earth from the common-wealth of these Israelites the Gentiles before the comming of Christ were strangers and before their calling and conversion by the ministery of the Gospell they were wholly excluded from the Priviledges and Prerogatives belonging to the Israelitish people as being strangers unto their common-wealth And the Apostle expresseth their misery and dishonourable estate by a Metaphor taken a iure Civitatis from the Rights and Priviledges belonging to a City being no Citizens no members of this spirituall common-wealth they were excluded from the Lawes Immunities Freedomes and Priviledges belonging to the same In the words we may observe 1. The Title given to the Church and people of God a Common-wealth 2. The Exemption of all prophane men from this Common-wealth called Aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel 1. Of the Title which is not proper but metaphoricall and it may teach us That Gods faithfull people are a spirituall and mysticall Common-wealth As they are termed a body consisting of many members of which Christ is the head a house consisting of many lively stones whereof Christ is the head corner stone an Orchard composed of many Trees of which Christ is the planter so they are also a spirituall a mysticall Common-wealth wherof Christ is the supreame Governour And Christs Church and faithfull people are a spirituall Common-wealth 1. In respect of multitude A Common-wealth consisteth of many persons the Church of Christ of many beleevers as a body of many members a house of many stones an orchard of many trees a flocke of many sheep and an army of many souldiers though they be but few a small number comparatively in respect of the prophane multitude like Gideons three hundred men to the Midianitish Hoast A little flocke a few a remnant one of a City and two of a Tribe as the Scripture speaketh yet considered simply and in themselves they are many One hundred forty and foure thousand were sealed Rev. 7.4 And the Prophet foretold of the conversion of the abundance of the Sea and of the comming of the forces of the Gentiles to the Church of Christ 2. In respect of Submission and Obligation to one Law The people of a Common-wealth though they be many yet they are all guided by one Law Thus the Church of Christ though they be many and dispersed farre abroad upon the face of the earth yet they are all subject to and guided by one divine and sacred Law They walke all as the Apostle saith by one Rule All Israel were guided by one fiery pillar in their journeyes All the nations of the earth have one and the same Sun ministring light unto them to guide them in their severall goings The beleevers of all Nations have one and the same word of God to be the light of their feet and the lanterne of their paths Christ prescribes one Law to all his Subjects one rule of beleeving obeying and adoring him 3. In respect of Subiection under one Governour In a Common-wealth there is one chiefe Ruler in the Church Christ is the supreame Governour He is the Head of this body the King of this Common-wealth As the body hath but one Head and the common-wealth but one King so the Church but one spirituall Head but one divine and heavenly King which is Christ therefore stiled the head over all things unto the Church and a King set upon the holy hill of Syon The Church is the Spouse and Christ the Bridegroome the Church the slocke and Christ the chiefe shep heard the Church the ship and Christ the Pilate the Church the family and Christ the Master of the house stiled by â—nt James one Law-giver and we by voice from Heaven are commanded to heare him 4. In respect of mutuall and common interest in all spirituall good things All the members in a common-wealth have interest in the common priviledge and liberties belonging to that common-wealth All the living members of the Church of Christ have claime and title to all the good things of Christ they are all sonnes of God they are all the Lords free-men they are all Citizens of the new Jerusalem they are all members of the same mysticall body they are all heires to the same inheritance and partakers of the same promises and benefits by Christ All is theirs whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death all is theirs and they are Christs Ther Sun is alike open and obvious to the eye of the poore and of the rich Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse is alike open and free in the communication of himselfe to the soule of the poore and rich beleeving Christian yet this parity of beleevers participation of Christ takes not away the imparity of dominion and subiection between themselves He that is inferiour in sanctification may be superiour in externall estate and iurisdiction For as there are various degrees of state in a common-wealth so there are in the Church of Christ on earth 5. In respect of Constitution and composition A common-wealth as Aristotle observes consisteth not of a Physitian and a Physitian nor of a countrey man and a countrey man but of a Physitian and a countrey man so the Church of Christ consists not of a Pastor and a Pastor nor of a hearer and a hearer but of a teacher and a hearer they are neither all teachers nor all hearers but some Pastors and some Disciples some teachers and some learners as in an army some are souldiers and some are Captaines in a family some are nurses and some are sacking babes some therefore in the Church are commanded to teach and some are enjoyned to learne 6. In respect of separation and distinction A common-wealth is separated and distinguished from other Lands by Lawes language habit priviledges c. The Church of Christ is separate and destinguished from all the residue of the world they are called out of the world they are a royall Priesthood a chosen generation a peculiar people called out of darknesse into a marvellous light They are a holy people unto the Lord their God the Lord their God hath taken them to be a speciall people unto himselfe above all the people that are upon the face of the earth And they are distinguished from all other people by their Originall they are borne of God by their Countrey they are Citizens of the new Jerusalem by their language they speake the language of Canaan God hath returned to them a pure language By their habit they put on righteousnesse as a garment their adorning is not the putting on of gold or plaiting of the haire but the adorning of the hidden man of the heart To be glorious within is their choise and speciall ornament they are distinguished from others as the living from the dead as the vine from the thorne as the lambe from the wolfe as light from darknesse God is their God and they are his children and they have priviledges which no
other people have besides them 7. In respect of unity A common-wealth consisting of many particular persons makes but one politicke body All true beleevers are but one mysticall body in Christ therefore the Church is called One. My beloved saith Christ is one and there is one body and one spirit saith the Apostle one Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all The Church is of one Lord by one Baptisme into one mysticall body under one head ruled by one spirit bound with one bond of hope and love professing one faith and called with one Calling to one heavenly Kingdome built upon the foundation of one Doctrine As one soule doth quicken the many members of the body so the Spirit doth animate and enliven the whole Church As in one Pomegranate there are many kernels within one rinde so doth one Church containe innumerable people through the unity of faith having one Father regenerating them one spirit enlivening them one light guiding them one spirituall food nourishing them one Law binding them and one Head ruling the in they are most sweetly and entirely one among themselves CHAP. IX Perswading Subiection under one Head Submission to one Law and unity between our selves THe Church and faithfull people of Christ must learne from hence Subjection under one Head Submission under one Law and unity between themselves 1. Subiection under one Head Christ To Christ is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth and to him must all be Subject His dominion is from sea to sea an I from the river to the ends of the earth all Kings must fall downe before him and all Nations must serve him To him the Church must be subject spiritually their obedience must arise from a principle of grace they must worship him in spirit and in truth To him they must be subject heartily not in shew but in truth obeying from the heart root that forme of Doctrine which Christ hath delivered to them To him they must be subject voluntarily without compulsion they must be a willing people his Law must be in their hearts and they must delight to doe his will To him they must subject themselves universally in respect of the rule they must have respect unto all the Commandements as Noah in building the Arke had an eye to the whole patterne which was set before him and in respect of the whole man all the faculties of the soule and all the members of the body must be obedient to him as the Sun Moone and eleven Starres did obeysance to Joseph in his vision Christ must be glorified both in our body and in our spirit To Christ we must be constantly subject our hearts must be inclined to performe his statutes alway even unto the end Christ is the Head and we the members Christ is the shepheard and we the slocke Christ is the husband and we the Spouse and as all the members are fully subject to the head the slocke readily follows the voice of the shepheard and the Spouse is lovingly subject to the Bridegroome so must we be fully freely and lovingly obedient unto Christ 2. This teacheth Submission unto one Law The Church is one mysticall common-wealth and must be subject unto one Law of Christ All that builded the Arke built by one patterne The whole Church of Christ hath one patterne according to which they must build their faith and their love even the whole Fabricke of their worship and service The ship hath one compasse by which it roweth and one Pilate by which it is guided The Church is the ship the Word the Compasse and Christ the Pilate by Christ and his Word must the whole Church of God be ordered and ruled The Word of God is a sure word to which we must give heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place The Law of the Lord is perfect it needs no addition as the Sun needs not the help of any candle to increase his light in shining on them that travell The Scriptures are a compleate and perfect Schoole profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works God gave Moses a perfect patterne for the building of the Tabernacle without addition or dimunution Gods word is a perfect patterne comprising the whole frame of mans conversation It is Gods prerogative to prescribe and mans duty to conforme Ye shall not adde unto the word Which I command you saith the Lord neither shall you diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandements of the Lord your God which I command All other Doctrines are darknesse and not light they cannot guide us they are false plants of mans and not of Gods planting they beare no good fruit to feed us and God the great Husbandman of the vineyard will plucke them up they are sand he that builds upon them sinks they corrupt and adulterate the Doctrine and Religion of Christ as the tares the wheate as the evill herbe the Prophets pot Mans service is no service of Christ if it receive not it's rule from Christ in vaine saith Christ doe ye worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men He that mingles humane devices with his religious duties makes it a humane and no divine service As the Elements once mingled in a compound body doe lose their proper formes so Religions mingled with humane traditions and made compounding parts of a mixed worship and service doe lose their formes and cease to be religious in Gods account As silver mingled with brasse doth lose the nature and name of silver and currant coyne and will not passe with men the touchstone discovers it and the skilfull Goldsmith rejects it Thus the worship of God mixed with the dresse of mans invention loseth both the name and nature of true worship The word discovers it to be counterfeit and God doth not regard it nor the performers of it Of such therefore the Prophet saith reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath reiected them This alienates from Christ it divides the heart and places the feare trust love and joy of the soule upon some forraine thing some Idoll of mans devising A woman that embrace a stranger with her husband in her bosome and mingles strangers with her husband is no more a chaste and loving wife her heart is divided and she is become an adulteresse The mingling of forraine inventions with Christs precepts in his services is in Gods interpretation spirituall fornication their hearts are gone from Christ their husband they are taken up with strange lovers To this purpose is that of the Prophet Esay the faithfull City is become an harlot and what other but this was Judah's whoredome for which the Lord upbraideth her by the Prophet saying thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers thou hast embraced many forreigne doctrines thou hast
thou live within the pale of the Church yet if thou live under the power of any prophane lust thou art 1. An unbeleever thou receivest not Christ into thy soule thou buildest not upon the rocke but upon the sand and thou wilt sinke at the last for faith where it is is victorious it overcomes Satan the world and every lust it purifies the heart and makes man a holy Temple to the Lord it overturnes all the holds of sinne it drives all base lusts out of the heart as Christ overturned the Tables and drove the buyers and sellers out of his Fathers house 2. Thou art a very hypocrite a cursed counterfeit a whited sepulchre full of dead mens bones within like the Locusts which had the face of a man and the haire of a woman without but the teeth of a Lyon within and the taile of a Scorpion behind Thus though thou hast the face of a Christian without yet thou hast the rapine of a Lyon and the poison of a Scorpion the venome of all sinne within and wilt have the portion of an hypocrite at last 3. Thou art a defiler of things sacred an abuser of Gods Ordinances one that turnest the meanes of life into an occasion of death the evill herbe turned the Prophets pot into a pot of death the evill of sinne swaying in thy soule turnes the word of life into the savour of death Like the spider thou suckest poison out of the flower of that Word and Sacrament which in it selfe is sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe 4. Thou art a scandall to the Church of Christ where thou livest thou art a blemish to the Christian name as an ulcer to the face as a dead member to the body for through such as the Apostle saith is the name of God blasphemed misliving Christians are of all persons the greatest dishonour to Christ Jesus Lastly be assured thy condemnation will be greatest thy torment the severest They that come nearest to Heaven by their outward calling and profession and yet are strangers to the life and power of godlinesse shall sinke lowest into hell and drinke deepest of the cup of Gods vengeance To such therefore our Saviour saith it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement then for them 4. Are all prophane men aliens to the Church of Christ though they live within the pale thereof Then let all such as live within the Church learne by this to purge out and put away all prophanenesse to search and seeke for and furnish themselves with all saving gifts and graces the proper characters of the living members of the true Church of Christ knowing as the Apostle saith that he is not a Iew who is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly whose Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God It is not mans naked profession of Christ but his inward sanctification that makes him a true Christian and holinesse is the honourable and inseparable Adiunct of Christs Church called by the Apostle a Church of Saints because Christ who is the head of this Church is holy and makes them partakers of his holinesse separates them from the world by a holy calling commits his holy word unto them causeth it to dwell in them and bestowes his holy Spirit upon them and works holinesse within them and as Christ who is the head of the Church was according to the flesh conceived of the Holy-Ghost so is the Church the mysticall body of Christ sanctified by the holy Spirit and as the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth personally in the personall body of Christ so dwell the three Persons of the Trinity mystically and spiritually in the mysticall body of Christ and all the living members of the same therefore as we professe our selves to be the children of God a God absolutely and infinitely holy so let us be holy in all manner of conversation as he that hath called us is holy as we professe our selves to be the members of Christ who is a holy head so let us conforme our selves to Christ as the members in the body naturall are conformed to the head and as we are stiled the Bride of Christ so let us feele in our hearts the sweet and heavenly motion of the holy Spirit the pledge of Christs love and as the Bridegroome loveth cloatheth adorneth and defendeth his Bride thus let us labour to discerne Christs shedding abroad his love into our hearts cloathing us with his righteousnesse adorning us with his graces and defending us by his blessed power and presence and as we are called children of light so let the light of grace in us like the light in the firmament shine more and more unto the perfect day the more we shine in holinesse the more sweetnesse shall we find in Gods Ordinances the greater tranquillity shall we have in our owne consciences the more amiable shall we be in the eyes of Christ Jesus the more shall we beautifie the Church of Christ whereof we are members and as the vessels of the transportative Tabernacle were at length translated into Solomons Temple so shall we after our ambulatory and mutable condition in the Church militant be translated to rest and reigne for ever in the Church triumphant CHAP. XV. Handling carnall Mans estrangement from the Covenant THe third Alienation declaring the misery of carnall and sinfull man is an Alienation from the Covenants of God termed strangers from the Covenants of promise Mans happinesse is built upon his interest in Gods gracious promise the strangers to this promise are the most unhappy of all persons Carnall men are aliens to Christ to the members of Christ to Christs common-wealth and to all the prerogatives and priviledges thereof strangers to the Covenants of promise made in and through Christ God made and often renewed and repeated his Covenants and promises with the Israelitish people concerning their salvation in and by Christ In the beginning the Lord made this Covenant with our first Parents promising that the seed of the woman which is Christ should breake the serpents head the Lord renewed it with Abraham and his seed saying I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee and of the Israelitish people in this respect speaks Moses What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for and what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day Now to these Statutes Oracles and Promises the Gentiles before the comming of Christ were strangers they no way appertained
all prostrates it selfe and all that it hath under Christ that it may enjoy Christ it hates all that hinders its comming to Christ and embraceth all that may further its communion with Christ sutablenesse between the soule and Christ readily denyes and rejects all that hinders the fruition of Christ 3. In regard of the vanity nullity and nothingnesse which a gracious man discernes in himselfe and in all things else without and beside Christ he looks upon himselfe as on dust and ashes he is vile in his owne apprehension as a worme and no man he humbles and abhorres himselfe below the dust and ashes he looks on all other things as dung and drosse and a thing of naught in comparison of Christ he reputes all things in respect of Christ as Jothan did Abimelech in respect of the Sonnes of Jerubbaal but as a bramble in respect of the vine fig-tree and olive-tree and having such a low opinion of himselfe and all things else he readily denyes himselfe and all things else and makes all to vaile and stoop to Christ with Simon and Andrew they are ready to leave their nets their ship and their father to deny their possessions and their friends to put all under Christ to leave whatsoever is most profitable and deare according to the flesh for Christs sake with Paul to esteeme their very life as nothing that they may glorifie Christ and finish Christs worke The more any man doth undervalue himselfe and the creature the more he exalteth Christ the more freely fully and readily he prostrates all at the feet of Christ 4. In regard of the holy powerfull and universall raigne rule and dominion of Christ in a gracious and sanctified soule Here Christ reignes as a King in his Throne as Solomon reigned over the land of Canaan from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth so doth Christ raigne in a regenerate and gracious soule from the highest to the lowest faculty thereof and from the head to the feet and from the highest to the lowest undertaking of a Christian Here Christ reignes as a dweller in his house the dweller rules over all the roomes members and goods of his house and disposeth all to his service Christ rules over all the faculties of the soule members of the body and disposeth all the endowments and doings of a Christian to his owne service and for his owne honour Here Christ rules as the head over the body acting moving guiding and framing the whole man to a holy humble and free subjection Here Christ reignes as a Centurion in his army and as the servants of the Centurion did goe and come at his command and doe whatsoever he bad them Thus all the faculties of the soule and members of the body of a true Christian are at the command of Christ receiving their direction and commission from Christ doing every thing in subjection and obedience to Christ Thus the Psalmist speaking of Christs kingdome saith in the day of thy power when Christ should reigne by his Gospell and Spirit in the soules of men the people should be willing free ready and full in their subjection unto Christ and his enemies should bow before him and licke the dust such as were enemies rebellious and disobedient in their unregeneration should after their conversion bow themselves and licke the dust acknowledge and receive Christ as their Lord and King and in very great humility subject and prostrate both themselves and all theirs to him and his service for as Abner entring into Covenant with David and taking David for his King undertooke to bring about all Israelite to David Thus the soule entring into Covenant with Christ and taking Christ for its King brings about all to Christ and puts all in subjection under Christ 5. In regard of the holy and fervent desire of a gracious soule to exalt and set up Christ This is the prime â—â—â—our joy and comfort of a godly soule to see and feele Christs kingdome within him to set up Christ in his heart and to discerne him ruling and commanding there as a King in his Throne as a Pilate in the ship this is his suite and supplication unto God that Christs kingdâ—mâ— may come that Christ may reigne and rule within him as David sometimes thirsted and longed to see the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary so doth a godly man long to see the power and glory of Christ in his soule to behold him raigning in his heart In the day of Solomons coronation the people piped with pipes and rejoyced with great joy so that the earth rung with the sound thereof In the day of Christs coronation and reigne in the soule of man the heart of man rejoyceth with exceeding great joy Christs dominion is a holy soules rejoycing the kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy-Ghost It was the care labour and joy of David to bring the Arke of the Lord into the Tabernacle in that day David danced before the Lord with all his might and all the house of Israel brought up the Arke of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet and set it in the midst of the Tabernacle Thus it is the care labour and comfort of the whole man that is godly to set up Christ in the midst of his soule to see him reigning in his understanding as the Sun in the eye guiding in his will as a Prince commanding it in his imagination as the obiect on which he thinketh with most frequency delight and comfort in his trust as the onely rocke whereon he buildeth in his feare as the King of Kings whom he chiefly reverenceth and in his love as an husband in the love of the wife so powerfull and operative is this desire labour and joy of a gracious soule touching the exaltation reigne and rule of Christ within it that as the people would have all the men put to death which would not have Saul reigne over them so doth such a man mortifie all his lusts which oppose Christs kingdome remove whatsoever may hinder Christs spirituall dominion and makes all vaile and stoop for Christs exaltation within him 6. In regard of a gracious soules acquiescence and contentation with the approbation of Christ In this it pleaseth in this it blesseth delighteth and satisfieth it selfe whatsoever it hath besides it this is in stead of all as the Sun is to the eye in stead of all lights and the fountaine to the thirsty in stead of all bottles the approbation of Christ is of very great price with a true Christian his praise is not the praise of men but of God not to have the approbation of men to his doings but of God not to have his eare tickled with the empty breath of vaine mans applause but with the solide and
of nature whither vegitive sensible or reasonable Job sometime said of wisdome Where shall wisdome be found and where is the place of understanding man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the Sea saith it is not with me thus may we say of spirituall life where shall spirituall life be found and where is the place of true and saving grace man knoweth not the price therof neither is it found in the land of the living Nature saith it is not in me Art and industry say it is not with us this life is hid with Christ in God It is hid in God in regard of the original preservation protection and continuance of it as the life of the branch is hidden in the root and the life of the streame in the fountaine it is hid in God and there and no where els it is to be found therfore termed the life of God for the spirituall originall and celestiall excellency therof regeneration and new-birth being of all lives the most excellent life which God communicateth unto man because God doth then very graciously and sweetly live in man and man enjoyes the life of God when God doth sanctifie and guide man by his Spirit and this life is ascribed by our Saviour to the Spirit as to the proper cause of it the flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickneth and all the faithfull are born again of the Spirit begotten of God by the word of truth as they have the most noble excellent Parent so they have the most honorable eminent life a life of such dignity that none but God can communicate 5. By the medium of spirituall life conjunction with Christ by faith is the medium of this life as the naturall life is a conjunction of the body with the soule so the spirituall life is a conjunction of the soul with Christ and his Spirit Christ is the head and they the members Christ is the Vine and they the branches being enlivened by their conjunction with Christ the members are enlivened by the head and the branches by the Vine and believers coming to Christ as to a living Stone are said as lively stones to be built a spirituall house In which words Christ is likened to a Stone for his strength and stedfastnesse for his truth and unchangeablenes for his union of Jew and Gentile and for his supportation of all Gods children to an elect and precious stone for his worth and excellency and to a living stone for his everliving vertue ministring the life of grace to all the faithfull and preserving them therin to the life of glory and all true beleevers are called lively stones for their being founded upon Christ and enlivened by Christ the head-stone and of this life they participate by coming unto Christ comming to Christ by the doctrine of the Gospell inviting them and by a lively faith resting upon him incorporated into him and receiving spirituall life from him and this is Christs promise he that beleeveth in me that is united and joyned unto me and made one with me by faith he shall live he shall live the life of grace first and the life of glory last and it is the plain assertion of the Evangelist he that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life he hath it in inchoation by the work of grace he hath it in promise by faith he hath it in expectation by hope he hath that life begun in grace which shall be consummate in glory 6. By the opposition made against the working of this life in the soules of men the working of grace in the hearts of men is opposed by corruption as naturall life is opposed by death all men by nature being dead in sins and trespasses this life is opposed by sin as naturall health is opposed by a mortall an over-swaying and incurable disease the cure of the diseased woman in the Gospell was so opposed by her bloody issue that no Physition could cure her she bestowed all her substance upon the Physitions in vaine she could not be healed untill she came to Christ the cure of the disease of sin is so difficult that neither the ministry of man or Angell can accomplish it Christ alone is the Physitian healing the diseased soul of man he is the son of righteousnes who hath healing in his wings in the wings of his ordinances instrumentally in the wings of his gracious gifts and operation efficiently the Apostle layeth down the opposition of sin against the working of spirituall life 4. ways 1. Through ignorance alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them they are ignorant of the absence and want of it they suppose they are alive to God when they are dead in sinne they are ignorant of the Originall and Authour of this life they know not that he that hath not the Sonne hath not life they are ignorant of the meanes working it they know not that the word is the word of life that the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation the immortall seed of mans regeneration they are ignorant of the necessity of this life of grace they thinke there is a greater latitude in Religion then there is they know not that the way to life is a narrow way they imagine they may doe well enough though they be not so strict and so zealous as others are they are ignorant of that worke of Christ of that holy and gracious change of heart of that faith repentance purity of heart and circumspect walking which belongs to this life And thus through their ignorance doe they undervalue it and oppose the working thereof 2. Their corruption doth oppose it through the hardnesse of their hearts being alienated from the life of God through the hardnesse which is in them This hardnesse of heart makes them uncapable of the word of life as the hard ground is uncapable of seed This causeth them to resist the meanes of grace as the hard rocke resisteth the raine distilling thereupon This makes them regardlesse and fearelesse of all judgements and cominations Affliction doth not better them but rather make them worse as the anvill hardens under the hammer This makes them impenitent they cannot mourne for their sinnes any more then a hard rocke can send forth a streame of water O Lord saith Jeremy thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rocke they have refused to returne and after their hardnesse and impenitent heart according to Saint Paul they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and thus their hardnesse of heart doth oppose the working of this spirituall life 3. Their corruption opposeth this spirituall life through unsensiblenesse they are strangers to this life saith the Apostle being
rare 4. In regard of the sweetnes and pleasantnesse of this life Christ living in the soule of man is the choysest joy of man The light saith Salomon is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sun the light of Christ is sweet to the soule the beholding of the Sun of righteousnesse living in man is very pleasant unto man the heart of old Jacob revived hearing that his son Joseph lived the sence and feeling of Christ living in man is a sweet and powerfull reviving of the heart of man Christ is the Prince of peace and where he lives there is sweet and sure peace Christ is the Paradise of all comforts he that enjoyes Christ hath strong consolation where Christ liveth the wounds of the soule are healed the adversaries of the soule are vanquished the sinnes of the soule are purged the stormy tempest of the conscience is appeased the clouds of sorrow which darkned the soule are dispelled spirituall liberty is restored forgivenesse of sin is sealed sence of Gods love communicated and the soule graciously reconciled unto God all other life is bitter and unsavoury as death in comparison of a holy and gracious life 5. In regard of that estate and condition whereinto this life doth exalt and advance man Christ living in man makes man a childe of God by adoption a spirituall freeman a glorious Conquerour over Satan himselfe and the world a living member of that mysticall body whereof Christ is the head a King and Priest to God and an heyre of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the Heavens no crowne doth so honour man as his Sanctification man is more to be esteemed for his holy walking then for the highest honour the Earth is able to conferre upon him it is not mans naturall but his new-birth that makes him truly noble though holinesse thorough mens ignorance and profanenesse be of no esteeme with men yet is this the prime advancer of man 6. In regard of that lownesse and basenesse of spirit from which this life doth free man man in his naturall estate is very basely minded very dishonourably disposed like the decreped woman in the Gospell he is altogether bowed down and wholy bent to the things which are here below minding only things earthly wallowing like a Swine in the dirt and mire of the world and fleshly lusts but when Christ lives in man when he puts the life of grace into man he ennobles the heart of man communicates a heavenly disposition to him and puts the whole man into a heavenly frame and sets his heart to seeke the things which are above he rayseth his heart his thoughts his desires to the love meditation and seeking of things spirituall as he raysed the body of Lazarus from the grave hee makes man to looke upon the world as upon a thing of nought to repute all the fullnesse of the Earth as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ to leave all and follow Christ as Elisha left his yoakes of Oxen and followed Elijah having Christ living in him he minds Christ adheres to Christ pursues and followes after Christ makes Christ his crown and portion he hath an excellent Spirit like the Spirit of Christ contemning the glory of the world as Christ contemned it with Moses reputing the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt despising all the profers and perswasions of the Earth not regarding all the cominations of the world hee chooseth rather with the three children to walke with Christ in the fiery fornace then to live without Christ in the choysest earthly pallace He had rather be nayled with Christ to the crosse then set with Herod upon the throne He saith to the men of the world as Abraham in another case to the King of Sodome give me the persons take thou the substance give me Christ take ye the world give me things heavenly and eternall take ye things earthly and temporall He that hath Christ living in him reputes the world as nothing Christ is both his crowne joy and portion 7. In regard of their honourable walking who have Christ living in them they c walke in the Spirit saith the Apostle the Spirit moves and guides them to walke according to that rule which the Spirit hath in the word proposed to them the Spirit makes their hearts within and lives without sutable to that holinesse which the law prescribeth they walk in the power of the Spirit quickning and assisting them in the light of the Spirit directing them in the motion of the Spirit exciting them and in the operation of the Spirit enlarging their hearts with the knowledge of God faith in God love to God and with the sence and feeling of Gods goodnesse towards them and in the testimony and evidence of the Spirit sealing up the forgivenes of their sins unto them as the soule is not idle but operative in the body distributing sence and motion to every member of the body So the Spirit of Christ in them in whom Christ lives is not idle but operative manifesting it selfe in the fruits and effects thereof the soule inables man to humane works and services the Spirit of Christ living in man inables man to spirituall duties and exercises to shine as a light in the midst of the froward generation among whom hee lives to walke as a childe of light with Zachary and Elizabeth to walke in all the Commandements of God and be blamelesse and this is the honour and crowne of a Christians life to walke as beseemeth the Gospell to walk worthy of God and his Christian and holy calling he is most honourable who expresseth most holinesse in his conversation 8. In regard of the terme whereunto they live who have Christ living in them carnall men who are aliens to the life of God and Christ live to a very low ignoble and base terme they live to the world minding and intending the world conforming themselves to the example custome and fashion of the world they serve Mammon and not God to this they live as servants to the Master whom they serve they live unto themselves and their owne lusts walking after their owne imaginations proposing their owne by and base ends doing all things for themselves for their owne profit pleasure and applause they serve their owne belly and not the Lord Jesus they live to Satan not doing the will of God but the lust of the Divell as Christ speakes and this is the shame and dishouour of the life of man to live to live to such low by and base ends as these but they who have Christ living in them doe live unto God intending God making God and his prayse the supreame end of their living as a wife liveth to her husband bringing forth children to her husband a vine liveth to the Master of the vineyard bringing forth his fruite to him and a flocke liveth to him that is the Master
as sometime the men of Judah clave to David they doe not single out Christ and take him to themselves as their Rocke as their glory as their strength and refuge they doe not betake themselves to Christ as the chickens betake themselves to the Hen the Bees to the hive the Conies to the Rock and as the men that were in debt distresse and discontent betooke themselves to David and made him their Captaine they doe not stay on Christ put on and apply Christ unto themselves and themselves to Christ as the Church and children of God doe as the Spouse of Christ doth their faith is a temporary and vanishing faith a Tree without roots that soone withers a dead faith there is no life and power in it no saving fruit growes upon it 4. They are estranged from the liberty of the Church Christs Church and children are Gods freemen and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Liberty from the power of sinne tyranny of Satan and servitude of the world liberty to know God as the open eye is free to see to move and incline to God as the River is free to move and slow toward the Sea to beleeve in Gods promise to receive Christ as the sound hand is free to receive the gift and free to love Christ as the heart of the Bride is free to love the Bridegroome All carnall men are great strangers to this freedome they are captives to Satan servants to the world prisoners to their owne lusts bowed downe to the world like the woman in the Gospell that had a spirit of infirmity as unable to looke up to God or to the things which are above as unable to discerne the things of God as the blind to discerne colours as unable to walke in the wayes of God as the dead are unable to walke upon the earth as fast shut up in the prison of Satan and their owne corruption as ever Peter was in Herods prison 5. They are estranged from the wedlocke of the Church with Christ True beleevers are Christs Spouse betrothed unto Christ bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh one mysticall Christ as man and wife are one matrimoniall flesh but carnall men are farre from this wedlocke they take not Christ unto themselves as the husband of their soules they have not the love and joy of a Spouse in Christ they keep not their soules chaste and pure to Christ they commit fornication and adultery with Idols and the world and are divorced from Christ they shamefully deâ—ile themselves and make themselves an abomination in the eyes of Christ 6. They are estranged from the Churches receivings from Christ True beleevers receive of Christs fulnesse they receive life and light and power from Christ as the eye receiveth light from the Sun the branch life from the root and the body power from the soule they receive the Spirit of Christ and are quickened they receive the word of Christ and are edefied they receive the promise of Christ and are established they receive the forgivenesse of sins by Christ and are comforted but carnall men like a company of broken cisternes and withered branches receive nothing from Christ Jesus Christ commeth among them in his Gospell but they receive him not he commeth to them by his Ministers but they receive not their witnesse they shut the doores of their hearts against Christ he stands without and knocks but they open not they give him no entertainment Christ spends his strength in vaine and his labour for nought amongst them and by all these things they make manifest their Alienation from the Church of Christ and all the speciall priviledges and prerogatives thereof CHAP. XIII Discoursing of the unhappy condition and impossibility of their salvation who are strangers to the true Church THis discovers the unhappy condition of all carnall and unholy people though they live within the pale of the Church yet they are all aliens to the Church though they be in the Church yet they are not of the Church as nasty humours are in the body yet no member no part nor parcell of the body though they be within the Schoole of Christ yet they are no true Disciples of Christ they are like them of whom Saint Paul speakes who are alwayes learning and never come to the knowleege of the truth Though they are within the pale of Christs Orchard yet they are but false slips no Trees of Righteousnesse of Christs planting Though they be in Christ Sacramentally yet they are but as dead members or woodden legs in a body or withered branches in a vine wanting the Spirit of Christ they have no spirituall life sence or motion in them Though they take upon them the name of Christ yet they doe not partake of the nature of Christ as blazing Starres have the name but not the nature of Starres Though they verbally professe Christ yet they actually deny Christ in works saith the Apostle they deny him they are seeming but no true Christians they doe but with Jeroboams wife disguise and faine themselves to be others then they are As they in the Church of Smyrna said they were Iewes and yet were not so but a Synagogue of Satan Thus many say they are Christians who indeed are not in Christ Jesus but are the Synagogue of Satan a cage of uncleane birds and though they be ecclesiastically holy by vertue of their naturall generation of Christian parents yet they are not spiritually and truly holy because they want that regeneration which is the worke of Gods Spirit and though they enjoy some outward priviledges by their being within the Church yet they enjoy not Christ and his benefits because they are not truly living members of the Church And this is a great misery to be an alien to the true Church of Christ he that is an alien to this Church of Christ is an alien to Christ Christ doth not enliven nor enlighten him Christ doth not profit him A member separated from the body is separated from the head hath no influence from the head hee that is a stranger to the Church is a stranger to the promise for the promise is to them whom God cals outwardly by his Word and inwardly by his Spirit he is a stranger to the love of Christ Christs Church is the object of Christs love Christ loved the Church saith Saint Paul and gave himselfe for it he is a stranger to the blessed and gracious presence of Christ Christs presence is with his Church he delights to walke among the candlestickes sanctified soules are his Temple his dwelling his glorious rest he is a stranger to the comfortable communications of Christ Christ reveales and opens himselfe to his Church and children as a glorious Sun as a loving Bridegroome to them he communicates himselfe as the dew upon the ground and as the raine upon the grasse he gives
will sup with him I will accept and delight in his knowledge faith repentance and new obedience and he shall sup with me I will communicate unto him justification sanctification peace the joy of the Holy-Ghost the heavenly treasure of all saving grace their blisse and happinesse is very great and comfortable who give a full and speedy entertainment to Christ comming in the Gospell It is a point of Christian and choisest wisedome according to the charge of the Prophet to seeke the Lord while he may be found and to call upon him while he is neare at hand The Sunne of heavenly light which now shineth may set and we be left in darknesse the Well of salvation now opened may be sealed up and we perish with want of spirituall water to refresh us the gate of mercy now opened to us may be shut against us Christ may withdraw himselfe and refuse to be found of us the things belonging to our peace may be hidden from us It is just with Christ to withdraw himselfe from them that delay to receive him Christ will be to them as a deafe man that heares not in the day of their trouble and afflictions who are deafe to Christ and will not heare him in his Gospell in the day of his mercifull visitation O therefore to day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation Now while Christ is preached in the Gospell salvation pardonall mercy is offered now if ever is the time to accept it therefore as Zaccheus made haste and came downe from the Sycamine tree and received Christ into his house joyfully So let us make haste and come downe every man from all high thoughts of our owne worth and joyfully receive Christ into the house of our heart When Christ appeared unto Abraham in the plaine of Mamre in the forme of an Angell and two other Angels with him it is said that Abraham ranne to meet them from the tent doore and hasted to his tent to make provision for them he used all speed in their entertainment Thus when Christ appeares in the Gospell and comes to us by his Ministers we should run from our tent doores from our selves by Christian denyall from the world by desertion from our sinnes by mortification Thus we should run to meet Christ comming in the Gospell and hasten every man into his tent into his heart and there make all spirituall provision to entertaine him The use of hast and speed in the entertaining of Christ comming in his Gospell is more necessary and commendable then in any other undertaking 3. Cordially With much and fervent affection the heart is Christs house where he must dwell Christs throne where he must raigne and the pallace whereinto he must be received the place of the Arke was not in a corner but in the midst of the Tabernacle Christ must not be thrust into a corner of the soule his dwelling must be in the midst thereof in the heart of man he must have the best and choisest roome of mans affection this Christ requires My sonne give me thy heart not thy head barely to know me nor thy memory nakedly to remember me nor thy tongue formally to speake of me nor thy foot onely to come outwardly unto me but thy heart to love and embrace me to surrender and yeeld up all unto me This was the Apostles prayer in the behalfe of the Ephesians that Christ might dwell not onely in their care or in the tongue the outward roomes of the body nor in the head or memory the upper roomes of the soule but in their heart the middle and choisest roome of the soule of man Our prayers are but empty and fruitlesse untill wee have prayed Christ into our hearts and affections Christ commeth in the Gospell as a King of mercies to pardon us as a bridegroome to marry us and we must entertaine him with love much strong and fervent love as a malefactor his King comming to him with a pardon or the bride the bridegroome our love to Christ must be like the love of Ionathan to David a love passing the love of women our soule must be knit to Christ as Ionathan seeing what David had done for Israel in the overthrow of Goliah his soule was knit to David so we seeing what Christ hath done for us in the overthrow of Satan our soules must be knit to Christ our soules must long for Christ as the soule of Shechem longed for Dinah our soule must delight in Christ as the soule of the rich in his treasure and the soule of the bride in the bridegroome thus the Spouse expresseth her selfe shew me O thou whom my soule loveth whom I love fervently unfainedly and with a longing desire to enjoy and in the banqueting house in the ministery of the word she found her selfe sicke of love ravished with love to Christ The entertainment of Christ into the heart is the glory of a Christian as the entertainment of the King to a house is the glory of a Subject This is the fulnesse of the soule as the entertainment of the Sunne into the eye is the fulnesse of the eye the heart is an empty vessell untill Christ hath the possession of it this is the defence and safety of the soule as the being of the Pilate in the ship is of the safety of the ship the being of the keeper in the Castle is the safety of the Castle the being of Christ in the ship in the stormy tempest was the safety of the Disciples the being of Christ in the soule is the safeguard of the soule in all the stormy tempests of trouble the soule where Christ hath no dwelling lyeth open to all the assaults of Satan This brings the soule to a sweet communion with Christ in the Gospell as Iehu said unto Iehonadab comming to meet him Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart if it be give me thine hand and he gave him his hand and he tooke him up to him into the charet Thus when we come to meet Christ in the Gospell Christ looketh to the integrity of our hearts if our hearts be right with Christ and we give him the hand of faith and the hand of love then he takes us up into his charet then he takes us to himselfe then he brings us into a neare a sweet and comfortable communion with himselfe the soule which doth not love Christ hath neither cleare discerning of Christ nor gracious fellowship with Christ 4. Cheerfully Old Jacob seeing the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him to Egypt to bring him to himselfe it is said his heart revived Man seeing Christ in the Gospell comming by the labours of his Ministers as by a charet to take and carry him of from the world to bring him nigh unto himselfe and to the