glory. It is glory which is suited to the backs, hearts, hopes, desires, and capacities of his servants, John 14:1-3.

Again, the glory he gives is never-fading glory; it is glory which fades not away. When a man has been in heaven as many millions of years as there are stars in heaven, his glory shall be as fresh and as green as it was at his first entrance into heaven. All worldly glory is like the flowers of the field; but the glory that Christ gives is lasting and durable like himself, etc. "And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." 1 Peter 5:4

[10.] Lastly, He gives HIMSELF. And truly this is a gift of gifts indeed, John 6:51, 63; so in Eph. 5:20. A saint may say, Methinks I hear Christ saying to me as Æschines said to Socrates, "Others," said he, "give you silver and gold, and precious jewels—but I give you myself." So the soul may say, One friend gives me bread, and another gives me clothes, and another gives me house-room, etc. Oh! but you give me yourself! Christ put into the balance will outweigh all other gifts which he bestows upon men.

Christ is the richest gift. Oh! there are unsearchable riches in Christ, as hereafter I shall show you. [Austin prays: Lord, whatever you have given, take all away; only give me yourself.]

Jesus is the choicest and the rarest gift; he is a gift given but to a few. Rich and rare jewels are not commonlygiven—but more rarely given; so is Christ. Though Israel be "as the sand of the sea—yet a remnant only shall be saved," Romans 9:17. "A garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed, is my well-beloved," Cant. 4:12. "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's pleasure to give you a kingdom," Luke 12:32.

Christ is a drawing gift, a gift which brings all other gifts along with him. "If he has given us his Son, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32. Christ is a drawing gift. When God the Father has cast this incomparable jewel into a man's bosom, he cannot deny him anything. Such a soul may well say, Has he given me a Christ? and will he not give me a crumb? Has he given me his Son, which is the greatest mercy? and will he stand with me for lesser mercies? Surely not!

In a word, Christ is of all gifts the sweetest gift. As the tree, Exod. 15:25, sweetened the bitter waters, so this gift, the Lord Jesus, of whom that tree was a type—sweetens all other gifts which are bestowed upon the sons of men. He turns every bitter into sweet, and makes every sweet more sweet.

And so I come to the second thing propounded, and that was,

The Difference Between Christ's Giving and the World's Giving

II. The difference between Christ's giving and the world's giving. And this I shall show you in the following particulars:

[1.] First, The world gives—but they give grudgingly. But when Christ gives, he gives freely. lsa. 55:1, "Ho, everyone who thirsts, let him come, and buy wine and milk without money, and without price." So in Rev. 21:6, "I will give to everyone that is athirst of the water of life freely." To do good, and not to do it freely, handsomely, is nothing. A benefit given with grudging is a stony loaf, only taken for necessity. [2 Cor. 9:7; 1 Peter 4:9. No offerings compared to free-will offerings.]

[2.] Secondly, The world gives—but they give poorly, niggardly. But Christ gives plenteously, richly. 1 Tim. 6:17, "Charge those who are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches—but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." [Saul had but five-pence to give the seer; the seer, after much good cheer, gives him no less than the kingdom, 1 Sam. 9:8, 10. So God deals with his.]

When Caesar gave one a great reward, "This," says he, "is too great a gift for me to receive;" "But," says Caesar, "it is not too great a gift for me to give." So, though the least gift that Christ gives, in some sense, is too much for us to receive—yet the greatest gifts are not too great for Christ to give.

It is said of Araunah, that noble Jebusite, renowned for his bounty, that "he had but a subject's purse—but a king's heart." But the Lord Jesus has not only a king's heart—but he has also a king's purse, and gives accordingly.

[3.] Thirdly, The world give—but they give tauntingly, they give upbraidingly; they hit men in the teeth with the gifts they give. But the Lord Jesus Christ gives, and he gives willingly, he upbraids none with the gifts he gives.James 1:5, "If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask it of God, who gives liberally, and upbraids no man." Where Christ gives, there he won't upbraid, neither with present failings nor former infirmities. Christ is not accustomed to reproach those to whom he gives the best gifts; he will not cast it in their dish, that he has been thus and thus kind to them—but will always "rejoice over

them to do them good." But the world gives, and then reproaches the receiver for receiving, and this turns all into gall and wormwood, etc. [Jer. 32:40, 41; Proverbs 1:20-26; 8:1-13; and 9:1-7.]

[4.] Fourthly, The world gives—but they give more rarely. But Christ gives, and he gives frequently. He is every day, every hour, yes, every moment, a-giving of royal favors to his people. Here is peace for you who are in trouble, says Christ; and here is pardon for you who groan under guilt, says Christ; and here is comfort for you who are mourners in Zion, says Christ, etc. His hand is ever in his purse, he is still a-scattering pearls of glory, ay, the very jewels of his crown, among the beloved of his soul. [Augustus, in his solemn feasts, gave gold to some, and trifles to others. The Lord gives the gold, the best things, to his own; but the trifles of this world to the men of the world.]

[5.] Fifthly, The world gives—but they give the worst, and keep the best. But Christ gives the best, he gives the best of the best. He gives the best joy; the best comfort, the best peace, the best love, the best assistance, etc., he gives adoption, remission, justification, sanctification, acceptance, reconciliation, and glorification, etc. He gives the best. The world gives groats, ay—but Christ gives gold, 2 Cor. 9:15, 1 Peter 1:8, Philip. 4:7, Psalm 88:10-11.

[6.] Sixthly, The world gives a little, that they may give no more. But Christ gives—that he may give. He gives a little grace that he may give grace upon grace. He gives a little comfort—that he may give fullness of comfort, John 1:16. He gives some sips—that he may give full draughts, he gives pence—that he may give pounds, and he gives pounds—that he may give hundreds.

The third particular that I am to show you is,

The Excellency of those Gifts which Christ Gives

III. The EXCELLENCY of those gifts which Christ gives, above all other gifts which the world gives. In this I shall mind brevity, and,

[1.] First, The gifts which Christ gives to his people, are SPIRITUAL and HEAVENLY gifts, as is most clear by what has been already said, and the spirituality of them does demonstrate the excellency of them. And doubtless the more spiritual any gift, any promise, any truth, any prayer, or any service is, the more excellent is that gift, etc. All Christ's gifts are like himself, spiritual and heavenly.

[2.] Secondly, They are pure gifts. Christ gives wine without water, light without darkness, gold without dross, and sweet without bitter, Rev. 22:1, James 3:17. There is much dross and poison in the gifts which the world gives—but there is none in the gifts which Christ gives. The streams are as the fountain is; the fountain is pure, and so are the streams. The branches are as the root is; the root is pure, and so are the branches.

[3.] Thirdly, The gifts which Christ gives are SOUL-SATISFYING gifts. They are such as are suitable to the soul, and therefore they satisfy the soul. Things satisfy as they suit. There is a good—and there is a suitable good. Now, it is only the suitable good which satisfies the soul of man. A pardon is most suitable to a condemned man—and therefore it best satisfies him. Health is most suitable to the sick—and therefore it satisfies when it is attained, etc. As bread satisfies the hungry soul, and drink the thirsty soul, and clothing the naked soul—so do the precious gifts which Christ bestows upon the soul satisfy the soul. The light, the love, the joy, the peace, the fellowship, etc., which Christ gives, does abundantly satisfy the soul, Jer. 31:15-16; Psalm 90:14, 36:8, 63:5, 65:4.

Oh—but the gifts which this world gives can never satisfy the soul: Eccles. 5:10, "He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance with increase." A man may as soon fill a chest with grace, or a quart-pot with virtue, as a heart with wealth. If Alexander conquers one world, he will wish for another to conquer. [The creature is all shadow and vanity; it is like Jonah's gourd; it is now nourishing, and now dying, etc.]

[4.] Fourthly, The gifts which Christ gives are most PERMANENT and lasting gifts. The grace he gives is called "an immortal seed," 1 John 3:9; and the glory he gives is called "everlasting glory," Romans 2:7. The gifts of the world are fading, 2 Peter 1:11. A false oath, a spark of fire, a storm at sea, a treacherous friend—brings all to nothing in a moment. Sad experience does every day confirm this.

[5.] Fifthly, and lastly, The gifts which Christ gives are the most USEFUL gifts. They are useful to the strengthening of the soul against temptations, and to the supporting of the soul under afflictions, and to the sweetening of all changes; health and sickness, strength and weakness, plenty and poverty, honor or disgrace, life or death. Oh—but worldly gifts cannot bear up the spirits of men from fainting and sinking when trials come, when troubles come. [The golden crown cannot cure the headache, nor the chain of pearl cannot cure the toothache. The monk rolled his hands up and down in a basin full of coins, thinking to cure his gout—but it would not do.]

The precious gifts which Christ gives his, will bear up their heads above all waters, etc. Of all gifts, they are the most useful for the producing of the most noble effects. There are no gifts which produce such effects—as the precious gifts which Christ gives. They raise men up to much life and activity; they make souls strong to do for God, to bear for God, to suffer for God; to be anything, to be nothing, that God may be "all in all." They raise the strongest joy, the most lasting comfort, and the purest peace. There are no gifts which draw out that thankfulness, and raise up to that fruitfulness, as the gifts which

Jesus Christ gives. And so much for that third head, namely, the excellency of those gifts which Christ gives above all other gifts whatever.

I come now to the fourth head, and that is,

IV. The Reasons Why God Gives His Best Gifts to His Dearest Ones.

I shall only give you these six:

[1.] First, Because he loves them with the dearest, with the choicest, and with the strongest love; therefore he gives them the best gifts.

Christ does not love believers with a low, flat, dull, common love, with such a love as most men love one another with—but with a love that is like himself. Now, men will give as they love: 1 Sam. 1:4-5, "And Elkanah gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all his sons and daughters, portions—but unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion, for he loved her." In the Hebrew it is, "he gave her a gift of the face;" that is, a great, an honorable gift. Men look upon great and honorable gifts with a sweet and cheerful countenance; so the gifts which Jesus Christ gives to believers are the gifts of the face, that is, they are the greatest gifts, the honorablest gifts, the choicest gifts—gifts fit for none but a king to give.

Augustus, in his solemn feasts, gave trifles to some—but gold to others. The Lord Jesus scatters the trifles of this world up and down; as Luther well speaks, "The whole Turkish empire is but a crust that God throws to a dog." God scatters giftless gifts, namely, the honors, riches, and favors of this world, up and down among the worst of men; [The world is a carcass, and those who hunt after it are dogs.]

but as for his gold—his Spirit, his grace, his Son, his favor—these are jewels which only casts into the bosom of saints, and that because he dearly loves them.

[2.] Secondly, Christ gives the best gifts to his people, because they are best principled and fitted to make a divine improvement of them.

There are no men on earth who are principled and fitted for the improvement of the special gifts which Christ gives, but his own people. [Wicked men are only principled to abuse mercy, which occasions God so often to rain hell out of heaven upon them, as he did once upon Sodom and Gomorrah for abusing of mercy.] None have such principles of wisdom, love, holiness, and faithfulness to make an improvement of the joy, the peace, the comfort, that the Lord gives as his people. Abraham gave unto "the sons of the concubines gifts, and sent them away; but unto Isaac he gave all that he had," Gen. 25:5. As Isaac was better beloved than the concubines' sons, so Isaac was better principled to improve love than they were. The application is easy.

[3.] Thirdly, He does it upon this account, that he may the more endear the hearts of his people to him.

The greatest design of Christ in this world is mightily to endear the hearts of his people; and indeed it was that which was in his eye and upon his heart from all eternity. It was this design which caused him to lay down his crown—and to take up our cross, to put off his robes —and to put on our rags, to be condemned—that we might be justified, to undergo the wrath of the Almighty—that we might forever be in the arms of his mercy. He gives his Spirit, his grace, yes, and his very self—and all to endear the hearts of his people to himself.

When Isaac would endear the heart of Rebekah, then the bracelets, the jewels, and the earrings are cast into her lap, Gen. 24:53. So the Lord Jesus casts his heavenly bracelets, jewels, and earrings into the

laps of his people, out of a design to endear himself unto them. Proverbs 17:8, "A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him who has it; whithersoever it turns, it prospers." In the Hebrew it is thus, "a gift is as a stone of grace," that is, it makes a man very acceptable and gracious in the eyes of others. A gift is like that precious stone pantarbe, which has a marvelous conciliating property in it; or like the wonder-working loadstone, which, as some writers observe, has among other properties this—that it makes these that have it wellspoken men and well accepted of princes. Certainly the gifts which Jesus Christ gives to his do render him very acceptable and precious in their eyes.

Christ to them is the crown of crowns, the heaven of heavens, the glory of glories; he is the most sparkling diamond in the ring of glory! Proverbs 18:16, "A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men." The gifts which Jesus Christ gives widen the heart and enlarge the soul of a believer to take in more of himself. Naturally we are narrow-mouthed heavenward, and wide-mouthed earthward; but the Lord Jesus, by casting in his jewels, his pearls, his precious gifts, into the soul, does widen the soul, and enlarge the soul, and make it more capacious to entertain himself. Christ by his gifts causes all doors to stand open, that "the King of glory may enter in," Psalm 24:7-10.

[4.] Now the fourth reason of the point is, because Christ expects more from his people, than he does from all the world besides, therefore he gives them the best gifts.

Where the Lord expects and looks for most, there he gives most. Though believers are but "a little flock," though they are but "a remnant," though they are but "a fountain sealed, a spring shut up, a garden enclosed," yet Christ looks for more from them, than from all the world besides. He looks for more love from them, than from all the world besides; and he expects more service from them, than from all the world besides; and he looks for more honor from them than from all the world besides: Mal. 1:6, "A son honors his father, and a

servant his master. If I am your father, where is my honor? and if I am your master, where is my fear?" He looks for more fear from them than from all the world besides, and for more prayers and praises from them than from all the world besides.

[5.] Fifthly, The Lord Jesus gives the best gifts to his own people, that he may fence and strengthen them against the worst temptations.

There are no men on earth who lie so open to temptations, as saints. The best men have been always the most tempted. The more excellent any man is in grace and holiness, the more shall that man be followed with temptations, as you may see in David, who was tempted by Satan to number the people; and Job, to curse God and die; and Peter, to deny Christ; and so Paul was buffeted, yes, and Christ himself most grievously assaulted. The Lord knows well enough that Satan has a cruel eye, an envious eye, a malicious eye upon his beloved ones; and therefore he is pleased, by his precious gifts, to strengthen them against his assaults. What Paul once said concerning bonds and afflictions, that they attended him "in every place," that may believers say concerning temptations—that they attend them in "every place," in every calling, in every condition, in every company, in every service, etc. As now, that the hearts of his people and temptations may not meet—the Lord is pleased to give them the best and choicest gifts.

Austin thanked God for this, that his heart and the temptations did not meet. The Lord has on purpose given these glorious gifts into the hearts of his saints, that their souls and temptations may be kept asunder; that though they be tempted—yet they may not be conquered; though they be assaulted—yet they may not be vanquished. Basil, Luther, Vincentius, and that famous marquis Carraciolus, etc., met with very strange and strong temptations—but the precious gifts which the Lord had cast into their bosoms made them triumph over all. Oh that grace, that peace, that life, that love, that communion with which the Lord had crowned them, made them too great, too noble, and too glorious to yield to any temptations with

which they were beset. It was their pleasure to overcome offered pleasure; their honor to overcome offered honor; their greatness to overcome offered greatness. When one of them was tempted with money and preferment, he scorned the offers, saying, Give me money that may last forever, and glory that may eternally flourish.

Jerome tells a story of a Christian soldier, whom when the praetor could not by any torments remove from Christianity, he commanded him to be laid on a bed in a pleasant garden, among the flourishing and fragrant flowers; which done, all others withdrawing, a most beautiful harlot came to him, and used all art to destroy his soul; but the Christian soldier being filled with the royal gifts of the Spirit, bit off his tongue with his teeth, and spat it in her face as she was tempting him, and so got victory over all her temptations.

The precious favors God confers upon his, make them temptationproof; they make believers trample upon the most amiable baits. "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God," says Joseph. Joseph's sense of Potiphar's favors heaped upon him, strengthened him against the impudent solicitations of his wanton mistress, Gen. 39. And shall not the singular favors which God confers upon his dearest ones strengthen them against Satan's assaults? Surely gracious hearts are wrought more upon, and bettered and strengthened more by spirituals than by temporals; by eternals than by externals; and if Satan does not find it so, I am much mistaken.

Well, remember this, Satan's overcoming the saints gives him the greatest advantage to boast and triumph over Christ. [The devil marches well-armed and in good array, says Luther.]

Ambrose brings in the devil boasting against Christ, and challenging Judas as his own; He is not yours, Lord Jesus—he is mine; his thoughts beat for me; he eats with you—but he is fed by me; he takes bread from you—but money from me; he drinks with you—but sells your blood to me. So when Satan prevails over the saints, look, O

Christ, says he, are these the price of your blood? are these the objects of your love? are these the delight of your soul? what, are these your jewels? are these the apple of your eye? are these your pleasant portion? Why, how I lead them! how I triumph over them! they seem rather to be mine than yours. Ah, Christians! resist as for life, that Satan may never have occasion thus to insult and triumph over Christ, etc.

[6.] Sixthly and lastly, Christ gives the best gifts to his dearest ones, that they may be an honor and a praise unto him in the glorious day of his owning of them, and marriage to them before all the world.

Believers in this life are but betrothed to Christ: "I will betroth you unto me forever; yes, I will betroth you unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness," Hosea 2:19-20. Their marriage-day is put off until the glorious day of Christ's appearing; the great day of his glory will be the marriage-day; Rev. 21:2, 9-10, compared. [The good things of eternal life are so many, that they exceed number; so great, that they exceed measure; so precious, that they are above all estimation. Augustine.] It would not be for the honor and glory of Christ, that his spouse in that day should be clothed with rags; therefore he has given them the bracelets, the earrings, and the jewels before-hand, that they may be a praise and an honor to him in the marriage day. Oh! when the saints shall appear with all those glorious jewels about them, that Christ has bequeathed to them, how will their splendid glory darken all other glory, and make the very sun to hide its face. This is our betrothing day, that will be our marriage day.

Ridley, the night before him martyrdom, invited his hostess and the rest at table to his marriage, "for," said he, "tomorrow I must be married." So several other martyrs went as merrily to die—as to dine; knowing that their dying day did but make way for their marriage day. The Lord does by his rich and royal favors, trim up his bride beforehand, that she may be an honor and a praise to him in the day coronation, in the day of marriage—when he will own her before

devils, angels, and all reprobates; when he will say, "Lo, here am I, and the bride, O Father! that you have given me."

And thus you have a brief account of the reasons of the point, why the Lord gives the best gifts to his own people.

We Shall Make Some Short but Sweet Uses of this Point.

And, first,

[1.] Does the Lord give the best and greatest gifts to his people? Then you who are his people, sit down and wonder at this matchless love of God.

Oh! what is in you or I—that should cause the Lord to give such gifts to us as he has given? We were all equal in sin and misery; nay, doubtless, we have actually outsinned thousands, to whom these precious gifts are denied. Let us therefore sit down and wonder at this condescending love of God. Oh! we were once poor wretches sitting upon the ash-heap, yes, wallowing in our blood—and yet behold the King of kings, the Lord of lords, has so far condescended in his love, as to bestow himself, his Spirit, his grace, and all the jewels of his royal crown upon us! Oh! what heart can conceive, what tongue can express, this matchless love!

"I will be yours forever," says Christ, "and my Spirit shall be yours forever, and my grace yours forever, and my glory yours forever, and my righteousness yours forever; all I am and all I have, shall be yours forever!" O what matchless love is this! Oh! what a Christ is this! [O Lord Jesus, says Bernard, breaking forth into an admiration of Christ's love, I love you more than all my goods, more than all my friends, yes, more than my very self, etc.]

[2.] But then, secondly, Be greatly thankful, oh be greatly thankful— for the great gifts which Christ has bestowed upon you.

It is not a little thankfulness which will answer and suit to the great gifts which the Lord Jesus has bestowed upon you. Oh say with the psalmist, "What shall I render to the Lord for all his favors, and great benefits. I will take the cup of salvation, and will call upon the name of the Lord," Psalm 116:13-14. Yes, say again with the psalmist, "I will praise you more and more." Or as it is in the Hebrew, "I will add to your praise," Psalm 71:14. Oh when you look upon the jewels, the pearls that Christ has given you, say, Lord, I will praise you more and more, I will rise higher and higher in your praises, I will be still aadding to your praise. The very law of nature bespeaks great thankfulness, where great favors are given; and the law of custom bespeaks it, and does not the law of grace bespeak it much more? [Injuries shall be writ in the dust—but our mercies on marble, that our hearts may be the better provoked to praise and thankfulness.]

When Tamerlane had taken Bajazet, among other questions he asked him "if ever he had given God thanks for making him so great an emperor?" He confessed immediately, that "he never thought of that;" to whom Tamerlane replied, "It is no wonder so ungrateful a man should be made a spectacle of misery." Oh! what do they then deserve who are unthankful for spiritual favors!

Tell me, O Christians, are not the gifts which Christ has conferred upon you, special gifts? And will you not he thankful for them? Were they but common gifts, you ought to be thankful for them; how much more then for special gifts, for right-handed favors?

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3. There are but few upon whom God bestows His saving love. Tell me, are not the gifts which Christ has given you, rare gifts? What would you have been--if Christ had not made a difference between you and others--by those glorious gifts which He has conferred upon you? You look upon some, and see they

are very ignorant of spiritual truth. O! What would you have been--if God had not bestowed that saving knowledge upon you? You look upon others who are unclean, profane, and filthy. Why! such a wretch you would have been--if the Lord had not made a difference between you and them, by bestowing Himself, His grace, and Spirit upon you. "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath! But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:3-6.

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

[It was always a principle in morality, that sweet and intimate friendship cannot be extended to many. Friends usually go by pairs.]

It was long since determined in the schools, that "penitents had more reason to be thankful than innocent; sin giving an advantage to mercy to be doubly free in giving and in pardoning;" and so the greater obligation is left upon us to thankfulness.

Luther has a very famous story, in his writing upon the fourth commandment, in the time of the council of Constance. He tells you of two cardinals, that as they were riding to the council, they saw a shepherd in the field weeping. One of them being affected with his weeping, rode to him to comfort him; and coming near to him he desired to know the reason of his weeping. The shepherd was

unwilling to tell him at first—but at last he told him, saying, "I, looking upon this toad, considered that I never praised God as I ought, for making me such an excellent creature as a man, lovely and reasonable. I have not blessed him, that he made me not such a deformed toad as this." The cardinal hearing this, and considering that God had done far greater things for him than for this poor shepherd, he fell down dead from his mule; his servants lifting him up, and bringing him to the city, he came to life again, and then cried out, "O! how truly did you say, the unlearned rise and take heaven by force, and we with all our learning wallow in flesh and blood." The application is easy.

Thirdly, The next use is,

[3.] If the Lord has given the best gifts to his people, then oh that his people would not give God the worst—but the best of everything. [It is the most wicked avarice to defraud God of the oblation of ourselves, says Chrysostom.]

Oh! give the Lord the best of your strength, the best of your time, the best of your mercies, and the best of your services—who has given to your souls the best of gifts! Num. 18:29, "You must present as the Lord's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you." So I say, of all your offerings offer God the best, who has given to you the best and greatest gifts. So in Exod. 35:22, "Some brought to the Lord their offerings of gold—medallions, earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces. They presented gold objects of every kind to the Lord." They gave the best of the best, and so must we.

Oh do not offer to God the worst of your time, the worst of your strength, the worst of your mercies, the worst of your services. That same is a very dreadful text: Mal. 1:8, 13-14, compared, "When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn't that wrong? And isn't it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!" says the Lord Almighty." Says God, Will men be put off thus? No, I know they

won't; and why then should you deal worse with me than with men? Your governors will have the best, yes, the best of the best; and will you deal worse with me, says God, than with your governors? [If a man should serve the Lord a thousand years, says Austin, it would not deserve an hour of the reward in heaven; no, not a moment, much less an eternity. And therefore, says he, we had need do as much as we can, and do all that we do as well as we can, etc.]

Will you thus requite me for all my favors, O foolish people and unwise? is this your kindness to your friend? Ver. 13-14, "You say, 'It's too hard to serve the Lord,' and you turn up your noses at his commands," says the Lord Almighty. "Think of it! Animals that are stolen and mutilated, crippled and sick—presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?" asks the Lord." Oh! that God had not cause to complain thus of many of your souls, to whom he has shown much love. But mark what follows: ver. 14, "Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the Lord Almighty, "and my name is feared among the nations!" If you have better in your hands, and yet shall go to put off God with the worst—the curse will follow. Think of it and tremble, all you who deal fraudulently and false-heartedly with God!

Ah, Christians! you must say, World, stand behind! Sin and Satan, get you behind us—for the best gifts, the choicest favors that ever were given, we have received from the Father of lights; and therefore by his gifts he has obliged our souls to give him the best of our time, strength, and services; and therefore we will not be at your call or beck any longer! Oh, say, the Lord has given us the best gifts, and "Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord."

[4.] Fourthly, This should bespeak the people of God to trust and lean upon God for lesser gifts.

Has God given you a crown—and will you not trust him for a crumb? 2 Tim. 4:8. Has he given you a house which has "foundations, whose builder and maker is God?" Heb. 11:15. Has he given you "a kingdom that shakes not"? Heb. 12:28. And will you not trust him for a cottage, for a little house-room in this world? Has he given you himself, his Son, his Spirit, his grace—and will you not trust him to give you bread, and friends, and clothes, and other necessary mercies that he knows you need? Romans 8:32, Mat. 6:32. Has he given you the greater—and will deny you for the lesser? Surely not! Will you trust that man for much—who has given you but a little? And will you not trust that God for a little—who has given you much? Will you not trust him for pence—who has given you pounds? O sirs! has the Lord given you himself, the best of favors—and will not you trust him for the least favors? Has he given you pearls—and will not you trust him for pins? etc.

Does not the apostle argue sweetly in Romans 8:32, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" What! says the apostle, has God given us his Son, his only Son, his bosom Son, his beloved Son, the Son of his joy, the Son of his delights? Oh how can he then but cast in all other things into the bargain—such as wrapping paper and packing thread? Oh! that Christians would learn to reason themselves out of their fears, and out of their distrusts, as the apostle does. Oh! that Christians would no longer rend and rack their precious souls with fears and cares—but rest satisfied in this, that he who has been so kind to them in spirituals, will not be lacking to them in temporals, Proverbs 8:23-32.

[5.] Fifthly, If the Lord has given the best gifts to his people, this should then bespeak his people, not to envy the men of the world for those lesser favors which God has conferred upon them.

It was horrid wickedness in Ahab to envy poor Naboth, because of his vineyard; and is it a virtue in you who are Christians to envy others, because their outward mercies are greater or sweeter than

yours? Should the prince upon whose head the royal crown is set, and about whose neck the golden chain is put—envy those whose hands are full of sugar-plums, and whose laps are full of rosemary, etc. Has not God, O Christians! put a royal crown of glory upon your heads, and a golden chain of grace about your necks, and his Son's glorious robe upon your backs? and why then should your hearts rise in envy against others' mercies? O! reason yourselves out of this sinful temper! [David three different times gave himself this counsel —not to envy at others. Psalm 37:1, 7-8, compared. So Psalm 73:21.]

I would have every Christian thus to argue: Has not the Lord given me himself? Is not one grain of that grace which God has given me, more worth than ten thousand worlds? and why then should I be envious of others' mercies?

There was a soldier who, for breaking his rank in reaching after a bunch of grapes, was condemned to die by martial law, and as he went to execution, he went eating of his grapes; upon which, some of his fellow-soldiers were somewhat troubled, saying, "He ought then to mind somewhat else!" To whom he replied, "I beseech you, sirs, do not envy me my grapes, they will cost me dear; you would be loath to have them at the rate that I must pay for them." So say I, O saints! do not envy the men of this world because of their honors, riches, etc., for you would be loath to have them at that rate which they must pay for them!

Oh! there is a day of reckoning a-coming, a day wherein all the nobles and brave gallants in the world must be brought to the bar, and give an account of how they have improved and employed all the favors which God has conferred upon them; therefore envy them not! Is it madness and folly in a great favorite at court—to envy those who have only the scraps which come from the prince's table? Oh! then, what madness and folly is it that the favorites of heaven should envy the men of the world—who at best do but feed upon the scraps which come from God's table! Spirituals are the delicacies, temporals are

but the scraps. Temporals are the bones, spirituals are the choice meat.

Is it below a man to envy the dogs because of the bones? And is it not much more below a Christian to envy others for temporals—when himself enjoys spirituals?

[6.] Sixthly, Be not troubled for the lack of lesser gifts.

It is to me a sad thing to see gracious souls, who have some comfortable satisfaction in their own hearts that the Lord has given Christ and grace to them, John 14:1-3, etc., go up and down whining and weeping because they have not health, or wealth, or child, or trade, etc., when the Lord has bestowed upon them such choice, spiritual blessings—the least of which will outweigh all temporal blessings. Well, Christians, remember this, you act below your spiritual birth, your holy calling—when you allow your hearts to be troubled and perplexed for the lack of temporal things. Can you read God's special love in these temporal things? Does your happiness lie in the enjoyment of them? Are not the angels happy without them? Was not Lazarus more happy than Dives? Yes! Oh! then, let not the lack of those things trouble you, the enjoyment of which can never make you happy. Should one be troubled for lack of a rattle or a doll —who is proclaimed heir of a crown? And why then should a Christian, who is heir-apparent to a heavenly crown, be troubled for the lack of worldly toys? etc.

Jerome tells us of one Didymus, a godly preacher, who was blind; Alexander, a godly man, coming to him, asked him whether he was not sorely troubled and afflicted for lack of his sight? "Oh yes," said Didymus, "it is a great affliction and trouble to me." Then Alexander chid him, saying, "Has God given you the excellency of an angel, of an apostle—and are you troubled for that which rats and mice and brute beasts have."

It is great folly, it is double iniquity for a Christian to be troubled for the lack of those things that God ordinarily bestows upon the worst of men. Oh the mercies which a Christian has in hand, oh the mercies which a Christian has in the promises, oh the mercies which a Christian has in hope—are so many, so precious, and so glorious, that they should bear up his head and heart from fainting and sinking under all outward needs.

There goes a story among scholars of Aesop's deceiving Mercury, he having promised him one part of his nuts, keeps all the kernels to himself, and gives to Mercury only the shells. Ah, Christians! God has given you the kernels—but the world the shells; why then should you be troubled for lack of the shells—when God has given you the kernel? etc. [Cyprian reports of some who, forsaking the Lord, were given over to evil spirits, and died fearfully. A backslider may say, All my pains and charge is lost.]

[7.] Seventhly, If the Lord has given his people the best gifts, oh then, let not them leave off that God, who has bestowed such choice and noble favors on them.

Jer. 2:11-13, "Has any nation ever exchanged its gods for another god, even though its gods are nothing? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols! The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay, says the Lord." Why? "For my people have committed two evils, they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters," etc. This was that which aggravated the Israelites' sin, Psalm 105. and 106—that they forsook that God who had conferred upon them many rich and royal favors. But oh! then, what madness and folly is it in you—that you should forsake that God who has done such mighty things for your souls?

I may say, to keep you close to God—as Saul said to his servants, to keep them close to him, 1 Sam. 22:7, "Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, you Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, and make you

all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds?" Ah, Christians! can the world give you spiritual life? Can the world give you peace of conscience, pardon of sin, the favor of God, the hopes of glory? No! Oh then! never leave nor forsake that God who has given you all these royal favors, which none can give nor take—but himself. He who forsakes God forsakes his own mercies; he forsakes his life, his joy, his crown, his all in all.

There is no evil compared to this—of forsaking the greatest good. It makes a man's life a very hell. "Such shall be written in the dust," Jer. 17:13.

[8.] Eighthly and lastly, Be not impatient nor angry—when God shall take away some lesser mercies from you. Did an impatient soul but see himself in a glass, he would loathe himself; for, says Homer, his eyes sparkle like fire, his heart swells, his pulse beats, etc. In a word, an impatient soul is a bedlam, a monster, a devil, etc.

Has God given you the best and the greatest gifts which your souls can ask—or he himself can give? And will you be angry or impatient when he shall come to take away lesser mercies? What? will you be an impatient soul, when God comes and writes death upon such a near mercy, and passes the sentence of death upon such and such desirable mercies? Truly this is the way to provoke God to strip you naked of your choicest ornaments, and to put you in chains—or else to turn you a grazing among the beasts of the field, as he did Nebuchadnezzar.

God gives the best—and takes away the worst; he gives the greatest— and takes away the least; the sense of which made Job bless God when stripped of all. If a man should give you a pearl—and take away a pin; if he should give you a bag of gold—and take away a bag of pennies, would it not be a madness in you to be impatient, and angry? Does God take away a pin—and has he not given you a pearl for it? He has given you a pound, O Christian! for every penny that he has taken from you; therefore be not angry, nor impatient.

Remember, Christians, how many in the world there are, who sit sighing and mourning under the lack of those very favors that you do enjoy. "Why does the living man complain?" What! out of the grave— and complain! What! out of hell—and complain! This is man's sin— and God's wonder!

A Word to Unsaved Sinners

But now some poor unsaved sinners may say—Here is good news for saints—but what is all this to us all this while?

Why, I will tell you; I have something to say for the comfort and encouragement of poor unsaved sinners. Ah, sinners! Christ is willing to bestow the best gifts upon the worst sinners. Take one text for all; it is a sweet one, and full to the point in hand: Psalm 68:18, "You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive, you have received gifts for men, yes, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them." [Read also Proverbs 1:20-29, chapter 8:18, and chapter 9:1-7; Isaiah 43:22-25; Jer. 51:5. None so faithful as Christ, Heb. 3:5-6.]

Christ has received gifts, as a steward, from the hand of the Father, to dispense them among men, yes, among the rebellious—the worst of men. If there is here at this time any rebellious sinner, or rebellious drunkard, or rebellious curser, etc., let such rebellious sinners know that Christ has received gifts "even for the rebellious."

"That the Lord God might dwell among them." [Rev. 3:20, 2 Cor. 6:16, "I will dwell in them." The words are very significant in the original: I will indwell in them. There are two ins in the original, as if God could never have enough communion with them.] That is, that the Lord God might have sweet fellowship and communion with

them: "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

"Behold I stand at the door and knock." I, who have heaven to give, and peace to give, and pardon to give, and grace to give, and myself to give! I, who has pure gold to enrich you, and white raiment to clothe you, and eye-salve to anoint you! "I stand at the door and knock; if any man will open the door," let him be ever so guilty, ever so filthy, ever so unworthy, etc., "I will come in and sup with him, and he with me."

Lord, at whose door do you stand knocking? Is it at the rich man's door, or at the righteous man's door, or at the humbled man's door, or at the weary and heavy-laden man's door, or at the mourner's door, or at the qualified or prepared man's door? No! says Christ, it is at none of these doors. At whose door, then, O blessed Lord? At the lukewarm Laodicean's door; at their door who are neither hot nor cold, who are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." These, says Christ, are the worst of the worst; and yet if any of these wretches, these monsters of mankind, will open the door, "I will come in, and will sup with them, and they with me."

I have read a remarkable story of a great rebel who had raised a mighty party against a Roman emperor. The emperor upon his being much provoked and stirred in spirit, made a proclamation, that whoever brought in the rebel, dead or alive, would have a great sum of money. The rebel, hearing of this, comes and presents himself unto the emperor, and demanded of him the sum of money; whereupon the emperor reasons thus, "If I would now kill him, the world would say I did it to save my money;" and so he pardoned him, and gave him the great sum of money, notwithstanding all his former rebellion.

Oh! shall a heathen emperor do thus to a rebel who was in arms against him, and will not God do as much for poor rebellious

sinners? Surely he will. What though you have been in arms against God, and mustered up all the strength and force you could, even all the members of your body, and faculties of your soul, against God, and Christ, and holiness—yet know that the glorious King is a merciful king; he is a God of pardons; he delights to make his grace glorious, and therefore is very willing to show mercy to the greatest rebels, to the worst of sinners. Witness Manasseh, Mary Magdalene, the thief, Paul, and others. [Romans 5:10; Col. 1:21; Romans 6:13, 16, 19-20.] The greatness of man's sins do but set off the riches of free grace. Sins are debts, and God can as easily blot out a debt of many thousands as he can a lesser debt; therefore let not the greatest rebel despair but believe, and he shall find that "where sin has abounded, there grace shall superabound," etc.

And thus much for this observation. We shall now proceed to the next words, namely, "That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Ephesians 3:8.

The Fourth Doctrine

I shall now proceed to the fourth doctrine, namely, that the gifts and graces which God bestows upon his people should be improved, employed, and exercised by his people.

"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ!" Ephesians 3:8

A little to open and explain the words.

"That I should preach." That is, declare good news, or the glad tidings of salvation that is brought by Jesus Christ to sinners. The Greek word in the New Testament, answers to the Hebrew word Bessorah in the Old Testament—both signifying good news, glad tidings, or a joyful message.

"That I should preach among the Gentiles." The word that is here rendered Gentiles, is sometimes used generally for all men, or all nations. So it is used in Mat. 25:32, and 28:19. Sometimes this Greek word is used more especially for the people of the Jews; so in John 11:48, 50-52, and Acts 10:22; and sometimes it is used for the Gentiles, distinguished from the Jews; so in Mat. 6:32.

By the Gentiles here you are to understand those poor heathen who were without God in the world, who never had heard of Christ, nor those unsearchable riches that are 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 mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach among the heathen," says he, "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 bestows upon his people should be improved, employed, and exercised by his people.

The Greek word that is here rendered grace, we showed you, has a three-fold signification in the Scripture. Sometimes it denotes the favor of God, sometimes the common gifts of the Spirit, and sometimes the saving graces of the Spirit. Now, says Paul, that singular favor that God has conferred upon me, and all those common gifts and special graces with which he has enriched me, they are all to be employed and exercised. "Unto me is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."

So that there is nothing more clear than this, namely: That the gifts and graces that God bestows upon his people, should be employed, 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, "Therefore I put you in remembrance, that you stir up the gift of God which is in you." As the fire is increased and preserved by blowing, so are our graces. Some think that it is a metaphor taken from a spark kept in ashes, which, by gentle blowing, is stirred up, until it becomes a flame. Others say, it is an allusion to the fire in the temple, which was always to be kept burning. [Calvin and others.] We get nothing by dead and useless habits. Talents hidden in a napkin gather rust. The noblest faculties are imbased, when not improved, when not exercised.

Philip. 2:12, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." The Greek is, "Work until you get the work through." The reason why many men's hearts tremble, and are so full of fears and doubts, is

because their salvation is not wrought out; they do net make thorough work in their souls, they put not that question home— Whether they have grace or not? Whether they have an interest in Christ or not? They do not rise with all their strength against sin, nor with all their power to serve the Lord; and therefore fears and doubts do compass them round about.

So in 1 Cor. 15:58, "Be steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

"Be steadfast." It is a metaphor taken from a foundation, on which a thing stands firmly; or a seat or chair, wherein one sits fast.

"Unmoveable" signifies one that will not easily move his place or opinion.

"Abounding," or excelling "in the work of the Lord."

"Knowing that your labor is not in vain." The Greek is "labors unto weariness." The apostle would have them labor unto weariness; "For," says he, "it is not in vain." It will turn to a good account; it will yield you much of heaven here, and make you high in heaven hereafter. [Grace is bettered and made more perfect by acting. Neglect of our graces is the ground of their decrease and decay. Wells are the sweeter for drawing.]

This Point Proved and Opened

There are only two things that I shall endeavor to do, for the opening of the point.

I. To show you why persons must improve, employ, and exercise the graces and gifts which God has bestowed upon them. And then,

II. The end to which they are to exercise those graces and gifts.

Twelve Reasons Why Gracious Souls Should Exercise and Improve their Gifts and Graces

I. For the first, There are these twelve reasons why gracious souls 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 solemn attentions.

[1.] First, They must exercise and improve their graces, Because the exercise and improvement of their graces is the ready way to be rich in grace.

As sin is increased in the soul by the frequent actings of it, so grace is nourished and strengthened in the soul by its frequent actings. The exercise of grace is always attended with the increase of grace. Proverbs 10:4, "The diligent hand makes rich;" or, the nimble hand; the hand which is active and agile—that hand makes rich. Ruth 2, how did Boaz follow the business himself! his eyes were in every corner, on the servants and on the reapers, yes, on the gleaners too. [Our graces are like Gideon's army—but a handful in comparison; but our sins are like the Midianites, innumerable as grasshoppers.]

It is recorded of Severus, that his care was not to look what men said of him, or how they censured him—but to look what was to be done by him. He will rise in judgment against those professors who look more what this man and the other man says of them, than 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 has an elegant saying; "I hate," says he, "the men who are idle in deed, and philosophic in word." God loves, says Luther, the runner, not the questioner. Grace grows by exercise and decays by disuse. Though both arms grow—yet that arm which a man most uses 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 easy. Such men as are contented with so much grace as will bring them to glory, with so much grace as will keep hell and their souls asunder—will never be rich in grace, nor high in comfort or assurance. Such souls usually go to heaven in a storm. Oh, how weather-beaten are they before they can reach the heavenly harbor!

[2.] Secondly, They must exercise their gifts and graces,because it is the main end of God's giving gifts and graces to them.

Grace is given to trade with; it is given to lay out, not to lay up. [The reason, say some, why Christ cursed the fig tree, though the time of bearing fruit was not come, was because it made a glorious show with leaves, and promised much—but brought forth nothing.] Grace is a candle that must not be put under a bushel—but set upon a candlestick. Grace is a golden treasure that must be improved, not hoarded up, as men do their gold. Grace is a talent, and it is given for this very end, that it should be employed and improved for the honor and advantage of him who gave it. The slothful servant, in God's account, is an evil servant, and accordingly God has denoted him, and doomed him for his ill husbandry, to destruction, Mat. 25:24-31.

"What a shame is it," says Jerome, "that faith should not be able to do that which infidelity has done! What! not better fruit in the vineyard, in the garden of God, than in the wilderness? What! not better fruit grow upon the tree of life, than upon the root of nature?" etc.

[3.] And then thirdly, Because grace, exercised and improved, will do that for us, which all the means in the world can never do for us. [No Israelite who was bitten or stung with the fiery serpent could be

healed but by looking up to the brazen serpent. Those spots which a Christian finds in his own heart can only, by a hand of faith, be washed out in the blood of the Lamb.]

I shall evidence this truth in some remarkable instances.

Suppose the guilt of sin to be upon a man's soul, even as a heavy mountain, there is nothing but the exercise of grace which can remove this guilt. The man prays, and yet guilt sticks upon him; he hears, and yet guilt as a mountain lies heavy upon him; he mourns, he sighs, he groans, and yet guilt sticks upon him; he runs from ordinance to ordinance, and from ordinary service to extraordinary, and yet guilt follows him; he runs from man to man, 'Sir, was ever any man's case like mine? I have prayed thus long, I have heard thus long, I have mourned thus long, etc., and yet guilt lies as a mountain upon my soul!'

There is nothing below the exercise of grace which will remove this. It is only faith in the promises of remission that will remove the guilt of sin which lies so heavy upon the soul. It is only faith's application of the righteousness of Christ which can take off this burden that sinks the soul, even as low as hell. Faith must make a plaster of the blood of Christ, and apply it to the soul, or the soul will die under its guilt. There is nothing below this can do it. Faith's application of the blood of Christ takes off the guilt, and turns the storm to a calm: Romans 5:1, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Again, suppose that the power and prevalency of sin hinders the soul's sweet communion with God, so that the soul cannot sport itself, and joy and delight itself in God, as in the days of old; it cannot see God smiling, stroking, and speaking kindly, as in former days. Now, there is nothing in all the world which can ease the soul of this burden of sin, but the exercise of grace. Oh, says such a poor soul, I pray, sir—and yet I sin; I resolve against sin—and yet I sin; I combat 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 down the stream. There is nothing now but the actings of faith upon a crucified Christ that will take off this burden from the soul of man. [Much less, then, can the papists' purgatories, watchings, whippings, etc., or Saint Francis' kissing or licking of lepers' sores, cleanse the fretting leprosy of sin, etc.]

Now, you must make use of your graces to draw virtue from Christ; now faith must touch the hem of Christ's garment, or you will never be healed. It is just with a soul in this case as it was with the poor widow, Luke 8:43-49, that had the issue of blood; she leaves no means unattempted whereby she might be cured; she runs from one physician to another, until she had spent all she was worth, and now says she, "If I could but touch the hem of his garment, I would 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 uncrowns himself to crown her faith: "And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort, your faith has made you whole; go in peace." He does not say, Woman, your trembling has made you whole; or, Woman, your sweating and struggling in a crowd to come to me, has made you whole; or, Woman, your falling down and abasing yourself, though she did all this; but, "Woman, your faith has made you whole." Ah, Christians! it is not your trembling, or your falling down, or your sweating in this and that service—which will stop the bloody issue of your sins—but believing in Christ. [A touch of faith cured the woman, as well as a full hold. It is the exercise of the graces of the Spirit by which we mortify the deeds of the flesh, Romans 8:13. It is not our strong resolutions or purposes which will be able to overmaster these enemies. Α foul sore will run until it be indeed healed, though we say it shall not.]

It is sad to consider how few professors in these days have attained the right way of mortifying of sin. They usually go out against their sins in the strength of their own purposes, prayers, and resolutions,

etc., and scarcely look so high as a crucified Christ; they mind not the exercise of their faith upon Christ; and therefore it is a righteous thing with Christ that after all, that they should be carried captive by their sins. Nothing eats out sin like the actings of grace; nothing weakens and wastes the strength of sin like the exercise of grace. Oh! did men believe more in Christ, sin would die more; did they believe the threatenings more, sin would die more; did they believe the promises more, sin would die more; did they believe reigning with Christ more, sin would die more: "He who has this hope purifies himself, even as Christ is pure," 1 John 3:3.

Again, Suppose that the soul be followed with black, dismal, fiery temptations, there is nothing now in all the world that can divinely strengthen and fence the soul against these temptations but the exercise of grace, the improvement of grace. It is true you are to hear, read, pray, meditate, etc.; but all these without the exercise of grace in them, will never make you victorious over Satan's temptations. Nothing puts Satan to it like the exercise of grace. [Luther said, I am without set upon by all the world, and within by the devil and all his angels. And yet, by the exercise of grace, he became victorious over them all, etc.]

It is said of Satan, that he would say to a holy man who was much in the exercise of grace, You do always overcome me. Eph. 6:16. "Above all, take the shield of faith, whereby you may be able to quench the fiery darts of the devil." Whatever piece of armor you neglect, be sure that you neglect not the shield of faith. The Greek word that is here rendered a shield, comes from another word that signifies a door or a gate, to note that as a door or a gate does secure our bodies, so will the shield of faith secure our souls against the fiery darts of the devil: "Above all, take the shield of faith, whereby you may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the devil." The apostle alludes to the custom of the Scythians, who used to dip the heads of their arrows or darts in the gall of asps and vipers, the venom of which, like a fire in their flesh, killed the wounded with torments—most like hell of any other. But the soldiers then had generally shields of leather, as

several writers testify, and when the fiery darts landed upon them, they were presently quenched. So these fiery darts of Satan, when they land upon the shield of faith, they are presently quenched; and there is no other way to do it. Until the Lord draws out a man's faith to act upon the promises and upon Christ, these fiery darts will not be quenched.

Suppose that the world, the smiling world or the frowning world, the tempting world or the persecuting world--should lie as a heavy stone or burden upon your hearts, as it does upon the hearts of thousands in these days; (witness their attempting anything to get the favors, honors and riches of this world! Ah! how many have turned their backs upon God, and Christ, and truth, etc., to gain the world!) How will you get this burden off? Only by exercise and actings of grace. Many men hear sermons much--and yet remain worldly. They pray like angels--and yet live as if there were no heaven nor hell. They will talk much of heaven--and yet those who are spiritual and wise do smell their breath to stink strong of earth. All the arts, and parts, and gifts in the world can never cure them of this soul-killing disease; but only the exercise of grace, until faith breaks forth in its glorious actings. A man may hear sermons and pray many years--and yet remain as carnal, base, and worldly as ever! There is no way under heaven to remove this stone, this burden--but the exercise of faith! "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." 1 John 5:4-5

[Faith is a better engineer than Daedalus, and yet he made wings with which he made an escape over the high walls within which he was imprisoned. This world is the soul's prison—yet faith is such an engineer that it can make wings for the soul to fly out, etc.]

Not that the habit of faith overcomes the world—but faith in the exercise of it conquers the world, and that it does these three ways.

(1.) First, Faith, in the exercise of it, presents the world to the soul under all those notions that the Scripture holds forth the world unto us by.

The Scripture holds forth the world as an impotent thing, as a mixed thing, as a mutable thing, as a momentary thing. [Earthly riches are full of poverty, says Austin.] Now faith comes and sets this home with power upon the soul, and this takes the soul off from the world.

(2.) Secondly, Faith does it by causing the soul to converse with more glorious, soul-satisfying, soul-delighting, and soul-contenting objects.

2 Cor. 4:16-18, "Though our outward man perish—yet our inward man is renewed day by day." How comes this to pass? "While we look not at the things which are seen—but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal—but the things which are not seen are eternal." [While we look upon eternal things as a man looks upon the mark that he aims to hit.] Now when faith is busied and exercised about soul-ennobling, soul-greatening, soulraising, and soul-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, etc. Now, stand by world! welcome Christ! etc.

So in Heb. 11. It was the exercise of faith and hope upon noble and glorious objects which 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 several verses of that chapter together: ver. 9-10, "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Ver. 24-26, "And by faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God,

than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect to the recompense of reward." Ver. 27, "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." And in ver. 35, "They refused deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." [Every man is as the objects are about which his soul is most conversant, etc.]

So in Heb. 10:34, "They took joyfully the confiscation of their goods," (Why?) "knowing in themselves, that they had in heaven a better and more enduring substance."

(3.) Thirdly and lastly, Faith does it by assuring the soul of enjoying of better things. For my part I must confess, so far as I understand anything of the things of God, I cannot see how a soul under the power of a well-grounded assurance can be a servant to his slave, I mean the world. I confess men may talk much of heaven, and of Christ, and religion, etc.; but give me a man who does really and clearly 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 poor transitory things. I know not one instance in all the Scripture that can be produced to prove that ever any precious saint that has lived in the assurance of divine love, and that has walked up and down this world with his pardon in his bosom, have ever been charged with an inordinate love of the world. [In my treatise called "Heaven on Earth," you may find many considerations to evince this, and to that I refer you, etc.] That is a sad word, 1 John 2:15.

[4.] Now a fourth reason of this point, why persons are to exercise their graces, is, because it is the best way to preserve their souls from apostasy and backsliding from God. 2 Pet. 1:5-11, "Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, etc.; for if you do these things you shall never fall." "Add to your faith virtue." The Greek word that is here rendered add, has a great emphasis in it. It is

taken from dancing round. Link them, says the apostle, hand in hand, as in dancing, people join hands; so we must join hand to hand in these measures of graces, lead up the dance of graces, as in the galliard [French dance] everyone takes his turn.

So in chapter 3:17-18, "You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things, beware lest you also, being led aside with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness." There are many who turn aside, and part with God, and Christ, and truth, and the words of righteousness; 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 apostatising? Why, "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." It is a growth in grace, it is the exercise of grace—which will make a man stand when others fall, yes, when cedars fall, etc.

[5.] Fifthly, All other exercises without the exercise of grace will profit nothing. Or if you will, take it thus:

All other exercises will be loss 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 only pray, and cry, etc., 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 help, and must work even in the fire, and bestir himself as for his life, in the use of all means, whereby the fire may be quenched. So if grace be not acted upon, it is not all a man's praying and crying, etc., which will profit him or better him. Grace must be exercised—or all will be lost; prayers lost, tears lost, time lost, strength lost, soul lost, etc.

1 Tim. 4:7-8, "But refuse profane and old wives' fables." [Make a fair excuse.] Shift them off, as the word is, set them aside. Tell them that you are not at leisure to attend them, make a fair excuse, as the word notes; tell them you have business of an eternal concernment to look after, and "exercise yourself rather unto godliness;" or lay aside your

upper garments, as runners and wrestlers do, to which the apostle alludes, and bestir yourself lustily; for says he, verse 8, "Bodily exercise profits little—but godliness is profitable unto all things, and has the promise of this life, and of that which is to come." [Let the patient take such or such a potion that in itself is good—yet, if it lacks such or such a particular ingredient, it works not; it does no good. It is so here.]

The Babylonians are said to make three hundred and sixty different commodities from the palm tree; but what are those commodities, compared to those thousands which attend holiness, which attend the exercise of grace? "The word did not profit those who heard it, because it was not mixed with faith." Hebrews 4:2. He does not speak there of unbelievers--but of those who had faith in the soul-- but not in the exercise; and therefore the word did not profit them. 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 which fell from the preacher's lips into their ears, were a sweet potion--but they did not work effectually, because they lacked the ingredient of faith. Faith is one of those glorious ingredients, which makes every sermon, every truth, work for their souls' advantage. Nothing will work for a believer's good, for his gain--if it is not mixed with faith. Nothing makes a man rich in spirituals, like the frequent and constant actings of faith.

[6.] Sixthly, Because it is the end of all the dignity and glory which God has conferred upon his people; therefore they must exercise and improve their grace.

In 1 Pet. 2:9, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people—that you may show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

"You are a chosen generation." That is, a picked people; the dearly beloved of his soul; such as he first chose for his love, and then loves for his choice.

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