Sun of the water now let this mind be in you which also was in Jesus Christ a heavenly mind Eighthly The Lord Christs mind was a zealous mind a servent mind in 2 Joh. 17. Christ was zealous there in driving them out of the Temple that made his fathers house a den of Thieves He was zealous against the Traditions Doctrines and Practises of the Scribes and Pharisees the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up saith he a zealous mind he had Mat. 15. he was zealous against the tradition of the Elders and in Mat. 23. he was zealous against the Scribes and Pharisees woe to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites often he pronounces woe to them he had a zealous mind against all was corrupt and wicked So how zealous was Christ against the Churches for failings Rev. 2.2 3 4 5. I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apâ—stles and are not and hast found them lyars and hast born and hast patience and for my name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted He commends them for what was good first Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love I have somewhat against thee Ephesus thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Here 's the zeal of Christ I 'le come and I 'le come quickly and I 'le come and put out the Candle and break the Candlestick I will come and lay you waste though you be a Church if you dont return to your first works and first love The Lord had a zealous mind and spirit against declensions against declensions in love and grace and the like so in Heb. 5.7 who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save O how zealously did Christ Pray when he prayed till the blood trickled down Christ had a zealous mind Now let this mind be in you also to have a zealous mind against traditions superstitions against declinings in Grace against Apostacy and things of that nature Ninthly the Lord Christ had a peaceable and a quiet mind in Mat. 11. saith Christ learn of me for I am meek he had a quiet and a meek mind and Mat. 12.19 he shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man here his voice in the streets he shall be meek and quiet and peaceable it 's said of Seraiah in Jeremiah that he was a quiet Prince much more of Jesus Christ there was no striving no bitterness no contention and the like but peaceable and quiet he was Now let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus a meek a quiet a peaceable mind the Ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price saith the Apostle Peter speaking of Godly women such a spirit had Christ a quiet and a meek spirit and let this be in Christians and in Churches Tenthly the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ it was a submissive mind a submissive mind to his Fathers will whatever hard thing he should meet withall though he met with the hardest thing that was immaginable yet Christ was submissive unto it in Luke 22.42 Father if thou be willing remove the Cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done There was a cup prepared for Christ that never was the like cup for any to drink a a cup that had so much gall so much of the wrath of God a cup wherein all the guilt of our sins were and all the merit and desert of them this cup Christ must drink well saith he Father seeing I must drink it not my will but thy will be done So that the Lord Christ had a submissive mind to any hard and severe providence We are apt to stumble and quarrel and keep a do if things go cross to our wills and cannot bear them and say Lord not my will but thy will be done But let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus a submissive mind to the providences of God to drink the bitterest cup that he shall order out for you Eleventhly the Lord Christ had a Compassionate mind he was full of bowels of compassion and very tender hearted Mat. 15.32 Then Jesus called his Disciples unto him and said I have Compassion on the multitude because they continue now with me three dayes and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting least they saint in the way O I pitty them I have compassion on them I would not have them faint in the way and so afterwards in Mat. when some came and cryed to him that he would shew them mercy saith the Text Christ had compassion on them Mat. 20.3 4. he was wonderful compassionate Heb. 4.15 We have not an High-Priest which cannot â—e tâ—uched with the feeling of our Infirmities the Lord Christ doth feel the infirmities of every member of his body and in Heb. 2.17 It behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful High Priest He is sensible of our ignorances and infirmities weakness ful of bowels compassions Why then let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus a compassionate a merciful mind he was the good Samaritan which had compassion when neither the Priest nor the Levite would Twelfthly Lastly the Lord Christ had a loving mind a mind full of love a forgiving mind he â—ad such love as he could cover sins and forgive sins Eph. 5.2 walk in love as Christ also hath loved us O Christ hath loved us loved us and washed us in his own blood loved us and lay'd down his life for us loved us dearly and strongly loved us even above himself well saith he let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus walk in love as Christ hath loved us And he loved us so as to forgive those that wronged him though they wronged him exceedingly took away his garments took away his credit took away his liberty took away his life Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23.34 and therefore he appoints or commands Mat. 5.44 I say unto you love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Christ did so let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus Thus you see what mind was in Christ Yet to reduce things to these four particulars First to have the mind of Christ is to have the same thoughts in you that Christ had Christ had no ill thoughts in him but rebuk'd ill thoughts why think you evil in your hearts as it is in Psal 139.17
undertakings So in 9. Acts 14. we hear he hath authority from the chief Priests to bind all that call on thy nâ—me The Christians called on the name of the Lord Jesus for advice and councel and they were questioned and persecuted and troubled for it So then you see what it is to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 2. The second thing is why are we to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ First because we are impotent of our selves and can neither think nor speak nor do any thing of our selves well that is spiritual and truly good 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves What Paul that great Apostle that great Schollar not sufficient of himself to think any thing as of himself No saith he we are not sufficient of our selves but our sufficiency is of God and Joh. 15.5 without me saith Christ ye can do nothing abstracted from me ye can do nothing take the branch from the Vine and it will not grow it will not be green nor bring forth any clusters so alienanated distanced from Christ we can do nothing no spiritual action no spiritual thought no spiritual word and Phil. 4.13 saith Paul there I can do all things through Christ that strengthens wit I can think good thoughts speak gracious words do heavenly actions I can do any thing through Christ that strengthens me Therefore we should do all in Christs name that so we may have strength from Christ to do what we do to do it well to do it spiritually Secondly we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ because we do all bear that honourable and worthy name of Christ we are called Christians in the 11 of the Acts at Antioch they had that name put upon them James 2.7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called Men can blaspheme and dishonour the name of Christ by their own corruptions and corrupt power and strength they have but to honour the name of Christ they cannot now its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good name an honourable name a glorious name a great name the name of the Lord Jesus by which we are all called we are called Christians Isa 4.7 in that day seven women shall take hold of one man saying c. onely let us be called by thy name they desir'd it and yet went without it such a scarcity there was of men but Christs name is put upon us all therefore we should do and speak in the name of Christ whose name we bear those that were Aristotles Disciples did things in his name and so those were Plato's did things in his name and so we being Christians should do all things in the name of Christ in 2 Tit. 10. the Apostle there speaks to Servants that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Why the Doctrine is the name of Christ the Gospel is the name of Christ and as servants should adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things so should we adorn his Doctrine adorn his name in all things and in all things we think speak or do we should make his name honourable and glorious and dreadful too John was a holy man and adorned the name of Christ and he struck a dread into Herod by his Holiness he feared him he was a holy man Thirdly we should do all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ because this will warrant our actions and secure them Those who keep courts in their own names what stumbling is there at it and quarrelling against them so when we do things in our own names there will be quarrelling at it But Judges and Justices that do all in the Kings name this bears them out they do it in the Kings name so when we do things in Christs name this will warrant us There be three things that do concur to good actions First that the principle whence they come be good now if we do invocate the name of the Lord Jesus Christ which is one way of doing things in his name its an argument we have a good principle we begin with Christ Secondly that the end be right we must have a right end in a good action there must be the glory of God and the glory of Christ and how can it be otherwise if we do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ If we do all in his name we shall do all unto his name and all for his name for the honour of his name and so far we are well Thirdly but then where the great and common failing of men and women is they fail in the manner and if we fail there our action is marr'd and it is not acceptable it is not a good action and the manner must be in the name of the Lord Jesus whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus do all according to his will do all for his sake do all in his strength it must be in a right manner otherwise it will not be a good action if we do it in Christs name it will bear us up and bear us out and if we should suffer it will bear up us and we shall have this comfort in it that we suffer for Christs sake and not for our own sakes or for mens sakes and if men wrong us they wrong the Lord Christ when we do things in his name and according to his will when it is done in our own names we must stand to it our selves and bear it out as well as we can but if it be done in his name he will bear us out Fourthly we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus because we are all bought by the Lord Jesus and are not our own it 's said in Peter they deny the Lord that bought them i. e. Christ the Lord hath bought all to be Sons or Slaves but for Christians and those that are Saints 1 Cor. 6. last Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods We are bought and bought by Christ and therefore we should do all in the name of Christ being he hath bought us for himself Servants should do all in their Masters names nothing in their own names they in the 12. Psal cryed our Tongues are our own we will speak what we list they thought their tongues their hands their feet their eyes and all their own when as nothing was their own the worst man that is hath nothing his own for he is bought by Christ to be a Slave or a Servant as a man that buys the Vineyard he buys the dry sticks as well as the Vine and the dry sticks for the good of the Vines so the Lord hath bought all but the Godly in a peculiar manner to do all in his name for
and to overtake them to be as great and high and honourable as they to have as great Purchases as they have to have as great Revennues and In-comes as they have but they look not at those that are rich in grace those that are very spiritual and heavenly and Godly and walk close with God and say I would I were like to them and so labour to get more grace and to walk with God as Enoch did for three hundred years together now when it is thus it 's an argument men love the world Ask your own hearts therefore whether it be so or no with you that you are desirous of more and more of the world but are not desirous after more and more of heaven and of God and covetous after the best things Fourthly Ask your hearts what they do find most sweet and content in is it not in the world and the things of the world how sweet and pleasing are they unto our natures but for the things of heaven what are they what are the things of heaven unto you they are like the white of an Egg they are unsavory things to men and women or very little savour in them There be many that say who will shew us any good who will shew us a good bargain who will shew us a good purchase who will shew us any good But Lord saith David do thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon me There was good in that that was sweet unto him the light of Gods countenance Psal 34.8 Taste and see that the Lord is good the Lord is good and the Lord is sweet to my soul and he would have others taste how good the Lord is to have the favour of God communion with God peace with God joy in the Holy Ghost oh these have a sweet taste and relish to a gracious heart and soul Others say who will shew us any good Corn and Wine and Oyl Pleasures and Profits and the like these are pleasing to them and as for spiritual and heavenly things they are notions and shaddows and they make small account of them but a gracious soul he finds it as in the 19. Psal The Statutes of the Lord are right saith David Rejoycing the heart his Crown and Kingdom did not so rejoyce his heart as God's Statutes did and v. 10. More are they to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb Give me Gold say some Gold Gold but saith David the Statutes of God they are more desirable than fine Gold the choicest Gold they are sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb Honey is sweet but the Honey-comb the Honey that runs out of it self out of the Honey-comb that 's sweetest of all now saith he they are sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb Now what sweetness do your souls find in these things In the 3. Mal. 14. What profit is it say they that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts we find no profit in this serving of God and in being much in prayer and reading and meditation and holy conference in hearing and worshipping of God We find no profit in it what profit is it To such men Gain is Godliness but to a gracious heart any thing of God is sweet and great gain Qu. Fifthly put this question to your hearts heart dost thou not use questionable and unlawful means to get the world and neglect lawful means and unquestionable means that would get heaven and get spiritual things Many do use things questionable and means questionable and unlawful too to get the world you have it in the 1 Thess 4.6 That no man go beyond anâ— defraud his Brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such dont men go beyond others and defraud others to get the world oppress or over-reach them as the word signifies they have a deep insight into things and they will over-reach a man that 's simple and labour to wring from them and draw from them that so they may encrease their estates these love the world so in the 8. Amos 5. saith he They do falsifie the ballances by deceit when men do falsifie the haslances have false weights false wayes false lights it 's an argument they love the world and the things of the world that will hazzard their souls to get the world and grate upon their own Consciences for if ever their Consciences be awakened they will speak and accuse and condemn for such practices This is a manifest argument of loving the world if we can use questionable means and unlawful means and then neglect the means that are unquestionable and very lawful God hath appointed means to get Grace Prayer Meditating hearing the Word searching the Scriptures these are means that are unquestionable and will bring in gain whereas the other are questionable and unlawful means Qu. Sixthly put this question to your souls Soul dost thou not affect notions and learning and wisdom of words and parts and gifts and things of this nature All these things are of the world and how are mens fancies tickled with these and affected and taken with these Humane Learning Fathers and Latine Greek Hebrew and Authors how it pleases some men which shews they are but carnal natural and worldly as Paul saith 1 Cor. 2.4 My Speech and my Preaching was not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of Men but in the power of God The faith of such men stands in the wisdom of men he is a brave Orator he is a Learned man and he hath singular notions and expressions and these things please them and so they have a faith that stands in the wisdom of men but now as for the simplicity of the Gospel and plain wholsom truths these are hardly welcome to them Now that which is of God is plain and spiritual and the more spiritual any truth is the more welcome to a gracious heart but the more spiritual it is the less acceptable to that man whose heart loves the world because it strikes at his carnalness and his corruptions So that ask your hearts that question Qu. Seventhly Lastly put this question to your hearts whether thou art not more griev'd and troubled for the loss of outward things worldly things then thou art for the loss of spiritual things or the removal of spiritual things many mourn bitterly for Relations Husband taken away a Wife taken away Children taken away Estate taken away how they mourn and weep and hang down their heads and forsake their dyet and take to their Chambers and Beds and will not be comforted many times But if a Godly Minister be taken away Ordinances taken away Sabbath taken away Meetings taken away these things dont much trouble them Now it 's an argument that we love the world when we can be affected so with the loss of these