[1.] First proposition. It is the wisdom, and ought to be the luork of every Christian to own the least measure of grace that is in him, though it be 'mixed and mingled ivith many weaknesses and infirmities. Sin is Satan's work, and grace is Christ's work ; and therefore Christ's work ought to be e}' ed and owned, though it be mingled with much of Satan's work.* That Christian is much clouded and benighted who hath two eyes to behold his sins, but never an eye to see his graces. Christ gets no glory, nor the soul gets no good, when a Christian is still a-poring
' Aug. in Ps. x.^xiii. Concl. 2.
2 Job xxxiv. 21, 22 ; 2 Chron. xvi. 9 ; Prov. v. 21, and xv. 3.
' Ambrose, ofiic 1. i. c. xiv.
* Tbough our graces, like Gideon's army, are but a liandful in comparison of our sins, which, like tlie Midianitcs, are innumerable, yet a handful of grace is to bo owned in the midst of an host of sins.
Chap. V.] a cabinet of jewels. 407
upon his sins. How can that Christian prize a Httle grace, and bless God for a little grace, and improve a little grace, who won't own a little grace because it is mingled with many weaknesses ? Shall the husband- man own a little wheat when mingled with a great deal of chaff? Shall the goldsmith own a little filings of gold when mingled with a great deal of dust ; and shall not a Christian own a little grace when mingled with a great many failings ? David had a great many infir- mities, 1 Sam. xxi. 13, 14, yet he owns his uprightness : Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was upright before him.' And Job had a great many weaknesses. Job iii., yet he owns his integrity : Job xxvii. o, ' Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me.' Ver. 6, ' My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go ; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.' The spouse was sensible of her blackness, yet owns her comeliness, Cant, i. 5, ' I am black, but comely.' So Cant. v. 2, 'I sleep, but my heart waketh.' Jeremiah was a man of many failings, yet he owns his hope in God, Jer. xvii. 17 : ' Thou art my hope in the day of evil,' Jer. xx. 14, seq. The poor man in the Gospel was very sensible of the sad relics and remains of unbelief that was in him, and yet with a holy boldness and confidence he pleads his faith : Mark ix. 24, ' Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.' Peter miscarried sadly, Mat xxvi. 69, seq., and yet he owns his love to Christ : John xxi. 15, ' Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.' Ver. 16, 'Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.' Ver. 17, 'Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.' Paul had his infirmities and weaknesses hanging upon him : witness that seventh of the Romans : and yet how frequently and boldly does he own the grace of God that was in him throughout his epistles. Nothing keeps gi-ace more at an under than men's not owning of a little grace because it is mingled with many infirmities. The best way to be greatly good, is to own a little, little good, though in the midst of much evil. But,
[2.] The second proposition is this. It is your ivisdom, and should be your luoric, to look upon all your graces and gracious evidences as favours given you from above, as gifts dropped oid of heaven into your heaiis, as flowers of paradise stuck in your bosoms by a divine hand. A man should never look upon his graces or his gracious evidences, but should be ready to say, These are the jewels of glory with which God has bespangled my soul : 1 Cor. iv. 7, ' What hast thou that thou hast not received t What gift, what grace, what experience, what evidence hast thou that thou hast not received ?' All the light, and all the life, and all the love, and all the joy, and all the fear, and all the faith, and all the hope, and all the patience, and all the humility, &c., that thou hast, with all the evidences that arise from the discovery of those graces, are all grace gifts, they are all from above. ' Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,' James i. 17. Look, as all light flows from the sun, and all water from the sea, so all temporal, spiritual, and eternal good flows from heaven. All your graces, and the greatest excellencies that are in you, do as much depend upon God and Christ, as the Hght doth upon the sun, or as the rivers do upon the sea, or as the branches do upon the root, John xv. 1-5. All my springs are in thee, Ps. Ixxxvii. 7 ; all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul, and all the 1 Of tliine own, saith David, have we given tbee. 1 Cliron. xsix. 4.
468 A CABINET OF JEWELS. [ChAP. V.
springs of grace that I have to quicken me, and to evidence the good- ness and happiness of my spiritual estate and condition to me, they are all in thee. When a Christian looks upon his wisdom and knowledge, it concerns him to say, Here is wisdom and knowledge, ay, but it is from above ; here is some weak love working towards Christ, but it is from above ; here is joy, and comfort, and peace, &c., but these are all such flowers of paradise as never grew in nature's garden. Now, when a Christian looks thus upon all those costly diamonds of grace, of glory, with which his soul is bedecked, he keeps low, though his graces and gracious evidences are high. Where this rule is neglected, the soul will be endangered of being swelled and puffed.