persecuted and so will Christ deal with thy soule whoever thou art that cleavest as close to thy sins as thy skin to thy flesh he will fetch thee off from it if thou belong unto him The fourth particular propounded was the matter which Christ our Prophet teacheth First he teacheth man to know himselfe for it is life eternall to know God and Jesus Christ John 17.3 and therefore you shall ever finde men in Scripture appointed by Christ for the work of the ministry to preach the Gospel that is a crucified Christ Peter Act. 2.36 37. preacheth Christ crucified brings them to know that it wa Christ indeed whom they had crucified so Philip Act. 8.12 preacheth the truth that concerne the Kingdom of God and the name of Iesus So Paul 1 Cor. 15.3 preached that Christ dyed for sin according to the Scripture this is the first thing to be preached Christ and glad tydings by him and therefore surely this is the first thing that Christ effectually teacheth where he comes Object Must men be taught the knowedge of Christ before they know their own misery by reason of sin surely no man will accept of Christ unlesse they see a need of him Ans It is the sight and knowledge of Christ that brings men truly to see and know themselves Saul Acts 9. thought himselfe a very holy and happy man till he met Christ on the way and note Christ teaches him in the first place the knowledge of himself Who art the Lord sayth Saul I am Jesus of Nacaroth sayth Christ whom thou persecutest Christ did not tell him of his sin O thou 〈◊〉 accursed persecuting creature dost aske whol am thou haddest more need know thy selfe c. No no hee discovers himselfe unto him and this I am sure was Gods usuall dealing in the Gospel those whom he taught he taught them first to know Christ and this Christ our Prophet must teach thee if ever thou be taught it is not mans wisdom that will help thee to the knowledge of Christ See 1 Cor. 1.21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God all the wisdom in the world cannot teach thee to know God it may spoyle thee and undo thee but not help thee Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoyle you through Phylosophy that is through the wisdom of man mans wisdom may nay will if God prevent it not spoyle you for ever for there is no greater enemy in the world in it self mans corrupt nature so working with it to hinder man in the true knowledge of Christ then mans carnall wisdome and learning see Rom. 8.6 For the * wisdome of the flesh is death so the word in the Grecke is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the wise where is the Scribe c. Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world O take heed of resting upon humane wisdome arts and sciences they are dangerous things if the Lord prevent it not for a malicious devill and a deceitfull heart to deceive you withall Secondly Christ teacheth these whom hee teacheth to know themselves and that as I have sayd by a reflecting back upon themselves from beholding of Christ They come now to see themselves cursed lost creatnres and believe it every one whom Christ effectually teacheth hee teacheth them to know themselves to be poore lost and undonecreatures in themselves Thus Christ brings those Acts 2.37 from beholding of Christ to behold themselves and make them cry out Men and brethren what shall we do c. and so Saul Acts 9.5 6. after hee had seen Iesus I am Jesus whom thou persecutest c. and then hee sees himselfe a poore creature and comes trembling and astonished and sayd Lord what wouldest thou have me doe So if our Christ come hee will make you see your selves sinners with a witnesse and this thou canst never do savingly unlesse Christ teach thee Saul could persecute and think hee did well till Christ meets him and shews him his sin but hee could never see himselfe a persecutor till Christ taught him Saul perfecutes but he confesseth he did it ignorantly through unbelief 1 Tim. 1.13 So there are many that out of zeal are persecutors of Christ in his Saints but they do it ignorantly they are perswaded that it is their duty and that they doe God service in it as Christ himselfe foretelleth John 16.2 but I dare say as Saul sayd of himselfe it is through ignorance out of zeale thinking they doe God good service that it is their duty so to doe Did they know that in so doing they persecute Christ who indeed takes every wrong done to his as to himselfe I dare say they would not doe it but it is the power of Christ that must come upon their spirits before they can see it O men can hardly believe it tell such a man that persecutes and imprisons the Saints as did Saul that they persecute Christ they will not believe it they will be ready to say as Hazael 2 Kings 8.13 when the Prophet Elisha tels him what great wickednesse he should commit vers 12 What am I a dog that I should do this great thing so many men who are bitter enemies to the Saints ready to do any mischiefe unto them yet cannot be perfwaded that they are the men that persecute Christ What I such a dog to persecute Christ God forbid yet can and will persecute the Saints Beloved consider of it Christ takes any wrong done to them as done to himself Acts 9.4 Why persecutest thou Me 3 Where Christ comes in power he teaches men to believe this he taught when he was upon the earth John 6.29 This is the work of God that they believe on him whom he hath sent and verse 47. Verily verily he that believeth on me hath everlasting life Chap. 3.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned and verse 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life c. And this was it hee gave in commission to his Disciples to preach Mar. 16.16 17. To preach the Gospell to every creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and this Paul preached Acts 16.31 Believe in the Lord Iesus and you shall be saved c. and this Christ doth not onely teach to the care but to the heart also where he comes in power this he taught his Disciples Mat. 16.16 and Iohn 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art Christ the Son of the living God And this hee taught all that ever came to him effectually Acts 2.41 All that gladly received the word that is the truth held forth in the word the glad tydings of life by Christ preached in the Gospel and this is the work of Christ Heb. 12.2 the gift of Christ Ephes 2.8 Quest What is that Gospel faith Christ teacheth to his people Ans It is a believing of that record God hath given concerning his Son with a depending upon him for
the great commands of the Gospel Ans 1 Love is the great command and where true faith and love is there will be the effects of it 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfained This is both the beginning and end the first and last in the Law of the Gospel Love first God out of love hath given us a law wee out of love yield obedience to it James calls it the royall Law Jam. 2.8 If ye fulfill the royall law according to the Scripture thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyselfe 2 Now this love is manifested 1 To Christ 2 To the Saints 1 To Christ and that first in keeping his commandements Joh. 14.23 Jesus answered and said If a man love me he will keepe my words ver 24. he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings Love will cause those in whom it is to submit to Christ in every thing 1 John 5.3 This is the love of God that wee keep his commandements that is here in is our love to God made manifest in keeping his commandements Quest What are the commands of Christ to his children with relation to himself Ans His command is first love as you have heard 2 Obedience flowing from her this obedience is first to Gospel commands 2 In a Gospell manner 3 To Gospel ends First it must be to Gospell commands wee are to heare Christ in all things not Moses Act. 3.22 him shall you heare in all things c. believers are to receive every comand as from the hands of Christ John 15.14 Ye are my friends if you doe whatsoever I command you The first command that Christ requires of believers and that next after faith received is Baptisme Mar. 16.17 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved so likewise Mat. 28.19 Disciple Nations and baptize them this was the first thing in the commission to be submitted to and it was ever so in the Apostles practice which must be our pattern Act. 2.41 As many as gladly received the Word that is believed the truth of the Gospel and gladly received the Lord Jesus the summe and substance of the Gospel were haptized so Act. 8.12 They believed and were baptized both men and women so Act. 16. Lydia and the Goalar In a word this was the first duty that ever the Saints performed the first ordinance that ever they subscribed to after faith received in the Scripture there is neither precept nor president either to baptize before faith or after to teach faith or else after faith is received to neglect or slight baptisme it being a command of Christ love in the Saints compelling them to yield obedience to every ordinance of Christ for his own sake with an expectation of a farther discovery and manifestation of love and grace from God in his own ordinance in his own way Now I confesse there are many objections that by many are made against this truth who plead for and practice the baptizing of insants But because I have in another treatise indeavoured from the light of Scripture to cleare the truth and answer those objections I shall in this place passe them by onely by reason of our late conference I shall briefly touch upon these three Scriptures we then had in disputation The first is Act. 2.38 39. The promise is to you and to your children c. The Promise in this place was concluded upon that it was remission of sins and the gifts of the holy spirit hence was drawn this conclusion that the infants of believers found as large an interest in this promise as their parents and therefore ought to bee baptized Which I cannot but deny and assirme that the promise here was to the Iews as many as the Lord did call to their children as many as the Lord should call to the Gentiler afar off as many of them as the Lord should call There is a sound truth in the Scripture thus interpreted for God gave remission of sius his spirit all the good things of the Gospel to as many as he called both Iow and Gentile and so he will to the worlds end and indeed he never promised it to any other He that believeth on the Son hath life he that believeth not hath not life Joh. 3.31 If the promise of the Covenant of grace remission of sins and the goodthings of the Gospel had been to the Iews that beleeved and to their naturall seed it must then have been made good to them or else there was no truth in the promise but it was never made good to them for then they had not been apostated as they are to this day nay the Lord was so far from intending any such thing to the Iews that hee intended their rejection and casting off Rom. 11.15 neither was the promise to the naturall seed of the believing Gentiles but the elect of God both Iews and Gentiles obtain it Rom. 2.7 and God under the Gospel makes no difference between the seed of the believer and unbeliever with relation to their Generation but it is grace that makes the difference The second Scripture was Mar. 10.13 14. Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdome of God That which is hence inferred is that children are blessed that they are a part of the Church and therefore have a right to baptisme whereas it is very probable that those infants were brought to Christ to be cured of some diseases for the Text sayth They brought young children to him that he might touch them and he blessed them that is gave them the blessing they came for to wit health and cure and whereas Christ sayth of such is the kingdome of heaven that is of such qualified spiritually as those infants were naturally so Christ himselfe interprets it ver 15. Verily I say unto you whosoever doth not receive the Kingdome of Heaven as a little childe be shall not enter therein that is whosoever doth not receive the Kingdom of God both of grace and glory as a little childe that is humble and meek and teachable able to doe nothing himselfe but Christ is his all and in all he shall never enter therein so that Christ takes occasion from those little infants to discover a Gospel mystery a mystery indeed to naturall men Mat. 18.2 3. The third Scripture was that in 1 Cor. 7.14 The unbelieving wife is sanctified to the believing husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy Now it was first granted that the sanctification of the wife is but a civill sanctification shee is sanctified to his use that he ought not to put her away 2 This was granted also that holinesse is a fruit of sanctification then I say the fruit or effect cannot be greater then the cause the cause cannot produce a greater effect then it selfe the cause being onely a civill sanctification the holinesse of the children
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
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
through believing The second is in expecting that from those who indeed falsly have appropriated that title of Priest to themselves which they are to expect from Christ as namely Teaching O how have those men been and still are to this day set up as Christ amongst many people making their words their rule as if it were not possible such learned men might erre and I conceive it arises partly from the misunderderstanding of that Scripture Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Now this usually is applyed to the Ministers who have given themselves the title of Priests and that the people should seeke the law at their mouthes and indeed they themselves have done what in them lyes not only to bring people into this errour this ignorance but to keep them in it whereas Christ is indeed the alone Priest the substance of the lews type And the people are to seek the Law at his mouth for hee is the messenger of the Lord of hoasts he is called the messenger of the covenant Mal. 3.1 the alone Prophet and Teacher of his people Object But Christ hath appointed Ministers to teach his people are not the people to seek the Law at their mouthes Answ 1. Not by vertue of that Scripture for Christ is the alone Priest and there is none in that office beside him though it is true all the Saints are Priests and the Church a holy Priesthood 2 Wee are to receive nothing from any man as truth but what hee brings from Christ and therefore our duty is to try all things and hold fast that which is good We are men subject to errour and it is our duty to try the truth of what is delivered and not receive any thing because another sayth it but see whether the Lord hath said it therefore the Apostle sayth Gal. 1.8 If I or an Angell from Heaven teach you any other dectrine then that you have received hold him accused And the Noble Bereans were commended for searching the Scriptures to try if those things preached were truth Acts 17.11 If the Bereuns try the truth of Pauls doctrine by the Scriptures who spake by divine inspiration from Christ much more should you search and try the truth of things delivered and not build your faith upon any others word but the word of Christ your High-Priest who keepeth knowledge for you and hath promised to teach you Esay 54.13 The fifth and last ground of mens I meane still those that have some knowledge of God comming short of answering the rules of the Gospel is their ignorance in not understanding the difference between covenant and covenant God owned the lews as they were a body a Church under a covenant of works but the church of the Gospel under a covenant of grace It is true the covenant God made with Abraham Gen. 17. from the first verse no the fifth is a covenant of grace and by vertue of that covenant he promised to be 2 God to Abrahams naturall seed but he never owned Abrahams naturall seed in a covenant of grace if so then they must all of them have been saved for the covenant of grace is sure to those that were under it see Esay 55.3 it is called An everlasting covenant even the sure mercies of David Ier. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but will put my feare in them and they shall not depart from me But God never made such a covenant with Abrahams naturall seed nay the truth is that God never intended such a thing neither to Abraham nor any man in the world to make a covenant of grace with their naturall seed for God himselfe sayth of the Iews the seed of Abraham Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them shall be saved Esay 10.22 23. with Rom. 9.27 now the covenant under which God owns his church under the Gospel is an everlasting covenant Heb. 8.10 11 12. when God promiseth this covenant in Ier. 31.3 32. Behold that day is come sayth the Lord That I well make a new covenant not according to the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt which covenant they brake c. This covenant of works it was under which God owns the children of Israel as a church to which circumcision hath a relation therefore called a covenant Gen. 17.10 binding to to this covenant the Law Gal. 5.3 Rom. 2.25 Now there are two evils that usually flow from this misunderstanding of the covenant The first is this that seeing the covenants are one and the same under which God owned the church of the Iews under the Law and now owns the church 〈◊〉 Gentiles under the Gospel which 〈◊〉 is not so the conclusion is drawn that we must lay the foundation of Gospel churches and Gospel Ordinances in the Law and hence it is that men are so hardly drawn off from their legall principles we must have nationall Churches we must have infants baptized the ground ariseth from the Law because the Iews were a nation all church and their males were baptized O grosse legality Is not this to deny Christ to be come in the flesh 1 Iohn 4.3 Truly if it be not I confesse I am yet ignorant of what God intends in that Scripture O how hard it is to bring learned wise men to lay the foundation of their practice in the Gospel It is almost impossible nay I had almost sayd altogether impossible if God doe not mightily work to perswade them that Christ Jesus as a Son over his own house is faithfull in all things giving exact rules in every particular for the well ordering and governing of his house that is the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 and for the administration of every ordinance although Moses himselfe hath sayd Deut. 18.15 A Prophet shall the Lord thy God raise up unto thee of thy brethren like unto me him shall yee hear If the Lord 〈◊〉 you once to see that yee are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6.14 Then you will be contented to receive your rules from the hands of grace the Lord Jesus Christ A second evill that flows from hence is this many a poore soul for want of a cleer apprehending of the differēce between the covenān the one of works the other of grace are held under much slavish feare and legall bondage the poore creature lookes upon the law the covenant from Mount Sinay Exod. 19. 20. chapters Where is nothing but feare and dread and hence it is that no longer then the creature can worke can it have comfort and the reason is because it hath been ever set upon working out salvation not remembring that blessed word of truth Heb. 12.18
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
the earth they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living water O beloved will it not be a shame when men shall professe Christianity all their dayes when they shall hear and pray and performe duties resting in those things and when they shall come to appear before the Lord Jesus shall be rejected Esay 45.16 They shall be ashamed and also confounded all of them together that are makers of Idols that rest upon any thing beneath Christ wher 's the Lords Israel ver 17. shall be saved with an everlasting salvation c. and they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that shall never be removed Psal 125.1 4 Lastly to trust in any thing beneath the Lord Jesus is a cursed damning sin so it is to those that live and die in that condition see Mat. 7.22 23. Many will say in that day Lord Lord have wee not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works and then will he professe to them I never knew you depart from me yee that work iniquity O beloved this will be the sad sentence pronounced against all that shall come before Christ at the last day in their own righteousnesse see Luke 13.27 depart from me ye workers of iniquity there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 3 Use A word of exhortation If it be so that Christ be the alone High-Priest and peacemaker between God and man O how should this stir up your soules to look to Jesus for salvation doe not mistake me I shall not set you upon this duty as if it were in your own power to doe it it is God that worketh both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure but as a means by which God may come in with power upon thy spirit working up thy soule above thy selfe to his Son and to incourage any poor soule to whom God shall be plesed to come in graciously in his own means Note first God calls thee to look above and beyond all to himselfe in his Son see Esay 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth and Esay 55.1 O every one that thirsteth come buy wine and milke without money and without price wherefore will you spend your money for that which is not bread O beloved God would not have poor souls for which Christ dyed to spend their time for that which is not bread he hath given Christ the living bread for that very end and purpose God hath given his Son a Sacrifice a peace-offering for sin so making reconciliation for the sins of his people he hath put in us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ sayth the Apostle as though God did beseech you by us to be reconciled unto him that is to receive this reconciliation held forth by Christ in the Word O beloved what doe your soules say to this is reconciliation and peace with God through Jesus Christ worth the owning is it worth the receiving men and women consider of it Act. 13.26 Men and brothren children of the stock of Abraham and whosoever among you feareth the Lord to you is the word of salvation sent to whom ever among you God shall give an eye to see it and a hand to receive it to you it is sent 2 Consider Christ is ready to receive when ever you come unto him hee will not put you off John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out O beloved the Lord is ready to receive sinners the worst of firmers the greatest of sinners believe it the Lord never did nonever will cast forth a poore sinner that comes to him in truth that is who the Father draws to him See the Parable of the prodigall son Luke 15.20 his father seeing him afar off ran and met him and embraced him ô the readinesse of God to embrace poore sinners that come unto him witnesse Mary Magdalen Saul Acts 9. The betrayers and murderers of the Lord of life Acts 2. All which manifests the readinesse of God to receive sinners and believe it hee would never invite thee he would never give thee a heart willing to come to him did hee not intend willingly to embrace thee 2 Exhortation for the Saints if wee have such a High-Priest making peace and reconciliation for us ô beloved how should this incourage us to hold fast our profession to the end this is the use the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews makes of it Chap. 4.14 Having then such a great High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens the Son of God lee us hold fast our profession or confession let us hold it fast with a strong hand so the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold fast your profession with a violent or strong hand Now there are three things that are all most ready to make a poor Christian many times to throw away his profession 1 The power and strength of corruption 2 Inability and indisposednesse to that which is good 3 Those hard temptations and tryalls that they are lyable unto in their Christian progresse Against these three diseases will flow in from Christ our great High-Priest reamedies answerable even to the satisfaction of the soule The first is the power and strength of corruption this is that which troubles thee is it not poore soule ô thou hast such a body of sin such a vile cursed nature thou artready to cry out as the Apostle Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of sin And as Esay Chap. 6.5 Wo is me I am undone I am a man of polluted lips c. and this makes thee almost ready to throw away thy profession To this I shall propound a threesold remedy all flowing from a crncified Christ from Christ as he is our High-Priest 1 That all the sins of believers were condemned in the flesh of Christ Rom. 8.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth the pronouncing of guilt and so of condemnation upon Christ Beloved Christ hath born the guilt and punishment of all thy sins to whom hee hath given faith in his bloud all those lusts and corruptions that so much trouble thee he hath born them all 1 Pet. 1.24 Hee bare our sins in his own body on the crosse c. 2 He hath destroyed the power of all thy sins as hee is a High-priest See John 3.8.9 For this cause the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devill Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin that is as he is born of God he doth not sin willingly with his mind hee can say as the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sin that is I Paul borne of God do not sin O here is the power of sin destroyed though there is and will be the
comfortable words to assure us that those corruptions committed after faith shall be pardoned Heb. 8.12 for these sins are indeed contrary to the holy and pure nature of God but hee pardons them and now dost think that Christ would give his life and bloud for thee when thou wast an enemy to him and so reconcile thee to himselfe and Father and now when he findes sin and corruption in thee inabilities to performe holy duties c. which he knew would be in thee before doest think he will now reject thee and cast thee off no no he will not cast thee off do not think it nay know it that God expected no better of thee he knew that thou wouldest have a vain foolish minde full of passion pride and the like farther then he gave thee power to subdue it he knew that without him thou canst doe nothing Iohn 15.5 ô therefore be not discouraged look to the Lord Jesus thy High-Priest who hath reconciled thee when thou wert an enemy Rom. 5.8 9. But God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more now being justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath through him ver 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved 3 A Third thing that many times troubles the Saints it is those temptations and persecutions they are lyable to in this world for the name and sake of Christ For this I shall propound these five considerations as remedies all flowing from Christ our great High-Priest 1 Consider that he hath made the salvation of every believer sure Esay 55.3 The Covenant God makes with his people is the sure mercie of David I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David that is of Christ It is sure the devill may rage and men may rage but they shall never be able to prevail Mat. 16.18 The gates of hell shall not prevail c. Feare not hell thy High-priest hath the keyes of death and hell there shall not one soule goe in there more then Christ thy High-priest permits therefore feare not him that can imprison banish kill the body and cannot kill the soule but feare him that can kill both body and soule be not afraid to confesse Christ before men and devils they shall never be able to separate between God and thy soule see the confidence of the Apostle Paul and this was his comfort and this will be thy comfort Rom. 8.35 38 39. Who shall separate us from the love of God I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord true it is afflictions will come stormes and tempests will arise but you being founded upon the rock Christ Jesus shall stand see Mat. 25. The raine discended and the flouds came and the winde blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock a poor weak soule carryed out of it selfe to Christ built wholly upon him shall stand when perhaps some that have seemed to be far more glorious professors building upon the sand upon duties and professions shall fall 2 Consider that Christ thy High-priest hath gone before thee in every condition therefore it follows Heb. 4.15 He was in all points tempted like unto us yet without sin O how should the consideration of this helpe thee through thy temptations art troubled with sin so was Christ with thy sin yet himself without sin he was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 yea and a curse for sin too and that thou shalt never be Gal. 3.13 art troubled with the Devill with temptations it may be to pride to the world c. so was Christ Mat. 4. Art persecuted so was Christ art contradicted of sinners so was Christ Heb. 12 3. art mocked scorned set out at nought so was Christ John 8.48 52. art accused perhaps for an Incendiary or pervertor of the City of the Nation so was Christ Luke 23.2 They began to accuse him saying we found this fellow perverting the Nation 3 Consider that Christ hath not only gone before in the Saints sufferings whereby hee is sensible and feelingly sensible of all the Saints sufferings but hee goes with them into their sufferings Consider Christ will be as deep in thy affliction as thy self hee takes all as done to himself Acts 9. Saul Saul why persecutest thou Me. Christ wil go with thee into thy affliction Esay 41.3 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not over flow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt and Esay 41.10 Feare not for I am with thee what to do not for nothing I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousnesse and this you see verified Dan. 3.25 Acts 12.7 8 6.25 in all which Christ manifested his gracious presence both for support and preservation 4 Use Is a word of consolation beloved all the Saints consolation flows frō the manifestation of Gods love in Christ their High-priest Many are the consolations that issues forth to the Saints from this full fountain of grace all received in by faith a Christians justification which he receives by faith it comes in by the bloud of CHRIST Romans 5.9 Beloved it is Christ dying that is a Christians justification Rom. 8.33 and that is the reason why the Apostle is so carefull to make known a crucified Christ 1 Co. 15.3 Christ dying for sin because it was the first truth to be received for a sinners justification but now beloved supposing I speak to those that have received this dying Christ as their alone justification I shall rather passe this first particular and come to speak of the true effects of this receiving Christ and all flows from Christ as our High-priest The first is reconciliation and peace with God every man and woman that have indeed received Christ in a way of believing as they are justified so they have peace with God this is a truth the Lord helpe you to see it Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith wee have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ And this peace Christ hath made for us by his bloud Col. 1.20 And having made peace by the bloud of his crosse c. this is a sweet mercy a rich grace for a poore sinfull creature to be reconciled to and made one with the God of Heaven think upon it beloved is not this a ground of consolation now God has nothing against thee to whom he hath given faith in his Son although it is true the Devill hee
CHRIST The alone PROPHET of SAINTS CHAP. II. I Come in the next place unto the Prophetical office of Christ wherein hee is also in the dayes of the Gospell to be exalted In the handling of which I shall first shew you from the word of life That he is the Prophet and teacher of his people and secondly that hee is to be exalted in the days of the Gospell as the alone teacher of his people First that he is the Prophet and teacher of his people now for the better proceeding in the unfolding of this particular unto you I shall goe along comparatively holding forth the Prophetick office of Christ by the Prophets under the Law Now there were three things ordinary to the Prophets under the Law viz. Teaching working miracles and foretelling of things to come Now in all these three Christ answers them yea and excels them all for he himselfe is the substance of all their prophesies Iohn 1.45 1 It was the worke of the Prophets to teach the people so Moses a type of Christ both in respect of Law and worship God taught Israel by him so Esay 1 throughout Jer. 1.5 6 7 Chap. 2. and all the Prophets In this Christ hath manifested himselfe wonderfully to be a Prophet this part of Christs Propheticall office to wit as hee is the teacher of his people may be considered under these three heads First as hee was a teacher of his people before he came in the flesh Secondly When he was in the world Thirdly Now he is in heaven 1 before hee came in the flesh Christ taught them by the Prophets therefore you have ever the Prophets in the Old Testament saying The word of the Lord came unto me Jer. 1.4 Cap. 2.1 This Peter confirms 2 Pet. 1.20.21 For the prophesie came not in old time by thye will of man but holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit No Scripture is of private interpretation that is men did not speak of their own private spirits not that private men as they call them may not interpret Scripture there is no such thing in the word but the truth held forth to us in it is that holy men that writ the Scripture did not speak their own mindes their own fancies but spake as they were inspired by the holy Spirit and hence it is that upon good grounds we receive the Old Testament for Scripture because it is the Word of God But 2 Christ performed his Propheticall Office when he was in the World hee then taught personally Mat. 5.12 He teaches his Disciples in the Mount he teaches a very long Sermon the longest Sermon we read of in all the Gospel it continues to the end of the seventh Chapter Mat. 13.1 2. you have Christ teaching multitudes in a ship by the Sea shore hee continues his Sermon almost throughout that Chapter speaking to them in parables In John you have Christ often teaching in the third Chapter teaching Nicodemus in chap. 5 6 8 9 10. and almost in every Chapter you have Christ teaching the Jews But beloved in the third place Christ is still a Prophet to his people now he is in heaven which is the principall thing I intend to speak unto In the handling of which I shall indeavour First To prove from Scripture that Christ is still the Prophet of his people Secondly By what rule he teaches his people now he is in Heaven Thirdly The manner how he teaches Fourthly The matter what he teaches 1 That he is a Prophet still to his people now he is in heaven he never fails teaching his people he is still powerfully present with his people now he is in heaven Mat. 28.20 I will be with you to the end of the world hence it is that Christ sayth John 6.45 And they shall be all taught of God and Christ when he ascends promiseth to send the Holy Spirit what to do to teach his people Ioh 14.26 But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance and this is the new Covenant the Covenant of Grace Heb. 8.10.11 I will give my Laws into their mindes and write them upon their hearts and they shall all know mee from the least to the greatest for they shall be all taught of the Lord Esay 54.13 so that you see Christ is still teaching and leading his people as a Pophet in the way he would have them to walke The second particular propounded was by what rule Christ teacheth his people now he is in heaven and that is by his Word the word of God is the alone rule by which Christ teacheth his people now he is in heaven therefore he sayth Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me and Esay 8.20 To the Law and to the testimony if any speak not according to this rule it is because there is no morning in them Ob. But some may say this was before Christs ascension into heaven Ans True but the same rule holds still see it confirmed after Christs ascension Gal. Co 6. He that walketh according to this rule peace shall be upon him and upon the Israel of God Marke it he that walketh according to this rule peace shall be upon him c. Note first The Word of God is the rule of a Christians life and secondly they are to walke according to it see 2 Pet. 1.18 20. We have also a more sure word of prophesie wherento you doe well that yoe take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. A sure word of prophesie that is the Scriptures and note in ver 20. he confirms the Scriptures for that end Know this that no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit now the Scripture brings a sure word of truth It is that which ought to be the rule of the Saints in all their actions and believe it Christ never teacheh contrary to this Scripture If this be truth how may this reprove two sorts of people First those that cast off Scripture and refuse to walk according to it under a pretence of being lead by the Spirit and so above Scripture refusing to receive the Scripture as the rule by which Christ teacheth looking upon the Scripture as nothing to them It is a very sad thing that men professing Godlinesse should fall into such absurdities in receiving such principles as are destructive to the very power and being of godlinesse how can a man walke if he have no rule how can a man walke without his compasse his line he knows not when he is in or when he is out so it must needs be with those that cast off Scripture they cannot know when they walke according to the mind of God or when they
for their good the end wherefore he hath saved them That he might have a people to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1.74.75 So that the Saints are not their own They are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods They are Gods own by purchase and he purchased them That they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 10.11 Thus you see there is good reason that Christ should be King of Saints He was borne to it He is thereunto appointed He hath purchased them for that end and purpose Use A word of information if it be so that Christ be the King of his people and he alone ought to rule in all spirituall things then 1 Those that get in to the throne of Christ beare rule where Christ should are no friends to him He who ever he be That exalts himselfe above all that is called God and sits in the seat of God is the Antichrist 2 Thess 2.4 8. Whom Christ will take as his enemy and destroy him with the breath of his mouth and the brightnesse of his comming 2 Those are enemies who will not have Christ to reign over them who resolve to submit to the power of man in the things of God they are no friends to Christ but enemies and so he will take them and so he will deal with them Luke 19 27. But those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before mee c. Acts 3.23 And he that will not he are this Prophet shall be cut off from amongst his people 3 If the kingdom of Christ be spirituall not of this World then those are no friends to Christ that turn the World into Church I mean by a humane Law and Ordinance Let men turn the World into Church by preaching as fast as they can or as Christ will but to compell all to bring in earthly ignorant carnall men into the Church of Christ is not as according to the mind of Christ Ezek. 44.7 to the 14. and this is none of Christs Church but the Synagogue of Satan the World and not the Church And truly I am apt to conceive from that fore-mentioned Scripture that those that have been chiefe in this businesse who are godly amongst them shall never be honoured with doing much in the work of God but they shal come in last they shall be the meanest and the lowest I mean with relation to gifts in the house of God This may seeme strange to some but a truth for God will have none to glory in their own present gifts or excellency but that hee that gloryeth may glory in the Lord. Use 2. If the Kingdome of Christ be spirituall then here is a word of exhortation to stirre up spirituall people spirituall men and women to submit to Christ to come under the government of Christ to walk with to have fellowship with the spirituall people of Christ Beloved it is a sad thing to see spirituall people to walk with the World to joyn in the Worlds fellowship in the Worlds worship What communion hath light with darknesse What fellowship hath Christ with Beliall What part hath the believer with the unbeliever ô that the exhortation might take place in your souls Come out from amongst them and be yee separate and I will receive you 2 Cor. 6.17 The Lords people are a holy people and the Lords ways are holy ways Holinesse becomes thy house ô Lord for ever Use 3. A word of consolation and joy for the Saints the Church the kingdome of Christ you have cause of joy and cause of rejoycing First that you have such a king a great king above all gods hee that is the Lord of Lords and the king of kings hee is our king he is the king of Saints the Saints have such a king who is able to defend them able to save them from all their enemies and he will save them he is able to dash all his and his Saints enemies in peeces like a potters vessell and he will he shall do it Psal 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron and dash them in peeces like a potters vessel Be wise now therefore ô ye Kings and be instructed yee judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling kisse the Son least he be angry c. But let the Saints rejoyce in the Lord let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Sion be joyfull in their King Psal 149.2 2 The Saints have cause to rejoyce and to be comforted they are all made Kings to the Lord. They are Kings and they shall reign they reign already over sin and lust over Satan Rom. 6.12 Sin shall not have dominion over you others are slaves to sin and Satan sin reigns in and over them but the Saints reign over sin they have a Kingdom already within them without them the Church which is both Christs and the Saints Kingdom where Christ and the Christian solace themselves together and they shall have a Kingdom although they are now rejected and reproached of men Servants ride on horseback and Princes walke as servants on the ground Ecles 10.7 but they shall rule and have dominion they shall reign for they are made Kings Rev. 1.6 chap. 5.10 They shall rule their enemies those that perhaps formerly have ruled them Rev. 2.26 27. To him that overcommeth and keepeth my words to the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father Thus Christ shall judge thus the Saints shall judge Psal 149.5 6. A wonderfull comfort for the Saints but a sad word for the enemies both of Christ and Christians Let the Saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praises of God be in their mouthes and a two edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the people to binde their Kings in chains and their Nobles in fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgement written this honour have all the Saints praise the Lord Thus the Saints are made Kings you see and shall have dominion and rule and a Kingdom although they are rejected and slighted and counted the off-scouring of all things here by the men of the world yet they are Kings and shall have a kingdom A great joy for Christians Dan. 7.27 Luke 12.32 Lastly this should stir up the Saints to walk humbly to walk holily as becommeth the subjects of the spirituall kingdome of Iesus Christ that as Christ hath called them out of this world so they should no longer fashion themselves like unto this world but walk as becomes Christians professing godlines