0 sirs ! it is considerable, that outward motives and natural principles have carried many heathens to do many great and glorious things in the world. Did not Sisera do as great things as Gideon ? The dif- ference did only lie here, that the great things which Gideon did, he did from more spiritual principles and raised considerations, than any SLsera was acted by. And did not Diogenes trample under his feet the great and glorious things of this world, as well as Moses ? Heb. xi. 24. The difference did only lie in this, that Moses trampled under his feet the gay and gallant things of this world, from inward gracious principles, viz., faith, love, &c., and from high and glorious considerations, viz., heaven, the glory of God, &c., whereas Diogenes did only trample upon them from poor, low principles, and from mere outward, carnal, external considerations. The favour of men, the eye of men, the commenda- tions of men, the applause of men, and a great name among men, Avere golden apples, great things among the philosophers. The application is easy.
Mark, A sincere Christian, he looks to the manner as well as to the matter of his duties ; he acts and performs duties, not only from strength of parts and acquired qualifications, but from strength of grace and infused habits ; he acts from God and for God ; he acts from a new heart ; he acts from the law written in his heart ; he acts from the love of God shed abroad in his heart ; he acts from the divine nature communicated to him ; he acts from the Spirit's indwelling in his heart ; he acts from the fear of God established in his heart.^ These be the springs and princi- ples of a sincere Christian's spiritual life and actions ; and where they act and bear rule, it is no wonder if [there be] such motions and performances as the world may admire but not imitate. Saul's life, after his conver- sion, was a kind of constant miracle. So much he did, and so much he suffered, and so much he denied himself, that if he lived in these days his life would be a miracle ; but yet if we consider the principles that he was acted by, the great wonder will be, not that he did so much, but that he did no more : ' For,' saith he, ' Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me,' Gal. ii. 20. It was a great saying of blessed Bradford,^ that he could not leave a duty till he had found com- munion Avith Christ in the duty, till he had brought his heart into a duty-frame. He could not leave confession till he had found his heart touched, broken, and humbled for sin, nor petition till he had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired, and carried out after them ; nor could he leave thanksgiving till he had found his spirit enlarged and his soul quickened in the return of praises. And it
1 Rom. xi. 24 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 25 ; Jer. xxxi. 33 ; Rom. iii. 5 ; 2 Cor. v. 19 ; 2 Pet. i. 4 ; Eph. iii. 17 ; 2 Uor. xiii. 5. * Foxe, Acts aud Monum. [Sub nomine. — G.]
462 A CABINET OF JEWELS. [ChAP. IV.
was a great saying of another, ' that he could never be quiet till he found God in every duty, and enjoyed communion with God in every prayer.' ' O Lord,' said he, ' I never come to thee but by thee, I never go from thee without thee/^ A sincere Christian that is taken ynth. Christ above all, cannot be satisfied nor contented with duties or ordinances, without he enjoys Christ in them, who is the life, soul, and substance of them. But now hypocrites they do duties, but all they do is from com- mon principles, from natural principles, and from an unsanctified heart ; and that mars all. Remigius, a judge of Lorraine, tells this story, that the devil in those parts did use to give money to witches, which did appear to be good coin ; it seemed to be current at first, but being laid up a while, it then appeared to be nothing but leaves.^ Hypocrites they make a great profession, and are much in the outward actions of religion ; they make a very fair show, they hear, they read, they pray, they fast, they sing psalms, and they give alms ; but these duties being not managed from a principle of divine love, nor from a principle of spiritual life, nor from a sanctified frame of heart, turn all into leaves ; they are all lost, and the authors of them cast and undone for ever and ever. But,
[12.] Twelfthly, N'o hypocrite in the luorld loves the word, or de- lights in the word, or prizes the word, as it is a holy word, a spiritual word, a beautiful vjord, a pure luord, a clean word: Ps. cxix. 140, * Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.' There are no hearts but men after God's own heart, that can love the word, and de- light in the word, and embrace the word for its holiness, purity, and spirituality.^ Witness Paul: Bom. vii. 3 2, ' Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.' Well, and what then? Why, saith he, ver. 22, ' I delight in the law of God after the inward man.' But is this all ? No ; saith he, ver. 25, ' With the mind I my- self serve the law of God.' Holy Paul delights in the law as holy, and serves the law as holy, just, and good. A sincere heart is the only heart that is taken with the word for its spirituality, purity, and heavenly beauty. None can joy in the word as it is a holy word, nor none can taste anysweetness in the word as it is a pure word, but sincere Christians : Ps. xix. 8-10, ' The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean' (that is, the doctrine of the word that teacheth the true fear of God), ' enduring for ever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether : more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold ; sweeter also than honey and the honey- comb ;' or, as the Hebrew hath it, ' sweeter than the droppings of honey- combs.'* The word of God, as it is a pure word, a spiritual word, a clean word, a holy word ; so it rejoices a sincere heart, and so it is sweeter than the very droppings of honeycombs. The word, as it is a pure word, a holy word, is more sweet to a sincere Christian than those drops which drop immediately and naturally without an}' force or art, which
1 Nunquam siba te absque te recede. — Bernard, Meditat.
2 Preston's Four Treatises. [1635, 4to.— G.]
3 Luther said he would not live in paradise if he might without the word, but with the word he could live in hell itself.
* These several titles, law, statutes, testimony, commandments, judgments, are used promiscuously for the whole word of God, commonly distinguished into law and gospel.
Chap. IV.] a cabinet of jewels. 463