frequency of our thoughts No thoughts are so pleasing and sweet as thoughts of God and Spiritual things to a man that minds the things of the Spirit Psal 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet 2. By the ardency of our endeavours Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired and that will I seek after What is most desired will be most sought after 4. We may know that we have an interest in Christ if we be new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new Nothing that any man hath or doth no priviledges no excellencies will avail a man any thing to the obtaining of Salvation by Jesus Christ unless he be a new creature Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a new Creature Circumcision was a priviledge of the Jews an Ordinance of God a Seal of the Covenant a profitable Ordinance Rom. 3.1 2. What profit is there of Circumcision much every way It was a painful Ordidinance They were sore several days after they were Circumcised yet Circumcision did not avail any to Salvation but such as were new Creatures Uncircumcision was the badge of the Gentiles who sought after Wisdom yet no wisdom no excellencies that were found in any of the Gentiles would avail them to Salvation if they were not new creatures But here some may say How shall we know whether we be new creatures Ans 1. By our loathing the lusts and deeds of the old man that is by our loathing our sins and loathing our selves for our sins For it is an evident sign that God hath given a man a new heart and a new spirit when there membrance of his sins maketh him to loath himself Ezek. 36.26 31. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you Then shall ye remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations And for confirmation of this that self loathing and loathing of our sins is an evidence of the renewing grace of God we may take notice that unregenerate men are full of self love 2 Tim. 3.2 Men shall be lovers of their own selves And they may leave some of their sins but they do not loath them The Psalmist speaking of a graceless person saith of him Psal 36.4 He abhorreth not evil If any ask How shall we know whether we loath our sins and loath our selves for our sins I Answer 1. A man that loatheth himself for his sins looketh upon himself as a vile and loathsom creature and blusheth and is ashamed of himself when he cometh into the presence of God Job 40.4 compared with Job 46.6 Behold I am vile wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job who abhorred himself looked upon himself as a vile creature and repented in dust and ashes abased himself before God as more vile then the dust Ezra blushed and was ashamed to lift up his face to God Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee my God for our iniquities are encreased over our head and our trespass is grown up to the heavens 2. When a man loathes his sins they are burthensom and troublesom to him Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are gone over mine head as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me He would fain be freed from his sins We flee as farr as we can from things and persons which we abhorr Job 30.10 They abhorr me they flee far from me A man that loaths his sins would not live in his sins though he should not be punished for them As 't is with a man that loatheth his Life he would fain be rid of it he would not live alwaies Job 7.15 16. My Soul chuseth strangling and death rather than Life I loath it I would not live alway So it is with a man in respect of his sins his Soul chooseth the Death rather than the Life of his sins and if he might have an indulgence to continue in his sins without being cast into Hell for them yet he would not live always in them 2. A new creature is an humble creature one that hath very poor and mean and low thoughts of himself When God makes a man a new creature he takes down the pride of his heart and makes him an humble and lowly Spirit Whatever gifts and excellencies God hath bestowed upon him whatever services and sufferings he hath gone through he looks upon himself as a poor inconsiderable creature of no worth or value 2 Cor. 12.11 In nothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles though I am nothing The Apostles had great gifts they could speak all Languages could work Miracles were filled with the holy Ghost did great service for God went through great sufferings and the Apostle Paul did not in any thing come behind the very chiefest of the Apostles yet under all his endowments he esteemed himself to be nothing See some instances of the humility of those that are new creatures 1. They have meaner thoughts of themselves than they have of any other men Prov. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish than any man Eph. 3.8 Less than the least of all Saints 1 Tim. 1.15 To save sinners of whom I am chief They follow the counsel of the Apostle Phil. 2.3 In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves For they are privy to more of their own sins than they are to any other mans upon the face of the earth They know more of their own hearts than they do of other mens 2. They have meaner thoughts of themselves then they have of the other creatures and therefore they liken themselves not to the Sun or Stars but to the meanest of all the creatures as worms fleas dead dogs and the like Psal 22.6 I am a worm and no man a reproach of men 2 Sam. 24.14 After whom is the King of Israel come out after whom dost thou persue After a dead dog after a Flea 3. They have such mean thoughts of themselves that they judge themselves to be unworthy of the very least of all Gods mercies Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and all the truth that thou hast shewed unto thy servant And they look upon themselves as worthy of the greatest of Gods judgments even to be confounded and destroyed for ever Dan. 9.7 O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day They look upon it as infinite mercy that they are out of hell Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed That they that are of an humble Spirit are new creatures appeareth hence because God dwelleth with the humble Isa 57.15 And saveth the humble Job 22.29 He shall save the humble person But
the most dangerous most destructive temptations and containeth both inward lusts whereby the heart is as it were set on fire and fiery tryals which are sharpest to the outward man now these are all quenched by the shield of Faith Let me shew you how you should use this shield how you should exercise your Faith when you meet with fiery tryals 1. Have Faith in Gods presence believe that God is and will be with you according to his promise when you pass through the fire and through the waters Isa 43.2 For Faith in Gods presence will carry us comfortably through our greatest tryals Act. 2.25.26 I foresaw the Lord always before my face for he is at my right hand that I should not be moved therefore did my heart rejoyce and my tongue was glad To confirm your Faith that you shall have Gods presence with you in your persecutions see such Scriptures as these 2 Cor. 4.9 Persecuted but not forsaken Jer. 20.11 Joh. 16.32 2 Tim. 4.17 18. 2. Have Faith in Gods assistance Believe that God according to his promise for Christs sake will help strengthen and uphold you Isa 41.10 The believing that we shall have Gods help will put great courage into our Souls Isa 50.7 For the Lord God will help me therefore shall I not be confounded therefore have I set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed 3. Have Faith in that glorious and unspeakable recompence of reward which God will give you if you continue faithfull unto the death in a suffering day Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee a crown of Life 2 Tim. 2.11 12. It is a faithfull saying If we suffer we shall also reign with him The believing and looking at our eternal glory which we shall have after we have suffered for Christ will keep us from fainting under the Cross 2 Cor. 4.16 18. For which cause we faint not while we look at the things which are not seen which are Eternal 2. As you should get and exercise Faith so you should exercise patience also For patience is a very usefull and necessary grace in times of persecution Heb. 10.32 36. Ye endured a great sight of afflictions ye have need of patience Luk. 21.12 19. They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Synagogues and into prisons being brought before Kings and Rulers for my names sake In your patience possess ye your Souls If any say it is true Patience is needfull and usefull in a suffering day But how shall we attain to patience in times of great persecution A. 1. Consider the patience of our Lord Jesus Christ in all his sufferings that will learn us patience in all our distresses Heb. 12.1 2 3. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking to Jesus Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself least ye be wearied and faint in your minds The looking to Jesus and considering the dignity of his person the greatness of his sufferings and the patience with which he endured the pain and the shame of the Cross and the contradiction of sinners against himself will help us to run our race with Patience and keep us from being wearied and fainting in our minds An instance of the patience of Christ under his sufferings which all things considered were greater than the sufferings of any of the Martyrs We have Isa 53.7 He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth And as the example of Christ so also the example of the Prophets and other Saints and Servants of God may cause us to be patient under our persecutions It hath been the lot of the best men that ever lived even of the Prophets to be persecuted for Righteousness sake Mat. 5.12 So persecuted they the Prophets Luk. 13.34 O Jerusalem Jerusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee Jam. 5.10 Take my brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and patience 2. Consider the desert of sin They which suffer most in this Life suffer far less than their sins deserve How great were Jobs afflictions of all sorts yet they were less than his sins Job 11.6 Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth Ezra 9.14 compared with Lam. 1.12 No sorrows like what the Jews met with yet were they punished less than their sins deserved This should silence all complaints Lam. 3.39 Our sins have deserved the Torments of Hell Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death The second as well as the first death Shall we not patiently suffer any Torments in this Life for Righteousness sake seeing our sins have deserved the Torments of Hell for ever 5. The blood of Christ and the word of God and preferring the glory of God above our lives are great helps to a chearfull bearing and overcoming all persecutions When the Dragon makes war with the Saints we may see by what means they overcome him Rev. 12.11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Here are 3 means by which they overcame the accuser of the brethren 1. By the blood of the Lamb that is by the blood of Christ who is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Now the blood of Christ helps us to overcome 1. As it justifieth us and takes away all our guilt and reconciles us to God Rom. 5.9 10. Joh. 1.7 For when sin is pardoned there is comfort in the greatest sufferings Mat. 9.2 And when God is reconciled there is a Triumphing over all enemies Rom. 8.31 2. As it hath purchased for us victory over all the adversaries of our Salvation Col. 2.15 3. As it gives us solid grounds to hope with boldness to enter into Eternal Life Heb. 10.19 4. As he hath left us an example to suffer for him who suffered for us 1 Pet. 2.21 1 Pet. 4.1 2. By the word of their Testimony that is the word of God which they had owned professed gave Testimony unto in the worst of times Now the word helps us to overcome 1. As it comforts us in all our conflicts Psal 119.49 50 94 161 162. 2. As it reveals and promiseth glorious rewards to them that overcome Rev. Ch. 2. Ch. 3. Ch. 21.7 CHAP. III. An Exhortation to such as are in a Christless condition to seek after an interest in Christ Directions Motives and Helps in order to the getting an Interest in Christ Hinderances removed SEeing it is thus that an interest in Christ is a ground of strong Consolation under
him to us we shall have Union and Communion with Christ We shall become one with Christ and he will dwell with us and his blood shall be ours to wash away our sins and every benefit that he hath purchased with his blood shall be ours only let us consent to have him as God offers him to us in the Gospel There may be a treaty about Marriage a proposal of terms a woing a long time but 't is a mutual consenting and engaging each to other that makes the Marriage Union So it is in our Union with Christ there may be frequent offers an earnest woing but it is consenting that makes the match between us and Christ When we consent to accept of him he will bestow himself and all his benefits upon us Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and sup with him and he with me Christ standing at the door and knocking signifieth the offers of grace that he makes to us in the Gospel He offereth himself to us to be our Saviour to save us from eternal misery and is very earnest with us to receive and embrace him when we accept of him for our Lord and Saviour and consent to the terms on which he offers Salvation to us then we hear his voice and open the door and then he will bestow himself and all his benefits upon us which is meant by his coming in and supping with us and taking us to sup with him But here some may say are not men willing to have Christ for their Lord and Saviour and to be saved by him in his own way Ans No all men are not willing to have Christ and Salvation by Christ on the terms of the Gospel There are very few that are willing to receive Christ on the terms of the Gospel Most men either neglect or reject him Isa 53.3 He is despised and rejected of men They are so few that regard the offers of grace in the Gospel that they seem as none at all compared to the multitude of those that neglect and reject thee Prov. 1.24 I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded Even among those that profess themselves the people of God and are accounted Gods Israel there are many that will not accept of Christ for their Lord and Saviour Psal 81.11 My people would not hearken to my voice Israel would none of me It had not been such matter of admiration to have heard the Lord say Moab would none of me or Egypt would none of me but here this charge brought in against Israel Israel would none of me that may startle us and make us look well to our selves that we be not found guilty of rejecting Christ as well as Israel Most men are so wedded to the world and to their lusts and own evil ways that though Christ offer them all the joys of Heaven if they will accept him for their Lord and Saviour yet they will not come to him though thereby they might have eternal life Joh. 5.40 And ye will not come to me that ye might have life And though most men would be willing to be saved by Christ when they dye if they might have Salvation in their own way namely if they might live in their envy enjoy their hearts lusts and be saved from hell torments when they dye yet they are not willing to accept of Christ and Salvation by Christ in his way and upon his terms They are unwilling to have him for their Lord to rule over them They say in their hearts Luk. 19.14 We will not have this man to reign over us They are unwilling to forsake their sins and turn from their evil ways though thereby through Christ they might escape Eternal Death and obtain Eternal Life Ezek. 33.11 I shall therefore add some motives to accept of Christ upon the terms offered in the Gospel 1. Jesus Christ and Salvation by Christ is worthy of all acceptation upon any terms whatsoever 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners This Salvation is worthy of all acceptation that is to be accepted by all men with all readiness of mind yea with all thankfulness without objecting against the terms on which this Salvation is offered to us How readily would a blind man accept of his sight a condemned man accept of a pardon a poor man accept of riches a dying man accept of life Christ is all these and more and yet shall we be unwilling to accept of Christ If we receive him he will open our blind eyes he will give unsearchable riches to those that are poor a pardon to them that are condemned life to them that are in a dying condition Salvation to them that are lost 2. The Lord thinks nothing to much nothing to great nothing to good to give to and do for those that accept of his Son If we will accept of his Son for our Lord and Saviour he will give us himself for our God and Father and will bestow this wonderfull priviledge upon us to be his Sons Joh. 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name And what a great what an amazing priviledge is this that such poor such worthless creatures such sinfull creatures as we are should be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God If we accept of his Son for our Lord and Saviour he will bestow his Kingdom upon us Our Lord Jesus speaking to his little Flock that did accept him for their Shepherd and yield up themselves to be led ruled and governed by him tells them it was their Fathers good pleasure to give them his Kingdom Luk. 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom And what a great unexpressible unconceivable gift is this that God should give us his Kingdom What greater what better things hath God to give than to give us Himself for our God and his Kingdom for our Inheritance If we will accept of Christ for our Lord and Saviour the Lord will with him give us all good things freely Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. All things are yours all are yours and ye are Christs 3. There is nothing in Christ but what is desireable and worthy of all acceptation Cant. 5.16 He is altogether lovely What the Apostle saith of every creature 1 Tim. 4.4 Every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanks giving I may say of Christ Every thing of Christ is good
of God Rom. 8.35 But sin makes us hateful to and hated of God Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all workers of Iniquity No affliction can hinder our Salvation Lazarus was exceeding poor he begged his bread and was full of noysom sores yet his Soul was carryed by the Angel into Abraham's bosom but sin will hinder the Salvation of our Souls Now we flee from the Sword and Pestilence and other Judgments and shall we not much more flee from sin which is a greater evil than all these 2. Sin is a greater evil than Hell it self for God made Hell but sin is the work of the Devil And therefore sin which is the work of the Devil must needs be worse than Hell which is the work of God Hell sets forth the glory of Gods Justice but sin wholly dishonours God and therefore sin is worse than Hell Now we are very desirous to be delivered from Hell and why shall we not be willing to leave our sins which are worse than Hell 3. There is nothing in the world doth us so much hurt and mischief as sin doth Sin separates us from God the chiefest good Isa 59.2 What poyson is to the body that sin is to the Soul the Souls poyson Rom. 3.13 The poyson of asps is under their lips Sin wars against our Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 And will be the Death of our Souls if we do not forsake it Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death We flee from Death and those things that bring Death VVhen there was a deadly herb in the pottage the Sons of the Prophets would not eat thereof but cryed out O thou man of God there is death in the pot and they would not eat thereof 2. King 4.40 I may say the like to impenitent sinners O thou sinner there is Death in thy sins O thou Drunkard there is Death in thy Cup O thou Unclean Person there is Death in the Harlots house and to the unrighteous man there is Death in thy false weights and false measures and deceitful-balances And shall not this make us willing to leave our sins that there is Death in our sins 4. If no consideration will encline your hearts to a willingness to forsake your sins look up to Christ that he would put forth his grace and divine power upon your Souls to make you willing to forsake your sins and willing to serve and obey him Ps 110.3 Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power 5. See what it is which makes you so unwilling to leave your sins and get those cords cut in sunder whereby your wills and affections are hold intangled in your sins VVhen men are unwilling to leave their sins it is usually from one of these two causes either from the delight and pleasures they have in their sins or from the gain and profit they have by them Most men are very unwilling to part with their sinful gain Act 16.19 20 22. Act. 19.24 25 27. And with their sinful pleasures in so much that they love their pleasures more than they love God 2 Tim. 3.5 Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God I shall endeavour the removal of both these §. Arg. To perswade us to be willing to part with our most delightful and pleasing sins 1. God parted with his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased for us and delivered him up to death for us Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Rom. 8.32 He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all And shall not we part with our beloved and pleasing sins for him and deliver them up unto Death They that take most pleasure in their sins and have the greatest love for them will or ought to be ashamed to say they love their sins and are pleased with their sins as much as God loved Christ and was pleased with Christ and therefore they should also be ashamed to spare their sins and not deliver them up to Death for the enjoyment of Christ 2. God will give thee better pleasures than ever thou foundest in thy sins if thou wilt part with thy sins he will give thee better pleasures in this life Job 36.10 11. He commandeth that they return from iniquitie If they obey and serve him they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures There are better pleasures to be found in Christ and in the ways and ordinances of Christ than are to be found in sin Prov 3.17 Her ways are wayes of pleasantness Ps 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thine house and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures The comforts of the Holy Ghost are infinitely better than the pleasures of sin Now if you forsake your sins and walk in the fear of God you shall have the comforts of the Holy Ghost Act. 9.31 Walking in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Besides the pleasures that God giveth you in this life if you will leave your pleasing sins God will give you the pleasures of Heaven where you shall live in fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Ps 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore 3. Pleasing sins are like poyson in sweet wine What wise man will be allured to drink a draught of poyson because 't is put into sweet VVine though it be sweet in the mouth it will torment and rack a man exceedingly Job 20.12 13 14. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still in his mouth Yet his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of asps within him The poyson of asps is the most deadly poyson Those sins in which men find most pleasure will one day torture and torment their Consciences as much as the most deadly poyson doth their Bowels Mens pleasing sins will be like the little book the Angel gave the Apostle which was in his Mouth sweet as hony but made his Belly hitter Rev. 10.9 10. Sweet sins will be bittterness in the latter end Take an instance in two sorts of sins in which men find pleasure Uncleanness and Drunkenness Prov. 5.3 4. The lips of a strange woman drop as an hony comb and her mouth is smoother than Oyl but her end is bitter as Wormwood sharp as a two edged Sword Prov. 23.31 32. Look not upon the wine when it is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it moveth it self aright At the last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder 4. The pleasures of sin will cost a man dear without Repentance for they shall be punished with the pains and torments of Hell for ever And from the first day that a man comes into the torments of Hell all the pleasures of sin will vanish away for ever The Rich man that had
enter into Life blind and halt and maimed than to reserve the occasions of offence and stumbling and to be cast into Hell Fire Mark 9.43 to the 48. ver 2. If the work seem hard and difficult which Christ sets us about yet the wages he gives are exceeding great which he gives to them that serve him and obey him He gives no less Reward to all his Servants than a Kingdom Luk 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom He gives his Servants the same Glorious Kingdom which he himself hath Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be He gives an Eternal Kingdom to them that obey his Commandements Heb. 5.9 Joh. 12.50 I know that his Commandment is Life Everlasting This may reconcile our hearts to the Commandments of the Gospel there is no Commandment of Christ but it is in order to our obtaining Everlasting Life Now this consideration that Christ will give us a Kingdom an Everlasting Kingdom that cannot be removed should make us willing to engage in any difficult service for Christ and desirous to do him all the service we can and to serve him in a gracious and acceptable manner Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear 3. You have a long time served and obeyed the lusts of your own heart And sin is a most cruel Master a Master that kills and murders all his Servants that do not forsake his service The wages that sin gives all his Servants is Death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is Death And will you rather serve a Murderer a cruel Master that will kill than serve and obey Jesus Christ who is the Lord of Life and Glory who saves all his Servants from Eternal Misery 4. Though some duties of the Gospel seem hard to Flesh and Blood yet they bring rest to the Soul Math. 11.29 Take my Yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your Souls Rest is a desireable thing especially rest for our Souls Issachar underwent great burdens for the obtaining of rest Gen. 49.14 15. Issachar is a strong ass couching between two burdens and he saw that rest was good and the Land that it was pleasant and bowed his shoulders to bear and became a servant to tribute But rest for the Soul is much more desireable than outward rest and therefore we should be willing to submit to any burden that our Lord Jesus layeth upon us seeing he will give us rest for our Souls 5. Though Christs Yoak may seem hard and his burden heavy to Flesh and Blood yet in truth and reality it is easy and light Mat. 11.29 30. Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy und my burden is light Now Christ's yoke is easy and his burden light in several respects 1. Because he requireth nothing of us but what he by his Spirit will enable us to do Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes 2. Because he writes his laws in our hearts and when the law is written in the heart it makes the hardest service easy and delightfull Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart This will spoken of here was God's will concerning Christ that he should offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sins as appears from Heb. 10.6 7 8 9 10. which though it was difficult service Christ did with delight having the Law of God in his heart 3. Love to Christ makes all difficulties easie and his service delightful Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 4. His Yoke is easie because it is sweetned with the comforts of the Holy Ghost Our Lord Jesus sends the Spirit the Comforter into their hearts that keep his Commandments that dwell and abide with them for ever John 14 15 16 17. If you love me keep my Commandements and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth and by virtue of these comforts which they have from the Spirit of God they can go on singing in the ways of the Lord. Ps 138.5 Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord. 5. His Yoke is easie and burden light compared with the burden of the Law and the burden of sin The Law was a Yoak which was very hard to be born Act. 15.10 And the burden of sin is heavier than the burden of the Law it was such as David complained was too heavy for him Ps 38.4 §. 5. Loving and preferring other things above Christ and hindrance of our being partakers of Christ This Obstacle removed 5. Another hindrance of our receiving and accepting Christ is when there is something or other that lyeth nearer our heart than Christ which we love and prefer above Christ and are not willing to part with for Christ Now to such I would say these things 1. You can have no part in Christ unless you love and prefer him above all things in the world and be willing to forsake all things for him Math. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Our Parents and our Children may and ought to be loved but not more than Christ for if we love the dearest Relations we have in the world more than Christ we shall not be partakers of Christ Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple For if a man love any things or persons more than Christ when those things or persons come in competition with Christ he will forsake Christ rather than those things or persons which he loves above Christ 2. A man may go far in the profession and practice of Religious duties and may prefer Christ above many things and yet may have some one thingly nearer his heart than Christ and rather than part with that one thing he may chuse to part with Jesus Christ An example of this we have in the young man that came to Christ to enquire how he might obtain Eternal Life He spoke respectfully affectionately and understandingly to Christ Matth. 19.17 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have Eternal Life He shewed his respect to Christ in calling him Master his affection in calling him good Master his understanding in that he came to Christ about the weightiest matter in the whole world Eternal Life and his good inclinations that he desired to know what good thing he should do to have Eternal Life Moreover he had from his youth up addicted himself
Captain of our Salvation and comfort us under all our troubles I shall farther prove this that there is comfort to be had in Christ in our Soul troubles by giving instance in several soul troubles and shew that there is comfort under all of them to be had in Christ Sect. 1. Comfort to be had in Christ against indwelling corruption In Regenerate persons there are remainders of Original Corruption The Apostle Paul complained of the indwelling of sin Rom. 7.17 Sin that dwelleth in me And he did not only find sin dwelling in him but warring against the law of his mind and leading him captive to the law of sin which was a very great trouble and burden to him ver 23.24 And what was Paul's comfort against the indwelling warring and captivating power of sin It was Christ Jesus Rom. 7.24 25. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. I will shew what comfort there is in Christ against the remainders of Original Corruption 1. Christ's blood is a Fountain set open on purpose for washing away the Fountain of sin and uncleanness that is in and issueth forth out of our hearts Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a Fountain opened to the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness This Fountain is the blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sins There is no other Fountain under Heaven set open for the cleansing away of sin but the blood of Christ which is compared to a Fountain because of its sufficiency to supply all commers and the continual efficacy the Fountain runs night and day continually The day wherein this Fountain is set open is the day and time of the Gospel For under the law it was covered over with divers Types and Ceremonies it was vailed with the Ceremonies but now that vail that covering is done away It was a Fountain sealed and concealed from the Gentiles but now 't is a Fountain opened to the Jews and Gentiles for though only the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem are named yet the Gentiles are included in this promise for they are of the same body and fellow-heirs with the Jews of the promises of God Eph. 3.6 Observe farther for what end this Fountain is set open that is for sin and for uncleanness that is to wash away all sorts and all manner of sins our Original and Actual sins the uncleanness of our hearts and lives It may amaze us when we see and consider what a Fountain of sin and uncleanness is in our hearts but it may greatly comfort us when we consider that Christ's blood is a Fountain set open on purpose to wash away sin and uncleanness 2. Though sin doth and will dwell in us as long as we live yet this may comfort us it shall not have the dominion over us Rom. 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the Law but under Grace For our Lord Jesus Christ hath by his death obtained deliverance from the reigning power of indwelling corruption so that though sin remain in us it shall not reign over us we shall not be the servants of sin Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is Crucisied with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin And therefore though we find sin not only dwelling in us but warring against the law of our minds and sometimes prevailing over us and leading us captive yet we should believe that God for Christ's sake will both pardon and subdue our sins Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me as for our Transgressions thou shalt purge them away The purging away of sin implyes both the pardoning our sins by the blood of Christ Psal 51.7 Heb. 1.3 Heb. 9.22 and the mortification of sin or purging sin out of our hearts and conversations 2 Tim. 2.21 Isa 4.4 and 27.9 Now David did rest upon God for the purging away his Transgressions even when he found iniquities prevailing that is he did trust in God that for Christ's sake he would both pardon and subdue his sin 3. As it is a ground of trouble that sin dwelleth in us so it is a ground of great comfort that we have the Spirit of Christ to dwell in us as a Fountain of grace and holiness and that this Spirit of grace shall dwell in us for ever and as a Well of water springing up to Everlasting Life 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And this Spirit of Christ which is given to us to dwell in our hearts shall dwell and abide with us for ever Joh. 14.16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth he dwelleth in you and shall be in you And he dwelleth in us as a Fountain of Grace and Holiness or as a VVell of water springing up to Everlasting Life Joh. 4.14 The water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up into Everlasting Life 4. Though sin dwell in those that are in the Members of Christ yet it shall not be imputed to them unto their Condemnation Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit He doth not say there is no sin in them that are in Christ Jesus but though their be sin in them there is no condemnation to them ver 34 Who shall condemn It is Christ that dyed Christs death hath made satisfaction for our sins and therefore such as are in Christ shall not come into Condemnation but are passed from death to life Sect. 2. Comfort in Christ for lapsed Christians that have fallen into heinous sins that have wounded their Conscience and broke their Peace Besides the great trouble that ariseth to the Servants of Christ from indwelling corruption they may through the Temptations of Satan and their own weakness and want of watchfullness fall into actual Transgressions of a very heinous nature that may break their Peace and wound their Consciences as Peter who denyed Christ and curse and swore he did not know the man which caused him when he came to himself to weep bitterly And David committed such heinous sins in the matter of Vriah and Bathsheba that caused such anguish of Spirit as if all his bones had been broken and therefore being in a joyless condition as full of anguish as a man that hath broken bones he prays thus to God Psal 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Now though this be matter of deep Humiliation for Christians to fall into heinous sins yet it is not a desperate case
of this death That our comforter against spiritual deadness is in Christ the following words shew I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Though there be cause of mourning when we look into our own dead hearts yet there is cause of thanksgiving and rejoycing when we look up to God in Christ And that on these grounds 1. The end of Christs assuming our nature and suffering death for our sins was to give us life not only eternal life hereafter but spiritual life here and that in a plentifull measure Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they may have it more abundantly Joh. 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world 2. Though there be in us much deadness yet in Christ and with Christ there is a fountain of life Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light As it is with Fountains of water there is water to be had at all times and for all comers in the Fountain So it is with the Fountain of life there is life to be had constanly freely a sufficiency of life for all comers at all times to be had from this Fountain of life 3. The Lord hath given us many gracious and comfortable promises to encourage us to hope in him for quickning grace at such times as we find our selves under deadness as Joh. 11.25 Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet he shall live Joh. 6.57 He that eateth me even he shall live by me Psal 69.32 Your heart shall live that seek God Psal 22. They shall praise the Lord that seek him your heart shall live for ever Amos 5.4 Thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel seek ye me and ye shall live We see here that Spiritual and Eternal Life is promised to such as seek the Lord These promises may be a great comfort to us under our deadness 4. Jesus Christ hath provided us excellent helps against our deadness I will instance in two helps 1. His word that hath a quickning influence in it Psal 119.50 Thy word hath quickned me And ver 93. I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me And as the Precepts so the promises of the word have a quickning virtue in them We may say of the promises with Hezekiah Isa 38.16 O Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my Spirit 2. His spirit is an excellent help against deadness Joh. 6.63 It is the spirit that quickneth The spirit of Christ is the spirit of life and this quickning spirit shall be given to those that ask it of God Luk. 11.13 5. When Christ who is our life shall appear we shall appear with him in glory and when we appear with Christ in glory we shall ive with him for evermore and shall never any more be troubled with deadness but shall be freed from the body of sin and death for ever Col. 3.3 4. Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Your Life is hid with Christ in God It may be understood of the life of Grace here and the life of Glory hereafter Our life of Grace is hid not only from the eyes of the VVorld but at sometimes and in part from themselves As Davenant observs Ex parte quoad quos sanctos quippe qui vitam hanc sentiant in se esse valdè infirmam obscuram dubiam obtentationes diaeboli carnis Yet the weakness of our Spiritual Life the deadness that is mixed with the life of grace shall not hinder our appearing with Christ in and if we appear with him in glory all our deadness and imperfections shall be done away for ever Sect. 7. There is comfort in Christ for such as are troubled for the weakness and imperfections of their services Many Christians finding their service they do for God and their Generations attended with very great weakness and many imperfections are much troubled and discouraged thereby But to such as go under this burden there is comfort to be had in Christ and that in these respects 1. Our persons and services are accepted of God not for the worthyness that is either in our persons or services but for the sake and upon the account of Jesus Christ Eph. 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the beloved And as our persons are accepted in Christ so are our services also 1 Pet 2.5 To offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ If any say how can imperfect services that have sin mixed with them be accepted of God I answer by the merits of Christ the imperfections and sins that are mingled with those holy services which we perform to God are done away and the services rendered acceptable to God Exod. 28.38 And it shall be upon Aarons Forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel which the children of Israel shall hollow in all their holy gifts and it shall be alwayes on his Forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. Aaron was a Type of Christ our great High Priest The Plate on his Forehead that had graven on it Holiness to the Lord was a Type of the merits of Christ who is the Lord our Righteousness As Aaron bare away the iniquities of the holy things Typically which being done they were accepted of God So Christ doth really and truly bear away the sins of all services and thereby they are accepted of God 2. Though our services have much weakness and many imperfections in them yet if they be performed with Upright hearts God will accept them 1 Chron. 29.17 I know also my God that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in Vprightness As little done by an Upright man is more acceptable to God than great services done by wicked men Pro. 15.8 The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the Prayer of the Vpright is his delight 3. VVould you serve God and your Generation in a better manner if you were able and is it your burden that you can serve God no better then know for your comfort that God through Christ will accept of your willing mind though you have not such abilities to serve him as others have or as you your selves desire to have 2 Cor. 8.12 If there he first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 4. It is a great comfort to those that mourn over their imperfections that how imperfect soever they are in themselves they are compleat in Christ Col.
best of men such as live holy and righteous lives do meet with many and great afflictions and troubles Psal 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the Righteous Yea it is the lot of some eminent servants of God to have their whole life spent in grief and sorrow Psal 31.10 My Life is spent with grief and my Years with sighing And David was a man of eminent Piety yet we Read of him that when he was under the apprehensions of Death he was under Trouble and Sorrow Psal 116.3 The Sorrows of Death compassed me and the Pains of Hell took hold upon me I found Trouble and Sorrow And as he met with Sorrows so also with Horror and Terrors and that to such a degree as that he was even overwhelmed thereby Psal 55.4 5. My Heart is sore pained within me and the Terrors of Death are fallen upon me Fearfulness and Trembling are come upon me and Horror hath overwhelmed me 3. There is abundance and there is a sufficiency of Consolation to be had in Christ and from Christ under all the Troubles that we are liable to while we live and all the Terrors and Sorrows of Death There is not only Consolation but abundance of Consolation to be had in Christ and that when we meet with abundance of Troubles in the World 2 Cor. 1.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ There is such abundant Consolation to be had in Christ that a Christian may through Christ Jesus not only be of good comfort but he may at all times both Living and Dying Triumph in and through Christ Jesus whatsoever Troubles and Distresses he be exercised withall 2 Cor. 2.14 Now thanks be unto God which always causeth us to Triumph in Christ Let it be considered what great troubles the Apostle Paul went through He gives us an account of his sufferings 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25 26 27. In stripes above measure in Prisons more frequent in Deaths oft c. His Troubles and Persecutions were so great and sharp that he went continually in danger of his Life 2 Cor. 4.9.11 We are troubled on every side We which live are always delivered unto Death for Jesus sake Yet under all his Troubles he was enabled always to Triumph in Christ and Triumphing is the highest expression of joy Sect. 1. Interest in Christ is a ground of comfort under all the Troubles of Life and against the Sorrows and Terrors of Death An instance of fetching comfort from Christ the Consolation of Israel under the Troubles and Sorrows both of Life and Death we have in this Text considered in its Coherence with the Context For opening whereof consider these three things 1. The Distresses of the Spouse set forth in this and the foregoing Chapter To pass over her inward troubles set forth by her being sick of love Ch. 2.5 She met with anger and much hard usage from her Mothers Children that is from those that professed the same Faith with her self Ch. 1. ver 6. My Mothers Children were angry with me they made me the Keeper of the Vineyards Keeping the Vineyards was servile laborious work which they used to employ the baser sort of People and Strangers in Isa 61.5 The Sons of the alien shall be your Plowmen and your Vine-dressers It was a burdensome as well as an ignominious employment to work in Vineyards in those hot Countries The Labourers that were sent to work in the Vineyard complained that they had born the burden and the heat of the day Math. 20.1 12 So that when the Spouse of Christ saith they made me the Keeper of the Vineyard it implyeth that her Mothers Children laid heavy burdens upon her dealt hardly and ignominiously with her exposed her to reproach and other sufferings She was greatly distressed by her Persecutions which she endured which scorched like the Sun when it shined at noon day and made her black in the eye of the World Chap. 1.7 I am black because the Sun hath looked upon me Persecutions arising for the word are set out by the scorching of the Sun As we may see in the parable of the seed that fell on the stony ground which having no Root withered away when the Sun was up and scorched it Mat. 13.5 6. Some set on stony places where they had not much Earth And when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had no Root they withered away This rising and scorching of the Sun the Lord Jesus interpreteth to be rising of Tribulation and Persecution for the words sake ver 20.21 For when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended The Sun looking upon her that is her Persecutions had made her black I am black what doth this blackness imply 1. Her inward sorrow and pain of heart and distress of mind arising from her troubles and persecution For great grief and sorrow is frequently expressed by blackness Job 30.27 28 29 30. My Bowels boyled and rested not the days of affliction prevented me I went mourning without the Sun My skin is black upon me Nah. 2.10 The heart melteth and the knees smite together and much pain is in all the Loyns and the faces of them all gather blackness The Prophet sets out his great grief and astonishment of mind by his being black Jer. 8.21 I am black astonishment hath taken hold on me 2. Her being exposed to scorn and contempt and derision by reason of her manifold sufferings and miseries Look not upon me because I am black That is look not upon me with a scornful eye in a way of derision and contempt It is the lot of the people of God sometimes to be made gazing stocks to the World Heb. 10.33 Ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions This Jobs portion when he was under great sorrows his Friends looked upon him with a scornful eye and scoffed at him Job 16.20 My friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out tears unto God The Churches distressed condition is farther set forth in her being resembled to a Lilly among Thorns Cant. 2.2 As the Lilly among Thorns so is my love among Thorns That is 1. She was compassed with sharp and grievous afflictions which pierced her as if she had had so many Thorns run into her Flesh Sharp afflictions are set out by Thorns Hos 2.6 I will hedge up her way with Thorns 2. She was beset about with cruel adversaries that vexed and tortured her as if she had so many Thorns running into her side or eyes It is usual to set out the adversaries of the Church by Thorns 2 Sam. 23.6 But the Sons of Belial shall be all of them as Thorns Now those adversaries of the Church are likened to Thorns 1. Who are continually vexing and troubling the People of God Num. 33.55 The inhabitants of the Land shall be pricks in your eyes and Thorns in your sides and shall vex you in the Land
Christs sake we are weak we are despised Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place we are made as the filth of the VVorld and are the off scouring of all things unto this day Now although the Apostle Paul met with abundance of afflictions and persecutions he was exceeding joyful in all his tribulations and as full of comfort as his heart could hold 2 Cor. 7.4 I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation And whence was it that the Apostle Paul had such exceeding joy in all his tribulations It was in Christ and from Christ as he himself tells us Phil. 3.3 VVe rejoyce in Christ Jesus Rom. 5.11 VVe joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ The Virgin Mary who was the Mother of Christ met with sore afflictions which pierced her as if she had a Sword run into her very Soul Luke 2.35 Yea a sword shall pierce through thine own Soul also Some understand this as a foretelling that she should suffer Death for Christ and be slain with the Sword others understood the words Metaphorically that she should be exposed to such sharp trials that should pierce her as if she had a Sword run into her for reproaches and many other afflictions are like the piercings of a Sword Psal 42.10 As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me where is thy God Prov. 12.18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a Sword And the Virgin Mary's Consolation under all her afflictions was her interest in Christ her interest in him not so much as he was the Son of her Womb as the Son of God and the Saviour of her Soul Luke 1.47 48. And Mary said my Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour David found great Consolation in his interest in Christ and in God under all his troubles and sorrows of which I might give many instances but shall only mention that distress he was in at Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.6 David was greatly distressed But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Observe here the greatness of Davids distress Ziglag his City of refuge was invaded by the Amalekites smitten and burnt with Fire ver 1. Davids Wives and the Wives and Children of the men that were with him were taken Captives and carried away by the enemies ver 2.3 All their Flocks also and their Herds were carried away in a Triumphing manner saying This is Davids spoil ver 20. Davids distress was so great That David and the People that were with him lift up their voice and wept till they had no more power to weep ver 4. And which added to his sorrows was this that he was now in danger of loosing and that by the hands of those that had fought for him to save his Life they were so enraged against David that they spake of stoning him to Death and that was an aggravation of his affliction that besides his other losses he was now like to loose his Life and that in a violent way and that by the hand of his Friends And David was greatly distressed for the People spake of stoning him ver 6. And what was his comfort and encouragement in this distress it was his interest in God But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God And how doth the Lord become our God it is in and through Jesus Christ that he becomes our God 2 Cor. 5.19 That we may not only Triumph over all the troubles of this Life but even over Death it self by virtue of our interest in Christ is evident from 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory the sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thuaks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ He speaks in a Triumphing manner as having no dread of Death but having overcome the fear of Death and the Grave O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory As if he should have said we are not afraid of thee O Death or thee O Grave thou hast lost thy sting O Death and thy victory O Grave And what is the ground of this Triumph over Death how came we by this victory this Triumph is grounded upon an interest in Christ this victory is given us of God through Christ as he is made ours Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Sect. 2. What is meant by an interest in Christ How Christ becomes ours How we become Christs There is a special saving interest in Christ as our Redeemer which is when a man is made a partaker of Christ united to Christ and hath a real and actual right to all the saving benefits of Christ Heb. 3.14 We are made partakers of Christ How Christ becomes ours 1. By the Fathers giving him to be a propitiation for our sins and Christs giving himself to die for our sins Joh. 3.16 2. By an effectual calling 1 Cor. 1.9 3. By our recieving him Joh. 1.12 4. By our entring into Covenant with God Isa 55.3 How do we become Christs 1. By Donation of the Father Joh. 17.6 2. By Redemption 1 Cor. 6.19 20. 3. By the Spirits causing and enabling us to give our selves to him 2 Cor. 8.5 4. By virtue of the Covenant Ezek. 16.8 See the matters of this Section in a Book of this Author Entituled Consolation in Life and Death Sect. 3. Several grounds of Consolation against the troubles of Lsfe and the fears and terrors of Death arising from an interest in Christ 1. Jesus Christ hath fully perfectly and for ever reconciled unto God all that are his Col. 1.19 20. 2. Jesus Christ hath obtained for all that are his a free full perpetual pardon of all their sins 1 Cor. 15.3 1 Joh. 3.5 Joh. 1.29 These and many other grounds may be seen largely handled in the said Treatise by this Author Entituled Consolation in Life and Death Motives to examine our selves whether we have a saving interest in Jesus Christ If it be so that interest in Christ is a ground of strong Consolation under all the troubles of this Life and against the fears and terrors of Death then let us examine our selves whether we have a saving interest in Jesus Christ whether we have an actual right to and a propriety in Christ and his saving benefits can we say that Christ is ours and that we are his and can we say this upon good grounds Have we Evidences satisfactory and sure evidences out of Gods word that Christ is ours and we are his I shall here propose some motives to stir us up to examine our selves about our interest in Christ And then mention some sure evidences of a saving interest in Christ by which we may examine and prove our selves whether we have a real saving
when enlightned by the word and Spirit of God are able to discern and to give a judgment of our estate towards God and of the most inward workings both of Sin and Grace Pro. 20.27 The Spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the Belly By the inward parts of the Belly we may undestand all the secrets of the heart the inclinations dispositions and motions of the heart both to good and evil These are all searched out and discovered by the Spirit of a man which is as the Candle of the Lord but to effect this searching of our inward parts this Candle of the Lord must be lighted by the Word and the Spirit of the Lord for till that be done it gives such a dim and uncertain light that we can discern but little of our own state Therefore besides Communing with our own hearts and making use of our own Spirits we must make use of the Word of God that we may discern the state of our own Souls towards God Prov. 6.23 The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple ver 105. Thy word is a Lamp to my feet and a light to my path There are plain and clear Characters laid down in the Scriptures of such as are Christs the knowledge of these which I shall mention in the next Section are requisite for us to examine our selves by And besides making use of our own Spirits and having recourse to the light of Gods word it is needful that we should implore the illumination and assistance of the Holy Spirit because it is his enlightning our minds that gives us light Psal 36.9 In thy light shall we see light Job 32.8 But there is a Spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding The eyes of our underderstandings are shut till the Spirit of God doth open them Eph. 1.17 18. And as we need the Spirit to enlighten our understandings so also to witness to and with our Spirits or being the Children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Evidences of a saving interest in Christ. Seeing the knowledge of our interest in Christ tendeth so much to our Consolation both against all the troubles of this Life and the terrors of Death and seeing this knowledge is obtained by examining our selves by those Characters that the Scriptures give of those that are Christs I shall lay down several Characters out of the Scriptures of such as have a saving interest in Christ those that I shall mention and explain are these 1. Effectual calling 2. Recieving Christ as he is offered in the Gospel 3. They that are Christs have the Spirit of Christ given to them 4. They that are Christs are new Creatures 5. They that are Christs have Crucified the Flesh with the lusts and affections 6. They that are Christs do love Christ and prefer Christ above all things and persons in the World 7. They that are Christs live to Christ and dye to him 1. They that are effectually called are Christs and Christ with all his benefits are theirs 1 Cor. 1.26 compared with 1 Cor. 3.23 Ye see your calling Brethren ye are Christs Whom doth the Apostle mean when he saith ye are Christs he meaneth such as are effectually called And speaking of those that were called he tells them that God had united them to Christ and made them partakers of the benefits of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.26 30. Ye see your calling Brethren Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Eternal Life and all other saving benefits of Christ are promised to them that are effectually called Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Covenant they which were called might recieve the promise of the eternal inheritance But Eternal Life and the saving benefits of Christ are given only to such as have an interest in Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not Life Now we may know that we are effectually called these ways 1. When the Lord calls a sinner effectually he calls him out of darkness into light whereas the mind and understanding was before full of ignorance and blindness the Lord enlightens the mind with saving knowledge when he calls a sinner effectually it is 1 Pet. 2.9 That ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light Now in this work of illumination we may consider these 3 or 4 things 1. God calls a man to see his sinful miserable undone estate by nature Jer. 2.19 Know and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of Hosts And his inability to help or recover himself out of his sinful and miserable estate Joh 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing 2. God calls a man to see and to know that remission of sins and Salvation is to be had in Christ and no where else but in and from Christ Jesus Act. 13.38 Through this man is preached unto you remission of sins Luke 19.10 The Son of Man is come to seek and save that which was lost There is Salvation for lost man to be had in Christ and in none but him Act. 4.12 Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved As the Lord gives us to understand that we have destroyed and undone our selves so also he causeth us to know that there is help for such as are in a perishing condition and also where this help is to be found namely in himself through Christ Hos 13.9 O If del thou hast destroved thy self but in me is thy help Thus is a material branch of saving illumination the giving as the knowledge of God and Christ 1 Cor. 4.6 Joh. 17.3 3 The Lord enlightens his People to see and to know which way they should obtain Salvation from Christ out of their sinful and miserable condition namely by Faith and Repentance For after a man is enlightned to see his lost estate then he is at a loss to know what he should do to be saved and the Lord shews him that Salvation is obtained by Christ through Faith and Repentance Act. 16.30 31. Sirs what must I do to be saved And they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your Transgressions and so iniquity shall not be your rutine 4. Where there is saving illumination the instruction the Lord gives is like that spoken of by the Prophet
may know that we are effectually called unto holiness when we adhere to the wayes of God in difficult and troublesom times when no persecutions no troubles will make us forsake the wayes of God and turn aside to crooked paths Psal 44.17 18. All this is come upon us that is all the forementioned troubles yet we have not forgotten thee nor dealt falsely in thy Covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Psal 119.109 110. My soul is continually in my hands yet do I not forget thy Law The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy Precepts 4. When God calls a man to Holiness he enclines his heart to be holy not only in some but in all things Holy in Body and in Spirit Holy in his Discourse and Holy in all manner of Conversation They that are Effectually called unto Holiness are like the Unmarried VVoman spoken of by the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.34 The Vnmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be Holy both in Body and in Spirit This is the care of Gods called ones they care for the things of the Lord that they may be Holy in Body and in Spirit They are also careful to be Holy in their Discourse remembring that Exhortation of the Apostle Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister Grace unto the Hearers They are also carefull to be Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation V. VVhen God calls a sinner Effectually he calls him to lay hold of Eternal Life he calls him unto the participation of his Heavenly and Glorious Kingdom 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all Grace who hath called us into his Eternal Glory by Iesus Christ. 1 Thes 2.12 That ye walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory 2 Thes 2.14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.12 Lay hold on Eternal Life whereunto thou art called As it was with the carnal Jews they despised the Land of Canaan though it was a most pleasant and delightfull Land and would rather have enjoyed the Flesh-pots of Egypt than to go through difficulties to possess the Land of Canaan Psal 106.24 Yea they despised the pleasant Land So it is with carnal Christians before God calls them Effectually they despise they neglect Eternal Life they prefer this transitory vain VVorld before the Kingdom of Heaven As prophane Esau despised his Birth-right and sold it for a Morsel of Meat so do prophane men despise the means of Grace and Salvation and part with the Kingdom of Heaven for as inconsiderable things as a Morsel of Meat But when God calls a man effectually then Heaven and Heavenly things are the chief things he seeks after Now we may know whether God hath called us to lay hold on eternal life these ways 1. VVhen God calls a man to obtain eternal life and Salvation he gives hm the knowledge and belief of the truth reality and transcendant excellency of the Kingdom of Heaven that it infinitely surpasseth all the good things of this vain and transitory world 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens And as the truth of the Heavenly Kingdom is believed so it is esteemed and preferred above all things in this World Heb. 11.16 But now they desire a better country that is an Heavenly This World is a miserable world but Heaven is looked upon as a most blessed and glorious place by those that are Effectually called Tit. 2.13 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour In Heaven they expect such things as eye never saw the ear never heard and better and greater things than the heart of man can concieve 1 Cor. 2.9 2. When God calls a sinner to obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ he stirs up in his heart an earnest desire after Salvation and causeth him to make it his great care and main business to get to Heaven The great enquiry of such an one is what he should do to be saved and how he may get eternal life Act. 16.30 Sirs what must I do to be saved Matth. 19.16 And behold one came unto him and said good master what good thing shall I do that I may have Eternal Life And they enquire diligently after the way to life so they make it their main and chief care to get to heaven according to that command of Christ Mat. 6.33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness And that of the Apostle Phil. 2.12 Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling 3. When God calls a man to obtain Salvation he discovers to him the way to Life and Salvation and bows his heart to walk in the path of life Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of Life He sheweth them that Eternal Life and Salvation is to be had in Christ and no where else but in Christ 1 Joh. 5.11 And this is the record that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son Act. 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other name given under Heaven whereby men may be saved And he sheweth them that they that would have Salvation by Christ must believe in him and obey him and persevere in the Faith of Christ and in their obedience of the Gospel to the end of their lives Act. 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithfull unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life 4. When God calls a man to obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ he leaveth such impressions of the glory and excellency of the Kingdom of Heaven that he presseth more earnestly after the Kingdom of Heaven than he doth after any thing in this world Phil. 3.13.14 This one thing I do forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus It was the main thing the Apostle aimed at strove and contended for pressed after the obtaining the Crown of Glory and being found in that way that leadeth to life No oppositions from the world can beat off one effectually called from seeking eternal life but he uses an holy violence and doth as it were take it by force Matth. 11.12 From the dayes of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the
that are born of God The work of renovation is not finished in one day but is carryed on day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 The inward man is renewed day by day The mind is not fully enlightned nor the heart sully sanctified at once but this work is carryed on by degrees and it is a mistake to think we have no renewing grace because the work of renovation is not compleated but is carried on day by day 3. Old things are past away and all things are become new initially in those that are new creatures God hath begun to renew the whole Soul and to mortifie all the lusts and members of the old man Grace though it be but in part diffuseth it self into every part of a man it is like leaven that leaveneth the whole lump the Mind Will Affections Soul and Body all are Sanctified though but imperfectly And as all things are begun to be made new so they shall as certainly be perfected as if they were already done Such things as shall certainly be brought to pass are oft in Scripture spoke off as already done Isa 9.6 Vnto us a child is born unto us a Son is given This was spoken many hundred years before the Birth of Christ because it was certain that he should be born it is spoken as already done Joh. 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath Everlasting Life Eternal Life is enjoyed in Heaven yet because it is sure to such as believe in Christ it is not said he shall have but he hath Everlasting Life 4. There is a relative and a real change in such as are new creatures By a relative change I understand a change of their state and relation to God As for instance when a man of an enemy becomes a friend of God When a man of a child of wrath becomes a child of God Whereas a man was under the curse he comes under the blessing whereas a man was in a state of Condemnation he is translated into a state of Salvation In respect of this Relative change all old things are passed away and all things are become new in him that is a new creature For he that is in Christ is no more under the curse and wrath of God and in a state of Condemnation but is passed from Death to Life A real change is the change that is made of the Heart and Life of him that is a new Creature This change is carryed on gradually 5. There are different degrees of grace in those that are new creatures some are Babes in Christ some little Children some young Men some Fathers Such as are but babes in Christ are new Creatures as well as those that are Fathers but have more weaknesses and imperfections than young Men or Fathers Such as are but babes in Christ have such great imperfections and are so weak in grace that they are more like to Carnal than Spiritual persons 1 Cor. 3.1 And I brethren could not speak unto you as unto Spiritual but as unto Carnal even as unto babes in Christ Yet even in such as are but babes in Christ there may be discerned some workings and stirrings of the grace of God as for instance 1. There are desires after the word of God in order to growth thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere Milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As the babe can't live without the breast so neither can the new creature live without the Milk of the Word It is not any Preaching will satisfie a new Creature but it must be the Milk of the Word the sincere Milk of the Word such as will further growth It must be intelligible sound profitable preaching that will quiet such a Soul 2. They that are but babes in Christ shew forth this grace they cry after Christ and can't be satisfied without Christ as the babe cryeth after the Mother and can't be satisfied without her They can say as David Psal 143.6 My Soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land Psal 84.2 My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the Living God Obj. 2. It is said 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin Now I can't live without the Commission of sin and therefore I fear I am not born of God I fear I am not a new Creature A. 1. The meaning of this Scripture is not that they that are born of God are wholly free from all sin for then no man upon the face of the earth should be born of God Eccl. 7.20 For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 2. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin like as other men who are void of the grace of God There is a great deal of difference between the sins of Regenerate and Unregenerate men As 1. Regenerate men do not allow themselves in sin Rom. 7.15 That which I do I allow not Their will is averse to sin although by the power of indwelling corruption they are drawn to sin ver 19. The evil which I would not that I do But the will of an Unregenerate man is enclined and resolved to adhere to sin Joh. 8.44 The lusts of your Father ye will do Jer. 2.25 We have loved strangers and after them we will go 2. The sins of the Regenerate are sins of infirmity Psal 77.10 I said this is mine infirmity They fall through weakness and are overtaken with a temptation Gal. 6.1 If any man be overtaken with a fault Psal 18.21 I have not wickedly departed from my God But wicked men go on presumptuously in their sins and sin with an high hand Jer. 8.6 Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel 3. Though Regenerate persons may fall into sin yet they do not love any sin but do hate and abhorr sin Psal 119.104 I hate every false way Rom. 7.15 What I hate that I do But Unregenerate men love and delight in sin Isa 66.3 Their Soul delighteth in their abominations Jer. 2.25 We have loved strangers That is strange Gods 4. Though a Regenerate man may fall into sin he doth not lye in his sins but riseth up again and reneweth his Repentance Prov. 24.16 A just man falleth seven times and riseth up again But Unregenerate men lye and continue in their sins 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lyeth in wickedness They are like the Sow that walloweth in the mire 5. The Regenerate make it their dayly care and endeavour to depart from sin Psal 16.17 The high way of the upright is to depart from evil That is it is his dayly and constant practice Act. 24.16 But Unregenerate men give over themselves to do evil and set themselves in a way that is not good Psal 36.4 He setteth himself in a way that is
other evil inclinations of his heart Psal 141.4 Encline not my heart to any evil thing And as he was carefull to suppress evil lusts in his heart so to refrain from evil speeches and sinfull practise Psal 49.1 I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my Tongue I will keep my Mouth with a Bridle while the wicked is before me Psal 119.101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way They that seek by the help of Christ to suppress evil lusts and inordinate affections and refrain from sinfull speeches and practices have Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections 6. The Jews having heard that after Christ was Crucified he would rise again put him into a Grave and rolled a great stone upon the mouth of the Grave and set a strict watch and did all that they could to prevent his rising again So they that have Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections do what they can to prevent the rising of sin in their hearts and the breaking of it forth in their lives They set a watch over their lips and lives Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my Tongue Psal 141.3 Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips Psal 18.23 I kept my self from mine iniquity Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life Obj. I am under doubtings whether I am Christs because it is said they that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Now though I desire and endeavour to Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts yet I can't say I have attained to it Though I endeavour to suppress all evil lustings and all inordinate affections and to refrain from every evil way yet I still find the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the law in my members warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sin and death And therefore I fear I am none of Christs A. 1. Such as are united to Christ have Flesh as well as Spirit in them and do find the lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit and the warring of the law in their members against the law of their mind but they do not walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Apostle speaking of such as are in Christ Jesus saith not they have no flesh nothing of corruption in them that there is nothing but the Spirit of Grace in them but he saith of them they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit The Galatians were the children of God Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Yet they had in them the Flesh lusting against the Spirit whereby they were hindered that they could not do that good which they were willing and desirous to do Gal. 5.17 The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would The Apostle Paul was Christs 2 Cor. 10.7 If any man trust to himself that he is Christs let him of himself think this again that as he is Christs even so we are Christs Yet this Apostle who if any man upon earth might be confident that he was Christs he would let him know that he was Christs also saw and complained of a law in his Members warring against the law of his Mind and leading him captive to the law of sin Rom. 7.23 But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity to the law of sin which is in my Members 2. They that heartily desire to have the flesh with the affections and lusts crucified they have already crucified their sins in their hearts What we are willing and desirous to do that the Scripture accounts as if it were already done As it is in the Commission what sins we desire to commit God accounts them to be committed in our hearts Matth. 5.28 Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart So it is with the crucifixion of sin when a man looks upon his sins and saith in the sincerity of his heart oh that my flesh with the affections and lusts were crucified he may be said to have crucified his flesh with the lusts and affections 3. They that are Christs have delivered up their corrupt natures with all the affections and lusts to be crucified We read of Christ that he was delivered to the Jews to be crucified Joh. 19.16 Then delivered he him to be crucified The hypocrite spares his sins and hides them and is unwilling to part with them Job 20.12 13. But it is not so with a true Christian to deliver up all his sins to be crucified and begs earnestly of God that he would not suffer any sin to have the dominion over him but that he may be delivered from all his transgressions Psal 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 39.8 Deliver me from all my transgressions 4. We may be said to have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts when we have begun to mortifie all our sins when we make it our daily care and endeavour to suppress evil lusts and inordinate affections and to refrain our feet from every evil way Crucifixion is a lingring death Our sins are crucified when they are dying though not fully dead Persons nayled to the Cross had many struglings before they gave up the ghost and yet they might be said to be crucified while they hung upon the Cross though not perfectly dead Paul saith I dye daily So a Christian makes it his daily business to dye to his sins And what we are truly and heartily endeavouring to do that the Lord esteemeth and accepts as if it were done Abraham in the sincerity of his heart endeavouring to offer up Isaac the Scripture speaks of it and accounts it as if it had been actually done Heb. 11.17 By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up his son Isaac 5. Then we have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts when the reigning power and dominion of sin is taken away that we are no longer the servants of sin Rom. 6 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin The old man is all one with the flesh and the affections and lusts thereof now this old man is crucified when the power and strength of sin is so far destroyed as that we are not servants of sin when the dominion of sin is taken away from all that are in a state
of grace ver 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the Law but under Grace Now the dominion of sin may be taken away though sin be not wholly dead in the soul As it was with those beasts spoken of Dan. 7.12 Their dominion was taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time So the dominion of sin may be taken away in that soul where the life of it is prolonged for a little season But here some may say How may we know whether sin reigns in us or whether the dominion of sin be taken away I Answer When we yield willing obedience to the motions and dictates of sin then sin reigns in us Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof and ver 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness When it is a mans usual course to yield ready obedience to the motions and sollicitations of sin it is a plain case sin reigns in such a man and he is the servant of sin As it is an argument that a man is in Authority when his commands are obeyed Matth. 8.9 I am a man under authority having souldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it So it is an argument that sin is in authority when the motions of sin are are obeyed when we go and come and do as we are moved and enclined by the lusts of our own hearts But where the motions and lusts of the flesh are resisted striven against suppressed there sin is not in dominion though it may still abide and dwell in us 6. If our doubtings of our interest in Christ arise from hence that we fear we have not Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof let us set our selves more vigorously about this work to Mortifie and Crucifie the lusts and affections of the flesh and to that end let us make use of these helps 1. Let us walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 This I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh There will be lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit as long as we live in this world but if we walk in the Spirit we shall be thereby kept from the fulfilling of the lust of the flesh 2. Put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it that will be a means to mortifie the corruption of your natures Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof 3. Meditate on the passion and sufferings of Christ and rest upon Christ for the grace that he hath purchased by his death to mortifie the flesh with the lusts and affections Gal. 6.14 Rom. 6.6 Tit. 2.14 4. Apply the promises which are effectual means to purge out our corrupt natures and to make us partakers of the divine nature and to help us to escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust Promises of renewing our natures and purging out the corruption of our hearts you may see Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God shall Circumcise thine heart 6. Loving Christ above all things is a certain evidence of a saving interest in Christ If we can say of Christ with the Spouse he is my Beloved or as the Dutch render it my best Beloved then we may say he is mine and I am his It was the Spouses sincere love to Christ that caused her to say with confidence that Christ was hers and she was his My Beloved is mine and I am his As we may know that we are passed from Death to Life by our love to the Members of Christ 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the brethren So we may also know our translation into a state of life by our love to Jesus Christ and may say we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Lord Jesus Christ That a sincere love to Christ which is a loving Christ above all things is a sure evidence of a saving interest in Christ will appear hence because eternal life and all manner of blessings are promised to those that love Christ in sincerity Jam. 2.5 Hearken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity But as for those that love any things or persons more than they love Jesus Christ though the dearest friends they have in all the world they shall not be owned of Christ for his Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me See also Luk. 14.26 But how shall we know whether we love Christ above all Things and Persons in the World A. 1. By our valuing esteeming and preferring Christ above all things in the World What we love most that we esteem and value most 1 Thes 5.11 Esteem them very highly in love Now we may know that we have the highest esteem for Christ of all things and persons in the World 1. When we will part with any thing rather than part with Christ when we are willing to suffer the loss of any thing yea of all things so that we may win Christ Mat. 13.45 46. The wise Merchant shewed that he esteemed the Pearl that he had found to be of great price when he sold all that he had to purchase it Phil. 3.8 The Apostle Paul shewed his preferring Christ above all by his suffering the loss of all things for Christ and this turned to him for a Testimony that Christ was his yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things 2. When all other things are counted but as dross and dung in comparison of Christ Phil. 3.8 For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ When other things are undervalued and
made light of in comparison of Christ Eccl. 2.27 Solomon having spoken of Mirth Musick Riches Stately Buildings Gardens Orchards the peculiar treasure of Kings c. Saith all is vanity and vexation of Spirit But speaking of Christ saith Cant. 5.10 My beloved is the chief among ten thousand But when men have great thoughts of the world and make light of Christ 't is a sign they have no interest in him suum cuique pulchrum Every one valueth and prizeth his own things 3. It is a sign that we esteem Christ above all things when in matters of deliberation we prefer Christs will above our own will and Christs interest above our own interests and the Glory of God above all our own concernments As it was with Christ when he was in great danger and deliberating what he should do whether he should pray for deliverance from Death or expose himself to suffer Death he resolved upon what was most for the Glory of God and preferred the Glory of God above his own Life Joh. 12.27 28. Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour Father Glorifie thy name So the grace of Christ teacheth every Christian in such cases as come under deliberation to prefer the glory of God above all worldly concernments 2. We may know we love Christ above all things in the world when we desire Christ and the favour of God in Christ above all things in the World For what we love best that we shall desire most Our love is discovered by our desires Now there is no good in this World is so much desired by gracious souls as the favour of God in Christ Psal 4.6 There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us There is nothing in all the world that is desired by gracious persons like the enjoyment of God and Christ and they that find such desires after Christ may conclude that they have a saving interest in Christ and that God is and will be their portion for ever Psal 73.25 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My Flesh and my Heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever That desiring Christ above all things is an evidence of a gracious state appears hence because Unregenerate men have no desires after Christ Their Language concerning Christ is there is no beauty that we should desire him Isa 53.2 If you ask how shall we know that we desire Christ above all things A. 1. When the main thing that we seek after is to get Christ and Salvation by Christ For what we truly and heartily desire that we shall seek after and pray for Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after Rom. 10.1 Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved VVhere there is no seeking after Christ and Salvation by Christ no praying to God for Christ there are no hearty desires after Christ 2. VVhere Christ is desired above all things if the Lord should give us leave to ask what we would have given to us as he did Solomon 1 King 3.5 Ask what I shall give thee VVhat would we ask of God would we not ask Salvation by Christ If we would choose Christ above Riches above Honours and Pleasures above all the World that shews that we desire Christ above all things 3. We may know that we desire Christ above all things when the enjoyment of Christ is sweeter to us than the enjoyment of any thing in this World Prov. 13.19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the Soul Now do we find a sweetness in Christ Are not the fruits and benefits we have by his Death sweet and precious Cant. 2.3 His fruit was sweet to my tast Are not the thoughts of Christ sweeter and more pleasing than the thoughts of Riches or Honours or Pleasures Psal 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet Is not the word of Christ his gracious promises sweeter than all earthly delights Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words to my tast yea sweeter than hony to my mouth When we find a greater sweetness in Christ than in all other things it is a sign that we desire him and delight in him above all things 3. We may know that we love Christ above all things when he is our chiefest joy and delight For what we love most as we desire it most when we want it so we delight and joy in it most when we possess it Cant. 7.6 How pleasant art thou O my love for delights Now we may know that Christ is our chiefest joy and delight these ways 1. When we have greater joy from the apprehension of the love of God in Christ then from all riches or worldly enjoyments Psal 21.6 Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance Davids joy and gladness which he had from the light of Gods countenance was exceeding great joy it did exceed all the joy that the greatest confluence of worldly comforts could afford to him or any other man Psal 4.6 7. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and Wine encreased 2. Then Christ is our chiefest joy when we can joy in God and Christ when our other joys and comforts are taken from us Hab. 3.17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be on the vine the labour of the Olive shall fail and the Fields shall yield no Meat the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the stall yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of my Salvation Isa 24.11 13 14. All joy is darkned and the mirth of the land is gone When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the People there shall be as the shaking of an Olive Tree and as the gleaning grapes when the Vintage is done They shall lift up their voice they shall sing for the Majesty of the Lord. 3. Then Christ is our chiefest joy when all other joys and comforts are as nothing to us when we want Christ and the sense of the love of God in Christ but in the midst of all our enjoyments we are in a troubled condition through the hidings of Gods face Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled It was not Davids Riches his Honours his Crown and Kingdom that could make up the want of the light of Gods countenance but in the midst of his greatest enjoyments and highest preferment he was in a troubled condition when he was under the hidings of Gods face Mary wept for want of Christ when she saw and conversed with Angels Joh. 20.11 12 13. The seeing
and conversing with Angels did not could not satisfie her as long as she wanted Christ 7. We may know that we are Christs when we make it our great care to live and dye to the Lord. For they are most certainly the Lords that live and dye to the Lord. Rom. 14.7 8. For none of us liveth to himself and no man dyeth to himself For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we dye we dye unto the Lord whether we live therefore or dye we are the Lords But when may we be said to live unto the Lord and to dye unto the Lord. A. 1. VVhen we do not live according to our own minds and our own wills but we frame our lives by the will of God revealed in his word 1 Pet. 4.2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God They that live according to the will of God have no cause to doubt their interest in Christ For Christ owns loves and reckons upon them as his Brethren Mat. 12.50 Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother Now we may discern that we live according to the will of God these ways 1. VVhen we are careful to know and find out the will of God They that live according to the will of God observe that command of Christ Eph. 5.17 Be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is And if they be in doubt which way to steer their course they are careful to find out the will of God they do not consult so much what will be for their profit what their own inclinations lead them to what others would have them to do but what God would have them to do Act. 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do And they are unwilling to engage in any business of moment till they have consulted the mind of God and found out what is his will They say to God as the Apostle did to Philemon Phil. 2.14 VVithout thy mind I would do nothing 2. VVhen we can and do resign up our wills to the will of God in cases of greatest moment and highest concernment when we deny our own wills and prefer the will of God before our own then we live according to the will of God Luk. 22.42 Father if thou be willing remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thy will be done Our Lord Jesus was very earnest to have the cup removed and therefore prayed that if it were possible it might pass from him and it was a case of the greatest moment yet he resigned up his will to the will of God 3. Then we live according to the will of God when we make the will of God the rule and the ground of our actions By making the will of God the rule of our actions I mean this when we are carefull to do nothing but what is agreable to the will of God and shun those things that are contrary to his will By making the will of God the ground of our actions I mean this when we do this or that because it is the will of God We find David in all that service he did for his Generation had respect to the will of God Act. 13.36 David after he had served his own Generation by the will of God fell on sleep The Apostle Paul in the exercise of his Calling and Ministerial work as he was an Apostle had respect to the will of God 2 Tim. 1 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God 2. Then we live unto the Lord when we do not live unto our selves and seek and carry on our own ends but seek the honour and pleasing and enjoying God 2 Cor. 5.15 He dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them They that live to the Lord do not in some one particular action seek the glory of God but they resolve by the help of Gods grace to shew forth his praise and seek his glory as long as they live Psal 146.2 VVhile I live I will praise the Lord I will sing praises unto my God while I have any Being 3. Then we live to the Lord when the great end why we desire life and the main design that we drive on in the whole course of our lives is to service for Christ in our Generation and to be fitted to live with Christ in Heaven This was the end the Apostle desired to live and the great design he drove on to do service for Christ Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ And the main thing the Psalmist had in his eye Psal 118.17 I shall not dye but live and declare the works of God And Learned VVhitaker upon his death-bed when he was told that Death was approaching replyed Vitam non expeto nisi ad promovendum honorem Dei ecclesiae inserviendum I do not desire life but for the promoting the glory of God and to be serviceable to his Church 4. Then we live and dye to the Lord when we are willing to be at the disposal of God for Life and Death both for the time manner and all other circumstances both of life and death When we are willing to live any kind of life that God shall call us to though it be a poor afflicted distressed life and when we are contented to dye such a death and at such a time as God shall call us to dye though it be a violent a painful a shameful death When a man is willing to lay down his life for Christ that is a good evidence that he liveth and dyeth to the Lord. Joh. 13.37 I will lay down my Life for thy sake Act. 24.13 I am ready not to be bound only but to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Doubts about a saving interest in Christ answered Having laid down several evidences of a saving interest in Christ I shall now resolve some doubts that hinder weaker Christians from being satisfied in their minds about their interest in Christ §. Imperfection in our obedience is consistent with a saving interst in Christ Obj. I hope Christ is mine and I am his but yet I have doubts and fears in this case because I come so short in my obedience to Christ May Christ be ours and yet the obedience that we yield be but imperfect obedience A. 1. Obeying Christ is a sure evidence of a saving interest in Christ for he is the Author not only of Temporal but Eternal Salvation not only to some but to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him 2. Though you come short in your obeying the Precepts of Christ yet can't you say you have sought his Precepts David concludes that he was the
also come upon them to lay down their lives for Christ 2. The knowledge and belief of Gods infinite everlasting and unchangable love to us in Christ Jesus and of Christs love in laying down his Life for us will carry us chearfully through our greatest persecutions and make us to triumph over all manner of persecutions even at such a time as we are killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter As we may see it excellently set out Rom. 8.35 36 37 38 39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall Tribulation or Distress or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Let us take notice in this Scripture of these things 1. The love of Christ and the love of God in Christ towards his people is so fixed so firm so unchangeable that no manner of troubles or persecutions no creature in Heaven or Earth is or shall be able to separate them from the love of Christ and the love of God which is in Christ Jesus that is which is grounded upon the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ 2. The apprehension and perswasion of Gods love to our Souls in Christ Jesus and the immutability of this love will help us to overcome and triumph over all manner of troubles and persecutions Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor any other creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus In all these things that is all the forementioned tribulations and persecutions though we be flain by the Sword or are starved to Death by Famine we are conquerors yea more than conquerors and how not by our own strength but through him that loved us and how doth he give us the victory By giving us a firm perswasion of the unchangeable love of God in Christ For I am perswaded 3. Observe the time and season when the servants of Christ are made to triumph as conquerors over all their troubles and that is when it is noon day in respect of their persecutions when 't is the hottest time of persecution when they are not only deprived of their goods thrust into prisons but killed killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter And let us see what is implyed in these expressions 1. It is to be all the day long in hazard and danger of death When it is with us as it was with Hezekiah in his sickness Isa 38.13 So 't is with us in respect of our persecutors we reckon in the night they may come upon us before the morning and the morning may come before the night and rend and tear us in pieces or when 't is with us as it was with David Psal 119.109 My Soul is continually in my hand then we may be said to be killed all the day long 2. When we are put to a lingring death that it may be the more painfull that we are as it were all the day long in a dying condition this some persecutors endeavoured ut sentiant se mori then we may be said to be killed all the day long 3. When persecutors make no more of killing us than they do of killing sheep when the Saints are killed in abundance that it is a time of much blood-shed yea when they joy in the death of Gods Servants Isa 22.13 They are counted as Sheep for the slaughter Now the knowledge and belief of the love of Christ will help us to go through all persecutions chearfully several ways 1. As it leads to the filling our Souls with the graces and comforts of the Spirit of God Eph. 3.19 And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God The more we are filled with the graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost the stronger we shall be to suffer for Christ for the joy of the Lord is our strength 2. As it draws out our love to Christ 1 Joh. 3.16 17. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us Herein is our love made perfect And the more we love Christ the stronger we shall be to suffer for Christ Cant. 8.6 7. Love is strong as death Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it 3. Get and keep a lively hope of eternal life and glory for this will be a wonderfull support to you in your greatest persecutions This caused our Lord Jesus to endure the pain and the shame of the Cross with much chearfulness Heb. 12.2 Who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the Right hand of the Throne of God The having the joys of Heaven in his thoughts caused him to endure the pain and make light of the shame of the cross This caused the Apostles to glory and triumph in the midst of their troubles Rom. 5.2 3. And rejoyce in hope of the glory of God And not only so but we glory in Tribulations also The respect which Moses had to the recompence of reward in the other World carryed him with chearfulness through his great sufferings Heb. 11.24 25 26. The hope of Salvation is by the Apostles called an helmet 1 Thes 5.8 Putting on the breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an helmet the hope of Salvation The helmet preserves the head in safety as long as we keep on this helmet as long as we keep our hope of Salvation we are in a safe condition 4. If you would go chearfully through all your persecutions get and exercise the graces of Faith and Patience for they are of singular use in an evil day Rev. 13.7 10. And it was given to him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints When the beast maketh war with the Saints and overcomes them that is God permits him to kill and slay as Conquerors those that they have overcome then is a time when there is great need great use of Faith and Patience I shall speak distinctly to both these graces 1. Get and exercise Faith Faith is the most usefull most necessary piece of the Spiritual Armour in an evil day and therefore we are called upon above all to take the shield of Faith because thereby we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Fiery darts are
and nothing to be refused but Christ and all that belongs to Christ is to be received with Thanksgiving That which most men stumble at in Christ is his Cross they hear that if any man will live Godly in Christ Jesus he must suffer Persecution but if we rightly understood the advantages of sufferings for Christ we should esteem the Cross of Christ above all the treasures of the richest Kingdom in the World Heb. 11.25 26. As shall be shewen more fully afterward 4. The terms on which Jesus Christ with all his saving benefits is offered to us are reasonable beneficial advantagious terms better than thou thy self couldst have made for thy self if God had left it to thine own contrivance better than all the Angels of Heaven could have made for thee All the terms proposed by God on performance whereof we shall enjoy Christ and Salvation by Christ for ever are real and eminent benefits and have a singular worth and excellency in them as may appear if we consider all the terms required to our enjoyment of Salvation by Christ As 1. Faith That is a most precious grace more worth than the whole World 2 Pet. 1.1 2. Repentance There is such an excellency in Repentance that all the Angels of God rejoyce when any one sinner is brought to Repentance Luk. 15.10 3. Taking up the Cross This is an honour and matter of great joy to be called to suffer for Christ Act. 5.41 The trying of our Faith with crosses is much more precious than all the Gold in the World 1 Pet. 1.7 4. Serving and obeying Christ It is a greater honour to be a Servant of Christ than to be the greatest King in the World For Kings are Honoured only by men but the Servants are Honoured by God Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me him will my Father Honour 6. If you would have a saving interest in Christ as you must accept him for your Lord and Saviour so you must give your self to Christ to be his Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his We must become his if we would have him for ours If we do in truth of heart give up our selves to Christ to be his he will assuredly become ours and we shall be saved by him Isa 63.8 For he said surely they are my people children that will not lye so he became their Saviour Children that will not lye that is that do not dissemble in their hearts when they gave themselves to me that will not deal disloyally with me and there upon when they in truth of heart gave themselves to the Lord he became their Saviour As the Prophet said to the woman with whom he made a contract Hos 3.4 Thou shalt abide for me many days thou shalt not play the harlot thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee The like contract is Christ willing to make with us if we will become his Servants and abide for him and not be for the world or our selves so he will be for us and will be our Saviour We must imitate the Churches of Macedonia of whom it is said They gave their own selves unto the Lord. 2 Cor. 8.5 And why should we stick at this He gave himself to death for us Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity And shall not we give our selves to him that we may have Life and Salvation by him How or which way can we bestow our selves better than to give our selves to Christ who so loved us as to wash us from our sins in his own blood What Master can we serve that is like Christ But some may say How should we give our selves to Christ so as he will receive and accept us 1. Give thy self to Christ with judgment and understanding Know and understand what it is to give thy self to Christ to be his It is to joyn thy self to Christ to love him and serve him and to be one of his servants Isa 56.6 Also the Sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and love the name of the Lord to be his servants If thou wilt give thy self to Christ to be his thou must no longer be thy own to live to thy self and to follow thine own will or do that which is right in thine own eyes or to go in the way of thine own heart 1 Cor. 6.19 Ye are not your own 2 Cor 5.15 He dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them If thou wilt give thy self to Christ thou must not be the Worlds Joh. 15.19 Ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the world And therefore being not of the world you must not set your hearts upon the World nor the things of the World 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Neither must we be conformable to the world Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this world Neither must we be Servants to sin or Satan any longer if we would be the Servants of Christ Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters 2. Count your cost before you give your self to Christ to be one of his Servants and Disciples Consider what it may cost you to be a Disciple a Servant of Christ and see whether you are willing to engage with Christ under all those hazards and troubles and difficulties that you may meet with in your way to Heaven I will tell you what cost you must count upon You must count upon losing the love and good will of the world and to be hated of all men for Christs sake Luk. 21.17 Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake You must count upon many troubles Joh. 16.33 In the world ye shall have Tribulation Act. 14.22 We must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God You must count upon all sorts of persecutions reproaches confiscation of goods imprisonment banishment c. 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution You must count upon forsaking Friends Estate Liberty and Life all that you have if you will be a Disciple of Christ Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple Are you willing to be at all this cost to be a Disciple of Christ If so then he will embrace you for one of his It is Christs own advice that we should count our cost before we engage in his ways Luk. 14.28 29 30. For want of this many that fall in with the ways of Christ in a day of peace and prosperity fall off when trouble and persecution ariseth for the Gospels sake 3. Give your selves freely and willingly to Christ Let it be your choice after you have weighed and considered all things whether it will
be best for you to give your self to Christ or to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and to pursue this present World For if it be our own choice then it is most likely that we shall stick and cleave to Christ Psal 119.30 31. I have chosen the way of truth I have stuck unto thy Testimonies As in giving Alms to the poor we should give freely willingly chearfully not grudgingly or out of necessity because we can't avoid giving something 2 Cor. 9.7 Every man according as he proposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a chearfull giver So much more in giving our selves to Christ we should not give our selves to Christ grudgingly or out of necessity but out of choice because it is best for us to be Christs willingly and chearfully for in this as well as in other cases God loveth a chearfull giver 4. Engage your selves to Christ by Covenant to be his wholly his only his his for ever It is said of Jehojada 2 King 11.17 Jehojada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King and the People that they should be the Lords people So should we make a covenant with Christ that we will be his people and that we will be his for ever We should joyn our selves to Christ by covenant and this covenant should be an everlasting covenant Jer. 50.5 Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten We should engage our selves to Christ to be wholly his 2 Chron. 15.18 And they entered into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soul And to be only his Psal 62.5 My Soul wait thou only upon God Mat. 4.10 Him only shalt thou serve This engaging our selves to Christ by covenant is very acceptable to God and beneficial to our selves It is so acceptable to God that it is a means of turning away his wrath when his anger is kindled against us 2 Chron. 29.10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turn away from us And it is very beneficial to our selves many ways I will instance only in two 1. It will more strongly oblige us to adhere to Christ when we have obliged our selves to be his in an everlasting covenant 2. It will be a good evidence and testimony that Christ is ours and we are his when we find that we have chosen him for our Lord and obliged our selves to him to be his by covenant Psal 119.30 94. I have chosen the way of truth I am thine Psal 16.2 O my Soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord. Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord When they made covenants to be the Lords People sometimes they that entered into covenant subscribed their hands to their covenants Neh. 9.38 7. If we would be made partakers of Christ and his saving benefits after we have received Christ as God offers him in the Gospel and have given up our selves to Christ to be his we must continue and abide with him all the days of our lives we must continue in his word and in his ways we must continue believing in loving and obeying the Lord Jesus Christ and walking in his ways For if we abide in the Doctrine of Christ if we continue to believe in love serve and obey Christ he will own us for his and we shall assuredly be made pertakers of Christ and all his saving benefits To assure us of this let us consult such Scriptures as these Joh. 2d Epist ver 9. He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son Joh. 8.30 31. As he spake these words many believed on him Then said Jesus to those Jews that believed on him if ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed Heb. 3.14 For we are made pertakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast to the end That is if after we have begun to believe we continue stedfast in the Faith of Christ to the end of our days we shall certainly be partakers of Christ And because it is a difficult thing to abide with Christ and continue walking in his ways when troubles and persecutions arise for the Gospels sake I will give you some encouragements to continue with Christ in an hour of temptation 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ will greatly reward our fidelity in continuing with him in his temptations and will assuredly give us eternal life Luk. 22.28 29 30. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations c. Our Lord Jesus Christ observeth who they are that reject him and who they are that continue with him in his temptations and he takes it very kindly from us when we continue with him in an hour of temptation He speaks it to his Disciples commendation Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations And see how he rewards their fidelity in adhering to him in a time of trouble He promiseth to give them no less reward than a Kingdom I appoint unto you a Kingdom And in that Kingdom they shall have joy unspeakable and full of glory and Royal dignity That ye may eat and drink at my Table It is a great honour to set with the King at his Table that we shall not only set at the Table where Angels sit but at Christs Table Not that there is eating and drinking in a proper sense in Heaven but in as much as there is delight in eating and drinking Isa 55.2 Eat that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in fatness especially what is set on Kings Tables by these expressions is hinted to us that such shall enter into the joy of their Lord. And besides their unspeakable joys they shall have royal dignity conferred on them and sit on Thrones See some other Scriptures to this purpose Mat. 24.13 But he that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved In the foregoing verses the Lord Jesus foretells great National calamities Wars and Pestilences and Famine ver 7. And great persecutions against his Members ver 9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my names sake And then tells us that when suffering days come many will be offended and prove treacherous ver 10. But to encourage us to continue faithfull to the death he assureth us that whosoever endureth to the end of his life in times of trouble and persevereth in Faith and Holiness the same shall be saved But he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved And if we may but obtain the Salvation of our Souls whatever we loose whatever we suffer for the obtaining the crown of glory we shall be happy for ever
Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have Tribulation ten days be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a crown of life 2. Abide with Christ in an hour of temptation and he will abide with you Joh. 15.4 Abide in me and I in you And if Christ will abide in us and with us we need not be troubled though all that we have be taken from us for Christ is better than all the World If Christ abide with us we need not fear though all the World be set against us Psal 118.6 The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me If Christ abide with us the Consolation of Israel abideth with us yea all good abideth with us 3. Abide with Christ and you shall become powerfull and prevalent in Prayer and shall bring forth much fruit Joh. 15.5 7. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you This is a large grant Ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you We must understand it of such things as are agreable to the will of God such things as are for the glory of God such things as are consistent with our eternal welfare when our will is thus regulated we may ask what we will and it shall be done for us And is not this a great encouragement to abide in Christ that we shall be so powerfull in Prayer as even to obtain what we will from him Sect. 3. Hinderances of an interest in Christ removed I shall in the next place mention several Hinderances which keep men from being made partakers of Christ and his saving benefits and endeavour the removal of them First Hinderance Ignorance is a great hinderance to most men that keeps them from getting a saving interest in Christ They are ignorant of the worth and excellency of Christ and their own want of him and so do not seek after him And they are ignorant of Gods willingness to bestow Christ upon them and they are ignorant of the way and means whereby they should come to enjoy and attain to an interest in Christ There is a great deal of ignorance in many people that live under plentifull means of Grace The Jews had Moses and the Prophets and Priests in abundance to teach and instruct them yet the generality of them were very ignorant of the things of God Jer. 4.22 My people is foolish they have not known me they are sottish children and they have none understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge See how the Prophet multiplyeth expressions to set out the ignorance of the Jews He saith they were foolish sottish had no understanding did not know God had no knowledge to do good And as people that have great means of knowledge may be very ignorant so also are many that take upon them to be teachers of others Jer. 2.8 The Priests said not where is the Lord and they that handle the Law know me not And that ignorance is a great hinderance to our seeking after and obtaining Christ and Salvation by Christ we may see from such Scriptures as these Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Eph. 4.18 Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their mind Rom. 10.3 If any say what should we do to get this ignorance removed 1. Search the Scriptures read them diligently and meditate on what you read thereby you shall come to the knowledge of Christ Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures They are they which testifie of me The Scriptures set out the excellency of Christ and shew us that all things are but dross and dung in comparison of Christ Phil. 3.8 They set forth our miserable and undone condition without Christ Eph. 2.12 They set forth Gods willingness to bestow Christ freely on every one that is willing to have him Rev. 22.17 They shew how and by what means we are made partakers which is through Faith Eph. 3.17 Heb. 3.14 By searching the Scriptures we shall be made wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus If we do search the Scriptures dayly and meditate on what we read we shall greatly encrease in knowledge Psal 119.99 I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my meditation 2. Turn from your sins and then God will pour out his Spirit upon you and enlighten your minds and open your understandings that you may understand his word Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you Continuance in sin darkens the mind that though a man have means of knowledge and set himself to get understanding he will be ever learning and not be able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.6 7. Laden with sins and led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth What is said of hating our Brother 1 Joh. 2.11 He that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darkness hath blinded his eyes The same is true of other sins also they blind the eyes of our understanding and keep us in darkness although we have great means of light and knowledge But when we forsake our sins and turn unto God he will take away our ignorance and give us saving knowledge Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life 3. Pray to God to give you Wisdom and Understanding in the mysteries of your Salvation and he will give it to you Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Observe here 1. The persons to whom God promiseth to give wisdom such as find their want of it and ask it of God 2. The extensiveness of this promise It is any one whosoever he be that lacks wisdom and asks it of God 3. The great readiness that is in God to give wisdom to all that ask for it He giveth to all men he giveth liberally he giveth without upbraiding He will not upbraid us with our unworthyness with our dulness our frequency or importunity in Prayer 4. The certainty of
all that he hath and let the Stranger spoil his labour Job was the Richest man in all the East and yet had all his estate taken from him in one day And can't God do the like by us Now it is better to suffer the loss of all we have for Christ than to suffer loss by Gods judgments for there is no reward of such losses And as God can take our estates when he pleaseth so he can curse them to us if we refuse to part with them for Christ He can make our Table to become our Snare Rom. 11.9 And our Riches prove hurtfull to us Eccles 5.13 And prosperity to be our ruine Prov. 1.32 And we had better suffer the loss of our Estates than to have them cursed to us 4. Death will take away all that we have from us 1 Tim. 6.7 For we brought nothing into this World and it is certain we can carry nothing out And why shall we not part with all for Christ when we must part with all we have at Death what we part with for Christ shall be recompenced to us an hundred fold in this Life besides Life Everlasting in the other VVorld But we have no reward for what Death takes from us But here may be 2 pleas why men would rather part with all at Death than part with all they have for Christ 1. VVe shall have no need of these things when we dye and therefore we are willing to part with them when we dye but we shall have need of them while we live and therefore we can't tell how to part with them for Christ A. 1. If you part with all that you have in this VVorld you do not part with the providential care and the promise of God You have a Father in Heaven that knoweth all your wants Mat. 6.32 Your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things And as he knoweth all your needs so he hath promised to supply them all Phil. 4.19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his Riches in Glory by Jesus Christ 2. It argues little love to Christ if we will part with nothing for Christ but what is useless and superfluous what we shall have no more need of we will do as much and more then this for one another But some may reply again What Death takes from us it leaves to our Children but what we part with for Christ is gone from us and from our Children for ever and therefore we can better part with all we have to Death than to Christ I answer 1. We may design our Estates for our Children when we die but we can't tell whither they shall enjoy them We know not how the providence of God will dispose of what we leave behind us when we are gone out of the World Luk. 12.20 God said unto him thou fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided 2. Suppose all we have should be taken from us and our Children we must prefer Christ above our selves and love Christ more than Son or Daughter or else we are not worthy of him Mat. 10.37 3. Sufferers for Christ that part with all they have for Christ leave their Children a better Inheritance than Houses or Lands they leave them the blessing of God God blesseth the Children of righteous men for what they part with to the poor Ps 37.26 He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed How much more will he bless our seed and return to them what we part with for Christ 5. If we do suffer the loss of all things for Christ it is no more than what others and they better than we are have done before us Matth. 19.27 Peter said unto him Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore Phil. 3.8 For whom I have suffered the loss of all things 6 If we should suffer the loss of all things for Christ we may live as well as holily as chearfully as comfortably as we did when we had all those things that we have parted with for Christ When the Apostle Paul had suffered the loss of all things he was as contented as cheerful as if he had possessed all the word 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowful yet always rejoycing as having nothing and yet possessing all things Neither the preservation nor the comfort of a mans life lyeth in the abundance of those things which he doth enjoy but in the providence and promise of God Luk. 12.15 A mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth When David was persecuted by Saul and forced to flee into the Wilderness and hide himself in the Dens and Caves of the Earth and had nothing to live upon but the providence and the promise of God he found as great comfort in Gods promises as if he had enjoyed great riches Psal 119.161 162. Princes have persecuted me without a cause I rejoyce in thy word as one that findeth great spoyl They that have suffered the loss of all things have Gods providence and his promise for their security of providing them a livelihood Ps 111.5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his Covenant It is God's Covenant to give meat that is all things needful for the bodies of his people as well as grace for their Souls Isa 33.16 He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure And what better security can we desire for a livelihood than the providence and promise of God How sweetly do the Birds sing yet they have no barns they know not one hour where they shall have provision the next Matth. 6.26 They have nothing but what the providence of God giveth them Ps 104.28 That thou givest them they gather thou openest thy hand they are filled with good And may not a Christian who hath a more excellent Spirit than the Birds be as cheerful as the Birds though he knoweth not one day where he shall have provision the next though he hath nothing to live on but the promise and providence of God 2. Though we should suffer the loss of all things yet we may live cheerfully because we have a rich God for our Father who hath promised never to leave nor forsake us Heb. 13.5 and that he wil supply all our need according to his riches in glory Phil. 4.19 Though a Child hath nothing yet if he hath a rich Father that hath promised to take the care of him and to supply all his needs so as he shall lack nothing he rests satisfied in his Fathers provision The Lord is a rich God Ps 24.1 The Earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof the world and they that dwell therein Ps 50.10 11. Every beast of the Forrest is mine and the Cattle upon a thousand hills I know
all the fowls of the Mountains and the wild Beasts of the field are mine 1 Chron. 29.11 All that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is mine And this God who is Lord of Heaven and Earth and all things that are therein is our Father and a God in covenant with us to provide and take the care of us as long as we live And why shall we not rest satisfyed in the bounty love faithfulness and tender care of our Heavenly Father who hath all things though we our selves have suffered the loss of all things But some say if I had but little in the World I should be willing to forsake all I had for Christ but I have a great estate and I find it difficult to be willing to forsake a great estate for the sake of Christ A. It is true it is harder for those that have much of the world to part with all for Christ than it is for those that have but little and that is one reason why 't is so hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven An instance of this we may see in the young man in the Gospel who when Christ bid him fell what he had and give to the poor and he should have treasure in Heaven went away sorrowful for he had great possessions Matth. 19.21 22. The greatness of his possessions was the cause that he would not part with them to follow Christ I shall therefore lay down some arguments to perswade such as have great Estates to be willing to forsake them for Christ 1. Christ forsook more for our sakes than we can forsake for him He was rich he was Lord of all the World yet for our sakes he left all and became very poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich Yea he became poorer than the Birds and Beasts for they have holes and nests to go to but he had not where to lay his head Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Sun of man hath not where to lay his head 2. Though we forsake never so much for Christ he is able to make up all the losses we sustain on his account 2 Chron. 25.9 What shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel and thee man of God answered The Lord is able to give thee much more than this An hundred talents is a vast sum of money sufficient to defray the charges of an Army of an Hundred Thousand men ver 6. When Amaziah was afraid of losing an Hundred Talents by following the Prophets Counsel the Prophet tells him the Lord was able to give him much more than an Hundred Talents 3. We shall lose greater and better things by forsaking Christ than we can lose by embracing Christ and adhering to him though we should lose a Crown a Kingdom the whole world for adhering to Christ For 1. We shall lose our own Souls for Salvation for our Souls is to be had no where else but in Christ Act. 4.12 And to lose our Souls is a greater loss than to lose the whole world Mark 8.34 2. By forsaking Christ we shall lose the favour of God Heb. 10.38 If any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him And we had better lose the favour of all the men in the world yea better lose the whole World than lose the love and favour of God 3. If we forsake Christ we shall lose the Kingdom of Heaven 1 John 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not life And a man had better lose all the Kingdoms of this World if he had them all in his possession than lose the Kingdom of Heaven But some may say I hope I could suffer the loss of all that I have for Christ only the laying down my life that seems a hard matter I do not know how to be willing to lay down my Life for Christ A. It is true that it is hard work to Flesh and Blood for a man to lay down our lives for Christ harder than to part with our Estates Job 2.4 Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his Life But though this seem very difficult yet it must be submitted to else we cannot be Christ's Disciples Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Now to perswade you to a willingness to lay down your lives for Christ Consider 1. That if you will love Life for Christ's sake you shall save it but by saving your Life when Christ calleth you to lay it down you shall lose it Mark 8.35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his Soul for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it That is he that will save his Natural Life and refuse to lay it down for Christ shall lose Eternal Life and that will lay down his Natural Life for Christ shall have Eternal Life And it is of universal concernment which Christ speaketh here Every man whosoever he be that will lay down his Life for Christ in this VVorld that same man shall have Eternal Life in the other VVorld And every man whosoever he be that will not lay down his Life for Christ in this VVorld when called to it that same man shall lose Eternal in the other VVorld And what a good and what a happy Exchange is this to exchange a short and temporal Life for an Eternal Life a miserable sinful Life on Earth for a glorious Life in Heaven 2. If we refuse to lay down our lives for Christ vvhen he calls us to it he can take them avvay from us vvhen he pleaseth He can take them by the Svvord or Pestilence or some violent sickness that shall make us a terrour to our selves and to all that are round about us He hath the Keys of Hell and of Death Rev. 1.18 He kills and saves alive whom he pleaseth Ps 31.15 My times are in thy hands Job 12.10 In whose hand is the Soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind If we were to live for ever in this VVorld we might have some cloak for our sins in being unwilling to die for Christ But seeing we must die within a few days when Christ pleaseth and of what Death he pleaseth is it not better dying for Christ than to dye of the Pestilence or dye of a Fevour or any other kind of Death Is it not inexcusable folly for to lose Eternal Life for the enjoying our Life here on Earth a few days when as we know not whither we shall onjoy it one day or one hour after we have refused to lay it down for Christ And if vve do enjoy it for
some time vve must never expect to have any comfort of our Lives after vve have refused to die for Christ 3. If we refuse to lay down our lives for Christ he can make our lives such a burden to us that we shall count it a great mercy to be rid of them The Lord can lay such troubles upon us that we shall be burdens to our selves and long exceedingly to be in our Graves Job speaks of some men that are in such misery that they seek for Death as for hid Treasures and rejoyce exceedingly when God will take away their lives Job 3.20 21 22. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life unto the bitter in Soul which long for Death but it cometh not and dig for it more than for hid treasures which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can find a grave Yea it was Job's own condition to be a burden to himself Job 7.20 Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee so as I am a burden to my self He vvas in so much misery that he prayed earnestly to God that he might die Job 6.8 9. O that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for Even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let lose his hand and cut me off He vvas in such distress that Life vvas loathsome to him and if it had been lavvful he would have strangled himself Job 7.15 16. My Soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life I loath it I would not live alway And vvho can tell but God may lay as heavy affliction upon us if vve refuse to die for Christ as he did to his Servant Job who was an upright man that feared God and eschewed evil Who can tell but God may deal with us as he did with Pashur Jer. 20.4 I will make thee a terrour to thy self and to all thy Friends Now is it not better to die for Christ than to live in such misery as to be a burden to our selves and to be a terrour to our selves and all our Frinds 4. If we will not lose our lives for Christ we shall lose that which is the life of our lives yea that which is better than life What is that which is the life of our lives and which is better than our lives I answer The love and favour of God Ps 30.5 In his favour is life Ps 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life Now if we draw back from Christ in a suffering day because we are not willing to lay down our lives for him we shall lose the love and favour of God Rebeccah was so concerned for Jacob that if he miscarried in his match she thought she should be weary of her life and her life would do her no good Gen. 27.46 I am weary of my life because of the Daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a Wife of the Daughters of Heth such as these which are the Daughters of the Land what good shall my life do me If the miscarriage of a Child in a match will make us weary of our lives what will the loss of the love and favour of God which is the fountain of all mercies May not such say I am weary of my life what good will my life do me seeing God hath taken away his loving kindness from me 5. Our Lord Jesus Christ laid down his life forus 1 John 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us His Enemies could not have taken his life from him if he had not been willing of himself to lay it down and his laying down his life was upon our account and for our sakes Joh. 10.15 18. I lay down my life for the sheep No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self And what the Israelites said of David 2 Sam. 18.3 Thou art worth ten thousand of us The same may be said of Christ he is worth ten thousand of us yea more worth than all the men that ever lived more worth than all the Angels of Heaven yet he laid down his life for us And shall we that are his Servants poor worms stick at the laying down our lives for him 6. It is a blessed thing to dye for Christ Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. The dead which die in the Lord and which die for the Lord are in a most blessed condition There is a peculiar honour promised to those that suffer Martyrdom for Christ Rev. 20.4 It may be some will say I could be willing to dye for Christ so I might dye an easy death but I can't tell how to endure such tortures and pains as some have met with for Christ I can't tell how to undergo burning at a Stake or how to bear tormenting pains A. It is true that tormenting pains are hard to be born yet we must be willing to undergo any kind of tortures for Christ not only to dye but to submit to the most painfull death if God shall call us to it and to perswade us to be willing to undergo torments for Christ Let us consider 1. Our Lord Jesus did not only dye for us but he suffered a most painfull shamefull accursed Death of the Cross for us Phil. 2.8 He humbled himself and became obedient to Death even the Death of the Cross What Death is more painfull than the Death of the Cross Our Lord Jesus was in such extremity of pain when he hung upon the Cross that he was like a man that had all his Bones out of joynt his heart melted like wax that is brought to the fire his strength and the moisture of his body was dryed up like a Potsheard his tongue cleaved to his Jaws as we may see Psal 22.14 15. I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joynt my heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels My strength is dryed up like a potsheard and my tongue cleaveth unto my jaws and thou hast brought me into the dust of death That this relates to Christs sufferings on the Cross is evident from the last clause his bones were out of joynt his heart melted like wax c. when when he was upon the Cross Thou hast brought me into the dust of Death And from several other passages in the Psalm which relate to Christs sufferings on the Cross As ver 1.7 8 16 17. And besides that anguish which our Lord Jesus felt upon the Cross when he was in the Garden he was in such an agony as made him sweat drops of blood Luk. 22.24 Now seeing our Lord Jesus Christ endured such torments and pains for us seeing he suffered the painfull shamefull accursed Death of the Cross for us Shall not we be willing to suffer any shamefull or painfull Death for him Seeing he bore the wrath of God for us shall not we be willing to bear the
wrath of our Persecutors for his sake 2. If we refuse a painfull and tormenting Death for Christ God can inflict worse pains upon us for our sins than men can inflict upon us for our fidelity to Christ For 1. God can send racking and tormenting pains into our bones and bodies that shall be more grievous to us than any men can lay upon us Rev. 16 10 11. They gnawed their Tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores These are worse pains then the pains of Martyrs for they have gone singing to the Stake and have glorified God in the fires but these sinners selt such anguish as made them gnaw their own Tongues and to blaspheme the God of Heaven We find greater disquietness in David through the pains he felt in his sickness than many of the Martyrs expressed in the Flames Psal 38.6 8. I go mourning all the day long I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart 2. God can wound our Spirits and the pains of the Soul when that is wounded are far greater then all the pains that can come upon the body Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of a man will sustein his infirmity but a wounded Spirit who can bear When God inflicts his terrours upon the Soul they are so insupportable that many times they cause men to fall into destruction Psal 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted 3. If for fear of being tormented we forsake or deny Christ God can inflict on us the torments of Hell And all the torments that man can inflict are but Flea-bites compared to the torments of Hell We should fear offending God who hath power to cast us into Hell more than we should fear all the men of the World For the worst that they can do is to kill the body and after that is done they can do us no further hurt Luk. 12.4 5. And I say unto you my Friends be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him 3. We are willing to endure great pain for the preservation of our Temporal Life We are willing to let the Chirurgeon cut and lanch our Flesh yea to cut Legs and Arms or other Members when the whole body is in danger to perish And shall we be unwilling to go through a painfull Death for the obtaining Eternal Life Though the pains of Martyrdom are sharp yet they are but short and the joy that follows those short pains is Eternal and unspeakable What are a few Minutes of pain to an Eternity of Joy and Glory 4. The more torture and pain we endure for Christ here the greater glory we shall have in Heaven for ever hereafter Heb. 11.35 Others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection The more we are tortured the more glorious shall we be at the Resurrection for we shall have a full recompence for all our sufferings as well as our services 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 5. They that have been far better than me even such as the World hath been unworthy of them have gone through great torments for Christ Heb. 11.37 38. They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the Sword they wandered about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented of whom the World was not worthy How many Martyrs in all ages men of eminent piety have laid down their lives for Christ and endured all kind of torments cheerfully And why shall we then think much to endure a painfull and tormenting Death for Christ 6. The Lord will uphold us by his Divine power under all the pains and torments that we shall undergo for Christ If we were to go alone through fiery tryals we might be afraid lest we should sink and not be able to bear them But seeing God will be with us and strengthen and uphold us when we are to pass through fiery Tryals this may dispel all our fears and make us go willingly through any sufferings for Christ Isa 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the Right-hand of my Righteousness Isa 43.1 2. Fear not thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the Fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee God will proportion our strength to our troubles and when we meet with days of great trouble he will give in great strength Deut. 33.25 And as thy days so shall thy strength he And that weaker Christians may not be dismayed when they see great troubles coming he hath engaged his faithfullness that he will not suffer them to be tryed above their strength 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 3d. Hinderance of a saving in Christ is unwillingness to leave our sins either from the delight we have in them or some profit we have by them The hearts of Unregenerate men cleave fast to their sins and are exceeding unwilling to part with them Jer. 8.5 They hold fast Deceit they refuse to return Let me shew some instances of this how men love and cleave to their sins and how unwilling they are to part with them 1. Many men love their sins as they love their lives they will as soon part with their lives as part with their sins Ezek. 7.13 Neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his Life It is rendered in the Margent whose Life is in his iniquity That is who love their iniquities as they love their lives yea they love their sins above their lives for though God tell them if they live after the flesh they shall dye but if through the Spirit they mortifie the deeds of the body they shall live yet they choose to go on in their sins and dye rather than to turn and live 2. Many men do so cleave to their sins that no commands no threatnings no promises of God will prevail with men to leave their sins The Lord sent often by his Prophets to the Jews to command them to turn from their sins yet they would not leave their evil ways Jer. 25.4 5 7. The Lord hath sent unto you all his Servants the Prophets They said turn ye again every one from his evil way and
him to have his Righteousness imputed to them Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God That resting on our own Righteousness or hoping to attain Righteousness and Life from the works of the law is an hinderance to our being made partakers of Christ We may see from Rom. 7 4. Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him that is raised from the dead By being dead to the law we may understand dead to it as it is a Covenant of life not as a rule of life dead to the law in reference to our hope and expectation of life from the works of the law but not dead to the law in reference to our obedience and conformity to the law And this being dead to the law as a Covenant of life preceedeth our being Married to Christ Such as are Married to the law and expect Righteousness and Life from the law they are not Married to Christ Now we are said to be dead to the law by the Body of Christ that is by that death which he suffered for us in his Body Both as his Death hath purchased for us deliverance from the First Covenant and the establishment of a new Covenant and also it plainly declares that Righteousness is not possible to be had from the law for then he needed not to have dyed to have brought in another way of Righteousness Gal. 2.21 If Righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain If any say how may we be taken off from resting in the law from hoping to attain Righteousness and Life by our own works done in obedience and conformity to the law of God and be brought to see an absolute necessity of going to Christ for Righteousness and Life A. 1. Let us see and consider that it is utterly impossible for any man in this fallen estate to attain unto that perfection of Righteousness and Obedience to the law of God as to be justified and saved thereby Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Gal. 3.11 12. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by Faith and the law is not of Faith but the man that doth them shall live in them That no man can attain such a Righteousness from his observing the law as shall justifie and save him Is evident these ways 1. The law requireth personal perfect constant obedience in all things else it pronounceth a curse against us Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Now no man since the fall of Adam Christ only excepted ever did or could continue in all things required in the law without transgressing any command thereof at any time Joh. 7.19 Did not Moses give you the law yet none of you keepeth the law And least any should say Christ meaneth the carnal Jews only when he saith none of you keepeth the law We may see from other Scriptures that the holyest men upon earth cannot keep the law of God without transgressing against it at any time Eccl. 7.20 For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not 1 King 8.36 There is no man that sinneth not 2. If any man could have obtained Righteousness and Life by the law then there had been no need of Christs laying down his life for us Gal. 2.21 If Righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain And such as go about to seek for Justification by the works of the law do make Christs obedience and his suffering death to be useless Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of no effect to you whosoever of you are justified by the law ye are fallen from grace 3. God hath made a new Covenant to give us Life and Righteousness through believing in his Son Joh. 3.16 Rom. 3.21 22. And there had been no need of a new Covenant of a new way to obtain Righteousness and Life if Righteousness and Life could have been obtained by the law For if it had been possible for fallen man to have had Righteousness and Life by the law fallen man should have been saved by a Covenant of works as well as Adam in innocency Gal 3.21 Is the law then against the promises of God God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by the law 4. None that ever sought after Righteousness and Life by the works of the law have been able to attain thereunto Rom. 9.31 32. Israel which followed after the law of Righteousness hath not attained to the law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the law It may be some will think the reason why Israel could not attain to the Righteousness of the law was because they were not zealous followers after Righteousness but were cold and luke-warm but that is a mistake for many of them were zealous in observing the law Act. 22.3 I was zealous towards God as ye all are this day Act. 21.20 Or it may be some will think that the reason why they could not attain to Righteousness though they followed after it was because they rested in an External Righteousness and did not seek after Internal Righteousness the Righteousness of the heart but this was not the cause for though many of them did rest in External Righteousness yet others of them did look after an Internal Righteousness they knew that God called for the heart Prov. 22.26 When they fasted they did not only afflict their bodies but their Souls also for their sins Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted wherefore have we afflicted our Soul They were sollicitous to have the sins of their Souls pardoned as well as their sinfull actions Mich. 6.6 7. Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord Shall I give my first born for my Transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my Soul But the true reason why Israel that followed after Righteousness could not attain unto Righteousness was because they sought not after that Righteousness which is by Faith but sought it by the works of the law Rom. 9.31 32. 2. We mistake God's end in giving the law when we seek for Righteousness and Life by the works of the law For the law was not given us to be a Covenant of life that is for this end that we should expect Righteousness and Life by the works of the law As appears 1. Because God had setled another way of justifying and saving sinners namely by Faith in Christ long before the giving of the law and did confirm this way Salvation through Faith in Christ by an Everlasting Covenant made
2.10 Ye are compleat in him 5. Our imperfections shall not hinder us of the love of God here nor of the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter Psal 73.22 23 24. Sect. 8. There is comfort in Christ for such as are under the hidings of Gods face and are troubled because they can't enjoy Communion with God It is the lot of some Christians to be under the hidings of God's face and to want Communion with God and that is a great trouble to them Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Now there is comfort for such in Christ and that in these respects 1. It was one great end of Christ's death to bring us to the enjoyment of God 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that we might be brought unto God The great obstacle to our Communion with God is our sins For 't is sin that separates between God and us Isa 59.2 Behold your iniquities have sepparated between you and your God Now Christ's death hath taken away this obstacle of our Communion with God for whereas our sins had put us far from God and caused God to stand afar off from us by the blood of Christ we are made nigh to God Eph. 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ 2. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself was under the hidings of Gods face and that in time of great distress when he was upon the Cross when nigh unto death he cryed out Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But how doth this make for the comfort of a Soul under the hidings of Gods face that our Lord Jesus Christ himself was in a deserted condition A. 1. Hence we learn that the hidings of God's face is consistent with a state of adoption and the special love of God For Christ was the beloved Son of God in whom he was well pleased yet he was in a deserted condition in a time of trouble in a dying hour and therefore we should not question the Fatherly love of God because of the hidings of his face Isa 64.7 8. Thou hast hid thy face from us But now O Lord thou art our Father 2. Seeing our Lord Jesus hath been under the hidings of God's face he knoweth how to pity and succour those that are in this condition Heb. 2.18 3. We have gracious promises which are all yea and Amen in Christ Jesus that though the Lord be withdrawn from us yet if we return he for Christ's sake will return unto us 2 Chron. 30.9 The Lord your God is gracious and mercifull and will not turn away his face from you if ye return unto him Mal. 3.7 Even from the dayes of your Fathers ye are gone away from mine Ordinances and have not kept them Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord of Hosts Jam. 4.8 Draw nigh to God and God will draw nigh to you 4. Though you want sensible influences from God yet if you be one that hath closed with Christ upon the terms of the Gospel God hath Communicated himself to you for your God and Father in Christ by Covenant and hath given you the priviledge to be one of his Sons Joh. 1.12 and that is a higher degree of Communion with God than the giving insensible influences to that you ought not to say you have no Communion with God because there is a suspension of influences when as the Lord hath given himself for your God by Covenant and hath taken you for his children Sect. 9. There is comfort in Christ for such as are troubled with fears of falling away What David said concerning Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul the like some Christians who have accepted Christ on the terms of the Gospel and have given themselves to Christ are ready to say in their hearts I shall one day fall away from Christ and perish for ever My heart is so treacherous and indwelling corruption so strong and Satan's Temptations so prevalent and the oppositions from the world may be so great that I fear I shall not hold out to the end but shall fall away and this is a great trouble to me Now there is comfort to be had from Christ against these fears of falling away and that on these grounds 1. The intercession of Christ is a ground of comfort to such Believers on Christ as are troubled with fears of fallingaway For he prayeth for us that our Faith may not fail Luk. 22.31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not And he that prayed for Peter that his Faith might not fail he hath prayed for all that do and shall believe in him Joh 17.20 21. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one c. And what Christ prayed for was alwayes granted Joh. 11.41 42. Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me and I know that thou hearest me alwayes 2. The Members of Christ may be comforted against their fears of falling away from God's Everlasting Covenant For God is entered into an Everlasting Covenant with them that he will not turn away from them and that he will keep them from departing from him Jer. 32.40 And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good and I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me See Isa 54.10 3. The unchangeableness of Gods love is a good ground of comfort against fears of falling away Joh. 13.1 Jesus having loved his own that were in the World loved them unto the end It is not said having loved his own that are in glory but that are in the world where they are liable to temptations and corruptions and troubles he loved them to the end Rom. 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus God's love being unchangeable we may rest satisfied that the same love which called us to the knowledge and Faith of Christ will keep us from departing from Christ seeing the gifts and the callings of God are without Repentance The same love that quickned us when we were dead in sins and trespasses will also preserve us unto Eternal Life 4. The attributes of God may comfort weak Christians against their fears of falling away The name of the Lord is our strong Tower whether we may run and be safe against these fears as for instance 1. The power of God that is engaged to keep and preserve