at the same time make his entrance in their whole persons and take seizin and possession of all their powers and faculties unto his use and service The plian meaning is this that the work of sanctification is a through-work wrought upon the whole man there is grace infused into every part and faculty As in the work of mortification all the habits of corruption are subdued so in the work of renovation or vivification all the seeds of holiness are introduced the whole man is purified as Christ is pure The common gifts of the Spirit are bestowed many times singly and apart one from the other but special sanctifying graces are planted together This I lay down that you may not deceive yourselves in this matter by thinking Christ is in you when you are strangers unto him There is great proness in us to mistake upon this account and to flatter our selves in this case for some common workings upon the heart to conclude that saving grace is planted in the heart And therefore mind what I say to prevent this self-cozenage that where a person is cleansed savingly and effectually there is an universal purification of the whole man and all the graces in the seed of them are infused together As all old things pass away so every thing is made new 2 Cor. 5.17 The understanding is renewed with saving knowledge of the mind of God and the will is brought into a blessed subjection to the will of God the conscience is furnished anew with tenderness and faithfulness the affections are renewed by being turned into their right channel and pointed upon their right objects love and delight upon God and hatred and sorrow towards sin and what is displeasing unto the Lord the heart is principled anew with sincerity and singleness and truth put into the inward parts the memory is made a treasury and store-house of good things and the body is fitted to be subservient unto the soul in wayes of holiness Thus I might run over the several branches of this work There is vigour and activity put into the soul to do the will of God commanding and patience to suffer and be contented under the will of God disposing there is the grace of moderation to guide in prosperity and the grace of faith to support under affliction and trouble and the man is prepared and fitted unto every good word and work 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole soul and spirit and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Mark it Sirs the work of sanctification is a very extensive and diffusive work it leaveneth the whole man both the inserior and superior faculties of the soul the animal and the rational powers and the body likewise So that it is not some slight trouble upon the conscience for sin or a little touch upon the affections or inclinations towards the Kingdom of God that will evidence you to be sanctified for sanctification ingageth the whole man in an holy compliance with the wayes of holiness and the interest of Jesus As a partial repentance in the exercise of it which striketh at some sins only and leaveth a man in the allowance of others is but a feigned repentance so partial workings upon the heart are but common workings they will not amount to saving grace Jer. 3.10 When Christ entereth by his Spirit into any of the children of men he doth take possession of them wholly and set up his residence in every part and faculty 3. In this work of the entrance of the Spirit into to a mans soul whereupon Christ is said to be in him and to dwell with him and possession is taken for his use and service the soul of that man is altogether passive My meaning is this It is not in the power of any person upon the earth to plant grace in his own soul or to confer the habits of holiness upon himself nor doth he contribute any active assistance in the performance of it but is wholly wrought upon by the mighty power of God and the effectual operation of the holy Ghost We are apt to imagine that it is in our own power to make a saving change within our selves that we can convert and turn to God at any time and repent when we please As Luther said in point of merit there is a Pope in every mans belly so may I say in this case there is a tang of Pelagianism in every mans heart and hence it is they take incouragement to procrastinate and delay in the matters of salvation they think they can repent when they will if it be but upon their death-bed But Sirs it must be a day of power that maketh you willing A as if God should give you up unto your selves you would perish for ever in your unregeneracy The planting grace in the heart is a turning the course of corrupted nature it is as a quickning the dead it is a creating and infusing of how principles into a man * Opus hoc conversionis sive duobus effici non potest Uno a quo fit altero in quo fit Deus est â—â—tor salâ—â—is liberum arbitrium tantum capax Bern. Observetur in primo actu veluntatis qui procedit à gratia praeveniente voluntatem esse motam non moventem Aquin. prima secundae q. 111. of which there is nothing in us by nature but a contrariety and repugnancy thereunto Eph. 2.5 Even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ And v. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works So that it is not mans free will but God's free grace and his infinite power by which it is wholly wrought and to him alone doth belong the glory of it 4. Although we are wholly passive in this work of regeneration or planting grace into our hearts whereby Christ entereth into and taketh possession of us and we contribute no manner of active affistance therein yet there is something required at our hands in order to the attainment of this grace and that we may be made partakers thereof This is well to be noted that it may prevent our abuse of this doctrine and that we may not turn the grace of God into negligence and slothfulness For will sinners be apt to argue thus if it be God alone by his infinite power who can imprint grace upon our hearts and this he doth without our concurrent assâ—stance then we may fit still and let the Lord perform his own work if he please to convert and sanctifie us we shall be converted and if not all our indeavours are to no purpose But Sirs this is to pervert the grace of the covenant God forbid there should be such cursed inferences drawn from this excellent doctrine although it tendeth to advance and magnifie the free grace and power of God yet it gives no manner of incouragement to the
mercy annexed to it it ought alwayes to be understood of a sincere spiritual and Evangelical discharge of that duty Compare Matt 7.7 Hos 5.6 with Jer. 29.12 13. So Joel 2.32 Prov. 1.28 with Psal 145.18 is born of God That is an undoubted evidence of his regeneration for how could the heart of a sinn r bring forth such fruit unless there were the â—oot of grace planted in the heart 2. It may be meant in reference to the Doctrines of the Gospel He hath the Witness himself that is he is able to seal to those t uths experimentally from the work they have had upon his own Conscience and the effects wrought by them in his own soul He hath not only heard by report of the awakening convincing and converting power of the Gospel which are a strong witness of its divine original and authority but this witness he hath within himself as having felt that efficacy So that he can say to the Ministers as the men of Sychar to the woman Joh. 4.42 Now we believe not because of your reports for we have found it our selves to be a divine doctrine because it hath subdued our hearts and wrought mightily upon our spirits Or as the stranger that commeth into the Church Assembly upon whom the Word is quick and powerful and sharp as a two edged sword piercing into his bosom and discovering the secrets of his heart O saith he God is in you of a truth surely this is none other than the Word of the Lord of Hosts 1 Cor. 14.24 25. The Arguments produced by the Minister are a witness without him and the energy of the Word upon his heart is a witness within him 3. Or thirdly You may understand it metonymically the witness for the person witnessing q.d. He that believeth hath the Spirit of grace and holiness conferred upon him He is made partaker of the Holy Ghost whose work it is to bear witness unto Jesus No man out of sincere aff ction and true faith can profess that Christ is the Lord but by the instinct of the Holy Ghost Engl. Annot. in loc and without whom they could never believe in Jesus 1 Cor. 12 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost that is no man can speak it spiritually from the heart as he ought to speak it so as to subscribe to this principle that Jesus is the Lord and to submit to his Lordship and Government but by the Holy Ghost That 's the first thing I would note in the context The nature and excellency of believing 2. We have the sinfulness of the sin of unbelief the horrid and heinous nature thereof It doth implicitely charge the God of truth with falshood and virtually impeach him as a lyar v. 10. latter part He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the Record that God hath given of his Son How doth unbelief make God a lyar Answ 1. Not by the contamination or pollution of the divine nature as if the Lord contracted any defilement thereby He cannot be tempted to sin nor tainted with sin Jam. 1.13 The blessed Angels are not tainted with pollution but the nature of God cannot be tainted he is infinitely out of the reach of it Unbelief doth not take from the truth of Gods promise but puts a bar in the Way of our receiving the mercy promised 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself And mark what the same Apostle saith Rom. 3.3 4. What if some do not believe shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect God forbid q. d. Let not such a cursed thought enter into your hearts it cannot be but the faith of God that is the faithfulness of God as to his word and promise must abide firm and immutable to such as have an interest therein We make our fellow servants oftentimes sinners by real infection when the guilt is spread into their souls being seduced by us and made partakers with us but God is holy holy holy Isa 6.3 infinitely holy unchangeably holy capable of nothing but holiness Our unbelief doth not hurt him but our selves Job 35.6 2. But it makes God a lyar in a way of calumniation or detraction Unbelievers do really and consequentially though unjustly charge God with this imperfection They say in their hearts the Lord is not a God of truth For did they own the truth of God they would undoubtedly subscribe to his word By questioning the matter witnessed we impute falshood to the person witnessing Tantum valet testimonium quantum auctoritas testantis and this is the very nature of unbelief As it is the damning sin that locketh up a man under the guilt of all his transgressions so it is an exceeding heinous and sinful sin it carrieth a kind of blasphemy in the bowels of it it maketh as if God were a lyar As by believing we seal to the truth of God Joh. 3.33 Non quod dei fidem labefactet corum impietas sed quod per eos non stat quin issum arguant vanitatis Calv. So by unbelief we do in effect lay falshood to his charge O the desperate wickedness of mans heart O the horrid abomination of this great ungodliness and the wonderful patience of God towards unbelieving sinners That 's the second thing to be noted The sinfulness of the sin of unbelief 3. Now the Text is brought in as a Specification of that Record which is propounded as the object matter of our faith and in reference to which unbelievers do asperse and calumniate the God of Heaven as a lyar They will not acquiess in the dictates of the Scripture they call in question the record that God hath left concerning his Son And if it be demanded what this record is or what special matter it doth contain The Apostle informeth you in the subsequent verses This is the record that God hath given us eternal Life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life Which words are a Compendium of the Christians Charter An abbreviature of the great deed of gift or conveyance which God hath made of eternal glory and blessedness unto the children of men the record which he hath left touching the way of salvation Wherein you have observable for the distribution of the words these four parts 1. The mercy provided or the blessing conveyed that is eternal life What are we to understand by eternal Life in this place Vita aeterna sumitur 1. Propriè pro beato electorum statu post hanc vitam 2. Impropriè seu Metonymicè pro viâ seu medio perveniendi ad vitam aeternam Ravan I answer 1. Expresly and primarily the enjoyment of God in heaven the blessed Vision and fruition of the Lord in glory the Rivers of pleasures that are at his right hand for ever the
See Rev. 2. â— The Christians were at first reckoned by the Heathen as Jews vid. Suet. in vita Claud. Judaeos imgulsore Christo assidue tumultuantes Roma expulic So that the Christians seem to have goâ—e under that name and to haâ—â— been banished with them by the decree mentioned Act. 18.2 though they were no savingly instructed nor taught the truth as it is in Jesus yet they had some knowledge of the mind of God and were convinced of the truth and excellency of the Law of the Lord so as to subscribe to it and to own and approve it as such This made them Christ's people at large by way of profession And this must needs be one of the ligatures of that Union for such as avowedly reject the fundamental doctrines of Christianity are not so much as Christ's seeming friends but open enemies to his crown and dignity 2. There must be an external subjection to the Ordinances of Christ so as to afford their presence at them and outward compliance with them and attendance upon them For Sirs Gospel Ordinances are the badges of Christ's followers Sacramenta ut alia insti uta divina sunt figna piotestativa fidei as well as means to convey his grace into their souls And if a people belong to him at all they must at least wear his livery So that when persons live in the open neglect or contempt of the Ordinances and Institutions of the Lord Jesus or think they are arrived at so high a pitch as to be above Ordinances they do thereby declare themselves to be so far from the truth of grace that they are not arrived to a serious prosession Above Ordinances and below Christianity Such have not so much as Christ's livery upon them for this is one of the bonds of a common union Thus Simon Magus was baptized into Christ and for a while held fellowship with the Disciples and so in a sort did belong to Christ till afterwards he apostatized and discovered his rottenness Act. 8.13 So far the lowest rank of hypocrites ordinarily go It is true they have no spiritual communion or fellowship with Christ in his Ordinances but they are many times pretty-constant in attendance upon Ordinances So those carnal Israelites whom God owneth in this respect to be his people Isa 58 1.2 And therefore the Apostle calls men off from trusting in this to mind the grace of Regeneration and Conversion upon their hearts for these priviledges avail not to a saving union with Christ but a new creature Gal. 6.15 3. There is usually some common workings upon their hearts and spirits as now convictions in the conscience of the evil of sin sometimes an inclination upon their souls to give up themselves to be the Lords only a beloved lust hindereth the performance of it Possibly many common graces of the Spirit are conferred upon them in which respect they are said to be made partakers of the holy Ghost for so far a carnal Professor may arrive Heb. 6.4 5. The holy Ghost may strive with a professed enemy to the Kingdom of Christ There are some Converts external from the world to the Church who yet stick in their naturals and are not in the sense of sin fled unto Christ for refuge nor converted from nature to saving grace Dicâ—â—s but when he shall moreover work some remarkable effects upon a sinner as terrors in apprehension of the wrath of God desires to be sheltered under the wings of Christ that he may escape that wrath so that he joyneth himself outwardly to his people then he becometh a seeming friend though he proceed no further 4. The last bond which I shall mention of this common union with Christ is some degrees of reformation in the life and practise When persons live and lie weltering in gross pollutions of the world they do apparently belong unto the world they do openly proclaim themselves to be the very children of the devil If a man belong to Christ but by profession there must be some measure of reformation wrought there must be an actual abstaining from those wickednesses whereby the name of Christian is openly contradicted As real holiness and closs walking with God is essential to the being of a Disciple indeed so a cleansing of the outside of the cup and platter as our Saviour calleth it is required to make a man a Disciple but in appearance And thus far they commonly go 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. They retained their doggish and swinish nature still as is evident from their Apostacy v. 12. The dog is turned to his vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire and yet they escaped the pollutions of the world and that through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ v. 20. Although the doctrines of the Gospel had not a saving effect upon their souls yet they had a real effect though their natures were not transformed yet their lives in some particulars were reformed their conversations were cleansed from gross and scandalous abominations That 's the first Position touching this matter 2. Pos 2. It is a very great priviledge and mercy considered in it self for a man or woman to be taken thus neer unto Jesus Christ and in this sense to be united to him namely by way of external adhaesion To be separated from the Heathen to be his people and to be made to differ from the profane world and the notoriously wicked who do avow their sins openly in the face of men and declare themselves subjects unto the prince of darkness Though it be not the best of priviledges yet it is a great priviledge though it be not a mercy to be rested in yet it is a mercy thankfully to be acknowledged it is no way to be slighted and undervalued The Apostle speaketh of it as such Rom. 3.1 2. What advantage hath the Jew or what profit is there of circumcision that is what benefit doth arise by being a member of the Church of Christ what profit is it to be a Jew outwardly a Disciple by profession into which relation circumcision did give them solemn entrance it was the Ordinance for initiation Is this nothing or is it a priviledge of a low nature No in no wise saith the Apostle do not thus esteem it It is an eminent mercy there is much advantage by it every way You will say wherein lieth the advantage of being thus in Christ Answ In four things especially 1. Chiefly and primarily because hereupon they are set under the means of grace and tenders of salvation They have eternal life set before their souls and upon the terms of the Gospel offered unto them Hereby they do enjoy the word of Christ the Oracles of God and the Ordinances which are the places wherein the Lord Jesus himself is to be found of them that seek him and which are the conduit-pipes through which he doth use to convey spiritual grace and blessings to such
rest contented therewith without getting higher I say better for them they had never known the way of righteousness then to take up their rest in this common union and not to improve it to a pursuance after a more inward conjunction with Christ 2 Pet. 2.21 The sadness and deplorableness of their condition will appear in these four particulars 1. Because they do thereby put themselves into the greatest unlikelihood and incapacity of being ever savingly wrought upon of any that live where the word of Christ is published and the glad tidings of Salvation are made known to the children of men There is more hopes of the conversion of the most debauched wretches that live in a professed subjection to the devil than of those who have long continued only carnal Professors As when they apostatize they do usually become the most bitter enemies of Christ so it is the hardest thing to draw them effectually unto Christ This is none other doctrine than our Saviour hath taught Mat. 21.31 Verily I say unto you that the publicans and barlots go into the kingdom of God before you They go into the Kingdom of God that is they are easier prevailed upon to subject themselves to Christ's government it is a harder thing to work upon your souls than upon theirs there is more probability of their being converted than of yours Who were these to whom Christ speaks Why they were the chief Priests and Scribes and Elders men that were thought to be some bodies in the Church that were had in great estimation of the Church that seemed to be pillars in comparison that made a fair shew but rested therein as being strangers to the life and power of godliness Mind it saith Christ I say unto you verily I say unto you q. d. It is an undoubted truth let it sink deep into your hearts that publicans and the harlots the vilest of people go into the Kingdom of God before you It will seem no wonder that such are in the greatest unlikelihood of being savingly wrought upon if you mind these three Considerations 1. Consider That these dead branches in Christ or carnal Professors do commonly thereupon maintain a good opinion of themselves and get a strong confidence thereby that their estate is good They think themselves well enough already and therefore will not easily be perswaded to look after a saving interest in the Redeemer because they suppose their interest is already secured Initium est salutis notitia peccati Egregiè hoc mihi videtur dixisse Epicurus Nam qui peccare se nescit corrigi non vult Deprehendas te oportet antequam emendes Sen. Epist 28. And be sure of this that nothing is a greater hindrance of a sinners deliverance out of an estate of wrath than a strong confidence that he is in a good estate Prov. 26.12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a fool than of him It may well bear this interpretation Seest thou an unregenerate person that is righteous in his own eyes for by wisdom all along is meant righteousness and holiness that is true wisdom the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom There is more hope of a fool that is of one that is plainly and openly a wicked person for he is the fool in Solomons account Kings are wont to have their fools and Solomon was a great King and his fool is the ungodly that provoketh the Lord to wrath and neglects to provide for eternity and selleth his soul for a trifle So Mat. 9.12 They that be whole need not the Physitian that is Such as have a good opinion of themselves do not see their need of Christ's righteousness they will not hunger and thirst after it as being full already * Quid nos decipimus Non est extainsecus malum nostrum intra nos est in visceribus ipsis sedet Et ideo difficulter ad sanitatem pervenimus quia nos agrotare nescimus Son Epist 50. There is a double work required to the conversion of such first to empty them of self and then to drive them unto the Saviour first to make them sensible of their sickness and then to quicken them to seek a remedy first to convince them of their damnable estate and then to cause them to flee from the wrath to come And the first is a matter of very great difficulty 2. Consider That such as are in Christ by visible profession only are most likely to have their consciences seared as with an hot iron so that those awakening truths which serve to rouse up other sinners produce little or no effect upon their souls By continuance in sin under the preaching of the World and constant attendance upon Ordinances men become Sermon-proof and Prayer-proof Sacrament-proof and Affliction-proof Scarcely the hottest fire will melt such obdurate spirits As it is reported of them that live neer the Cataracts of Nilus by continual hearing those dreadful sounds they become deaf and stupid Primo importabile processu temporis grave paulo post leve postea placet suave est ad extremum quod erat importabile ad faciendum est impossibile ad continendum Bern. so it befalleth these hypocrites by constant hearing of Gospel-truths and not regarding them their spirits at length become dead stark dead twice dead as it is expressed Jude 12. Before they were dead in sin and now they are dead in security likewise To their natural hardness is added a contracted hardness And who are they of whom the Apostle speaketh why such as are clouds without water that is who make a shew of Godliness but have nothing of the substance who have the form without the power of it To them the word of the Lord proveth an obdurating word that maketh their hearts fat and their ears heavy and shutteth their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Isa 6.9 10. 3. Consider withal That God is usually provoked by such mens barrenness and unproficiency utterly to depart away from them and so to bind them over unavoidably to condemnation to swear in his wrath that they shall never enter into rest Heb. 3.10 11. So that he will deal with them no further in order to their repentance and salvation For this is the very method of Gods dispensations of this nature first men resist the Spirit which he sent to knock at the door of their hearts and then he calleth away his Spirit from them Gen. 6.3 First they neglect to hearken to the grace of God that should lead them to repentance and so he will wait to be gracious no further but sealeth them up in a state of impenitence First they will not believe and God sweareth they shall never believe Joh. 12.39 40. 2. The condition of these unfruitful branches in Christ is miserable above that of others in respect of the intolerableness of the
you will undoubtedly fall short of the righteousness of Jesus Christ you do quite put your selves from under his shadow If you rest upon the works of the Law never think to receive benefit by the death of the Mediator of the covenant of peace and reconciliation Christ is become of none effect unto you Now Sirs justification by works is mans natural element upon which his soul is fixed and where he delights to dwell Although the Law is disabled to minister relief unto fallen sinners yet there is a proness in them to follow after it still and to rest their souls upon that foundation This is plain from the pains the Apostle Paul taketh in his Epistles to unsettle men from this bottom to take them off from leaning upon this broken reed especially in his Epistles to Rom. and Gal. Besides you read expresly of mens desires to be under the Law Gal. 4.21 Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law q. d. I perceive that hitherward your spirits have a tendency there is a natural inclination in you to split your selves upon this rock as there is in a stone to deseend downwards towards its center As the Law is a rule of life so it is written upon the heart of a Believer but unregenerate persons cleave to it as it is a covenant of works they make use of it so as to seek justification from thence And this mostly ariseth from that monstrous pride which is fast rooted and rivered in mens hearts they would fain advance something of themselves and are loath to give the glory of their salvation to another It is an harder thing to close with the grace of God and to glorifie free grace in salvation than most persons imagine This is the second Proposition That unconverted sinners are not only separated from Christ but actually joyned unto such objects as are utterly incompatible with their being in Christ 3. Propos 3. Hence it clearly followeth as a third Proposition That the first work which is wrought upon the spirit of a man in order to his conjunction and oneness with the Lord Jesus it is the separation or withdrawment of his soul from these objects unto which he is joyned in opposition unto Christ Till this work be done the finner is not in a neer capacity of having the Son of God of being joyned to the Redeemer First a bill of divorcement must be written and the former husbands put away before the soul can be married to another husband to him that is raised from the dead For Sirs Christ will not be a sharer with another if he have the soul at all he will have it altogether if persons have the Son really they must have him only So that first the soul must be wrought upon to renounce those things which stand in competition with the Lord Jesus that they may be in a preparedness to be knit unto him Psal 45.10 11. Hearken O daughter and consider and incline thine car forget also thine own people and thy fathers house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty They are words spoken of the mystical marriage betwixt Christ and his Church * Hoc de Ecclesiâ quam ut Christi regis uxorem depingit Vides de Christo esse sermonem qui enim de Solomone diceret Quoniam ipse est Dominus Deus cuus Marian. in loc and they amount to thus much q. d. If you will have Christ you must forsake all things for Christ if you will be joyned unto him you must be parted from all besides him as a virgin that will be espoused to an husband must forsake father and mother and cleave to her husband First you must be broken off from the old stock if you will be ingraffed in the true vine This is a special part of that self denial which is required in the followers of Jesus Mar. 8.34 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself He must den◠his carnal self and say to his corruptions get ye hence he must deny his legal self by renouncing all confidence in the flesh in his own righteousness as to justification in the sight of God he must be dead to sin and the Law if he will be married to the Son of God See the proof of each 1. He must be dead to sin Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts * Carnens pro radice posuit concupiscentias pro fructibus Caro enim est ipsa naturae corruptae vitiositas unde mala omnia prodeunt Calv. in loc Such as are united to his person must be planted together into the likeness of his death as he died for sin so must they be dead unto sin as Christ was crucified in the flesh so must their corruptions be crucified in them The principle or body of sin must be subdued and the lustings and workings of it must be set against else it will be in vain to pretend that they are knit unto Christ 2. He must be dead to the Law because it is impossible for a man to be coupled to both together It was a defectiveness herein which was the cause of the utter undoing of the carnal Israelites they were fast joyned unto the Law and they could not be taken off from seeking life upon those terms and therefore though they followed after righteousness yet they did not attain it they fell short of righteousness How came it to pass that they fell short of what they sought after Why Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.31 32. That 's the third Proposition The first work that is wrought upon the spirit of a man in a tendency to his conjunction and oneness with Christ is the separation of his soul from sin and the Law to which he is naturally joyned in opposition to Christ 4. Propos 4. The divorce and separation of a sinner from his iniquity which is of indispensable necessity to the reception of Christ and union with him is principally accomplished by a fourfold act 1. The eyes of the understanding are opened to see the evil of sin 2. The heart is awakened to consider the consequents of that evil 3. The spirit is made to tremble in apprehension of the danger of continuing in sin 4. The grace of mortification is poured out for the subduing of corruption and a secret antipathy put into the soul against it When this work is wrought then the sinner is set free from bondage unto his lusts and is at liberty to be married to another I will briefly touch upon these four steps or acts of the holy Ghost whereby tho divorce is made 1. There is an act of Conviction whereby the eyes of the understanding are enlightened to see the evil of sin and that with application to a mans self and his own transgressions and iniquities For indeed general notions of the evil of sin will never have a
due operation upon the heart and conscience * Generalia non pungunt unless it be brought home by a personal and particular appropriation to a mans self When a sinner is wrought upon so as to turn savingly from his iniquities he is made to do it understandingly God working upon a mans heart answerably to mans nature He doth not force him to cast off his sins against his will but maketh him ready and willing to abandon them and to that purpose he giveth the sinner a sight of the guilt he is under He maketh him to know what a contempt sin is of the Majesty of heaven what a slighting of an holy and just and righteous Law what a despising of the goodness and compassion of the Lord and consequently a provocation of his wrath that so there may be raised in the soul a regular abhorrence of it and detestation against it and the sinner may be willing to sue out a divorce Will the person think when he is throughly convinced of sin What a fool was I thus to serve these base lusts and pleasures What madness possessed me that I should depart from the Lord and follow after lying vanities For mark it Sirs When the affections act regularly in closing with or rejecting and refusing any spiritual object there must alwayes precede a competent knowledge of the good or evil of that object And the reason is plain because the will and affections are blind and dependent faculties they depend in their operations upon the information of the understanding So that the heart cannot hate the evil of sin nor will the person loath himself upon the account of it till the judgment be convinced of the nature and greatness of that evil You read of this as one of the first works of the Spirit Joh. 16.8 When the comforter is come he will convince the world of sin He will make them to see clearly what an ugly deformed nature it is of what a bitter thing it is to rebel against the most high He will discover unto them the guilt which lieth upon their souls and that by such evident concluding arguments as will take away from them all excuses whatsoever whereby they were apt to cover their transgressions * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore it followeth that he will convince them of their unbelief which is the great damning sin and that whereby other transgressions are fast bound upon the soul To this end God doth sometimes bring the sinner into sore afflictions and tribulations that he may thereby taste the bitterness and malignity of departing from him which before was accounted but a trivial matter little to be regarded Job 36.8 9 10. When they be bound in fetters and holden in the cords of affliction then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded He openeth their ear also to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity * Jer. 2.19 To this purpose the holy Ghost doth set the Law before a mans face in the spiritualness equity and excellency of it that the sinner may behold himself in that glass and pass judgment upon the evils of his heart and wayes according to that rule For when the commandment cometh then sin will revive indeed and be seen in its proper colours Rom. 7.9 Before the person is mistaken concerning the evil of it he reckoneth it a small matter and wondereth that Ministers and Precisians should make such an ado against sin because he judgeth of it by false rules by the opinion which the generality of the world have concerning it by the pleasure and worldly advantage that are attendant upon it and the like But when the Law cometh his mistakes are rectified and he seeth sin as it is And to this end the Spirit of God doth make discoveries unto the soul of the holiness and purity and infinite and spotless perfections of the nature of God himself against whom sin is committed When Job saw the Lord then he did abhor himself as in dust and ashes Job 42.4 5. When Isaiah had a full sight of the infinite power and holiness and glorious perfections of God then he cried out Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Isa 6.3 4 5. This is a certain rule and if you will observe your hearts anddemeanour the truth of it will every day further appear to you by experience That as your apprehensions of God are so the manner of your applications unto God will be and so your apprehensions of the evil of sin against God will be likewise This is the first act in order unto a divorce from sin An act of Conviction 2. There is an act of Consideration wherein the heart is awakened to weigh the sad consequents of the evil of sin What will be the issue of these things What will become of my precious and immortal soul if I go on in this course There is no way thinketh the sinner to escape the damnation of hell without conversion and the torments thereof will be endless and everlasting torments If I am once cast into that lake there is no deliverance out of it Therefore you read of confidering and turning from sin Ezek. 18.27 28. When the wicked turneth from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall surely live he shall not die And the truth is the reason why men and women do still hug their sins in their bosoms and roll them as a sweet morsel under their tongues is for want of consideration If they did sit down and consult what would become of them did they lay it seriously to heart and revolve it in their thoughts what precious souls their lusts are destroying what insupportable wrath they are pulling down upon their heads what rich grace they are abusing what an incomprehensible Majesty they are setting against and what a dismal condition it will without a speedy repentance reduce them unto would they harbour sin any longer in their hearts would they not flie from it as from a Serpent certainly they would cast it away with indignation and say Get ye hence ye filthy accursed lusts you have brought me into a wretched estate and should I follow you still I must be undone forever Isa 47.7 Thou didst not lay these things to thine heart neither didst thou remember the latter end of it As if the holy Ghost had said the cause of your continuance in sin is want of consideration if you had laid the end of it to heart it would have put a stop to your carier in a course of impiety This will appear in the return of the prodigal Luk. 15.17 18. When he came to himself he said How many hired servants
of my fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I will arise and go to my father When he came to himself that is when he entered into debate with his own spirit * Ut nemo tenat in se descendere Per. sat when he communed with his own heart touching his deplorable condition then he quickly resolveth to abide amongst the swine no longer he will feed no more upon husks he will rather be as the meanest servant in his fathers house a door-keeper in the house of God than dwell in the tents of wickedness Before that time he gave up himself in subjection to his lusts and did not consider what he was doing he did not bethink himself as the expression is 1 Kings 8.47 If they shall bethink themselves and repent This is the second act in order to a divorce from sin An act of Consideration 3. There is a work of Humiliation and Compunction whereby the spirit is made to mourn and â—ament in the sense of sin and withal to tremble in apprehension of the danger of it This is that pricking to the heart which is the usual forerunner of conversion Acts 2.37 Now when they heard this they were pricked to the heart and they said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do Now their consciences are wounded and they mourn in reflection upon their evil wayes They are as an heavy load and burden uptheir spirits What shall we do q.d. We are utterly ruined and undone except the grace of God step in for our recovery Can you shew us any way to escape we are ready to close with any directions prescribed When God doth bless mens souls in turning them from their iniquities he doth first cause them to grieve and be in bitterness for those iniquities and stirreth up in them a dread and fear of his judgments * Quos non expugnat ratio eos mansuefacit motui For mark it Sirs although it be love unto God and sense of the love of God which have a mighty influence to cause a converted person to cleave unto the Lord yet it is a dread and fear of wrath and judgment which bringeth a sinner in the first conversion unto God Thus you know the Jaylor came in trembing Acts 16.29 30. And when Christ doth shoot out his sharp arrows into mens hearts then the people fall down under him Psal 45.5 It may well be understood of these arrows of compunction and terror * Haec dicuntur typicè de evangelicâ administratione Christi Malv in Psal 45. Cordaque vulâ—ificis figens inimica sagittis Sponte sibi cogis valides precumbere gentes Buchan The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred shall fall down may well be be meant of an act of adoration So it is used in Deut. 9.25 in Chald. Dan. 2.46 Dan. 3.7 whereby the perversness of mens hearts is overcome and subdued of enemies they are made friends and brought into to a ready subjection unto his government That 's the third work 4. The grace of Repentance is poured out upon the soul whereby the heart is crucified unto sin and the reigning power of sin is removed and a standing aversness and antipathy put into the spirit against it When this is done then the divorce is compleated and the sinner is set at liberty from his corruptions that he may be joyned unto Christ For it is not all the arguments and perswasions in the world that can effectually prevail upon a man to cast off his iniquities and bring him from under the power of sin until the Spirit of God doth set home those arguments and doth deaden sin in the heart * Alii partes formales regenerationis duas constituunt mortificationem veteris vivificationem novi hominis Et haec illam necessario praesupponit à qua non re sed ratione tantum distincta est Wend. Syst majus Restraints of providence may keep a man from the outward acts of sin but still the heart is glewed to it As Balaam durst not comply with Balaack actually to curse the Israelites but fain he would have done it his heart followed the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 But now the spirit of Repentance taketh down the dominion of sin and breaketh * I distinguish between the grace of Repentance in the first workings of it upon the heart and the exercise of Repentance in the further mortifying and subduing of sin the bonds of the Covenant whereby the sinner was held fast in subjection to it and then he doth say What have I to do any more with my idols Therefore believers are said to be dead to sin Rom. 6.1 2. and to have their old man crucified with Christ that they may no longer serve sin Rom. 6.6 Thus they are set free from sin that they may be united to Christ and become the servants of God through Christ Rom. 6.22 This may serve for opening the fourth Proposition 5. Propos 5. To deaden a person unto the Law and to take him off from seeking justification by the Law that he may be united or married to the Lord Jesus God doth especially make use of two means 1. The Law it self 2. The body of Christ that is the sufferings which he underwent in his body For this you have the Scripture express Gal. 2.19 For I through the Law am dead to the Law q. d. by studying the Law it self I see it can never avail to give me acceptation with the most high Whatever expectations I have formerly had that way I now utterly renounce them and the Law it self hath sufficiently instructed me in this Lesson 2. For the sufferings of Christ that place is obvious Rom. 7.4 Wherefore my brethren ye are also become dead to the Law * Mori legi est illi renuntiare ab ejus imperio manumitti ita ut nihil habeamus in eâ fiduciae Ne offenderet Judaeos verbi asperitate si dixisset legem esse mortuam deflexione usus est dicens nos legi esse mortuos Non ergo bene vivendi regula quam lex praescribit abrogata est sed qualitas illa quae libertati per Christum parta opponitur Nempe dum summam perfectionem requirit quia non praestamus constringit nos sub aternae mortis reatu Calv. by the body of Christ that ye should be married to anther even to him that is raised from the dead q.d. This instruction God hath given us from Golgotha that by the works of the Law no flesh can be justified indeed our hearts have been hankering after that way of life and acceptance nay we have ben closely linked thereunto but the body of Christ hath made a separation between them The body of Christ i. e. the passion of Christ in his body The doctrine of Christ's death and crucifixion if rightly improved will shew a man the Law 's utter insufficiency to give a
touching the way to Christ and I go to that Minister to direct me in following after him I leave no stone unturned no means unassayed And if I get but a glimpse of his favour I think all my endeavours well bestowed O how welcome is he to my soul With what unspeakable rejoycing doth it fill me So that I can boast of Christ all the day long How careful am I to preserve my fellowship with him that no clouds for the future may interpose betwixt me and the beams of that Sun of righteousness I might dwell upon the passages of this nature in that book I will but point you to them See the Churches as earnest pantings after Christ as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks cap. 8.1 2 3 4. And her description of him and holy exultation upon the account of her interest in such a Lord and Husband cap. 5.9 10 11 15 Wherein the close of all is observable v. 16. His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This is my beloved and this is my friend O ye Daughters of Jerusalem q. d. He is the object matter of my whole affections there is none in heaven but Christ nor any thing upon the earth to be loved and desired in comparison with him He is most worthy to be beloved who cannot but admire such a gracious Redeemer Do not wonder that my heart is so set upon him for he is altogether lovely If you knew but Christ as well as I it would inflame your hearts in desires after him it would even ravish your Spirits in the contemplation of his beauty Never is it possible for any to be so blessed as those who have him for their friend So upon the other hand for the affection of Christ to believers he hath them graven upon the palms of his hands upon the very Tables of his heart Cant. 2.14 O my dove that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely q. d. Thou that art despised amongst men but highly regarded in my sight preserved by my power and righteousness which is stable as the rock that can never be removed I have provided secure fortifications to preserve thee when thou art hunted and persecuted on every hand Come now and let us converse together for therein I take pleasure Mark it nothing is so welcome to Jesus Christ as the voice and countenance of his Saints If they do but chatter as a Crane or Swallow * Isa 38.14 it is as lovely Songs unto him If they send but a sigh or a groan up to heaven it is a refreshment to his Spirit * Jer. 31.18 20. If they offer but a mite it is a sweet oblation before him because of the love which he beareth unto them Whereas the incense of the wicked is but as dung in his sight and the best of their sacrifices but as the cutting off a dogs neck or the offering of swines bloud that is odious and abominable such as his soul hateth See another place to this purpose Cap. 4.9 and so forward Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck How fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse How much better is thy love than wine and the smell of thine ointments than all spices Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the honey-comb honey and milk are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon But I must forbear only remember what was hinted in the proposition that this intimate love between believers and Christ may be well improved as an evidence of their ingrafture into Christ This moral union may be produced as a proof of the mystical union For he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 John 4.16 And that it may be of use to this end our love to Christ whereby we are knit to him morally must have these four properties It must be 1. A sincere love 2. A serviceable active love 3. A superlative love 4. A love of complacency and satisfaction 1. It must be a sincere and single hearted affection without dissimulation and hypocrisie when the heart of a Christian goeth out after Christ himself and for himself when our love to him is kindled by the contemplation of his own innate worth and excellencies and the spiritual blessings which he hath purchased There may be a kinde of love to Christ for the leaves sake a following after him for some outward advantage When Religion is countenanced to be amongst the servants of Christ is a matter of honour and repute in the eyes of men it may help to advance a mans secular interest and many come after him moved by such considerations But now the heart of a believer is fixed upon Christ for himself though nothing but frowns from men should follow their cleaving unto him although it were likely to bring disgrace and reproach along with it and to expose them to sorrows and sufferings upon every side yet their souls are resolved to have Christ * Id propter se expeti dicitur quod quamvis habeat extra se commoda sepositie quoque ill is ac remot is placet Sen de Benefic with all the incumbrances that attend the possession of him Hereunto the promise is made Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity i.e. in simplicity and incorruptness having a single aim at the enjoyment of himself 2. It must be a serviceable and active love such as sets a man a doing to advance the glory of Christ by a chearful obedience to his Commandments that maketh him study and contrive how to please the Lord Jesus Such a love as restraineth from the evil of sin whereby Christ is grieved and dishonored Such as constraineth unto holiness and causeth a man to take delight and pleasure in doing the will of Christ from the heart The passion of love Sirs is an active passion that will set the whole man a work to please the party beloved it will make him indefinite to all intents and purposes to all sorts of services and nothing will seem burdensome upon that account John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them saith our Saviour he it is that loveth me 1 John 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous The grace of love hath a facilitating vertue it maketh difficult things easie and sweetens the whole course of obedience When a man hath a dear affection for Christ he will do any thing and suffer any thing for his sake he will not be afraid to own him in the face of the world though it may cost him all that is dear to him besides 1 John 4.17 18. Herein is
only that we may be provoked thereby to live in a constant dependance upon God for further grace to help in the time of need but likewise that we may be stirred up to give all the glory of There is Actual 1. Exciting grace 2. Co-operating grace 3. Resisting grace 4. Supporting grace 5. Restoring grace 6. Increasing grace 7. Stablishing grace 1. There is Exciting grace whereby the principle of holiness is awakened and stirred up and put into a readiness unto that which is good For although there are habits of grace alwayes resident in the hearts of the godly yet those habits are not alwayes in a present aptness and preparedness unto the matters of godliness What a listlessness and heaviness is oftentimes upon the heart of a sincere Christian So that he hath grace to seek when he is called to the exercise of it he is not in a readiness to bring it forth into act And therefore we have need frequently to quicken our hearts and to awaken and stir up the grace of God that is within us It was the complaint of the Lord against his people that they did not stir up themselves to take hold of him Isa 64.7 There needeth exciting grace and assistance to stir us up unto practical holiness that our loyns may be girt and our lamps burning and our selves in procinctu in a readiness to every good work as the exhortation is Luk. 12.35 Tit. 3.1 How much is David in prayer that God would quicken him Psal 119.37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me in thy way Psal 80.18 Quicken us and we will call upon thy name Psal 86.11 Vnite mine heart to fear thy name q. d. Gather the forces of my soul together that they may conspire as 〈…〉 be wandring and out of the way when I have use for them then they are to seek O Lord call them in and put them into a readiness Now this exciting influence proceedeth from Christ and is given forth unto them that are ingraffed into him It is he that knocketh at the door of the heart to awaken believers out of their security and to put them into a posture that they may be ready to follow him whithersoever he shall lead them Cant. 5.2 2. There is Co-operating grace or assistance to do the will of God whereby the new creature is set on work and inabled to walk in the way of Gods commandments For Sirs herein lieth a vast difference between the principles of sin which are naturally seated in the soul and the habits of holiness which in the new birth are introduced into the soul The principles of sin can work of themselves without any forreign assistance to reduce them into act If there were no devil to tempt us unto ungodliness the corrupt heart of man would be a tempter to it self Jam. 1.14 and would rush on into wickedness of its own accord But the habits of grace cannot act of themselves there must be renewed strength imparted to set them on work which we may fitly call co-operating grace Psal 119.35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight Though David had a spirit of new life within him yet he could not actually walk in the path of God's precepts till by an additional force he was set a going Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind and come thou South-wind blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out By the garden understand a sanctified soul and by the spices in this garden may be meant the 〈…〉 〈…〉 sistance of the Spirit it is educed into act And this co-operating assistance is in Christ and issued forth unto them that are one with him 2 Tim. 2.1 Thon therefore my Son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus That is Get assistance from him out of his fulness to strengthen thee to the discharge of the work of the Lord. 3. There is resisting grace to oppose temptations unto sin and to vanquish and overcome the assaults of the devil Although in the first work of conversion there is a secret antipathy set up in the spirit against sin yet if you would be actually free from the taint of it there must be further strength to help you in grapling with temptations unto sin And this also is in Christ to be communicated unto his members Eph. 6.10 The Apostle doth exhort us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Not to enter the lists in our own strength but to put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil And the spiritual combate maintained by a child of God is called The fight of faith because sin is especially opposed by the exercise of faith and the victory obtained through faith in Jesus by which fresh supplies of strength are fetcht down from him 1 Tim. 6.12 4. The fourth sort of actual strength is supporting grace for the bearing such burdens as are laid upon us Strength to inable us with an holy quietness and submission to endure afflictions and hardships 〈…〉 thy to suffer in his cause and you have ability miniffred to carry you through sufferings to keep your hearts from sinking in the day of tribulation and adversity As you are called to suffer so through the supplies of Christ's Spirit you are impowered and fortified thereunto 5. Restoring grace To recover us out of that deadness into which we are apt to fall and to call us back from those decayes unto which believers are subject For though habitual grace shall never be quite lost yet the vigour of it may be much abated in which respect a Believer may be said to lose his first love Rev. 2.4 And though grace remain yet in this sense it may be said to be ready to die Rev. 3 2. Now for the restoring of a mans soul to its former life and activity and reviving upon the new man its ancient lustre and beauty there must be fresh strength communicated Which reviving strength is stored up in the Son and given forth to them that have the Son It is by the fresh beams of the Sun of righteousness that the clouds are dispelled and the mists are driven away and the soul of a Christian is made to look forth as the morning according as it is expressed Cant. 6.10 6. There is increasing grace for augmentation of the principle of holiness that the new man may artive at his full growth and stature unto which he is appointed And it is by grace which is in Jesus Christ the head and by fresh influence out of his fulness that the body maketh increase unto the edifying of it self Eph. 4.16 7. Lastly establishing and confirming grace whereby Believers are fixed and settled unto the end And this likewise is from Christ by vertue of union with him It is in Jesus Christ we are preserved Jude 1. Being rooted in him we become established in the
God that it may prove a certain evidence of conversion and consequently of our union with Christ Jesus It must of necessity have these six properties and each of them must be enquired after in the business of self-examination It must be 1. Spiritual 2. Vniversal 3. Evangelical 4. Sincere 5. Thriving 6. Stedfast obedience 1. It must be spiritual obedience answerable to the nature of that God whom we wait upon and whose servants we are His essence is spiritual and such must our obedience to him be if we will serve the Lord acceptably and make it appear that we are of the number of his peculiar people Bodily exercise and a meer external devotion will strike a great stroke in making up the form of godliness but the power of it consisteth in that which is spiritual Joh. 4.23 The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him These are the true worshippers that is such as are so in Gods account whom he will graciously receive and own in their performances When people serve him in a bare external bodily manner he reckoneth them as his greatest enemies their service is but a piece of dissimulation which hath only the shadow of worship For the substance lieth in what is spiritual And such the Father seeketh to worship him i.e. such worship he commandeth and his soul is well pleased with Although it seemeth to be spoken here with a peculiar reference to instituted worship yet it holds strongly as to natural worship also even of all the parts and particulars of his service For the reason which is rendred v. 24. is comprehensive of all Because God is a Spirit So that our obedience if it prove us a chosen generation whom God hath set apart for himself must be spiritual And that in a threefold respect In respect of the 1. Principle from whence it floweth 2. Extent how far it reacheth 3. Subject whereon it is terminated 1. In respect of the principle from whence it proceedeth It must be such obedience as cometh from the heart and wherein the soul and spirit is ingaged Not an honouring him with the lips and drawing neer to him with the mouth when the heart is removed far from him Not a serving him only by a kind of compulsion under some terrible apprehensions of the judgments of God not in a slothful careless and lukewarm manner as if Religion were a weariness to us and we had no mind to our work But when we serve him aright our hearts must be ingaged to approach unto him Jer. 30.21 22. we must be fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 And our inward parts must be employed in the works of holiness When a mans tongue doth speak forth the praises of God and his heart joyneth with him in the business when his hands do act in the works of piety and his spirit concurreth in the action and carry him on thereunto this is to serve the Lord with the Spirit Although he calleth for the body also to be imployed in his service as indeed he deserveth the whole man yet not as a picture or image without life and soul but as animated by the heart Prov. 23.26 My son give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes q.d. A slave will give me his hands and feet and the strength of his body an hypocrite will offer up the outward man but if thou be a son I must have the heart and spirit 2. It must be spiritual obedience in respect of the extent of it how far it reacheth Such as sets us in opposition against spiritual sins as well as fleshly such as causeth us to fight against secret pride and envy and earthliness and unbelief and malice and double-mindedness and the like as well as to obstain from rotten communication and gross outward pollutions It must be such obedience as is exercised in spiritual duties as meditation on the word of the Lord and frequent contemplation of the excellencies of God adoring his Majesty and admiring his works and setting the affections on things above as well as in pleading the cause of holiness and openly walking in the profession of it It must carry us to such works as are performed in the secret recesses of the Spirit and sets us a striving against such corruptions as are forged and fabricated in the spirit which no eye can observe but God and our own consciences 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all the filthiness both of the flesh and spirit Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are clean of heart See further Psal 24.3 4. Mat. 6.21 3. In respect of the subject whereon it is terminated It endeth in the further renewing and purifying the spirit and getting more degrees of habitual grace into the heart When we are not only contented to be kept free from the acts of sin but do mourn and lament under the principle of sin and labour to deaden that principle When we do not think it enough to do much for God but fain would have our spirits transformed every day more and more into the image of God Thus it will be if you are converted If a carnal person resist the temptation he thinks his work is done and is apt to glory in himself as if the whole business were dispatched But a convert layeth the ax to the root of the tree he followeth the corrupt stream to the poysonous fountain whence it is derived and nothing will satisfie him but cleansing the fountain and taking revenge upon his lusts that lodge within him Rom. 7.23 24. Paul's actual sins cause him to have an eye upon his heart by which he was turned aside I see saith he another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity unto the law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death This is the first qualification It must be spiritual obedience 2. If you would prove your conversion and consequentially your union with Christ by your obedience It must be universal obedience Not a partial and restrictive serving of God but a following him fully as far as the whole circuit of holiness reacheth As it is said of Caleh Num. 14.24 He followed the Lord fully and that proved him to be a man of another spirit and of a gracious temper indeed sanctified by the holy Ghost because his obedience was universal There is a threefold universality must go to the right qualifying our obedience that it may be evidential of a converted estate It must be universal in relation to the 1. Agent or person obeying 2. Rule of obedience 3. Times and seasons of the performance 1. In relation to the agent or person
obeying that is when a man doth consecrate and devote his whole self both soul and body to the keeping of Gods commandments and doth his will not only from the heart but with the whole heart and spirit When there is a concentrication and conjunction of all the powers and faculties of the whole person in the service of the Lord the understanding is apprehensive of the mind of God and the judgment approveth the way of his precepts the affections run out in earnest desires to do and delight in doing the will of God the will is in a posture of ready compliance therewith the conscience stirreth up unto obedience and the members of the body are instruments in the execution of what is enjoyned Contrary to that dividing heart which the Scripture condemneth when the several faculties of the soul draw several wayes The understanding and judgment and conscience are for God and his wayes but the will and the affections for sin and the world and such lying vanities When persons have an heart and an heart an heart for God and an heart for Belial they are not come to any setled determination but their spirits halt between two opinions My brethren If you would prove that you are converted unto God your hearts must be united to fear his name and all that is within you must be gathered together to the observing of his Statutes Jer. 29.13 Ye shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your hearts And mark the words of Samuel to the men of Israel when they lamented after the Lord 1 Sam. 7.2 3. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel saying If ye do return to the Lord with all your hearts then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only and he will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistines As if he had said Be not deceived it is not some faint inclinations unto godliness and a little lamentation after the Lord that will give you an interest in his mercy But if you would be accepted of him you must espouse none other interest but his you must carry on none other design co-ordinate with that of pleasing the Lord and walking with him if you are his servants at all you must be his altogether and give him your whole heart and mind and soul and strength And the reason is apparent because in sanctification grace is pouted out into the whole man and the change wrought is an universal change And it is not the actings of a part which will evidence a change in the whole But when the whole man is set upon the wayes of God This is the perfect heart which was a comfort to Hezekiah when all the soul goeth together in the way to heaven and there is no part lacking Isa 38.3 Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart 2. It must be universal in relation to the rule or the particulars of obedience When there is an equal and uniform respect unto all the commandments of the Lord and a readiness to be pressed upon any service whether greater or lesser with whatsoever difficulty it is attended and whatsoever self-denial is required in the discharge of it When a man's soul is drawn out in a detestation of every sin and doth not live in the allowed omission or neglect of any known duty whether secret or publike whether generally practised or despised by the generality You read of Herod that he heard John Baptist and did many things but this was no proof of a sound conversion because in other things he fell short * Qui facit solummodo ea quae vult facere non Dominicam voluntatem implet sed suam Salvian In some cases he did what was commanded and in others he took liberty to trample upon the commandment Mark 6.20 And this is the furthest that carnal Professors go They are as Cakes not turned half-bak'd Christians as it is said of Ephraim Hos 7.8 As to the abandoning of some sins and discharge of some duties they bid fair for heaven But as for other corruptions by which they think they have their livelyhood and that have a more than ordinary share in their affections they will hold them fast and shake hands with Religion when they come to difficult points of obedience and so discover their rottenness Thus Jehu bade fair for salvation and yet fell short 2 King 10.30 31. He destroyed Baal out of Israel and did to the house of Ahab according to all that was in God's heart Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam he departed not he thought those sins were so interwoven with his secular interest that he could not keep the Kingdom without them That no calves at Dan and Bethel and no king in Israel But now when a person can say in uprightness that his heart standeth in awe of the whole Word of God and whatever he findeth with the stamp of a divine precept upon it he is willing to submit to and through the assistance of the Spirit will close with it be it never so contrary to flesh and bloud though it run directly cross to his worldly interest and cost him never so much ignominy and reproach from the wicked though it expose him to never so many troubles and hardships here is that obedience in the life which will evidence grace in the heart Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandments i. e. Then it will appear that my profession is sound and my hopes well bottomed and such as will not deceive me then I shall not be put to confusion at the day of accounts nor be frustrated and disappointed in my expectations of glory when I have this testimony to produce that I am a servant of God because I esteem all his precepts in every thing to be right and have a conscientious regard unto them all 3. It must be universal obedience in relation to the times and seasons of the performance of it Psal 106.3 Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times Not as some Professors whose Religion is modelled according to the providences they are under and the company which they meet and converse with When godliness is in esteem and credit in the world they will be clothed in that dress and none shall be more forward in religious duties and exercises But when it is discountenanced and under a cloud then their course is changed They row their boat as the tide runneth backward or forward and hoise up their sails according as the wind bloweth If they fall into a religious family and amongst godly company there they will approve and commend the wayes of God and if their lot fall amongst vain and profane persons they will be wanton and vain and profane and scurrilous as the rest They will do
That he will have a cooler place in hell than some others who have ran beyond him in the perpetration of horrid abominations 5. A meer civil conversation and inoffensive câ—â—riage towards men is a poor foundation of a mans hopeâ— You have some will lean upon this prop and be very confident of their salvation upon this ground because they pay all men their due and walk honestly towards their neighbours and defie all the world to bring in a bill of accusation against them But this will prove as a rotten pillar that cannot support the Fabrick For observe what our Saviour saith to the Pharisees Luke 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination to God Mark it here is the question Is thy heart washed and sanctified Art thou regenerated by the Spirit of Christ and so knit unto him The God before whom thou must appear is the searcher of the hearts and will bring to light the hidden things * Deest aliquid intus Said one of a picture when he tried to make it stand and vvalk of it self There wants something within So it may be said of the unregenerate moralist There vvants a Principle of spiritual life vvithin of darkness He seeth those secret and spiritual wickednesses that lodge within thee which the world cannot discern He taketh a view of those inward pollutions and filthinesses which pass the eye of the most curious inquisitor amongst the children of men Civility is a mercy for which thou art bound to bless the name of God but it will not entitle thee to the Kingdom of God * Va etiam vitae laudabili Aug. For the obtaining of that thou must be united to Christ Unconverted Paul was of a blameless conversation and yet a child of the wrath of God And therefore when he had a right knowledge of matters he did not rest herein but earnestly breathed after Christ and rejected all things that he might be found in him Phil. 3.6 8. 6. Legal sorrow for sin and a kind of reformation thereupon will not serve to beget a well-grounded hope of eternal life When sinners are under some pangs of conviction that damps their mirth for a while and their consciences are troubled for some ungodliness which they have committed and this trouble prevaileth so far as to make them leave the practise of that ungodliness for the present Hence they are apt to cherish strong confidence of their salvation Surely think they it cannot go amiss with us who have felt such disquietness in our spirits and begin to lead a new life What will bring a man to heaven if this will not But man one thing thou lackest yet and that is union with Christ the Son of God Unless thy sorrow for sin prove efficacious to drive thee quite out of thy self and to cause thee to give up thy soul into the hands of the Mediator whom God hath appointed it will in no wise conduct thee to everlasting glory Judaâ— was troubled for sin and restored the pieces of silver which he had gotten as the wages of unrighteousness and yet he went unto his own place Mat. 27.4 5. Act. 1.25 He had deep gashes of conviction cut in his conscience whereby he was wounded sorely and yet perished for ever for want of getting into Christ and application thereby of the healing balsom of his righteousness There may be much torture and vexation in the heart for sin and such as may carry a man to some amendment of life and yet not a drop of that godly sorrow that worketh repentance unto salvation not the least degree of that evangelical brokenness and contrition of spirit which driveth the sinner unto Christ that he may find rest for his soul 7. The meer external performance of spiritual daties is no sufficient ground whereupon to bottom our hopes of eternal life Such as prayer and reading the Scriptures and frequenting religious exercises and the like These are good means if rightly managed to bring a sinner unto Christ but in themselves they are no evidence of a good estate The Pharisee was much in outward duties and yet he was not justified Luke 18.12 A person may make many prayers and play the counterfeit in all that he doth many confess sin and plead against it with their mouths and in the mean while hug it in their bosoms they pretend to earnest desires of grace and holiness in their expressions but hate it in their affections with a perfect hatted they read the Scriptures to find out the will of God and yet retain a secret resolvedness of spirit to follow the dictates of their own wills they attâ—nd with their bodies on the Ordinances of Christ whilst their hearts go after covetousness and other base corruptions Ezek. 33.31 32. Many labour only to stop the mouth of conscience with outward performances who are utterly strangers to the workings of a renewed principle Besides What are the Institutions and Ordinances of Christ except they lead the soul unto Christ That is the very end of their appointment to bring us unto him and to build us up in him without an interest in whom by way of union with him there is no right to the kingdom of heaven attainable by any 8. The good opinions of the godly are but a sandy foundation of hope It is a great mercy to converse with such as are spiritually wise and to have a place and seat in their affections who are favourites in the court of heaven But it is no sure evidence of our title to heaven And the reason is this Because their estimation of others may arise from a mistake of their persons judging them only by what is visible and apparent in open view but God is a discerner of the secret recesses of the heart The Lord seeth not as man seeth 1 Sam. 16.7 How was David mistaken in Achitophel They took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company and yet he was an accursed person and wickedness was in his dwelling Psal 55.14 They may be much in the affections of the godly who are an abomination unto the Lord. So that trust not in this as a sign of a good estate Thon mayest be of great repute amongst Christians and yet alienated from Jesus Christ whereas it is only union with the Son and ingrafture into him which will give thee a right to salvation 9. Lastly that I may hasten to a conclusion A being joyned in fellowship with this or the other party who make a stricter profession of godliness than others is an insufficient ground whereupon to build our hopes of eternal life This is all the proof that some can make of their fincerity Because they are of such a perswasion and settled in a Church way with such eminent professors they are of the same judgment and hold the same opinions with them this is made the foundation of great
you bring forth the fruits of righteousness here and endeavour to be holy in all manner of conversation If you live in any course of sin or in the neglect of observing any of God's commandments it is not possible you should come to the enjoyment of God whilst you abide in that estate Never dream of being saved without holiness for such imaginations are but dreams and fancies Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived c. q. d. It is a plain case that the unrighteous will perish unavoidably it is a token of gross ignorance to think otherwise Do not hope for or expect salvation without righteousness for by such hopes and expectations you will but cheat your own souls Gal. 5.19 20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like Of the which I tell you before as I have told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Mark it if a man live in any of these sins or in any other sin like unto these whether it be filthiness of the flesh or of the spirit open or secret though not here particularly enumerated he cannot enter into eternal life It is a matter as if the Apostle had said which I have studied and the more I think of it the more I am confirmed in it I have preached this doctrine to you formerly and I am still of the same mind and therefore warn you of it again that if you be such persons you cannot be saved 2. Although I counsel you to be much in the works of righteousness yet you must despair of ever being justified or saved upon the account of your righteousness For alas what are the best of our righteousnesses to give satisfaction to the justice of God for the wrong that we have done him If you be pardoned and accepted of the Lord it must be for the sake of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and not by virtue of any thing of your own For the Seripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal. 3.22 3. Although you must be active and diligent in the service of God and labour to walk in uprightness before him yet you are utterly to despair of doing this in your own strength It is only strength and aflistance from Jesus Christ that will inable you to be faithful unto Christ If you trust in your own hearts they will deceive you 2 Cor. 3.5 Psal 71.15 16. * Ad evulsionem hominis à statu peccati requiritur 3. ut ex evictione conscientiae desperatiosalutis consequatur respectu nostrarum virium omnis etiam auxilii quod à creaturis haberi potest Ames de cons 4. I would counsel you to work up your hearts to an utter despair of receiving either righteousness or strength from Christ except you get into him Sit down and rest in this conclusion that unless you be united to the Son of God you cannot dwell in the presence of God There is no salvation to be had upon other terms And thus to despair of deliverance in a state of separation from Christ is an excellent means or inducement to drive you unto him Thus the Law is our School-master to lead us unto Christ i. e. by convincing us of our undone condition without him * Lex in vero suo officio est ad gratiam ministra praeparatrix prodest ad justificationem non quod justificat sed quia urgeat ad promissionem gratiae cam facit dulcem desiderabilem Luth. It pursueth us with wrath as the avenger of bloud that we may be forced to hasten into the City of refuge Gal. 3.24 This is the first Direction I intended in order to the attainment of this grace of union Direct 2. If you would be united unto the Son Get the Spirit of the Lord Jesus into your hearts It is only the holy Ghost who is sent in his name that can lead you unto him and ingraff you in him and form Christ within you And if you have not the Spirit of Christ you cannot be his Rom. 8.9 And therefore to this end 1. Be much in prayer to God for this very mercy that he would graciously send the Spirit of his Son into your souls There is an encouraging word to draw forth your fervent supplications in this behalf Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him It is the mercy which he delights to be sought unto for and to be dealing forth in return to the prayers of his Servants 2. Be much conversant with the word of Christ and constant in your attendance upon the Ordinances of the Gospel Be frequent in reading and studying the Scriptures make them the matter of your daily meditations lose no opportunity to acquaint your selves therewith or to wait upon Christ in the wayes of his appointment Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom Col. 3.16 For it is the word and institutions of Jesus Christ which are designed as conduit-pipes to convey the spirit of sanctification into mens hearts And therefore the word hath the promise of conversion annexed unto it because the spirit of conversion worketh in and with and by the word Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Jam. 1.18 Of his own will he begat us with the word of truth As the word cannot work savingly without the concurrent operation of the holy Ghost So the holy Ghost doth not ordinarily work without the word For the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 And when our Saviour prayeth for them that should be gathered unto him it is under this expression For them that shall believe on me through their word Joh. 17.20.3 Take heed that you resist not the Spirit by quenching his motions or rising up in contradiction against the convictions that he is pleased to work upon your hearts Readily hearken to his call and comply with him in the tenders of grace If you repel him by the frowardness and perverseness of your spâ—rits you know not when he will return Joh. 3.8 Take therefore the Apostles advice Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption Direct 3. If you would be knit unto Jesus and so have an interest in him endeavour after the uniting grace of faith in his bloud cast your selves upon his righteousness for salvation according to the proposals
brought to light wherein the way is revealed for restoring fallen sinners to their primitive happiness or conducting souls to everlasting bliss God hath graciously pleased to declare this way by the Scriptures and to leave it upon record in the Word of the Gospel and here we have the substance or summary of that Record viz. That God is the giver of eternal Life and that this life is in his Son c. If you examine the connexion or dependance which the words of the Text have with and upon the foregoing passages of the Chapter You will evidently find our Apostle is herein giving a succinct account of the great foundation-truths which are proposed to be the object of a Christians Faith by closing with which we do eminently and signaly advance the glory of God and by disbelieving whereof we are said to make him a lyar Our faith is to be built upon the word of the Lord to be bottomed upon the Record which God hath given concerning his Son And this saith the Apostle is the Record That God hath given us eternal Life c. The better to clear this coherence and so the genuine import and scope of these words let us a little cast our eyes back upon the context or the verse immediately preceding the Text wherein we may note two things 1. The nature and excellency of the grace of faith or believing on Christ ver 10. former part He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself 1. For the nature of Faith it is a believing on the Son so it is usually set forth in the dialect of the Holy Ghost Act. 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thine house Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life This is the saving act of Faith which will bring a soul to Heaven a believing on the Son And therefore I might touch by the way on that common distinction as useful to be considered that there is a threefold act of Faith or three waies of Believing in reference unto Christ There is a believing 1. That Jesus is the Christ Credere Christum Christo. In Christum 2. Jesus Christ 3. On the Lord Jesus Christ 1. There is a believing that Jesus is the Christ an assent unto the truth of this principle that he who was born of the Virgin Mary is the true Messiah and Mediator sent of God to be the Saviour of Mankind So the very Devils believe As they know there is one God so they acknowledg this principle that Jesus is the Son of God and the only Redeemer of lost sinners Hence it is that they are so unwearied in their endeavors to hinder poor souls in closing with Christ and that they labour by all manner of false suggestions to draw their affections from the Lord Jesus Mark 1.24 The unclean spirit cried out Let us alone thou Jesus of Nazareth I know thee who thou art the Holy one of God And that herein the Father of lies spake the very truth you will find by the testimony of the Spirit of God himself v. 34. He cast out many Devils and suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him 2. There is a Believing Jesus Christ i.e. a subscribing to the truth of the Doctrines that he delivered which are contained in the Scriptures the Word of Christ and Preached by Ministers of the Gospel in his name Thus a Simon Magus may believe he may own the verity of Christs Word though in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Acts 8.12 13. When they believed Philip Preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ then Simon himself believed also Thus Nicodemus believed before he was instructed in the necessity or acquainted with the grace of regeneration he was convinced by the Miracles wrought by Christ that he was a teacher sent of God and consequently that the Doctrines which he taught were the truths of God Joh. 3.2 As a carnal person who never tasted of saving grace may have much knowledg in his understanding of the will of Christ so he may be under such convictions upon his judgment as in a sort to approve the Word of Christ Rom 2.17.18 3. But lastly there is a believing on the Lord Jesus When a man is so powerfully convinced of the evil of sin and his own obnoxiousness to the wrath of God and the heart so fully perswaded of the excellency of Christ and the sufficiency of his Righteousness together with the utter insufficiency of all other wayes of deliverance that thereupon he doth actually close with Christ upon Gospel terms and make application to him casting himself upon the Son of God for Salvation and renouncing all things for the enjoyment of him Although believing on Christ doth not alwayes signify a saving faith as see Joh. 2.23 yet for the most part it doth and so may fitly be made use of by way of distinction It being observed by some that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a phrase peculiar to the Holy Ghost and not used by prophane Authors This is the saving act of Faith A believing on or in the Son Joh. 11.25 26. He that believeth in me though he were dead yet he shall live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye For mark it Sirs that assent of the Judgment unto the great truths of the Gospel which is required of the Lord and is well pleasing in his sight is not a bare naked lifeless assent but a compounded and operative assent such as doth ingage the heart to comply with those truths and brings the whole Soul in subjection unto them Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness That 's for the nature of Faith It is a believing on the Son 2. For the excellency and preciousness of thus believing He that doth so hath the witness in himself i.e. in his own Soul and Spirit and Conscience He hath it graven upon the very tables of his heart But what is this witness which a Believer hath in himself Answ You may understand it either of these three waies 1. In relation to his spiritual state He hath a fundamental evidence that he is a child of God and in covenant with him here is sufficient matter if rightly improved whereupon to raise a testimony of this thing It is faith which brings a man under the favor of God and the act of believing is a sure token that the person is endowed with the grace or habit of Faith Spiritual actions as they must proceed from a Divine principle so they are evidences of that principle from whence they do proceed 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ not with a bare assent of the Judgment but he that believeth it with the heart as before * When a particular duty is produced as an evidence of a state of Salvation or hath a promise of grace and
by way of Introduction let us now proceed to the Explication of the matter it self The question is this Qu. What are we to understand by a persons Vnion with the Lord Jesus Or How may a man be said to be united unto the Son and so to have the Son Ans To this Question I shall answer two ways by 1. Distinction 2. Description 1. By way of Distinction Our Lord Jesus himfelf in the Sermons which he preached hath made mention of a twofold union with him or of two ways how men and women may be in him 1. By way of visible Profession or external adbaesion only as a dead branch or sprig is in the Tree though it nothing partake of the sap derived from the root as a glass eye or wooden leg is in the body though they do not partake of life with the body in any degree whatsoever 2. By way of spiritual ingrafture and implantation when they are in Christ so as to be quickned by Christ and receive nourishment from him as a living fruit-bearing slip or sience is ingraffed into the stock This distinction you have John 15.1 2. I am the true vine and my father is the husbandman Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Which words are a parable wherein 1. Christ compareth himself to a Vine and it is a very pat comparison both in regard of the mear â—â—ness and lowness of his outward appearance having no form and comeliness that he should be desired in that respect as the vine is the most desplicable in outward view among st the Trees of the garden And in regard of his real worth and excellency although the vine hath no beautiful shape yet it is a very useful and excellent plant so the Lord Jesus is the chiefest of ten thousands he is indeed a plant of renown But principally Christ is here resembled to a vine in regard of the sustentation of the branches and the juicy influence that from him is imparted unto the branches it is by Christ they are upheld and by communications from him they are maintained 2. God the father is likened to the Husbandman by whom the vine is planted and dressed by commission from whom Christ was sent upon his work and furnished with all things requisite thereunto and by whom persons are graffed into him 3. And persons in the visible Churches are signified by the branches in the Vine Of which saith our Saviour there are two sorts some that are dead and withered and others which are living and bring forth fruit And both of them may be said to be in him the one sort by way of profession the other by way of spiritual implantation Every branch in me that beareth not fruit c. I will open this distinction in each of the members of it 1. There is Union with Christ or a being in Christ by way of common Profession or outward adhaerence only when yet they have no saving interest in him or benefit by him Thus all that own the Christian Religion and have a shew of godliness are in him though perhaps they have nothing of the life and substance of godliness They are said to be in his Kingdom in the Church which is his Body and out of that Kingdom they shall be gathered and cast into Hell Mat. 13.41 The Son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend Regnum Christi 1. Oecumenieum Oeconomicuin and them which do iniquity not only out of the world in general but out of the visible Church the Mediators Kingdom and shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Statim parebunt Christo summo Judici messores Ecclesiae purgatores tollent enim è regno Christi omnia offendicula Marl. in loc As carnal Professors are said to be sanctified through Christ so in a like sence it may be said they are in Christ You read expresly of their being sanctified by the blood of the Covenant who yet drew back unto perdition and trampled that blood under their feet Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy of who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing i.e. There is a sanctification to the purifying of the flesh and a sanctification to the purifying of the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. The sanctification external to the purifying of the flesh consisteth in the mans separation from the world and dedication unto God's service by calling and Covenant common to all the members of the visible Church c. Dicks whereby he was separated and set apart from the Heathen and worshippers of false gods and taken amongst the professed people and servants of Christ this I take to be the genuine import of the place for it is an evident allusion to the blood of the Sacrifice sprinkled on the whole body of the Israelites whereby they were sanctified and set apart unto the Lord or as a token of their covenanting with the Lord although with many of them God was not well-pleased they continued weltring in their sins under the power of their unbelief and other wickednesses notwithstanding Now as they are sanctified by Christ so in a like sence it may be said they are in him they belong to him as his disciples and followers by way of profession See Joh. 6.66 Concerning which Union with Christ by way of common profession or external adhaesion only I will intreat you to mind these four Positions 1. Position 1. The principal bonds or ligaments whereby this union is made up by which persons are thus knit unto Christ do mainly consist of four things 1. An approbation or acknowledgment of the doctrines of Christianity 2. An external subjection to the Ordinances of Christ 3. Some common workings upon their hearts and spirits 4. A measure of reformation in their lives and conversations Let us a little touch upon them severally 1. The first bond of this Union by way of external adhaesion is an approbation and acknowledgment of the doctrines of Christianity so as to assent unto the truth and confess at least the goodness and excellency of them so as to close with them in opposition to all contrary ways of Religion It is not enough to the establishment of this Union that a man doth hear the word of Christ so may a Heathen do out of curiosity so may a Jew or Mahometan to blaspheme and cavil but at least there must be some kind of reception and approbation of the word Thus the carnal Professors of whom the Apostle maketh mention for of such he speaketh under the name of Jew's Rom. 2.17 18 21. It was this which made them Jews outwardly
with the Redeemer and that in a fourfold respect 1. God the father doth so account of them in his estimation He putteth an high price and value upon their souls he loveth them with a superlative love as being one with his Son they are sharers in the same love wherewith Jesus Christ is beloved It is true in themselves they are despicable creatures of a mean extraction and original and God might refuse to have any regard to them in respect of their Apostacy they are polluted creatures and so the Lord might abhor them but he takes a view of them in his Son and so his affections run out towards them Joh. 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know Deinâ—e coelestis Pater eodem quo Ecclesiae caput amore complexâ—s est membra quoque omnia prosequitur ut neminem diligat nisi in Christo Marl. that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Not in point of equality but similitude with the same love with a real love pure love eternal love unchangeable love And he will glorifie them with the same glory where with Christ is glorified 2. The Lord Jesus himself doth so account of them in the care which he taketh of their persons and affairs He hath a tenderness for them and a watchful regard unto them as parts and portions of himself Whoso roucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 In all their afflictions he is afflicted Isa 63.8 9. And whatever kindness is shewed unto them is a refreshment to his spirit Mind how he speaks to Peter Joh. 21.15 16. Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these He saith unto him yea Lord thou knowest that I love shee He saith unto him feed my lambs And v. 16. Feed my sheep And again v. 17. Feed my sheep as if he had said Thou canst no way better express thy love towards me than by being tender of those that are my servants Whatever thou dost for them for the least of them I will put it upon mine account I reckon it as done unto my self 3. The holy Ghost the spirit of grace and consolation doth so demean himself towards Believers in his operations and workings upon their hearts As he cometh to them in Christ's name so he dealeth with them as Christ's members He taketh of his and doth show it or communicate it unto them because they are parts of him Joh. 16.14 15. 4. Their fellow-servants all the sons and daughters of Adam are warned of God thus to judge concerning them and accordingly to suit their carriage and actions towards Believers They are apt to reckon them as the dung of the earth as the off scouring of all things as the most contemptible persons under the Sun but God will have them to know that they are one with Jesus Joh. 17.23 That the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me The world that is the inhabitants of the world or principally in this place the wicked of the earth it is a lesson wherein it concerneth them to be instructed That 's the first general consequent of this Union Being one with the Son of God they are to all intents and purposes so accounted of 2. The second general effect of this Union with Christ is the change of a mans state and condition Hereby their spiritual state is fundamentally changed so that of children of the wrath of God they are made objects of his favour and delight and complacency in whom he takes pleasures Instead of the curse of the Law under which they lay they are put within the verge of the Covenant of peace and reconciliation instead of fire-brands of hell they are made heirs of a crown of righteousness You know there is a threefold change wrought upon a person in order to conduct him to everlasting bliss 1. There is a change of the nature and qualifications of the person the frame and temper of the heart must be altered and turned from sin to holiness from the power of Satan to the living God 2. There is a practical change in the conversation from living after the flesh to a walking in the Spirit and minding the things of the Spirit 3. A change of the state and condition which we are now treating of and this is fundamentally wrought by a mans union with Christ This change of the state is stilled in the Scriptures A translation of a sinner out of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of Christ Col. 1.13 And by the grace of union this translation is originally made and brought about Mark I say originally and fundamentally for although justification and adoption are a change likewise in the state of a sinner yet I ascribe it originally to union with Christ because those mercies are rivolets which flow from this fountain And you will find the holy Ghost attributing it hereunto Eph. 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ The state of nature is a state of alienation and estrangedness from God then sinners are afar off from his favour and the light of his countenance but when they are implanted into Christ this alienation is removed and they are brought nigh unto God This is a point of very great weight and moment and therefore diligently to be heeded and studied So that I will open it somewhat largely for these three reasons 1. Because upon the change of the spiritual state of our persons doth depend the gracious acceptation of all our duties and performances This being the constant method of God's acceptance of them first he hath respect unto the person and then to the spiritual work and obedience which is tendered by that person Deus non habet gratum offereutem propter munera sed munera propter offerentem Gregor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 4.4 The Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering First to himself and then to his sacrifice Ezek. 20.40 41. I will accept you with your sweet savour First you and then your sweet savour thereupon It is not all the care and pains a natural man can take in some of the duties of the worship and service of God though he mean never so well as some persons will boast they mean well and have good intentions and therefore hope the Lord will not reject them that will render his duties pleasing unto God except he first give up himself to be the Lords and be in covenant with him and his spiritual state be changed Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God * Qui in carne sunt i. e. per spiritum renati non sunt Buling Not only they will not but cannot it is a thing utterly impossible that God should take delight in the works of the wicked who are his enemies let them be
are no more forreiners and strangers that 's the state of alienation from the Lord but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of faith this is that of friendship and communion with God That is the first thing to be noted as to this matter 2. These two estates as to matters of salvation and condemnation are comprehensive of all the posterity of mankind without exception of any They do take in the whole compass of the children of men My meaning is this that there is no middle condition there is not a man or woman upon the face of the earth but must of necessity fall under one of these two ranks Either he is a Saint and servant of God or a vassal and slave to the devil either he is an heir of heaven or a firebrand of hell And pray Sirs let us apply it diligently unto our selves and often say in our hearts One of these two is the condition of my soul if I am not a child of God and in covenant with him it will necessarily follow that I am a child of the devil for there is no third estate If I be not sanctified and called to be a Saint it cannot otherwise be but that I am in the gall of bitterness and if I die in this condition I drop immediately into hell As there are but two places into which all nations shall be sent at the end of the world that is heaven and hell the place of eternal life and that of everlasting punishment so there are but two states in which all are comprized during their abode in the world either they are Gods friends or his adversaries still in their sins or delivered from their sins 1 Joh. 5.19 And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness The whole world that is all other persons besides us of what rank and quality soever And that is a pregnant Text Eccl. 9.2 All things come alike unto all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Mark it all people in the world are cast by the holy Ghost into two ranks or companies either they are righteous or wicked clean or unclean good or sinners There is no middle condition or state of neutrality upon a spiritual account And indeed there is strong evidence of it from the reason and nature of the thing because the distinction which is between these two estates is such as we call a difference of contradiction in some respect such as is between the negation and affirmation of the same thing which cannot possibly admit of any third or middle estate whatsoever * If you will rather say they are privative opposita yet the argument holds good for such admit not a middle in subjecto capaci Oppositorum duorum privativè cum unum non inest necesse est alterum inesse susceptibili Aquin. Privatio euim est circa certum genus contradictionis Alex. de Ales Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Mark it here is a difference of contradiction betwixt believing and not believing You cannot possibly pitch upon a man but either he believeth on the Son and so is in the state of grace or he believeth not on the Son and remains in the state of wrath They who are regenerate and converted have the promise of salvation and such as are unregenerate and not converted shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Here is a kind of difference of contradiction between converted and not converted And so I might instance in other qualifications That is the second thing to be noted as to the change of a mans spiritual state 3. Observe in the third place That these two estates upon a spiritual account are utterly incompatible and inconsistent one with the other and cannot upon any hand stand together Plainly thus they cannot both appertain to the same person at the same time It is altogether impossible that a man should be in the favour of God whilst he is in league of amity with his corruptions that he should be in the kingdom of Christ and under the prince of darkness together This is a truth so plain and obvious at the first view that one would think it should be needless to press it But I insist upon it the rather because there are secret workings in the hearts of the children of men to the contrary Their inward thoughts are that they may serve the Lord and be subjects of the devil together that they may be vain and earthly and sensual and follow the course of the world and yet be the people of God notwithstanding That they may drink and revel and be wanton and the like and be in the state of salvation too You shall find these are the secret thoughts and imaginations of mens spirits Mic. 3.10 11. They abhor judgment and pervert equity they build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity The heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for mony Yet they will lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord amongst us They flatter and sooth up themselves that they were servants of Jehovah the God of heaven although they served divers lusts and pleasures and turned aside into crying wickednesses that the Lord was on their side and they belonged to him though they openly espouse the interest of sin But alas Sirs it can never be these imaginations are vain and sottish Mark how peremptorily our Saviour asserteth the contrary backing that assertion with forcible argument Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon q.d. It is a sottish thing to entertain such a fond conceit as if you could join both interests together The Laws of Christ and the commands of sin are diametrally opposite one to the other if the affections run towards the one they must of necessity be withdrawn from the other nay set against the other for they are directly contrary And besides where God accepteth of the heart he will have the whole heart where he is served truly he must be obeyed entirely and universally with the whole soul So that never dream of such a thing as making a commixtion of these two It is as easie to joyn together light and darkness heaven and hell as to make a conjunction between righteousness and unrighteousness between Christ and Belial The words of Joshua are very pertinent to this purpose when the people seemed to promise so affectionately
quodam modo conceditur non electis Ames When he doth take salvation in the offers of it and lay it before the conscience and doth press an acceptance of it upon the heart and doth strive with men and women in order to a closure with it upon Gospel-terms This is sometimes called a knocking at the door of the soul Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me By the door understand the heart of a sinner whereby entrance is made into the whole person and possession took as a man entreth into an house by the door the heart which is naturally shut against Christ nay barred and bolted against him by vain thoughts and vile affections and carnal reasonings by pride and prejudice and love of sin and the world Now to this door Christ cometh by the Spirit who acteth in his name and knocketh at the door that is he doth argue and reason the case with mens souls by his internal motions that they would accept of salvation as it is offered He doth expostulate with them why they will be so foolish as to spend their time and strength in seeking after that which is not bread and cannot satisfie And in order to move them to turn to God he doth set salvation before them and assureth them of the enjoyment of it if they will submit to the government of Jesus Christ If any man open the door I will come in unto him c. This I call an internal-conditional application because it is an inward work of the Spirit treating with the heart of a sinner And pray mind it Sirs as it is a common thing so it is a very dangerous thing to stand out against this application of eternal life When the holy Ghost hath been dealing with a mans heart convincing him of the necessity of closing with Christ and he doth break through such convictions God doth many times withdraw the very strivings of his spirit from such a sinner and never dealeth with him further in order to his conversion Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you It is the speech of Christ the eternal Wisdom of God inviting sinners to repentance q.d. I do not only call upon you by my Word but I will send the holy Ghost to treat with you He shall speak over to your consciences what the Minister preacheth in your ears And what is the issue of rejecting this work of the holy Ghost See v. 24. and onward Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But ye have set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproof I also well laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind That is when judgments which you were afraid of shall actually seize upon you and make you desolate when the wrath of God shall fall down upon you suddenly in a dreadful and terrible manner When distress and anguish cometh upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me How is this to be understood seeing God is alwayes found of such as seek him in sincerity Why the meaning seemeth to be this God will withdraw his spirit and deal with their hearts no further and then they will grow hard and impenitent and though they cry in their afflictions yet it will only be the cry of hypocrities such as the Lord will have no manner of regard unto O my brethren let this dreadful Scripture and these awakening expressions sink deep into your ears that you may not dare to resist the holy Ghost or to send him grieved away from you 3. There is an effectual saving application of the benefits of redemption when they are so applyed to us as to be made ours so that we may say this promise is a part of my heritage and the other mercy is that which I have an interest in And this is effected upon our union with Christ When the holy Ghost doth not only shew us his excellency and propound unto us salvation through his righteousness but doth also mightily prevail upon us to come unto Christ and we get into him then we have a right to all that he hath to bestow upon the sons and daughters of men First we must have the Son and so a right to the inheritance by the Son 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Mark it Then he is made so to us when we are in him It is one thing for Christ to be made wisdom and righteousness c. i.e. to be set apart as the store-house of all these spiritual good things and it is another thing for him to be made so to us By vertue of God's commission and the qualifications poured out upon the Lord Jesus and that active and passive obedience undertaken and performed by him he is made wisdom and righteousness and fanctification and redemption he is delegated to be God's high-steward or Treasurer for the giving out of these mercies he is become the source and fountain of all saving grace But when we are in him he is made wisdom to us and righteousness to us and sanctification to us and redemption to us so that we are actually made partakers of them These four things seem to comprehend the whole of the provisions made to conduct a sinner to glory 1. Wisdom for the revelation of the mind of God to us 2. Righteousness for our acceptation with the Lord. 3. Sanctification for inabling us to walk as a peculiar people and for carrying on the work of holiness to perfection 4. Redemption for our full deliverance from misery and compleating our happiness And all these are made over to us by vertue of our union with him our mystical oneness with Christ So much for opening the several branches of the Description and for the second general Head concerning the nature of this Union wherein it doth consist CHAP. V. The manner how Christ and a Believer are united cleared up in eight gradual Propositions Six of them insisted on 3. COme we now to the third principal Head propounded to be handled touching the manner of this Union how it is brought about The question is Qu. How is this Vnion wrought and accomplished After what manner is this conjunction made up whereby Christ and his people become one Ans I shall return answer to this question by laying down and enlarging upon eight distinct and gradual Propositions To which I must intreat your heedful and diligent attendance 1. Propos 1. The first Proposition is this That all the children of men
in their unregeneracy before they are partakers of the differencing or special grace of God are wholly separated from Christ and meer strangers unto him As they are afar off from God by reason of their apostacy and declension from so they are without Christ by whom alone they can be brought back again unto the Lord. They can plead no share in his death and sufferings or if they do plead it they will be found guilty of usurpation for they are without him in the world This is clearly the doctrine of the Scripture Eph. 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise At that time that is whilst you were dead in sins and trespasses before you were quickned by grace according to the riches of the mercy and love of God v. 4,5 then ye were without Christ not only destitute of the knowledge of Christ as Gentiles though that seems to be the primary intent of the words but without an interest in him because unconverted sinners For what the Apostle speaketh of the Gentiles is true in that sense of all wicked ungodly persons whomsoever There is no difference in that respect between Jews and Heathens carnal Professors and open Infidels S. Paul plainly doth include himself and such as he was before his conversion And therefore in the day of grace when the eternal love of God doth break forth towards his chosen people they are said to be brought to Christ and espoused unto him 2 Cor. 11.2 When they are taught of God they are drawn to the Son of God when they have heard and learnt of the Father then they come unto Jesus Joh. 6.44 45. evidently implying that before they had so learned they were without Christ and at a distance from him That is the first Proposition 2. Propos 2. The sons and daughters of men in their carnal unconverted estate over and above their distance and separation from Christ are actually knit and joyned unto such objects as are wholly inconsistent with their Union with Christ I will instance especially in two things They are 1. In Covenant with sin 2. Contracted to the Law 1. They are in covenant with sin and at league of peace with their corruptions their spirits are glewed and fastened unto base lusts and pollutions Though some remainders of sin abide in the hearts of the godly whilst on this side of heaven yet they are hated and abhorred they are ever pursuing them unto death and executing a kind of holy revenge upon them and never satisfied till they are utterly vanquished and rooted up But now an unregenerate person is under the dominion of sin as an hired servant is under the command of his master Pride bids him go and he goeth flattery biddeth him run and he runneth covetousness injoyneth him to do this and he doth it carnal fear requireth him to wound his conscience in this particular and he woundeth it uncleanness commandeth him to venture upon that provocation of the wrath of God and he ventureth as having given up himself to the obedience of sin As the Lord saith of the Israelites of old it is true in its kind and measure of all impenitent sinners They are joyned to their idols Hos 4.17 Sin hath a being and residence in the hearts of the dearest of God's servants but the spirits of the wicked are fast linked together with it Such a one as Paul may be sold under sin but Ahab sells himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord Rom. 7.14 1 King 21.20 Unconverted sinners yield up themselves to be the servants of unrighteousness You shall find that sin is as dear to a natural man as the most useful members of the body Hence it is that Christ compareth a mans beloved lusts to the right hand and the right eye Mat. 5.29 30. And hereupon it is that their hearts are so ready to rise up with indignation and hatred against the means which are made use of to rid them of their sins and that sometimes they will not stick to be at a great deal of cost and pains to retain their abomiminations See what an offer they make Mic. 6.7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl Shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul q.d. Let us keep our lusts and we will stick at nothing we will part with our Estates and sacrifice our children rather than abandon our bosom corruptions Nay how do many venture their lives not to speak of their souls which all of them willingly run the hazard of losing for satisfaction of their lusts Now Sirs this can never consist with our being joyned to Christ * In omnibus nobis regnavit peccatum Unusquisque tamen habuit in se aliquem specialem regem qui in eo regnabat dominabatur ei Verbi causa in alio regnum tenebat avaritia in alio superbia in alio mendacium regnabat in alio libido dâ—minabatur alius regem patiebatur furorem Postea vere quam venit Jesus occidit omnes reges qui in nobis tenebant regna peccati praecepit nobis interficere omnes istos reges nullum ex iis relinquere Si quis enim aliquem horum in semet-ipso servaverit vivum in exercitu Jesu esse non poterit Si ergo regnat in te avaritia si jactantia si superbia si libido non eris Israeliticus miles c. Orig. hom 15. in Jos He will have no manner of fellowship with the workers of iniquity The design of his coming was to destroy the works of the devil and therefore he will not dwell with such as give up themselves to serve the devil that make it their trade to promote his interest these are the persons whom his soul abhorreth What communion hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity Psal 45.7 Into a polluted soul Christ the wisdom of God will not enter nor will he take up his habitation with those that are in confederacy with sin That 's the first object to which sinners are joyned in opposition unto Christ 2. They are contracted unto the Law as it is a covenant of life and are ready to seek for justification and acceptance upon legal terms which is a strong bar in the way of union with Christ For where the Lord Jesus is a Saviour indeed he will be acknowledged as a perfect Saviour he will have the whole glory of our redemption redound unto himself See what the Apostle speaketh to this purpose Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law that is if you seek to be justified by it none are or can be justified by it in reality but if you rely thereupon and expect and look for acceptation with God upon those terms
righteousness wherein we may appear before the God of heaven I know many understand it of the Law of sin to which the death of Christ doth deaden us but the Apostle speaketh evidently in the former verses of the cap. of the Law of God See v. 1. I speak to them that know the Law that the Law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth And so in the subsequent verses v. 5. The motions of sin that were by the Law that corruption which took occasion from the commandment to carry us into sin with the greater violence Parallel to v. 8. And v. 6. Is the Law sin God forbid that is Can we justly charge the Law of God with our transgressions far be it from you to imagin such a thing only our hearts pervert it and suck poyson from that which in it self is excellent And why may we not understand it in the same acception in v. 4 I will open this Proposition by shewing you the influence of each of these means or instruments apart to take off a mans heart from seeking justification by the Law 1. The first special means is the Law it self That if we hearken diligently to the voice of it will loudly proclaim its own insufficiency to save us If the question be put where is righteousness to be had As the light of nature will say it is not in me so the Law will answer it is not in me And therefore saith the Apostle Gal. 4.21 Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law do not you hear the Law If you did but hearken to it it would speak enough in this case of it self there would need no further testimony to be produced * Lex verè percepta nos sibi mori cogit Id. Do but carefully and strictly examine it and you will quickly find even from it self that there is no standing before the Lord in the righteousness which is of the Law For mark it Sirs the reason why sinners seek justification by the Law is their ignorance of and unversedness in the Law A little serious study of it would soon dispel those mists of ignorance There is a threefold ignorance of the Law which is the occasion of mens resting upon it for acceptance and seeking justification thereby 1. Ignorance of the terms of the Law upon which life is promised therein and eternal happiness made over thereby unacquaintedness with the conditions that are required to put us under the verge and compass of justification by it Men think to come up to the terms of the Law because they do not mind and consider wherein those terms do consist upon which it promiseth justification nor of what extent and latitude they are A little search into the Law would rectifie this error If a man will answer the demands of the Law he must be able to produce a personal perfect and everlasting obedience Mark it I say 1. It must be personal obedience that is produced the Law doth not admit of a surety to supply our defects and to do that fo◠us which we cannot do of our selves 2. There must be perfect exact and spotless obedience not only sincere and upright but in every particular the command must be filled up If there be a failure in the least action or in the minutest circumstance of an action the Law still not acquit us 3. It must be perpetual and everlasting obedience to the very end and period of our course This is an argument of its inability to justifie drawn from the Law it self Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse How prove you that why it will undeniably appear if you mark the terms of the Law For it is written Cursed is every is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of Law to do them * Vis argumenti Maledictus est qui non servat totam legem at nemo id facit nec potest Ergo Marian in loc 2. The hankering of a mans heart after justification by the Law doth proceed from ignorance of the spiritualness of it If it were studied in this property it would sufficiently manifest its own inability to save us for the Law requireth holiness in our persons as well as rectitude in our lives it is the rule of mans nature what he should be as well as the rule of his practise what he should do The Law condemneth us for the native pravity and pollution of our hearts and spirits within us and not only for the actual miscarriages in our demeanour so that which of the posterity of fallen man can stand before it The Law injoyneth an absolute rectitude and purity in the thoughts and affections and first motions of the soul as well as integrity in the outward carriage so that it is not a civil conversation which will bring you off from the curse denounced by it If you could suppose a man that had walked all his life-time blameless that no man could charge him with guilt upon any account that no one could say black was his eye as the self-justiciaries boast is yet the Law will pronounce him accursed and send him to hell for the least vain imagination for the least rising of a proud thought or an envious thought or an unbelieving thought or the like for the smallest inordanateness in the affections nay for the corruption brought with us into the world as well as for the grosser pollutions perpetrated and committed in the world And the reason is because the Law is spiritual it is exceeding broad as the Psalmist expresseth it Psal 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfections but thy commandment is exceeding broad It is as extensive as the workings of the whole soul of a man in any part or faculty of the same it is as broad as the person it reacheth to the nature it is a discerner of and giveth prescriptions unto the very thoughts and intents of the heart Thus our Saviour doth vindicate it from the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees whereby they did narrow the commandment and enervate the force of it Mat. 5.21 22. Ye have heard it was said by them of old time thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be indanger of the judgment But I say unto you that whosoever is engry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the council but whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire It is as much as if our Saviour had said Your teachers of old in their interpretations of the Law confined the prohibition to the external act but I tell you the Law is spiritual the least groundless anger is murder in Gods account and deserveth the wrath of God as well as actual killing if there be hatred of his brother in a mans heart he is a
expressions it appeareth that these are two 〈◊〉 things Our being in Christ and Christ's being in us Burgess on Job 17. Serm. 126. the Lord Jesus cometh and taketh up his residence in them and they are inabled to go forth unto Christ and receive him as he is offered in the Gospel whereby they are in him and thus this Union is established These are matters distinct and accordingly the holy Ghost speaketh distinctly of them Joh. 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you See also Joh. 6.56 He that eateh my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him So that there are two great bonds or ligaments of this conjunction and of the union which followeth thereupon 1. The bond on Christ's part is the Spirit whereby the people of God are apprehended of him and he taketh up his abode in them For he dwelleth in them by his Spirit Rom. 8.9 10. But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin c. Observe that what is called the Spirit dwelling in us in one verse is stiled Christ in us in the other because Christ seizeth on us by his Spirit and abideth in us through the Spirit 2. The bond of this Union on the Believers part is Faith whereby they do apprehend the Lord Jesus Christ and take him home as it were unto themselves Being apprehended by him they take hold of him and so they are knit together Eph. 3.16 17. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith First Christ cometh by the holy Ghost and entereth into them and then they are inabled by faith to receive him unto themselves and to apply themselves unto him and so they are conjoyned and made one together From this mutual conjunction doth arise or spring a twofold Union or Oneness between Christ and Believers There is a 1. Natural 2. Legal Union the bond whereof is The Spirit dwelling in them Faith of the operation of the Spirit I will treat of each of them severally with as much clearness and succinctness as I can CHAP. VI. A natural and a legal Union with Christ Wherein they severally consist A moral Union proceeding from the former The last Proposition explained 1. THere is a natural Union or Oneness betwixt Believers and the Lord Jesus arising from the possession which he taketh of them and his residence in them whereupon they are partakers of the same heavenly and spiritual nature with him having Christ formed in them and dwelling with them Therefore I call it for distinctions sake a natural Union because herein they agree in the same divine and spiritual nature else for the manner of its effecting it is supernatural This you have mentioned abundantly in the Scriptures 2 Cor. 13.5 Christ is in you except ye be râ—â—probates that is If you are Christians in good earnest such as are sound in the faith unless you are persons unapproved * Si quid habent Christi sincerae pietatis Calv. Nisi forte reprobi estis i. e. improbi Marian. such as upon trial are found to deal falsely and unfaithfully in the Covenant of God except you are rotten at the heart gilded metal that will not abide the test and touchstone you must have Christ within you It is not enough that Christ be preached unto you but he must be revealed in you As the Apostle speaketh of his conversion and mission to preach the Gospel Gal. 1.16 When it pleased God who spearated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me Not only called me to be an Apostle and made known Christ unto me but also called me to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ revealing him in me The bond of this Union is the Spirit of Christ which is shed abroad in to the hearts of God's peculiar people and whereby the Lord Jesus taketh up his habitation in them For it is the Spirit that treateth with them in Christ's name and takes possession of them to his use and service For hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which be hath given us 1 Joh. 3.24 This is the first sort of Union betwixt Christ and Believers which we call a natural union and it is wrought by the Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in them Concerning which I will enlarge a little for the better clearing it to your understandings under five Heads 1. This dwelling of Christ in the souls of his people by his Spirit whereupon doth arise a natural union with him is the same thing for substance with the positive part of the grace of regeneration whereby the principles of holiness and new obedience are introduced into them and the image of God is restored upon their natures For it is hereby that the holy Ghost maketh his entrance into them and fixeth his settlement with him You know that regeneration or sanctification take it for the first saving change or distinguishing work upon the soul consisteth of two parts 1. There is a privative part or the mortification and subduing the principles and habits of sin 2. There is a positive part or the introduction of new principles of grace and holiness There is 1. A blotting out the image of the devil 2. Stamping upon a mans heart the divine nature again You read of them distinctly A taking away the heart of a stone and giving an heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 There is a removing of the old man and a bringing in of the new man which is created after God Now Christ's being in his people by his Spirit is the same thing for substance with this positive part of regeneration By the mortification of sin Satan is outed of his possession of the soul and by the implantation of spiritual grace Christ enters and taketh possession of the soul by the renewing of the holy Ghost Thus you have it explained for one expression there seemeth to be exegetical of the other Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you Mark it by the renovation of the heart God's Spirit is said to be within us And by the washing of regeneration the holy Ghost is said to be shed upon us abundantly Tit. 3.5 6. In the new birth Christ is formed in the soul by the working of the Spirit 2. Where Christ doth come by the operations of his Spirit to dwell in the hearts of his people he doth
sloth and carelessne's of men For though we are not active in the planting grace into our souls yet there is something expected at our hands in order to the a tainment thereof Although we cannot convert our selves yet we are to wait upon God that we may be converted by him and are to attend upon the means which he hath appointed and wherein he is wont to meet the souls that seek him Although we cannot cleanse and sanctifie our own spirits yet we are diligently to search the Scriptures and to press arguments upon our selves from the Scriptures and to give constant attendance upon God in his Ordinances which are the special instruments he is wont to make use of whereby to convey the spirit of sanctification * Sâ—bordinata non sunt opponenda sed componenda Auditio hominis irregeniti etsi conversionem non inchoat Est camen ordmarium requisitum quod conversionem ordinariam aâ—tecedit tanquam quaedam ad eam nondum existentem praeparatio Wendel Syst majus And this is none other then what God looketh for at our hands Ezek. 36. v. 26. compared with v. 37. A new heart also I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh But then v. 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel that I may do it for them Though we cannot mortifie and subdue our own corruptions yet we should reason the case with our selves and be much in expostulation with our own hearts why we should be so vile and foolish as to serve base lusts and corruptions and to turn our backs upon the Lord and though we cannot put the principles of holiness into our own souls yet we must follow after God by prayer and supplication that he may graciously send forth the holy Ghost to plant them in us And this seemeth to be one of the great ends of God in laying his commandments upon us though we have no strength or ability to the performance of them that we might turn the commandment into prayer and be earnest with him to work in us what he requireth to be within us Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Psal 51.6 7 10. Behold thou defirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden parts thou shalt make me to know wisdom Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me It is just for all the world in the case of a private man or woman as it is in the work of a Minister It is not within the power of the most excellent Preacher in the earth to convert one soul but it should be his care to preach such heart-searching truths and to press upon sinners such awakening considerations in season and out of season as may have a tendency towards conversion to instruct in meekness them that oppose themselves not as it he could give them repentance but if peradventure in the use of the means God may give them repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 26. So it is with sinners themselves they cannot bring spiritual life into their own souls yet they may wait upon God in the duties which he hath required and be earnest with the Lord to speak the word that their souls may live in his sight As we are to serve God with grace or in the exercise of grace when it is bestowed so we are to seek unto him for grace that it may be conferred And pray mind it Christians this will be enough to stop the mouths of impenitent sinners and render their plea of inability to convert themselves invalid Why thou sinful wretch who thus cavillest against the Lord hast thou duly and diligently set upon the discharge of that work which God calleth for in order to conversion That is a notable acknowledgment Dan. 9.13 We made not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquity and understand thy truth If Daniel had onely confessed that they had not turned from iniquity might some captious sinner have been apt to say alas we had no power we were not able to turn of our selves yea but saith that holy man we have neglected the means which God hath appointed to turn us so put it home to thy conscience hast thou not resisted the Spirit whereby God hath many times striven with thee Hast thou not neglected to study the word or restrained prayer before the Lord wherein peradventure he might have been found by thee Thus I might instance in other particulars but I proceed 5. These principles of grace infused into the soul in the work of Regeneration or this image of God restored upon the soul by the Spirit in the day of conversion may be called Christ in us and the Lord Jesus may be said thereby to dwell with us and that upon a fourfold account especially Because 1. This grace is derived upon the soul out of the fulness of Christ 2. Hereby we are made conformable unto Christ 3. The Holy Ghost implanting it doth act in Christs name 4. Hereby we become his servants and possession is taken of us to his use 1. It may be called Christ in us because the habits of grace infused into the soul are derived upon us out of Christs fulness The whole stock of grace was put into the hands of the Mediator and from thence it is communicated unto Gods chosen people When the Lord Jesus was anointed with the Spirit without measure it was put into his hands as into a common Store-house or Magazine that from thence the Elect of God might be furnished It was put into him as into a fountain that out of that fountain our vessels might be filled It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. â— 19 And out of his fulness we all receive and that grace for grace John 1.16 And therefore it is called The Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 It is in him originally in us derivatively being imparted to us from him 2. Hereby Christ may be said to dwell in us because grace doth render a man conformable to Christ In the work of Regeneration our natures are fashioned according to his nature As there is an answerableness between a Copy and the Orignal from whence it is transcribed there is line for line and sentence for sentence word for word and letter for letter so take the humane nature of Jesus Christ as he was anointed by the Holy Ghost and the nature of a Person sanctified and there is a suitableness between them there is love for love and joy for joy and hatred for hatred they have the minde of Christ and the meekness of Christ and the long-suffering and compassion and gentleness of Christ and the like Therefore they are said to purifie themselves
humanam divinam prout nititur testimonio vel humano vel divino Ames de fid divin verit If it be built upon Education or Custom the Opinions of Learned men or the Traditions of our Fathers and of the Church and the like humane evidence then it cannot amount no higher than to an humane faith And it is to befeared that the faith of the generality of people called Christians is of this sort onely They believe the Christian Religion to be the true Religion and the Bible to contain the word of God Why Because all their forefathers were of that Religion and they were bred and brought up in that way such Ministers have told them so and they see many wise men are of that minde They have the same grounds for their belief as Mahometans and other Idolaters have for theirs And as one well observeth these are Christians rather by chance than by choice If their lot had fallen amongst Heathens and worshippers of stocks and stones for the same reasons they would have been of their Religion they would have opposed the Gospel upon the very same grounds that now they embrace it Divine truths may be believed by a meer humane faith if the testimony be humane upon which they are believed * It being an impossibility that the assent to the matters of faith should rise higher or stand firmer than the assent to the testimony upon which those things are believed My assent to the object believed is according to my assent to the medium on which I believe it Stillingf Rational account p. 112. A divine faith must be built upon a divinetestimony when a man doth believe the word of God from those divine Marks and Characters which are stamped upon it from that mighty and supernatural efficacy which it hath whereby God doth bear witness unto his word Thus the Apostle observeth touching the Thessalonians that they received divine truths upon divine testimony they received it as the â—ord of God for it came to them not in word onely but in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance 1 Thes 1.5 i. e. It had such a powerful influence upon their hearts and consciences that thereby they were assured it was of God 2. There is a Temporary faith which goeth a step further than the former When the judgement is not onely convinced of the divine original and authority of the Scriptures but those convictions work in some measure upon the affections that they are taken with the goodness and excellency of them When the heart is carryed out in a kinde of love and liking to the Person revealing and the Doctrines revealed and there are some degrees of inclination towards a closure with those Doctrines onely they are raised in them but for a fit whist they are in a good mood as we say and it endureth but for a time it cannot abide the trial when any great difficulties attend their obedience unto the word then they cast it off And for this reason it is called a temporary faith Such a faith you meet with in some of the followers of Christ whom yet he durst not trust for he knew they were but hypocrites though now they followed him yet shortly they would set against him when the Scene was altered they would betray him and of false friends become his professed enemies John 2.23 24. Many believed in his name when they saw the Miracles which he did Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men Such was the faith of those others mentioned as his Disciples John 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him And therefore it is observable what our Saviour spake to the Jews that believed on him John 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye â—â—y Disciples indeed Then are ye my Disciples that is then it will be evident that you are then you will give undeniable proof * â—es tum demum dicuntâ—â— fieri cum inci piunt patefieri that your faith is of the right kind else you may gracious habits the Lord Jesus taketh hold on their souls and by putting forth this habit into act and exercise they receive and take hold of the Lord Jesus Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him i. e. as you have believed on him and imbraced or received him by believing That is the first thing I would commend unto you viz. this Scripture distinction of the sorts of faith 2. This justifying faith hath the Lord Jesut Christ himself for the special immediate object with whom it closeth and upon whom it is exercised It is Christ himself who is primarily tendered in the offers of the Gospel and therefore true faith of this fort goeth forth unto him The special consideration under which a Believer goeth forth to Christ in the actings of faith for justification it is as dying and satisfying the justice of God and therefore usually called faith in his blood and the great incouragement whereupon a Believer is emboldened to act his faith is the tender of the Gospel and the promises thereof but it is Christ himself which is the special immediate object upon which faith as justifying is acted and with whom it closeth The sinner being incouraged by the promise doth embrace Christ in the promise Hence it is commonly stiled faith in Christ and a believing on the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you c. testifying both to the Jews and also the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark it as repentance hath God for its ultimate object it is a turning from sin and returning unto God even unto him so faith hath Christ for its special object The great fundamental act of faith whereupon finners are justified is conversant about Christ Act. 26.18 That they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith that is in me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith that is acted upon me upon Jesus for they are his words It is by faith exerted and acted upon him that forgiveness of sins is conveyed Unto that it seemeth to relate and the other words to come in as a parenthesis as if it had been that they may receive forgiveness of sins by faith that is in me and also an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified It hath sometimes appeared as strange to me to meet with descriptions of the nature of justifying faith without so much as the mention of Jesus Christ the object upon whom it is acted See the process of the workings of the heart of S. Paul in believing and how he taught in the Churches of Christ First he was deadned as to expectation of life from the Law the first Covenant and then he addresseth himself for justification unto Christ by believing on him who is the only Mediator of
faith or faith as it is a spiritual act and work not the works of faith that justifie a sinner in the sight of God yet that faith which giveth him a title to the righteousness of the Mediator by whom alone he can be justified must be an operative and working faith such as purgeth the conscience from dead works and bringeth the soul into subjection unto Christ's Laws and Government To this purpose the words of the Apostle James are observable Cap. 2.14 What doth it profit my brethren if a man say he hath faith and have not works can faith save him It is not said though he have faith and have not works for where there is faith in the heart there will be new obedience in the life but if he say that he hath it if he be a pretender to it can such a dead lifeless pretended faith save him Christ is held forth in the Gospel not only as a Redeemer but as a Lord and a Law-giver and these are inseparably connected and knit together He that presumeth to divide between what God hath joyned together that will accept of Jesus as a Saviour but not as a Soveraign doth not indeed receive the Christ of God but an idol stamed by his own heart Whom he doth save he will rule and govern Heb. 5.9 He became the Anthor of eternal salvation unto all them that obeyed him I shall not need to trouble you with controversal points as whether faith quà justifying under that very notion or consideration doth receive Christ as a Lord This is acknowledged on both hands that the faith which justifieth doth receive Christ in al his offices as a Prophet to instruct and guide us in the ways of God as a King to exercise rule and dominion over us and as a Priest to reconciâ—e and make intercession for us If we come to Christ for salvation we must take his yoke upon us Mat. 11.28 29. For a dividing faith is a false hypocritical faith to whom Christ giveth remission of sins he giveth repentance also He saveth us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost So that if we receive him as a Saviour we must have him as a Sanctifier for he saveth by sanctifying and conducteth sinners to eternal peace by guiding their feet in the ways of peace Thus I have ended together the mystical union betwixt believers and the Lord Jesus which I mainly drove at and intend when I shall speak of it afterwards as the foundation of our communion with Christ and receivings from him as also the sixth Proposition laid down to open the manner of the Conjunction between Christ and his people and their oneness thereupon There are two Propositions more yet behinde which I come now to insist upon that I may finish my answer to the third General Head 7. Propos 7. From this mystical union of a Believer with Christ or being ingraffed into Christ there doth flow another sort of union between them whereof love is the bond which may be well improved as an evidence of the former and it is usually called a moral union Such an oneness as there is between the dearest friends whose hearts are linked together in the bond of amity and mutual affection We say sometimes of intimate friends they are so nearly conjoyned as if they were but one as if the same soul did animate both in their bodies * Amor non est desiderium aut appetitus ut ab omnibus bactenus traditum Nam cum potimur amatâ re non manet appetitus Est igitur affectus quo cum re amatá aut animur aut unionem perpetuamus Scalig. Exerc. 301. Anima est ubi amat potiùs quam ubi animat Deut. 13.6 Thy friend which is as thine own soul So are the Lord Jesus and his peculiar people knit together He hath a very dear and inflamed affection to them He loves them that love him Prov. 8.17 His delights are with the sons of men Prov. 8.31 And on the other hand he is in their hearts so as to live and die together It is the greatest pleasure believers have in the world to be contemplating the excellencies of Christ and conversing with him it is that which doth yield them the most solid content and satisfaction and they are still hungry and thirsting after the further enjoyment of him as if they could never have enough of fellowship and society with him John 21.17 Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee He could hardly bear it to have his love to Christ called in question This union is notably set forth in the Song of Solomon You have many passages for it I will transcribe a few of them See the workings of their hearts towards Christ Cap. 2.3 4 5.6 7. As the apple-tree amongst the trees of the Wood so is my belâ—ved amongst the sons I sate under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste He brought me to the banquetting house and his banner over me was love Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me I charge you O ye Daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my love till he please as if the Church had said O take heed of displeasing the Lord Jesus there is nothing will cut me so deeply to the heart as if you despise him and sin against him He is the life of my life and the strength of my soul it is acquaintance with him that putteth sweetness into all my accommodations they would be comfortless comforts were it not for Christ I am never better then when I am in communion with him Again cap. 3.1 2 3 4. By night on my bed I sought him when my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not I will rise now and go about the City in the streets and in the broad wayes I will seek him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not The watchmen that go about the City found me to whom I said saw ye him whom my soul loveth It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived me as if the soul of a believer should say how much doth my Spirit long after Christ My thoughts are not onely upon him by day but my meditation is concerning him in the night season And if he doth hide his face I have no rest in my Spirit I make use of all means to recover the light of his countenance I pray and seek and cry and watch I converse with this Christian
love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment that is as I take the meaning of the Apostle to be in the day of mans judgment when we are called before mens tribunal seats for the profession of Christ and required to give an account of our faith in Christ then we that are true believers will do it boldly we are not ashamed to own him for our Lord and Master Why Because we love him and this is the top of our love to make us stick fast unto him in times of tryal Or this is the perfection of our love the putting it to its proper use it was one of the ends for which this grace was planted within us that it might cause us to abide with Christ and not to shrink away from him when we are brought before mens judgment seats * The latter clause of the 17. v. Because as he is so are we in this world is rendred in the Syriack in the time past Because as he was so are we in this world As if the meaning were this Why should not we be bold to stand to the cause of Christ If we suffer for him it is but what he did for our sakes We are thereby rendred conformable unto him He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and shall we not willingly partake of his sufferings Vide Marian. in loc I am the rather confirmed in this interpretation from the following words v. 18. There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear as if he had said if persons love Christ sincerely which is Evangelical perfection if they love him really and in good earnest they will not be terrified with the threatnings of men but they will acknowledge him for their Master in the midst of an adulterous and sinful generation and though they should be dealt with for it even as they dealt with Christ Why Because they dearly love him and that love keepeth under their carnal fear and causeth them to go on with courage amidst all oppositions * The Gnosticks whom as some think the Apostle here confutes held that Christians in danger might to save their lives deny Christ outwardly Provided that they owned him in their-hearts To confute which devillish opinion St. John asserts the necessity of confessing Jesus v. 15. answerable to Matth. 10.32 33. And here he sheweth that denying Christ for fear of death was utterly inconsistent with love to him For many waters cannot quench love neither can the flonds drown it Cant. 8.7 And therefore when Peter had denyed his Master once and again for fear of danger what is the question that our Saviour puts to him after his Resurrection See Joh. 21.15 16 17. Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me He said to him the third time Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me as if Christ had said haste thou not cause to question the integrity of thy love towards me Should not thy love have kept thee from disowning thy Lord even in the High-Priests-Hall though in times of danger Is there not reason for thee to search into the reality of thy love where was it at that time when thy carnal fear did so prevail 3. That love of Christ which will be evidential of our ingrafture into him must be a superlative love When we give the Lord Jesus the top of our affections and the uppermost seat in our hearts and place nothing above him or in competition with him When persons plead that they love Christ and it is pity he should live will some carnal people say that doth not love the Lord Jesus but they love the world better they love the Son of God but they have more love for their lusts and the pleasures of sin this is indeed to reject and despise him For Mat. 10.37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or danghter more than me is not worthy of me Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and haâ—e not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple If he doth not hate them that is if he have not a lesser affection for them than for me which in comparison with a greater love is a kind of hatted if he be not ready to cast them away even with detestation and to trample them under his feet when they come in competition with Christ as we are wont to do that which we hate and abhor he cannot be my disciple saith our Saviour For a Believers love to Christ must be a superlative love so as to account all things but loss and dung for Christ's sake and to part with all things to win Christ And to this purpose you must be much in studying the worth of Christ and be careful to get an insight into his excellency For as in secular negotiations men will never part with a great price for a commodity except they know the worth of that commodity so in spiritual affairs you will never be willing to sustain any great loss for Christ unless you know the excellency of him As your apprehensions of Christ's worth are such will be your readiness to venture and lose for Christ's sake Unless the Merchant had been acquainted with the preciousness of the pearl he would never have sold all that he had to buy it Mat. 13.45 46. 4. It must be a love of complacency and satisfaction when there is an holy acquiescence of the soul in Christ and a sweet contentment that ariseth from the enjoyment of Christ When it is the joy and rejoycing of a mans heart to be conversing with him * Amor est delectatio cordis alicujus ad aliquid propter desiderium in appetendo gaudium perfruendo Per desiderium cürrens requiescens per gaudium Else when persons say they love Christ but perhaps think not a serious thought of him from one end of the day to the other seldom or never have him in their meditations care little for any spiritual intercourse with him that is but a pretended love If a man love the Lord Jesus indeed he will long after converse with him it will be as marrow and fatness to his soul to be in his society Psal 63.1 2 3 8. O God thou art my God early wil I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is c. And v. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee It is love to Christ which maketh Believers so prize the Ordinances wherein they are wont to meet with him that is the reason why they take it so heavily to be deprived of those priviledges and that they can hardly bear the withdrawment of his presence but their spirits are ready to sink within them See what effect it had upon the Spouse Cant. 5.6
contemplatiâ—n of this mercy and seriously pondering it in the heart by Believers that God hath so knit them unto his Son that they shall be still growing up into him and never be separated from him will be of notable efficacy to draw forth their love back again to the Lord and to kindle is their breasts a fervent affection towards him Which love so kindled is a mighty quickner to obedience Love is a commanding passion that will set all the powers of a mans soul on work to please the party that is beloved It will level mountains and make rough wayes smooth and no difficulties will deter it What will not a man do for one whom he dearly loveth You know what is said of Jacob Gen. 29 20. Although he served seven years hard service for Rachel the drought consumed him by day and the frost by night and his sleep departed from his eyes yet it was as nothing to him because he loved her Why Sirs a pure entire and affectionate love to God would cause men willingly to spend themselves in his service it would make them very cautious and fearful lest they should dishonour him or sin against him Now this great priviledge of an indissoluble union with Christ will mightily inflame the heart with affection and stir up a person to thankfulness Will the soul of a Believer be thus arguing with himself hath the Lord Christ been pleased not only to give me a transitory glimps of his favour which yet was more than ever I deserved but taken me into everlasting fellowship with him O what shall I render to the Lord How shall I sufficiently express my readiness to serve him Wherein may I be instrumental to shew forth his praise Surely I will cleave to this God as long as I live and call upon him whilst I have a being I will never more rebel against him Psal 31.23 O love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful If it be meant of temporal preservation of how much greater force will the argument be upon the account of spiritual grace and establishment How should a Believer say with David Psal 116.1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications Because he hath inclined his ear to me I will call upon him as long as I live Surely it is ignorance and unacquaintedness with the workings of the Spirit in a sanctified heart that makes men think doctrines of free grace are incouragements to sin 3. The consideration of the inseparableness of a Believers union with Christ should cause a Christian to entertain a holy jealousie and suspition over his own soul lest at any time he should draw back from the faith That by his fixedness in the wayes of God it may more abundantly appear that his profession of godliness was a sincere profession For if persons are unstedfast in the Covenant of God it will be a shrewd evidence that their hearts were not right with him If they do not hold on their way in the practise of godliness it will be manifest that they went no further than the form of godliness carried them So that the doctrine of perseverance is an awakening doctrine It should awaken us to be watchful over our selves and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling For then we are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end Heb. 3.14 That is then it will evidently appear that we are partakers of him and have a share in his death If we sall away from Christ it will be an undeniable token that we were never spiritually ingraffed into him 4. A due meditating upon the inseparableness of a Believers union with the Lord Jesus will incourage the soul of that believer in resisting and repelling the instigations of the devil and standing fast against all sollicitations to sin Through grace thinks a godly man I shall get the victory and therefore I will stir up my strength to the fight I see it is not in vain to strive against the wicked one If God should leave his children in their own hands to stand or fall according to the exercise of their own power then indeed their hearts might sink and their courage might flag But seeing God hath ingaged for my perseverance in the faith I will wrestle with all my might and use the utmost diligence for it will not be in vain so to do Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Hath God promised to preserve you then be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might follow hard after him and urge him with his promise and in his way you may expect the accomplishment of it This is the first rule for vindication of that property Rule 2. The many counsels and warnings which Christ hath given to his people to look well to themselves lest they should lose their hold of him and be separated from him are no proof at all that they may be separated or that their union with him may be dissolved God's injunctions upon them to keep themselves and his ingagement to be their keeper do not interfere one with the other but may well consist and stand together And the reason is evident Because these cautions anâ— commandments are the very means which God is pleased to make use of for their establishment in the faith whereby he doth fulfil his promise for their safeguard and together with which he doth convey his Spirit into their hearts for prevention of their apostacy This is according to that Statute Law of the Lord of hosts That his Spirit shall go forth in his word and with his word Isa 59.21 Will some say To what end doth God so often warn Believers that they draw not back to destruction if they are not liable thereunto True it doth suppose that they are liable to apostacy in themselves * Verè dicitur fidelem posse à fide suâ deficere quum scilicet in se principiis suis intrinsecis consideratur solis sic enim defectui subjicitur mutabilis existit Deas tamen immutabili faedere spospondit se conservaturum in sais faederatis principium illud vitale Hanc autem promissionem non solet exequi nisi verbi ministerio similibus auxilils adhibitis Ames Coron and without divine assistance would totally backslide and perish from the right way But God hath graciously undertaken for their preservation and abidance in Christ and these cautions are the means for the acomplishment of that undertaking and wherewith he sends forth the holy Ghost to strengthen them that they may abide in his Son Joh. 17.17 Thus I have finished my answer to the fourth head of enquiry touching the most signal properties of a Believers union with Jesus Christ CHAP. VIII The indispensable necessity of Union with Christ Proved by enumeration of the
to him No union with the Son no communication of spiritual strength and influence from the Son Isa 45.24 Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength In the Lord that is in Jesus the Mediator who is Jehovah God blessed for ever In him or through him by vertue of my being in him I have not only righteousness but strength also that is actual grace to help in the times of need It plainly relateth unto Christ unto whom every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear v. 23. Vpon which Text the Apostle himself is a Commentatâ—r Rom. 14.10 11. I will endeavour to make this very plain to your understandings being a matter of much weight and moment as to the life of Religion by handling it in a way of gradation in three steps 1. In the first place you must remember That a Christian is not able to keep on in his journey towards heaven so as to arrive with safety at that everlasting Kingdom only by the strength of habitual grace bestowed upon him in his first conversion but there must be a daily communication of further grace unto the soul or of fresh actual strength conveyed into the soul It is not enough that the principles of holiness be at first formed in the heart but there must be a constant supply of fresh influence imparted to us or else we should quickly fall short in our travel towards Canaan As the air is not maintained in light barely by the first rising of the Sun upon it expelling darkness out of the air spreading abroad his beams into it but there must be a constant issuing forth of fresh beams from the Sun and streamings forth of new influence into the air else it would quickly return to its former darkness Let but the Sun go down or some opacous body interpose to hinder the fresh beamings of it forth and the air would presently become black again notwithstanding the first light that was put into it Thus it is in our spiritual concernments We cannot be maintained in a state of favour with God and carried on to glory meerly by the strength of habitual grace pâ—anted at first within us in our regeneration but there must be further grace imparted to us The beams of the Sun of righteousness must be still issuing forth upon us fresh and fresh or else we should quickly faulter in the working out our salvation This fresh influence of the Holy Ghost is usually called in the Schools Actual grace And in the Scripture you have it under the name of The supplies of the spirit * Spiritus subministratio est praesidium consolatio omne spiritus sancti bonum quo servamur contra omnia scandala Eras Sacr. ex Marl. Phil. 1.19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Mark it Sirs As there is a standing stock of habitual holiness put into the soul in the day of conversion so there is a constant supply given forth upon all occasions for maintaining and promoting of that stock As there is the regenerating work of the Spirit so there are additional incomes or supplies of the same Spirit Which are elsewhere called The strengthenings of the Spirit Eph. 3.16 That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man There is the inner man the new creature principally seated within the hidden man of the heart and there is auxiliary strength shed abroad every day afresh into the inner man This is a matter heedfully to be regarded and that calleth for our most serious thoughts in the study of it and that for three reasons 1. Because herein doth lie a special difference between the state of man in his primitive perfection under the Covenant of works and the state of believers under the Covenant of peace and reconciliation and indeed the excellency and stedfastness of the latter above the former In the state of innocency man had a sufficient stock of holiness and spiritual power to manage but now in Christ there is provision made for constant supplies to carry us on in the management thereof Under the Covenant of works man had power to stand if he would but in the Covenant of grace there is fresh strength also provided to work in us both to will and to do Phil. 2.12 13. There is not only a new heart and a new spirit given to the servants of Christ whereby they are qualified and disposed to the keeping of God's statutes But a further actual ability is imparted unto them whereby they are caused to walk in the way of those Statutes Ezek. 36.26 27. 2. From hence it many times cometh to pass that weak Christians stand fast in those trials wherein the stronger fall and overcome the temptation whereby they are foiled Here you have a great reason of the difference that is between one Believer and another in the same case and under the like trial A Peter may fall foully who is a pillar in the Church a cedar in the Forest and another â—â—ay stand fast in the same hour of temptation who is in comparison but a shrub and of low statute in the faith How can this be whence doth it proceed Why though the strong Christian hath arrived at an higher pitch and degree in respect of habitual grace yet resting upon himself for strength God might justly be provoked to leave him unto himself And he who is weaker in the faith as to the habits of grace yet keeping his spirit in a constant dependance upon the Lord * Sanctum opus semper inspirae in me ut cogitem compelle ut faciam suade ut diligam confirma me ut te teneam custodione nete perdam Aug. might have more actual assistance imparted to him so as to be inabled to hold on his way when the other shrinks back This is palpably apparent in the example of Peter who was a man of great forwardness and courage in the cause of Christ yet how shamefully did he deny his Master Because trusting in his own strength the Lord was pleased to withdraw his actual assistance that he might learn thereafter to live in the sense of his own weakness Thus Hezekiah fell in the business of the Embassadors of the King of Babylon although he was a man of eminent piety yet the Lord left him and then corruption discovered it self 2 Chron. 32.31 How did God leave him Not as to the principle of habitual grace for that is an abiding principle never taken from a person on whom it is once conferred But God left him as to these fresh supplies of the spirit he with-held from him for that time such efficacious assistance as whereby he might have vanquished the temptation and then his deceitful heart prevailed and carried him aside 3. This is a point which deserveth well to be studied not
they also may be one in us Not only in Jesus the Mediator but in the Father likewise by means of their being in Jesus So 1 Thess 1.1 Unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ It was the end of Christ's sufferings in the flesh that he might bring sinners unto God and by vertue of their union with the Son they are actually brought unto him and knit unto the Father also O what a wonderful advancement is this to sinful dust and ashes To poor despicable creatures that dwell in houses of clay With what astonishment should it fill us What a spring-head of all manner of consolation is here Who would not be a Christian not only almost but altogether Who would not have fellowship and hold a correspondency with the Saints For truly their fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ as the Apostle mentioneth it by way of gloriation and boasting 1 Joh. 1.3 This is the sixth fundamental blessing By having the Son they have the Father also 7. A Believers union with Christ is the ground of all that peace and joy in the holy Ghost which putteth true gladness into the heart and life and sweetness into every condition and providence The joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment and the pleasures of sin are poor empty external pleasures In the midst of laughter the heart is in bitterness they have many a secret griping of conscience that spoileth their mirth and many a fearful surprizal upon their spirits that marreth all their jollity Let them be set in the midst of their riotings and revellings their banquettings and carowsings amidst all the content and pleasure that sin and the world can afford and one serious thought of judgment to come will overturn it wholly one flash of hell in the conscience will put an end to their rejoycings It will quickly befal them as it befel Belshazzar The appearance but of the likeness of a mans fingers upon the wall made his countenance change and his thoughts trouble him and the joints of his loyns to be loosed and his knees to smite one against another and that when he was in the top of his gallantry and in the height of his merriment Dan. 5.5 6. O thinks the poor carnal wretch what will become of my precious and immortal soul Can all these enjoyments deliver me from the pit of destruction Who can dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 But the people of God have such peace as passeth understanding such a sweet calm and tranquillity in their spirits that they can rejoyce with joy unspeakable even in the midst of afflictions The joy of the ungodly is worse than sorrow It is but a fit of madness proceeding from ignorance of the state they are in If they knew but their own condition it would fill them with vexation and horror and anguish of heart But great peace have they that fear the Lord and are in Covenant with him * Meditationes rerum divinarum voluptates sensus non tantum potestate sed etiam suavitate superant Bacon de sap Veter nothing shall offend them Psal 119.165 Their portion is peace peace that is perfect peace nothing but peace and serenity which will put gladness into the heart greater than the joy of harvest Isa 26.3 And pray whence doth this peace arise Why originally from their union with Christ All peace out of him will end in sadness it is but as the crackling of thornes under a pot In him our consolation is stored up and given forth by vertue of our conjunction with him Joh. 16.33 These things have I spoken to you that in me ye might have peace If any of the children of God are under disquietness and perplexities upon their spirits it is for want of the evidences of their union with Christ or through their neglect of the right improvement thereof For here is a fountain to fill up a Believers joy Joh. 15.11 These things have I spoken to you that my joy might remain with you and that your joy might be full What were those things which Christ had spoken to them It was the doctrine of a Believers ingrafture into him and abiding in him and the consequents and concomitants thereof in the sormer part of that Chap. So that no union with Christ no solid peace or satisfaction in the soul no true joy in the Spirit For all manner of consolation and revivings from him depend upon our oneness with him 8. It is a believers union with the Lord Jesus which giveth him deliverance from the sting and curse of death and consequentially from the fear of that king of terrors It is this conjunction with the Son which maketh the last change to be a comfortable and happy exchange that altereth the nature of death from a curse into a blessing So that a Christian is able to bid it welcome and to look it in the face with boldness it being disarmed as far as it is an enemy and having the venom and malignity taken out of it This is a very precious and unvaluable mercy For it is the fear of death which keepeth sinners all their life time in bondage and puts a kind of Coloquintida into every enjoyment O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that is at ease to every impenitent sinner There is a terribleness to the unregenerate in the apprehensions of death upon every account But as it is the passage unto eternity it is the greatest of terrors Job 18.14 Mark it I say there is a dread in the thoughts of it every way Death may be considered in a threefold respect 1. As it is a dissolution between the soul and the body as it parts and separates those ancient friends which have long conversed intimately together And thus it startleth a sinner to think of leaving his old habitation having no better provided in the stead of it But a Believer can triumph in this respect and say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 If our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2. If you consider it as it is a period and puts an end to all worldly accommodations so it cannot but perplex a sinner The place of his habitation shall know him no more he shall be then stripped and divested of whatever earthly comforts have been dear unto him His heart is glewed unto the world and what anguish and bitterness must it needs create to think of being taken from all But now a child of God hath something to counterballance this loss even a better and far more enduring substance Heb. 10.34 3. As death is a passage unto eternity so it is dreadful indeed O thinks the sinner what will become of my soul for ever When I go hence and be no more upon the Land of the living into what chains of
when the whole heart goeth out unto him * Quod cor non facit id non fit As it is in marriage A woman may have a months mind as we are wont to express it to have such a man for her Husband and yet remain a stranger to him When they are married indeed there must be a rejecting all other Suitors and a full consent to be his So it is in these spiritual affairs there may be a slothful velleity and luke-warm inclinations in the spirit of a wicked man towards Christ he may have an heart for his lusts and an heart for a Saviour but this cold and sluggish desire will never make up the match betwixt them If a man will be knit unto Jesus he must abandon all things for him and give him reception with the whole spirit Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willingnesses in the day of thy power * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Populus tuus erit spoutaneitatum i. e. summè spontaneus So the word imports that is they shall so heartily consent to take Christ for their Lord and Husband as if all the faculties of the soul were turned into will they shall so fully embrace him as if there were a concentring together of many wills to make one violent current to go forth unto him as if all the doors of the soul were set wide open for his entertainment They shall be willingnesses abundantly willing as if the whole man were nothing but will See it in the case of Zacheus how heartily he consents to take Christ upon his terms and salvation by him Luk. 19.6 He made haste and came down and received him joyfully 3. It must be an unlimited and indefinite acceptance without any secret reservations or exceptions Poor carnal people are apt to deceive themselves in this respect They will have Christ for their Saviour and Master but it is alwayes upon some proviso or other that they may keep such a beloved lust that they may have liberty to fulfil this carnal pleasure or to live in the practise of the other profitable sin they will give up themselves to the Lord Jesus provided alwayes they may comply with the times and save their estates and humour such a great man on whom they depend provided they be required to serve him only in the Sunshine of the Gospel and be not bound to follow him through tribulations Such caveats and proviso's they enter into but this leaveth them still in subjection to the devil For that acceptance and consent which uniteth a sinner unto Christ must be a marriage-consent when we take him wholly and entirely without any acceptions to submit to him in all his institutions and commandments and to cleave to him in all estates and conditions When we take Christ for our Lord and Husband to have and to hold for better and for worse for richer and for poorer in sickness and in health to go with him through fire and water resolving through grace that nothing shall divide betwixt us and that we will never joyn with any other in confederacy against him We must come to him as Paul upon his conversion Act. 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have mâ— to do q. d. Here I am in a readiness and resolvedness for any manner of service Let me but know thy will and through divine assistance I will stick at nothing He doth not say thus far I could be contented to follow after thee upon conciâ—ion I be not put upon difficult service and that I be not forced to forsake such a lust or to break off my intimacy and familiarity with this or the other sinful companion No but here I bring my soul as a blank paper write what terms and conditions thou pleasest and I am ready to subscribe to them Do but shew me thy way and cut out the work which I am to do and whatever it is I am resolved to set upon the performance This is the fourth thing to be noted our consent to take the Lord Christ must be a marriage-consent and upon marriage terms and articles 5. Note from this comparison in the next place That a believers obedience and service which he tenders unto Christ throughout the whole course of his life must be an affectionate obedience or a service mingled with love and proceeding from love We must not serve him as slaves meerly out of fear and no further than we are forced by outward respects or by the clamours of conscience but as a Spouse is obedient to her husband and careful to please him because of her affection towards him Matrimonial subjection is a loving subjection and such must â—e ours to the Lord our Saviour This is to to serve him evangelically answerable to the dispensation of the Gospel which proclaimeth and promalgateth the love of Christ unto sinners When our obedience doth spring from a principle of love to Jesus and is intermingled therewith and is promoted by the sense of his love to sinners thâ—n it is Gospel-obedience and new Covenant-service Not but that the fear of wrath and heâ—l may have its due place and efficacy to quicken a Believer unto the works of holiness but love is the most evangelical motive most proper and suitable to the dispensation of the Gospel And therefore the Apostle prayeth in behalf of the Ephesians in order to their more abundant fruitfulness in the wayes of God their being filled with all the fulness of God that they might be rooted and grounded in love that is love towards Christ and that they might be able to know the love of Christ his love towards them which passeth knowledge i. e. that they might have some clear and competent apprehensions of it though in its full extent and greatness it can never be comprehended Eph. 3.17 18 19. 6. Lastly note That this similitude taken from the relation betwixt the husband and wife besides its holding forth the union of a Believer with Christ doth import also that mutual complacency and satisfaction which they take in converse one with the other How doth Christ delight in maintaining fellowship with the Saints And how do their spirits exult in the enjoyment of Christ See the mutual dearness that is betwixt them Cant. 7.10 11 12. I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me Come my beloved let us go forth into the field let us lodge in the villages let us go early to the vineyards let us see whether the vine flourish whether the tender grapes appear and the pomegranates bud forth there will I give thee my loves The meaning is this The heart of the Church was so set upon Chriâ— that it was her chiefest delight to be in communion with him as the wise taketh pleasure in the society of her husband and he in hers So much for the third special resemblance for illustration of this mystery drawn from the conjunction which is betwixt the husband and wife 4. The fourth and last similitude which I shall
Christ's mind is placed and act in the like manner as his acteth Their hearts must be moulded into the same frame with his heart and so I might instance throughout the whole man Christ must be formed in them Gal. 4.19 And Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus They must be so clothed with his divine qualities that it may be said they have put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 2. There must be conformity to the sufferings of his death in a spiritual sense As Christ died for sin so Believers must die unto sin As our Lord Jesus was put to a painful lingring and ignominious death in like sort must their corruptions be mortified and killed For Mark it Sirs The death and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus is not only the meritorious cause through which sin is mortified and a strong evangelical reason why it should be mortified but it is also the pattern and exemplar according to which it is done In the very same way and manner as Christ was put to death for us so are our lusts and corruptions to be crucified within us Hereby we are rendred conformable unto his death Phil. 3.9 and planted together into the â—â—keness of his death Rom. 6.5 3. There must be conformâ—y to the Lord Jesus in his resurrection and ascension into heaven As he rose again from the dead and went up into heaven never to return to corruption any more so must the hearts of believers be raised unto spiritual objects and their affections set upon things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 Their hearts must be withdrawn from sin and the world never to be ingaged upon them any more but they must live as persons that are revived and made partakers of a new life Rom. 6.4 As he was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so must we also walk in newness of life 4. Believers must be made conformable unto Christ in the holiness of his conversation They must tread in his steps doing the same work as he did and acting upon the same principles and motives as he acted upon and carrying on the same designs as Christ carried on and serving the Lord in the like manner with cheerfulness delight and alacrity as he served him Eph. 5.2 Walk in love as Christ also loved us And Rom. 15.1 2 3. We ought not to please our selves but every one his neighbour for his good to edification for Christ also pleased not himself c. 5. They must expect to be made conformable to Christ in the troubles and persecutions that befel him upon the earth Therefore it is called a suffering with him that is the same things and in like manner as he suffered Rom. 8.17 If we will be faithful unto Christ we must look to meet with the like usage as he met with and to go through many tribulations into the Kingdom of God This is the second thing to be noted under this comparison 3. According to the purport and tenour of this similitude taken from the foundation and the building Our faith which is the uniting grace is a resting upon Christ and his righteousness The stones are joyned to the foundation by being laid upon it and there resting So when we lay the stress of our salvation upon Christ and cast our burden upon him and there stay our selves as upon a rock thereby we are united unto Jesus and made one with him By nature we are as rough unpolished stones in a quarry without any relation to Christ Now the work of conviction may be compared to the unsettling of these stones and humiliation and legal terrors upon the heart are the hewing of these stones By the first they are removed out of the Quarry and by the other their ruggedness is pared away The grace of conversion is as the fitting and polishing the stones for the building and faith is a putting them upon the foundation and their resting upon it As by the cement of love the stones are coupled one to another so by faith they are knit unto the foundation By the Spirit they are brought unto Christ and so stay upon him Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant and walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Rom. 9.33 Behold I lay in Sion stumbling stone and rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded Mark it As Christ is a foundation to his people so he is a rock of offence to them that are disobedient they split themselves against this rock they stumble and fall and are broken in pieces If you would be saved by him you must by faith rest upon this foundation For whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.4 5. To whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house c. See likewise Eph. 2.21 22. This is all that I shall speak under the sixth general Head for the illustration of this Mystery of Union with Christ by those similitudes which the holy Ghost hath made choice of to this purpose That which remains further is the Application of the Point CHAP. X. Inferences drawn from the Doctrine of Union with Christ The excellency and dignity of Believers The peculiarity of the providence of God towards them The miserable estate of Christless sinners FOr Application or practical improvement of this Doctrine I will manage it under these three Heads By way of 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 1. By way of Information What are the practical Inferences which may be deduced from this Point of a Believers union with the Son of God and the necessity thereof I will not aim at the ingrossing of all that might be taken in upon this fruitful and spiritual subject Only I shall select these three Inferences which naturally arise from what hath been delivered 1. If believers are united unto Christ and made one with him in order to their salvation then hence I gather That they are the most honourable and most excellent persons upon the face of the earth Why Because they are united unto the Son of God and accordingly they should have the greatest esteem of us and be most precious and lovely in our eyes It is the character of a man that shall see the Lord in Sion that he contemneth a vile person but he honoureth them that fear the Lord Psal 15.1 4. Now here is that which maketh them right honourable above all their fellow-creatures they are intimately joyned unto Christ So that the Saints which are in the earth are the excellent of the earht Psal 16.3 more excellent than their neighbours than all that dwell round about them Prov. 12.26 You know the excellency or worthlessness of any
called upon the God of Israel saying O that thou wouldest bless me indeed c. q.d. Here is a man of renown we must not pass him by without a note of memorial stamped upon him He hath outstript all the rest of his brethren for he is acquainted with God and in communion with him This is the first Inference 2. If Believers are united to the Son of God and made one with him then hence it will follow That the people of God may comfortably expect that God will take a special care of them and their concernments and have a peculiar regard unto them in the exercise of his providence For they are one with Christ and God loveth them with the same love for kind and substance though not for measure and degree wherewith he loveth the Lord Jesus and therefore certainly he will take a special care of them When the Lord is pleased at some times to appear gloriously in the preservation or deliverance of his Church and people it maketh the by-standers amazed and often filleth the wicked themselves with astonishment What are these people above others that God should bear such a gracious respect unto them You read the very Heathen could not but take notice of Gods handy-work in this particular Psal 126.2 Then they said amongst the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them And Psal 48.5 They saw it and so they marvelled It was a matter of astonishment in their eyes that the Lord should be so mindful of them above others * Viderunt senserunt occultam vim numinis pro Israelitis propugnantem Et commoti sunt ipsâre Sim. de Muis in loc Why Sirs Here is the reason of it they are in Christ brought nigh unto God through Christ and no marvel that he hath a principle regard unto such You know That is a common distinction and it is a very comfortable distinction whereby the providence of God is branched forth 1. Into his general providence over all creatures So he feedeth the young ravens when they cry and provideth meat for the beasts of the field he disposeth and ordereth whatsoever doth concern any of the work of his hands 2. His special providence towards his own people he hath a special eye upon them and respect unto them As it is with a Magistrate of the City or Countrey If he be faithful in his place he hath a regard to the affairs and government of all that are under his jurisdiction but he hath a more than ordinary regard unto his own family and houshold So the Lord is especially mindful of the godly and here is the ground of it They are his family united to his Son and so his children by vertue of that union We have this distinction and the reason of it Mat. 6.26 30. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly father feedeth them Are not ye much better than they Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more clothe you O ye of little faith Mark it If he mind other creatures he will much more regard his people How doth that appear Why because they are his children married to his Son He is a Creator unto others but he is a Father to them He that feedeth the fowls of the Air saith Christ is your heavenly father And therefore doubt not but he will exercise a peculiar providence over you Wherein doth this peculiarity of the providence of God manifest it self towards them For answer I will take notice of it in four things besides what hath been spoken of the peculiar Covenant-blessings which are conferred upon such 1. It doth appear in the special cognizance he taketh of their condition and concernments When the Lord looketh down from heaven upon all the inhabitants of the earth and taketh a view of the transactions in the world he doth it to this purpose that he may manage them in a compliance with the welfare of his children and make them subservient to their good He maketh an exact enquiry into the state of his Saints and observeth other things to this very end that they may be disposed of to their advantage and benefit That is a precious Text 2 Chron. 16.9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him He maketh an inspection into all the world that he may not miss any occasion of doing good to his little flock but may take all manner of advantages to shew kindness to them 2. This peculiarity of providence doth appear in the special support which he ministers unto the spirits of his people to bear up their hearts under such pressures wherewith others are over whelmed For although there is no visible difference alwayes made in the acts of providence towards the righteous but it happens unto them according to the works of the wicked Yet there is a remarkable difference to be observed by a discerning spirit in the support which is ministred unto their hearts When the wicked are at their wits end and filled with terror on every side then Believers can lift up their heads with confidence and not be troubled at any amazement God is graciously pleased to send them love-tokens at every turn to be a relief unto them which the world knoweth not of So that they can sing with joy of heart under those very dispensations when the wicked cry for forrow of heart and howl for vexation of spirit Isa 65.13 14. Do but observe their confidence in the midst of troubles Psal 46.2 We will not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea that is though all things be in commotion and combustion on every side Our hearts are settled under the most shaking providences 3. It doth eminently appear in Gods overthrowing all things that stand in the way of the welfare of his people and prove hindrances to the advancement thereof Sirs The Lord will have no regard to thousands of others that stand in the way of the good of one of his chosen He will overturn the thrones of the greatest Emperors if they are impediments to the good of the meanest of his Saints So that it is a dangerous thing to resist the proceedings of the most high when he awaketh to the deliverance of them that are upright in heart Isa 43.3 4. I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Seba for thee Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life * Hinc generalis doctrina colligenda est Sic Domino curae esse pios omnes ut pluris ipsos quam universum orbem faciat Et nullum fore
that hath hitherto spared them and the infinite goodness of that God who still waiteth that he may shew mercy unto them Certainly it is wonderful long-suffering and powerful patience whereby the wrath of God is restrained from taking vengeance upon such Numb 14. v. 17 18. 2. Persons unregenerate and out of Christ are dead in respect of the putrefaction and rottenness of their condition A dead carkass the longer it lieth the more it putrefies and is corrupted so it is with impenitent sinners The longer they lye in their unconverted estate the worse they grow the more their spirits are setled in hatred against God and the greater is their forwardness and proneness to all sorts of abominations And therefore none are so hard to be wrought upon as old sinners that have spent the most part of their time in the service of the devil 2 Tim. 3.13 Evil men and seducers wax worse and worse For custom in sin doth naturally tend to strengthen the habits of sin * Suffocat hominem à veritate avertit abducit à vita est laqueus est barathrum est malum ventilabrum mala consuetudo As it is in any secular trade or imployment the more time a man spendeth in his Trade the more skill he getteth and the more handy he is at his work till he come to perfection in such an Art or Mystery So the more time a sinner spendeth upon his lusts the more cursed skill and wisdom he getteth to make provision for the flesh and to find out wayes to satisfie his lusts and evasions to break through convictions upon his conscience the more handy he groweth to commit any sort of wickedness so that in process of time he will turn a deaf ear unto counsel * Ex voluntate perversâ facta est consuetudo dum consuetudint non resistitur facta est necessitas Aug. conf You read of sinners compared to wild asses used to the wilderness And who can turn them away saith the holy ghost Jer. 2.24 q. d. They are grown obstinate in their rebellions formerly perhaps a reproof would have taken with them but now you had as good speak to a stock or a stone Continuance in sin taketh away the conscience of sin Formerly some workings of a natural conscience might put a stop to mens running to all excess of riot but when the bridle is broken whither will not a wicked man run So that my brethren it is a point of wisdom to seek unto God betimes and for persons that are in their youth to remember their Creator in the morning of their lives We are apt to cozen our selves by promises to repent hereafter when I have a convenient season saith the sinner I will make my peace with God and when I am in a better temper Nay but O vain man * Qui promittit poenitenti remissionem non promittit peccanti poenitentiam now is the most convenient season For besides the slipperiness and uncertainty of a mans dayes upon earth the longer thou liest in a course of sin the harder thine heart will grow and the faster hold will the devil get of thy soul So that deliver thy self as a roe from the hand of the hunter and as a bird from the snare of the fowler Give not sleep to thine eyes nor stumber to thine eye-lids Prov. 6.4 5. 3. Persons out of Christ are in a dead condition in respect of their impotency and inability to that which is spiritually good A dead person hath no power to perform the works of nature as eating and drinking and walking and discoursing and the like because he is dead Thus impenitent sinners are without strength unto the things of God Rom. 5.6 A sincere Christian is dead to sin and the unconverted are dead in sin they have no power of themselves to the works of holiness and righteousness In this sense I principally understand that place Eph. 2.5 Even when we were dead in sins and trespasses he hath quickned us that is When all our spiritual abilities were gone If we had been left to our selves we should never have recovered out of our bondage and slavery but must have lain in it eternally without hopes of being delivered and then God came and breathed the Spirit of life into us And Sirs this should awaken us to cry mightily unto the Lord and never to give him rest till he steppeth in for our recovery This should cause us to take diligent heed that we quench not the motions of the Spirit nor provoke him to withdraw his workings from us for if he wholly depart we are undone irremediably I might under this head descend unto particulars by shewing you 1. That unconverted sinners have no power to turn their souls unto God nor to make a saving change upon their own spirits but this I have touched upon before 2. That they are without power to walk in the wayes of holiness or to perform one good action in an acceptable manner When the Lord himself took a view of all mankind in their apostatized condition he found not one that did good no not one Psal 14.2 3. And 3. That they are without strength to resist the temptations of the devil further than they are kept in by the restraining grace of God Satan leadeth them captive as he will 2 Tim. 2.26 As the heart of man is tainted with the principles of the most horrid abominations that ever were forbidden in the Scriptures so if God did not set bounds to the lusts that are within us we should quickly rush into the practise of them Sirs were it not for the restraining grace of the Almighty you would have been murderers as Cain and guilty of witchcraft as Manasses and have been as gross Idolaters as any of the Heathen Nay you would have sinned your selves before this time into hell or without the compass of the promise of mercy and forgiveness Surely this is not a condition wherein a person should quietly rest one moment for if God should pluck up the flood-gates whither would not the violent torrent of a mans corruptions carry him Deut. 18.10 11 12 13 14. I might have shewed you 4. That the unregenerate are so far from having any power by nature to turn themselves unto God or to serve him in truth and sincerity that their hearts are filled with enmity and hatred against God and his wayes and ready to fight against the means appointed to draw them heaven-ward Nay the carnal mind is enmity it self so it is expressed in the abstract Rom. 8.7 As if they were made up of nothing but venom and poyson and wrath and bitterness against God But I must not dwell upon these things The Lord press them upon your hearts and awaken you to follow hard after him and to take fast hold of him and never to let him go till he hath given you clear evidence of your freedom from this sad condition The Lord make you restless in your spirits
is gracious and merciful and full of compassion and therefore they hope he will spare them notwithstanding Nay but O vain man If thine heart still goeth after thy detestable things the God of incomprehensible mercy will not shew thee one drop of mercy He that is unspeakable in his compassions will not have one dram of pity or compassion upon thy soul It is true He is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you if ye return unto him 2 Chron. 30.9 But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses Psal 68.21 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting unto everlasting upon them that fear him and unto such as keep his Covenant Psal 103.17 18. But he will not be merciful to any wicked transgressor Psal 59.5 Why Sirs do not you know that he is a God abundant in truth as well as rich in mercy And he will shew no mercy to sinners in a way derogating from his truth Exod. 34.6 It is he that hath said The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God Psal 9.17 and the Word of the Lord will certainly have its accomplishment When thou presumest of mercy Remember withal that he is a God of truth and as sure as God is true if thou goest on in sin and remainest ununited unto Christ thou wilt perish for ever notwithstanding that God is merciful For all the wayes of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies Psal 25.10 Alas poor deluded wretch dost thou hope for mercy to keep thee from hell whilst thou art in a course of ungodliness Why man The mercy of God will come up in judgment against thee and sink thee deeper into hell * Quos diu ut convertantur tolerat non conversos durius damnat Hier. Tarditatem vindictae compensat gravitate supplicii for by despising the goodness of God thou art treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath Rom 2.4 5. Dost thou presume of mercy in thy state of impenitence Why man This very presumption will add load upon thy back and degrees unto thy torments Read over that Text deliberately and the Lord awaken thy conscience in the perusal of it Deut. 29.19 20 21. And it come to pass that when he heareth the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkenness to thirst It is to this effect as if the carnal wretch had said God is gracious and merciful and though I have no interest in Christ but take my pleasure in sin and am not so forward in godliness as these precise Ministers would perswade me yet I trust in God that he will shew pity upon me he will not be so severe as these hot-spirited men would bear us in hand God is a God of mercy and delighteth in it and I hope to taste of his compassion and that he will not send me to hell whatever he hath said Well But will such a person find mercy because he hopeth for it Will he meet with peace because he saith in his heart He shall have peace Nothing less This very presumption of mercy whilst in his sins will be a means to bar and bolt the door of mercy against him * Quo diutius expectat eo districtius judicabit For mark what followeth v. 20 21. The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven And the Lord shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the Covenant that are written in this book of the Law c. This is the fourth respect in which a Christless estate is a state of death viz. In point of condemnation or obnoxiousness to eternal death 5. Lastly Unconverted sinners are in a state of death in respect of the abundant evils incident to that condition They are in a perfectly wretched and miserable estate For death comprizeth all sorts of evils As when life is promised to the godly it is a comprehensive term that containeth all sorts of blessings and mercies whatsoever Psal 30.5 Prov. 3.18 So when the wicked on the other hand are said to be dead that is a big-bellyed word that carrieth all kinds of evils in the bowels of it troubles and vexations and perplexities here and at last eternal ruine and desolation Deut. 30.15 19. Now in this sense they are all dead who are not in Christ Destruction and misery is in their wayes and the way of peace they have not known Rom. 3.16 17. To work this upon your hearts study seriously these three Texts of Scripture Job 15. from v. 20. to the 30. Job 18. from v. 5. to the 21. Job 20. from v. 5. to the end of the Chapter And withal observe these four subsequent notes 1. Christless persons are under the guilt of all the sins and transgressions that ever were committed by them since they had a being And God will one day reckon them up in order and lay them in full load upon their shoulders Possibly sinners themselves have forgotten multitudes of them but the God of infinite knowledge hath written them down exactly in his book and at length he will bring them forth into judgment And truly Sirs One would think there needed no more to make them miserable enough One sin if laid to our charge would sink us irrecoverably into perdition Alas How will the sinner stand when all his iniquities shall meet together and be sealed up as in a bag and bound fast upon him If a wicked man should sit down and make a catalogue of the sins of one month or week what a vast heap would they amount to Vain thoughts proud and earthly and unbelieving thoughts inordinate passions and affections unsavoury and rotten communication evil actions done and duties left undone and slightness and superficialness in the discharge of duty and the like Yea but when all the sins of his whole life and the native pravity and wickedness of his heart shall be gathered together into one bundle what a numberless number would they amount to What unconceivable torments would be the wages of them if considered as clothed with all the aggravating circumstances thereof Why Sirs when God enters into judgment with the unregenerate he will not abate them one sin Psal 10.15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man Seek out his wickedness till thou find none That is set them down in order till they are all set down Let not one of them remain untaken-notice of Let them be searched out so exactly till there be no more to be found We are
Lord himself in some other place hath undertaken to perform that we might be quickned to seek unto him for it In Jer. 4.4 you have it as a precept Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the foreskins of your hearts But in Dent. 30.6 it is a word of promise And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Ezek. 18.31 God hath laid it as a commandment upon us Make you a new heart and a new spirit But Ezek. 36.26 The Lord himself hath undertaken it for us A new heart also I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you 4. God doth command the unconverted to turn themselves though they are dead in sins and trespasses because he doth employ his word of precept as the means whereby effectually to turn them Together with his commandment To cleanse themselves he doth send forth his Spirit to make them clean * Utitur Deus praeceptis ut corda nostra ad obsequium trahat Sic mortuos quoque non frustra Deus alloquitur quando per ipsum illud alloquium vitam mortuis infundit quod efficere vult declarat Wendel It is just for all the world in this case as in Christ's calling upon Lazarus Joh. 11.43 He cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth This did not import any power in Lazarus to raise up himself for he had been four dayes dead But together with the word of Christ there went forth a secret energy and vertue from him whereby he was raised So when Christ's call goeth forth unto the wicked to turn and repent it doth not suppose any power in them but together with his word he sends forth the efficacious operation of his Spirit whereby they are turned and repentance is wrought within them And this is according to one of the Statute-Laws of the great God of heaven that his Word and Spirit shall go forth together The holy Ghost worketh in the word and by the word The commandment is the vehiculum or conduit-pipe by which the Spirit is conveyed to plant grace in mens hearts Isa 59.21 Prov. 1.23 Jam. 1.18 And this should incourage the unconverted to be much inreading the word and in meditation upon the word and to give their constant attendance upon it when it is preached and to be often pressing it upon their hearts and personally applying it to their own cases and consciences 5. I might shew you That although it is God alone by his Almighty power who is able to convert a sinner unto himself yet he is pleased to lay his commands upon them and to reason and expostulate the case with them that so they may be wrought upon in a rational way For God doth not work upon men as upon stocks and stones but dealeth with them as creatures indued with reason and understanding He draweth them powerfully to Christ yet he doth it sweetly without offering violence to the will of man And therefore he maketh use of commandments to press them thereunto and of arguments and spiritual reasonings to inforce those commandments and so doth overcome their stubbornness by making those means to prevail Joh. 6.44 45. No man can come unto me except the father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Mark it The Lord draweth men by teaching them and making those teachings efficacious He acteth with a strong hand and an outstretched arm but that arm conquereth them in a way of instruction And thus I have done with the first Vse viz. that of Information CHAP. XI The Use of Trial. Self-examination the way to attain the knowledge of our Union with Christ Wherein the work of Self-examination consisteth Motives to quicken thereunto Directions for the right managing of that work 2. THe principal use I drive at for the improvement of this point is by way of examination and Trial. If union with Christ or having the Son be of such absolute necessity in order to salvation by him Then it concerneth us to take this doctrine home to our selves and to enter upon a serious debate wich and examination of our selves whether we be in Christ whether we have the Son by being united unto him Else we have no right to eternal life but are still in our sins and under the wrath of God So that as you tender your everlasting well-being and the welfare of your immortal souls put this question closly to your hearts and follow it earnestly till you get a determinate answer thereunto Am I united unto the Son of God Doth Christ dwell in me and am I ingraffed into him It is a matter of infinite weight and moment for if you fall short of this priviledge you are ruined everlastingly A mistake herein may undo you utterly without recovery This is the foundation of all true peace and comfort so that make a strict enquiry into it It is a matter which may be known for the Apostle John telleth us of Believers that they knew they were in Christ 1 Joh. 2.5 and Self-examination is the way to know it And therefore take my counsel in the words of S. Paul 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves Know you not your own selves how that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Examine and prove that is make a curious and narrow search into it be very inquisitive concerning it ransack your whole souls that ye may find it out pierce your selves through leave no stone unturned no corner of your hearts unript up What! know ye not your own selves q. d. Is it not a shame to be ignorant of your own spiritual estate whether you be in Christ and Christ be formed in you Can you rest contentedly without the knowledge of it Why if you do not know it the fault is probably in your selves because you do not set upon the work of Self-examination or you are slight and superficial in that work so that enter upon it throughly and in good earnest My brethren If you knew that you were united to the Son of God your hearts would be able to make their boast of God continually you might rejoyce in him all the day long you might be assured of access unto him and a gracious acceptance with him upon all occasions you needed not be afraid in times of evil though one evil rumour come upon the neck of another and one sore calamity usher in another When others walk droopingly and disconsolately you might serve the Lord with alacrity and gladness of heart and this joy of the Lord would be your strength And if you continue out of Christ better were it for you that you had never been born So that it much lieth upon you to get the knowledge of it and therefore call
your selves to an account how the case stands with you Say Have I the son Am I planted into Christ If people are unacquainted with this particular touching themselves it is mostly through the neglect or persunctory discharge of the work of Self-examination As will evid intly appear by these three following considerations 1. Without Self-examination a man can never pertinently and appositely apply the Word of God unto himself nor compare the frame and temper of his soul with the Word of the Lord so as to be able to pass a righteous judgment thereupon My brethren it is the Word of God which is the rule for discovery whether we be in Christ or not as I shall shew you more fully anon but this discovery cannot be made by a bare naked speculation of the truths contained therein except we personally apply the truths unto our selves and compare our selves with them Just as it is in secular matters The Carpenters line and plummet will discover the straightness or crookedness of a piece of timber but this it cannot do by taking a single view of the line unless it be applyed unto the timber The Standard is appointed to shew the justness or falshood of weights and measures but then you must bring them unto the standard and compare them with the standard So the Scripture is the rule for trial of mens hearts whether they be straight or crooked It is the standard to evidence a mans spiritual estate whether his person will hold weight in the ballance of the sanctuary when he cometh to be judged of the Lord but then he must apply this rule unto himself and compare himself with this standard Such persons as would know that they are of God must not only view the light but must also bring their persons and actions unto the light Joh. 3.21 He that doth good cometh unto the light that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God He taketh the light of God's word and his own soul and purteth them both together that he may see what correspondency there is between the one and the other And it is said of the wicked v. 20. of that Chapter He hateth the light and doth not come unto it that is He cannot endure personally to apply it unto himself You have many carnal people could be content to know the truth in the general notion but they hate it in the particular application to their case But if you would know whether you are in Christ you must apply and appropriate the word of God unto your selves and compare it with your condition Now to bring this home to our purpose This application of the word and comparing our selves with it can never be done aright without self-examination Except the Physician know the constitution and temperament of the patient he can never apply suitable remedies unto him so except we search and enquire into the frame of our souls we can never apply the Scripture properly and suitably unto our souls Except a man search into his wayes and actions as well as into the word he cannot compare those actions with the word But he will be apt upon every turn to run into mistakes and practical errors He will take that word home to himself which doth not belong to him and pass such a sentence upon himself as is not to be passed upon him It is hinted as the ground of mens deceit and self-cozenage because they do not look into themselves Prov. 21.2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts As if the holy Ghost had said If men did but search their own hearts they would not be so mistaken concerning their wayes nor pass such a false judgment upon themselves They presently conclude that their wayes are right because they do not throughly look into them nor take a view of their spirits which are the principle of action but God ponder eth their hearts 2. If you would know that you are or whether you are united to Christ you must be diligent in the examination of your selves and the reason is Because that is the very means which God hath especially designed to this end and appointed to be made use of to this purpose to bring us unto the knowledge of it This is a Maxim in Religion as clear as the noon-day That if we would comfortably expect any mercy from the Lord or gracious assistance unto any work or business we must look for it in the use of such means as God hath appointed to that end and wherein he is wont to convey such grace and assistance Now self-examination is the means which God hath required to be made use of to bring us to the knowledge of our ingrafture into Christ For Sirs although it is God alone who can powerfully and convincingly make it known to us yet we must not sit still and be idle and say if God will discover it to me I shall know it But we must wait upon him in the way wherein he is wont to meet his people to this end which is in the duty of self-examination If we would have our calling and election made sure our selves must give diligeâ—â—e to make it sure 2 Pet. 1.10 3. Self-examination is the way to arrive at this knowledge whether we are spiritually ingraffed into the Son Because hereby we shall find out those falshoods under which our spirits are apt to lie hid and those deceits whereby our hearts are ready to cheat us in passing a false judgment upon our selves Self-examination will shew us where the cheat lieth and upon what ground it is that we deal treacherously in this matter You read of a people Isa 28.15 who thought themselves to be free from the wrath of God when indeed they were the very generation of his wrath And what was the reason of it whence did this deceit proceed Why they took sanctuary in lies and covered themselves over with falshoods When the overflowing scourge shall pass thorow it shall not come unto us for we have made lies our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves The meaning I take to be this They built their hopes of deliverance upon rotten pillars and sandy foundations They apprehended themselves to be in a right way when they were not that their hearts were for God when indeed it was a lie for they were set upon sin and idolatry and full of desperate wickedness They thought they were in the service of the Lord and that therefore he would shew them favour when in truth it was a falshood they were in the broad way that leadeth to destruction Now how should a man discover the falshood of these pretences and find out the fallacies whereby our hearts would impose upon us in this case Why By being diligent in the examination of our selves There is a full Text to this purpose Gal. 6.3 4. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth
himself But let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another As if he had said It is no marvel if your hearts beguile you if you do not make a narrow scrutiny into your selves Your spirits are treacherous apt to put light for darkness and darkness for light You will be apt to entertain good thoughts and opinions of your selves when perhaps you have nothing of the life and substance of godliness and your deceitful hearts take hold of every advantage to strengthen those opinions But if you would avoid this cheat you must examine your selves Let every man prove his own work that is every one that would not be thus deceived and in order to the prevention of this self-flattery and cozenage If you were much in self-examination you would not rest in the good opinions of others nor conclude you were holy because they thought well of you or you would not determine of your spiritual estate from the lives of others that therefore you are the children of God because you are not so bad as they or that you were in Covenant with the Lord because others run faster than you in the devils service But upon the through trial of your selves it would be seen whether you have any substantial ground of rejoycing So that let me tell you again If you love your souls if you would be assured to escape everlasting vengeance that you are persons in favour with God and shall arrive with sasety at the kingdom of heaven when all impenitent sinners are bound up in bundles together and cast into hell fire make it appear that you are united to Christ Get knowledge and assurance that you have the Son and to that end be diligent in the search of your selves for self-examination is the way to know it You will say What course shall we take in the search of this matter or in what method shall we proceed in this examination of our selves that thereupon we may know whether we be ingraffed into Christ This is a work and duty in the discharge whereof eternal life it self lieth at the stake if it be not managed aright it may prove the occasion of a mans utter ruine and destruction And therefore I will insist upon it somewhat largely by passing over these three heads of particulars By 1. By shewing you the nature of this duty That you may know wherein your work lieth in this business or what this self-examination is in order to finding out whether you be knit to Christ 2. Pressing upon your spirits some of the principle motives or provocatives to quicken you to set speedily and vigorously upon the discharge of this work 3. Subjoyning in the close some special directions to guide you in the discharge of this work that you may come to a right conclusion whether you have the Son and not be deceived therein 1. To begin with the first of shewing you wherein your work lieth in this business of examining whether you be one with Christ and have the Son or what this duty of self-examination is Which is a mater needful to be a little explained Because it is to be feared that multitudes who are called Christians are much in the dark as to any distinct knowledge of the nature of this work that they are not only strangers to the practise of it but in a great measure as to any clear apprehensions concerning it But I shall not handle it by way of description at large only I will give you some hints of the most material points which have a reference to this work and that will be needful to open our way for the directions I would give you for the right management thereof All that shall be delivered under this head I have gathered into six plain conclusions Concl. 1. The first conclusion is this That self-examination as to our union with Christ is for the matter of it a compounded duty made up of a threefold spiritual and reflexive action in relation to a mans self There is 1. A search or enquiry made into a mans self 2. The probation and trial of a mans self 3. The passing sentence or judgment upon a mans self a mans self Mark it Sirs It doth not lie in one only single act of the spirit but it doth consist of several acts For as there are some complicated sins which carry many transgressions together in the bowels of them So there are some duties which we may call complicated or compounded duties And such is this of self-examination wherein there are many actions folded up together For it comprehends a threefold reflexive act 1. There is an act of inspection or retrospection into a mans self A search or enquiry made into our persons and wayes our inward qualifications and all our performances He that examineth himself must curiously pry and look into his own heart and practise into his principles and conversation and into all the workings of those principles and the manner of them He must descend into and take a narrow view of every corner of his spirit and the several parts of his demeanour As a man would look with a candle into every room and cast his eye into every hole and crany of an house for the finding out any thing which is lost You have it under this very similitude Prov. 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly It is the candle of the Lord that is there is a special faculty put into a mans soul by God himself whereby he is enabled to make enquiry into his innermost thoughts and and the secret operations of his own heart in the exercise whereof he may make a narrow scrutiny into himself and look wistly into what is within him or hath been done by him as a man doth that taketh a torch or candle to see that which could not otherwise be perceived * In mente hominis quasi in tabulis obsignatis conscriptum relinquitur quid fecit quo animo quod etiam tandem 〈◊〉 conscientia legitur pronunciatur Ames de consc It is sometimes stiled in respect to a mans wayes which as I shall shew you by and by are a main evidence of our union with Christ or estrangedness from him a thinking upon them Psal 119.59 I thought upon my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies So that then doth a person examine himself when he sits down and looketh into his own soul what graces are there and how they are exercised what corruptions abide within him and how much force and power they have had over him and the like When he doth bethink himself as to his wayes with what care and conscience he hath sanctified the Sabbath how instant and fervent he is on the one hand or cold and careless on the other hand in the duty of prayer how often he doth read the Word and meditate thereupon
and treachery in the conscience For as that is the faculty which doth eye and observe a man in his wayes so whereby he is impowred to take an account of those wayes and to acquit or condemn himself according to the merits of the cause and as the matter doth require You read of the Apostle Paul that he had a witness on his side that he was a servant of God and walked in sincerity before the Lord whereupon his heart was filled with joy and gladness And what was that witness Why his conscience had examined and found it to be so 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world And both the business of accusing and absolving a sinner is attributed thereunto namely to the workings of conscience Rom. 2.15 Their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Joh. 8.9 They went out one by one being convicted by their own consciences This you are sometimes to understand by the heart and spirit of a man when it is said to take cognizance of the things which are within him The heart knoweth its own bitterness Prov. 14.10 What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 Again Eccl. 7.21 22. Also take no heed to all words that are spoken lest thou hear thy servant curse thee For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thy self likewise hast cursed others That is If you would set your consciences awork they would declare plainly what is the filthiness that cleaveth to you and the abominations that have been committed by you So that your care must be to keep life and vigour and activity in your consciences and you must take heed to your selves that no mistakes or falshoods or practical errors settle within your consciences Concl. 3. Although it be the conscience of a man by which he doth examine himself touching his union with Christ and passeth judgment upon himself in that case yet this work can never be performed effectually and to purpose without the concurrent assistance of the Spirit of God and the powerful inflâ—ence of the holy Ghost It is the Spirit of God by whom the conscience of a sinner is excited and stired up unto this work and directed and guided therein that it may see clearly into matters and may pass a right and convincing sentence thereupon It is the same Spirit alone which converteth a sinner from his natural estate that can convincingly shew him his sad estate in order to conversion And the same Spirit alone which planteth grace into the soul can discover that grace where it is planted that so a Believer may take comfort therein and conclude from thence that he is ingraffed into Christ And therefore when we attain any comfortable evidences of our estate Godward we are said to be sealed by the Spirit because it depends upon his assistance and testimony Eph. 1.13 14. In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance It is a manner of speech taken from the practise of men who for confirmation and assurance of a deed or grant give writings under seal so hath the Lord been pleased saith the Apostle to deal with you you have not only the promises of acceptance and pardon and eternal life made unto you but these promises are sealed How Why by the testimony of the Spirit Again in making of a bargain men are wont to give earnest to confirm it which is not only a part of payment but for assurance of the whole This earnest saith he you have received which is the witness of the holy Ghost It is not the testimony of conscience alone can make a man effectually to know his relation to Christ or separation from Christ without the concurrent operation of the Spirit There is a famous Text in reference to both Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Mark it If a man be brought into bondage by the knowledge of his undone condition by seeing himself to lie under the guilt of his sins and obnoxious to the insupportable wrath of God it is through the operation of the Spirit And if he be able to plead his adoption and to look up unto God as his Father in Christ it is by the efficacious workings of the same Spirit So that for the examination of your selves concerning your union with Christ and finding out whether you are knit unto him your work in this respect lieth in two things 1 In being earnest petitioners and supplicants at the throne of grace for the special assistance of the holy Ghost to make this discovery to you to strike in with your consciences in bearing witness unto your spiritual estate That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of your understandings being enlightned ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Eph. 1.17 18. 2 Your business lieth in a careful attendance upon the dictates of the Spirit and taking heed that you resist not the holy Ghost in these actings For it is an ordinary thing in many of the people of God to be accessary to the disconsolateness of their own souls by opposing the spirit of consolation They go on without that comfort which they might have in the knowledge of their union with Christ because they refuse to be comforted as the Psalmist speaketh of himself Psal 77.2 This is a common distemper in times of strong temptations As the ungodly resist the spirit of conviction and conversion so believers themselves are apt to withstand and strive against the spirit of consolation And therefore your work is to give diligent attendance upon the Spirit and to hear attentively what he shall speak unto you Concl. 4. The way of procedure in this business of self-examination or the means whereby it must be found out whether we are united to Christ is By consulting and enquiring into those marks and signs which are the evidencing characters and properties of that union For Sirs the change wrought upon a Believer by his oneness with Christ is a relative change and cannot be seen immediately in it self and of it self But it is discerned and discovered unto the spirit of a man by its properties and concomitants which are as certain characteristical marks and tokens whereby the state of union with Christ is differenced and distinguished from that of being strangers unto him As it is in natural things If I would know whether
of these in the work of self-examination as to our union with Christ Why By the want of these a person may conclude negatively that he is not in Christ but by the attainment of these alone he cannot conclude affirmatively that he is in him Therefore I call them negative marks for distinction sake The absence of any of these will be a sign that a person is excluded from this priviledge of having the Son but the presence of them will not prove that he is partaker thereof If a sinner hath no knowledge of divine truths but is grosly ignorant of the fundamentals of Religion he may conclude negatively that he is none of Christ's Prov. 19.2 1 Tim 2.4 But although he hath much knowledge of the principles of Religion he cannot from thence conclude affirmatively that he doth belong to Christ Rom. 2.17 18 21. 1 Cor. 13.2 See it in the case of legal humiliation A man may conclude negatively that he is not a child of God if he were never humbled for sins against the Lord Jer. 44.9 10. But he cannot gather in the affirmative that he is at peace with God only because he hath felt some trouble upon his spirit for transgressing against him 1 Kings 21. v. 27 29. 1 Sam. 24.16 17. In the case of outward reformation a person may determine negatively that he is not in covenant with God if he live in the practise of open sins and the common neglect of external duties Psal 36.1 2 3. But he cannot infer affirmatively that he is one of the peculiar people of God because he hath broken off the practise of some grosser wickednesses setteth upon the discharge of some outward duties Luke 18.11 12. So I might go over the rest Every true Believer is convinced of the evil of sin but all persons under convinction of sin cannot say that therefore they are true Believers All sincere Christians have their consciences awakened and assent to the truth of Scripture-doctrines But it will not follow that all whose consciences are awakened and believe the Scriptures by an historical faith are to be reckoned amongst the number of sincere Christians 2. There are inclusive marks or properties of the second rank which belong only to such as are united to Christ but are not to be found in all of them As now for instance To have such high degrees of this or the other grace as some believers have attained To have such a measure of power over their lusts and corruptions as some eminent Saints have had To be versed in the higher mysteries of godliness as they who have their spiritual senses exercised to discern betwixt good and evil To be strong in the faith as Abraham and renowned for meekness as Moses and eminent for patience as Job and to labour more abundantly as Paul and the like Now what is the use of this sort of marks in the work of self-examination Why from the attainment of them a Christian may conclude affirmatively with a great deal of clearness and undoubtedness that he is a member of Christ But he cannot from the want of them conclude negatively that he is not interested in Christ And this is the reason Because a mans spiritual estate Godward and Christward doth not depend upon the degrees of grace but upon the truth of grace A person may have his heart sound in the statutes of God who hath not arrived at that measure of acquaintance with God as some others have done There are several forms of Scholars in the School of Christ and yet all of them savingly taught by him There are divers ranks of persons in the houshold of faith of different growth and stature babes and children as well as men grown up to their full strength and old experienced disciples Mat. 15.28 Mat. 8.26 1 Joh. 2.12 13. Rev. 3.8 This is well to be observed because the neglect of the consideration of this very thing hathoccasioned the troubles and perplexities of many poor souls that walk in the anguish and bitterness of their spirits They cannot find such workings in their own hearts as sometimes are mentioned to be in the hearts of David and Samuel and Isaiah and Paul and other servants of God in Scripture and from thence they presently draw sad consequences touching themselves that surely their estate is naught and their hearts are rotten Whereas possibly these are workings of spirit that are not ever to be found in all the people of God but only in some that are eminent above others and have attained to an higher pitch of godliness than others Only let me add this as a memento by the way That the weakest believer who hath the least degrees of grace is still pressing after the highest He doth not sit down contented with any measures attained but is still thirsting after more He would if it were possible pluck up corruption by the very root out of his soul and be serviceable unto the Lord at the highest rate and in the most excellent manner Phil. 3.13 14 15. 2 Cor. 7.1 3. There are adaequate and proportionate marks and signs of our union with Christ Such as are of an even size with the state of grace that carry the same breadth with them as interest in Christ doth and run exactly and precisely parallel thereto Properties in the strictest acception that are to be found only in the children of God and are to be found in all of them without exception and at all times and seasons As now for instance To have the Law of God wrote upon our hearts to worship God in Spirit to hate every false way to walk before the Lord as in his sight and presence to resign up our selves unreservedly to Christ and to God by him And these are as two-edged swords that cut both wayes In the examination of your selves and passing judgment upon your selves touching your union with Christ you may conclude from them both negatively and affirmatively If you be without these qualifications you are strangers unto Christ and such as are thus qualified are implanted into him These marks you have plentifully scattered up and down the Scriptures Rom. 8.6 To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Mat. 10.32.33 Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven But whosoever shalt deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine But except you repent you shall perish Luke 13.3 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5.8 And without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Mat. 5.7 And he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Jam. 2.13 He that believeth on him Christ is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already
way for your â—ture getting into Christ It is less dangerous for a â—an to be a stranger unto Christ and know that he is so â—an to be in that condition and not to know it This I â—dd to remove the main impediment that hindreth â—ens setting about the work of self-examination â—or I am verily perswaded herein lâ—eth a principal â—stacle They are loath to search themselves lest â—ey should find the worst by themselvs Just as some â—reless Shop-keepers that are run much behind â—nd they cannot endure to look into their books 〈◊〉 to cast up their accounts lest they should be â—quainted with their own poverty and see in â—â—at a low condition they are But mind it Sirs it â—better to trie and know that you are under the guilt of your sins and children of the wrath of God then to continue such and not to know it It is the knowledge of a sinners perishing condition will cause him to hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ and make him restless in his spirit till he get into Christ These are the people to whom Christ is sent to bring deliverance such as find they are sinners and are heavy laden under the burden of sin Isa 61.1 2 3. They are such lost sheep which the great Shepherd of souls will seek after that is such as are sensible of their lost condition Ezek. 34.16 I will seek that which is lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick But I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgment And it is ignorance of mens misery and wretchedness which is the devils great engine whereby he carrieth sinners blindfold and headlong into the pit of destruction As the knowledge of the disease is the first part of the cure so it is the knowledge of a mans damnable condition which is one of the first steps unto his conversion and salvation This is all I shall speak to the second head under the Use of Trial By way of motive and provocative thereunto 3. Let me close this Use with some special directions to guide you in the discharge of this work of self-examination That you may come to a right conclusion and resolution of the case Whether you are spiritually ingraffed into Christ and be such as have the Son and life through him or not And here I might give you a catalogue of Scripture-marks and evidences for trial upon this account But I shall not multiply particulars we will only insist upon the principal matter to be enquired into for proof of your union with the Son of God And a little to direct you in the method of your proceeding herein that it may be done effectually and successfully you must diligently heed and observe these following Rules of advice wherein I will proceed by way of gradation the better to help both your understandings and memories Direct 1. For the examination and trial of your selves and in order to the passing a righteous sentence upon your selves whether you are united to Christ You must firstly and fundamentally enquire if the grace of regeneration hath been poured out upon you and a sound conversion wrought within you This is the foundation evidence of a mans having the Son and other marks are made use of for discovery of this and in a subserviency to the manifestation hereof And the reason of it is obvious Because in the day of conversion this union is made up By the spirit of regeneration Christ doth take possession of sinners for himself and by a living faith which is one of the graces then planted in their souls they do receive Christ and embrace him as theirs and so are knit unto him as hath been largely opened By a through conversion the Lord Jesus doth cull out a people from the world and gather them unto himself So that this is primarily and chiefly to be sought into whether you are truly converted and made partakers of the renewing grace of the holy Ghost For if any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Here is the grand question Are we new creatures Is there a through change wrought upon our spirits Is corruption mortified in us and the power of it subdued and a new principle of holiness put into and ingraven upon our hearts Thus it will be if you are one with Christ Except you are converted you are strangers to him and have no saving interest in him Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness The body is dead that is the body of corruption is mortified and the force of it is taken away whereby it exercised dominion over you As before you were dead in sin so now you are dead unto sin and quickned and made alive unto righteousness Here is the failure of many and the occasion of their being deceived in this point of their belonging to Christ They sometimes look into the actions of their lives but never seriously consider whether the grace of conversion be shed abroad into their hearts They rest in a civil moral conversation and do not throughly weigh whether they are made partakers of the spirit of regeneration Whereas this is the fundamental evidence of our union with Christ 1 Joh. 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit And Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his That is If he have not those gracious qualifications which are infused into the soul by the spirit in the work of conversion If he have not his heart moulded anew and fashioned aright by the holy Ghost If he have not the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord which was the spirit that rested upon Christ he is none of his Isa 11.2 This is firstly and fundamentally to be enquired after whether the work of conversion be wrought upon us and the grace of regeneration be formed in us Direct 2. If a person would be inabled to take cognizance of himself and to pass a right judgment upon himself whether he be converted and so knit to Jesus He must of necessity in order thereunto be well instructed in the nature and quality of conversion My meaning is this He must rightly understand wherein a sound and sincere conversion lieth and what a change it maketh upon the soul and what effects it produceth that so he may not mistake a feigned conversion for a true and a slight work upon the spirit which is common to the wicked for the grace of regeneration which is peculiar to the people of God For mark it Sirs There is a false conversion as well as a true and counterfeit grace as well as that which is grace indeed and in
perfected hereby we know that we are in him Direct 4. In the examination of your wayes and works as a proof of your conversion and union with Christ thereupon this must be carefully minded That it is not the external discharge of some particular duties will evidence a sincere conversion unto God but a diligent search must be made into the main bent of your spirits as to the wayes of holiness and the whole tenour of your conversations must be considered upon that account It must be observed whether you make religion your business and if it be the great design you drive on to study to please the Lord and to be accepted of him It is not the workings of your spirits in a fit of affection when your hearts are warmed by the word or you are under the call of some awakening providence that will prove you to be converts indeed but the general scope and tendency of your lives when godliness is the trade that you follow and holiness the high way wherein you travel As the expression is Isa 35.8 9. And a high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the way-faring men though fools shall not erre therein No Lion shall be there nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereupon it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there Mark it Sirs Holiness is the high way where the servants of Christ take their journey They do not only now and then make an excursion into some acts of piety and godliness when they are under convictions and the like But they spend their very life time in walking with God As holiness is a plain way wherein the meanest Christian may go on directly to heaven without danger of miscarrying Though he be of never so low parts and endowments yet if his design be to fear the Lord and to be blessed in the enjoyment of him God hath chalked out the way so clearly that he that runs may observe it And as it is a safe way wherein the Lord hath undertaken for the protection of travellers against all dangers and evil occurrents So it is the great road wherein all the redeemed ones travel from one end of the week to the other My brethren such as are Christians in good earnest do not take up a garb of Religion for the Sabbath and then lay it aside the six dayes following as men put on and off their best apparel They do not put on a kind of seriousness in spiritual exercises and live as Atheists and worldlings in their secular negotiations and affairs They do not enter upon the performance of some particular duduties only to stop the clamours of an awakened conscience and when that turn is served return to their vanity and wickedness But they make the Lord their constant companion and take holiness as a clew of thread that runs through all their undertakings and concernments Zech. 14.20 21. In that day there shall be upon the bells of their horses Holiness to the Lord and the pots in the Lords house shall be like the bowls before the Altar yea every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts In that day that is when God doth pour out plentifully of the spirit of grace and wash sinners in the fountain set open for sin and uncleanness then they shall endeavour to be spiritual in the very common and ordinary actions of their lives and to be holy in all manner of conversation As it is not some particular acts of sin into which a man falleth through weakness and the violence of temptations that will prove the person offending to be wicked and unconverted but when he liveth in a course of sin and any ungodliness is the way wherein he goeth So it is not the performance of some particular duties of Religion unto which a man is carried by the force of a natural conscience will prove his conversion but when holiness is the high way wherein he travelleth and the very business which he prosecuteth This was Noah's evidence that he was righteous and perfect in his generation He did not only obey the voice of the Lord in some particulats but he walked with God Gen. 6.9 And Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God for he walked with him for hundreds of years together from one end of the year to the other Compare Heb. 11.5 with Gen. 5.22 Direct 5. That obedience which will evidence that you are regenerated and converted by the Spirit of Christ and so knit unto him must not only be right for the matter wherein it doth consist but rightly qualified also for the manner how it is discharged and tendered unto the Lord. It is not barely the work done opus operatum but principally modus operationis * Bonum oritur ex causis integris malum ex quolibet defectu the manner of the performance that will prove a principle of grace to reside in the heart of that man or woman by whom it is done As the sinfulness of sin doth lie chiefly in the manner how it is committed as when men sin wickedly and presumptuously against light and knowledge and break through convictions to the perpetration of evil So doth the excellency and evidencing vertue of the acts of obedience lie especially in the manner how it is performed An hypocrite may do the same external work which a believer doth and which for the matter of it is good Therefore the Lord doth expostulate with that sinful people who trusted in their outward duties concerning their defectiveness in the manner of the performance of them Isa 58.3 5. They had fasted and sought unto God but Is it such a fast as I have chosen saith the Lord v. 5. Mark it Sirs In the trial of your obedience to prove that you are sanctified you must not only mind the substance of the work what is done but likewise examine the suchness of it how it is done Possibly thou prayest often and readest the Scriptures frequently and givest alms to the poor and the like and from thence art confident of thy being in the state of grace But man is it so praying as God requireth And such a studying of the word to which the blessing is annexed Is it such a giving of alms as hath the promise of acceptance It is a good thing to run in the way of God's precepts But do you so run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 This is the fifth Rule of Direction That in the examination of your obedience for the clearing up your conversion and union with Christ you must not only look into the matter what is done but strictly enquire into the manner how it is done and whether it be rightly qualified according to the purport and tenour of the Covenant of grace Direct 6. For the right qualifying and modification of our obedience to
like travellers as the rest of the company doth But Sirs If a man be gracious indeed it will settle his spirit upon godliness at all seasons and in whatsoever society If he live in Sodom he will be so far from saying a confederacy with them in their wickedness that in seeing and hearing he will vex his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds 2 Pet. 2.8 Though he dwell in Ahabs family yet he will fear the Lord greatly 1 Kings 18.3 He will own the Lord Christ for his Master in the face of all the world and speak of his testimonies even before Kings and not be ashamed Psal 119.46 This is the second qualification It must be universal obedience 3. That obedience which will evidence your conversion and consequently your union with Christ must be evangelical obedience Such as is suitable to the Covenant of grace into which believers are entred 2 conversation answerable to the dispensation of the Gospel Phil. 1.27 For as there is a slavish fear of God in the heart so there is a legal serving of God in the practise which will no way contribute to the proof of your being ingraffed into Christ That which is evidential thereof must be such obedience as becometh the Gospel of Christ when you serve the Lord evangelically in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter as the distinction is given us Rom. 7.6 Qu. But when is our obedience evangelical I answer It mainly consists in four things 1. When we are active and vigorous in doing all that we can for God and then account it as nothing to gain us acceptation with the Lord. When we are serviceable in our places and duties to advance the honour of Jesus Christ indeavouring to the uttermost the promotion of his interest and then lay all that we have done at his feet expecting our acceptance reward purely upon the account of his bloud When we labour to be intent upon the works of personal righteousness and then underwrite with our hearts That we are unprofitable servants and lay the whole stress of our salvation upon the righteousness of the Lord Jesus This is Gospel-service when we lay all our sacrifices upon the Gospel-altar that they may be sanctified thereby and place no manner of confidence in what is done by us but in the obedience and sufferings of Christ for us Phil. 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh As if he had said We labour to serve God in the purest manner and offer up unto him the best that we have but then we dare not put the least stress upon it but all our confidence is in Christ it is of him we boast and not of our holiness We give all diligence in point of performance but are nothing in our selves in point of dependance And we are the circumcision we are Israelites indeed who have our hearts circumcised A legal frame of spirit goeth to God in duty and then expects a blessing for his duties sake and thus a sinner may toyl all his life time in a round of duty and be very far from the kingdom of God Then we obey evangelically when we do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Col. 3.17 2. Then is our obedience Gospel-service indeed when it is performed in Gospel strength i. e. not by our own abilities but by vertue derived from Christ and in an humble dependance upon the assistance of his Spirit That is a legal way of obedience when a person brings forth fruit unto himself and when he acts therein from himself When he goeth in his own might and power to grapple with sin and strive against temptations and to keep the Law of God But a Believer is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and here is the evidence of a sincere convert Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh you shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Mark it It is not said if you make resolutions against sin and set against the workings of corruption But if you mortifie them through the spirit then it is a sign you are quickned and made alive by the holy Ghost and that you shall live for ever in the presence of God 3. Evangelical obedience is that which is according to the evangelical pattern viz. the life of Christ When a Christian doth study to be a follower of him and to tread in his steps and to imitate the Lord Jesus by endeavouring to write after the copy which he hath set before us in doing and suffering the will of God This is the obedience which will evidence our union with him and interest in him 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked He that saith he is in him that is He that saith so truly and as the matter is in reality He that would not appear to be a lyar in what he pretendeth to and to boast of what he hath no saving interest in must walk according to our Saviour's example 4. Evangelical obedience is that which is tendered upon evangelical motives and considerations When we are diligent and industrious in the service of God because our hearts are drawn forth in love towards him and we are sensible of his goodness in sending his only begotten Son to die in the behalf of lost sinners and in making known the mystery of Christ unto us and giving us promises of salvation through him * Amor meus est pondus meum Eoâ—feror quocunque feror Aug. For although it is not only permissively lawful for a believer but also a duty incumbent upon him to make use of the consideration of the wrath of God to quicken him in the wayes of holiness Luke 12.5 Yet he doth not serve the Lord meerly out of fear of his wrath But the love of God doth constrain him and his affections towards God are a forcible restraint to keep him from displeasing the Lord who hath been so gracious unto him Hos 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes i.e. Upon this very account they shall be cautious not to sin against him because he hath dealt so bountifully with them This is the third qualification it must be evangelical obedience 4. If you would prove your conversion and union with Christ by the holiness of your conversation and new obedience you must look to it that it be sincere obedience done in the singleness and godly simplicity of your hearts You must serve the Lord as in the sight of the Lord and with a pure eye of respect unto the advancement of his glory and in order to your blessedness in the enjoyment of him and communion with him For in those two things doth consist much of the nature of sincerity 1.
shall be stronger and stronger Prov. 4.18 The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Here is that sort of obedience which will evidence your ingrafture into Christ When you are freed from sin so as to be daily striving after greater freedom and getting more ground upon your corruptions When you are not only active for God but still aspiring after further activity and delight in doing the will of God and the rendring your selves more serviceable unto him For although a true Believer doth not alwayes thrive sensibly and perceptibly but may rather seem in his own apprehensions to decay and go backward nor doth he at all times thrive really yet it is the main bent of his spirit and the earnest breathings of his soul are that he may make a continued progress in the course of godliness He never resteth satisfied with any measures attained but is still endeavouring after more As he blesseth God for the least dram of grace conferred upon him so he is ambitious to get into the uppermost form of Christs Scholars And here is the note of oneness with Christ For Joh 15.2 Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit 6. It must be stedfast obedience and continued unto the end When a soul doth give up himself to the Lord to be his servant perpetually and everlastingly without limitation of time When he is fully determined through the assistance of the Spirit that whatever comes of it this God he will serve and the advancement of his glory he will carry on and the way of holiness he will travel in and through grace nothing shall divert him from his course When a mans ear is bored so as to serve the Lord for ever as the expression of Christ is Psal 40.6 Mine ear hast thou opened or mine ear hast thou bored It is in allusion as some think to the ceremonial Law in the case of servants * Non alienum omnino quod quidam è nostris putant videri respexesse Davidem ad consuetudinem olim usitatam in populo Hebraeo ut servo sponte permanenti in servitute nec admittere volenti libertatem quae septimo quoque anno servis offerebatur auris subula perforaretur Ac dicere voluisse habebis me perpetuum tibi addictum servum c. Sim. de Muis in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si dicendo dixerit Exod. 21.5 6. If the servant shall say plainly I love my Master my wife and my children I will not go out free Then his Master shall bring him unto the Judges he shall also bring him to the door or to the door post and his Master shall bore his ear through with an awl and he shall serve him for ever So Christ gave up himself to serve the Lord for ever He was not rebellious neither did he turn back And thus must a Believer do if he will prove that he is in Christ He must have his ear bored to serve the Lord for ever If saying he shall say as the Hebrew phrase is * Non alienum omnino quod quidam è nostris putant videri respexesse Davidem ad consuetudinem olim usitatam in populo Hebraeo ut servo sponte permanenti in servitute nec admittere volenti libertatem quae septimo quoque anno servis offerebatur auris subula perforaretur Ac dicere voluisse habebis me perpetuum tibi addictum servum c. Sim. de Muis in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si dicendo dixerit If he shall speak it truly and unfeignedly in the very inwards of his soul If his heart shall suâ—scribe unto it I love my Master I will not go free I love the Lord and the desire of my soul is towards him I will serve him perpetually and abide in his family for ever and accordingly doth perform it Here is such obedience and service as will evidence union with Jesus Christ Heb. 3.6 Whose house are we i.e. then it is clear and evident that we are Christs house and temple that he dwelleth in us and we have fellowship with him if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end So much for the sixth Rule of direction To shew you how your obedience must be qualified that it may be produced as a proof of your conversion and consequentially of your union with Jesus Christ Direct 7. This examination of your selves touching your holiness and new obedience as the evidence of your regeneration and union with Christ thereupon if it be done successfully and effectually must be set upon solemnly with the best intention of spirit It is not enough to take a transient view of our selves and to pass over cursorily in an observation of our own souls But if we would perform this work to purpose we must sit down and consider how the case stands with us We must set a covenient time apart particularly to this end of entring into a serious debate with our selves and making a narrow scrutinity into the frame of our hearts and the tenour of our conversations As one that would buy an house or a tenement doth not only cast a glance upon it as he rideth by the way that is not enough to give him a full knowledge of it But he will take a day on purpose to view it and openeth the doors and entereth into the house and passeth from one room to another and from one corner to another So if we would get a clear knowledg of our spiritual estate we must not think it enough to take a general view of our selves obiter and by the by but we must set time apart and gather our spirits together to look wistly into every corner we must take particulars asunder and search heedfully and intentively into each of them And the reason of it is very apparent Because the heart of man is deep and except it be searched throughly we shall never dive into the bottom or entrals of it Psal 64.6 The spirit of fallen man is exceedingly treacherous and deceitful Jer. 17.9 So that unless we trace it narrowly in all its steps and follow after it in to all its subterfuges and hiding places it will escape our cognizance and be apt to impose upon us in the business of salvation It is to be feared that many enter slightly upon the work of self-examination and quickly slubber it over in a carless and superficial manner and that is the very reason why they never bring matters to an issue or determinate conclusion in this case For it is a work to be performed with the greatest cautelousness diligence and deliberation and with earnest prayer to the Lord that he may discover to us those intricacies and labyrinths wherein our guilful spirits are apt to hide themselves This is the seventh Rule of Advice Direct 8. Mind this word of counsel in the last place That if a
person upon the most serious and deliberate examination of himself be still left in the dark as to his union with Christ for want of clear evidences of his conversion The way to make sure work in this behalf and to put the matter out of question is to put forth immediately fresh acts of faith upon the righteousness of Christ for salvation to renew his repentance as to the evil of sin to make a fresh surrender of himself into the hands of God upon the terms of the Covenant of grace and to enter presently upon the course of new obedience * Conscientiae meritò perturbatae haec unica est ratio pacanda Si qui sic afficicur adduci possit in illum statum per veram fidem resipiscentiam ut assumptio syllogismi illius quo turbatus fait merito incipiat esse falsa jure negetur Ames Thes de consc These Sirs are those acts which the principle of regeneration doth first exert and put forth when it is planted into the soul and these spiritual acts are often reiterated and repeated by the souls of such as are converted So that if you were before effectually called these will be the renewings of your conversion and if you were formerly unconverted yet hereby it will be evident that you continue such no longer But that through grace now the work is wrought These being the immediate products of the grace of conversion I will a little open this word of Advice in relation to each of the particulars asunder 1. Act your faith afresh upon the Lord Christ and his righteousness Endeavour in the sense of the greatness of the evil of your sins and apprehension of the insupportableness of the wrath of God deserved by sin in the due acknowledgment of the justice of God that must be satisfied and the insufficiency of all your personal qualifications and obedience to give satisfaction thereunto to cast your selves upon Christ's righteousness to put your selves for redemption into his hands and to accept him for your Saviour upon the terms of the Gospel This is to believe in Jesus and if it be done now in sincerity and truth it will be a comfortable evidence that either you were formerly united unto Christ or else that at the present the knot is tyed betwixt him and your souls See the words of our Saviour Joh. 12.46 I am come as a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness Only take the advice with this provise See to it that you do not mistake in the nature of faith that you do not take a dead faith for a living nor an hypocritical counterfeit faith for the faith of God's elect And then if you believe indeed the putting forth that principle into exercise will be as a present evidence that you are gotten into Christ and have a right to the favour of God through his bloud 2. To put the matter out of question touching your conversion and union with Jesus Christ Renew your repentance as to the evil of sin Labour to get such a sight of your transgressions committed against the Lord as may fill you with godly sorrow for them and to be so deeply affected with your own filthiness and pollutions that you may loath your selves and lie down in your shame upon the account of that filthiness Upon taste of the bitterness of your departings from God and the destructive nature of your iniquities let your hearts be set in hatred of them and cast them away from you with utter detestation and abhorrence never to come neer you again as to any reconcilement with them Especially abhor those iniquities which have mostly prevailed over you say unto your lusts get ye hence what have I to do any more with you You have ruined my soul and I will never yield subjection to you further If I have served you hitherto through Gods assistance I will do it no longer This my brethren is repentance according to the Scriptures And if your hearts speak these things in uprightness it will help to demonstrate that you have the grace of repentance and so shall never come into condemnation Only take heed that your hearts do not dissemble and flatter in this work Jer. 31.19 After I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh First Ephraim was made partaker of the grace of conversion and then he doth exercise that grace in a sincere repentance Indeed a legal repentance may be without grace in the heart but this evangelical repentance is the product of grace and an evidence thereof See 2 Pet. 3.9 Luke 15.7 10. 3. To prove that you are converted Make a fresh surrender of your selves into the hands of God upon the articles of the Covenant of grace Resign up your selves anew unto the most High make choice of him for your only portion set your affections upon him as the chiefest good and give up your selves unreservedly to be his servants and to be wholly at his disposal That is another spiritual act which the principle of regeneration doth immediately put forth when it is infused into the soul and if you perform it in the integrity of your hearts it will be an evidence that you are partakers of that principle Isa 44.3 5. I will pour out water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will pour out my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring And then it followeth v. 5. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and firname himself by the name of Israel Mark it Assoon as the Spirit of God is put into the soul that soul doth give up himself unto God and list himself amongst his followers So that as a present proof of your having the spirit of conversion take your hearts along with you and go to the Lord and make a full and fresh refignation of them and of your whole selves into his hands Take with you words and go unto the Lord as it is elsewhere expressed My meaning is this 1. Take with you words of election and choice say unto him O Lord I now take thee to be my God and my Master I will henceforward make thee my refuge and fortress I will set my heart upon thee as my only happiness and exceeding great reward If I have stood it out formerly against the tenders of grace I will stand out no more If I have followed after lying vanities I will follow them no longer Now I make choice of the Lord Behold I come unto thee for thou art my God and I abandon all things that stand in competition with thee This sort of words you shall meet with Jer. 3.22 23. 2. Take with you words of surrender and say unto God O Lord here I am to dedicate my self and my strength and my time and my
measures of confidence But mark it Sirs It is not external communion and brotherhood with the highest rank of Christians that will conduct a sinner to the kingdom of heaven without a spiritual conjunction with Christ himself Many unbelievers went with the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt even a mixt multitude that imbarkt in the same bottom with them and yet never arrived at the Land of promise Judas was in external fellowship with the Apostles and yet the son of perdition The five foolish virgins held society with the wise and were accounted as members of their association and yet the door of heaven was shut against them Mat. 25.1 2 12. If you would have good hopes through grace of your eternal salvation you must be knit to the Captain of salvation If you would enjoy the inheritance you must be espoused to Christ the heir of all things for he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 2. Affirmatively If union with Christ be of such absolute necessity in order to salvation by Christ Then be exhorted with unwearied endeavours to labour after this grace of union Give all diligence to get into Christ Dost thou not perceive there is no salvation without it This is the standing Law of the God of heaven which cannot be reversed or altered That such as will be made partakers of eternal life must be intimately joyned unto the Son of God So that think seriously with thy self what is like to be thy case if thou shouldest depart hence without being ingraffed into Christ Why man It is not all the world can preserve thee from eternal destruction Be not deceived either thou must have the Son of God or pâ—rish irrecoverably for ever under the wrath of God To what purpose is all your knowledge of Christ and the way of salvation through him except you be in him This is the end of the Ministry of the Gospel that you may have an interest in him and grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ Eph. 4.15 In order to the attainment of this foundationmercy let me beseech you to observe and follow these ensuing directions Direct 1. If you would be knit to Christ that you may be saved upon his account labour to work up your hearts unto an utter despair of having salvation upon any lower terms or in any other way whatsoever Press such considerations powerfully upon your spirits as may have a tendency to drive you from taking sanctuary in any other refuge Study to overturn your hopes of getting deliverance by any other means For my Brethren one of the first steps in our motion towards Christ and getting into him is the casting away all hopes of being saved otherwise The holy Ghost doth observe it as the great obstacle and impediment in the way of salvation that sinners do not cast off their presumptuous hopes they see their misery by sin but have secret thoughts in their hearts that they shall have peace notwithstanding Isa 57.10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way yet thou saidst not there is no hope thou hast found out the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved Mark it here was the reason of their continuance in sin because they retained their presumptuous hopes They did bolster up themselves in some groundless confidence of escaping notwithstanding their impenitence They were not humbled for their transgressions because they found out the life of their hand i. e. they still imagined to find some comfort and support ready at hand upon all occasions or sufficient means to strengthen their hand and to yield them succour or they relied upon their own righteousness their legal performances the work of their hands they expected life and salvation from thence But these are vain thoughts and expectations such as must be rejected in order to salvation Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee i. e. thy vain thoughts of being saved at a cheaper rate without being washed * Ego igitur non dubito quin Propheta hic fallaces illas spes designet quibus Judaei obsâ—inatiores erant adversus Deum ut sibi à nullâ poenâ metuerent Calv. in loc and sanctified Many carnal people are offended with us when we preach doctrines of terror and set forth the severity of God towards Christless sinners because as they object this is the way to drive them to despair and to overthrow all their hopes Why man It is the design of our Ministry to drive thee to utter despair of ever being saved without the righteousness of Jesus Christ and of being saved by Christ except you are united to him and made spiritually one with him We would not have you despair of finding mercy with the Lord if you repent and be converted and give up your selves to the Son of God upon the terms of the Gospel But it is that which we drive at to cause you wholly to despair and to cast off all hopes of being saved by the Son except you have the Son This despair will awaken you out of your security and make you restless in spirit till you have gotten into the City of refuge It will make you earnest in prayer unto God and to follow hard after him with a vigorous and unwearied importunity till he hath brought you unto Christ and ingraffed you into him And because I am fallen upon this argument wherein many poor souls are deluded who live in the common practise of sin but will thank God they do not despair not considering that a despair of being saved in an unconverted estate is one of the first steps leading to conversion I will therefore take the liberty to enlarge a little upon this head by shewing you wherein the rock of despair is indeed dangerous and to be avoided and wherein on the other hand we are bound to despair and to cast off all hope that we may diligently prosecute the things that concern our peace And this I will do by giving you five Scripture Theses or Assertions touching this matter 1. Observe That the mercy of God for the acceptance of humble penitent and believing sinners is infinitely great even as his nature and essence and it is an attribute which he taketh special delight in the exercise of So that there is no cause of despair for the most heinous offendors of finding grace and compassion with the Lord if they return unto him in sincerity Though their sins be as scarlet they shall be made white as snow and though they be red like crimson of the deepest colour and aggravated with the most greatning circumstances they shall be as wool Isa 1.18 Hast thou played the harlot with many lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord Jer. 3.1 Have thy sins reached unto the Heavens yea but the mercy of God is above the heavens
being unsearchable as himself for his compassions are himself He is a God of mercy his nature and essence is made up of it Psal 62.12 Hast thou multiplyed thine abominations above what can be reckoned Why his compassions are more than can be numbred Let the wicked for sake his wayes and the man of iniquity his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will multiply to pardon Isa 55.7 But can it ever enter into the heart of a man to think that God will ever pardon such a wretch as I have been may the sinner say Mind what followeth v. 8. He is God and not man his mercies are not to be measured by our scantling For my thoughts are not your thoughts nor your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my wayes higher than your wayes and my thoughts than your thoughts 2. The death and sufferings of Jesus Christ which he underwent for satisfaction of the justice of God are of infinite value and have given plenary content and satisfaction and he is at the right hand of the Father to plead that satisfaction in the behalf of lost sinners So that there is no ground of despair in this respect as if they might be greater offenders than the blood of Jesus could purchase acceptance for He is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 and there is nothing beyond the uttermost If you perish for ever it is not for want of merit in the death of Christ for it was the death of that person who is the eternal God Act. 20.28 It was the death of the man who was God's fellow Zech. 13.7 The Father hath accepted of the price that he paid In him he is well pleased fully contented as to all the demands of his justice Mat. 3.17 Eph. 5.2 So that if you address your selves unto Christ and to God by him you may come with a full assurance of faith without doubting of acceptance though your sins have been never so great and your condition never so deplorable Heb. 10.19 22. That 's the second thing to be observed 3. As our Lord Jesus is able to save the most heinous sinners that come unto him in sincerity so he is as willing to receive them when they come and he will in no wise cast them out As he is mighty in strength so he is tender of heart his arms are open for the entertainment of such as come to him upon Gospel terms and will subject themselves unto his government So that there is no reason to despair of Christ's willingness to become thy Redeemer Here is that at which poor sinners are apt to stick Alas will they say We question not the sufficiency of his merit but will he ever vouchsafe to undertake the patronage and salvation of such a rebel as I have been Nay but O man art thou willing to accept him for thy Saviour and Master and to follow his conduct and to become his Disciple indeed Why he is abundantly more willing to receive thee into his protection He beseecheth sinners to come unto him and therefore surely he will not reject them when they do come 2 Co◠5.20 Yea but I have been a very rebel against heaven will the sinner say for many years together will not this hinder my acceptance Why mark that precious Text Psal 68.18 He hath received gifts for the rebellious also that the Lord God may dwell amongst them Oh but never was there a sinner in such a case as I am will the soul be apt to urge against himself Yet if thou comest unto Christ he will in no case cast thee on t Put the case that thou hast been guilty of the most horrid transgressions put the case that thou hast ran to all excess of riot yet mind that comprehensive word of promise which proceeded out of Christ's own mouth who is the Amen the faithful and true witness Joh. 6.37 All that the father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out It is an asseveration strengthned with a double negative in the original * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if our aviour had said I will not cast him out whosoever he be that cometh unto me Do you question it I tell you I will not You may build upon it with the greatest confidence As he hath elsewhere confirmed the promise of not forsaking those that are in him I will never never never never leave thee nor forsake thee * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.5 So here he hath strengthened the promise of not refusing such as come unto him I will not reject them I assure you saith Christ I will not So that nothing can stand in the way of mans salvation to hinder the accomplishment of it but his own wilful impenitence and unbelief These are the cases wherein there is not the least ground of desperation in any broken-hearted sinner whomsoever the Gospel hath provided plentiful remedy against it 4. Note in the fourth place That the high-way which leadeth the children of men to this damnable despair and so to give up themselves to commit iniquity with greediness is not doctrines of terror to the impenitent but presumptuously sinning against the Lord. When persons will walk contrary to the light of their own consciences and the clear dictates of the word of God and suffer their vile affections to suppress and stifle the convictions wrought upon their hearts this is the direct path that tends to desperation I pray mind it Sirs Poor ignorant people are very much deluded in this particular When they hear doctrines of wrath and judgment to come and everlasting destruction prepared for the workers of iniquity they presently cry out against the Ministers These are Preachers of damnation they would drive us to despair Nay but O vain man those doctrines tend to shew you the necessity of Christ and getting an interest in him and to cause you to despair in your selves which is a good step to salvation It is rebelling against the light and sinning against knowledge which make way for damnable despair What made Cain despair but because he had wickedly and wilfully departed from the Lord and trampled the commandment under his feet What brought Judas to despair but forcing down the dictates of his own light and conscience And you read of the people in Isaiah They roared like Bears in the agony of their Ipirits because they had gone on to sin against knowledge Isa 59.10 11 12. 5. But then in the last place There are four cases wherein I would quicken you to despair and to press such arguments upon your hearts as may be influential to incline you thereunto And without such kind of despairing you will never effectually mind the working out your salvation 1. You must despair of ever coming to the kingdom of heaven hereafter unless
non omnibus sed iis qui in illum aspiciebant Non quod aspectus medicamentum esset sed quod virtus serpentis per aspectum in iis sanitatem operaretur Ita Christas in cruce exaltatus virtutem passionis suae in iis exercet qui credunt in ipsum Tolet. in Rom. 3. Rom. 3.24 25. Faith doth not justifie a sinner as the hand of a labourer doth enrich him but as the hand of a beggar * Non ut manus laborantis sed ut manus mendicantis Fidem dicimus justificare correlativè hoc est per modum instrumenti quod justitiam evangelicam extra nos in Christo constitutam apprehendit nobis applicat Wendel system majus who is enriched by a free gift which he receiveth with his hand We are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by virtue of the satisfaction which he hath made faith only doth knit us legally unto Christ and implant us into him that we may receive the benefit of that satisfaction 1 Cor. 6.11 Act. 13.39 Rom. 5.1 9 10. 2. Set upon the discharge of those duties which are upon this account to be discharged That is to say 1. Bless the Lord for the manifestation of this great mystery and that your lot is fallen in such times and places when and where it is discovered and set open before your eyes For as the Apostle speaketh It is a mystery which hath been kept hid from ages and generations but is now made manifest unto his Saints To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1.26 27 28. 2. Adore the condescention and grace of our Lord Jesus who was pleased to humble himself to come down to us that we might be exalted unto a state of oneness with him Especially if thou art partaker of this grace how should thy heart be ravished in the contemplation of it Thou shouldst be ready to cry out with an holy astonishment of Spirit as David in another case 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord God my Redeemer and my Saviour Where is any loveliness in my person or what have I deserved at thy hands that thou hast brought me hitherto 3. Take heed to your selves that you do not fall short of this grace and priviledge Labour every day more and more to clear it up to the consolation of your hearts that you have the Son by being united unto the Son And to that purpose besides what hath been mentioned already seriously weigh and ponder these three further evidential properties of such as are in Jesus 1. If you be knit unto Christ you will be sharers with him in all his concernments You will be affected with his interest and affairs as if it were your own If Christ be advanced it will rejoyce your hearts and if his name be dishonoured or his glory be ecclipsed it will bring trouble and sadness upon your spirits If you are in Christ you will joyn interests with him and you will have * Amici sunt qui simul laetantur commodis contristantur adversis quibus eadem bona malae sunt qui sunt iisdem amici inimici common friends and enemies with the Lord Jesus You will be able to say in a measure with Paul it matters not what becomes of my secular concernments so that Christ be magnified Phil. 1.20 And with David The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me And in another place Do not I hate them that hate thee O Lord Am not I grieved with them that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Psal 139.21 22. 2. If you are ingraffed into Christ you will not walk in any way of ungodliness whatsoever For whosoever abideth in him sinneth not i.e. he doth not sin allowedly and presumptuously at the rate as wicked men sin Compare 1 Joh. 3.6 with 2 Sam. 22.22 23. 3. Lastly If you are united to the Son of God you will not only readily close with his word but continue stedfast and unmoveable therein unto the end Joh. 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you 1 Joh. 2.5 Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected Hereby we know that we are in him Whoso keepeth his word that is he that hideth it as a treasure in his heart and walketh by the guidance of it in his wayes and will not part with the word nor with the way of holiness therein prescribed notwithstanding all assaults and opp sitions of men and devils In him verily is the love of God perfected i.e. then it doth appear to be love of the right kind and then it hath attained its end which is the perfection of it For to this end is the grace of love planted in the hearts of Christs seed that they may cheerfully obey his word and precepts and stick close thereunto at all times and seasons Hereby we know that we are in him that is If we keep his word and stedfastly cleave unto Christ and to the doctrines which he hath taught For as it is in the second Epistle of John v. 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he both hath the Father and the Son Orig. hom in Gen. cap. 19. Si vis amplecti amplectere sapientiam dic sapientiam sororem tuam esse ut sapientia dicat de te Qui fecerit voluntatem Patris mei qui est in coelis hic meus frater soror mater est Quae sapientia Jesus Christus Dominus noster est cui est gloria imperium in secula seculorum Amen FINIS Courteous Reader By reason of the Authors absence from the Press many literal mistakes and some errors in pointing have happened for which a pardon of course is expected Such Errata as most disturb or alter the sense are here noted Errata PAge 2. The quotation is by the Printer misplaced p 6. l 6. for either r. one p. 22. l. 10 for compare r. comport p. 36. l. 27. r. are p. 37. l. 25. and in some other places for closs r. close p. 40. l. 22. dele un p. 61. l. 17. r. distinguished p. 85. l. 26. r. into p. 94. l. 29. r. him p. 106. in the quotation r. tentat p. 118 l. 2. r. from p. 135. l. 27. dele q.d. p. 136. l. 23. r. Temporary p. 137. l. 10. dele who in the quotation r. testes p. 149. l. 8. r. in both l. 26. r. hungring in the quotation r. unimur p. 212. l. 31. r. naturally p. 219. l. 2. l. 6 for might r. may p. 239. l. 17. r. the p. 253. In the quotation
mention upon this account is taken from the union between the foundation and the building erected thereupon They are coupled together and knit into one so as to make up one house So the servants of Christ are knit unto him being built upon him 1 Cor. 3.9 11. Ye are God's building Upon what foundation are they built See v. 11. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ Believers then are as a fabrique erected upon Christ and cemented unto him A little to unfold this resemblance I will only mind you of three things 1. The holy Ghost doth make mention in the records of the Scripture of a twofold foundation with reference to the Church 1. A doctrinal foundation 2. A personal foundation 1. A doctrinal foundation whereupon our faith is to be bottomed as upon an infallible and unmoveable ground This foundation is the Scriptures the doctrines contained in the Bible the Word of God therein revealed and in that way made known unto the children of men Eph. 2.20 Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that is Upon the doctrines contained in the Old and New Testament whereof the Prophets and Apostles were the publishers and the penmen by whom as instruments the mind of God was transmitted to succeeding generations * Gubernabit te verbum Dei ad portum coelorum te adducet spiritus sanctus Our faith Sirs is not to be bottomed on the dictates of men or the traditions of our fathers for then it would be a fickle unstable uncertain faith But it is to be built on the sure word of Prophecy The doctrines of the Bible are to be the foundation of it In this respect our Lord Jesus Christ is compared to the chief corner stone He is the principal subject whereof the Scripture treats and whereunto the doctrines tend they are appointed to discover Christ unto us and to bring us unto him and to build us up in him He is the person in whom the strength of the building lieth and through whom the two walls of the building are joyned together Jews and Gentiles are made up into one house and Church as the sides of a building are coupled together by the corner stone 2. There is a personal or essential foundation upon whom a Believer depends for life and salvation by whom the Church subsisteth and through whom it is constituted as a temple for God Thus Christ is the foundation and every Saint is a stone in the building founded upon him Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation Which the holy Ghost expoundeth once and again as meant of Jesus Christ And it is an excellent passage containing abundant matter of incouragement for humbled sinners to come unto Christ and to rest upon him 1. He is a Saviour of Gods appointment sufficiently authorized to be the Mediator so that if you come to God by him he will not reject you for it is the Lord 's doing to constitute him to be our Redeemer it is the way which God himself hath set open to bring sinners to salvation He is the foundation which the Lord hath laid I lay in Sion for a foundation 2. For the qualification of his person he is mighty to save able to deliver to the uttermost He is not as sand or gravel by which the building cannot be supported but a stone or rock which noteth the stability and strength of Jesus Christ he is able to bear whatever weight is laid upon him No winds or storms from earth or hell can prevail to overturn what is built upon him And this ariseth from the constitution of his person being very God as well as man 3. He is a tryed stone Do you yet question his sufficiency to save you Are you still in doubt whether you may trust in him Why do but mind the experience which he hath given of his ability he is a tryed stone Eve hath tryed him and Enoch tryed him and Noah and Abraham and David and Solomon and all the people of God in former ages have made the experiment and their expectations were not frustrated they found him such a one as he is discovered to be He is a stone of trial a foundation of proof a sure foundation 4. This is that which God would have sinners to take notice of Behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone c. q. d. Hear O people and give ear all ye inhabitants of the earth mind what I have done to carry on the salvation of sinners And to what end is this publication made but that we might come unto Christ and unto God by him with full assurance of faith This is the first particular I would observe under this similitude 2. This resemblance doth import That all such persons whatsoever who are knit unto Christ and built up to salvation upon his righteousness must of necessity be made conformable unto him There must be an answerableness betwixt them As the foundation is the supporter of the building so it is a rule and measure unto the building The stones which are set upon it must be proportioned thereunto the superstructure must be of length and breadth according to the foundation So it is in the spiritual building The souls of Believers who are joyned to Christ must bear a proportion to him with whom they are joyned This is the Statute-Law of the God of heaven and it is more unalterable and irrevocable than the Laws of the Medes and Persians That there is no saving interest in Christ without conformity to him Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son Mark It is the unchangable decree of the Lord of Hosts If you are saved in any other way or at a cheaper rate it must be by the alteration of God's decrees which are unchangeable as his nature and essence without any variableness or shadow of turning As Christ could never have been our Redeemer but he must be made like unto us so we shall never taste of the Redemption purchased by him unless â—e be made like unto him This conformity of a Believer to the Lord Jesus Christ doth mainly lie in five things viz. 1. The qualifications of his â—erson 2. The sufferings of his death 3. His resurrection and ascension into heaven 4. The holiness of his conversation 5. The troubles and persecutions which he underwent upon the earth 1. Believers must be made like unto Chist in the qualifications of his person Their judgments must concenter with Christ's judgment in the approbation of such things as he approveth and disapproving those things which he disliketh Their affections must run in the same chanel wherein Christ's affections run loving what he loveth and hating what he hateth and delighting in that wherein he taketh delight Their minds must be placed on the same objects on which