OCR Text |
Show B.eitfon; of the different flat•re Df tures to them, building them up in knowledg, faith and holinefs.; but cants in a few high tlrains ofboyilh Rhetorick, or reads them over Ariftotlu Ethickf in Engli!h, or vents his own bruitHh paffi· ons &c. No wonder Chriflians tied up to thefc tedders, and fed 'with fuch husks, be every way weaker than other Chrillians. 4· A fourth caufe of this different lize ofChriflians, is the Vn- 1q,.-1 di(lribution of divin• Jnfluen_cu. . The grow.rh of the plant doth not only depend upon the ume tt hath had tn the Garden, but alfo upon the Celellial Influences. The moillure of the Clouds, the heat of the Sun: thus it is with the plants alfo in the Lord's Vineyard; though they be generous plants, though they.lland in a f•r and fertile foil yet if. the heavenly Influence be wtth·held, they will- be weak a~d languid, Now the Spirit is a free Agent, it breaths, ir'blows when a Ad whe•e, .and how It hlleth. Though God will be wanting to never~ Child ot· his ~n nece!Tary influ( nces Cufficienr to maintain its Union with him, yet he doth not dillribure: to all alike : he doth not alike enlighten, nor quicken, nor llrengrhen all, nor alike comfort all.; and the llre~gth of a Chrillian-dorh much depend llp'on rhe mcafuresofthefe mfluencts upon ,his Soul. . . . . . . . . • 5. •A hfrh caufe of this dtff'erence 10 Chrtfhans ~ature, IS the diff<rence of their mdeavours. Though we be paffive m the .. or~ of toHverfion G.did found ofth~[nbat [eek,him not ,and of them who elf. lJHire not ;ft~r bim; yet· Go~ having one~ i~fufed o;rra~di P;'i}<cipia, his gracwus habits whtch ar~ the prmc1ples ol th~tr fpt~ttual operations :they are aClive hi rhetr further progrelfes tn hohnefs. Hence are ;hofe frequeprExhoitations to ftrive after perfeDion, to "'afh a11d purifie our felves, to perfrD beli11e{s in the fear of the Lord. Now in obedience to tliefe.Commands, fome Chrillians are more diligrnt laRd indullriotls than· otpers, taking more pains in the morliiiCI!tior1 of thew lolls and in' the performance of their duties: an.i'tlmugh 't'\lefe have!L\ili nehlr.of tlie llrengthening and allilling @;race of Godi, •yet ihat' ·co-·o.phati~e ·grace being granted to them that put forth themfelves in d.uty, ra~h~r than to tho.fe who are more fecute;carelefs ':rod negh!lent; It rs no wonder tf thefe ~e llronger Cbrillians, ; ~han thofe who ardefs watchful,, l<fs exerct-fing thernfelves unto·.godlinefSJ '] ~ r:." r 1 :;..,,? •,. .... ,. , ' _6, I will ~ffig.,J>an:»ne caufe.morcn£thts.~nequal1ty., and tbat ls :the difference of li.zvi;fe. d;fP.tn{'IJiM•, a.1 tO<.tbrf..pirmiffion of'Jbq{e abi•gs •bicp '111iU muc/1 biniln Chriftialingrvo>~b; r Whenl cprne to r. ~ ~' f, ([ bandlc C!Jrifl hath a tender care ofhir Pines, &c. handle the next Propofition from thefe words, I !hall more fully !hew you what thefc things are. It is fufficient now to tell you that there are fuch things: and through a divine permiilion fomc Chrillians meet with more of them tFtan other Chrillians do. Some fall more into the hands of Seducers: Some fall into higher and longer Temptations: fome meet with greater & longer Affli- -ctions : all which things, as I !hall more fully !hew you in my fol· lowing difcourfe, have often a very ill influence upon the profici· ency ofChriflians,efpecially fame way. But I have enlarged enougt. upon the firlt branch of the Propofition. The fecond follows. That of tbt[e tender grapes, the Lord Chrift bath a very tender carr •. ! conclude this from the Precept: He commands his Spoufe, fay· tng, :Iakf for til the Foxes, the little Foxes that fpoil the Vinu, f or DNr Vinet have tender grapu: indeed the Text affords us· but one pnricular evidence of our Lords care for t(lefe tender !',rapes but that is fuflicient to raife the general Conclufion from. I !hall 'rake here an advantage, fomething more particularly to difcourfe our Lords. tendernefi to, and concerning we~k Chriflians : 1. Shewint you-tbu care mfome partzculars, 2, Gzvmgyoufume reafons for it; which mayfur-rheLcontirm you in thebeliefofit. 1, I willde-monllrare it to you. · I. Fro~ what the Scripture revealeth concerning Chrills per. fonal aCls m reference to fuch. 2dly,From hi~ Precepts and charge to his Church ,and to the Minillers thereof •. I. For the Lords perfunal alls: . J·, lt was prophetied oChim by Ifuiah, Ch.4o.11. HejhaU{ted 2.Prop. bu floc~ likf a fhepherd', he JhaU !(ather the lamln with hiurm and carry them in his bofum, and JhaU gently leati tho{e that are ;.ith yor<ng. The Church is there compared to a flock,_ of Sheep: Chrili to the Shepherd, John 10. I. I am the true Shepberd. .,Now, what Cat tel are they tbat ar~ the weaklings of the flock but the l~m.bs i' They are wea~ t~rough want of age to encreafe tqeir bones, and firengrhen then hmbs. 2. The Ewt that are with young: they have age, but.yet are weak by reafon of t~e burt hen. they carry : Now what fatth the Text, He wiU gather the lambs with birarm. he wiU carry them in hi1 b?fom·; anp f~1r th•fe'th(lt ~re li>ith young,' h; fhaU gtntly le~d them., Tak'e a,n,other Te~t, Efoy, ?fz."4i' 4'hruJfl.~ ~eed befhaU not breal(, a fmvakt;tgjlJ'x /ltfh.IU nol quench. That this IS _fpoken .ofChrift, a~·pesreth by Mm?;' 12! ' u i. ('where it is apphed to hun.) A bnufed reed· is a weJ!{ reed, a fmoak,!ng flax; is flaJL |