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A13542
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A man in Christ, or A new creature To which is added a treatise, containing meditations from the creatures. By Thomas Taylor, Dr. in Diuinity.
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Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.
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1629
(1629)
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STC 23833; ESTC S101983
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68,841
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266
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A MAN IN CHRIST OR A new CREATVRE To which is added a Treatise containing Meditations from the CREATVRES By THOMAS TAYLOR D. in Divinity The Fourth Edition LONDON Printed for J. Bartlet at the gilt Cup in Cheapeside 1635. A Man in CHRIST OR A New CREATVRE 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature IN the first Adam all the sonnes of Adam had an happy estate in which while hee stood we stood and enjoyed the whole image of God and all perfections which humane nature was capable of and when he fell wee fell and with him lost the whole estate of grace and glory And so are fallen into an old ruinous condition of the old Adam which threatneth us dayly with deserved destruction and thrusteth us under the Regiment of death Now for our repaire out of such misery hee that made us at first must make us a new and give us a new stocke and estate by transplanting us out of the old stocke into a new roote and by removing us out of the old Adam and setting us into the new Adam Iesus Christ The meanes whereof this Text will teach us In the which there are two generall points first the estate of a man converted Hee is in Christ secondly the note of such a covenant Hee is a new creature To open the former there are sundry questions Quest. 1. How a man is said to be in Christ. Answer Two wayes first as a man or creature secondly as a member or new creature First as a man or creature among others hee is so both in respect of creation and preservation The former because every man is said to be created not only by him but in him as hee is the beginning of all the creatures of God The latter because every man subsisteth in him Col. 1. 16 17. For he is not like the Carpenter that maketh an house or shippe and leaveth it to the winde and weather when hee hath done but hee abideth with his creature to continue and uphold it in its being which else would suddenly fall to nothing According to Act. 17. verse 28. In him we live and move and have our beeing and not only by him Secondly But our Text speaketh not of that but of the second beeing in Christ namely as a member And thus onely the Church is in him And as a member one is said to be in Christ two wayes First externally onely as an outward member of the Church and in the judgement of Charity of which number are such as professe Christ and joyne with the members in outward profession of Religion and use of the meanes Of the which reade Iohn 15. 6. Secondly inwardly and effectually which is when first a man is knit by faith to the head himselfe secondly by love to all the members even invisible thirdly by outward profession to the visible Church and produceth fruits of this inward union with Christ. And of this our Text here speaketh For hee that is thus in Christ is a new creature so are not the others The second question is How commeth a man to bee in Christ Answer By the straight union and communion betweene Christ and the Christian who are farre nearer than friends or men that dwell together in one house For Christ and the Chrian dwelleth not one with another but one in another As it is in the naturall body the being of a member is not properly with the head but in the head so in the mysticall body the being of the beleever is in Christ the head And as the beeing of the Branch is in the roote so it is betweene Christ the Vine and the beleevers who are the Branches Iohn 15. This straightnesse of union commeth from the straightnesse of the band which is first on Christ his part namely his spirit of fortitude put into their hearts Secondly on our part which is our faith by which wee are set into Christ. Faith onely giveth a beeing in the second Adam God offereth in his covenant of grace Iesus Christ to bee the head and Saviour of his body Faith receiveth this offer and putteth our name into the deede onely faith draweth and sucketh vertue from Christ and Rom. 11. 24. Thou art grafted in by faith Object But Christ is in us how can we then be in Christ Answ. This beeing in Christ is Relative for we connot be in him but he must be in us 1. Iohn 3. 10. Hee that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him But it is with this difference He is in us and abideth in us by his spirit and by upholding grace in us Wee are in him by faith and by the exercise of grace and those two are inseparable Object But Christ is in heaven how can we bee in him and not be there Answ. If our being in Christ were after a corporall manner then to be in him wee must bee locally in heaven as hee is But this conjunction is spirituall and the meanes of it which is faith is spirituall not hindred by distance of time or place from this most straight union Thus Abraham by faith saw the day of Christ and was in Christ sundry thousands of yeares before Christs incarnation for he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit and the beleever is now in heaven after a spirituall manner where Christ is Doct. Learne the happy estate of a man converted that hee is now in Christ 1 Ioh. 5. 20. Wee are in him that is true namely in his Sonne Iesus Christ the same is very God 2 Cor. 12. 2. I know a man in Christ c. Reason 1. Because they stand not onely in generall relation to Christ as other men and creatures doe which are subject unto him as their Lord but in nearer and speciall relation as they are members of his body for all which hee is most tender and carefull as a most loving and respective head Secondly from this union floweth all the efficacie of his merits upon us for nothing can proceed from Christ to us till wee be in him but being set into him wee partake in all that Christ hath as a loving husband first communicateth himselfe and then all he hath with the wife of his bosome Hence it is that Christ being elected of God wee are elected in him Ephes. 1. verse 9. And Christ being acquitted from our sinnes wee are justified in him for being found in Christ as Philippians 3. 11. his righteousnesse is imputed unto us If Christ be rich and have treasures of wisedome and grace the Christian cannot be poore For in him we are made rich â— Cor. 1. 5. Ephe. 4. 27. Which riches is Christ in you Thirdly as all the promises of God are made in Christ who is the foundation of them all so they are made good onely to them that are in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. In him are all the promises Yea and Amen but to whom even to the heires of
vessels we let them slip For First how weake an account can wee give unto God as we must of all the good lessons we have heard and ought to have remembred Secondly how could we continue the same men from yeare to yeare unchanged if the word did continue in us Thirdly what strangers are many of us to the Scripture and grounds of Religion whereas if it did dwell in us it would be as well knowne unto us as those that are in house with us Fourthly how far is it to seeke and absent from us when our mindes understand it not our hearts affect it not our consciences are not guided by it nor our actions nor the creatures are sanctified by it as 1 Tim. 4. 4. How plaine is it now that thou art not in Christ who wilt not affoord his Word a resting place in thy soule Remember that place 1 Iohn 2. 24. If that which yee have heard from the beginning shall remaine in you yee shall continue in the Son and in the Father The fift note Examine whether thou hast the Spirit of Christ. This is made a note of such a one 1 Iohn 3. 10. Hereby we know that hee abideth in us by the spirit which hee hath given us And Chap. 4. 13. Hereby we know that wee dwell in him and hee in us because hee hath given us of his spirit And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his that is no member of his body set into him but in shew as a woodden legge which receiveth not vitall powers from the head Object This is a difficult marke But how shall I know the Spirit of Christ to be in mee Answ. Many finde and conceive it to be harder than it is because they hold it no sinne to doubt whether they have the spirit or no when as they may as lawfully doubt whether they be Christians or no. But try thy selfe by this note First wheresoever the spirit is he rebuketh sin Ioh. 16. 8. The spirit pricketh the heart of every convert and if thou hast him thou must finde him a spirit of conviction Object I have beene often checked for my sinne and that is my comfort Answ. But deceive not thy selfe To the spirits conviction are required three things First sense and sorrow that thou hast sinned Secondly earnest desire of mercy expressed in vehement hunger and thirst Thirldly a loathing and leaving of sinne Never any received the spirit but thus was sinne rebuked in them Secondly the spirit writeth the law in the heart where he is Ier. 31. 31. and leadeth into all truth Iohn 16. 13. Hast thou this spirit of direction and counsell teaching thee and leading thee into duty Object I know as much as any can teach me Answ. But art thou led by the spirit or mis-led by the flesh and doctrine of carnall libertie Many are taught few are led and yet onely they that are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God The Spirit must be the guider of thy course as the Pilot in the ship thou must shut thine owne eyes of carnall reason and as a blinde man give thy selfe to be led by the spirit Thirdly the spirit where hee is ruleth and commandeth yea reformeth and casteth out old errors of heart and life for hee will not dwell as an underling but as a commander his worke is to cast downe all high things exalted against grace and to bring every thought into the obedience of Christ. Findest thou a spirit in thee prevailing against fleshly thoughts carnall affections desires conversation findest thou a spirit framing thoughts speeches actions to the conformitie of the Word a spirit quickning to all that is good this is the Spirit of Iesus Christ. Fourthly he being the spirit of supplication Zae. 12. 10 maketh the elect to cry with unspeakeable groanes Dost thou finde not the words of prayer which any hypocrite may but the spirit of prayer who alwayes in prayer first leadeth into the sense of sin secondly into the apprehension of the excellency of mercy which maketh him servent thirdly letteth the soule see God appeased in Christ fourthly it sealeth to it the truth of Gods promises who will heare Psal. 50. 15. Fiftly assureth it selfe to be in state of Christ his merits and intercession to whom the Father denieth nothing all which must needes quicken the heart to fervent and frequent prayer The sixth Note If thou canst discerne Christ in thy selfe thou maist be sure thou art in him for one ralative affirmes the other And knowest thou not that Christ is in thee except thou be a reprobate 2 Cor. 12. 5. Quest. How may I know this Answ. First examine if Christ be formed in thee Gal. 4. 12. And then Christ is formed in thine heart when God hath begun a change in thy soule by his grace laying in thee the beginnings and seedes of grace The Apostle useth a comparison drawne from the forming of an infant in the wombe which is not formed all at once but the principall vitall parts first the heart braine and liver and then the other by degrees so grace is not wrought all at once but by degrees first the beginnings of Faith Repentance and holy desires and then a more lively impression of the Image of Christ imprinted in their heart which standeth in knowledge holines and conformity to Iesus Christ in practice and passion in suffering and doing as he did in some measure Now if there bee no new lumpe which was not in nature no forming no reforming of heart and life Christ is not there Secondly try if Christ liveth in thee and then Christ liveth in thee when thou livest by faith in the Sonne of God making thy faith thy stay in all estates in all actions temptations afflictions when faith carrieth a sway and hath a stroke in every thing and in life and death maketh the heart and life leane upon Christ. Thirdly if Christ bee in thee then hee moveth in thee and thou in him The infant in the wombe is discerned by the moving of it and so is Christ discerned in the heart and then Christ moveth in the heart when his spirit moveth and inclineth it by a still and secret voyce unto all good speeches and duties and then thou movest in him when thou cherishest fosterest and followest his motions agreeable unto the Word and sufferest them not to die in thee As for example The Spirit moveth thee to redeeme the time to read in Gods Booke there to acquaint thy selfe with Gods will in time to worke the workes of God to mind thy account and reckoning but thou resistest those motions carnall and contrary motions thrust them our and call thee to cards dice epicurisme merriments wasting thy time putting off the evill day as the heathens Now Christ moveth not in thee but the spirit that ruleth in the world for Gods sweete motions are so strong as that