CHRIST The alone PROPHET of SAINTS CHAP. II. I Come in the next place unto the Prophetical office of Christ wherein hee is also in the dayes of the Gospell to be exalted In the handling of which I shall first shew you from the word of life That he is the Prophet and teacher of his people and secondly that hee is to be exalted in the days of the Gospell as the alone teacher of his people First that he is the Prophet and teacher of his people now for the better proceeding in the unfolding of this particular unto you I shall goe along comparatively holding forth the Prophetick office of Christ by the Prophets under the Law Now there were three things ordinary to the Prophets under the Law viz. Teaching working miracles and foretelling of things to come Now in all these three Christ answers them yea and excels them all for he himselfe is the substance of all their prophesies Iohn 1.45 1 It was the worke of the Prophets to teach the people so Moses a type of Christ both in respect of Law and worship God taught Israel by him so Esay 1 throughout Jer. 1.5 6 7 Chap. 2. and all the Prophets In this Christ hath manifested himselfe wonderfully to be a Prophet this part of Christs Propheticall office to wit as hee is the teacher of his people may be considered under these three heads First as hee was a teacher of his people before he came in the flesh Secondly When he was in the world Thirdly Now he is in heaven 1 before hee came in the flesh Christ taught them by the Prophets therefore you have ever the Prophets in the Old Testament saying The word of the Lord came unto me Jer. 1.4 Cap. 2.1 This Peter confirms 2 Pet. 1.20.21 For the prophesie came not in old time by thye will of man but holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit No Scripture is of private interpretation that is men did not speak of their own private spirits not that private men as they call them may not interpret Scripture there is no such thing in the word but the truth held forth to us in it is that holy men that writ the Scripture did not speak their own mindes their own fancies but spake as they were inspired by the holy Spirit and hence it is that upon good grounds we receive the Old Testament for Scripture because it is the Word of God But 2 Christ performed his Propheticall Office when he was in the World hee then taught personally Mat. 5.12 He teaches his Disciples in the Mount he teaches a very long Sermon the longest Sermon we read of in all the Gospel it continues to the end of the seventh Chapter Mat. 13.1 2. you have Christ teaching multitudes in a ship by the Sea shore hee continues his Sermon almost throughout that Chapter speaking to them in parables In John you have Christ often teaching in the third Chapter teaching Nicodemus in chap. 5 6 8 9 10. and almost in every Chapter you have Christ teaching the Jews But beloved in the third place Christ is still a Prophet to his people now he is in heaven which is the principall thing I intend to speak unto In the handling of which I shall indeavour First To prove from Scripture that Christ is still the Prophet of his people Secondly By what rule he teaches his people now he is in Heaven Thirdly The manner how he teaches Fourthly The matter what he teaches 1 That he is a Prophet still to his people now he is in heaven he never fails teaching his people he is still powerfully present with his people now he is in heaven Mat. 28.20 I will be with you to the end of the world hence it is that Christ sayth John 6.45 And they shall be all taught of God and Christ when he ascends promiseth to send the Holy Spirit what to do to teach his people Ioh 14.26 But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance and this is the new Covenant the Covenant of Grace Heb. 8.10.11 I will give my Laws into their mindes and write them upon their hearts and they shall all know mee from the least to the greatest for they shall be all taught of the Lord Esay 54.13 so that you see Christ is still teaching and leading his people as a Pophet in the way he would have them to walke The second particular propounded was by what rule Christ teacheth his people now he is in heaven and that is by his Word the word of God is the alone rule by which Christ teacheth his people now he is in heaven therefore he sayth Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me and Esay 8.20 To the Law and to the testimony if any speak not according to this rule it is because there is no morning in them Ob. But some may say this was before Christs ascension into heaven Ans True but the same rule holds still see it confirmed after Christs ascension Gal. Co 6. He that walketh according to this rule peace shall be upon him and upon the Israel of God Marke it he that walketh according to this rule peace shall be upon him c. Note first The Word of God is the rule of a Christians life and secondly they are to walke according to it see 2 Pet. 1.18 20. We have also a more sure word of prophesie wherento you doe well that yoe take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. A sure word of prophesie that is the Scriptures and note in ver 20. he confirms the Scriptures for that end Know this that no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit now the Scripture brings a sure word of truth It is that which ought to be the rule of the Saints in all their actions and believe it Christ never teacheh contrary to this Scripture If this be truth how may this reprove two sorts of people First those that cast off Scripture and refuse to walk according to it under a pretence of being lead by the Spirit and so above Scripture refusing to receive the Scripture as the rule by which Christ teacheth looking upon the Scripture as nothing to them It is a very sad thing that men professing Godlinesse should fall into such absurdities in receiving such principles as are destructive to the very power and being of godlinesse how can a man walke if he have no rule how can a man walke without his compasse his line he knows not when he is in or when he is out so it must needs be with those that cast off Scripture they cannot know when they walke according to the mind of God or when they
Iustification and Life 1 It is a believing of the report God hath given concerning his Son that is that he is the Son of God Mat. 3.17 the son of man God and man Rom. 1.3 4. Col. 2.9 That he is a mighty God the everlasting Father the prince of peace Esay 9.6 That he came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 To save them from their sins Mat. 1.23 and from all their enemies Luke 1.71 This is the record God hath in Scripture given concerning his Son and faith is required to believe it John 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himselfe he that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believed not the record God gave of his Son that is to believe that he is the Christ the Auointed sent of God and fitted for the work to save sinners ver 1. with ver 11. This is the record that God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Son 2 Faith is a dependancie upon this Christ for life flowing from a sensible apprehending of all that fulnesse that is in him John 6.68 When many Disciples went from Christ Jesus said to the twelve Will yee also goe away Simon Peter answered and said Lord to to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the living God marke here is the Apostles faith We believe thou art the Christ thou hast the words of eternall life therefore whether shall we goe but to thee If all forsake thee yet we cannot whether shall we goe Here is faith when a soule believes indeed Jesus to be the Christ the Sonne of the living God and there leaves it selfe sees no way or means else in the world of help but sticks close to the Lord Jesus in a way of dependancie and this none can doe but by the power of God see Mat. 16.17 Jesus answered and said unto him blessed art thou Simon flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven and none can call Iesus the Lord but by the Holy Spirit c. 1 Cor. 12.3 Now the fruit of this faith is Obedience where ever Christ works this faith it produceth obedience Rom. 1.5 By whem we have received Grace and Apostleship to the obedience of faith so is the word in the Greeke Faith is a working grace it is not idle where it is it worketh by love Gal. 5.6 Circumcision availeth not nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Christ is ever teaching a believer and hee receives this teaching by faith which worketh by love and constraineth the soule in whom it is to submit unto the teachings of Christ which still is according to Scripture as you have heard Quest What doth Christ teach a believer after he hath given him faith Ans Christ teacheth many things to his Disciples which they receive by faith and they may be called in some sort the fruits of faith because by faith we receive them and submit unto them but they are indeed the fruits of the spirit which Christ our Prophet giveth to his people Gal. 5.27 but I shall confine my selfe in the discovery of the teachings of Christ to the Saints under three heads The first is Selfe denyall 2 Universall obedience 3 To live by faith The first is self-denyall and this Christ teacheth in the first place where he comes I mean to a believer for self-denyall is a fruit of faith how can a man deny himselfe till hee sees somthing out of himselfe worthy thy of his love See Christ teaching this lesson Luk. 9.23 If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up the crosse and follow me Christ teacheth his Disciples to deny whatsoever is of flesh in the creature Now there are ten things in selfe which Christ teacheth his in some measure to deny and to lay all down at his feet There is 1 Selfe sinfull 2 Selfe righteous 3 Selfe wisdome 4 Selfe glorying and boasting 5 Selfe profit 6 Selfe pleasure 7 Selfe love 8 Selfe will 9 Selfe strength Selfe sufficiencie 10 Selfe ends First Self sinfull or sinfull self now it is true that it is in it self all very sinfull whatsoever is of self is sinfull But for the more cleer opening of this grace of self-deny-all I branch it forth under these heads the first is Sinfull self where Christ is hee teacheth men thus to deny themselves they cannot sin willingly see 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remayneth in him and he cannot sin that is he cannot sin with a mind to sin he denies his sin he loves not his sin therefore he is able to say It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me as the Apostle Rom. 7.17 and therefore he is ever at enmity with his sin and lusts the grace of God teaching him to deny them Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodlines and worldly lusts we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world The grace of God manifested in the Gospell teacheth men that rightly receive it to deny themselves to deny all ungodlines and worldly lusts believe it this is the grace of the Gospel it is not as some pretend a Gospell of liberty to sin but such grace as teacheth men to deny sin who-ever he be that takes liberty in sin under a pretence of grace certainly it is not that grace that brings salvation that teacheth men to deny ungodlinesse and sinfull lusts that teacheth them to live soberly in respect of themselves righteously towards men and godlily towards God This is the effect of the grace of the Gospels Saul a persecutor shall be so no more Zacheus an oppressor shall be so no more it makes a separation between a man and his lusts and between man and his sinfull courses as Job 40.4 5. Behold I am vile and what shall I answer the I will lay my hands upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no farther So when once the grace of the Gospel comes then it makes a man lay down all sin and lust whatever it be as Saul Acts 9.4 5. once have I spoken but I will proceed no farther perhaps once I have been a persecutor yea twice but I will proceed no further once I have been light vain prodigall walked unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ yea twice but I will proceed no further this grace teacheth men to deny ungodlinesse 2 There is righteous selfe that is in selfe apprehension though it is true none can doe good and the best actions out of Christ are but filthinesse yet such a disposition there is in nature that is ever apt to have high thoughts of it selÃe they that know
doe not Object Christ hath promised to write his laws in the hearts of his people and that they shall be all taught of God and that hee would send his spirit which should teach them all things Ergo for those thus taught of God it is to legall for them to walke by Scripture Answer First those that deny some Scripture must by the same ground deny all and if one Scripture be not a truth to mee and to be received in any practice how can I judge of the truth of another and the truth is that those that will believe but on that Scripture which they have a minde to believe rejecting the rest do not rightly believe any there is the same ground to believe all as to the believe one 2 Pet. 1.20 21. 2 I answer If you doe indeed believe these Scriptures to be a truth I make no question but you will anon believe the truth of the whole Scripture these being opened in comparing them with other Scriptures First Christ promising to find his spirit c. I answer that it was a particular promise made to the Apostles most principally and in some measure to all the Saints Two things here mentioned in this Scripture are most principally to the Apostles 1 That is mentioned is the first Hee shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Note the Disciples of Christ were with him saw his miracles heard his word but now when Christ is gone to heaven he will send his spirit which shall bring all things that Christ spake or did necessary to be be remembred for our information and consolation to their remembrance that they might leave it upon record to future generations and this promise of the spirit properly belongs to the Disciples of Christ who were both eye and eare witnesses of all he did or spakes and this may confirme us admirably in the truth of the Gospell it was you see written by the immediate inspiration of that Spirit of promise bringing it to the remembrance of those that wrote it and by no meanes serves to destroy the rest of the Scriptures The second thing promised is That it shall teach them all things note here also an admirable word Christ tels his Disciples that that spirit he would send them should teach them all things that is all things that God intended to make knowne to man for their rule and direction in this life and this without question Christ who is truth it self made good to his Disciples Therefore I hope this doth not serve to destroy Scripture but to confirme it abundantly for if Christ did as without question it is blasphemy to say hee did not teach his Disciples all things then are the rules prescribed by the Apostles in their Epistles true and perfect rules and you and I are bound in duty as wee will approve our selves Christians to submit unto them to receive them as the holy promised truths of God Object But Christ makes this promise not only to the Disciples but to all the Saints also for all Scriptures is written for our learning c. Ans True but in the first place it is to the Disciples that they might leave us a perfect patern from himself and in this there is much comfort for the Saints that wee have in the Scripture truth and all truth needfull for a Christian to know and secondly this promise is made good to all the Saints in its measure God gives them his spirit to understand the Scriptures and therefore it is that the Apostle sayth 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works Note it is the Scriptures that thorowly furnishes or perfects the man of God to every good worke and wee are said to be built upon the Apostles and Prophets that is the doctrine the truth layd down by the Apostles and Prophets Christ himself being the chief corner stone Ephes 2.20 And for the second Scripture that God hath promised to write his laws in the hearts of his people and they shall be all taught of God c. It is true God makes this promise good hee writes his law in the heart where hee once corres in a way of grace that is he puts his spirit in them makes them freely willing to walke according to the rule of Scripture for the spirit and the word do answer each other If any man will say he hath received the spirit of Christ and refuses to walk according to the rules of Christ hee is alyar 1 Iohn 2.4 5 6. and the truth is not in him It is true also God teaches all his people they are all taught of God but how God doth teach and leade into all truth by the rule of Scripture therefore Christ sayth in his prayer 1 Iohn 17.17 sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth see then what a sweet harmony is held forth in all the Scriptures the spirits teaching and leading it is still according to the Scriptures The spirit of Christ where it is leads into truth and that truth is contained in Scripture Now for any man to say hee hath the spirit of Christ and yet cast away Scripture or for every man to say hee hath the spirit of Christ and yet cast away Scripture I must give him leave to say it but he must give me leave not to believe him and also to tell him that it is a diabolicall lying spirit that casts away Scripture if any man speaks not according to this rule it is because there is no truth in him Esay 8.20 A second sort of people that are here to be reproved are those that pretend to be all for the Scripture and yet walk not up according to the rules of Scripture without question those whom Christ teacheth hee teacheth to walk according to the rules that he prescribes them Of these there are two sorts 1 those that do not rightly divide between Law and Gospel between Legall rules and Gospell rules 2 those that instead of following the rules of Christ follow the rules and inventions of men that wait for what men will prescribe resolving to make that their rule First those that doe not rightly divide between Law and Gospell And of these there are both Ministers and people not rightly dividing the word of truth as the Apostle exhorts Timothy 1 Tim. 2.15 And this is ignorance which remayns to this day upon the hearts of many whom I question not for their godlinesse and honesty yet God hath not taught them to this day that cleere difference betweene Law and Gospell and the ignorance of these men consists principally under these five heads 1 In not understanding the difference betweene Gospell Churches and the Church of the Jews 2 Gospell Ordinances and the Ordinances of the Jews 3 Gospel priviledges
to 23. For ye are not come to the mount that might not be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempest c. ver 23. but unto mount Sion c. Believers are not come to mount Sinay to burnings blacknesse and darknesse they are not called to a covenant wherein is the administration of condemnation that is done away to believers 2 Cor. 3.7 11. But they are come in deed to mount Sion to the city of the living God to the covenant of Grace where is mercy and pardon in its administration Heb. 8.12 To the bloud of sprinkling which speaketh better things then that of Abel where is nothing but cause of joy and gladnesse joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 All which many a poore soule is deprived of for want of a right understanding between the covenants of Law and Gospel Thus have I plainly though very briefly endevoured to lay open the grounds or true causes why many men and women though otherwise godly yet come short of walking up with God according to Scripture rules I must leave it to the great Prophet Christ to reach your souls The second sort of people that comes here to be reproved are those that pretend to be for Scripture yet indeed doe make the prescriptions of men their rule that resolve what ever the Magistrate requires or commands they will do a very sad thing and as much to be lamented that ever men that would be counted Christians should set up man in the room of God see what a dreadfull curse is pronounced upon such Jer. 17.5 6. Thus sayth the Lord note it is the word of God cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme whose heart departeth from the Lord What is the curse ver 7. He shall be like the hearth in the desart he shall not see good when it commeth he shall inhabit the parched places in the wildernesse Note The curse consists in two particulars 1 He shall be barren like the hearth in the desarts dry empty poore nothing of God in him O this is it that is the cause men grow so barren dry empty because they rest upon man they durst not entertain thoughts of going farther then they conceive the Magistrate intends ministers admire why so many gracious people leave them they see they are grown barren through their dependencie upon men the curse of God is come upon them they are like the barren hearth in the wildernesse Professours wonder why they are left of their companions many of them why they are barren empty they cannot profit by them and all because they trust upon men they dare not entertain thoughts of submitting to Scripture farther then the Magistrate goes along with them and therefore it is that they leave them A second curse is They shall not see when good commeth this is the reason why so many choice lerned men see not that good which is comming that truth that grace that glory that God le ts shine through the Gospel into the soules of many of his people but they oppose it and persecute it the curse of God being upon them blinding them because they trust upon man and make flesh their arme and their strong confidence and had rather deny truth then suffer affliction with the people of God but blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord whose hope is the Lord ver 7. He shall be fruitfull as a tree planted by the rivers of water c. O take heed of receiving or at least of resolving to receive rules from man in matter of worship without an exact tryall of it by the word of God If ever men should again as I trust it shall not be but I say if it should be so that men should as those Mat. 15.9 teach for doctrines the traditions of men yet that you would not receive those traditions for your Scripture for in so doing you can doe no lesse then incur that curse of being made like unto a barren hearth in the wildernesse c. The third thing propounded concerning Christ as he is a Prophet is the manner how he teacheth his people now he is in heaven and that is 1 Ministerially 2 Spiritually 3 Powerfully 1 Ministerially by his Ministers yet ever according to the rule viz the Scriptures thus Christ when he ascended to heaven sent forth his Disciples Mat. 28.19 20. and promised to be with them to the end of the world and you shall ever finde Christ teaching by this means Act. 2. Peter preaches the Jews are converted Chap. 5. and so the 8.12 Philip preaches the things concerning Jesus and they believed and in the churches Christ hath appointed Ministers with their gifts sed Ephes 4.11 and all for the edifying of the body of Christ so that this is the first means by which he teaches Rom. 10.14 17. How then shall they call on him on whom they have believed How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard How shall they learn without a Preacher ver 17. Faith commeth by hearing c. 1 Cor. 5.19 He hath put in us the word of reconciliation 2 Christ teacheth Spiritually The Word and the Spirit goe both together the word is but a dead letter in it selfe farther then the Spirit goes along with it therefore Joh. 6.36 It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak are Spirit and life but if the spirit goes with the word then the word proves Spirit and life the Spirit worketh freely in the preaching of the Gospel the word is but an instrument in the hand of the Spirit by which it works see Iohn 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is borne of the Spirit so it is the Spirit that worketh in the word and by the word 3 He teacheth powerfully where Christ comes he teacheth powerfully therefore the Gospel is called The power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes 1 Thes 1.3 For our Gospel came not to you in word onely but in power and in much assurance c. So that the Gospel it is the power of God you see that it is that wherein Christ manifests his power in teaching poor ignorant unknowing creatures therefore it is said Mat. 7.29 that He taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes that is his Word had a commanding power and authority over their spirits beloved if Christ once comes to teach your spirits he will come with power with authority he will make a separation between thy soul and thy sins he will pluck thee off from thy base lusts and cursed practises as once he did Saul Christ came with power and great authority upon him and took him off from his persecution and makes him a preacher of that truth which before he
that which would knit the hearts of christians one to another It was the Apostles desire and care for the Colossians that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love Col. 2.2 This knitting together of the Saints is that which makes them meet to watch over each other to build up each other it is as the joynts and sinews of the body naturall knitting each member together and so nourishing the whole body Col. 2.9 Being knit together increaseth with the increase of God this is the excellent property of love it knitts up the souls of the Saints together where it is in truth there cannot be an easie dissolving of this knot of love this was the love of David and Jonathan 1 Sam. 18.1 The soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of David and Ionathan loved him as his own soule this is the true property of love it knits the soul to the partie beloved it is not possible if there were true love that there should be such divisions amongst the Saints if it be but a difference in opinion presently the love the fellowship is broken A second excellencie of true love is It coven a multitude of infirmities it is not easily moved it is not easily provoked it is naturally easie to be intreated it will not suddainly believe evill reports it will not suddainly have bitter envyings and evill surmisings this is the excellencie of the grace of love it will bear much and long it will not censure without wonderfull just cause 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. Love suffereth long it is not easily provoked it will not starte at shadows love envyeth not anothers prosperity but rather rejoyceth in it as one member of the body rejoyceth in the prosperity of another it vaunteth not itselfe it is not puffed up love is an humble grace it maketh those in whom it is to serve each other in love to prefer each other before itselfe it seeketh not its own it seeketh not its selfe but the good of another it is not easily provoked it thinketh noill it rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth it beareth all things it believeth all things all things that it hath any ground or warrant to believe it hopeth althings that is the best of all things where there is any ground or probability of hope it endureth all things that is all things that God himself inflicts or suffers man to inflict upon him here is the excellencie of love O who would be without this grace of love nay but who can ever attain it but those whom God sheds abroad his love in their hearts by his holy Spirit how is this grace of love wanting among the Saints whence is it that there are such discords such bitter enyings such secret whisperings in a word such rents and breaches of communion and fellowship amongst Saints for slight things but the want of this grace of love truly were the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of his people more abundantly it would not be thus love is of absolute necessity for the peace and communion of Saints 3 Excellencie of love It is on everlasting grace it shall be made perfect in another world other graces fail but love never faileth 1 Cor. 13.8 Prophesies they fail and faith that shall cease but love shall abide for euer it shall be so far from ceasing that it shall after the ceasing of faith and other graces be made perfect and the Saints that love God indeed here and from that fountain of love love each other they shall then for ever live in the bosome of love their souls being satisfied in the enjoyment of him the fountain they shall be then perfectly knit together in one being filled with the enjoyment of God made perfect in love through that abundance of love it enjoyes in him The third particular propounded is the manifestation of this love how the Saints manifest this their love each to other 1 In a faithfull diligent watching over each other in love Phil. 2.4 look not every one to his own things but every one to the things one of another there should not be such a spirit amongst Christians as was in Cain who said Am I my brothers keeper no no you are keepers of each other and it is love that will make you faithfull to each others soule in this particular The second manifestation of love is in building up one the other in the most holy faith edifying one the other in love helping forward each other in the way of holinesse being compacted together in the order fellowship of the Gospel maketh increase of the body to the edifying it self in love Eph. 4.16 3 In bearing with the weaknesses of each other Col. 3.12 13. Put on as the elect of God bewels of mercie kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering for bearing one another and for giving one another even as God for Christs sake forgave you Here is the manifestation of love when you are able to beare with and forbeare one another from this principle because God hath borne with you God hath forgiven you Rom. 14.1 him that is weak in the faith receive unto you 4 In restoring a falne brother with the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 If any brother be falne through weaknesse yee that are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of weeknesse much tendernesse is to bee used towards a brother in this case the ground is we our selves the strongest of us are subject to and may fall by the like temptation if the Lord prevent it not 5 In speaking kindly to each other good words and comfortable this is the manifestation of love and truly where there is love in the heart it will appear in the countenance in the words a cheerfull and loving countenance loving words here will be words both for the Saints and to the Saints First for the Saints to go to God in prayer Ephes 1.16 for them in their vindication when any scandall is unjustly laid upon them so Ionathan for David 1 Sam. 19.4 Ionathan spake good of David and good for David 2 In speaking kindly one to another so the Apostle Paul he ever gives the Saints the title of Brethren wherefore holy Brethren pertakers of the heavenly calling and Solomon sayth That a soft answer turneth away strife 6 And lastly love is manifested incondoling each with other in afflictions the Saints are all of them members of the body of Christ 1 Cor. 12.27 and the members of the naturall body are sensible of the sufferings of each other if one member suffer all suffer with it if one member rejoyce all rejoyce with it so it is or should be in the body spirituall we should beare part of one anothers afflictions be truly sensible of the affliction of each other and so beare part with each other bee truly sensible of the comsorts of each other and so rejoice together this is the property of true love where it is I
is that he is called a Lamb slain from the beginning beloved Christ having undertaken to become a High-Priest a peace-maker between God and man nothing lesse then his bloud could doe it Heb. 9.22 Without bloud there is no remission no justification without bloud Christs dying is a Christians justification Rom. 5.9 being now justified by his bloud we shall be saved c. no purging of sin without bloud Heb. 9.14 how much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Rev. 1.5 who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud c. there is no pardon and so no peace without bloud Heb. 9.22 Thus beloved you see that all must be done by bloud and that by the bloud of Christ too the bloud of all the creatures in the world nay of all the men in the world was not able to redeem to make satisfaction for one soule nay for one sin nothing lesse then the bloud of Christ could doe it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. silver and gold could not doe it the bloud of creatures could not doe it Heb. 10.5 It is not possible that the bloud of buls and goats should take away sin Object But some may say that God had never any thing against his elect he ever loved them from eternity Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love Ephes 1.4 he chose us in him from before the foundatien of the world Ans True God ever loved his elect and ever intended mercie and love unto them yet he so loved them as with relation to the death of his Son and from everlasting determined to satisfie his justice to take away sin and work peace by the death of his Son and the truth is that God had as really an eye to the death of his Son from all eternity and saw it as actually then as if Christ had then suffered see Ephes 1.4 He chose us in him from before the foundation of the werld in him with relation to his death to his making satisfaction for sin not that God could not have made the Saints at once and have saved them presently and never have suffered them to sin but this is the way God in his wisdome appointed to manifest his mercie on the vessels of mercie and his justice on his enemies so that now beloved God having appointed this to be the means to bring sons to glory there could never have been any remission any peace but by a dying Christ therfore he is called a Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.8 and indeed Christ was as a lamb ever slain in Gods account and he beheld all things as present and saw both the work of creation redemption and glory of his Saints from all eternitie The second part of Christs priestly office consists in his intercession at the right hand of the glory of his Father Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed year ather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Heb. 7.25 Hee ever liveth to make intercession Beloved this is one part of Christs Priestly office to intercede for the Saints Note beloved Christ intercedes 1 In the Saints 2 For them 1 In them Rom. 8.26 27. The Spirit it selfe to wit of Christ Gal. 4.6 Maketh intercession for us or in us according to the will of God that is God by his Spirit helpeth us to ask things according to the will of God for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit helpeth us c. 2 He maketh intercession For us also hee ever liveth to make intercession O blessed word for the Saints hee maketh intercession for every particular Saint hee maketh intercession for his Churches for us saith the Apostle and through him it is wee have accesse with boldnesse unto the Father c. Object But some may object did not Christ make satisfaction peace and reconciliation when hee dyed upon the crosse when he sayd It is finished Ans It is true that Christ in his death and resurrection finished the work of mans justification Rom. 5.9 being justified by his bloud and he made peace and reconciliation Col. 1.20 having made peace by the bloud of his crosse but wee are not to understand by Christs interceding any new act of Christ done eyther in way of satisfaction or justification neyther are wee to understand that Christ sits in Heaven pleading with the Father in words as a counfellour pleads a cause before the judge but Christ is in Heaven with the Father at his right hand that is in glory with him presenting our persons and in presenting our persens all our services in his owne person not by any new act of doing but by the worth of his merits the excellency of his person the neer relation of the Saints to himself viz. members of his body so that now God cannot look upon the Son but he must behold the Saints in him he having so neer a relation to his Father both by his personall presence and the excellent worth of his merits whose bloud spake better things then the bloud of Abel Heb. 12.24 he continually makes intercession to God for the Saints Esay 53.12 He hath poured out his soule to the death and he was numbred among the transgressors he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors here you have the whol priestly office of Christ 1 Bearing sin and so working peace 2 Making intercession by that means for transgressors Use If so that Christ Jesus is to be exalted and lifted up as the alone High-Priest in the dayes of the Gospel hence will properly arise foure words of application 1 A word of Admiration 2 A word of Information 3 A word of Exhortatiō 4 A word of Consolatiō Use First a word of Admiration O what cause have the Saints to admire God who hath manifested himselfe in his Son I say to admire him 1 His Wisdom 2 His Love and his Mercie 3 His Iustice 4 His Power all manifested in his Son to and for the good of sinners whom he maketh Saints 1 How should the Saints admire his wisdom truly beloved the wisdom of God as in other things so in this particular making peace by the bloud of his Son is very admirable the wisdom of God wonderfully appeared in the whole work of God with relation to the creation Iob 37.14 15 16. Chap. 38.4 c. and this the Saints should be acquainted with that their hearts might admire him But the redemption of the Saints is much more admirable for beloved this was Gods end in making a world that he might set forth his wisdom in the redemption of the Saints Esay 40. The Lord speaking as it seems with relation to the comming of his Son a Saviour ver 11. he shall feed his flock like a sheepherd
thing in baptisme that holds forth Christ comming Washing away the sins of believers in his bloud Acts 22.16 2 To type forth Christ who being circumcised was to performe perfect obedience for all his elect and so bring in everlasting Spirituall circumcision that is Righteousnesse out baptisme holds forth a conformity in the believer to this Chrise in his suffering in his death and but all Rom. 6.4 5 6. 7 Circumcision was no type of baptisme because baptisme is but a type it selfe Now for one type to type forth another I conceive is very absurd for Christ was the substance of all types and therefore of this 8 Lastly Circumcision was no type of baptisme for they were both on foot many year together all the time Christ preached in the world baptisme was the substance of circumcision then when the substance is once should the type have been abolished Object But if it be objected that baptism came in the room of circumcision because that circumcision was the means by which the Jews were admitted into the Church and so is baptisme to us I Answer I suppose baptisme is not come in the room of it proved first it is true Baptisme is that which gives visible admittance after the manifestation of faith into the Church of Christ Act. 2.41 As many as gladly received the Word were baptized and added but circumcision did not admit the Jews into the Church for they were borne members of that Church and circumcised because members note this if circumcision gave admittance to the Iews into the Church estate then they were no members before they were circumcised and then the Iews when they came over Jordan into the land of Canaan were no Church of God for there was none circumcised but Joshua and Caleb as you may see Ios 5.2 where circumcision is renewed but it was an Ordinance God required of the children of Israel meerly ceremoniall and typicall as all the rest of the Iews ordinances were thus you see what a great mistake here lies in the not rightly dividing between Ordinance and Ordinance A third ground of mens ignorance is in not understanding the difference between the Iews priviledges and the priviledges of the Gospel hence it is that men are ready to argue for Gospel priviledges O say they it was the Iews priviledge that their children should bee circumcised and is the Gospel straiter have not Christians more priviledge under the Gospel then the Iews under the Law is there not more liberty grace and glory under the Gospel then under the Law Why then should not the infants of believers be baptized as well as Abrahams naturall seed circumcised Ans It is true there is indeed more liberty grace and glory under the Gospel then under the Law but wee are to understand what the Christians priviledge is The Iews Priviledges would be a christians bondege this you say was the Iews priviledge that their children were to be circumcised it was such a priviledge as bindes them over to the whole Law Rev. 2.25 Gal. 5.3 but perhaps you will say What advantage then had the Iews land what profit is there in circumcision Rom. 3.1 that is what benefit then had the Jews by circumcisions see verse the second much every way chiefely because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God the Oracles that is the Ordinances of God was amongst them namely circumcision and worships c. wherein Christ was typed forth to those which had faith the world being without those Ordinances wherein Christ was thus prefigued Quest But what are our priviledges under the Gospel Ans We have the substance they had but the shadow we have Christ indeed as a Church of Christ they had but the Type we have the righteousnesse typed forth to them in circumcision they had the Oracles of God amongst them these were priviledges unto them yet indeed were held under much bondage by those Oracles the Law ever ready to condemne them our priviledge is that Christ hath set us at liberty from these priviledges which would be to us indeed yoaks of bonlage Gal. 5.1 And he hath made the Law A Law of liberty to the Saints that they may rejoyce in that Law from which they are set it liberty by Christ In a word there is never a priviledge that can be mentioned that the Iew enjoyes but would be a Christians bondage The Christians priviledges under the Gospel they are all spirituall and so are their Ordinances Phil. 3.3 We are the circumcision that worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus having no confidence in the flesh So that in a word the Christians priviledge is that they have received Christ the sum of all the Iews priviledges ceremonies and sacrifices all is in Christ which the Christian onely by faith enjoyes Tell mee what priviledge it is for a poore infant to have a little water sprinkled upon him will it confer grace or will it not will it regenerate as you have been taught O Ignorance the Lord cause it to vanish can the Infant if elected make any use of this orodinance or receive any thing held forth in it to the eye faith nay he cannot faith is required in those that participate of Gospell ordinances and indeed men and women or to be baptized because they are regenerate not to regenerate them God owned the Jews under a covenant of works and so indeed for the most part of them they were but a carnall people and they had carnall typicall ordinances and a worldly sanctuary Heb. 9.1 2. but God owning his church under the Gospell in a covenant of grace Acts 20.28 Heb. 8.10 11. hath given us more spirituall ordinances and these ordinances are always presented to the eye of faith in those that receive it our priviledge is that wee are freed from the covenant of works and bondage under which the Jews were held Gal. 5.1 2 3. vers 13. and so being free from that covenant Heb. 8.7 8. are freed also from those carnall and legall ordinances from all fleshly and carnall priviledges in the spirituall enjoyment of the substance of all Christ Jesus who is our light and life our All in all A fourth ground of mens comming short and not walking up according to the rules of Scripture is in not understanding the difference between Priest and Priest and this may be taken notice of under a twofold consideration First in not understanding the difference between the Iewish High-Priest the type and Christ our High-Priest the substance who hath in deed made present peace and reconciliation for all his people Hence it is that many agracious soule comes short of that peace of that consolation which otherwise they might enjoy and not eying Christ their Priest and Sacrifice they themselves are ever sacrificing for peace and yet no longer then they are offering sacrifice can they have peace and so they come short of walking up with God according to the Gospel being filled with joy and peace
his own way will please himself whoever be displeased O how sweetly might the Saints live if the Lord teach them to deny themselves 9 Christ teacheth to deny Self sufficiencie and selfe strength there is a naturall disposition in the creature to think that it hath power in it selfe to act to wards God and those that hold freewill make it a part of their faith that although in word they seem to deny freewill yet indeed they hold it and that the creature acts of his owne strength and may fall from grace or may stand if he will but where Christ comes in power he teaches men to deny this principle John 15.5 Without me you can do nothing and the Apostle that had experience of the workings of God consesseth it 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more then they all yet not I but the grace of God in me and Phil. 2 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure 10 And lastly there are self ends also and these Christ teacheth his to deny There is a naturall disposition in the creature to seeke himselfe and his own ends in every thing Phil. 2.21 For all seeke their own and not the things that are Jesus Christs therefore the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no man seeke his own but seeke yee one anothers wealth Christ teacheth his in some measure to lay downe all self ends at his feet and to seeke him and his honour so that now what ever the Christian doth it is for Christ if he preach it is Christ and for Christ 2 Cor. 4.5 We preach not our felves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake All that ever the Saints doe they doe for the honour of Christ 2 Thes 1.11 and why they are not their own they are bought with a price therefore they are to glorifie God in their bodies and spirits 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Quest May not a Christian seeke himselfe in any case may he not seeke his own good Ans Is without question a man may seeke his own good but he may not seeke himselfe 1 He may not seeke himselfe alone but first the glory of God and in seeking to glorifie God he must of necessity seeke his own good for God hath so conjoyn'd his glory and the Saints good together that it is impossible to glorifie the Lord but the good of the Christian must be included in it for this is the Saints rule doe all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 this is the Saints priviledge All shall work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 There are many base and selfe ends that professors may have in their actions as those John 6. that followed Christ for the loaves more then for love to him so it is possible that men may follow Christ for outward and by-ends although I confesse I see but little ground why men shall now turn Christians for the world for they are like to enjoy least of it as the Scribe that came to Christ and would follow him whither soever he went he thought to gain somthing by Christ Mat. 8.20 but Christ tels him that he was not like to gain what he expected The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Sonne of man hath not where to rest his head and therefore he had no house of preferment for him It was a good resolution of the Scribe had his end been as good to follow Christ whither soever he went this is the noble resolution indeed of every one that rightly comes to Christ to follow him whither ever he leads him they follow him through good report and bad report through any tribulation to the Kingdome of heaven But those that come to Christ in expectation to gain the world they are likely for all that I know to misse of their ends Some come that they may get heaven and so they pray preach doe all to get heaven by it but they are like to misse of their end Mat. 7.22 Luke 13.26 Some professe that they may be counted Christians amongst others as the Scribes and Pharisees they did what they did to be seen of men Mat. 23.5 But these are not the Saints ends in their duties they seeke Jesus of Natereth a crucified Christ and his glory and therein they glory and rejoyce Gal. 6.14 Thus you see when Christ teacheth effectually he teacheth men to deny themselves and sindeed there is good reason for it that it should be so 1 There is great reason that man should deny his own righteousnesse or else he is like never to partake of Christs righteousnesse Christ will be the alone justifier or elsone justifier he will be all or none at all Gal. 2.16 21. Col. 3.11 Therefore the Apostle Paul who once had as much selfe-righteousnesse as another man he thought himselfe once alive but when Christ came he taught him to lay down all that was his own at the feet of Christ and to suffer the losse of all things that seemed gain to him before that he might win Christ Phil. 3.8 2 There is a necessity for Christians to deny sinful-selfe And that 1 As they stand in relation to Christ who is their justification for is it the naturall property of grace to subdue sin to purge forth iniquity Christ dwels in every justified believing soul and where Christ dwels there cannot be a love unto and a delight in sinne 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God he doth not sin because his seed remaineth in him that is the spirit of grace and of Christ remaineth in him that now he cannot sinne because borne of God that is as he is a man born of grace he cannot sin he cannot sinwith a minde to sin with a delight in sin therefore the Apostle Paul sayth Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God that brings salvation teacheth men to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present evill world it is the property of grace to teach men to deny ungodlinesse 2 There is great reason why it should be thus and that 1 With relation to the great contrariety that is between Christ and sin Christ and Satan for all sin is of the devil 1 John 3.8 Hee that committeth sin is of the devill Christ and Satan Christ and sin which is Satans work are one of the effects of his work are open adversaries each to other and sin and Satan are absolute rebels against Christ so that they cannot possible dwell together in one and the same soule that is the reason Christ in the Saints is ever weakning and subduing sin and Satan he ever teacheth the Saints to deny sin it being so contrary to his holy and pure nature they being made partakers of the same divine nature 2 Tim. 1.4 their
the great commands of the Gospel Ans 1 Love is the great command and where true faith and love is there will be the effects of it 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfained This is both the beginning and end the first and last in the Law of the Gospel Love first God out of love hath given us a law wee out of love yield obedience to it James calls it the royall Law Jam. 2.8 If ye fulfill the royall law according to the Scripture thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyselfe 2 Now this love is manifested 1 To Christ 2 To the Saints 1 To Christ and that first in keeping his commandements Joh. 14.23 Jesus answered and said If a man love me he will keepe my words ver 24. he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings Love will cause those in whom it is to submit to Christ in every thing 1 John 5.3 This is the love of God that wee keep his commandements that is here in is our love to God made manifest in keeping his commandements Quest What are the commands of Christ to his children with relation to himself Ans His command is first love as you have heard 2 Obedience flowing from her this obedience is first to Gospel commands 2 In a Gospell manner 3 To Gospel ends First it must be to Gospell commands wee are to heare Christ in all things not Moses Act. 3.22 him shall you heare in all things c. believers are to receive every comand as from the hands of Christ John 15.14 Ye are my friends if you doe whatsoever I command you The first command that Christ requires of believers and that next after faith received is Baptisme Mar. 16.17 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved so likewise Mat. 28.19 Disciple Nations and baptize them this was the first thing in the commission to be submitted to and it was ever so in the Apostles practice which must be our pattern Act. 2.41 As many as gladly received the Word that is believed the truth of the Gospel and gladly received the Lord Jesus the summe and substance of the Gospel were haptized so Act. 8.12 They believed and were baptized both men and women so Act. 16. Lydia and the Goalar In a word this was the first duty that ever the Saints performed the first ordinance that ever they subscribed to after faith received in the Scripture there is neither precept nor president either to baptize before faith or after to teach faith or else after faith is received to neglect or slight baptisme it being a command of Christ love in the Saints compelling them to yield obedience to every ordinance of Christ for his own sake with an expectation of a farther discovery and manifestation of love and grace from God in his own ordinance in his own way Now I confesse there are many objections that by many are made against this truth who plead for and practice the baptizing of insants But because I have in another treatise indeavoured from the light of Scripture to cleare the truth and answer those objections I shall in this place passe them by onely by reason of our late conference I shall briefly touch upon these three Scriptures we then had in disputation The first is Act. 2.38 39. The promise is to you and to your children c. The Promise in this place was concluded upon that it was remission of sins and the gifts of the holy spirit hence was drawn this conclusion that the infants of believers found as large an interest in this promise as their parents and therefore ought to bee baptized Which I cannot but deny and assirme that the promise here was to the Iews as many as the Lord did call to their children as many as the Lord should call to the Gentiler afar off as many of them as the Lord should call There is a sound truth in the Scripture thus interpreted for God gave remission of sius his spirit all the good things of the Gospel to as many as he called both Iow and Gentile and so he will to the worlds end and indeed he never promised it to any other He that believeth on the Son hath life he that believeth not hath not life Joh. 3.31 If the promise of the Covenant of grace remission of sins and the goodthings of the Gospel had been to the Iews that beleeved and to their naturall seed it must then have been made good to them or else there was no truth in the promise but it was never made good to them for then they had not been apostated as they are to this day nay the Lord was so far from intending any such thing to the Iews that hee intended their rejection and casting off Rom. 11.15 neither was the promise to the naturall seed of the believing Gentiles but the elect of God both Iews and Gentiles obtain it Rom. 2.7 and God under the Gospel makes no difference between the seed of the believer and unbeliever with relation to their Generation but it is grace that makes the difference The second Scripture was Mar. 10.13 14. Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdome of God That which is hence inferred is that children are blessed that they are a part of the Church and therefore have a right to baptisme whereas it is very probable that those infants were brought to Christ to be cured of some diseases for the Text sayth They brought young children to him that he might touch them and he blessed them that is gave them the blessing they came for to wit health and cure and whereas Christ sayth of such is the kingdome of heaven that is of such qualified spiritually as those infants were naturally so Christ himselfe interprets it ver 15. Verily I say unto you whosoever doth not receive the Kingdome of Heaven as a little childe be shall not enter therein that is whosoever doth not receive the Kingdom of God both of grace and glory as a little childe that is humble and meek and teachable able to doe nothing himselfe but Christ is his all and in all he shall never enter therein so that Christ takes occasion from those little infants to discover a Gospel mystery a mystery indeed to naturall men Mat. 18.2 3. The third Scripture was that in 1 Cor. 7.14 The unbelieving wife is sanctified to the believing husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy Now it was first granted that the sanctification of the wife is but a civill sanctification shee is sanctified to his use that he ought not to put her away 2 This was granted also that holinesse is a fruit of sanctification then I say the fruit or effect cannot be greater then the cause the cause cannot produce a greater effect then it selfe the cause being onely a civill sanctification the holinesse of the children
have very briefly hinted upon some particulars much more might be said in this particular but I desire not to be tedious in this place I might branch forth in many other particular Gospel commands which would be too tedious only thus where the love of Christ is indeed shed abroad by the holy spirit there love cōstrains the soul to yeeld itself up wholly to the Lord Jesus all his comands whatsoever things are of good report whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are warranted and required in Gospel the soule that truly loves the Lord Iesus is ready in the peace and strength of Jesus to walk up unto it it will not consult with flesh and bloud it will not stand upon carnall arguments but as the Lord Jesus hath glorified mercy grace and love in doing unto the soule so it will now look what it is may conduce to the exaltation of his name then the soule that truly loves the Lord Jesus is satisfied let the name of Iesus have the glory and the soul that truly loves him hath its end and and rests satisfied Use It concernes every one to looke if Christ hath been their Prophet hath Christ given thee a heart willing to submit unto him in all things ready in his power to yeeld universall obedience to all his commands ô it neerly concerns you to try your selves and if so then whether your obedience flows from love It is possible there may be externall obedience from base and by-ends and then all is nothing Love is the fulfilling of the Law whatsoever is done in love that is from the love of Christ shed abroad in the heart is well done but all done without love is nothing preaching praying professing communicating it is all nothing without love it is one thing to preach and pray and professe it is another thing to doe it out of love to Christ then it is a fruit of faith Faith worketh by love and all works done without this are not acceptable 1 Cor. 13.1 2. Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels and have not love it is nothing it is but as a sounding brasse or tinkling eymball a man may have excellent words fine composed sentences admirable expressions all flowing from a notionall knowledge that may much affect the eares and hearts of the people and yet all be but a sound of words attained by art as a sounding brasse or a tinkling cymball which seems to make a sweet sound to the eare when there is nothing in it indeed but a composure of humane art and so being brought out of that frame there is nothing indeed worth looking after or harkning unto even so are those persons who seemingly do glorious actions and yet indeed have not the love of God in them But to proceed the third thing that Christ usually teacheth his people as to beleeve which faith you have heard produceth its effects so in the third place he teacheth them to live by faith that is to act and exercise this faith upon all occasions in all times according as they have need to make use of it and indeed this is a great Gospel mystery which the Saints are too much ignorant of It is one thing to have faith and another to live by faith it is one thing to have legs and another thing to make use of them to goe with them Quest What is it to live by faith Ans 1 It is to exercise faith that is to make use of it as need requires or 2 It is a living upon Christ in the want of all things Or 3 It is a living by believing of what the soul shall one day enjoy 1 It is to exercise faith as occasion calls for it that is to exercise it upon the object for faith hath ever an object and if it be right and true the object is Christ now it is true there is occasion for the Christian to exercise faith in every condition either Internally or Externally for the Christian hath many enemies to encounter with all the flesh and the Devill and the World all these comes in a mayn upon the soul Now faith overcomes 1 The flesh that will be ever lusting against the spirit Satan comming in working by it self will be in every action self wisdom self priding and self boasting this is contrary to the mind of the spirit and now the spirit is troubled and freed so that many times there is a hot conflict in the soule of the Saint but how comes the Christian to overcome it by cying and applying Christ it can say as Paul I haue a body of sin a proud cursed self seeking nature but thanks to God through Jesus Christ c. and there is no condemnation to them in Christ It is true I have a base nature a wicked cursed deceitfull proud self-seeking heart yet the Lord hath let forth a glimpse of his glory to my soul hee hath let mee see and hath sealed this by his spirit unto me that I am in Christ and there is no condemnation for me and so by faith seeking to Christ the soul overcomes this enemy flesh and then secondly it ever lives in believing that this fleshly corrupt part shall be every day more and more subdued and so is ever cying a crucified Christ for the killing and crucifying of this body of sin 2 The Devill hee will come in with his darts daying hard and heavy things to the charge of the soul although the Apostle faith Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth although God himself pronounce a man cleet and just yet the Devill will come in and endevour to make work in the godly justified soule O sayth the Devill thou art a vile cursed creature thou hast a base earthly carnall heart thou art able to performe no duty but it is full of sin and as good never a whit as never the better Thy services hadst thou no other sin to be accountable for are enough to condemne thee and besides all the rest of thy sins of thy basenesse in performing duty this is that is worst of all thou hast a wicked proud heart of thine owne thou art ready when ever God hath assisted thee to take the honour to thy selfe and to pride thy selfe in those weak duties thou performest What sayst thou to this Christian hast any experience of this try all in thy soule I dare say thou hast if Christ dwell there but what course will you take to over come in this combat see Ephes 6.16 There are the enemies the Saints are to encounter with they are no small no mean enemies see Verse 12. and the armour the Christians armour it s all armour of proof but above all take the sheeld of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fire darts of the wicked the Devill will come and come againe hee will have one dart and another dart now the way to overcome is
against the spirit and these two are contrary each to other And thus the Lord Jesus continues opposing of sin of the Iust and corruption that is in the hearts of the Saints Quest How doth Christ oppose sin and Satan for sin is Satans work 1 John 5.8 For this cause was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the work of the Devill The work of the Devill is sin hee that committeth sin is of the Devill Ans Christ destroys sin which is the Devils work two ways 1 First Christ he destroys the guilt of it and that he did in bearing both the sin guilt and condemnation of it upon his own body 1 Pet. 2.24 Rom. 8.3 and now he comes and in the Gospel makes it known unto his people Rom. 5.11 2 Hee destroyes the power of it by his spirit by the operation of his power working reigning and ruling in the hearts of his people Rom. 6.4 Now Christ subdues this iniquity by his Kingly Office reigning in the Saints Ye are not under the law but under grace under Christ in whom was manifested the fulnesse of grace This doth Christ two ways first he comes to the soule of a poore sinner discovering his excellency the riches of his grace and so shedding abroad his love in the heart gets the soule willing to receive him out of love unto him desires to have Christ set up and his Kingdome within it selfe for Christ hath never a Kingdome in the heart of man till hee thus comes and breaks in upon the soul discovering love yet now sayth the soul let Christ be King and none but him although it is true it is by his power he breaks in upon and subdues the stout spirit of man who would not willingly submit of himselfe yet Christ makes him willing by the shedding abroad of his love in the heart Rom. 5.5 So that now the Lord Jesus with the free consent of the gracious soul sets up his kingdome in the heart so that when Christ sayth My Sou give me my heart Lord take my heart sayth the soule dwell there rule there ser up thy kingdome there so that you see Christ doth not rule as Tyrant in the souls of his people but with the free and full consent of the mind of the person in whom hee reigns for this is both the wisdome and power of Christ that hee makes his people a willing people Psal 110.3 Then secondly Christ having purged the heart of man in some measure overcomes those strong lusts and affections and makes it a meet mansion house a Temple for his holy spirit to dwell in he then sets up laws and statutes in the hearts of his children in his kingdome and there he rules opposing all other laws for there are and will be the stirring of corruption and that very strongly too Now Christ first sets up the law of faith in the hearts of his people and that in opposition of infidelity for naturally the Saints are subject to infidelity through the motions of corruptions and temptations of Satan The beleeving soule when it sees what a base nature it still carries about within it selfe being sensible of the stirring of lusts and corruptions Satan helping seriously then it is troubled O this evill nature of mine sayth the soul who shall deliver me from this body of sin Now the law of Christ is to beleeve and in this condition to live by believing and so Christ enables to put faith in exercise and to beleeve above hope almost as Abraham and so hee still quiets the soule by enabling it to believe constantly in the name of the Sonne God and that when it cannot worke for hee is the Prince of our faith the authour and finisher of it and so here is in the heart of the Christian a strong conflict between the law of faith and the law of infidelity the spirit of faith and the spirit of infidelity infidelity it comes in with a mighty commanding authority upon the soule of that Christian set on by the Devils malice and perhaps sometimes seemes almost in the eyes of reason to get the victory over faith but then Christ who maintaines his laws puts them in execution arises and rayseth up the heart above those doubtings and caries on the soul in a way of beleeving still and so quashes infidelity and treads it under fect and leaves it dead executed for present by the law of faith 2 Christ sets up the law of love in his Kingdome I mean in the heart of the Saints and that in opposition to hatred For the truth is that every soul in whom Christ reigns not doth indeed hate Christ now Christ sets up this law of love in the hearts of the Saints love to himself to his holinesse to his Gospell Ordinances Saints every thing that have the name of Christ stampt upon them it loves it for his sake and this law of love opposeth hatred for there may come sometimes hard thoughts into the souls of the Saints under afflictions and fiery tryals ready perhaps to say with David Hath the Lord forgotten to be mercifull hath he shut up his tender mercy in disple asure Now the law of love comes in and helps the soule to see that there is in Christ nothing but love to it notwithstanding the souls present apprehensions and sees all things shall worke for good to them that love the Lord and so can say with the Prophet Lord out of very love hast thou afflicted me and so the soule is knit to Christ in all conditions cannot but have high thoughts of him even then when it suffers either for him or from him For him That is for want of the enjoyment of the manifestations of his pleasing countenance and the fresh incomes of his love the kissings of his mouth Cant. 1.2 or for the bearing up of his name in a visible profession of the Gospel of Christ From him Fatherly chastisements out of love to make us partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12.10 In all these sufferings when perhaps somtimes the carnall part is ready almost to quarrell against Christ this law of love quells and subdues all brings this heart-rising in subjection and knits the soule to the Lord Jesus 2 As it causeth the soule to love the Lord Jesus so it causeth it to love all that is Christs and highly to esteem of it it opposes any other Law that may seeme to arise as sometimes perhaps through the workings of Satan with the corruptions of the Saints there may be some beginnings of slighting the Saints of entertaining hard thoughts of them but then Christ stirs up and revives this Law of love in them kills that hatred those hard thoughts that it was apt to conceive against them and so knits the soule to them by a more firme united love then ever and thus this law of love overcomes this law of hatred in a word it causeth the Saints to doe all that they doe out of love the love of
Christ constr ains them 2 Cor. 5.14 3 Christ sets up in his Kingdome the Law of meeknesse and humility and that in opposition to the Law of pride and vaineglory Learn of me sayth Christ for I am meeke and lowly in heart Mat. 11.29 and this Christ sets up in the hearts of his people for he makes them partakers of his own graces Joh. 1.16 it is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.23 and of the Law of Christ set up in the soules of the Saints against which there is no law can prevail It is true there will be a rising somtimes in the spirits of the Saints pride will thrust it selfe in and be ready to life up the creature in the apprehension of some selfe excellencie although there is no cause yet this is a truth I believe it those that have any experience of the Kingdome of Christ or of the working of corruption know it right well pride will be pirking in ready to lift up the creature above measure either somtimes Externally to make a difference betwixt himselfe and others as nobility of birth parents or kinted honour in the world Externall carnall excellencies O how will it worke somtimes upon the heart of a poore creature as if he were sombody above others O is not thy soule sensible of this somtimes dear Christian I cannot but think it is But then comes in Christ with his law of meeknesse of humility and puls down this pride of heart and lays it low and brings the soule again to lay all in the dust what is honour sayth the believing soule what is nobility of birth this is my honour that I am a sonne a daughter of Iesus Christ and so the soule comes down ready to doe any service of love to the meanest Saint and now the Saints come to serve one another in love and now they come again to see that they are all one in Christ Iesus Somtimes Internally or with relation to Internall gifts received although we have nothing but what we receive yet this is the basenesse of mans nature it wil grow proude be ready to be lifted up even with those graces received is it not so with thy heart art thou not naturally proude doth it not presse in upon thee somtimes I know it doth and I dare say it troubles thee that art a Christian But now Christ comes with his law and casts all down to the ground lays low those mountains those strong lusts that exalt themselves thus against the Kingdome of Christ for this pride is absolutely against the Kingdome of Christ he will not have such things in his Kingdom it will thrust it selfe in but the Law of Christ discovers it and vanquisheth it and keeps the soule in an humble lowly meeke condition O consider of it where pride domineers and rules Christ hath no Kingdome in that soule there Christ dwels there he reigns where he hath made the soule humble faith in Christ doth not make men proud and high no no it is the greatest enemy to it in the world a proud heart did never can never believe before brought low in the sense of its own nothingnesse and emptynesse 4 Christ sets up in the hearts of his Saints in his Kingdom the law of patience and contentednesse in opposition to anger impatiencie and discontentednesse Rash anger impatiencic peevishnesse of spirit how will they arise and be striving somtimes in the hearts of Christians for a small matter how will the heart be out of order and distemper what words will be ready to flow forth the heart being in this temper but now in the heart of a Christian Christ puts in execution his law of patience and quietnesse of spirit O sayth Christ to the soule thou must be patient and meeke thou must learn of me didst thou ever read that I was moved to anger and impatiencie to fret and fume no not against mine enemies and then sayth the soule ô what a fool am I thus to fret and then to be angry how unlike to Christ am I and then down coms that proud peevish spirit into the dust and so foolish was I and ignorant I was even a beast before thee and then the soule is turned again into a sweet disposition of love a compound of patience not easily provoked not easily again stirred to wrath Somtimes in the soule of a Christian is apt to arise perhaps some impatiencie and discontentednesse under afflictions and persecutions hardly can it bear with patience some heart rising this way may arise but then in comes Christ purting in execution the Law of patience and contentednesse and puls downe all those impatient discontented thoughts and then let patience have her perfect worke and the soule is quieted and contented and willingly submits unto the minde of Jesus and then it can say with the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.11 I have learn'd in what estate soever I am therewith to bee content and now the soule is quieted and waits patiently upon the Lord and now the soule sayth ô how unlike am I to Christ 3 he suffered meekly as a lamb dumb before the shearer and opened not his mouth for me a sinner he suffered for me the just for the unjust that hee might bring me to God and shall not I be contented to suffer reproach and shame for him and then come what will come patience possesseth the soule 5 Christ sets up the Law of heavenly mindednesse in the heart of a Christian and indeed it is no wonder for his Kingdom is there heaven is there The Kingdome of heaven is within you Luke 17.21 and therefore needs must Christ set up this Law in his Kingdome and that in opposition to earthly mindednesse sinfulnesse or any thing that is opposite to holynesse and heavenlynesse and you know how the spirits of men nay of Christians are apt to be below the Lord Jesus somtimes on earthly object somtimes vaine proud unprofitable things run in the mind but Christ he comes and scatters those low things and raiseth the heart to himselfe and keeps the heart in such a temper that nothing can satisfie it but himself and when it loseth its heavenly temper its heavenly glory it is presently troubled and it cannot possibly take comfort in any thing beneath the Lord Jesus and here is a continuall combat and conflict between the flesh and the spirit the corrupt nature and the divine nature and certainly here corruption and Satan manytimes brings sadnesse upon the spirits of the Saints in darkning in overshadowing their heavenly enjoyment I meane in way of sense although they can never shake the faith of the soule in whom Christ dwels Mat. 16. The gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it Consider now doe you finde Christs Kingdom Christs laws these set up in your hearts do you find Christ opposing lust and corruption within you or do you not If Christ be there you will finde it in some measure I confesse it that Christ according
to his diversities of operations and workings keeps this law of sin under in some souls more then in other both the workings of it and the guilt of it Rom 8.2 The law of the spirit of life hath made free from the law of sin and death that is free from the power as it comes with authority as a law there Christ subdues although it wil be there as a rebel reigning yet it shal set up no law in the soul where Christ is Consider of it you that were never troubled about your sins but all things are at peace within you it is a sad signe Christ hath not set up his Kingdome there While the strong man the Devill keeps the house all things are at peace all quiet and so the poore creature lives in a fools Paradise and plcases himself in this condition but beleeve it when the Lord Jesus comes He will sit as a refiner and as a purifier hee will purge out the drosse when hee comes Mal. 3.3 But who may abide the day of his comming he will come with the refiners fire and the fullers sope he comes not to bring peace that is with lust and corruption but the Lord cuts them downe corruption dyes when Christ comes Object But perhaps some soul may object I find indeed some stirring within me some to evill and some motions to good how shall I know that this flows from the Kingdome of Christ set up in my soule or from some other principle Answ There is a conflict betweene the law and naturall conscience and there is a conflict between the spirit of Christ his work in the spirit of the Christian and the flesh corrupt nature and Satan 1 There is a conflict betweene naturall conscience and the law or the minde legally enlightned and the law and this may be in a naturall man or an Hypocrite Thus it was with Judas I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud He saw his sin he had transgressed the law and now hee is troubled not because of his sin as it was a sin but because his conscience now dogs him will not let him rest This conflict may be in the heart of a poor creature and Christ never come there in the way of mercy and the soule deceive and cozen it self thinking Christ is their opposing sin when it is nothing else but the minde of man legally enlightned apprehending wrath and anger from the breach of the law and now walks more circumspectly yeelds more perfectobedience opposes sin as a transgression of the law and so thinks it selfe in a goodly paradise in a fair way for heaven And thus many poor souls deceive themselves and undo their souls everlastingly But perhaps some may say how shall I know the difference between mine one opposing sin from a principall of legall light whether the conflict be betweene naturall conscience and the law or the Kingdome of Christ set up in my soule and sin Answ The conflict betweene naturall conscience and the law it is only from the apprehension of the condemnation of the Law the law saith thou shalt not sin if thou do'st it thou must suffer thou must be condemned conscience enlightned seeing this is cast down and perhaps is much perplexed for sin sets against sin opposeth it with might and mayn and resolves to sin no more and anon sin presents it self and the Law presents it self and then out of doors sin must but why because of the law not because of Christ the law will give it no rest no peace there now to illustrate this by a comparison in these days of war I do not question but there are many in this countrey that are turned Paliamenteers for feare lest the Law seize upon their goods and persons and so they loose all their mindes are so far enlightned that they see it is good to sleepe in a whole skin as they say and hence they can perhaps talk somtimes and do for the Parliament when indeed their mindes are contrary well there comes one whose minde is not so farre enlightned as to seeke their owne externall good while he is here one whom this man loves and could gladly entertain him but for fear of the law he shall be counted and taken for an enemy to the State out of doores this man go none dares entertain him but why not for want of love but for feare beloved I have known the truth of this on the otherside enow And thus it is with this man perhaps the poore creature could be content to entertaine sinne in his bosome lust anger pride c. but no sooner doth sin appeare but the law that appeares conscience that is troubled out must the sin else conscience cannot be quier and so beloved for the quietnesse of conscience who fears eternall flames Esay 33.14 out sin must and an externall conformity follows and so the man is become a Christian It is as a man that hath a loving friend hee brings him to his houfe but the wife will not be satisfied she scolds out must the man else there will be no peace so sin would finde welcome perhaps and kinde entertainment with the man but naturall conscience from the apprehension of the law scolds and threatens and out must the beloved lust else there will be no peace I feare mee many a poore soule split themselves upon this rock But when Christ comes and sets up his Kingdome in the soul he presently writes his law in the heart makes them partakers of the divine nature makes them awilling people and now the conflict is not between the mind and the law but between the spirit and sin were there no law that matters not with the gracious soule it sees such a great disproportion and distance betweene its beloved and sin that there ariseth a bitter enmity between sin and the law of love in the soule of the Saints that the every appearance the very motions of sin as it is sin not as it brings condemnation but as it is filthy polluting contrary to the minde of Christ O the soule hath a continuall loathing of it and thus hee that is born of God sinneth not gives not the least allowance to sin in the very thought the very thought of it is bitter Quest. But what are the effects of this Kingdom of Christ in the souls of the Saints Answ First is the utter subversion and destruction of the Kingdom of Satan and sin for all sin is of the Devill and he that is borne of God sinneth not as you have heard 2 Is the continuall possessing of the soule with the enjoyment of God Christ always dwelling in the heart of the Saints for it is his Kingdom and the presence of Christ makes it heaven 3 Is joy and peace Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with joy and peace through believing And the kingdome of heaven consisteth not in meat and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy spirit Joy unspeakable and full
this World yet they are in Scripture called Saints that is Sanctus holy see 1 Cor. 1. called to be Saints called to be holy so Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling so that the kingdome of Christ is or should be Saints holy ones not the world for all the world are not Saints but the Kingdome of Christ are Saints called out of the World John 15.19 Ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world The Church of Christ are Saints chosen out of the World they are not of the World they are a people separated or severed out of the World so was the Church of the Iews Levit. 20.26 Ye shall be holy to me for I the Lord am holy and have severed you from other people that you should be mine And thus it is with the spirituall Israel of Christ under the Gospel of which the naturall was a type they are not of this World they are called out of this World and severed or separated from the World 2 Cor. 6.14 to the end they are to be separated from the world although the world hath gotten a forme of godlinesse See 2 Tim. 3.1 5. The Apostle speaking of the last times reckons up what courses men should take what sins they should be addicted to and yet concludes they shall have a forme of godlines but from such turne away or be ye separated So that you see the Church which is Christs Kingdome are a people called out of the world they are not of this world as he is not of this world Then certainly those are no friends to Christ that would turn the World in to a Church and so make the kingdome of Christ not a spirituall but a carnall kingdom and so make the Lord Jesus a lyer for he hath said His Kingdome is not of this world but let Christ be true and every man a lyer The Church of Christ his kingdom they are such as are in the order and fellowship of the Gospel compacted together according to the Gospel rule in order and fellowship it is in the spirituall kingdome of Christ in this case as in the body politick the whole kingdome under one governmēt is but one body politick or state so the Kingdom of Christ his church although gathered in many bodies yet it is but one body and every body hath the same power the same priviledges so that it ought to be a body compacted together under the reign and rule of one Lord lesus Ephes 4.16 and the externall way by which the Saints enter into this fellow ship it is by baptisme as you may see Acts 2.41 Then they with the godly received the word and were baptized and so added but I have spoken of this formerly and therefore I passe it here 2 As Christ hath a Kingdom and that is spirituall in relation to the matter so he sets up Laws and they are spirituall the Laws of Christ in his Kingdom is 1 The law of love 2 The law of edification 1 The law of love Gal. 5.13 14. By love serve one another for all the Law is fulfilled in one word even this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe and Jam. 2.8 It is called the royall Law of God Thou shalt love thy neighbonr as thyselfe this is the Law of the Gospel love to Christ and love to the Saints A new commandement give I unto you that yee love one another Joh. 13.34 Now this love breaks forth in causing the Saints to walke up according to every rule of the Gospel it constrains them to submit to every word to every comand of Christ it causeth the Saints to watch over each other to build up each other in the most holy faith to restore a weak brother with the spirit of meeknesse being falne Gal. 6.1 to beare one anothers burthens and so to fulfill the Law of CHRIST Thus CHRIST rules in and over his Kingdom by this law of love It is the end of the command of the Gospel love out of a pure heart and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 He gives rules unto his people out of love he causeth them to obey out of love there is no condemnation in his law to his people but if they sin they have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2.1 who is a propitiation for their sins Here is love in the King love in the subjects love in Christ commanding love in Christians obeying a Kingdom upheld and maintained by the law of love O that the God of love would increase this love more abundaritly both in your and my soul 1 Thes 3.12 The Lord make you to abound in love one towards another and to wards all men O this love is sweet amiable pleasant Psal 133.1 love to the Saints love to all men it is the way to win them to the Lord Jesus 2 Tim. 2.25 This is the main law by which Christ rules in and over his Saints his Churches his Kingdom and this is spirirituall 2 There is the law of edification 1 Cor. 14.26 Let all things be done to edifying It is the law of Christ in his Church that all things should be done to edification for the building up of the Saints in their most holy faith therefore the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.23 makes light of that which tends not to edification All things are lawfull for me but all things edifie not that is it which a Christian should looke most unto that is it that will edifie most it is the end of their compacting and building together in faith and fellowship that they might edifie each other in love Ephes 4.16 All done in the Church is for the edification of the body or should be every Ordinance that Christ hath set up in his Kingdom is for Edification Watching over each other Exhortation Admonition it is all for edification Baptisme Preaching the Supper of the Lord Communion and fellowship it is all for edification and consolation as Christ hath appointed it Act. 2.41 to 46. 1 Cor. 14.3 Church censure excommunication it is an Ordinance appointed of God for edification to bring the sinner into the sight of his sinne and that should bee the Churches end in the use of it Give him up to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the soule might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5.5 that is the end of this ordinance and should be the Churches end in the execution of it 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha let him be accursed till the Lord come so the word Maranatha implies it consists of two Syrian words Maran out Lord Atha come till our Lord come That is as I understand it till the Lord come either in a way of love convincing him by this ordinance or to judge and condemne him so that other Scripture seems to imply 1 Cor. 5.5 That his soule may be saved in the
spirits are ever carryed forth against sin 2 The Saints cannot but deny sin as they stand related to Christ in relation to his glory Christ is holy and he will have a holy people that may be for his praise and honour 1 Pet. 2.9 But yee are a chosen generation a royall priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people why That yee should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvelous light Christ hath made you and I holy that so we might shew forth his praise that is that so we might give occasion to praise God Are not the eyes of the world upon the Saints expecting much from them although it is true they doe not nay they cannot love holinesse yet they expect the Saints to be holy and to deny sin are they not ready to watch opportunities to scandall Saints and truth withall and would it not be a very sad and grievous thing if those that professe themselves to be for Christ should give just cause of offence would it not be very dishonourable to the name of the Gospel and profession of Christ therefore Christ teaches men and women where he comes to deny ungodlinesse and sin and to live soberly righteously and godly in this world It is his exhortation Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Let your light shine before the men of the world that they may have no cause to speak evill but rather cause to glorisie God Let your light so shine before the Saints that they may rejoyce and glorifie God A close walking with God is that which gives great cause of joy and rejoycing in each other and an occasion of praysing God one for another so the Apostle Rom. 1.8 I thank God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of through all the world How was their faith spoken of it was the fruit of their faith their obedience in walking up with God answerable to that faith they professed for by our works we manifest our faith so likewise Phil. 1.3 5. the Apostle thanks God for their constant fellowship in the Gospel from their first submitting to it This is a cause of joy But on the contrary for such as beare the name of Christians to live in and delight in sin to be vain and carnall and earthly this is a cause of sorrow and weeping amongst Saints Phil. 3.18 For many walke of whom I told you before and now tell you weeping they are enemies to the crosse of Christ they cause the crosse of Christ and the way of Christ to bee evill spoken of a cause of sadnesse indeed to the Saints 3 Reason Why Christ teacheth his to deny self wisdome self love self will and all of self is because they are to take up their crosse and to follow Christ that is they must expect reproaches afflictions tribulations for the name and sake of Christ John 16.33 In the world you shall have tribulations Now what wise man in the world can or will suffer reproch the losse of the world and the worlds reputation the losse of friends liberty ease it may be of life it selfe in a word all that is neer and deer to the carnall man what man but a foole thinks the wise men of the world is there that will lose all on such light terms as the gaining of a crucified Christ A man not taught of Jesus as the truth is in Jesus can never suffer with comfort and joy these things the Saints are like to suffer for the name of Iesus Self wisdom and self love will come in O sayth wise selse when it eyes that persecution those hardships that are like to follow those that follow Christ May I not passe by such atruth and such a practice and it be a Christian and get to heaven what need I to adventure my selfe upon such hardships when perhaps for the neglecting of such or such an opinion or practice I may attain my liberty my good reputation Is it not a sad thing that men professing Christ should thus consult with flesh and bloud the Apostle Paul did not so when hee was converted to the faith of Iesus hee consulted not with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 It is self wisdom and self love that sets men to consulting with flesh and bloud but flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 That is a man not taught of Christ not made partaker of his divine nature and grace bearing only the image of the earthly Adam cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven When a man shall come to submit to Gospell Ordinances which are contemptible in the eyes of the world for which hee is like to suffer shame and disgrace here is need of self deniall O sayth the self denying Christian Let mee submit to Christ to every truth to every ordinance although I suffer losse in the world reproch and shame from my friends and acquaintance though I loose the love of my best friends whether father mother husband wife c. yet sayth the self denying Christian Christ hath sayd that who so loveth father mother wife or children more then me is not worthy of me and the love that CHRIST hath shed abroad in my heart by his Spirit Rom. 5.5 constraineth me to deny my selfe and follow Christ in all conditions 2 Cor. 5.14 Thus you see the self denying soul and none else is meet to be a Diseiple a follower of Christ hee is ready to take up the crosse daily and to follow him 4 Christ teacheth his to deny self sufficiency and self strength that so they may be able to hold out in the evill day when a day of adversity comes when a man is put to it eyther by his spiritual or temporal enemy Blessed are they then that trust in the Lord Psal 2.12 Men standing upon their own strength are gone Esay 40.30 The youth shall faint and be we ary the young men shall utterly fail that is those that apprehend a power in themselves to stand but Verse 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint If men stand upon their own strength they are like to fall Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall But they that see an insufficiency in themselves and trust upon the name of the Lord shall be as mount Sion that shall never be moved Psal 125.1 but abideth for ever Christ would have his work to be a perfect and fair work his covenant a sure covenant Esay 55.3 Therefore hee undertakes not only to bring men and women intocovenant but to keep them there Ier. 32.40 I will not turn from them they shall not depart from me sayth the Lord. But if Christ had left the power of standing to man hee might