oppresse him and a prey to the tongues of men to traduce him and the honour and glory of the lives of Gods children is much obscured thorough the scandals which alwayes are cast upon them 4. This likewise comes to passe thorough some corruption yet remaining in Gods children thorough some failings wherewith they are sometimes over-taken though Christ live in them yet they are not so full of life but that there is some sinne like a disease or evill humour in a living body abiding in them they have an Esau as well as a Jaacob in their wombe some tares of sinne growing with the wheate of grace in the field of their hearts they carry a pricke of imbred corruption in their flesh and this lusteth against the spirit against their regenerate part as the Amalekites fought against Joshuah and sometimes it foiles them as they sometime prevailed over Joshuah and as an inward evill humour sometimes breakes out into an open ulcer so doth this hidden and remaining corruption sometimes vent and shew it selfe in some open fayling as in Job David Jeremy Peter and the choysest of Gods servants and as one ulcer doth much obscure the beauty of the face so one failing doth much ecclipse and darken the glory of the conversation of Gods children if a childe of God keepe not himselfe unspotted of the world if hee faile but a little the world will blot and blaze his name all over if they espye but a little spot now and then in him they will report and proclaime him as one that is leprous all over 5. This also commeth thus to passe thorough mens misprision and mis-interpretation of the wayes and workes of Gods children Their eyes are blood shot they behold the doings of Gods servants in a false glasse and they appeare unto them in contrary colours and as Hanuns servants misinterpreted Davids kindnesse and handled his men as spies who were sent as comforters thus they misinterpret the doings of the righteous and censure their knowledge as errour their piety as hypocrisie their zeale as frensie their attendance on Gods ordinances as idlenesse their sacred meetings as confederacies and combinations their workes of mercy as workes of ostentation and vain-glory such as are farthest from sincerity and the greatest deceivers are most ready to charge hypocrisie upon others such as are least industrious to examine their owne hearts are usually the severest censurers of other mens lives and thus they change the cleare and shining day of a godly mans life into an obscure and darke night calling evill good and good evill putting light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light as wee may see in David Paul and others 6. This likewise is so by reason of the base out-side of Gods children They in whom Christ lives are for the most part of low estate and slender reputation in the eye of the world Christ at first was borne of a Virgin espoused to a Carpenter her condition no way conspicuous and glorious in the eyes of men and Christ is now for the most part formed againe in the hearts of men farre from all externall pomp and glory God having chosen poore things and base things and things which are not to confound the things which are and the poore saith Christ receive the Gospell and blessed is hee that is not offended in mee that doth not stumble and take offence at mee by reason of the low and slender estate of them that receive and imbrace me preached in the Gospell And the Prophet hath told us long since that Gods people are an afflicted poore people and this doth much obscure the honourablenesse of their life in the eye of the world who usually judge nothing excellent and honourable but that which is externally pompous and glorious as wee see by experience both in Christ and his members Mat. 13.55 Ioh. 2.1 2 3 4. Ioh. 7.48 49. 7. Lastly thus it likewise commeth to passe thorough the manifold afflictions which attend the righteous they in whom Christ lives are hated of the world persecuted by the men of the Earth and pursued with many troubles walking like the Israelites thorough the red Sea of many afflictions destitute afflicted tormented in Sheepes and Goates-skinnes in Caves and in Dennes Killed all the day long and accounted as Sheepe for the slaughter as the Psalmist speakes and these afflictions are a great darkning of the glory of their life in the eyes of the World as the cloudes darken the Sunne in the eyes of men continuing in it selfe bright and beautifull CHAP. XXV DOth Christ live in the soules of Gods children then the life of Gods children is of all the lives of men the most ioyfull and cheerfull the most pleasant and comfortable The Sunne is the joy and comfort of the world Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse is the glory joy and comfort of the soule The more fully and powerfully Christ liveth in man the greater is the joy of man Christs comming unto man is tydings of great joy Behold said the Angell I bring you good tydings of great ioy which shall be unto all people for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. This is great joy for the Author matter quality quantity and duration of it All joy is but heavinesse to the having of Christ living in us purging our corruptions pardoning our offences filling us with all heavenly blessings and sweetly and powerfully ruling over us The comming of the Arke ministred such joy to Israel that they gave a shout which made the earth to ring how much more doth the comming of Christ in the Gospell and ministration of spirituall life to Gods chosen make them joyous and comfortable witnesse the men of Samaria of whom it is recorded that upon Philips preaching the Gospell to them the ejection of Satan and consequently Christs beginning to live within them there was great joy in that City And all joy and gladnesse doth indeed accompany Christs living in man 1. Where Christ lives there is the joy of life of spirituall life of the life of God a life in respect whereof all other life is but death and therefore as the Father of the Prodigall said to his servants bring hither the fatted Calfe and kill it and let us eat and be merry for this my Sonne was dead and is alive he was lost and is found Thus the man in whom Christ lives hath great cause to be merry because his soule was dead and is alive was lost and is found 2. Where Christ lives there is ioy of Light The Sunne fils the aire with temporall light Christ fils the soule with spirituall light with all knowledge and wisedome and spirituall understanding And as the beholding of the Starre filled the wise men with exceeding great ioy so doth the shining of Christ into the soule of man fill man with great joy and rejoycing 3. Where
endeavours To open the eyes of men and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ The translation of the soules of men out of their naturall and corrupt estate into Christs Kingdome is the most sweet and blessed fruite of the Gospell To this also the Lord perswadeth by the proposall of many favours and mercies Turne you unto me saith the Lord and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of Hoasts Turne you unto me as Schollars to your teacher to learne my lawes as children to your Father to reverence my name as Subiects to your Soveraigne to obey my Statutes as Servants to your Lord and Master to do my will turne you unto me by repentance sorrowing for your sins by faith beleeving my Promises by love imbracing me and my testimonies and by obedience keeping my Commandements and I will turne unto you as a King of mercies pardoning you as a loving Father receiving you as a kind and gracious Husband imbracing you as a glorious and shining Sun dispelling all the clouds of sorrow from you as a powerfull and mighty Redeemer delivering you from all them that doe conspire against you God doth ever manifest himselfe very good and gracious to them that turne from their impieties To move men to this the Lord likewise useth very sweet and powerfull expostulations Repent and turne your selves saith the Lord God from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine cast away from you all your transgressions whereby yee have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will yee die ô house of Israel for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherfore turne your selves and live The forsaking of sin is the obtaining of life Sin is the cause of mans ruine repentance the way to peace and eternall happinesse though the ability to repent be Gods gift yet it is the duty of every man to repent and the changing of the heart from sin to holinesse is ever attended with sweet and sure mercies All blessings attend them that come from their naturall and corrupt estate to walke with God in newnesse of life and for this saith St. Peter God having raised up his Son sent him to blesse us in turning away every one of us from our iniquities the translation of man from the state of sin into the state of grace is one of the choysest benefits that cometh by Christ and they are the most blessed and happy among all people whom Christ delivers and turnes from the power and service of their corruption therefore as Sampson burst his wit hs and came away from Dalila so let us burst asunder the wit hs and fetters of our sin and come forth of our naturall and corrupt estate Of all estates to live under the power of sin and to continue a stranger to Christ is the most miserable and unhappy estate 1. An estate of Barrennesse the carnall man is a bad tree and can beare no good fruit a loathsome fountaine and can send forth no cleane water Michals wombe was shut up and she had no child till the day of her death the heart of a carnall man is shut up and continuing in that estate hee brings forth no good fruit all the dayes of his life he is saith Jude a tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots voyd of all the fruits of grace 2. His estate is an estate of exilement from God Adam was exiled Paradise for eating the forbidden fruit the carnall man is exiled Gods presence shut out from all communion with God for feeding and feasting his soule upon sin because stolne waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant unto him such men have no gracious relation unto God no claime nor title to the covenant of God no unfained love to God no likenesse with God and therefore God disclaimes all communion with them he will not acknowledge them 3. It is an estate of enmity the carnall mind is enmity against God man opposeth God and God opposeth man corrupt men are haters of God they hate the very being of God and wish there were no God they hate him in his attributes because he is a wife God and beholds all their impieties because he is a holy God and abhorres their ungodlinesse because he is a just God threatning destruction to their wayes because he is a powerfull God able to dash them in peeces as a Potters vessell with a rod of yron they hate him in his Ordinances in his Ministers in his Servants in all that beare his Image of holinesse and true righteousnesse and God hates them in their qualities in their services in their prayers their best Sacrifice is a loathsome carkasse in Gods nostrils a very abomination before the Lord. 4. It is an estate of slavery to Satan to the world to corruption he that is most sinfull is the veryest slave in the world as many lusts so many Lords and Masters yea cruell tyrants over him leading him captive at the will of Satan Peters being fettered in Herods prison Jeremies lying in the Dungeon Israels servitude under Pharaoh and the Aegyptians being led captive by the Assyrians naked and bare-foot to the reproach of Aegypt is but a slender shadow and weake representation of this thraldome 5. It is an estate of curses the whole pot was a pot of death where the evill herbe was all is a pot of death a pot of curses where sin rules very blessings are turned into curses to them that turne not from their impieties the table is a snare and what should have bin mans welfare becomes his ruine all the meanes of grace are perverted all the labours of Gods Ministers frustrated Jonahs being in the ship disabled the Marriners to bring the Ship unto the shore the dominion of sin in the soule disables the Minister to bring it to the haven of peace we row in vaine all our labour is lost if you forsake not your sin we cannot profit you the holding fast of your impieties turnes the ministry of salvation into an increase of condemnation working death instead of life the very best things proving evill to them that continue without change in their corrupt estate therfore as Hannah prayed to bee delivered from her barrennesse as Absolom longed to see an end of his exilement and to behold the Kings face againe as Israel sighed and groaned to bee eased of their bondage as the men of Tyre and Sidon made Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine their friend and desired peace with Herod and as the Prophet powred meale into the pot and there was no harme in the pot but the pot of death was made a pot of wholesome food a meanes to preserve life
Christ lives there is the ioy of liberty Christ restoring life to Lazarus set him free from the grave and from the fellowship of the dead his eyes were free to see his eares to heare his tongue to speake his hands to worke and his feet to walke Christ living in man makes man free from the death of sinne from carnall fellowship with them that are dead in sinne he makes him free in his understanding to know God in his thoughts to meditate upon God in his memory to remember God and in his affections to beleeve in God to love God and to walke in the wayes of God And this liberty ministers to the soule as great a cause of rejoycing as ever Israel conceived upon their freedome from the Egyptians 4. Where Christ lives there is the ioy of victory When David came into the Israelitish army he gave them victory over Goliah and all the Philistines they all fled when Christ comes into and lives in the soule of man he overcomes Satan he dissolves his workes he casts that strong man out he subdues all the corruptions that are in man They that are Christs saith Saint Paul have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts they have gotten a blessed and honourable victory over Satan themselves and the world a victory ministring to them greater cause of rejoycing then Israel had when they gave a shout for their victory over the Philistines 5. Where Christ lives there is the ioy of regeneration adoption and sanctification Christ makes us the sonnes and daughters of God the friends and lovers of God who were aliens and enemies to God he makes us cleane who were defiled he abolisheth the character and stamp of Satan and engraves the Image of God on our soules he like a refiners fire and fullers sope puts away the spot and drosse of our sinne purifying and purging us as gold and silver that we may offer to the Lord an offering of righteousnesse And this affords us matter of greater rejoycing then Naaman had upon his being cleansed from his leprosie in Jordan Reioyce not in this saith Christ that the spirits are made subiect unto you but rather reioyce in this that your names are written in Heaven that you have a name with God that you are by adoption the children of God that you are sanctified and cleansed from your sinnes The worke of holinesse ministers more joy to Gods servants then the gift of working miracles there is more comfort ariseth from the subiugation of our corrupt affections then from having all the world put under us 6. Where Christ lives there is the ioy of riches he cannot be poore and miserable that hath Christ living in him Christ is unsearchable riches as Gideon said of Ephraim the gleanings of Ephraim are better then the vintage of Abiezâ—r so the gleanings the smallest gatherings of Christ are better then the vintage then the greatest abundance of the world Christs spirituall gifts and graces are the choisest of all riches all the riches of the world are but straw and stubble to this pearle he that hath this hath cause of holy glorying rejoycing in his wealth as the Merchant in the Parable had joy upon the finding of the precious pearle The rich man in Saint Luke having pulled downe his barnes builded them greater and filled them with worldly store bid his soule though upon weake grounds eat drinke and be merry because he had goods enough laid up for many yeares The man that hath pulled downe his lusts new built his heart and received Christ to live and dwell there may upon better grounds bid his soule eat drink and be merry for having Christ he hath a full and an abiding substance he hath treasure enough for ever 7. Where Christ lives there is the ioy of peace reconciliation and sweet communion he brings us nigh to God as Joseph brought his brethren nigh to Pharaoh he makes God a father and friend to us he causeth the face of God to shine upon us more comfortably then Sunne and filleth us with that peace which passeth all understanding and thus he makes the life of them in whom he lives a very sweet and pleasant life a life of choisest comforts a life for delights surpassing the lives of rich men Nobles Conquerours and all pleasure-hunters as the Paradise doth surpasse the wildernesse and the glorious Sunne the rotten gloe-worme But you will say if their life in whom Christ lives be such a sweet and pleasant such a joyous and comfortable life whence is it that many of them in whom Christ lives are so sad and sorrowfull and of all others many times in outward appearance the most uncomfortable livers I answer the sorrow and sadnesse of them in whom Christ lives ariseth 1. From the corruption which yet remaines in them Diseases in the body though they doe not destroy the body yet they now and then abate and hinder the comfort of bodily life Clouds in the aire though they doe not abolish the Sunne yet they hinder the light of the Sunne and darken the aire Thus corruption in them that live the life of grace though they doe not destroy and abolish this holy life yet they many times abate the comfort of it obscure and darken Christs living in man and untill they are overcome and dispelled they minister occasion of sorrow and sadnesse to the soules of Gods children causing them with David to complaine of them as of a heavy burthen and with Paul to cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Where Christ lives there is joy because the life of grace hath there an inchoation there is sorrow because sinne hath not yet it 's compleate dissolution and perfect buriall Israel had joy in their victory over the land of Canaan they had sorrow because some Canaanites yet remained among them The children of God have much joy from their spirituall conquest though somewhat sadded by their fleshly oppositions 2. This ariseth from some particular aberrations of Gods children of which they are sometime guilty sometimes they step aside from Gods way their hearts hang loose and cleave not close to God Satan gets an advantage against them and foiles them and as so â—e great fall takes away the sence and comfort of bodily life for the present Thus Gods children through some fall doe lose the comfort of Christ living in them and are very sorrowfull as a man whose bones are broken 3. This ariseth from some violent assault of Satan God lets him loose upon them to buffet them for their humiliation for sinne past or for excitation from security for the present or for prevention for the time to come and while this temptation lasteth the joy of their spirituall life is eclipsed as the joy of a rich man is darkened while his house is besieged the joy of a City is disturbed while the siege against
an Idoll an imaginary God to the losse of the true God The want of all things is as nothing in comparison of the want of Christ man that hath Christ hath great matter of rejoycing in the want of every other thing man that wants Christ hath great cause of humiliation in the presence of all worldly fullnesse And every man in his naturall estate is as empty of Christ as the foolish Virgins lampes were of Oyle or the tree which Christ cursed was of fruit even wholly and altogether without Christ Without the life of Christ Christ liveth not in them any more then the root doth live in a dead and withered branch Without the knowledge of Christ the mystery of Christ is a sealed Booke which they cannot open or a booke written in a strange language which they cannot reade the treasures of wisdome hidden in Christ are hidden from their understanding as the light of the Sunne is hidden from the eyes of the blind without the fruit of Christs death it doth not mortifie their lusts their old man is not crucified with Christ their lusts are not dead with Christ as the Philistines dyed with Sampson Without the benefit of Christs resurrection they are not planted into the likenesse of Christs resurrection they rise not from sinne and from the world as Christ rose from the grave Sampson rose at midnight and carried away the gates of Gaza but the Gazites were quiet all night they rose not Christ is risen and hath made an open way for us to passe from death to life but carnall men continue their sleepe and slumber in sin they rise not to newnesse of life and conversation they are without the fruit and benefit of Christs offices Christ is not to them a Prophet revealing Gods will and enlightning their understandings a Priest expiating their sinnes and reconciling them to God a King subduing Satan and their corruptions and reigning graciously within them and making them truly subject and obedient unto God They are without the apprehension of Christs beauties and taste of Christs sweetnesse Christ is to them like the Manna to Israel a light bread they see no beauty nor comlinesse in Christ he is no more to them then another Beloved then gold and silver the covetous mans beloved then honours and high places the ambitious mans beloved then idols and humane rites and ceremonies the superstitious mans beloved they are without the righteousnesse of Christ he doth not justifie them he doth not cloath them with the garments of salvation Without the presence of Christ as an empty house without the dweller Christ dwelleth not in their hearts by faith Without the love of Christ as a Harlot without the love of her husband without the dispensation of Christ he doth not communicate himselfe and his saving gifts unto them any more then the head communicates it selfe to the members which are dead Christ suspends his gracious influence from their soules There is not the least character or cognizance of Christ upon them they are without the power of Christ strengthening them without the holinesse of Christ sanctifying them without the fullnesse of Christ satisfying them and without the goodnesse of Christ sweetning their troubles and turning all for the best unto them and man thus being without Christ is matter and occasion of great abasement and humiliation to the soule of man man that is without Christ hath nothing whereof he may truly glory The want of all things is nothing to the want of Christ If Moses want a guide in the wildernesse Hobah may be instead of eyes to him if Noah have not where to rest his foot upon the Earth the Arke may beare him up in the waters If Hagar have no water in her bottle her eyes may be opened to see a well If there be no corne in the Land of Canaan Aegypt may supply them If the Gibeonites be besieged Joshua may rescue them If Peter be in prison the Angell may free him If the woman of Shunems sonne be dead the Prophet may raise him There is a supply in Christ Jesus for all mans necessities a helpe for all mans distresses a comfort for all mans sorrowes but if man want Christ there is none to quicken and restore him to the first resurrection there is none to free him from the bondage of Satan there is none to guide him in the way to Heaven there is none to replenish him with grace and sanctification there is none to rescue him from the spirituall enemies which doe besiege him In the absence of the Lord Jesus there is no redresse for soul-distresses no helpe against soul-discomforts the having of all things is as nothing if man have not Christ with them what if thou hast the stature and armour of Goliah yet without Christ thou wilt fall in the battell what if thou hast the favour and honour of Haman yet without Christ all this will availe thee nothing and at length shame will be thy portion what if thou hast the riches of him in the Parable yet not having Christ thou wilt eat the bread of sorrowes be in straights in the midst of thy sufficiency and at last the evill spirits will take thy soule from thee What if thou hast the wisdome of Achitophell yet not having Christ thy wisdome will be turned into foolishnesse and thou mayest faile of wisdome in thy head to restraine thy hands from being thine owne executioners What if thou hast all the Ordinances of God to feed thee all the Ministers of God to instruct thee all naturall and morall indowments and common illuminations to adorne thee and all Ecclesiasticall priviledges to honour thee and yet hast not Christ all these like Pharaohs Chariots without wheeles will suffer thee to sinke and perish in the red Sea of Gods vengeance the presence of all worldly abilities is very frivolous in Christs absence and man should never so abase and humble himselfe for the want of any thing as for the want of Christ and his communication of himselfe unto him all that can be said to demonstrate mans being miserable or to move man to humiliation is briefly comprehended in this that he is without Christ 3. Mans alienation from Christ in his naturall and corrupt estate doth discover and lay open the cause why Christ is of no more esteeme with the men of the world no more precious in the eyes of carnall men here is the ground of it they are without Christ they are strangers to Christ and Christ is a stranger unto them For this cause 1. They have no cleare and comfortable knowledge no true and gracious discerning of Christ Christ is hidden from them as light from the blinde He was in the world saith the Evangelist and the world was made by him and the world knew him not He was in the world by his great and mighty workes of Creation and Providence as a maker and a ruler by his universall presence
and women came and offered freely to the building of the Tabernacle so let us both men and women all that have a willing and a loving heart to Christ come and offer our selves and all that we have to Christ for the building up of the Church and Kingdome of Christ for the advancement of the Gospell of Christ And to excite and move our selves hereunto doe but consider how the exaltation of Christ his Gospell and Kingdome is the honour and glory of a Christian what is the glory of a servant but the enrichment of his Master by his industry what is the honour of a Subject but his loyalty to his King his exalting the name crowne kingdome and jurisdiction of his Prince what is the honour of a wife but her fidelity to her husband her cleaving close to her husband her bringing forth of many children to her husband and what is the crowne and dignity of all Christians but their serviceablenesse to Christ their exaltation of the name of Christ their cleaving close to Christ their bringing forth of much fruit to Christ their enlarging the territories of Christs kingdome Alphonsus had written on his Symboll as a character of his greatest honour these words Pro Lege pro Grege for the Law and for the people and this is the most honourable character of a Christian to make his heart and tongue his thoughts within and his works without to carry this inscription for Christ and for his Kingdome for his Church and for his Gospell He is every way of all persons the most honourable and glorious who is every way most for Christ Jesus 2. The argument and evidence of our love to Christ Where is our love to Christ as to our Lord and Master as to our King and Captaine as to our head and husband if we seeke not Christs honour if we doe not endeavour the exaltation of Christs kingdome Ionathan loved David as his owne soule and he stript himselfe of the roabe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments even to his sword He that loves Christ will keep backe nothing from Christ he will disroabe himselfe to honour Christ to exalt his kingdome and beautifie his Gospell Jacob loved Rachel and he served for her twice seven yeares He that loves Christ will put himselfe upon any hardnesse for Christ Christian love reputes the honouring and exaltation of Christ Jesus a sufficient recompence to its greatest losses and hardest service Love will make a man even holily prodigall in his layings out for the exaltation of Christs Gospell and kingdome 3. Observe the perill of not endeavouring the welfare of Christs Church and Gospell He that is not a friend of Christ is an enemy against Christ he that doth not help to set up Christs kingdome is by interpretation and in Gods construction an overthrower of Christs kingdome He that is not with me is against me saith Christ and he that doth not gather doth scatter He that is not a labourer is a scatterer in Christs vineyard He that fights not under Christs ensigne is a souldier under Satans banner He that is slothfull in his worke is brother saith Solomon to a great waster Thus he who doth not labour for Christ is a brother to them that are great wasters of the kingdome of Christ and fearefull is the curse pronounced on them that stand still and put not their helping hand to Christs Kingdome Cause and Gospell Curse ye Meros said the Angell of the Lord Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty 4. Looke upon Christs sparing and withholding of nothing for our exaltation Christ humbled himselfe to the lowest degree of humiliation and abasement for our elevation and advancement He emptied himselfe to fill us he abased himselfe to honour us he stript himselfe to apparell us he made himselfe a man of sorrowes to fill us with spirituall and soule-refreshing consolations Ye know saith Saint Paul the grace the love the bounty the rich liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ that though be was rich rich in the glory of his divine Essence in his absolute dominion over all creatures in his plenary possession of heaven and earth Yet for your sakes he became poore vailing his Diety Majesty and glory under the poore and unworthy garment of humane flesh being borne of poore parents and appearing in the forme of a servant humbling and abasing himselfe to the death the shamefull death of the crosse that ye through his poverty might be rich rich in the participation of the divine nature rich in the fruition of the fulnesse of Christ Christs humiliation is the meritorious cause spring and fountaine of mans exaltation Christ was very free and full in his exinaition and abasement for our honour and advancement The condition of man was so extreamely base and shamefull that nothing but the humiliation of the Sonne of God was able to restore honour to him And how ready should we be to put all under the feet of Christ to imploy all to the honour of Christ who hath done so much to honour us We should saith Chrysostome preferre nothing above Christ because he preferred nothing above us As he vailed and bowed downe himselfe and all that was his for our salvation so should we vaile and bow our selves and all that is ours for the exaltation of his Gospell and kingdome The meditation of Christs abasing himselfe for us should make us studious and inquisitive how to honour Christ Thou hast been carefull for us with all this care said the Prophet to the woman of Shunem what is to be done for thee Thus should we say to Christ thou hast been humbled and abased thou hast suffered a great suffering for us what is now to be done for thee what shall we doe to honour thee to exalt and magnifie thy name who hast undergone so great disgrace and shame for us The more Christ humbled himselfe for us the more he should be exalted by us Christ made himselfe a sacrifice for us and we should sacrifice our selves and all that is ours to him and his service Christ gave himselfe for our salvation and we should give our selves to him and the exaltation of his kingdome Christ was contented to be made low and as a very nothing as a worme and no man that we might be made the fulnesse of him who filleth all in all and we should be content to abase our selves and to be reputed vile and as nothing in the eyes of men to set up Christ to make him and his Gospell glorious in the eyes of the people He doth neither wisely nor graciously consider Christs humiliation that doth not give himselfe to the exaltation of Christs name and kingdome 5. Meditate the sweet the great and wonderfull blessing that commeth unto men by the
Stars in the night season communicate the fulnesse of the Sunne to the aire and inhabitants of the earth the Ministers as Starres in the right hand of Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse communicate to the soules of men the fulnesse of Christ Jesus in the night of this world we are all strangers to Christ Jesus without the Lords Ministers Christ is hidden from that people which enjoy not the ministery of the Gospell Gods Ministers by their labours communicate the knowledge of Christ as the Embassador communicates the knowledge of the King and of his mind God saith the Apostle who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined into our hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus God is knowne in and through Christ as a man is knowne in and by his face We know an earthly Father in the face of his Sonne begotten by him we know God as a father of mercies only and through the face of Christ Jesus we see the face of man in a glasse in the Gospell in the labours of Gods Ministers we behold as in a glasse the face of Christ Jesus Christ is a storehouse in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome The Ministers have the ministeriall key of knowledge to open Christ unto the people Christ is a living fountaine a well of salvation a well sealed and shut up in the Scriptures Jacob rowled away the stone from the mouth of the well and gave Labans flocke water to drinke the Minister rowles away the stone removes the obscurity of the Scripture opens and interprets it and makes the people drinke of Christ the true and everliving fountaine the Ministers communicate the faith of Christ as Gods instruments the worke of faith in men the man of God by his prayer restored Jeroboams withered hand the Minister by his preaching and prayer restores the hand of faith in the heart of man formerly withered dryed up and of no use Faith commeth by hearing Who is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye beleeved even as the Lord gave to every man The Ministers communicate the life of Christ to men Christ by his corporall voice called Lazarus out of his grave by his Evangelicall voice by his word in the mouth of his Ministers he cals the soules of men out of the grave of sinne the dead in sinne heare the voice of the Sonne of God in the Gospell and they that heare live The ministery of the Gospell is the instrument of the soules vivification a meanes of Christs living in them that are Gods children the Ministers communicate the love of Christ Christ gives his love to the soule of man in the ministery of his word Isaac gave the pledges of his love to Rebeckah by Eleazar his father Abrahams servant Christ gives the pledges of his love to his Spouse the Church by the Ministers God his fathers servants by them he woeth and espouseth them unto himselfe and in the banquetting house of his ordinances his banner over them is love the Ministers communicate the peace of Christ the Embassador speaks words of peace from the King and communicates the Kings peace unto the people the Minister the Embassador of Christ the Prince of peace preacheth peace by Iesus Christ to the soules of men The Lord hath created ordained and appointed the fruit of his lips to be peace to them that are nigh and to them that are afar off Christ feeding the multitude corporally distributed bread unto them by his Disciples Christ feeding the soules of men spiritually with himselfe the true bread of life come downe from heaven communicates himselfe to men by the labours of his Ministers Abraham by the hands of his servants ministred jewels and bracelets to Rebeckah God by his Ministers communicates many spiritual and heavenly jewels even the whole treasury of Christ Jesus to his faithfull Church and servants whom he joynes in wedlocke with his sonne Manifold sweet and gracious are Gods dispensations of his Sonne by the labours of his Ministers Christ in and by the ministery of the Gospell is made very conspicuous and glorious in the eyes of the people very great is their blessednesse who have Christ communicated to them by the labours of Gods Ministers 2. In regard of the evils from which God delivers man by the labours of his Ministers God delivered the woman of Shunems sonne from bodily death by the ministery of the Prophet the Lord delivers the soule of man from spirituall death from being dead in sinnes by the labour of his Ministers the ministery of the Gospell is the instrumentall cause of the first resurrection the word is termed a word of life declaratively revealing life and operatively as an instrument working life God delivered Paul from his bodily blindnesse by the hands of Ananias he delivers man from spirituall blindnesse by the doctrine of his messengers by their instruction he opens their eyes and turnes them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God The Lord delivered Peter from Herods prison by the ministery of the Angell He delivers man from Satans prison and bondage by the worke of his Ministers by this as by a warlike weapon he casts downe the holds of sinne Satan fals like lightening from heaven and the soules of men partake of spirituall freedome as Goliah fell before David with a stone out of Davids sling so doth Satan before the Minister of the Lord with the word of God out of their mouth God delivered Naaman from his leprosie in Iordan and the impotent from their infirmities in Bethesda The Lord in and by the Gospell sanctifies the soules of his children this washeth away their uncleannesse this heales their infirmities this makes them new creatures Christ by his voice appeased the stormy tempest and gave a calme to his Disciples Christ by his Gospell appeaseth the tempestuous and perplexed consciences of his servants and brings them into a haven of spirituall peace and quietnesse He makes his Ministers as an Angell of God and one of a thousand to the afflicted soule comming like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch quieting him that is tossed upon the deluge of trouble turning his perplexity into peace his feare into confidence and his sorrow into sweet rejoycings God abundantly declares his dispensation of blessings by his Ministers through the removall of evils by their labours The Gospell is the choisest instrument averting evill foule and shamefull perplexing and mortall are the plagues and miseries resting upon them that neither enjoy nor regard the labours of Gods Ministers 3. In regard of the blessed state and condition whereinto God puts man by the labours of his Ministers The estate of man under the Gospell making a true use of the doctrines and instructions of Gods messengers is an estate of blessings The blessing
the Lord making their shame sutable to their pride and the degree of their confusion answerable to the measure of their self-exaltation O therefore if thy gifts be more eminent then others consider it is the Lord makes thee to differ and Gods favour must be unto thee as motives to humility and meeknesse and as obligations to sincere and sound obedience 2. Remember that it is not the greatnesse of the gift but the well using of the gift that is the glory of the receiver It is not the having of any thing whether much or little but the having of Christ with it that makes it full and satisfactorie sweet and comfortable usefull and beneficiall unto man 3 Consider whatsoever thou hast if it puffe thee up and make thee swell it is not food but poison no mercy but a curse no evidence of divine favour but of severe anger to thy soule 4. Thinke upon the tenure by which thou holdest all that thou hast thou art but a tenant at will the inheritance is Christs and he may turne thee off when he list All things goe and come at his command as the souldiers at the command of the Centurian 5. Know and be assured that the glory and fulnesse of man is Christ all abilities are a very vanity and emptinesse without Christ Jesus He that hath most of Christ Jesus is of all persons the most glorious neither hath man cause of glorying and rejoycing in any thing but in Christ alone He that glories must glory in the Lord and in nothing else He must glory in the power of Christ supporting him in the wisedome of Christ directing him in the blessing of Christ making all successefull to him in the all-sufficiency of Christ putting a fulnesse into his possession whether much or little in the righteousnesse of Christ justifying him in the presence of Christ encouraging him and in the love of Christ solacing him That man hath the greatest glory and the sweetest and surest fulnesse who hath most of Christ Jesus 6 Observe and weigh well how the issue and event of all is not so much dependant upon the abundance and excellencies of mans abilities as upon the all-disposing hand of God I returned and saw under the Sunne saith Solomon that the race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all The event and issue is not according to the abilities of man but according to the decree and dispensation of God It is not in the power of the swift to escape by running nor in the power of the strong to overcome in the battell nor in the power of the wise to fill himselfe with bread nor in the power of the prudent to furnish himselfe with wealth nor in the power of the skilfull to obtaine favour with men Hasael though swift as the Hart yet he fell in running Goliah a man of mighty stature fell in the conflict with little David The Barley cake in the Midianites dreame overturned the Midianitish Hoast David a man of singular wisedome sometime wanted bread and Paul was in hunger and in thirst often Joseph a man of singular wisedome was hated of his brethren and undeservedly cast out of the favour of Potiphâ—r Mans welfare comfort and happinesse springs not from the excellency of his abilities but from Gods gracious wise and all-ruling providence A horse saith the Psalmist is a vaine thing for the battell neither shall he deliver any by his great strength Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him upon them that hope in his mercy It is not the perfection and excellency of the instrument but the Coagency of God with it that puts efficacy into it and makes it helpfull honourable and comfortable to the user of it The meditation of the subjection of all abilities under Gods gubernation and providence is of great power to purge their possessors of all self-exalting cogitations 7. Meditate upon the sudden and unexpected change which may come The river of mans abundance may be turned another way dryed up or faile like the waters of Tema and be empty like Hagars bottle The Sunne of mans prosperity may be suddenly ecclipsed and shine no more The shadow of mans earthly comforts may be smitten and vanish like Jonahs gourd Very sudden and dismall outward changes are incident to all sorts of persons Jobs riches was soone changed into poverty Nebuchadnezzars glory was quickly turned into ignominy Man saith Solomon knoweth not his time he knoweth not his time of want when he is full his time of trouble when he is at peace his time of disgrace when he is in honour nor his time of death when he is in health As the fishes that are taken in an evill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sonnes of men snared in an evill time when it falleth suddenly upon them Man hath small cause to magnifie himselfe in the presence of things subject to such sad and sudden changes Were man well studied in and truly sensible of the mutability of all abilities he would never glory in their presence he would undoubtedly walke in a holy feare and in much humility and meeknesse in the midst of the greatest fulnesse CHAP. XVII LAstly in the meditation of this we may behold and take notice of the happinesse of their estate of the sweet and gracious frame of their soules who are able to deny themselves and their owne affections and prostrate themselves and all that is theirs under the feet of Jesus Christ These men have a blessed liberty and freedome from the odious monsters of impiety self-seeking self-admiration and self-exaltation with many other evils He hath ever most freedome from the power of corruption whose heart is filled with the greatest measure of self-denyall It is a very great blessing to be truly and throughly humble 1. This works the soule of man to a very full and comfortable possession and fruition of Christ The more man is wrought out of himselfe the more he is wrought into Christ The more man is emptied of himselfe the more he is filled with the fulnesse of Christ The more man is removed from himselfe the nearer he approacheth unto Christ The more fully he participateth of Christ the more sweet and comfortable communion he hath with Christ The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire the wood and the Sacrifice The heart of man which is humble empty of all spirituall pride and self-conceit is most capable of the fire of the Spirit and of Christ who offered himselfe a Sacrifice for our sinnes The soule of the humble is Christs habitation the vessell which he filleth with his grace and receives into a sweet consortship with himselfe For thus saith the high and the lofty
in himselfe but all his glory is in Christ the very whole of true Christians is from Christ Jesus Christ is both the fountaine filling and the life quickening them they cannot but acknowledge with Paul It is Christ lives in them In the words we have 1. A terme of opposition But 2. An Agent or Authour Christ he is the Author of this spirituall life 3. An Act liveth Christians live not the life of grace by themselves it is received from Christ 4. A Subâ—ect in me True believers are the only subject of spirituall life First of the terme of opposition but a word signifying an opposition of things in that sense in which things are opposed Labour not for the meat saith Christ which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life and again lay not up for your selves treasure on earth but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven And so likewise it is the Apostles charge be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is And be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit And thus the Apostle here I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I live indeed but it is not of my selfe but from Christ it is not of nature but of grace Christ is the root of spirituall life in me It is plaine and manifest to the feeling and experience of Gods children that they have not the life of Grace and holinesse from themselves but from Christ Jesus they know that Christ is the authour and finisher of their salvation they know that Christ is in them Examine your selves proove your selves know yee not that Christ is in you except yee be reprobates saith the Apostle We know saith S. John that we are of God quickning regenerating enlightning and sanctifying us and we know that the sonne of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his sonne Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternall life they know that Christ is in them as a root enlivening them as a Sun illuminating them as a Refiners fire purging them The woman of Shunem knew that the Prophet had raised her dead son to life the children of God know that Christ hath raised their soules which were dead in sinnes and trespasses the blind man knew that whereas he was blind he did now see and that Christ had opened his eyes Gods children have experience of Christs opening the eyes of their understanding Naaman knew that Jordan had washed away the leprosie which clave unto him Gods servants know that they are washed sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God Gods children know that of themselves they are dead in sins and trespasses and that Christ is the authour of spirituall life unto them they know that of themselves they are empty of all spirituall good and that Christ is the fountaine filling them they know that in their naturall estate they are the slaves of Satan the bond-men of the world the servants of corruption and that Christ alone is the worker of their freedome the beginning and the end of their salvation The life of grace and holinesse is not of man but of Christ no child in the course of nature can beget it selfe but is begotten of another Parent no child of God in the way of grace is the authour of his owne regeneration and new birth but is begotten again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ the Spirit of God perswading them of the truth informing them in the virtue and applying to them the power and efficacy of Christs resurrection begetteth them againe unto a lively hope mans receiving of Christ is the receiving of spirituall life and new-birth As many saith the Evangelist as received him to them gave he power to become the sonnes of God which were borne not of blood not by the Nobility and dignity of their Parents according to the flesh nor of the will of the flesh not by the ability and strength of nature not by any activity liberty or freedome of their owne nor of the will of man not by the art or industry education or instruction of man but of God It is not in the power of man to regenerate man God useth man as his instrument but God himselfe accomplisheth the worke as a supreme and free agent when and where he pleaseth Man is an alien to the life of God and can no more raise himselfe to a spirituall life then Lazarus could raise himselfe to a naturall life Mans conversion is a new creation which is as farre beyond the power of man as the forming of himselfe of nothing All the instruments of spirituall life are dependant no more able to quicken the soule of man then Gehazi with his Masters staffe was able to raise the woman of Shunems sonne to life without Elisha himselfe the life of the soule is hidden in Christ and he that hath not Christ is farre from all spirituall life Such therefore as have no experience of Christs communicating the life of grace and holinesse unto them are none of Gods children their life is a naturall a worldly a carnall and not a spirituall a heavenly and holy life they live by a fleshly and not by a spirituall principle by a corrupt and humane and not by a divine and heavenly rule they live unto themselves and not to Christ they are of themselves and they incline and move to themselves as to their proper Center they confine themselves within themselves they can nor looke nor move beyond themselves That which is of the flesh of a fleshly originall compounded wholy of fleshly principles having no other then fleshly ingredients in it that is flesh discerning after a fleshly and carnall manner and not perceiving the things of God which are spiritually discerned savouring and relishing only things carnall and fleshly minding only that which is vaine corrupt and earthly walking by a fleshly rule the imagination of their owne hearts and proposing a fleshly end the satisfaction of their owne corrupt and sinfull lusts they are not of God as a childe is of his Parents they beare not on them the Image of God as a child doth beare the image of his Father they depend not upon God as a child depends upon his Parents they abide not with God as a child with his Parents they receive not Gods instruction as a childe receives his fathers instruction they love not God as a child his Parent they delight not in God as a child rejoyceth in his Parents the meditation of God is not sweet the thought of Gods presence is not pleasant to them they frequent not Gods house they make it not their dwelling and place of their delight as children doe their Fathers house He that is without Christ is without God
men of knowledge and sacred understanding God gives them the meanes of knowledge outwardly and works knowledge in them inwardly I am married unto you saith the Lord there is his covenant with them and I will give you Pastors according to mine owne heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding there is the ministration of the meanes of knowledge to them Thy maker saith the Prophet is thy husband there is the covenant of wedlock between God and his Church and all thy children shall be taught of God there is the inward illumination of their understanding and againe this saith the Lord shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them Naturall fooles are unfit to enter covenant with men spirituall fooles are as unfit for Gods covenant there is no communion between light and darknesse there is no covenant no fellowship between God who dwels in light inaccessable and them that are overwhelmed with the darknesse of ignorance 2. In regard of Alienation from Christ the foundation of the Covenant All the promises of grace and salvation are in Christ in him they are Yea and Amen sure and certaine firm and durable incline your â—are and come unto me faith the Lord heare and your soule shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David which is Christ in and through whom God shewes himselfe a father of mercies to all beleevers Ye saith Saint Peter are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed Vnto you first God having raised up his Sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities God communicates all blessings through Christ Jesus every thing turnes to a curse to him that is without Christ the choisest Nectar proves bitter as gall to him that hath not Christ to sweeten the same unto him Now every prophane man is without Christ an enemy to the Crosse of Christ a despiser of the Doctrine of Christ an opposer of the Kingdome of Christ no friend of Christ no true member in Christ no lively stone built upon Christ the living stone and being out of Christ they are strangers to Gods gracious promise 3. In regard of Enmity against God who is the Authour of the covenant and the fruition and enjoyment of whom is the supreame substance and comfort of the covenant the chiefest and choisest good of the soule of man They shall be my people and I will be their God saith the Lord and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them I will be their God saith he I will be all in all unto them I will be their King to command them their Father to make provision for them their Husband to marry them their Friend to solace them their shield and buckler to protect them their Captaine to fight for them to vanquish all that doth oppose them the strength of their heart and their portion forever as the Psalmist speakes Now carnall men are without God alienated from the life of God and as our Saviour said in another case God is not a God of the dead but of the living so in this case he is not the God of them that are dead in sinne but of them that live the life of grace Prophane men are aliens and enemies to God by their evill works haters of God hating him in his Lawes of holinesse which he hath prescribed to them in his works of holinesse upon the soules of his children and in the holy labours of his faithfull and holy Ministers and having enmity against God they have nothing to doe wiâ—h the covenant of God 4. In regard of Agreement with sinne which is the breach of the Covenant Carnall man and sinne are at a very full agreement with this they agree as the palate with sweet meat stolne waters saith Salomon are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant with this their hearts accord as the hand with the glove the â—are with the musicke the foot with a plaine path or the fish with the water it is no burthen no trouble to them their foot is swift to run this race it is a sport to them to doe evill you drink up iniquity like water it is the centre to which they move it is the element wherein they desire and delight to live Now sinne is the breach of the covenant between God and the soule as adultery breaks the covenant of wedlocke between man and wife They are turned backe saith the Lord to the iniquity of their Fathers and have broken my covenant Raigning prophanenesse undoubtedly excludes man from Gods promise he that is as the Prophet speakes at an agreement with death and in covenant with Hell sinning securely and without feare cannot be in covenant with God he that is not afraid to offend God cannot be at peace with God 5. In regard of the absence of the Spirit the principall applying cause of the covenant and promise to the soule of man He saith our Saviour of the Spirit shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you that is the Spirit shall make application unto you of the benefits which come by me he shall make my death effectuall to mortifie your lusts and my bloud efficacious to purge away your sinne and my resurrection powerfull to revive and quicken your soules he shall make you partakers of all the promises favours and blessings of God dispensed through mee to man and for this the Spirit is called the Spirit of adoption assuring us of the fatherly love of God in Christ towards us The earnest and Seale of our inheritance assuring us of our salvation through Christ Now carnall men are destitute of the Holy-Ghost they are sensuall saith Jude having not the Spirit having not the Spirit as a dweller possessing them as a teacher instructing them as water washing them and having not the Spirit of God they have nothing to doe with the Covenant of God because God gives his Spirit to all such as he receives into his Covenant 6. In regard of the want of faith and obedience the condition of the covenant on mans behalfe The promise is made to them that beleeve received through faith and they which be of the faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham faith the Apostle And he that beleeveth faith Christ shall be saved but hee that beleeveth not shall be damned Faith apprehends the promise and purifies the heart and makes man capable of all the promises of God godlinesse having the promise of this life and of the life which is to come Now carnall
Self-exaltation p 215 218. Self-exaltation cured by 7. considerations 1. God makes the difference 2. Not the having but the well using of the gift is the honour of the receiver 3. Gifts puffing up prove a curse 4. Mans tenure is a tenancy at will 5. The glory and fulnesse of man is Christ 6. The issue of all is not so much dependent upon the excellency of mans abilities as upon the all-disposing hand of God 7. Sudden and unexpected changes may and often doe come p. 219 220. CHAP. XVII Rehearsing the prerogatives and priviledges of Self-denyall and their happinesse who deny themselves p. 221. 7. Prerogatives of Self-denyall 1. Full and comfortable fruition of Christ 2. Invinciblenesse in assaults 3. Endearement of man to God 4. Exaltation of man 5. Sweet and blessed freedome 6. Peaceablenesse 7. Fruitfulnesse in all graces p. 222 223 224 225. CHAP. XVIII Manifesting mans having of spirituall life not of himselfe but of Christ p. 228. Doct. It is plaine and manifest to the experience of Gods children that they have not the life of grace and holinesse from themselves but from Christ Jesus p. 230. Grounds hereof ib. Such as have no experience of new life are no children of God p. 231. CHAP. XIX Demonstrating Christs being the Authour of spirituall life p. 232. Doct. Christ is the Authour of spirituall life to all Gods children ib. 6 Grounds hereof 1. Mans Alienation from the life of grace 2. Christs Ordination to minister life 3. The insufficiency of any created power to give life 4. The excellency of spirituall life 5. he Medium of spirituall life 6. The opposition made against the working of spirituall life p. 233 234 236. CHAP. XX. Declaring mans inability to quicken himselfe perswading to come to Christ shewing the unworthinesse of his services without Christ p. 239. Mans inability to quicken himselfe made apparant 1. By having no principle of grace 2. By his utter blindnesse 3. By his declination of the meanes of grace 4. By his enmity against the ministery 5. By the sweetnesse of sin to his palate 6. By his dishonourable opinion of holinesse p. 149. Men without Christ dead men For 1. Blindnesse 2. Vnsensiblenesse 3. Weakenesse 4. Separation from Christ 6. Growing worse and worse p. 242. Mans best works without dead works 1. Proceeding from a corrupt principle 2. Morall and not spirituall formall and not powerfull 3. Cold 4 Tending to base ends p. 242 243. The praise of spirituall life due to Christ p. 244. CHAP. XXI Shewing that Christ liveth in all Gods children p. 246. Doct. Christ lives in Gods children by his holy and powerfull work of Sanctification p. 247. 5. Grounds hereof declaring Christs living in Gods children 1. By way of Originall 2. By way of Coniunction 3. By way of Influence 4. By way of Gubernation 5. By way of preservation p. 248 249 250 251. CHAP. XXII Describing what is the living of Christ in Gods children with the manner of it p 252. The manner of Christs beginning to live in man is 1. By awakening man 2. By humbling man 3. By making man restlesse untill he is translated out of his corrupt estate 4. By the Revelation of himselfe in man 5. By working a gracious change in man p. 253 254 255 256. CHAP. XXIII Manifesting the noblenesse of a Christian life above all other lives p. 258. The honourablenesse of Christian life evidenced 1. By the originall 2. By the nature 3. By the rarity 4. By the pleasantnesse of it 5. By the dignity to which it exalteth 6. By the lownesse of mans estate without it 7. By mans honourable walking in whom Christ liveth 8. By the terme to which a Christian liveth ib. Living to God what 259 260 261 262. CHAP. XXIV Causes obscuring the honourable life of a Christian are laid downe p. 164 165. 7. Causes hereof 1. Secrecy of spirituall life 2. Ignorance of carnall men 3. Reproach 4. Remaining corruption 5. Misiudging 6. Base outside 7. Afflictions p 266 267. CHAP. XXV Proving the life of a Christian to be a cheerfull life p. 269. In the life of a true Christian there is a 7. fold ioy the ioy 1. Of Life 2. Of Light 3. Of Liberty 4. Of Victory 5. Of Regeneration and Son-ship 6. Of Riches 7. Of Peace p. 270 271. 8. causes or grounds of Sorrow in Gods children 1. Remaining corruption 2. Particular aberrations 3. Satans assaults 4. Impiety of others 5. Foresight of future calamities 6. Sence of Churches miseries p. 272 273 275. CHAP. XXVI Christs living in man characterized p. 276. 10. Characters of Christs living in man 1. Purity of conversation 2. Mans invinciblenesse 3. Preservation from sinne and the world 4. Expulsion of what is contrary to Christ 5. Embracement of what suites with Christ 6. Thriving by the Ordinances 7. The sweet rellish of Christ to the soule 8. Heavenly heate 9. High prizing of Christ 10. Care to keep Christ p. 276 278 279 280 281. Exhorting to discerne Christ living in us p. 284. Latitudes of Christs living in man p. 285. All things vaine and uncomfortable not discerning Christ living in them p. 123. A Table of the chiefe things contained in the Treatise on the second of the Ephesians VER 12. CHAP. 1. SHewing mans Alienation from Christ misery without Christ and opening the Scope of the words p. 191. Note The time and season of mans being without the Gospell and under the power of his corruption is of all times and seasons the most unhappy and miserable p. 294. Note All men abiding under the power of their corruption are without exception miserable p. 294. Doct. 1. All men in their naturall And corrupt condition are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus p. 295. Mans Alienation from Christ illustrated p. 294. CHAP. II. Laying downe 4. grounds of carnall mans Alienation from Christ p. 297. 1. Plenary Subiection under sinne 2. Mans uncapablenesse of Christ 3. The Worlds full possession of carnall man 4. Carnall mans repugnancy against Christ p. 298 299 300. CHAP. III. Setting open the dolefulnesse and danger of mans estate without Christ p. 302. Man without Christ is without Life without Light without grace without liberty without acceptation with God without spirituall beauty without honour without peace without protection supportation remission blessing and salvation p. 303 304. to 311. CHAP. IV. Declaring mans great cause of humiliation for being without Christ and also discovering the cause of mans undervaluing Christ p. 312. Latitudes of carnall mans being without Christ p. 313. to 320. Grounds of disesteeming Christ want of knowledge no taste of Christ no love to Christ no pleasure in Christ no longings after Christ ib. CHAP. V. Opening the folly of man in restraining his sinne and contenting himselfe without Christ p. 321. 5. characters of mans being without Christ 1. His being without the spirit and grace of Christ p. 322. 2. His Subiection under any lust p. 323. 3. His confinement of himselfe within himselfe p. 324
comfortable discerning of the mysteries of Gods Kingdome He is free from perversenesse and frowardnesse in his will to will that which is good is present with him ready at hand his soule is very strongly bent and inclined thereunto as the rivers to flow downe the channell Holy and religious duties suite with him as the Sunne with the eye and the path with the foot he is free from much vanity in his thoughts vaine thoughts doe not lodge with him his thoughts of God are high and honourable his thoughts of himselfe are low and humble his thoughts of Christ are sweet and full of admiration his thoughts of sinne are sorrowfull and full of detestation his thoughts of the world are sleight and contemptible his thoughts of the word and worke of God are pleasant and delightfull He is free in his heart from obstinacy and hardnesse his heart is soft and tender trembling at the word of God The Law of God is in his heart and he delights to doe the will of God he is free from base and servile feare carnall confidence and fleshly ioy and worldly love in his affections he is free from impatience and murmurings in his afflictions free from discontentment in his low and empty estate free from high and exalting thoughts in his greatest earthly fulnesse free from limiting and prescribing unto God in his hardest conflicts and greatest tryals free from being daunted with the worlds threatenings inticed with the worlds perswasions corrupted with the worlds proffers seduced by the worlds example or intangled in the snares of Satan very sweet and comfortable very pleasant and delightfull is the humble mans freedome all are slaves and bondmen in respect of them in whom God hath wrought the great and gracious work of Self-denyall 6. This makes men very peaceable The measure of mans peace is according to the measure of mans humility and self-denyall The humble man doth not grieve but rejoyceth at the prosperity of others doth not hinder but delighteth in the furtherance of other mens welfare doth not willingly minister any offâ—â—ce but patiently endureth injuries puts the best interpretation upon things doubtfull humility and self-denyall as the Apostle saith of Love suffereth long and is kind envieth not vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed up doth not behave it selfe unseemely seeketh not it's owne is not easily provoked thinketh no evill reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Pride is the bellowes kindling the fire of contention humility and self denyall prevents strife and preserves peace among men there is no hope of his living in peace with any man who is at variance with the humble It is a rule among the Geometricians Quod corpora Spherica quae quasi tumiâ—a sunt non possunt se tangere nisi solo puncto c. that Sphericall or round bodies which are a swelling kind of bodies cannot touch one another be applyed one to another but onely at the very point but the hollow body can receive the round within it selfe Thus pride dissolves communion between man and man Men are never at a sweet agreement where pride and self-conceit reigneth humility disposeth openeth and prepareth the heart to the unfained embracement of others to the patient toleration of other mens pride injustice and vaine boastings The wisedome saith S. James which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits The low shrub is little or nothing moved with the winds which shake and shatter many tall Cedars The humble man is little or nothing dâ—squieted with the gusts and blasts of opposition losse and disgrace which doe even vexe and utterly distract the man of a proud spirit The soule which is spiritually and throughly humble is an inhabitant residing in a very sweet and quiet dwelling a ship rowing in a very calme and peaceable haven 7. This makes fruitfull in all gifts and graces Like the low valleyes cheerfull in every tryall and trouble able to count it all ioy to fall into manifold temptations Profitable under affliction as the vine under the hand of the Pruner dressing it capable of the word of God as the broken ground of the seed and the empty vessell of water Every word of God is a Star of some light a flower of some comfortable smell and a cloud of some refreshment to the humble This fils the soule with very cleare and ioyfull high and honourable apprehensions of God He that hath the lowest thoughts of himselfe hath the highest thoughts of God This makes Christ very welcome very amiable in the eye of the soule the fairest of ten thousand As the Sunne to him that is in darkenesse as the river to him that thirsteth or the Physitian to him that is extreamely pained mans sence of self-emptinesse makes Christ very precious This sweetens the word of God as the famine sweetens bread and makes the messenger of God as an Angell of God or one of a thousand This disposeth man to every good duty this makes the yoake of Christ easie the service of Christ pleasant and suffering for Christ comfortable This makes the inward man very joyfull when the outward man is loaden with much affliction the whole man heavenly minded graciously disposed holily exercised abundantly thriving in all well-doing and incessant in the way tending to the heavenly Kingdome And thus you have seene the mysterie the worth and dignitie the fruit and excellencie of Selfe-denyall Most sweet and blessed is that mans Condition who is truly humble happy is the soule in which God hath wrought a through Self-denyall CHAP. XVIII The second generall Part. Spirituall Vivification THe seed first dies and then is quickened and springeth up into a greene and flourishing blade Man first dyes to sinne and then lives to God The Syens is first removed out of the old and naturall stocke and then he is grafted into another stocke becomes a living branch in another Tree Man first denyes himselfe goes out of himselfe ceaseth from himselfe and then he is ingrafted into Christ Christ lives in him and he lives in Christ according to this of the Apostle here I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me The second generall thing observed in these words is spirituall vivification Christ living in all them that live the life of grace The life of a Christian is a borrowed life he hath it not of himselfe but from another it is no naturall but a spirituall life a life not springing originally from man but derivative and flowing from Christ Every Christian though wondrously enriched by Christ yet is very poore of himselfe his very spirituall life is a borrowed thing Sinne hath made man extreamely poore it hath not onely robbed him but also slaine him it hath utterly taken the life of grace from him and none but Christ can quicken him The Christian hath no cause of glorying