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
Father and God is knowne in Christ as a father is knowne in his sonnes face The soule of man is full of hellish darknesse that is not taught of Christ Jesus For as the Apostle saith the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given in the face of Iesus Christ The knowledge of the glory of Gods wisedome in the mystery of mans redemption the knowledge of the glory of Gods power in dissolving the works of Satan the knowledge of the glory of Gods justice in satisfying himselfe for mans sinne by Christs suffering the knowledge of the glory of Gods mercy in forgiving mans transgression the knowledge of the glory of Gods holinesse in sanctifying mans soule and the knowledge of the glory of Gods love in reconciling man unto himselfe all this knowledge of the glory of God is given in the face of Jesus Christ it is all manifested and made knowne in and through Christ of all Christian schollers he is the choisest that knowes most of God in Christ and because this knowledge is given in the face of Christ we should receive Christ comming in the Gospell with very great rejoycing for as the light is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sunne so this wisedome when it entreth into the heart and this knowledge is pleasant to the soule in regard of spirituall liberty and freedome brought to the soule of man by the comming of Christ in his Gospell and spirituall kingdome Christ is the worker and the Gospell the instrument of mans freedome Christ comming in the Gospell brings liberty from ignorance as the Sunne brings liberty from darknesse Christ comming into Capernaum the Evangelist saith the people that sate in darknesse saw a great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up By this Christ brings liberty from death in sinne as by his voice he raised Lazarus and set him free from the grave so the dead in sinne heare the voice of the Sonne of God in the Gospell and live by this Christ brings liberty from Satan as David by his staffe and stone overthrew the great Goliah and brought liberty to Israel so doth Christ by his Gospell cast downe the strong holds of sinne and make Satan fall like lightening from heaven and frees the soules of Gods chosen Hereby Christ brings liberty from uncleannesse As Iordan freed Naaman from his leprosie so doth Christ by his word sanctifie and cleanse the soules of all beleevers Hereby Christ brings liberty from the Wrath of God and curse of the Law as a surety paying the debt brings liberty to the principall from the prison the arrest and sentence of the Judge Christ preached in the Gospell is the end of the law for righteousnesse to all that beleeve in him As we therefore rejoyce in the light which frees us from darknesse in the Physitian which frees us from diseases in the ransomer which frees us from bondage in the surety which frees us from the Serjeants that they doe not arrest us from the prison that it doth not hold us so should wee rejoyce in the comming of Christ bringing manifold sweet and comfortable freedome to us The Prophet having declared how God had given Christ for a Covenant of the people for a mediator of the people to establish the earth the elect living on the earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritages to restore them to that heavenly inheritance out of which they were cast by their sinne and Satan and to say to the prisoners goe forth to loose them that were bound with the fetters of their corruption and captivated by Satan addeth this as a duty of the people and a fruit of that freedome which Christ hath brought unto them Sing O Heaven and be joyfull Oh Earth breake forth into singing O Mountaine for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted And thus Philip preaching Christ in Samaria and the devils departing out of many that were possessed by them it is said there was great ioy in that City spirituall freedome from the power of Satan and our owne corruption ministers matter of much and very sweet rejoycing In regard of that heavenly and blessed victory which we obtaine by the comming of Christ in the Gospell the Priests sounding the rammes-hornes the wals of Jericho fell and the Israelites obtained the victory Gods Ministers crying aloud and lifting up their voyces like a trumpet in the preaching of the Gospell the holds of sin are w cast downe and the soules of men are made victorious according to that of the Apostle the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall and mighty through God to the casting downe of strong holds When the Arke was erected Dagon fell When Christ is erected exalted and set up among the people in the ministery of the Gospell then the Devill fals from his possession then sinne fals from its dominion and then the world fals from the roome and sway it had in the hearts of the people the souldier is made victorious by his weapon the Christian by the Gospell the word being the sword of the Spirit that instrument by which the Spirit shewes his power in making the soule of man a glorious conquerour Why doth the Prophet speaking in the person of Christ say the Lord had made his mouth a sharp sword and a polished shaft but to shew the energy and working of his doctrine in piercing the heart in wounding sinne as a sword and shaft doth the body of the enemy in the day of battell The right use of this weapon ever gives man victory over his corruption What is the white-horse mentioned by Saint Iohn but the Primitive Church being white and bright for the purity and perfection of doctrine and discipline the Apostles like a horse swiftly running propagated the faith of Christ through the world Who is the rider there spoken of but Christ who is exalted and carried in spirituall triumph by the Ministery of his Word What is his bow but his Word the Law and Gospell with which hee wounds the hearts of his elect that he may heale and enliven them The hearts of the reprobate to terrifie and destroy them according to that of the Psalmist Thine arrowes are sharp in the hearts of the Kings enemies whereby the people fall under thee And how went Christ forth conquering and to conquer he went forth conquering overcomming sinne by his death and passion and overcomming death hell Satan and the world by his Resurrection and hee goeth forth to conquer converting his chosen and convincing his enemies by the preaching of the Gospell and in this victory there is matter of great joy It is greater joy to a Christian to see the Devill and his owne lust overcome and cast downe then to Israel to see Pharaoh and the Egyptians lye drowned before
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
foule hypocrisie is this that wee should professe Christ and yet deny him in his Gospell in his Kingdome Is it not a shame for a wife to professe such a man to be her husband and yet deny him her presence her hand her heart her body her love dwell with a stranger love a stranger delight in a stranger and bring forth children to a stranger what is this but shamefull disloyalty and odious adultery What a shame for a man to professe such a man to be his Master and yet deny him all service and shut the doores of the house against him and what a shame is it for us to professe Christ to be our husband our Master and yet deny him our service breaking his bands and casting away his cords from us shutting the doores of our hearts against him denying him our presence in his house denying him our heart to love him our affections to rejoyce in him our hand to worke for him denying him our soules and bodies to be a holy Temple for him to dwell in bringing forth all our fruit to the flesh and to the world and none to Christ what disloyalty what hypocrisie what spirituall adultery is this certainly such men like the Angell of the Church of Sardis though he had a name that he lived yet he was dead so these though they have the name of Christians yet they are none of Christs This is an evill of which Christ is very sensible whereof he much complaines If saith he a man come unto you in his owne name bring a corrupt and carnall doctrine seeke himselfe exalt and magnifie himselfe him ye will receive his person you will reverence his doctrine you will receive his sayings you will beleeve to his dictates you will vaile and stoop but saith Christ I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not I am come from God I have my calling and commission from God I bring no humane but a heavenly doctrine I seeke not mine owne but my Fathers glory and ye receive me not ye regard not my person ye beleeve not my doctrine ye obey not my precepts you love not me you rejoyce not you delight not in me Generally men are more addicted to and delighted in corrupt and carnall inventions then in the spirituall and heavenly doctrine of Christ and his Gospell Christs comming in the power and brightnesse of his Gospell is very unwelcome to many people as the comming of the King to a Rebell the comming of an officer to a theefe or the comming of the husband to his wife that playes the harlot and what is this but the shame of all shames and dishonour of all dishonours to a Christian to deny his Christ to refuse his Christ not to rejoyce and delight in his Christ comming to him in the glad tydings of his Gospell We all conclude it a foule dishonour to a subject a servant a wife to deny their King their Master their Husband not to rejoyce in their comming in their presence but to shut the doores of their houses against them to deny them entrance and entertainment And is not a foule staine so to deale with Christ so to exclude Christ comming to us by his Word and Ministers If you aske me whence it is that Christ is so unwelcome that many of us are so farre from rejoycing in his comming I answer there are these 5. grounds of this Ignorance Men doe not know Christ they doe not discerne Christ in the Gospell Christ in the Gospell is hidden from them as the light is hidden from the blind the God of this world hath blinded their eyes that the light of the Gospell of the glory of Christ may not shine into them they doe not discerne Christ in his Gospell shining like the Sunne for the excellency of his knowledge there appearing they doe not discerne Christ there triumphing like a conquerour in the subjugation of Satan and their corruptions they doe not discerne Christ there as a Prince of peace sweetly and graciously ruling in their hearts by the Scepter of his Word they doe not discerne Christ there as a Physitian healing their sinfull maladies as the impotent discerned the Angell moving in the poole of Bethesda and healing their bodily infirmities they see not these beauties of Christ which David desired to see in the Temple of the Lord they see not that power and glory of Christ in the Gospell which the Psalmist saw in the Sanctuary and therefore as a blind man rejoyceth not in the appearance and comming of the Sunne because he sees not the Sunne no more doe these in the comming of Christ in the Gospell because they doe not there discerne him 2 Earthly mindednesse Their hearts are glued to the world this is the Master whom they serve this is the rocke on which they build this is the wife or harlot rather whom they marry this is the object of their joy they rejoyce in the creature in a thing of nought saith the Prophet and therefore having another Master whom they serve they cannot receive and rejoyce in Christs Lawes having another rocke on which they build they cannot beleeve and delight in Christs promises having another husband to whom they are wedded they cannot embrace and rejoyce in Christ as the Bride rejoyceth in the Bridegroome when the people rejoyced in Rezin Remalials son they refused the waters of Shiloah When man rejoyceth in the creature he refuseth Christ his soule takes no pleasure in Christ 3. Vnsensiblenesse of Christ they have no feeling of Christ within them the Apostle saith they are past feeling they are past the feeling of their sinne as a dead body is past the feeling of the disease they are past the feeling of the shame of sin as a common harlot hath cast of all modesty is even degenerated from her sexe and takes no shame of her whoredomes they have no feeling of the iudgements of God denounced against them they sleep in the midst of these as Ionah did in the storme they take no notice of them they have no feeling of the workings bitings and convulsions of an accusing and condemning conscience their consciences are like a mastive fallen asleep after long and much barking like flesh seared with a hot yron their sence and feeling is gone they are alienated from the life of God dead and have no feeling of the life of Christ Christ doth not live in them they are blind and have no feeling of the wisedome and knowledge which commeth from Christ as a blind man hath no feeling of the light which commeth from the Sunne they are deafe and have no feeling of the sweet and comfortable voice of Christ in the Gospell any more then a deafe man feeles the sweet sound of a musicall instrument their pallates are distempered and they cannot taste the sweetnesse of Christ they loath him as the full stomacke the honey-combe he
welfare of Christs kingdome and Gospell Such men are altogether unmindfull of their relation unto Christ who desire not who labour not the prosperity of the Gospell and kingdome of Christ 3. In regard of Christs interest in us We are not our owne but Christs as sometimes the King of Syria said to the King of Israel thy silver and thy gold is mine thy wives also and thy children even the goodliest are mine Thus may Christ say to us thy body and thy soule thy wife and thy children thy gold and thy silver thy lands and thy livings and whatsoeuer thou hast is mine and we must answer as the King of Israel did My Lord O King I am thine and all that I have This the Lord claimeth by the mouth of the Prophet Now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and that formed thee O Israel I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine my chosen vessell my redeemer and sanctified one my childe my servant my jewell and the Lords portion saith Moses is his people Jacob is the Lot of his inheritance He hath separated and taken us unto himselfe to be his peculiar people whom he loves in whom he delights and to whom we must bring forth all our fruit and be unto him whatsoever we are as a portion or inheritance is all that it is to him that ownes it and Christs we are indeed by donation We are given unto him from eternity in the decree of Gods election by redemption he hath bought us with a price by vocation he called us out of darknesse into a marvellous light and hath made us a peculiar people to himselfe and also by way of spirituall Conjunction and wedlocke We are espoused unto Christ and are stiled his wife And as we are Christs so we must be for Christ so we must seeke the prosperity of Christs kingdome and advancement of his Gospell Thine are we O David and on thy side thou sonne of Jesse said Amasai to David peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine helpers Thus must we say unto Christ thine are we O Christ and on thy side O Sonne of God peace peace all welfare and prosperity be to thee and thy kingdome successefull be the labours and undertakings of all them that are thy ministeriall and underhelpers This is urged as a fruit and effect of Christs interest in us We are bought saith the Apostle with a price therefore let us glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits and againe Christ hath died that wee who live should not henceforth live unto our selves but to him who died for us and rose againe That man doth not well consider Christs interest in him who puts not himselfe and all that is his upon Christs service He is doubtlesse a stranger to the efficacy and fruit of the worke of Christs redemption who doth not throughly apply himselfe to the setting up of Christ and his Gospell 4. In regard of the Subversion of Satan and his kingdome The setting up of the Arke was the fall of Dagon the setting up of the house of David was the overthrow of the house of Saul the setting up of Christ his Kingdome and Gospell is the overthrow of Satan Where the Gospell is preached and Christ set up Satan fals like lightning from heaven his holds of sin are overturned like the wals of Jericho at the blowing of the rammes hornes There is no competition between the Devils kingdome and the powerfull preaching of the Gospell When David was once set upon the throne all Israel by degrees came about left the house of Saul and bowed unto Davids scepter When Christ is set upon his Throne exalted and lifted up in the preaching of the Gospell all that are ordained unto life come about and stoop to Christ they leave the service of sinne Satan and the world and vaile to Christs scepter they turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God When Philip preached in Samaria the Devils went out of many that were possessed by them The Lord hath ordained the ministery of the Gospell to be the instrument and meanes of the ruine of Satans kingdome and for this cause we should come our selves to Christ and labour the welfare and increase of Christs Kingdome that Satan the grand adversary of our soules of our peace of our salvation may be overthrowne and troden under foot and have no more place in heaven in the Church of God in the hearts of the people of God but be cast out as a strong man bound is put out of his house and a King vanquished and overcome is cast out of his Kingdome He is no true subject unto Christ that endeavours not the subversion of Satan and his kingdome that Christ alone may raigne and have compleat dominion over Gods Church and people 5. In regard of the Glory Crowne and dignity of Gods Church and people The setting up of Christ his Gospell and Kingdome is the glory of the Church of God the appearance and shining of the Sunne in the fulnesse of his beauty is the glory of the world the presence of the Arke was the glory of Israel being a witnesse of Gods glorious presence among them the Lord there giving forth his oracles and hearing the prayers of his people Thus the presence appearance and bright shining of Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse in the Gospell is the glory of the Church Where Christ is in the Gospell there God is graciously present clearly manifesting himselfe to mens understanding and mercifully hearing and answering the prayers of his people and the place where the ordinances of God are where the Gospell is published and the mysteries of Gods Kingdome opened is called the habitation of his house and the place where his honor dwelleth The Lord doth ever shew himselfe very glorious to the soules of his servants in the use of his ordinances and vouchsafes great honour to the people in setting up his Gospell and Kingdome among them and therefore the Church of God is called the glorious rest of Christ because Christ by his Gospell and by his love and grace doth rest there that place is of all places most glorious which is the Evangelicall resting place of Christ and the Lord foretelling the multiplication of his Church the increase of his faithfull people and augmentation of his sonnes Kingdome saith he will glorifie the house of his glory and make his Church an eternall excellency and therefore we should mightily endeavour the exaltation of Christ and his Gospell because this is the honour crowne and glory of the Church The cleare full and open enjoyment of Christ in the Gospell is the prime glory of any place or people Such people are very base and ignominious whatsoever be their outward abundance who enjoy not Christ in his ordinance that man is altogether regardlesse of the
exaltation of Christs Gospell The setting up of the Arke in the house of Obed-Edom caused all that he had to prosper The setting up of the Gospell brings great and singular prosperity to the people Christs Gospell the revelation of Christ and the mysteries of his kingdome is a great blessing Blessed saith our Saviour are the eyes which see the things which ye see having the Gospell preached to them the tydings of salvation published among them Christ revealing and opening himselfe unto them These are blessed in the illumination of their understandings having the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ communicated to them Blessed in the vivification of their soules having the word of life quickning them Blessed in the sanctification of their hearts the Gospell cleansing their sinne as Jordan cleansed the leprosie of Naaman Blessed in their Conquest over sin Satan and the world the Gospell overturning all the holds of Satan as the sounding of the rammes hornes overthrew the wals of Jericho Blessed in 〈◊〉 pacification of their consciences the Evangelicall voice of Christ quieting their perplexed consciences as his personall voice quieted the stormy tempest and blessed in the sweetning of their afflictions the Gospell sweetens all tryals and troubles to Gods children as the tree sweetned the waters of Marah to Israel Blessed in their very temporall possessions and bodily undertakings Where God gives his Gospell the food of the soule he will also give the staffe of bread the food of the body Christ did not onely feed the soules of them who followed him with his doctrine but he also miraculously fed their bodies with corporall provision the Gospell is indeed even the choisest of all blessings where this goes all goes that is behoofull for the welfare of Gods children therefore blessed saith the Psalmist is the nation whose God is the Lord and the people whom he hath chosen for his owne inheritance God is the God of all by creation by absolute dominion by common preservation but he is their God to whom he gives his Gospell by gracious manifestation heavenly instruction spirituall regeneration familiar and comfortable habitation sweet and celestiall dispensation of heavenly fulnesse to them God is there alone sweetly and spiritually knowne and enjoyed where his Gospell is erected and for this cause we should mightily endeavour the advancement of the Gospell King David being told how the Lord had blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that pertained to him because of the Arke of the Lord went and brought the Arke into the City of David with gladnesse Men hearing of the prosperity and blessing which doth attend the Gospell should with great care and diligence with much alacrity and cheerfulnesse endeavour the erection of the Gospell among them He is altogether unsensible of the manifold and singular benefits and mercies accompanying the Gospell that doth not heartily desire and effectually labour the welfare thereof As the Gospell excels all temporall endowments so should we endeavour the successe and stability of the Gospell more then of any or all other possessions CHAP. XI ANd for the disposing framing and working our hearts thus to advance the Gospell and kingdome of Christ there must be 1. A distasting disrellishing and being weary of sinne The Gospell never seemes sweet untill that sinne seemes bitter he will never effectually endeavour the setting up of Christ and the Gospell that desires not the deposition of sinne the Philistines having a desire to maintaine and uphold Dagon set the Arke below Dagon on the left hand of Dagon Man having a desire to uphold sinne abaseth Christ and his Gospell puts them below his lusts gives preheminence to his lust above the Gospell and above Christ Herod not disrellishing his incestuous sinne not being weary of it but intending the maintenance thereof cut off the head of the Baptist the forerunner of Christ Man can neither truly desire nor faithfully endeavour the advancement of Christ and his Gospell that is not weary of his sinne as of a heavy burthen Man to whom sinne is pleasant and delightfull is very impatient and weary of the presence and power of the Gospell he alone consecrates himselfe to Christ and the advancement of his kingdome to whom sinne is distastefull as gall to his palate gravell to his teeth a disease to his flesh or fetters to his feet When Abner was wroth with Ishbesheth the sonne of Saul then he came to David to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan even to Beersheba When man is wroth with sinne full of indignation against sinne then he comes to Christ then he joynes himselfe in a holy and solemne Covenant with Christ then he labours to set up the throne of Christ over his soule and body then he prayes and strives that Christ may raigne from Dan to Beersheba from the highest to the lowest faculty of his soule and from the greatest to the smallest undertaking of his life Man is ever so much the more industrious to set up Christ and his kingdome by how much the more his corruption doth grieve and trouble him 2. A holy and filiall feare towards Christ making loath to offend Christ willing in every thing to please Christ All the Rulers of the Provinces the Lievtenants Deputies and Officers of the King helped the Iewes when the feare of Mordecai fell upon them When the holy and gracious feare of Christ doth fall upon the soules of men enter into and take possession of the hearts of men then they joyne themselves to the help of Christ to the help of the Gospell and Church of Christ then they study and endeavour the advancement of Christ and his kingdome therefore serve the Lord with feare saith the Psalmist rejoyce before him with trembling and kisse the sonne embrace the son rest and relye upon the son acknowledge exalt and magnifie the son put your selves with all readinesse and fulnesse upon the service of the sonne true feare ever makes the Lords servants subject and serviceable to Christ Iesus I will put my feare into their hearts saith the Lord and they shall not depart from me they shall not depart from my knowledge by ignorance from my promises by unbeliefe from my precepts by disobedience from my covenant by unfaithfulnesse nor from my worship by prophanenesse Such as doe not truly and throughly apply themselves to Christs service are prophanely fearelesse A servants true and ingenuous feare makes him labour his Masters welfare the matrimoniall feare of a wife moves her to desire and endeavour her husbands honour feare came upon every soule saith S. Luke and what followed thereupon All they that beleeved were together there is their unity in affection in divine invocation They sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need There is their communication to Christs members their putting of themselves and their
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
spirituall liberty and freedome a liberty of grace whereby the whole man is set free from the command and servitude of all sin the understanding is free from ignorance able to know God as a Father with a cleare and comfortable submissive and affective knowledge the will is free from perversenesse able readily and freely fully and sincerely to intend God and his glory the imagination is free from vanity able with much joy to meditate and thinke upon God the affections are free from base feare carnall confidence worldly love and fleshly joy able to scare God filially to trust on God soly to love God unfainedly and to rejoyce in God spiritually the whole man bent and disposed to run the way of Gods commandements as the Sun rejoyceth to run his race and as the Rivers flow towards the Sea this the Psalmist cals an inlargement of the heart to run the way of Gods Commandements and this he mentions as a fruit of the inscription of the Law in his heart Thy Law ô Lord saith he is in my heart and I delight to doe thy will Mans assurance of being within Gods Covenant is sutable to his free and ready disposition in observing Gods precept 5. A fift benefit comprised under the Covenant ministring assurance of mans interest in it is perseverance in the state of grace daily growth in the gifts of the Spirit and a stedfast striving to more perfection I will make an everlasting Covenant with them saith God and I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me they shall not depart from the knowledge of my truth to errour from the faith of my promises to infidelity from the wayes of my Commandements to by and wandring paths from the love of me and my testimonies to the love of earthly vanities God ever preserves in the state of grace whom he receives into the Covenant of grace he that is in covenant with God abides with God as the wife with the husband he follows the Lord fully with Caleb he is with God in every estate in all changes as Ittai resolved to be with David both in life and in death the longer he is in Gods Covenant the more beauty he discernes in God the more sweetnesse he finds in the Word of God the more pleasure he takes in the service of God the more comfortable communion he gaines with God and the more plentifull and soule-ravishing receivings of grace love and peace he hath from God and therefore shines more and more like the light unto the perfect day growes stronger and stronger like the house of David He waits upon the Lord and renewes his strength he mounts up as the Eagles hee runnes and is not weary hee walkes on and doth not faint he goes from strength to strength untill he doth appeare before the Lord in Zion The carnall mans estrangement from the Covenant and his misery in being out of the Covenant ministers matter and occasion of labour and industry to every man to get into the Covenant to be partaker of it and to have assured interest in the benefits flowing from it as Noah entred into the Arke to be preserved from the deluge of waters so should wee enter into the Covenant of God that we may be preserved from the deluge of those miseries which attend and wait upon the breach of Gods precepts The men of Aegypt hearing of the fall of a grievous haile such as would destroy both man and beast Hee that feared the word of the Lord amongst them made his servants and his cattell flee into the house Men hearing of the hayle fire brimstone and horrible tempest which God will raine downe upon the wicked should hasten into this Covenant have sure interest in Gods free and gracious Promise that they may be hid from the Lords wrath And to the end we may have part in Gods Covenant 1. We must forsake our sinnes there must be warre against sin or there can be no peace with God Moses might not come nigh the burning bush untill hee had put off his shoes from his feet Because the ground where hee stood was holy ground Man cannot come nigh God enter into covenant with God unlesse the old-man his old lusts be put off because the Covenant of God is a holy Covenant a Covenant belonging onely to the godly Godlinesse having the promise of this life and of the life to come Joseph shaved himselfe and changed his raiment and then he came to Pharaoh and Pharaoh tooke him to himselfe and made many honourable Promises to him man must shave himself remove the ignorance and errour of his understanding and change his raiment Put off the old-man which is corrupt according to divers lusts and put on the new man which is renewed in holinesse and true righteousnesse according to Gods image and then come nigh tâ—ed and partake of all Gods gracious promises according to that of the Lord by the Prophet wash you make you cleane put away the evill of your wayes cease to doe evill learne to doe well and then come ye and we will reckon together and though your sinnes were as red as scarlet yet will I make you white as snow I will deale mercifully with you be reconciled to you forgive your sinnes and receive you into my Covenant of peace The more the soule is emptied of sin the more capable it is of Gods Covenant the more assured of interest in it Hee that holds fast his sinne cannot lay hold upon the Covenant of God hee that gives not a bill of divorce to his lusts is uncapable of weddlocke with Christ 2. We must forsake our selves we must deny our selves cease from our owne wisdome as from a blind guide from our owne strength as from a withered reed from our owne righteousnesse as from a rotten ragg and from our owne ends as from low and base marks Thus must wee deny our selves or we can be no Disciples of Christ no partakers of the mercies of God in him Such as entered into Covenant with David were in debt in distresse and discontent He that will enter into Covenant with God must see his debt bee sensible of his sinne feele the distresse and anguish of his soule and be very much discontented with his corrupt and carnall estate God communicates his mercies to them that are sensible of their miseries the Lord loves them that are out of love with themselves he esteemes them that loath their own wayes whom doth Christ invite and call but the heavy laden Such as are sensible and weary of their sins as of a heavy burthen to whom is Christ sent with tydings of comfort but to the broken hearted When Ephraim repented smote upon his thigh and was confounded then the Lord remembered him then he was deare and pleasant to him then hee said I will surely have mercy upon him then he proposed and set before him the Covenant of Salvation in Christ
carnall man the thought of God is terrible he taketh pleasure in unrighteousnes and delighteth in the frowardnes of the wicked and thus his contrariety to God proclaims his alienation from God 2. By carnall mans estrangement from the life of God alienated as Paul saith from the life of God without the life of grace God lives not in him by his Spirit regenerating and quickning him The body alienated from the soule without the soule living in it is dead unprofitable unsavoury an uncomfortable spectacle Man alienated from the life of God is dead in sinne unprofitable to God to his Church to his owne soule unsensible of his sinne uncapable of the word unsavoury and abominable in the nostrils of God a very monster in the eyes of God more ugly then any leper toad or lothsome creature the dead body is earthy inclining to the earth fit only for the grave The carnall man is earthly minded inclining onely to things here below and is ready to be cast into the grave of Hell fit for an infernall funerall with the damned in outer darkenesse He that wants the life of grace is far from the God of grace whosoever is not spiritually quickened by God is miserably estranged from God 3. By the carnall mans estrangement from the knowledge of God Of such the Psalmist saith they have no knowledge no knowledge of God as a Father of Christ as a Husband of the Spirit as a Sanctifier and comforter of the word as of a light guiding and food feeding and nourishing them to life eternall they have no spirituall knowledge no principle of spirituall light to perceive the things of God which are spiritually discerned no experimentall knowledge of Gods worke upon their souls in the vivification illumination sanctification and gracious change of their hearts no affective knowledge they know not God as a child knows his father as a wife knows her husband with fervent love hearty affection no submissive knowledge they know not God as a Subject his Soveraigne a souldier his Centurion yeelding hearty free cheerfull obedience unto him no appretiative knowledge they know not God as the rich man knowes his jewell esteeming it farre above all his straw and common lumber in his house as the people knew David accounting him better then many thousands of themselves they doe not prize God above the creature and themselves they doe not repute all base and vile as nothing in respect of God no appropriative knowledge they know not God as the wife the husband selecting and taking God unto themselves and making him their God as the wife doth the husband they take not God unto them as their King Crowne portion and as all in all to their soules no consolative and delightfull knowledge they know not God as the 〈◊〉 the Sun rejoycing in the light of the Sun they delight â—n God their soules take not up their sweet repose in the botome of God the meditation of God is not sweet unto them no satiative knowledge they know not God as the thirsty the full fountaine they are not filled with God they meet not with contentation in God their desires are not terminated in God and satisfied with God they know not Gods All-sufficiency they take not up their full and eternall rest with God they are still stepping out from God with Judas they are not content with Christ but they must have the bag too and as the blinde is a stranger to the Sun so is the blinde soule a stranger to God 3. By the carnall mans estrangement from the love of God he is a stranger to the love of God Passively it is a Sun with whose beames his soule was never warmed a wine which his palate never tasted a banner under which he was never covered God never communicated the sweet sence and feeling of his love unto him none but the Bride hath the sence of the Bridegroomes love he is a stranger to the love of God actively he is a stranger to the love of union with God he declines not the things which separate from God he delights not in the meanes which unite the soule to God he desires not spirituall conjunction and communion with the Church and people of God he grieves not at the absence of the efficacy of the Spirit he longs not after the full fruition of the blessed and gracious presence of God he is a stranger to the love of Complacency in God he neither abhorres the things which are adverse to the will of God nor highly prizeth the Society of the Saints of God nor is sensible of that joy and sweetnesse which is found in the exercises of godlinesse nor knowes that delight which a gracious soule meets with by holy walking and maintaining a sweet communion with God he is not comforted and well-pleased in and with God as the eye with the Sun and the thirsty pallate with the cleare and full fountaine but hath more pleasure in the creature then in the Creator he is also a stranger to the love of benevolence and welwishing towards God having no zeale for Gods glory nor yeelding any filiall and sincere obedience to Gods precepts Whatsoever be the pretences of a carnall mans loveâ— God he loves himselfe more then God his love is the lovâ— harlots whose love is more to strangers then to their husbands Want of free full and fervent love to God ever argues an unhappy estrangement from God 4. By the carnall mans estrangement from the spirituall soule-sanctifying and soule-saving ministrations of God The carnall man is an empty house there is nothing of God dwelling there he is a Tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots there is no ministration of spirituall life Christ doth not live in him he sits in darknesse and the shadow of death the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of his understanding as the Philistines put out the eyes of Sampson there is no ministration of spirituall and saving knowledge God hath not shined into his heart he hath not the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ he lyes in the prison of the prince of darknesse like Peter in Herods prison his lusts fettering him Satan on his right hand the world on his left hand like two strong and vigilant souldiers keeping him There is no ministration of spirituall freedome he is led captive by sin the Devill and the world he is full of sinne as Naamans flesh of leprosie there is no ministration of grace and sanctification God hath not powred out his Spirit like cleane water upon him he is like the troubled Sea which cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and durt his conscience accusing his heart condemning him there is no ministration of spirituall peace no seale of the pardon of sinne no attonement between God and his soule where there is no light the Sun appeares not where there is no ministration of grace God dwels