and sinke of the foulest and basest misery The man in the parable fell among theeves which stripped him of his rayment and wounded him leaving him halfe dead Man is fallen among three great theeves the Devill sinne and the world and these have stripped man of all his spirituall rayment these have taken all grace and holinesse from man which once covered him like a rich and costly garment and they have also wounded and left man halfe dead in his very naturall abilities The fall of man hath totally stript him of all grace and holinesse and also given a mortall wound to his morall and naturall faculties Hee that abides not with God at Jerusalem makes himselfe a prey to sinne the Devill and the world There came a Priest and a Levite passing by and looking upon the man thus stript and wounded but neither of them had compassion upon him neither of them ministred any consolation nor lent an assisting hand unto him Neither the Priest nor the Levite neither the Morall nor Ceremoniall Law can deliver sinfull man from Satans bondage nor heale his wounded conscience neither the works of the one nor the Rites and Ceremonies of the other can restore man to his originall happinesse nor justifie him in Gods presence Mans best abilities and all-humane devises are miserable comforters to sinfull and perplexed soules in their anguish Though the Priest and the Levite had no compassion upon him yet there came a Samaritan which had compassion upon him though the Law shew no pitty nor minister no comfort to wounded soules and afflicted consciences yet the Lord Jesus communicates both great and sweet mercies to broken hearted sinners The Samaritane a man from whom this distressed man could not expect any mercy had compassion upon him and helped him Christ is become the Authour of mans comfort and salvation beyond all humane and Angelical thought conceit or imagination the wisedome worke and love of God in providing a Saviour for distressed sinners was farre above the reach and comprehension of all creatures The Samaritan bound up this poore mans wound and poured in wine and oyle the Lord Jesus binds up the broken-hearted and gives the oyle of joy for mourning to them whose soules are truly humbled the Samaritan set the man upon his owne beast Christ communicates his owne honour to the penitent and broken-hearted sinner sinne is the cause of mans dejection Christ is the Authour of mans exaltation the Samaritan brought this distressed man to an Inne and tooke care for him gave two pence to the Hoast charged him to take care of him and promised payment of whatsoever he should spend more The Lord Jesus brings perplexed soules to God as to their spirituall Hoast and to the ministery of the Gospell as to an Inne full of spirituall provision gives his Ministers the two Testaments the Law and the Gospell out of them to minister to the soules of his people and chargeth them as the ministeriall Hoast of poore and perplexed soules to make all necessary and plentifull provision and in the end by his merits his active and passive obedience his two great pence he dischargeth the debt of all penitent and beleeving sinners The whole of a sinfull and grieved soules happinesse flowes from the Lord Jesus all the supply of mans want and emptinesse is derived from Christs super-abundant fulnesse All the myrrh and odours and instruments of Hesters purification and all her rich and costly apparell were given her out of the Kings house and the royall crowne was put upon her head by the Kings hand All the purity and perfection all the righteousnesse and justification all the dignity and excellency of a holy and gracious soule is drawne from Christ the spirituall and heavenly King All mans holy and heavenly excellencies are borrowed from the Lord Jesus Man is an empty cisterne and hath all his fulnesse from Christ the true and everliving fountaine Christ is the root by whom he is sustained the spring by whom he is filled the Sun by which he is enlightened the garment wherewith he is covered the crowne with which he is honoured the head by which he is guided the eye by which he seeth the hand by which he worketh the foot by which he walketh yea the very soule by which he liveth Whatsoever goodnesse or excellency is in a Christian it is Christs and not his owne his very life is nothing but the living of Christ in him he must say with Paul Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me The words are a declaration of a Christians life Christ living in beleeving man and man living unto Christ The Apostle setting forth how he was dead to the Law that he might live to God tels us that he was crucified together with Christ Christ being crucified for us and we being by faith ingrafted into him doe dye to sinne and mortifie our earthly members which are upon earth the death of the Lord Jesus is the death of sinne in all beleeving Christians they live no more as formerly they did they have Christ now living in them and communicating himselfe unto them He that hath not experience of Christs living in him in the way and worke of sanctification presumes in vaine of being saved by his death and suffering no man knowes the benefit of Christs death but he that feeles the vertue of Christs life Man hath no further assurance of Christs dying for him then as he feeles Christ living in him He that knowes the power of Christs death in the mortification of his lusts knowes also the vertue of Christs life in the quickning of his soule and can say with Paul now I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me In the words not to trouble you with many particulars we have two generall things proposed 1. Christian abnegation I live yet not I. 2. Holy and gracious vivification but Christ liveth in me In the abnegation we have 1. the Subiect I Paul the Apostle a man chosen and called of God a man filled and furnished with the fulnesse of Christ and in and under him is understood all beleeving Christians Such alone as are truly sanctified and gracious people are the compleat and proper Subiect of that life which is heavenly and spirituall Onely the living body is the seat and subject of the soule and that man alone that is spiritually quickned hath Christ residing and dwelling in him communicating holy and heavenly life to him 2. Here is the Predicate or thing affirmed Life and that is two wayes proposed 1. affirmatively I live 2. Negatively yet not I. First affirmatively I live I lived once under the Law which made me a persecutor of the Church of God convinced me of sinne wrought in me all manner of concupisence and slew me and I then found my selfe to be dead in sinne but now I have embraced Christ and am crucified with him now I am no more the man I was but now
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
Shunems sonne that was dead He lay upon the childe and his mouth upon the childes mouth and his eyes upon the childes eyes and his hands upon the childes hands he stretched himselfe upon the childe and the flesh of the childe waxed warme the childe neesed and opened his eyes Christ applyeth himselfe and his benefits to the understandings of men to the soules and consciences of men and their cold hearts are warmed their blind eyes are opened their soules are enlivened and Christ lives within them raising them from the death of sinne and restoring them to the life of God from which they are alienated by sinne therefore Saint John saith He that hath not the Sonne hath not life He that hath not the Son graciously possessing him spiritually quickning him powerfully working upon him and causing a holy change in him he hath not life the life of God that holy and gracious life which God through Christ communicates to the soules of his servants but he that hath the Sonne he that beleeveth in the Sonne is united to the Sonne and hath the Sonne living in him he hath life he is spiritually quickened and enlivened And God saith the Apostle hath given us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne God hath placed this and the fulnesse of all divine and heavenly good things in his Sonne he dispenseth all these by the Sonne that no man may live before him without the Sonne living in him and the Sonne is called Life having in himselfe the fulnesse of all life having the power of life and death being the Authour and the root of life in all them that live the life of grace no man comming to the Father receiving life from the Father finding grace and favour with the Father but in and through the Sonne who is to us the Way the Truth and the Life the way by whom we walk the truth by whom we are guided and the life by whom we are quickned called by Saint Paul our life because we live not the life of grace of our selves but by Christ It is a life which ariseth not from our flesh but is derived to us from Christ Christ liveth in us begetteth preserveth and perfecteth this life in all beleevers and for this end Christ came that all the chosen of God might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Ministring not onely an inchoation but a daily increase of the life of grace untill they come to the life of glory and Christ is termed eternall life having life eternall in himselfe working life eternall and living for ever in us we enjoying the true and eternall God in and through Christ And Christ liveth in all them that are the children of God 1. By way of Originall The life of grace is originally from Christ Christ being not only the Author of this life with the Father and the Holy-Ghost but also the root of this life in us living in us as the root liveth in the branches as the parent liveth in the childe therefore Christ is called the vine and we the branches As the life of the branches is originally in the vine so is our life originally in Christ and as the branches live by the vine living in them so we live by Christ living in us And the Apostle termeth the second Adam which is Christ a quickning spirit For as the life of the body of man is originally from the soule the soule quickning and living in the body so the life of grace is originally from Christ Christ spiritually quickening and living in all beleevers and as the body without the spirit is dead so is man without Christ spiritually dead in sins 2. By way of Coniunction Christ liveth in vs by being united to us and made one with us The stocke liveth in the graft by union with the graft we being taken out of the wilde Olive separated from our naturall and corrupt estate called and gathered home to Christ and grafted in the true Olive we live in him and he lives in us If ye abide in me and I in you ye shall bring forth much fruit saith Christ If ye be united unto me and I united unto you then you shall live and be very fruitfull By being built upon Christ the living stone they become lively stones 3. By way of influence infusion and transmission The heavens by an influence into the earth doe quicken and enliven the earth and make all the seeds and roots hidden in the earth to revive and put themselves forth to sprout and flourish there is an influence going forth from the Sun of righteousnesse into the soules of men reviving and quickning them and making them of dead to become living of barren to become fruitfull To you saith the Lord shall the Sun of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings and ye shall goe forth and grow up as the calves of the stall There is an influence goeth forth from the skill seated in the mind and strength seated in the hand of the Artificer which passeth upon the worke whereby he moulds and fashions it and sets a stamp upon it according to his pleasure Thus there is a heavenly influence a holy vertue and power comming from Christ and his Spirit that new moulds and fashions that mightily quickens and enlivens the soule of man by which Christ sets his owne Image upon man and this is called the power of Christs Resurrection That I may know him saith Paul and the power of his Resurrection that I may know Christ and be made partakers of the good things which come by Christ that I may know him as a Prophet instructing me as a Priest sanctifying me as a King reigning spiritually within me and that I may know the power of his Resurrection in the vivification of my soule in the abolition of my sinne in the taking away of the guilt of my transgression in the acquisition of righteousnesse and in the restoring of me to the assured hope of future glory and immortality There is a virtue flowes from the Resurrection of Christs body from the grave to the resurrection of the soules of men from the death of sinne As Christ was raised from the death by the glory of the Father even so should we walke in newnesse of life saith the Apostle and this influence of Christ into the soule of man is called the exceeding greatnesse of his power an exceeding great power for the omnipotency of the Agent for the mightinesse of the Devill sinne death and the world who are overcome by it for the greatnesse of the holy and gracious change wrought thereby in the soules of men changing the whole frame of the hearts of men from death to life from darknesse to light from bondage to liberty from uncleannesse to holinesse from earthlinesse to heavenlinesse and by this powerfull and mighty influence doth Christ live in
awakened him out of his spirituall sleep and slumber he made him see himselfe I was alive once saith he without the Law I was once ignorant of the Law I was blind and knew not the meaning of the law I thought my selfe to be a living man in Gods family a shining starre in the firmament of Gods Church and a fruitfull vine in the Lords vineyard but when the commandement came sinne revived and I dyed when Christ awakened me opened my eyes and inabled me to discerne a right of the commandement then I saw I was under the dominion of sinne as a dead man is under the dominion of death wholly possessed by sinne as the dead by death Man hath first the sence of his being dead in sinne before he hath the sence of Christ living in him Christ makes man to know his misery by sinne before he knowes his happinesse by Christ Christ lives not where the soule is not awakened where the eyes of the understanding are not opened therefore awake saith the Apostle thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light 2. Christ intending to live in man doth humble man and causeth man to dye to sinne Saul first dyed before David reigned in Israel The death of sinne in order of divine operation precedes the life of Christ and his grace in the soule of man first we are buried with Christ and then we are raised with Christ to walke in newnesse of life first we are planted into the likenesse of Christs death and then into the likenesse of his resurrection Christ therefore in the dispensation of spirituall life doth first kill and then make alive first wound and then heale he makes man sensible of his sinne as of a heavy burthen before he doth ease him as of a body of death before he doth raise him as of a mortall disease before he doth cure him he chargeth sinne upon the conscience of man he sets it upon him to pursue and follow him as the avenger of bloud under the Law pursued the malefactor The Lord let loose Pharaoh and the Egyptians upon Israel to impose heavy burthens upon them to deale hardly with them to beat and scourge them to pursue and follow them when he intended to set them free from Egypt Christ lets loose Satan and corruption upon man to tempt and vexe to accuse and torment man when he intends to free man to restore spirituall life and liberty unto man The Israelites were first led into the red Sea and the Egyptians there drowned before Israel triumphed Man is led into a sea of griefe and sorrow for sinne and his sinne there drowned and then he triumpheth in Christ then Christ lives in him and he in Christ When Christ therefore doth humble man as he cast Paul to the earth emptieth man of all thought of his owne worth and makes man abhorre himselfe below the dust causeth man with the Jewes at Peters Sermon to cry out men and brethren what shall we doe to accuse and condemne themselves to loath that sinne as a menstruous clout which was formerly worne by them as a garment of great choise to vomit up that sinne it is Jobs expression as the gall of Aspes which he formerly kept in his mouth and swallowed downe like sweet meat to hate his sinne more then ever he loved it and to thrust it out of the doores of his heart as Amnon hated Thamar more then ever he loved her and thrust her out of his house When Christ doth thus humble man thus set the heart of man against sin and mortifie sinne in man then Christ begins to live in man When a man puls downe a house that is ruinous and unhabitable and begins to lay a new foundation then we know he usually intends to dwell and live there Thus when Christ puls downe the old man a ruinous and unhabitable dwelling unfit to entertaine Christ when Christ puls downe our pride when our old man as S. Paul speaks is crucified with Christ when all high thoughts are cast downe and Christ hath laid another a new foundation of self-denyall and true humility then Christ meanes to dwell there then undoubtedly Christ begins to live there 3. Christ beginning to live in man puts a restlesnesse into the heart of man in his naturall and corrupt estate makes him out of love with himselfe fils him with dislike of his owne wayes and works alienates and takes him off from creature and works him to an earnest longing after Christ as the chased Hart panteth after the water-brookes being chased and frighted with the sence of his sinne and the hideous noise of his guilty accusing and tormenting conscience he begins to thinke of Christ to betake himselfe to Christ for comfort pardon and salvation as the guilty malefactor under the Law being pursued by the avenger of bloud betooke himselfe to the City of Refuge for shelter and defence now his soulâ— followeth hard after Christ now he prizeth interest in Christ farre above interest in the creature now he would take Christ upon any termes he would gladly leave all for Christ he sees there is no other Physitian can heale him no other surety can make satisfaction for him no other shield and buckler can protect him no other friend can comfort him and therefore he flies to Christ as Joah to the hornes of the Altar he presseth after Christ labours to lay hold on Christ as the diseased woman did whom no Physitian could cure and as there went a vertue out from Christ that healed her bloudy issue when she touched the hemme of Christs garment so there goes a vertue out from Christ healing and enlivening the soule longing after Christ and touching Christ by faith though it may seem to be but weakly and afar off For as when the iron comes neare the loadstone there goes a virtue from the loadstone that moves and drawes the iron to it so when man comes neare Christ in hearing in prayer in humiliation and earnest longing there goes a vertue from Christ which moves enlivens and drawes the soule of man home to Christ and Christ begins to live in man to sustaine and strengthen the soule of man 4. Christ beginning to live in man there is a revelation of Jesus Christ in the soule of man The Sonne of God as S. Paul speaks is revealed in man There goes a light forth from the Sunne in the Firmament which reveales the Sunne to the eye of man and there goes forth a spirituall and heavenly light from the Sunne of Righteousnesse into the soule of man which reveales Christ unto man which the Apostle cals a shining of Christ into our hearts Christ revealing himselfe unto the soule as the only Saviour ministring salvation to the soule as the only Prophet instructing man and filling him with heavenly knowledge as the only Jordan bathing and cleansing the soule from
thou live within the pale of the Church yet if thou live under the power of any prophane lust thou art 1. An unbeleever thou receivest not Christ into thy soule thou buildest not upon the rocke but upon the sand and thou wilt sinke at the last for faith where it is is victorious it overcomes Satan the world and every lust it purifies the heart and makes man a holy Temple to the Lord it overturnes all the holds of sinne it drives all base lusts out of the heart as Christ overturned the Tables and drove the buyers and sellers out of his Fathers house 2. Thou art a very hypocrite a cursed counterfeit a whited sepulchre full of dead mens bones within like the Locusts which had the face of a man and the haire of a woman without but the teeth of a Lyon within and the taile of a Scorpion behind Thus though thou hast the face of a Christian without yet thou hast the rapine of a Lyon and the poison of a Scorpion the venome of all sinne within and wilt have the portion of an hypocrite at last 3. Thou art a defiler of things sacred an abuser of Gods Ordinances one that turnest the meanes of life into an occasion of death the evill herbe turned the Prophets pot into a pot of death the evill of sinne swaying in thy soule turnes the word of life into the savour of death Like the spider thou suckest poison out of the flower of that Word and Sacrament which in it selfe is sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe 4. Thou art a scandall to the Church of Christ where thou livest thou art a blemish to the Christian name as an ulcer to the face as a dead member to the body for through such as the Apostle saith is the name of God blasphemed misliving Christians are of all persons the greatest dishonour to Christ Jesus Lastly be assured thy condemnation will be greatest thy torment the severest They that come nearest to Heaven by their outward calling and profession and yet are strangers to the life and power of godlinesse shall sinke lowest into hell and drinke deepest of the cup of Gods vengeance To such therefore our Saviour saith it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement then for them 4. Are all prophane men aliens to the Church of Christ though they live within the pale thereof Then let all such as live within the Church learne by this to purge out and put away all prophanenesse to search and seeke for and furnish themselves with all saving gifts and graces the proper characters of the living members of the true Church of Christ knowing as the Apostle saith that he is not a Iew who is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly whose Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God It is not mans naked profession of Christ but his inward sanctification that makes him a true Christian and holinesse is the honourable and inseparable Adiunct of Christs Church called by the Apostle a Church of Saints because Christ who is the head of this Church is holy and makes them partakers of his holinesse separates them from the world by a holy calling commits his holy word unto them causeth it to dwell in them and bestowes his holy Spirit upon them and works holinesse within them and as Christ who is the head of the Church was according to the flesh conceived of the Holy-Ghost so is the Church the mysticall body of Christ sanctified by the holy Spirit and as the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth personally in the personall body of Christ so dwell the three Persons of the Trinity mystically and spiritually in the mysticall body of Christ and all the living members of the same therefore as we professe our selves to be the children of God a God absolutely and infinitely holy so let us be holy in all manner of conversation as he that hath called us is holy as we professe our selves to be the members of Christ who is a holy head so let us conforme our selves to Christ as the members in the body naturall are conformed to the head and as we are stiled the Bride of Christ so let us feele in our hearts the sweet and heavenly motion of the holy Spirit the pledge of Christs love and as the Bridegroome loveth cloatheth adorneth and defendeth his Bride thus let us labour to discerne Christs shedding abroad his love into our hearts cloathing us with his righteousnesse adorning us with his graces and defending us by his blessed power and presence and as we are called children of light so let the light of grace in us like the light in the firmament shine more and more unto the perfect day the more we shine in holinesse the more sweetnesse shall we find in Gods Ordinances the greater tranquillity shall we have in our owne consciences the more amiable shall we be in the eyes of Christ Jesus the more shall we beautifie the Church of Christ whereof we are members and as the vessels of the transportative Tabernacle were at length translated into Solomons Temple so shall we after our ambulatory and mutable condition in the Church militant be translated to rest and reigne for ever in the Church triumphant CHAP. XV. Handling carnall Mans estrangement from the Covenant THe third Alienation declaring the misery of carnall and sinfull man is an Alienation from the Covenants of God termed strangers from the Covenants of promise Mans happinesse is built upon his interest in Gods gracious promise the strangers to this promise are the most unhappy of all persons Carnall men are aliens to Christ to the members of Christ to Christs common-wealth and to all the prerogatives and priviledges thereof strangers to the Covenants of promise made in and through Christ God made and often renewed and repeated his Covenants and promises with the Israelitish people concerning their salvation in and by Christ In the beginning the Lord made this Covenant with our first Parents promising that the seed of the woman which is Christ should breake the serpents head the Lord renewed it with Abraham and his seed saying I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee and of the Israelitish people in this respect speaks Moses What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for and what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day Now to these Statutes Oracles and Promises the Gentiles before the comming of Christ were strangers they no way appertained
fulnesse communicating to him peace and reconciliation with God and tranquillity of conscience He that receives the Lord Iesus like Joseph hath the Lord with him and is a prosperous man Mans not embracing Christ Iesus exposeth him to all plagues and curses in his soule in his body in all his services all blessing attends the holy and gracious embracement of Christ all curses follow the prophane refusall of Christ 7. Christ received in the Gospell sweetens and sanctifies all afflictions the tree sweetened the waters of Marah Christ takes away the bitternesse of affliction from the soule which beleevingly entertaines him he makes them see light in darknesse he sends them water out of the hard and stony rocke he gives them honey out of the belly of Lyons Meat out of the Eater and sweet out of the sowre he makes them sing in prison he makes them glory in tribulation he turnes the fiery furnace into a Paradise he so takes away the evill of affliction that it doth no more harme them then Nebuchadnezzars fire did the three children his affliction that enjoyes Christ in the Gospell is more pleasant and joyous then the carnall mans peace that shuts his heart against Christ peace without Christ is full of trouble trouble with Christ is full of consolation 8. Christ received in the Gospell giveth comfort holy sweet and sure comfort In the Arke was the pot of Manna in Christ is the treasure of all true comfort Christ in the Gospell makes a feast for his faithfull receivers a feast of fat things of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Of all comforts such have most fulnesse and sweetnesse as are ministred by Christ Jesus all others like Iobs friends prove miserable Comforters if Christ doth not comfort us Christ received in the Gospell comforteth the soules of his servants as a nurse her children feeding them as a Physitian his patients healing them as a mercifull King his delinquent and humbled subjects pardoning them as a teacher his schollers filling them with heavenly wisedome as a Bridegroome his Bride speaking graciously to them making them sensible of his love towards them replenishing them with strong and everlasting consolation his estate is of all mens the most joyfull who hath the most full and sweet enjoyment of Christ in the Gospell Perplexities distractions and convulsions of soule and conscience are infallible attendants of the neglect and refusall of Christ Iesus he that shuts his eyes against the Sun abides in darknesse he that shuts his heart against Christ abides in heavinesse 9. Christ received in the Gospell giveth satisfaction The Sunne satisfieth the eye with light the fountaine satisfieth the thirsty with water the pearle satisfied the Merchant in the parable with treasure Christ in the Gospell satisfieth the soule with wisedome in the understanding with holy and sweet meditations in the mind with the sence of his love in the heart with the treasure of spirituall gifts in the affections with sure and blessed peace in the conscience He that rightly possesseth Christ in the Gospell may say as Iacob did I have enough Christ in the Gospell is a living spring he that drinks of him shall thirst no more He is an al-sufficient portion to them that enjoy him he that seeks contentation with the neglect of Christ in his Gospell seekes for water to quench his thirst in a broken cesterne The soule is restlesse and never truly contented untill Christ is enjoyed the house without the husband seemes an empty place to the wife the world without Christ proves an empty thing to the soule 10. Christ received in the Gospell is an abiding substance to the soule he is an everlasting father he will never forget us he is a husband for ever he will never cease to love us he is a faithfull friend loving at all times his love is a Sunne that knowes no setting his gifts are t without repentance his grace an immortall seed that never dyes a well-spring springing up to life everlasting All that is without Christ is full of vanity and changes only Christ is a possession of everlasting continuance the meditation of all which should sweetly allure and draw us graciously dispose and frame us and mightily perswade and move us to give Christ a joyfull welcom comming to us in his Gospell 6. Fastening our frequent and most serious thoughts upon the brevity and vanity of the life of man Man hath no abiding City here he flourisheth like Ionahs gourd in an evening and is smitten and withered in the morning Death like the waters of the red sea drownes all onely Christ makes a safe passage through death for his Israel for all that receive him the Arke divided Iordan and Israel went dry and safe over to Canaan Christ makes a ready way for all that beleevingly entertaine him through the horrours of death to the heavenly kingdome death like the deluge spares none as Noah therefore betooke himselfe to the Arke and was preserved so let us betake our selves to Christ that we may be preserved from the second death all they who were out of the Arke perished in the waters all they that are out of Christ will perish in the deluge of Gods vengeance the Lord Jesus is the soules onely refuge and deliverance Behold saith the Lord by Moses in another case to morrow about this time I will cause it to raine a very grievous hayle such as hath not been in Egypt from the foundation thereof untill now Send therefore now and gather thy cattell and all that thou hast in the field for upon every man and beast that shall be found in the field and shall not be brought home the hayle shall come downe upon them and they shall dye He that feared the word of the Lord among them made his servants and his cattell flee into the houses and he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattell in the field and they were all smitten and died Thus in this case behold to morrow ere long very shortly the Lord will cause a mighty raine he will raine downe snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest send therefore now and gather your soules your selves your friends husbands wives children servants kindred and neighbours unto Christ get yee interest in Christ hide your selves by faith and love in Christ for upon every soule of man that shall not be found in Christ upon every parent and childe husband and wife master and servant young and old bond and free that shall not be brought home to Christ the haile fire and brimstone of Gods wrath shall come downe upon them and they shall dye both the first and the second death and now I know that he that feares the word of the Lord among you will flee to Christ give all diligence to receive and entertaine Christ to get a sure and
Men are often very dangerous self-lovers in their holiest and most honourable performances It argues a humble sweet and gracious disposition of mens affections to be able to rejoyce in the godly service of others a humble soule is joyfull and thankfull that God is honoured the Church benefited the Gospell preached the cause and kingdome of Christ promoted by others as if himselfe had been the instrument Gods glory is a humble mans maine desire and intendment and is much joyed to see the same accomplished and in these characters as in plaine letters may all men reade the truth and power of their self-denyall and accordingly judge of their condition CHAP. X. BUt it may be here demanded how many wayes a man may deceive himselfe in the point and matter of self-denyall The heart of man is deceitfull above measure and man is very prone to deceive himselfe as in other necessary points and parts of salvation so in this of self-denyall To this therefore I answer that man is apt to deceive himselfe in this behalfe eight wayes 1. By denying himselfe superstitiously Thus many deny rest food and liberty necessary lawfull and allowed whipping scourging macerating pinching and even starving their owne flesh denying themselves the use of such creatures as God hath ordained and provided for the comfort and supportment of his servants God hath made man subordinate Lord over the works of his hands and hath put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen and the beasts of the field the fowles of the ayre and the fishes of the sea Every creature of God saith the Apostle is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer yet many in their superstition deny themselves the free and Christian use of the creature placing their Religion and self-denyall in abstinence from some sorts of creatures This is a law of Antichrist mentioned by Saint Paul forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving Such self-deniers are none of Christs but Antichrists subjects Men placing their self-denyall in the observation of humane inventions are farre from denying their owne corrupt and carnall lusts and affections they that make tradition the rule of their Religion are farre from spirituall and true mortification zealous observers of humane devises in stead of denying themselves deny the Lord Jesus Of such therefore the Apostle testifies that they are vainly puft up in their fleshly mind and not holding the head which is Christ and rebuking their superstition as repugnant to Christs death he saith wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandements and doctrines of men This is the superstitious mans self-denyall 2. By denying himselfe covetously Many out of an immoderate desire after earthly riches and inordinate love to the world deny themselves bodily rest rising up early and sitting up late and eating the bread of sorrowes they deny themselves necessary food and rayment they travell under their worldly abundance as a galled horse under a heavy burthen they want nothing of all their soules desire yet God gives them not power to eat thereof This is the miserable worldlings humility and self-denyall and in this he is ready to please and applaude himselfe this man indeed abaseth himselfe below the dust but he doth not humble himselfe under Christ he makes himselfe the drudge and slave of worldly dung and drosse he makes not himselfe the servant of Christ 3. By denying himselfe partially He denyes some but not all his lusts he walks in some but not in all the ordinances of God Jehu denyed Baals Priests he put them to death but he allowed the calves in Dan and Bethel Saul denyed himselfe in the refuse of the Amalekitish stuffe he destroyed the refuse but he denyed not himselfe in the bleating sheep and lowing oxen he spared them Herod denyed himselfe in many things he heard the Baptist gladly and did many things but he denyed not himselfe in Herodias he continued his incest He that denyes not himselfe in all things truly denyes himselfe in nothing he that allowes himselfe under the power of one sinne is farre from Christ farre from the knowledge of Christ as he that allowes one moate in his eye is farre from the cleare and comfortable sight of the Sunne far from the life of Christ and health of grace as he that allowes himselfe in one disease is farre from health of body farre from the love of Christ as the woman which allowes one strange lover in her bosome is farre from the love of her husband he is farre from the way to life as he that keeps himselfe and travels on in one false way is farre from his right path farre from all interest in Gods promises as he that breakes one Covenant and condition of his Lease hath forfeited his whole Lease and farre from spirituall liberty and freedome as he that is fettered with one strong chaine is farre from bodily freedome he that denyes not all sinne denyes none as it is sinne hypocriticall miserable deceitfull is their self-denyall which is partiall and halt like Israel between God and Baal between vertue and vice between the earth and heaven still abiding under the power of sin without either truth or perfection in grace 4. By denying himselfe Constrainedly Not for love but for feare not for the hatred of sinne but for the sence of misery attending sinne as the dog denyes himselfe his meat when he is sicke and the Sow denyes her wallowing in the mire by reason of the coldnesse of the weather Lord saith the Prophet in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them When the hand of God is heavy upon them they walke humbly they deny themselves their former carnall contentments with the Mariners they cast out Jonah in the storme This is the afflicted mans self-denyall a denyall not springing from any principle of grace but forc't upon the soule not arising from any hatred of sinne but from the punishment of sinne As Mariners cease from the Sea and lye fast in the haven while the stormes last but as soone as the weather is calme they put themselves forth againe Thus many when the storme is up when their soules are tossed with the tempest of trouble they cease from their worldly and carnall wayes but as soone as their estate is cleare and calme againe they returne to their former trade and practise of sin Constrained deny all is neither cordiall nor perpetuall 5. By denying himselfe hypocritically seeming to others to deny himselfe when yet indeed he doth not as Ahab put off his Kings roabes and
disguised himselfe and went into the battell as a common man when yet he was indeed the King of Israel Thus many disguise themselves enter the profession of Christ as if they were humble and mortified men when yet they are Kings for their pride self-conceit and high opinion of their owne worth their change is onely in appearance not in truth outwardly they have sheeps cloathing the shew of sanctity humility and self-denyall inwardly they are ravening wolves Though they know themselves to have Lyons teeth yet like the Locusts in the Revelation they put on the haire of a woman and the face of a man they pretend much love to God much curtesie and kindnesse unto man and yet they truly love neither God nor man they draw nigh with their lips but their heart is farre from God they fast from bodily food with the Pharisees but they feast and feed their soules with pride they hang downe their heads with them in the Prophet like a bulrush but their hearts stand upright these are nothing humbled their denyall is not cordiall sincere and true it is onely superficiall formall and seeming as the Devill appeared in the likenesse of Samuel but was not Samuell so these appeare in the likenesse of penitent mortified humble men men dead to the world yet in truth they are not so therefore the Apostle saith of such they seeme to be religious As a painted man seemes to be a man and yet is no man but a rotten post as an exhalation seemes to be a bright and shining Starre and yet is no Starre but a vanishing vapor as he in Solomon made himselfe rich and yet had nothing Of such our Saviour saith they appeare righteous before men As whited sepulchers appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleannesse as Ixion in the fable embraced a cloud in stead of Juno so many under the Gospell take the shadow in stead of the substance of self-denyall 6. By denying himselfe Sinisterly and politickely to deceive others to insinuate himselfe into others to accomplish some earthly project with the more facility As the Gibeonites came to Joshuah with old shooes and old garments and rent bottles as if they had come a long journey and thus politickely drew Joshuah to make a league with them In like sort many pretend self-denyall mortification the putting off the old man to procure the favour of Gods servants to increase their worldly profits to accomplish their owne sinister ends oftentimes men bring about and finish most mischievous designes and enterprises under a pretence of godlinesse mortification humility and meeknesse Simeon and Levi cloake the massacring of the Sichemites with the conscience of Circumcision Herod intending to kill Christ pretends the worship of Christ Iezabel plotting the death of Naboth proclaimes a fast ordaines a day of humiliation the Crocodile first weeps upon man and then kils and makes a prey of him Such Crocodiles are these men who under a pretence of teares repentance and self-denyall deceive and make a prey of their brethren 7. By denying himselfe vain-gloriously many men doe much and goe outwardly very farre in the way of self-denyall for the praise of men Iacob to get Isaacks blessing put on Esau's clothes and some men to get the blessing of mens applause and praise put on the outward habit of truly mortitied men the Pharisees were very liberall in their almes very frequent in their prayers very severe in outward appearance in their fastings and all this they did to be seen of men to gaine the praise of men for this men may and doubtlesse some doe give their goods to the poore and their bodies to the prison to the fire Wherefore else doth the Apostle say If I give my goods to the poore and my body to be burned and have not Love I am nothing Vaine men are carried by their self-love to suffer martyrdome as true love carries Gods children Gods glory carries his children to suffer death that God may be honoured and to this pride and vain-glory carryes some men that their name may be magnified Many who will suffer nothing for God out of true love and affection will suffer much for themselves out of an ambitious humour of vaine boasting and ostentation They that care little for a name with God that doe nothing for Gods approbation will many times doe much for a name with men for mens praise and commendation He that doth not humble and abase himselfe that God may be exalted is deceitfully humbled 8. By denying himselfe Temporarily to walke heavily with Ahab for a few dayes to bow downe the head for a day with the bulrush is an hypocriticall and counterfeit self-denyall false denyall may bow and bring a man very low as Nebuchadnezzars tree was brought to a stump but as that stump was bound with bands of brasse and yron fast tyed and not rooted up and therefore sprung and sprouted up againe thus many men are very deeply humbled for the present but their inward lusts not being truly mortified and plucked up by the roots but fast bound up within them they sprout and spring againe after some dew of temporall ease and peace hath a little distilled and dropt upon them they returne againe with the dog to the vomit and with the Sow to the mire That self-denyall which is not constant and increasing is built upon a false foundation He never truly denyed himselfe for God that doth not abide and hold out to the end with God the hypocrite is off and on he changeth like the clouds sometimes moving low and sometimes mounted on high sometimes following the Sunne and sometimes moving against the motion of the Sunne The hypocrite will not alwayes delight himselfe in the Almighty he will not alwayes call upon God whatsoever pretence of piety or love he make towards God like Orpah to Naomi yet as she forsooke Naomi so will he forsake the Lord but the meeke shall increase his strength the truly humble and mortified man shall hold out and abide to the end as his other works so his self-denyall shall be more at last then at first the longer he liveth in the estate of grace the more his lusts are mortified the more his owne wisedome will thoughts affections desires and carnall ends and purposes are denyed CHAP. XI IT may be yet further here demanded how a man may comfort himselfe touching the truth of this holy and gracious worke of self-denyall finding and feeling many lusts yet remaining and rising up within him and rebelling as the Apostle saith against the law of his mind sometimes captivating overswaying and leading him away to the minding and seeking of himselfe and serving of his owne base affections To this I answer that in this case and estate a man may comfort himselfe and assure himselfe of the truth of his self-denyall 1.
So let us bee earnest with the Lord to deliver us from this estate of barrennesse and make us fruitfull from this estate of exilement and bring us to the enjoyment of the heavenly Kings face and countenance Let us make Christ our Friend that there may be an end put to the enmity betweene God and us and that we may be set at peace againe with God let us sigh and groane under our sinfull bondage and labour for spirituall freedome Let us labour to have true and saving grace powred into the pot of our soules that all our possessions and undertakings may be sanctified unto us and that the Word which our sinne hath made the savour of death unto death may thorow grace become the savour of life to life to every one of us And to the end we may be translated out of the state of corruption into the state of grace let us 1. Attend upon and hide the word of God in our hearts This is the Word of life by which our soules are quickned this is the Seed of Regeneration by which wee are new born this is the voyce by which wee are called out of the Kingdome of darkenesse into marvellous light this is the warlike weapon by which the holds of sinne are cast downe as the walls of Jericho were cast flat to the ground at the â—ounding of the Trumpets this is the fire by which the drosse of sin is purged out of our souls this is the word of Reconciliation by which wee are set at peace with God On this therfore let us wait this let us treasure up in our souls that therby a gracious change may be wrought in us 2. Let us labour for the sence and feeling of our sinne as of a loathsome disease as of a heavy burthen Complaine of sinne as Sarah did of the daughters of Heth be weary of sinne as a sick man of his disease Cry to the Lord as Paul did O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death the more sence and feeling wee have of sinne the more assurance of a discharge from sin When Israel sighed and groaned then their deliverance from Pharaohs bondage drew nigh when sin is a trouble and man growes weary of it as of a hard servitude then the houre of the soules spirituall deliverance approacheth therefore to such our Saviour speaketh Come unto me all yee that travell and are heavy laden and yee shall finde ease unto your soules 3. Let us get our hearts filled with godly sorrow for sin turne all your sorrow into sorrow for sinne Mourne for this as for the death of your first-borne Mourne secretly without ostentation mourne unfainedly without dissimulation mourne universally without the reservation of any sin as the deluge overflowed and drowned all the Earth hill and valley so let your sorrow drowne all sinne they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Godly sorrow is ever attended with the joy of conversion remission and spirituall consolation They that mourne shall be comforted 4. Be very frequent and serious in the view and examination of your naturall and corrupt estate consider the basenesse the loathsomnesse the unprofitablenesse the cursednesse and the perilousnesse thereof men could never quiet themselves in this estate were they not inconsiderate of the evill thereof A Travellor that is out of his way would never goe on therein did hee consider that every step he treades is one step further from his home did carnall man consider that every action of his removes him one step farther from God and Heaven and brings him one step nearer to Satan and damnation hee would never please himselfe in this estate inconsideration makes way to all evill the Lord having mentioned the great impieties of Israel layeth downe this as the ground therof They are a Nation saith the Lord void of counsell neither is there any understanding in them O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end they doe not consider how they are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity in the thraldome of Satan under the wrath of God in the state of damnation subject to a thousand easelesse and endlesse woes and miseries did men consider this they would awake out of their sleepe and stand up from the dead that Christ might give them light They would with David consider their waies and turne unto the testimonies of the Lord. 5. Addresse your selves to Christ by faithfull and fervent Prayer the Gibeonites sent to Joshua and he rescued them from the Amoritish Princes We must send by prayer to Christ to rescue us from the Prince of darkenesse the woman of Shunâ—m came to the Prophet cast her selfe downe tooke hold of his feet would not let him goe and hee went with her and raised her dead child thus must we come to Christ cast our selves downe humble our selves under the hand of Christ lay hold on Christ and never let him goe that he may raise us from the death of sin to the life of grace CHAP. VII Perswading to thanksgiving for deliverance out of our naturall and corrupt estate LAstly this ministers matter and occasion of great praise and thanksgiving to all them whom Christ hath delivered out of their corrupt and carnall estate and translated into the state of grace and holinesse Of all deliverances deliverance from sinne is the greatest the sweetest the choisest A deliverance of the greatest cost other deliverances are wrought by the power of God this is a deliverance wrought not onely by the power of God but also by the bloud of God by the bloud of Christ who is God and Man in one person Feed saith Saint Paul to the Bishops the Ministers of Ephesus the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud Give thanks saith the Apostle unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darknes and translated us into the Kingdom of his deare Son in whom we have redemption through his bloud the deliverance of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt and the captivity of Babylon the deliverance of Ieremy out of the dungâ—on of Peter out of Herods prison of Ionah out of the belly of the Whale or the three children out of the fiery furnace or whatsoever deliverance else you can mention cost not God so much as the deliverance of man from sinne for this God gave his owne his onely Sonne This is a deliverance which argues more of Gods love to man then all the deliverances which God hath wrought besides for man Therefore of this the Evangelist saith God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne And Christ saith Saint Paul loved the Church and gave himselfe for it This is a deliverance from greater evils
adulterated my worship with many novell and strange inventions these have drawne thy love from me and my truth and thou hast committed adultery with them When humane devices are made ingredients and compounding parts of Gods service they are in Gods account very shamefull pollutions and doubtlesse he that in Gods worship is an admirer of humane inventions is no lover of the Lord Jesus Oile will not mixe it selfe with water nor iron with clay no more will true Religion be mixed with that which is corrupt the Arke and Dagon cannot stand together Religion is not like lead you cannot bow it but like glasse breake it you may bow it you cannot mingle it and you destroy it it is no more Religion but superstition as silver mixt with drosse is no more accounted silver but drosse though it hath some silver in it Besides it is treason in a common-wealth for any man to mingle the Lawes of a forraine Prince with the Lawes of his owne Prince no King will endure it and what is this but spirituall treason against Christ to mingle humane devices and forraine traditions with Christs precepts the Lord will never endure it therefore marke what Christ saith If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke Therefore as we are a spirituall common-wealth so let us observe the Lawes of Christ the spirituall King of this Kingdome Let us walke according to his rule And peace shall be upon us as upon the Israel of God 3. This also teacheth the Church and children of God unity between themselves A common-wealth must be at unity as one body they must joyne as one man Thus the Church the spirituall common-wealth of Christ must be as a City that is compact together that is at unity within itselfe First they must be at unity in judgement of one mind as Saint Paul speaks in all fundamentall and necessary truths as they have one word informing and instructing them one Spirit of God enlightening them so they must be of one mind of one judgement and understanding in things belonging to salvation having as Saint John saith the same anointing teaching them all things the same Spirit though not all in the same measure enlightening them to judge and to discerne aright of the mind and will of God Unity in judgement is very effectuall to breed unity in affection discord and difference in the apprehension of the truths of Christ proposed in the Gospell doth ordinarily make an unhappy breach in mens affections therefore let us all strive for one and the same cleare and through understanding of Gods revealed will as Schollers learning one lesson by one and the same rule Let us as many saith Paul as be perfect as have a true and cleare knowledge of God in Christ be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you God by degrees so enlightens his children that he makes them at length men of the same understanding in things profitable to their salvation 2. Labour for unity in affection let the sacred fire of Christian and mutuall love be alwayes burning upon the altar of your hearts See saith Saint Peter that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently This is an ointment of a sweet savour in the nostrils of God and men like the ointment which the woman powred on our Saviour that made the whole house where she was to cast a sweet smell Love makes both the persons and services of Gods servants very sweet and odoriferous This argues Gods gracious inhabitation in us regeneration of us and holy workmanship upon us for God is love and he that loveth dwelleth in God and God in him This is the character and cognizance of our being Christs Disciples By this shall all men know saith Christ that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another and as the heate of the body is a Symptome of life in the body and as the light of the Sun assures us of the rising of the Sun so this light and heate of love gives cleare and comfortable evidence of our spirituall quickning and interest in the first resurrection By this saith the Apostle we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren As therefore our spirituall common-wealth is a common-wealth of peace our Prince a Prince of peace our Law of faith and love a Law of peace our Calling a Calling of peace and all our fellow Subjects the Subjects of peace Let us love each other and be at peace amongst our selves 3. Labour for unity in Religion As the whole common-wealth obey the King by one Law so let us worship and serve Christ by one Rule the word of God let us all walked by one Light the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles let us all build upon one rocke Jesus Christ other foundation then this can no man lay Let us all hearken to the voice of one shepheard Jesus Christ speaking to us in his word Let us all feed in one pasture the Ordinances of God Let us all be cloathed with one royal roabe of Christ his Righteousnesse for the justification of our soules Let us all invocate and call on one God in the name of one Mediator Jesus Christ Let us all worship God after one manner in truth and sincerity according to Christs owne prescription not having our minds corrupted and hearts adulterated and alienated from the simplicity that is in Christ by carnall doctrines and humane observations Let us receive all our direction from Christ as the traveller receiveth all his light from the Sun Let us yeeld all our Subiection unto Christ as the souldiers were fully subject unto the Centurion Let us have our full and sole dependance upon Christ as the house in the Parable was wholly built upon the rocke Let us seeke for all perfection in Christ as the people in the famine came all to Joseph to supply their wants and let us referre all our services to the honour and glory of Christ and so shall we give testimony of our happy union in Christs Religion 4. Strive for unity in opposing sinne and Satans Kingdome A common-wealth is united against a publike and common adversary Satan and sinne are the common adversaries of our soules against these let us unite our forces by mutuall watchfulnesse one over another fervent prayer each for other and by the ministration of holy instruction gracious admonition and Christian encouragement one towards another considering one another and provoking one another according to the Apostles rule to love and to good works The children of Israel arose as one man and went up against Gibeah The Lords people should arise as one man against the powers of ungodlinesse to suppresse the Kingdome and works of the Prince of darknesse Joab and Abishai made a Covenant to help one another against the Syrians and
spirituall liberty and freedome a liberty of grace whereby the whole man is set free from the command and servitude of all sin the understanding is free from ignorance able to know God as a Father with a cleare and comfortable submissive and affective knowledge the will is free from perversenesse able readily and freely fully and sincerely to intend God and his glory the imagination is free from vanity able with much joy to meditate and thinke upon God the affections are free from base feare carnall confidence worldly love and fleshly joy able to scare God filially to trust on God soly to love God unfainedly and to rejoyce in God spiritually the whole man bent and disposed to run the way of Gods commandements as the Sun rejoyceth to run his race and as the Rivers flow towards the Sea this the Psalmist cals an inlargement of the heart to run the way of Gods Commandements and this he mentions as a fruit of the inscription of the Law in his heart Thy Law ô Lord saith he is in my heart and I delight to doe thy will Mans assurance of being within Gods Covenant is sutable to his free and ready disposition in observing Gods precept 5. A fift benefit comprised under the Covenant ministring assurance of mans interest in it is perseverance in the state of grace daily growth in the gifts of the Spirit and a stedfast striving to more perfection I will make an everlasting Covenant with them saith God and I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me they shall not depart from the knowledge of my truth to errour from the faith of my promises to infidelity from the wayes of my Commandements to by and wandring paths from the love of me and my testimonies to the love of earthly vanities God ever preserves in the state of grace whom he receives into the Covenant of grace he that is in covenant with God abides with God as the wife with the husband he follows the Lord fully with Caleb he is with God in every estate in all changes as Ittai resolved to be with David both in life and in death the longer he is in Gods Covenant the more beauty he discernes in God the more sweetnesse he finds in the Word of God the more pleasure he takes in the service of God the more comfortable communion he gaines with God and the more plentifull and soule-ravishing receivings of grace love and peace he hath from God and therefore shines more and more like the light unto the perfect day growes stronger and stronger like the house of David He waits upon the Lord and renewes his strength he mounts up as the Eagles hee runnes and is not weary hee walkes on and doth not faint he goes from strength to strength untill he doth appeare before the Lord in Zion The carnall mans estrangement from the Covenant and his misery in being out of the Covenant ministers matter and occasion of labour and industry to every man to get into the Covenant to be partaker of it and to have assured interest in the benefits flowing from it as Noah entred into the Arke to be preserved from the deluge of waters so should wee enter into the Covenant of God that we may be preserved from the deluge of those miseries which attend and wait upon the breach of Gods precepts The men of Aegypt hearing of the fall of a grievous haile such as would destroy both man and beast Hee that feared the word of the Lord amongst them made his servants and his cattell flee into the house Men hearing of the hayle fire brimstone and horrible tempest which God will raine downe upon the wicked should hasten into this Covenant have sure interest in Gods free and gracious Promise that they may be hid from the Lords wrath And to the end we may have part in Gods Covenant 1. We must forsake our sinnes there must be warre against sin or there can be no peace with God Moses might not come nigh the burning bush untill hee had put off his shoes from his feet Because the ground where hee stood was holy ground Man cannot come nigh God enter into covenant with God unlesse the old-man his old lusts be put off because the Covenant of God is a holy Covenant a Covenant belonging onely to the godly Godlinesse having the promise of this life and of the life to come Joseph shaved himselfe and changed his raiment and then he came to Pharaoh and Pharaoh tooke him to himselfe and made many honourable Promises to him man must shave himself remove the ignorance and errour of his understanding and change his raiment Put off the old-man which is corrupt according to divers lusts and put on the new man which is renewed in holinesse and true righteousnesse according to Gods image and then come nigh tâ—ed and partake of all Gods gracious promises according to that of the Lord by the Prophet wash you make you cleane put away the evill of your wayes cease to doe evill learne to doe well and then come ye and we will reckon together and though your sinnes were as red as scarlet yet will I make you white as snow I will deale mercifully with you be reconciled to you forgive your sinnes and receive you into my Covenant of peace The more the soule is emptied of sin the more capable it is of Gods Covenant the more assured of interest in it Hee that holds fast his sinne cannot lay hold upon the Covenant of God hee that gives not a bill of divorce to his lusts is uncapable of weddlocke with Christ 2. We must forsake our selves we must deny our selves cease from our owne wisdome as from a blind guide from our owne strength as from a withered reed from our owne righteousnesse as from a rotten ragg and from our owne ends as from low and base marks Thus must wee deny our selves or we can be no Disciples of Christ no partakers of the mercies of God in him Such as entered into Covenant with David were in debt in distresse and discontent He that will enter into Covenant with God must see his debt bee sensible of his sinne feele the distresse and anguish of his soule and be very much discontented with his corrupt and carnall estate God communicates his mercies to them that are sensible of their miseries the Lord loves them that are out of love with themselves he esteemes them that loath their own wayes whom doth Christ invite and call but the heavy laden Such as are sensible and weary of their sins as of a heavy burthen to whom is Christ sent with tydings of comfort but to the broken hearted When Ephraim repented smote upon his thigh and was confounded then the Lord remembered him then he was deare and pleasant to him then hee said I will surely have mercy upon him then he proposed and set before him the Covenant of Salvation in Christ