The revival of grace in the vigour and fragrancy of it by a due application of the blood of Christ to the root thereof, or, Sacramental reflections on the death of Christ a sacrifice, a testator, and bearing a curse for us particularly applying each for the exciting and increasing the graces of the believing communicant / by Henry Hurst.

Sect. 1.

1. That there is an exceeding great benefit and advantage offered and proposed to it. Christ hath bequeathed most transcendent blessings to the believing soul; the Legacies he hath given are not few, small, dying or fading, but they are many, great and eternal. All which will appear by these following considerations.

1. The greatness of his mind, it is not to be doubted whether Christ were of a large and noble heart. He did excel all men in true magnanimity and greatness of mind, as much as he excelled all men in holiness, and free∣dome from sin. Now let this be noted, and we shall see (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) as was the man, so were his gifts. A great mind accounts small gifts below its grandeur. When a King (I think it was Alezander) gave a gift that was complemented with, because it was too great for him who was to receive it, answer

was made. It was not too great for a King to give. The Scripture gives us a ghess at the greatness of Araunah's mind by the greatness of his gift, 2 Sam. 24.24. Indeed they do mutually declare, and shew themselves unto men, so that the boons and Gifts of Christ unto believers do, (and could not but) bear a proportioned greatness and a richness com∣mensurate and suited to the greatness and largeness of his heart.

2. Let it farther be noted as was the great∣ness of his heart, so was the greatness of his interess estate and treasures. Men somtimes have hearts too large for their houses, and minds over-grown, and exceedingly too large for their meanes, and where this discord happens, there ever is a great deal less in performance than in purpose, farre less in execution than in design, and intention. But where a great heart possesseth an estate, car∣ryeth an interess, and enjoyeth opportu∣nities, large as its self; there are ever great designs, rich promises, vast expectations; and these give being to a hope that maketh not ashamed. The favorites of Kings enlarge their hopes to the greatness of those gifts their Princes use to give. It were a dishonour to a Prince if his Friend and favourite should hope for a mean and poor gift, such as every or∣dinary man bestows upon his Friend. Saul spake more like a King bestowing gifts, when he talked of olive-yards, and vine-yards, and making them Captains over thousands. And the ambitious mother measured her hope and request for her sons, by the greatness of their masters state, when she begged that

they might sit the one on the right hand, the other on the left hand of their Lord in his Kingdom. So let our hopes eye the riches and treasures of our Dying Lord, and grow great as his mind and good will, as his means and ability to enrich us, to satisfy us with most excellent Legacies, with Royall gifts.

3. As his mind and means were great, so was his love and affections toward us. Jonathan's love to David was a love that exceeded the love of women, but fell short of the love of Christ to believers. It is hard to find a love that may shadow out the love of Christ, but it is impossible to find out a love that can equal it, or set it forth to us in its gaeatness. It is greater than the love of a Friend, a Bro∣ther, a Father, a wife; greater than all these, could we compound them all into one. Now where so great love to us, in so great estate in the hands of so great mind, there out hopes cannot but exceed the hopes of a man who hath the largest hopes from his Friend, his Brother, or Father. He knows not the heart of Christ, nor the riches of Christ, nor the love of Christ, who contents himself with small hopes, or doth not enlarge his heart towards a hope, great as the love of Christ. See then what thou mayest expect should be thy legacy; think what it likely should be that Christ Dying would bestow upon thee; would he not give the greatest he could? should you not hope the greatest you are ca∣pable of? do not men (close handed, narrow hearted, and loath to leave what they have), do they not give the most they can to those they love most at their death? have not they

largest gifts by will who were greatest sharers in their good will? is not this the standard by which waiting, hoping Heirs measure their hopes, and expectations from a Dying Friend let it be thine also, and at a Sacrament re∣member thy hope is justifiable when exceed∣ing great; for so much as it is raised upon so great love of so great a mind in so great estate and meanes, that none can equall, or justify it self in a comparison with it, none (I say) though it were the grandeur of a King, of the greatest King ever the Sun did shine upon, for if more crowns than one are at his disposal yet can he not bequeath a crown to every loyal subject, to every faithful coun∣cellour, to every dear Friend, to every du∣tiful child; Christ thy King, thy Friend (oh believing soul) could alone do this and indeed hath done it by will; this thou shouldest remember, and consider at the Sacrament. The renewed memorial of Christ thy Friend Dying a Testator, and renewed thoughts of thy Friends greatness who is thy hope, will be a renewing of thy hope, and an addition to its greatness.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• 1 Sam. 22.7.
• Luk. 22.29. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.