Christian-Experiences FROM Scripture-Evidences UNDER This Variety or several Heads Viz. 1. Comfort for Believers against their fears and dismayings 2. Comfort for Believers from their spiritual Incomes 3. Mans fruitlesness without saving faith being a parallel between the belief of most and the belief of Devils 4. Councel unto Saints as sojourners and strangers 5. Mans folly in determining by present evens or state of things By Richard Coler Preacher of the word at Broughton in Hampshire PSAL. 31. 24. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord. London Printed for Tho. Brewsteâ— and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of three Bibles near the West end of Pauls 1652. To the Right Honorable Col Richard Norton OF Southwick in the County of Southampton a Member of the High Court of Parliament Grace and Peace be multiplied c. Honored Sir DId not the Title page bespeak your Condescension I durst not thus presume this Dedication But I am thus bold because harmless free from flattery though not from fear But knowing that the Lord whom you serve who being so Great and Glorious yet is so Good and Gracious as not to despise the day of small things nay such is his Goodness Zech. 4. 10. that he accepteth succoureth and supporteth it not breaking the bruised reed or quenching the smoaking flax yea the poor mite with a free and Mark 12. 43. willing heart is accepted as a Treasure in Christs Treasury And then shall not Christians O that name Christian not the titular but the real Christian that Prayeth in Prosperity and Praiseth in Adversity that is indeed a Peice of that Master-peice of the New Creation in the Mat. 10. 39. Lord Jesus Christ that findeth life by loosing of it and self by throwing it away that is watchful in every thing but careful for nothing who feasts with Divine favour and companies with sweet fear living in highest hope Christ in him the hope of glory who being above all in advancement is the lowest of all in abasement Thus was the nature of our Lord Jesus he humbled Phil. 2. 5 7 8 9. himself to behold things below Let the same minde be also in you own truth though in the plainest stile the lowest form the least appearance the meanest person like not the face for the dress sake but the dress for the face sake Truth is lovely and to be Beloved not for the habit and notion but for the Nature and Naked Primitive purity truths union with the soul or rather with the Soul of our soul the truth as it is in Jesus This I have endeavoured after in this little Tract and I doubt nothing material shall be found therein but what is consonant to Scripture and the experience of the Saints I confess it is but a diminitive not suiting the greatness of your person nor the excellency of your endowments but to testifie what I would do and what I could wish some attainment worthy your owning and receiving the which having not I do beseech you to accept of what I have it is indeed but a little little yet it is what I have received not from men or of men but of the Lord A few Christian Experiences with Scripture Evidences And so far I doubt not but you will Patronize the Lord having taught you the truth of Text and Title in the field to admiration Who taught your hands to War and your fingers to fight through Isa 41. 10. many and great Transactions many and great Atchievements many and emminent Victories was it not the Lord saying Fear not I am with you be not dismayed I am thy God helping upholding you against number power policy What speaks experience in the streets of Havant Downs of Chereton the Siege of Basing may not you truly say That special providence and special presence was not once or twice but imminently about your person and prospering your affairs owning the day of small things sometimes but as a worm amidst an host of Isa 41. 14. adversaries giving you resolution strength courage to pass through many strengths yea many Troops to the astonishment of spectators and the calling forth of the highest acts of Temporary faith for the present and future ages But I shall say no more such things being so well known amongst the godly in the Countrey who were your friends and followers Onely Right Honorable as the day of small things may not be dispised so those days of great things must not be forgotten Remember O Remember in this forgetful age the mercies of old the Lord hath vouchsafed unto you My hearts desire is that you might live in deliverances and successes in time of peace that you experimentally have been partaker of in time of war And that God who was with you over you and made you instrumental doing wonders in the field would also still be with you and make you as savingly successful in your Councels The Chariot wheels of Through-Reformation drive on heavily and I do not wonder because great bodies move slowly yet if sure to Gospel terms it will bring comfort in the end to answer all your Pains Patience and expence In the interim were but the life of those Ordinances put into life which are against Sabbath-breaking Swearing Blasphemy Drunkenness and Rioting c. certainly a further blessing might attend this Common-wealth but I fear the want will cause woe Oh that Vnder-Officers might exercise their duty conscionably and carefully against such as these and not be such as these themselves The Lords day and Gospel Ordinances under Christian Magistracy ought not to be so slighted by any plea whatsoever where Christian Liberty is granted away with Licentious Liberty no conscience consciencious but wil confess the Commandment is holy just and Rom. 7. 12. good But if any such object That the Magistrate hath not to do in such cases as some cry out Penalty is Persecution to such an Objector I shall onely say Non est persecutor vester sed persecutor persecutoris vestri id est erroris vestri the Magistrate is not your persecutor but a persecutor of your persecutor that is your error What evil is it to put restraint unto Licentiousness What evil to put constraint on that that makes for holiness But what good would be manifest if penalty on either certainly a stop to sin and an advance of profession if not of piety and I am sure a discharge of duty But I must return submitting and beseeching you to pass by my failings and to accept of these few lines part of which you once granted the hearing of in a Family-exercise which is now presented unto your reading but before you pass into it receive that which is most intended something of comfort and spiritual incomes the Lord being about believers they are surrounded with a Gracious Gloriousness and a Glorious Graciousness you have experienced it abroad now within In bread
as thy resolution fails thee of leaving all for Christ so far is my fear of thee that thou art not in union with Christ Fourthly To be one spirit with Christ doth denote the constancy and perpetual tye that is between Christ and the soul No knot will be lasting and holding but this between Christ and believers Couple our selves to flesh never so strongly yet all will be broken couple our selves to sin never so strongly This shall you have of Gods hand ye shall lie down in sorrow your vanity shall be bound up in vexation of spirit No conjunction can hold but that which is spiritual nor no spiritual conjunction but that which is between Christ and believers Sin will make a separation though God be thy Creator Preserver these knots between the Creature and God will all be broken But this union with Christ and our spirits it is a constant perpetual and an everlasting holding I have read of one that writing to his Consort would use this salutation Eternal thine This was an expression of excess that can never be made good to any but Christ and believers and therefore for thy comfort thou doubting believer Christ and thee being one spirit bear up the head against all temptations for thy head and husband salutes thee with Eternal thine Jer. 31. 3. The Lord hath appeared unto me saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love A love that is both boundless and endless with such a love hath Christ loved his Church and people And therefore though all fails as it will flesh and heart and all will fail yet this spiritual union between Christ and the soul shall never fail Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. Summon all these into one Tribulation distress famine persecution peril sword life angels principalities powers things present things to come now follows your triumph Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But may the soul say If there be such Obj. affinitie between Christ and his Church and every believer and that all believers are partakers of one and the same spirit as Love Joy Peace Meekness Patience c. What is the reason of all that variance discord and dissention that is amongst even believers and professors The difference and disagreement amongst believers themselves ariseth from themselves Ans because our own spirits are most predominate If Christ did but Lord it whose spirit is righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost wranglig and discord would not be found amongst brethren we would not so strive and contend the faithful should contend onely for the faith not against the faithful members should not strive against members None should hate his own flesh Believers are flesh of one flesh and bone of the same bone all one in Christ why not so one with another This is our fault and indeed our misery we keep the spirit of Christ under and we exalt our own passions Christians therefore consider what you do in all your wranglings and disputings keep to this rule So far as you have attained walk together with a spirit of forbearance and complyance and bow your passions and your principles to the scepter of Christ for that is not a wangling but a righteous scepter I would have all Christians to keep to this rule against sin even to hate the Garment spotted with the flesh not to touch any unclean thing for what concord hath Christ with Belial light with darkness sin with saints No saith the Lord 2 Cor. 6. 17. Be ye separated and I will be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters And Christians for your Saviours sake Let all bitterness and envyings and wranglings be put away from you as becometh Saints Ephes 5. 3. And thus much for the first thing considerable How Believers and Christ may be said to be one spirit CHAP. II. Touching Evidence whether we be one Spirit with Christ 2. THe next thing to be toucht upon is What Evidence may I have that Christ and my soul are one in this spiritual union For this is very considerable before we can draw any saving and solid comfort in the benefits and spiritual Incomes the soul hath by being one Spirit with Christ 1. As an Evidence for this union try your union with Christ by your communion with Christ Not that you should measure out your union by your communion for it is possible for the soul to be united unto Christ that as yet hath no acquaintance and familiarity with Christ As Mary did Ioh. 20. 15. talk with Christ as well as believe in Christ and yet she did not know him and why might not she have supposed him to be Christ as well as the Gardiner Therefore let us not measure our union with Christ by our communion but let us try our union by our communion and enjoyment Can thy soul say from experience as the Spouse Can. 2. 4. He brought me into the banqueting house and his Banner over me was love Without question so was house and table and all Hath thy sovl ever been fed with his dainties have you been at his table tasted of his wine It may be thou wilt say This I know that Christ hath stood Rev. 3. 20. at my door and knockt at my heart as he doth at many a Sinners in a Sermon But when was the time that Christ came in and supped with thee and when did you sup with him What inward feastings and familiarity hath there been between Christ and the soul We know the tie of Nature will constrain some exchanges and intercourses of love between man and wife but much more the band of Grace between the soul and Christ Try therefore thy union by thy communion 2. If you would know your Union try not only by your Communion but also by Convincement as Communion is an Evidence so Convincement We know that there can be no true marriage without convincement of love No more can there be between Christ and thy soul Now when was thy soul convinced of Christs alsufficiencie and thy self of thy own natural misery For this is the way Christ takes to wooe and win the soul unto himself Ioh. 16. 7 8. 3. They that have union with Christ flie the pollutions of the world None can be one with Christ and one with Swearing one with Drunkenness not one with Christ and one with Covetousness In such pollutions there is not communion with Christ and therefore no union For what communion hath light with darkness Christ with Belial The Spirit of Christ clears the heart of such guests as drive a trade with sin And would to God I might say of all you Professors as Paul saith of many of these Corinthians 1 Cor. 16. 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God 4. They that are one with
nations men and devils combine do not grumble nor fear the wil and work of your heavenly father must be done However beliver go forward with your occasions with a holy subjection unto thy fathers will but take this in that whether it be life or liberty prosperity or adversity for so did Christ it be with resignation of all to God Matth. 26. 39. Not my will but thine be done Believers in times of fears must do as the children of Israel did Exod. 14. they were incompassed with a huge host and the red sea yet they go forward till they could go no further and then comes in that Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord So must believers in the midst of all national fears still be a going forward and see the salvation of God in all their enterprizes But you will further object Though I fear national troubles it is not I alone but Obj. many godly and eminent Christians are at a stand about the present affairs and proceedings And can you blame me to have fears who am but in the lower form I shall not blame but argue what cause of fears since being a believer thou hast Ans such refreshments as Gods presence doth afford unto his in any straits and troubles And what cause of fears can there be when all for Gods people shall work for their advantage thus saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 28. All shall work together for good to them that love God and thou loving God let it be tribulation or persecution good will be brought out of thy troubles and afflictions God will overturn Kings and Kingdoms yet if it produce good for thee what cause of fears God hath thrown down Ahasuerus with his hundred and twenty Provinces and the more he throws down the nearer is the end of all things and this should be so far from grief to Gods people that they should rejoyce yea lift up you heads you redeemed of the Lord the more shakings of the worlds powers the nearer is your everlasting joy Be glad then and rejoyce for the day of your redemption draweth nigh And the Text gives you this comfort that though foraign invasions come never so strong and home-bred enemies plot never so secretly yet fear not overcoming for thou shalt overcome saith the Lord unto his Church and people at the 15 and 16 Verses Behold I will make thee speaking of the worm Jacob to thresh the mountains and beat them smal and shalt make the hills as chaff and fan them and carry them away Do but consider these expressions and here 's enough to answer all national fears and enough to draw forth thy spirit to rejoce in the Lord and to glory in the holy one of Israel Comfort for Believers From their Spiritual Incomes 1 Cor. 6. 17. But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit CHAP. I. Shewing the scope of the words and how Believers and Christ are one Spirit THe Apostle in the former part of this Chapter reproveth the Corinthians about their going to Law about things indifferent and in the verse before the Text about Fornication He brings in these words as lifting up his present Argument to a more high and spiritual Conclusion Know you not saith he v. 16. that is You do know what Moses saith that Two shall be one flesh this is matrimonial coupling The same effect hath Fornication and sin He that joyns himself to Drunkenness and Adultery is one with Drunkenness and Adultery But now the Lord to whom Believers are joyned hath a spirit above the world and such base carnal defilements For he that is joyned unto an Harlot is one body but he that is joyned to Jesus Christ is one Spirit The scope of these words holds forth that heavenly union and communion that is between Christ and every Believer And the Apostle brings them in as a royalty that every Child of God hath by being joyned to Christ as if he would have them boast in this their present Income above all such bitter sweets and pleasures of sin which are but for a moment Mark therefore how he opposeth it against â—he poor and beggerly Contracts of this World and Sin as being loth to speak so much of the worlds miscarriages and defilements and to hold so long from the spiritual souls enjoyment He doth as it were wind up another key delighting in that wherein his heart had found joy and experimental comfort for every Believer is in union with Christ and Christ is in union with every Believer Yea here 's my triumph here 's my glory Every Believer hath not only union but communion also for between a Believer and Christ there is union they are one and not only so but there is enjoyment of communion in this union They are one Spirit In the words two things are to be enquired into First what is meant by being one And secondly what is meant by being one Spirit 1. By Vnion we are not to understand Corporal or Personal union as if the Husband should be the Wife the Father the Son or the Head the Members or contrary but by being one with Christ is a Spiritual and Conjugal union an union of Relations as Head and Members Husband and Wife which though they be two in appearance yet are but one in compliance and acquaintance As Moses saith in Natures wedlock Two shall be one flesh that is man and wife shall live and move and act together for each other So Christ and every Believer though they be different persons as head and members husband and wife yet they both have but one Father one house one home they live and move and act together have one compliance one acquaintance one enjoyment one in love one in heart one all And the summ of this is eminently set forth in Eph. 5. from the 23. v. to the end of the Chapter 2. What is meant by being one Spirit for this is Spiritual conjunction In corporal conjunctions there is a union in flesh but this union of Christ with the soul is spiritual they are one Spirit By Spirit here we are not to understand the essential being of God or Christ for he is said to be a Spirit Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit He speaks it of his universal nature as he is Infinite and Omniscient thus neither Angels or men are in union with him onely Jesus Christ who is God equal with the Father blessed for ever comprehending all things by whom all things subsist But by Spirit here is meant the participation of the gifts and graces of God whereby he doth cooperate and work in our hearts a conformity to all those holy ends and purposes as he hath awarded in his Word to all the faithful in Christ Jesus So that by Spirit we are to understand the fruits of the Spirit And thus you may have a Cloud of witnesses Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you He
any thing to the charge of Gods Elect for Christ hath dyed and also is risen Rom. 8. 33. again who will not suffer them to be tempted to be touched or attached but deliver them out of all 5. That soul that hath union with Christ hath not only such an Income as all the precious Promises all the richest Graces all the sweetest Comforts all the highest Priviledges but also all the noblest Hopes are yours if you be Christs What a noble hope is that which a gloriovs Christ gives unto every gracious heart Col. 1. 27. Which is Christ in us the hope of Glory This hope is a mysterie yea a glorious mysterie yea there is riches of glory in this mysterie By union with Christ this is our spiritual Income Christ is in that soul the hope of glory True it is that if in this life we had only hope we were of all men most miserable as the hope of wicked men is who make gold their hope Job 31. 24. as Job speaks But saith the soul I have not thirsted after such base and earthly hopes as this worlds good or this worlds gold but Heaven and God and Grace and Glory yea the noblest hopes Christ in my soul the hope of glory 6. And lastly not only the noblest hopes are thine by being one with Christ but all heavenly enjoyments are thine by vertue of thy union And this is so large an Income that Saints and Angels cannot express Eye hath not seen neither hath ear heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for such that are in union with Christ Heaven and all Heavens enjoyments Christ and God and Glory a glorious God a glorious Christ a glorious Glory I can say no more All is promised and all shall be accomplisht Saints united to Christ have all theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 23. And out of all that hath been said I shall adde but a word by way of use 1. Unbeliever come forth and behold the Income of the Saints and with a holy emulation enquire what is thy portion say as they in the Canticles What is your Can. 5. 9 beloved more then another beloved Say in a melting frame of pity over thy own soul What must you that are called to be Saints have such an Income as all these Promises all these Graces all these Comforts Hopes and Priviledges And what must I have Tell thy soul with sadness If thou art out of this spiritual union with Christ then all the fearful Threatnings all the heavy Judgments the Vials of Gods wrath with eternal judgments and everlasting torment is all yours if you be not in Christ and become a new creature Search therefore and seek For such Benefits and such spiritual Incomes have gracious souls by being in union with a gracious Christ 2. And last of all Believers Live at that rate as becomes the Espoused of the Lord Jesus They that have great revenues fear not wanting especially if it be certain and sufficient then we cast to keep house according and live and lay out sutably to our yearly maintenance Now none can keep a better house then Believers for they have such a spiritual Income that nothing can be more certain nothing can be more sufficient What will not Promises Graces Comforts Priviledges answer when they are all precious rich sweet and heavenly Every of these is by Christ an eternal maintenance constant durable that waxeth not old Thou mayst even feed thy very faintings and feast thy fears for there can be no lack where there is such spiritual and heavenly supply Terror for Professors OR Mans Fruitlesness without Saving Faith Jam. 2. 19. Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well the Devils also believe and tremble CHAP. I. Shewing the import of the Text with the Doctrine and Parts for further Demonstration THis Epistle was not particularly written to any Church but in generall to the scattered Tribes as may be seen cap. 1. 1. And yet you have the Apostle often calling of them by this appellation Brethren as in the following Chapters Notwithstanding this he reproveth them and that sharply of two eminent faulrs that were among them First in regard of their Partiality And secondly in regard of their Charity So ver 3 4. compared with 15 16. And I think these two things the world will never remedy But that the Saints should be thus uncharitable so lofty and so partial who would not wonder they having so righteous a God and so merciful a Father Yet this Iames found amongst them And therefore he comes more close to them in the 5. ver Hearken my beloved brethren Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of a kingdom Mark how the Apostle comes in with this as if so be they were dull of hearing and therefore he speaks it as whispering in their ears as if he were ashamed the world should know that Professors should be Despisers and so uncharitable unto their poor Brethren who were as good as they were by the Fathers side and by faith though not so rich in outward ornaments and goodly apparel Grant saith the Apostle that you be rich and great and goodly in apparel yet you need not be ashamed or despise a poor believer for if he be poor yet if a believer he is as good as thou art All one in Christ rich in faith May be thou hast much more in thy hands but what of that the poorest in Christ is an heir of a kindom for God hath promised this to them that love him Verse 5. Take heed therefore none of you be thus partial as to despise a poor brother in the faith of Christ for they and you bear the impress of a worthy name And being thus partial as to despise you blaspheme your holy calling in the profession of Christ Verse 7. And know Professors if you have the faith of Christ in respect of persons it cannot stand with saving faith There is a faith that will not save as the 14 Verse hath it But have as large a profession as you will if you have not the nature of faith truly operative and working in charity and lowliness of minde all is nothing Profession without practice and performance is but a dead faith and profiteth nothing for thus he illustrates in the 15 16 17. Verses If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them Depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth it profit the meaning is have as many good words as you will yet if you have not practice in a measure suitable unto your expressions you are alone your faith is but a dead faith words though never so sweet without works are but as a sounding brass and a tinkling symbal From the scope