Chapter 14: What Graces the Christian Is to Treasure Up

The second head of precious commodities that a Christian's breast is to be stored with, is, divine graces, every grace is of vast worth, and excellent use, indeed the least degree of sincere grace is worth a mine of gold, or a prince's crown and kingdom, 'tis said of the grace of faith, that the trial of it (or faith tried in the furnace of affliction) is much more precious than gold, that perishes — (1 Peter 1:7). None can set a right estimate upon a grain of true grace, which is no other than the offspring of heaven, the purchase of Christ's blood, and the blessed fruit of the spirit of grace: it is part of the divine nature, the image of God, and seed of immortality, grace is the protection and ornament of the soul, 'tis the only emolument and accomplishment of a Christian; let the world be hurried to gather great estates, filling their houses with goods, their barns with grain, and bags with gold, let the good soul get filled with the fruits of righteousness, the graces of the spirit.

There are four sorts of graces, that I shall advise all Christians in a special manner to treasure up in their hearts.

Which are these: 1. Directing graces. 2. Subjecting graces. 3. Profiting graces. 4. Persevering graces.

1. The believing soul is to lay up, with diligence, directing, conducting, resolving, and satisfying graces, that is, abundance of knowledge, wisdom, prudence, and judgment, that he may have light and sight, about the things of God: days are coming, when Christians may need the wisdom of the serpent, as well as the innocence of the dove: a Christian in his journey is often puzzled with various paths, and intricate meanders, O how much worth is a spirit of understanding, whereby we may choose the good, and refuse the bad, and keep the straight road to heaven? Hence the Apostle prays for his Philippians, that their love might abound more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment, that they might approve things that are excellent (Philippians 1:9-10). The means to keep us from failing about [illegible] things indifferent, is to have a solid apprehension concerning these [illegible] things that are excellent, or differenced from others as the word imports, that is, those things that tend to sincerity and innocence of life, therefore he adds, that you may be sincere, and without offense till the day of Christ, that's the best policy that helps on piety, a spirit of discerning is useful to exact walking, an enlightened conscience helps the soul to be without offense: no man can walk circumspectly, but he who has his eyes in his head; he that walks in darkness with a blind eye knows not where he goes; the eye of the mind is the light and guide of the will and affections, and if that be blind, those blind faculties fall into the ditch of error, terror, apostasy and misery: the Christian's eyes must be full of light, we cannot have too much knowledge if it be sanctified, in one act of religion, a Christian is to look many ways, inwards at his principle, upwards, to the pleasing of God, forwards at the reward, and his end, downwards at the profit of men, etc. There are many eyes upon us, and our eyes must be upon many, some long to see our well-doing, others watch for our halting, we had need get wisdom to carry usefully towards the good, and wisely towards those that are without: there's great necessity of true solid knowledge, to discern our own duty and exercise charity, to mind our own business, and yet to do good offices to saints, and sinners, and to keep within our place and station: we shall find some difficulty so to carry ourselves as not to give offense carelessly, or to take offense causelessly: we should learn to see with our own eyes, and not be led by multitudes, or wise, or learned; or godly: Oh what a blessed thing is it to be wise to that which is good and simple concerning evil? With how much more ease may a Christian go through his Christian course with, than without, a solid knowledge? For wisdom is profitable to direct: indeed it strengthens the wise more than weapons of war: therefore it excels folly as far as light excels darkness: practical wisdom is infinitely beyond speculative, hence says Solomon, the wisdom of the prudent, is to understand his way (Proverbs 14:8). This treasure of directing graces is practical, it helps the tongue to answer discreetly, the feet to walk exactly, the hands to work completely, to spend no time or pains in by-ways, or by-blows: and it also concerns a man's self it does not range abroad, and forget home, the greatest politician is a very fool that cannot order his own affairs with discretion, he that is not wise for himself is not wise at all, God will accept, and men will praise that man that does well to himself: Paul prays for the saints at Colossians, that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (Colossians 1:9). For what end? Why not to talk, but to walk worthy of the Lord (verse 10). That's the only knowledge that ends in holy practice: soul-profiting is the end of spiritual understanding: they that aim not at this end, and by their studies are not furthered in this work, may have the repute of learned men, but shall never pass for judicious Christians.

Oh sirs, take much pains to lay up these graces that may direct you; certainly there is a vast difference between a Christian of a solid judgment, and another of a weak head, though both sincere, the one knows duty, and lawful liberty, the other's conscience is woefully perplexed with nice and needless scruples, which render him a burden to himself, and offence to others, and expose him to a world of temptations. An unsettled soul, that yet is well-meaning but ignorant, is a theater upon which Satan and seducers do act dreadful tragedies: it is unstable souls that wrest and pervert the Scriptures, that are only constant in inconstancy, and are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. Alas, these receive a new impression by every sermon or company, and as quickly part with, as they speedily close with a new notion, so that you cannot tell where to find them. But now a sober solid, well-taught Christian has fixed the staff, and you may know where to find him, and he knows where to find his own principles, he moves always upon the solid axle-tree of Scripture-truths and duties, and by the help of this sun can ordinarily find his way in the dark mists of error, and by the hand of the Spirit he is led through the dark entry and narrow passage of duty to rest and satisfaction. Hence it is said, that a spiritual man judges all things — that is, that are doubtful — and is by this stock of directing graces assisted to behave himself wisely in a perfect way (Psalm 101:2).

2. Treasure up subjecting graces, that may help you to bear God's will, and freely to submit to his dispose: such as patience, humility, self-denial, weanedness from the world, heavenly-mindedness, and that rare jewel of Christian contentment in all conditions. Oh what a happy soul is that to which nothing can come amiss, that is furnished for every storm? Paul was a brave scholar in this suffering school (Philippians 4:11-12), he had learned in all estates to be content. It is a hard task, and long trade, but what cannot grace undertake and overcome, through the help of assisting grace? The truth is, a treasured Christian may say with David, My foot stands in an even place, and so is stayed for all assays, as it is in meter: come what can come, the gracious soul will light upon his feet, and stand upright, and not wrench his foot by turning aside into crooked ways. As a good man lies square to every command of God, so he does righteousness at all times. Wicked men's design is to push away the feet of the godly from their standing in holy paths and outward comforts, therefore must they make straight paths for their feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way (Hebrews 12:13) — that is, get a principle of health and rectitude in opposition to that wayward and wandering disposition of heart that is naturally in all men, that you may not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, but hasten with a right foot in a straight course to the goal of glory. Grace strengthens the soul's joints and helps against halting, courage and holy resolution is a shoeing of the saints' feet that they may walk steadily in slippery places. The whole armor of God, even the precious stock of Christian graces, will fortify the believing soul against the sharpest encounters. Above all preparative for sufferings, there is none that does so bow the spirit to bear burdens, subject the heart to the Lord's pleasure, help the soul to wait his leisure, and secure from danger, so much as that heart-quieting grace of faith. This is the way to strength and safety, a believing soul is fit for any condition, and will live by his faith when all things fail, nothing can daunt him, all things are easy. He is, says an ancient, invincible in labors, strong for dangers, rigid against pleasures, hardened against the alluring baits of the world. Oh the excellency and necessity of faith, courage, and a Christian magnanimity, a believing soul moves in a higher orb than other saints, as one says, and leads up the van of the militia of heaven. Faith sets the soul as an impregnable rock in the midst of the sea, and splits the waves of men's malicious threats and hot revenge, so that it can say, as David, in God have I put my trust, I will not fear what flesh, what man can do to me (Psalm 56:4, 11). Among other subjecting graces be sure you lay up a good treasure of that incomparable grace of meekness, which captivates the understanding to the obedience of faith, and moderates the will to a due submission to the Lord's dispose, and silences the lips against all murmuring expostulations. This precious grace takes all well that God does, this precious grace takes all well that God does, and does not rage against the instruments, it yields active or passive obedience to superiors with cheerfulness, though it dares not yield up its judgment to the guidance of any mortal man, or church on earth, yet it meekly lies under the censures and punishments of men, committing all to him that judges righteously, as Christ did (1 Peter 2:23). These and such like suffering graces, and dispositions must Christians store up, that they may suffer according to the will of God, both for cause and call, and carriage in the sharpest conflicts they may meet with upon earth. The truth is, sirs, you little know what lies between you and the grave, you have not yet resisted to blood, but you may. You little know what religion may cost you, you may go through a long vale of the shadow of death, to death, and fight with beasts at Ephesus, and then mount up in a fiery chariot to heaven. Sit down then and reckon the charges in building the tower of religion, and whether you have armor of proof to carry you through an army of dangers and difficulties. Stock yourselves for a storm, frame your backs for a burden, melt your wills into God's will, as you desire to hold out against fainting and despair, and as you desire to hear that blessed Euge, and sweet encomium, from Jesus Christ, in Revelation 2:3-7 — And have borne, and have patience, and for my name's sake have labored, and have not fainted — to him that overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

3. Endeavor to treasure up profiting graces, I mean such as will help you both in doing and receiving good. For the first, lay up such graces as will render you serviceable in your places (Romans 14:19) — Let us follow after the things that make for peace, and things with which one may edify another, such as brotherly love, or kindness, charity, meekness, forbearance, gentleness, condescension, mutual sympathy, compassion to souls, and zeal for God's glory, a public spirit, and a heart to lament the sins and sufferings of the church; it is a blessed thing to be of public use, it adds luster to what is truly good to be diffusive and communicative. Some Christians have those useful gifts and graces, that others (though truly good) may want: the more good you have, the more good you may do; the administration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with, (1 Corinthians 12:7). God lays in, that we may lay out, and we are to lay up great treasures on purpose that we may do the more good: that is an excellent expression of Luther's, that all things are made free by faith, and all things are made serviceable by charity or love. It is the property and pleasure of a good soul to be doing good: living springs send forth streams of water, dead pits must have all that they afford drawn out with buckets; the fuller a gracious soul is, the more freely will he communicate: there is as much comfort in doing, as in receiving good. You must be fitted for both, therefore pray for, and put on (as the elect of God) bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering (Colossians 3:12-13), that you may be disposed to glorify God, edify others, and serve your generations according to the will of God, and at last give a good account of your talents and stewardship. Blessed is the man that has his quiver full of these blessed shafts, boxes full of cordial receipts, whereby he may both wound sinners by admonition, and heal them by the sweet words of consolation. And then 2. you had need to treasure up profiting graces, that is, such as will help you to get good to your own souls by all God's dealings with you. Mix the word and rod with faith, receive all with meekness, bring forth fruit with patience. All that God does is for our profit, even tokens of his anger are for our advantage, corrections are for our instruction, partaking of his holiness is the peaceable fruit of righteousness that God aims at in all our troubles. All things would work together for our good, if we had a receptive principle, to him that has a treasure shall more be given, according to the proportion of grace received and improved. Ordinances would do us more good if we had grace to get good by them; a heart sanctified and stored with improving graces, is like tinder, which soon takes fire, and is apt to keep it, till it be forced out. Naturalists observe, that transmutation is easy in symbolical elements, such as agree in some prime qualities: water is more easily turned into air than into fire: even so, a holy and spiritual heart will be easily wrought on by holy and spiritual ordinances. For here is an agreement in qualities, gracious qualities make the soul both receptive and retentive of heavenly impressions: grow in grace every day, and then you will get good by all that God does. There are several graces that dispose the soul to spiritual proficiency, as sensibleness, brokenness, and tenderness of heart, fit to receive divine impressions, which plows up and prepares the ground for the seed. And then apprehensiveness of spiritual wants, burdened with sin, breathing after God and grace with longing hungering desires, which capacitates the soul for both sanctifying and satisfying incomes. Strength of grace is usually seconded with sweet discoveries (1 John 2:14). I write to you young men, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you. Strong and stored Christians have many precious epistles from heaven; that is the third.

4. Treasure up persevering, perfecting and crowning graces, furnish your hearts with such graces as may help you through this world, and through death, and land you safe on the shore of eternity, such as these: sincerity, humility, faith, hope, love, the fear of God, delight in him, resignation to him, resolution for him, contempt of the world, desire of heaven. If you have these graces you shall never fail or fall: unsound professors may and will fall away, but such as are thus rooted shall grow up as high as heaven. Hypocrites may ascend many steps towards heaven, but he that has sincerity at the bottom and perseverance at the top of this ladder shall not miss of glory. O see to the uprightness of your hearts, and truth of your graces, be not mistaken about your state, build high by laying the foundation low, if the root of the matter be in you, it shall not be eradicated. Saving grace will end in eternal glory: the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of heroic resolution, the shield of faith, the helmet of hope, the sword of Scripture-truths, and constant fervent prayer, will help the conflicting soul to a glorious conquest, and God will set an inaccessible crown upon the conquering head of a persevering saint. If you lay up persevering graces, you shall hold on and hold out, if your love abound in knowledge and in all judgment, your souls shall be without offence till the day of Christ (Philippians 1:9-10). What would you give, sirs, to come safely to heaven? Do but lay up a good foundation for yourselves against the time to come, and thereby you do (as it were) lay hold upon eternal life (1 Timothy 6:19). Press forward, and be aiming at perfection, take heed of (so much as) seeming to fall short: heap up such graces, so many, and such degrees and measures of them, that an abundant entrance may be made for you into the kingdom of Christ (2 Peter 1:11). The great direction there prescribed is an addition of one degree of grace to another, or rather of one sort of graces to another, and the word in Greek that's translated 'add' [verse 5] is an elegant allusion to a virgins' dance, who link themselves hand in hand, and observe a decent order in their recreating exercises. And it is observable that the same word is used in verse 11 to express the adding or ministering to such a soul the entrance into glory: to note to us, the nearness and propinquity between the highest degrees of grace and the state of glory, the link and chain of divine graces, reaches from the first uniting grace of faith, to the God-enjoying grace of perfect love, these virgin-graces going hand in hand in a believing soul, lead it higher and higher, till they bring it into the Prince's presence, and Bridegroom's chamber. Oh how merrily will you dance to heaven, with these concatenated graces! The Lord still taking by the end of this golden chain, and drawing your souls every day nearer to glory, for the same Apostle says, 'We are kept by the power of God, through faith, to salvation' (1 Peter 1:5). So that the soul is happy, by the Lord's keeping and acting the grace of faith; we shall persevere, by the assistance of God, as the efficient cause, and in the exercise and increase of all graces, especially faith, as the means. Thus are Christians to treasure up all persevering graces, that they may not faint by the way, but hold out, and that their last may be more than their first, and this brave fabric of grace may be raised up as high as heaven. Only I entreat you, be sure that you lay Christ for a foundation, and dig deep in humiliation; you'll never have a perfection of degrees, except you have a perfection of parts in integrity of heart. And you'll never reach glory, unless Christ draw you with him, in his ascension by his merit, and spirit, therefore see to your interest, and then grow in grace, and if you do these things, you shall never fail.