Iustification and Life 1 It is a believing of the report God hath given concerning his Son that is that he is the Son of God Mat. 3.17 the son of man God and man Rom. 1.3 4. Col. 2.9 That he is a mighty God the everlasting Father the prince of peace Esay 9.6 That he came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 To save them from their sins Mat. 1.23 and from all their enemies Luke 1.71 This is the record God hath in Scripture given concerning his Son and faith is required to believe it John 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himselfe he that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believed not the record God gave of his Son that is to believe that he is the Christ the Auointed sent of God and fitted for the work to save sinners ver 1. with ver 11. This is the record that God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Son 2 Faith is a dependancie upon this Christ for life flowing from a sensible apprehending of all that fulnesse that is in him John 6.68 When many Disciples went from Christ Jesus said to the twelve Will yee also goe away Simon Peter answered and said Lord to to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the living God marke here is the Apostles faith We believe thou art the Christ thou hast the words of eternall life therefore whether shall we goe but to thee If all forsake thee yet we cannot whether shall we goe Here is faith when a soule believes indeed Jesus to be the Christ the Sonne of the living God and there leaves it selfe sees no way or means else in the world of help but sticks close to the Lord Jesus in a way of dependancie and this none can doe but by the power of God see Mat. 16.17 Jesus answered and said unto him blessed art thou Simon flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven and none can call Iesus the Lord but by the Holy Spirit c. 1 Cor. 12.3 Now the fruit of this faith is Obedience where ever Christ works this faith it produceth obedience Rom. 1.5 By whem we have received Grace and Apostleship to the obedience of faith so is the word in the Greeke Faith is a working grace it is not idle where it is it worketh by love Gal. 5.6 Circumcision availeth not nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Christ is ever teaching a believer and hee receives this teaching by faith which worketh by love and constraineth the soule in whom it is to submit unto the teachings of Christ which still is according to Scripture as you have heard Quest What doth Christ teach a believer after he hath given him faith Ans Christ teacheth many things to his Disciples which they receive by faith and they may be called in some sort the fruits of faith because by faith we receive them and submit unto them but they are indeed the fruits of the spirit which Christ our Prophet giveth to his people Gal. 5.27 but I shall confine my selfe in the discovery of the teachings of Christ to the Saints under three heads The first is Selfe denyall 2 Universall obedience 3 To live by faith The first is self-denyall and this Christ teacheth in the first place where he comes I mean to a believer for self-denyall is a fruit of faith how can a man deny himselfe till hee sees somthing out of himselfe worthy thy of his love See Christ teaching this lesson Luk. 9.23 If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up the crosse and follow me Christ teacheth his Disciples to deny whatsoever is of flesh in the creature Now there are ten things in selfe which Christ teacheth his in some measure to deny and to lay all down at his feet There is 1 Selfe sinfull 2 Selfe righteous 3 Selfe wisdome 4 Selfe glorying and boasting 5 Selfe profit 6 Selfe pleasure 7 Selfe love 8 Selfe will 9 Selfe strength Selfe sufficiencie 10 Selfe ends First Self sinfull or sinfull self now it is true that it is in it self all very sinfull whatsoever is of self is sinfull But for the more cleer opening of this grace of self-deny-all I branch it forth under these heads the first is Sinfull self where Christ is hee teacheth men thus to deny themselves they cannot sin willingly see 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remayneth in him and he cannot sin that is he cannot sin with a mind to sin he denies his sin he loves not his sin therefore he is able to say It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me as the Apostle Rom. 7.17 and therefore he is ever at enmity with his sin and lusts the grace of God teaching him to deny them Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodlines and worldly lusts we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world The grace of God manifested in the Gospell teacheth men that rightly receive it to deny themselves to deny all ungodlines and worldly lusts believe it this is the grace of the Gospel it is not as some pretend a Gospell of liberty to sin but such grace as teacheth men to deny sin who-ever he be that takes liberty in sin under a pretence of grace certainly it is not that grace that brings salvation that teacheth men to deny ungodlinesse and sinfull lusts that teacheth them to live soberly in respect of themselves righteously towards men and godlily towards God This is the effect of the grace of the Gospels Saul a persecutor shall be so no more Zacheus an oppressor shall be so no more it makes a separation between a man and his lusts and between man and his sinfull courses as Job 40.4 5. Behold I am vile and what shall I answer the I will lay my hands upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no farther So when once the grace of the Gospel comes then it makes a man lay down all sin and lust whatever it be as Saul Acts 9.4 5. once have I spoken but I will proceed no farther perhaps once I have been a persecutor yea twice but I will proceed no further once I have been light vain prodigall walked unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ yea twice but I will proceed no further this grace teacheth men to deny ungodlinesse 2 There is righteous selfe that is in selfe apprehension though it is true none can doe good and the best actions out of Christ are but filthinesse yet such a disposition there is in nature that is ever apt to have high thoughts of it selÃe they that know
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
Being of corruption So 1 John 1.18 If wee say we have no sin we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us now consider beloved is not the power of fin destroyed in thee Dost thou not looke upon it as thine enemy wouldst thou not be rid of it O that is thy desire why then be not dismayed it is the condition of all the Saints to have sin raging in them Christ hath destroyed the power of sin it shall not reigne over you Rom. 6.14 3 Christ thy High-priest will have thee to live in and upon him out of and above thy self therefore he is pleased to let alone in the Saints A prick in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet them he will have thee to fetch all from himself Col. 3.3 For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God dead to sin and dead in your selves not able to act or do any thing but as you are carried on by the power of God John 15.5 Without me you can do nothing Christ is and will be all and in all to your souls Col. 3.11 If all sin in the Saints were subdued and they made perfect in this life I mean pesonally perfect otherwise they could not live by faith upon another so should not be in a dependencie upon Christ this was Adams condition and he quickly lost it but it is the wisdom of God and it is much for our good to keep as always in a dependencie upon himselfe where our stock remains for our life our consolation our salvation it is all hid with Christ in God and therefore it is sure although we have not the full enjoyment of it in this world God keeps his people always in a way of believing and so causes them to live by faith and when they are made meet for such a way namely perfection perfect freedome from all sin that is when Christ shall change their vile bodies and give them glorious bodies then they shall be made like unto Christ but not before Phil. 3.22 Iohn 3.2 O consider of it I beseech you brethren you would fain be glorified in a state of mortality what need of faith then this is one end why God gives faith unto his people that they might live comfortably in their patient expectation of what God hath promised Heb. 10.35 36. Chap. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things not seen not seen with a carnall eye not enjoyed-after a carnall manner but eyed by faith and expected by hope and so comfortably waited for Esay 28.16 He that believeth maketh not hast therefore that which you and I have to look to is this whether Christ be ours whatif there be lust and corruptions if thou hast Christ he is thy life 1 Iohn 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life if thou hast the Son thou hast life he is thy life and in him it is thou art to live he it is that is thy fulnesse thy all and in all The second thing that troubles the Saints is their inabilities to performe duties O thou canst not pray without sin thou canst not performe any duty as thou wouldest and shouldest thou canst say as the Apostle When I would doe good evill is present and for to remedy this consider and bee sure of these two things 1 That Christ hath done all for thee so that thou art not to look to thine own righteousnesse that righteousnesse that is of the Law but the righteousnesse that is of God through faith Phil. 3.9 What doth trouble thee poor soule ô thou canst not pray that troubles thee Why considerfirst Christ hath trayed for thee Iohn 17.9 and certainly he was heardin all things that he prayed for his Prayer stands effectuall for every believer to the end of the world 2 He by his spirit makes intercession in thee Rom. 8.26 with sighes and groans which cannot be expressed 3 He makes thy prayer acceptable presented in his name Ioh. 16.23 Whatsoever yee shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you look upon Christ thou shalt see him performing all righteousnesse for thee that art in thy self unrighteous doing all for thee that canst do nothing for thy selfe he hath prayed for thee that canst not pray nay he doth still breath in by his spirit into thy soule sight desirings groanings and somtimes expressions and then accepts of his own work is thee 3 What ever thy weaknesse is he passes it by and pardons it see Micah 7.18 19 20. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth the iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his people thou maist think God hideth his face from thee when thou seest thy Iusts to be strong and prevailing but he will turn again he will have compassion on thee he will subdue thine iniquities c. see the Covenant of grace that Covenant which Christ hath purchased with his blouse Heb. 10.29 see Heb. 8.12 For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sins and their unrighteousnesse will I remember no more thou art afraid thou art so dead so unprofitable so unlike Christ that he will not own thee but be assured it is a part of the Covenant of grace in the administration of it to pardon all thy sins 1 Iohn 2.2 If we sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous who is a propitiation for our sins Christ is thine advocate to plead thy case look to Christ who is thy propitiation thy peace Object O but I have a cursed wicked nature there is nothing in it that is good I cannot pray nor performe duties certainly now Christ hath shewn mercie to me and made a difference between me and the world he expects somthing at my hands answerable to his mercie Ans 1 It was the condition of the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing thou hast nothing that is good in thee it is true no more had the Apostle Paul When I would doe good evill is present c. thou canst not pray nor performe that good thou wouldest no more could the Apostle v. 19. for the good that I would doe I doe not that is I doe it not as I would doe free from sin from corruption evill is present O this is thy case I know it is and this was the case of the Apostle Paul it is my case and shall be thine while thou and I live in this world 2 I answer Christ Jesus knew very well before ever he gave his life and bloud for thee a Sacrifice for sin that thou wouldest have a cursed nature a disposition in thee to that which is evill even after he had manifested his love unto thee he knew that thou wouldest not be able to pray or performe any duty without sin nay he never intended it should be otherwise with thee or me while we are in this world and that is the reason he gives us such
must be the same so that now under the Gospel the believer may lawfully keepe the unbeliever whether husband or wife and their children whereas under the Law if a Iew marryed with an idolatrous Gentile he was to put away both wife and children Ezra 10.3 but under the Gospel there is no such thing unlesse the unbeliever will depart 2 After faith and baptisme the will and command of Christ is that his people should yield obedience to all his comands indeed he doth not onely command it but gives power there is a power goes with the commands of Christ he is the King of his people he gives laws and statutes and withall gives in abilities to doe what he commands Christ knows that without him you can doe nothing John 15.5 the will and commands of Christ is that his people should be holy is all manner of holy conversation the will of God is their sanctification 1 Thes 4.2.3 For yee know what commandements we gave you by the Lord Iesus for this is the will of God your sanctification to abstain from sin to ver 7. and the reason is rendred ver 7. For God hath not called us unto uncleanuesse but unto holinesse God hath not given his Son to redeeme men that so they might live in unclean unholy ways he doth not call them to fellowship with himselfe and one with another that so they might take their pleasures in the world in sin no no God calls his to holinesse and therefore the Apostle Peter sayth It is written be yee holy or yee shall be holy as I the Lord your God am holy 1 Pet. 1.16 And he that hath this hope purifieth himselfe even as Christ is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 And the Apostle Pauls exhortation answers this command Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service and be not conformable to this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your mindes c. that is seeing God hath renewed your mindes let your bodies your externall walkings be made conformable to Iesus Christ and not to the world O beloved holinesse becomes the Saints especially holinesse becomes the houshold of Saints the Churches of Saints the Church of Saints is Gods house 1 Tim. 3.10 his dwelling place Psal 132.13 14. and holinesse becomes the Lords house for ever and it is the love of Christ that constrains the Saints thus to walk Quest But is it not the Saints duty thus to walke Ans Yea without question it is their duty Gal. 6 16. He that walketh according to this rule peace shall be upon him but they are to performe this duty of holy walking out of love therefore Christ sayth If yee love me keepe my commandemenst Iohn 14.15 none hath to doe with the commands of Christ but those that love him which love flows from faith for faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 A second command of Christ is love the Saints which was the second thing I propounded in the manifestation of love It is first to Christ Hee that loveth not the Lord. Iesus let him be accursed ver 17. These things I command you that yee love one another And a new commandement give I unto you that you love one another as I have loved you Quest Why is it called a New commandement seeing it is not new but the same that was from the beginning Ans 1 It is New because given a new by Christ and so are all the commands of Christ given a new and are new commands given to a new people to wit believers Mose's commands were given to all the whole body of naturall Israel Christs to the whole body of spirituall Israel the Saints None else hath to doe with any law as it comes from Christ but are still under the Law as it came from Mount Sinay 2 It is new in respect of the nature of it which is double 1 as it flows from Christs love to us 2 It must be the same as Christs love was to us ever as I have loved you and as this is the speciall comand of Christ so it is the property of the Saints that the grace they receive from Christ causeth them to doe it the love of Christ constrains them Therefore the Apostle thanks God for the Colossians Col. 1.3 4. For the increase of their faith and love to all the Saints Where faith increaseth love increaseth for faith increaseth love to Christ and love to Christ increaseth love to the Saints For my more cleer proceeding in this particular I shall endevour from light and truth to discover unto you first what love is 2 the excellent properties and effects of this love 3 the manifestation of this love 1 What love is Love is an affection of the soule carried forth after and setled upon something from an apprehended worth and excellency in the thing this I conceive to be love whether it be spirituall or naturall whether set upon a good or bad object for it is not possible there should be true love but where the soul apprehends something worthy to be beloved First the understanding goes forth and takes a view of the object presented if the understanding so apprehend any worth or excellency in the object presented then the affection of love is let forth upon it and is not satisfied without the enjoyment of it Hence it comes to passe that when the understanding is truly enlightned and the judgement rightly informed the affection is carried forth and setled upon a right object but if the understanding be corrupted and blinded and the judgement misinformed the affection of love is carried forth after and set upon wrong objects When the understanding is so blinded it apprehends an excellency in the world in pleasures in sin c. for believe it it is the blindnesse of mens understanding usually that causeth men to love sinfully So on the contrary when Christ is presented to the view of the soule the understanding by the power of God is enlightned and comes to apprehend in some measure that excellent worth that is in him the affection of love goes forth after him and desire is not satisfied untill it enjoy him Thus it was with the Spouse in the Canticles chap. 5.10 My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand and hence it is her love is so drawn forth after him that shee seeks him and is never satisfied till she find him vers 6. she is sick of love after him chap. 2.5 and this love unto Christ carries forth the soule in love to the Saints for the sake of Christ where it sees the Image of Christ the same love where with the soule loves Christ it loves the Saints 1 Iohn 4.20 21. That it is the command of Christ and the property of the love of God where it is shed abroad in the heart to carry forth the soul in love not only to
Christ but to the Saints you have heard 1 John 5.1 Every one that loves him that begate loveth him also that is begotten 2 I come to the excellent properties and effects of this love 1 With relation to Christ 2 To the Saints 1 To Christ 2 It refuses to receive satisfaction in any enjoyment beneath the Lord Jesus A soule truly enlightned in the excellency of the knowledge of God in Christ refuseth to take content and satisfaction in any thing that comes short of Christ It is true there may be many turnings and windings in the heart and the profits and pleasures of the world shall be presented as Satan presented them to Christ and duties and creatures and performances gifts c. and thus Satan can and often doth present himself like an Angell of light and that to the Saints too they that know any thing of God know it if possibly he could hee would delude and cheat a poore creature but the soul truly loving Christ will not be thus cheated and deluded by that old Serpent he must have Christ nothing lesse will satisfie him A living child may be quieted awhile with a bable a counter or ratle which is nothing but folly but in conclusion it findes by experience the emptinesse and vanity of such things then casts away all and nothing but bread will satisfie him So it may be with the soule the living Christian it may receive some content in duties and prayers for a time but in the conclusion it comes to see the emptinesse of these things and then nothing but Christ will content him When a soule truly loving Christ comes to see how he hath deluded himselfe in mistaking Christ thinking that he hath had Christ when indeed he had nothing but the externall ordinance visible forme which is indeed the shell without the kernell ô then nothing lesse then a Christ will satisfie ô give me Christ sayth the soule or else I die Christ in every ordinance it will not take ordinances and duties for Christ any more but now the soule must enjoy Christ in ordinances Christ in preaching in praying in the Supper of the Lord nothing gives content to the soule but Christ O this is the excellent quality of true spirituall love to the Lord Iesus Hence it is that the spouse in the Canticles Cap. 3.12 so earnestly seeks her beloved shee could take no rest untill shee had found him ver 4. and then shee holds him and will not let him goe This is the property of love it soars very high flies aloft like the Eagle and why because God in Christ is its object and where the dead carkesse is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Christ is the alone object of faith and love and to him all true beleevers come in him shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Esay 45.25 onely note this that the soule comes by faith to enjoy him whom the soule loves A second excellencie of love to the Lord Jesus is It is quieted and satisfied in the single enjoyment of Christ the soul that hath Christ hath enough it can say as Jacob It is enough Ioseph my son is yet alive so the believing soule whose heart is truly inflamed with love to Christ for his own excellencie it hath enough it is content now to lose all as the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.7.8 He accounts all things but losse yea dung that he may win Christ This is the excellencie of the grace of love to Christ it carries the soule above the world above creature or any thing beneath Christ it desires nothing but Christ 1 Cor. 2.1 It gloryeth and rejoyceth in nothing but Christ Gal. 6.14 and him crucified If it have the world so it is if not it is contented it is quiet in any condition if it enjoy all things I mean in the world yet Christ is the summe of all if it want all things yet in Christ it enjoyes all so the Apostle as having nothing yet possessing all things so that now the soule that believes in and loves the Lord Jesus knows how to be abased and how to abound that is it know how in that lowest condition to live satisfied upon Christ and it knows how in the highest condition to live also upon Christ it can doe all things through Christ that strengthens it Phil. 4.12 13. Doe you not see on the contrary men that have no love to the Lord Jesus how they let forth their hearts upon the creature they live upon the creature take away the world from them you take away their life but the man that loves Christ hath enough in the enjoyment of him what ever befall them in the world they can say as Christ I have meat to eate that yee know not of John 4.32 the Lord Iesus is the Saints meat and drinke they live upon him and are satisfied with him The third property of love is It slights all hardships and sufferings that it meets withall for the name and sake of Christ Nothing can quench this love many waters cannot quench it many flouds of affliction cannot quench love when others that love not the Lord Jesus but themselves and their own ease start and are affrighted at the reproach of Jesus as at some strange apparition when the soul that sees spiritually that looks not at things that are seen that is at the outside of things which carnal eys only see but at things that are not seen that is at the outside of things which carnall eyes They hence go cheerfully slighting persecutions being perswaded that nothing can make a separation betweene Christ and their souls glorying and triumphing in the crosse of Christ being not only ready to suffer reproach but death it self if the Lord call them to it for the name and sake of their beloved Thus you see the excellencie of this grace it carries the soule sweetly out to Christ it lies down in the bosome of love and there it is satiated there it is satisfied there it hath enough there it lives and there it dies yet with him it shal for ever live ô the admirable excellencie in this grace of love it makes hard things easie and bitter things sweet it lives upon that others canot see no not never shall see unlesse the Lord open their eyes it rejoyceth in that others dread it takes that for a crown that others count shame it makes their hearts to leap for joy in the beholding of those things that makes others faint and fail 2 I come to the excellencie of this grace of love in and to the Saints for that is the great thing we have now in hand the excellencie of the grace of love among Saints among brethren 1 It is of a knitting nature it knits or bindes up the soules of the Saints as one it makes them to be of one heart and of one minde What is the reason of such divisions amongst Saints but the want of love this grace of love is
to take the shield of faith a sheeld is for defence so this faith both defends and resists the Devill Quest But how doth faith overcome Ans It ever hath an eye to the foundation Christ it knows the foundation standeth sure and so it turns over the devill the false conclusion that the devill and the heart is ready to make together to Christ and now the soule sayth it is true Satan or it is true heart I am base I have a vile cursed nature I cannot pray nor performe any duty as I should sin is in my best action I confesse I am in my selfe as bad as man or devill can make not a worse heart in the world more subject to evill farther then God restrains it more unable to doe good farther then God inables and what of all this Satan I know there is enough to condemne me for ever were I to answer in mine own person for my selfe but Christ hath been condemned for me Satan he hath borne all my sins and so my condemnation and he hath made himselfe over to me so that now thou must first have something against Christ before thou canst shake my hold and thus by faith flying to Christ the soule overcomes the enemy but if the soule cannot thus have recourse to the Lord Jesus he is gone when the tempter comes he is not able to resist Then sayth the beleeving soule it is true Satan I have a proud self seeking heart ready ever to take that honour to it selfe that is due to God but it is as true that I may thank thee for it who hast thus metamorphozed my nature and made it like thine own and not onely so but commest in and ever stirrost up the heart to pride and selfe-seeking knowing well by experience that it is a sin that much provokes God but this is my mercie God lets me see into this depth of wickednesse and it is my burthen but Christ hath freed me from the power of it and from the iniquity of it hee is ever subduing it in me and one day I shall for ever be freed both from it and thee thus by faith the soule overcomes the devill this is the first particular wherein the Christian comes to liue by faith in the exercising of it according to the manyfold occasions it meets withall 2 To live by faith is a living upon Christ in the want of all things and that both externall and internall 1 Externall in the want of outward things when the creature is tripped naked and bare brought even to a morsell of bread then to live in beleeving the Lord will care for you when that you are brought to Christs condition that you have neither house nor home nor any thing in the world besides a Christ besides a God to live upon then when thou canst get a promise as that Heb. 13.5 He hath sayd I will not fail thee nor for sake thee and stick close to the Lord Jesus in such a promise this is a living by faith when the creature fails Hab. 3.17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vine the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no therd in the stalls Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation This is to live by faith when all creatures fail then to live upon God then to rejoyce in the Lord believing that God is able and will help the Lord will sustain The want of this faith was Israels sin Psal 78.18 19. they spake against God and sayd Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse how is the deceitfull heart of man ready to distrust God in such a condition as those Jews can God prepare a table when all is gone but faith in such a condition believes and lives by blieving and the Lord will care for moe sayth the soule and the Lord hath sayd it The lions shall luck and suffer hunger but they that wait upon the Lord shall want nothing that is good This is a hard thing it is easily sayd but not so easily done you thinke it is easie perhaps to live by faith while you have a house a calling that brings you in money perhaps every day or every week or money by you or land c. you can live comfortably upon Christ and your calling upon Christ and your house or land but let all be taken from thee see then how then canst live this may be your condition and then you will be put to the tryall 2 Spiritually when the soule hath nothing of its own to rest upon when duties and performances and all is gone then to believe and live by believing this is to live by faith indeed upon this ground the soule believes Rom. 4.4.5 He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnesse he that worketh not he that cannot performe one acceptable duty in way of righteousnesse but sees all is nothing yet believes in Christ and so lives by believing this is the constant stay of a believer he eversees his own emptinesse the untighteousnesse of his best actions I say to believe in and to live upon Christ in all such conditions it is to live by faith above duties and performances but how doe many a professing man and woman comfort themselves in the performing of duties in their inlargement in duty and the like but when they fail in this then they call all in question again this faith was not right for they thinke they believe because they can pray and meditate c. when indeed the soul that rightly believes doth believe because he cannot pray nor act or doe any thing that is acceptable and therefore he cannot live by faith but when that power he has to performe duty fails his faith and all fails this is not to live by faith yet this hath been the life of most professours in this Nation 3 A living by faith it is to live by beleeving of what the soule shall one day enjoy and this mightily bears up the spirits of the Saints And this we may take notice of under a threefold consideration 1 That which the gracious soule longs most after is the full enjoyment of God nothing lesse can satisfie the believing soule the soule that hath tasted how gracious the Lord is O sayth the Soule when shall I come to the full enjoyment of my God and so the seule groanes as the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.2 earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with the house from heaven and the reason is ver 7. for while we are here we walke that is live by faith and not by sense while we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord that is absent comparatively with relation to what it shall be for the soule has but a glimpse of glory but a
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
aske any Petition of God or man for thirty dayes should be cast into the den of lyons so men set up themselves their own decrees and compell unto it this is not agreeable to the Kingly dominion of Christ Christ hath not been exalted King it is true there hath been a name of Christ but that is all the power of Christ in all his offices hath been rejected and the truth is that the generality have been wholy legall fetching rules from the Law from Moses and so denying Christ to be come in the flesh Legall churches Nationall as the Jews legall Covenant of works made with the Jews taken away to us that believe Heb. 10.9 legall preaching setting up of works with Christ when the Apostle sayth Hee that worketh not but believeth c. Rom. 4. 4 5. Legall Priests the very title and legall maintenance tythes but they that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel Legall administrations I mean after legall rules circumcision and the like legall prayers and duties to make peace and atone ment legall laws and institutions compelling all to one worship persecuting the contrary minded because the Iews did so thus beloved hath the men of this and former Generations both in this and other Nations raised up Moses from the dead and put his laws in execution under the name of Christ and so in deed and practice deny Christ to be come in the flesh although in word they acknowledge him the Lord open their eyes that they may see farther into the mystery of the Gospel In a word Christ hath not been exalted as the brazen serpent upon a pole above every thing all duties prayers ordinances in the hearts of men and that hath caused so many as I cannot but judge gracious soules to goe with sorrow to their graves ever kept in a way of working under a legall bondage no longer pray and be spirituall in duty no longer comfort as if a Christian lived by prayer preaching and ordinances no no beloved they live above these upon the Lord Jesus by faith not that the Saints should not make use of these but not live upon them Christ is the Christians life and so far as he communicates himselfe in these to the Christian he hath cause of joy but if he deny himselfe there for the tryall of the soule it is to let him see the emptinesse of all things without himselfe and to cause the Christian to live by faith for we live by faith and not by sense 2 Cor. 5.7 But enough of this here onely let the Saints who are delivered out of this bondage this spirituall Babylonish confused captivity give God the Glory Use 2 A word of Exhortation to the servants of Jesus in all things to exalt and lift him up to lift him up in preaching in their hearts in their obedience to him that Christ may be all and in all to your soules that you give up your selves a holy living acceptable sacrifice to God that you who have taken his name and truth upon you exalt him as your alone Priest Prophet King in your conversations that yee may be such as become the Gospel of Christ holy humble full of love to all as much as in you lyeth do good unto all but especially to the houshold of faith that so your light shining before men they may have cause to glorifie your father which is in heaven and that gain-sayers may be convinced by your godly converstion Beloved if you seeke the lifting up of Christ above all then certainly your care will be to live a Christ-like life while you are in this world 3 And lastly a word of Consolation for poor sinners Christ is to be lifted up in the dayes of the Gospel that men by beleeving in him might have life by him what doe you say to this is there ever a soule present that wants faith and is sensible of it that wants life Christ came to give life he is lifted up now in the days of the Gospel for that very end and purpose that dead men might have life by him O is not here mercy here is a way made whereby sinners may become Saints slayes may become sons Here is a fountaine opened for sin and for uncleannesse if the Lord help your soules to wash there What say your souls to this is there ever a poore creature bit with the fiery serpēt with the sense of the evill of sin O here is a Christ lifted up for that very end and purpose that poore self-destroying sinners may come to him and live Esay 45.22 looke to me and be yee saved all the ends of the earth O here is blessed newes a blessed word for sinners if the Lord give you hearts to make use of it Christ excludes none to whome he gives a heart to receive him is it not a mercy that God hath provided an object for dead soules to looke upon and live Truly beloved it is the richest mercy in the world where God gives a heart to accept it Here is discovered the blessed condition of the poore despised Saints O they are in a saved condition those to whom Christ hath given faith O they have cause to rejoyce overmore they have cause to be filled with Joy and peace Joy unspeakable and full of glory What if they are reproached and persecuted for the name and sake of CHRIST their Saviour their Husband their All in the delight of their soules yet they are happy and they shall never perish but they shall one day be freed from all these enemies and when Christ who is their life shall appeare they shall appeare with him in glory that Christ who is lifted up high in their hearts in their souls here will lift them up one day as high as himselfe in glory above devill above men above sin and set them with himself where they shall enjoy pleasure without sorrow felowship without mixture and sing prayses and Halelujahs without end FINIS