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
of old was upon Mount Gerazim the blessing is now upon the Gospell He that savingly entertaines the Gospell enjoyes a most blessed condition a condition of divine and heavenly wisedome Gods Ministers feed him with knowledge and understanding and make him wise unto salvation a condition of holinesse and sanctification the ministery of the word doth wash him like water and purifie him like fire a condition of liberty and freedome Moses freed Israel from Pharaohs bondage Gods Minister frees the soules of his children from the servitude of Satan the world and their owne corruption the word makes them free from ignorance in their understandings from perversenesse in their wils from vanity in their thoughts from infidelity servile feare worldly love and carnall joy in their affections the word makes them free to know God as the cleare eye is free to see the Sunne to receive Christ as the strong and open hand is free to receive a gift to love Christ as the bride hath an open and enlarged heart to love the bridegroome to attend Gods Ordinances to run the way of Gods Commandements as he whose feet and ankle-bones received strength by the ministery of Peter was free to stand and leap and walke and enter into the Temple and free to move and come to God by faith and love and joy as the rivers are free to move and flow unto the sea a condition of honour and exaltation the Gospell making them Sonnes of God by regeneration the friends of God by love the members of Christ by faith and heires annexed with Christ for their present title to and future participation of the same inheritance with Christ Jesus a condition of fulnesse and satisfaction they are satisfied with the goodnesse of Gods house the Gospell leads them unto Christ the Sunne in whom is all light the tree on whom growes all fruit the fountaine from whom flowes all refreshment the rocke in whom is all strength the pearle in whom is all worth and the Paradise in whom is all pleasure and peace very sweet and wonderfull gracious and overflowing are the comforts and contentments derived from Christ to Gods children under their enjoyment of the Gospell Lastly a condition of permanency and duration though the grasse wither and the flower fade yet the word of the Lord abideth for ever Though worldly fulnesse change like the Moone and vanish like a vapor and wither like the flower and the grasse yet the estate of grace into which men are called by Gods Ministers is an estate of firme and sure continuance they are sonnes abiding alway in their fathers house they are trees planted by the water side never withering they are houses built upon the rocke never sinking their graces like the light shine more and more to the day of their perfection the excellency of their estate who enjoy and make best use of the Gospell abundantly declares Gods dispensation of very great sweet and heavenly blessings by the labours of his Ministers CHAP. XV THe Lords dispensing of sweet and heavenly blessings unto man by the labours of his holy and faithfull Ministers shewes what the estate and condition of man is without the Lords Ministers even an estate of woes of myseries and curses Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very wretched and miserable an estate of death without spirituall life the earth without the Sunne is but a dead and fruitlesse lump the soule without the Sunne of Righteousnesse shining in the Gospell is dead in sinnes and trespasses a tree twice dead oncce by originall corruption and secondly by actuall transgression and plucked up by the roots wholly separate from all the meanes of life he that hath not the Sonne externally in the Gospell internally in his heart ministerially in his word and efficiently in his worke of grace he hath not life Such are farre from the life of grace and sanctification as are strangers to Christ in his Gospell The woman of Shunems sonne remained dead according to the body till the Prophet came and raised him the soule of man continues dead in respect of the inward man untill the Minister of the Lord comes to quicken him 2. An estate of darknesse Man without the ministery of the word is in darknesse and the shadow of death a darke body without an eye a darke house without a Lamp The soules clearest light is nothing else but darknesse as long as the Gospell doth not shine into it to irradiate and enlighten it There was once no light in all the land of Egypt onely the children of Israel had light in their dwellings there is no spirituall and heavenly light in all the world but among Gods Israel there is light only in their dwellings who enjoy the Gospell In Judah is God knowne and his name is great in Israel God is truly and savingly knowne only by that people who enjoy the light of the Gospell 3. An estate of servitude and bondage Israel continued under hard bondage untill Moses and Aaron came to deliver them untill the Lord raised a fiery pillar to conduct them out of Egypt unto Canaan Man abides under the hard bondage of Satan and his owne corruption untill the Lord sends his Minister to free him and sets up the fiery pillar of his word to lead him out of this servile and slavish condition Man without the Gospell is in prison and hath no key to open it he is taken captive and hath no weapon to resist his enemy to procure his freedome he is manacled with many fetters and hath no hammer to dissolve and loose them Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very base and servile When and where the Gospell shineth then and there as the Prophet speaketh The eyes of the blind are opened the prisoners are brought out from the prison and they that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house 4. An estate of emptinesse and barrennesse The field without the dew is unfruitfull the soule without the dew of divine and heavenly doctrine distilling thereupon beares no good fruit there is no lawfull conception without an husband all the fruit of the soule not espoused to Christ by the Gospell is illegitimate and a very abomination there is no reaping where is no sowing The soule which is not sowne with the seed of the word yeelds no harvest of grace they are barren ground nigh to burning who are strangers to the Gospell 5. An estate of pollution and uncleanesse The house without the besome is overspread with slime and cobwebs Naaman continued leprous untill he went seven times into Jordan and washed the Temple was a den of theeves till Christ came with his whip and drove them out the heart of man is an unclean house without the besome of the word sweeping it the soule of man is oversread with the lothsome leprosie of sin untill he bathe himselfe in the Jordan of
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
the soules of Gods children 4. By way of gubernation and direction The head liveth in the members acting and guiding the members to move and worke according to the dictates of the head and Christ as head liveth in beleevers his members acting and guiding framing and disposing them to move and walke and doe the things pleasing in his sight the will moves the members of the body too and fro by a commanding active power that goes from the will acting and stirring the members according to the disposition of the wil the Pilot by his presence in the ship and by his activity strength and skill turnes the rudder of the ship and guides the course therof to a quite contrary point of the Compasse the King by an influence from his Majesty authority power and Laws lives and reigns in the hearts of his loyall and obedient Subjects binding and bowing them to the observation of his Edicts That there is a commanding active power passeth from Christ upon the soules of all sanctified persons whereby he lives and reignes in them acts and moves them according to the disposition of his will turnes the rudder of their affections and guides the course of their lives to a quite contrary point then what they formerly moved and tended to hence it is that our Saviour saith the kingdome of God is within you Christ by his Spirit enlightening their hearts and effectually moving working and framing their soules to beleeve his promises and doe his will and they are said to have the Law in their hearts Christ ruling and commanding there by putting into their hearts a disposition of holy and humble subjection sutable to the holinesse of the Law And it was prophecyed of Christ that in the day of his power when Christ should be preached and his kingdome erected in the hearts of men The people should be willing voluntarily and freely subject and obedient unto Christ as the members to the head and thus Christ lives in men by his holy gubernation raigne and rule in the soules of men 5. By way of preservation and continuance unto perfection The soule lives in the body preserving the body from putrefaction continuing the body unto its appointed perfection Christ liveth in the soules of Gods children preserving them from sinne that they doe not putrifie in sinne though annoyed with sinne as the body with nasty humours and keeping them from the death of sinne that it never get dominion over them as death over dead men though it abide like a disease within them perfecting also the life of grace in them untill they come to the life of glory Those thou gavest me saith Christ I have kept and none of them is lost Whom God the Father gives to Christ by eternall election and effectuall vocation them Christ keeps in the state of grace in them he nourishes and maintaines spirituall life them he keeps in the knowledge of Gods truth in the saith of Gods promises in the love of Gods testimonies in the obedience of Gods precepts them he keeps in prosperity that they swell not in adversity that they repine not in temptation that they despaire not in all changes that they change not he doth perfect stablish strengthen and settle them he makes spirituall life more full and active strong and vigorous in them the longer Christ liveth in them the more perfection he ministers unto them the more abundantly he fils them the more he manifests the power of his grace towards them and thus Christ lives in Gods children by preserving and perfecting the life of grace in them And thus you see it is apparent that Christ doth live in Gods children by his gracious and powerfull worke of Sanctification CHAP. XXII IF you demand what is the life of Christ or Christ living in the children of God I answer it is a spirituall power or Principle of grace which Christ by his Spirit doth put into the hearts of the elect at their regeneration inabling them to move themselves to God-ward in knowing willing intending thinking loving speaking and doing the things which are pleasing unto God called the life of Christ because Christ is the Authour and the root thereof because it is a life which Christ commandeth and approveth and because hereby Christ liveth in all them that are regenerate and this is sometimes termed a being alive to God because men are hereby moved and quickned to doe what pleaseth God sometimes it is stiled a living with Christ having communion and fellowship with the grace of Christ for newnesse of life or with the glory of Christ for eternall felicity sometimes it is termed a new life a pure and unblameable life framed not after the lusts of the old man but after the will of God in his word and sometimes it is called a living unto God regenerate man consecrating and ordering his whole life after the will of God and unto his glory Christ living in man doth inable move and worke the heart of man to acknowledge God and Christ to be his Lord and himselfe not to be his owne but Gods and Christs servant 2. To frame and order his thoughts words and works according to the word of God and Christ in every thing 3. To referre and apply himselfe his whole life and whatsoever he hath to the honour of God and Christ And fourthly in all the changes dangers and afflictions of his life to depend upon God and Christ for counsell supportment protection and deliverance and this is Christs living in man and Christs keeping and continuing man in the state of grace unto the state of glory If you aske me how or in what manner Christ begins to live in man I answer 1. Christ doth awaken man as the Angell smote Peter upon the side and awakened him when he slept between the two souldiers with fetters upon him in Herods prison This doth Christ by his word without and the motion of his spirit within smite upon the heart and conscience of man sleeping between two great souldiers the devill on his right hand and the world on his left hand in the prison of sin Christ thus smiting upon man awakens man causes him to open his eyes to see his miserable and wretched estate to see the danger wherein he stands As the Prophet opened the eyes of the Syrians and let them see they were in Samaria in the hands of their enemies Thus Christ awakens man opens the eyes of mans understanding and makes him see himselfe in the hands of Satan lead away captive by him at his will in the gall of bitternesse and under the bond of iniquity poore blind naked miserable and wretched Christ makes him see the necessity he hath of his righteousnesse to justifie him of his power to deliver him of his intercession to reconcile God unto him and of his fulnesse to fill him Thus when Christ intended to live in Paul he first
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
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
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
left saith the Lord thou shalt multiply abundantly and be very fruitfull a mother of many spirituall children there is the fruitfulnesse of the Church for thy maker is thy husband there is Gods Covenant the soules wedlock with the Lord Jesus is ever attended with spirituall fruitfullnesse but the strangers to this Covenant continue barren like a Woman without a Husband 3. Hee is without the Lords gracious and sure protection God is a Sunne and a Shield to them that are within his Covenant that walke uprightly as the Psalmist speakes to these he is a wall of fire round about them these he keepeth as the apple of his eye these he watereth like a Vineyard every moment and keepeth them day and night least any hurt them but them that are without his covenant he leaveth them as a Vinyard without an hedg as a flock without a Shepheard a City without a Watch-man these the Lord leaveth to their sins as a sick-man to his disease to Satan as a wandring Sheepe to the Lyon as a barren field to the wilde Boare and Beast of the Forrest these he leaveth to their enemies to spoyle them these have no hiding place under the shadow of Gods wings when dangers doe assault them The men of the old world which were without the Arke were left to the waters to swallow them they that are without the Covenant of God in Christ are lyable to a deluge of woes and miseries to surprize them 4. He is without all spirituall claime and title to any blessing The woman which is not in matrimoniall covenant with the Master of the house hath no title to the things of the House Christ is the heire of all things he that is not in covenant with Christ not married to Christ though he hath a civill right in respect of men yet hee hath noe spirituall right in respect of Christ to any thing God as a bountifull Master feeds him as a servant but he possesseth noâ—hing as a Son he can claime nothing he enjoyes nothing as a Son an Heyre and Co-heyre with Jesus Christ 5. He is without the blessing of God Gods blessing goes with his Covenant They saith St. Paul which are of the Faith true beleevers partakers of the Covenant they are blessed with faithfull Abraham they are blessed as in the Justification of their soules so in their persons in their possessions in their civill and religious performances and in all their sufferings and severall changes but such as are without the Covenant are farre from blessing The wrath of God saith St. John abideth on them on their persons on their possessions on their undertakings the Lord sets his face against them for evill and not for good that which is good in it selfe turnes for evill unto them their very blessings turne to a curse as the meat of diseased bodies turnes to evill humours their very Table becomes their snare yea the word of life becomes to them the savour of death unto death and Christ himselfe who is the way the truth and the life becomes a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence 6. He is without peace there is no peace saith the Prophet to the wicked no spirituall no true peace to them that are not within the Covenant of peace they are as the tossed Sea which hath no rest but is in continuall agitation casting up mire and dirt there is gravell in their bread which makes it bread of sorrowes to them there is a thorne in their bed which causeth their sleepe to depart from them with Belshazar they have a hand-writing appeares in the wall of their Banquetting-house which turnes their merry feasting into dismall feare and trembling and in the midst of their sufficiency they are in straights there is a worme within them continually biting and gnawing them causing their hearts to meditate terrour the thought of God is terrible to them as the thought of a severe Judge to a guilty malefactor the thought of the Word affrights them as the light a theefe having stolne goods about him and by this you may in part at least discerne the uncomfortablenesse of their estate who are without the Covenant CHAP. XVII Proposing certaine markes and characters of mans being within the Covenant CArnall mans estrangement from the Covenant of grace and misery in being without it should occasion every man to examine his owne estate in this behalfe and strive to find in himself sound and cleare evidence of his interest in this Covenant which may be discerned 1. By Gods being all in all to man this is a prime parcell of the Covenant I will be their God the husband is to the woman joyned in matrimoniall covenant with him instead of all and more then all other men God is to him that is in covenant with him instead of al other things as Elkana said to Hannah Am not J to thee better then ten sons thus is God to the soule espoused to him better then all things to such a one God is a Father regenerating a Sun enlightning a dweller possessing a King commanding a Guide leading a Treasure enriching a Friend comforting and a Fountaine filling he is such a soules summum bonum his shield for defence his rocke for supportment his Counsellour for advice his Paradise for comforts his Bridegroome for love his Friend for communion and his Portion for satisfaction he is able to say Whom have J in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever God his making himselfe ours in the way of sanctification satisfaction and spirituall comfort is a sweet assurance of our being within his Covenant 2. By mans full application of himselfe to God this is another branch of the Covenant they shall be my people Schollars in my Schoole learning my will servants in my house doing my worke Souldiers in my army fighting my battels Subiects in my Kingdome receiving my Lawes and studying the exaltation of my name Children in my Family abiding in my house delighting in my presence and rejoycing in their communion with me and trees of Righteousnesse in my Orchard bringing forth all their fruit to me they shall be all that they are unto me as a wife is what she is unto her husband bringing forth children unto her husband and caring how to please her husband thus they who are in covenant with God strive to be all that they are unto God doe all for God their full and constant care is how to please God they are not their own they live not after their own fancy they intend not themselves in what they do but they are the Lords in their understandings to know him in their wils to intend him in their imaginations to think upon him in their affections to feare and trust
SVVEET AND Soule-Perswading INDVCEMENTS Leading unto CHRIST DEDVCED 1. From the Consideration of Mans Misery Emptinesse Basenesse and Dishonour without Christ 2. From the Meditation of the Comforts attending the Soules receiving of CHRIST 3. From the Apprehension of the Joy and Excellency of Christs living in Man The whole singularly sweetning the Meditation of Christ to the Soule of Man Hoe every one that thirsteth come to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Wherefore doe ye spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not ISA â—5 1 2. Draw me and we will run after thee the King hath brought me into his chambers we will be glad and reioyce in thee we will remember thy love more then wine CANT 1.4 BERN. SERM. 43. in CANT Aridus est omnis animae cibus si non oleo isto infunditur insipus est si non hoc sale conditur si scribas non sapit mihi nisi legero ibi Jesum si disputes aut conferas non sapit mihi nisi sonuerit ibi Jesus By Alexander Grosse Minister of CHRIST LONDON Printed by G. M for Iohn Bartlet at the Signe of the Gilt-Cup neare Saint Austins-Gate MDCXXXII To the Christian READER Reverend and Christian Reader THere is nothing more pleasant and comfortable more animating and inabling more ravishing and soule-contenting to a true Christian then the frequent and serious meditation of Christ then an holy and humble sweet and constant commerce and communion with Christ Christ Iesus being the whole of mans happinesse the Sunne which gives him light in darknesse the Physition which heales his soules sicknesse the wall of fire which defends him in the assaults of all enemies the Friend comforting him in his heavinesse the Aâ—ke supporting him in the deluge of all his distresses the Rocke sustaining him under the heaviest pressures the enjoyment of Christ solaceth in the deepest sorrowes the want of Christ distracteth in the greatest worldly abundance Who but Christ is the cloudy Pillar protecting and leading Gods Israel the heavenly Manna feeding the Lords people the brazen Serpent curing Gods children of the sinfull venome which the fiery Serpent hath infus'd into them Who but Christ is the Propitiatory or Mercy-Seat in whom mercy is seated and through whom it is revealed and communicated to all that thirst after it the Jacobs ladder by whom God descendeth unto man and man ascendeth unto God the Table of Shew-bread on whom our soules are feasted the Candle-stick by which the Church of God is enlightned the Altar of perfume in whose name and through whose mediation we and our prayers are accepted the brazen Laver in whose blood we are washed and the fiery Chariot by which we shall at the last like Eliah be translated in transcendent glory and triumph Nothing can make that man miserable who hath Christ for his possession the fullest confluence of all abilities can never make that mans estate truly comfortable who hath no Christs fullnesse communicated to him Christ being the onely Well which is able to refresh and fill us when all our vessels like Hagars prove empty bottles the onely â—onductor who is able to lead us when we are to passe thorough the Wildernesse and red Sea of manifold adversities the only Companion able to comfort us When God cals us with the three children to walke in the fiery fornace of sharpe and scorching trials the onely Joshua the onely Captaine of the Lords Hosts who can rescue us when the Amoritish Princes either men or Divels doe besiege us sweet and sure is their Refuge who are under the protection of the Lord Iesus He is a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest rivers of waters in a dry place the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land The life and liberty peace and safety joy and victory wealth and glory of a Christian is treasured up in Christ Be therfore instant and industrious giving all diligence 1. To make Christ sure unto thy selfe With Boaz in another case be in no rest untill thou hast finished this thing this day Christ is richly worth the having all the residue without Christ is worth nothing Stand not upon the cost whither paines or study teares or prayers peace or wealth goods or name life or liberty sell all for this pearle Christ is of that worth and use that thou canst never over buy him though thou gavest thy selfe and all the world for him the making sure of Christ is the assurance of all the rest 2. Stand for Christ take Christs part be on his side whoever be against him the victory ever passeth on Christs side at last all his faithfull Souldiers are glorious Conquerours they all have crownes though sometimes they swimme unto them in blood take to thee therefore the heart and courage of Shammah one of Davids Worthies who stood and defended the field when all the rest fled Thus abide thou with Christ stand for him defend his Truth his Worship his Church and children though all others fly from him or rise up against him there is more joy and glory in Christs sufferings then in the triumph of profane persons there is more dignity in Christs thornes then in their golden crownes the more thou loosest for the Lord Iesus the greater is thy advantage he is unworthy the name of a Servant that will not stand by his Lord and Master in time of dangers She dishonours the name of a wife that refuseth copartnership with her husband in his troubles he is unworthy of a name either with God or man worthy to have his name buried in everlasting infamy that will not stand by Christ with most resolution and confidence wiâ—h most courage and boldnesse when men and Divels oppose Christ with most rage and violence ô then as Maevius that noble Centurion of Augustus being taken and brought unto Antonius and demanded how hee would be handled heroically answered Command mee to be slaine because neither the benefit of life noâ— the punishment of death can move me either to cease to be Caesars souldier or to begin to be thine Thus whatsoever doe befall thee though a thousand deaths be threatned to be inflicted on thee let neither the hope of life nor the feare of death draw thee to cease from being Christs souldier or to begin to sight under the worlds banner it is more noble and comfortable to die the most ignominious death for Christ then to live the most glorious worldly life with the deny all of Christ 3. Doe not stand aloofe off from Christ when Christ is upon the Crosse Doe not halt and neutralize in the houre of Christs and his Churches troubles he that is not Christs friend is Christs enemy He that is not with him is against him It is Salomons observation of the sloathfull He that is sloathfull in his worke is
and rule over us wholly subjecting our selves to the Scepter of Christ Jesus as a Priest to sanctifie us to expiate our offences and make atonement for us relying solely on Christs merits We must receive him in all his Ordinances in his word regenerating renewing reforming us in his Sacrament feasting strengthening sealing up his love and the forgivenesse of our sin unto us We must receive him in his Ministers as a Prince in his Embassadors as a Bridegroome in his friends in his members as a father in his children as a husband in his wife in his precepts as a King in all his Lawes obeying them in his promises as a faithfull friend in all his words beleeving them in his gifts and dispensations as a giver in his gifts as a workman in his workmanship as the eye receiveth the Sunne in his light and the ground the cloud in the raine and dew distilling thereupon Wee must receive him in our understandings as a light in our wils as a Prince in our thoughts as a treasure in our affections as a Lord and Master fearing him as a sure foundation building upon him as a bridegroome being full of love towards him The full receiving of Christ in the Gospell fils the soule with fulnesse of grace and consolation He that doth not universally receive Christ doth not at all receive Christ He that doth not surrender all truly surrenders none to Christ He that shuts Christ out of one roome of his soule leaves his whole man to the possession of sinne Satan and the world 8. Perpetually Christ must be received once and forever the Covenant between the soule and Christ is an everlasting Covenant a Covenant of wedlocke the Covenant between the husband and the wife is for ever untill death the husband is the guide delight and object the wifes love for ever so long as life lasteth Christ must be received as the soules guide and love for ever Christ must shine in the understanding as an everlasting Sunne rule in the will as an everlasting Prince possesse the soule as an everlasting dweller and abide in the affections as an everlasting husband The soule which truly receives Christ in the Gospell is an everlasting lover of Christ as Hyram loved David ever an everlasting servant to Christ as the servant under the Law which had his eare boared abode a servant in the house for ever as the land of Canaan was to Jacob and his seed an everlasting possession so must Christ be our everlasting portion we may not receive Christ and thrust him out againe as sicke men receive a Physitian and put him off againe as soone as the disease is put away as a besieged City receiveth souldiers and turnes them off againe as soone as the siedge is removed as the Philistines received the Arke and sent him away againe when Dagon could not stand before him as Amnon received Thamar and thrust her out of doores againe hating her more then ever he loved her Such are very base receivers of Christ as receive him either for fancy novelty or constraining necessity He is a very Philistine that will rather thrust Christ from him then suffer the fall of his Dagon his base lust or corrupt affection their love to Christ when at the best was but fained and counterfeit which afterwards turnes to hatred He is no sonne but a slave no Spouse but a harlot which abides not with Christ to the end Having therefore once received Christ to seweth Christ retaine Christ in every estate abide with Christ Man changes as Ittai with David in life and in death CHAP. V. THus of the manner of receiving Christ in the Gospell the second thing is the medium or meanes disposing and inabling us to receive Christ with rejoycing and thanksgiving The meanes are these 1. A full and through deposition and putting aside of all that is contrary to Christ 1. there must be a deposition of sinne all motes distempers and blindnesse being put away out of the eye the eye joyfully receives the Sunne ignorance and errour being put out of the understanding Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse is joyfully received in our knowledge the knowledge of Christ becommeth cleare and pleasant to the soule witherednesse and infirmity being removed from the hand the hand readily receives the gift Unbeleefe which wounds and withers the hand of faith being removed from the heart man cheerFully entertaines Christ and is filled with all ioy in beleeving rebellious proud and mutinous persons being put out of the kingdome the King is joyfully entertained by the people pride imaginations and every high thing which doth exalt it selfe against the knowledge of God being cast downe and brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ Christ is gladly received strange love and strange lovers being put farre from the wife the husband is cheerfully received by the wife the removall of strange lusts and corrupt affections prepares the heart to a joyfull entertainment of Christ He that doth not sorrow for his sinne cannot rejoyce in Christ He that doth not hate the former can never love the latter He that doth not empty himselfe of the one can never be filled with the other The Jebusites told David unlesse he tooke away the blind and the lame hee should not enter into the fort of Syon Unlesse wee take away the blind and the lame ignorance infidelity and all uncleannesse out of our soules Christ will never enter into our hearts we cannot receive Christ into our soules the keeping in of sin is the keeping out of Christ the holding fast of corrupt affections is the loosing of Christ Jesus as the Philistines keeping up of their Dagon wrought a removall of the Arke 2. There must be a deposition of the world in affection We must not love it in cogitation we must have no distracting thoughts about it in estimation we must not overprize but esteeme it as a thing which is not in c inquisition we must not seeke the things which are here below as if our happinesse consisted in the finding of these things in subjection we must not be the servants of the world in affiance we must not build upon them in rejoycing we may not rejoyce in them He that is married to the creature is divorced from Christ he that loves this hath no love to Christ he that is the servant of this cannot serve Christ therefore as Christ overthrew the tables of the money-changers and whipt the buyers and sellers out of his fathers house so must we whip the love thought command and delight of the world out of our hearts that we may receive Christ it is a great unhappinesse to lose Christ for the gaine of the world it were strange folly in a woman to refuse a wise a potent beautifull victorious and noble Prince and marry her selfe to a foolish impotent base beggerly and deformed captive
imperfections the name of birth of wealth of art of strength and humane excellencies are a name of no esteeme with God for God is no respector of persons None of these names have wisedome to open the mystery of mans salvation worth to satisfie Gods justice or ability to dissolve the works of Satan or sanctifie the soules of men Christ alone communicates salvation to the Lords people the Arke was the only place of safety to Noah from the deluge Christ is the onely safeguard of the soule of man from the deluge of destruction all that were out of the Arke perished in the waters there is no salvation to them that are out of Christ Jesus Christ is the head and root enlivining man The body of Lazarus lay corporally dead till Christ raised it the soule of man lies spiritually dead untill Christ quickens it Christ is the Sunne enlightening man the world without the Sun is in darknesse the soule without Christ is in blindnesse none of the Magitians and wise men onely Joseph was able to interpret Pharaohs dreame Neither man nor Angell but Christ onely hath revealed his fathers will and counsell touching mans salvation Christ is the Conquerour that vanquisheth the adversaries of mans peace all Israel stood trembling onely David overthrew the great Goliah Christ through death destroyed the Devill that had the power of death and delivered them who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage Christ is the surety that payes mans debt he gave himselfe a ransome for man whom all the world could not redeeme Christ is the fountaine purging the sinne of mans soule none of the rivers of Damascus only Jordan cleansed the leprosie of of Naaman neither man nor Angell only the Lord Jesus can purge away mans uncleannesse Christs righteousnesse is the roabe which covers us and makes us appeare just in Gods presence Jacob obtained the blessing not in his owne but in his elder brothers apparell Man is accepted of God obtaines the blessing of pardon and peace not through his owne but through the righteousnesse of Christ Christ is the treasure and store-house which filleth man all the garners in the land of Egypt were empty onely Joseph had provision for them all the soules of men are empty only Christ filleth all in all Christ is the Prince of mans peace and Authour of mans reconciliation with God Iosephs brethren being shepheards were an abomination to the Egyptians but by Iosephs meanes they came nigh to Pharaoh and found favour with him Man by reason of his sinne is an abomination to the Lord but through Christ he commeth nigh to God and finds sweet and gracious acceptance of God and thus as in a glasse we see all the causes of mans salvation and eternall happinesse derived and flowing from and through Christ Iesus God ministring all his fulnesse unto man by Christ and accepting man and all his holy service in Christ he that looks beside or beyond Christ for salvation looks beyond the fountaine for water to refresh him beyond the Sunne for light to guide him and beyond the rocke for a foundation to support him he that layes not firme and sure hold on Christ never meets with sweet with sure and everlasting peace he that truly embraceth Christ may undoubtedly perswade himselfe of his salvation he hath a guide of infinite wisedome to direct him a rocke of invincible strength to sustaine him a rich and royall roabe of absolute purity to cloath and cover him a Conquerour of insuperable power to subdue all that doth oppose him an Advocate or never failing intercession to take off all the accusations which are brought against him and a fiery Charet to carry him through all difficulties to sweet and everlasting rest in the highest heavens Christs comming in his Fathers name Christs authority and ability to minister salvation makes manifest their folly and vanity their pride and insolency who leaving Christ and the rules which he hath given the lawes of divine worship which he hath prescribed betake themselves to humane traditions and selfe-inventions teaching and receiving for doctrines the commandements of men a practise 1. very derogatory to the Authority and dominion of Christ who is the King of the Church whose voice alone ought to be heard in the Church of God who is set over the house of God and ought to be observed as the Lord and Master of the house by the whole family of faith and houshold of God who is exalted above the Church as the head above the members as the husband above the Spouse Doth not a Subjects receiving of Lawes from a forraine Prince much derogate from the authority of his owne Soveraigne Doth not a servants receiving direction from another man in his service annihilate his Masters jurisdiction Doth not a wives conforming her to the prescription of a stranger obscure and darken and even disanull the authority of her husband And what else doe the embracers of forraine and strange inventions but deny and disanull the jurisdiction and dominion of Christ Doth not our Saviour say to such You have made the Commandement of God of none effect through your traditions The observation of mens devices in Gods service is a transgression of Gods precepts He that thinks to honour and please God by thrusting upon God his owne devises in stead of honouring and pleasing him doth very highly dishonour and provoke him No man doth further honour Christ then he conformes himselfe to the Law and rule of Christ 2. This also argues much pride and presumption in man who but a proud Subject will take upon him to give a Law to his Soveraigne how he shall be obeyed who but an insolent servant will take upon him to prescribe to his Lord and Master how he shall be served and who but a proud soule durst take upon him to give a Law unto his God how he shall be adored who but the great Master of humane traditions sitteth in the Temple of God as God and exalts himselfe above all that is called God The most superstitious are the proudest of all persons their very humility is ambition who have a spirit of superstition overswaying them they adore themselves and not Christ who neglect the rule which Christ hath given and worship after their owne invention His servant man is to whom he obeyes he that worships according to a rule of his owne framing serves himselfe and not God instead of obeying God he becomes a Law-giver unto God This doth much impeach and disparage the perfection of Christs and the sufficiency of the Scriptures If there be light enough in the Sunne what needs a candle If all the treasures of wisedome be hidden in Christ and his word able to make man wise unto salvation what need or use in this behalfe of mans invention addition ever supposeth imperfection 4. This is very perillous to the soules of men He that leaves Christ and his word and
applyes himselfe to tradition like the foolish man in the parable he leaves the rocke and builds upon the sand which will sinke under him he forsakes the firme pillar and leanes upon a withered reed which will pierce him he goes from the living fountaine to the broken cisterne wherein is no water to refresh him he refuseth the wheat and feeds upon the chaffe which will choake him he rejecteth the vine the Olive and the Fig-tree and addresseth himselfe to the bramble which will nor feed nor shelter him but scratch and pricke goare and torture him Humane observations like the foolish Virgins Lamps are empty there is no light in them Like the Tree in the Gospell which had leaves and no fruit these are no trees of Gods planting no good fruit groweth on them no blessing but a curse attends them These like the sonnes of Sheva have no power to overcome Satan in stead of ministring freedome they imbondage the soule to Satan these like Jobs friends are miserable comforters and Physitians of no value in stead of healing they wound instead of nourishing they destroy in stead of gathering home the soule of man to Christ endearing man to God and bringing him to communion with God and Christ they separate man from God oblige man to Satan and associate the soule with the Devill according to that of the Apostle dissuading the Corinthians from the superstitions and inventions of the Gentiles saying I would not that ye should have fellowship with the Devils ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of the Devils ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of Devils He that worships God by humane tradition serves not God but Satan as we cannot serve God and Mammon no more can we worship God and an Idoll The sacrifice which is not offered to God with fire from his owne Altar is an abominable oblation whatsoeuer duty act or exercise of Religion hath not Gods word for the rule of it is in Gods interpretation a service of Satan and in stead of pleasing provokes Gods indignation They have moved me to jealousie saith the Lord with that which is not god they have provoked me to anger with their vanities a fire shall be kindled in mine anger and shall burne unto the lowest hell and shall consume the earth with her increase As Christ therefore is come in Gods name furnished with all authority and dominion so let us in every thing receive our commission and direction from him The perfection of Christs authority and dominion and fulnesse of divine abilities presseth man to foure duties towards Christ 1. A duty of Subjection as to him that hath supreame authority We are charged by a voice from heaven to heare him to him is given a name above every name and to him must we make all the faculties of our soules and all the members of our bodies to vaile and stoop as all the sheaves in Josephs vision fell downe before his sheafe To him let us subject our selves 1. Spiritually The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart arising from an inward principle of true grace Worshipping in Spirit and in truth is the worship which Christ requireth accepteth and wherein he delighteth obedience from an unsanctified heart is but filthy water from an uncleane fountaine and bad fruit of a corrupt tree Christ takes no pleasure in it the sacrifice prayer and whole way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. 2. To Christ let us subject our selves filially not as slaves for feare of hell but as sonnes for love having a holy affection awing us and making us loath to offend Christ our love to and delight in holinesse moving us to walke in the way of Gods precepts serving him without feare without base and servile feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life 3. To Christ let us be subject universally Moses built the whole Tabernacle after Gods patterne man must build his whole conversation according to Christs prescription that obedience which is not universall is unsound and hypocriticall the Law is one Copulative he that allowes himselfe in the breach of one precept is guilty of the whole Law he that makes not conscience of all truly makes conscience of none It is in vaine with Herod to doe many things reserving an Herodias in our bosomes It is to no purpose with Saul to slay the refuse of the stuffe reserving to our selves the lowing Oxe and bleating Sheep his heart is not right with God that walks not in all the wayes of God he doth truly hate no sinne that labors not the mortification of all sinne As the carefull Scholler therefore writes according to the whole copy so let us have respect to the whole Law of God and as sometime Jonathans armour-bearer said to him Loe I am with thee according to thy heart turne thou which way soever thou wilt Thus let us be with Christ even after Christs owne heart let us be with him which way soever he turnes before us in his word walking with Zachary and Elizabeth in all the ordinances of God 4. To Christ let us subject our selves speedily As Abraham rose up early and put away the bond-woman and her sonne so let us rise up early and put away our sinnes betimes Let us not sleep and slumber like the foolish Virgins with empty Lamps but let us hasten our soules out of sin to Christ as the Angels hasted Lot out of Sodome Let us consider our wayes and turne to the testimonies of the Lord Let us make haste and not delay as the erring traveller hasteneth to his right path Let us remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth and seeke him while he may be found and as Ahimaaz ran as soone as Joab gave him a commission so let us labour to be as ready to obey as Christ to command speedy obedience doth much honour and commend mans service 5. To Christ let us subject our selves freely not mercinarily as hirelings but freely as friends serving Christ for Christ himselfe intending Christ and his glory above our selves in all our services moving to Christ fully and freely as the rivers to the Ocean As Rachels beauty induced Jacob to twice seven yeares service so let Christs beauties the apprehension we have of Christs perfections worke and draw us to a free and ready service of Christ in all difficulties Christ abhorres all basenesse all by and sinister respects in mens services He that serves not Christ for Christ himselfe serves not Christ but himselfe 6. To Christ let us subject stedfastly as the wise to the husband untill death keeping the commandement alwayes unto the end abiding with Christ as Ittai with David in life and in death Perseverance with Christs Jesus crownes mans service He that continueth to the end shall be saved A second duty which the fulnesse
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
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
I have Christ who doth quicken me who doth rule and guide and strengthen me by his Spirit now I live spiritually and holily now I live to God and not unto my selfe to Christ and not unto the world now I live under grace and not under the Law now I live according to the will of Christ and not after mine owne lust and fancy now I live indeed formerly I did but seeme to live All life is as nothing yea as a very death in comparison of a holy and gracious life Men without grace are as dead even while they live He that hath not Christ living in him sits in darknesse and the shadow of death all the dayes of his naturall and temporall life as the Apostle said of the Law compared to the Gospell That which was made glorious had no glory by reason of the glory that excelleth so in this case the naturall life of man howsoever deare and precious sweet or glorious it may seeme to be yet it is of no price of no sweetnesse of no glory in comparison of the worth glory sweetnesse and comfort of a spirituall life which excelleth great is that mans happinesse that lives by the life of Christ Jesus Hee is the most blessed and happy of all living persons that lives the life of grace and holinesse CHAP. XII SEcondly this is proposed negatively yet not I. I live in deed and yet I live not in respect of originall The life which I live is not of nature but of grace not of my selfe but of Christ In respect of the rule which guides my life though I live in the flesh yet I live not after the flesh I am not led by my lusts but by the Spirit of Christ I live not after my owne fancy but according to the will of Christ in respect of the meanes by which I live I live not by the chaffe of humane traditions selfe-devises carnall doctrines and inventions of men or superstitious observations but I live by the wheat of Christs doctrine the sincere milke of Gods word this is the staffe and stay of my life In respect of the end or terme to which I live I live not to my selfe I seeke not I exalt not I magnifie not my selfe I propose not mine owne ends but I live to Christ I intend propose and exalt Christ I strive to be all that I am unto Christ In respect of the opinion and apprehension which I have of my selfe I live not as mine owne Lord and Master but I carry my selfe as a crucified man suffering nothing in me to exalt it selfe against Christ but I prostrate all at the feet of Christ I make all to vaile and bow to Christ that Christ may live and reigne in me looke upon my selfe as the chiefe of sinners and the basest of creatures as unworthy of the least of Christs mercies I deny my selfe I allow no place within me to mine owne wisedome and reason to my owne will and affections to mine owne fancy and desires I looke on these as empty lamps that have no light as on false guides and treacherous friends that have no truth I handle these as traitors that conspire against the welfare of my soule I trample and tread these under foot as enemies to my peace I silence these and will not heare them speake I suppresse these and will not suffer them to raigne I mortifie these and will not suffer them to live and thus I live and live not hence we learne That he who lives the life of grace and true holinesse doth wholly deny himselfe his owne ends counsels and affections and altogether prostrates himselfe and all that is his under Christ Iesus He put himselfe and all that he hath under Christ he implyes himselfe and all that he hath for Christ in all that he doth he chiefly minds and intends Christ In Iosephs vision the Sun Moone and eleven Starres these celestiall creatures did obeysance unto him and all the sheaves in the field vailed unto his sheafe in the soule life way and worke of a regenerate man all the supernaturall gifts and graces all the morall abilities and endowments and all the naturall powers and faculties of the soule with all the members of the body all the labours of the life and whatsoever else doe obeysance unto Christ are made subject and serviceable unto Christ True Christians are termed by the Apostle a living sacrifice The sacrifice under the Law was no more his that offered it but the Lords and wholly to be spent in the service of the Lord the Christian who offers himselfe unto God under the Gospell is no more his owne but the Lords to be imployed wholly in the service of the Lord this our Saviour imposeth as a necessary duty and setteth it forth as a cleare and lively character of a true Disciple and sincere Christian If any man saith he will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me If any man will come after me as a Scholler after his teacher receiving my instruction as a sheep after his shepheard feeding in my pastures as a souldier after his Centurion fighting my battels as a Subiect after his Soveraigne obeying my commandements as a bride after her bridegroome making me the compleate object of his love and embracing me as the husband of his soule if any man will come after me in the knowledge of my will in the beleefe of my promises in the love of my truth and in the obedience of my precepts Let him deny himselfe Let him lay aside his owne wisedome as an empty lamp his owne will as an evill commander his owne imagination as a false rule his owne affections as corrupt counsellors and his owne ends as base and unworthy marks to be aymed at let him deny himselfe whatsoever is of himselfe within himselfe or belonging to himselfe as a corrupt and carnall man let him goe out of himselfe that he may come to me let him empty himselfe of himselfe that he may be capable of me that I may raigne and rule within him that he may wholly subject himselfe to me and my service there is no true following of Christ and his example no through subjection to Christ and his precepts without the denyall of our selves and our affections without the rejection of our owne ends and counsels this the Apostle stiles a living not unto our selves but unto him that dyed for us not to live unto our selves by following our owne imaginations not to serve our owne lusts and affections not to terminate our selves within our selves by seeking our owne applause and profit by making our selves the Lords and Masters of our service serving our selves and not the Lord Jesus but to live to Christ to doe all in love and obedience unto Christ to referre all to the praise and glory of Christ It is a very base and carnall service which doth not primarily intend the Lord
Jesus surely he is farre from the life of Christ that doth not live to Christ that mans life is of a base corrupt and earthly originall the energy operation and intendment of whose living is not to exalt and make Christ glorious he alone truly understands the end of Christs death that makes Christs glory the end of his life and thus runs the charge of the Apostle to the Romanes Yeeld your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousnesse unto God Yeeld your selves to God as souldiers to their Captaine as servants to their Master to fight for God to worke for God to doe all for Gods glory let every faculty of the soule and member of the body even whatsoever belongs unto you be dedicated unto God and imployed in the worke and service of God that service which is not universall is hypocriticall he alone is a perfect servant that puts the whole man upon the service of the Lord as all the rivers come from the sea and returne and empty themselves into the sea Thus must we returne to God and empty our selves and all that we have into God prostrate it all under Gods feet and put it all upon the service of the Lord as Moses lest not a hoose behind him in Egypt but carried all out that he might sacrifice to the Lord of whatsoever the Lord would have thus we must not love a hoofe of our hearts thoughts loves desires behind us upon sinne and the world but take of all and sacrifice all to God and his service we must with the Baptist be willing to decrease that Christ may increase to become vile and of no esteeme with men that Christ may be exalted we must with the Macedonians give our selves to the Lord. We must give our understandings to know God our wils to chuse God our imaginations to thinke upon God our memories to remember God our affections to feare trust love and rejoyce in God our eares to heare Gods word our tongues to speake God praise our hands to worke for God and all our substance to the honour of God CHAP. III. ANd a holy and gracious Christian doth thus deny himselfe and put himselfe and all that he hath under Christ 1. In regard of that carnality vanity basenesse earthlinesse unworthinesse corruption and uncleannesse which he sees and feeles in his owne flesh in his owne affections ends and counsels He sees there is an emptinesse in himselfe that his owne flesh is an empty house wherein dwelleth no good and wherein is no sufficiency to the performance of any good duty he sees that his owne heart is a City full of treason deceitfull above measure and not to be trusted he feeles a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind as Rebeckah felt the twinnes in her wombe striving the one against the other he discernes that his owne wisedome is foolish an empty lamp a bleare-eye a false light he discernes that he is brutish and hath not the knowledge of the holy he sees much uncleannesse within himselfe many spots in his soule he sees that he is like Jacobs flocke spotty coloured like Noahs Arke wherein are many uncleane beasts among the cleane like the field in the parable wherein are many teares among the wheat he sees how he is yet in part carnall and sold under sin not fully freed and discharged from the strength and working of sinne he discernes an unhappy pronenesse in his heart to consult with flesh and bloud and to propose bie and sinister low and base ends and having the sight sence and sorrowfull experience of all this he denyes himselfe as Jacob having experience of the deceitfulnesse of Laban grew weary of him denyed him his service and went forth from him Thus a gracious man having experience of the corruption and deceitfulnesse of his owne heart and flesh growes weary of himselfe denyes himselfe goes out of himselfe commeth unto Christ and puts himselfe wholly under Christ and as the Evangelist said of Christ that knowing what was in man he would not commit himselfe unto man so sanctified man knowing what is in himselfe he will not commit himselfe unto himselfe he will not trust himselfe with himselfe he denyes his owne wisedome he becomes a foole in his owne apprehension and seeks to Christ to be made wise unto salvation he looks upon his owne righteousnesse as rotten ragges and comes to Christ for justification he considers his owne weaknesse and comes to Christ as the Gibeonites came to Joshuah to rescue him from his enemies he is experienced in the vanity of all other helpers and therefore comes to Christ as the diseased woman whom the Physitians could not cure that Christ may heale his spirituall maladies Man is ever so much the more strong and powerfull in the worke of self-denyall by how much the more clearly he discernes the carnality and basenesse of his owne heart and counsell He that knowes how subject he is to miscarry when he leanes upon himselfe will readily put himselfe and all that he hath under Christ 2. In regard of the holy strong and constant bent and inclination of the heart of a gracious Christian unto Christ As every thing moves towards its proper centre and is at no rest untill it comes to that so doth the sanctified soule incline and move to Christ the true centre of the soule and resteth not untill it comes to Christ and hath the fruition of Christ there is in a gracious soule such a principle of grace such a communication of Christ such a sutablenesse between the soule and Christ such a fervent and operative love towards Christ such a vehement longing after Christ that it mightily moves to Christ as the rivers to the sea that nothing but Christ can answer it quiet and content it there is in the soule such a blessed residence such a powerfull and gracious energy and operation of the Spirit of Christ that as the wheeles in Ezekiels vision moved wheresoever the living creatures moved because the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheeles so the soule moves after Christ because the Spirit of Christ is in the soule this makes it pant after Christ as the Hart after the water brookes this makes it thirst for Christ as the dry ground for waters this makes it follow hard after Christ as the childe with cryes and teares after the father going from it this makes it cry for Christ as sometimes Rachel did for children O give me Christ or else I dye and as David thirsted and his worthies burst through the army of the Philistines for water out of the wels of Bethel so the soule thirsting for Christ breakes through all the armies of opposition to come to Christ to refresh it selfe with Christ now it denies all leaves all passeth through
the ewes many set Christ behind the oxe and the asse the farme and the wife their merchandise and worldly trafficke they prize the world above Christ they love this more then they love Christ the love of the world carries their heart farre from Christ when their bodies draw neare to Christ the overvaluing of the earth is an undervaluing of Christ when the world is over sweet and savoury to mens palates their soules disrellish Christ and his ordinances whon the earth is pleasant like a Paradise Christ and all the meanes of grace are apprehended as a very wildernesse Some deny not their owne pleasures but value them above Christ as Esau did a few pottage above his birthright some deny not their pride but as Absalom sought to raigne though it were to the dishonour and deposall of his father David from his throne so they seeke to magnifie themselves though to the dishonour of God and deposall of Christ from his Throne in their hearts some deny not their owne worth and goodnesse they are rich and full in their owne opinions as the man in the Prophet which dreamed he had eaten and was full some deny not their owne superstitions they receive for doctrines the commandements of men they will see Christ in a glasse of their owne framing learne Christ in a schoole of their owne erecting and draw the waters of salvation out of a cisterne of their owne digging doubtlesse they are a very small number that have learned the lesson of self-denyall questionlesse Christ hath spirituall and heavenly dominion in the soules of few men Very full of base respects and purposes are the hearts of many that professe Iesus Christ The Prophet speaks of a day wherein seven women should take hold of one man saying we will eat our owne bread and weare our owne apparell onely let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach There is a day now wherein seven a very great number take hold of one man Christ by an outward profession but they will eat their owne bread and weare their owne apparell they will find their owne pleasures walke in their owne wayes keep themselves apparelled with the old man they will not deny themselves they will not put away their old things and make all things new they will only be called by the name of Christ to take away their reproach of being reputed Atheists and Infidels among men Many men that professe themselves Christians doe shamefully deny the Lord Iesus and are far from the denyall of themselves their owne counsels and affections CHAP. V. IF you demand whence it is and how it comes to passe that men are so backward in denying themselves and their owne ends and in subjecting themselves and all that they have unto Christ I answer of this there are seven grounds 1. Mans overvaluing of himselfe Man is very prone to thinke of himselfe above that which is convenient to pride himselfe in his endowments abilities to thinke of himselfe as the Queene of Babylon did that he is a Queene and no widow wise and not ignorant rich and not poore full and not empty holy and not prophane free and not bound as Goliah prided himselfe in the talnesse of his stature and bignesse of his armour so doth man pride himselfe in his naturall morall and temporall habiliments and furniture contrary to the charge of the Apostle Man is wise in his conceit and will not stoop to wholsome instruction he thinks himselfe sufficient for himselfe to guide himselfe to sustaine himselfe to make himselfe acceptable unto God Esau thought he had enough and refused his brothers present vaine man thinks he hath enough wisedome faith love holinesse enough and therefore refuseth the spirituall and heavenly presence of Christ his ordinances benefits graces and all helps to happinesse he dreams that he is wise when he is foolish spirituall when he is carnal full when he is empty like the Laodicean and this disables him to deny himselfe and subject himselfe to Christ he that supposeth he hath water enough at home in his owne cisterne will not goe to his neighbours well Thoughts of self-sufficiency hinder men from going out of themselves and comming unto Christ The Pharisees conceited so highly of their owne wisedome that they refused Christ and his doctrine the whole puts not himselfe under the hands of the Physitian to be dieted lanced and purged by him 2. The overswaying of corrupt and carnall lusts These oversway man as a Master doth his servant or a King his subject they rule and reigne within man and make man their servant the servant as S. Peter saith of corruption and as a servant is not his own man but his Masters is guided by his Master minds and intends his Master seekes the pleasing and profiting of his Master is bound and cannot enter into the service of another Thus these men are not their owne men but the servants of their lusts moved led and guided by their lusts minding and intending their lusts seeking to please and profit their lusts making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof To these they are bound and cannot put themselves into Christs service they cannot take upon them Christs yoake these oversway man as a lover is overswayed by his love Man is very indulgent to them as David to Absalom and as he charged the Captaines of his armies to deale gently with the young man Absalom so man is very loath to have his lusts roughly handled he wishes that all the Prophets would prophesie smooth things and deceits and as the haâ—lot in Solomon caused the young man with her much faire speech to yeeld and forced him with the slattering of her lips so that he went after her as an oxe goeth to the slaughter Thus these lusts with their flatteries and fleshly-seeming sweetnesse and bewitching eloquence doe make the soule yeeld and follow them and as strange love in a wife takes away her matrimoniall love from her husband and makes her regardlesse of him and disobedient to him Thus the indulgency and love of man to his lusts takes away his love from Christ makes him regardlesse of Christ and rebellious against Christ These lusts oversway man as a disease overswayes the body distempers the palate destroyes the appetite and makes the meat distastefull and irksome Thus doe these lusts distemper the foule and make Christ and his word the bread of life and food of the soule unpleasant the very savour of death unto death There is no possibility of self-denyall and subjection unto Christ as long as the soule is overswayed by any carnall lusts the dominion of sinne and subjection unto Christ are incompatable and inconsistent Abner could not serve David untill he denied his service and obedience to the house of Saul 3. An inordinate disposition of the heart toward the Creature The heart of man is inordinate towards
in the deepest outward misery rather then live without Christ in the greatest worldly prosperity peace and plenty 6. A corrupt framing and devising of false Christs and false wayes to life and peace Some frame unto themselves a carnall Christ placing all his worship and their service in a carnall and bodily attendance upon his ordinances they thinke it enough to come and stand before him in his house in this they stay and looke no further they suppose the having of the outward ordinances is the having of Christ some frame unto themselves a ceremoniall and superstitious Christ embracing the traditions of men and being very severe and frequent in the observation of humane devises they blesse themselves as the onely true worshippers of Christ some frame unto themselves a licentious Christ such a Christ as died to bring redemption to man but requires no obedience from Man this is the Libertines Christ and all these suppose they have Christ when yet they have him not and as he that is full is loath to beg and the full stomacke loatheth the honey-combe so these supposing that they have Christ are full of Christ though yet they have him not as he in Solomon made himselfe rich when yet he had nothing they are loath either to deny themselves or to seeke any further for Christ He that falsly faines himselfe to have Christ is of all others most uneasily drawne and wrought home to Christ The heathen man could say Many might have been wise if they had not already thought themselves wise and so many might have Christ if they were not perswaded they had already gotten Christ 7. Ignorance of the nature and sweetnesse of Christs yoake and of the comfort of living under the command of Christ. Men know not how good and pleasant the service of Christ is how full of joy and contentment the fruition of Christ is they imagine that Christs yoake is an yron yoake Christs way a way of thornes and the day of a Christian as a day of clouds and darknesse they know not that Christs yoake is made easie through grace that his wayes are wayes of peace and his paths paths of pleasantnesse they know not the ioy and reioycing arising from the having of our conversation in simplicity and godly sincerity they see not the Sun of love that shines upon the heads of the righteous they drinke not of that river of comforts which refresheth the city of the Lord they feed not upon the greene pastures nor taste of the still waters by which Christ leadeth and paâ—â—ureth his flocke they never knew the peace confidence security satisfaction safety and glory derived to the soule from the participation of Christ and therefore they will not put their neckes under Christs yoake CHAP. VI. IF you demand what the evils are which attend the want of self-denyall and full and through subjection unto Christ I answer hence arise these evils and great inconveniences to the soules of men 1. Vncapablenesse of Christ The full vessell is uncapable of other liquor the full house is uncapable of another dweller the full soule the soule which doth not deny it selfe which is not emptied of all self-sufficiency is uncapable of Christ as long saith the Apostle as the husband liveth the wife is bound to the law of her husband and she cannot marry another when her husband is dead she is free to marry whom she will As long as the creature liveth as long as opinion of self-sufficiency or any other lust doth live and beare sway in the heart of man Man is bound to the law of the creature and his owne lust he is under the power and authority of the creature and lust and he cannot marry his soule to Christ but if the creature be dead if the world be crucified unto him and he to the world if he hath crucified the flesh with the affections thereof then he is free to marry himselfe to Christ then he is capable of Christ Christ hath no gracious being where there is no true and through self-denyall that soule alone which is truly humble is Christs dwelling 2. Alienation and estrangement from all the benefits and comforts flowing from Christ. The Subject which exalts himselfe and denyes obedience to his Soveraigne deprives himselfe of all the prerogatives which the King grants unto his loyall people He that exalts himselfe with an opinion of his owne worth or sets up the creature in the roome of Christ and will not vaile and bow to Christ excludes himselfe from all the comforts of Christ He is estranged from the knowledge of Christ as a diseased eye from the light of the Sunne from the love of Christ as a harlot from the love of her husband from the faith of Christ as the house builded upon the sand was estranged from the rocke from the communion and fellowship of Christ as Joab exalting Adoniah into the Throne was excluded from communion with Solomon so man exalting the creature or any lust into the heart the Throne of Christ loseth all communion with Christ he that denyes not himselfe receives nothing of Christ he receives not Christ as a Prophet instructing he is still in darknesse and in the shadow of death he receives not Christ as a King to raigne and rule over him he feeles nothing of Christs kingdome within him he receives not Christ as a Priest he knowes not the vertue of Christs death in the death of his sinne he is still in his sinne without justification Adam preferring the perswasion of his wife above the commandement of God lost all his communion with God and was excluded from the Tree of Life Man exalting any thing above Christ excludes himselfe from God and Christ 3. Vanity emptinesse hallownesse of profession of Christ and attendance upon the ordinances The profession of Christ without self-denyall and full subjection under Christ is nothing worth a tree of leaves without fruit like that in the Gospell whose end was accursed Joah exalting Adoniah fled in vaine to the hornes of the Altar he was there slaine Man exalting himselfe or any thing else above Christ flyes in vaine to the ordinances of God to the outward profession of Christ Herods hearing the Baptist and doing many things stood him in no stead exalting Herodias in his heart the Philistines exalting Dagon had no benefit by the Arke they were the more plagued for the presence of it Mans very profession of Christ turnes to the increase of his condemnation not throughly subjecting himselfe to Christs dominion 4. Subiection abasement and thraldome under the creature and his owne sinfull flesh They that dreame of liberty by refusing to take the yoake of Christ upon them in stead of freedome meet with thraldome The Apostle saith of false Prophets while they promise others liberty themselves are the servants of corruption such false Prophets are these men to their
counsellor and instructer Self-denyall maketh such a one to become a foole by reputing his owne wisedome ignorance his owne knowledge foolishnesse by rejecting his owne understanding as an empty lamp wherein is no light by distrusting his owne reason as a blind guide by resigning himselfe wholly unto Christ as a scholler to the teacher to be taught by him by depending solely upon Christ as a traveller upon the guide to be directed by Christ by placing all his wisedome in being teachable and obedient to Christs doctrine Man must be emptied of his owne reason that will be filled with Christs wisedome he must renounce his owne will that will have the will of God to rule over him he that denies himselfe makes Christs wisedome his wisedome to guide him and Christs will the rule of his owne will to sway and command him 2. Cessation from mans owne selfe He that denyes himselfe ceaseth from himselfe he ceaseth from his owne wisedome from his opinion of it from his subjection under it from his being guided by it he ceaseth from his owne will from the sinfull bent and inclination of it from the carnall objects which it chuseth and from the corrupt dictates which it prescribeth he desires not the doing of his owne but of Gods will as a servant ceaseth from his owne and doth his Masters will he is borne of God and the motion and inclination of his will is towards God as the motion of the rivers is towards the Sea the Law of God is in his heart by knowledge and understanding by meditation and affection by inscription and dominion and he delights to doe the will of the Lord he ceaseth from his owne imaginations his thoughts are not high thoughts carnall thoughts worldly thoughts vaine thoughts but his thoughts are holy thoughts of God low thoughts of himselfe hatefull thoughts of sinne joyfull thoughts of Christ and sweet and pleasant thoughts of the word of God sleight and weake thoughts of the world The meditation of the Lord is sweet unto him and the Law of the Lord is his meditation all the day long he ceaseth from his owne affections he hath crucified the flesh with the affections thereof he doth not trust in himselfe but in the Lord he is no self-lover but an unfained lover of the Lord Jesus he doth not rejoyce in himselfe but in Christ he ceaseth from his owne pleasure he doth not live in pleasures making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof he is no lover no follower of corrupt and carnall pleasures he chuseth rather to endure affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season sinfull pleasures are more bitter and distastefull then any affliction to the soule which hath attained Christian self-denyall he ceaseth from his owne applause among men he is not desirous of vaine glory he is not affected and tickled with the sounding of the trumpet of mens praises he seeketh not the praise which comes from men but that which comes from God The more perfection man attaines in this gracious worke of selfe-denyall the lesse he regards mans commendation He that denyes himselfe reputes the testimony and approbation of God to be honour enough he ceaseth from his owne profit he seeks not his owne things but the things which are Christs He that denyes himselfe reputes it his choisest riches to glorifie Christ by his service he esteemes these labours of his most profitable which prove most advantagious and beneficiall to Gods Church and children not seeking his owne profit but the Prophet of many that they may be saved He that denyes himselfe is well pleased to be temporally poore that he may thereby make others spiritually rich A humble and gracious man reputes it a greater gaine to gaine a soule to God then to gaine the fulnesse of the world to himselfe Lastly he ceaseth from his owne works from his owne carnall and sinfull works from his owne proud and ambitious works from his owne greedy and covetous works he ceaseth from these as a traveller from a false path as Israel ceased from Pharaohs worke so doth he from the works of sinne Satan and the world he is no longer their servant he that denyes himselfe serves not himselfe but the Lord Christ is his high and great Master him he serves and to his honour he referres all his service The glorifying of the Lord Jesus is the supreame end of a good mans undertakings and the crowne of a true Christians labours 3 Full free and ready application of mans selfe to Christ He that denyes himselfe resigneth himselfe wholly into the hands of Christ as a scholler to the teacher to learne of Christ as a traveller to the guide to be directed by Christ as a servant to the Master to worke and serve for Christ as a souldier to the Generall to fight for Christ as a subiect to the King to receive Christs lawes and seeke Christs honour as a bride to the bridegroome to dwell with Christ to love and delight himselfe in Christ He that hath suffered in the flesh saith Saint Peter by mortification of his lusts by abnegation and denyall of himselfe he hath ceased from sinne from the life and power of sinne from the love and pleasure of sinne and from the trade and practise of sinne as a man that hath suffered death in the flesh ceaseth from his former life love pleasure and worke and he thus ceaseth from sinne that he may no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God he is no longer conformable to the sinfull example of men a follower of the lusts of men a servant of corruption but being crucified to these he lives to the will of God receiving all direction from it every way obsequious to it wholly applying himselfe to this one thing even to please God Self-denyall takes a man off from himselfe and the world and puts him wholly under God and sets him fully and effectually upon the worke of God This is sometimes termed a yeelding up of our selves to God as a sacrifice to be wholly spent in the Lords service sometimes giving of our selves to the Lord as a wife gives her selfe to the husband and sometimes a living unto Christ and a bringing forth of fruit unto the Lord and all this is to expresse their full application of themselves unto Christ who truly deny themselves and this is that which Christ cals a following of him and makes it a concomitant of self-denyall to follow him in his doctrine as a Disciiple in his precepts as a servant in his promises as a beleever in his sufferings as an imitator Self-denyall makes a man embrace Christ as the Pilate to guide him as the King to command him as the rocke to sustaine him and only fountaine to minister all fulnesse to him and causes a man
the love of Christ he doth glory in tribulation and though he is in heavinesse through manifold temptations yet beleeving in Christ he reioyceth with ioy unspeakable and full of glory Christ to him that denyes himselfe is a crowne in disgrace to honour him a friend in heavinesse to solace him a Sunne in darknesse to enlighten him a precious pearle in poverty to enrich him a helper in all desertions to sustaine him and a fountaine in all wants to supply him sweet and pleasant satisfactory and soule-ravishing are Christs ministrations to mortified and humble soules in their Christian sufferings 8. The prizing and valuing of Christs Crosse above the worlds Crowne He that indeed denyes himselfe esteemes it more happy more excellent and more honourable to partake of Christs sufferings then of the worlds rejoycings to be conformed unto Christ in holy sorrowes and afflictions then to be conformed to the world in carnall pleasures and fleshly exaltations he preferres the poverty reproach exilement bondage and death which doth usually attend Christ in the Gospell above the riches honour favour liberty and life which the world ministers to her followers Thus Moses denying himselfe esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt The reproach of Christ the disgrace losse trouble and persecutions with which the world doth pursue Christ truly preached and sincerely professed in the Gospell was of more esteeme with Moses then all the treasures of Egypt then all the honours riches favours and contentments which the world can affoord without Christ Christs poverty prison contempt hatred persecution is of greater price with him that denyes himselfe then the riches liberty crowne favour and peace which the world bestowes upon her choisest favourites and followers There is more dignity in the contempt of a Christian then in the crowne of a worldling there is more joy in Christian sufferings then in worldly pleasures The losse which man sustaines for Christ is greater gaine then the winning of the whole world without Christ the Devill and the world are much mistaken in their offering of violence wrongs and injuries to Christs members the poverty sorrow shame trouble bondage which they impose upon them prove riches joy honour peace and freedome to them Men are much deceived in their judgements supposing Christian sufferings miserable and contumelious the wife subject souldier servant repute it an honour to suffer for their Husband Soveraigne Generall Lord and Master and doubtlesse he that denyes himselfe cannot but account it as an honour to suffer for his spirituall Husband King Captaine Lord and Saviour He that denyes himselfe will chuse with David to be a door-keeper in the house of God rather then dwell in the tents of wickednesse to live in any low poor contemptible and despised condition enjoying communion with Christ rather then partake of all worldly fulnesse without Christ The Lord Jesus is a humble souls fulnesse whether it hath much or little of the world a little with Christ is honourable and full of contentation the greatest abundance without Christ is shamefull and attended with much distraction therefore the Apostle saith of himselfe and such as he was men denying themselves and enjoying Christ that they were as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull yet alway reioycing as poore yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things God is wonderfull in honouring protecting delivering rejoycing and satisfying the soules of the humble in sanctifying and sweetning their low poore and sad condition The Lord makes them see such glory springing out of their ignominy and such light shining out of their darknesse that they reioyce they are accounted worthy that they are vouchsafed this honour to suffer for Christs name they rejoyce in filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ suffering for Christ being thereby made conformable to Christ and having thereby communion with Christ and Christ taking their sufferings as his sufferings Christ suffering in them and they for him they are very joyfull in suffering the more a man denyes himselfe the more he rejoyceth in the crosse of Christ in Christ crucified for his sake and in his owne sufferings for Christs sake 9. Man making it his greatest honour to honour Christ He that denyes himselfe is 1. so inflamed with love to Christ that as a wife reputes it her choisest matrimoniall honour to advance her husbands honour to be according to Solomons phrase a crowne to her husband by her subjection under him by her choise sober and pious carriage towards him by her fidelity to him and by her industry and labour for him so the man that denyes himselfe reputes it his highest honour to honour Christ to be a crowne to Christ his spirituall husband by his gracious subjection under Christ by his holy walking towards Christ by his godly labour and industry for Christ 2. He that denyes himselfe hath his heart put into such a holy and humble frame made so graciously subject unto Christ and is so strongly and fully devoted to the service of Christ that as a good servant takes it as his prime glory to honour his Master to advance his Masters credit and profit so he that denyes himselfe like the good servant of Christ taketh it for a speciall honour to serve Christ to have his fruit unto holinesse to please Christ and not himselfe or others 3. He that denyes himselfe is so so sensible of so experienced in the vanity emptinesse basenesse and fugitivenesse of the honour that comes from men so out of love and liking with and so low prizing and esteeming the applause and praise of men that he accounts all other honour as no honour to that which ariseth from the honouring of Christ He esteemes it a greater honour to serve Christ in true holinesse in the lowest and poorest condition then to command nations and rule kingdomes remaining a stranger to Christs Scepter and service for he that in these things saith the Apostle in holinesse and true righteousnesse serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Gods acceptation and good mens testimony is a crowne of much honour to them that serve the Lord Jesus in true righteousnesse 4. He that denyes himselfe is so wrought out of himselfe so taken off from himselfe from minding intending and seeking himselfe that he reputes all his labour lost if it doth not bring some glory to Christ it is in his eye an arrow below the marke a casting of seed upon the sand a sowing to the flesh he reputes it a base and unworthy service which terminates in himselfe and not in Christ it is an abomination to him to be of their number who serve their owne belly their owne lust of pride pleasure or covetousnesse and not Christ 5. He that denyes himselfe is so taken up with the thought of Christ with
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.
good that riches honours pleasures are much to be desired and that the fulfilling of their owne lusts is very pleasant and therefore they bow downe the shoulders to beare the commands and injunctions of the creature and all the impositions of the flesh and become servants unto tribute To these they pay the tribute of distracting thoughts of tormenting cares of carnall confidence of inordinate love and of hard service and base servitude worshipping and serving as the Apostle saith the creature more then the Creator And for this cause Saint Paul stileth covetous self-seekers Idolaters because their self-seeking doth alienate them from God and drawes that love and confidence joy and delight which they should place in God to the creature and that service which they should imploy for God and that subjection which they should yeeld to God they bestow about and yeeld unto the creature and their owne lusts And as they are Idolaters for their prostration of themselves to the creature and their owne corrupt affections so they are Idols For the exalting of themselues above God minding intending and seeking themselves and not God they adore and serve themselves and not the Lord his s servants yee are saith Saint Paul to whom ye obey Self-seekers obey not God but themselves they conforme not themselves to the rules of Gods word but to the dictates of their owne hearts they propose not the glory of God but their owne ends and therefore they serve and adore themselves and not God Self-seeking excludes the soule of man from all communion with the true God and carries it to the world as to a false God and so proves a double abomination in the sight of God 10. Self-seeking is ever attended with self-loosing He that seekes himself and not Christ loseth both himself and Christ He that seeks himselfe takes a false rule to direct him erreth in his seeking and therefore loseth in stead of finding He builds his worke upon a false foundation and therefore sinks in stead of standing like the house built upon the sand in the Parable He puts himselfe out of Gods service and therefore misseth his great Lord and Masters wages He levels all his arrowes to a false marke and therefore like an Archer that shoots below the marke he shoots in vaine He leaves out God God is not in his thoughts he takes not God with him he takes not Gods counsell to guide him Gods power to assist him Gods blessing to make his undertaking prosperous and successefull and therefore in stead of a blessing the curse attends and waits upon him He intends not God but himselfe and therefore God leaves him to himselfe to prove the Author and workman of his owne ruine Present self-seekers and self-gainers prove in the event the greatest self-losers The last end and issue never answers the expectation of self-seekers their labour like the labour of the Ostritch is in vaine The Ostritch leaveth her egges in the dust the foot crusheth them and the wilde beast breaketh them Self-seekers lay all their labours in the dust all their care desire all their industry and endeavour is about the things which are here below they lay all their egges in the dust and all their labours at last are crusht and brought to naught Rahel had hard labour but the birth of her belly proved the death of her body Self-seekers have hard labour they labour like a woman in travell but their birth proves their death their gaine turnes to their losse their pleasure to their torment their honour to their shame Against such the Lord denounceth woe in stead of joy shame in stead of glory and desolation in stead of exaltation Woe saith the Lord to him that coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house that he may set his nest on high that he may be delivered from the power of evill Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people and hast sinned against thy soule For the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answer it Woe to him that buildeth a Towne with bloud and stablisheth a City by iniquity Behold is it not of the Lord of Hoasts that the people shall labour in the very fire and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity Very great and shamefull are the losses which wait on self-seekers their riches proves their poverty their refuge becomes their ruine and their exaltation their shamefull downfall Very great is that mans unhappinesse who in the prophane neglect of God and Christ Jesus labours to fill and furnish himselfe with earthly abilities Self-seekers build on false promises and feed themselves with deceitfull expectations The Lord turnes their imaginary calme into a tempestuous storme their devised paradise into a troublesome wildernesse and their intended crowne into reall shame The last event of their undertaking doth ever crosse their first intention that which is unlawfully sought and gotten proveth the instrument of mans great discomfort and trouble He that labours for himselfe and not for God and Christ Jesus is vaine in his labours like him that builds on the sand his house sinketh as fast as he erects it Like him that weaves a piece of cloth in or over the fire the fire burnes it as fast as he weaves it Losse vexation shame and ruine is the recompence and portion of self-seeking The estate of him that hath nothing is farre more pleasant blessed and comfortable then of him that hath a great abundance by self-seeking Of such the Lord saith by the Prophet declaring the vanity perill and perniciousnesse of their labours they have sowne the wind they have laboured in vaine as he that casteth forth an empty hand strives to sow but sowes not and they shall reape the whirlewinde their harvest the fruit of their labours shall be more troublesome then their first undertakings they that will be rich saith the Apostle they whose bent and inclination is to themselves and to the world who chiefly mind themselves and things earthly fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition Most wretched and uncomfortable is the gaine of self-seeking Satan hath great advantage against them they expose themselves to many temptations they lay themselves open to his arrowes to wound them the world like a snare intangles them their lusts grow strong within them and get Lordship over them and they make shipwracke of soule and body splitting the ship of their soules upon the rocke of worldly riches and what they supposed should have been a staffe to sustaine them becomes a burthen oppressing them and what they thought would have been a spring refreshing them becomes a Sea swallowing and utterly consuming them There is no other cause of self-seeking but inbondagement to Satan inthralment to the world servitude to corruption separation from God self-condemnation from mans owne conscience
of the cause contempt of God the cause of sin being found in every sin and in regard of Originall all other vices springing either mediately or immediately from this the more a man exalts himselfe the more he dishonours God the more a man doth lift himself up in his own conceit and opinion the more he doth cast plung himself into the gulf and mire of spirituall pollution fulnes of pride and fulnesse of uncleannesse are inseparable companions 2. Self-exaltation is the patron and protector of all other vices this blinds men that they cannot see their sinnes this hardens men that they will not confesse their sinnes this makes men such admirers of themselves and their owne wayes that they apprehend their very vices to be virtues this makes men studious and artificiall to cloake and colour and hide their sins this makes instruction and admonition the meanes of suppressing sin contemptible and causeth man with impudency and shamelesse boldnesse to maintaine and plead for his profanenesse the soule which learnes not to be humble cannot cease from transgression pride among other vices is like Goliah among the Philistines the Philistines were invincible untill Goliah was overthrowne other lusts in the soule of man are impugnable untill pride and self-exaltation is cast downe mans labour in the worke of mortification is vain and fruitles untill his pride is mortified the spirituall conquest is never gotten as long as pride beares the dominion He that overcomes not this overcomes no lust Selfe-exaltation in the soule of man is like a Castle or Fort and other vices like houses built under the Castle which cannot easily be assaulted and beaten downe because the Fort defends them the overthrow of other vices is impossible untill the Castle of pride is beaten downe in the heart of man the Pharisees being given to self-exaltation to the seeking and lifting up of themselves were under the power of every base lust erronious superstitious covetous malicious their very piety was nothing but hypocrisie he that doth not cease from himself will cease from no sinne if he be but once put upon the temptation therefore be not wise saith Solomon in thine owne eyes feare the Lord and depart from evill implying that where there is not a cessation from self-wisdome and self-exaltation there is no feare of God no keeping of Gods precepts no disposition no care to please God no cessation from sin for conscience sake therfore take away this vice saith Chrysostome that men would not appeare to men this vice of self-exaltation and all vices are cut off without labour Vpon the death of the first-borne of Pharaoh the children of Israel were delivered upon the mortification of pride the first-borne of the spirituall Pharaoh the soules of men obtain a gracious freedome Goliahs head being cut off all the Philistines fled the death of pride is the slight of all sinne he that exalts himselfe remaines both a stranger to the life power and comfort of all godlinesse and a nurse and patron to all unclean and base affections 3. Self-exaltation is the most invincible of all vices the roots thereof are so deepe and strong and so largely spread in the heart of man it puts the soule at such a great distance from God makes man so uncapable of Christ and heavenly wisdome so weds man unto himselfe and causeth man so to please and delight himselfe in himselfe so to prize the applause of man and to slight the approbation of God that there is no disease in the soul of man so uneasily cured no weed in the garden of mans heart so uneasily plucked up no enemy in the common-weale of mans soul so difficultly overcome as self-exaltation it is the hardest taske that ever man undertooke truly to deny himselfe and fully to prostrate and put himselfe under God and Christs yoake Pharaoh did many things in the way of love and honour to Joseph he put his ring upon his hand and arrayed him in vestures of fine linnen and set him over his house but yet he reserved this unto himselfe to be greater in the throne then Joseph man may doe much in the way of outward zeale for God he may exalt God very farre above his profit above his pleasure above his peace yea above his life and yet still reserve to himselfe a preheminence above God he may cloath the naked feed the hungry and give his body to be burned in the cause of God and yet doe all this for himselfe more then for his God for his owne applause more then for the praise of God for the having of a name with men more then for the glorifying of the name of God Of all conquests selfe-conquest is the most difficult most excellent most noble and glorious he that can rule his spirit saith Solomon his proud his self-seeking and self-exalting spirit is better then he that taketh a City Man hath no greater enemy then himself he never doth more excellently then when he overcomes himselfe the overcoming of a Kingdome is nothing in comparison of mans conquest of his owne corruption pride is the first evill in mans departure from God and the last evill which is overcome in man returning unto God Shamma stood it out and defended the field when the people fled Self-exaltation stands it out like a mighty champion in the heart of man when all other lusts seeme to fly when other lusts goe out like fire that wants fewell yet this lust of self-exaltation as long as any thing of the old-man remaines in man will put it self forth and strive to soare aloft and climbe up in the thron of God Man hath most cause to watch pray against self-exaltation of all the evils which are within him 4. Self-exaltation corrupteth and destroyeth all the gifts and graces bestowed on man the evill herbe in the Prophets pot made the pot a pot of death ambition and self-exaltation in the soule of man marres all the excellencies of man turns all his gifts into a pot of death poysons all the endowments of man the more he hath received the lesse mindfull he is of God the higher thoughts he conceiveth of himselfe the more able and active he sheweth himself in evill and the more he sleights and scornes all instruction That man of all others is the fittest instrument to doe the worke of the prince of darknesse in whom abilities and a proud spirit are concurrent this like leaven sowrs the whole lump of mans vertues the tree sweetned the waters of Marah which were bitter but this like gall and wormwood sowres and imbitters those gifts and abilities which in themselves are very sweet and of singular use making vertue and the duties of piety subject and serviceable to mans vain-glory it is Gregories observation that as humility cuts the sinews of all vices and strengthens all vertues so pride destroyes all vertues and strengthens all vices pride is a very pernicious and venimous
empty of God a stranger to God an enemy against God Christ is the Jacobs ladder by whom God cometh unto man and man ascendeth unto God God is knowne as a Father of love God is beleeved in as a king of mercies God is felt and tasted as the fountaine of grace and goodnesse only in and thorough Christ Jesus He that knowes not Christ working the life of grace and holines in him is under the death of sin and hath no cleare knowledge no comfortable remembrance no blessed taste and feeling no honourable and soul-ravishing apprehensions of God no delight in God no comfortable communion with God we discerne and apprehend God loving mercifull and gracious onely in and thorough Christ working in us the life of true holinesse mans thoughts of God are more or lesse joyous and delightfull according to the measure of Christs working within him CHAP. XIX THe second thing in these words is an agent or Author and that is Christ Christ liveth in his Saints he is the worker of this life the life of Gods children hath a very honourable originall it is not from a naturall but from a spirituall seed the life of nature is farre inferiour to the life of grace Life communicated by earthly Parents is an unworthy life in respect of that life which Christ doth minister unto us a life which goes not by generation but by regeneration a life communicable by no creature dispenced only by him who lives of himselfe and gives life to others at his pleasure according to S. Pauls open profession that Christ lived in him was the authour of the life of grace to him shewing us That Christ is the Authour of spirituall life to all Gods children he raised the body of Lazarus to a bodily life he rayseth our soules to a spirituall life he quickens whom he will he hath power to quicken all his will is to quicken only some when he was on earth he could have raysed all the dead to life yet he raysed but only a few thus now he hath power to quicken all men to a spirituall life but his will is to quicken only some such as God the Father hath chosen to salvation Christ saith S. John hath power over all flesh that he should give life to as many as God the Father hath given him all that partake of the life of grace derive and borrow the same from Christ who is the way leading the truth enlightning and the life quickning unto life everlasting and the Apostle saith our life is hid with Christ in God as the life of the branch is hid in the root and Christ is called our life by S. Paul and our life or the authour of spirituall life he is in us by way of Revelation he opens and shewes the way to life without Christ we are all in darknesse and the shadow of death and no man knows the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reveale him Our life he likewise is by way of meritorious impetration he hath purchased life for us Our life by way of originall the life of grace is originally in Christ and from him communicated unto us Our life by way of opeâ—ation he quickneth us by the powerfull worke of his Spirit And our life by way of conjunction he unites himselfe communicates himselfe and all his benefits to us as the Prophet applyed himselfe to the woman of Shunems sonne and raysed him to life And that Christ is the Authour of spirituall life to Gods children is apparent 1. By mans alienation and estrangement from the life of grace without Christ the branch without the root the body without the soule hath no life man without Christ is a withered branch a dead carcasse dead in sinnes and trespasses twice dead and plucked up by the roots and it is in Christs hand alone to quicken him Lord said Peter to our Saviour whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life the word revealing promising and working life in all that are ordained unto life 2 By Christs ordination and appointment to minister all things to Gods chosen the fullnesse of light is dispenced to the ayre by the Sun fulnesse of water is dispenced by the Sea unto the earth the fulnesse of Aegypt was dispenced to the people by Joseph the fulnesse of God is dispenced to the soules of men by Christ Christ is the Sunne by whom they are enlightned the root by whom they are enlivened the Store-house by whom they are enriched the fountaine by whom they are replenished they are blessed with all spirituall blessings in Christ God convayes all in mercy unto man thorough Christ nothing proves a blessing unto man but what he hath by vertue of his conjunction with Christ there is no relation of love and peace betweene God and the soule of man but only in and through Christ Jacob and his sonnes found favour with Pharaoh only for Josephs sake Christ is the only Medium of mans favor and acceptance with God he alone is made of God to be wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption unto man God hath put the very whole of mans happinesse in Christ Jesus 3. By the insufficiency of any created power to minister the life of grace to man this is above the power of men and Angels the dispensation of life is peculiar to him that is Lord of life the industry of man is used indeed as an instrument of spirituall vivification but the efficacy is from Christ to this worke all created strength without Christ is like the strength of Aegypt in another case to set still the diseased woman in the Gospell spent all her substance upon the Physitians and yet there was no healing man may spend all his time and substance upon the creature and the creature may spend all its ability about man and yet when all is done without Christ there will be no spirituall quickning Am I a God said the King of Israel to Naaman to kill and to make alive that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosie Thus may the holiest Saint and most glorious Angell say Am I a God to kill and to make alive to kill sin and to enliven the soul that man should looke to me for spirituall vivification the sufficiency of the choysest creatures is a borrowed sufficiency derived from Christ and the efficacy and working thereof is wholy dependant upon Christ 4. By the dignity and excellency of spirituall life a life of that noblenes and eminency that none but Christ who is life it self can communicate it a seed which none but Christ can sow a tree which none but Christ the great Husbandman of the soule can plant the life of grace ariseth from a principle farre more noble then the life of nature Saul was head and shoulders above the residue of the people the life of grace is head and shoulders very high and farre above the life
of nature whither vegitive sensible or reasonable Job sometime said of wisdome Where shall wisdome be found and where is the place of understanding man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the Sea saith it is not with me thus may we say of spirituall life where shall spirituall life be found and where is the place of true and saving grace man knoweth not the price therof neither is it found in the land of the living Nature saith it is not in me Art and industry say it is not with us this life is hid with Christ in God It is hid in God in regard of the original preservation protection and continuance of it as the life of the branch is hidden in the root and the life of the streame in the fountaine it is hid in God and there and no where els it is to be found therfore termed the life of God for the spirituall originall and celestiall excellency therof regeneration and new-birth being of all lives the most excellent life which God communicateth unto man because God doth then very graciously and sweetly live in man and man enjoyes the life of God when God doth sanctifie and guide man by his Spirit and this life is ascribed by our Saviour to the Spirit as to the proper cause of it the flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickneth and all the faithfull are born again of the Spirit begotten of God by the word of truth as they have the most noble excellent Parent so they have the most honorable eminent life a life of such dignity that none but God can communicate 5. By the medium of spirituall life conjunction with Christ by faith is the medium of this life as the naturall life is a conjunction of the body with the soule so the spirituall life is a conjunction of the soul with Christ and his Spirit Christ is the head and they the members Christ is the Vine and they the branches being enlivened by their conjunction with Christ the members are enlivened by the head and the branches by the Vine and believers coming to Christ as to a living Stone are said as lively stones to be built a spirituall house In which words Christ is likened to a Stone for his strength and stedfastnesse for his truth and unchangeablenes for his union of Jew and Gentile and for his supportation of all Gods children to an elect and precious stone for his worth and excellency and to a living stone for his everliving vertue ministring the life of grace to all the faithfull and preserving them therin to the life of glory and all true beleevers are called lively stones for their being founded upon Christ and enlivened by Christ the head-stone and of this life they participate by coming unto Christ comming to Christ by the doctrine of the Gospell inviting them and by a lively faith resting upon him incorporated into him and receiving spirituall life from him and this is Christs promise he that beleeveth in me that is united and joyned unto me and made one with me by faith he shall live he shall live the life of grace first and the life of glory last and it is the plain assertion of the Evangelist he that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life he hath it in inchoation by the work of grace he hath it in promise by faith he hath it in expectation by hope he hath that life begun in grace which shall be consummate in glory 6. By the opposition made against the working of this life in the soules of men the working of grace in the hearts of men is opposed by corruption as naturall life is opposed by death all men by nature being dead in sins and trespasses this life is opposed by sin as naturall health is opposed by a mortall an over-swaying and incurable disease the cure of the diseased woman in the Gospell was so opposed by her bloody issue that no Physition could cure her she bestowed all her substance upon the Physitions in vaine she could not be healed untill she came to Christ the cure of the disease of sin is so difficult that neither the ministry of man or Angell can accomplish it Christ alone is the Physitian healing the diseased soul of man he is the son of righteousnes who hath healing in his wings in the wings of his ordinances instrumentally in the wings of his gracious gifts and operation efficiently the Apostle layeth down the opposition of sin against the working of spirituall life 4. ways 1. Through ignorance alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them they are ignorant of the absence and want of it they suppose they are alive to God when they are dead in sinne they are ignorant of the Originall and Authour of this life they know not that he that hath not the Sonne hath not life they are ignorant of the meanes working it they know not that the word is the word of life that the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation the immortall seed of mans regeneration they are ignorant of the necessity of this life of grace they thinke there is a greater latitude in Religion then there is they know not that the way to life is a narrow way they imagine they may doe well enough though they be not so strict and so zealous as others are they are ignorant of that worke of Christ of that holy and gracious change of heart of that faith repentance purity of heart and circumspect walking which belongs to this life And thus through their ignorance doe they undervalue it and oppose the working thereof 2. Their corruption doth oppose it through the hardnesse of their hearts being alienated from the life of God through the hardnesse which is in them This hardnesse of heart makes them uncapable of the word of life as the hard ground is uncapable of seed This causeth them to resist the meanes of grace as the hard rocke resisteth the raine distilling thereupon This makes them regardlesse and fearelesse of all judgements and cominations Affliction doth not better them but rather make them worse as the anvill hardens under the hammer This makes them impenitent they cannot mourne for their sinnes any more then a hard rocke can send forth a streame of water O Lord saith Jeremy thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rocke they have refused to returne and after their hardnesse and impenitent heart according to Saint Paul they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and thus their hardnesse of heart doth oppose the working of this spirituall life 3. Their corruption opposeth this spirituall life through unsensiblenesse they are strangers to this life saith the Apostle being
past feeling being unsensible of their sinne as a dead man of his disease unsensible of the misery of their estate and perilousnesse of their condition as the drunkard in Salomon had no apprehension of his danger unsensible of the word of instruction as a deafe man that heares not is unsensible of advice and counsell They heare saith the Prophet but understand not they see but perceive not they heare outwardly but not inwardly they see confusedly but not clearly the light shines upon them but not within them they walke not in the light they are not guided in their goings by the light they are unsensible of the characteres symptomes of destruction which are upon them as Ephraim had gray haires here and there upon him howbeit he knew it not Unsensible of the goodnesse and sweetnesse of Christ as a distempered palate is unsensible of the sweetnesse of the wine given him to drinke unsensible of the comfort and pleasantnesse of spirituall life as the dead are unsensible of the joyes of the living and being thus past feeling they regard not the life of grace it is of no esteeme with them 4. Their corruption doth oppose the life of grace by causing them to give themselves over to lasciviousnesse to worke uncleannesse disposing and inclining them to evill as heavy things incline downeward the whole current of their affections moving towards sinne strongly speedily undefatigably and unchangeably as the Rivers move towards the Sea soaking and surfeting themselves with carnall delights and pleasures as the drunkard soakes his flesh with strong drinke and the glutton surfets himselfe with sweet meat delighting and sporting themselves in sinne as the fish in the water drinking iniquity as Job speaks like water as the dry ground drinks in the water and looks for more giving themselves over unto sinne as the souldiers to the Centurion to be commanded by it to be wholly subject to it as the harlot to the adulterer prostituting and laying themselves open unto sinne and bringing forth all their fruit to sinne and this their serviceablenesse to sinne delight and pleasure in sinne voluntary and full subjection under sinne doth mightily oppose the working of the life of grace within them so opposing it that none but Christ can worke it Besides Satan doth also with much force and fraud hinder this worke holding the winds that they may not blow endeavouring to the utmost to stop the ministery of the word the meanes of begetting this life in the soules of men blinding the understandings of men that the glorious light of the Gospel may not shine into them labouring by all meanes to hinder the regeneration of Gods children represented in Saint Johns vision of the Dragon ready to devoure the womans childe as soone as it was borne This worke the world also hinders by distracting men with worldly cares by priding men with worldly wealth by ministring many prophane and soule-bewitching examples by with-holding men from attendance upon Gods ordinances the meanes of life by choaking the word of God the instrument of life with worldly cares by disabling men to discerne and judge aright of Christ the Authour of life Such is the opposition made against the worke of grace in the soules of men that there is a meere impossibility of attaining spirituall life without the mighty worke of Christ the Lord of life CHAP. XX. SEe then in this the pride and vanity of such men as dreame of a power and ability in themselves to restore themselves unto spirituall life As Sampson burst his wit hs and went out when Dalilah cryed the Philistines are upon thee Sampson Thus they thinke to breake the chaines of sinne to come forth of the grave of their corruption at their pleasure having the word of exhortation to call them Man indeed indowed with true and saving grace may come when God cals him as Sampson went forth at the voice of Dalilah while his lockes were upon him but as Sampson had no power to preserve himselfe when his lockes were cut off no more hath man destitute of saving grace any power to restore himselfe to the life of grace or to defend himselfe against the adversaries of his peace The branch cannot live without the root nor the soule a spirituall life without Christ Man is wholly disabled unto this worke having no feed nor principle of grace remaining in him being as fully under the dominion of sinne as the dead are under the dominion of death at as great a distance from the life of grace as they who have been long dead and divers dayes like Lazarus in the grave are from the life of nature 2. Being so blinded that they cannot discerne the things which belong to their spirituall vivification from the things which tend to their destruction the wayes of death are wayes of life in their apprehension as the Assyrians smitten with blindnesse thought the way leading to Samaria to be the way leading to Assyria Thus they repute the way which leadeth unto death to be the way leading unto life they call evill good and good evill 3. They decline the meanes of their spirituall quickning they stop their cares against the voice which should awaken and enliven them they shut their eyes against the light which should illuminate them 4. They are full of enmity against the ministery which should convert them they make warre against the ministery of the word as Saul against David This troubles them as the Star troubled Herod the Minister is their enemy because he tels them the truth 5. Sinne is a sweet dish to their palate they are insatiable in the commission of it their soules are wedded to it they have made a Covenant with it they boast and glory in it 6. The life of grace and holinesse is dishonourable and contemptible in their eye Nothing with them is beautifull and amiable excellent and honourable but that which is either for the matter or for the circumstances sinfull And therefore when the dead can raise themselves out of their graves when the stones can turne themselves into flesh the thornes into vines when the Leopard can change his spots and the Blackamoore his skinne then may man by his owne power without the mighty worke of Christ raise himselfe to a new life turne his hard into a tender heart his barren into a fruitfull soule and his uncleane into a pure conversation Were man sensible of his emptinesse of all spirituall good of his obstinacy against grace of his strong and unchangeable bent to evill of the desperate disposition of his heart to sinne of his through subiection under Satan and of the prophane antipathy which is in his heart against grace and of his inability to receive it when it is proffered he would never exalt himselfe into Christs roome and take upon him to be the workman of his owne conversion he would never continue in sinne presuming to repent at last when he list
doubtlesse that man never felt the power of Christ in his conversion that dreames of a power in himselfe to convert and change himselfe Presumption of self-goodnesse invincibly argues the absence of all saving goodnesse The diseased came either by their owne strength or by the help of others to Bethesda but when the foot was in the poole if the Angell did not move the waters there was no healing Man may come to the ministery of the word by his owne strength and by the perswasion of others but when he is come and heares the word there is no healing unlesse Christ worke mightily with the Gospell For Paul plants and Apollo waters but God giveth the increase Is Christ the Author and worker of spirituall life Then we must addresse our selves to Christ that Christ may quicken and enliven us Whiles we stand aloofe off and continue strangers to Christ we are all dead men dead spiritually while we live corporally alienated from the life of God while we enjoy the life of men continuing strangers to Christ we are all dead in sinne and as the dead know not any thing no more doe we savingly and comfortably know any thing of God of Christ of his word or of the Spirit of grace we are in darknesse like the dead we are blinde and groape at the noone day as in the midnight As the dead have no feeling of the disease which killed them of the burthen of earth cast upon them no more have we of the sinne which wounds us and hastens the second death upon us we are as Saint Paul said past feeling As the dead have no vigor no strength no motion no more have we any power disposition or inclination to any thing holy and savingly good in the sight of God As the dead are an uncomfortable spectacle and cast an evill savour so are we very unsavoury in Gods nosthrils an abomination in the eyes of God As the dead have no claime nor title to any thing their interest in what they once enjoyed is lost Thus we have no title to Christ no interest in Gods Covenant of grace and as the dead putrifie and rot more and more so we grow worse and worse as long as we continue without Christ O therefore let us come to Christ that he may enliven us as he raised Lazarus the Widowes sonne and the Rulers daughter Let us come to Christ to raise our soules as the woman of Shunem came to the Prophet to raise her dead sonne she made haste to the Prophet we must come speedily unto Christ in the dayes of our youth before we have continued long under the death and dominion of sinne the woman of Shunem came humbly to the Prophet she cast her selfe downe at the feet of the Prophet We must come to Christ in great humility humbling our selves before him having our hearts full of sorrow for our sinne earnestly petitioning the vivification of our soules The woman of Shunem laid hold upon the Prophets feet and would not let him goe untill he went with her and raised her sonne Thus must we lay hold on Christ carry him with us bring him home into the house of our hearts that Christ may quicken us to the life of grace here and to the life of glory hereafter This likewise discovers to us what all our works and services are as long as we are without Christ Christ is the Author and worker of spirituall life and while we are without Christ we are without spirituall life and where is no life there is no action no motion where is no life of grace there is no moving no stirring in the wayes of godlinesse All the workes of naturall men how specious soever in outward appearance yet they are as the Scripture termes them but dead workes their hearing praying receiving of the Sacrament and other duties of righteousnesse done by them are works without life For 1. they proceed not from an inward Principle of spirituall life all their motions in and about the duties of godlinesse like the motions of Clockes and Watches proceed not from life but from art from the feare of hell from the apprehension of death from the sence of affliction from the desire of the applause and favour of men from the hope of reaping the harvest of some worldly benefit and therefore as the clocke ceaseth his motion when the Spring is downe so doe these men usually cease their motion in the wayes of godlinesse when the outward loadstone which drew them is taken away as yron having no principle of life within it stops it's motion when the loadstone is removed then they are at a stay then they goe backe 2. Their services if we consider the nature of them they are but morall and ecclesiasticall services no spirituall services They have as the Apostle saith a forme of godlinesse but they deny the power of it As a dead man hath the forme and lineaments of a living man but not the power and vivacity of a living man their works for the matter of them may be morally and ecclesiastically good but not spiritually good their coine their service as Jeremy termes it is reprobate silver Reprobate silver may have the stamp colour and similitude of true coine and yet is base mettall A naturall mans duties of service and obedience to God may have the similitude and colour of a spirituall mans service but when they are tryed they are found to be counterfeit abominable in the sight of God how beautifull soever in the eyes of men Swines bloud is of as cleare and perfect colour to the eye as sheeps bloud yet it is of another nature and to offer Swines bloud under the Law was an abomination Thus the service of a carnall man may have the outward colour of a regenerate mans service and be as pure and perfect in the outward appearance as the service of the holiest persons and yet it is of another nature and a very abomination in the sight of God 3. Their services if you looke upon the adjunct of them are cold services coldnesse is a Symptome of death when a man is dead the whole man is cold the works of a naturall and carnall man are cold they have no spirituall life no heavenly warmth no vivacity and holy quicknesse in them It is said of David that he had many cloathes yet he got no heate Thus carnall men have all the ordinances of God all meanes to warme their soules and yet they continue cold as a dead body under many cloathes they may performe many religious duties and yet have no heate no warmth in them At the best they are but like Ephraims cake halfe baked like luke-warme meat such as is offensive to the stomacke and therefore Christ threatens to spew them out of his mouth they have nothing of the Spirit of God within them whose working is likened unto fire making men fervent in Prayer causing their hearts
rare 4. In regard of the sweetnes and pleasantnesse of this life Christ living in the soule of man is the choysest joy of man The light saith Salomon is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sun the light of Christ is sweet to the soule the beholding of the Sun of righteousnesse living in man is very pleasant unto man the heart of old Jacob revived hearing that his son Joseph lived the sence and feeling of Christ living in man is a sweet and powerfull reviving of the heart of man Christ is the Prince of peace and where he lives there is sweet and sure peace Christ is the Paradise of all comforts he that enjoyes Christ hath strong consolation where Christ liveth the wounds of the soule are healed the adversaries of the soule are vanquished the sinnes of the soule are purged the stormy tempest of the conscience is appeased the clouds of sorrow which darkned the soule are dispelled spirituall liberty is restored forgivenesse of sin is sealed sence of Gods love communicated and the soule graciously reconciled unto God all other life is bitter and unsavoury as death in comparison of a holy and gracious life 5. In regard of that estate and condition whereinto this life doth exalt and advance man Christ living in man makes man a childe of God by adoption a spirituall freeman a glorious Conquerour over Satan himselfe and the world a living member of that mysticall body whereof Christ is the head a King and Priest to God and an heyre of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the Heavens no crowne doth so honour man as his Sanctification man is more to be esteemed for his holy walking then for the highest honour the Earth is able to conferre upon him it is not mans naturall but his new-birth that makes him truly noble though holinesse thorough mens ignorance and profanenesse be of no esteeme with men yet is this the prime advancer of man 6. In regard of that lownesse and basenesse of spirit from which this life doth free man man in his naturall estate is very basely minded very dishonourably disposed like the decreped woman in the Gospell he is altogether bowed down and wholy bent to the things which are here below minding only things earthly wallowing like a Swine in the dirt and mire of the world and fleshly lusts but when Christ lives in man when he puts the life of grace into man he ennobles the heart of man communicates a heavenly disposition to him and puts the whole man into a heavenly frame and sets his heart to seeke the things which are above he rayseth his heart his thoughts his desires to the love meditation and seeking of things spirituall as he raysed the body of Lazarus from the grave hee makes man to looke upon the world as upon a thing of nought to repute all the fullnesse of the Earth as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ to leave all and follow Christ as Elisha left his yoakes of Oxen and followed Elijah having Christ living in him he minds Christ adheres to Christ pursues and followes after Christ makes Christ his crown and portion he hath an excellent Spirit like the Spirit of Christ contemning the glory of the world as Christ contemned it with Moses reputing the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt despising all the profers and perswasions of the Earth not regarding all the cominations of the world hee chooseth rather with the three children to walke with Christ in the fiery fornace then to live without Christ in the choysest earthly pallace He had rather be nayled with Christ to the crosse then set with Herod upon the throne He saith to the men of the world as Abraham in another case to the King of Sodome give me the persons take thou the substance give me Christ take ye the world give me things heavenly and eternall take ye things earthly and temporall He that hath Christ living in him reputes the world as nothing Christ is both his crowne joy and portion 7. In regard of their honourable walking who have Christ living in them they c walke in the Spirit saith the Apostle the Spirit moves and guides them to walke according to that rule which the Spirit hath in the word proposed to them the Spirit makes their hearts within and lives without sutable to that holinesse which the law prescribeth they walk in the power of the Spirit quickning and assisting them in the light of the Spirit directing them in the motion of the Spirit exciting them and in the operation of the Spirit enlarging their hearts with the knowledge of God faith in God love to God and with the sence and feeling of Gods goodnesse towards them and in the testimony and evidence of the Spirit sealing up the forgivenes of their sins unto them as the soule is not idle but operative in the body distributing sence and motion to every member of the body So the Spirit of Christ in them in whom Christ lives is not idle but operative manifesting it selfe in the fruits and effects thereof the soule inables man to humane works and services the Spirit of Christ living in man inables man to spirituall duties and exercises to shine as a light in the midst of the froward generation among whom hee lives to walke as a childe of light with Zachary and Elizabeth to walke in all the Commandements of God and be blamelesse and this is the honour and crowne of a Christians life to walke as beseemeth the Gospell to walk worthy of God and his Christian and holy calling he is most honourable who expresseth most holinesse in his conversation 8. In regard of the terme whereunto they live who have Christ living in them carnall men who are aliens to the life of God and Christ live to a very low ignoble and base terme they live to the world minding and intending the world conforming themselves to the example custome and fashion of the world they serve Mammon and not God to this they live as servants to the Master whom they serve they live unto themselves and their owne lusts walking after their owne imaginations proposing their owne by and base ends doing all things for themselves for their owne profit pleasure and applause they serve their owne belly and not the Lord Jesus they live to Satan not doing the will of God but the lust of the Divell as Christ speakes and this is the shame and dishouour of the life of man to live to live to such low by and base ends as these but they who have Christ living in them doe live unto God intending God making God and his prayse the supreame end of their living as a wife liveth to her husband bringing forth children to her husband a vine liveth to the Master of the vineyard bringing forth his fruite to him and a flocke liveth to him that is the Master
of the flocke yeelding all their encrease to him that ownes them thus these men live to God bringing forth all their fruit and encrease to God Whether we live saith the Apostle we live unto the Lord or whether wee die we die unto the Lord whither we live therefore or die we are the Lords They live unto the Lord 1. Acknowledging themselves not to be their owne or under their owne power but to be Christs as his proper and peculiar people 2. By receiving all their direction from Christ and not walking after their owne imagination taking Christs word as the Israelites did the fiery pillar and the wise men the starre to conduct them in all their goings 3. By surrendring themselves up to Christ to doe his and nor their owne will as servants to doe the will of the Master with whom they are entred into covenant 4. By making Christ their refuge flying to him in their distresses as servants to their Masters 5. By minding Christ and intending his glory in all that they doe even to the very end of their life preferring Christs honour above their owne welfare being willing to abase themselves that they may exalt Christ and as they live to Christ so they dye to Christ acknowledging him to have the power of death in his hand submitting with patience to the decree of Christ touching both time and manner of their dissolution being willing to glorifie Christ by their death resigning themselves wholy into the hands of Christ when the houre of death comes upon them It is the earnest desire and unfained indeavour of all gracious persons both in life and death to make the name of Christ glorious looking beyond themselves to God and Christ Jesus in all their doings and sufferings As they are endowed with noble principles within in their inward man so they have honourable ends without in their externall worke as their life is originally from Christ so their motion is to Christ he is the prime object of their intendment as they have their use from him so they live unto him and this is the honour of the life of a Christian to live to Christ What is the honour of a wives life but to live to her husband and not to strangers What is the honour of a servants life but to live to his Master in the faithfull discharge of his office And what is the honour of a Christians life but to live to Christ and not to his owne corrupt affections doubtlesse every mans life is more or lesse honourable and glorious as hee lives more or lesse to God and the Lord Jesus And thus it appeares that their life in whom Christ lives is of the lives of all people the most excellent and honourable Their life is glorious in prosperity by walking humbly in the midst of their abundance in adversity by walking patiently in all their sufferings In temptation by walking beleevingly resting upon God with a firme and sure confidence In opposition by walking couragiously holding fast their profession of Christ Jesus In losses by walking joyfully knowing they have an abiding substance in Heaven In all estates and conditions by walking holily and circumspectly shining like the light more and more to the day of their perfection CHAP. XXIIII BUt if their life in whom Christ lives be of all lives the most honourable and glorious how cometh it to passe that such people as live this life are often in outward appearance of all others the most ignominious and dishonourable I answer it so comes to passe 1. By reason of the secrecy and spirituality of their life their life is a hidden life it is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle as the life of the branch in the winter is hidden in the root and hath little appearance in the branch thus the glory of a Christians life is hidden in God the outward splendour and beauty thereof many times appeares not Beloved saith S. John now we are the sonnes of God we have now a very blessed and glorious life with God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him the flower hath a glorious life surpassing Salomon in all his royalty yet in the winter it is hidden under the Earth but when the vernall Sun appeares then the flower appeares in her beauty thus when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory though our life be now hidden in obscurity 2. This comes to passe thorough the ignorance of carnall men the blind man sees not the glory of the Sun the carnall man by reason of his spirituall blindnesse sees not the glory of a Christians life Christ had meat and drinke which the Disciples knew not the true Christian hath a life and in that life an honour and a glory which the carnall man discernes not The naturall man saith S. Paul receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned carnall men thorough their ignorance repute that the foulest shame of man which is indeed the choysest glory of man holinesse the speciall workmanship of the Spirit of God upon man the brightest starre shining in the firmament of mans soule the richest and most orient pearle in the Cabinet of mans heart is looked on and censured by corrupt and carnall man as the only disgrace and shame of man speaking evill as S. Peter saith of the things which they understand not 3. It so comes to passe thorough the disgrace and reproach which is cast upon them that live the life of grace holinesse hath ever beene cumbred with the foulest traducements Scandalous mouths have ever beene most shamefully open against such as have been most holy in their conversation the best men have ever had the worst report Christ surpassed all in holinesse as the Sunne the candle in brightnesse and who ever was equall to him in reproaches they said of him that he was a friend of Publicans and sinners that he had a Divell was madd and that by Belzebub the Prince of the Divels he cast out Divels and Christ fâ—re-told his Disciples that men should revile them and persecute them and say all manner of evill saying against them falsly for his sake It is not some but all manner of evill saying which is heaped upon Gods children the wayes and workers of godlinesse are lâ—aden with innumerable reproaches as the smoake out of the bottomlesse pit in the Revelation did darken the Sunne and the aire so doe the smoaky scandals of carnall men whose throate is an open Sepulcher obscure and darken the names persons and lives of Gods servants hee that departs from iniquity making himselfe a prey as the Prophet of old spake a prey to the thoughts of men secretly to censure him a prey to the hands of men to
warmth and heavenly heate which man hath within him Heate is an evidence of life Christ warmes the soule where he lives they that have Christ living in them are not like David in another case having many cloathes and no heate much meanes of grace and no spirituall warmth they are not like Hoseah's Cake halfe baked nor like the Laodicean Angell neither hot nor cold but as the flesh of the Shunamites childe waxed warme when the Prophet spread himselfe upon him Thus their hearts in whom Christ liveth are heated and warmed by the labour of the Prophet by the Ministers opening and applying the word of life unto them their hearts burne within them with indignation against sinne with love to God and with zeale for God The word is like fire in their bones the whole man is set in a holy flame they are baptized with the Holy-Ghost and with fire The Holy-Ghost like fire enlightening and purging their soules and warming them with holy and fervent love making them fervent in prayer and burning in spirit serving the Lord. All the duties they performe have a sacred fire mixed with them a holy heate put into them as the sacrifice under the Law was offâ—red up with fire Thus their whole service is no dead carkasse without fire but a burnt offering unto the Lord they doe all in love to God and in zeale for God holy men like Eliah in their hearing prayer meditation are carried in a fiery chariot their religious exercises kindle a fire in them which burnes up their corruption like stubble purifies their soules like silver and puts their heart into a very sweet and gracious temper lukewarmnesse is farre from them that are enlivened by Christ Jesus Man 's deadnesse in the duties of godlinesse argues mans alienation from the life of Christ Man 's zeale for Christ is proportionable to the measure of life received from Christ he doth in vaine assume the name of a Christian who joynes not zeale to his profession For as to him that desired to know what manner of man Basill was there was presented in a dreame a pillar of fire with this Motto talis est Basilius such a one is Basill and such in deed in some measure may be the Motto of every true Christian because he that is enlivened by Christ and hath his whole dependance upon Christ and graciously filled by Christs ministrations he must of necessity have his thoughts taken up with Christ and his heart burning with zeale for Christ 9. By the price which man doth put upon Christ Life is valued at a high rate above all the residue of mans temporall possessions The Devill could say skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Christ to them in whom he lives is more deare then temporall life he is the choisest of all their possessions as the people esteemed David so they esteeme Christ better then all their thousands whether honours riches liberty life or whatsoever else he is to them in respect of all things else as the Apple Tree among the Trees of the wood as the Prince among the beggars as the Sunne among the gloe-wormes as the jewell among the drosse Man that hath Christ living in him so prizeth him that he will sell all to enjoy him as the Merchant did for the precious pearle he will leave all to keep communion with him as the bride to keep her fellowship with the bridegroome Christ is to his apprehension the fairest of ten thousand the Paradise wherein he is delighted the crowne with which he is honoured and the fountaine in whom his soule finds all satisfaction 10. By mans care to keepe Christ Man is very carefull to preserve his life he contendeth much to maintaine this he will part with any thing rather then with his life In like manner a man that hath Christ living in him is very carefull to keep Christ he will endure any hardnesse rather thâ—n be deprived of Christ he will lose his goods his credit his liberty and his life rather then lose Christ because Christ is the life of his life Christ is the rocke on whom he builds the root by whom he lives the royall Roabe with which he is cloathed the precious pearle in which lies all his riches the Paradise wherein grow all his comforts the friend in whom he chiefly delighteth and the husband with whom his soule is joyned in everlasting wedlocke and therefore his greatest care is to keep Christ he layes hold on Christ as the woman of Shunem upon the Prophet and will not be thrust away as Joah on the Hornes of the Altar and will rather dye then leave his holdfast on Christ he resolves to be with Christ as Ittai with David whether in life or in death whatsoever be his estate Nothing is sweet and deare to him as Christ is and therefore strives by prayer hearing conference meditation holy and humble walking and the use of all holy meanes to keep Christ neither losse nor gaine threatnings nor perswasions peace nor trouble life nor death can worke him to a desertion of Christ And in these particulars as in so many lively characters may we discerne the living of Christ in us CHAP. XXVII AS Christ lives in all Gods children so let all that professe Christ and call God Father see and discerne Christ living in them This is the crowne and comfort of a Christian to have Christ living in him and without this he hath but the naked and empty name of a Christian like an Idoll that hath the name of a man and is no man a name that he lives and yet is dead Feele Christ therefore living in your understanding by prizing the knowledge of Christ above all learning by determining to know nothing in comparison of knowing Christ and him crucified by learning Christ as the truth is in him being filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall understanding Feele Christ living in your will in making your will free to chuse and embrace him and the things of God to intend and will him and the glory of God above every thing making his will the rule of your will and fashioning and framing you to be a willing people in and about his worke and service Feele him living in your imaginations by thinking upon him with more frequency and delight then of any other thing by having more high honourable and sweeter apprehensions of Christ then of all the creatures Feele Christ living in your affections by being rooted in Christ by a lively faith as a Tree in the Earth by fearing Christ above all earthly powers as the Subject his Soveraigne above all Civill Rulers by loving him as the Bride the Bridegroome above all other persons by rejoycing in him as the rich man in his jewell above all the residue of his Substance Feele him living in your members by circumcising and preparing your eares to heare with meeknesse
and reverence by returning to your tongues a pure language that your speech may minister grace to the hearers by restraining your eyes from beholding vanitie by disposing your hands to worke that which is good and by making your feet swift to every good duty as you discerne your soule living in your humane body moving all the members to humane services so discerne Christ living in your bodily members disposing and framing them to religious duties Feele Christ living in all your services as the chiefe worker of them and inabler of you to them doing all in his name by his assistance and for his glory Feele Christ living in the Prayer which you make praying by the Spirit of Christ in the name of Christ and for the honour of Christ Feele Christ living in the Word which you heare making it an immortall seed to regenerate you a sacred Fire to purge you a heavenly Light to guide you and a message of peace to comfort you Feele Christ living in the Sacrament which you receive making it a Coelestiall Manna feeding you a Seale of Righteousnesse assuring you of your Justification an obligation binding you to new obedience and a pledge of Gods unchangeable love towards you All holy Ordinances if Christ live not in them shew not himselfe powerfull by them are but an empty shell without kernell and a dry breast without milke ministring no nourishment All the Religious Duties wee performe if Christ live not in them are but a Sacrifice without Fire a dead Carkasse of no esteeme with God Our affections if Christ live not in us are a charet without wheeles they sinke and fall unto the earth they cannot encline nor move towards the Lord All our best abilities if Christ live not in them are as standing Waters without a living Spring they putrifie and rot and prove unprofitable If Christ live not in us our knowledge is ignorance our wisedome foolishnesse our faith presumption our love dissimulation and our obedience no better then rebellion If Christ live not in us our understandings are blinded and wee cannot savingly know God our will is inthralled and wee cannot intend God our faith like Jeroboams arme is withered and wee cannot lay hold upon the promise of God The whole sufficiencie of a Christian is from Christs living in him Christs living in man makes him wise in discerning the things of God sincere in intending the glory of God powerfull in withstanding what doth oppose him in the wayes of God fruitfull in the worke of God meeke and humble in submitting to the hand of God faithfull in keeping the Covenant of God joyfull in hearing the Word of God fervent in invocation upon the Name of God patient in waiting for the Comforts of the Lord contented with the portion God giveth constant in running the race which God hath set before him and graciously perswaded of living the life of Glory for ever in Heaven * ⎠* MANS MISERY WITHOVT CHRIST OPENING The sinfull perplexed dishonourable and Soul destroying Condition of Man without CHRIST tending to the driving and drawing of every man out of himselfe unto CHRIST By Alexander Grosse B. D. Minister of the Gospell and Pastor of Bridford near Exon in Devon-shire Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2. Epist Ioh. ver 9. If ye beleeve not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins Ioh. 8.24 If any man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned LONDON Printed by G. M. for John Bartlet at the Signe of the Gilt Cup near Saint Austins Gate 1642. MANS MISERY WITHOVT CHRIST OPENED EPHES 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world CHAP. I. Shewing mans alienation from CHRIST misery without CHRIST and opening the scope of the words ADam after his eating the forbidden fruit was without the Garden of Eden disabled to come to the tree of life man feeding on the forbidden fruit of sinne is a stranger to the Paradise of all spirituall and heavenly comforts wholy excluded from the true tree of life Christ Jesus There is no sweet and gracious communion betweene the Lord Jesus and carnall persons The men of the old world were without the Arke and perished in the deluge of waters men who are in their old corrupt estate who have not put off that old man which is corrupt according to divers lusts are without Christ and shall certainly perish in the deluge of their impieties and the Lords vengeance the fruition of Christ is mans happinesse mans crowne and comfort alienation from Christ is mans misery mans shame and the soules great distraction and trouble of all estates on Earth mans naturall and corrupt condition is most wretched and miserable a condition of death without spirituall life of darknesse without divine and heavenly light of bondage without Christian freedome of uncleanenesse without sanctification of emptinesse without all celestiall fulnesse of alienation without all comfortable communion with Christ without all interest in Christ and his benefits without either claime or title to Gods Promise to Heaven or eternall happinesse an estate of exclusion from all holy and gracious society with Gods children an estate of profanenesse without God without the knowledge of God without faith in God without love to God and without zeale for God for at that time in that estate and condition We are without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world The Apostle in these words declares and amplifies the miserable and wretched estate of man the uncomfortable and dishonourable condition of the soule of man without Christ without the knowledge of Christ without faith in Christ without incorporation into Christ without participation of Christ and his benefits And this misery and wretchednesse of man the Apostle doth open set forth and amplifie by a five-fold alienation 1. An alienation from Christ at that time yee were without Christ Christ was not preached to you Christ was not knowne of you Christ was not imbraced nor beleeved in by you this is the first alienation and the ground of all the rest Hee that is an alien to the Lord Iesus is a stranger to all things appertaining to life and happinesse mans interest in Christ gives him interest in God and in all good things of God there is no way for man to come to God and eternall happinesse but only by and thorough Christ Jesus the neglect of Christ is the lesse of all 2. An alienation from the Common-wealth of Israel from that forme of Religion and divine worship which God had prescribed to the Israelitish people they alone at that time having the oracles of God among them Very miserable
and shamefull is carnall mans ignorance of Gods worship and service the carnall mans adoration is after the rules of his owne invention and not according to Gods prescription being a stranger both to Gods Gospell and faithfull people 3. An alienation from the covenants of promise the promise of the covenant of grace the promise of remission of sinne by the merit of Christ and of regeneration and renovation of heart by the efficacy of Christ belonged not to them Man remaining under the power of corruption remaines a stranger to the promise of Salvation the promise of Gods free and gracious wages belongs onely to Gods holy and gracious labourers he that regards not Gods commandement hath nothing to doe with the Promise of Gods covenant 4. An alienation from hope the of hope eternall life a hope arising from faith which they wanted Carnall mens hopes of eternall happinesse are very rotten false and groundlesse no truths but meere fancies and vaine imaginations The estate of corruption is an estate of desperation 5. Alienation from God without God Atheists in the esteeme of God That man hath nothing of God in him who doth not imbrace Christ as the authour of his salvation Every man that lives under the power of profanenesse is a very stranger to God in his way and worke of grace and holinesse First of the first of these alienations an alienation from Christ At that time yee were without Christ Wherein we have 1. The time or season of their alienation or estrangement from Christ at that time when you were in your Paganisme and profanenes when you had not the Oracles of God among you when you had not Christ preached to you when you sate in darknesse and the shadow of death without light when you lay dead in sins without the life of grace when you walked after your owne lusts and the vaine imaginations of your own hearts then ye were without Christ 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 it is not the time of mans trouble affliction but the time of mans being left under the power of Satan and his own lusts which is mans most wretched and accursed time it is farre better to be exercised with the greatest troubles and filled with all sorts of sorrowes then to be left under the power of profanenesse in a paradise of carnall pleasures there is more wrath in being left under the dominion of one sinne then in being put under the burthen of all afflictions 2. Here is the Subject or parties alienated ye the Gentiles before the coming of Christ and all men before their receiving of Christ by faith and love all corrupt and carnal unregenerate and unsanctified people ye without exception of whatsoever outward condition or calling All men abiding under the power of their corruption are without exception miserable no outward prerogatives and priviledges can exempt raigning profanenesse from ensuing woes and curses 3. Here is the obiect and terme of their alienation from whom they were alienated not from worldly riches earthly fullnesse humane helps and fleshly comforts they might have enough of these but they were alienated from Christ the Sun and the shield the fountaine and the treasure the paradise and the crowne of the soule of man they were without Christ they were without him ecclesiastically and ministerially Christ was not preached to them they had not the Oracles of God amongst them they had not the Ministers of Christ to instruct them they were without Christ spiritually and efficiently Christ did not enlighten and sanctifie them Christ did not communicate himselfe unto them they had nothin of Christ within them and thus are all corrupt and carnall men without Christ Shewing us That all men in their naturall and corrupt condition are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus Carnall men within the pale of the Church have Christ Ministerially preached to them in the outward ministery of his Word sacramentally offered to them in the administration of the Sacraments and ecclesiastically frequenting the sacred Assemblies and taking on them the name and profession of Christ Jesus but they have not Christ internally really and spiritually He doth not dwell within them by faith he doth not live in their soules by grace he doth not fill them with his fullnesse he doth not minister the saving gifts of his Spirit to them In this respect they are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus this is represented in the Parable of the foolish Virgins they had Lamps but no oyle Carnall men professe Christ but they have not Christ they take up the name of Christ but they have not the oyle the saving gift and grace of Christ Many professe Christ who are neither enlightned nor sanctified by Christ this alienation of man from Christ the Scripture doth illustrate by divers similitudes by the similitude of a Tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots Carnall man being originally and actually dead in sinne and participating no more of Christ then a tree pluckt up by the roots doth partake of the Earthâ— by the similitude of a withered branch Unregenerate man receiving no more of Christ then a withered branch receiveth joyce and nourishment from the tree by the similitude of an empty house in an empty house there is no dweller no implement in an ungracious soule there dwelleth no good thing neither Christ nor any saving gift dwelleth there by the similitude of an Adulteresse an adulteresse is estranged from her husband her heart is gone after strange lovers Corrupt and sinfull man is alienated from Christ the husband of his soule his heart is gone a whooring after the creature and many strange lusts by the similitude of a straying Sheepe a straying Sheepe is gone from his Shepheard and from his pastures wandering among strange flocks in the wildernesse unholy man goes astray from the wombe he hath forsaken Christ the Shepheard and the ordinances of Christ the pasture of his soule wanders in the wildernesse of the world and comes himselfe to the assemblies either of hereticall erronious superstitious or profane persons and by the similitude of a rebell a rebell is fallen from his lawfull Soveraigne and either makes himselfe his owne King or betakes himselfe unto some forraine Prince profane man rebelleth against God and Christ he magnifies and exalts himself becomes his owne Lord and commander and betakes himselfe to the Prince of darkenesse the world and his owne vile affections these he makes the Soveraignes to whom he vailes and bowes very various and open manifest and shamefull are corrupt mans alienations from Christ Jesus and such are plainely said to be estranged from the wombe and to goe astray as soone as they be borne They goe astray from God like Rebels from their Soveraigne like fugitive servants from their Lord and
Master they goe astray from Christ like wandering sheepe from their Shepheard and harlots from their husband they goe astray from the way of God like erring travellers and blinde men from their path the whole way and walke of carnall persons is a sinfull aberration from God and Christ Jesus Reigning profanenesse dissolves all communion betweene Christ and the soule of man If any man walke in darknesse and say that hee hath fellowship with Christ that man is a lyar and there is no truth in him and the Apostle testifies of such that they are a farre off farre from the life of Christ as the dead are farre from the life of nature farre from the knowledge of Christ as the blind is farre from the sight of the Sun farre from spirituall union with Christ by faith as a branch cut off is farre from naturall conjunction with the vine farre from the love of Christ as a harlot is farre from the love of her husband farre from the fulnesse of Christ as a dead member is farre from the fulnesse of the head farre from the feare and obedience of Christ as a disobedient servant is farre from the feare of his Master and far from the sweet and blessed presence of Christ as exiled Absolom was farre from the presence of his Father Davids face Very great and unhappy is the distance between Christ and all carnall persons Of such therefore the Apostle pronounceth that they are aliens and enemies by their evill works not onely aliens but also enemies The very whole of corrupt and carnall persons is an opposition against God and the Lord Jesus The gate of their hearts is â—hut against Christ their whole way a very contradiction of Christ CHAP. II. Laying downe foure grounds of carnall Mans Alienation from Christ THe Alienation of corrupt and sinfull men from Christ is very apparant and manifest 1. In regard of corrupt and carnall mans plenary and totall subiection under sinne The Scripture saith Paul hath concluded all under sinne All men and all the services of men in their unregenerate estate are concluded demonstrated and determined by the Scripture to be under sinne under the plenary possession of sinne as a house is under the possession of the dweller The whole house and all the roomes thereof are possessed and ordered by the dweller the whole of a corrupt and carnall man all the faculties of his soule and all the members of his body are possessed and ordered by sinne under the dominion of sinne as a servant under the dominion of his Lord and a dead man under the dominion of death therefore stiled the servants of corruption and dead in sinnes and trespasses Under the captivity of sinne as a slave under the command of the Conquerour as voluntary slaves borne under the bondage of corruption ignorant of and despising Christian freedome Under the love of sinne as an Adulterer is under the love of the harlot The young man in Salomon was under the power of the whorish woman she caused him to yeeld with her faire speech and forced him with the flattering of her lips and he went after her as an Oxe to the slaughter and as a foole to the correction of the stocks The corrupt and vicious man is under the power of his lusts he yeeldeth to them is led by them followes after them and fulfils the will of his flesh as an Adulterer the will of the harlot and also under the guilt and condemnation of sinne as a guilty convicted and condemned malefactor is under the sentence of the Law to dye and carnall man being thus under sinne he cannot be under Christ fulnesse of subjection under sinne annihilates Christs gracious dominion in the soule of man The more man applyes himselfe to his lust the more he is estranged from Christ He that is the friend and servant of sinne is an enemy and opposer of Christ The fulnesse of sinne leaves no roome for Christ in the heart of meere naturall and corrupt man 2. In regard of carnall mans uncapablenesse of Christ The kingdome of Israel was uncapable of David untill Saul and his house was deposed The soule of man is uncapable of Christ untill sinne is deposed There is no setting up of Christ and his Kingdome as long as sinne doth beare dominion Alexander told Darius that the world was uncapable of two Sunnes and Asia could not endure two Kings Christ will not divide his Kingdome with mans corruption the soule is not at once capable of the Kingdome and dominion of Christ and of sinne If the one reigne the other must fall there is no competition between Christ and an unregenerate heart The Fort of Sion was uncapable of David untill the blind and lame were removed The heart of man is a Fort uncapable of Christ untill the blindnesse of the understanding and the lamenesse of the affections are removed and taken away Such is the blindnesse of carnall mans understanding that he is uncapable of the knowledge of Christ as the blinde eye is uncapable of the Sun The light saith the Evangelist shineth in the darknesse and the darkenesse comprehendeth it not The Egyptians darknesse was so thicke that it comprehended not the light which shined thereupon Such is the darkenesse of unregenerate mans understanding that it comprehends not the Sun of Righteousnesse shining in the Gospell The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The carnall mans heart is so wedded to the world and his lusts that as a woman joyned in wedlocke is uncapable of a second husband untill her former husband is dead so is man uncapable of Christ he cannot receive Christ as the husband of his soule untill his lusts are mortified and put to death Such is the infidelity of corrupt man that as Ieroboam could make no use of his withered hand he could neither put it forth nor pull it in no more can carnall man make any use of faith he cannot put it forth to the receiving and embracing of Christ and because of unbeliefe when Christ came among his owne his owne received him not and such is their death in sinne that as the dead are uncapable of the voice of the living they heare it not of the society of the living they rejoyce not in it and of all feasts and provision made for them by the living they feed not upon it Thus are they uncapable of Christ they cannot heare him speake to them in the Gospell they have no communion nor fellowship with him they feed not upon him He is a hidden Manna of whom they taste not and a sealed Well of whom they drinke not There is no sutablenesse betweene their soules and Christ all his Ordinances are unto them as an empty vessell they savingly partake of nothing of Christ in
them 3. In regard of that full possession which the world hath taken in corrupt and carnall man The Inne where Christ was borne was so full that there was no roome for Christ but in a manger The hearts of earthly men are so taken up with the world so filled with the creature that there is no roome for Christ carnall persons give every worldly businesse preheminence above the Lord Jesus The world affoords Christ a very dishonourable entertainment unholy men are in such subiection under the creature that they cannot serve Christ He that serves the creature cannot have Christ for his Lord and Master ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith our Saviour the world hath so many imployments for them that they have no leisure to come to Christ their inclination to things earthly is so strong that they cannot come at Christs invitation they are so wedded to this that they cannot come to the wedding feast which Christ makes for his friends and Spouse in the Gospell Or if they doe come they bring no wedding garment with them and therefore are unwelcome The creature is so glorious in their eyes that they see no glory nor beauty in Christ for which they should desire him Or if they have some weake and low apprehensions of Christ some slender inclinations after Christ now and then stirred up within them yet the price of enjoying Christ is so great that rather then leave the world they will goe away sorrowfull It is impossible that the soule of man can receive Christ untill it is emptied of the world Christ never appeares glorious and precious till the world appeares base in our apprehensions When the world becomes bitter to our palates then our soules relish much sweetnesse in Christ Jesus 4. In regard of the repugnancy of a carnall mans heart against Christ There is no answerablenesse no sutablenesse between Christ and an unsanctified heart the unregenerate soule is full of antipathy and opposition against Christ The house of Saul opposed the house of David the house and family all that is in a corrupt and carnall man doth oppose Christ in his Ordinances in his Offices and in his operations As darkenesse opposeth light sicknesse health and death life so doth corruption in sinfull man oppose Christ The carnall minde or wisedome of the flesh the counsell discourse reason purposes desires motions and all the actions of carnall wisedome the very Principles and beginnings of them in unregenerate man with all the lusts and afections of the will as anger wrath envy covetousnesse pride emulation c. are all enmity against God set in full and perpetuall opposition against God and Christ the very whole of a carnall man is an armed and fighting enemy against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be loving that which Christ hateth hating that which Christ loveth practising that which Christ forbiddeth and eschewing that which Christ commandeth The carnall man like an untamed Haifer breakes Christs yoake and casts away his cords The man in the countrey of the Gadarens possessed with an uncleane spirit mentioned in the Gospell was so fierce that no man could binde him He plucked asunder the chaines which were put upon him and brake in pieces the fetters which tyed him so that no man could tame him Corrupt and carnall man is possessed with such a spirit of uncleannesse and power of prophanenesse that he breakes asunder all the chaines and fetters all the Lawes and precepts which God hath given to binde him his lusts are so rebellious and unruly that no man can tame him the Leviathan laughs at the speare and cares not for barbed irons the horse mocketh at feare and is not affrighted neither turneth backe from the sword the carnall man laughs at the judgements denounced against him he feares not the word of God though sharper then a two-edged sword No exhortation moves him no invitation affects him all instruction is but as the sounding of a trumpet to the deafe and the setting of a candle before the eyes of the blinde Nothing can worke him to subjection under Christs Scepter till God makes him a new creature Every unregenerate person is unchangeable in his opposition against Heaven Very great is the distance between Christ Jesus and carnall persons There is not a greater Antipathy between fire and water then between Christ and prophane mans corrupt nature and thus you see mans Alienation from Christ in his corrupt and sinfull estate CHAP. III. Setting open the dolefulnesse and danger of Mans estate without Christ MAns Alienation and estrangement from Christ declares and layes open the misery and wretchednesse the danger and dolefulnesse of mans estate and condition by nature a condition in which he is without Christ and to be without the Lord Jesus is the misery of all miseries It is not the man that is without the crowne of worldly dignities to honour him without the treasury of earthly abundance to enrich him without the sensuall and seeming paradise of carnall pleasures to delight him or without the presence and countenance of fleshly friends to solace him but it is the man that is without Christ who is of all men the most miserable The estate of Israel without the Arke was very uncomfortable their glory was departed the wife of Phineas tooke no comfort in the birth of a sonne the ordinary joy of Mothers The condition of man without Christ is very dolefull his glory is departed from him all that man hath not having Christ with it is but an Ichobod there is no glory in it For man that is without Christ is 1. Without Life The woman of Shunems sonne was without life untill the Prophet came and spread himselfe upon him Man is without the life of grace alienated from the life of God untill Christ comes and applyes himselfe to the soule of man For Christ is our Life Declaratively he reveales it meritoriously he hath purchased it originally and efficiently he communicates it as the head communicates life unto the members Christ Jesus is the dispencer of the life of grace and glory to all Gods faithfull servants and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life saith Saint John He that hath not the Sonne by cleare and saving knowledge as the eye hath the Sun in the Firmament enlightening and guiding by true and lively Faith as the living branch hath the Vine by incorporation into it by receiving juice and nourishment from it by fervent and unfained Love as the wife hath the husband by wedlocke with him by matrimoniall affection to him and by holy and humble subiection as the Subject hath the King by vailing and bowing to him He who thus hath not the Sonne he hath not life his soule is not spiritually quickned Christ not living in him spirituall death beares dominion over him He is dead saith S. Paul in sins and trespasses A Tree
twice dead and plucked up by the roots according to Saint Jude Every man is a sinfull dead man that hath not Christ graciously enlivening him and this is a great misery a condition of manifold discomforts an estate of great unhappinesse the dead according to the flesh sees nothing of all that sweet and glorious light which the Sun casteth forth upon him the dead in sinne hath no comfortable apprehension of Christ shining in the Gospell more gloriously then the Sunne Christ in the Gospell is altogether hidden from them that have not Christ living in them The dead saith Salomon know not any thing The dead in sinne know not any thing of the wisedome of Christ guiding them of the death of Christ mortifying their lusts of the resurrection of Christ quickning their soules of the dominion of Christ reigning in their hearts of the holinesse of Christ sanctifying their affections nor of the fulnesse of Christ satisfying their desires Prophane persons are altogether empty of the knowledge of Christ Jesus In death saith the Psalmist there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Under the death and in the grave of sinne there is no remembrance of Christ he is not in all their thoughts they thinke not upon him as the traveller upon the guide leading them as the rich man upon the treasure enriching them as the Bride upon the Bridegroome marrying them Christ with carnall persons like David among his carnall acquaintance is forgotten as a dead man out of minde and like a broken vessell Can a maid saith the Lord forget her Ornaments or a Bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number Christ the ornament and attire of the soule of man is forgotten by carnall people as dead men are unmindfull of their apparell 3. The dead are unsensible of all diseases they have no feeling of any burthens Man alienated from Christ and the life of God is past feeling he feeles not his sinne as a heavy burden oppressing him he feeles not Satan as an enemy buffeting him as a Tyrant molesting and captivating him his conscience as a witnesse accusing and a Judge condemning him it is seared with a hot iron Mans unsensiblenesse of his owne wretchednesse argues his unhappy and great estrangement from Christ Jesus 4. The body separated from the soule is an unprofitable lump a loathsome carkasse the soule separated from Christ is an unfruitfull branch separated from the Vine an unprofitable member rent from the body a loathsome object in Gods sight uncleane corrupt abominable and doing no good as the Psalmist speakes The whole man separate from Christ Jesus is a vessell full of all uncleannesse his best service like the savour of a dead man is unsavoury in Gods nostrils 5. The dead is uncapable of the food set before him his body fals to the ground cleaves unto the earth and resolveth into dust Man that hath not Christ living in him is uncapable of the meanes of grace his soules food he thrives not by the ministery of the word his soule is leane and ill-favoured still like Pharaohs leane Kine after their eating of the fat the Quailes choaked the Israelites they proved not a nourishing but a destroying food unto them The word proves the savour of death unto death to him that is separated from the Lord of Life All that are without Christ are fallen from God unto the world they minde onely earthly things they resolve into the very dust they are buried under the world as a dead man under the earth The World hath the full possession of them the sole Lordship over them nothing but the World suites with them nothing but the earth is savoury to them 6. The body without the soule moves not walks not Man without Christ hath no motion no inclination unto God makes no progresse in the way to life Lazarus moved not walked not untill Christ raised him Man moves not in the way towards God and Heaven untill Christ gives him part in the first Resurrection Man in the state of corruption like Israel in the Prophet is bent unto backesliding Mans continuance in sinne increaseth his estrangement from God The longer man lives in the state of corruption the farther he removes from Heaven the greater is the distance between him and salvation Lastly in a word a dead man is offensive to the house where he is hath no communion with the living hath lost all his dignity and priviledges which he enjoyed in his life time can doe nothing for his owne defence but is exposed to the foot to tread upon him to the fowles of the aire to devoure him Thus the carnall man that is without Christ is an offence to them that live the life of grace hath no spirituall communion with Gods children is estranged from all the Prerogatives and dignities belonging to the living members of Christ unable to doe any thing in defence of himselfe against the adversaries of his soule being exposed and laid open as a very prey to Satan And thus mans Alienation from the life of grace and holinesse shewes his great misery in being estranged from Christ Jesus 2. Man that is without Christ is without Light He that is without the Sunne is in darknesse He that is without the Sun of Righteousnesse is in darknesse and the shadow of death There is no oyle of saving knowledge no Starre of spirituall Light shining in the house and region of his soule Of such our Saviour saith they have not knowne the Father nor me They have not knowne the Father as a spirituall Parent regenerating them as a heavenly King reigning and ruling within them as a gracious dweller possessing furnishing and adorning their soules with his gifts and graces as a dweller possesseth and furnisheth his house They have not known the Father in his Word adoring him according to his prescription in his Sacrament as the Master of a feast in his banqueting house feasting and feeding them in his precepts as a Lord and Master fearing him nor in his promises as a sure and faithfull friend resting and relying upon him Neither have they knowne me they have not knowne me in my natures as God and Man in one Person in my Offices as their Prophet instructing them as their Priest offering my selfe a sacrifice for them as their King bearing spirituall dominion within them as their Mediator bringing them night to God making reconciliation between them and God they have not knowne me in my sufferings being crucified together with me in my exaltations being planted with the likenes of my Resurrection in my communications being filled with my fulnesse solaced with my comforts and revived and cheered up with my blessed presence very miserable is the carnall mans ignorance of God and Christ Jesus Therefore stiled darkenesse not darke but darkenesse it selfe Ye were once darkenesse universally darke wholly darke having
nettles thornes and bryars wanting Christ the great husband man to manure and dresse him and in regard of the residence of Satan in him as a cage of uncleane birds in regard of the presence and inhabitation of loathsome lusts as a sepulchre full of dead mens bones in regard of the dominion of corruption as a dead man under the power of death in whom is no beauty left and in regard of the sordidnesse and basenesse of his practise way and order of his life as a Sow wallowing in the mire fowle and shamefull horrid and loathsome is mans uncomelinesse without Christ The greatest sinner is the fowlest monster bodily beauty without Christ is but greene grasse upon a rotten grave or a faire garment upon a leprous backe Did man see his uncomelinesse and deformity without Christ he would stile himselfe as the Prophet stiled Pashur Magor-missabib feare round about every way a terrour to himselfe 8. Man without Christ is without honour He is no Sonne of God but one of Satans spurious brood no Free man but a slave to Satan and his owne corruption no Spouse of Christ but a spirituall harlot committing fornication with the world no Conquerour but a captive led away by divers lusts no friend nor favourite of God but an alien and enemy in Gods account likened to the dung and the drosse the chaffe and stubble for their emptinesse basenesse and vilenesse in the sight of God being base in their corrupt originall In their carnall disposition base in their understandings wise onely to doe evill base in their wils chusing the evill and refusing the good base in their imaginations minding onely low things base in their feare trust love ioy fearing where no feare is fearing man that shall dye and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse trusting in an arme of flesh leaning upon a withered reed loving and setting his eyes on that which is not and rejoycing in a thing of nought and base in all their intendments the satisfying of the lusts of the flesh are the highest marke to which they levell the arrowes of all their endeavours The whole way and practise of man without Christ Jesus savours of nothing but basenesse He that hath not Christ to innoble him is most ignoble in his inward disposition in his outward condition in all his undertaking We may say of them as Job did of some of his time They are children of fooles yea children of base men they are viler then earth He that is the greatest stranger to Christ Iesus is the most base of all creatures 9. Man without Christ is without peace Christ is the Prince of peace his Subjects are the onely Subjects of peace God is in none but in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe Josephs brethren found favour with Pharaoh onely through Joseph Christ alone is the Authour of reconciliation between God and man peace is preached onely by Christ Jesus God Ministers are the instruments of peace onely to such persons as embrace the Lord Iesus and Christ saith the Apostle is our peace the revealer the procurer and the worker of peace in al◠the children of peace Man that is without Christ is an enemy to the God of peace a stranger to the Covenant of peace uncapable of the word of peace an alien to the way of peace and full of sinne the maine impediment of peace to him therefore that wants Christ there is no peace No true no spirituall no heavenly peace no joy and peace in the Holy-Ghost Sinne is mans trouble but Christ is mans peace He that is full of sinne and empty of Christ hath nothing to doe with peace Joram once asking is it peace Jehu was answered What hast thou to doe with peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are so many Carnall man asking Is it peace O Messenger of God can looke for no other but Jehu's answer what hast thou to do O carnall man with peace so long as thy lusts are so strong within thee thy fornications with the creature so many and thy estrangement from and rebellions against the Prince of peace so great His thoughts of peace are all vile and base delusions who continues empty of Christ the sole dispencer of peace to all beleeving soules Lastly and in a few words Man without Christ is without protection He hath no shield to defend him in the day when Satan makes warre upon him He hath no helper to rescue him when the prince of darkenesse the world and his owne lusts besiege him He is without supportation and must sinke like the house built upon the sand in the houre when the winds and waves of affliction doe beate upon him He is without remission the Law stands like the hand writing in Belshazzars wall against him and fils him with dismall feare and trembling his sinnes are upon him and he must dye in them He is without blessing all becomes a curse unto him all without Christ is bitter like the waters of Marah without the Tree He is without salvation there is no other name given under heaven whereby he may be saved He that is without Christ is a childe without nurse his soule doth starve a City without a Watchman the enemy makes a prey of him a Ship without a Pilot his soule splits upon the rockes of desperation when the stormy tempest of an accusing conscience begins to tosse and shake him He is a sicke man without a Physitian he dyes in the disease that is upon him He is a withered branch without root prepared fewell for everlasting burning Surely mans basenesse wretchednesse woes and miseries continuing a stranger to Christ Jesus doe even surpasse the expression of the tongues of men and Angels O how are they beyond measure stupid blockish and sencelesse who please and blesse themselves in their impieties in an estate of estrangement from Christ Iesus O how should the meditation of mans misery without Christ set his soule on worke to get interest in Christ CHAP. IV. Declaring mans great cause of humiliation for being without Christ and also discovering the cause of mans undervaluing Christ THe meditation of mans alienation from Christ in his naturall estate ministers matter of Humiliation unto man man in his naturall condition having nothing of Christ within him and this is the misery of all miseries to be empty of Christ Jesus neither doth the want of any thing minister such cause and matter of humiliation as the want of Christ Hagar wept because her bottle was empty of waters Hannah was in great bitternesse because her wombe was barren shut up from child-bearing The women in the day of Famine cryed helpe ô King Micah ran too and fro like a man besides himselfe when his Idoll his imaginary God was taken and carried from him what is the want of children of bread and water to the want of Christ or the losse of
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
Christ as David did of Saul and Jonathan They were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their death they were not divided they were swifter then the Eagles they were stronger then Lyons No they take no pleasure in Christ in their lives and they are divided from Christ in their deaths the way of Christ is to them a way of thornes they move slowly in Christs service like Pharaohs Chariots without wheels the waters of Gods wrath overwhelming them at the last Christ is to them a rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling to beleevers he is an elect and precious stone for his great worth in himsâ—lfe the price they put upon him the enrichment they receive from him a living stone quickning them a stone of strength supporting them but to other men thorough their infidelity pride and profane refusall he is a stone of offence they have no delight in his Doctrine they are offended in him they guash their teeth at him they thinke dishonourably of him in his offices in his ordinances in his Ministers and in his attendants Under the Law if a man delighted not in his wife he gave her a bill of divorce The man under the Gospell that takes no delight in Christ divorceth himselfe from Christ observes not his Covenant with-draws himselfe from Christ puts no more price upon him hath no better esteeme of him then a hard hearted Israelite of his divorced wife Man doth ever evidence his high esteeme of Christ by his pleasure delight and joy in Christ He that doth not rejoyce in him puts a very unworthy price upon him 5. Men being without Christ have no longing after Christ it is the having of Christ in measure and in truth that breeds fervent and unfained longings after Christ no man more desires Christ then he that enjoyes most of Christ No man so contents himselfe without Christ as he that never savingly enjoyed any thing of Christ he that never knew what liberty was is well pleased with a servile estate he that never saw the Sun pleases himselfe in darknesse man that never discerned the beauty and brightnesse of the Son of Righteousnesse that never knew the liberty and comforts which Christ ministers pleaseth himself in his spirituall bondage applauds himselfe in his blindnesse and ignorance and saith with them in Job Depart from us we care not for the knowledge of thy wayes He doth not long after Christ as David after the waters of Bethell he doth not cry for Christ as Rachel did for children he thinkes like Esau in another case that he hath enough already he imagineth that he is rich and full and wants nothing the soul that is wholy estranged from Christ is farre from longing after Christ the Disciples did first eat of the bread which Christ gave them and then they cryed Lord give us evermore of this bread It is mans tast of Christ mans feeding upon Christ that makes him long after Christ The experience which the Spouse in Salomon had of the bridegroomes love moved her to intreat the kisses of his mouth Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then wine Christians are first Passive and then Active in their love to Christ-ward love like the heat of the Sun first descends and then it ascends Christs love to us begets our love to him Christs love was first over the Spouse as a Banner and then she was sicke of love to him Lazarus lay fast in the grave the Earth was his bed his palace his resting place and all in all till Christ raysed him Man lyes fast in the grave of sin the world the Earth the things here below are his bed his palace his Paradise he minds nothing els till Christ doth quicken him The strange woman in Salomons Song marvelled what Christ the Churches Beloved was they mused why she should be sick of love toward him why she made such great inquiry after him Carnall men thinke Gods people besides themselves in being so earnest after Christ so zealous for Christ they marvell why they are so inquisitive in their hearings prayers fastings meditations and conferences after Christ Jesus they wonder what Christ is more then any other Beloved as gold silver honours pleasures having no love nor longings in themselves after Christ they muse at the love and longings of others and as they long not after him they put no price upon him shew no respect to him but set him with David behind the Ewes give him the least and lowest yea even no roome at all in their hearts Christ is of no esteem with man untill he comes within man and makes the soul of man his gracious habitation CHAP. V. Opening the folly of man in retaining his sinne and contenting himselfe without Christ. 4. THe meditation of mans estrangement from Christ in his naturall and corrupt estate opens the exceeding great folly of man in being loath to change his corrupt estate to put off the old man as unwilling to forsake his carnall condition as Micah his Idoll though this separate and keepe him from Christ make him uncapable of Christ exclude him from all claime and title to Christ and this is the folly of all follies to retaine any thing which may exclude man from Christ or hinder mans fruition and enjoyment of Christ he that by retaining his sin keeps himself from Christ abides in darknes and chooseth darknes rather then light sicknesse rather then health bondage rather then liberty famin rather than fulnes woes and miseries rather than joyes and comforts curses rather than blessings basenes rather than honour the leprosie rather then beauty what shall I say death rather than life hell rather than heaven and evelasting consortship with the Divell in endlesse burnings rather than communion with God and Christ in everlasting rejoycings Men are easily perswaded to leave sicknes for health darknes for light straw for pearls thraldome for liberty the tempest for a calme c. But men are uneasily perswaded to leave their sin for Christ to deny themselves and forsake the world for Christ as Elisha left his friends and his yoakes of Oxen to follow Elijah This is a perswasion beyond the Rhetorick Art and Eloquence of man and Angell yea of Christ himselfe as he was man and a Minister of the Gospell for thus may you here him in the dayes of his flesh expostulating and pleading with reproving and upbraiding the men of Jerusalem O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered you together even as a Hen doth gather her Chickens under her wings and you would not and again you may behold him weeping over that City and saying O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes And of old also may you heare him complayning in the
the Israelites rejoyced in the Arke not in the Lord and vaine men rejoyce in man in the presence of man in the ability favour power and helpe of man and not in Christ Thus among the men of Corinth One said J am of Paul and another I am of Apollo looking with a humane eye upon and glorying after a carnall manner in those holy Messengers of God even idolizing and abusing the appointed instruments of their salvation robbing Christ of his glory by an inordinate dependance upon and glorying in the Messengers of Christ ascribing that to them which was proper unto Christ exalting them into the very roome of Christ so glorying in them that Christ was not glorious in their apprehension the carnall overvaluing of the instruments is a shamefull undervaluing of the Lord Jesus Hee that doth not according to the expression of the Prophet cease from man from the wisdome and counsell devise and invention art and ability of man sees little or nothing of Christ hath no comfort nor joy in Christ he that doth not cease from dependance upon man from glorying and pleasing himselfe in man from resting upon the authority of man in matter of spirituall instruction is very ignorant of Christ a meere stranger to Christ Christ ever proves uncomfortable to them whose rejoycings are in man 4. There is a fullnesse of the world which argueth an emptinesse of Christ in the soule of man The Inne where Christ was borne was so full of guests that there was no roome for Christ but in a manger a dishonourable lodging for such a glorious guest in the heart which is filled with the world there is no roome for Christ Worldly minded men give a very unworthy entertainment unto Christ the world so blinds them that they cannot discerne the beauty worth and excellency of Christ any more then an eye full of dust can discerne the brightnesse and beauty of the Sunne they see no comelinesse in Christ for which they should desire him this so fils their hearts that they are uncapable of spirituall instruction as thorns and bryars make the field uncapable of seed this beares such authority and dominion within them that they cannot vaile and bow to Christ they cannot take Christs yoake upon them they cannot set themselves about Christs worke any more then a servant can put himselfe from his Masters service into another mans worke No man saith Christ can serve two Masters no man can be the servant of God and Mammon this so alienates the heart of a man from Christ drawes the soule of man into such spirituall fornication that man can no more love Christ then a harlot can love her husband for if any man saith Saint John love the world the love of the Father is not in that man And the love of the world saith St. James is enmity with God This doth so take up the thought care study delight strength labour time and the very whole of man and doth so fetter and bind him fasten and encline him to things here below that with the invited guests in the Parable he cannot come to Christ he cannot imbrace Christ he cannot attend on Christ he cannot marry his soule to Christ this doth so distemper their palates that they cannot relish Christ The flesh-pots of Aegypt were so savoury to the Israelites that they could not long relish their Manna Christ is a distastfull dish where the world is a sweet feast this fils the heart of man with dishonourable thoughts of Christ The over-prizing of the world is the under-prizing of Christ Hee can never apprehend Christ as all in all that doth not apprehend the world as nothing the young mans over-prizing the world caused his departure from Christ the lovers of the world are very inconstant in their following of Christ if Christ and the world will not stand together Christ is soone forsaken the world alone hath their attendance service and affection So that Christ hath no spirituall and gracious being where the world hath such full possession And these foure sorts of fulnesse in man are so many cleare demonstrations of Christs estrangement from man 5. By mans spirituall emptinesse He that is empty of Christ is without Christ the Cisterne which is empty of water is without the fountaine hee that is empty of grace is without Christ the authour and fountain of grace he that is without the life of Christ who hath not Christ living in him as the root in the branches graciously enlivening him as the soule doth naturally enliven the body endowing him with spirituall principles of holy and gracious life enabling him like a living man to feele his sin as a living man his disease to rise up from the world as a living man ariseth from the Earth to feed upon the Ordinances of God as a living man upon the food which is set before him to walke in the wayes of God as a living man doth move and walke in an earthly way to follow Christ in attending his Ordinances in beleeving his Promises in obeying his precepts as Lazarus followed Christ when he had raised him from death to life he that hath not Christ thus living in him thus framing and disposing him to live to God to consecrate himselfe to Gods service to conforme himselfe to Gods precepts to intend God and his glory To live as the Apostle saith godly in Christ Jesus in Christ enlivenining him and according to Christs prescription He that doth not thus live is without Christ 2. He that is empty of the knowledge of Christ is without Christ the eye which is empty of the light of the Sun is without the Sun the soule which is empty of spirituall and heavenly light is without the Sun of Righteousnesse he that doth not know Christ as a Prophet instructing him and making him wise unto salvation as a Priest sanctifying and purging him from his corruption as a King bearing spirituall dominion within him bringing his whole man into a holy and humble subjection he that doth not know the death of Christ in the crucifying of his affections the resurrection of Christ in the rising of his soule to seeke the things which are above the power of Christ in working his heart from obstinacy and hardnesse from captivity and bondage from pride and haughtinesse to softnesse and tendernesse to liberty and freedome and to humility and meeknesse He that doth not know the beauties of Christ ravishing his soule with joy and delight in him the love of Christ in being espoused to Christ the worth and excellency of Christ in accounting all but dung and drosse in comparison of Christ and the fullnesse of Christ in feeling and finding all contentation in Christ he that doth not thus know Christ is without Christ in Christ are hidden all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom and he that hath Christ is full of spirituall knowledge as
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
earth from the common-wealth of these Israelites the Gentiles before the comming of Christ were strangers and before their calling and conversion by the ministery of the Gospell they were wholly excluded from the Priviledges and Prerogatives belonging to the Israelitish people as being strangers unto their common-wealth And the Apostle expresseth their misery and dishonourable estate by a Metaphor taken a iure Civitatis from the Rights and Priviledges belonging to a City being no Citizens no members of this spirituall common-wealth they were excluded from the Lawes Immunities Freedomes and Priviledges belonging to the same In the words we may observe 1. The Title given to the Church and people of God a Common-wealth 2. The Exemption of all prophane men from this Common-wealth called Aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel 1. Of the Title which is not proper but metaphoricall and it may teach us That Gods faithfull people are a spirituall and mysticall Common-wealth As they are termed a body consisting of many members of which Christ is the head a house consisting of many lively stones whereof Christ is the head corner stone an Orchard composed of many Trees of which Christ is the planter so they are also a spirituall a mysticall Common-wealth wherof Christ is the supreame Governour And Christs Church and faithfull people are a spirituall Common-wealth 1. In respect of multitude A Common-wealth consisteth of many persons the Church of Christ of many beleevers as a body of many members a house of many stones an orchard of many trees a flocke of many sheep and an army of many souldiers though they be but few a small number comparatively in respect of the prophane multitude like Gideons three hundred men to the Midianitish Hoast A little flocke a few a remnant one of a City and two of a Tribe as the Scripture speaketh yet considered simply and in themselves they are many One hundred forty and foure thousand were sealed Rev. 7.4 And the Prophet foretold of the conversion of the abundance of the Sea and of the comming of the forces of the Gentiles to the Church of Christ 2. In respect of Submission and Obligation to one Law The people of a Common-wealth though they be many yet they are all guided by one Law Thus the Church of Christ though they be many and dispersed farre abroad upon the face of the earth yet they are all subject to and guided by one divine and sacred Law They walke all as the Apostle saith by one Rule All Israel were guided by one fiery pillar in their journeyes All the nations of the earth have one and the same Sun ministring light unto them to guide them in their severall goings The beleevers of all Nations have one and the same word of God to be the light of their feet and the lanterne of their paths Christ prescribes one Law to all his Subjects one rule of beleeving obeying and adoring him 3. In respect of Subiection under one Governour In a Common-wealth there is one chiefe Ruler in the Church Christ is the supreame Governour He is the Head of this body the King of this Common-wealth As the body hath but one Head and the common-wealth but one King so the Church but one spirituall Head but one divine and heavenly King which is Christ therefore stiled the head over all things unto the Church and a King set upon the holy hill of Syon The Church is the Spouse and Christ the Bridegroome the Church the slocke and Christ the chiefe shep heard the Church the ship and Christ the Pilate the Church the family and Christ the Master of the house stiled by â—nt James one Law-giver and we by voice from Heaven are commanded to heare him 4. In respect of mutuall and common interest in all spirituall good things All the members in a common-wealth have interest in the common priviledge and liberties belonging to that common-wealth All the living members of the Church of Christ have claime and title to all the good things of Christ they are all sonnes of God they are all the Lords free-men they are all Citizens of the new Jerusalem they are all members of the same mysticall body they are all heires to the same inheritance and partakers of the same promises and benefits by Christ All is theirs whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death all is theirs and they are Christs Ther Sun is alike open and obvious to the eye of the poore and of the rich Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse is alike open and free in the communication of himselfe to the soule of the poore and rich beleeving Christian yet this parity of beleevers participation of Christ takes not away the imparity of dominion and subiection between themselves He that is inferiour in sanctification may be superiour in externall estate and iurisdiction For as there are various degrees of state in a common-wealth so there are in the Church of Christ on earth 5. In respect of Constitution and composition A common-wealth as Aristotle observes consisteth not of a Physitian and a Physitian nor of a countrey man and a countrey man but of a Physitian and a countrey man so the Church of Christ consists not of a Pastor and a Pastor nor of a hearer and a hearer but of a teacher and a hearer they are neither all teachers nor all hearers but some Pastors and some Disciples some teachers and some learners as in an army some are souldiers and some are Captaines in a family some are nurses and some are sacking babes some therefore in the Church are commanded to teach and some are enjoyned to learne 6. In respect of separation and distinction A common-wealth is separated and distinguished from other Lands by Lawes language habit priviledges c. The Church of Christ is separate and destinguished from all the residue of the world they are called out of the world they are a royall Priesthood a chosen generation a peculiar people called out of darknesse into a marvellous light They are a holy people unto the Lord their God the Lord their God hath taken them to be a speciall people unto himselfe above all the people that are upon the face of the earth And they are distinguished from all other people by their Originall they are borne of God by their Countrey they are Citizens of the new Jerusalem by their language they speake the language of Canaan God hath returned to them a pure language By their habit they put on righteousnesse as a garment their adorning is not the putting on of gold or plaiting of the haire but the adorning of the hidden man of the heart To be glorious within is their choise and speciall ornament they are distinguished from others as the living from the dead as the vine from the thorne as the lambe from the wolfe as light from darknesse God is their God and they are his children and they have priviledges which no
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
man is destitute both of faith and of a godly life his faith like Jeroboams hand is withered he cannot reach it forth to apprehend Christ and the promise of life in Christ Though carnall man live within the pale of the Church and come to the House and Table of the Lord yet like him in the Parable that came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment he hath not put on Christ Christs righteousnesse doth not cloathe him and therefore is an unwelcome guest the dainties there provided doe neither profit him nor belong unto him his faith is a dead faith it doth not purifie him it makes him not victorious over Satan and the world he continues as a dead man in the house having no claime nor title to the things of the house The foolish Virgins wanting oyle in their lamps were not acknowledged by Christ he did not open to them he gave them no admission Profession without faith and obedience gives no interest in Christ nor finds any acceptance with Christ he that breakes the conditions of the covenant can justly claime nothing by the covenant The covenant from which prophane men are excluded is the Covenant of grace by which God appointeth a heavenly inheritance to his adopted children through the death of his Sonne Jesus Christ interveening The matter of this covenant is the promise of God to become our God in Christ and the promise of man to beleeve in God through Christ and to walke with God in newnesse of life The forme of this covenant consisteth in a mutuall obligation of God to man and of man to God The Object of this covenant is properly the elect effectually called it is offered to all to whom the Gospell is preached the elect alone have the true and comfortable fruition of it The moving cause of this covenant is the meere mercy and free favour of God the impulsive cause hereof is the merit of Christ by whose intercession alone all the elect are reconciled unto God the finall cause is the glory of God and the salvation of his chosen the Adiunct of it is perpetuity an everlasting covenant a covenant of wedlocke which never shall be ended And to this covenant all corrupt and carnall men as long as they continue such are strangers they are strangers to the comfortable and experimentall knowledge of it they doe not know themselves reconciled unto God in Christ Jesus they are strangers to the matter of it they doe not know God to be their God their treasure their crowne and comforter neither doe they know themselves to be Gods peculiar people by a lively faith in God by fervent love towards God by holy and humble walking and gracious communion with God nor by Christian application of themselves with all their might to the service of God and strangers they are to the fruits and effects of the covenant mentioned by the Prophet Ieremy as inscription of the Law in their hearts illumination of their understandings remission of their sinnes holy and constant feare not to offend God stedfast perseverance in the wayes of God and divine dispensation of all things to worke for the best unto them and thus they are very unhappy strangers to the covenants of promise CHAP. XVI Displaying the misery and uncomfortablenesse of Mans estate without the Covenant IN this is very fully opened the misery and uncomfortablenesse of every corrupt and carnall mans estate Mans sole and onely hope and expectation of comfort is from the free and gracious Promise of God in Christ he hath no other staffe to sustaine him no other Star to send forth any glimpse of consolation to him no other well from whence to draw any water of refreshment yet even from this is the carnall man excluded he hath no interest in this covenant and having no interest in this covenant He is 1. A stranger to Christ and to that salvation which cometh by Christ Christ saveth onely such as come within the covenant the Promise of salvation by Christ is to them whom God shall call from death to life from darknesse to light from bondage to liberty and from uncleannesse to holinesse according to that of the Lord by the Prophet to our Saviour I the Lord have called thee to the Office of a Mediatour in righteousnesse my Justice moving me to fulfill my gracious Promise I will hold thine hand I will helpe thee I will minister strength unto thee to fulfill this office I will keepe thee from suffering untill the time appointed and in thy suffering that thou despaire not and give thee for a Covenant a Mediatour of the people and a light a Saviour to the Gentiles to open the blind eyes to enlighten their understandings by the preaching of the Gospell to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse from the prison-house to set mine elect free from the power of Satan dominion of sin and feare of Hell Now carnall men who are without the covenant have not Christ a Mediatour reconciling them to God an enlightner of their understandings nor a restorer of their soules to spirituall freedome Christ is not unto them life quickning them a Rocke supporting them Righteousnesse cloathing them a Husband marrying them and a Fountaine filling them but they are without Christ as a House without a Foundation as Members without a Head as Captives wiâ—hout a Ransomer and as a forsaken woman without a Husband The woman which is not under the covenant of wedlock hath no Husband the soule which is not under the covenant of grace hath no Jesus no Deliverer no Salvation by Christ 2. He remaines empty of all spirituall and heavenly gifts his soule is in empty house wherin dwels no good thing he is a stranger to all Gods gracious and soule-saving communications he that is not in covenant with the King that refuseth the Oath of Allegiance to the King is excluded from communion with the King and from all such Prerogatives and favours as the King grants to them that are in covenant with him such as are not in covenant with God like Absolom in another case cannot see the Kings face the face of God doth not shine but frowne upon them they sit in darkenesse and the shadow of death God doth not reveale himselfe clearely and graciously unto them the great things of his Law are a strange thing unto them they have no discerning of the things of God the Lord sends them away empty from his house and from his Ordinances after their long living within the pale of the Church and long attendance upon the Gospell and often being at the Lords feast of marrow and of fat things they continue like Pharaohs leane kine after their eating the fat as leane as ever blind poore naked miserable and wretched as Christ speaketh Gods graces are dispenced with his Covenant thou shalt breake forth on the right hand and on the
him to love and rejoyce in him in their tongues to speake of him and plead for him in their hands to work that which is good and honourable unto God and in all their abilities therewith to honour him prostrating all under the feet of God referring and using all to the glory of God living and dying as the Apostle saith unto the Lord living as Gods servants framing the whole way and order of their life according to Gods prescription referring their whole life to the glory of God and resting in all the labours and troubles of their life upon God with a firme confidence being assured that God takes care for them and dying as Gods peculiar people patiently submitting to the hand of God in the time of their dissolution firmly depending upon God in the houre of their change heartily desiring that God may be glorified by their death and resting fully assured that their temporall death shall be an entrance into eternall life he who thus fully applies himself to God may assure himself of his being in covenant with God 3. By mans participation of the spirituall and heavenly benefits which the covenant comprehendeth as 1. The donation of the Spirit it is the Lords promise to powre out his Spirit upon all flesh to put his Spirit within us and to cause us to walke in his wayes so that he who is within the Covenant of God hath the Spirit of God quickning and enlivening him as the soule doth enliven the body enlightning and teaching him guiding and leading him into the cleare and comfortable knowledge of all truth as the guide leades the Traveller into the knowledge of the way wherein he is to walke regenerating and renewing him sanctifying and cleansing him as the water doth the flesh and the fire the mettall revealing Christ in him and making Christ appeare very glorious and amiable in his apprehension as the most glorious Sun the choysest pearle and most renowned Prince even the fairest of ten thousand making the soule full of longings after him and sick of love towards him uniting and joyning him unto Christ as the branch to the vine as a member to the head to be enlivened by Christ and to participate of all the benefits which flow from Christ ruling and guiding him as a Pilot his Ship framing and working his heart to an universall holy and humble submission to the will of God as the hand of the learner is guided by the teacher to write according to the whole copy set before him To him that is within the Covenant the Spirit of God is a Spirit of life mortifying the old and quickning the new man Water washing refreshing and making his soule spiritually fruitfull Fire purging and consuming his remaining lusts and making his heart to burne with love to God and man oyle of gladnesse filling his soule with spirituall alacrity and cheerfulnesse and a seale and earnest penny assuring him of his future blisse and peace in Heaven and this communication of the Spirit is an undoubted pledge of mans being within the Covenant 2. A second benefit comprised under the Covenant is Communion with the Saints all that are within the Covenant have a mutuall sweet and gracious fellowship with God and among themselves That which we have seen and heard saith S. John declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us and that our fellowship may be with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ He that is within the Covenant hath communion with God the Father by adoption as a childe with the Parent by participation receiving of the Fathers fulnesse and bearing his Image by holy walking having his conversation in Heaven walking with God as Enoch and Noah did by invocation as a Petitioner with the King being a daily earnest suter to the throne of grace by Faith living and walking by faith and not by sight and also by Love God dwelling in love as the Apostle speakes Hee that is within the Covenant hath communion with Christ by participation of Christ and his benefits by dwelling in Christ and Christ in him being joyned with Christ in a spirituall wedlocke Christ assuming him into his grace and making him a member of his body bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh as S. Paul speakes expressing their neare union and sweet communion with Christ who are within the covenant of God He that is within this covenant hath also communion with the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God dwelling in him regenerating and renewing him witnessing his adoption helping his infirmity sealing up the pardon of his sin and restoring him to more spirituall liberty and freedome and hee hath likewise communion with all the Saints and faithfull Servants of the Lord being partakers of one Spirit living members under one Head having the same love being of one mind and of one accord their prayers meeting mutually each for other at one and the same throne of grace all building by one rule all travelling by one light all acting and moving by one Spirit all feeding upon one word all fighting under one Banner all running one race and all serving one Prince of peace they have fervent love one to another singular delight each in other and a very sweet and gracious communion one with another and this holy and joyfull communion with the Saints of God abundantly argues mans being within the Covenant of God 3. A third benefit comprised under the Covenant is Regeneration the sanctifying and restoring our corrupt nature to the image of God a worke of God in all that are within the Covenant a parcell of Gods promise to put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts to make a sutablenesse betweene them and his Law to worke such holines in their hearts as should in some good proportion answer that holinesse which the Law prescribeth and this is requisite to mans being within the Covenant because without this he cannot know God he cannot be the friend of God hee cannot please God nor have any communion with God he that is farre from holinesse is farre from interest in Gods Promise The captive woman under the Law had her apparell changed before an Israelitish Souldier could assume her into a covenant of wedlock man under the Gospell must put off the old-man and put on the new ere he can have interest in Gods Covenant the more fully freely and constantly man conformes himselfe to Gods precepts the surer is his evidence of title to Gods promise He whose obedience to the Law of God is voluntary without compulsion cordiall without dissimulation universall without the allowance of any evill humble without all ostentation cheerfull free from all repining sincere without any by or sinister intention and constant without back-sliding may rest assured of being received into Gods Covenant 4. A fourth benefit comprised under the Covenant by which man may discerne his being within the Covenant is
are like Nebuchadnezzars Image and it will be with them as with Nebuchadnezzars Image at last his Image had a head of gold but feet of clay and the stone hewne out of the mountaines without hands brake it in peeces Such men have a golden profession but an earthly and uncleane conversation and Christ at last will dash them in pieces as an iron rod a Potters vessell As Christ cursed the Fig-tree which had leaves and no fruit so will he curse them that have the leaves of Christian profession but want the fruit of a good conversation a barren profession doth but aggravate the condemnation of a Christian 3. Some build their hopes upon their elymosynary duties and works of charity because they are bountifull to the poore they hope they shall be saved they trust in their good works and hope to purchase heaven by their beneficence excluding Christs merits As the builders of old by raising a Tower thought to preserve themselves from an after deluge and scale the wals of Heaven but as their hopes perished God confounding their worke so will the hopes of these mercinary and proud workers their best works without Christ will bring confusion instead of salvation upon them The sword in which Goliah trusted cut off his head whatsoever a man doth rest upon besides Christ he is confounded by that wherein he trusteth It may seeme strange and yet is very true that many mens good works prove more prejudiciall to them then their evill works their bad works prove an occasion of humiliation to them and drive them wholly out of themselves unto Christ their good works puffe them up and make them stay in themselves and never come to Christ and such men as have no better foundation then their works of charity to build upon the Apostle will tell them that a man may give all his goods to the poore and yet be nothing 4. Some build their hopes upon their not being so bad as the worst they compare themselves with such as are worse then themselves and thereupon conclude they are in a good estate this is as if a man having many ulcers should yet perswade himselfe he is very beautifull because he is not as leprous as Gehezi was As if a man guilty of many small felonies should perswade himselfe the Judge will save him because he is not so notorious a malefactor as Barabbas was or as if a man indebted an hundred pounds more then he is worth should perswade himselfe he is rich because he is not indebted so many thousand pounds as some others are This was the deceit and false flattery of the Pharisee I thanke God saith he I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or as this Publicane Men dye not all of one sicknesse some have more pestilentiall diseases then others yet all dye the wages of all sinne is death It is not he who is not so bad as others but he that is a new Creature in Christ that bath assured hope of life and peace to them that are in Christ there is no condemnation who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 5. Some build their hopes upon the mercies of God and merit of Christ presuming they may be securely sinfull because God is mercifull and that they may still run on upon Gods scoare because Christ hath given himselfe a ransome and thus they turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and harden themselves by those mercies which should leade them to repentance turning their physicke into poyson and the meanes of their freedome into chaines and fetters to tye them the faster in their thraldome and what is this but as if a man should tumble himselfe in the mire and durt because there is water enough in a Well to wash him yet a sealed deep Well whereof he hath no bucket to draw Or as if a man should give himselfe many mortall wounds because there is a Surgeon that can cure him of whose help he hath yet no promise Gods mercies and Christs merits minister pardon and peace to such alone as turne from iniquity and walke in the wayes of peace All mercies prove curses which lead not the soule to God and Jesus Christ The meditation of Gods mercy can never truly comfort thee unlesse it humble thee Benhadads servants hearing that the Kings of Israel were mercifull Kings came not before Ahab with their bowes bent and swords drawne but with roapes about their necks and sackcloth about their loynes He that comes to God in the confidence of his mercies must lay aside the weapons of his sinne and come with teares in his eyes and godly sorrow in his heart because there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared not to encourage man to continue wicked not knowing as S. Paul saith that the goodnesse of God ought to leade thee to repentance but after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up against thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God 6. Some build their hopes upon their Humiliations and Repentance they have beene in affliction of conscience they have beene humbled for their sinnes and have beene many dayes in great anguish of spirit and in this they rest here they stay and hope by this to be saved thus the people in the Prophet We say ye have fasted and we have afflicted our soule and for this they thought to be heard and accepted of the Lord but there is a legall as well as an Evangelicall repentance a sorrow arising from feare and not from love from the apprehension of Hell and not of Heaven from the sence of wrath and not from the working of love from the feeling of terrours and not from the hatred of sinne a sorrow of slaves and not of sonnes a sorrow which worketh unto death and not a sorrow which worketh Repentance to Salvation a man may with Caine cry out of the greatnesse of his iniquity and his sorrow sinke him even as low as Hell hee may with Ahab put on sack-cloth and walk humbly many dayes he may with Pharaoh in his anguish send for the Minister of the Lord and acknowledge his sinne and intreat the prayer of Gods servants on this he may build his hopes and deceive himselfe that repentance which doth not supple and soften and change the heart is little worth the Lord smote the Rocke and waters gushed out yet it continued a Rocke God smites the heart of many a man with perplexing and terrifying stroakes to the drawing of many teares and yet it continueth a hard and stony heart that sorrow which workes not the mortification of sinne gives no assurance of the remission of sinne Is it such a fast saith the Lord that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soule is it to bow downe his head as a bull-rush and to spread sack-cloth and ashes under him wilt thou call this
the word of God they were without God as Israel being without a preaching Priest and without Law is said to have been without the true God He that is without the word is also without God 2. They were without the knowledge of God as the blinde is without the Sun they walked in the vanity of their minde having their understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them 3. They had false opinions of God their apprehensions of God were corrupt and carnall that which they apprehended was not the true God but an Idoll their foolish heart was darkened and they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man And as an Idoll is nothing of no divine power and vertue so the Apostle reputeth their opinions and adorations of God as nothing and saith they were without God Not God but an Idoll is the object of superstitious odoration 4. They knew not beleeved not loved not adored not God in Christ God is no where rightly and truly knowne and served but in Christ whatsoever is adored out of Christ is an Idoll and not God He that is without Christ is without God no man comes to God that makes not Christ the way no man knowes God that beholds him not in the face of Christ He that denyes the Sonne hath not the Father saith Saint John And thus they were without God in the world and hence observe That Man in his corrupt and carnall estate is altogether estranged from God he hath nothing of God within him God doth not shine into his heart God lives not graciously in his soule God works not powerfully and savingly upon him He hath no spirituall commerce and communion with God he is estranged from the thought of God God saith the Psalmist is not in all his thoughts he thinks not upon God as upon the Creator that formed him as upon the rocke that supporteth him as upon the King commanding him as upon the Moderator dispensing and ordering him and all things else as upon the Judge rendring to every man according to his works but all his thoughts are that there is no God no God beholding observing registring and judging the wayes and works of man The soule of every carnall man is overwhelmed with Atheisme running headlong into all impiety as if there were no God to punish him he is alienated from the feare of God he is full of dishonourable low and unworthy apprehensions of God ready to say with Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice I know not the Lord. He thought the God of Israel inferiour to the Idols of Egypt he was so puffed up with his worldly fulnesse that he thought himselfe sufficient of himselfe without God Corrupt and carnall man through his ignorance pride and prophanenesse hath a very base opinion of God and most shamefully sleights and undervalues God He sets his mouth against the Heavens he speaks reproachfully against the Law and Doctrine of God delivered from Heaven against the authority and dominion of God whose Throne is in Heaven against the Saints and faithfull servants of God whose spirituall originall is from Heaven against Gods worship and Religion which is of a heavenly institution Of all this he speaks basely and presumptuously this he treads and tramples under feet and inthrals it to his proud and sinfull lust he is alienated from the knowledge and beliefe of God either he hath an opinion that there is no God as the foole in the Psalmist hath said in his heart there is no God The foole the man in whom the light of grace shineth not in the lamp of whose soule the oyle of saving knowledge burneth not he hath said in his heart resolved and concluded with himselfe that there is no God of wisedome discerning the wayes of men no God of Justice taking vengeance upon men for their impieties Or if he thinke there is a God he beleeves not that he is such a God as indeed he is so glorious in his Essence in his Attributes in his Persons and in his works so holy in his wayes so faithfull in his promises so gracious to his servants and so severe against his enemies and therefore such men say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him God the chiefest good is of no esteeme with them that are empty of all spirituall good Holy and religious services are in their opinion the most frivolous and fruitlesse undertaking who are altogether corrupt and carnall Mans prophane and base sleighting and undervaluing of God and the wayes worship and service of God openly proclaime mans miserable and cursed ignorance of God mans unhappy and sinfull Alienation and estrangement from God Carnall mans wretched and soule-destroying estrangement from God is moreover manifest described in such characters that he that runs may reade it As 1. By carnall mans enmity and opposition against God and his contrariety to God as contrary as death to life darkenesse to light evill to good bitter to sweet The carnall minde saith Saint Paul is enmity against God opposing God sighting against God It is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be It breakes the bands and casts away the cords of Gods Law as Sampson sometimes burst his withes as the man in the Gospell possessed with an uncleane spirit plucked in sunder the chaines and breake in peeces the fetters which tyed him neither could any man tame him Thus the carnall man possessed by Satan and his owne uncleane and prophane spirit breaks all the chaines and fetters of Gods Law no Minister no friend no counsell no perswasion no comination can tame him and make him humble and subject to the Law of God but he rebelleth against the light he shutteth his eyes and will not see he stoppeth his eares and will not heare and is altogether contrary unto God God is light but he is darknesse God is holy perfectly absolutely infinitely holy but he is corrupt and altogether filthy God is good the fountaine of all goodnesse but he is evill a root of bitternesse all the thoughts and imaginations of his heart are only and altogether evill God is a God of knowledge perfectly knowing himselfe and all things else but carnall man neither knowes God nor himselfe God is a God of love he loves himselfe and them that beare his Image but the carnall man hates God and all them that are like God he loves evill and hates good God is a God of truth a true and faithfull God the carnall man is full of hypocrisie and deceit his heart is deceitfull above measure God delighteth himselfe he taketh pleasure in them that feare him he delighteth in them that are upright in the way To the
with them and as a man by meanes of a whorish woman is brought to a morsell of bread so these by meanes of their fornication with this whorish woman the world they become very beggars in grace and get a blot and a staine which cannot be wiped off being without God he overprizeth the world in the siege of Samaria Doves dung was sold at a high price because they wanted bread he that wants God the bread the staffe and stay of his soule highly prizeth the dung and drosse of the earth and wanting God the world with her cares honours pleasures customes fashions and allurements overwhelmes him as the deluge did them that were without the Arke miserable is their slavery and servitude to the world who have not God graciously possessing them spiritually reigning and ruling within them 5. He that is without God is full of sinne The sluggards field in Solomon being without a diligent husbandman to manure it was full or thornes and nettles He that hath not God the great husbandman of the soule to manure him is overgrowne with the thornes bryars and nettles of all sorts of vices full of all abominations as Baals house was full of Idolaters and the Pharisces Sepulchers full of rottennesse and dead mens bones his lusts binde and chaine him as the fetters did Peter in Herods prison his understanding is full of blindnesse as the Egyptians houses were full of darknesse he sees nothing of God of Christ nor of his owne unhappy estate his will is full of perversenesse and frowardnesse no liberty no inclination there to move God-ward to intend God his glory or his soules welfare he is led away captive by his lusts as the Egyptians by the Assyrians naked and barefoot poore blinde naked miserable and wretched His thoughts are full of vanity pride basenesse covetousnesse fraude beastlinesse and what not these trade and trafficke and travell up and downe within him as swine in a stithe and make him a very dunghill and loathsome habitation as the buyers and sellers made the Temple a den of theeves his affections are full of all pollution base feare carnall confidence worldly love and fleshly joy his soule like the cup in the womans hand upon a skarlet coloured beast Rev. 17. full of abominations and filthinesse and his wayes works and particular passages of his life superscribed with names titles and characters of blasphemy against God Christ Heaven the Gospell and Christian Religion He that is without God and the Lord Jesus is the most loathsome of all Creatures 4. He that is without God is full of curses Where God is not the curse goeth mans very blessings are turned into curses his morall and temporall abilities all his possessions the wife in his bosome the children in his house the meat on his table the apparell on his backe is a snare to him Cursed is he in the City and in the field in his basket and in his store in the fruit of his body and in the fruit of his land in the increase of his kine and flocks of his sheep in his comming in and in his going out Yea the very word which he heareth Sacrament which he receiveth and Prayer which he maketh becomes a curse the savour of death unto death yea Christ himselfe the medium of all blessings to the soule becomes a stone of stumbling and a rocks of defence The Prophets pot before the meale was powred in was a pot of death the very whole of man without God turnes to a curse to man O the folly of them that blesse themselves in their havings not having God with them within them regenerating renewing and purifying and sanctifying all unto them Mans blessednesse consists not in any havings but in the having of God to him that hath God for his God the Lyon proves a hive of honey-combs the greatest crosse a sweet blessing to him that hath not God the choisest Paradise becomes a wildernesse the calmest river a tempestuous Sea his greatest prosperity his heaviest misery 5. He that is without God is without all the having of all things is as nothing if we have not God with them God is the fulnesse of every thing what is the having of a lamp without oyle a bone without marrow a vessell without liquor such is the having of all things without God he that with Senacherib hath Lordship over many Nations he that with Absolon hath all bodily beauty he that with the rich man in the parable hath more substance then his house can hold he that with the false Prophets hath all the applause of the world every mans tongue a trumpet to sound his praises he that with the man at the wedding feast hath all the Ordinances of God yet if with all this he hath not God he may say as Haman did in another case all this availe me nothing He that is without God is a house without a foundation to uphold him a besieged City without a Captaine to rescue him a sheep in the mouth or a Lyon without a Shepheard to deliver him a chased Hart his sinnes like a thousand arrowes sticking in him the venome of the infernall fiery serpent boyling and burning within him his conscience with a hideous cry pursuing him and no water-brooke to refresh him and a condemned malefactor ready every moment to come to his heart-rending soule-torturing and never ending execution without a King of mercies to pardon him The losse of God is of all losses the greatest no darkenesse like the want of this Sun no famine like the want of this bread no storme comparable to the want of this calme O the blessednesse of the soule which enjoyes God! O the slavery basenesse misery of the soule which is without God! Saul in his distresse cryed out the Philistines make warre against me and God is departed from me The carnall man will one day cry out the Devils make warre against me the fiends of Hell are come upon me and God is departed from me Had man the lively sence and feeling of future woes terrors and perplexities whereinto his being without God will cast him he would give himselfe no rest untill he had gotten the sweet and sure fruition of him O therefore be as loth to live now without God enlightening enlivening sanctifying and possessing you as you will be loath at last to perish without God pardoning helping saving and delivering you CHAP. XXIII Declaring that God is and the excellency of our interest in God THe carnall mans estrangement from God his being without God ministers matter of excitation to all men to labour 1. for cleare sure and invincible evidence of this truth That God is and 2. for sure and infallible interest in this God 1. Labour for cleare evidence a lively powerfull and working perswasion of this in your hearts that God is and that he is such a one as in his word he hath revealed himselfe to be this is the pillar and
Sin and by Christ and opening the scope of the Apostle p. 117 118. Christ mans comforter helper happinesse and the Author of mans welfare p. 119 120. Note Such alone as are truly sanctified and gracious pâ—ople are the compleate and proper Subject of that life which is heavenly and spirituall p. 121. Note All life is as no life yea as a very death in comparison of a holy and gracious life ib. CHAP. II. Declaring the holy mans prostration of himselfe and all that he hath under Christ p. 122. Doct. 1. He who lives the life of grace and true holinesse doth wholly deny himselfe his owne counsels and affections and altogether prostrates himselfe and all that is his under Christ Jesus p. 123. CHAP. III. Laying downe the grounds of Self-deny all and putting all under the feet of Christ p. 125. 6. Grounds hereof 1. The carnality vanity and basenesse which a man sees and feeles in his owne flesh affections ends and counsels 2. The holy inclination of a gracious heart unto Christ 3. The vanity and nothingnesse which a gracious man sees in himselfe and in all things without Christ 4. The holy powerfull and universall reigne of Christ in a gracious soule 5. The holy and fervent desire of a gracious soule to exalt and set up Christ 6. A gracious soules acquiescence and contentation in and with the approbation of Christ p. 126 127 128 129 131. CHAP. IV. Discovering the danger of the want of Self-denyall p. 132. 5. Sorts of Non-denyers of themselves 1. Self-Wise 2. Self-willed 3. Self-lusted 4 Worldly minded 5. Voluptuously and ambitiously affected and superstitiously devoted p. 133 134. CHAP. V. Proposing the grounds or causes of mens backwardnesse in denying themselves and putting all under Christ p. 135. 7. Grounds hereof 1. Self-prizing 2. Overswaying lusts 3. Inordinate disposition towards the creature 4. Over-prizing of man 5. Carnall judging and mistaking of Christ 6. Corrupt framing and devising of false Christs and false wayes to life 7. Ignorance of the nature and sweetnesse of Christs yoake p. 136 137 138 139. CHAP. VI. Relating certaine very great evils and inconveniences arising from the want of Self-denyall p. 142. 9. Evils issuing hence 1. Vncapablenesse of Christ 2. Alienation from the benefits and comforts of Christ 3. Vanity emptinesse and hollownesse of profession 4. Subiection and abasement under the creature 5. Annihilation of the fruit and benefit of Christs death 6. Deprivation of the heavenly fruit and soule-refreshing comforts of Gods Ordinances 7. Great and manifold losses attending the want of Self-denyall and Subiection under Christ 8. Apostacy from Christ 9. Christs denyall and relaction of such as will not deny themselves for him and his sake p. 14â— 143 144 145. CHAP. VII Perswading man to worke his heart to a full and through Self-denyall p. 147. Qualifications of Self-denyall 1 Spirituall 2. Voluntary 3. Vniversall 4. Continuall p. 148. Subiection unto Christ accompanies Self-denyall p. 149. Qualifications of Subiection 1. Holy 2. Cordiall 3. Full. 4. Perpetuall p. 149. 7. Inducements to Self-denyall 1. Christs interest in a Christian 2. The relation between Christ and Christians 3. Gods subiecting and putting all things under Christ 4. The abuse of all things which are not made subiect and serviceable unto Christ 5. Sweet and heavenly comforts arising from Self-denyall to the soule 6. The mitigation and sweetning of all disasters 8. The Contentation which Self-denyall ministers with the least earthly portion p. 150 151 152. CHAP. VIII Propounding certaine cleare and apparant characters of true and Christian Self-denyall p 153. 5. Marks or characters hereof 1. Captivation of Self-reason 2. Cessation from Mans owne Selfe 3. Full and free application of Mans Selfe to Christ 4. Humble and hearty ascribing of all Mans good to God 5. A low prizing and Christian undervaluing of Mans Selfe and all things else in comparison of Christ p. 150. CHAP. IX Setting down other marks and characters of Christian Self-denyal p. 161. 5. Other marks 1. Voluntary and cheerfull desertion and leaving off all for Christ 2. Mans pleasing and delighting himselfe in Christ under the Crosse 3. The prizing of Christs Crosse above the worlds Crowne 4. Man making it his greatest honour to honour Christ 5. A heart sincere humble pious plaine grieving at evill and reioycing in good p. 162 163 164 165 166 167. CHAP. X. Detecting divers deceits in and about the worke of Self-denyall p. 170. Man is apt to deceive himselfe in this worke of Self-denyall 8. wayes by denying himselfe 1. Superstitiously 2. Covetously 3. Partially 4. Constrainedly 5. Hypocritically 6. Sinisterly and politickely 7. Vaine-gloriously 8. Temporarily p. 171 172 173 174 175. CHAP. XI Shewing how a Christian may comfort himselfe in this worke of Self-denyall against remaining and rebelling lusts p. 176. 1. By the troublesomnesse of them to his soule 2. By the godly griefe of his heart for them 3. By his holy and constant contestation against them 4. By his being humbled for the want of humility 5. By his frequent and fervent prayer to be purged and emptied of all pride and self-love p. 178 179. CHAP. XII Laying open the shamefull and dangerous evill of Self-seeking p. 180. Self-seeking a root of 12. bitter branches being 1. Insatiable 2. Hypocriticall 3. Polluting 4. Alienating 5. Full of unlawfull meanes 6. Vnthankefull and discontented p. 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 181 182 184 185 188 189. CHAP. XIII Repeating other evils of Self-seeking p. 191. Self-seeking is 7. Attentive to evill counsell 8. Servile and abasing 9. Idolatrous 10. Self-loosing 11. Vndervaluing holy things and 12. the cursed mother of many unhappy children as 1. Imbondagement 2. Enmity 3. Cruelty 4. Causelesse Jealousie 5. Soule-torturing griefe 6. Vnsuccessefulnesse and 7. Loosing the comfort of present havings p. 192 193 194 197 198 199 200 201. Self-seeking how to be handled p. 201. CHAP. XIV Mentioning the danger of Self-admiration p. 202. 6. Evils of Self-admiration 1. Self-ignorance 2. Non-apprehensivenesse of the perfections of God and beauties of Christ 3. Ingratitude and Sacriledge 4. Vncapablenesse of Christ 5. Alienation from God 6. Shame and confusion Cure of Self-admiration prescribed p. 203 204 205. 206. CHAP. XV. Handling the danger of Self-exaltation p. 207. 9. Evils of Self-exaltation being 1. The root of many fowle impieties 2. The Patron and protector of all other vices 3. The most invincible of all vices 4. The corrupter and destroyer of all other gifts 5. Keeping the soule barren 6. Abusing God 7. Self-deceiving 8. Shamefully abasing man 9. Alienating from Heaven p. 208 209 210 211 212 213. 214 215. CHAP. XVI Opening the grounds of mans pronenesse to exalt himselfe and backwardnesse to exalt and set up Christ p. 215. 5. Grounds hereof 1. Mans ignorance of his owne corrupt and base estate 2. Mans inconsideratenesse of his receivings 3. Forgetfulnesse of mans place and station 4 Misprision of the true glory of man 5. Vnsensiblenesse of the unhappy fruits of