Sermon 15

Exodus 3:13-14. And Moses said to God, Behold when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and shall say to me, what is his name; what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, I AM, THAT I AM, etc.

As we are to judge of other things by the mutability of them: so learn to judge of yourself, of your own spirit, by that constancy that you find in well-doing, or that mutability and inconstancy that you are subject to. If a man would make a judgment of himself, let him consider, that the nearer he comes to unchangeableness in well-doing, the better he is, and the stronger he is: again, the more mutable, the weaker. You are to judge of yourself, as we use to esteem of one another. Now let a man be inconstant, one that we can have no hold of, that is as fickle as the weather, that will resolve upon such a thing today, and change his mind tomorrow: whatever learning or excellence, or whatever kindness there is in this man, we regard him not, because he is an inconstant man. Now learn to do so with yourself, to ask yourself that question: Have you not had many resolutions, that never came to any endeavors? Have you not begun many good works, and never finished them? Have you not found that property of folly in you, To begin still to live? Stultitia semper incipit vivere? If this be your case, learn to abhor yourself for it, and to be ashamed: for all is nothing, till we come to a constant and unchangeable resolution: so that we come to set it down with ourselves as an inviolable law: this is a duty, and I will do it, whatever it cost me; this is a sin, and I will avoid it, whatever comes of it. This is a resolution that Daniel takes up (Daniel 1:8): he determined in his heart, that he would not be defiled with the king's meat: and such a resolution they were exhorted to in (Acts 11:23): with full purpose of heart, to cleave to God. It is translated, full purpose: but the words are, with a decree and full resolution of heart; [illegible]: that is, when a man does not lightly put himself upon a holy course; but takes up a strong resolution to go through with it; such a resolution as Paul's was (Acts 20:22): he knew what bonds did wait for him, as for thieves it was no matter, he was bound in the spirit. All is nothing: I care not, says he, so that I may fulfill the ministry committed to me. Such a resolution we should have. And according as you find yourself able to do this, so you should judge of yourself. A man that is on and off in his ways, Solomon compares him to a city whose walls are broken down, that is, if a temptation comes, and sets upon him, it has free entrance, and the temptation comes in, because his soul was without guard and ward. But on the other side, a man that does not stand trifling with the Lord, to say, I wish I could, and I am sorry that I cannot, but he will go through a good course, such a man is like to a city which has walls round about it; that if a temptation comes, there is something to keep it out. I say, as you are to judge of other things by the mutability of them: so of yourself. There is nothing better than to have a decisive resolution in well-doing, to be constant in it, and there is nothing worse than to be decisive in evil. Use 6.

If God be immutable, then you know where to go to get this constancy, to make yourself unchangeable, and immutable and constant in well-doing. For, for what end has he revealed to us that he is unchangeable? Is it not for our use? Surely it is, even to teach us, that when we find ourselves subject to mutability, we should go to God, and beseech him to establish our hearts. No creature is able to do it. Every creature is mutable, only so far unchangeable, as he makes it to be so; he only is originally unchangeable; all friends and all other things in the world are no further unchangeable than he communicates it to them, (as was said before:) and the same is true of your own heart, and of your purposes. Therefore you must think with yourself, and make this use of the unchangeableness of God, that he only can make you unchangeable. Therefore when a man wants direction, he must go to God (James 1:5): he is only wise, and can show a man what to do, when he is in a strait. And upon the same ground when you see that you are inconstant, go to him that is unchangeable, that can make you constant; and desire him to fix your quicksilver, to balance your lightness, and that he would settle and fill that vain and empty heart of yours with something that may stay and establish it. There is no other way: all the means that can be used, all the motives that can be put upon a man, all the reasons that can be brought, are not able to make us constant, till God works it in us, and for us. Therefore the only way is to give God the glory of his immutability, to go to him in a sense of your own inconstancy, and say so; Lord, you have revealed yourself to be unchangeable, that we may seek it of you, and find it in you, you alone are originally and essentially so: no creature is any further than you communicate it to it. Therefore do you, Lord, make me stable and constant in well-doing. Grace itself of itself is not immutable, for it is subject to ebbing and flowing: and the reason why we do not quite lose it, is not from the nature of grace, as if it were immutable, but because it comes from and sticks close to Christ. Therefore go to him; he is the root that communicates sap and life to you, because you abide grafted in him.

Objection: But the Lord does this by means: it is not enough to pray, and to seek to him, to make me unchangeable, (so much as human infirmity can reach) but I must use the means also.

Answer: It is true, he does it by means: and if you say, what are those means? I will show it you briefly.

You shall find that there are two causes of inconstancy, or mutability, or fickleness: and if you find out what the causes are, you will easily see the way to help it.

First, strength of lust: that causes men to be inconstant. (James 4:8) Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purge your heart, you wavering-minded: what is the reason that the Apostle bids them to purge their hearts, that were wavering-minded, but because that corruption, and those unruly affections that are within, cause us to be inconstant, to waver, even as an arrow shot with a strong hand, that the wind makes to fly inconstantly: so a man that resolves upon a good course, and takes to himself good purposes and desires, he having some lust in him, these thrust in, and make him unstable; therefore purge your hearts, you wavering-minded. As if he should say, the reason why you are not stable is because you are not cleansed from these corruptions, which are the cause of this inconstancy. So (Psalm 5:9) there is no faithfulness in their mouth, their inward part is very filthiness, etc. The reason why there is no constancy in their speech, life, and actions is because within they are very corruption: that is, the sin that is within is the cause of all the wavering that is in the life of man; were it not for it, there would be no such unevenness in our lives. Therefore if this be the cause of it, there is no way to help it, but to get this corruption mortified, to be cleansed from all pollution of flesh and spirit, as much as may be.

Take a man that says he will amend his course, that intends to be diligent in his calling, and thinks not to turn to such evil courses, but to serve God with a perfect heart: observe now what is the reason that this man breaks his purposes, and falls off again; it is because there is some strong lust, that comes like a gust of a contrary wind, and breaks him off from his course. Therefore the first way is to cleanse your heart, if you will be constant.

The second cause of inconstancy is weakness; if a man were free from that inward corruption, yet weakness would make a man to be inconstant: so much weakness, so much inconstancy; and so much strength as a man has, so much constancy he has. For what is the reason that man is so fickle? Because the banks of his resolution are so weak to hold out against temptations when they assault him, and he gives over because he is not able to resist them. And this ground I take out of (1 Samuel 15:29): the strength of Israel will not repent, for he is not as man that he should repent. By repenting is meant a change: now you see the reason given why the Lord is not subject to change, he is the strength of Israel. For you shall always find in the Scripture that such attributes are given to God, according to the nature of the work that he has in hand: now the reason why the Lord will not repent is because he is strong.

To make this appear to you, you must know that three things must concur to make a resolution strong.

First, there must be some reason that must move him.

Secondly, there must be an inclination of the will to it.

Thirdly, it must be often renewed. First, I say, there must be some reason that must move him: but if that were all, he would not resolve, therefore he must have an inclination of the will to it; both these, when they concur, they make the resolution up: when the understanding is convinced, and the will inclined, the understanding says there is reason for it, and the will says it is good, then this makes up the resolution. As first, when a man has any reason to move him to any action, and it is a strong reason, so that he answers all objections that he meets with, now the resolution continues firm: but if his reasons be not sufficient, but he meets with objections that are stronger, then the first principle being taken away, the resolution grows flagging and weak. And so is it in the other also, when a man has a desire to any thing, if it be so strong that nothing is stronger than it, that can overtop and overrule it, then he goes on without any impediment: but if it be weak, so that a stronger desire can come and overbalance it, then the second principle is demolished, and there is an end of this resolution. So that let the reason on which we fix it be strong, and let the inclination (which must concur) be fixed and strong, and then the resolution will be [reconstructed: accordingly].

But I add the third, that there must be a renewing of this: for though the resolution be well built, yet to make it constant, it must still be renewed. For there are some works which must have a third and fourth hand to go over them, or else they will fall and moulder away: and this is the nature of our resolution also, it is not the resolution of a day or two that will serve the turn, for the nature of man is subject to such weakness that except our resolutions be gone over and over again, they shrink and come to nothing. Therefore the thing that [reconstructed: causes] inconstancy is one of these three: either weakness of reason that sets you on work, or weakness of the inclination and desire, or else not renewing of this. Now when you have found out the causes of weakness, you may easily find out the means to make you resolute in well doing. As

First, labor to get strong reasons for what you resolve on. The want of this was the cause of the mutability of the second ground. It wanted depth of earth: that is, the seed was good, and the earth was good, but it was not deep enough, and the strength of the sun caused it to wither away. So when we shall have good purposes and resolutions, and they have not root enough, that is, when he has not well examined the thing, so as to be fully convinced of the thing that he undertakes, he is apt to be inconstant in it. And this was the reason of Eve's inconstancy, because she considered not the bottom that she was built upon. On the other side, the Woman of Canaan when she had fixed her faith upon a good ground, she would not be beaten off: though she could not answer the objection, yet she would not be plucked off. You are the Messiah, and therefore you will show mercy: and then she had need of mercy, for her daughter was sick, and weak, and therefore she would not be driven off, she would take no denial. So is it with all our resolutions when they have this depth of earth. Therefore the best way is, to consider, and forecast the worst. So our Savior counsels to suspect the worst: How can you that have but two hundred, go against him that has a thousand, so is it in this case. When you shall undertake a good course, and you go out but with weak reasons: if Satan or a lust come and object stronger reasons, this will make you give out. Therefore the best way is to forecast the worst, and to outbid the Devil in every temptation. Therefore when he shall come and say, that you shall have favor with men, say to him that the favor of GOD is better; if he shall tell you of riches, and wealth, say that you shall have a treasure in heaven: if he say to you that you shall have rest and pleasure in sin, say to him, that the peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, is far beyond that rest, and pleasure, whatever it be: So [reconstructed: on the other hand], it is good to ponder them well, that we may be able to outbid him therein. Whatever he does object, it is one of these two: either some good that you shall have, or some evil. Now consider, that as the love and favor of GOD, is a greater good than all the world can give you: So his wrath is a greater evil, than any the world can do to you.

Secondly, If you would have your resolution strong, to break through all impediments, labor to get vehement desires to overtop all other: that whatever comes, yet this may overbalance them.

Quest. But how shall I come to get such a desire?

Answ. There is no way in the world but this: Labor to be humbled for your sins, to get a broken heart for them: for then a man comes to prize grace exceeding much, and worldly things as nothing. For this is a sure rule, When you feel your sins to lie heavy upon you, then all the things in the world will appear light: therefore labor to know the bitterness of sin; it is that which sets an edge upon all our spiritual desires: without this a man does but cheapen the kingdom of heaven, he does as the people did with Rehoboam, they expostulated with him about their serving him: so we do capitulate with the Lord, as it were, and stand upon terms with him, until we are humbled; and then we are ready to take heaven upon any condition. Till a man be thus humbled, his desires are remiss, and weak, and limp desires; they raise up great buildings upon no foundation; the foundation is weak and weak, and so the building comes down. And hence is it, that men put their hand to the plow, and look back again. A scholar will serve the Lord, if he may have eminence in gifts, and outward excellency, or some honor in the flesh; but all this while his desires are remiss: but when he is once humbled, then he will say with Saint Paul, Lord, what will you have me to do? And I will do it, whatever it is, and whatever you would have me to suffer, I will suffer it. He will take the kingdom of heaven by violence: and then his resolutions continue constant that way. For what can Satan do to him? Will he take away his pleasure from him, his wealth, or his credit? They are things that he has despised before: he can take nothing from him, but what he cares not for. It is the bitterness of sin, that makes him now to prize God's love and favor above all things.

Thirdly, you must renew your resolution often: it is not enough to set the heart in a good frame of grace for a day, or two, or for a month, but you must have a constant course in doing of it, ever and anon: as the Dutch men use to do with their banks, that keep them with little cost, because they look narrowly to them; if there be but the least breach, they make it up presently, otherwise the water makes a breach upon them. So you should do with your heart: observe it from day to day, mark what objections come, that you cannot answer, what lusts and desires do overbalance you, and learn still to renew your reasons and resolutions against them: and this will make you constant, and firm, and peremptory in well-doing.

Now I come to the next Attribute, and that is, The Greatness of God, or his Infiniteness: We follow in this rather the rule of the Scripture, than the tract of the Schoolmen, and we insist upon those that God does especially take to him in Scripture.

Now that God takes this Attribute to himself, you shall see in (2 Chronicles 2:5). For great is our God above all Gods. (Psalm 135:5) For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all Gods. But the place that I would chiefly commend to you is this: (Psalm 145:3) Great is the Lord, and most worthy to be praised: and his greatness is unsearchable. Where you see, that it is an infinite, and incomprehensible greatness that the Lord takes to himself. So (Psalm 147:5) Great is our God, and of great power: and his understanding is infinite.

In handling of this, I will show you these two things.

First, I will show you how this greatness of God is gathered from the Scriptures.

Secondly, I will show you the reason of it, as I have done in the rest.

The greatness of God is declared to us in the Scripture by these six things.

First, by the works of his creation. The greatness of the works shows the greatness of the maker. (Isaiah 40:12) Who has measured the heavens in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heavens with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? That is, if you would look upon any work, you may judge of the workman by it; if you see a great building, you conceive it to be made by a man of some power: now when you look upon the great building of heaven and earth, you may think that he that handles the materials, as an architect does handle the stones, and lay them in their place, is great. Now the Lord does put the waters together, as if he held them in his hand; and he measures out the heavens, as a workman measures out the roof. Again, every workman must work by plummet and by weight; now consider the great mountains, says he, he weighs them in scales, and the hills in a balance. As this building does go beyond man's, so does the greatness of God exceed the greatness of man; and by this you may take a glimpse of the greatness of the Lord.

Secondly, by the signs of his greatness. The greatness of princes is set out by those outward signs, which are the declaration of it. Now when the Lord would show his greatness, you shall see how he expresses it. (Deuteronomy 4:36) When he came out of the Mount, they heard a great voice, and on the earth there was a great fire: by that you may know the greatness of God. For why does he come out with those signs, clothed with them as it were, but that by this you might have a crevice opened to show you the greatness of God? So when he appeared to Elias, and in his apparitions to Moses, to the Prophets, Isaiah, and Ezekiel. It is said also, that his voice was as the sound of many waters; and he was so terrible, that it was a usual saying among the Jews: Who can see God and live? Why so? Because when he appeared, when he showed any shadow of his greatness, weak flesh could not behold him, but was swallowed up as it were, with the greatness of his majesty.

Thirdly, by the works of his providence. (Ezekiel 36:23) And I will sanctify my great Name which was profaned among the heathen, which you have profaned in the midst of them, and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. As if he should say: They make no account of me now, but when they shall see me to bring down great Babel, then they shall know and believe, that I am a great GOD. So elsewhere in Ezekiel he compares Ashur, and Tire, to a lion and eagle, and a cedar: and he says, that he will put a hook into the lion, and deplume the eagle, and overtop the cedar: that is, he will show forth his greatness, at that time, when he shall bring down those great nations. So the greatness of GOD is seen in his providence over every thing: when he shall overthrow a whole kingdom, and a great battle by a little accident, as great ships are turned about by a little rudder, then his might appears. So in his ruling the winds and seas, and weather, all this shows the greatness of his excellency. Therefore look upon his judgments, and likewise upon his mercies, when you see, how he raises men out of the dust, etc. All this shows the greatness of God.

Fourthly, it is set out comparatively. To compare him with the greatest of men, kings — what are they to him, who is the King of Kings? No, take nations which are greater; no, take all nations, you shall see what they are to him. (Isaiah 40:15) Behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold he takes up the isles as a very little thing, and Lebanon is not sufficient to burn for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity. The very scope of this place is, to [reconstructed: show] the greatness of God by comparison. A bucket of water is but a small thing, but the drops that fall from it, they are of no use. Again, the dust of the earth is but a small thing, but the dust of the scales, that will not so much as turn them — that must needs be exceeding little: but all the world is not so much to him, as a little dust. Another comparison you shall find in (Isaiah 55): My thoughts are above your thoughts, as the heaven is above the earth. Beyond all things are the thoughts of man; for though nations be great, yet a man's thoughts go beyond them: notwithstanding the Lord is as much beyond the scantling and model that we draw of him in our thoughts, as the heavens are above the earth. When you have thought upon me as much as you can think; when you have thought me merciful (for that is the thing which he speaks of), yet I am as much more merciful, than you can think of me, as the heavens are above the earth.

Fifthly, the immenseness or extent of his being. (Jeremiah 23:24) Do not I fill heaven and earth, says the Lord? When we consider, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, that largeness presented to our minds, will show his greatness to us.

Sixthly, his holiness shows his greatness. Look as men keep a greater distance from others (as princes do), so we esteem them greater. Now his holiness is nothing else, but his separation and distance from every creature. Every thing is holy, because it is separated; it is common, because it is not sequestered from other uses. Now GOD is separated, none may come near him; as the Cherubim cover their faces before him; and when he was in the Mount, none might approach near to him; if they did, they were to be thrust through with a dart. He dwells in light inaccessible; and therefore the great holiness of GOD shows the greatness of majesty.

The reasons of this infiniteness are these.

First, from this very place, I AM has sent me to you; I AM shows that he has a being from himself, if so, then he had no cause. Now from here, as in that he had no efficient nor final cause, he is eternal: so in that he has neither matter nor form, he is infinite and incomprehensible. And that is the reason that he has an unlimited essence, because all limitation proceeds either from the matter or from the form: the form is contracted by the matter: again, the matter would be indefinite, but it is contracted and bounded by the form. Now God has neither matter nor form, nor anything like it: therefore he is infinite. All the creatures they have their several kinds: the Angels they have no matter, yet they have something in them answerable to matter and form, wherein they agree, and disagree with other creatures: and therefore they are one kind of creatures, and man another; which shows that they have forms to bound and limit them, and that the essence of the Angels goes so far, and no farther; and so the essence of man, etc. But in God there is no similitude of any such thing, there is no Esse receptum, there is no limits in him, nothing to bind his essence: whereas they are Entia in a certain kind, he is simpliciter Ens, and therefore without all limitation, and so must be immense.

Secondly, He is omnipotent and almighty, he can do whatever he will: from which I reason. If he has an infinite power, it must needs proceed from an infinite cause; for as a thing is in working, so it is in being: therefore when his power is infinite, that must needs be infinite in which it is rooted, and from where it proceeds.

Thirdly, That which is beyond all that we can conceive is infinite: but God is so, for if anything could be imagined more perfect than he is, that should be God and not he: and therefore in Scripture, whatever we can conceive of him, yet he is beyond it. Romans 11: his ways are past finding out; and it is said, that he dwells in light inaccessible.

Fourthly, Consider it from his works: you see that he has made the world of nothing. From which I reason: If you would heat the air, it is more easily heated than water, because the passive power is nearer the active; and if you would heat water, you may more easily heat it than the earth: Now according to the resistance, according to the passive power, such is the active: if the passive power lie open, the active power is less, that works upon it: now when the passive power is infinitely low, then the active power must be infinitely high, and answerable to it. Therefore when God comes to make something of nothing, the active power must be exceeding high, because the passive power is so low: and therefore requires an infinite active power to make something of nothing, and consequently, he must be infinite, in whom this power is seated.

Use 1: If he be so great a God, he that is our God, the God, who is our Father, if he be thus great and incomprehensible, learn to know what you are then: that you have an infinite God to maintain, defend and uphold you, in all that you have to do, or suffer for his will. This will cause you to take great minds to yourselves to have a holy magnanimity in you: And the consideration of this attribute is of great use, to make Christians come to have great minds. For what is it that makes the mind great? It is the greatness of the object: from which it is, that Kings have great minds, because of their great kingdoms; and great men have great thoughts, because of the great objects that they have to look upon. Now therefore, if you would look upon the great God, if you would consider that he is your Father, and that all that he has is yours, this would likewise make your mind exceeding great: it would take from us that pusillanimity and narrowness of mind, which we are subject to; and it is of great moment it should do so. A little mind though it be good, yet because it is a little vessel, it can be and receive but a little good; whereas when the mind is great it is capable of great grace, great actions, and great endeavors: therefore we should get our minds to be enlarged, by considering the greatness of God, and our interest in it. For want of this it is, that Christians are so apt to be led aside into byways by the power of great men; because they think that they are greatly graced when they are looked after by great men; when as if they did know their own greatness, that they are sons of God, and heirs of heaven, this goes beyond it. Hence likewise it is, that men are so easily worked upon by pleasure, profit, and the like, that they are ready to transgress: why is it? It is, because they do not know what they are born to, that the great God of heaven is theirs.

So what is the reason, that the praise, and credit of men, do so much affect you? But because we have so little minds? Whereas, if God were known in his greatness, what would the praise of great men be to the praise of the great God? This would give us much strength against these temptations. And hence it is that young students that are provided for, have their minds lifted up to vanities: whereas if their minds were great, they would despise them, and labor to serve the great God with their strength and parts.

And so men that are grown up, if they have estate enough, they leave the high and honorable calling of the Ministry; the reason is, because they overvalue these outward things: whereas, if a man had a great mind, nothing would be great to him.

Hence also it is, that men are so stirred with variety of conditions; when prosperity comes, it shakes them one way; when crosses and adversity comes, it troubles them on the other side: and what is the reason, but because they seem great to them: which appears from hence, because they stir up great affections. Therefore the way, to walk even in both conditions, is, to get this greatness of mind: for it is the weakness of mind, which causes a man to be over affected with these things, to rejoice too much in the one, and to be too much affected with the other. Even as, we see, a weak eye, as the eyes of owls and bats, cannot endure a great light; and a weak brain cannot bear strong drink: but a strong eye, as the eye of an eagle, can endure the greatest light; so a strong mind, it will endure great grace and disgrace, with the same temper, it will bear all well enough, it knows how to want and how to abound; because he has a great and a strong mind: whereas others have their eyes dazzled, and their brains made giddy as it were with the favor or loss of great men.

Hence also it is that we are so busy about worldly things, dignity, and riches, etc. It is true we should seek after these things, but why do we do it tanto conatu? It was Paul's greatness of mind, that made him ambitious to preach the Gospel; to serve tables, and such like, were small matters, he would not look after them: So if we had great minds, we should seek for grace, and how to increase in it, how to live a useful, and painful and profitable life. Worldly things are too little for the mind to bestow itself upon; which would be so to us, if we could see GOD in his greatness, and our interest in it. Men of little minds and pusillanimous, do as the bramble, which reckoned it as a great matter to reign over the trees: whereas the vine and the fig tree esteemed it not so, but chose rather to serve GOD and man with their sweetness and fatness.

Hence it is that men are so much affected with the injuries of men on the one side, and the fears of men on the other side: all this arises from the littleness of the mind. Saint Paul (Galatians 5:12), the Galatians had done him great injury, yet says he, Brethren, be as I am, for I am as you are: you have done me great injury, but I esteem it not, you have not hurt me at all. For, a man enlarged to a holy greatness of mind, all the injuries put upon him by men, seem small to him: when men are full of complaints, and say, they cannot bear such disgrace and slander, and reproach; this does not proceed from the greatness, but from the weakness of their minds. Men think it indeed greatness of mind, not to pass over these things, not to put up an injury: but surely it is a note of a great mind, to overlook them all. So it is true on the other side, not to regard the praise of men: the philosopher could say, that the magnanimous man did not regard the praise of common men, because he was above them; and he is but a weak man, that would regard the praise of children, because they are not able to judge: so he has but a weak mind, that regards the praise of worldly men; for they are too little for him to regard, if he did see GOD in his greatness. This made Paul to say, that he did not care for man's day, let them say what they will by me, better or worse, I regard it not. (There is indeed a fitting regard to be had of them; but if they come into competition with God, then they must bear no weight at all:) and thus because disgrace and disparagement, etc. seemed but little to him, he despised them all.

So from this weakness of mind arises that cowardliness which we see often in men. From where is it that men are so fearful to hold out the light of a holy profession? Is it not from hence, that they are pusillanimous, that they do too much esteem the face of men? A lion, because he knows himself to be a lion, if the dogs bark, he walks in the street and regards them not; he turns not his head aside for them: So a magnanimous man, that knows himself in God's favor, will pass by the obloquies of [reconstructed: men]. You shall see David did so: he went on in his course like a lion, when Shimei railed against him, so that the two sons of Zeruiah would have cut off his head; No, let him alone, says he, the Lord then raised him up to a great mind. So was it with Paul, he passed through evil report, and good report, and never turned aside for any. So Moses, and Jeremiah, They shall smite you with the tongue of men, etc. says GOD, but I am with you. And so, if we could see GOD in his greatness, all these outward things would seem nothing to us. As a hundred torches appear to be nothing, when we look upon the sun; so, if we could consider aright of the greatness of God, all the fair speeches of men would be as nothing. Now the way to get this magnanimity, is to believe this greatness of God, and to consider that we are the sons of God, and heirs of heaven: the cause of this pusillanimity is the want of faith. If we did believe that we were the sons of God, and did believe that GOD would be with us, that he was so great a GOD, and that he did stand by, and second us, we should not be so fearful as we are. Therefore strengthen your faith, that you may have your minds enlarged, that so you may walk without impediments, and be perfect with him; as it is said of Abraham, that he was perfect with God in all his ways.

FINIS.