spirits are ever carryed forth against sin 2 The Saints cannot but deny sin as they stand related to Christ in relation to his glory Christ is holy and he will have a holy people that may be for his praise and honour 1 Pet. 2.9 But yee are a chosen generation a royall priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people why That yee should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvelous light Christ hath made you and I holy that so we might shew forth his praise that is that so we might give occasion to praise God Are not the eyes of the world upon the Saints expecting much from them although it is true they doe not nay they cannot love holinesse yet they expect the Saints to be holy and to deny sin are they not ready to watch opportunities to scandall Saints and truth withall and would it not be a very sad and grievous thing if those that professe themselves to be for Christ should give just cause of offence would it not be very dishonourable to the name of the Gospel and profession of Christ therefore Christ teaches men and women where he comes to deny ungodlinesse and sin and to live soberly righteously and godly in this world It is his exhortation Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Let your light shine before the men of the world that they may have no cause to speak evill but rather cause to glorisie God Let your light so shine before the Saints that they may rejoyce and glorifie God A close walking with God is that which gives great cause of joy and rejoycing in each other and an occasion of praysing God one for another so the Apostle Rom. 1.8 I thank God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of through all the world How was their faith spoken of it was the fruit of their faith their obedience in walking up with God answerable to that faith they professed for by our works we manifest our faith so likewise Phil. 1.3 5. the Apostle thanks God for their constant fellowship in the Gospel from their first submitting to it This is a cause of joy But on the contrary for such as beare the name of Christians to live in and delight in sin to be vain and carnall and earthly this is a cause of sorrow and weeping amongst Saints Phil. 3.18 For many walke of whom I told you before and now tell you weeping they are enemies to the crosse of Christ they cause the crosse of Christ and the way of Christ to bee evill spoken of a cause of sadnesse indeed to the Saints 3 Reason Why Christ teacheth his to deny self wisdome self love self will and all of self is because they are to take up their crosse and to follow Christ that is they must expect reproaches afflictions tribulations for the name and sake of Christ John 16.33 In the world you shall have tribulations Now what wise man in the world can or will suffer reproch the losse of the world and the worlds reputation the losse of friends liberty ease it may be of life it selfe in a word all that is neer and deer to the carnall man what man but a foole thinks the wise men of the world is there that will lose all on such light terms as the gaining of a crucified Christ A man not taught of Jesus as the truth is in Jesus can never suffer with comfort and joy these things the Saints are like to suffer for the name of Iesus Self wisdom and self love will come in O sayth wise selse when it eyes that persecution those hardships that are like to follow those that follow Christ May I not passe by such atruth and such a practice and it be a Christian and get to heaven what need I to adventure my selfe upon such hardships when perhaps for the neglecting of such or such an opinion or practice I may attain my liberty my good reputation Is it not a sad thing that men professing Christ should thus consult with flesh and bloud the Apostle Paul did not so when hee was converted to the faith of Iesus hee consulted not with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 It is self wisdom and self love that sets men to consulting with flesh and bloud but flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 That is a man not taught of Christ not made partaker of his divine nature and grace bearing only the image of the earthly Adam cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven When a man shall come to submit to Gospell Ordinances which are contemptible in the eyes of the world for which hee is like to suffer shame and disgrace here is need of self deniall O sayth the self denying Christian Let mee submit to Christ to every truth to every ordinance although I suffer losse in the world reproch and shame from my friends and acquaintance though I loose the love of my best friends whether father mother husband wife c. yet sayth the self denying Christian Christ hath sayd that who so loveth father mother wife or children more then me is not worthy of me and the love that CHRIST hath shed abroad in my heart by his Spirit Rom. 5.5 constraineth me to deny my selfe and follow Christ in all conditions 2 Cor. 5.14 Thus you see the self denying soul and none else is meet to be a Diseiple a follower of Christ hee is ready to take up the crosse daily and to follow him 4 Christ teacheth his to deny self sufficiency and self strength that so they may be able to hold out in the evill day when a day of adversity comes when a man is put to it eyther by his spiritual or temporal enemy Blessed are they then that trust in the Lord Psal 2.12 Men standing upon their own strength are gone Esay 40.30 The youth shall faint and be we ary the young men shall utterly fail that is those that apprehend a power in themselves to stand but Verse 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint If men stand upon their own strength they are like to fall Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall But they that see an insufficiency in themselves and trust upon the name of the Lord shall be as mount Sion that shall never be moved Psal 125.1 but abideth for ever Christ would have his work to be a perfect and fair work his covenant a sure covenant Esay 55.3 Therefore hee undertakes not only to bring men and women intocovenant but to keep them there Ier. 32.40 I will not turn from them they shall not depart from me sayth the Lord. But if Christ had left the power of standing to man hee might
for their good the end wherefore he hath saved them That he might have a people to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1.74.75 So that the Saints are not their own They are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods They are Gods own by purchase and he purchased them That they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 10.11 Thus you see there is good reason that Christ should be King of Saints He was borne to it He is thereunto appointed He hath purchased them for that end and purpose Use A word of information if it be so that Christ be the King of his people and he alone ought to rule in all spirituall things then 1 Those that get in to the throne of Christ beare rule where Christ should are no friends to him He who ever he be That exalts himselfe above all that is called God and sits in the seat of God is the Antichrist 2 Thess 2.4 8. Whom Christ will take as his enemy and destroy him with the breath of his mouth and the brightnesse of his comming 2 Those are enemies who will not have Christ to reign over them who resolve to submit to the power of man in the things of God they are no friends to Christ but enemies and so he will take them and so he will deal with them Luke 19 27. But those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before mee c. Acts 3.23 And he that will not he are this Prophet shall be cut off from amongst his people 3 If the kingdom of Christ be spirituall not of this World then those are no friends to Christ that turn the World into Church I mean by a humane Law and Ordinance Let men turn the World into Church by preaching as fast as they can or as Christ will but to compell all to bring in earthly ignorant carnall men into the Church of Christ is not as according to the mind of Christ Ezek. 44.7 to the 14. and this is none of Christs Church but the Synagogue of Satan the World and not the Church And truly I am apt to conceive from that fore-mentioned Scripture that those that have been chiefe in this businesse who are godly amongst them shall never be honoured with doing much in the work of God but they shal come in last they shall be the meanest and the lowest I mean with relation to gifts in the house of God This may seeme strange to some but a truth for God will have none to glory in their own present gifts or excellency but that hee that gloryeth may glory in the Lord. Use 2. If the Kingdome of Christ be spirituall then here is a word of exhortation to stirre up spirituall people spirituall men and women to submit to Christ to come under the government of Christ to walk with to have fellowship with the spirituall people of Christ Beloved it is a sad thing to see spirituall people to walk with the World to joyn in the Worlds fellowship in the Worlds worship What communion hath light with darknesse What fellowship hath Christ with Beliall What part hath the believer with the unbeliever ô that the exhortation might take place in your souls Come out from amongst them and be yee separate and I will receive you 2 Cor. 6.17 The Lords people are a holy people and the Lords ways are holy ways Holinesse becomes thy house ô Lord for ever Use 3. A word of consolation and joy for the Saints the Church the kingdome of Christ you have cause of joy and cause of rejoycing First that you have such a king a great king above all gods hee that is the Lord of Lords and the king of kings hee is our king he is the king of Saints the Saints have such a king who is able to defend them able to save them from all their enemies and he will save them he is able to dash all his and his Saints enemies in peeces like a potters vessell and he will he shall do it Psal 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron and dash them in peeces like a potters vessel Be wise now therefore ô ye Kings and be instructed yee judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling kisse the Son least he be angry c. But let the Saints rejoyce in the Lord let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Sion be joyfull in their King Psal 149.2 2 The Saints have cause to rejoyce and to be comforted they are all made Kings to the Lord. They are Kings and they shall reign they reign already over sin and lust over Satan Rom. 6.12 Sin shall not have dominion over you others are slaves to sin and Satan sin reigns in and over them but the Saints reign over sin they have a Kingdom already within them without them the Church which is both Christs and the Saints Kingdom where Christ and the Christian solace themselves together and they shall have a Kingdom although they are now rejected and reproached of men Servants ride on horseback and Princes walke as servants on the ground Ecles 10.7 but they shall rule and have dominion they shall reign for they are made Kings Rev. 1.6 chap. 5.10 They shall rule their enemies those that perhaps formerly have ruled them Rev. 2.26 27. To him that overcommeth and keepeth my words to the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father Thus Christ shall judge thus the Saints shall judge Psal 149.5 6. A wonderfull comfort for the Saints but a sad word for the enemies both of Christ and Christians Let the Saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praises of God be in their mouthes and a two edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the people to binde their Kings in chains and their Nobles in fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgement written this honour have all the Saints praise the Lord Thus the Saints are made Kings you see and shall have dominion and rule and a Kingdom although they are rejected and slighted and counted the off-scouring of all things here by the men of the world yet they are Kings and shall have a kingdom A great joy for Christians Dan. 7.27 Luke 12.32 Lastly this should stir up the Saints to walk humbly to walk holily as becommeth the subjects of the spirituall kingdome of Iesus Christ that as Christ hath called them out of this world so they should no longer fashion themselves like unto this world but walk as becomes Christians professing godlines
the earth they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living water O beloved will it not be a shame when men shall professe Christianity all their dayes when they shall hear and pray and performe duties resting in those things and when they shall come to appear before the Lord Jesus shall be rejected Esay 45.16 They shall be ashamed and also confounded all of them together that are makers of Idols that rest upon any thing beneath Christ wher 's the Lords Israel ver 17. shall be saved with an everlasting salvation c. and they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that shall never be removed Psal 125.1 4 Lastly to trust in any thing beneath the Lord Jesus is a cursed damning sin so it is to those that live and die in that condition see Mat. 7.22 23. Many will say in that day Lord Lord have wee not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works and then will he professe to them I never knew you depart from me yee that work iniquity O beloved this will be the sad sentence pronounced against all that shall come before Christ at the last day in their own righteousnesse see Luke 13.27 depart from me ye workers of iniquity there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 3 Use A word of exhortation If it be so that Christ be the alone High-Priest and peacemaker between God and man O how should this stir up your soules to look to Jesus for salvation doe not mistake me I shall not set you upon this duty as if it were in your own power to doe it it is God that worketh both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure but as a means by which God may come in with power upon thy spirit working up thy soule above thy selfe to his Son and to incourage any poor soule to whom God shall be plesed to come in graciously in his own means Note first God calls thee to look above and beyond all to himselfe in his Son see Esay 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth and Esay 55.1 O every one that thirsteth come buy wine and milke without money and without price wherefore will you spend your money for that which is not bread O beloved God would not have poor souls for which Christ dyed to spend their time for that which is not bread he hath given Christ the living bread for that very end and purpose God hath given his Son a Sacrifice a peace-offering for sin so making reconciliation for the sins of his people he hath put in us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ sayth the Apostle as though God did beseech you by us to be reconciled unto him that is to receive this reconciliation held forth by Christ in the Word O beloved what doe your soules say to this is reconciliation and peace with God through Jesus Christ worth the owning is it worth the receiving men and women consider of it Act. 13.26 Men and brothren children of the stock of Abraham and whosoever among you feareth the Lord to you is the word of salvation sent to whom ever among you God shall give an eye to see it and a hand to receive it to you it is sent 2 Consider Christ is ready to receive when ever you come unto him hee will not put you off John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out O beloved the Lord is ready to receive sinners the worst of firmers the greatest of sinners believe it the Lord never did nonever will cast forth a poore sinner that comes to him in truth that is who the Father draws to him See the Parable of the prodigall son Luke 15.20 his father seeing him afar off ran and met him and embraced him ô the readinesse of God to embrace poore sinners that come unto him witnesse Mary Magdalen Saul Acts 9. The betrayers and murderers of the Lord of life Acts 2. All which manifests the readinesse of God to receive sinners and believe it hee would never invite thee he would never give thee a heart willing to come to him did hee not intend willingly to embrace thee 2 Exhortation for the Saints if wee have such a High-Priest making peace and reconciliation for us ô beloved how should this incourage us to hold fast our profession to the end this is the use the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews makes of it Chap. 4.14 Having then such a great High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens the Son of God lee us hold fast our profession or confession let us hold it fast with a strong hand so the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold fast your profession with a violent or strong hand Now there are three things that are all most ready to make a poor Christian many times to throw away his profession 1 The power and strength of corruption 2 Inability and indisposednesse to that which is good 3 Those hard temptations and tryalls that they are lyable unto in their Christian progresse Against these three diseases will flow in from Christ our great High-Priest reamedies answerable even to the satisfaction of the soule The first is the power and strength of corruption this is that which troubles thee is it not poore soule ô thou hast such a body of sin such a vile cursed nature thou artready to cry out as the Apostle Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of sin And as Esay Chap. 6.5 Wo is me I am undone I am a man of polluted lips c. and this makes thee almost ready to throw away thy profession To this I shall propound a threesold remedy all flowing from a crncified Christ from Christ as he is our High-Priest 1 That all the sins of believers were condemned in the flesh of Christ Rom. 8.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth the pronouncing of guilt and so of condemnation upon Christ Beloved Christ hath born the guilt and punishment of all thy sins to whom hee hath given faith in his bloud all those lusts and corruptions that so much trouble thee he hath born them all 1 Pet. 1.24 Hee bare our sins in his own body on the crosse c. 2 He hath destroyed the power of all thy sins as hee is a High-priest See John 3.8.9 For this cause the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devill Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin that is as he is born of God he doth not sin willingly with his mind hee can say as the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sin that is I Paul borne of God do not sin O here is the power of sin destroyed though there is and will be the
Apostle sayth Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing else save in Iesus Christ and him crucified Christ crucified is a Christians onely joy onely delight therefore the Apostle Paul prays Rom. 15.13 That God would fill them with all joy and peace through believing and why by believing the soule comes to enjoy this crucified Christ and so justification and peace Rom. 5 1. Question But some may say how shall I know that I doe indeed exalt Christ in my soule Answer First Christ is then exalted in the soule when the Lord brings over the soule to look upon Christ as its alone justification O beloved then is the Lord exalted when the soule comes to see that there is nothing but emptinesse in it selfe when the soule can through the power of God cast down all at the feet of Christ and looke upon all its own righteousnesse as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ so the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.7.8.9 the Apostle having in the 5 and 6 verses laid down what he was once in divers particulars in his own righteousnesse he amongst all the grounds as once he thought them grounds of comfort one and the least was hee walked as touching the Law blamelesse but what things were gain that is I counted gain and rested upon them I now count them losse for Christs sake yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord and ver 9. and be found in him not having my own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith ô here is a soule exalting Christ above all laying all his own righteousnesse low even as low as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ ô what saith thy soule to this now man woman didst ever see thine own righteousnesse or at least thine own unrighteousnesse hath the Lord opened thine eyes to see a vanity an emptinesse in that you once trusted hath the Lord let forth a glimpse of his glory into thy soule shining down in the face of Jesus can you say Yea donbtlesse I account all things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. Is thy soule carryed forth above and beyond thy selfe to the Lord Jesus as thine alone righteousnesse see Esay 45.24 25. Su ely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength ver 25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israell be justified and shall glory In the Lord Christ thou seest thy justification and in him thou gloriest thou canst say God forbid I should glory in any thing below Christ Ier. 23 6. This is his name by which he shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse the Lord our covering our justification this is the ground when thou canst look upon Christ as thy alone righteousnesse and justification and so seeing an excellencie in the knowledge of Christ in this particular 2 A soule then exalts Christ when it looks so upon Christ as that it is carryed with a principle of love after him and it is by love as it were glewed and knit up to him so the Apostle Rom. 8.35.38 Who shall separate us from the love of God and when love constrains thy soule to follow God 2 Cor. 5.14 the love of Christ constrains us and when love so glews and knits thy soule to Christ that thou takest him as the wife takes her husband for better for worse as we use to say when thon canst follow Christ in all conditions to tryall prisons death nothing severs thee from him when as with Abraham thou goest forth from thine own Countrey thy sins sinfull companions and followest Christ not knowing whether thou goest whether to liberty or prison that makes nothing with thee Heb. 11.8 By faith Abraham obeyed and went forth of his own Countrey not knowing whither he went this flows from faith Gal. 5.6 3 When the Lord Jesus is the alone delight and joy of thy heart believe it beloved if the soule exalt Christ rightly he will bee thy delight and joy thou wilt be able to sing the song of Mary Luke 46.47 My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour there will be joy and peace come in through believing joy unspeakable and full of glory according to Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce c. 4 The soule that truly exalts Jesus is satisfied in the enjoying of him and now the soule hath enough when it hath Christ let who will have the world sin pleasure I have Christ sayth the soule a goodly portion now the soule is fitted for any condition come affliction persecution the soule glories in all because it enjoyes God through Christ in all 2 Cor. 11.30 after the Apostle has mentioned his afflictions he concludes that he will glory in all see Chap. 12.9 5 Lastly when Christ is all in all to the soule then doth the soule rightly exalt and lift up Christ when it enjoys a fulnesse in Christ in the want of all things and sees an emptinesse in all things without Christ this the Apostle could see and say he is all and in all Col. 3.11 Christ is all and in all he is the way the truth and the life Iohn 14.6 He is the light and life of men Ioh. 1.4 He is meat drink and cloathing as wee use to say to the Saints he is their meat and drink see Iohn 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed ô beloved revery believer spiritually eats and drinks the flesh and bloud of Christ that is lives upon Christ he doth not build upon ordinary prayers duties no no give me Christ sayth the believing soule Christ in hearing Christ in preaching in the Supper of the Lord c. Believe it beloved nothing lesle then Christ can satisfie the living the believing soule and likewise in temporall things the believer sees all purchased for him by the bloud of Christ and so in every creature he lives upon the flesh and bloud of Christ and believe it beloved thus every beleever lives upon Christ see ver 53. Then Jesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you except yea eat the flesh of the Son of man and drinke his bloud you have no life in you harke you friends Hee that doth not thus spiritually eat and drink the flesh and bloud of Christ hath no life in him a signe of a dead soule that lives upon ordinary creatures without Christ 2 Christ is cloathing and covering also he covers the nakednesse of men and women that believe see Rev. 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of me c. white rayment that thou maist be cloathed what is this cloathing the righteousnesse of the Saints see Rev. 19.8 The fine linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints Christ Jesus is the Saints righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 Jer. 23.6 and so the Saints covering
to reconcile and save sinners Iohn 3.16 2 Cor. 5.19 such was the love of God from all eternity that nothing could hinder their design of grace The Jews that had a hand in putting Christ to death shall have a part in that mercy and grace purchased by his death Acts 2.37 38. For they did nothing but what God in his counsell had determined Acts 4.28 Now as the mercy of God was herein admirably exalted to men so is his justice his severity also Rom. 11.12 Behold therefore the goodnesse and severity of God c. Behold here is goodnesse and severity mercy and justice to be admired First the mercy of God is here admirably manifested In freely chusing some and secondly his justice in leaving others First His mercy in chusing some in his Son to life and glory Rom. 9.23 24. That he might make knowne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory even us whom he hath called c. here is the mercy of God wonderfully made known unto the sons of men and note that this mercy was never manifested but in a way of justice justice must be sarisfied for mans transgression now that God may shew mercy without any wrong to his justice hee gives his Son to take upon him mans sin and to suffer for the sins of his people that so mercy and justice might meet together An admirable worke of grace where God shews mercy and his justice is satisfied Never any mercy to be expected but where justice is satisfied it is in vain for thee ô man to expect mercy out of Christ there justice is satisfied if ever thou hast mercy it must be there therefore Christ calls Matth. 11.28 Come unto me c. Now beloved the Saints may admire of and rejoyce in the justice of God for the justice of God is for every believer and is as ready to plead for them as the mercy of God A creditour that is honest hee will be ready to acquit and cleer the principall when the surety hath paid the debt and made full satrsfaction and to declare that he hath nothing against him it is true the surety may pay the debt and the principall not know it and hee may be affraid and troubled but when the surety shall come and tell him that the debt is paid and the creditour satisfied and when the creditor shall send his bond and discharge under his hand and seal now this satisfies the man and now he is cleer and comforted now he walks boldly So it may be with the poore soule Christ hath paid thy debt he hath satisfied the justice of his Father but perhaps thou wantest the assurance of it beloved to whomsoever the Lord hath or shall give faith there it is sure the Lord hath sent his Ministers to proclaime it to your souls That whosoever believeth shall be saved and here hee hath sent his word to confirme it unto you and if that will not satisfie thou shalt have his seal too Ephes 1.13 And justice is now ready to plead for such a soule to acquit him I am satis fied I have nothing against him and so justice is thine and for thee who indeed believest 2 The Instice of God is manifested in leaving others in a lost condition herein is the severity of God admirably manifested especially of the Saints see Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath made up to destruction see Chap. 11. the elect obtained mercie the rest were hardened ô how should the Saints admire at this justice what God to leave so many in a hardened-blinde-perishing-condition and shew mercie to me O wonderfull what should God see in me more then in such and such hardened ones what God shew mercie perhaps to one and leave twenty a hundred in a hardened lost condition and shall I bee one of the small number O beloved how will the due consideration of this mercie and justice this goodnesse and severity of God set your selves work to admire God and to praise him this is the new song of the Saints Rev. 5.9 And they sung a new song saying thou art worthie to take the booke and to open the seale thereof for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation O this is that which will set thy soule a praysing God indeed when thou shalt see people tongues nations left and thou taken out of them some taken perhaps one or two out of a family others left one or two out of a generation others left some few out of a City a Nation and others left O beloved the due consideration of this one thing will occasion your fouls to sing that song that none else could ever learn Rev. 14.3 They sung a new song and no man could learn that song but they which were redeemed from the earth called out from earthly men from Nations peoples tongues c. 4 The Saints have cause also to admire the power the almighty power of God working salvation for them he doth declare himselfe to be the Al-mighty God able to doe whatsoever he pleaseth he is able to save he is able to work salvation for his people which way he pleaseth and the power of God is manifested in Christ working salvation for his people see Esay 63.1 I that speak in righteousnesse mighty to save behold the Lord Jesus is called the mighty God Esay 9.6 and a mighty redeemer Prov. 23.11 and their redeemer is mighty he shall plead their cause c. and truly beloved hee had need bee mighty for he hath undertaken a mighty work the redemption and salvation of sinners and this appears to be a mighty work 1 Because none else could do it beloved God hath done such a work for his people that no creature nor created power in heaven or earth could doe it Esay 45.21 There is no God besides me a just God and a Saviour there is none beside me none can save beside God Hos 13.4 There is no Saviour besides me therefore in vain is salvation hoped for from the mount ains truly in the Lordour God is the salvation of Israel Jer. 3.23 Beloved it is in vain to look for salvation from the hills and mountains from creatures or any thing beneath the Lord Jesus There is none other name given under heaven whereby wee may be saved but by the name of Jesus Act 4.12 O beloved how should the Saints praise God and admire him for that great and glorious salvation he hath wrought for his people this is the song the Saints sing unto his praise Rev. 7.10 11 12. And they cryed with a loud voyce salvation to our God c. blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever c. They sing forth Gods saving power Who is
a God able to save after this manner 2 It appears to be a mighty work exceeding the work of the creation or any of the rest of the works of God if we consider the severall circumstances or concomitants thereunto appertaining Beloved the Lord made the world with his word he spake the word and it was done but it was not a word that could save man being falne no no beloved there is more to be done first God must take upon him the nature of man that is the seed of David Rom. 1.3 of Abraham Heb. 2.16 he must bear the sins of sinners 1 Pet. 2.24 and their curse being made a curse for them Gal. 3.13 and their condemnation Rom. 8.3 And to effect this great work of mans salvation He that was in the forme of God and thought it no robbery to be equall with God was found in the forme of a servant became obedient to the death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.6 7. here is a great work before mans salvation is accomplished was there ever the like work wrought by God greater then the creation there a word doth it here must be bloud not of an ordinary man but of the Son of God greater then the destroying or building of Nations or Kingdoms here a word doth it Jer. 18.7 8. here must be bloud Heb. 9.22 Thus you see beloved the admirable power of God manifested in this work of reconciliation 2 Use If Christ be the alone High-Priest the alone reconciler and peace-maker betwixt God and man as you have heard he is 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Then here is a word of information to informe us of the vanity and folly of those that create to themselves other grounds of peace and comfort besides Christ Note first that there are many that doe thus create to themselves other grounds of comfort other Saviours besides Christ notwithstanding the Lord hath sayd there is no other name given under heaven whereby you may be saved yet believe it many there are that rest upon duties and performances and make that the ground of their consolation Jer. 2.12 13. They have forsaken me the fountain of living water and have digged unto themselves cisterns broken cisterns that will hold no water my people that is not onely mine by creation but by profession yet they forsake me and digg'd cisterns to themselves how doe men love to draw water out of their own cisterns to create comforts to themselves to kindle sparks of their own fire untill the Lord bring them off from it Mat. 25.1 there were five wise virgins five foolish the foolish have lamps a profession and in that they rest without oyle that is Christ his grace and mercie and note Christ sayth the Kingdome of heaven is like ten virgins and it may be the state of the Church for all that I know men shall content themselves that they are members and boast themselves and comfort themselves in it with a name of Christians a name that they are alive and yet are dead therefore it neerly concerns you beloved to look to it it is not enough that you hear profess pray or be members of Churches unlesse Christ bee yours there is nothing else can make peace but the bloud of the Covenant and many there are that shall deceive themselves 2 See the sin the evill of trusting upon any thing beneath Christ 1 It is a vaine and foolish thing therefore the five Virgins Mat. 25. are called foolish Virgins and well might they be called foolish they content themselves with Lamps without oile how long is that Lampe likely to burn that wants oile think you so that professour that wants Christ It is a foolish thing for a man to be content with the shell without the kernell the shadow without the substance Beloved all things without Christ is but a shadow it will prove nothing hee is the substance of all Ordinances and professions farther then you have Christ in them they are dead O how foolish would you count that man that woman that should strive to catch the shadow leaving the substance It is a vain thing without profit the vanity of it is this they deceive themselves they thinke they have something when they have nothing Revel 3.19 Because thou sayest thou art rich and increased with goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miser able and poor and blinde and naked this is thy folly this is thy vanity thou thinkest that thou hast much to say for thy self because thon hast gotten a forme of godlinesse when the truth is that all without Christ is nothing nay lesse then nothing vanity they cannot helpe thee certainly Christ died in vaine if any thing beneath himselfe can save thee Galath 2.21 But secondly to create comforts to thy selfe beneath Christ is an evill and a bitter thing certainly beloved it will prove very evill and bitter one day eyther here when discovered to thy soul or else hereafter when too late See Jer. 2.19 Know therefore and see that it is an evill thing and a bitter that thouhast forsaken the Lord thy God An evill end bitter thing to forsake the Lord Jesus the fountain and to rest upon any other thing beneath himselfe Object What is the evill of it perhaps you will say Ans The best end of it is sorrow certainly sorrow must needs follow it Esay 50.11 Behold all you that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that yee have kindled this shall yee have of mine hand yee shall ly down in sorrow Question What is the reason poor souls walk so sadly and so sorrowfully Answer Is it not because they forsake the Lord the fountain and dig eisternes to themselves kindle a fire of their own and then sit down and thinke to comfort themselves and hence it comes to passe that so many poor souls ly down in sorrow it is not thy case poor soule thou settest up this duty and that duty this prayer and that ordinance and expectest comfort in them and thou wouldest fain compasse thy selfe about with those sparks of prayers and duties c. and this makes thee ly down in sorrow and all because thy soule is not carryed through these to Christ who is the substanee of all Ordinances 3 It is a shamefull thing to rest upon any thing beneath Christ certainly beloved it will make you ashamed one day either here or hereafter see Rom. 6.21 What fruit had you then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed the end of those things is death What were those things deeds of darknesse and certainly to rest upon any thing beneath CHRIST is a deed of darknesse and will cause shame see Ier. 17.13 O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be ashamed And they that depart from me shall be written in
to take the shield of faith a sheeld is for defence so this faith both defends and resists the Devill Quest But how doth faith overcome Ans It ever hath an eye to the foundation Christ it knows the foundation standeth sure and so it turns over the devill the false conclusion that the devill and the heart is ready to make together to Christ and now the soule sayth it is true Satan or it is true heart I am base I have a vile cursed nature I cannot pray nor performe any duty as I should sin is in my best action I confesse I am in my selfe as bad as man or devill can make not a worse heart in the world more subject to evill farther then God restrains it more unable to doe good farther then God inables and what of all this Satan I know there is enough to condemne me for ever were I to answer in mine own person for my selfe but Christ hath been condemned for me Satan he hath borne all my sins and so my condemnation and he hath made himselfe over to me so that now thou must first have something against Christ before thou canst shake my hold and thus by faith flying to Christ the soule overcomes the enemy but if the soule cannot thus have recourse to the Lord Jesus he is gone when the tempter comes he is not able to resist Then sayth the beleeving soule it is true Satan I have a proud self seeking heart ready ever to take that honour to it selfe that is due to God but it is as true that I may thank thee for it who hast thus metamorphozed my nature and made it like thine own and not onely so but commest in and ever stirrost up the heart to pride and selfe-seeking knowing well by experience that it is a sin that much provokes God but this is my mercie God lets me see into this depth of wickednesse and it is my burthen but Christ hath freed me from the power of it and from the iniquity of it hee is ever subduing it in me and one day I shall for ever be freed both from it and thee thus by faith the soule overcomes the devill this is the first particular wherein the Christian comes to liue by faith in the exercising of it according to the manyfold occasions it meets withall 2 To live by faith is a living upon Christ in the want of all things and that both externall and internall 1 Externall in the want of outward things when the creature is tripped naked and bare brought even to a morsell of bread then to live in beleeving the Lord will care for you when that you are brought to Christs condition that you have neither house nor home nor any thing in the world besides a Christ besides a God to live upon then when thou canst get a promise as that Heb. 13.5 He hath sayd I will not fail thee nor for sake thee and stick close to the Lord Jesus in such a promise this is a living by faith when the creature fails Hab. 3.17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vine the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no therd in the stalls Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation This is to live by faith when all creatures fail then to live upon God then to rejoyce in the Lord believing that God is able and will help the Lord will sustain The want of this faith was Israels sin Psal 78.18 19. they spake against God and sayd Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse how is the deceitfull heart of man ready to distrust God in such a condition as those Jews can God prepare a table when all is gone but faith in such a condition believes and lives by blieving and the Lord will care for moe sayth the soule and the Lord hath sayd it The lions shall luck and suffer hunger but they that wait upon the Lord shall want nothing that is good This is a hard thing it is easily sayd but not so easily done you thinke it is easie perhaps to live by faith while you have a house a calling that brings you in money perhaps every day or every week or money by you or land c. you can live comfortably upon Christ and your calling upon Christ and your house or land but let all be taken from thee see then how then canst live this may be your condition and then you will be put to the tryall 2 Spiritually when the soule hath nothing of its own to rest upon when duties and performances and all is gone then to believe and live by believing this is to live by faith indeed upon this ground the soule believes Rom. 4.4.5 He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnesse he that worketh not he that cannot performe one acceptable duty in way of righteousnesse but sees all is nothing yet believes in Christ and so lives by believing this is the constant stay of a believer he eversees his own emptinesse the untighteousnesse of his best actions I say to believe in and to live upon Christ in all such conditions it is to live by faith above duties and performances but how doe many a professing man and woman comfort themselves in the performing of duties in their inlargement in duty and the like but when they fail in this then they call all in question again this faith was not right for they thinke they believe because they can pray and meditate c. when indeed the soul that rightly believes doth believe because he cannot pray nor act or doe any thing that is acceptable and therefore he cannot live by faith but when that power he has to performe duty fails his faith and all fails this is not to live by faith yet this hath been the life of most professours in this Nation 3 A living by faith it is to live by beleeving of what the soule shall one day enjoy and this mightily bears up the spirits of the Saints And this we may take notice of under a threefold consideration 1 That which the gracious soule longs most after is the full enjoyment of God nothing lesse can satisfie the believing soule the soule that hath tasted how gracious the Lord is O sayth the Soule when shall I come to the full enjoyment of my God and so the seule groanes as the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.2 earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with the house from heaven and the reason is ver 7. for while we are here we walke that is live by faith and not by sense while we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord that is absent comparatively with relation to what it shall be for the soule has but a glimpse of glory but a
teacheth us all things that we rightly know we know nothing as we ought to know farther then Christ Jesus by his Spirit teacheth But I proceed to the next particular propounded in the office or work of a Prophet namely to work miracles this the Prophets before Christ did Moses a type of Christ and the great Prophet of Israel work't many miracles when the Lord sent him to deliver his people And this hath Christ our Prophet done and doth to this day this hee did when he was in the world turning water into wine raysing the dead to life restoring those borne blinde to sight c. and this be still doth Christ our Prophet is ever working miracles The conversion of a soule is a miracle it is the changing of the nature and it is above nature to doe it to raise a man from the dead to life is a miracle and this Christ doth to every soule who is indeed raised Ephes 2. the 1. and 5. verses compared ver 1. and you who were dead in trespasses and sins ver 5. Even when wee were dead in sins hath hee quickned us c. now to quicken to give life to a dead soule is a miracle and this Christ doth ordinarily and hee gives sight unto blinde men it was a miracle for Christ to give sight to the man that was borne blinde beloved every man and woman in the world is borne blinde spiritually blinde and this is a greater miracle to cure such yet this is the ordinary work of Christ and every man naturally is both blinde lame and deaf but Christ when he comes he opens the blinde eyes he un-stops the deaf eares he causeth the lame to walke and the tongue of the dumb to sing Esay 35.5 3 The Prophet did foretell of things to come Moses and the rest did fore-tell Christ c. and so did Christ in many particulars Mat 24. but I passe this also 2 Christ is to be exalted Prophet in the dayes of the Gospel see Act. 3.22 23. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you him shall you hear in all things Use 1. To examine if Christ have been thy Prophet When Christ comes first to the soule he findes men dead and gives life unto them he findes men blinde and gives sight unto them Hath the Lord discovered thy dead condition unto thee and given thee life art borne from above That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and thou wert borne flesh dead in trespasses and sins hath the Lord changed thee from a state of death to a state of life from a state of infidelity to a state of believing thou wert blinde thou wert borne blinde not able to see into spirituall things 1 Cor. 2.14 Hath the Lord opened thine eyes canst say I was blinde but now I see I was dumb but now I speak ô this is worth your consideration Use 2. A word of consolation to the Saints whom the Lord Jesus hath taught what is the comfort you will say 1 He will for ever be thy Prophet and will be ever teaching thee Thou shalt hear a voyce behinde thee saying this is the way walke yee in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left the Lord Jesus will be for ever thy Prophet he will never fail thee nor for sake thee his eye shall ever be over thee for good he will direct thee in all thy wayes and is not this a mercy 2 He hath made all the Saints Prophets he hath powred down a spirit of Prophesie upon them that now they are enabled by the spirit of prophesie to speake one to another for edification exhortation and consolation 1 Cor. 14.3 and therefore the men of the world might hence be warned to take heed how they meddle with the Saints to persecute them for they are the Lords Prophets 1 Chron. 16.22 Touch not mine anointed doe my Prophets no harme Christ takes every wrong done to them as done to himselfe therefore you had need look to it for it is that which will work your ruine in the end THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST The alone KING of SAINTS CHAP. III. I Come to the Kingly Office of Christ Christ is the alone King of his people believe it Christ is the alone King of his people Christ is a King and hee hath a Kindome Psal 45.6 His Kingdome is spirituall it is not of this world although it is in the world Christ hath a twofold kingdome here in this world there is the kingdome within the Saints and the kingdome without the one in the heart the other in the Church they are both spirituall 1 Christ rules and reignes in the Saints the kingdom of God is within you beloved Christ hath a kingdom within you if ye are his Christ is in you except yee be reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 And this is a priviledge more then all the Kings in the earth have they may reign here over their subjects but not in them but Christ first reigns in them then over them he reigns I mean spiritually over none but those in whom he reigns Now Christ reigns in the souls of the Saints first opposing all things that are contrary to himself there are other Lords that will seeke to rule in the hearts of the Saints if Christ subdue them not the Devill hee will seek to be Lord he that is the God of the world and rules and reigns in the hearts of the children of disobedience where Christ doth not rule but when the Lord Jesus coms he dispossesseth him and casts him out and so keeps him out The Devill will make many a strong assault throw many a fiery dart at the soule of the Christian endevouring if possible hee can to shake his hold but Christ he is the King hee is the watchman the keeper of Israel hee giveth in power to the weak fainting soul to overcome all those Laws and Edicts Satan shal endevour to set up in the soule so that now the Christian espyes all Satans plots and artificiall devices to trap and ensnare him rejects all his temptations and says as Christ Get thee behind me Satan when the Devill acts and works in others he hath no power over the soule where Christ reigns it is true hee may throw in his darts sometimes make assays eyther to tempt to some evill or to shake the faith of Christians but Christ the King reigns there still conquers him subdues him and so caries on his own work that the gates of hell cannot prevail against that soul where he dwels Thus Christ reigns keeping under Satan beleeve it beloved Christ and Satan cannot reign both in one soul 2 Christ opposes the power of sin in the soul where he reigns sin bears a strong sway in the soul now Christ he opposeth it sets himselfe against it hence it is there is such a strong opposition between the flesh and the spirit that is the spirit of Christ the spirit Iusting against the flesh the flesh