good things without measure and wee by ours in measure as it pleaseth him to distribute But excepting these things Jesus Christ and wee are fellowes for so God calls us Therefore Beloved did but the Lord by his holy Spirit unvaile all your eyes and give you but one glance of what the estate of a Saint is that is united to Jesus Christ who in this place would not be a Saint who would not be a Christian who would be a drunkard a swearer a persecuter of godlinesse who I say would be such a one that knowes the treasure riches and happinesse of a Saint in Christ our ignorance of this makes men refuse Christ and goe on in sin For every man naturally bargaines as he apprehends for his gaine and never for his losse that is the reason I say that we bargaine not for Heaven and for Christ because wee thinke it is for our losse and this because God hath not opened our eyes to see the unsearchable riches and treasures that are in Jesus Christ Besides were the happinesse of a Saint rightly understood and seriously considered who would be a backslider you heare what a Saint is he can goe and say to his soule and his fellow Saints our fellowship is with the Father and with Jesus Christ Who would relinquish Christ and all in him for some base lust O saith the Author of the Epist to the Hebrewes let there not be a Heb. 12. 16. prophane man c. Esau was a prophane man he had godly parents and was religiously educated yet the Apostle calls him prophane why because for a little morsell he sold his birth-right and there is a farre greater disproportion betweene the riches of Christ and the base lusts that wee hanker after then betweene Esaus inheritance and Jacobs pottage therefore looke to your selves in these things you that are ancient Professors who begin to backslide apace and take this as a meanes to help thee when thou goest to get such a ones favour to make such a one thy friend to get such an office and the like wherein thou must yeild to sin and joyne with sinners in their wicked designes see what a bargaine thou makest Thou relinquishest Christ Jesus and all thy portion in him to purchase these vaine frivolous things Another Use I will touch but briefely this is the reason why the Lord takes it so well or ill at our hands Vse 2 that wee use his people kindly or unkindly why should the Lord be so much offended to see his poore Saints that are ready to beg at your doores oppressed and wronged persecuted c because even they are one with Jesus Christ That is the reason why on the other side he takes it so kindly that wee doe any thing for them that wee be tender and carefull of the good of his poore Saints because it is to me saith Christ He that bestowes a cup of cold water to one of his little ons in the Mat. 10. 42. name of a disciple shall not lose his reward Why so he that receiveth you receiveth me that is the reason so in Mat. 25. I was hungry and you fed me naked and you cloathed me thirsty and you gave me drinke When did we see thee Mat. 25. hungry or thirsty or naked In as much as yee have done it to the least of my members yee did it to me See on the contrary he that toucheth a Saint toucheth the apple of Gods eye And the reason he is so angry is Zach. 2. 8. because now the Father and Jesus Christ and the poorest Saint are really and totally one each with other strike at one strike at all Therefore I beseech you make this use of it be kind to the poore Saints notwithstanding their meannesse outward weaknesses and frailties though they bee poore base and vile yet they have a glorious head and Husband Thou thinkest it is an easie thing to suppresse a poore Saint to overthrow him and overcome him and indeed it were so but that he hath a great partie in Heaven greater then all the world therefore there is no inchantment Mr. Wilkinsons Sermon against Israel as you heard from the Lord this morning Thirdly I would give you in these times when every body speakes of reformation of Religion Vse 3 and the like one word of direction in point of Church fellowship or communion one with another i. Take heed you doe not make any outward externall thing the maine pillar and foundation of your Church-fellowship of your Christian Communion As v. g. if any should conceive the way to constitute a Church to be by an externall Covenant a formall confession baptizing this way or that way I meane by dipping or sprinkling or by conjunction of opinion in some controverted point I doe not at this time condemne or commend any of these things for the matter of them but only this I drive at if you build your Christian fellowship and communion upon any one of these things or such like making them the maine pillar of Christian communion it will be more like a carnall faction then a spirituall communion Take therefore the Apostles rule in the text we have fellowship with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ And what followes these things wee write tbat you may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ That is the maine and principall ground of all Church fellowship of Christian fellowship of the Saints one with another Therefore when I have communion with a Saint I must not looke so much whether he be of such an opinion or whether he have taken the Covenant or have been baptized * I speake not this as if my opinion were for rebaptization or against the baptizing of the infants of beleevers the contrary appeares by my practise but only that such difference of opinion should not hinder their mutuall receiving each other to fellowship and communion who are in fellowship with God and Iesus Christ once or twice or ten times but see if he have fellowship with the Father and with Jesus Christ if he hath he is one of the body and a fellow-member and wee must fall in immediately with him though withall I am to use all meanes in love and meeknesse to recall him from his error according to the rules of Scripture But you will say how shall it be knowne that he is such a one I will name but two generall rules the best and the clearest that I know in the whole Scriptures to satisfie you in that In the first place consult with that in Coloss 2. 19. not holding the head saith the Apostle That is when a man sees a Christian for matter of doctrine judgement or opinion to hold the head Jesus Christ to be the Sonne of God and justification by him sanctification from him according to the Scriptures c. though in externall things it may be he doth not as yet
THE SAINTS FULNESSE OF JOY in their fellowship with God PRESENTED In a Sermon preached July 21. 1646. Before the Honorable House of Commons in Margarets Westminster Being the day appointed for Thankesgiving for the surrender of OXFORD By the least of Saints and the meanest of the Ministers of the Gospel W. Cradock LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons and are to be sold by George VVhittington at the blew Anchor neere the Royall Exchange 1646. THere was an Order from the Honorable House of Parliament to print this Discourse such as it is allowing me the usuall priviledges vouchsafed in this kind in obedience to which Order I appoint Matthew Simmons and Hannah Allen to print the same W. C. TO THE HONORABLE House of Commons ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT PEACE among Brethren is the Pearle that is lost in these dayes which many pretend to seek and all justly complaine is wanting many out-cryes there are for it in the mouth 's of some whose hearts and principles are full of warre and contention Their words are Ps 55. 21. softer then oyle and yet they be drawne swords Yea such is the hypocrisie of this age that it is become almost the Character of a Malignant or Atheist in all companies with much seeming zeale and devotion to pray and desire Peace Union Reconciliation neglecting the while all meanes that may conduce to the same Others there are and those not a few who long for Peace and that sincerely but not hitting the right way to attaine to it doe often cast more Oyle into the flame and make the breach wider This following Discourse though it be the meanest of any that ever hath been presented unto you points out the surest and readiest way to finde this Jewel i. Fellowship with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ Fellowship with God necessarily begets fellowship between men He onely is an enemy to Man that is not upon tearmes of friendship with God God is love and when we are in him and walke with him wee cannot but be like him Could wee fully apprehend God as our Father Christ as our Head all the Saints his members chosen and beloved wee should no longer bite teare and devoure one another a spirit of Love Goodnesse Meeknesse Long-suffering that is in God and dwells in Christ would run through all our veines tempering our hearts and framing our carriages Euk. 6. Ephes 5. towards men as God's in Christ hath been towards us Yea it would mollifie our spirits towards all even the worst of men and make us live peaceably as much as in us lieth with all men To give no offence to any man Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 10. Titus 3. 1 Cor. 4. Mat. 5. To speake evill of no man To blesse when wee are blasphemed To give up our cloakes to him that takes away our coat c. And because there is a generall distance growne between men and God an intermission of spirituall fellowship therefore these Scriptures are become now Apocryphall which were precious Truths formerly to the Saints and it may be still are to a few who studied rather to conforme themselves to the strictest Rules then wrest the Rule to their owne carnall senses and corrupt lusts a practice too common in these times Oh that wee could then doe as the wise Traveller who being wilderd in a Forrest despairing to finde the way forward returnes thither where he first lost his way We have lost our way our selves our God and all almost by an Over-violent contention about Things externall Wee have cast durt upon each other that will not be wiped off our names in many Ages opened the mouth 's of the wicked rejoyced the hearts of Papists grieved the Spirit of God Oh how happy should wee yet be if wee would returne to our GOD renewing our fellowship with him in the Spirit Surely it was better with us then when wee made our Hos 2 Fellowship with God Holinesse Righteousnesse our chiefe studie when Christianitie and the power of Godlinesse was the Cement that united us together When wee were distinguished from the world and knowne to one another by the style of Saints Professors of Godlinesse Honest-men It is one of my firmest Principles and by Gods Grace shall ever be my practice to make union and communion with God my maine worke to studie peace with all men To Love Honour Receive SAINTS quà SAINTS To receive I say those whom Christ hath received The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ binde up every one of your soules in that bundle and so preserve your whole spirit soule and body blamelesse unto his comming which shall ever be the most unfeigned prayer of Your most humble servant W. CRADOCK A SERMON PREACHED at the late Thankesgiving before the Honourable House of COMMONS 1 IOHN 1. 3 4. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full THe chiefe end Beloved of your meeting here this day is to rejoyce together for those manifold mercies that the Lord hath been pleased to bestow of late especially upon you and the whole Kingdom and I suppose that we I meane the Ministers that are called hither by you are intended to be as the Scripture saith as furtherers of Phil. 1. 25. your joy But truly Beloved those mercies of themselves that are in your thoughts and that have been spoken of here already at large I meane those victories and surrenders of Garrisons c. though I confesse they be very great and glorious yet they may in a sort be reckoned among naturall things they are at best but temporall mercies and so they can produce but a kind of naturall joy For as wee heard this morning vide Mr. Wilkinsons Sermon the effect must be as the cause is And as it is somewhat beneath a Christian to insist much upon those naturall things thereby to expresse naturall affections so is it much more below the worke of a Gospel Minister to stir you up to such joyes as these things doe properly produce Therefore my designe at this time is as God shall inable me to raise you up a little above all these things to lead you to spirituall joy which indeed is the onely true joy at least the fountaine of all joy For take any other joy and abstract it from its spiritualities then indeed you may say of it with Solomon it is but as the crackling of thornes Eeles 7. 6. it is light short superficiall and will undoubtedly end in everlasting sorrow Therefore as I would not put you out of your way of rejoycing so I wish I could scrue you up to the truest joy that is to the most spirituall joy which is fully laid downe here in my text And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full The Apostle in this
Epistle writes to Saints though he doth not describe or decipher them by their names condition or the places of their habitation as Paul and Peter and other Apostles doe yet he styles them by a glorious title viz. Beleivers as you may see 1 John 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleive on the name of the Sonne of God c. And in writing thus to beleivers his scope as I conceive was twofold or he aimes principally at two things as you may clearely see if you peruse the whole Epistle First to build them up in their holy faith to raise their faith to an higher pitch or degree whereby they might have and injoy more fellowship with God the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ and so by consequence be more joyfull holy and obedient This you shall see if you compare 1 John 5. 13. with this 1 John 1. The other thing that the Apostle aimes at is to increase Christian and spirituall love betweene one beleiver and another And this he speakes much of throughout the Epistle especially in the 3. and 4. chap. I shall not at all at this time meddle with this latter my businesse lieth wholly in the former Now the only meanes and way that the Apostle here takes to attaine to this his aime is by discovering or laying open Jesus Christ clearely and fully unto them as we see ver 1 2 3. That which was from the beginning which wee have heard which wee have seen with our eyes which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life c. He takes this as the chiefe meanes to build them up in faith joy love and holinesse a discovery I say or laying open of Jesus Christ unto them and that not simply or carnally but in his spirituality and glory And therefore he useth an elogie for his person which of all other is the most comprehensive that I know in Scripture he calls him the Word and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 withall he sets him out with his graces and the priviledges we have by him comprehending them all in the word Eternall life For as of all the titles that doe expresse the personall excellencies of the Lord Christ that is the most glorious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word so of all that hold forth the priviledges that wee have by him there is not one word that expresseth them so fully as this of Eternall life for it containes and comprehends all the grace and glory wee have with him This is the course and meanes that he takes to wind up the Saints to a higher pitch of faith holinesse c. Neither doeth he propose Christ to them though in his glory as a thing uncertaine but he sets him forth with a great deale of evidence and assurance therefore he saith That which was from the begininng which we have HEARD which we have SEEN with our eyes which we have looked upon c. The meaning is not properly that John having been an Apostle with Christ did sometimes handle him sometimes lay in his bosome and so this to be understood in a corporall way but the meaning I conceive is this we have knowne Jesus Christ he hath been so revealed to us with that fulnesse of assurance with that perspicuity and clearenesse that as in naturall things you have many senses concur together to discover them as eyes eares hands c. these things are very sure and certaine so Brethren saith John that I may build you up in faith c. I would lay open Jesus the word of God that hath eternall life with him as a thing that is as sure and certaine as if yee had seene him and tasted him heard him and handled him as wee our selves have done for as Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God had been made knowne in that cleare manner with that certainty to John so he goeth about to cleare him with the same assurance also to other beleivers that they also might have fellowship with the Father and with Iesus Christ as he had I will detaine you no longer in the coherence of the words In the words themselves there are three things to be observed First an Assertion our fellowship is with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ It is a glorious one as any I know in this blessed booke Secondly an Asseveration if I may so call it to this blessed Assertion TRVLY saith he and truly our fellowship is with the Father c. though I confesse the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so emphaticall as our word truly in English yet as it stands here in its coherence comparing it with the beginning of the chapter and observing the vehemency of his expression we have seen and tasted and handled the word of life we may well call truly a kind of Asseveration to this Assertion Thirdly the end that the Apostle hath to speake thus highly of this his fellowship is not out of pride or vaine-glory as the Pharisee Luke 18. I thanke God I fast twice in the weeke I am not as other men John did not speake thus out of pride of spirit when he saith Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ as if he should meane all others are punyes or carnall people in comparison of himself no but with humility and love out of a desire to doe my brethren good these things I write unto you that your joy may be full I write not these things to boast of and make a shew but I am forced to write these things because I see with so much certainty the excellency that is in Jesus Christ and doe taste so much sweetnesse in communion and fellowship with him that I cannot chuse but write thus unto you that you also may have fellowship with him I will stand no longer upon the explication and division of the words there is enough already said to lead us to many wholsome blessed truthes that lie in and about these words if God give us his Spirit and we had time to looke into them there are many truthes I say that well become Iohn the Divine as he is called they are all divine transcendently divine and spirituall I will only touch 3. or 4. Observations and then pitch upon one The first is this The more spirituall or divine Christians are the more Obser 1 they wil be taken up and imployed about spirituall worke John is called John the Divine not as wee call Divines from Office but from the excellency of Grace and the clearenesse of divine manifestations therefore the Ancients compare him to an Eagle now John in his whole Epistle medleth not with controversies especially about outward and externall things but being wholly spirituall he writes altogether spiritually about spirituall substantiall things from the beginning to the end Mistake me not I doe not say that it is not lawfull and sometime convenient for Ministers and others to have to
produceth joy which is a little higher then the former is the common gifts and graces of the Spirit of God as working of miracles healing the sicke dispossessing men of Devills and those gifts that among us are now extant as the gift of illumination prayer preaching expounding the Scriptures and if you looke on these things as divided from Christ either the having of them or the exercise of them both these things may bring joy but not full joy The having of them Judas Simon Magus and the disciples whom our Lord compares to the second and third grounds had these gifts amongst them some Matth. 13. more some lesse and they rejoyced saith the text Mat. 13. but you know Iob saith that the joy of the hypocrites is but for a moment And notwithstanding all these gifts yea and the performances or plausible duties which flowe from them without union with Christ men are but hypocrites wee may call them so and so their joy is not full being but for a moment Secondly there is some joy in the acting and exercising of common gifts and graces as wee read in Luk. where the disciples had been abroad casting out Devills and rejoycing therein our Lord checkes them In this saith he rejoyce not that the spirits are subject to you Luke 10. 20. but rather rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven The meaning is not you shall not at all rejoyce for Christ to have a company of poore fishermen persecuted in the world to worke on people so as to dispossesse them of Devills to heale the sicke c. doubtlesse they were in a sort allowed to rejoyce but the meaning is this Rejoyce not that is expect not compleate joy from these things take no such great delight and pleasure in these things but rather rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven that is in a manner the same as if he had said that you have union and communion with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ The third good thing wee use to rejoyce in is farre higher then this and yet produceth not fulnesse of joy that is the saving graces of the Spirit of God I pray Beloved understand me in this warily There is a great deale of joy surely in the having or exercising any saving spirituall grace Therefore the Apostle saith righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 1 Wheresoever there is righteousnesse peace in the heart there joy in the holy Ghost followes And in doing any thing out of a sincere spirit out of the power of grace there is much joy which God allowes us I meet him saith God that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse Esa 64. 5. There is no act of righteousnesse that is done in sincerity but it is as meate and drinke to us as our Lord Christ saith John 4. yet for all this there is not there cannot be fulnesse of joy from the apprehension of any grace or the exercise of it in our soules For if you take grace and abstract it from our head Christ but in your thoughts and imaginations for so you may doe it is but as a dead thing as blessed Preston saith it is but a creature and would perish as other creatures were we not united to a Fountaine of grace he that hath most grace in him his grace would die and be extinct Grace is as the beames of the Sun in a house through a window cut off the beames from the Sun shut the window they are gon So I may sum up all these things and comprehend them respectively in those words of the Prophet Behold al yee that kindle a fire compasse your Esa 50. ult selves about with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that yee have kindled This shall yee have of mine hand yee shall lie downe in sorrow Beloved all these put together certainly make many fine sparkes of joy some more some lesse but if you goe no further yea if it were possible that you who have saving grace should rise no higher and seeke joy no where else all that yee should have at the hand of God in the end would be yee should lie downe in sorrow But lastly there is a fourth good that brings indeed fulnesse of joy and that is the Good if I may so say that is in God himselfe by Iesus Christ For wee cannot thinke a thought of God but only in Jesus Christ and that and that onely brings fulnesse of joy If you ask how It brings it especially 3 wayes First this good is exceeding full and perfect the others are scantie and imperfect Things fully good bring full comfort and joy If a man looke on his owne grace for instance love he shall see little of love but a great deale of envie and hatred or if there be a little delight in God there is withall a great deale of awkwardnesse and aversnesse but if wee looke into the fulnesse of Christ wee shall see unsearchable treasures riches that have no end Ephes 3. 8. Secondly the good in Christ hath a perpetuity in it as David saith in thy presence is fulnesse of joy and in Psalme 16. the next words pleasures for evermore Beloved there is an end of all the comforts of this world As the Apostle saith those that rejoyce should be as though they rejoyced not they that buy as if they possessed not for the 1 Cor. 7. fashion of this world passeth away and there will be an utter end of those things that are below But what is in God and in Jesus Christ wil be full and fresh to all eternity Thirdly a Saint hath a right and interest in all this Good to all eternity and here comes in the fulnesse of joy and not before The second Question for the opening of this truth is this What manner of union this is that wee have with Jesus Christ that brings in this fulnesse of joy For answer to that take notice of these 4 things First it is a very neere union that a poore Saint hath with Christ I say Saints because poore sinners drunkards enemies to godlinesse they have not yet any share in this union or benefit from it God may in his time give it them but Saints and beleivers they have a neere union with Christ You will say how neere If an Angel were to speake to you he cannot satisfie you fully in this only as farre as our understanding can reach it and the creatures can serve to illustrate these things thus Whatsoever by way of comparison can be alleadged concerning the combination of any one thing with another whatsoever it be in the whole Creation of God that and much more may be said of our union with Jesus Christ To give instances out of the Scripture see what one stick is to another being glewed together see what one friend is to another as Jonathan and David that are said to be woven and knit each
to other see how neere the Father and the Child are how neere the Husband and Wife are one to another see what union is betweene the branches and the vine the members and the head nay one thing more see what the soule is to the body such is Christ and so neere is he and neerer to the person of every true beleiver as Paul saith I live not but Christ liveth in me as if he should say Jesus Christ is to my soule and Gal. 2. 20. body as the soule is to the body of a naturall man that acts quickens it naturally Beloved there is a marvellous neerenesse in this union Secondly it is the most reall union these things make for our joy for it was not in vaine that Christ spake of these things before he went to Heaven that their joy might be full I say it is a most reall union As there is a greater neerenesse so there is a greater reality in our union with Christ then is betweene any naturall things whatsoever they are but shadowes of spirituall things It is not a notionall union as some conceive that Christ and wee are united as the object is united to the understanding for when a man conceives of any thing that thing is united in an abstracted metaphysicall way to the understanding so hypocrites may have a great deale of union with Christ they may goe far and have much knowledge and light in the apprehension of spirituall things You may see the difference of this union by comparing that union an husband hath with his wife and that union which his minde and understanding hath with any other person it is not as when a mans understanding conceiveth of another woman by meere imagination and thought of her there is a kind of union betweene her and his understanding But this is another kind of union that is betweene a man and his wife by the bond and tye of Matrimony that is a reall union that is conceived by some to be the meaning of that place Hos 2. I will marry thee in faithfulnes judgement or in truth as some read it I will marry thee in truth I would not have you think the union betweene Christ and the Saints is nothing but a poore empty Notion or imagination but I will marry thee in truth i. thou shalt be my wise in reality as much or rather more really then man and wife are united by Marriage Thirdly It is a totall union that is betweene Jesus Christ and his poore Saints Oh this is full of comfort if you looke on it spiritually that is whole Christ is united to the whole beleever soule and body Thou hast all Christ whatsoever thou canst conceive to be in the Father or in Jesus Christ 't is really and wholly thine as I could give instances had I time out of Scripture Thou art one with him in his Nature in his Name thou hast the same Image and grace and Spirit in thee as he hath the same precious promises the same accesse to God by prayer as he thou hast the same love of the Father all that he did or suffered thou hast a share in it all is thine thou hast his life and death as the Apostle saith so on thy part he hath thee wholly thy Cor. 4. nature thy sinnes the punishment of thy sinnes thy wrath thy curse thy shame so he would have thee all thy wit thy wealth thy strength all that thou art or hast and canst doe for him so thou hast Jesus Christ It is a totall union My Beloved is mine and I am his whole Christ from top to toe is mine and all that I am have or can doe for evermore is his it is totall Lastly it is an inseparable union it can never be broken I will make saith God an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jeremiah 32. This is a glorious word but the poore Christian will say T is true thou wilt not turne away from me I know thou wilt not but I shall turne away from thee I turne every day towards sin and Satan Why saith God I will put my feare in thy heart tbat thou shalt not turne away from me we shall be kept together for evermore and never separated Thence Paul triumphantly challenges al enemies in heaven or rather in Hell to doe their worst to breake this knot Who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ shall tribulation Rom. 8. distresse famine c come all that can together and see if that blessed union betwene me Christ shall ever be broken or dissolved by all that you can doe Now Beloved a word or two of Use I will wave the other Question that happily would be necessary for the further opening of this Doctrine because I will not weary you you see what fulnesse of joy is and what this union is and by what you have heard already you may easily convince your selves that fellowship and union with Jesus Christ will bring fulnesse of joy to the soule The uses are these briefly The first is this you may hence behold if the Lord Vse 1 open your eyes for so it must be what a glorious state and condition God hath placed a Christian in a poore Saint be he never so meane or miserable otherwise in the eye of the world his condition what is it He is one with Jesus Christ as Christ is one with the Father There is a blessed place in Zachary where Jesus Christ is called Gods fellow Awake oh sword against my shepheard Zach. 13. 7. against the man my fellow Christ is one with the Father he is his fellow and every Saint is Christ's fellow he is anointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his Psal 45. 7. fellowes Christ is Gods fellow and wee are Christ's fellowes There is a kind of analogicall proportion not Geometricall of equalitie as they call it betweene Christ and Saints in every thing run them over in your thoughts and take a view of all Christ what he is in his Person in his glory in his Spirit in his graces in his Fathers love and in the accesse he hath to the Father in all these with what more you can imagine in Christ wee are in a sort fellowes with him Only with this difference that you may not stumble Christ hath the preheminence in all things every Col. 1. thing in its owne order The Father is above all and wee by him all comes from the Father first to Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. and all wee have is by Marriage with Iesus Christ and wee must abide in our union with Christ as he doth abide with his Father Moreover betweene him and the person of the Father there is an Essentiall union and ours is virtuall by the power of the Spirit of God he by his union hath all
see this or that Government so cleare in the word or any other circumstantiall truth controverted amongst the Saints these and such like things cut him not off from the head these things doe not un-Saint him Rom. 14. And therefore woe be to thee if thou reject him The second rule is laid downe in the words following my text if ye walke in the light saith the Apostle you have fellowship q. d. Brethren I would have you to have fellowship with us But if we walke in darknesse wee lye and doe not the truth but if wee walke in the light as he is in the light wee have fellowship one with another What is this light It is holinesse of life and conversation If a man doeth righteousnesse he is borne of God 1 Iohn 3. as if he had said this is the rule that I goe by he that walks with God calls on his name teacheth his family hates that which is evill takes paines in that which is good c. him I account to be a man that is borne of God he walkes in the light with whom I ought to have fellowship and communion Beloved I had many more Uses as to examine our selves by what I have said whether wee have commumunion and fellowship with Jesus Christ whether the Image of Christ be on us have wee his graces are wee like Christ remember that word Rom. 8. 9. which will sound terrible in thine eares when thou comest to dye If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his hast thou the Spirit of Christ did Christ walke and talke and plot and designe against the people of God as thou doest Remember if thou be one with Christ thou hast the same Image the same Spirit the same Grace the same life in a word thou doest not Gal. 2. 20. live but Iesus Christ liveth in thee This may comfort us also if wee apprehend it spiritually if wee be poore wee are married to one that is rich if full of wants there is a fulnesse in Christ to supply us if tempted by Satan in him wee are more then Conquerors wee shall tread Satan under feet if trampled on Rom. 16. 20. by the world yet wee are Kings and Queenes The same annointing that is powred on him the head runs downe to the skirts of his garments And it should be an incitement to all of us who professe our selves believers to walke in the light to walke as those that are married to Christ Doeth it become a Sonne of God a member of Christ to be proud to be froward to sharke to cheate to be a worldling as many professors in this adulterous generation are walke therefore I pray as children of the light And so I have done But it may be you will say What is this to Oxford Farringdon or Worcester the businesse of the day Truly Beloved Jesus Christ is good for all things at all times And as touching the mercy of God in these things to us and the Kingdome the Lord hath been pleased to teach you this morning more largely and fully then I am able to doe the Lord sanctifie it to you and me a few words indeed I had concerning that subject but they are for the most part spoken to you already by our Reverend Brother therefore I shall but touch upon them First it is a word of information to us all I am sure I have it from the Lord and his word that wee learne from our mercies Oxford especially that every proud and high thing that exalts it selfe against Christ and his people God will throw downe I my selfe was a spectator an eye-witnesse when the Lord delivered that City that University into the hands of our Army and being there I did study and strive according to the small portion of grace I had received to meditate what I might learne for Gods glory and the good of my soule from that businesse and amongst all the meane thoughts I had this came in with the greatest glory into my soule that beholding that University that I had formerly knowne and heard much of lately I was filled with admiration to see how all the pride of that place was brought downe in one day Thought I surely the designe of God in these dayes is to bring downe one proud thing after another that exalts it selfe against Christ It was a gallant University what a strong impregnable Garrison was it also There was all the Military art of the Kingdom there was the Law learning policy and wit of the Kingdome and some conceive the wealth of the Kingdome too had for a long while been there also there was line upon line and Bulwarke upon Bulwarke and fence upon fence and it was the very Center of all the enemies of God when they had been routed abroad or frighted at home then presently away to Oxford as to a sure refuge yet Oxford though it were never so rich so learned so fortified so filled with Princes Nobles finest witted schollers and best skilled soldiers most experienced Politicians though it was the very Queene of England yet Oxford it must stoope downe and fall And in these times for my part I apprehend nothing with more clearenesse and evidence of Gods meaning in all his worke in these dayes then that it is his glorious designe to bring downe every high looke and every Oh thou opposer of God godlinesse lay this to heart proud thing that exalts it selfe against Christ These are the last times read Esa 2. you shall see it at large and wee have seen by experience also what course God hath taken with many You know foure or five yeares agoe off goes the head of one great man then a little afterwards some others arose and downe they goe also And now at Oxford they had as I said art wit and strength policy nobility wealth and what not but Grace which were the very words of some of them and where are they Take it for a truth of God if any ☜ start up yet in their roome if any grove grow up to eclipse Gods glory or shadow his house if any thing or person will exalt it selfe against Christ I am confident it is Gods purpose and glorious designe to cut them off God will bring them downe to the dust Learne therefore to walke humbly before the Lord and doe not strive any longer against the streame and though the Lord have given you such power and peace that you have no enemies yet take heed least any of you step up in their stead for be assured be you never so great as God is in Heaven and wee are on earth that man family faction or crew that will goe about to oppose God or his people God will throw them downe lie low therefore on the ground and give glory to Jesus Christ I had also a word of exhortation but my Brother hath prevented me and spoke most of my thoughts concerning that already only if you will give