no A. 1. By the illumination of our minds and understandings to know Christ and the free grace of God and those things which God hath freely given us for Christs sake By the light of nature we have some notions of good and evil of the punishment due to sin and a reward of Righteousness but the knowledge of Christ and the free grace of God and the mysteries of our Salvation proceedeth only from the Spirit of God Eph. 1.17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him Matth. 16.16 17. Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God and Jesus answered and said unto him blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Flesh and Blood that is all that man can attain to by his own wisdom and understanding without the help of the Spirit of God will not bring a man to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ And as we can't attain the knowledge of Christ so neither of the free grace of God but by the Spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 2.11 12. The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God And the like may be said of the mysteries of our Salvation we do not know the way and means by which we should get to Heaven till the Spirit of God gives us the knowledge of the mysteries of the K. of Heaven Mat. 13.11 It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given But seeing some men are enlightned by the word and Spirit of God that have no saving knowledge it will not be amiss to shew how we may know saving illumination from that illumination which is found in those that perish 1. The saving knowledge of Christ is accompanied with Faith in Christ When a man hath such a knowledge of Christ as causeth him to believe in Christ he is then made wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus Though a man have never such a great measure of knowledge of the holy Scriptures yet if he remain without Faith in Christ Jesus he is not wise unto Salvation 2. Saving knowledge causeth a man to do those things which we know to be the will of God If our knowledge be accompanied with obedience we need not doubt but it is saving knowledge for such as know and do the will of God shall be Everlastingly happy John 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Mat. 7.22 3. Saving knowledge maketh a man to be pure and peaceable and mercifull and to be easy to be entreated to do good to others and to be without partiality and hypocrisie Jam. 3.17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easy to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie 2. We may know that we have the Spirit of Christ by those convictions which the Spirit works in the Consciences of those to whom he is given I will give instance in these two convictions of sin and convictions of Righteousness Joh. 16.7 8. When he is come he will reprove or as it is in the Margent convince the world of sin and of righteousness and judgment We may know that Christ hath sent his Spirit into our hearts by the convictions of sin and of righteousness and of judgment I shall speak only to the two first Where God giveth the Spirit of Christ he convinceth of sin But seeing natural Conscience may convince of sin as well as the Spirit of Christ how may we distinguish the convictions of the Spirit from the convictions of natural Conscience A. 1. Natural Conscience may convince of sins against the Law as Unrighteousness intemperance lying uncleanness c. But the Spirit convinceth of sins against the Gospel as not believing in Christ not loving Christ c. Joh. 16.8 9. He will reprove the world of sin of sin because they believe not in me Such as have the Spirit of Christ are troubled for and mourn over their unbelief as well as their sins against the Law Mark 9.24 The Father of the child cryed out and said with tears Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief 2. The Spirit of God convinceth a man of his evil heart and evil nature as well as of his evil actions Natural Conscience may convince a man of sinfull actions but doth not shew a man the evil root whence these proceed But the Spirit of God sheweth a man the plague of his heart and teacheth him to bemoan his Original as well as his Actual sin Psal 54.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me The Spirit of God sheweth a man his sinfull corrupt and wicked heart as well as his sinful life Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it The Spirit of God teacheth a man to bewail the body of Sin and Death as well as the acts of sin Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death 3. When the Spirit convinceth a man of his sins he leadeth him to Christ and teacheth him to seek remission of his sins from the blood of Christ Psal 51.7 Purge me with hyssope and I shall be clean Hyssope was dipped in the blood of the Sacrifice and sprinkled upon the persons and things that were to be cleansed a Type of our being cleansed by the Blood of Christ 'T is as if he should have said Lord apply thy Sons Blood to my Soul and then I shall be cleansed from my sins So the Apostle when distressed with the sense of sin fetcheth his Consolation from Christ Jesus Rom. 7.24 25. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. But the convictions of natural Conscience either make a man desperate as we see in Judas who hanged himself or wear off by diverting to the pleasures and businesses of the world Saul when under trouble was quieted by Musick or else Conscience is eased by the doing some good works and doth fetch its ease from Christ And as the Spirit convinceth those to whom it is given of Sin so of Righteousness also Now where the Spirit convinceth of Righteousness he doth these things 1. He shews a man the imperfection of his own Righteousness that all the works of Righteousness which ever he did or is able to do are full of imperfections and so takes him off from resting in his
other evil inclinations of his heart Psal 141.4 Encline not my heart to any evil thing And as he was carefull to suppress evil lusts in his heart so to refrain from evil speeches and sinfull practise Psal 49.1 I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my Tongue I will keep my Mouth with a Bridle while the wicked is before me Psal 119.101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way They that seek by the help of Christ to suppress evil lusts and inordinate affections and refrain from sinfull speeches and practices have Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections 6. The Jews having heard that after Christ was Crucified he would rise again put him into a Grave and rolled a great stone upon the mouth of the Grave and set a strict watch and did all that they could to prevent his rising again So they that have Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections do what they can to prevent the rising of sin in their hearts and the breaking of it forth in their lives They set a watch over their lips and lives Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my Tongue Psal 141.3 Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips Psal 18.23 I kept my self from mine iniquity Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life Obj. I am under doubtings whether I am Christs because it is said they that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Now though I desire and endeavour to Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts yet I can't say I have attained to it Though I endeavour to suppress all evil lustings and all inordinate affections and to refrain from every evil way yet I still find the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the law in my members warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sin and death And therefore I fear I am none of Christs A. 1. Such as are united to Christ have Flesh as well as Spirit in them and do find the lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit and the warring of the law in their members against the law of their mind but they do not walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Apostle speaking of such as are in Christ Jesus saith not they have no flesh nothing of corruption in them that there is nothing but the Spirit of Grace in them but he saith of them they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit The Galatians were the children of God Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Yet they had in them the Flesh lusting against the Spirit whereby they were hindered that they could not do that good which they were willing and desirous to do Gal. 5.17 The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would The Apostle Paul was Christs 2 Cor. 10.7 If any man trust to himself that he is Christs let him of himself think this again that as he is Christs even so we are Christs Yet this Apostle who if any man upon earth might be confident that he was Christs he would let him know that he was Christs also saw and complained of a law in his Members warring against the law of his Mind and leading him captive to the law of sin Rom. 7.23 But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity to the law of sin which is in my Members 2. They that heartily desire to have the flesh with the affections and lusts crucified they have already crucified their sins in their hearts What we are willing and desirous to do that the Scripture accounts as if it were already done As it is in the Commission what sins we desire to commit God accounts them to be committed in our hearts Matth. 5.28 Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart So it is with the crucifixion of sin when a man looks upon his sins and saith in the sincerity of his heart oh that my flesh with the affections and lusts were crucified he may be said to have crucified his flesh with the lusts and affections 3. They that are Christs have delivered up their corrupt natures with all the affections and lusts to be crucified We read of Christ that he was delivered to the Jews to be crucified Joh. 19.16 Then delivered he him to be crucified The hypocrite spares his sins and hides them and is unwilling to part with them Job 20.12 13. But it is not so with a true Christian to deliver up all his sins to be crucified and begs earnestly of God that he would not suffer any sin to have the dominion over him but that he may be delivered from all his transgressions Psal 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 39.8 Deliver me from all my transgressions 4. We may be said to have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts when we have begun to mortifie all our sins when we make it our daily care and endeavour to suppress evil lusts and inordinate affections and to refrain our feet from every evil way Crucifixion is a lingring death Our sins are crucified when they are dying though not fully dead Persons nayled to the Cross had many struglings before they gave up the ghost and yet they might be said to be crucified while they hung upon the Cross though not perfectly dead Paul saith I dye daily So a Christian makes it his daily business to dye to his sins And what we are truly and heartily endeavouring to do that the Lord esteemeth and accepts as if it were done Abraham in the sincerity of his heart endeavouring to offer up Isaac the Scripture speaks of it and accounts it as if it had been actually done Heb. 11.17 By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up his son Isaac 5. Then we have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts when the reigning power and dominion of sin is taken away that we are no longer the servants of sin Rom. 6 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin The old man is all one with the flesh and the affections and lusts thereof now this old man is crucified when the power and strength of sin is so far destroyed as that we are not servants of sin when the dominion of sin is taken away from all that are in a state
Captain of our Salvation and comfort us under all our troubles I shall farther prove this that there is comfort to be had in Christ in our Soul troubles by giving instance in several soul troubles and shew that there is comfort under all of them to be had in Christ Sect. 1. Comfort to be had in Christ against indwelling corruption In Regenerate persons there are remainders of Original Corruption The Apostle Paul complained of the indwelling of sin Rom. 7.17 Sin that dwelleth in me And he did not only find sin dwelling in him but warring against the law of his mind and leading him captive to the law of sin which was a very great trouble and burden to him ver 23.24 And what was Paul's comfort against the indwelling warring and captivating power of sin It was Christ Jesus Rom. 7.24 25. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. I will shew what comfort there is in Christ against the remainders of Original Corruption 1. Christ's blood is a Fountain set open on purpose for washing away the Fountain of sin and uncleanness that is in and issueth forth out of our hearts Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a Fountain opened to the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness This Fountain is the blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sins There is no other Fountain under Heaven set open for the cleansing away of sin but the blood of Christ which is compared to a Fountain because of its sufficiency to supply all commers and the continual efficacy the Fountain runs night and day continually The day wherein this Fountain is set open is the day and time of the Gospel For under the law it was covered over with divers Types and Ceremonies it was vailed with the Ceremonies but now that vail that covering is done away It was a Fountain sealed and concealed from the Gentiles but now 't is a Fountain opened to the Jews and Gentiles for though only the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem are named yet the Gentiles are included in this promise for they are of the same body and fellow-heirs with the Jews of the promises of God Eph. 3.6 Observe farther for what end this Fountain is set open that is for sin and for uncleanness that is to wash away all sorts and all manner of sins our Original and Actual sins the uncleanness of our hearts and lives It may amaze us when we see and consider what a Fountain of sin and uncleanness is in our hearts but it may greatly comfort us when we consider that Christ's blood is a Fountain set open on purpose to wash away sin and uncleanness 2. Though sin doth and will dwell in us as long as we live yet this may comfort us it shall not have the dominion over us Rom. 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the Law but under Grace For our Lord Jesus Christ hath by his death obtained deliverance from the reigning power of indwelling corruption so that though sin remain in us it shall not reign over us we shall not be the servants of sin Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is Crucisied with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin And therefore though we find sin not only dwelling in us but warring against the law of our minds and sometimes prevailing over us and leading us captive yet we should believe that God for Christ's sake will both pardon and subdue our sins Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me as for our Transgressions thou shalt purge them away The purging away of sin implyes both the pardoning our sins by the blood of Christ Psal 51.7 Heb. 1.3 Heb. 9.22 and the mortification of sin or purging sin out of our hearts and conversations 2 Tim. 2.21 Isa 4.4 and 27.9 Now David did rest upon God for the purging away his Transgressions even when he found iniquities prevailing that is he did trust in God that for Christ's sake he would both pardon and subdue his sin 3. As it is a ground of trouble that sin dwelleth in us so it is a ground of great comfort that we have the Spirit of Christ to dwell in us as a Fountain of grace and holiness and that this Spirit of grace shall dwell in us for ever and as a Well of water springing up to Everlasting Life 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And this Spirit of Christ which is given to us to dwell in our hearts shall dwell and abide with us for ever Joh. 14.16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth he dwelleth in you and shall be in you And he dwelleth in us as a Fountain of Grace and Holiness or as a VVell of water springing up to Everlasting Life Joh. 4.14 The water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up into Everlasting Life 4. Though sin dwell in those that are in the Members of Christ yet it shall not be imputed to them unto their Condemnation Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit He doth not say there is no sin in them that are in Christ Jesus but though their be sin in them there is no condemnation to them ver 34 Who shall condemn It is Christ that dyed Christs death hath made satisfaction for our sins and therefore such as are in Christ shall not come into Condemnation but are passed from death to life Sect. 2. Comfort in Christ for lapsed Christians that have fallen into heinous sins that have wounded their Conscience and broke their Peace Besides the great trouble that ariseth to the Servants of Christ from indwelling corruption they may through the Temptations of Satan and their own weakness and want of watchfullness fall into actual Transgressions of a very heinous nature that may break their Peace and wound their Consciences as Peter who denyed Christ and curse and swore he did not know the man which caused him when he came to himself to weep bitterly And David committed such heinous sins in the matter of Vriah and Bathsheba that caused such anguish of Spirit as if all his bones had been broken and therefore being in a joyless condition as full of anguish as a man that hath broken bones he prays thus to God Psal 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Now though this be matter of deep Humiliation for Christians to fall into heinous sins yet it is not a desperate case
violent take it by force 5. They that are effectually called will go through any sufferings to obtain the Kingdom of God We are told in Gods word that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 But this doth not dismay those that are called to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ They make light of the sufferings of this life in comparison of the glory and the felicity of the future life Rom. 8. â—8 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Act. 20.23 24. The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me But none of these things move me c. As it was with the Israelites when God called them out of Egypt they were willing to go through the Red Sea and to go into a howling wilderness where were Scorpions and fiery Serpents to get into the land of promise So it is with those that are called out of their natural state they are willing to go through any troubles and difficulties though it be a resisting unto blood to get into the Kingdom of Heaven Heb. 11.35 Others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection To get the possession and make sure of this Kingdom a man Effectually called will readily and joyfully suffer the loss of all things that he hath in this world Math. 13.44 2. Recieving Christ as he is offered to us in the Gospel is an undoubted evidence of a saving interest in Christ Upon our recieving Christ he becomes ours and we become his Joh. 1.12 To as many as recieved him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God All that recieve Christ how many soever they be have an interest in God as their Father and in Christ as their Saviour Christ is the gift of God Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son Joh 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God that is if thou knewest me who am the gift of God as the following words shew and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink Now what is it makes a gift ours but an offer from him that hath power to bestow it and acceptance by him to whom it is offered God hath power to bestow Christ on whom he pleaseth and he maketh an offer of Christ unto every one that finds his want of Christ and is willing to recieve Christ Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of Life freely Upon our accepting Christ on that offer which God makes of him in the Gospel Christ becomes ours and we become his Recieving Christ is believing on Christ Joh. 1.12 To as many as recieved him to them that believe on his name And as for such as believe in Christ Christ is theirs for he dwelleth in their hearts Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith But here it may be enquired how shall we know whither we have recieved Jesus Christ in a true and saving manner A. 1. Such as recieve Jesus Christ aright recieve him in all his offices they recieve him as their Prophet as their Priest and as their King Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore recieved Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Here is mention of the 3 fold office of Christ His Prophetical Office is signified by Christ which signifieth anointed he was anointed with the Spirit to Preach the Gospel Luke 4.18 Jesus signifieth his Priestly Office for Jesus signifieth a Saviour and he was called Jesus because he was to save his People from their sins Mat. 1.23 And how doth he save his People from their sins but by his offering up himself a Sacrifice for us Lord signifieth his Kingly Office These Colossians recieved Christ in all these Offices as their Prophet as their Priest and as their Lord they recieve Christ Jesus the Lord. And so do all that recieve Christ aright Now then we recieve Christ as our Prophet when we make the word of Christ the rule of our Faith our Worship and of our Conversations 1. The word of Christ is the rule of our Faith what we find in the word of Christ that we are to believe though it seem hard to our understandings Joh. 7.38 He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said Our Faith must be regulated by the Scriptures And Abraham believed according to what God had spoken to him Rom. 4.18 Who believed in hope against hope according to that which was spoken And so the Apostle Paul and the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 15.3 4 11. Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures So we preach and so ye believe We are to believe all things according as they are held forth in the Scriptures 2. The word of Christ is to be the rule of our worship whatever censures or calumnies the world cast upon us of Heresie or Schisme or the like yet we must keep close to the written word of God Act. 24.14 After this way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets The Passeover was part of the worship of God and the Jews are blamed for neglecting and not eating the Passeover in that sort and manner as was directed in the written word of God 2 Chron. 30.5 They established a decree that they should come to keep the Passeover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as was written And ver 18. A multitude of People had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the Passeover otherwise than it was written And that they sinned in eating the Passover in other manner than was prescribed in the written word of God is evident from the following words wherein Hezekiah prayeth for the pardon of their sin The good Lord pardon every one Our Lord Jesus would not go against the written word in matters of Worship for the gaining of the whole world When the Devil carried him up into an high Mountain and shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and proffered to give them all to Christ if he would fall down and worship him he rejected the motion with disdain because it was against the written word to worship any other but the true God Mat. 4.8 9 10. The Worshipping of Idols being forbidden in the word of God the Three Children chose rather to be cast into the burning fiery furnace than to worship the golden Image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up and commanded all persons to worship under the greatest penalty even present Death and that a dreadful death to be burnt in a fiery furnace Dan. 3.15 18. If ye worship not ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a fiery Furnace And what did they answer
not good Eph. 4.19 3. If we find in our selves the grace of God as well as the remainders of Corruption we may conclude that notwithstanding our infirmities we are born again As for instance if we find that God hath given us hearts to love himself and to love one another this love is a grace of God and a manifest token that we are born again 1 Joh. 4.7 Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God 5. Crucifying the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof is a good evidence of a saving interest Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts For the understanding of this Scripture we must enquire what is meant by Flesh what by the affections of the flesh what by the lusts and what by Crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts By the flesh is not meant the body but the corruption of our natures the works of the flesh spoken of ver 19.20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance c. They that are Christs Crucifie these works of the flesh By the affections are meant sinfull affections when we set our affections on things unlawfull and when we set our affections inordinately on things that are lawfull all inordinate affections are to be mortified Col. 3.5 Mortifie your Members which are on the earth inordinate affections As for natural affections when kept in due bounds they are not to be Crucified for it is no virtue but a great degree of degeneracy to be without natural affection Such as are without natural affection are not reckoned among the Saints but among the chief of Sinners Rom. 1.31 Without understanding Covenant breakers without natural affection By lusts understand the inclinations of the heart unto evil things 1 Cor. 10.6 Now these are our Examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Now to Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts is to mortifie our corrupt natures with the works that proceed from it and not only to mortifie the works of the flesh but all inordinate affections and all lustings after evil things it is opposed to living after the flesh which will bring eternal death and is inconsistent with the grace of God and an interest in Christ Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live To Crucifie the flesh with the lusts and affectious is to dye to sin to put all our sins to Death a Metaphor taken from the Jews putting Christ to Death let us therefore consider what the Jews did to Christ when they Crucified him and see whether we have done the like to our sins and thereby we shall know whether we have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts 1. When the Jews Crucified Christ they found him out and had a token given to them whereby they should know him Joh 18.2 Judas which betrayed him knew the place Mat. 26.48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he hold him fast So they that have Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections have gotten the knowledge of their sins they know the plague of their hearts They can say as the Jews Isa 58.12 As for our iniquities we know them This is one step towards Reformation to discover what is amiss in our hearts and ways Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and I turned my feet unto thy Testimony But if a man go no farther than the getting the knowledge of our sins and do not forsake them this will make us the greater Sinners by sinning against light 2. When the Jews had found out Christ they went with him to Caiaphas the high Priest and took counsel against Christ to put him to death Matth. 26.56 27.1 So they that have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts when they have found out their sins they ask counsel of God how they may put them to death how and by what means they may be delivered from their sins Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 3. When the Jews had taken counsel to put Christ to death they carry him to Pontius Pilate and there they accuse him and cry out to have him crucified Mark 15.3 The chief Priest accused him of many things ver 13. They cryed out crucifie him So they that have crucified the flesh and the lusts and affections accuse themselves before God for their sinful hearts and their vile affections and corrupt lusts Isa 64.6 We all are as an unclean thing Job 40.4 Behold I am vile And they cry out to God to Crucifie their lusts and to deliver them from all their Transgressions Psal 39.8 Deliver me from all my Transgressions 4. They judged and condemned Christ before Pilate and said that by their Law he ought to dye and would not let Pilate rest till he had condemned him and delivered him up to be crucified Joh. 19.7 We have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye Mark 14.64 They all condemned him to be guilty of death Luk. 23.24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required So they that have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts judge and condemn themselves in the presence of God as worthy to dye eternally And they judge and condemn their sins they are satisfied in their judgements that according to the Law of God they ought to put their sin to death and they will give God no rest till he hath sent his Spirit into their hearts to Crucifie the flesh with the lusts and affections 5. The Jews after Christ was Condemned hung him up on the Cross and made him fast with Nails to the Cross and would not suffer him to be taken down till he had given up the Ghost So they that have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts do lay hold on Christ Crucified for the Crucifying their flesh with all its corrupt lusts And it is the sixed purpose of their hearts by the help of Christ to suppress all sinfull lusts and inordinate affections and to refrain from all sinfull speeches and practices Thus David was carefull to suppress and keep down Pride in his heart Psal 131.1 Lord my heart is not haughty And to suppress the frowardness and discontent of his heart Psal 101.4 A froward heart shall depart from me If frowardness got into his heart under the disorders and crosses that were in his family he would not suffer it to abide with him it should quickly depart from him he was carefull also to suppress inordinate affections to the World Psal 119.36 Encline my heart to thy Testimonies and not unto Covetousness And all
He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength 3. Both a will to embrace Christ and power have been sought with good success Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee the King brought me into his chambers Draw me that is make me willing and able to come to thee and this request was answered the King brought me into his Chambers that is according to my desire drew me unto himself Psal 119.36 Encline my heart unto thy Testimonies When we feel any averseness in our hearts to any of the ways of God we must go unto God to encline our hearts to walk in his ways Sect. 7. Mens not seeing their need of Christ is an hinderance of their closing with Christ Several causes hereof 1. Resting in a blameless Conversation 2. Resting in Church Priviledges 3. Resting in our own Righteousness 4. Resting satisfied with the World Another sort of hinderances that keep many from closing with Christ besides sticking at the terms of the Gospel is when men do not see their need they have of Christ but rest satisfied with other things instead of Christ and that is occasioned several ways I will instance in three or four As 1. Resting in a civil blameless Conversation free from gross sins 2. Resting in Church priviledges 3. Resting in our own Righteousness 4. Resting satisfied with the World Seeing many men do rest in their being of a civil and blameless Conversation and being free from gross sins and thereupon do not see any need of Christ to save them but hope to go to Heaven when they dye because they live in a blameless manner I shall shew that this is not sufficient to Salvation without an interest in Christ 1. It is the duty of all that expect to go to Heaven when they dye to endeavour to live in an holy blameless manner Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as lights in the World 2 Pet. 3.14 Seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 2. Though it be the duty of all that expect to go to Heaven when they dye to live in a blameless manner and to keep themselves from the pollutions of the World yet a civil and blameless Conversation a Conversation free from gross sins is not sufficient to carry a man to Heaven without an interest in Christ For a man may live civilly and be free from gross sins and yet be in a dangerous and damnable condition on several accounts As 1. He may be an ignorant man and have no knowledge of God and Christ he may have no understanding in the mysteries of Salvation And such as live and dye without Understanding God will have no mercy upon them and will shew them no favour Isa 27.11 It is a People of no Vnderstanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour And they shall perish for ever on whom God will have no mercy and to whom he will shew no favour 2. A man may live civilly and be of a blameless Conversation and yet be an Unbeliever be one that hath no Faith in Christ And all such as do not believe in Christ shall be damned and have their portion in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned Rev. 21.8 The Vnbelieving shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone 3. A man may be free from gross sins and live civilly and yet dye Eternally for want of a new heart and be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven for not being born again Ezek. 18.31 Make you a new Heart and a new Spirit for why will you dye O house of Israel Joh. 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God 4. A man may lead a civil life and be free from gross sins and yet have no love to Jesus Christ And such as have no love to Christ are in a cursed condition 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha That is let him be accursed and let him remain accursed till the Lord cometh to take vengeance on him 5. A man may be free from gross sins and yet be guilty of Spiritual sins and be in a damnable condition for his Spiritual sins As for instance A Man may never touch a Woman and yet be an Adulterer in the sight of God by the lustings of his heart Math. 5.28 Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery already with her in his heart A man may never strike his Neighbour and yet be a Murderer in the sight of God by hating him in his heart 1 Joh. 3.15 Whosoever hateth his Brother is a murderer and ye know that no murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him A man may never bow his body to an Idol and yet be an Idolater in the sight of God by over-loving and trusting in his Riches Col. Nor covetous man who is an Idolater hath inheritance in the Kingdom of God and of â—â—â—ist He may have a civil life and yet 〈◊〉 Atheist in his heart Psal 14.1 The 〈◊〉 hath said in his heart there is no God Many persons rest in their Church priviledges as that they are born of Religious Parents are Members of Churches have been Baptized are frequenters of Gods Ordinances have received the Lords Supper and therefore they hope it shall go well with them Thus the Jews bore up themselves that they were Abraham's Seed were Circumcised had the Temple of God among them Joh. 8.33 VVe be Abraham's Seed Jer. 7.4 Trust ye not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord But none of these things will avail me to Salvation unless they have an interest in Christ As I shall make appear these ways 1. To be born of Religious Parents of Parents in Covenant with God is a great Blessing but if they do not seek and serve that God whom their Fathers served but forsake him and go in the way of their own hearts though their Fathers were as Holy men as ever lived upon the face of the Earth God will cast their impenitent degenerate disobedient Children into Eternal Torment David was a man after Gods own heart yet he tells his Son Solomon that if he forsook the Lord the Lord would cast him off for ever 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind If thou seek him he will be found of thee if thou forsake him he will cast thee of for ever The Jews bore up themselves with this that they had Abraham to their Father but
when enlightned by the word and Spirit of God are able to discern and to give a judgment of our estate towards God and of the most inward workings both of Sin and Grace Pro. 20.27 The Spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the Belly By the inward parts of the Belly we may undestand all the secrets of the heart the inclinations dispositions and motions of the heart both to good and evil These are all searched out and discovered by the Spirit of a man which is as the Candle of the Lord but to effect this searching of our inward parts this Candle of the Lord must be lighted by the Word and the Spirit of the Lord for till that be done it gives such a dim and uncertain light that we can discern but little of our own state Therefore besides Communing with our own hearts and making use of our own Spirits we must make use of the Word of God that we may discern the state of our own Souls towards God Prov. 6.23 The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple ver 105. Thy word is a Lamp to my feet and a light to my path There are plain and clear Characters laid down in the Scriptures of such as are Christs the knowledge of these which I shall mention in the next Section are requisite for us to examine our selves by And besides making use of our own Spirits and having recourse to the light of Gods word it is needful that we should implore the illumination and assistance of the Holy Spirit because it is his enlightning our minds that gives us light Psal 36.9 In thy light shall we see light Job 32.8 But there is a Spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding The eyes of our underderstandings are shut till the Spirit of God doth open them Eph. 1.17 18. And as we need the Spirit to enlighten our understandings so also to witness to and with our Spirits or being the Children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Evidences of a saving interest in Christ. Seeing the knowledge of our interest in Christ tendeth so much to our Consolation both against all the troubles of this Life and the terrors of Death and seeing this knowledge is obtained by examining our selves by those Characters that the Scriptures give of those that are Christs I shall lay down several Characters out of the Scriptures of such as have a saving interest in Christ those that I shall mention and explain are these 1. Effectual calling 2. Recieving Christ as he is offered in the Gospel 3. They that are Christs have the Spirit of Christ given to them 4. They that are Christs are new Creatures 5. They that are Christs have Crucified the Flesh with the lusts and affections 6. They that are Christs do love Christ and prefer Christ above all things and persons in the World 7. They that are Christs live to Christ and dye to him 1. They that are effectually called are Christs and Christ with all his benefits are theirs 1 Cor. 1.26 compared with 1 Cor. 3.23 Ye see your calling Brethren ye are Christs Whom doth the Apostle mean when he saith ye are Christs he meaneth such as are effectually called And speaking of those that were called he tells them that God had united them to Christ and made them partakers of the benefits of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.26 30. Ye see your calling Brethren Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Eternal Life and all other saving benefits of Christ are promised to them that are effectually called Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Covenant they which were called might recieve the promise of the eternal inheritance But Eternal Life and the saving benefits of Christ are given only to such as have an interest in Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not Life Now we may know that we are effectually called these ways 1. When the Lord calls a sinner effectually he calls him out of darkness into light whereas the mind and understanding was before full of ignorance and blindness the Lord enlightens the mind with saving knowledge when he calls a sinner effectually it is 1 Pet. 2.9 That ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light Now in this work of illumination we may consider these 3 or 4 things 1. God calls a man to see his sinful miserable undone estate by nature Jer. 2.19 Know and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of Hosts And his inability to help or recover himself out of his sinful and miserable estate Joh 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing 2. God calls a man to see and to know that remission of sins and Salvation is to be had in Christ and no where else but in and from Christ Jesus Act. 13.38 Through this man is preached unto you remission of sins Luke 19.10 The Son of Man is come to seek and save that which was lost There is Salvation for lost man to be had in Christ and in none but him Act. 4.12 Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved As the Lord gives us to understand that we have destroyed and undone our selves so also he causeth us to know that there is help for such as are in a perishing condition and also where this help is to be found namely in himself through Christ Hos 13.9 O If del thou hast destroved thy self but in me is thy help Thus is a material branch of saving illumination the giving as the knowledge of God and Christ 1 Cor. 4.6 Joh. 17.3 3 The Lord enlightens his People to see and to know which way they should obtain Salvation from Christ out of their sinful and miserable condition namely by Faith and Repentance For after a man is enlightned to see his lost estate then he is at a loss to know what he should do to be saved and the Lord shews him that Salvation is obtained by Christ through Faith and Repentance Act. 16.30 31. Sirs what must I do to be saved And they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your Transgressions and so iniquity shall not be your rutine 4. Where there is saving illumination the instruction the Lord gives is like that spoken of by the Prophet
of such Solomon speaks Prov. 5.22 He shall be holden with the cords of his sins And this was Simon Magus his condition Act. 8.23 I percieve that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Now when God calls a sinner to Christ he looseth these bonds so that such an one can say with David Psal 116.16 Thou hast loosed my bonds 2. VVhen God calleth a man to Christ he causeth the soul to follow hardafter Christ to be both earnest and speedy in running after Christ Psal 63.8 My soul followeth hard after thee This following hard after Christ implyeth earnest desires and endeavours to enjoy him an unwillingness to be without him Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee Running after Christ implyeth earnestness and speed in following Christ and unweariedness in seeking after Christ Isa 40.31 They shall run and not be weary Is thy soul earnest is thy soul unwearied in following after Christ then certainly the Lord hath drawn thee by his Spirit For no man goeth thus after Christ till the Lord hath drawn him Joh 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him 3. VVe may know that God hath called and drawn us to Christ if we follow after Christ under all the difficulties and discouragements that we meet with in the wayes of Christ VVhen God calls us to Christ effectually he carries us through all difficulties and discouragements so that nothing shall hinder us from following Christ He makes good that woâ—d Luk. 3.5 Every valley shall be filled and every mountain shall be brought low and the crooked shall be made streight and the rough wayes shall be made plain It is an allusion to the Jewes coming out of Babylon in which journey they met with many difficulties they went through low valleyes which oft-times are filled with ter they went over high hills and great mountains they went through crooked and rough wayes But God put such a spirit into them that they went on with that courage and chearfullness as is if every valley had been filled and every hill and mountain brought low and all crooked places had been made straight and rough places plain So it is in effectual calling God carryeth on the soul so powerfully after Christ that it is carryed through all oppositions all difficulties and discouragements to come to Christ Psal 18.29 By thee I have run through a troop by my God I have leaped over a wall As it was with the blind man that cryed after Christ Mark 10.48 Many charged him that he should hold his peace but he cryed the more a great deal Thou son of David have mercy on me So it is with those that feel their want of Christ and are called to Christ when carnal people and carnal relations would beat them off from the wayes of Christ they are the more earnest to follow after VVe read of Saul that when the sons of Belial despised him There went with him a band of men whose hearts God had touched 1 Sam. 10.26 27. If we go after Christ when he is despised by the world it is a sign that God hath touched our hearts and drawn us to his Son 4. When God calls a sinner to come to Christ he cannot be satisfied with any thing besides Christ He takes him from resting in any thing short of Christ After we are awakened to see our sin and misery there are many things wherein we would rest short of Christ if God should let us alone As for instance we are apt to rest in our priviledges as the Jews who cryed out the temple of the Lord we have Abraham to our Father c. And we are prone to rest in Ordinances and performance of Duties in our convictions humiliations affections reformations and the like but he takes us off from resting in any thing besides Christ when he calls us unto Christ What Michah said unto the Jews Mich. 2.10 Arise ye and depart this is not your rest So the Lord saith to such as he calls effectually when they are taking up their rest in any thing short of Christ he calls them off from those rests saith Arise and come unto my son for this is not your rest A soul effectually called is like the dove that went out of the Ark while the waters covered the earth she found no rest for the sole of her foot till she returned into the Ark Gen. 8.9 So the soul effectually called can find no rest any where but in Christ Mary Magdelen had seen wonders in the stone rolled from the Sepulchre the linnen clothes in which the body of Christ was wrapped she had a vision of Angels but the sight of the Angels did not satisfie her because she could not find Christ but wept for him Joh. 20.1 11 12 13. 5. When God calls a sinner to come to Christ he taketh up his rest in Christ and resteth on him only for remission of sins and eternal life Psal 37.7 Rest in the Lord Psal 62.6 He onely is my rock and my salvation Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you IV. When God calleth a sinner effectually he called him unto holiness 1 The. 4.7 God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness Now we may know our effectual call unto holiness these wayes 1. By our earnest desires and endeavours after holiness This call of God begets earnest desires after holiness a hunger and thirst after righteousness such an one hath oh that I were more holy oh that I could serve and obey God in a better manner Psal 119.5 Oh that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes ver 20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgements at all times And this call doth produce strong desires so also earnest endeavors after holiness so that a man makes his care and continual exercise to live an holy life Act. 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience voyd of offence both towards God and towards men 2. This call to holiness leaves such an impressiion upon the heart that if through temptation he fall into sin and depart from the wayes of God he can have no rest in his spirit until he is risen up again and hath humbled his soul before God and be returned unto God Prov. 24.16 A just man falleth seven times and riseth again A just man may fall yea fall often but he is not to rest in his sins but maketh hast to rise up again It is the property of unregenerate men to lye in their sins 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lyeth in wickedness They that are called out of the world may fall into sin by temptation but they do not lye in their sins they make hast to rise up again A sheep may fall into the mire but makes hast to get out They are swine that love to wallow in the mire 3. We
he sheweth us that without Christ we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing And therefore when ever we do any good thing it is done through the strength of Christ Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strenghtneth me Yea when ever we think any good thought the Spirit of God teacheth us to ascribe this to Christ 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 3. Whatever good things we hope to receive from God either in this Life or the Life to come the Spirit teacheth us to hope for them on Christs account and for Christs sake and not upon our own account 2 Cor. 3.4 Such trust have we through Christ to God-ward 1 Tim. 1.1 The Lord Jesus Christ which is our hope What-ever we trust or hope in God for our trust and hope is or ought to be grounded on the merits of Christ we ought to trust and hope we shall have it through Christ that is on Christs account and for Christs sake Now Christ is greatly exalted and glorified when he is made the foundation of our Faith and Hope both for things pertaining to this life and the life which is to come 4 The Spirit glorifieth Christ by begeting in us high and glorious thoughts of Christ and this he doth by shewing us his personal excellencies that he is the Eternal God as well as Man God Man in one person and hath all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily That as Mediator he hath all power in Heaven and Earth given to him and is exalted above all the Angels of Heaven and all the Kings on Earth c. And also by shewing to us those great and glorious things which he hath purchased for us by his blood as pardon of sin reconciliation with God the blessings of the new Covenant Eternal Life c. Joh. 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall take of mine and shew it unto you Till God gives us his Spirit which renders Christ glorious in our eyes we are ready to despise him and think meanly of him Isa 53.2 3. There is no beauty that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men That is of such men as have not the Spirit of Christ they see no beauty in him and therefore they despise and reject him 5. We may know that we have the Spirit of Christ if we can find in our selves the fruits of the Spirit What Christ saith concerning false Prophets Mat. 7.16 Ye shall know them by their fruits The like may I say here a man may know himself by his fruits If he bring forth the fruits of the Spirit then he may know that he hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him but if he bring forth the fruits of the flesh then he is a carnal man What Christ saith of Trees Luke 6.44 Every Tree is known by his own fruit So is every man known he may be known to himself and to others by his fruits Now what the fruits of the Spirit are you may see Gal. 5.22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace longsuffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Love to God and one another joy in Zions welfare when it goeth well with the Church and People of God peaceableness whereby a man endeavours to live peaceably with all men and to make peace among those that are at variance long-suffering whereby we bear afflictions patiently though they belong upon us and are not easily provoked to anger Gentleness whereby we carry our selves with mildness not like Nabal churlishly who was such a son of Belial that no man could tell how to speak to him Goodness whereby we are ready to do good to all men Faith whereby we rely on God and keep faith with men Meekness whereby we carry our selves humbly and without fierceness towards others Temperance which implyeth moderation in eating and drinking these are fruits of the Spirit But some may say seeing Meekness and Temperance c. are moral virtues which have been found in the Heathen that have not the Spirit of Christ how shall we know whether our Meekness Temperance Long-suffering c. are moral virtues or fruits of the Spirit A. 1. When it is Conscience to the command of God that puts us upon the exercise of Love Meekness Patience Temperance and the like then our Meekness and Patience and Temperance are the fruits of the Spirit For what is wrought in us by the word of God is wrought by the Spirit the word is the instrument by which ordinarily the Spirit worketh upon us 1 Joh. 3.23 This is his Commandement that we should love one another as he gave us Commandement A Christian hath respect to the command of Christ in the exercise of love 2. When we have felt in our selves the inclinations to contrary vices as Frowardness Intemperance Malice and the like and have by Faith in Christ and Prayer obtained victory over those natural inclinations and obtained Meekness and Temperance c. Then are they the fruits of the Spirit Luk. 11.11 Your Heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The mortification of any sin is obtained only by the Spirit And therefore if we were naturally hasty but have mortified that hasty Spirit and got a meek and quiet Spirit that is from the Spirit of God And the like may be said of the rest 3. If in the exercise of Meekness Temperance and the like we have a respect to Christ the honour and glory of Christ and not at our own glory or some other selfish end then our Meekness and Temperance are the fruits of the Spirit For it is the Spirit that causeth us to seek the glory of Christ as was shewed before He shall glorifie me But where there are onely moral vertues there is looking no further than self ends as a mans own glory or health or the like 6. We may know we have the Spirit of Christ by our minding spiritual things Rom. 8.5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit The disposition of the mind is a discovery of a mans state If he chiefly mind the profits and pleasures of the World or the honours of the World and what gratifieth corrupt nature he is a carnal unregenerate man But if he chiefly mind the things of the Spirit such as the saving his precious Soul the pleasing enjoying and glorifying God if his mind and heart be chiefly carried out after Spiritual Blessings and Spiritual things that is an argument that he is renewed by the Spirit of God And therefore let us make enquiry into the disposition of our minds Now the disposition of the mind may be known 1. By the pleasedness and
frequency of our thoughts No thoughts are so pleasing and sweet as thoughts of God and Spiritual things to a man that minds the things of the Spirit Psal 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet 2. By the ardency of our endeavours Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired and that will I seek after What is most desired will be most sought after 4. We may know that we have an interest in Christ if we be new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new Nothing that any man hath or doth no priviledges no excellencies will avail a man any thing to the obtaining of Salvation by Jesus Christ unless he be a new creature Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a new Creature Circumcision was a priviledge of the Jews an Ordinance of God a Seal of the Covenant a profitable Ordinance Rom. 3.1 2. What profit is there of Circumcision much every way It was a painful Ordidinance They were sore several days after they were Circumcised yet Circumcision did not avail any to Salvation but such as were new Creatures Uncircumcision was the badge of the Gentiles who sought after Wisdom yet no wisdom no excellencies that were found in any of the Gentiles would avail them to Salvation if they were not new creatures But here some may say How shall we know whether we be new creatures Ans 1. By our loathing the lusts and deeds of the old man that is by our loathing our sins and loathing our selves for our sins For it is an evident sign that God hath given a man a new heart and a new spirit when there membrance of his sins maketh him to loath himself Ezek. 36.26 31. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you Then shall ye remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations And for confirmation of this that self loathing and loathing of our sins is an evidence of the renewing grace of God we may take notice that unregenerate men are full of self love 2 Tim. 3.2 Men shall be lovers of their own selves And they may leave some of their sins but they do not loath them The Psalmist speaking of a graceless person saith of him Psal 36.4 He abhorreth not evil If any ask How shall we know whether we loath our sins and loath our selves for our sins I Answer 1. A man that loatheth himself for his sins looketh upon himself as a vile and loathsom creature and blusheth and is ashamed of himself when he cometh into the presence of God Job 40.4 compared with Job 46.6 Behold I am vile wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job who abhorred himself looked upon himself as a vile creature and repented in dust and ashes abased himself before God as more vile then the dust Ezra blushed and was ashamed to lift up his face to God Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee my God for our iniquities are encreased over our head and our trespass is grown up to the heavens 2. When a man loathes his sins they are burthensom and troublesom to him Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are gone over mine head as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me He would fain be freed from his sins We flee as farr as we can from things and persons which we abhorr Job 30.10 They abhorr me they flee far from me A man that loaths his sins would not live in his sins though he should not be punished for them As 't is with a man that loatheth his Life he would fain be rid of it he would not live alwaies Job 7.15 16. My Soul chuseth strangling and death rather than Life I loath it I would not live alway So it is with a man in respect of his sins his Soul chooseth the Death rather than the Life of his sins and if he might have an indulgence to continue in his sins without being cast into Hell for them yet he would not live always in them 2. A new creature is an humble creature one that hath very poor and mean and low thoughts of himself When God makes a man a new creature he takes down the pride of his heart and makes him an humble and lowly Spirit Whatever gifts and excellencies God hath bestowed upon him whatever services and sufferings he hath gone through he looks upon himself as a poor inconsiderable creature of no worth or value 2 Cor. 12.11 In nothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles though I am nothing The Apostles had great gifts they could speak all Languages could work Miracles were filled with the holy Ghost did great service for God went through great sufferings and the Apostle Paul did not in any thing come behind the very chiefest of the Apostles yet under all his endowments he esteemed himself to be nothing See some instances of the humility of those that are new creatures 1. They have meaner thoughts of themselves than they have of any other men Prov. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish than any man Eph. 3.8 Less than the least of all Saints 1 Tim. 1.15 To save sinners of whom I am chief They follow the counsel of the Apostle Phil. 2.3 In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves For they are privy to more of their own sins than they are to any other mans upon the face of the earth They know more of their own hearts than they do of other mens 2. They have meaner thoughts of themselves then they have of the other creatures and therefore they liken themselves not to the Sun or Stars but to the meanest of all the creatures as worms fleas dead dogs and the like Psal 22.6 I am a worm and no man a reproach of men 2 Sam. 24.14 After whom is the King of Israel come out after whom dost thou persue After a dead dog after a Flea 3. They have such mean thoughts of themselves that they judge themselves to be unworthy of the very least of all Gods mercies Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and all the truth that thou hast shewed unto thy servant And they look upon themselves as worthy of the greatest of Gods judgments even to be confounded and destroyed for ever Dan. 9.7 O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day They look upon it as infinite mercy that they are out of hell Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed That they that are of an humble Spirit are new creatures appeareth hence because God dwelleth with the humble Isa 57.15 And saveth the humble Job 22.29 He shall save the humble person But
Souls of thy people in the hottest times of persecution And what the Spouse enquired after Christ discovered to her namely that her rest is in himself Mat. 11.28 Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest And having found rest and refreshment in Christ in the hottest day she tells others where she had her delights and comforts in the heat of the day and that was in Christ Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast Upon these words I sat down under his shadow with great delight Piscator hath this interpretation Cum sentio vel arixietatem vel persecutionem ad Christum confugio ut is me per Spiritum sanctum verbum Dei consoletur When I feel any distress or persecution I flee to Christ that he would comfort me by his Word and Spirit The fruit which the Spouse saith was sweet are the benefits we have by Christ as remission of sins Eternal Life c. In the foregoing words Christ is likened to an Apple-tree and the benefits that we have by Christ are the Fruit of this Tree which yields much comfort and refreshing to the people of God And to this agreeth Piscator's note upon the place Consolationes Christi sunt dulces animis fidelium The comforts of Christ are sweet to the Souls of Believers There is comfort in Christ and from Christ under the hottest persecutions of the Church if any say how may we be enabled by the help of Christ to bear up chearfully in times of greatest persecution when we are called to resist unto blood and to undergo fiery tryals A. 1. Get a right understanding of persecutions for Christs and the Gospels sake look upon them not with an eye of Sense but an eye of Faith judge of them as they are represented in the Scripture and not as flesh and blood represents them to you For this will lay a Foundation for chearfullness under the forest persecutions if we have a right account of them To this end consider what account the Scripture gives of persecutions for Christs sake or which is all one for the Gospels sake or for Righteousness sake 1. Persecutions for Righteousness sake are Blessings real Blessings great Blessings for they confirm our title to a Kingdom a more glorious Kingdom than any is to be enjoyed in this World Mat. 5.10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven If a man consult with flesh and blood that will tell him it is a miserable thing to be under persecution to have our estates liberties and lives taken from us but if we consult the Scriptures they will tell us that 't is a blessed thing to be persecuted and that there are no men on earth more blessed than they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven and none are so happy as they that shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Persecutions for Righteousness sake are matter of joy rather than sorrow 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoyce in as much as ye are pertakers of the sufferings of Christ Yea they are a ground of exceeding great joy for they encrease our grace here and our glory hereafter They are a ground of great joy as they encrease our grace here Jam. 1.2 3. My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your Faith worketh patience The Apostle writes to the twelve Tribes that were scattered abroad where being removed out of their own country was some degree of persecution and when abroad among Heathens and Idolaters they were continually liable to persecutions for Righteousness sake yet he bids them count it all joy when they fell into divers temptations because hereby their Faith should be tryed and Patience encreased Persecutions for Righteousness sake are a ground of exceeding great joy because they will encrease our glory in Heaven for ever Mat. 5.11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Observe here our Lord Jesus doth not say to his Servants when under persecution be not cast down but rejoyce and be glad and not only so but be exceeding glad and why because persecutions encrease our reward in the other World Great is your reward in Heaven Yea he would have us so exceeding joyfull as to leap for joy Luk. 6.23 Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven That day wherein Christ would have us leap for joy is the day of persecution spoken of in the foregoing verse 3. Persecutions for Christ are honours and favours and ought to be esteemed as such as by all true Christians Act. 5.41 And they departed from the presence of the counsel rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name The Apostles counted it an honour to be beaten and reproached for Christ Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his name sake We see here that it is a gift a favour for a man to be called to suffer for Christ 4. Persecutions for Christ are not strange and unusual things but are the common lot of Christians and are to be counted upon by all that will live Godly in Christ from the first day we give our selves to Christ till we lay down these Earthly Tabernacles 2 Tim. 2.12 Yea and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Sufferings for Christ are to be expected from the first day that we give our selves to Christ Mark 8.34 Whosoever will come after me let him take up his cross And to the last day of our continuance in this World for we are liable to sufferings as long as we continue in the body Heb. 13.2 Remember them that suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body Yea we must not think it a strange thing if we should meet with fiery tryals and be burnt for our Religion as well as others have been before us 1 Pet. 4 12. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you That passage Heb. 12.4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood Intimateth that all Christians should count upon it that though they had not hitherto yet it may be their lot to have their blood shed for Christ They had suffered deeply in their names and estates and were eminent for grace and had attained assurance of their Salvation Ch. 10.32 33 34. Yet for all this though God had spared them as to life and they had not yet resisted unto blood they knew not but that might
also come upon them to lay down their lives for Christ 2. The knowledge and belief of Gods infinite everlasting and unchangable love to us in Christ Jesus and of Christs love in laying down his Life for us will carry us chearfully through our greatest persecutions and make us to triumph over all manner of persecutions even at such a time as we are killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter As we may see it excellently set out Rom. 8.35 36 37 38 39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall Tribulation or Distress or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Let us take notice in this Scripture of these things 1. The love of Christ and the love of God in Christ towards his people is so fixed so firm so unchangeable that no manner of troubles or persecutions no creature in Heaven or Earth is or shall be able to separate them from the love of Christ and the love of God which is in Christ Jesus that is which is grounded upon the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ 2. The apprehension and perswasion of Gods love to our Souls in Christ Jesus and the immutability of this love will help us to overcome and triumph over all manner of troubles and persecutions Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor any other creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus In all these things that is all the forementioned tribulations and persecutions though we be flain by the Sword or are starved to Death by Famine we are conquerors yea more than conquerors and how not by our own strength but through him that loved us and how doth he give us the victory By giving us a firm perswasion of the unchangeable love of God in Christ For I am perswaded 3. Observe the time and season when the servants of Christ are made to triumph as conquerors over all their troubles and that is when it is noon day in respect of their persecutions when 't is the hottest time of persecution when they are not only deprived of their goods thrust into prisons but killed killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter And let us see what is implyed in these expressions 1. It is to be all the day long in hazard and danger of death When it is with us as it was with Hezekiah in his sickness Isa 38.13 So 't is with us in respect of our persecutors we reckon in the night they may come upon us before the morning and the morning may come before the night and rend and tear us in pieces or when 't is with us as it was with David Psal 119.109 My Soul is continually in my hand then we may be said to be killed all the day long 2. When we are put to a lingring death that it may be the more painfull that we are as it were all the day long in a dying condition this some persecutors endeavoured ut sentiant se mori then we may be said to be killed all the day long 3. When persecutors make no more of killing us than they do of killing sheep when the Saints are killed in abundance that it is a time of much blood-shed yea when they joy in the death of Gods Servants Isa 22.13 They are counted as Sheep for the slaughter Now the knowledge and belief of the love of Christ will help us to go through all persecutions chearfully several ways 1. As it leads to the filling our Souls with the graces and comforts of the Spirit of God Eph. 3.19 And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God The more we are filled with the graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost the stronger we shall be to suffer for Christ for the joy of the Lord is our strength 2. As it draws out our love to Christ 1 Joh. 3.16 17. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us Herein is our love made perfect And the more we love Christ the stronger we shall be to suffer for Christ Cant. 8.6 7. Love is strong as death Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it 3. Get and keep a lively hope of eternal life and glory for this will be a wonderfull support to you in your greatest persecutions This caused our Lord Jesus to endure the pain and the shame of the Cross with much chearfulness Heb. 12.2 Who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the Right hand of the Throne of God The having the joys of Heaven in his thoughts caused him to endure the pain and make light of the shame of the cross This caused the Apostles to glory and triumph in the midst of their troubles Rom. 5.2 3. And rejoyce in hope of the glory of God And not only so but we glory in Tribulations also The respect which Moses had to the recompence of reward in the other World carryed him with chearfulness through his great sufferings Heb. 11.24 25 26. The hope of Salvation is by the Apostles called an helmet 1 Thes 5.8 Putting on the breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an helmet the hope of Salvation The helmet preserves the head in safety as long as we keep on this helmet as long as we keep our hope of Salvation we are in a safe condition 4. If you would go chearfully through all your persecutions get and exercise the graces of Faith and Patience for they are of singular use in an evil day Rev. 13.7 10. And it was given to him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints When the beast maketh war with the Saints and overcomes them that is God permits him to kill and slay as Conquerors those that they have overcome then is a time when there is great need great use of Faith and Patience I shall speak distinctly to both these graces 1. Get and exercise Faith Faith is the most usefull most necessary piece of the Spiritual Armour in an evil day and therefore we are called upon above all to take the shield of Faith because thereby we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Fiery darts are
of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Luk. 19.10 The son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help There is help in Christ not only for such as have hurt themselves for such as have wounded sorely wounded themselves but for such as have destroyed them yea though they be Israelites which is an aggravation of their sin and misery for its worse for an Israelite then for a Moabite or an Egyptian to destroy himself Here is the extremity of misery destruction and the height of sin which is for a man to be the Author of his own destruction yet there is help in Christ for such as are undone destroyed and have been the Authors of their own destruction O Israel thou bast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help And as our Lord Jesus came into the world purposely to save lost and undone sinners so he is able to save perfectly those that come to him and unto God by him from all their sins and all their misery Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them And as there is Salvation to be had in Christ for lost and perishing sinners so this Salvation is to be had no where else and by no other way or means whatsoever but by Christ Act. 4.12 Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be savtd Isa 43.11 I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour We are not able to save our selves neither can all the men on earth or all the Angels of heaven save us We cannot save our selves by any ways or devices of our own or by any works or duties that we can perform if we could any way save our selves it must be either by fleeing from God and hiding our selves where God should not find us out but that is impossible for God filleth Heaven and Earth and is present in all places so that a man cannot flee from God or hide himself where God should not find him Jer. 23.24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. Psal 139.7 8 9 10. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into heaven thou art there c. Or else it must be by doing some works whereby we may procure the pardon of our sins and the Salvation of our Souls Neither of these can be purchased with mony If a man would give all that he hath in the world to purchase the love of God and the pardon of his sins and the Salvation of his Soul it would be despised and contemned Cant. 8.7 If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned Job 36.18 19. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroke then a great ransome cannot deliver thee Will he esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of thy strength It is a most detestable thought for a man to think that the gifts of God can be purchased with mony Act. 8.20 Thy mony perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with mony And as we cannot purchase our pardon and Salvation so neither can we obtain it by any works of Righteousness that we are able to do Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Tit. 3.5 Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us And as we are not able to save our selves so neither can any men on earth or angels of Heaven save us Psal 60.11 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man And if man can't save us from troubles on earth then much less from the torments of hell Jer. 3.23 Truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the hills or from the multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel By the hills and mountains we may understand either 1. Their Fortifications which were very strong by reason of the hills and mountains There were many hills and mountains round about Jerusalem which made it very strong Psal 125.2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem And therefore called the hill country Luk. 1.39 Or 2. By the hills and mountains may be understood the mighty Kings and Princes of other Nations that had promised them aid and assistance Hos 7.11 Hos 5.13 Isa 31.1 Or 3. The Idols which they worshipped on the hills and the mountains Jer. 2.20 Jer. 3.6 'T is as much as to say Salvation is to be had from no creatures from none of the Gods of the Heathen but only from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 3. If you would get a saving interest in Christ know and consider well that God maketh a free and general offer of Jesus Christ and all his saving benefits unto every one that findeth a want of him and is willing to receive him I say Jesus Christ and Salvation by Christ as all things requisite to Salvation is offered freely to every one that findeth the want of him and is willing to receive him Rev. 22.17 And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely For opening of this Scripture let us observe 1. Here is an offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ Let him take the water of Life By the water of Life understand Jesus Christ and those saving benefits we have by Christ Christ and Salvation by Christ is set out by the water of life For as Christ is the bread of life Joh. 6.48 I am that bread of life So he is also the water of life and as he is called the bread of life because he giveth eternal life to those that are pertakers of him Joh. 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever So he is called the water of life because he giveth eternal life to those that are partakers of him And as Christ himself is signified by the water of life so also are his saving benefits Remission of sins is set out by clean water Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean The Spirit of Christ and his saving graces are compared to water Joh. 7.38 39. Eternal Life and Salvation is set out by Fountains of living waters Rev. 7.17 2. The offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ is general it is to every one whosoever he be that finds his want of him and is willing
Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have Tribulation ten days be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a crown of life 2. Abide with Christ in an hour of temptation and he will abide with you Joh. 15.4 Abide in me and I in you And if Christ will abide in us and with us we need not be troubled though all that we have be taken from us for Christ is better than all the World If Christ abide with us we need not fear though all the World be set against us Psal 118.6 The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me If Christ abide with us the Consolation of Israel abideth with us yea all good abideth with us 3. Abide with Christ and you shall become powerfull and prevalent in Prayer and shall bring forth much fruit Joh. 15.5 7. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you This is a large grant Ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you We must understand it of such things as are agreable to the will of God such things as are for the glory of God such things as are consistent with our eternal welfare when our will is thus regulated we may ask what we will and it shall be done for us And is not this a great encouragement to abide in Christ that we shall be so powerfull in Prayer as even to obtain what we will from him Sect. 3. Hinderances of an interest in Christ removed I shall in the next place mention several Hinderances which keep men from being made partakers of Christ and his saving benefits and endeavour the removal of them First Hinderance Ignorance is a great hinderance to most men that keeps them from getting a saving interest in Christ They are ignorant of the worth and excellency of Christ and their own want of him and so do not seek after him And they are ignorant of Gods willingness to bestow Christ upon them and they are ignorant of the way and means whereby they should come to enjoy and attain to an interest in Christ There is a great deal of ignorance in many people that live under plentifull means of Grace The Jews had Moses and the Prophets and Priests in abundance to teach and instruct them yet the generality of them were very ignorant of the things of God Jer. 4.22 My people is foolish they have not known me they are sottish children and they have none understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge See how the Prophet multiplyeth expressions to set out the ignorance of the Jews He saith they were foolish sottish had no understanding did not know God had no knowledge to do good And as people that have great means of knowledge may be very ignorant so also are many that take upon them to be teachers of others Jer. 2.8 The Priests said not where is the Lord and they that handle the Law know me not And that ignorance is a great hinderance to our seeking after and obtaining Christ and Salvation by Christ we may see from such Scriptures as these Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Eph. 4.18 Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their mind Rom. 10.3 If any say what should we do to get this ignorance removed 1. Search the Scriptures read them diligently and meditate on what you read thereby you shall come to the knowledge of Christ Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures They are they which testifie of me The Scriptures set out the excellency of Christ and shew us that all things are but dross and dung in comparison of Christ Phil. 3.8 They set forth our miserable and undone condition without Christ Eph. 2.12 They set forth Gods willingness to bestow Christ freely on every one that is willing to have him Rev. 22.17 They shew how and by what means we are made partakers which is through Faith Eph. 3.17 Heb. 3.14 By searching the Scriptures we shall be made wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus If we do search the Scriptures dayly and meditate on what we read we shall greatly encrease in knowledge Psal 119.99 I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my meditation 2. Turn from your sins and then God will pour out his Spirit upon you and enlighten your minds and open your understandings that you may understand his word Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you Continuance in sin darkens the mind that though a man have means of knowledge and set himself to get understanding he will be ever learning and not be able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.6 7. Laden with sins and led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth What is said of hating our Brother 1 Joh. 2.11 He that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darkness hath blinded his eyes The same is true of other sins also they blind the eyes of our understanding and keep us in darkness although we have great means of light and knowledge But when we forsake our sins and turn unto God he will take away our ignorance and give us saving knowledge Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life 3. Pray to God to give you Wisdom and Understanding in the mysteries of your Salvation and he will give it to you Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Observe here 1. The persons to whom God promiseth to give wisdom such as find their want of it and ask it of God 2. The extensiveness of this promise It is any one whosoever he be that lacks wisdom and asks it of God 3. The great readiness that is in God to give wisdom to all that ask for it He giveth to all men he giveth liberally he giveth without upbraiding He will not upbraid us with our unworthyness with our dulness our frequency or importunity in Prayer 4. The certainty of
and proposed in the Gospel When they that were invited to the Marriage Supper refused to come the King was angry and said none of them should so much as taste of his Supper Luk. 14.24 I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper And if we refuse and fall short of Salvation by Christ our case will be worse than the case of the Heathens that never heard of Christ and in some respects worse than the condition of the Devils that never had an offer of Salvation by Jesus Christ 5. The terms of the Gospel on which Christ is offered to us are all of them beneficial and advantagious terms and nothing in them be excepted against as I have in part shewn already and shall shew more fully in speaking distinctly to those terms that carnal persons are most ready to except against as suffering for Christ obeying Christ forsaking our sins which were none of them to be refused as will appear in answering each particular distinctly 3. Hind Some men would willingly have Christ and Salvation by Christ but they stumble at the Cross of Christ They are unwilling to suffer for Christ to take away this stumbling block out of the way I shall propose some considerations to make you willing to undergo any sufferings for Christ 1. The Cross is the way to the Crown of Glory As Christ suffered before he entred into Glory Luk. 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory So must we bear our Cross before we wear our Crown Our Lord Jesus Christ hath assured us that if we will suffer for him here we shall reign with him for ever hereafter 2 Tim. 2.11 12. It is a faithful saying For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we suffer we shall also reign with him And who would not suffer a little while with Christ here upon good assurance that he shall reign with Christ in Heaven for ever The way to the Kingdom of Heaven lyeth through much tribulation Act. 14.22 We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God That man hath very mean thoughts of Heaven that will go out of the way that leadeth to the Kingdom of Heaven for avoiding the troubles that are in the way to this Kingdom All the troubles that we meet with in this present life for the sake of Christ are not worthy to be compared with the glory we shall have in Heaven Rom. 8.17 18. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorifyed together For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Here are two arguments to perswade us to be willing to suffer for Christ 1. If we suffer with him we shall also be glorifyed together with him 2. The Glory that we shall have with Christ and by Christ is so great that all the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with it 2. Sufferings for Christ are and shall be attended with abundance of sweet and Heavenly Consolations Usually Christians never have a greater abundance of the joys and comforts of the Holy Ghost than when they go through abundance of sufferings for Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ VVhen Persecution arose for the Gospel-sake at Antioch and the Persecution was so hot that Paul and Barnabas were expelled out of their Coasts the Disciples were as full of joy as they could hold Act. 13.50 52. The Jews raised Persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their Coasts and the Disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost VVhen we meet with great troubles God is wont to give great comforts such as make the heart to sing for joy Job 35.10 Where is God my maker who giveth Songs in the night The night taken figuratively signifyeth a dark time a time of trouble now in the darkest times in the night of affliction God giveth his people Songs that is such comforts as shall make them sing for joy Isa 65.14 Behold my Servants shall sing for joy of heart 3. Sufferings for Christ are a ground of joy rather than of sorrow VVhen God calls us to suffer for Christ we should be far from refusing the Cross that we should esteem it a ground of great joy that we are called to suffer for Christ 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy When the Apostles were beaten and exposed to pain and shame for Christ they took these sufferings joyfully Act. 5.41 They departed from the presence of the Councell rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name VVe should be so far from refusing and shunning the Cross that we should account it a great happiness to be exposed to reproaches and other sufferings for the sake of Christ 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you 4. The rough and narrow and difficult way of sufferings is better than the smooth broad and easy way of sin For the broad and easy and pleasant way of sin leadeth unto destruction it leadeth a man unto the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone And who would be tempted to go in a smooth and pleasant and broad way that is sure as soon as he is at the end of his way he shall be cast into a Furnace of Fire But the narrow and difficult and rough way of the Cross leadeth as we heard before unto the Kingdom of Glory Besides they that walk in the smooth way of sin though they may have ease to the Flesh yet they have trouble and pain in their Consciences Job 15.20 The wicked man Travelleth with pain all his days Isa 57.21 There is no peace saith my God unto the wicked But they that go in the narrow and rough way of the Cross though they meet with troubles in their outward man yet they have peace in their Consciences and joy in their inward man Joh. 16.33 2 Cor. 7.4 And it is far better to have peace of Conscience and comfort in our Souls with troubles in the Flesh than to have the Flesh at ease and trouble and distress in our Consciences 5. Sufferings for Christ have a greater excellency in them and are more to be desired than all the Honours and all the Pleasures and all the Riches that this World can afford us Heb. 11.24 25 26. Let it be observed here 1. What an high esteem Moses had of sufferings for Christ He esteemed reproach for Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Yet Egypt was a very rich Country all Countries coming into Egyyt to buy Corn in the
wrath of our Persecutors for his sake 2. If we refuse a painfull and tormenting Death for Christ God can inflict worse pains upon us for our sins than men can inflict upon us for our fidelity to Christ For 1. God can send racking and tormenting pains into our bones and bodies that shall be more grievous to us than any men can lay upon us Rev. 16 10 11. They gnawed their Tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores These are worse pains then the pains of Martyrs for they have gone singing to the Stake and have glorified God in the fires but these sinners selt such anguish as made them gnaw their own Tongues and to blaspheme the God of Heaven We find greater disquietness in David through the pains he felt in his sickness than many of the Martyrs expressed in the Flames Psal 38.6 8. I go mourning all the day long I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart 2. God can wound our Spirits and the pains of the Soul when that is wounded are far greater then all the pains that can come upon the body Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of a man will sustein his infirmity but a wounded Spirit who can bear When God inflicts his terrours upon the Soul they are so insupportable that many times they cause men to fall into destruction Psal 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted 3. If for fear of being tormented we forsake or deny Christ God can inflict on us the torments of Hell And all the torments that man can inflict are but Flea-bites compared to the torments of Hell We should fear offending God who hath power to cast us into Hell more than we should fear all the men of the World For the worst that they can do is to kill the body and after that is done they can do us no further hurt Luk. 12.4 5. And I say unto you my Friends be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him 3. We are willing to endure great pain for the preservation of our Temporal Life We are willing to let the Chirurgeon cut and lanch our Flesh yea to cut Legs and Arms or other Members when the whole body is in danger to perish And shall we be unwilling to go through a painfull Death for the obtaining Eternal Life Though the pains of Martyrdom are sharp yet they are but short and the joy that follows those short pains is Eternal and unspeakable What are a few Minutes of pain to an Eternity of Joy and Glory 4. The more torture and pain we endure for Christ here the greater glory we shall have in Heaven for ever hereafter Heb. 11.35 Others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection The more we are tortured the more glorious shall we be at the Resurrection for we shall have a full recompence for all our sufferings as well as our services 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 5. They that have been far better than me even such as the World hath been unworthy of them have gone through great torments for Christ Heb. 11.37 38. They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the Sword they wandered about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented of whom the World was not worthy How many Martyrs in all ages men of eminent piety have laid down their lives for Christ and endured all kind of torments cheerfully And why shall we then think much to endure a painfull and tormenting Death for Christ 6. The Lord will uphold us by his Divine power under all the pains and torments that we shall undergo for Christ If we were to go alone through fiery tryals we might be afraid lest we should sink and not be able to bear them But seeing God will be with us and strengthen and uphold us when we are to pass through fiery Tryals this may dispel all our fears and make us go willingly through any sufferings for Christ Isa 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the Right-hand of my Righteousness Isa 43.1 2. Fear not thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the Fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee God will proportion our strength to our troubles and when we meet with days of great trouble he will give in great strength Deut. 33.25 And as thy days so shall thy strength he And that weaker Christians may not be dismayed when they see great troubles coming he hath engaged his faithfullness that he will not suffer them to be tryed above their strength 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 3d. Hinderance of a saving in Christ is unwillingness to leave our sins either from the delight we have in them or some profit we have by them The hearts of Unregenerate men cleave fast to their sins and are exceeding unwilling to part with them Jer. 8.5 They hold fast Deceit they refuse to return Let me shew some instances of this how men love and cleave to their sins and how unwilling they are to part with them 1. Many men love their sins as they love their lives they will as soon part with their lives as part with their sins Ezek. 7.13 Neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his Life It is rendered in the Margent whose Life is in his iniquity That is who love their iniquities as they love their lives yea they love their sins above their lives for though God tell them if they live after the flesh they shall dye but if through the Spirit they mortifie the deeds of the body they shall live yet they choose to go on in their sins and dye rather than to turn and live 2. Many men do so cleave to their sins that no commands no threatnings no promises of God will prevail with men to leave their sins The Lord sent often by his Prophets to the Jews to command them to turn from their sins yet they would not leave their evil ways Jer. 25.4 5 7. The Lord hath sent unto you all his Servants the Prophets They said turn ye again every one from his evil way and
from the evil of your doings yet ye have not harkned unto me Jer. 2.25 With hold thy feet but thou saidst no for I have loved strangers and after them I will go 3. Many men are so unwilling to leave their sins that none of God's judgments nor mercies will prevail with them to forsake their sins Great judgments will not do it Prov. 27.22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a Morter among Wheat with a Pestle yet will not his foolishness depart from him Isa 1.5 Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more Amos 4.6 to the 12th verse Neither will great mercies prevail with many men to leave their sins Isa 1.2 I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me Yea there is a very great unwillingness in most men to leave their sins now I shall lay down some arguments to perswade you to be willing to forsake all your sins in order to your being partakers of Christ and all his saving benefits 1. Either you must leave your sins or leave Christ You cannot have Christ and his saving benefits and continue in your sins Math. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon The like may be said of enjoying Christ ye cannot enjoy Christ and enjoy your sins too for either you will hate your sins and love Christ or you will hold to your sins and despise Christ And therefore what Christ said to the Jews concerning his Disciples Joh. 18.8 If ye seek me let these go their way That may I say to you concerning your sins if ye seek Christ and would have Christ ye must let these go away That we must part with our sins or part with Christ for ever is evident these ways 1. Because he requireth of all those that will become his Disciples and have Salvation by him that they depart from Iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Our Lord Jesus Christ will not own any one man for his that doth not depart from iniquity it is the immutable purpose of God that no man shall have Salvation by Christ that doth not depart from his sins Luk. 13.5 I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish .. 2. Our iniquities separate between us and our God Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have seperated between you and your God And if we continue ever in our sins there will be an eternal separation between God and our Souls 3. At the great day of judgment he will not own one Man Woman or Child for his or admit any into his Kingdom that have been workers of iniquity but that would not depart from their sins shall depart from Christ for ever though they have prophesied in Christs name and cast out Devils and done many other wonderous works Math. 7.23 24. Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name c. And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye workers of Iniquitie Now is it not better parting with our sins than parting with Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven for ever What is there in sin that should make us more willing to part with Christ than to part with our sins 2. God makes great proffers and great promises of very great things that he will give to us and do for us if we will forsake our sins that he may perswade us to be willing to leave our sins If any ask why what will God do for us what will he give to us if we will forsake our sins A. 1. If we will forsake our sins God will receive us into his love and favour and will bestow himself upon us for our God and accept us for his people he will become our Father and own us for his Sons and Daughters Jer. 7.24 Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my people 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty 2. If we will forsake our sins the Lord will forgive us all our sins for ever and will not so much as mention any of our sins unto us Ezek. 33.15 16. When I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dy if he turn from his sin None of his sins which he hath committed shall be mentioned to him he shall surely live Isa 1.16 17 18. Cease to do evil and learn to do well Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow though they have been red like crimson they shall be as wool Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and return unto the Lord for he will abundantly pardon 3. If we will leave our sins God will pour out his Holy Spirit upon us to dwell in us for ever to enlighten quicken sanctifie and comfort us under all our troubles Prov. 1.23 Turn ye at my reproos behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you Act. 2.38 Repent and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost 4. If we will turn from our sins God will take us into covenant with himself and give us all the blessings of the new Covenant Isa 59.20 21. The Redeemer shall come to him and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob. As for me this is my covenant with them See here with whom God makes his Covenant his Covenant is with them that turn from transgression in Jacob. And when he makes a Covenant with us his Covenant is to give us Grace and Glory and to withhold no good thing from us 5. If we will forsake our sins the Lord will save us from the torments of Hell for ever and give to us his Heavenly Kingdom Job 33 27 28. He looked upon me and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not He will deliver his Soul from going down into the pit and his life shall see the light What is there in sin that we should refuse all these great things rather than leave our sins 3. Consider that Sin is the greatest evil in the world that there is nothing doth us so much mischief and is so prejudicial to our wellfare as sin is and that may make us willing to forsake our sins See what an evil thing sin is 1. Sin is worse than any affliction as the Sword Pestilence Famine Poverty noysome Diseases c. For neither Sword nor Famine or any other affliction can separate us from the love
enter into Life blind and halt and maimed than to reserve the occasions of offence and stumbling and to be cast into Hell Fire Mark 9.43 to the 48. ver 2. If the work seem hard and difficult which Christ sets us about yet the wages he gives are exceeding great which he gives to them that serve him and obey him He gives no less Reward to all his Servants than a Kingdom Luk 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom He gives his Servants the same Glorious Kingdom which he himself hath Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be He gives an Eternal Kingdom to them that obey his Commandements Heb. 5.9 Joh. 12.50 I know that his Commandment is Life Everlasting This may reconcile our hearts to the Commandments of the Gospel there is no Commandment of Christ but it is in order to our obtaining Everlasting Life Now this consideration that Christ will give us a Kingdom an Everlasting Kingdom that cannot be removed should make us willing to engage in any difficult service for Christ and desirous to do him all the service we can and to serve him in a gracious and acceptable manner Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear 3. You have a long time served and obeyed the lusts of your own heart And sin is a most cruel Master a Master that kills and murders all his Servants that do not forsake his service The wages that sin gives all his Servants is Death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is Death And will you rather serve a Murderer a cruel Master that will kill than serve and obey Jesus Christ who is the Lord of Life and Glory who saves all his Servants from Eternal Misery 4. Though some duties of the Gospel seem hard to Flesh and Blood yet they bring rest to the Soul Math. 11.29 Take my Yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your Souls Rest is a desireable thing especially rest for our Souls Issachar underwent great burdens for the obtaining of rest Gen. 49.14 15. Issachar is a strong ass couching between two burdens and he saw that rest was good and the Land that it was pleasant and bowed his shoulders to bear and became a servant to tribute But rest for the Soul is much more desireable than outward rest and therefore we should be willing to submit to any burden that our Lord Jesus layeth upon us seeing he will give us rest for our Souls 5. Though Christs Yoak may seem hard and his burden heavy to Flesh and Blood yet in truth and reality it is easy and light Mat. 11.29 30. Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy und my burden is light Now Christ's yoke is easy and his burden light in several respects 1. Because he requireth nothing of us but what he by his Spirit will enable us to do Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes 2. Because he writes his laws in our hearts and when the law is written in the heart it makes the hardest service easy and delightfull Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart This will spoken of here was God's will concerning Christ that he should offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sins as appears from Heb. 10.6 7 8 9 10. which though it was difficult service Christ did with delight having the Law of God in his heart 3. Love to Christ makes all difficulties easie and his service delightful Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 4. His Yoke is easie because it is sweetned with the comforts of the Holy Ghost Our Lord Jesus sends the Spirit the Comforter into their hearts that keep his Commandments that dwell and abide with them for ever John 14 15 16 17. If you love me keep my Commandements and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth and by virtue of these comforts which they have from the Spirit of God they can go on singing in the ways of the Lord. Ps 138.5 Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord. 5. His Yoke is easie and burden light compared with the burden of the Law and the burden of sin The Law was a Yoak which was very hard to be born Act. 15.10 And the burden of sin is heavier than the burden of the Law it was such as David complained was too heavy for him Ps 38.4 §. 5. Loving and preferring other things above Christ and hindrance of our being partakers of Christ This Obstacle removed 5. Another hindrance of our receiving and accepting Christ is when there is something or other that lyeth nearer our heart than Christ which we love and prefer above Christ and are not willing to part with for Christ Now to such I would say these things 1. You can have no part in Christ unless you love and prefer him above all things in the world and be willing to forsake all things for him Math. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Our Parents and our Children may and ought to be loved but not more than Christ for if we love the dearest Relations we have in the world more than Christ we shall not be partakers of Christ Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple For if a man love any things or persons more than Christ when those things or persons come in competition with Christ he will forsake Christ rather than those things or persons which he loves above Christ 2. A man may go far in the profession and practice of Religious duties and may prefer Christ above many things and yet may have some one thingly nearer his heart than Christ and rather than part with that one thing he may chuse to part with Jesus Christ An example of this we have in the young man that came to Christ to enquire how he might obtain Eternal Life He spoke respectfully affectionately and understandingly to Christ Matth. 19.17 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have Eternal Life He shewed his respect to Christ in calling him Master his affection in calling him good Master his understanding in that he came to Christ about the weightiest matter in the whole world Eternal Life and his good inclinations that he desired to know what good thing he should do to have Eternal Life Moreover he had from his youth up addicted himself