THE WORKS OF M R Stephen Marshall late Minister of the Gospel at Finching-Field in Essex And since at Ipswitch in Suffolk THE FIRST PART VIZ. I. Of Christ's Intercession And of Sins of Infirmity II. The High Priviledge of Beleevers They are the Sons of God III. Faith the only means spiritually to feed on Christ. IV. Of Self-Denial V. The Saints Duty to keep their Heart in a Good Frame c. VI. The Mystery of Spiritual Life Attested By Ralph Venning Thomas Lye Thomas Jacomb LONDON Printed by Peter Cole and Edward Cole Printers and Book-sellers at the Sign of the Printing-press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1661. BEcause it is usual to abuse Readers in thrusting forth broken Notes under the Names of Authors that are of Repute These are to Attest the following fifty Sermons on several Texts Were Preached by M R Stephen Marshall And are now Published by the most perfect Coppy Ralph Venning Thomas Lye Thomas Jacomb Books Printed by Peter Cole and Edward Cole Printers and Book sellers of London at the Exchange Mr. Burroughs WORKS viz. on Matth. 11. 1 Chirsts call to all those that are Weary and Heavy Laden to come to him for Rest. 2 Christ the Great Teacher of Souls that come to him 3 Christ the Humble Teacher of those that come to him 4 The only Easie way to Heaven 5 The Excellency of holy Courage 6 Gospel Reconciliation 7 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment 8 Gospel-Worship 9 Gospel-Conversation 10 A Treatise of Earthly Mindedness 11 Exposition of the Prophesie of Hosea 12 The Evil of Evils or the exceeding sinfulness of Sin 13 Precious Faith 14 Of Hope 15 Of Walking by Faith Twenty one several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into two Volumes Viz. 1 Scripture Light the most sure Light 2 Christ in Travel 3 A Lifting up for the cast down 4 Sin against the Holy Ghost 5 Sins of Infirmity 6 The fals Apostle tiled and discovered 7 The good and means of Establishment 8 The great things Faith can do 9 The great things Faith can suffer 10 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holyness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 11 Satans power to Tempt and Christs Love to and Care of his People under Temptation 12 Thankfulness required in every Condition 13 Grace for Grace 14 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Naturall Impossibilities 15 Evangelical Repentance 16 The Spiritual Life and in being of Christ in al Beleevers 17 The Woman of Canaan 18 The Saints Hiding place c 19 Christ Coming c. 20 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 21 Grace and Love beyond Gifts New Books of Mr. Sydrach Simpson VIZ. 1 Of Unbelief or the want of readiness to lay hold on the comfort given by Christ. 2 Not goâ—ing to Christ for Life and Salvation is an exceeding great Sin yet Pardonable 3 Of Fâ—ith Or That beleeving is receiving Christ And receiving Christ is beleeving 4 Of Coveteousness Mr. Hookers New Books in three Volumes One in Octavo and two in Quarto These Eleven New Books of Mr. Thomas Hooâ—ker made in New-Edgland Are attested in an Epistle by Mr. Thomas Goodwin and Mr. Philip Nye To be written with the Authors own hand None being written by himself before One Volum being a Comment upon Christ's last Prayer on the seventeenth of John Wherein is shewed 1 That the end why the Saints receive all glorious Gâ—ace is That they may be one as the Father and Christ are one 2 That God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ 3 That our Savior desireth to have the Faithful in Heaven with himself 4 That the happiness of our being in Heaven is to see Christs Glory 5 That there is much wanting in the knowledg of Gods Love in the most able Saints 6 That the Lord Christ lends dayly direction according to the dayly need of his Servants 7 That it is the desire and endeavor of our Savior that the dearest of Gods Love which was bestowed on himself should be given to his faithful servants 8 That our Union and Communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven Ten Books of the Application of Redemption by the Effectual Work of the Word and Spirit of Christ for the bringing home of lost sinners to God By Thomas Hooker D. Hills WORKS The Kings Tryal at the High Court of Justice Wise Virgin Published by Mr. Thomas Weld of New-England Mr. Rogers on Naaman the Syrian his Disease and Cure Discovering the Leprosie of Sin and Self-love with the Cure viz. Self-denial and Faith A Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the first Epistle of Peter By Mr. John Rogers Minister of the word of God at Dedham in Essex Mr. Rogers his Treatise of Marriage The Wonders of the loadstone By Samuel Ward of Ipswitch An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew By Mr. Ward The Discipline of the Church in New-England By the Churches and Synod there Mr. Brightman on the Revelation Christians Engagement for the Gospel by John Goodwin Great Church Ordinance of Baptism Mr Loves Case containing his Petitions Narrative and Speech A Congregational church is a Catholick Visible Church By Samuel Stone in New-England A Treatise of Politick Powers Dr. Sibbs on the Philippians Vox Pacifica or a Perswasive to Peace Dr. Prestons Saints submission and Satans Overthrow Pious Mans Practice in Parliament time Barriffs Military Discipline The Immortality of mans Soul The Anatomist Anatomized The Bishop of Canterbury's Speech Woodwards Sacred Balance Dr. Owen against Mr. Baxter Abrahams Offer Gods Offerings Being a Sermon by Mr. Herle before the Lord Major of London Mr. Spurstows Sermon being a Pattern of Repentance Englands Deliverance By Peter Sterry The Way of God with his People in these Nations By Peter Sterry Mr. Sympson's sermon at Westminster Mr. Feaks sermon before the Lord Major The best and Worst Magistrate By Obediah Sedgwick A sermon A Sacred Panegyrick By Stephen Marshal A sermon The Craft and Cruelty of the Churches Adversaries By Matthew Newcomen of Dedham A sermon Clows Chyrurgery Marks of Salvation Mr. Stephen Marshals New WORKS VIZ. 1 Of Christs Intercession or of sins of Infirmity 2 The high Priviledg of beleevers They are the Sons of God 3 Faith the Means to feed on Christ. 4 Self-denial 5 The Saints Duty to keep their Hearts c. 6 The Mistery of spiritual Life Several Physick Books of Nich. Culpeper Physitian and Astrologer and A. Cole c. 1 Idea of Practical Physick in twelve Books 2 Sennertus thirteen Books of Natural Phylosophy 3 Sennertus two Treatises 1. Of the Pox. 2 Of the Gout Sennertus Art of Chyrurgery in six Parts 1. Of Tumors 2. Of Ulcers 3. Of the Skin Hair and Nailes 4. Of Wounds 5. Of Fractures 6. Of Luxations 4 Twenty four Books of the Practice of Physick being the Works of that Learned and Renowned Doctor Lazarus Riverius Physitian and Councellor to the late King c 5
would do and there he sets down all the infirmities that Sheep are subject to I seek them that are lost some of them wander I seek them that are lost others of them are driven away by a violent temptation I wil fetch back that which is driven away saith the Lord then others of the Lords Sheep are wounded I will heal that that is wounded wounded in their Consciences with guilt the Lord wil heal them others of them their very Limbs are broken I wil bind up that that is broken and compare that with another place where some of them are unable to stir I wil lay them upon mine own Shoulders and bring them home Mark If they wander be driven away wounded broken lamed and spoiled he hath a heart sutably compassionate to them all that is One Jesus Christ compassionates us under our sinful infirmities as we Parents do our Children under their bodily infirmities we are far from loving them the less for them But if any one by the way should ask If he do so Why doth he not heal them Stay but while I come to the last Conclusion and that wil satisfie you that is the first Secondly 2. Jesus Christ at his Fathers right hand prevails that the sinful infirmities of his People make no breach in the league of love that is betwixt God and them mark what I say his Intercession prevails for them he bearing their names and pleading their cause prevails that there is no breach made in Gods good will towards them But even as it is with us that have a poor Child that goes about to do our work and oftentimes spoils it when he would fain do it and somtimes forgets to do it when yet he had a mind to do it we knowing the frame of the Child we kiss it notwithstanding So God is such a gracious Father through Jesus Christ to his people that notwithstanding al our infirmities the Lord never breaks his league of love but we may go to him and pray to him and call him Father leave our supplications with him and make that use of him as the Covenant of Grace holds him out to all his people as freely in the midst of all our infirmities as if we were quite delivered from them Now this the Scripture is wonderful plain in I could turn you to a great many That Speech of Micah is admirable Who hath such a God as we have Why what is our God He passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his Inheritance he never looks after them or if any one shew him them he casts them behind his back drowns them in the depth of the Sea never laies them to the charge of them that fear him Thou art a dead hearted Creature and canst not pray without wandring and do nothing as becomes thee but thy own flesh rangles with it that al is an abhomination in thy own eyes that thou doest thou hast a friend in Heaven that presents all to God as if there were no blemish in them Thou art all fair my Dove there is no spot in thee Is not this good news to all those that endeavor to walk with Christ in sincerity The first is He pities them under them The second is He prevails that there is no breach made betwixt God and the Soul because of them Thirdly Another which is a very great one and that is 3. Jesus Christ gives his Spirit unto his People to relieve their infirmities The Spirit it self helpeth our infirmities you have that expression in Rom. 8. That the Lord Christ our Mediator doth give his holy Spirit to help us against our infirmities What is that I humbly conceive that Christ helping his Saints against their infirmities signifies these three things possibly it may signifie more but these three me thinks are very cleer The one is 1. The Lords Spirit helps the Lords People so about their infirmities that they shal not be quite overrun with them I he doth as he said to the Sea the proud waves of it when they come roaring hitherto you shal go there you shal stop So the Spirit of God keeps our corruptions in bounds otherwise he whose corruption is gotten loose and taints his understanding with a speculation that would carry him on to action and so to an habitualness No saith the spirit of God here I wil stop you you shal go no further that is one It is through the help of Gods Spirit only that the strength of every corruption that assaults us makes us not act it to the very height of it As when I walk with a man that hath overthrown me then I am in his power he may cut my Throat if I had not some friends to succor me Gods Spirit succors us that Satan and our corruptions should not totally subdue us Secondly 2. He raiseth us up again when corruption hath brought us down for you must know Brethren and that you wil easily understand that the nature of sin is such that when a man is committing it that he would rol down to the bottom of the Hil and when he is there the waight would lie upon him that he should never rise again Now the Spirit of God doth like the friend of a Wrastler by him when he hath thrown a man down he plucks him up again and sets him upon his feet again So when any thing hath overpoured the Soul it would never rise again were it not for the Spirit of Christ but Christs Spirit that is sent to relieve us sets us again upon our feet Yea Thirdly which is more 3. The Spirit of Christ so assisteth all his people that notwithstanding their corruptions be too strong for them they shal again oppose it yea and by degrees get strength against it Crucifie it and Mortifie it all As the Apostle expresseth it in Rom. 8. that when our corruptions are most potent by the help of the Spirit you shal mortifie and crucifie the deeds of the Body thus doth Christ for all his people he doth not only compassionate and keeps peace with God for them but keeps their corruptions in some bounds that they do not quite over run them or when they have prevailed in part sets them up again yea and gives them strength to get up again And then Fourthly and Lastly and then I draw to a Conclusion which is the Mystery of all the rest and that is this 4. The Lord Jesus appearing in Heaven for his People doth not only thus succor them but like a Heavenly Physitian maketh Treacle of these Bites he doth his Children Good by their Corruptions and helps them more on in their way to Heaven even by the opposition of their corrupt natures This I acknowledg to flesh and blood is a mystery not to be opened but you will see it cleerly to be so only understand me thus When I say the Lord wil do his people good by their sinful infirmities I mean not that there is any thing in
done that And therefore upon that very account it is that you shall see in Rom. 8.23 where the Apostle speaks there of the Groaning of the Saints the rest of the Creatures groan al the Saints groan for the glorious coming of Jesus Christ To what end saith he That we might receive the Adoption that is the perfecting of our Sonship Now we have Heaven it self when we have but our Sonship made that is plain and you wil see it still plainer in the Epistle to the Galatians Chap. 4 and the beginning the Apostle there speaking of Christs coming as our Surety When the fulness of time was come the Lord sent his Son Jesus Christ made of a Woman under the Law and made him a Curse To what end that we might receive the adoption of Children there is all But that the time would prevent me having many things to deliver I might go on to shew you more Scriptures that fully prove this truth That to be made a Son of God is to have the comprehension of all that is obtained by Jesus Christ so that this is no smal Theam that I am entred upon and I hope if the Lord help me but to make it out to you in this hours discourse you will before you part conclude they are happy men that have gotten an interest in Christ by Faith This premised now I come to the demonstration of the Doctrine That all who have really accepted of Christ for their Savior they are all of them made the Sons of God that is the Doctrine Now to explain it You must know that God is said to have Sons or to be a Father in the Scripture in many senses I may bring them all to these two heads for my purpose 1. Sometimes the Lord is said in a Metaphorical sense to be a Father in divers cases and yet he is not properly a Father he neither hath the bowels of a Father to those whom he cals Sons in that sense nor have they the bowels of Children who cal him Father in that sense for all the whol Creation he is the Father of them all in that respect That their being is from him and their dependance upon him and the like But then Secondly 2. God is said to have Sons properly and I explain when I say properly I mean Sons so that really he is a Father to them hath the heart of a Father the bowels of a Father whatsoever is desirable in a Father and they on the other side properly are his Children in being unto him what Children are unto a Father Now in this sense God is said in the Scripture to have Sons two waies two sorts of Sons The one is 1. Natural Begotten by him in which begetting or generation his own essence is communicated that as we beget a man so in that begetting God may be said to beget a God or a Person that hath the essence of God this is one sense and in this sense he hath no Son but our Lord Jesus Christ who was eternally begotten by him and is God over all blessed forever and it is blasphemy for any but Christ Jesus to challenge to be the Son of God in that sense and therefore the Scribes and Pharisees were right when they told Christ he did blaspheme because he called himself the Son of God they were right I say thus far that had not Christ been the begotten Son of his Father and so had the same nature he had blasphemed in calling himself Gods Son in that sense But then Secondly 2. But God hath other Sons to whom he is properly a Father and those are by Adoption which you frequently read of in the Scriptures especially of the new Testament where all Saints and Beleevers have the Adoption are the adopted Sons and Daughters of God Thus I have brought you to it that Beleevers are the adopted Sons and Daughters of God concerning which I shal the Lord assisting me in the Doctrinal part open these three things to you and the other shall be the Application so far as the Lord shall help me in the compass of the time Three things in the Doctrinal part The first is 1. What this means what it is to be an adopted Son of God Secondly 2. How this priviledg of being made the Son of God by Adoption is wrought that you may see it is not a Fancy I wil shew you how it is wrought and brought about and by it those that will be willing and Faithfull may be able to judg of their own condition whether they are the adopted Children of God or not And then Thirdly 3. I wil shew you in somwhat a more general way What this adoption or being made an adopted Child of God what infinite priviledges it doth comprehend in it For the first 1. What it is to be adopted What is Adoption I Answer Indeed the word was never used in the old Testament and the reason is because that adoption it was not then known though there was somthing like it but in the Roman Empire which was at the height when Christ and his Apostles lived there the thing that we cal Adoption was as wel known as almost any thing that belonged to the government of the Empire the Nature the Laws of it the Duties of it too they were all stated that our Lawyers have not more cleer Evidences how to set out things that belong to our Law now than in the Empire of Rome they were acquainted with the whole Laws and Manner and way of adoption and so because it is of so exceeding great use to shadow out the unexpressable benefits that we have by Christ the Lord was pleased if I may so say to adopt into the Covenant of Grace And amongst the Romans Adoption it was after this manner It was the taking of a Person or Persons who had no natural right to any inheritance a taking them into a Lawful right there are various descriptions of it amongst the Romans but the best of them is this A lawful act imitating nature whereby a Person or Persons who have no natural right to an inheritance are taken in into a lawful right and it was done after this manner in a few words for commonly none but Princes or Senators or great Persons did ever adopt any but this was the way When there was an agreement made betwixt the Persons that did adopt and the Person to be adopted for they never adopted those that were unwilling to it but when there was an agreement it should be so the adopter did carry the Person before the Judges or into some publick and Lawful Assembly and there before them al called the Party Son This is my Son and from that day forward he was his Son to all rights and purposes in the Roman Laws as much as if he had begotten him as you will hear more before I have done my discourse thus it was amongst them Now accordingly if you wil know in the Gospel
our nourishment comes from Ordinances for though the Lord be the Fountain of it yet the Ordinances are the canales the channels wherein the Lord gives out a greater supply of himself we must receive all these by Faith The Word profits no man unless it be mingled with Faith your Prayers they must be Prayers of Faith the Sacraments they are received by Eaith All Ordinances are so far effectual to the soul as the grace of Faith puts them upon you Faith is not only the means of our Food but for Physick the overcoming of our evil al the Spiritual enemies of our spiritual life all that would destroy it it is Faith alone must do it You shall find Satan the great Enemy how do we overcome him By resisting him in Faith The World another Enemy every one that is born of God overcometh that the world cannot prevail upon them and this is that that overcometh the world even your Faith So All our Lusts it is by Faith that we put off the old man the Scripture is cleer in it nay the actings of our lives all the actions of our spiritual life all the excitings and callings out of all our graces in every relation publick and private the Spirit of God laies it al upon Faith until we come to be consumated and put into Heaven the Lord doth leave the mannagement and carrying on of our spiritual life to the grace of Faith himself is the Sum the fountain but so far as the Creature hath a hand in it that is the sanctified creature it is this faith whereby the whol life is acted Thus you see the first thing I hope sufficiently cleered That the Life of al Gods People while they live in this world it is the life of faith But now comes the greatest Question for there are so many cleer Scriptures about that you cannot doubt of it you had as good doubt of your Christianity as to doubt of this Whether a Christians life is the life of faith But now What the holy Ghost signifies by this what is it to live by faith That is a thing that may be more difficult to be understood and if it please God that I can but cleer it to you out of the Word that you may see wherein the true living by faith doth consist when I have opened this I wil not doubt but so many as are Gods People wil say this is my very condition but as for others they wil say every body talks of living by faith one man makes living by faith only to be a fancy in his own head that God wil do this and that for him without any warrant from the Word another it may be fancies that live how he lists if he hope but to go to Heaven when he goes out of the world then he lives by faith But living by faith is substantial I shal now set my self by the Lords help to clear to you what the holy Ghost signifies when he saith that the life of Gods people in this world they live it by faith and to this end I must premise these two things but to make way The first is That our Lord Jesus who is our Head our spiritual mystical Head he hath not only an Al-sufficiency for al his people for every one that beleeveth til they come to glory but he hath a full purpose in his heart never to be wanting of supply unto his called ones a full unchangeable purpose to supply them with whatsoever is needful to bring them to glory That is the first thing I lay down as a foundation to lead you to know what it is to live by faith there is an all sufficiency in Christ our Head yea a ful purpose and resolution unchangeable to supply to all his people whatsoever they can need in any condition til he hath brought them to glory That is the first thing no body wil doubt this the Scripture is so ful to it The Second thing is more immediate and closer to my purpose and it is this That Jesus Christ hath not only this determinate purpose in his heart but he hath in his Word declared and manifested al that he will do for his people and expect from his people til they come into Heaven mark that is In his Word hath he declared Promises which hold out al the good that Christ means to do for his people not only general promises for pardon of sin to bring them to Heaven but promises for every condition that can be he hath declared what he means to do and which way he wil do it He hath there likewise declared what his will is for al the duties that his people are to perform iâ— the way of obedience he wil never expect from them in al their life time any thing but what in his Word he hath set down And thirdly In the same Word he hath not only laid down Promises what he wil do and precepts what they must do but Directions that hold out both arguments to stir them up and waies that they should take al these hath he laid down in his Word al the means either to attain strength to do duties or to accomplish the benefit of any Promise in his Word he hath laid down al his mind and that is called his will concerning us that is the will of God concerning us Now these three things premised the purpose of Christ to do all that he will do and expect the declaration of all this in his Word These two taken for granted now in the third place which is my Doctrine and which wil make you understand what the living by faith is The Grace of Faith wrought in us by the Spirit of God and acted in us by the Spirit of God it immediately hath its whol application to the Word Good Friends hearken I say the grace of faith is the work of the Spirit in us and is excited and stirred up to work by the Spirit the Spirits proper and immediate work is to deal with the will of Christ revealed in his Word it looks not at Heaven immediately it looks not to Christ immediately but it looks at God and Christ and Heaven mediately through the Word In the Word there saith sees all the good things promised that in its life time it shal stand in need of in the Word it seeth the injunction of al those duties that the renewed soul should be conversant about or be exercised in in the Word and in the Word only he seeth the Methods the Counsels the arguments the Directions that are to be attended upon for the enjoyment of all that which is in Christs purpose to do for us Now mark The grace of faith stirred up by the Spirit of God to look to the Word in every thing in the right way and the Lord by his invisible and secret work making the things held out in the Word effectual to the soul by this act of faith in the whol course of our life applying
Riolanus Anatomy 6 Veslinguâ— Anatomy of the Body of Man 7 A Translation of the New Dispensatory made by the Colledg of Physitians of London Wherein is added The Key to Galens Method of Physick 8 The English Physitian Enlarged 9 A Directory for Midwives or a Guide for Women 10 Galens Art of Physick 11 New Method both of studying and practising Physick 12 A Treatise of the Rickets 13 Medicaments for the Poor Or Physick for the Common People 14 Health for the Rich and Poor by Diet without Physick The London Dispensatory in Folio of a large Character in Latin The London Dispensatory in twelves a smal Pocket Book in Latin To the Physical Reader THe greatest Reason that I could ever observe why the Medicines prescribed in these Books above mentioned and in many other Physick Books do not perform the Cures promised is the unskilfulness of those that make up the Medicines I therefore advise all those that have occasion to use any Medicines to go or send to Mr. Ralph Clarke Apothecary at the sign of the three Crowns on Ludgate-Hill in London where they shall be sure to have such as are skilfully and honestly made The Printer to the Reader I Have in my hands divers other works of Mr. Stephen Marshals which for their excellency and variety of matter are highly esteemed by all that heard them preach'd Or have read them in writing I intend to print them in several smal Books that they may not be above the reach of a poor man's purse The Subjects on which they treat are Chiefly these that follow VIZ. 1. Of the Covenant of Grace And the great priviledges the Saints have therby 2. Formal Professors seldom become sincere 3. Reformation and turning to God the only means to prevent Ruine 4. Christ the Prince of Peace 5. The Excellency of Christ's Kingdom 6. How Freedom come by Christ. 7. The Vnion between Christ and Beleevers 8. The Riches of the Saints through the Poverty of Christ 9. How Christ is the Head of the Church 10. Christ and his Seed have sufficient strength to destroy their Enemies 11. Christ the Bridegroom Beleevers are his Bride 12. No Participation of Christ but by Faith 13. Faith so precious a Grace that Christ is glad of any thing that may further it 14. An Humble Spirit Infinitly acceptable to God 15. Great Joy to all that Mourn in Zion 16. The double Recompence the Godly shall have after their affliction 17. The Happiness of the Saints under the Cross 18. The untimely Death of good men a Ground of Great Lamentation 19. The Magistrates Dignity Duty and Vsefulness 20. The Churches Danger Deliverance and Duty 21. The Churches praise unto God for their Deliverance 22. A great Mercy in God to prevent his Peoples ingageing one against another in Blood 23. Gods Chosen Ones are the Preventors of destruction 24. Mens Misery is only from themselves Their Deliverance is only from the Lord. 25. The Pearl of the Gospel 26. How the Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation 27. It 's impossible for true Beleevers totally and finally to fall away 28. Parents Duty to their Children 29. Provision for the Poor 30. The Great Judgment of Famine 31. Of the Sacrament The CONTENTS of the first Book of Mr. Stephen Marshals Works VIZ. Of Christs Intercession or Sins of Infirmity SERMON I. On 1 John 2.1 And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous THe scope of the Epistle Opened Page 1 2 3. The words of the Text explained Page 3 4. Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christs Intercession in Heaven is the great dayly Relief that all the Saints diligentest their watchfulest work in the world to keep their hearts in a good frame when once the Lord in mercy hath put them into a good frame Page 132 133 Reasons of the Point Reas. 1. Because the Heart is beyond all comparisons the best part of Man it is the Head Quarter Page 142 Reas. 2. Because the Heart is not only the best part of Man but it is the Treasury wherein better things are laid up than it self Quest. What are the Treasures laid up in the heart of a gracious Man Answer 1. The great God chooses the Heart of every Godly man for his Privy and Presence Chamber 2. Christ Jesus dwels there Emmanuel dwels there in whom are bid all the Treasures of God 3. The Holy Ghost dwels there too the Heart of every Godly man is his Temple 4. All the Graces of the Spirit of God are laid up there 5. The Word that is the the rule of our life is laid up there Reas. 3. Because the Lord whom we profess to serve looks only at the Heart in al the Sacrifices we perform to him Reas. 4. The Devil makes all his Assaults and Batteries against the Heart and counts all his labor lost if he get not into the Heart Reas. 5. Because the Heart is not to be trusted but is deceitfull false cosening even the Heart of the best man in the world 139 Reas. 6. Because out of it are the Issues of Life thy whol Conversation wil be as thy Heart is kept Use 1. Serves to reprove thousands with a bitter reproof who would fain go for Children of God and yet 1 They are exact in keeping their Houses c but neglect their Hearts Page 143 144 2. Others are curious about their Bodies to Feed Physick Adorn them but neglect their Hearts Others are careful also of their manners and Conversation to avoid scandal and yet neglect their Hearts 4 Others keep indeed their Hearts but sleightly they do not keep them above all keepings Page 146 Use 2. This is a Doctrine of wonderful consolation though it carry just rebuke with it to al whose Consciences witness that their greatest care is to purge and keep their Hearts Page 147 Use 3. To exhort all men for the time to come to make this their study to keep their Hearts Before this can be done I. The Lord must break the Heart to pieces and new mold it And then you must 1. Keep it pure from Sin 2. Keep it fit for Duty The Life of Christ or the great Mystery of Spiritual Life SERMON I. THe Text Opened Page 1 2 3 Doctrine 1. Every Soul that hath Interest in Christ while he is in this world it is in Christ that lives in him Doctrine 2. The manner of their living this Life in this world it is by Faith For Explication consider that There is a twofold life 1. A Natural life which we have from Adam 2. A Spiritual Life which flows from the second Adam Quest. What is this spiritual life Answ. It is a Participation of Christs Righteousness upon the Souls union with him Use 1. Shews how necessary it is that we should all try and examin our Souls whether we are partakers of this Life or No. Page 20 Considerations to stir up to this examination 1. That in Truth this alone is
they by virtue of their fellowship should walk in the light And then Secondly Explains this more particularly in the subsequent discourse and shews that by walking in the light he mainly intends walking in holiness that is to abominate and abandon the waies of sin and to live as becomes those that are born of God in holiness and righteousness and this is the plot of the whol Epistle And then he begins with the first branch of it and that is to depart from the waies of sin and sets down this conclusion That if any man do pretend Communion with Jesus Christ and walk in sin he is a meer Dissembler he hath not one dram of Communion with God and Jesus Christ That is a certain rule no man that hath Communion with Jesus Christ can walk in a sinful life but every branch of the great things that Christ bestows upon his people the purport and intent of them all is to make them leave sinning that they wholly overthrow the very tenour of the Gospel who talk of believing in Christ and walk in a Godless life Now this first Branch the Apostle prosecutes at large both in the first Chapter in this second Chapter and begins the second Chapter thus Now all these things do I write to you that you sin not and presently at the 3d verse takes it up again saith he If any man know him he must walk as he walketh and so proves it by many Arguments Now Brethren you shal see the intent of my Text The Apostle knowing what an uncomfortable Doctrine this would be if it were not explained how uncomfortable it would be even to the best of Gods Saints and people he prevents the sad objection that every gracious heart would be ready to make for when he hath set down this for his Conclusion He that is in Christ cannot sin he cannot sin he deceives himself if he talks of Christ and sins Why A poor Soul would presently come out and say Then am I utterly undone I have then no interest in Christ for I sin I sin dayly I cannot live without it I cannot perform one Duty but my corruption is intermingling it self with it wo be to me if that Doctrine go for currant that he hath nothing to do with Christ that sins Now by way of Prolepsis the Apostle anticipates this objection and cleers the mind of God about it and then proceeds further to prosecute his Doctrine and it is laid down in these words But if any man sin let him know that we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for all our sins and not only ours that are Jews but throughout all the world if they be Beleevers This he laies down to stay the hearts of Gods people in reference to that sadness that they would be ready to be overwhelmed with Now Brethren because there is but one main Doctrine that I intend to insist upon I wil but briefly explain the words to you and then I wil propound the Doctrine First When the Apostle saith If any man do sin he thereby plainly implies that there are certain sorts of sins that even Gods Children though they dare not commit sin nor walk in sin yet even Gods own Children for them he speaks to my little Children I write this to you I say there are sins that Gods own people are overtaken with even after they have fellowship and Communion with Jesus Christ that is the first thing that he takes for granted Then Secondly To that he adds But saith he if any man sin that is when we do thus sin when Gods people do thus sin What then We have an Advocate that you all know the meaning of one that pleadeth our cause that is the office of an Advocate to appear in behalf of another in his cause We have an Advocate with the Father above in Heaven at his right hand that is Jesus Christ our Lord who died for us and loved us and gave himself for us he appears in Heaven for us yea he is Jesus Christ the righteous that is though he be so righteous that he wil never plead an ill cause yet this is a part of his righteousness to intercede and appear in the behalf of his own people even when they sin against him Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins that is who once upon earth offered himself up a Sacrifice to satisfie for them and now in Heaven pleads the benefit and virtue of it for ever in the behalf of his people And not for ours only that is we that are Jews but for the sins of the whol world supposing stil he speaks of the same matter of those that believe in Christ that have Communion with him throughout the world Rich and Poor Yong and Old Jew and Gentile this is a truth to them all When Gods people sin Jesus Christ the righteous at Gods right hand maketh mediation for them So the words thus briefly paraphrased upon do afford us this Doctrine which is the only Lesson that I intend to handle this day namely Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christs intercession in Heaven is the great dayly relief that al the Saints have upon Earth against their dayly sins A Doctrine which at the very first propounding Promiseth not only comfort to Believers but carnal men they wil be ready to promise themselves liberty though I hope without cause by that time I have done with it but Jesus Christs mediation in Heaven is the great relief to all Gods Saints upon earth against the dayly sins that they are overtaken with Now Beloved that I may handle this Doctrine for your profit there are two questions which God willing I shal endeavor to cleer and that wil be the sum of all my work the discussing of them First Quest. 1. What sins the Lords Children and People are liable to while they are in this world what those sins are that the Children of God may be overtaken with while they live in this world Secondly Quest. 2. I wil shew you how the Intercession of Jesus Christ is the great relief to Gods Children against these sins For the first First What are those sins which the Lords people his own Children are liable to while they live in this world And to make you the more attentive to it be pleased to note that there are two Conclusions about sin laid down so cleerly in the Scripture yea in this very Epistle that they almost seem to contradict one another and therefore it is of great weight to have that cleared First 1. Nothing clearer then this That he that is born of God doth not sin nor cannot sin and if a man say he hath communion with Jesus Christ and walkes in sin he is a Liar and deceives his own Soul Nothing clearer then this in this Epistle So likewise in Romans 6. How can we that are dead to sin Live any longer therein Sin cannot
is our Choyce that I think I shal not need much to discourse of I have such an infirmity I want strength in me I strength in my Limbs in so much as if any body say Come pra'y will you walk If I walk I must halt every step I go But would you have it so Do you make choyce of it to be so Now there is a mans infirmity he never makes any choyce of it Though it is possible in spiritual things there may be something of the wil in temptations yet no man ever saith Lord give me leave to be a Deceiver or a proud man and the like No if it be an infirmity we never make choyce of it Secondly 2. If it be an Infirmity it is perpetually a burden and according to the nature of it so the burden is greater or lesser And so a man that hath an infirmity in his body if it be in a noble part his Eye Oh! it is a great burden to him if his infirmity be in a very useful part in his Foot every step he takes goes to the heart of him if it be an infirmity in his breast where the Lungs lie Oh! that is a wonderful burden According as the part or faculty is useful so a weakness there is accordingly a proportionable burden So now wheresoever any Child of God hath any passions any corruptions stirring in him to hinder him in his enjoyment of God or walking with him they are his greatest burdens in the world no affliction goes so neer to a man that hath given up himself to walk in the way to Heaven as that that keeps him from walking in the way to Heaven that interrupts his peace and disturbs him in that way So if it be thy infirmity the Soul chuseth it not Secondly It is a burden unto it And then the third is 3. That in an infirmity alwaies there is a desire of curing it that though beforehand I may know I can never cure it totally yet if I can but cure it so as to be less burdensome if I could cure it wholly whatsoever it cost I would yet if not cure it wholly yet to keep it under So here every Child of God whose end is God whose way is Gods word he finds his flesh that that hinders him he cannot walk in it doth he make nothing of it No it is his dayly practice to crucifie it to put off the Old man with all the lusts of it No Chyrurgion more desirous to mortifie a member that must needs be cut off than a Saint is to draw out the life blood of every corruption he bears about him And truly because I see the time hath so prevented me that I shal be hindred I would else have stopped here and made some Application of this but I wil only beg of you because I am in the next question to open a great deal of comfort to every Child of God I beg of you for the Lords sake deceive not your selves about it think not that all that shal be spoken of Christs being a relief against the corruptions of his people wil reach you you that sel your selves to unrighteousness you that would not be made clean and have no mind that the Lord should rend your Harlot from you but your credit and reputation you must have whether it wil stand with Gods or no Flatter not your selves to think that the Blood of Christ wil be your Propitiation and that he appears for you No you have nothing to do with him you choose your waies of sin and the Text hath told you a little before That if any man talk of Communion with God and with Christ and walk in darkness that man is a Lyar and hath no truth in him But if any of you your Consciences bear witness to what I have delivered that your heart is in Gods way Gods word is your way your aim is at it every day in every thing only you are surprised you want light and strength and ability to stand it out when you are put to it Now for that come we to the second Question and that is Secondly To shew you how the Lord Christs Intercession in Heaven is a sufficient relief to al his Children against all their corruptions they bear about them And I know before I enter about it I may say in so great an Assembly all those that are the Lords they wil much more desire to have a relief about their corruptions than about the greatest afflictions that betide them in all the world For I know no such evil that the people of God lie under as their sins in their own apprehensions Now then the Question is How doth the Lord Jesus Christ's being in Heaven serve as a relief to Gods people under their many infirmities And to that I shal bring my Answer to two Heads according as I laid down two sorts of infirmities I told you there is one sort of infirmities that is not common to all nor to any of Gods people unless when wofully deserted Now the Question to that is Quest. 1. What is the Intercession of Jesus Christ unto the Saints under such abhominable fals What Relief is the Intercession of Christ to David when he lies in Adultery To Peter when he denies his Master and to others when they fal into the like sins What is the interecession of Christ to them Answ. That I shal dispatch very briefly and I will lay you down what I have found to be the Lords mind in these two Conclusions First 1. That during the time that any of the Lords people do rant after that maner against him fal in that way against him the intercession of Christ is so far from affording comfort to them that it is the greatest aggravation of their sins and Christs being related to them and so their being related to him doth make their sin beyond al measure sinful that is the first Now a child of God turning rebell against his Father while he lies under this rebellion the intercession of Jesus Christ indeed our selves know upholds him and grace wil bring him home as I shal speak by and by but during that time he is interdicted al communion with God through Jesus Christ. Many are the evidences I could give you of it in the Scripture what was Ephraim God saith he is his dear Child but if he joyn himself to Idols let him alone saith he let him alone he is joyned to Idols let him alone I wil meet him as a Bear robbed of her whelps I will meet him as a Lion or as a Leopard I wil tear the very Caul of his heart And the Prodigal all the while he had run away from his Father and wasted his goods amongst his harlots his Father lets him alone let him starue and giue up the Ghost he never inquires at al after him and had I time I could shew you abundance of particulars to make this good that the Lords People when they fal
the inheritance was to go amongst the begotten Children by the Laws of the Empire so by the same Laws it was to go amongst them that were adopted Thus it was amongst them but whether any Lawyers can except against it or no I will not much dispute it but I shal make it cleer to you that it is thus absolutely and fully in our adoption Absolutely and fully in the adoption of a Child by Faith all these three things meet First 1. We are hereby cut off from the Family from which we sprung by nature I speak not now of our Civil birth or rights but of our spiritual standing which is to be Children of wrath Children of Belial Children of old Adam Children of Sin and Death we are cut off from that Family no longer to be reckoned of it the Bondage Baseness Obligations Curses whatsoever lay or doth lie upon Adams Family or upon any that spring from it assoon as ever the Lord cals him Son through Christ he is wholly cut off from all that is plainly thus and because I cannot possibly open these in a short discourse I wil commend it to your studies 1. We are for example all of us by nature under the Dominion of sin that is our birthright sin and the curses of it we are al under it assoon as ever the Lord cals a Beleever Child that he hath let his adoption pass upon him the bondage of sin the curse of sin the dominion of sin it is wholly removed from him ye 〈◊〉 not under sin sin cannot have dominion over you because you are now brought under Grace And then likewise 2. The Law whereby sin is irritated and animated the Law that in the Rigor of it and the Curse of it that lies upon all the Sons of Adam we are cut off from it assoon as ever we are Gods Children and therefore the Apostle expresseth it thus to the Galatians that he made his Son born under the Law that he might Redeem us that are under the Law that we might have the Adoption of Children I hope no Body will mistake me for it is most clear in the word that the Law remains as a rule to Gods Children and that is their priviledg but as for the Rigor and curse of it they are wholly cut off from that when they are made the Sons of God by Adoption That is the First That the Lord calling Sons to Jesus Christ and owning them as his Children for the sake of Christ they are delivered from all the Curses and bondage that belongs to Adams Family and which all the Rest of the world lie under But then the Second is greater then this And that is 2. That by our Adoption we are really I speak of Beleevers not nominal Christians but real Christians they are all of them taken into Gods Family as his Sons and Daughters that is he owneth them to be his Children and hath the Bowels of a Father to them really that they are now under his care under his provision under his Protection under his indulgence and whatsoever he hath commanded the most Holy Parents to exercise towards their own Children that fear them he hath ingaged himself perpetually for ever to do all these things unto those whom he is pleased to cal his Sons and Daughters by Adoption There is nothing so ful no pearle so ful of excellency there is nothing so ful of any thing that is good as this is ful of consolation to the saints of God that can but understand it therefore he must needs bear with them therefore he must needs provide for them therefore if he correct them it must needs be in Love with nothing but a Fatherly rod for we are all taken into his Family and may go to him as to a Father in all things wherein we have need of a Father that is the Second A great comprehension of Priviledges not to be uttered And then the Third branch is as clear 3. That when God calls us to be his Children we are thereby made his Heires we are Heires of God indeed in the Civil Law inheritance it is by a succession into the right of the Dead but now as the Lord is pleased to apply it to his Children it signifies a certain inheritance but certainly the inheritance that the Lord of Heaven is to give to any or that he hath given to his Son Jesus Christ all his Brethren the Brethren of Christ and the Sons of God have a share in it If you wil have it a little more fully I will tell you in a few words thus for you have the proof of it in Rom. 8.16 That the Spirit witnesseth with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ But I mean these two things by it First 1. The Heir while he is a Child is Lord of all he is Lord of al before he comes to the injoyment of it he is the Lord of it so now while Gods Children are in their minority while they are poor ones in this world they are Heirs of the world the Lord hath called his Children to be Heirs of the world that is whatsoever is in this world is for their sakes the Angels the World the Devils in Hel in spite of their Hearts they are al under the Saints and are compelled by the Lord they against their wills and the Angels with their good wils they all of them are subservient to those that are the Sons of God by Adoption and whatsoever is in the wide world and may be enjoyed any waies for the good of his People they are the Heirs of all this is their Portion while they are in this world the Scripture saith it plain All is yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods and therefore Paul and Apollo or Cephas or whatsoever is in the world all is yours the Saints of God have a real right to al by vertue of their Sonship not in the Law of man but in the spirituall sense that the Scripture holds out And then 2. For the other life where the prepared possession which was cast by God from all Eternity all the Glory of Heaven such as Eye never saw nor never entred into the heart of man to conceive of it is all kept to be the everlasting inheritance of all those that are called the Lords Children Thus Brethren I have as briefly as I could and yet I have through Gods goodness plainly opened to you this great priviledg of all priviledges that whosoever doth beleeve in Jesus Christ really accepts him to be their Savior they are upon their beleeving in Christ made the Sons and Daughters of God Now let me make some Application before I dismiss you and one thing that I would fain have you think upon alone is USE 1. 1. To take heed you be not deceived about it this would require a Sermon whensoever I should treat of it and therefore I wil
I note to prevent a discouragement if any soul should not be able to go along with a man in every thing nor understand every thing it may be an argument to humble thee but not to discourage thee only I shal ad this in the last place They that live this Life the poorest weakest simplest of al that are numbred amongst the Lords people though others may be able to dispute of it better than they and to speak of it to the edification of others better than they yet they that live this life know more of it than al the world besides I only give you these little things beforehand Now I come to the Two things that I promised to treat of The one is I will first prove it cleerly to you out of the Scripture that there is such a Life a spiritual Life a Life of Christ which al who receive Christ live while they are in this world demonstrate the truth of it that there is such a Life Secondly I wil then a little more fully endeavor to discover to you what this Life is and wherein it stands and I do not doubt but if the Lord help me in it the things I shal deliver wil be not only useful in some kind but very comfortable to the Lords people First then The thing that I promised to endeavor the demonstration of it is That there is such a Life besides the Life of eating and drinking and putting on of Apparel and buying and selling and enjoyment of these corporal things there is a Life that is a higher degree of living wherein men are taken up above the life that other people live that there is such a Life and I wil tel you why I undertake to prove this Because as natural men do not understand it so out of the pride of their hearts disdaining that there should be any happiness that the poor creatures enjoy which they themselves cannot understand thereupon they beleeve that there is no such thing and I am confident that most people that live when they hear men talk of the Life of God and the Life of Christ and a new Life a supernatural Life a spiritual Life they look upon it as a meer juggle partly in the Ministers to make the world beleeve that they know more than others do and the simple people that follow them that they may have somwhat to cloke their fantasticalness they give it out but for the thing there is no such matter this men beleeve and the rather because it is a hidden life and hidden both under the poverty and weakness of those that have it and many times hidden under their Infirmities and corruptions that break out which maketh them look like other men and so men force upon themselves and nourish in themselves a conceit that though some it may be may be honester men than others and stricter and devouter and the like yet this is but a little chipping and he wing of the life that other men live and can live as they do if they had a mind to it but as for a life by another principle and Rule and to have other manner of operations than the Life of the rest of the world they abominate the admitting of it into their understandings and I am perswaded this is that that hardens abundance of people that they never look after nor suspect their own condition therefore I say I would now prove to you that there is such a life which the Saints do live and instead of turning you to many particular Scriptures to prove it I wil give you these Four Arguments out of the Scripture which you shal in reading the Scripture find frequently proved to your observation Four Arguments to prove that there is such a Life that is a higher degree of living and another kind of Life than the rest of the world live The one is The comparison between the two Adams Jesus Christ is to al those to whom he is a Root as Adam was to al to whom he was a Root For it is worth your observing that the Scripture speaks but of two Adams from the beginning of the world to the end of it two Men the First Man and the Second Man because they two only were Roots that others do partake of either which they spring from or are grafted into Now the first Man Adam God made him a living soul and of a living soul is he the Root of all us that is that natural rational life that all men in the world have the first Adam he was the Root of it which communicates it Now Jesus Christ is to al us the Second Adam and the Lord made him not only the Lord from Heaven to rule all that should be under him but to be a quickning spirit that as the natural men follow their stock so al that partake of Jesus Christ must follow their Stock and consequently must partake of his Life as the branches of the first Adam do of his Life That is one Argument and pray weigh it for if it please God anon I shal come to examine whether you have that Life or no. Secondly The second Argument I give is this The Scripture holds it out as the proper end of Jesus Christs undertaking his work to give life to al that come to him that upon their coming to him he should give them life I am come that my sheep might have life that they might have it in abundance and herein appeared the love of God that he gave his only begotten Son that we might live by him He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life Now were there no other life than what all natural men live this were an absurd argument and a poor I may speak it with reverence undertaking Suppose I should go visit and ride a Journey of many hundred miles and lay down my life and part with my estate For what end That the party for whom I do it might have have a house that hath a house already why should I do this if there were not another house than that which he dwels in Or why should I go that he might have health that is well without my undertaking if there were not another health besides that So were there not another life to what end should Jesus Christ make that the undertaking of his life and death and burial and communicate life if there were not another Life than the rest of the world live Thirdly Cleerly you wil find this and very frequent in the Scripture that all the world are said to be dead til they come to Jesus Christ all the world are said to be dead rich or poor sickly or healthful yong or old they are al dead Now it is apparent that they are not dead as to their natural life that needeth no confutation to say of this Assembly that they are dead men when they live and move and breath and talk and do all the actions
into flagitious scandalous waies they make them so abominable that in regard of Gods glory the good of the Church it had bin better they had never bin born then commit them they do so harden the wicked so dishonor God so deeply defile their own Consciences that here is nothing can be said for any men that they have any part in Christ while they are given up to such waies No saith God Know you not that no Whoremonger nor Adulterer shall come into the Kingdom of Heaven they are as it were interdicted from all right of entring into Heaven while they are in that condition That is the first But then Secondly 2. When the Spirit of God awakens them to repentance that they grow sensible of their unworthy and unchild-like walking then the intercession of Christ so far is for them that there is a free access to come to the Lord to be in his Book and to enjoy Peace with him as if never any such thing had been committed by them at all Though the sins of Gods people when they are thus egregious are beyond al measure sinful and do exceeding mischief to others notwithstanding all this if once the soul be but humbled and that they consider what they have done against God and how they have provoked him and injured him Christ in Heaven prevails that there is no bar in the world against their acceptance but the Lords Arms stand open to receive them as freely as if the things had never been done by them and of this you have a world of Evidences I wil give you but two instances of it and one is that of Ephraim The Lord saith to him he was his dear Child but all the while he walked after that manner the Lord spit in his face and would not own him but you shal read of him in Jer. 31.18 saith the Lord I saw Ephraim bemoaning himself mark there Ephraim was come home by weeping Cross What did he do saith he I saw him bemoaning himself Oh! I have been an untamed Heifer the Lord hath chastised me and I was chastised but I was like a Bullock that would not bear the Lords Yoke Turn thou me and I shal be turned for thou art the Lord my God surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my Thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth When this Spirit had seized upon him mark what follows The Lord stands behind the Curtain and hears his Child thus bemoaning and what saith he Ephraim is my dear Child he is a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him stil therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord He breaks out he can bear no longer when once he had a Christ and Mediator in Heaven and when once he was but sensible of it the Lords bowels yerned towards him presently And that other Instance is the example of the Prodigal in Luke 15. that the Lord intended to be the Pattern of those Children that should run away and be brought home again by Grace all the while that Wretch ran away and spent his goods his Father regarded him no more than his elder brother did when he came home but when the man was broken I have a Father saith he And I wil go to my Father and confess I am not worthy to stand before him and when he came tattered and lousie home the Text saith his Father ran to meet him as if he should have said No more of that Son come bring him in kill the fatted Calf and put a Ring upon his Finger and quiets his Elder Brother and it is fit it should be so thy brother is come home again I speak this the rather because if there should be any one here to hear me this day that hath run away from God and the Lord hath touched thy heart and thou beginnest to think how thou hast wronged him the Lord Jesus Christ hath made thy peace the door is open that thou maiest come freely to him as if there had never any such thing been As in Hosea 14. the latter end When Ephraim shal say Come take words and say Father receive us gratiously I wil heal him freely saith he There is the first Question answered I was the shorter in this because I would gladly hope there are none such here so wofully deserted of God as when they have received a new life that they should give up themselves desperately to walk in waies contrary to him Quest. 2. But now for the other question which is the lot of al the Saints of God I know there is no man heares me this day that hath any thing of the life of Christ in him but he carries a body of death about him whereby he is surprised one way or other or for want of sufficient strength he is overcome now such an one must know that when it is thus with him he hath a great reliefe by Christ Jesus his appearing at the right hand of God for him wherein lies that I wil open in four or five particulars with a very short application added Four conclusions I would set you downe about Christs being a reliefe to his Children against their daily corruptions their infirmities The first is 1. That Jesus Christ doth pitty in heauen he pities his Children under their sinful infirmities as much as any Parents pity their Children under their bodily infirmities that is the first That the Lord Christ who is their high Preist their suretie he hath compassion upon them in their infirmities and pitties them under them as Parents use to pittie their Children that lie under bodily infirmities no body I hope wil mistake me when I say pity I mean not such workings of bowels and passions in Heaven which we poor men are subject to upon earth but somewhat that is like to it somewhat that carries the thing in it and that you wil find cleerly in Scripture the Psalmist saith in Psalm 103. when he cals up himselfe to blesse the Lord there for al his goodnesse and tells us the Lord heals his infirmities surely he means his spiritual infirmities and there he blesseth God that pities them even as a Father pities his own Children And we have an high Priest saith the Apostle that cannot but compassionate our infirmities though he was without sin himselfe yet he hath a compassionate heart And there is one passage which if you will but read when you come at home it would give you abundance of satisfaction it is in Ezekiel 34. in the midst of the Chapter the Lord there quarrels with the wretched Shepeard that goared some of his Sheep and trod others under foot and killed some and fleeced some and when he comes to reckon with him he tels him that he would send the Lord Jesus and that he was the good Shepeard and what he
the nature of a corruption that can contribute to it No all that is in a corruption is deadly and poysonful and dishonorable to God but as one of the Fathers said of Adams fall Oh! happy fall that did obtain such a Redeemer So you will say happy are the People of God in the midst of their corruptions when the Lord Jesus doth them so much good by them Now if you will know what is the good he doth to them I acknowledg I want strength and time and you would want Patience if I should discourse of them at large I wil name but four Particulars and the naming of them wil confirm you in the truth of them if you compare them with the experiences of all Gods people The first is this 1. By the Corruptions that the Saints of God carry about them the Lord keeps them in a continual self-abhorrency which is the most excellent frame on this side Heaven I know what I speak that there is no frame of Spirit in this world so excellent as a self-abhorring Spirit taken but with the next branch that you shall hear of presently now nothing laies all Gods people so low as their corruptions I tell you if the Saints of God had all the afflictions in the world lay upon them were it not for their own corruptions they would rather be proud of their afflictions they are ready oft-times to murmur against God as David and Job were tempted to it I have walked with God in my integrity and simplicity and yet I must thus be made worse than others Oh! that would be grievous but now when the Soul is sensible of its own corruption dead heart unprofitable Spirit and the like then wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from it I say again nothing in the world keeps Gods people so low as their corruptions and that is a great gain Augustin had a Speech That God would rather allow Lust to keep his Grace humble than Grace to make his heart proud Oh! nothing so abasing as the relicks of corruption which exceedingly advantages Gods Children The Second Advantage is That as it makes us very low in our own eyes so 2· It wonderfully magnifies Christ Oh! it maketh Jesus Christ most precious nothing makes Christ so precious to the Saints of God as the Corruptions that they bear about them Nay I will add more that had Jesus Christ forty years ago done the work satisfied for sin and made me stand in Gods favor and now I had no more need of him I should quickly forget him As suppose a man had forfeited his estate and his Life forty years ago and some dear friend buys all and gives him all and sets him up again now forty years after he hath traded and grown Rich by his own Wit and strength surely he cannot but remember how he was beholding to that friend forty years ago I but he would never remember him so well as he would that friend that should do that every day for him I live upon his Table and Almes every day and yet he Loves me never a whit the less So when a Soul remembers I was a dead Man an enemy and Christ brought me and not only so but every day I forfeit all and grieve God and shall bring ruine upon my self mark how Paul concludes it in Rom. 7. when he said Oh wretched man Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death I thank God through Jesus Christ Oh! Christ Jesus his appearing it was dear to Paul Now here is a wonderful gain beyond all the Righteousness of this world if the Saints of God had in their course as much Righteousness as the glorified Saints in Heaven and the Angels in Heaven have it were not so glorious to God in this administration as a spirit that magnifies Christ and abaseth it self and this is wonderfully advanced by the reliques of corruption that we bear about us Thirdly Another great benefit is 3. Hereby doth the Lord temper his People to make them submit quietly to every bitter Cup the Lord gives them to drink Nothing makes the Soul so Patient under affliction so quiet in the loss of all other things nothing doth it like to this Oh! had I my deserts should the Lord mark mine iniquities it would not be the loss of a Child would serve my turn it would not be the clipping off of a piece of my estate it is mercy I am not destroyed nothing makes the Soul lay its hand quietly upon its mouth and quietly submit to every dispensation of God though never so bitter as the sence of corruption we daily bear about us And in the last place 4. Hereby doth the Lord wonderfully make his People long to be dissolved and get to Heaven where they may leave sinning against him for whatsoever carnal People may think there is nothing so grievous to the people of God as sinning against him and when they shal come to die when they shall put off mortality and leave off dishonoring his name it is more welcome to them then to be rid of afflictions and that made Paul long to be in Heaven because I know while I am in this Body I shal never be with the Lord as I should be but I long til that day shal come Now here is gain when that corruption those reliques of it abase thee and magnifie Christ and fit thee for every dispensation and make thee long to be at home with the Lord and I might add in the mean time make thee attend conscionably upon all the means that may bring thee to him and is not here wonderful gain So that you may see of what use the intercession of Christ is to al the Saints in the middest of all their sinful infirmities that they bear about them I will now dismiss you presently with two short Uses of it First USE 1. This Lesson if truly understood for I know it wil be a hard thing to keep wicked men from laying hands upon it but I think Gods mind is that his own Servants should have their portion whosoever abuse it but here they may have a constant relief against that which is their greatest burden I am sure of it if thou beest the Lords no burden like thy corruptions and thy other afflictions would be easily born by thee if so be corruptions did not aggravate them in thy own apprehensions Now if the world were given thee it would not be such a succor as this to thee when thou canst say in all thy wandrings Oh! I have talked with many a Soul Oh! never such an unprofitable wretch as I saith one I think no one hath such a forgetful head as I saith another and none have such impetuous affections as I saith another Oh! but doest thou remember that he is at Gods right hand that gave himself for thee and in an acceptable day carries thee home and carries thee stil in his bosom how he appears for thee every day
of Gods love he wil interpret every thing wel that God doth to him and he will then trust him and then fear him when he is but perswaded of his love and therefore learn this Lesson here is love indeed here is love the like was never heard of that the Lord should rear poor Worms and let such a work pass upon them to make them the Sons of God That is one collection that therefore the love of God is wonderful great unto those that do beleeve in him And Secondly I have but one Collection more that I will give you at this time and that is this 2. Hence it follows That they who beleeve in Jesus Christ are exalted to the highest dignity that any Creature is capable of that as here is a magnifyng of Gods love to them so here is a magnifying of their State That I hence collect that there are no People under the Heavens Nay let me ad not in the Heavens there are no Creatures so highly exalted as Beleevers and why Because they are the Sons and Daughters of God not in a name only not metaphorically as all the Creatures are but really God hath the heart the Bowels of a Father to them and they the hearts of Children Yea the State Adoption of Children the greatest exaltation that is in this world I remember what David said when some of his Courtiers came to him told him of Sauls good opinion of him to give him his Daughter and wished him to be thankful for it Oh! but saith he is it a smal thing in your eyes for a man of so mean a stock as I am to be made the Son in law of a King So if there be any Beleever here that thy heart tels thee that thou acceptest of Christ to be thy Savior that his Spirit hath laid hold upon thee Is it a smal thing in thy eyes that thou art really the Child of God Is there any thing in Heaven and Earth to compare with it I remember David in 1 Chron. 17. when he had Nathan came to him with a message from God and told him to this purpose saith he I wil raise up thy Child after thee and I will set him upon thy Throne and I wil be his Father and he shal be my Son and thus I wil do to thee David could not hold but runs and sits him down reverently before the Lord Oh Lord saith he who am I What comparison is there Wilt thou be my Father and the Father of my Child Is it true Lord Can this be Oh! it so amazed him that God should be his Father Oh! could we think of it I beseech you tel me to which of the Angels said God at any time thou art my Son he saith to the poorest Beleever in the world thou art my Son It is not only a name that expresseth good wil but a state and condition that the Lord hath set him in so that I dare boldly say I will draw to a Conclusion with it but I would have you study it when you are at home I dare boldly affirm that the meanest Beleever though as we say in the Country he go with his Flail or a Rake or as you wil say in the City he carries the Tankard the meanest Beleever that hath Christ for his Lord and Savior he is exalted to a higher condition than Ahasuerus was when he was made the Emperor of a hundred twenty seven Provinces for let them take al the Pomp Wealth State that is in this world let them have it all if they have not Christ God looks upon them as Satans slaves and over a few daies they wil perish among the Dogs I mean among the Devils be base and be miserable for ever wheras the poorest servant of God that believeth in Christ the Lord tenders him as his first born O! I would fain if it were Gods wil that Gods People would lay this to heart it would comfort them against all the Scorns and Reproaches of the world It is with many of Gods People as it was with Christ when he was upon Earth when he was called King How was he jeered for it Art thou a King saith Pilat when he had a seamless Coat on and bound with Halters belike you are a King So they are ready to jeer the Children of God belike you are the Childrdren of God I let them scorn I have read of Princes that when for some ends they could be strangers from their own Countries a while they could bear the Scorns and Jeers of People but when I am at home I am known what I am So a poor Child of God may say I go in a russet Coat and have never a penny of Mony in my purse and undergo many afflictions and troubles Wel but God is my Father and the very thought of the dignity that God hath exalted him to will make him quietly and contentedly undergo all the afflictions of this world These are but general Collections had I time to enter into the Particulars to shew what Gods Children by Adoption are delivered from Sin and the Law and what they are instated into under his Family under his Provision Protection and the like truly I might set that before you that if a man could hold to it by Faith and the Lords spirit help him to apply it to his heart he would live comfortably here al his daies FINIS FAITH THE ONLY MEANS Spiritually to FEED on CHRIST Opened in a Sermon at Mary le Bow November 12. 1654. JOHN 6.53 54 55 56. Then said Jesus unto them Verily verily I say unto you Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Whoso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life and I will raise him up at the last day For my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in Him I Read all these verses because they all hold out one and the same Doctrine though in a little different phrases That you may the better understand the scope of our blessed Savior in these words know that the occasion of it was this Christ having the day before fed the Bodies of many thousands who attended upon his ministry The rumor of this flying abroad the next day great multitudes thronged after him again and Christ knowing what lay at the bottom of the heart told them plainly they sought him for carnal ends because they had eat of the Loaves and were filled but that was not the end of his coming into the world to fil their Bellies No there was better food that he was willing to give all that had an appetite after it and thereupon that I may not stay you fals into a most divine discourse of his own being sent out of the bosome of his Father to be the Bread of life to al who did thirst
you will have no great difficulty not in these difficult times but only to know what God would have you do that you may not go out of the right way for want of light that you may not ingage in sinful actions for want of councel you wil pray to God to make your way plain but as for other difficulties whether you shal stand or fal Live or Die it would be no great trouble to you if God had but once taught you to deny your selves Nay you will not only be prepared for the worst times to come but for all services you shal be called to It is a good observation of a learned man That all the men that ever have been eminently serviceable either in matters of the Gospel I mean in Duties of Religion or eminent if it have been in a Christian way in matters of Charity or Justice or in being faithful Patriots they have been men that have little regarded themselves that have not greatly regarded what they were talked of how they were valued or esteemed or what was like to betide them but only men that were willing to be publick sacrifices if need were and those men have done the best service if any other So in the greatest Services you may be possibly called to suffer turn but Sarah aside now when Abraham must go to Sacrifice his Son Sarah shal not know of it and then Abraham can do it well enough for he had learned to follow Gods will but Sarah would have Rung him another Peal So turn but self out of the way and you will be fit for any thing God shal cal you to But you will say Quest. How shall a man attain this Lesson What Arguments or what Rethorick can you use that you can expect ever to prevail with men to turn them off thus from themselves I wil tell you Answ. Not by any Humane Oratory in the world is this to be effected but it is the Lord it is the spirit of the Lord that doth it no man can come to me saith Christ except my Father draw him now in every coming there is a Terminus a quo and a Terminus ad quem the term that you must go from that is Self the term that you must come to that is Christ Now no man cometh from himself or cometh unto Christ til God Almighty draw him But what think you is Gods drawing It is nothing but the spirits perswading Gods spirit perswades them And what do you think the Spirit of God perswades them too that I now come to and afford me but one quarter of an hour for that and then God willing I shal have done The Spirit of God when it doth enable a soul thus to deny it self it doth perswade them of these two things which two things I would commend to you as your study The one is 1. The Spirit of God maketh him see what Self is and no man under Heaven longer cleaves to himself than he is deceived in himself for let him but once have but a true information of himself and he abominates himself presently That is one And then the second is 2. To make him see the excellency that is to be found in Christ the All-sufficiency that the soul may find in Christ and when they see their present portion worth nothing and that that is offered to them to be every way satisfrctory then doth the soul readily renounce the one and close with the other so that then if you would get out of your self and renounce your self 1. Study to know thy self study but to know who thou art in any of all these things that I have spoke of know but thy self I confess it wil not be a short study but I commend it to you and the Lord help you that you may study it I say know who thou art First 1. What thy Lusts are for I tel you while a man is in his natural estate his Lusts are very excellent Ornaments to him it is a brave thing to many a man to think what a proud spirit he hath how he can rant it and tread all his Neighbors under foot and that he can go from one filthy pleasure to another that pleases him Study to know what thy sins are and who thou art that art a sinner 2. Study to know what the World is thy Wife Honor Estate Friends Liberties Study to know them 3. Study to know thy Righteousness thy Honesty thy Prayers thy Duties that thou art so prone to magnifie thy self for and to make a bottom to stand upon labor to know them and thou wilt have enough of them as I beseech you conceive me thus Suppose a deluded young man were in love with some beautiful Woman as he takes her to be he takes her to be the paragon of beauty of all the Country and of good behavior and therefore he sacrificeth his State his Life his Parts his Wit and all to be her Servant imagine now that this Woman were some ugly deformed abominable strumpet that hath only painted her self and take her paint off she hath the horridest visage that a man can look upon and is all eaten up with loathsom Diseases shew this Man but this Woman in her own colors let him see her deformity he hath quickly enough then he loatheth himself for loving her Would the Lord therefore teach you but to take any of al these things and but to weigh them and study them and see what shadows what baubles what dreans what fancies the best of them all are I speak not now of your Swearing and Drunkenness and Whoring but I speak of your Pomp your Honor your Wealth your great Estates your Revenues your good Cloaths Nay I wil go higher your Prayers your Mercies your hearing of Sermons your Righteousness your Honesty if God would shew you what guilt what filth cleaves to them what venom is in them how little they wil stand your soul in stead in the day of tryal if God would teach you but to study these things aright certainly you would say Lord draw me from my self deliver me from my self that am the veriest monster that lives But especially 4. Study to know Christ Christ saith Let him forsake himself and follow me said his Disciples to him Lord we wil follow thee but what shal we have I wil tel you saith he you shal have a hundred fold more in this world besides in the world to come you shal have life everlasting that is in a word Thou shalt find in Christ all that that wil abundantly satisfie thy soul there is righteousness enough there is wisdom enough there is mercy enough there is goodness enough there is counsel enough there is honor enough thou canst not need so much as thou shalt find in Christ Rivers Seas Oceans of happiness in Christ study to know Christ and thou wilt follow him These things I thought good to press and purposed indeed to have pressed them larger but I know not