have Christ govern in us for he is not as those governours that govern for themselves but he hath the propertie of a good governour that spendeth his sweetness for the good of those over whom he is a governour And this you will see if you consider what a government it is For it freeth you from the government of other Lords from the goverment that your lusts have over you Again he governeth not as a Tyrant by force but as the soul governeth the members without difficultie Now as it is said of the Members that while they serve and obey the soul That very labour is a rest and that obedience is a liberty even so the soul when it obeyeth Christ that is indeed a libertie and that service is rest the reason is because Christ guideth them sweetly in whom he dwelleth all the members are guided by the soul with a willing resigation so that from an inward propensness not from constraint they do what they will it is therefore an easie government Again when any thing is made obedient to what is the proper rule of it it is the better for it for therein the perfection of every creature lieth when the Creature hath a Law given it according to which if it work it is in the best condition Now God himself the law is the rule to which every man should conform therefore the creature is best when it is in obedience to him even as is the body of man when it is best governed and kept closest to the rule it is best in health so it is in the soul of a man the better it is governed the more obedient it is to Christ the better it is in health for every rebellion is a sickness and disturbance to the foul Therefore you have a great benefit when Christ dwelleth in your hearts as a King If it were not for that my Brethren whether would your unruly affections carry you how would those rebels wound you how would they rob you of all that that is good those foolish and hurtfullusts that are in you how would they drown you in perdition Now when Christ dwelleth in the heart he keepeth down these lusts keepeth the soul in good temper guideth our feet into the way of peace our feet of themselves would be running into miseries and dangers his goverment keepeth us out of these This is his goverment and this is the second benefit that we have by Christ his dwelling in us The third benefit is this where Christ dwelleth there he comforteth and refresheth the heart This I take out of Esai 57. 15. Thus saith the Lord the high and loftic one that inhabiteth eternitie I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones In that place you have Two benefits exprest one is that Christ refresheth the heart of the humble in whom he dwelleth And secondly he giveth life to them we will speak of both and begin with the first which is the third in order When a man is drooping when his spirit is dejected in him when he meditateth of nothing but of fear and danger Now when Christ cometh into the heart he setteth all at rest he bringeth a tranquilitie to the soul. In a word he filleth the heart with joy wheresoever he cometh For as the Sun bringeth light into the world so Christ bringeth joy into the heart and you can no more have him in your heart without some joy then the Sun can be in the world without light And it must needes be so because where Christ cometh he bringeth matter of joy with him for where ever he cometh he bringeth salvation as he said to Zaccheus this day is salvation come unto thine house Now when Christ shall say unto a man That salvation is come unto him he bringeth matter of joy so he is said to come as a Bridegroom Now a Bridegroom is alwayes bringing of joy so it is compared to the joy in harvest and to the joy of those that divide the spoil Again Christ bringeth his spirit and his spirit is a spirit of joy therefore he is called the comforter this made God break forth into this speech seemeth the consolations of God a small thing to you Again he bringeth a Kindom and that Kingdom consisteth of joy in Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and joy in the holy Ghost Again where Christ dwelleth you cannot have him but you must have much joy with him because joy followeth him naturally at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Therefore in whomsoever he dwelleth that partie must needs have joy Look through the world and what joy some ever a man hath it is accordding to the measure of his participation with God Therefore those that have him fully as in heaven they have a fulness of joy Those that have him not at all as in hell there is a fulness of grief Indeed in heaven it is mid-day and in hell it is midnight The one hath the sun alwayes with them the other darkness it self Now those that are in the way to both as the Saints which are in the spring of the day They have some measure of joy even as much as they participate of God and the reprobate that shall be damned and here dwell in the twi-light they have some flashes of joy according as God communicateth himself in common gifts and graces unto them But in a word so much of God so much of joy a man hath Now when God himself dwelleth in a mans heart and if joy thus naturally follow him it must needs refresh the hearts of those in whom he dwelleth so much for the third Benefit A Fourth Benefit is this That he giveth life to those in whom he dwelleth that is he maketh them living men he liveth in every man in whom he dwelleth as the vine in the branches That is all the actions and properties of life we draw from him all the sense we have is from him in him we live move and have our being and this is a great Benefit For the worst living thing is better then the best dead thing and amongst lifes the life of grace which Christ giveth is the best life because it cometh nearest to the life of God and Angels And they have onely this life in whom Christ dwellerh for the most living men are but ghosts whilest they are alive now when Christ cometh into their hearts he putteth life into them he makes them living men Again those that are in Christ though they have some root of life continually in them yet they are often dead and dull and indisposed to do any holy duty It is Christ now that quickneth them and maketh them ready to every good work All the motions all the fruites of life in your selves are but
do not strengthen the Inward man wicked thoughts will get strength in your hearts and evil actions in your hand swere it not better to be strong in the Inward man and to have Holiness and grace in the heart let this therefore move you to strengthen the Inward man Thus much for the first motive The second motive to move you to strengthen the inward man is this if you labour to strengthen the Inward man you shall thereby please God that is if a man had never so much strength yet if it be not the strength of the Inward man he cannot please God That is he cannot perform any holy duty in such a holy manner as God will approve of And therefore the Prophet saith that God doth not delight in any mans leggs that is he cares not for any mans strength be it never so great or excellent except it be the strength of the Inward man and on the contrary he regards the holy man with his strength though outwardly weak as in Isai. 57. I will dwell with him that is of an humble and a contrite heart That is he that is of a contrite spirit he is spiritually strong therefore I will dwell with him What is the reason that men seek so much the favour of Princes and great men but because they may be exalted unto honour Wherefore then should we not much more labour to have favour and to be in familiaritie with God who is the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords who hath power to exalt one and to pull down another Now if we would but bring our hearts to believe this that instrengthning the inward man we should get and grow in favour with God then men would be stirred up to set upon this work But withall you must know that by the strength of this Inward man you do not please God by the way of merit for so Christ onely and none but Christ pleased God But when you strengthen the Inward man you please God by way of object you chuse grace and favour and holiness above all things Merit was the Argument that Christ useth unto his Father to glorifie him Iohn 17. Father I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work therefore glorifie me That is I have merited this at thy hand that thou shouldst glorifie me because I have perfectly pleased thee in doing thy will Again it is the Argument that Christ useth to his Disciples in Iohn 14. Herein is my Father glorified in that you bring forth much fruit That is when you grow strong in the Inward man and can bring forth fruit according to his will you please God and therefore it is that the Scripture sets forth the members of Christ by the Olive tree and to sweet oil the one full of fatness the other full of sweetness so the Inward man makes a man fat that is rich in grace and like oil as the nature of it is to cheer and beautifie the countenance so doth grace it sweetneth the soul and makes it beautiful unto God therefore let this move you to strengthen the Inward man that thereby you may please God The third Motive to perswade you to strengthen the Inward man is this because this inward strength drawes on the outward strength more prosperous Now who would not thrive in the things of the world but if you turn it the contrarie will not hold so for the outward strength will not draw on the inward strength therefore our Saviour saith Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and all other things shall be added unto you That is the way for you to thrive in the outward man is to get strength in the Inward man first seek you first Christ and grace and Holiness and then the effect will follow all things That is whatsoever you shall stand in need of shall be given you And in the 48 of Isaiah 18. as the Lord saith Oh that my people had but a heart to consider That is oh that my people would but be wiâ—e first to strengthen the Inward man and then as it followes your Prosperitie should be as the floods That is then your outward strength should abound like floods Again in Prov. 22. the wise man saith that the reward of Holiness is riches and honour and life That is be that is strong in the Inward man shall have whatsoever may be necessary oâ— good for the outward man and therefore we should strive to grow strong in the Inward man That is to be full of grace and spiritual wisdom especially against evil dayes that when they come we may have strength to bear them Now the inward man will bear a mountain of affections and reproaches which will presse and squeise the outward man to powder A sound heart will bear his infirmities but a wounded conscience who can bear That is if the inward man be weak who can bear the burthen of afflictions and the like but if the Inward man be strong then the will will bear a part and the affections will bear a part with the Conscience and so the burthen will be the lighter but if you be not strong in the Inward man it is impossible that you should bear them therefore let us not busie our selves about Phantasies and vain things that will stand us in no stead but let us labour to strengthen the inward man The fourth Motive to perswade you to strengthen the inward man is because a man is that which he is in the Inward man A man without the Inward man is but a scabberd without the sword that is worth nothing and therefore the wise man saith that The righteous man is more excellent then his neighbour That is the excellencie wherein he doth exceed him is the Inward man and therefore Christ in the Canticles when he would set forth the excellencie of his spouse he saith that She was fairer then the daughters of men That is shee is fairer because she is more excellent to the inward man she is All glorious within Psa. 45. That is the holy man doth as far exceed the natural man in beauties as pearls do exceed pebble stones as gold excels brass or silver copper I know that every one doth desire to be in some excellencie I say it is a propertie in nature to seek for some excellency Then is it not the best wisdom to seek it in the best things that is in the inward man Now as there is means to be rich in the outward man so there is means to be rich in the inward man Therefore I beseech you use the means that you may be rich in grace and Holiness In the Prov. 30. 4. The wise man sets forth the excellencie of that man that is strong in the Inward man There are four things saith he that are excellent a Lion a hee goat a grey Hound and a King before whom there is no standing first he
heart close to God peculiar to him alone eying God in all things When he turneth from him that is the unholiness of the spirit This benefit we have by Christ dwelling in our hearts our spirits are consecrated unto him all that is in us is turned and looks that way and so much for this fifth Benefit The sixth and last benefit we have by Christ dwelling is defence he defendeth those in whom he dwelleth he covereth them he is a buckler and protector to them he preserveth them from all evil from all crosses or the evil of crosses This is a great benefit For there is this difference between Christ and other Inhabitants other Inhabitants are defended by the house wherein they dwell but here the Inhabitant defendeth the house And the reason is good because though he dwell in our hearts yet he is our habitation as it is in the Psalm that is we dwell in him he covereth us as a house covereth a man and defendeth him from the violence of the weather This you have excellently exprest in the 4. Isaiah the two last verses Upon all their glory shall be a defence that is upon all the people of God which are glorious he calleth them glory in the abstract I will defend them from all evil If you ask what defence it is you shall see a distribution of it in the verses following I will be as a covering in the heat of the day That is one kind and a place of refuge and covert from storm and from rain That is if there be heat I will keep you from that if there be storms and rain I will preserve you from that you shall be as a man within doors Thus Christ defendeth those that belong unto him he is a covering to them he keepeth them safe in the 1 Cor. 3. Him that destroyeth the Temple of God him will the Lord destroy It is his Temple it is the place where he dwelleth and be assured Christ will not have his house pulled down over his head no man will promise his Inheritance to be spoyled Now Gods children are his portion they are his sheep he will not suffer them to be plucked out of his hands Therefore the Prophet Esay compareth his Church to a Tent that though it be made of two or three materials onely cords and stakes yet saith he there shall not a cord be broken nor a stake plucked up My Brethren if you look upon the Church you will wonder that they should not have been swallowed up ere this time but know that God dwelleth in this Tent he keepeth and defendeth them Christ dwelleth thus in every believer in particular he will be a buckler and defence unto him And this benefit you have by Christ dwelling in you And so much for the Benefits you receive by Christs Inhabitation in you We must add something now for the application of this point and first you may make this use of it Learn to judge aright of the works of God in your hearts and remember that it is wrought by Christ himself It is Christ himself that is in you that consulteth with you that acts in you that enliveneth you to every duty he himself is given us of God to be our wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption it is he himself that will come in and sup with us Rev. 3. And therefore if you would have a great measure of grace a great measure of comfort and refreshing if you would feel the life of grace flowing abundantly in your hearts fasten your eyes upon Christ the fountain This is our fault my Brethren that we look upon grace and remission of sins and sanctification separated from Christ we labour not for Christ in the first place we look upon pardon for sin we go unto God for it but we think not upon Christ learn first to get Christ to dwell in your hearts fasten your eyes upon him intreat him to come thither and sup with you and then take from him justification and sanctification the spirit and every grace For so it is as when a wife marrieth a husband she must not think of the titles honours and commodities that he bringeth separately from himself for then it is an adulterous thought she must first take her husband and then those other things come along with him so must we do with Christ fasten our eyes upon Christ himself love him cleave to him labour to have our heartâ— married to him by faith then we have remission of sins then we have adoption then we have reconciliawith God and every particular grace coming along with him Even as if a man would have a treasure that lieth hid in a field he must first have the field it self and then he may take the treasure he must not think of the treasure as of a thing abstracted from the field even so thou must get Christ for in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and of his fulness we receive grace for grace But this is our hinderance that we look upon these things separately and apart from Christ. But let us remember that it is Christ that dwelleth in our hearts and although indeed it is by his spirit yet it is he himself that is the fountain of all get Christ therefore more and more into your hearts for you must know that there are degrees of dwelling as the Sun dwelleth more in the house at several times so Christ dwelleth more and more plentifully in the hearts of men even as there is a neerer union between us and him and so he dwelleth in us accordingly as there are degrees of familiarity between friends so are there degrees of union and habitation between Christ and us And accordingly are there degrees in all the effects of his habitation labour therefore to get Christ in your hearts But you will say how shall this be done Labour to get a contrite and humble heart there God delighteth to dwell there are but two places in which he delights Isa. 57. In the highest heavens and with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit look what delight he hath to dwell in the heavens the same delight he takes to dwell in him that is of an humble spirit This is the reason why so many living in the Church have not Christ in them they are not yet humbled they are not yet sensible of their sins they know not as yet that they are children of wrath whereas a man that is humbled and broken with the sense of his sins that hath his heart wounded with them this is one that is a fit habitation for Christ to dwell there Therefore it is that even the Saints themselves when they begin to have their hearts lifted up in them that Christ removeth them far from him and therefore also is it that he humbleth them before he returneth to them again So it was with David and Hezekiah when they were liâ—ted
up in their hearts you see how God for sook them and how angry he was with them get humbled hearts therefore When you can say to Christ in good earnest as the Centurion said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof that is the best way to draw his favour to you You know how readily Christ healed his servant how he admired him Again the neerer you draw unto him the more he will dwell in you it is the Apostle Iames his counsel or rather the Spirit of God â—y St. Iames Iâ—… 5. Draw neer to God and he will draw neer unto you And Christ himself in Iohn 15. 4. Abide in me and I will abide in you That is if we would come nâ—â—r him we must not suffer our selves to go a whoring after the things of the world but mind him draw neer unto him then would he dwell in you Again the wider you open the door wâ—â—n he knocks the further he â—ntrâ—th Rev. 3. I stand at the door and knock if any man will open the door I will come in and sup with him that is I will come in and dwell with him enter commons with him Now â—…re said to open the door when you yield to his knocking that is when you are stirred up to any good duty by hearing the Word all all provocations are knocking at the door the more you yield to these and the more willing you are to perform holy duties the more you open and so the more Christ dwelleth in you Again the less you live to your selves and the more you are emptied of your selves the more Christ dwelleth in you the less you live to pleasures and the more you are emptied of whatsoever is in you the more will Christ dwell in you Again the cleaner you keep your heart the more will he delight to dwell in you a man that is of a neat disposition loveth not to be in a soul place so Christ abhorreth to dwell in a heart that is â—oul and unclean the more clean therefore you keep your heart from Rebellions and unruly lusts and the more you are free from any kind of vanity and the more you grow up in holiness the more will Christ delight to dwell in your heart Again the larger spirit a man getteth and the stronger he is in the inward man These are the means whereby you may get Christ to dwell in your hearts and the more humble and contrite spirit you are of the nearer you draw unto him the wider ye open the doors when he knocks the less you live to your selves the cleaner you keep you heart the stronger you are in the inward man why then the more you shall have Christ governing you the more you shall have him putting his glory upon you the more you shall find him comforting and refreshing your hearts the more you shall find him quickning you to every good work the more he will defend you the more he will consecrate you But still remember that it is Christ that doth all when you do any holy duty when you have any strength to perform any thing that is of any special moment it is Christ that dwelleth in you that acteth in you as the Apostle saith it is Christ that liveth in me that is if you see any holiness in me if you see me excelling others in grace if you see me doing great and strong actions of Religion it is not I that do it but Christ that liveth in me it is he that strengtheneth me therefore for a man to think to live the life of grace without Christ is as if a man should think to live a natural life without a soul no wonder therefore that you cannot abstain from such and such a lust that you cannot pray that you cannot sanctifie the Sabbath no wonder seeing you want Christ no man else can do it Sampson when God was departed from him became as another man the reason why he did such marvellous things above the reach of other men was because God was with him the reason why the Saints do so much is because God is in them he liveth in them he enableth them to do all that they do therefore if you find your selves as common men as other men not able to do peculiar things not able to reach that pitch of holiness which God requireth and is expressed in the lives of the Saints know that the reason is because you have not Christ remember that it is Christ that doth all and therefore in all the things that you do if you find your selves at a dead lift if you be unable to do a holy duty labour to sigh for Jesus Christ say Lord I can do nothing without thee it is thou that must enable me to every good work I cannot so much as think a good thought without thee labour thus to have recourse to Christ it is he that must quicken and enliven us or else we are but dead men Secondly If Christ live in the Saints then let them know what priviled â—e they have and triumph and rejoice in it It is good for us my Brethren often to reflect upon these spiritual priviledges remember now that you have Christ in you that must be a great advantage to you When Moses was to go up with the people into the promised Land he would not be content with â—n Angel but he would have Gods own presence God yieldeth to his opportunity You see by that how much Moses esteemed of Gods presence know therefore that it is a great benefit to have the presence of Christ in the soul learn to esteem it so it bringeth much comfort and another kind of comfort then any other creature can bring Again consider if Christ dwell in you you are made living Temples in the 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. Ye as living stones are built up a spiritual house a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. They were dead stones and dead Temples before and this is a great priviledge for we have all the benefits that the Temple had no sacrifice you know was accepted but from the Temple no prayer was accepted but what came from the Temple or directed towards the Temple So it is with the Saints all their prayers are accepted because Christ dwelleth in them and they are his spiritual Temples to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Christ it is peculiar to them alone others may pray and hear the Word and do some other outward duties of Religion but they are not acceptable because they are not Temples of Christ. Consider this my Brethren and rest not in your outward performances nor priviledges labour to have the assurance of being the Temples of God it is that which makes your sacrifice accepted This confuseth the common error men think they may satisfie their lusts c. and yet if they pray morning and evening receive the Sacrament at least