You know at court there are some that have the honour to attend always at the prince's elbow, and there are others that appertain to the same prince, but are more remote in their employments for him, &c. So in the soul, there are some graces that are more remote, and not so conversant about the person of Christ, as now humility, self-denial, patience, meekness, temperance, sobriety, and the like. Now, though these graces do appertain to the same prince, though they are all ser- vants of the Lord Jesus, yet notwithstanding they are more remote, and busied about other objects and things. Oh I but now faith and love are choice favourites, that always stand at the elbow of Christ. Faith and love are Christ's greatest favourites in heaven. Now I say, a Christian may grow rich in those graces that are more remote from Christ, that are less conversant about the person of Christ, when he doth not grow rich in those particular graces that are most active about the person of Christ. He may grow rich in humility, in self-denial, in meekness, in temperance, &c., when he doth not grow up in joy and delight and comfort, &c. The tree grows downward, when it doth not gi-ow upward ; so a soul may grow rich in some particular graces, when he doth not grow rich in other graces. He may grow rich in those graces that are more remote from Christ, when he doth not grow rich in those graces that are more conversant about the person of Christ. Some limbs and branches of a tree grow more than others.
And so I have done with these propositions ; the serious minding of
] 90 THE UNSEAECHABLE [EPH. III. 8.
them may prevent many objections, and to many give satisfaction in several cases, &c.
The fourth and last thing propounded was, to give you,
4. Some notes of a person that is spiritually rich.
Clearly, as there are few worldly rich men to those that are poor so there are few in this professing age, that will be found to be spiritually rich, compared with the multitude of Laodiceans that swarm in these times. We have many that say they are rich, and that think they are rich, when the truth is they have either no grace, or but a very little grace ; and these five following things do clearly evidence it, &c.
[1.] First, Rich men have more variety of objects to delight them- selves with, than poor Tnen have.
They have houses and gardens, and lands and cattle, and silver and gold, and jewels and pearls, and what not, to delight themselves with. Oh ! but poor men have not such variety of objects to delight themselves with, as rich men have. It is just thus in spiritual riches. A man that is rich in grace hath more variety of spiritual objects, about which his soul is most conversant, than a man that is poor in grace. He hath more objects of love, of joy, of delight, of content, to busy and exercise his soul about, than others that are weak in grace : 2 Cor. vi. 10, ' Enjoying nothing, and yet possessing all things.' A soul rich in grace possesses and enjoys all things in Christ, and Christ in all things. They enjoy all good in him who is the chiefest good, who is the spring and fountain of good. Joseph, in Pharaoh's court, had more variety of objects to delight him, than his brethren had to delight themselves in their father's house, &c.
I have spoken largely to this already, and therefore shall content myself in giving you this hint. It stands upon you to inquire what variety of objects you have to delight your souls in. But,
[2.] Secondly, Rich men can reach to those things that poor men cannot reach to.
I would have such and such things, saith the poor man, as the rich man hath ; I would fare as he fares, and wear as he wears, and do as he doth, but my stock will not reach it. So a soul that is spiritually rich can reach to those things that one that is poor in grace cannot reach unto. He can reach to those joys, to those comforts, and to those contents, to those heights of communion;with God, and to those visions and apprehensions of God, that a soul that is not rich in grace cannot reach to. Oh ! I would fain have that comfort, and that joy, and that peace, and that communion with God, and those visions of God, that such and such souls have, saith a poor Christian ; but I cannot ; my stock will not reach to it. It is an argument a man is grown higher, when he can reach higher than he could before, whether it be a beam or a pin, &c. So it is an argument, that a soul is grown rich in grace, when he can reach beyond what formerly he could reach unto ; when he can reach beyond his enlargements, beyond his in-comes, beyond his comforts, to a Christ ; when in duty, he can reach above duty ; when in an ordinance, he can reach to Christ, above tiic ordinance ; when under enlargements, he can reach above enlargements, to Jesus Christ. Oh ! but now a man that hath but a little grace, he can rarely reach above his duties, above ordinances, above enlargements, to Christ. He
EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 191
is very apt to sit down and warm himself with the sparks of his own fire, and to feed upon ashes, as the prophet speak.s, Isa. 1. 11, xliv. 20, &c. But now, a soul that is rich in grace, says, Well ! these ordinances are not Christ, these refreshings are not Christ, these meltin<^s are not Christ, these enlargements are not Christ ; these are sweet, but he is more sweet ; these are very precious, but he is most precious. And thus those that are spiritually rich do out-reach all others, &c.'
[3.] Thirdly, Rich men can vAth raore ease and pleasure hear burdens, than poor men can.