of nature whither vegitive sensible or reasonable Job sometime said of wisdome Where shall wisdome be found and where is the place of understanding man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the Sea saith it is not with me thus may we say of spirituall life where shall spirituall life be found and where is the place of true and saving grace man knoweth not the price therof neither is it found in the land of the living Nature saith it is not in me Art and industry say it is not with us this life is hid with Christ in God It is hid in God in regard of the original preservation protection and continuance of it as the life of the branch is hidden in the root and the life of the streame in the fountaine it is hid in God and there and no where els it is to be found therfore termed the life of God for the spirituall originall and celestiall excellency therof regeneration and new-birth being of all lives the most excellent life which God communicateth unto man because God doth then very graciously and sweetly live in man and man enjoyes the life of God when God doth sanctifie and guide man by his Spirit and this life is ascribed by our Saviour to the Spirit as to the proper cause of it the flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickneth and all the faithfull are born again of the Spirit begotten of God by the word of truth as they have the most noble excellent Parent so they have the most honorable eminent life a life of such dignity that none but God can communicate 5. By the medium of spirituall life conjunction with Christ by faith is the medium of this life as the naturall life is a conjunction of the body with the soule so the spirituall life is a conjunction of the soul with Christ and his Spirit Christ is the head and they the members Christ is the Vine and they the branches being enlivened by their conjunction with Christ the members are enlivened by the head and the branches by the Vine and believers coming to Christ as to a living Stone are said as lively stones to be built a spirituall house In which words Christ is likened to a Stone for his strength and stedfastnesse for his truth and unchangeablenes for his union of Jew and Gentile and for his supportation of all Gods children to an elect and precious stone for his worth and excellency and to a living stone for his everliving vertue ministring the life of grace to all the faithfull and preserving them therin to the life of glory and all true beleevers are called lively stones for their being founded upon Christ and enlivened by Christ the head-stone and of this life they participate by coming unto Christ comming to Christ by the doctrine of the Gospell inviting them and by a lively faith resting upon him incorporated into him and receiving spirituall life from him and this is Christs promise he that beleeveth in me that is united and joyned unto me and made one with me by faith he shall live he shall live the life of grace first and the life of glory last and it is the plain assertion of the Evangelist he that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life he hath it in inchoation by the work of grace he hath it in promise by faith he hath it in expectation by hope he hath that life begun in grace which shall be consummate in glory 6. By the opposition made against the working of this life in the soules of men the working of grace in the hearts of men is opposed by corruption as naturall life is opposed by death all men by nature being dead in sins and trespasses this life is opposed by sin as naturall health is opposed by a mortall an over-swaying and incurable disease the cure of the diseased woman in the Gospell was so opposed by her bloody issue that no Physition could cure her she bestowed all her substance upon the Physitions in vaine she could not be healed untill she came to Christ the cure of the disease of sin is so difficult that neither the ministry of man or Angell can accomplish it Christ alone is the Physitian healing the diseased soul of man he is the son of righteousnes who hath healing in his wings in the wings of his ordinances instrumentally in the wings of his gracious gifts and operation efficiently the Apostle layeth down the opposition of sin against the working of spirituall life 4. ways 1. Through ignorance alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them they are ignorant of the absence and want of it they suppose they are alive to God when they are dead in sinne they are ignorant of the Originall and Authour of this life they know not that he that hath not the Sonne hath not life they are ignorant of the meanes working it they know not that the word is the word of life that the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation the immortall seed of mans regeneration they are ignorant of the necessity of this life of grace they thinke there is a greater latitude in Religion then there is they know not that the way to life is a narrow way they imagine they may doe well enough though they be not so strict and so zealous as others are they are ignorant of that worke of Christ of that holy and gracious change of heart of that faith repentance purity of heart and circumspect walking which belongs to this life And thus through their ignorance doe they undervalue it and oppose the working thereof 2. Their corruption doth oppose it through the hardnesse of their hearts being alienated from the life of God through the hardnesse which is in them This hardnesse of heart makes them uncapable of the word of life as the hard ground is uncapable of seed This causeth them to resist the meanes of grace as the hard rocke resisteth the raine distilling thereupon This makes them regardlesse and fearelesse of all judgements and cominations Affliction doth not better them but rather make them worse as the anvill hardens under the hammer This makes them impenitent they cannot mourne for their sinnes any more then a hard rocke can send forth a streame of water O Lord saith Jeremy thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rocke they have refused to returne and after their hardnesse and impenitent heart according to Saint Paul they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and thus their hardnesse of heart doth oppose the working of this spirituall life 3. Their corruption opposeth this spirituall life through unsensiblenesse they are strangers to this life saith the Apostle being
Shunems sonne that was dead He lay upon the childe and his mouth upon the childes mouth and his eyes upon the childes eyes and his hands upon the childes hands he stretched himselfe upon the childe and the flesh of the childe waxed warme the childe neesed and opened his eyes Christ applyeth himselfe and his benefits to the understandings of men to the soules and consciences of men and their cold hearts are warmed their blind eyes are opened their soules are enlivened and Christ lives within them raising them from the death of sinne and restoring them to the life of God from which they are alienated by sinne therefore Saint John saith He that hath not the Sonne hath not life He that hath not the Son graciously possessing him spiritually quickning him powerfully working upon him and causing a holy change in him he hath not life the life of God that holy and gracious life which God through Christ communicates to the soules of his servants but he that hath the Sonne he that beleeveth in the Sonne is united to the Sonne and hath the Sonne living in him he hath life he is spiritually quickened and enlivened And God saith the Apostle hath given us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne God hath placed this and the fulnesse of all divine and heavenly good things in his Sonne he dispenseth all these by the Sonne that no man may live before him without the Sonne living in him and the Sonne is called Life having in himselfe the fulnesse of all life having the power of life and death being the Authour and the root of life in all them that live the life of grace no man comming to the Father receiving life from the Father finding grace and favour with the Father but in and through the Sonne who is to us the Way the Truth and the Life the way by whom we walk the truth by whom we are guided and the life by whom we are quickned called by Saint Paul our life because we live not the life of grace of our selves but by Christ It is a life which ariseth not from our flesh but is derived to us from Christ Christ liveth in us begetteth preserveth and perfecteth this life in all beleevers and for this end Christ came that all the chosen of God might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Ministring not onely an inchoation but a daily increase of the life of grace untill they come to the life of glory and Christ is termed eternall life having life eternall in himselfe working life eternall and living for ever in us we enjoying the true and eternall God in and through Christ And Christ liveth in all them that are the children of God 1. By way of Originall The life of grace is originally from Christ Christ being not only the Author of this life with the Father and the Holy-Ghost but also the root of this life in us living in us as the root liveth in the branches as the parent liveth in the childe therefore Christ is called the vine and we the branches As the life of the branches is originally in the vine so is our life originally in Christ and as the branches live by the vine living in them so we live by Christ living in us And the Apostle termeth the second Adam which is Christ a quickning spirit For as the life of the body of man is originally from the soule the soule quickning and living in the body so the life of grace is originally from Christ Christ spiritually quickening and living in all beleevers and as the body without the spirit is dead so is man without Christ spiritually dead in sins 2. By way of Coniunction Christ liveth in vs by being united to us and made one with us The stocke liveth in the graft by union with the graft we being taken out of the wilde Olive separated from our naturall and corrupt estate called and gathered home to Christ and grafted in the true Olive we live in him and he lives in us If ye abide in me and I in you ye shall bring forth much fruit saith Christ If ye be united unto me and I united unto you then you shall live and be very fruitfull By being built upon Christ the living stone they become lively stones 3. By way of influence infusion and transmission The heavens by an influence into the earth doe quicken and enliven the earth and make all the seeds and roots hidden in the earth to revive and put themselves forth to sprout and flourish there is an influence going forth from the Sun of righteousnesse into the soules of men reviving and quickning them and making them of dead to become living of barren to become fruitfull To you saith the Lord shall the Sun of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings and ye shall goe forth and grow up as the calves of the stall There is an influence goeth forth from the skill seated in the mind and strength seated in the hand of the Artificer which passeth upon the worke whereby he moulds and fashions it and sets a stamp upon it according to his pleasure Thus there is a heavenly influence a holy vertue and power comming from Christ and his Spirit that new moulds and fashions that mightily quickens and enlivens the soule of man by which Christ sets his owne Image upon man and this is called the power of Christs Resurrection That I may know him saith Paul and the power of his Resurrection that I may know Christ and be made partakers of the good things which come by Christ that I may know him as a Prophet instructing me as a Priest sanctifying me as a King reigning spiritually within me and that I may know the power of his Resurrection in the vivification of my soule in the abolition of my sinne in the taking away of the guilt of my transgression in the acquisition of righteousnesse and in the restoring of me to the assured hope of future glory and immortality There is a virtue flowes from the Resurrection of Christs body from the grave to the resurrection of the soules of men from the death of sinne As Christ was raised from the death by the glory of the Father even so should we walke in newnesse of life saith the Apostle and this influence of Christ into the soule of man is called the exceeding greatnesse of his power an exceeding great power for the omnipotency of the Agent for the mightinesse of the Devill sinne death and the world who are overcome by it for the greatnesse of the holy and gracious change wrought thereby in the soules of men changing the whole frame of the hearts of men from death to life from darknesse to light from bondage to liberty from uncleannesse to holinesse from earthlinesse to heavenlinesse and by this powerfull and mighty influence doth Christ live in
as sometime the men of Judah clave to David they doe not single out Christ and take him to themselves as their Rocke as their glory as their strength and refuge they doe not betake themselves to Christ as the chickens betake themselves to the Hen the Bees to the hive the Conies to the Rock and as the men that were in debt distresse and discontent betooke themselves to David and made him their Captaine they doe not stay on Christ put on and apply Christ unto themselves and themselves to Christ as the Church and children of God doe as the Spouse of Christ doth their faith is a temporary and vanishing faith a Tree without roots that soone withers a dead faith there is no life and power in it no saving fruit growes upon it 4. They are estranged from the liberty of the Church Christs Church and children are Gods freemen and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Liberty from the power of sinne tyranny of Satan and servitude of the world liberty to know God as the open eye is free to see to move and incline to God as the River is free to move and slow toward the Sea to beleeve in Gods promise to receive Christ as the sound hand is free to receive the gift and free to love Christ as the heart of the Bride is free to love the Bridegroome All carnall men are great strangers to this freedome they are captives to Satan servants to the world prisoners to their owne lusts bowed downe to the world like the woman in the Gospell that had a spirit of infirmity as unable to looke up to God or to the things which are above as unable to discerne the things of God as the blind to discerne colours as unable to walke in the wayes of God as the dead are unable to walke upon the earth as fast shut up in the prison of Satan and their owne corruption as ever Peter was in Herods prison 5. They are estranged from the wedlocke of the Church with Christ True beleevers are Christs Spouse betrothed unto Christ bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh one mysticall Christ as man and wife are one matrimoniall flesh but carnall men are farre from this wedlocke they take not Christ unto themselves as the husband of their soules they have not the love and joy of a Spouse in Christ they keep not their soules chaste and pure to Christ they commit fornication and adultery with Idols and the world and are divorced from Christ they shamefully deâ—ile themselves and make themselves an abomination in the eyes of Christ 6. They are estranged from the Churches receivings from Christ True beleevers receive of Christs fulnesse they receive life and light and power from Christ as the eye receiveth light from the Sun the branch life from the root and the body power from the soule they receive the Spirit of Christ and are quickened they receive the word of Christ and are edefied they receive the promise of Christ and are established they receive the forgivenesse of sins by Christ and are comforted but carnall men like a company of broken cisternes and withered branches receive nothing from Christ Jesus Christ commeth among them in his Gospell but they receive him not he commeth to them by his Ministers but they receive not their witnesse they shut the doores of their hearts against Christ he stands without and knocks but they open not they give him no entertainment Christ spends his strength in vaine and his labour for nought amongst them and by all these things they make manifest their Alienation from the Church of Christ and all the speciall priviledges and prerogatives thereof CHAP. XIII Discoursing of the unhappy condition and impossibility of their salvation who are strangers to the true Church THis discovers the unhappy condition of all carnall and unholy people though they live within the pale of the Church yet they are all aliens to the Church though they be in the Church yet they are not of the Church as nasty humours are in the body yet no member no part nor parcell of the body though they be within the Schoole of Christ yet they are no true Disciples of Christ they are like them of whom Saint Paul speakes who are alwayes learning and never come to the knowleege of the truth Though they are within the pale of Christs Orchard yet they are but false slips no Trees of Righteousnesse of Christs planting Though they be in Christ Sacramentally yet they are but as dead members or woodden legs in a body or withered branches in a vine wanting the Spirit of Christ they have no spirituall life sence or motion in them Though they take upon them the name of Christ yet they doe not partake of the nature of Christ as blazing Starres have the name but not the nature of Starres Though they verbally professe Christ yet they actually deny Christ in works saith the Apostle they deny him they are seeming but no true Christians they doe but with Jeroboams wife disguise and faine themselves to be others then they are As they in the Church of Smyrna said they were Iewes and yet were not so but a Synagogue of Satan Thus many say they are Christians who indeed are not in Christ Jesus but are the Synagogue of Satan a cage of uncleane birds and though they be ecclesiastically holy by vertue of their naturall generation of Christian parents yet they are not spiritually and truly holy because they want that regeneration which is the worke of Gods Spirit and though they enjoy some outward priviledges by their being within the Church yet they enjoy not Christ and his benefits because they are not truly living members of the Church And this is a great misery to be an alien to the true Church of Christ he that is an alien to this Church of Christ is an alien to Christ Christ doth not enliven nor enlighten him Christ doth not profit him A member separated from the body is separated from the head hath no influence from the head hee that is a stranger to the Church is a stranger to the promise for the promise is to them whom God cals outwardly by his Word and inwardly by his Spirit he is a stranger to the love of Christ Christs Church is the object of Christs love Christ loved the Church saith Saint Paul and gave himselfe for it he is a stranger to the blessed and gracious presence of Christ Christs presence is with his Church he delights to walke among the candlestickes sanctified soules are his Temple his dwelling his glorious rest he is a stranger to the comfortable communications of Christ Christ reveales and opens himselfe to his Church and children as a glorious Sun as a loving Bridegroome to them he communicates himselfe as the dew upon the ground and as the raine upon the grasse he gives
defiles the heart of man with covetousnesse Thine eyes and thy heart saith the Lord to Jehoiakim are not but for thy covetousnesse and for to shed innocent bloud and for oppression and for violence to doe it it defiles the affections with idolatry and with spirituall fornication and adultery the covetous man is an idolater saith Saint Paul and the adulterers and adulteresses saith Saint Iames to such as embrace not Christ but the creature know you not that the love of the world is enmity with God and that he that is a friend to the world is an enemy to God The world fils that mans soule with most shamefull uncleannesse that embraceth not the Lord Iesus therefore as Hagar seeing the emptinesse of her bottle came readily to the fountaine as the mariner feeling the tempest and troublesomnesse of the seas comes willingly to the haven as the Israelites feeling the cruelty of Pharaohs task-masters and the insupportablenesse of his burthens willingly embraced Moses and as the diseased woman feeling the loathsomnesse of her bloudy issue and having experience of the vanity of all Physitians came gladly unto Christ so we seeing the emptinesse feeling the uncomfortablenesse and knowing the inthralling and defiling nature of the creature without Christ let us readily willingly joyfully and thankfully receive and embrace Christ that our soules may be freed sanctified and filled with all saving graces and heavenly comforts Experience of the vanity trouble bondage and evils which attend the naked having of the creatures should marvellously endeare unto us the Lord Iesus and make his comming in the Gospell surpassingly sweet and welcome 2. Let us throughly view and consider the state of man without Christ Man not receiving Christ in the Gospell hath no spirituall life but is dead in sinnes as the body is dead without the soule he hath no saving knowledge but is in spirituall blindnesse as he that is without the Sunne is in darknesse he hath no heavenly gift or grace but is empty of all the fruits of the Spirit as the branch which is separated from the vine hath neither juice nor fruit he hath no Christian liberty or freedome but is a bondman to sin Satan and the world as Peter lay in Herods prison in fetters and under the custody of the souldiers before the Angell came and freed him he hath no interest in Gods promises but as Adam was shut out of the garden of Eden so is man shut out of Gods Covenant Gods promises are a sealed well whereof his soule drinks not he hath no garment of righteousnesse to cover him no jewell of grace to adorne him no spirituall treasure to enrich him but is poore blind naked miserable and wretched As the Egyptians were led away by the King of Assyria prisoners captives naked barefoot with their buttocks uncovered to the shame of Egypt so man without Christ is led away by the prince of darknesse a spirituall prisoner and captive his soule bare naked uncovered to the shame of mankind he hath no holy and heavenly peace but as the Disciples were tossed upon the tempest till Christ calmed the waters so is man like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt untill Christ ministers comfort Man without Christ is like a blind traveller that hath no guide to leade him like a dead man in the grave putrifying in sinne having none to raise him like an empty cisterne having no fountaine to fill him like a bondman having no ransomer to free him like a woman in travell having no midwife to help her lik a sheep in the midst of wolves having no shepheard to conduct and defend it and like a besieged City in the midst of many enemies having no wall to protect it no captaine to fight for it Miserable is mans condition that receives not Christ in the Gospell did man know and feele his unhappinesse without Christ he would never be so regardlesse of Christ never so carelesly let Christ passe but would meet Christ where he commeth in his word as the blind men went out and stood by the high-way side where Christ was to passe and cry after Christ as they did as the woman of Shunem hasted to the Prophet for the raising of her dead son and laid hold upon the Prophets feet and would not let him goe untill he came with her and raised her sonne againe to life so would man hasten unto Christ lay hold upon Christ in the Gospell and bring Christ home into his heart he would be at no rest untill Christ had raised freed purged and comforted his dead captived polluted and comfortlesse soule He would as joyfully entertaine Christs comming in his Gospell to free him from the power of his corruptions as ever the Gibeonites gladly entertained Ioshuah comming to rescue them from the Amoritish Princes it is mans unsensiblenesse of the misery of his owne condition that causeth Christs comming to bee unwelcome 3. Meditate the soules apprehension of God without Christ God who to the soules of them that savingly embrace Christ is looked on rejoyced and delighted in as a father for his love as a gracious King for his mercies as a sure and sweet friend for his comforts as a loving husband for his amiable and soule-refreshing presence as a shield for the defence as a rocke for the supportment and as a full fountaine for the satisfaction which he ministreth This thrice blessed and gracious God is apprehended considered and lookt upon by him that doth not embrace Christ in the Gospell as a severe Iudge to condemne him as an enemy full of displeasure against him as a man of warre bending his bow and whetting his sword to destroy him as a rocke ready to fall upon him and grinde him to pouder as a tempestuous sea ready to swallow him and as consuming fire and everlasting burning ready for ever to consume and to destroy him Very dreadfull and soule-amasing and frightening is mans meditation and apprehension of God that doth not savingly apprehend him in Christ such a man flies from the thought of God the voice of God and the presence of God as Adam fled into the thicket as a silly sheep flies before the Lyon a guilty malefactor before the hue and cry or a Partridge before the Hawke This makes them cry to the hils to cover them and to the rocks and the mountaines to fall upon them to hide them from the day of the Lord and the wrath of the Lambe God lookt upon without Christ Iesus is the terrour of all terrours to a guilty soule and accusing conscience Were men truly apprehensive and sensible of the wrath of God without Christ their soules would be at no rest untill they had assured interest in Christ the fiercenesse and terrour of God against sinners doth exceedingly endeare and sweeten the Lord Iesus to the soules of his faithfull servants had we frequent and right consideration of the
to burne within them in hearing as the hearts of the two Disciples did this fire this heavenly heate is wanting and therefore all their service is but as a sacrifice without fire of no use of no acceptance with the Lord. 4. Their services if you observe their end are arrowes levelled to a low marke A dead man cannot lift himselfe up from the earth A man without Christ and empty of spirituall life cannot looke above himselfe and his owne flesh in any thing he doth The effect ever suites with the cause the thorne cannot beare figges the fruit is answerable to the nature of the Tree He that hath nothing of God in him cannot intend God in his undertaking he that is alienated from the life of God cannot worke for God That saith our Saviour which is of the flesh is flesh fleshly disposed intending the flesh and nothing else doing all for himselfe seeking his owne things and not the things which are Christs his owne profit his owne ease his owne applause he serves not the Lord Jesus but his owne belly as Saint Paul speakes and thus the originall the nature adjunct and end of a carnall mans works demonstrate them to be dead works of no esteem with God how glorious soever in the eyes of men As Christ is the Author and worker of Spirituall life so the glory and the praise of all grace and holinesse of the whole spirituall life of Christians is to be attributed unto Christ Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father from whom we have our new birth the high and heavenly workman from whom we have our spirituall being and new Creation the life by whom we are quickened the Sun by whom we are enlightened the Physitian by whom we are healed Christ Jesus is the fountaine of all grace and goodnesse life and holinesse to true beleevers they are all members enlivened by this head Stars enlightened by this Sunne fields manured by this husbandman houses builded by this Architect and vessels filled by this fountaine the praise of all mans grace and holinesse is due to Christ Jesus Art thou awakened out of thy spirituall sleep and slumber it is Christ hath done it as the Angell awakened Peter the Lyon by his cry awakens his young Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah by his mighty voice in the Gospell awakens Gods chosen Are the eyes of thy understanding enlightened Christ is the light who hath enlightened thee as he opened the eyes of him that was borne blind Art thou cleansed from thy sinne it is Christ who is the refiners fire and the fullers sope that hath purged thee as Jordan cleansed Naaman from his leprosie Art thou delivered from the prison of thy corruption and the bondage of Satan it is Christ hath brought thee forth as the Angell brought Peter out of Herods prison Hast thou liberty to come to God by faith and love it is Christ hath made thee free in thy understanding to discerne the things of God in thy will to chuse and intend God in thy imagination to thinke upon God in thy memory to remember God in thy affections to feare trust love and rejoyce in God in thy eares to attend to the word of God in thine eyes to behold God in his works in thy tongue to speake of God to the edification of others and to celebrate God for his mercies Christ is the Authour and workman of all Christian freedome Art thou filled with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit Christ is the fountaine that hath filled thee all thy receivings are of Christs fulnesse as the branches are filled by the root and the Starres by the Sunne Hast thou reconciliation and acceptation with God it is Christ that hath brought thee nigh to God procured favour for thee with the Lord as Joseph procured favour for his brethren with the King of Egypt Christ is the beloved in whom thou art accepted Art thou able to endure temptation to undergoe the heavy burthen of affliction Christ is the rocke that sustaines thee as the rocke in the Parable sustained the house from sinking when the winds and waves did beate and blow upon it Christ is the Arke that beares thee up as Noah was borne up in the Deluge Christ is the shield and buckler and wall of fire that defends thee it is Christs power in thee it is Christs presence with thee as with the three children in the fiery furnace that strengthens and inables thee to hold out that makes thee victorious over all opposing powers In a word it is Christ that works all thy works of grace and peace faith and love hope and patience constancy and perseverance in thee he begins the life of grace within thee and continues it to the life of glory Ascribe therefore to the Lord Jesus the praise of all thy goodnesse acknowledge him to be the giver of all thy gifts the Authour of all thy holy and gracious works the Sunne that hath enlightened thy darknesse the quickning Spirit who hath enlivened and freed thee from thy deadnesse the Physitian who hath healed thy diseases the Counsellor who hath resolved thee in all thy doubtings the fiery pillar who hath gone before thee protecting and guiding thee in all thy goings the Moses rod which hath divided the waters and made a passage for thee through the red Sea of all thy afflictions the Captaine who hath overcome for thee in all thy Conquests and the King who of his owne mercy crownes thee and his owne works in thee after all thy tryals Let Christ have the glory of all from thee because he accomplisheth all for thee by his living in thee CHAP. XXI THe third thing in these words is an Act liveth Christs living in man the soule liveth in the body enlivening preserving and strengthening the body and Christ liveth in man enlivening man with the life of grace preserving man in the estate of grace strengthening him with all might according to his glorious power Christ is the soule of our soules the quickning Spirit by whom we are spiritually enlivened Christ by the supernaturall gracious and powerfull operation of his Spirit raising us to newnesse or life and living in us by this powerfull and holy worke of his Whence observe That Christ lives in Gods children by his holy and powerfull worke of Sanctification The Spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiels vision was in the wheeles and when the living creature went they went and when the living creature was lifted up they were lifted up because the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheeles Thus the Spirit of Christ is in the children of God and they live as Christ lives they move according to Christs prescription because the Spirit of Christ is in them because Christ lives in them and works effectually by his Spirit upon them putting a Principle of spirituall life into them The Prophet Elisha applyed himselfe to the woman of
sinne as the only Prince of Peace sweetly and powerfully ruling in the heart of man and graciously reconciling God and man as the only beloved Husband marrying himselfe to man as the only precious pearle in whom is all the treasure of the soul of man as the only rocke in whom is all the strength of man and by whom man is supported as the only rich and royall roabe by whom mans sinne is covered and the soule of man justified and as the onely fountaine in whom man meets with fulnesse of satisfaction and where Christ is thus revealed there he liveth This Revelation of Christ in man ministers life and comfort unto man 5. Christ beginning to live in man doth very powerfully and graciously change and reforme man he doth cause his Gospell to come to man not in word only but in power also humbling man breaking and bruising the stony heart plowing up the fallow ground of mans heart making it of barren to become good ground causing the choisest plants of his grace and fruits of righteousnesse to grow there Christ doth not onely proffer his grace and stirre up good desires and purposes but he infuseth supernaturall qualities of holinesse into the soule of man he makes him a new creature causing old things to passe away and making all things become new he puts not a forme but a power of godlinesse into man he dyes the heart in graine with grace and holinesse he makes him a living man indeed for his life and power of grace for his unfained love to God for his burning zeale for God for his gracious progresse in the wayes of God for his sweet and blessed delight in God and for his full and through conformity to the will of God Christ causeth his Spirit to come upon him mightily as it came upon Sampson inabling him to overcome the Devill the world and his owne corruption as the Spirit inabled Sampson to overcome the Lyon transforming man into the Image and likenesse of God not as the Devill transformed himselfe into the Image and likenesse of Samuel remaining a Devill still but as Christ turned water into wine graciously changing the qualities of man making him of a dead a living man of proud humble of ignorant wise of obstinate soft and tender hearted of prophane holy of cold fervent of barren fruitfull of weake and impotent untoward and indisposed he makes him strong and able apt and ready to every good duty and this is the manner of Christs living in man CHAP. XXIII DOth Christ live in man Then the life of a Christian is the most noble and honourable life of all others the life of sensible creatures is more excellent then the life of vegitive creatures the life of reasonable creatures is more excellent then the life of sensible the life of man is more noble then the life of beasts but the life of spirituall and sanctified persons is more excellent then the life of reasonable creatures the life of a true Christian surpasseth the life of man as farre as the life of man surpasseth the life of beasts Saul was in stature head and shoulders above the residue of the people The life of grace is head and shoulders in dignity worth and excellency above all other lives this is the life of Christ a living of Christ in man and as Christ is infinitely more excellent then man so doth this life exceedingly transcend the life of man called the life of God in regard of the cause efficient God working it by his holy Spirit in regard of precept God commanding it in regard of approbation God accepting and approving it in regard of noblenesse and dignity as the life of God is more excellent then the life of the creature so is this life the most honourable sweetest and choysest life communicable to any creature and in regard of likenesse with God holy and gracious resemblance of God he that lives the life of man is like man participates of the nature of man he that lives the life of grace is like God is made partaker as S. Peter speaks of the divine nature not in respect of essence but in respect of holy and gracious qualities hee that lives the life of grace commeth nighest unto God participates most of Gods fulnesse and hath nearest and sweetest communion with God of all persons And this life is indeed a very honourable and noble life 1. For the Originall of it it is not from nature but from grace not from man but from the Spirit it is the Spirit that quickneth It is a beame from the brightest Sun even Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousnesse I saith Christ am the bread of life come downe from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever It is a streame from the highest and purest fountaine the Spirit of grace becoming in the soule of man a well of water springing up into everlasting life 2. In regard of the nature of it a spirituall life a life of holinesse and righteousnesse a life surpassing the life of nature as the Sun the Glo-worme as the Vine the bramble and they that live this life are said to walke in newnesse of life Having a new-birth being borne againe and having new principles and qualities put into them by the Spirit of God the Lord according to his promise putting a new heart into them their soules being renewed and changed not in substance but in qualities framed a new after God in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse made new creatures and leading a conversation pure and unblameable in the sight of God and that life which is most full of grace and holines is of all lives the most noble and glorious 3. In regard of the rarity of it few men live this life the whole world as S. John saith lies in wickednesse dead in sins and trespasses as the old world lay drowned in the deluge only Noah and his Family a few persons lived in the Arke it is but a little remnant one of a city and two of a Tribe as the Prophet speakes that live this life Strait is the gate and narrow is the way saith Christ which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it A godly person is a rare jewell God dispenceth the life of grace only to his chosen Christ in the dayes of his flesh raysed not all the dead to life but onely a few one now and another then thus Christ in the day of the Gospell doth not quicken all but a few one here and another there the number of them that professe themselves Christians is indeed very great but the number of them in whom Christ lives is very small the greatest part like the Angell of the Church of Sardis having a name that they live and yet are dead the outward forme and shew of Christianity is very frequent but the life power and practise very
other people have besides them 7. In respect of unity A common-wealth consisting of many particular persons makes but one politicke body All true beleevers are but one mysticall body in Christ therefore the Church is called One. My beloved saith Christ is one and there is one body and one spirit saith the Apostle one Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all The Church is of one Lord by one Baptisme into one mysticall body under one head ruled by one spirit bound with one bond of hope and love professing one faith and called with one Calling to one heavenly Kingdome built upon the foundation of one Doctrine As one soule doth quicken the many members of the body so the Spirit doth animate and enliven the whole Church As in one Pomegranate there are many kernels within one rinde so doth one Church containe innumerable people through the unity of faith having one Father regenerating them one spirit enlivening them one light guiding them one spirituall food nourishing them one Law binding them and one Head ruling the in they are most sweetly and entirely one among themselves CHAP. IX Perswading Subiection under one Head Submission to one Law and unity between our selves THe Church and faithfull people of Christ must learne from hence Subjection under one Head Submission under one Law and unity between themselves 1. Subiection under one Head Christ To Christ is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth and to him must all be Subject His dominion is from sea to sea an I from the river to the ends of the earth all Kings must fall downe before him and all Nations must serve him To him the Church must be subject spiritually their obedience must arise from a principle of grace they must worship him in spirit and in truth To him they must be subject heartily not in shew but in truth obeying from the heart root that forme of Doctrine which Christ hath delivered to them To him they must be subject voluntarily without compulsion they must be a willing people his Law must be in their hearts and they must delight to doe his will To him they must subject themselves universally in respect of the rule they must have respect unto all the Commandements as Noah in building the Arke had an eye to the whole patterne which was set before him and in respect of the whole man all the faculties of the soule and all the members of the body must be obedient to him as the Sun Moone and eleven Starres did obeysance to Joseph in his vision Christ must be glorified both in our body and in our spirit To Christ we must be constantly subject our hearts must be inclined to performe his statutes alway even unto the end Christ is the Head and we the members Christ is the shepheard and we the slocke Christ is the husband and we the Spouse and as all the members are fully subject to the head the slocke readily follows the voice of the shepheard and the Spouse is lovingly subject to the Bridegroome so must we be fully freely and lovingly obedient unto Christ 2. This teacheth Submission unto one Law The Church is one mysticall common-wealth and must be subject unto one Law of Christ All that builded the Arke built by one patterne The whole Church of Christ hath one patterne according to which they must build their faith and their love even the whole Fabricke of their worship and service The ship hath one compasse by which it roweth and one Pilate by which it is guided The Church is the ship the Word the Compasse and Christ the Pilate by Christ and his Word must the whole Church of God be ordered and ruled The Word of God is a sure word to which we must give heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place The Law of the Lord is perfect it needs no addition as the Sun needs not the help of any candle to increase his light in shining on them that travell The Scriptures are a compleate and perfect Schoole profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works God gave Moses a perfect patterne for the building of the Tabernacle without addition or dimunution Gods word is a perfect patterne comprising the whole frame of mans conversation It is Gods prerogative to prescribe and mans duty to conforme Ye shall not adde unto the word Which I command you saith the Lord neither shall you diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandements of the Lord your God which I command All other Doctrines are darknesse and not light they cannot guide us they are false plants of mans and not of Gods planting they beare no good fruit to feed us and God the great Husbandman of the vineyard will plucke them up they are sand he that builds upon them sinks they corrupt and adulterate the Doctrine and Religion of Christ as the tares the wheate as the evill herbe the Prophets pot Mans service is no service of Christ if it receive not it's rule from Christ in vaine saith Christ doe ye worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men He that mingles humane devices with his religious duties makes it a humane and no divine service As the Elements once mingled in a compound body doe lose their proper formes so Religions mingled with humane traditions and made compounding parts of a mixed worship and service doe lose their formes and cease to be religious in Gods account As silver mingled with brasse doth lose the nature and name of silver and currant coyne and will not passe with men the touchstone discovers it and the skilfull Goldsmith rejects it Thus the worship of God mixed with the dresse of mans invention loseth both the name and nature of true worship The word discovers it to be counterfeit and God doth not regard it nor the performers of it Of such therefore the Prophet saith reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath reiected them This alienates from Christ it divides the heart and places the feare trust love and joy of the soule upon some forraine thing some Idoll of mans devising A woman that embrace a stranger with her husband in her bosome and mingles strangers with her husband is no more a chaste and loving wife her heart is divided and she is become an adulteresse The mingling of forraine inventions with Christs precepts in his services is in Gods interpretation spirituall fornication their hearts are gone from Christ their husband they are taken up with strange lovers To this purpose is that of the Prophet Esay the faithfull City is become an harlot and what other but this was Judah's whoredome for which the Lord upbraideth her by the Prophet saying thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers thou hast embraced many forreigne doctrines thou hast
them his love and all the comforts of his Spirit but to prophane men Christ is as a sealed fountaine of whom they drinke not a hidden Manna of whom they taste not he that is an alien to the Church is without the protection and salvation of Christ they that were without the Arke had no safety from the waters and surely they that are without the Church I meane without that faith holinesse love and gracious communion which is proper to Gods children are without salvation And this is the misery of carnall men living in the Church and not living the life of them that are the true Church of Christ indeed and such men indeed are a great dishonour to the Church as spots in the face spots and blemishes as Saint Peter termes them a burthen to the Church as dead members to the body a trouble to the Church as Ionah to the ship raising the stormy tempest of Gods wrath against it and therefore should be wiped away cut off and cast out by the censures of the Church not for everlasting condemnation but for their humiliation and reformation for the destruction of the flesh that their spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus according to the Apostles rule This opens the impossibility of the salvation of corrupt and carnall men as such and as long as they continue such for being such they are aliens to the Church of Christ to the spirituall common-wealth of Christs Israel As all that were out of the Arke perished in the deluge of waters so all that are out of the Church not living members of this common-wealth doe perish in the deluge of Gods wrath Such as are by the power of their prophanenesse alienated from the Church of Christ the company of them that are effectually called and sanctified they are 1. Without God He that hath not the Church for his Mother hath not God for his Father he that is not of the new Jerusalem whom the Apostle termes the Mother of us all for her bringing forth children spiritually unto God he that is not of her is not of God he that is not a childe in this spirituall and heavenly family is not borne of God therefore the Apostle saith of them that are the true members of this Church Ye are no more strangers and forrainers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God 2. He that is by his prophanenesse an alien to the Church of Christ is an alien to Christ he that is an alien to the common-wealth is an alien to the King he that is not one of Christs flocke cannot have Christ for his Shepheard and without Christ there is no salvation 3. He that is an alien to the Church of Christ is estranged from regeneration renovation illumination sanctification remission donation of the Spirit and the promise of the eternall inheritance Effects and fruits of the Word and Spirit in them that are effectually called properties and prerogatives belonging onely to Christs holy and gracious people and without these there is no salvation These saith Chemnitius God the Word Faith the Church salvation and life eternall are very intimously knit and ioyned together and accordingly the Apostle there is one Body and one Spirit one Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all To him therefore that is not of this sacred company and Church of Christ the Spirit is no Sanctifier Christ no Redeemer God no Father Baptisme no Seale and Faith no Instrument of Justification and therefore unlesse man be of this sacred company there is no salvation they that leap out of the ship into the Sea perish they that forsake the ship of Christs Church and hold not communion by faith and love with Gods Saints perish in the Sea of this world all the Citizens of Iericho who were out of Rahabs house perished with fire and the sword All that are out of Gods house or to speake in the Apostles words who are not built up a spirituall house to God are liable to the fire and sword of Gods wrath CHAP. XIV Discovering the vanity of carnall mans applauding and pleasing himselfe with being borne within the Church HEre may we likewise see how vaine nay how dangerous it is for man to applaud and please himselfe in being borne within the pale of the Church and having the externall use of Gods Ordinances continuing under the power of sinfull lusts because remaining under the command and power of sinne he is an alien to the Church even whiles he lives within the Church blesse not therefore your selves in this build not your salvation upon such sandy ground There was in Abrahams house a childe of the bond-woman as well as of the free they are not all children saith Saint Paul because they are Abrahams seed There are within the house of the visible Church children of Hagar as well as of Sarah they who are the bondmen of corruption as well as they who are the Lords free-men Mans outward participation of Gods Ordinances is no assured evidence of his inward participation of Christ Jesus The hearts of Ezekiels hearers went after their covetousnesse Herod lived in incest when he attended the ministery of the Baptist the Sadduces were a very generation of vipers when they came to the Baptisme of Iohn the very City of Jerusalem even whiles it had the glorious name and title of Gods Church was become an harlot her silver was become drosse and her wine mixt with water It is an easier thing to wait on Gods Ordinances then it is to lay aside our corruptions Mens outward profession is not alwayes seconded with a spirituall change and reformation Iether had a sword but he had no strength no courage to draw it to slay Zeba and Zalmunna with it Many have the Word and Sacrament the Oracles of God the Sword of the Spirit but they have no heart to use them they doe not apply them to the mortification of their corruptions It is not the having but the gracious working of the word of God which proves a man to be the childe of God The lame man lay many yeares at Bethesda his lameship not cured many live many yeares within the pale of the Church under the powerfull ministery of the word and yet no spirituall cure wrought upon their soules the disease of sinne still continues and increases upon them Doe not therefore boast and glory that you are the children of the Church as the Pharisees sometimes boasted that they were the children of Abraham for as Christ said to them if you were the children of Abraham you would doe the workes of Abraham Thus if you were the genuine and naturall children of the Church you would doe the works of them that are the Church and children of God and be assured of this though
every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne They who cast the three children into the fiery fornace burnt themselves Pharaoh perished in the very waters into which he forc'd the Israelites there is nothing but an expectation of crosses and curses to that man that doth oppose Christ the fountaine of all blessings 5. Consider when the Church is weakest and the combination strongest against it then God is alwaies nearest to it and most ready to shew his power in the preservation of it The Churches deepest misery is Gods choisest opportunity the Lords people never see and enjoy more of Gods presence then in the fiery fornace God takes occasion by his Churches distresses at once to manifest his power wisdome justice truth and goodnes 6. Consider that Christ is the strength of every thing the foundation is the strength of the house the rootes are the strength of the Tree Christ the Creatour is the strength of the creature He turnes the strength of the mighty into weaknesse and the impotency of the weak into strength the creature alwaies proves more or lesse powerfull according to the concurrence of Christs arme either with or against him all the Nations of the world when the influence of Gods power is suspended are but as a drop of a bucket and as the small dust of the ballance the weakest people the worme Jacob when Christ joynes with them are stronger then the Mountaines No mans station is firme or stable beside his who hath Christ sustaining him Gods Church hath no cause of contracting despairing cogitations either from her owne weaknesse or from the power of her adversaries receiving her supportment from the power of Christ Iesus for he will keepe the feet of his Saints and the wicked shall be silent in darknesse and by strength shall no man prevaile 7. Consider how they who step out from Christ and betake themselves to the shadow of carnall men for refuge doe therein associate and combine themselves with Satan for an uncertaine bodily preservation doe expose their soules unto certaine and inevitable ruine and what can it availe a man to loose the jewell in hope to keep the casket or to destroy the Inhabitant in hope to preserve the house How ever it goe for the present Christ will prevaile at last and whither wilt thou runne then that runnest from Christ now Hee that now flies from the cause of Christ will not be then able to fly from the wrath of Christ He that now refuseth Christ suffering shall with dreadfull horrour and amazement at last behold Christ triumphing Lastly Consider There is more Majesty terrour and security too in the presence and consortship of a few good men then in the presence of a great number of profane men There is a manifestation of God in them which makes the hearts of their enemies to shake as they who came to apprehend Christ fell backward at the very beholding of Christ Gods powerfull and blessed presence among his people the efficacy of their prayers the power of godlinesse apparant in their lives the very perswasion which wicked men have of their integrity of their intimacy and communion with God and of Gods taking part with them doth make their presence dreadfull to the eye and apprehension of profane men thus the Psalmist Beautifull for scituation the joy of the whole Earth is Mount Syon on the sides of the North the City of the great King God is knowne in her Palaces for a Refuge for loe the Kings were assembled they passed by together they saw and so they marvelled they were troubled and hasted away feare tooke hold upon them there and paine as of a woman in travell And in the dayes of Hester the feare of the Iewes fell upon all people And in the dayes of Ioshua such a feare fell upon the profane Nations that their hearts melted neither was there spirit in them any more because of the children of Israel The enduring of affliction with Gods people is better more honourable more comfortable more safe and profitable then the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin for a season 5. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem for the safety unity tranquility of the Church of Christ Pray for the blessing of Heaven upon our deare and dread Soveraigne and upon his great Councell that his Name his Throne and Kingdome may flourish and shine in glory like the Sun to the end of the world and that their Councell may be acceptable to him the divisions of Reuben sweetly and fully reconciled our threatned storm changed into a blessed calm having one Prince of peace commanding us one word of peace instructing us one spirit of peace conducting us one way of peace wherunto the Lord hath called us let every man cast the disobedient Ionah out of the Ship of his own soul which makes our waters tempestuous Let every man cut off the Sheba of his owne rebellious lust which causeth God to threaten the laying of a Siege against the City both of our soule and body Let us meet the Lord as Abigail did David that the Lord may be intreated that all that is amisse may be thoroughly reformed and the Gospel of our peace in the purity and perfection therof continued and the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace preserved 6. Communicate freely and fully to the necessities of the Church of Christ as the Sun his light to them that sit in darknesse the mother her breast to the hungry child and the Cloud its raine to the thirsty ground the Churches wants are for the tryall of thine abundance the Church purchased by the blood of Christ is more precious then all worldly possessions and challengeth preheminence in thy affections above all earthly treasures What thou possessest is not so much thine as Christs and therefore ought freely to be expended in the cause of Christ It is the honour of thy substance to be imployed in the Lords service it is the glory of a Christian to be Christs Almoner to feed his Church and children the Church is a Vineyard whence a liberall harvest returneth to every man that sowes plentifully to it Christs bloud is infinitely more precious then thy gold He gave his blood for thee and how canst thou with-hold thy mony from him Depart rather with all thy substance then that one member of Christ perish for the want of it It is not mans riches but mans bounty to Christs members that honours man it is not the presence but the well using of thy abilities which will give thee comfort in the houre of thy last and dreadfull Summons 7. Be constant in the knowledge faith love feare and profession of Christ Be not in the matter of Gods worship and thy salvation like a Reed shaken with the wind Be not carried too and fro with every vaine and empty Doctrine like a Ship without an Anker Be not tossed up and downe with every gust and wave
welfare of Christs kingdome and Gospell Such men are altogether unmindfull of their relation unto Christ who desire not who labour not the prosperity of the Gospell and kingdome of Christ 3. In regard of Christs interest in us We are not our owne but Christs as sometimes the King of Syria said to the King of Israel thy silver and thy gold is mine thy wives also and thy children even the goodliest are mine Thus may Christ say to us thy body and thy soule thy wife and thy children thy gold and thy silver thy lands and thy livings and whatsoeuer thou hast is mine and we must answer as the King of Israel did My Lord O King I am thine and all that I have This the Lord claimeth by the mouth of the Prophet Now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and that formed thee O Israel I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine my chosen vessell my redeemer and sanctified one my childe my servant my jewell and the Lords portion saith Moses is his people Jacob is the Lot of his inheritance He hath separated and taken us unto himselfe to be his peculiar people whom he loves in whom he delights and to whom we must bring forth all our fruit and be unto him whatsoever we are as a portion or inheritance is all that it is to him that ownes it and Christs we are indeed by donation We are given unto him from eternity in the decree of Gods election by redemption he hath bought us with a price by vocation he called us out of darknesse into a marvellous light and hath made us a peculiar people to himselfe and also by way of spirituall Conjunction and wedlocke We are espoused unto Christ and are stiled his wife And as we are Christs so we must be for Christ so we must seeke the prosperity of Christs kingdome and advancement of his Gospell Thine are we O David and on thy side thou sonne of Jesse said Amasai to David peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine helpers Thus must we say unto Christ thine are we O Christ and on thy side O Sonne of God peace peace all welfare and prosperity be to thee and thy kingdome successefull be the labours and undertakings of all them that are thy ministeriall and underhelpers This is urged as a fruit and effect of Christs interest in us We are bought saith the Apostle with a price therefore let us glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits and againe Christ hath died that wee who live should not henceforth live unto our selves but to him who died for us and rose againe That man doth not well consider Christs interest in him who puts not himselfe and all that is his upon Christs service He is doubtlesse a stranger to the efficacy and fruit of the worke of Christs redemption who doth not throughly apply himselfe to the setting up of Christ and his Gospell 4. In regard of the Subversion of Satan and his kingdome The setting up of the Arke was the fall of Dagon the setting up of the house of David was the overthrow of the house of Saul the setting up of Christ his Kingdome and Gospell is the overthrow of Satan Where the Gospell is preached and Christ set up Satan fals like lightning from heaven his holds of sin are overturned like the wals of Jericho at the blowing of the rammes hornes There is no competition between the Devils kingdome and the powerfull preaching of the Gospell When David was once set upon the throne all Israel by degrees came about left the house of Saul and bowed unto Davids scepter When Christ is set upon his Throne exalted and lifted up in the preaching of the Gospell all that are ordained unto life come about and stoop to Christ they leave the service of sinne Satan and the world and vaile to Christs scepter they turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God When Philip preached in Samaria the Devils went out of many that were possessed by them The Lord hath ordained the ministery of the Gospell to be the instrument and meanes of the ruine of Satans kingdome and for this cause we should come our selves to Christ and labour the welfare and increase of Christs Kingdome that Satan the grand adversary of our soules of our peace of our salvation may be overthrowne and troden under foot and have no more place in heaven in the Church of God in the hearts of the people of God but be cast out as a strong man bound is put out of his house and a King vanquished and overcome is cast out of his Kingdome He is no true subject unto Christ that endeavours not the subversion of Satan and his kingdome that Christ alone may raigne and have compleat dominion over Gods Church and people 5. In regard of the Glory Crowne and dignity of Gods Church and people The setting up of Christ his Gospell and Kingdome is the glory of the Church of God the appearance and shining of the Sunne in the fulnesse of his beauty is the glory of the world the presence of the Arke was the glory of Israel being a witnesse of Gods glorious presence among them the Lord there giving forth his oracles and hearing the prayers of his people Thus the presence appearance and bright shining of Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse in the Gospell is the glory of the Church Where Christ is in the Gospell there God is graciously present clearly manifesting himselfe to mens understanding and mercifully hearing and answering the prayers of his people and the place where the ordinances of God are where the Gospell is published and the mysteries of Gods Kingdome opened is called the habitation of his house and the place where his honor dwelleth The Lord doth ever shew himselfe very glorious to the soules of his servants in the use of his ordinances and vouchsafes great honour to the people in setting up his Gospell and Kingdome among them and therefore the Church of God is called the glorious rest of Christ because Christ by his Gospell and by his love and grace doth rest there that place is of all places most glorious which is the Evangelicall resting place of Christ and the Lord foretelling the multiplication of his Church the increase of his faithfull people and augmentation of his sonnes Kingdome saith he will glorifie the house of his glory and make his Church an eternall excellency and therefore we should mightily endeavour the exaltation of Christ and his Gospell because this is the honour crowne and glory of the Church The cleare full and open enjoyment of Christ in the Gospell is the prime glory of any place or people Such people are very base and ignominious whatsoever be their outward abundance who enjoy not Christ in his ordinance that man is altogether regardlesse of the
applyes himselfe to tradition like the foolish man in the parable he leaves the rocke and builds upon the sand which will sinke under him he forsakes the firme pillar and leanes upon a withered reed which will pierce him he goes from the living fountaine to the broken cisterne wherein is no water to refresh him he refuseth the wheat and feeds upon the chaffe which will choake him he rejecteth the vine the Olive and the Fig-tree and addresseth himselfe to the bramble which will nor feed nor shelter him but scratch and pricke goare and torture him Humane observations like the foolish Virgins Lamps are empty there is no light in them Like the Tree in the Gospell which had leaves and no fruit these are no trees of Gods planting no good fruit groweth on them no blessing but a curse attends them These like the sonnes of Sheva have no power to overcome Satan in stead of ministring freedome they imbondage the soule to Satan these like Jobs friends are miserable comforters and Physitians of no value in stead of healing they wound instead of nourishing they destroy in stead of gathering home the soule of man to Christ endearing man to God and bringing him to communion with God and Christ they separate man from God oblige man to Satan and associate the soule with the Devill according to that of the Apostle dissuading the Corinthians from the superstitions and inventions of the Gentiles saying I would not that ye should have fellowship with the Devils ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of the Devils ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of Devils He that worships God by humane tradition serves not God but Satan as we cannot serve God and Mammon no more can we worship God and an Idoll The sacrifice which is not offered to God with fire from his owne Altar is an abominable oblation whatsoeuer duty act or exercise of Religion hath not Gods word for the rule of it is in Gods interpretation a service of Satan and in stead of pleasing provokes Gods indignation They have moved me to jealousie saith the Lord with that which is not god they have provoked me to anger with their vanities a fire shall be kindled in mine anger and shall burne unto the lowest hell and shall consume the earth with her increase As Christ therefore is come in Gods name furnished with all authority and dominion so let us in every thing receive our commission and direction from him The perfection of Christs authority and dominion and fulnesse of divine abilities presseth man to foure duties towards Christ 1. A duty of Subjection as to him that hath supreame authority We are charged by a voice from heaven to heare him to him is given a name above every name and to him must we make all the faculties of our soules and all the members of our bodies to vaile and stoop as all the sheaves in Josephs vision fell downe before his sheafe To him let us subject our selves 1. Spiritually The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart arising from an inward principle of true grace Worshipping in Spirit and in truth is the worship which Christ requireth accepteth and wherein he delighteth obedience from an unsanctified heart is but filthy water from an uncleane fountaine and bad fruit of a corrupt tree Christ takes no pleasure in it the sacrifice prayer and whole way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. 2. To Christ let us subject our selves filially not as slaves for feare of hell but as sonnes for love having a holy affection awing us and making us loath to offend Christ our love to and delight in holinesse moving us to walke in the way of Gods precepts serving him without feare without base and servile feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life 3. To Christ let us be subject universally Moses built the whole Tabernacle after Gods patterne man must build his whole conversation according to Christs prescription that obedience which is not universall is unsound and hypocriticall the Law is one Copulative he that allowes himselfe in the breach of one precept is guilty of the whole Law he that makes not conscience of all truly makes conscience of none It is in vaine with Herod to doe many things reserving an Herodias in our bosomes It is to no purpose with Saul to slay the refuse of the stuffe reserving to our selves the lowing Oxe and bleating Sheep his heart is not right with God that walks not in all the wayes of God he doth truly hate no sinne that labors not the mortification of all sinne As the carefull Scholler therefore writes according to the whole copy so let us have respect to the whole Law of God and as sometime Jonathans armour-bearer said to him Loe I am with thee according to thy heart turne thou which way soever thou wilt Thus let us be with Christ even after Christs owne heart let us be with him which way soever he turnes before us in his word walking with Zachary and Elizabeth in all the ordinances of God 4. To Christ let us subject our selves speedily As Abraham rose up early and put away the bond-woman and her sonne so let us rise up early and put away our sinnes betimes Let us not sleep and slumber like the foolish Virgins with empty Lamps but let us hasten our soules out of sin to Christ as the Angels hasted Lot out of Sodome Let us consider our wayes and turne to the testimonies of the Lord Let us make haste and not delay as the erring traveller hasteneth to his right path Let us remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth and seeke him while he may be found and as Ahimaaz ran as soone as Joab gave him a commission so let us labour to be as ready to obey as Christ to command speedy obedience doth much honour and commend mans service 5. To Christ let us subject our selves freely not mercinarily as hirelings but freely as friends serving Christ for Christ himselfe intending Christ and his glory above our selves in all our services moving to Christ fully and freely as the rivers to the Ocean As Rachels beauty induced Jacob to twice seven yeares service so let Christs beauties the apprehension we have of Christs perfections worke and draw us to a free and ready service of Christ in all difficulties Christ abhorres all basenesse all by and sinister respects in mens services He that serves not Christ for Christ himselfe serves not Christ but himselfe 6. To Christ let us subject stedfastly as the wise to the husband untill death keeping the commandement alwayes unto the end abiding with Christ as Ittai with David in life and in death Perseverance with Christs Jesus crownes mans service He that continueth to the end shall be saved A second duty which the fulnesse
all prostrates it selfe and all that it hath under Christ that it may enjoy Christ it hates all that hinders its comming to Christ and embraceth all that may further its communion with Christ sutablenesse between the soule and Christ readily denyes and rejects all that hinders the fruition of Christ 3. In regard of the vanity nullity and nothingnesse which a gracious man discernes in himselfe and in all things else without and beside Christ he looks upon himselfe as on dust and ashes he is vile in his owne apprehension as a worme and no man he humbles and abhorres himselfe below the dust and ashes he looks on all other things as dung and drosse and a thing of naught in comparison of Christ he reputes all things in respect of Christ as Jothan did Abimelech in respect of the Sonnes of Jerubbaal but as a bramble in respect of the vine fig-tree and olive-tree and having such a low opinion of himselfe and all things else he readily denyes himselfe and all things else and makes all to vaile and stoop to Christ with Simon and Andrew they are ready to leave their nets their ship and their father to deny their possessions and their friends to put all under Christ to leave whatsoever is most profitable and deare according to the flesh for Christs sake with Paul to esteeme their very life as nothing that they may glorifie Christ and finish Christs worke The more any man doth undervalue himselfe and the creature the more he exalteth Christ the more freely fully and readily he prostrates all at the feet of Christ 4. In regard of the holy powerfull and universall raigne rule and dominion of Christ in a gracious and sanctified soule Here Christ reignes as a King in his Throne as Solomon reigned over the land of Canaan from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth so doth Christ raigne in a regenerate and gracious soule from the highest to the lowest faculty thereof and from the head to the feet and from the highest to the lowest undertaking of a Christian Here Christ reignes as a dweller in his house the dweller rules over all the roomes members and goods of his house and disposeth all to his service Christ rules over all the faculties of the soule members of the body and disposeth all the endowments and doings of a Christian to his owne service and for his owne honour Here Christ rules as the head over the body acting moving guiding and framing the whole man to a holy humble and free subjection Here Christ reignes as a Centurion in his army and as the servants of the Centurion did goe and come at his command and doe whatsoever he bad them Thus all the faculties of the soule and members of the body of a true Christian are at the command of Christ receiving their direction and commission from Christ doing every thing in subjection and obedience to Christ Thus the Psalmist speaking of Christs kingdome saith in the day of thy power when Christ should reigne by his Gospell and Spirit in the soules of men the people should be willing free ready and full in their subjection unto Christ and his enemies should bow before him and licke the dust such as were enemies rebellious and disobedient in their unregeneration should after their conversion bow themselves and licke the dust acknowledge and receive Christ as their Lord and King and in very great humility subject and prostrate both themselves and all theirs to him and his service for as Abner entring into Covenant with David and taking David for his King undertooke to bring about all Israelite to David Thus the soule entring into Covenant with Christ and taking Christ for its King brings about all to Christ and puts all in subjection under Christ 5. In regard of the holy and fervent desire of a gracious soule to exalt and set up Christ This is the prime â—â—â—our joy and comfort of a godly soule to see and feele Christs kingdome within him to set up Christ in his heart and to discerne him ruling and commanding there as a King in his Throne as a Pilate in the ship this is his suite and supplication unto God that Christs kingdâ—mâ— may come that Christ may reigne and rule within him as David sometimes thirsted and longed to see the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary so doth a godly man long to see the power and glory of Christ in his soule to behold him raigning in his heart In the day of Solomons coronation the people piped with pipes and rejoyced with great joy so that the earth rung with the sound thereof In the day of Christs coronation and reigne in the soule of man the heart of man rejoyceth with exceeding great joy Christs dominion is a holy soules rejoycing the kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy-Ghost It was the care labour and joy of David to bring the Arke of the Lord into the Tabernacle in that day David danced before the Lord with all his might and all the house of Israel brought up the Arke of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet and set it in the midst of the Tabernacle Thus it is the care labour and comfort of the whole man that is godly to set up Christ in the midst of his soule to see him reigning in his understanding as the Sun in the eye guiding in his will as a Prince commanding it in his imagination as the obiect on which he thinketh with most frequency delight and comfort in his trust as the onely rocke whereon he buildeth in his feare as the King of Kings whom he chiefly reverenceth and in his love as an husband in the love of the wife so powerfull and operative is this desire labour and joy of a gracious soule touching the exaltation reigne and rule of Christ within it that as the people would have all the men put to death which would not have Saul reigne over them so doth such a man mortifie all his lusts which oppose Christs kingdome remove whatsoever may hinder Christs spirituall dominion and makes all vaile and stoop for Christs exaltation within him 6. In regard of a gracious soules acquiescence and contentation with the approbation of Christ In this it pleaseth in this it blesseth delighteth and satisfieth it selfe whatsoever it hath besides it this is in stead of all as the Sun is to the eye in stead of all lights and the fountaine to the thirsty in stead of all bottles the approbation of Christ is of very great price with a true Christian his praise is not the praise of men but of God not to have the approbation of men to his doings but of God not to have his eare tickled with the empty breath of vaine mans applause but with the solide and
Self-seekers never put themselves upon the profession of godlinesse but under the promise of some worldly advantage did they not perswade themselves that some honour favour or other earthly benefit would therby accrew unto them they would never put their foot within the lists of Religion Abimelech was kind to Abraham not for Abrahams but for Sarah's sake self-seekers sometimes pretend much kindnesse to Christ but it is not for Christs but for the worlds sake they cloake and colour their earthly purposes with religious pretences and this is the cursed Hypocrisie of self-seeking to make God Christ Religion and Christian profession as servants and slaves to mans carnall lusts and purposes most shamefully injurious are all such selfe-seekers to the Lord Jesus 3. Selfe-seeking is a polluting and defiling evill termed by S. James Adultery Yee adulterers and adulteresses saith he to such self-seekers know you not that the love of the world is enmity with God and that he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God and it is stiled by Moses a going a whooring adultery and whooredome defile the body and self-seeking defiles the soule the Iewes by their covetous practises and self-seeking polluted the Temple and made it a Den of theeves and men by their self-seeking pollute their souls which should be a holy Temple to Gods Spirit this they make a den of theeves a very cage of uncleannesse Gehezi sought himselfe in running after Naoman for a talent of silver and two changes of garments and what was the issue of it a loathsome leprosie clave unto him all self-seekers are in the sight of God as loathsome lepers self-seeking defiles their understanding with ignorance as dust defiles the eyes disabling them to discerne the things of God the Pharisees were covetous and because they sought themselves they derided Christs Doctrine with self-seekers the Doctrine which crosseth their carnall projects is reputed a Doctrine of no knowledge this defiles the thoughts of men with worldlinesse injustice carnall plots and imaginations this filled Saul with thoughts to make David fall This filled Haman with thoughts to destroy all the Iewes throughout the whole Kingdome of Ahaâ—huerus this defiles the affections of men with base feare carnall confidence self-love and fleshly joy this made the Rulers afraid to confesse Christ they were self-seekers they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God and therfore did not confesse Christ this makes men ambitious of a name with men for this they seeke to perpetuate their memory upon earth their inward thought is saith the Psalmist that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations they call their Lands after their owne names this makes them leane upon an arme of flesh and to trust some in their workes some in their treasures some in their falsehood selfe-seekers ever build their confidence upon false foundations and cast their souls into many shamefull pollutions 4. Self-seeking alienates the soule of man from God and from all interest in and communion with Christ the men of Israel following Sheba alienated themselves from David they had no part in David self-seekers following their own lusts walking after their owne imaginations alienate themselves from God they have no part in Christ a wife that goes a whoring from her husband dissolves the wedlocke and alienates herselfe from her husband the soule by self-seeking goes a whooring and commits fornication with the creature and altogether estrangeth it selfe from Christ of such the Lord saith they are estranged they are revolted and gone Self-seeking alienates a man from God in his understanding Self-seekers have no knowledge They eate up my people saith the Lord as bread there is their selfe-seeking they have no knowledge no true no cleare no saving knowledge there is their ignorance of God this alienates man from the thought of God of such the Psalmist saith God is not in all his thoughts he thinks not of God as of his Counsellour to advise him as of his rock to build upon him as of his fountaine to replenish him as of his King to glorifie him this alienates man from the love of God If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in that man from attendance upon the Ordinances of God the invited guests in the Parable were so eager in the pursute of the world that they could not come from tasting and relishing the sweetnesse of Christ in the ministry of the Word the fruit of Christ the fruit of his Doctrine the fruit of his death and resurrection communicated by the Gospell are not sweet unto them as to the Spouse in Salomons Song but as Iob sometime said of Eliphaz his speech Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt or is there any taste in the white of an egge The things which my soule refuseth to touch are as my sorrowfull meat Such is the Ministers speech and preaching of Christ to self-Seekers altogether unsavâ—ry having no sweet rellish or comfortable taste to their palates their soule refuseth it as sorrowfull meat troubling rather then comforting grieving rather then rejoycing them Christ ever proves very troublesome to the soule that is addicted to self-Seeking Man spoyles himselfe of many sweet and heavenly comforts in Christ Jesus by seeking himselfe and the satisfaction of his owne corrupt affections This alienates man from the faith of Christ He that seeks himselfe cannot beleeve in Christ he cannot take unto himselfe Christ for his husband to love him for his King to honour him for his Counsellor to be guided by him for his rocke to build upon him and for his precious pearle to rest himselfe contented with him The foolish man in the parable who built upon the sand did not also build upon the rocke He that leanes upon the creature leanes not upon Christ He that seeks himselfe trusts in himselfe and not in Christ True faith and self-seeking like the Arke and Dagon cannot stand together How can ye beleeve saith our Saviour which receive honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth from God onely You seeke the praise and applause of men to exalt and magnifie your selves in the eyes of men you seeke not the testimony and approbation of God you labour not to approve your selves unto God and therefore you cannot beleeve you cannot receive and embrace me you cannot rest and relye upon me you cannot quiet and content your selves with me Doubtlesse all worldly and ambitious self-seekers are miserable and wretched unbeleevers all inordinate self-lovers are very great strangers to Christ Jesus Cursed and shamefull is that fruit of self-seeking which turnes off the soule of man from Christ and spoyles him of all interest in Christ This alienates man from the service of Christ all self-seekers serve themselves they serve not our Lord Jesus Christ saith Saint Paul but their owne
rare 4. In regard of the sweetnes and pleasantnesse of this life Christ living in the soule of man is the choysest joy of man The light saith Salomon is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sun the light of Christ is sweet to the soule the beholding of the Sun of righteousnesse living in man is very pleasant unto man the heart of old Jacob revived hearing that his son Joseph lived the sence and feeling of Christ living in man is a sweet and powerfull reviving of the heart of man Christ is the Prince of peace and where he lives there is sweet and sure peace Christ is the Paradise of all comforts he that enjoyes Christ hath strong consolation where Christ liveth the wounds of the soule are healed the adversaries of the soule are vanquished the sinnes of the soule are purged the stormy tempest of the conscience is appeased the clouds of sorrow which darkned the soule are dispelled spirituall liberty is restored forgivenesse of sin is sealed sence of Gods love communicated and the soule graciously reconciled unto God all other life is bitter and unsavoury as death in comparison of a holy and gracious life 5. In regard of that estate and condition whereinto this life doth exalt and advance man Christ living in man makes man a childe of God by adoption a spirituall freeman a glorious Conquerour over Satan himselfe and the world a living member of that mysticall body whereof Christ is the head a King and Priest to God and an heyre of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the Heavens no crowne doth so honour man as his Sanctification man is more to be esteemed for his holy walking then for the highest honour the Earth is able to conferre upon him it is not mans naturall but his new-birth that makes him truly noble though holinesse thorough mens ignorance and profanenesse be of no esteeme with men yet is this the prime advancer of man 6. In regard of that lownesse and basenesse of spirit from which this life doth free man man in his naturall estate is very basely minded very dishonourably disposed like the decreped woman in the Gospell he is altogether bowed down and wholy bent to the things which are here below minding only things earthly wallowing like a Swine in the dirt and mire of the world and fleshly lusts but when Christ lives in man when he puts the life of grace into man he ennobles the heart of man communicates a heavenly disposition to him and puts the whole man into a heavenly frame and sets his heart to seeke the things which are above he rayseth his heart his thoughts his desires to the love meditation and seeking of things spirituall as he raysed the body of Lazarus from the grave hee makes man to looke upon the world as upon a thing of nought to repute all the fullnesse of the Earth as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ to leave all and follow Christ as Elisha left his yoakes of Oxen and followed Elijah having Christ living in him he minds Christ adheres to Christ pursues and followes after Christ makes Christ his crown and portion he hath an excellent Spirit like the Spirit of Christ contemning the glory of the world as Christ contemned it with Moses reputing the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt despising all the profers and perswasions of the Earth not regarding all the cominations of the world hee chooseth rather with the three children to walke with Christ in the fiery fornace then to live without Christ in the choysest earthly pallace He had rather be nayled with Christ to the crosse then set with Herod upon the throne He saith to the men of the world as Abraham in another case to the King of Sodome give me the persons take thou the substance give me Christ take ye the world give me things heavenly and eternall take ye things earthly and temporall He that hath Christ living in him reputes the world as nothing Christ is both his crowne joy and portion 7. In regard of their honourable walking who have Christ living in them they c walke in the Spirit saith the Apostle the Spirit moves and guides them to walke according to that rule which the Spirit hath in the word proposed to them the Spirit makes their hearts within and lives without sutable to that holinesse which the law prescribeth they walk in the power of the Spirit quickning and assisting them in the light of the Spirit directing them in the motion of the Spirit exciting them and in the operation of the Spirit enlarging their hearts with the knowledge of God faith in God love to God and with the sence and feeling of Gods goodnesse towards them and in the testimony and evidence of the Spirit sealing up the forgivenes of their sins unto them as the soule is not idle but operative in the body distributing sence and motion to every member of the body So the Spirit of Christ in them in whom Christ lives is not idle but operative manifesting it selfe in the fruits and effects thereof the soule inables man to humane works and services the Spirit of Christ living in man inables man to spirituall duties and exercises to shine as a light in the midst of the froward generation among whom hee lives to walke as a childe of light with Zachary and Elizabeth to walke in all the Commandements of God and be blamelesse and this is the honour and crowne of a Christians life to walke as beseemeth the Gospell to walk worthy of God and his Christian and holy calling he is most honourable who expresseth most holinesse in his conversation 8. In regard of the terme whereunto they live who have Christ living in them carnall men who are aliens to the life of God and Christ live to a very low ignoble and base terme they live to the world minding and intending the world conforming themselves to the example custome and fashion of the world they serve Mammon and not God to this they live as servants to the Master whom they serve they live unto themselves and their owne lusts walking after their owne imaginations proposing their owne by and base ends doing all things for themselves for their owne profit pleasure and applause they serve their owne belly and not the Lord Jesus they live to Satan not doing the will of God but the lust of the Divell as Christ speakes and this is the shame and dishouour of the life of man to live to live to such low by and base ends as these but they who have Christ living in them doe live unto God intending God making God and his prayse the supreame end of their living as a wife liveth to her husband bringing forth children to her husband a vine liveth to the Master of the vineyard bringing forth his fruite to him and a flocke liveth to him that is the Master
oppresse him and a prey to the tongues of men to traduce him and the honour and glory of the lives of Gods children is much obscured thorough the scandals which alwayes are cast upon them 4. This likewise comes to passe thorough some corruption yet remaining in Gods children thorough some failings wherewith they are sometimes over-taken though Christ live in them yet they are not so full of life but that there is some sinne like a disease or evill humour in a living body abiding in them they have an Esau as well as a Jaacob in their wombe some tares of sinne growing with the wheate of grace in the field of their hearts they carry a pricke of imbred corruption in their flesh and this lusteth against the spirit against their regenerate part as the Amalekites fought against Joshuah and sometimes it foiles them as they sometime prevailed over Joshuah and as an inward evill humour sometimes breakes out into an open ulcer so doth this hidden and remaining corruption sometimes vent and shew it selfe in some open fayling as in Job David Jeremy Peter and the choysest of Gods servants and as one ulcer doth much obscure the beauty of the face so one failing doth much ecclipse and darken the glory of the conversation of Gods children if a childe of God keepe not himselfe unspotted of the world if hee faile but a little the world will blot and blaze his name all over if they espye but a little spot now and then in him they will report and proclaime him as one that is leprous all over 5. This also commeth thus to passe thorough mens misprision and mis-interpretation of the wayes and workes of Gods children Their eyes are blood shot they behold the doings of Gods servants in a false glasse and they appeare unto them in contrary colours and as Hanuns servants misinterpreted Davids kindnesse and handled his men as spies who were sent as comforters thus they misinterpret the doings of the righteous and censure their knowledge as errour their piety as hypocrisie their zeale as frensie their attendance on Gods ordinances as idlenesse their sacred meetings as confederacies and combinations their workes of mercy as workes of ostentation and vain-glory such as are farthest from sincerity and the greatest deceivers are most ready to charge hypocrisie upon others such as are least industrious to examine their owne hearts are usually the severest censurers of other mens lives and thus they change the cleare and shining day of a godly mans life into an obscure and darke night calling evill good and good evill putting light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light as wee may see in David Paul and others 6. This likewise is so by reason of the base out-side of Gods children They in whom Christ lives are for the most part of low estate and slender reputation in the eye of the world Christ at first was borne of a Virgin espoused to a Carpenter her condition no way conspicuous and glorious in the eyes of men and Christ is now for the most part formed againe in the hearts of men farre from all externall pomp and glory God having chosen poore things and base things and things which are not to confound the things which are and the poore saith Christ receive the Gospell and blessed is hee that is not offended in mee that doth not stumble and take offence at mee by reason of the low and slender estate of them that receive and imbrace me preached in the Gospell And the Prophet hath told us long since that Gods people are an afflicted poore people and this doth much obscure the honourablenesse of their life in the eye of the world who usually judge nothing excellent and honourable but that which is externally pompous and glorious as wee see by experience both in Christ and his members Mat. 13.55 Ioh. 2.1 2 3 4. Ioh. 7.48 49. 7. Lastly thus it likewise commeth to passe thorough the manifold afflictions which attend the righteous they in whom Christ lives are hated of the world persecuted by the men of the Earth and pursued with many troubles walking like the Israelites thorough the red Sea of many afflictions destitute afflicted tormented in Sheepes and Goates-skinnes in Caves and in Dennes Killed all the day long and accounted as Sheepe for the slaughter as the Psalmist speakes and these afflictions are a great darkning of the glory of their life in the eyes of the World as the cloudes darken the Sunne in the eyes of men continuing in it selfe bright and beautifull CHAP. XXV DOth Christ live in the soules of Gods children then the life of Gods children is of all the lives of men the most ioyfull and cheerfull the most pleasant and comfortable The Sunne is the joy and comfort of the world Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse is the glory joy and comfort of the soule The more fully and powerfully Christ liveth in man the greater is the joy of man Christs comming unto man is tydings of great joy Behold said the Angell I bring you good tydings of great ioy which shall be unto all people for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. This is great joy for the Author matter quality quantity and duration of it All joy is but heavinesse to the having of Christ living in us purging our corruptions pardoning our offences filling us with all heavenly blessings and sweetly and powerfully ruling over us The comming of the Arke ministred such joy to Israel that they gave a shout which made the earth to ring how much more doth the comming of Christ in the Gospell and ministration of spirituall life to Gods chosen make them joyous and comfortable witnesse the men of Samaria of whom it is recorded that upon Philips preaching the Gospell to them the ejection of Satan and consequently Christs beginning to live within them there was great joy in that City And all joy and gladnesse doth indeed accompany Christs living in man 1. Where Christ lives there is the joy of life of spirituall life of the life of God a life in respect whereof all other life is but death and therefore as the Father of the Prodigall said to his servants bring hither the fatted Calfe and kill it and let us eat and be merry for this my Sonne was dead and is alive he was lost and is found Thus the man in whom Christ lives hath great cause to be merry because his soule was dead and is alive was lost and is found 2. Where Christ lives there is ioy of Light The Sunne fils the aire with temporall light Christ fils the soule with spirituall light with all knowledge and wisedome and spirituall understanding And as the beholding of the Starre filled the wise men with exceeding great ioy so doth the shining of Christ into the soule of man fill man with great joy and rejoycing 3. Where
thou live within the pale of the Church yet if thou live under the power of any prophane lust thou art 1. An unbeleever thou receivest not Christ into thy soule thou buildest not upon the rocke but upon the sand and thou wilt sinke at the last for faith where it is is victorious it overcomes Satan the world and every lust it purifies the heart and makes man a holy Temple to the Lord it overturnes all the holds of sinne it drives all base lusts out of the heart as Christ overturned the Tables and drove the buyers and sellers out of his Fathers house 2. Thou art a very hypocrite a cursed counterfeit a whited sepulchre full of dead mens bones within like the Locusts which had the face of a man and the haire of a woman without but the teeth of a Lyon within and the taile of a Scorpion behind Thus though thou hast the face of a Christian without yet thou hast the rapine of a Lyon and the poison of a Scorpion the venome of all sinne within and wilt have the portion of an hypocrite at last 3. Thou art a defiler of things sacred an abuser of Gods Ordinances one that turnest the meanes of life into an occasion of death the evill herbe turned the Prophets pot into a pot of death the evill of sinne swaying in thy soule turnes the word of life into the savour of death Like the spider thou suckest poison out of the flower of that Word and Sacrament which in it selfe is sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe 4. Thou art a scandall to the Church of Christ where thou livest thou art a blemish to the Christian name as an ulcer to the face as a dead member to the body for through such as the Apostle saith is the name of God blasphemed misliving Christians are of all persons the greatest dishonour to Christ Jesus Lastly be assured thy condemnation will be greatest thy torment the severest They that come nearest to Heaven by their outward calling and profession and yet are strangers to the life and power of godlinesse shall sinke lowest into hell and drinke deepest of the cup of Gods vengeance To such therefore our Saviour saith it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement then for them 4. Are all prophane men aliens to the Church of Christ though they live within the pale thereof Then let all such as live within the Church learne by this to purge out and put away all prophanenesse to search and seeke for and furnish themselves with all saving gifts and graces the proper characters of the living members of the true Church of Christ knowing as the Apostle saith that he is not a Iew who is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly whose Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God It is not mans naked profession of Christ but his inward sanctification that makes him a true Christian and holinesse is the honourable and inseparable Adiunct of Christs Church called by the Apostle a Church of Saints because Christ who is the head of this Church is holy and makes them partakers of his holinesse separates them from the world by a holy calling commits his holy word unto them causeth it to dwell in them and bestowes his holy Spirit upon them and works holinesse within them and as Christ who is the head of the Church was according to the flesh conceived of the Holy-Ghost so is the Church the mysticall body of Christ sanctified by the holy Spirit and as the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth personally in the personall body of Christ so dwell the three Persons of the Trinity mystically and spiritually in the mysticall body of Christ and all the living members of the same therefore as we professe our selves to be the children of God a God absolutely and infinitely holy so let us be holy in all manner of conversation as he that hath called us is holy as we professe our selves to be the members of Christ who is a holy head so let us conforme our selves to Christ as the members in the body naturall are conformed to the head and as we are stiled the Bride of Christ so let us feele in our hearts the sweet and heavenly motion of the holy Spirit the pledge of Christs love and as the Bridegroome loveth cloatheth adorneth and defendeth his Bride thus let us labour to discerne Christs shedding abroad his love into our hearts cloathing us with his righteousnesse adorning us with his graces and defending us by his blessed power and presence and as we are called children of light so let the light of grace in us like the light in the firmament shine more and more unto the perfect day the more we shine in holinesse the more sweetnesse shall we find in Gods Ordinances the greater tranquillity shall we have in our owne consciences the more amiable shall we be in the eyes of Christ Jesus the more shall we beautifie the Church of Christ whereof we are members and as the vessels of the transportative Tabernacle were at length translated into Solomons Temple so shall we after our ambulatory and mutable condition in the Church militant be translated to rest and reigne for ever in the Church triumphant CHAP. XV. Handling carnall Mans estrangement from the Covenant THe third Alienation declaring the misery of carnall and sinfull man is an Alienation from the Covenants of God termed strangers from the Covenants of promise Mans happinesse is built upon his interest in Gods gracious promise the strangers to this promise are the most unhappy of all persons Carnall men are aliens to Christ to the members of Christ to Christs common-wealth and to all the prerogatives and priviledges thereof strangers to the Covenants of promise made in and through Christ God made and often renewed and repeated his Covenants and promises with the Israelitish people concerning their salvation in and by Christ In the beginning the Lord made this Covenant with our first Parents promising that the seed of the woman which is Christ should breake the serpents head the Lord renewed it with Abraham and his seed saying I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee and of the Israelitish people in this respect speaks Moses What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for and what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day Now to these Statutes Oracles and Promises the Gentiles before the comming of Christ were strangers they no way appertained
men of knowledge and sacred understanding God gives them the meanes of knowledge outwardly and works knowledge in them inwardly I am married unto you saith the Lord there is his covenant with them and I will give you Pastors according to mine owne heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding there is the ministration of the meanes of knowledge to them Thy maker saith the Prophet is thy husband there is the covenant of wedlock between God and his Church and all thy children shall be taught of God there is the inward illumination of their understanding and againe this saith the Lord shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them Naturall fooles are unfit to enter covenant with men spirituall fooles are as unfit for Gods covenant there is no communion between light and darknesse there is no covenant no fellowship between God who dwels in light inaccessable and them that are overwhelmed with the darknesse of ignorance 2. In regard of Alienation from Christ the foundation of the Covenant All the promises of grace and salvation are in Christ in him they are Yea and Amen sure and certaine firm and durable incline your â—are and come unto me faith the Lord heare and your soule shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David which is Christ in and through whom God shewes himselfe a father of mercies to all beleevers Ye saith Saint Peter are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed Vnto you first God having raised up his Sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities God communicates all blessings through Christ Jesus every thing turnes to a curse to him that is without Christ the choisest Nectar proves bitter as gall to him that hath not Christ to sweeten the same unto him Now every prophane man is without Christ an enemy to the Crosse of Christ a despiser of the Doctrine of Christ an opposer of the Kingdome of Christ no friend of Christ no true member in Christ no lively stone built upon Christ the living stone and being out of Christ they are strangers to Gods gracious promise 3. In regard of Enmity against God who is the Authour of the covenant and the fruition and enjoyment of whom is the supreame substance and comfort of the covenant the chiefest and choisest good of the soule of man They shall be my people and I will be their God saith the Lord and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them I will be their God saith he I will be all in all unto them I will be their King to command them their Father to make provision for them their Husband to marry them their Friend to solace them their shield and buckler to protect them their Captaine to fight for them to vanquish all that doth oppose them the strength of their heart and their portion forever as the Psalmist speakes Now carnall men are without God alienated from the life of God and as our Saviour said in another case God is not a God of the dead but of the living so in this case he is not the God of them that are dead in sinne but of them that live the life of grace Prophane men are aliens and enemies to God by their evill works haters of God hating him in his Lawes of holinesse which he hath prescribed to them in his works of holinesse upon the soules of his children and in the holy labours of his faithfull and holy Ministers and having enmity against God they have nothing to doe wiâ—h the covenant of God 4. In regard of Agreement with sinne which is the breach of the Covenant Carnall man and sinne are at a very full agreement with this they agree as the palate with sweet meat stolne waters saith Salomon are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant with this their hearts accord as the hand with the glove the â—are with the musicke the foot with a plaine path or the fish with the water it is no burthen no trouble to them their foot is swift to run this race it is a sport to them to doe evill you drink up iniquity like water it is the centre to which they move it is the element wherein they desire and delight to live Now sinne is the breach of the covenant between God and the soule as adultery breaks the covenant of wedlocke between man and wife They are turned backe saith the Lord to the iniquity of their Fathers and have broken my covenant Raigning prophanenesse undoubtedly excludes man from Gods promise he that is as the Prophet speakes at an agreement with death and in covenant with Hell sinning securely and without feare cannot be in covenant with God he that is not afraid to offend God cannot be at peace with God 5. In regard of the absence of the Spirit the principall applying cause of the covenant and promise to the soule of man He saith our Saviour of the Spirit shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you that is the Spirit shall make application unto you of the benefits which come by me he shall make my death effectuall to mortifie your lusts and my bloud efficacious to purge away your sinne and my resurrection powerfull to revive and quicken your soules he shall make you partakers of all the promises favours and blessings of God dispensed through mee to man and for this the Spirit is called the Spirit of adoption assuring us of the fatherly love of God in Christ towards us The earnest and Seale of our inheritance assuring us of our salvation through Christ Now carnall men are destitute of the Holy-Ghost they are sensuall saith Jude having not the Spirit having not the Spirit as a dweller possessing them as a teacher instructing them as water washing them and having not the Spirit of God they have nothing to doe with the Covenant of God because God gives his Spirit to all such as he receives into his Covenant 6. In regard of the want of faith and obedience the condition of the covenant on mans behalfe The promise is made to them that beleeve received through faith and they which be of the faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham faith the Apostle And he that beleeveth faith Christ shall be saved but hee that beleeveth not shall be damned Faith apprehends the promise and purifies the heart and makes man capable of all the promises of God godlinesse having the promise of this life and of the life which is to come Now carnall
him to love and rejoyce in him in their tongues to speake of him and plead for him in their hands to work that which is good and honourable unto God and in all their abilities therewith to honour him prostrating all under the feet of God referring and using all to the glory of God living and dying as the Apostle saith unto the Lord living as Gods servants framing the whole way and order of their life according to Gods prescription referring their whole life to the glory of God and resting in all the labours and troubles of their life upon God with a firme confidence being assured that God takes care for them and dying as Gods peculiar people patiently submitting to the hand of God in the time of their dissolution firmly depending upon God in the houre of their change heartily desiring that God may be glorified by their death and resting fully assured that their temporall death shall be an entrance into eternall life he who thus fully applies himself to God may assure himself of his being in covenant with God 3. By mans participation of the spirituall and heavenly benefits which the covenant comprehendeth as 1. The donation of the Spirit it is the Lords promise to powre out his Spirit upon all flesh to put his Spirit within us and to cause us to walke in his wayes so that he who is within the Covenant of God hath the Spirit of God quickning and enlivening him as the soule doth enliven the body enlightning and teaching him guiding and leading him into the cleare and comfortable knowledge of all truth as the guide leades the Traveller into the knowledge of the way wherein he is to walke regenerating and renewing him sanctifying and cleansing him as the water doth the flesh and the fire the mettall revealing Christ in him and making Christ appeare very glorious and amiable in his apprehension as the most glorious Sun the choysest pearle and most renowned Prince even the fairest of ten thousand making the soule full of longings after him and sick of love towards him uniting and joyning him unto Christ as the branch to the vine as a member to the head to be enlivened by Christ and to participate of all the benefits which flow from Christ ruling and guiding him as a Pilot his Ship framing and working his heart to an universall holy and humble submission to the will of God as the hand of the learner is guided by the teacher to write according to the whole copy set before him To him that is within the Covenant the Spirit of God is a Spirit of life mortifying the old and quickning the new man Water washing refreshing and making his soule spiritually fruitfull Fire purging and consuming his remaining lusts and making his heart to burne with love to God and man oyle of gladnesse filling his soule with spirituall alacrity and cheerfulnesse and a seale and earnest penny assuring him of his future blisse and peace in Heaven and this communication of the Spirit is an undoubted pledge of mans being within the Covenant 2. A second benefit comprised under the Covenant is Communion with the Saints all that are within the Covenant have a mutuall sweet and gracious fellowship with God and among themselves That which we have seen and heard saith S. John declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us and that our fellowship may be with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ He that is within the Covenant hath communion with God the Father by adoption as a childe with the Parent by participation receiving of the Fathers fulnesse and bearing his Image by holy walking having his conversation in Heaven walking with God as Enoch and Noah did by invocation as a Petitioner with the King being a daily earnest suter to the throne of grace by Faith living and walking by faith and not by sight and also by Love God dwelling in love as the Apostle speakes Hee that is within the Covenant hath communion with Christ by participation of Christ and his benefits by dwelling in Christ and Christ in him being joyned with Christ in a spirituall wedlocke Christ assuming him into his grace and making him a member of his body bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh as S. Paul speakes expressing their neare union and sweet communion with Christ who are within the covenant of God He that is within this covenant hath also communion with the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God dwelling in him regenerating and renewing him witnessing his adoption helping his infirmity sealing up the pardon of his sin and restoring him to more spirituall liberty and freedome and hee hath likewise communion with all the Saints and faithfull Servants of the Lord being partakers of one Spirit living members under one Head having the same love being of one mind and of one accord their prayers meeting mutually each for other at one and the same throne of grace all building by one rule all travelling by one light all acting and moving by one Spirit all feeding upon one word all fighting under one Banner all running one race and all serving one Prince of peace they have fervent love one to another singular delight each in other and a very sweet and gracious communion one with another and this holy and joyfull communion with the Saints of God abundantly argues mans being within the Covenant of God 3. A third benefit comprised under the Covenant is Regeneration the sanctifying and restoring our corrupt nature to the image of God a worke of God in all that are within the Covenant a parcell of Gods promise to put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts to make a sutablenesse betweene them and his Law to worke such holines in their hearts as should in some good proportion answer that holinesse which the Law prescribeth and this is requisite to mans being within the Covenant because without this he cannot know God he cannot be the friend of God hee cannot please God nor have any communion with God he that is farre from holinesse is farre from interest in Gods Promise The captive woman under the Law had her apparell changed before an Israelitish Souldier could assume her into a covenant of wedlock man under the Gospell must put off the old-man and put on the new ere he can have interest in Gods Covenant the more fully freely and constantly man conformes himselfe to Gods precepts the surer is his evidence of title to Gods promise He whose obedience to the Law of God is voluntary without compulsion cordiall without dissimulation universall without the allowance of any evill humble without all ostentation cheerfull free from all repining sincere without any by or sinister intention and constant without back-sliding may rest assured of being received into Gods Covenant 4. A fourth benefit comprised under the Covenant by which man may discerne his being within the Covenant is