Jude 2 (part 2 of 2)

3 The wicked are not excluded the line of love and neighbourhood. Tis true, In societate fruitionis divinae fundatur charitas. Sanctior est copula cordium quam corporum. holy men are chiefly the objects of our love. With these we have communion both of nature and grace also. Gal. 6.10. Let us do good unto all, especially to the houshold of Faith. The love of Complacency must be set upon the good: The love of Benevolence must not be denyed to the bad: As those objects are best seen which are most in the light, because light is that by which every object is seen; so those men are most to be beloved which are neerest to God, because he makes every object to be beloved. Yet wicked men also are to be beloved, because being men they may be good; as are good men, because being Saints, Non hoc ago ut sim homine convitiando superior, sed errorum convincendo salubrior. Aug. con. lit. Pet. l. 3 c. 1 Apud summum patrem, qui non fuerit in charitate fratrum, non habebitur in numero filiorum. Leo. Ser. 11. de quadr. 1 Pet. 1.22 2.17 3.8 Joh. 13.34 2 Pet. 1.7 Col. 3.14 Rom. 12.10 1 Thess. 4.9 Heb. 13.1 Non erit tibi concordia cum Christo, si sit discordia cum Christiano. they are good. If a man be degenerate into a beast and wandring from God, bring him to his Master again. As the nature of man must not make his vices loved, so neither must the vices of man make his nature hated. St Augustine thinks that Stephens prayer was a great means of Pauls conversion. The denouncing of curses against wicked men by Ministers must not be poysonful but medicinal.

4. The faithful call for the chiefest room in our love, and are eminently to be looked upon as neighbours. With our heavenly father he is not in the Communion of Sons, who is not in the charity of Brethren. The bond of grace is the strongest; Creation hath made us friends; but Redemption hath made us brethren. The frequent inculcating of the cōmand of love of the brethren, the brotherhood, the houshold of Faith, of brotherly love, and of being kindly affectionated with brotherly love, &c. insinuates the necessity, and common disestimation of this duty. In pursuance of this duty, contentions, strifes, and controversies among brethren are forbidden. 1 Cor. 6.6. Its a fault for brother to go to Law with brother. Let there be no strife between us (said Abraham to Lot) for we are Brethren. Gen. 13.8. Why do ye wrong one another (said Moses) since ye are brethren? Act. 7.26. The sowing of discord among brethren, is one of the abominations which Gods soul hateth. Prov. 6.19. In this respect likewise the Scripture opposeth inward hatred and rancor among brethren. Gen. 37.4. How dear did this sin cost Josephs brethren? He that hateth his brother is in darknesse: 1 Joh. 2.11. He is a murtherer: 1 Joh. 3.15. As also anger, Mat. 5.22 which is a short hatred, as hatred is a long anger. This causeles anger puts us in danger of the judgement. Choler is not alowed by Christianity. Most opposite also to brotherly love is the contempt and despising of any brother. Despise you the Church of God? 1 Cor. 11. said Paul. The poorest brother concurs to make up the perfection of Christ. When Darius his mother had saluted Hephestion instead of Alexander the great, who was Alexanders Favourite, she blushed and was troubled; but Alexander said to her, It is well enough done, for he is also Alexander. The meanest Saint is to be beloved, for what of Christ is in him; he is an old Casket full of pearls. But above all, how destructive to brotherly love is oppression, 1 Thess. 4.6 defrauding, and grinding our brethren? Let no man (saith Paul) defraud his brother in any matter. Even the Jew, who might take usury of an Heathen, might not take it of his Brother. If Lillyes rend and tear Lillyes, what may Thorns do? Nor must a Christian content himself in not hurting a Christian: his care must be to benefit him, to do him good. And that for his Soul; All thy Spiritual gifts of knowledge, utterance, &c. must profit thy brother. 1 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 14.26. Comfort him in his troubles of mind, direct him in his doubts, reprehend him gently for his faults. Not to rebuke him, is to hate him. Levit. 19.17. To be angry with the sin of our brother, is not to be angry with our brother. To love the soul, is the soul of love: so to love thy brother, as to labour to have him live in heaven with thee. For his name; not casting aspersions on him, but wiping them off: not receiving, much less raysing accusations against him, but laying hold upon the theif that pillaged his name, as knowing that the receiver in this case, is as bad as he. For his body; visiting and sympathising with him in his sicknesse; helping him (to utmost ability) to find the jewel of health. For outward necessaries; pittying him in his low estate; casting the dung of thy wealth on the barren soyl of his poverty: making his back, thy wardrobe; his belly, Psal. 16.3 thy barn; his hand, thy treasury. For body and soul; praying for him, calling upon God, as Our Father, not thine alone. In the Primitive time (saith one) there was so much love, Tert. Apol. c. 39. that it was ad stuporem Gentilium, to the wonder of Gentiles: but now, so little, that it may be to the shame of Christians. That which was the Motto of a Heathen, (Dic aliquid ut duo simus; Say something that we may he two) must not belong to Christians. Its best that dissention should never be born among brethren; and next, that it should die presently after its birth. When any leak springs in the Ship of Christian society, we should stop it with speed. The neerer the union is, the more dangerous is the breach. Bodies that are but glewed together, may (if severed) be set together as beautifully as ever: but members rent and torn, cannot be healed without a scar. What a shame is it, 1 Joh. 3.14 1 Joh. 5.1 1 Joh. 4.7, 8, &c. that the bond of grace and religion should not more firmly unite us, than sinful leagues do wicked men? A true Christian (like the true mother, to whom Solomon gave the Child) may be known by affection. As the spleen grows, the body decayeth; and as hatred increaseth, holiness abateth.

In summ: This love to the faithful must put forth it self both in distributing to them the good they want, and in delighting in them, and rejoycing with them for the good they have. Both these, how profitable, how honourable, how amiable are they! Most honourable it is for the meanest Christian to be a Priest to the high God, Heb. 13.16 to offer a daily sacrifice with which God is well pleased; to resemble God, in doing, rather then in receiving good; to be the hand of God to disperse his bounty, to have God for his debtor, to lend to the Lord of heaven and earth. What likewise is more profitable than that our distribution to Saints (like an ambassador) by lying Lieger abroad, should secure all at home? that this most gainfull employment should return us pearls for pibbles, jewels for trifles, crowns for crumbs; after a short seed-time, a thousand fold, measure heaped, shaken, thrust together, and running over? What (lastly) so amiable, as for members of the same body, children of the same father, and who lay in the same womb, suck at the same brests, sit at the same table, and expect for ever to lodg in the same bosom, to be at union with, and helpful to one another? And on this side heaven, Psal. 16.3. Vid. doctiss. Rivetum in loc. where should our complacency center it self, but upon the truly excellent, noble, illustrious ones, who are every one Kings, and more magnificent than ever were worldly Monarchs, for their allyance, having the Lord of heaven and earth for their Father, the King of Kings for their elder Brother, Psal. 45.9. a Queen (the Church, the Spouse of Christ) for their Mother: having for their treasures those exceeding precious promises, 2 Pet. 1.4. more to be desired than gold, yea, Psal. 19.10 than fine gold; in comparison of which a mountain of gold is but a heap of dung. For their guard, having the attendance of Angels, Psal. 34.7 John 6.27 Cant. 1.2 Cant. 4.7 nay, the wisdom, care, and strength of God: For their food, having bread that endures to eternal life, drink better than wine, and a continual feast: For their apparel, having the robes of Christs righteousnesse here, which makes them as beautifull as Angels, all fair, and without spot; and attire to be put on hereafter, which will shine more gloriously then an hundred Suns made into one: For their habitation, a palace of glory, a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Having thus first explained this love here desired by the Apostle in its several sorts, I come in the next place to touch briefly upon those rare and excellent properties of this grace of love, both as it is set upon 1 God. 2 Man.

1. This grace of love set upon God, is true, cordial, and sincere; 〈Greek〉. not in word or outward profession, but in truth, and in the inward man; not complemental, but reall; the inward purpose of the heart having an emphasis Of love, that hypocrisie and expressions cannot reach. And the truth is our loving of God, Eph. 6.24. is not so properly said to be sincere, as to be our very sincerity. Then, and then alone a dutie is done in sincerity, when ‘tis done in love; and herein stands hypocrisie, when though there is much doing, yet there’s no loving. The love of an hypocrite to Christ, like the shining of the Gloworm is without any inward heat; and stands only in a glistering profession: or like some spices which are cold in the stomack, though hot in the mouth; or like the fire in Moses his bush, it burneth not while it blazeth: it proceeds from humane inducements of education, Countenance, or Commands of Superiours, Interest, an apprehension of the love of Christ barely to mankind, or from this, that Christ is out of sight, and troubles not his lusts: or from some accidentall, circumstantiall Ornaments which attend the Ministery, and Truth, as wit, learning, expression, elocution, or credit of visible conformity to them; not from an inward apprehension of the proportionablenesse, sutablenesse, and fitnesse of Christ to all his desires, and capacities, Luke 7.47. 1 Joh. 4.16.19. as being the fairest of ten thousand, or from any reall interest, and propriety in Christ, which are the grounds of love, when true and sincere.

2. This love to God is superlattive; it surpasseth all other loves; the soule in which it abides, seeing infinitely more lovelinesse in one God, then in all the combined, assembled excellencies of all worldly Objects, loves him infinitely more than them all. It often not only steps over them, but kicks them away, not only laying them down as sacrifices, but hating them as snares, when they would draw from Christ. When Christ and the World meet (as it were) upon so narrow a bridge, that both cannot passe by, Christ shall go on, and the World shall go back. Christ in a Christian shall have no Corrivals; as Christ bestowes himselfe wholly upon a Christian, (wholly upon every one, as every line hath the whole indivisible point) so a Christian gives himselfe wholly to Christ; he shares not his heart betwixt him and the world; all within him he sets on work to love Christ, keeping nothing back from him, for whom all is too little. The greatest worth that it sees in any thing but Christ, is this, that it may be left for Christ; ever rejoycing that it hath any thing to which it may prefer him. To a soul in which is this love, Christ is as oyle put into a viall with water, in which (though both be never so much shaken together) the oyl will ever be uppermost; or as one rising Sun, which drowneth the light of a numberlesse number of Stars. It loves the world as alwayes about to leave and loath it; not as that for which it doth live, but as that without which it cannot live. The world hath not the top and strength of it’s affection; It loves nothing much, but him whom it cannot love too much. It lodgeth not the world in it’s best room, and admits not such a stranger into the closet of the heart, but only into the hall of the senses.

3. It’s a jealous or zealous love; suspicious lest any thing should, and burning in a holy heat of indignation against any thing that doth disturb the Souls beloved. Love is a solicitous grace, and makes the soul account it selfe never sufficiently trim’d for Christs imbracements, never to think, that any thing done, is well enough done. All the soul is and can, is esteemed too little for him, who is its optimus maximus, its best and greatest; the more brightly shining the beams of love to Christ are, the more motes and imperfections doth the soule ever see in its services. Its fear only is, lest by sinne, and unsutable carriage it stirs up, Gal. 4.11.16. Act. 15.2. & 17.16. & 18.25. & 19.8. Jude 3. and awakes the beloved. It cannot put up a disgrace, expressed by the greatest against Christ. It zealously contends for his Word, Wayes, Worship, Worshippers, Kingdome. All it’s anger is against those intercurrent impediments, that would stop it in the advancing of Christ; it labours to bear down those hinderances of Gods glory with a floud of tears, if it cannot with a stream of power. The meekest soule in love with God, knowes how to be holily impatient, and like Moses, though when with God to pray for men, yet when with men to contend for God. Every sin by how much the nearer to it, by so much is it more detested by it. Of all sins therefore its own have the deepest share of hatred: for what it cannot remove, Rom. 7. Heb. 12. it mourns heartily, crying out of the body of death, the sin that doth so easily beset it, as of the constant companie of a noysome carcasse, endeavouring that every sin may be more bitter to remember, then ‘twas ever sweet to commit; looking upon the want of sorrow after sinne, as a greater argument of want of love then was the sin it self.

4. It’s a chast, a loyall love, not set upon what God hath so much, as upon what God is; not upon his, but him, not upon his rings, but his person; not his cloathes, but his comelinesse; upon a Christ, though not adventitiously adorned; his gifts are loved for him, not he for them; he is sweet without any thing, though nothing is so without him. Love desires no wages, ‘tis wages enough to it selfe, it payes it selfe in seeing, and serving the Beloved. A Nurse doth much for the child, and so doth the Mother; but the former for the love of wages, the later for the wages of love. Love carries meat in the mouth; the very doing of Gods will is meat and drink to one who loves him: A heart in love with Christ is willing with Mephibosheth that others should take all, so it may behold the King. Worldly Comforts shall not fallere, but monere; Nil dulcescit sine Jesu. only they shall be used to admonish how much worth is in Christ, not to bewitch the soul from Christ; Si ista terrena diligitis, ut subjecta diligite, ut munera amici, ut beneficia domini, ut arrham Sponsi. Aug. Med. as spectacles by which the soul may read him the better, or as steps by which it may be raised up to him the nearer: and no further shall they be delighted in, then as they are pledges of, or furtherances unto the injoyment of him. Should God give all to one who loves him, and not give himselfe, he would say with Absalom, What doth all availe me, so long as I see not the Kings face. Communion with God is the Heaven of him who loves God. It’s heaven upon earth for God to be with him, and the Heaven of Heaven for him to be with God.

5. It’s an active: John 14.24. Psal. 119.68.140. Esay 45, 19. ἀγάπη, from ἄγαν ποιεῖν, say some. 2 Cor. 5.14. συνέχω. stirring, expressive love, the fire of love cannot be held in, ‘twill break out at lips, hands, feet, by speaking, working, walking. Love saith (as Elijah to Obadiah) as the Lord liveth, I will shew my selfe: the strength of love will have a vent. The Love of Christ constraineth; and (as the word used by the Apostle signifieth) hemmeth in, shutteth up, pinfolds the heart, that it cannot winde out from service, and cannot chuse but do for Christ. Love is a mighty stream, bearing all before it. It cares not for shame, or losse: It carries away these (as did Samson the other) gates upon it’s shoulders. ‘Tis strong as death. A man in love with God, is as a man who is carried away in a crowd, who cannot keep himselfe back, but is hurried without his own labour with the throng. Love with ease dispatcheth great imployments: The Commands of God are not grievous to it. Love is the wing, that weight, and holy proclivity of the soul, which if it finds not, makes a way; Nay ‘tis so speedy and present an affection, that it endures no delayes. It accounts not the least time little in which God is withdrawn. It follows hard after God, and puts not off it’s pursuits of dutie or comfort till to morrow, or a more convenient time.

6. It’s an expensive, Psal. 16. bountifull, costly love; It will not offer that which cost it nothing; even the meanest gift (as alas, how much below Christ is all we are, or doe!) comes from a Kingly heart. Love contends after excellency and perfection in attending upon that object which it loves under the apprehension of the greatest good. How willingly did those Converts lay down all their goods at the Apostles feet! and those afterwards burn their books of curious Arts, 1 Chr. 22.29. 2 Sam. 24.24. though of great value! How great was Davids expence for the Temple, and his desire, that his purchase which he bought of Araunah should be (being for his God) costly! Luke 7. How bountifull was that (formerly sinfull) woman in her expression of love to Christ! How freely were her tears, hairs, kisses, ointment imployed! The greatnesse of the debt forgiven her, made her love much, and the greatnesse of her love made her spend much. What save love made Zacheus part with halfe of his goods to the poor, Luke 19.8. John 1. Acts 20.24. Gen. 43.34. and a four-fold restitution to the wronged by false accusation? Love will make Peter willing to feed the sheep of Christ, and Paul not to account his life dear to him to finish his Ministery. Joseph loved Benjamin most, and gave him a messe five times so much as any of the rest. He that loves God most, will lay out most for God. 1 Thes. 1.3. Heb. 6.10. More then once we read in the Scripture of the labour of love. Love resteth in its labour, and then resteth most, when it laboureth most. Nothing labours more, or thinks it labours lesse then love. I have heard of one that was ask’d for what sort of men he laboured most; he answered, for his friends. He was again ask’d, for whom then he laboured least; he answered, for his friends: both answers were true; for love made him think he did least for those, for whom indeed he did most.

7. It’s a submissive, stooping, patient love, bearing from, and forbearing for the Beloved any thing. It puts us upon things below us, for the pleasing of him whom we love; it makes us to undertake that which another may esteem weaknesse, and indecencie. Davids love to Gods presence, transported him to leaping and dancing, thereby (though Mical esteemed it basenesse) to honour God. Parents out of love to their children, play, and lisp, and stammer; Christ himselfe emptied and humbled himselfe for our sakes, Love flies not (like chaffe) in the face of him that fans; Rom. 8.38, 39 The soule that loves, is reconciled to God, Cant. 8.7. though it sees not that God is reconciled to it. It hath a child-like ingenuity to love, and stay with a father that scourgeth it, not a servile unsubmissivenesse, to threaten, presently after stripes, departure. It doth iratum colere numen, follow a frowning father. It lives contented with Gods allowance: It will patiently be without what he thinks either fit to remove, or not fit to bestow; and all this not upon force, but upon choice. It loseth its own will in Gods, and had rather will as doth God, than understand as doth an Angel. It taketh with joy the spoiling of its goods. It ever thinks it hath enough left, so long as God takes not away himselfe. Omnia quae horribilia audis, servire, mori expiata & sancta sunt amori, Nier. de art. vol. It beareth the indignation of the Lord, and accepteth the punishment of its iniquity, and is willing to receive evill as well as good, because from the hand of a God whom it loves. For his sake it’s willing to be kill’d all the day long: nor can the waters of death extinguish the taper of love.

8. It’s a conforming love. The Will of God is the Compasse by which it steers. It fashions not it selfe according to the world. It walkes not by example, but by rule. The heart will be set like a Watch which goeth exactly, not by others, but by the Sun. It walks not by president, but precept. It regards not what is either its own, or other mens, but what is Gods will. Its will and Gods are like two strings of an Instrument, the one whereof being tuned to the other, if the one be struck and sound, the other also stirs and trembles; when Gods will is declared, the will of him that loves God moves accordingly. It is much more solicitous to understand duty, then to avoid danger. It desires to have a heart according to Gods heart, to be effigiated and moulded according to Scripture Impressions; to love what God loves, and hate what he hates; to think and will the same with God.

9. It’s a sociable love, It moves to the full enjoyment of God, as its Center. Converse with God is its Element. The soule where this love is, debarr’d from prayer, hearing, is as the fish on dry land. It restrains not prayer from the Almighty: It walks with God: It sings in the absence of Christ, no more than did they in a strange land. It loves to have its bundle of Myrh all the night between its breast. It delights in every thing in which Christ may be seen: Word, Sacraments, Conditions, Soscietie, Ministers; and the more these have of Christs presence, the more it loves them: the closest, purest powerfullest, and most sin-discovering, sin-disturbing preaching, it loves best. The holiest, and most exactly walking Saints, it loves best. The Sacrament or Prayer wherein Christ smiles most sweetly, it loves best. The condition (though outwardly bitterest) wherein it sees the face of Christ most clearly, it loves best. 2 Tim 4.8. 2 Pet. 3.12. Chiefly is the sociableness of love discovered in longing after the second coming of Christ: in counting it best of all to be with him: in loving his appearance: in hasting to the coming of the day of God. The unwillingness to have that day come, proceeds from a Christians unrenewed part: so much soreness as is in the eye, so much lothness is there in a man to see the light, & proportionable to our love to sin, is the disaffection to Christs appearance; and the fear which is in a gracious heart of Christs second coming, rather proceeds from a sense of its own unfitness to appear before Christ, than an unwillingness to have Christ appear to it: and more from a desire to be made meet for him, than to remain without him.

10. Lastly, Its an uncessant Love. A flame never to be quenched. The Waters of affliction cannot drown it, but onely (as they increase) elevate it. The very snuffers of death shall make it burn the more brightly. It unconquered out-lives, as opposition, so its fellow-graces: 1 Cor. 13. the faithful are rooted and grounded in love. They love God for himself who fails not, Ep. 3.17. 1 Cor. 13.8. and therefore Love it self fails not. Hypocrites are uneven in their love: feigned things are unequal: appearing friends cannot dissemble so exactly, but that at one time or other their hatred will appear. In some companies, or conditions they will shew what they are: In the time of persecution they fall away: Mat. 13.21. like rotten Apples, they fall off in a windy day. True love to Christ, Amor uescit ferias. knows no holy-daies: it ever hath a rest of Contentment, never hath a rest of Cessation.

2. I proceed to the Properties of love to man.

First, Rom. 12.9. 1 Pet. 1.22. 1 John 3.18. It’s a love unfeigned, without dissimulation. 〈Greek〉, Love without hypocrisie. Love indeed and in truth, not in word and tongue: a love from the heart. ‘Tis not like the love of Joab and Judas, that outwardly kiss’d, and inwardly (at that time) designed killing.

It contents not it self in giving (like Nephthali, Gen. 49.21. Goodly words. The Apostle speaks of Soundness in Charity. Tit. 2.2. Unsound Charitie is Courtship, not Christianity. Of all things, dissimulation doth worst in love, as being most corrupting of, and contrarie to the nature of it; and appearing love is nothing but Christianity acted, and Religion painted: some sins scratch the face of love, but hypocrisie stabs it at the heart.

Secondly, It’s an expressive, open-handed Love: though it ariseth at the heart, yet it reacheth to the hand. Love is a fruitful grace; it bears not onely the leaves and blossoms of words and promises, 1 John 3.18. but the fruit also of beneficial performances. If Love be in truth, t’will also be in deed: words, be they never so adorned, cloath not the naked; be they never so delicate, they feed not the hungry; be they never so zealous, they warm not the cold; be they never so free, they set not the bound at liberty: our Faith must work by love: Love must be seen, felt, and understood: verbal Love is But painted fire: Love is so beautiful a Grace, that it’s willing to be seen. The Apostle saith, Rom. 13.10. Love worketh no ill: it’s a diminutive expression; there’s more intended, even the doing of all the good the Law requires, and therefore he adds, Love is the fulfiling of the Law.

Thirdly, It’s a forward, chearful Love. It is not drawn or driven, but runs: it staies not till the poor seeks it, but it seeks for him. Onesiphorus sought out Paul diligently. Prov. 23.6. 2 Tim. 1.17. Rom. 12.13. It relieves not with an evil eye. It makes men given to hospitality: the water of bountie flows from it, as from a Fountain, and goes not out, as from a narrow mouth’d bottle, with grumbling. It is not like the spunge that sucks up the water greedily, but gives it not out unless it be squeezed. Hoc ipso amplius gaudent pauperes, cum paupertati corum consultum fuerit & pudori. Leo. Serm. 4. Duplex Eleemosyna, & quia damus, & quia hilariter damus. Ingenuous poverty rejoyceth in this forwardness of love, as much as in the gift it self; for thereby not only it’s want, but bashfulness is relieved. Its a double beneficence when we give, and give chearfully. The mind of the receiver, is more refreshed with the chearfulness of the Giver, than is his bodie with the greatness of the Gift.

Fourthly, It’s an extensive universal Love. 1. Universal, in respect of duties: it shuns no performance that may benefit Bodie, Name, Mind, Soul of another: Love is a Pandora, abounding in every good work and gift: Rom. 13.10. it’s therefore called, the fulfilling of the Law. Love is the Decalogue contracted, and the Decalogue is Love unfolded. Love is a Mother; the ten Commandments, her ten children, and she forgets none, neglects none. Gal. 6.10. 2. It’s Universal, in respect of persons: It remembers the Apostles rule, to do good to All: even wicked men it loves, though not as wicked, yet as men; the men, not their manners. Col. 1.4. Non peccatorem, sed justum in paupere nutrit, qui in illo non culpam, sed naturam diligit. Gr. 3. past. 1 Pet. 2.17. Jam. 2.1. The Love of the Collosians was extended to all the Saints: wherever there’s grace, love will follow; for grace is beautiful wherever it is. The Oyntment of Love falls even upon the skirts of the garment, as well as the head. Love is set upon the Brotherhood; the whole Fraternitie of Believers; not here and there upon one. Holy Love regards grace in its working-day clothes: upon a Dung-hill, in a Prison: Grace in the Ideot, as well as in the Scholar; in the Servant, as well as the Master. As all our delight must be in the Saints, Ps. 16.3. so our delight must be in all the Saints.

5. It’s a religious, and a holy love. It’s from, in, and for holinesse. From it: he that loves his brother, first, 1 Tim. 1.5. loves God; 1 Tim. 1.5. first he gives his heart to God, as a son, before he reacheth out his hand to man as his brother. His love is said to be out of a pure heart. First, he gives himself, then his. Secondly, In holinesse, and holy wayes; It joynes not hands with any in a way of sin. For this is not unity, but faction: it hath no fellowship with fruitfull works, Ephes. 5.11. but reproves them: it makes a man most angry with the sin of him whom he loves most. He fears not only to be fratricida, but fideicida: he doth not so love a man as to be an Enemy to religion. Thirdly, for holinesse; this love is set upon holy ones, because they are so; not because they are great, but good; Gods Image in them is the Load-stone of our love. 1 John 5.2.

6. It’s a just and righteous love; It bestowes gifts, not spoyles; it hurts not some to help others; it buyes not a burying place for strangers with the bloud of Christ; it is not bountifull upon any others cost. The people of God must be blamelesse and harmlesse, Phil. 2.15. not having in the one hand bread for one, and in the other a stone for another. We must not build Gods house with Satans tools; the poorest Saint wants not our unrighteousnesse to help him.

7. It’s a prudent discerning love, It loves all, yet with a difference; it is most set upon those that are the fittest objects either for want or worth: it beats not the poor from the door, while it makes strangers drunk in the Cellar; It is not like the Oak, which drops its acorns to swine. Gal. 6.10. It loves Gods friends best; the wicked with a love of pity, the godly with a love of complacency. True Christians shall have a Benjamins portion of love; Mark 10.21. it doth good especially to the houshold of faith. Brotherly-love is set upon brethren. Christ loved the young man a Pharisee, by shewing loving respect toward him, but he loved Lazarus a godly man with a dear intimate love; John 11.3. & 5.11. the best men shall have the best love. There’s a prudence also in the measure of expressing love, so to love to day, as we may love to morrow. We sow not by the bushel, but the handfull.

8. It’s a mutual, reciprocal love. Hence ‘tis, Joh. 13.34. Gal. 5.13. Col. 3.13. Gal. 6.2. Jam. 5.16. 1 Thes. 5.11. that there is so frequent mention of Loving one another: giving and receiving benefits, is by some compared to the Game at Tennis, wherein the Ball is tossed from one to the other, and if it falls, it’s his forfeit who mist his stroke. His disposition is very bad, who if he will not provoke, will not repay love: where Affection, there Gain is reciprocal. The Pole sustains the Hop, and the Hop adorns the Pole: the Wall bears up the Roof, and the Roof preserves the Wall from wet: the wise directeth the strong, and the strong protecteth the wise: the zealous inflameth the moderate, and the moderate tempers the zealous: the rich supplyeth the poor, and the poor worketh for the rich: Love must have an eccho to resound and return.

9. It’s a fervent, burning love. 〈Greek〉, q. 〈Greek〉. Puritie and fervencie of love are joyned together, 1 Pet. 1.22. and 1 Pet. 4.8. Have fervent charitie among your selves. It must be a love to the utmost, not remiss and faint; not a love of courtesie, and civil correspondencie, but of intireness, and holy vehemencie: such a love as was between Jonathan and David, surpassing the love of women. The fervencie of it must be so great, as that it may burn and consume all intervening occasions of hatred and dislike, by bearing with infirmities, covering of sins, construing mens meanings in the better part, condescending to those of lower parts and places: 1 King. 18. like the fire that fell from Heaven upon Elijahs Sacrifice, which lick’d up a trench full of water. A love that overcomes the greatest difficulties for the good of others, and triumphs over all opposition.

10. It’s a constant and unwearied love. 1 Phil. 9. Joh. 13.1. 15.12. A love that must abound more and more. A love that must be like that of Christs, who loved his to the end. Love is a debt alway to be owed, and alway to be paid: ‘tis a debt which the more we pay, the more we have. And which herein differs from all civil debts, that it cannot be pardoned. When we have well chosen our Love, we should Love our choice, and be true Scripture-friends, to love at all times; not fawning upon our friends, when high; and frowning upon them, when low: not looking upon them as Dyals, onely when the Sun of success shines upon them: we should love them most, when they want us, not when we want them most.

This for the explication of the third, and last blessing, which the Apostle requesteth for these Christians. [Love.]

2. The Observations follow.

1. Love to God flows not from Nature. Observ. 1. 1 John 4.7. God is not onely the Object, but the Author of it. From him, for these Christians, the Apostle desires it. The Affection of Love is natural; the Grace of Love is divine. As Love is the motion of the will toward good, ti’s in us by Nature; but as it is the motion of the will toward such an object, or as terminated upon God, it is by Grace.

Love is one of the Graces to be put on, Col. 3.14. Rom. 1.30. and we are no more born with it in us, than with our clothes on us. Wicked men are haters of God, and that (as the word signifieth) with the greatest abhorrency: 〈Greek〉, abhorreo, unde Styx. they so hate him, as to desire he were not, that so they might live without the limits of his Law, & the reach of his Justice. God is onely by them look’d upon with fear, Ps. 139.21. 2 Chro. 19.2. 1 Joh. 3.13. Joh. 15.18.20. Rom. 8.7. as a Judge: and whom men fear, as hurtfull, they hate, and wish they were taken out of the way. Mens hearts, and Gods holiness, are very opposite: The carnal mind is enmity against God. The very reason of it, the best thing that is in Corrupt Nature, even Lady-Reason her self, is not an enemy onely, but enmity, and irreconcileable. There is in it an Enmity against every truth, preferring before it humane mixtures, and Traditions: and undervaluing Gods mercy, and the way of obtaining it in his Sonne; misjudging all his wayes as grievous, and unprofitable; accounting all his Servants base, and contemptible. An enmitie there is in Affection against his Word, wishing every truth, which crosseth its lust, razed out of the Scripture: quenching the motions of the Spirit; refusing to hear his voice; rejecting the councel of God: against his people, his Messengers; hating them most, that speak most of God, either with the language of lip or life. Enmity in conversation, holding the truth in unrighteousness; by wilful disobedience, forsaking the waies of God, to walk in those of Nature; casting off his Yoke, and refusing to be reformed. And all this hatred is against God, though man by it hurts not God, but himself, man being Gods enemy, not by hurting his will, but resisting it. Non nocendo sed resistendo. The consideration whereof should humble us for our folly, and danger in hating so good and great a God. It should also teach from whom to beg renewed inclinations. Lord, Whither should we go but to thee? and how, but by thee?

2. Love is the best thing which we can bestow upon God. Observ. 2. ‘Tis our All, And the All which the Apostle desires these Christians may return to God, who had bestowed upon them mercy and peace. Love from God, is the top of our happiness; and love to God, the summe of our duty. It’s that onely grace whereby we most neerly answer God in his own kind: he commands, corrects, comforts, directs, pitties, sustains, &c. in these we cannot resemble him; but he loves us, and in this respect, we may, and must answer, returning love for love. Love is the best thing, that the best man did ever give his God. Love is a gift, in bestowing whereof, hypocrites cannot joyn with the faithful: there’s nothing else but they may give as abundantly as the most upright in heart: they may give their tongue, hand, estate, children, nay life, but Love with these, or these in love they cannot give. And the truth is, not giving this, they give to God, in his esteem, just nothing. The best thing that an Hypocrite can bestow, is his Life, and yet Paul tels us, That though he gave his body to be burn’d, 1 Cor. 13.3. Nucleus donorum animus. and had not love, he should be nothing: nothing in Esse gratiae, in point of truth, worth, and grace. Love is the beauty of our performances; their Loveliness is Love to God in doing them: Love is the Marrow of every duty. Love is the salt which seasons every Sacrifice: 〈Greek〉. the exquisitest service without it, is but as a dead carcass embalmed. God delights in nothing which we give him, unless we give our selves first. He more regards with what heart we give, than what we give. God accepts no duty when we do it because we dare not do otherwise, but when we do it because we love to do it, it is acceptable to God. He who wants Love, though he do the thing commanded, yet he breaks the Law Commanding. He who Loves, keeps the Command Evangelically, while he breaks it Legally.

3. Observ. 3. Love set upon other things beside God, is wrong placed. The world must often be left and loathed, at the most but used, never loved. So to love it, as thereby to lessen thy love to God; so to love it, as to be excessive either in grief for wanting it, or joy for having it, and to be over earnest in using it, and injudicious in preferring it before thy God, is to love it unduely, and sinfully: if at any time the creature be beloved innocently, ‘tis beloved in and for God; as a pledge of heaven, as a spur to duty.

Among all the Creatures there cannot be found a helper fit for man. Between the soul and them there can be no match with Gods consent. He that is wedded in love to the Creature, is married to one that’s poor, base, vexing, false.

1. Poor, the whole world is but a Curt, and unsatisfying good: the sieve in the water hath something in it, pull’d thence, ‘tis empty: the Creature apart from God, is empty of all loveliness: it’s a brest fill’d with nothing but wind. Should the whole world be cast into our Treasury, it would hardly be a Mite. Hagar out of Abrahams house found nothing but scarcity; and all plenty which is not God, is but penury. Earthly blessings, like to numbers, cannot be so great, but still we may reckon, and our desires reach some one beyond them. Men in their contentions for the world prove it a scanty thing, and that it cannot satisfie all. A lover of the world can endure no rivals, as knowing how scanty an object he contends for. So large a good is God, that he who loves him, delights in company.

2. Base & ignoble. Whatsoever is below a God, is below our soul; its as unfit to rule our hearts, as the bramble to rule the trees. What we love, subdues us it to it self, and we are alway below it: to love these earthly, drossie comforts, is to make thy soul a vassal to thy vassal, a servant of servants, Love leaves the impression of the thing beloved upon the soule; if thou lovest the earth, thou hast the impression of vilenesse upon a noble soule; the impression gives denomination: a piece of gold is call’d a Jacobus, an Angel, a Serpent, a Lion, according to the stamp it beareth: If therefore earthly objects have by love set their impression upon thy soule, what is that golden, excellent, heaven-born creature, but a lump, a clod of earth; The earth should be under our feet, not upon our heart.

3. Vexing and unquiet Love set upon the world, hath more of anguish than love; it ever wrangles with us for not giving it enough. Peace is the only product of the enjoyment of God. If Christ be not in the ship, the storms will never cease; nor can any thing but his presence bring a calmnesse upon the sonle. Rest is peculiar only to Gods Beloved. Love never stings, but when you disturb, anger it, and hinder it from resting in a God; in him it’s hive, it is alway, and only quiet, and innocent.

4. False and inconstant. They are but lying, and flying vanities. A soul that loves the world is match’d to that which will soon break and run away; none are so foolishly prodigall as the covetous, who assures all to that which can assure nothing (no not his own) again to him. The World is like to Absaloms mule, that runs away when its lovers most want reliefe; its not able to love again those, that love it most. The love of that which is inconstant and weak, is the strength of our misery. The best of earthly blessings have their moth, and their thiefe; Mat. 6.20. Prov. 25.31. Observ. 4. Plus bonitas, quam benificientia. Expiat infinita venustas, omnem injuriam. they make themselves wings, they flee away as an Eagle towards Heaven.

4. God is an Object very meet for our love to be set upon. Much he deserves it, even for whathe is. His own lovely excellencies are so great, that even for these our hearts should be set upon him, although his hatred were set upon us. Goodnesse is more than beneficience. God is a bundle, an heap of all worth and perfections; all the scattered excellencies of the whole Creation, Center, and meet in him: a flower he is, in which meet the beauties of all flowers. Suppose a creature composed of all the choycest endowments of all the men that were since the Creation of the World, famous in any kind. One in whom were a meek Moses, a strong Samson; all the valiant Worthies of David, a faithfull Jonathan, a beautifull Absalom, a rich and wise Solomon: all the holy men of God, eminent for any grace; Nay, all the Angels of Heaven, with their understandings, strength, agility, splendor, spiritualnesse, holinesse: and suppose this creature had never known us, help’d us, benefited us, yet how would our hearts be drawn out towards it in desires and complacencies; but this alas, though ten thousand times more exquisitely accomplish’d, would not amount to a shadow of divine perfection. God had in himselfe assembled from Eternity, all the excellencies which were in time; and had not he made them, they had never been. If every leafe, and spire of grasse, nay all the stars, sands, atomes in the World, were so many Souls, and Seraphims, whose love should double in them every moment to all eternity, yet could not their love be enough for the lovelinesse of our God. There is nothing in God but what is amiable: Cant. 5.16. he is altogether lovely; nothing to cause loathing, fulsomness, or aversation, though we enjoy him to all Eternity. And it should much draw out love from us, to think what God doth for us. Man doth but little, and it’s counted much; God doth much, and it’s counted little; and whence is this distemper’d estimate? Must mercy therefore be under-valued, because it comes from God? Doth water lose it’s nature, because it is in the fountain, or heat because ‘tis in the fire, and not in some other subject? Can we be thankfull to a thiefe that spoil’d us not of what we have, and not to a God that furnish’d us with what we have? Can we love a man that spar’d and not a God that bestowed our life? Can we love him that supply’d us when we had nothing, and not him who made us when we were nothing? Is any want so great, as to be nothing; or is any gift comparable to our very being? Children love their parents from whom they have their body, though they gave it not, but God by them. And what they did give, was not for love of their children, but pleasure, and possibly they caused their childrens beings unwillingly; ‘Twas not from any love in parents that these children were begotten rather than others, because it was not in their choice, but when ‘twas in Gods choice, seeing innumerable men, whom he could have made, he made these rather than others. What is it that shores and sustaines our beings, but the prop of divine manutenency? Did God make the house, and then leave it to stand alone? Hath not the same power that set it up, held it up, ever since? hath he taken off that hand of sustentation one moment since he built thee? Parents and friends have loved thee, but was not all their affection a drop of Gods fountain? would not (else) their bowels have been flint and marble? and had not God bid them love thee, might they not have been upon choice, what some tender mothers are upon constraint, butchers instead of parents? The light of the Moon, and Stars in the night is from the Sun, though the Sun be not seen: so every benefit afforded by man is from God, though God be not observed. And what save love it selfe was it, that re-made thee when thou wert worse then nothing? Surely the giving of Christ was the hyperbole of love, the highest note that ever love reached. A work that looks as if it were intended to draw out love from us. Fire in its sphere burns not, but in some solid matter, so God, though love it selfe, inflam’d us not with love, but by coming to, and becoming of man. What immeasurable love was that wherby he was debased to our vilenesse, that we might be advanced to his Majesty, and whereby he suffered even beyond measure, and was never prodigall of any bloud but his own! A mercy, for contrivement, so peculiar to Gods love, that Angels could no more have invented it, than Infants; and for manifestation, so appropriated to his love, that had not he discover’d and tendred it, it had been blasphemy and sacriledge (saith one) once to have desir’d it.

How great a condescention of love is it for him to become a Suter to thee for thy love, to seek and beseech thee to be reconciled to him! what’s thy portion but poverty? Rom. 5.6, 8 what gets he, if he gain thy love? what loseth he, if he misse it? what saw he in thy person, but deformity? what in thy affection, but impotency and antipathy? How long did Love contend before it conquer’d thee! How witty wert thou to shift off happiness! How unlike to mans carriage towards man was Gods carriage towards thee! Who ever heard before, that abused patience should be turned, instead of fury, into affection. If the patience of him that unjustly offends, drawes love from him, that’s justly offended, how much more should the patience of him that is justly offended, draw love from them that unjustly offend!

5. Obser. 5. A Christians greatest service and work for God is most just and equall. Why? It is to love. And what more righteous? We are his Creatures, if he had commanded a harder task, as to Sacrifice our children, or burn our bodies to ashes, we ought to have done it. But 1. He askes no more than this at our hands, to Love him: And now Israel, what doth the Lord require of thee, Deut. 10.12. but to Love him? Love is a ready, prompt, willing affection, which doth all with ease, and is its own weight. 2. Love is that which every one hath: it’s implanted in every soul. If God had required a child, the Barren might have had a plea. If God had required our Lands, and money, the poor. If Labour, and Travail, the sick might have had his plea of exemption: but every one hath a Love, that hath a Soul. 3. This love which he requires, he bestowed, and he calls for no more than his own: he doth but gather the grapes of his own Vine-yard; the Waters of his own Fountain; the fruit of his own Ort-yard: he requires no more than he first gives. 4. If it be bestowed on him, he returns it much better than he received it. He purifies and appeaseth it; removes its pain and impurity: he slayes nothing in it but the Ram: he makes it like to the Rain, which though the earth sends up in thick and foggy vapours, falls down in pure and silver showers: or like to the waters which though they come from the sea brackish and brinish, yet return thither again in sweet and Christall streams. God takes away the inordinateness, unholiness, and sensualness of our love: he quiets and appeaseth it, not emptying it of its honey, but only pulling out its sting. Love being never unquiet, when in its center, or stinging when in the hive, or vexing the soul when set upon God. 5. In loving him, we do no more than we have tyed our selves to do. We have chosen him for ours: Deut. 26.17. for our Husband, Father, Master,: he may challenge our love, we must not go back: we are baptized in his name: when we love not God, we rob him of our selves: we are Adultresses being married, not to love. 6. In loving, we can but repay him (though with no proportion) not prevent him: he loved us first. 1 Joh. 4.19. Loved our souls in pitying, and pardoning, and renewing them: loved the body, in constant provision, protection, direction. Loved us in giving himself; loved us in giving his gifts. 7. We must, if we love not him, love some thing else. And where can we find any other upon whom to bestow it? Exod. 15.11. who among the Gods is like to him? and what among the Creatures is fit for us, that can satisfie our exigences, that will relieve us in distresse, that will stay with us continually, that will love us again? 8. In loving him, we love one another: and love is the glue of the world, the Cement of society; it thinks nothing too difficult for a friend: it makes us harmless, and helpfull. If twenty men love one another, every one as himself, every one is twenty, every one hath twenty hearts, forty hands, eyes, feet. Love unlocks every ones Cabinet; making the one take out cousnel, another riches, another strength, all something, for the good of one another.

6. Observ. 6. Wheresoever love to God is, there will love to man appear. The grace of love (as hath been opened) comprehends love to both; from the Fountain of piety, must flow the Stream of charity. He who hath not love enough for a man, Eph. 1.15. where will he find it for a God? Love is the pulse of faith, and the breath of Christianity. Faith worketh by love: Gal. 5.6. though love be not a hand to receive Christ, yet is it a tool in the hand to work for Christ, and that in working for Christians. The flames of zeal never consumed the moysture of Charity: he who loves God for his own sake, will love his brother for Gods. Add to your Godliness (saith the Apostle) Brotherly kindness. 2 Pet. 1.7. 1 John 3.17. He who shutteth up his bowels to a wanting brother, how dwelleth the love of God in him? The nearer the lines come to the Center, the nearer are they to one another. Our love to the godly, increaseth with our love to God. The Sunshine upon the dyal moves, though not so swiftly, yet according to that proportion which the Sun in the firmament moveth: and our love to the people of God, though it be not so great as unto God, yet is it according to the measure of our love to God.

7. Observ. 7. It’s a great discovery of Gods goodnesse, in that with our loving of him, he joyns our loving of one another. He might have so challenged our love to himselfe, as thereby we might neither have had time, will, strength, or allowance to love one another. But, behold his love, he will be served of us, in our serving of man. He accounts this pure religion, Jam. 1. ult. Gal. 5.13. to visit the fatherlesse and widow. The serving of one another by love, he requires as a token of our serving him by faith. So gracious is he, that he esteems what we do to our own flesh and bloud, as done to himselfe; Pro. 19.17. Pro. 21.13. Psal. 112.9. Mat. 25.40. and accounts himselfe a debtor to us for what we do for our selves; he remembers it long, rewards it largely, and doth both exactly: he hath appointed charity as the most safe and gainfull invention in the world: Ars quaestuosissima. Heb. 13.16. Luke 12.33. It’s a payment to the poor Christian in this place, who sends his bill of exchange (his prayer) to God, and he accepts the bill, and payes it for our use in heaven; we keep nothing as a mercy, but what we are willing (and one way thus) to lose. Death robs us by the way, if we think to carry our wealth to heaven with us; but if we send it by bils, we shall receive it safely. He who hath laden himselfe with apples in the ortyard, and is sure to be searched when he comes out of the gate, throwes his apples over the wall to a friend, who keeps them for him. In this world we lade our selves with gifts, death wil undoubtedly search us when we go hence; but if while we are here, we throw by charity, our enjoyments into heaven; we have there a friend that keeps them safe. He that denyes to give this Interest of his gifts by charity, forfets the Principall, and he that takes in his worldly commodities without paying God this custome, shall lose the whole.

8. Prayer is a singular help to bring us to love God: Obser. ult. it was here the Apostolicall Engine in the Text. When we cry for his holy spirit, the spirit of love, he cannot deny us; he heal’d the lame when they cryed. When thou cryest and sayest from the heart, I would fain love thee, but I cannot, will he not give thee legs to run after him? Prayer brings us into familiarity with God, and by converse (you know) love grows between men. God delights to shew himself in his own way, and as he did to Moses, to send us down from the Mount of Prayer, with soules shining with love. Prayer exerciseth our love, it blowes up the sparkes of love into a flame. Love is an especiall gift of the spirit. We are taught of God to love one another. Gal. 5.22. 1 Thes. 4.9. ‘Tis he that must warm our hearts with this divine grace, and he being sought unto, and his power implor’d and acknowledg’d, will not deny it.

Thus much of the first particular, in this third and last part of the title, the Prayer, viz. the Blessings pray’d for, mercy, peace, love. The second followeth, the measure in which the Apostle desireth these blessings may be bestowed, in this expression, [be multiplyed.]

For the Explication whereof, two things would be opened.

1. Explicat. 1. Wherein stands the multiplication of these Blessings, or what it is that the Apostle desireth, when he prayeth for the multiplication of these gifts & graces.

2. Why the Apostle makes this request, and prayeth not onely for the bestowing, Multiplicari, dilatari, incrementum capere, adimpleri. Tum de multiplicatione in quantitate discreta, tum de augmento in quantitate continua accipitar. Mat. 24.12. Acts 6.17. & 7.17. & 9.31. 2 Cor. 9.10. 1 Pet. 1.2. 2 Pet. 1.2. Jude 2. Gerh. in 1 Pet. 1.2. but the multiplying of these Blessings.

1. What this multiplying is? The word in the original signifieth, as to be multiplied, so to be increased, fill’d, enlarged; and it is in Scripture indifferently usedto signifie the multiplication of things in their number, and their augmentation in measure, and greatnesse. Whence it is that some render this (πληθυνθείη) multiplicetur, be multiplyed: others, adimpleatur, be fill’d, or fulfill’d, or fill’d up, or increas’d. It properly signifieth to increase in number, and not in measure, and when it is applyed to people, and the Church (as ‘tis oft in the Acts of the Apostles) it’s only used for an increase in number; but when ‘tis spoken of sin, or graces, as Mat. 24.12. Pet. 1.2. 2 Pet. 1.2. & in this place of Jude, it may signifie an increase in measure onely. And so the Apostle prayeth that the gifts & graces, which these Christians had already obtain’d, Eph. 4.16. 1 Pet. 2.2 2 Pet. 3.18 John 2.5. Psal. 84.7. 1 Thes. 4.1, 11 2 Cor. 13.9. might receive a further degree of augmentation, that believers might grow, abound, and increase in them more and more. And thus, though the mercy of God (which was the first of the three blessings here desired by the Apostle) as it is in it self, and as in God, cannot be increased, (it being infinite:) yet in respect of the effects and graces flowing from it upon believers, it may be increased.

More particularly, when the Apostle prayeth that these Christians may have this increase and augmentation of grace: he comprehends in that his request, these several blessings.

1. That they may be sensible, and observing of their wants and deficencies of Grace. That they may often cast up their accounts; and see, as what they have gained, so wherein they are defective: that they may resent, as their gains with thankfulness, so their wants with humility. They who see not, can neither desire, nor receive what they want. A Christian must be like a covetous man, totus in rationibus, much imployed in searching and examining what he hath not, as well as what he hath; what he hath lost, as well as what he hath gain’d; what he hath laid out, as well as what he hath laid up; Whether he stand, how he hath fallen, how far he hath gone: and though he must account no loss irreparable, yet none contemptible; and though no gain so small as to be unthankfull for it, yet none so great as to be contented with, or proud of it.

2. That they may make use of the helps, the food, and fuel which God hath appointed for the increase of their Grace. Luk. 17.5. Pet. 2.2 As Reading, Prayer, Hearing, Sacraments, Meditation; and he that neglects these, is not a strong, but a sick Christian. Nundinae aeternitatis. These are the Marts and Fairs wherein we trade for Grace: a thriving Christian must keep constant traffick with heaven; sending thither, hearing thence; in the former, telling; in the later, taking in what he wants. We must make growth the end of our feeding; and thriving of our trading: we must not trade, to trade; pray, to pray; hear, to hear; but to grow better thereby.

3. That they may proportionably answer the worth, and length of those opportunities God afforded them for the increasing of Grace. That they might not devour fat enjoyments, having mean while lean, and barren, or indifferent hearts. He is not an abounding, thriving Christian, who hath but an ordinary growth under rich opportunities: we must abound in returning, as well as in receiving: we must not be like the kidney in the beast, lean in the midst of fatness: Heb. 5.12. not heaths and wildernesses, under the showers of salvation: nay, not content our selves in being but as good as others, who haply enjoy less. They who enjoy much from God, and yet are no better than those who enjoy less, are therefore worse, because they are not better.

4. That they may forbear, and avoid whatsoever hinders and keeps down the thriving and growing in Grace. That they may take heed of secret waies of spending: that they may not privily delight in any known way of sin, or beloved lust, which makes the most glittering Christian abroad, to be but a bankrupt at home. Christians must cut off the Suckers that draw away their nourishment: Love of the world, pride, uncleanness, &c cannot thrive with grace in the same heart: as the one goeth up, the other goeth down: as the spleen swels, the body decayes.

5. 2 Pet. 1.5. That they may have an impartial increase in every grace, in one as well as another. That to one grace they might add another; Psal. 119.101. loving of every duty, and loathing of every evil. All graces have a Concatenation, and an inseparability, Col. 1.10. a holy band, a divine league: and as every Christian hath, so he grows in every part of the new Creature. 1 Tim. 5.21. He fructifieth in every good work: he labours to keep an equability in his courses; not strict in some things, and slack in others. He prefers not one before another; he hath a pulse of grace, that beats evenly and equally: he is neither a maimed person who wanteth any limb, nor a Monster, who hath one limb so big, that others want; but hath a comely symmetry. of part with part. No one of his graces stands at a stay, while the other grows; he doth not go richly apparell’d in some one piece of his apparell, and beggerly in the rest; All his nourishment is not conveighed to some one part, to the starving of the rest.

6. That they may multiply in grace to an exercise, acting and laying out of grace. That grace might be augmented into action; that the fountain full inwardly, might overflow outwardly; that as it was, so it might appear grace, that they might be free as well as full, and fructifie in every good work; that the hand as well as the heart might be fill’d with the fruits of righteousnesse; as grace will be increased in the pouring out, so must it be poured out, when it increaseth. The running water, and the active Christian, are both the sweetest; the more a musicall instrument is used, the sweeter is its melody. Graces like garments will be, the more we use them, the more free from the moth; the more we can, the more we should do; & the more we do, the more we can, we love to do.

7. That they may obtain a measure of grace, sutable to their severall and particular exigences and occasions. That they may not only have grace more than others, but enough for themselves; i. e. in some sutable measure to their own severall conditions, and imployments. Some men have stronger temptations to resist, corruptions to subdue, greater burdens to bear, imployments to go through, and these want more abundant graces than others. Some man may better keep house with an hundred pounds a year, then another who hath a great family, and familiarity, can do with a thousand; A man who hath great revenues, may yet be poorer than he who hath lesse, if he have greater expences.

8. That they may constantly abide and continue in the grace they had received. The further obtaining of what grace we want, necessarily implies a retaining, and an holding fast of what we have. By the same reason that we desire to get more, we shall keep that which we have already gotten Decay is ever inconsistent with growth. A Christian must not go aside, much lesse go backward, not lie still with the stone, nor creep with the snail, much lesse go back with the Crab; not be a golden Christian in youth, a silver one in manhood, and a leaden one in old age. Our fals into sinne must be but for a fit, not so, our forwardnesse in Christianity; our goodnesse not like the morning dew; Hos. 6.8. Psal. 78.57. we must not turn back, deal unfaithfully, and turne aside as a deceitfull bow. Its hypocrisie to pretend that we are gone, or going further in religion than others, who are eminent, and yet be behind what our selves once were, and that when we were beginners. If grace be not preserved, it cannot be augmented; fire cannot be made to blaze out, if it be not kept from going out. If the life of grace be gone, the growth will follow. If we continue not rooted in Christ, Col. 2.7. we cannot be built up in him.

9. That they may be boundlesse and unlimited in the progresse of grace; that they may be ever making additions to what they have: 2 Pet. 1.5. Christianity knows no enough; the degrees of a Christians gracemust be like numbers, the highest whereof being numbred, a higher than that, may yet be named. 1 Thess. 3.10. Even those worthy Thessalonians, had something lacking• in their faith. We must never cease growing, till we be grown into heaven; we must forget what’s behind, Phil. 3.13. and presse forward toward the mark. If perfection be our pattern, proficiency is our duty. ‘Tis true, Ubi incipis nolle fieri melior, ibi desinis esse bonus. Bern. Ep. 91. Nolle preficere, deficere est, Ep. 254. he that hath least grace, hath enough to be thankfull; but he that hath the most, hath not enough to be idle. We are never gotten far enough, till we are gotten home; he that is rich enough, is nothing worth. He was never good that desireth not to be better; he is stark nought, that desireth not to be as good as the best.

10. Lastly, the Apostle desireth the multiplication of grace even to the sense, feeling, and apprehension of those that were partakers thereof: that those who had grace might know they had it. The people of God do not ever know their own holinesse and happinesse: these are true, though not strong in grace. The perceiving of our grace is an additionall happiness to our receiving it. In the light of God we must see light. It’s a double, and a very desirable blessing to have the company and comfort of grace at the same time.

This of the first branch of Explication, What the Apostle desired for these Christians when he pray’d for this multiplication. The second followeth, which was to consider, Why he desired it. 2d Branch of Explicat.

This he did, 1. In respect of God. 2. In respect of Others. 3. In respect of Themselves. 4. In respect of Himself.

1. In respect of God. The more grace is multiplyed, the more God is 1. Honoured: Mat. 5.16. Joh. 15.8. 2 Cor. 4.15. Phil. 1.11. Herein is my Father honoured, if ye bring forth much fruit. If the servants of God do much work, God will be accounted a good, a bountifull Master; 1. In respect of the great reward men will think there is in his service, and some extraordinary benifit by it, that his servants are so painfull in it. And 2. In respect of the great ability that he bestows upon his to be and do good. God will be admired in them that beleeve. If poor servants are so rich and glorious, Aestimari a Cultoribus potest ille qui Colitur. Salv. what then (will men say) is the Master? if his servants be so holy, what then is he who keeps them? if there be so much in a drop, what is there then in the ocean? if he imparts so much to others, what then hath he in himself? The plenty of the crop is the praise of the husbandman. Luk. 15.7. Chrysostomus cxistimat glorificationem hìc poni pro exultatione. Gerh. in Joh. 15.8.

2. As God is honoured by the abounding of his servants in holiness, so is he likewise pleased. Fruitfulness upon earth is joy in heaven. The Husbandman is not only praised, but pleased by the fruitfulness of his grounds, the barrenness whereof is both his shame and his sorrow. The thriving of the child is the joy of the father. If we rejoyce so much in holinesse, that see it, and love it so little, Isai. 5.6. what then must God do, who is holinesse it selfe? How angry was God with his barren vineyard? If God be best pleased with holinesse, he must needs be best pleased with them who are most holy.

2. The Apostle desired this multiplication of grace in respect of Others; that they may not only speak good of God, but get good to themselves. The whole Countrey fareth the better for a rich Christian; he keepeth open house, the more he hath, the more he gives; he labours to make all such as himselfe, Acts 26.29. his bonds onely excepted. Ther’s nothing more covetous, or prodigall, than grace: A Saint ever loves to be receiving from God, and imparting to others. From Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, Paul preached the Gospell. Rom. 15.19. 2 Cor. 6.10. He who was so abundantly rich himselfe, made it his work to make others so. What an encouragement is it to young beginners in grace, to see that they who once were as poor, and had as little to begin with as themselves, have attained to such a plentifull spirituall estate? What a joy is it to the strong Christian, whose love of complacency is set upon the excellent Ones, and whose Crown of Rejoycing it is to see the Honour of God propagated?

3. The Apostle desired this Multiplication of grace, in respect of Themselves, and that

1. In respect of their duty; they could never be too abundant in goodnesse for him, from whom they were, and had, and did what ever was good. How could God dwell too much in the house of his own building? How could the Vineyard and Garden of his own planting be too fruitfull? the Well of his own digging be too full? In their creation they received souls, bodies, faculties, senses, with parts and members from him; in him also they lived, and moved, and had their being; and could they do him too much service? In their redemption the delivery not onely from condemnation, but from vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. and from the service and corruption of sin was aimed at by God; and not only a preservation of them to Heaven, but in holinesse. In their profession, they were Christians, and followers of Christ; And how could they walk too exactly, that had such a guide? They had in the word, precepts, promises, threatnings, examples; and how could they be too precise, that had such a rule?

2. For their dignity. Holinesse is a Christians greatest honour, and therefore the greatest degree of holinesse, the highest degree of honour. Grace is called glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. and the more grace, the more glory. It’s that which hath the most of Scripture-commendation. What an honourable mention doth Paul make of the Romans, for having their faith spoken of throughout the world. Rom. 1.8. Our Saviour, Mat. 8.10. &, 15.28. that contemned the glorious buildings of the Temple, when his Disciples shewed him them, admired a strong faith more than once.

3. For their further peace and comfort in this life. There’s no abundance, but that of grace, which can content the possessour; the more holinesse, the more enjoyment of him, in whose presence is fulnesse of joy. Whence is a Saints trouble, but from the deficiency of his graces? what is it that pincheth him, but the scantinesse of these spirituall garments? the larger they are, the greater is his ease. He that hath true grace, may go to Heaven certainly; but he who hath strong grace, onely goeth comfortably. A weak faith, a small degree of love, patience, humility, will not carry a man joyfully through great troubles.

4. For their future crown, & further felicity in the next life. If any shall follow the lamb in whiter & larger robes of glory than other; they are those whom he hath adorned most with the robes of grace here. If any shine brighter than others in heaven, they shall be those who have been brightest in grace upon the earth. Though glory be not bestowed for any merit in grace, yet I see no inconvenience to hold, that ‘tis bestowed according to the proportion of grace. If the more grace a Saint hath, the more he be fitted for glory, Col. 1.12 then the more grace he hath, the more (it is likely) he shall be filled with glory. The more the soul is widened with grace, the more capacious will it be of glory; the heaviest crowns are fittest for the strongest heads.

4. Lastly, The Apostle desired this multiplication of grace upon these Christians, in respect of Himself. The holinesse of the people, is the crown of the Minister, and the greater their holinesse, the weightier, and more glorious is his crown. The Apostle John had no greater joy than to see his spirituall children walk in the truth; The thriving of the child, is the comfort and credit of the Nurse; the fruitfulnesse of the field, the praise and pleasure of the Husband-man; the beauty of the building, is the commendation of the Artificer; the health, fruitfulnesse, and good plight of the flock, is the joy of the Shepherd. Ministers are Husband-men, Nurses, Artificers, Shepherds in Scripture phrase: Nothing more troubles a godly Minister than to see his multiplied pains answered with a scanty proficiency; & his double labour, with scarce a single return of holinesse. A gain-saying people is the grief of a Minister, that all the day long stretcheth out his hands; although it may be a sweet mitigation of that griefe, to consider that God will not reward his Ministers according to their successe, but their sincerity, and industry.

This for the Explication of this second Particular, in the Apostles prayer, the measure in which he desireth these gifts and graces may be bestowed, [be multiplied.]

The Observations follow.

1. Observ. 1. Great is thefolly of those, whose whole contention is for worldly increase, and multiplication of earthly blessings. In worldly things, their desires have an everlasting Et catera: they will lay house to house, field to field, like the widow, who when she had fill’d all her vessels with oil, yet cals for another vessel. Ahab to his Kingdom, must adde Naboths vineyard; the rich man Luke 12. had his barns full, yet he must enlarge them; Many live, as if God had sent them a voyage into the world to gather cockles and pibbles, whereas he imployed them to trade for pearls. Where is the man that envies not him who hath more wealth, and yet who is it that with an holy emulation, looks upon him that hath more grace than himselfe? Where doth the best sort of earth deserve to lie, but at the Apostles feet? What hath the man who goeth Christlesse? What hath he laboured for all his dayes, but that, not only without which, he might have gone to heaven, but that with which, he cannot get thither? What folly to lose a Crown for a crumb, a Kingdome, a Soul, a God for a trifle? How vain is it to multiply that which in its greatest increase is but nothing! The truth is, earthly comforts are not capeable of multiplication. Did men look upon the world with Scripture spectacles, and not with Satans multiplying glasse it would appear in its greatnesse, but a small thing. The world hath two brests; they who suck at the best of them, draw nothing but winde and vanity; they who suck at the other, draw woe and vexation.

2. Observ. 2. Gre at is the impiety of those that hinder people from increasing in grace. Who are the pul-backs, damps, and quench-coles of the companies where they converse. The holiest men pray that grace may be multiplyed: what then are they who labour to have it extinguished? Elymas the sorcerer had one of the bitterest and severest expressions of detestation from the Apostle, that we read was ever bestowed upon any by a good man; the Apostle calls him One full of subtilty, and all mischiefe, Acts 13.10. a child of the divell, an enemy of all righteousnesse; and why? but because he sought to turn away the Deputy from the faith. They who take away the key of knowledge, stop the mouthes of Ministers, cause a dearth of spirituall food, and cannot endure the preaching of sound doctrine, and the spreading of holinesse, would haply account such expressions as these of Paul to be bitter; but I hardly see how they deserve milder.

3. Obser. 3. It’s the height of impiety to hate people, because God hath multiplyed grace in them. How hatefull is it to hate where, and because God loves? yet some there are, who like Gardiners, snip those most, who are tallest sprouts in holinesse. It’s observed by some, that there’s most admiration, and highest respect bestowed by the professors of all false religions in the world, upon those that are most precise, and exact in the observing of those religions. What an amazement is it, that professours of the true religion alone should most bitterly hate those that make the furthest progresse in it? It’s a commendable thing among men, for one to be excellent and exquisite in his trade and occupation which he professeth; and must it alone be a disgracefull thing, that men should excell in the best of mysteries and callings? yet what more common than to see the most thriving Christian to become the obloquie, nay, prey of the times? And those who are most illuminated to have that Aeolus of hell, Heb. 10.32. sending out his winds of opposition most against them? And who hath not observed the zealous and sincere Christian persecuted, when the time-serving and luke-warm formalist is not only spared, but preferr’d? and what trees are so cudgel’d and battered as those who are most fruitfull? If hatred be hellish because it is set against godlinesse; then certainly that hatred is most hellish, which is set against most godlinesse.

4. Obser. 4. They who are ashamed of being exact and forward in religion, are ashamed of their greatest glory. Men commonly love to excell in every thing more than in that which is true excellency; they think that a little godlinesse is enough, and that abundance of wealth is but a little. In getting riches they love to lead; in going toward heaven, they will hardly follow. So much religion as will preserve their estates and reputation, so much as will not crosse their interest, or hinder their preferment, they will embrace; but they love not to follow religion too close, for fear of being dasht. They herein resemble some Students of the Law, that study that Science, not to be exact in it, but only so farre as they may be able another day to keep their estates. Men commonly love that much, which when they do so, it’s hard not to love too much; but they are but remisse in that, in which ‘tis impossible to be excessive: they making it their study, to take heed of that, of which there’s no danger. viz. Too much precisenesse in the wayes of holinesse. Christianity in our times is like our buildings, much more slight than of old. Till I hear of one man from the Creation of the World to this day, that ever repented him when he came to die of being too holy while he lived, I shall desire to be no man of the times.

5. God is most free of his best gifts; Obser. 5. he gives his people leave and command to multiply spirituals, when often he impaireth their temporals; he bestoweth a Crown, where he sometime denies a crumb; those whom he makes poor in the world, he at the same time makes rich in faith. He deals with his people when they are too heavy laden with the luggage of worldly enjoyments, as men do that are weighing their commodities in a pair of scales; they never leave taking, and taking away from that scale which is too heavy, till the other be as weighty or weightier than it. And God doth justly and mercifully impoverish the body, to enrich the soul. There’s nothing good which hinders us from enjoying the chiefest good: which is not vehiculum, but vinculum; not a furtherance, but a fetter. How gracious is God to chuse our comforts for us! we should ever take the worst part, should he leave us to our own skill; he loves to relieve us for our profit, not for our lust; we naturally love the contrary.

The Christian whose grace multiplies, Obser. 6. is neither carelesse of the helps, or fearlesse of the hinderances of grace: he dares not omit any duty, slight any ordinances, which God hath appointed to make him spiritually prosperous. He is rowing up a river that runs with a strong current, and he knowes if he rest his Oares, he shall fall down the stream; 1 Thes. 5.17 he delights to pray continually; he who hath grace in plenty, will have prayer in fervency. Prayer woos grace to come, and wins it to tarry. Grace ever sets us upon praying for grace; the almes of grace will be beg’d for, James 4.6. and God gives it to the prayer of the humble. Growing men have good stomacks. It’s as possible at the same time to grow in the love of grace, and decay in love to ordinances, as to increase the fire by with-drawing the fuell. The sprouting Christian sits under the dew of heaven; they who forsake the assembling of themselves together, Heb. 10.23.25. will never hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering. As grace is not given nolenti, to him that continues unwilling to receive it; so neither is it increased negligenti, to him that doth not labour to improve it. Apostles, Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ for our growth up to the measure of stature of the fulnesse of Christ. Ephes. 4.13. The forsaking of these is ever with a decreasing of grace. As a Christian abates in his appetite, he will decay in strength; and with his strength, his stomack will return. They who have no spirituall hunger, are far from spirituall health; and never had God a working, who was not a feeding servant. He is but the picture of a Christian, who growes not, who feeds not. Nor can growth in Christianity consist with the love of poyson, any more than with the forbearance of food. They who thrive, hate the wayes of inordinate spending. Sin is a waster of our graces, and our comforts; The Spirit of God is a tender and delicate thing, nor will it stay with those that admit of company so contrary to it as is sin. Every beloved lust is as a worm at the root of a flower. He who hath so excellent a jewell as grace, must keep it under the lock of the fear of sin: while sin comes in at one door, grace goeth out at the other; the Ark could not stay with the Philistins, nor grace with the love of the smallest sin; the least sin is terrible to the greatest Saint, he makes not light of it, but well knowes that a long thread of iniquity may be let in with a small needle.

7. Observ. 7. Decayes in grace are most repugnant to a Christians welfare; decreasing in spiritual blessings directly thwarteth the Apostles petition. It’s uncomfortable to see the days grow shorter, to see a man grow behind-hand in the world, to see a wither’d and a blasted field; a man in a lingring consumption. Naomies condition moved pity, when she went out full, and returned empty: but what pity doth a decaying soule require from us! To consume heavenward, to be plunder’d of grace, to lose our first love, to be declining from God, is a misery indeed, a soul-misery, the misery of every misery. It’s better for thee that God take away all than himselfe from thee. Psal. 51.11. David was more fearfull of losing Gods Spirit, than his Kingdom; It’s the sorrowfullest alteration in the world, after the enjoyment of it, to be forsaken by it.

8. Observ. 8. A Saint allowes not himselfe in any deficiency of grace. He desires to be perfect in every good work; Heb. 13.12. Eph. 4.15. Rom. 15.14. 2 Tim. 3.17. to grow up in Christ in all things: to be full of goodnesse, and knowledge; to be throughly furnished to all good works, and to have grace in all the powers of the soul, as his bloud is in every veine of the body; 2 Cor. 7.1. to perfect holinesse in the fear of God. His imperfection is a trouble to him as well as his pollution. He sees no grace in another, but he covets it; no Ornament, but he admires it; no spot, but he abhors it. He ever wants as much of contentment, as he doth of grace; he never saith, I have as much as another hath; but I have lesse than I my selfe should have: he labours to furnish his house all over; he prizeth every command, delighteth in every duty, sees a beauty in every way of God, and the weaknesse of his grace, is the strength of his trouble. They who needed nothing, Rev. 3.17. were indeed defective in every thing.

9. Observ. 9. A fruitlesse Coversation is inconsistent with grace multiplyed. A fruitlesse tree is little better than a log; there’s small difference ‘twixt a dead stock, and a barren tree. True Christianity suffers not Christians to content themselves with bare hearing the word; or (as one cals it) with meer auricular profession. Where ever grace growes, others may see it. Men cannot discern the growing of it, or how it grew, but they can discern that it is grown, when it’s grown. The profiting of a Saint with Timothy’s, 1 Tim. 4.15. appears to all. Growing grace like corn will appear above ground. The thriving of a child will be known by its looks; its colour and complexion will speak it. The thriving of Daniel, and the rest, was known by the looking upon their countenances. He who thrives in holinesse, will have his visage alter’d, his outward carriage and complexion amended; he is like a grown man, who for some time hath been absent; he is so grown, that he can hardly be known. The voice of a grown Christian is much alter’d from that which it was, when he was a child; 1 Pet. 4.4. he speaks now not vainly, but profitably. Hence it is, that wicked men wonder at him, as at a strange sight.

10. Observ. 10. Lastly, The increase of grace, as well as the beginnings of it, is from God. The Apostle here prayes even for multiplication of grace. It’s grace that must make us multiply in grace: the plantation, and the accretion are from the same hand. When God at first made all living Creatures, Qui operatur, ut accedamus, idem operatur ne discedamus. Aug. de bon. pers. c. 7. Phil. 1.6. Heb. 12.2. he bestowed on them their Crescite, a Blessing, as well as a Being. He who makes us good, must make us better. He who makes us come to him, must also keep us from going from him. He who begins the good work in us, must also perform it. God is both the Authour and Finisher of our faith. If our graces be only put into us by God, and not kept in, they will soon go out. God it is that must not onely set us up, but keep us up. Grace is like a top, or a bell; if God do not continue the impressions of his strength upon us, and keep us up, as well as raise us up, we shall soon go down. The strongest child in Gods family, cannot go alone. He it is who enables us to take the first, and every step we take toward heaven; we live in a constant dependency upon him; he is not only the term of our journey, but our way, our guide, our keeper in it. If God should give us a stock of grace, and then leave us to our selves to trade, we should never thrive. Adam himselfe became a bank-rupt, and so should we; but blessed be God, our happinesse is held by a better tenure, even by Christ, the supplies of whose Spirit alone continue and multiply our graces.

This for the second particular in the third part, (the Paryer) of the title: viz. the measure in which he desired those Blessings. The third and last follows, viz. the persons upon whom he prayeth that these blessings may be in this measure bestowed; in these words [ Unto you.]

The Apostles desire of these Blessings, Explicat. and the multiplication of them, agrees to the persons for whom they are desired, in two respects.

1. In respect of their for-mentioned Priviledges, Sanctification, Preservation in Christ, Calling.

2. In respect of their after-mentioned Dangers, by Seducers, who were crept in among them.

1. In respect of their fore-mentioned Priviledges, of Sanctification, &c. and so the Apostle desires this multiplication of grace for them. 1. Though they be sanctified, they were not so fully sanctified, and had not been so long preserved and called, but that they still wanted a further multiplication of grace; they still stood more in need of the effects of mercy, more inward peace, and love; they had not yet attained their full measure. Phil. 3.13.

2. To all that are sanctified, preserved, &c. Though they were many, he wisheth that every one might have a childs portion; that blessings might be multiplyed to the whole multitude of Saints; that there might not be one barren among them; that as God had aful hand, & was rich in mercy, so that his bounty might be dispersed to them all.

3. To them only who are sanctified. They only who had grace, were capable of having grace multiplyed; To these only who had, the Apostle wisheth that more might be given. There’s no growth, where there is not a truth of grace; nor can these distinguishing blessings of mercy, love, peace, be desired at all for wicked men, upon the supposition of their resolution to continue and proceed to be such.

4. To them, because they were sanctified, preserved, called. How sutable was it for them who had formerly received these Priviledges, to multiply and increase in holinesse; for them to thrive who had a stock of sanctity; for them who were preserved by Christ, to be kept from hurt by sin; for them who were called, to be holy in all manner of holy conversation, 1 Pet. 1.15. as he who called them was holy?

2. This desire of the multiplication of these Blessings agrees to the persons to whom it is desired, in respect of their after-mentioned danger by seducers, who were crept in among them. ‘Tis observable that both Jude and Peter salute the Christians to whom they wrote, with this prayer, for multiplication of these spirituall blessings; that since these Christians had more enemies, they might have more armour than others; and that their graces might be multiplyed with their dangers.

1. Observ. 1. The sanctification of none is in this life so compleat, but it admits of multiplication. Mercy, peace, love, even to you (saith the Apostle) be multiplyed. There’s no plenary perfection on this side heaven; The highest Saint in this life is not come to the fulnesse of his measure. Ephes. 4.13. Phil. 3.13. Blessed Paul thought not himselfe to have apprehended: The perfectest Christian is perfectly imperfect when he begins, imperfectly perfect when he ends; when we have done all, we are unprofitable servants. The fullest vessell may have more wine poured into it, without any fear of bursting; none must bid God stay his hand. They who think they have need of nothing, have truely received nothing. Till the Sabbath comes, we must daily be gathering Manna: Nihil praesumitur actum, dum superest aliquid ad agendum. he that resteth in the time of labour, shall labour, though in vain, in the time of rest. A Christian is not like a top, that moves by going round, and not by going forward; not like the Sun in Hezekiah’s time, that stood still; but like the Sun in its naturall course, that goeth forward to the perfect day. We must go from strength to strength, Psal. 84.7. till we appear before the Lord in Sion. Where there’s no growing, there is some decaying. While we neglect to gain, we spend upon the stock. Sin is continually making breaches in our graces, and we must be daily making them up; our garment hath daily rents, and therefore it wants constant mending; the dust daily falls in our houses, and therefore they want frequent cleansing; our hearts are like to childrens faces, after every washing, they soon grow foul again. Sanctification is nothing but a return to our first estate, to which we cannot attain till death. When the sting of sinne is gone, the stain cleaves close, and we had need wash seven times daily to get it out.

2. God hath enough grace for every one of his children. Observ. 2. Grace is afforded and multiplyed indifferently to one as well as another; though all have not grace equally, yet all truely, and according to their particular exigences. As every good and perfect gift is from God, so (in a due proportion) upon every Saint. None so hath all grace, as that every one hath not some. Christ is a head that sendeth influence into every member. Ephes. 4.16. 1 John 12. Of his fulnesse we have all received. He is an over-flowing fountain of grace, which though it may be imparted, yet is not impaired. The receiving of grace by one, doth no more hinder the receiving thereof by another, than one mans seeing of the Sun, hindereth another from seeing it also. God is a rich Father, he giveth, though not alike, yet sufficient portions to all his children. Our elder brother had a double portion; he was anointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes, Psal. 45.7. but the oyntment poured upon the head, fell down upon every member. He who had holinesse for Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, will not suffer the least child in his house to be totally destitute. They all drank of that rock which flowes toward us. If we had but their thirst, here’s as much water still as ever there was. The people of God should neither envy one another for their fulnesse, nor upbraid one another with their emptinesse; but admire the wisdome, and blesse the bounty of him, who giveth to all, though differently. The whole Company of Saints is like to a well tuned instrument, Varii toni in musica. the strings whereof, though not all of one note, but some higher, some lower, yet all together make a sweet harmony, nor can the loudest be without the smallest. In what grace one is defective, in that let another labour to supply. In what one abounds, let another labour to imitate, and excell; but let all adore, and delight in him, whose are the scatter’d excellencies bestowed upon all the Saints in the world.

3. Observ. 3. Where God hath begun grace, he is not weary of bestowing more. Mercy be multiplyed to you sanctified ones. To him that hath shall be given. Mark 4.25. God loves not to set up a foundation without a wall, nor wals without a roofe. He perfects what concerns his people; and the work of the Lord is perfect. Deut. 32.4. Isai. 10.12. And he doth his whole work upon Mount Sion. How good is God, not only to do good, because he will do good, but because he hath done so! to make one grace a kind of obligation upon himselfe to bestow another! God herein resembling some magnificent King, who when he hath set his love upon a favourite, afterward is in love with his own choice of, and bounty on him, and loves him for these very favours which he hath given him. John 15.2. John 1.50. Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Greater things (saith Christ to Nathaneel) thou shalt see. He who killeth one lust, shall kill another; he who is conscionable in one duty, shall be enabled to another. He who hath the grace of desire, shall have grace bestowed on his desire; and he who hath grace to do a little, shall have grace to do more. God is never weary of giving. He hath oyle enough for every vessell, and still asketh when he hath fill’d all our vessels, as that woman in the story, Bring me yet a vessell. The meditation whereof, 2 King. 4.6. as it should comfort us against our spirituall deficiencies, in regard we know where to have more grace; so should it incite us to proceed in holinesse, and never to think we have enough, or to answer as he did, There is not a vessell. In the best things there’s no excesse.

4. Obser. 4. Onely sanctified ones have the blessing of spirituall multiplication. As first, God gave the word of Creation, before he gave the word of Benediction; so doth he still spiritually. Whosoever hath not, Mat. 13.12. from him shal be taken away even what he hath. If there be not essentia, there cannot be incrementum, If no truth, no growth of grace. Omnis germinatio supponit plantationem. A stake that is meerly thrust into the ground, having neither root nor life, groweth in nothing, but in rottennesse; and this speaks the misery of one not in Christ, and enlivened by the spirit of regeneration; nothing doth him good; he devoureth fat ordinances, but hath a lean soule; he is by the showers of every Sermon and Sacrament, made meeter for the axe, and fitter fuell for hell.

5. Obser. 5. Our beginning in holinesse is an Engagement upon us to go on. Sanctified, preserved, called ones, must multiply grace. The beginning in the spirit, must be a caution to us, that we end not in the flesh. If Saints be barren, the Trees of Gods Ort-yard, where can increase be expected? A fruitlesse tree in the field may haply be born with, not such an one in the garden. They who are planted in the House of God, Psal. 92.13, 14. should flourish in the Courts of our God, still bring forth fruit in old age, be fat and flourishing. It is an unanswerable Dilemma, If the wayes of God were bad, why did you begin in them? if good, why did you not proceed? They who are holy, must be holy still. Rev. 22.11. It’s a great disgrace for religion to be disgraced by her children, to be forsaken by her followers. The dispraise of any by a friend, is easily believed by every one, especially by an enemy to the dispraised: when sanctified ones grow loose and remisse, sanctity is stabb’d: by the reproaches of others, it is but scratched. It’s excellent counsel of the Apostle, that we lose not the things which we have wrought. 2 Ep. John 8. Luke 22.3. As the vigilancy of Satan is to take from sanctified ones, so their care must be to keep what they have gotten, and to get what they want.

6. Observ. 6. God affords graces sutable to all the exigences of his people; multiplyed grace to those who are in multiplyed difficulties, and tentations. My grace (saith God to Paul) is sufficient for thee. 2 Cor. 12.9. When ever God gives a burden, he provides a shoulder. He never requireth brick from his people, without giving them straw. He will either multiply grace, or diminish the tentation. He bids his people up and eat, if he sends them a long journey. Those Saints of his, whom he hath employed in winter seasons, he hath ever cloathed with winter garments; commonly the best men have lived in the worst times; and Gods stars have shined brightest in the darkest ages. The faithfull have been more then conquerours, in conflicts both with persecuters and seducers. Rom. 8.37. And truely, grace multiplyed is much better than tentation, either asswaged, or removed.