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
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
it is the preaching of the Gospel that discovers it I give you these grounds 1 A man never savingly sees his evill condition without a Christ but it is the spirit of God that discovers it unto him this all that are sound in the faith agree unto then the preaching of the Law brings not this spirit see Gal. 3.2 This onely would I learn of you sayth the Apostle speak out of your experience received yee the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith Beloved God hath appointed his spirit to be the means in the preaching of the Gospel to convince the world of sin Iohn 16.9 It is the spirit of God that convinceth the world of sin and that in the preaching of faith the Apostle was once alive without the Law that is without the spirituall understanding of the Law but when the commandement came sin reigned and I dyed that is when Christ had opened his eyes to see into the spirit of the Law for you may see Act. 9.4 5 c. the ministry by which Paul comes to see himselfe is the voyce of Christ I am Iesus of Nazereth then Paul comes trembling c. so that it is Christ in the preaching of the Gospel which is glad tydings for sinners remission of sins for believers and this Gospel this glad tydings cannot be rightly held forth to the world but with all men must be shewed that they are sinners and the emptinesse of duties all other foundations must be discovered the danger of not accepting Christ c. this preaching of Christ and faith in opposition to all legall works and duties is the means Christ hath appointed to bring men to the knowledge both of himselfe and themselves it is true every man and woman without faith is bitten with the fiery serpent the fiery Law but are not sensible of it till Jesus come in the preaching of the Gospel to discover it unto them So that this is the reason why Christ is to be lifted up in the dayes of the Gospel that sinners who behold him may live This is the reason following my Text That whosoever believeth in him may not perish but have everlasting life this is the main reason of the exaltation of Christ that men believing may have life this is ever annexed to the preaching of the Gospel Mar. 16.16 Goe preach the Gospel to every creature he that believeth and is baptized that is whose faith produceth obedience shall be saved This is the reason of the Gospel preaching you see and this is the reason why Christ came into the world that men might have life through him John 10.10 for this end God gave him Ioh. 3.16 God had never sent his Son into the world had it not been that men by believing in him might have life and therefore hath Christ left this Ordinance of preaching in the world that men might be brought to believe and therefore those men are me thinks much beside the truth and the Gospel who pretend to hold forth Christ dying for all alike and yet deny the preaching of the Gospel the means by which God brings over the soules of men and women to believe Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Those who deny the preaching of the Gospel deny the meanes of working faith Quest But may every one that will believe Answ Every one to whom God gives faith to believe may and shall believe for faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 and God works faith by the preaching of the Gospel and this is the maine end of the exalting and lifting up of Christ in the Gospel that men by believing in him may have life and therefore is he to be lifted up as the serpent upon a pole above all things all duties creatures legall performances any thing that the creature may rest upon beneath him Thus you see beloved the truth cleered that Christ is to be exalted in the dayes of the Gospel Use Generally three 1 A word of Examination 2 Of Exhortation 3 Of Consolation 1 A word of Examination and that is double 1 For our selves in particular what say you to this Hath Christ been lifted up in your soules above all things hath he had the preheminence above all he who is indeed above all and in all and through all Have your souls seen Christ the chiefe among ten thousand and is it still so with you are you satisfied with him as the wife with her husband lying down in the bosom of love content with him and him alone seeing and enjoying all comfort and consolation in him Is Christ exalted in your soules as your alone Priest and atonement your peace-maker with God or else doe you look upon any thing beneath Christ as the ground of your peace I feare me the Saints live too much below Christ and that is the cause of so much sadnesse of spirit resting upon duties and legall performances they deprive themselves of much comfort they might otherwise enjoy 2 Is Christ exalted as your alone Prophet to teach you are your eyes upon the Lord Jesus in all his dispensations expecting teaching from him Is Christ exalted as King in thy soule submitting to him in all things yielding uniuersall obedience to him and that out of love submitting to all his laws and statutes 2 Examination Whether Christ have been thus exalted in the Kingdom in the Nation as they desire to stand to him under the relation of a Church as their Priest Prophet and King and in all these it would easily appear that he hath not been thus exalted he hath not been exalted the alone Priest and atonement indeed and in truth but in word and shew but duties preparations and qualifications have been held forth with him and that none but those thus fitted and qualified might in any case believe First bringing men to the Law and then to Christ which is a legall way and not evangelicall it is true the Jews were first brought to the Law and then to Christ but under the Gospel men are first to bee brought to the Gospel to Christ and then to duties of the Gospel for all preparations and qualifications whatsoever which is not of faith is sin and I am sure faith comes by preaching of the Gospel not of the Law Mar. 16.16 17. Therefore the preaching of qualifications and preparations before faith is sin for all things before or without faith is sinne 2 Hath Christ been received as the alone Prophet to teach hath his Word been made the rule of all actions submitting to him in all things Act. 3.22 23. any way Judge of the truth of it 3 Hath Christ been exalted as King to submit to him as the alone law giver of his Church of his people hath not man been submitted unto hath not man sate in the feare of God making laws and constitutions of their own compelling all thereunto as once Darius made a Decree Dan. 6. That all that should
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
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
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
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
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
tast of the excellencie it shall one day enjoy in Christ Quest Now what is it that bears up the soule in this condition how doth the soule live in the want of this full enjoyment of God Answer 1 By faith he can look upon God as having a relation to him God in Christ is my God sayth the soule and I shall one day enjoy him I shall one day see him and for ever be satisfied in the beholding of him this quiets this satisfies the believing soule it is content to wait upon God hee that believeth maketh not haste It is in this case with the believing Christian as with a loving and tender wife her desire is always to live in the enjoyment of her husband but when her husband is absent far away from her it may be shee receives now and then a comfortable letter from him wherein shee sees a glimpse of his love and reads his letter and wil have as much fellowship with him in his letter as shee can shee will look to every word every sentence and note what expressions of love shee can finde there and then shee is cheer'd and comforted I have a letter from my husband sayth the loving wife wherein he lets sorth a caste of his kindnesse and love unto me O here are sweet words of love of a tender affection But sayth the wise this is not all hee will come home unto me at the time appointed and I shall enjoy him and this is that which most of all cheeres up the heart of the wife my husband will returne at the time appointed Thus it is with the beleeving Christian nothing lesse then the enjoyment of God can give satisfaction to the soule that hath once rasted of him but beloved the Lord Jesus the souls beloved is gone as far as any hee hath only espoused betrothed the soule to himself he hath reserved the full enjoyment that the beleeving soule shall have in him till another world only hee discovers this his love le ts forth a glimpse of his glory into the souls of the Saints and then the soule having once tasted of God how good how gracious the Lord is then nothing but the full enjoyment of Christ can satisfie Now the Lord Christ hath left his word here for his beloved to have recourse unto and there he hath made known his love and his heart to his poore people and now the soule that longs after Christ hath recourse to the Scripture and there searches what Christ hath said when the soule meets Christ in the Scripture then it is cheer'd then it is comforted here is a blessed word sayth the soule Christ is my all and in all though I cannot come to the full enjoyment of him and then the believing soule will to ordinances preaching and the Supper of the Lord fellowship and communion of Saints get what it can of Christ meet with her beloved every way God hath appointed for that purpose but still this is the great support my beloved will come at the time appointed he is gone to receive for himselfe a Kingdome and he will return and I shall enjoy him in his fulnesse in his perfection and here the soule lives and waits patiently here the anchor of hope is cast and holds the soule close to the Lord Jesus living by believing what it shall one day enjoy Heb. 11.1 2 That which the gracious soule longs after is a full and perfect freedome from corruption it is that body of sin that burthens the Saints that is it makes them cry with the Apostle Paul O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from this body of death and the gracious soule could well be contented somtimes to embrace death that it might be freed from this body of death under which God is pleased for ends best known to himselfe to exercise his children under Now what is it bears up the Spirits of the Saints in this condition it is this the believing of this that they shall one day be rid of this base proud deceitful heart a day is comming when I shall change this vile body of sin and I shall be made like unto the glorious body of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.21 I am already justified and so made a Son a daughter of God and this I know I shall one day be made like unto him 1 John 3.2 This is that which cheers the heart of a Christian many times when it is in a low condition when put to a stand in the beholding of those base haunts of heart that it findes within it selfe when perhaps it is put to a stand in the beholding of it O sayth the soule what I after so much experience of Gods love so much faith in the name of Jesus and have such a base heart such a thought for wickednesse the Christian is somtimes put almost to a stand here but then he comes to consider God is wise and he is pleased to exercise me under this body of sin to keepe me in a continuall dependancie upon himselfe and this is my comfort I shall one day be rid of all these enemies of mine and I shall one day enjoy the Lord Jesus in his holinesse and in his glory When Christ which is my life shall appear then shall I appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 and in this case the believing soule lives in believing what it shall one day enjoy namely freedome from sin glorious liberty even the glorious liberty of the Sons of God 3 The Saints of God are subject to afflictions and reproaches while they are in this world so Christ sayth Iohn 16.3 In the world yee shall have tribulation It is true Christ hath prepared a Kingdome for them but they are not like to enjoy it in this world I mean that Kingdom of glory although it is true they enjoy much of God here in this Kingdom of grace The Kingdom of God is within you But the Saints here are liable to persecutions and afflictions now the beleeving Christian lives in beleeving it shall one day bee freed from those hard things it suffered here free'd from evill men and I shall one day have a Kingdom sayth the soule Thus Paul comforts himselfe 2 Cor. 5.1 2 Tim. 4.5 6 7. and this was it with which Peter comforts the scattered Jews 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. They were begotten to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled reserved in heaven for them and this was the ground of that exhortation to constancy to the end in time of affliction Rev. 2.10 Be faithfull to the death and you shall have a crown of life Thus Christians have I indeavoured both from the light of Scripture add the light of experience to hint out briefly unto you a taste of the Christians living by faith and this Christ teacheth all those whom he effectually teacheth Heb. 10.38 I might proceede to other particulars namely that Christ teacheth us to own him as our Priest as our King it is Christ our Prophet indeed that
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
teacheth us all things that we rightly know we know nothing as we ought to know farther then Christ Jesus by his Spirit teacheth But I proceed to the next particular propounded in the office or work of a Prophet namely to work miracles this the Prophets before Christ did Moses a type of Christ and the great Prophet of Israel work't many miracles when the Lord sent him to deliver his people And this hath Christ our Prophet done and doth to this day this hee did when he was in the world turning water into wine raysing the dead to life restoring those borne blinde to sight c. and this be still doth Christ our Prophet is ever working miracles The conversion of a soule is a miracle it is the changing of the nature and it is above nature to doe it to raise a man from the dead to life is a miracle and this Christ doth to every soule who is indeed raised Ephes 2. the 1. and 5. verses compared ver 1. and you who were dead in trespasses and sins ver 5. Even when wee were dead in sins hath hee quickned us c. now to quicken to give life to a dead soule is a miracle and this Christ doth ordinarily and hee gives sight unto blinde men it was a miracle for Christ to give sight to the man that was borne blinde beloved every man and woman in the world is borne blinde spiritually blinde and this is a greater miracle to cure such yet this is the ordinary work of Christ and every man naturally is both blinde lame and deaf but Christ when he comes he opens the blinde eyes he un-stops the deaf eares he causeth the lame to walke and the tongue of the dumb to sing Esay 35.5 3 The Prophet did foretell of things to come Moses and the rest did fore-tell Christ c. and so did Christ in many particulars Mat 24. but I passe this also 2 Christ is to be exalted Prophet in the dayes of the Gospel see Act. 3.22 23. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you him shall you hear in all things Use 1. To examine if Christ have been thy Prophet When Christ comes first to the soule he findes men dead and gives life unto them he findes men blinde and gives sight unto them Hath the Lord discovered thy dead condition unto thee and given thee life art borne from above That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and thou wert borne flesh dead in trespasses and sins hath the Lord changed thee from a state of death to a state of life from a state of infidelity to a state of believing thou wert blinde thou wert borne blinde not able to see into spirituall things 1 Cor. 2.14 Hath the Lord opened thine eyes canst say I was blinde but now I see I was dumb but now I speak ô this is worth your consideration Use 2. A word of consolation to the Saints whom the Lord Jesus hath taught what is the comfort you will say 1 He will for ever be thy Prophet and will be ever teaching thee Thou shalt hear a voyce behinde thee saying this is the way walke yee in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left the Lord Jesus will be for ever thy Prophet he will never fail thee nor for sake thee his eye shall ever be over thee for good he will direct thee in all thy wayes and is not this a mercy 2 He hath made all the Saints Prophets he hath powred down a spirit of Prophesie upon them that now they are enabled by the spirit of prophesie to speake one to another for edification exhortation and consolation 1 Cor. 14.3 and therefore the men of the world might hence be warned to take heed how they meddle with the Saints to persecute them for they are the Lords Prophets 1 Chron. 16.22 Touch not mine anointed doe my Prophets no harme Christ takes every wrong done to them as done to himselfe therefore you had need look to it for it is that which will work your ruine in the end THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST The alone KING of SAINTS CHAP. III. I Come to the Kingly Office of Christ Christ is the alone King of his people believe it Christ is the alone King of his people Christ is a King and hee hath a Kindome Psal 45.6 His Kingdome is spirituall it is not of this world although it is in the world Christ hath a twofold kingdome here in this world there is the kingdome within the Saints and the kingdome without the one in the heart the other in the Church they are both spirituall 1 Christ rules and reignes in the Saints the kingdom of God is within you beloved Christ hath a kingdom within you if ye are his Christ is in you except yee be reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 And this is a priviledge more then all the Kings in the earth have they may reign here over their subjects but not in them but Christ first reigns in them then over them he reigns I mean spiritually over none but those in whom he reigns Now Christ reigns in the souls of the Saints first opposing all things that are contrary to himself there are other Lords that will seeke to rule in the hearts of the Saints if Christ subdue them not the Devill hee will seek to be Lord he that is the God of the world and rules and reigns in the hearts of the children of disobedience where Christ doth not rule but when the Lord Jesus coms he dispossesseth him and casts him out and so keeps him out The Devill will make many a strong assault throw many a fiery dart at the soule of the Christian endevouring if possible hee can to shake his hold but Christ he is the King hee is the watchman the keeper of Israel hee giveth in power to the weak fainting soul to overcome all those Laws and Edicts Satan shal endevour to set up in the soule so that now the Christian espyes all Satans plots and artificiall devices to trap and ensnare him rejects all his temptations and says as Christ Get thee behind me Satan when the Devill acts and works in others he hath no power over the soule where Christ reigns it is true hee may throw in his darts sometimes make assays eyther to tempt to some evill or to shake the faith of Christians but Christ the King reigns there still conquers him subdues him and so caries on his own work that the gates of hell cannot prevail against that soul where he dwels Thus Christ reigns keeping under Satan beleeve it beloved Christ and Satan cannot reign both in one soul 2 Christ opposes the power of sin in the soul where he reigns sin bears a strong sway in the soul now Christ he opposeth it sets himselfe against it hence it is there is such a strong opposition between the flesh and the spirit that is the spirit of Christ the spirit Iusting against the flesh the flesh
that the name of God be not blasphemed among the Gentiles And likewise how doth it concern you who are members in the kingdom the Church of Christ to carry on the kingly office of Christ in his Church with majesty that so all things may be done in order that so confusion and disorders may be avoided and that every member in particular submit to order and for that end to ordaine officers according to rule the want whereof I conceive is one means of confusion in the Churches and causeth some to breake from all order so much briefly concerning the offices of Christ In all these he is to be exalted now in the dayes of the Gospel Mat. 28.18 19 20. Acts 3.22 23. Now I come to my text for the manner how he is to be exalted as in the preaching of the Gospel and in the hearts of his people in his offices so in my text Hee is to be exalted and lifted up even as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse Now it is true this might have some relation to his lifting up upon the crosse John 12.32 33. and I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto mee now John interprets it in the next verse this hee spake signifying what death hee should dye so that Christ was lifted up upon the crosse chap. 8.28 so hee is still to be lifted up a dying a crucified Christ for sin But he then was and still is to be lifted up as the Serpent was lifted up in the wildernesse First there was the lifting up of the Serpent with the manner of it above all the people 2 The cause of it that whosoever was bitten with the fiery Serpent might look to this brazen Serpent and be cured 1 The lifting up of the Serpent with the manner of it Numb 21 8 9. And the Lord said unto Moses make thee a fiery Serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to passe that every one that is bitten when hee looketh upon it hee shall live verse 9. And Moses made a Serpent of brasse and put it upon a pole and it came to passe that if a Serpent had bitten any man he beheld the Serpent of brasse and lived Here was the lifting up of the Serpent in the wilderness he was lifted up upon a pole above all the people to the end that all that were bitten might behold him so Christ is to be lifted up he is to be exalted above all as the Serpent in the wildernesse and that either in the world or in the Church in the World so hee is to be exalted in the preaching of the Gospel in the view of all above all that so men may come to the view of him and in the Church that so Christ may still have the preheminence 1 He is to be exalted above the world or any creature O how doth the world prevail amongst men nay too much amongst Christians but where Christ comes hee sets the soul above the creature 1 John 5.4 5. Whosoever is borne of God overcommeth the world and this is the victory that overcommeth the world even your faith who is he that overcommeth the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God It is the cleere sight and apprehension of the Lord Jesus that sets the soule above the world the more the soule enjoys of Christ the more it slights things below thus Christ is to be lifted up both in the preaching of the Gospel and in the hearts of the Saints 2 Christ is to be lifted up above duties and all legall righteousnesse thus the Apostle lifts up Christ both in preaching and in his own soule he preached Christ and him onely 1 Cor. 1.1 2. I desire to know that is to make known nothing but Christ and him crucified Christ as the alone justifier of all that believe Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ so that he is just and the justifier of all that believe in Jesus ver 26. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to all that believe Rom. 10.4 Christ justifying believers from all things from which they could not have been justified by the Law of Moses act 13.39 and thus is Christ to be lifted up in the view of all Mar. 16.16 God preach the Gospel to every creature and thus is Christ to be lifted up above all and every name that is or may be named under heaven wherein men usually rest and deceive themselves for There is none other name given under heaven among men whereby we may be saved Act. 4.12 2 In the hearts of the Saints Christ is to be lifted up above all duties legall righteousnesse or any thing that may be named all in the soule of the Christian is laid down as emptinesse nay as dung and drosse at the feet of Christ and the soule glories in nothing else but Christ and him crucified thus Christ is to be exalted and lifted up as upon a pole as the brazen Serpent above every thing or name that may be named under heaven Quest What is the reason that Christ is thus to be exalted Answ 1 Because God hath exalted him and lifted him up for that end and purpose Phil. 2.9 God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name c. God hath given to Christ a high transcendent name a name above every name the name of a Saviour and there is no salvation to be attained without him The desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 That the desire of all his people in every Nation might be to him as the desire of the wife to the husband The King of his people men may come and bow and fall down and worship before him God the Father hath set him up as the ensigne to whom the Nations must come Esay 11.10 as the common Saviour and Gouernour of all Gods elect 2 Christ is to be lifted up that so men may have life by him the serpent was lifted up that whosoever was bit with the fiery serpent might live for the Lord sent fiery serpents amongst the Jews in the wilderness for their sins as you may see Numb 2.6 7. who bit them that they dyed and this was the end that whosoever was bit with the fiery serpent might looke to the brazen Serpent and live Now I am apt to conceive that the fiery serpent holds forth the Law for I finde the Law called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 From his right hand went a firy Law and the brazen Serpent holds forth Christ Now as the fiery serpent did bite the children of Israel for their sin in the wildernesse so the Law who hath nothing but fire in it bites men and when they are bitten of the Law they are to look to Jesus Object It seems then that the preaching of the Law is that prepares for Iesus Answ Nay it is not so for although all men are under the law by nature yet