a man comes to be in Christ the love of Christ doth bridle corruption it puts a mighty stop to it 2 Sin is contrary to the work of God upon the heart of a poor creature when he converts him to Jesus Christ 3. All sin is a transgression of Gods holy Law 1 Joh. 3.4 and that is a great matter 4 Sin is contrary to one great end of Christs coming which was to destroy the Works of the devil 1 John 3.5 Eph. 5 25.26 Titus 2.14 5 Sins of Believers harden natural men and embolden them in their sins when they see them that have knowledge and profess Religion to do such things 6 Christ that is our head is holy that is one of the Apostles Arguments why we should be holy 1 John 3.5 in him saith he is no sin in Christ your head O strive to be like him 7 God dwels among his people in an intimate way of presence Num. 5.1,2,3 There shall no uyclean thing be fomnd among you because the Lord dwels in the midst of you This is a strong Argument the hearts of Believers are as it were the presence Chamber of the King of Glory and shall not they be swept and clean 8 Sin is contrary to the use that Believers are designed to in the world they are to be lights of the world sin makes them but dark Lanthorns they are to be the salt of the earth to keep the world from stinking and putifying 9 God hath glory from others by the holiness of his people when they see our good works they glorifie our Father which is in he aven 10 Sin darkens the soul and hinders it in its communion with God There are some corruptions in the hearts of Believers that do exceedingly dismay them as if they would never be subdued Sons of Anak indeed that we and all our graces look but like grashoppers in comparison of those great Goliabs but God that at first infused such gracious qualities and habits when we were stark dead in trespasses and sins how easily can he subdue the strongest corruptions in our hearts that believe God that first converted Paul when he was in his ful speed against Christ can pluck out the thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9 He tels him that his Grace was sufficient for him There are many things that Believers should have in their eye as to holiness as 1 to avoid Temptation 2 Get sound Repentance for former sins which may prevent much sin for the future 3 Take heed to the word as our Rule in all our walkings Psal 119. 4 Pray servently and importunately against every lust 5 But above all act faith put forth your faith upon the Lord Jesus for the subduing of corruption the heart and so also the life is purified by faith in him Act. 15.9 It is not a mans resolutions and vows against sin it is not the austerity of the Papists it is not the doing of so many outward things that will kill a corruption in the heart but Christ believed on in the heart For by faith 1 we are ingraffed into Christ as our stock that so we may grow upon a new root that by faith as John 15.1,2,3,4,5 we are implanted into Christ Now as the Branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can we except we abide in him 2 By faith we get some hope and courage against sin that it shall be subdued and are freed from those fears that cut off endeavours and sink the soul 3 By Faith a soul is enabled to apply pleade and argue the promises that are made against the prevailing of sin in Believers of which sort there are many in the word as Jer. 31.31,32 Ezek. 36.26,27 Rom. 6.14 4 By faith we receive the Spirit from Christ which is he that can mortifie the deeds of the flesh the strongest corruptions in the world 5 Yea if we have not so much holiness in the outward bulk yet it gives much comfort to a soul when it finds that the little holiness he hath doth flow from union with Christ and that such a corruption was mortifyed meerly by faith in Christ CHAP. XVI Of the gathering of Believers into Church-fellowship 1. THis thing hath been wofully mistaken and neglected that there is no difference in most places between within and without between the Church and the World 2. It is the duty of all that can to joyn themselves to some Church of Saints for communion as Paul when he was converted assayed to join himself to the Disciples Act. 9. 3. We are not to stay to be put into Church-order by the Laws of the Magistrate seeing Christ who is the Head of the Church hath appointed the order of his House the first Churches embodied and walked in Church-fellowship when the Magistrate was against them and persecuted them usually those that stay while the Magistrate settles things in the Church will submit to any thing right or wrong that the Magistrate shall appoint 4. There are many Priviledges of Believers joyned in Church fellowship enjoying the Ordinances in Christs way and watching over one another comforting one another yea such a presence of God as we seldom find out of it hence it is said that in his Temple that is in his Church every one speaks of his Glory Psalm 29.9 God is known in Sions Palaces for a Refuge Psalm 48.2,3 I am like a green Tree in the House of God which House is his Church Psalm 52.8 In Judah is God known his Name is great in Israel in Salem also is his Tabernacle his dwelling place in Sion Psalm 76.1,2 Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be still praising thee They shall meet with such blessed communion with God Psalm 84.4 However those that are in Church-fellowship may not find all this through the deadness and formality of their hearts yet all this provision is in Gods House 5. There is no Rule for partaking of the Lords Supper but in Church-fellowship the Lords Table is to stand in his House which is a Church of Saints 6. To find out the way of Church fellowship and Gospel-order the way is not to go unto Antiquity unless we go as high as the Apostles dayes though something may be gathered to clear the Congregational way from the first centuries but afterwards superstition and ignorance came in like a Flood it hath been the time of the Beasts Raign and Satans being loose to deceive the Nations and therefore say not The former days were better then these what a dark mid-night was it in Wickliffs time 1371 and in John Husse's time when he was condemned who would frame things now according to the way of the professing party of the world in those times and what were the Bishops times when we were so overspread with superstition that as a godly man saith the Table was an Altar the Minister was a Priest and the Sacrament was a Sacrifice and there wanted nothing to be added
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young plant in Christ he must not be one that is newly converted then surely he must not be one that is not converted at all 3 The Duty of a Pastor requireth it also as it is set down 1 Tim. 3.5 that he is to take care of the Church of God now a natural man hateth the Saints of God and will sooner devour and make havock of the Church of God then take care to preserve and comfort and help it so they are said Heb. 13.17 to watch for the peoples souls And how can they do this that do not watch over their own souls 4 We may consider also what rules the Apostle gives to Titus about this business Tit. 1.8 He saith that they that are called to this office must be Lovers of good men and that none can be but a Saint hereby we know that we are passed from death to life if we love the Brethren and he saith also that he must be holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word that is used Act. 13.35 concerning Christ and verse 9. he saith he must be one that will hold fast the faithfull word which there is no hopes that wicked men should do when persecution ariseth because of the word 5 Men that are not visibly Saints and called are not to be members of a Church notwithstanding any parts and accomplishments they may have much less should they be Pastors of Churches 6 A carnal Minister ascribes all to his parts and learning in his work and not to the ability that God giveth 1 Pet. 4.11 and so God hath not the glory 7. The Scripture saith that the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord and a stinch in his Nostrils 8 Though many of them may have good parts and may be seemingly sound in the matters of Religion yet we have no ground to think that they will continue sound because the Scripture saith that because they have received the truth not in the Love and power of it God will send men strong delusions 2 Thess 2. 9 Though Christ sent Judas yet he was never a Pastor of a Church of Saints and he was outwardly a Saint so in the esteem of the Apostles and Christ did it not for our imitation Christ limits us though we must not limit him and there is a particular Reason given of it that the Scriptures might be fulfilled 10 Christs words concerning hearing the Pharises that sit in Moses chair was rather a dispensation then an injunction and its one thing to hear occasionally and another thing to sit down under a mans Ministry and it was only upon some points about the Law not in all things for they taught that Christ was the Prince of Devils and a Deceiver least of all did Christ countenance their Ministry in these words to be good and lawfull for see how Christ inveigheth against those Pharisees Mat. 15. as if he he had been made up of invectives 11 The Apostle 1 Cor. 2.14 having spoken in the verse before of the spiritual man judging all things and he himself is judged of none propounds that question Who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him By him is meant the spiritual man for of him he is speaking not of instructing the Lord but saith he we have the mind of Christ and therefore can instruct them unto edification so then this Argument is taken from their insufficiency for the work that a natural mancannot reach a Saint who is above him 12 So the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.6 speaking of Ministers useth that comparison the husbandman that laboureth must first be parraker of the fruits of the earth How else can he sow So hath a Minister need to be partaker of some experience of the blood of Christ and comforts of the Spirit How else can he preach Christ feelingly and powerfully unto others 13 We see whom God hath used for conversion Those that went under the name of Puritans and Nonconformists in the Bishops times and go now under many more names in the world but it is with those that are his servants that he is present it is to them that he hath Promised to bless what they put their stands unto and to be with them to the end of the world it is not what God can do or sometimes hath done for we must not limit him but whether the Lord hath appointed the preaching of wicked men as an Ordinance of his for conversion of sinners or the building up of Saints 14 In other things that are not of that concernment that this is men will not trust those that have not experience as in Physick though a man hath read several Physick books and is able to define diseases and to talk pretty well yet you will not choose such an one to be your Physician if he want experience much less should you trust that man with your soul that hath only read some Divinity books and so is able to speak something if he have no experience of the power and sweetness of the truths of God himself CHAP. XVII The right use of the Law THE Law we are speaking of is the moral Law the ten Commandments with what comment and exposition is upon it in the Scripture This Law is of excellent use 1 It discovereth to us the holiness of God that he would have his creatures live according to rule and not in sin and Confusion 2 It serveth to discover sin to men Rom. 7.7 and to this end all are to get knowledge of the Law Rom. 7.1 and we are often to examine our hearts and lives by the Law and to know the Law in the spirituality of it that we may see spiritual and secret sins 3 The Law serves to awaken the consciences of natural men with the fear of hell and damnation and to set them more seriously to look after their eternal condition but those that are in Christ they are not to fear hell by the Law because they are freed by Christ from the damning power of it 4 The Law rightly understood will shew a soul an utter impossibility that ever he should get life by own works and righteonsness for the Law requires perfect obedience gives no strength to obey admits of no repentance neither will be satisfied to inflict temporal punishments and afflictions but throws the sinner into hell and lays him up there for ever except the soul hath interest by Faith in the perfect righteousness of Christ which fully answereth the Law 5 To Believers the Law may be a constant help to thankfulness they see the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15.56,57 that is the power that sin hath to damn is from the Law because it is the breach of Gods holy and righteous Law now to see how Christ hath delivered them from all the curses and damning power of the Law this may make them cry out Thanks be to God that hath given us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 6