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OBSERVATIO N.

USBANDMEN are very careful and curious about their feed-corn, that it may not only be clean and pure, but the pest and most excellent of its kind. Ifa. xxviii. 25. "He' "cafteth in the principal wheat." If any be more full and weighty than other, that is referved for feed. It is ufual with husbandmen to pick and leafe their feed-corn by hand, that they may feparate the cockel and darnel, and all the lighter and hollow grains from it, wherein they manifeft, their discretion; for, according to the vigour and goodnefs of the feed, the fruit and production is like to be.

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APPLICATION.

HE choice, and principal feed-corn, with which the fields are fowed, after they are prepared for it, doth admirably hadow forth thofe excellent principles of grace infused into the regenerate foul. Their agreement, as they are both feed, is obvious, in the ten following particulars, and their excellency above other principles in feven more.

1. The earth at firft naturally brought forth corn, and every feed yielding fruit, without human induftry; but fince the curfe came upon it, it must be plowed and fowed, or no fruit can be expected. So man, at first, had all the principles of holinefs in his nature, but now they must be infused by regeneration, or else his nature is as void of holiness, as the barren and untilled defart is of corn.

2. The earlier the feed is fown, the better it is rooted, and : * enabled to endure the afperities of the winter; fo when grace is early infused, when nature is fanctified in the bud, grace is thereby exceedingly advantaged. It was Timothy's fingular advantage, that he knew the Scriptures of a child.

3. Frofts and foows conduce very much to the well-rooting of the feed, and makes it spread, and take root much the better. So do fanctified afflictions, which usually the people of God meet with after their calling, and often in their very feed time. 1 Thef. i. 6. " And you became followers of us "and of the Lord, having received the word in much affic"tion." But if they have fair weather then, to be fure they VOL. VI. K

fhall meet with weather hard enough afterwards. Heb x. 32. "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions."

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4. When the feed is caft into the earth, it must be covered up by the harrow, the use whereof, in husbandry, is not only to lay a plain floor (as they speak) but to open, and let in the corn to the bofom of the earth, and there cover it up for its fecurity from birds that would devour it. Thus doth the most wife God provide for the fecurity of that grace which he at first diffeminated in the hearts of his people. He is as well the finisher, as the author of their grace, Heb. xii. 2. and of this they may be confident, that he that hath begun a good work in them, will perform it unto the day of Chrift. The care of God over the graces of his people, is like the covering of the feed for fecurity.

5. Seed-corn is in its own nature of much more value and worth than other corn; the husbandman casts in the principalwheat. So are the feeds of grace fown in the renewed foul, for it is called the feed of God, 1 John iii. 9. The divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. One dram of grace is far beyond all the glory of this world; it is more precious than gold which perishes. 1 Pet. i. 7. "The price of it is above rubies, and all that thou canft "defire is not to be compared with it," Prov. iii. 15.

6. There is a great deal of spirit and vigour in a little feed,' though it be fmall in bulk, yet it is great in virtue and efficacy. Gracious habits are alfo vigorous and efficacious things. Such is their efficacy that they overcome the world, r John v. 4. "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world." They totally alter and change the perfon in whom they are. "He "that perfecuted us in times paft, now preacheth the faith "which he once destroyed." They enable the foul to do and fuffer great things for God, Heb. xi. 33, 34, 35.

7. The ftalk and ear are potentially and virtually in a small grain of corn. So are all the fruits of obedience which believers afterwards bring forth to God, virtually contained in those habits or feeds of grace. It is ftrange to confider, that from a mustard feed (which, as Christ faith, is the least of all feeds). fhould grow fuch great branches, that the birds of the air may build their nests in them. Surely, the heroical and famous acts and atchievements of the most renowned believers sprang from fmall beginnings at firft, to that eminency and glory.

8. The fruitfulness of the feed depends upon the fun and rain, by which they are quickened, as is opened largely in the next chapter. And the principles of grace in us have as ne

ceflary a dependence upon the affifting and exciting grace without us. For though it be true, they are immortal feed; yet that is not so much from their own ftrength as from the promifes made to them, and that conftant influx from above, by which they are revived and preferyed from time to time.

9. The feed is fruitful in fome foils more than in others, profpers much better, and comes fooner to maturity. So doth graces thrive better, and grow fafter in fome perfons than in others. "Your faith groweth exceedingly," 2 Theff. i. 3. "Whilst the things that are in others are ready to die," Rev. iii. 2. Though no man's heart be naturally a kind foil to grace, yet doubtless grace is more advantaged in fome difpofitions than

in others.

10. And lastly, their agreement, as feed, appears in this, the feed-corn is fcattered into all parts of the field, as proportionably and equally as may be. So is grace diffused into all the faculties, judgment, will, and all the affections are fowed with these new principles. "The God of peace fanctify you wholly," 1 Theff. v. 23.

And thus you fee, why principles of grace are called feed. Now, in the next place, (which is the fecond thing promised, and mainly defigned in this chapter) to fhew you the choicenefs and excellency of thefe holy principles with which fanctified fouls are embellifhed and adorned; and to convince you that true grace excells all other principles, by which other perfons are acted, even as the principal wheat doth the chaff, and refuse stuff, I shall here inftitute a comparison betwixt grace and the most splendid, common gifts in the world, and its tranfcendent excellency, above them all, will evidently appear in feven following particulars.

1. The most excellent common gifts come out of the common treafury of God's bounty, and that in a natural way. They are but the improvement of a man's natural abilities, (or as one calls them) the fparks of nature blown up by the wind of a more benign and liberal education; bat principles of grace are of a divine and heavenly original and extraction, not induced or raised from nature, but fupernaturally infused by the Spirit from on high, John iii. 6. "That which is born of the fleth is “flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is fpirit." When a foul is fanctified by them, "he partakes of the divine nature," 2 Pet. i. 4. "Is born not of flesh, nor of blood, nor of the will of "man, but of God," John i. 13. In this refpect they differ from gifts, as the heavenly manna which was rained down from

heaven differs from common bread, which, by pains and induftry, the earth produces in a natural way.

2. The best natural gifts afford not that sweetness and folid comfort to the foul that grace doth; they are but a dry stalk that affords no meat for a foul to feed on. A man may have an understanding full of light, and an heart void of comfort at the fame time; but grace is a fountain of pureft living ftreams of peace and comfort, 1 Pet. i. 3. " Believing, we rejoice, with joy unfpeakable and full of glory: light is fown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart." All true plea fures and delights are feminally in grace, Pfal. xcvii. 11. They are fown for them in thefe divine and heavenly graces, which are glory in the bud.

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Like a precious fone in a toad's bead.

3. Gifts adorn the perfon, but do not secure the foul from wrath. A man may be admired for them among men, and rejected eternally by God. Who can confiderately read that fixth chapter of the Hebrews, and not tremble to think in what a forlorn cafe a foul may be, though fet off ánd accomplished with the rareft endowments of this kind! Mat. vii. 22. We read, that many fhall fay to Chrift in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name, and

in thy name caft out devils," &c. and yet themselves at laft caft out as a prey to devils. How divinely and rhetorically did Balaam fpeak, and prophefy, Numb. xxxiii. What rare and excellent parts had the Scribes and Pharifees? Who upon that account, were filed Principes feculi, the princes of the world, 1 Cor. ii. 8. What profound and excellent parts had the heathen Jages and philofophers? Thefe things are fo far from fecuring the foul against the wrath to come, that they often expofe it unto wrath, and are as oil to encrease the eternal burnings; but now gracious principles are the Tax owular, as the apostle calls them, Heb. vi. things that accompany and have falvation in them. These are the things on which the promises of falvation run; and these treasures are never found but in elect veffels. Glory is by promise affured and made over to him that poffeffes them. There is but a little point of time betwixt him and the glorified spirits above. And how inconfiderable a matter is a little time, which contracts and winds up apace? For now is our falvation nearer than when we believed. And hence the fcripture fpeaks of them as already faved, Rom. viii. 24. "We are faved by hope," because it is as fure as if we were in heaven. We are made to fit in heavenly places.

4. Gifts may damnify the perfon that poffeffes them, and it

may be better in refpect of a man's own condition he had never had them. Knowledge (faith the apostle) puffeth up, 1 Cor. viii. 1. makes the foul proud and flatulens, it is a hard thing to know much, and not to know it too much. The faint's knowledge is better than the fcholar's; for he hath his own heart instead of a commentary to help him. Aristotle faid, a little knowledge about heavenly things, though conjectural, is better than much of earthly things, though certain. "The

world by wisdom knew not God," (faith the apostle, 1 Cor. i. 12.) i. e. Their learning hanged in their light, they were too wife to fubmit to the fimplicity of the gofpel. The excellent parts of the old heretics did but ferve to midwife into the world the monftrous birth of foul-damning herefies. Cupit abs te ornari diabolus, as Auftin faid to that ingenious young fcholar; the devil defires to be adorned by thee. But now grace itfelf is not fubject to fuch abuses, it cannot be the proper univocal cause of any evil effect: it cannot puff up the heart, but always humbles it, nor ferve the devil's designs, but ever opposes them.

5. Gifts may be given a man for the fake of others, and not out of any love to himself; they are but as an excellent difh of meat which a man fends to a nurse, not for her fake, fo much as for his child that fucks her. God, indeed, makes ufe of them to do his children good, the church is benefited by them, though themfelves are but like cooks, they prepare excellent dishes, on which the faints feed, and are nourished, though themselves tafte them not. They are dona miniftrantia, non fanctificantia, miniftring, but not fanctifying gifts, proceeding not from the good-will of God to him that hath them, but to thofe he benefits by them. And O what a fad confideration will this be one day to fuch a perfon, to think, I helped fuch a foul to heaven, while I myself muft lodge in hell?

6. Sin in the reign and power of it, may cohabit with the most excellent patural gifts under the fame roof, I mean in the fame heart. A man may have the tongue of an angel, and the heart of a devil. The wifdom of the philofophers (faith Lactantius) non excindit vitia fed abfcondit, did not root out, but hide their vices. The learned Pharifees were but painted fepulchres. Gifts are but as a fair glove drawn over a foul hand: But now grace is incompatible with fin in dominion, it purifies the heart, Acts xv. 6. cleanfes the confcience, Heb. ix. 14. crucifies the affections and lufts of the flesh, Gal. v. 24. is not content with the concealment, but ruin of corruptions. 7. And lastly, Gifts must leave us at laft. Whether there

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