* The whole race of the Antiochi seem to have been wicked ; but Sibbcs'a re- ference is probably to Antiochus II., suniamed the Great — G. t That 13 'naughty,' = wicked.— G.
510 THE church's hiches.
capable of our spiritual wants. That we should profess ourselves to be Christians, to bo members of Christ, and yet have no grace, no spiritual ornaments, no garments to hang on our souls ; it is a sign there is no union because there is no communion. We draw nothing from Christ, wc are Christians without Christ, we have no anointing from Clirist. Lot us take heed tliat we be not titular Christians, to have only the name of Christians. Let us labour to bo Clu'istians indeed. And for that end consider what was the end why Clirist became poor? To ' make us rich.' Why should wo frustrate his end ?
Therefore let us search what riches we have from Christ ; whether our debts be paid ; whether our sins be forgiven. We may know wc have our sins forgiven if we have sanctifying grace. God never pays our debts but he gives us a stock of grace. Let us examine therefore what riches we have. Some Christians are rich, but they are deceived in their own condi- tion. They think they are poor and beggarly, and have nothing, when they are rich. What is it that deceives them ? Sometimes it is because they have not so much as others ; therefore they think they have nothing, not considering the degrees in Christianity.
Or because they have not so much as they would have. As a covetous man, he always looks forward, he is never satisfied ; so a Christian, out of a spiritual covctousness, by looking to that he wants, forgets that he hath.
Sometimes a Christian in case of temptations and desertion, conscience may suggest his wants altogether. God will humble him this way. Though it may be an error in conscience, yet I would there were more of this kind. Such people are to be encouraged, as in liev. ii. 13, ' Thou sayest thou art poor' (and the world thinks so), ' but thou art rich.' So there are many that are poor in their own conceits, that think they have nothing, but indeed they are rich ; and they discover their interest in the true riches by their desire, and hungering, and thirsting after grace ; by their care to please God in all things, to approve themselves to God, to do nothing against conscience ; by their care in using the means of salvation, and their walking circumspectly. A man may see and discover their riches in their carriage. And if there be the least degree of grace, it is great riches in regard of inferior things, though it be little in regard of that we shall have in heaven. Let us seax-ch what we have, that we may walk thankfully and comfortably. We see worldly men, how they set themselves out in a little riches, and swell in their own conceits. A Christian hath that that is infinitely better, and shall he alway droop and be cast down ? If he be a sound Christian that hath any goodness in him, let him walk a comfortable and cheerful life answerable to his riches. We account them base-minded men, that being very rich, yet they live as if they had nothing. So Christians are to blame, that having great riches in Christ, they live as uncomfortably as if they had none. What is the reason, Christ being so rich, that Christians have no more grace ? Sometimes it is because they search not their own estates for good as well as bad. And then they do not empty themselves enough that Christ may fill them. They are not thankful enough for that they have, for thankfulness is the way to get more.
Quest. How shall we carry ourselves that we may improve Christ's riches ; to be made rich in grace by him ?
Ans. 1. First, Let us labour /or the ewptijhuf grace of humilitij, which, will empty the soul and make it of a large capacity to contain a great measure of grace. God ' fills the hungry with good things,' Luke i. 53 ; he ' resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble,' James iv. 6. Let us labour
THE church's riches. 511
to see our wants and necessities, and the vanity of all earthly things, and then we shall be fit to receive grace.
2. And then labour to see the excellency of the rfrace ive ivant, and that will stretch and enlai'ge our desires. And withal see the necessity of grace. We must have faith, hope, and love. We cannot live as Christians else. Wo must have contentation.* We shall live miserably else. Wo cannot be like Christ without grace.
3. And withal know that Christ is rich for iis. Ho hath not only abund- ance of the Spirit, but redundance, to overflow to us his members. As the head hath redundance of spirits, and senses for the use of the vvhole body ; it sees, and feels, and smells, for the use of the whole body ; whatsoever Christ hath, he hath for us. Let us labour to know our riches as we are Christians, as we grow in other things, so to be acquainted with that we have in Christ's. f As children that are heirs to great things, at the first they are ignorant of what they have, but as they grow in years so they grow in further knowledge of that that belongs to them ; and they grow in spirit answerable and suitable to that they shall have. Let grace agree with nature in this, let us desire to know our riches in Jesus Christ.