teach the heart first doth dedocere then docere first makes him unlearned what sinne hath taught him false and hence it is that such a soule comes to prize the Lord Jesus above all things Reas 3 The third and last cause hereof proceeds from that inestimable worth of Christ which saving grace makes the heart sensible of by feeling those unspeakable benefits it is made partaker of by him which are many we will at this time but point out to you these six following One which is the first and root of all the rest is Reconciliation with God Col. 1.21 Reconciliation is that gift of God's Free-grace in Christ whereby such as are strangers and enemies become acquainted with God and so have peace joy and delight in him and boldnesse to him Rom. 5.1 2. and for the ground of emnity between God and them which was sinne that made the seperation and alienation Isa 59.2 Col. 1.21 is utterly taken away by Jesus Christ his death whereby he satisfied for sinne Eph. 2.16 So that now the poore soule instead of terrifying frownes and heart-breaking threats and menaces hath chearfull smiles and cordiall promises good and comfortable words Zach. 1.13 The Lord doth shine in love so clearly and abundantly on the soul that it warmes him to the very heart and makes him rejoyce with joy unspeakable this benefit by Christ may seem little in the eyes of some persons but as we that have felt the bitternesse of warre and dissention amongst our selves how welcome would a Peace and Pacification be to us what would we give for it if it might be bought we knew not the sweetnesse of Peace before but our fulnesse thereof had produced in us a very loathing of that Hony-combe so that soule which hath alwayes lived in peace by meanes of the strong man Luke 11.21 doth slight this benefit by Christ but when that devils peace is broken and a poor soule is at civill warre in and with it selfe and with sinne satan his instruments yea and with God also who seems to take part against it and to wrastle with it too O how sweet is this Peace and Reconciliation with God by Christ there 's no soule can conceive the sweetnesse of it much lesse any tongue expresse it but that soule which hath tasted thereof by saving grace and for love of this as I may so say the soule doth prize Christ the more Another benefit is Life for Christ is the very life of such a soul Col. 3.3 4. for by him the soule that was dead in sinnes and trespasses is quickned Eph. 2.1 he hath breathed his Spirit thereinto and made it a living soule Rom. 8.10 The man that lyes rotting in his sinnes is altogether ignorant of the excellency of this new life by Christ as a dead man in the grave is not sensible of the sweetnesse of bodily life the living man is he that prizeth life as the best Jewell on earth and will give skin for skin and all that he hath for life so only that soule which is raised up from the dead to newnesse of life feels and findes the excellency and sweetnesse thereof and therefore he alone prizeth Christ above all in a respect hereof A third benefit is that Al-healing vertue that this soule finds in Christ he is at no time sick of any malady but Christ applyed he finds gives him present ease be he never so much wearied by labouring under any spirituall or temporall burden any terror of spirit a broken spirit a sick body a sinking estate a prision any tempest of tribulation come he finds Christ a ready Haven of rest where rides at the Anchor of Hope with such comfort as he hath a pretty heaven on earth what would not a man give for such a Panacea a Sovereigne receipt if such one could be found as would cure all wounds sores sicknesses distempers and lamenesses in the body The man that should have such a Medicine would think himselfe well provided for he would not part with it at any rates and the soule that finds this al-curing vertue in Christ thinks no price sufficient for him you cannot offer enough to him for his Christ for indeed he will not leave his Christ on any tearmes A fourth benesit by Christ is the soule by having Christ hath himselfe and is come to his right wits againe Adam seeking by unlawfull meanes to get more knowledge then he had like men that over-study themselves crackt his braines and lost that knowledge which he had before and his Posterity to this day are yea will be to the last day a company of dictracted persons foolish and mad children till Christ take them in hand and by giving them himself bring them againe to themselves This is evident by that in Titus 3.3 where the Apostle speakes of himselfe and such like We our selves were sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is out of our minds that is before we had Christ we were by-witted persons it is worth our observation in this particular to take notice of what is said concerning the Prodigall at his returne which signifies the conversion of any sinner in Luke 15.17 The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is comming or when he came into himselfe he said c. Which plainly implyes the man was before time quite out of himselfe Psal 75.4 and that he both said and did all as a mad man and so madly doe all men carry themselves before they have Christ And this aggravates their misery that they are not sensible of this their pittifull condition neither will be perswaded to believe it but like as mad men think others more mad then themselves so doe men out of Christ think them that are in Christ to be mad their wayes words and behaviours are so strange and uncouth to them 1 Pet. 4.4 But such as are in Christ know them that are out of Christ to be mad indeed and they know it by their owne experience for they themselves were such at that time but now they are come to themselves by Christ's comming to them and for this great blessing they prize Christ above all But fifthly the soule that hath saving grace finds by Christ it hath not onely received it selfe but it selfe with advantage for by Christ he finds an excellency put on himselfe and all his performances 1. As the touch of the Philosophers stone is said to turne the thing touched into pure gold so more truly one touch-of Christ to a poore soule doth metamorphose it making it of great worth which was before despised as vile and base now he becomes a man of some account indeed both with God and good men He is one of Gods Jewels Mal. 3.17 one of his chosen Generation one of his holy Nation and peculiar people 1 Pet. 2.9 one that is both precious and honourable in Gods sight Isa 43.4 and therefore one of his beloved ones briefly the soule that was the poorest amongst Beggars is
there he findes nothing but happinesse and holinesse as in hell there is nothing but sin and misery As no good can goe to hell so he sees no bad no sinfull and uncleane thing can get entrance into heaven Revel 21.27 saving grace tels him and he beleeves it that without holinesse he shall not see Gods face in heaven Heb. 12.14 and therfore he followes it with such earnestnesse of desire and endeavour and prizeth Christ in whom all holinesse is stored up for us above all things whatsoever Fourthly saving grace taketh a mans heart off from his own ends in all things and teacheth him to seek Christ not so much for selfe-ends as Christs ends When the Lord doth convert a soule to him and workes saving grace in his heart as he gives him a new principle to worke by so he gives him new ends to worke for Before conversion Selfe is all in all to a man Selfe sets him at worke and he workes altogether by selfe principles and to selfe ends God is not in all his thoughts Psa 10.4 for indeed selfe is his God But when God comes to take his place againe in the heart and to be God to a soule then he becomes the utmost end of that soule also so that as he will do nothing but by him commanding and strengthning so he does all to him and for him the soule is now lifted up above it selfe it soares aloft at greater matters then belong to selfe Selfematters are but as flies in his Eagle eye he stoops not to them but as the ponderous flesh makes him his alme is altogether at the glory of God magnifying Christ forwarding the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus building up his Church and repairing the breaches thereof c. Like as good and true Statesmen looke not so much at their owne profits as the common good so the true Christian aimes at the publike good of Christ the advancing of his Kingdome here more then at their owne advancement by him He doth not desire Christ so much to be saved by him as that Christ may be served by him The soul that prizeth Christ above al only for justification seeks him for selfe ends that is for happinesse and salvation by him and thus a soule doth before he hath saving grace But to desire him above all for sanctification is to prize and desire Christ for Christ's owne ends that we may be made holy by him and so become zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 and that we may serve him all the dayes of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1.7 4 75. And thus to desire Christ for Christ saving grace teacheth the soule and to doe all for him because such a soule makes Christ its Master and self must be his servant so that selfe must now wait till his Master is served Selfe may attend at the doore of the heart but Christ as Master beares all the sway there and as he will so the heart saith he shall be served whosoever goes unserved and as for selfe such a soule as is principled with saving grace looks at selfe as best served when his Master is most served There is a sweet and holy emulation betweet such a soule and Christ that as Christ takes all that is done to that soule as done to himselfe so that soule takes all done to Christ as done to himselfe and therfore is of opinion that he serves himself best when he serves Christ most Yea he leaves selfe to Christ's disposall and good will knowing that he is a good loving and free master indeed that will suffer his servant to want no good thing Psal 84.11 Fifthly saving grace frames the heart to a conjugall affection of Christ to such a love of him as is between husband and wife so that the soule loves the person of Christ as well as his portion yea and desires him more for his persons sake then for his portions sake all the note of such a soule is that with the Spouse in Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his this heart is enamoured with Christ because of that exceeding beauty of holinesse in him he is to her the fairest of ten thousand This soule loves not Christ so much for that which comes by him as for that shee sees in him when God married us as he saith he hath married us Jer. 3.14 his free grace had respect only to our persons and not for any portion of ours whereby he might be enriched and benefited Hence we find a love of mankind for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ascribed to him Titus 3.4 Job 14.15 which Job's words doe well interpret to us saying Thou O Lord hast a desire to the worke of thine hands Wherein is hinted the reason of Gods affection to us not any worth in us but his right to us it is his free grace which makes him owne that his right and the same free grace in the heart of a man reflects on God the same work that soule affects more Christ's person then any or all the things that come by him It is but a kind of whorish spirit to love him onely for what he hath and to get by him that Spouse that loves her Husband's person as shee ought will love him when he is poore as well as rich when sick as well will cleave to him in his necessity content to live in prison with him to goe a begging and be banished with him so where saving grace is the heart loves Christs person so impotently as shee will cleave to him in all his necessities when naked and poore shee will love him as well as when rich and bravely attired with outward pompe if he goe to prison shee will goe too rather then part with her best beloved shee will go a begging with him into banishment with him into the midst of fire any faggot yea into hell too rather then leave him for shee knowes hell would be no hell to her if he be with her and that a heaven would be a hell if he be not in it or shee find him not therein A sixth Reason why such a heart as hath saving grace doth prize Christ above all in matter of Sanctification is because it knowes and feeles as great a want of Gods free grace therein as in matter of Justification For we are as unable to sanctifie our selves as to justifie our selves yea we can doe more to procure sanctification to our selves then to obtaine justification wherefore as we find the good work of sanctification in us ascribed to the Lord both for the beginning and perfecting of it in Phil. 1.6 so we find it attributed to his good pleasure that is his free grace Phil. 2.13 and indeed if we doe seriously weigh things Gods free grace seems to abound more in the sanctification of a soule then in his justification of it for by justification he doth onely acquit it of the guilt of sinne committed but by sanctification he doth not onely
Hell for thou art a good Christ and I shall thank none but my foolish selfe for my losse of thee thus will the soule that prizeth Christ above all hold fast by Christ still and clasp him in her affections though he seeme to neglect her altogether this you may see evidently in David in such a condition mark his words in Psal 22.1 2. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and art so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season I am not silent wherein you have David to his owne sense in a lost condition because he had lost his God and three things are observable in his words First the great anguish and griefe of his heart which appeares by the loudnesse of his complaint and the continuance thereof He roares he cries day and night for his God Secondly and yet God seems to him to stop both his eares he will not heare him he makes him no answer but lets him goe on roaring and crying for and after him And for all this in the third place mark how the good soule cleaves fast to God he will have God to be his God still though God seems to reject him out of the number of his people and this is apparent by his calling God his God saying My God and that not once but againe and againe my God Truly they are the words of a saving faith that prizeth the Lord above all and therefore will by no tentation be beaten off from him but where this high esteeme of him is not there you shall find the quite contrary as between two men that have no great estimation of each other if one slight the other he shall be slighted as much againe so when the soule prizeth not Christ if he cast it off that is bring it into judgement crosses and losses that soul will cast off Christ and his service All frownes drive this soule off from Christ for this soul loves Christs more then Christ himselfe and when Christ wil let her have no more of his Love-tokens he shall have no more of her love then as they said of David who is the sonne of Jesse so they of Christ who is this Jesus is he not the Carpenters sonne and with that wicked King This evill commeth of the Lord why should I wait for the Lord any longer 2 Kin. 6.33 This springs from that bitter root of undervaluing the Lord and overvaluing our selves but where there is a true esteeme of God there is this waiting and seeking spirit as in Micah 7.7 the Church of God sayth I will looke unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God mark that will heare me Beloved let us aske our selves this question in these dark times wherein our Sunne seems to be setting for the wild beasts of all sorts that prey on God's servants and his truth come apace out of their Dens and we have fasted and prayed many times many and great cryes have we made to our God for his returne and yet he answers not how is it now with our hearts how stand they affected towards God doth his absence coole our affection to him doth his delay of answer dishearten us from calling to him doe we set loose from him because we see him setting loose from us then we never loved nor prized him as we ought But if his going from us make us runne after him if the sense of his losse quicken our love to him and the lesse he seems to heare the louder we cry and never give over night nor day then we doe prize him above all and so you have the third rule of tryall A fourth may be this the soule that prizeth Christ sets him uppermost as in his thoughts so in his actions he is the top-end of them all He doth all for Christ as all Rivers run unto the Ocean from whence they first came so all the actions of a Christ-prizing soule run wholy to Christ as they came from him all this soules note is Christ must be obeyed Christ must be pleased Christ must be honoured Jewels Plate and such like precious things are set in some eminent pespicuous place that they may be seen so he that prizeth Christ holds him forth in his words and deeds to be seen of all men in a word this soule takes Christ for his Master so that Christ is first and last to him first as his Commander and last as his End he doth all by his word and to his glory for indeed he knowes Christ is the best Master there is never such another He is the wisest most able to direct the strongest most able to protect and the freest of all to his servants if they ask any thing of him which is for their good he denies them not he gives the best wages and the fairest livery too for it is even the same cloth that himselfe weares of so that God his Father sees but little difference betwixt Master and Servant Obect But happily some poore soule will say alas wooe's me I thought I had prized Christ aright but now I see I doe not for I find other things mixt with Christ Christ is not my only mover Answ A weak soule will stumble and may fall at a little stone in its way such as this is and therefore I must take it up and remove it and so to doe I must entreat the poore soule that hath stumbled at this signe to consider what is the first Wheele that moves in his actions let him find out the primum mobile first mover for he it is that gives the denomination to this act though many other things fall in with it by the way If love of Christ be the first Wheele that moves then though other wheeles may move together with him yet he is thy Master thy head and Jewell like as a jurney to London is so called because a desire to see that famous City and an intent to goe thereunto moved first to the setting forth thereon though by the way a man doe many other businesses so our actions may be truly said to be for Christ if our love of and obedience to him first moved us thereunto though by the way we see and meet with many conveniences to our selves My Beloved the doing of duty is compared to sowing of Corne Eccl. 11.6 and Jer. 4.4 Gal. 6.8 The sower soweth the purest seed he can to have pure Corne againe and yet the purest will have husks if not other soyle so when a soule doth duty he would doe it as purely as cleanly as he can and yet thou findest some husks cleaving thereto a husk of pride ostentation self-seeking c. In this case you must sift your heart over till you find out the first mover thy first intent and purpose in the same and if Christ were that then is he thy Master but if he were
all for our Sanctification for if holinesse whereby we might serve God better then we doe were our aime when we fast and pray and humble our selves our sinnes and corruptions not our afflictions move us first thereto Indeed judgements and corrections are instructions they open our eyes to see our errours and then a love of holinesse brings us on our knees for our sinnes to beg a pardon for them and a cleansing of them saving grace teacheth a soul to begin at the right end of his work he that thinks to take judgement away before his sinne and therefore fasteth and prayeth he begins at the wrong end of the businesse he must take away the cause and then the effect will follow of it selfe dig up sinne by the root and that bitter fruit of judgement which growes on its branches will wither and come to nothing to humble fast and pray and doe such like duties for no other end but out of a desire of peace which we want and to escape the plagues we have deserved is onely to prize Christ above all for Justification whereby we are discharged and acquitted from the guilt of our offences and consequently from the punishment due to us for the same but to humble our selves out of sense of our sinnes the filthinesse of them their magnitude multitude and power and we begge Christ that he may come and reigne in the midst of his and our enemies that are in us that he would wash and cleanse us wash our feet hands head and all over that we might doe his service more decently and in order as becomes his servants then we prize Christ for Sanctification And truly it is to be feared that we have not humbled fasted and prayed in this kind because the Lord hath not heard and answered all this while it seems more probable we have sought the Lord onely in the former way for benefit by him out of meere self-self-love and therefore we have been despised as self-seekers the Lord hath seen we have brought forth all unto our selves and therefore he hath made all returne empty and vaine to us we shall never find Christ justifying us till we desire him sanctifying us the Lord gives his Christ not onely to save a soule but also that the soule may by Christ serve him indeed the Lord may give peace plenty and such like outward things he may heap on wicked men but there is no Christ in them and therefore they more hurt then do good to them yea and the Word doe with them more evill then good but to a soule that hath saving grace and prizeth Christ above all for holinesse the Lord give him Christ in all his gifts and tokens of what kind soever they be whether of his left or of his right hand and therefore they all doe him good he is the better and not the worse for them yea and he makes a good use of them to the glory of God and benefit of others wherefore to turne this signe into a motive as we would obtaine our desire and see peace and truth setled amongst us and as we would have good and no hurt by them when they come let us learne in all our Humiliations Fastings Prayers and all duty to prize and seek Christ above all for sanctification that is that we may not onely lead a quiet and a peaceable life 1 Tim. 2.2 3. but also that we live in all godlinesse and honesty for this indeed is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Let me conclude with a word of reproofe of all such as doe not prize Christ above all for sanctification so well as for justification these persons have no saving grace in them and no true love to Christ they love happinesse but care not for holinesse so they could be saved by Christ let who will serve Christ for them they have all their desire and so no more need of Christ Ah let such poore soules take heed of their King there is more need of Christ in justification then sanctification Truly Beloved it is one of the devil's master-pieces in these times to take men off from sanctification to cry up free grace onely in justification when as there is as great if not greater free grace and therefore a greater need of it in sanctification then in justification as hath been shewne such therefore as seek not Christ above all for holinesse as well as happinesse are justly to be blamed What blame then are they worthy of who desire Christ to be a cloke of their unholinesse beleeve me a Church-Protestant is worse then a Church-Papist doe you not see what bribers they are see how they bribe their owne consciences and their brethrens eyes with an out-side of Christ mark you not how they be at a see with prayer hearing of Sermons repetitions c. that they may keep a bosome-sinne Are there not many Protestants I could wish there were none here that weare a glistering garment of profession uppermost as if they had put on that glorious Diadem the Lord Jesus Put alas that soule which hath put on Christ indeed is all glorious within the fairest part of its beauty is in the heart this soul hath a better in-side then out-side there is no true judgement can be given of him by his outward appearance and the truth is such a man is most carefull about his heart to adorn that to approve that to God But such as have not truly put on Christ all their care is to trick and trim up their outward man their visible outside they put the best side outmost How many under their brave coversluts wear next to their hearts garments nasty both for coursnesse foulnesse doth not this man put on covetousnesse that man envy another malice a fourth hypocrisie c. doe these serve Christ in any of their performances nothing lesse they serve oâ—ly themselves by him they doe but make him their shooing-horne to pull on their self-ends so long as Christ goes their way he shall have their company yea so long as the chariot of self-love lasteth they will march as furiously for Christ as Jehn did for Jehovah Baal shall downe and all his Priests too but if selfe and Christ come in competition and so must part then farewell Christ these mens way now lyes quite contrary to Christ's and let them goe they are not worthy the society of a christian that thus slight and abuse Christ whom Paul and every poore soule that hath saving grace doth prize Christ above all both for Justification and Sanctification FINIS I have perused this Sermon on Phil. 3.7 8 c. and finding it to be very godly judicious and profitable I doe allow it to be printed and published John Downame
CHRIST ABOVE ALL EXALTED AS IN JVSTIFICATION SO IN SANCTIFICATION Where in severall Passages in Dr. CRISPS Sermons are Answered Delivered in a SERMON at RYE in the County of Sussex By JOHN BENBRIGGE Minister of Gods Word at Ashburnham in the same County 1 COR. 1.30 But you are of him in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption LONDON Printed for John Stafford and are to be sold at his House in Brides Church-yard 1645. TO MY WORTHY AVNT Mistresse SARAH NOWELL All Peace Externall Amen All Peace Eternall Amen All Peace Internall Amen Endeared Aunt WHOM I love not onely in the Flesh but also and especially in the Truth and not I onely but also all they that have known the truth for the thuth's sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever 2 John 1 2. Peter's Watch-word must never be forgotten whilst our warfare lasteth Be sober 1 Pet. 5.8 be vigilant saith he and his reason is Because your adversary the devil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour and as the world drawes nearer to an end so he mends his pace and bestirs himselfe the more because his time growes shorter Revel 12.12 1 Cor. 10.11 Eph. 5.15 16. 17 18. wherefore we on whom the ends of the world are come more neere ought to walke more circumspectly both in sobriety and watchfulnesse for new he makes more use of his severall turns and fetches then heretofore that phrase of walking or going about implies he hath many of them and truly I think the world never saw more of them in one age then may be seene in ours As an old souldier hath many stratagems to circumvent his enemie and such as suit best with time place and power he puts in execution to make way for an assault like politick stratagems and engines hath the spirituall adversary of our soules and salvation to set upon us and undoe us The Apostle cals them sometimes his devices at other times his wiles his devices are fine devices 2 Cor. 2.11 1 phes 6.11 spun out in a curious thred his wiles are subtill for cunning both are one though the letters of the words differ yet their sense fully agrees for his wiles are fine devices and his devices sultill wiles This latter word as it is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duly considered opens unto us the mystery of both shewing where in this his fine cunning doth chiefly lye namely in his marshalling of those his subtill devices that is the method he useth and followeth in acting them For first he labours to prevent the planting of grace in the heart and if he faile of his project therein then he in the next place casts about to hinder the growth of grace in heart and life Repentance faith and obedience are the totall of Christianity beyond which we have nothing to do or professe in these three are summed up all the Prophets and Apostles and the devil seeks as much to hinder as all they doe to further them to prevent the implanting of grace he seeks to keep them from repentance which if he cannot doe then to starve grace that it may have no sustenance he endeavours to overthrow their faith and obedience before a man acted by saving grace sets himselfe to repent all his work is to strengthen his faith that is to make him beleeve he is in a goad and safe condition though indeed he be nothing lesse and this is to keep him from repenting and when he sees the man will repent for the grace of God constraines him thereto then he wheels about and to weaken his faith he sets in order before him all his sinnes which before he hid from his eyes yea he aggravates them as much as he can both for manner and measure for quality quantity and number desirous to bring him to conceive them greater then can be pardoned but when he finds this his device frustrated by the soules cleaving to and laying hold on Gods free grace in Christ justifying and acquitting him from the guilt of all his sinnes then his last piece of policy is to kinder his sanctification and to lay stumbling-blocks in his way of new obedience that he may fall him into actuall transgressions thereby to dishonour God wound his owne conscience and dishearten others from walking godly righteously and soberly in this present world many are the rubs he layes in this soules course of Christianity but none of the least are the totall casting away of the law as unusefull and not belonging to him and the unfruitfulnesse of duty to the doer thereof in any kind These flones with their like he had cast in the wayes of Gods people heretofore but by the power of Christs spirit in some of his worthies they were removed and have laine hid till of late Satan finding an opportunity hath againe tumbled them in And herein his cunning craftinesse appeares yet greater to such as seriously observe things with a spirituall eye that he carries his matters so slyly as he gets some of his knowne enemies to countenance and defend them and so to help and fight for him like as the Papists taught indeed of him have carried on their fine devices so wilily as to delude maâ—y Protestants their knowne and sworne adversaries so farre as to make them take part with him against their owne Christ his Gospell and servants their Brethren is not this Satans Master-piece to bring Gods servants to fight against him to make good men with stand good works Yet this is no new matter for he got once into Peter's mouth and made him speak against Christs doing that good work of our salvation Peter indeed spake out of love to Christ and he meant to save Christ as he thought but the truth is he spake then he knew not what In like manner those good soules who neglect sanctification to extoll justification who reject the law casting it behind their backs as of no use to advance the Gospell who heat downe all duty of a true beleever as no way beneficiall to him to exalt Christ I beare them record that they have a zeale of God but not according to knowledge they under stand no more what they say then Peter did when Christ said to him get thee behind me Satan for the Law is as much Christ's as the Gospell and Gods free grace in Christ is as much seene and magnified in our Sanctification as our Justification he gave Christ for both and Christ dyed for both they therefore that beat downe the Law throw downe Christs Scepter and lay his honour in the dust doth not our present dayly experience shew what will become of a Kingdome if the lawes thereof be taken away and they which extoll Gods onely free grace in justification clip Gods Coyne our onely riches they set up but half a Christ so by halving him they whittle him to
by the meanes of some common hear-say Nâ—tions of Christ in thesa knowing times yea a soule may so strongly desire Christ as to be willing to part with very much for him and yet not truly desire Christ because he may all this while seek Christ not out of a love to Christ so much as to himselfe A Merchant that heares there is such a rich Commodity such a precious Jewell to be had whereby he may greatly get will part with much of his gold and silver for it yet cannot he be said to love that Commodity and Jewell so much as himselfe because he seeks it onely for his owne gaine and profit by it Mat. 13.45 46. So a man that heares of that precious Pearle of great price Christ Jesus and that there is much to be gotten by him no lesse then salvation which is a sure enjoyment of all good and a freedome from all evill may be willing to bid pretty faire for Christ and lay downe much for him and yet not truly love Christ for Christ's owne sake he desires but to serve himselfe of Christ and not that Christ should be served by him self-Self-love will perswade men to prize Christ highly for Justification to get happinesse by Christ but onely saving grace teaches a soule to stt up Christ also above all for Saictification to get holinesse whereby he may serve Christ that hath saved him The more cleerly to prove this truth and to help your memories to carry the proofe thereof away with you we will take it asundâ—r into two parts and shew you 1. Why saving grace teacheth a poor soule to prize the Lord Jesus above all things 2. Why saving grace makes the heart to esteem Christ above not onely in Justification but also in Sanctification For the first there are three Reasons Reas 1 The first ariseth from the Operations of the holy Spirit which worketh saving grace in the heart of any man the Operations of the Spirit in this way is two-fold whence the Spirit hath in Scripture a double Epithite and is called a Spirit of Bondage and a Spirit of Adoption these names of Bondage and Adoption imply not a double Spirit but a double and severall Act of the same holy Spirit which is wrought in every soule when it is savingly wrought upon Rom. 8.15 for then 1. The holy Spirit doth discover to the soule its forlorne condition in regard of sinne and the punishment therefore it makes him sensible of the spirituall bondage under sinue and satan it makes him see and feele how he lyes bound and fettered hand and foot with the Cart-ropes of his iniquities and withall the Spirit set before them the terrible countenance of an angry God and so fils the soule with stinging and deep piercing feares that the just Judge of Heaven and Earth will plague it according to its deserts both in the world and that to come thus were Peters Auditors pricked to the heart and as men afrighted with the strange and fearfull sight of their sinne and God's wrath they cried out Men and brethren what shall we doe Acts 2.37 which outcry of such soules is the greater because this Spirit shews them withall the helplesnesse that is in themselves and the creature to remedy their present misery it makes them know the vanity and insufficiency of all that is in them or can come from them to work their deliverance It blasteth all their hopes from their owne righteousnesse which before smelt as sweet as a Rose in their Nostrils but now savours worse to them then the noysome dunghill In briefe the Spirit certifies them that all they have done or whatever they can doe with the help of all the Creatures cannot give them one lift out of their sad condition but here the good Spirit of God leaves not his children for then they would fall into that Gulfe of despaire whereinto Came Judas and such like have fallen to their utter ruine 2. The holy Spirit therefore having wounded the soule so deep as he pleaseth for all are not broken in a like measure he begins the cure thereof by setting Christ before the soule and laying open to it that fulnesse of supplies which is in him that he can yea onely can help that there is no Saviour but he and withall lets him see that there is some hope of his having Christ yea that God hath given him the rich and full Christ that by beleeving in him he might have everlasting life and hereupon the soule begins to long after Christ all the affections of it runne after Christ prizing and seeking Christ above all now doth the soule cry Oh give me Christ and take all like as a man ready to be drowned would give all the world if he had it to save his life and to find some safe footing so a soule that is enlightned with the eye-salve of the holy Spirit to see its sinking condition with a glimpse of hope of getting Christ will gladly part with all it hath for this Pearl of great price any vertue Reas 2 A second Reason why that soule that hath saving grace doth prize Christ above all is drawne from the contrarieties that is between grace and sin these two are no better friends then fire and water light and darknesse hell and heaven yea then God and the Devill and their manner of working is as contrary and crosse to each other they walke opposite to one another undoing if they can the worke the other hath done Sinne works the heart when it beares the sway there to preferre all things yea every thing before Christ but grace when it takes place in the heart brings the heart to prize Christ above all things in generall much more above every thing in particular If we well weigh the matter the first step of our aversion from God is an undervaluing of him when Adam first fell off from God did not he preferre himselfe and his Wife before God doth not the Lord plainly point out the cause of his peoples forsaking him to be an overweening conceit they had in the creature above him though that were indeed but a broken Cistern and he a living Fountaine Jer. 2.11 13. Now the way of our arising must be contrary to that of our falling and therefore the first step of our conversion to our God is an overvaluing of him that is such a high esteem of him as all things with their fulnesse of beauty are not thought comparable with him in a degree that is even lesse then the least This is the work of that saving grace Faith 1 Pet. 2.7 As the former was of that vice infidelity as this carries the heart off from God so this new byasses it and turnes it round about to him againe like as a skilfull School-master when a child is brought to him that hath been ill taught is faine first to unteach him what he hath ill learned and afterwards to set him forth So saving grace when it comes to