CHRIST ABOVE ALICE EXALTED, AS IN JUSTIFICATION SO IN SANCTIFICATION.  
Where in several Passages in Dr. CRISPS Sermons are Answered.  
Delivered in a SERMON at RYE, in the County of Sussex:  
By JOHN BENBRIGGE Minister of God's Word at Ashburnham, in the same County:  1 COR. 1.30. 
But you are of him in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us, Wisdom and Righteousness, and Sanctification and Redemption.  
LONDON: Printed for John Stafford, and are to be sold at his House in Bride's Churchyard 1645.   

TO MY WORTHY AUNT Mistress SARAH NOWELL.  


All Peace Externall, Amen.  
All Peace Eternal, Amen.  
All Peace Internal, Amen.    
Endeared Aunt:  
WHOM I love not only in the Flesh, but also and especially in the Truth, and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth, for the thuth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 
2 John 1, 2.   
Peter's Watchword must never be forgotten, whilst our warfare lasteth; Be sober, 
1 Pet. 5.8.  be vigilant (saith he) and his reason is) Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring Lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; and as the world draws nearer to an end, so he mends his pace, and bestirs himself the more, because his time grows shorter; 
Revel. 12.12. 1 Cor. 10.11. Eph. 5.15, 16. 17, 18.  wherefore we (on whom the ends of the world are come more near) ought to walk more circumspectly, both in sobriety and watchfulness for new he makes more use of his several turns and fetches then heretofore; that phrase of walking or going about, implies he hath many of them; and truly I think the world never saw more of them in one age, then may be seen in ours: As an old soldier hath many stratagems to circumvent his enemy, and such as suit best with time, place and power, he puts in execution to make way for an assault; like politic stratagems and engines hath the spiritual adversary of our souls and salvation, to set upon us and undo us. The Apostle calls them sometimes his devices, at other times his wiles: his devices are fine devices, 
2 Cor. 2.11. 1 phes. 6.11.  spun out in a curious thread; his wiles are subtle for cunning; both are one, though the letters of the words differ, yet their sense fully agrees; for his wiles are fine devices, and his devices sultill wiles: This latter word, as it is in the Original, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  duly considered, opens unto us the mystery of both, showing where in this his fine cunning doth chief lie, namely, in his marshalling of those his subtle devices, that is, the method he useth and followeth in acting them. For first, he labours to prevent the planting of grace in the heart, and if he fail of his project therein, than he in the next place, casts about to hinder the growth of grace in heart and life: Repentance, faith and obedience are the total of Christianity, beyond which we have nothing to do or profess; in these three are summed up all the Prophets and Apostles, and the devil seeks as much to hinder, as all they do to further them: to prevent the implanting of grace, he seeks to keep them from repentance; which if he cannot do, then to starve grace, that it may have no sustenance, he endeavours to overthrow their faith and obedience; before a man (acted by saving grace) sets himself to repent, all his work is to strengthen his faith, that is, to make him believe he is in a goad and safe condition, though indeed he be nothing less, and this is to keep him from repenting, and when he sees the man will repent (for the grace of God constrains him thereto) than he wheels about, and to weaken his faith, he sets in order before him all his sins, which before he hide from his eyes, yea, he aggravates them as much as he can, both for manner and measure, for quality, quantity and number, desirous to bring him to conceive them greater than can be pardoned; but when he finds this his device frustrated by the souls cleaving to, and laying hold on God's free grace in Christ, justifying and acquitting him from the guilt of all his sins; then his last piece of policy is to kinder his sanctification, and to lay stumbling-blocks in his way of new obedience, that he may fall him into actual transgressions, thereby to dishonour God, wound his own conscience, and dishearten others from walking godly, righteously and soberly in this present world; many are the rubs he lays in this soul's course of Christianity, but none of the least are the total casting away of the law, as unuseful, and not belonging to him; and the unfruitfulness of duty to the doer thereof in any kind: These flones (with their like) he had cast in the ways of God's people heretofore, but by the power of Christ's spirit in some of his worthies, they were removed, and have lain hid, till of late, Satan finding an opportunity, hath again tumbled them in: And herein his cunning craftiness appears yet greater (to such as seriously observe things with a spiritual eye) that he carries his matters so slyly, as he gets some of his known enemies to countenance and defend them, and so to help and fight for him; like as the Papists (taught indeed of him) have carried on their fine devices so wilily, as to delude ma●y Protestants, their known and sworn adversaries so fare as to make them take part with him against their own Christ, his Gospel and servants, their Brethren; is not this Satan's Masterpiece, to bring God's servants to fight against him, to make good men with stand good works? Yet this is no new matter; for he got once into Peter's mouth, and made him speak against Christ's doing that good work of our salvation: Peter indeed spoke out of love to Christ, and he meant to save Christ, as he thought; but the truth is, he spoke than he knew not what: In like manner those good souls, who neglect sanctification to extol justification, who reject the law, casting it behind their backs, as of no use, to advance the Gospel, who heat down all duty of a true believer, as no way beneficial to him to exalt Christ; I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge; they under stand no more what they say then Peter did, when Christ said to him, get thee behind me Satan; for the Law is as much Christ's as the Gospel, and Gods free grace in Christ, is as much seen and magnified in our Sanctification as our Justification; he gave Christ for both, and Christ died for both; they therefore that beat down the Law, throw down Christ's Sceptre, and lay his honour in the dust; doth not our present daily experience show what will become of a Kingdom, if the laws thereof be taken away? and they which extol Gods only free grace in justification, clip God's Coin, our only riches; they set up but half a Christ, & so by halving him, they whittle him to nothing; Paul knew this very well; if his Epistles be seriously scanned, if the matter of them be sifted well into the two main parts thereof, justification and sanctification by Christ Jesus, and each part weighed by itself, the greatest quantity of them would be in sanctifications scale. True indeed, in his Epistle to the Romans and Galatians, he is much on free grace in justification, against Jewish confidence in Pharisaical performances; but in those and in all his other Epistles, he is as much and sometimes more insisting on God's free grace in sanctification, and exhorting thereunto, against that looseness and carelessness of walking, which he saw in many Christians; truly to me his greatest care seems to be for the maintenance of good works, both in himself and others: In others, as appears by Titus 3.8. and many other places; in himself, Rom. 7. ch. (if there were no more testimonies) makes it evident; now his example should herein be a leading rule to us Ministers his successors, both for practice to ourselves, and for doctrine unto others; wherefore having (as you know) yielded to importunity to speak a word of exhortation to my native Town, the holy spirit directed me to pitch on such a portion of Scripture, as led me to the maintenance of sanctification, and setting forth of the necessity of God's free grace in Christ therefore, to be as great as in matter of justification; a point directly crossing those misshapen opinions of those new-fashioned Christians (for so they be to us) that are called Antinomians; and therefore a point most fit for Rye, wherein many of that sect were voted to be, by reason of those frequent, loud and bitter exclamations against them, by name in the Pulpit, joined with as earnest and vehement exhortations to take heed of them, and dehortations from their society, as most dangerous infectious persons. I thought now with myself, being to come into that place, it would be my duty to fight against the doctrine, as others had done against the name of the Antinomians; and so I did, and I hope my labour was not in vain to the Auditory, I am sure it is not in vain in the Lords account, whose truth it was that I delivered, and I delivered it as his and none of mine; and would not a man conceive this would have been very acceptable to him who seems such a professed enemy to the Antinomians? but the contrary appeared to the weakest of his Auditors: Whereupon who can but think that either he mistook the persons he so called, or that he did not understand what the Lord delivered by me: for mine own part, I must needs say, it seems to me as clear as the Sun at noonday, that he hath mistaken both them & me, & so abused both, with that scandalous name of Antinomian; the Lord open his eyes to see the great wrong he hath done me and them hereby, that he may repent thereof, and have his pardon sealed before he go hence: in the mean time, it is more than probable, that he which durst snarl at the truth of Christ before my face, will behind my back take more liberty to himself to let the reins lose to his unruly tongue (a fit interpreter to his passionate mind) both to bark louder and by't deeper, by altering the phrase and corrupting the sense of my words; wherefore I thought it necessary in Christian wisdom, by way (if not of prevention, yet) of answering to such envious and malicious dealing, to communicate the notes of my discourse under mine own hand; and into whose hand could I more fitly put them then into yours? not only in regard of the outward relation, I have to you, but also because you have been accused falsely, as fare as I can conceive, to be one of them that are looked at as Antinomians; so that mine intent in publishing this my labour under your name, is not so much to manifest my due respects of you, as to let the credulous world (which is ready to embrace any reports that may scandalise the servants of Christ) see how it hath been misinformed concerning you and such others, as with you, lie at this present clouded with that black aspersion of Antinomianism, for instead of crying down the Law, Sanctification and Duty, I found you upon diligent enquiry, both in opinion and practice, chief pillars thereof. The Lord comfort your hearts more and more with his free grace, and establish you in every good word and work, 
2 Thel. 2.17. 2 Cor. 7.1.  that you may thereby perfect holiness in his fear here, and hereafter be perfected in happiness, Amen.  
Your younger Brother in Christ, and affectionate Nephew in the Flesh, JOHN BENBRIGGE.   

CHRIST ABOVE ALICE EXALTED.  PHILIPPIANS 3. 
7. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.  
8. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ,  
9 And be found in him: Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law; but that which is through the Faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith.  
10 That I may know him, and the power of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of his Sufferings, being made conformable unto his Death.  

IN these words we have Saul compared with Paul; the great Apostle of the Gentiles doth herein compare himself with himself, setting forth to us both what he was, and what he is; what he was when he was Saul, and what he is now he is Paul; what he was before Conversion, what he is since his Calling; and this description of himself then, and and now, is delineated by the difference of his judgement now and then: For men are according to their judgements, and in the sight of the All seeing eye, as these change and alter, so do they to be carnal or spiritual; the Apostle in 1 Cor. 2.14, 15. doth distinguish of other men (as he did of himself) by their judgement of things: A carnal man judgeth carnally of all things, but a spiritual man spiritually. Thus carnal Saul had a carnal opinion of things; he had an high esteem of his own righteousness, which was by the Law, his Pharisaical performances of duty, and of his Jewish privileges; yea, these were his gain, he did not only esteem of them, but also confide in them, he hoped to gain Heaven by them; but as for Christ then, he was a poor Christ to him, worth nothing, yea worse than nothing in his account then, and therefore he persecuted then this despised Christ in his Members: But now he is spiritual Paul, he is quite of another mind; for now he looks at his own righteousness, Pharisaical works and fleshly Prerogatives; yea, all things of this world as loss and dung, and poor Christ is now most rich, and the true, yea, only gain, and therefore he had lost to himself all things, that he might in their room get Christ: When saving grace comes to a Saul, it enters in at the understanding first, that is, the everlasting gate whereby the King of glory passeth in to the City of the heart; 
Psal. 24 7. Mal. 4.2. Rom. 13.12. 2 Pet. 1.9.19.  he therefore is called a Sun, and that is called light; because by their light a man seethe more into things, more of them then he did before they came into him: He was before like a blindfolded man, that could see no more than a seem of things, errors and false opinions so bemisted him, as he could not discern aright of them: But when the daystar ariseth in the dark place, his mind, then as he hath other eyes, so he sees things otherwise; he finds that he was much mistaken in things when he called loss gain, and gain loss; wherefore now he altars his Opinion, and accounts things as they are, loss shall be loss, and gain, gain only to him. Is not this most apparent in our Apostle? did not there fall off as thick as great scales from the eyes of his soul, 
Acts 9.18.  as from them of his body, when Christ Jesus took possession of him? Yea doubtless; and hence it was that he changed his opinion of all things; and by declaring this alteration, he clearly tells us, he is not now the same man he was; as much difference between him then, and him now, as is between a Saul and a Paul, who are no more like one another then black and white; direct opposites, as loss is to gain, and gain to loss.  
A great change indeed; so great as himself thought would seem a Paradox to the men of this world, his former Companions and brethren in affection; hence it is (as may be conceived) that he repeats it over and again; he would have them believe, it is certainly true there is such an alteration of and in him; and to work it into them, comes upon them in a gradation, each step being a preventive Answer to an Objection they might make.  
For in the seventh Verse having shown them the things which he accounted loss for Christ, the things that were gain to him, his performances and privileges, mentioned in the fifth and sixth Verses: They might have Objected, what, is this such a matter? they are but some things thy judgement is altered of, in comparison of this Christ thou talkest of; to prevent their saying thus to him, in the eighth Verse he saith to them, Yea doubtless, I account all things loss for Christ: To whom they might reply; Thou dost say so Paul, but thou wilt not do so; Yea, but I have done so already, is his return: Hereto they might Object; It may be Paul thou hast done so once, but thou wilt learn more wit then to do so again: Nay, saith he, for even now at this present time I do so undervalue all things in comparison of Christ Jesus my Lord: I but Paul, might they say, why dost thou so prize Christ above all? He answers them, that I may win Christ: And what good can Christ do thee when thou hast him? why desirest thou Christ so much? He gives them and us two reasons of his esteem and desire of Christ above all, in the two Verses following; in the ninth Verse, his reason is, that he might be justified in God's sight; 
Psal: 143.2. Rom. 3.22.  for in his sight no flesh shall be justified in his own righteousness: He would not therefore for a world that God should come to Judgement, and find him in his own righteousness, and out of Christ and Christ's righteousness, which is by Faith applied to us. And in the tenth Verse, his second motive to set up and seek Christ above all, was his sanctification, and therefore he saith, that I may know him: Know him? might they say, what dost thou not know Christ, Paul? Why? we know Christ: I but my meaning is (saith the Apostle) not such a knowledge as yours is; alas, it is not an historical knowledge of him in mine head that I would have, but an experimental knowledge of him in mine heart: I can talk of Christ as wellas you, but I would feel Christ in me, and have Union and Communion with him▪ which you want: I would find in my heart and life the virtue of his Resurrection, and a fellowship of his Death and Sufferings. Now what means he by the virtue of Christ's Resurrection, but that which Divines call Vivification, that is, a quickening power therefrom to walk in newness of life as he explains himself, Rom. 6.4. And what intends he by the fellowship of Christ's Death and Sufferings, but that which we call Mortification, which is a dying to sin, as is evident from Rom. 6.5, 6, 7, 8. And what are Vivification and Mortification, but those two parts of a Christian which make up his Sanctification; for which Christ was as highly prized, and as earnestly prized, and as earnestly desired by Paul, as for his Justification.  
Thus have you briefly the scope and meaning of these four Verses read unto you; we will pass by the dividing of them into their parts at this present, because I have but a little time to speak in, and much precious matter to speak of; the Observations that they naturally yield unto our consideration are these five.  
I. A man before Conversion doth always confide in, and rest on his performances of duty.  
II. After conversion a man's judgement is altered concerning his own righteousness.  
III. Without Christ all things are but loss and dung.  
iv Christ alone is the true gain.  
V True saving grace (wherewith Paul was endued when he wrote these words of our Text) teacheth a poor soul to esteem of Christ above all things, not only for Justification but also for Sanctification.  
Of all these five I do conceive this last most useful for this Congregation at this time, wherefore mine intent is (with God's assistance) to confirm it unto you, and afterward make some use of it; which whilst I do, if you love Christ and prise him above all, you will yield me your patiented attention.   

The Philosophers often call man a little world in himself; but Christians know he is not such an entire Commonwealth, as able to live of and by himself; these say, if he depend on Christ for maintenance, he will soon break and fall into so wretched a condition, as is fare worse than a nonbeing: Christ therefore in whom are all the hid treasures of God, must man repair unto for supply of all his wants; but alas, he wants an heart to go to him; he must be drawn by God the Father or else he will never come to Christ, John 6.44. The l●gs of Freewill which the Papists and Arminians stand so much upon, will never be able to carry a soul so fare as Christ; there must be an inward principle of saving grace in the heart, to enable and direct us, or else we shall never truly desire or effectually sinned him to be ours. Indeed there may be some gasping after Christ, by the means of some common hear-say; N●tions of Christ in thesa knowing times; yea, a soul may so strongly desire Christ, as to be willing to part with very much for him, and yet not truly desire Christ, because he may all this while seek Christ, not out of a love to Christ so much as to himself: A Merchant that hears there is such a rich Commodity, such a precious Jewel to be had whereby he may greatly get, will part with much of his gold and silver for it, yet cannot he be said to love that Commodity and Jewel so much as himself, because he seeks it only for his own gain and profit by it: 
Mat. 13.45, 46.  So a man that hears of that precious Pearl of great price, Christ Jesus, and that there is much to be gotten by him, no less than salvation (which is a sure enjoyment of all good, and a freedom from all evil) may be willing to bid pretty fair for Christ, and lay down much for him, and yet not truly love Christ for Christ's own sake; he desires but to serve himself of Christ, and not that Christ should be served by him. Self-love will persuade men to prize Christ highly for Justification, to get happiness by Christ, but only saving grace teaches a soul to stt up Christ also above all for Saictification, to get holiness, whereby he may serve Christ that hath saved him.  
The more clearly to prove this truth, and to help your memories to carry the proof thereof away with you, we will take it asunder into two parts, and show you,  
1. Why saving grace teacheth a poor soul to prise the Lord Jesus above all things.  
2. Why saving grace makes the heart to esteem Christ above not only in Justification, but also in Sanctification.  

For the first there are three Reasons.  
Reas. 1 The first ariseth from the Operations of the holy Spirit, which worketh saving grace in the heart of any man; the Operations of the Spirit in this way is twofold, whence the Spirit hath in Scripture a double Epithet, and is called a Spirit of Bondage, and a Spirit of Adoption; these names of Bondage and Adoption, imply not a double Spirit, but a double and several Act of the same holy Spirit, which is wrought in every soul, when it is savingly wrought upon, Rom. 8.15. for then  
1. The holy Spirit doth discover to the soul its forlorn condition, in regard of sin, and the punishment therefore; it makes him sensible of the spiritual bondage under sinew and satan; it makes him see and feel how he lies bound and fettered hand and foot with the Cart-ropes of his iniquities; and withal the Spirit set before them the terrible countenance of an angry God, and so fills the soul with stinging and deep piercing fears, that the just Judge of Heaven and Earth will plague it according to its deserts, both in the world and that to come; thus were Peter's Auditors pricked to the heart, and as men affrighted with the strange and fearful sight of their sin and God's wrath, they cried out, Men and brethren what shall we do? Acts 2.37. which outcry of such souls is the greater, because this Spirit shows them withal, the helplessness that is in themselves and the creature to remedy their present misery; it makes them know the vanity and insufficiency of all that is in them, or can come from them to work their deliverance: It blasteth all their hopes from their own righteousness, which before smelled as sweet as a Rose in their Nostrils, but now savours worse to them then the noisome dunghill: In brief, the Spirit certifies them that all they have done, or whatever they can do with the help of all the Creatures, cannot give them one lift out of their sad condition; but here the good Spirit of God leaves not his children, for than they would fall into that Gulf of despair whereinto Came, Judas and such like have fallen, to their utter ruin.  
2. The holy Spirit therefore having wounded the soul so deep as he pleaseth, (for all are not broken in a like measure) he gins the cure thereof, by setting Christ before the soul, and laying open to it that fullness of supplies which is in him; that he can, yea only can help, that there is no Saviour but he, and withal lets him see that there is some hope of his having Christ, yea that God hath given him the rich and full Christ, that by believing in him he might have everlasting life, and hereupon the soul gins to long after Christ, all the affections of it run after Christ, prising and seeking Christ above all; now doth the soul cry, Oh give me Christ, and take all! like as a man ready to be drowned, would give all the world if he had it, to save his life, and to find some safe footing; so a soul that is enlightened with the eyesalve of the holy Spirit, to see its sinking condition with a glimpse of hope of getting Christ, will gladly part with all it hath for this Pearl of great price any virtue.  
Reas. 2 A second Reason why that soul that hath saving grace doth prize Christ above all, is drawn from the contrarieties that is between grace and sin; these two are no better friends than fire and water, light and darkness, hell and heaven, yea then God and the Devil, and their manner of working is as contrary and cross to each other; they walk opposite to one another, undoing (if they can) the work the other hath done: Sin works the heart when it bears the sway there, to prefer all things, yea every thing before Christ; but grace when it takes place in the heart, brings the heart to prize Christ above all things in general, much more above every thing in particular. If we well weigh the matter, the first step of our aversion from God, is an undervaluing of him; when Adam first fell off from God, did not he prefer himself and his Wife before God? doth not the Lord plainly point out the cause of his people's forsaking him, to be an overweening conceit they had in the creature above him, though that were indeed but a broken Cistern, and he a living Fountain, Jer. 2.11. & 13. Now the way of our arising must be contrary to that of our falling, and therefore the first step of our conversion to our God, is an overvaluing of him, that is, such a high esteem of him, as all things with their fullness of beauty, are not thought comparable with him in a degree, that is, even less than the least: This is the work of that saving grace, Faith, 1 Pet. 2.7. As the former was of that vice infidelity; as this carries the heart off from God so this new byasses it, and turns it round about to him again; like as a skilful Schoolmaster when a child is brought to him that hath been ill taught, is feign first to unteach him what he hath ill learned, and afterwards to set him forth: So saving grace when it comes to teach the heart (first doth dedocere, then docere) first makes him unlearned what sin hath taught him false; and hence it is that such a soul comes to prise the Lord Jesus above all things.  
Reas. 3 The third and last cause hereof proceeds from that inestimable worth of Christ, which saving grace makes the heart sensible of, by feeling those unspeakable benefits it is made partaker of by him, which are many; we will at this time but point out to you these six following.  
One (which is the first and root of all the rest) is Reconciliation with God, Col. 1.21. Reconciliation is that gift of God's Freegrace in Christ, whereby such as are strangers and enemies become acquainted with God, and so have peace, joy and delight in him, and boldness to him, Rom. 5.1, 2. and for the ground of enmity between God and them (which was sin that made the separation and alienation, Isa. 59.2. Col. 1.21.) is utterly taken away by Jesus Christ his death, whereby he satisfied for sin, Eph. 2.16. So that now the poor soul instead of terrifying frowns, and heart-breaking threats and menaces, hath cheerful smiles and cordial promises, good and comfortable words, Zach. 1.13. The Lord doth shine in love so clearly and abundantly on the soul, that it warms him to the very heart, and makes him rejoice with joy unspeakable; this benefit by Christ may seem little in the eyes of some persons, but as we that have felt the bitterness of war and dissension amongst ourselves, how welcome would a Peace and Pacification be to us? what would we give for it if it might be bought? we knew not the sweetness of Peace before, but our fullness thereof had produced in us a very loathing of that Honeycomb; so that soul which hath always lived in peace by means of the strong man, Luke 11.21. doth slight this benefit by Christ; but when that devil's peace is broken, and a poor soul is at civil war in and with itself, and with sin, satan his instruments, yea, and with God also (who seems to take part against it, and to wrestle with it too) O how sweet is this Peace and Reconciliation with God by Christ! there's no soul can conceive the sweetness of it (much less any tongue express it) but that soul which hath tasted thereof by saving grace, and for love of this (as I may so say) the soul doth prize Christ the more.  
Another benefit is Life; for Christ is the very life of such a soul Col. 3.3, 4. for by him the soul that was dead in sins and trespasses is quickened, Eph. 2.1. he hath breathed his Spirit thereinto and made it a living soul, Rom. 8.10. The man that lies rotting in his sins is altogether ignorant of the excellency of this new life by Christ; as a dead man in the grave is not sensible of the sweetness of bodily life, the living man is he that prizeth life as the best Jewel on earth, and will give skin for skin and all that he hath for life; so only that soul which is raised up from the dead to newness of life, feels and finds the excellency and sweetness thereof, and therefore he alone prizeth Christ above all in a respect hereof.  
A third benefit is that Al-healing virtue that this soul finds in Christ; he is at no time sick of any malady, but Christ applied, he finds, gives him present ease; be he never so much wearied by labouring under any spiritual or temporal burden, any terror, of spirit; a broken spirit, a sick body, a sinking estate, a prision, any tempest of tribulation come, he finds Christ a ready Haven of rest, where rides at the Anchor of Hope with such comfort, as he hath a pretty heaven on earth; what would not a man give for such (a Panacea) a Sovereign receipt (if such one could be found) as would cure all wounds, sores, sicknesses, distempers, and lamenesses in the body? The man that should have such a Medicine would think himself well provided for, he would not part with it at any rates; and the soul that finds this al-curing virtue in Christ, thinks no price sufficient for him; you cannot offer enough to him for his Christ, for indeed he will not leave his Christ on any terms.  
A fourth benesit by Christ is, the soul by having Christ hath himself, and is come to his right wits again: Adam seeking by unlawful means to get more knowledge than he had, like men that over-study themselves, cracked his brains, and lost that knowledge which he had before; and his Posterity to this day, are, yea will be to the last day, a company of dictracted persons, foolish and mad children, till Christ take them in hand, and by giving them himself, bring them again to themselves: This is evident by that in Titus 3.3. where the Apostle speaks of himself and such like, We ourselves were sometimes (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) that is, out of our minds, that is, before we had Christ we were by-witted persons; it is worth our observation, in this particular, to take notice of what is said concerning the Prodigal at his return, (which signifies the conversion of any sinner) in Luke 15.17. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, coming, or when he came into himself, he said, etc. Which plainly implies, the man was before time quite out of himself, 
Psal. 75.4.  and that he both said and did all as a mad man; and so madly do all men carry themselves before they have Christ: And this aggravates their misery, that they are not sensible of this their pitiful condition, neither will be persuaded to believe it, but like as mad men, think others more mad than themselves; so do men out of Christ think them that are in Christ to be mad, their ways, words and behaviours are so strange and uncouth to them: 
1 Pet. 4.4.  But such as are in Christ know them that are out of Christ to be mad indeed, and they know it by their own experience, for they themselves were such at that time; but now they are come to themselves by Christ's coming to them, and for this great blessing they prise Christ above all.  
But fifthly, the soul that hath saving grace, finds by Christ it hath not only received itself, but itself with advantage; for by Christ he finds an excellency put on himself and all his performances.  
1. As the touch of the Philosopher's stone is said to turn the thing touched into pure gold; so more truly, one touch-of Christ to a poor soul doth metamorphose it, making it of great worth, which was before despised, as vile, and base; now he becomes a man of some account indeed, both with God and good men: He is one of God's Jewels, Mal. 3.17. one of his chosen Generation, one of his holy Nation and peculiar people, 1 Pet. 2.9. one that is both precious and honourable in God's sight, Isa, 43.4. and therefore one of his beloved ones; briefly, the soul that was the poorest amongst Beggars, is by Christ made one of the richest Kings, Revel. 1.6.  
2. And besides this dignity to his person, Christ also dignifies all their performances of duty, making them acceptable to God, for all the filth that cleaves to their sacrifices & holy things he washeth off, by rincing them in his blood; all their prayers and other presents offered to God by them, Christ perfumes with the odours of his Merits, and so represents them as sweet Incense to his Father, Rev. 8.34. That soul which hath put on Christ, finds him a Garment not only to cover his nakedness, but also to beautify and adorn him; and this makes the soul also to prize Christ above all, as a man is more choice of his best Apparel.  
Lastly, the soul that hath saving grace finds this admirable commodity also by Christ, that he gains by all his losses; he sees all other men lose by their very gains; Paul in our Text affirms it in his own particular case, he found now that he lost by all his supposed gains, and that he now did gain by his supposed losses: Take a soul that hath Christ, and he will say with David, It was good for me that I was afflicted, 
Psal: 119 71.  I got well by it; a prison will be as gainful to such a soul as it was to Manasses, who thrived more in the prison at Babylon, 
2 Chron. 33.11, 12, 13.  then in his Palace at jerusalem; for in his adversity, he sought and found his God he lost in his prosperity; such a soul will with the three children, dance in a fiery furnace, 
Dan. 3.25.  it will do him so much good, all losses and crosses whatsoever, outward and inward, spiritual and bodily, bring him in gain and enrich him, for all things work to his good, Rom. 8.28. and this not only all his life long, but also at death, when other men lose most, than he gains most; when men out of Christ die and go hence, they do not only leave their goods (as they call them) behind them, but also all that little goodness was in them, and so go to that place where is nothing but sin and its punishment, misery; a great loss indeed they suffer, when their frail Bark of the flesh shipwrecks on the merciless Rock of death; but such as have Christ, saving grace informs them (and they believe it as God's truth) that they shall lose nothing then but what is worse than nothing, 
Heb. 12.1.  their sins and sinfulness which they would feign have parted with before, but could not, it hung so fast to the flesh; but for that little goodness which was in them, that shall be increased and perfected, yea and their goods, they shall not lose, but exchange for better; for Parents, he shall have God his heavenly Father, for brethren and sisters, Jesus Christ his eldest brother, and the blessed Saints; for friends, the holy Angels; for faiding wealth, the true riches; for momentany pleasures, the everlasting; for vain titles of honour, immortal glory; yea, for sorrow joy, for labour rest, for mortality immortality, and in one word, for his hell here, his Heaven for ever: Is not this a happy change? yet this Christ brings to the soul, & thetfore you see good reason it hath to prise him above all; and thus you have the first part of the truth made good to you: there is as much reason for   

The second part thereof; why saving grace makes the soul prize Christ above all in Justification and Sanctification.  
Reas. 1 For Justification, because saving grace doth enlighten the soul to see the perfection of the Law, which requires an exact performance according to its Rule, in every the least particular, and that for want thereof, it pronounceth a curse on it, as guilty of the breach of all, Gal. 3.10. james 2.10. And  
Secondly, the soul by saving grace being quickened with spiritual life, is sensible of its own weakness and imperfection, whereby it is disenabled to answer the law to its perfect commands, ever in its best performances; he finds he cannot do what he would, much less what he should; and yet doth much what he both would not and should not: Hence it is, that in matter of Justification, to obtain pardon he renounceth all his own righteousness as dung and filthy rags, and would not be found in the same, but in Christ Jesus the righteous, whose righteousness which is by faith ours, to ourselves, he sees must (as it only can) free him from guilt of sin before God's Justice, and therefore he prizeth Christ so much above all herein: But this particular hath been so clearly manifested of late by others, as I shall not need further to insist thereon; come we therefore to the Reasons, why saving Grace makes the heart prize Christ above all in sanctification. They are seven:  
The first is, because saving grace discovers to the soul not only the guilt of sin, but also the filth of sin; and as justification takes away the guilt, so sanctification doth away the filth of sin. And as for the taking away of the guilt, the soul denies itself and its own right; so for the doing away of the filth the soul abhors itself in dust and ashes, as Job 42.6. So that saving grace works not only self-denial, but also a self-loathing, as in Paul, Rom. 7.24. he is even sick of himself; the filthiness of sin that cleaves to him, makes him out of love with himself, and not to endure himself with patience, and to sweeten him both to God and himself he prizeth Christ above all; he finds now his own garments so spotted with the flesh, as he would fain change them, and none in his account like to Christ's white robes of holiness and righteousness; when a soul is sick of sin (as all souls are when endued with saving grace) a bare pardon will not serve their turn, that alone doth not cure them; the Lord must heal their transgressions also; now this is by sanctification, as the former is by justification.  
Another reason is, because saving grace works the heart to a desire and longing after the image of God, that it may become like God, as our Saviour often calls us to be. Such a soul knows by Adam's example, that it shall not get into a state of innocency, till it obtain the image of God stamped on it: Now this image of God consisted in holiness and righteousness, Ephes. 4.24. and both these are by the new man Christ Jesus, in whom we are created to the good works of them, Eph. 2.10. for he is the image of the Father, Col. 1.15. and therefore that the soul may be holy as his heavenly Father, 1 Pet. 1.16. and righteous as he is righteous, Mat. 5. last. he prizeth Christ above all, as being the treasury of all grace, from whom he must receive grace for grace, John 1.16.  
A third Reason is, from the discovery of heaven to the soul that hath saving grace: for hereby, as through a perspective Glass, he can look into heaven, and there he finds nothing but happiness and holiness, as in hell there is nothing but sin and misery. As no good can go to hell, so he sees no bad, no sinful and unclean thing can get entrance into heaven, Revel. 21.27. saving grace tells him (and he believes it) that without holiness he shall not see God's face in heaven, Heb. 12.14. and therefore he follows it with such earnestness of desire and endeavour, and prizeth Christ, in whom all holiness is stored up for us, above all things whatsoever.  
Fourthly, saving grace taketh a man's heart off from his own ends in all things, and teacheth him to seek Christ, not so much for selfe-ends, as Christ's ends. When the Lord doth convert a soul to him, and works saving grace in his heart; as he gives him a new principle to work by, so he gives him new ends to work for. Before conversion Self is all in all to a man; Self sets him at work, and he works altogether by self principles and to self ends; God is not in all his thoughts, Psa. 10.4. for indeed self is his God. But when God comes to take his place again in the heart, and to be God to a soul, than he becomes the utmost end of that soul also; so that as he will do nothing but by him, commanding and strengthening, so he does all to him and for him; the soul is now lifted up above itself, it soars aloft at greater matters than belong to self: Selfematters are but as flies in his Eagle eye; he stoops not to them, but as the ponderous flesh makes him; his alme is altogether at the glory of God, magnifying Christ, forwarding the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus, building up his Church, and repairing the breaches thereof, etc. Like as good and true Statesmen look not so much at their own profits as the common good, so the true Christian aims at the public good of Christ, the advancing of his Kingdom here, more than at their own advancement by him: He doth not desire Christ so much to be saved by him, as that Christ may be served by him. The soul that prizeth Christ above all only for justification, seeks him for self ends, that is, for happiness and salvation by him; and thus a soul doth before he hath saving grace: But to desire him above all for sanctification, is to prize and desire Christ for Christ's own ends, that we may be made holy by him, and so become zealous of good works, Titus 2.14. and that we may serve him all the days of our life in holiness and righteousness, Luke 1.7 4, 75. And thus to desire Christ for Christ, saving grace teacheth the soul, and to do all for him; because such a soul makes Christ its Master, and self must be his servant, so that self must now wait till his Master is served: Self may attend at the door of the heart, but Christ as Master bears all the sway there, and as he will, so the heart saith he shall be served whosoever goes unserved; and as for self, such a soul as is principled with saving grace, looks at self as best served when his Master is most served: There is a sweet and holy emulation betweet such a soul and Christ; that as Christ takes all that is done to that soul as done to himself so that soul takes all done to Christ as done to himself; and therefore is of opinion that he serves himself best when he serves Christ most: Yea, he leaves self to Christ's disposal and good will, knowing that he is a good, loving and free master indeed, that will suffer his servant to want no good thing, Psal. 84.11.  
Fifthly, saving grace frames the heart to a conjugal affection of Christ, to such a love of him as is between husband and wife, so that the soul loves the person of Christ as well as his portion, yea and desires him more for his persons sake, then for his portions sake; all the note of such a soul is that with the Spouse in Cant. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his; this heart is enamoured with Christ, because of that exceeding beauty, of holiness in him; he is to her the fairest of ten thousand: This soul loves not Christ so much for that which comes by him, as for that she sees in him; when God married us (as he saith he hath married us, Jer. 3.14.) his free grace had respect only to our persons, and not for any portion of ours, whereby he might be enriched and benefited: Hence we find a love of mankind (for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies) ascribed to him, Titus 3.4. 
Job 14.15.  which Job's words do well interpret to us, saying, Thou (O Lord) hast a desire to the work of thine hands: Wherein is hinted the reason of God's affection to us, not any worth in us, but his right to us; it is his free grace which makes him own that his right, and the same free grace in the heart of a man reflects on God the same work; that soul affects more Christ's person then any or all the things that come by him: It is but a kind of whorish spirit to love him only for what he hath, and to get by him; that Spouse that loves her Husband's person as she ought, will love him when he is poor as well as rich, when sick as well, will cleave to him in his necessity, content to live in prison with him, to go a begging and be banished with him: so where saving grace is, the heart loves Christ's person so impotently, as she will cleave to him in all his necessities; when naked and poor, she will love him as well as when rich and bravely attired with outward pomp; if he go to prison she will go too, rather than part with her best beloved she will go a begging with him, into banishment with him, into the midst of fire any faggot, yea into hell too rather than leave him; for she knows hell would be no hell to her if he be with her, and that a heaven would be a hell if he be not in it, or she find him not therein.  
A sixth Reason why such a heart as hath saving grace doth prize Christ above all in matter of Sanctification, is, because it knows and feels as great a want of God's free grace therein as in matter of Justification: For we are as unable to sanctify ourselves as to justify ourselves; yea we can do more to procure sanctification to ourselves then to obtain justification; wherefore as we find the good work of sanctification in us ascribed to the Lord, both for the beginning and perfecting of it in Phil. 1.6. so we find it attributed to his good pleasure, that is, his free grace, Phil. 2.13. and indeed if we do seriously weigh things, Gods free grace seems to abound more in the sanctification of a soul, then in his justification of it; for by justification he doth only acquit it of the guilt of sin committed, but by sanctification he doth not only purge it from the filth of sin committed, (which equallizeth the guilt) but also strengthens the soul against sin not committed; Sanctification d●th not only heal sin in us, but preserves us from the infection thereof, and it is a greater mercy to be preserved from a misery, then to be delivered out of it; wherefore such as pin Gods free grace only to our justification, seem to me, without warrant from the Word, too much to straight-lace the full Breasts of Gods free grace, from whence a poor soul may such as much comfort for its sanctification as for its justification, and that in regard of his daily failings, which show him his wants thereof, and drive him to the Throne of Grace for a continual supply; now Christ is the Storehouse of God's free grace, what measure soever we have of it, it is conveyed to us in and through him, not only that free grace of Justification, but also our Sanctification; he is made both to us one as well as the other, 1 Cor. 1.30. and as he willingly laid down his life for to justify us, so he did as willingly sanctify himself that we might be sanctified by him in truth, John 17.19. which doth plainly intimate that a soul can no more be sanctified without Christ, than it can be justified without him; and this the soul that hath saving grace, doth know very well, and therefore prizeth Christ above all in sanctification as well as in justification.  
Lastly, saving grace puts the soul wherein it is, upon getting an assurance of its Justification; such a soul will not believe every report of the deceitful heart, but will examine the truth of it: Before saving grace comes, all that the heart saith, is taken to be as true as the Gospel, and thence it is that men before conversion dream of Heaven and happiness; and hell, they are quite out of any fear of it: it is otherwise after conversion, and therefore the converted soul will still be searching its evidence for Heaven, and his chiefest work is to make: that sure to him: This is easily collected from the Apostles Exhortations hereto, Work out your salvation (saith he) that is, 
Phil. 2.12. 2 Pet. 1.10.  the assurance of it to yourselves; and give all diligence think no pains too much to make your calling and election sure; not in themselves for that they are already, but sure to you, which as yet they are not, or at least not so fully as they may and aught to be; But no assurance can we have of our Justification but by our Sanctification; truly they that persuade men to go first to Justificrtion to get assurance of God's free grace to them, do set them to unwind that fathomelesse bottom at the wrong end, and so makes the poor souls to coster matters together as they cannot clear their assurance to themselves: You know that when you would unwind a bottom of thread, you must begin at the last end that is outmost, next to you, and visible to your sight; and by following that, you shall come to the first end, which at the first lay hid from your eyes, & you could not come at; thus must you deal with a bottom of God's free grace, in working out the assurance of your salvation to your own souls; and to make it more perspicuous to your understandings, I shall briefly unfold the whole mystery thereof: Free grace in the work of salvation runs in three channels, the several effects thereof (which are many) are reduceable to these three heads. First, The separation of God's people from the wicked. Secondly, the freeing of them from sin. And thirdly, the infeofeing them to the inheritance: each of these are carried about with many successive acts of free grace, but the first & the last are in each particular most remarkable: In the separation of them from the wicked, the first link of the chain is Election, the last is Vocation; in the freeing of them from sin: The first is Justification, the last is Sanctification; and concerning the Inheritance, the first is Adoption, and the last is Glorification: Now of these six, three are in God, and three in us; the first three are in God from all eternity, the last three are wrought in us, in time after we have a being, and it is worth your diligence to observe how the first and last three do sweetly answer to each other; for as by election we are separated in God's purpose from the wretched Mass of the Reprobates, so by effectual vocation we are separated actually from the profane Mass of the sinful world: And as by Justification we are freed from the guilt and condemnation of sin, so by Sanctification from the fact and pollution of it; and as by Adoption we are made heirs and sons, so by Glorification (begun here and perfected hereafter) we are put into actual possession of our glorious Inheritance: Thus have you a Breviate of that great work of our salvation, and by it you may easily perceive where you must begin in the work of assuring any of the three general heads; as would you assure yourself of the first general, whose first and last ends were Election and Vocation; would you begin at Election? No, that end which is first to God-ward must be last to us, as that which is first to us is last to God in working; where God ends there we must begin, and that is in this particular at our Vocation; and this the Apostle plainly intimates in saying, Make your calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. Why puts he calling before election? why did he not say election and calling, since election is fare long before calling? The reason is, because though election is first in being, yet it is last in existing and appearing to be to us: Our Vocation appears first to us, though in order of being it is indeed last; and therefore in seeking out our election, the Apostle implies we should begin at our Vocation, and so from what we best know to proceed to that we least know: So for the second General, the freedom from sin, whose first and last links are Justification and Sanctification; shall we begin at Justification? No, that end is the first end which is hid in God from our eyes, till we have unreaved the bottom; we must begin at that end which is next us, which is outmost and visible to us, and that is Sanctification; God's free grace to us is assured only by his free grace in us: We cannot be assured of the freedom from the guilt of sin, till we be find a freedom from the fact, filthiness and power of sin; and the reason is, because whom he justifies he sanctifies, and both by one and the same means, not at one and the same time; for he justifies us to God from all eternity, and therefore is called the Lamb that was slain from (that is, 
Revel. 13.8.  before) the beginning of the World; but we are sanctified by him in time after we have a being; but the means which he employs in both our Justification and Sanctification are the same; for as we justified by his Active and Passive Obedience, by his death and sufferings, by his resurrection, etc. so we are sanctified by them; for the virtue of them (as Paul in our Text calls it) doth work in us, to the kill of sin in us, and quickening of us to new Obedience: 
As Christ died for our Justification, so for our Sanctification. Titus 2.14. Luke 1.75.  as they take away the guilt of sin, so they free us from the filth and dominion of sin; so that you must know this for a truth, that you cannot be assured of Christ's living to you in your Justification, until you can find him living in you by Sanctification: Our Apostle knew so much, and therefore when he would have the Corinthians to get assurance of their salvation by Christ, he sends them home into themselves, saying, prove yourselves, 
2 Cor. 13.5.  examine yourselves whether you be in the Faith, that is, in the estate of the faithful, which we call Salvatione And how shall they know this? He tells them by adding, for know you not that except Christ be in you, you are Reprobates, that is, such as are excluded from that happiness: Now by Christ being in us is meant our Sanctification, as (to speak strictly) our being in Christ looks at, and chief implies our Justification; though indeed this phrase in Christ is used sometimes in a large sense for both, but to draw this particular to a close, the Apostle sends the Corinthians to their sanctification for a proof justification; and till they can find Christ in them by his sanctifying them, they cannot conclude any thing but that for all they know as yet they are Reprobates; and hence it is that a good soul earnestly lahouring for assurance (which is the very soul and life of a Christians comfort here) doth so highly prise Christ for sanctification; and thus you have the truth confirmed in both parts: come we now to Application.    

Use. The Use that at this time I shall desire you with me to make of that truth we have heard, is to go to a trial of ourselves, whether we have saving grace or no: Truly (my Beloved) self-examination is a duty of great consequence, and necessary to the well-being, yea to the very being of a Christian indeed; it is the very key of the work of assurance: Hence the Apostle when he sets them about the work of assurance, first directs them to take examination of themselves in hand. Let us not then trust to the reports of our deceitful hearts who will be ready enough to soothe us up with a vain and fruitless hrpe of God's free grace in Christ: Alas, how many are gone to hell with this hope that Christ died for them! their self hearts told them they should be saved, and they believing them sat down in security and sought no further till it was too late, so late as Heaven gate was shut against them, as the foolish Virgins, Mat. 25.10, 11. But this is a truth, that if we be in the state of salvation (and so may assure ourselves we shall be saved for ever) then there is saving grace in us; and if we have saving grace in us, we prise Christ above all things both for Justification and Sanctification: so than the point whereof we are to examine ourselves, is our prising of Christ above all in the particulars before mentioned; and for the clearer discovery of the truth therein, we will draw up the rules of our examination into two ranks, answerable to the proof of the position delivered: As  
First, whether we prise Christ above all.  
Secondly, whether we prise Christ above all both in Justification and Sanctification. First  

Whether we prise Christ above all: If saving grace be in us, so will we esteem of Christ as more worth than all; we have not time to instance in every particular saving grace; we shall therefore at this time but mention one, which is accounted as a Mother grace, and that is faith. Have we but that saving grace, Christ will be a Pearl of great price in our eye; and you have a clear proof thereof by the Testimony of Peter, who saith, To you that believe he (Christ) is precious, but to them that believe not he is a stone of offence, 1 Pet. 2.7. Now to believe, is to receive Christ, John 1.12. and by the rule of contraries, not to believe is not to receive Cstrist; wherefore the Apostles words hold forth to us, that Christ is precious only to such as have received him; and to such as have not received him he is but as a pebble stone, nay which is worse, a rock of offence, whereon they strike in despite, and make an utter shipwreck of their souls: So then, if we prise Christ, we have received him; now the Question will be, whether we have received Christ or no; to determine this case, we will only consider the manner of our receiving him; for that is so remarkable as it will resolve this doubt if we can find it to have been in us.  
If you ask, what is the true manner of receiving Christ? I answer, that the soul which receives Christ truly and savingly, takes him with a holy kind of greediness; we receive him with so much earnestness of affection, as they which took Heaven by violence, Mat. 11.12. as if we took Christ by force out of the arms of his Father even when he freely holds him out to us; a kind of behaviour displeasing to men, but herein most acceptable to God: We are like hunger-starven men, whose hot appetite doth make them so earnest after victuals, as when offered by a charitable hand, they do take them with such earnestness, as they seem rather violently to snatch then civilly to receive them; such a disposition God loves to see in us, and therefore hath called such persons blessed, and prommised them a full satisfaction, Matth. 5.6. Yea, he knows that till we be such, we will not truly receive him, and therefore he calls only such to take him, Isa. 55.1. But lest you should wonder at this, I will briefly show you how it comes to pass: The Lord pours the healing Oil of saving grace into none but broken Vessels, he brings down such as he intends to exalt, and before he bestows his Christ on any soul, he will make that soul know and feel his want of Christ: And why? because the sight of his want of Christ will make him prize Christ, seek Christ, and to praise his free grace for Christ given to him. Now to make a soul see his want of Christ, he sets all his sins in order before him, 
Psal. 50.21.  reckons with him to the utmost farthing, and so shows him how much he is indebted to his justice, which calls for execution on him, to bind him here with great manacles and fetters of temporal and spiritual plagues and judgements, and so to lead him to the infernal prison of hell. He makes him see that he is not able to answer one of a thousand, 
Job 9.3.  much less to clear his scores with him; and therefore he must get him a Surety to discharge the debt for him, or else he must be committed to the Gaoler; and he finds no creature worth any thing near the matter to be able to pay off for him the least farthing of his debt; so that the poor soul is followed with fears and terrors, as it is even ready to give up all hope; but then the Lord reveals Christ to the soul and his fullness of riches, whereby he is able to discharge all his debts, and make him not only a free man, but also a rich man; that Christ hath sufficient to set him out of debt and to set him up again, yea & to keep him from being a bankrupt with his God again; and withal the Lord seems to whisper in the ear of the soul, that this rich Christ may be his; he doth not say aloud and openly at the first, I will give thee my Christ for thy Surety, though he be fully and really minded so to do; but Christ is offered more hiddenly at the first, by way of an overture (as we say) and this glimpse of Christ sets the heart on longing for him, and his desire of Christ makes him labour for Christ, and the more he seeks him, the more he sees him and the abundancy in him, which still sharpens his affection and quickens his endeavours: The more he feels Christ coming, the more he hales and pulls at Christ; feign would he now have his fill of this full Christ, and when once he lays hold on him by faith, with what greediness sucks he him in? when a man that is so thirsty, as that he thinks his heart will cone for dright, and he shall be choked, doth take the bottle, which what greediness doth he swallow down, as if he could never have enough? So doth the soul take down Christ that hunger and thirsts after him; it seems insatiable of Christ, and that he can never have enough of Christ; and therefore he lays aside all to get Christ. For the purpose consider the carriage of the Samaritane woman in Joh● 4. Christ who went about doing good, with his continual travail had wearied his weak flesh (which was subject to the same infirmities that ours is excepting sin) and therefore he sat down on the Well an● was thirsty, yet he was not so weary but he would be doing good, as opportunity was offered; and therefore when the woman came (to whom he meant to give himself) to awaken her and let her see her sins, he examines her, yea, and tells her of her Adulteries, and of living waters which he had to give, yea, he reveals himself to her, and then she presently left her water-pots: So when any soul receives Christ, all the affections thereof seem to run altogether as in one full stream to him; Water-pots, outward and worldly employments must stand by a while; the soul hath no leisure as yet to mind them: As if all things than were to the soul (as indeed they are) nothing in comparison of Christ; profit, pleasure, credit, and such like worldly friends must stand aside now, the soul hath do leisure to talk with them for giving Christ entertainment: nothing will go down with this soul but Christ; he takes up all his thoughts and affections, he cannot but think of his Christ, all the talk he loves, is of and with his Christ. In Deut. 24.5. the new married man was freed to stay at home the first year from going forth to war, or bearing any public office, that he might rejoice himself with his wife, knowing that all the Jewish ceremonies were types; I have often considered what this ceremony might signify, and truly I can find nothing that answers thereto more fitly than the freedom a poor soul new married to Christ must and will have from all worldly employments for to enjoy her Christ, and to solace herself with him; and if the indigent flesh necessitate her to earthly affairs, she goes about them as one deep in love, scarce minding the work he is about, his heart is elsewhere, and he cannot follow his work, he must go see his Beloved: And in her absence will sit down and think on her, if friends come, he will talk of her to them; was it not just so with Paul? there was no sooner the match made between Christ and him, but he was wholly taken up with Christ, he minded nothing but Christ, breathed nothing but Christ, all his discourse was of Christ; How full of Christ are all his Epistles? How much was he delighted even with the very name of Christ Jesus, that in so few leaves he repeats it many hundred times? It was sugar in his mouth, and he loved the sweet relish it had: Nothing so sweet to him as Christ; nay, in comparison of him, all things else were more bitter than wormwood to him; his very best and most gainful commodities (which were so precious once to him) are now but loss and dung too; Christ is the only sweet and profitable: Thus also Marry Magdalen when she knew Christ as her Christ, with what aflection received she him? she loved him exceeding much; she thought nothing too much for him, he shall have her box of precious Ointment; she washes his feet with her tears which she wept for joy of him. The soul that hath Christ is even overjoyed (as I may say) when but come to touch his very feet; so strong is her desires of him: So when the Merchant had found the Pearl of great price, the strength of his affection thereto took him off from all other things, and carried him with an earnestness thereto: So than the soul that prizeth Christ, hath received him with such greediness, as to think he can never have enough of him, and therefore he can neither take too much pains, nor be at too much cost for Christ; such a soul will run through thick and thin for Christ, and leap over all hindrances to get more of him: and this is the first sign of our prising of Christ.  
The second mark shall be the temper of our souls when we have lost the sight and sense of Christ, after we have received him; for so it comes to pass very often, that the soul seems to have lost his Christ; and, to say truth, Christ hath just cause many times to hid himself from a soul; as when the soul gins to set lose from him, which the soul is apt to do after the heat of its first love is over; like as hungry and thirsty men set light by victuals when their hunger and thirst is killed and they filled; in such a case, Christ doth like a tender Parent that finds his child regardless of him, leaving him to run after this and that flower in the field, will hid himself and put his child in a fear that he hath left him to himself, and he must shift for himself, which he cannot do: So dealt the Lord with David in Psal. 30.6, 7. The Sun of God's favour was risen to a great height, and shined so hot on him, as it warmed him to his very heart, so that he grew frolic again, and dreamt that this his merry world would last ever: He thought this Heaven would be always clear to him without clouds; but his Sun set even at noonday to him: His frolicknesse was but against a storm which was at hand, for in the next words he adds, But thou didst bids thy face: Again, we do often make great clouds which do eclipse the Sun of righteousness to us, that we neither see him, nor feel any heat and warmth from him: These clouds are our iniquities, which make a separation between him and us, Isa. 59.2. Now in this case when Christ hath given us the slip, and on the sudden hath conveyed himself from us, let us consider how our souls behave themselves, and by their behaviour now, we may know whether they prise Christ as they ought: David tells you he was troubled; think not (Beloved) that he was troubled but a little, for he was fore troubled, as the word is translated in 1 Sam. 28.21. It is a terrible trouble, as the Word indeed fully signifies; for than it is with the soul, as it is with a man that hath lost a Jewel wherein all his wealth consisted; O how is the poor man troubled! how doth terror and fear seize on him, that he quivers and shakes again? how doth he hunt up and down and seek every corner for it? he turns all upside down, and cannot be quiet till he hath it, for he knows he is utterly undone if he find it not again: so the soul that hath lost her Christ, her Pearl, is exceedingly troubled, and doth not rest contented with any thing till she hath found him again, she must have Christ or else she is undone for ever: See this cleared by the example of the Spouse in Cant. 5.4, 5. you may see her rejoicing in Christ; O how sweet is he to her! but in the sixth Verse you find her at a loss; Her well-beloved hath withdrawn himself and is gone from her; and mark (I pray you) how heavily she takes it; Her heart went with him, she faints, she laments, she seeks him, she calls him, she inquires after him, she goes to the Watchmen, the Ministers of the Gospel, and to her Sisters, common Christians, to ask after him, she cries him in the streets, Did you see my beloved O when you see him tell him I am sick of love; so strong was her love to him, that she was sick for him, and she never left seeking him till she found him, in chap. 6. ver. 7. where she embraceth him again. Thus it is with every poor soul that hath once had Christ, and Union and Communion with him, when he doth hid himself therefrom; all the rattles and tinkling comforts of this world will not quiet him; he must have his Christ, or else he cries, Undone, Undone: As Rachel said, give me children or else I die; so he cries, O if you love me give me Christ, Christ, or else I die, I die eternally: If he meet not Christ in prayer, at a Sermon, at a Sacrament, in an Ordinance, how doth he hunt after his Christ? He seeks not for Christ's, but for Christ himself, and therefore he could be content to go a begging for Christ, if Christ were in the fiery furnace, yea in hell, this soul that hath once had him, will be content to go thither for him; so much is he troubled for Christ, as he thinks himself in hell already without him: Let us now (Beloved) look home, and see whether we have at any time been thus troubled for our Christ; alas, have we not been much more troubled and terrified with the loss of a kind Husband, a loving Wife, a good child, a near and dear friend, then for the loss of Christ? Have we not been more troubled at outward crosses, when the world hath frowned on us, then when our Christ hath turned away his face from us? Have we not been more inquisitive after our Gold and Silver, and took more pains to regain the same, then ever we did for a lost Christ? Thus if it have been with us, than Christ is not precious in our eyes; for to such a soul as prizeth Christ truly, the loss of Christ is more to him, than the loss of all Husbands, wives, children, friends, gold, silver, and what else is in the world of any worth and value in the eyes of men; and so you have a second mark to try yourselves by.  
A third Token of our prising Christ above all, is taken from the affection of such a soul to Christ, after she hath lost him and sought him, but he will not be found; for this you must know (Beloved) that when Christ is gone, he will stay his own time; like as the Father which hath hid himself from his child, will stay so long as he sees good, though his child cry never so loud, and call Father father never so often; so Christ when he hath withdrawn himself, will stay so long as he pleaseth, though the poor soul cry for him and to him never so much: Now in this sad condition when Christ seems not to love the poor soul in any the lest measure, when he will not accept of any of her love tokens, but flings back prayers and performances, and will none of them; that soul which prizeth Christ above all, loves Christ still for all this; though Christ seem to forsake her, yet she will not forsake Christ; she will not let her hold go of him; she will own Christ, though Christ will not own her; she will tell Christ, I will love thee Christ, though thou wilt not love me; I see worth in thee that thou shouldest be beloved, though thou seest no worth in me; thou art the fairest of ten thousand, the most beautiful that ever I laid mine eye on, I cannot but love thee, though I am so black and deformed in thy sight, as thou wilt not love me; thou art a good Husband, and blessed is that soul that getteth thee for her Husband: Ah my Christ, make me but as one of thy hired servants, if thou wilt not make me thy Spouse, or one of thy children: Such a soul will say to Christ, tell me my Christ why thou hast thus withdrawn thyself from me, let me know mine offence which I have committed against thee, and made thee thus to leave me; and if thou wilt have me I will go to Hell to avenge myself on myself on myself for it: I take it as a great favour that thou sufferest me to board with thy children, though thou wilt not own me as one of thine; it glads my heart to see the feast of fat things, the banquet of thy Ordinances which thou providest for thy people, though I taste not the sweetness of them, I will not rail on thee in Hell, for thou art a good Christ, and I shall thank none but my foolish self for my loss of thee; thus will the soul that prizeth Christ above all hold fast by Christ still, and clasp him in her affections, though he seem to neglect her altogether; this you may see evidently in David in such a condition; mark his words in Psal. 22.1, 2. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, and art so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not, and in the night season I am not silent: wherein you have David to his own sense in a lost condition, because he had lost his God: and three things are observable in his words: First, the great anguish and grief of his heart, which appears by the loudness of his complaint, and the continuance thereof; He roars, he cries day and night for his God. Secondly, and yet God seems to him to stop both his ears, he will not hear him, he makes him no answer, but lets him go on roaring and crying for and after him: And for all this in the third place mark how the good soul cleaves fast to God; he will have God to be his God still, though God seems to reject him out of the number of his people; and this is apparent by his calling God his God, saying, My God, and that not once, but again and again, my God. Truly they are the words of a saving faith that prizeth the Lord above all, and therefore will by no tentation be beaten off from him; but where this high esteem of him is not, there you shall find the quite contrary; as between two men that have no great estimation of each other, if one slight the other, he shall be slighted as much again; so when the soul prizeth not Christ, if he cast it off, that is, bring it into judgement, crosses and losses, that soul will cast off Christ and his service: All frowns drive this soul off from Christ; for this soul loves Christ's more than Christ himself, and when Christ will let her have no more of his Love-tokens he shall have no more of her love; then as they said of David, who is the son of Jesse? so they of Christ, who is this Jesus? is he not the Carpenter's son? and with that wicked King, This evil cometh of the Lord, why should I wait for the Lord any longer? 2 Kin. 6.33. This springs from that bitter root of undervaluing the Lord and overvaluing ourselves; but where there is a true esteem of God, there is this waiting and seeking spirit, as in Micah 7.7. the Church of God saith, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God (mark that) will hear me: Beloved, let us ask ourselves this question, in these dark times wherein our Sun seems to be setting, for the wild beasts of all sorts, that prey on God's servants and his truth, come apace out of their Dens, and we have fasted and prayed many times, many and great cries have we made to our God for his return, and yet he answers not; how is it now with our hearts? how stand they affected towards God? doth his absence cool our affection to him? doth his delay of answer dishearten us from calling to him? do we set lose from him, because we see him setting lose from us? then we never loved nor prized him as we ought: But if his going from us make us run after him, if the sense of his loss quicken our love to him, and the less he seems to hear the louder we cry, and never give over night nor day, than we do prize him above all; and so you have the third rule of trial.  
A fourth may be this; the soul that prizeth Christ sets him uppermost, as in his thoughts so in his actions, he is the top-end of them all: He doth all for Christ; as all Rivers run unto the Ocean from whence they first came, so all the actions of a Christ-prizing soul run wholly to Christ as they came from him; all this soul's note is, Christ must be obeyed, Christ must be pleased, Christ must be honoured; Jewels, Plate, and such like precious things are set in some eminent & pespicuous place, that they may be seen; so he that prizeth Christ, holds him forth in his words and deeds to be seen of all men; in a word, this soul takes Christ for his Master, so that Christ is first and last to him; first, as his Commander, and last as his End; he doth all by his word and to his glory; for indeed he knows Christ is the best Master; there is never such another: He is the wisest, most able to direct; the strongest, most able to protect, and the freest of all to his servants; if they ask any thing of him, which is for their good, he denies them not; he gives the best wages and the fairest livery too, for it is even the same cloth that himself wears of, so that God his Father sees but little difference betwixt Master and Servant.  
Obect. But happily some poor soul will say, alas, wooe's me, I thought I had prized Christ aright, but now I see I do not, for I find other things mixed with Christ, Christ is not my only mover.  
Answ. A weak soul will stumble, and may fall at a little stone in its way, such as this is, and therefore I must take it up and remove it; and so to do, I must entreat the poor soul that hath stumbled at this sign, to consider what is the first Wheel that moves in his actions; let him find out the (primum mobile) first mover, for he it is that gives the denomination to this act, though many other things fall in with it by the way: If love of Christ be the first Wheel that moves, then though other wheels may move together with him, yet he is thy Master, thy head and Jewel; like as a jurney to London is so called, because a desire to see that famous City, and an intent to go thereunto, moved first to the setting forth thereon, though by the way a man do many other businesses; so our actions may be truly said to be for Christ, if our love of, and obedience to him first moved us thereunto, though by the way we see and meet with many conveniences to ourselves. My Beloved, the doing of duty is compared to sowing of Corn, Eccl. 11.6. and Jer. 4.4. Gal. 6.8. The sower soweth the purest seed he can, to have pure Corn again, and yet the purest will have husks if not other soil; so when a soul doth duty, he would do it as purely, as cleanly as he can, and yet thou findest some husks cleaving thereto, a husk of pride, ostentation, selfseeking, etc. In this case you must sift your heart over, till you find out the first mover, thy first intent and purpose in the same, and if Christ were that, then is he thy Master; but if he were not first, but the second, than he is none of thy Master: Divide the ends of thy action, and then see if thou wouldst have done it, if there had been none but Cstrist as thy end; many men in these days have done much in show for Christ and his Cause; but that they may not delude their own souls, let them examine what was that which first set them on work, whether it were Christ, or any by-self-ends, as profit, crenit, etc. let them consider whether they could go an end with the good work they have begun, if that profit, credit, etc. fail therefrom: Beloved, this will tell us the truth concerning our actions which we say are for Christ; to whom bring we forth? if to Christ, than he is our Master; but if to ourselves, all we do is void of goodness and worth in his account, Hos. 10.1.  
Fiftly, he that prizeth Christ above all, can and will part with all for him; this may seem a riddle to a carnal heart, but the believing soul can both read it and do it: That in Mat. 13.45, 46. makes it clear: Every may that comes into the world is a Merchant for something or other; some trade for profit, some for credit, others for pleasure; and truly these three take up the imploymenss of all men before conversion, because they know of no better commodities; but when a man is converted, his eyes are enlightened to see the vanity and emptiness of them, and the excellency of Christ, and thereupon he leaves off his old trade, and now trafiques only for Christ, and for him he parts with all that cannot stand with him, or his having of him; his affections are taken off from all things here below, and set on things above; Christ is all in all in his eye; and therefore if Christ will have his Husband, Wife, Isaac, he shall; if Christ will have his Goods, his Liberty, yea, and life too, he shall, and he will thank Christ also for accepting of them; he will rejoice (with the Apostles in Acts 5.41.) that he was accounted worthy to suffer for his Christ; so did the believing Hebrews take the spoiling of their goods (for Christ) joyfully, Heb. 10.34. These are spoiling times, wherein happily some of you here have suffered for Christ, and in the defence of his cause; how do you take the plundering of your goods by sea, or by land for Christ's sake? do you rejoice at it, or do you murmur and repine? is it a grief and a vexation to you? then thou prizest thy goods above Christ, and hast indeed no saving grace in thee.  
Sixtly, he that prizeth Christ aright, highly esteems all that doth but smell of Christ; if any thing look but toward Christ, as having the least relation to him, such a soul will make exceeding much thereof: If any of you have a noble friend that you highly reverence and esteem, you will bid welcome and give free entertainment to the meanest of his followers; so if you prise Christ as you ought, you will not shut out of doors and that belongs to him, but in it shall come, and be bid hearty welcome for his Master's sake as well, yea more than for its own; yet for its own sake too, because such a soul sees an excellency in every thing that is Christ's and hath a dependency on him; for as when a servant is bound Apprentice, his Master then discovers to him the mystery of his trade, the worth and price of every commodity he deals in; so when a soul hath given up itself to Christ, he teacheth him the mystery of godliness, his trade, and the worth of every spiritual commodity, so that such a soul knows what a Sabbath is worth, what a Sacrament is worth, what a good Sermon is worth, what a poor Saint is worth, etc.  
I. As for the Sabbath that will be a delight to such a soul as prizeth Christ, and it will be honourable in his sight because it is Christ's day, and he loves it for Christ's sakes because it is a day of Christ's appearing to his holy ones; like as you see amongst earthly Kings and Princes, they have their set festival times wherein they show themselves to their people, bestowing upon them great largesses, throwing among them plenty of gold and silver; so the King of Kings, and Lord of Lord hath his own appointed day, which is now the first of the seven, which he hath set apart therein to manifest himself to his chosen ones, and bestow his grace on them in a more abundant measure, then at other times, as is evident from Exod. 31.13. such a soul therefore as prizeth Christ, prizeth the Sabbath highly, because he shall meet Christ then according to his promise in his Ordinances: Truly Beloved, if any of you prise not the day of the Lord, you do not prise the Lord of the day, neither have you any saving grace in you.  
II. The Word of Christ is very precious to such a soul, for it is to him the lively picture of his Beloved; he is much in hearing and reading of it, because of his love to Christ, who lies wrapped up therein; that he may confer with his Christ, and behold the beauty of his Christ; when friends are parted, they love to hear of one another, and their Letters are much set by for that purpose; so the soul that accounteth Christ his best friend, loves to hear of Christ now in his absence, and therefore he reads his Love-letter to him, peruseth it often, for so Christ hath bid him to search the Scriptures, because they testify of him; and as he loves to read Christ in his Word; so to hear Christ preached out of his Word; and truly he prizeth Christ preached more than Christ read, because there is usually more in the former then in the latter, more of the life, and light, and quickening power of Christ; and what hath most of Christ, hath most of this soul's love, because he loves and prizeth Christ most of all; is there any here that slights the reading or hearing of the Word of Christ, that soul prizeth not Christ; 
Col. 3.16.  for such a soul as prizeth Christ, will delight therein, yea and to have it dwell richly in him, he looks at it, as a rich Word, because his Pearl is treasured up therein.  
III. The Sacraments are precious to him; each Sacrament is to him a rich Cabinet, because his Jewel Christ crucified is in it: A Diamond is rich in itself, but when cut most precious; and so Christ most precious to a soul that hath saving grace, because cut, and indeed cut with the sense of his Father's wrath for his sake; truly he had been of little price to us if not so cut; and therefore Paul saith, 
1 Cor. 2.2.  he was determined not to know any thing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified; mark, and him crucified, as if therein lay the excellency of Christ to a poor soul: Now his crucifying is lively represented in both Sacraments, and therefore the soul that prizeth Christ, prizeth both; he loves the Sacrament of Baptism, and to see it duly administered, because it recals to him the benefit of shedding his blood, the washing away of his sins: The Sacrament of his Supper he loves, because therein he feeds on his Christ, and finding his daily want of sustainance from him, his desire is often to be at that spiritual Feast, according to Christ's direction of often receiving it by the hand of his Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 11.26. And indeed Christ at his departure hence, left this as a special token of his love to be remembered of us thereby, Luke 22.19. which makes it the more precious to a soul that prizeth Christ above all, such therefore as neglect and undervalue any of the Sacraments, despise Christ the Author and giver of them.  
IU. Lastly, the soul that prizeth Christ above all, prizeth the poorest man or worman who is rich in Christ; and good reason, for God himself prizeth such; doth not James say, harken my beloved Brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, 
James 2.5.  rich in faith? etc. Now they that be rich in faith, are rich in Christ, for so much faith so much Christ; the Apostle James reproves in the beginning of that chapter, the preferring of rich worldlings before poor christians, which shows you that saving grace prizeth the poorest soul that hath Christ before the greatest King and Emperor, for such a soul is heir to a greater Kingdom; is a precious Stone the worse because not set in Gold? is Christ this Jewel the less worse to thee because wrapped up in a leathern Jacket, or a threadbare coat? Surely then thou judgest of Christ by the outside, and judgest falsely of him, thou neither knowest no● prizest him aright: Is there any here that prize and prefer i● their hearts and outward respects, the great rich men of this world more than a poor soul rich in Christ? that soul doth not prise Christ as he ought; is there any here that delight more in the society & company of such persons as are dressed up with gold Rings, silk Gowns, more than in Christ attired in a russet coat? that soul prizeth not Christ above all, neither hath saving grace in his heart.  
A seventh rule of trial of our prising Christ above all is this a not-envying the men of this world, their abundance of Gold and Silver, houses, lands, honours, preferments, and such like knacks for to such a soul as prizeth Christ above all, the world is crucified and dead, Gal. 6.14. And he looks at the rich men as the heirs and executors thereof; and they indeed rejoice and pride themselves much in their large Inventories, but a Christ-prizing soul pities their poor and miserable condition, which is coming on them, for when death comes, he strips them of all; if their supposed riches take not their leave of them before (which many times they do, by making themselves wings) yet they can accompany them no farther then to the holes mouth, 
Prov. 23.5.  and then how naked are they in the sight of this soul? who saith thus to himself; Fret not at their prosperity for they shall soon be cut down like the grass, 
Psal. 37.1.  and whither as the green herb; they shall leave all behind them, but thou shalt carry thy treasure, or rather thy treasure and Treasurer Christ, 
Job 1.21.  shall carry thee hence to a better place, to a place of eternal happiness, when they go down to the pit of endless misery.  
Finally, the soul that prizeth above all, will still be labouring to win others to Christ: Beloved, I pray mark the difference between a soul rich in Christ, and a man rich in this world: The rich worldling he would be rich alone, Eccles. 5.8. he would have all the world to himself alone if he could; but he that is rich in Christ, would feign have others as rich as himself; our Apostle's example makes it plain, saying to Agrippa; I would to God not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds, Acts 26.29. Mark the large extent of his desire in this kind, in two particulars: First, he did wish all men this Christ of his; and secondly, as large a measure of Christ as he had himself; every soul that prizeth Christ is still motioning of him to others; he would make a match between Christ and his Wife, and she between Christ and her Husband, and both would feign hang this their Jewel on their children to adorn them in God's fight: They labour to kindle in their friends a love of Christ, and therefore in their company they are still praising of Christ, and setting forth his excellencies; look you, say they, is not Christ a lovely Christ, the fairest of ten thousand? you never saw such a beauty as his is; he is a loving Christ that will not see thee want, he will be tender over thee in all thy sicknesses and distresses, he will comfort thee at thy heart when none else can; he is a rich Christ, get him for thy Spouse, and thou art provided for ever: Thus will such a soul as prizeth Christ be wooing others to Christ; he would not go to Heaven alone, for he knows it is not there as it is here; but there as the more the merrier, so the beteer cheer too; and that he shall not have the less, but the more, by bringing in others to be sharers with him in his Christ; Christ multiplies to such a soul as thus divides him to others; and therefore the soul that prizeth Christ, labours all he can to draw other unto Christ; and beside, he knows it is an honour to Christ to have many servants attending him, and this prevails exceedingly with the soul which doth all to the glory of Christ.  
Thus having finished the trial of the first part of the Question in hand, whether we prise Christ above all things, we come to exmine   

The second part, whether we prise Christ above all both for Justification and Sanctification.  
First for Justification, and for this take these two Rules.  
First, examine thine own heart, whether thou thinkest thy person is accepted in God's sight for thy performances, whether they prevail in thy account with God, to prise thee more than others: Thus did the proud Pharisee conceive, and therefore he was so bold as to thank God that he was not as this man, the poor Publican; but a soul that prizeth Christ-above all, looks at all those Pharisaical Robes of legal righteousness in this point but as rags, yea as filthy rags, and therefore he pulls them over his ears, and by no means would be found of God in them; only Christ's righteousness is the Robe that he would have to go in before God: He looks at the Lord Jesus as the only Garment that can please God's sight, and therefore he labours every day to put him on more and more; if therefore thou pridest thyself in, and deckest thyself up with thine own righteousness, thou prizest not Christ at all for Justification.  
Secondly, ask thine own heart what opinion it hath of thy good works, in procuring thy pardon from God's Justice: if they be thy gain, than Christ is loss to thee; if thou thinkest, with the Papist, to merit and gain Heaven, or the least part of Heaven by them, Christ is nothing worth to thee: I know the Papists say, they exclude not Christ by including their works in matter of Justification; but what they say not, that they do; for by their making of works to be sharers with Christ, they do really exclude Christ, and so themselves from Justification: If you cry up works in Justification, you cry down Christ; the Apostle Paul in our Text prising Christ above all for Justification, beats down works to the ground; for indeed therein Christ must be alone all in all, or else nothing at all; as all sound and learned Protestants have and do continually maintain against the Popish Doctrine of Merit; and therefore I shall not need to insist any further on this particular.  
The second is more necessary for us who take that for granted among us, but little think of this latter, which yet is as necessary to be known and learned as the former, as hath been proved: and whether we have learned to prize Christ above all for Sanctification, if we deal truly with our own souls, we may know by these Rules of examination.  
First, see how thine heart stands affected with the dishonour of Christ; is Christ's disgrace and loss more to thee then thine own? for what we desire most, we shall grieve most for, if we fall short thereof; never was Christ more dishonoured by his own people then in these times, both in private and public; in families, in churches and Kingdoms; feel therefore the pulse of thy soul, in these diseased times, wherein the world seems to draw nigh apace unto its end; Christ is dishonoured in thy family, this church and Kingdom, and how dost thou take it? dost thou not see his Gospel neglected, yea opposed? are not his Sacraments even by such as go for his servants, cast behind their backs, and laid aside as of no use? are not his Sabbaths profaned, his Name blasphemed, his servants abused, and many more horrid indignities put on him? and how takest thou it to heart? It may be thou wilt say, it doth much break your heart to see things so much disordered; but be advised here, that you may not be mistaken in your grief, see whether it be not more for thyself, then for Christ's sake; now thou seest the ship of the State cracked, and sinking to a shipwreck, yea and Church too, by the many rents in it (if the Lord save not both) it may well be thought that thou art deeply affected; but I pray weigh the matter throughly in your own soul; is it not because thou art a passenger therein, and thou hast a venture in this Bark that is split, and thou knowest if that sink thou canst not escape, but thou and all that is thine must be quite lost, and therefore thou settest thy hand to help save the Bark, that thou and thine may be saved therein? But if thou wert out of the ship and embarked in another Kingdom and church with all thy venture, wouldst thou be so much troubled for the loss of Christ's Vessel here? would it come so near to thy heart then, to hear of all the dishonour that Christ suffers, by broaching of Errors and Heresies, to the great impeachment of his truth, and by the great dissension between his best servants? Then it is a sign thou prizest Christ above all in Sanctification; for a soul that doth so, seeks to advance Christ's glory most of all, and that Christ may be more and more served by him and all others.  
Secondly, consider how thy heart standeth affected towards sin: If thou seek Christ above all for holiness thou wilt be at utter enmity with the greatest enemy thereto, and that is sin; every sin, even thy bosome-sin, thy darling-sin will become as odious to thee as the foulest Toad; neither wilt thou be at defiance only with outward actual sins, but also with those that are more hidden and inward; the sins of thy nature; yea, and truly these will be most offensive to thee, because they are as fountains of iniquity, and roots of bitterness in thee; thus we find David more complaining of his naughty and corrupt heart, then of his actual transgressions of murder, adultery, drunkenness and idleness; and Paul cries out of the body of death in him, Rom. 7. a soul that seeks Christ for Sanctification, would dig up sin by the roots, another man may top and lop lust in the branches thereof: try therefore yourselves by this rule.  
Thirdly, examine yourselves what entertainment the doctrine of walking exactly and precisely finds with your hearts; truly if you seek Christ above all for holiness, you will prise his strictest laws at the highest rate; if Christ's Commandments be grievous to thee, and thou wouldst cast off his laws as bonds with them in Psal. 2. thou hast no esteem of Christ at all for Sanctification. His Yoke is light and easy to such as seek Christ for holiness.  
Fourthly, he that prizeth Christ above all for Sanctification, doth not only prise his strictest commands, but also practise them; he loves to walk in the strictest way his best Beloved hath chalked out to him; bring therefore your lives and conversations and lay them to that rule in Titus 2.12. do you deny ungodliness and worldly lusts? do you live godly, righteously and soberly in this present world? is this your endeavour to give both God and man his due, and to keep yourselves from being overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life? Then thou dost seek Christ for holiness; for such a soul's desire is to walk altogether in the ways of holiness, doing of duty in a newness of life is all its delight; and why? because this is the readiest way to grow up in holiness, and to become more and more like to Christ, whom he desires above all for this very purpose, that he might be perfect in holiness.  
Lastly, take a scantling of your Humiliations, Fast and Prayers, and thereby you may judge of yourselves concerning your estimation of Christ for holiness; we have fasted and prayed often, humbled ourselves publicly and privately many times, once a month at the least, for the space of three years almost; but let us try wherefore we have been so often in humiliation, fasting and prayer, what hath been the first wheel that hath moved therein: Have we sought Christ for our Sanctification in all our fast-days? what bottom hath our sorrow stood upon? no other ground but the sense of God's wrath, a fear of that great judgement of the sword, destruction here, and damnation hereafter? truly if our humiliation hath sprung from no other cause then this we have not prized Christ above all for our Sanctification; for if holiness (whereby we might serve God better than we do) were our aim, when we fast and pray and humble ourselves, our sins and corruptions, not our afflictions, move us first thereto. Indeed judgements and corrections are instructions, they open our eyes to see our errors, and then a love of holiness brings us on our knees for our sins, to beg a pardon for them, and a cleansing of them; saving grace teacheth a soul to begin at the right end of his work; he that thinks to take judgement away before his sin, and therefore fasteth and prayeth, he gins at the wrong end of the business; he must take away the cause and then the effect will follow of itself; dig up sin by the root, and that bitter fruit of judgement which grows on its branches will whither and come to nothing; to humble, fast and pray, and do such like duties for no other end but out of a desire of peace, which we want, and to escape the plagues we have deserved, is only to prize Christ above all for Justification, whereby we are discharged and acquitted from the guilt of our offences, and consequently from the punishment due to us for the same; but to humble ourselves out of sense of our sins, the filthiness of them, their magnitude, multitude and power; and we beg Christ that he may come and reign in the midst of his and our enemies that are in us, that he would wash and cleanse us, wash our feet, hands, head and all over, that we might do his service more decently and in order, as becomes his servants, than we prise Christ for Sanctification: And truly it is to be feared, that we have not humbled, fasted and prayed in this kind, because the Lord hath not heard and answered all this while, it seems more probable we have sought the Lord only in the former way, for benefit by him, out of mere self-love, and therefore we have been despised as self-seekers; the Lord hath seen we have brought forth all unto ourselves, and therefore he hath made all return empty and vain to us: we shall never find Christ justifying us, till we desire him sanctifying us: the Lord gives his Christ not only to save a soul, but also that the soul may by Christ serve him; indeed the Lord may give peace, plenty, and such like outward things he may heap on wicked men, but there is no Christ in them, and therefore they more hurt than do good to them, yea and the Word do with them more evil than good; but to a soul that hath saving grace, and prizeth Christ above all for holiness, the Lord give him Christ in all his gifts and tokens, of what kind soever they be; whether of his left or of his right hand, and therefore they all do him good, he is the better and not the worse for them, yea and he makes a good use of them, to the glory of God and benefit of others; wherefore (to turn this sign into a motive) as we would obtain our desire, and see peace and truth settled amongst us, and as we would have good and no hurt by them, when they come, let us learn in all our Humiliations, Fast, Prayers, and all duty to prize and seek Christ above all for sanctification, that is, that we may not only lead a quiet and a peaceable life, 
1 Tim. 2.2, 3.  but also that we live in all godliness and honesty, for this indeed is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.    

Let me conclude with a word of reproof of all such as do not prize Christ above all for sanctification so well as for justification; these persons have no saving grace in them, and no true love to Christ; they love happiness, but care not for holiness; so they could be saved by Christ, let who will serve Christ for them; they have all their desire, and so no more need of Christ: Ah, let such poor souls take heed of their King; there is more need of Christ in justification then sanctification: Truly Beloved, it is one of the devil's masterpieces in these times, to take men off from sanctification to cry up free grace only in justification; when as there is as great if not greater free grace, and therefore a greater need of it in sanctification then in justification, as hath been shown: such therefore as seek not Christ above all for holiness as well as happiness are justly to be blamed.  
What blame then are they worthy of who desire Christ to be a cloak of their unholiness? believe me, a Church-Protestant is worse than a Church-Papist; do you not see what bribers they are? see how they bribe their own consciences and their brethren's eyes with an outside of Christ; mark you not how they be at a see with prayer, hearing of Sermons, repetitions, etc. that they may keep a bosome-sinne? Are there not many Protestants (I could wish there were none here) that wear a glistering garment of profession uppermost, as if they had put on that glorious Diadem the Lord Jesus? Put alas! that soul which hath put on Christ indeed is all glorious within; the fairest part of its beauty is in the heart; this soul hath a better inside than outside; there is no true judgement can be given of him by his outward appearance; and the truth is, such a man is most careful about his heart, to adorn that, to approve that to God: But such as have not truly put on Christ, all their care is to trick and trim up their outward man, their visible outside; they put the best side outmost: How many under their brave coversluts, wear next to their hearts garments nasty both for coarseness & foulness; doth not this man put on covetousness? that man envy? another malice? a fourth hypocrisy? etc. do these serve Christ in any of their performances? nothing less; they serve o●ly themselves by him; they do but make him their shooing-horn to pull on their self-ends; so long as Christ goes their way, he shall have their company, yea so long as the chariot of self-love lasteth, they will march as furiously for Christ, as Jehn did for Jehovah, Baal shall down, and all his Priests too; but if self and Christ come in competition, and so must part, then farewell Christ; these men's way now lies quite contrary to Christ's; and let them go, they are not worthy the society of a christian that thus slight and abuse Christ, whom Paul and every poor soul that hath saving grace doth prize Christ above all both for Justification and Sanctification.   
FINIS.   

I have perused this Sermon on Phil. 3.7, 8, etc. and finding it to be very godly, judicious and profitable, I do allow it to be printed and published.  
John Downame.