and women in their blood or in their sins Ezek. 16 6 8. he in the the time of love forgives them all their sins covers their nakednesse with the skirt of Christs Righteousnesse and bids them live This is done when God enters into covenant with them and so they become his Now that God may be justified in so doing though he found them ungodly unbeleevers impenitent prophane c. He doth not onely forgive them all their sins and so leave them ungodly to go on in their wicked waies But he gives them his holy Spirit of Sanctificaton who changeth their hearts renewes the spirit of their minde sanctifies their wills and affection and produceth all those fruits of the spirit in them mentioned Gal. 5.22 23. whereby they are made holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. And this reason the Apostle gives Ephes 1.4 6. That we should be holy to the praise of the glory of his grace and verse 12. That we should be to the praise of his Glory And herein is God justified in justifying the ungodly in that he doth make and keep them holy Jude 1. Reason 2. God will have his people to be holy for the honour and glory of his Son Jesus Christ to whom he hath given them All mine are thine saith Christ in his Prayer to his Father John 17.1 10. and thine are mine and I am glorified in them also verse 19. And for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also might be sanctified Christ shall be glorified in his Saints especially in his Kingly Office Revel 15.3 4. Just and true are thy waies Thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou onely art holy And albeit now Christ and his poor Saints are scorned and despised of men yet that Prophesie of Enoch the seventh from Adam will have its accomplishment Jude 14. Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints 2 Thes 17 10. And in that day it will appear to all the world that it is the great glory of Jesus Christ that his Father hath given him so many ten thousands of Saints to be his Subjects and himselfe to be their King Isa 33.17 22. Reason 3. God will have his people holy that they may enjoy spirituall communion with him in this life and Eternall communion with him in heaven The Saints do enjoy spirituall Communion with God in this life 1 John 1.3 Truely our fellowship is with the father and with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Spirit Phil. 2.1 And they shall have eternall communion with God in Heaven in that Kingdome prepared for them which then thy shall receive Matth. 25.34 Now this communion with God none can have without holinesse Heb. 12.14 Therefore God will have his people to be holy 1. Vse Will God have his people to be holy Let it be usefull to us first for enquiry what holinesse is And how God makes His holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 4 3. 7 Holinesse or Sanctification is a reall change of the whole Man from the pollution of sin to the purity of the Image of Christ Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin and become servants of God ye have your fruits unto holinesse Here was a reall change in them from the pollution of sin 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image Here was the other part of that reall change in them to wit into the purity of the Image of Christ For as men in their naturall estate bear the Image of the Earthy first-man Adam so men in their spirituall estate bear the Image of the Heavenly second-Man CHRIST 1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. This holinesse or sanctification if you have respect to the Author and efficient cause thereof is called the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 and 1 Pet. 1.2 If unto the divine act of God it is called Renovation or Renewing of the minde Ephes 4.23 and Rom. 12.2 If unto the Acts and fruits of holinesse in beleevers it is called Faith love long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse meeknesse temperance c. Gal. 5.22 If unto the root fountain and foundation of holinesse the Scripture saith Christ is our sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 Thus you hear what holinesse is Now God maketh His holy by his Spirit and Word Whereby he doth convince them that they are without Christ Ephes 2.12 Maketh discoverie to them of the worth of Christ their need of him and Gods offer of him in a covenant of Grace upon Gospell termes changing their hearts into the Image of Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 Gives them Faith in Christ Repentance from dead workes Love to all the Saints c. And so the very God of Peace Sanctifie his people 1 Thessalonians 5.23 Thus much may suffice touching the Jnquiry 2. Vse Will God have his people to be holy Let us make use of this to discover who are the people of God who are not Those people that are ungodly unsanctified are not the people of God such may boast of their Justification but they deceive themselves for God hath no justified-unsanctified people 1 Cor. 6 9 10 11. They may talke of the free-grace of God manifested to them bringing them Salvation but they are deluded for the grace of God that bringeth Salvation teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and to live godly Titus 2.11 12. Now there are three sorts of professors who would be esteemed the people of God and yet are not sanctifyed by the holy spirit they are not holy and therefore are not the Lords people in Covenant The first Sort are all those legall professors who having been by the spirit and word of God much convinced of sin Iohn 16.8 Sorely wounded in their consciences Proverbes 18.14 and somewhat reformed in their conversations by hearing godly Preachers as Herod was Mark 6 20. after all this goe about to establish their own righteousnesse and rest upon their duties humiliation and legall reformation And never have their hearts changed and renewed nor Christ given of the Father unto them These are not sanctified are not the Lords Hear what the Apostle speakes to such among the Galatians Are yee so foolish having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh Have you affired so many things in vain If it be yet in vaine Well such of you as God hath chosen in Christ that you should bee holy c. He will also by his Spirit and Word convince you of Righteousnesse to wit that all your own Righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa 64.6 That being ignorant of Gods Righteousnesse you have gone about to establish your owne righteousnesse Rom. 10 3. and that you must be found in Christ not having your own righteousnesse which is of the
precious then all creature-comforts whatsoever as friends liberties and life Again the precious blood of Christ hath a purging quality Heb 9.14 The blood of Christ shall purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Sin doth both contract guiltinesse and pollution and therefore the blood of Christ doth both cleanse and purge pardon and purifie therefore we are also said to be sanctified by the blood of Christ Heb. 13.12 Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood Suffered without the gate Oh beloved what can be esteemed so precious to a gracious heart as this blood of Christ which washeth away all those defilements and uncleannesses which through our corruptions cleave unto us even in our best actions and holy duties Such of you as have many a time groaned in prayer to God under the feeling sence and sight of any corruption know by experience what high esteem you have had of the blood of Christ to save you from your uncleannesse Secondly the unsearchable riches of his grace Ephes 3.8 To me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Christs riches are of such an hight depth length and bredth that passeth knowledge yea thus much is spoken of the love of Christ Ephes 3.18 19. Also Faith in Christ is called precious faith 2 Pet. 1.1 To them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the Righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ yea all the Graces of Christ are the riches of the poore Saints Jam. 2.5 God hath chosen the poor of the world rich in grace c. Tell me beloved how did you esteem of the riches of Christ when you being poor in spirit mourned for Christ and his grace when you discerned Faith Love Humility c. in others of the children of God did you not prize it highly in them Did you not account them happy rich and blessed whom Christ had inriched with those jewels and adorned with such graces Ah how much more should you now prize Christ in whom is all fulnesse of these unsearchable riches and especially considering that from his fulnesse you have received grace for grace Ioh. 1.14 16. Thirdly the glorious liberties of his Spirit for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2 Cor. 3.17 Not any carnall liberty to sin and so fulfill the lusts of the Flesh Gal. 5.13 but Spirituall liberty and freedome from sin I mean not a perfect and totall freedome from all sin as if the people of God could never sin after Conversion For if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 Joh. 1 8 10. But I mean a freedome First from the guilt of sin Rom. 8 33. And the Apostle saith Colos 2.13 That he hath forgiven us all trespasses Secondly from the polution or filth of sin Zach. 13.1 A fountain set open to Beleevers for sin and for uncleanesse And Ezek. 36.25 29. God promised they shall be cleane and he will save them from all their uncleannesses Thirdly from the raigning power of sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you under grace Fourthly from the punishment due for sin which is the cure of the Law Gal. 3.13 or condemnation Rom. 8.1 or any other satisfactory punishment 2 The great need you have of Christ may move you to praise him and set an high esteeme of him Christ is the one thing necessarie and therefore the Titles given him in the Scripture are such as declare his usefullnesse to Beleevers for he is our Life our Light our Bread Water Milke Wine His flesh our meat indeed His blood our drink indeed He is our Father our Husband our Brother our Friend our King Priest and Prophet He is our Justification Sanctification and Redemption He is our Peace our All. We can have no accesse to God but by his Mediation no acceptance with God without his Jntercession Revel 8.3.4 We cannot resist the next Temptation neither can we overcome the next Corruption nor shall we be able to suffer with patience the next Persecution or indure any tribulation unlesse we have renewed strength from Christ Beleevers have received that Grace they have from Christ Iohn 1 16. And they cannot have increase of grace bu by Christ Iohn 15.1 2. Lord increase our Faith said the Disciples neither can they persevere in grace unlesse they be preserved in Christ Iude 1. To conclude we are nothing have nothing can do nothing without Christ Iohn 15.5 Without me you can do nothing that is to say you cannot in your own strength nor in the strength of any grace received do any thing to please God or to glorifie God without me unlesse you abide in me and have renewed ability and strength from me you can do nothing that God my father will own or crown with acceptance or reward But yet we who are Believers have all and abound Phil. 4.18 can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth them Phil. 4.13 can suffer the losse of all Phil. 3.7 8 9. yea and conquer all nay be more then conquerours through Christ Rom. 8.35 36 37 38 39. Oh consider your need of Christ and learn to prize him let him be exalted highest in your hearts as the pearl of greatest worth as the one thing necessary which you most of all need let him be all in all in your communication and conversation 2. Vse Seeing Christ is all and in all in the new-Man let every one examine whether Christ be in him 2. Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves know you not that Christ is in you c. This nearly concernes you beloved for if you have Christ you have all Christ is all you heart but if you lose him you lose all you will lose your hopes Comforts and all your duties yea you will lose God Heaven and soul and all It matters not what you have if you want Christ no guifts duties reformations qualifications or other things whatsoever will make you happy without Christ And if you enjoy Christ it is not materiall what ever you want for my God saith the Apostle shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4.19 Therfore make sure that Christ is yours Some would ask this question How shall I so examine that I may know assuredly that I have Christ I answer you must bring your hearts to the touchstone of the Word of God and cast them into the ballance of the Sanctuarie and weigh them there And to this purpose I shall propound one Scripture of truth for your examination and triall to wit 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new-creature or creation That is to say he is new-born born again or born of God Joh. 1.12 13. But as many as received him c. which were born of God And our Saviour urged the
necessitie of this new-birth Joh. 3.3.5.7 8. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdome of God he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God vers 5. Now every one who is a new creature in Christ all things are become new in him or all things are made new as in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ecce nova facta sunt omnia To wit first he is made a new man Ephes 4.21.22.23.24 Col. 3.10.11 and have put on the new-man where Christ is all and in all Secondly he hath a new heart Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you c. That is a new will and new affections yea and a new spirit will I put within you verse 26. That is Ephes 4.23 to be renewed in the spirit of our minde to wit a new judgement or spirituall understanding in the knowledge of Gods will Col. 1.9 Thirdly he walkes in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 Even so we also should walk in newnesse of life That is the conversation of a new-creature should be such as becomes the Gospell Phil. 1.27 To wit humble harmlesse and holy 1 Pet. 1.15 16. And thus God hath promised in the everlasting covenant of grace that all and every one of his people shall walk Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes c. Examine your selves Are you a new creature Such of you as have not put off the old man but still have your old hearts and your old sinnes and walk in your old wayes and fulfill the old lusts of your sinfull natures are not in a new creature you are not in Christ nor Christ in you But some may thus say within themselves I hope my soul is in a better condition I am not so wicked and carnall as some others are neither am I so vilde a sinner as I have been formerly but I am somewhat reformed and have forsaken my sinfull courses and begin to delight to hear Sermons and I pray with my family To this I would answer although your condition be not so desperate as others who have lived long under ordinatie meanes of grace and yet are not at all wrought upon I must tell you Professors may through strong Convictions horrour of conscience and feares of Hell leave the Acts of some sins and may customarily perform some religious duties and yet not regenerated Professors may have leaves like the unfruitfull Figtree and Lampes like the five foolish Virgins they may seem to be Religious and have a forme of Godlinesse and not be a New creature or creation I might instance many such in the Scriptures Herod Mark 6.20 He heard Iohn gladly and did many things Saul 1 Sam. 10.6 9. was turned into another Man had another heart yet unconverted So thou mayest be another Man and not a New-Man maiest have another heart but not a new heart But I speak not this to adde sorrow to the afflicted nor to break the the bruised for though some may deceive themselves herein Yet such of you as are borne again or borne of God though but New-borne babes who have put on the New-Man have a New heart and walke in Newnesse of life are in Christ and Christ in you 3. Vse Seeing Christ is all and in all in the New-Man Let it serve for the consolation of every true beleeve Christ is yours and all things are yours 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. All are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is God Christ is your life your light your foode your All and by union with Christ you are one in God John 17.21 God is your God and Father John 20.17 All that is Christs is yours his Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification Faith Love Humility c. All in all fulnesse was in Him and dwels in him for his people to communicate to them Epes 4.7 Are you full of spirituall wants you may have supply from the fulnesse of Spiritualls in Christ Doe you want Wisdome Faith love c. What ever you want go to Christ for that grace There is enough in Christ to satisfie the most hunger-thirsting soules in spirituall things Epes 1.3 God hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ In whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.3 Doe you want power against corruptions go to Christ for strength His grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8.9 There is an all-sufficiencie in Christ Christ is all saith the Text therefore the Apostle having Christ said I have all I can do all through Christ Phil. 4.13 18. And know for your further consolation that Chirist is in all in the New-Man or in every true Beleever He is in you Col. 1.2 Christ in you the hope of glory Christ liveth in me saith the Apostle 2 Gal. 20. Christ is and lives in a true beleever by participation of his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.3 4. By incohation of his holy Spirit Gal. 4.6 and by communication of his saving grace Ephes 3.17 and 4 7. Christ is in your hearts in your gifts in your graces in your duties in all by whom you finde acceptance of your persons and services with God your heavenly Father Ephes 1.6 Christ is with you and in you in all conditions in all relations in all Afflictions Isa 63.8 9. And to conclude this use know for your increase of joy that Christ who is all and in all in you will abide in you for ever Nothing shall be able to separate Christ and your soules Rom. 8.35 38 39. Christ is the strength of your heart and your portion for ever Psalm 73.26 4. Vse Seeing Christ is all and in all in the New-Man suffer a word of exhortation which will conscerne every one present to hearken to viz. Both such as are in Christ and out of Christ And I am sure evere one of you are in one of these two estates either you are in Christ or without Christ The first branch of the exhortation shall be you who are beleevers and sanctified in Christ Iesus called Saints seeing Christ is all in all Let him be all in all in your justification take ye heed you bring not any righteousnesse of your owne nor any grace or worke of his in you to joyne with Christ and his righteousnesse in point of justification Phil. 3.9 This glory Christ will not give to another He is our jujustification or righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 31. Christ will not permit any coadjutor concause or cooperator whatsoever in justification of sinners Consider this you who will not beleeve unlesse you could see your selves so holy so humble except you can first have such a sinne subdued you will not beleeve any of your sinnes are pardoned untill you finde and feele in your selves a soft heart a broken heart a praying spirit a mourning spirit you cry out you are not justifyed Oh say you if I could pray mourne for sinne profit by the meanes as such and such doe
then I would beleeve but alas I have a hard heart a blinde minde a perverse will carnall affections c. I cannot dare not I will not beleeve that my sins are forgiven Thus most professors would bring in if not their owne righteousnesse some grace or work of God in them to joyne with Christ in their justification not considering that God justifies the ungodly Rom. 4.5 and that Christ is all and in all in the justification of sinners Secondly let Christ be all in all the gifts of the Spirit and graces of sanctification for as you heard he is the Author the Preserver and the finisher of them all therefore let him have the preheminence above all set an high esteeme of every gift and grace of God account a little grace better then all the riches honours pleasures and creature-comforts of this world But you ought to prize Christ farre above all his owne gifts and graces in us for he is the life of them all the marrow and substance of them a I. What is all knowledge unlesse ye know God in Christ 1 Cor. 13.2 nothing What is all Faith except Christ be the object of it 1 Cor. 13.2 Nothing Patience Temperance and all other Vertues what are they but either naturall qualities or morall habits unlesse Christ be the root of them Nature Education and acquired gifts of Art may produce the like yea the same in Heathens But Christ is the lustre and beauty of each spirituall gift and grace that influence beleevers receive from Christ and those rayes that come from this Sunne of Righteousnesse upon their graces makes them shining Saints beautifull and all glorious within Heare this you poore in spirit you new-borne babes in Christ who have the persons of beleevers especially Preachers in admiration and set them up on high in your hearts and extoll them with your tongues because you discerne so much humility love patience faith and other gifts of the Spirit and graces of sanctification in them should you not rather admire Christ exalt Christ and extoll him who is the purchaser the owner the donor and the author of all these spirituall gifts and graces for we have nothing but what we have received by his grace we are what we are and all the grace we have from his fulnesse we received it Joh. 1.16 therfore let him receive the glorie of all and let him have the preheminence in all for he is all in all Thirdly let Christ be all in all your affections words and actions Set your affections on Christ Oh let the discoveries of that superlative excellencie and glorious beautie of Christ which are made out to your soules by the Spirit and Word of God draw you to set your affections on him Col. 1.1 2. Love every one and every thing that God hath put the name of Christ upon for his sake but chiefly set your affectionate love upon himselfe love Christ in his Saints love Christ in his messengers in his ordinances c. this will quicken your desires to enjoy more of Christ more of Christ in his Saints Ministers Ordinances and in your owne hearts On let Christ be chiefest in your affections he is altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 Let him have your dearest love he is the wel-beloved of his Father and yours 2 Pet. 1.17 let him be your wel-beloved Christ beares you in his armes everlasting armes of mercy yea in his bosome Isa 40.11 63.9 Doe you beare him in your heart and let Christ be exalted highest there Againe let the absence of Christ be the chiefe occasion of your sorrow and mourning Matth. 9 15. cry after him enquire for him give him no rest untill he returne this was the practice of the Spouse Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. Cant. 5.4 6 8. Oh how was her affections set upon her Beloved tell him I am sicke of love Cant. 5.8 Though there be many other just occasions for mourning to the Saints yet this is the chiefe If a loving wife cannot thinke of the departure of her deare husband without sorrow how much more sorrowful will a gracious heart be in the absence of Christ Mary likewise who wept and being asked the reason by the Angels answered Because they have taken away my Lord c. Joh. 20.11 13 15 16. And as Christ should be all in your affections so let him be in your words and actions speake for him doe for him suffer for him let him be the matter of your communications and conferences that you may minister grace to the hearers what ever you do in word or deed let all be done to the honour of Christ for he that honours the Sonne honours the Father also The other branch of the exhortation is to such as are in their naturall condition without Christ seeing Christ is all in all be exhorted to seek Christ Paul preaching on Mars-hill to the Athenians tells them God made of one blood all Nations of men that they should seeke the Lord Act 17.22 26 27. and there be many exhortations in holy Scripture to this purpose as Isa 55.6 7. Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found c. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord c. The Apostle Peter in his speech to Simon Magus Act. 8.20 21 22 23. told him his heart was not right in the sight of God that he was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity And yet he exhorted him to repent and pray to God vers 22 Not that any man in his naturall condition can of himselfe come to Christ desire him or seeke to enjoy him for none can come to Christ except the Father draw him Joh. 6.44 It is God that workes in us to will and to doe according to his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 So then saith the Apostle it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy onely know this God requiring poore sinners to use the meanes he hath appointed is pleased to make that meanes effectuall for their conversion and salvation For if God have purposed to shew mercy and conferre his grace upon your soules he will cause you to seeke unto him Ezek. 36.26 27 37. A new heart will I give you and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my Statutes Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them vers 37. Gods gracious and free promises doe not exclude the meanes he hath appointed to attaine the mercies therein promised It pleaseth him to tye his creatures to the use of meanes when he affords it them though he will sometime worke without it Now the ordinary meanes which God hath in his infinite wisedome appointed to convert sinners and also to build them up in Christ is the Word preached Rom. 10.8 17. This word of the Gospel God will have
Christ Exalted IN A SERMON Begun to be preached at Debenham in Suffolk upon the 14. day of Febr. last upon Coloss 3.11 By HANSERD KNOLLYS Who was stoned out of the Pulpit as he was Preaching by a company of rude fellowes and poor women of that Town who were sent for called together and set on by a Malignant High-Constable who lives in the same Town ALSO ANOTHER SERMON Preached at Stradbrooke in Suffolk the 13. day of Febr. last concerning Sanctification upon Ephes 1.4 GALAT 4.16 Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth HEBR. 12.14 Follow Peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. 2 CORINTH 11.25 Once was I stoned JOHN 10.32 For which of these good works do you stone me LONDON Printed in the Year 1645. TO THE HONOVRABLE Committee of Examinations Grace and Peace from God through CHRIST HONOVRABLE IT may be judged an act of great boldnesse in me who am under the Examination of this Honourable Committee to dedicate my poor labours at Debenham and Stradbrook to your patronage especially to publish them to the world Had not the hard reports of some persons too much credited by many constrained me to vindicate first the truth and in the next place to give some satisfaction to many who have heard those reports I should not have been so bold the consciousnesse of mine own inability and the knowledge of the profitable labours of many both learned and godly hath to this time and still had justly hindred me from publishing any thing by print to the view of the World Wherefore I being thus inforced to print my Sermons present them to your Honours wherein you have the summe and substance of all that I preached in Suffolk as many witnesses can testifie For my main endeavours there was to exalt Christ and to presse my Hearers to Sanctification in heart and life And if the Lord shall please to make my poor labours a blessing to any he will get glory and I have my reward with him Howsoever I humbly submit both my self and my Book to the Examination and determination of this Honourable Committee Your Honours to serve you in the Lord HANSERD KNOLLYS COLLOS 3.11 Christ is all and in all THe Apostle Paul who was a chosen vessell unto the Lord to beare his name before the Gentiles Acts 9 15. wrote this Epistle to the Saints and Faithfull brethren in Christ which were at Colosse chap. 1. verse 2. And as the Ensigne-bearer of His glorious Name displayed the Magnificency and transcendent Excellencie of Christ in the words of the Text Christ is all and in all And that he might lift up Christs All-sufficiencie he nullifies all other excellencies whatsoever chap. 3. ver 11 Where he gives the Colossians to understand that the advantage of a Jew above a Gentile the dignity of a Scythian above a Barbarian or the Immunities of a Freeman above a Bondslave however esteemed amongst men are nothing without Christ who is all and in all These words have their dependance upon the exhortation unto Mortification chap. 3. vers 5. Which exhortation the Apostle pressed upon the Colossians by telling them vers 9.10 they had put off the Old-Man with his deeds had put on the New-Man c. Where that is in which State of Regeneration there is neither Greek nor Jew c. But Christ is all and in all The lesson to be learned hence is this to wit Christ is all and in all in the New-Man Doct. Two thighs needs some explanation in this Doctrine viz. 1. Who is here meant by the New-Man and secondly How Christ is all and in all in the New-Man By the New-Man here we are to understand as was intended by the Apostle a true beleever or a faithfull Brother in Christ one sanctified in Christ Jesus called a Saint who is redeemed in the Spirit of his minde and hath put on the New-Man Ephes 4 23 24. which is done when by the mighty operation of the holy Spirit in the Promises given unto us we are made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Non per participationem Essentiae sed per communicationem Spiritus gratiae ejus Gal. 4 6. Ephes 4.6 thus being by the Spirit and Faith united with Christ we are made a new creature or creation 2 Cor. 5.17 have a new Heart Ezek. 36.26 27. and walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 And such may be said to have put on the New-Man the sum then is this Christ is all and in all in every true Beleever in every Justified-Sanctified person wo hath a New-heart and walke in newnesse of life Touching the Second particular to wit How Christ is all and in all in the new man The Lord Jesus Christ who is all in himselfe for in him dwelleth all the Fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 which was the pleasure of God that in all things he might have the preheminence Col. 1.18 19. is all and in all in the New-Man First Fundamentally I mean Christ is the Foundation of all 1 Cor. 3.11 For other Foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Chirist I say Christ is the Foundation of all that Faith Repentance Love other graces gifts and fruits of the Spirit which are in every true beleever He is a living fountain full of grace and from his fulnesse have we all received grace for grace Joh. 1.14 16. Secondly Communicatively I meane Chirst doth communicate all unto the New-Man to wit Life Light Grace and Glory c. We have nothing but what we have received and we have received all from his fulnesse Ephes 4.7 Joh. 1.16 The Titles given to Christ in the Scripture of truth will make this appear yet more fully viz. That Christ is all in the New-Man or in every true Beleever I shall instance some 1. Christ is our life Col. 3.4 Christ is the life of a Beleever even eternall Life 1 Joh. 5.11 12. That is to say The everlasting Spirituall well-being of a beleever is by union and communion with Jesus Christ in whom he lives a life of grace here and with whom he shall live a life of glory hereafter Yea all those spirituall breathings of the hunger-thirsting soule after the enjoyment of God in any of his holy Ordinances are from Christ and from him are all those quicknings and all that life we have in Prayer Preaching Conference and other spirituall duties In a word the spirit of life himselfe who so sweetly refresheth the weary soule comforts the sorrowfull heart and quickens the sanctified affections is from Christ and he is called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4.6 whom God sends forth into the hearts of his Children 2. Christ is the true light of every beleever or in the New-Man That was the true Light Joh. 1.9 even Jesus Christ who inlightneth the eyes of our vnderstanding that we may know what is the hope of his calling and
what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatnes of his power to us-ward who beleeve Ephe. 1.17 18 19. And though the hearts of men and women be very darke yet God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts who are beleevers to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 And the Apostle tells the sanctified Ephesians that they were sometimes darknesse but now ye are light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 And indeed all that heavenly knowledge and spirituall understanding which beleevers have in the mysterie of the Gospel they had it from Christ In whom are are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.2 3. 3. Christ is the Bread of life to beleevers Joh. 6.35 48 51. He is the Spirituall meat and drink of their souls who beleeve in him they that eat him shall live by him Joh. 6.55 57. All that Spirituall nourishment and soul refreshment which beleevers have in promises duties Ordinances c. is from Christ whose flesh is meate indeed and his blood is drinke indeed communicated by his holy spirit unto his people in those promises duties Ordinances c. Christ is Milke and wine to be had without money Isa 55.1 that will quench the thirst of the new-borne babes in Christ which so much desire the sincere milke of the worde that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 3. and that will make the mournfull spirit of a a doubting or back-sliding Beleever to have a cheerefull countenance when his broken heart is cheered and warmed yea melted and comforted with the blood of Christ his Redeemer Christ is Water of life a pure River of living Water cleere as Crystall flowes from this Fountain in the hearts of Beleevers Rev 22.1 17. Joh. 7.37 38. Ioh. 4.10.13 14. This will satisfie the thirsty soul as Chirist Promised Mat. 5.6 11 therfore hee cried If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Christ is the the tree of life which beareth twelve manner of fruits and yeeldeth her fruit every moneth whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations Revel 22.2 Christ is said to make a feast of wine and fat things full of Marrow Isa 25.6 and he thus speakes to beleevers eate O Friends drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloved Cant. 5.1 I might be exceeding large in particularizing many other his Titles as namely Christ is a beleevers Justification Sanctification Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 He is also our Peace Ephes 2.14 our Righteousnesse Ier. 23.6 Our Advocate with the Father 1 Iohn 2.1 2. Our King High-Priest and Prophet Our Father Husband Brother our All. Thus it may appear that Christ is all in the New-Man How is Christ all in all in the New-Man I conceive It is spoken by way of Preheminence as it is expressed Col. 1.18 19. That is In all which is in the New-Man or in a Beleever Christ ought to have the preheminence First as hee is the Author thereof for instance That precious faith of Gods Elect which is in the New-Man is an excellent grace but yet Christ must have the preheminence above that faith because he is the Author of it Heb. 12.2 And so above all other graces gifts and fruits of the Spirit Secondly as he is the preserver of all in the New-Man every beleever is called and Sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ Iude 1. And the Beleever is not onely preserved in the state of Grace by Christ but the Grace of God wrought in him to wit faith c. Is by Christ preserved also namely by the Intercession of Christ I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Thirdly as he is the finisher who strengtheneth stablisheth and perfecteth all in the New-Man Christ is not onely the Author but the Finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 He is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending of all those Graces gifts and fruits of the Spirit which are in the New-Man Revel 1 8. Thus Christ is all and in all in the New-Man He is the Author Preserver and finisher of all He purchased all He is the Donour of all He is the Beauty of all the Summe of all the Perfection of all in the New-Man Reason This was the good pleasure of the Fathers will that all fulnesse all-sufficiencie all spiritualnesse should dwell in Christ and should by Christ be communicated to his people that in all things Christ might have the preheminence Col. 1.18 19. And thus God will have it done to the Man Christ Jesus whom he delighted to honour for the service Christ did unto his Father in the Redemption of his people therefore he gave him a Name above every Name Christ is all and in all Which honour dignity Christ will at the last day prostrate at the feet of his Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Moreover this being the designe of God that Christ should communicate all grace gifts c. unto his people It was requisite that all fulnesse should be in Christ and so we read John 1.14 16. Yea the great necessitie of the Lords redeemed ones to have a constant supplie of grace and spirituall gifts also a continuall growth of the fruits of the spirit requires this all-fulnesse to be in Christ Vse 1 Seeing Christ is all and in all in the New-Man Let us hence be Instructed First to prize Christ highly to set an high esteeme upon Christ to let Him have the preheminence who is all in all It is that which the Prophet complained of Isa 53.3 He to wit Christ was despised and rejected of men and we esteemed him not We are apt to slight Christ and to disesteem Him because we discerne not that beauty excellencie riches and glory which is in Himselfe we are ignorant of the worth of Christ and know not our need of him and therefore we do not so prize him as we ought These two Considerations I desire to propound as motives to prize Christ First Christ his worth which I may hint unto you in three particulars to wit 1. The unvaluable preciousnesse of his blood which hath in it a cleansing vertue 1 John 1.7 9. And the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleansed us from all sin therefore we are said to be justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 Let me aske you who now beleeve How did you esteem of this precious blood of Christ When you were sighing-out your mournfull request to God in secret corners for one drop of Christs blood one dram of the grace of God and faith of God his Elect one word of promise one smile of a reconciled Father or one beam of the light of Gods countenance did you not prize the blood of Christ above all corruptible things as silver gold honour riches pleasure c. Did you not esteem the least drop of it more
Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Phil. 3 9. The second Sort are all those formall professors who seem onely to be religious Iames 1.26 Having a forme of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.5 These will tell you they rest not on duties trust not to their owne righteausnesse confide not in their Humiliation as legal professors doe But they after much trouble of conscience for their sins got comfort joy and peace in applying some promises of the Gospell to themselves Consider I pray you the Parable of the stony ground hearers They on the rock are they which when thy hear receive the Word with joy and these have no root which for a while beleeve and in time of temptation fall away Luke 8.13 Here was some plowing though it went not deep enough and some Harrowing also to cover the good seed after this theâ—e was some joy but no root Here was the Word convincing and wounding and comforting but no Christ who is called the root Coloss 2.6 7 to quicken renew and sanctifie And therefore though they believed awhile yet they fall away in the time of Temptation And this is the condition of formall Professors they get comfort in promises but they receive not Christ and His sanctifying comforting-comforting-spirit in the promises let such hear what the Lord by His Prophet speakes to a formall professing people Isa 50.11 Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled This shall ye have at my hand ye shall lye down in sorrow The third sort are all those carnall Professors who say they are the people of God and hold the common Faith Titus 1.4 which is the faith of Gods Elect Titus 1.1 and beleeve the common salvation Jude 3. That is to say common to every one that beleeveth both Jew and Gentile Rom. 1 16. But notwithstanding all this profession of generall redemption they themselves are the servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 For they take liberty to live in sin and walk after the flesh fulfilling the lusts thereof turning the grace of God into lasciviousnesse and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ Jude 4 They are so faâ—re departed from the Faith which they sometime professed and seemed to have 1 Tim. 4.1 that they question whether the Scriptures of truth be the Word of God Whether Christ be the sonne of God Whether the first day of the Week be the Sabboth of God And they are so farre from living godly and walking in the way of holinesse that they totally omit all holy duties they refrain prayer they speak not of the Word of God when they rise up nor when they lye down nor as they sin in the house together with their family They do not pertake of any Ordinances nor perform any worship to God And as for sin they make a mock at it some of them say God takes no knowledge of their sins He sees no iniquitie in them others affirm that they have no sin they are born of God and they cannot sin And some others are bold to say they are justified persons and therfore all their words and actions are alike acceptable to God and well-pleasing in his sight c. But these carnall professors are not holy are not the people of God This may make some discovery of those whose hearts are not right with God to whom I would give the Apostles exhortation Acts 8.22 3. Vse Will God have His people to be holy Then may this doctrine occasion a deep Humiliation and godly sorrow in believers for their unholinesse carnallnesse and sinfulnesse in heart or life O beloved let you and I commune with our own hearts how much unbelief hypocrisie self-filthinesse formality and wickednesse shall we upon diligent examination finde still remaining in us What vanity of minde and carnality is in our hearts How many hard thoughts of God have we still Notwithstanding all the experiences God hath given us of his unchangeablenesse his faithfulnesse and his everlasting loving kindnesse in Jesus Christ How apt are we by an evill heart of unbelief to depart from God Alas what sinfull contemplations have we in our spirits What evill concupiscence How do our hearts run out after the creature-comforts of this world and how are our affections still set upon the things below Christ and God How many Idols are set up in our hearts How great is our self-love self-seeking self-confidence self-dependence and self-sufficiencie O what high thoughts have we sometimes of our selves our gifts our graces our experiences our performances Surely we have just cause if God will in mercy work in us godly sorrow to be ashamed to mourn after a godly manner and to loath our selves for the abominations of our own hearts But my brethren let us examine our lives and search and try our wayes as well as commune with our hearts for the eye of the world is open upon us God and Angels men and Divels all observe us who are believers they hear what we say and take knowledge what we do O beloved how much vain carnall and sinfull communication comes out of our mouthes that ministers no grace to the hearers How many idle words do we speak What unprofitable talk have we among our selves and with others not gracious nor seasoned with the salt of truth and holinesse but very unsavoury speeches And when we meet together and speak one to another of Religion we are apt to speak slightly rashly formally inconsiderately and not soberly humbly and graciously as becomes the Saints Yea our conferences sometimes turns to vain janglings and un-edifying disputes wherein we strive for victory or to maintain our own opinion more then truth But besides all this How much ungodlinesse is there in our actions Albeit God preventeth us by His grace from doing actions simply and grossely evill and ungodly as drunkennesse uncleannesse c. Yet in doing lawfull things we often mis-carry the Messengers of Christ do sometimes preach themselves Fathers of Families do correct their children sometimes after their pleasure provoking their children being bitter to their Wives sometimes Oh how uneven do we walk in our callings and relations Wherein we should especially shew forth the power of godlinesse Oh had we tender hearts and were we truly sensible of our sinfull miscariages we could not speak of those particulars without teares of godly sorrow Can we consider how many yeares we have professed the Gospell how long we have enjoyed the Word preached in season and out of season unto us and yet how little our conversation is as becomes the Gospell how little we have profited how little we have grown in Grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and not be affected to mourn under the feeling of our unprofitablenesse and great barrennesse But I hope God will give us