sinne as the only Prince of Peace sweetly and powerfully ruling in the heart of man and graciously reconciling God and man as the only beloved Husband marrying himselfe to man as the only precious pearle in whom is all the treasure of the soul of man as the only rocke in whom is all the strength of man and by whom man is supported as the only rich and royall roabe by whom mans sinne is covered and the soule of man justified and as the onely fountaine in whom man meets with fulnesse of satisfaction and where Christ is thus revealed there he liveth This Revelation of Christ in man ministers life and comfort unto man 5. Christ beginning to live in man doth very powerfully and graciously change and reforme man he doth cause his Gospell to come to man not in word only but in power also humbling man breaking and bruising the stony heart plowing up the fallow ground of mans heart making it of barren to become good ground causing the choisest plants of his grace and fruits of righteousnesse to grow there Christ doth not onely proffer his grace and stirre up good desires and purposes but he infuseth supernaturall qualities of holinesse into the soule of man he makes him a new creature causing old things to passe away and making all things become new he puts not a forme but a power of godlinesse into man he dyes the heart in graine with grace and holinesse he makes him a living man indeed for his life and power of grace for his unfained love to God for his burning zeale for God for his gracious progresse in the wayes of God for his sweet and blessed delight in God and for his full and through conformity to the will of God Christ causeth his Spirit to come upon him mightily as it came upon Sampson inabling him to overcome the Devill the world and his owne corruption as the Spirit inabled Sampson to overcome the Lyon transforming man into the Image and likenesse of God not as the Devill transformed himselfe into the Image and likenesse of Samuel remaining a Devill still but as Christ turned water into wine graciously changing the qualities of man making him of a dead a living man of proud humble of ignorant wise of obstinate soft and tender hearted of prophane holy of cold fervent of barren fruitfull of weake and impotent untoward and indisposed he makes him strong and able apt and ready to every good duty and this is the manner of Christs living in man CHAP. XXIII DOth Christ live in man Then the life of a Christian is the most noble and honourable life of all others the life of sensible creatures is more excellent then the life of vegitive creatures the life of reasonable creatures is more excellent then the life of sensible the life of man is more noble then the life of beasts but the life of spirituall and sanctified persons is more excellent then the life of reasonable creatures the life of a true Christian surpasseth the life of man as farre as the life of man surpasseth the life of beasts Saul was in stature head and shoulders above the residue of the people The life of grace is head and shoulders in dignity worth and excellency above all other lives this is the life of Christ a living of Christ in man and as Christ is infinitely more excellent then man so doth this life exceedingly transcend the life of man called the life of God in regard of the cause efficient God working it by his holy Spirit in regard of precept God commanding it in regard of approbation God accepting and approving it in regard of noblenesse and dignity as the life of God is more excellent then the life of the creature so is this life the most honourable sweetest and choysest life communicable to any creature and in regard of likenesse with God holy and gracious resemblance of God he that lives the life of man is like man participates of the nature of man he that lives the life of grace is like God is made partaker as S. Peter speaks of the divine nature not in respect of essence but in respect of holy and gracious qualities hee that lives the life of grace commeth nighest unto God participates most of Gods fulnesse and hath nearest and sweetest communion with God of all persons And this life is indeed a very honourable and noble life 1. For the Originall of it it is not from nature but from grace not from man but from the Spirit it is the Spirit that quickneth It is a beame from the brightest Sun even Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousnesse I saith Christ am the bread of life come downe from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever It is a streame from the highest and purest fountaine the Spirit of grace becoming in the soule of man a well of water springing up into everlasting life 2. In regard of the nature of it a spirituall life a life of holinesse and righteousnesse a life surpassing the life of nature as the Sun the Glo-worme as the Vine the bramble and they that live this life are said to walke in newnesse of life Having a new-birth being borne againe and having new principles and qualities put into them by the Spirit of God the Lord according to his promise putting a new heart into them their soules being renewed and changed not in substance but in qualities framed a new after God in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse made new creatures and leading a conversation pure and unblameable in the sight of God and that life which is most full of grace and holines is of all lives the most noble and glorious 3. In regard of the rarity of it few men live this life the whole world as S. John saith lies in wickednesse dead in sins and trespasses as the old world lay drowned in the deluge only Noah and his Family a few persons lived in the Arke it is but a little remnant one of a city and two of a Tribe as the Prophet speakes that live this life Strait is the gate and narrow is the way saith Christ which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it A godly person is a rare jewell God dispenceth the life of grace only to his chosen Christ in the dayes of his flesh raysed not all the dead to life but onely a few one now and another then thus Christ in the day of the Gospell doth not quicken all but a few one here and another there the number of them that professe themselves Christians is indeed very great but the number of them in whom Christ lives is very small the greatest part like the Angell of the Church of Sardis having a name that they live and yet are dead the outward forme and shew of Christianity is very frequent but the life power and practise very
empty of God a stranger to God an enemy against God Christ is the Jacobs ladder by whom God cometh unto man and man ascendeth unto God God is knowne as a Father of love God is beleeved in as a king of mercies God is felt and tasted as the fountaine of grace and goodnesse only in and thorough Christ Jesus He that knowes not Christ working the life of grace and holines in him is under the death of sin and hath no cleare knowledge no comfortable remembrance no blessed taste and feeling no honourable and soul-ravishing apprehensions of God no delight in God no comfortable communion with God we discerne and apprehend God loving mercifull and gracious onely in and thorough Christ working in us the life of true holinesse mans thoughts of God are more or lesse joyous and delightfull according to the measure of Christs working within him CHAP. XIX THe second thing in these words is an agent or Author and that is Christ Christ liveth in his Saints he is the worker of this life the life of Gods children hath a very honourable originall it is not from a naturall but from a spirituall seed the life of nature is farre inferiour to the life of grace Life communicated by earthly Parents is an unworthy life in respect of that life which Christ doth minister unto us a life which goes not by generation but by regeneration a life communicable by no creature dispenced only by him who lives of himselfe and gives life to others at his pleasure according to S. Pauls open profession that Christ lived in him was the authour of the life of grace to him shewing us That Christ is the Authour of spirituall life to all Gods children he raised the body of Lazarus to a bodily life he rayseth our soules to a spirituall life he quickens whom he will he hath power to quicken all his will is to quicken only some when he was on earth he could have raysed all the dead to life yet he raysed but only a few thus now he hath power to quicken all men to a spirituall life but his will is to quicken only some such as God the Father hath chosen to salvation Christ saith S. John hath power over all flesh that he should give life to as many as God the Father hath given him all that partake of the life of grace derive and borrow the same from Christ who is the way leading the truth enlightning and the life quickning unto life everlasting and the Apostle saith our life is hid with Christ in God as the life of the branch is hid in the root and Christ is called our life by S. Paul and our life or the authour of spirituall life he is in us by way of Revelation he opens and shewes the way to life without Christ we are all in darknesse and the shadow of death and no man knows the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reveale him Our life he likewise is by way of meritorious impetration he hath purchased life for us Our life by way of originall the life of grace is originally in Christ and from him communicated unto us Our life by way of opeâ—ation he quickneth us by the powerfull worke of his Spirit And our life by way of conjunction he unites himselfe communicates himselfe and all his benefits to us as the Prophet applyed himselfe to the woman of Shunems sonne and raysed him to life And that Christ is the Authour of spirituall life to Gods children is apparent 1. By mans alienation and estrangement from the life of grace without Christ the branch without the root the body without the soule hath no life man without Christ is a withered branch a dead carcasse dead in sinnes and trespasses twice dead and plucked up by the roots and it is in Christs hand alone to quicken him Lord said Peter to our Saviour whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life the word revealing promising and working life in all that are ordained unto life 2 By Christs ordination and appointment to minister all things to Gods chosen the fullnesse of light is dispenced to the ayre by the Sun fulnesse of water is dispenced by the Sea unto the earth the fulnesse of Aegypt was dispenced to the people by Joseph the fulnesse of God is dispenced to the soules of men by Christ Christ is the Sunne by whom they are enlightned the root by whom they are enlivened the Store-house by whom they are enriched the fountaine by whom they are replenished they are blessed with all spirituall blessings in Christ God convayes all in mercy unto man thorough Christ nothing proves a blessing unto man but what he hath by vertue of his conjunction with Christ there is no relation of love and peace betweene God and the soule of man but only in and through Christ Jacob and his sonnes found favour with Pharaoh only for Josephs sake Christ is the only Medium of mans favor and acceptance with God he alone is made of God to be wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption unto man God hath put the very whole of mans happinesse in Christ Jesus 3. By the insufficiency of any created power to minister the life of grace to man this is above the power of men and Angels the dispensation of life is peculiar to him that is Lord of life the industry of man is used indeed as an instrument of spirituall vivification but the efficacy is from Christ to this worke all created strength without Christ is like the strength of Aegypt in another case to set still the diseased woman in the Gospell spent all her substance upon the Physitians and yet there was no healing man may spend all his time and substance upon the creature and the creature may spend all its ability about man and yet when all is done without Christ there will be no spirituall quickning Am I a God said the King of Israel to Naaman to kill and to make alive that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosie Thus may the holiest Saint and most glorious Angell say Am I a God to kill and to make alive to kill sin and to enliven the soul that man should looke to me for spirituall vivification the sufficiency of the choysest creatures is a borrowed sufficiency derived from Christ and the efficacy and working thereof is wholy dependant upon Christ 4. By the dignity and excellency of spirituall life a life of that noblenes and eminency that none but Christ who is life it self can communicate it a seed which none but Christ can sow a tree which none but Christ the great Husbandman of the soule can plant the life of grace ariseth from a principle farre more noble then the life of nature Saul was head and shoulders above the residue of the people the life of grace is head and shoulders very high and farre above the life
comming in the Gospell was shadowed by the feast of solemnity called blowing of Trumpets signifying the spirituall joy and gladnesse occasioned and raised in the hearts of men by Christs comming in the flesh and in the preaching of the Gospell the Lord Jesus being the gladsome body and substance of all the Leviticall and Ceremoniall joyous festivals this was also foretold and often prophecyed How beautifull saith the Prophet Esay are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace and bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation that saith unto Sion thy God raigneth which Prophecye the Apostle referres to the preaching of the Gospell the feet carry the body in motion and going the ministery carry Christ in the preaching of the Gospell the feet lift and beare up the body the Ministers lift up and carry Christ aloft and make him conspicuous in the eyes of the people by their holy and wholsome doctrine the feet of him that brings tidings of a pardon to a condemned person tidings of redemption to a captive tidings of supply to him that is in want are very beautifull in the eyes of such people the feet of Gods Ministers bringing tidings of forgivenesse tidings of deliverance tidings of all fulnesse in and by Christ Jesus are very beautifull in their eyes who know and feele the danger of their owne sinfull condition therefore breake forth into ioy saith the Prophet sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Jerusalem The comming of the Sunne comforteth him that sits in darknesse the comming of the Physitian comforts him that is opprest with sicknesse the comming of the ransomer comforts him that is in bondage the comming of Christ in the Gospell like the comming of the light comforts men with knowledge like the comming of a Physitian with healing in his wings comforts men with spirituall health and like the comming of a ransomer gives the comfort of spirituall freedome sweet and blessed and full of refreshing is the joy arising from Christ his comming in the Gospell This makes the wildernesse like Eden and the desart like the garden of the Lord. This fils the desolate sad and sorrowfull soule of man full of joy and gladnesse thanksgiving and the voice of melody and to this joyfull entertainment of Christs comming in his spirituall kingdome Let us all provoke our hearts and frame and dispose our soules as the eye is disposed to a joyfull entertainment of the light the eare to a joyfull entertainment of musicke and the bride to a joyfull entertainment of the bridegroome And that we may give Christ comming in the Gospell a Christian and wel-pleasing entertainment there are three things in the generall observable 1. Modus the manner how we must entertaine him 2. Medium the meanes which we must use to entertaine him and 3. Motivum the inducements perswading thus to entertaine Christ 1. The manner how Christ must be entertained and received and thus Christ must bee entertained received 1. Spiritually The entertainment of the King is sutable to the condition quality and nature of the King earthly entertainment is given to earthly Kings Christ is a spirituall and heavenly King his kingdome is not of this world and therefore he must not be carnally but spiritually entertained the Tabernacle into which the Arke was received had in it the two Tables of the Law it was overlaid within with pure gold and the Arke had a crowne of gold about it Hee that will entertaine Christ must have the Law of God written in his heart his soule within and his life without must be overlaid with the gifts and graces of the Spirit more pure and precious then the gold which perisheth holinesse and righteousnesse must crowne the soules of such persons as will entertaine Christ Jesus slimy sluttish and filthy houses are fitter to entertaine swine then Princes corrupt and carnall unsanctified and ungracious soules are fitter to entertaine Satan the prince of darknesse then to entertaine Christ the King of Righteousnesse The Kings daughter the Spouse of Christ the Type of all that truly entertaine Christ was all-glorious within Heavenly graces are the peculiar glory of Gods servants making their soules a fit receptacle for the Lord Iesus As men therefore to receive and entertaine an earthly King cleanse their houses perfume and garnish all their roomes and prepare such delicacies as the King delights in Thus wee to entertaine and receive Christ the heavenly King must cleanse our soules of all sin we must put all iniquity farre from us as a spot from our faces a disease from our flesh and a theefe from our house we must garnish all the roomes of the house of our soules with spirituall ornaments our understandings with spirituall knowledge our wils with gracious liberty and freedome to embrace and chuse Christ our imaginations with holy thoughts and medetations upon Christ our affections with filiall feare to offend Christ with lively faith to beleeve in Christ with pure and fervent love to Christ with heavenly joy and delight in Christ He that is most holy and gracious is most capable of Christ Iesus the soule which abides under the sway and power of prophanenesse cannot receive the Lord Iesus the swaying presence of ungodlinesse nullifies the gracious presence of Christ Iesus No man receiveth Christ with true and sollid comfort in the Gospell but only he whose soule is endowed with purity and sanctification 2. Speedily The servant speedily opens the doore of the house when the Master knocks and readily entertaines him Christ is the great Lord and Master of the house of mans soule at the doore whereof he knocks by the ministery of the Gospell and man must speedily open to Christ so knocking Behold saith Christ I stand at the doore and knocke the heart of unregenerate man is a doore shut a hard a stony doore God and Christ are shut out to this doore Christ knocks by the preaching of the Law threatning destruction to him that will not open by the preaching of the Gospell promising pardon to all that speedily and sincerely open by the rod of affliction and terrour of conscience on all that doe delay to open by the inward motion and powerfull operation of his Spirit on Gods chosen repairing and disposing their hearts to open to him If any man saith Christ heare my voice speedily without delay unfainedly without hypocrisie humbly without disdaine beleevingly without unbeleefe joyfully without repining and obediently without rebellion If any man thus heare my voice and open unto me by understanding me and my will by beleeving me and my promises by loving me and my testimonies by embracing me and my benefits by dedicating himselfe to me and my service I will come into him I will make his soule my temple and holy habitation I will enter into a neare and sweet communion with him and I
defiles the heart of man with covetousnesse Thine eyes and thy heart saith the Lord to Jehoiakim are not but for thy covetousnesse and for to shed innocent bloud and for oppression and for violence to doe it it defiles the affections with idolatry and with spirituall fornication and adultery the covetous man is an idolater saith Saint Paul and the adulterers and adulteresses saith Saint Iames to such as embrace not Christ but the creature know you not that the love of the world is enmity with God and that he that is a friend to the world is an enemy to God The world fils that mans soule with most shamefull uncleannesse that embraceth not the Lord Iesus therefore as Hagar seeing the emptinesse of her bottle came readily to the fountaine as the mariner feeling the tempest and troublesomnesse of the seas comes willingly to the haven as the Israelites feeling the cruelty of Pharaohs task-masters and the insupportablenesse of his burthens willingly embraced Moses and as the diseased woman feeling the loathsomnesse of her bloudy issue and having experience of the vanity of all Physitians came gladly unto Christ so we seeing the emptinesse feeling the uncomfortablenesse and knowing the inthralling and defiling nature of the creature without Christ let us readily willingly joyfully and thankfully receive and embrace Christ that our soules may be freed sanctified and filled with all saving graces and heavenly comforts Experience of the vanity trouble bondage and evils which attend the naked having of the creatures should marvellously endeare unto us the Lord Iesus and make his comming in the Gospell surpassingly sweet and welcome 2. Let us throughly view and consider the state of man without Christ Man not receiving Christ in the Gospell hath no spirituall life but is dead in sinnes as the body is dead without the soule he hath no saving knowledge but is in spirituall blindnesse as he that is without the Sunne is in darknesse he hath no heavenly gift or grace but is empty of all the fruits of the Spirit as the branch which is separated from the vine hath neither juice nor fruit he hath no Christian liberty or freedome but is a bondman to sin Satan and the world as Peter lay in Herods prison in fetters and under the custody of the souldiers before the Angell came and freed him he hath no interest in Gods promises but as Adam was shut out of the garden of Eden so is man shut out of Gods Covenant Gods promises are a sealed well whereof his soule drinks not he hath no garment of righteousnesse to cover him no jewell of grace to adorne him no spirituall treasure to enrich him but is poore blind naked miserable and wretched As the Egyptians were led away by the King of Assyria prisoners captives naked barefoot with their buttocks uncovered to the shame of Egypt so man without Christ is led away by the prince of darknesse a spirituall prisoner and captive his soule bare naked uncovered to the shame of mankind he hath no holy and heavenly peace but as the Disciples were tossed upon the tempest till Christ calmed the waters so is man like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt untill Christ ministers comfort Man without Christ is like a blind traveller that hath no guide to leade him like a dead man in the grave putrifying in sinne having none to raise him like an empty cisterne having no fountaine to fill him like a bondman having no ransomer to free him like a woman in travell having no midwife to help her lik a sheep in the midst of wolves having no shepheard to conduct and defend it and like a besieged City in the midst of many enemies having no wall to protect it no captaine to fight for it Miserable is mans condition that receives not Christ in the Gospell did man know and feele his unhappinesse without Christ he would never be so regardlesse of Christ never so carelesly let Christ passe but would meet Christ where he commeth in his word as the blind men went out and stood by the high-way side where Christ was to passe and cry after Christ as they did as the woman of Shunem hasted to the Prophet for the raising of her dead son and laid hold upon the Prophets feet and would not let him goe untill he came with her and raised her sonne againe to life so would man hasten unto Christ lay hold upon Christ in the Gospell and bring Christ home into his heart he would be at no rest untill Christ had raised freed purged and comforted his dead captived polluted and comfortlesse soule He would as joyfully entertaine Christs comming in his Gospell to free him from the power of his corruptions as ever the Gibeonites gladly entertained Ioshuah comming to rescue them from the Amoritish Princes it is mans unsensiblenesse of the misery of his owne condition that causeth Christs comming to bee unwelcome 3. Meditate the soules apprehension of God without Christ God who to the soules of them that savingly embrace Christ is looked on rejoyced and delighted in as a father for his love as a gracious King for his mercies as a sure and sweet friend for his comforts as a loving husband for his amiable and soule-refreshing presence as a shield for the defence as a rocke for the supportment and as a full fountaine for the satisfaction which he ministreth This thrice blessed and gracious God is apprehended considered and lookt upon by him that doth not embrace Christ in the Gospell as a severe Iudge to condemne him as an enemy full of displeasure against him as a man of warre bending his bow and whetting his sword to destroy him as a rocke ready to fall upon him and grinde him to pouder as a tempestuous sea ready to swallow him and as consuming fire and everlasting burning ready for ever to consume and to destroy him Very dreadfull and soule-amasing and frightening is mans meditation and apprehension of God that doth not savingly apprehend him in Christ such a man flies from the thought of God the voice of God and the presence of God as Adam fled into the thicket as a silly sheep flies before the Lyon a guilty malefactor before the hue and cry or a Partridge before the Hawke This makes them cry to the hils to cover them and to the rocks and the mountaines to fall upon them to hide them from the day of the Lord and the wrath of the Lambe God lookt upon without Christ Iesus is the terrour of all terrours to a guilty soule and accusing conscience Were men truly apprehensive and sensible of the wrath of God without Christ their soules would be at no rest untill they had assured interest in Christ the fiercenesse and terrour of God against sinners doth exceedingly endeare and sweeten the Lord Iesus to the soules of his faithfull servants had we frequent and right consideration of the
blessed interest in Christ but he that regards not the word of the Lord will stay in the field abide in the service way and practise of the prophane world and be for ever destroyed for there is no salvation out of Christ He is the resurrection and the life and our life is hid with him in God therefore let us say with Augustine let all these things perish let us let passe all these vaine and empty things and let us betake our selves to the onely inquisition of those things which have no end let us betake our selves to Christ who is the same yesterday to day and for ever He like Noahs Dove will bring us an Olive branch of peace when all the comforts of the creature are drowned he will stand by us and defend us as Shamma one of Davids worthies stood and defended the field when all the residue fled from it When all worldly staffes and stayes pillars and supporters leave us and stay behind us then as Isaac went up to the Mount with Abraham so will Christ goe up with us and present us with acceptance with great joy and gladnesse in God his fathers presence and let the remembrance and thought of these things sweeten and make exceedingly joyous Christs comming among us CHAP. VII ANd let us declare and manifest the truth of Christs welcome and our joy at Christs comming by our prepared humble and hearty receiving of Christ according to the charge of the Psalmist Let us lift up the gates and doores of our hearts from the creature and all things here below let us remove the bolts and bars of infidelity obstinacy pride security and selfe-love and let us by faith love repentance and humble obedience open the doors of our hearts that Christ the King of glory may come in As the Minstrels and other people were put forth out of the Rulers house and Christ received that his dead daughter might be raised to life Thus let us put out of the doores of our hearts all carnall joyes and fleshly lusts that Christ may enter into and minister the life of grace to our soules let all give place to Christ that Christ may have the full possession of us and worke effectually within us 2 Let it appeare that Christ is welcome by our garnishing our hearts with all spirituall ornaments sutable and fit for the entertaining of Christ putting our hearts into such a gracious frame and temper that Christ may take pleasure in us The gate of the Tabernacle was very costly and glorious having a hanging made for it of blew purple skarlet and fine twined linnen wrought with needle-worke the pillars for the hangings being overlaid with gold and their hookes of gold to shadow out and signifie the making glorious of the hearts of Gods elect by faith and other gifts of the Spirit to entertaine Christ the glorious King 3. Make Christs welcome apparant by offering your selves to Christ the wise men rejoyced in Christs comming and they fell downe and worshipped him opened their treasures and presented to him gifts gold frankincense and myrrh Thus let us rejoyce in Christ comming in the Gospell fall downe before him make the whole man vaile and stoop to Christ and to him let us offer the gold of a pure heart the frankincense of holy and humble prayer and the myrrh of patient suffering and bearing Christs crosse to him let us yeeld our bodies soules and all our substance as a holy and acceptable sacrifice 4. Manifest every man Christs welcome by exalting Christ above every thing in your heart doe not set him as Jesse did David behinde the ewes but set him as Pharaoh did Joseph above all his Nobles and over all his land allow him universall and absolute jurisdiction over the whole man cut off whatsoever doth rebell against him 5. Declare Christs welcome by your love to him as to the bridegroome of your soules by your faith and dependance upon him as upon your onely rocke and sure foundation by your full and through-conforming your selves to his statutes and testimonies as to that which is the light of your feet the lanthorne of your paths and the delight of your soules and by a holy and gracious acquiescence in Christ as in the Counsellor in whom is all wisedome to direct as in the King in whom is all authority to command as in the rocke in whom is all strength to support as in the fountaine in whom is all fulnesse to satisfie us Christ will not be pleased with a verball he will have a reall entertainment with Judas to kisse Christ with our lips outwardly to give him faire words and secretly to nourish treason and rebellion in our hearts against him is a cursed welcome With Joab to salute Christ with one hand and stab him with another hand as Joab at once saluted and slew Abner to salute Christ by an outward and open profession and to stab him by a corrupt and dissolute conversation is very unseemly shamefull and dishonourable for any Christian Let therefore our spirituall universall cheerfull and constant subjection unto Christ declare the truth and joy of Christs welcome unto us If we rejoyce not in Christ if Christ comming in the Gospell be not welcome Where is our knowledge of Christ if we rejoyce not in Christ comming in the Gospell the blind eye hath no joy in the Sunne but to the seeing eye the light is sweet and It is a pleasant thing to behold the Sunne to the ignorant Christ is nothing joyfull but to them that have the eyes of their understanding opened Christ is very pleasant he is in their eye the fairest of ten thousand to them the knowledge of Christ is pleasant to him that knowes the Wisedome of Christ shining into his heart and making him wise unto salvation to him that knowes the death of Christ mortifying his lusts and corrupt affections the resurrection of Christ spiritually reviving and quickning him to him that knowes the righteosnesse of Christs cloathing and justifying him to him that knowes the blessed presence of Christ encouraging him to him that knowes the Al-sufficiency of Christ satisfying him to him that knowes the gracious dispensation of Christ ministring the sence of his love and peace to him to that man Christ is welcome in the Gospell Mans ignorance deprives him of all Christs comforts 2. Where is our love to Christ if Christ be not welcome David loved Jonathan and Jonathan was very pleasant to him Old Jacob loved Joseph and his spirit revived when he saw the waggons which Joseph had sent he was very glad that Joseph was alive I will goe saith he and see him before I dye Christ is very pleasant to him that loves him it is a reviving of heart to such a man to heare of Christ he will surely goe and see Christ in the Gospell Love to Christ and joy in Christ are inseparable companions in all
over us to be honourably entertained by us Saint Luke as of a Physitian sent to heale us as of a ransomer sent to free us and to restore spirituall liberty to us And Saint Paul saith plainly When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his sonne made of a woman made under the Law to redeeme them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons and in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and he filleth all in all And the authority calling preparation and fulnesse of Christs abilities to save us is very manifest 1. In regard of the power communicated unto Christ as Mediator All power both in heaven and in earth is given unto him power of vivification he quickneth whom he will as he raised Lazarus out of the grave power of illumination he openeth and no man shutteth as he opened the eyes of him that was borne blind power of sanctification he purgeth away all sinne as he cleansed the leprosie from the uncleane power of remission as Lord and King he forgiveth sinne he blotteth out sinne as the Sun the cloud power of pacification as he appeased the winds and waters power of administration as the high Steward of Gods family the supreme Pilot over the ship which is the Church of God as the great Centurion over the Lords army and chiefe Justice in Gods Kingdome power of subiugation casting downe and breaking in pieces all opposing forces as the stone out of the mountaines burst Nebuchadnezzars Image power of protection and sustentation in all troubles as Noahs Arke sustained him in the deluge and Christ safe guarded the three children in the fiery furnace The miraculous and mighty acts of Christs power are cleare and manifest declarations of his calling and commission and of his ability to minister salvation 2. In regard of Christs exaltationâ— He is exalted above all principalities he is exalted above all the common creatures as the Creator and workman above the worke as the Lord above his lowest servants he is exalted above all Angels as the Prince above the Nobles as the son above the attendants he is exalted above all devils as the Conquerour above the captives he is exalted above all the Saints of God as the head above the members as the King above the subjects as the bridegroome above the bride He is set at the right hand of God an exaltation whereof no meere creature is capable Christs Majesty dignity glory and exaltation doth even infinitely surpasse the dignity and honour of man and Angell He is made higher then the heavens others ascend into heaven have their dwelling in heaven but Christ is made higher then the heavens being God and man in one person having an exaltation above all Saints and Angels the inhabitants of heaven all that is in heaven and in the earth being put under him Christs sitting in his Fathers throne Christs exaltation above all creatures fully declared his ability to save his chosen from all evils 3. In regard of Christs impletion and filling of all He ascended farre above all heavens that he might fill all things Christ filleth all things with his power and common and generall operation as the Sunne fils all the earth with his influence with his absolute authority and dominion as a King fils his kingdome with his common gifts and mercies as the Master of the house fils all the persons of the house Christ filleth the Devils and damned men with his justice wrath vengeance but he filleth his Church and children with his ordinances as a teacher fils his schoole with books and rules of instruction as a nurse fils the childe with her breasts and the Master of the feast his guests with food these he filleth with knowledge as the Sun the aire with light with spirituall life sence and motion and all heavenly graces as the head the members as the root the branches as the Sun the starres sweet and comfortable excellent and gracious is that fulnesse which Christ ministers to his members and by his filling of his faithfull servants he verefies his Fathers mission and preparation of him to accomplish mans salvation 4. In regard of his proposing of his Fathers glory and referring all to his Fathers praise as the supreme and ultimate end of all his service and undertakings an ingenuous son preferres his fathers honour above his owne honour a good servant his Masters profit above his owne profit a loyall Embassador the Kings will message advantage and renowne above his owne will errant benefit or credit Christ as Mediator was both a sonne a servant and Gods great Embassador preferring his fathers will pleasure and praise above his owne I seeke not mine owne will faith Christ but the will of him that sent me and againe he sought not his owne glory but the glory of him that sent him and to the father Christ thus speakes of himselfe I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the worke which thou gavest me He glorified his father on earth by declaring his fathers will and counsell by making his father appeare glorious in the eyes of the people by ascribing all his miraculous and mighty works to his fathers power by fulfilling his Law by his obedience by satisfying his fathers justice by his sufferings by gathering home the soules of men to God his Father to know his Fathers will to adore his Fathers name to obey his Fathers precepts to beleeve his Fathers promises to love his Fathers truth to glorifie his â—athers name and every way to conforme themselves and their doings to his Fathers testimonies and by his full intendment and glorious accomplishment of his Fathers honour he compleatly demonstrated his ordination and preparation his comming in the name of his Father to be mans Saviour CHAP. XIII IN this with open face may all men behold and see Gods dispensation of salvation unto man by Christ his Sonne Christ is come in his Fathers name ordained prepared most absolutely and compleatly furnished to communicate salvation to the Lords chosen others come in the name of the Lord to procure and promote the salvation of man instrumentally ministerially subordinately dependantly but Christ is come in his fathers name to give salvation unto man absolutely and independantly by his owne power meritoriously by his owne worth and merit efficiently by the efficacions and mighty worke of his owne Spirit fully and everlastingly being able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him the Lord Jesus is the efficient and meritorious cause spring and fountaine of mans salvation There is no other name given under heaven wher by man can be saved but onely the name of Christ The name of the creature is a name of weaknesse emptinesse unworthinesse the name of mans righteousnesse is a name of many pollutions the name of mans worke and services is a name of debt and manifold
of old was upon Mount Gerazim the blessing is now upon the Gospell He that savingly entertaines the Gospell enjoyes a most blessed condition a condition of divine and heavenly wisedome Gods Ministers feed him with knowledge and understanding and make him wise unto salvation a condition of holinesse and sanctification the ministery of the word doth wash him like water and purifie him like fire a condition of liberty and freedome Moses freed Israel from Pharaohs bondage Gods Minister frees the soules of his children from the servitude of Satan the world and their owne corruption the word makes them free from ignorance in their understandings from perversenesse in their wils from vanity in their thoughts from infidelity servile feare worldly love and carnall joy in their affections the word makes them free to know God as the cleare eye is free to see the Sunne to receive Christ as the strong and open hand is free to receive a gift to love Christ as the bride hath an open and enlarged heart to love the bridegroome to attend Gods Ordinances to run the way of Gods Commandements as he whose feet and ankle-bones received strength by the ministery of Peter was free to stand and leap and walke and enter into the Temple and free to move and come to God by faith and love and joy as the rivers are free to move and flow unto the sea a condition of honour and exaltation the Gospell making them Sonnes of God by regeneration the friends of God by love the members of Christ by faith and heires annexed with Christ for their present title to and future participation of the same inheritance with Christ Jesus a condition of fulnesse and satisfaction they are satisfied with the goodnesse of Gods house the Gospell leads them unto Christ the Sunne in whom is all light the tree on whom growes all fruit the fountaine from whom flowes all refreshment the rocke in whom is all strength the pearle in whom is all worth and the Paradise in whom is all pleasure and peace very sweet and wonderfull gracious and overflowing are the comforts and contentments derived from Christ to Gods children under their enjoyment of the Gospell Lastly a condition of permanency and duration though the grasse wither and the flower fade yet the word of the Lord abideth for ever Though worldly fulnesse change like the Moone and vanish like a vapor and wither like the flower and the grasse yet the estate of grace into which men are called by Gods Ministers is an estate of firme and sure continuance they are sonnes abiding alway in their fathers house they are trees planted by the water side never withering they are houses built upon the rocke never sinking their graces like the light shine more and more to the day of their perfection the excellency of their estate who enjoy and make best use of the Gospell abundantly declares Gods dispensation of very great sweet and heavenly blessings by the labours of his Ministers CHAP. XV THe Lords dispensing of sweet and heavenly blessings unto man by the labours of his holy and faithfull Ministers shewes what the estate and condition of man is without the Lords Ministers even an estate of woes of myseries and curses Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very wretched and miserable an estate of death without spirituall life the earth without the Sunne is but a dead and fruitlesse lump the soule without the Sunne of Righteousnesse shining in the Gospell is dead in sinnes and trespasses a tree twice dead oncce by originall corruption and secondly by actuall transgression and plucked up by the roots wholly separate from all the meanes of life he that hath not the Sonne externally in the Gospell internally in his heart ministerially in his word and efficiently in his worke of grace he hath not life Such are farre from the life of grace and sanctification as are strangers to Christ in his Gospell The woman of Shunems sonne remained dead according to the body till the Prophet came and raised him the soule of man continues dead in respect of the inward man untill the Minister of the Lord comes to quicken him 2. An estate of darknesse Man without the ministery of the word is in darknesse and the shadow of death a darke body without an eye a darke house without a Lamp The soules clearest light is nothing else but darknesse as long as the Gospell doth not shine into it to irradiate and enlighten it There was once no light in all the land of Egypt onely the children of Israel had light in their dwellings there is no spirituall and heavenly light in all the world but among Gods Israel there is light only in their dwellings who enjoy the Gospell In Judah is God knowne and his name is great in Israel God is truly and savingly knowne only by that people who enjoy the light of the Gospell 3. An estate of servitude and bondage Israel continued under hard bondage untill Moses and Aaron came to deliver them untill the Lord raised a fiery pillar to conduct them out of Egypt unto Canaan Man abides under the hard bondage of Satan and his owne corruption untill the Lord sends his Minister to free him and sets up the fiery pillar of his word to lead him out of this servile and slavish condition Man without the Gospell is in prison and hath no key to open it he is taken captive and hath no weapon to resist his enemy to procure his freedome he is manacled with many fetters and hath no hammer to dissolve and loose them Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very base and servile When and where the Gospell shineth then and there as the Prophet speaketh The eyes of the blind are opened the prisoners are brought out from the prison and they that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house 4. An estate of emptinesse and barrennesse The field without the dew is unfruitfull the soule without the dew of divine and heavenly doctrine distilling thereupon beares no good fruit there is no lawfull conception without an husband all the fruit of the soule not espoused to Christ by the Gospell is illegitimate and a very abomination there is no reaping where is no sowing The soule which is not sowne with the seed of the word yeelds no harvest of grace they are barren ground nigh to burning who are strangers to the Gospell 5. An estate of pollution and uncleanesse The house without the besome is overspread with slime and cobwebs Naaman continued leprous untill he went seven times into Jordan and washed the Temple was a den of theeves till Christ came with his whip and drove them out the heart of man is an unclean house without the besome of the word sweeping it the soule of man is oversread with the lothsome leprosie of sin untill he bathe himselfe in the Jordan of
I have Christ who doth quicken me who doth rule and guide and strengthen me by his Spirit now I live spiritually and holily now I live to God and not unto my selfe to Christ and not unto the world now I live under grace and not under the Law now I live according to the will of Christ and not after mine owne lust and fancy now I live indeed formerly I did but seeme to live All life is as nothing yea as a very death in comparison of a holy and gracious life Men without grace are as dead even while they live He that hath not Christ living in him sits in darknesse and the shadow of death all the dayes of his naturall and temporall life as the Apostle said of the Law compared to the Gospell That which was made glorious had no glory by reason of the glory that excelleth so in this case the naturall life of man howsoever deare and precious sweet or glorious it may seeme to be yet it is of no price of no sweetnesse of no glory in comparison of the worth glory sweetnesse and comfort of a spirituall life which excelleth great is that mans happinesse that lives by the life of Christ Jesus Hee is the most blessed and happy of all living persons that lives the life of grace and holinesse CHAP. XII SEcondly this is proposed negatively yet not I. I live in deed and yet I live not in respect of originall The life which I live is not of nature but of grace not of my selfe but of Christ In respect of the rule which guides my life though I live in the flesh yet I live not after the flesh I am not led by my lusts but by the Spirit of Christ I live not after my owne fancy but according to the will of Christ in respect of the meanes by which I live I live not by the chaffe of humane traditions selfe-devises carnall doctrines and inventions of men or superstitious observations but I live by the wheat of Christs doctrine the sincere milke of Gods word this is the staffe and stay of my life In respect of the end or terme to which I live I live not to my selfe I seeke not I exalt not I magnifie not my selfe I propose not mine owne ends but I live to Christ I intend propose and exalt Christ I strive to be all that I am unto Christ In respect of the opinion and apprehension which I have of my selfe I live not as mine owne Lord and Master but I carry my selfe as a crucified man suffering nothing in me to exalt it selfe against Christ but I prostrate all at the feet of Christ I make all to vaile and bow to Christ that Christ may live and reigne in me looke upon my selfe as the chiefe of sinners and the basest of creatures as unworthy of the least of Christs mercies I deny my selfe I allow no place within me to mine owne wisedome and reason to my owne will and affections to mine owne fancy and desires I looke on these as empty lamps that have no light as on false guides and treacherous friends that have no truth I handle these as traitors that conspire against the welfare of my soule I trample and tread these under foot as enemies to my peace I silence these and will not heare them speake I suppresse these and will not suffer them to raigne I mortifie these and will not suffer them to live and thus I live and live not hence we learne That he who lives the life of grace and true holinesse doth wholly deny himselfe his owne ends counsels and affections and altogether prostrates himselfe and all that is his under Christ Iesus He put himselfe and all that he hath under Christ he implyes himselfe and all that he hath for Christ in all that he doth he chiefly minds and intends Christ In Iosephs vision the Sun Moone and eleven Starres these celestiall creatures did obeysance unto him and all the sheaves in the field vailed unto his sheafe in the soule life way and worke of a regenerate man all the supernaturall gifts and graces all the morall abilities and endowments and all the naturall powers and faculties of the soule with all the members of the body all the labours of the life and whatsoever else doe obeysance unto Christ are made subject and serviceable unto Christ True Christians are termed by the Apostle a living sacrifice The sacrifice under the Law was no more his that offered it but the Lords and wholly to be spent in the service of the Lord the Christian who offers himselfe unto God under the Gospell is no more his owne but the Lords to be imployed wholly in the service of the Lord this our Saviour imposeth as a necessary duty and setteth it forth as a cleare and lively character of a true Disciple and sincere Christian If any man saith he will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me If any man will come after me as a Scholler after his teacher receiving my instruction as a sheep after his shepheard feeding in my pastures as a souldier after his Centurion fighting my battels as a Subiect after his Soveraigne obeying my commandements as a bride after her bridegroome making me the compleate object of his love and embracing me as the husband of his soule if any man will come after me in the knowledge of my will in the beleefe of my promises in the love of my truth and in the obedience of my precepts Let him deny himselfe Let him lay aside his owne wisedome as an empty lamp his owne will as an evill commander his owne imagination as a false rule his owne affections as corrupt counsellors and his owne ends as base and unworthy marks to be aymed at let him deny himselfe whatsoever is of himselfe within himselfe or belonging to himselfe as a corrupt and carnall man let him goe out of himselfe that he may come to me let him empty himselfe of himselfe that he may be capable of me that I may raigne and rule within him that he may wholly subject himselfe to me and my service there is no true following of Christ and his example no through subjection to Christ and his precepts without the denyall of our selves and our affections without the rejection of our owne ends and counsels this the Apostle stiles a living not unto our selves but unto him that dyed for us not to live unto our selves by following our owne imaginations not to serve our owne lusts and affections not to terminate our selves within our selves by seeking our owne applause and profit by making our selves the Lords and Masters of our service serving our selves and not the Lord Jesus but to live to Christ to doe all in love and obedience unto Christ to referre all to the praise and glory of Christ It is a very base and carnall service which doth not primarily intend the Lord
Men are often very dangerous self-lovers in their holiest and most honourable performances It argues a humble sweet and gracious disposition of mens affections to be able to rejoyce in the godly service of others a humble soule is joyfull and thankfull that God is honoured the Church benefited the Gospell preached the cause and kingdome of Christ promoted by others as if himselfe had been the instrument Gods glory is a humble mans maine desire and intendment and is much joyed to see the same accomplished and in these characters as in plaine letters may all men reade the truth and power of their self-denyall and accordingly judge of their condition CHAP. X. BUt it may be here demanded how many wayes a man may deceive himselfe in the point and matter of self-denyall The heart of man is deceitfull above measure and man is very prone to deceive himselfe as in other necessary points and parts of salvation so in this of self-denyall To this therefore I answer that man is apt to deceive himselfe in this behalfe eight wayes 1. By denying himselfe superstitiously Thus many deny rest food and liberty necessary lawfull and allowed whipping scourging macerating pinching and even starving their owne flesh denying themselves the use of such creatures as God hath ordained and provided for the comfort and supportment of his servants God hath made man subordinate Lord over the works of his hands and hath put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen and the beasts of the field the fowles of the ayre and the fishes of the sea Every creature of God saith the Apostle is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer yet many in their superstition deny themselves the free and Christian use of the creature placing their Religion and self-denyall in abstinence from some sorts of creatures This is a law of Antichrist mentioned by Saint Paul forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving Such self-deniers are none of Christs but Antichrists subjects Men placing their self-denyall in the observation of humane inventions are farre from denying their owne corrupt and carnall lusts and affections they that make tradition the rule of their Religion are farre from spirituall and true mortification zealous observers of humane devises in stead of denying themselves deny the Lord Jesus Of such therefore the Apostle testifies that they are vainly puft up in their fleshly mind and not holding the head which is Christ and rebuking their superstition as repugnant to Christs death he saith wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandements and doctrines of men This is the superstitious mans self-denyall 2. By denying himselfe covetously Many out of an immoderate desire after earthly riches and inordinate love to the world deny themselves bodily rest rising up early and sitting up late and eating the bread of sorrowes they deny themselves necessary food and rayment they travell under their worldly abundance as a galled horse under a heavy burthen they want nothing of all their soules desire yet God gives them not power to eat thereof This is the miserable worldlings humility and self-denyall and in this he is ready to please and applaude himselfe this man indeed abaseth himselfe below the dust but he doth not humble himselfe under Christ he makes himselfe the drudge and slave of worldly dung and drosse he makes not himselfe the servant of Christ 3. By denying himselfe partially He denyes some but not all his lusts he walks in some but not in all the ordinances of God Jehu denyed Baals Priests he put them to death but he allowed the calves in Dan and Bethel Saul denyed himselfe in the refuse of the Amalekitish stuffe he destroyed the refuse but he denyed not himselfe in the bleating sheep and lowing oxen he spared them Herod denyed himselfe in many things he heard the Baptist gladly and did many things but he denyed not himselfe in Herodias he continued his incest He that denyes not himselfe in all things truly denyes himselfe in nothing he that allowes himselfe under the power of one sinne is farre from Christ farre from the knowledge of Christ as he that allowes one moate in his eye is farre from the cleare and comfortable sight of the Sunne far from the life of Christ and health of grace as he that allowes himselfe in one disease is farre from health of body farre from the love of Christ as the woman which allowes one strange lover in her bosome is farre from the love of her husband he is farre from the way to life as he that keeps himselfe and travels on in one false way is farre from his right path farre from all interest in Gods promises as he that breakes one Covenant and condition of his Lease hath forfeited his whole Lease and farre from spirituall liberty and freedome as he that is fettered with one strong chaine is farre from bodily freedome he that denyes not all sinne denyes none as it is sinne hypocriticall miserable deceitfull is their self-denyall which is partiall and halt like Israel between God and Baal between vertue and vice between the earth and heaven still abiding under the power of sin without either truth or perfection in grace 4. By denying himselfe Constrainedly Not for love but for feare not for the hatred of sinne but for the sence of misery attending sinne as the dog denyes himselfe his meat when he is sicke and the Sow denyes her wallowing in the mire by reason of the coldnesse of the weather Lord saith the Prophet in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them When the hand of God is heavy upon them they walke humbly they deny themselves their former carnall contentments with the Mariners they cast out Jonah in the storme This is the afflicted mans self-denyall a denyall not springing from any principle of grace but forc't upon the soule not arising from any hatred of sinne but from the punishment of sinne As Mariners cease from the Sea and lye fast in the haven while the stormes last but as soone as the weather is calme they put themselves forth againe Thus many when the storme is up when their soules are tossed with the tempest of trouble they cease from their worldly and carnall wayes but as soone as their estate is cleare and calme againe they returne to their former trade and practise of sin Constrained deny all is neither cordiall nor perpetuall 5. By denying himselfe hypocritically seeming to others to deny himselfe when yet indeed he doth not as Ahab put off his Kings roabes and
herbe poysoning all the liquor in the pot his vertues will at the last be censured as vices in whom the ambitious humour of self-exaltation beares dominion the least measure of grace with humility and meeknesse is farre better then the greatest abilities with a proud spirit It is better feeding on a slender dish well seasoned then on a great dish furnished with all dainties having poyson mingled with it 5. Self-exaltation keepes the soule barren barren of knowledge he that exalts himselfe regards not wholesome counsell he rejects the Word of God and there is no true wisdome in him the proud saith the Apostle knowes nothing Nothing of God the Father regenerating him of Christ redeeming him of the Spirit sanctifying him of the Word enlightning humbling changing and renewing him he leanes upon his owne corrupt and carnall reason a lamp wherin is no light the proud mans light is darknesse his very knowledge is miserable and wretched ignorance he continues barren of Faith he builds on man and not on Christ How can ye beleeve saith Christ who seeke honour one of another and not the honour which cometh from God he remaines barren of love a self-lover and no lover of God the motion of his heart is terminated within himselfe he brings forth all his fruit unto himselfe and is an empty vine in Gods accounts he continues barren of all grace God giving grace to the humble but resisting the proud Isidore relates that on the mountaine on Libanus there are Cedars very tall and gloriously flourishing but never bearing fruit and the reason is rendered because the Mountains on which they grow are so high that they receive not the reflection of the Sun-beames and the waters naturally descend unto the valleyes Thus self-exalters seated on the high Mountaines of common abilities are barren of all fruit acceptable unto God because they are neither savingly enlightned nor warmed with the beames of the Sun of Righteousnesse nor watered with the dew and moysture of heavenly grace none more empty of saving goodnes then such as are most exalted in their own imaginations 6. Self-exaltation abaseth God The Philistines placed their Dagon above the Arke the proud man sets himself above God ambitious self-exalters like so many petty Antichrists exalt themselves above all that is called God They set themselves above the law of God they breake the bands therof asunder and cast away the cordes therof from them they serve not God according to Gods institution but after their own invention instead of receiving Gods prescription they prescribe how God shall be served by them they exalt themselves above the Ministers of God they esteeme not their instruction their words are in their account but babling they exalt themselves above the offices of Christ they entertain not Christ as a Prophet instructing them as a Priest to sanctify them as a King to beare spirituall dominion within them they exalt themselves above the attributes of God above the dominion of God refusing subjection above the wisedome of God rejecting his counsell not suffering themselves to be guided by him and above the power of God resting upon an arme of flesh and not upon the arme of the Lord there is no sin that makes man more injurious unto God nor that sets man in greater opposition against God then self-exaltation all other vices saith Gregory fly from God to the creature as covetous to gold and silver luxury to fleshly delights c. Onely pride opposeth it selfe against God and usurps that unto it selfe which is proper to God I say unto you saith Bernard that every proud man exalts himselfe above God for God will have his will to be done and the proud man will have his will to be done but God only in things which right and reason doth approve the proud man in things which are beside and against both right and reason man doth very shamefully abase God by exalting himselfe and his own will above the word and will of God 7. Self-exaltation deceiveth making man thinke himselfe wise when he is ignorant holy when he is profane free when he is captive full when he is empty It makes man appeare unto himselfe to be another then in deed he is Like him in the Prophet that dreamed he had eaten and was full but when he awakened he found himselfe empty No man more apt to be deluded then he that is self-conceited and desirous to be applauded 8. This likewise shamefully abaseth man makes him the consort and very habitation of Satan God dwels with the humble Satan with the proud whom God resisteth Satan possesseth the more a man doth exalt himselfe against God the more he doth abase himselfe under Satan the more God with-drawes himself from him the nearer Satan draweth to him the more God abhorres him the more delight Satan takes in him and therfore the proud man is not unfitly termed by one umbraculum Satanae a shadow set by Satan against the Sun of Righteousnesse driving the light of grace from him and making himselfe a shadow for Satan to sleep and rest in O how dishonourable base and shamefull is their condition who seeke their owne honour with Gods dishonour Hee that most magnifies himselfe above others is the most base of all others He alone that puts himselfe and all that is his under Christ is truly honourable he that exalts himselfe and denyes obedience to Christ is most base and contemptible he that is not Gods holy and gracious servant is Satans shamefull and unhappy slave 9. And lastly Self-exaltation alienates man from Heaven the way to Heaven is by humility and self-denyall Jonathan and his Armour-bearer ascending the hill 1 Sam. 14. crept upon their hands and their feet Christ humbled himselfe and then he was exalted he went by the Crosse to the Crowne and all believers his armour-bearers and followers as many as intend Heaven must tread the steps of Christ vaile and bow to Christs Scepter he must learn of Christ to be meeke and lowly hee must deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow Christ or he can never enter into Christs glorious rest hell is the appointed habitation for every soule that is not humble God will cast downe them that exalt themselves the Lord will shame them who honour themselves and not him this is the great evill and danger of self-exaltation CHAP. XVI IF you demand how it comes to passe that vain man is so prone and forward to exalt himself to magnifie himselfe in the eyes of men and so slow and backward to exalt and set up Christ I answer this ariseth 1. From mans ignorance of his own corrupt and base estate did man see how he is a dead man in whom is no life of grace a bond-man a spirituall prisoner unto Satan having many lusts like chains and fetters tying him an empty house wherin dwelleth no good and a loathsome Leper having
comfortable discerning of the mysteries of Gods Kingdome He is free from perversenesse and frowardnesse in his will to will that which is good is present with him ready at hand his soule is very strongly bent and inclined thereunto as the rivers to flow downe the channell Holy and religious duties suite with him as the Sunne with the eye and the path with the foot he is free from much vanity in his thoughts vaine thoughts doe not lodge with him his thoughts of God are high and honourable his thoughts of himselfe are low and humble his thoughts of Christ are sweet and full of admiration his thoughts of sinne are sorrowfull and full of detestation his thoughts of the world are sleight and contemptible his thoughts of the word and worke of God are pleasant and delightfull He is free in his heart from obstinacy and hardnesse his heart is soft and tender trembling at the word of God The Law of God is in his heart and he delights to doe the will of God he is free from base and servile feare carnall confidence and fleshly ioy and worldly love in his affections he is free from impatience and murmurings in his afflictions free from discontentment in his low and empty estate free from high and exalting thoughts in his greatest earthly fulnesse free from limiting and prescribing unto God in his hardest conflicts and greatest tryals free from being daunted with the worlds threatenings inticed with the worlds perswasions corrupted with the worlds proffers seduced by the worlds example or intangled in the snares of Satan very sweet and comfortable very pleasant and delightfull is the humble mans freedome all are slaves and bondmen in respect of them in whom God hath wrought the great and gracious work of Self-denyall 6. This makes men very peaceable The measure of mans peace is according to the measure of mans humility and self-denyall The humble man doth not grieve but rejoyceth at the prosperity of others doth not hinder but delighteth in the furtherance of other mens welfare doth not willingly minister any offâ—â—ce but patiently endureth injuries puts the best interpretation upon things doubtfull humility and self-denyall as the Apostle saith of Love suffereth long and is kind envieth not vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed up doth not behave it selfe unseemely seeketh not it's owne is not easily provoked thinketh no evill reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Pride is the bellowes kindling the fire of contention humility and self denyall prevents strife and preserves peace among men there is no hope of his living in peace with any man who is at variance with the humble It is a rule among the Geometricians Quod corpora Spherica quae quasi tumiâ—a sunt non possunt se tangere nisi solo puncto c. that Sphericall or round bodies which are a swelling kind of bodies cannot touch one another be applyed one to another but onely at the very point but the hollow body can receive the round within it selfe Thus pride dissolves communion between man and man Men are never at a sweet agreement where pride and self-conceit reigneth humility disposeth openeth and prepareth the heart to the unfained embracement of others to the patient toleration of other mens pride injustice and vaine boastings The wisedome saith S. James which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits The low shrub is little or nothing moved with the winds which shake and shatter many tall Cedars The humble man is little or nothing dâ—squieted with the gusts and blasts of opposition losse and disgrace which doe even vexe and utterly distract the man of a proud spirit The soule which is spiritually and throughly humble is an inhabitant residing in a very sweet and quiet dwelling a ship rowing in a very calme and peaceable haven 7. This makes fruitfull in all gifts and graces Like the low valleyes cheerfull in every tryall and trouble able to count it all ioy to fall into manifold temptations Profitable under affliction as the vine under the hand of the Pruner dressing it capable of the word of God as the broken ground of the seed and the empty vessell of water Every word of God is a Star of some light a flower of some comfortable smell and a cloud of some refreshment to the humble This fils the soule with very cleare and ioyfull high and honourable apprehensions of God He that hath the lowest thoughts of himselfe hath the highest thoughts of God This makes Christ very welcome very amiable in the eye of the soule the fairest of ten thousand As the Sunne to him that is in darkenesse as the river to him that thirsteth or the Physitian to him that is extreamely pained mans sence of self-emptinesse makes Christ very precious This sweetens the word of God as the famine sweetens bread and makes the messenger of God as an Angell of God or one of a thousand This disposeth man to every good duty this makes the yoake of Christ easie the service of Christ pleasant and suffering for Christ comfortable This makes the inward man very joyfull when the outward man is loaden with much affliction the whole man heavenly minded graciously disposed holily exercised abundantly thriving in all well-doing and incessant in the way tending to the heavenly Kingdome And thus you have seene the mysterie the worth and dignitie the fruit and excellencie of Selfe-denyall Most sweet and blessed is that mans Condition who is truly humble happy is the soule in which God hath wrought a through Self-denyall CHAP. XVIII The second generall Part. Spirituall Vivification THe seed first dies and then is quickened and springeth up into a greene and flourishing blade Man first dyes to sinne and then lives to God The Syens is first removed out of the old and naturall stocke and then he is grafted into another stocke becomes a living branch in another Tree Man first denyes himselfe goes out of himselfe ceaseth from himselfe and then he is ingrafted into Christ Christ lives in him and he lives in Christ according to this of the Apostle here I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me The second generall thing observed in these words is spirituall vivification Christ living in all them that live the life of grace The life of a Christian is a borrowed life he hath it not of himselfe but from another it is no naturall but a spirituall life a life not springing originally from man but derivative and flowing from Christ Every Christian though wondrously enriched by Christ yet is very poore of himselfe his very spirituall life is a borrowed thing Sinne hath made man extreamely poore it hath not onely robbed him but also slaine him it hath utterly taken the life of grace from him and none but Christ can quicken him The Christian hath no cause of glorying
in himselfe but all his glory is in Christ the very whole of true Christians is from Christ Jesus Christ is both the fountaine filling and the life quickening them they cannot but acknowledge with Paul It is Christ lives in them In the words we have 1. A terme of opposition But 2. An Agent or Authour Christ he is the Author of this spirituall life 3. An Act liveth Christians live not the life of grace by themselves it is received from Christ 4. A Subâ—ect in me True believers are the only subject of spirituall life First of the terme of opposition but a word signifying an opposition of things in that sense in which things are opposed Labour not for the meat saith Christ which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life and again lay not up for your selves treasure on earth but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven And so likewise it is the Apostles charge be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is And be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit And thus the Apostle here I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I live indeed but it is not of my selfe but from Christ it is not of nature but of grace Christ is the root of spirituall life in me It is plaine and manifest to the feeling and experience of Gods children that they have not the life of Grace and holinesse from themselves but from Christ Jesus they know that Christ is the authour and finisher of their salvation they know that Christ is in them Examine your selves proove your selves know yee not that Christ is in you except yee be reprobates saith the Apostle We know saith S. John that we are of God quickning regenerating enlightning and sanctifying us and we know that the sonne of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his sonne Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternall life they know that Christ is in them as a root enlivening them as a Sun illuminating them as a Refiners fire purging them The woman of Shunem knew that the Prophet had raised her dead son to life the children of God know that Christ hath raised their soules which were dead in sinnes and trespasses the blind man knew that whereas he was blind he did now see and that Christ had opened his eyes Gods children have experience of Christs opening the eyes of their understanding Naaman knew that Jordan had washed away the leprosie which clave unto him Gods servants know that they are washed sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God Gods children know that of themselves they are dead in sins and trespasses and that Christ is the authour of spirituall life unto them they know that of themselves they are empty of all spirituall good and that Christ is the fountaine filling them they know that in their naturall estate they are the slaves of Satan the bond-men of the world the servants of corruption and that Christ alone is the worker of their freedome the beginning and the end of their salvation The life of grace and holinesse is not of man but of Christ no child in the course of nature can beget it selfe but is begotten of another Parent no child of God in the way of grace is the authour of his owne regeneration and new birth but is begotten again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ the Spirit of God perswading them of the truth informing them in the virtue and applying to them the power and efficacy of Christs resurrection begetteth them againe unto a lively hope mans receiving of Christ is the receiving of spirituall life and new-birth As many saith the Evangelist as received him to them gave he power to become the sonnes of God which were borne not of blood not by the Nobility and dignity of their Parents according to the flesh nor of the will of the flesh not by the ability and strength of nature not by any activity liberty or freedome of their owne nor of the will of man not by the art or industry education or instruction of man but of God It is not in the power of man to regenerate man God useth man as his instrument but God himselfe accomplisheth the worke as a supreme and free agent when and where he pleaseth Man is an alien to the life of God and can no more raise himselfe to a spirituall life then Lazarus could raise himselfe to a naturall life Mans conversion is a new creation which is as farre beyond the power of man as the forming of himselfe of nothing All the instruments of spirituall life are dependant no more able to quicken the soule of man then Gehazi with his Masters staffe was able to raise the woman of Shunems sonne to life without Elisha himselfe the life of the soule is hidden in Christ and he that hath not Christ is farre from all spirituall life Such therefore as have no experience of Christs communicating the life of grace and holinesse unto them are none of Gods children their life is a naturall a worldly a carnall and not a spirituall a heavenly and holy life they live by a fleshly and not by a spirituall principle by a corrupt and humane and not by a divine and heavenly rule they live unto themselves and not to Christ they are of themselves and they incline and move to themselves as to their proper Center they confine themselves within themselves they can nor looke nor move beyond themselves That which is of the flesh of a fleshly originall compounded wholy of fleshly principles having no other then fleshly ingredients in it that is flesh discerning after a fleshly and carnall manner and not perceiving the things of God which are spiritually discerned savouring and relishing only things carnall and fleshly minding only that which is vaine corrupt and earthly walking by a fleshly rule the imagination of their owne hearts and proposing a fleshly end the satisfaction of their owne corrupt and sinfull lusts they are not of God as a childe is of his Parents they beare not on them the Image of God as a child doth beare the image of his Father they depend not upon God as a child depends upon his Parents they abide not with God as a child with his Parents they receive not Gods instruction as a childe receives his fathers instruction they love not God as a child his Parent they delight not in God as a child rejoyceth in his Parents the meditation of God is not sweet the thought of Gods presence is not pleasant to them they frequent not Gods house they make it not their dwelling and place of their delight as children doe their Fathers house He that is without Christ is without God
of nature whither vegitive sensible or reasonable Job sometime said of wisdome Where shall wisdome be found and where is the place of understanding man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the Sea saith it is not with me thus may we say of spirituall life where shall spirituall life be found and where is the place of true and saving grace man knoweth not the price therof neither is it found in the land of the living Nature saith it is not in me Art and industry say it is not with us this life is hid with Christ in God It is hid in God in regard of the original preservation protection and continuance of it as the life of the branch is hidden in the root and the life of the streame in the fountaine it is hid in God and there and no where els it is to be found therfore termed the life of God for the spirituall originall and celestiall excellency therof regeneration and new-birth being of all lives the most excellent life which God communicateth unto man because God doth then very graciously and sweetly live in man and man enjoyes the life of God when God doth sanctifie and guide man by his Spirit and this life is ascribed by our Saviour to the Spirit as to the proper cause of it the flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickneth and all the faithfull are born again of the Spirit begotten of God by the word of truth as they have the most noble excellent Parent so they have the most honorable eminent life a life of such dignity that none but God can communicate 5. By the medium of spirituall life conjunction with Christ by faith is the medium of this life as the naturall life is a conjunction of the body with the soule so the spirituall life is a conjunction of the soul with Christ and his Spirit Christ is the head and they the members Christ is the Vine and they the branches being enlivened by their conjunction with Christ the members are enlivened by the head and the branches by the Vine and believers coming to Christ as to a living Stone are said as lively stones to be built a spirituall house In which words Christ is likened to a Stone for his strength and stedfastnesse for his truth and unchangeablenes for his union of Jew and Gentile and for his supportation of all Gods children to an elect and precious stone for his worth and excellency and to a living stone for his everliving vertue ministring the life of grace to all the faithfull and preserving them therin to the life of glory and all true beleevers are called lively stones for their being founded upon Christ and enlivened by Christ the head-stone and of this life they participate by coming unto Christ comming to Christ by the doctrine of the Gospell inviting them and by a lively faith resting upon him incorporated into him and receiving spirituall life from him and this is Christs promise he that beleeveth in me that is united and joyned unto me and made one with me by faith he shall live he shall live the life of grace first and the life of glory last and it is the plain assertion of the Evangelist he that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life he hath it in inchoation by the work of grace he hath it in promise by faith he hath it in expectation by hope he hath that life begun in grace which shall be consummate in glory 6. By the opposition made against the working of this life in the soules of men the working of grace in the hearts of men is opposed by corruption as naturall life is opposed by death all men by nature being dead in sins and trespasses this life is opposed by sin as naturall health is opposed by a mortall an over-swaying and incurable disease the cure of the diseased woman in the Gospell was so opposed by her bloody issue that no Physition could cure her she bestowed all her substance upon the Physitions in vaine she could not be healed untill she came to Christ the cure of the disease of sin is so difficult that neither the ministry of man or Angell can accomplish it Christ alone is the Physitian healing the diseased soul of man he is the son of righteousnes who hath healing in his wings in the wings of his ordinances instrumentally in the wings of his gracious gifts and operation efficiently the Apostle layeth down the opposition of sin against the working of spirituall life 4. ways 1. Through ignorance alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them they are ignorant of the absence and want of it they suppose they are alive to God when they are dead in sinne they are ignorant of the Originall and Authour of this life they know not that he that hath not the Sonne hath not life they are ignorant of the meanes working it they know not that the word is the word of life that the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation the immortall seed of mans regeneration they are ignorant of the necessity of this life of grace they thinke there is a greater latitude in Religion then there is they know not that the way to life is a narrow way they imagine they may doe well enough though they be not so strict and so zealous as others are they are ignorant of that worke of Christ of that holy and gracious change of heart of that faith repentance purity of heart and circumspect walking which belongs to this life And thus through their ignorance doe they undervalue it and oppose the working thereof 2. Their corruption doth oppose it through the hardnesse of their hearts being alienated from the life of God through the hardnesse which is in them This hardnesse of heart makes them uncapable of the word of life as the hard ground is uncapable of seed This causeth them to resist the meanes of grace as the hard rocke resisteth the raine distilling thereupon This makes them regardlesse and fearelesse of all judgements and cominations Affliction doth not better them but rather make them worse as the anvill hardens under the hammer This makes them impenitent they cannot mourne for their sinnes any more then a hard rocke can send forth a streame of water O Lord saith Jeremy thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rocke they have refused to returne and after their hardnesse and impenitent heart according to Saint Paul they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and thus their hardnesse of heart doth oppose the working of this spirituall life 3. Their corruption opposeth this spirituall life through unsensiblenesse they are strangers to this life saith the Apostle being
past feeling being unsensible of their sinne as a dead man of his disease unsensible of the misery of their estate and perilousnesse of their condition as the drunkard in Salomon had no apprehension of his danger unsensible of the word of instruction as a deafe man that heares not is unsensible of advice and counsell They heare saith the Prophet but understand not they see but perceive not they heare outwardly but not inwardly they see confusedly but not clearly the light shines upon them but not within them they walke not in the light they are not guided in their goings by the light they are unsensible of the characteres symptomes of destruction which are upon them as Ephraim had gray haires here and there upon him howbeit he knew it not Unsensible of the goodnesse and sweetnesse of Christ as a distempered palate is unsensible of the sweetnesse of the wine given him to drinke unsensible of the comfort and pleasantnesse of spirituall life as the dead are unsensible of the joyes of the living and being thus past feeling they regard not the life of grace it is of no esteeme with them 4. Their corruption doth oppose the life of grace by causing them to give themselves over to lasciviousnesse to worke uncleannesse disposing and inclining them to evill as heavy things incline downeward the whole current of their affections moving towards sinne strongly speedily undefatigably and unchangeably as the Rivers move towards the Sea soaking and surfeting themselves with carnall delights and pleasures as the drunkard soakes his flesh with strong drinke and the glutton surfets himselfe with sweet meat delighting and sporting themselves in sinne as the fish in the water drinking iniquity as Job speaks like water as the dry ground drinks in the water and looks for more giving themselves over unto sinne as the souldiers to the Centurion to be commanded by it to be wholly subject to it as the harlot to the adulterer prostituting and laying themselves open unto sinne and bringing forth all their fruit to sinne and this their serviceablenesse to sinne delight and pleasure in sinne voluntary and full subjection under sinne doth mightily oppose the working of the life of grace within them so opposing it that none but Christ can worke it Besides Satan doth also with much force and fraud hinder this worke holding the winds that they may not blow endeavouring to the utmost to stop the ministery of the word the meanes of begetting this life in the soules of men blinding the understandings of men that the glorious light of the Gospel may not shine into them labouring by all meanes to hinder the regeneration of Gods children represented in Saint Johns vision of the Dragon ready to devoure the womans childe as soone as it was borne This worke the world also hinders by distracting men with worldly cares by priding men with worldly wealth by ministring many prophane and soule-bewitching examples by with-holding men from attendance upon Gods ordinances the meanes of life by choaking the word of God the instrument of life with worldly cares by disabling men to discerne and judge aright of Christ the Authour of life Such is the opposition made against the worke of grace in the soules of men that there is a meere impossibility of attaining spirituall life without the mighty worke of Christ the Lord of life CHAP. XX. SEe then in this the pride and vanity of such men as dreame of a power and ability in themselves to restore themselves unto spirituall life As Sampson burst his wit hs and went out when Dalilah cryed the Philistines are upon thee Sampson Thus they thinke to breake the chaines of sinne to come forth of the grave of their corruption at their pleasure having the word of exhortation to call them Man indeed indowed with true and saving grace may come when God cals him as Sampson went forth at the voice of Dalilah while his lockes were upon him but as Sampson had no power to preserve himselfe when his lockes were cut off no more hath man destitute of saving grace any power to restore himselfe to the life of grace or to defend himselfe against the adversaries of his peace The branch cannot live without the root nor the soule a spirituall life without Christ Man is wholly disabled unto this worke having no feed nor principle of grace remaining in him being as fully under the dominion of sinne as the dead are under the dominion of death at as great a distance from the life of grace as they who have been long dead and divers dayes like Lazarus in the grave are from the life of nature 2. Being so blinded that they cannot discerne the things which belong to their spirituall vivification from the things which tend to their destruction the wayes of death are wayes of life in their apprehension as the Assyrians smitten with blindnesse thought the way leading to Samaria to be the way leading to Assyria Thus they repute the way which leadeth unto death to be the way leading unto life they call evill good and good evill 3. They decline the meanes of their spirituall quickning they stop their cares against the voice which should awaken and enliven them they shut their eyes against the light which should illuminate them 4. They are full of enmity against the ministery which should convert them they make warre against the ministery of the word as Saul against David This troubles them as the Star troubled Herod the Minister is their enemy because he tels them the truth 5. Sinne is a sweet dish to their palate they are insatiable in the commission of it their soules are wedded to it they have made a Covenant with it they boast and glory in it 6. The life of grace and holinesse is dishonourable and contemptible in their eye Nothing with them is beautifull and amiable excellent and honourable but that which is either for the matter or for the circumstances sinfull And therefore when the dead can raise themselves out of their graves when the stones can turne themselves into flesh the thornes into vines when the Leopard can change his spots and the Blackamoore his skinne then may man by his owne power without the mighty worke of Christ raise himselfe to a new life turne his hard into a tender heart his barren into a fruitfull soule and his uncleane into a pure conversation Were man sensible of his emptinesse of all spirituall good of his obstinacy against grace of his strong and unchangeable bent to evill of the desperate disposition of his heart to sinne of his through subiection under Satan and of the prophane antipathy which is in his heart against grace and of his inability to receive it when it is proffered he would never exalt himselfe into Christs roome and take upon him to be the workman of his owne conversion he would never continue in sinne presuming to repent at last when he list
doubtlesse that man never felt the power of Christ in his conversion that dreames of a power in himselfe to convert and change himselfe Presumption of self-goodnesse invincibly argues the absence of all saving goodnesse The diseased came either by their owne strength or by the help of others to Bethesda but when the foot was in the poole if the Angell did not move the waters there was no healing Man may come to the ministery of the word by his owne strength and by the perswasion of others but when he is come and heares the word there is no healing unlesse Christ worke mightily with the Gospell For Paul plants and Apollo waters but God giveth the increase Is Christ the Author and worker of spirituall life Then we must addresse our selves to Christ that Christ may quicken and enliven us Whiles we stand aloofe off and continue strangers to Christ we are all dead men dead spiritually while we live corporally alienated from the life of God while we enjoy the life of men continuing strangers to Christ we are all dead in sinne and as the dead know not any thing no more doe we savingly and comfortably know any thing of God of Christ of his word or of the Spirit of grace we are in darknesse like the dead we are blinde and groape at the noone day as in the midnight As the dead have no feeling of the disease which killed them of the burthen of earth cast upon them no more have we of the sinne which wounds us and hastens the second death upon us we are as Saint Paul said past feeling As the dead have no vigor no strength no motion no more have we any power disposition or inclination to any thing holy and savingly good in the sight of God As the dead are an uncomfortable spectacle and cast an evill savour so are we very unsavoury in Gods nosthrils an abomination in the eyes of God As the dead have no claime nor title to any thing their interest in what they once enjoyed is lost Thus we have no title to Christ no interest in Gods Covenant of grace and as the dead putrifie and rot more and more so we grow worse and worse as long as we continue without Christ O therefore let us come to Christ that he may enliven us as he raised Lazarus the Widowes sonne and the Rulers daughter Let us come to Christ to raise our soules as the woman of Shunem came to the Prophet to raise her dead sonne she made haste to the Prophet we must come speedily unto Christ in the dayes of our youth before we have continued long under the death and dominion of sinne the woman of Shunem came humbly to the Prophet she cast her selfe downe at the feet of the Prophet We must come to Christ in great humility humbling our selves before him having our hearts full of sorrow for our sinne earnestly petitioning the vivification of our soules The woman of Shunem laid hold upon the Prophets feet and would not let him goe untill he went with her and raised her sonne Thus must we lay hold on Christ carry him with us bring him home into the house of our hearts that Christ may quicken us to the life of grace here and to the life of glory hereafter This likewise discovers to us what all our works and services are as long as we are without Christ Christ is the Author and worker of spirituall life and while we are without Christ we are without spirituall life and where is no life there is no action no motion where is no life of grace there is no moving no stirring in the wayes of godlinesse All the workes of naturall men how specious soever in outward appearance yet they are as the Scripture termes them but dead workes their hearing praying receiving of the Sacrament and other duties of righteousnesse done by them are works without life For 1. they proceed not from an inward Principle of spirituall life all their motions in and about the duties of godlinesse like the motions of Clockes and Watches proceed not from life but from art from the feare of hell from the apprehension of death from the sence of affliction from the desire of the applause and favour of men from the hope of reaping the harvest of some worldly benefit and therefore as the clocke ceaseth his motion when the Spring is downe so doe these men usually cease their motion in the wayes of godlinesse when the outward loadstone which drew them is taken away as yron having no principle of life within it stops it's motion when the loadstone is removed then they are at a stay then they goe backe 2. Their services if we consider the nature of them they are but morall and ecclesiasticall services no spirituall services They have as the Apostle saith a forme of godlinesse but they deny the power of it As a dead man hath the forme and lineaments of a living man but not the power and vivacity of a living man their works for the matter of them may be morally and ecclesiastically good but not spiritually good their coine their service as Jeremy termes it is reprobate silver Reprobate silver may have the stamp colour and similitude of true coine and yet is base mettall A naturall mans duties of service and obedience to God may have the similitude and colour of a spirituall mans service but when they are tryed they are found to be counterfeit abominable in the sight of God how beautifull soever in the eyes of men Swines bloud is of as cleare and perfect colour to the eye as sheeps bloud yet it is of another nature and to offer Swines bloud under the Law was an abomination Thus the service of a carnall man may have the outward colour of a regenerate mans service and be as pure and perfect in the outward appearance as the service of the holiest persons and yet it is of another nature and a very abomination in the sight of God 3. Their services if you looke upon the adjunct of them are cold services coldnesse is a Symptome of death when a man is dead the whole man is cold the works of a naturall and carnall man are cold they have no spirituall life no heavenly warmth no vivacity and holy quicknesse in them It is said of David that he had many cloathes yet he got no heate Thus carnall men have all the ordinances of God all meanes to warme their soules and yet they continue cold as a dead body under many cloathes they may performe many religious duties and yet have no heate no warmth in them At the best they are but like Ephraims cake halfe baked like luke-warme meat such as is offensive to the stomacke and therefore Christ threatens to spew them out of his mouth they have nothing of the Spirit of God within them whose working is likened unto fire making men fervent in Prayer causing their hearts
to burne within them in hearing as the hearts of the two Disciples did this fire this heavenly heate is wanting and therefore all their service is but as a sacrifice without fire of no use of no acceptance with the Lord. 4. Their services if you observe their end are arrowes levelled to a low marke A dead man cannot lift himselfe up from the earth A man without Christ and empty of spirituall life cannot looke above himselfe and his owne flesh in any thing he doth The effect ever suites with the cause the thorne cannot beare figges the fruit is answerable to the nature of the Tree He that hath nothing of God in him cannot intend God in his undertaking he that is alienated from the life of God cannot worke for God That saith our Saviour which is of the flesh is flesh fleshly disposed intending the flesh and nothing else doing all for himselfe seeking his owne things and not the things which are Christs his owne profit his owne ease his owne applause he serves not the Lord Jesus but his owne belly as Saint Paul speakes and thus the originall the nature adjunct and end of a carnall mans works demonstrate them to be dead works of no esteem with God how glorious soever in the eyes of men As Christ is the Author and worker of Spirituall life so the glory and the praise of all grace and holinesse of the whole spirituall life of Christians is to be attributed unto Christ Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father from whom we have our new birth the high and heavenly workman from whom we have our spirituall being and new Creation the life by whom we are quickened the Sun by whom we are enlightened the Physitian by whom we are healed Christ Jesus is the fountaine of all grace and goodnesse life and holinesse to true beleevers they are all members enlivened by this head Stars enlightened by this Sunne fields manured by this husbandman houses builded by this Architect and vessels filled by this fountaine the praise of all mans grace and holinesse is due to Christ Jesus Art thou awakened out of thy spirituall sleep and slumber it is Christ hath done it as the Angell awakened Peter the Lyon by his cry awakens his young Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah by his mighty voice in the Gospell awakens Gods chosen Are the eyes of thy understanding enlightened Christ is the light who hath enlightened thee as he opened the eyes of him that was borne blind Art thou cleansed from thy sinne it is Christ who is the refiners fire and the fullers sope that hath purged thee as Jordan cleansed Naaman from his leprosie Art thou delivered from the prison of thy corruption and the bondage of Satan it is Christ hath brought thee forth as the Angell brought Peter out of Herods prison Hast thou liberty to come to God by faith and love it is Christ hath made thee free in thy understanding to discerne the things of God in thy will to chuse and intend God in thy imagination to thinke upon God in thy memory to remember God in thy affections to feare trust love and rejoyce in God in thy eares to attend to the word of God in thine eyes to behold God in his works in thy tongue to speake of God to the edification of others and to celebrate God for his mercies Christ is the Authour and workman of all Christian freedome Art thou filled with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit Christ is the fountaine that hath filled thee all thy receivings are of Christs fulnesse as the branches are filled by the root and the Starres by the Sunne Hast thou reconciliation and acceptation with God it is Christ that hath brought thee nigh to God procured favour for thee with the Lord as Joseph procured favour for his brethren with the King of Egypt Christ is the beloved in whom thou art accepted Art thou able to endure temptation to undergoe the heavy burthen of affliction Christ is the rocke that sustaines thee as the rocke in the Parable sustained the house from sinking when the winds and waves did beate and blow upon it Christ is the Arke that beares thee up as Noah was borne up in the Deluge Christ is the shield and buckler and wall of fire that defends thee it is Christs power in thee it is Christs presence with thee as with the three children in the fiery furnace that strengthens and inables thee to hold out that makes thee victorious over all opposing powers In a word it is Christ that works all thy works of grace and peace faith and love hope and patience constancy and perseverance in thee he begins the life of grace within thee and continues it to the life of glory Ascribe therefore to the Lord Jesus the praise of all thy goodnesse acknowledge him to be the giver of all thy gifts the Authour of all thy holy and gracious works the Sunne that hath enlightened thy darknesse the quickning Spirit who hath enlivened and freed thee from thy deadnesse the Physitian who hath healed thy diseases the Counsellor who hath resolved thee in all thy doubtings the fiery pillar who hath gone before thee protecting and guiding thee in all thy goings the Moses rod which hath divided the waters and made a passage for thee through the red Sea of all thy afflictions the Captaine who hath overcome for thee in all thy Conquests and the King who of his owne mercy crownes thee and his owne works in thee after all thy tryals Let Christ have the glory of all from thee because he accomplisheth all for thee by his living in thee CHAP. XXI THe third thing in these words is an Act liveth Christs living in man the soule liveth in the body enlivening preserving and strengthening the body and Christ liveth in man enlivening man with the life of grace preserving man in the estate of grace strengthening him with all might according to his glorious power Christ is the soule of our soules the quickning Spirit by whom we are spiritually enlivened Christ by the supernaturall gracious and powerfull operation of his Spirit raising us to newnesse or life and living in us by this powerfull and holy worke of his Whence observe That Christ lives in Gods children by his holy and powerfull worke of Sanctification The Spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiels vision was in the wheeles and when the living creature went they went and when the living creature was lifted up they were lifted up because the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheeles Thus the Spirit of Christ is in the children of God and they live as Christ lives they move according to Christs prescription because the Spirit of Christ is in them because Christ lives in them and works effectually by his Spirit upon them putting a Principle of spirituall life into them The Prophet Elisha applyed himselfe to the woman of
Shunems sonne that was dead He lay upon the childe and his mouth upon the childes mouth and his eyes upon the childes eyes and his hands upon the childes hands he stretched himselfe upon the childe and the flesh of the childe waxed warme the childe neesed and opened his eyes Christ applyeth himselfe and his benefits to the understandings of men to the soules and consciences of men and their cold hearts are warmed their blind eyes are opened their soules are enlivened and Christ lives within them raising them from the death of sinne and restoring them to the life of God from which they are alienated by sinne therefore Saint John saith He that hath not the Sonne hath not life He that hath not the Son graciously possessing him spiritually quickning him powerfully working upon him and causing a holy change in him he hath not life the life of God that holy and gracious life which God through Christ communicates to the soules of his servants but he that hath the Sonne he that beleeveth in the Sonne is united to the Sonne and hath the Sonne living in him he hath life he is spiritually quickened and enlivened And God saith the Apostle hath given us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne God hath placed this and the fulnesse of all divine and heavenly good things in his Sonne he dispenseth all these by the Sonne that no man may live before him without the Sonne living in him and the Sonne is called Life having in himselfe the fulnesse of all life having the power of life and death being the Authour and the root of life in all them that live the life of grace no man comming to the Father receiving life from the Father finding grace and favour with the Father but in and through the Sonne who is to us the Way the Truth and the Life the way by whom we walk the truth by whom we are guided and the life by whom we are quickned called by Saint Paul our life because we live not the life of grace of our selves but by Christ It is a life which ariseth not from our flesh but is derived to us from Christ Christ liveth in us begetteth preserveth and perfecteth this life in all beleevers and for this end Christ came that all the chosen of God might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Ministring not onely an inchoation but a daily increase of the life of grace untill they come to the life of glory and Christ is termed eternall life having life eternall in himselfe working life eternall and living for ever in us we enjoying the true and eternall God in and through Christ And Christ liveth in all them that are the children of God 1. By way of Originall The life of grace is originally from Christ Christ being not only the Author of this life with the Father and the Holy-Ghost but also the root of this life in us living in us as the root liveth in the branches as the parent liveth in the childe therefore Christ is called the vine and we the branches As the life of the branches is originally in the vine so is our life originally in Christ and as the branches live by the vine living in them so we live by Christ living in us And the Apostle termeth the second Adam which is Christ a quickning spirit For as the life of the body of man is originally from the soule the soule quickning and living in the body so the life of grace is originally from Christ Christ spiritually quickening and living in all beleevers and as the body without the spirit is dead so is man without Christ spiritually dead in sins 2. By way of Coniunction Christ liveth in vs by being united to us and made one with us The stocke liveth in the graft by union with the graft we being taken out of the wilde Olive separated from our naturall and corrupt estate called and gathered home to Christ and grafted in the true Olive we live in him and he lives in us If ye abide in me and I in you ye shall bring forth much fruit saith Christ If ye be united unto me and I united unto you then you shall live and be very fruitfull By being built upon Christ the living stone they become lively stones 3. By way of influence infusion and transmission The heavens by an influence into the earth doe quicken and enliven the earth and make all the seeds and roots hidden in the earth to revive and put themselves forth to sprout and flourish there is an influence going forth from the Sun of righteousnesse into the soules of men reviving and quickning them and making them of dead to become living of barren to become fruitfull To you saith the Lord shall the Sun of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings and ye shall goe forth and grow up as the calves of the stall There is an influence goeth forth from the skill seated in the mind and strength seated in the hand of the Artificer which passeth upon the worke whereby he moulds and fashions it and sets a stamp upon it according to his pleasure Thus there is a heavenly influence a holy vertue and power comming from Christ and his Spirit that new moulds and fashions that mightily quickens and enlivens the soule of man by which Christ sets his owne Image upon man and this is called the power of Christs Resurrection That I may know him saith Paul and the power of his Resurrection that I may know Christ and be made partakers of the good things which come by Christ that I may know him as a Prophet instructing me as a Priest sanctifying me as a King reigning spiritually within me and that I may know the power of his Resurrection in the vivification of my soule in the abolition of my sinne in the taking away of the guilt of my transgression in the acquisition of righteousnesse and in the restoring of me to the assured hope of future glory and immortality There is a virtue flowes from the Resurrection of Christs body from the grave to the resurrection of the soules of men from the death of sinne As Christ was raised from the death by the glory of the Father even so should we walke in newnesse of life saith the Apostle and this influence of Christ into the soule of man is called the exceeding greatnesse of his power an exceeding great power for the omnipotency of the Agent for the mightinesse of the Devill sinne death and the world who are overcome by it for the greatnesse of the holy and gracious change wrought thereby in the soules of men changing the whole frame of the hearts of men from death to life from darknesse to light from bondage to liberty from uncleannesse to holinesse from earthlinesse to heavenlinesse and by this powerfull and mighty influence doth Christ live in
the soules of Gods children 4. By way of gubernation and direction The head liveth in the members acting and guiding the members to move and worke according to the dictates of the head and Christ as head liveth in beleevers his members acting and guiding framing and disposing them to move and walke and doe the things pleasing in his sight the will moves the members of the body too and fro by a commanding active power that goes from the will acting and stirring the members according to the disposition of the wil the Pilot by his presence in the ship and by his activity strength and skill turnes the rudder of the ship and guides the course therof to a quite contrary point of the Compasse the King by an influence from his Majesty authority power and Laws lives and reigns in the hearts of his loyall and obedient Subjects binding and bowing them to the observation of his Edicts That there is a commanding active power passeth from Christ upon the soules of all sanctified persons whereby he lives and reignes in them acts and moves them according to the disposition of his will turnes the rudder of their affections and guides the course of their lives to a quite contrary point then what they formerly moved and tended to hence it is that our Saviour saith the kingdome of God is within you Christ by his Spirit enlightening their hearts and effectually moving working and framing their soules to beleeve his promises and doe his will and they are said to have the Law in their hearts Christ ruling and commanding there by putting into their hearts a disposition of holy and humble subjection sutable to the holinesse of the Law And it was prophecyed of Christ that in the day of his power when Christ should be preached and his kingdome erected in the hearts of men The people should be willing voluntarily and freely subject and obedient unto Christ as the members to the head and thus Christ lives in men by his holy gubernation raigne and rule in the soules of men 5. By way of preservation and continuance unto perfection The soule lives in the body preserving the body from putrefaction continuing the body unto its appointed perfection Christ liveth in the soules of Gods children preserving them from sinne that they doe not putrifie in sinne though annoyed with sinne as the body with nasty humours and keeping them from the death of sinne that it never get dominion over them as death over dead men though it abide like a disease within them perfecting also the life of grace in them untill they come to the life of glory Those thou gavest me saith Christ I have kept and none of them is lost Whom God the Father gives to Christ by eternall election and effectuall vocation them Christ keeps in the state of grace in them he nourishes and maintaines spirituall life them he keeps in the knowledge of Gods truth in the saith of Gods promises in the love of Gods testimonies in the obedience of Gods precepts them he keeps in prosperity that they swell not in adversity that they repine not in temptation that they despaire not in all changes that they change not he doth perfect stablish strengthen and settle them he makes spirituall life more full and active strong and vigorous in them the longer Christ liveth in them the more perfection he ministers unto them the more abundantly he fils them the more he manifests the power of his grace towards them and thus Christ lives in Gods children by preserving and perfecting the life of grace in them And thus you see it is apparent that Christ doth live in Gods children by his gracious and powerfull worke of Sanctification CHAP. XXII IF you demand what is the life of Christ or Christ living in the children of God I answer it is a spirituall power or Principle of grace which Christ by his Spirit doth put into the hearts of the elect at their regeneration inabling them to move themselves to God-ward in knowing willing intending thinking loving speaking and doing the things which are pleasing unto God called the life of Christ because Christ is the Authour and the root thereof because it is a life which Christ commandeth and approveth and because hereby Christ liveth in all them that are regenerate and this is sometimes termed a being alive to God because men are hereby moved and quickned to doe what pleaseth God sometimes it is stiled a living with Christ having communion and fellowship with the grace of Christ for newnesse of life or with the glory of Christ for eternall felicity sometimes it is termed a new life a pure and unblameable life framed not after the lusts of the old man but after the will of God in his word and sometimes it is called a living unto God regenerate man consecrating and ordering his whole life after the will of God and unto his glory Christ living in man doth inable move and worke the heart of man to acknowledge God and Christ to be his Lord and himselfe not to be his owne but Gods and Christs servant 2. To frame and order his thoughts words and works according to the word of God and Christ in every thing 3. To referre and apply himselfe his whole life and whatsoever he hath to the honour of God and Christ And fourthly in all the changes dangers and afflictions of his life to depend upon God and Christ for counsell supportment protection and deliverance and this is Christs living in man and Christs keeping and continuing man in the state of grace unto the state of glory If you aske me how or in what manner Christ begins to live in man I answer 1. Christ doth awaken man as the Angell smote Peter upon the side and awakened him when he slept between the two souldiers with fetters upon him in Herods prison This doth Christ by his word without and the motion of his spirit within smite upon the heart and conscience of man sleeping between two great souldiers the devill on his right hand and the world on his left hand in the prison of sin Christ thus smiting upon man awakens man causes him to open his eyes to see his miserable and wretched estate to see the danger wherein he stands As the Prophet opened the eyes of the Syrians and let them see they were in Samaria in the hands of their enemies Thus Christ awakens man opens the eyes of mans understanding and makes him see himselfe in the hands of Satan lead away captive by him at his will in the gall of bitternesse and under the bond of iniquity poore blind naked miserable and wretched Christ makes him see the necessity he hath of his righteousnesse to justifie him of his power to deliver him of his intercession to reconcile God unto him and of his fulnesse to fill him Thus when Christ intended to live in Paul he first
awakened him out of his spirituall sleep and slumber he made him see himselfe I was alive once saith he without the Law I was once ignorant of the Law I was blind and knew not the meaning of the law I thought my selfe to be a living man in Gods family a shining starre in the firmament of Gods Church and a fruitfull vine in the Lords vineyard but when the commandement came sinne revived and I dyed when Christ awakened me opened my eyes and inabled me to discerne a right of the commandement then I saw I was under the dominion of sinne as a dead man is under the dominion of death wholly possessed by sinne as the dead by death Man hath first the sence of his being dead in sinne before he hath the sence of Christ living in him Christ makes man to know his misery by sinne before he knowes his happinesse by Christ Christ lives not where the soule is not awakened where the eyes of the understanding are not opened therefore awake saith the Apostle thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light 2. Christ intending to live in man doth humble man and causeth man to dye to sinne Saul first dyed before David reigned in Israel The death of sinne in order of divine operation precedes the life of Christ and his grace in the soule of man first we are buried with Christ and then we are raised with Christ to walke in newnesse of life first we are planted into the likenesse of Christs death and then into the likenesse of his resurrection Christ therefore in the dispensation of spirituall life doth first kill and then make alive first wound and then heale he makes man sensible of his sinne as of a heavy burthen before he doth ease him as of a body of death before he doth raise him as of a mortall disease before he doth cure him he chargeth sinne upon the conscience of man he sets it upon him to pursue and follow him as the avenger of bloud under the Law pursued the malefactor The Lord let loose Pharaoh and the Egyptians upon Israel to impose heavy burthens upon them to deale hardly with them to beat and scourge them to pursue and follow them when he intended to set them free from Egypt Christ lets loose Satan and corruption upon man to tempt and vexe to accuse and torment man when he intends to free man to restore spirituall life and liberty unto man The Israelites were first led into the red Sea and the Egyptians there drowned before Israel triumphed Man is led into a sea of griefe and sorrow for sinne and his sinne there drowned and then he triumpheth in Christ then Christ lives in him and he in Christ When Christ therefore doth humble man as he cast Paul to the earth emptieth man of all thought of his owne worth and makes man abhorre himselfe below the dust causeth man with the Jewes at Peters Sermon to cry out men and brethren what shall we doe to accuse and condemne themselves to loath that sinne as a menstruous clout which was formerly worne by them as a garment of great choise to vomit up that sinne it is Jobs expression as the gall of Aspes which he formerly kept in his mouth and swallowed downe like sweet meat to hate his sinne more then ever he loved it and to thrust it out of the doores of his heart as Amnon hated Thamar more then ever he loved her and thrust her out of his house When Christ doth thus humble man thus set the heart of man against sin and mortifie sinne in man then Christ begins to live in man When a man puls downe a house that is ruinous and unhabitable and begins to lay a new foundation then we know he usually intends to dwell and live there Thus when Christ puls downe the old man a ruinous and unhabitable dwelling unfit to entertaine Christ when Christ puls downe our pride when our old man as S. Paul speaks is crucified with Christ when all high thoughts are cast downe and Christ hath laid another a new foundation of self-denyall and true humility then Christ meanes to dwell there then undoubtedly Christ begins to live there 3. Christ beginning to live in man puts a restlesnesse into the heart of man in his naturall and corrupt estate makes him out of love with himselfe fils him with dislike of his owne wayes and works alienates and takes him off from creature and works him to an earnest longing after Christ as the chased Hart panteth after the water-brookes being chased and frighted with the sence of his sinne and the hideous noise of his guilty accusing and tormenting conscience he begins to thinke of Christ to betake himselfe to Christ for comfort pardon and salvation as the guilty malefactor under the Law being pursued by the avenger of bloud betooke himselfe to the City of Refuge for shelter and defence now his soulâ— followeth hard after Christ now he prizeth interest in Christ farre above interest in the creature now he would take Christ upon any termes he would gladly leave all for Christ he sees there is no other Physitian can heale him no other surety can make satisfaction for him no other shield and buckler can protect him no other friend can comfort him and therefore he flies to Christ as Joah to the hornes of the Altar he presseth after Christ labours to lay hold on Christ as the diseased woman did whom no Physitian could cure and as there went a vertue out from Christ that healed her bloudy issue when she touched the hemme of Christs garment so there goes a vertue out from Christ healing and enlivening the soule longing after Christ and touching Christ by faith though it may seem to be but weakly and afar off For as when the iron comes neare the loadstone there goes a virtue from the loadstone that moves and drawes the iron to it so when man comes neare Christ in hearing in prayer in humiliation and earnest longing there goes a vertue from Christ which moves enlivens and drawes the soule of man home to Christ and Christ begins to live in man to sustaine and strengthen the soule of man 4. Christ beginning to live in man there is a revelation of Jesus Christ in the soule of man The Sonne of God as S. Paul speaks is revealed in man There goes a light forth from the Sunne in the Firmament which reveales the Sunne to the eye of man and there goes forth a spirituall and heavenly light from the Sunne of Righteousnesse into the soule of man which reveales Christ unto man which the Apostle cals a shining of Christ into our hearts Christ revealing himselfe unto the soule as the only Saviour ministring salvation to the soule as the only Prophet instructing man and filling him with heavenly knowledge as the only Jordan bathing and cleansing the soule from
rare 4. In regard of the sweetnes and pleasantnesse of this life Christ living in the soule of man is the choysest joy of man The light saith Salomon is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sun the light of Christ is sweet to the soule the beholding of the Sun of righteousnesse living in man is very pleasant unto man the heart of old Jacob revived hearing that his son Joseph lived the sence and feeling of Christ living in man is a sweet and powerfull reviving of the heart of man Christ is the Prince of peace and where he lives there is sweet and sure peace Christ is the Paradise of all comforts he that enjoyes Christ hath strong consolation where Christ liveth the wounds of the soule are healed the adversaries of the soule are vanquished the sinnes of the soule are purged the stormy tempest of the conscience is appeased the clouds of sorrow which darkned the soule are dispelled spirituall liberty is restored forgivenesse of sin is sealed sence of Gods love communicated and the soule graciously reconciled unto God all other life is bitter and unsavoury as death in comparison of a holy and gracious life 5. In regard of that estate and condition whereinto this life doth exalt and advance man Christ living in man makes man a childe of God by adoption a spirituall freeman a glorious Conquerour over Satan himselfe and the world a living member of that mysticall body whereof Christ is the head a King and Priest to God and an heyre of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the Heavens no crowne doth so honour man as his Sanctification man is more to be esteemed for his holy walking then for the highest honour the Earth is able to conferre upon him it is not mans naturall but his new-birth that makes him truly noble though holinesse thorough mens ignorance and profanenesse be of no esteeme with men yet is this the prime advancer of man 6. In regard of that lownesse and basenesse of spirit from which this life doth free man man in his naturall estate is very basely minded very dishonourably disposed like the decreped woman in the Gospell he is altogether bowed down and wholy bent to the things which are here below minding only things earthly wallowing like a Swine in the dirt and mire of the world and fleshly lusts but when Christ lives in man when he puts the life of grace into man he ennobles the heart of man communicates a heavenly disposition to him and puts the whole man into a heavenly frame and sets his heart to seeke the things which are above he rayseth his heart his thoughts his desires to the love meditation and seeking of things spirituall as he raysed the body of Lazarus from the grave hee makes man to looke upon the world as upon a thing of nought to repute all the fullnesse of the Earth as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ to leave all and follow Christ as Elisha left his yoakes of Oxen and followed Elijah having Christ living in him he minds Christ adheres to Christ pursues and followes after Christ makes Christ his crown and portion he hath an excellent Spirit like the Spirit of Christ contemning the glory of the world as Christ contemned it with Moses reputing the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt despising all the profers and perswasions of the Earth not regarding all the cominations of the world hee chooseth rather with the three children to walke with Christ in the fiery fornace then to live without Christ in the choysest earthly pallace He had rather be nayled with Christ to the crosse then set with Herod upon the throne He saith to the men of the world as Abraham in another case to the King of Sodome give me the persons take thou the substance give me Christ take ye the world give me things heavenly and eternall take ye things earthly and temporall He that hath Christ living in him reputes the world as nothing Christ is both his crowne joy and portion 7. In regard of their honourable walking who have Christ living in them they c walke in the Spirit saith the Apostle the Spirit moves and guides them to walke according to that rule which the Spirit hath in the word proposed to them the Spirit makes their hearts within and lives without sutable to that holinesse which the law prescribeth they walk in the power of the Spirit quickning and assisting them in the light of the Spirit directing them in the motion of the Spirit exciting them and in the operation of the Spirit enlarging their hearts with the knowledge of God faith in God love to God and with the sence and feeling of Gods goodnesse towards them and in the testimony and evidence of the Spirit sealing up the forgivenes of their sins unto them as the soule is not idle but operative in the body distributing sence and motion to every member of the body So the Spirit of Christ in them in whom Christ lives is not idle but operative manifesting it selfe in the fruits and effects thereof the soule inables man to humane works and services the Spirit of Christ living in man inables man to spirituall duties and exercises to shine as a light in the midst of the froward generation among whom hee lives to walke as a childe of light with Zachary and Elizabeth to walke in all the Commandements of God and be blamelesse and this is the honour and crowne of a Christians life to walke as beseemeth the Gospell to walk worthy of God and his Christian and holy calling he is most honourable who expresseth most holinesse in his conversation 8. In regard of the terme whereunto they live who have Christ living in them carnall men who are aliens to the life of God and Christ live to a very low ignoble and base terme they live to the world minding and intending the world conforming themselves to the example custome and fashion of the world they serve Mammon and not God to this they live as servants to the Master whom they serve they live unto themselves and their owne lusts walking after their owne imaginations proposing their owne by and base ends doing all things for themselves for their owne profit pleasure and applause they serve their owne belly and not the Lord Jesus they live to Satan not doing the will of God but the lust of the Divell as Christ speakes and this is the shame and dishouour of the life of man to live to live to such low by and base ends as these but they who have Christ living in them doe live unto God intending God making God and his prayse the supreame end of their living as a wife liveth to her husband bringing forth children to her husband a vine liveth to the Master of the vineyard bringing forth his fruite to him and a flocke liveth to him that is the Master
of the flocke yeelding all their encrease to him that ownes them thus these men live to God bringing forth all their fruit and encrease to God Whether we live saith the Apostle we live unto the Lord or whether wee die we die unto the Lord whither we live therefore or die we are the Lords They live unto the Lord 1. Acknowledging themselves not to be their owne or under their owne power but to be Christs as his proper and peculiar people 2. By receiving all their direction from Christ and not walking after their owne imagination taking Christs word as the Israelites did the fiery pillar and the wise men the starre to conduct them in all their goings 3. By surrendring themselves up to Christ to doe his and nor their owne will as servants to doe the will of the Master with whom they are entred into covenant 4. By making Christ their refuge flying to him in their distresses as servants to their Masters 5. By minding Christ and intending his glory in all that they doe even to the very end of their life preferring Christs honour above their owne welfare being willing to abase themselves that they may exalt Christ and as they live to Christ so they dye to Christ acknowledging him to have the power of death in his hand submitting with patience to the decree of Christ touching both time and manner of their dissolution being willing to glorifie Christ by their death resigning themselves wholy into the hands of Christ when the houre of death comes upon them It is the earnest desire and unfained indeavour of all gracious persons both in life and death to make the name of Christ glorious looking beyond themselves to God and Christ Jesus in all their doings and sufferings As they are endowed with noble principles within in their inward man so they have honourable ends without in their externall worke as their life is originally from Christ so their motion is to Christ he is the prime object of their intendment as they have their use from him so they live unto him and this is the honour of the life of a Christian to live to Christ What is the honour of a wives life but to live to her husband and not to strangers What is the honour of a servants life but to live to his Master in the faithfull discharge of his office And what is the honour of a Christians life but to live to Christ and not to his owne corrupt affections doubtlesse every mans life is more or lesse honourable and glorious as hee lives more or lesse to God and the Lord Jesus And thus it appeares that their life in whom Christ lives is of the lives of all people the most excellent and honourable Their life is glorious in prosperity by walking humbly in the midst of their abundance in adversity by walking patiently in all their sufferings In temptation by walking beleevingly resting upon God with a firme and sure confidence In opposition by walking couragiously holding fast their profession of Christ Jesus In losses by walking joyfully knowing they have an abiding substance in Heaven In all estates and conditions by walking holily and circumspectly shining like the light more and more to the day of their perfection CHAP. XXIIII BUt if their life in whom Christ lives be of all lives the most honourable and glorious how cometh it to passe that such people as live this life are often in outward appearance of all others the most ignominious and dishonourable I answer it so comes to passe 1. By reason of the secrecy and spirituality of their life their life is a hidden life it is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle as the life of the branch in the winter is hidden in the root and hath little appearance in the branch thus the glory of a Christians life is hidden in God the outward splendour and beauty thereof many times appeares not Beloved saith S. John now we are the sonnes of God we have now a very blessed and glorious life with God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him the flower hath a glorious life surpassing Salomon in all his royalty yet in the winter it is hidden under the Earth but when the vernall Sun appeares then the flower appeares in her beauty thus when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory though our life be now hidden in obscurity 2. This comes to passe thorough the ignorance of carnall men the blind man sees not the glory of the Sun the carnall man by reason of his spirituall blindnesse sees not the glory of a Christians life Christ had meat and drinke which the Disciples knew not the true Christian hath a life and in that life an honour and a glory which the carnall man discernes not The naturall man saith S. Paul receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned carnall men thorough their ignorance repute that the foulest shame of man which is indeed the choysest glory of man holinesse the speciall workmanship of the Spirit of God upon man the brightest starre shining in the firmament of mans soule the richest and most orient pearle in the Cabinet of mans heart is looked on and censured by corrupt and carnall man as the only disgrace and shame of man speaking evill as S. Peter saith of the things which they understand not 3. It so comes to passe thorough the disgrace and reproach which is cast upon them that live the life of grace holinesse hath ever beene cumbred with the foulest traducements Scandalous mouths have ever beene most shamefully open against such as have been most holy in their conversation the best men have ever had the worst report Christ surpassed all in holinesse as the Sunne the candle in brightnesse and who ever was equall to him in reproaches they said of him that he was a friend of Publicans and sinners that he had a Divell was madd and that by Belzebub the Prince of the Divels he cast out Divels and Christ fâ—re-told his Disciples that men should revile them and persecute them and say all manner of evill saying against them falsly for his sake It is not some but all manner of evill saying which is heaped upon Gods children the wayes and workers of godlinesse are lâ—aden with innumerable reproaches as the smoake out of the bottomlesse pit in the Revelation did darken the Sunne and the aire so doe the smoaky scandals of carnall men whose throate is an open Sepulcher obscure and darken the names persons and lives of Gods servants hee that departs from iniquity making himselfe a prey as the Prophet of old spake a prey to the thoughts of men secretly to censure him a prey to the hands of men to
oppresse him and a prey to the tongues of men to traduce him and the honour and glory of the lives of Gods children is much obscured thorough the scandals which alwayes are cast upon them 4. This likewise comes to passe thorough some corruption yet remaining in Gods children thorough some failings wherewith they are sometimes over-taken though Christ live in them yet they are not so full of life but that there is some sinne like a disease or evill humour in a living body abiding in them they have an Esau as well as a Jaacob in their wombe some tares of sinne growing with the wheate of grace in the field of their hearts they carry a pricke of imbred corruption in their flesh and this lusteth against the spirit against their regenerate part as the Amalekites fought against Joshuah and sometimes it foiles them as they sometime prevailed over Joshuah and as an inward evill humour sometimes breakes out into an open ulcer so doth this hidden and remaining corruption sometimes vent and shew it selfe in some open fayling as in Job David Jeremy Peter and the choysest of Gods servants and as one ulcer doth much obscure the beauty of the face so one failing doth much ecclipse and darken the glory of the conversation of Gods children if a childe of God keepe not himselfe unspotted of the world if hee faile but a little the world will blot and blaze his name all over if they espye but a little spot now and then in him they will report and proclaime him as one that is leprous all over 5. This also commeth thus to passe thorough mens misprision and mis-interpretation of the wayes and workes of Gods children Their eyes are blood shot they behold the doings of Gods servants in a false glasse and they appeare unto them in contrary colours and as Hanuns servants misinterpreted Davids kindnesse and handled his men as spies who were sent as comforters thus they misinterpret the doings of the righteous and censure their knowledge as errour their piety as hypocrisie their zeale as frensie their attendance on Gods ordinances as idlenesse their sacred meetings as confederacies and combinations their workes of mercy as workes of ostentation and vain-glory such as are farthest from sincerity and the greatest deceivers are most ready to charge hypocrisie upon others such as are least industrious to examine their owne hearts are usually the severest censurers of other mens lives and thus they change the cleare and shining day of a godly mans life into an obscure and darke night calling evill good and good evill putting light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light as wee may see in David Paul and others 6. This likewise is so by reason of the base out-side of Gods children They in whom Christ lives are for the most part of low estate and slender reputation in the eye of the world Christ at first was borne of a Virgin espoused to a Carpenter her condition no way conspicuous and glorious in the eyes of men and Christ is now for the most part formed againe in the hearts of men farre from all externall pomp and glory God having chosen poore things and base things and things which are not to confound the things which are and the poore saith Christ receive the Gospell and blessed is hee that is not offended in mee that doth not stumble and take offence at mee by reason of the low and slender estate of them that receive and imbrace me preached in the Gospell And the Prophet hath told us long since that Gods people are an afflicted poore people and this doth much obscure the honourablenesse of their life in the eye of the world who usually judge nothing excellent and honourable but that which is externally pompous and glorious as wee see by experience both in Christ and his members Mat. 13.55 Ioh. 2.1 2 3 4. Ioh. 7.48 49. 7. Lastly thus it likewise commeth to passe thorough the manifold afflictions which attend the righteous they in whom Christ lives are hated of the world persecuted by the men of the Earth and pursued with many troubles walking like the Israelites thorough the red Sea of many afflictions destitute afflicted tormented in Sheepes and Goates-skinnes in Caves and in Dennes Killed all the day long and accounted as Sheepe for the slaughter as the Psalmist speakes and these afflictions are a great darkning of the glory of their life in the eyes of the World as the cloudes darken the Sunne in the eyes of men continuing in it selfe bright and beautifull CHAP. XXV DOth Christ live in the soules of Gods children then the life of Gods children is of all the lives of men the most ioyfull and cheerfull the most pleasant and comfortable The Sunne is the joy and comfort of the world Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse is the glory joy and comfort of the soule The more fully and powerfully Christ liveth in man the greater is the joy of man Christs comming unto man is tydings of great joy Behold said the Angell I bring you good tydings of great ioy which shall be unto all people for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. This is great joy for the Author matter quality quantity and duration of it All joy is but heavinesse to the having of Christ living in us purging our corruptions pardoning our offences filling us with all heavenly blessings and sweetly and powerfully ruling over us The comming of the Arke ministred such joy to Israel that they gave a shout which made the earth to ring how much more doth the comming of Christ in the Gospell and ministration of spirituall life to Gods chosen make them joyous and comfortable witnesse the men of Samaria of whom it is recorded that upon Philips preaching the Gospell to them the ejection of Satan and consequently Christs beginning to live within them there was great joy in that City And all joy and gladnesse doth indeed accompany Christs living in man 1. Where Christ lives there is the joy of life of spirituall life of the life of God a life in respect whereof all other life is but death and therefore as the Father of the Prodigall said to his servants bring hither the fatted Calfe and kill it and let us eat and be merry for this my Sonne was dead and is alive he was lost and is found Thus the man in whom Christ lives hath great cause to be merry because his soule was dead and is alive was lost and is found 2. Where Christ lives there is ioy of Light The Sunne fils the aire with temporall light Christ fils the soule with spirituall light with all knowledge and wisedome and spirituall understanding And as the beholding of the Starre filled the wise men with exceeding great ioy so doth the shining of Christ into the soule of man fill man with great joy and rejoycing 3. Where
Christ lives there is the ioy of liberty Christ restoring life to Lazarus set him free from the grave and from the fellowship of the dead his eyes were free to see his eares to heare his tongue to speake his hands to worke and his feet to walke Christ living in man makes man free from the death of sinne from carnall fellowship with them that are dead in sinne he makes him free in his understanding to know God in his thoughts to meditate upon God in his memory to remember God and in his affections to beleeve in God to love God and to walke in the wayes of God And this liberty ministers to the soule as great a cause of rejoycing as ever Israel conceived upon their freedome from the Egyptians 4. Where Christ lives there is the ioy of victory When David came into the Israelitish army he gave them victory over Goliah and all the Philistines they all fled when Christ comes into and lives in the soule of man he overcomes Satan he dissolves his workes he casts that strong man out he subdues all the corruptions that are in man They that are Christs saith Saint Paul have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts they have gotten a blessed and honourable victory over Satan themselves and the world a victory ministring to them greater cause of rejoycing then Israel had when they gave a shout for their victory over the Philistines 5. Where Christ lives there is the ioy of regeneration adoption and sanctification Christ makes us the sonnes and daughters of God the friends and lovers of God who were aliens and enemies to God he makes us cleane who were defiled he abolisheth the character and stamp of Satan and engraves the Image of God on our soules he like a refiners fire and fullers sope puts away the spot and drosse of our sinne purifying and purging us as gold and silver that we may offer to the Lord an offering of righteousnesse And this affords us matter of greater rejoycing then Naaman had upon his being cleansed from his leprosie in Jordan Reioyce not in this saith Christ that the spirits are made subiect unto you but rather reioyce in this that your names are written in Heaven that you have a name with God that you are by adoption the children of God that you are sanctified and cleansed from your sinnes The worke of holinesse ministers more joy to Gods servants then the gift of working miracles there is more comfort ariseth from the subiugation of our corrupt affections then from having all the world put under us 6. Where Christ lives there is the ioy of riches he cannot be poore and miserable that hath Christ living in him Christ is unsearchable riches as Gideon said of Ephraim the gleanings of Ephraim are better then the vintage of Abiezâ—r so the gleanings the smallest gatherings of Christ are better then the vintage then the greatest abundance of the world Christs spirituall gifts and graces are the choisest of all riches all the riches of the world are but straw and stubble to this pearle he that hath this hath cause of holy glorying rejoycing in his wealth as the Merchant in the Parable had joy upon the finding of the precious pearle The rich man in Saint Luke having pulled downe his barnes builded them greater and filled them with worldly store bid his soule though upon weake grounds eat drinke and be merry because he had goods enough laid up for many yeares The man that hath pulled downe his lusts new built his heart and received Christ to live and dwell there may upon better grounds bid his soule eat drink and be merry for having Christ he hath a full and an abiding substance he hath treasure enough for ever 7. Where Christ lives there is the ioy of peace reconciliation and sweet communion he brings us nigh to God as Joseph brought his brethren nigh to Pharaoh he makes God a father and friend to us he causeth the face of God to shine upon us more comfortably then Sunne and filleth us with that peace which passeth all understanding and thus he makes the life of them in whom he lives a very sweet and pleasant life a life of choisest comforts a life for delights surpassing the lives of rich men Nobles Conquerours and all pleasure-hunters as the Paradise doth surpasse the wildernesse and the glorious Sunne the rotten gloe-worme But you will say if their life in whom Christ lives be such a sweet and pleasant such a joyous and comfortable life whence is it that many of them in whom Christ lives are so sad and sorrowfull and of all others many times in outward appearance the most uncomfortable livers I answer the sorrow and sadnesse of them in whom Christ lives ariseth 1. From the corruption which yet remaines in them Diseases in the body though they doe not destroy the body yet they now and then abate and hinder the comfort of bodily life Clouds in the aire though they doe not abolish the Sunne yet they hinder the light of the Sunne and darken the aire Thus corruption in them that live the life of grace though they doe not destroy and abolish this holy life yet they many times abate the comfort of it obscure and darken Christs living in man and untill they are overcome and dispelled they minister occasion of sorrow and sadnesse to the soules of Gods children causing them with David to complaine of them as of a heavy burthen and with Paul to cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Where Christ lives there is joy because the life of grace hath there an inchoation there is sorrow because sinne hath not yet it 's compleate dissolution and perfect buriall Israel had joy in their victory over the land of Canaan they had sorrow because some Canaanites yet remained among them The children of God have much joy from their spirituall conquest though somewhat sadded by their fleshly oppositions 2. This ariseth from some particular aberrations of Gods children of which they are sometime guilty sometimes they step aside from Gods way their hearts hang loose and cleave not close to God Satan gets an advantage against them and foiles them and as so â—e great fall takes away the sence and comfort of bodily life for the present Thus Gods children through some fall doe lose the comfort of Christ living in them and are very sorrowfull as a man whose bones are broken 3. This ariseth from some violent assault of Satan God lets him loose upon them to buffet them for their humiliation for sinne past or for excitation from security for the present or for prevention for the time to come and while this temptation lasteth the joy of their spirituall life is eclipsed as the joy of a rich man is darkened while his house is besieged the joy of a City is disturbed while the siege against
a Christian to have Christ living in him The more we are assured of this the more sweet and comfortable will the meditation of Christ be unto us and the greater our courage against all opposing powers and the more cheerfull shall we be in Christs service And this we shall discerne 1. By the purity of our conversation The order of our life without is sutable to the root and Principle of our life within he that hath a humane soule and life within him doth outwardly walke speake and worke as a man he that hath Christ living in him converseth walketh worketh doth all things outwardly as a Christian conformeth himselfe to Christ is acted moved and guided by Christ living in him as the body is moved and guided by the soule living in the same Christ living in him writes his Law in his heart new moulds new fashions and frames his whole man and makes it sutable to the Law causing him to be holy in all manner of conversation as he that hath called him is holy making him alive to God receiving all his direction from God to be wholly subject unto Gods will totally devoted to Gods service to doe every thing for God and to intend God above himselfe or any thing else as Christ in the dayes of his flesh did all according to the Commandement his Father gave him he sought not his owne but his Fathers honour Thus he in whom Christ lives makes Gods word the rule that guides him he seekes God and not himselfe he purifieth himselfe as Christ is pure and strives what in him lies that he may approve himselfe to God by walking humbly and holily with God 2. By mans invinciblenesse He that hath Christ living in him is very victorious even as Christ is victorious Christ is his life and as Christ is invincible so is the life of Christ in them that are his sinne and Satan may now and then foile them but can never extinguish the life of grace in them because Christ who liveth in them is stronger then all that doth oppose them Ye are of God saith Saint John endowed with the life of God and have overcome because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Christ living in his children is greater then Satan who lives in carnall men and therefore they are invincible We know saith the same Apostle that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not is not under the power of sinne gives no allowance to sinne makes not a trade of sinne but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not he keepeth himselfe that which is proper unto God is transferred to the children of God and they are said to keep themselves who indeed are kept of God being kept as Saint Peter saith through the power of God unto salvation having Christ living in them the whole armour of God put upon them the gifts of the Spirit communicated to them giving themselves to the study and practise of godlinesse and being frequent and fervent in holy and humble supplication unto God they are kept that the evill one doth not touch them his temptations are resisted he cannot extinguish the life of Christ in them in all assaults afflictions temptations and tryals they are more then Conquerours through Christ loving them and living in them Christ sustaines them in the deluge of affliction as the Arke sustained Noah in the deluge of waters And though they sometimes slip through the infirmity of the flesh yet they grieve under the burthen of their corruption they are displeased with themselves they depart not from the feare of the Lord they recover and revive they prevaile as Joshuah over the Amalekites they grow stronger and stronger like the house of David they goe forward like Israel in the way to Canaan from strength to strength untill they appeare before the Lord in Sion they shine more and more like the light unto the day of perfection The longer Christ liveth in them the more perfection of life is ministred to them 3. By mans preserving and keeping himselfe from sin and from the world Life preserves the body from putrefaction when the life is gone the body putrifies and rots but whiles life is strong and vigorous in the body the body is fresh and comely Man without Christ doth putrifie and rot in sinne he growes worse and worse but Christ living in man he is preserved from sinne sinne doth not reigne over him they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and dusts their soules are purified by Christ as the gold by the refiners fire and the cloath by the Fullers soape they are kept by Christ as the Garden by the dresser as the house by the dweller they are purged from sinne as the aire is purged from clouds and vapors by the wind and Sun they are washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Christ communicates spirituall health and heavenly beauty to their soules he purifies them to be a peculiar people to himselfe he makes them shine as lights he will not suffer sinne to remaine like a mortall wound or loathsome ulcer upon them but he ministers spirituall healing to them by the wings of his ordinances outwardly and of his grace inwardly Secondly they in whom Christ lives are preserved from the world life inables man to lift up his body from the earth to tread upon it with his foot they in whom Christ lives have their conversation in Heaven they mind the things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God they first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof This is the fountaine after whose waters they thirst the Sunne in whose light they rejoyce the treasure with which they desire to be enriched the thing which they desire suites with the quality and nature of their life Christ living in them they chiefly desire the things of Christ their hearts and thoughts are taken off from the world they prize it as a thing which is not they undervalue it as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ and the things of Christ and they use it as if they used it not Like Gideons three hundred men they lap a little but bow not downe to these waters Christ doth marvellously innoble their disposition in whom he lives he will not suffer them to be carnally affected nor worldly minded The world is crucified to that man in whom Christ liveth 4. By mans oppugning and expelling out of himselfe whatsoever is contrary to Christ It is the property of life to expell what is contrary to it whatsoever doth oppose or prejudice it The life of nature labours to the utmost the expulsion of diseases tending to the dissolution of nature and the life of grace or Christ living in man expels what is contrary to Christ and to the life and worke of grace
Such a man is sicke of the least sinne he complaines of it he strives against it the Law of his mind strives against the Law of his members as Jacob strove against Esau so doth the spirituall part in him strive against the carnall and fleshly part and as the living fountaine strives against and works out the mud which fals into it so doth he that hath Christ living in him worke out the vaine thoughts which fall into his mind and the carnall lusts which rise in his soule and is never at rest untill he hath cleared himselfe of them as Sarah was at no rest untill she had freed her house of the bond-woman and her sonne Nothing is so displeasing to him that lives the life of grace as that which displeaseth Christ his choisest care is to keep his heart a cleane house for Christ to dwell in and to make his soule the plenary possession of Christ that Christ may dwell and reigne alone there he allowes himselfe in no sinne as a chaste wife allowes of no strange lover in her heart his soule is entire with Christ hating what Christ hateth loving what Christ loveth expelling daily more and more whatsoever doth oppose Christs kingdome within him he is as impatient of sinne in his soule as of a moate in his eye as a loyall Subject of a traitor in his house as a King of a forraine enemy in his Kingdome If sinne doe but once beginne to shew it selfe he raiseth all his forces to drive it out and is at no peace untill he hath emptied himselfe thereof 5. By mans assuming and taking to himselfe that which is most sutable and best agreeing with Christ. Every life drawes unto it selfe that which is most sutable and most agreeable thereunto on that it feeds with that it is maintained and therein it delights Thus he that hath Christ living in him takes unto himselfe that which suites and agrees with Christ in this he delights on this his soule feeds As his life is a spirituall life so he drawes to himselfe spirituall food and exerciseth himselfe in spirituall duties he desires like a new borne babe the sincere milke of the word as his food and to dwell in the house of the Lord as in the banquetting house of his soule where the ordinances of God are unto him as a feast of marrow and of fat things and of wines well refined upon the Lees Nothing so fits and suites with the soule where Christ lives as the word and other ordinances of Christ therefore such men desire this as their appointed food pant after this as the chased Hart after the water-brooks and long for it as the dry ground doth thirst for waters This is the food which maintaines the life of grace in their soules this is that wherein their life delights it selfe as in its proper element this is sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe this is better then thousands of gold and silver he hides it in his heart as good seed in good ground he suffers it to worke upon him as fire upon the mettall purifying him and working a gracious change within him he exerciseth himselfe in duties of godlinesse he takes upon him Christs yoake applies himselfe to Christs precept walks in all the ordinances of Christ he lives not to himselfe but to the Lord he delights himselfe in the meditation of Christ the doing of Christs will is his meat and drinke and thus drawing to himselfe what is most sutable and agreeable most pleasant and delightfull unto Christ he makes it manifest that he lives by Christ living in him 6. By mans feeding nourishing and strengthening himselfe by the ordinances of Christ The living man in whom is life and health doth not onely eat but gathers strength by his eating The man in whom Christ lives doth not onely use the meanes of grace but is perfected in grace by them Many there are who are frequent in the use of Gods ordinances and yet for want of spirituall life and an inward gracious digestive faculty they are as a man in an Atrophy that eats much and yet is leane and meager as if he had eat nothing Like the leane Kine in Pharaohs dreame that eat up the fat and yet were as leane and ill-favoured as if they had not eaten at all of whom Saint Paul saith they are alwayes learning and yet never come to the knowledge of the truth but they in whom Christ lives doe thrive by use of Gods ordinances they grow in grace as a childe by the mothers milke as a field by the dew they increase in knowledge as a Scholler in learning they waxe strong in saith as a Tree in roots they grow fervent in love as a fire in heate by the multiplication of wood they abound and are full of goodnesse as a Tree planted by the waters side is greene and flourishing and full of fruit and this is a comfortable argument and evidence of Christ living in us when we thrive by the meanes of grace and are filled with all those fruits of righteousnesse which are to the praise and glory of God in the day of Christ Jesus 7. By the sweetnesse of Christ to the soule of man Life is sweet to the living Christ is more sweet to them in whom he lives honours are sweet to the ambitious pleasures to the voluptuous and wealth to the covetous but Christ surpasseth all sweetnesse to them that are true Christians As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood saith the Spouse so is my Beloved among the sonnes I sate downe under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast All the fruits of Christs Prophecye Priesthood and Kingdome his death resurrection and all the benefits of them communicated to the Spouse by the Gospell on which she feedeth by faith to the revivement and refreshing of her soule are very sweet unto her Christ is all sweetnesse to true beleevers the knoweledge of Christ is sweet to their understandings as the light is sweet unto the eye the meditation of Christ is sweet to their imagination as the meditation of the husband is sweet unto the wife the love of Christ is sweet unto their soules as the wine is sweet unto the palate The word of Christ is sweet unto their eares as a joyfull sound his mouth is sweet and altogether lovely The presence of Christ is sweet unto them as the presence of the bridegroome unto the bride The Spouse affirmes of him that his cheekes are as a bed of spices as sweet flowers and his lips like Lillies dropping sweet myrrh declaring the surpassing sweetnesse which beleeving and holy soules doe find in Christs manifestation of himselfe and in the gifts and comforts which he communicates to them by the Gospell The more cleare and strong sweet and comfortable apprehensions we have of Christ the greater is our assurance of Christs living in us 8. By the spirituall
warmth and heavenly heate which man hath within him Heate is an evidence of life Christ warmes the soule where he lives they that have Christ living in them are not like David in another case having many cloathes and no heate much meanes of grace and no spirituall warmth they are not like Hoseah's Cake halfe baked nor like the Laodicean Angell neither hot nor cold but as the flesh of the Shunamites childe waxed warme when the Prophet spread himselfe upon him Thus their hearts in whom Christ liveth are heated and warmed by the labour of the Prophet by the Ministers opening and applying the word of life unto them their hearts burne within them with indignation against sinne with love to God and with zeale for God The word is like fire in their bones the whole man is set in a holy flame they are baptized with the Holy-Ghost and with fire The Holy-Ghost like fire enlightening and purging their soules and warming them with holy and fervent love making them fervent in prayer and burning in spirit serving the Lord. All the duties they performe have a sacred fire mixed with them a holy heate put into them as the sacrifice under the Law was offâ—red up with fire Thus their whole service is no dead carkasse without fire but a burnt offering unto the Lord they doe all in love to God and in zeale for God holy men like Eliah in their hearing prayer meditation are carried in a fiery chariot their religious exercises kindle a fire in them which burnes up their corruption like stubble purifies their soules like silver and puts their heart into a very sweet and gracious temper lukewarmnesse is farre from them that are enlivened by Christ Jesus Man 's deadnesse in the duties of godlinesse argues mans alienation from the life of Christ Man 's zeale for Christ is proportionable to the measure of life received from Christ he doth in vaine assume the name of a Christian who joynes not zeale to his profession For as to him that desired to know what manner of man Basill was there was presented in a dreame a pillar of fire with this Motto talis est Basilius such a one is Basill and such in deed in some measure may be the Motto of every true Christian because he that is enlivened by Christ and hath his whole dependance upon Christ and graciously filled by Christs ministrations he must of necessity have his thoughts taken up with Christ and his heart burning with zeale for Christ 9. By the price which man doth put upon Christ Life is valued at a high rate above all the residue of mans temporall possessions The Devill could say skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Christ to them in whom he lives is more deare then temporall life he is the choisest of all their possessions as the people esteemed David so they esteeme Christ better then all their thousands whether honours riches liberty life or whatsoever else he is to them in respect of all things else as the Apple Tree among the Trees of the wood as the Prince among the beggars as the Sunne among the gloe-wormes as the jewell among the drosse Man that hath Christ living in him so prizeth him that he will sell all to enjoy him as the Merchant did for the precious pearle he will leave all to keep communion with him as the bride to keep her fellowship with the bridegroome Christ is to his apprehension the fairest of ten thousand the Paradise wherein he is delighted the crowne with which he is honoured and the fountaine in whom his soule finds all satisfaction 10. By mans care to keepe Christ Man is very carefull to preserve his life he contendeth much to maintaine this he will part with any thing rather then with his life In like manner a man that hath Christ living in him is very carefull to keep Christ he will endure any hardnesse rather thâ—n be deprived of Christ he will lose his goods his credit his liberty and his life rather then lose Christ because Christ is the life of his life Christ is the rocke on whom he builds the root by whom he lives the royall Roabe with which he is cloathed the precious pearle in which lies all his riches the Paradise wherein grow all his comforts the friend in whom he chiefly delighteth and the husband with whom his soule is joyned in everlasting wedlocke and therefore his greatest care is to keep Christ he layes hold on Christ as the woman of Shunem upon the Prophet and will not be thrust away as Joah on the Hornes of the Altar and will rather dye then leave his holdfast on Christ he resolves to be with Christ as Ittai with David whether in life or in death whatsoever be his estate Nothing is sweet and deare to him as Christ is and therefore strives by prayer hearing conference meditation holy and humble walking and the use of all holy meanes to keep Christ neither losse nor gaine threatnings nor perswasions peace nor trouble life nor death can worke him to a desertion of Christ And in these particulars as in so many lively characters may we discerne the living of Christ in us CHAP. XXVII AS Christ lives in all Gods children so let all that professe Christ and call God Father see and discerne Christ living in them This is the crowne and comfort of a Christian to have Christ living in him and without this he hath but the naked and empty name of a Christian like an Idoll that hath the name of a man and is no man a name that he lives and yet is dead Feele Christ therefore living in your understanding by prizing the knowledge of Christ above all learning by determining to know nothing in comparison of knowing Christ and him crucified by learning Christ as the truth is in him being filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall understanding Feele Christ living in your will in making your will free to chuse and embrace him and the things of God to intend and will him and the glory of God above every thing making his will the rule of your will and fashioning and framing you to be a willing people in and about his worke and service Feele him living in your imaginations by thinking upon him with more frequency and delight then of any other thing by having more high honourable and sweeter apprehensions of Christ then of all the creatures Feele Christ living in your affections by being rooted in Christ by a lively faith as a Tree in the Earth by fearing Christ above all earthly powers as the Subject his Soveraigne above all Civill Rulers by loving him as the Bride the Bridegroome above all other persons by rejoycing in him as the rich man in his jewell above all the residue of his Substance Feele him living in your members by circumcising and preparing your eares to heare with meeknesse
and shamefull is carnall mans ignorance of Gods worship and service the carnall mans adoration is after the rules of his owne invention and not according to Gods prescription being a stranger both to Gods Gospell and faithfull people 3. An alienation from the covenants of promise the promise of the covenant of grace the promise of remission of sinne by the merit of Christ and of regeneration and renovation of heart by the efficacy of Christ belonged not to them Man remaining under the power of corruption remaines a stranger to the promise of Salvation the promise of Gods free and gracious wages belongs onely to Gods holy and gracious labourers he that regards not Gods commandement hath nothing to doe with the Promise of Gods covenant 4. An alienation from hope the of hope eternall life a hope arising from faith which they wanted Carnall mens hopes of eternall happinesse are very rotten false and groundlesse no truths but meere fancies and vaine imaginations The estate of corruption is an estate of desperation 5. Alienation from God without God Atheists in the esteeme of God That man hath nothing of God in him who doth not imbrace Christ as the authour of his salvation Every man that lives under the power of profanenesse is a very stranger to God in his way and worke of grace and holinesse First of the first of these alienations an alienation from Christ At that time yee were without Christ Wherein we have 1. The time or season of their alienation or estrangement from Christ at that time when you were in your Paganisme and profanenes when you had not the Oracles of God among you when you had not Christ preached to you when you sate in darknesse and the shadow of death without light when you lay dead in sins without the life of grace when you walked after your owne lusts and the vaine imaginations of your own hearts then ye were without Christ The time and season of mans being without the Gospell and under the power of his corruption is of all times and seasons the most unhappy and miserable it is not the time of mans trouble affliction but the time of mans being left under the power of Satan and his own lusts which is mans most wretched and accursed time it is farre better to be exercised with the greatest troubles and filled with all sorts of sorrowes then to be left under the power of profanenesse in a paradise of carnall pleasures there is more wrath in being left under the dominion of one sinne then in being put under the burthen of all afflictions 2. Here is the Subject or parties alienated ye the Gentiles before the coming of Christ and all men before their receiving of Christ by faith and love all corrupt and carnal unregenerate and unsanctified people ye without exception of whatsoever outward condition or calling All men abiding under the power of their corruption are without exception miserable no outward prerogatives and priviledges can exempt raigning profanenesse from ensuing woes and curses 3. Here is the obiect and terme of their alienation from whom they were alienated not from worldly riches earthly fullnesse humane helps and fleshly comforts they might have enough of these but they were alienated from Christ the Sun and the shield the fountaine and the treasure the paradise and the crowne of the soule of man they were without Christ they were without him ecclesiastically and ministerially Christ was not preached to them they had not the Oracles of God amongst them they had not the Ministers of Christ to instruct them they were without Christ spiritually and efficiently Christ did not enlighten and sanctifie them Christ did not communicate himselfe unto them they had nothin of Christ within them and thus are all corrupt and carnall men without Christ Shewing us That all men in their naturall and corrupt condition are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus Carnall men within the pale of the Church have Christ Ministerially preached to them in the outward ministery of his Word sacramentally offered to them in the administration of the Sacraments and ecclesiastically frequenting the sacred Assemblies and taking on them the name and profession of Christ Jesus but they have not Christ internally really and spiritually He doth not dwell within them by faith he doth not live in their soules by grace he doth not fill them with his fullnesse he doth not minister the saving gifts of his Spirit to them In this respect they are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus this is represented in the Parable of the foolish Virgins they had Lamps but no oyle Carnall men professe Christ but they have not Christ they take up the name of Christ but they have not the oyle the saving gift and grace of Christ Many professe Christ who are neither enlightned nor sanctified by Christ this alienation of man from Christ the Scripture doth illustrate by divers similitudes by the similitude of a Tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots Carnall man being originally and actually dead in sinne and participating no more of Christ then a tree pluckt up by the roots doth partake of the Earthâ— by the similitude of a withered branch Unregenerate man receiving no more of Christ then a withered branch receiveth joyce and nourishment from the tree by the similitude of an empty house in an empty house there is no dweller no implement in an ungracious soule there dwelleth no good thing neither Christ nor any saving gift dwelleth there by the similitude of an Adulteresse an adulteresse is estranged from her husband her heart is gone after strange lovers Corrupt and sinfull man is alienated from Christ the husband of his soule his heart is gone a whooring after the creature and many strange lusts by the similitude of a straying Sheepe a straying Sheepe is gone from his Shepheard and from his pastures wandering among strange flocks in the wildernesse unholy man goes astray from the wombe he hath forsaken Christ the Shepheard and the ordinances of Christ the pasture of his soule wanders in the wildernesse of the world and comes himselfe to the assemblies either of hereticall erronious superstitious or profane persons and by the similitude of a rebell a rebell is fallen from his lawfull Soveraigne and either makes himselfe his owne King or betakes himselfe unto some forraine Prince profane man rebelleth against God and Christ he magnifies and exalts himself becomes his owne Lord and commander and betakes himselfe to the Prince of darkenesse the world and his owne vile affections these he makes the Soveraignes to whom he vailes and bowes very various and open manifest and shamefull are corrupt mans alienations from Christ Jesus and such are plainely said to be estranged from the wombe and to goe astray as soone as they be borne They goe astray from God like Rebels from their Soveraigne like fugitive servants from their Lord and
them 3. In regard of that full possession which the world hath taken in corrupt and carnall man The Inne where Christ was borne was so full that there was no roome for Christ but in a manger The hearts of earthly men are so taken up with the world so filled with the creature that there is no roome for Christ carnall persons give every worldly businesse preheminence above the Lord Jesus The world affoords Christ a very dishonourable entertainment unholy men are in such subiection under the creature that they cannot serve Christ He that serves the creature cannot have Christ for his Lord and Master ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith our Saviour the world hath so many imployments for them that they have no leisure to come to Christ their inclination to things earthly is so strong that they cannot come at Christs invitation they are so wedded to this that they cannot come to the wedding feast which Christ makes for his friends and Spouse in the Gospell Or if they doe come they bring no wedding garment with them and therefore are unwelcome The creature is so glorious in their eyes that they see no glory nor beauty in Christ for which they should desire him Or if they have some weake and low apprehensions of Christ some slender inclinations after Christ now and then stirred up within them yet the price of enjoying Christ is so great that rather then leave the world they will goe away sorrowfull It is impossible that the soule of man can receive Christ untill it is emptied of the world Christ never appeares glorious and precious till the world appeares base in our apprehensions When the world becomes bitter to our palates then our soules relish much sweetnesse in Christ Jesus 4. In regard of the repugnancy of a carnall mans heart against Christ There is no answerablenesse no sutablenesse between Christ and an unsanctified heart the unregenerate soule is full of antipathy and opposition against Christ The house of Saul opposed the house of David the house and family all that is in a corrupt and carnall man doth oppose Christ in his Ordinances in his Offices and in his operations As darkenesse opposeth light sicknesse health and death life so doth corruption in sinfull man oppose Christ The carnall minde or wisedome of the flesh the counsell discourse reason purposes desires motions and all the actions of carnall wisedome the very Principles and beginnings of them in unregenerate man with all the lusts and afections of the will as anger wrath envy covetousnesse pride emulation c. are all enmity against God set in full and perpetuall opposition against God and Christ the very whole of a carnall man is an armed and fighting enemy against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be loving that which Christ hateth hating that which Christ loveth practising that which Christ forbiddeth and eschewing that which Christ commandeth The carnall man like an untamed Haifer breakes Christs yoake and casts away his cords The man in the countrey of the Gadarens possessed with an uncleane spirit mentioned in the Gospell was so fierce that no man could binde him He plucked asunder the chaines which were put upon him and brake in pieces the fetters which tyed him so that no man could tame him Corrupt and carnall man is possessed with such a spirit of uncleannesse and power of prophanenesse that he breakes asunder all the chaines and fetters all the Lawes and precepts which God hath given to binde him his lusts are so rebellious and unruly that no man can tame him the Leviathan laughs at the speare and cares not for barbed irons the horse mocketh at feare and is not affrighted neither turneth backe from the sword the carnall man laughs at the judgements denounced against him he feares not the word of God though sharper then a two-edged sword No exhortation moves him no invitation affects him all instruction is but as the sounding of a trumpet to the deafe and the setting of a candle before the eyes of the blinde Nothing can worke him to subjection under Christs Scepter till God makes him a new creature Every unregenerate person is unchangeable in his opposition against Heaven Very great is the distance between Christ Jesus and carnall persons There is not a greater Antipathy between fire and water then between Christ and prophane mans corrupt nature and thus you see mans Alienation from Christ in his corrupt and sinfull estate CHAP. III. Setting open the dolefulnesse and danger of Mans estate without Christ MAns Alienation and estrangement from Christ declares and layes open the misery and wretchednesse the danger and dolefulnesse of mans estate and condition by nature a condition in which he is without Christ and to be without the Lord Jesus is the misery of all miseries It is not the man that is without the crowne of worldly dignities to honour him without the treasury of earthly abundance to enrich him without the sensuall and seeming paradise of carnall pleasures to delight him or without the presence and countenance of fleshly friends to solace him but it is the man that is without Christ who is of all men the most miserable The estate of Israel without the Arke was very uncomfortable their glory was departed the wife of Phineas tooke no comfort in the birth of a sonne the ordinary joy of Mothers The condition of man without Christ is very dolefull his glory is departed from him all that man hath not having Christ with it is but an Ichobod there is no glory in it For man that is without Christ is 1. Without Life The woman of Shunems sonne was without life untill the Prophet came and spread himselfe upon him Man is without the life of grace alienated from the life of God untill Christ comes and applyes himselfe to the soule of man For Christ is our Life Declaratively he reveales it meritoriously he hath purchased it originally and efficiently he communicates it as the head communicates life unto the members Christ Jesus is the dispencer of the life of grace and glory to all Gods faithfull servants and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life saith Saint John He that hath not the Sonne by cleare and saving knowledge as the eye hath the Sun in the Firmament enlightening and guiding by true and lively Faith as the living branch hath the Vine by incorporation into it by receiving juice and nourishment from it by fervent and unfained Love as the wife hath the husband by wedlocke with him by matrimoniall affection to him and by holy and humble subiection as the Subject hath the King by vailing and bowing to him He who thus hath not the Sonne he hath not life his soule is not spiritually quickned Christ not living in him spirituall death beares dominion over him He is dead saith S. Paul in sins and trespasses A Tree
twice dead and plucked up by the roots according to Saint Jude Every man is a sinfull dead man that hath not Christ graciously enlivening him and this is a great misery a condition of manifold discomforts an estate of great unhappinesse the dead according to the flesh sees nothing of all that sweet and glorious light which the Sun casteth forth upon him the dead in sinne hath no comfortable apprehension of Christ shining in the Gospell more gloriously then the Sunne Christ in the Gospell is altogether hidden from them that have not Christ living in them The dead saith Salomon know not any thing The dead in sinne know not any thing of the wisedome of Christ guiding them of the death of Christ mortifying their lusts of the resurrection of Christ quickning their soules of the dominion of Christ reigning in their hearts of the holinesse of Christ sanctifying their affections nor of the fulnesse of Christ satisfying their desires Prophane persons are altogether empty of the knowledge of Christ Jesus In death saith the Psalmist there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Under the death and in the grave of sinne there is no remembrance of Christ he is not in all their thoughts they thinke not upon him as the traveller upon the guide leading them as the rich man upon the treasure enriching them as the Bride upon the Bridegroome marrying them Christ with carnall persons like David among his carnall acquaintance is forgotten as a dead man out of minde and like a broken vessell Can a maid saith the Lord forget her Ornaments or a Bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number Christ the ornament and attire of the soule of man is forgotten by carnall people as dead men are unmindfull of their apparell 3. The dead are unsensible of all diseases they have no feeling of any burthens Man alienated from Christ and the life of God is past feeling he feeles not his sinne as a heavy burden oppressing him he feeles not Satan as an enemy buffeting him as a Tyrant molesting and captivating him his conscience as a witnesse accusing and a Judge condemning him it is seared with a hot iron Mans unsensiblenesse of his owne wretchednesse argues his unhappy and great estrangement from Christ Jesus 4. The body separated from the soule is an unprofitable lump a loathsome carkasse the soule separated from Christ is an unfruitfull branch separated from the Vine an unprofitable member rent from the body a loathsome object in Gods sight uncleane corrupt abominable and doing no good as the Psalmist speakes The whole man separate from Christ Jesus is a vessell full of all uncleannesse his best service like the savour of a dead man is unsavoury in Gods nostrils 5. The dead is uncapable of the food set before him his body fals to the ground cleaves unto the earth and resolveth into dust Man that hath not Christ living in him is uncapable of the meanes of grace his soules food he thrives not by the ministery of the word his soule is leane and ill-favoured still like Pharaohs leane Kine after their eating of the fat the Quailes choaked the Israelites they proved not a nourishing but a destroying food unto them The word proves the savour of death unto death to him that is separated from the Lord of Life All that are without Christ are fallen from God unto the world they minde onely earthly things they resolve into the very dust they are buried under the world as a dead man under the earth The World hath the full possession of them the sole Lordship over them nothing but the World suites with them nothing but the earth is savoury to them 6. The body without the soule moves not walks not Man without Christ hath no motion no inclination unto God makes no progresse in the way to life Lazarus moved not walked not untill Christ raised him Man moves not in the way towards God and Heaven untill Christ gives him part in the first Resurrection Man in the state of corruption like Israel in the Prophet is bent unto backesliding Mans continuance in sinne increaseth his estrangement from God The longer man lives in the state of corruption the farther he removes from Heaven the greater is the distance between him and salvation Lastly in a word a dead man is offensive to the house where he is hath no communion with the living hath lost all his dignity and priviledges which he enjoyed in his life time can doe nothing for his owne defence but is exposed to the foot to tread upon him to the fowles of the aire to devoure him Thus the carnall man that is without Christ is an offence to them that live the life of grace hath no spirituall communion with Gods children is estranged from all the Prerogatives and dignities belonging to the living members of Christ unable to doe any thing in defence of himselfe against the adversaries of his soule being exposed and laid open as a very prey to Satan And thus mans Alienation from the life of grace and holinesse shewes his great misery in being estranged from Christ Jesus 2. Man that is without Christ is without Light He that is without the Sunne is in darknesse He that is without the Sun of Righteousnesse is in darknesse and the shadow of death There is no oyle of saving knowledge no Starre of spirituall Light shining in the house and region of his soule Of such our Saviour saith they have not knowne the Father nor me They have not knowne the Father as a spirituall Parent regenerating them as a heavenly King reigning and ruling within them as a gracious dweller possessing furnishing and adorning their soules with his gifts and graces as a dweller possesseth and furnisheth his house They have not known the Father in his Word adoring him according to his prescription in his Sacrament as the Master of a feast in his banqueting house feasting and feeding them in his precepts as a Lord and Master fearing him nor in his promises as a sure and faithfull friend resting and relying upon him Neither have they knowne me they have not knowne me in my natures as God and Man in one Person in my Offices as their Prophet instructing them as their Priest offering my selfe a sacrifice for them as their King bearing spirituall dominion within them as their Mediator bringing them night to God making reconciliation between them and God they have not knowne me in my sufferings being crucified together with me in my exaltations being planted with the likenes of my Resurrection in my communications being filled with my fulnesse solaced with my comforts and revived and cheered up with my blessed presence very miserable is the carnall mans ignorance of God and Christ Jesus Therefore stiled darkenesse not darke but darkenesse it selfe Ye were once darkenesse universally darke wholly darke having
the Israelites rejoyced in the Arke not in the Lord and vaine men rejoyce in man in the presence of man in the ability favour power and helpe of man and not in Christ Thus among the men of Corinth One said J am of Paul and another I am of Apollo looking with a humane eye upon and glorying after a carnall manner in those holy Messengers of God even idolizing and abusing the appointed instruments of their salvation robbing Christ of his glory by an inordinate dependance upon and glorying in the Messengers of Christ ascribing that to them which was proper unto Christ exalting them into the very roome of Christ so glorying in them that Christ was not glorious in their apprehension the carnall overvaluing of the instruments is a shamefull undervaluing of the Lord Jesus Hee that doth not according to the expression of the Prophet cease from man from the wisdome and counsell devise and invention art and ability of man sees little or nothing of Christ hath no comfort nor joy in Christ he that doth not cease from dependance upon man from glorying and pleasing himselfe in man from resting upon the authority of man in matter of spirituall instruction is very ignorant of Christ a meere stranger to Christ Christ ever proves uncomfortable to them whose rejoycings are in man 4. There is a fullnesse of the world which argueth an emptinesse of Christ in the soule of man The Inne where Christ was borne was so full of guests that there was no roome for Christ but in a manger a dishonourable lodging for such a glorious guest in the heart which is filled with the world there is no roome for Christ Worldly minded men give a very unworthy entertainment unto Christ the world so blinds them that they cannot discerne the beauty worth and excellency of Christ any more then an eye full of dust can discerne the brightnesse and beauty of the Sunne they see no comelinesse in Christ for which they should desire him this so fils their hearts that they are uncapable of spirituall instruction as thorns and bryars make the field uncapable of seed this beares such authority and dominion within them that they cannot vaile and bow to Christ they cannot take Christs yoake upon them they cannot set themselves about Christs worke any more then a servant can put himselfe from his Masters service into another mans worke No man saith Christ can serve two Masters no man can be the servant of God and Mammon this so alienates the heart of a man from Christ drawes the soule of man into such spirituall fornication that man can no more love Christ then a harlot can love her husband for if any man saith Saint John love the world the love of the Father is not in that man And the love of the world saith St. James is enmity with God This doth so take up the thought care study delight strength labour time and the very whole of man and doth so fetter and bind him fasten and encline him to things here below that with the invited guests in the Parable he cannot come to Christ he cannot imbrace Christ he cannot attend on Christ he cannot marry his soule to Christ this doth so distemper their palates that they cannot relish Christ The flesh-pots of Aegypt were so savoury to the Israelites that they could not long relish their Manna Christ is a distastfull dish where the world is a sweet feast this fils the heart of man with dishonourable thoughts of Christ The over-prizing of the world is the under-prizing of Christ Hee can never apprehend Christ as all in all that doth not apprehend the world as nothing the young mans over-prizing the world caused his departure from Christ the lovers of the world are very inconstant in their following of Christ if Christ and the world will not stand together Christ is soone forsaken the world alone hath their attendance service and affection So that Christ hath no spirituall and gracious being where the world hath such full possession And these foure sorts of fulnesse in man are so many cleare demonstrations of Christs estrangement from man 5. By mans spirituall emptinesse He that is empty of Christ is without Christ the Cisterne which is empty of water is without the fountaine hee that is empty of grace is without Christ the authour and fountain of grace he that is without the life of Christ who hath not Christ living in him as the root in the branches graciously enlivening him as the soule doth naturally enliven the body endowing him with spirituall principles of holy and gracious life enabling him like a living man to feele his sin as a living man his disease to rise up from the world as a living man ariseth from the Earth to feed upon the Ordinances of God as a living man upon the food which is set before him to walke in the wayes of God as a living man doth move and walke in an earthly way to follow Christ in attending his Ordinances in beleeving his Promises in obeying his precepts as Lazarus followed Christ when he had raised him from death to life he that hath not Christ thus living in him thus framing and disposing him to live to God to consecrate himselfe to Gods service to conforme himselfe to Gods precepts to intend God and his glory To live as the Apostle saith godly in Christ Jesus in Christ enlivenining him and according to Christs prescription He that doth not thus live is without Christ 2. He that is empty of the knowledge of Christ is without Christ the eye which is empty of the light of the Sun is without the Sun the soule which is empty of spirituall and heavenly light is without the Sun of Righteousnesse he that doth not know Christ as a Prophet instructing him and making him wise unto salvation as a Priest sanctifying and purging him from his corruption as a King bearing spirituall dominion within him bringing his whole man into a holy and humble subjection he that doth not know the death of Christ in the crucifying of his affections the resurrection of Christ in the rising of his soule to seeke the things which are above the power of Christ in working his heart from obstinacy and hardnesse from captivity and bondage from pride and haughtinesse to softnesse and tendernesse to liberty and freedome and to humility and meeknesse He that doth not know the beauties of Christ ravishing his soule with joy and delight in him the love of Christ in being espoused to Christ the worth and excellency of Christ in accounting all but dung and drosse in comparison of Christ and the fullnesse of Christ in feeling and finding all contentation in Christ he that doth not thus know Christ is without Christ in Christ are hidden all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom and he that hath Christ is full of spirituall knowledge as
the Sea of waters 3. He that is empty of the power of Christ is without Christ When the body is empty of the power of the soule the soule is departed from it become a stranger to it thus when man is altogether empty of the spirituall and heavenly power of Christ then is man without Christ a meere stranger to Christ all they that are partakers of Christ have experience of the power of Christ in casting downe the strong and mighty holds of sin in their soules in humbling their hearts in bringing the thoughts of their hearts into the obedience of Christ in overcomming and casting Satâ—n out of their hearts in sanctifying and cleansing their soules in perswading them to beleeve and lay hold upon the promise of life in pacifying and quieting their perplexed consciences in making them able to endure afflictions and in causing them to grow and encrease in all heavenly graces He therefore that hath not experience of this power of Christ in the casting down of the holds of sinne as Israel had experience of the power of the Lord in casting down the wals of Jericho at the blowing of the trumpets he that feeles not this power of Christ in making him victorious over Satan as the man in the Gospell had experience of Christs power in casting the uncleane spirit out of him He that doth not discerne Christ powerfull in sanctifying him as Naaman disâ—rned the vertue of Jordan in purging his Leprosie from him and the lame man discerned the power of the Angell in Bethesda healing him He that knowes not the efficacy of Christ in perswading him to beleeve in reconciling him to God as Josephs brethren discerned the esticacy of his Intercession with the King of Aegypt for them Hee that perceives not Christ pacifying his troubled spirit binding up his broken heart and healing his wounded conscience as the Disciples felt the power of Christ calming the stormy tempest and the wounded man in the Parable felt the Samaritan powring wine and oyle into his wounds and binding up the same He that discerns not Christ strengthning and sustaining him in temptations and tryals as the Arke bare up Noah in the deluge he that feeles not Christ comming downe upon his soule like raine upon the mowen grasse and as showers that water the Earth making him fruitfull in every good gift and grace he that is empty of these powerfull and mighty ministrations of Christ is without Christ under the power of his corruption in his naturall and carnall condition 4. He that is empty of the Liberty which Christ ministreth is without Christ he that doth not feele Christ freeing him from the death of sin as the woman of Shunems son felt the Prophet freeing him from bodily death his flesh waxing warme and his eyes opening freeing him from the thraldome and imbondagement of sin as Peter felt the Angell freeing him from his fetters and Herods prison freeing him from the servitude of the world as Israel discerned Moses freeing them from the servitude of Aegypt freeing their understandings from ignorance as the Sun freeth the ayre from darknesse freeing their wils from perversenesse their thoughts from vanity and their aâ—fections from coldnesse and deadnesse as the fire freeth the house from cold and filleth it with heat making the whole man free to know beleeve love and rejoyce in God as the cleare eye is free to see the Brides heart is free to love the Bridegroome and the Sun free to run the race which is set him Hee that is a stranger to this freedome remaining a captive under the power of his lusts and the world is farre from Christ an empty house in whom Christ hath no dwelling 5. He that is empty of the love of Christ is without Christ He that doth not discerne the love of Christ as the Bride discernes the love of the Bridegroome Hee that perceives not Christ kissing him with the kisses of his mouth it is the Churches expression in Salomons Song applying the doctrines of his Love Mercy and Peace to his conscience making him sensible of his love in the use of his Ordinances as the Bridegroomâ— makes the Bride sensible of his love in his banquetting house making him joyfull in the House of Prayer inabling him to pray with confidence returning a gracious answer to his holy and humble petitions He that perceives not the love of Christ in the cleare and comfortable revelation of his secrets to his understanding in his holy and sanctified working upon his soule in sealing up the pardon and forgivenesse of his sin in the free and plentifull communication of himselfe his gifts graces and benefits unto his heart in the sanctifying and sweetning of all his tryals in making all to worke for the best unto him in giving him water out of the rocke meat out of the eater and sweet out of the sowre He that is thus empty of the love of Christ is without Christ Where Christ is there his love is and his love is not idle but operative manifesting it selfe in the divâ—ne and heavenly fruits and effects thereof to the soule And thus by these marks and characters mans being without Christ mans abiding in his corrupt estate and carnall condition is plainly discernable CHAP. VI. Exhorting to come out of our naturall and corrupt estate 5. THe consideration of mans misery in being without Christ in continuing still in his corrupt and wreched estate should set every man on worke with all diligence with all assiduity and carefullnesse to labour his deliverance and freedome out of that condition the estate of corruption is of all estates the most miserable better live in any servitude misery poverty disgrace or trouble then under the power of sin without Christ better live in ignominy without honour in prison without freedome in hatred without the love of man in poverty without riches in exilement without humane fellowship in famine without bread in darknesse without light in trouble without peace in paine without ease enjoying Christ then to live in all the fullnesse of the world under the dominion of corruption without the Lord Jesus Therefore out of this estate doth the Lord call us Turne you even unto me saith the Lord with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning and rent your hearts and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God Turne from your sin as a Traveller from his wandring path and walke in the wayes of God turne from the service of sin as Rebels from the service of a forrain Prince and serve the Lord your great and highest Soveraigne turne from the love of sin as a Harlot from the love of strangers and love the Lord Jesus your spirituall Bridegroome with all your hearts with all your souls and with all your might This is the labour of all Gods Ministers the fruit and honour of all their
endeavours To open the eyes of men and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ The translation of the soules of men out of their naturall and corrupt estate into Christs Kingdome is the most sweet and blessed fruite of the Gospell To this also the Lord perswadeth by the proposall of many favours and mercies Turne you unto me saith the Lord and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of Hoasts Turne you unto me as Schollars to your teacher to learne my lawes as children to your Father to reverence my name as Subiects to your Soveraigne to obey my Statutes as Servants to your Lord and Master to do my will turne you unto me by repentance sorrowing for your sins by faith beleeving my Promises by love imbracing me and my testimonies and by obedience keeping my Commandements and I will turne unto you as a King of mercies pardoning you as a loving Father receiving you as a kind and gracious Husband imbracing you as a glorious and shining Sun dispelling all the clouds of sorrow from you as a powerfull and mighty Redeemer delivering you from all them that doe conspire against you God doth ever manifest himselfe very good and gracious to them that turne from their impieties To move men to this the Lord likewise useth very sweet and powerfull expostulations Repent and turne your selves saith the Lord God from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine cast away from you all your transgressions whereby yee have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will yee die ô house of Israel for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherfore turne your selves and live The forsaking of sin is the obtaining of life Sin is the cause of mans ruine repentance the way to peace and eternall happinesse though the ability to repent be Gods gift yet it is the duty of every man to repent and the changing of the heart from sin to holinesse is ever attended with sweet and sure mercies All blessings attend them that come from their naturall and corrupt estate to walke with God in newnesse of life and for this saith St. Peter God having raised up his Son sent him to blesse us in turning away every one of us from our iniquities the translation of man from the state of sin into the state of grace is one of the choysest benefits that cometh by Christ and they are the most blessed and happy among all people whom Christ delivers and turnes from the power and service of their corruption therefore as Sampson burst his wit hs and came away from Dalila so let us burst asunder the wit hs and fetters of our sin and come forth of our naturall and corrupt estate Of all estates to live under the power of sin and to continue a stranger to Christ is the most miserable and unhappy estate 1. An estate of Barrennesse the carnall man is a bad tree and can beare no good fruit a loathsome fountaine and can send forth no cleane water Michals wombe was shut up and she had no child till the day of her death the heart of a carnall man is shut up and continuing in that estate hee brings forth no good fruit all the dayes of his life he is saith Jude a tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots voyd of all the fruits of grace 2. His estate is an estate of exilement from God Adam was exiled Paradise for eating the forbidden fruit the carnall man is exiled Gods presence shut out from all communion with God for feeding and feasting his soule upon sin because stolne waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant unto him such men have no gracious relation unto God no claime nor title to the covenant of God no unfained love to God no likenesse with God and therefore God disclaimes all communion with them he will not acknowledge them 3. It is an estate of enmity the carnall mind is enmity against God man opposeth God and God opposeth man corrupt men are haters of God they hate the very being of God and wish there were no God they hate him in his attributes because he is a wife God and beholds all their impieties because he is a holy God and abhorres their ungodlinesse because he is a just God threatning destruction to their wayes because he is a powerfull God able to dash them in peeces as a Potters vessell with a rod of yron they hate him in his Ordinances in his Ministers in his Servants in all that beare his Image of holinesse and true righteousnesse and God hates them in their qualities in their services in their prayers their best Sacrifice is a loathsome carkasse in Gods nostrils a very abomination before the Lord. 4. It is an estate of slavery to Satan to the world to corruption he that is most sinfull is the veryest slave in the world as many lusts so many Lords and Masters yea cruell tyrants over him leading him captive at the will of Satan Peters being fettered in Herods prison Jeremies lying in the Dungeon Israels servitude under Pharaoh and the Aegyptians being led captive by the Assyrians naked and bare-foot to the reproach of Aegypt is but a slender shadow and weake representation of this thraldome 5. It is an estate of curses the whole pot was a pot of death where the evill herbe was all is a pot of death a pot of curses where sin rules very blessings are turned into curses to them that turne not from their impieties the table is a snare and what should have bin mans welfare becomes his ruine all the meanes of grace are perverted all the labours of Gods Ministers frustrated Jonahs being in the ship disabled the Marriners to bring the Ship unto the shore the dominion of sin in the soule disables the Minister to bring it to the haven of peace we row in vaine all our labour is lost if you forsake not your sin we cannot profit you the holding fast of your impieties turnes the ministry of salvation into an increase of condemnation working death instead of life the very best things proving evill to them that continue without change in their corrupt estate therfore as Hannah prayed to bee delivered from her barrennesse as Absolom longed to see an end of his exilement and to behold the Kings face againe as Israel sighed and groaned to bee eased of their bondage as the men of Tyre and Sidon made Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine their friend and desired peace with Herod and as the Prophet powred meale into the pot and there was no harme in the pot but the pot of death was made a pot of wholesome food a meanes to preserve life
So let us bee earnest with the Lord to deliver us from this estate of barrennesse and make us fruitfull from this estate of exilement and bring us to the enjoyment of the heavenly Kings face and countenance Let us make Christ our Friend that there may be an end put to the enmity betweene God and us and that we may be set at peace againe with God let us sigh and groane under our sinfull bondage and labour for spirituall freedome Let us labour to have true and saving grace powred into the pot of our soules that all our possessions and undertakings may be sanctified unto us and that the Word which our sinne hath made the savour of death unto death may thorow grace become the savour of life to life to every one of us And to the end we may be translated out of the state of corruption into the state of grace let us 1. Attend upon and hide the word of God in our hearts This is the Word of life by which our soules are quickned this is the Seed of Regeneration by which wee are new born this is the voyce by which wee are called out of the Kingdome of darkenesse into marvellous light this is the warlike weapon by which the holds of sinne are cast downe as the walls of Jericho were cast flat to the ground at the â—ounding of the Trumpets this is the fire by which the drosse of sin is purged out of our souls this is the word of Reconciliation by which wee are set at peace with God On this therfore let us wait this let us treasure up in our souls that therby a gracious change may be wrought in us 2. Let us labour for the sence and feeling of our sinne as of a loathsome disease as of a heavy burthen Complaine of sinne as Sarah did of the daughters of Heth be weary of sinne as a sick man of his disease Cry to the Lord as Paul did O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death the more sence and feeling wee have of sinne the more assurance of a discharge from sin When Israel sighed and groaned then their deliverance from Pharaohs bondage drew nigh when sin is a trouble and man growes weary of it as of a hard servitude then the houre of the soules spirituall deliverance approacheth therefore to such our Saviour speaketh Come unto me all yee that travell and are heavy laden and yee shall finde ease unto your soules 3. Let us get our hearts filled with godly sorrow for sin turne all your sorrow into sorrow for sinne Mourne for this as for the death of your first-borne Mourne secretly without ostentation mourne unfainedly without dissimulation mourne universally without the reservation of any sin as the deluge overflowed and drowned all the Earth hill and valley so let your sorrow drowne all sinne they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Godly sorrow is ever attended with the joy of conversion remission and spirituall consolation They that mourne shall be comforted 4. Be very frequent and serious in the view and examination of your naturall and corrupt estate consider the basenesse the loathsomnesse the unprofitablenesse the cursednesse and the perilousnesse thereof men could never quiet themselves in this estate were they not inconsiderate of the evill thereof A Travellor that is out of his way would never goe on therein did hee consider that every step he treades is one step further from his home did carnall man consider that every action of his removes him one step farther from God and Heaven and brings him one step nearer to Satan and damnation hee would never please himselfe in this estate inconsideration makes way to all evill the Lord having mentioned the great impieties of Israel layeth downe this as the ground therof They are a Nation saith the Lord void of counsell neither is there any understanding in them O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end they doe not consider how they are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity in the thraldome of Satan under the wrath of God in the state of damnation subject to a thousand easelesse and endlesse woes and miseries did men consider this they would awake out of their sleepe and stand up from the dead that Christ might give them light They would with David consider their waies and turne unto the testimonies of the Lord. 5. Addresse your selves to Christ by faithfull and fervent Prayer the Gibeonites sent to Joshua and he rescued them from the Amoritish Princes We must send by prayer to Christ to rescue us from the Prince of darkenesse the woman of Shunâ—m came to the Prophet cast her selfe downe tooke hold of his feet would not let him goe and hee went with her and raised her dead child thus must we come to Christ cast our selves downe humble our selves under the hand of Christ lay hold on Christ and never let him goe that he may raise us from the death of sin to the life of grace CHAP. VII Perswading to thanksgiving for deliverance out of our naturall and corrupt estate LAstly this ministers matter and occasion of great praise and thanksgiving to all them whom Christ hath delivered out of their corrupt and carnall estate and translated into the state of grace and holinesse Of all deliverances deliverance from sinne is the greatest the sweetest the choisest A deliverance of the greatest cost other deliverances are wrought by the power of God this is a deliverance wrought not onely by the power of God but also by the bloud of God by the bloud of Christ who is God and Man in one person Feed saith Saint Paul to the Bishops the Ministers of Ephesus the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud Give thanks saith the Apostle unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darknes and translated us into the Kingdom of his deare Son in whom we have redemption through his bloud the deliverance of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt and the captivity of Babylon the deliverance of Ieremy out of the dungâ—on of Peter out of Herods prison of Ionah out of the belly of the Whale or the three children out of the fiery furnace or whatsoever deliverance else you can mention cost not God so much as the deliverance of man from sinne for this God gave his owne his onely Sonne This is a deliverance which argues more of Gods love to man then all the deliverances which God hath wrought besides for man Therefore of this the Evangelist saith God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne And Christ saith Saint Paul loved the Church and gave himselfe for it This is a deliverance from greater evils
then all other deliverances a deliverance from Satan the worst of all Tyrants a deliverance from Hell of all prisons the most loathsome of all places of torment the most painefull a deliverance from sinne of all fetters the strongest of all burthens the heaviest of all spots the fowlest and of all diseases the most mortall and dangerous a deliverance from the curse of the Law of all condemning sentences the most terrible and full of soul-anguish a deliverance from death of all the Kings of terrour the most dreadfull all other deliverances are but slender shadowes and representations of this deliverance This is a deliverance restoring man to greater felicity then all the deliverances beside which God ever wrought for man a deliverance by which man is made a living member in Christs body a loyall Subiect in Christs Kingdome a spirituall Free-man of the new Ierusalem a childe of God by Adoption the Spouse of Christ by holy wedlocke a glorious Conquerour over all the enemies of his salvation and an heire to a heavenly and incorruptible Kingdome Mans deliverance out of the estate of corruption comprehends matter and cause of all joy and thanksgiving Looke therefore every gracious and sanctified soule upon this blessed worke of Gods power love and mercy and say with the Psalmist Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies The woman of Shunom receiving her dead sonne restored unto life fell downe at the Prophets feet and bowed her selfe unto the ground Thus receiving thy soule that was dead in sinne restored to the life of grace fall thou downe at the feet of Christ adore and worship him laude and magnifie him prostitute thy selfe and all that is thine by way of gratitude under him The blinde man whose eyes Christ opened beleeved and worshipped him Christ having opened the eyes of thy understanding to know the hope of thy calling the riches of Christ inheritance and the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards thy soule beleeve thou in Christ embrace him cast thy selfe on him have thy whole dependance upon him and worship him by an honourable apprehension of his perfections a sincere and fervent love unto his person a humble submission to his precepts and thankfull celebration of his great and glorious Name for all his mercies The lame mans feet and ankle bones receiving strength he leaped up stood and walked and entred into the Temple walking leaping and praising God Christ having healed thy affections having strengthened thee with all spirituall might rise up from the earth walke in the wayes of holinesse enter into the Temple attend Christ in his Ordinances let thy soule rejoyce in Christ and praise him for thy spirituall abilities Naaman being cleansed from his leprosie returned unto the Prophet and intreated him to take a blessing from him Christ having cleansed thee from the leprosie of thy sinne returne to Christ and render to him the blessing of spirituall and hearty thanksgiving The woman in the Gospell who had a spirit of infirmity bowing her downe being made straight glorified God Christ having raised and rectified thy heart which was altogether bowed downe to the world and the things here below Christ having inabled thee to looke up to seeke the things which are above to mind God to love his truth to hunger and thirst after the gifts and graces of his Spirit glorifie Christ for this his gracious worke The Israelites seeing the Egyptians drowned and themselves delivered from their servitude sang and triumphed Man seeing his sinnes drowned in the teares of godly sorrow and buried in the grave of Christ his soule set free by Christ from the servitude of Satan the world and his owne corruption should sing and triumph in Christ and say the Lord hath triumphed gloriously the horse and the rider Satan and my corruption hath he throwne downe together The Lord having of barren made Hanna fruitfull she said my heart reioyceth in the Lord my horne is exalted in the Lord my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies because I reioyce in thy salvation Christ having opened our hearts and of barren made our soules fruitfull in all heavenly graces our hearts should rejoyce in Christ our mouthes should be enlarged with his praises and our soules should rejoyce in that salvation which Christ hath brought unto us Man hath not greater cause of thanksgiving for any thing then for his Sanctification this worke of Christ makes him a living man puts such a life into him that the second death shall never have power over him This makes him an honourable man one of the royall seed a King and Priest to God This makes him a beautifull and comely man as the Lilly among the thornes as the Sunne Moone and Morning among the clouds This makes him a victorious man a superabundant conquerour over all temptations and afflictions This makes him a rich man the least mite of this grace is better then all the abundance of the earth as the gleanings of Ephraim were better then the vintage of Abiezer This makes him a ioyfull man regeneration is the matter and ground of the soules fullest surest and sweetest rejoycing The Kingdome of God the worke of grace the spirituall reigne of Christ in the heart is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy-Ghost Therfore praise Christ for this above all his favours as Theodosius gave God greater thanks that he had made him a member of the Church then head of the Empire warme thy heart therefore with the frequent and serious thoughts of this worke of Christ and praise him for this as for the brightest Starre shining in the Firmament of thy soule as for the most rich and orient pearle in the store-house of thy heart as for the most beautifull and comely slower adorning the garden of thy inner-man O praise him for this as for the sweetest freedome the noblest crowne the choisest workmanship and liveliest evidence of his love communicable to the soule of man As this is the best and most soule-reviving influence of Christ into the heart of man so for this pursue and follow Christ Jesus with free and frequent cordiall and joyous gracious and everlasting praises for without this we are strangers to Christ to the number of his faithfull servants to all the Prerogatives and priviledges which God ministers to his children even aliens to the common-wealth of Israel CHAP. VIII Shewing how all Gods people are but one THe second Alienation expressing the misery of men in their corrupt and carnall estate an Alienation from the Common-wealth of Israel Israel were once the peculiar people of God set apart by a holy Covenant unto God to be his people above all the people of the
to them and to the saving fruit and benefit of this Covenant of Grace Salvation and everlasting life all profane men since the comming of Christ remaining without Christ being no living Members of the mysticall body of Christ no loyall Subjects in the common-wealth of Christ To this Covenant I say they continue strangers it doth not appertaine unto them they cannot claime Salvation by it Whence observe That All corrupt and carnall persons are strangers to Gods Covenant of Grace and Salvation in and thorough Christ Jesus Adam feeding upon the Tree of forbidden fruit was excluded from the Tree of life man feeding upon and filling himselfe with the forbidden fruit of sinne is excluded from Christ and all the promises of God in Christ and all benefit comming by Christ Vnto the wicked to the man whose heart is empty of grace void of the true feare of God and farre from the life and power of godlinesse God saith What hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes to talke of my Doctrine or of the rules and wayes of my worship or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth that thou shouldest vaunt and boast thy selfe to be of the number of that sacred people whom I have adopted to my selfe by peculiar Covenant or that thou shouldest expect Salvation by my free and gracious promise wherein thou hast no interest Such as keepe not Gods precepts presume in vaine of Salvation by Gods promise he that observes not Gods Commandement hath nothing to doe with Gods Covenant Therefore such men though they live within the pale of the Church are termed Rebels rebellious children and a rebellious house a Rebell though he live within the kingdome yet hath nothing to doe with the priviledges of the kingdome these belong to the loyall and obedient Subjects of the Kingdome under the Law a rebellious Sonne though he had a place of abode in his Fathers House yet had he no title to his Fathers goods nor to any immunities belonging to the House but being stubborne and rebellious a glutton or a drunkard one that would not obey his Fathers voyce he was to be stoned to death Profane and carnall men though they live and have their abode within the pale of Christs Church yet rebelling against Christ breaking the bands in sunder and casting away the cords of Gods Law from them being stubborne and rebellious and refusing to obey the voyce of the Lord the Priviledges of Christs Kingdome the Covenant of salvation by Christ appertaines not unto them Sometimes they are termed bastards bastards have a place within the house with sonnes but the inheritance belongs not unto them Ishmael had a place in Abrahams house with Isaac yet being the sonne of a bond-woman the inheritance came not to him but to Isaac thus carnall men not being regenerate and borne of God not being the genuine and true children of God but hypocrites and bond-men to Satan and their owne lusts they are no heyres nor co-heyres with Christ they are strangers to the Covenant of grace Of them therefore the Lord saith that they like men or like Adam have transgressed my Covenant and have made forfeiture of all as Adam did or they have transgressed my Covenant as the covenant of a man regarding their covenant with me no more then a covenant betweene man and man and they have dealt treacherously against me they have sleighted me they have not desired friendship and consortship with me but they have depraved my worship and apostatized from mee and of such the Prophet Jeremy saith They have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God as the Harlot in Salomon forsooke the guide of her youth and forgat the Covenant of her God thus these men committing spirituall fornication with the world forsake Christ the guide of their soules and forget the Covenant of their God become altogether unmindfull of that new obedience which they have vowed and promised losing all claime and title unto and outing themselves of all the benefit which the Covenant of God importeth because as the Psalmist saith they keep not the Covenant of God and refuse to walke in his Law and to this Saint Iohn speaks fully If we say that we have fellowship with Christ interest in Christ communion with Christ promise of salvation by Christ and walke in darknesse live sinfully and converse prophanely we lye and doe not the truth we deceive our selves we presume of interest in Christ and claime to Gods promise which belongeth not unto us The prophane mans estrangement from the Covenant of God is manifest 1. In regard of Ignorance which makes them uncapable of entring into Covenant with God All carnall men are ignorant men the naturall man receiveth not the things of God they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned He that wants a bodily eye discernes not bodily things he that wants a spirituall eye perceives not spirituall things where there is no sutablenesse between the sence and the thing to be perceived there is no perception according to the Logicians rule quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis The naturall man having no spirituall eye no principle of heavenly and sacred light within him he cannot truly and savingly perceive the things of God Of such therefore the Psalmist saith they are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy all the workers of iniquity have no knowledge they know not their sinnes as a sicke man his disease grieving for them complaining of them and desiring ease and freedome from them they know not their nakednesse and emptinesse of all spirituall good desiring to be filled with the good things of God as Hagar knew the emptinesse of her bottle and wept for water they know not their necessity of Christ hungring and thirsting after him as the Elders of Gilead knew their necessity of Ieptha and desired him to be their Captaine and made him head over them they know not God as a Father regenerating them as a Physician healing them as a King of mercies pardoning them they know not Christ as a Prophet instructing them as a Priest sanctifying them as a Prince of peace ruling within them and reconciling God unto them they know not the word of God as a light guiding them as dew softning their hearts as fire purging their soules as food nourishing and strengthening them in all grace and being thus ignorant they are farre from Gods Covenant such blinde men are in covenant with Satan the Prince of darknesse Nahash the Ammonite would not make a covenant with the men of Iabesh Gilead but on this condition that he might thrust out all their right eyes The God of this world the Devill blinds the eyes of the understanding of all that are in covenant with him that the glorious light of the Gospell may not shine into them but such as are in covenant with God are
men of knowledge and sacred understanding God gives them the meanes of knowledge outwardly and works knowledge in them inwardly I am married unto you saith the Lord there is his covenant with them and I will give you Pastors according to mine owne heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding there is the ministration of the meanes of knowledge to them Thy maker saith the Prophet is thy husband there is the covenant of wedlock between God and his Church and all thy children shall be taught of God there is the inward illumination of their understanding and againe this saith the Lord shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them Naturall fooles are unfit to enter covenant with men spirituall fooles are as unfit for Gods covenant there is no communion between light and darknesse there is no covenant no fellowship between God who dwels in light inaccessable and them that are overwhelmed with the darknesse of ignorance 2. In regard of Alienation from Christ the foundation of the Covenant All the promises of grace and salvation are in Christ in him they are Yea and Amen sure and certaine firm and durable incline your â—are and come unto me faith the Lord heare and your soule shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David which is Christ in and through whom God shewes himselfe a father of mercies to all beleevers Ye saith Saint Peter are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed Vnto you first God having raised up his Sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities God communicates all blessings through Christ Jesus every thing turnes to a curse to him that is without Christ the choisest Nectar proves bitter as gall to him that hath not Christ to sweeten the same unto him Now every prophane man is without Christ an enemy to the Crosse of Christ a despiser of the Doctrine of Christ an opposer of the Kingdome of Christ no friend of Christ no true member in Christ no lively stone built upon Christ the living stone and being out of Christ they are strangers to Gods gracious promise 3. In regard of Enmity against God who is the Authour of the covenant and the fruition and enjoyment of whom is the supreame substance and comfort of the covenant the chiefest and choisest good of the soule of man They shall be my people and I will be their God saith the Lord and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them I will be their God saith he I will be all in all unto them I will be their King to command them their Father to make provision for them their Husband to marry them their Friend to solace them their shield and buckler to protect them their Captaine to fight for them to vanquish all that doth oppose them the strength of their heart and their portion forever as the Psalmist speakes Now carnall men are without God alienated from the life of God and as our Saviour said in another case God is not a God of the dead but of the living so in this case he is not the God of them that are dead in sinne but of them that live the life of grace Prophane men are aliens and enemies to God by their evill works haters of God hating him in his Lawes of holinesse which he hath prescribed to them in his works of holinesse upon the soules of his children and in the holy labours of his faithfull and holy Ministers and having enmity against God they have nothing to doe wiâ—h the covenant of God 4. In regard of Agreement with sinne which is the breach of the Covenant Carnall man and sinne are at a very full agreement with this they agree as the palate with sweet meat stolne waters saith Salomon are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant with this their hearts accord as the hand with the glove the â—are with the musicke the foot with a plaine path or the fish with the water it is no burthen no trouble to them their foot is swift to run this race it is a sport to them to doe evill you drink up iniquity like water it is the centre to which they move it is the element wherein they desire and delight to live Now sinne is the breach of the covenant between God and the soule as adultery breaks the covenant of wedlocke between man and wife They are turned backe saith the Lord to the iniquity of their Fathers and have broken my covenant Raigning prophanenesse undoubtedly excludes man from Gods promise he that is as the Prophet speakes at an agreement with death and in covenant with Hell sinning securely and without feare cannot be in covenant with God he that is not afraid to offend God cannot be at peace with God 5. In regard of the absence of the Spirit the principall applying cause of the covenant and promise to the soule of man He saith our Saviour of the Spirit shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you that is the Spirit shall make application unto you of the benefits which come by me he shall make my death effectuall to mortifie your lusts and my bloud efficacious to purge away your sinne and my resurrection powerfull to revive and quicken your soules he shall make you partakers of all the promises favours and blessings of God dispensed through mee to man and for this the Spirit is called the Spirit of adoption assuring us of the fatherly love of God in Christ towards us The earnest and Seale of our inheritance assuring us of our salvation through Christ Now carnall men are destitute of the Holy-Ghost they are sensuall saith Jude having not the Spirit having not the Spirit as a dweller possessing them as a teacher instructing them as water washing them and having not the Spirit of God they have nothing to doe with the Covenant of God because God gives his Spirit to all such as he receives into his Covenant 6. In regard of the want of faith and obedience the condition of the covenant on mans behalfe The promise is made to them that beleeve received through faith and they which be of the faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham faith the Apostle And he that beleeveth faith Christ shall be saved but hee that beleeveth not shall be damned Faith apprehends the promise and purifies the heart and makes man capable of all the promises of God godlinesse having the promise of this life and of the life which is to come Now carnall
by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Wherein you have the Author of this hope God a gracious and loving Father in Christ the moving cause the mercy of God the antecedent regeneration the foundation prop or pillar of it Christ risen from the dead the full accomplisher of mans welfare the inward instrumentall cause or root of hope is a lively and saving faith Faith is the ground of things hoped for the object of this hope is God in Christ all good things flowing from the grace of God in Christ to the soule of man therefore is Christ called the hope of glory and we are bidden to hope for grace by Christ The Seate or Subject of Christian hope is a regenerate and renewed heart therefore termed the hope of the godly Of this hope carnall men are destitute having no hope no hope of salvation the Gentiles before Christ was preached to them having no promise of life no Mediator between God and them had no hope of salvation Carnall men under the Gospell being no children of God by regeneration no members no partakers of Christ by faith having no interest in Gods covenant of life and peace no title to Gods promise of grace by Christ they have no hope Whence you see That Corrupt and carnall man hath no true and assured hope of salvation There is no hope of that mans salvation that continues corrupt and carnall there is no salvation in that estate In Pauls shipping towards Rome when neither Sunne nor Starres for many dayes appeared and no small tempest lay on them all hope that they should be saved was then taken away When neither Sun nor Star neither Christ nor any saving grace appeare in the soule of man and when the conscience of carnall man works like a tempest within him then however he flattered himselfe in the houre of his spirituall slumber and promised salvation to himselfe yet now all hope of being saved is taken away now he sees he is in the state of damnation now he sees as Peter told Simon Magus that he is in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity and that he hath no part nor lot in Christ but is as the Psalmist saith farre from salvation farre from the knowledge faith hope and sence of salvation they looke not to the holy One of Israel they looke not unto God as to their King to command them as to their Counsellor to guide them as to their Physician to heale them as their rocke to support them their hope is not in him their expectation is not from him their estate who live under the power of corruption is no estate of Christian hope but of desperation having no ground to hope or look for salvation by Christ For 1. The carnall man is uncapable of Christian hope Hope is a heavenly guest and dwels not in an uncleane and unregenerate heart the carnall soule is an empty house wherein dwelleth no good thing no saying gift and grace of God He that is not of God cannot hope in God he that is not in Christ cannot expect and wait for salvation by Christ the carnall man is dead in sinne the corporally dead have no more any humane hope their breath goeth out of their nostrils and as their thoughts so their hopes perish the spiritually dead have no spirituall hopes where there is no life of grace there is no hope in Christ the carnall man is blinde and cannot discerne Christ he is ignorant of Christ he knowes not the things belonging to his peace and how can he hope in Christ whom he knowes not the carnall man is proud he trusts in himselfe in his owne abilities in his owne worth in his owne duties and therefore cannot hope in Christ No man hath or can have a lively hope in Christ but he that is begotten againe by the resurrection of Christ. 2. The carnall man wants the instrumentall cause and root of hope Faith is the mother and hope the daughter Faith is the root and hope the branch Faith is the cause and hope the effect Faith apprehends the promise and hope expects and waits for the thing promised therefore the Apostle termeth Faith the ground of hope Now the carnall man beleeves not he builds upon the sand and not upon the rocke he is wedded to the world and not to Christ he confines himselfe within himselfe and commeth not out of himselfe to Christ he bringeth forth his fruit unto himselfe and not unto Christ he resteth in the creature in himselfe in some gift or duty of his owne he takes not up his full and everlasting rest in Christ and therefore beleeves not and as where is no root there is no branch so where there is no faith there is no hope 3. The carnall man is alienated from the props pillars and supporters of Christian hope that is to say the promise of God the grace of God in Christ and the merit of Christ These three support and beare up the hoping and waiting soule as the three pillars bore up the hangings in the Tabernacle These three are like three Cities of Refuge appointed by Moses to which the pursued malefactor betooke himselfe to these doth the guilty beleeving soule pursued with the sence of Gods displeasure the noise of his sinne and cry of his conscience betake himselfe hoping and expecting consolation from them Now to all these the carnall man is a stranger they belong not to him they are childrens bread dogs may not taste them they are Doves wings Owles and Ravens have no hiding place under them He that hateth to be reformed hath nothing to doe with Gods covenant carnall men receive the grace of God in vaine they embrace not the mercy of God in Christ tendred to them in the Gospell they reject it they are no more changed nor bettered by it then the rocke by the raine or the blinde by the Sunne not being mingled with faith it doth not profit them the merit of Christ doth not advantage them his righteousnesse doth not justifie them his death doth not mortifie their lusts his resurrection doth not quicken their soules his intercession doth not reconcile them unto God his ransome restores no spirituall freedome to them and therefore they have no hope of salvation 4. The carnall man is a stranger to the way to salvation There is a way of faith in Christ Christ is the way the truth and the life him the carnall man knowes not he never studied never learned Christ as the truth is in him he knowes not Christ living in his soule as he knows his soule living in his body he knowes not Christ enlightening him as the eye knowes the Sun whose light is sweet unto the eye he knowes not Christ ruling and raigning within him as the souldiers knew the Centurion commanding them and they yeelding ready subjection to him he knowes not Christ conquering and subduing Satan
carnall man the thought of God is terrible he taketh pleasure in unrighteousnes and delighteth in the frowardnes of the wicked and thus his contrariety to God proclaims his alienation from God 2. By carnall mans estrangement from the life of God alienated as Paul saith from the life of God without the life of grace God lives not in him by his Spirit regenerating and quickning him The body alienated from the soule without the soule living in it is dead unprofitable unsavoury an uncomfortable spectacle Man alienated from the life of God is dead in sinne unprofitable to God to his Church to his owne soule unsensible of his sinne uncapable of the word unsavoury and abominable in the nostrils of God a very monster in the eyes of God more ugly then any leper toad or lothsome creature the dead body is earthy inclining to the earth fit only for the grave The carnall man is earthly minded inclining onely to things here below and is ready to be cast into the grave of Hell fit for an infernall funerall with the damned in outer darkenesse He that wants the life of grace is far from the God of grace whosoever is not spiritually quickened by God is miserably estranged from God 3. By the carnall mans estrangement from the knowledge of God Of such the Psalmist saith they have no knowledge no knowledge of God as a Father of Christ as a Husband of the Spirit as a Sanctifier and comforter of the word as of a light guiding and food feeding and nourishing them to life eternall they have no spirituall knowledge no principle of spirituall light to perceive the things of God which are spiritually discerned no experimentall knowledge of Gods worke upon their souls in the vivification illumination sanctification and gracious change of their hearts no affective knowledge they know not God as a child knows his father as a wife knows her husband with fervent love hearty affection no submissive knowledge they know not God as a Subject his Soveraigne a souldier his Centurion yeelding hearty free cheerfull obedience unto him no appretiative knowledge they know not God as the rich man knowes his jewell esteeming it farre above all his straw and common lumber in his house as the people knew David accounting him better then many thousands of themselves they doe not prize God above the creature and themselves they doe not repute all base and vile as nothing in respect of God no appropriative knowledge they know not God as the wife the husband selecting and taking God unto themselves and making him their God as the wife doth the husband they take not God unto them as their King Crowne portion and as all in all to their soules no consolative and delightfull knowledge they know not God as the 〈◊〉 the Sun rejoycing in the light of the Sun they delight â—n God their soules take not up their sweet repose in the botome of God the meditation of God is not sweet unto them no satiative knowledge they know not God as the thirsty the full fountaine they are not filled with God they meet not with contentation in God their desires are not terminated in God and satisfied with God they know not Gods All-sufficiency they take not up their full and eternall rest with God they are still stepping out from God with Judas they are not content with Christ but they must have the bag too and as the blinde is a stranger to the Sun so is the blinde soule a stranger to God 3. By the carnall mans estrangement from the love of God he is a stranger to the love of God Passively it is a Sun with whose beames his soule was never warmed a wine which his palate never tasted a banner under which he was never covered God never communicated the sweet sence and feeling of his love unto him none but the Bride hath the sence of the Bridegroomes love he is a stranger to the love of God actively he is a stranger to the love of union with God he declines not the things which separate from God he delights not in the meanes which unite the soule to God he desires not spirituall conjunction and communion with the Church and people of God he grieves not at the absence of the efficacy of the Spirit he longs not after the full fruition of the blessed and gracious presence of God he is a stranger to the love of Complacency in God he neither abhorres the things which are adverse to the will of God nor highly prizeth the Society of the Saints of God nor is sensible of that joy and sweetnesse which is found in the exercises of godlinesse nor knowes that delight which a gracious soule meets with by holy walking and maintaining a sweet communion with God he is not comforted and well-pleased in and with God as the eye with the Sun and the thirsty pallate with the cleare and full fountaine but hath more pleasure in the creature then in the Creator he is also a stranger to the love of benevolence and welwishing towards God having no zeale for Gods glory nor yeelding any filiall and sincere obedience to Gods precepts Whatsoever be the pretences of a carnall mans loveâ— God he loves himselfe more then God his love is the lovâ— harlots whose love is more to strangers then to their husbands Want of free full and fervent love to God ever argues an unhappy estrangement from God 4. By the carnall mans estrangement from the spirituall soule-sanctifying and soule-saving ministrations of God The carnall man is an empty house there is nothing of God dwelling there he is a Tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots there is no ministration of spirituall life Christ doth not live in him he sits in darknesse and the shadow of death the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of his understanding as the Philistines put out the eyes of Sampson there is no ministration of spirituall and saving knowledge God hath not shined into his heart he hath not the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ he lyes in the prison of the prince of darknesse like Peter in Herods prison his lusts fettering him Satan on his right hand the world on his left hand like two strong and vigilant souldiers keeping him There is no ministration of spirituall freedome he is led captive by sin the Devill and the world he is full of sinne as Naamans flesh of leprosie there is no ministration of grace and sanctification God hath not powred out his Spirit like cleane water upon him he is like the troubled Sea which cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and durt his conscience accusing his heart condemning him there is no ministration of spirituall peace no seale of the pardon of sinne no attonement between God and his soule where there is no light the Sun appeares not where there is no ministration of grace God dwels
not without grace without God 6. By the carnall mans estrangement from Christ he receiveth not Christ as a dweller to possesse him as a King to command him as a Lord and Master to be every way serviceable to Christ as a friend to love Christ as a husband to marry his soule to Christ as a Physitian to be healed by Christ as a fountaine to be filled with Christ as the root of life to live in and by Christ Every carnall man is a sinfull and a Christlesse creature having nothing of Christ in him and being without Christ he is without God God is no God of grace of mercy of peace to the soule without Christ Whosoever saith Saint John denieth the Son embraceth not loveth not honoureth not the Sonne hath not the Father And againe whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God God is truly and comfortably knowne rightly adored and sweetly and savingly enjoyed onely in Christ Man hath no way to God but Christ he is the glasse in whom God is clearly seen he is the fountaine whence the fulnesse of God is received he is the beloved in whom alone man is accepted God is an utter stranger to the soule of that person who hath not Christ dwelling in him 7. By the carnall mans estrangement from the remembrance of God In the grave saith the Psalmist there is no remembrance of thee Among the carnall men the dead in sin there is no remembrance of God God is not in all their thoughts their thoughts are worldly thoughts vain thoughts evill thoughts thoughts of iniquity Every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts is only evill continually they remember not they thinke not upon the Lord He is forgotten as he speakes by Jeremy dayes without number The carnall mans thoughts of God are erronious thoughts superstitious thoughts doubtfull thoughts low thoughts dishonourable thoughts seldome cold and flitting thoughts no serious dwelling abiding and working thoughts He doth not remember God as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with high honourable transcendent awefull and reverent thoughts disposing his soule to the feare of God He doth not remember God as the rich man his treasure with ioyfull and delightfull thoughts as the captive his Ransomer with gratulatory and praise rendring thoughts as the Bride her Bridegroome with loving soule-warming and heart-affecting thoughts as the thirsty man the fountaine with longing and incessant thoughts He doth not remember the dominion of God to be subject to him the Wisedome or God to be guided by him the power of God to repose himselfe upon him the presence of God to walke all the day long as in Gods sight nor the Al-sufficiency of God to seeke all satisfaction in him Perhaps like Mariners in a storme in a time of trouble he hath some constrained thoughts of God but otherwise he forgets God as Pharaohs Butler forgate Joseph as men in time of peace lay aside their weapons and thinke no more upon them till warre be renewed Thus carnall men lay aside all thought of God make no use of God untill some dismall distresse ceaze upon them and as they are strangers to the remembrance of God so they must of necessity be estranged from all interest in God and from all communion with God CHAP. XXII Opening the Atheisme of Man and the haynousnesse thereof IN carnall and naturall mans estrangement from God in his being without God we may see and behold a deluge of Atheisme overflowing and drowning the men of the world as once the deluge of waters overflowed and drowned the earth Some are Atheists in opinion concluding or at least supposing that there is no God at all saying in their hearts there is no God A generation of men sinning against the great and glorious workmanship of God in the Creation of the world wherein he that runnes may read as in lively characters the invisible things of God the power wisedome and goodnesse of God Transgressing against the providence authority dominion and wisedome of God clearly shining in his most wise and powerfull preservation moderation dispensation and ordering of the whole universe and all the particulars thereof as a great Centurion his army as a prudent Lord and Master his family Subverting and overthrowing all Religion and divine worship as if it were but a politicke devise to keep men in awe as children with tales and stories of bug-beares and hob-goblins there being no God to be adored no supreame and eternall Lord and Soveraigne to be served no Hell to be feared no Heaven to be desired Letting loose the raines to all licentiousnesse as if there were no Law to be transgressed no punishment to be inflicted offending against the honour and dignity of mans condition equalizing the very beasts with man as if man were to perish like the beasts partaking king after death of no greater glory then the beasts partake of extinguishing the very light of nature by which the very heathens of all ages have acknowledged a supreame divine being shamefully disgracing and dishonouring the sacred Scriptures as if they were either so many empty lamps or false lights set up for shew and not for truth haynously sinning also against Christ if there be no God then was Christs undertaking with God for man in vaine then he suffered to no purpose then had he no authority no commission from above and so is made the greatest Imposter and deceiver that ever the earth did beare a generation of men these are worse then the Devils for they beleeve and tremble O the miserable condition whereinto sinne hath cast man causing him to deny the being of that God who gave him being the fruition of whom was the Paradise of mans soule at his first Creation and is now the sweetest joy and glory of mankinde being either in the state of grace or in the Kingdome of Heaven Some are Atheists in practise professing as the Apostle saith that they know God but in works deny him Some make Idols their God bowing downe before a stocke and a stone as the superstitious some make worldly goods their God as the covetous some make meat and drinke their God as the drunkard and glutton some make honours and high places their God as the ambitious some make carnall delights and pastimes their God as the voluptuous and pleasure-hunters some make whores and harlots their God as the wanton and adulterous some make their workes their God as the merit-mongers some make their naked attendance upon holy Ordinances their God as the the carnall-Gospellers some make their morall vertues their God as the civill man some make their formes of godlinesse and outward shewes their God as the hypocrites c. All these and such like though they professe God yet in practise they are Atheists and doe deny God He that discernes not the seeds reliques and movings of this abomination in himselfe never yet knew himselfe nor the state of his
Sin and by Christ and opening the scope of the Apostle p. 117 118. Christ mans comforter helper happinesse and the Author of mans welfare p. 119 120. Note Such alone as are truly sanctified and gracious pâ—ople are the compleate and proper Subject of that life which is heavenly and spirituall p. 121. Note All life is as no life yea as a very death in comparison of a holy and gracious life ib. CHAP. II. Declaring the holy mans prostration of himselfe and all that he hath under Christ p. 122. Doct. 1. He who lives the life of grace and true holinesse doth wholly deny himselfe his owne counsels and affections and altogether prostrates himselfe and all that is his under Christ Jesus p. 123. CHAP. III. Laying downe the grounds of Self-deny all and putting all under the feet of Christ p. 125. 6. Grounds hereof 1. The carnality vanity and basenesse which a man sees and feeles in his owne flesh affections ends and counsels 2. The holy inclination of a gracious heart unto Christ 3. The vanity and nothingnesse which a gracious man sees in himselfe and in all things without Christ 4. The holy powerfull and universall reigne of Christ in a gracious soule 5. The holy and fervent desire of a gracious soule to exalt and set up Christ 6. A gracious soules acquiescence and contentation in and with the approbation of Christ p. 126 127 128 129 131. CHAP. IV. Discovering the danger of the want of Self-denyall p. 132. 5. Sorts of Non-denyers of themselves 1. Self-Wise 2. Self-willed 3. Self-lusted 4 Worldly minded 5. Voluptuously and ambitiously affected and superstitiously devoted p. 133 134. CHAP. V. Proposing the grounds or causes of mens backwardnesse in denying themselves and putting all under Christ p. 135. 7. Grounds hereof 1. Self-prizing 2. Overswaying lusts 3. Inordinate disposition towards the creature 4. Over-prizing of man 5. Carnall judging and mistaking of Christ 6. Corrupt framing and devising of false Christs and false wayes to life 7. Ignorance of the nature and sweetnesse of Christs yoake p. 136 137 138 139. CHAP. VI. Relating certaine very great evils and inconveniences arising from the want of Self-denyall p. 142. 9. Evils issuing hence 1. Vncapablenesse of Christ 2. Alienation from the benefits and comforts of Christ 3. Vanity emptinesse and hollownesse of profession 4. Subiection and abasement under the creature 5. Annihilation of the fruit and benefit of Christs death 6. Deprivation of the heavenly fruit and soule-refreshing comforts of Gods Ordinances 7. Great and manifold losses attending the want of Self-denyall and Subiection under Christ 8. Apostacy from Christ 9. Christs denyall and relaction of such as will not deny themselves for him and his sake p. 14â— 143 144 145. CHAP. VII Perswading man to worke his heart to a full and through Self-denyall p. 147. Qualifications of Self-denyall 1 Spirituall 2. Voluntary 3. Vniversall 4. Continuall p. 148. Subiection unto Christ accompanies Self-denyall p. 149. Qualifications of Subiection 1. Holy 2. Cordiall 3. Full. 4. Perpetuall p. 149. 7. Inducements to Self-denyall 1. Christs interest in a Christian 2. The relation between Christ and Christians 3. Gods subiecting and putting all things under Christ 4. The abuse of all things which are not made subiect and serviceable unto Christ 5. Sweet and heavenly comforts arising from Self-denyall to the soule 6. The mitigation and sweetning of all disasters 8. The Contentation which Self-denyall ministers with the least earthly portion p. 150 151 152. CHAP. VIII Propounding certaine cleare and apparant characters of true and Christian Self-denyall p 153. 5. Marks or characters hereof 1. Captivation of Self-reason 2. Cessation from Mans owne Selfe 3. Full and free application of Mans Selfe to Christ 4. Humble and hearty ascribing of all Mans good to God 5. A low prizing and Christian undervaluing of Mans Selfe and all things else in comparison of Christ p. 150. CHAP. IX Setting down other marks and characters of Christian Self-denyal p. 161. 5. Other marks 1. Voluntary and cheerfull desertion and leaving off all for Christ 2. Mans pleasing and delighting himselfe in Christ under the Crosse 3. The prizing of Christs Crosse above the worlds Crowne 4. Man making it his greatest honour to honour Christ 5. A heart sincere humble pious plaine grieving at evill and reioycing in good p. 162 163 164 165 166 167. CHAP. X. Detecting divers deceits in and about the worke of Self-denyall p. 170. Man is apt to deceive himselfe in this worke of Self-denyall 8. wayes by denying himselfe 1. Superstitiously 2. Covetously 3. Partially 4. Constrainedly 5. Hypocritically 6. Sinisterly and politickely 7. Vaine-gloriously 8. Temporarily p. 171 172 173 174 175. CHAP. XI Shewing how a Christian may comfort himselfe in this worke of Self-denyall against remaining and rebelling lusts p. 176. 1. By the troublesomnesse of them to his soule 2. By the godly griefe of his heart for them 3. By his holy and constant contestation against them 4. By his being humbled for the want of humility 5. By his frequent and fervent prayer to be purged and emptied of all pride and self-love p. 178 179. CHAP. XII Laying open the shamefull and dangerous evill of Self-seeking p. 180. Self-seeking a root of 12. bitter branches being 1. Insatiable 2. Hypocriticall 3. Polluting 4. Alienating 5. Full of unlawfull meanes 6. Vnthankefull and discontented p. 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 181 182 184 185 188 189. CHAP. XIII Repeating other evils of Self-seeking p. 191. Self-seeking is 7. Attentive to evill counsell 8. Servile and abasing 9. Idolatrous 10. Self-loosing 11. Vndervaluing holy things and 12. the cursed mother of many unhappy children as 1. Imbondagement 2. Enmity 3. Cruelty 4. Causelesse Jealousie 5. Soule-torturing griefe 6. Vnsuccessefulnesse and 7. Loosing the comfort of present havings p. 192 193 194 197 198 199 200 201. Self-seeking how to be handled p. 201. CHAP. XIV Mentioning the danger of Self-admiration p. 202. 6. Evils of Self-admiration 1. Self-ignorance 2. Non-apprehensivenesse of the perfections of God and beauties of Christ 3. Ingratitude and Sacriledge 4. Vncapablenesse of Christ 5. Alienation from God 6. Shame and confusion Cure of Self-admiration prescribed p. 203 204 205. 206. CHAP. XV. Handling the danger of Self-exaltation p. 207. 9. Evils of Self-exaltation being 1. The root of many fowle impieties 2. The Patron and protector of all other vices 3. The most invincible of all vices 4. The corrupter and destroyer of all other gifts 5. Keeping the soule barren 6. Abusing God 7. Self-deceiving 8. Shamefully abasing man 9. Alienating from Heaven p. 208 209 210 211 212 213. 214 215. CHAP. XVI Opening the grounds of mans pronenesse to exalt himselfe and backwardnesse to exalt and set up Christ p. 215. 5. Grounds hereof 1. Mans ignorance of his owne corrupt and base estate 2. Mans inconsideratenesse of his receivings 3. Forgetfulnesse of mans place and station 4 Misprision of the true glory of man 5. Vnsensiblenesse of the unhappy fruits of
Self-exaltation p 215 218. Self-exaltation cured by 7. considerations 1. God makes the difference 2. Not the having but the well using of the gift is the honour of the receiver 3. Gifts puffing up prove a curse 4. Mans tenure is a tenancy at will 5. The glory and fulnesse of man is Christ 6. The issue of all is not so much dependent upon the excellency of mans abilities as upon the all-disposing hand of God 7. Sudden and unexpected changes may and often doe come p. 219 220. CHAP. XVII Rehearsing the prerogatives and priviledges of Self-denyall and their happinesse who deny themselves p. 221. 7. Prerogatives of Self-denyall 1. Full and comfortable fruition of Christ 2. Invinciblenesse in assaults 3. Endearement of man to God 4. Exaltation of man 5. Sweet and blessed freedome 6. Peaceablenesse 7. Fruitfulnesse in all graces p. 222 223 224 225. CHAP. XVIII Manifesting mans having of spirituall life not of himselfe but of Christ p. 228. Doct. It is plaine and manifest to the experience of Gods children that they have not the life of grace and holinesse from themselves but from Christ Jesus p. 230. Grounds hereof ib. Such as have no experience of new life are no children of God p. 231. CHAP. XIX Demonstrating Christs being the Authour of spirituall life p. 232. Doct. Christ is the Authour of spirituall life to all Gods children ib. 6 Grounds hereof 1. Mans Alienation from the life of grace 2. Christs Ordination to minister life 3. The insufficiency of any created power to give life 4. The excellency of spirituall life 5. he Medium of spirituall life 6. The opposition made against the working of spirituall life p. 233 234 236. CHAP. XX. Declaring mans inability to quicken himselfe perswading to come to Christ shewing the unworthinesse of his services without Christ p. 239. Mans inability to quicken himselfe made apparant 1. By having no principle of grace 2. By his utter blindnesse 3. By his declination of the meanes of grace 4. By his enmity against the ministery 5. By the sweetnesse of sin to his palate 6. By his dishonourable opinion of holinesse p. 149. Men without Christ dead men For 1. Blindnesse 2. Vnsensiblenesse 3. Weakenesse 4. Separation from Christ 6. Growing worse and worse p. 242. Mans best works without dead works 1. Proceeding from a corrupt principle 2. Morall and not spirituall formall and not powerfull 3. Cold 4 Tending to base ends p. 242 243. The praise of spirituall life due to Christ p. 244. CHAP. XXI Shewing that Christ liveth in all Gods children p. 246. Doct. Christ lives in Gods children by his holy and powerfull work of Sanctification p. 247. 5. Grounds hereof declaring Christs living in Gods children 1. By way of Originall 2. By way of Coniunction 3. By way of Influence 4. By way of Gubernation 5. By way of preservation p. 248 249 250 251. CHAP. XXII Describing what is the living of Christ in Gods children with the manner of it p 252. The manner of Christs beginning to live in man is 1. By awakening man 2. By humbling man 3. By making man restlesse untill he is translated out of his corrupt estate 4. By the Revelation of himselfe in man 5. By working a gracious change in man p. 253 254 255 256. CHAP. XXIII Manifesting the noblenesse of a Christian life above all other lives p. 258. The honourablenesse of Christian life evidenced 1. By the originall 2. By the nature 3. By the rarity 4. By the pleasantnesse of it 5. By the dignity to which it exalteth 6. By the lownesse of mans estate without it 7. By mans honourable walking in whom Christ liveth 8. By the terme to which a Christian liveth ib. Living to God what 259 260 261 262. CHAP. XXIV Causes obscuring the honourable life of a Christian are laid downe p. 164 165. 7. Causes hereof 1. Secrecy of spirituall life 2. Ignorance of carnall men 3. Reproach 4. Remaining corruption 5. Misiudging 6. Base outside 7. Afflictions p 266 267. CHAP. XXV Proving the life of a Christian to be a cheerfull life p. 269. In the life of a true Christian there is a 7. fold ioy the ioy 1. Of Life 2. Of Light 3. Of Liberty 4. Of Victory 5. Of Regeneration and Son-ship 6. Of Riches 7. Of Peace p. 270 271. 8. causes or grounds of Sorrow in Gods children 1. Remaining corruption 2. Particular aberrations 3. Satans assaults 4. Impiety of others 5. Foresight of future calamities 6. Sence of Churches miseries p. 272 273 275. CHAP. XXVI Christs living in man characterized p. 276. 10. Characters of Christs living in man 1. Purity of conversation 2. Mans invinciblenesse 3. Preservation from sinne and the world 4. Expulsion of what is contrary to Christ 5. Embracement of what suites with Christ 6. Thriving by the Ordinances 7. The sweet rellish of Christ to the soule 8. Heavenly heate 9. High prizing of Christ 10. Care to keep Christ p. 276 278 279 280 281. Exhorting to discerne Christ living in us p. 284. Latitudes of Christs living in man p. 285. All things vaine and uncomfortable not discerning Christ living in them p. 123. A Table of the chiefe things contained in the Treatise on the second of the Ephesians VER 12. CHAP. 1. SHewing mans Alienation from Christ misery without Christ and opening the Scope of the words p. 191. Note The time and season of mans being without the Gospell and under the power of his corruption is of all times and seasons the most unhappy and miserable p. 294. Note All men abiding under the power of their corruption are without exception miserable p. 294. Doct. 1. All men in their naturall And corrupt condition are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus p. 295. Mans Alienation from Christ illustrated p. 294. CHAP. II. Laying downe 4. grounds of carnall mans Alienation from Christ p. 297. 1. Plenary Subiection under sinne 2. Mans uncapablenesse of Christ 3. The Worlds full possession of carnall man 4. Carnall mans repugnancy against Christ p. 298 299 300. CHAP. III. Setting open the dolefulnesse and danger of mans estate without Christ p. 302. Man without Christ is without Life without Light without grace without liberty without acceptation with God without spirituall beauty without honour without peace without protection supportation remission blessing and salvation p. 303 304. to 311. CHAP. IV. Declaring mans great cause of humiliation for being without Christ and also discovering the cause of mans undervaluing Christ p. 312. Latitudes of carnall mans being without Christ p. 313. to 320. Grounds of disesteeming Christ want of knowledge no taste of Christ no love to Christ no pleasure in Christ no longings after Christ ib. CHAP. V. Opening the folly of man in restraining his sinne and contenting himselfe without Christ p. 321. 5. characters of mans being without Christ 1. His being without the spirit and grace of Christ p. 322. 2. His Subiection under any lust p. 323. 3. His confinement of himselfe within himselfe p. 324
Rev. 9. w Isa 29.13 Luk. 18. Isa 58. Iam. 1. Prov. 15.7 x Mat. 23.27 28. 6. Sinisterly y Ios 9 12 13. Gen. 34. â—5 Mat. 2.8 1 King 21 9. 7 Vain-gloriously Mat. 6.2 5. z Mat. 23.5 a 1 Cor. 13 3. 8. Temporarily b 1 King 21.29 c Isa 58.5 d Dan. 4.14 15 e 2 Pet. 2.22 f Iob 27 9 10. Ruth 1. g Isa 29.19 b Rom 7. â—3 Comforts in the work of Self-denyall against remaining lusts 1. Troublesomes of Lust i Iudg. 2.2 3. k Rom. 7.23 24. l 2 Cor. 12.8 2. Godly griefe for remaining lusts m Iudg. 2.3 n Psal 38.17 3. Holy Contestation against lusts o Gal. 5.17 Exod. 17. 2 Sam 3.1 4. Humiliation for want of humility p 2 Sam. 15.30 5. Fervent prayer against pride and self-love Exod. 17.11 Act. 12.5.7 Self-seeking very dangerous q Phil. 2. â—1 r Iâ—â— 6 Å¿ 2 Chron 12.13 14. t Numb 15.39 1 Evill properties of Self-seeking 1. Insatiable Gen. 41. u Ecâ—ll 1.8 w Pro 27 20. Isa 9.20 Mica 6.14 x Eccl 4 8. Isa 55. 2 Hypocriticall y 1 Kin. 14.5 z Rom. 16 18. a Rev. 13.11 b Mat 23.14 Joh. 6. c Gen. 34 2â— 23 24. 3. Polluting d Joh 4 4. e Num 15 39. Ioh. 2. f 2 Kin. 5.22 27 g Lu. 16.14 h 1 Sam. 18.25 Hest 3 6. i Ioh. 11.42 Psal 49 11. Ier 48. â— Psal 52.7 Ier. 13.25 4 Alienating k Psal 58. Ier 5.23 l Psal 14. m Psal 10. n 1 Ioh. 2.15 Cant. 2.3 o Iob 6.6 7. p Rom. 16.18 Mat 6.24 q Hos 10.1 Ioh. 8.44 1 Ioh 4.5 r 1 Ioh. 4.6 2 Cor 11.13 Iud. 9. Å¿ Isa 8.6 t Amos 6 13. Mat. 2. 5. Full of unlawfull means u Neh. 13 15. w Prov 20.25 x Mic. 6.11 12 Amos 2.6 y 2 Sam. 3. 2 Sam 15. z Lu. 15. a Gen. 16.3 30.3 4. 1 Sam 15. Ios 7. 6 Discontented b Eccles 4. â— c Prov. 17.25 Eccl. 5 12. d Ps 127.2 Eccles 2.23 e Num. 11.5 Gen. 3. 7. Attentive to evill counsell f 2 Sam. 20.2 g Joh. 5.43 h 1 Joh. 4.5 i Rev 13.3 1 Kin 21.20 k 1 Kin. 22.22 l Gen. 3. m Ioh. 13.2 8. Servile and abasing n Mat. 6.24 Mat. 8.8 o Lu. 14 1â— p Phil. 3.19 9. Idolatrous q Iudg. 7.6 Gen. 49.14 15 r Rom. 1.25 Å¿ Rom. 6.16 10. Self-losing t Psal 10.4 u Job 39 16. w Gen. 35 16 17. x Hab. 1. y Hos 8.7 z 1 Tim. 6.9 Gen. 4.12 Ps 127.2 11. Undervaluing holy things a Jam. 4.4 b Gen. 25.32 c Jud. 9 9. d Joh. 12. e Isa 53.2 3. f Mat. 13. g Mat. 8.34 12. Seven evill branches of this unhappy root 1 Imbondagement h Lu. 10. Enmity 3 Cruelty i Gen. 27.42 4. Causles jealousies k Ex. 1.10 5. Soule-torturing grief l Ps 127.2 m 1 Kin 21. n Ps 112.10 6. Unsuccessefullnesse o Gen. 27.15 p ver 42 43. q Gen. 16.2 3 4 r Gen. 13.10 11. Å¿ Gen. 14.12 7. Losse of the comfort of present havings t 1 Kin. 21 4. u Hest 5.13 Self-seeking lust how to be handled 1. Self-admiration very dangerous w Ro. 12.16 x Pro. 3.5 7. Six evils of self-admirations 1. Ignorance y Ro. 7.9 z Rev. 3.17 2. Non-apprehensivenesse of Gods Christs perfections a Iob. 42.6 b Isa 6.1 Ps 10.4 c Dan. 10.8 9 3. Ingratitude and sacriledge d Hab 1 16. e 1 Sam. 17.45 4 Uncapablenes of Christ Å¿ Pro. 29.20 Ioh. 9.41 Pro. 27.7 g Luk. 1.53 5. Alienation from God h 1 Pet. 5.5 i Pro â— 5 6 7. 6. Shame and confusion 1 Sam. 17. Dan. 4.30 31. Cure of self-admiration Danger of self-exaltation opened and disswaded l Gal. 5.26 m 1 Sam. 2.30 Evils of self-exaltation 1 Root spring of foule impieties n Hâ—b 2.5 Pro. 13.10 Psa 10.2 Psa 119.69 Psa 123.4 Superbia est omnium peccatorum initium sinis causa quum non solum peccatum est ipsa superbia c. 2. Patron of all vices Pro. 3.7 Tolle boc vitiuÌ„ ut nolint homines apparere hominibus sine labore omnia vitia resecantur 3. Most invincible of all vices o Pro. 16.32 p 2 Sam. 23 12 Cum bene pugnaris cum cuncta subjecta putaru que post intestat vincenda superbia restat 4. Corrupter of all gifts q 2 Kin 4.40 r Ex. 15.25 5. Spirituall barrennesse s 1 Tim. 6.4 t Ioh. 5.44 u Hos 10.1 w Iam. 4 6. 6. Abasement of God x Ps 2.2 7. Self deceitfulnesse 8. Shamefull abasement of man 9 Alienation from heaven Grounds of mans pronenes to self-exaltation 1 Mans ignorance of his base estate y Eph. 4 19. z Isa 49.9 a Ro. 7.18 Lev. 13. b Rom. 7.9 c Phil. 3.8 d 1 Cor. 2.2 2 Inconsideratenesse of receivings e Iam. 1.17 f 2 Cor. 3.5 g 1 Chron. 29. h Dan. 4.30 i Hab 1.16 k Deut. 32.15 3. Forgetfulnesse of mans place station l Luk 16 2â— m Mat 25 23. 2 Cor. 8.14 n Isa 49.23 o Iudg 9.9 4. Misprision of Mans glory p Rom. 14.18 q Joh. 12.42 5 Vnsensiblenes of the unhappy fruits of Self-exaltation Cure of Self-exaltation 1. God makes the difference 2 Well using of gift honour of receiver 3 Gifts puffing up a curse 4. A mans tenure a tenancy at will 5. Christ mans glory and fulnesse 6 Issue of all dependant upon Gods All-disposing hand 7. Vnexpected change Prerogatives and benefits of Self denyall 1 Full comfort He possession of Christ r Isa 17.15 2. Invinciblenesse Å¿ Phil. 3.8 t 2 Cor 1.9 u Phil. 4.13 w Gal. 6.14 x Isa 29 10. 3. Endearemet of man to God y Isa 66.2 y Isa 66.2 z 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Exaltation of man a Luk. 14.11 b Iam 4 6. c Psal 10.17 d Psal 25.9 14. e 2 Sam. 6.22 f Num 12.2 Heb. 11. Mat. 3. g Mat. 18.4 5. Sweet and blessed freedome h 2 Cor. 3.17 i Prov. 11.2 Psal 25.9 k Rom. 7.18 〈…〉 l Iam. 3.17 7. Fruitfulnesse in all graces m Ioh 6.27 n Mat. 6.19 20. Ephes 5 17 18. Note o â— Cor. 13.5 p 1 Ioh. 5.20 q 2 Kin. 4. r Ioh. 9. 2 Kin 5. s 1 Cor. 6.9 The ground hereof Mans life of holines of Christ t 1 Pet. 1.3 u Ioh. 1.12 13. w Eph 4.19 x 2 Cor. 5.17 y 1 Cor. 3.6 No experience of new life no child of God z Ioh. 3.6 Doct. a Ioh. 5.21 b Ioh 17.2 GrouÌ„ds hereof 1. Mans alienation from the life of grace 2 Christs ordination to minister life c Eph. 1.6 3 Insufficiency of any created power to minister the life of grace 4. Excellency of spirituall life d Col. 3. e Eph. 4.18 5. The Medium of this life Conjunction with Christ by faith 6 Opposition against the working of spirituall life Sin opposeth spirituall life 1 By ignorance f Eph. 4.18 19. 2. By hardnesse of heart Acts 7.51 g Ier. 5 3. 3 Bâ—â—siblenesse 4. By cusing them
to give themselves over to lasciviousnesse h Rev. 7.1 i Rev. 12 4. Their pride opened who dreame of ability in themselves to restore themselves to spirituall life Mans nâ—bility to this worke opened 1. No principle of grace left Rom. 7.18 Col. 2.12 2. Vtter blindnesse Luke 19 41. Isa 5.21 3. Declination of meanes Psal 58.5 4. Enmity against the ministery Rom. 8.7 Iohn 3.19 Gal. 4.16 5. Sweenesse of sin Iob 20.12 6. Grace and holinesse dishonourable in their eye Iob 21 14. Comming unto Christ for spirituall life perswaded being as dead me without Christ 1 For Ignorance Eccl 9.5 Isa 59 10. 2. Vnsensiblenesse Eph 4.19 3. Weaknesse 4. Vncomfortablenesse 5. Exclusion from Christ 6. Growing worse Mans best works without Christ are dead works 1 They proceed not from a Principle of spirituall life 2 Morall not spirituall formall not powerfull 4. Services tending to base ends The glory of spirituall life due to Christ Isa 9.6 l Eph. 2.10 m Acts 12 7. n Iohn 1.9 Iohn 9. o Mal. 3.3 p Isa 49.9 Isa 61.1 2. q Iohn 1.16 2 Cor. 5.19 r Eph. 1 6. Å¿ Col. 1.11 t 1 Cor. 15.45 Doct. u Ezek. 1.20 w 2 King 4.34 x 1 Iohn 5.12 y 1 Iohn 5.11 z Iohn 1.4 a Iohn 14.6 b Col. 3.4 c Iohn 10.10 d 1 Iohn 5.20 Grounds of Christ living in us 1. By way of Originall e Iohn 15.1 f 1 Cor. 15.45 2 By way of Conjunction g Rom. 11.24 h Iohn 15.5 1 Pet 2.5 3 By way of influence i Mâ—l 4.2 k Phil. 3.10 l Rom. 6.4 m Eph. 1.19 4. By way of Gubernation n Luke 17.21 o Psal 40.8 p Psal 110.3 5. By way of preservation q Iohn 17.12 r 1 Pet 5.10 Christ living in man described Å¿ Rom. 6.11 t Rom. 6.8 u Rom. 6.4 w Rom. 14.8 Manner of Christs living in Man 1. By awakening Man x Acts 12.7 y 2 King 6.20 z Rom. 7.9 a Eph. 5.14 2. By humbling Man b Rom. 6. c Acts 9. d Acts 2.37 e Isa 30.22 f Iob 20.15 2 Sam. 13.15 3 By putting a restlesnesse into the heart of Man g Psal 4â— 1 h Psal 62.8 i Mar. 5. 4. By a Revelation of Christ in Man k Gal. 1.15 l 2 Cor. 4.6 5. By changing Man m â— Thes 1.5 n Iud. 14. o Iohn 5. Vse A Christians life the most noble life p Eph. 4.18 q 2 Pet. 1.4 Christian life honourable 1. Originall r Ioh. 6.63 Å¿ Ioh 4.14 2. Nature t Rom. 6.4 u Ezek. 11.19 w 2 Cor. 5.17 3. Rarity x Ier. 3.14 y Rev. 3.1 4. Pleasantnes 5. Exaltation 6. Lownesse of mans estate without this life z Pro. 23.5 Phil. 3.8 a Numb 14.24 Heb. 1â— b Dan 3. 7. Honourable walking Gal. 5.25 d Mat. 6.24 e Rom. 16. f Ioh. 8.44 g Rom. 14.8 Living to God what Causes of the obscurity of holy life opened h Col. 3. i 1 Ioh. 3.1 2. Mat. 6. 2. Ignorance k 1 Cor. 2.14 l 2 Pet. 2.12 3. Reproach m Man 12. n Mat. 5. o Rev. 9. 4 Corruption remaining p 2 Cor. 1â— q Iam. 1.26 Mis-judging r 2 Sam. 10. 1 Sam. 17.28 6 Base out-side 1 Cor. 1. 2. Life of Gods children a cheerfull life Luk. 2.10 1 Sam. 4 5. Acts 8.8 Where Christ lives is joy of 1. Life Luk. 15. 2. Light Mat. 2.10 3 Liberty Iohn 11.44 Exod. 15. 4. Victory 5. RegeneratioÌ„ 6. Riches Luke 15. 7. Peace Grounds or cause of sorrow in Gods children 1. Remaining corruption 2. Aberrations Psal 51. 3. Satans assaults 4. Impieties of others 2 Pet. 2.8 Ps 119.136 Ezek. 9.4 5 Foresight of future calamities Prov. 2â— 3 Psal 57. â— 1 King 18.43 44. Hâ—b 3.18 6. Sence of Churches misery Mat. 27. Amos 6. Amos 6. Heb. 13. 1. Purity Ier. 31.33 Rom. 6.11 2. Invinciblenes 1 Iohn 4.4 1 Iohn 5.18 Rom. 8.37 3. Preservation from sinne and the world Rom. 6. Gal. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 4 Expulsion of what is contrary to Christ 5 ImbracemeÌ„t of what suites with Christ 6 Thriving by ordinances 2 Tim. 3.7 2 Pet. 3 18. Rom 15.14 7 Sweetnesse of Christ to soule Cant. 2.3 Cant 5.16 Cant. 5.13 8. Heavenly heate 2 King 4. Luke 24.321 Ier. 20.9 Mat. 3.11 9. Christ prized Iob â— 4 2 Sam. 18. 10 Care to keep Christ Rom. 8.38 Care to see Christ living in us Scope of the Apostle Analysis 5. fold alienation 1. From Christ 1. Alienation 1. Tempus Note 2. Subjectum Note 3 Terminus à quo Doct. a Mat. 25. Alienation from Christ illustrated b Iude v. 12. c Io 15.6 d Rom. 7.18 e Iam. 4 4. f 1 Pet. 2.25 g Isa 30.1 h Psa 58.3 i 1 Ioh. 1.6 k Eph. 2.13 4. Grounds or demonstratioÌ„s of this Alienation l Gal 3. 2. 2. Subjection under sinne m 2 Pet. 2.19 n 2 Tim. 3.6 o Ier. 5.31 Prov. 7. 2. Vncapablenes of Christ Mundus neque duos soles Asia neque duos Reges simul capere potest Causes of this uncapablenesse p Ioh. 1.5 q 1 Cor 2 14. r Ezek. 33.31 Å¿ Iohn 5 44. u Col. 2.13 t Iohn 1.11 w Rev. 2.17 3 World hath full possession in carnall man x Mat. 6.24 y Luk. 14 15. z Mat 22.12 a Mat. 19 21. b Phil. 3.8 4 Repugnance against Christ c Psal 2. d Mar. 5. e Iob 41. Dolefulnesse and danger of carnall mans estate f 1 Sam. 4.22 g 2 King 4. h Col. 3. i 1 Iohn 5.12 k Eph. 2 1. Unhappinesses of this estate 2 Cor 4.3 l Eâ—el 9.5 m Psal 6.5 n Psal 31.12 o Ier. 2.32 p Eph. 4.10 q 1 Tim. 4.2 r Psal 141.1 3. Gen. 41. Å¿ 2 Cor 2.14 t Phil. 3.19 Iohn 11. u Hos 7.11 w Iohn 16 3. x Eph. 5.8 2 Kin 5. y 1 Cor. 1.30 y Luk 2.32 z Eph. 5.8 a Rev. 3.17 b Isa 20.4 Luk. 16. c Prov. 24. â—0 d Ier. 20.4 e Ier. 4.22 f Phil. 3.21 g Isa 51.12 h Iob 30.8 i Isa 9.6 k 2 Cor 5 19. l Act. 10.36 m Eph. 2.14 n 2 Kin. 9 22. Cause and matter of humiliation How carnall man is without Christ o Isa 29.11 p Rom. 6. q Jud. 16.1 2. r Num. 11.5 Å¿ Isa 53.2 t Cant. 5.9 3. Cause of undervaluing Christ u Jer. 2.13 2. No taste of Christ w 1 Pet. 2.3 x Eccles 11.7 y Isa 25.6 z Cant. 2.3 3. No love to Christ a Cant. 5.10 1 Cor. 16. b 2 Sam. 1.26 c 1 Joh. 2.15 Amor Dei si est operatur magna sioperaâ— renuit amos non est Greg. 4. No pleasure in Christ d Mat. 2.2 e 1 Sam. 5 4. f Col. 2.6 g 1 Sam. 17. h 2 Sam. 1. i 1 Pet. 2.8 k Ier. 6.10 l Mat. 13.57 m Deut. 21.14 5. No longing after Christ n Iob 21.14 1 Sam. 23.15 Gen. 30.1 2. o Ioh. 6.34 p Cant. 1.2 q Cant. 2.5 Ioh. 11.44 r Cant. 5.9 How man is in Christ Å¿ Rom. 9.6 7. Characters of man being without Christ