* yvfivairia. -r^ig oxiyov is not to be taken in a sense wherein little signifies nothing at f.U, but as when it is set in comparison and opposition to some greater matter, as here in opposition to -r^o; tolvto., for all things. Let the patient take such or such a potion that in itself is good, yet, if it want such or such a particular ingredient, it works not ; it does no good. It is bo here.
1:32 THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. III. 8.
you out of darkness into his marvellous light ;' that ye may so hold forth the virtues of him that hath conferred all this dignity and glory upon you, as to excite others, to ' glorify your Father which is in heaven.' You know the picture of a dear friend is not to be thrust in a corner, but in some conspicuous place of the house. Why, our graces are the very image of Christ, they are his picture ; and therefore to be held forth to open view. These candles must not be put under a bushel, but set up in a candlestick. Jewels are to wear, not to hide ; so are our graces.^
It was a capital crime in Tiberius's days, to carry the image of Augustus upon a ring or coin, into any sordid place ; and shall not Christians be more mindful and careful, that their graces, which are Christ's image, be no ways obscured, but that they be kept always sparkling and shining? Christ's glory and thy comfort, 0 Christian ! lies much in the sparkling of thy graces. Pearls are not to be thrust in mud walls, or hung in swines' snouts, but to be hung on the breasts.
[7.] Seventhly, Gracious souls must eocercise their grace, because the more grace is exercised and improved, ivith the more ease and delight will all religious services be performed, Ps. xl. 7, 8; cxix. 97-112. When grace is improved and exercised, gracious services are easily per- formed. As the more natural strength is exercised and improved, with the more ease and pleasure are all bodily services performed ; so the more grace is acted and improved, with the more ease and delight all Christian services are performed. Such souls find wages in their very Avork, they find not only for keeping, but also ' in keeping of his com- mands there is great reward.' ' All the ways of the Lord are ways of pleasantness to them,' and they find ' that all his paths drop marrow and fatness,' Rom. vi. 22 ; Ps. xix. 11 ; Prov. iii. 17 ; Ps. Ixv. 11. Ah, Christians ! as ever you would have the services of God to be easy and delightful to your souls, look to the exercise and improvement of your graces, and then your work will be a joy.
[8.] Eighthly, You must exercise and improve your gifts and graces, because the more grace is improved, the more God ivUl be honoured. Rom. iv. 19-21, ' And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body, now dead, when he was about an hundred years old ; neither the deadness of Sarah's womb : he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God ; and being fully persuaded, that Avhat he had promised, he was able to perform.'^
' He gave glory to God.' But how did he give glory to God ? Was it a dead habit of faith that set the crown of honour upon the head of Gud ? No ! It was the lively actings of his faith upon the promise and the promisor, that gave glory to God. All the honour and glory that God hath from believers in this life, is from the actings of their grace, It was Abraham's acting of foith that was his high honouring of God, Christians ! I woidd entreat this favour of you, that you would be often in the meditation of this truth, viz. : That all the honour that God hath
* God himself is wronged by tlie injury that is done to his image. The contempt is di^ne to tlie king liimself tliat is done to his image or coin, as Suetonins writes.
^ Abraliam's faith made liim rejoice and obey, Heb. xi. Faith is as tlie sj)ring in ih Avatch, that moves the wliecls. Not a grace stirs till faith sets it on work, Rom. iv. 3, '
EpH. III. 8.] EICHES OF CHRIST. 133
from believers in this life, is from the actings and exercise of their graces. When thou goest to prayer, then think thus with thyself : Is it so, that all the honour that God shall have from my soul in prayer, will be from the actings of grace in prayer ? Oh then, what cause have I to stir up myself to lay hold on God, and to blow up all those sparks of grace that be in me !^ As a body without a soul, much wood without fire, a bullet in a gun without powder, so are words in prayer without the Spirit, Avithout the exercise of the graces of the Spirit. Jonah acted his faith when he was in the belly of hell ; and Daniel acted faith when he was in the lions' den ; and the thief acted faith when he was on the cross ; and Jeremiah acted faith when he was in the dungeon ; and Job acted faith when he was on the dunghill ; and David acted faith when he was in his greatest distress ; and so did Moses in Exod. xiv. And you know the issue of all was, much glory to God, and much good to them. His heart will never be long a stranger to joy and peace, who is much in the exercise and actings of grace.^
[9.] Ninthly, Because the more grace is improved, the more afflictions and tribulations will be lessened and sweetened tons : 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17, ' Though our outward man decreases, yet our inward man is renewed day by day,' or day and day. [^fJ-^a, xai rjfxi^cc.]
When Peter MartjT was dying, he said, ' My body is weak, but my mind is well, well for the present, and will be better for ever hereafter.' This is the godly man's motto, ' For afflictions there is glory, for light afflictions a Aveight of glory, for momentary afflictions eternal glory.' So in Heb. x. and xi. O friends • if your graces were more exercised and improved, afflictions would be more sweet. This would turn the cross into a crown ; this would turn bitter into sweet, and long winter nights into summer days. It would make every condition to be a para- dise to you, &c.
[10.] Tenthly, If grace he not exercised and imiDroved, the soul may he easily suiyrised, conquered, and vanquished hy a tempting devil and ail enticing world. When the sword is in the scabbard, the tra- veller is easily surprised, and when the guard is asleep, the city is quickly conquered. The strongest creature, the lion, and the wisest creature, the serpent, if they be dormant, are as easily surprised as the weakest worms. So the strongest and wisest saints, if their graces be asleep, if they be only in the habit, and not in the exercise, they may be as easily surprised and vanquished as the weakest Christians in all the world, as you may see in David, Solomon, Samson, Peter. Every enemy insults over him that hath lost the use of his weapons, &c.*
[11.] Eleventhly, We must improve our graces, because decays in gra.ce are very great losses to us. By decaying in grace, we come to lose our strength, our best strength, our spiritual strength ; our strength