was imputed that all believers may be reputed before God by vertue of Christs righteousnesse holy and perfect as righteousnesse it selfe Thus you see how souls may be said to be sinners take them as in themselves and in the flesh so sinners take them as reconcil'd to God as having Christs righteousnesse imputed to them and beheld of God in that so without sin without guile no sinners but holy pure undefiled beloved of God blessed Saints 3. They are precious souls precious in this filthy ungodly sinful wicked world that from grace coming in act in wayes of grace and holines without that let the inhabitants of the world be wicked follow their Prince the Devil yet they wil walke in holines following the Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of peace and King of righteousnesse God in all ages hath some to witnesse to his glorious truths so in this age some that are taught of the Spirit led of the Spirit that minde the things of the Spirit that have the Spirit of God dwelling in them and by the power of that Spirit in dwelling doe mortifie the deeds of the body and are raised up and quickned by the Spirit of God within to walke in righteousness true holines to serve God and own his cause though the world with them that dwel therein oppose they are excellent souls that appear for God in bad times in the worst of times yea when 't is not alone a hazarding their names to disgrace and shame but their bodies to be torne in pieces to be burnt to ashes You that are acquainted with scripture and history may see every age every yeare bring forth some such gallant spirits that were ready to lay down their lives to undergoe any cruel vile shameful death for the name of Christ and the testimony of Jesus 4. They are precious for they that are faithful and chosen that are such as Christ is continue good let all the world be bad A precious soule is an excellent Theophilus and wil appeare so let others be never so bad let them be enemies to God fighters against God Times are bad now and like for a while to be worse yet there are pretious Christans so some there wil be as long as the world continues that shal shine out as lights in the world Phil. 2.15 that wil be without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverss nation that wil run right on towards glory let whose wil run crosse that wil keep their garments white though others be soyl'd I commend such to you souls for precious Christians for precious Saints that abstaine from all appearance of evil that in heart and soul and life clear to and follow after what is good Vse 3 Love those precious souls that Christ esteemes precious nay that Christ hath made precious that are before God precious that are the dearely belov'd of his soul that are honourable ones that are borne of the wil of God that are attended on by Angels that are for a short time plac'd in the world and shal ere long be received into glory let your delight be plac'd on those excellent ones let your eyes be on them that Gods eyes are on your heart towards those that Gods heart is towards good children are apt to respect those they see their parents love if you be true children rightly descended of the Royal line of heaven you wil eye the outgoings of your fathers love and as Bees settle where the Queen settles so wil you where God upon what family or soul the Lord hangs his love you wil hang yours where God delights to be you wil delight to be all so Consider I pray who you love what sort of people it is you most affect whether it be carnal worldly unregenerate men or holy heavenly regenerate Saints Do you now desire to know Gods jewels Vse 4 to be able to discern of these precious ones to say such are Gods children such are the friends of Christ like Christ you must have the life spirit wisdome knowledge of Christ you must be taught of God to know who are Gods like God Paul persecuted the precious Saints of Christ and was a deadly foe and enemy to them til such time as he was endued with wisdome from on high til God shone upon him yea into him and then knowing Saints he associated himself with them and was no longer hurtful but helpful Many a soul is a sore and grievous enemy to the people of God I am perswaded much of their enmity ariseth from this because they know not Saints they are ignorant what glorious ones they are in what a high esteem they are with God how God wil punish them that wrong them Ignorance of Saints makes them slighted reviled defam'd accounted as the filth of the world and the off scouring of all things T is want of knowing the worth of a Jewel that makes it not prized so of a Saint that is a member of Christ a child of God The God of wisdome give you wisdome to know such that are holy that are Princes of the bloud-Royal of heaven and to give them such respect that is due and reverence as belongs to them This none can do but such as have the spirit this you wil do if the Lord give out the spirit of truth to guide you in all truth if heavenly light shine into you that light shining in wil discover and manifest to you the children of light and whosoever you can find walking heaven-ward you wil be glad of their company Ignorance had a hand in killing Christ and it hath some hand in all the wrong is done to Saints the Lord free you all from it least ye should through ignorance harme the darlings of God and bring swift damnation on your selves God hath grievous threatnings in Scripture against Saint-wrongers and there are recorded some heavy punishments that have been inflicted on them that harme the righteous God keep you from the sin and so from the suffering I might ad how beneficial 't is for you to know who are Saints and how much for your souls advantage to be acquainted with them but I omit it Happy are you that are of the number of these jewels of God of these preciout Vse 5 ones I do not know what your condition is in respect of outward things and creature-enjoyments but I can safely say you are a happy people if precious if such as Christ you shal all be laid up in glory shortly God wil not lose one of his jewels for a world Heaven and earth shal perish but no Saint never a precious soul not a jewel that belongs to the crown Royal of glory These rare souls these souls to whom Angels do service that are carried in the armes in the bosome in the heart of God that are singular souls chosen out from among thousands by royal favour sâ—ch in whom the eye of God can see nothing amisse no defect no excesse no presence of sinne no
SAINTS LIKE CHRIST OR Somewhat of truth delivered to the Congregation at Headly in Hampshire By Jo. Symmonds M. A. 1 COR. 15.48 As is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls M.DC.L â—o the Nobly Descended gratious Christian and vertuous Virgin â— rs SVSANNA MILDMAY May it please you I Have made bold in venturing into the world to make use of your Worships name that so I may passe â—…ith the lesse molestation in these â—â—oublesome times It is an age of â—â—ouble and that not alone in the world and amongst men of the world but such that professe to Christ and I hope are in Christ These latter own themselves and what is theirs as men and fleshly too much and what is Christs and spirituall not enough The contention in the church of Corinth partly arose from mens overmuch affecting singularity one was of Paul another of Appollo another of Cephas another of Christ It may be some boasted of their circumcision some of their Baptisme some of both Baptisme and circumcision some it may be gloried that they had medled neither with Baptisme nor circumcision if not so yet it is more then conjecturall that some boasted that they were hearers of such a one and of such a ones Congregation and from this outside-worke highly extolling their choice and way slighting and abasing others caus'd strife The Apostle blames for this contention and shews that the way of Christ is to take from men as men all glorying It is unbeseeming the eye to hate the foot because the foot sees not 't is enough that it is of the body so should not Christians that have more excellent gifts villifie them that have not attained to their perfection or trouble to see others differing in judgement in some low things from them for in the body of Christ unity may stand with diversity there may be diversity in respect of forms and yet unity in spirit for men may enjoy God in different formes God may dwell in them that regard a day and in them that regard it not God may communicate himself to them and so make them alike within glorious by enjoying his glorious presence Formes are to be reverenc'd knowing of some there is use as they wherein Christians may walke and be usefull one to another yet meer being in forms makes not Saints nor doth uniformity in formes breed true unity True unity of members is from those members union with the head And as souls are in unity with the head so will they grow into a unity one with another 'T is the new and spirituall birth whereby souls are one with Christ and like Christ that makes them at on with Christians and true Christians look upon all that professe to Christ not as in formes but as possessing Christ and as they find Christ living in them do they esteeme them and account them precious knowing that a precious Christ makes precious Christians and that they will keep their excellency let the times and places be never so bad they are cast into Right Worshipfull you are young and yet some bad dayes you have seen people of all Ages Sexes qualities very bad some ill savour in every place by reason of corruption have you to your annoyance met withall And God knowes what more you may whilest here in the body You know what hath kept you right in these crosse-walkings and also what hath preserv'd you and enabled you to keep your sweetnes hath not a Christ guided you hath not a Christ communicated himselfe to you I have high thoughts of your Noble self and I am perswaded never a whit above you but that you are as high as I take you to be and that is in Christ whom you have found all in all unto you and on whom you rely to carry you through what remaines of sufferings as your part and portion that at last you may sit down with Christ in his Throne even as he is set down with his Father in his Fathers Throne and as you are such as he is in this world so you may be like him in the world to come participating with your sweet Saviour and blessed redeemer in his glory to your perfect happines You have an inside like Christ now a soul glorious you shall have an outside like him also body glorious body and soul glorious all glorious Towards the enjoying of which so farre as my dayly prayers may help you shall be sure of them praying to God on your behalfe And upon this account I tender my selfe Your Worships devoted Servant to serve you in what I may JO. SYMMONDS 1 John 4.17 As he is so are we in this world THat which makes Christs appearance delightfull giving soul-content to Christians is love that which makes the appearance of Christians delightful and pleasant to Christ is love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simele gaudet simili Joh. 13.1 1 Joh. 4.19 Like is very much won and pleas'd with its like a loving Christ with loving Christians and loving Christians with a loving Christ A merciful Christ with merciful Christians and merciful Christians with a merciful Christ A holy Christ with holy Christians and holy Christians with a holy Christ Cant. 1.2 Christs love to Saints is better then wine Cant. 4.10 so is the Saints love to Christ much better then wine The savour of the good ointments of Christ causeth the Virgins to love him Cant. 1.3 and the smell of the ointments and garments of those Virgins being holy Saints and Christs Spouse Hos 14.5 6 7 is like the smell of Lebanon where pleasant and odoriferous trees herbs and spices grew in abundance No spices not the best nor sweetest of all Created things yielded so pleasant a savour to Christ as the graces Cant. 4.10 and actings of those graces of his Sister and Spouse did Christians you see your blessed state you are like Christ Gal. 2.20 Rom. 1.5 and lov'd of him it may be you are neither like men of the world nor lov'd of them you may be never the worse for this Jo. 15.19 nay it may be the more happier for differing so much from them and being hated or slighted of them Our conformity to the world Christ never commends but on the contrary in Scripture often discommends and bids us beware of it Eph. 5.11 Rom. 12.2 Mat. 20.25 26 2 Cor. 6.14 'T is conformity to himself that Christ invites unto and expects and as Christ would have it so Saints desire it may be so They care not who disapproves of them and theirs 1 Cor. 4.3 Humanum diem vocat humamanum judicium so Christ approves who blames them so Christ commends them who slights them so Christ honours them They it may be cannot say when they see rich-men that they are like them rich as they are rich or if they
state and also honourable c Ans I may say because they have not receiv'd of the heavenly gift are not by heavens hand polished Besides 't is not the fashion of the world To be holy is exceedingly out of fashion in these times to be holy is to be singular the last is to be wondred at if not disdain'd it sets all men a wondering to behold the assemblies of Saints Psal 38.5 Some-times besides wondring they are enrag'd against them Reges terrae inito inter se consilio congregati sunt contra hanc Dei civitatem ejusque cives pariter ad nos expugnandos convenerunt I shal spare any further discourse upon such that differ so much from Christ I am sure if they never be made like Christ they will wish they had if they be chang'd into the like Image I need not bid them their own graces will quicken them to praise the Lord. The first Doctrine is left to your meditation I desire you may be as like Christ as the Doctrine is like truth the next thing to present to your soules is this Doct. 2 They that know Jesus Christ may know Saints I know many questions might be propounded about this Doctrin but I omit them what may be said of two men that are much a like he that knows one may know the other so he that knowes Christ may know Saints I know no one surer way to try men by then this looke well upon Christ consider his graces and all his endowments â—mor Dei est illud sigillum quo Deus electos credentes obsignat taste his sweetnes smell his savour where you find that is like what you find in Christ conclude they are Saints Men know their goods by the mark their leases by the seale servants by their livery so may Saints be known by Christ Study Christ well and thou wilt say such are Saints let their appearances bee what they will let them be by name Jew or Gentile circumcis'd or not circumcis'd if Saints their graces will discover what they be Christians judge not according to the flesh and formes but according to the Spirit a gracious soul is lovely to a gracious spirit let it be of never so different judgement in some low things that are subject to vanish They are children of one Father Reas descended of one Royal stock Know the Eldest child well you may know the Younges consider of Christs comlines the Saints 〈◊〉 may the better appear know the righteousness of Christ and you may know holy Saints the voice of Christ and the voice of Saints God gifts and cloths his children much alike what the eldest hath the youngest hath the same indeed the eldest is larges and the difference is onely in the measure not in the manner Al grace is in Christ and some in Saints There 's grace in al head and members have life every part of the body its ornament so whole Christ and this in holines Their employment is a like Reas Do you know the busines of Christ can you say this is the work of Christ and herein he is excercis'd Consider who acts like him and then judge Compare things together the holy and heavenly work of Christ let that be the pattern esteem and commend those souls whose workings are most like the pattern Children are commended that write most like the Copy and so is the Limner whose draught is most like the body whose picture agrees best with the life Suffer a word of exhortation Eph. 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God as deare childien and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Christ yeel'ds a sweet savour in his love and in his obedience 2 Cor. 2.15 so do Saints they are unto God a sweet savour Study Christ soundly and when you have done see how men agree with Christ and accordingly let them have the repute of Saints Be not partial in your judging but judge righteous judgement Vuse You may now hint whence it is that Saints are no better known I conceive it is because Christ is not known Ignorance of Christ effecteth an ignorance of Saints 1 Cor. 2.8 Christ was kild by such that knew him not and so are Saints How many precious Jewels have been taken for drosse and so cast out how many gracious souls esteem'd not worthy to live and why because like Christ Act. 22.22 both Christ and they taken for evil doers for disturbers of the places where they come yea sometime for blasphemers you seldom see any reverence godly souls that yield not reverence to the God of souls Joh. 16.2 3. that respect Saints that honour not Christ Men that are farthest from Christ are the lap-children of wicked men if any have their respect they are such that are like themselves ungodly Good men you complain of your slightings wrongs and divers sufferings in the world and complain you may your sorrows are ungodly mens musick they never rejoyce more then when the Saints tears run down fastest This hath and will be the worlds pastime even good-mens sufferings Christ sufferings pleas'd the Jews heartily so doth the sufferings of Christs people Jewish natures to this day Men do they know not what in wronging the deare jewels of God and pluck on themselves a most heavy wrath from the God of Saints The works of wicked men now are such as the wicked generations that went before 1 Thes 2.15 for they killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted Saints and all was because they were blinded of Satan and the glorious Spirit of holines shone not into their souls to give them the knowledge of Jesus Christ How were it possible that men should be enemies to Christ or to Saints the friends of Christ did they know what he hath suffered and undergone for souls Amor è caelo ad terram eum traxit ad columnam ligavit cruciaffixit sepulchro clausit ad inferos atâ—raxit how out of love and pitty he came down from heaven underwent many a gracious suffering and all to do poor wretched man good but here is a sad sight al is slighted of many Is it not strange to hear a groaning Christ and sinners mocking a Christ wounded to the heart and souls mad at heart against him to see the everlasting Father dying and yet the children of that Father abus'd and that by such for whom the Father is suffering It was an ungratful act of Joash to slay the child of Johoiada that had holp him to the Kingdome but as the sufferer prayed God acted punished the wicked doer God is just wait his time and then see what he wil do to Christ and christian wrongers You have need of patience you Christ-like souls you are sufferers you will be so in this world you are not known neither is your
see men advanced to worldly honours that they enjoy such honours and dignities or if they see people beautifull or gorgeously apparel'd they cannot it may be say they have so faire a face or rich cloaths c. Saints think they are rich enough honourable enough that they are very faire and gallant if like Jesus Christ In respect of many worldly injoyments that the sons of men possessed 't is probable the sons of Zion could not say they were like them yet this was their comfort that they had the witnesse of the spirit Rom. 8.16 that they could say they were like God they were holy souls like the holy God union with God brought forth likenes to God 1 John 4.15 16 Deus charitas est quid pretiosius Et qui manet in charitate in Deo manet quid securius Et Deus in eo quid jucundius Haec gloria christianorum magna est a blessed God dwelling in them makes them blessed souls Exceeding blessed and ever happy are they that from in-dwellings of Father Son and Spirit in them can say God is holy Christ is holy the Spirit holy and we as Saints delight to be holy and so to be like Father Son and Spirit The Apostle speaks largely in his own and Saints commendation in uttering a few words saying As he is so are we in this world He had spoken much of God and of the Son of God 1 Joh 4.16 and of Gods dwelling in Saints and of Saints being born of God 1 Joh. 4.7 and knowing God and having laboured with his Divine and Heavenly Rhetorick he endeavoured to give God the honour due unto him and he would not let slip an opportunity of magnifying the grace of God in Saints 1 Joh. 3.1 1 Joh. 5.12 and how much they were dignified by enjoying God and as to extol their greatnesse and goodnesse in the world so to chear up themselves that had received such kindness of God and that they might with boldnesse stand up pleading their own dignity and blessedness 1 Pet. 4.14 against all the reproaches disgraces and scorns of the world he holds out God and then himself and Saints As he is so are we in this world We shall look upon the Text as it hath relation mainly to God as making out himself to us in Jesus Christ Loquitur hic de conformitate in puritate innocentia vitae Hem. 1 Pet. 1.15 2 Cor. 5.21 Luk. 6.36 and to Saints through grace enjoying God within and by that enjoyment striving to be like God in holinesse righteousnesse mercy love patience longsuffering goodnesse gentlenesse c. And although 't is impossible for Christians to be such as God for purity and perfection Haec conformitas nostri cum Deo in imitatione conaâ—u omni puritate perfectione posita est Rom. 8.29 yet through the Spirits help may they imitate God and for the manner of living holily strive to be conformable to the Lord So that as God is a God of love Christians are Christians of love that love that is in a Christian to God it is but a son it is but a fruit of the love that is in God to a Christian 't is but the springing forth of somewhat of God himself planted within in the soul Eccles 1.7 't is but a stream running back to that Sea from whence it came returning God his due like for like love for love a Saint knows love deserves love Gods love is love 1 Jo. 4.19 In this way of love he acts freely 1 Pet. 5.2 and so is like God it is as ordinary for a Christian to love as to live for what maintains his being as a Saint produceth love to the ornament of his being As it rejoyceth in having the life of a Saint Gal. 2.20 Act. 4.20 Psal 40.8 so it is pleased in doing the work of a Saint laying out it self in what is pleasing to the Lord Joh. 7.18 God cannot but act what is good and what tends to his own glory take a Saint as having God living in it 1 Joh. 3.18 19. and from that living of God in it acting it doth what is good and also tends to the glory of God 1 Cor. 15.58 It knows 't is not lost labour to be doing for God and that it is not in vaine There is infinite good in God and there is some good in a Saint Infinitnesse in God enables God for infinite worke God is able to do like himself beyond what a soul can think or conceive A soul that enjoyes somewhat that this all-good-God gives out in his love through Christ 1 Cor. 15.10 is in his actings according to what he receives and as that receiving springs and sprouts out Omnia gratiae divinae tribuit A spark of fire will do what a spark can do and a drop of water what a drop may indeed it cannot do so much as the Sea or Element of fire can do 'T is a Christians joy that of Christs heavenly fulnesse it receives some grace Joh. 3.34 Christ hath what he hath without measure a Christian in measure a Christian is glad that it finds Christ saying 1 Cor. 15.48 As is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly and that by the spirits work 't is fashioned to be like Christ now 't is in the world and so chang'd into the same Image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 And though it live in a wicked world amongst wicked men yet it is not like them but it is like him that is heavenly it is not conformable to those it lives withall without in the body but to him that lives within in his soul Dearly beloved what are you what can you now say for your selves can you say you are like Christ have you a life like Christ have you a conversation like Christ are you cloath'd like Christ Col. 3.12 have you put on as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any Christus non tantum nobis est donum verum etiam exemplum Miraculosae actiones Christi mentem nostram de veritate doctrinae ipsius confirmabunt Peculiares actiones quae sunt ipsius officii propriae hae ut expiatoriae peccati nostri fuerunt ita salutis fiduciam in nobis alent confirmabunt even as Christ forgave you so also do yee The actions of Christ should be instructions of christians yet consider rightly of Christs actions some were miraculous as fasting forty daies raising the dead c. these are not to be immitated because they cannot yet these may help to strengthen our faith and confirme us concerning the truth of the Doctrine of Christ Some are peculiar actions belonging to his office as to redeem or make intercession c. these also are
seed of God where he casts his grace there will be growth and fruit sutable wheat brings forth wheat and barly brings forth barly every seed a body like it self so doth Christ There are no more holy heavenly spirituall children then they that have the Father of Heaven theirs An everlasting father begets everlasting children a holy father holy children Saints 2. By this they are blessed they that are begotten of blessed Christ are blesse soules a happy man may have children and yet they may not be happy a good man may have bad children but t is not so with Christ all Christs children are Good all his offspring according to the spirit happy If he beget Paul he shall have occasion enough to magnifie his birth laying aside the first birth he bosts not of that it is the second rejoyeth his heart al blessed priviledges came by the second the first compared with the second are but as dung and drosse 3. By this they are precious a precious Christ begetting causeth precious soules begotten The Kings daughter is glorious Ps 45.13 all glorious every limbe glorious within and without glorious Eph. 5.27 as of Christ without spot or wrinckle Col. 1.22 Quatenus consideratur in Christo non solum sine macula est sed infinito decoro exornata c. or any thing like it holy unblamable and unreproveable the heart pure upright sanctified throughout the hands cleane the life faultlesse without defilement walking in all gods waies blameless These expressions as they have relation to Christians are to be understood of the righteousnes of Christians as they are considered under the Covenant of grace and of the Gospel not of legal perfection but of an Evangelical innocencie and uprightnesse not as they are in themselves but as in Christ the precious Christ is full of Love peace goodnes so are Saints his children children endewed with love peace goodness Water taken out of a fountain rellisheth like that in the fountain fruit is sutable to the tree 'T is so with Saints they are streames of a good fountain they are fruit of a precious tree Fruit of life growing on the tree of life living streames begun and nourished by a living fountain A loving Christ brings forth loving children Christ the Prince of peace sons and daughters of peace Christ that is all good conceives to his goodness 6. They that are born of Christ affect what is good what is heavenly The birth of Creatures is maintain'd with such food as he that begat it is A mans birth with mans food drought will starve it Earthly things nourisheth not a heavenly birth the world is a stepmother that will starve it they are the brests of Christs Consolations that as it desires must nourish it 'T is bread of life and water of life and food of life that it must have Wisdoms food feasts feed and banquet wisdomes children Every Morsel Saints eat that nourisheth them must have somewhat of Christ he is living food for living souls I am saith Christ that bread of life He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Iohn 6. dwelleth in me and I in him He that eateth and drinketh him shall live for ever Souls consider what food you feed on Creatures nature appears much in the nourishing they desire and eat A beast is pleased if it may have beasts food A man if mans food so hear The first Adams children are contented with the worlds food give them worldly things they are pleased if the world will give them plenty from her Cupboard they look not after any other But the second Adams children are not thus pleased they must have somewhat from heaven they will blesse God for loaves but they will not be quiet with them if they have not somewhat else they have souls also to care for these must be satisfied or all is not well with them Hungry souls are restless Christ shall not be unsought unto till they are fild I need not bid you examine your selves what diet pleaseth you you are pleased as you are If worldly with worldly things if heavenly with heavenly things I could tell what preaching would please you all but I forbear I am sure no preaching pleaseth Saints but the preaching of Christ God in mercy give all you that have been born but once one birth more a second birth then will you long for the food that nourisheth you to everlasting life Reas True Saints are very like Christ for Christ is known by them the virtues graces sweetness wholesomness c. that is in Saints and which they hold out in their conversation sets out in some sort Christ A gracious man hath much of Christ whatsoever truly names him gracious is Christ Books bear their names from what is in them And houses and lands usually from those that possesse them We may guesse what the fountain is by tasting of the stream what the book is by the title If such and so much of the delicateness of Christ be in earthen vessels what is in glory it self if poor man be of so much worth that hath but one smal drop of this Ocean in him what is the Sea it self worth A man may conceive a Rocke of Pearle to be of a great value when a smal dust is so much worth True Saints though they have but little of Christ yet may it lead you to this that if Christ in a creature be so eminent and his graces make them lovely doubtless he as in himself is exceeding eminent and lovely Saints at most are but as it were the picture or image now if the Image be admired much more the person that is represented An Image may be like the substance so a Saint like Christ Christ is known other waies yet in some measure this way by Saints Vse Christians you desire now to know who are truly godly 't is an age of deceit all is not gold that glisters there are false wares false men and there are false christians there are some that have a name 2 Ep. Ioh. 6. Multi sunt in mundo impostores Matth. 24.24.25.26 they live but are dead there are many deceivers in the world the world is full of soul-cheats hardly any place free The time is fully come Christ prophesied of there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Behold I have told you before Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth Behold he is in the secret-chambers believe it not Such Impostours are deceitfull Matth. 24.5 and shall deceive many beware you They shall use the name of Christ as their colour or pretence and such are likely unlesse there be great heed taken to deceive Sea-men are spoiled by Pyrats that hang out their own colours Prov. 7.14 that harlot was winning that pretended honesty Souls know Gods
them make a famous structure build his Church Isa 54.12 13. whose foundations shal be laid with saphires whose windowes shal be made of agates and gates of carbuncles al her borders of pleasant stones This points out the excellency of Saints and also what a comly thing it is to see them joyn'd together in a right order by the wisdome of God God hath a holy City to build which is admirably describ'd Revelations 21. My brethren I need not tel you how Satan the world flesh and many enemies have labour'd to root out in all ages those that clearly and readily appear'd for God yet God hath preserv'd some to shine as lights and to hold out his name and enemies could never so prevaile as to raze out all the Saints nor to take away truth wholly but stil the Lord continued some precious ones some holy and excellent soules to shine out as lights in a darke place a seed was left though covered with clods that the Lord hath nourished and which through his blessings hath sprung up and brought forth fruit so that some peecious souls have stil appear'd We have seen bad times and bad times are and 't is likly wil be yet all you that have any knowledge in rhe things of Christ cannot but say some holy souls there were in those bad times some there are in these evil daies and some precious ones shal be as long as the Sun and Moon endureth as long as there are any people in the world there shal be some good you that live now meet with some precious souls up and downe here and there you or they that shal live hereafter wil finde that God hath a sprinkling some a few I shal speak to what is present to what is in hand there are some precious souls in the world Reas 1 There are some in the world that are like Christ they have such a life such graces such excellency there life is Christ within ' it s Christ living in them their wisedome is Christ their righteousnes Christ their justification sanctification is Christ Christ to such is all Believers are translated into Christ they are one with Christ they are nothing in themselves selfe is past away they have a new selfe Christ is their selfe they have an intire being in Christ yea God himselfe is within such and from union with God is there likenes to God and their preciousnes is from enjoying God God makes that precious that is precious precious souls are Gods workmanship Look upon Saints after the flesh and in outward appearances you cannot it may be say they are so precious but consider them as in Christ and Christ in them Look upon Christ alone in them and boubtles Christ wil in them be precious Magna quidem in Ecclesia Dei excellentia sect ea non sunt omnibus obvia many see not this excellency in Saints because 't is hidden Christ in them is hidden from many but where Christ appeares the souls of such according to what of Christ is seen appear precious There are some that are lov'd as Reas 2 Christ lov'd with the same love the same pure free intire love that Christ hath given out from the Father they have given out to them running into them shining upon them these are precious Love is that which doth beautifie soules souls are faire as lov'd excellent as lov'd glorious as lov'd There is exceeding bravery and beauty in a soule that hath much of love what made Christ so priz'd so highly esteem'd the chiefest of Ten thousand but the abundance of heavenly love that was in him the more there is of heavenly love the more excellent 'T is not Noblenes of birth beauty of face greatnes of parts much learning that makes men precious but 't is being borne of God endued with grace partaking of spirituall things and what is heavenly that makes one precious Tantus quisque est quantus est apud Deum As one saith of the worth of a man he is so much worth as he is worth in Gods account so I may say he is so far precious as partaking in love as enjoying that which the world doth not A precious stone is a stone that hath a vertue excellency which the common ordinary stones have not so t is with precious rare excellent soules they have somewhat the men of the world have not that is love Rev. 2.17 the same love that is given out to Christ The worth of this love none knowes but they that enjoy it There are some in whom the Lord dwels some in this word that are his temple palace throne these are excellent ones Gods dwelling place the dwelling of his glory is a precious place they are precious soules soules bravely adorned soules excellently trim'd that are the court of the great God Princes houses are richly furnished so are the soules of Saints Gods houses There are some that put out all their might strength power abilities advantages for Christs cause for what concernes him and what is his These are precious souls Paul was a predious soul it appear'd in his appearing so much for Christ that he was not deter'd by labours stripes imprisonments 2 Cor. 11 tedious Journes perils of waters perils of robbers perils by his own countrymen perils by strangers perils in the city perils in the wildernesse perils in the sea perils amongst false brethren wearinesse painfulnesse much watchings hunger thirst fasting cold nakednessed Rom. 8. Omnia praesentia futura terrena caelestia inferna supercaelestia omnia mihil parva pro nihilo erant c. buc Act. 15. all could not stop this champion of truth Let death life Angels principalities powers height depth any thing oppose he for Christ in the strength of Christ durst stand against all So also the curch of Jerusalem giving answer to the people and church of Antioch concerning what had been proposed unto them tels them in their letters that they had sent it by men that had hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Such as these are precious men souls worthy the name of Christians because valiant for Christ I have read of one Romanus that was nobly born yet so resolute and stout was he for Christ that sufferings could not fright him nor dismay him when his persecutors whipt him with a whip made of cords that had leads fastned at the ends so that with whipping his flesh was torne yea and so much torne that his very bowells were seen yet he cryed out to his tormentors that he desired not to be spar'd neither did he wish his tormentors to give over Christum diligit seipsum oâ—…it he was wiling to suffer to the utmost in the cause and for the truth of Christ It is reported of one Same 's a noble man who had and maintained a thousand servants of his own yet was deprived of al his estate by the King of Persia and was