perish And therefore go unto the Lord and beseech him to open to you the way of the Gospel and in this Gospel you shall be able to learn this Self-denial and be able to say as here the Apostle I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me SERMON IV. Preached at Stepney July 23. 1648. GALATIANS 2. part of the 20. vers Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me IN these words ye have another Property of our Spiritual life it is a Christ-Advancing life I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me the former words Yet not I hold forth a Depression and Annihilation of a mans self in Spiritual things These words But Christ liveth in me hold forth the Advancings of Jesus Christ He gives the Power Strength and Honor of all unto Jesus Christ But CHRIST liveth in me In the words There are these Three things especially observable First of al The Presence of Christ with a Beleever Christ in me Secondly The Efficacie of his presence He liveth in me Thirdly The Constancie of his Effectual presence He does not stay for a day or a night in me but He LIVETH in me And accordingly there are Three Doctrines that these words afford First Christ is in all Beleevers For he does personate a Beleever all along when he saies I. as ye have heard Christ is in each Beleever Secondly Christ liveth in all Beleevers Thirdly That Christ does live more in a Beleever than a Beleever doth himself Yet not I but Christ liveth in me I shall speak only unto the former Doct. 1 Christ is in all Beleevers Christ is in each Beleever Every Saint and Child of God hath Christ within him This Truth was so commonly known in the Apostles time 2 Cor. 13.5 that he saies unto the Corinthians Know ye not how that Christ is in ye unless ye be reprobates That is Unless ye be reprobates ye may know that Christ is in you So our saviour Christ himself John 6.56 in that book of John He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth or abideth in me and I in him And so often in the 14 15 and 16. chapters oâ— Jâ—hn Christ speaks to this purpose I in you and you in me So that the Scripture is full of this Christ is in all Beleevers Christ is in each Beleever For the clearing of this great Truth We must First enquire How Christ may be said to be in a Beleever And for that ye must know That as God is in the World and the things of the World several waies So Christ is in Beleevers First God is in the World and the things of the World In regard of his Power He is in all the World as we say a King is in all his Kingdom because his Power extendeth to all his Kingdom And so God is in all the World because his Power extendeth to all the World And thus Jesus Christ is in a Beleever But this is not all Secondly God is in the World and in the things of the World Psa 139.7 8. By way of Presence Whither shall I go from thy presence saies the Psalmist if I go up into heaven thou art there c. And thus also Jesus Christ is in the heart of a Beleever But yet this is not all Thirdly God is said to be in the World and in the things of the World In regard of his Essnece Essentially present unto all the World For every Attribute of God is like unto God his Attributes are all infinite He is infinite in Wisdom Justice Power and Mercy and so he is infinite in his Essence and therefore Essentially present unto all the World And thus also Christ is in the heart of a Beleever as God so is Christ But yet this is not all Fourthly God is said to be in the World and the things of the World By way of special manifestation And so God was in the Temple not because his Essence was more in the Temple than in another place but he was in the Temple by way of Manifestation of Himself unto his People there And thus also Jesus Christ is in the hearts of those that are beleevers specially manifesting and revealing himself there unto them But yet this is not all neither Fiftly God is said to be in a Creature By way of Personal Vnion being Personally United to him As when the Deity by the second Person was united unto our Nature unto flesh God was in Christ Col. 2.9 in whom the fulness of the Deity dwells bodily saies the Apostle And thus in a Spiritual and Mystical way and manner Christ is in all Beleevers by his Spirit the third Person not only the Graces of Christ but Christ Himself in and by Spirit is in the heart of a Beleever I say Christ by his Spirit And therefore Chrysostom observes Whereas it is said in the 8. of the Romans and the 9. verse That if the Spirit of God dwell in ye at the 10. verse following it is said If Christ be in you Those two being made one one being put for the other Now I say That Christ that is in a Beleever is not the Habit of grace only which the Saints have in their souls but Christ Himself by his Spirit And therefore if ye look into that 5. chapter to the Romans ye shall find That besides the Grace of the Spirit the Spirit it Self is said to be given unto us verse the 5. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Not only the Grace of the holy Ghost given unto us and shed abroad in our hearts but the Spirit it Self which is given unto us And so in that 16. chapter of John where the Lord promises to send the Comforter He shall teach ye saies Christ and he shall teach ye all things and he will shew unto ye things to come verse the 13. But the Habits of grace cannot teach a man and shew him things to come And what shall he teach verse the 13. Whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak This is the Comforter this is the Spirit Now the Habits of grace does not thus speak and hear and therefore certainly the Spirit of Christ is in the hearts of Gods people and in the hearts of Beleevers it 's more than the bare Habit of grace the gifts and the graces of the Spirit And to this purpose it 's clearly spoken by the Apostle in the 8. chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and the 11. verse But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you This spirit cannot be meant Habitual grace But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you So that plainly then in a Spiritual and Mistical way Christ is in each
beleever Fourthly You must know this That there is a great-deal of difference between the In-being of a Spiritual thing in a Material and the In-being of one Material or Corporial thing in another I shall make it as plain as I can and it will be of concernment to you Take a body now and let that be mixt with another and each part may say I am that which I am joyned to but take the Spirit or a Spiritual Being and let that be mixt with a more Material Being and then the Material Being cannot say I am the Spirit and the Spirit I am the Matter As now ye see in the great Union between the Soul and the Body the Soul is in every part of a man tota in toto the Soul saies the Philosopher is wholly in every part the whole soul of man being in every part of the body yet notwithstanding the Body cannot say I am the Soul nor the Soul cannot say I am the Body because they are thus united together Why because here is an Union of a Spiritual thing with a more Material which does keep the Natures distinct Or thus give me leave to expresse it to ye Iron and Fire being joyned together your Fire is in every part of the Iron and yet notwithstanding though the Fire be in every part of the Iron the Iron cannot say I am the Fire nor the Fire cannot say I am the Iron Why because here is a more Spiritual Body in a more Material Body and so the Natures are kept distinct Or if you will yet farther Ye see the Light in the Air the Light is more Spiritual than the Air and the Light is in every part of the Air yet notwithstanding the Air cannot say I am the Light nor the Light cannot say I am the Air but these two are kept distinct Why because here is an Union of that which is more Spiritual unto that which is more Materiall So I say here Though Christ be really United unto each Beleever yet notwithstanding the soul of a Belever is more Material though not in it self Material yet in respect of Christ the soul is a grosse Nature in regard of the Spirit of Chirst and being thus therefore united these Natures are kept distinct the Spirit of Christ is kept distinct from the Nature of the soul and the soul from the Nature of the Spirit and therefore the soul of a Beleever though united really unto Christ by the Spirit cannot say I am the Spirit or I am Christ Object But if we look will some say into the 17. chapter of John our Lord and Saviour Christ seems to speak this way at the 20 and 21. verses Neither pray I for these alone saies he but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Here Christ prayes That Beleevers may be one with him as he and the Father were one but if Christ be really united to each Beleever by his Spirit What difference is there between this Vnion and the Hypostatical Vnion the second Person was united unto our Nature to our Flesh and if now Christ be united unto a Beleever by his Spirit which is the Third Person What is the difference between the Hypostatical Vnion and the Vnion of a Beleever with Christ by the Spirit Answ 1 Much every way For take a Beleever and though Christ be United unto a Beleever really by his Spirit yet notwithstanding the Beleever is not said to be Assumed the Spirit doth not Assume the heart of a Beleever as the second Person did Assume our flesh and though we are united unto Christ by the spirit yet not said to be Assumed by the spirit Again Though Christ be really united unto each Beleever yet it is no Personal Union as the Hypostatical Union is A man is a Person before he is United so unto Christ by the spirit but now Christs Soul and Body they were not a Person before United unto the Second Person but the Soul and Body of Christ and the second Person in the Trinitie United together make up one Person I say that is a Personal Union all making up but one Person But now a Beleever he is a Person before his Union with Christ by the spirit he is a Person a Wicked Person but he is a Person Again The Union that is between Christ and a Beleever it is in respect of the other Union an Accidental Union Christ United unto the soul by Faith by the intervening of Grace and Accidents But now the second Person was United unto our Nature and unto our Flesh not by the intervening of any Grace or any Accident but their Substance was United unto Substance by the Second Person I say it was not an Union by the intervening of any Grace for though all graces were in Christ yet the union of the second Person to our flesh is not by the intervening of any Grace Faith or the like but now our union to Christ is by the intervening of Grace of faith and so this union is but an Accidental union in regard of that Again Though Christ be united unto all Beleevers by his Spirit yet he is so far united unto a beleever as to make him a member of the Body only But the second Person was United unto our Nature and unto our flesh to make Christ the Mediator Indeed if God were United to man for far as to make him Mediator between God and Man then he might say I am God and I am Christ but I say this Union being Voluntary he does so far Unite himself unto the soul of a Beleever as to make him a Member of the Body only and not a Mediator But when the Second Person was United to our Nature the Union was to make the Person a Mediator And thus ye see there is a great deal of Difference between that Hypostatical Union and this Mystical Union of a Beleever And whereas it is said in that 17. of John That Christ praies that we may be one with him as he is with the Father That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one I answer This is an As of Similitude and not of Equallity Christ praies unto the Father that Beleevers may be one with him not by way of Equallitie that a Beleever should be Equallie one with Christ as Christ is with the Father for then Christ should pray that a Beleever might be worshipped too which he never did and if that Christ here should pray that a Beleever might be one with Christ as Christ with the Father in regard of Equallitie then Christ should pray that a Beleever should be one with him from Eternity for saies he unto his Father in the beginning of the chapter Glorify me with thy self with the same glory which I had with thee before
the Eye say I have no soul in me because I cannot speak like the Tongue Should the Tongue say I have no soul in me because I cannot see like the Eye Should the Ear say I have no soul in me because I cannot speak like the Tongue No but the soul that is in the body it gives according to the Station and Place of every member that is in the body So now the Lord Christ he gives out unto all his Body he is by his Spirit in the hearts of Beleevers but he does not give unto every Beleever alike One Beleever hath one place in the Body of Christ and another beleever hath another place in the Body of Christ But now I say to thee Observe what Place Room and Station thou hast in the Body of Christ and then tell me whether I or no do not ye find some workings of grace in some measure sutable unto the Place Room and Station that ye have in the Body of Christ Yes surely I cannot deny this but there are some workings in my soul according to the Room and Station that I have in the Body of Christ And this I can say That when the Comforter came then I did know that Christ was in me And I can say this also through grace in some measure The Work and Things of Christ are Naturalized to me They are the Servants and Retinue of Christ that do come in and go out unto my soul The Lord knows I am never better than when I am speaking of Jesus Christ and hearing from Jesus Christ If so soul be of good comfort though thou hast feared that Christ is not in thee Go in peace thy faith hath made thee whol and the Lord Jesus Christ is in thy soul the Lord Christ that is thus really united unto each Beleever by his Spirit is really in thy soul and in thy heart Quest Suppose it be so That the Lord Christ be in my soul indeed What is my Dutie now that does flow from hence Answ I am not able to tel ye what your Duty is that does flow from hence it is so great and so large But in Two or Three words thus Duty 1 First If Christ be in you of a truth Then why should the World be in you in its strength and power I say If Christ be in you of a truth Why should you meddle either in regard of your soul or body with any thing that may be unsavoury or distastful to Jesus Christ If a man have a Guest in his house that he prizes highly will he bring Swine into his chamber this were as much as to bid him be gone And if Christ be in you and in you of a truth Wil ye bring Swine unto him wil ye bring Lusts wil ye bring the World You are the Temples of the holy Ghost therefore why should ye not take heed of defiling these Temples What manner of men and women should we be in all holy conversation if Christ be in us of a truth Duty 2 2ly If Christ be in you of a truth Why then should ye not be Contented with your Condition what ever it be yea thankful for it yea in some Proportion thankful I say Contented Thankful thankful in Proportion I know a man that is made partaker of this great mercy this In-being of Christ in the Soul can never be Thankful in Proportion unto the mercy received but he may be thankful in Proportion unto other mercies You will be thankful to a man that gives you an hundred pound you will be more thankful to him that gives you a thousand pound you will be more thankful to him that gives you a thousand pound a yeer It may be you will say to him that gives you a thousand pound I can never be thankful enough to you but yet you will be more thankful to him that gives you a thousand pound a year So here you can never be thankful enough in proportion to the mercy received but you may be thankful in proportion to other mercies received If the Lord had given you the whole world for your portion you would have been thankful now in that he hath given you his Son and that Jesus Christ is really united to you by his Spirit and Christ really in your soul he hath done more for you than if he had given you all the whole world And will ye be thankful for these outward things and not for this In-being of Christ in your souls And yet how many are there that are sometimes blessing God and shewing some kind of thankfulnesse for outward things but as for this In-being of Christ in the soul that they are strangers to and the Lord knows they were never thankful for that so much as for outward things But if Christ be in you of a truth why should you not be contented with your condition what ever it be yea Thankful for it yea thankful in Proportion Duty 3 Thirdly If Christ be in you of a truth Then why should you not venture upon any work or service for God although it do lie beyond you and beyond your strength and expect large and great things from him You say sometimes you would do such or such a work for God but you have no strength to do it But if Christ be in you of a truth and really united to your soul Then surely you shall have strength enough and you may expect large and great things from him Therefore venture upon work and service for God yea although they do lie beyond your present strength be not unwilling thereunto but expect great things from God because Christ is really in you To end all be exhorted to get a share in this great mercy that I have been speaking of this In-being of Christ in the soul It may be there are some that can say I have none of Christ in my soul and may speak truly some that can say I have an unclean heart within me but I have no Christ within me I have a wanton heart within me but I have no Christ within me yet I have a proud heart within me but I have no Christ within me yet I have a Worldly heart within me but I have no Christ within me yet I have a Blaspheming heart within me but I have no Christ within me I have a Lying and Deceitful heart within me but I have no Christ within me to this day Lord I have no Christ within me what shall I do Others it may be that have indeed Christ within them and they can say Lord I hope that I have Christ within me but I do not find that I have room enough in my heart for such aguest Lord my soul is not enlarged enough for such aguest as Christ is Lord my soul is a poor narrow room Oh! that my soul were more enlarged what shall I do to get my soul enlarged to give entertainment to such a guest as Christ is I shall speak to ye both
from one Scripture turn ye both to the 17. of John the last vers Saies our Lord and Savior Christ praying unto his father And I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them I in them Mind the words Here are these Three things observable in them First of all Here ye have this Doctrine that I have been speaking of all this while Christ in each beleever I in them Secondly That God the Father does love a Beleever though not so much as Christ yet with the same love that he loveth Christ That the love wherewith thou hast loved me way be in them and I in them Thirdly That the way to procure this love and this In-being is To have the Name of God declared And I have declared unto them thy Name and I will declare it Why that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them So then the way for to get this In-being is to have the Name of God declared unto poor souls What is this Name the Name of God the Father that Christ declares It was the Love of God his Free-grace and Love Saies Christ Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world c. and stil Christ preach'd the love of God to poor lost man This was the Name of God that is declared Now then do any of your souls complain That you want this In-being of Christ in you or that you have not room in your souls to entertain such a guest Observe where this Name of God is declared and manifested this Free love of God is manifested and declared and there set thy soul under the spout under the declaration under the manifestation of the Name of God and look upon it as if Christ were there preaching and declaring the Name of God to thy soul and there Christ shall come in unto thee and there thy poor narrowed and straitned soul shal be enlarged and made more capacious for Jesus Christ Wherefore I beseech you then receive this Word of Exhortation and let every soul go unto Jesus Christ and say to this purpose Lord Jesus Thy work is to declare the Name of the Father to poor sinners that so thou maiest be in them now O Lord I am a poor sinner Lord declare the Name of the Father to me Lord declare the Name of the Father to me I have a straitned heart I have not room enough for thee in my soul Oh! that it were enlarged for thee now therefore declare this Name of thy Father to me that so the love wherewith thy Father hath loved thee may be in me and I in thee also Thus I say go unto Jesus Christ And study study much this In-being of Christ in your souls you that have it not labor to get it and you that have this In-being labor to be thankful for it improve it and get your souls more and more enlarged under it SERMON V. Preached at Christs-Church Aug. 25. 1648. GALATIANS 2. part of the 20. vers Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I Intend at this time to speak on these words But Christ liveth in me Wherein ye have these Three things First The In-being of Christ in a Beleever Christ in me Secondly The Efficacy of this In-being Christ Liveth in me Thirdly The Constancy thereof he doth not stay for a night or two but he Liveth or Abideth in me Accordingly there are Three Notes or Observations First Christ is in each Beleever Christ is in every Christian For when he saies I live yet not I he personates a Beleever all along speaks not in his own person but in the person of a Beleever one Justified by Faith alone Secondly That Christ liveth in all Beleevers Christ liveth in me Thirdly That Christ liveth more in Beleevers than themselves do I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christ hath a greater hand and stroke in the Spiritual actions of beleevers than themselves have I have spoken of the former of these in another place and now I will speak unto the other and therefore I shall put them both together in one Doctrine or Observation thus Doct. Christ doth so live in a Beleever that he hath a greater hand and stroke in the Spiritual actions of a Beleever than a Beleever himself hath Christ lives in a Beleever more than himself as to his Spiritual actions For the opening and clearing of this Truth First I shall labor to shew you that Christ liveth in each Beleever Secondly That he hath a greater hand and stroke in the actions of his Spiritual life then a Beleever hath himself First That Christ liveth in each Beleever A man liveth where he worketh and staieth or abideth A man doth not live where he lieth he may come and stay for a day or two and yet not be said to live there but where a man works and staies or abides there he lives Now both these ye shall find Christ doth the first in that known place the 7. of John 38. verse He that beleeveth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he of the Spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive Where the Spirit of Christ is there is Christ And this is a promise made to all Beleevers more or lesse to be fulfilled unto them Out of their bellies shall flow rivers of living water Which is to be understood of the Spirit So that the Spirit of Christ shall be in them and be working in them And as for the other you know what is said in that 14. of John and the 23. verse Saith our Savior there If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him It 's the same word that is used before for Mansions In my fathers house are many Mansions verse 2. We will come and take up our Mansions with him And this was so received a Principle in the Apostles time that he saies to the Corinthians in the 1 Epistle 3. chapter 16. verse Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you But if you look into the 8. chapter of the Romans you shall see all proved together verse the 10 11. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Here are Three or Four things observable First That Christ in you and the Spirit in you is all one And therefore having said in the 10. ver If Christ be in you at the 11. verse he saies If the Spirit of him that raised
up Jesus from the dead dwell in you Again you may observe here That Christ in a Beleever is not Habitual grace only for saith he If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you It was not Faith or Habitual grace that raised up Christ from the dead but the Spirit of God himself And saith he this Spirit dwelleth in you So that Christ in a Beleever is not only the Habit of grace but the Spirit of Christ And then Thirdly ye may observe this too That this Spirit is a living Spirit and dwelleth or abideth in a Beleever For it is said twice here That the Spirit dwelleth in you So that plainly then you see from the words Christ dwels in every Beleever Christ dwels in every Christian he liveth in him And if it were not so How should the absence of Jesus Christ be recompenced by the coming of the Spirit or of the Comforter When our Lord and Saviour Christ left the World and his Disciples he gave them a gracious Promise of sending his Spirit Ioh. 16.7 And if I go not saith he the Spirit or the Comforter will not come but if I go I will send the Comforter and he shall make up your losse of me Now if that the Spirit of Christ should not be in a Beleever and live in him how would the coming of the Holy Ghost and of the Spirit make up the losse of the personal presence of Jesus Christ Besides You know that friends love to be neer unto one another and the neerer they are the happier they count themselves they love not to be asunder the soul of the lover liveth where it loveth rather than where it liveth Now there is the greatest friendship between Christ and a Beleever and the Lord Jesus Christ hath a happinesse above all friends that he can make himself neerer and be more One with his friends than any friend in the world can And therefore upon those terms of Love and Friendship Christ by his Spirit liveth in all Beleevers Object It will be said If Christ liveth in all Beleevers really liveth in them by his Spirit then what need of Ordinances for Christ and the Spirit of Christ in me can live without Ordinances and if a man have attained once unto the Spirit Christ in him and Christ living in him and have attained unto the Spirit the Spirit of Christ really living in him what need of any Commandements without or Rules without for the Spirit will be a sufficient-Rule to lead him into all that is right what need therefore of any Commandements Rules or Ordinances without Answ Yes For we use the Ordinances not only for the enjoyment of God in them but as a testimony of our Obedience If that the enjoyment of God and Christ were the only reason of the Ordinances then in case that a man could without the Ordinances have the enjoyment of God and Christ he might lay by the Ordinances but seeing that we are for to use the Ordinances as an act of our Obedience although a man can enjoy Christ have the Spirit and Christ living in him yet notwithstanding he is still to bear up the Ordinances because there he is to expresse his Obedience unto God and Christ And now give me leave a little to fix here to take off this scruple and Objection if you look into the 27. of Numbers you shall find that Joshua had the Spirit and not in an ordinary way but in a more than ordinary way the Lord gave Joshua his Spirit and yet notwithstanding Joshua was to be under Commandements and under Ordinances at the 18. verse The Lord said unto Moses take thee Joshua the sun of Nun a man in whom is the Spirit and lay thine hand on him and set him before Eleazer the Priest and before all the Congregation and give him a charge in their sight Mark he was to come under a Command and under a charge although he had the Spirit And he shall stand before Eleazer the Priest who shal ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord. And so it was And Moses did as the Lord commanded him Now Moses doth not say What need I go to Eleazar or to the Priest what need I go and consult by Urim and Thummim for I have the Spirit that is able to leade me into all Truth No but he submits unto his Charge and he waits upon the Lord in this way of the Ordinances although it is said here that he had the Spirit So had not David the Spirit in a great measure and yet did he not use the Ordinances But look into the new Testament and there you find that the Apostles had the Spirit also Our Lord and Savior Christ he breathed upon them they waited for the coming of the Spirit and the holy Ghost fell upon them and yet notwithstanding they were under Commands for saith our Savior Christ to them Go Mat. 28.19 teach all Nations Baptizing and teaching them to do what ever I command you So that although they had the Spirit and the holy Ghost in a greater measure than any man for ought I know ever had since yet notwithstanding they were under Commandements Teaching them saith he to do whatsoever I command you And ye know what our Savior saies in that place I mentioned even now Joh. 7.38 39. He that beleeveth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water which he spake concerning the Spirit and the holy Ghost that should be given for he was not yet glorified A Promise made to Beleevers and the Churches in the times of the Apostles they had the Spirit by vertue of that Promise and yet notwithstanding they were under Ordinances and did use the Ordinances But that you may see how this Objection runs crosse both to the old and to the new Testament look upon one place more it is in the 30. chap. of Isaiah the 20. and 21. verses a Promise made concerning the times of the Gospel And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers Here are Ordinances here are Teachers Well now but where is the Spirit Verse the 21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee Who speaks that word Look into the 1. chapter of the Revelation there you shall find it is the Spirit that speaks the word behind one at the 10. verse I was in the Spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice So that this voice behind is that of the Spirit When we do not expect the Spirit the Spirit cometh and speaketh to us So that thus now ye see Teaching and Ordinances and the Spirit of Christ in us and living in us may and do stand together Object
THE WORKS OF WILLIAM BRIDGE Sometime Fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in CAMBRIDGE NOW Preacher of the Word of GOD at Yarmouth The third Volumn VIZ. 1. The Spiritual life and In-being of Christ in all Believers 2. The Woman of Canaan London Printed by Peter Cole at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1649. To the Reader I Thought good to give thee notice That these Sermons were taken from the Authors mouth when he preached them and so were those also that were lately published the several titles whereof you may see in the Margin of this Epistle The Titles of the several Pieces that are lately published of Mr. William Bridge The first Volumn 1. The great Gospel-Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applyed from Christs Priestly Office 2. Satans power to tempt and Christs love to and care of his people under temptation 3. Thankfulness required in every condition The second Volumn 1. Grace for Grace or the overflowings of Christs fulness received by all Saints 2. The Spiritual actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities 3. Evangelical repentance A word spoken is soon forgotten but what is written remains and may do you your children and childrens children good and this is the intent and desire of the Author When you view this mite of his you may see something of Christ in it let it be your care to see what you can finde of Christ in your selves Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates This Work adviseth you not to rest upon Notions for then you do no other then feed your precious souls with fancies which is as unfitting and more dangerous food for your souls then the husks were for the Prodigals body 'T is a Real Christ not a Notional Christ must satisfie your souls We all know there is store of gold in the India's but we are never the richer for it unless we have it in possession neither is it our hearing of Christ nor our knowing there is a Christ but our having of Christ in possession that benefits our souls Hast thou a proud heart read this Book and it will teach thee humility Hast thou a despairing heart read this Book and it will teach thee to believe Hast thou a legal heart read this Book it will teach thee to be Evangelical Hast thou a secure heart read this Book it will teach thee to be Watchful Hast thou a froward heart read this Book it will teach thee to be meek If thou wouldst come to Christ with a Budget of duties upon thy shoulders old Adams proud principle then thou must not look here for he labors to empty thee of thy own righteousness and send thee naked to Iesus Christ who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance If thou lookest for quaint speculations and eloquent expressions of humane wisdom which administer as little comfort to the Pastor as edification to the People in truth here 's nothing to please fantastical cars with whimseyr it was neither spoken nor written for any such intent the words were spoken for edification and were by the desire of friends written for the same intent If then thou levest plain dealing and to benefit thy soul read and this Book will teach thee to leave the success to God When Paul hath plantted and Apollo hath watred 't is God must give the increase Art thou a sinner here is mercy for thee here is Christ for thee Art thou a drunkard here 's water of life for thee which if thou drinkest thou shalt never thirst again Art thou covetous here 's riches for thee spiritual riches durable riches that will not sade Art thou prophane read this and it will teach thee to be holy Art thou a saint here is comfort for thee even the holy Spirit the comforter Art thou in darkness here is light for thee Jesus Christ the true light that lightens every one that comes into the World He shall be ten times more constant to thy soul then the sun in the Firmament Art thou weak in parts weak in Faith weak in grace read this Book and if the Lord be pleased to speak to thy soul here 's strength for thee even the mighty God Art thou poor El. Gibbor here 's Christ and the earth is his and the fulness thereof it is laid up in his hand for thee it is the purchase of his blood he hath bought it for thee 't is thy own and he doth but keep it for thee and thou mayest go boldly to him for it though thou art loath to borrow and ashamed to beg yet thou mayest go boldly for thy own This Book courteous Reader will teach thee to depend on God to wait on Christ for all He feeds the yong Ravens be tends the Sparrows he cloaths the Lillies therefore be sure he will not let his children want whatsoever storms be without Keep Christ and thou shalt have Peace yea the Prince of Peace within then thou shalt have peace when all the world is in trouble then thou shalt be kept safe in the hour of temptation which shall come to try all those that live upon the face of the earth Prepare a place for the Lord Jesus Christ in thy heart and he will provide a Mansion for thee in his Fathers house where thou shalt sin no more nor sorrow no more but God shall wipe away all tears from thy eyes Always remember thou hast here no abiding place but seekest one to come This courteous Reader is the course and aim of the Author in this Treatise for thy benefit he spends his spirits that thou mayest be happy that thou mayest grow up from strength to strength till thou comest to be a perfect man in Jesus Christ and this also is the earnest desire and prayers of him to Almighty God for thee who is and shall always remain Thine to love and serve in the Gospel VVilliam Greenhil READER THough there be other literal faults and some redundant its and there 's yet you will please to mend them with your own pen and consider the Authors absence from the Press Errata PAge 6. line 14. for them read it p. 9. l. 11. dele not p. 10. l. 2. for proxi r. proxim eni ' p. 22. l. 33. for and made alive r. and not made alive p 31. l. 25. for into the world r. into the other world p. 37. l. 29. dele me p. 44. dele quest Answ in the Margin l. 30 dele but. p. 51. l. 25. for prey r. praise p. 75. l. 5. dele so is Christ p. 76. l. 15. for but if r. for it is l. 16. for dwell r that dwelleth p. 77. l. 26. for smiles r. smiled and for in l. 29 33. r. into p. 81. l. 29. for their r. there p. 83. l. 20. after the words of Christ adde barely p. 101. l. 8. for Moses r. Ioshua p. 103. l. 34. for Legi r. Lege p. 105. l. 12.
4 Prescribe waies to the Lord ibid 5 Have strange repetitions to themselves ib. 6 Were never sensible of their owne pride in spirituall things Page 66 Motives to Self-denial 1 The more you deny your selves in spiritual things the surer you shall be to keep them Page 68 2 The more humble you will be in other things Page 69 3 The more you deny your selves in spiritual things the more ye shall be exalted in them ibid How may we be able to deny our selves in spiritual things 1 Reflect upon thy defects in every duty thou performest Page 70 2 Observe much the incomes of the Spirit of the Lord upon thy soul Page 71 3 Study the way of the Gospel much ibid SERMON IV Gal. 2.20 Doctrine Christ is in all beleevers Page 74 Explication How Christ may be said to be in a beleever 1. By way of power ib. 2. By way of presence ib. 3. In regard of his essence ib. 4. By way of spiritual manifestation Page 75 5. By way of personal union ibid Objection Then a beleever may say I am Christ Answered 1. This union is a voluntary not a natural act Page 78 2. It is by contact not by composition ibid 3. It is by application not by mixture Page 79 4. There is a great difference between the in-being of a spiritual thing in a material and the in-being of one material thing in another ibid Objection What difference is there between this union and and the hypostatical union Answered 1 Though we are united yet are we not assumed Page 81 2 There is no personal Vnion ibid 3 It is accidental ibid 4 It is only to make him a member of the body not a Mediator Page 82 Object How doth it appear that Christ is really in the soul of a Beleever Answ 1 Faith laies hold upon Christ Himself Page 83 2 Christ is in a Beleever as a Beleever is in Christ ibid 3 How would there else be three that bear witness ib. What benefit comes from this 1 A Beleever shall have glorious Communion with Christ Page 84 2 Christ's love is infinite towards Beleevers Page 85 3. A Beleever hath something more than any Hypocrite can attain unto ib. 4 Then a beleever shall never spiritually die again Page 86 5 He may come with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace ib. Application 1 Admire at the unspeakable love of Christ Page 87 2 No wicked man dares to oppose any of the people of God Page 88 3 Abundance of comfort to beleevers ibid Object I fear Christ is not in me because I do not find him working in me Answ 1 Whose servants are they that ordinarily come into and go out of your souls Page 89 2 Do you find your souls in some measure naturalized to the work of Christ ib. 3 Did you ever find that Christ was in you Page 90 4 Do you not find some workings of grace according to that station you have in the body of Christ Page 91 Duties flowing from hence 1 Why should we meddle with any thing that is distastful to Christ Page 93 2 Why should we not be contented with our condition whatsoever it be ib. 3 Why should we not venture upon any service of God all though it be beyond our strength Page 94 Exhortation Labor to get a share in this great mercy Page 95 SERMON V Gal. 2.20 Doctrine Christ hath a greater hand in the spiritual actions of a beleever than himselfe hath Page 98 Explication 1 Christ liveth in each Beleever ibid Object What need then have they of Ordinances Answered Page 100 Object What need of Teaching Answered Page 102 2 How it may appear that Christ liveth so in each Beleever that he hath a greater hand in his actions than himself 1 By scripture Page 104 2 By instances in our 1 Conversion Page 105 2 Performences ib. 3 Obedience Page 106 4 Suffering ib. 5 Assurence ib. Reason Because man should not have wherein to boast Page 106 Objection Surely there are few beleevers in the world Answered Page 107 Questions propounded 1. What doth ordinarily sway the great actions of your lives Page 108 2. Do you find a secret disposition to all the Commandements of God ib. 3. Do you find your souls carried to what is good beyond your own disposition Page 109 4. Do you find your soul is carried to what is good beyond what is intended ib. 5. Were you never perswaded that Christ lived in you Page 110 Practical Meditations 1. Now I see the in-being of Christ in the soul is no fancy Page 112 2. Here 's a vast difference between a godly and a wicked man ibid 3. What desperateness is it to oppose the Saints of God ibid 4. What an evil it is for a Saint to say his duties are hypocrisie Page 113 5. What reason a beleever hath to be thankeful to God ibid 6. What an engagement here is for a poor beleever to come to duty though his heart be dead ibid 7. What heavenly lives beleevers should lead Page 114 8. We all should admire the infinite love of Christ ibid THE CONTENTS Of the WOMAN Of CANAAN c. On Matthew 15.21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. DIvision of the text 1. From whence Christ came Page 198 Observation None more rigorous opposers of of the Gospel than learned men Page 199 2. Whither he went ib. Observation The wonderful dispensation of God Page 200 3. The plaintive a woman Page 201 Observation If faith be true it laies aside all one 's own righteousness 4. Her first temptation Page 202 Observation It is no new thing for beleevers to have no present visible answer of their prayers Page 204 If this temptation fall upon you do as she did 1. she still acknowledgeth he was able to help her ib. 2. That it is his Office to help ib. 3. She doth not rest upon her own duty ib. 4. She propounds her misery ib. 5. She continues praying Page 205 5. Her second Temptation ib. Observation 1. A mans temptations may rise higher after prayer and yet he pray aright Page 206 2. Gods dealing with man may sometimes run cross to his promise ib. 3. Gods people may be tempted about their election ib. 4. When a Saint is so tempted his best way is to lay by dispute and fly to mercy ib. 5. As temptations arise so shall faith increase ib. 6. Her third Temptation Page 207 Observation It is no new thing for beleevers to have their unworthiness objected to them ib. Her answer Page 208 Observations 1. You cannot speak so meanly of a beleever but he speaks as meanly of himself ib. 2. A true beleever thinks honorably of Jesus Christ even then when he suffers the greatest reproaches to be cast upon him ib. 3. True saith finds out a promise even in the very refusal ib. 4. The least of Christ is highly prized with a true beleever Page 209 5. Faith riseth above our nature ib. Hence you see if you be tempted with
live Yes saies he at the 20. ver I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Nevertheless or now I live I live that is a spiritual life There is a Natural life and there is a Spiritual life He does not here speak of the Natural life when he saies Nevertheless I live because he adds yet not I but Christ liveth in me that is Spiritually And when he saies I live he speaks it in the Person of every Believer not in his Own Person but he personates a Believer all along I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live to God I a Believer And I am crucified with Christ I a Believer And Nevertheless I live All along he does personate a Believer and does not speak in his own Person but in the Person of a Believer And he saies here Nevertheless I live He had said before That we are justified by Faith alone and not by the works of the Law and that a Believer was crucified with Christ Now saies he This Doctrine that I have preach'd unto you is no way opposit unto our Spiritual life or unto our Holiness yet now I live or nevertheless I live From whence then you may observe these Two things First That every true Believer every Godly Gracious man is a living man lives aspiritual life is in the state of life Secondly That our justification by faith alone and our being crucified with Christ is no enemy but a friend unto this Spiritual life Nevertheless I live Doct. 1 First of all Every Godly Gracious man is a living man is in the state of life lives a Spiritual life And this ye have most expresly in that 6. Chap. of John at the 40. vers This is the will of him that sent me That every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day But though he shall have everlasting life hereafter it may be he hath not this life for the present Look therfore what he saies at the 47. vers Verily verily I say unto you He that beleeveth on me hath everlasting life 'T is not said He shall have everlasting life but he hath everlasting life everlasting life is begun in him already And that ye may be the more sure of it he gives you a double Verily Verily verily I say unto ye He that believeth on me hath everlasting life But how can this be Nay how should it be otherwise for a mans life is as his meat is and saies our Saviour I am the bread of life at the 48. vers Then at the 54. vers Whesoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life For my flesh at the 55. vers is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me So that ye see this Chapter is ful of it here is a cloud of winesses I say therfore That every godly gracious man is a living man and lives another life from the life of the world a spiritual life and is in the state of spiritual life For the opening of this Truth unto ye We must first of all enquire What this Spiritual life is Take therefore this description of it It is that supernatural perfection of soul whereby a man being united unto Christ by the Spirit is able to act move and work towards God as his utmost end First I say It is a supernatural perfection There is some perfection in every life Life is the greatest good and perfection Death is the greatest evil Therefore when the Lord theratned Adam to punish him for eating the forbidden-fruit he saies The day thou eatest thereof Gen. 2. thou shalt die the DEATH Death is the greatest evil and so Life is the greatest good and perfection And this the Devil knew full well Joh 2.4 when he said Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life So that life is a perfection But I say this Spiritual life It is the Supernatural perfection of the soul And therefore in the 4. chapter of the Ephesians and the 18 verse This life of the Saints the very life of the Saints is called The life of God 'T is a supernatural perfection of soul therefore Secondly As it is a supernatural perfection of Soul So it rises from our Vnion with Christ by the Spirit A man is united to God by faith and by the Spirit and as our outward life does arise from the union between the soul and the body and though the body be never so fair or full yet if it be not united to the soul it is but a dead carkass So our Spiritual life it doth arise from our union with Christ and though a man have never so many moral virtues and his conversation be never so fair yet if not united to Christ by the Spirit he is but a dead man spiritually a dead man And therefore saies the Apostle here in the Text Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Thirdly As it arises from our union with Christ by the Spirit So I say It is that Supernatural I perfection whereby a man is able to act and move and work towards God as his utmost and last end And therefore saies the Apostle in the former verse I through the Law am dead unto the Law that I may live to God To God as my last and my utmost end And when a man is able to act and move and work towards God as his last and utmost end then he is said to live spiritually So that then ye have this description of our spiritual life I repeat it again It is that supernaturall perfection of soul whereby a man being united unto Christ by the Spirit is able to act and move and work towards God as his utmost end Quest 2 Secondly Whereby may it appear That every godly gracious man is thus a living man made partaker of this spiritual life so as to he able to act and move and work towards God as his utmost end Answ I will take but the Three ordinary lives that are in the world The vegetative life the life of Plants and Herbs The Sensitive life the life of Beasts And the Rational life the life of Man And I wil shew ye That the Essential properties of all these lives are in a Spiritual way in the godly and then the Argument will lie thus If the Essential properties of all these lives be in a spiritual way in every godly man then certainly every godly gracious man is a living man and in the state of life living another life from the life of the world First Take the life of plants and herbs or of flowers and what is the Essential property of
Jer. 31.19.2 Cor. 13.5 Smiting himself upon his thigh saying Oh! what have I done And in that of the Epistle to the Corinthians it is said Know ye not how that Christ is in you unless ye be reprobates That is unless ye be Reprobates ye may know that Christ is in you A Reprobate indeed does not reflect upon his own action but as a beast he goes on he Prayes may be and does not reflect upon his Prayer when he hath done He Hears the Word and does not reflect upon his Hearing when he hath done he Sins against God and does not reflect upon his own action and Sin smiting himselfe upon his thigh saying Oh! what have I done But now every godly gracious man does thus reflect upon his own action and is able to do it So then take the Argument in the whole and it lies thus If a godly gracious man have all the Essential Properties of those Three lives in a spiritual way and manner then certainly he is in the state of life and does live a spiritual life Now as ye have heard Every godly gracious man hath all the Essential Properties of al these Three lives in a spiritual way and manner and therefore certainly he does live a spiritual life he is in the state of life Quest 3 But how may it appear that others are not in this state of life that a wicked man is not in the state of life that a wicked man is a dead man spiritually dead that the godly and the godly only are made partakers of this spiritual life and that others are not Answ Our Lord and Savior Christ does speak expresly Ye will not come to me that ye may have life Joh. 5.40 But look into the 3. Chapter of John and the 36. verse and ye shall find these words He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life Shall not see life mark those words he shall not come within the view or sight of life or of the good things of life He does not barely say He shall not live No but he shall not see life he shall not see the good things of life So that plainly then He that beleeveth not is a dead man spiritually a dead man and lives not this spiritual life Object But all motion does not come from life can a man act move and work and not be alive Even wicked men they Pray and they Hear and they Reade and they Meditate and they Act and Move and worke towards God and they do many good things and have many Moral vertues and can all this be and yet no life in them Answ Yes For ye know a Watch or a Jack or a Clock they all move and act and work and yet they have no life Though a wicked man may act and move and work towards God yet notwithstanding that motion does but arise from the natural perfection that is left in him by the fall Take a Civil man and though he have many moral vertues what is there in him that lies beyond the reach of Nature with the dye of Gospel-Education Put now this Spiritual life it is a Supernatural perfection Indeed it is said of Hypocrites They have a Name to live I but they are dead they are accounted living but they live not why because they are not united unto Christ by the Spirit which is the other property of the Spiritual life This Spiritual life I say It is the Supernatural perfection of the Soul whereby a man is able to act and move and work towards God as his utmost end Now there is no wicked man that is able to move towards God as his utmost end for as the Schools well speak wicked men they do Use what they should Enjoy that is God and they do Enjoy what they should Use that is the World What wicked man is there in all the world that is able to move and work towards God as his last and his utmost end There is a Twofold End There is an Hither-End or a Proxie and a Remote-End A Hithermost-End and a Remote or ones Utmost End A wicked man indeed he may have God at the Hither-End of his action but Himself is at the Utmost End Look I pray into the 2 of Samuel the 3. Chapter at the 17 18. verses and there you shall reade to this purpose Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel saying Ye sought for David in times past to be King over you Now then do it for the Lord hath spoken of David saying By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel Here now he hath God in his eye and the fulfilling of the Lords promise here is one End why he would bring about the Kingdom to David For the Lord hath spoken of David saying By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel But now look a little higher and you shall see what his Utmost End was in bringing about the Kingdom to David He fals out with the son of Saul and Sauls son comes to him and saies Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my fathers concubine verse 7. Whereupon Abner was very angry at the 8. verse Then was Abner very wrath for the words of Ishbosheth and said Am I a dogs head which against Judah doth shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father to his brethren and to his friends and have not delivered thee into the hand of David that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman So do God to Abner and more also except as the Lord hath sworn to David even so do I to him to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the Throne of David over Israel Mark Here was Self he would be revenged of him Indeed he set God at the Hither-End of the action but it was Self that was at the Utmost End of the action And so it is with a wicked man though he may have God at the Hither-End of his action yet Himself is at the Utmost End of his action 'T is not so with a godly gracious man but though Self may be at the Hither-End of his action God is the Utmost End and if you ask him Neighbor Friend why do you thus Pray and Hear and Reade and Meditate Oh! saies he that my poor soul may be comforted for I am one that am of a troubled spirit Well but why would you be comforted I would therefore be comforted That I might serve God the better Here his own comfort is at the begining of the action but God is at the utmost-end Take a wicked man I say and though he doth act and move and work towards God yet he wants a supernatural perfection he is not united to Christ by the Spirit he does not act and move towards God as his utmost-end But now every godly gracious man doth and therefore He and He
Self-Denial such an Example as the Sun never saw before Phil. 2.6 7. Luke 22.42 from first to last At the first He thought it no robbery saies the Apostle to be equal with God and yet he humbled himself and took upon him the form of a servant And at the last Saies he unto his father Yet not my will but thy will be done And if ye look into the 13. chapter of John ye shall find there that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ takes a towel and water and fals down at the feet of his Disciples and washes their feet verse the 4. He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself and after he had powred water into a besin he began to wash his Disciples feet and to wipe them with a towel When the Pharisee saw the woman come unto Christ and wash his feet and wipe them with the hair of her head he wondred and said Surely if this had been a Prophet he would not have suffered a sinner to come so neer to him Did the Pharisee wonder at this condescention That Christ should humble himself so far as to suffer a poor woman to come so neer him as to wash his feet with her tears Oh! what condescention is here for ever to be wondred at That the Lord Christ himself should down upon his knees and wash the Disciples feet that the great God of heaven and earth the second person incarnate should now come fall down at the feet of sinners Judas among them too and wash his Disciples feet When all power in heaven and earth was in his hands that with those hands he should wash the feet of sinners But stay a little It may be all power in heaven and earth was not then given into his hands Yes reade for that purpose the 3. verse that goes before this story Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God he riseth from supper and laid aside his garments But though all power in heaven and earth was given into his hands it may be he did not know it Yes saies the text Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself After that he powred water into a basin and began to wash the Disciples feet Oh! what Self-Denial is here was there ever such Self-denial as here And this this does the Gospel hold forth unto ye and only to be learned in the Gospel Thirdly The more I see my self a debter unto Jesus Christ for all my Gifts and for all my Graces the more Humble I shall be and the more I shall deny my self in spiritual things Ye know how it is with a man that ows for his Cloaths Possibly a man may wear brave and fine Cloaths but he ows for them at such a shop While he is abroad he swaggers and is proud of his Cloaths but when he comes into the shop where he ows for them and looks upon the book and what he hath to pay he strikes sail then and is more modest ashamed and blushes The Gospel is the great Shop from whence we have al our gifts and al our graces and when I come into the Gospel there I see how infinitly I am a debter to Free-grace for al I have and though I may be proud in spirit at another time yet if I come into the Gospel and see what an infinite debter to Free-grace I am for all that ever I wear upon the back of my soul then I think Oh! what cause have I to be humble Shall I be proud shall not I deny my self in Spiritual things I say this Gospel is the Shop of all our Gifts and all our Graces Fourthly True saving justifying faith is an Emptying grace it brings Christ into the soul and when Christ comes into the soul all other things must out As when a King or Prince comes into a House the Master of the house goes out of his own lodging and all must out to make room for the Prince So when Christ comes into ones soul then all goes out all other things go out 'T is in our beleeving on Jesus Christ as in our beleeving on God the Father Joh. 14.1 Ye beleeve in God saies Christ beleeve also in me Look how ye beleeve in God the Father so do ye beleeve in me Now as when a man does beleeve in God the Father for Provision for outward Provision as seeing an Al-sufficiencie in God to Provide then he sees an In-sufficiencie in all the creatures to help and never before So when a man comes to beleeve in Christ when he sees that Al-sufficiency that is in Christ to Redeem and satisfie for him then he sees an In-sufficiency in all his own Duties and Righteousness and never till then The truth is A man cannot come to Christ unless he do forsake all As ye cannot come to this side of the water or river unlesse you come from that side of the river Now faith it is nothing else but a Coming to Jesus Christ and therefore where ever there is true saving justifying faith a man does Deny himself in Spiritual things he cannot write an I upon his own Performance upon his own Duties Applyca If so if al these things be true How hard a thing is it for a man to Beleeve how few are there in the world that do Beleeve indeed True saving justifying faith it makes a man Abundant in the work of the Lord it makes a man live a spiritual life but then it takes away that I from him he cannot write an I upon what he does as formerly he hath done It makes a man live a Spiritual life but it makes him also to Deny that Spiritual life There are Four streams that this Spiritual life is divided into The stream of Performance The stream of Obedience The stream of our Sufferings The stream of Enjoyment True saving faith and the Gospel makes a man to Deny himself in all these As for our Performance and Obedience ye know what the Apostle saies concerning himself Thus and thus I was and thus and thus I have lived but now I count all things as dung and drosse in regard of Christ As for our Sufferings I have read of some Martyrs in the Primitive times that being in prison and ready to suffer divers came to comfort them and called them Blessed Martyrs No say they we are not worthy of the Name of Martyrs by no means they would not bear it that they should call them Martyrs Denied themselves in their Sufferings As for our Enjoyment Ye know what the Apostle saies I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.23 Nevertheless for your sakes saies he c. I am in a
hold the Bladder in your hand or the greatest hand in the town cannot hold the Bladder But take a pin and prick the bladder and the least child may hold it then What is the reason that men cannot be held cannot be handled cannot be touch'd by their neighbors friends and those that are about them they cannot be grasp'd and walk'd with but because they are proud and swoln Therefore get an humble and self-denying heart and thou shalt walk more sweetly with thy own soul and others that are about thee Thirdly The more you deny your selves in Spiritual things the more you shall be exalted in them I say The more you deny your selves in Spiritual things the more those spiritual things shal grow be exalted the more increased Humble thy self 1 Pet. 5.6 or your selves saies the Apostle under the hand of the Lord and he will exalt you in due time And let me tell you this that look what that is wherein you do Humble your selves before the Lord therein the Lord will exalt you Doest thou humble thy self before the Lord in regard of these outward things There will the Lord Exalt thee Doest thou humble thy self before the Lord in regard of thy Parts and thy Gifts There will the Lord exalt thee Doest thou humble thy self before the Lord in regard of thine own Graces and thine own Obedience and thine own Righteousness Therein will the Lord exalt thee Ye know that John the Baptist said concerning Christ Joh. 3.30 Joh. 1.27 He must increase but I must decrease And saies John again concerning our Savior Christ Whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose Or whose shoos I am not worthy to carry Mark how he humbles himself to Jesus Christ And mark how Christ honors John Mat. 11.11 Mat. 8.8 Oh! saies Christ There 's not a greater among women than John the Baptist Christ exalts him And so saies the Centurion Oh! Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof Mark how he humbles himself here before the Lord Christ And mark what our Savior saies of him Vers 10. I tell you I have not found such faith no not in Israel So that look where thou Humblest thy self there will the Lord Exalt thee Soul doest thou desire therefore that the Lord would Exalt thy Graces that thy Gifts and Graces should be increased Humble thy self there and learn to Deny thy self in spiritual things not only in regard of outward but in spiritual things that you may say I live yet not I. Quest But you will say This is a hard thing What may we do that we may be able to deny our selves in spiritual things Answ 1 First Never perform any Duty but as often as thou canst reflect upon thy performance and observe the Defects thereof When ye write a Letter after ye have written it you reade it over Or what ever ye write almost if it be of any concernment after ye have written it then you reade it over and if ye find any thing amisse then ye blot it out and when ye have done ye take your sand-box and throw dust upon it or ye go to the Chimney and take ashes and throw upon the paper Will ye do thus for your letters that ye write and will ye not do thus for your Duties and Performances When you have Prayed and performed Duty Go go and look it over and there you will find many Defects many things to be blotted out and many things to be put in and when you have found the Defects in your Dutie throw dust upon it and humble your selves before the Lord. Secondly If you would deny your selves in spiritual things Observe much the In-comes of the Spirit of the Lord upon your soul The way and manner of it how Suddenly how Unexpectedly how Freely the Lord by his Spirit breathes upon your soul When your heart is Dead when your heart is Hard when you say God is now gone and will never return again Oh! what freedom once I had in Prayer but now my heart is hard and I shall never be able to Pray again Then comes the Spirit of God and breathes upon your soul and gives you Prayer again Now if I would but observe the breathings of the Spirit of the Lord how it comes upon me thus when I am dead when my heart is hard when I say I shall never have prayer again if I could but observe the Freeness of the Spirits breathing over my soul and raising up my heart to Duty again should I be proud of Duty think you should I not rather say Shall I be proud I was dead my heart hard and had not the Spirit come and breathed upon my soul I had never been able to pray again but had been lock'd up for ever and shall I be proud Observe the In-comes of the Spirit the way and manner of it be much in this and you will be able to deny your selves in spiritual things Lastly Look much into the Gospel study much the Gospel and the way of the Gospel The more you see an Humble Christ the more you will learn Humility Where shall you see an humble Christ but in the Gospel The more you see a Self-denying Christ the more you will learn Self-denial And where shall you reade of a Self-denying Christ but in the Gospel The more ye see the Free and Rich grace of God the more you will deny your selves in spiritual things And where shall ye see the Free-grace of God but in the Gospel The more Faith ye have the more you will deny your selves in Spiritual things And where shall ye get faith but in the preaching of the Gospel and in studying of the Gospel This grace of Humility and Self-denyal in spiritual things grows only in the garden of the Gospel in the bed of the Gospel There is a Field-Humility and there is a Common or a Field-Self-Denial as I may so speak As ye see it is with your Flowers and Herbs There is a garden-Tyme and there is a Field-Tyme there is a Garden-Rose and there is a Field-Rose there is a Garden-Hony-suckle and there is a Field-Hony-suckle So there is a Field-Self-Denial that grows among Heathen and among Moral people that can deny themselves of this or that particular thing their Appetite Cloathing or now and then their Company And there is a Gospel-Self-Denial a Mysterious Self-Denial But this Self-Denial in spiritual things grows no where but in the Garden of the Gospel there thou shalt see an Humble Christ and become Humble There thou shalt see a Self-Denying Christ and become Self-Denying Therefore study the Gospel and study the way of the Gospel You that have walked in a Legal-way study the Gospel and the way of the Gospel I tell you in the words of the Apostle If the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4.3 If the Gospel and the way of the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that
Beleever by his Spirit and this Christ in a Beleever is not the Gifts and the Graces of the Spirit but Christ Himself by his Spirit This I confesse rises high but herein I am not alone divers School-men and Fathers and of our own Divines concurring with me The Reverend Mr. Perkins it was his speech That the Person of a Beleever is united to the Person of Christ But I shall give you the words of an Eminent Preacher that is now in Heaven as we have them in the Works that he hath left Saies he It hath been a great Dispute among the School-men Whether a Beleever does receive the holy Ghost it Self or only the Gifts and Graces of the holy Ghost But saies he it is a Question where there needs be no Question and Dispute where there needs no Dispute for the Scripture is clear That we do not only receive the Gifts and the Graces of the holy Ghost but the holy Ghost it Self for are we not said to be the Temple of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and this sets out the abundant Kindness and Goodness of God As saies he yet it is more Kindness to give a man Fruit and the Tree than to give him barely the Fruit So it is abundantly more grace in God to give a man the holy Ghost it Self rather than to give him only the Gifts and the Graces of the holy Ghost And indeed What greater Comfort can there be than this That Beleevers are not only made partakers of the Gifts and Graces of the holy Ghost but of Christ Himself Christ really in all Beleevers by his Spirit Object You will say unto me But how can this be we have ordinarily understood it otherwaies and so we have heard it preached too That Christ in a Beleever is nothing else but the Grace of Christ and the Spirit in a Beleever is nothing else but the Gifts Graces and Operations of the Spirit and indeed how can it be otherwaies For if Christ be really united unto each Beleever really in a Beleever by his Spirit and so made one with him then a Beleever may say I am Christ and I am the Spirit Which is Montanisme and which is Blasphemy and therefore how can this be that Christ is really united to each Beleever by his Spirit and really in a Beleever by his Spirit Answ I confess this is very hard to understand and when I consider the In-Being of Christ in a Beleever I remember that story that is written concerning Austin That walking by the Sea-side he saw a Boy take a Mussel-shell and go to the Sea carrying water with his Mussel-shell into a Ditch that was by out of the Sea into the small trench He asked the Boy what he would do Saies he I will empty all the Sea into that Ditch And he Smiles and told him he could not do it Saies he No more able are you with the Mussel-shel of your Understanding to carry out the Ocean of the Trinity in a small Tractate and Discourse of your own And what is our Understanding but as a little Mussel-shell in regard of Christ and the glory of the Trinity Surely we are not able with this little Mussel-shell for to carry out all the depth of this Truth in a small Discourse But it is a great Mystery Are ye able to tell me How the Child is formed in the Mothers womb Or are ye able to tell me How the Soul is United to the Body Who then can tell exactly How Christ is United to the soul of a Beleever 'T is a great Mysterie one of the great Mysteries of the Gospel But because our Saviour hath said Matth. 13.11 Vnto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom and to others it is not Therefore we should all labor to understand it And that ye may not be mis-led herein as divers of late have been into strange kind of Blasphemous speeches I shall give you these Three or Four Propositions or Distinctions about it First of all You must-know That though Christ be really united unto each Beleever yet this Unition or Union is a Voluntary act and not a Natural act and so Christ may Unite himself unto the soul so far as it pleases himself It is not a Natural act but a Voluntary act and being an act wherein he is free he may Unite himself unto the soul so far as he pleases and no farther Now the Lord Jesus Christ hath not united himself so far unto the soul of a Beleever that a Beleever should say I am Christ and I am the Spirit for then a Beleever were to be Worshipped as well as Christ if he were Christ Secondly You must know this That there is a great-deal of difference between joyning unto another by way of Contact or Touching and joyning unto another by way of Composition As for Example The Sea and the Land they are joyned together they are united but how not by way of Composition but by way of Contact the Sea touches the Land the Land touches the Sea yet the Land cannot say I am the Sea nor the Sea cannot say I am the Land Why because it is an Union only by Contact by Touching and not by Composition one being compounded of the other So the Union that is between Christ and a Beleever it is by way of Spiritual Contact Christ touching the soul by his Spirit and the soul touching Christ by faith I say it is a Union by way of Spiritual Contact and Touching and not by Composition and therefore a Beleever cannot say that I am Christ and I am the Spirit Thirdly You must know There is a Two-fold In-being One whereby Essences are applyed unto each other and another whereby Essences are mixt together I 'le make it as plain as I can thus Ye see in a heap of Stone and Wheat they both make but one heap and the Stone may say I am in this heap and the Wheat may say I am in this heap but the Stone cannot say I am the Wheat nor the Wheat cannot say I am the Stone Why because though they be united and joyned together in one heap it is by way of Application of one Essence unto another one being applied unto another But now take Water and Wine and mingle them together and there every part may say I am Water and I am Wine Why because there is an Union by way of Mixture Now there is a great Union between Christ and a Beleeving soul yet a beleeving soul though he be really united to Christ by the Spirit cannot say I am Christ or I am the Spirit Why because it is an Union by way of Application and not by way of Mixture as Wine and Water mingled together if it were an Union by way of Essences then a beleever might say I am Christ and I am the Spirit but it is an Union by way of Application a beleever being applied to Christ and Christ applied unto a
the world was Christ was one with the Father before the world was Therefore if he should pray that a Beleever might be one with him in regard of Equallity he should pray that a Beleever might be one with him in that respect which were impossible But he does not pray that a Beleever might be one with him by way of Equallitie as he is one with the Father by way of Equallitie but Similitude And yet divers Learned and Reverend men think the meaning of that place rather to be this That they may be one among themselves Christ prayes that they may be all one that is Lord I pray that they may love and agree together he prayes for Union among themselves But suppose it be taken the other way That the Lord Jesus Christ here does pray that Beleevers may be one with him as he is with the Father That is not in regard of Equallitie but in regard of Similitude that as Christ is one with the Father in a way sutable to him so Beleevers may be one with Christ in a way sutable unto them Quest But suppose then you will say that a Beleever is not one with Christ in this heighth of One-ness how may it appear by way of Scripture reason that Christ is really united unto each Beleever and that he is really in the soul of a Beleever by the Spirit not only in regard of infused Habits habits of grace grace inherent but that Christ Himself is really in a Beleever by his Spirit Answ 1 Ye know that we are united to Christ by Faith and look what Faith laies hold upon that it brings into the soul but now Faith does not lay hold upon the Graces of Christ but upon Christ himself and therefore Christ Himself by Faith is brought into the soul and is there really in the soul of a Beleever by his Spirit Secondly Christ is in a Beleever as a Beleever is in Christ Now a Beleever is not in Christ that is in his Graces When we say That we are in Christ we do not mean that we are in the Graces of Christ but a Beleever is in Christ Himself as in the common Head A Beleever is not in the Graces of Christ only but he is in Christ Himself So Christ is not in a Beleever only by his Graces but he is really there in the soul of a Beleever by his Spirit Thirdly If the Lord Christ were not really in the soul of a Beleever by his Spirit besides those Habits of grace Actings and Operations of the Spirit then how would there be Three that bear witness The Apostle tels us 1 John 5.8 There are Three that bear witness in Heaven and in our Hearts The Spirit Water and Blood Water what is that That is Sanctification a mans Sanctification does bear witness to him that he is the Child of God that is Water But now Sanctification consists either in the Habit of grace or in the Acting of grace if therefore the Spirit of Christ in a Beleever were nothing else but Grace inherent Grace then it were all one with the testimony of Water but there are Three that bear witnesse There 's the testimony of the Spirit there 's the testimonie of Blood and there 's the testimonie of Water If by the Spirit we are to understand only the Grace of Christ the Habit of grace in the soul then there would be but Two that bear witnesse namely Water and Blood because the other would be al one with Water Water being meant only Sanctification But now there are Three that do bear witnesse unto a soul that is in Christ The Spirit and Blood and Water and therefore Christ is really in a Beleever Christ really united unto all Beleevers by his Spirit Quest What is the Benefit of all this For suppose that we grant this That Christ in a Beleever is not only Grace and the Habits of grace in the soul but Christ Himself is really in the soul of a Beleever by his Spirit What Profit Benefit or Comfort will come unto a Beleever more this way than the other way Answ 1 Much every way First If Jesus Christ be really united to each beleever by his Spirit and really in him in this spiritual and mystical way Then a beleever shall have more blessed and glorious Communion with Christ than the other way For Union is the root of Communion The Husband the Wife are first Joyned together and United and then they have Communion with one another and Fellowship in their goods and estate Union is the ground of Communion And the nearer the Union the greater the Communion Now if Christ should be only in a beleever by the Habit of grace the Union would not be so great but if this be true That Christ is really in a beleever by his Spirit Christ really United to each beleever here the Union is nearer and therefore the Communion and Fellowship that a beleever shall have with Christ a great deal more and more blessed Secondly If Christ be really united unto a beleever unto all beleevers by his Spirit Then his love must needs be infinite towards beleevers If that his Graces only were in them he would love them because thereby they should be made like unto him but now if his own Spirit be in a beleever then his love must needs be infinite unto a beleever and a beleevers love infinite to him again in his way This is a great and glorious Priviledge Thirdly If Christ be really in a beleever really united to each beleever by his Spirit Then a beleever knowing this may say I have now somwhat more than any Hypocrite can attain unto Saies a poor soul many times If I had but that grace that no Hypocrite can attain unto then my soul would be quiet within me but now as for Gifts Graces there is no Hypocrite but may attain to them or something that is like to them What will ye instance in will ye instance in Faith 'T is said of Simon Magus Act. 8.13 Mat. 27.3 Heb. 12.17 Mat. 13.20 Heb. 6.5 6. That he beleeved Will ye instance in Repentance 'T is said of Judas That he also Repented and Esau that sought the birth-right with Tears Will ye instance in Hearing of the Word with Joy 'T is said So did the False ground Wil ye instance in the partakings of the Heavenly Gift and Powers of the world to come Men have a taste of these and yet fall away Will ye instance in Sanctification it self 'T is said of certain Wicked men in the 10. of the Hebrewes That they trample upon the blood of Christ wherewithal they are Sanctified So that even a wicked man in Scripture phrase is said to be Sanctified one that fals away and comes to naught But where do ye find in all the Scripture that the Lord Christ is said to be in an Hypocrite An Hypocrite is said to Repent to Beleeve to receive the Word with joy and to be
Sanctified in a large sence but where do ye find in al the Bible of any Hypocrite that Christ is said to be in him really united unto an Hypocrite No this is the great Priviledge of a beleever only Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory Fourthly If Jesus Christ be really united unto each beleever by his Spirit Then a beleever shal never die again spiritually die again I have read of a Woman that when her Husband was dead she would eat and drink the ashes of her Husband have his bodie burnt to ashes and so eat and drink the ashes of her husband and being asked the reason because saies she I mean to part with him no more I have parted with him once already when we were one but now I will be made one with him in another way and I will part no more with him So if Christ be in a Beleever really in a Beleever Christ really united unto each Beleever by his Spirit Then Christ and that Beleever shal never part again that Beleever shal die no more for the same Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead dwelling in a Beleever shal also raise up a poor beleever yea though he fal into the grave of sin he shal never die spiritually again upon this account Fiftly If Christ be really united unto al beleevers by his Spirit Then they may come with boldness unto the throne of grace and with unlimitted expectations of mercie from God the Father and from Christ Jesus The nearer ye are unto any Person the more boldness ye have towards him and the larger will your expectations be from him If a man marry his Servant whilst she was his maid she was not so bold nor could expect so much from him when she becomes the Wife then she is more bold and can expect more because now she is nearer A Child may have more boldnes and expect more from the Father than the servant and the servant that is within doors more than the servant that works in the field but the Wife that is nearest she is most bold comes with most boldness into the presence of the man and hath the largest expectations from him because she is nearest to him So the nearer that the soul of a beleever does get unto God the more boldness he may have when he comes to God and the largen expectations of mercy from him Now if Christ were in a beleever only by the Habit of grace and Christ in the soul were nothing else but the Habit of grace here were yet a great distance from Christ but now if Jesus Christ be really United unto each Beleever by his Spirit here is a close Union indeed And therefore upon this account every beleever may come with boldness now and with Unlimitted expectations of mercy from God the Father being brought thus neer that Christ Himself is really in the beleevers soul And what a Glorious and Blessed Condition is every beleever in now upon this account Applyca First Here I would stand admire and call upon you all to admire the Condescending Glorious and Unspeakable love of Christ It was infinite love in Christ to condescend so far as to come down into our Nature when he was incarnate but as if he were not neer enough to us then he comes down into the heart of a beleever by his Spirit When Christ was upon the Earth we were in him as in a common Person Now Christ is in Heaven he is in us by his Spirit What Glorious Condescending love is here If a Father Portion a Child set him up in a good Trade and the child decay through his own folly the Father will not Portion him again possibly he may help him but he will not give him ordinarily parents do not give so great a Portion to help him up again somewhat the parent will do but not so much as at the first The Lord of Heaven he put a great Portion into our hands at first and we decayed and broke and behold the Lord does not only give us as good a Portion as we had at the first but infinitely better for now the Lord Christ is United unto each Beleever now he comes and dwels in the soul of a beleever by his Spirit The Psalmist wondered and admired at the love of God to Man Psal 8.1 4. O LOrd saies the Psalmist how excellent is thy Name Lord what is man Why Lord what is man that thou visitest him He wondred at the love of God that would visit man But behold a greater love than so to visit poor man for Christ is come down into the soul of a beleever he is come into him by his Spirit not only come to visit him but Christ really United unto each beleever by his Spirit What Glorious and Condescending love is here Secondly Upon this account no Wicked man should dare to oppose any of the children of God Why because Christ is in them Christ not only in his Graces but Christ really in all beleevers by his Spirit And will a man dare to speak evil of him that is one with Christ or to defile the Temple of the Lord and the dwelling place of the Lord 1 Cor. 3.17 He that defiles the Temple of the Lord him will God destroy Take heed what you do if there be any opposers here Thirdly What abundance of Comfort is here unto all beleevers Christ is in you of a truth not only by the infusion of his Grace but Christ really in you by his Spirit It is some comfort to a sickly man that he hath a Physitian alwaies in the house with him and to a woman that is neer her time of travail that the Mid-wife is in the house with her What comfort is it then unto a poor soul that Christ is alwaies in him really in him by his Spirit You that are beleevers will not this content you He is too Covetous whom God cannot suffice He hath all things that hath him that hath all things Now every beleever hath Christ Christ really in a beleever by his Spirit not Notionally not by the Habit of grace only but Christ is really United unto each beleever by the Spirit Here is Comfort Comfort Comfort unto all those that are beleevers Object But I fear that Christ is not in me I do not find or perceive that Christ is in me and therefore I can have none of the comfort of this Doctrine were Christ really in me by the Spirit Christ would be working in me but I do not find these workings of Jesus Christ in me and were the Spirit in me it is quick lively and powerful I should do great things for God but alas I do nothing for him and therefore I fear that the Lord Christ is not in me of a truth Answ 1 First I grant That where Christ comes into the soul he does cause the soul to do great things for God greater than it could do before So it was with
Zacheus so with the Jailor so with Paul and so with divers others But then ye must know That a work is great or small according to the opposition that it does meet withal Though a Work or Duty be small in it self yet if it meet with great opposition and break through it it is a great work It was no great matter for the poor Woman to give one or two mites into the Treasury but she having no more and it being all her livelihood it was a great matter It is no great matter for a man to pray and to pray constantly and to frequent the Ordinances but when a poor creature shall meet with all opposition from his Relations then it may be a great matter to do this It is no great matter comparatively for to stay ones soul upon Jesus Christ But in the time of temptation when ones soul is full of Fears and a man does look upon Christ as his enemy then to cast himself into the arms of Christ and to stay the soul upon Christ then this is a greater work So that the work is great though small in it self it is meet with great opposition and break through all But whosoever you are that make this Objection fearing that you are not in Christ and so have not the comfort of this Doctrine Give me leave to propound Three or Four Questions to you First Who and what are those and whose servants are they that do come into and go out of your souls are they not the retinue and the servants of Jesus Christ Ye say such a man or a Noble man lives here for his servants go in and out daily And what Words come out of your mouth and what Words go in at your ear whose servants are they ordinarily are you ever better than when you are thinking or speaking of Jesus Christ hearing from Christ Certainly if his servants do most ordinarily come in and go out the Master is within Christ is within Secondly Do not ye find your souls in some measure Naturallized unto the Work of Christ the Things of Christ and the Work of Christ in some measure Naturallized unto your souls Adam ye know was the first man the father of us all we were in Him as your Root and he in Us as his Seed and his Works they are Naturallized to us We being in him as in the Root and he being in us as in his Seed his Works are Naturallized to us It 's Natural to See and to Hear and to Speak it 's natural for a man to Sin Sometimes ye have a Wicked man hating of a Godly Gracious man and he can give you no reason for it I cannot tell why saith he but my heart is against him But I 'le tell ye why and what the reason is The Old Man is in him the Old Adam is in him and the work of Adam is Naturallized to a Wicked man and he can give you no reason many times why he does so because the Work is Naturallized to him So on the contrary The Lord Jesus Christ is our second Adam and beleevers being in him as in their Root and he in them as in his Seed his Works also are Naturallized unto a beleever in a great measure that a beleever sometimes his heart does stand unto the good Work of God and he can give you no reason for it why I should love this or that Godly man I can give you no reason but so it is my heart stands towards him The reason is this because that Christ the Second Adam is within and so his Work and Things are naturallized unto the soul and in some measure is it not so with you Thirdly Whoever you are that make this Objection Did ye ever find perceive or think that Christ is in you It may be now ye are under some present Fear Doubting but were you never perswaded of this In-being did ye never think or were ye never perswaded that Christ was in you Yes sometimes I have and sometimes I have not again Sometimes I do think that Christ is in me of a truth and sometimes I do not Then look into the 14. chapter of John ye shall see what our Savior promises I will pray the Father at the 16. verse and he shall give you another Comforter And what then He describes him in he 17. verse And at the 20. saies he At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you At that day It may be for the present you cannot say that Christ is in you you in him and he in you but did ye never think yet in all your life that Christ was in you Yes once or twice or sometimes I confess I did think that Christ was in me and I was strongly perswaded too that Christ was in me but now I have lost those perswasions But how came ye to be so perswaded at that time that Christ was in you Thus it was with me My heart was Dead Hard and I could not pray I thought that God and Mercy was gone that I should never see the face of God again and all on a sudden when my soul was in this sad condition I know not how but all on a sudden a strange and unspeakable comfort came upon my soul and my soul stood up as it were from the dead and then I had that perswasion that Christ was in me Well soul be of good comfort this was Christs time that was Christs time and though now for the present thou canst not say that Christ is in thee I tell thee from the Lord that time shall come again and Christ will send the Comforter again and then shalt thou know that thou art in the Father and Christ is in thee and thou art in Jesus Christ for what he said unto those Disciples he said unto other of the Disciples Wait but a little and thoug I be absent for a little time I will send the Comforter and then shall you know although you do not know now yet there is a time when the Comforter shall come and then shalt thou know that Christ is in thee and thou art in Jesus Christ Fourthly Although for the present you do not find those workings of Christ in you and those powerful operations of the Spirit which should argue this same In being Yet do ye not find some workings of grace in your soul according unto that Place Room and Station that you have in the Body of Christ The soul ye know is in the body yet the soul does not put forth such power in one Member as it puts forth in another the soul does not act in one Member as it does in another it does not put forth so much strength in the little Finger or in the Thumb as it puts forth in the Arm The soul does not act in the Eye as it acts in the Mouth neither does it act in the Tongue as it acts in the Ear Should
But yet will some say What need of these things If Christ liveth in each Beleever really by his Spirit what need of Commandements or Teachings without for is it not said Ye shall be all taught of God and ye shall no longer teach your neighbor is it not so said in Scripture Answ 1 No not just so for if you look into that 31. of Jeremy from whence the place is fetched and the 8. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews ye shall find that the words run thus This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel verse the 10. after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother Saying Know the Lord For all shall know me from the least to the greatest Mark how the words run It is not barely said thus They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother but that clause is added to it Saying Know the Lord They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother Saying Know the Lord. As if he had said I will now make a Covenant of grace and mercy with you I will write my Laws in your hearts and ye shall all know me and though you have been taught heretofore as ignorant people that have not known the Lord yet now because I will write my Laws in your hearts and my Law shall be there ye shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother Saying Know the Lord as if ye were ignorant but my Law shall be within your hearts and you shall be taught as a knowing people Secondly Ye must know that although the Spirit of Christ live in every Christian and so God Yet the Spirit is the free gift of God and therefore it acts and works no further than it pleaseth God to give it Now look into the Scripture and you shall find that the Lord was never pleased to give the Spirit for this end that it should be the only Rule of a mans life but for this end that it should be an help to a man to know the Rule and to keep the Rule Look into the Word and you shall find that the Spirit of the Lord was never given to be the only Rule for a man to live by but it was given to be an help to understand keep and fulfil the Rule And therefore Chrysostom doth well observe It is with Christ in us saith he as with Christ without us In the times of the old Testament the great Promise was of giving Christ in the times of the New Testament the great Promise is the giving of the Spirit Now therefore looke as it was with Christ when he came into the world so with the Spirit when he cometh into the heart Christ in us Now when Christ came into the World he came not to destroy the Law but he came to fulfill the Law So when the Spirit cometh into the heart the Spirit cometh not to destroy the Gospel or the Ordinances of the Gospel but he comes to fulfil the Gospel Christus impletio legis Spiritus impletio Evangelii Christ the fulfilling of the Law the Spirit the fulfilling of the Gospel Quaecunque sunt in Legi c. Whatsoever things are in the Law Christ fulfilleth whatsoever things are in the Doctrine of the Gospel the Spirit fulfilleth And as when Christ came he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Mat. 5.17 for he saith himself I came to fulfil the Law so when the Spirit comes into any soul saith the Spirit also I come not to destroy the Gospel or the Commandements of the Gospel but I come into this poor soule to help it to fulfill the Commandements of the Gospel Now when I do take away the Commandements and make the Commandements no Commandements to me I mean the Commandements without then I destroy the Commandements as to me When I do make the Ordinances of Christ as no Ordinances to me then I do destroy them as to me And when I make the Rule without to be no Rule as to me then I destroy it as to me and when I that am a Beleever say thus I have the Spirit and therefore I have no need of any Commandement from without for the Spirit is Rule enough here I take away the Commandement as to me I take away the Ordinances as to me I take away the Rule as to me and therfore I destroy them Certainly Christ within us is not contrary to Christ without us Christ without us did not destroy the Law Christ within us doth not destroy the Gospel Therefore for any now to throw up Ordinances upon this account because they have the Spirit to lead and guide them this is to walk contrary to all the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament Oh! that people would think of this one thing The Spirit was never given to be the only Rule of a mans life but it was given to help us to understand and to enable us to keep the Rule Thus you see Ordinances and Christ living in a Christian can stand together And so you have the First thing cleared and proved Christ liveth in all Beleevers Quest 2 Secondly Whereby may it appear That the Lord Jesus Christ doth so live in a Beleever as that he hath a greater hand and stroke in all the actions of his Spiritual life than a Beleever hath himself that Jesus Christ doth live more in a Beleever than himself doth Answ 1 The Scripture is very plain If you look into the 1. chap. of Paul to the Ephesians and the last verse there you find these words speaking of Christ and his Church Which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Our Understandings our Wils our Affections our Duties they are but empty vessels til Christ doth fill them he filleth all he filleth all in all If ye have any Sails spread in any Dutie it is Christ that filleth them Look into the 3. chap. of that Epistle to the Colossians ye shal find at the 11. ver it is said of Christ He is all in all The words are But Christ is all and in all He is all in all men so it may be read Or he is all in all things Either way it may be read and it signifies both He is al in al men and he is all in al things Take the first All for all men and so he is all in all them Take the last All for all things and so he is all in al them in al things Now if the Lord Jesus Christ be al in al things and in al men then certainly he hath a greater hand and stroke in the actions the spiritual actions of Beleevers than themselves have Secondly To make this clear to
you by instances thus If the Lord Jesus Christ have a greater hand and stroke in our Conversion in our Performance of Duties in our Obedience in the grace of our Sufferings in our Assurance than we or Beleevers have themselves then certainly this part of the Doctrine must stand cleer and firm First As for our Conversion Ye know what our Savior saies None comes unto the Son but whom the Father draws Mat. 10.22 and none knows the Father but he unto whom the Son reveals him Convert me saith the turning soul and I shall be converted As for our Performances or Duties Prayer or whatever it is Look into the 8. Chapter to the Romans and the 26. vers Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities But how doth this prove that the Spirit hath a greater hand and stroke in our Prayers than our selves have Mark what follows For we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered As for the matter of our Obedience You know what the Apostle saith both unto the Romans and unto the Galatians That we are led by the Spirit Beleevers are led by the Spirit Plus est agi quam regi He doth not say We are ruled by the Spirit but he saith a Beleever is led by the Spirit not ruled but led It is more to be led than to be ruled for when a man is ruled by another he acts himself and his own actions are seen but when a man is led and carried away by another though he may act himself the others action is more seen than his We saith he are led by the Spirit As for our grace in Suffering the deportment and demeanour of a gracious soul in the time of Suffering See what our Savior Christ saies for that in the 10. of Matthew the 19. and 20. verses But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what you shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you So that he hath a greater stroke in the grace and carriage of a soul under his sufferings than himself hath As for the matter of our Assurance You know also what the Apostle Paul saith in that same 8. of the Romans Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the Spirit it self bearing witness with our spirits that we are the children of God So that now all these Five things are clear And if the Spirit and Christ in a Beleever the Spirit of Christ have a greater stroke in a mans Conversion in his Performance in his Obedience in the grace of his Suffering and in his Assurance than himself hath then surely the Lord Jesus Christ hath a greater hand and stroke in the spiritual actions of Beleevers than themselves have now that is proved Reas To give you one Reason for it If a Beleever had a greater hand and stroke in his Spiritual actions then the Spirit of Christ then had he wherein to boast for he might say thus I have now been at Duty I confess I have had some help from Christ and from the Spirit but I had the greatest hand and stroke therein my self and therefore why should I not boast I have been now at Prayer and though I have had some help from the Spirit in Prayer yet I had the greatest hand and stroke therein my self therefore why should I not boast But saith the Apostle boasting is excluded Surely therefore the Lord Jesus Christ doth so live in a Christian as that he hath a greater hand and stroke in all the actions of his spiritual life than a Christian or a Beleever hath himself so that he may say truly I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Object If this be true surely there are few Beleevers in the world how few are there in whom Christ lives thus I fear upon this account will some poor soul say that I have no faith in jesus Christ I thought once that I had faith in Christ and that I was a Beleever but I do not find Christ living in me thus that the Lord Jesus hath a greater hand and stroke in all my Duties than my self and therefore I fear that I never yet had faith are there not few Beleevers in the world upon this account Answ I grant it there are few Beleevers in the world few that have faith few in whom Christ lives thus But that this Doctrine may not be a stone of stumbling to any weak Christian First You must know this That it is with Christ in us living in us as it was with Christ without us living without us When the Lord Christ came into the world and lived here on earth lived without us he lived a conflicting life a life under Temptations and freedom from those Temptations Desertions and freedom from those Desertions his life here on earth was a hidden life a vailed life He came unto his own and his own received him not Joh. 1.11 and knew him not his own would not say Now our Lord Christ is among us So when Christ comes into the soul by his Spirit when he lives there he lives a conflicting life he hath his Temptations there and his freedom from those Temptations he hath his Desertions there and his freedom from those Desertions he liveth a hidden life there a vailed life there he comes to his own and many times the soul that is his own doth not receive him in a way of comfort is not able to say Christ liveth in me But who ever you are that make this Objection or lie under this Fear give me leave to propound Four or Five Questions to you First What is that in you that doth ordinarily sway the great actions of your lives When the Lord Christ comes into the soul he comes as a King presently ascendeth the Throne and takes hold of the Scepter interests himself in all that that doth sway the soul and swaies the actions of the soul now what is it that doth sway a mans actions Finis action is domin us et reginae est The end swaies the action And look what that is that doth sway your End that is it which liveth in you if Self swaieth your End Self liveth in you if Christ sway your End Christ liveth in you Now soul take all the actions of thy life since thou hast set thy face towards heaven and as for the great turnings of your life and the great actions Hath not Christ been at the end of them Secondly Do not you find a secret kind of disposition unto all the Commandements of the Gospel Where the Spirit is there Christ liveth When the Lord makes a Covenant of grace you shall observe he promiseth that he will give his Spirit and
withal that he will write his Law in our hearts and when he promiseth in the Covenant of grace that he will write his Law in our hearts he doth also promise for to give his Spirit As when the Lord gave out the Law at first to man-kind he did write the Moral Law in mans heart so that the Heathen now have the Law written in their hearts the Moral Law whereby they are disposed and inclined to Morallity and Civillity So when the Lord comes and makes a Covenant of grace with the soul then he doth give out his Spirit to the soul and then he doth write his Law the Law of grace love and of the Gospel in that soul and that soul hath a secret disposition unto all the Commandements of the Gospel Now do ye not find it thus with you when sometimes you are tempted to what is evil do not ye say thus I cannot do it Oh! Lord thou knowest I cannot live as I have done and I cannot want the presence of God and Christ What means this Cannot but a Law within that God hath written in the heart there is the Spirit and there is Christ Thirdly Do not you find your souls sometimes carried out to what is good beyond and contrary to your own dispositions and natural inclinations It is written of Irajan the Emperor that He was an exceeding meek loving quiet good natured man and yet He was one of the greatest Persecutors in the Primitive times He had his hand in two as bloody actions against the Saints as any Persecutor in those times yet a man of a quiet loving sweet nature and disposition How came this to passe He was acted by Satan and being thus acted beyond his own disposition and inclination it argued that Satan had a greater hand and stroke in his action than himself had So when a man shall be carried on to what is good even contrary to his own nature and disposition what doth this argue but that the Lord Christ hath a greater hand and stroke in that action than himself hath Fourthly Do not you find sometimes who ever you are that make this Objection or lie under this fear That Christ doth not live in you do not you find that sometimes your soul is carried out to what is good beyond what you intended When Zacheus went up into the Sycamore-tree he only went up to see the outside of Christ but he comes down receives Christ into his house there he bids him welcome and saith Lord Behold Luke 19.8 the half of my goods I give to the poor Zacheus never intended this when he went up to see Christ What 's the reason The Lord Christ was upon his soul the Lord Christ was at work upon him and because he was carried out farther in this good work than ever he intended it thereby doth appear that the Lord Jesus Christ had a greater stroke in this spiritual action of his than himself had As on the other side A wicked man sometimes he begins to sin and saith he within himself I will do it but a little I will not goe very farre I will never do it again I will now take my leave of this sin it shall never be acted by me any more But he goes farther in it than ever he intended Why because the Devil hath a greater stroke upon him than himself hath So here when as a mans soul shall be carried out unto what is good beyond what he intended this argues that the Lord Jesus Christ is at work upon his soul and hath a greater hand and stroke upon his actions his spiritual actions than himself hath Now is it not thus with thee Fiftly Who ever thou art man or woman that makes this Objection and lies under this fear That the Lord Christ doth not live in thee Were you never perswaded of this did you never yet think that Christ was in you did you never yet beleeve that Christ lived in you Yes I confesse I had such thoughts once but oh I have lost those thoughts I have lost those perswasions But when you had those thoughts and when you had those perswasions how came you by them My soul was lying in a sad dark dead hardned condition my soul was ready to sink with despair and all on a sudden my soul was raised up within me to this perswasion for to think that Christ was in me and that Christ liveth in me Wel Either these thoughts were from Satan or from Christ Either this perswasion of yours was from Satan or it was from Christ Not from Satan for Satan doth not use to be so loving to a poor tempted soul to bear it up when it is ready to sink under Temptation Satan doth not use to be so loving to a poor soul to free it from Despair Then it was from Christ and if it were from Jesus Christ then Christ had a greater hand and stroke in this perswasion than thy own soul for thou sayest I was dead dull hardened ready to sink and I said Mercy is gone I shall never see the face of Christ again and all on a sudden these perswasions were raised in me Here Christ plainly hath a greater stroke in this perswasion than thine own soul Upon all this I do now appeal unto you who ever you are that lie under any of these Fears Hath it not been thus with you That all on a sudden you have been raised to these perswasions Do not you find That sometimes your soul hath been carried out to God even contrary to your own inclination and disposition Do not you find That sometimes your soul hath been carried out to what is good beyond all that you intended you thought to begin Prayer a little while and hath not the Lord sometimes come in and carried out your soul farther than ever you intended Do you not find a secret disposition or inclination to all the Commandements of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Do you not find That in the greatest actions and turnings of your lives Christ hath been at the end thereof Oh! yes If I should speak true I must needs say this Although I have not seen Christ at the end of every action yet as for the great actions and turnings of my life I must needs say Christ hath been there And the Lord knows I have a secret disposition to the Commandements of the Gospel And O Lord thou knowest that I have been carried out many times to what is good contrary to mine own disposition O Lord thou knowest I have been carried further in a way of good than ever I intended O Lord thou knowest When my soul hath been dead hardened and I have said Now mercy is gone and I am driven from mercy then then hath there been perswasions raised in me that Jesus Christ is in me Well be of good comfort soul be of good comfort from the Lord if thou hast these perswasions do not check them and if for the present you have