THE SOVLES INGRAFTING into CHRIST By T. H. LONDON Printed by J. H. for Andrew Crooke at the signe of the Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1637. THE SOVLES Ingrafting into CHRIST MAL. 3.1 Behold I will send my Messenger and hee shall prepare the way before mee and the Lord whom yee seeke shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of the Covenant whom yee delight in Behold hee shall come saith the Lord of Hosts FOr the Preface two things are considerable 1. What wee have done 2. What wee will doe We have finished the scope of our endevour which was to shew how Christs Merits are applied to the Soule how it stands possessed of grace here and happinesse hereafter Now these two things must be wrought in the Soule before it can be made partaker of saving grace 1. A preparation 2. an Implantation A preparation there must be for a sinner naturally as he hath no grace so hee is not naturally capable to receive grace This appeares in 2. things 1. On Gods part he breakes the cursed Combination betwixt Sinne and the Soule hee drawes us from sinne to himselfe 2. Something on our part touching the disposition of our hearts and that in 2. workes 1. Contrition 2. Humiliation Now there was a necessity of these two to be in the Soule as wee then disputed for these are the two maine hinderances of our Faith 1. Security when the soule being blinded takes rest and sees no need to be better therefore desires it not hence naturall men thinke it Curiosity therefore the Lord sends in this worke and causeth us to know the misery of sinne and pierces our soules with it and so upon this we desire a change for else it sees it must be condemned 2. When the sinner thus sees his misery then he begins to scramble for his owne comforts that he may releeve himselfe hee will reforme sinne and doe superficiall duties and so thinke to make amends this is Carnall confidence thus many a man perisheth resting on these huskes for Meanes are not Mediatours and Services are not Saviours Now in the place thereof God discovers that there is sinne enough in the best services The Soule being thus plucked off from sin and from all his lusts and pared from his abilities renouncing all confidences and being nothing hee is fit for Christ to bee all in all unto him thus farre we have gone All this while the Soule is like the children of Israel partly wandring in the valley of Teares partly wildring in the desart of Humiliation Egypt was a Type of a mans naturall condition Moses a Type of the Law Iosuah a Type of Christ the wildernesse a Type of these two Now the soule having passed through all these is just upon the Coast of Canaan The soule is like a graft first it is cut off then pared and then ingrafted So Contrition cuts us off and Humiliation pares us The next Point is the ingrafting into the Lord Jesus the heart being thus prepared it is implanted into the true vine the Lord Christ Touching the worke wee will discover these 2. things 1. We will open it in generall 2. We will discover the parts of it What it is in generall our implantation into Christ is the worke of the Spirit whereby the humbled sinner stands possessed of Christ and is made partaker of the Spirituall good things in him 3. Things in the Description The humbled sinner for else nothing to doe with Christ stands possessed of Christ I use the word possessor because it is rather wrought upon the soule than comes out of any Principle in the soule Christ possesses him and hence hee comes to bee possessed Gal. 4.9 as if he should say It is not how wee can perceive him but how hee will know us Philip. 3.12 Still a man is more passive than active the worke lyes on Gods part The childe holds the father because the father holds him So we hold God because he holds vs. Hee is made partaker of the good things in Christ still the action lyes on Christs part wee worke so far as we are wrought on These two things are generall in all the workes of application 1. To be possessed of Christ 2. To be made partaker of the Spirituall good in him As in vocation Christ drawes the soule hee challenges more of him than the being possessed and the soule following him there is the spirituall good In Justification Christ layes downe a price there is the possession and withall the soule is freed from the guilt and punishment of sinne there is the spirituall good In Adoption Christ not onely cals a sinner and justifies him but adopts him and makes him of a sinner a sonne there is a nearer possession and he hath the privileges of a sonne there is the Spirituall good derived from Christ In Sanctification the Lord Christ by the power of his Spirit leaves a stampe of his Image grace for grace he is marked for his owne this is the further possession he is freed from the power of corruption this is the Spirituall good Thus in all we see the soule is possessed of Christ hee is partaker of the Spirituall good in him All this is done by Gods Spirit a graft cannot put it selfe into the stocke but the same hand that cut it off and pared it must ingraft it to the same Spirit that wrought Contrition and humiliation comes to bee the Spirit of grace and promise Now for the ground of our discourse wee have chosen this Text which is a Prophecie of Iohn the Baptist Wherein observe 2. things The words are spoken of Iohn the Baptist First Consider the worke of Iohn the Baptist he was the Messenger of God and was to prepare the way for Christ 2. We have the Consequence The Lord will suddenly come into his Temple We come to the point but before I can discover the severall particulars give me leave to open two words that so the doctrine may bee undeniable First what is meant by Temple 2. What by Christs comming into the Temple First the word Temple besides the naturall and literall sense of it it is also taken Mystically and Spiritually and so it is here to be conceived and then it implyes partly the Church of God I meane the company of the faithfull which serve God in uprightnesse of heart and as in generall all the company of the people fearing God are said to be the Church of God and his Temple so also in particular every man that is faithfull is the Temple of God 2 Cor. 6.10 Yee are the Temple of the Holy Ghost Looke as it was in the materiall Temple in Jerusalem the text saith the Glory of the Lord fell upon it and the Lord said he would abide there and reveale himselfe there so the heart humbled and prepared is the Temple of the Lord and the Lord takes possession of it and rules in it and will provide for it for ever Looke as a man dwels in a
house prepared for him so the Lord dwels in a humbled Soule Thus we have shewed what is meant by Temple What is meant by the comming of the Lord into his Temple as the Temple was Spiritually to bee conceived so is this comming By comming is here meant when the Lord comes to take possession of the Soule truly prepared observe it that the Lord Christ comes as a King therefore he hath a Harbinger before him hee hath one to prepare all things for him A King comes 2. waies first he takes soveraigne possession at the place where hee is If he come to a towne or to an Inne the Guests that tooke up the place must be gone so the Lord comes as a King he comes to take soveraigne possession of the Soule 2. All Kings bring furniture with them when he comes to a place his owne furniture must bee hung up So Christ comes these 2. wayes he takes full possession of the soule and provides mercifully for the soule Thus wee have the words opened and now the point is plaine enough The English of the text is this When Iohn the Baptist by the power of the Word and Spirit of Contrition and Humiliation hath laid the Soules of Gods servants humbled and willing to be at Gods dispose then suddenly and immediatly the Lord Jesus will come and hee will command as a King and take possession of an humble Soule and provide gratiously for it hee comes to the naked wals he brings his provision with him he cares for nothing but a Soule prepared and emptied and he will bring provision enough of Vocation Adoption Justification and Sanctification now we will gather the points as they lye Doct. 1 That the Lord Jesus cannot be hindred from comming into an humbled Soule Doct. 2 That the Lord Christ takes possession of the Soule as a King and will provide for it The first is that Christ cannot bee hindred from comming into a Soule truly humbled hee commeth speedily as who should say he layeth all other worke aside as though he cared for nothing lookt after nothing intended after nothing but how all might come into the heart prepared the wicked of the world he will not come at them though the rich crie he will not heare them though the honorable perish he will not looke after them but the Lord will come suddenly into an humble Soule nay to speake with reverence he leaves all Company he leaves Heaven and the blessed Angels he leaves all and onely desires to be in and to live with an humble broken heart it is the manner of the Phrase he comes suddenly as who should say he lets all alone he cares for nothing go he must and take possession of a broken Soule this is the cause that the Scripture doth not content it selfe in expressing the marvellous tender respect that the Lord hath toward such a Soule the delight the Lord hath in an humble Soule he will lie with a broken heart and dwell with it and sleepe with it he will suddenly come into his Temple Luke 15.16 We may see it in the father of the prodigall the prodigall he resolved to returne to his father and say I have sinned against Heaven and against thee c. the father he observes this that he is content to be at his dispose and hee lyeth at the doore and desires to come into his family though his condition were base and he was ragged the father he might say go to your Queanes let them comfort you if they can no the text saith hee saw him a farre off and hee ranne and had compassion on him and fell upon his neck and kissed him before the prodigall could speake a word or kneele downe he ranne and kissed him Observe here foure particulars He saw him a farre off and had compassion on him ranne to meet him and kissed him Hee never now remembers that he was riotous a whorer a drunkard that he had lavished out all his substance all this was forgotten but when he sees him come humbly and brokenly he saw him a farre off before the prodigall could see his father nay hee compassioned his wretchednesse before he could confesse it nay hee ranne to meet him more speedily than he could come to him and when the prodigall fell downe before him hee fell on his necke and kissed him before he could speake a word this Scripture doth not satisfie it selfe it cannot tell how to expresse the marvellous ready inlargement of the Lord to give entertainment to an humbled Soule and it is remarkable after the prodigall had said Father I have sinned c. Fetch out saith he the best robe to cover him and put a ring on his finger c. As who should say T is no matter for thy stubbornnesse and rebelliousnesse a prodigall thou hast been I care not for it bring this robe to cover him kill the fat Calfe to feed him and the ring to adorne him So Luke 15.4 A man that hath an hundred sheepe and one be gone astray he leaves there 99. and he goes seeking for that and when hee findes the stragling sheep though it cannot come home he takes it upon his shoulder and brings it home The lost sheepe is the lost Soule that is bee-wildred the Lord Jesus after all mercies vouchsafed to him and kindnesse enlarged towards him yet the lost sheepe will be stragling the Lord leaves all now to seeke him and marke the phrase and the degree thereof he leaves all to seeke it and will never leave till hee finde it he doth not seeke hourely but he seekes till hee hath found it when he hath found it he brings it home The Lord will leave all to seeke an humbled sinner the more need thou hast of Christ the more labor he will bestow in seeking of thee and he will never leave seeking till hee hath found thee and when he hath found thee though thou canst not goe he will carry thee upon his shoulders to everlasting happinesse This is to expresse the marvellous readinesse and bounty of the Lord towards a poore humble sinner Matth. 13.45 This is the scope of the Parable of the Pearle the text saith The Kingdome of God is like unto a Pearle which when a Merchant had found he seld all he had and bought it First we will open the text then apply it to our purpose The Pearle is nothing else but the rich Mercy of God and Grace and Salvation in Christ the Merchant man is every poore sinfull creature that wants mercy to comfort him and grace to pardon him for what is all the world if my Soule wants mercy well he knoweth where the Pearle is the bargaine is thus he must sell all and buy this Pearle Hee comes to Gods tearmes buyeth it at his rate and there is no more words this selling of all is when a man parts with all sinnes and confidence in himselfe then he hath sold all when he will neither trust to his owne
upon some stirring apprehension if I had that ability if my heart could so breake if I had such assurance then Christ were come You will not beleeve the King is come unlesse hee hug you in his bosome Thus wee judge according to sense not according to the promise of Christ who is blessed for ever It befalls the Soule as Iacob Gen. 45.24 Hee would not beleeve their word but when hee saw their Chariots then he was perswaded of it this is the frame of disconsolate spirits Wee have the word of God to confirme the presence of Christ unlesse you be Charioted with that ability as to triumph over all sinnes your spirits are not revived you beleeve not that Ioseph is yet alive your Saviour is with you When our eyes are held namely when the sting of Conscience seaâ—es or when the fiercenesse of temptation presses in or else when some worldly inconvenience sits close so that the thoughts of a mans heart are wholly bestowed upon that object the Soule cannot owne Christ though he were close by him A man that hath his heart swayed with sad meditations though hee meet with a man of his acquaintance yet hee would not know him So it was with the disciples looke Luke 24. vers 32. Did not our hearts burne in us as who should say there was testimony enough of a divine presence it was a Christ that spake but wee were not able to see it So when the soule is taken up with two hurries partly with temptation partly with worldly occasions it sees not Christ though the heart burnes towards him this is the ground why when Satan lets flie though wee propound never so many promises alwayes those perplexed Spirits forget what is spoken and their minde is only upon temptation They attend not Christ in the promise because their eyes are held though they be in their privie Chamber and may talke with our Saviour Psalm 13.23 The Lord Jesus out of our just desert doth hide himselfe Esay 8.17 Psalm 31.22 Now Christ hides himselfe in these three cases When the Saints fall into some foule grosse sin or else are at truce with some bosome corruption though but an infirmitie then God doth withdraw his presence for obedience is the tearme of Gods presence 2. Chron. 15.1 Hee is with us while we are with him If then the Saints breake company no marvell though Christ withdraw his society Iohn 19.21 This is the tenure of Christs manifestation provided wee love him but if not hee is gone Psalm 51. Create a new Spirit within mee as who should say all is to begin a new This God doth so shew his indignation against sinne hee will not beare nor bolster it no not in his owne and this God doth not only when they sin fouly but when they are at truce with a distemper though but an Infirmity as for example if a Christian be overtaken ordinarily with a cholerick distemper if a Christian be eager of the world or growes dead in services it is just with God that these men should be destitute of their comforts When the Saints of God grow wanton abusing the sense and sweetnesse of the feeling of his favour thereupon growing carelesse now God seeing a man abusing his goodnesse it is just with him to estrange himselfe from that Soule that hee may labour for his former strength againe Cant. 5.2 Psalm 30.6 The Lord hides himselfe by way of prevention as thus hee will not make some of his to apprehend his favour lest they should pranck up themselves in the privilege and censoriously contemne their fellow brethren but holds out the heart at the staffe end so much mercy as may serve his turne that hee may be a little comforted and yet humbled If the Father see the child grow proud hee keeps him upon dependance that he may have better obedience So God sees wee have unruly hearts and therefore keeps us upon dependance that hee may have more obedience Iohn 16.12 If there were high sailes upon a little Barke they would drowne it in stead of carrying of it So men proportion their sailes according to their Barke This is one maine ground why God takes away the sense of his favour The Sea is the world the Soule sailes about and a little gale carrieth it on but if it should have great sailes they would drowne it not that grace doth this the fault is not in the sailes but in the boat that will not beare c. So the fault is not in grace but in the Soule that cannot beare it This is the reason why many men have smoken out their dayes in sorrow and at their death have great assurance It was the speech of a good man that God will not alwayes give his servants a cup of Sack his meaning was hee would not alwayes comfort them the comforts of Gods Spirit are better than wine now much of this comfort with a proud heart would cause him to trample upon every man Therefore God keeps the cup to the last If while therefore God keeps us under hatches if while hee withdrawes his hand wee doe contend with the Almighty and often say why should I pray and God answers not heare and God accepts not if when wee are kept low and doe thus if then wee had what wee would certainly wee would turne our backs to the Almighty and say as they in Ieremy 2.31 Wee will come no more unto thee Therefore it is good for God to doe thus wee are not able to beare this saile else God would give it Vse 1 If this be so let every Soule take his part and portion All you stout disobedient spirits that will not obey the Gospell of God all hearts not broken and spirits not humbled I have nothing to say to you for the while But you that have any obedience of the worke of the spirit and grace in your Soules you that are now willingly conteâ—â—â—d and resolutely perswaded to give way to Châ—â—â—â— and breake open doore to a Saviour if there be any Soule that hides himselfe according to the former doctrine you humble broken hearted sinners goe your wayes with comfort and the God of heaven goe with you nay hee is with you hee will meet with you at home nay hee will meet with you in the mid-way what ever thy sinnes or miseries or wants be here is consolation yea abundant consolation to support the heart if thou beest a poore broken hearted sinner it is enough the Lord Christ will come into your soules and let then what will or can come the Lord Jesus will come and that suddenly But you will say So many are the sinnes that lye upon mee my corruptions like clouds come in upon mee all my oathes and drunkennesse all pride and loosenesse and vanitie and earthly mindednesse all my corruptions come in upon mee and the guilt remaines and they are not pardoned their horror remaines and I cannot get my soule pacified in the assurance of the forgivenesse of