with the Redeemer and that in a fourfold respect 1. God the father doth so account of them in his estimation He putteth an high price and value upon their souls he loveth them with a superlative love as being one with his Son they are sharers in the same love wherewith Jesus Christ is beloved It is true in themselves they are despicable creatures of a mean extraction and original and God might refuse to have any regard to them in respect of their Apostacy they are polluted creatures and so the Lord might abhor them but he takes a view of them in his Son and so his affections run out towards them Joh. 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know Deinâ—e coelestis Pater eodem quo Ecclesiae caput amore complexâ—s est membra quoque omnia prosequitur ut neminem diligat nisi in Christo Marl. that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Not in point of equality but similitude with the same love with a real love pure love eternal love unchangeable love And he will glorifie them with the same glory where with Christ is glorified 2. The Lord Jesus himself doth so account of them in the care which he taketh of their persons and affairs He hath a tenderness for them and a watchful regard unto them as parts and portions of himself Whoso roucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 In all their afflictions he is afflicted Isa 63.8 9. And whatever kindness is shewed unto them is a refreshment to his spirit Mind how he speaks to Peter Joh. 21.15 16. Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these He saith unto him yea Lord thou knowest that I love shee He saith unto him feed my lambs And v. 16. Feed my sheep And again v. 17. Feed my sheep as if he had said Thou canst no way better express thy love towards me than by being tender of those that are my servants Whatever thou dost for them for the least of them I will put it upon mine account I reckon it as done unto my self 3. The holy Ghost the spirit of grace and consolation doth so demean himself towards Believers in his operations and workings upon their hearts As he cometh to them in Christ's name so he dealeth with them as Christ's members He taketh of his and doth show it or communicate it unto them because they are parts of him Joh. 16.14 15. 4. Their fellow-servants all the sons and daughters of Adam are warned of God thus to judge concerning them and accordingly to suit their carriage and actions towards Believers They are apt to reckon them as the dung of the earth as the off scouring of all things as the most contemptible persons under the Sun but God will have them to know that they are one with Jesus Joh. 17.23 That the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me The world that is the inhabitants of the world or principally in this place the wicked of the earth it is a lesson wherein it concerneth them to be instructed That 's the first general consequent of this Union Being one with the Son of God they are to all intents and purposes so accounted of 2. The second general effect of this Union with Christ is the change of a mans state and condition Hereby their spiritual state is fundamentally changed so that of children of the wrath of God they are made objects of his favour and delight and complacency in whom he takes pleasures Instead of the curse of the Law under which they lay they are put within the verge of the Covenant of peace and reconciliation instead of fire-brands of hell they are made heirs of a crown of righteousness You know there is a threefold change wrought upon a person in order to conduct him to everlasting bliss 1. There is a change of the nature and qualifications of the person the frame and temper of the heart must be altered and turned from sin to holiness from the power of Satan to the living God 2. There is a practical change in the conversation from living after the flesh to a walking in the Spirit and minding the things of the Spirit 3. A change of the state and condition which we are now treating of and this is fundamentally wrought by a mans union with Christ This change of the state is stilled in the Scriptures A translation of a sinner out of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of Christ Col. 1.13 And by the grace of union this translation is originally made and brought about Mark I say originally and fundamentally for although justification and adoption are a change likewise in the state of a sinner yet I ascribe it originally to union with Christ because those mercies are rivolets which flow from this fountain And you will find the holy Ghost attributing it hereunto Eph. 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ The state of nature is a state of alienation and estrangedness from God then sinners are afar off from his favour and the light of his countenance but when they are implanted into Christ this alienation is removed and they are brought nigh unto God This is a point of very great weight and moment and therefore diligently to be heeded and studied So that I will open it somewhat largely for these three reasons 1. Because upon the change of the spiritual state of our persons doth depend the gracious acceptation of all our duties and performances This being the constant method of God's acceptance of them first he hath respect unto the person and then to the spiritual work and obedience which is tendered by that person Deus non habet gratum offereutem propter munera sed munera propter offerentem Gregor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 4.4 The Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering First to himself and then to his sacrifice Ezek. 20.40 41. I will accept you with your sweet savour First you and then your sweet savour thereupon It is not all the care and pains a natural man can take in some of the duties of the worship and service of God though he mean never so well as some persons will boast they mean well and have good intentions and therefore hope the Lord will not reject them that will render his duties pleasing unto God except he first give up himself to be the Lords and be in covenant with him and his spiritual state be changed Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God * Qui in carne sunt i. e. per spiritum renati non sunt Buling Not only they will not but cannot it is a thing utterly impossible that God should take delight in the works of the wicked who are his enemies let them be
touching the way to Christ and I go to that Minister to direct me in following after him I leave no stone unturned no means unassayed And if I get but a glimpse of his favour I think all my endeavours well bestowed O how welcome is he to my soul With what unspeakable rejoycing doth it fill me So that I can boast of Christ all the day long How careful am I to preserve my fellowship with him that no clouds for the future may interpose betwixt me and the beams of that Sun of righteousness I might dwell upon the passages of this nature in that book I will but point you to them See the Churches as earnest pantings after Christ as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks cap. 8.1 2 3 4. And her description of him and holy exultation upon the account of her interest in such a Lord and Husband cap. 5.9 10 11 15 Wherein the close of all is observable v. 16. His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This is my beloved and this is my friend O ye Daughters of Jerusalem q. d. He is the object matter of my whole affections there is none in heaven but Christ nor any thing upon the earth to be loved and desired in comparison with him He is most worthy to be beloved who cannot but admire such a gracious Redeemer Do not wonder that my heart is so set upon him for he is altogether lovely If you knew but Christ as well as I it would inflame your hearts in desires after him it would even ravish your Spirits in the contemplation of his beauty Never is it possible for any to be so blessed as those who have him for their friend So upon the other hand for the affection of Christ to believers he hath them graven upon the palms of his hands upon the very Tables of his heart Cant. 2.14 O my dove that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely q. d. Thou that art despised amongst men but highly regarded in my sight preserved by my power and righteousness which is stable as the rock that can never be removed I have provided secure fortifications to preserve thee when thou art hunted and persecuted on every hand Come now and let us converse together for therein I take pleasure Mark it nothing is so welcome to Jesus Christ as the voice and countenance of his Saints If they do but chatter as a Crane or Swallow * Isa 38.14 it is as lovely Songs unto him If they send but a sigh or a groan up to heaven it is a refreshment to his Spirit * Jer. 31.18 20. If they offer but a mite it is a sweet oblation before him because of the love which he beareth unto them Whereas the incense of the wicked is but as dung in his sight and the best of their sacrifices but as the cutting off a dogs neck or the offering of swines bloud that is odious and abominable such as his soul hateth See another place to this purpose Cap. 4.9 and so forward Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck How fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse How much better is thy love than wine and the smell of thine ointments than all spices Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the honey-comb honey and milk are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon But I must forbear only remember what was hinted in the proposition that this intimate love between believers and Christ may be well improved as an evidence of their ingrafture into Christ This moral union may be produced as a proof of the mystical union For he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 John 4.16 And that it may be of use to this end our love to Christ whereby we are knit to him morally must have these four properties It must be 1. A sincere love 2. A serviceable active love 3. A superlative love 4. A love of complacency and satisfaction 1. It must be a sincere and single hearted affection without dissimulation and hypocrisie when the heart of a Christian goeth out after Christ himself and for himself when our love to him is kindled by the contemplation of his own innate worth and excellencies and the spiritual blessings which he hath purchased There may be a kinde of love to Christ for the leaves sake a following after him for some outward advantage When Religion is countenanced to be amongst the servants of Christ is a matter of honour and repute in the eyes of men it may help to advance a mans secular interest and many come after him moved by such considerations But now the heart of a believer is fixed upon Christ for himself though nothing but frowns from men should follow their cleaving unto him although it were likely to bring disgrace and reproach along with it and to expose them to sorrows and sufferings upon every side yet their souls are resolved to have Christ * Id propter se expeti dicitur quod quamvis habeat extra se commoda sepositie quoque ill is ac remot is placet Sen de Benefic with all the incumbrances that attend the possession of him Hereunto the promise is made Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity i.e. in simplicity and incorruptness having a single aim at the enjoyment of himself 2. It must be a serviceable and active love such as sets a man a doing to advance the glory of Christ by a chearful obedience to his Commandments that maketh him study and contrive how to please the Lord Jesus Such a love as restraineth from the evil of sin whereby Christ is grieved and dishonored Such as constraineth unto holiness and causeth a man to take delight and pleasure in doing the will of Christ from the heart The passion of love Sirs is an active passion that will set the whole man a work to please the party beloved it will make him indefinite to all intents and purposes to all sorts of services and nothing will seem burdensome upon that account John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them saith our Saviour he it is that loveth me 1 John 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous The grace of love hath a facilitating vertue it maketh difficult things easie and sweetens the whole course of obedience When a man hath a dear affection for Christ he will do any thing and suffer any thing for his sake he will not be afraid to own him in the face of the world though it may cost him all that is dear to him besides 1 John 4.17 18. Herein is
love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment that is as I take the meaning of the Apostle to be in the day of mans judgment when we are called before mens tribunal seats for the profession of Christ and required to give an account of our faith in Christ then we that are true believers will do it boldly we are not ashamed to own him for our Lord and Master Why Because we love him and this is the top of our love to make us stick fast unto him in times of tryal Or this is the perfection of our love the putting it to its proper use it was one of the ends for which this grace was planted within us that it might cause us to abide with Christ and not to shrink away from him when we are brought before mens judgment seats * The latter clause of the 17. v. Because as he is so are we in this world is rendred in the Syriack in the time past Because as he was so are we in this world As if the meaning were this Why should not we be bold to stand to the cause of Christ If we suffer for him it is but what he did for our sakes We are thereby rendred conformable unto him He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and shall we not willingly partake of his sufferings Vide Marian. in loc I am the rather confirmed in this interpretation from the following words v. 18. There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear as if he had said if persons love Christ sincerely which is Evangelical perfection if they love him really and in good earnest they will not be terrified with the threatnings of men but they will acknowledge him for their Master in the midst of an adulterous and sinful generation and though they should be dealt with for it even as they dealt with Christ Why Because they dearly love him and that love keepeth under their carnal fear and causeth them to go on with courage amidst all oppositions * The Gnosticks whom as some think the Apostle here confutes held that Christians in danger might to save their lives deny Christ outwardly Provided that they owned him in their-hearts To confute which devillish opinion St. John asserts the necessity of confessing Jesus v. 15. answerable to Matth. 10.32 33. And here he sheweth that denying Christ for fear of death was utterly inconsistent with love to him For many waters cannot quench love neither can the flonds drown it Cant. 8.7 And therefore when Peter had denyed his Master once and again for fear of danger what is the question that our Saviour puts to him after his Resurrection See Joh. 21.15 16 17. Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me He said to him the third time Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me as if Christ had said haste thou not cause to question the integrity of thy love towards me Should not thy love have kept thee from disowning thy Lord even in the High-Priests-Hall though in times of danger Is there not reason for thee to search into the reality of thy love where was it at that time when thy carnal fear did so prevail 3. That love of Christ which will be evidential of our ingrafture into him must be a superlative love When we give the Lord Jesus the top of our affections and the uppermost seat in our hearts and place nothing above him or in competition with him When persons plead that they love Christ and it is pity he should live will some carnal people say that doth not love the Lord Jesus but they love the world better they love the Son of God but they have more love for their lusts and the pleasures of sin this is indeed to reject and despise him For Mat. 10.37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or danghter more than me is not worthy of me Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and haâ—e not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple If he doth not hate them that is if he have not a lesser affection for them than for me which in comparison with a greater love is a kind of hatted if he be not ready to cast them away even with detestation and to trample them under his feet when they come in competition with Christ as we are wont to do that which we hate and abhor he cannot be my disciple saith our Saviour For a Believers love to Christ must be a superlative love so as to account all things but loss and dung for Christ's sake and to part with all things to win Christ And to this purpose you must be much in studying the worth of Christ and be careful to get an insight into his excellency For as in secular negotiations men will never part with a great price for a commodity except they know the worth of that commodity so in spiritual affairs you will never be willing to sustain any great loss for Christ unless you know the excellency of him As your apprehensions of Christ's worth are such will be your readiness to venture and lose for Christ's sake Unless the Merchant had been acquainted with the preciousness of the pearl he would never have sold all that he had to buy it Mat. 13.45 46. 4. It must be a love of complacency and satisfaction when there is an holy acquiescence of the soul in Christ and a sweet contentment that ariseth from the enjoyment of Christ When it is the joy and rejoycing of a mans heart to be conversing with him * Amor est delectatio cordis alicujus ad aliquid propter desiderium in appetendo gaudium perfruendo Per desiderium cürrens requiescens per gaudium Else when persons say they love Christ but perhaps think not a serious thought of him from one end of the day to the other seldom or never have him in their meditations care little for any spiritual intercourse with him that is but a pretended love If a man love the Lord Jesus indeed he will long after converse with him it will be as marrow and fatness to his soul to be in his society Psal 63.1 2 3 8. O God thou art my God early wil I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is c. And v. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee It is love to Christ which maketh Believers so prize the Ordinances wherein they are wont to meet with him that is the reason why they take it so heavily to be deprived of those priviledges and that they can hardly bear the withdrawment of his presence but their spirits are ready to sink within them See what effect it had upon the Spouse Cant. 5.6
salvation so far beyond all they looked for And they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselves This is he whom we had sometimes in derision and a proverb of reproach We fools accounted his life madness and his end to be without honour How is he numbred amongst the children of God and his lot is amongst the Saints As for the oppositions you meet with the word of God is evidently fulfilled in them before your faces And they are none other than you were warned to expect Act. 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 Besides It is but yet a little while * Nubecula est cito pertransibit and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 6. According to your several abilities set up the worship of God in your families And be conscientious and strict in sanctification of the Sabbath the Lords day It is a matter of easie observation That where these two are neglected or slightly managed the fairest profession of godliness is quickly shriveled and withereth away Never plead that you have no parts or ability for these things If you will set upon the discharge of your duty in the integrity of your hearts God will meet you therein and graciously assist you unto the performance Psal 27.14 And if there be indeed first a willing mind which willingness is manifested by vigorous and earnest indeavours it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 See Gen. 35.2 3. Josh 24.15 Psal 101. Jer. 10.25 Isa 56.2 4 5. Isa 58.13 14. 7. Be constant and diligent in the duty of prayer That is one of the special waies whereby a fellowship and correspondency is maintained between God and his people In taking counsel of the word we hear what the Lord is pleased to speak unto us And by the exercise of the grace of supplications we have the liberty given us to speak unto the Lord. And remember what hath often been inculcated upon you That as all sorts of blessings are stored up in the promises so Faith and Prayer are the special means which God hath appointed for the fulfilling and accomplishment of all his promises Jer. 29.11 12 13. Psal 10.14 As you cannot comfortably expect that God should preserve and keep you from the pollution of sin unless you be careful to avoid the occasions of sin So on the other hand You cannot rationally expect to receive mercies from the Lord unless you seek unto him by prayer for the obtaining of mercy Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Mat. 7.7 Philip. 4.6 7. Eph. 6.18 19. 8. Live in the daily contemplations of eternity and of the uncertainty of the time of your continuance here Study how you may subordinate all your affairs and concernments in this world unto the matters of another world Put an estimate upon all things as they have reference thereunto Often say within your selves What evidence have I to prove my interest in God What are the grounds whereupon I look for eternal life What thoughts am I likely to entertain of sin and the world on the one hand and of conformity to Christ on the other hand when I am to depart hence and shall be seen no more How precious will that time and space of repentance then be which now I am ready to squander away upon trifles What answer shall I be able to make when God visiteth for the filling up of my Relations for the management of the Talents wherewith I have been intrusted for the right improvement of the means of grace which I have enjoyed for all the particulars of my conversation in the world Did you frequently press these and such like considerations home upon your spirits and keep them closs and warm by meditation upon your hearts what manner of persons would you be in all sobriety holiness and righteousness My brethren You know not how soon how unexpectedly you may be summoned to the giving up your accounts And it infinitely concerns you to be in a readiness That you may be found of God in peace Boast not thy self of To morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Prov. 27.1 9. Beware therefore of procrastinating in the business of providing for your immortal souls It is one of the principal snares of the devil whereby he holds sinners fast in their spiritual bondage and captivity unto their final destruction If therefore you would set effectually upon working out your salvation ingage speedily presently in the work without further delay Give not place to the devil Deliver thy self as a Roe from the hand of the hunter and as a bird from the snare of the fowler Give not sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye lids Psal 119.6 Heb. 3.7 2 Cor. 6.1 2. And now I shall trouble you no further with this preliminary discourse But conclude with my unfeigned Prayers for you all That the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Infinite Eternal and Almighty God and the only Redeemer of lost sinners The love of God our Father in him who spared not his own Son but delivered him up unto death And the sweet and comfortable Presence Guidance and Communion of the holy Ghost the same Infinite Incomprehensible and Immortal God the Spirit of Grace and Truth The Sanctifying Assisting Quickning Comforting and preserving presence of that Spirit may be with you and amongst you To inable you unto your duties To keep you against Temptations To support you under Burdens To carry you through difficulties To strengthen your weaknesses and plentifully to supply all your wants That you may walk wisely in your Families spiritually in your Closets soberly in your companies and Christianly in all your conversations So as to write Holiness to the Lord upon every of your undertakings That upon all occasions you may be effectually instructed in the will of the Lord and bring forth his word into practise That you may thereby witness your Union with Christ and be rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith And so the Blessing of God may be your constant portion here and you may be everlastingly blessed in the glorious presence of God hereafter Amen 23. July 1668. Written by one who truly and affectionately desireth your Edification and Salvation ROWLAND STEDMAN To the READER IT may be interpreted by some to whom I am best known not only as a defect in prudence but a doing violence and treading counter to my personal inclination who have alwayes affected the privacy of Retirement thus to appear in publike and consequently to expose my Sentiments in the matters of Religion to the censure of all sorts of persons who may light upon this Book To whom therefore I owe this account of my Studies and the publication thereof Having often in the course of my Ministery
state unto the end I answer It is built especially on a sixfold foundation 1. Upon the unchangeableness of the purpose of God concerning believers and the never failingness of his love towards them whereby he did elect and fore-ordain them to everlasting life and set them apart for the eternal enjoyment of himself This purpose of God cannot be frustrated or disappointed His counsel shall stand and he will perform all his pleasure and the love of God towards his chosen is not a transient fleeting but an everlasting love And therefore when he hath gathered a people unto Christ he will never suffer them to be divided from him again For that love which moved him to shew compassion upon them and to draw them unto his Son is unalterable as his own nature and essence * Dona dei sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.29 i. e. Dona illa quae proficiscuntur ex electione ut indicant verba proximè praecedentia Secundum electionem Charissimi Suar. de Praedest without any variableness or shadow of turning Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love As for its original it is from everlasting so it reacheth unto everlasting whom he loveth indeed he loveth unto the end This is noted as the very ground of their perseverance 2 Tim. 2.18 19. Who concerning the truth have erred saying The resurrection is already past and overthrow the faith of some Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his The foundation of God that is the eternal purpose and electing love of God upon which the salvation of the faithful is built as upon a sure ground-work This cannot be shaken that any of them should fall away to perdition whom God hath chosen to eternal life And the Lord knoweth who are his q. d. It is true the faith of some may be overthrown who were never sound in the faith but not a person who is the Lord 's indeed shall ever miscarry for their perseverance is built upon a sure foundation namely upon the electing love of God that will never fail 2. The indissolubleness of this union is built Vpon the nature of the Covenant made with believers and the truth and faithfulness of God in keeping Covenant with them It is such a lasting Covenant as is confirmed with an oath whereby the Lord hath manifested the unchangeableness of his counsel And wherein he hath made provision for the discharge and performance of the articles which are on their part to be discharged as well as for conveyance of the mercies which he is ingaged to convey thereupon This you have often spoken of as the ground of their establishment Isa 54.8 9 10. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with ever lasting kindness I will have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee As if he had said As sure as the day and night shall not fail according as I sware unto Noah after the flood so sure my mercy shall not fail towards you not shall ye at any hand fall short of it for I have made it over unto you by a covenant confirmed with an oath It is one remarkable difference between the word of God and his oath That sometimes a word of promise is made under certain exceptions and conditions implyed upon the failure whereof God may repent of the good which he promised to do Jer. 18.7 9 10. But when the Lord sweareth he will not repent That is a certain token of the immutability of his counsel Psal 110.4 Heb. 6.17 Now the perseverance of the Saints is a mercy which God hath sworn to give unto them Luke 1.73 74 75. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham that he would grant us That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our lives Not only that we should be admitted into his service but likewise abide therein unto the death And for the freeness of the Covenant wherein God hath graciously obliged himself not only to perform the mercy promised but also to assist believers with his Spirit for performance of the duty required at their hands so as not to fall short of that mercy Take that noted place Jer. 32.39 40. And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 3. The indissolveableness of the union between Believers and the Lord Jesus is built upon the charge that is given unto Christ concerning them and his faithfulness in accomplishing what he hath undertaken for them Thus Sirs when God the Father did put all his elect into Christ's hands and constituted and ordained him to be a Mediator for them it was with this express charge That he should conduct them to glory Not only that he should gather them unto himself and give them spiritual life but that he should guide them with safety to the kingdom of heaven And this charge he undertook John 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Heb. 2.10 In bringing many sons to glory Now in pursuance of this undertaking Christ doth kni◠them to himself inseparably that he may be a faithful steward of the grace of God It is the very reason which our Saviour giveth why no man shall pluck Believers out of his hands because he is to give them eternal life John 10.28 And the Apostle Peter put much stress upon it when he prayeth for the settlement of Believers in the faith 1 Pet. 5.10 But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Here is a bundle of arguments to incourage our dependance upon God for our abiding in Christ There is scarcely a word but hath an emphasis upon it to that purpose 1. It is God that strengthens you he that is able to do it and is on your side so that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world All your adversaries are but creatures who labour to draw you away but he that establisheth you
contemplatiâ—n of this mercy and seriously pondering it in the heart by Believers that God hath so knit them unto his Son that they shall be still growing up into him and never be separated from him will be of notable efficacy to draw forth their love back again to the Lord and to kindle is their breasts a fervent affection towards him Which love so kindled is a mighty quickner to obedience Love is a commanding passion that will set all the powers of a mans soul on work to please the party that is beloved It will level mountains and make rough wayes smooth and no difficulties will deter it What will not a man do for one whom he dearly loveth You know what is said of Jacob Gen. 29 20. Although he served seven years hard service for Rachel the drought consumed him by day and the frost by night and his sleep departed from his eyes yet it was as nothing to him because he loved her Why Sirs a pure entire and affectionate love to God would cause men willingly to spend themselves in his service it would make them very cautious and fearful lest they should dishonour him or sin against him Now this great priviledge of an indissoluble union with Christ will mightily inflame the heart with affection and stir up a person to thankfulness Will the soul of a Believer be thus arguing with himself hath the Lord Christ been pleased not only to give me a transitory glimps of his favour which yet was more than ever I deserved but taken me into everlasting fellowship with him O what shall I render to the Lord How shall I sufficiently express my readiness to serve him Wherein may I be instrumental to shew forth his praise Surely I will cleave to this God as long as I live and call upon him whilst I have a being I will never more rebel against him Psal 31.23 O love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful If it be meant of temporal preservation of how much greater force will the argument be upon the account of spiritual grace and establishment How should a Believer say with David Psal 116.1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications Because he hath inclined his ear to me I will call upon him as long as I live Surely it is ignorance and unacquaintedness with the workings of the Spirit in a sanctified heart that makes men think doctrines of free grace are incouragements to sin 3. The consideration of the inseparableness of a Believers union with Christ should cause a Christian to entertain a holy jealousie and suspition over his own soul lest at any time he should draw back from the faith That by his fixedness in the wayes of God it may more abundantly appear that his profession of godliness was a sincere profession For if persons are unstedfast in the Covenant of God it will be a shrewd evidence that their hearts were not right with him If they do not hold on their way in the practise of godliness it will be manifest that they went no further than the form of godliness carried them So that the doctrine of perseverance is an awakening doctrine It should awaken us to be watchful over our selves and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling For then we are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end Heb. 3.14 That is then it will evidently appear that we are partakers of him and have a share in his death If we sall away from Christ it will be an undeniable token that we were never spiritually ingraffed into him 4. A due meditating upon the inseparableness of a Believers union with the Lord Jesus will incourage the soul of that believer in resisting and repelling the instigations of the devil and standing fast against all sollicitations to sin Through grace thinks a godly man I shall get the victory and therefore I will stir up my strength to the fight I see it is not in vain to strive against the wicked one If God should leave his children in their own hands to stand or fall according to the exercise of their own power then indeed their hearts might sink and their courage might flag But seeing God hath ingaged for my perseverance in the faith I will wrestle with all my might and use the utmost diligence for it will not be in vain so to do Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Hath God promised to preserve you then be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might follow hard after him and urge him with his promise and in his way you may expect the accomplishment of it This is the first rule for vindication of that property Rule 2. The many counsels and warnings which Christ hath given to his people to look well to themselves lest they should lose their hold of him and be separated from him are no proof at all that they may be separated or that their union with him may be dissolved God's injunctions upon them to keep themselves and his ingagement to be their keeper do not interfere one with the other but may well consist and stand together And the reason is evident Because these cautions anâ— commandments are the very means which God is pleased to make use of for their establishment in the faith whereby he doth fulfil his promise for their safeguard and together with which he doth convey his Spirit into their hearts for prevention of their apostacy This is according to that Statute Law of the Lord of hosts That his Spirit shall go forth in his word and with his word Isa 59.21 Will some say To what end doth God so often warn Believers that they draw not back to destruction if they are not liable thereunto True it doth suppose that they are liable to apostacy in themselves * Verè dicitur fidelem posse à fide suâ deficere quum scilicet in se principiis suis intrinsecis consideratur solis sic enim defectui subjicitur mutabilis existit Deas tamen immutabili faedere spospondit se conservaturum in sais faederatis principium illud vitale Hanc autem promissionem non solet exequi nisi verbi ministerio similibus auxilils adhibitis Ames Coron and without divine assistance would totally backslide and perish from the right way But God hath graciously undertaken for their preservation and abidance in Christ and these cautions are the means for the acomplishment of that undertaking and wherewith he sends forth the holy Ghost to strengthen them that they may abide in his Son Joh. 17.17 Thus I have finished my answer to the fourth head of enquiry touching the most signal properties of a Believers union with Jesus Christ CHAP. VIII The indispensable necessity of Union with Christ Proved by enumeration of the
when the whole heart goeth out unto him * Quod cor non facit id non fit As it is in marriage A woman may have a months mind as we are wont to express it to have such a man for her Husband and yet remain a stranger to him When they are married indeed there must be a rejecting all other Suitors and a full consent to be his So it is in these spiritual affairs there may be a slothful velleity and luke-warm inclinations in the spirit of a wicked man towards Christ he may have an heart for his lusts and an heart for a Saviour but this cold and sluggish desire will never make up the match betwixt them If a man will be knit unto Jesus he must abandon all things for him and give him reception with the whole spirit Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willingnesses in the day of thy power * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Populus tuus erit spoutaneitatum i. e. summè spontaneus So the word imports that is they shall so heartily consent to take Christ for their Lord and Husband as if all the faculties of the soul were turned into will they shall so fully embrace him as if there were a concentring together of many wills to make one violent current to go forth unto him as if all the doors of the soul were set wide open for his entertainment They shall be willingnesses abundantly willing as if the whole man were nothing but will See it in the case of Zacheus how heartily he consents to take Christ upon his terms and salvation by him Luk. 19.6 He made haste and came down and received him joyfully 3. It must be an unlimited and indefinite acceptance without any secret reservations or exceptions Poor carnal people are apt to deceive themselves in this respect They will have Christ for their Saviour and Master but it is alwayes upon some proviso or other that they may keep such a beloved lust that they may have liberty to fulfil this carnal pleasure or to live in the practise of the other profitable sin they will give up themselves to the Lord Jesus provided alwayes they may comply with the times and save their estates and humour such a great man on whom they depend provided they be required to serve him only in the Sunshine of the Gospel and be not bound to follow him through tribulations Such caveats and proviso's they enter into but this leaveth them still in subjection to the devil For that acceptance and consent which uniteth a sinner unto Christ must be a marriage-consent when we take him wholly and entirely without any acceptions to submit to him in all his institutions and commandments and to cleave to him in all estates and conditions When we take Christ for our Lord and Husband to have and to hold for better and for worse for richer and for poorer in sickness and in health to go with him through fire and water resolving through grace that nothing shall divide betwixt us and that we will never joyn with any other in confederacy against him We must come to him as Paul upon his conversion Act. 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have mâ— to do q. d. Here I am in a readiness and resolvedness for any manner of service Let me but know thy will and through divine assistance I will stick at nothing He doth not say thus far I could be contented to follow after thee upon conciâ—ion I be not put upon difficult service and that I be not forced to forsake such a lust or to break off my intimacy and familiarity with this or the other sinful companion No but here I bring my soul as a blank paper write what terms and conditions thou pleasest and I am ready to subscribe to them Do but shew me thy way and cut out the work which I am to do and whatever it is I am resolved to set upon the performance This is the fourth thing to be noted our consent to take the Lord Christ must be a marriage-consent and upon marriage terms and articles 5. Note from this comparison in the next place That a believers obedience and service which he tenders unto Christ throughout the whole course of his life must be an affectionate obedience or a service mingled with love and proceeding from love We must not serve him as slaves meerly out of fear and no further than we are forced by outward respects or by the clamours of conscience but as a Spouse is obedient to her husband and careful to please him because of her affection towards him Matrimonial subjection is a loving subjection and such must â—e ours to the Lord our Saviour This is to to serve him evangelically answerable to the dispensation of the Gospel which proclaimeth and promalgateth the love of Christ unto sinners When our obedience doth spring from a principle of love to Jesus and is intermingled therewith and is promoted by the sense of his love to sinners thâ—n it is Gospel-obedience and new Covenant-service Not but that the fear of wrath and heâ—l may have its due place and efficacy to quicken a Believer unto the works of holiness but love is the most evangelical motive most proper and suitable to the dispensation of the Gospel And therefore the Apostle prayeth in behalf of the Ephesians in order to their more abundant fruitfulness in the wayes of God their being filled with all the fulness of God that they might be rooted and grounded in love that is love towards Christ and that they might be able to know the love of Christ his love towards them which passeth knowledge i. e. that they might have some clear and competent apprehensions of it though in its full extent and greatness it can never be comprehended Eph. 3.17 18 19. 6. Lastly note That this similitude taken from the relation betwixt the husband and wife besides its holding forth the union of a Believer with Christ doth import also that mutual complacency and satisfaction which they take in converse one with the other How doth Christ delight in maintaining fellowship with the Saints And how do their spirits exult in the enjoyment of Christ See the mutual dearness that is betwixt them Cant. 7.10 11 12. I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me Come my beloved let us go forth into the field let us lodge in the villages let us go early to the vineyards let us see whether the vine flourish whether the tender grapes appear and the pomegranates bud forth there will I give thee my loves The meaning is this The heart of the Church was so set upon Chriâ— that it was her chiefest delight to be in communion with him as the wise taketh pleasure in the society of her husband and he in hers So much for the third special resemblance for illustration of this mystery drawn from the conjunction which is betwixt the husband and wife 4. The fourth and last similitude which I shall
Christ's mind is placed and act in the like manner as his acteth Their hearts must be moulded into the same frame with his heart and so I might instance throughout the whole man Christ must be formed in them Gal. 4.19 And Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus They must be so clothed with his divine qualities that it may be said they have put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 2. There must be conformity to the sufferings of his death in a spiritual sense As Christ died for sin so Believers must die unto sin As our Lord Jesus was put to a painful lingring and ignominious death in like sort must their corruptions be mortified and killed For Mark it Sirs The death and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus is not only the meritorious cause through which sin is mortified and a strong evangelical reason why it should be mortified but it is also the pattern and exemplar according to which it is done In the very same way and manner as Christ was put to death for us so are our lusts and corruptions to be crucified within us Hereby we are rendred conformable unto his death Phil. 3.9 and planted together into the â—â—keness of his death Rom. 6.5 3. There must be conformâ—y to the Lord Jesus in his resurrection and ascension into heaven As he rose again from the dead and went up into heaven never to return to corruption any more so must the hearts of believers be raised unto spiritual objects and their affections set upon things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 Their hearts must be withdrawn from sin and the world never to be ingaged upon them any more but they must live as persons that are revived and made partakers of a new life Rom. 6.4 As he was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so must we also walk in newness of life 4. Believers must be made conformable unto Christ in the holiness of his conversation They must tread in his steps doing the same work as he did and acting upon the same principles and motives as he acted upon and carrying on the same designs as Christ carried on and serving the Lord in the like manner with cheerfulness delight and alacrity as he served him Eph. 5.2 Walk in love as Christ also loved us And Rom. 15.1 2 3. We ought not to please our selves but every one his neighbour for his good to edification for Christ also pleased not himself c. 5. They must expect to be made conformable to Christ in the troubles and persecutions that befel him upon the earth Therefore it is called a suffering with him that is the same things and in like manner as he suffered Rom. 8.17 If we will be faithful unto Christ we must look to meet with the like usage as he met with and to go through many tribulations into the Kingdom of God This is the second thing to be noted under this comparison 3. According to the purport and tenour of this similitude taken from the foundation and the building Our faith which is the uniting grace is a resting upon Christ and his righteousness The stones are joyned to the foundation by being laid upon it and there resting So when we lay the stress of our salvation upon Christ and cast our burden upon him and there stay our selves as upon a rock thereby we are united unto Jesus and made one with him By nature we are as rough unpolished stones in a quarry without any relation to Christ Now the work of conviction may be compared to the unsettling of these stones and humiliation and legal terrors upon the heart are the hewing of these stones By the first they are removed out of the Quarry and by the other their ruggedness is pared away The grace of conversion is as the fitting and polishing the stones for the building and faith is a putting them upon the foundation and their resting upon it As by the cement of love the stones are coupled one to another so by faith they are knit unto the foundation By the Spirit they are brought unto Christ and so stay upon him Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant and walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Rom. 9.33 Behold I lay in Sion stumbling stone and rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded Mark it As Christ is a foundation to his people so he is a rock of offence to them that are disobedient they split themselves against this rock they stumble and fall and are broken in pieces If you would be saved by him you must by faith rest upon this foundation For whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.4 5. To whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house c. See likewise Eph. 2.21 22. This is all that I shall speak under the sixth general Head for the illustration of this Mystery of Union with Christ by those similitudes which the holy Ghost hath made choice of to this purpose That which remains further is the Application of the Point CHAP. X. Inferences drawn from the Doctrine of Union with Christ The excellency and dignity of Believers The peculiarity of the providence of God towards them The miserable estate of Christless sinners FOr Application or practical improvement of this Doctrine I will manage it under these three Heads By way of 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 1. By way of Information What are the practical Inferences which may be deduced from this Point of a Believers union with the Son of God and the necessity thereof I will not aim at the ingrossing of all that might be taken in upon this fruitful and spiritual subject Only I shall select these three Inferences which naturally arise from what hath been delivered 1. If believers are united unto Christ and made one with him in order to their salvation then hence I gather That they are the most honourable and most excellent persons upon the face of the earth Why Because they are united unto the Son of God and accordingly they should have the greatest esteem of us and be most precious and lovely in our eyes It is the character of a man that shall see the Lord in Sion that he contemneth a vile person but he honoureth them that fear the Lord Psal 15.1 4. Now here is that which maketh them right honourable above all their fellow-creatures they are intimately joyned unto Christ So that the Saints which are in the earth are the excellent of the earht Psal 16.3 more excellent than their neighbours than all that dwell round about them Prov. 12.26 You know the excellency or worthlessness of any
like travellers as the rest of the company doth But Sirs If a man be gracious indeed it will settle his spirit upon godliness at all seasons and in whatsoever society If he live in Sodom he will be so far from saying a confederacy with them in their wickedness that in seeing and hearing he will vex his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds 2 Pet. 2.8 Though he dwell in Ahabs family yet he will fear the Lord greatly 1 Kings 18.3 He will own the Lord Christ for his Master in the face of all the world and speak of his testimonies even before Kings and not be ashamed Psal 119.46 This is the second qualification It must be universal obedience 3. That obedience which will evidence your conversion and consequently your union with Christ must be evangelical obedience Such as is suitable to the Covenant of grace into which believers are entred 2 conversation answerable to the dispensation of the Gospel Phil. 1.27 For as there is a slavish fear of God in the heart so there is a legal serving of God in the practise which will no way contribute to the proof of your being ingraffed into Christ That which is evidential thereof must be such obedience as becometh the Gospel of Christ when you serve the Lord evangelically in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter as the distinction is given us Rom. 7.6 Qu. But when is our obedience evangelical I answer It mainly consists in four things 1. When we are active and vigorous in doing all that we can for God and then account it as nothing to gain us acceptation with the Lord. When we are serviceable in our places and duties to advance the honour of Jesus Christ indeavouring to the uttermost the promotion of his interest and then lay all that we have done at his feet expecting our acceptance reward purely upon the account of his bloud When we labour to be intent upon the works of personal righteousness and then underwrite with our hearts That we are unprofitable servants and lay the whole stress of our salvation upon the righteousness of the Lord Jesus This is Gospel-service when we lay all our sacrifices upon the Gospel-altar that they may be sanctified thereby and place no manner of confidence in what is done by us but in the obedience and sufferings of Christ for us Phil. 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh As if he had said We labour to serve God in the purest manner and offer up unto him the best that we have but then we dare not put the least stress upon it but all our confidence is in Christ it is of him we boast and not of our holiness We give all diligence in point of performance but are nothing in our selves in point of dependance And we are the circumcision we are Israelites indeed who have our hearts circumcised A legal frame of spirit goeth to God in duty and then expects a blessing for his duties sake and thus a sinner may toyl all his life time in a round of duty and be very far from the kingdom of God Then we obey evangelically when we do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Col. 3.17 2. Then is our obedience Gospel-service indeed when it is performed in Gospel strength i. e. not by our own abilities but by vertue derived from Christ and in an humble dependance upon the assistance of his Spirit That is a legal way of obedience when a person brings forth fruit unto himself and when he acts therein from himself When he goeth in his own might and power to grapple with sin and strive against temptations and to keep the Law of God But a Believer is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and here is the evidence of a sincere convert Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh you shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Mark it It is not said if you make resolutions against sin and set against the workings of corruption But if you mortifie them through the spirit then it is a sign you are quickned and made alive by the holy Ghost and that you shall live for ever in the presence of God 3. Evangelical obedience is that which is according to the evangelical pattern viz. the life of Christ When a Christian doth study to be a follower of him and to tread in his steps and to imitate the Lord Jesus by endeavouring to write after the copy which he hath set before us in doing and suffering the will of God This is the obedience which will evidence our union with him and interest in him 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked He that saith he is in him that is He that saith so truly and as the matter is in reality He that would not appear to be a lyar in what he pretendeth to and to boast of what he hath no saving interest in must walk according to our Saviour's example 4. Evangelical obedience is that which is tendered upon evangelical motives and considerations When we are diligent and industrious in the service of God because our hearts are drawn forth in love towards him and we are sensible of his goodness in sending his only begotten Son to die in the behalf of lost sinners and in making known the mystery of Christ unto us and giving us promises of salvation through him * Amor meus est pondus meum Eoâ—feror quocunque feror Aug. For although it is not only permissively lawful for a believer but also a duty incumbent upon him to make use of the consideration of the wrath of God to quicken him in the wayes of holiness Luke 12.5 Yet he doth not serve the Lord meerly out of fear of his wrath But the love of God doth constrain him and his affections towards God are a forcible restraint to keep him from displeasing the Lord who hath been so gracious unto him Hos 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes i.e. Upon this very account they shall be cautious not to sin against him because he hath dealt so bountifully with them This is the third qualification it must be evangelical obedience 4. If you would prove your conversion and union with Christ by the holiness of your conversation and new obedience you must look to it that it be sincere obedience done in the singleness and godly simplicity of your hearts You must serve the Lord as in the sight of the Lord and with a pure eye of respect unto the advancement of his glory and in order to your blessedness in the enjoyment of him and communion with him For in those two things doth consist much of the nature of sincerity 1.
In studying to approve our selves in the sight of God So the Apostle seemeth to explain it 2 Cor. 2.17 As of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 2. In serving the Lord for himself My meaning is this Then is a Christian sincere in his obedience when he is not acted therein by fleshly wisdom nor doth make Religion subservient to any carnal ends But he hath a single eye of regard to the glory of God the maintaining fellowship with him and the secuting his own interest in the Lord as a portion for his soul When he is carried on to the works of holiness by spiritual arguments he doth that which is commanded out of respect to the commandment or eo nomine for that very reason because it is the commandment of the Lord and his heart stands in awe of it This alone is to serve the Lord in obedience to his will Else if you set upon a course of Religion for any secular advantage that cometh by it you do but serve your selves by Religion As it is said of the Schismaticks Rom. 16.18 They that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly They pretended Christ but designed themselves And so do hypocrites of all sorts they serve not God by their works of piety but their own profit and advancement in the word * These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ-merchants and Christ-hucksters as one calls them they serve their own credit and reputation and the furtherance of some carnal interest or perhaps they may serve their very lusts and make provision for them by the duties of Religion So the whore in the Proverbs Chap. 7.14 15. She paid her vows and offered peace-offerings that she might purchase a license to sin more freely Thus multitudes of people debase Religion They go on in a constant road of outward performances that at other times they may take the greater liberty and sin with lesser disturbance in their spirits But now a sincere Christian serves the Lord himself in all the parts of his obedience As he is spiritual in the discharge of his work so the reasons and motives are spiritual whereby he is stirred up unto the discharge of it And here is a main ground of the universality of a believers obedience because spiritual reasons are comprehensive of the whole will of God whereas carnal motives and arguments have but a partial influence A little to clear it by instances If you avoid sin because of the shame of the world that will only help to preserve you from open wickedness but will have no influence against secret pollutions which the world cannot observe If you perform duty to please a party or to get some temporal benefit that will only ingage you in the practise of such duties as are countenanced by them and are pleasing in their eye but will no way prevail as to the practise of such as are contemned and despised But now if you obey the will of God because it is his will That will enforce an obedience to all * A quatenus ad de omni valet consequentia that he hath injoyned Psal 119.101 If you abstain from sin because God observeth it this consideration will fence against all sin whatsoever Job 31.1 4. If you walk in wayes of holiness that you may have fellowship with God and glorifie his name and be inabled to give up a comfortable account unto him these inducements will have an influence into the right ordering of all the particulars of your demeanour Eccl. 12. v. 14. And here is the conversation that will prove the work of regeneration and minister joy thereupon When in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 When we do not truck with Religion nor make it a stalking-horse in subordination to any base or corrupt ends But what we do is done in a measure in a singleness of spirit and in the integrity of our hearts as mainly indeavouring therein to to be accepted of God This is the fourth property of evidential obedience It must be sincere 5. It must be thriving obedience and of an increasing nature for sanctifying grace is of a thriving nature So that such as are holy indeed will be still pressing after further degrees of holiness and they that live through the Spirit will endeavour to have life more abundantly they will be going forwards unto perfection at least in vehement desires and sollicitous and earnest indeavours after it Besides there is such sweetness and excellency in communion with God that whosoever tasteth it cannot but be longing and reaching after more and more till he come to full fruition and enjoyment 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As new born babes q. d. This is the property of all that are regenerate the picture of an infant doth not grow but a living child doth and there is as natural and direct a tendancy in a child of God towards increase in holiness as there is in a new born child to the breast that he may grow in strength and stature And this you will labour after if so be that you have tasted that the Lord is gratious That taste will set an edge upon your desires and cause you to hunger and thirst with greater eagerness after more * Sitis duplex est 1. Vna totalis indigentiae Isa 6.5 13. 2. Altera fruitionis complacentiae partialis Illa tollitur per gratiae participationem haec crescit indies dum sumus in via per fidem ambulantes non per aspectum Ames Coron When persons can sit down contented with the least measures of holiness and think If they have but grace in the smallest degree so much as will give them an interest in God and bring them safely to heaven they will not care for more but there they will take up their rest and live at ease without troubling themselves to aspire after further degrees It is a shrewd sign that they are utterly strangers to the workings of grace in the heart For did they but once taste the spiritual deliciousness of fellowship with the most High it would fill them with an insatiable appetite after greater attainments they would be ever pressing towards the mark and labouring to proceed from strength to strength til they should appear in Sion before the Lord They would study to augment their faith till it came to sight and to promote their hopes till they were turned into fruition and to blow up the smoaking flax of their love till it were kindled in a pure spiritual unmixed flame They would think they never had grace enough till it were swallowed up in glory nor that they were sufficiently holy till made perfect in holiness Job 17.9 He that hath clean hands
me to wrath who am able to break thee in pieces like a potters vessel Think of it Saul as if Christ had said it is a dangerous way which thou art in it is a miserable imployment thou spendest thy pains about thou art but kicking against the pricks contending with one * Sententia est proverbialis à bobus out equis sumpta qui dum stimulis punguntur calcitrando nihil proficiunt nisi quod stimulis altius infixis malum duplicant that is too strong for thee for it is Jesus whom thou persecutest 4. Do not neglect to give believers what help and furtherance you can in their pilgrimage Be ready to shew them any kindness that lieth in your way to shew them and to contribute what relief and assistance soever you are able to minister upon any occasion for they are united unto Christ intimately acquainted with him and neerly related to him So that the Lord Jesus will take it kindly at your hands whatever friendship you shew to his people Art thou a Lawyer Plead their cause Art thou a Magistrate Protect their persons against the Sons of violence Break the jaws of the wicked and pluck the spoil out of their teeth Art thou a private person and hearest the godly traduced and their profession bespattered Endeavour to vindicate them and what in thee lieth to clear up their innocency Art thou a man whom God hath intrusted with wealth and riches Why then as thou hast opportunity do good to all but especially to the houshold of faith For they are members of Christ and thou shalt in no wise lose thy reward Christ hath all the blessings in the world put into his hauds to distribute and in the distribution of his doles of bounty be sure he will not forget such as have shewed kindness to his servants he will recompence them to the full the smallest courtesie done to the Saints shall not be forgotten Mark 9.41 Whosoever shall give you a cup of cold water to drink in my name because ye belong to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward He hath promised to reward those that feed their enemies when they are hungry and give them water to drink when they are thirsty and will he not much more reward such as relieve and shelter his own Saints and people Prov. 25.21 22. They are united to him what kindness is shewed unâ—o them is reckoned as if it were shewed to our Lord Jesus Christ A little to press home these Exhortations let me intreat you to consider these four moving considerations Cons 1. Holy men and women who study to please the Lord and to walk in integrity before him are the very pillars of a Nation by which it is upheld They are the main props and supporters of the places where they live of the families wherein they dwell It is for their sakes that mercies are continued unto a people or kingdom and judgments are kept off from falling down upon them to their utter desolation and ruine So that it concerns you to seek their good and to incourage them in their holiness as you tender your own welfare Were it not for the servants of Christ you would quickly be in a miserable case And therefore when God doth gather his own people unto himself it is usually the forerunner of some sore calamity Isa 57.1 The righteous is taken away from the evil to come Plainly intimating that it was their presence which staved off vengeance for a time and when they are called home then the floud-gates of wrath are set open It is upon their account that God doth restrain the wickedness of men that they are not as monsters and devils one to another and that he doth with-hold the pouring out his wrathful indignation You know what he saith in relation to Sodom whose sin was grievous and the cry of it was great and went up to heaven yet if there had been ten righteous persons in it the place had been spared for their sakes And however nothing could be done against it till righteous Lot was gone forth Gen. 18.32 Gen. 19.22 23 24. Indeed sometimes the wickedness of a place is so excessively heinous that it is beyond the prayers of the godly The most eminent persons in holiness shall not prevail for the sparing it Though Noah Daniel and Job were in it they shall deliver but their own souls by their righteousness Ezek. 14.13 14. Yet in many cases they are instrumental by their presence and prayers not only to deliver themselves but to keep off vengeance from others And will you root them out who are the means of your preservation You think they are these precise persons who speak so much of Religion and are more strict than others that hinder your mirth and jollity What brave times of pleasure should you have were it not for these Precisians who are as thornes in your sides and rubs in the way of your rejoycings and merriment But Sirs if you believe the Scriptures it is evident that were it not for the godly amongst you you might soon expect to fall under the saddest dispensations and to have the sluces of the fury of the God of heaven set wide open upon you As soon as Noah was arkt the floud swept away the world of the ungodly As soon as Lot was lodg'd in Zoar it rained fire and brimstone as it were hell from heaven upon Sodom and Gemorrah And mark what our Saviour speaketh of Gospel-times Mat. 24.22 Except those dayes should be shortened there should no flesh be saved But for the elects sake those dayes shall be shortened Were it not upon the account of the servants of God who are converted and such as hereafter are to be converted the tribulation would prove like a sweeping rain that leaveth nothing behind it So that it concerns you in point of wisdom to love and cherish the Saints and to take heed that they be not wronged For they are the best subjects in a Kingdom the best neighbours in the places where they abide the best relations and servants you can get into your families they bring the blessing of heaven along with them Gen. 30.27 Gen. 39.5 They are the best friends you can have for they will be friends to your souls So that I may allude to that passage of the Lord to Abimelech Gen. 20.7 Restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and shall pray for thee and thou shalt live Shew kindness to the godly for they are favourites in the Court of heaven intimately acquainted with God yea united to Christ the Son of God They will pray for thee and be instrumental to avert and turn away judgments from thee and to bring down blessings upon thy head if not to save thy precious and immortal soul Cons 2. It is a shrewd sign that you are persons intended for uttâ—r extirpation and ruine when God doth make use of you as scourges to afflict his Saints and