3. There must be a deposition of our selves we must lay aside our selves in respect of opinion we must have very low thoughts of our selves in respect of delight and pleasure we must not please our selves in our selves but loath ourselves in respect of Love we must not love our selves please mind and exalt our selves but deny our selves in respect of trust we must not trust in our selves but be jealous of our selves distrust our owne hearts accuse and condemne our selves and in respect of the end we must not intend our selves propose our owne ends but intend Christ and the glory of Christ Thus we must lay aside our selves and empty our selves of our selves that wee may receive Christ the empty vessell receives the liquor there is no place for it in the full 2. Holy wise and carefull preparation to the hearing of Christ in the Gospell Elisha before he prophesâ—ed before Jehosaphat and Jehoram called for a Musitian to play some sacred song the better to appease his spirit and put his mind in a quiet and heavenly frame and then the hand of the Lord was upon him and he prophecyed Thus before we come into the presence of Christ to heare we should by some holy meditation and fervent prayer gather home our thoughts take off our selves from the world suppresse and put away the distemper of our spirits worke our hearts into a holy and gracious frame and tempor and compose our selves to heare so shall the hand of God he upon us in hearing and we shall heare and receive Christ with much joyfulnesse the preparednesse of the eye to see of the care to heare and of the pallate to taste makes them joyfull in seeing hearing tasting the soules joy and comfort in hearing is ordinarily sutable to mans preparation Man is ashamed and grieved to receive his Prince into a sâ—rded and filthy house but having his house clensed garnished and all things set in order he is joyfull in the entertainment Want of preparation is the cause of much discomfort sadnesse and dulnesse in hearing Christ comming in the Gospell is very comfortably entertained by the soule which is duely prepared 3. Sure and gracious interest in Christ Beleeve in Christ lay hold on Christ select and take Christ unto your selves make him yours As the Merchant sold all for the precious pearle in the parable and made the pearle his owne so sell all put away all your sinnes remove all worldly vanities and interest your selves in Christ as the woman leaves her owne people and her fathers house to make another man her husband thus leave the world your sinfull acquaintance your corrupt and carnall customes come off from them all and apply your selves to Christ espouse your selves by faith and love to him and then your soules shall joyfully wait upon him in the Gospell as the Queene waits upon the King in his palace with joy and gladnesse as the bride doth joyfully heare the voice of the bridegroome thus the Spouse professeth her joy and comfort in Christ in the Gospell his mouth his word and doctrine is most sweet he is altogether lovely There is the expression of her joyfull receiving Christ in the Gospell this is my Beloved and this is my friend there is the declaration of her interest in him Christ is ever more or lesse joyfull to the heart of man in the Gospell according to mans assurance of interest in him he never feeles Christ a sweet and gracious comforter that looks upon him in his word as a stranger 4. Cleare and lively discerning and apprehension of the dignity worth and excellency of Christ He that hath a jewell and knowes not the worth of him is nothing affected with him like Esops cocke he rejoyceth more in a barley corne ignorance of the worth of Christ takes away the soules delight and joy in Christ the wise Merchant knowes the worth of a pearle and is much joyed at the finding of him the wise Christian knowing the price and worth of Christ is much joyed when he meets with Christ in the Gospell â— the Spouse in Solomons Song sets forth her apprehension of the beauty worth and excellency of Christ of his Godhead and manhood in one person of his glory innocency grace mercy and justice of his preheminence and exaltation above all creatures of his glorious kingdome his unsearchable wisedome his gracious and mercifull beholding of grieved sinners his beauty and comelinesse to the eyes of faith and concludes at length his mouth is most sweet and altogether lovely His mouth the doctrines words promises comforts of his Gospell are very sweet as the honey or the honey-combe strive then more clearly to discerne the worth of Christ if you intend the increase of your comfort in Christ The prophane Gaderine that thinks more highly of his swine then of Christ never meets with joy in Christ 5. Holy and gracious making use of Christ in the Gospell The eye makes use of the Sunne it sees by it the care makes use of the voice it discernes what is spoken by it the thirsty traveller makes use of the fountaine he quencheth his thirst with it refresheth himselfe by it And all these rejoyce the eye in the Sunne the care in the sound and the thirsty in the fountaine and in these they rejoyce because they make use of them Make use then of Christ in his Gospell as a scholler doth of his teacher learning heavenly wisedome as a sicke man doth of his Physitian recovering spirituall health by him as a besieged City doth of their Captaine feeling him casting downe the holds of sinne and restoring thy soule to freedome as the wise man in the parable did of the rocke build upon him the more use you make of Christ the more comfort you shall find in Christ Christ is both unprofitable and uncomfortable to him that makes no use of him as a sealed Well and an eclipsed Sunne There is a price saith Solomon in the hand of a foole but he hath not a heart to make use of him We have Christ in the Gospell a pearle of great price and it is mans exceeding great foolishnesse not to make use of Christ Iesus 6. Blessed and heavenly sence and experience of Christs sanctifying and saving worke upon our soules in the Gospell The influence and operation of the Sunne upon the earth in the Spring makes it appeare very pleasant and joyfull the sence of Christs gracious worke upon the heart glads the heart he brought me saith the Spouse into his chambers that is he revealed unto me the secret of the Lord the secret worke of the Lord in the illumination of my understanding in the regenerating of my heart in the quickning of my soule in the putting of a new nature upon me in the pacifying of my conscience and comforting of my soule these are the chambers whereinto she was brought the secret and blessed wayes of Christ with a gracious
blessed interest in Christ but he that regards not the word of the Lord will stay in the field abide in the service way and practise of the prophane world and be for ever destroyed for there is no salvation out of Christ He is the resurrection and the life and our life is hid with him in God therefore let us say with Augustine let all these things perish let us let passe all these vaine and empty things and let us betake our selves to the onely inquisition of those things which have no end let us betake our selves to Christ who is the same yesterday to day and for ever He like Noahs Dove will bring us an Olive branch of peace when all the comforts of the creature are drowned he will stand by us and defend us as Shamma one of Davids worthies stood and defended the field when all the residue fled from it When all worldly staffes and stayes pillars and supporters leave us and stay behind us then as Isaac went up to the Mount with Abraham so will Christ goe up with us and present us with acceptance with great joy and gladnesse in God his fathers presence and let the remembrance and thought of these things sweeten and make exceedingly joyous Christs comming among us CHAP. VII ANd let us declare and manifest the truth of Christs welcome and our joy at Christs comming by our prepared humble and hearty receiving of Christ according to the charge of the Psalmist Let us lift up the gates and doores of our hearts from the creature and all things here below let us remove the bolts and bars of infidelity obstinacy pride security and self-selfe-love and let us by faith love repentance and humble obedience open the doors of our hearts that Christ the King of glory may come in As the Minstrels and other people were put forth out of the Rulers house and Christ received that his dead daughter might be raised to life Thus let us put out of the doores of our hearts all carnall joyes and fleshly lusts that Christ may enter into and minister the life of grace to our soules let all give place to Christ that Christ may have the full possession of us and worke effectually within us 2 Let it appeare that Christ is welcome by our garnishing our hearts with all spirituall ornaments sutable and fit for the entertaining of Christ putting our hearts into such a gracious frame and temper that Christ may take pleasure in us The gate of the Tabernacle was very costly and glorious having a hanging made for it of blew purple skarlet and fine twined linnen wrought with needle-worke the pillars for the hangings being overlaid with gold and their hookes of gold to shadow out and signifie the making glorious of the hearts of Gods elect by faith and other gifts of the Spirit to entertaine Christ the glorious King 3. Make Christs welcome apparant by offering your selves to Christ the wise men rejoyced in Christs comming and they fell downe and worshipped him opened their treasures and presented to him gifts gold frankincense and myrrh Thus let us rejoyce in Christ comming in the Gospell fall downe before him make the whole man vaile and stoop to Christ and to him let us offer the gold of a pure heart the frankincense of holy and humble prayer and the myrrh of patient suffering and bearing Christs crosse to him let us yeeld our bodies soules and all our substance as a holy and acceptable sacrifice 4. Manifest every man Christs welcome by exalting Christ above every thing in your heart doe not set him as Jesse did David behinde the ewes but set him as Pharaoh did Joseph above all his Nobles and over all his land allow him universall and absolute jurisdiction over the whole man cut off whatsoever doth rebell against him 5. Declare Christs welcome by your love to him as to the bridegroome of your soules by your faith and dependance upon him as upon your onely rocke and sure foundation by your full and through-conforming your selves to his statutes and testimonies as to that which is the light of your feet the lanthorne of your paths and the delight of your soules and by a holy and gracious acquiescence in Christ as in the Counsellor in whom is all wisedome to direct as in the King in whom is all authority to command as in the rocke in whom is all strength to support as in the fountaine in whom is all fulnesse to satisfie us Christ will not be pleased with a verball he will have a reall entertainment with Judas to kisse Christ with our lips outwardly to give him faire words and secretly to nourish treason and rebellion in our hearts against him is a cursed welcome With Joab to salute Christ with one hand and stab him with another hand as Joab at once saluted and slew Abner to salute Christ by an outward and open profession and to stab him by a corrupt and dissolute conversation is very unseemly shamefull and dishonourable for any Christian Let therefore our spirituall universall cheerfull and constant subjection unto Christ declare the truth and joy of Christs welcome unto us If we rejoyce not in Christ if Christ comming in the Gospell be not welcome Where is our knowledge of Christ if we rejoyce not in Christ comming in the Gospell the blind eye hath no joy in the Sunne but to the seeing eye the light is sweet and It is a pleasant thing to behold the Sunne to the ignorant Christ is nothing joyfull but to them that have the eyes of their understanding opened Christ is very pleasant he is in their eye the fairest of ten thousand to them the knowledge of Christ is pleasant to him that knowes the Wisedome of Christ shining into his heart and making him wise unto salvation to him that knowes the death of Christ mortifying his lusts and corrupt affections the resurrection of Christ spiritually reviving and quickning him to him that knowes the righteosnesse of Christs cloathing and justifying him to him that knowes the blessed presence of Christ encouraging him to him that knowes the Al-sufficiency of Christ satisfying him to him that knowes the gracious dispensation of Christ ministring the sence of his love and peace to him to that man Christ is welcome in the Gospell Mans ignorance deprives him of all Christs comforts 2. Where is our love to Christ if Christ be not welcome David loved Jonathan and Jonathan was very pleasant to him Old Jacob loved Joseph and his spirit revived when he saw the waggons which Joseph had sent he was very glad that Joseph was alive I will goe saith he and see him before I dye Christ is very pleasant to him that loves him it is a reviving of heart to such a man to heare of Christ he will surely goe and see Christ in the Gospell Love to Christ and joy in Christ are inseparable companions in all
of old was upon Mount Gerazim the blessing is now upon the Gospell He that savingly entertaines the Gospell enjoyes a most blessed condition a condition of divine and heavenly wisedome Gods Ministers feed him with knowledge and understanding and make him wise unto salvation a condition of holinesse and sanctification the ministery of the word doth wash him like water and purifie him like fire a condition of liberty and freedome Moses freed Israel from Pharaohs bondage Gods Minister frees the soules of his children from the servitude of Satan the world and their owne corruption the word makes them free from ignorance in their understandings from perversenesse in their wils from vanity in their thoughts from infidelity servile feare worldly love and carnall joy in their affections the word makes them free to know God as the cleare eye is free to see the Sunne to receive Christ as the strong and open hand is free to receive a gift to love Christ as the bride hath an open and enlarged heart to love the bridegroome to attend Gods Ordinances to run the way of Gods Commandements as he whose feet and ankle-bones received strength by the ministery of Peter was free to stand and leap and walke and enter into the Temple and free to move and come to God by faith and love and joy as the rivers are free to move and flow unto the sea a condition of honour and exaltation the Gospell making them Sonnes of God by regeneration the friends of God by love the members of Christ by faith and heires annexed with Christ for their present title to and future participation of the same inheritance with Christ Jesus a condition of fulnesse and satisfaction they are satisfied with the goodnesse of Gods house the Gospell leads them unto Christ the Sunne in whom is all light the tree on whom growes all fruit the fountaine from whom flowes all refreshment the rocke in whom is all strength the pearle in whom is all worth and the Paradise in whom is all pleasure and peace very sweet and wonderfull gracious and overflowing are the comforts and contentments derived from Christ to Gods children under their enjoyment of the Gospell Lastly a condition of permanency and duration though the grasse wither and the flower fade yet the word of the Lord abideth for ever Though worldly fulnesse change like the Moone and vanish like a vapor and wither like the flower and the grasse yet the estate of grace into which men are called by Gods Ministers is an estate of firme and sure continuance they are sonnes abiding alway in their fathers house they are trees planted by the water side never withering they are houses built upon the rocke never sinking their graces like the light shine more and more to the day of their perfection the excellency of their estate who enjoy and make best use of the Gospell abundantly declares Gods dispensation of very great sweet and heavenly blessings by the labours of his Ministers CHAP. XV THe Lords dispensing of sweet and heavenly blessings unto man by the labours of his holy and faithfull Ministers shewes what the estate and condition of man is without the Lords Ministers even an estate of woes of myseries and curses Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very wretched and miserable an estate of death without spirituall life the earth without the Sunne is but a dead and fruitlesse lump the soule without the Sunne of Righteousnesse shining in the Gospell is dead in sinnes and trespasses a tree twice dead oncce by originall corruption and secondly by actuall transgression and plucked up by the roots wholly separate from all the meanes of life he that hath not the Sonne externally in the Gospell internally in his heart ministerially in his word and efficiently in his worke of grace he hath not life Such are farre from the life of grace and sanctification as are strangers to Christ in his Gospell The woman of Shunems sonne remained dead according to the body till the Prophet came and raised him the soule of man continues dead in respect of the inward man untill the Minister of the Lord comes to quicken him 2. An estate of darknesse Man without the ministery of the word is in darknesse and the shadow of death a darke body without an eye a darke house without a Lamp The soules clearest light is nothing else but darknesse as long as the Gospell doth not shine into it to irradiate and enlighten it There was once no light in all the land of Egypt onely the children of Israel had light in their dwellings there is no spirituall and heavenly light in all the world but among Gods Israel there is light only in their dwellings who enjoy the Gospell In Judah is God knowne and his name is great in Israel God is truly and savingly knowne only by that people who enjoy the light of the Gospell 3. An estate of servitude and bondage Israel continued under hard bondage untill Moses and Aaron came to deliver them untill the Lord raised a fiery pillar to conduct them out of Egypt unto Canaan Man abides under the hard bondage of Satan and his owne corruption untill the Lord sends his Minister to free him and sets up the fiery pillar of his word to lead him out of this servile and slavish condition Man without the Gospell is in prison and hath no key to open it he is taken captive and hath no weapon to resist his enemy to procure his freedome he is manacled with many fetters and hath no hammer to dissolve and loose them Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very base and servile When and where the Gospell shineth then and there as the Prophet speaketh The eyes of the blind are opened the prisoners are brought out from the prison and they that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house 4. An estate of emptinesse and barrennesse The field without the dew is unfruitfull the soule without the dew of divine and heavenly doctrine distilling thereupon beares no good fruit there is no lawfull conception without an husband all the fruit of the soule not espoused to Christ by the Gospell is illegitimate and a very abomination there is no reaping where is no sowing The soule which is not sowne with the seed of the word yeelds no harvest of grace they are barren ground nigh to burning who are strangers to the Gospell 5. An estate of pollution and uncleanesse The house without the besome is overspread with slime and cobwebs Naaman continued leprous untill he went seven times into Jordan and washed the Temple was a den of theeves till Christ came with his whip and drove them out the heart of man is an unclean house without the besome of the word sweeping it the soule of man is oversread with the lothsome leprosie of sin untill he bathe himselfe in the Jordan of
adulterated my worship with many novell and strange inventions these have drawne thy love from me and my truth and thou hast committed adultery with them When humane devices are made ingredients and compounding parts of Gods service they are in Gods account very shamefull pollutions and doubtlesse he that in Gods worship is an admirer of humane inventions is no lover of the Lord Jesus Oile will not mixe it selfe with water nor iron with clay no more will true Religion be mixed with that which is corrupt the Arke and Dagon cannot stand together Religion is not like lead you cannot bow it but like glasse breake it you may bow it you cannot mingle it and you destroy it it is no more Religion but superstition as silver mixt with drosse is no more accounted silver but drosse though it hath some silver in it Besides it is treason in a common-wealth for any man to mingle the Lawes of a forraine Prince with the Lawes of his owne Prince no King will endure it and what is this but spirituall treason against Christ to mingle humane devices and forraine traditions with Christs precepts the Lord will never endure it therefore marke what Christ saith If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke Therefore as we are a spirituall common-wealth so let us observe the Lawes of Christ the spirituall King of this Kingdome Let us walke according to his rule And peace shall be upon us as upon the Israel of God 3. This also teacheth the Church and children of God unity between themselves A common-wealth must be at unity as one body they must joyne as one man Thus the Church the spirituall common-wealth of Christ must be as a City that is compact together that is at unity within itselfe First they must be at unity in judgement of one mind as Saint Paul speaks in all fundamentall and necessary truths as they have one word informing and instructing them one Spirit of God enlightening them so they must be of one mind of one judgement and understanding in things belonging to salvation having as Saint John saith the same anointing teaching them all things the same Spirit though not all in the same measure enlightening them to judge and to discerne aright of the mind and will of God Unity in judgement is very effectuall to breed unity in affection discord and difference in the apprehension of the truths of Christ proposed in the Gospell doth ordinarily make an unhappy breach in mens affections therefore let us all strive for one and the same cleare and through understanding of Gods revealed will as Schollers learning one lesson by one and the same rule Let us as many saith Paul as be perfect as have a true and cleare knowledge of God in Christ be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you God by degrees so enlightens his children that he makes them at length men of the same understanding in things profitable to their salvation 2. Labour for unity in affection let the sacred fire of Christian and mutuall love be alwayes burning upon the altar of your hearts See saith Saint Peter that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently This is an ointment of a sweet savour in the nostrils of God and men like the ointment which the woman powred on our Saviour that made the whole house where she was to cast a sweet smell Love makes both the persons and services of Gods servants very sweet and odoriferous This argues Gods gracious inhabitation in us regeneration of us and holy workmanship upon us for God is love and he that loveth dwelleth in God and God in him This is the character and cognizance of our being Christs Disciples By this shall all men know saith Christ that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another and as the heate of the body is a Symptome of life in the body and as the light of the Sun assures us of the rising of the Sun so this light and heate of love gives cleare and comfortable evidence of our spirituall quickning and interest in the first resurrection By this saith the Apostle we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren As therefore our spirituall common-wealth is a common-wealth of peace our Prince a Prince of peace our Law of faith and love a Law of peace our Calling a Calling of peace and all our fellow Subjects the Subjects of peace Let us love each other and be at peace amongst our selves 3. Labour for unity in Religion As the whole common-wealth obey the King by one Law so let us worship and serve Christ by one Rule the word of God let us all walked by one Light the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles let us all build upon one rocke Jesus Christ other foundation then this can no man lay Let us all hearken to the voice of one shepheard Jesus Christ speaking to us in his word Let us all feed in one pasture the Ordinances of God Let us all be cloathed with one royal roabe of Christ his Righteousnesse for the justification of our soules Let us all invocate and call on one God in the name of one Mediator Jesus Christ Let us all worship God after one manner in truth and sincerity according to Christs owne prescription not having our minds corrupted and hearts adulterated and alienated from the simplicity that is in Christ by carnall doctrines and humane observations Let us receive all our direction from Christ as the traveller receiveth all his light from the Sun Let us yeeld all our Subiection unto Christ as the souldiers were fully subject unto the Centurion Let us have our full and sole dependance upon Christ as the house in the Parable was wholly built upon the rocke Let us seeke for all perfection in Christ as the people in the famine came all to Joseph to supply their wants and let us referre all our services to the honour and glory of Christ and so shall we give testimony of our happy union in Christs Religion 4. Strive for unity in opposing sinne and Satans Kingdome A common-wealth is united against a publike and common adversary Satan and sinne are the common adversaries of our soules against these let us unite our forces by mutuall watchfulnesse one over another fervent prayer each for other and by the ministration of holy instruction gracious admonition and Christian encouragement one towards another considering one another and provoking one another according to the Apostles rule to love and to good works The children of Israel arose as one man and went up against Gibeah The Lords people should arise as one man against the powers of ungodlinesse to suppresse the Kingdome and works of the Prince of darknesse Joab and Abishai made a Covenant to help one another against the Syrians and
undertakings who strives not to make Christ glorious Christ being by the Disciples set upon this colt a great multitude spread their garments in the way and others cut downe branches from the trees and strawed them in the way When Christ is by his Ministers exalted and lifted up in the preaching of the Gospell many soules vaile and bow to him embrace and reverence him as their spirituall King and Soveraigne prostrating themselves and all that is theirs under him The multitude did not only straw the way with their garments and branches but they also cryed Hosanna to the sonne of David Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Humble and beleeving soules receive and entertaine the Lord Iesus with very great ioy and gladnesse The blessed presence of Christ in the Gospell ministers matter of very great rejoycing here is such a sunne of heavenly light shining such a streame of consolations flowing such a store-house of spirituall treasure set open and such dewes of grace mercy and peace distilling that every man that hath an eye of wisedome to discerne Christ a hand of faith to lay hold on Christ and a heart of love to embrace Christs comming in the Gospell must needs say with the Psalmist Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord. We are blessed out of the house of the Lord. The words are an Acclamation of the people declaring and setting forth the welcome of Christ to all beleeving soules their ioy and rejoycing conceived upon the comming of Christ among them their gratulation and thanksgiving for Christs appropinquation and comming nigh unto them their vote and exoptation of all prosperity blessed and happy successe to Christ in his kingdome Christs comming proves most ioyfull to them that lovingly receive and entertaine him All true beleevers are holy and hearty welwishers to the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ Iesus all manner of blessings attend and wait on the Lord Iesus in the humble and gracious use of his ordinances True Christians have such experience of the benefits and blessings mercies and comforts flowing from Christ in the ministery of his Gospell that with great joy and thanksgiving they cry out Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. In the words we have in the generall two things considerable 1. A Gratulation uttered by the people Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord. 2. A Benediction pronounced by the Ministers of the Lord We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. In the gratulation there is 1. the Agent the people they blesse they rejoyce they are thankfull for Christs comming Man hath greatest cause of all creatures to reioyce in and for the comming of Christ Jesus 2. there is the Act Blessed praised exalted magnified be Christ Christ is worthy to be celebrated with all praises for his comming to us 3. there is the manner of their gratulation Blessed expressed 1. by way of thanksgiving and rejoycing and 2. by way of exoptation and wishing Whosoever truly reioyceth in Christ doth also wish well to the cause and kingdome of Christ 4. there is Movens or the party comming He who is the sonne of God by eternall generation and by grace of hypostaticall union the Prince of the Kings of the earth by authority and dominion He who is the head of the Church by spirituall Jurisdiction He who is the Redeemer of man by the merit of his obedience and passion He who is the Conquerour over hell death sinne and Satan by his Resurrection He who by his office is the Prophet instructing us the King commanding and defending us and the Priest offering himselfe a sacrifice for us He who is the Mediator between God and us by his intercession the fountaine of all mercy grace and peace unto us by divine ordination Blessed be he welcome be he in him let our soules rejoyce his comming let us entertaine with the chiefest and strength of our rejoycing The Lord Jesus ought to be the prime and compleat obiect of mans joyfulnesse 5. Here is his Motion Commeth Christ as God is every where and neither goes nor comes but fils all places yet he commeth by his Lawes and ordinances as a Prince by his Proclamations He commeth by his Ministers as a King by his Embassadours He commeth by his Incarnation as a brother taking our nature upon him He commeth by his gifts and graces best owed on us as a friend commeth by his love-tokens He commeth by his Word and Gospell as the Sun commeth by his light enlightening us as a King commeth by his Scepter binding bowing and inclining our hearts unto obedience as a Generall commeth by his military weapons casting downe the strong holds of sinne within us as the Cloud commeth by his dew watering refreshing and fructifying us as the Master of a feast commeth by his dainties feeding and feasting us as a Bridegroome commeth by his voice solacing and comforting us He commeth by his Sacrament as the King by his Broad Seale sealing to us the remission of our sinnes and justification of our soules through his righteousnesse he commeth by his holy and gracious operation upon our soules as the Sunne by casting a sweet and heavenly influence into our hearts as a King setting up his throne within us as a heavenly and Almighty Work-man new moulding new framing and fashioning us all these wayes comes the Lord Iesus to the soules of his servants Blessed is that person that knowes the way and manner of Christs spirituall and gracious comming Here is the terme from whence he commeth from God in the name of the Lord by the ordination and appointment of God with authority and commission from God every way fitted and furnished for the administration of his kingdome and accomplishment of the worke undertaken by him CHAP. II. I Will not insist on all these particulars but onely upon the peoples gratulation and Christs authority or commission First the peoples gratulation Blessed be he that commeth expressing their rejoycing and thanksgiving for Christs comming in his Gospell and spirituall kingdome Man blesseth man by making prayer and supplication for him God blesseth man by bestowing good things upon him by removing evill things from him and by turning all for good unto him and man blesseth God and Christ by thanksgiving to God and Christ well speaking of God and Christ holy and hearty rejoycing in God and Christ gracious and unfained wel-wishing unto the cause of God and Christ and thus the people in this place blesse Christs comming in the name of the Lord and hence we learne That Christ comming in his Gospell spiritual kingdome ought to be received and entertained with much thanksgiving reioycing The Arke was a type of Christ David at the comming of the Arke into the Tabernacle danced with all
will sup with him I will accept and delight in his knowledge faith repentance and new obedience and he shall sup with me I will communicate unto him justification sanctification peace the joy of the Holy-Ghost the heavenly treasure of all saving grace their blisse and happinesse is very great and comfortable who give a full and speedy entertainment to Christ comming in the Gospell It is a point of Christian and choisest wisedome according to the charge of the Prophet to seeke the Lord while he may be found and to call upon him while he is neare at hand The Sunne of heavenly light which now shineth may set and we be left in darknesse the Well of salvation now opened may be sealed up and we perish with want of spirituall water to refresh us the gate of mercy now opened to us may be shut against us Christ may withdraw himselfe and refuse to be found of us the things belonging to our peace may be hidden from us It is just with Christ to withdraw himselfe from them that delay to receive him Christ will be to them as a deafe man that heares not in the day of their trouble and afflictions who are deafe to Christ and will not heare him in his Gospell in the day of his mercifull visitation O therefore to day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation Now while Christ is preached in the Gospell salvation pardonall mercy is offered now if ever is the time to accept it therefore as Zaccheus made haste and came downe from the Sycamine tree and received Christ into his house joyfully So let us make haste and come downe every man from all high thoughts of our owne worth and joyfully receive Christ into the house of our heart When Christ appeared unto Abraham in the plaine of Mamre in the forme of an Angell and two other Angels with him it is said that Abraham ranne to meet them from the tent doore and hasted to his tent to make provision for them he used all speed in their entertainment Thus when Christ appeares in the Gospell and comes to us by his Ministers we should run from our tent doores from our selves by Christian denyall from the world by desertion from our sinnes by mortification Thus we should run to meet Christ comming in the Gospell and hasten every man into his tent into his heart and there make all spirituall provision to entertaine him The use of hast and speed in the entertaining of Christ comming in his Gospell is more necessary and commendable then in any other undertaking 3. Cordially With much and fervent affection the heart is Christs house where he must dwell Christs throne where he must raigne and the pallace whereinto he must be received the place of the Arke was not in a corner but in the midst of the Tabernacle Christ must not be thrust into a corner of the soule his dwelling must be in the midst thereof in the heart of man he must have the best and choisest roome of mans affection this Christ requires My sonne give me thy heart not thy head barely to know me nor thy memory nakedly to remember me nor thy tongue formally to speake of me nor thy foot onely to come outwardly unto me but thy heart to love and embrace me to surrender and yeeld up all unto me This was the Apostles prayer in the behalfe of the Ephesians that Christ might dwell not onely in their care or in the tongue the outward roomes of the body nor in the head or memory the upper roomes of the soule but in their heart the middle and choisest roome of the soule of man Our prayers are but empty and fruitlesse untill wee have prayed Christ into our hearts and affections Christ commeth in the Gospell as a King of mercies to pardon us as a bridegroome to marry us and we must entertaine him with love much strong and fervent love as a malefactor his King comming to him with a pardon or the bride the bridegroome our love to Christ must be like the love of Ionathan to David a love passing the love of women our soule must be knit to Christ as Ionathan seeing what David had done for Israel in the overthrow of Goliah his soule was knit to David so we seeing what Christ hath done for us in the overthrow of Satan our soules must be knit to Christ our soules must long for Christ as the soule of Shechem longed for Dinah our soule must delight in Christ as the soule of the rich in his treasure and the soule of the bride in the bridegroome thus the Spouse expresseth her selfe shew me O thou whom my soule loveth whom I love fervently unfainedly and with a longing desire to enjoy and in the banqueting house in the ministery of the word she found her selfe sicke of love ravished with love to Christ The entertainment of Christ into the heart is the glory of a Christian as the entertainment of the King to a house is the glory of a Subject This is the fulnesse of the soule as the entertainment of the Sunne into the eye is the fulnesse of the eye the heart is an empty vessell untill Christ hath the possession of it this is the defence and safety of the soule as the being of the Pilate in the ship is of the safety of the ship the being of the keeper in the Castle is the safety of the Castle the being of Christ in the ship in the stormy tempest was the safety of the Disciples the being of Christ in the soule is the safeguard of the soule in all the stormy tempests of trouble the soule where Christ hath no dwelling lyeth open to all the assaults of Satan This brings the soule to a sweet communion with Christ in the Gospell as Iehu said unto Iehonadab comming to meet him Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart if it be give me thine hand and he gave him his hand and he tooke him up to him into the charet Thus when we come to meet Christ in the Gospell Christ looketh to the integrity of our hearts if our hearts be right with Christ and we give him the hand of faith and the hand of love then he takes us up into his charet then he takes us to himselfe then he brings us into a neare a sweet and comfortable communion with himselfe the soule which doth not love Christ hath neither cleare discerning of Christ nor gracious fellowship with Christ 4. Cheerfully Old Jacob seeing the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him to Egypt to bring him to himselfe it is said his heart revived Man seeing Christ in the Gospell comming by the labours of his Ministers as by a charet to take and carry him of from the world to bring him nigh unto himselfe and to the
and rule over us wholly subjecting our selves to the Scepter of Christ Jesus as a Priest to sanctifie us to expiate our offences and make atonement for us relying solely on Christs merits We must receive him in all his Ordinances in his word regenerating renewing reforming us in his Sacrament feasting strengthening sealing up his love and the forgivenesse of our sin unto us We must receive him in his Ministers as a Prince in his Embassadors as a Bridegroome in his friends in his members as a father in his children as a husband in his wife in his precepts as a King in all his Lawes obeying them in his promises as a faithfull friend in all his words beleeving them in his gifts and dispensations as a giver in his gifts as a workman in his workmanship as the eye receiveth the Sunne in his light and the ground the cloud in the raine and dew distilling thereupon Wee must receive him in our understandings as a light in our wils as a Prince in our thoughts as a treasure in our affections as a Lord and Master fearing him as a sure foundation building upon him as a bridegroome being full of love towards him The full receiving of Christ in the Gospell fils the soule with fulnesse of grace and consolation He that doth not universally receive Christ doth not at all receive Christ He that doth not surrender all truly surrenders none to Christ He that shuts Christ out of one roome of his soule leaves his whole man to the possession of sinne Satan and the world 8. Perpetually Christ must be received once and forever the Covenant between the soule and Christ is an everlasting Covenant a Covenant of wedlocke the Covenant between the husband and the wife is for ever untill death the husband is the guide delight and object the wifes love for ever so long as life lasteth Christ must be received as the soules guide and love for ever Christ must shine in the understanding as an everlasting Sunne rule in the will as an everlasting Prince possesse the soule as an everlasting dweller and abide in the affections as an everlasting husband The soule which truly receives Christ in the Gospell is an everlasting lover of Christ as Hyram loved David ever an everlasting servant to Christ as the servant under the Law which had his eare boared abode a servant in the house for ever as the land of Canaan was to Jacob and his seed an everlasting possession so must Christ be our everlasting portion we may not receive Christ and thrust him out againe as sicke men receive a Physitian and put him off againe as soone as the disease is put away as a besieged City receiveth souldiers and turnes them off againe as soone as the siedge is removed as the Philistines received the Arke and sent him away againe when Dagon could not stand before him as Amnon received Thamar and thrust her out of doores againe hating her more then ever he loved her Such are very base receivers of Christ as receive him either for fancy novelty or constraining necessity He is a very Philistine that will rather thrust Christ from him then suffer the fall of his Dagon his base lust or corrupt affection their love to Christ when at the best was but fained and counterfeit which afterwards turnes to hatred He is no sonne but a slave no Spouse but a harlot which abides not with Christ to the end Having therefore once received Christ to seweth Christ retaine Christ in every estate abide with Christ Man changes as Ittai with David in life and in death CHAP. V. THus of the manner of receiving Christ in the Gospell the second thing is the medium or meanes disposing and inabling us to receive Christ with rejoycing and thanksgiving The meanes are these 1. A full and through deposition and putting aside of all that is contrary to Christ 1. there must be a deposition of sinne all motes distempers and blindnesse being put away out of the eye the eye joyfully receives the Sunne ignorance and errour being put out of the understanding Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse is joyfully received in our knowledge the knowledge of Christ becommeth cleare and pleasant to the soule witherednesse and infirmity being removed from the hand the hand readily receives the gift Unbeleefe which wounds and withers the hand of faith being removed from the heart man cheerFully entertaines Christ and is filled with all ioy in beleeving rebellious proud and mutinous persons being put out of the kingdome the King is joyfully entertained by the people pride imaginations and every high thing which doth exalt it selfe against the knowledge of God being cast downe and brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ Christ is gladly received strange love and strange lovers being put farre from the wife the husband is cheerfully received by the wife the removall of strange lusts and corrupt affections prepares the heart to a joyfull entertainment of Christ He that doth not sorrow for his sinne cannot rejoyce in Christ He that doth not hate the former can never love the latter He that doth not empty himselfe of the one can never be filled with the other The Jebusites told David unlesse he tooke away the blind and the lame hee should not enter into the fort of Syon Unlesse wee take away the blind and the lame ignorance infidelity and all uncleannesse out of our soules Christ will never enter into our hearts we cannot receive Christ into our soules the keeping in of sin is the keeping out of Christ the holding fast of corrupt affections is the loosing of Christ Jesus as the Philistines keeping up of their Dagon wrought a removall of the Arke 2. There must be a deposition of the world in affection We must not love it in cogitation we must have no distracting thoughts about it in estimation we must not overprize but esteeme it as a thing which is not in c inquisition we must not seeke the things which are here below as if our happinesse consisted in the finding of these things in subjection we must not be the servants of the world in affiance we must not build upon them in rejoycing we may not rejoyce in them He that is married to the creature is divorced from Christ he that loves this hath no love to Christ he that is the servant of this cannot serve Christ therefore as Christ overthrew the tables of the money-changers and whipt the buyers and sellers out of his fathers house so must we whip the love thought command and delight of the world out of our hearts that we may receive Christ it is a great unhappinesse to lose Christ for the gaine of the world it were strange folly in a woman to refuse a wise a potent beautifull victorious and noble Prince and marry her selfe to a foolish impotent base beggerly and deformed captive
terriblenesse of God without Christ Iesus Christs comming in the Gospell would be unspeakably joyfull 4. Looke upon the frustration of all the Ordinances of God and labours of Gods Ministers by mens not receiving of Christ in the Gospell He that doth not receive and embrace Christ preached in the Gospell annihilates all the labour of Gods messenger had not Rebeckah received Isaac to husband she had frustrated all the labour of Eleazar the servant of Abraham If we receive not Christ to husband we frustrate the labour of the Ministers the Lords servants Should not Abner have brought about Israel unto David he had lost his labour his communication with the Elders of Israel and his speaking in the eares of Benjamin had been in vaine Thus all our preaching all our speaking in the cares of men is in vaine if they be not brought about to Christ if they doe not truly subject themselves to Christ if they receive not Christ as their spirituall King for what is the end of our preaching but to espouse you to Christ to worke you to the receiving and embracing of Christ as the husband of your soules and to present you as a chaste virgin unto Christ besides all your hearing all your attendance upon the word is vaine it is all hypocrisie and vaine ostentation if you receive not Christ Iacobs sonnes had gone to Egypt in vaine if they had returned empty handed and not carried home provision with them You come to the Well in vaine if you drinke not if you carry home no water with you you come to Gods house to Gods treasury to the wels of salvation in vaine if you returne empty hearted if you receive not if you carry not home Christ with you in your hearts all your labour is lost The temporall curse denounced on the people by the Prophet Haggai is in a spirituall sence fulfilled in such Ye have sowne much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drinke but ye are not filled with drinke ye cloath you but there is none warme and he that earneth wages earneth to put it in a broken bag with holes Thus in this case much is heard much spirituall seed is sowne but little or no fruit is reaped they eat much they heare much but there is no spirituall filling their worldly thirst is not quenched their soule is not satisfied in Christ there is no warmth no love no zeale for Christ no burning of heart in hearing no fervency in supplication all that the Minister hath provided and dispensed for the soules enrichment it is all put in a broken bag with holes it is all lost it runnes out as fast as it is powred in if we recive not Christ in the Gospell all our hearing is worth nothing 5. Meditate upon the dignity excellency utility and comfort of receiving and embracing Christ in the Gospell 1. Christ received in the Gospell giveth life unto the soule Hee quickned Lazarus by his corporall voice accompanied with the power of his God-head he quickeneth the soule by his Evangelicall voice attended with the lively operation of his Spirit the Gospell is the externall instrument and meanes by which Christ liveth in the soule therefore is the Gospell called the word of life revealing and effecting life in Gods chosen Christ hath in himselfe all life our life is hid in Christ as the life of the branch is hidden in the roote and he that hath the sonne hath life hee that hath the Son in the Gospell as in the seed of his regeneration as in the instrument of his conversion as in the warlike weapon by which are throwne downe all the strong and mighty holds of Satan as in the Scepter by which Christ doth sway within him and bind and bow his heart unto subjection He that hath Christ in his heart by faith and love as a root of life living in him as a fountaine filling him with his fulnesse as a King sitting up his throne within him as a bridegroome betrothing himselfe unto him he hath life but he that hath not the sonne hath not life The evill of neglecting Christ in the Gospell is no lesse then eternall death and destruction 2. Christ received in the Gospell giveth light spirituall heavenly and comfortable light the receiving of the Sunne giveth light to the body the receiving of the Sun of Righteousnesse giveth light to the soule he that doth not embrace Christ in the Gospell hath no light but all darknesse within him 3. Christ received in the Gospell giveth health health of soule Here he commeth with healing in his wings the Angell in Bethesda cured the bodily impotent in the Gospell Christ cureth them that are spiritually diseased here he openeth the eyes of the understandings which are blinded strengthens the hand of faith which is withered rectifies the feet of the affections which are crooked purgeth away the leprosie of the soule which is defiled Christ by the Gospell as by a spirituall Iordan works many blessed cures upon the soules of Gods people 4. Christ received in the Gospell giveth honour He makes them that receive him in the Gospell the sonnes of God by adoption the friends of God by revelation of the will and mind of God unto them heires of God for that incorruptible inheritance whereof he makes them partakers the Lords free-men free from the guilt and punishment of sinne free from the power and dominion of sinne free from the tyranny and captivity of Satan free from the curse and rigour of the Law and free to serve God with an ingenuous and free spirit Kings and Priests to God for their dignity and dominion and for their holy and gracious consecration unto God high and excellent is the honour which Christ communicates to them that truly receive him in the ministery of the Gospell 5. Christ received in the Gospell giveth riches unsearchable riches riches which the wit of man cannot find out incomparable riches to which all the riches of the earth is not to be compared that knowledge faith and love which is farre more excellent then the gold that perisheth The poorest Lazar receiving Christ in the Gospell is endowed with greater riches then the wealthiest Dives in the world not embracing him 6. Christ received in the Gospell giveth prosperity the Arke received into Obed-Edoms house caused all that he had to prosper Crist received into the soule maketh the whole man prosperous he makes him prosper in hearing in prayer in meditation in the use of all Gods Ordinances as the tree prospers that is planted by the waters side he makes him prosper in all his undertakings whatsoever he doth shall prosper all the affaires of soule and body are made successefull and prosperous through the blessed presence of Christ Iesus He makes him prosper in the inward man making him victorious over all his corruptions replenishing him with all heavenly
the Friends of Christ David was a man of love to God a man of sweet and strong affections He useth many feeling and lively expressions hereof and his joy was sutable to his love he was glad to goe up to the house of the Lord he rejoyced in praysing God My lips shall greatly reioyce when I sing unto thee He rejoyced in visiting the house of God he went to the house of God with the voice of ioy and praise with the multitude that kept holy day He rejoyced in the understanding meditation and service of God he rejoyced in the Way of Gods testimonies as much as in all riches He is no friend of Christ that doth not rejoyce in Christ he is no lover that is not a joyfull receiver of Christ in the Gospell His pretence and profession of love is not reall but counterfeit and hypocriticall How canst thou say thou lovest me said Dalilah once to Sampson when thy heart is not with me Thus how can man say he loves Christ when his heart the joy and delight of his heart is not with Christ how is it possible man can love Christ and yet Christ be unwelcome Christs unwelcomnesse to man in his Gospell proclaimes the enmity of mans heart against him Where is our faith in Christ if Christ be not welcome doe we chuse and single out Christ to our selves to be our Mediatour and Saviour Doe we build on Christ as on a sure rocke Doe we apprehend and take Christ by the hand of faith into a spirituall wedlâ—cke as the husband of our soules Doe we make Christ our treasure our crowne our royall roabe of righteousnesse Doe we by the bucket of faith draw waters of salvation out of Christ as out of a living fountaine and yet not rejoyce in Christ not bid him joyfully welcome it is impossible A beleeving apprehension is comfortable an unbeleeving apprehension ministers no rejoycing It is recorded of Jacob that his sons telling him Joseph is yet alive and he is Governour over all the land of Egypt Jacobs heart fainted for he â— beleeved them not afterwards beleeving he much rejoyced but now not beleeving his heart fainted Thus man hearing of Christs life and kingdome hearing him preached in the Gospell as the Author of life and King of Kings and Lord of Lords hearing great and glorious things spoken of Christ and his heart fainting his soule sad dull troubled and not solaced with it that man beleeves not for the soule is filled with all ioy in beleeving Where is our pricing of Christ He that doth not rejoyce in Christ comming in the Gospell hath a very low esteeme of Christ The Spouse had a high esteeme of Christ surpassing all creatures and her soule was ravished with love to him and with joy in him The Merchant in the parable prized the pearle above all that he had and as he highly prized it so he was glad when he found it Did we prize Christ as the hungry prizeth food the sicke health the captive liberty the rich his treasure the King his crowne we could not but rejoyce in Christs comming as people in a famine rejoyce in the comming of the harvest sicke men in restoration of health captives in a Jubilee and the rich in his treasure the true valuing of Christ makes his comming in the Gospell matter of more rejoycing then the comming of all the fulnesse of the world Where is our taste and rellish our sence and feeling of Christ if we rejoyce not in Christ comming in the Gospell the taste of wine rejoyceth the thirsty the taste of meat rejoyceth the hungry He that hath no joy in Christ hath no taste of Christ Christ is not unto him as Isaacks venison was to him savoury meat which his soule loved The things of God are unsavoury unto such but the soule which doth rellish Christ which tasteth how good Christ is doth abundantly rejoyce in Christ to him Christs good oyntments his saving gifts and graces are savory are tasted perceived felt like good oyntments with great joy and revivement of heart and his name is as an oyntment powred forth the doctrine of his grace the name of his wisedome in opening his fathers counsell the name of his merit in purchasing mans salvation the name of his mercy in pardoning mans sinne the name of his righteousnesse in justifying mans soule the name of his love in embracing and solacing mans heart this is an oyntment powred out this in the preaching of the Gospell casteth a sweet savour as oyntment doth in the powring forth as the breaking of the boxe of oyntment in the Gospell and powring it upon Christs head filled the house with the savour thereof so the opening of Christ in the Gospell giveth a sweet savour to the hearts of all Christians The true receivers of Christ find a very sweet and blessed a very gracious and soule-refreshing taste in Christ And as we professe our selves to be schollers in Christs schoole servants in Christs family members in Christs body subjects friends and Spouse of Christ so let us rejoyce in the comming of Christ in his Gospell as a traveller rejoyceth in the comming of the Sunne to guide him as the subject rejoyceth in the comming of the King to honour him as the captive rejoyceth in the comming of the ransomer to free him as the sicke rejoyceth in the comming of the Physitian to cure him as the childe rejoyceth in the comming of the nurse to feed him and as the bride rejoyceth in the comming of the bridegroome to marry her In him let us rejoyce as in the Sun enlightening us as in the friend solacing us as in the shield defending us as in the King honouring us as in the treasure enriching us as in the jewell adorning us as in the fountaine filling us and as in the paradise of our most choise and everlasting pleasures and in the joy of our soules let us say Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord. CHAP. VIII DAvid did not onely rejoyce in the Arke and dance before it in testimony of his joy but did also erect and set it up in the midst of the Tabernacle Every man that doth indeed rejoyce in Christ every man to whom Christ is truly welcome doth desire and endeavour the exaltation of Christ the setting up of Christs kingdome the welfare of Christ and his Gospell therefore the people here say Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord not only by way of exaltation and rejoycing in Christs comming but also by way of exoptation and wel-wishing heartily desiring the welfare and prosperity of Christ his kingdome and Gospell Blessed be he furnished be he with the greatest and choisest wisedome righteousnesse prudence mercy power fortitude and courage for the administration of his kingdome and people successefull be he in the promulgation and preaching of his Gospell in the gubernation of his
house of God their Father reject the labours of Gods Ministers and follow their owne 〈◊〉 Absence from the house of God argues want of love to God Can you love a man from day to day inviting you preparing a costly feast for you and yet you refuse to come within the threshold of his house and to taste of his dainties Mans absence from the house of God proclaimes the alienation of his heart from God How canst thou say saith Dalilah to Sampson that thou lovest me when thy heart is not with me How canst thou O man say that thou lovest God when thy heart is not with God exciting thee to come to God when thy foot is not with God to carry thee to the house of God when thy eare is not with God to heare the word of God He is far from God in his inward affections who wittingly denies God his bodily presence Estrangement from Gods ordinance provokes God causeth him to become a stranger to us to reject and leave us and to walke as an adversary against us When Vasthi refused to come to the Kings feast at the Kings command it was ordered that Vasthi should come no more before the King and that her royall state should be given unto another better then she Many people refusing to come to God to partake of that feast which God hath prepared for them in his Gospell have been rejected of the Lord excluded from his gracious presence and the Gospell given unto others God will deny that man the comfort of his face and counteance who denyes God his presence in his sacred assembles shamefull and soule-destroying desertion is the usuall attendant of mans refusall of the Gospell When Joah refused to come to Absolon inviting him Absalon sent and set sire in his corne fields Mans rejection of Gods invitations turnes his favour into anger his mercy becomes fury Great were Gods mercies towards Jerusalem great was Jerusalems abuse of Gods goodnesse patience and long-suffering and at the last very dismall was Ierusalems desolation Capernaums fall and destruction was answerable to her exaltation God will make such men desolate at last as leave the house of God desolate now Secondly let it be our care and wisedome not to sleight and undervalue the labours of Gods Ministers and the presence and publication of the Gospell preferring our base and servile lusts above it as Esau did a messe of pottage above his birthright exalting the vaine and empty things of the world above it as the men of Shechem set the bramble above the vine this is the cisterne by which God conveyed the rivers of his grace of his sweetest and choisest blessings to the soules of men therefore doe not deride this as a foolish thing a light an idle a fruitlesse thing as a light head as a babling speech but remember this is Gods ordinance the instrument by which he hath appointed to minister salvation unto man as he ordained to save Israel by the staffe and stone in Davids hand this is the arme and power of God unto salvation this is the fiery pillar by which he will guide us this is the Bethesda in which he will heale us this is the immortall seed by which he will regenerate us this is the greene pasture and still water by which he will leade and feed us this is the trumpet â—t the sound whereof he will make the wals of Jericho the holds of sinne to fall this is the store-house in which the Lord will enrich us this is the banquetting-house in which God will betroth us to his Son Christ Jesus this is the river by which the Lord will water refresh and glad us and this is the Dove by which God will send the live branch of peace unto us Undervalue not this then which is to our soules a Sun of so many bright and comfortable beames a tree loaden with such variety of soule-nourishing fruit a messenger comming with such joyfull peaceable and pacifying tydings a store-house enriching us with such matchlesse treasures and an instrument of the choisest fullest and everlasting blessings How blind are they who sleight the light of this Sun how ignorant are they who disesteeme the worth of this pearle how distempered are their palates who rellish not the sweetnesse of this feast how deafe are their eares who are not affected with this joyfull sound O! how base are they in the eyes of God who have such base apprehensions of Gods Ordinances and the labours of his Ministers God will surely sleight them that sleight his Christ his Gospell or any of Gods appointed instruments and meanes of their salvation Honour therefore and attend the Gospell as the Starre in which Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse doth shine unto you as the cloud whence Christ distilleth like the dew upon you as the fiery pillar wherein Christ goes before you as the Schoole wherein Christ instructeth you as the feast whereat Christ feedeth you as the Physicke by which Christ healeth you and as the fiery charet in which Christ triumphantly carries you to everlasting blisse and glory * ⎠* FINIS THE MYSTERY OF SELF-DENYALL OR THE CESSATION OF Mans living to himselfe AND THE INCHOATION OF CHRISTS living in Man Discoursing of the necessity utility and comfort of mans prostrating himselfe and all that is his under Christ Discovering the danger of Self-seeking Self-admiration and Self-exaltation and also opening the Mystery Comfort and Excellency of Christ living in Man The whole conducing to the working of Man out of himselfe into CHRIST Whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it Mat. 16.25 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 By Alexander Grosse B. D. Minister of the Gospell and Pastor of Bridford near Exon in Devon-shire LONDON Printed by G. M. for John Bartlet at the Signe of the Gilt Cup near Saint Austius Gate 1642. THE MYSTERY OF SELF-DENYALL OR THE CESSATION OF Mans living to himselfe AND THE INCHOATION OF CHRISTS living in Man CHAP. I. Gal. 2.20 Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me THE condition of the man in the Parable travelling between Jerusalem and Jericho is a cleare and lively Embleme of the estate of a Christian The man in the Parable descended from Jerusalem to Jericho Man is fallen from Jerusalem to Jericho from heaven to the world from God to Satan from knowledge to ignorance from holinesse to uncleannesse from liberty to bondage from honour to ignominy from fulnesse to emptinesse from pure and perfect Religion to corrupt and carnall superstition He is wholly gone downe from Jerusalem to Iericho from the participation of all grace from all interest in God and from all communion and acquaintance with God into the servitude of corruption and consortship with the world The sinne of man hath cast him from the top and crowne of the choisest glory into the gulfe
disguised himselfe and went into the battell as a common man when yet he was indeed the King of Israel Thus many disguise themselves enter the profession of Christ as if they were humble and mortified men when yet they are Kings for their pride self-conceit and high opinion of their owne worth their change is onely in appearance not in truth outwardly they have sheeps cloathing the shew of sanctity humility and self-denyall inwardly they are ravening wolves Though they know themselves to have Lyons teeth yet like the Locusts in the Revelation they put on the haire of a woman and the face of a man they pretend much love to God much curtesie and kindnesse unto man and yet they truly love neither God nor man they draw nigh with their lips but their heart is farre from God they fast from bodily food with the Pharisees but they feast and feed their soules with pride they hang downe their heads with them in the Prophet like a bulrush but their hearts stand upright these are nothing humbled their denyall is not cordiall sincere and true it is onely superficiall formall and seeming as the Devill appeared in the likenesse of Samuel but was not Samuell so these appeare in the likenesse of penitent mortified humble men men dead to the world yet in truth they are not so therefore the Apostle saith of such they seeme to be religious As a painted man seemes to be a man and yet is no man but a rotten post as an exhalation seemes to be a bright and shining Starre and yet is no Starre but a vanishing vapor as he in Solomon made himselfe rich and yet had nothing Of such our Saviour saith they appeare righteous before men As whited sepulchers appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleannesse as Ixion in the fable embraced a cloud in stead of Juno so many under the Gospell take the shadow in stead of the substance of self-denyall 6. By denying himselfe Sinisterly and politickely to deceive others to insinuate himselfe into others to accomplish some earthly project with the more facility As the Gibeonites came to Joshuah with old shooes and old garments and rent bottles as if they had come a long journey and thus politickely drew Joshuah to make a league with them In like sort many pretend self-denyall mortification the putting off the old man to procure the favour of Gods servants to increase their worldly profits to accomplish their owne sinister ends oftentimes men bring about and finish most mischievous designes and enterprises under a pretence of godlinesse mortification humility and meeknesse Simeon and Levi cloake the massacring of the Sichemites with the conscience of Circumcision Herod intending to kill Christ pretends the worship of Christ Iezabel plotting the death of Naboth proclaimes a fast ordaines a day of humiliation the Crocodile first weeps upon man and then kils and makes a prey of him Such Crocodiles are these men who under a pretence of teares repentance and self-denyall deceive and make a prey of their brethren 7. By denying himselfe vain-gloriously many men doe much and goe outwardly very farre in the way of self-denyall for the praise of men Iacob to get Isaacks blessing put on Esau's clothes and some men to get the blessing of mens applause and praise put on the outward habit of truly mortitied men the Pharisees were very liberall in their almes very frequent in their prayers very severe in outward appearance in their fastings and all this they did to be seen of men to gaine the praise of men for this men may and doubtlesse some doe give their goods to the poore and their bodies to the prison to the fire Wherefore else doth the Apostle say If I give my goods to the poore and my body to be burned and have not Love I am nothing Vaine men are carried by their self-love to suffer martyrdome as true love carries Gods children Gods glory carries his children to suffer death that God may be honoured and to this pride and vain-glory carryes some men that their name may be magnified Many who will suffer nothing for God out of true love and affection will suffer much for themselves out of an ambitious humour of vaine boasting and ostentation They that care little for a name with God that doe nothing for Gods approbation will many times doe much for a name with men for mens praise and commendation He that doth not humble and abase himselfe that God may be exalted is deceitfully humbled 8. By denying himselfe Temporarily to walke heavily with Ahab for a few dayes to bow downe the head for a day with the bulrush is an hypocriticall and counterfeit self-denyall false denyall may bow and bring a man very low as Nebuchadnezzars tree was brought to a stump but as that stump was bound with bands of brasse and yron fast tyed and not rooted up and therefore sprung and sprouted up againe thus many men are very deeply humbled for the present but their inward lusts not being truly mortified and plucked up by the roots but fast bound up within them they sprout and spring againe after some dew of temporall ease and peace hath a little distilled and dropt upon them they returne againe with the dog to the vomit and with the Sow to the mire That self-denyall which is not constant and increasing is built upon a false foundation He never truly denyed himselfe for God that doth not abide and hold out to the end with God the hypocrite is off and on he changeth like the clouds sometimes moving low and sometimes mounted on high sometimes following the Sunne and sometimes moving against the motion of the Sunne The hypocrite will not alwayes delight himselfe in the Almighty he will not alwayes call upon God whatsoever pretence of piety or love he make towards God like Orpah to Naomi yet as she forsooke Naomi so will he forsake the Lord but the meeke shall increase his strength the truly humble and mortified man shall hold out and abide to the end as his other works so his self-denyall shall be more at last then at first the longer he liveth in the estate of grace the more his lusts are mortified the more his owne wisedome will thoughts affections desires and carnall ends and purposes are denyed CHAP. XI IT may be yet further here demanded how a man may comfort himselfe touching the truth of this holy and gracious worke of self-denyall finding and feeling many lusts yet remaining and rising up within him and rebelling as the Apostle saith against the law of his mind sometimes captivating overswaying and leading him away to the minding and seeking of himselfe and serving of his owne base affections To this I answer that in this case and estate a man may comfort himselfe and assure himselfe of the truth of his self-denyall 1.
By the trouble which remaining and rebelling lusts are unto the soule of man If they be troublesome to the soule as the Canaanites to Israel as thornes in our sides and prickles in our eyes as diseases in our flesh and burthens on our backs as rebels and mutinous persons in a common-weale are a trouble to the common-weale Though we are not fully freed from yet we have truly denyed them when sinne is not sweet as wine but bitter as gall to our palate not pleasant as bread but troublesome as gravell to our teeth not pleasing as the wife of a mans bosom but offensive as a contentious and quarrelsome inmate there the lusts of a man are denyed they doe not raigne and beare dominion they have not the full and peaceable possession where they are a trouble Paul was one that had in a very high measure denyed himselfe yet he complaines of sinne as of a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind and sometimes leading him captive yet this being a trouble to him as a dead member to the body as a mote to the eye as a thorne to the foot the Lord comforts him with the sufficiency of his grace My grace is sufficient for thee 2. By the godly griefe and sorrow of the heart of man for the lusts yet remaining and making warre within him When the presence and opposition of corruption makes man to sorrow as a woman in travell untill his soule is delivered and discharged of them to mourne as the Israelites lift up their voice and wept because the Canaanites continued among them and to grieve for the presence of sinfull lusts in his heart as Sarah was grieved for the presence of the daughters of Heth in her house When a mans sorrow is continually before him because sinne is continually within him such a man may assure himselfe of his self-denyall He that hath a continuall godly sorrow for his sinne is not under the dominion of sinne true repentance argues an infallible denyall of corrupt and carnall affections 3. By a holy gracious and constant Contestation against the lusts which remaine within him He that feeles the Spirit the regenerate part striving against the flesh as Rebeckah felt Jacob striving against Esau in her wombe He that fights against his lusts as Joshuah against the Amalekites he that makes warre against his corruptions as the house of David against the house of Saul and prevailes and increaseth his strength as the house of David did may ascertaine himselfe of freedome from the Lordship and power of his corruptions He that warres against sinne makes no provision for sinne any more then a man doth for the enemy against whom he wages warre He that warres a good warfare against Satan the world and his owne lusts holding faith and a good conscience is a blessed conquerour hath won the conquest though much assaulted by Satan and his owne corruptions It is not mans being assaulted by his lusts but mans yeelding to his lusts which argues absence of self-denyall 4 By mans humbling himselfe for his want of humility and tendernesse and softnesse of heart freely confessing the pride self-self-love and high thoughts which he discerneth in himselfe shaming and loathing himselfe for the obstinacy haughtinesse and deceitfulnesse of his heart as David considering and feeling the pride and rebellion of Absalon went weeping with his head covered and his feet bare So man that feeles the pride and rebellion of his heart must mourne humble and abase himselfe before the Lord for it the hypocrite is proud of his humility the sincere man is abased and ashamed for the remainders of pride which he discerneth in himselfe The state of him that is exalted with his gifts is very dangerous the state of him that is made vile in his owne eyes with the sence of his corruptions is hopefull and gracious It is a blessed argument of self-denyall when the sence of a mans secret self-love and lurking corruption doth abase him in his owne apprehension pride and self-love have no dominion as long as the soule is moved to humiliation by the sight and sence of them He that abhorres abases and humbles himselfe because his heart is not more humble is undoubtedly truly humbled though his humility want some perfection 5. By mans frequent and fervent prayer to be freed and throughly purged from all pride self-love and sinister respects He cannot be a lover and servant of sinne that prayes feelingly fervently and constantly against his sinne If Moses hands be lifted up the Amalekites will fall If the heart be constantly lifted up in holy and gracious prayer unto God proud lusts and self-respects will fall prayer will surely bring them downe and worke the heart to a very humble and gracious frame The Church prayed and Peter was set free from his fetters from the souldiers and Herods prison holy and earnest prayer hath a very forcible operation to worke the soule to spirituall freedome from all sorts of evill to make it truly sincere and humble both in the inward disposition secret intention and outward execution of every action Certainly mans prayer is but lip-labour no cordiall prayer but vaine babling words of custome or of ostentation if they make not the heart sincere and humble He that knowes the holy humble constant and earnest way of his heart in secret prayer with God may assure himselfe of his self-denyall before God CHAP. XII AS Self-denyall is a holy and gracious worke of Gods Spirit a lively and honourable character of a true Christian the prostrating of mans selfe and all that he hath under Christ The seeking and exalting of Christ above all is the crowne and glory of a Christian so self-seeking and self-exaltation is a very shamefull and dangerous evill an evill indeed very common Most men sowing to the flesh and not to the Spirit to themselves and not to Christ Men generally moving and tending in their understandings wils thoughts and affections to themselves as rivers to the sea levelling the arrowes of their endeavours to some carnall marke of their owne and not to the honour of Christ All saith the Apostle seeke their owne all comparatively in respect of the paucity of others seeke their owne their owne profit their owne ease their owne pleasure their owne honour they confine themselves within themselves they seeke themselves and not the things which are Jesus Christs The honour of Christ the edification of the Church of Christ the propagation and welfare of the Gospell they seeke not this they mind not this they intend not they are all given said the Prophet of old to their covetousnesse to the minding and seeking of themselves their owne low base and unworthy ends from the highest of them to the lowest and from the Priest unto the people Self-seeking like the deluge overslowes the whole world few then addressed themselves unto the Arke few
an Idoll an imaginary God to the losse of the true God The want of all things is as nothing in comparison of the want of Christ man that hath Christ hath great matter of rejoycing in the want of every other thing man that wants Christ hath great cause of humiliation in the presence of all worldly fullnesse And every man in his naturall estate is as empty of Christ as the foolish Virgins lampes were of Oyle or the tree which Christ cursed was of fruit even wholly and altogether without Christ Without the life of Christ Christ liveth not in them any more then the root doth live in a dead and withered branch Without the knowledge of Christ the mystery of Christ is a sealed Booke which they cannot open or a booke written in a strange language which they cannot reade the treasures of wisdome hidden in Christ are hidden from their understanding as the light of the Sunne is hidden from the eyes of the blind without the fruit of Christs death it doth not mortifie their lusts their old man is not crucified with Christ their lusts are not dead with Christ as the Philistines dyed with Sampson Without the benefit of Christs resurrection they are not planted into the likenesse of Christs resurrection they rise not from sinne and from the world as Christ rose from the grave Sampson rose at midnight and carried away the gates of Gaza but the Gazites were quiet all night they rose not Christ is risen and hath made an open way for us to passe from death to life but carnall men continue their sleepe and slumber in sin they rise not to newnesse of life and conversation they are without the fruit and benefit of Christs offices Christ is not to them a Prophet revealing Gods will and enlightning their understandings a Priest expiating their sinnes and reconciling them to God a King subduing Satan and their corruptions and reigning graciously within them and making them truly subject and obedient unto God They are without the apprehension of Christs beauties and taste of Christs sweetnesse Christ is to them like the Manna to Israel a light bread they see no beauty nor comlinesse in Christ he is no more to them then another Beloved then gold and silver the covetous mans beloved then honours and high places the ambitious mans beloved then idols and humane rites and ceremonies the superstitious mans beloved they are without the righteousnesse of Christ he doth not justifie them he doth not cloath them with the garments of salvation Without the presence of Christ as an empty house without the dweller Christ dwelleth not in their hearts by faith Without the love of Christ as a Harlot without the love of her husband without the dispensation of Christ he doth not communicate himselfe and his saving gifts unto them any more then the head communicates it selfe to the members which are dead Christ suspends his gracious influence from their soules There is not the least character or cognizance of Christ upon them they are without the power of Christ strengthening them without the holinesse of Christ sanctifying them without the fullnesse of Christ satisfying them and without the goodnesse of Christ sweetning their troubles and turning all for the best unto them and man thus being without Christ is matter and occasion of great abasement and humiliation to the soule of man man that is without Christ hath nothing whereof he may truly glory The want of all things is nothing to the want of Christ If Moses want a guide in the wildernesse Hobah may be instead of eyes to him if Noah have not where to rest his foot upon the Earth the Arke may beare him up in the waters If Hagar have no water in her bottle her eyes may be opened to see a well If there be no corne in the Land of Canaan Aegypt may supply them If the Gibeonites be besieged Joshua may rescue them If Peter be in prison the Angell may free him If the woman of Shunems sonne be dead the Prophet may raise him There is a supply in Christ Jesus for all mans necessities a helpe for all mans distresses a comfort for all mans sorrowes but if man want Christ there is none to quicken and restore him to the first resurrection there is none to free him from the bondage of Satan there is none to guide him in the way to Heaven there is none to replenish him with grace and sanctification there is none to rescue him from the spirituall enemies which doe besiege him In the absence of the Lord Jesus there is no redresse for soul-distresses no helpe against soul-discomforts the having of all things is as nothing if man have not Christ with them what if thou hast the stature and armour of Goliah yet without Christ thou wilt fall in the battell what if thou hast the favour and honour of Haman yet without Christ all this will availe thee nothing and at length shame will be thy portion what if thou hast the riches of him in the Parable yet not having Christ thou wilt eat the bread of sorrowes be in straights in the midst of thy sufficiency and at last the evill spirits will take thy soule from thee What if thou hast the wisdome of Achitophell yet not having Christ thy wisdome will be turned into foolishnesse and thou mayest faile of wisdome in thy head to restraine thy hands from being thine owne executioners What if thou hast all the Ordinances of God to feed thee all the Ministers of God to instruct thee all naturall and morall indowments and common illuminations to adorne thee and all Ecclesiasticall priviledges to honour thee and yet hast not Christ all these like Pharaohs Chariots without wheeles will suffer thee to sinke and perish in the red Sea of Gods vengeance the presence of all worldly abilities is very frivolous in Christs absence and man should never so abase and humble himselfe for the want of any thing as for the want of Christ and his communication of himselfe unto him all that can be said to demonstrate mans being miserable or to move man to humiliation is briefly comprehended in this that he is without Christ 3. Mans alienation from Christ in his naturall and corrupt estate doth discover and lay open the cause why Christ is of no more esteeme with the men of the world no more precious in the eyes of carnall men here is the ground of it they are without Christ they are strangers to Christ and Christ is a stranger unto them For this cause 1. They have no cleare and comfortable knowledge no true and gracious discerning of Christ Christ is hidden from them as light from the blinde He was in the world saith the Evangelist and the world was made by him and the world knew him not He was in the world by his great and mighty workes of Creation and Providence as a maker and a ruler by his universall presence
as a dweller by his generall and common influence as a root in the branches ministring preservation to all creatures and by his Ordinances and Prophets as a teacher in his Schoole yea he came among his owne among the Iewes by incarnation in the visible â—orme of a man but the world neither knew him nor his own received him they know not the necessity of Christ the men of the old world knew not the necessity of the Arke untill it was too late and therefore they entred not into it The Elders of Gilead at first knew not their necessity of Iepâ—ta and therefore expelled him out of his Fathers House Mens ignorance of the necessity of Christ makes them regardlesse of getting interest in Christ and causeth them profanely to reject Christ they know not the worth and excellency of Christ and therefore they set the empty things of the world above Christ as the Philistines set Dagon above the Arke and Esau preferred a messe of pottage above his birth-right they know not the holy and gracious dispensations of Christ and therefore they preferre the ministrations of the Earth above the ministrations of Christ as the men of Shechem prefâ—rred the bramble above the Vine They know not the Alsufficiency and fullnesse of Christ and therefore they exalt the creature a vaine and empty thing above Christ as Israel in the Prophet preferred the broken cisterne above the living fountaine They know not the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of the face and love of Christ and therfore they prize the love and favour of the world above the love of Christ as Harlots sometimes doe the love of base and deformed strangers above the love of their owne honourable and comely Husbands Christ is never precious in the eyes of such persons as are under the power of spirituall blindnesse 2. Men being without Christ doe not taste the sweetnesse and goodnesse of Christ he doth not relish well with their palates He is not sweet and savoury to their soules they have not tasted how good Christ is there is a goodnesse of illumination of regeneration sanctification spirituall freedome consolation contentation and pacification flowing from Christ to the soules of men which to carnall men is a sealed well whose waters their palates never tasted an ecclipsed Starre with whose light their eye was never affected they taste not the sweetnesse of Christ in the illumination of their understandings as the eye tastes the sweetnesse of the light Christ is not sweet to them in his ordinances as the Master of the Feast to the guest in his dainties these are not to them a feast of marrow of fat things and of wine well refined upon the lees for the delight and refreshment comfort and contentment which they minister Christ is not sweet to them in his Ministers as a mercifull King in his Embassadours bringing tidings of peace to the people Christ is not sweet to them in his gracious distillations as the cloud in the raine is sweet unto the dry earth They cannot say of Christ as the Spouse did As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood so is my Beloved among the sonnes I sate downe under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast Nothing savours well with their palates but things carnall and worldly to them the bread of deceit and stolne waters are sweet but they savour not the things of God Barzillai excused himselfe from going to Davids house from eating of Davids meat because he could not tast what he did eat or what he did drinke nor could heare any more the voyce of singing men or of singing women Carnall men decline the House of God and the Feast which Christ there maketh because they cannot tast the things of God nor heare the spirituall melody which Christ there makes to the soules of his servants Mens not tasting of Christ in his ordinances and in his graces makes him of no esteem with their soules 3. Men being without Christ have no love to Christ he is not the fairest of ten thousand in their eyes they love not the Lord Jesus as the Bridegroome to whom their soules are married as the choisest pearle by whom they are enriched as the son of consolation with whose beames their soules are comforted as the fountain by whom their hearts are refreshed and their desires every way satisfied Their love to Christ is not like the love of Jonathan to David a love wonderfull and passing the love of women there is no sutablenesse betweene Christ and their soules as between the hearts of lovers they meditate not upon Christ as lovers upon their love they delight not themselves in Christ as the rich-man in the treasure and the bride in the bridegroome which they love their hearts and their thoughts are upon the world and not upon Christ they love the world and the love of Christ is not in them and where love to Christ is wanting Christ is of no estimation he will put himselfe upon no service nor undergoe no difficulties for Christ who is destitute of love to Christ Mans prizing of Christ is ever sutable to the love of man towards Christ hee that hath great love to Christ will doe great things for Christ he that hath no love to him will give every base thing preheminence above him 4. Men being without Christ take no pleasure in Christ they doe not delight themselves in Christ diseased eyes have no pleasure in the Sun distempered palates have no pleasure in the choysest wine Christ is a trouble to men that are corrupt and carnall as the Starre was to Herod and the men of Hierusalem Christ is a very great crosse and trouble to their corruptions he fals heavy upon them they cannot stand before him no more then Dagon before the Arke and therfore Christ is a great offence to them as the Ark to the Philistines Christ is not to them a plaine and pleasant way they cannot according to the Apostles phrase walke in Christ by believing Christs Promises by obeying Christs Precepts by conforming themselves to Christs Example with fulnesse and chearfulnesse as a Travellor walks fully and joyfully in a plain and pleasant path they cannot walk in the light of Christ as a man walks joyfully in the light of the Sun in the strength of Christ as the Rider moves speedily in the strength of the Horse which carries him as the Ship rows in the strength of the wind which drives him and the Prophet walked to Mount Horeb in the strength of the Barly cake which fed him they cannot walk in the love of Christ as Jacob walked thorough his service in the love of Rachel Christ and his way and worke is not thus pleasant to them they can no more walk in Christ then David could in Sauls armour they doe no sooner try it but they are presently weary of it We cannot say of them and
the fountain He that is not of Christ by a holy and gracious Originall cannot sincerely intend Christ but himselfe in his undertaking and he that lookes not beyond himself hath nothing of Christ within him he hath no principle root nor spring of grace in his heart Were he a tree of Christs planting he would bring forth his fruit to Christ Were he a child of Christs begetting he would encline and moove towards Christ in his affection he would primarily intend Christ in all his doing as the Rivers comming from the Sea returne and empty themselves into the Sea thus they who are of Christ returne and empty themselves into Christ doe all for Christ for the filling up and making of Christ glorious he that confines himselfe within himself hath no love of Christ within him Jonathans love to David caused him to strip himselfe for David love to Christ will make a man as occasion requires strip himselfe of all his honour favour among men and earthly riches for Christ according to the measure of mans love to Christ are his manifestations of himselfe for Christ For love seeketh not her owne He that loves Christ will abase himselfe for Christ put himselfe and all that is his under the feet of Christ he that seeks himself that terminates his thoughts within the circumference of his owne flesh hath a very low and base spirit Christs Spirit which is a Spirit of power a Spirit of magnanimity and courage a Spirit of glory a most glorious and excellent Spirit doth not rest upon him He that minds himselfe and his owne ends hath no cleare apprehension and comfortable discerning of Christ and his beauties he that minds straw and stubble doth not discerne the worth of gold silver and precious stones such a man hath no faith in Christ he takes not Christ unto himselfe to be the rock on which he buildeth the Councellour by whom he will be guided the King to whom he will be subject and the husband to whom he joynes his soule in wedlocke he hath not this faith in Christ for as man by faith receiveth Christ to save him so he gives himselfe againe to Christ to love and serve him to intend and honor Christ above himself and every creature and thus man minding and intending himselfe demonstrates his alienation from Christ When man in the doing of workes of mercy blows a Trumpet seekes himselfe and his owne applause among men and in the performance of the duties of piety stands praying in the corners of the Street hunts after the praise of men when a man with the Pharisees doth what he doth to be seene of men or with Saul to be honoured before the people When man in his ordinary and common imployments seeks his own things and not the things which are Christs he declares himselfe to be a stranger unto Christ 4. By mans fullnesse of himselfe Self-fullnesse ever inferres an emptinesse of Christ he that is filled with himselfe is empty of Christ There is a foure-fold fullnesse which argues an utter emptinesse of Christ in man 1. Self-fullnesse which is a high opinion of mans selfe a conceit of sufficiency in himselfe ambitious thoughts of fullnesse enough at home in the House of mans own heart which our Saviour termes a trusting in a mans self Mans leaning upon his owne arme to sustain him upon his own righteousnesse to justifie him upon his owne ability to doe all things for himselfe this the Prophet cals a being wise in mans owne eyes man taking upon him to be his own guide his owne instructor and counsellour this was an unhappy adjunct of the Laodicaean Angell rich full and wanting nothing not knowing that he was poore blind naked miserable and wretched Hee that hath highest thoughts of his owne fullnesse is most empty of Christ Jesus the rich saith Luke are sent empty away the rich they who in their owne eye are full of wisdome to guide themselves full of power to correct themselves full of righteousnesse to justifie themselves full of worth to obtaine every good thing at the hands of God for themselves these are sent empty away empty of Christ empty of all saving knowledge lively faith fervent love and of every good gift and blessing which commeth by Christ Self-fullnesse disables man to discerne any beauty or worth in Christ the Pharisees were great self-admirers very deeply guilty of self-fullnesse and they had very low opinions of Christ Self-fullnesse disables the soule to taste any sweetnesse in Christ The full stomacke loatheth the honey combe This makes man uncapable of Christ the full vessell is uncapable of other liquor the man that is full of himselfe cannot receive Christ there is no roome in their hearts to entertaine Christ Christ came among his owne a generation of men fulâ— of the thoughts of self-sufficiency dreaming of fullnesse enough at home in themselves ignorant and unsensible of their necessity of Christ and therfore they received him not 2. There is a fullnesse of sinne which argues an emptinesse of Christ there is no competition betweene the fullnesse of sinne and Christ in the soule of man If sin have the possession Christ hath no dominion David did not reigne untill Saul was deposed there must be a deposition of sin before Christ can reigne in the heart of man there is no sutablenesse betweene Christ and a heart full of sin Christ will not dwell in a soule so sordid and defiled with sinne he abhorres all fellowship and communion with uncleane and vicious people he delights in none but in them that excell in vertue the Sun shines not where the house is full of darknesse the physick works not where the body remaines full of diseases the Husbandman sows not where the field is full of thornes and bryars Christ shines not into that soule workes not upon that heart which is full of ignorance earthlinesse infidelity and spirituall maladies Such as are full of sin as Naaman was full of leprosie as the Pharisees Sepulchers were full of dead mens bones are farre from Christ it is a thing altogether vaine and fruitlesse once to mention or name the Name of the Lord Jesus unlesse there be a departure from ungodlinesse 3. There is a fullnesse of man which argues an emptinesse of Christ Many are so addicted unto man their hearts and thoughts are so taken up with man that there is no entertainment for Christ in them their soules are so possessed by man that Christ hath no possession in them some are so devoted to the service of man that they cannot serve Christ contrary to the charge of the Apostle They make themselves the servants of men not the civill but the prophane and sinfull servants of men they exalt and set up man above Christ as the Philistines did set Dagon above the Arke they study man more then they study Christ
the Sea of waters 3. He that is empty of the power of Christ is without Christ When the body is empty of the power of the soule the soule is departed from it become a stranger to it thus when man is altogether empty of the spirituall and heavenly power of Christ then is man without Christ a meere stranger to Christ all they that are partakers of Christ have experience of the power of Christ in casting downe the strong and mighty holds of sin in their soules in humbling their hearts in bringing the thoughts of their hearts into the obedience of Christ in overcomming and casting Satâ—n out of their hearts in sanctifying and cleansing their soules in perswading them to beleeve and lay hold upon the promise of life in pacifying and quieting their perplexed consciences in making them able to endure afflictions and in causing them to grow and encrease in all heavenly graces He therefore that hath not experience of this power of Christ in the casting down of the holds of sinne as Israel had experience of the power of the Lord in casting down the wals of Jericho at the blowing of the trumpets he that feeles not this power of Christ in making him victorious over Satan as the man in the Gospell had experience of Christs power in casting the uncleane spirit out of him He that doth not discerne Christ powerfull in sanctifying him as Naaman disâ—rned the vertue of Jordan in purging his Leprosie from him and the lame man discerned the power of the Angell in Bethesda healing him He that knowes not the efficacy of Christ in perswading him to beleeve in reconciling him to God as Josephs brethren discerned the esticacy of his Intercession with the King of Aegypt for them Hee that perceives not Christ pacifying his troubled spirit binding up his broken heart and healing his wounded conscience as the Disciples felt the power of Christ calming the stormy tempest and the wounded man in the Parable felt the Samaritan powring wine and oyle into his wounds and binding up the same He that discerns not Christ strengthning and sustaining him in temptations and tryals as the Arke bare up Noah in the deluge he that feeles not Christ comming downe upon his soule like raine upon the mowen grasse and as showers that water the Earth making him fruitfull in every good gift and grace he that is empty of these powerfull and mighty ministrations of Christ is without Christ under the power of his corruption in his naturall and carnall condition 4. He that is empty of the Liberty which Christ ministreth is without Christ he that doth not feele Christ freeing him from the death of sin as the woman of Shunems son felt the Prophet freeing him from bodily death his flesh waxing warme and his eyes opening freeing him from the thraldome and imbondagement of sin as Peter felt the Angell freeing him from his fetters and Herods prison freeing him from the servitude of the world as Israel discerned Moses freeing them from the servitude of Aegypt freeing their understandings from ignorance as the Sun freeth the ayre from darknesse freeing their wils from perversenesse their thoughts from vanity and their aâ—fections from coldnesse and deadnesse as the fire freeth the house from cold and filleth it with heat making the whole man free to know beleeve love and rejoyce in God as the cleare eye is free to see the Brides heart is free to love the Bridegroome and the Sun free to run the race which is set him Hee that is a stranger to this freedome remaining a captive under the power of his lusts and the world is farre from Christ an empty house in whom Christ hath no dwelling 5. He that is empty of the love of Christ is without Christ He that doth not discerne the love of Christ as the Bride discernes the love of the Bridegroome Hee that perceives not Christ kissing him with the kisses of his mouth it is the Churches expression in Salomons Song applying the doctrines of his Love Mercy and Peace to his conscience making him sensible of his love in the use of his Ordinances as the Bridegroomâ— makes the Bride sensible of his love in his banquetting house making him joyfull in the House of Prayer inabling him to pray with confidence returning a gracious answer to his holy and humble petitions He that perceives not the love of Christ in the cleare and comfortable revelation of his secrets to his understanding in his holy and sanctified working upon his soule in sealing up the pardon and forgivenesse of his sin in the free and plentifull communication of himselfe his gifts graces and benefits unto his heart in the sanctifying and sweetning of all his tryals in making all to worke for the best unto him in giving him water out of the rocke meat out of the eater and sweet out of the sowre He that is thus empty of the love of Christ is without Christ Where Christ is there his love is and his love is not idle but operative manifesting it selfe in the divâ—ne and heavenly fruits and effects thereof to the soule And thus by these marks and characters mans being without Christ mans abiding in his corrupt estate and carnall condition is plainly discernable CHAP. VI. Exhorting to come out of our naturall and corrupt estate 5. THe consideration of mans misery in being without Christ in continuing still in his corrupt and wreched estate should set every man on worke with all diligence with all assiduity and carefullnesse to labour his deliverance and freedome out of that condition the estate of corruption is of all estates the most miserable better live in any servitude misery poverty disgrace or trouble then under the power of sin without Christ better live in ignominy without honour in prison without freedome in hatred without the love of man in poverty without riches in exilement without humane fellowship in famine without bread in darknesse without light in trouble without peace in paine without ease enjoying Christ then to live in all the fullnesse of the world under the dominion of corruption without the Lord Jesus Therefore out of this estate doth the Lord call us Turne you even unto me saith the Lord with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning and rent your hearts and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God Turne from your sin as a Traveller from his wandring path and walke in the wayes of God turne from the service of sin as Rebels from the service of a forrain Prince and serve the Lord your great and highest Soveraigne turne from the love of sin as a Harlot from the love of strangers and love the Lord Jesus your spirituall Bridegroome with all your hearts with all your souls and with all your might This is the labour of all Gods Ministers the fruit and honour of all their
the children of Ammon thus should Gods children covenant together and help each other against their corruptions and temptations every man endeavouring the welfare of another mans soule as his owne Were the soules of Gods children thus happily and graciously united they would undoubtedly prove a flourishing common-wealth a glorious people and a great honour to Christ who reignes as King over them CHAP. X. Pressing the seeking of the welfare of Christs Church 4. THis likewise presseth on us the ministration of our best help and assistance to the Church of Christ The members of a common-wealth endeavour the welfare and safety of the common-wealth they preferre it above their owne private good The members of Christs spirituall common-wealth should doe the like for Christs Church It is the Lords injunction pray for the peace of Jerusalem be instant with God for the prosperity safety increase and flourishing estate of his Church What though God watch over it and have promised protection to it yet thou must also pray for and labour the prosperity thereof otherwise how canst thou rejoyce in the welfare of the same To this duty the very relation between us and the Church should leade us the Church is the body whereof we are members doe not all the members in the body naturall labour the welfare of the whole How can the members of the mysticall body of Christ doe lesse unlesse they will prove themselves unnaturall Our Sympathy with the Churches afflictions should perswade us to this we must apprehend the calamity which resteth upon the Church as resting upon our owne persons If one member saith Saint Paul doe suffer all the members suffer with it A dead member indeed hath no sympathy with the rest but the living member hath a fellow-feeling a quicke and exquisite sence within when any of the members are pained or hazarded Who is weake saith Paul and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not The blessing which is attendant on our endeavouring the welfare of the Church is an Argument of great force to move us to this worke hereof the Lord saith they shall prosper that love thee They that love thee they that are carefull for thee solicitous and studious to maintaine soundnesse of Doctrine and purity of divine worship in thee they that humble themselves in thy behalf when troubles are upon thee they that put themselves forth to the utmost to relieve thee in thy wants to comfort thee in thy sorrowes to assist thee against thy opposers they shall prosper it shall be well with them they shall not goe without a blessing their worke and labour of Love shall not be forgotten Besides our welfare is very much dependant upon the welfare of the whole Church of Christ The welfare of every member in a common-wealth and in a body naturall is deeply interested in the prosperity and good successe of the whole Thus the prosperity or fall of the Church in generall is our fall or prosperity in particular The strengthening of some part of a building is a strengthening and a beautifying of the whole building the fall of any part is a weakning a disgrace a prejudice to the whole and thus it is in this case We live saith Paul if ye stand fast in the saith if ye abide in Christ thrive in grace and make a gracious progresse in the wayes of life then we live then we rejoyce and are full of comfort then our hearts are much strengthened in the Lord. Our Subjection to changes miseries and troubles should very much quicken us to the present commiseration of the rest of Christs afflicted members the Lord may make us drinke of the same cup as in the prophecye of Jeremy the Lord caused the cup of his wrath to goe round he made all the Nations to drink thereof and if we have no compassion on others now who shall have compassion upon us then if we withdraw our helping hand from others who shall reach forth the hand of assistance unto us for God doth so order it in the course of his providence that look what measure we meet to others in their distresse the same shall men measure againe to us in our necessity Besides this is a work very acceptable to God and very profitable to the Church of God doubtlesse it pleased David well when Joab sought to bring home Absolon to him and when Abner undertooke to bring about all Israel Thus when we endeavour to reconcile God and his Church to bring men about to God by our prayers exhortations and their repentance is a worke very pleasing unto God and herein we prove instruments of the greatest honour game and comfort to our fellow brethren O therefore I as we are all one common-wealth let us labour the good of this our common-wealth Let Magistrates and Ministers be to the Church like the siery pillar to Israel a light and a defence Let Ministers like Bees make the honey compose sweet and wholesome Doctrine gathered from the flowers growing in the garden of the sacred Scriptures and so frame it that it may be sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe unto the palate of the Church and let Magistrates like hives preserve this honey of wholsome Doctrine that nothing doe adulterate it Let Ministers by the executive power of the Word and Sacraments and Magistrates by their directive and coactive power demeane themselves to the great behoofe and benefit of Gods Church and as Moses and Aaron brought Israel out of Egypt so let both Magistrate and Minister labour the spirituall and corporall freedome of the Lords people And as every member joynt and sinew in the body naturall performes his office for the good of the whole so let Christs members from the highest to the lowest according to their severall places stations and abilities promote the welfare of Christs Church and servants CHAP. XI Treating of Carnall mans Alienation from Christs Church THe second thing is the Exemption of all prophane men from this common-wealth from the Church of Christ and all the spirituall prerogatives and priviledges belonging thereunto The Gentiles before the comming of Christ were altogether aliens hereunto having no place at all in this common-wealth Prophane men since the comming of Christ though they be in this common-wealth living within the pale of the visible Church as the uncleane beasts within the Arke yet they are also aliens to this common-wealth aliens to that holy and eâ—ectuall vocation wherewith this common-wealth is called aliens to the heavenly and saving power of that Word and Spirit by which this common-wealth is ruled and guided aliens to that sweet and gracious Communion which the members of this common-wealth have with Christ by faith and among themselves by love and this is one great misery of all corrupt and carnall men being without Christ they are also aliens to the common-wealth of his Israel as he that is an alien to the King is an alien to that common-wealth which is under the
King Whence observe That All Prophane and carnall persons are aliens to the true Church of Christ and all the spirituall priviledges therof The Lepers under the Law were excluded the camp separated from the society of cleane persons shewing the effect of the Law in sinners which driveth them from the communion of God and his people till by repentance and faith they come unto Christ and also figuring the putting and excluding of all uncleane sinners from the Church of Christ and the priviledges thereof according to the charge of the Apostle put away from among your selves that wicked person Adam eating the forbidden fruit was debarr'd from the Tree of Life and shut out of the Garden of Eden The posterity of Adam feedâ—ng upon the forbidden fruit of sinne making a trade and practise of sinne are excluded from Christ the true Tree of Life and shut out of the Church of Christ the inclosed Garden of which Christ is the Keeper and dresser Hence prophane men living within the pale of the Church are likened to chaffe mingled among the wheate in the floore which though it be among the wheate yet it is not of the wheate To a man at the wedding feast without a wedding garment who though he was among the guests yet he was not of the number of the true and welcome guests and therefore was cast out as having of right no place there and to thornes and bryars which thouâ—h they sometime grow within the Orchard yet are not Trees of the Orchard not planted watered and manured by the Keeper of the Orchard as other Trees are And for this the Church is stiled a Garden inclosed in respect of Gods protection and preservation of her in respect of her separation from them that are prophane and carnall by grace and holy calling and for the Churches care and vigilancy that no enemies invade her that no uncleane thing or vitious persons pollute and defile her And for this cause the Church is tearmed a chaste virgin for her internall and externall purity for her holy chastity for her fidelity and fervent love to her husband Christ for her alienation from the world from all idolatry and false worship and for her separation and distinction from all that pollute and defile themselves with Idols the world or any carnall lusts And the Church is charged to preserve and keep her selfe from all intimate and familiar communion with them that are openly scandalous and uncleane I have written unto you saith Saint Paul not to keep company If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one no not to eat not familiarly and friendly to converse He forbids not the exercise of the necessary offices of humanity and charity towards them but the having of intimate communion with them And if any man saith the Apostle to the Thessalonians obey not our Word by this Epistle but be rebellious and obstinate against the holy and wholsome Doctrine delivered note that man and have no company with him Whereby we see that the Lord denyes them that are obstinate and carnall communion with such as are truly holy and spirituall there can be no sweet and seemly fellowship between common harlots and chaste virgins What fellowship saith Paul hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters Carnall men are not spirituall brethren to them that are Gods children they are not begotten of the same heavenly parent they are not united to the same spirituall head they are not endowed with the same gracious qualities and therefore are aliens to Gods sonnes and daughters And without saith Christ are doggs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye these are without without the number of Gods holy and sanctified Church and people without the Prerogatives granted to Gods gracious children without the company of the Citizens of the new Jerusalem here and without glory and happinesse hereafter and of such S. John saith expresly however they have a place within the Church yet they are not of the Church They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us CHAP. XII Laying downe the grounds of carnall mans alienation from the true church of Christ THe alienation of profane men from the true Church of Christ is manifest 1. By their alienation from the Head of the Church they are strangers to Christ they hold not the Head saith the Apostle from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the encrease of God they hold not Christ but are strangers to the life of Christ as withered branches are strangers to the life of the root Christ doth not live in them they are strangers to the knowledge of Christ as blind men are strangers to the light of the Sunne the light shineth in the darknesse but the darknesse comprehendeth it not the Gospell is hidden to them they are strangers to the dominion of Christ he doth not reigne spiritually within them though they professe they know Christ yet they be reprobate and disobedient to every good worke they are strangers to the holy and gracious presence of Christ Christ doth not dwell in their hearts by Faith possessing protecting aâ—d beautifying then soules as a dweller his house directing and guiding their goings to the haven of peace as a Pilot his Ship they are strangers to the love of Christ they are not espoused to him as a chast Virgin to the operation of Christ he is not unto them as a Refiners fire and Fullers sope purifying them as gold and silver to offer unto the Lord an offering of Righteousnesse and also to the fullnesse of Christ he is a sealed well of whose waters their soules drinke not though they live within the pale of the Church and come to the ordinaâ—ces of Christ yet as Salomon spake in another case Of the way of a Ship in the Sea of an Eagle in the Ayre and of a Serpent upon a stone so â—â—â—y we say of the way of Christ in his ordinances with the soules of carnall men it leaveth no track behind it worketh no change imprints no character of holinesse they still continue strangers to Christ and having no communion with the Head they are farre from fellowship with the Members 2. By their being dâ—stitute of the Seed of the Church the Church of Christ is begotten of a holy Seed the word of God and vertue of
as sometime the men of Judah clave to David they doe not single out Christ and take him to themselves as their Rocke as their glory as their strength and refuge they doe not betake themselves to Christ as the chickens betake themselves to the Hen the Bees to the hive the Conies to the Rock and as the men that were in debt distresse and discontent betooke themselves to David and made him their Captaine they doe not stay on Christ put on and apply Christ unto themselves and themselves to Christ as the Church and children of God doe as the Spouse of Christ doth their faith is a temporary and vanishing faith a Tree without roots that soone withers a dead faith there is no life and power in it no saving fruit growes upon it 4. They are estranged from the liberty of the Church Christs Church and children are Gods freemen and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Liberty from the power of sinne tyranny of Satan and servitude of the world liberty to know God as the open eye is free to see to move and incline to God as the River is free to move and slow toward the Sea to beleeve in Gods promise to receive Christ as the sound hand is free to receive the gift and free to love Christ as the heart of the Bride is free to love the Bridegroome All carnall men are great strangers to this freedome they are captives to Satan servants to the world prisoners to their owne lusts bowed downe to the world like the woman in the Gospell that had a spirit of infirmity as unable to looke up to God or to the things which are above as unable to discerne the things of God as the blind to discerne colours as unable to walke in the wayes of God as the dead are unable to walke upon the earth as fast shut up in the prison of Satan and their owne corruption as ever Peter was in Herods prison 5. They are estranged from the wedlocke of the Church with Christ True beleevers are Christs Spouse betrothed unto Christ bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh one mysticall Christ as man and wife are one matrimoniall flesh but carnall men are farre from this wedlocke they take not Christ unto themselves as the husband of their soules they have not the love and joy of a Spouse in Christ they keep not their soules chaste and pure to Christ they commit fornication and adultery with Idols and the world and are divorced from Christ they shamefully deâ—ile themselves and make themselves an abomination in the eyes of Christ 6. They are estranged from the Churches receivings from Christ True beleevers receive of Christs fulnesse they receive life and light and power from Christ as the eye receiveth light from the Sun the branch life from the root and the body power from the soule they receive the Spirit of Christ and are quickened they receive the word of Christ and are edefied they receive the promise of Christ and are established they receive the forgivenesse of sins by Christ and are comforted but carnall men like a company of broken cisternes and withered branches receive nothing from Christ Jesus Christ commeth among them in his Gospell but they receive him not he commeth to them by his Ministers but they receive not their witnesse they shut the doores of their hearts against Christ he stands without and knocks but they open not they give him no entertainment Christ spends his strength in vaine and his labour for nought amongst them and by all these things they make manifest their Alienation from the Church of Christ and all the speciall priviledges and prerogatives thereof CHAP. XIII Discoursing of the unhappy condition and impossibility of their salvation who are strangers to the true Church THis discovers the unhappy condition of all carnall and unholy people though they live within the pale of the Church yet they are all aliens to the Church though they be in the Church yet they are not of the Church as nasty humours are in the body yet no member no part nor parcell of the body though they be within the Schoole of Christ yet they are no true Disciples of Christ they are like them of whom Saint Paul speakes who are alwayes learning and never come to the knowleege of the truth Though they are within the pale of Christs Orchard yet they are but false slips no Trees of Righteousnesse of Christs planting Though they be in Christ Sacramentally yet they are but as dead members or woodden legs in a body or withered branches in a vine wanting the Spirit of Christ they have no spirituall life sence or motion in them Though they take upon them the name of Christ yet they doe not partake of the nature of Christ as blazing Starres have the name but not the nature of Starres Though they verbally professe Christ yet they actually deny Christ in works saith the Apostle they deny him they are seeming but no true Christians they doe but with Jeroboams wife disguise and faine themselves to be others then they are As they in the Church of Smyrna said they were Iewes and yet were not so but a Synagogue of Satan Thus many say they are Christians who indeed are not in Christ Jesus but are the Synagogue of Satan a cage of uncleane birds and though they be ecclesiastically holy by vertue of their naturall generation of Christian parents yet they are not spiritually and truly holy because they want that regeneration which is the worke of Gods Spirit and though they enjoy some outward priviledges by their being within the Church yet they enjoy not Christ and his benefits because they are not truly living members of the Church And this is a great misery to be an alien to the true Church of Christ he that is an alien to this Church of Christ is an alien to Christ Christ doth not enliven nor enlighten him Christ doth not profit him A member separated from the body is separated from the head hath no influence from the head hee that is a stranger to the Church is a stranger to the promise for the promise is to them whom God cals outwardly by his Word and inwardly by his Spirit he is a stranger to the love of Christ Christs Church is the object of Christs love Christ loved the Church saith Saint Paul and gave himselfe for it he is a stranger to the blessed and gracious presence of Christ Christs presence is with his Church he delights to walke among the candlestickes sanctified soules are his Temple his dwelling his glorious rest he is a stranger to the comfortable communications of Christ Christ reveales and opens himselfe to his Church and children as a glorious Sun as a loving Bridegroome to them he communicates himselfe as the dew upon the ground and as the raine upon the grasse he gives
thou live within the pale of the Church yet if thou live under the power of any prophane lust thou art 1. An unbeleever thou receivest not Christ into thy soule thou buildest not upon the rocke but upon the sand and thou wilt sinke at the last for faith where it is is victorious it overcomes Satan the world and every lust it purifies the heart and makes man a holy Temple to the Lord it overturnes all the holds of sinne it drives all base lusts out of the heart as Christ overturned the Tables and drove the buyers and sellers out of his Fathers house 2. Thou art a very hypocrite a cursed counterfeit a whited sepulchre full of dead mens bones within like the Locusts which had the face of a man and the haire of a woman without but the teeth of a Lyon within and the taile of a Scorpion behind Thus though thou hast the face of a Christian without yet thou hast the rapine of a Lyon and the poison of a Scorpion the venome of all sinne within and wilt have the portion of an hypocrite at last 3. Thou art a defiler of things sacred an abuser of Gods Ordinances one that turnest the meanes of life into an occasion of death the evill herbe turned the Prophets pot into a pot of death the evill of sinne swaying in thy soule turnes the word of life into the savour of death Like the spider thou suckest poison out of the flower of that Word and Sacrament which in it selfe is sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe 4. Thou art a scandall to the Church of Christ where thou livest thou art a blemish to the Christian name as an ulcer to the face as a dead member to the body for through such as the Apostle saith is the name of God blasphemed misliving Christians are of all persons the greatest dishonour to Christ Jesus Lastly be assured thy condemnation will be greatest thy torment the severest They that come nearest to Heaven by their outward calling and profession and yet are strangers to the life and power of godlinesse shall sinke lowest into hell and drinke deepest of the cup of Gods vengeance To such therefore our Saviour saith it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement then for them 4. Are all prophane men aliens to the Church of Christ though they live within the pale thereof Then let all such as live within the Church learne by this to purge out and put away all prophanenesse to search and seeke for and furnish themselves with all saving gifts and graces the proper characters of the living members of the true Church of Christ knowing as the Apostle saith that he is not a Iew who is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly whose Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God It is not mans naked profession of Christ but his inward sanctification that makes him a true Christian and holinesse is the honourable and inseparable Adiunct of Christs Church called by the Apostle a Church of Saints because Christ who is the head of this Church is holy and makes them partakers of his holinesse separates them from the world by a holy calling commits his holy word unto them causeth it to dwell in them and bestowes his holy Spirit upon them and works holinesse within them and as Christ who is the head of the Church was according to the flesh conceived of the Holy-Ghost so is the Church the mysticall body of Christ sanctified by the holy Spirit and as the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth personally in the personall body of Christ so dwell the three Persons of the Trinity mystically and spiritually in the mysticall body of Christ and all the living members of the same therefore as we professe our selves to be the children of God a God absolutely and infinitely holy so let us be holy in all manner of conversation as he that hath called us is holy as we professe our selves to be the members of Christ who is a holy head so let us conforme our selves to Christ as the members in the body naturall are conformed to the head and as we are stiled the Bride of Christ so let us feele in our hearts the sweet and heavenly motion of the holy Spirit the pledge of Christs love and as the Bridegroome loveth cloatheth adorneth and defendeth his Bride thus let us labour to discerne Christs shedding abroad his love into our hearts cloathing us with his righteousnesse adorning us with his graces and defending us by his blessed power and presence and as we are called children of light so let the light of grace in us like the light in the firmament shine more and more unto the perfect day the more we shine in holinesse the more sweetnesse shall we find in Gods Ordinances the greater tranquillity shall we have in our owne consciences the more amiable shall we be in the eyes of Christ Jesus the more shall we beautifie the Church of Christ whereof we are members and as the vessels of the transportative Tabernacle were at length translated into Solomons Temple so shall we after our ambulatory and mutable condition in the Church militant be translated to rest and reigne for ever in the Church triumphant CHAP. XV. Handling carnall Mans estrangement from the Covenant THe third Alienation declaring the misery of carnall and sinfull man is an Alienation from the Covenants of God termed strangers from the Covenants of promise Mans happinesse is built upon his interest in Gods gracious promise the strangers to this promise are the most unhappy of all persons Carnall men are aliens to Christ to the members of Christ to Christs common-wealth and to all the prerogatives and priviledges thereof strangers to the Covenants of promise made in and through Christ God made and often renewed and repeated his Covenants and promises with the Israelitish people concerning their salvation in and by Christ In the beginning the Lord made this Covenant with our first Parents promising that the seed of the woman which is Christ should breake the serpents head the Lord renewed it with Abraham and his seed saying I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee and of the Israelitish people in this respect speaks Moses What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for and what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day Now to these Statutes Oracles and Promises the Gentiles before the comming of Christ were strangers they no way appertained
spirituall liberty and freedome a liberty of grace whereby the whole man is set free from the command and servitude of all sin the understanding is free from ignorance able to know God as a Father with a cleare and comfortable submissive and affective knowledge the will is free from perversenesse able readily and freely fully and sincerely to intend God and his glory the imagination is free from vanity able with much joy to meditate and thinke upon God the affections are free from base feare carnall confidence worldly love and fleshly joy able to scare God filially to trust on God soly to love God unfainedly and to rejoyce in God spiritually the whole man bent and disposed to run the way of Gods commandements as the Sun rejoyceth to run his race and as the Rivers flow towards the Sea this the Psalmist cals an inlargement of the heart to run the way of Gods Commandements and this he mentions as a fruit of the inscription of the Law in his heart Thy Law ô Lord saith he is in my heart and I delight to doe thy will Mans assurance of being within Gods Covenant is sutable to his free and ready disposition in observing Gods precept 5. A fift benefit comprised under the Covenant ministring assurance of mans interest in it is perseverance in the state of grace daily growth in the gifts of the Spirit and a stedfast striving to more perfection I will make an everlasting Covenant with them saith God and I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me they shall not depart from the knowledge of my truth to errour from the faith of my promises to infidelity from the wayes of my Commandements to by and wandring paths from the love of me and my testimonies to the love of earthly vanities God ever preserves in the state of grace whom he receives into the Covenant of grace he that is in covenant with God abides with God as the wife with the husband he follows the Lord fully with Caleb he is with God in every estate in all changes as Ittai resolved to be with David both in life and in death the longer he is in Gods Covenant the more beauty he discernes in God the more sweetnesse he finds in the Word of God the more pleasure he takes in the service of God the more comfortable communion he gaines with God and the more plentifull and soule-ravishing receivings of grace love and peace he hath from God and therefore shines more and more like the light unto the perfect day growes stronger and stronger like the house of David He waits upon the Lord and renewes his strength he mounts up as the Eagles hee runnes and is not weary hee walkes on and doth not faint he goes from strength to strength untill he doth appeare before the Lord in Zion The carnall mans estrangement from the Covenant and his misery in being out of the Covenant ministers matter and occasion of labour and industry to every man to get into the Covenant to be partaker of it and to have assured interest in the benefits flowing from it as Noah entred into the Arke to be preserved from the deluge of waters so should wee enter into the Covenant of God that we may be preserved from the deluge of those miseries which attend and wait upon the breach of Gods precepts The men of Aegypt hearing of the fall of a grievous haile such as would destroy both man and beast Hee that feared the word of the Lord amongst them made his servants and his cattell flee into the house Men hearing of the hayle fire brimstone and horrible tempest which God will raine downe upon the wicked should hasten into this Covenant have sure interest in Gods free and gracious Promise that they may be hid from the Lords wrath And to the end we may have part in Gods Covenant 1. We must forsake our sinnes there must be warre against sin or there can be no peace with God Moses might not come nigh the burning bush untill hee had put off his shoes from his feet Because the ground where hee stood was holy ground Man cannot come nigh God enter into covenant with God unlesse the old-man his old lusts be put off because the Covenant of God is a holy Covenant a Covenant belonging onely to the godly Godlinesse having the promise of this life and of the life to come Joseph shaved himselfe and changed his raiment and then he came to Pharaoh and Pharaoh tooke him to himselfe and made many honourable Promises to him man must shave himself remove the ignorance and errour of his understanding and change his raiment Put off the old-man which is corrupt according to divers lusts and put on the new man which is renewed in holinesse and true righteousnesse according to Gods image and then come nigh tâ—ed and partake of all Gods gracious promises according to that of the Lord by the Prophet wash you make you cleane put away the evill of your wayes cease to doe evill learne to doe well and then come ye and we will reckon together and though your sinnes were as red as scarlet yet will I make you white as snow I will deale mercifully with you be reconciled to you forgive your sinnes and receive you into my Covenant of peace The more the soule is emptied of sin the more capable it is of Gods Covenant the more assured of interest in it Hee that holds fast his sinne cannot lay hold upon the Covenant of God hee that gives not a bill of divorce to his lusts is uncapable of weddlocke with Christ 2. We must forsake our selves we must deny our selves cease from our owne wisdome as from a blind guide from our owne strength as from a withered reed from our owne righteousnesse as from a rotten ragg and from our owne ends as from low and base marks Thus must wee deny our selves or we can be no Disciples of Christ no partakers of the mercies of God in him Such as entered into Covenant with David were in debt in distresse and discontent He that will enter into Covenant with God must see his debt bee sensible of his sinne feele the distresse and anguish of his soule and be very much discontented with his corrupt and carnall estate God communicates his mercies to them that are sensible of their miseries the Lord loves them that are out of love with themselves he esteemes them that loath their own wayes whom doth Christ invite and call but the heavy laden Such as are sensible and weary of their sins as of a heavy burthen to whom is Christ sent with tydings of comfort but to the broken hearted When Ephraim repented smote upon his thigh and was confounded then the Lord remembered him then he was deare and pleasant to him then hee said I will surely have mercy upon him then he proposed and set before him the Covenant of Salvation in Christ
the word of God they were without God as Israel being without a preaching Priest and without Law is said to have been without the true God He that is without the word is also without God 2. They were without the knowledge of God as the blinde is without the Sun they walked in the vanity of their minde having their understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them 3. They had false opinions of God their apprehensions of God were corrupt and carnall that which they apprehended was not the true God but an Idoll their foolish heart was darkened and they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man And as an Idoll is nothing of no divine power and vertue so the Apostle reputeth their opinions and adorations of God as nothing and saith they were without God Not God but an Idoll is the object of superstitious odoration 4. They knew not beleeved not loved not adored not God in Christ God is no where rightly and truly knowne and served but in Christ whatsoever is adored out of Christ is an Idoll and not God He that is without Christ is without God no man comes to God that makes not Christ the way no man knowes God that beholds him not in the face of Christ He that denyes the Sonne hath not the Father saith Saint John And thus they were without God in the world and hence observe That Man in his corrupt and carnall estate is altogether estranged from God he hath nothing of God within him God doth not shine into his heart God lives not graciously in his soule God works not powerfully and savingly upon him He hath no spirituall commerce and communion with God he is estranged from the thought of God God saith the Psalmist is not in all his thoughts he thinks not upon God as upon the Creator that formed him as upon the rocke that supporteth him as upon the King commanding him as upon the Moderator dispensing and ordering him and all things else as upon the Judge rendring to every man according to his works but all his thoughts are that there is no God no God beholding observing registring and judging the wayes and works of man The soule of every carnall man is overwhelmed with Atheisme running headlong into all impiety as if there were no God to punish him he is alienated from the feare of God he is full of dishonourable low and unworthy apprehensions of God ready to say with Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice I know not the Lord. He thought the God of Israel inferiour to the Idols of Egypt he was so puffed up with his worldly fulnesse that he thought himselfe sufficient of himselfe without God Corrupt and carnall man through his ignorance pride and prophanenesse hath a very base opinion of God and most shamefully sleights and undervalues God He sets his mouth against the Heavens he speaks reproachfully against the Law and Doctrine of God delivered from Heaven against the authority and dominion of God whose Throne is in Heaven against the Saints and faithfull servants of God whose spirituall originall is from Heaven against Gods worship and Religion which is of a heavenly institution Of all this he speaks basely and presumptuously this he treads and tramples under feet and inthrals it to his proud and sinfull lust he is alienated from the knowledge and beliefe of God either he hath an opinion that there is no God as the foole in the Psalmist hath said in his heart there is no God The foole the man in whom the light of grace shineth not in the lamp of whose soule the oyle of saving knowledge burneth not he hath said in his heart resolved and concluded with himselfe that there is no God of wisedome discerning the wayes of men no God of Justice taking vengeance upon men for their impieties Or if he thinke there is a God he beleeves not that he is such a God as indeed he is so glorious in his Essence in his Attributes in his Persons and in his works so holy in his wayes so faithfull in his promises so gracious to his servants and so severe against his enemies and therefore such men say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him God the chiefest good is of no esteeme with them that are empty of all spirituall good Holy and religious services are in their opinion the most frivolous and fruitlesse undertaking who are altogether corrupt and carnall Mans prophane and base sleighting and undervaluing of God and the wayes worship and service of God openly proclaime mans miserable and cursed ignorance of God mans unhappy and sinfull Alienation and estrangement from God Carnall mans wretched and soule-destroying estrangement from God is moreover manifest described in such characters that he that runs may reade it As 1. By carnall mans enmity and opposition against God and his contrariety to God as contrary as death to life darkenesse to light evill to good bitter to sweet The carnall minde saith Saint Paul is enmity against God opposing God sighting against God It is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be It breakes the bands and casts away the cords of Gods Law as Sampson sometimes burst his withes as the man in the Gospell possessed with an uncleane spirit plucked in sunder the chaines and breake in peeces the fetters which tyed him neither could any man tame him Thus the carnall man possessed by Satan and his owne uncleane and prophane spirit breaks all the chaines and fetters of Gods Law no Minister no friend no counsell no perswasion no comination can tame him and make him humble and subject to the Law of God but he rebelleth against the light he shutteth his eyes and will not see he stoppeth his eares and will not heare and is altogether contrary unto God God is light but he is darknesse God is holy perfectly absolutely infinitely holy but he is corrupt and altogether filthy God is good the fountaine of all goodnesse but he is evill a root of bitternesse all the thoughts and imaginations of his heart are only and altogether evill God is a God of knowledge perfectly knowing himselfe and all things else but carnall man neither knowes God nor himselfe God is a God of love he loves himselfe and them that beare his Image but the carnall man hates God and all them that are like God he loves evill and hates good God is a God of truth a true and faithfull God the carnall man is full of hypocrisie and deceit his heart is deceitfull above measure God delighteth himselfe he taketh pleasure in them that feare him he delighteth in them that are upright in the way To the
Note 4. The Lord Jesus ought to be the prime and compleate Obiect of mans ioyfulnesse ib. Note 5. Blessed is that person that knoweth the way and manner of Christs spirituall and gracious comming p. 6. CHAP. II. Declaring the ioyfull receiving of Christ p. 6. Doct. Christ comming in his Gospell and spirituall Kingdome ought to be received with much thanksgiving and reioycing ib. 5. Grounds hereof p. 9. 1. Cleare and comfortable Revelation of God in Christ 2. Spirituall Liberty by Christs comming 3. Heavenly Victory 4. Spirituall peace 5. Soule-refreshing Communion with God obtained by Christs comming p. 9 10 11 12 13 14. CHAP. III. Relating their miserable Condition to whom Christ is unwelcome p. 15. 5. Grounds of Christs unwelcomnesse 1. Ignorance 2 Earthly mindednesse 3. Vnsensiblenesse 4. Contrariety to Christ 5. Infidelity p. 18 19 20. CHAP. IV. Perswading to a ioyfull entertainment of Christ p. 22. Manner how Christ must be entertained 1. Spiritually 2. Speedily 3. Cordially 4 Cheerfully 5. Humbly 6. Chiefly 7. Fully 8. perpetually p. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. CHAP. V. Prescribing meanes disposing and inabling man to receive Christ ioyfully p. 31. The meanes 1. Full deposition of what is contrary to Christ as sin the world our selfe 2. Holy preparation to heare Christ in the Gospell 3. Gracious interest in Christ 4. Cleare discernement of Christs worth 5. Holy making use of Christ in the Gospell 6. Heavenly sence and experience of Christs worke upon our soules p. 34 to 39. CHAP. VI. Inducements to a ioyfull entertainment of Christ p. 39 6. Inducements 1. The Condition of the Creature without Christ being empty uncomfortable inthralling and polluting 2. A through view of mans estate without Christ 3. The terrible apprehension of God without Christ 4. Frustration of all Gods Ordinances Christ not entertained 5. Excellency and utility of Christ received giving life light health honour riches prosperity sweetnesse comfort satisfaction and abiding substance 6. Fastening thoughts on brevity of life p. 39. to 51. CHAP. VII Manifestations of Christs welcome p. 52. Christs welcome manifested 1. By opening the heart to him 2. By garnishing the heart for him 3. By offering our selves to Christ 4. By exalting Christ 5. By faith and love to Christ conformity with Christ and acquiescence in Christ p. 52 53. Want of ioyfull receiving of Christ shewes want 1. of knowledge 2. Of Love 3. Of Faith 4. Of prizing Christ 5. Of relishing Christ p. 54 55 56. Joy in Christs comming perswaded p. 57. CHAP. VIII The necessity and excellency of advancing Christs Gospel and Kingdome is demonstrated p. 58. Doct. It is the duty of all people unfainedly to desire and earnestly to endeavour the welfare promotion and advancement of Christ his spirituall Kingdome and Gospell ib. 5. Grounds hereof 1. The Covenant between Man and Christ 2. The Relationâ— 3. Christs interest in Man 4. The Subversion of Satan 5. The glory and crowne of the Church p. 62 63 64 65 66 67. CHAP. IX The impiety of three sorts of men is opened p. 68. 1. Non reâ—arders of the welfare of the Gospell 2. Opposers of the Gospell 3. Grievers at the prosperity of the Gospell p. 68 69 70. Grounds of not regarding the welfare of the Gospell p. 69. Grounds of opposing the Gospell p. 70 71. CHAP. X. The setting up of Christs Kingdome and Gospell is perswaded p. 72. Parties by whom Christs Kingdome and Gospell is to be exalted Magistrates Ministers Masters of families private persons p. 73 74. Inducements to the exaltation of Christs Kingdome and Gospell 1. The honour of a Christian 2. Love to Christ 3. The perill of not endeavouring the welfare of Christs Gospel 4 Christs withholding of nothing which makes for the exaltation of man 5. The blessing which attends the exaltation of the Gospell CHAP. XI Proposing meanes to frame and worke the heart of man to advance Christ and his Gospell p. 79. 4. Meanes hereof 1. Distaste of sin 2. Holy feare 3. Sence of the necessity of Christ 4. Inabling and raising the heart to a spirituall temper p. 80 81 82 83. CHAP. XII Christs being furnished with authority and ability to minister salvation is handled p. 84. Doct. Christ is furnished with authority and all divine abilities to minister all peace and salvation to Gods servants p. 85. 4. Grounds hereof 1. Christs power 2. Christs exaltation above all 3. Christs repletion of all 4. Christs proposing his Fathers glory p. 88 89 90. CHAP. XIII The dispensation of salvation by Christ is shewed p. 91. 4. Evils of leaving Christ and betaking our selves to humane traditions 1. A derogation from Christs authority 2. Self-exaltation and Presumption 3. Disparagement of Christs wisedome 4. Perill of the soule p. 93. 94. Christs authority and ability presseth to 4. Duties 1 Subiection 2. Dependence 3. Love 4. Acquiescence in Christ p. 95 96 97 98. CHAP. XIV Gods dispensing of blessings by his Ministers is fully evidenced p. 99. Note Holy and saithfull Ministers are the instrumentall Causes of great blessings to Gods Church and servants p. 99. Note It must be the care of Ministers so to demeane themselves in their function that they prove a blessing to the people p 100. Note The labours of Gods Ministers prove a blessing onely to such people as rejoyce in and endeavour the advancement of the Gospell ib. Doct. God by his holy and faithfull Ministers dispenseth very great sweet and heavenly blessings to his Church and servants ib. 3. Grounds hereof 1. Gods communication of Christ to the soules of men by the labours of his Ministers 2. The evils from which God delivers man by the labours of his Ministers 3. The blessed estate whereinto God puts man by the Labours of his Ministers p. 104. 6. Communications of Christ by the Labours of Gods Ministers 1. The Knowledge of Christ 2. The Faith of Christ 3. The Life of Christ. 4. The Love of Christ 5. The Peace of Christ 6. The whole treasury of Christ p. 104 105. Deliverance from 5. evils dispensed by Gods Ministers 1. From spirituall death 2. From blindnesse 3. From bondage 4. From uncleannesse 5. From soule-tortures p. 106. Man put into a condition of 6. Excellencies by the industry of Gods Ministers 1. Of Wisedome 2. Of Sanctification 3. Of Freedome 4. Of Exaltation 5. Of Satisfaction 6. Of Duration p. 107 108. CHAP. XV. Opening mans unhappines not enioying Gods Ministers p. 109. Mans estate without the Gospell an estate 1. Of Death 2. Of Darknesse 3. Of Servitude 4 Of Emptinesse 5. Of Vncleannesse 6. Of Sorrowes p. 110 111. The folly of Estrangement from the Gospell with the grounds and evils of it p. 112. Cure of Non-estrangement from the Gospell urged Evils of Estrangement opened p. 113 114 113. Gospell not to be â—leighted worthy of full and honourable embracement p. 115. A TABLE of the chiefe things contained in this Treatise on Galathians CHAPTER 2. VERSE 20. CHAP. I. Illustrating the state of man by
every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne They who cast the three children into the fiery fornace burnt themselves Pharaoh perished in the very waters into which he forc'd the Israelites there is nothing but an expectation of crosses and curses to that man that doth oppose Christ the fountaine of all blessings 5. Consider when the Church is weakest and the combination strongest against it then God is alwaies nearest to it and most ready to shew his power in the preservation of it The Churches deepest misery is Gods choisest opportunity the Lords people never see and enjoy more of Gods presence then in the fiery fornace God takes occasion by his Churches distresses at once to manifest his power wisdome justice truth and goodnes 6. Consider that Christ is the strength of every thing the foundation is the strength of the house the rootes are the strength of the Tree Christ the Creatour is the strength of the creature He turnes the strength of the mighty into weaknesse and the impotency of the weak into strength the creature alwaies proves more or lesse powerfull according to the concurrence of Christs arme either with or against him all the Nations of the world when the influence of Gods power is suspended are but as a drop of a bucket and as the small dust of the ballance the weakest people the worme Jacob when Christ joynes with them are stronger then the Mountaines No mans station is firme or stable beside his who hath Christ sustaining him Gods Church hath no cause of contracting despairing cogitations either from her owne weaknesse or from the power of her adversaries receiving her supportment from the power of Christ Iesus for he will keepe the feet of his Saints and the wicked shall be silent in darknesse and by strength shall no man prevaile 7. Consider how they who step out from Christ and betake themselves to the shadow of carnall men for refuge doe therein associate and combine themselves with Satan for an uncertaine bodily preservation doe expose their soules unto certaine and inevitable ruine and what can it availe a man to loose the jewell in hope to keep the casket or to destroy the Inhabitant in hope to preserve the house How ever it goe for the present Christ will prevaile at last and whither wilt thou runne then that runnest from Christ now Hee that now flies from the cause of Christ will not be then able to fly from the wrath of Christ He that now refuseth Christ suffering shall with dreadfull horrour and amazement at last behold Christ triumphing Lastly Consider There is more Majesty terrour and security too in the presence and consortship of a few good men then in the presence of a great number of profane men There is a manifestation of God in them which makes the hearts of their enemies to shake as they who came to apprehend Christ fell backward at the very beholding of Christ Gods powerfull and blessed presence among his people the efficacy of their prayers the power of godlinesse apparant in their lives the very perswasion which wicked men have of their integrity of their intimacy and communion with God and of Gods taking part with them doth make their presence dreadfull to the eye and apprehension of profane men thus the Psalmist Beautifull for scituation the joy of the whole Earth is Mount Syon on the sides of the North the City of the great King God is knowne in her Palaces for a Refuge for loe the Kings were assembled they passed by together they saw and so they marvelled they were troubled and hasted away feare tooke hold upon them there and paine as of a woman in travell And in the dayes of Hester the feare of the Iewes fell upon all people And in the dayes of Ioshua such a feare fell upon the profane Nations that their hearts melted neither was there spirit in them any more because of the children of Israel The enduring of affliction with Gods people is better more honourable more comfortable more safe and profitable then the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin for a season 5. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem for the safety unity tranquility of the Church of Christ Pray for the blessing of Heaven upon our deare and dread Soveraigne and upon his great Councell that his Name his Throne and Kingdome may flourish and shine in glory like the Sun to the end of the world and that their Councell may be acceptable to him the divisions of Reuben sweetly and fully reconciled our threatned storm changed into a blessed calm having one Prince of peace commanding us one word of peace instructing us one spirit of peace conducting us one way of peace wherunto the Lord hath called us let every man cast the disobedient Ionah out of the Ship of his own soul which makes our waters tempestuous Let every man cut off the Sheba of his owne rebellious lust which causeth God to threaten the laying of a Siege against the City both of our soule and body Let us meet the Lord as Abigail did David that the Lord may be intreated that all that is amisse may be thoroughly reformed and the Gospel of our peace in the purity and perfection therof continued and the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace preserved 6. Communicate freely and fully to the necessities of the Church of Christ as the Sun his light to them that sit in darknesse the mother her breast to the hungry child and the Cloud its raine to the thirsty ground the Churches wants are for the tryall of thine abundance the Church purchased by the blood of Christ is more precious then all worldly possessions and challengeth preheminence in thy affections above all earthly treasures What thou possessest is not so much thine as Christs and therefore ought freely to be expended in the cause of Christ It is the honour of thy substance to be imployed in the Lords service it is the glory of a Christian to be Christs Almoner to feed his Church and children the Church is a Vineyard whence a liberall harvest returneth to every man that sowes plentifully to it Christs bloud is infinitely more precious then thy gold He gave his blood for thee and how canst thou with-hold thy mony from him Depart rather with all thy substance then that one member of Christ perish for the want of it It is not mans riches but mans bounty to Christs members that honours man it is not the presence but the well using of thy abilities which will give thee comfort in the houre of thy last and dreadfull Summons 7. Be constant in the knowledge faith love feare and profession of Christ Be not in the matter of Gods worship and thy salvation like a Reed shaken with the wind Be not carried too and fro with every vaine and empty Doctrine like a Ship without an Anker Be not tossed up and downe with every gust and wave
of affliction take not thy leave of Christ as Orpah did of Naomi for any distresse that doth befall the Church or cause of Christ doe not leave the Sun for a Gloc-worme the favour of God for the love of men doe not change the Arke for Dagon the â—heat for chaffe the Doctrine of Christ for the tradition of Antichrist pure Religion for fordid and slavish Superstition Forsake not the bridegroome of thy soule for a Harlot the Lord Iesus for the creature perfidiousnesse to Christ is the shame of all shames to a Christian God and man friend and foâ— abhorre him that proves unfaithfull to the Prince of his salvation It was the saying of the Father of Constantine the great occasioned by some of his housholds sacrificing to Idols upon a Commandement which he gave for tryals sake Eos Regi suo nunquam fideles fore qui Deo infideles ex it ssent He that will be false to God will never be true to man for conscience sake He that breaketh faith with God is worthy of least credit with man Take heed therefore let not thought arise within thee of departing from the living God but presse forward draw nearer and nearer unto God breake thorow all the Armies of opposition and discouragement which doe or shall encounter thee as Davids worthies brake thorow the Army of the Philistines and came to the wels of Bethel grow in Knowledge as the light shining more and more to the perfect day grow in faith as the Tree in rootes increase in love as the fire in heat having much wood Be not terrified with any comminations bee not disheartned with any losses revolt not for feare of any sufferings there is enough in Christ to make a super abundant recompence In him thou hast a living Spring when all thy bottles are empty an iron pillar when all thy withered reeds are broken a wall of fire when all the refuges and hiding places of chaffe and stubble are scattered like the dust before the wind in him thou hast a glorious Sun when all the blazing stars of thy worldly comfort are extinguish'd and come to nought a bridegroome the fairest of ten thousand when all thy friends according to the flesh are put to perpetuall silence in the grave O then suffer thy self now to be guided by Christ prostrate thy self under the feet of Christ be contented with Christ repose thy self upon Christ increase thy interest in Christ live wholy to Christ and be ready to suffer and dye for Christ that so thou mayest for ever tryumph with Christ So prayeth The most unworthy of them that serve the Lord Christ A. G. SWEET AND Soule-Perswading INDVCEMENTS Leading unto CHRIST CHAP. I. Psal 1 â—8 26 Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. CHrists triumphant comming into Ierusalem is a lively Embleme and cleare representation of his gracious comming in the Gospell to his people and in his spirituall and heavenly kingdome to the soules of his chosen Christ comming into Ierusalem sent two of his Disciples to loose the colt which was tyed and to bring him unto Christ Christ comming in his spirituall kingdome sends his Ministers by their preaching to loose and free the soules of men which are fast chained and fettered to sinne Satan and the world All men in their naturall estate and condition are slaves to the world servants of corruption and bondmen to Satan Christ by the labours of his Ministers in the Gospell communicates spirituall liberty and freedome to the soules of Gods chosen We all continue fast tyed with the cords and bands of carnall lusts and affections till Christ sends his Ministers amongst us The colt was first loosed and then brought to Christ The powers of sinne and ungodlinesse must first be dissolved within us before we can come to Christ Iesus We must be loosed and set free from the power of sinne Satan and the world which formerly ruled and swayed like Masters over us or else we are unfit for Christs service He that will not be untyed and loosed from his sinne cannot be united unto Christ the labours of Christs Ministers in respect of us are fruitlesse if they doe not loose us from the power of ungodlinesse Christ commandeth the two Disciples to bring the colt to him not to keep him to themselves not to imply him in their owne service It is the duty of Gods Ministers to draw the soules of men not unto themselves but unto Christ They are corrupt and carnall Ministers that seeke to exalt themselves and not the Lord Iesus in the eyes and hearts of their hearers the drawing and working home of the soules of men to Christ Iesus is the chiefest crowne and honour of all ministeriall labours they who make either their owne profit or applause the end of their ministeriall service are certainly deceitfull workers The Lords and owners of this colt though they questioned with the Disciples why they loosed him yet at their word they readily let him goe Christ makes his word in the mouth of his Ministers powerfull and effectuall in the hearts of his people to move them to resigne themselves and all that they have to Christ and his service Christ makes the soules of such as belong to Gods Election to obey the voice of his Ministers in the Gospell Christ sent not his Disciples to loose and bring unto him some magnificent and stately horse such as Princes and Nobles use to ride on but the fole of an Asse an ordinary dull and plaine beast Christ doth most usually set up his spirituall throne and kingdome in the hearts of men of meane and low condition and of little of no esteeme in the world Men most eminent for their morall and temporall endowments are often found the greatest strangers to Christ and his service Christ is many times carried in triumph in the hearts of poore and despised people when such as have the fulnesse of the world will not vaile and stoop to him The Disciples did not onely bring this colt to Christ but they also spread their cloathes upon him and so prepared and fitted him for Christ to ride thereon Gods Ministers must by their doctrines garnish the soules of men that they may be fit for Christ to raigne in them Nothing should be of such esteeme or use with us but we should readily spare it for Christs service be ready to strip our selves of all even our very garments to exalt the Lord Iesus we should rather chuse to make our selves naked then suffer Christ to be dishonoured The Disciples having cast their garments upon the beast they set up Christ thereon The exaltation of Christ must be the prime intendment and labour of every Minister of Christ they must never rest nor please themselves in their labours till they have set up Christ and caused him to raigne in the hearts of their hearers That man is very low and base in his
them in the waters this gives them occasion in a holy and triumphant manner to say the Lord hath triumphed gloriously the horse and the rider hath he throwne downe together He cannot but rejoyce in Christs comming that partakes of the victory comming by him In regard of the spirituall and heavenly peace hence arising to the soule Christs comming to the soules of men in the Gospell is like the comming of the Dove to Noah with an Olive branch in her mouth certifying the soule of the abatement and removall of Gods wrath of the speedy departure of the deluge of present sorrowes and the happy returne and re-appearance of spirituall and heavenly comforts Here Christ as a bright and shining Sunne dispels the clouds of sorrow from the soule Here Christ as a valiant Captaine removes the siege which the infernall Princes lay against the soules of his servants as Joshuah drove the Amoritist Princes from the Gibeonites Here Christ as a Physitian heales the wounded consciences and binds up the broken hearts of his children as he sometime healed the diseased woman whom no Physitian could cure Here Christ as an absolute Commander appeaseth the inward stormy troubles of the heart as by his voice he appeased the stormy tempest and gave a calme to his Disciples Here Christ as a King of mercies assures the soules of men of the pardon of their sinnes and gives them the sence of his love and so fils them with sweet and blessed peace therefore Christ is stiled a Sunne of Righteousnesse appearing with healing in his wings in the wings of his ordinances without and in the wings of his grace within and it was prophecyed of him that he should preach good tidings to the meeke bind up the broken-hearted proclaime liberty to the captive and open the prison to them that are bound to comfort all that mourne and God hath created the fruit of the lips to be peace to be the instrument of peace and the Gospell is called the Gospell of peace for the Author of it the God of peace for the Subject of it Christ the Prince of peace for the parties receiving it the children of peace and for the fruit of it spirituall and heavenly grace In regard of that blessed and soule-refreshing Communion which wee attaine with God through Christ comming in the Gospell Josephs brethren were brought nigh to the King of Egypt by Ioseph Man is brought nigh to God by Christ Christ preached in the Gospell is like Iacobs ladder by him God descendeth unto us and through him we ascend unto God the Arke was an assurance of Gods presence among the people and God dwelled there Where Christ is preached in the Gospell there God is in mercy present with his people there is the Lords dwelling in Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Zion In the Gospell men are regenerate and made the children of God men are humbled and made loyall Subjects to God men are endowed with faith wrought into Gods Covenant and made the friends of God Men are separated from the world and gathered home to God and made the sheep of his pasture so that now they have communion with him as children with a father as favourites with a King as schollers with a teacher as the members of a house with the master of the house Now they are made nigh through Christ nigh in knowledge nigh in faith nigh in love nigh in likenesse nigh in conformity and obedience nigh in the participations of spirituall comforts and in the enjoyment of the light of Gods countenance very pleasant and comfortable is a gracious soules communion with God in the Gospell Christ is most worthy of all acceptation for that communion which we have with God through him CHAP. 3. THis discovers their sinne their miserable and wretched condition who are not thankfull for who rejoyce not in the comming of Christ in his Gospell and in the kingdome of his grace among them There were children of Belial that said of Saul when he was set up King over Israel How shall this man save us they despised him and brought him no present There are many children of Belial in the world that say of Christ comming in the Gospell comming in his word to reigne and rule over them how shall Christ save us by this preaching of the Gospell the preaching of Christ seemes foolishnesse unto them a darke doctrine wherein is no light no wisedome no excellency of learning an empty doctrine wherein is no fulnesse no worth a very babling a weake doctrine wherein is no power The false Apostles said of Paul his bodily presence is weake and his speech contemptible Many false and counterfeit Christians say of Christ in the closet of their owne hearts Christs presence in the Gospell is weake and his speech in the Gospell is contemptible and thus they despise Christ in his offices in his Ministers in his Ordinances in his members they bring him no present they present not themselves in Christs schoole as schollers to learne Christ they present not themselves in Christs house as children to feed on those dainties which Christ hath there prepared for them they present not themselves in Christs Courts as Subjects to receive his Lawes and doe his will they present not their soules and bodies as a living holy and acceptable sacrifice unto Christ But as the men of the old world said in the Atheisme of their hearts unto God so say these in the ignorance infidelitie pride and prophanenesse of their soules unto Christ Depart from us we care not for the knowledge of thy wayes What is Christ that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him if we attend him preached in the Gospell surely Christ preached in the Gospell is very strangely and shamefully undervalued by many people In stead of rejoycing they grieve at the preaching of Christ among them as Herod and all the men of Ierusalem were troubled to heare of Christs being borne King of the Jewes and of the appearing of a starre declaring the comming of Christ the true light of the world the cleare and full opening of Christ and the setting up of Christ to reigne and rule over the hearts and wayes of men is very troublesome to many people like those evill citizens in the parable they will not have this man Christ to raigne over them they will not have him reigne over their understandings as a light guiding them over their wils as a Prince commanding them over their affections as a Lord and Master ruling and ordering them over their lusts as a Physitian lancing purging mortifying and taking them off Many men delight to talke much of Christs salvation but they have no pleasure to heare of his kingdome it is acceptable to them to be saved by Christ but very troublesome to serve Christ But what a shame what an abomination what
foule hypocrisie is this that wee should professe Christ and yet deny him in his Gospell in his Kingdome Is it not a shame for a wife to professe such a man to be her husband and yet deny him her presence her hand her heart her body her love dwell with a stranger love a stranger delight in a stranger and bring forth children to a stranger what is this but shamefull disloyalty and odious adultery What a shame for a man to professe such a man to be his Master and yet deny him all service and shut the doores of the house against him and what a shame is it for us to professe Christ to be our husband our Master and yet deny him our service breaking his bands and casting away his cords from us shutting the doores of our hearts against him denying him our presence in his house denying him our heart to love him our affections to rejoyce in him our hand to worke for him denying him our soules and bodies to be a holy Temple for him to dwell in bringing forth all our fruit to the flesh and to the world and none to Christ what disloyalty what hypocrisie what spirituall adultery is this certainly such men like the Angell of the Church of Sardis though he had a name that he lived yet he was dead so these though they have the name of Christians yet they are none of Christs This is an evill of which Christ is very sensible whereof he much complaines If saith he a man come unto you in his owne name bring a corrupt and carnall doctrine seeke himselfe exalt and magnifie himselfe him ye will receive his person you will reverence his doctrine you will receive his sayings you will beleeve to his dictates you will vaile and stoop but saith Christ I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not I am come from God I have my calling and commission from God I bring no humane but a heavenly doctrine I seeke not mine owne but my Fathers glory and ye receive me not ye regard not my person ye beleeve not my doctrine ye obey not my precepts you love not me you rejoyce not you delight not in me Generally men are more addicted to and delighted in corrupt and carnall inventions then in the spirituall and heavenly doctrine of Christ and his Gospell Christs comming in the power and brightnesse of his Gospell is very unwelcome to many people as the comming of the King to a Rebell the comming of an officer to a theefe or the comming of the husband to his wife that playes the harlot and what is this but the shame of all shames and dishonour of all dishonours to a Christian to deny his Christ to refuse his Christ not to rejoyce and delight in his Christ comming to him in the glad tydings of his Gospell We all conclude it a foule dishonour to a subject a servant a wife to deny their King their Master their Husband not to rejoyce in their comming in their presence but to shut the doores of their houses against them to deny them entrance and entertainment And is not a foule staine so to deale with Christ so to exclude Christ comming to us by his Word and Ministers If you aske me whence it is that Christ is so unwelcome that many of us are so farre from rejoycing in his comming I answer there are these 5. grounds of this Ignorance Men doe not know Christ they doe not discerne Christ in the Gospell Christ in the Gospell is hidden from them as the light is hidden from the blind the God of this world hath blinded their eyes that the light of the Gospell of the glory of Christ may not shine into them they doe not discerne Christ in his Gospell shining like the Sunne for the excellency of his knowledge there appearing they doe not discerne Christ there triumphing like a conquerour in the subjugation of Satan and their corruptions they doe not discerne Christ there as a Prince of peace sweetly and graciously ruling in their hearts by the Scepter of his Word they doe not discerne Christ there as a Physitian healing their sinfull maladies as the impotent discerned the Angell moving in the poole of Bethesda and healing their bodily infirmities they see not these beauties of Christ which David desired to see in the Temple of the Lord they see not that power and glory of Christ in the Gospell which the Psalmist saw in the Sanctuary and therefore as a blind man rejoyceth not in the appearance and comming of the Sunne because he sees not the Sunne no more doe these in the comming of Christ in the Gospell because they doe not there discerne him 2 Earthly mindednesse Their hearts are glued to the world this is the Master whom they serve this is the rocke on which they build this is the wife or harlot rather whom they marry this is the object of their joy they rejoyce in the creature in a thing of nought saith the Prophet and therefore having another Master whom they serve they cannot receive and rejoyce in Christs Lawes having another rocke on which they build they cannot beleeve and delight in Christs promises having another husband to whom they are wedded they cannot embrace and rejoyce in Christ as the Bride rejoyceth in the Bridegroome when the people rejoyced in Rezin Remalials son they refused the waters of Shiloah When man rejoyceth in the creature he refuseth Christ his soule takes no pleasure in Christ 3. Vnsensiblenesse of Christ they have no feeling of Christ within them the Apostle saith they are past feeling they are past the feeling of their sinne as a dead body is past the feeling of the disease they are past the feeling of the shame of sin as a common harlot hath cast of all modesty is even degenerated from her sexe and takes no shame of her whoredomes they have no feeling of the iudgements of God denounced against them they sleep in the midst of these as Ionah did in the storme they take no notice of them they have no feeling of the workings bitings and convulsions of an accusing and condemning conscience their consciences are like a mastive fallen asleep after long and much barking like flesh seared with a hot yron their sence and feeling is gone they are alienated from the life of God dead and have no feeling of the life of Christ Christ doth not live in them they are blind and have no feeling of the wisedome and knowledge which commeth from Christ as a blind man hath no feeling of the light which commeth from the Sunne they are deafe and have no feeling of the sweet and comfortable voice of Christ in the Gospell any more then a deafe man feeles the sweet sound of a musicall instrument their pallates are distempered and they cannot taste the sweetnesse of Christ they loath him as the full stomacke the honey-combe he
comming in the Gospell was shadowed by the feast of solemnity called blowing of Trumpets signifying the spirituall joy and gladnesse occasioned and raised in the hearts of men by Christs comming in the flesh and in the preaching of the Gospell the Lord Jesus being the gladsome body and substance of all the Leviticall and Ceremoniall joyous festivals this was also foretold and often prophecyed How beautifull saith the Prophet Esay are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace and bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation that saith unto Sion thy God raigneth which Prophecye the Apostle referres to the preaching of the Gospell the feet carry the body in motion and going the ministery carry Christ in the preaching of the Gospell the feet lift and beare up the body the Ministers lift up and carry Christ aloft and make him conspicuous in the eyes of the people by their holy and wholsome doctrine the feet of him that brings tidings of a pardon to a condemned person tidings of redemption to a captive tidings of supply to him that is in want are very beautifull in the eyes of such people the feet of Gods Ministers bringing tidings of forgivenesse tidings of deliverance tidings of all fulnesse in and by Christ Jesus are very beautifull in their eyes who know and feele the danger of their owne sinfull condition therefore breake forth into ioy saith the Prophet sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Jerusalem The comming of the Sunne comforteth him that sits in darknesse the comming of the Physitian comforts him that is opprest with sicknesse the comming of the ransomer comforts him that is in bondage the comming of Christ in the Gospell like the comming of the light comforts men with knowledge like the comming of a Physitian with healing in his wings comforts men with spirituall health and like the comming of a ransomer gives the comfort of spirituall freedome sweet and blessed and full of refreshing is the joy arising from Christ his comming in the Gospell This makes the wildernesse like Eden and the desart like the garden of the Lord. This fils the desolate sad and sorrowfull soule of man full of joy and gladnesse thanksgiving and the voice of melody and to this joyfull entertainment of Christs comming in his spirituall kingdome Let us all provoke our hearts and frame and dispose our soules as the eye is disposed to a joyfull entertainment of the light the eare to a joyfull entertainment of musicke and the bride to a joyfull entertainment of the bridegroome And that we may give Christ comming in the Gospell a Christian and wel-pleasing entertainment there are three things in the generall observable 1. Modus the manner how we must entertaine him 2. Medium the meanes which we must use to entertaine him and 3. Motivum the inducements perswading thus to entertaine Christ 1. The manner how Christ must be entertained and received and thus Christ must bee entertained received 1. Spiritually The entertainment of the King is sutable to the condition quality and nature of the King earthly entertainment is given to earthly Kings Christ is a spirituall and heavenly King his kingdome is not of this world and therefore he must not be carnally but spiritually entertained the Tabernacle into which the Arke was received had in it the two Tables of the Law it was overlaid within with pure gold and the Arke had a crowne of gold about it Hee that will entertaine Christ must have the Law of God written in his heart his soule within and his life without must be overlaid with the gifts and graces of the Spirit more pure and precious then the gold which perisheth holinesse and righteousnesse must crowne the soules of such persons as will entertaine Christ Jesus slimy sluttish and filthy houses are fitter to entertaine swine then Princes corrupt and carnall unsanctified and ungracious soules are fitter to entertaine Satan the prince of darknesse then to entertaine Christ the King of Righteousnesse The Kings daughter the Spouse of Christ the Type of all that truly entertaine Christ was all-glorious within Heavenly graces are the peculiar glory of Gods servants making their soules a fit receptacle for the Lord Iesus As men therefore to receive and entertaine an earthly King cleanse their houses perfume and garnish all their roomes and prepare such delicacies as the King delights in Thus wee to entertaine and receive Christ the heavenly King must cleanse our soules of all sin we must put all iniquity farre from us as a spot from our faces a disease from our flesh and a theefe from our house we must garnish all the roomes of the house of our soules with spirituall ornaments our understandings with spirituall knowledge our wils with gracious liberty and freedome to embrace and chuse Christ our imaginations with holy thoughts and medetations upon Christ our affections with filiall feare to offend Christ with lively faith to beleeve in Christ with pure and fervent love to Christ with heavenly joy and delight in Christ He that is most holy and gracious is most capable of Christ Iesus the soule which abides under the sway and power of prophanenesse cannot receive the Lord Iesus the swaying presence of ungodlinesse nullifies the gracious presence of Christ Iesus No man receiveth Christ with true and sollid comfort in the Gospell but only he whose soule is endowed with purity and sanctification 2. Speedily The servant speedily opens the doore of the house when the Master knocks and readily entertaines him Christ is the great Lord and Master of the house of mans soule at the doore whereof he knocks by the ministery of the Gospell and man must speedily open to Christ so knocking Behold saith Christ I stand at the doore and knocke the heart of unregenerate man is a doore shut a hard a stony doore God and Christ are shut out to this doore Christ knocks by the preaching of the Law threatning destruction to him that will not open by the preaching of the Gospell promising pardon to all that speedily and sincerely open by the rod of affliction and terrour of conscience on all that doe delay to open by the inward motion and powerfull operation of his Spirit on Gods chosen repairing and disposing their hearts to open to him If any man saith Christ heare my voice speedily without delay unfainedly without hypocrisie humbly without disdaine beleevingly without unbeleefe joyfully without repining and obediently without rebellion If any man thus heare my voice and open unto me by understanding me and my will by beleeving me and my promises by loving me and my testimonies by embracing me and my benefits by dedicating himselfe to me and my service I will come into him I will make his soule my temple and holy habitation I will enter into a neare and sweet communion with him and I
soule and what found she in these chambers how was she affected with this worke of Christ We will saith she be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more then wine Experience of Christs gracious operation upon man makes the soule of man joyfull the more we feele the blessed working of Christ within us the greater are our rejoycings Mans unsensiblenesse of Christ and his gracious dispensations deprives man of Christs sweet and blessed comforts CHAP. VI. THe third thing is Motivum The inducements perswading to a ready and joyfull embracement and receiving of Christ comming in his Gospell and spirituall kingdome and to move our selves to this let us wisely consider and seriously looke upon 1. The condition of the creature without Christ To him that receives not Christ the creature all earthly perfection and fulnesse is 1. an empty thing it never filleth never satisfieth never contenteth him that hath it the more man drinks of this brooke not drinking of Christ the full and everliving fountaine the more hee thirsteth the more he feeds on this not feeding on Christ the true bread of life the more his hunger increaseth The soule which receives not Christ like the horsleaches daughters in Solomon is ever crying give give and can never have enough The fulnesse of the world without Christ is but a dry bone without marrow an empty pit without water a barren tree without fruit like that in the Gospell which had leafe but no fruit promising much to him that beholds it afarre off but ministring no satisfaction to them that draw neare unto it emptinesse ever attends their greatest possessions who are strangers to Christ Iesus the soule is a vessell of that largenesse that none can fill it but Christ in whom is all fulnesse the barren eares in Pharaohs dreame eat up the full and the leane kine eat up the fat and when they had eaten them up it could not be knowne they had eaten them but they were still ill-favoured Man that stayes upon the creature and comes not to Christ that entertaines the creature and not Christ eats up the full and fat of the earth and yet it cannot be knowne that he hath eaten his desires and his hunger after it are as great as ever he is nothing at all filled with it his desires grow as his possessessions grow the creature hath a power to inflame but not to satisfie mans desire ordinarily the greatest worldly possessors are vexed with most insatiable desires of such the Lord saith they shall not be satisfied and their desire is enlarged as hell and they can never have enough The emptinesse of the creatures must make Christ the more precious in our apprehensions Hagar seeing the emptinesse of her bottle came readily for water to the fountaine the emptinesse of the creature should make us ready in comming unto and cheerfull in the entertainment of Christ Iesus the gracious and through receiving of the Lord Iesus is the only way to satisfaction and fulnesse 2. The creature to him that receives not Christ is an uncomfortable thing The world without the Sunne is an uncomfortable dwelling the fulnesse of the world without Christ is an unquiet possession the waters of Marah without the tree were bitter the children of Israel could not drinke of them the greatest rivers the deepest flouds and most pleasant things of earthly abundance are very bitter and distastefull without Christ Christ is the sweetner of mans earthly possession as the honey-combe sweetned the Lyon unto Sampson the man that receives not Christ is in straights in perplexities feares doubtings and great distractions in the fulnesse of his sufficiency in the plenitude and presence of his greatest worldly abundance his path is a way of snares and his bed is a bed of thornes his abundance will not suffer him to sleep that doth not repose his soule on Christ his bread is bread of sorrowes that doth not feast and feed his soule upon Christ Worldly abundance is a snare entangling an arrow piercing a sword wounding a tempestuous sea tossing shaking drowning them that possesse it and possesse not Christ with it the greater possession the greater trouble to him that receives not Christ in the Gospell It is not the having of the creature in the house but the having of Christ in the heart that ministers true peace and comfort 3. The creature to him that receives not Christ is an inthralling and inbondaging thing it takes away the liberty and freedome of the soule it fetters and imprisons it it makes a slave and servant of it Sampson doting upon and inordinately applying himselfe to Dalilah she cut off t his locks delivered him into the hand of the Philistines and made him their slave Man that neglecteth Christ that receives not Christ that is not ravished with his beauties is so enamoured with the creature and so gives himselfe to the creature that the creature â—obs him of the strength of faith and spirituall love and makes him a slave to himselfe and his owne lusts the creature ever swayes in that soule like a tyrant where Christ is not he that refuseth to be Christs Subject makes himselfe the creatures slave therefore are they termed the servants of Mammon for their alienation from Christ and spirituall freedome for their subjection and slavery under the world and they are said to serve their owne belly and not Christ Most miserable and wretched is the soules bondage which receives not the Lord Iesus 4. The creature to him that receives not Christ is a polluting and defiling thing it makes the soule a very sinke and cage of uncleannesse a very den and dungeon of filthinesse as the Temple before Christ entred into it was made a den of theeves Exclude the housewife out of the house and all the residue of goers and commers and implements brought into the house make a foule house exclude Christ out of the house of the soule and their going and comming and travell of the creature will quickly make a very uncleane and filthy soule Dinah went out from her fathers house to see the daughters of the land and Shechem tooke her and defiled her Man steps aside goes out from Christ neglects and leaves Christ abides not close with Christ but sets his eye his thought his heart upon the creature and the creature takes him ensnares him and shamefully defiles him it defiles his understanding with errour dust blinds the eye of the body the creature the dust of the world duls and blinds the eye of the mind The love of money saith Paul is the root of all evill which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith It defiles his thought his thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction thoughts of injustice and oppression thoughts of fraud and treason thoughts of pride and selfe-admiration thoughts of carnall confidence and fleshly contentments it
fulnesse communicating to him peace and reconciliation with God and tranquillity of conscience He that receives the Lord Iesus like Joseph hath the Lord with him and is a prosperous man Mans not embracing Christ Iesus exposeth him to all plagues and curses in his soule in his body in all his services all blessing attends the holy and gracious embracement of Christ all curses follow the prophane refusall of Christ 7. Christ received in the Gospell sweetens and sanctifies all afflictions the tree sweetened the waters of Marah Christ takes away the bitternesse of affliction from the soule which beleevingly entertaines him he makes them see light in darknesse he sends them water out of the hard and stony rocke he gives them honey out of the belly of Lyons Meat out of the Eater and sweet out of the sowre he makes them sing in prison he makes them glory in tribulation he turnes the fiery furnace into a Paradise he so takes away the evill of affliction that it doth no more harme them then Nebuchadnezzars fire did the three children his affliction that enjoyes Christ in the Gospell is more pleasant and joyous then the carnall mans peace that shuts his heart against Christ peace without Christ is full of trouble trouble with Christ is full of consolation 8. Christ received in the Gospell giveth comfort holy sweet and sure comfort In the Arke was the pot of Manna in Christ is the treasure of all true comfort Christ in the Gospell makes a feast for his faithfull receivers a feast of fat things of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Of all comforts such have most fulnesse and sweetnesse as are ministred by Christ Jesus all others like Iobs friends prove miserable Comforters if Christ doth not comfort us Christ received in the Gospell comforteth the soules of his servants as a nurse her children feeding them as a Physitian his patients healing them as a mercifull King his delinquent and humbled subjects pardoning them as a teacher his schollers filling them with heavenly wisedome as a Bridegroome his Bride speaking graciously to them making them sensible of his love towards them replenishing them with strong and everlasting consolation his estate is of all mens the most joyfull who hath the most full and sweet enjoyment of Christ in the Gospell Perplexities distractions and convulsions of soule and conscience are infallible attendants of the neglect and refusall of Christ Iesus he that shuts his eyes against the Sun abides in darknesse he that shuts his heart against Christ abides in heavinesse 9. Christ received in the Gospell giveth satisfaction The Sunne satisfieth the eye with light the fountaine satisfieth the thirsty with water the pearle satisfied the Merchant in the parable with treasure Christ in the Gospell satisfieth the soule with wisedome in the understanding with holy and sweet meditations in the mind with the sence of his love in the heart with the treasure of spirituall gifts in the affections with sure and blessed peace in the conscience He that rightly possesseth Christ in the Gospell may say as Iacob did I have enough Christ in the Gospell is a living spring he that drinks of him shall thirst no more He is an al-sufficient portion to them that enjoy him he that seeks contentation with the neglect of Christ in his Gospell seekes for water to quench his thirst in a broken cesterne The soule is restlesse and never truly contented untill Christ is enjoyed the house without the husband seemes an empty place to the wife the world without Christ proves an empty thing to the soule 10. Christ received in the Gospell is an abiding substance to the soule he is an everlasting father he will never forget us he is a husband for ever he will never cease to love us he is a faithfull friend loving at all times his love is a Sunne that knowes no setting his gifts are t without repentance his grace an immortall seed that never dyes a well-spring springing up to life everlasting All that is without Christ is full of vanity and changes only Christ is a possession of everlasting continuance the meditation of all which should sweetly allure and draw us graciously dispose and frame us and mightily perswade and move us to give Christ a joyfull welcom comming to us in his Gospell 6. Fastening our frequent and most serious thoughts upon the brevity and vanity of the life of man Man hath no abiding City here he flourisheth like Ionahs gourd in an evening and is smitten and withered in the morning Death like the waters of the red sea drownes all onely Christ makes a safe passage through death for his Israel for all that receive him the Arke divided Iordan and Israel went dry and safe over to Canaan Christ makes a ready way for all that beleevingly entertaine him through the horrours of death to the heavenly kingdome death like the deluge spares none as Noah therefore betooke himselfe to the Arke and was preserved so let us betake our selves to Christ that we may be preserved from the second death all they who were out of the Arke perished in the waters all they that are out of Christ will perish in the deluge of Gods vengeance the Lord Jesus is the soules onely refuge and deliverance Behold saith the Lord by Moses in another case to morrow about this time I will cause it to raine a very grievous hayle such as hath not been in Egypt from the foundation thereof untill now Send therefore now and gather thy cattell and all that thou hast in the field for upon every man and beast that shall be found in the field and shall not be brought home the hayle shall come downe upon them and they shall dye He that feared the word of the Lord among them made his servants and his cattell flee into the houses and he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattell in the field and they were all smitten and died Thus in this case behold to morrow ere long very shortly the Lord will cause a mighty raine he will raine downe snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest send therefore now and gather your soules your selves your friends husbands wives children servants kindred and neighbours unto Christ get yee interest in Christ hide your selves by faith and love in Christ for upon every soule of man that shall not be found in Christ upon every parent and childe husband and wife master and servant young and old bond and free that shall not be brought home to Christ the haile fire and brimstone of Gods wrath shall come downe upon them and they shall dye both the first and the second death and now I know that he that feares the word of the Lord among you will flee to Christ give all diligence to receive and entertaine Christ to get a sure and
Church and children in the dissipation of all adversary powers victorious be he in the subjugation and conquest of his enemies glorious be he in the conversion of sinners in the multiplication and increase of his holy and loyall subjects beautifull and amiable be he in the eyes of all persons Let his Gospell shine like the Sun from the one end of heaven unto the other Let his name be as an oyntment powred out casting a sweet smell throughout this great house of the world to him let all the Kings and kingdomes of the earth vaile and stoop become truly obedient and subject This is the prayer desire and endeavour of all that rejoyce in Christ aright teaching us That It is the duty of all people unfainedly to desire and earnestly to endeavour the welfare promotion and advancement of Christ his spirituall kingdome and Gospell David and all the house of Israel joyned together in erecting and setting up the Arke in the Tabernacle Kings and Subjects Masters and servants parents and children the people of every calling and condition should unite their forces their hearts and hands their counsels and tongues their affections and endeavours to set up Christ to advance his Gospell to honour and enlarge his kingdome This was shadowed in the building of the Temple to the building thereof concurred Solomon and his servants Hyram of Tyrus and the Sydonians who did hew the timber for it to the building of the Church of Christ to the setting up of Christ and his Gospell there should be an universall unanimous full and sweet concurrence of men of all nations of Kings and subjects of Lords and servants of Ministers and people every man in the place and calling wherein God hath set him according to the gift and endowment which God hath bestowed on him must concurre in his prayers and endeavours to advance the honour and kingdome of Christ Jesus This was also figured in the neighbouring Kings payment of tribute unto Solomon desiring his friendship and by variety of gifts and presents making their peace with him All people comming from all the Kings of the earth to heare his wisedome the whole as in a shadow presignifying mens payment of the spirituall tribute of feare and reverence faith and obedience love and thankfulnesse unto Christ their entring into a Covenant of peace with Christ their seeking of the love and friendship of Christ their attendance upon the Gospell to heare and learne Christs wisedome their dedication of themselves and their substance to the service of Christ their spirituall subjection unto Christ and their holy and gracious endeavours to make the name of Christ glorious This was foretold by the Psalmist they that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him and his enemies shall licke the dust they shall humble themselves under the mighty hand of Christ they shall acknowledge and receive him as their Lord they shall feare and reverence him as their King they shall vaile and bow to his scepter they shall put themselves and all that is theirs under Christ they shall give themselves to the exaltation and setting up of Christ The Kings of Tharsis and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts they shall consecrate their abilities to Christs service they shall communicate of their substance to the maintenanne of Christs Church and Ministers to the preservation and increase of Christs kingdome All Kings shall fall downe before him all nations shall serve him All shall adore and serve him as their King all shall exalt and honour him as loyall subjects their heavenly Soveraigne all persons from the highest to the lowest must serve the Lord Jesus and study to make him glorious grace works obedience in the hearts of Princes as well as in the hearts of beggars The Sun as well as the stars did obeysance unto Joseph in his vision Kings as well as inferiour persons doe obâ—â—â—ance unto Christ under his kingdome and Gospell The foure and twenty Elders in Saint Johns vision fell downe before him that sate on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crownes before the throne Godly Kings and Governours cast their crownes their dominion dignity power honour and jurisdiction and all that they have before Christ they make all serviceable to the exaltation of Christ and his kingdome This was like prophecyed by the Prophet Esay the abundance of the sea multitudes of men dwelling in Islands shall be converted unto thee shall be gathered unto the Church and kingdome of Christ and the forces great troupes and companies of the Gentiles shall come to thee shall be joyned to the people of God embrace their Religion and enter into a sweet and gracious fellowship with them They shall bring gold and incense they shall contribute liberally to the maintenance of the Gospell and Christs poore members they shall dedicate their earthly abundance to Christs service and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord they shall be very industrious and studious to make the name of the Lord Jesus glorious The sonnes of strangers shall build up thy wals become members in thy house and fellow-helpers in thy worke and their Kings shall minister unto thee shall serve Christ and labour the welfare of his Church and kingdome The glory of Lebanon shall come to thee there is nothing so excellent which shall not put it selfe under Christ and be made serviceable to his Gospell and kingdome and thus our Saviour taught his Disciples to pray that Gods kingdome might come that the Gospell might be preached and men filled with the light thereof As the aire is filled with light upon the comming of the Sunne that the Holy-Ghost might be powred out and the hearts of men inspired with the knowledge love and obedience of the truth that all the lusts of men the impediments of Gods gracious kingdome in the soule of man might be crucified and utterly extinct and that God might universally spiritually and fully reigne in the hearts of men all the weapons of their rebellion laid aside and their soules brought into a gracious subjection and it is the Apostles charge pray that the word of the Lord may run have a free and a speedie passage running as the Sun shining to all the corners of the world and running as the rivers to water the earth and be glorified by the pure and powerfull preaching of it by the holy and gracious working of it by the ready and cheerfull entertainment of it and by the holy and humble subjection of the soules of men under it Mans obedience makes the word very glorious and the free and speedy passage and powerfull working of the Gospell should be earnestly prayed for by the Lords people this is the charet on which Christ rideth in spirituall triumph this is the scepter by which he swayeth in the soules of his chosen and the welfare of this doe all the
friends and welwishers of Christ much desire and with great earnestnesse endeavour gird thy sword upon thy thigh saith the Psalmist in the person of the faithfull unto Christ O most mighty shew thy selfe in thy word and Gospell like a mighty man of warre fully armed to mortifie the lusts to humble the soules and to bring into subjection all the thoughts of thy servants and doe this in thy glory and in thy maiesty make thy selfe appeare dreadfull and glorious by the powerfull and gracious effects of thy Gospell and in thy majesty ride upon the word of truth the Gospell of salvation prosperously Be thou successefull in the preaching of the Gospell for the speedy and universall manifestation of it to all people for the profligating and putting to flight of all false doctrines and corrupt worship as the Sunne doth dispell the clouds and Aarons rod devoured the Magitians serpents for the reclaiming and gathering home the soules of men as the shepheard gathereth home the sheep by his voice for the healing of the diseased soules of men as Bethesda healed the diseased bodies for the setting up of thy throne in their hearts to raigne and rule within them as a King reigneth in his Throne Christs blessed successe in the ministery of the Gospell is both the wish and prayer joy and labour of all that love him He is a very stranger to Christs kingdome that seekes not Christs exaltation The true members of Christ preferre the welfare of Christs Church kingdome and Gospell above the welfare of their owne estate and person As the arme lifteth up it selfe to receive the blow rather then it shall fall upon the head such as clearly discerne and truly taste Christ in the Gospell are very solicitous to uphold Christs kingdome and propagate his Gospell Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seeke thy good saith David to Jerusalem because the doctrine of salvation is there published the worship of God there erected and God there manifested and made knowne I will seeke thy good I will endeavour thy safety I will doe what in me lies to uphold the doctrine there taught and the worship there established I will seeke the good thereof by prayer and supplication by advice and counsell by communicating whatsoever is behoofull either for the supportation honour or comfort of it A good man will not willingly keep backe any thing which may tend to the advancement of Christ his Gospell and kingdome and thus it ought to be 1. In regard of the Covenant between us and Christ we are baptized into the name of Christ into the faith of Christ to beleeve in him as the authour of our salvation into the religion of Christ to adore and worship him as our spirituall and heavenly Soveraigne into the doctrine of Christ to learne him as the truth is in him to heare him as the great Prophet and Doctor of his Church into the profession of Christ openly declaring our hope and expectation of salvation by Christ our subjection under Christ and our dependance upon Christ into the service of Christ being dedicate and set apart by Baptisme unto Christ as his peculiar people to adore and serve him to honour and exalt him and into the death of Christ receiving Baptisme as a testimony of mortification and as an instrument of the Holy-Ghost for the extinguishing and killing of sinne by the death and for the quickning of our soules by the resurrection of Christ to the end that we who live should live no more unto our selves but unto Christ This is the tenour of the Covenant which the Lord himselfe uttered by the mouth of the Prophet I will be their God I will be their King to command them their counsellor to guide them their shield to defend them their Saviour to minister salvation to them their father to make provision for them to communicate the sence of my love unto them and their portion to satisfie them and they shall be my people the schollers of my schoole to learne my will the subjects of my kingdome to honour and exalt me the servants of my family to obey and serve me and the bride of my delight to love me and to bring forth fruit to me By vertue of the Covenant between us and Christ our names are given unto Christ as souldiers to their Captaine to fight for Christ as subjects to their Soveraigne to exalt and magnifie the name of Christ to labour the welfare and honour of the kingdome of Christ Abner entring into Covenant with David went forth to bring about all Israel unto David to exalt and set up David and to increase the kingdome of David Thus man being entred into Covenant with Christ must bring himselfe and all that is his and all other people so much as in him lies into subjection unto Christ he must to the utmost of his power labour the exaltation of Christ and his kingdome such men are very regardlesse of their holy covenant and sacred promise as labour not the exaltation of Christs kingdome and Gosple 2. In regard of the Relation betwixt us and Christ Christ is the King and we the Subjects Christ is the Lord and we the Servants Christ is the Head and wee the members Christ is the Bridegroome and we the Bride true Subjects endeavour the honour of their King and Kingdome Sauls Subjects would put to death all them who would not have Saul to reigne over them Davids Subjects preferred him above themselvs endeavoured his safety put themselves in hazard to safegard him accounted him worth ten thousand of themselves the members support and beare up the head imploy all their strength in the defence and honour of the head good servants labour their Masters honour and welfare Thy servants said Davids men to him are ready to doe whatsoever my Lord the King shall appoint and the Centurian could say of his servant Doe this and he doth it And the faithfull Spouse brings forth children to her husband she was a fruitefull Vine by the sides of his house and her children like Olive plants round about his Table a great honour a crowne as Salomon saith to her husband thus must we by vertue of that Relation which is betwixt us and Christ as loyall subjects mortifie and put to death whatsoever doth in us oppose Christs honour and dominion exalt Christ and his Gosple above our selves our ease profit or credit expose our selves to all difficulties dangers and inconveniences amongst men for the magnifying of Christs name and the welfare of Christs Gosple as good servants be ready to doe whatsoever Christ shall appoint us for the making of him glorious as true and living members of Christs mysticall body we must put our selves under Christ beare up Christ and make him conspicuous in the eyes of others and like a chaste Spouse bring forth all our fruite unto Christ endeavouring to the utmost of our power the
honour dignity and glory of Gods Church and people who labours not the exaltation of Christ and his Gospell CHAP. IX IN this as in a glasse we may with open face behold the great impiety and shamefull prophanenesse of three sorts of men 1. Such as have no regard nor desire unto no pleasure nor delight in the prosperity and welfare of Christs Kingdome and Gospell Like Gallio they care for none of these things it is a matter indifferent unto them whether the Gospell sinke or swim whither Christs Kingdome stand or fall flourish or wither the Lord saith of the wilde Asse I have made the wildernesse his house and the barren land his dwelling Heâ— scorneth the multitude of the City neither regardeth he the crying of the driver the range of the mountaines is his pasture and he seareheth after every greene thing Such wilde Asses are these men the wildernesse of the world is their habitation they regard not they desire nor with David to dwell in the house of the Lord they delight in a barren land where are no waters and wels of salvation they regard not the greene pastures of holy and heavenly doctrine in which the Lord feeds the soules of his people They thirst not after the still waters of the Gospell and sweet consolations of the Spirit with which God refresheth the soules of his children they scorne the multitude of the citizens of the new Jerusalem the holy assemblies of Gods people They goe not to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with the multitude that keeps it holy day neither regard they the voice of the spirituall driver they esteeme not the voice of Gods Minister endeavouring to drive them from the world unto Gods Church from sinne to holinesse and from Satan unto Christ the range of the mountaines is their pasture they seeke no food for their soules but worldly vanities they looke after no treasure but earthly substance they care not what become of Christ and his Gospell if it goe well with them according to the world The Harp and the Violl the Tabret and pipe saith the Lord by the Prophet and the wine are in their feasts but they regard not the works of the Lord neither consider they the operation of his hands Such men are blind and see not the beauties of Christ and his Gospell and therefore as it is a thing indifferent to the blind whether the Sun rise or set shine or be eclipsed so it is all one to these men whether the Sunne of Righteousnesse in the Gospell rise or set shine or shine not they neither rejoyce at Christs comming or grieve at Christs departing Such men are unsensible of the want of Christ and therefore doe no more regard Christs presence in the Gospell then a diseased man that feeles not his sicknesse regards the presence of a Physitian Such men are earthly minded altogether taken up with the world and therefore are uncapable of Christ unable to rellish any sweetnesse in Christ or to give him any audience in his Gospell Eliah spake mockingly of Baal to his worshippers Cry aloud for he is a God neither he is a talking or he is a pursuing or he is in a journey or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked and they cryed aloud from the morning to the evening but there was neither voice nor any to answer nor any that regarded We may truly say of these they are men but they are either a talking of the world or pursuing of the world with such earnestnesse or fallen into such a sinfull sleep and slumber that they cannot heare and though the Minister lift up his voice like a trumpet and cry aloud yet there is no voice nor answer of faith and obedience nor any regard shewed by them to Christ and his Gospell Such men are halting Israelites and luke-warme Laodiceans void of all true love to Christ and far from all Christian zeale for Christ Solon reputed him no good citizen who in a civill dissension risen in the City did adhere to neither party Such as cleave not to Christ and the Gospell in the dissention and opposition of the world are no true citizens of the new Jerusalem He that is not with me is against me saith Christ he that stands not on Christs side stands on Satans side he that serves not God serves Mammon he that hath not communion with Christ hath communion with the world Christ lookes upon all such as are not zealous for him as on enemies against him and he will spew them out of his mouth at last as foule abomination 2. A second sort are such as oppose Christs Gospell and Kingdome The house of Saul made long war against the house of David There is a family of prophane Saulites that make continuall opposition against the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ they will not have Christ rule over them they take counsell against the Lord and his Christ and say come let us breake their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us Some are superstitious and as the Philistines would not suffer the Arke to stand upon the right hand of their Dagon no more will they suffer Christ and the Gospell to have preheminence above their traditions and devises some are covetous and as Jesse set David behind the ewes so doe these men set Christ and his word behind the world below their earthly imployments and undertakings some are ambitious and as Josephs brethren conspired against him because they were loth to vaile and bow to him Thus proud men conspire and combine against Christ and the Gospell being loth to deny and humble themselves and put their necks under Christs yoke some are under the power of prophanenesse with Ahab they sell themselves to commit wickednesse they are impatient of reproofe and therefore imprison the Prophet of the Lord Christ comming in the power of his Gospell is very uncomfortable and terrible to such as are under the power of their corruption some are prophanely iealous least the setting up of Christ and his Kingdome will crosse their profit and eclipse their honour and credit amongst men and therefore they seeke to suppresse the Gospell as Saul sought to suppresse David This moved Demetrius to accuse Paul and this caused Herod secretly to plot the death of Christ Christ and his Gospell have ever met with many oppositions from the world 3. A third sort are such as grieve at the prosperity and welfare of the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ When Nehemiah came to repaire the wals of Jerusalem Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite grieved exceedingly that there was a man come to seeke the welfare of the children of Israel It is a great griefe to many ill affected men that beare evill will to Sion to heare that God raiseth up any to repaire and build up Christs Church and Kingdome to seeke the
spirituall welfare of his children The Psalmist having mentioned and set forth the felicity and prosperity of the faithfull servants of God In the multiplication of their seed in the increase of their wealth in the Lords dispensation of joy in heavinesse of safety in dangers of deliverance in distresses of exaltation after all oppositions to Gods Church and children concludes thus The wicked shall see it and be grieved he shall gnash with his teeth and melt away the desire of the wicked shall perish Wicked men are more grieved at good mens prosperity then at their owne misery It is a sure argument of raigning prophanenesse to sorrow for the welfare of the righteous All Hamans honours and preferments availe him nothing while he sees Mordecai sitting in the gate Wicked men often lose the comfort of all their owne earthly fulnesse whiles they behold the prosperity and welfare of Gods Church and righteous servants The exaltation of Christs Kingdome and flourishing of the Gospell doth fill some men with such vexation that all their wealth honours and high places seeme to them as nothing No doubt it much troubled the Philistines to see the Arke of the Lord stand upright and Dagon broken to a stump It is a great trouble to many people to see the Kingdome of Christ stand and the Gospell to flourish and the Dagon of superstition usury drunkennesse c. disgraced shamed and cast to ground the Priests the Captaine of the Temple and the Sadduces were grieved that the Disciples taught the people and preached through Iesus the resurrection from the dead and the two Prophets in the Revelation are said to torment them that dwell on the earth The glorious shining of the Sunne is a trouble to diseased eyes the bright and cleare shining of the truth is a torment to prophane and ungracious soules such as grieve not for their sin grieve at the Gospell the meanes of mortifying sin such as most rejoyce in superstition prophanenesse and the vanities of the world are most grieved and troubled at the powerfull preaching of the Gospell O how great is mans blindnesse how strange is mans perversenesse that he should be most grieved and troubled at the presence of that which God hath ordained to be the instrument of mans greatest honour profit and comfort CHAP. X. ALl men should learne by this to worke their hearts to imploy their thoughts and to give themselves to the utmost of their abilities to the advancement of Christs Kingdome and Gospell to the setting up of Christ upon his throne in his Church here on the face of the earth Zadok the Priest Nathan the Prophet Benaiah the sonne of Jehoiada and the Cherethites and the Pelithites caused Solomon to ride upon the Kings mule they anointed him King in Gihon and all the servants of King David came and said God make the name of Solomon better then thy name and his throne greater then thy throne All Kings and rulers all Ministers and teachers should set up Christ and cause him to ride in spirituall triumph upon Gods Church and all the servants of the Lord from the highest to the lowest should pray for the prosperity successe honour and enlargement of Christs Kingdome All Magistrates as representative gods should be in stead of God to Christs Church as shepheards they should see that spirituall pastures be provided for Christs flocke and that all wolves beares and foxes all instruments of annoyance be kept far from them as nursing fathers and nursing mothers they should be carefull that provision be made for Christs family and as they are stiled the shields of the earth so they should be carefull to minister defence to Christs Church and people against the power and fury of all that offer any injury to them Thus they must kisse the sonne with the kisse of love and affection with the kisse of honour and exaltation with the kisse of reverence and subjection with the kisse of congratulation and rejoycing with the kisse of prayer and wel-wishing endeavouring to the utmost of their power the propagation of Christ and his Gospell All Ministers as builders in Christs house as stewards in Christs family as teachers in Christs schoole as labourers in Christs vineyard as under-rowers in Christs ship as burning lamps in Christs Temple as watchmen in Christs City should by their frequent preaching wholsome doctrine sharp reprehension wise admonition seasonable and gracious consolation and holy walking propagate the Gospell advance the Kingdome and increase the number of Christs people and make the Lord Jesus every day more and more glorious in the eyes of all beholders All Masters and rulers of families should strive the exaltation of Christs Kingdome by being as Kings Prophets and Priests within their domesticall wals by their godly government Christian instruction and holy prayer and supplication with and for them that are under their jurisdiction teaching them with Abraham to know the Lord bringing them with Cornelius to the ministery of the word and making their houses with Philemon a Church of God All private persons should likewise put their hands to this worke and labour the setting up of Christs Kingdome and Gospell by flowing to the house of God as rivers to the ocean by comming speedily and unanimously as the doves unto the windowes as the Eagles to the carkasse or the lame unto Bethesda by growing in all spirituall gifts and graces as children grow in stature as trees in fruitfulnesse and as the light shineth more and more unto the perfect day by consecrating themselves to Christ and his service as souldiers to their Generall as servants to their Lord and Master and as a Spouse to their husband to fight Christs battels to doe Christs worke to love Christs name and to bring forth all their fruit to Christ as a wife brings forth all her children to her husband and by holy exhortation and gracious counsell perswading and drawing others to Christ to the knowledge faith love and obedience of Christ leaving other imployments at convenient seasons as the woman of Samaria left her water pot to bring other men to Christ as she brought her fellow citizens Considering as the Apostle saith one another and provoking one another to love and to good works being to their fellow brethren as spurres quickning them and as loadstones drawing them daily nearer and nearer unto Christ labouring to make Christ appeare more amiable and glorious in the eyes of all their fellow-servants As all the rivers great and small empty themselves into the sea to the filling up of the sea so let us all high and low young and old rich and poore bond and free empty our selves and all our abilities and endeavours into Christ to the filling up of Christ his Church his Kingdome his mysticall body which is the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all As all the people who were willing hearted both men
and women came and offered freely to the building of the Tabernacle so let us both men and women all that have a willing and a loving heart to Christ come and offer our selves and all that we have to Christ for the building up of the Church and Kingdome of Christ for the advancement of the Gospell of Christ And to excite and move our selves hereunto doe but consider how the exaltation of Christ his Gospell and Kingdome is the honour and glory of a Christian what is the glory of a servant but the enrichment of his Master by his industry what is the honour of a Subject but his loyalty to his King his exalting the name crowne kingdome and jurisdiction of his Prince what is the honour of a wife but her fidelity to her husband her cleaving close to her husband her bringing forth of many children to her husband and what is the crowne and dignity of all Christians but their serviceablenesse to Christ their exaltation of the name of Christ their cleaving close to Christ their bringing forth of much fruit to Christ their enlarging the territories of Christs kingdome Alphonsus had written on his Symboll as a character of his greatest honour these words Pro Lege pro Grege for the Law and for the people and this is the most honourable character of a Christian to make his heart and tongue his thoughts within and his works without to carry this inscription for Christ and for his Kingdome for his Church and for his Gospell He is every way of all persons the most honourable and glorious who is every way most for Christ Jesus 2. The argument and evidence of our love to Christ Where is our love to Christ as to our Lord and Master as to our King and Captaine as to our head and husband if we seeke not Christs honour if we doe not endeavour the exaltation of Christs kingdome Ionathan loved David as his owne soule and he stript himselfe of the roabe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments even to his sword He that loves Christ will keep backe nothing from Christ he will disroabe himselfe to honour Christ to exalt his kingdome and beautifie his Gospell Jacob loved Rachel and he served for her twice seven yeares He that loves Christ will put himselfe upon any hardnesse for Christ Christian love reputes the honouring and exaltation of Christ Jesus a sufficient recompence to its greatest losses and hardest service Love will make a man even holily prodigall in his layings out for the exaltation of Christs Gospell and kingdome 3. Observe the perill of not endeavouring the welfare of Christs Church and Gospell He that is not a friend of Christ is an enemy against Christ he that doth not help to set up Christs kingdome is by interpretation and in Gods construction an overthrower of Christs kingdome He that is not with me is against me saith Christ and he that doth not gather doth scatter He that is not a labourer is a scatterer in Christs vineyard He that fights not under Christs ensigne is a souldier under Satans banner He that is slothfull in his worke is brother saith Solomon to a great waster Thus he who doth not labour for Christ is a brother to them that are great wasters of the kingdome of Christ and fearefull is the curse pronounced on them that stand still and put not their helping hand to Christs Kingdome Cause and Gospell Curse ye Meros said the Angell of the Lord Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty 4. Looke upon Christs sparing and withholding of nothing for our exaltation Christ humbled himselfe to the lowest degree of humiliation and abasement for our elevation and advancement He emptied himselfe to fill us he abased himselfe to honour us he stript himselfe to apparell us he made himselfe a man of sorrowes to fill us with spirituall and soule-refreshing consolations Ye know saith Saint Paul the grace the love the bounty the rich liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ that though be was rich rich in the glory of his divine Essence in his absolute dominion over all creatures in his plenary possession of heaven and earth Yet for your sakes he became poore vailing his Diety Majesty and glory under the poore and unworthy garment of humane flesh being borne of poore parents and appearing in the forme of a servant humbling and abasing himselfe to the death the shamefull death of the crosse that ye through his poverty might be rich rich in the participation of the divine nature rich in the fruition of the fulnesse of Christ Christs humiliation is the meritorious cause spring and fountaine of mans exaltation Christ was very free and full in his exinaition and abasement for our honour and advancement The condition of man was so extreamely base and shamefull that nothing but the humiliation of the Sonne of God was able to restore honour to him And how ready should we be to put all under the feet of Christ to imploy all to the honour of Christ who hath done so much to honour us We should saith Chrysostome preferre nothing above Christ because he preferred nothing above us As he vailed and bowed downe himselfe and all that was his for our salvation so should we vaile and bow our selves and all that is ours for the exaltation of his Gospell and kingdome The meditation of Christs abasing himselfe for us should make us studious and inquisitive how to honour Christ Thou hast been carefull for us with all this care said the Prophet to the woman of Shunem what is to be done for thee Thus should we say to Christ thou hast been humbled and abased thou hast suffered a great suffering for us what is now to be done for thee what shall we doe to honour thee to exalt and magnifie thy name who hast undergone so great disgrace and shame for us The more Christ humbled himselfe for us the more he should be exalted by us Christ made himselfe a sacrifice for us and we should sacrifice our selves and all that is ours to him and his service Christ gave himselfe for our salvation and we should give our selves to him and the exaltation of his kingdome Christ was contented to be made low and as a very nothing as a worme and no man that we might be made the fulnesse of him who filleth all in all and we should be content to abase our selves and to be reputed vile and as nothing in the eyes of men to set up Christ to make him and his Gospell glorious in the eyes of the people He doth neither wisely nor graciously consider Christs humiliation that doth not give himselfe to the exaltation of Christs name and kingdome 5. Meditate the sweet the great and wonderfull blessing that commeth unto men by the
of Christs authority and divine abilities doth presse upon us is a duty of Dependance Christ is no withered reed no sandy foundation no weake poore and empty person but one endowed with all power and authority with all abilities therefore depend upon him cleave to him when you are in darknesse and have no light Trust in the name in the power truth faithfulnesse and al-sufficiency of the Lord Christ is a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of waters in a dry place as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land Christ is a comforter in all sorrowes a helper at all needs a deliverer in all distresses a counsellor in all doubts and a supply in all wants therefore stay upon the Lord He can command a deliverance for Jacob when there is no deliverer as he commanded the stormy tempest and restored a calme to the Disciples He can support man when he is ready to sinke as he supported Peter sinking in the water he can provide as he made provision for the Disciples attending him and having nothing to eat as he prepared a Well for Hagar when her bottle was empty he can comfort when all the starres of consolation are set he can give light in darknesse as he gave Sampson honey out of the Lyon therefore looke unto Christ fasten the eyes of your faith upon him commit your selves to him trust your selves with him and you shall see in due season a ministration of whatsoever is behovefull A third duty whereunto this presseth us is a duty of Love to Christ In Christ is the fulnes of all abilities whatsoever is worthy of love is in Christ in the highest perfection therefore this should much endeare Christ to man and make him very amiable and glorious in the eyes of man He indeed is worthy of all love he is the King that rules over us the guide that leads us the shepheard which watcheth over and feeds us the ransomer that redeemes us the builder which new makes us the Captaine that overcomes for us the teacher that instructeth us the treasury that enricheth us and the husband who betrotheth himselfe unto us therefore he should be in our eye the fairest of ten thousand our soules should be sicke of love towards him and in our love we should prostrate our selves and all that is ours under him A fourth duty whereunto this doth presse us is a duty of Acquiescence in Christ and contentation with Christ in Christ are all divine abilities he that hath Christ hath all he that hath the Sunne hath all light he that hath the fountaine hath all water he that hath Christ may say as Jacob did I have enough Elkanâ—h gave to Hanna a worthy portion he hath the choisest portion to whom God gives Christ he that possesseth most of Christ hath the richest the sweetest the most noble and sure possession he hath no cause to complaine of want who hath the fruition of Christ the soule which enjoyeth Christ as his King as his counsellor as his friend as his treasure as his bridegroome as his shield and fountaine hath the highest honour the choisest wisedome the sweetest comfort the best riches the most heart-reviving love the surest defence and the chiefest and most abiding and soule-contenting fulnesse Of all the gifts of God Christ is the worthiest of all the estates of men theirs is the sweetest and most comfortable who have Christ for their possession CHAP. XIV THe second generall part in these words is a benediction uttered by the Ministers of the Lord We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord wherein we have 1. the parties blessing the Ministers of the Lord we who are called of God to this sacred function who are appointed to make prayer and supplication for you to pronounce a blessing upon you Holy and faithfull Ministers are the instrumentall causes of great blessings to Gods Church and servants 2. here is their Act an act of blessing We have blessed Ministers blesse the people sometime by way of vote and exoptation prayer and supplication sometime by way of vocall pronunciation pronouncing good things in the name of God upon them sometime by way of prophecye and prediction foretelling great blessings to come sometime by way of doctrine and instruction They declare and open the blessings which God hath prepared for them and the Lord by them as by his ministeriall instruments communicates his grace and blessing to the people It must be the care of Ministers so to demeane themselves in their function that they prove a blessing to the people 3. Here is the Obiect or parties blessed You you to whom Christs comming is acceptable you who wish well to Christs kingdome you who readily endeavour the exaltation of Christs name and Gospell we have blessed you The labours of Gods Ministers prove a blessing onely to such people as reioyce in and endeavour the advancement of the Gospell 4 Here is the place from whence they blessed the people out of the house of the Lord the place of Gods publike worship where his Saints are assembled his ordinances sincerely handled his name invocated his word preached and religious duties celebrated God useth to dispense his spirituall blessings in the publike and sacred assemblies From all these particulars knit together we may gather That God by his holy and faithfull Ministers dispenseth every great sweet and heavenly blessing to his Church and servants The Lord by Joseph brought great prosperity to the house of Pharaoh he blessed the Egyptians house for Josephs sake the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field the Lord by the presence and labours of his Ministers blesseth his Church and servants his blessing is upon their soules and upon their bodies upon all their labours and upon all their possessions the estate and persons the undertaking and possessions of men are made very prosperous through the prayer and labours of Gods Ministers This was prophecyed by the mouth of Esay in that day in the day of the Gospell when salvation shall be preached and published in and through Christ There shall be an Altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord an Altar and a pillar the worship of God shall be erected the word preached the Sacraments administred Christ the true Christians Altar and pillar shall be clearly manifested his name published his kingdome established his truth propagated among the people of Israel Egypt and Assyria whom the Lord of Hosts shall blesse saying blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the worke of my hands and Israel mine inheritance There is the blessing attendant on the Ministery of the Gospell a blessing of regeneration renovation remission and sweet reconciliation with God in Christ they are the choisest and best blessings which God communicates
the ewes many set Christ behind the oxe and the asse the farme and the wife their merchandise and worldly trafficke they prize the world above Christ they love this more then they love Christ the love of the world carries their heart farre from Christ when their bodies draw neare to Christ the overvaluing of the earth is an undervaluing of Christ when the world is over sweet and savoury to mens palates their soules disrellish Christ and his ordinances whon the earth is pleasant like a Paradise Christ and all the meanes of grace are apprehended as a very wildernesse Some deny not their owne pleasures but value them above Christ as Esau did a few pottage above his birthright some deny not their pride but as Absalom sought to raigne though it were to the dishonour and deposall of his father David from his throne so they seeke to magnifie themselves though to the dishonour of God and deposall of Christ from his Throne in their hearts some deny not their owne worth and goodnesse they are rich and full in their owne opinions as the man in the Prophet which dreamed he had eaten and was full some deny not their owne superstitions they receive for doctrines the commandements of men they will see Christ in a glasse of their owne framing learne Christ in a schoole of their owne erecting and draw the waters of salvation out of a cisterne of their owne digging doubtlesse they are a very small number that have learned the lesson of self-denyall questionlesse Christ hath spirituall and heavenly dominion in the soules of few men Very full of base respects and purposes are the hearts of many that professe Iesus Christ The Prophet speaks of a day wherein seven women should take hold of one man saying we will eat our owne bread and weare our owne apparell onely let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach There is a day now wherein seven a very great number take hold of one man Christ by an outward profession but they will eat their owne bread and weare their owne apparell they will find their owne pleasures walke in their owne wayes keep themselves apparelled with the old man they will not deny themselves they will not put away their old things and make all things new they will only be called by the name of Christ to take away their reproach of being reputed Atheists and Infidels among men Many men that professe themselves Christians doe shamefully deny the Lord Iesus and are far from the denyall of themselves their owne counsels and affections CHAP. V. IF you demand whence it is and how it comes to passe that men are so backward in denying themselves and their owne ends and in subjecting themselves and all that they have unto Christ I answer of this there are seven grounds 1. Mans overvaluing of himselfe Man is very prone to thinke of himselfe above that which is convenient to pride himselfe in his endowments abilities to thinke of himselfe as the Queene of Babylon did that he is a Queene and no widow wise and not ignorant rich and not poore full and not empty holy and not prophane free and not bound as Goliah prided himselfe in the talnesse of his stature and bignesse of his armour so doth man pride himselfe in his naturall morall and temporall habiliments and furniture contrary to the charge of the Apostle Man is wise in his conceit and will not stoop to wholsome instruction he thinks himselfe sufficient for himselfe to guide himselfe to sustaine himselfe to make himselfe acceptable unto God Esau thought he had enough and refused his brothers present vaine man thinks he hath enough wisedome faith love holinesse enough and therefore refuseth the spirituall and heavenly presence of Christ his ordinances benefits graces and all helps to happinesse he dreams that he is wise when he is foolish spirituall when he is carnal full when he is empty like the Laodicean and this disables him to deny himselfe and subject himselfe to Christ he that supposeth he hath water enough at home in his owne cisterne will not goe to his neighbours well Thoughts of self-sufficiency hinder men from going out of themselves and comming unto Christ The Pharisees conceited so highly of their owne wisedome that they refused Christ and his doctrine the whole puts not himselfe under the hands of the Physitian to be dieted lanced and purged by him 2. The overswaying of corrupt and carnall lusts These oversway man as a Master doth his servant or a King his subject they rule and reigne within man and make man their servant the servant as S. Peter saith of corruption and as a servant is not his own man but his Masters is guided by his Master minds and intends his Master seekes the pleasing and profiting of his Master is bound and cannot enter into the service of another Thus these men are not their owne men but the servants of their lusts moved led and guided by their lusts minding and intending their lusts seeking to please and profit their lusts making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof To these they are bound and cannot put themselves into Christs service they cannot take upon them Christs yoake these oversway man as a lover is overswayed by his love Man is very indulgent to them as David to Absalom and as he charged the Captaines of his armies to deale gently with the young man Absalom so man is very loath to have his lusts roughly handled he wishes that all the Prophets would prophesie smooth things and deceits and as the haâ—lot in Solomon caused the young man with her much faire speech to yeeld and forced him with the slattering of her lips so that he went after her as an oxe goeth to the slaughter Thus these lusts with their flatteries and fleshly-seeming sweetnesse and bewitching eloquence doe make the soule yeeld and follow them and as strange love in a wife takes away her matrimoniall love from her husband and makes her regardlesse of him and disobedient to him Thus the indulgency and love of man to his lusts takes away his love from Christ makes him regardlesse of Christ and rebellious against Christ These lusts oversway man as a disease overswayes the body distempers the palate destroyes the appetite and makes the meat distastefull and irksome Thus doe these lusts distemper the foule and make Christ and his word the bread of life and food of the soule unpleasant the very savour of death unto death There is no possibility of self-denyall and subjection unto Christ as long as the soule is overswayed by any carnall lusts the dominion of sinne and subjection unto Christ are incompatable and inconsistent Abner could not serve David untill he denied his service and obedience to the house of Saul 3. An inordinate disposition of the heart toward the Creature The heart of man is inordinate towards
also to apply himselfe againe wholly to Christ to the wisedome of Christ to be guided by it to the authority of Christ to obey him to the truth of Christ to beleeve in him to the al-sufficiency of Christ to be filled with all spirituall and heavenly fulnesse He applyes himselfe to Christ in his understanding to know Christ in his will to chuse and embrace Christ in his thoughts to meditate upon Christ in his feare to serve and honour Christ in his faith to trust and depend upon Christ in his love to affect Christ in his ioy to delight in Christ in his desires to long after Christ in his endeavours to exalt Christ in all his possessions abilities and endowments to make them serviceable unto Christ he applyes himselfe to the ordinances of Christ as to a light guiding food feeding and physicke healing his soule to the precepts of Christ as to the rule directing him and to the promises of Christ as to the staffe sustaining him Mans full application of himselfe to Christ doth minister cleare and comfortable evidence of mans denyall of himselfe for Christ 4. The humble and hearty ascribing of all the good which is in man or done by man unto the grace of God He that denyes himselfe translates the doing of all that good which he doth from himselfe unto God as the proper Authour thereof he puts all from himselfe as being nothing in himselfe and ascribes all to God as to the fountaine whence all grace flowes as to the almighty hand by which all good is accomplished He acknowledgeth his owne insufficiency without God as the cisterne is insufficient to minister water without the fountaine and the branch to beare any fruit without the root or the toole to worke without the hand Self-denyall abaseth man and the abilities of man and exalteth God and his grace A humble man will not endure the glory of any thing to be ascribed to himselfe but referres all to God and Christ and strives to raise the eyes and hearts of men to God and his grace Paul and Barnabas perceiving the men of Lystra had too high thoughts of them reputing them as Gods when they were but the Lords instruments they rent their cloathes and ran in among the people crying out and saying why doe ye these things we also are men of like passions with you and preach that ye should turne from these vanities to the living God The immoderate honouring of men is a great dishonouring of God a humble and gracious man is not so much displeased to heare himselfe unjustly traduced as to see himselfe inordinately magnified he that doth deny himselfe that he may exalt God cannot but much grieve to see himselfe by the applause of vaine men set in the roome of God and made a dishonourer of God It is questionlesse the study of him who sees his owne vilenesse emptinesse and unworthinesse to make the name of God glorious he is very willing and ready to be abased that God may be the more glorified When God hath made him the instrument of any excellent worke he is jealous of being deified and idolized and therefore saith with Peter why marvell ye at this or why looke ye so earnestly on us as though by our owne power or holinesse we had done this The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob hath glorified his sonne Jesus and his name through faith in his name hath done this thing Be he never so well qualified and fitted for the worke of the Lord yet as the Lord said of Israel so he conceives of himself that without the Lord his strength is to sit still He that is most fully furnished with spirituall abilities is most sensible of his owne emptinesse most free and ready in the magnifying of God and his grace Who more eminent then Paul for his gracious and ministeriall endowments yet who more effectuall in self-denyall and in the exaltation of the grace of God Are ye not carnall saith he and walke as men for while one saith I am Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnall who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers servants and not Lords instruments and not supreame agents by whom ye beleeved as God gave to every man I have planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase so then neither is he that planteth anything neither he that watereth not any thing of no ability of no efficacy of themselves but God that giveth the increase The choisest instruments prove unprofitable without the hand of God assisting The soule which knowes and feeles its dependancy upon God cannot but referre the fruit and worth of all its labours to the grace of God There was not a greater borne of woman then the Baptist he farre surpassed all the Prophets yet how low doth he abase himselfe to exalt Christ how freely doth he referre the whole efficacy of his ministery to the grace of Christ I indeed saith he baptize with water unto repentance but there is one that commeth after me is mightier then I whose shooes I am not worthy to beare he shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost and with fire He that hath low thoughts of the grace of God and high thoughts of his owne abilities is far from the self-denyall which is proper to Gods children 5. A low prizing and Christian undervaluing of mans selfe and all things else in comparison of Christ He that denyes himselfe looks upon himselfe as a crucified man In a crucified man there is no beauty no dignity no excellency to be seene no pleasure to be taken He that denyes himselfe sees no beauty no worth no excellency in himselfe he taketh no pleasure no delight in himselfe he looks on his owne flesh as on an empty house wherein dwelleth no good thing he is dead with Christ for the mortification of his flesh for his low opinion and denyall of himselfe he is crucified to the world willingly contented for Christs sake to have no honour no favour no esteeme among the men of the world as a crucified man hath no place no authority no esteeme in the world he is willing to be traduced reproached and rejected of the world for the love he hath to Christ as a crucified man is despised and accounted odious in the world David being vile in the eyes of Michal for dauncing before the Arke said I will yet be more vile then thus and will be base in mine owne sight He that denyes himselfe being vile in the eyes of men for his profession of Christ for his subjection and obedience to Christ for his zeale and earnestnesse for Christ is willing and ready to be more vile to be more reproached more traduced more despised and will be base in his owne sight neglect himselfe abase himselfe and make himselfe as nothing that he may exalt and honour Christ True self-denyall makes a man neglect and abase himselfe below the very dust for the
exaltation of Christ to have his name cast out as abominable among men and to be accounted as the filth and obscuring of all things He that hath the highest esteeme of Christ hath the least and lowest esteeme of himselfe Self-denyall makes a man not only to undervalue himselfe but all other things in comparison of Christ to esteeme all the glory of the earth as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ to repute all learning but ignorance in comparison of the knowledge of Christ all honour but ignominy in comparison of the crowne which Christ gives all riches but poverty in comparison of that treasure which is in Christ all joyes but sorrowes in comparison of the joy which commeth from Christ all friends and friendship but dumbe idols in comparison of Christs love and all worldly fulnesse but empty vessels in comparison of the al-sufficiency of Christ The world is crucified to him that is crucified with Christ and hath denyed himselfe as men have no commerce with put no price upon have no love unto no pleasure in a crucified man so he that denyes himselfe hath no intimate and entire communion with the world any more then the living with the dead is free from the creature from the power and command of the creature as a woman is free from her dead husband his thoughts and joy are not taken up with the creature no more then Abrahams thoughts and delights were taken up with dead Sarah whom he desired to be removed out of his sight he puts no price upon the creature in comparison of Christ he prizeth all as straw and stubble in comparison of Christ the true treasure he esteemeth all things in respect of Christ but as a bramble in respect of the vine as Jotham to another purpose speaks in his parable He that over values either himselfe or any thing else of the world is far from holy self-denyall CHAP. IX VOluntary and cheerfull desertion and leaving of all for Christ He that denyes himselfe will deny all things else for Christ Ruth in love to Naomi left her father and mother and the land of her nativity and came unto a people which she knew not theretofore The man that denies himselfe will for the love he hath to Christ leave father and mother and the land of his nativity whatsoever is most neare and deare unto him and come to Christ whom before this worke of self-denyall he knew not he that denyes himselfe seeth so much worth in Christ and finds in him so much love to Christ that he will leave all to enjoy Christ he leaves all for the present in respect of affection his love to the creature in comparison of his love to Christ is a comparative hatred he leaves all in respect of price and estimation Christ in his eye the fairest of ten thousand A vine a lilley a glorious Prince a bright and shining Sunne The creature a thorne a weed a beggar a very glo-worme a thing of nought he leaves all in respect of service and subjection he is not under the power of the creature he is not the servant of the creature he possesseth as if he possessed not and he is ready actually to leave all whensoever he shall be called to it as a woman leaves her Fathers house and her owne people to cohabite with her husband he that denyes himselfe leaves his friends with Levi leaves his countrey with Abraham leaves his place of dignity with the blinde man leaves his possessions with the Disciples and is ready with Paul to leave his life for the testimony honour and service of Christ he chuseth rather to enjoy Christ with the losse of all then to lose Christ with the gaine of all the world can affoord him Where self-denyall dwels and beares dominion Christ is infinitely more deare then all the treasure of the world he that denyes himselfe chuseth rather to be the servant of Christ in the lowest worldly emptinesse then to serve himselfe and be a stranger to Christ in the greatest earthly fulnesse 7. Mans pleasing and delighting himselfe in Christ under the crosse and hatred of the world He that denyes himselfe is well pleased and fully satisfied with Christ though the world hate him rise up against him poure great contempt upon him and minister much trouble to him the bride pleaseth her selfe in the bridegroome though her other friends become strangers to her or turne enemies against her though many troubles and disasters attend her yet the enjoyment of her husband mitigates and sweetens all and comfortably answers all The soule that is married unto Christ pleaseth and delighteth it selfe in Christ though all friends according to the flesh become strangers or prove enemies yet Christ is in stead of all friends though many clouds of sorrow and stormes of trouble arise and no star of worldly comfort appeares yet Christ is a Sunne in stead of all lights a rocke in stead of all supporters and a haven in stead of all hiding places Christ to him that denyes himselfe is an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land Christ is in stead of all and much more then all to him that for Christs sake denyes all and is denyed of all Christ is a recompence answering all losses to his holy and humble servants whom have I in haven saith the Psalmist but thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever The world never brings a gracious and humbled man so low but he sees power enough in Christ to raise him up never makes him so empty but he sees fulnesse enough in Christ to replenish him never so hates him but he sees love enough in Christ to comfort him never so filleth him with trouble but he sees peace enough in Christ to quiet him and this makes him that denyes himselfe when he walks in darknesse and hath no light to trust in the name of the Lord and to stay himselfe upon his God This makes him account it all ioy to fall into manifold temptations for Christs sake all temptations and troubles being to him that denyes himselfe arguments of his separation from the world pledges of his effectuall calling testimonies of the Devils and the sinfull worlds hatred against him physicke to cure and purge out many unhappy diseases of sinne trumpets to awaken him preservatives against security conflicts to try his faith and love to Christ and meanes of the endearement of his soule to Christ Christ sweetning them unto him Christ being to him in the midst of them as the honey in the belly of the Lyon unto Sampson as the Arke to Noah in the deluge apprehending tasting and pleasing himselfe in
Self-seekers never put themselves upon the profession of godlinesse but under the promise of some worldly advantage did they not perswade themselves that some honour favour or other earthly benefit would therby accrew unto them they would never put their foot within the lists of Religion Abimelech was kind to Abraham not for Abrahams but for Sarah's sake self-seekers sometimes pretend much kindnesse to Christ but it is not for Christs but for the worlds sake they cloake and colour their earthly purposes with religious pretences and this is the cursed Hypocrisie of self-seeking to make God Christ Religion and Christian profession as servants and slaves to mans carnall lusts and purposes most shamefully injurious are all such selfe-seekers to the Lord Jesus 3. Selfe-seeking is a polluting and defiling evill termed by S. James Adultery Yee adulterers and adulteresses saith he to such self-seekers know you not that the love of the world is enmity with God and that he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God and it is stiled by Moses a going a whooring adultery and whooredome defile the body and self-seeking defiles the soule the Iewes by their covetous practises and self-seeking polluted the Temple and made it a Den of theeves and men by their self-seeking pollute their souls which should be a holy Temple to Gods Spirit this they make a den of theeves a very cage of uncleannesse Gehezi sought himselfe in running after Naoman for a talent of silver and two changes of garments and what was the issue of it a loathsome leprosie clave unto him all self-seekers are in the sight of God as loathsome lepers self-seeking defiles their understanding with ignorance as dust defiles the eyes disabling them to discerne the things of God the Pharisees were covetous and because they sought themselves they derided Christs Doctrine with self-seekers the Doctrine which crosseth their carnall projects is reputed a Doctrine of no knowledge this defiles the thoughts of men with worldlinesse injustice carnall plots and imaginations this filled Saul with thoughts to make David fall This filled Haman with thoughts to destroy all the Iewes throughout the whole Kingdome of Ahaâ—huerus this defiles the affections of men with base feare carnall confidence self-self-love and fleshly joy this made the Rulers afraid to confesse Christ they were self-seekers they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God and therfore did not confesse Christ this makes men ambitious of a name with men for this they seeke to perpetuate their memory upon earth their inward thought is saith the Psalmist that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations they call their Lands after their owne names this makes them leane upon an arme of flesh and to trust some in their workes some in their treasures some in their falsehood selfe-seekers ever build their confidence upon false foundations and cast their souls into many shamefull pollutions 4. Self-seeking alienates the soule of man from God and from all interest in and communion with Christ the men of Israel following Sheba alienated themselves from David they had no part in David self-seekers following their own lusts walking after their owne imaginations alienate themselves from God they have no part in Christ a wife that goes a whoring from her husband dissolves the wedlocke and alienates herselfe from her husband the soule by self-seeking goes a whooring and commits fornication with the creature and altogether estrangeth it selfe from Christ of such the Lord saith they are estranged they are revolted and gone Self-seeking alienates a man from God in his understanding Self-seekers have no knowledge They eate up my people saith the Lord as bread there is their selfe-seeking they have no knowledge no true no cleare no saving knowledge there is their ignorance of God this alienates man from the thought of God of such the Psalmist saith God is not in all his thoughts he thinks not of God as of his Counsellour to advise him as of his rock to build upon him as of his fountaine to replenish him as of his King to glorifie him this alienates man from the love of God If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in that man from attendance upon the Ordinances of God the invited guests in the Parable were so eager in the pursute of the world that they could not come from tasting and relishing the sweetnesse of Christ in the ministry of the Word the fruit of Christ the fruit of his Doctrine the fruit of his death and resurrection communicated by the Gospell are not sweet unto them as to the Spouse in Salomons Song but as Iob sometime said of Eliphaz his speech Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt or is there any taste in the white of an egge The things which my soule refuseth to touch are as my sorrowfull meat Such is the Ministers speech and preaching of Christ to self-Seekers altogether unsavâ—ry having no sweet rellish or comfortable taste to their palates their soule refuseth it as sorrowfull meat troubling rather then comforting grieving rather then rejoycing them Christ ever proves very troublesome to the soule that is addicted to self-Seeking Man spoyles himselfe of many sweet and heavenly comforts in Christ Jesus by seeking himselfe and the satisfaction of his owne corrupt affections This alienates man from the faith of Christ He that seeks himselfe cannot beleeve in Christ he cannot take unto himselfe Christ for his husband to love him for his King to honour him for his Counsellor to be guided by him for his rocke to build upon him and for his precious pearle to rest himselfe contented with him The foolish man in the parable who built upon the sand did not also build upon the rocke He that leanes upon the creature leanes not upon Christ He that seeks himselfe trusts in himselfe and not in Christ True faith and self-seeking like the Arke and Dagon cannot stand together How can ye beleeve saith our Saviour which receive honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth from God onely You seeke the praise and applause of men to exalt and magnifie your selves in the eyes of men you seeke not the testimony and approbation of God you labour not to approve your selves unto God and therefore you cannot beleeve you cannot receive and embrace me you cannot rest and relye upon me you cannot quiet and content your selves with me Doubtlesse all worldly and ambitious self-seekers are miserable and wretched unbeleevers all inordinate self-lovers are very great strangers to Christ Jesus Cursed and shamefull is that fruit of self-seeking which turnes off the soule of man from Christ and spoyles him of all interest in Christ This alienates man from the service of Christ all self-seekers serve themselves they serve not our Lord Jesus Christ saith Saint Paul but their owne
very ignorant they know not the state and condition of their owne soules Ephraim had gray hairs here and there upon him howbeit saith the Prophet he knew it not Self-admirers are full of the characters of profanenesse carry about them the signes and symptomes of spirituall blindnesse basenesse uncleannesse poverty bondage and everlasting ruine but they know it not No man more ignorant of himselfe then he that hath highest thoughts of himselfe the Pharisees were great selfe-admirers extraordinarily lifted up with the thought of their owne wisdome holinesse and perfection yet very miserably blinde and ignorant blind leaders of the blind without the law as S. Paul confesseth without the knowledge of the law in their understandings without the inscription of the law in their hearts without conformity to the law in their lives Without the light of the law discovering their sinnes without the power of the law humbling their soules ignorance of mans owne vilenesse begets self-admirations the Laodicean was strangely puffed up with thoughts of his owne spirituall excellencies and the maine ground therof was his blindnesse he said he was rich and increased in goods and wanted nothing not knowing that he was poore blinde naked miserable and wretched he that is of all men the worst is usually in his owne opinion the best carnall men thorough their blindnesse doe often take that for very great spirituall riches which in the account of God is no other then very poverty and basenesse 2. Self-admirers are non-apprehensive of the Majesty and perfection of God and transcendent beauties of Christ mans opinion of himself is sutable to his apprehension of God the more apprehensive the soule is of Gods incomprehensible Majesty holinesse and glory the more it is abased in the sense of its owne emptinesse basenesse and impurity I have heard of thee saith Job unto the Lord by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes he that is filled with the admiration of Gods perfections is emptied of self-admiration and made very low and base in his owne thought and meditation of himselfe When the Prophet Esay had in vision seen the Lord sitting upon the throne he cryed out and complained of his uncleannesse then he said woe is me I am undone I am a man of uncleane lips the sight of other mens rich and costly apparell makes a poore man blush and be ashamed of his owne rotten rags God and Christ are questionlesse great strangers to the thought of self-admirers of such the Psalmist saith God is not in all their thoughts were the soule of man well studied and insighted in full and frequent in the meditation of and throughly acquainted with the Lords perfections he could not but be much abased in the knowledge sence and feeling of his owne imperfections His comelinesse with Daniel would be turned into corruption and his face toward the ground he would be humbled below the dust and be baser in his owne eye than the earth mens unacquaintednesse with Gods excellencies is a maine cause of their being self-admirers 3. Self-admirers are very ungratefull and sacrilegious they rob God of the praise of all his gifts they ascribe all unto themselves they say with Nebuchadnezar is not this great Babell that I have built by the strength of mine owne arme and for the honour of my name as they referre all to their owne ends so they looke on all as proceeding from their owne strength They sacrifice saith the Prophet to their net and burne incense to their drag God is neglected their own art wit power and industry are admired they deisie themselves and their own abilities God is not regarded his honour is wholy ecclipsed they go not like David in the name of the Lord in the name of Gods authority commanding them in the name of Gods wisdome guiding them in the name of Gods power assisting them in the name of Gods glory to honour him but like Goliah they goe in their owne name in the name of their owne pride exciting them in the name of their owne fancy leading them in the name of their owne wit art and strength helping them and in the name of their owne praise and honour moving them this is the Alpha and Omega of their undertaking the first in intention the last in execution Self-admirers of all others are the most injurious unto God and Christ Jesus 4. Self-admirers are uncapable of Christ and his graces no man partakes lesse of Christ then he that doth most admire himselfe such a man hath no right nor cleare discerning of Christ no sence and feeling of his want of Christ no hunger nor thirst after Christ no honorable opinion and esteem of Christ no room in his soule to receive and entertaine Christ and therfore continues empty of Christ There is more hope saith Solomon of a foole then of a man that is wise in his owne eyes he is full of self-wisdome and therfore is uncapable of instruction as a full vessell of other liquor the Pharisees had their own learning in such admiration that they utterly rejected Christs Doctrine The full stomack saith Solomon loatheth the honey-combe the full soule loatheth slighteth undervalueth those Doctrines and gifts of Christ which are sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe Self-admirers are very profane despisers of Gods choysest gifts and graces and as they are full of self-opinion so God turns them away empty of things heavenly and spirituall he sends the rich away empty God fils that mans soule alone with heavenly goodnesse who is emptied of all opinion of his own excellencies 5. Self-admiration alienates the soule from God cuts off all communion and acquaintance betweene the soule and God God will not looke in grace and favour towards him God opposeth himselfe against him he resisteth the proud by withholding his grace from him by rejecting his prayer and supplication by infatuating his wisedome by dissipating his power by crossing his undertaking by leaving him as a prey to Satan and powring contempt upon him The Lord is very terrible in his opposition against the proud person Very great and uncomfortable is the distance between God and self-admirers He that admires himselfe cannot draw nigh to God by holy and humble supplication pride hath such dominion within him he cannot draw nigh to God by faith he leanes so much upon himself he cannot draw nigh to God by love self-love doth so strongly oversway him he cannot draw nigh to God by obedience his pride will not suffer him to stoope to Gods precepts he cannot draw nigh to God by holy hunger and thirst after Gods gifts and graces he is so transported with the thought of his owne fullnesse Self-admiration excludes man from all the wayes of communion betweene God and his children therefore trust in the Lord saith the Wise-man and leane not to thine
herbe poysoning all the liquor in the pot his vertues will at the last be censured as vices in whom the ambitious humour of self-exaltation beares dominion the least measure of grace with humility and meeknesse is farre better then the greatest abilities with a proud spirit It is better feeding on a slender dish well seasoned then on a great dish furnished with all dainties having poyson mingled with it 5. Self-exaltation keepes the soule barren barren of knowledge he that exalts himselfe regards not wholesome counsell he rejects the Word of God and there is no true wisdome in him the proud saith the Apostle knowes nothing Nothing of God the Father regenerating him of Christ redeeming him of the Spirit sanctifying him of the Word enlightning humbling changing and renewing him he leanes upon his owne corrupt and carnall reason a lamp wherin is no light the proud mans light is darknesse his very knowledge is miserable and wretched ignorance he continues barren of Faith he builds on man and not on Christ How can ye beleeve saith Christ who seeke honour one of another and not the honour which cometh from God he remaines barren of love a self-lover and no lover of God the motion of his heart is terminated within himselfe he brings forth all his fruit unto himselfe and is an empty vine in Gods accounts he continues barren of all grace God giving grace to the humble but resisting the proud Isidore relates that on the mountaine on Libanus there are Cedars very tall and gloriously flourishing but never bearing fruit and the reason is rendered because the Mountains on which they grow are so high that they receive not the reflection of the Sun-beames and the waters naturally descend unto the valleyes Thus self-exalters seated on the high Mountaines of common abilities are barren of all fruit acceptable unto God because they are neither savingly enlightned nor warmed with the beames of the Sun of Righteousnesse nor watered with the dew and moysture of heavenly grace none more empty of saving goodnes then such as are most exalted in their own imaginations 6. Self-exaltation abaseth God The Philistines placed their Dagon above the Arke the proud man sets himself above God ambitious self-exalters like so many petty Antichrists exalt themselves above all that is called God They set themselves above the law of God they breake the bands therof asunder and cast away the cordes therof from them they serve not God according to Gods institution but after their own invention instead of receiving Gods prescription they prescribe how God shall be served by them they exalt themselves above the Ministers of God they esteeme not their instruction their words are in their account but babling they exalt themselves above the offices of Christ they entertain not Christ as a Prophet instructing them as a Priest to sanctify them as a King to beare spirituall dominion within them they exalt themselves above the attributes of God above the dominion of God refusing subjection above the wisedome of God rejecting his counsell not suffering themselves to be guided by him and above the power of God resting upon an arme of flesh and not upon the arme of the Lord there is no sin that makes man more injurious unto God nor that sets man in greater opposition against God then self-exaltation all other vices saith Gregory fly from God to the creature as covetous to gold and silver luxury to fleshly delights c. Onely pride opposeth it selfe against God and usurps that unto it selfe which is proper to God I say unto you saith Bernard that every proud man exalts himselfe above God for God will have his will to be done and the proud man will have his will to be done but God only in things which right and reason doth approve the proud man in things which are beside and against both right and reason man doth very shamefully abase God by exalting himselfe and his own will above the word and will of God 7. Self-exaltation deceiveth making man thinke himselfe wise when he is ignorant holy when he is profane free when he is captive full when he is empty It makes man appeare unto himselfe to be another then in deed he is Like him in the Prophet that dreamed he had eaten and was full but when he awakened he found himselfe empty No man more apt to be deluded then he that is self-conceited and desirous to be applauded 8. This likewise shamefully abaseth man makes him the consort and very habitation of Satan God dwels with the humble Satan with the proud whom God resisteth Satan possesseth the more a man doth exalt himselfe against God the more he doth abase himselfe under Satan the more God with-drawes himself from him the nearer Satan draweth to him the more God abhorres him the more delight Satan takes in him and therfore the proud man is not unfitly termed by one umbraculum Satanae a shadow set by Satan against the Sun of Righteousnesse driving the light of grace from him and making himselfe a shadow for Satan to sleep and rest in O how dishonourable base and shamefull is their condition who seeke their owne honour with Gods dishonour Hee that most magnifies himselfe above others is the most base of all others He alone that puts himselfe and all that is his under Christ is truly honourable he that exalts himselfe and denyes obedience to Christ is most base and contemptible he that is not Gods holy and gracious servant is Satans shamefull and unhappy slave 9. And lastly Self-exaltation alienates man from Heaven the way to Heaven is by humility and self-denyall Jonathan and his Armour-bearer ascending the hill 1 Sam. 14. crept upon their hands and their feet Christ humbled himselfe and then he was exalted he went by the Crosse to the Crowne and all believers his armour-bearers and followers as many as intend Heaven must tread the steps of Christ vaile and bow to Christs Scepter he must learn of Christ to be meeke and lowly hee must deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow Christ or he can never enter into Christs glorious rest hell is the appointed habitation for every soule that is not humble God will cast downe them that exalt themselves the Lord will shame them who honour themselves and not him this is the great evill and danger of self-exaltation CHAP. XVI IF you demand how it comes to passe that vain man is so prone and forward to exalt himself to magnifie himselfe in the eyes of men and so slow and backward to exalt and set up Christ I answer this ariseth 1. From mans ignorance of his own corrupt and base estate did man see how he is a dead man in whom is no life of grace a bond-man a spirituall prisoner unto Satan having many lusts like chains and fetters tying him an empty house wherin dwelleth no good and a loathsome Leper having
to burne within them in hearing as the hearts of the two Disciples did this fire this heavenly heate is wanting and therefore all their service is but as a sacrifice without fire of no use of no acceptance with the Lord. 4. Their services if you observe their end are arrowes levelled to a low marke A dead man cannot lift himselfe up from the earth A man without Christ and empty of spirituall life cannot looke above himselfe and his owne flesh in any thing he doth The effect ever suites with the cause the thorne cannot beare figges the fruit is answerable to the nature of the Tree He that hath nothing of God in him cannot intend God in his undertaking he that is alienated from the life of God cannot worke for God That saith our Saviour which is of the flesh is flesh fleshly disposed intending the flesh and nothing else doing all for himselfe seeking his owne things and not the things which are Christs his owne profit his owne ease his owne applause he serves not the Lord Jesus but his owne belly as Saint Paul speakes and thus the originall the nature adjunct and end of a carnall mans works demonstrate them to be dead works of no esteem with God how glorious soever in the eyes of men As Christ is the Author and worker of Spirituall life so the glory and the praise of all grace and holinesse of the whole spirituall life of Christians is to be attributed unto Christ Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father from whom we have our new birth the high and heavenly workman from whom we have our spirituall being and new Creation the life by whom we are quickened the Sun by whom we are enlightened the Physitian by whom we are healed Christ Jesus is the fountaine of all grace and goodnesse life and holinesse to true beleevers they are all members enlivened by this head Stars enlightened by this Sunne fields manured by this husbandman houses builded by this Architect and vessels filled by this fountaine the praise of all mans grace and holinesse is due to Christ Jesus Art thou awakened out of thy spirituall sleep and slumber it is Christ hath done it as the Angell awakened Peter the Lyon by his cry awakens his young Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah by his mighty voice in the Gospell awakens Gods chosen Are the eyes of thy understanding enlightened Christ is the light who hath enlightened thee as he opened the eyes of him that was borne blind Art thou cleansed from thy sinne it is Christ who is the refiners fire and the fullers sope that hath purged thee as Jordan cleansed Naaman from his leprosie Art thou delivered from the prison of thy corruption and the bondage of Satan it is Christ hath brought thee forth as the Angell brought Peter out of Herods prison Hast thou liberty to come to God by faith and love it is Christ hath made thee free in thy understanding to discerne the things of God in thy will to chuse and intend God in thy imagination to thinke upon God in thy memory to remember God in thy affections to feare trust love and rejoyce in God in thy eares to attend to the word of God in thine eyes to behold God in his works in thy tongue to speake of God to the edification of others and to celebrate God for his mercies Christ is the Authour and workman of all Christian freedome Art thou filled with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit Christ is the fountaine that hath filled thee all thy receivings are of Christs fulnesse as the branches are filled by the root and the Starres by the Sunne Hast thou reconciliation and acceptation with God it is Christ that hath brought thee nigh to God procured favour for thee with the Lord as Joseph procured favour for his brethren with the King of Egypt Christ is the beloved in whom thou art accepted Art thou able to endure temptation to undergoe the heavy burthen of affliction Christ is the rocke that sustaines thee as the rocke in the Parable sustained the house from sinking when the winds and waves did beate and blow upon it Christ is the Arke that beares thee up as Noah was borne up in the Deluge Christ is the shield and buckler and wall of fire that defends thee it is Christs power in thee it is Christs presence with thee as with the three children in the fiery furnace that strengthens and inables thee to hold out that makes thee victorious over all opposing powers In a word it is Christ that works all thy works of grace and peace faith and love hope and patience constancy and perseverance in thee he begins the life of grace within thee and continues it to the life of glory Ascribe therefore to the Lord Jesus the praise of all thy goodnesse acknowledge him to be the giver of all thy gifts the Authour of all thy holy and gracious works the Sunne that hath enlightened thy darknesse the quickning Spirit who hath enlivened and freed thee from thy deadnesse the Physitian who hath healed thy diseases the Counsellor who hath resolved thee in all thy doubtings the fiery pillar who hath gone before thee protecting and guiding thee in all thy goings the Moses rod which hath divided the waters and made a passage for thee through the red Sea of all thy afflictions the Captaine who hath overcome for thee in all thy Conquests and the King who of his owne mercy crownes thee and his owne works in thee after all thy tryals Let Christ have the glory of all from thee because he accomplisheth all for thee by his living in thee CHAP. XXI THe third thing in these words is an Act liveth Christs living in man the soule liveth in the body enlivening preserving and strengthening the body and Christ liveth in man enlivening man with the life of grace preserving man in the estate of grace strengthening him with all might according to his glorious power Christ is the soule of our soules the quickning Spirit by whom we are spiritually enlivened Christ by the supernaturall gracious and powerfull operation of his Spirit raising us to newnesse or life and living in us by this powerfull and holy worke of his Whence observe That Christ lives in Gods children by his holy and powerfull worke of Sanctification The Spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiels vision was in the wheeles and when the living creature went they went and when the living creature was lifted up they were lifted up because the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheeles Thus the Spirit of Christ is in the children of God and they live as Christ lives they move according to Christs prescription because the Spirit of Christ is in them because Christ lives in them and works effectually by his Spirit upon them putting a Principle of spirituall life into them The Prophet Elisha applyed himselfe to the woman of
and reverence by returning to your tongues a pure language that your speech may minister grace to the hearers by restraining your eyes from beholding vanitie by disposing your hands to worke that which is good and by making your feet swift to every good duty as you discerne your soule living in your humane body moving all the members to humane services so discerne Christ living in your bodily members disposing and framing them to religious duties Feele Christ living in all your services as the chiefe worker of them and inabler of you to them doing all in his name by his assistance and for his glory Feele Christ living in the Prayer which you make praying by the Spirit of Christ in the name of Christ and for the honour of Christ Feele Christ living in the Word which you heare making it an immortall seed to regenerate you a sacred Fire to purge you a heavenly Light to guide you and a message of peace to comfort you Feele Christ living in the Sacrament which you receive making it a Coelestiall Manna feeding you a Seale of Righteousnesse assuring you of your Justification an obligation binding you to new obedience and a pledge of Gods unchangeable love towards you All holy Ordinances if Christ live not in them shew not himselfe powerfull by them are but an empty shell without kernell and a dry breast without milke ministring no nourishment All the Religious Duties wee performe if Christ live not in them are but a Sacrifice without Fire a dead Carkasse of no esteeme with God Our affections if Christ live not in us are a charet without wheeles they sinke and fall unto the earth they cannot encline nor move towards the Lord All our best abilities if Christ live not in them are as standing Waters without a living Spring they putrifie and rot and prove unprofitable If Christ live not in us our knowledge is ignorance our wisedome foolishnesse our faith presumption our love dissimulation and our obedience no better then rebellion If Christ live not in us our understandings are blinded and wee cannot savingly know God our will is inthralled and wee cannot intend God our faith like Jeroboams arme is withered and wee cannot lay hold upon the promise of God The whole sufficiencie of a Christian is from Christs living in him Christs living in man makes him wise in discerning the things of God sincere in intending the glory of God powerfull in withstanding what doth oppose him in the wayes of God fruitfull in the worke of God meeke and humble in submitting to the hand of God faithfull in keeping the Covenant of God joyfull in hearing the Word of God fervent in invocation upon the Name of God patient in waiting for the Comforts of the Lord contented with the portion God giveth constant in running the race which God hath set before him and graciously perswaded of living the life of Glory for ever in Heaven * ⎠* MANS MISERY WITHOVT CHRIST OPENING The sinfull perplexed dishonourable and Soul destroying Condition of Man without CHRIST tending to the driving and drawing of every man out of himselfe unto CHRIST By Alexander Grosse B. D. Minister of the Gospell and Pastor of Bridford near Exon in Devon-shire Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2. Epist Ioh. ver 9. If ye beleeve not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins Ioh. 8.24 If any man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned LONDON Printed by G. M. for John Bartlet at the Signe of the Gilt Cup near Saint Austins Gate 1642. MANS MISERY WITHOVT CHRIST OPENED EPHES 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world CHAP. I. Shewing mans alienation from CHRIST misery without CHRIST and opening the scope of the words ADam after his eating the forbidden fruit was without the Garden of Eden disabled to come to the tree of life man feeding on the forbidden fruit of sinne is a stranger to the Paradise of all spirituall and heavenly comforts wholy excluded from the true tree of life Christ Jesus There is no sweet and gracious communion betweene the Lord Jesus and carnall persons The men of the old world were without the Arke and perished in the deluge of waters men who are in their old corrupt estate who have not put off that old man which is corrupt according to divers lusts are without Christ and shall certainly perish in the deluge of their impieties and the Lords vengeance the fruition of Christ is mans happinesse mans crowne and comfort alienation from Christ is mans misery mans shame and the soules great distraction and trouble of all estates on Earth mans naturall and corrupt condition is most wretched and miserable a condition of death without spirituall life of darknesse without divine and heavenly light of bondage without Christian freedome of uncleanenesse without sanctification of emptinesse without all celestiall fulnesse of alienation without all comfortable communion with Christ without all interest in Christ and his benefits without either claime or title to Gods Promise to Heaven or eternall happinesse an estate of exclusion from all holy and gracious society with Gods children an estate of profanenesse without God without the knowledge of God without faith in God without love to God and without zeale for God for at that time in that estate and condition We are without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world The Apostle in these words declares and amplifies the miserable and wretched estate of man the uncomfortable and dishonourable condition of the soule of man without Christ without the knowledge of Christ without faith in Christ without incorporation into Christ without participation of Christ and his benefits And this misery and wretchednesse of man the Apostle doth open set forth and amplifie by a five-fold alienation 1. An alienation from Christ at that time yee were without Christ Christ was not preached to you Christ was not knowne of you Christ was not imbraced nor beleeved in by you this is the first alienation and the ground of all the rest Hee that is an alien to the Lord Iesus is a stranger to all things appertaining to life and happinesse mans interest in Christ gives him interest in God and in all good things of God there is no way for man to come to God and eternall happinesse but only by and thorough Christ Jesus the neglect of Christ is the lesse of all 2. An alienation from the Common-wealth of Israel from that forme of Religion and divine worship which God had prescribed to the Israelitish people they alone at that time having the oracles of God among them Very miserable
and shamefull is carnall mans ignorance of Gods worship and service the carnall mans adoration is after the rules of his owne invention and not according to Gods prescription being a stranger both to Gods Gospell and faithfull people 3. An alienation from the covenants of promise the promise of the covenant of grace the promise of remission of sinne by the merit of Christ and of regeneration and renovation of heart by the efficacy of Christ belonged not to them Man remaining under the power of corruption remaines a stranger to the promise of Salvation the promise of Gods free and gracious wages belongs onely to Gods holy and gracious labourers he that regards not Gods commandement hath nothing to doe with the Promise of Gods covenant 4. An alienation from hope the of hope eternall life a hope arising from faith which they wanted Carnall mens hopes of eternall happinesse are very rotten false and groundlesse no truths but meere fancies and vaine imaginations The estate of corruption is an estate of desperation 5. Alienation from God without God Atheists in the esteeme of God That man hath nothing of God in him who doth not imbrace Christ as the authour of his salvation Every man that lives under the power of profanenesse is a very stranger to God in his way and worke of grace and holinesse First of the first of these alienations an alienation from Christ At that time yee were without Christ Wherein we have 1. The time or season of their alienation or estrangement from Christ at that time when you were in your Paganisme and profanenes when you had not the Oracles of God among you when you had not Christ preached to you when you sate in darknesse and the shadow of death without light when you lay dead in sins without the life of grace when you walked after your owne lusts and the vaine imaginations of your own hearts then ye were without Christ The time and season of mans being without the Gospell and under the power of his corruption is of all times and seasons the most unhappy and miserable it is not the time of mans trouble affliction but the time of mans being left under the power of Satan and his own lusts which is mans most wretched and accursed time it is farre better to be exercised with the greatest troubles and filled with all sorts of sorrowes then to be left under the power of profanenesse in a paradise of carnall pleasures there is more wrath in being left under the dominion of one sinne then in being put under the burthen of all afflictions 2. Here is the Subject or parties alienated ye the Gentiles before the coming of Christ and all men before their receiving of Christ by faith and love all corrupt and carnal unregenerate and unsanctified people ye without exception of whatsoever outward condition or calling All men abiding under the power of their corruption are without exception miserable no outward prerogatives and priviledges can exempt raigning profanenesse from ensuing woes and curses 3. Here is the obiect and terme of their alienation from whom they were alienated not from worldly riches earthly fullnesse humane helps and fleshly comforts they might have enough of these but they were alienated from Christ the Sun and the shield the fountaine and the treasure the paradise and the crowne of the soule of man they were without Christ they were without him ecclesiastically and ministerially Christ was not preached to them they had not the Oracles of God amongst them they had not the Ministers of Christ to instruct them they were without Christ spiritually and efficiently Christ did not enlighten and sanctifie them Christ did not communicate himselfe unto them they had nothin of Christ within them and thus are all corrupt and carnall men without Christ Shewing us That all men in their naturall and corrupt condition are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus Carnall men within the pale of the Church have Christ Ministerially preached to them in the outward ministery of his Word sacramentally offered to them in the administration of the Sacraments and ecclesiastically frequenting the sacred Assemblies and taking on them the name and profession of Christ Jesus but they have not Christ internally really and spiritually He doth not dwell within them by faith he doth not live in their soules by grace he doth not fill them with his fullnesse he doth not minister the saving gifts of his Spirit to them In this respect they are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus this is represented in the Parable of the foolish Virgins they had Lamps but no oyle Carnall men professe Christ but they have not Christ they take up the name of Christ but they have not the oyle the saving gift and grace of Christ Many professe Christ who are neither enlightned nor sanctified by Christ this alienation of man from Christ the Scripture doth illustrate by divers similitudes by the similitude of a Tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots Carnall man being originally and actually dead in sinne and participating no more of Christ then a tree pluckt up by the roots doth partake of the Earthâ— by the similitude of a withered branch Unregenerate man receiving no more of Christ then a withered branch receiveth joyce and nourishment from the tree by the similitude of an empty house in an empty house there is no dweller no implement in an ungracious soule there dwelleth no good thing neither Christ nor any saving gift dwelleth there by the similitude of an Adulteresse an adulteresse is estranged from her husband her heart is gone after strange lovers Corrupt and sinfull man is alienated from Christ the husband of his soule his heart is gone a whooring after the creature and many strange lusts by the similitude of a straying Sheepe a straying Sheepe is gone from his Shepheard and from his pastures wandering among strange flocks in the wildernesse unholy man goes astray from the wombe he hath forsaken Christ the Shepheard and the ordinances of Christ the pasture of his soule wanders in the wildernesse of the world and comes himselfe to the assemblies either of hereticall erronious superstitious or profane persons and by the similitude of a rebell a rebell is fallen from his lawfull Soveraigne and either makes himselfe his owne King or betakes himselfe unto some forraine Prince profane man rebelleth against God and Christ he magnifies and exalts himself becomes his owne Lord and commander and betakes himselfe to the Prince of darkenesse the world and his owne vile affections these he makes the Soveraignes to whom he vailes and bowes very various and open manifest and shamefull are corrupt mans alienations from Christ Jesus and such are plainely said to be estranged from the wombe and to goe astray as soone as they be borne They goe astray from God like Rebels from their Soveraigne like fugitive servants from their Lord and
Master they goe astray from Christ like wandering sheepe from their Shepheard and harlots from their husband they goe astray from the way of God like erring travellers and blinde men from their path the whole way and walke of carnall persons is a sinfull aberration from God and Christ Jesus Reigning profanenesse dissolves all communion betweene Christ and the soule of man If any man walke in darknesse and say that hee hath fellowship with Christ that man is a lyar and there is no truth in him and the Apostle testifies of such that they are a farre off farre from the life of Christ as the dead are farre from the life of nature farre from the knowledge of Christ as the blind is farre from the sight of the Sun farre from spirituall union with Christ by faith as a branch cut off is farre from naturall conjunction with the vine farre from the love of Christ as a harlot is farre from the love of her husband farre from the fulnesse of Christ as a dead member is farre from the fulnesse of the head farre from the feare and obedience of Christ as a disobedient servant is farre from the feare of his Master and far from the sweet and blessed presence of Christ as exiled Absolom was farre from the presence of his Father Davids face Very great and unhappy is the distance between Christ and all carnall persons Of such therefore the Apostle pronounceth that they are aliens and enemies by their evill works not onely aliens but also enemies The very whole of corrupt and carnall persons is an opposition against God and the Lord Jesus The gate of their hearts is â—hut against Christ their whole way a very contradiction of Christ CHAP. II. Laying downe foure grounds of carnall Mans Alienation from Christ THe Alienation of corrupt and sinfull men from Christ is very apparant and manifest 1. In regard of corrupt and carnall mans plenary and totall subiection under sinne The Scripture saith Paul hath concluded all under sinne All men and all the services of men in their unregenerate estate are concluded demonstrated and determined by the Scripture to be under sinne under the plenary possession of sinne as a house is under the possession of the dweller The whole house and all the roomes thereof are possessed and ordered by the dweller the whole of a corrupt and carnall man all the faculties of his soule and all the members of his body are possessed and ordered by sinne under the dominion of sinne as a servant under the dominion of his Lord and a dead man under the dominion of death therefore stiled the servants of corruption and dead in sinnes and trespasses Under the captivity of sinne as a slave under the command of the Conquerour as voluntary slaves borne under the bondage of corruption ignorant of and despising Christian freedome Under the love of sinne as an Adulterer is under the love of the harlot The young man in Salomon was under the power of the whorish woman she caused him to yeeld with her faire speech and forced him with the flattering of her lips and he went after her as an Oxe to the slaughter and as a foole to the correction of the stocks The corrupt and vicious man is under the power of his lusts he yeeldeth to them is led by them followes after them and fulfils the will of his flesh as an Adulterer the will of the harlot and also under the guilt and condemnation of sinne as a guilty convicted and condemned malefactor is under the sentence of the Law to dye and carnall man being thus under sinne he cannot be under Christ fulnesse of subjection under sinne annihilates Christs gracious dominion in the soule of man The more man applyes himselfe to his lust the more he is estranged from Christ He that is the friend and servant of sinne is an enemy and opposer of Christ The fulnesse of sinne leaves no roome for Christ in the heart of meere naturall and corrupt man 2. In regard of carnall mans uncapablenesse of Christ The kingdome of Israel was uncapable of David untill Saul and his house was deposed The soule of man is uncapable of Christ untill sinne is deposed There is no setting up of Christ and his Kingdome as long as sinne doth beare dominion Alexander told Darius that the world was uncapable of two Sunnes and Asia could not endure two Kings Christ will not divide his Kingdome with mans corruption the soule is not at once capable of the Kingdome and dominion of Christ and of sinne If the one reigne the other must fall there is no competition between Christ and an unregenerate heart The Fort of Sion was uncapable of David untill the blind and lame were removed The heart of man is a Fort uncapable of Christ untill the blindnesse of the understanding and the lamenesse of the affections are removed and taken away Such is the blindnesse of carnall mans understanding that he is uncapable of the knowledge of Christ as the blinde eye is uncapable of the Sun The light saith the Evangelist shineth in the darknesse and the darkenesse comprehendeth it not The Egyptians darknesse was so thicke that it comprehended not the light which shined thereupon Such is the darkenesse of unregenerate mans understanding that it comprehends not the Sun of Righteousnesse shining in the Gospell The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The carnall mans heart is so wedded to the world and his lusts that as a woman joyned in wedlocke is uncapable of a second husband untill her former husband is dead so is man uncapable of Christ he cannot receive Christ as the husband of his soule untill his lusts are mortified and put to death Such is the infidelity of corrupt man that as Ieroboam could make no use of his withered hand he could neither put it forth nor pull it in no more can carnall man make any use of faith he cannot put it forth to the receiving and embracing of Christ and because of unbeliefe when Christ came among his owne his owne received him not and such is their death in sinne that as the dead are uncapable of the voice of the living they heare it not of the society of the living they rejoyce not in it and of all feasts and provision made for them by the living they feed not upon it Thus are they uncapable of Christ they cannot heare him speake to them in the Gospell they have no communion nor fellowship with him they feed not upon him He is a hidden Manna of whom they taste not and a sealed Well of whom they drinke not There is no sutablenesse betweene their soules and Christ all his Ordinances are unto them as an empty vessell they savingly partake of nothing of Christ in
them 3. In regard of that full possession which the world hath taken in corrupt and carnall man The Inne where Christ was borne was so full that there was no roome for Christ but in a manger The hearts of earthly men are so taken up with the world so filled with the creature that there is no roome for Christ carnall persons give every worldly businesse preheminence above the Lord Jesus The world affoords Christ a very dishonourable entertainment unholy men are in such subiection under the creature that they cannot serve Christ He that serves the creature cannot have Christ for his Lord and Master ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith our Saviour the world hath so many imployments for them that they have no leisure to come to Christ their inclination to things earthly is so strong that they cannot come at Christs invitation they are so wedded to this that they cannot come to the wedding feast which Christ makes for his friends and Spouse in the Gospell Or if they doe come they bring no wedding garment with them and therefore are unwelcome The creature is so glorious in their eyes that they see no glory nor beauty in Christ for which they should desire him Or if they have some weake and low apprehensions of Christ some slender inclinations after Christ now and then stirred up within them yet the price of enjoying Christ is so great that rather then leave the world they will goe away sorrowfull It is impossible that the soule of man can receive Christ untill it is emptied of the world Christ never appeares glorious and precious till the world appeares base in our apprehensions When the world becomes bitter to our palates then our soules relish much sweetnesse in Christ Jesus 4. In regard of the repugnancy of a carnall mans heart against Christ There is no answerablenesse no sutablenesse between Christ and an unsanctified heart the unregenerate soule is full of antipathy and opposition against Christ The house of Saul opposed the house of David the house and family all that is in a corrupt and carnall man doth oppose Christ in his Ordinances in his Offices and in his operations As darkenesse opposeth light sicknesse health and death life so doth corruption in sinfull man oppose Christ The carnall minde or wisedome of the flesh the counsell discourse reason purposes desires motions and all the actions of carnall wisedome the very Principles and beginnings of them in unregenerate man with all the lusts and afections of the will as anger wrath envy covetousnesse pride emulation c. are all enmity against God set in full and perpetuall opposition against God and Christ the very whole of a carnall man is an armed and fighting enemy against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be loving that which Christ hateth hating that which Christ loveth practising that which Christ forbiddeth and eschewing that which Christ commandeth The carnall man like an untamed Haifer breakes Christs yoake and casts away his cords The man in the countrey of the Gadarens possessed with an uncleane spirit mentioned in the Gospell was so fierce that no man could binde him He plucked asunder the chaines which were put upon him and brake in pieces the fetters which tyed him so that no man could tame him Corrupt and carnall man is possessed with such a spirit of uncleannesse and power of prophanenesse that he breakes asunder all the chaines and fetters all the Lawes and precepts which God hath given to binde him his lusts are so rebellious and unruly that no man can tame him the Leviathan laughs at the speare and cares not for barbed irons the horse mocketh at feare and is not affrighted neither turneth backe from the sword the carnall man laughs at the judgements denounced against him he feares not the word of God though sharper then a two-edged sword No exhortation moves him no invitation affects him all instruction is but as the sounding of a trumpet to the deafe and the setting of a candle before the eyes of the blinde Nothing can worke him to subjection under Christs Scepter till God makes him a new creature Every unregenerate person is unchangeable in his opposition against Heaven Very great is the distance between Christ Jesus and carnall persons There is not a greater Antipathy between fire and water then between Christ and prophane mans corrupt nature and thus you see mans Alienation from Christ in his corrupt and sinfull estate CHAP. III. Setting open the dolefulnesse and danger of Mans estate without Christ MAns Alienation and estrangement from Christ declares and layes open the misery and wretchednesse the danger and dolefulnesse of mans estate and condition by nature a condition in which he is without Christ and to be without the Lord Jesus is the misery of all miseries It is not the man that is without the crowne of worldly dignities to honour him without the treasury of earthly abundance to enrich him without the sensuall and seeming paradise of carnall pleasures to delight him or without the presence and countenance of fleshly friends to solace him but it is the man that is without Christ who is of all men the most miserable The estate of Israel without the Arke was very uncomfortable their glory was departed the wife of Phineas tooke no comfort in the birth of a sonne the ordinary joy of Mothers The condition of man without Christ is very dolefull his glory is departed from him all that man hath not having Christ with it is but an Ichobod there is no glory in it For man that is without Christ is 1. Without Life The woman of Shunems sonne was without life untill the Prophet came and spread himselfe upon him Man is without the life of grace alienated from the life of God untill Christ comes and applyes himselfe to the soule of man For Christ is our Life Declaratively he reveales it meritoriously he hath purchased it originally and efficiently he communicates it as the head communicates life unto the members Christ Jesus is the dispencer of the life of grace and glory to all Gods faithfull servants and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life saith Saint John He that hath not the Sonne by cleare and saving knowledge as the eye hath the Sun in the Firmament enlightening and guiding by true and lively Faith as the living branch hath the Vine by incorporation into it by receiving juice and nourishment from it by fervent and unfained Love as the wife hath the husband by wedlocke with him by matrimoniall affection to him and by holy and humble subiection as the Subject hath the King by vailing and bowing to him He who thus hath not the Sonne he hath not life his soule is not spiritually quickned Christ not living in him spirituall death beares dominion over him He is dead saith S. Paul in sins and trespasses A Tree
nettles thornes and bryars wanting Christ the great husband man to manure and dresse him and in regard of the residence of Satan in him as a cage of uncleane birds in regard of the presence and inhabitation of loathsome lusts as a sepulchre full of dead mens bones in regard of the dominion of corruption as a dead man under the power of death in whom is no beauty left and in regard of the sordidnesse and basenesse of his practise way and order of his life as a Sow wallowing in the mire fowle and shamefull horrid and loathsome is mans uncomelinesse without Christ The greatest sinner is the fowlest monster bodily beauty without Christ is but greene grasse upon a rotten grave or a faire garment upon a leprous backe Did man see his uncomelinesse and deformity without Christ he would stile himselfe as the Prophet stiled Pashur Magor-missabib feare round about every way a terrour to himselfe 8. Man without Christ is without honour He is no Sonne of God but one of Satans spurious brood no Free man but a slave to Satan and his owne corruption no Spouse of Christ but a spirituall harlot committing fornication with the world no Conquerour but a captive led away by divers lusts no friend nor favourite of God but an alien and enemy in Gods account likened to the dung and the drosse the chaffe and stubble for their emptinesse basenesse and vilenesse in the sight of God being base in their corrupt originall In their carnall disposition base in their understandings wise onely to doe evill base in their wils chusing the evill and refusing the good base in their imaginations minding onely low things base in their feare trust love ioy fearing where no feare is fearing man that shall dye and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse trusting in an arme of flesh leaning upon a withered reed loving and setting his eyes on that which is not and rejoycing in a thing of nought and base in all their intendments the satisfying of the lusts of the flesh are the highest marke to which they levell the arrowes of all their endeavours The whole way and practise of man without Christ Jesus savours of nothing but basenesse He that hath not Christ to innoble him is most ignoble in his inward disposition in his outward condition in all his undertaking We may say of them as Job did of some of his time They are children of fooles yea children of base men they are viler then earth He that is the greatest stranger to Christ Iesus is the most base of all creatures 9. Man without Christ is without peace Christ is the Prince of peace his Subjects are the onely Subjects of peace God is in none but in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe Josephs brethren found favour with Pharaoh onely through Joseph Christ alone is the Authour of reconciliation between God and man peace is preached onely by Christ Jesus God Ministers are the instruments of peace onely to such persons as embrace the Lord Iesus and Christ saith the Apostle is our peace the revealer the procurer and the worker of peace in al◠the children of peace Man that is without Christ is an enemy to the God of peace a stranger to the Covenant of peace uncapable of the word of peace an alien to the way of peace and full of sinne the maine impediment of peace to him therefore that wants Christ there is no peace No true no spirituall no heavenly peace no joy and peace in the Holy-Ghost Sinne is mans trouble but Christ is mans peace He that is full of sinne and empty of Christ hath nothing to doe with peace Joram once asking is it peace Jehu was answered What hast thou to doe with peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are so many Carnall man asking Is it peace O Messenger of God can looke for no other but Jehu's answer what hast thou to do O carnall man with peace so long as thy lusts are so strong within thee thy fornications with the creature so many and thy estrangement from and rebellions against the Prince of peace so great His thoughts of peace are all vile and base delusions who continues empty of Christ the sole dispencer of peace to all beleeving soules Lastly and in a few words Man without Christ is without protection He hath no shield to defend him in the day when Satan makes warre upon him He hath no helper to rescue him when the prince of darkenesse the world and his owne lusts besiege him He is without supportation and must sinke like the house built upon the sand in the houre when the winds and waves of affliction doe beate upon him He is without remission the Law stands like the hand writing in Belshazzars wall against him and fils him with dismall feare and trembling his sinnes are upon him and he must dye in them He is without blessing all becomes a curse unto him all without Christ is bitter like the waters of Marah without the Tree He is without salvation there is no other name given under heaven whereby he may be saved He that is without Christ is a childe without nurse his soule doth starve a City without a Watchman the enemy makes a prey of him a Ship without a Pilot his soule splits upon the rockes of desperation when the stormy tempest of an accusing conscience begins to tosse and shake him He is a sicke man without a Physitian he dyes in the disease that is upon him He is a withered branch without root prepared fewell for everlasting burning Surely mans basenesse wretchednesse woes and miseries continuing a stranger to Christ Jesus doe even surpasse the expression of the tongues of men and Angels O how are they beyond measure stupid blockish and sencelesse who please and blesse themselves in their impieties in an estate of estrangement from Christ Iesus O how should the meditation of mans misery without Christ set his soule on worke to get interest in Christ CHAP. IV. Declaring mans great cause of humiliation for being without Christ and also discovering the cause of mans undervaluing Christ THe meditation of mans alienation from Christ in his naturall estate ministers matter of Humiliation unto man man in his naturall condition having nothing of Christ within him and this is the misery of all miseries to be empty of Christ Jesus neither doth the want of any thing minister such cause and matter of humiliation as the want of Christ Hagar wept because her bottle was empty of waters Hannah was in great bitternesse because her wombe was barren shut up from child-bearing The women in the day of Famine cryed helpe ô King Micah ran too and fro like a man besides himselfe when his Idoll his imaginary God was taken and carried from him what is the want of children of bread and water to the want of Christ or the losse of
Christ as David did of Saul and Jonathan They were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their death they were not divided they were swifter then the Eagles they were stronger then Lyons No they take no pleasure in Christ in their lives and they are divided from Christ in their deaths the way of Christ is to them a way of thornes they move slowly in Christs service like Pharaohs Chariots without wheels the waters of Gods wrath overwhelming them at the last Christ is to them a rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling to beleevers he is an elect and precious stone for his great worth in himsâ—lfe the price they put upon him the enrichment they receive from him a living stone quickning them a stone of strength supporting them but to other men thorough their infidelity pride and profane refusall he is a stone of offence they have no delight in his Doctrine they are offended in him they guash their teeth at him they thinke dishonourably of him in his offices in his ordinances in his Ministers and in his attendants Under the Law if a man delighted not in his wife he gave her a bill of divorce The man under the Gospell that takes no delight in Christ divorceth himselfe from Christ observes not his Covenant with-draws himselfe from Christ puts no more price upon him hath no better esteeme of him then a hard hearted Israelite of his divorced wife Man doth ever evidence his high esteeme of Christ by his pleasure delight and joy in Christ He that doth not rejoyce in him puts a very unworthy price upon him 5. Men being without Christ have no longing after Christ it is the having of Christ in measure and in truth that breeds fervent and unfained longings after Christ no man more desires Christ then he that enjoyes most of Christ No man so contents himselfe without Christ as he that never savingly enjoyed any thing of Christ he that never knew what liberty was is well pleased with a servile estate he that never saw the Sun pleases himselfe in darknesse man that never discerned the beauty and brightnesse of the Son of Righteousnesse that never knew the liberty and comforts which Christ ministers pleaseth himself in his spirituall bondage applauds himselfe in his blindnesse and ignorance and saith with them in Job Depart from us we care not for the knowledge of thy wayes He doth not long after Christ as David after the waters of Bethell he doth not cry for Christ as Rachel did for children he thinkes like Esau in another case that he hath enough already he imagineth that he is rich and full and wants nothing the soul that is wholy estranged from Christ is farre from longing after Christ the Disciples did first eat of the bread which Christ gave them and then they cryed Lord give us evermore of this bread It is mans tast of Christ mans feeding upon Christ that makes him long after Christ The experience which the Spouse in Salomon had of the bridegroomes love moved her to intreat the kisses of his mouth Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then wine Christians are first Passive and then Active in their love to Christ-ward love like the heat of the Sun first descends and then it ascends Christs love to us begets our love to him Christs love was first over the Spouse as a Banner and then she was sicke of love to him Lazarus lay fast in the grave the Earth was his bed his palace his resting place and all in all till Christ raysed him Man lyes fast in the grave of sin the world the Earth the things here below are his bed his palace his Paradise he minds nothing els till Christ doth quicken him The strange woman in Salomons Song marvelled what Christ the Churches Beloved was they mused why she should be sick of love toward him why she made such great inquiry after him Carnall men thinke Gods people besides themselves in being so earnest after Christ so zealous for Christ they marvell why they are so inquisitive in their hearings prayers fastings meditations and conferences after Christ Jesus they wonder what Christ is more then any other Beloved as gold silver honours pleasures having no love nor longings in themselves after Christ they muse at the love and longings of others and as they long not after him they put no price upon him shew no respect to him but set him with David behind the Ewes give him the least and lowest yea even no roome at all in their hearts Christ is of no esteem with man untill he comes within man and makes the soul of man his gracious habitation CHAP. V. Opening the folly of man in retaining his sinne and contenting himselfe without Christ. 4. THe meditation of mans estrangement from Christ in his naturall and corrupt estate opens the exceeding great folly of man in being loath to change his corrupt estate to put off the old man as unwilling to forsake his carnall condition as Micah his Idoll though this separate and keepe him from Christ make him uncapable of Christ exclude him from all claime and title to Christ and this is the folly of all follies to retaine any thing which may exclude man from Christ or hinder mans fruition and enjoyment of Christ he that by retaining his sin keeps himself from Christ abides in darknes and chooseth darknes rather then light sicknesse rather then health bondage rather then liberty famin rather than fulnes woes and miseries rather than joyes and comforts curses rather than blessings basenes rather than honour the leprosie rather then beauty what shall I say death rather than life hell rather than heaven and evelasting consortship with the Divell in endlesse burnings rather than communion with God and Christ in everlasting rejoycings Men are easily perswaded to leave sicknes for health darknes for light straw for pearls thraldome for liberty the tempest for a calme c. But men are uneasily perswaded to leave their sin for Christ to deny themselves and forsake the world for Christ as Elisha left his friends and his yoakes of Oxen to follow Elijah This is a perswasion beyond the Rhetorick Art and Eloquence of man and Angell yea of Christ himselfe as he was man and a Minister of the Gospell for thus may you here him in the dayes of his flesh expostulating and pleading with reproving and upbraiding the men of Jerusalem O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered you together even as a Hen doth gather her Chickens under her wings and you would not and again you may behold him weeping over that City and saying O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes And of old also may you heare him complayning in the
they doe more to ingratiate themselves into the favour of man then into the favour of Christ the precepts of men are of more authority with them then the precepts of Christ they accommodate and apply themselves more to mens lusts then to Christs service they adore and magnifie man more then they adore and magnifie Christ they abolish the worship of Christ by making mens dictates the rule of their service as our Saviour himselfe faith In vaine doe you worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men the observation of mens inventions subjection to mens dictates in the matter of divine worship is not only vaine and fruitlesse but also pernicious and dangerous a very profanation of Christs worship and service a shamefull abasement of Christ below man and a superstitious and idolatrous exaltation of man above Christ a wretched separation of the soule from Christ and inthralment of man to man therefore the Apostle saith of such That they hold not the head which is Christ they are not subject to Christ as the members to the Head they are not guided by Christ as the members by the head they doe not exalt and lift up Christ as the members do the head they are not enlivened acted and moved by Christ as the members by an influence from the head but they are subiect to ordinances after the commandements and Doctrines of men mens inthralment of themselves to mens lusts and inventions utterly excludes them from Christ Jesus If I yet pleased men saith St. Paul I should not be the servant of Christ If I studied and observed men made my selfe obsequious to the lusts of men did haunt after the favour of men or did make the wisdome and invention of men my guide in things spirituall I should not be the servant of Christ Christ hath no gracious Lordship and dominion in the souls of such persons as are superstitiously devoted to mens inventions Some againe are extraordinarily delighted in and taken up with the applause of men All their workes of charity and piety are levelled to this marke they doe all to be seen of men to be praised of men their Almes Prayers Fastings are as lost labours if men doe not observe them if they gaine not the applause of men by them mens praises are the first mover in all their services They love the praise of men more then the praise of God and when man is thus full thus swolne and puffed up with the applause of man thus ambitious of the praise of man there is nothing of Christ in man How can you beleeve saith Christ how can yee imbrace me partake of me subject your selves to me and quiet and content your selves with me satiate and delight your selves in me which receive honour one of another and seeke not the honour that cometh from God onely Hee that is ambitious of the applause of man is uncapable of Christ the man that is vaine-glorious is farre from all sweet and comfortable communion with Christ Some likewise savour only the things of men and not the things of God the Word and Ordinances of God the wayes and workes of God the gifts and communications of God to the soules of men have no savour with them These things are to them as the words of Eliphaz unto Job Vnsavoury things having no more taste then the white of an Egg sorrowfull meat which their soule refuseth to touch they taste no sweetnesse they find no pleasure in these things they loath and leave them as the Israelites loathed their Manna and as the full stomack doth loath the hony-combe they savour and relish onely the things of men that which is humane corrupt and carnall that which hath it's originall and spring from the wisedome of the flesh this they savour this sutes with them as meat with the palate as water with the dry ground the carnall counsell and perswasion the corrupt practise and example of men is very pleasing to them this is wholly of man and therefore fully agrees with man is no offence to man but a pleasing and delightfull thing to vaine man They savour nothing in the labour of Gods Ministers but their humane art and eloquence or some needlesse speculations which are of man these they relish but the simplicity of Christ preached and published in the Gospell they savour not What they heare of Christ tending to the honour and exaltation of man that they like according to their apprehension but what they heare of Christ tending to the mortification of their lusts and prostration of themselves under Christ in this they take no pleasure this is a hard saying it sutes not with them what they discerne in the worship of Christ externally pompous and glorious carrying something of man in it that they approve and like but the truth and sincerity faith and love humility and self-denyall enjoyned in the worship and required in the worshippers of Christ they relish not they have no pleasure in these the charity mercy and bounty which they discern in the children of God they can approve that which is humane and morall in them and tending to the outward and common preservation of man they savour but the purity and precisenesse power of godlinesse holy walking and zealous observation of Gods precepts are things which they relish not but distaste in Gods servants So that as Abimelech shewed kindnesse to Abraham for Sarahs sake Abraham was savoury to him by reason of Sarah thus these men shew respect unto Christ his Ordinances his Ministers and servants onely for man for something which they discerne and find of man there they savour nothing but man in them and thus their faith standeth in the wisdome of man and not in the power of God and Christ and this their savouring of man declares their not favouring of Christ their totall alienation and estrangement from Christ Some also are full of reioycings in man contrary to the charge of the Apostle They reioyce in men in the wisdome of men in the learning of men as in the onely light which guides them in the authority of men as in the obligation which binds them in the traditions and inventions of men as in the rule of their religious worship and service in the eloquence of men as in the loadstone which drawes them as in the musicke which affects them in the enâ—icing words of mans wisdome as in the onely Rhetorick that delights them in the countenance and favour of man as in the onely Sun that warms them in the applause and approbation of man as in the onely Trumpet that makes a joyfull sound in their eares in the Abilities gifts industry and labours of man as in the prime and maine causes of their salvation welfare and felicity And thus their whole acquiescence is in man their choyce dependance is upon man their glorying and rejoycing is terminated in man the glory of their whole welfare is ascribed unto man
the Israelites rejoyced in the Arke not in the Lord and vaine men rejoyce in man in the presence of man in the ability favour power and helpe of man and not in Christ Thus among the men of Corinth One said J am of Paul and another I am of Apollo looking with a humane eye upon and glorying after a carnall manner in those holy Messengers of God even idolizing and abusing the appointed instruments of their salvation robbing Christ of his glory by an inordinate dependance upon and glorying in the Messengers of Christ ascribing that to them which was proper unto Christ exalting them into the very roome of Christ so glorying in them that Christ was not glorious in their apprehension the carnall overvaluing of the instruments is a shamefull undervaluing of the Lord Jesus Hee that doth not according to the expression of the Prophet cease from man from the wisdome and counsell devise and invention art and ability of man sees little or nothing of Christ hath no comfort nor joy in Christ he that doth not cease from dependance upon man from glorying and pleasing himselfe in man from resting upon the authority of man in matter of spirituall instruction is very ignorant of Christ a meere stranger to Christ Christ ever proves uncomfortable to them whose rejoycings are in man 4. There is a fullnesse of the world which argueth an emptinesse of Christ in the soule of man The Inne where Christ was borne was so full of guests that there was no roome for Christ but in a manger a dishonourable lodging for such a glorious guest in the heart which is filled with the world there is no roome for Christ Worldly minded men give a very unworthy entertainment unto Christ the world so blinds them that they cannot discerne the beauty worth and excellency of Christ any more then an eye full of dust can discerne the brightnesse and beauty of the Sunne they see no comelinesse in Christ for which they should desire him this so fils their hearts that they are uncapable of spirituall instruction as thorns and bryars make the field uncapable of seed this beares such authority and dominion within them that they cannot vaile and bow to Christ they cannot take Christs yoake upon them they cannot set themselves about Christs worke any more then a servant can put himselfe from his Masters service into another mans worke No man saith Christ can serve two Masters no man can be the servant of God and Mammon this so alienates the heart of a man from Christ drawes the soule of man into such spirituall fornication that man can no more love Christ then a harlot can love her husband for if any man saith Saint John love the world the love of the Father is not in that man And the love of the world saith St. James is enmity with God This doth so take up the thought care study delight strength labour time and the very whole of man and doth so fetter and bind him fasten and encline him to things here below that with the invited guests in the Parable he cannot come to Christ he cannot imbrace Christ he cannot attend on Christ he cannot marry his soule to Christ this doth so distemper their palates that they cannot relish Christ The flesh-pots of Aegypt were so savoury to the Israelites that they could not long relish their Manna Christ is a distastfull dish where the world is a sweet feast this fils the heart of man with dishonourable thoughts of Christ The over-prizing of the world is the under-prizing of Christ Hee can never apprehend Christ as all in all that doth not apprehend the world as nothing the young mans over-prizing the world caused his departure from Christ the lovers of the world are very inconstant in their following of Christ if Christ and the world will not stand together Christ is soone forsaken the world alone hath their attendance service and affection So that Christ hath no spirituall and gracious being where the world hath such full possession And these foure sorts of fulnesse in man are so many cleare demonstrations of Christs estrangement from man 5. By mans spirituall emptinesse He that is empty of Christ is without Christ the Cisterne which is empty of water is without the fountaine hee that is empty of grace is without Christ the authour and fountain of grace he that is without the life of Christ who hath not Christ living in him as the root in the branches graciously enlivening him as the soule doth naturally enliven the body endowing him with spirituall principles of holy and gracious life enabling him like a living man to feele his sin as a living man his disease to rise up from the world as a living man ariseth from the Earth to feed upon the Ordinances of God as a living man upon the food which is set before him to walke in the wayes of God as a living man doth move and walke in an earthly way to follow Christ in attending his Ordinances in beleeving his Promises in obeying his precepts as Lazarus followed Christ when he had raised him from death to life he that hath not Christ thus living in him thus framing and disposing him to live to God to consecrate himselfe to Gods service to conforme himselfe to Gods precepts to intend God and his glory To live as the Apostle saith godly in Christ Jesus in Christ enlivenining him and according to Christs prescription He that doth not thus live is without Christ 2. He that is empty of the knowledge of Christ is without Christ the eye which is empty of the light of the Sun is without the Sun the soule which is empty of spirituall and heavenly light is without the Sun of Righteousnesse he that doth not know Christ as a Prophet instructing him and making him wise unto salvation as a Priest sanctifying and purging him from his corruption as a King bearing spirituall dominion within him bringing his whole man into a holy and humble subjection he that doth not know the death of Christ in the crucifying of his affections the resurrection of Christ in the rising of his soule to seeke the things which are above the power of Christ in working his heart from obstinacy and hardnesse from captivity and bondage from pride and haughtinesse to softnesse and tendernesse to liberty and freedome and to humility and meeknesse He that doth not know the beauties of Christ ravishing his soule with joy and delight in him the love of Christ in being espoused to Christ the worth and excellency of Christ in accounting all but dung and drosse in comparison of Christ and the fullnesse of Christ in feeling and finding all contentation in Christ he that doth not thus know Christ is without Christ in Christ are hidden all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom and he that hath Christ is full of spirituall knowledge as
endeavours To open the eyes of men and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ The translation of the soules of men out of their naturall and corrupt estate into Christs Kingdome is the most sweet and blessed fruite of the Gospell To this also the Lord perswadeth by the proposall of many favours and mercies Turne you unto me saith the Lord and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of Hoasts Turne you unto me as Schollars to your teacher to learne my lawes as children to your Father to reverence my name as Subiects to your Soveraigne to obey my Statutes as Servants to your Lord and Master to do my will turne you unto me by repentance sorrowing for your sins by faith beleeving my Promises by love imbracing me and my testimonies and by obedience keeping my Commandements and I will turne unto you as a King of mercies pardoning you as a loving Father receiving you as a kind and gracious Husband imbracing you as a glorious and shining Sun dispelling all the clouds of sorrow from you as a powerfull and mighty Redeemer delivering you from all them that doe conspire against you God doth ever manifest himselfe very good and gracious to them that turne from their impieties To move men to this the Lord likewise useth very sweet and powerfull expostulations Repent and turne your selves saith the Lord God from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine cast away from you all your transgressions whereby yee have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will yee die ô house of Israel for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherfore turne your selves and live The forsaking of sin is the obtaining of life Sin is the cause of mans ruine repentance the way to peace and eternall happinesse though the ability to repent be Gods gift yet it is the duty of every man to repent and the changing of the heart from sin to holinesse is ever attended with sweet and sure mercies All blessings attend them that come from their naturall and corrupt estate to walke with God in newnesse of life and for this saith St. Peter God having raised up his Son sent him to blesse us in turning away every one of us from our iniquities the translation of man from the state of sin into the state of grace is one of the choysest benefits that cometh by Christ and they are the most blessed and happy among all people whom Christ delivers and turnes from the power and service of their corruption therefore as Sampson burst his wit hs and came away from Dalila so let us burst asunder the wit hs and fetters of our sin and come forth of our naturall and corrupt estate Of all estates to live under the power of sin and to continue a stranger to Christ is the most miserable and unhappy estate 1. An estate of Barrennesse the carnall man is a bad tree and can beare no good fruit a loathsome fountaine and can send forth no cleane water Michals wombe was shut up and she had no child till the day of her death the heart of a carnall man is shut up and continuing in that estate hee brings forth no good fruit all the dayes of his life he is saith Jude a tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots voyd of all the fruits of grace 2. His estate is an estate of exilement from God Adam was exiled Paradise for eating the forbidden fruit the carnall man is exiled Gods presence shut out from all communion with God for feeding and feasting his soule upon sin because stolne waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant unto him such men have no gracious relation unto God no claime nor title to the covenant of God no unfained love to God no likenesse with God and therefore God disclaimes all communion with them he will not acknowledge them 3. It is an estate of enmity the carnall mind is enmity against God man opposeth God and God opposeth man corrupt men are haters of God they hate the very being of God and wish there were no God they hate him in his attributes because he is a wife God and beholds all their impieties because he is a holy God and abhorres their ungodlinesse because he is a just God threatning destruction to their wayes because he is a powerfull God able to dash them in peeces as a Potters vessell with a rod of yron they hate him in his Ordinances in his Ministers in his Servants in all that beare his Image of holinesse and true righteousnesse and God hates them in their qualities in their services in their prayers their best Sacrifice is a loathsome carkasse in Gods nostrils a very abomination before the Lord. 4. It is an estate of slavery to Satan to the world to corruption he that is most sinfull is the veryest slave in the world as many lusts so many Lords and Masters yea cruell tyrants over him leading him captive at the will of Satan Peters being fettered in Herods prison Jeremies lying in the Dungeon Israels servitude under Pharaoh and the Aegyptians being led captive by the Assyrians naked and bare-foot to the reproach of Aegypt is but a slender shadow and weake representation of this thraldome 5. It is an estate of curses the whole pot was a pot of death where the evill herbe was all is a pot of death a pot of curses where sin rules very blessings are turned into curses to them that turne not from their impieties the table is a snare and what should have bin mans welfare becomes his ruine all the meanes of grace are perverted all the labours of Gods Ministers frustrated Jonahs being in the ship disabled the Marriners to bring the Ship unto the shore the dominion of sin in the soule disables the Minister to bring it to the haven of peace we row in vaine all our labour is lost if you forsake not your sin we cannot profit you the holding fast of your impieties turnes the ministry of salvation into an increase of condemnation working death instead of life the very best things proving evill to them that continue without change in their corrupt estate therfore as Hannah prayed to bee delivered from her barrennesse as Absolom longed to see an end of his exilement and to behold the Kings face againe as Israel sighed and groaned to bee eased of their bondage as the men of Tyre and Sidon made Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine their friend and desired peace with Herod and as the Prophet powred meale into the pot and there was no harme in the pot but the pot of death was made a pot of wholesome food a meanes to preserve life
So let us bee earnest with the Lord to deliver us from this estate of barrennesse and make us fruitfull from this estate of exilement and bring us to the enjoyment of the heavenly Kings face and countenance Let us make Christ our Friend that there may be an end put to the enmity betweene God and us and that we may be set at peace againe with God let us sigh and groane under our sinfull bondage and labour for spirituall freedome Let us labour to have true and saving grace powred into the pot of our soules that all our possessions and undertakings may be sanctified unto us and that the Word which our sinne hath made the savour of death unto death may thorow grace become the savour of life to life to every one of us And to the end we may be translated out of the state of corruption into the state of grace let us 1. Attend upon and hide the word of God in our hearts This is the Word of life by which our soules are quickned this is the Seed of Regeneration by which wee are new born this is the voyce by which wee are called out of the Kingdome of darkenesse into marvellous light this is the warlike weapon by which the holds of sinne are cast downe as the walls of Jericho were cast flat to the ground at the â—ounding of the Trumpets this is the fire by which the drosse of sin is purged out of our souls this is the word of Reconciliation by which wee are set at peace with God On this therfore let us wait this let us treasure up in our souls that therby a gracious change may be wrought in us 2. Let us labour for the sence and feeling of our sinne as of a loathsome disease as of a heavy burthen Complaine of sinne as Sarah did of the daughters of Heth be weary of sinne as a sick man of his disease Cry to the Lord as Paul did O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death the more sence and feeling wee have of sinne the more assurance of a discharge from sin When Israel sighed and groaned then their deliverance from Pharaohs bondage drew nigh when sin is a trouble and man growes weary of it as of a hard servitude then the houre of the soules spirituall deliverance approacheth therefore to such our Saviour speaketh Come unto me all yee that travell and are heavy laden and yee shall finde ease unto your soules 3. Let us get our hearts filled with godly sorrow for sin turne all your sorrow into sorrow for sinne Mourne for this as for the death of your first-borne Mourne secretly without ostentation mourne unfainedly without dissimulation mourne universally without the reservation of any sin as the deluge overflowed and drowned all the Earth hill and valley so let your sorrow drowne all sinne they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Godly sorrow is ever attended with the joy of conversion remission and spirituall consolation They that mourne shall be comforted 4. Be very frequent and serious in the view and examination of your naturall and corrupt estate consider the basenesse the loathsomnesse the unprofitablenesse the cursednesse and the perilousnesse thereof men could never quiet themselves in this estate were they not inconsiderate of the evill thereof A Travellor that is out of his way would never goe on therein did hee consider that every step he treades is one step further from his home did carnall man consider that every action of his removes him one step farther from God and Heaven and brings him one step nearer to Satan and damnation hee would never please himselfe in this estate inconsideration makes way to all evill the Lord having mentioned the great impieties of Israel layeth downe this as the ground therof They are a Nation saith the Lord void of counsell neither is there any understanding in them O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end they doe not consider how they are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity in the thraldome of Satan under the wrath of God in the state of damnation subject to a thousand easelesse and endlesse woes and miseries did men consider this they would awake out of their sleepe and stand up from the dead that Christ might give them light They would with David consider their waies and turne unto the testimonies of the Lord. 5. Addresse your selves to Christ by faithfull and fervent Prayer the Gibeonites sent to Joshua and he rescued them from the Amoritish Princes We must send by prayer to Christ to rescue us from the Prince of darkenesse the woman of Shunâ—m came to the Prophet cast her selfe downe tooke hold of his feet would not let him goe and hee went with her and raised her dead child thus must we come to Christ cast our selves downe humble our selves under the hand of Christ lay hold on Christ and never let him goe that he may raise us from the death of sin to the life of grace CHAP. VII Perswading to thanksgiving for deliverance out of our naturall and corrupt estate LAstly this ministers matter and occasion of great praise and thanksgiving to all them whom Christ hath delivered out of their corrupt and carnall estate and translated into the state of grace and holinesse Of all deliverances deliverance from sinne is the greatest the sweetest the choisest A deliverance of the greatest cost other deliverances are wrought by the power of God this is a deliverance wrought not onely by the power of God but also by the bloud of God by the bloud of Christ who is God and Man in one person Feed saith Saint Paul to the Bishops the Ministers of Ephesus the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud Give thanks saith the Apostle unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darknes and translated us into the Kingdom of his deare Son in whom we have redemption through his bloud the deliverance of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt and the captivity of Babylon the deliverance of Ieremy out of the dungâ—on of Peter out of Herods prison of Ionah out of the belly of the Whale or the three children out of the fiery furnace or whatsoever deliverance else you can mention cost not God so much as the deliverance of man from sinne for this God gave his owne his onely Sonne This is a deliverance which argues more of Gods love to man then all the deliverances which God hath wrought besides for man Therefore of this the Evangelist saith God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne And Christ saith Saint Paul loved the Church and gave himselfe for it This is a deliverance from greater evils
other people have besides them 7. In respect of unity A common-wealth consisting of many particular persons makes but one politicke body All true beleevers are but one mysticall body in Christ therefore the Church is called One. My beloved saith Christ is one and there is one body and one spirit saith the Apostle one Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all The Church is of one Lord by one Baptisme into one mysticall body under one head ruled by one spirit bound with one bond of hope and love professing one faith and called with one Calling to one heavenly Kingdome built upon the foundation of one Doctrine As one soule doth quicken the many members of the body so the Spirit doth animate and enliven the whole Church As in one Pomegranate there are many kernels within one rinde so doth one Church containe innumerable people through the unity of faith having one Father regenerating them one spirit enlivening them one light guiding them one spirituall food nourishing them one Law binding them and one Head ruling the in they are most sweetly and entirely one among themselves CHAP. IX Perswading Subiection under one Head Submission to one Law and unity between our selves THe Church and faithfull people of Christ must learne from hence Subjection under one Head Submission under one Law and unity between themselves 1. Subiection under one Head Christ To Christ is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth and to him must all be Subject His dominion is from sea to sea an I from the river to the ends of the earth all Kings must fall downe before him and all Nations must serve him To him the Church must be subject spiritually their obedience must arise from a principle of grace they must worship him in spirit and in truth To him they must be subject heartily not in shew but in truth obeying from the heart root that forme of Doctrine which Christ hath delivered to them To him they must be subject voluntarily without compulsion they must be a willing people his Law must be in their hearts and they must delight to doe his will To him they must subject themselves universally in respect of the rule they must have respect unto all the Commandements as Noah in building the Arke had an eye to the whole patterne which was set before him and in respect of the whole man all the faculties of the soule and all the members of the body must be obedient to him as the Sun Moone and eleven Starres did obeysance to Joseph in his vision Christ must be glorified both in our body and in our spirit To Christ we must be constantly subject our hearts must be inclined to performe his statutes alway even unto the end Christ is the Head and we the members Christ is the shepheard and we the slocke Christ is the husband and we the Spouse and as all the members are fully subject to the head the slocke readily follows the voice of the shepheard and the Spouse is lovingly subject to the Bridegroome so must we be fully freely and lovingly obedient unto Christ 2. This teacheth Submission unto one Law The Church is one mysticall common-wealth and must be subject unto one Law of Christ All that builded the Arke built by one patterne The whole Church of Christ hath one patterne according to which they must build their faith and their love even the whole Fabricke of their worship and service The ship hath one compasse by which it roweth and one Pilate by which it is guided The Church is the ship the Word the Compasse and Christ the Pilate by Christ and his Word must the whole Church of God be ordered and ruled The Word of God is a sure word to which we must give heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place The Law of the Lord is perfect it needs no addition as the Sun needs not the help of any candle to increase his light in shining on them that travell The Scriptures are a compleate and perfect Schoole profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works God gave Moses a perfect patterne for the building of the Tabernacle without addition or dimunution Gods word is a perfect patterne comprising the whole frame of mans conversation It is Gods prerogative to prescribe and mans duty to conforme Ye shall not adde unto the word Which I command you saith the Lord neither shall you diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandements of the Lord your God which I command All other Doctrines are darknesse and not light they cannot guide us they are false plants of mans and not of Gods planting they beare no good fruit to feed us and God the great Husbandman of the vineyard will plucke them up they are sand he that builds upon them sinks they corrupt and adulterate the Doctrine and Religion of Christ as the tares the wheate as the evill herbe the Prophets pot Mans service is no service of Christ if it receive not it's rule from Christ in vaine saith Christ doe ye worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men He that mingles humane devices with his religious duties makes it a humane and no divine service As the Elements once mingled in a compound body doe lose their proper formes so Religions mingled with humane traditions and made compounding parts of a mixed worship and service doe lose their formes and cease to be religious in Gods account As silver mingled with brasse doth lose the nature and name of silver and currant coyne and will not passe with men the touchstone discovers it and the skilfull Goldsmith rejects it Thus the worship of God mixed with the dresse of mans invention loseth both the name and nature of true worship The word discovers it to be counterfeit and God doth not regard it nor the performers of it Of such therefore the Prophet saith reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath reiected them This alienates from Christ it divides the heart and places the feare trust love and joy of the soule upon some forraine thing some Idoll of mans devising A woman that embrace a stranger with her husband in her bosome and mingles strangers with her husband is no more a chaste and loving wife her heart is divided and she is become an adulteresse The mingling of forraine inventions with Christs precepts in his services is in Gods interpretation spirituall fornication their hearts are gone from Christ their husband they are taken up with strange lovers To this purpose is that of the Prophet Esay the faithfull City is become an harlot and what other but this was Judah's whoredome for which the Lord upbraideth her by the Prophet saying thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers thou hast embraced many forreigne doctrines thou hast
them his love and all the comforts of his Spirit but to prophane men Christ is as a sealed fountaine of whom they drinke not a hidden Manna of whom they taste not he that is an alien to the Church is without the protection and salvation of Christ they that were without the Arke had no safety from the waters and surely they that are without the Church I meane without that faith holinesse love and gracious communion which is proper to Gods children are without salvation And this is the misery of carnall men living in the Church and not living the life of them that are the true Church of Christ indeed and such men indeed are a great dishonour to the Church as spots in the face spots and blemishes as Saint Peter termes them a burthen to the Church as dead members to the body a trouble to the Church as Ionah to the ship raising the stormy tempest of Gods wrath against it and therefore should be wiped away cut off and cast out by the censures of the Church not for everlasting condemnation but for their humiliation and reformation for the destruction of the flesh that their spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus according to the Apostles rule This opens the impossibility of the salvation of corrupt and carnall men as such and as long as they continue such for being such they are aliens to the Church of Christ to the spirituall common-wealth of Christs Israel As all that were out of the Arke perished in the deluge of waters so all that are out of the Church not living members of this common-wealth doe perish in the deluge of Gods wrath Such as are by the power of their prophanenesse alienated from the Church of Christ the company of them that are effectually called and sanctified they are 1. Without God He that hath not the Church for his Mother hath not God for his Father he that is not of the new Jerusalem whom the Apostle termes the Mother of us all for her bringing forth children spiritually unto God he that is not of her is not of God he that is not a childe in this spirituall and heavenly family is not borne of God therefore the Apostle saith of them that are the true members of this Church Ye are no more strangers and forrainers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God 2. He that is by his prophanenesse an alien to the Church of Christ is an alien to Christ he that is an alien to the common-wealth is an alien to the King he that is not one of Christs flocke cannot have Christ for his Shepheard and without Christ there is no salvation 3. He that is an alien to the Church of Christ is estranged from regeneration renovation illumination sanctification remission donation of the Spirit and the promise of the eternall inheritance Effects and fruits of the Word and Spirit in them that are effectually called properties and prerogatives belonging onely to Christs holy and gracious people and without these there is no salvation These saith Chemnitius God the Word Faith the Church salvation and life eternall are very intimously knit and ioyned together and accordingly the Apostle there is one Body and one Spirit one Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all To him therefore that is not of this sacred company and Church of Christ the Spirit is no Sanctifier Christ no Redeemer God no Father Baptisme no Seale and Faith no Instrument of Justification and therefore unlesse man be of this sacred company there is no salvation they that leap out of the ship into the Sea perish they that forsake the ship of Christs Church and hold not communion by faith and love with Gods Saints perish in the Sea of this world all the Citizens of Iericho who were out of Rahabs house perished with fire and the sword All that are out of Gods house or to speake in the Apostles words who are not built up a spirituall house to God are liable to the fire and sword of Gods wrath CHAP. XIV Discovering the vanity of carnall mans applauding and pleasing himselfe with being borne within the Church HEre may we likewise see how vaine nay how dangerous it is for man to applaud and please himselfe in being borne within the pale of the Church and having the externall use of Gods Ordinances continuing under the power of sinfull lusts because remaining under the command and power of sinne he is an alien to the Church even whiles he lives within the Church blesse not therefore your selves in this build not your salvation upon such sandy ground There was in Abrahams house a childe of the bond-woman as well as of the free they are not all children saith Saint Paul because they are Abrahams seed There are within the house of the visible Church children of Hagar as well as of Sarah they who are the bondmen of corruption as well as they who are the Lords free-men Mans outward participation of Gods Ordinances is no assured evidence of his inward participation of Christ Jesus The hearts of Ezekiels hearers went after their covetousnesse Herod lived in incest when he attended the ministery of the Baptist the Sadduces were a very generation of vipers when they came to the Baptisme of Iohn the very City of Jerusalem even whiles it had the glorious name and title of Gods Church was become an harlot her silver was become drosse and her wine mixt with water It is an easier thing to wait on Gods Ordinances then it is to lay aside our corruptions Mens outward profession is not alwayes seconded with a spirituall change and reformation Iether had a sword but he had no strength no courage to draw it to slay Zeba and Zalmunna with it Many have the Word and Sacrament the Oracles of God the Sword of the Spirit but they have no heart to use them they doe not apply them to the mortification of their corruptions It is not the having but the gracious working of the word of God which proves a man to be the childe of God The lame man lay many yeares at Bethesda his lameship not cured many live many yeares within the pale of the Church under the powerfull ministery of the word and yet no spirituall cure wrought upon their soules the disease of sinne still continues and increases upon them Doe not therefore boast and glory that you are the children of the Church as the Pharisees sometimes boasted that they were the children of Abraham for as Christ said to them if you were the children of Abraham you would doe the workes of Abraham Thus if you were the genuine and naturall children of the Church you would doe the works of them that are the Church and children of God and be assured of this though
man is destitute both of faith and of a godly life his faith like Jeroboams hand is withered he cannot reach it forth to apprehend Christ and the promise of life in Christ Though carnall man live within the pale of the Church and come to the House and Table of the Lord yet like him in the Parable that came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment he hath not put on Christ Christs righteousnesse doth not cloathe him and therefore is an unwelcome guest the dainties there provided doe neither profit him nor belong unto him his faith is a dead faith it doth not purifie him it makes him not victorious over Satan and the world he continues as a dead man in the house having no claime nor title to the things of the house The foolish Virgins wanting oyle in their lamps were not acknowledged by Christ he did not open to them he gave them no admission Profession without faith and obedience gives no interest in Christ nor finds any acceptance with Christ he that breakes the conditions of the covenant can justly claime nothing by the covenant The covenant from which prophane men are excluded is the Covenant of grace by which God appointeth a heavenly inheritance to his adopted children through the death of his Sonne Jesus Christ interveening The matter of this covenant is the promise of God to become our God in Christ and the promise of man to beleeve in God through Christ and to walke with God in newnesse of life The forme of this covenant consisteth in a mutuall obligation of God to man and of man to God The Object of this covenant is properly the elect effectually called it is offered to all to whom the Gospell is preached the elect alone have the true and comfortable fruition of it The moving cause of this covenant is the meere mercy and free favour of God the impulsive cause hereof is the merit of Christ by whose intercession alone all the elect are reconciled unto God the finall cause is the glory of God and the salvation of his chosen the Adiunct of it is perpetuity an everlasting covenant a covenant of wedlocke which never shall be ended And to this covenant all corrupt and carnall men as long as they continue such are strangers they are strangers to the comfortable and experimentall knowledge of it they doe not know themselves reconciled unto God in Christ Jesus they are strangers to the matter of it they doe not know God to be their God their treasure their crowne and comforter neither doe they know themselves to be Gods peculiar people by a lively faith in God by fervent love towards God by holy and humble walking and gracious communion with God nor by Christian application of themselves with all their might to the service of God and strangers they are to the fruits and effects of the covenant mentioned by the Prophet Ieremy as inscription of the Law in their hearts illumination of their understandings remission of their sinnes holy and constant feare not to offend God stedfast perseverance in the wayes of God and divine dispensation of all things to worke for the best unto them and thus they are very unhappy strangers to the covenants of promise CHAP. XVI Displaying the misery and uncomfortablenesse of Mans estate without the Covenant IN this is very fully opened the misery and uncomfortablenesse of every corrupt and carnall mans estate Mans sole and onely hope and expectation of comfort is from the free and gracious Promise of God in Christ he hath no other staffe to sustaine him no other Star to send forth any glimpse of consolation to him no other well from whence to draw any water of refreshment yet even from this is the carnall man excluded he hath no interest in this covenant and having no interest in this covenant He is 1. A stranger to Christ and to that salvation which cometh by Christ Christ saveth onely such as come within the covenant the Promise of salvation by Christ is to them whom God shall call from death to life from darknesse to light from bondage to liberty and from uncleannesse to holinesse according to that of the Lord by the Prophet to our Saviour I the Lord have called thee to the Office of a Mediatour in righteousnesse my Justice moving me to fulfill my gracious Promise I will hold thine hand I will helpe thee I will minister strength unto thee to fulfill this office I will keepe thee from suffering untill the time appointed and in thy suffering that thou despaire not and give thee for a Covenant a Mediatour of the people and a light a Saviour to the Gentiles to open the blind eyes to enlighten their understandings by the preaching of the Gospell to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse from the prison-house to set mine elect free from the power of Satan dominion of sin and feare of Hell Now carnall men who are without the covenant have not Christ a Mediatour reconciling them to God an enlightner of their understandings nor a restorer of their soules to spirituall freedome Christ is not unto them life quickning them a Rocke supporting them Righteousnesse cloathing them a Husband marrying them and a Fountaine filling them but they are without Christ as a House without a Foundation as Members without a Head as Captives wiâ—hout a Ransomer and as a forsaken woman without a Husband The woman which is not under the covenant of wedlock hath no Husband the soule which is not under the covenant of grace hath no Jesus no Deliverer no Salvation by Christ 2. He remaines empty of all spirituall and heavenly gifts his soule is in empty house wherin dwels no good thing he is a stranger to all Gods gracious and soule-saving communications he that is not in covenant with the King that refuseth the Oath of Allegiance to the King is excluded from communion with the King and from all such Prerogatives and favours as the King grants to them that are in covenant with him such as are not in covenant with God like Absolom in another case cannot see the Kings face the face of God doth not shine but frowne upon them they sit in darkenesse and the shadow of death God doth not reveale himselfe clearely and graciously unto them the great things of his Law are a strange thing unto them they have no discerning of the things of God the Lord sends them away empty from his house and from his Ordinances after their long living within the pale of the Church and long attendance upon the Gospell and often being at the Lords feast of marrow and of fat things they continue like Pharaohs leane kine after their eating the fat as leane as ever blind poore naked miserable and wretched as Christ speaketh Gods graces are dispenced with his Covenant thou shalt breake forth on the right hand and on the
him to love and rejoyce in him in their tongues to speake of him and plead for him in their hands to work that which is good and honourable unto God and in all their abilities therewith to honour him prostrating all under the feet of God referring and using all to the glory of God living and dying as the Apostle saith unto the Lord living as Gods servants framing the whole way and order of their life according to Gods prescription referring their whole life to the glory of God and resting in all the labours and troubles of their life upon God with a firme confidence being assured that God takes care for them and dying as Gods peculiar people patiently submitting to the hand of God in the time of their dissolution firmly depending upon God in the houre of their change heartily desiring that God may be glorified by their death and resting fully assured that their temporall death shall be an entrance into eternall life he who thus fully applies himself to God may assure himself of his being in covenant with God 3. By mans participation of the spirituall and heavenly benefits which the covenant comprehendeth as 1. The donation of the Spirit it is the Lords promise to powre out his Spirit upon all flesh to put his Spirit within us and to cause us to walke in his wayes so that he who is within the Covenant of God hath the Spirit of God quickning and enlivening him as the soule doth enliven the body enlightning and teaching him guiding and leading him into the cleare and comfortable knowledge of all truth as the guide leades the Traveller into the knowledge of the way wherein he is to walke regenerating and renewing him sanctifying and cleansing him as the water doth the flesh and the fire the mettall revealing Christ in him and making Christ appeare very glorious and amiable in his apprehension as the most glorious Sun the choysest pearle and most renowned Prince even the fairest of ten thousand making the soule full of longings after him and sick of love towards him uniting and joyning him unto Christ as the branch to the vine as a member to the head to be enlivened by Christ and to participate of all the benefits which flow from Christ ruling and guiding him as a Pilot his Ship framing and working his heart to an universall holy and humble submission to the will of God as the hand of the learner is guided by the teacher to write according to the whole copy set before him To him that is within the Covenant the Spirit of God is a Spirit of life mortifying the old and quickning the new man Water washing refreshing and making his soule spiritually fruitfull Fire purging and consuming his remaining lusts and making his heart to burne with love to God and man oyle of gladnesse filling his soule with spirituall alacrity and cheerfulnesse and a seale and earnest penny assuring him of his future blisse and peace in Heaven and this communication of the Spirit is an undoubted pledge of mans being within the Covenant 2. A second benefit comprised under the Covenant is Communion with the Saints all that are within the Covenant have a mutuall sweet and gracious fellowship with God and among themselves That which we have seen and heard saith S. John declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us and that our fellowship may be with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ He that is within the Covenant hath communion with God the Father by adoption as a childe with the Parent by participation receiving of the Fathers fulnesse and bearing his Image by holy walking having his conversation in Heaven walking with God as Enoch and Noah did by invocation as a Petitioner with the King being a daily earnest suter to the throne of grace by Faith living and walking by faith and not by sight and also by Love God dwelling in love as the Apostle speakes Hee that is within the Covenant hath communion with Christ by participation of Christ and his benefits by dwelling in Christ and Christ in him being joyned with Christ in a spirituall wedlocke Christ assuming him into his grace and making him a member of his body bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh as S. Paul speakes expressing their neare union and sweet communion with Christ who are within the covenant of God He that is within this covenant hath also communion with the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God dwelling in him regenerating and renewing him witnessing his adoption helping his infirmity sealing up the pardon of his sin and restoring him to more spirituall liberty and freedome and hee hath likewise communion with all the Saints and faithfull Servants of the Lord being partakers of one Spirit living members under one Head having the same love being of one mind and of one accord their prayers meeting mutually each for other at one and the same throne of grace all building by one rule all travelling by one light all acting and moving by one Spirit all feeding upon one word all fighting under one Banner all running one race and all serving one Prince of peace they have fervent love one to another singular delight each in other and a very sweet and gracious communion one with another and this holy and joyfull communion with the Saints of God abundantly argues mans being within the Covenant of God 3. A third benefit comprised under the Covenant is Regeneration the sanctifying and restoring our corrupt nature to the image of God a worke of God in all that are within the Covenant a parcell of Gods promise to put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts to make a sutablenesse betweene them and his Law to worke such holines in their hearts as should in some good proportion answer that holinesse which the Law prescribeth and this is requisite to mans being within the Covenant because without this he cannot know God he cannot be the friend of God hee cannot please God nor have any communion with God he that is farre from holinesse is farre from interest in Gods Promise The captive woman under the Law had her apparell changed before an Israelitish Souldier could assume her into a covenant of wedlock man under the Gospell must put off the old-man and put on the new ere he can have interest in Gods Covenant the more fully freely and constantly man conformes himselfe to Gods precepts the surer is his evidence of title to Gods promise He whose obedience to the Law of God is voluntary without compulsion cordiall without dissimulation universall without the allowance of any evill humble without all ostentation cheerfull free from all repining sincere without any by or sinister intention and constant without back-sliding may rest assured of being received into Gods Covenant 4. A fourth benefit comprised under the Covenant by which man may discerne his being within the Covenant is
promising him that a woman should compasse a man contrite and broken hearted sinners are the proper subject of Gods sweetest mercies 3. We must relinquish the world Abner fell out with the house of Saul and then hee entred into Covenant with David Man must first fall out with the world take off his heart from the earth before he can enter into covenant with God because the love of the world as S. James speakes is enmity with God and he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God the first husband must be dead before the woman can joyne her selfe in wedlocke with a second man man must be crucified to the world and the world unto him before he can be married unto Christ enter into Covenant with Christ when Zacheus received Christ into his house he gave the halfe of his goods to the poore and restored foure-fold to them from whom he had wrongfully taken The world is much slighted where Christ is truely received The soule is never filled with Christ unlesse it be emptied of the earth Dagon fals where the Arke is erected the exaltation of Christ is the prostration of the world Mans communion with Christ is sutable to his separation from the world He that will enter this Covenant and associate himselfe with Christ must with Matthew leave the receipt of custome hee must with Salomon looke upon the world as upon a thing of nought he must according to the Apostles rule use the world as if hee did not use it He must forget his owne people and forsake his Fathers house that will have consortship with Christ 4. We must renounce all intimate communion with corrupt and carnall people come out from among them saith the Lord there is the separation and I will be your Father and ye shall be unto me for sonnes and daughters there is Gods receiving them into covenant and communion with him the Prodigall deserted and repented of his fellowship with Harlots and riotous persons and then his Father lovingly received and imbraced him God is very propitious to such as repent of their sinfull fellowship with his enemies God ministers many comfortable expressions of his love to them who withdraw themselves from such as doe not love him when Moses left Pharaohs Court the Lord appeared to him in the wildernesse saying I am the God of thy Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob the declination of fellowship with profane persons is usually attended with a sweet enjoyment of Gods presence and the ministration of many spirituall comforts were we more thoroughly alienated from vaine men wee should be more fully and sweetly acquainted with God could we give a bill of divorce to profane persons we should have a blessed and honourable wedlocke with Christ Jesus 5. We must with all diligence attend the Ministry of the word Encline your eare Come unto me saith the Lord Heare and your soule shall live and J will make an everlasting Covenant with you God by the labours of his Ministers brings men into covenant with himselfe by their labours hee opens the beauties and perfections of Christ he makes them see their necessity of Christ their misery without Christ and their happinesse in the enjoyment of Christ by their labours hee woes and perswades them to come to Christ fils their hearts with earnest longings after Christ with fervent and unfained love to Christ and so espouseth them unto him as Abraham by his Servant brought Rebecca to his son Isaac Thus doth God by his Ministers bring men to his Sonne Christ Jesus Did wee not shamefully undervalue and profanely estrange our selves from the labours of Gods Ministers wee could not be such strangers to Gods Covenant nor so empty of those blessings which Christ ministers to true beleevers Attend therefore Gods Word if ever you meane to enjoy the benefit of Gods Covenant 6. We must readily and fully receive Christ Christ is the foundation of the Covenant the promise is in Christ Josephs Bretheren came nigh to Pharaoh by Joseph man comes nigh to God by Christ findes favour with God and partakes of all the mercies of God through Christ through him we are made the Sonnes of God thorough him wee are accepted of God thorough him we receive of Gods fullnesse grace for grace the receiving of the Lord Jesus is the receipt of all mercies in him we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places without Christ wee are strangers to all Gods mercies in Christ wee have title to all Gods blessings Iosephs bretheren were lovingly entertained of him bringing Beniamin with them without whom they might not looke him in the face bringing Christ with us God will graciously receive us without Christ God will be a consuming fire to us And therefore let us all labour thus to interest our selves in Gods Covenant for hereby shall we have interest in all Gods Promises as in so many pillars to support us as in so many wel-springs to refresh us in all the creatures as in so many Servants to minister their assistance to us in all the Ordinances of God as in so many Starres to enlighten us as in so many dishes of spirituall dainties to feed us as in so many heavenly Bethesda's to heale us and in all the attributes of God as in so many branches of the tree of life to shelter and shadow us interest in the power of God to uphold us in the wisedome of God to guide us in the mercy of God to pardon us in the presence of God to encourage us in the love of God to solace us and in the All-sufficiency of God every way to satisfie and content us Sweet and sure full and everlasting joyous and honourable are the Prerogatives and comforts which are obtained by interest in Gods Covenant CHAP. XVIII Declaring the misery of naturall Man without Hope THe fourth Alienation declaring naturall and carnall mans misery is an Alienation from Hope Without hope The hope of salvation by Christ from this hope man in his corrupt and carnall estate is estranged Hope is a grace inclining and disposing a regenerate and beleeving soule with assurance and patience to expect and wait for the accomplishment of such good things as God in Christ hath promised and faith apprehendeth Gird up saith Saint Peter the loynes of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ all grace is dispensed through Christ the full communication hereof is reserved till Christs second comming and hope waits for the receiving of it in and through Christ The cause efficient of this hope is God the Author and giver of all good it is not a worke of nature but of grace not of man but of God Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe to a lively hope
and his owne lusts as the Israelites knew Joshuah vanquishing and treading upon the necks of the Kings of Canaan he knowes not Christ sanctifying and cleansing his soule as Naaman knew Jordan washing his leprosie from him he knowes not Christ ministring the fulnesse of God unto him as the people of Egypt knew Joseph ministring to them and supplying their wants Carnall man is very ignorant of Christ far from sweet acquaintance with him and comfortable experience of his soule-saving ministrations There is a way of spirituall poverty and self-denyall wherein a man walks humbly with his God ceasing from himselfe from his owne wisedome will reason purpose and affection abased below the dust in the apprehension of his owne uncleannesse emptinesse and unworthinesse renouncing himselfe his owne gifts abilities and performances going cleane out of himselfe unto Christ labouring to be found in Christ and not in himselfe making Christ all in all unto him seeking his whole salvation from Christ and prostrating himselfe with all that is his under Christ this is a way in which the carnall man treads not he is still full of himselfe he dreames of a self-sufficiency at home and looks not beyond himselfe he stayes in his legall righteousnesse and is shamefully guilty of self-love and self-seeking There is a way of new obedience and true holinesse in which the carnall man walks not he wanders like an erring traveller from this path and stumbles like the blinde their feet saith the Prophet run to evill and they make haste to shed innocent bloud their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths the way of peace they know not and there is no iudgement in their goings they have made them crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace He that runs not the race hath no hope to obtaine the prize he that fights not the battell hath no hope to win the crowne he that sowes not his field hath no hope to reape it he that runs not the race of Gods Commandements he that fights not Gods battels hath no hope to win the prize which is eternall life nor yet to weare the crowne of glory He that sowes to the Spirit doth of the Spirit reape life everlasting but he that sowes to the flesh doth of the flesh reap destruction CHAP. XIX Shewing the vanity of prophane Mans hope of salvation THe carnall mans estrangement from the hope of salvation discovers and layes open the vanity and deceitfulnesse of prophane mens hopes of having life and glory by Christ Though they have no true and saving faith in Christ though they have no experience of the espousall of their souls to Christ though they have no fervent and unfained love to Christ no evidence of Christs living in them no knowledge of Christs holy and gracious working upon them no fence of Christs love to them yet they hope Christ will save them Haman hearing that King Ahasuerus had a purpose to honour some man concluded presently that himselfe must be the man whom the King delighted to honour though the issue crost his expectation Carnall man hearing of Gods mercy Christs merits and the Lords purpose to exalt and honour man presently feeds and fils himselfe with hopes that he shall be the man presumes that God will honour him though in the end he meets with Hamans portion a gallowes in hell instead of a crowne in Heaven As the foolish man in the Parable built his house upon the sand so doe all the carnall men in the world build their hopes of salvation upon some sandy and rotten foundation which at length sinks and suffers them to fall shamefully fearefully finally as the house did which was built upon the sand Now if you aske what those false and deceitfull props and pillars are upon which carnall men usually build their hopes I answer 1. Some build their hopes upon superstitious observations they receive for Doctrines the commandements of men the traditions of their superiours and predecessors In the observation of these they are very full and frequent very precise and punctuall and hereupon they promise themselves salvation Thus Paul before his conversion after the strictest sect of their Religion lived a Pharisee and was very zealous and thought himselfe alive when he was dead perswaded himselfe he was in the state of grace when he was in the state of damnation a childe of God when he was one of Satans brood a friend of God when he was an adversary of the Lord a pillar when he was a destroyer of the Church The observers of humane Doctrines are very full of miserable blindnesse possest with an overweaning opinion of the goodnesse of their condition shamefully mistaking their estate perswading themselves that that doth much endeare them and highly commend them unto God which makes them a very abomination before the Lord. 2. Some build their hopes upon a formall profession of Christ and Christian Religion Micah had great hopes that God would blesse him because he had gotten a Levite to his Priest though he continued an idolater Many men promise themselves great peace and glory because they have the Gospell heare the Word receive the Sacrament are called after the name of Christ though they live in all prophanenesse The foolish Virgins were very secure and promised much unto themselves from their lamps though they were empty lamps Many a vaine and foolish man is secure and consident of his salvation by reason of his profession though an empty one though he be an empty vine bringing forth all his fruit to himselfe doing all for himselfe and nothing for God and Christ professing as the Apostle saith that they know God being the meane while disobedient and reprobate to every good worke This is the common foundation on which all carnall Protestants build their hopes like the Pharisees boasting that they were the children of Abraham though they did the works of the Devill being like the Locusts in the Revelation which had outwardly the face of a man and the haire of a woman but within the teeth of a Lyon and behinde the tayle of a Scorpion Thus these men have outwardly the name of Christians a profession of Christ but as savage and indomitable as the Lyon as full of all sinne as the Scorpion of venome and what a fond thing is it for a man to build his hopes upon an empty profession Will a husband delight himselfe in his wife because she professeth him to be her husband living the while in adultery with strangers Will the King honour a man for professing him to be his King not ceasing to plot treason and act rebellion against him Is there any hope that Christ will take pleasure in a man or honour him because he cals him Husband Lord and King in the meane space committing fornication with the world plotting spirituall treason and acting open rebellion against him Surely such men
carnall man the thought of God is terrible he taketh pleasure in unrighteousnes and delighteth in the frowardnes of the wicked and thus his contrariety to God proclaims his alienation from God 2. By carnall mans estrangement from the life of God alienated as Paul saith from the life of God without the life of grace God lives not in him by his Spirit regenerating and quickning him The body alienated from the soule without the soule living in it is dead unprofitable unsavoury an uncomfortable spectacle Man alienated from the life of God is dead in sinne unprofitable to God to his Church to his owne soule unsensible of his sinne uncapable of the word unsavoury and abominable in the nostrils of God a very monster in the eyes of God more ugly then any leper toad or lothsome creature the dead body is earthy inclining to the earth fit only for the grave The carnall man is earthly minded inclining onely to things here below and is ready to be cast into the grave of Hell fit for an infernall funerall with the damned in outer darkenesse He that wants the life of grace is far from the God of grace whosoever is not spiritually quickened by God is miserably estranged from God 3. By the carnall mans estrangement from the knowledge of God Of such the Psalmist saith they have no knowledge no knowledge of God as a Father of Christ as a Husband of the Spirit as a Sanctifier and comforter of the word as of a light guiding and food feeding and nourishing them to life eternall they have no spirituall knowledge no principle of spirituall light to perceive the things of God which are spiritually discerned no experimentall knowledge of Gods worke upon their souls in the vivification illumination sanctification and gracious change of their hearts no affective knowledge they know not God as a child knows his father as a wife knows her husband with fervent love hearty affection no submissive knowledge they know not God as a Subject his Soveraigne a souldier his Centurion yeelding hearty free cheerfull obedience unto him no appretiative knowledge they know not God as the rich man knowes his jewell esteeming it farre above all his straw and common lumber in his house as the people knew David accounting him better then many thousands of themselves they doe not prize God above the creature and themselves they doe not repute all base and vile as nothing in respect of God no appropriative knowledge they know not God as the wife the husband selecting and taking God unto themselves and making him their God as the wife doth the husband they take not God unto them as their King Crowne portion and as all in all to their soules no consolative and delightfull knowledge they know not God as the 〈◊〉 the Sun rejoycing in the light of the Sun they delight â—n God their soules take not up their sweet repose in the botome of God the meditation of God is not sweet unto them no satiative knowledge they know not God as the thirsty the full fountaine they are not filled with God they meet not with contentation in God their desires are not terminated in God and satisfied with God they know not Gods All-sufficiency they take not up their full and eternall rest with God they are still stepping out from God with Judas they are not content with Christ but they must have the bag too and as the blinde is a stranger to the Sun so is the blinde soule a stranger to God 3. By the carnall mans estrangement from the love of God he is a stranger to the love of God Passively it is a Sun with whose beames his soule was never warmed a wine which his palate never tasted a banner under which he was never covered God never communicated the sweet sence and feeling of his love unto him none but the Bride hath the sence of the Bridegroomes love he is a stranger to the love of God actively he is a stranger to the love of union with God he declines not the things which separate from God he delights not in the meanes which unite the soule to God he desires not spirituall conjunction and communion with the Church and people of God he grieves not at the absence of the efficacy of the Spirit he longs not after the full fruition of the blessed and gracious presence of God he is a stranger to the love of Complacency in God he neither abhorres the things which are adverse to the will of God nor highly prizeth the Society of the Saints of God nor is sensible of that joy and sweetnesse which is found in the exercises of godlinesse nor knowes that delight which a gracious soule meets with by holy walking and maintaining a sweet communion with God he is not comforted and well-pleased in and with God as the eye with the Sun and the thirsty pallate with the cleare and full fountaine but hath more pleasure in the creature then in the Creator he is also a stranger to the love of benevolence and welwishing towards God having no zeale for Gods glory nor yeelding any filiall and sincere obedience to Gods precepts Whatsoever be the pretences of a carnall mans loveâ— God he loves himselfe more then God his love is the lovâ— harlots whose love is more to strangers then to their husbands Want of free full and fervent love to God ever argues an unhappy estrangement from God 4. By the carnall mans estrangement from the spirituall soule-sanctifying and soule-saving ministrations of God The carnall man is an empty house there is nothing of God dwelling there he is a Tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots there is no ministration of spirituall life Christ doth not live in him he sits in darknesse and the shadow of death the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of his understanding as the Philistines put out the eyes of Sampson there is no ministration of spirituall and saving knowledge God hath not shined into his heart he hath not the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ he lyes in the prison of the prince of darknesse like Peter in Herods prison his lusts fettering him Satan on his right hand the world on his left hand like two strong and vigilant souldiers keeping him There is no ministration of spirituall freedome he is led captive by sin the Devill and the world he is full of sinne as Naamans flesh of leprosie there is no ministration of grace and sanctification God hath not powred out his Spirit like cleane water upon him he is like the troubled Sea which cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and durt his conscience accusing his heart condemning him there is no ministration of spirituall peace no seale of the pardon of sinne no attonement between God and his soule where there is no light the Sun appeares not where there is no ministration of grace God dwels
Christ worth i Isa 53.1 2. k Cant. 5. l Mat. 8. 5. Holy making use of Christ 6. Experience of Christs saving worth m Cant. 1.4 Inducements to entertaine Christ joyfully 1 Condition of creature 1. Empty n Gen 41.20 21 2. Uncomfortable o Exod. 15.25 p Ioh. 20.22 q Ecel 5.12 r Psal 127.2 Å¿ 1 Tim. 6.9 10 3. Enthralling Gloria regnoruÌ„ splendida servitus est Antigonus Rex Macedonum Iust 16. u Mat. 6.24 w Rom. 16.18 4. Polluting Gen. 34 2. Laâ—ro spiritualium honorum Basil x 1 Tim 6 10. y Isa 59.7 Psal 10.6 Fallax suavitas infructuosus labor perpetuus timor periculosa sublimitas initium sine providentia finis cum paenitentia Aug. 2 Throgh view of mans estate without Christ 2 Cor 1.20 Rev. 3 17. z Isa 20.4 a Isa 57.20 Mans apprehension of God without Christ terrible b Rev. 6.16 4. Frustration of Gods Ordinances not entertaining Christ c 2 Sam. 3.17 d 2 Cor. 11 2. e Gen. 42. f Hag. 1.6 5. Excellency of receiving Christ Christ received giveth 1. Life g Phil. 2.16 h 1 Ioh. 5.11 1â— Isa 9.3 2 Light 3 Health i Mal. 4.2 k 1 Ioh. 5.5 4. Honour l Ioh. 1.1 5. Riches m Eph. 3.8 6. Prosperity Ioh. 3.2 n Gen. â—9 2 7. Sweetnesse Exod. 15.25 8. Comfort o Isa 25.6 p Heb. 6.15 2. Thes 2.16 9. Satisfaction 10. Abiding substance q Isa 9.6 r Hos 2.19 Å¿ Ioh. 13.1 Rom. 11.19 Ioh. 3.9 Ioh. 4.14 6. Fastening thoughts upon brevity of life u Exod 9.19 Christs welcoÌ„e manifested w Psa 24.7 By opening and elevating the heart x Mat. 9.24 2. By garnishing the heart y Exod 26.36 37. 3. By offering our selves to Christ z Mat. 2.10 11. a Rom. 12.1 4. By exalting Christ b 1 Sam. 16 1â— 5 By Love Faith conformity and acquiescence Want of joyful receiving Christ shewes 1 Want of knowledge o Prov. 2.10 2. Want of Love d Psal 122.1 e Psal 71.23 f Psal 42.4 g Psal 119.14 h Iudg. 16.15 3. Want of fâ—ith 4 Want of pricing Christ 5. Want of relishing Christ k Gen. 27.4 l Cant. 1.3 m Mar. 14.3 Ioh. 12.3 Ioy in Christs comming perswaded n 2 Sam 16.17 Welfare and exaltation of Christ and his kingdome desired Doct. o 2 Saâ— 6.15 p 1 King 6. q Psal 72 9. r Rev 4.10 Å¿ Isa 60.5 t Mat. 6.10 u 2 Thess 3.1 w Psal 45.3 x Psal 122.9 1. Grounds of this truth 1. Covenant y Mat 28.19 z Ier. 37.39 a 2 Sam. 3. 2. Relation b 1 Sam. 11.12 c 2 Sam. 18.3 d 2 Sam. 15.15 3. Christs interest in us e 1 King 20.3 4 f Isa 43.1 g Deut. 32 9. h Ioh. 17.7 i Rev. 19.8 k 1 Chr. 12.8 l 1 Cor. 6.20 2 Cor. 5.15 4. Subversion of Satan m Luk. 10.18 n Act. 26.18 Acts â— o Rev. 16.20 p Rev. 12.8 q Ioh. 12 3â— r 1 Sam. 4.23 Å¿ Psal 26 8. t Isa 11.10 u Isa 60.7 15. Impiety of three sorts opened 1. Non-regarders of welfare of Gospell w Iob 39.6 7 8. x Psal 24.4 y Psal 23.2 z Psal 41.4 a Isa 5.12 Grounds of this evill b 1 Kin. 18.27 c Mat. 12.30 d Rev. â— 16 2. Opposers of Gospell 2 Sam. 3.1 d Luk. 19.14 e Psal 2.2 Grounds of opposing the Gospell f 1 Sam. 18.29 19.1 g Act. 19 24. h Mat. 2. 3 Grievers at prosperity of the Gospell i Neh. 2.10 k Psal 112.10 l Hâ—st 5 13. m 1 Sam. 5.4.5 n Act. 4.1.2 o Rev. 10.10 Admonition to set up Christs Kingdome and Gospell p 1 King 1.44 45 46 47. Magistrates q Psal 82.1 r Isa 44 28. Å¿ Isa 49.23 t Psal 49 7. u Psal 1.12 Ministers Masters of Families Private persons w Mic. 4 1. Isa 60. x Eph. 1 23. Inducements to exalt Christ 1 Honour of a Christian 2. Love to Christ 3. Perill of not endeavouring welfare of Christs Gospel y Prov. 18.9 z Iud 5.23 4. Christ withholding nothing to exalt man a 2 Cor. 8 9. b Phil. 2 7. Nil debemus Christo preponere quia nec nobli ille quicquam praeposuit 2 King 4.13 c Eph. 5 1. d Rom. 12.1 e Psal 22.6 f Eph. 1. 5. Blessing attends the exaltation of the Gospell g 2 Sam. 6.11 h Luk 10.23 i Psal 33.11 k 1 Sam. 6.12 Meanes disposing man to advance the Gospell 1 Distaste of Sin 1 Sam. 5. l Mar. 6. m 2 Sam 3.8 10 2. Holy feare n Hest 9.5 w Psal 2.11 12. x Ier. 32.40 y Act. 2.43 3. Feeling of the necessity of Christ z Iudg. 11.11 Mar 5. 4 Elevation of the heart to a spirituall temper a Ier. 22. b Luk. 15. c Dan 2. d Mal. 3. e Ezra 1.5 f Ioh. 11. g Ezek. 1. h 1 Sam. 10.24 i 2 Cor. 5.17 18 Rom. 12.2 k Heb. 5.4 Christ commeth in the name of the Lord in 6. respects 1. Ordination l 1 Pet. 1.20 Rev. 13.8 2. Preparation m Col. 1.19 Ioh. 3.34 3. Calling n Isa 49.1 o Mat 3 17. 4. Doctrine p Ioh. 5 43. q Ioh. 12.49 50. 5. Benediction r Act. 3.25 26. Eph 1.3 6 End Å¿ Ioh. 8 50 54. Doct. t Gen. 37.13 Mat. 9 15. u Zach. 14 9. w Psal 2 6. x Col. 2 3. y Ioh 10. z Heb. 2 14. a Psal 72. b Isa 42 6. c Isa 6â— 1 d Isa 42. â— e Mal. 3.1 f Isa 28 16. g Ier 30.21 h Zach. 13.1 i Mal. 4.3 k Mat. 15. â—4 Mar. 9 37. Luk. 4.18 43. l Gal. 4.4 5. Col. 2.9 4. Grounds of Christs authority and ability to minister salvation 1. Power 2. Exaltation m Eph. 4.21 n Heb 1.3 o Heb. 7 1â— 3 Impletion p Eph. 4.10 4. Proposing Gods glory q Ioh. 5.30 Ioh. 7.18 r Ioh. 17.4 Salvation dispensed by Christ Å¿ Heb. 7.25 t Mat. 4.12 Danger of stepping our from Christ to humane traditions Evils hereof 1. Derogatory to Christs Authority 2. Argues great pride and presumption 3. Dispaâ—agement of Christs wisedome 4 Perillous to the soule u Isa 8.20 w 1 Cor. 10.10 21. x Deut 31.21 22. Christs Authority and ability pressing to â— duties 1. Of SubjectioÌ„ Properties of Subjection 1. Spirituall 2. Filiall y Luk. 1.74 75 3 Universall 4 Speedy z Psal 119 60. a 2 Sam. 18. 5. Free 6. Steadfast 2. Of Dependance b Isa 50.10 c Isa 32.2 3. Of Love 4. Of Acquiescence and contentation Note Note Note Note Doct. d Gen 39.5 c Isa 19.19 f Iudg. 17.13 g 1 Kin. 10.8 h Psal 65. â— l Isa 30.19 GrouÌ„ds hereof 6. Communication of Christ by Gods Ministers 1. Knowledge of Christ k 2 Cor. 4.6 l 2 Cor. 3.18 m Col. 2.3 2. Faith of Christ n 1 King 13. o Rom. 10.17 1 Cor. 3. 3. Life of Christ p Ioh. 11.44 q Ioh. 5.25 4. Love of Christ r Cant. 7.12 Å¿ 2 Cor. 11.3 t 2 Cant. 2 4. 5. Peace of Christ Isa 9 6. u Act. 10 30. 6. Whole