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"nor of the will of man, but of God," John i. 13. In this refpect they differ from gifts, as the heavenly manna which was rained down from heaven differs from common bread, which, by pains and induftry, the earth produces in a natural way.

2. The best natural gifts afford not that sweetness and folid comfort to the foul that grace doth; they are but a dry ftalk that affords no meat for a foul to feed on. A man may have an understanding full of light, and an heart void of comfort at the fame time; but grace is a fountain of pureft living ftreams of peace and comfort, 1 Pet. i. 8. Believing, we rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory: "light is fown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart." All true pleasures and delights are feminally in grace, Pfal. xcvii. 11. They are fown for them in these divine and heavenly graces, which are glory in the bud.

Like a precious fone in a a toad's bead.

3. Gifts adorn the perfon, but do not fecure the foul from wrath. A man may be admired for them among men, and rejected eternally by God. Who can confiderately read that fixth chapter of the Hebrews, and not tremble to think in what a forlorn cafe a foul may be, though fet off and accomplished with the rareft endowments of this kind! Mat. vii. 22. We read, that many fhall fay to Chrift in "that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name, and "in thy name caft out devils," &c. and yet themselves at laft caft out as a prey to devils. How divinely and rhetorically did Balaam fpeak and prophefy, Numb. xxiii. What rare and excellent parts had the Scribes and Pharifees? who upon that account, were filed Principes feculi, the princes of the world. Cor. ii. 8. What profound and excellent parts had the heathen fages and philofophers? These things are fo far from fecuring the foul from the wrath to come, that they often expofe it unto wrath, and are as oil to increase the eternal burnings; but now gracious principles are the T EXQUEVOS ONTARIOS, as the apoftle calls then, Heb. vi. things that accompany and have falvation in them. Thefe are the things on which the promifes of falvation run; and thefe treasures are never found but in elect veffels. Glory is by promise affured and made over to him that poffeffes them. There is but a little point of time betwixt him and the glorified fpirits above. And how inconfiderable a matter is a little time, which contracts and winds up apace? For now is our falvation nearer than when we believed. And hence the fcripture fpeaks of them as already faved, Rom. viii. 24: "We are faved by hope," because it is as fure as if we were in heaven. We are made to fit in heavenly places.

4. Gifts may damnify the perfon that poffeffes them, and it may be better in refpect of a man's own condition he had never had them. Knowledge (faith the apofile) puffeth up, 1 Cor. viii. 1. makes the foul proud and flatulent. It is a hard thing to know much, and not to know it too much. The faint's knowledge is better than the fcholar's; for he hath his own heart inftead of a commentary to help

him. Ariftotle faid, a little knowledge about heavenly things, though conjectural, is better than much of earthly things, though certain. "The world by wifdom knew not God," fuith the apoitle, 1 Cor. i. 12.) i. e. Their learning hanged in their light, they were too wife to fubmit to the fimplicity of the gospel. The excellent parts of the old heretics did but ferve to midwife into the world the monstrous birth of foul-damning herefies. Capit abs te ornari diabolus, as Austin faid to that ingenious young fcholar; the devil defires to be adorned by thee. But now grace itself is not fubject to fuch abuses, it cannot be the proper univscal caufe of any evil effect: it cannot puff up the heart, but always humbles it, nor ferves the devil's defigns, but ever opposes them.

5. Gifts may be given a man for the fake of others, and not out of any love to himfelf; they are but as an excellent difh of meat which a man fends to a nurfe, not for her fake fo much as for his child's that fucks her. God, indeed, makes ufe of them to do his children good, the church is benefited by them, though themfelves are but like cooks; they prepare excellent dishes, on which the faints feed, and are nourided, though themselves taste them not. They are dona miniftrantia, non fanctificantia, miniftering, but not fanctifying gifts, proceeding not from the good-will of God to him that hath them, but to thofe he benefits by them And O what a fad confideration will this be one day to fuch a perfon, to think I helped fuch a foul to heaven, while I myself muft lodge in hell?

6. Sin in the reign and power of it, may cohabit with the most excellent natural gifts under the fame roof, I mean in the fame heart. A man may have the tongue of an angel, and the heart of a devil. The wifdom of the philofophers (faith Lactantius) non excindit vitia fed abfcondit, doth not root out, but hide their vices. The learned Phari

fees were but painted fepulchres. Gifts are but as a fair glove drawn over a foul hand: But now grace is incompatible with fin in dominion, it purifies the heart, Acts xv. 6. cleanfes the confcience, Heb. ix. 14. crucifies the affections and lufts of the flesh, Gal. v. 24. is not content with the concealment, but ruin of corruptions.

7. And lastly, Gifts must leave us at laft. "Whether there be "knowledge that fhall ceafe. All flesh is grafs, and the goodliness "of it as the flower of the grafs; the grafs withereth, the flower "fadeth, but the word of the Lord abideth for ever," Ifa. xl. 6, 8. Many times they leave a man before death. One knock, if it hit right, (as one faith) may make a wife man a fool; but, to be fure, they all leave us at death. "Doth not his excellency which is in him go "away?" Job iv. 21. yea, then all natural excellency departs: Death ftrips the foul of all thofe fplendid ornaments; then the rhetorical tongue is ftruck dumb; the nimble wit and curious fancy shall entertain your ears with no more pleafant difcourfes. Nunquam jucos dabis, as Adrian faid to his departing foul; but grace afcends with the foul into eternity, and there receives its perfection, and accomplish

ment. Gifts take their leave of the foul as Orpah did of Naomi; but grace faith then, as Ruth, Where thou goeft I will go, and, where thou lodgeft I will lodge, and nothing fball feparate thee and me. Now put all this together, and then judge whether the apoftle fpoke hyperboles, when he faid, "Covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet I fhew unto "you a more excellent way." 1 Cor. xii. ult. And thus you have the choicenefs of thefe principles alfo.

The gracious foul's refletion.

REFLECTIONS.

The lines are fallen to me in a pleafant place, may the gracious foul fay: How defective foever I am in gifts, yet blefled be the Lord who hath fown the feeds of true grace in my heart. What though I am not famed and honoured among men, let it fuffice me that I am precious in the eyes of the Lord. Though he hath not abounded to me in gifts of nature, "Yet bleffed be the God and Father of my Lord "Jefus Chrift, who hath abounded to me in all fpiritual blefiings, in "heavenly places in Chrift Jefus," Eph. i. 3. Is not a true jewel, though fpurned in the dirt, more precious than a falfe one, though fet in gold? Why art thou troubled, O my foul, for the want of thefe things which reprobates may have? and art not rather admiring and bleffing God for thofe things which none but the darlings and favourites of heaven can have? Is not an ounce of pure gold more valuable than many pounds of gilded brafs? What though the dews of Helicon defcend not upon my head, if in the mean time the fweet influences of Sion fall upon my heart? O my God! how much foever others are elated by the light of their knowledge, I have caufe, with humility to adore thee for the heavenly heat with which thou haft warmed my affections.

Paufe a while, my foul, upon this point: With The deceived foul's what feed is my heart fown, and of what kind are reflection. thofe things wherein I excel others? Are they indeed fpecial feeds of grace, or common gifts and natural excellencies? If the latter, little caufe have I to pride myfelf in them, were they ten thousand times more than they are. If these things be indeed the things that accompany falvation, the feed of God, the true and real work of grace, then, (1.) How comes it to pafs that I never found my throws, or travailing pangs in the production of them? It is affirmed and generally acknowledged, that the new creature is never brought forth without fuch pain and compunctions of heart, Acts ii. 37. I have indeed often felt an aching head, whilft I have read and ftudied to increate my knowledge? But when did I feel an aching heart for fin? OI begin to fufpect that it is not right. Yea, (2.) And my fufpicion increafes while I confider that grace is of an humbling nature, 1 Cor. xv. 10. Lord, how have I been elated by my gifts, and valued myself above what was meet? O

how have I delighted in the noife of the Pharifee's trumpet! Mat. vi. 2. No mufic fo fweet as that. Say, O my confcience, have I not delighted more in the theatre than the closet? In the praise of men, than the approbation of God? O how many evidences doft thou produce against me? Indeed these are sad symptoms that I have thewed thee, but there is yet another, which renders thy cafe more fufpicious yet, yea, that which thou canst make no rational defence againft, even the ineffectualnefs of all thy gifts and knowledge to mortify any one of all thy lufts. It is beyond all difpute, that gifts may, but grace cannot confift without mortification of fin, Gal. v. 24. Now what luft hath fallen before these excellent parts of mine? Doth not pride, paffion, covetousness, and indeed the whole body of fin, live and thrive in me as much as ever? Lord, I yield the cause, I can defend it no longer against my confcience, which cafts and condemns me, by full proof, to be but in a wretched, curfed, lamentable state, notwithftanding all my knowledge and flourishing gifts. Ofhew me a more excellent way. Lord! that I had the fincerity of the poorest faint, though I fhould lose the applause of all my parts; with these I fee I may go to hell, but without fome better thing no hope of heaven.

G

THE POEM.

REAT difference betwixt that feed is found,

With which you fow your fev'ral plots of ground.

Seed-wheat doth far excel in dignity

The cheaper barley, and the coarfer rye:

Tho' in themselves they good and wholesome are,
Yet thefe with choiceft wheat may not compare.

Men's hearts, like fields, are fow'd with different grain,
Some bafer, fome more noble, fome again
Excelling both the former, more than wheat
Excels that grain your fwine and horses eat.
For principles of mere morality,

Like cummin, barley, fitches, peafe, or rye,
In those men's hearts are often to be found,
Whom yet the fcripture calleth cursed ground;
And nobler principles than thefe, fometime
Call'd common grace, and spiritual gifts, which fhine
In fome men's heads, where is there habitation;
Yet they are no companions of falvation.
These purchase honour both from great and small :
But I must tell thee, that if this be all,
Tho' like an angel in thefe gifts you shine
Amongst blind mortals, for a little time;
The day's at hand, when, fuch as thou must take
Thy lot with devils in th' infernal lake.
But principles of special, faving grace,

Whofe feat is in the heart, not head, or face;
Like folid wheat fown in a fruitful field,

Shall fpring, and flourish, and at last will yield
A glorious harvest of eternal reft,

To him that nourish'd them within his breaft.
O grace! how orient art thou! how divine!
What is the glory of all gifts to thine!
Diffeminate this feed within my heart,

My God, I pray thee, tho' thou fhouldst impart
The lefs of gifts; then I may truly fay,
That thou haft thew'd me the more excellent way.

CHAP. IX.

Upon fpringing-weather after feed-time.

By heaven's influence corn and plants do fpring,
God's fhow'rs of grace do make his valleys fing.

TH

OBSERVATION.

THE earth, after that it is plowed and fowed, must be watered, and warmed with the dews and influences of heaven, or no fruit can be expected. If God do not open to you his good treasure, the heavens to give rain unto the land in its feafon, and bless all the work of your hands, as it is Deut. xxviii. 12. the earth cannot yield her increase. The order and dependence of natural caufes in the production of fruit, is excellently defcribed, Hof i. 21, 22. << I will

hear the heavens, and they fhall hear the earth; and the earth "fhall hear the corn, and wine, and oil, and they fhall hear Jez"reel.” Jezreel must have corn, and wine, and oil, or they cannot live; they cannot have it unless the earth bring it forth; the earth cannot bring it forth without the heavens; the heavens cannot yield a drop unlefs God hear them, that is, unlock and open them. *Nature, and natural caufes, are, nothing clfe but the order in which God works.' This fome heathens, by the light of nature, acknowledged, and therefore when they went to plow in the morning, they did lay one hand upon the plow (to speak their own part to be painfulness) and held up the other hand to Ceres, the goddess of cern, to fhew that their expectation of plenty was from their fuppofed deity +. I fear many Chriftians lay both hands to the plow, and feldom lift up heart, or hand to God, when about that work.

* Natura will allad opp quam huinorum operum ordo. Berentius + Weem's Cer.m. Law.

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