the children of Ammon thus should Gods children covenant together and help each other against their corruptions and temptations every man endeavouring the welfare of another mans soule as his owne Were the soules of Gods children thus happily and graciously united they would undoubtedly prove a flourishing common-wealth a glorious people and a great honour to Christ who reignes as King over them CHAP. X. Pressing the seeking of the welfare of Christs Church 4. THis likewise presseth on us the ministration of our best help and assistance to the Church of Christ The members of a common-wealth endeavour the welfare and safety of the common-wealth they preferre it above their owne private good The members of Christs spirituall common-wealth should doe the like for Christs Church It is the Lords injunction pray for the peace of Jerusalem be instant with God for the prosperity safety increase and flourishing estate of his Church What though God watch over it and have promised protection to it yet thou must also pray for and labour the prosperity thereof otherwise how canst thou rejoyce in the welfare of the same To this duty the very relation between us and the Church should leade us the Church is the body whereof we are members doe not all the members in the body naturall labour the welfare of the whole How can the members of the mysticall body of Christ doe lesse unlesse they will prove themselves unnaturall Our Sympathy with the Churches afflictions should perswade us to this we must apprehend the calamity which resteth upon the Church as resting upon our owne persons If one member saith Saint Paul doe suffer all the members suffer with it A dead member indeed hath no sympathy with the rest but the living member hath a fellow-feeling a quicke and exquisite sence within when any of the members are pained or hazarded Who is weake saith Paul and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not The blessing which is attendant on our endeavouring the welfare of the Church is an Argument of great force to move us to this worke hereof the Lord saith they shall prosper that love thee They that love thee they that are carefull for thee solicitous and studious to maintaine soundnesse of Doctrine and purity of divine worship in thee they that humble themselves in thy behalf when troubles are upon thee they that put themselves forth to the utmost to relieve thee in thy wants to comfort thee in thy sorrowes to assist thee against thy opposers they shall prosper it shall be well with them they shall not goe without a blessing their worke and labour of Love shall not be forgotten Besides our welfare is very much dependant upon the welfare of the whole Church of Christ The welfare of every member in a common-wealth and in a body naturall is deeply interested in the prosperity and good successe of the whole Thus the prosperity or fall of the Church in generall is our fall or prosperity in particular The strengthening of some part of a building is a strengthening and a beautifying of the whole building the fall of any part is a weakning a disgrace a prejudice to the whole and thus it is in this case We live saith Paul if ye stand fast in the saith if ye abide in Christ thrive in grace and make a gracious progresse in the wayes of life then we live then we rejoyce and are full of comfort then our hearts are much strengthened in the Lord. Our Subjection to changes miseries and troubles should very much quicken us to the present commiseration of the rest of Christs afflicted members the Lord may make us drinke of the same cup as in the prophecye of Jeremy the Lord caused the cup of his wrath to goe round he made all the Nations to drink thereof and if we have no compassion on others now who shall have compassion upon us then if we withdraw our helping hand from others who shall reach forth the hand of assistance unto us for God doth so order it in the course of his providence that look what measure we meet to others in their distresse the same shall men measure againe to us in our necessity Besides this is a work very acceptable to God and very profitable to the Church of God doubtlesse it pleased David well when Joab sought to bring home Absolon to him and when Abner undertooke to bring about all Israel Thus when we endeavour to reconcile God and his Church to bring men about to God by our prayers exhortations and their repentance is a worke very pleasing unto God and herein we prove instruments of the greatest honour game and comfort to our fellow brethren O therefore I as we are all one common-wealth let us labour the good of this our common-wealth Let Magistrates and Ministers be to the Church like the siery pillar to Israel a light and a defence Let Ministers like Bees make the honey compose sweet and wholesome Doctrine gathered from the flowers growing in the garden of the sacred Scriptures and so frame it that it may be sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe unto the palate of the Church and let Magistrates like hives preserve this honey of wholsome Doctrine that nothing doe adulterate it Let Ministers by the executive power of the Word and Sacraments and Magistrates by their directive and coactive power demeane themselves to the great behoofe and benefit of Gods Church and as Moses and Aaron brought Israel out of Egypt so let both Magistrate and Minister labour the spirituall and corporall freedome of the Lords people And as every member joynt and sinew in the body naturall performes his office for the good of the whole so let Christs members from the highest to the lowest according to their severall places stations and abilities promote the welfare of Christs Church and servants CHAP. XI Treating of Carnall mans Alienation from Christs Church THe second thing is the Exemption of all prophane men from this common-wealth from the Church of Christ and all the spirituall prerogatives and priviledges belonging thereunto The Gentiles before the comming of Christ were altogether aliens hereunto having no place at all in this common-wealth Prophane men since the comming of Christ though they be in this common-wealth living within the pale of the visible Church as the uncleane beasts within the Arke yet they are also aliens to this common-wealth aliens to that holy and eâ—ectuall vocation wherewith this common-wealth is called aliens to the heavenly and saving power of that Word and Spirit by which this common-wealth is ruled and guided aliens to that sweet and gracious Communion which the members of this common-wealth have with Christ by faith and among themselves by love and this is one great misery of all corrupt and carnall men being without Christ they are also aliens to the common-wealth of his Israel as he that is an alien to the King is an alien to that common-wealth which is under the
of old was upon Mount Gerazim the blessing is now upon the Gospell He that savingly entertaines the Gospell enjoyes a most blessed condition a condition of divine and heavenly wisedome Gods Ministers feed him with knowledge and understanding and make him wise unto salvation a condition of holinesse and sanctification the ministery of the word doth wash him like water and purifie him like fire a condition of liberty and freedome Moses freed Israel from Pharaohs bondage Gods Minister frees the soules of his children from the servitude of Satan the world and their owne corruption the word makes them free from ignorance in their understandings from perversenesse in their wils from vanity in their thoughts from infidelity servile feare worldly love and carnall joy in their affections the word makes them free to know God as the cleare eye is free to see the Sunne to receive Christ as the strong and open hand is free to receive a gift to love Christ as the bride hath an open and enlarged heart to love the bridegroome to attend Gods Ordinances to run the way of Gods Commandements as he whose feet and ankle-bones received strength by the ministery of Peter was free to stand and leap and walke and enter into the Temple and free to move and come to God by faith and love and joy as the rivers are free to move and flow unto the sea a condition of honour and exaltation the Gospell making them Sonnes of God by regeneration the friends of God by love the members of Christ by faith and heires annexed with Christ for their present title to and future participation of the same inheritance with Christ Jesus a condition of fulnesse and satisfaction they are satisfied with the goodnesse of Gods house the Gospell leads them unto Christ the Sunne in whom is all light the tree on whom growes all fruit the fountaine from whom flowes all refreshment the rocke in whom is all strength the pearle in whom is all worth and the Paradise in whom is all pleasure and peace very sweet and wonderfull gracious and overflowing are the comforts and contentments derived from Christ to Gods children under their enjoyment of the Gospell Lastly a condition of permanency and duration though the grasse wither and the flower fade yet the word of the Lord abideth for ever Though worldly fulnesse change like the Moone and vanish like a vapor and wither like the flower and the grasse yet the estate of grace into which men are called by Gods Ministers is an estate of firme and sure continuance they are sonnes abiding alway in their fathers house they are trees planted by the water side never withering they are houses built upon the rocke never sinking their graces like the light shine more and more to the day of their perfection the excellency of their estate who enjoy and make best use of the Gospell abundantly declares Gods dispensation of very great sweet and heavenly blessings by the labours of his Ministers CHAP. XV THe Lords dispensing of sweet and heavenly blessings unto man by the labours of his holy and faithfull Ministers shewes what the estate and condition of man is without the Lords Ministers even an estate of woes of myseries and curses Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very wretched and miserable an estate of death without spirituall life the earth without the Sunne is but a dead and fruitlesse lump the soule without the Sunne of Righteousnesse shining in the Gospell is dead in sinnes and trespasses a tree twice dead oncce by originall corruption and secondly by actuall transgression and plucked up by the roots wholly separate from all the meanes of life he that hath not the Sonne externally in the Gospell internally in his heart ministerially in his word and efficiently in his worke of grace he hath not life Such are farre from the life of grace and sanctification as are strangers to Christ in his Gospell The woman of Shunems sonne remained dead according to the body till the Prophet came and raised him the soule of man continues dead in respect of the inward man untill the Minister of the Lord comes to quicken him 2. An estate of darknesse Man without the ministery of the word is in darknesse and the shadow of death a darke body without an eye a darke house without a Lamp The soules clearest light is nothing else but darknesse as long as the Gospell doth not shine into it to irradiate and enlighten it There was once no light in all the land of Egypt onely the children of Israel had light in their dwellings there is no spirituall and heavenly light in all the world but among Gods Israel there is light only in their dwellings who enjoy the Gospell In Judah is God knowne and his name is great in Israel God is truly and savingly knowne only by that people who enjoy the light of the Gospell 3. An estate of servitude and bondage Israel continued under hard bondage untill Moses and Aaron came to deliver them untill the Lord raised a fiery pillar to conduct them out of Egypt unto Canaan Man abides under the hard bondage of Satan and his owne corruption untill the Lord sends his Minister to free him and sets up the fiery pillar of his word to lead him out of this servile and slavish condition Man without the Gospell is in prison and hath no key to open it he is taken captive and hath no weapon to resist his enemy to procure his freedome he is manacled with many fetters and hath no hammer to dissolve and loose them Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very base and servile When and where the Gospell shineth then and there as the Prophet speaketh The eyes of the blind are opened the prisoners are brought out from the prison and they that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house 4. An estate of emptinesse and barrennesse The field without the dew is unfruitfull the soule without the dew of divine and heavenly doctrine distilling thereupon beares no good fruit there is no lawfull conception without an husband all the fruit of the soule not espoused to Christ by the Gospell is illegitimate and a very abomination there is no reaping where is no sowing The soule which is not sowne with the seed of the word yeelds no harvest of grace they are barren ground nigh to burning who are strangers to the Gospell 5. An estate of pollution and uncleanesse The house without the besome is overspread with slime and cobwebs Naaman continued leprous untill he went seven times into Jordan and washed the Temple was a den of theeves till Christ came with his whip and drove them out the heart of man is an unclean house without the besome of the word sweeping it the soule of man is oversread with the lothsome leprosie of sin untill he bathe himselfe in the Jordan of
Father and God is knowne in Christ as a father is knowne in his sonnes face The soule of man is full of hellish darknesse that is not taught of Christ Jesus For as the Apostle saith the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given in the face of Iesus Christ The knowledge of the glory of Gods wisedome in the mystery of mans redemption the knowledge of the glory of Gods power in dissolving the works of Satan the knowledge of the glory of Gods justice in satisfying himselfe for mans sinne by Christs suffering the knowledge of the glory of Gods mercy in forgiving mans transgression the knowledge of the glory of Gods holinesse in sanctifying mans soule and the knowledge of the glory of Gods love in reconciling man unto himselfe all this knowledge of the glory of God is given in the face of Jesus Christ it is all manifested and made knowne in and through Christ of all Christian schollers he is the choisest that knowes most of God in Christ and because this knowledge is given in the face of Christ we should receive Christ comming in the Gospell with very great rejoycing for as the light is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sunne so this wisedome when it entreth into the heart and this knowledge is pleasant to the soule in regard of spirituall liberty and freedome brought to the soule of man by the comming of Christ in his Gospell and spirituall kingdome Christ is the worker and the Gospell the instrument of mans freedome Christ comming in the Gospell brings liberty from ignorance as the Sunne brings liberty from darknesse Christ comming into Capernaum the Evangelist saith the people that sate in darknesse saw a great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up By this Christ brings liberty from death in sinne as by his voice he raised Lazarus and set him free from the grave so the dead in sinne heare the voice of the Sonne of God in the Gospell and live by this Christ brings liberty from Satan as David by his staffe and stone overthrew the great Goliah and brought liberty to Israel so doth Christ by his Gospell cast downe the strong holds of sinne and make Satan fall like lightening from heaven and frees the soules of Gods chosen Hereby Christ brings liberty from uncleannesse As Iordan freed Naaman from his leprosie so doth Christ by his word sanctifie and cleanse the soules of all beleevers Hereby Christ brings liberty from the Wrath of God and curse of the Law as a surety paying the debt brings liberty to the principall from the prison the arrest and sentence of the Judge Christ preached in the Gospell is the end of the law for righteousnesse to all that beleeve in him As we therefore rejoyce in the light which frees us from darknesse in the Physitian which frees us from diseases in the ransomer which frees us from bondage in the surety which frees us from the Serjeants that they doe not arrest us from the prison that it doth not hold us so should wee rejoyce in the comming of Christ bringing manifold sweet and comfortable freedome to us The Prophet having declared how God had given Christ for a Covenant of the people for a mediator of the people to establish the earth the elect living on the earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritages to restore them to that heavenly inheritance out of which they were cast by their sinne and Satan and to say to the prisoners goe forth to loose them that were bound with the fetters of their corruption and captivated by Satan addeth this as a duty of the people and a fruit of that freedome which Christ hath brought unto them Sing O Heaven and be joyfull Oh Earth breake forth into singing O Mountaine for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted And thus Philip preaching Christ in Samaria and the devils departing out of many that were possessed by them it is said there was great ioy in that City spirituall freedome from the power of Satan and our owne corruption ministers matter of much and very sweet rejoycing In regard of that heavenly and blessed victory which we obtaine by the comming of Christ in the Gospell the Priests sounding the rammes-hornes the wals of Jericho fell and the Israelites obtained the victory Gods Ministers crying aloud and lifting up their voyces like a trumpet in the preaching of the Gospell the holds of sin are w cast downe and the soules of men are made victorious according to that of the Apostle the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall and mighty through God to the casting downe of strong holds When the Arke was erected Dagon fell When Christ is erected exalted and set up among the people in the ministery of the Gospell then the Devill fals from his possession then sinne fals from its dominion and then the world fals from the roome and sway it had in the hearts of the people the souldier is made victorious by his weapon the Christian by the Gospell the word being the sword of the Spirit that instrument by which the Spirit shewes his power in making the soule of man a glorious conquerour Why doth the Prophet speaking in the person of Christ say the Lord had made his mouth a sharp sword and a polished shaft but to shew the energy and working of his doctrine in piercing the heart in wounding sinne as a sword and shaft doth the body of the enemy in the day of battell The right use of this weapon ever gives man victory over his corruption What is the white-horse mentioned by Saint Iohn but the Primitive Church being white and bright for the purity and perfection of doctrine and discipline the Apostles like a horse swiftly running propagated the faith of Christ through the world Who is the rider there spoken of but Christ who is exalted and carried in spirituall triumph by the Ministery of his Word What is his bow but his Word the Law and Gospell with which hee wounds the hearts of his elect that he may heale and enliven them The hearts of the reprobate to terrifie and destroy them according to that of the Psalmist Thine arrowes are sharp in the hearts of the Kings enemies whereby the people fall under thee And how went Christ forth conquering and to conquer he went forth conquering overcomming sinne by his death and passion and overcomming death hell Satan and the world by his Resurrection and hee goeth forth to conquer converting his chosen and convincing his enemies by the preaching of the Gospell and in this victory there is matter of great joy It is greater joy to a Christian to see the Devill and his owne lust overcome and cast downe then to Israel to see Pharaoh and the Egyptians lye drowned before
comming in the Gospell was shadowed by the feast of solemnity called blowing of Trumpets signifying the spirituall joy and gladnesse occasioned and raised in the hearts of men by Christs comming in the flesh and in the preaching of the Gospell the Lord Jesus being the gladsome body and substance of all the Leviticall and Ceremoniall joyous festivals this was also foretold and often prophecyed How beautifull saith the Prophet Esay are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace and bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation that saith unto Sion thy God raigneth which Prophecye the Apostle referres to the preaching of the Gospell the feet carry the body in motion and going the ministery carry Christ in the preaching of the Gospell the feet lift and beare up the body the Ministers lift up and carry Christ aloft and make him conspicuous in the eyes of the people by their holy and wholsome doctrine the feet of him that brings tidings of a pardon to a condemned person tidings of redemption to a captive tidings of supply to him that is in want are very beautifull in the eyes of such people the feet of Gods Ministers bringing tidings of forgivenesse tidings of deliverance tidings of all fulnesse in and by Christ Jesus are very beautifull in their eyes who know and feele the danger of their owne sinfull condition therefore breake forth into ioy saith the Prophet sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Jerusalem The comming of the Sunne comforteth him that sits in darknesse the comming of the Physitian comforts him that is opprest with sicknesse the comming of the ransomer comforts him that is in bondage the comming of Christ in the Gospell like the comming of the light comforts men with knowledge like the comming of a Physitian with healing in his wings comforts men with spirituall health and like the comming of a ransomer gives the comfort of spirituall freedome sweet and blessed and full of refreshing is the joy arising from Christ his comming in the Gospell This makes the wildernesse like Eden and the desart like the garden of the Lord. This fils the desolate sad and sorrowfull soule of man full of joy and gladnesse thanksgiving and the voice of melody and to this joyfull entertainment of Christs comming in his spirituall kingdome Let us all provoke our hearts and frame and dispose our soules as the eye is disposed to a joyfull entertainment of the light the eare to a joyfull entertainment of musicke and the bride to a joyfull entertainment of the bridegroome And that we may give Christ comming in the Gospell a Christian and wel-pleasing entertainment there are three things in the generall observable 1. Modus the manner how we must entertaine him 2. Medium the meanes which we must use to entertaine him and 3. Motivum the inducements perswading thus to entertaine Christ 1. The manner how Christ must be entertained and received and thus Christ must bee entertained received 1. Spiritually The entertainment of the King is sutable to the condition quality and nature of the King earthly entertainment is given to earthly Kings Christ is a spirituall and heavenly King his kingdome is not of this world and therefore he must not be carnally but spiritually entertained the Tabernacle into which the Arke was received had in it the two Tables of the Law it was overlaid within with pure gold and the Arke had a crowne of gold about it Hee that will entertaine Christ must have the Law of God written in his heart his soule within and his life without must be overlaid with the gifts and graces of the Spirit more pure and precious then the gold which perisheth holinesse and righteousnesse must crowne the soules of such persons as will entertaine Christ Jesus slimy sluttish and filthy houses are fitter to entertaine swine then Princes corrupt and carnall unsanctified and ungracious soules are fitter to entertaine Satan the prince of darknesse then to entertaine Christ the King of Righteousnesse The Kings daughter the Spouse of Christ the Type of all that truly entertaine Christ was all-glorious within Heavenly graces are the peculiar glory of Gods servants making their soules a fit receptacle for the Lord Iesus As men therefore to receive and entertaine an earthly King cleanse their houses perfume and garnish all their roomes and prepare such delicacies as the King delights in Thus wee to entertaine and receive Christ the heavenly King must cleanse our soules of all sin we must put all iniquity farre from us as a spot from our faces a disease from our flesh and a theefe from our house we must garnish all the roomes of the house of our soules with spirituall ornaments our understandings with spirituall knowledge our wils with gracious liberty and freedome to embrace and chuse Christ our imaginations with holy thoughts and medetations upon Christ our affections with filiall feare to offend Christ with lively faith to beleeve in Christ with pure and fervent love to Christ with heavenly joy and delight in Christ He that is most holy and gracious is most capable of Christ Iesus the soule which abides under the sway and power of prophanenesse cannot receive the Lord Iesus the swaying presence of ungodlinesse nullifies the gracious presence of Christ Iesus No man receiveth Christ with true and sollid comfort in the Gospell but only he whose soule is endowed with purity and sanctification 2. Speedily The servant speedily opens the doore of the house when the Master knocks and readily entertaines him Christ is the great Lord and Master of the house of mans soule at the doore whereof he knocks by the ministery of the Gospell and man must speedily open to Christ so knocking Behold saith Christ I stand at the doore and knocke the heart of unregenerate man is a doore shut a hard a stony doore God and Christ are shut out to this doore Christ knocks by the preaching of the Law threatning destruction to him that will not open by the preaching of the Gospell promising pardon to all that speedily and sincerely open by the rod of affliction and terrour of conscience on all that doe delay to open by the inward motion and powerfull operation of his Spirit on Gods chosen repairing and disposing their hearts to open to him If any man saith Christ heare my voice speedily without delay unfainedly without hypocrisie humbly without disdaine beleevingly without unbeleefe joyfully without repining and obediently without rebellion If any man thus heare my voice and open unto me by understanding me and my will by beleeving me and my promises by loving me and my testimonies by embracing me and my benefits by dedicating himselfe to me and my service I will come into him I will make his soule my temple and holy habitation I will enter into a neare and sweet communion with him and I
defiles the heart of man with covetousnesse Thine eyes and thy heart saith the Lord to Jehoiakim are not but for thy covetousnesse and for to shed innocent bloud and for oppression and for violence to doe it it defiles the affections with idolatry and with spirituall fornication and adultery the covetous man is an idolater saith Saint Paul and the adulterers and adulteresses saith Saint Iames to such as embrace not Christ but the creature know you not that the love of the world is enmity with God and that he that is a friend to the world is an enemy to God The world fils that mans soule with most shamefull uncleannesse that embraceth not the Lord Iesus therefore as Hagar seeing the emptinesse of her bottle came readily to the fountaine as the mariner feeling the tempest and troublesomnesse of the seas comes willingly to the haven as the Israelites feeling the cruelty of Pharaohs task-masters and the insupportablenesse of his burthens willingly embraced Moses and as the diseased woman feeling the loathsomnesse of her bloudy issue and having experience of the vanity of all Physitians came gladly unto Christ so we seeing the emptinesse feeling the uncomfortablenesse and knowing the inthralling and defiling nature of the creature without Christ let us readily willingly joyfully and thankfully receive and embrace Christ that our soules may be freed sanctified and filled with all saving graces and heavenly comforts Experience of the vanity trouble bondage and evils which attend the naked having of the creatures should marvellously endeare unto us the Lord Iesus and make his comming in the Gospell surpassingly sweet and welcome 2. Let us throughly view and consider the state of man without Christ Man not receiving Christ in the Gospell hath no spirituall life but is dead in sinnes as the body is dead without the soule he hath no saving knowledge but is in spirituall blindnesse as he that is without the Sunne is in darknesse he hath no heavenly gift or grace but is empty of all the fruits of the Spirit as the branch which is separated from the vine hath neither juice nor fruit he hath no Christian liberty or freedome but is a bondman to sin Satan and the world as Peter lay in Herods prison in fetters and under the custody of the souldiers before the Angell came and freed him he hath no interest in Gods promises but as Adam was shut out of the garden of Eden so is man shut out of Gods Covenant Gods promises are a sealed well whereof his soule drinks not he hath no garment of righteousnesse to cover him no jewell of grace to adorne him no spirituall treasure to enrich him but is poore blind naked miserable and wretched As the Egyptians were led away by the King of Assyria prisoners captives naked barefoot with their buttocks uncovered to the shame of Egypt so man without Christ is led away by the prince of darknesse a spirituall prisoner and captive his soule bare naked uncovered to the shame of mankind he hath no holy and heavenly peace but as the Disciples were tossed upon the tempest till Christ calmed the waters so is man like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt untill Christ ministers comfort Man without Christ is like a blind traveller that hath no guide to leade him like a dead man in the grave putrifying in sinne having none to raise him like an empty cisterne having no fountaine to fill him like a bondman having no ransomer to free him like a woman in travell having no midwife to help her lik a sheep in the midst of wolves having no shepheard to conduct and defend it and like a besieged City in the midst of many enemies having no wall to protect it no captaine to fight for it Miserable is mans condition that receives not Christ in the Gospell did man know and feele his unhappinesse without Christ he would never be so regardlesse of Christ never so carelesly let Christ passe but would meet Christ where he commeth in his word as the blind men went out and stood by the high-way side where Christ was to passe and cry after Christ as they did as the woman of Shunem hasted to the Prophet for the raising of her dead son and laid hold upon the Prophets feet and would not let him goe untill he came with her and raised her sonne againe to life so would man hasten unto Christ lay hold upon Christ in the Gospell and bring Christ home into his heart he would be at no rest untill Christ had raised freed purged and comforted his dead captived polluted and comfortlesse soule He would as joyfully entertaine Christs comming in his Gospell to free him from the power of his corruptions as ever the Gibeonites gladly entertained Ioshuah comming to rescue them from the Amoritish Princes it is mans unsensiblenesse of the misery of his owne condition that causeth Christs comming to bee unwelcome 3. Meditate the soules apprehension of God without Christ God who to the soules of them that savingly embrace Christ is looked on rejoyced and delighted in as a father for his love as a gracious King for his mercies as a sure and sweet friend for his comforts as a loving husband for his amiable and soule-refreshing presence as a shield for the defence as a rocke for the supportment and as a full fountaine for the satisfaction which he ministreth This thrice blessed and gracious God is apprehended considered and lookt upon by him that doth not embrace Christ in the Gospell as a severe Iudge to condemne him as an enemy full of displeasure against him as a man of warre bending his bow and whetting his sword to destroy him as a rocke ready to fall upon him and grinde him to pouder as a tempestuous sea ready to swallow him and as consuming fire and everlasting burning ready for ever to consume and to destroy him Very dreadfull and soule-amasing and frightening is mans meditation and apprehension of God that doth not savingly apprehend him in Christ such a man flies from the thought of God the voice of God and the presence of God as Adam fled into the thicket as a silly sheep flies before the Lyon a guilty malefactor before the hue and cry or a Partridge before the Hawke This makes them cry to the hils to cover them and to the rocks and the mountaines to fall upon them to hide them from the day of the Lord and the wrath of the Lambe God lookt upon without Christ Iesus is the terrour of all terrours to a guilty soule and accusing conscience Were men truly apprehensive and sensible of the wrath of God without Christ their soules would be at no rest untill they had assured interest in Christ the fiercenesse and terrour of God against sinners doth exceedingly endeare and sweeten the Lord Iesus to the soules of his faithfull servants had we frequent and right consideration of the
fulnesse communicating to him peace and reconciliation with God and tranquillity of conscience He that receives the Lord Iesus like Joseph hath the Lord with him and is a prosperous man Mans not embracing Christ Iesus exposeth him to all plagues and curses in his soule in his body in all his services all blessing attends the holy and gracious embracement of Christ all curses follow the prophane refusall of Christ 7. Christ received in the Gospell sweetens and sanctifies all afflictions the tree sweetened the waters of Marah Christ takes away the bitternesse of affliction from the soule which beleevingly entertaines him he makes them see light in darknesse he sends them water out of the hard and stony rocke he gives them honey out of the belly of Lyons Meat out of the Eater and sweet out of the sowre he makes them sing in prison he makes them glory in tribulation he turnes the fiery furnace into a Paradise he so takes away the evill of affliction that it doth no more harme them then Nebuchadnezzars fire did the three children his affliction that enjoyes Christ in the Gospell is more pleasant and joyous then the carnall mans peace that shuts his heart against Christ peace without Christ is full of trouble trouble with Christ is full of consolation 8. Christ received in the Gospell giveth comfort holy sweet and sure comfort In the Arke was the pot of Manna in Christ is the treasure of all true comfort Christ in the Gospell makes a feast for his faithfull receivers a feast of fat things of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Of all comforts such have most fulnesse and sweetnesse as are ministred by Christ Jesus all others like Iobs friends prove miserable Comforters if Christ doth not comfort us Christ received in the Gospell comforteth the soules of his servants as a nurse her children feeding them as a Physitian his patients healing them as a mercifull King his delinquent and humbled subjects pardoning them as a teacher his schollers filling them with heavenly wisedome as a Bridegroome his Bride speaking graciously to them making them sensible of his love towards them replenishing them with strong and everlasting consolation his estate is of all mens the most joyfull who hath the most full and sweet enjoyment of Christ in the Gospell Perplexities distractions and convulsions of soule and conscience are infallible attendants of the neglect and refusall of Christ Iesus he that shuts his eyes against the Sun abides in darknesse he that shuts his heart against Christ abides in heavinesse 9. Christ received in the Gospell giveth satisfaction The Sunne satisfieth the eye with light the fountaine satisfieth the thirsty with water the pearle satisfied the Merchant in the parable with treasure Christ in the Gospell satisfieth the soule with wisedome in the understanding with holy and sweet meditations in the mind with the sence of his love in the heart with the treasure of spirituall gifts in the affections with sure and blessed peace in the conscience He that rightly possesseth Christ in the Gospell may say as Iacob did I have enough Christ in the Gospell is a living spring he that drinks of him shall thirst no more He is an al-sufficient portion to them that enjoy him he that seeks contentation with the neglect of Christ in his Gospell seekes for water to quench his thirst in a broken cesterne The soule is restlesse and never truly contented untill Christ is enjoyed the house without the husband seemes an empty place to the wife the world without Christ proves an empty thing to the soule 10. Christ received in the Gospell is an abiding substance to the soule he is an everlasting father he will never forget us he is a husband for ever he will never cease to love us he is a faithfull friend loving at all times his love is a Sunne that knowes no setting his gifts are t without repentance his grace an immortall seed that never dyes a well-spring springing up to life everlasting All that is without Christ is full of vanity and changes only Christ is a possession of everlasting continuance the meditation of all which should sweetly allure and draw us graciously dispose and frame us and mightily perswade and move us to give Christ a joyfull welcom comming to us in his Gospell 6. Fastening our frequent and most serious thoughts upon the brevity and vanity of the life of man Man hath no abiding City here he flourisheth like Ionahs gourd in an evening and is smitten and withered in the morning Death like the waters of the red sea drownes all onely Christ makes a safe passage through death for his Israel for all that receive him the Arke divided Iordan and Israel went dry and safe over to Canaan Christ makes a ready way for all that beleevingly entertaine him through the horrours of death to the heavenly kingdome death like the deluge spares none as Noah therefore betooke himselfe to the Arke and was preserved so let us betake our selves to Christ that we may be preserved from the second death all they who were out of the Arke perished in the waters all they that are out of Christ will perish in the deluge of Gods vengeance the Lord Jesus is the soules onely refuge and deliverance Behold saith the Lord by Moses in another case to morrow about this time I will cause it to raine a very grievous hayle such as hath not been in Egypt from the foundation thereof untill now Send therefore now and gather thy cattell and all that thou hast in the field for upon every man and beast that shall be found in the field and shall not be brought home the hayle shall come downe upon them and they shall dye He that feared the word of the Lord among them made his servants and his cattell flee into the houses and he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattell in the field and they were all smitten and died Thus in this case behold to morrow ere long very shortly the Lord will cause a mighty raine he will raine downe snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest send therefore now and gather your soules your selves your friends husbands wives children servants kindred and neighbours unto Christ get yee interest in Christ hide your selves by faith and love in Christ for upon every soule of man that shall not be found in Christ upon every parent and childe husband and wife master and servant young and old bond and free that shall not be brought home to Christ the haile fire and brimstone of Gods wrath shall come downe upon them and they shall dye both the first and the second death and now I know that he that feares the word of the Lord among you will flee to Christ give all diligence to receive and entertaine Christ to get a sure and
abilities upon Christs service He that truly feares Christ will withhold nothing which may tend to the exaltation of Christ his Church and Gospell 3. Lively sence and feeling of the necessity of Christ and his Gospell Mens exaltation of Christ is according to their apprehension of the necessity of Christ When the Elders of Gilead saw the necessity they had of Jeptha then they made him head and Captaine over them When men see and feele the want of Christ the perill of their estate without Christ then they put themselves under Christ then they exalt and magnifie Christ then they labour the setting up of Christ and his Gospell Sence of sicknesse famine siege bondage makes physicke food an army a ransomer very precious Physitians were of great esteeme with the woman troubled with a fluxe of bloud she spent all her substance upon them Christ and his Gospell are of great price with the man to whom sinne is a torment a griefe a trouble he will withhold nothing which may tend to the exaltation of Christ and his Gospell to the working out and removing of the sinne which doth molest him When Josephs brethren were in want and had no bread to sustaine them then they came and bowed themselves before Joseph and when they called to mind their great trespasse against him then they besought his favour and were very submissive to him Mans sence of his owne emptinesse drives him to Christ and causeth him to vaile and stoop to Christ to put himselfe under the feet of Christ and readily to exalt and set up Christ selfe-opinion ignorance of mans want of Christ and the Gospell is a great impediment to our setting up of Christ and his kingdome 4. Elevation and raising of the heart of man to a holy spirituall and noble frame and temper The heart of man naturally is very base carnall and earthly delighting like the swine in the mire and mud of the world rellishing and savouring nothing but that which is worldly and fleshly his spirit is very low and ignoble and his highest aime is but to ascend some mole-hill or mountaine of the earth like the prodigall he is a companion of swine and feeds on the huskes of worldly vanities his longings like the besotted Israelites is after the onyons and flesh-pots of Egypt poore things unworthy and empty things of the earth Man like Nebuchadnezzars image how ever deckt with gold and silver authority and dominion and glorious in outward appearance to the world yet his feet are yron and clay his thoughts his affections the motions and goings of his heart are very base and dishonourable The spirit of man must be therefore sublimated and refined by Christ the great refiner of the soule Mans drosse and tin must be purged out the earthinesse and basenesse of his spirit must be taken away and man endowed with a more spirituall sublime and noble disposition and temper of soule or he can never intend Christ exalt Christ and his Gospell It is recorded in Ezra that the chiefe of the fathers rose up with all them whose spirits God had raised to goe up to build the house of God in Ierusalem First God raised their hearts put willingnesse alacrity enlargement opennesse and courage into their hearts to doe the worke and then they went to build Thus God must raise our hearts innoble our spirits make us spiritually heroicall or we shall never build Ierusalem never labour the advancement of Christ and his â—ospell Christ raised Lazarus out of the grave and then he followed him Christ must raise our spirits from their earthlinesse and basenesse or they will never be serviceable to him The Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheeles and they moved where the living creatures moved Christ must put his Spirit into us or we shall never follow him never seeke his honour and the welfare of his Gospell It is said of Saul when the Lord had made him King that he went home to Gibeah and there went with him a band of men whose heart God had touched God hath set Christ his King upon his holy hill of Sion but there is no man followes him no man exalts and honours him as a King but such whose hearts the Lord doth touch with the gracious finger of his Spirit the basenesse cowardlinesse and earthlinesse of our spirits must be put away and our hearts throughly refined otherwise we cannot discerne Christ we cannot rellish Christ we cannot love Christ we cannot prize Christ we can never put our selves upon the exaltation of Christ his Kingdome and Gospell but when old things are past away and all become new when we are renewed in the spirit of our mind when the Spirit of God like Eliahs fiery charet hath taken us up from the earth and hath raised our hearts thoughts desires and affections to the things which are above then shall we rejoyce in Christ and his Gospell then shall we put our selves and all that we have upon the service of Christ and the Gospell then shall we pray for the prosperity welfare and advancement of Christs Gospell and kingdome then shall we say Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. CHAP. XII CHrist came not as the false prophets of old in his owne name he had his calling and commission from above No man saith the Apostle speaking of Christ taketh this honour to himselfe but such an one as is called of God as Aaron was and this is the second particular in the first generall part of these words Christs Calling and Commission He came in the name of the Lord Christ is said to come in the name of the Lord. 1. In respect of Ordination Christ as Mediator was appointed of old to minister salvation to Gods chosen fore-ordained saith Saint Peter before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times A lambe slaine from the foundation of the world saith Saint John slaine from the foundation of the world in the eternall preordination of God in the promise of the seed of woman to breake the serpents head in the legall sacrifices in the faith of the fathers and in the sufferings of his members in whose sufferings Christ suffered their sufferings then shadowing Christs suffering to come 2. In respect of preparation Christ as Man and Mediator is prepared and furnished with all abilities to execute and accomplish his office it pleased the Father saith Paul that in him should all fulnesse dwell fulnesse of wisedome power grace righteousnesse and worth to minister to his Church whatsoever appertained to the salvation welfare or peace thereof he having the Spirit poured out upon him above measure 3. In respect of Calling designation and investiture into his office The Lord saith Christ as Mediator hath called me from the wombe from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name and I
of Christs authority and divine abilities doth presse upon us is a duty of Dependance Christ is no withered reed no sandy foundation no weake poore and empty person but one endowed with all power and authority with all abilities therefore depend upon him cleave to him when you are in darknesse and have no light Trust in the name in the power truth faithfulnesse and al-sufficiency of the Lord Christ is a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of waters in a dry place as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land Christ is a comforter in all sorrowes a helper at all needs a deliverer in all distresses a counsellor in all doubts and a supply in all wants therefore stay upon the Lord He can command a deliverance for Jacob when there is no deliverer as he commanded the stormy tempest and restored a calme to the Disciples He can support man when he is ready to sinke as he supported Peter sinking in the water he can provide as he made provision for the Disciples attending him and having nothing to eat as he prepared a Well for Hagar when her bottle was empty he can comfort when all the starres of consolation are set he can give light in darknesse as he gave Sampson honey out of the Lyon therefore looke unto Christ fasten the eyes of your faith upon him commit your selves to him trust your selves with him and you shall see in due season a ministration of whatsoever is behovefull A third duty whereunto this presseth us is a duty of Love to Christ In Christ is the fulnes of all abilities whatsoever is worthy of love is in Christ in the highest perfection therefore this should much endeare Christ to man and make him very amiable and glorious in the eyes of man He indeed is worthy of all love he is the King that rules over us the guide that leads us the shepheard which watcheth over and feeds us the ransomer that redeemes us the builder which new makes us the Captaine that overcomes for us the teacher that instructeth us the treasury that enricheth us and the husband who betrotheth himselfe unto us therefore he should be in our eye the fairest of ten thousand our soules should be sicke of love towards him and in our love we should prostrate our selves and all that is ours under him A fourth duty whereunto this doth presse us is a duty of Acquiescence in Christ and contentation with Christ in Christ are all divine abilities he that hath Christ hath all he that hath the Sunne hath all light he that hath the fountaine hath all water he that hath Christ may say as Jacob did I have enough Elkanâ—h gave to Hanna a worthy portion he hath the choisest portion to whom God gives Christ he that possesseth most of Christ hath the richest the sweetest the most noble and sure possession he hath no cause to complaine of want who hath the fruition of Christ the soule which enjoyeth Christ as his King as his counsellor as his friend as his treasure as his bridegroome as his shield and fountaine hath the highest honour the choisest wisedome the sweetest comfort the best riches the most heart-reviving love the surest defence and the chiefest and most abiding and soule-contenting fulnesse Of all the gifts of God Christ is the worthiest of all the estates of men theirs is the sweetest and most comfortable who have Christ for their possession CHAP. XIV THe second generall part in these words is a benediction uttered by the Ministers of the Lord We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord wherein we have 1. the parties blessing the Ministers of the Lord we who are called of God to this sacred function who are appointed to make prayer and supplication for you to pronounce a blessing upon you Holy and faithfull Ministers are the instrumentall causes of great blessings to Gods Church and servants 2. here is their Act an act of blessing We have blessed Ministers blesse the people sometime by way of vote and exoptation prayer and supplication sometime by way of vocall pronunciation pronouncing good things in the name of God upon them sometime by way of prophecye and prediction foretelling great blessings to come sometime by way of doctrine and instruction They declare and open the blessings which God hath prepared for them and the Lord by them as by his ministeriall instruments communicates his grace and blessing to the people It must be the care of Ministers so to demeane themselves in their function that they prove a blessing to the people 3. Here is the Obiect or parties blessed You you to whom Christs comming is acceptable you who wish well to Christs kingdome you who readily endeavour the exaltation of Christs name and Gospell we have blessed you The labours of Gods Ministers prove a blessing onely to such people as reioyce in and endeavour the advancement of the Gospell 4 Here is the place from whence they blessed the people out of the house of the Lord the place of Gods publike worship where his Saints are assembled his ordinances sincerely handled his name invocated his word preached and religious duties celebrated God useth to dispense his spirituall blessings in the publike and sacred assemblies From all these particulars knit together we may gather That God by his holy and faithfull Ministers dispenseth every great sweet and heavenly blessing to his Church and servants The Lord by Joseph brought great prosperity to the house of Pharaoh he blessed the Egyptians house for Josephs sake the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field the Lord by the presence and labours of his Ministers blesseth his Church and servants his blessing is upon their soules and upon their bodies upon all their labours and upon all their possessions the estate and persons the undertaking and possessions of men are made very prosperous through the prayer and labours of Gods Ministers This was prophecyed by the mouth of Esay in that day in the day of the Gospell when salvation shall be preached and published in and through Christ There shall be an Altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord an Altar and a pillar the worship of God shall be erected the word preached the Sacraments administred Christ the true Christians Altar and pillar shall be clearly manifested his name published his kingdome established his truth propagated among the people of Israel Egypt and Assyria whom the Lord of Hosts shall blesse saying blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the worke of my hands and Israel mine inheritance There is the blessing attendant on the Ministery of the Gospell a blessing of regeneration renovation remission and sweet reconciliation with God in Christ they are the choisest and best blessings which God communicates
a Christian to have Christ living in him The more we are assured of this the more sweet and comfortable will the meditation of Christ be unto us and the greater our courage against all opposing powers and the more cheerfull shall we be in Christs service And this we shall discerne 1. By the purity of our conversation The order of our life without is sutable to the root and Principle of our life within he that hath a humane soule and life within him doth outwardly walke speake and worke as a man he that hath Christ living in him converseth walketh worketh doth all things outwardly as a Christian conformeth himselfe to Christ is acted moved and guided by Christ living in him as the body is moved and guided by the soule living in the same Christ living in him writes his Law in his heart new moulds new fashions and frames his whole man and makes it sutable to the Law causing him to be holy in all manner of conversation as he that hath called him is holy making him alive to God receiving all his direction from God to be wholly subject unto Gods will totally devoted to Gods service to doe every thing for God and to intend God above himselfe or any thing else as Christ in the dayes of his flesh did all according to the Commandement his Father gave him he sought not his owne but his Fathers honour Thus he in whom Christ lives makes Gods word the rule that guides him he seekes God and not himselfe he purifieth himselfe as Christ is pure and strives what in him lies that he may approve himselfe to God by walking humbly and holily with God 2. By mans invinciblenesse He that hath Christ living in him is very victorious even as Christ is victorious Christ is his life and as Christ is invincible so is the life of Christ in them that are his sinne and Satan may now and then foile them but can never extinguish the life of grace in them because Christ who liveth in them is stronger then all that doth oppose them Ye are of God saith Saint John endowed with the life of God and have overcome because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Christ living in his children is greater then Satan who lives in carnall men and therefore they are invincible We know saith the same Apostle that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not is not under the power of sinne gives no allowance to sinne makes not a trade of sinne but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not he keepeth himselfe that which is proper unto God is transferred to the children of God and they are said to keep themselves who indeed are kept of God being kept as Saint Peter saith through the power of God unto salvation having Christ living in them the whole armour of God put upon them the gifts of the Spirit communicated to them giving themselves to the study and practise of godlinesse and being frequent and fervent in holy and humble supplication unto God they are kept that the evill one doth not touch them his temptations are resisted he cannot extinguish the life of Christ in them in all assaults afflictions temptations and tryals they are more then Conquerours through Christ loving them and living in them Christ sustaines them in the deluge of affliction as the Arke sustained Noah in the deluge of waters And though they sometimes slip through the infirmity of the flesh yet they grieve under the burthen of their corruption they are displeased with themselves they depart not from the feare of the Lord they recover and revive they prevaile as Joshuah over the Amalekites they grow stronger and stronger like the house of David they goe forward like Israel in the way to Canaan from strength to strength untill they appeare before the Lord in Sion they shine more and more like the light unto the day of perfection The longer Christ liveth in them the more perfection of life is ministred to them 3. By mans preserving and keeping himselfe from sin and from the world Life preserves the body from putrefaction when the life is gone the body putrifies and rots but whiles life is strong and vigorous in the body the body is fresh and comely Man without Christ doth putrifie and rot in sinne he growes worse and worse but Christ living in man he is preserved from sinne sinne doth not reigne over him they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and dusts their soules are purified by Christ as the gold by the refiners fire and the cloath by the Fullers soape they are kept by Christ as the Garden by the dresser as the house by the dweller they are purged from sinne as the aire is purged from clouds and vapors by the wind and Sun they are washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Christ communicates spirituall health and heavenly beauty to their soules he purifies them to be a peculiar people to himselfe he makes them shine as lights he will not suffer sinne to remaine like a mortall wound or loathsome ulcer upon them but he ministers spirituall healing to them by the wings of his ordinances outwardly and of his grace inwardly Secondly they in whom Christ lives are preserved from the world life inables man to lift up his body from the earth to tread upon it with his foot they in whom Christ lives have their conversation in Heaven they mind the things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God they first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof This is the fountaine after whose waters they thirst the Sunne in whose light they rejoyce the treasure with which they desire to be enriched the thing which they desire suites with the quality and nature of their life Christ living in them they chiefly desire the things of Christ their hearts and thoughts are taken off from the world they prize it as a thing which is not they undervalue it as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ and the things of Christ and they use it as if they used it not Like Gideons three hundred men they lap a little but bow not downe to these waters Christ doth marvellously innoble their disposition in whom he lives he will not suffer them to be carnally affected nor worldly minded The world is crucified to that man in whom Christ liveth 4. By mans oppugning and expelling out of himselfe whatsoever is contrary to Christ It is the property of life to expell what is contrary to it whatsoever doth oppose or prejudice it The life of nature labours to the utmost the expulsion of diseases tending to the dissolution of nature and the life of grace or Christ living in man expels what is contrary to Christ and to the life and worke of grace
no mixture or glimpse of spirituall light Very sad and sorrowfull is that soules darkenesse which is estranged from the Sunne of Righteousnesse 3. Man that is without Christ is without grace without holinesse Naaman without Jordan was overspread with a lothsome leprosie there is a very filthy leprosie of uncleannesse upon them that partake not of Christ For Christ as the Apostle saith is our Sanctification effectively as the worker of it originally as the head and spring from whence it is derived without whom our soules are as empty of grace as the cisterne of water without the fountaine as full of errour superstition pride and prophanenesse as Baals house of Idolaters as full of earthly mindednesse and covetous practises as the sluggards field of thornes and bryars as full of hypocrisie deceitfulnesse and unrighteousnesse as the Pharisees Sepulchers of dead mens bones or the Temple of money-changers before Christ whipt them out Our soules are indeed a very sinke of uncleannesse untill Christ doth possesse us 4. Man that is without Christ is without Liberty Peter without the Angell continued in Herods prison without the Lord Jesus man remaines the prisoner of Satan the world and his owne corrupt affections Every unregenerate man is a miserable bond-man led away captive at the will of Satan unable to make any resistance against him a voluntary slave refusing liberty tendred to him loving darkenesse more then light and Satans prison better then Christs Palace having no liberty in his understanding to discerne the things of God in his imagination to meditate and thinke upon them in his will to chuse them or in his affections to love prize and delight himselfe in them The Liberty of the soule estranged from Christ Jesus is nothing else but bondage He that is most free to sinne is the greatest slave to Satan where Christ is not there is no Life quickning there is no Sunne enlightening there is no Conquerour dissolving the holds of Satan there is no dew suppling and softening the hard and fallow ground of mans heart There is no fire warming the cold and frozen affections and therefore no liberty from corruption no inclination to the wayes and works of sanctification It is only Christ Jesus that ministers to the soules of Gods servants freedome from uncleannesse and liberty to true holinesse 5. Man that is without Christ is without acceptation with God Christ is Gods beloved in whom man is accepted Man that is out of Christ beares not Gods Image is not Gods gracious workmanship is estranged from Gods Covenant hath no love of God within him is the slave of Satan the servant of the world and a very sinke of corruption He is no Tree of Righteousnesse of Gods planting no childe of Gods begetting no loyall Subject of Gods Kingdome no vessell of Gods gracious filling no partaker of Christs Righteousnesse to cloath and cover him he brings forth no fruit to God but all to himselfe to the flesh and to the world and therefore can have no aceptation with God Joseph his brethren might not looke him in the face unlesse they brought their brother Benjamin with them Man cannot looke God in the face with my confidence or acceptance unlesse he bring Christ with him in the armes of his faith Mans person and service finds acceptance with God only in and through Christ Jesus without Christ man is stubble and God a consuming fire to destroy him Man is a guilty malefactor and God a severe Judge to condemne him the whole of man without Christ Jesus is a very abomination in Gods presence 6. Man that is without Christ is without Contentation In Christ the soule meets with all satisfaction and fulnesse He is a Sun in whom the beleeving soule beholds all fulnesse of light a precious Iewell in whom he finds all fulnesse of worth a rocke in whom he feeles all fulnesse of strength a fountaine from whom he drawes all fulnesse of satisfaction and a Paradise in whom he enjoyes all fulnesse of pleasures but without Christ the soule finds vanity and emptinesse in the greatest abundance the wife findeth an emptinesse in a rich and full house the husband being absent Christ wanting the soule meets with vanity in the largest possession Christ is the marrow and the fâ—tnesse the fulnesse and the sweetnesse of all our endowments separate Christ from them and they are bitter and doe not please us weake and doe not sustaine us empty and doe not fill us dumbe and doe not comfort us It is not the abundance of any thing but Christ comming with it that gives contentation whether the thing be much or little Without Christ the desire is enlarged as hell and never satisfied the Lord Jesus is the choise and onely fulnesse of all Christians 7. Man without Christ is without all spirituall splendor and beauty The Sunne is the glory of the world the eye is the glory of the head the soule of the body the jewell is the glory of the Ring the Flowers Herbs Trees and Fruit are the glory of the Garden and the Field the Arke was the glory of Israel and Christ is the glory of the Christian stiled the light of the Gentiles and the glory of Israel being both the Author and the matter of their glory Their glory in respect of instruction as the teacher is the glory of the Schoole in respect of vivification as the soule is the glory of the body in respect of Redemption as the ransomer is the glory of the captive in respect of Conquest as David was the glory of Israel overcomming the great Goliah in respect of Justification as the garment is the glory of him that weares it in respect of Sanctification as Jordan was the glory of Naaman cleansing him from his leprosie in respect of repletion as the fountaine is the glory of the cisterne and in respect of wise and powerfull gubernation gracious and plentifull ministration as the King is the glory of the Kingdome the shepheard of the flocke and as Joseph was the glory of the Land of Egypt ministring provision to it He that partakes most of Christ Jesus is the most beautifull and glorious of all others but man without Christ is without all spirituall beauty in regard of ignorance as a darke house without light even darkenesse it selfe in regard of nakednesse as a man without a garment naked miserable and wretched having no other cloathing then a menstrous clout to cover him led by Satan like Egypt by the Assyrians naked barefoot his buttockes yea the whole man uncovered in regard of spirituall contagion and foul-sicknes his soule like the body of Lazarus full of sores or like the body of Job full of sore boiles from the sole of his foot unto his crowne loathsome and incurable are the soules-maladies which hath not Christ as a Physitian to heale him in regard of the plenitude and fulnesse of all sinne like the sluggards field in Salomon full of
So let us bee earnest with the Lord to deliver us from this estate of barrennesse and make us fruitfull from this estate of exilement and bring us to the enjoyment of the heavenly Kings face and countenance Let us make Christ our Friend that there may be an end put to the enmity betweene God and us and that we may be set at peace againe with God let us sigh and groane under our sinfull bondage and labour for spirituall freedome Let us labour to have true and saving grace powred into the pot of our soules that all our possessions and undertakings may be sanctified unto us and that the Word which our sinne hath made the savour of death unto death may thorow grace become the savour of life to life to every one of us And to the end we may be translated out of the state of corruption into the state of grace let us 1. Attend upon and hide the word of God in our hearts This is the Word of life by which our soules are quickned this is the Seed of Regeneration by which wee are new born this is the voyce by which wee are called out of the Kingdome of darkenesse into marvellous light this is the warlike weapon by which the holds of sinne are cast downe as the walls of Jericho were cast flat to the ground at the â—ounding of the Trumpets this is the fire by which the drosse of sin is purged out of our souls this is the word of Reconciliation by which wee are set at peace with God On this therfore let us wait this let us treasure up in our souls that therby a gracious change may be wrought in us 2. Let us labour for the sence and feeling of our sinne as of a loathsome disease as of a heavy burthen Complaine of sinne as Sarah did of the daughters of Heth be weary of sinne as a sick man of his disease Cry to the Lord as Paul did O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death the more sence and feeling wee have of sinne the more assurance of a discharge from sin When Israel sighed and groaned then their deliverance from Pharaohs bondage drew nigh when sin is a trouble and man growes weary of it as of a hard servitude then the houre of the soules spirituall deliverance approacheth therefore to such our Saviour speaketh Come unto me all yee that travell and are heavy laden and yee shall finde ease unto your soules 3. Let us get our hearts filled with godly sorrow for sin turne all your sorrow into sorrow for sinne Mourne for this as for the death of your first-borne Mourne secretly without ostentation mourne unfainedly without dissimulation mourne universally without the reservation of any sin as the deluge overflowed and drowned all the Earth hill and valley so let your sorrow drowne all sinne they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Godly sorrow is ever attended with the joy of conversion remission and spirituall consolation They that mourne shall be comforted 4. Be very frequent and serious in the view and examination of your naturall and corrupt estate consider the basenesse the loathsomnesse the unprofitablenesse the cursednesse and the perilousnesse thereof men could never quiet themselves in this estate were they not inconsiderate of the evill thereof A Travellor that is out of his way would never goe on therein did hee consider that every step he treades is one step further from his home did carnall man consider that every action of his removes him one step farther from God and Heaven and brings him one step nearer to Satan and damnation hee would never please himselfe in this estate inconsideration makes way to all evill the Lord having mentioned the great impieties of Israel layeth downe this as the ground therof They are a Nation saith the Lord void of counsell neither is there any understanding in them O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end they doe not consider how they are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity in the thraldome of Satan under the wrath of God in the state of damnation subject to a thousand easelesse and endlesse woes and miseries did men consider this they would awake out of their sleepe and stand up from the dead that Christ might give them light They would with David consider their waies and turne unto the testimonies of the Lord. 5. Addresse your selves to Christ by faithfull and fervent Prayer the Gibeonites sent to Joshua and he rescued them from the Amoritish Princes We must send by prayer to Christ to rescue us from the Prince of darkenesse the woman of Shunâ—m came to the Prophet cast her selfe downe tooke hold of his feet would not let him goe and hee went with her and raised her dead child thus must we come to Christ cast our selves downe humble our selves under the hand of Christ lay hold on Christ and never let him goe that he may raise us from the death of sin to the life of grace CHAP. VII Perswading to thanksgiving for deliverance out of our naturall and corrupt estate LAstly this ministers matter and occasion of great praise and thanksgiving to all them whom Christ hath delivered out of their corrupt and carnall estate and translated into the state of grace and holinesse Of all deliverances deliverance from sinne is the greatest the sweetest the choisest A deliverance of the greatest cost other deliverances are wrought by the power of God this is a deliverance wrought not onely by the power of God but also by the bloud of God by the bloud of Christ who is God and Man in one person Feed saith Saint Paul to the Bishops the Ministers of Ephesus the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud Give thanks saith the Apostle unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darknes and translated us into the Kingdom of his deare Son in whom we have redemption through his bloud the deliverance of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt and the captivity of Babylon the deliverance of Ieremy out of the dungâ—on of Peter out of Herods prison of Ionah out of the belly of the Whale or the three children out of the fiery furnace or whatsoever deliverance else you can mention cost not God so much as the deliverance of man from sinne for this God gave his owne his onely Sonne This is a deliverance which argues more of Gods love to man then all the deliverances which God hath wrought besides for man Therefore of this the Evangelist saith God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne And Christ saith Saint Paul loved the Church and gave himselfe for it This is a deliverance from greater evils
earth from the common-wealth of these Israelites the Gentiles before the comming of Christ were strangers and before their calling and conversion by the ministery of the Gospell they were wholly excluded from the Priviledges and Prerogatives belonging to the Israelitish people as being strangers unto their common-wealth And the Apostle expresseth their misery and dishonourable estate by a Metaphor taken a iure Civitatis from the Rights and Priviledges belonging to a City being no Citizens no members of this spirituall common-wealth they were excluded from the Lawes Immunities Freedomes and Priviledges belonging to the same In the words we may observe 1. The Title given to the Church and people of God a Common-wealth 2. The Exemption of all prophane men from this Common-wealth called Aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel 1. Of the Title which is not proper but metaphoricall and it may teach us That Gods faithfull people are a spirituall and mysticall Common-wealth As they are termed a body consisting of many members of which Christ is the head a house consisting of many lively stones whereof Christ is the head corner stone an Orchard composed of many Trees of which Christ is the planter so they are also a spirituall a mysticall Common-wealth wherof Christ is the supreame Governour And Christs Church and faithfull people are a spirituall Common-wealth 1. In respect of multitude A Common-wealth consisteth of many persons the Church of Christ of many beleevers as a body of many members a house of many stones an orchard of many trees a flocke of many sheep and an army of many souldiers though they be but few a small number comparatively in respect of the prophane multitude like Gideons three hundred men to the Midianitish Hoast A little flocke a few a remnant one of a City and two of a Tribe as the Scripture speaketh yet considered simply and in themselves they are many One hundred forty and foure thousand were sealed Rev. 7.4 And the Prophet foretold of the conversion of the abundance of the Sea and of the comming of the forces of the Gentiles to the Church of Christ 2. In respect of Submission and Obligation to one Law The people of a Common-wealth though they be many yet they are all guided by one Law Thus the Church of Christ though they be many and dispersed farre abroad upon the face of the earth yet they are all subject to and guided by one divine and sacred Law They walke all as the Apostle saith by one Rule All Israel were guided by one fiery pillar in their journeyes All the nations of the earth have one and the same Sun ministring light unto them to guide them in their severall goings The beleevers of all Nations have one and the same word of God to be the light of their feet and the lanterne of their paths Christ prescribes one Law to all his Subjects one rule of beleeving obeying and adoring him 3. In respect of Subiection under one Governour In a Common-wealth there is one chiefe Ruler in the Church Christ is the supreame Governour He is the Head of this body the King of this Common-wealth As the body hath but one Head and the common-wealth but one King so the Church but one spirituall Head but one divine and heavenly King which is Christ therefore stiled the head over all things unto the Church and a King set upon the holy hill of Syon The Church is the Spouse and Christ the Bridegroome the Church the slocke and Christ the chiefe shep heard the Church the ship and Christ the Pilate the Church the family and Christ the Master of the house stiled by â—nt James one Law-giver and we by voice from Heaven are commanded to heare him 4. In respect of mutuall and common interest in all spirituall good things All the members in a common-wealth have interest in the common priviledge and liberties belonging to that common-wealth All the living members of the Church of Christ have claime and title to all the good things of Christ they are all sonnes of God they are all the Lords free-men they are all Citizens of the new Jerusalem they are all members of the same mysticall body they are all heires to the same inheritance and partakers of the same promises and benefits by Christ All is theirs whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death all is theirs and they are Christs Ther Sun is alike open and obvious to the eye of the poore and of the rich Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse is alike open and free in the communication of himselfe to the soule of the poore and rich beleeving Christian yet this parity of beleevers participation of Christ takes not away the imparity of dominion and subiection between themselves He that is inferiour in sanctification may be superiour in externall estate and iurisdiction For as there are various degrees of state in a common-wealth so there are in the Church of Christ on earth 5. In respect of Constitution and composition A common-wealth as Aristotle observes consisteth not of a Physitian and a Physitian nor of a countrey man and a countrey man but of a Physitian and a countrey man so the Church of Christ consists not of a Pastor and a Pastor nor of a hearer and a hearer but of a teacher and a hearer they are neither all teachers nor all hearers but some Pastors and some Disciples some teachers and some learners as in an army some are souldiers and some are Captaines in a family some are nurses and some are sacking babes some therefore in the Church are commanded to teach and some are enjoyned to learne 6. In respect of separation and distinction A common-wealth is separated and distinguished from other Lands by Lawes language habit priviledges c. The Church of Christ is separate and destinguished from all the residue of the world they are called out of the world they are a royall Priesthood a chosen generation a peculiar people called out of darknesse into a marvellous light They are a holy people unto the Lord their God the Lord their God hath taken them to be a speciall people unto himselfe above all the people that are upon the face of the earth And they are distinguished from all other people by their Originall they are borne of God by their Countrey they are Citizens of the new Jerusalem by their language they speake the language of Canaan God hath returned to them a pure language By their habit they put on righteousnesse as a garment their adorning is not the putting on of gold or plaiting of the haire but the adorning of the hidden man of the heart To be glorious within is their choise and speciall ornament they are distinguished from others as the living from the dead as the vine from the thorne as the lambe from the wolfe as light from darknesse God is their God and they are his children and they have priviledges which no
other people have besides them 7. In respect of unity A common-wealth consisting of many particular persons makes but one politicke body All true beleevers are but one mysticall body in Christ therefore the Church is called One. My beloved saith Christ is one and there is one body and one spirit saith the Apostle one Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all The Church is of one Lord by one Baptisme into one mysticall body under one head ruled by one spirit bound with one bond of hope and love professing one faith and called with one Calling to one heavenly Kingdome built upon the foundation of one Doctrine As one soule doth quicken the many members of the body so the Spirit doth animate and enliven the whole Church As in one Pomegranate there are many kernels within one rinde so doth one Church containe innumerable people through the unity of faith having one Father regenerating them one spirit enlivening them one light guiding them one spirituall food nourishing them one Law binding them and one Head ruling the in they are most sweetly and entirely one among themselves CHAP. IX Perswading Subiection under one Head Submission to one Law and unity between our selves THe Church and faithfull people of Christ must learne from hence Subjection under one Head Submission under one Law and unity between themselves 1. Subiection under one Head Christ To Christ is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth and to him must all be Subject His dominion is from sea to sea an I from the river to the ends of the earth all Kings must fall downe before him and all Nations must serve him To him the Church must be subject spiritually their obedience must arise from a principle of grace they must worship him in spirit and in truth To him they must be subject heartily not in shew but in truth obeying from the heart root that forme of Doctrine which Christ hath delivered to them To him they must be subject voluntarily without compulsion they must be a willing people his Law must be in their hearts and they must delight to doe his will To him they must subject themselves universally in respect of the rule they must have respect unto all the Commandements as Noah in building the Arke had an eye to the whole patterne which was set before him and in respect of the whole man all the faculties of the soule and all the members of the body must be obedient to him as the Sun Moone and eleven Starres did obeysance to Joseph in his vision Christ must be glorified both in our body and in our spirit To Christ we must be constantly subject our hearts must be inclined to performe his statutes alway even unto the end Christ is the Head and we the members Christ is the shepheard and we the slocke Christ is the husband and we the Spouse and as all the members are fully subject to the head the slocke readily follows the voice of the shepheard and the Spouse is lovingly subject to the Bridegroome so must we be fully freely and lovingly obedient unto Christ 2. This teacheth Submission unto one Law The Church is one mysticall common-wealth and must be subject unto one Law of Christ All that builded the Arke built by one patterne The whole Church of Christ hath one patterne according to which they must build their faith and their love even the whole Fabricke of their worship and service The ship hath one compasse by which it roweth and one Pilate by which it is guided The Church is the ship the Word the Compasse and Christ the Pilate by Christ and his Word must the whole Church of God be ordered and ruled The Word of God is a sure word to which we must give heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place The Law of the Lord is perfect it needs no addition as the Sun needs not the help of any candle to increase his light in shining on them that travell The Scriptures are a compleate and perfect Schoole profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works God gave Moses a perfect patterne for the building of the Tabernacle without addition or dimunution Gods word is a perfect patterne comprising the whole frame of mans conversation It is Gods prerogative to prescribe and mans duty to conforme Ye shall not adde unto the word Which I command you saith the Lord neither shall you diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandements of the Lord your God which I command All other Doctrines are darknesse and not light they cannot guide us they are false plants of mans and not of Gods planting they beare no good fruit to feed us and God the great Husbandman of the vineyard will plucke them up they are sand he that builds upon them sinks they corrupt and adulterate the Doctrine and Religion of Christ as the tares the wheate as the evill herbe the Prophets pot Mans service is no service of Christ if it receive not it's rule from Christ in vaine saith Christ doe ye worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men He that mingles humane devices with his religious duties makes it a humane and no divine service As the Elements once mingled in a compound body doe lose their proper formes so Religions mingled with humane traditions and made compounding parts of a mixed worship and service doe lose their formes and cease to be religious in Gods account As silver mingled with brasse doth lose the nature and name of silver and currant coyne and will not passe with men the touchstone discovers it and the skilfull Goldsmith rejects it Thus the worship of God mixed with the dresse of mans invention loseth both the name and nature of true worship The word discovers it to be counterfeit and God doth not regard it nor the performers of it Of such therefore the Prophet saith reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath reiected them This alienates from Christ it divides the heart and places the feare trust love and joy of the soule upon some forraine thing some Idoll of mans devising A woman that embrace a stranger with her husband in her bosome and mingles strangers with her husband is no more a chaste and loving wife her heart is divided and she is become an adulteresse The mingling of forraine inventions with Christs precepts in his services is in Gods interpretation spirituall fornication their hearts are gone from Christ their husband they are taken up with strange lovers To this purpose is that of the Prophet Esay the faithfull City is become an harlot and what other but this was Judah's whoredome for which the Lord upbraideth her by the Prophet saying thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers thou hast embraced many forreigne doctrines thou hast
left saith the Lord thou shalt multiply abundantly and be very fruitfull a mother of many spirituall children there is the fruitfulnesse of the Church for thy maker is thy husband there is Gods Covenant the soules wedlock with the Lord Jesus is ever attended with spirituall fruitfullnesse but the strangers to this Covenant continue barren like a Woman without a Husband 3. Hee is without the Lords gracious and sure protection God is a Sunne and a Shield to them that are within his Covenant that walke uprightly as the Psalmist speakes to these he is a wall of fire round about them these he keepeth as the apple of his eye these he watereth like a Vineyard every moment and keepeth them day and night least any hurt them but them that are without his covenant he leaveth them as a Vinyard without an hedg as a flock without a Shepheard a City without a Watch-man these the Lord leaveth to their sins as a sick-man to his disease to Satan as a wandring Sheepe to the Lyon as a barren field to the wilde Boare and Beast of the Forrest these he leaveth to their enemies to spoyle them these have no hiding place under the shadow of Gods wings when dangers doe assault them The men of the old world which were without the Arke were left to the waters to swallow them they that are without the Covenant of God in Christ are lyable to a deluge of woes and miseries to surprize them 4. He is without all spirituall claime and title to any blessing The woman which is not in matrimoniall covenant with the Master of the house hath no title to the things of the House Christ is the heire of all things he that is not in covenant with Christ not married to Christ though he hath a civill right in respect of men yet hee hath noe spirituall right in respect of Christ to any thing God as a bountifull Master feeds him as a servant but he possesseth noâ—hing as a Son he can claime nothing he enjoyes nothing as a Son an Heyre and Co-heyre with Jesus Christ 5. He is without the blessing of God Gods blessing goes with his Covenant They saith St. Paul which are of the Faith true beleevers partakers of the Covenant they are blessed with faithfull Abraham they are blessed as in the Justification of their soules so in their persons in their possessions in their civill and religious performances and in all their sufferings and severall changes but such as are without the Covenant are farre from blessing The wrath of God saith St. John abideth on them on their persons on their possessions on their undertakings the Lord sets his face against them for evill and not for good that which is good in it selfe turnes for evill unto them their very blessings turne to a curse as the meat of diseased bodies turnes to evill humours their very Table becomes their snare yea the word of life becomes to them the savour of death unto death and Christ himselfe who is the way the truth and the life becomes a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence 6. He is without peace there is no peace saith the Prophet to the wicked no spirituall no true peace to them that are not within the Covenant of peace they are as the tossed Sea which hath no rest but is in continuall agitation casting up mire and dirt there is gravell in their bread which makes it bread of sorrowes to them there is a thorne in their bed which causeth their sleepe to depart from them with Belshazar they have a hand-writing appeares in the wall of their Banquetting-house which turnes their merry feasting into dismall feare and trembling and in the midst of their sufficiency they are in straights there is a worme within them continually biting and gnawing them causing their hearts to meditate terrour the thought of God is terrible to them as the thought of a severe Judge to a guilty malefactor the thought of the Word affrights them as the light a theefe having stolne goods about him and by this you may in part at least discerne the uncomfortablenesse of their estate who are without the Covenant CHAP. XVII Proposing certaine markes and characters of mans being within the Covenant CArnall mans estrangement from the Covenant of grace and misery in being without it should occasion every man to examine his owne estate in this behalfe and strive to find in himself sound and cleare evidence of his interest in this Covenant which may be discerned 1. By Gods being all in all to man this is a prime parcell of the Covenant I will be their God the husband is to the woman joyned in matrimoniall covenant with him instead of all and more then all other men God is to him that is in covenant with him instead of al other things as Elkana said to Hannah Am not J to thee better then ten sons thus is God to the soule espoused to him better then all things to such a one God is a Father regenerating a Sun enlightning a dweller possessing a King commanding a Guide leading a Treasure enriching a Friend comforting and a Fountaine filling he is such a soules summum bonum his shield for defence his rocke for supportment his Counsellour for advice his Paradise for comforts his Bridegroome for love his Friend for communion and his Portion for satisfaction he is able to say Whom have J 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 God his making himselfe ours in the way of sanctification satisfaction and spirituall comfort is a sweet assurance of our being within his Covenant 2. By mans full application of himselfe to God this is another branch of the Covenant they shall be my people Schollars in my Schoole learning my will servants in my house doing my worke Souldiers in my army fighting my battels Subiects in my Kingdome receiving my Lawes and studying the exaltation of my name Children in my Family abiding in my house delighting in my presence and rejoycing in their communion with me and trees of Righteousnesse in my Orchard bringing forth all their fruit to me they shall be all that they are unto me as a wife is what she is unto her husband bringing forth children unto her husband and caring how to please her husband thus they who are in covenant with God strive to be all that they are unto God doe all for God their full and constant care is how to please God they are not their own they live not after their own fancy they intend not themselves in what they do but they are the Lords in their understandings to know him in their wils to intend him in their imaginations to think upon him in their affections to feare and trust
him to love and rejoyce in him in their tongues to speake of him and plead for him in their hands to work that which is good and honourable unto God and in all their abilities therewith to honour him prostrating all under the feet of God referring and using all to the glory of God living and dying as the Apostle saith unto the Lord living as Gods servants framing the whole way and order of their life according to Gods prescription referring their whole life to the glory of God and resting in all the labours and troubles of their life upon God with a firme confidence being assured that God takes care for them and dying as Gods peculiar people patiently submitting to the hand of God in the time of their dissolution firmly depending upon God in the houre of their change heartily desiring that God may be glorified by their death and resting fully assured that their temporall death shall be an entrance into eternall life he who thus fully applies himself to God may assure himself of his being in covenant with God 3. By mans participation of the spirituall and heavenly benefits which the covenant comprehendeth as 1. The donation of the Spirit it is the Lords promise to powre out his Spirit upon all flesh to put his Spirit within us and to cause us to walke in his wayes so that he who is within the Covenant of God hath the Spirit of God quickning and enlivening him as the soule doth enliven the body enlightning and teaching him guiding and leading him into the cleare and comfortable knowledge of all truth as the guide leades the Traveller into the knowledge of the way wherein he is to walke regenerating and renewing him sanctifying and cleansing him as the water doth the flesh and the fire the mettall revealing Christ in him and making Christ appeare very glorious and amiable in his apprehension as the most glorious Sun the choysest pearle and most renowned Prince even the fairest of ten thousand making the soule full of longings after him and sick of love towards him uniting and joyning him unto Christ as the branch to the vine as a member to the head to be enlivened by Christ and to participate of all the benefits which flow from Christ ruling and guiding him as a Pilot his Ship framing and working his heart to an universall holy and humble submission to the will of God as the hand of the learner is guided by the teacher to write according to the whole copy set before him To him that is within the Covenant the Spirit of God is a Spirit of life mortifying the old and quickning the new man Water washing refreshing and making his soule spiritually fruitfull Fire purging and consuming his remaining lusts and making his heart to burne with love to God and man oyle of gladnesse filling his soule with spirituall alacrity and cheerfulnesse and a seale and earnest penny assuring him of his future blisse and peace in Heaven and this communication of the Spirit is an undoubted pledge of mans being within the Covenant 2. A second benefit comprised under the Covenant is Communion with the Saints all that are within the Covenant have a mutuall sweet and gracious fellowship with God and among themselves That which we have seen and heard saith S. John declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us and that our fellowship may be with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ He that is within the Covenant hath communion with God the Father by adoption as a childe with the Parent by participation receiving of the Fathers fulnesse and bearing his Image by holy walking having his conversation in Heaven walking with God as Enoch and Noah did by invocation as a Petitioner with the King being a daily earnest suter to the throne of grace by Faith living and walking by faith and not by sight and also by Love God dwelling in love as the Apostle speakes Hee that is within the Covenant hath communion with Christ by participation of Christ and his benefits by dwelling in Christ and Christ in him being joyned with Christ in a spirituall wedlocke Christ assuming him into his grace and making him a member of his body bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh as S. Paul speakes expressing their neare union and sweet communion with Christ who are within the covenant of God He that is within this covenant hath also communion with the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God dwelling in him regenerating and renewing him witnessing his adoption helping his infirmity sealing up the pardon of his sin and restoring him to more spirituall liberty and freedome and hee hath likewise communion with all the Saints and faithfull Servants of the Lord being partakers of one Spirit living members under one Head having the same love being of one mind and of one accord their prayers meeting mutually each for other at one and the same throne of grace all building by one rule all travelling by one light all acting and moving by one Spirit all feeding upon one word all fighting under one Banner all running one race and all serving one Prince of peace they have fervent love one to another singular delight each in other and a very sweet and gracious communion one with another and this holy and joyfull communion with the Saints of God abundantly argues mans being within the Covenant of God 3. A third benefit comprised under the Covenant is Regeneration the sanctifying and restoring our corrupt nature to the image of God a worke of God in all that are within the Covenant a parcell of Gods promise to put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts to make a sutablenesse betweene them and his Law to worke such holines in their hearts as should in some good proportion answer that holinesse which the Law prescribeth and this is requisite to mans being within the Covenant because without this he cannot know God he cannot be the friend of God hee cannot please God nor have any communion with God he that is farre from holinesse is farre from interest in Gods Promise The captive woman under the Law had her apparell changed before an Israelitish Souldier could assume her into a covenant of wedlock man under the Gospell must put off the old-man and put on the new ere he can have interest in Gods Covenant the more fully freely and constantly man conformes himselfe to Gods precepts the surer is his evidence of title to Gods promise He whose obedience to the Law of God is voluntary without compulsion cordiall without dissimulation universall without the allowance of any evill humble without all ostentation cheerfull free from all repining sincere without any by or sinister intention and constant without back-sliding may rest assured of being received into Gods Covenant 4. A fourth benefit comprised under the Covenant by which man may discerne his being within the Covenant is