Apostle sayth Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing else save in Iesus Christ and him crucified Christ crucified is a Christians onely joy onely delight therefore the Apostle Paul prays Rom. 15.13 That God would fill them with all joy and peace through believing and why by believing the soule comes to enjoy this crucified Christ and so justification and peace Rom. 5 1. Question But some may say how shall I know that I doe indeed exalt Christ in my soule Answer First Christ is then exalted in the soule when the Lord brings over the soule to look upon Christ as its alone justification O beloved then is the Lord exalted when the soule comes to see that there is nothing but emptinesse in it selfe when the soule can through the power of God cast down all at the feet of Christ and looke upon all its own righteousnesse as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ so the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.7.8.9 the Apostle having in the 5 and 6 verses laid down what he was once in divers particulars in his own righteousnesse he amongst all the grounds as once he thought them grounds of comfort one and the least was hee walked as touching the Law blamelesse but what things were gain that is I counted gain and rested upon them I now count them losse for Christs sake yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord and ver 9. and be found in him not having my own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith ô here is a soule exalting Christ above all laying all his own righteousnesse low even as low as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ ô what saith thy soule to this now man woman didst ever see thine own righteousnesse or at least thine own unrighteousnesse hath the Lord opened thine eyes to see a vanity an emptinesse in that you once trusted hath the Lord let forth a glimpse of his glory into thy soule shining down in the face of Jesus can you say Yea donbtlesse I account all things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. Is thy soule carryed forth above and beyond thy selfe to the Lord Jesus as thine alone righteousnesse see Esay 45.24 25. Su ely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength ver 25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israell be justified and shall glory In the Lord Christ thou seest thy justification and in him thou gloriest thou canst say God forbid I should glory in any thing below Christ Ier. 23 6. This is his name by which he shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse the Lord our covering our justification this is the ground when thou canst look upon Christ as thy alone righteousnesse and justification and so seeing an excellencie in the knowledge of Christ in this particular 2 A soule then exalts Christ when it looks so upon Christ as that it is carryed with a principle of love after him and it is by love as it were glewed and knit up to him so the Apostle Rom. 8.35.38 Who shall separate us from the love of God and when love constrains thy soule to follow God 2 Cor. 5.14 the love of Christ constrains us and when love so glews and knits thy soule to Christ that thou takest him as the wife takes her husband for better for worse as we use to say when thon canst follow Christ in all conditions to tryall prisons death nothing severs thee from him when as with Abraham thou goest forth from thine own Countrey thy sins sinfull companions and followest Christ not knowing whether thou goest whether to liberty or prison that makes nothing with thee Heb. 11.8 By faith Abraham obeyed and went forth of his own Countrey not knowing whither he went this flows from faith Gal. 5.6 3 When the Lord Jesus is the alone delight and joy of thy heart believe it beloved if the soule exalt Christ rightly he will bee thy delight and joy thou wilt be able to sing the song of Mary Luke 46.47 My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour there will be joy and peace come in through believing joy unspeakable and full of glory according to Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce c. 4 The soule that truly exalts Jesus is satisfied in the enjoying of him and now the soule hath enough when it hath Christ let who will have the world sin pleasure I have Christ sayth the soule a goodly portion now the soule is fitted for any condition come affliction persecution the soule glories in all because it enjoyes God through Christ in all 2 Cor. 11.30 after the Apostle has mentioned his afflictions he concludes that he will glory in all see Chap. 12.9 5 Lastly when Christ is all in all to the soule then doth the soule rightly exalt and lift up Christ when it enjoys a fulnesse in Christ in the want of all things and sees an emptinesse in all things without Christ this the Apostle could see and say he is all and in all Col. 3.11 Christ is all and in all he is the way the truth and the life Iohn 14.6 He is the light and life of men Ioh. 1.4 He is meat drink and cloathing as wee use to say to the Saints he is their meat and drink see Iohn 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed ô beloved revery believer spiritually eats and drinks the flesh and bloud of Christ that is lives upon Christ he doth not build upon ordinary prayers duties no no give me Christ sayth the believing soule Christ in hearing Christ in preaching in the Supper of the Lord c. Believe it beloved nothing lesle then Christ can satisfie the living the believing soule and likewise in temporall things the believer sees all purchased for him by the bloud of Christ and so in every creature he lives upon the flesh and bloud of Christ and believe it beloved thus every beleever lives upon Christ see ver 53. Then Jesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you except yea eat the flesh of the Son of man and drinke his bloud you have no life in you harke you friends Hee that doth not thus spiritually eat and drink the flesh and bloud of Christ hath no life in him a signe of a dead soule that lives upon ordinary creatures without Christ 2 Christ is cloathing and covering also he covers the nakednesse of men and women that believe see Rev. 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of me c. white rayment that thou maist be cloathed what is this cloathing the righteousnesse of the Saints see Rev. 19.8 The fine linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints Christ Jesus is the Saints righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 Jer. 23.6 and so the Saints covering
gives power against this cursed fruit of the flesh in some measure there is a disposition of nature even in the Saints to be exalted and that above measure not onely in their own personall excellencie but in those graces received from Christ The Apostle Paul was sensible of both in 1 Cor. 9.27 where the Apostle sayth he beats down his body c. There was a lifting up the Apostle was sensible of it he found that in him that which was enough had not God let him see it helped him in it as he apprehended notwithstanding his preaching to others to make him a cast away so also a Cor. 12.7 Least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations the Lord sent me a prick in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me that was to pull him down that he might not be exalted in himselfe there is in every childe of God a naturall disposition to spirituall pride he that knows any thing knows it The Lord teach you and I to search our own hearts in this particular and give us power against it see 2 Cor. 6.1 Having such promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit c. This is the filthinesse of spirit that the Saints are lyable unto truly we have little cause to glory in any thing except in Christ Jesus What hast thou sayth the Apostle that thou hast not received and if thou hast received it why dost thou yet boast 1 Cor. 4.7 therefore the Prophet sayth Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength but let him that gloryeth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth the Lord. It is the exhortation of Christ to his Disciples Luk. 10.20 Rejoyce not that the Devils are made subject to you but rejoyce rather that your nanaes are written in heaven and this lesson the Apostle Paul learned and every Christian in some measure must learn Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world 5 There is selfe profit which every man naturally is apt to looke after O how hard is it for a poore creature to deny himselfe How hard is it for a rich man sayth Christ to enter into the Kingdom of heaven The world is a common baite wherewith the Devill inticeth man to sin as Iudas Ananias and Saphyra Act. 5. Nay Christ lumselfe is set upon with this temptation Mat. 4. O this profit the love of money is the root of all evill But where Christ comes teaching effectually he teacheth the soule to deny it selfe to look upon the world as a very empty thing he gives power to overcome the world Whosoever is borne of God over commeth the world and this is the victory that over commeth the world even our faith 1 Ioh. 5.4 Now the soule sees that it is his duty not to looke onely on his own things but every one on the things of another Phil. 2.4 Now hee hath learned to sympathize with the body every member he looks not upon himselfe at a distance from the meanest member making himselfe equall to them of the lower sort 6 There is self pleasure also and this of two sorts 1 In delighting in pleasures of these the Apostle speaks of 2 Tim. 3.4 They shall be lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God Beloved it is much unbeseeming Christians to be lovers of pleasure see 1 Tim. 5.6 But shee that liveth in pleasure or shee that liveth delicately is dead while shee liveth Now beloved Christ takes off his people from these pleasures by presenting better pleasures to them he makes them drinke of the river of his pleasures Psalme 36.8 so that the Saints are not without pleasures spirituall and that abundantly and eternally Psal 16.11 At his right hand are pleasures for ever more But God takes off his from those earthly carnall pleasnres which is indeed dangerous and destructive Prov. 21.17 Hee that loveth pleasure shall be a poore man it is true spiritually as well as temporally carnall carthly pleasures and profits are two great enemies to the power and being of god linesse Luk. 8.14 cares and riches and pleasures is that which choaketh the Word that men bring forth no fruite to perfection A second sort of Self-pleasure is when men resolve to please themselves O sad word that men should have such a disposition to please themselves but where Christ teacheth hee teacheth men in this case to deny themselves Now this may be considered under a twofold relation eyther to God or our brethren 1 To God where Christ teacheth effectually there the soule will rather deny it selfe then God It will rather please God then it selfe Christ who is the Saints pattern did always so walk as to please God John 8.29 For I do always those things that please him to wit the Father Now Christ as hee was man in our flesh pleasing the Father alwayes in all things and so was our pattern so he teacheth his the same lesson This is a Maxime in Religion That whosoever chuseth to please himself rather then God Christ hath not taught him 1 Thes 4.1 We beseech you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Iesus that as ye have received of us how yeought to walk and please God so ye would abound more and more As if the Apostle had sayd that which ye have received of us is that ye ought to walke according to the example of Christ to please God This is the doctrine that wee have taught you we beseech and exhort you by the Lord Jesus That ye abound more and more in this grace This is an excellent choice grace to please the Lord ever to have that in thine eye to please God though thou displease thy selfe that is thy fleshly carnall selfe Col. 1.10 O this is a soule taught indeed by the spirit of God when he prefers the pleasing of the Lord before himself or carnall friends or any thing see Prov. 16.7 When a man ways please the Lord hee maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him when a man seeks to please God in walking answerable to the rule of God though hee displease his enemies God will make those enemies to be at peace with him 1 This being rightly learned is that which would carry you along through all oppositions in a way of truth perhaps somethings yea some truths may seeme hard to a poore creature to be submitted unto perhaps the poore creature resolving with flesh and bloud which will have its bouts even in the Saints Rom. 7.21 may be ready to conclude sometimes if I submit to this way to this truth I must expect reproach persecution perhaps losse of liberty estate yea life and all now it would wonderfully please carnall reason to deny such a truth to hide and conceal such a truth in unrighteousness but
excellencie and utility of his office And this was received always in the hearts of the Saints Christ our High-Priest Christ our peace Ephes 2.14 for he is our peace c. Now to speak more punctually to the Priestly office of Christ it consists in these two particulars partly in Reconciliation partly in Intercession 1 In Reconciliation that is in reconciling God to man and man to God Now it is true God was ever reconciled to his elect in his Son from all eternity for he loved them in his Son Ephes 1.4 from before the foundation of the world he never looked upon them but in his Son yet so as with relation to his death so working peace Beloved this was the great designe of God in sending Christ into the world to make peace and reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe namely the elect amongst the Gentiles who were always counted for the world see Rom. 11.11 12 c. not imputing their sins c. This was the great work God had to doe in the world when he manifested that great mystery of godlines 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh c. And this Christ hath done beloved hee hath perfected it and finished it see 2 Cor. 5.18 and all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himselfe by Jesus Christ so also Rom. 5.10.11 Heb. 2.17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High-Priest in things pertaining to God why to make reconciliation for the sins of the people a blessed word for all believers God is reconciled to them in his Son God is at peace with them this was the end wherefore Christ came into the World to make peace for the Saints and to give life unto them hence it is Christ sayth John 10.10 I am come that ye might have life and that ye might have yet more abundantly hence it is that the Gospel of Christ is called the Gospel of peace Ephes 6.15 and the glad tidings of peace Esay 57.7 the Covenant of the Gospel is a Covenant of peace Esay 54.10 Ezek. 37.26 God is a God of peace and at peace with believers Rom. 5.1 1 Thes 5.23 and Christ is a Prince of peace Esay 9 6. Thus you see beloved Christians what peace and reconciliation here is wrought by Christ for all believers a God of peace a covenant of peace a Gospel of peace God hath reconciled us to himselfe through his Son for he is our peace who hath made both one and broken down the middle wall of partition and made us Gentils one with the Father through faith having abolished in his flesh the enmity to make to himselfe of two in one new man so working peace that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse The second thing considerable is the manner how he makes this peace and that is first in bearing their sins 2 In laying down his life and bloud In bearing their sins beloved Christ bears all the iniquities of all his people Esay 53.4 5 6. surely he hath borne all our griefs and carryed our sorrows he was wounded for our iniquities and bruised for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Note First God laid sinne upon Christ Secondly Christ bare them Thirdly their God condemned them 1 God laid sin upon Christ All we like sheep have gone astray but he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all it is all laid upon Christ so that now the sin of all the elect becomes the sin of Christ they are laid upon Christ He is become sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 2 Christ bare the sinnes of his people God did not onely lay sin upon Christ but he bare it 1 Pet. 2.24 he bare our sins on his own body on the crosse and so hath born our grief and carryed our sorrows this is the way beloved by which Christ hath made peace for his people in bearing their sins there was no other way left for reconciliation between God and man but God must become man that so he might bear our sins and so our griefs and sorrows that he might be bruised for our iniquities and that the chastisement of our peace might be upon him 3 There God condemnes sin and Christ now bears not onely sin but justice for sin mansins justice is offended and that must bee satisfied Christ steps in he takes the blow he becomes surety for sinners stands in our room and payes the debt see Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sent his Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Note beloved God did not onely lay sin upon Christ but Christ bears it and there God condemnes it where God finds sin there he condemnes it God condemnes the sin of his people in the flesh of his Son O what doth thy soule say to this dear Christian before ever thou couldest be reconciled to thy God Christ Jesus must bear all thy sins and the condemnation of them in his own body O see see man what a burthen thy sins were to thy Saviour if thou hast any interest in him follow him to the mount of olives see him in his agony Luke 22.44 sweating drops of bloud great drops of bloud trickling down to the ground this was the weight of thy sins laid upon thy Saviour before ever thy peace was purchased see him upon the crosse bearing thy sins and my sins man woman if we have any interest in him and the condemnation of them crying out My God my God why hast thou for saken me beloved it went heavy with our Saviour Use Learn hence to take heed of sin doe not take delight in any sin truly beloved if you love the Lord Jesus you cannot love that which was such a heavie burthen unto him ô beloved how should justified saved persons take heed of sin of every sin the least sin that thou canst imagine tooke hold on Christ as well as the greatest ô therefore take heed of pride of anger foolishnesse vanity the least sin is much unbecomming Christians ô beloved how seasonable comes in that earnest exhortation of the Apostle Rom. 12.1 2. Christ having given up himselfe for your sins that you give up your selves your soules and bodies a holy living acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. 2 As Christ hath made peace in bearing the sins of his people so also in laying down his life and bloud for them beloved before ever there could be peace and reconciliation made Christ must dye for it give his life and bloud for it all those ceremoniall sacrifices under the Law were a type of a dying Christ hence it
Christ but to the Saints you have heard 1 John 5.1 Every one that loves him that begate loveth him also that is begotten 2 I come to the excellent properties and effects of this love 1 With relation to Christ 2 To the Saints 1 To Christ 2 It refuses to receive satisfaction in any enjoyment beneath the Lord Jesus A soule truly enlightned in the excellency of the knowledge of God in Christ refuseth to take content and satisfaction in any thing that comes short of Christ It is true there may be many turnings and windings in the heart and the profits and pleasures of the world shall be presented as Satan presented them to Christ and duties and creatures and performances gifts c. and thus Satan can and often doth present himself like an Angell of light and that to the Saints too they that know any thing of God know it if possibly he could hee would delude and cheat a poore creature but the soul truly loving Christ will not be thus cheated and deluded by that old Serpent he must have Christ nothing lesse will satisfie him A living child may be quieted awhile with a bable a counter or ratle which is nothing but folly but in conclusion it findes by experience the emptinesse and vanity of such things then casts away all and nothing but bread will satisfie him So it may be with the soule the living Christian it may receive some content in duties and prayers for a time but in the conclusion it comes to see the emptinesse of these things and then nothing but Christ will content him When a soule truly loving Christ comes to see how he hath deluded himselfe in mistaking Christ thinking that he hath had Christ when indeed he had nothing but the externall ordinance visible forme which is indeed the shell without the kernell ô then nothing lesse then a Christ will satisfie ô give me Christ sayth the soule or else I die Christ in every ordinance it will not take ordinances and duties for Christ any more but now the soule must enjoy Christ in ordinances Christ in preaching in praying in the Supper of the Lord nothing gives content to the soule but Christ O this is the excellent quality of true spirituall love to the Lord Iesus Hence it is that the spouse in the Canticles Cap. 3.12 so earnestly seeks her beloved shee could take no rest untill shee had found him ver 4. and then shee holds him and will not let him goe This is the property of love it soars very high flies aloft like the Eagle and why because God in Christ is its object and where the dead carkesse is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Christ is the alone object of faith and love and to him all true beleevers come in him shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Esay 45.25 onely note this that the soule comes by faith to enjoy him whom the soule loves A second excellencie of love to the Lord Jesus is It is quieted and satisfied in the single enjoyment of Christ the soul that hath Christ hath enough it can say as Jacob It is enough Ioseph my son is yet alive so the believing soule whose heart is truly inflamed with love to Christ for his own excellencie it hath enough it is content now to lose all as the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.7.8 He accounts all things but losse yea dung that he may win Christ This is the excellencie of the grace of love to Christ it carries the soule above the world above creature or any thing beneath Christ it desires nothing but Christ 1 Cor. 2.1 It gloryeth and rejoyceth in nothing but Christ Gal. 6.14 and him crucified If it have the world so it is if not it is contented it is quiet in any condition if it enjoy all things I mean in the world yet Christ is the summe of all if it want all things yet in Christ it enjoyes all so the Apostle as having nothing yet possessing all things so that now the soule that believes in and loves the Lord Jesus knows how to be abased and how to abound that is it know how in that lowest condition to live satisfied upon Christ and it knows how in the highest condition to live also upon Christ it can doe all things through Christ that strengthens it Phil. 4.12 13. Doe you not see on the contrary men that have no love to the Lord Jesus how they let forth their hearts upon the creature they live upon the creature take away the world from them you take away their life but the man that loves Christ hath enough in the enjoyment of him what ever befall them in the world they can say as Christ I have meat to eate that yee know not of John 4.32 the Lord Iesus is the Saints meat and drinke they live upon him and are satisfied with him The third property of love is It slights all hardships and sufferings that it meets withall for the name and sake of Christ Nothing can quench this love many waters cannot quench it many flouds of affliction cannot quench love when others that love not the Lord Jesus but themselves and their own ease start and are affrighted at the reproach of Jesus as at some strange apparition when the soul that sees spiritually that looks not at things that are seen that is at the outside of things which carnal eys only see but at things that are not seen that is at the outside of things which carnall eyes They hence go cheerfully slighting persecutions being perswaded that nothing can make a separation betweene Christ and their souls glorying and triumphing in the crosse of Christ being not only ready to suffer reproach but death it self if the Lord call them to it for the name and sake of their beloved Thus you see the excellencie of this grace it carries the soule sweetly out to Christ it lies down in the bosome of love and there it is satiated there it is satisfied there it hath enough there it lives and there it dies yet with him it shal for ever live ô the admirable excellencie in this grace of love it makes hard things easie and bitter things sweet it lives upon that others canot see no not never shall see unlesse the Lord open their eyes it rejoyceth in that others dread it takes that for a crown that others count shame it makes their hearts to leap for joy in the beholding of those things that makes others faint and fail 2 I come to the excellencie of this grace of love in and to the Saints for that is the great thing we have now in hand the excellencie of the grace of love among Saints among brethren 1 It is of a knitting nature it knits or bindes up the soules of the Saints as one it makes them to be of one heart and of one minde What is the reason of such divisions amongst Saints but the want of love this grace of love is