Diocess to rule and govern the same or as a Pilot in a Ship to guide it or as the Soul in the Body to actuate and animate it It 's his Office to Counsel Conduct Confirm and Comfort his People and he is faithful in his Office You see what Comforts you may suck out of this Honycomb Oh Mind them much that you may live comfortably upon them in this bad World Do not pore too much upon your Troubles but oft call to Mind the Comforts that belong to you and live joyfully in Hope of Glory 2. Doct. It is Christ within us that is our Hope of Glory 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life Vitam gratiae in re Vitam gloriae in spe He that hath Christ hath the Life of Grace in reality and the Life of Glory in Hope In the Doctrinal part for the Information of your Judgments and Illustration of this great Truth I shall give a brief Account of the Glory here spoken of the Hope of Glory and then prove that it 's Christ in us that is our Hope of Glory Quest 1. What Glory is this here spoken of Answ There is the Glory of the World and that is Fading and Transitory And there is the uncreated Glory of the most High and that is incomprehensible And there is the Glory of the Saints in Heaven and that is in Riches invaluable but this is the Glory that I am now to speak of And who can give an account of this so great and amazing Glory A full account cannot be expected yet there is a Glimpse and but a Glimpse thereof given us in the Gospel And as far as it is revealed so far we may endeavour a Discovery And in the Gospel it is set forth in its Properties and Priviledges And of 1. The Properties of this Glory The Term Property if strictly taken is unapt and improper and if you please you may lay it aside and instead thereof put the Praises that are given by God to this Glory It is called an Unsearchable Unchangeable Unconceivable and an Uncorruptible Glory 1. It 's an Unsearchable Glory Job 5.9 God doth great things and unsearchable And his Glorifying such worthless worms as the Children of Men are is one of the great unsearchable things that he doth for the Glory of his great Name Alas where shall we search for a full discovery of the Glory of the Saints in Heaven The Book of Nature and the Book of the Scripture give but a Dim and Dark account of it And were we admitted to take a view in the Court of Heaven and enabled to bear it it might dazle our Eyes and ravish our Hearts but we could not see into its Nature nor search out its Splendour nor utter what we saw of this unsearchable Glory 2. It 's an Unchangeable Glory the Glory of the Sun may be Eclipsed and the Glory of Princes obscured but the Glory of the Saints in Heaven cannot be changed 1 Pet. 1.24 The Glory of Man is as the Flower of Grass That if it be not nipt before ripe yet then it withers and drops off into the Portion of Weeds but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and the Glory of Heaven is established by an Immutable Irrevocable Decree of the Lord of Hosts 3. It 's an Unconceiveable Glory 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entered into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The Glory that is prepared in Heaven for the Elect is beyond the reach of a finite Understanding The Saints in Heaven that have Glory in Possession do wonder at their own Glory as not being able to comprehend the Riches of it the least Jewel that belongs to any Crown of Glory is invaluable Oh the difference that is betwixt the Glory of the Crowns of Earthly Kings and the Glory of a Crown of Glory All the Glory of the World united together is but a bauble or a single Chaff if compared to it 4. It 's an Incorruptable Glory 1 Cor. 9.25 They strive for Mastery to obtain a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible All Worldly Glory is fading this never fades nay this Fading corruptible Body of a Saint must at the Resurrection put on Incorruption and be Glorified according to the Pattern of Christ his Glorious Body Phil. 3. last And both Soul and Body united live for ever in Glory And what an Excellency doth this Word Eternity put upon this Glory to live in Glory for the Term of a whole and long Life is extraordinary But to live in such Glory to all Eternity Oh how Excellent is this Surely the Glory we are speaking of is not to be slighted especially if we further consider 2. The Priviledges of it The Prerogatives of the Crown of Glory are most Rich and Royal Prerogatives Every Crown hath its Prerogatives but the Prerogatives of the Crown of Glory are extraordinary precious Prerogatives and all the Saints enjoy them and that without any encroachment hazard or forfeiture Let us take notice of some of them 1. Great Changes both in the Form and Fashion of the Body and also in the Frame and Faculties of the Soul beyond our present Apprehensions 1 John 3.2 It doth not appear what we shall be viz. Neither by Reason nor Revelation but though this great change that will be made in glorified Saints doth not fully appear either to our Sight or Knowledge yet it appears that it will be such a State of Perfection both of Body and Soul as will make us like our glorified Head and will make us capable of seeing and holding Communion with him We know says he That when Christ shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And by this it appears that the Body of the Saints must be greatly refined and spiritualized to be fitted for glorified Souls These earthly Tabernacles that now are but Prisons to our Souls and by the straitness of the Organous render the Soul uncapable of putting forth such Operations as their noble Natures are capable of and by their feebleness cannot bear an express of Joy without overcoming the Vital Spirits 1 Cor. 15.54 These Frail Bodies I say will then be made Immortal and Incorruptible and so Active and Powerful as to be able to bear such Impressions as now they are wholly unable to bear And also the natural Faculties of the Soul will be wonderfully enlarged That so in Union with the Body they may be made meet for an Eternity of Praises and for those beatifical Visions which they must alway behold And both Soul and Body then united will be covered with such a Mantle of Glory as will make them not only amiable but as will exceed the Sun in its Splendor Mat. 28.3 It 's said the Angel that appeared at the Resurrection of Christ Had a Countenance like the Lightning
such are assured of Glory but this I say that all such are sure of Glory and ought to live in sure and certain Hope of Glory In this Case Christ himself is the Object and Original of all true Hope of Glory But its Christ in the Soul both in respect of Union and Communion that is the off-spring of this Hope of Glory and Christ in us becomes our Hope of Glory two ways By way of Influence and by way of Evidence 1. By way of Influence as when the Soul comes into the Body it animates it and by its influence causeth such Motions as do assure the Mother that she is quick with Child and may live in Hope of being a glad Mother So when Christ comes into the Soul by his Spirit it so influenceth the Soul and changeth it that thereby the Soul comes to know and understand that it is a member of Christ and an Heir of Glory and therefore lives in sure and certain Hope of Glory 2. By way of Evidence the Spirit of Christ in the Soul is the Souls Evidence for Heaven and as great an Evidence as can be had on this side Heaven Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his You see that the Spirit of Christ in the Soul doth Evidence the Souls Interest in Christ and assures it that he is Christs and Christ is his and this Evidence is so Evident that it fills the Soul with Hopes of Glory The Soul thus argues with it self Christ in the Soul is the Souls Hope of Glory Now I find Christ in my Soul and therefore Oh my Soul live thou in sure and certain Hope of Glory Having now divided and unfolded the Words I extract thence these two Doctrines Doct. 1. That every true Christian hath Christ within him Doct. 2. It s Christ within us that is our Hopes of Glory 1. Doct. Every sincere Christian hath Christ within him John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me 1 John 3. last He that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him and He in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Rev. 3.20 If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him To prevent mistakes and clear up this great Truth let us enquire how and in what Sense this is to be understood when and in what manner doth Christ take Possession of the Hearts of his Elect why and for what cause and end is it that he abideth in them And how may we know the Spirit of Christ from the Spirit of Antichrist Quest 1. How and in what sense is this Doctrine to be understood Answ 1. Negatively It 's not to be understood of his personal bodily Presence his Body is now a Glorified Body and abideth in Heaven and there is to abide 'till he come to Judgment The Romanist tell us that Sacramental bread is changed into his Body and after Consecration every Wafer is the Body of Christ and is not to be eaten but to be swallowed and upon swallowing it Christ is within them but if Paul had been of their mind he would not have tould us that after Consecration it remains still bread and that it's bread that we eat and not the very body of Christ 1 Cor. 11.26.27 And our senses assure us it is bread we see feel and taste bread and yet they are so senseless as they will not believe their own eyes Nor is it to be understood of the Providential presence of Christ it is true that Christ is with us by the presence of his Providence ordering our affairs and disposing of us and our concerns according to the Councel of his good Will and Pleasure but the In-being here spoken of is of another Nature therefore I answer 2. Affirmatively That it is to be understood of his Spiritual presence viz. that Christ is in his Spouse and in every particular Member that belongs unto him by his Spirit and Grace Rom. 8.9 10. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none his and if that Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin viz. If by his Spirit he be in you It implies the Mistical union that is betwixt Christ and his Members A Mistery that is too wonderful to be made manifest to Mortals And it signifies to us our dependance upon Chriist for Light and Life What the Soul is to the body that Christ is to the Soul he abides in it by his spirit to supply its needs And is all in all to the Soul And all things else are just nothing to the Soul for they can afford it no satisfaction nor any one supply of its needs Alas what relief can Honour or Riches afford a Christless Soul none at all They oft prove snares to the Soul but never give any succour to it but Christ by his Spirit is in every true Christian and this is his Happiness and his hope of Glory Quest 2. When and in what manner doth Christ take possession of the hearts of his Elect Answ In this great transaction betwixt Christ and the Soul it is certain that Christ himself is the Author and the Spirit his Agent and his Word his usual and ordinary instrument and Faith his appointed method and means and the Work is wholly supernatural But the Modus rei the course and order that the Spirit makes use of in this great affair its intricate and hereby hath occasioned some difference in the apprehensions of the Learned In my weak Judgment they are in the right that distinguish betwixt 1. The qualifying Antecedents or Prerequisites that dispose prepare and fit the Soul for so great a Guest viz. the Grace that Christ by his Spirit conveys into the Soul in order to his entrance called the first preventing Grace this is the seed of Faith and a holy principle of Life Light and Love infused into the Soul as a holy Root and cause of all actual holiness and precedes it and puts the Soul into a capacity to put forth future acts of holiness This initial holiness sanctifies the Soul and halloweth it and makes it meet for the indwelling of the holy Spirit And till the Soul be thus seasoned I cannot see how the Holy Ghost can take up its Habitation in it What Communion can light have with darkness 2. The conveying Concomitants that usher Christ into the Soul and accompany the possession that the Spirit takes of the Soul is called subsequent Grace or the Influence of the Spirit causing the Soul freely to reduce the said seed and principle into Act and when it actually repents and believes through grace received then it is actually justified upon the account of Christ's
It 's a Holy Spirit and therefore called the Holy Ghost they then that are carnal and sensual have not the Spirit Jude 19. And the Spirit of God is a humble and meek Spirit they then that are haughty and lofty and despise and contemn the Righteous they want the Spirit 2. By its Nurture it Nurtures and trains up the Soul in the fear of God and in the Faith of the Gospel John 16.13 When the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth That Spirit then that leads men into Errour cannot be the Spirit of God Now that Spirit that cries down Christs Ordinances and his Ambassadors leads into Errour The Word of God is the Dictates of the Spirit and the Standard of Truth and that Spirit that contradicts the written Word cannot be the Spirit of Christ for the Spirit of Christ cannot Contradict it self in contradicting any one part of that word that it was dictator of You must then judge of the Spirit by the Word That Spirit that doth not train up conduct and lead according to the Scriptures is a false Spirit Isa 8.20 If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Gal. 1.8 9. Such as preach another Gospel are accursed And such as preach contrary to the Gospel set up another Gospel Thus far I have spoke to the Doctrinal part now let us proceed to the practical part of the Doctrine Is the Spirit of Christ in every sincere Christian Then 1 Vse Shall be of Terror to such as live without Christ in the World be they prophane Persons or Professors God hath provided an alsufficient Saviour for us that can savâ— to the utmost and there is no Salvation in any other Person or thing to be expected And none can be saved by him but such as receive and admit him into their hearts by Faith and how few are they that have Christ in them Oh you that do make account to be saved by Christ at death and yet shut your hearts against Christ and have not embraced him as freely offered in the Gospel know that you do but deceive your selves If you keep Christ out of your hearts Christ will keep you out of Heaven A Christless Soul is a wretched Soul Oh now whilst it is said to day it concerns you above all things in the World to consider your danger the dreadfulness of your danger and the desperate Madness of such as sit down contented under their danger I pray you to consider 1. Your Danger If Christ be not in you you cannot be in safety Your condition must needs be a perilous condition you stand upon the Margin of Death and Destruction For 1. You are under the Captivity of Satan and in the snares of the Devil and are carried Captive by him at his will and pleasure 2 Tim. 2. last Satan possesses the Soul of all that continue in the state of Nature 'till Christ comes and dispossesseth him Eph. 2.2 Satan is the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience And you are the Children of Disobedience and disobey the Calls of the Gospel and the Commands of Christ in the Gospel He Commands you to believe and to repent and to obey his Gospel but you disobey him and therefore the Spirit that dwells in you is Satan and it 's he that works in you and Oh what sad work doth he make with your precious Souls how doth he insnare and enslave them what Tyranny doth he exercise on them it's high time for you to consider it 2. You are under the Curse of the Law and under the Condemnation of the Gospel and therefore you are in as much danger of Damnation as a condemned Person is of Execution Oh what dreadful Curses are the Curses of God and how certain in the Execution if Repentance do not intervene And these Curses of God hang over your heads like a Hurricane or violent Tempest that is ready to fall down upon you There is a Curse upony our Blessings a Curse upon your bodies A Curse upon your substance and a Curse upon your Soul And if this Curse be not removed it will certainly light upon you Your sins will find you out surely then you are in danger Now Consider 2. The Dreadfulness of this danger that you are under The greatness of this danger lies in these instances I will lay them before you in couples for the help of your Memories The dreadfulness of this your danger lies in 1. The Unavoidableness and Universality of this danger 1. It 's an unavoidable danger I mean under your Circumstances rebus sic stantibus as the case is now with you A man may be in danger and he may foresee it and avoid it David was in danger of Saul and hid himself in a cave and so avoided it But in the case you are in the danger is unavoidable not that it is so in it self but you make it so to your selves there is one way and but one way to avoid it and this way is by Christ Now this way you reject and how can ye escape if ye neglect so great Salvation It 's impossible for you to escape any other way and this way you do not and will not be perswaded to take and so go about to make your danger unavoidable 2. It s an universal danger a danger of a vast extent your All is in danger your lesser and greater Concerns your Estates your Lives your Bodies and Souls Your All is under a Curse and therefore your All is in danger and is it not time to look about you when fire is got in the thatch and all your goods are in danger how are you Concerned your case is much worse your danger far greater and will you be unconcerned 2. The Dreadfulness of your danger lies in the Proximity and Perpetuity of the Evils you stand in danger of 1. In their Proximity The Judge stands at the door your danger is not a remote but a present danger you are now and alway in danger you may lose your Souls in a minute you know the uncertainty of Life that it is but a Vapour a Bubble that may burst and vanish in a moment So that upon this account you are daily and constantly in danger Now Life is so uncertain that in Temporal matters you will secure your selves because all men are mortal and will you run such a hazzard as we are now speaking of and not study your safety will you be penny wise and pound foolish secure a little Siver and let your Souls lie in such danger 2 In their Perpetuity the danger is not only present but the evils you stand in danger of are everlasting You are in danger to lose your Souls and to lose Heaven and these are irrevocable losses and such losses as will I remain to all eternity and your are in danger of Hell and of eternal Death and if the danger be not removed but it once overtake
3.14 and there Translated Confidence Faith is a Confident and stedfast Expectation of Things promised It apprehends the Promise and adheres to it and assures the Soul of the Accomplishment of it and causeth the Soul to live in Expectation thereof It realizeth the Promises and shews the Soul how substantial they are that the things promised are no Trifles or feigned things but things of Substance weight and worth really subsisting and certainly to be enjoyed and enables the Soul confidently to expect them Thus it 's the Substance of the things Hoped for And it 's the Evidence of things not seen Things not seen either because future or because invisible Faith represents to the Mind as sure and certain The Eye of Faith beholds Christ with all his Excellencies the Immortality of the Soul and the Glory of Heaven as evidently as the Eye of the Body doth visible things Now â—et us reduce this to practice can we experimentally subscribe to this Description of Faith Do we see a reality in the unseen things it is evident to our Souls that God is the chief Good and Christ the fountain of Grace and chief of ten Thousands and that all his promises are certain and infallible and do we depend upon them and live in sure and certain Hope of the accomplishment of them then we have the faith which is called the Faith of the Elect Tit. 1.1 because it 's peculiar to them and to none but them Yet further Paul here describes faith not only by its Excellency but also by its Efficacy 2. By its Efficacy v. 2. By it the Elders obtained a good report and they are famous to this day for the Testimony that God gives of the efficacy of their faith Faith wrought in them such works as were such evidences of the Truth of their Faith It 's their works of Faith that makes their memory so Honourable Faith without works saith James is dead it is of no more worth than a dead Dog It 's our works that do shew what our faith is A working Faith is a saving Faith Let us then examine our Faith by our works are our works the works of Faith do we pray in Faith and hear in Faith and live by Faith thus much for the Trial of our saving Faith Come we to our Love let us examine 2. Our Love to Christ whether it be sincere 1 John 4.16 He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him True Love you see is demonstrative of Gods dwelling by his Spirit in the Soul Let us then try our Love 1. By its Measure Do we love Christ most and best We love many Creatures and it 's allowed us Parents are to love their Chidren and Husbands their Wives but what is it that lies next our hearts and hath the largest measure of our Love I am sure Christ deserves most love from us for he hath done most for us but do we Love him above all is Christ a Pearl in our Eyes can we say with the Spouse in our Eyes he is altogether Lovely we have other Loves but none that lies so near our Hearts as Christ he is our Beloved and our best Beloved 2. By the Motive that moves us so to love Christ What is it that hath so endeared us to Christ is it the gain we expect from him or the good we see in him Cant. 5.10 The Church professeth much Love to Christ and tells the cause thereof it was the Beauty and Excellency of Christ that had gained her heart this was the attractive of her Love is it so with us is it Christs Love to Souls and his Loveliness that draws out your Love towards him Then there is sincerity and not selfish in your Love to Christ 3. By the Might and strength of your Love to Christ Love is of a constraining Nature 2 Cor. 5.14 Now do you find your Love to Christ constrain you doth it constrain you to vindicate the Honour of Christ against all that cast open contempt upon him doth it constrain you to value the Ordinances above worldly wealth and dignity doth it constrain you to venture all for Christ in suffering and trying times doth it constrain you to avoid every thing as far as you can that is offensive to Christ what influence hath your Love to Christ upon your Hearts and Lives doth it constrain you to carry it dutifully towards Christ and to cast off your beloved Lusts because they dishonour Christ and to conform to the Laws of Heaven because they are the Yoke of Christ are the things of Christ become precious to you Oh deal faithfully with your Souls 3 Vse Of Entreaty both to such as have not Christ in them and to such as have him in them 1. You that have not Christ as yet in you Be entreated and perswaded to live no longer without Christ in the World you have heard your danger and the dreadfulness of your danger and the desparate Madness of such as do sit down in so dangerous a Condition And now in the Name of Christ I earnestly beseech and entreat you to take the matter into serious Consideration The Lord Jesus Christ the great Mediator of the Covenant and victorious Captain of our Salvation makes as it were an Ho Yes Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man open the door I will come in and Sup with him and he with me And he is now knocking at the door of your Heart and craving admission and tendering himself and the Riches of his Grace and Mercy unto you upon condition that you will receive and entertain him and accept of him as your Lord and Saviour and consent and submit to the gracious Terms of the Gospel Oh comply with his gracious offer and open to him and let him in Put off Christ no longer expect not Salvation by Christ without giving your selves up to Christ to be Governed by him according to the Gospel What shall I now say to perswade you to be over entreated to get Christ into your Souls and not to sit down still in a Christless condition the business is of great importance and I stand here in Christs stead to beseech you to be reconciled to God and to use your utmost endeavour to make sure of Christ and would gladly prevail with you for your own good to set about this great concern to this end press these following perswasives upon your own Spirits and that with the seriousness as the weightiness of the matter requires 1. The case you are in calls for speedy Help You live without Christ in the World this is your case and it is a case that you can neither live nor die in with safety or comfort As long as you live thus you live under the guilt of all your Sins and under the wrath of God and if you die thus you die in your Sins and to Hell you must go And is this a Case to be neglected and disregarded were your Estates