(1.) Dona sanctificantia, Sanctifying Gifts, or the Graces of the Spirit; these are highest, and are called the true Riches, Luk. 16.11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon, who shall commit to your trust the true riches? To be trusted with an Estate is not so great a trust as to be trusted with Grace: This is a Gift more precious, and should not lye idle. God trusts ordinary men with common Gifts, before he trusts them with Grace. When we suspect that a Vessel is leaky, we try it first with Water, before we fill it with Wine. God expecteth more honour from New Creatures, than he doth from all the World besides; that they should do more good in their places: Partly, because they have new obligations by Redemption, 1 Cor. 6.20. You are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your Bodies and Souls which are Gods. You are twice bound, and a double Obligation will infer a double Condemnation, if we answer it not. And Partly, because by Regeneration they have new dispositions, they are more fitted to glorify God, and do good to others, Eph. 1.12. That we should be to the praise of his Glory. Their [Greek or Hebrew], their New-being fitteth them to honour God. They serve mainly for this very use, and therefore this Duty of trading for God, lieth first and most upon them: Wherefore hath God created them a-new in Christ Jesus, but to glorify his name, and admire his Grace, and live answerable to his Love, and to bring him into request among all about them? Mat. 5.16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. They that are eminent for the profession of Godliness, and are set as lights in the World, or a City upon an Hill, these should bring much Honour to God, and provoke others to do so; as the Stars which are the shining part of Heaven, draw eyes after them, if they should be eclipsed, they set the World a wondering: so should they shine as lights in the midst of a crooked, Generation, Phil. 2.15. or as the Star that shined at Christs Birth conducted the Wise men to him; so should they by their Profession and practice lead others to Christ.
(1.) Dona sanctificantia, Sanctifying Gifts, or the Graces of the Spirit; these are highest, and are called the true Riches, Luk. 16.11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon, who shall commit to your trust the true riches? To be trusted with an Estate is not so great a trust as to be trusted with Grace: This is a Gift more precious, and should not lye idle. God trusts ordinary men with common Gifts, before he trusts them with Grace. When we suspect that a Vessel is leaky, we try it first with Water, before we fill it with Wine. God expecteth more honour from New Creatures, than he doth from all the World besides; that they should do more good in their places: Partly, because they have new obligations by Redemption, 1 Cor. 6.20. You are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and Souls which are Gods. You are twice bound, and a double Obligation will inferr a double Condemnation, if we answer it not. And Partly, because by Regeneration they have new dispositions, they are more fitted to glorifie God, and do good to others, Eph. 1.12. That we should be to the praise of his Glory. Their 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, their New-being fitteth them to honour God. They serve mainly for this very use, and therefore this Duty of trading for God, lyeth first and most upon them: Wherefore hath God created them a-new in Christ Jesus, but to glorifie his name, and admire his Grace, and live answerable to his Love, and to bring him into request among all about them? Mat. 5.16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven. They that are eminent for the profession of Godliness, and are set as lights in the World, or a City upon an Hill, these should bring much Honour to God, and provoke others to do so; as the Stars which are the shining part of Heaven, draw eyes after them, if they should be eclipsed, they set the World a wondring: so should they shine as lights in the midst of a crooked, Generation, Phil. 2.15. or as the Star that shined at Christs Birth conducted the Wise men to him; so should they by their Profession and practice lead others to Christ.
