of grace ver 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the Law but under Grace Now the dominion of sin may be taken away though sin be not wholly dead in the soul As it was with those beasts spoken of Dan. 7.12 Their dominion was taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time So the dominion of sin may be taken away in that soul where the life of it is prolonged for a little season But here some may say How may we know whether sin reigns in us or whether the dominion of sin be taken away I Answer When we yield willing obedience to the motions and dictates of sin then sin reigns in us Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof and ver 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness When it is a mans usual course to yield ready obedience to the motions and sollicitations of sin it is a plain case sin reigns in such a man and he is the servant of sin As it is an argument that a man is in Authority when his commands are obeyed Matth. 8.9 I am a man under authority having souldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it So it is an argument that sin is in authority when the motions of sin are are obeyed when we go and come and do as we are moved and enclined by the lusts of our own hearts But where the motions and lusts of the flesh are resisted striven against suppressed there sin is not in dominion though it may still abide and dwell in us 6. If our doubtings of our interest in Christ arise from hence that we fear we have not Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof let us set our selves more vigorously about this work to Mortifie and Crucifie the lusts and affections of the flesh and to that end let us make use of these helps 1. Let us walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 This I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh There will be lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit as long as we live in this world but if we walk in the Spirit we shall be thereby kept from the fulfilling of the lust of the flesh 2. Put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it that will be a means to mortifie the corruption of your natures Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof 3. Meditate on the passion and sufferings of Christ and rest upon Christ for the grace that he hath purchased by his death to mortifie the flesh with the lusts and affections Gal. 6.14 Rom. 6.6 Tit. 2.14 4. Apply the promises which are effectual means to purge out our corrupt natures and to make us partakers of the divine nature and to help us to escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust Promises of renewing our natures and purging out the corruption of our hearts you may see Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God shall Circumcise thine heart 6. Loving Christ above all things is a certain evidence of a saving interest in Christ If we can say of Christ with the Spouse he is my Beloved or as the Dutch render it my best Beloved then we may say he is mine and I am his It was the Spouses sincere love to Christ that caused her to say with confidence that Christ was hers and she was his My Beloved is mine and I am his As we may know that we are passed from Death to Life by our love to the Members of Christ 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the brethren So we may also know our translation into a state of life by our love to Jesus Christ and may say we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Lord Jesus Christ That a sincere love to Christ which is a loving Christ above all things is a sure evidence of a saving interest in Christ will appear hence because eternal life and all manner of blessings are promised to those that love Christ in sincerity Jam. 2.5 Hearken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity But as for those that love any things or persons more than they love Jesus Christ though the dearest friends they have in all the world they shall not be owned of Christ for his Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me See also Luk. 14.26 But how shall we know whether we love Christ above all Things and Persons in the World A. 1. By our valuing esteeming and preferring Christ above all things in the World What we love most that we esteem and value most 1 Thes 5.11 Esteem them very highly in love Now we may know that we have the highest esteem for Christ of all things and persons in the World 1. When we will part with any thing rather than part with Christ when we are willing to suffer the loss of any thing yea of all things so that we may win Christ Mat. 13.45 46. The wise Merchant shewed that he esteemed the Pearl that he had found to be of great price when he sold all that he had to purchase it Phil. 3.8 The Apostle Paul shewed his preferring Christ above all by his suffering the loss of all things for Christ and this turned to him for a Testimony that Christ was his yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things 2. When all other things are counted but as dross and dung in comparison of Christ Phil. 3.8 For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ When other things are undervalued and
and nothing to be refused but Christ and all that belongs to Christ is to be received with Thanksgiving That which most men stumble at in Christ is his Cross they hear that if any man will live Godly in Christ Jesus he must suffer Persecution but if we rightly understood the advantages of sufferings for Christ we should esteem the Cross of Christ above all the treasures of the richest Kingdom in the World Heb. 11.25 26. As shall be shewen more fully afterward 4. The terms on which Jesus Christ with all his saving benefits is offered to us are reasonable beneficial advantagious terms better than thou thy self couldst have made for thy self if God had left it to thine own contrivance better than all the Angels of Heaven could have made for thee All the terms proposed by God on performance whereof we shall enjoy Christ and Salvation by Christ for ever are real and eminent benefits and have a singular worth and excellency in them as may appear if we consider all the terms required to our enjoyment of Salvation by Christ As 1. Faith That is a most precious grace more worth than the whole World 2 Pet. 1.1 2. Repentance There is such an excellency in Repentance that all the Angels of God rejoyce when any one sinner is brought to Repentance Luk. 15.10 3. Taking up the Cross This is an honour and matter of great joy to be called to suffer for Christ Act. 5.41 The trying of our Faith with crosses is much more precious than all the Gold in the World 1 Pet. 1.7 4. Serving and obeying Christ It is a greater honour to be a Servant of Christ than to be the greatest King in the World For Kings are Honoured only by men but the Servants are Honoured by God Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me him will my Father Honour 6. If you would have a saving interest in Christ as you must accept him for your Lord and Saviour so you must give your self to Christ to be his Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his We must become his if we would have him for ours If we do in truth of heart give up our selves to Christ to be his he will assuredly become ours and we shall be saved by him Isa 63.8 For he said surely they are my people children that will not lye so he became their Saviour Children that will not lye that is that do not dissemble in their hearts when they gave themselves to me that will not deal disloyally with me and there upon when they in truth of heart gave themselves to the Lord he became their Saviour As the Prophet said to the woman with whom he made a contract Hos 3.4 Thou shalt abide for me many days thou shalt not play the harlot thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee The like contract is Christ willing to make with us if we will become his Servants and abide for him and not be for the world or our selves so he will be for us and will be our Saviour We must imitate the Churches of Macedonia of whom it is said They gave their own selves unto the Lord. 2 Cor. 8.5 And why should we stick at this He gave himself to death for us Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity And shall not we give our selves to him that we may have Life and Salvation by him How or which way can we bestow our selves better than to give our selves to Christ who so loved us as to wash us from our sins in his own blood What Master can we serve that is like Christ But some may say How should we give our selves to Christ so as he will receive and accept us 1. Give thy self to Christ with judgment and understanding Know and understand what it is to give thy self to Christ to be his It is to joyn thy self to Christ to love him and serve him and to be one of his servants Isa 56.6 Also the Sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and love the name of the Lord to be his servants If thou wilt give thy self to Christ to be his thou must no longer be thy own to live to thy self and to follow thine own will or do that which is right in thine own eyes or to go in the way of thine own heart 1 Cor. 6.19 Ye are not your own 2 Cor 5.15 He dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them If thou wilt give thy self to Christ thou must not be the Worlds Joh. 15.19 Ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the world And therefore being not of the world you must not set your hearts upon the World nor the things of the World 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Neither must we be conformable to the world Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this world Neither must we be Servants to sin or Satan any longer if we would be the Servants of Christ Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters 2. Count your cost before you give your self to Christ to be one of his Servants and Disciples Consider what it may cost you to be a Disciple a Servant of Christ and see whether you are willing to engage with Christ under all those hazards and troubles and difficulties that you may meet with in your way to Heaven I will tell you what cost you must count upon You must count upon losing the love and good will of the world and to be hated of all men for Christs sake Luk. 21.17 Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake You must count upon many troubles Joh. 16.33 In the world ye shall have Tribulation Act. 14.22 We must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God You must count upon all sorts of persecutions reproaches confiscation of goods imprisonment banishment c. 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution You must count upon forsaking Friends Estate Liberty and Life all that you have if you will be a Disciple of Christ Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple Are you willing to be at all this cost to be a Disciple of Christ If so then he will embrace you for one of his It is Christs own advice that we should count our cost before we engage in his ways Luk. 14.28 29 30. For want of this many that fall in with the ways of Christ in a day of peace and prosperity fall off when trouble and persecution ariseth for the Gospels sake 3. Give your selves freely and willingly to Christ Let it be your choice after you have weighed and considered all things whether it will
to the observation of the Commandments of God All these things have I kept from my youth up Yet this young man had one thing that lay nearer his heart than Christ and that was the love of the world Mark 10.21 One thing thou lackest go sell whatsoever thou hast And when Christ put him on the Tryal he chose rather to part with Christ than with his possession though it was some grief to him to part with Christ yet he went away from him rather than he would part with his possessions Matth. 19.22 When the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions 3. There is no person nothing in the whole world that deserves so much of our love as Christ It is most equitable and reasonable that we should love Christ above our dearest Relations above all things and persons whatsoever On several accounts I will name two or three 1. None ever shewed such love to us as Christ hath done The love of Father and Mother and the dearest Friends we have in all the world is short of the love of Christ The The greatest love that man can shew is to die for his Friend John 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his Friends This love Christ hath shewn to us he layd down his life for us yea greater than this for he did not lay his Life for us when we were Friends but when we were Enemies Rom. 5.10 When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son All earthly similitudes as the love of an Huband to his Wife the love of Parents to their Children the love of a man to his Friend are too short to set out Christ's love to us and therefore he fetcheth a comparison from Heaven and likens his love to us as his Fathers love to him Joh. 15.9 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you As Christ's love is greater to us than the love of any man in the world so it is of longer continuance Our Parents love was not towards us till we had our beings and ceaseth when we go to our Grave for though there be grief and sorrow for a season at our Death yet in process of time dead men are forgotten both by them that loved and hated and envied them Eccl. 9.5 6. The memory of them is forgotten Also their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished But Christ's love to us is Everlasting It was towards us before we had our beings even from Everlasting and will be towards us when we shall cease to be in this world even unto Everlasting Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love Now Christ having loved us more than any man ever loved us it is but reason that we should love him above all 2. Jesus Christ is more amiable than any other persons or things in the World He is altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 This can't be said of any Creatures since the fall of man that they are altogether lovely for there is something of unloveliness in them Whatsoever there is in any Creatures that may attract our love it is eminently and transcendently in Christ As for Instance Is our love drawn by others love to us Love will beget love in all sorts of men Luk. 6.32 Sinners love those that love them Never any man shewed such love to us as Christ hath done as proved before Doth beauty draw our love it is said of Christ Thou art fairer than the Children of men Ps 45.2 There are all excellencies and perfections to be found in Christ Is our love drawn by beneficence and bounty Thus doth great things with most men Prov. 19.5 Every man is a Friend to him that giveth gifts None ever gave us such gifts as Christ hath given to us none hath been so bountiful and beneficial to us as Christ Jesus Is it propriety that ingageth our affections A man loveth his own Children above other Children and his own things above other things John 15.19 The World loves his own There is nothing so much our own in this VVorld as Christ is if we be true Christians He is our own Lord and our own Master he hath given himself for us and given himself to us He is ours by an Everlasting Covenant we are united to him he is our Head and we are Members of his body and he dwelleth in us by his Spirit And we are more his than we are our own or any other mans He made us and he redeemed us and bought us with a price and hath betrothed us to himself 3. We are under greater Obligations and Ingagements to love Christ than we are to love our Parents or any other Relations or dearest Friends in the world For none ever did or suffered such great things for us of Christ hath done He hath reconciled us to God He hath obtained for us the pardon of all our sins he hath saved us from the torments as Hell he hath purchased an Everlasting for our Inheritance in the other VVorld he hath made us Kings and Priests to our God He appeareth in the presence of God for us and is continually making intercession for us The benefits we have by Christ are innumerable It is said of David 1 Sam. 18.16 All Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them Christ the Son of David doth more than this for us he sticks closer to us than David did to Israel he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee How ought we then to love Christ for this and not only for this but all the benefits we have by him which are far greater than we have by any man in the the World 4. It is most equitable and reasonable that we should in all things give Christ the preheminence and prefer him above and before all things in the world and that on these accounts 1. It is the will and good pleasure of God the Father that his Son Jesus Christ should be preferred by us above all things in the world and therefore he hath made him head of the Church Col. 1.18 And he is the head of the Body the Church that in all things he might have the preeminence 2. Jesus Christ is better than all things and therefore to be preferred above and before them Col. 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things consist He is above all the Angels of Heaven who are his Servants and worship and adore him 1 Pet. 3.22 Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him He is better than all things in the VVorld All that is in the world is but dross and dung compared with Christ Phil. 3.8 And therfore we may say with David Ps 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is
2.10 Ye are compleat in him 5. Our imperfections shall not hinder us of the love of God here nor of the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter Psal 73.22 23 24. Sect. 8. There is comfort in Christ for such as are under the hidings of Gods face and are troubled because they can't enjoy Communion with God It is the lot of some Christians to be under the hidings of God's face and to want Communion with God and that is a great trouble to them Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Now there is comfort for such in Christ and that in these respects 1. It was one great end of Christ's death to bring us to the enjoyment of God 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that we might be brought unto God The great obstacle to our Communion with God is our sins For 't is sin that separates between God and us Isa 59.2 Behold your iniquities have sepparated between you and your God Now Christ's death hath taken away this obstacle of our Communion with God for whereas our sins had put us far from God and caused God to stand afar off from us by the blood of Christ we are made nigh to God Eph. 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ 2. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself was under the hidings of Gods face and that in time of great distress when he was upon the Cross when nigh unto death he cryed out Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But how doth this make for the comfort of a Soul under the hidings of Gods face that our Lord Jesus Christ himself was in a deserted condition A. 1. Hence we learn that the hidings of God's face is consistent with a state of adoption and the special love of God For Christ was the beloved Son of God in whom he was well pleased yet he was in a deserted condition in a time of trouble in a dying hour and therefore we should not question the Fatherly love of God because of the hidings of his face Isa 64.7 8. Thou hast hid thy face from us But now O Lord thou art our Father 2. Seeing our Lord Jesus hath been under the hidings of God's face he knoweth how to pity and succour those that are in this condition Heb. 2.18 3. We have gracious promises which are all yea and Amen in Christ Jesus that though the Lord be withdrawn from us yet if we return he for Christ's sake will return unto us 2 Chron. 30.9 The Lord your God is gracious and mercifull and will not turn away his face from you if ye return unto him Mal. 3.7 Even from the dayes of your Fathers ye are gone away from mine Ordinances and have not kept them Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord of Hosts Jam. 4.8 Draw nigh to God and God will draw nigh to you 4. Though you want sensible influences from God yet if you be one that hath closed with Christ upon the terms of the Gospel God hath Communicated himself to you for your God and Father in Christ by Covenant and hath given you the priviledge to be one of his Sons Joh. 1.12 and that is a higher degree of Communion with God than the giving insensible influences to that you ought not to say you have no Communion with God because there is a suspension of influences when as the Lord hath given himself for your God by Covenant and hath taken you for his children Sect. 9. There is comfort in Christ for such as are troubled with fears of falling away What David said concerning Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul the like some Christians who have accepted Christ on the terms of the Gospel and have given themselves to Christ are ready to say in their hearts I shall one day fall away from Christ and perish for ever My heart is so treacherous and indwelling corruption so strong and Satan's Temptations so prevalent and the oppositions from the world may be so great that I fear I shall not hold out to the end but shall fall away and this is a great trouble to me Now there is comfort to be had from Christ against these fears of falling away and that on these grounds 1. The intercession of Christ is a ground of comfort to such Believers on Christ as are troubled with fears of fallingaway For he prayeth for us that our Faith may not fail Luk. 22.31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not And he that prayed for Peter that his Faith might not fail he hath prayed for all that do and shall believe in him Joh 17.20 21. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one c. And what Christ prayed for was alwayes granted Joh. 11.41 42. Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me and I know that thou hearest me alwayes 2. The Members of Christ may be comforted against their fears of falling away from God's Everlasting Covenant For God is entered into an Everlasting Covenant with them that he will not turn away from them and that he will keep them from departing from him Jer. 32.40 And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good and I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me See Isa 54.10 3. The unchangeableness of Gods love is a good ground of comfort against fears of falling away Joh. 13.1 Jesus having loved his own that were in the World loved them unto the end It is not said having loved his own that are in glory but that are in the world where they are liable to temptations and corruptions and troubles he loved them to the end Rom. 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus God's love being unchangeable we may rest satisfied that the same love which called us to the knowledge and Faith of Christ will keep us from departing from Christ seeing the gifts and the callings of God are without Repentance The same love that quickned us when we were dead in sins and trespasses will also preserve us unto Eternal Life 4. The attributes of God may comfort weak Christians against their fears of falling away The name of the Lord is our strong Tower whether we may run and be safe against these fears as for instance 1. The power of God that is engaged to keep and preserve
not good Eph. 4.19 3. If we find in our selves the grace of God as well as the remainders of Corruption we may conclude that notwithstanding our infirmities we are born again As for instance if we find that God hath given us hearts to love himself and to love one another this love is a grace of God and a manifest token that we are born again 1 Joh. 4.7 Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God 5. Crucifying the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof is a good evidence of a saving interest Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts For the understanding of this Scripture we must enquire what is meant by Flesh what by the affections of the flesh what by the lusts and what by Crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts By the flesh is not meant the body but the corruption of our natures the works of the flesh spoken of ver 19.20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance c. They that are Christs Crucifie these works of the flesh By the affections are meant sinfull affections when we set our affections on things unlawfull and when we set our affections inordinately on things that are lawfull all inordinate affections are to be mortified Col. 3.5 Mortifie your Members which are on the earth inordinate affections As for natural affections when kept in due bounds they are not to be Crucified for it is no virtue but a great degree of degeneracy to be without natural affection Such as are without natural affection are not reckoned among the Saints but among the chief of Sinners Rom. 1.31 Without understanding Covenant breakers without natural affection By lusts understand the inclinations of the heart unto evil things 1 Cor. 10.6 Now these are our Examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Now to Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts is to mortifie our corrupt natures with the works that proceed from it and not only to mortifie the works of the flesh but all inordinate affections and all lustings after evil things it is opposed to living after the flesh which will bring eternal death and is inconsistent with the grace of God and an interest in Christ Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live To Crucifie the flesh with the lusts and affectious is to dye to sin to put all our sins to Death a Metaphor taken from the Jews putting Christ to Death let us therefore consider what the Jews did to Christ when they Crucified him and see whether we have done the like to our sins and thereby we shall know whether we have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts 1. When the Jews Crucified Christ they found him out and had a token given to them whereby they should know him Joh 18.2 Judas which betrayed him knew the place Mat. 26.48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he hold him fast So they that have Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections have gotten the knowledge of their sins they know the plague of their hearts They can say as the Jews Isa 58.12 As for our iniquities we know them This is one step towards Reformation to discover what is amiss in our hearts and ways Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and I turned my feet unto thy Testimony But if a man go no farther than the getting the knowledge of our sins and do not forsake them this will make us the greater Sinners by sinning against light 2. When the Jews had found out Christ they went with him to Caiaphas the high Priest and took counsel against Christ to put him to death Matth. 26.56 27.1 So they that have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts when they have found out their sins they ask counsel of God how they may put them to death how and by what means they may be delivered from their sins Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 3. When the Jews had taken counsel to put Christ to death they carry him to Pontius Pilate and there they accuse him and cry out to have him crucified Mark 15.3 The chief Priest accused him of many things ver 13. They cryed out crucifie him So they that have crucified the flesh and the lusts and affections accuse themselves before God for their sinful hearts and their vile affections and corrupt lusts Isa 64.6 We all are as an unclean thing Job 40.4 Behold I am vile And they cry out to God to Crucifie their lusts and to deliver them from all their Transgressions Psal 39.8 Deliver me from all my Transgressions 4. They judged and condemned Christ before Pilate and said that by their Law he ought to dye and would not let Pilate rest till he had condemned him and delivered him up to be crucified Joh. 19.7 We have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye Mark 14.64 They all condemned him to be guilty of death Luk. 23.24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required So they that have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts judge and condemn themselves in the presence of God as worthy to dye eternally And they judge and condemn their sins they are satisfied in their judgements that according to the Law of God they ought to put their sin to death and they will give God no rest till he hath sent his Spirit into their hearts to Crucifie the flesh with the lusts and affections 5. The Jews after Christ was Condemned hung him up on the Cross and made him fast with Nails to the Cross and would not suffer him to be taken down till he had given up the Ghost So they that have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts do lay hold on Christ Crucified for the Crucifying their flesh with all its corrupt lusts And it is the sixed purpose of their hearts by the help of Christ to suppress all sinfull lusts and inordinate affections and to refrain from all sinfull speeches and practices Thus David was carefull to suppress and keep down Pride in his heart Psal 131.1 Lord my heart is not haughty And to suppress the frowardness and discontent of his heart Psal 101.4 A froward heart shall depart from me If frowardness got into his heart under the disorders and crosses that were in his family he would not suffer it to abide with him it should quickly depart from him he was carefull also to suppress inordinate affections to the World Psal 119.36 Encline my heart to thy Testimonies and not unto Covetousness And all
wherein ye dwell Ezek. 28 24. And there shall be no more a pricking brier to any of the house of Israel nor any grieving Thorn 2. Those enemies of the Church are likened to Thorns that would rend and tear the People of God in pieces if the Lord should let them have their will of them Thorns are of a rending tearing nature Judg. 8.7 I will tear your Flesh with Thorns of the Wilderness Such kind of Thorns are the enemies of the Church they would even rend and tear the Servants of God in pieces if the Lord should not deliver them out of their hands Psal 7.1 2. Save me from all them that persecute me and deliver me least he tear my Soul like a Lion renting it in pieces while there is none to deliver Ps 35.15 The abjects gathered themselves together and I knew it not they did tear me and ceased not Another expression of the Churches distresses we have Chap. 2.15 Take us the Foxes the little Foxes that spoil the Vines She was molested with Foxes that spoyled the Vines And what were these Foxes 1. False Prophets that corrupted the Doctrine and Worship of the Church Ezek. 13.4 O Israel thy Prophets are like Foxes in the desert He doth not speak of the true but of the false Prophets when he saith thy Prophets are like Foxes 2. The Foxes signifie subtle and bloody Persecutors who seek to shed the Blood of the Saints and make havock of the Church Luk. 13.31 32. Herod will kill thee and he said unto them go ye tell that Fox Herod is called a Fox because he sought by subtlety to kill Christ These Foxes the Spouse speaks of did spoil the Vines such a Fox was Saul before his Conversion Act 8.3 As for Saul he made havock of the Church entering into every house and haling men and women he committed them to prison 2. The Spouse of Christ being in this distressed and persecuted condition prayeth to Christ to teach and tell her with what comforts he is wont to refresh and support his people under their sorest and hottest persecutions Chap. 1.7 Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon The noon is the hottest time of the day signifieth the hottest persecutions when the rage of Persecutors is at the heighth then it is worthy our enquiry where or how Christ comforts and supports his persecuted Flock His making his Flock to rest at noon signifieth the inward and spiritual comforts and refreshments that Christ giveth his People in their greatest troubles Mat. 11.28 29. Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls That rest which Christ gives his Flock when they labour under Troubles and Temptations is rest for their Souls And as the Spouse enquireth where and how Christ maketh his Flock to rest at Noon so in her distressed condition she cryeth out for comfort and support Stay me comfort me Ch. 2.5 Stay me with flaggons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love This being sick of love implyeth 1. The deferring of those spiritual comforts and supports that she prayed hoped and waited for Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick 2. Her being ready to faint for want of the presence of Christ and the comforts of his Spirit Sickness is attended with faintness Dan. 8.27 I Daniel fainted and was sick Such as are sick of love are oft times in a fainting condition Psal 119.81 My Soul fainteth for thy Salvation but I hope in thy word 3. Her restless condition for want of the enjoyment of Christ Sick persons are very restless when Job was sick he was restless and full of tossings to and fro what Solomon saith concerning a person whom God exerciseth with many sorrows Eccl. 2.23 His heart taketh not rest in the night The same may be said of one sick of love his heart takeeth not rest either in the night or the day but is very unquiet as long as Christ hideth himself Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled 3. We may consider the grounds of the Spouses Consolations under these Troubles and the hazard and danger of Death and her inward Troubles occasioned by her being sick of love I will only mention these two 1. Her Interest in Christ When she was in her greatest dangers and distresses and wanted the presence of Christ she quieted comforted and encouraged her self with this that she had an Interest in Christ My beloved is mine and I am his 2. She found great Consolation from her participation of the benefits of Christ ver 3. I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his Fruit was sweet to my tast From the Spouses supporting and comforting her self under her afflictions and persecutions when she was in danger of her Life with the consideration of her interest in Christ we may infer this Doctrine which shall be the subject of my ensuing discourse Doct. Interest in Christ is a ground of strong Consolation under all the troubles and persecutions of this Life and the dangers and approaches of Death When the Sun of persecution is risen upon us and scorcheth vehemently when we are become black when our Mothers Children are angry with us and deal hardly with us when 't is Noon the hottest time of persecution when we are as a Lilly among Thorns compassed about on every side with sharp afflictions in the midst of adversaries that are ready to rend and tear us in pieces when we are sick and faint because our hope is deferred and Christ absents himself from us when the Foxes are come out of their holes that spoil the Vines that thirst after the blood of the Saints at then if we can say My beloved is mine and I am his we have cause to be of good chear for interest in Christ is a ground of strong Consolation under all the troubles of this Life how many and how great soever and against the fears and terrors of Death and this I shall prove by several instances The Apostle Paul was a man that went through abundance of troubles and persecutions as was shewen in part before and I shall now farther shew you He could go to no place but he expected either to be put in Prison or to meet with some other affliction Act. 20.23 The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me He was troubled and persecuted every where and went in continual danger of his Life 2 Cor. 4.8 9 11. We are troubled on every side we are perplexed persecuted cast down but not destroyed VVe are always delivered unto Death for Jesus sake Another account of his sufferings we have 1 Cor. 4.9 10 11 12.13 I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles last as appointed unto Death For we are made a spectacle to the VVorld and to Angels and to Men we are fools for
when enlightned by the word and Spirit of God are able to discern and to give a judgment of our estate towards God and of the most inward workings both of Sin and Grace Pro. 20.27 The Spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the Belly By the inward parts of the Belly we may undestand all the secrets of the heart the inclinations dispositions and motions of the heart both to good and evil These are all searched out and discovered by the Spirit of a man which is as the Candle of the Lord but to effect this searching of our inward parts this Candle of the Lord must be lighted by the Word and the Spirit of the Lord for till that be done it gives such a dim and uncertain light that we can discern but little of our own state Therefore besides Communing with our own hearts and making use of our own Spirits we must make use of the Word of God that we may discern the state of our own Souls towards God Prov. 6.23 The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple ver 105. Thy word is a Lamp to my feet and a light to my path There are plain and clear Characters laid down in the Scriptures of such as are Christs the knowledge of these which I shall mention in the next Section are requisite for us to examine our selves by And besides making use of our own Spirits and having recourse to the light of Gods word it is needful that we should implore the illumination and assistance of the Holy Spirit because it is his enlightning our minds that gives us light Psal 36.9 In thy light shall we see light Job 32.8 But there is a Spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding The eyes of our underderstandings are shut till the Spirit of God doth open them Eph. 1.17 18. And as we need the Spirit to enlighten our understandings so also to witness to and with our Spirits or being the Children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Evidences of a saving interest in Christ. Seeing the knowledge of our interest in Christ tendeth so much to our Consolation both against all the troubles of this Life and the terrors of Death and seeing this knowledge is obtained by examining our selves by those Characters that the Scriptures give of those that are Christs I shall lay down several Characters out of the Scriptures of such as have a saving interest in Christ those that I shall mention and explain are these 1. Effectual calling 2. Recieving Christ as he is offered in the Gospel 3. They that are Christs have the Spirit of Christ given to them 4. They that are Christs are new Creatures 5. They that are Christs have Crucified the Flesh with the lusts and affections 6. They that are Christs do love Christ and prefer Christ above all things and persons in the World 7. They that are Christs live to Christ and dye to him 1. They that are effectually called are Christs and Christ with all his benefits are theirs 1 Cor. 1.26 compared with 1 Cor. 3.23 Ye see your calling Brethren ye are Christs Whom doth the Apostle mean when he saith ye are Christs he meaneth such as are effectually called And speaking of those that were called he tells them that God had united them to Christ and made them partakers of the benefits of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.26 30. Ye see your calling Brethren Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Eternal Life and all other saving benefits of Christ are promised to them that are effectually called Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Covenant they which were called might recieve the promise of the eternal inheritance But Eternal Life and the saving benefits of Christ are given only to such as have an interest in Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not Life Now we may know that we are effectually called these ways 1. When the Lord calls a sinner effectually he calls him out of darkness into light whereas the mind and understanding was before full of ignorance and blindness the Lord enlightens the mind with saving knowledge when he calls a sinner effectually it is 1 Pet. 2.9 That ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light Now in this work of illumination we may consider these 3 or 4 things 1. God calls a man to see his sinful miserable undone estate by nature Jer. 2.19 Know and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of Hosts And his inability to help or recover himself out of his sinful and miserable estate Joh 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing 2. God calls a man to see and to know that remission of sins and Salvation is to be had in Christ and no where else but in and from Christ Jesus Act. 13.38 Through this man is preached unto you remission of sins Luke 19.10 The Son of Man is come to seek and save that which was lost There is Salvation for lost man to be had in Christ and in none but him Act. 4.12 Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved As the Lord gives us to understand that we have destroyed and undone our selves so also he causeth us to know that there is help for such as are in a perishing condition and also where this help is to be found namely in himself through Christ Hos 13.9 O If del thou hast destroved thy self but in me is thy help Thus is a material branch of saving illumination the giving as the knowledge of God and Christ 1 Cor. 4.6 Joh. 17.3 3 The Lord enlightens his People to see and to know which way they should obtain Salvation from Christ out of their sinful and miserable condition namely by Faith and Repentance For after a man is enlightned to see his lost estate then he is at a loss to know what he should do to be saved and the Lord shews him that Salvation is obtained by Christ through Faith and Repentance Act. 16.30 31. Sirs what must I do to be saved And they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your Transgressions and so iniquity shall not be your rutine 4. Where there is saving illumination the instruction the Lord gives is like that spoken of by the Prophet
made light of in comparison of Christ Eccl. 2.27 Solomon having spoken of Mirth Musick Riches Stately Buildings Gardens Orchards the peculiar treasure of Kings c. Saith all is vanity and vexation of Spirit But speaking of Christ saith Cant. 5.10 My beloved is the chief among ten thousand But when men have great thoughts of the world and make light of Christ 't is a sign they have no interest in him suum cuique pulchrum Every one valueth and prizeth his own things 3. It is a sign that we esteem Christ above all things when in matters of deliberation we prefer Christs will above our own will and Christs interest above our own interests and the Glory of God above all our own concernments As it was with Christ when he was in great danger and deliberating what he should do whether he should pray for deliverance from Death or expose himself to suffer Death he resolved upon what was most for the Glory of God and preferred the Glory of God above his own Life Joh. 12.27 28. Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour Father Glorifie thy name So the grace of Christ teacheth every Christian in such cases as come under deliberation to prefer the glory of God above all worldly concernments 2. We may know we love Christ above all things in the world when we desire Christ and the favour of God in Christ above all things in the World For what we love best that we shall desire most Our love is discovered by our desires Now there is no good in this World is so much desired by gracious souls as the favour of God in Christ Psal 4.6 There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us There is nothing in all the world that is desired by gracious persons like the enjoyment of God and Christ and they that find such desires after Christ may conclude that they have a saving interest in Christ and that God is and will be their portion for ever Psal 73.25 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My Flesh and my Heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever That desiring Christ above all things is an evidence of a gracious state appears hence because Unregenerate men have no desires after Christ Their Language concerning Christ is there is no beauty that we should desire him Isa 53.2 If you ask how shall we know that we desire Christ above all things A. 1. When the main thing that we seek after is to get Christ and Salvation by Christ For what we truly and heartily desire that we shall seek after and pray for Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after Rom. 10.1 Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved VVhere there is no seeking after Christ and Salvation by Christ no praying to God for Christ there are no hearty desires after Christ 2. VVhere Christ is desired above all things if the Lord should give us leave to ask what we would have given to us as he did Solomon 1 King 3.5 Ask what I shall give thee VVhat would we ask of God would we not ask Salvation by Christ If we would choose Christ above Riches above Honours and Pleasures above all the World that shews that we desire Christ above all things 3. We may know that we desire Christ above all things when the enjoyment of Christ is sweeter to us than the enjoyment of any thing in this World Prov. 13.19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the Soul Now do we find a sweetness in Christ Are not the fruits and benefits we have by his Death sweet and precious Cant. 2.3 His fruit was sweet to my tast Are not the thoughts of Christ sweeter and more pleasing than the thoughts of Riches or Honours or Pleasures Psal 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet Is not the word of Christ his gracious promises sweeter than all earthly delights Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words to my tast yea sweeter than hony to my mouth When we find a greater sweetness in Christ than in all other things it is a sign that we desire him and delight in him above all things 3. We may know that we love Christ above all things when he is our chiefest joy and delight For what we love most as we desire it most when we want it so we delight and joy in it most when we possess it Cant. 7.6 How pleasant art thou O my love for delights Now we may know that Christ is our chiefest joy and delight these ways 1. When we have greater joy from the apprehension of the love of God in Christ then from all riches or worldly enjoyments Psal 21.6 Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance Davids joy and gladness which he had from the light of Gods countenance was exceeding great joy it did exceed all the joy that the greatest confluence of worldly comforts could afford to him or any other man Psal 4.6 7. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and Wine encreased 2. Then Christ is our chiefest joy when we can joy in God and Christ when our other joys and comforts are taken from us Hab. 3.17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be on the vine the labour of the Olive shall fail and the Fields shall yield no Meat the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the stall yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of my Salvation Isa 24.11 13 14. All joy is darkned and the mirth of the land is gone When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the People there shall be as the shaking of an Olive Tree and as the gleaning grapes when the Vintage is done They shall lift up their voice they shall sing for the Majesty of the Lord. 3. Then Christ is our chiefest joy when all other joys and comforts are as nothing to us when we want Christ and the sense of the love of God in Christ but in the midst of all our enjoyments we are in a troubled condition through the hidings of Gods face Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled It was not Davids Riches his Honours his Crown and Kingdom that could make up the want of the light of Gods countenance but in the midst of his greatest enjoyments and highest preferment he was in a troubled condition when he was under the hidings of Gods face Mary wept for want of Christ when she saw and conversed with Angels Joh. 20.11 12 13. The seeing
To such as are ready to give over seeking after Christ I shall give these two encouragements to continue seeking after Christ 1. If you continue seeking after Christ and do seek him with our whole hearts we shall assuredly enjoy him 1 Chron. 28.9 If thou seek him he will be found of thee Believe this promise of God that if thou dost seek him he will be found of thee and go on in the strength of this promise to seek in hope that thou shalt find the Lord. Hos 6.3 Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord By knowing here is meant such a knowledge as is accompanied with the enjoyment of God as the following words imply He will come unto us Jer. 29.13 And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your hearts 2. It will not be long before you find Christ if you go on to seek him Though you do not find him for the present yet you shall find him in a little while in his own due time Cant. 3 1 4. By night on my bed I sought him whom my Soul loveth and I found him not It was but a little and I found him whom my Soul loveth Isa 54.7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee § Motives to get a saving interest in Christ Most persons that live under the Gospel make light of Christ and neglect that great Salvation which he hath purchased with his blood and prefer their worldly concernments before seeking after Christ Mat. 22.5 They made light of it and went their way one to his farm another to his Merchandize Our Lord Jesus Christ offers Salvation to lost sinners he doth as it were stretch out his hands to them and offer them his help to save their Souls but scarce any man regards the offers of grace and mercy that he makes to them Prov. 1.24 I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded This stretching forth the hand implyeth the offers of Salvation that Christ maketh in the Gospel to perishing Sinners When Peter was in a boysterous Sea and was afraid of being drowned and began to sink he cryed out to Christ Lord save me And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him Mat. 14.30 31. Christless sinners are in a more dangerous condition than Peter was they are ready to sink down into Hell sentence is passed upon them by the great God The wicked shall be turned into Hell Psal 9.17 And Christ stretcheth forth his hand and offers to save them but most men are so stupified in their sins and so busied in this present world that they regard not the offers of Salvation made to them by Jesus Christ And therefore there is need of motives to stir men up to seek after an interest in Christ and to embrace that Salvation which is offered to them by Jesus Christ 1. Motive The excellency of Christ should stir us up to get an interest in him For we covet things that are excellent and there is nothing so excellent as Jesus Christ All the excellent things in the world are but loss and dross and dung compared with Christ Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ Silver and Gold Jewels and Precious Stones and whatever a man can desire are not worthy to be compared with Christ Prov. 8.11 For Wisdom is better than Rubies and all things that may be desired are not to be compared to it And as Christ is more excellent than all things so than all persons in the world The wisest the holyest the best the greatest men that ever lived are not worthy to be compared with Christ Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among Ten Thousand White and Red well mixed make a beautiful countenance white may signifie the holiness of his Life ruddy his bloody passion His holy life and his bloody death render him amiable to his people If Ten Thousand of the most excellent persons that ever lived were set by Christ he would be the chiefest of them all Among all the Angels of Heaven and all the Kings of the Earth there are none to be compared to our Lord Jesus Christ Psal 89.6 Who in Heaven can be compared unto the Lord who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened unto the Lord. There are all the excellencies of the Godhead in our Lord Jesus Christ Col. 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily And the excellencies that are in the Godhead are unspeakable and unconceivable Seeing then there is a greater excellency in Christ than in all the whole world we should labour more to get Christ than we did to get any thing in this world 2. Get Christ for yours and you shall get unsearchable Riches For there are unsearchable Riches in Christ Eph. 3.8 That I should preach among you the unsearchable Riches of Christ The Apostle had studied preached and enjoyed Christ many years and yet could not express or understand all the Riches that were treasured up in Christ but calls his Riches unsearchable Riches By these Riches of Christ which he calls unsearchable understand those benefits we have by Christ As Vatablus and others immensa Christi benefitia the incomprehensible benefits of Christ And though we can't search out all the Riches that are in Christ and that we have by Christ though we cannot fully comprehend in this life all the benefits we have by Christ I will briefly instance in some of these unspeakable benefits which we shall get if we get an interest in Christ 1. Get Christ and you shall get into the love and favour of God Prov. 8.35 Whoso findeth me findeth Life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. And the favour of God is an unspeakable blessing better than all things in this world For a man prefers his Life above all that he hath in the world Job 2.4 All that a man hath he will give for his Life But the favour of God is better than a mans Life Psal 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than Life 2. Get Christ and you shall get the pardon of all your sins Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins according to the Riches of his grace Though we be guilty of Hundreds of Thousands of Millions of sins if we get Christ for ours his Blood will cleanse us from them all 1 Joh. 1.7 The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 3. Get Christ and you shall get an interest in all the promises 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen And it is by and through Christ that we are pertakers of the promises Eph. 3.6 That the Gentiles should
as were teachers of that Church and amongst these were some that had not their knowledge that they were poor miserable wretched and naked but thought themselves in a good estate to be rich increased in goods and to want nothing We see the deceit of a mans heart how he may be blinded how he may delude and flatter himself in thinking he needeth nothing when he wanteth all things If any say How may we get a sight and sence of our sinfull and miserable estate out of Christ A. 1. Hear and apply to your selves what the Scripture saith concerning the sinfulness of a mans heart and life as long as he remaineth in a Christless condition Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it The heart is not only wicked but desperately wicked so desperately wicked that it is above our understandings to know or conceive all that wickedness that is in our hearts The heart is as full of evil as it can hold yea of the worst sorts of sins that if God should let a man alone he would carry himself like a mad man regarding neither the Laws of God nor men Eccl. 9 3. The heart of the Sons of men is full of evil yea madness is in their hearts while they live and after that they go to the dead What worse sin then enmity against God and his holy Laws and Commandments yet this enmity against God is in the hearts of all men till God circumciseth our hearts to love and obey him Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be The heart is so vile and sinfull that it is continually sinning against God either by evil desires or evil thoughts and imaginations Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil and that continually It is enough to amaze a man when he heareth what God who knoweth the sinfulness of our hearts better than we our selves saith of the sinfulness of our hearts we may wonder that he lets us live upon the earth and doth not send us down to the Devils in Hell Oh what need have we of Christ to mediate for us and take away our sins Besides the sinfulness of our hearts let us hear what the Scripture saith of the sinfulness of our lives and conversations While a man remains in a Christless condition every thing that a man doth is defiled with sin Hag. 2.13 14. If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these shall it be unclean and the Priest answered and said it shall be unclean Then answered Haggai and said so is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lord and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer there is unclean An unclean sinner defileth every thing he hath to do with every work of his hands is unclean and that which he offers to God is unclean Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only all men but all things of all men all their thoughts words and actions all are concluded under sin that is God in the holy Scriptures declareth all men and all things of all men before they come to Christ to be sinful Tit. 1.15 Vnto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their Mind and Conscience is defiled If one sin cast Adam out of Paradise if one sin cast the Angels out of Heaven and of Angels made them Divels what a woful condition are they in that have done nothing else since they were born and can do nothing else but sin against God When we consider our sinful and polluted estate we may set down and bemoan our selves and say as Job Behold I am vile Job 40.4 And to loath and abhor our selves in our own sight and in the sight of the Lord. 2. Hear and apply to thy self what the Scripture saith concerning the misery of all those that are in a Christless condition As 1. They are under the wrath and curse of God Eph. 2.3 And were by nature the children of wrath even as others All men by nature one as well as another are the children of wrath And as long as they abide in a natural unbelieving Christless condition they abide under the wrath of God Joh. 3.36 He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Now this is a most dreadful condition to be under the wrath of God The wrath of an earthly King is as a messenger of death Prov. 16.14 And a messenger of death will set a man weeping sorely Isa 38.1 2. Hezekiah wept sore when Isaiah came with a message of death to him It is like the roaring of a Lion Prov. 19.12 And when the Lion roars all the beasts of the Forrests tremble Amos 3.8 The Lion hath roared who will not fear If the wrath of an earthly King be so dreadfull how dreadfull is the wrath of the great God who is King of Kings Gods anger is unconceivable we cannot understand the power and dreadfull effects of his wrath Psal 90.11 And it is intolerable Nah. 1.6 Who can stand before his indignation 2. They are under a sentence of eternal condemnation Rom. 5.18 By the offence of one man judgment came upon all men to condemnation And this sentence of condemnation abideth upon a man as long as he abideth in unbelief Joh. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already Now eternal condemnation is far more dreadfull than any troubles that any man ever met with in this world Job 10.1 2. When Job was in great bitterness of Spirit and was weary of his Life he dreaded condemnation more than all his sorrows I am weary of my Life I will speak in the bitterness of my Soul I will say unto God do not condemn me The thoughts and apprehensions of eternal misery make the hardest hearted sinners in the world to fear and tremble Of all sinners such as live under and resist the means of grace are the hardest hearted sinners and such as make a profession of Religion and are but Hypocrites have very hard hearts and seared Consciences yet the sinners in Zion and the hypocrites tremble at the thoughts of everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfullness hath surprized the hypocrites who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings 2. Understand and believe that there is Salvation from your sin and misery to be had in Jesus Christ and by no other way or means whatever but by Christ There is Salvation to be had in Christ for sinfull lost undone creatures yea even for the chiefest and most miserable sinners in the whole world 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and worthy
all the fowls of the Mountains and the wild Beasts of the field are mine 1 Chron. 29.11 All that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is mine And this God who is Lord of Heaven and Earth and all things that are therein is our Father and a God in covenant with us to provide and take the care of us as long as we live And why shall we not rest satisfyed in the bounty love faithfulness and tender care of our Heavenly Father who hath all things though we our selves have suffered the loss of all things But some say if I had but little in the World I should be willing to forsake all I had for Christ but I have a great estate and I find it difficult to be willing to forsake a great estate for the sake of Christ A. It is true it is harder for those that have much of the world to part with all for Christ than it is for those that have but little and that is one reason why 't is so hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven An instance of this we may see in the young man in the Gospel who when Christ bid him fell what he had and give to the poor and he should have treasure in Heaven went away sorrowful for he had great possessions Matth. 19.21 22. The greatness of his possessions was the cause that he would not part with them to follow Christ I shall therefore lay down some arguments to perswade such as have great Estates to be willing to forsake them for Christ 1. Christ forsook more for our sakes than we can forsake for him He was rich he was Lord of all the World yet for our sakes he left all and became very poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich Yea he became poorer than the Birds and Beasts for they have holes and nests to go to but he had not where to lay his head Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Sun of man hath not where to lay his head 2. Though we forsake never so much for Christ he is able to make up all the losses we sustain on his account 2 Chron. 25.9 What shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel and thee man of God answered The Lord is able to give thee much more than this An hundred talents is a vast sum of money sufficient to defray the charges of an Army of an Hundred Thousand men ver 6. When Amaziah was afraid of losing an Hundred Talents by following the Prophets Counsel the Prophet tells him the Lord was able to give him much more than an Hundred Talents 3. We shall lose greater and better things by forsaking Christ than we can lose by embracing Christ and adhering to him though we should lose a Crown a Kingdom the whole world for adhering to Christ For 1. We shall lose our own Souls for Salvation for our Souls is to be had no where else but in Christ Act. 4.12 And to lose our Souls is a greater loss than to lose the whole world Mark 8.34 2. By forsaking Christ we shall lose the favour of God Heb. 10.38 If any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him And we had better lose the favour of all the men in the world yea better lose the whole World than lose the love and favour of God 3. If we forsake Christ we shall lose the Kingdom of Heaven 1 John 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not life And a man had better lose all the Kingdoms of this World if he had them all in his possession than lose the Kingdom of Heaven But some may say I hope I could suffer the loss of all that I have for Christ only the laying down my life that seems a hard matter I do not know how to be willing to lay down my Life for Christ A. It is true that it is hard work to Flesh and Blood for a man to lay down our lives for Christ harder than to part with our Estates Job 2.4 Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his Life But though this seem very difficult yet it must be submitted to else we cannot be Christ's Disciples Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Now to perswade you to a willingness to lay down your lives for Christ Consider 1. That if you will love Life for Christ's sake you shall save it but by saving your Life when Christ calleth you to lay it down you shall lose it Mark 8.35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his Soul for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it That is he that will save his Natural Life and refuse to lay it down for Christ shall lose Eternal Life and that will lay down his Natural Life for Christ shall have Eternal Life And it is of universal concernment which Christ speaketh here Every man whosoever he be that will lay down his Life for Christ in this VVorld that same man shall have Eternal Life in the other VVorld And every man whosoever he be that will not lay down his Life for Christ in this VVorld when called to it that same man shall lose Eternal in the other VVorld And what a good and what a happy Exchange is this to exchange a short and temporal Life for an Eternal Life a miserable sinful Life on Earth for a glorious Life in Heaven 2. If we refuse to lay down our lives for Christ vvhen he calls us to it he can take them avvay from us vvhen he pleaseth He can take them by the Svvord or Pestilence or some violent sickness that shall make us a terrour to our selves and to all that are round about us He hath the Keys of Hell and of Death Rev. 1.18 He kills and saves alive whom he pleaseth Ps 31.15 My times are in thy hands Job 12.10 In whose hand is the Soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind If we were to live for ever in this VVorld we might have some cloak for our sins in being unwilling to die for Christ But seeing we must die within a few days when Christ pleaseth and of what Death he pleaseth is it not better dying for Christ than to dye of the Pestilence or dye of a Fevour or any other kind of Death Is it not inexcusable folly for to lose Eternal Life for the enjoying our Life here on Earth a few days when as we know not whither we shall onjoy it one day or one hour after we have refused to lay it down for Christ And if vve do enjoy it for
enter into Life blind and halt and maimed than to reserve the occasions of offence and stumbling and to be cast into Hell Fire Mark 9.43 to the 48. ver 2. If the work seem hard and difficult which Christ sets us about yet the wages he gives are exceeding great which he gives to them that serve him and obey him He gives no less Reward to all his Servants than a Kingdom Luk 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom He gives his Servants the same Glorious Kingdom which he himself hath Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be He gives an Eternal Kingdom to them that obey his Commandements Heb. 5.9 Joh. 12.50 I know that his Commandment is Life Everlasting This may reconcile our hearts to the Commandments of the Gospel there is no Commandment of Christ but it is in order to our obtaining Everlasting Life Now this consideration that Christ will give us a Kingdom an Everlasting Kingdom that cannot be removed should make us willing to engage in any difficult service for Christ and desirous to do him all the service we can and to serve him in a gracious and acceptable manner Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear 3. You have a long time served and obeyed the lusts of your own heart And sin is a most cruel Master a Master that kills and murders all his Servants that do not forsake his service The wages that sin gives all his Servants is Death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is Death And will you rather serve a Murderer a cruel Master that will kill than serve and obey Jesus Christ who is the Lord of Life and Glory who saves all his Servants from Eternal Misery 4. Though some duties of the Gospel seem hard to Flesh and Blood yet they bring rest to the Soul Math. 11.29 Take my Yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your Souls Rest is a desireable thing especially rest for our Souls Issachar underwent great burdens for the obtaining of rest Gen. 49.14 15. Issachar is a strong ass couching between two burdens and he saw that rest was good and the Land that it was pleasant and bowed his shoulders to bear and became a servant to tribute But rest for the Soul is much more desireable than outward rest and therefore we should be willing to submit to any burden that our Lord Jesus layeth upon us seeing he will give us rest for our Souls 5. Though Christs Yoak may seem hard and his burden heavy to Flesh and Blood yet in truth and reality it is easy and light Mat. 11.29 30. Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy und my burden is light Now Christ's yoke is easy and his burden light in several respects 1. Because he requireth nothing of us but what he by his Spirit will enable us to do Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes 2. Because he writes his laws in our hearts and when the law is written in the heart it makes the hardest service easy and delightfull Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart This will spoken of here was God's will concerning Christ that he should offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sins as appears from Heb. 10.6 7 8 9 10. which though it was difficult service Christ did with delight having the Law of God in his heart 3. Love to Christ makes all difficulties easie and his service delightful Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 4. His Yoke is easie because it is sweetned with the comforts of the Holy Ghost Our Lord Jesus sends the Spirit the Comforter into their hearts that keep his Commandments that dwell and abide with them for ever John 14 15 16 17. If you love me keep my Commandements and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth and by virtue of these comforts which they have from the Spirit of God they can go on singing in the ways of the Lord. Ps 138.5 Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord. 5. His Yoke is easie and burden light compared with the burden of the Law and the burden of sin The Law was a Yoak which was very hard to be born Act. 15.10 And the burden of sin is heavier than the burden of the Law it was such as David complained was too heavy for him Ps 38.4 §. 5. Loving and preferring other things above Christ and hindrance of our being partakers of Christ This Obstacle removed 5. Another hindrance of our receiving and accepting Christ is when there is something or other that lyeth nearer our heart than Christ which we love and prefer above Christ and are not willing to part with for Christ Now to such I would say these things 1. You can have no part in Christ unless you love and prefer him above all things in the world and be willing to forsake all things for him Math. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Our Parents and our Children may and ought to be loved but not more than Christ for if we love the dearest Relations we have in the world more than Christ we shall not be partakers of Christ Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple For if a man love any things or persons more than Christ when those things or persons come in competition with Christ he will forsake Christ rather than those things or persons which he loves above Christ 2. A man may go far in the profession and practice of Religious duties and may prefer Christ above many things and yet may have some one thingly nearer his heart than Christ and rather than part with that one thing he may chuse to part with Jesus Christ An example of this we have in the young man that came to Christ to enquire how he might obtain Eternal Life He spoke respectfully affectionately and understandingly to Christ Matth. 19.17 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have Eternal Life He shewed his respect to Christ in calling him Master his affection in calling him good Master his understanding in that he came to Christ about the weightiest matter in the whole world Eternal Life and his good inclinations that he desired to know what good thing he should do to have Eternal Life Moreover he had from his youth up addicted himself
ac si in omnibus deliquisset 4. There is no escaping this curse of the law when we have offended in any one point but by Jesus Christ All the good works we can do in conformity to the law will not exempt us from it but do leave us under this curse Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse The only escaping from the curse of the law is by Christ Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us And therefore there is no resting for any man in the law or in his own righteousness no hope that any man should attain righteousness and life by the law But if we would have that righteousness whereby we may be accepted in the sight of God and would have Eternal Life we must seek for both in Christ and if we close with Christ we shall in him have righteousness and life Another great hinderance of closing with Christ is this present evil world A worldly Spirit hinders our closing with Christ several ways 1. Because when mens hearts are set upon the Profits and Honours and Pleasures of the World they make light of Christ and prefer these things above Christ This is evident from the parable of the King that made a Marriage for his Son which was neglected by those that had their hearts set on the World Mat. 22.5 They made light of it and went their ways one to his Farm another to his Merchandize Many mens heads and hearts are so full of the World that they make light of the offers of Christ and Salvation by Christ 2. Some persons are at such ease in their Worldly enjoyments and are so well satisfied with the World that they find no need of Christ and Salvation by Christ and desire no other Heaven but what they have here on the Earth and to such men their prosperity proves their ruin Prov. 1.32 The prosperity of fools shall destroy them To such as these may be applyed the wo. Luk. 6.24 Wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your Consolation 3. The love of the honours and pleasures and profits of the World keepeth men from embracing Christ because there are several duties in Christianity which cannot be performed but they will expose us to reproaches and losses and hardship and hatred in the World Joh. 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Now no worldly thing either the honours or pleasures or profits of the World should keep us from a sincere and hearty closing with Jesus Christ and that upon these grounds 1. It is infinitely better to enjoy Christ than to enjoy all the honours all the pleasures all the profits all the goodly things in the World as will appear several ways 1. The good things of this World can be enjoyed no longer than a man lives in this World They may be taken away before we dye but the term of life is the longest time of their enjoyment They may be taken away by Fire by Oppressors by Forreign Enemies that may strip us as naked as in the day we were born Yea if God do not continue them with us by his Providence they would of themselves flee away swiftly from us and come at us no more Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not For riches certainly make themselves wings they flee away as an eagle towards Heaven He doth not say wilt thou set thy heart but wilt thou set thine eyes The riches of the world in comparison of the Riches of Christ are so far from deserving our hearts that they are not worth the looking after with our eyes He calls them things that are not that is are not what men think them to be are not abiding they are gone in the twinkling of an eye He adds farther that 't is certain riches are most uncertainly for certainly they make unto themselves wings and flee away as an Eagle towards Heaven But if they be not taken away if they do not flee away in the time of life it is most certain we must leave them all behind us when we dye 1 Tim. 6.7 For we brought nothing into the World and it is certain that we can carry nothing out But if we embrace Christ Christ and his benefits shall be ours for ever This God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 He will not only stick to us and bless us as long as we live but he will give us all the good things of Heaven for an Everlasting Possession Joh. 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath Everlasting Life 2. All the things of this World while they are enjoyed are poor vain empty things that can't give any true satisfaction to the Soul but create more vexation of Spirit than they give comfort Eccl. 2.17 All is vanity and vexation of Spirit The words are few but of large extent All Worldly Enjoyments Riches Honours Pleasures all are vanity empty things uncertain things and all are vexation of Spirit A poor man that goeth to his day labour hath more comfortable Nights and Days than many Rich men that have abundance of the World Eccl. 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet but the abundance of the Rich will not suffer him to sleep Abundance of the VVorld rather causeth disquietment than comfort But now such as embrace Christ have solid and Soul satisfying comforts in Christ Psal 13.5 6. My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches The night is a solitary and uncomfortable time yet in the night watches there are Soul satisfying comforts to be had in Christ Such as embrace Christ by Faith have in him and from him joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 3. A man may possess much of the world and yet be miserable here Jam. 5.1 and be miserable in the other world to all Eternity Luk. 16.22 23. The rich man dyed and was buried and in Hell he lift up his eyes being in torment while he lived he was cloathed in Purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day ver 19. but as soon as he was dead he went to Hell and was tormented in flaming Fire and could not get so much as a drop of water to cool his Tongue But they that get possession of Christ and trust in Christ are in a blessed condition whilst they live and shall be in a most blessed condition for ever in the World to come Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that trust in him All that accept of Christ for their Lord and Saviour and are obedient to him shall be saved with an Eternal Salvation Heb. 5.9 2. The surest and best way to get the good things of this World at least
grace To be unprofitable under the means of grace is a very uncomfortable condition Such have cause to cry out my leanness my leanness wo unto me And especially it is matter of lamentation to be in a declining condition to decay in Grace to lose our first love and to grow weak in Faith and abate in our zeal and activity for God a decaying declining condition is a very uncomfortable condition yet there is comfort to be had in Christ for such as mourn over their unprofitableness and their decays in Grace And that on these accounts 1 The Lord Jesus is able to make the most barren Soul to become fruitfull 2 Cor. 9.8 God is able to make all grace abound towards you that ye always having all-sufficiency in all things may abound in every good work These Corinthians before God wrought upon them were very Graceless vile persons As we may see 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you That is such vile sinners as were mentioned ver 9.10 Unrighteous Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate abusers of themselves with Mankind c. Yet he tells them that God was able not only to work Grace but to make Grace all Grace abound towards them and to cause them to abound in every good work God can make Faith to abound in the most unbelieving Soul and brokenness of heart to abound in the hardest heart of sinners and love and zeal to abound in those that are lukewarm yea he can make all Grace to abound in the Graceless The Lord maketh the dry Tree to flourish Ezek. 17.24 I the Lord have dryed up the green Tree and have made the dry Tree to flourish And he maketh a barren Womb fruitfull Psal 113.9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyfull Mother of children Now he that doth this by the barren VVomb and dry Tree can't he do the like by our barren Hearts He that maketh the dry Tree to flourish can't he make our dry hearts flourish and he that maketh the barren VVomb fruitfull can't he make our barren hearts fruitfull also And as the Lord is able to make a barren Soul become fruitfull so also to recover such as are gone back and decayed in Gracâ— Psal 23.3 He restoreth my Soul VVhen our Souls are gone back and declined he can restore them again After Jerusalem had lain wast many years God caused her wast places to be built again Isa 61.4 They shall build the old wasts and raise up the former desolations That God that did this for Zion can do as much for the Sons and Daughters of Zion namely recover them from their inward decays and desolations 2. The Lord Jesus is appointed by God to carry on and finish the work of grace as well to begin grace in our Souls Heb. 12.2 Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith and as the author and finisher of our Faith so of our other graces also Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ It is by Jesus Christ that we have the fruits of Righteousness and that we are filled with these fruits He is appointed to be as Rivers of water in a dry place Isa 32.2 A man shall be as Rivers of water in a dry place This man is none other but the man Christ Jesus as he is called 1 Tim. 2.5 who is God and Man in one person VVhat Rivers of water are to the dry ground that is Christ to our dry and barren souls The water will make the dry and barren ground fruitfull Job 38.26.27 To cause it to rain on the earth to satisfie the desolate and wast ground and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring out So doth Christ cause those that are dry and barren to bring forth the fruits of Righteousness by the dew of his grace VVater will recover those things that are withered and greatly decayed as we see in Trees of which Job speaks Job 14.8 9. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth and the stock thereof dye in the ground yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant There is not less virtue in the grace of Christ for recovering withered and decayed Souls then there is in water to recover a withered decayed Tree Therefore when we feel our dimness and barrenness and decayed condition we should go to Christ that he would be to us as Rivers of water in a dry place that he would revive carry on and finish the work of grace in our Souls and that he would fill us with the fruits of Righteousness Isa 42.3 He shall not quench the smoking flax Ellychnium languescens fere extinctum Pisc quibus restat aliquid Pietatis sed paene extinctum calamitatibus Gro. Nutantes in Pietate confirmabit praeditos scintilla pietatis aliqua velut moribunda fovebit excitabit Jun. It refers to languishing Christians that where Grace is so declined and decayed that it is ready to dye 3. The Lord hath promised for Christ's sake to give us the dew of his Grace which shall cause us to grow in Grace Hos 14.5 I will be as the dew unto Israel and he shall grow as the Lilly Consider what condition Israel was in when God made this promise I will be as the dew unto Israel and he shall grow as the Lilly Israel was in a fallen declined backslidden condition ver 1.3 O Israel thou hast fallen by thine iniquity I will heal their back-sliding Ch. 4.16 Israel slideth back as a back-sliding heifer Ch. 8.3 Israel hath cast if the thing that is good Yea Israel was so far declined and in such a miserable condition that it is said of Israel Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Yet to this Israel that was fallen by iniquity back-slidden from God cast off that which was good destroyed themselves upon their Confession of their sin and prayer for Mercy God promiseth I will be as the dew unto Israel and he shall grow like the Lilly There are two things observable in the growth of the Lilly it groweth speedily Mat. 6.28 Consider the Lillies of the field how they grow It is Pliny's observation concerning the Lilly Lilio nihil foeâ—undius no Flower is more fruitfull than the Lilly It groweth also Gloriously Mat. 6.29 Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these See another promise of giving growth in Grace Hos 14.7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return they shall revive as the Corn they shall grow as the Vine They that dwell under his shadow it may be understood either of Israel's shadow and so is a promise to the Members of the Church of Christ joyning themselves to his Church or else of the shadow of Christ As Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight So the Caldee In umbra Christi sui under the shadow of Christ and then the sense is they that betake