Again, are not you liable to several changes in this world ? As, to be rich and poor, exalted and abased ; now to relieve, and anon to be relieved ; now well, and anon sick ; now strong, and anon weak ; now in storms, and anon in calms ; now tempted, and anon delivered ; now in one condition, and anon in another condition ; now up, now down ; now forward, now backward, &c. Now pray tell me, doth not the several changes and variety of providences that we meet with in this world bespeak us to be rich, not in some, but in every grace ? Don't a state of prosperity bespeak a man to be rich in wisdom, rich in humiHty, rich in love, and rich in compassion, that his heart may be kept close to God in that state, and that he may do nothing unworthy of God, who hath done so much for him ? And now, when God shall change the manner of his administrations towards such a man, when God shall put out his candle, pull off his robas, and clothe him with rags, and set him with Job upon the dunghill, don't this condition be- speak much patience, much contentation, much self-denial, much faith ? How else will this man bravely bear up, when God shall write such bitter things against him, and pass the sentence of death upon his nearest and his dearest comforts ? If a man be not rich in one grace as well as in another, when God shall bring changes upon him, and pour him from vessel to vessel, his life will be a burden, a hell to him,
Again, consider this : growing rich in every grace renders a Christian most lovely and beautiful in grace ; as a growth in all the members of the body renders the body most lovely and beautiful. The perfect beauty and comeliness of the body rises from the symmetry and fitness of the parts unto one another. Rare and excellent beauty ariseth from the comeliness of all parts. If one part be comely, and another de- formed, then there is no perfect beauty. Well, remember this, there is no such beautiful Christians as those that grow rich in every grace. Oh ! they are the beauty of Christ, the honour of the gospel, and the glory of Christianity.
And so much for the fourth proposition, viz. that we must labour to be rich in every grace.
The fifth proposition that I shall lay down is this,
[5.] Saints slioulcl labour more i')articularly and more especially to he rich in faith.
Though it is of concernment to believers to be rich in every grace, yet it is of special concernment to them to labour to be rich in this particular grace of faith. In Jude, ver. 20, 'Building up yourselves in your most holy faith.' It is not enough to have faith, but they must build up themselves and build up one another ' in their mo.st holy faith.'
There are three things that the Scripture calls precious :
First, The blood of Christ : in 1 Peter i. 19, * Ye are not redeemed with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot'
* Whilst Pompey prospered, and Rome flourished, Cato stoutly held and defended a divine providence; but when he saw Pompey overthrown by Csesar, liis body cast upon the shore without honour of burial, and liimself exposed to the danger of Caesar's army, he clianged his opinion, denying that there was a divine providence, but that all things fell out by chance, &c.
EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 183
Secondly, The promises are called precious promises : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.'
Thirdly, Faith is called precious faith : ver. 1, ' Unto them that have obtained like precious faith with us.' Now, though it be of concern- ment for every saint to labour to be rich in every grace, yet more especially and more particularly to be rich in this grace of faith ; and that upon this account that follows :
(1.) First, Because that faith is the soul's greatest and choicest fence against her luorst enemies.
In Eph. vi. 16, ' Above all, take the shield of faith, whereby ye may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.'
' Above all, take the shield of faith.' Neglect no part of your armour, but above all, look to the shield of faith. Look, what the shield is to the body, that is faith to a believer's soul, to secure him against all the fierce and fiery darts of Satan.
It is reported of Satan that he should say of a learned man, Tu me semper vincis, ' Thou dost always overcome me. When I would exalt and promote thee, thou keepest thyself in humility ; and when I would throw thee down, thou liftest thyself up in assurance of faith.' Faith makes the soul invincible ; it makes the soul victorious ; it leads cap- tivity captive ; it binds Satan in chains ; it foils him at every weapon ; and therefore, above all, labour to be rich in faith.
(2.) Secondly, Groiuth in faith will advance the growth of all other graces.
All other graces thrive in the soul as faith thrives, and no otherwise. Be rich in this, and be rich in all ; be weak in this, and be weak in all. Faith hath an influence upon all other graces ; it is like a silver thread that runs through a chain of pearls ; it puts strength and vivacity into all other graces. You never knew a man rich in any grace that hath not been rich in faith. Every man's hope, joy, fear, love, humility, patience, &c., is as his faith is. In Heb. xi. 1, ' Faith is the evidence of things not seen, and the substance of things hoped for ;' or, as the Greek hath it, ■j-rosrasig, ' the substance of things hoped for.' All other graces live upon faith's cost and charge. Look, what the breast is to the child, wings to the bird, oil to the wheels, and the soul to the body, that is faith to all other graces in the soul of man.
It is reported of the crystal, that it hath such a virtue in it, that the very touching of it quickens other stones, and puts a lustre and a beauty upon them. I am sure it is true of faith. There is such a divine virtue and power in faith, that it will quicken and cast a lustre and a beauty upon all other gi'aces in the soul of man ; and therefore you should labour as for life to be rich in this particular grace of faith.
(3.) Thirdly, consider this. Of all graces that be in the soul of man, faith is the most useful grace ; and therefore you should, above all, labour to be rich in faith.
It is a Christian's right eye, without which he cannot see for Christ ; it is his right hand, Avithout which he cannot do for Christ ; it is his tongue, without which he cannot speak for Christ ; it is his very vital spirit.s, without which he cannot act for Christ.
Some say that king Midas had obtained of the gods, that whatsoever he touched should be turned into gold. I am sure that whatever faith
184; THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. III. 8'