or if his profession will not carry him out with honour, but his credit is laid in the dust, and he sees he cannot get honour, his heart dies in him, and he saith, It is as good to leave off all: and if he cannot get glory from the Gospel, either he will grow desperately wicked and oppose the Gospel, and join side with the wicked, and help them; or else he will flag and die in a base carnal course, and come to nothing; and that's the best of him. This hath been the bane of many men, who, when they have missed of the glory that they looked for from the Gospel, they have become persecutors: These men deal with Christ as the Inn-keeper doth with his guests; If a man will pay the Ordinary,1 he is welcome, but if once his money fail, he turns him out of doors: so if Christ will pay his Ordinary, and if he may have credit and honour, so as men may say he hath good parts, and that he fasts more than the world knows; I say, if the Gospel will give him this Ordinary, it is welcome, and he is ⟨p. 266⟩carried on cheerfully: but if Christ and the Gospel will not give him that which he would have, he turns his back upon it. The Lord Jesus convince your hearts of it. I take this to be the state of a great many: but a gracious heart is of another strain or temper. Haply God hath given a man parts, and gifts, and credit, and yet if the Lord withdraw himself, a good soul saith as John did, Joh. 3.40. He must increase, I must decrease; so a good heart saith, If another man deserve and have more than I, yet let this proud heart lick the dust, and never lift up it self; if the Lord Jesus may increase, and have his honour and glory, let me be trodden in the dust: this is a heart worth gold. When a man entertains the King, he is content, though the King put him out of his own house, to be his servant for the while; and if his Majesty may be contented, he cares not: so it is with a gracious humble heart, if the Lord will blast a mans parts and comforts, and take all from him, and give him Christ naked, and only that honour that is in him, he is contented: This heart is right, and he will say, It is Gods will to take away these parts, honours, credit, &c. and if the Lord Jesus say, I will not assist nor comfort thy soul, he lies down and saith not a word, but this, Let the Lord be honoured though I be as the dung in the streets;
or if his profession will not carry him out with honour, but his credit is laid in the dust, and hee sees hee cannot get honour, his heart dies in him, and he saith, It is as good to leave off all: and if he cannot get glory from the Gospel, either hee will grow desperately wicked and oppose the Gospell, and joyne side with the wicked, and helpe them; or else he will flagge and die in a base carnall course, and come to nothing; and thats the best of him. This hath been the bane of many men, who, when they have missed of the glory that they lookt for from the Gospel, they have become persecuters: These men deal with Christ as the Inne-keeper doth with his guests; If a man will pay the Ordinarie,1 he is welcome, but if once his money faile, hee turnes him out of doores: so if Christ will pay his Ordinary, and if hee may have credit and honour, so as men may say he hath good parts, and that he fasts more than the world knowes; I say, if the Gospel will give him this Ordinary, it is welcome, and he is ⟨p. 266⟩carried on cheerfully: but if Christ and the Gospel will not give him that which hee would have, hee turnes his backe upon it. The Lord Jesus convince your hearts of it. I take this to be the state of a great many: but a gracious heart is of another straine or temper. Happely God hath given a man parts, and gifts, and credit, and yet if the Lord withdraw himselfe, a good soule saith as John did, Joh. 3.40. Hee must encrease, I must decrease; so a good heart saith, If another man deserve and have more than I, yet let this proud heart licke the dust, and never lift up it selfe; if the Lord Jesus may encrease, and have his honour and glory, let me be trodden in the dust: this is a heart worth gold. When a man entertaines the King, he is content, though the King put him out of his owne house, to bee his servant for the while; and if his Majesty may be contented, he cares not: so it is with a gracious humble heart, if the Lord will blast a mans parts and comforts, and take all from him, and give him Christ naked, and onely that honour that is in him, hee is contented: This heart is right, and hee will say, It is Gods will to take away these parts, honours, credit, &c. and if the Lord Jesus say, I will not assist nor comfort thy soule, he lyes downe and saith not a word, but this, Let the Lord be honoured though I be as the dung in the streets;
- 1Simile.