[3.] Thirdly, He doth it upon this account, that he 7nay the more en- dear the hearts of his p^oyle to him.
The greatest design of Christ in this world is mightily to endear the hearts of his people ; and indeed it was that which was in his eye and upon his heart from all eternity. It was this design that caused him to lay down his crown and to take up our cross, to put off his robes and to put on our rags, to be condemned that we might be justified, to undergo the wrath of the Almighty that we might for ever be in the arms of his mercy. He gives his Spirit, his grace, yea, and his very self, and all to endear the hearts of his people to himself When Isaac would endear the heart of Rebekah, then the bracelets, the jewels, and the earrings are cast into her bosom, Gen. xxiv. 53. So the Lord Jesus casts his heavenly bracelets, jewels, and earrings into the bosoms, into the laps, of his people, oat of a design to endear himself unto them : Prov. xvii. 8, ' A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him tliat hath it ; whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.' In the Hebrew it is thus, ' a gift is as a stone of grace,' i^"P^, that is, it makes a man ver}^ acceptable and gracious in the eyes of others. A gift is like that precious stone pantarbe, that hath a marvellous conciUating property in it ; or like the wonder-working loadstone, that, as some writers observe, hath among other properties this, that it makes those that have it well-spoken men and well accepted of princes. Certainly the gifts that Jesus Christ gives to his do render him very acceptable and precious in their eyes. Christ to them is the crown of croAvns, the heaven of heavens, the glory of glories ; he is the most sparkling diamond in the ring of glory: Prov. xviii. 16, 'A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.' The gifts that Jesus Christ gives widen the heart and en- large the soul of a believer to take in more of himself. Naturall}'' we are narrow-mouthed heavenward and wide-mouthed earthward ; but the Lord Jesus, by casting in his jewels, his pearls, his precious gifts, into the soul, doth widen the soul, and enlarge the soul, and make it more capacious to entertain himself. Christ by his gifts causes all doors to stand open, that ' the King of glory may enter in,' Ps. xxiv. 7-10,
4. Now the fourth reason of the point is, because Chnst expects more from his people, titan he doth from all the world besides, therefore he gives them the best gifts}
Where the Lord expects and looks for most, there he gives most. Though believers are but ' a little flock,' though they are but ' a rem- nant,' though they are but ' a fountain sealed, a spring shut up, a garden enclosed,' yet Christ looks for more from them, than from all the world bosides. He looks lur more love from them, than from all the world besides; and he expects more service from them, than from all the world besides ; and he looks for more honour from them than from all the world besides : Mai. i. 6, ' A son honoureth his father, and a
^ It was a yood saying of Justin MartjT, Non in verbis, scd in foclis res nostrce reli- pionis comistunt. God loves, saith Luther, ctiristas, uot (^uarislas, the ruuuer, not the questioner, &c.
EpH. III. 8.] EICHES OF CHRIST. 115
servant his master : If I am your father, where is my honour ? and if I am your master, where is my fear ? He looks for more fear from them than from all the world besides, and for more honour from them than from all the world beside.s, and for more prayers and praises from them than from all the world besides.
[5.] Fifthly, The Lord Jesus gives the best gifts to his oivn peopU, that he may fence and strengthen them against the vjorst tempta- tions.
There are no men on earth that lie open to temptations, as saints. The best men have been always the most tempted. The more excellent any man is in grace and holmess, the more shall that man be followed with temptations, as you may see in David, who was tempted by Satan to number the people ; and Job, to curse God and die ; and Peter, to deny Christ ; and so Paul was buffeted, yea, and Christ himself most grievously assaulted. The Lord knows well enough that Satan hath a cruel eye, an envious eye, a malicious eye upon his beloved ones, and therefore he is pleased, by his precious gifts, to strengthen them against his assaults. What Paul once said concerning bonds and afflictions, that they attended him ' in every place,' that may believers say con- cerning temptations, that they attend them in ' every place,' in every calling, in every condition, in every company, in every service, &c. As now, that the hearts of his people and temptations may not meet, the Lord is pleased to give them the best and choicest gifts.^
Au.stin thanked God for this, that his heart and the temptations did not meet. The Lord hath on purpose given these glorious gifts into the hearts of his saints, that their souls and temptations may be kept asunder ; that though they be tempted, yet they may not be conquered ; though they be assaulted, yet they may not be vanquished.^ Basil, Luther, Viueentius, and that famous marquis Galeacius [Carraciolus], &c., met with very strange and strong temptations, but the precious gifts that the Lord had cast into their bosoms made them triumph over all.' Oh that grace, that peace, that life, that love, that communion with which the Lord had crowned them, made them too great, too noble, and too glorious to yield to any teinptations with which they were beset. It was their pleasure to overcome offered pleasure, their honour to overcome offered honour, their greatness to overcome offered great- ness. When one of them was tempted with money and preferment, he scorned the offers, saying, Give me money that may last for ever, and glory that may eternally flourish.*
Jerome tells a story of a Christian soldier,^ whom when the praetor could not by any torments remove from Christianity, he commanded to be laid on a bed in a pleasant garden, among the flourishing and fragrant flowers ; which done, all others withdrawing, a most beautiful harlot came to him, and used all art to destroy his soul ; but the Christian soldier being filled with the royal gifts of the Spirit, bit off his tongue
* Some say that the panther will leap three times after his prey, hut if he miss it the third time, he will leap no more. It were well for saints if Satan would do so. &c., 1 Chron. xxi. 1 ; Job ii. 9 ; Mat. xxvi. 41 ; 2 Cor. xii. 7 ; Mat. iv. 1-12 ; Acts xx. 23.
2 Vifjilat diahohts et tu dormis ? the devil watcheth, and dost thou sleep ?
* Ego non sum rpo, said that noble convert when he met with a temptation.
* Pecuniam da <p((B permancat ac continuo duret, gioriam qucB semper jl or eat. — Basil. ' Jerome in vita Fauli,
116 THE UXSEAECHABLE [EPH. III. 8.
with his teeth, and spat it in her face as she was tempting him, and so got victory over all her temptations.