to take the shield of faith a sheeld is for defence so this faith both defends and resists the Devill Quest But how doth faith overcome Ans It ever hath an eye to the foundation Christ it knows the foundation standeth sure and so it turns over the devill the false conclusion that the devill and the heart is ready to make together to Christ and now the soule sayth it is true Satan or it is true heart I am base I have a vile cursed nature I cannot pray nor performe any duty as I should sin is in my best action I confesse I am in my selfe as bad as man or devill can make not a worse heart in the world more subject to evill farther then God restrains it more unable to doe good farther then God inables and what of all this Satan I know there is enough to condemne me for ever were I to answer in mine own person for my selfe but Christ hath been condemned for me Satan he hath borne all my sins and so my condemnation and he hath made himselfe over to me so that now thou must first have something against Christ before thou canst shake my hold and thus by faith flying to Christ the soule overcomes the enemy but if the soule cannot thus have recourse to the Lord Jesus he is gone when the tempter comes he is not able to resist Then sayth the beleeving soule it is true Satan I have a proud self seeking heart ready ever to take that honour to it selfe that is due to God but it is as true that I may thank thee for it who hast thus metamorphozed my nature and made it like thine own and not onely so but commest in and ever stirrost up the heart to pride and selfe-seeking knowing well by experience that it is a sin that much provokes God but this is my mercie God lets me see into this depth of wickednesse and it is my burthen but Christ hath freed me from the power of it and from the iniquity of it hee is ever subduing it in me and one day I shall for ever be freed both from it and thee thus by faith the soule overcomes the devill this is the first particular wherein the Christian comes to liue by faith in the exercising of it according to the manyfold occasions it meets withall 2 To live by faith is a living upon Christ in the want of all things and that both externall and internall 1 Externall in the want of outward things when the creature is tripped naked and bare brought even to a morsell of bread then to live in beleeving the Lord will care for you when that you are brought to Christs condition that you have neither house nor home nor any thing in the world besides a Christ besides a God to live upon then when thou canst get a promise as that Heb. 13.5 He hath sayd I will not fail thee nor for sake thee and stick close to the Lord Jesus in such a promise this is a living by faith when the creature fails Hab. 3.17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vine the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no therd in the stalls Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation This is to live by faith when all creatures fail then to live upon God then to rejoyce in the Lord believing that God is able and will help the Lord will sustain The want of this faith was Israels sin Psal 78.18 19. they spake against God and sayd Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse how is the deceitfull heart of man ready to distrust God in such a condition as those Jews can God prepare a table when all is gone but faith in such a condition believes and lives by blieving and the Lord will care for moe sayth the soule and the Lord hath sayd it The lions shall luck and suffer hunger but they that wait upon the Lord shall want nothing that is good This is a hard thing it is easily sayd but not so easily done you thinke it is easie perhaps to live by faith while you have a house a calling that brings you in money perhaps every day or every week or money by you or land c. you can live comfortably upon Christ and your calling upon Christ and your house or land but let all be taken from thee see then how then canst live this may be your condition and then you will be put to the tryall 2 Spiritually when the soule hath nothing of its own to rest upon when duties and performances and all is gone then to believe and live by believing this is to live by faith indeed upon this ground the soule believes Rom. 4.4.5 He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnesse he that worketh not he that cannot performe one acceptable duty in way of righteousnesse but sees all is nothing yet believes in Christ and so lives by believing this is the constant stay of a believer he eversees his own emptinesse the untighteousnesse of his best actions I say to believe in and to live upon Christ in all such conditions it is to live by faith above duties and performances but how doe many a professing man and woman comfort themselves in the performing of duties in their inlargement in duty and the like but when they fail in this then they call all in question again this faith was not right for they thinke they believe because they can pray and meditate c. when indeed the soul that rightly believes doth believe because he cannot pray nor act or doe any thing that is acceptable and therefore he cannot live by faith but when that power he has to performe duty fails his faith and all fails this is not to live by faith yet this hath been the life of most professours in this Nation 3 A living by faith it is to live by beleeving of what the soule shall one day enjoy and this mightily bears up the spirits of the Saints And this we may take notice of under a threefold consideration 1 That which the gracious soule longs most after is the full enjoyment of God nothing lesse can satisfie the believing soule the soule that hath tasted how gracious the Lord is O sayth the Soule when shall I come to the full enjoyment of my God and so the seule groanes as the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.2 earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with the house from heaven and the reason is ver 7. for while we are here we walke that is live by faith and not by sense while we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord that is absent comparatively with relation to what it shall be for the soule has but a glimpse of glory but a
tells them that he is their life and their light their justification reconciliation and peace and hee tells them in the dark in secret that there is no light or life to be attained in any creature or thing beneath the Lord Jesus and Christ having called them to it this they are to speak in the light and to preach it upon the house tops that is publikely to make it known to all that men through the blessing of God may come to the sight of it This was the commission Christ gave to his Disciples to lift up Christ for justification and life in the preaching of the Gospel see Luke 24.47 compared with Mar. 16.16 17 In Luke the Text sayes And that repent once and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all Nations And in Marke Goe preach the Gospel to every creature hee that believeth and is baptized shall be saved c. Note In the first remission of sins is to be preached in the second salvation through believing and both these in Christ remission of sins in the name of Christ salvation and life through believing in Christ who is the alone justification of believers so that justification remission of sins c. through Christ is to be held forth to the view of the soule that the soule who is a sinner may by the power of God come to see the Sonne that is to see that remission of sins that justification that is held forth in Christ and so come to be made partakers of it This you shall see farther confirmed by a second word from heaven Act. 5.20 Goe stand speak in the Temple all the words of this life that is all the words of the Gospel of Christ the means God hath appointed by the workings of his Spirit to discover life unto the soules of men And secondly as Christ thus requires it so likewise the Apostles practice it you shal ever finde them exalting Christ so the Apostle Peter Act. 4.12 exalts Christ to the heavens above all Neither is there salvation in any others for there is none other name given under heaven among men whereby we may be saved but by the name of Jesus Harke you beloved friends here is Christ exalted his name above every name for the remission of sins salvation and thus is Christ to be exalted above all duties creatures every thing Act. 5.42 and daily in the Temple and every house they ceased not to preach and teach Iesus What did they teach and preach of Jesus they preach justification by Jesus in opposition to all legall righteousnesse Act. 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which yee could not be justified by the law of Moses This is the Sermon beloved the Apostles preached Iesus Christ dying and rising again 1 Cor. 15.3 4. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures this the Apostle Paul preached first of all unto them justification and life by Christ Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification that he dyed for sin and was raised again for justification this is the first Sermon you see the Apostle preaches and it is that he is ever indeavouring to make it more abundantly clear to the soules of the Saints Rom. 10.4 He is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to all them that believe Rom. 3.20 And that by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Iesus for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Thus beloved you see the Disciples of Christ they cease not to teach and preach Iesus that Christ is indeed the Mesiah promised Act. 9.22 the very Christ that he died and rose again for our justification that the Saints participate of this justification and life by faith in his bloud thus the Apostle Peter came preaching and exalting Christ for remission of sins Act. 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance and remission of sins according to Christs commission Luke 24 47. so is the Apostles practice preaching peace by Jesus Christ Act. 10.36 Who is Lord of all Note And this they preached as the command of Christ beloved and not as the idle fancie of their own brain as the servants of Christ are now charged by those ignorant of the righteousnesse of God going about to establish a righteousnesse of their own Rom. 10.3 but beloved they and so we that are the Ministers of Christ thus exalt Christ preach justification and peace by Christ by the command of God so Act. 10.42 43. And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it was he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead and to him all the Prophets give witnesse that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall have remission of sins Note beloved this is the command of God where is it commanded why Mar. 16.16 17. he that believeth shall be saved that is shall have his sins pardoned his person justified and so be everlastingly saved that is by faith the soule comes to eye it and apply it to see it and to hand it for beloved the word saved implies all that free and full salvation held forth in Christ to believers which is a salvation from all their enemies Luke 1.71 That wee should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us but especially and in the first place that wee shall be saved from sin that we might through faith in his bloud receive remission of sins be saved from sin for this Jesus signifies a Saviour see a blessed word Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sins and this salvation God hath commanded to be preached this remission and salvation the Prophet witnesseth Ier. 31.34 speaking of the Covenant of grace the Gospel Covenant he sayth For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more c. and this remission of sin is to be preached among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem and Luke 4.47 and in some measure this hath and shal be performed Act. 13.46 47 48 2 Christ is to be exalted and lifted as in the preaching of the Gospel so in the hearts of believers which I shall indeavour to speak a word unto before I come to speak of Christs exaltation in his offices I say he is highly exalted and lifted up in the hearts of all that rightly believe in him so the Apostle Paul desires to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 and indeed beloved hee that rightly knows Christ crucified knows enough therefore the same
have been as likely to fall away as Adam nay and more likely for there is a body of sin left still in the Saints matter for the Deuill to work upon but Adam was without sin therefore there is no possibility for that man to stand that stands upon his owne strength But it is in the strength of Christ the believer stands without me ye can do nothing Iohn 15.5 You cannot pray or perform any duty acceptably Rom. 8.26 much lesse stand and hold out to the end against all spirituall oppositions a Christian is to encounter withall The fifth and last reason why Christ teacheth this grace of self denyall to the Saints is that so they might live in love and peace one with another If every Saint should seeke to please himself and love himselfe and to have his own will in every thing how is it possible love and peace should be continued amongst the Saints if there should not be a bearing with and forbearing one with another if the strong should not beare the infirmities of the weak and not please themselves but God hath so tempered the body together that they should all seek the good of each other in love that there should be no Schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another as of themselves 1 Cor. 12.25 that every one might secke not their own but one anothers good That they might all grow up together a compleat body a holy temple in the Lord. Use 1 A word of examination and tryall hath Christ bin thy Prophet hath he taught thee this lesson of self denyall this is a very needfull use not only for carnall men but for Saints it was the exhortation of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves prove your selves know you not Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Christ is in every Saint and if there what doth he there Surely hee is not there for nought he will be ever teaching the soul hee will be there as they Prophet shewing thee the way thou shalt walk in Consider a little now I beseech thee hath Christ taught thee to deny thy owne righteousnesse canst look upon it all as filthinesse or else art thou stuffed and filled with thine own righteousnesse lifted up as high as the heavens in thine own conceit like the proud Pharisee I thank God I am not as bad as other men I pray and performe duty I have a good heart and as good a mind to God as any man If this be thy condition the Lord Iesus hath never been thy Prophet thou art yet in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity Thousayst thou art rich and wantest nothing when the truth is if the Lord open thine eyes to see it thou art poore and miserable and wretched and blind and naked Hath Christ taught thee to deny vngodlines and sin or else canst thou take pleasure in unrighteousnesse I dare say it that some there are in the world that have high thoughts of of themselves yet indeed make a mocke of sin take pleasure in unrighteousnesse if this be thy condition the Lord Christ hath never taught thy soule 2 Pet. 1.9 Christ teacheth to be holy and humble hee gives power against sin and Iust 1 Cor. 6.9.10 11. Consider you who have been taught of God hath hee taught your souls this lesson to deny your owne wisdome will end strength and all to lay down all as nothing at the feet of Jesus The Lord help you and I a little now to examine our selves how much of self yet remayns self wisdome self glorying and boasting self love self ends O how doth the Devill crowd in these things into the soules of the Saints the Lord help you and I to see it and give us power against it certainly if it be with your souls as it is with mee you have some experience of these things hardly can you performe any duty but self will present it selfe to your view in one shape or another Now where Christ teaches he ever sets the soule a work against those sins and causes the soule ever to have high thoughts of it selfe and to have high thoughts of God and of the Saints esteeming every one better then himselfe 2 Wherein you finde you come short in this duty selfe denyall looke up to the Lord for help and assistance it is the Lord that teacheth to profit therefore if you want any thing the exhortation of James is Aske of God who giveth to all men liber ally upbraydeth none Jam. 1.5 For every good gift comes down from God ver 17. Therefore have recourse to heaven make known thy condition to the Lord Jesus this thou maist doe thou oughtest to doe it thou must goe to God and tell him what thou wantest what grace thy soule needs tell him thou hast a poore-selfeseekeing-heart that will not stoppe farther then he bends it and bows it looke to him and he will help thee come unto him and he will ease thee and give thee thy hearts desire Note this one word where God hath begun this work in any measure though you find much of self and it is thy burthen yet here is a ground of comfort for such a soule it is mercy thou seest that evill of self that is in thee and that it is thy burthen The comfort is 1 that Jesus Christ hath beene thy Prophet hee hath taught thee in some measure to deny thy selfe and given thee a desire after the perfection of this grace 2 That where Jesus hath began this work he will finish it he will perfect it to the days of Christ 8 Thou mayst live upon him henceforth and expect teachings from him new manifestations new discoveries of grace and love new influences of power from himself as thou stanlest in need for his own honour the Saints good or thine own consolation Heb. 13.5 Thus much for the first which is Self-deniall 2 Where Christ becomes a Prophet hee eacheth that soule to yield universall obedince to himselfe this is an effect of the teaching of Christ Mat. 28.20 teaching them to observe and doe all things whatsoever I shall say unto you and Acts 3.22 23. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you him shall you heare in all things c. And this obedience Christ doth not only require as he is a King but he teacheth it as he is a Prophet See Esay 54.13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children It is the covenant of grace Heb. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts c. Hee will make them a willing people hee will teach them to yield willing obedience he will teach them to do spirituall things with an appetite with a minde to them now this obedience flows from faith it is a fruit an effect of faith Rom. 1.5 Christ first teacheth faith and then obedience Quest What are
to his diversities of operations and workings keeps this law of sin under in some souls more then in other both the workings of it and the guilt of it Rom 8.2 The law of the spirit of life hath made free from the law of sin and death that is free from the power as it comes with authority as a law there Christ subdues although it wil be there as a rebel reigning yet it shal set up no law in the soul where Christ is Consider of it you that were never troubled about your sins but all things are at peace within you it is a sad signe Christ hath not set up his Kingdome there While the strong man the Devill keeps the house all things are at peace all quiet and so the poore creature lives in a fools Paradise and plcases himself in this condition but beleeve it when the Lord Jesus comes He will sit as a refiner and as a purifier hee will purge out the drosse when hee comes Mal. 3.3 But who may abide the day of his comming he will come with the refiners fire and the fullers sope he comes not to bring peace that is with lust and corruption but the Lord cuts them downe corruption dyes when Christ comes Object But perhaps some soul may object I find indeed some stirring within me some to evill and some motions to good how shall I know that this flows from the Kingdome of Christ set up in my soule or from some other principle Answ There is a conflict betweene the law and naturall conscience and there is a conflict between the spirit of Christ his work in the spirit of the Christian and the flesh corrupt nature and Satan 1 There is a conflict betweene naturall conscience and the law or the minde legally enlightned and the law and this may be in a naturall man or an Hypocrite Thus it was with Judas I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud He saw his sin he had transgressed the law and now hee is troubled not because of his sin as it was a sin but because his conscience now dogs him will not let him rest This conflict may be in the heart of a poor creature and Christ never come there in the way of mercy and the soule deceive and cozen it self thinking Christ is their opposing sin when it is nothing else but the minde of man legally enlightned apprehending wrath and anger from the breach of the law and now walks more circumspectly yeelds more perfectobedience opposes sin as a transgression of the law and so thinks it selfe in a goodly paradise in a fair way for heaven And thus many poor souls deceive themselves and undo their souls everlastingly But perhaps some may say how shall I know the difference between mine one opposing sin from a principall of legall light whether the conflict be betweene naturall conscience and the law or the Kingdome of Christ set up in my soule and sin Answ The conflict betweene naturall conscience and the law it is only from the apprehension of the condemnation of the Law the law saith thou shalt not sin if thou do'st it thou must suffer thou must be condemned conscience enlightned seeing this is cast down and perhaps is much perplexed for sin sets against sin opposeth it with might and mayn and resolves to sin no more and anon sin presents it self and the Law presents it self and then out of doors sin must but why because of the law not because of Christ the law will give it no rest no peace there now to illustrate this by a comparison in these days of war I do not question but there are many in this countrey that are turned Paliamenteers for feare lest the Law seize upon their goods and persons and so they loose all their mindes are so far enlightned that they see it is good to sleepe in a whole skin as they say and hence they can perhaps talk somtimes and do for the Parliament when indeed their mindes are contrary well there comes one whose minde is not so farre enlightned as to seeke their owne externall good while he is here one whom this man loves and could gladly entertain him but for fear of the law he shall be counted and taken for an enemy to the State out of doores this man go none dares entertain him but why not for want of love but for feare beloved I have known the truth of this on the otherside enow And thus it is with this man perhaps the poore creature could be content to entertaine sinne in his bosome lust anger pride c. but no sooner doth sin appeare but the law that appeares conscience that is troubled out must the sin else conscience cannot be quier and so beloved for the quietnesse of conscience who fears eternall flames Esay 33.14 out sin must and an externall conformity follows and so the man is become a Christian It is as a man that hath a loving friend hee brings him to his houfe but the wife will not be satisfied she scolds out must the man else there will be no peace so sin would finde welcome perhaps and kinde entertainment with the man but naturall conscience from the apprehension of the law scolds and threatens and out must the beloved lust else there will be no peace I feare mee many a poore soule split themselves upon this rock But when Christ comes and sets up his Kingdome in the soul he presently writes his law in the heart makes them partakers of the divine nature makes them awilling people and now the conflict is not between the mind and the law but between the spirit and sin were there no law that matters not with the gracious soule it sees such a great disproportion and distance betweene its beloved and sin that there ariseth a bitter enmity between sin and the law of love in the soule of the Saints that the every appearance the very motions of sin as it is sin not as it brings condemnation but as it is filthy polluting contrary to the minde of Christ O the soule hath a continuall loathing of it and thus hee that is born of God sinneth not gives not the least allowance to sin in the very thought the very thought of it is bitter Quest. But what are the effects of this Kingdom of Christ in the souls of the Saints Answ First is the utter subversion and destruction of the Kingdom of Satan and sin for all sin is of the Devill and he that is borne of God sinneth not as you have heard 2 Is the continuall possessing of the soule with the enjoyment of God Christ always dwelling in the heart of the Saints for it is his Kingdom and the presence of Christ makes it heaven 3 Is joy and peace Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with joy and peace through believing And the kingdome of heaven consisteth not in meat and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy spirit Joy unspeakable and full
of glory the soul in whom Christ dwels who lives in the continuall enjoyment of God must needs enjoy much consolation In his presence is fulnesse of joy and at his right hand pleasures for evermore 4 He brings over those in whom he rules to submit to the outward regiment of his Kingdome The second particular propounded is the Kingdome of Christ over the Saints as Christ reigns in so he reigns over the Saints It is this Kingdom in them that brings them in submission to his Kingdom without them and this is a spirituall Kingdom likewise note I pray you this kingdom of Christ is all spirituall likewise 1 There is spirituall matter 2 Spirituall Laws and Institutions 3 Spirituall executions 4 Spirituall ends 1 Christ he is a King he is the King of his people and God will exalt him and manifest him to be King one day Psal 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon the holy hill of Sion Christ is King and he shall reign notwithstanding the opposition of men of great men Why do the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vain things they consult they take counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ Kings and great men and wise learned men they rage they consult they take counsell together against Christ to destroy his Kingdome The most great and learned men in the world at this day rage against the Kingdom of Christ they would set up a Kingdom of their own and then compell men unto it who ever it is that establishes a worship with Laws and Edicts to compell all unto it and to inflict bodily punishments upon all that refuse it or cannot joyn with it doth what in him lyeth absolutely to destroy the Kingdome of Christ over the soule and if men be erroneous and worship contrary to the rule of truth it is Christ himselfe that must judge him and not man he to wit God hath committed all judgment to the Son therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.5 Judge nothing before the time and Jam. 4.11 12. if thou judge another sayth the Apostle thou art not a doer of the law but a judge There is one Lawgiver who is able to save and destroy What art thou that judgest another Note for men to passe a finall sentence is not to doe the minde of Christ but to get into the room of Christ for man to set up a law in matter of worship and compell unto it and judge and condemne body and soule for not submitting is to exalt themselves above Christ and so indeed is Antichristian not but that the Churches of Christ have power to judge and determine of things amongst themselves about the spirituall affairs of Christ and to excommunicate a wilfull offender it is according to the rule to cut him off from every fellowship with the Saints as you shall heare anon but not to destroy his body but the Church of Christ hath nothing to doe to judge or meddle with those that are without 1 Cor. 5.12 13. Therefore if any Church or Magistrate would exercise that power they conceive Christ hath entrusted them in about spirituall Church affaires I humbly conceive that they have nothing to do with those that are not of the same body with them or the same society as many Churches may be in society but those that are without be they Saints be they what they will good or bad they are without to them and what hast thou to doe with them that are without God judgeth them Rom. 14.4 Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own master he standeth or falloth If it be objected that the Church of England is a true Church and all these that absent themselves were members and therefore they are to be dealt with as offending members in the Church This is all can be objected I am sure against them for I think their faithfulnes to the State speaks in the eares of every man almost of reason and therefore the State cannot meddle where there is no Civill law transgressed Therefore for answer to that objection suppose Englands Church were a true Church which will never be proved but I passe it in this place yet can they but proceed according to the rule Christ hath given in Scripture if in this perticular there might be a proceeding according to rule that is to admonish those that are contrary minded if that will not do to excommunicate passe the Church censure upon them this is the furthest that I know can be done by any Church of CHRIST and they are then not to cut them off out of the Land out of the World but to admonish them as brethren 2 Thess 3.15 If such as do not or cannot cōform to the worship prescribed by man should be cut off our of the land out of the world what meanes could then be used for their conversion Is there not still hope while the creature is yet alive and above ground Therefore I conceive it to be unchristian cruelty to judge men in this case never any wee read of but heathens that did the like under the Gospel and Christ hath said Judge not that ye be not judged for with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged Mat. 17.1 2. Jam. 2.13 For hee shall have judgment without mercy that sheweth no mercy Mercilesse men are the miserablest men under Heaven there is no mercy for them God wil deal with them as they deal with others it is both the Law and Prophets to do as we would be done unto Now consider a little I pray thee thou that canst be content in thy heart to persecute those that differ from thee in judgement wouldest thou be content to be so dealt with thy self Doth the Lord Jesus the King of Saints require or accept of any service but that is free and voluntary but I professe Christ you see is King and he shall be exalted King and manifested to be King on day Psal 45.6 with Heb. 1.8 But unto the Son hee sayth thy throne ô God is for ever a Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy kingdome Here is a King a Kingdome a Scepter Christ the King the Saints the Kingdome the Word the Scepter Esay 9.6 7. He is a King and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end that is till there be no more time till time shall cease in this World after he shall give up the Kingdome to the Father and God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Thus you see Christ is King I come in the second place to the Kingdome which is wholy spirituall My kingdom sayth Christ is not of this world 1 The matter of Christs Kingdome is spirituall Saints called out of the world this is the Church the Kingdome of Christ the Saints gathered out of the World by the preaching of the Gospel into the order and fellowship of the Gospel they are Saints although some thinke strange to hear of Saints in
that the name of God be not blasphemed among the Gentiles And likewise how doth it concern you who are members in the kingdom the Church of Christ to carry on the kingly office of Christ in his Church with majesty that so all things may be done in order that so confusion and disorders may be avoided and that every member in particular submit to order and for that end to ordaine officers according to rule the want whereof I conceive is one means of confusion in the Churches and causeth some to breake from all order so much briefly concerning the offices of Christ In all these he is to be exalted now in the dayes of the Gospel Mat. 28.18 19 20. Acts 3.22 23. Now I come to my text for the manner how he is to be exalted as in the preaching of the Gospel and in the hearts of his people in his offices so in my text Hee is to be exalted and lifted up even as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse Now it is true this might have some relation to his lifting up upon the crosse John 12.32 33. and I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto mee now John interprets it in the next verse this hee spake signifying what death hee should dye so that Christ was lifted up upon the crosse chap. 8.28 so hee is still to be lifted up a dying a crucified Christ for sin But he then was and still is to be lifted up as the Serpent was lifted up in the wildernesse First there was the lifting up of the Serpent with the manner of it above all the people 2 The cause of it that whosoever was bitten with the fiery Serpent might look to this brazen Serpent and be cured 1 The lifting up of the Serpent with the manner of it Numb 21 8 9. And the Lord said unto Moses make thee a fiery Serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to passe that every one that is bitten when hee looketh upon it hee shall live verse 9. And Moses made a Serpent of brasse and put it upon a pole and it came to passe that if a Serpent had bitten any man he beheld the Serpent of brasse and lived Here was the lifting up of the Serpent in the wilderness he was lifted up upon a pole above all the people to the end that all that were bitten might behold him so Christ is to be lifted up he is to be exalted above all as the Serpent in the wildernesse and that either in the world or in the Church in the World so hee is to be exalted in the preaching of the Gospel in the view of all above all that so men may come to the view of him and in the Church that so Christ may still have the preheminence 1 He is to be exalted above the world or any creature O how doth the world prevail amongst men nay too much amongst Christians but where Christ comes hee sets the soul above the creature 1 John 5.4 5. Whosoever is borne of God overcommeth the world and this is the victory that overcommeth the world even your faith who is he that overcommeth the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God It is the cleere sight and apprehension of the Lord Jesus that sets the soule above the world the more the soule enjoys of Christ the more it slights things below thus Christ is to be lifted up both in the preaching of the Gospel and in the hearts of the Saints 2 Christ is to be lifted up above duties and all legall righteousnesse thus the Apostle lifts up Christ both in preaching and in his own soule he preached Christ and him onely 1 Cor. 1.1 2. I desire to know that is to make known nothing but Christ and him crucified Christ as the alone justifier of all that believe Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ so that he is just and the justifier of all that believe in Jesus ver 26. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to all that believe Rom. 10.4 Christ justifying believers from all things from which they could not have been justified by the Law of Moses act 13.39 and thus is Christ to be lifted up in the view of all Mar. 16.16 God preach the Gospel to every creature and thus is Christ to be lifted up above all and every name that is or may be named under heaven wherein men usually rest and deceive themselves for There is none other name given under heaven among men whereby we may be saved Act. 4.12 2 In the hearts of the Saints Christ is to be lifted up above all duties legall righteousnesse or any thing that may be named all in the soule of the Christian is laid down as emptinesse nay as dung and drosse at the feet of Christ and the soule glories in nothing else but Christ and him crucified thus Christ is to be exalted and lifted up as upon a pole as the brazen Serpent above every thing or name that may be named under heaven Quest What is the reason that Christ is thus to be exalted Answ 1 Because God hath exalted him and lifted him up for that end and purpose Phil. 2.9 God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name c. God hath given to Christ a high transcendent name a name above every name the name of a Saviour and there is no salvation to be attained without him The desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 That the desire of all his people in every Nation might be to him as the desire of the wife to the husband The King of his people men may come and bow and fall down and worship before him God the Father hath set him up as the ensigne to whom the Nations must come Esay 11.10 as the common Saviour and Gouernour of all Gods elect 2 Christ is to be lifted up that so men may have life by him the serpent was lifted up that whosoever was bit with the fiery serpent might live for the Lord sent fiery serpents amongst the Jews in the wilderness for their sins as you may see Numb 2.6 7. who bit them that they dyed and this was the end that whosoever was bit with the fiery serpent might looke to the brazen Serpent and live Now I am apt to conceive that the fiery serpent holds forth the Law for I finde the Law called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 From his right hand went a firy Law and the brazen Serpent holds forth Christ Now as the fiery serpent did bite the children of Israel for their sin in the wildernesse so the Law who hath nothing but fire in it bites men and when they are bitten of the Law they are to look to Jesus Object It seems then that the preaching of the Law is that prepares for Iesus Answ Nay it is not so for although all men are under the law by nature yet