SWEET AND Soule-Perswading INDUCEMENTS Leading unto CHRIST. DEDUCED, 1. From the Consideration of Man's Misery, Emptiness, Baseness, and Dishonour without Christ. 2. From the Meditation of the Comforts attending the Souls receiving of CHRIST. 3. From the Apprehension of the Joy and Excellency of Christ's living in Man: The whole singularly sweetening the Meditation of Christ to the Soul of Man. Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye buy, and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money, and without price: Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not. ISA ●5. 1, 2. Draw me, and we will run after thee, the King hath brought me into his chambers, we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine, CANT. 1.4. BERN. SERM. 43. in CANT. Aridus est omnis animae cibus si non oleo isto infunditur, insipus est si non hoc sale conditur, si scribas, non sapit mihi nisi legero ibi Jesum, si disputes, aut conferas, non sapit mihi nisi sonuerit ibi Jesus By Alexander Grosse, Minister of CHRIST. LONDON, Printed by G. M for john Bartlet at the Sign of the Gilt-Cup near Saint Austins-Gate. MDCXXXII. To the Christian READER. Reverend and Christian Reader, THere is nothing more pleasant and comfortable, more animating and enabling, more ravishing and soule-contenting to a true Christian, than the frequent and serious meditation of Christ, than an holy and humble, sweet and constant commerce and communion with Christ: Christ jesus being the whole of man's happiness; the Sun which gives him light in darkness; the Physician which heals his soul's sickness; the wall of fire which defends him in the assaults of all enemies; the Friend comforting him in his heaviness; the A●ke supporting him in the deluge of all his distresses; the Rock sustaining him under the heaviest pressures; the enjoyment of Christ solaceth in the deepest sorrows; the want of Christ distracteth in the greatest worldly abundance. Who but Christ is the cloudy Pillar, protecting and leading Gods Israel; the heavenly Manna feeding the Lord's people; the brazen Serpent curing Gods children of the sinful venom which the fiery Serpent hath infused into them: Who but Christ is the Propitiatory or Mercy-Seat in whom mercy is seated, and through whom it is revealed and communicated to all that thirst after it; the jacob's ladder by whom God descendeth unto man, and man ascendeth unto God; the Table of Shewbread on whom our souls are feasted; the Candlestiks by which the Church of God is enlightened; the Altar of perfume, in whose name and through whose mediation we and our prayers are accepted the brazen Laver in whose blood we are washed, and the fiery Chariot by which we shall at the last like Eliah be translated in transcendent glory and triumph: Nothing can make that man miserable who hath Christ for his possession; the fullest confluence of all abilities can never make that man's estate truly comfortable who hath no Christ's fullness communicated to him: Christ being the only Well which is able to refresh and fill us, when all our vessels like Hagars, prove empty bottles: the only conductor, who is able to lead us, when we are to pass through the Wilderness, and red Sea of manifold adversities: the only Companion able to comfort us, When God calls us with the three children to walk in the fiery furnace of sharp and scorching trials; the only Joshua, the only Captain of the Lords Hosts, who can rescue us, when the Amoritish Princes, either men or Devils do besiege us: sweet and sure is their Refuge, who are under the protection of the Lord jesus: He is a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, rivers of waters in a dry place, the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land: The life and liberty, peace and safety, joy and victory, wealth and glory of a Christian is treasured up in Christ. Be therefore instant and industrious, giving all diligence, 1. To make Christ sure unto thyself: With Boaz in another case be in no rest until thou hast finished this thing this day. Christ is richly worth the having, all the residue without Christ is worth nothing. Stand not upon the cost, whither pains or study, tears or prayers, peace, or wealth, goods or name, life or liberty; Rom. 8. ●●. sell all for this pearl. Christ is of that worth and use that thou canst never over buy him, though thou gavest thyself and all the world for him; the making sure of Christ is the assurance of all the rest. 2. Stand for Christ, take Christ's part, be on his side, whoever be against him; the victory ever passeth on Christ's side at last; all his faithful Soldiers are glorious Conquerors: they all have crowns, though sometimes they swim unto them in blood; take to thee therefore the heart and courage of Shammah one of David's Worthies, who stood and defended the field when all the rest fled. Thus abide thou with Christ, stand for him, defend his Truth, his Worship, his Church and children, though all others fly from him or rise up against him: there is more joy and glory in Christ's sufferings, then in the triumph of profane persons, there is more dignity in Christ's thorns then in their golden crowns; the more thou losest for the Lord jesus, the greater is thy advantage: he is unworthy the name of a Servant that will not stand by his Lord and Master in time of dangers; She dishonours the name of a wife that refuseth copartnership with her husband in his troubles; he is unworthy of a name either with God or man, worthy to have his name buried in everlasting infamy, that will not stand by Christ with most resolution and confidence, wi●h most courage and boldness, when men and Devils oppose Christ with most rage and violence, o then as Maevius that noble Centurion of Augustus being taken and brought unto Antonius and demanded how he would be handled, jugulari me jube, quia non salutis beneficio, nec mortis supplicio adduci possum, ut aut Caesaris miles esse desinam, aut tu u esse incipiam. Bruson. lx. c. 1. heroically answered, Command me to be slain, because neither the benefit of life, no● the punishment of death can move me, either to cease to be Caesar's soldier, or to begin to be thine. Thus whatsoever do befall thee, though a thousand deaths be threatened to be inflicted on thee, let neither the hope of life, nor the fear of death draw thee to cease from being Christ's soldier, or to begin to sight under the world's banner; it is more noble and comfortable to die the most ignominious death for Christ, then to live the most glorious worldly life with the deny all of Christ. 3. Do not stand aloof off from Christ when Christ is upon the Cross: Do not halt and neutralize in the hour of Christ's and his Church's troubles; he that is not Christ's friend is Christ's enemy: He that is not with him is against him: It is Salomon's observation of the slothful, He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster, accordingly, he that is slothful in Christ's work: that doth not readily put forth his hand, to the help and assistance of Christ and his Church, is brother to him that is a great waster of the Kingdom and Church of Christ: Christ looks on all Neutralists, as on enemies, and not on servants, * Aut totum mecu● tene, aut totum omit. Greg. Nazien. he that holds not wholly with Christ, doth very shamefully neglect Christ: there is no consistence between the service of two Masters, men cannot possibly at once be the followers of two contrary leaders: And what are these time serving Politicians and carnal Neutralizing middle men? but spiritual Harlots, their hearts are divided betwixt Christ and other lovers: Ignominious Disgracers of the Christian name and profession, their way like the goings of the lame whose legs are not equal: prodigious * Is proditor est veritatis qui aut non libere pronunciat, aut non sufficienter eam defendit. Chrysost. Traitors to their heavenly Prince, the truth, the cause and Church of Christ: The very off spring of Judas. Shameful exposers of themselves to the scorn and hatred of all men, both good and bad: it happening unto these middle men, as to them who dwell in the * Aristot●l●s de mediis. middle rooms of some high building, as they are smoked and smothered by them that dwell under them, and polluted with slime and filth from them that dwell over them; so smoke and smother, disgrace and shame is the portion of such neutralizing and middle people: they that cleave heartily to neither side, are justly suspected and abhorred of each side: He that is neither thoroughly for God, nor for man, is rejected both of God and man: do not say then in the day of Christ's and world's contestation, as sometime the Roman Cato did in the civil war between Caesar and Pompey Quem fugiam video, quem sequar non video. I discern whom to fly, but I see not whom to follow. Whosoever be deserted, Christ must be fully followed, or the curse of Meroz must be expected. Curse ye Meroz, said the Angel of the Lord, Jud. 5.23. curse ye bitterly the Inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord in the day of the mighty. Which words I wish, as once chrysostom did that sentence. Eccles. 2.11. were engraven on the doore-posts, into which these Politicians and Neutralizers enter, on the Tables where they sit, on the dishes cut of which they eat, on the cups out of which they drink, on the bedsteeds where they lie; on the walls of the houses where they dwell; on the garments which they wear; on the heads of the horses on which they ride; and on the fore heads of all them whom they meet, that they might learn and continually remember, That there is bitter curse attending not only them that openly oppose Christ, Rev. 3.16. but also such as neglect to minister their assistance to Christ: Who will spew all them out of his mouth who are neither hot nor cold; such as halt in the profession of Christ are the greatest abomination to Christ, Christ will make their condition very base and ignominious, who are not Zealous in Christ's cause and service. 4. Be not terrified with the multitude of opposers or opp●sitions which thou shalt see against Christ; but rather say as that noble * Paedaretus. Soldier in Erasmus did to him that told him of that numerous and mighty Army which came against him, Tanto plus gloriae reforemus, quoniam ●o plures superabimus, the number of opposers makes the Christians conquest the more illustrious: say to thy soul in this case as Hezekiah did to his Soldiers in the like: ● Cro. 32.7, 8. Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him, for there be more with us then with him; with him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the word of Hezekiah King of judah: and that thy heart may not meditate a revolt from Christ, nor entertain a thought of conspiring with the profane multitude in hope of temporal preservation and safety: consider, 1. How the profanest part doth ever in the issue prove the weakest part: the power of ungodliness cuts in sunder the sinews of the greatest earthly forces, as Jonah weakened the Mariners in the Ship, Achan the Soldiers in the Army, and a reigning disease the greatest body of flesh, their sin against God brings a curse on them that oppose God, and though they may prosper for a season, for the trial or castigation of God's children, yet at length like the * Isa 10.6. rod in the father's hand they are burnt or broken. God at length resolves even unto nothing, all the powers which exalt themselves against Heaven, as is manifest in the fall of the Midianites, Goliath, Absolom, Zera the Aethiopian, the King of Assiria, and infinite others. 2. Consider, how they who for safety forsake Christ, and betake themselves unto an arm of flesh, Jer. 14.3. Have no other but a withered reed to lean on, no other than a sandy Foundation to build upon. They go like the children in the Prophet with their vessels to empty pits, and return ashamed, they shelter themselves with the men of Shechem under a bramble, Jud. 9 where they are pierced and gored, instead of being shadowed; their imaginary way and means of supportation, turns to their real shame and ruin: all worldly powers to them that desert the Lord jesus, prove not only vain helpers, but miserable destroyers: for thus saith the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, Jer. 17.5, 6. and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord, for he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inherit the parched places in the wilderness in a salt land and not inhabited. W●en a people have most of man for them, and least of God with them, then are they usually nearest unto utter ruin. 3. Consider how they who go from Christ and unite themselves to the profane and disaffected multitude for safety, do engage themselves in a common quarrel against Christ, and make Christ their enemy, and having armed Christ against them, all the world cannot preserve them; Psa 2.9. Mat. 21. but now they are dashed in pieces as a Potter's vessel by an iron rod, now Christ like a Rock falls upon them and grinds them unto dust: Conjunction with Christ's enemies is the worst of all ways and means for refuge; Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? (said the Prophet to that good King jehoshaphat) therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. 2 Cro. 19 2. 4. Consider how combination with the adversaries of Christ and his cause for temporal preservation, hath ever more a cross and curse attending it; erterprises against the Lord jesus have in all ages proved dismal to their undertakers, Who (saith job) did ever harden himself against the Almighty and prosper. Job 9.4. No weapon (saith the Lord) that is form against thee shall prosper, Isa. 54 17. and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. They who cast the three children into the fiery furnace burnt themselves. Pharaoh perished in the very waters into which he forced the Israelites: there is nothing but an expectation of crosses and curses to that man that doth oppose Christ the fountain of all blessings. 5. Consider, when the Church is weakest and the combination strongest against it, than God is always nearest to it, and most ready to show his power in the preservation of it. The Church's deepest misery is God's choicest opportunity; the Lords people never see and enjoy more of God's presence then in the fiery furnace: God takes occasion by his Church's distresses at once to manifest his power, wisdom, justice, truth and goodness. 6. Consider, that Christ is the strength of every thing, the foundation is the strength of the house, the roots are the strength of the Tree; Christ the Creator is the strength of the creature. He turns the strength of the mighty into weakness, and the impotency of the weak into strength, the creature always proves more or less powerful, according to the concurrence of Christ's arm either with or against him; all the Nations of the world, when the influence of God's power is suspended, are but as a drop of a bucket, Isa. 40.15. Is. 41.11, 12, 13 and as the small dust of the balance: the weakest people, the worm Jacob when Christ joins with them are stronger than the Mountains: No man's station is firm or stable beside his, who hath Christ sustaining him. God's Church hath no cause of contracting, despairing cogitations either from her own weakness, or from the power of her adversaries, 1 Sam. 2.9. receiving her supportment from the power of Christ jesus; for he will keep the feet of his Saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, and by strength shall no man prevail. 7. Consider, how they who step out from Christ and betake themselves to the shadow of carnal men for refuge, do therein associate and combine themselves with Satan, for an uncertain, bodily preservation, do expose their souls unto certain and inevitable ruin, and what can it avail a man, to lose the jewel in hope to keep the casket, or to destroy the Inhabitant, in hope to preserve the house: How ever it go for the present. Christ will prevail at last; and whither wilt thou run then, that runnest from Christ now: He that now flies from the cause of Christ, will not be then able to fly from the wrath of Christ: He that now refuseth Christ suffering, shall with dreadful horror and amazement at last behold Christ triumphing. Lastly, Consider, There is more Majesty, terror and security too, in the presence and consortship of a few good men then in the presence of a great number of profane men: There is a manifestation of God in them, which makes the hearts of their enemies to shake, as they who came to apprehend Christ fell backward at the very beholding of Christ. God's powerful and blessed presence among his people, the efficacy of their prayers, the power of godliness apparent in their lives, the very persuasion which wicked men have of their integrity, of their intimacy and communion with God, and of Gods taking part with them, doth make their presence dreadful to the eye and apprehension of profane men: thus the Psalmist, Ps. 48.2, 3, 4. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole Earth is Mount Zion, on the sides of the North the City of the great King. God is known in her Palaces for a Refuge: for lo the Kings were assembled, they passed by together, they saw and so they marvelled, they were troubled and hasted away, fear took hold upon them there, and pain as of a woman in travel. Hest 9 2. And in the days of Hester the fear of the jews fell upon all people: And in the days of joshua, such a fear fell upon the profane Nations that their hearts melted neither was there spirit in them any more, Josh. 5.1. because of the children of Israel. The enduring of affliction with God's people, is better, more honourable, more comfortable, more safe and profitable than the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin for a season. 5. Pray for the peace of jerusalem, for the safety, unity, tranquillity of the Church of Christ. Pray for the blessing of Heaven upon our dear and dread Sovereign, and upon his great Council, that his Name, his Throne and Kingdom may flourish and shine in glory like the Sun to the end of the world, and that their Council may be acceptable to him, the divisions of Reuben sweetly and fully reconciled, & our threatened storm changed into a blessed calm, having one Prince of peace commanding us, one word of peace instructing us, one spirit of peace conducting us, one way of peace, whereunto the Lord hath called us: let every man cast the disobedient jonah out of the Ship of his own soul, which makes our waters tempestuous. Let every man cut off the Sheba of his own rebellious lust, which causeth God to threaten the laying of a Siege against the City both of our soul and body. Let us meet the Lord as Abigail did David, that the Lord may be entreated, that all that is amiss may be thoroughly reform, and the Gospel of our peace in the purity and perfection thereof continued, and the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace preserved. 6. Communicate freely and fully to the necessities of the Church of Christ, as the Sun his light to them that sit in darkness, the mother her breast to the hungry child, and the Cloud its rain to the thirsty ground; the Church's wants are for the trial of thine abundance, the Church purchased by the blood of Christ is more precious than all worldly possessions and challengeth pre-eminence in thy affections above all earthly treasures. What thou possessest is not so much thine as Christ's, and therefore ought freely to be expended in the cause of Christ. It is the honour of thy substance to be employed in the Lord's service; it is the glory of a Christian to be Christ's Almoner to feed his Church and children; the Church is a Vineyard whence a liberal harvest returneth to every man that sows plentifully to it. Christ's blood is infinitely more precious than thy gold. He gave his blood for thee, and how canst thou withhold thy money from him. Depart rather with all thy substance, than that one member of Christ perish for the want of it. It is not man's riches, but man's bounty to Christ's members that honour's man; it is not the presence, but the well using of thy abilities which will give thee comfort in the hour of thy last and dreadful Summons. 7. Be constant in the knowledge, faith, love, fear and profession of Christ. Be not in the matter of God's worship and thy salvation like a Reed shaken with the wind. Be not carried too and fro with every vain and empty Doctrine like a Ship without an Anchor. Be not tossed up and down with every gust and wave of affliction; take not thy leave of Christ as Orpah did of Naomi for any distress that doth befall the Church or cause of Christ; do not leave the Sun for a Glocworme, the favour of God for the love of men; do not change the Ark for Dagon, the ●heat for chaff, the Doctrine of Christ for the tradition of Antichrist, pure Religion for fordid and slavish Superstition. Forsake not the bridegroom of thy soul for a Harlot, the Lord jesus for the creature; perfidiousness to Christ is the shame of all shames to a Christian; God and man, friend and fo● abhor him that proves unfaithful to the Prince of his salvation: It was the saying of the Father of Constantine the great, occasioned by some of his households sacrificing to Idols upon a Commandment which he gave for trial's sake, Eos Regi suo nunquam fideles fore, qui Deo infideles ex it ssent. He that will be false to God will never be true to man for conscience sake. He that breaketh faith with God is worthy of least credit with man. Take heed therefore, let not thought arise within thee of departing from the living God; but press forward, draw nearer and nearer unto God, break thorough all the Armies of opposition and discouragement which do or shall encounter thee, as David's worthies broke thorough the Army of the Philistines, and came to the wells of Bethel: grow in Knowledge as the light shining more and more to the perfect day: grow in faith as the Tree in roots; increase in love as the fire in heat having much wood. Be not terrified with any comminations, be not disheartened with any losses, revolt not for fear of any sufferings, there is enough in Christ to make a supper abundant recompense. In him thou hast a living Spring, when all thy bottles are empty; an iron pillar when all thy withered reeds are broken; a wall of fire, when all the refuges and hiding places of chaff and stubble are scattered like the dust before the wind; in him thou hast a glorious Sun when all the blazing stars of thy worldly comfort are extinguished and come to nought; a bridegroom the fairest of ten thousand, when all thy friends according to the flesh are put to perpetual silence in the grave. O then suffer thyself now to be guided by Christ, prostrate thyself under the feet of Christ, be contented with Christ, repose thyself upon Christ, increase thy interest in Christ, live wholly to Christ, and be ready to suffer and die for Christ, that so thou mayest for ever triumph with Christ: So prayeth The most unworthy of them that serve the Lord Christ, A. G. SWEET AND Soule-Perswading INDUCEMENTS, Leading unto CHRIST. CHAP. I. Psal 1 ●8. 26. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord, we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. CHrists triumphant coming into jerusalem, a Mat 21. is a lively Emblem and clear representation of his gracious coming in the Gospel to his people, and in his spiritual and heavenly kingdom, to the souls of his chosen. Christ coming into jerusalem, sent two of his Disciples to lose the colt which was tied, and to bring him unto Christ. Christ coming in his spiritual kingdom, sends his Ministers by their preaching to lose and free the souls of men which are fast chained and fettered to sin, Satan, and the world. All men in their natural estate and condition are slaves to the world, servants of corruption, and bondmen to Satan. Christ by the labours of his Ministers in the Gospel communicates spiritual liberty and freedom to the souls of Gods chosen. We all continue fast tied with the cords and bands of carnal lusts and affections, till Christ sends his Ministers amongst us. The colt was first loosed, and then brought to Christ. The powers of sin and ungodliness must first be dissolved within us, before we can come to Christ jesus. We must be loosed and set free from the power of sin, Satan, and the world; which formerly ruled and swayed like Masters over us, or else we are unfit for Christ's service: He that will not be untied and loosed from his sin, cannot be united unto Christ; the labours of Christ's Ministers in respect of us are fruitless, if they do not lose us from the power of ungodliness. Christ commandeth the two Disciples to bring the colt to him, not to keep him to themselves, not to imply him in their own service. It is the duty of God's Ministers to draw the souls of men not unto themselves, but unto Christ: They are corrupt and carnal Ministers that seek to exalt themselves, and not the Lord jesus, in the eyes and hearts of their hearers; the drawing and working home of the souls of men to Christ jesus, is the chiefest crown and honour of all ministerial labours; they who make either their own profit, or applause the end of their ministerial service, are certainly deceitful workers. The Lords and owners of this colt, though they questioned with the Disciples, why they loosed him, yet at their word they readily let him go. Christ makes his word in the mouth of his Ministers powerful and effectual in the hearts of his people to move them to resign themselves and all that they have to Christ and his service. Christ makes the souls of such as belong to God's Election, to obey the voice of his Ministers in the Gospel. Christ sent not his Disciples to lose and bring unto him some magnificent and stately horse, such as Princes and Nobles use to ride on, but the foal of an Ass, an ordinary, dull, and plain beast. Christ doth most usually set up his spiritual throne and kingdom in the hearts of men of mean and low condition, and of little of no esteem in the world. Men most eminent for their moral and temporal endowments, are often found the greatest strangers to Christ and his service: Christ is many times carried in triumph in the hearts of poor and despised people, when such as have the fullness of the world will not veil and stoop to him. The Disciples did not only bring this colt to Christ, but they also spread their clothes upon him, and so prepared and fitted him for Christ to ride thereon. God's Ministers must by their doctrines garnish the souls of men, that they may be fit for Christ to reign in them. Nothing should be of such esteem or use with us, but we should readily spare it for Christ's service, be ready to strip ourselves of all, even our very garments to exalt the Lord jesus; we should rather choose to make ourselves naked, then suffer Christ to be dishonoured. The Disciples having cast their garments upon the beast, they set up Christ thereon. The exaltation of Christ must be the prime intendment and labour of every Minister of Christ; they must never rest nor please themselves in their labours, till they have set up Christ, and caused him to reign in the hearts of their hearers. That man is very low, and base in his undertake, who strives not to make Christ glorious. Christ being by the Disciples set upon this colt, a great multitude spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. When Christ is by his Ministers exalted, and lifted up in the preaching of the Gospel, many soul's veil and bow to him, embrace, and reverence him, as their spiritual King and Sovereign, prostrating themselves and all that is theirs under him. The multitude did not only straw the way with their garments, and branches, but they also cried Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest. Humble and believing souls receive and entertain the Lord jesus with very great joy and gladness. The blessed presence of Christ in the Gospel ministers matter of very great rejoicing; here is such a sun of heavenly light shining, such a stream of consolations flowing, such a store-house of spiritual treasure set open, and such dews of grace, mercy, and peace distilling, that every man that hath an eye of wisdom to discern Christ, a hand of faith to lay hold on Christ, and a heart of love to embrace Christ's coming in the Gospel, must needs say with the Psalmist, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We are blessed out of the house of the Lord. Scope of the words. The words are an Acclamation of the people, declaring and setting forth the welcome of Christ to all believing souls; their joy, and rejoicing, conceived upon the coming of Christ among them; their gratulation and thanksgiving for Christ's appropinquation and coming nigh unto them; their vote and exoptation of all prosperity, blessed and happy success to Christ in his kingdom. Note. Christ's coming proves most joyful to them that lovingly receive and entertain him. All true believers are holy and hearty wellwishers to the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ jesus, all manner of blessings attend and wait on the Lord jesus, in the humble and gracious use of his ordinances. True Christians have such experience of the benefits and blessings, mercies and comforts flowing from Christ in the ministry of his Gospel, that with great joy and thanksgiving they cry out; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. Analysis. In the words we have in the general two things considerable: 1. A Gratulation, uttered by the people, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 2. A Benediction pronounced by the Ministers of the Lord, We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. 1. Agens. Note. In the gratulation, there is 1. the Agent, the people, they bless, they rejoice, they are thankful for Christ's coming. Man hath greatest cause of all creatures to rejoice in and for the coming of Christ Jesus. 2. Actus. 2. there is the Act, Blessed, praised, exalted, magnified be Christ. Christ is worthy to be celebrated with all praises for his coming to us. 3. 3. Modas. there is the manner of their gratulation, Blessed, expressed 1. by way of thanksgiving and rejoicing, and 2. by way of exoptation and wishing. Note. Whosoever truly rejoiceth in Christ, doth also wish well to the cause and kingdom of Christ. 4. there is Movens, or the party coming, 4 Movens. He, who is the son of God by eternal generation, and by grace of hypostatical union, the Prince of the Kings of the earth by authority and dominion; He who is the head of the Church by spiritual Jurisdiction; He who is the Redeemer of man by the merit of his obedience and passion; He who is the Conqueror over hell, death, sin, and Satan by his Resurrection; He who by his office is the Prophet instructing us, the King commanding and defending us, and the Priest offering himself a sacrifice for us. He who is the Mediator between God and us by his intercession, the fountain of all mercy, grace and peace unto us by divine ordination. Blessed be he, welcome be he, in him let our souls rejoice, his coming let us entertain with the chiefest and strength of our rejoicing. Note. The Lord Jesus ought to be the prime and complete object of man's joyfulness. 5. Here is his Motion, Come. 5. Motus. Christ as God is every where, and neither goes nor comes, but fills all places; yet he cometh by his Laws and ordinances, as a Prince by his Proclamations; He cometh by his Ministers, as a King by his Ambassadors; He cometh by his Incarnation; as a brother taking our nature upon him; He cometh by his gifts and graces best; owed on us, as a friend cometh by his love-tokens; He cometh by his Word and Gospel, as the Sun cometh by his light, enlightening us, as a King cometh by his Sceptre binding, bowing, and inclining our hearts unto obedience; as a General cometh by his military weapons, casting down the strong holds of sin within us; as the Cloud cometh by his dew, watering, refreshing, and fructifying us; as the Master of a feast cometh by his dainties, feeding and feasting us; as a Bridegroom cometh by his voice, solacing and comforting us; He cometh by his Sacrament; as the King by his Broad Seal, sealing to us the remission of our sins, and justification of our souls through his righteousness; he cometh by his holy and gracious operation upon our souls; as the Sun by casting a sweet and heavenly influence into our hearts; as a King setting up his throne within us; as a heavenly and Almighty Workman new moulding, new framing, and fashioning us, all these ways comes the Lord jesus to the souls of his servants. Blessed is that person that knows the way and manner of Christ's spiritual and gracious coming. b Terminus à quo. Here is the term, from whence he cometh, from God, in the name of the Lord, by the ordination and appointment of God, with authority and commission from God, every way fitted and furnished for the administration of his kingdom, and accomplishment of the work undertaken by him. CHAP. II. I Will not insist on all these particulars, but only upon the people's gratulation, and Christ's authority or commission. First, the people's gratulation, Blessed be he that cometh, expressing their rejoicing and thanksgiving for Christ's coming in his Gospel and spiritual kingdom: Man blesseth man, by making prayer and supplication for him: God blesseth man by bestowing good things upon him, by removing evil things from him, and by turning all for good unto him, and man blesseth God and Christ by thanksgiving to God and Christ, well speaking of God and Christ, holy and hearty rejoicing in God and Christ, gracious and unfeigned wel-wishing unto the cause of God and Christ, and thus the people in this place bless Christ's coming in the name of the Lord; and hence we learn, Doct. That Christ coming in his Gospel & spiritual kingdom, aught to be received and entertained with much thanksgiving & rejoicing. The Ark was a type of Christ, David at the coming of the Ark into the Tabernacle, b 1 Sam. 6 danced with all his might, and all the house of Israel brought up the Ark with shouting, and with the sound of a Trumpet. Thus should the souls of men be filled with very great thanksgiving and rejoicing at the coming of Christ among them, this was prophesied also, and also given in charge long before the coming of Christ in the flesh. c Z●ch. 9.9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout O daughter of jerusalem, behold thy King cometh unto thee, he is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. As men rejoice at an earthly Kings coming in love and mercy unto them, so and much more should we rejoice at Christ's, the spiritual and heavenly Kings coming in grace and mercy unto us, the people piped with pipes, and were exceedingly joyful in the day of Salomon's coronation, when he was set up to reign over them, much greater should be our rejoicing in the day when Christ cometh to us by his Gospel, and setteth up his spiritual kingdom in the hearts of his people. This joy and rejoicing is promised by the Prophet, d Isa. 12.1. in that day, in the day of the Gospel, in the day of Christ's gracious and merciful coming, in the day of Christ's erecting his spiritual and heavenly kingdom, thou shalt say, Lord I will praise thee, I will be thankful to thee, I will exalt and magnify thee, I will confess and acknowledge thy power to be a rock that never sinketh, thy truth to be a word that never faileth, thy mercy to be a river whose water never decayeth, Ver. 3. and thy love to be a Sun that never setteth, and with joy shall ye draw waters out of the Wells of salvation; then shall we draw by the bucket of a lively faith, spiritual and sweet, strong and plentiful consolations from Christ, who is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, and out of the doctrine of the Gospel, which like a river refresheth and maketh glad the hearts of the Lords people: This joy and rejoicing is illustrated by a similitude taken from the light: e Isa. 9.2. They that walked in darkness, have seen a great light, they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, to them hath the light shined. As the coming of the light is very joyful to them that are in darkness, so is the coming of Christ in the Gospel, very joyful, bringing spiritual and heavenly light to them that sat in darkness, and the shadow of death, all light is but darkness, and all joy but heaviness, in respect of that light and joy which ariseth from the coming of Christ jesus; and with great joy and gladness hath this coming of Christ been celebrated by the Angels: Fear not (saith the Angel to the Shepherds) f Luk. 10 11. behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people, for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, and suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and in the earth peace, good will towards men. Thus likewise the multitude of Disciples beholding and seeing Christ come, observing his miracles, g Luk. 19.37 and embracing his doctrine, they began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, grace in heaven, and glory to the highest. The true and saving discerning of Christ's coming, and mighty operation in the Gospel ever makes the soul joyful: It is said of the Gentiles hearing Saint Paul to cite that prophesy of our Saviour, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the world, that they were h Act. 13.47, 48. glad and glorified the word of the Lord; they were glad, as a man that sits in darkness is glad of a light, as a man that is arrested is glad of a surety to pay his debt, as a man that is mortally sick is glad of a Physician to heal his disease, as a man that is condemned is glad to hear of his coming that brings him a pardon; very sweet and strong is that soul's joy and gladness which hath a lively taste of the comforts and benefits springing from the coming of Christ in the Gospel: They were not only glad, Aug. Gauleat sanctus quoni● recipietremunerationem, gau dear peccator, quoniam invitatur ad veniam, gaudeat, etc. but they also glorified the word of God, by understanding it as a word of wisdom, by believing it as a word of truth, by obeying it as a word of power, by loving it as a word of goodness, and by delighting in it as a word of surpassing and comfortable sweetness; the soul that looks on Christ with joyful apprehensions is very active, and ready to glorify Christ by faith and obedience. i Luk. 16.6. Zacheus was very industrious to see Christ joyful in his entertainment of Christ, he made haste, Gaudium piorum tu ipse es, & ipsa est beata vita gaudere de te propter te, ipsa est, & non altera. Aug. and came down, and received him joyfully. Questionless every soul that truly desires to know Christ, receives Christ coming in the Gospel with much thanksgiving and rejoicing. Thus it is, and thus it must be. In regard of the clear and comfortable revelation of God in Christ. God is truly and savingly known, 5. Grounds hereof 1. Revelation of God. only in and through his son, God indeed is obscurely & darkly known in his k Rom. 1.19.20 works, as a God of power; in his providence, as a God of authority, wisdom, & order; in his common mercies, as a God of bounty, and in his punishments and judgements as a God of justice; but in Christ opened & preached in the Gospel, God is known with a clear, a comfortable, and saving knowledge, as a father of grace and singular mercy and loving kindness: In l Psal. 76.1. Judah (saith the Psalmist) is God known, & his name is great in Israel; in judah in his Church, where his Word and Ordinances are, where Christ is preached, and the mystery of man's salvation is opened, there God is known truly without error, perspicuously without obscurities, and savingly without uncertainties; there he is known as a King in his Courts, for the glory and beauty which he there manifesteth; as a teacher in his school, for the wisdom and knowledge which he there dispenseth; as a dweller in his house, for the holy orders he there prescribeth, and gracious rule and dominion he there erecteth, and beareth in the souls of his servants; as a bridegroom in the banqueting house, for the spiritual dainties he there maketh, for the clear and open manifestations of himself, and love and comforts he there ministereth to his spiritual friends and guests, and his name is great in Israel: His power, wisdom, truth, love, and goodness is much magnified, and very glorious in their apprehensions who know him in Christ Jesus. Man's knowledge of God, out of the Lord Jesus is nothing else but blindness, nothing but miserable and uncomfortable ignorance; for no man (saith Christ) m Mat. 11.27 knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. Christ is the lively image of the Father, and God is known in Christ as a father is known in his son's face: The soul of man is full of hellish darkness, that is not taught of Christ Jesus: For as the Apostle saith, the n 2 Cor. 4.6. light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given in the face of jesus Christ: The knowledge of the glory of God's wisdom in the mystery of man's redemption, the knowledge of the glory of God's power in dissolving the works of Satan, the knowledge of the glory of God's justice in satisfying himself for man's sin by Christ's suffering, the knowledge of the glory of God's mercy in forgiving man's transgression, the knowledge of the glory of God's holiness in sanctifying man's soul, and the knowledge of the glory of God's love in reconciling man unto himself, all this knowledge of the glory of God is given in the face of Jesus Christ, it is all manifested and made known in and through Christ, of all Christian scholars he is the choicest that knows most of God in Christ, and because this knowledge is given in the face of Christ, we should receive Christ coming in the Gospel with very great rejoicing; for as the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sun: so this wisdom o Prov. 6 10. when it entereth into the heart, and this knowledge is pleasant to the soul, in regard of spiritual liberty and freedom brought to the soul of man by the coming of Christ in his Gospel and spiritual kingdom. 2. Spiritual liberty. Christ is the worker, and the o Jo●. 8, 32, 36. Gospel the instrument of man's freedom: Christ coming in the Gospel brings liberty from ignorance, as the Sun brings liberty from darkness: Christ coming into Capernaum, the Evangelist saith, the p Mat. 4.16. Io● 1●. 44. people that sat in darkness saw a great light, and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up: By this Christ brings liberty from death in sin, as by his voice he raised Lazarus, and set him free from the grave: so the dead in sin q joh. 5.25. hear the voice of the Son of God in the Gospel and live, by this Christ brings liberty from Satan, 1 Sam. 17. 2 Cor 10 4. Luk. 10. as David by his staff and stone overthrew the great Goliath, and brought liberty to Israel: so doth Christ by his Gospel cast down the strong holds of sin, and make Satan fall like lightning from heaven, and frees the souls of Gods chosen: Hereby Christ brings liberty from uncleanness: 2 Kin ●. As jordan freed Naaman from his leprosy, so doth Christ by his word r job. 17.17. sanctify and cleanse the souls of all believers; Hereby Christ brings liberty from the Wrath of God, and curse of the Law, as a surety paying the debt brings liberty to the principal from the prison, the arrest and sentence of the Judge. Christ preached in the Gospel, is the end of the law for righteousness to all that believe in him. As we therefore rejoice in the light which frees us from darkness, in the Physician which frees us from diseases, in the ransomer which frees us from bondage, in the surety which frees us from the Sergeants, that they do not arrest us, from the prison that it doth not hold us: so should we rejoice in the coming of Christ, bringing manifold, sweet, and comfortable freedom to us. The Prophet having declared how God had given Christ for a s Isa. 49.8. Covenant of the people, for a mediator of the people, to establish the earth, the elect living on the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritage's, to restore them to that heavenly inheritance, out of which they were cast by their sin and Satan; and to say to the prisoners go forth, to lose them that were bound with the fetters of their corruption, and captivated by Satan, addeth this as a duty of the people, and a fruit of that freedom which Christ hath brought unto them. Sing O Heaven, and be joyful Oh Earth, break forth into singing O Mountain, for God hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. And thus Philip preaching Christ in Samaria, and the devils departing out of many that were possessed by them, it is said there was t Act. 8.7, 8. great joy in that City: spiritual freedom from the power of Satan, and our own corruption ministers matter of much and very sweet rejoicing. In regard of that heavenly and blessed victory which we obtain by the coming of Christ in the Gospel; 3. Heavenly victory. the Priests sounding the rammes-hornes, the u Iosh. 6.20. walls of Jericho fell, and the Israelites obtained the victory: Gods Ministers crying aloud, and lifting up their voices like a trumpet in the preaching of the Gospel, the holds of sin are w cast down, and the souls of men are made victorious, according to that of the Apostle, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual, and mighty through God to the casting down of strong holds. ● Sam. 5.4. When the Ark was erected Dagon fell. When Christ is erected, exalted, and set up among the people in the ministry of the Gospel, than the Devil falls from his possession, than sin falls from its dominion, and then the world falls from the room and sway it had in the hearts of the people; the soldier is made victorious by his weapon, the Christian by the Gospel, the word being the x Eph. 6.17. sword of the Spirit, that instrument by which the Spirit shows his power in making the soul of man a glorious conqueror. Why doth the Prophet (speaking in the person of Christ) say, the Lord had made his mouth a y Isa. 49.2. sharp sword, and a polished shaft, but to show the energy and working of his doctrine, in piercing the heart, in wounding sin, as a sword and shaft doth the body of the enemy in the day of battle: The right use of this weapon ever gives man victory over his corruption. What is the z Rev. 6.1. white-horse mentioned by Saint john, but the Primitive Church being, white and bright for the purity and perfection of doctrine and discipline; the Apostles like a horse swiftly running, propagated the faith of Christ through the world. Who is the rider there spoken of, but Christ who is exalted, and carried in spiritual triumph by the Ministry of his Word: What is his bow, but his Word, the Law and Gospel, with which he wounds the hearts of his elect, that he may heal and enliven them; The hearts of the reprobate to terrify and destroy them, according to that of the Psalmist, Thine a Psal. 45.5. arrows are sharp in the hearts of the King's enemies whereby the people fall under thee. And how went Christ forth conquering and to conquer? he went forth conquering, overcoming sin by his death and passion, and overcoming death, hell, Satan, and the world, by his Resurrection, and he goeth forth to conquer, converting his chosen, and convincing his enemies, by the preaching of the Gospel, and in this victory there is matter of great joy; It is greater joy to a Christian to see the Devil and his own lust overcome, and cast down, then to Israel, to see Pharaoh and the Egyptians lie drowned before them in the waters; this gives them occasion in a holy and triumphant manner to say, the Lord hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and the rider hath he thrown down together: He cannot but rejoice in Christ's coming that partakes of the victory coming by him. In regard of the spiritual and heavenly peace hence arising to the soul: 4. Heavenly peace. Christ's coming to the souls of men in the Gospel, is like the coming of the Dove to Noah, with an Olive branch in her mouth, certifying the soul of the abatement, and removal of God's wrath, of the speedy departure of the deluge of present sorrows, and the happy return, and re-appearance of spiritual and heavenly comforts. Here Christ as a bright and shining Sun, dispels the clouds of sorrow from the soul. Here Christ as a valiant Captain, removes the siege, Ios. 10.6. which the infernal Princes lay against the souls of his servants, as Joshuah drove the Amoritist Princes from the Gibeonites: Here Christ as a Physician heals the wounded consciences, and binds up the broken hearts of his children, as he sometime healed the diseased woman whom no Physician could cure: Here Christ as an absolute Commander appeaseth the inward stormy troubles of the heart, as by his voice he appeased the stormy tempest and gave a calm to his Disciples: Mat. 8.26. Here Christ as a King of mercies assures the souls of men of the pardon of their sins, and gives them the sense of his love, and so fills them with sweet and blessed peace; therefore Christ is styled a Sun of b Mal. 4.2. Righteousness appearing with healing in his wings; in the wings of his ordinances without, and in the wings of his grace within, and it was prophesied of him that he should c Isa. 61.1. preach good tidings to the meek, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captive, and open the prison to them that are bound to comfort all that mourn, and God hath created the fruit of the lips to be d Isa. 57.19. peace, to be the instrument of peace, and the Gospel is called the Gospel of peace, for the Author of it, the God of peace, for the Subject of it, Christ the Prince of peace, for the parties receiving it, the children of peace, and for the fruit of it, spiritual and heavenly grace. Soul-refreshing Communion with God. In regard of that blessed, and soule-refreshing Communion which we attain with God through Christ coming in the Gospel. joseph's brethren were brought nigh to the King, of Egypt by joseph: Man is brought nigh to God by Christ, Christ preached in the Gospel, is like Jacob's ladder, by him God descendeth unto us, and through him we ascend unto God, the Ark was an assurance of God's presence among the people, and God dwelled there: Where Christ is preached in the Gospel, there God is in mercy present with his people, there is the Lords dwelling, in e Psal. 76.2. Salem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion; In the Gospel's men are regenerate, and made the children of God, men are humbled, and made loyal Subjects to God, men are endowed with faith wrought into God's Covenant, and made the friends of God: Men are separated from the world, and gathered home to God, and made the sheep of his pasture, so that now they have communion with him, as children with a father, as favourites with a King, as scholars with a teacher, as the members of a house with the master of the house. Now they are made f Eph. 2.13. Christus oculus noster, ut per illum videamus patrem, ipse vox nostra per quam loquamur ad Patrem, ipse dextra, per quam Deo sacrificium nostrum offeramus, quo nisi intercedento, nec nobis, nec sanctis quicquam cum Deo est. Ambr. nigh through Christ; nigh in knowledge, nigh in faith, nigh in love, nigh in likeness, nigh in conformity and obedience, nigh in the participations of spiritual comforts, and in the enjoyment of the light of God's countenance, very pleasant and comfortable is a gracious soul's communion with God in the Gospel; Christ is most worthy of all acceptation for that communion which we have with God through him. CHAP. 3. THis discovers their sin, Such very miserable to whom Christ is unwelcome. their miserable and wretched condition, who are not thankful for, who rejoice not in the coming of Christ in his Gospel, and in the kingdom of his grace among them: There were children of Belial that said of Saul when he was set up King over Israel, How shall this man save us, they despised him, g 1 Sam. 10.27. and brought him no present. There are many children of Belial in the world, that say of Christ coming in the Gospel, coming in his word to reign and rule over them, how shall Christ save us by this preaching of the Gospel, the preaching of Christ seems foolishness unto them, 1 Cor. 1. a dark doctrine wherein is no light, no wisdom, no excellency of learning, an empty doctrine wherein is no fullness, no worth, a very babbling, a weak doctrine wherein is no power: The false Apostles said of Paul, his bodily presence is weak, h 2 Cor. 10.10. and his speech contemptible. Many false and counterfeit Christians say of Christ in the closet of their own hearts, Christ's presence in the Gospel is weak, and his speech in the Gospel is contemptible, and thus they despise Christ in his offices, in his Ministers, in his Ordinances, in his members, they bring him no present, they present not themselves in Christ's school as scholars to learn Christ, they present not themselves in Christ's house, as children to feed on those dainties which Christ hath there prepared for them, they present not themselves in Christ's Courts, as Subjects to receive his Laws and do his will, they present not their souls and bodies as a living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice unto Christ: But as the men of the old world said in the Atheism of their hearts unto God, so say these in the ignorance, infidelity, pride, and profaneness of their souls unto Christ, i job. 21.14.15. Depart from us we care not for the knowledge of thy ways. What is Christ, that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him? if we attend him preached in the Gospel, surely Christ preached in the Gospel is very strangely and shamefully undervalved by many people: In stead of rejoicing, they grieve at the preaching of Christ among them; as Herod, and all the men of jerusalem were k Mat. ●. 2. troubled to hear of Christ's being borne King of the Jews, and of the appearing of a star, declaring the coming of Christ, the true light of the world; the clear and full opening of Christ, and the setting up of Christ to reign and rule over the hearts and ways of men, is very troublesome to many people, like those evil citizens in the parable, l Luk. 19.14. they will not have this man Christ to reign over them, they will not have him reign over their understandings, as a light guiding them, over their wills, as a Prince commanding them, over their affections, as a Lord, and Master ruling, and ordering them, over their lusts, as a Physician lancing, purging, mortifying, and taking them off. Many men delight to talk much of Christ's salvation, but they have no pleasure to hear of his kingdom, it is acceptable to them to be saved by Christ, but very troublesome to serve Christ: But what a shame, what an abomination, what foul hypocrisy is this, that we should profess Christ, and yet deny him in his Gospel, in his Kingdom? Is it not a shame for a wife to profess such a man to be her husband, and yet deny him her presence, her hand, her heart, her body, her love, dwell with a stranger, love a stranger, delight in a stranger, and bring forth children to a stranger, what is this but shameful disloyalty, and odious adultery? What a shame for a man to profess such a man to be his Master, and yet deny him all service, and shut the doors of the house against him? and what a shame is it for us to profess Christ to be our husband, our Master, and yet deny him our service, breaking his bands, and casting away his cords from us, shutting the doors of our hearts against him, denying him our presence in his house, denying him our heart to love him, our affections to rejoice in him, our hand to work for him, denying him our souls and bodies to be a holy Temple for him to dwell in, bringing forth all our fruit to the flesh, and to the world, and none to Christ, what disloyalty? what hypocrisy? what spiritual adultery is this? certainly such men like the Angel of the Church of Sardis, though he had m Rev. 3 1. Irenaeus of Heretics, similia nobiscum loquntur, dissimilia sentiunt: so these profess as Christians, love as Infidels. joh 5.44. a name that he lived yet he was dead: so these though they have the name of Christians, yet they are none of Christ's: This is an evil of which Christ is very sensible, whereof he much complains: If (saith he) a man come unto you in his own name, bring a corrupt and carnal doctrine, seek himself, exalt, and magnify himself, him ye will receive, his person you will reverence, his doctrine you will receive, his sayings you will believe, to his dictates you will veil and stoop,; but saith Christ, I am come in my Father's name and ye receive me not, I am come from God, I have my calling and commission from God, I bring no humane, but a heavenly doctrine, I seek not mine own, but my Father's glory, and ye receive me not, ye regard not my person, ye believe not my doctrine, ye obey not my precepts, you love not me, you rejoice not, you delight not in me. Generally men are more addicted to, and delighted in corrupt and carnal inventions, then in the spiritual and heavenly doctrine of Christ, and his Gospel. Christ's coming in the power and brightness of his Gospel is very unwelcome to many people; as the coming of the King to a Rebel, the coming of an officer to a thief, or the coming of the husband to his wife that plays the harlot; and what is this? but the shame of all shames, and dishonour of all dishonours, to a Christian to deny his Christ, to refuse his Christ, not to rejoice and delight in his Christ coming to him in the glad tidings of his Gospel. We all conclude it a foul dishonour to a subject, a servant, a wife, to deny their King, their Master, their Husband, not to rejoice in their coming, in their presence, but to shut the doors of their houses against them, to deny them entrance and entertainment: And is not a foul stain so to deal with Christ, so to exclude Christ coming to us by his Word and Ministers. If you ask me whence it is that Christ is so unwelcome, that many of us are so far from rejoicing in his coming? 5. Grounds of Christ's unwel comnesse. I answer, there are these 5. grounds of this: Ignorance. Men do not know Christ, they do not discern Christ in the Gospel, 1 Ignorance. Christ in the Gospel is n 2 Cor. 4.3, 4 hidden from them, as the light is hidden from the blind, the God of this world hath blinded their eyes that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ may not shine into them; they do not discern Christ in his Gospel shining like the Sun for the excellency of his knowledge there appearing, they do not discern Christ there triumphing like a conqueror in the subjugation of Satan, and their corruptions; they do not discern Christ there as a Prince of peace, sweetly and graciously ruling in their hearts, by the Sceptre of his Word; they do not discern Christ there as a Physician healing their sinful maladies, as the impotent discerned the o joh. 5.5. Angel moving in the pool of Bethesda, and healing their bodily infirmities; they see not these p Psal. 27.2. beauties of Christ, which David desired to see in the Temple of the Lord: they see not that q Psal. 63.2. power and glory of Christ in the Gospel, Delictorum meritum est ut qui vita indigni vitam ante oculos habeant, nec tamen videant. Cypr. which the Psalmist saw in the Sanctuary; and therefore as a blind man rejoiceth not in the appearance and coming of the Sun, because he sees not the Sun, no more do these in the coming of Christ in the Gospel, because they do not there discern him. 2 Earthly mindedness Their hearts are glued to the world, this is the Master whom they serve, 2 Earthly mindedness. this is the rock on which they build, this is the wife or harlot rather whom they marry, this is the object of their joy, they rejoice in the creature, r Amos 6.13. in a thing of nought, saith the Prophet, and therefore having another Master whom they serve, they cannot receive and rejoice in Christ's Laws, having another rock on which they build, they cannot believe and delight in Christ's promises, having another husband to whom they are wedded, they cannot embrace and rejoice in Christ, as the Bride rejoiceth in the Bridegroom, when the people rejoiced in s Isa. 8.6. Rezin Remalials son, they refused the waters of Shiloah. When man rejoiceth in the creature he refuseth Christ, his soul takes no pleasure in Christ. 3. Vnsensiblenesse of Christ; 3. Vnsensiblenesse. they have no feeling of Christ within them, the Apostle saith they are t Eph. 4.19. past feeling, they are passed the feeling of their sin, as a dead body is passed the feeling of the disease, they are passed the feeling of the shame of sin, as a common harlot hath cast of all modesty, is even degenerated from her sex, jer. 33. and takes no shame of her whoredoms, they have no feeling of the judgements of God denounced against them, they sleep in the midst of these, as jonah did in the storm, they take no notice of them, they have no feeling of the workings, bitings, and convulsions of an accusing and condemning conscience; their consciences are like a mastive fallen asleep after long and much barking; like flesh seared with a hot iron; their sense and feeling is gone, they are alienated from the life of God, dead and have no feeling of the life of Christ, Christ doth not live in them; they are blind, joh. 1.5. and have no feeling of the wisdom and knowledge which cometh from Christ, as a blind man hath no feeling of the light which cometh from the Sun; they are deaf and have no feeling of the sweet and comfortable voice of Christ in the Gospel, any more than a deaf man feels the sweet sound of a musical instrument; their palates are distempered, and they cannot taste the sweetness of Christ, they loathe him as the full stomach the honeycomb; he is unsavoury to them as the Manna to the Israelites; as sometimes the pottage were to the Prophet's children, he seems to them a pot of death, the very savour of death unto death; they feel not the necessity of Christ, as of a quickener to enliven them, as of a guide to direct them, as of a surety to pay their debt for them, as of a ransomer to free them out of prison, as of a fountain to replenish and fill them▪ and being thus unsensible of Christ, they cannot rejoice in the coming of Christ; the Israelites rejoiced not in Moses coming to them, but refused him before they felt the cruelty of the taskmasters which Pharaoh set over them, and the weight of the burdens which he laid upon them. He that is void of the sense of his own corruption, rejoiceth not in Christ's coming. 4. Contrariety to Christ. 4. Contrariety to Christ, there is no likeness, no suitableness, no answerableness between them and Christ, they are as contrary as life and death, light and darkness, the Ark and Dagon, the house of David and the house of Saul, they are u 2 Tim. 2.25. contrary-minded; they are contrary to Christ in their judgements, wise in their own eyes, reputing light darkness and darkness light; contrary in their wills, Christ wils his Father's glory, and teacheth his Disciples to pray that his Father's will may be done, they will themselves, and their own ends, they look not beyond themselves in any thing, they make their own will their rule and guide; contrary in their affections, they hate holiness which Christ loveth, and love profaneness which Christ abhorreth; contrary in their society and fellowship, All Christ's delight is in them that excel in virtue, they delight themselves in the frowardness of the froward; contrary in their natures. Christ is holy and without all sin, they are totally sinful, and void of all holiness; they are contrary to Christ in his Offices, they oppose him, as a Prophet they will not receive his instruction, as a King they will not obey him, as a Priest they will not be sanctified by him, their whole man is wholly set in opposition against whole Christ, there is a marvellous distance and unlikeness between them and Christ, they are altogether uncapable of him. Man can never rejoice in Christ's coming until God doth put some new and gracious principle into him; Man never delights to do the will of God until God hath written his Law in the heart of man, Christ's coming is ever more or less joyful unto man, as man hath more or less of Christ's image within him. 5. Infidelity. 5. Infidelity. The Israelites believed not the word of God, and therefore despised the pleasant land, that rich and plentiful land which God had promised them: He that doth not believe in Christ sets a low price upon him, and rejoiceth little or nothing in the testimony of Christ's presence: I●●. 6. The Disciples which believed not aright, were offended, and went back from Christ, they took no pleasure in Christ and his doctrine: He that doth not by the eye of faith discern Christ, and by the hand of faith single and take out Christ unto himself, as his light and counsellor to guide him, as his Rock to sustain him, as his Prince, to be commanded by him, as his pearl, looking for no other treasure, and as the husband to whom he marries his soul, and on whom he places all his love: He that doth not thus believe cannot rejoice in Christ, Christ is none of his; therefore he cannot rejoice in him no more than the poor can rejoice in a rich man's treasure, to which himself hath no title, or a woman in a man that is a stranger to her, in whom she hath no matrimonial interest, towards whom she hath no matrimonial love. Unbelief blinds the understanding, that it discerns not the beauty, worth and excellency of Christ; it hardens the heart, Isa. 53.12. and makes it unsensible of Christ, as the rock is of the dew; it shuts up the soul, and makes it uncapable of Christ; as the eye that is shut, is uncapable of the light, until it is opened again; it alienates the mind of man from Christ, and causeth him to depart from Christ to the creature; as the men of Shechem did from the vine to the bramble, from the sons of jerubbaal to Abimelech: Through unbelief Christ is to the soul as a Sun under an Eclipse, whom it sees not, as a sealed well of which it drinks not; unbelief shuts out the soul from Christ, and all his benefits, as Adam was kept out of the garden, and from the tree of life, it makes Christ a stranger to his soul, and his soul a stranger unto Christ; and as it excludes man from all communion with Christ, so it deprives him of all joy in Christ, He that believes not in Christ, and in the benefits flowing from him, can never rejoice in him, because the soul is filled with all joy in believing. CHAP. IU. Persuasion to a joyful entertainment of Christ. THis should excite and move us all to work our hearts to a joyful and thankful receiving and entertainment of Christ coming in the Ministry of the Gospel, the wise men w Mat. 2 10. rejoiced with an exceeding great joy at the appearing of the Star which pointed out the birth of Christ: Christ appeareth in the Gospel, as a heavenly Star, ministering celestial and comfortable light to them that sit in darkness; his appearance ministering matter of choicest rejoicing, doubtless he is no wise man, a man far from true and saving wisdom, that doth not rejoice to see Christ shining in the Gospel; the men of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and they lifted up their eyes, and x 1 Sam 6.13. saw the Ark, and rejoiced to see it, and breaking off their labours, ceasing their harvest-worke, they offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord. The man that lifteth up his eyes, his heart, his thoughts, his desires from the world, and sees Christ in the Gospel, cannot but rejoice to behold him. Men should with great alacrity and readiness break off their bodily labours to entertain the Lord jesus, and offer to God the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving on that day, when Christ comes among them in his Gospel, joyful attendance upon Christ in the Gospel should have pre-eminence above every ordinary undertaking: When jehoiada the Priest brought forth Jehoash the King's son, and put the Crown upon him, all the people of the land y 2 King. 11.12, 14. rejoiced and blew with trumpets. When the Minister of the Lord doth bring forth Christ in the Congregation, reveal and show forth Christ the Son of God, in the ministry of the Gospel, and doth set the z Cant 3 11. crown (according to Solomon's phrase) upon Christ's head, by declaring Christ's Sovereignty, and causing the people to submit to Christ's law and government, all the Congregation should rejoice and blow the trumpet of spiritual joy and gladness: Agracious soul draws matter of choice and sweet rejoicing from Christ's exaltation in the Gospel. This joyful and thankful entertainment of Christ coming in the Gospel, was shadowed by the feast of solemnity, called a Leu. 23.14, 25 blowing of Trumpets, signifying the spiritual joy and gladness occasioned and raised in the hearts of men by Christ's coming in the flesh, and in the preaching of the Gospel, the Lord Jesus being the gladsome body and substance of all the levitical and Ceremonial joyous festivals; this was also foretold and often prophesied, How b Isa. 52.7. beautiful (saith the Prophet Esay) are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace, and bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion thy God reigneth; which Prophesy the Apostle refers to the preaching of the Gospel; Rom. 10.15. the feet carry the body in motion and going; the ministry carry Christ in the preaching of the Gospel; the feet lift and bear up the body, the Ministers lift up and carry Christ aloft, and make him conspicuous in the eyes of the people, by their holy and wholesome doctrine; the feet of him that brings tidings of a pardon to a condemned person, tidings of redemption to a captive, tidings of supply to him that is in want, are very beautiful in the eyes of such people; the feet of God's Ministers bringing tidings of forgiveness, tidings of deliverance, tidings of all fullness, in and by Christ Jesus, are very beautiful in their eyes who know and feel the danger of their own sinful condition; therefore c Isa. 52.9. break forth into joy (saith the Prophet) sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The coming of the Sun comforteth him that sits in darkness; the coming of the Physician comforts him that is oppressed with sickness, the coming of the ransomer comforts him that is in bondage, the coming of Christ in the Gospel, like the coming of the light comforts men with knowledge, like the coming of a Physician, with healing in his wings, comforts men with spiritual health, and like the coming of a ransomer gives the comfort of spiritual freedom; sweet, and blessed, and full of refreshing is the joy arising from Christ, his coming in the Gospel: This makes the d Isa. 51.3. wilderness like Eden, and the desert like the garden of the Lord. This fills the desolate, sad, and sorrowful soul of man, full of joy and gladness, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody; and to this joyful entertainment of Christ's coming in his spiritual kingdom, Let us all provoke our hearts, and frame, and dispose our souls, as the eye is disposed to a joyful entertainment of the light, the ear to a joyful entertainment of music, and the bride to a joyful entertainment of the bridegroom. And that we may give Christ coming in the Gospel, a Christian and wel-pleasing entertainment, there are three things in the general observable. 1. Modus, the manner how we must entertain him. 2. Medium, the means which we must use to entertain him. and 3. Motivum, the inducements persuading thus to entertain Christ. 1. Manner of entertaining Christ. 1. The manner how Christ must be entertained and received; and thus Christ must be entertained, received. 1. Spiritually. 1. Spiritually. The entertainment of the King is suitable to the condition, quality, and nature of the King; earthly entertainment is given to earthly Kings: Christ is a spiritual and heavenly King, his kingdom is not of this world, and therefore he must not be carnally but spiritually entertained; the e Exod. 25.11, 16. Tabernacle into which the Ark was received had in it the two Tables of the Law, it was overlaid within with pure gold, and the Ark had a crown of gold about it: He that will entertain Christ must have the Law of God written in his heart, his soul within, and his life without must be overlaid with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, more pure and precious than the gold which perisheth; holiness and righteousness must crown the souls of such persons as will entertain Christ Jesus; slimy, sluttish, and filthy houses are fitter to entertain swine then Princes; corrupt, and carnal, unsanctified, and ungracious souls are fitter to entertain Satan, the prince of darkness, then to entertain Christ the King of Righteousness. The King's daughter, the Spouse of Christ, the Type of all that truly entertain Christ, was f Psal. 45 13. all-glorious within. Heavenly graces are the peculiar glory of God's servants, making their souls a fit receptacle for the Lord jesus: As men therefore to receive and entertain an earthly King, cleanse their houses, perfume and garnish all their rooms, and prepare such delicacies as the King delights in: Thus we, to entertain and receive Christ the heavenly King, must cleanse our souls of all sin, we must put all iniquity far from us, as a spot from our faces, a disease from our flesh, and a thief from our house; we must garnish all the rooms of the house of our souls, with spiritual ornaments, our understandings with spiritual knowledge, our wills with gracious liberty and freedom to embrace and choose Christ, our imaginations with holy thoughts and medetations upon Christ, our affections with filial fear to offend Christ, with lively faith to believe in Christ, with pure and fervent love to Christ, with heavenly joy and delight in Christ; He that is most holy and gracious is most capable of Christ jesus; the soul which abides under the sway and power of profaneness cannot receive the Lord jesus, the swaying presence of ungodliness, nullifies the gracious presence of Christ jesus. No man receiveth Christ with true and solid comfort in the Gospel, but only he whose soul is endowed with g jam. 4 8. Heb. 10.22. Mat. 5.8. purity and sanctification. 2. Speedily. 2. Speedily. The servant speedily opens the door of the house when the Master knocks, and readily entertains him. Christ is the great Lord and Master of the house of man's soul, at the door whereof he knocks by the ministry of the Gospel, and man must speedily open to Christ so knocking, Behold (saith Christ) I stand at the h Rev. 3.20. door and knock: the heart of unregenerate man is a door shut, a hard, a stony door: God and Christ are shut out, Eph. 2.12. to this door Christ knocks by the preaching of the Law, threatening destruction to him that will not open; by the preaching of the Gospel, promising pardon to all that speedily and sincerely open; by the rod of affliction and terror of conscience on all that do delay to open; by the inward motion and powerful operation of his Spirit on Gods chosen; repairing and disposing their hearts to open to him: If any man (saith Christ) hear my voice, speedily without delay, unfeignedly, without hypocrisy, humbly without disdain, beleevingly, without unbelief, joyfully, without repining, and obediently without rebellion: If any man thus hear my voice, and open unto me, by understanding me and my will, by believing me and my promises, by loving me and my testimonies, by embracing me and my benefits, by dedicating himself to me and my service. I will come into him, I will make his soul my temple and holy habitation, I will enter into a near and sweet communion with him, and I will sup with him, I will accept and delight in his knowledge, faith, repentance, and new obedience; and he shall sup with me, I will communicate unto him justification, sanctification, peace, the joy of the Holy-Ghost, the heavenly treasure of all saving grace; their bliss and happiness is very great and comfortable, who give a full and speedy entertainment to Christ coming in the Gospel: It is a point of Christian and choicest wisdom (according to the charge of the Prophet) to i Isa. 55.6. seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near at hand: The Sun of heavenly light which now shineth may set, and we be left in darkness; the Well of salvation now opened may be sealed up, and we perish with want of spiritual water to refresh us; the gate of mercy now opened to us may be shut against us, Christ may withdraw himself, and refuse to be found of us; the things belonging to our k Luk. 19.42. peace may be hidden from us: It is just with Christ to withdraw himself from them that delay to receive him, Christ will be to them as a deaf man that hears not, in the day of their trouble and afflictions, who are deaf to Christ, and will not hear him in his Gospel, in the day of his merciful visitation: O therefore l Psal 95.7, 8. to day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, behold m 2 Cor. 6.2. now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Now while Christ is preached in the Gospel, salvation, pardonall mercy is offered, now if ever is the time to accept it; therefore as Zaccheus n Luk. 19.6. made haste, and came down from the Sycamine tree, and received Christ into his house joyfully: So let us make haste and come down, every man from all high thoughts of our own worth, and joyfully receive Christ into the house of our heart. When Christ appeared unto Abraham in the plain of Mamre in the form of an Angel, and two other Angels with him; it is said that Abraham o Gen. 18.1, 2, 6 ran to meet them from the tent door, and hasted to his tent to make provision for them, he used all speed in their entertainment. Thus when Christ appears in the Gospel, and comes to us by his Ministers, we should run from our tent doors, from ourselves by Christian denial, from the world by desertion, from our sins by mortification. Thus we should run to meet Christ coming in the Gospel, and hasten every man into his tent, into his heart, and there make all spiritual provision to entertain him: The use of haste and speed in the entertaining of Christ coming in his Gospel, is more necessary and commendable then in any other undertaking. 3. Cordially, With much and fervent affection; 3. Cordially. Rom. 6.17. the heart is Christ's house, where he must dwell, Christ's throne where he must reign, and the palace whereinto he must be received; the place of the Ark was not in a corner, but in the p 2 Sam. 6.17. midst of the Tabernacle, Christ must not be thrust into a corner of the soul, his dwelling must be in the midst thereof, in the heart of man, he must have the best and choicest room of man's affection; this Christ requires, My son q Prov. 23.26. give me thy heart, not thy head barely to know me, nor thy memory nakedly to remember me, nor thy tongue formally to speak of me, nor thy foot only to come outwardly unto me; but thy heart to love and embrace me, to surrender and yield up all unto me. This was the Apostles prayer in the behalf of the Ephesians, that r Eph. 3.17. Christ might dwell, not only in their care, or in the tongue, the outward rooms of the body, nor in the head, or memory, the upper rooms of the soul; but in their heart, the middle and choicest room of the soul of man: Our prayers are but empty and fruitless until we have prayed Christ into our hearts and affections; Christ cometh in the Gospel as a King of mercies to pardon us; as a bridegroom to marry us, and we must entertain him with love, much, strong, and fervent love; as a malefactor his King coming to him with a pardon, or the bride the bridegroom; our love to Christ must be like the love of s 1 Sam. 18.1. jonathan to David, a love passing the love of women; our soul must be knit to Christ, as jonathan seeing what David had done for Israel, in the overthrow of Goliath, his soul was knit to David: so we seeing what Christ hath done for us in the overthrow of Satan, our souls must be knit to Christ; our souls must long for Christ, as the soul of Shechem t Gen. 34 8. longed for Dinah, our soul must delight in Christ, as the soul of the rich in his treasure, and the soul of the bride in the bridegroom; thus the Spouse expresseth herself, show me O thou whom my u Cant. 1 7. soul loveth, whom I love fervently, unfeignedly, and with a longing desire to enjoy; and in the banqueting house, in the ministry of the word she found herself w Cant. 2.4.5. sick of love, ravished with love to Christ. Plus est habere Christum in cord quam in domo; quia cor nostrum interius est nobis, quam domus nostra. Aug. The entertainment of Christ into the heart is the glory of a Christian, as the entertainment of the King to a house is the glory of a Subject: This is the fullness of the soul, as the entertainment of the Sun into the eye is, the fullness of the eye, the heart is an empty vessel until Christ hath the possession of it; this is the defence and safety of the soul, as the being of the pilot in the ship, is of the safety of the ship; the being of the keeper in the Castle, is the safety of the Castle; the being of Christ in the ship in the stormy tempest, was the safety of the Disciples; Mat. 8.25, 26. the being of Christ in the soul, is the safeguard of the soul in all the stormy tempests of trouble; the soul where Christ hath no dwelling lieth open to all the assaults of Satan. This brings the soul to a sweet communion with Christ in the Gospel, as jehu said unto jehonadab coming to meet him, x 2 Kin. 10.15. Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart, if it be give me thine hand, and he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. Non pertivet domine ad te, ●ec de tuis est qu● te non deligit, nec deligit te qui scienter offendit; dilectioni tue detrabit qui terminos a te positos iram sit, & Evangelij tui decreta contemni●. Cypr. 4. Cheerfully. Thus when we come to meet Christ in the Gospel, Christ looketh to the integrity of our hearts, if our hearts be right with Christ, and we give him the hand of faith, and the hand of love; then he takes us up into his chariot; then he takes us to himself; then he brings us into a near, a sweet, and comfortable communion with himself; the soul which doth not love Christ, hath neither clear discerning of Christ, nor gracious fellowship with Christ. 4. Cheerfully. Old Jacob seeing the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him to Egypt to bring him to himself, it is said his heart y Gen 45 27. revived. Man seeing Christ in the Gospel, coming by the labours of his Ministers, as by a chariot, to take and carry him of from the world, to bring him nigh unto himself, and to the participation of his fullness, should have his heart revived, and his soul made cheerful: Christ in the Gospel ministers all matter of rejoicing to his children; in the Gospel Christ cometh as a z M●l. 4.2. shining Sun, and here we should rejoice in him, as the eye rejoiceth in the light; Here Christ cometh as a b Psal. 110.2, 3. King in his armies, and we should rejoice in him, as the captive rejoiceth in him that cometh with warlike weapons to beat down the prison, and set him free; here Christ cometh as a c Mal. 4.2. Isa. 6.1, 2. Physician with healing in his wings; and we should rejoice in him, as the sick in the Physician that comes to cure him; here Christ cometh as d Ios. 10.6. Joshuah came to the Gibeonites, to rescue them from the Amoritish Princes; and in him we should rejoice, as the besieged City in him that comes to drive away their enemies: Here Christ cometh as a Master of the e Cant. 2 4. feast in his banqueting house▪ and in him we should rejoice as the hungry stomach in a feast of all varieties: Here Christ cometh as a f joh. 3.29. bridegroom in his letters, in his friend, in his voice, to woo, and betrothe us, and in him we should rejoice, as the bride in the letters, voice, and presence of the bridegroom; superlatively sweet, and soul-ravishing are the comforts which Christ dispenseth by his word and doctrine; he is altogether unworthy the name of a Christian that doth not joyfully entertain Christ coming in the Gospel. ● Humbly. 5. Humbly. Abraham entertaining the Angels g Gen. 18.2. bowed himself to the ground. Man must entertain the Lord jesus in the Gospel, with all humility, meekness, lowly and reverend submission: He must prostrate himself, and all that is his at the feet of Christ; he must be low and base in his own eye and apprehension; he must look on himself as h Gen. 18.28. dust and ashes, Rom. 7.18. he that is most sensible of his own vileness, is most capable of Christ jesus; he must i Rom. 12.16. captivate his own wisdom, and carnal reason; he hath the most clear and comfortable discerning of Christ in the Gospel, that is most apprehensive of the vanity of his own wisdom. He that will be made wise unto salvation by the Gospel, must become as a k 1 Cor. 3.18. Luk. 9.23. fool in his own opinion; he must deny himself that will acknowledge and embrace Christ, abase himself that will exalt and set up Christ, and be out of love with himself that will be in love with Christ; he must discern and feel his own sickness, his own poverty, his own bondage, and emptiness, that will receive Christ in the Gospel, as a Physician to cure him, as a surety to make satisfaction for him, as a conqueror to free him, and as a fountain to fill him. When David sent his servants, and communed by them with Abigail to take her to wife; she arose and l 1 Sam. 25.40, 41. bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, behold, let thy handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord. When Christ communeth with us by his servants, the Ministers in the preaching of the Gospel, to take our souls to him to wife: We must rise up, with all lowly reverence, entertain their message, receiving it as the Word of God, 1 Thes. 2.13. and not of man; we must bow ourselves to the earth, humble and abase ourselves very low, showing all obedience to their doctrine, and ready to minister any service to their persons, as Saint Paul testifies of the Galathians, My temptation (saith he) which was in my flesh ye m Gal. 2.14.15. despised not nor rejected, but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ jesus. I bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. Great is the love and reverence showed by God's children towards Christ and his Ministers in the Gospel. Christ is ever so much the more precious unto men, by how much the more they are abased in their own sense and feeling; Christ's favour, dwelling, and communion, is only with the soul which is truly n Isa. 57.15. Isa. 66.2. humble. 6. Chiefly. Christ is the highest King, 6. Chiefly. and must have the chiefest room in the heart of man, Christ excels all creatures, and must have pre-eminence above all others in the hearts of his receivers, o 1 Sam. 5.4. Dagon in the Philistines Temple falls before the Ark; the creature, and whatsoever else in the heart of man, must fall before Christ; all must be base and vile in comparison of Christ; the Elders of Gilead bringing home again jeptha to fight for them against the children of Ammon, made him their p judge 11.9, 10 head. Man bringing home, and receiving Christ into his heart to fight for him against Satan, and his corruption, must make him his head, exalt him, and give him pre-eminence above all creatures. Christ is King of Kings, and must have pre-eminence in our obedience, Rev. 19.16. as Kings have in the hearts of their loyal Subjects; Christ is the husband of his Church, and must have pre-eminence in our love, 2 Cor. 11.2. as husbands have in the hearts of their chaste and loving wives; Christ is the pearl of choicest worth, and must have pre-eminence in our choice, and estimation, Mat. 13.44. as the pearl with the Merchant above the dross. Christ is the Sun of clearest and sweetest light, and must have pre-eminence in our understanding, Mal. 4.2. as the Sun in the eye above other lights; Christ is the surest, the most constant and loving friend, Cant. 5.16. and must have pre-eminence in our delight and joy, as a friend hath pre-eminence in the joy of his friend above all strangers: He is far from the true receiving of Christ, that doth not thus exalt Christ; he doth very shamefully abase Christ that sets up any thing above Christ; he neither discerns the worth, nor tastes the sweetness of Christ in the Gospel, who makes not himself and all things to veil and stoop to him. 7. Fully. 7. Fully. Whole Christ must be received, we must entertain Christ according to all his Latitudes, as all the points and lines are received in one Centre, whole Christ must meet in man's heart, as in a Centre: We must receive Christ in his person, as God and man in one person, as our only Mediator, the only jacob's ladder, by whom God and all blessings come down to us, and by whom we ascend again to God. We must receive Christ in his Attributes, in his wisdom, as a light to guide us; in his power, as a rock to support us; in his truth, as a faithful witness that never deceives us; in his justice as a righteous Judge to awe us; in his mercy, as a King of mercies to forgive us; in his holiness, as a fountain of grace to sanctify us; in his righteousness, as a royal robe to clothe and cover us; and in his love, as a bridegroom to marry us, and in his All-sufficiency as a fountain to fill us. We must receive Christ in all his Offices, as a Prophet to instruct us, making Christ's doctrine the complete and only rule of our faith and obedience; as a King to reign and rule over us, wholly subjecting ourselves to the Sceptre of Christ Jesus; as a Priest to sanctify us, to expiate our offences, and make atonement for us, relying solely on Christ's merits. We must receive him in all his Ordinances, in his word regenerating, renewing, reforming us; in his Sacrament feasting, strengthening, sealing up his love, and the forgiveness of our sin unto us: We must receive him in his Ministers, as a Prince in his Ambassadors; as a Bridegroom in his friends, in his members; as a father in his children; as a husband in his wife, in his precepts, as a King in all his Laws obeying them; in his promises, as a faithful friend in all his words believing them; in his gifts and dispensations, as a giver in his gifts, as a workman in his workmanship▪ as the eye receiveth the Sun in his light, and the ground the cloud in the rain, and dew distilling thereupon: We must receive him in our understandings as a light, in our wills as a Prince, in our thoughts as a treasure, in our affections as a Lord and Master, fearing him, as a sure foundation, building upon him, as a bridegroom being full of love towards him: The full receiving of Christ in the Gospel fills the soul with fullness of grace and consolation He that doth not universally receive Christ, doth not at all receive Christ: He that doth not surrender all truly, surrenders none to Christ: He that shuts Christ out of one room of his soul, leaves his whole man to the possession of sin, Satan, and the world. 8. Perpetually. Christ must be received once, and forever; 8. Perpetually. the Covenant between the soul and Christ is an q Ier 32.40. everlasting Covenant, a Covenant of wedlock; Hos. 2 19 the Covenant between the husband and the wife is for ever, until death; the husband is the guide, delight, and object, the wife's love for ever, so long as life lasteth; Christ must be received as the soul's guide, and love for ever; Christ must shine in the understanding as an everlasting Sun, rule in the will as an everlasting Prince, possess the soul as an everlasting dweller, and abide in the affections as an everlasting husband: The soul which truly receives Christ in the Gospel, is an everlasting lover of Christ; as Hyram loved David r 1 Kin. 5.1. ever, an everlasting servant to Christ; as the servant under the Law, which had his ear boared, abode a servant in the house s Exod. 21.6. for ever; as the land of Canaan was to Jacob and his seed an t Gen. 48.4. Psal. 73.26. everlasting possession, so must Christ be our everlasting portion; we may not receive Christ and thrust him out again, as sick men receive a Physician, and put him off again as soon as the disease is put away; as a besieged City receiveth soldiers, and turns them off again as soon as the siege is removed; as the Philistines received the Ark, 1 Sam. 5. 2 Kin 13 15. and sent him away again when Dagon could not stand before him; as Amnon received Thamar and thrust her out of doors again, hating her more than ever he loved her: Such are very base receivers of Christ, as receive him either for fancy, novelty, or constraining necessity. He is a very Philistine, that will rather thrust Christ from him, then suffer the fall of his Dagon, his base lust, or corrupt affection; their love to Christ, when at the best was but feigned, and counterfeit, which afterwards turns to hatred: He is no u joh. 8. 3●. son, but a slave; no Spouse, but a harlot, which abides not with Christ to the end. Having therefore once received Christ, to seweth Christ, retain Christ in every estate, abide with Christ; Man changes, as Ittai with David, w 1 Sam. 15.21 in life and in death. CHAP. V. Means disposing and enabling to receive Christ. THus of the manner of receiving Christ in the Gospel, the second thing is the medium, or means disposing and enabling us to receive Christ with rejoicing and thanksgiving. The means are these: 1. Full deposition of what is contrary to Christ. 3. Things to be deposed and laid aside. 1. Sin. 1. A full and through deposition and putting aside of all that is contrary to Christ. 1. there must be a deposition of sin, all motes, distempers, and blindness being put away out of the eye, the eye joyfully receives the Sun, ignorance and error being put out of the understanding; Christ the Sun of Righteousness is joyfully received in our knowledge, the knowledge of Christ becometh clear and pleasant to the soul; witheredness and infirmity being removed from the hand, the hand readily receives the gift: Unbelief which wounds and withers the hand of faith, being removed from the heart, man cheerFully entertains Christ, and is filled with x Rom. 15.13. all joy in believing; rebellious, proud, and mutinous persons being put out of the kingdom, the King is joyfully entertained by the people; pride, y 2 Cor. 10.5. imaginations, and every high thing which doth exalt itself against the knowledge of God being cast down and brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, Christ is gladly received; strange love and strange lovers being put far from the wife, the husband is cheerfully received by the wife; the removal of strange lusts, and corrupt affections prepares the heart to a joyful entertainment of Christ; He that doth not sorrow for his sin, cannot rejoice in Christ; He that doth not hate the former, can never love the latter; He that doth not empty himself of the one, can never be filled with the other. The Jebusites told David, unless he took away the blind and the lame he should not enter into the fort of Zion. Unless we take away the blind and the lame, ignorance, infidelity, and all uncleanness out of our souls, Christ will never enter into our hearts, we cannot receive Christ into our souls, the keeping in of sin is the keeping out of Christ; the holding fast of corrupt affections, is the losing of Christ Jesus; as the Philistines keeping up of their Dagon wrought a removal of the Ark. 2. 2. The World. There must be a deposition of the world z 1 joh. 2.15. in affection. We must not love it in a Mat. 6.25. cogitation; we must have no distracting thoughts about it; in b Prov. 23.5. Col. 3.2. estimation, we must not overprize, but esteem it as a thing which is not; in ᶜ inquisition, we must not seek the things which are here below, as if our happiness consisted in the finding of these things; in d Mat. 6.24. subjection, we must not be the servants of the world; in e Psal. 62.10. affiance, we must not build upon them; in f jam. 4.16. jam. 4.4. 1 joh. 2.15. Mat. 6.24. rejoicing, we may not rejoice in them. He that is married to the creature is divorced from Christ; he that loves this hath no love to Christ; he that is the servant of this cannot serve Christ; therefore as Christ overthrew the g joh. 2.15. tables of the money-changers, and whipped the buyers and sellers out of his father's house: so must we whip the love, thought, command, and delight of the world out of our hearts, that we may receive Christ; it is a great unhappiness to lose Christ for the gain of the world; it were strange folly in a woman to refuse a wise, a potent, beautiful, victorious, and noble Prince, and marry herself to a foolish, impotent, base, beggarly, and deformed captive. 3. There must be a deposition of ourselves, 3. Ourselves. we must lay aside ourselves in respect of opinion, we must have very low thoughts of ourselves in respect of delight and pleasure, we must not please ourselves in ourselves, but loathe ourselves in respect of Love; we must not love ourselves, please, mind, and exalt ourselves, but deny ourselves; in respect of trust, we must not trust in ourselves, but be jealous of ourselves, distrust our own hearts, accuse and condemn ourselves; and in respect of the end, we must not intend ourselves, propose our own ends, but intent Christ, and the glory of Christ. Thus we must lay aside ourselves, and empty ourselves of ourselves, that we may receive Christ; the empty vessel receives the liquor, there is no place for it in the full. 2. Holy preparation. 2. Holy, wise, and careful preparation to the hearing of Christ in the Gospel. Elisha before he prophesied before Jehosaphat and Jehoram, called for a Musician to play some sacred song, the better to appease his spirit, and put his mind in a quiet and heavenly frame, and then the hand of the Lord was upon him, and he prophesied: Thus before we come into the presence of Christ, to hear, we should by some holy meditation, and fervent prayer, gather home our thoughts, take off ourselves from the world, suppress and put away the distemper of our spirits, work our hearts into a holy and gracious frame and tempor, and compose ourselves to hear; so shall the hand of God he upon us in hearing, and we shall hear, and receive Christ with much joyfulness; the preparedness of the eye to see, of the care to hear, and of the palate to taste, makes them joyful in seeing, hearing, tasting; the soul's joy and comfort in hearing is ordinarily suitable to man's preparation. Man is ashamed and grieved to receive his Prince into a sordid and filthy house; but having his house cleansed, garnished, and all things set in order, he is joyful in the entertainment. Want of preparation is the cause of much discomfort, sadness, and dulness in hearing: Christ coming in the Gospel is very comfortably entertained by the soul which is duly prepared. 3. Gracious interest in Christ. 3. Sure and gracious interest in Christ. Believe in Christ, lay hold on Christ, select, and take Christ unto yourselves, make him yours: As the Merchant sold all for the precious pearl in the parable, and made the pearl his own: so sell all, put away all your sins, remove all worldly vanities, and interest yourselves in Christ; as the woman leaves her own people, and her father's house, to make another man her husband, thus, leave the world, your sinful acquaintance, your corrupt and carnal customs, come off from them all, and apply yourselves to Christ, espouse yourselves by faith and love to him, and then your souls shall joyfully wait upon him in the Gospel; as the Queen waits upon the King in his b Psal. 45.15. palace, with joy and gladness; as the bride doth joyfully hear the voice of the bridegroom; thus the Spouse professeth her joy and comfort in Christ in the Gospel, his mouth, his word and doctrine, is most sweet, he is altogether lovely. There is the expression of her joyful receiving Christ in the Gospel, this is my Beloved, and this is my friend; there is the declaration of her interest in him; Christ is ever more or less joyful to the heart of man in the Gospel, according to man's assurance of interest in him; he never feels Christ a sweet and gracious comforter, that looks upon him in his word as a stranger. 4. Clear and lively discerning, 4. Clear discerning of Christ worth. and apprehension of the dignity, worth, and excellency of Christ: He that hath a jewel and knows not the worth of him, is nothing affected with him; like Esop's cock, he rejoiceth more in a barley corn; i Isa. 53.1, 2. ignorance of the worth of Christ takes away the soul's delight and joy in Christ; the wise Merchant knows the worth of a pearl, and is much joyed at the finding of him; the wise Christian knowing the price and worth of Christ, is much joyed when he meets with Christ in the Gospel ● the Spouse in Solomon's Song sets forth her k Cant. 5. apprehension of the beauty, worth, and excellency of Christ; of his Godhead and manhood in one person; of his glory, innocency, grace, mercy, and justice, of his pre-eminence and exaltation above all creatures, of his glorious kingdom, his unsearchable wisdom, his gracious and merciful beholding of grieved sinners, his beauty and comeliness to the eyes of faith, and concludes at length, his mouth is most sweet and altogether lovely; His mouth, the doctrines, words, promises, comforts of his Gospel, are very sweet as the honey or the honeycomb; strive then more clearly to discern the worth of Christ, if you intent the increase of your comfort in Christ: The profane l Mat. 8. Gaderine that thinks more highly of his swine then of Christ never meets with joy in Christ. 5. Holy making use of Christ. 5. Holy and gracious making use of Christ in the Gospel. The eye makes use of the Sun, it sees by it; the care makes use of the voice, it discerns what is spoken by it; the thirsty traveller makes use of the fountain, he quencheth his thirst with it, refresheth himself by it: And all these rejoice, the eye in the Sun, the care in the sound, and the thirsty in the fountain, and in these they rejoice because they make use of them. Make use then of Christ in his Gospel; as a scholar doth of his teacher, learning heavenly wisdom; as a sick man doth of his Physician, recovering spiritual health by him; as a besieged City doth of their Captain, feeling him casting down the holds of sin, and restoring thy soul to freedom; as the wise man in the parable did of the rock, build upon him; the more use you make of Christ, the more comfort you shall find in Christ, Christ is both unprofitable and uncomfortable to him that makes no use of him, as a sealed Well, and an eclipsed Sun. There is a price (saith Solomon) in the hand of a fool, but he hath not a heart to make use of him. We have Christ in the Gospel, a pearl of great price, and it is man's exceeding great foolishness not to make use of Christ jesus. 6. Experience of Christ's saving worth. 6. Blessed and heavenly sense, and experience of Christ's sanctifying and saving work upon our souls in the Gospel. The influence and operation of the Sun upon the earth in the Spring, makes it appear very pleasant and joyful; the sense of Christ's gracious work upon the heart, glads the heart, he m Cant. 1.4. brought me (saith the Spouse) into his chambers, that is, he revealed unto me the secret of the Lord, the secret work of the Lord in the illumination of my understanding, in the regenerating of my heart, in the quickening of my soul, in the putting of a new nature upon me, in the pacifying of my conscience, and comforting of my soul, these are the chambers whereinto she was brought, the secret and blessed ways of Christ with a gracious soul; and what found she in these chambers? how was she affected with this work of Christ? We will (saith she) be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine. Experience of Christ's gracious operation upon man makes the soul of man joyful; the more we feel the blessed working of Christ within us, the greater are our rejoicings; Man's unsensibleness of Christ and his gracious dispensations, deprives man of Christ's sweet and blessed comforts, CHAP. VI THe third thing is Motivum. Inducements to entertain Christ joyfully The inducements persuading to a ready and joyful embracement and receiving of Christ coming in his Gospel, and spiritual kingdom, and to move ourselves to this let us wisely consider, and seriously look upon, 1. The condition of the creature without Christ. 1 Condition of creature. 1. Empty. To him that receives not Christ, the creature, all earthly perfection and fullness is 1. an empty thing, it never filleth, never satisfieth, never contenteth him that hath it; the more man drinks of this brook, not drinking of Christ, the full and everliving fountain, the more he thirsteth; the more he feeds on this, not feeding on Christ, the true bread of life, the more his hunger increaseth; The soul which receives not Christ, like the horseleeches daughters in Solomon, is ever crying, give, give, and can never have enough: The fullness of the world without Christ is but a dry bone without marrow, an empty pit without water, a barren tree without fruit, like that in the Gospel which had leaf but no fruit, promising much to him that beholds it afar off, but ministering no satisfaction to them that draw near unto it; emptiness ever attends their greatest possessions who are strangers to Christ jesus; the soul is a vessel of that largeness that none can fill it but Christ, in whom is all fullness; the barren ears in Pharaohs dream eat up the full, and the lean kine eat up the fat; and when they had eaten them up, it n Gen 41.20, 21 could not be known they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favoured. Man that stays upon the creature, and comes not to Christ, that entertains the creature and not Christ, eats up the full and fat of the earth, and yet it cannot be known that he hath eaten, his desires and his hunger after it, are as great as ever; he is nothing at all filled with it, his desires grow as his possessessions grow, the creature hath a power to inflame, but not to satisfy man's desire; ordinarily the greatest worldly possessors are vexed with most insatiable desires; of such the Lord saith, they shall not be satisfied, and their desire is enlarged as hell, and they can never have enough: The emptiness of the creatures must make Christ the more precious in our apprehensions. Hagar seeing the emptiness of her bottle, came readily for water to the fountain; the emptiness of the creature should make us ready in coming unto, and cheerful in the entertainment of Christ jesus; the gracious and through receiving of the Lord jesus is the only way to satisfaction and fullness. 2. Uncomfortable. 2. The creature to him that receives not Christ is an uncomfortable thing. The world without the Sun is an uncomfortable dwelling; the fullness of the world without Christ is an unquiet possession; the waters of Marah without the tree were o Exod. 15.25. bitter, the children of Israel could not drink of them; the greatest rivers, the deepest floods, and most pleasant things of earthly abundance, are very bitter and distasteful without Christ; Christ is the sweetner of man's earthly possession, as the honeycomb sweetened the Lion unto Samson; the man that receives not Christ is in p joh. 20.22. straits, in perplexities, fears, doubtings, and great distractions; in the fullness of his sufficiency, in the plenitude and presence of his greatest worldly abundance, his path is a way of snares, and his bed is a bed of thorns; his abundance will not suffer him to q Ecel. 5.12. sleep, that doth not repose his soul on Christ; his bread is bread of r Psal. 127.2. sorrows, that doth not feast and feed his soul upon Christ. Worldly abundance is a s 1 Tim. 6.9, 10 snare entangling, an arrow piercing, a sword wounding, a tempestuous sea tossing, shaking, drowning them that possess it, and possess not Christ with it; the greater possession, the greater trouble to him that receives not Christ in the Gospel; It is not the having of the creature in the house, but the having of Christ in the heart, that ministers true peace and comfort. 3. The creature to him that receives not Christ, 3. Enthralling. Gloria regnorum splendida servitus est. Antigonus Rex Macedonum. Iust. 16. is an enthralling and inbondaging thing; it takes away the liberty and freedom of the soul, it fetters and imprisons it, it makes a slave and servant of it; Samson doting upon, and inordinately applying himself to Dalilah, she cut off ᵗ his locks, delivered him into the hand of the Philistines, and made him their slave. Man that neglecteth Christ, that receives not Christ, that is not ravished with his beauties, is so enamoured with the creature, and so gives himself to the creature, that the creature ●obs him of the strength of faith, and spiritual love, and makes him a slave to himself and his own lusts, the creature ever sways in that soul like a tyrant, where Christ is not; he that refuseth to be Christ's Subject, makes himself the creatures slave; therefore are they termed the u Mat. 6.24. servants of Mammon, for their alienation from Christ and spiritual freedom, for their subjection and slavery under the world, and they are said to w Rom. 16.18. serve their own belly and not Christ. Most miserable and wretched is the soul's bondage, which receives not the Lord jesus. 4. The creature to him that receives not Christ, 4. Polluting. is a polluting and defiling thing, it makes the soul a very sink, and cage of uncleanness, a very den and dungeon of filthiness; as the Temple before Christ entered into it, was made a den of thiefs. Exclude the housewife out of the house, and all the residue of goers and comers, and implements brought into the house make a foul house; exclude Christ out of the house of the soul, and their going, and coming, and travel of the creature will quickly make a very unclean and filthy soul; Gen. 34 2. La●ro spiritualium honorum Basil. Dinah went out from her father's house to see the daughters of the land, and Shechem took her and defiled her; Man steps aside, goes out from Christ, neglects and leaves Christ, abides not close with Christ, but sets his eye, his thought, his heart upon the creature, and the creature takes him, ensnares him, and shamefully defiles him; it defiles his understanding with error, dust blinds the eye of the body, the creature, the dust of the world dulls and blinds the eye of the mind: The love of x 1 Tim 6 10. money (saith Paul) is the root of all evil, y Isa. 59.7. which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith: It defiles his thought, his thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, wasting and destruction, thoughts of injustice and oppression, thoughts of fraud and treason, Psal 10.6. thoughts of pride and selfe-admiration, thoughts of carnal confidence, and fleshly contentments; it defiles the heart of man with covetousness: Thine eyes and thy heart (saith the Lord to Jehoiakim) are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence to do it; it defiles the affections with idolatry, and with spiritual fornication and adultery: the covetous man is an idolater (saith Saint Paul) and the adulterers and adulteresses (saith Saint james to such as embrace not Christ, but the creature) know you not that the love of the world is enmity with God, Fallax suavitas, & infructuosus labour, & perpetuus timor, & periculosa sublimitas: initium sine providentia finis cum paenitentia. Aug. and that he that is a friend to the world is an enemy to God. The world fills that man's soul with most shameful uncleanness, that embraceth not the Lord jesus; therefore as Hagar seeing the emptiness of her bottle, came readily to the fountain; as the mariner feeling the tempest and troublesomeness of the seas, comes willingly to the haven; as the Israelites feeling the cruelty of Pharaohs taskmasters, and the insupportablenesse of his burdens, willingly embraced Moses; and as the diseased woman feeling the loathsomeness of her bloody issue, and having experience of the vanity of all Physicians came gladly unto Christ: so we seeing the emptiness, feeling the uncomfortableness, and knowing the enthralling and defiling nature of the creature without Christ, let us readily, willingly, joyfully, and thankfully receive and embrace Christ, that our souls may be freed, sanctified, and filled with all saving graces, and heavenly comforts. Experience of the vanity, trouble, bondage, and evils which attend the naked having of the creatures, should marvellously endear unto us the Lord jesus, and make his coming in the Gospel surpassingly sweet and welcome. 2. Let us throughly view and consider the state of man without Christ: Man not receiving Christ in the Gospel, 2 Through view of man's estate without Christ hath no spiritual life, but is dead in sins, as the body is dead without the soul; he hath no saving knowledge, but is in spiritual blindness, as he that is without the Sun is in darkness; he hath no heavenly gift or grace, but is empty of all the fruits of the Spirit, as the branch which is separated from the vine, hath neither juice nor fruit; he hath no Christian liberty, or freedom, but is a bondman to sin, Satan, and the world, as Peter lay in Herod's prison, in fetters, and under the custody of the soldiers before the Angel came and freed him; he hath no interest in God's promises, but as Adam was shut out of the garden of Eden, so is man shut out of God's Covenant, 2 Cor 1.20. God's promises are a sealed well whereof his soul drinks not; he hath no garment of righteousness to cover him, no jewel of grace to adorn him, no spiritual treasure to enrich him, but is poor, blind, naked, miserable, and wretched: Rev. 3 17. As the Egyptians were led away by the King of Assyria, prisoners, captives, naked, z Isa. 20.4. barefoot with their buttocks uncovered to the shame of Egypt: so man without Christ is led away by the prince of darkness, a spiritual prisoner, and captive, his soul bare, naked, uncovered to the shame of mankind; he hath no holy and heavenly peace, but as the Disciples were tossed upon the tempest till Christ calmed the waters, so is man like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose a Isa 57.20. waters cast up mire and dirt, until Christ ministers comfort. Man without Christ is like a blind traveller that hath no guide to lead him; like a dead man in the grave, putrifying in sin, having none to raise him; like an empty cistern having no fountain to fill him; like a bondman having no ransomer to free him, like a woman in travel, having no midwife to help her, like a sheep in the midst of wolves, having no shepherd to conduct and defend it, and like a besieged City in the midst of many enemies, having no wall to protect it, no captain to fight for it: Miserable is man's condition that receives not Christ in the Gospel; did man know and feel his unhappiness without Christ, he would never be so regardless of Christ, never so carelessly let Christ pass, but would meet Christ where he cometh in his word, as the blind men went out, and stood by the highway side where Christ was to pass, and cry after Christ as they did; as the woman of Shunem hasted to the Prophet for the raising of her dead son, and laid hold upon the Prophet's feet, and would not let him go, until he came with her, and raised her son again to life: so would man hasten unto Christ, lay hold upon Christ in the Gospel, and bring Christ home into his heart, he would be at no rest until Christ had raised, freed, purged, and comforted his dead, captived, polluted, and comfortless soul: He would as joyfully entertain Christ's coming in his Gospel to free him from the power of his corruptions, as ever the Gibeonites gladly entertained joshuah coming to rescue them from the Amoritish Princes; it is man's unsensibleness of the misery of his own condition, that causeth Christ's coming to be unwelcome. Man's apprehension of God without Christ terrible. 3. Meditate the soul's apprehension of God without Christ: God, who to the souls of them that savingly embrace Christ, is looked on, rejoiced, and delighted in, as a father for his love, as a gracious King for his mercies, as a sure and sweet friend for his comforts, as a loving husband for his amiable and soule-refreshing presence, as a shield for the defence, as a rock for the supportment, and as a full fountain for the satisfaction which he ministereth: This thrice blessed and gracious God is apprehended, considered and looked upon, by him that doth not embrace Christ in the Gospel; as a severe judge to condemn him, as an enemy full of displeasure against him, as a man of war bending his bow, and whetting his sword to destroy him, as a rock ready to fall upon him, and grind him to powder, as a tempestuous sea, ready to swallow him, and as consuming fire, and everlasting burning, ready for ever to consume and to destroy him. Very dreadful, and soule-amasing, and frightening is man's meditation and apprehension of God, that doth not savingly apprehend him in Christ, such a man flies from the thought of God, the voice of God, and the presence of God, as Adam fled into the thicket, as a silly sheep flies before the Lion, a guilty malefactor before the hue and cry, or a Partridge before the Hawk. This makes them cry to the hills to b Rev. 6.16. cover them, and to the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them, to hide them from the day of the Lord, and the wrath of the Lamb. God looked upon without Christ jesus, is the terror of all terrors to a guilty soul, and accusing conscience. Were men truly apprehensive and sensible of the wrath of God without Christ, their souls would be at no rest until they had assured interest in Christ; the fierceness and terror of God against sinners, doth exceedingly endear and sweeten the Lord jesus to the souls of his faithful servants, had we frequent and right consideration of the terribleness of God without Christ jesus, Christ's coming in the Gospel would be unspeakably joyful. 4. Look upon the frustration of all the Ordinances of God, 4. Frustration of God's Ordinances not entertaining Christ. and labours of God's Ministers by men's not receiving of Christ in the Gospel. He that doth not receive and embrace Christ preached in the Gospel, annihilates all the labour of God's messenger; had not Rebeckah received Isaac to husband, she had frustrated all the labour of Eleazar the servant of Abraham: If we receive not Christ to husband, we frustrate the labour of the Ministers, the Lords servants. Should not c 2 Sam. 3.17. Abner have brought about Israel unto David, he had lost his labour, his communication with the Elders of Israel, and his speaking in the ears of Benjamin had been in vain. Thus all our preaching, all our speaking in the cares of men is in vain, if they be not brought about to Christ; if they do not truly subject themselves to Christ, if they receive not Christ as their spiritual King; for what is the end of our preaching, but to d 2 Cor. 11 2. espouse you to Christ, to work you to the receiving and embracing of Christ, as the husband of your souls; and to present you as a chaste virgin unto Christ; besides all your hearing, all your attendance upon the word is vain, it is all hypocrisy and vain ostentation if you receive not Christ. e Gen. 42. Jacob's sons had gone to Egypt in vain, if they had returned empty handed, and not carried home provision with them. You come to the Well in vain, if you drink not, if you carry home no water with you: you come to God's house, to God's treasury, to the wells of salvation in vain, if you return empty hearted; if you receive not, if you carry not home Christ with you in your hearts, all your labour is lost: The temporal curse denounced on the people by the Prophet Haggai, is in a spiritual sense fulfilled in such: Ye f Hag. 1.6. have sown much and bring in little, ye eat but ye have not enough, ye drink but ye are not filled with drink, ye cloth you but there is none warm, and he that earneth wages, earneth to put it in a broken bag with holes. Thus in this case, much is heard, much spiritual seed is sown, but little or no fruit is reaped; they eat much, they hear much, but there is no spiritual filling, their worldly thirst is not quenched, their soul is not satisfied in Christ; there is no warmth, no love, no zeal for Christ, no burning of heart in hearing, no fervency in supplication; all that the Minister hath provided and dispensed for the soul's enrichment, it is all put in a broken bag with holes, it is all lost, it runs out as fast as it is poured in; if we receive not Christ in the Gospel, all our hearing is worth nothing. 5. Excellency of receiving Christ. Christ received giveth 1. Life. 5. Meditate upon the dignity, excellency, utility and comfort of receiving and embracing Christ in the Gospel. 1. Christ received in the Gospel, giveth life unto the soul: He quickened Lazarus by his corporal voice accompanied with the power of his Godhead; he quickeneth the soul by his Evangelicall voice attended with the lively operation of his Spirit, the Gospel is the external instrument and means by which Christ liveth in the soul; therefore is the Gospel called the word of g Phil. 2.16. life, revealing and effecting life in Gods chosen; Christ hath in himself all life, our life is hid in Christ, as the life of the branch is hidden in the root, and he that h 1 joh. 5.11, 1●. hath the son hath life; he that hath the Son in the Gospel, as in the seed of his regeneration, as in the instrument of his conversion, as in the warlike weapon, by which are thrown down all the strong and mighty holds of Satan, as in the Sceptre, by which Christ doth sway within him, and bind, and bow his heart unto subjection; He that hath Christ in his heart by faith, and love, as a root of life living in him, as a fountain filling him with his fullness, as a King sitting up his throne within him, as a bridegroom betrothing himself unto him, he hath life; but he that hath not the son hath not life: The evil of neglecting Christ in the Gospel is no less than eternal death and destruction. Isa. 9.3. 2 Light. 2. Christ received in the Gospel giveth light, spiritual, heavenly, and comfortable light; the receiving of the Sun giveth light to the body, the receiving of the Sun of Righteousness giveth light to the soul; he that doth not embrace Christ in the Gospel hath no light but all darkness within him. 3. Christ received in the Gospel giveth health, 3 Health. health of soul: Here he cometh with i Mal. 4.2. healing in his wings, the Angel in k 1 joh. 5.5. Bethesda cured the bodily impotent, in the Gospel Christ cureth them that are spiritually diseased, here he openeth the eyes of the understandings which are blinded, strengthens the hand of faith which is withered, rectifies the feet of the affections which are crooked, purgeth away the leprosy of the soul which is defiled, Christ by the Gospel as by a spiritual jordan, works many blessed cures upon the souls of God's people. 4. Honour. 4. Christ received in the Gospel giveth honour. He makes them that receive him in the Gospel, the l joh. 1.1.. sons of God by adoption; the friends of God, by revelation of the will and mind of God unto them; heirs of God for that incorruptible inheritance whereof he makes them partakers; the Lords freemen, free from the guilt and punishment of sin, free from the power and dominion of sin, free from the tyranny and captivity of Satan, free from the curse and rigour of the Law, and free to serve God with an ingenuous and free spirit; Kings and Priests to God, for their dignity and dominion, and for their holy and gracious consecration unto God; high and excellent is the honour which Christ communicates to them that truly receive him in the ministry of the Gospel. 5. Christ received in the Gospel giveth riches, 5. Riches. m Eph. 3.8. unsearchable riches, riches which the wit of man cannot find out, incomparable riches, to which all the riches of the earth is not to be compared, that knowledge, faith, and love, which is far more excellent than the gold that perisheth. The poorest Lazar receiving Christ in the Gospel, is endowed with greater riches than the wealthiest Dives in the world not embracing him. 6. Christ received in the Gospel giveth prosperity, 6. Prosperity. the Ark received into Obed-edoms' house caused all that he had to prosper. Crist received into the soul maketh the whole man prosperous; he makes him prosper in hearing, in prayer, in meditation, in the use of all God's Ordinances; as the tree prospers that is planted by the water's side; he makes him prosper in all his undertake, whatsoever he doth shall prosper, all the affairs of soul and body are made successful and prosperous through the blessed presence of Christ jesus: He makes him prosper in the inward man, making him victorious over all his corruptions, replenishing him with all heavenly fullness, communicating to him peace and reconciliation with God, and tranquillity of conscience: joh. 3.2. He that receives the Lord jesus, like Joseph hath the Lord n Gen. ●9. 2. with him, and is a prosperous man; Man's not embracing Christ jesus exposeth him to all plagues and curses, in his soul, in his body, in all his services, all blessing attends the holy and gracious embracement of Christ, all curses follow the profane refusal of Christ. 7. Christ received in the Gospel sweetens and sanctifies all afflictions, 7. Sweetness. Exod. 15.25. the tree sweetened the waters of Marah, Christ takes away the bitterness of affliction from the soul which beleevingly entertains him, he makes them see light in darkness, he sends them water out of the hard and stony rock, he gives them honey out of the belly of Lions, Meat out of the Eater, and sweet out of the sour, he makes them sing in prison, he makes them glory in tribulation, he turns the fiery furnace into a Paradise, he so takes away the evil of affliction that it doth no more harm them, than Nebuchadnezars fire did the three children; his affliction that enjoys Christ in the Gospel, is more pleasant and joyous than the carnal man's peace that shuts his heart against Christ, peace without Christ is full of trouble, trouble with Christ is full of consolation. 8. Comfort. 8. Christ received in the Gospel giveth comfort, holy, sweet, and sure comfort. In the Ark was the pot of Manna, in Christ is the treasure of all true comfort. Christ in the Gospel makes a feast for his faithful receivers, a feast of o Isa. 25.6. fat things, of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined: Of all comforts such have most fullness and sweetness as are ministered by Christ Jesus, all others like jobs friends prove miserable Comforters, if Christ doth not comfort us; Christ received in the Gospel comforteth the souls of his servants, as a nurse her children feeding them, as a Physician his patients healing them, as a merciful King his delinquent, and humbled subjects, pardoning them, as a teacher his scholars, filling them with heavenly wisdom, as a Bridegroom his Bride, speaking graciously to them, making them sensible of his love towards them, replenishing them with strong p Heb. 6.15. 2. Thes. 2.16. and everlasting consolation; his estate is of all men's the most joyful, who hath the most full and sweet enjoyment of Christ in the Gospel. Perplexities, distractions, and convulsions of soul and conscience are infallible attendants of the neglect and refusal of Christ jesus, he that shuts his eyes against the Sun abides in darkness, he that shuts his heart against Christ abides in heaviness. 9 Satisfaction. 9 Christ received in the Gospel giveth satisfaction: The Sun satisfieth the eye with light, the fountain satisfieth the thirsty with water, the pearl satisfied the Merchant in the parable with treasure, Christ in the Gospel satisfieth the soul with wisdom in the understanding, with holy and sweet meditations in the mind, with the sense of his love in the heart, with the treasure of spiritual gifts in the affections, with sure and blessed peace in the conscience. He that rightly possesseth Christ in the Gospel, may say as jacob did, I have enough. Christ in the Gospel is a living spring, he that drinks of him shall thirst no more: He is an all-sufficient portion to them that enjoy him; he that seeks contentation with the neglect of Christ in his Gospel, seeks for water to quench his thirst in a broken cistern: The soul is restless, and never truly contented until Christ is enjoyed; the house without the husband seems an empty place to the wife; the world without Christ proves an empty thing to the soul. 10. Abiding substance. 10. Christ received in the Gospel is an abiding substance to the soul, he is an q Isa. 9.6. everlasting father, he will never forget us, he is a husband r Hos 2.19. for ever, he will never cease to love us, he is a faithful friend loving s joh. 13.1. Rom. 11.19. joh. 3.9 joh. 4.14. at all times; his love is a Sun that knows no setting, his gifts are ᵗ without repentance, his grace an immortal seed that never dies, a wellspring springing up to life everlasting: All that is without Christ is full of vanity and changes, only Christ is a possession of everlasting continuance, the meditation of all which should sweetly allure and draw us, graciously dispose and frame us, and mightily persuade, and move us to give Christ a joyful welcome coming to us in his Gospel. 6. Fastening thoughts upon brevity of life 6. Fastening our frequent and most serious thoughts upon the brevity and vanity of the life of man. Man hath no abiding City here, he flourisheth like jonahs' gourd in an evening, and is smitten and withered in the morning; Death like the waters of the red sea drowns all, only Christ makes a safe passage through death, for his Israel, for all that receive him; the Ark divided jordan, and Israel went dry, and safe over to Canaan; Christ makes a ready way for all that beleevingly entertain him, through the horrors of death, to the heavenly kingdom; death like the deluge spares none, as Noah therefore betook himself to the Ark, and was preserved, so let us betake ourselves to Christ, that we may be preserved from the second death; all they who were out of the Ark perished in the waters, all they that are out of Christ will perish in the deluge of God's vengeance, the Lord Jesus is the souls only refuge and deliverance. u Exod 9.19. Behold (saith the Lord by Moses in another case) to morrow about this time, I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail such as hath not been in Egypt from the foundation thereof until now. Send therefore now and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field, for upon every man and beast that shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them and they shall die: He that feared the word of the Lord among them made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses, and he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field, and they were all smitten and died. Thus in this case behold to morrow, ere long, very shortly, the Lord will cause a mighty rain, he will rain down snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest, send therefore now and gather your souls, yourselves, your friends, husbands, wives, children, servants, kindred, and neighbours unto Christ, get ye interest in Christ, hide yourselves by faith, and love in Christ, for upon every soul of man that shall not be found in Christ, upon every parent and child, husband and wife, master and servant, young and old, bond and free, that shall not be brought home to Christ, the hail, fire, and brimstone of God's wrath shall come down upon them, and they shall die, both the first, and the second death; and now I know that he that fears the word of the Lord among you, will flee to Christ, give all diligence to receive and entertain Christ, to get a sure and blessed interest in Christ; but he that regards not the word of the Lord will stay in the field, abide in the service, way, and practise of the profane world, and be for ever destroyed, for there is no salvation out of Christ; He is the resurrection and the life, and our life is hid with him in God; therefore let us say with Augustine, let all these things perish, let us let pass all these vain, and empty things, and let us betake ourselves to the only inquisition of those things which have no end, let us betake ourselves to Christ who is the same, yesterday, to day, and for ever; He like Noah's Dove will bring us an Olive branch of peace, when all the comforts of the creature are drowned; he will stand by us, and defend us as Shamma, one of David's worthies stood, and defended the field when all the residue fled from it. When all worldly staffs, and stays, pillars and supporters, leave us and stay behind us, then as Isaac went up to the Mount with Abraham, so will Christ go up with us, and present us with acceptance, with great joy and gladness in God his father's presence; and let the remembrance and thought of these things sweeten and make exceedingly joyous Christ's coming among us. CHAP. VII. Christ's welcome manifested. ANd let us declare and manifest the truth of Christ's welcome, and our joy at Christ's coming by our prepared, humble, and hearty receiving of Christ, according to the charge of the Psalmist, Let us w Psa. 24.7. By opening and elevating the heart. lift up the gates and doors of our hearts from the creature, and all things here below, let us remove the bolts and bars of infidelity, obstinacy, pride, security, and self-love; and let us by faith, love, repentance, and humble obedience, open the doors of our hearts, that Christ the King of glory may come in. As the x Mat. 9.24. Minstrels, and other people, were put forth out of the Ruler's house, and Christ received, that his dead daughter might be raised to life. Thus let us put out of the doors of our hearts, all carnal joys, and fleshly lusts, that Christ may enter into, and minister the life of grace to our souls; let all give place to Christ, that Christ may have the full possession of us, and work effectually within us. 2 Let it appear that Christ is welcome by our garnishing our hearts with all spiritual ornaments, suitable, 2. By garnishing the heart and fit for the entertaining of Christ, putting our hearts into such a gracious frame and temper, that Christ may take pleasure in us: The gate of the Tabernacle was very costly and glorious, having a hanging made for it y Exod 26.36, 37. of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen wrought with needlework, the pillars for the hangings being overlaid with gold, and their hooks of gold, to shadow out, and signify the making glorious of the hearts of Gods elect by faith, and other gifts of the Spirit, to entertain Christ the glorious King. 3. By offering ourselves to Christ. 3. Make Christ's welcome apparent, by offering yourselves to Christ; the wise men rejoiced in Christ's coming, and they fell down and worshipped him, opened their treasures, and z Mat. 2.10, 11. presented to him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Thus let us rejoice in Christ coming in the Gospel, fall down before him, make the whole man veil and stoop to Christ, and to him let us offer the gold of a pure heart, the frankincense of holy and humble prayer, and the myrrh of patient suffering, and bearing Christ's cross to him, let us yield our a Rom. 12.1. bodies, souls, and all our substance, as a holy and acceptable sacrifice. 4. By exalting Christ 4. Manifest every man Christ's welcome by exalting Christ above every thing in your heart, do not set him as Jesse did David b 1 Sam. 16. 1●. behind the ewes, but set him as Pharaoh did Joseph, above all his Nobles, and over all his land; allow him universal and absolute jurisdiction over the whole man, cut off whatsoever doth rebel against him. 5 By Love. Faith conformity and acquiescence. 5. Declare Christ's welcome by your love to him, as to the bridegroom of your souls, by your faith and dependence upon him, as upon your only rock, and sure foundation, by your full and through-conforming yourselves to his statutes and testimonies, as to that which is the light of your feet, the lantern of your paths, and the delight of your souls, and by a holy and gracious acquiescence in Christ, as in the Counsellor in whom is all wisdom to direct; as in the King, in whom is all authority to command; as in the rock, in whom is all strength to support; as in the fountain, in whom is all fullness to satisfy us, Christ will not be pleased with a verbal, he will have a real entertainment; with Judas to kiss Christ with our lips, outwardly to give him fair words, and secretly to nourish treason and rebellion in our hearts against him, is a cursed welcome. With Joab to salute Christ with one hand, and stab him with another hand, as Joab at once saluted and slew Abner, to salute Christ by an outward and open profession, and to stab him by a corrupt and dissolute conversation is very unseemly, shameful, and dishonourable for any Christian. Let therefore our spiritual, universal, cheerful and constant subjection unto Christ declare the truth and joy of Christ's welcome unto us. Want of joyful receiving Christ shows, 1 Want of knowledge. If we rejoice not in Christ, if Christ coming in the Gospel be not welcome, Where is our knowledge of Christ if we rejoice not in Christ coming in the Gospel; the blind eye hath no joy in the Sun, but to the seeing eye the light is sweet, and It is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun; to the ignorant Christ is nothing joyful, but to them that have the eyes of their understanding opened, Christ is very pleasant, he is in their eye the fairest of ten thousand, o Prov. 2.10. to them the knowledge of Christ is pleasant, to him that knows the Wisdom of Christ shining into his heart, and making him wise unto salvation, to him that knows the death of Christ, mortifying his lusts and corrupt affections, the resurrection of Christ spiritually reviving and quickening him, to him that knows the righteousness of Christ's clothing, and justifying him, to him that knows the blessed presence of Christ encouraging him, to him that knows the Al-sufficiency of Christ satisfying him, to him that knows the gracious dispensation of Christ, ministering the sense of his love and peace to him; to that man Christ is welcome in the Gospel. Man's ignorance deprives him of all Christ's comforts. 2. Want of Love. 2. Where is our love to Christ, if Christ be not welcome? David loved Jonathan, and Jonathan was very pleasant to him. Old Jacob loved Joseph, and his spirit revived when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent, he was very glad that Joseph was alive, I will go (saith he) and see him before I die: Christ is very pleasant to him that loves him, it is a reviving of heart to such a man to hear of Christ, he will surely go, and see Christ in the Gospel; Love to Christ, and joy in Christ are inseparable companions, in all the Friends of Christ, David was a man of love to God, a man of sweet and strong affections: He useth many feeling and lively expressions hereof, and his joy was suitable to his love; he was d Psal 122.1. glad to go up to the house of the Lord, he rejoiced in praising God, e Psal 71.23. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee: He rejoiced in visiting the house of God, he went to the house of God with the f Psal. 42.4. voice of joy and praise, with the multitude that kept holy day; He rejoiced in the understanding, meditation, and service of God; he rejoiced in the Way of God's testimonies as much as in all riches. g Psal 119.14. He is no friend of Christ that doth not rejoice in Christ; he is no lover, that is not a joyful receiver of Christ in the Gospel: His pretence and profession of love is not real, but counterfeit and hypocritical. How canst thou say thou lovest me (said Dalilah once to Samson) h judg. 16.15. when thy heart is not with me. Thus how can man say he loves Christ, when his heart, the joy and delight of his heart is not with Christ; how is it possible man can love Christ, and yet Christ be unwelcome; Christ's unwelcomnesse to man in his Gospel, proclaims the enmity of man's heart against him. Where is our faith in Christ, if Christ be not welcome? 3. Want of f●ith. do we choose and single out Christ to ourselves, to be our Mediator and Saviour? Do we build on Christ as on a sure rock? Do we apprehend and take Christ by the hand of faith into a spiritual wedlock, as the husband of our souls? Do we make Christ our treasure, our crown, our royal robe of righteousness? Do we by the bucket of faith draw waters of salvation out of Christ, as out of a living fountain? and yet not rejoice in Christ, not bid him joyfully welcome, it is impossible: A believing apprehension is comfortable, an unbelieving apprehension ministers no rejoicing. It is recorded of Jacob, that his sons telling him Joseph is yet alive, and he is Governor over all the land of Egypt. jacob's heart fainted, for he ● believed them not, afterwards believing, he much rejoiced; but now, not believing, his heart fainted. Thus man hearing of Christ's life and kingdom, hearing him preached in the Gospel, as the Author of life, and King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, hearing great and glorious things spoken of Christ, and his heart fainting, his soul sad, dull, troubled, and not solaced with it, that man believes not, for the soul is filled with all joy in believing. 4 Want of pricing Christ. Where is our pricing of Christ? He that doth not rejoice in Christ coming in the Gospel, hath a very low esteem of Christ: The Spouse had a high esteem of Christ surpassing all creatures, and her soul was ravished with love to him, and with joy in him: The Merchant in the parable prized the pearl above all that he had, and as he highly prized it, so he was glad when he found it: Did we prise Christ as the hungry prizeth food, the sick health, the captive liberty, the rich his treasure, the King his crown; we could not but rejoice in Christ's coming as people in a famine rejoice in the coming of the harvest, sick men in restoration of health, captives in a Jubilee, and the rich in his treasure; the true valuing of Christ makes his coming in the Gospel's matter of more rejoicing, than the coming of all the fullness of the world. 5. Want of relishing Christ. Where is our taste and relish, our sense and feeling of Christ, if we rejoice not in Christ coming in the Gospel; the taste of wine rejoiceth the thirsty, the taste of meat rejoiceth the hungry: He that hath no joy in Christ, hath no taste of Christ; Christ is not unto him as isaack's venison was to him, k Gen. 27.4. savoury meat which his soul loved. The things of God are unsavoury unto such; but the soul which doth relish Christ, which tasteth how good Christ is, doth abundantly rejoice in Christ; to him Christ's l Cant. 1.3. good ointments, his saving gifts and graces, are savoury,; are tasted, perceived, felt, like good ointments, with great joy and revivement of heart; and his name is as an ointment poured forth, the doctrine of his grace, the name of his wisdom, in opening his father's counsel; the name of his merit in purchasing man's salvation; the name of his mercy, in pardoning man's sin; the name of his righteousness in justifying man's soul; the name of his love in embracing and solacing man's heart; this is an ointment poured out, this in the preaching of the Gospel casteth a sweet savour, as ointment doth in the pouring forth, as the breaking of the box of ointment in the Gospel, and pouring it upon Christ's head, filled the house with the m Mar. 14.3. joh. 12.3. savour thereof: so the opening of Christ in the Gospel, giveth a sweet savour to the hearts of all Christians. The true receivers of Christ find a very sweet, and blessed, a very gracious and soule-refreshing taste in Christ. And as we profess ourselves to be scholars in Christ's school, servants in Christ's family, members in Christ's body, joy in Christ's coming persuaded. subjects, friends, and Spouse of Christ; so let us rejoice in the coming of Christ, in his Gospel, as a traveller rejoiceth in the coming of the Sun to guide him, as the subject rejoiceth in the coming of the King to honour him, as the captive rejoiceth in the coming of the ransomer to free him, as the sick rejoiceth in the coming of the Physician to cure him, as the child rejoiceth in the coming of the nurse to feed him, and as the bride rejoiceth in the coming of the bridegroom to marry her: In him let us rejoice as in the Sun enlightening us, as in the friend solacing us, as in the shield defending us, as in the King honouring us, as in the treasure enriching us, as in the jewel adorning us, as in the fountain filling us, and as in the paradise of our most choice and everlasting pleasures; and in the joy of our souls let us say, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. CHAP. VIII. DAvid did not only rejoice in the Ark, and dance before it in testimony of his joy, but did also erect and set it up in the n 2 Sam 16.17. midst of the Tabernacle: Every man that doth indeed rejoice in Christ, every man to whom Christ is truly welcome, doth desire and endeavour the exaltation of Christ, the setting up of Christ's kingdom, the welfare of Christ and his Gospel; therefore the people here say, Welfare and exaltation of Christ and his kingdom desired. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; not only by way of exaltation and rejoicing in Christ's coming, but also by way of exoptation and wel-wishing, heartily desiring the welfare and prosperity of Christ, his kingdom, and Gospel, Blessed be he; furnished be he, with the greatest and choicest wisdom, righteousness, prudence, mercy, power, fortitude, and courage for the administration of his kingdom and people; successful be he, in the promulgation and preaching of his Gospel, in the gubernation of his Church and children, in the dissipation of all adversary powers; victorious be he in the subjugation and conquest of his enemies; glorious be he in the conversion of sinners, in the multiplication and increase of his holy and loyal subjects; beautiful and amiable be he, in the eyes of all persons; Let his Gospel shine like the Sun from the one end of heaven unto the other; Let his name be as an ointment poured out, casting a sweet smell throughout this great house of the world; to him let all the Kings and kingdoms of the earth veil and stoop, become truly obedient and subject. This is the prayer, desire, and endeavour of all that rejoice in Christ aright, teaching us, That, Doct. It is the duty of all people unfeignedly to desire, and earnestly to endeavour the welfare, promotion, and advancement of Christ, his spiritual kingdom and Gospel. David and o 2 Sa●. 6.15. all the house of Israel joined together in erecting and setting up the Ark in the Tabernacle, Kings and Subjects, Masters and servants, parents and children, the people of every calling and condition should unite their forces, their hearts and hands, their counsels and tongues, their affections and endeavours to set up Christ, to advance his Gospel, to honour and enlarge his kingdom: This was shadowed in the building of the Temple; to the building thereof concurred Solomon and his servants Hyram of Tyrus, and the Sydonians, p 1 King. 6. who did hew the timber for it; to the building of the Church of Christ, to the setting up of Christ and his Gospel, there should be an universal, unanimous, full and sweet concurrence of men of all nations, of Kings and subjects, of Lords and servants, of Ministers and people, every man in the place and calling wherein God hath set him, according to the gift and endowment which God hath bestowed on him, must concur in his prayers and endeavours, to advance the honour and kingdom of Christ Jesus. This was also figured in the neighbouring Kings payment of tribute unto Solomon, desiring his friendship, and by variety of gifts and presents making their peace with him. All people coming from all the Kings of the earth to hear his wisdom; the whole as in a shadow, presignifying men's payment of the spiritual tribute, of fear and reverence, faith and obedience, love and thankfulness unto Christ; their entering into a Covenant of peace with Christ, their seeking of the love and friendship of Christ, their attendance upon the Gospel to hear and learn Christ's wisdom, their dedication of themselves and their substance to the service of Christ, their spiritual subjection unto Christ, and their holy and gracious endeavours to make the name of Christ glorious. This was foretold by the Psalmist, q Psal. 72, 9 they that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust, they shall humble themselves under the mighty hand of Christ, they shall acknowledge and receive him as their Lord, they shall fear and reverence him as their King, they shall veil and bow to his sceptre, they shall put themselves and all that is theirs under Christ, they shall give themselves to the exaltation and setting up of Christ: The Kings of Tharsis and of the Isles shall bring presents, the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts; they shall consecrate their abilities to Christ's service, they shall communicate of their substance to the maintenanne of Christ's Church and Ministers, to the preservation and increase of Christ's kingdom. All Kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him. All shall adore and serve him as their King, all shall exalt and honour him, as loyal subjects their heavenly Sovereign; all persons from the highest to the lowest must serve the Lord Jesus, and study to make him glorious; grace works obedience in the hearts of Princes, as well as in the hearts of beggars: The Sun as well as the stars did obeisance unto Joseph in his vision; Kings as well as inferior persons, do ob●●●ance unto Christ under his kingdom and Gospel. r Rev 4.10. The four and twenty Elders in Saint John's vision, fell down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne. Godly Kings and Governors cast their crowns, their dominion, dignity, power, honour, and jurisdiction, and all that they have before Christ, they make all serviceable to the exaltation of Christ and his kingdom. This was like prophesied by the Prophet Esay, the s Isa. 60.5. abundance of the sea; multitudes of men dwelling in Islands, shall be converted unto thee, shall be gathered unto the Church and kingdom of Christ, and the forces, great troops and companies of the Gentiles shall come to thee, shall be joined to the people of God, embrace their Religion, and enter into a sweet and gracious fellowship with them: They shall bring gold and incense, they shall contribute liberally to the maintenance of the Gospel, and Christ's poor members, they shall dedicate their earthly abundance to Christ's service, and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord, they shall be very industrious and studious to make the name of the Lord Jesus glorious. The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, become members in thy house, and fellow-helpers in thy work, and their Kings shall minister unto thee, shall serve Christ and labour the welfare of his Church and kingdom. The glory of Lebanon shall come to thee, there is nothing so excellent which shall not put itself under Christ, and be made serviceable to his Gospel and kingdom; and thus our Saviour taught his Disciples to pray, that God's kingdom might t Mat. 6.10. come, that the Gospel might be preached, and men filled with the light thereof, As the air is filled with light upon the coming of the Sun; that the Holy-Ghost might be poured out, and the hearts of men inspired with the knowledge, love and obedience of the truth; that all the lusts of men, the impediments of Gods gracious kingdom in the soul of man might be crucified, and utterly extinct; and that God might universally, spiritually, and fully reign in the hearts of men, all the weapons of their rebellion laid aside, and their souls brought into a gracious subjection; and it is the Apostles charge, pray that the word of the Lord may u 2 Thess. 3.1. run, have a free and a speedy passage, running as the Sun, shining to all the corners of the world, and running as the rivers, to water the earth, and be glorified by the pure and powerful preaching of it, by the holy and gracious working of it, by the ready and cheerful entertainment of it, and by the holy and humble subjection of the souls of men under it: Man's obedience makes the word very glorious, and the free and speedy passage, and powerful working of the Gospel, should be earnestly prayed for by the Lord's people; this is the chariot on which Christ rideth in spiritual triumph; this is the sceptre by which he swayeth in the souls of his chosen, and the welfare of this do all the friends and wellwishers of Christ much desire, and with great earnestness endeavour, w Psal. 45.3. gird thy sword upon thy thigh (saith the Psalmist in the person of the faithful unto Christ) O most mighty, show thyself in thy word and Gospel like a mighty man of war, fully armed, to mortify the lusts, to humble the souls, and to bring into subjection all the thoughts of thy servants, and do this in thy glory and in thy majesty, make thyself appear dreadful, and glorious, by the powerful and gracious effects of thy Gospel, and in thy majesty ride upon the word of truth, the Gospel of salvation, prosperously.: Be thou successful in the preaching of the Gospel, for the speedy and universal manifestation of it to all people, for the profligating and putting to flight of all false doctrines and corrupt worship, as the Sun doth dispel the clouds, and Aaron's rod devoured the Magicians serpents; for the reclaiming and gathering home the souls of men, as the shepherd gathereth home the sheep by his voice; for the healing of the diseased souls of men, as Bethesda healed the diseased bodies; for the setting up of thy throne in their hearts to reign and rule within them, as a King reigneth in his Throne. Christ's blessed success in the ministry of the Gospel, is both the wish and prayer, joy and labour of all that love him. He is a very stranger to Christ's kingdom that seeks not Christ's exaltation. The true members of Christ prefer the welfare of Christ's Church, kingdom, and Gospel, above the welfare of their own estate and person. As the arm lifteth up itself to receive the blow, rather than it shall fall upon the head; such as clearly discern and truly taste Christ in the Gospel, are very solicitous to uphold Christ's kingdom, and propagate his Gospel: x Psal. 122.9. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good, saith David to Jerusalem, because the doctrine of salvation is there published, the worship of God there erected, and God there manifested and made known: I will seek thy good, I will endeavour thy safety, I will do what in me lies to uphold the doctrine there taught, and the worship there established: I will seek the good thereof by prayer and supplication, by advice and counsel, by communicating whatsoever is behooveful, either for the supportation, honour, or comfort of it. A good man will not willingly keep back any thing which may tend to the advancement of Christ, 1. Grounds of this truth. his Gospel, and kingdom; and thus it ought to be. 1. Covenant. 1. In regard of the Covenant between us and Christ, we are baptised into the y Mat 28.19. name of Christ; into the faith of Christ, to believe in him as the author of our salvation; into the religion of Christ, to adore and worship him as our spiritual and heavenly Sovereign; into the doctrine of Christ, to learn him as the truth is in him, to hear him as the great Prophet and Doctor of his Church; into the profession of Christ, openly declaring our hope and expectation of salvation by Christ, our subjection under Christ, and our dependence upon Christ; into the service of Christ, being dedicated and set apart by Baptism unto Christ, as his peculiar people, to adore and serve him, to honour and exalt him; and into the death of Christ, receiving Baptism as a testimony of mortification, and as an instrument of the Holy-Ghost, for the extinguishing and killing of sin by the death, and for the quickening of our souls by the resurrection of Christ, to the end that we who live should live no more unto ourselves but unto Christ: This is the tenor of the Covenant which the Lord himself uttered by the mouth of the Prophet, I z jer. 37.39. will be their God. I will be their King to command them, their counsellor to guide them, their shield to defend them, their Saviour to minister salvation to them, their father to make provision for them, to communicate the sense of my love unto them, and their portion to satisfy them; and they shall be my people, the scholars of my school to learn my will, the subjects of my kingdom to honour and exalt me, the servants of my family to obey and serve me, and the bride of my delight to love me, and to bring forth fruit to me. By virtue of the Covenant between us and Christ, our names are given unto Christ, as soldiers to their Captain, to fight for Christ; as subjects to their Sovereign, to exalt and magnify the name of Christ, to labour the welfare and honour of the kingdom of Christ. Abner entering into Covenant with David, a 2 Sam. 3. went forth to bring about all Israel unto David, to exalt and set up David, and to increase the kingdom of David. Thus man being entered into Covenant with Christ must bring himself, and all that is his, and all other people, so much as in him lies into subjection unto Christ, he must to the utmost of his power, labour the exaltation of Christ and his kingdom: such men are very regardless of their holy covenant and sacred promise, as labour not the exaltation of Christ's kingdom and gospel. 2. Relation. 2. In regard of the Relation betwixt us and Christ. Christ is the King and we the Subjects; Christ is the Lord and we the Servants; Christ is the Head and we the members: Christ is the Bridegroom and we the Bride; true Subjects endeavour the honour of their King and Kingdom. Saul's Subjects would put to b 1 Sam. 11.12 death all them who would not have Saul to reign over them. David's Subjects preferred him above themselves, endeavoured his c 2 Sam. 18.3. safety, put themselves in hazard to safeguard him, accounted him worth ten thousand of themselves; the members support and bear up the head, employ all their strength in the defence and honour of the head; good servants labour their Master's honour and welfare; Thy servants said David's men to him, d 2 Sam. 15.15 are ready to do whatsoever my Lord the King shall appoint, and the Centurion could say of his servant, Do this and he doth it: And the faithful Spouse brings forth children to her husband, she was a fruitful Vine by the sides of his house, and her children like Olive plants round about his Table, a great honour, a crown as Solomon saith to her husband: thus must we by virtue of that Relation which is betwixt us and Christ, as loyal subjects mortify and put to death, whatsoever doth in us oppose Christ's honour and dominion, exalt Christ and his gospel above ourselves, our ease, profit, or credit; expose ourselves to all difficulties, dangers and inconveniences amongst men, for the magnifying of Christ's name, and the welfare of Christ's gospel; as good servants be ready to do whatsoever Christ shall appoint us for the making of him glorious; as true and living members of Christ's mystical body, we must put ourselves under Christ, bear up Christ and make him conspicuous in the eyes of others, and like a chaste Spouse bring forth all our fruit unto Christ, endeavouring to the utmost of our power the welfare of Christ's kingdom and Gospel. Such men are altogether unmindful of their relation unto Christ, who desire not, who labour not the prosperity of the Gospel and kingdom of Christ. 3. In regard of Christ's interest in us. 3. Christ's interest in us. We are not our own, but Christ's, as sometimes the King of Syria said to the King of Israel, thy silver and thy gold is e 1 King 20.3, 4 mine, thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest are mine. Thus may Christ say to us, thy body and thy soul, thy wife and thy children, thy gold and thy silver, thy lands and thy livings, and whatsoever thou hast is mine; and we must answer as the King of Israel did, My Lord, O King, I am thine, and all that I have. This the Lord claimeth by the mouth of the Prophet: Now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob, and that form thee O Israel, I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, f Isa. 43.1. thou art mine, my chosen vessel, my redeemer, and sanctified one, my child, my servant, my jewel, and the Lords g Deut. 32 9 portion (saith Moses) is his people, Jacob is the Lot of his inheritance; He hath separated and taken us unto himself, to be his peculiar people, whom he loves, in whom he delights, and to whom we must bring forth all our fruit, and be unto him whatsoever we are, as a portion or inheritance, is all that it is to him that owns it; and Christ's we are indeed, by h joh. 17.7. donation. We are given unto him from eternity in the decree of God's election; by redemption, he hath bought us with a price; by vocation he called us out of darkness into a marvellous light, and hath made us a peculiar people to himself, and also by way of spiritual Conjunction and wedlock. We are espoused unto Christ, and are styled i Rev. 19.8. his wife. And as we are Christ's, so we must be for Christ, so we must seek the prosperity of Christ's kingdom, and advancement of his Gospel: k 1 Chr. 12.8. Thine are we O David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse, said Amasai to David, peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be unto thine helpers. Thus must we say unto Christ, thine are we O Christ, and on thy side O Son of God, peace, peace, all welfare and prosperity be to thee, and thy kingdom, successful be the labours and undertake of all them that are thy ministerial and underhelpers. This is urged as a fruit and effect of Christ's interest in us. l 1 Cor. 6.20. We are bought (saith the Apostle) with a price, therefore let us glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits; and again Christ hath died, that we who live, 2 Cor. 5.15. should not henceforth live unto ourselves, but to him who died for us, and rose again. That man doth not well consider Christ's interest in him, who puts not himself and all that is his upon Christ's service. He is doubtless a stranger to the efficacy and fruit of the work of Christ's redemption, who doth not throughly apply himself to the setting up of Christ and his Gospel. 4. Subversion of Satan. 4. In regard of the Subversion of Satan and his kingdom. The setting up of the Ark was the fall of Dagon; the setting up of the house of David was the overthrow of the house of Saul; the setting up of Christ, his Kingdom, and Gospel, is the overthrow of Satan. Where the Gospel is preached, and Christ set up, Satan falls like m Luk. 10.18. lightning from heaven, his holds of sin are overturned, like the walls of Jericho at the blowing of the rams horns. There is no competition between the Devil's kingdom, and the powerful preaching of the Gospel. When David was once set upon the throne all Israel by degrees came about, left the house of Saul, and bowed unto David's sceptre: When Christ is set upon his Throne, exalted and lifted up in the preaching▪ of the Gospel, all that are ordained unto life come about and stoop to Christ, they leave the service of sin, Satan, and the world, and veil to Christ's sceptre, they n Act. 26.18. Acts ●. turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. When Philip preached in Samaria, the Devils went out of many that were possessed by them: The Lord hath ordained the ministry of the Gospel to be the instrument and means of the ruin of Satan's kingdom; and for this cause we should come ourselves to Christ, and labour the welfare and increase of Christ's Kingdom, that Satan the grand adversary of our souls, of our peace, of our salvation, may be overthrown and trodden under o Rev. 16.20. foot, and have no more place p Rev. 12.8. in heaven, in the Church of God, in the hearts of the people of God, but be q joh. 12. 3●. cast out, as a strong man bound is put out of his house, and a King vanquished and overcome is cast out of his Kingdom: He is no true subject unto Christ, that endeavours not the subversion of Satan and his kingdom, that Christ alone may reign, and have complete dominion over God's Church and people. 5. In regard of the Glory, Crown, and dignity of God's Church, and people. The setting up of Christ, his Gospel, and Kingdom, is the glory of the Church of God; the appearance and shining of the Sun in the fullness of his beauty is the glory of the world; the presence of the Ark was the r 1 Sam. 4.23. glory of Israel, being a witness of God's glorious presence among them, the Lord there giving forth his oracles, and hearing the prayers of his people. Thus the presence, appearance, and bright shining of Christ the Sun of Righteousness in the Gospel, is the glory of the Church. Where Christ is in the Gospel, there God is graciously present, clearly manifesting himself to men's understanding, and mercifully hearing and answering the prayers of his people, and the place where the ordinances of God are, where the Gospel is published, and the mysteries of God's Kingdom opened, is called the habitation s Psal. 26 8. of his house, and the place where his honour dwelleth. The Lord doth ever show himself very glorious to the souls of his servants, in the use of his ordinances; and vouchsafes great honour to the people, in setting up his Gospel and Kingdom among them; and therefore the Church of God is called the t Isa. 11.10. glorious rest of Christ, because Christ by his Gospel, and by his love and grace doth rest there; that place is of all places most glorious, which is the Evangelicall resting place of Christ; and the Lord foretelling the multiplication of his Church, the increase of his faithful people, and augmentation of his son's Kingdom, saith he u Isa. 60.7, 15. will glorify the house of his glory, and make his Church an eternal excellency; and therefore we should mightily endeavour the exaltation of Christ and his Gospel, because this is the honour, crown, and glory of the Church: The clear, full, and open enjoyment of Christ in the Gospel, is the prime glory of any place or people. Such people are very base and ignominious, whatsoever be their outward abundance, who enjoy not Christ in his ordinance; that man is altogether regardless of the honour, dignity, and glory of God's Church and people, who labours not the exaltation of Christ and his Gospel. CHAP. IX. Impiety of three sorts opened. 1. Non-regarders of welfare of Gospel. IN this as in a glass we may with open face behold the great impiety and shameful profaneness of three sorts of men. 1. Such as have no regard, nor desire unto, no pleasure nor delight in the prosperity and welfare of Christ's Kingdom and Gospel: Like Gallio, they care for none of these things, it is a matter indifferent unto them, whether the Gospel sink or swim, whither Christ's Kingdom stand or fall, flourish or wither; the Lord saith of the wild Ass. w job 39.6, 7, 8. I have made the wilderness his house, and the barren land his dwelling: He● scorneth the multitude of the City, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver, the range of the mountains is his pasture, and he seareheth after every green thing: Such wild Asses are these men, the wilderness of the world is their habitation, they regard not, they desire nor with David to x Psal. 24.4. dwell in the house of the Lord; they delight in a barren land, where are no waters, and wells of salvation; they regard not the y Psal. 23.2. green pastures of holy and heavenly doctrine, in which the Lord feeds the souls of his people: They thirst not after the still waters of the Gospel, and sweet consolations of the Spirit, with which God refresheth the souls of his children, they scorn the multitude of the citizens of the new Jerusalem, the holy assemblies of God's people; They z Psal. 41.4. go not to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise, with the multitude that keeps it holy day, neither regard they the voice of the spiritual driver, they esteem not the voice of God's Minister endeavouring to drive them from the world unto God's Church, from sin to holiness, and from Satan unto Christ, the range of the mountains is their pasture, they seek no food for their souls but worldly vanities, they look after no treasure but earthly substance; they care not what become of Christ and his Gospel, if it go well with them according to the world. The Harp and the Viol, a Isa. 5.12. the Tabret and pipe (saith the Lord by the Prophet) and the wine are in their feasts, but they regard not the works of the Lord, neither consider they the operation of his hands. Such men are blind, Grounds of this evil. and see not the beauties of Christ and his Gospel, and therefore as it is a thing indifferent to the blind, whether the Sun rise or set, shine or be eclipsed: so it is all one to these men, whether the Sun of Righteousness in the Gospel, rise or set, shine or shine not, they neither rejoice at Christ's coming, or grieve at Christ's departing. Such men are unsensible of the want of Christ, and therefore do no more regard Christ's presence in the Gospel, than a diseased man that feels not his sickness, regards the presence of a Physician. Such men are earthly minded, altogether taken up with the world, and therefore are uncapable of Christ, unable to relish any sweetness in Christ, or to give him any audience in his Gospel. Eliah spoke mockingly of Baal, to his worshippers, b 1 Kin. 18.27. Cry aloud, for he is a God, neither he is a talking, or he is a pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked; and they cried aloud from the morning to the evening, but there was neither voice nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. We may truly say of these, they are men, but they are either a talking of the world, or pursuing of the world, with such earnestness, or fallen into such a sinful sleep and slumber, that they cannot hear; and though the Minister lift up his voice like a trumpet, and cry aloud, yet there is no voice, nor answer of faith and obedience, nor any regard showed by them to Christ and his Gospel: Such men are halting Israelites, and lukewarm Laodiceans, void of all true love to Christ, and far from all Christian zeal for Christ. Solon reputed him no good citizen, who in a civil dissension risen in the City did adhere to neither party: Such as cleave not to Christ and the Gospel in the dissension and opposition of the world are no true citizens of the new Jerusalem. He that is not with me is against me (saith Christ) he that stands not on Christ's side stands on Satan's side, c Mat. 12.30. he that serves not God serves Mammon, he that hath not communion with Christ, hath communion with the world. Christ looks upon all such as are not zealous for him, as on enemies against him, d Rev. ●. 16. and he will spew them out of his mouth at last as foul abomination. 2. Opposers of Gospel 2 Sam. 3.1. 2. A second sort, are such as oppose Christ's Gospel and Kingdom. The house of Saul made long war against the house of David. There is a family of profane Saulites, that make d Luk. 19.14. continual opposition against the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ, they will not have Christ rule over them, they take e Psal. 2.2. counsel against the Lord and his Christ, and say, come let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us. Grounds of opposing the Gospel. Some are superstitious, and as the Philistines would not suffer the Ark to stand upon the right hand of their Dagon, no more will they suffer Christ and the Gospel to have pre-eminence above their traditions and devises; some are covetous, and as Jesse set David behind the ewes, so do these men set Christ and his word behind the world, below their earthly employments, and undertake; some are ambitious, and as joseph's brethren conspired against him, because they were loath to veil and bow to him. Thus proud men conspire and combine against Christ and the Gospel, being loath to deny, and humble themselves, and put their necks under Christ's yoke; some are under the power of profaneness; with Ahab they sell themselves to commit wickedness, they are impatient of reproof, and therefore imprison the Prophet of the Lord; Christ coming in the power of his Gospel is very uncomfortable, and terrible to such as are under the power of their corruption; some are profanely jealous, lest the setting up of Christ and his Kingdom will cross their profit, and eclipse their honour and credit amongst men; and therefore they seek to suppress the Gospel, as f 1 Sam. 18.29. & 19.1. Saul sought to suppress David: This moved g Act. 19 24. Demetrius to accuse Paul, and this caused h Mat. 2. Herod secretly to plot the death of Christ. Christ and his Gospel have ever met with many oppositions from the world. 3. A third sort, 3 Grievers at prosperity of the Gospel. are such as grieve at the prosperity and welfare of the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ. When Nehemiah came to repair the walls of Jerusalem, Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite grieved i Neh. 2.10. exceedingly that there was a man come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. It is a great grief to many ill affected men, that bear evil will to Zion, to hear that God raiseth up any to repair and build up Christ's Church and Kingdom, to seek the spiritual welfare of his children. The Psalmist having mentioned and set forth the felicity and prosperity of the faithful servants of God: In the multiplication of their seed, in the increase of their wealth, in the Lord's dispensation of joy in heaviness, of safety in dangers, of deliverance in distresses, of exaltation after all oppositions to God's Church and children; concludes thus, The k Psal. 112.10. wicked shall see it and be grieved, he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away, the desire of the wicked shall perish. Wicked men are more grieved at good men's prosperity, then at their own misery. It is a sure argument of reigning profaneness to sorrow for the welfare of the righteous. All l H●st. 5 13. haman's honours and preferments avail him nothing while he sees Mordecai sitting in the gate. Wicked men often lose the comfort of all their own earthly fullness, whiles they behold the prosperity and welfare of God's Church and righteous servants: The exaltation of Christ's Kingdom, and flourishing of the Gospel doth fill some men with such vexation, that all their wealth, honours, and high places seem to them as nothing: No doubt it much troubled the Philistines to see the m 1 Sam. 5.4.5. Ark of the Lord stand upright, and Dagon broken to a stump. It is a great trouble to many people to see the Kingdom of Christ stand, and the Gospel to flourish, and the Dagon of superstition, usury, drunkenness, etc. disgraced, shamed, and cast to ground; the Priests, the Captain of the Temple, and the Sadduces, were n Act. 4.1.2. grieved that the Disciples taught the people, and preached through jesus the resurrection from the dead, and the two Prophets in the Revelation are said to o Rev. 10.10. torment them that dwell on the earth. The glorious shining of the Sun is a trouble to diseased eyes, the bright and clear shining of the truth is a torment to profane, and ungracious souls; such as grieve not for their sin, grieve at the Gospel, the means of mortifying sin; such as most rejoice in superstition, profaneness, and the vanities of the world, are most grieved and troubled at the powerful preaching of the Gospel. O how great is man's blindness! how strange is man's perverseness! that he should be most grieved and troubled at the presence of that, which God hath ordained to be the instrument of man's greatest honour, profit, and comfort. CHAP. X. Admonition to set up Christ's Kingdom and Gospel. ALl men should learn by this, to work their hearts, to employ their thoughts, and to give themselves to the utmost of their abilities to the advancement of Christ's Kingdom and Gospel, to the setting up of Christ upon his throne, in his Church, here on the face of the earth. Zadok the Priest, Nathan the Prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelithites, p 1 King. 1.44, 45, 46, 47. caused Solomon to ride upon the King's mule, they anointed him King in Gihen, and all the servants of King David came and said, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and his throne greater than thy throne: All Kings and rulers, all Ministers and teachers should set up Christ, and cause him to ride in spiritual triumph upon God's Church, and all the servants of the Lord from the highest to the lowest should pray for the prosperity, success, honour and enlargement of Christ's Kingdom: Magistrates. All Magistrates as representative q Psal. 82.1. gods should be in stead of God to Christ's Church, as r Isa. 44 28. shepherds they should see that spiritual pastures be provided for Christ's flock, and that all wolves, bears and foxes, all instruments of annoyance be kept far from them; as s Isa. 49.23. nursing fathers and nursing mothers they should be careful that provision be made for Christ's family; and as they are styled the t Psal. 49 7. shields of the earth, so they should be careful to minister defence to Christ's Church and people against the power and fury of all that offer any injury to them. Thus they must u Psal. 1.12. kiss the son with the kiss of love and affection, with the kiss of honour and exaltation, with the kiss of reverence and subjection, with the kiss of congratulation and rejoicing, with the kiss of prayer and wel-wishing, endeavouring to the utmost of their power the propagation of Christ and his Gospel. All Ministers as builders in Christ's house, Ministers. as stewards in Christ's family, as teachers in Christ's school, as labourers in Christ's vineyard, as under-rowers in Christ's ship, as burning lamps in Christ's Temple, as watchmen in Christ's City, should by their frequent preaching, wholesome doctrine, sharp reprehension, wise admonition, seasonable and gracious consolation, and holy walking propagate the Gospel, advance the Kingdom, and increase the number of Christ's people, and make the Lord Jesus every day more and more glorious in the eyes of all beholders. All Masters and rulers of families should strive the exaltation of Christ's Kingdom, by being as Kings, Prophets, Masters of Families. and Priests, within their domestical walls, by their godly government, Christian instruction, and holy prayer and supplication with and for them, that are under their jurisdiction, teaching them with Abraham to know the Lord, bringing them with Cornelius to the ministry of the word, and making their houses with Philemon a Church of God. Private persons All private persons should likewise put their hands to this work, and labour the setting up of Christ's Kingdom and Gospel, by w Mic. 4 1. Isa. 60. flowing to the house of God, as rivers to the ocean, by coming speedily and unanimously, as the doves unto the windows, as the Eagles to the carcase, or the lame unto Bethesda; by growing in all spiritual gifts and graces, as children grow in stature, as trees in fruitfulness, and as the light shineth more and more unto the perfect day; by consecrating themselves to Christ, and his service, as soldiers to their General, as servants to their Lord and Master, and as a Spouse to their husband, to fight Christ's battles, to do Christ's work, to love Christ's name, and to bring forth all their fruit to Christ, as a wife brings forth all her children to her husband, and by holy exhortation, and gracious counsel, persuading and drawing others to Christ, to the knowledge, faith, love, and obedience of Christ, leaving other employments at convenient seasons, as the woman of Samaria left her water pot to bring other men to Christ, as she brought her fellow citizens, Considering (as the Apostle saith) one another, and provoking one another to love and to good works; being to their fellow brethren, as spurs quickening them, and as loadstones drawing them daily nearer and nearer unto Christ, labouring to make Christ appear more amiable and glorious in the eyes of all their fellow-servants: As all the rivers great and small empty themselves into the sea, to the filling up of the sea; so let us all, high and low, young and old, rich and poor, bond and free, empty ourselves, and all our abilities, and endeavours into Christ, to the filling up of Christ, his Church, his Kingdom, his mystical body, which is the x Eph. 1 23. fullness of him that filleth all in all. As all the people who were willing hearted, both men and women, came and offered freely to the building of the Tabernacle: so let us both men and women, all that have a willing and a loving heart to Christ, come and offer ourselves, and all that we have to Christ, for the building up of the Church and Kingdom of Christ, for the advancement of the Gospel of Christ. Inducements to exalt Christ. And to excite and move ourselves hereunto, do but consider how the exaltation of Christ, his Gospel and Kingdom, is the honour and glory of a Christian; 1 Honour of a Christian. what is the glory of a servant, but the enrichment of his Master by his industry? what is the honour of a Subject, but his loyalty to his King? his exalting the name, crown, kingdom, and jurisdiction of his Prince? what is the honour of a wife, but her fidelity to her husband, her cleaving close to her husband, her bringing forth of many children to her husband? and what is the crown and dignity of all Christians, but their serviceableness to Christ, their exaltation of the name of Christ, their cleaving close to Christ, their bringing forth of much fruit to Christ, their enlarging the territories of Christ's kingdom. Alphonsus had written on his Symbol as a character of his greatest honour, these words: Pro Lege, & pro Grege, for the Law, and for the people; and this is the most honourable character of a Christian to make his heart and tongue, his thoughts within, and his works without, to carry this inscription, for Christ and for his Kingdom, for his Church, and for his Gospel: He is every way of all persons the most honourable and glorious who is every way most for Christ Jesus. 2. The argument and evidence of our love to Christ. 2. Love to Christ. Where is our love to Christ, as to our Lord and Master, as to our King and Captain, as to our head and husband? if we seek not Christ's honour, if we do not endeavour the exaltation of Christ's kingdom: jonathan loved David as his own soul, and he stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword. He that loves Christ will keep back nothing from Christ, he will disrobe himself to honour Christ, to exalt his kingdom, and beautify his Gospel. Jacob loved Rachel, and he served for her twice seven years. He that loves Christ will put himself upon any hardness for Christ; Christian love reputes the honouring and exaltation of Christ Jesus, a sufficient recompense to its greatest losses, and hardest service. Love will make a man even holily prodigal, in his layings out for the exaltation of Christ's Gospel and kingdom. 3. Peril of not endeavouring welfare of Christ's Gospel. 3. Observe the peril of not endeavouring the welfare of Christ's Church and Gospel. He that is not a friend of Christ is an enemy against Christ; he that doth not help to set up Christ's kingdom, is by interpretation, and in God's construction, an overthrower of Christ's kingdom: He that is not with me is against me (saith Christ) and he that doth not gather doth scatter. He that is not a labourer is a scatterer in Christ's vineyard. He that fights not under Christ's ensign is a soldier under Satan's banner. He that is y Prov. 18.9. slothful in his work, is brother (saith Solomon) to a great waster. Thus he who doth not labour for Christ is a brother to them that are great wasters of the kingdom of Christ; and fearful is the curse pronounced on them that stand still, and put not their helping hand to Christ's Kingdom, Cause, and Gospel. z Iud 5.23. Curse ye Meros' (said the Angel of the Lord) Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. 4. Christ withholding nothing to exalt man. 4. Look upon Christ's sparing and withholding of nothing for our exaltation. Christ humbled himself to the lowest degree of humiliation and abasement, for our elevation and advancement. He emptied himself to fill us; he abased himself to honour us; he stripped himself to apparel us; he made himself a man of sorrows to fill us with spiritual and soule-refreshing consolations: a 2 Cor. 8 9 Ye know (saith Saint Paul) the grace; the love, the bounty, the rich liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ; that though be was rich, rich in the glory of his divine Essence, in his absolute dominion over all creatures, in his plenary possession of heaven and earth: Yet for your sakes he became poor; vailing his Deity, Majesty and glory, under the poor and unworthy garment of humane flesh, being borne of poor parents, and appearing in the form of a servant, humbling and abasing himself to the b Phil. 2 7. death, the shameful death of the cross, that ye through his poverty might be rich; rich in the participation of the divine nature, rich in the fruition of the fullness of Christ; Christ's humiliation is the meritorious cause, spring, and fountain of man's exaltation; Christ was very free and full in his exinaition, and abasement for our honour and advancement: The condition of man was so extremely base and shameful, that nothing but the humiliation of the Son of God was able to restore honour to him: And how ready should we be to put all under the feet of Christ, to employ all to the honour of Christ, who hath done so much to honour us. We should (saith chrysostom) prefer nothing above Christ, Nil debemus Christo preponere, quia nec nobli, ille quicquam praeposuit because he preferred nothing above us. As he vailed and bowed down himself, and all that was his, for our salvation: so should we veil and bow ourselves, and all that is ours, for the exaltation of his Gospel and kingdom. The meditation of Christ's abasing himself for us, should make us studious and inquisitive how to honour Christ: 2 King. 4.13. Thou hast been careful for us with all this care (said the Prophet to the woman of Shunem) what is to be done for thee: Thus should we say to Christ, thou hast been humbled and abased, thou hast suffered a great suffering for us, what is now to be done for thee? what shall we do to honour thee, to exalt and magnify thy name, who hast undergone so great disgrace and shame for us. The more Christ humbled himself for us, the more he should be exalted by us; Christ made himself a c Eph. 5 1. sacrifice for us, and we should d Rom. 12.1. sacrifice ourselves, and all that is ours to him, and his service. Christ gave himself for our salvation, and we should give ourselves to him, and the exaltation of his kingdom; Christ was contented to be made low, and as a very nothing, as a e Psal. 22.6. worm and no man, that we might be made the f Eph. 1. fullness of him who filleth all in all, and we should be content to abase ourselves, and to be reputed vile and as nothing in the eyes of men, to set up Christ, to make him and his Gospel glorious in the eyes of the people. He doth neither wisely, nor graciously consider Christ's humiliation, that doth not give himself to the exaltation of Christ's name and kingdom. 5. Meditate the sweet, the great, 5. Blessing attends the exaltation of the Gospel. and wonderful blessing that cometh unto men by the exaltation of Christ's Gospel. The setting up of the Ark in the house of Obed-Edom caused all that he had to prosper. g 2 Sam. 6.11. The setting up of the Gospel brings great and singular prosperity to the people: Christ's Gospel, the revelation of Christ, and the mysteries of his kingdom, h Luk 10.23. is a great blessing: Blessed (saith our Saviour) are the eyes which see the things which ye see; having the Gospel preached to them, the tidings of salvation published among them, Christ revealing and opening himself unto them: These are blessed in the illumination of their understandings, having the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ communicated to them: Blessed in the vivification of their souls, having the word of life quickening them: Blessed in the sanctification of their hearts, the Gospel cleansing their sin, as Jordan cleansed the leprosy of Naaman: Blessed in their Conquest, over sin, Satan, and the world, the Gospel overturning all the holds of Satan, as the sounding of the rams horns overthrew the walls of Jericho: Blessed in 〈◊〉 pacification of their consciences, the Evangelicall voice of Christ quieting their perplexed consciences, as his personal voice quieted the stormy tempest; and blessed in the sweetening of their afflictions, the Gospel sweetens all trials and troubles to God's children, as the tree sweetened the waters of Marah to Israel; Blessed in their very temporal possessions and bodily undertake. Where God gives his Gospel the food of the soul, he will also give the staff of bread, the food of the body: Christ did not only feed the souls of them who followed him, with his doctrine, but he also miraculously fed their bodies with corporal provision: the Gospel is indeed even the choicest of all blessings, where this goes, all goes, that is behooveful for the welfare of God's children; therefore blessed (saith the Psalmist) is the nation i Psal. 33.11. whose God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. God is the God of all by creation, by absolute dominion, by common preservation; but he is their God to whom he gives his Gospel, by gracious manifestation, heavenly instruction, spiritual regeneration, familiar and comfortable habitation, sweet and celestial dispensation of heavenly fullness to them, God is there alone sweetly, and spiritually known, and enjoyed, where his Gospel is erected; and for this cause we should mightily endeavour the advancement of the Gospel. King David being told how the Lord had blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertained to him, because of the Ark of the Lord, k 1 Sam. 6.12. went and brought the Ark into the City of David with gladness. Men hearing of the prosperity and blessing which doth attend the Gospel, should with great care and diligence, with much alacrity and cheerfulness endeavour the erection of the Gospel among them: He is altogether unsensible of the manifold and singular benefits, and mercies accompanying the Gospel, that doth not heartily desire, and effectually labour the welfare thereof. As the Gospel excels all temporal endowments, so should we endeavour the success and stability of the Gospel more than of any, or all other possessions. CHAP. XI. ANd for the disposing, framing, and working our hearts, Means disposing man to advance the Gospel. 1 Distaste of Sin. thus to advance the Gospel and kingdom of Christ, there must be, 1. A distasting, disrelishing, and being weary of sin: The Gospel never seems sweet until that sin seems bitter; he will never effectually endeavour the setting up of Christ, and the Gospel, that desires not the deposition of sin; the Philistines having a desire to maintain and uphold Dagon, set the Ark below Dagon, 1 Sam. 5. on the left hand of Dagon. Man having a desire to uphold sin, abaseth Christ, and his Gospel, puts them below his lusts, gives pre-eminence to his lust above the Gospel, and above Christ; Herod not disrelishing his incestuous sin, not being weary of it, but intending the maintenance thereof, l Mar. 6. cut off the head of the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. Man can neither truly desire, nor faithfully endeavour the advancement of Christ and his Gospel, that is not weary of his sin, as of a heavy burden. Man to whom sin is pleasant and delightful, is very impatient and weary of the presence and power of the Gospel; he alone consecrates himself to Christ, and the advancement of his kingdom, to whom sin is distasteful, as gall to his palate, gravel to his teeth, a disease to his flesh, or fetters to his feet. When Abner was wroth with Ishbesheth the son of Saul, than he m 2 Sam 3.8, 10 came to David to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan even to Beersheba. When man is wroth with sin, full of indignation against sin, than he comes to Christ, than he joins himself in a holy and solemn Covenant with Christ than he labours to set up the throne of Christ over his soul and body, than he prays, and strives that Christ may reign from Dan to Beersheba, from the highest to the lowest faculty of his soul, and from the greatest to the smallest undertaking of his life. Man is ever so much the more industrious to set up Christ and his kingdom, by how much the more his corruption doth grieve and trouble him. 2. Holy fear 2. A holy and filial fear towards Christ making loath to offend Christ, willing in every thing to please Christ. All the Rulers of the Provinces, the Lieutenants, Deputies, and Officers of the King helped the jews, when the n Hest 9.5. fear of Mordecai fell upon them. When the holy and gracious fear of Christ doth fall upon the souls of men, enter into, and take possession of the hearts of men, than they join themselves to the help of Christ, to the help of the Gospel, and Church of Christ; then they study and endeavour the advancement of Christ and his kingdom; therefore w Psal. 2.11, 12. serve the Lord with fear (saith the Psalmist) rejoice before him with trembling, and kiss the son, embrace the son, rest and rely upon the son, acknowledge, exalt, and magnify the son; put yourselves with all readiness and fullness upon the service of the son; true fear ever makes the Lords servants subject, and serviceable to Christ jesus. I will x jer. 32.40. put my fear into their hearts (saith the Lord) and they shall not depart from me; they shall not depart from my knowledge by ignorance, from my promises by unbelief, from my precepts by disobedience, from my covenant by unfaithfulness, nor from my worship by profaneness. Such as do not truly and throughly apply themselves to Christ's service, are profanely fearless. A servants true and ingenuous fear makes him labour his Master's welfare, the matrimonial fear of a wife moves her to desire, and endeavour her husband's honour: y Act. 2.43. fear came upon every soul (saith S. Luke) and what followed thereupon, All they that believed were together; there is their unity in affection in divine invocation, They sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. There is their communication to Christ's members, their putting of themselves and their abilities upon Christ's service. He that truly fears Christ will withhold nothing which may tend to the exaltation of Christ, his Church, and Gospel. 3. 3. Feeling of the necessity of Christ. Lively sense and feeling of the necessity of Christ and his Gospel. men's exaltation of Christ is according to their apprehension of the necessity of Christ. When the Elders of Gilead saw the necessity they had of Jeptha, than z judg. 11.11. they made him head and Captain over them. When men see, and feel the want of Christ, the peril of their estate without Christ, than they put themselves under Christ, than they exalt and magnify Christ, than they labour the setting up of Christ and his Gospel. Sense of sickness, famine, siege, bondage, makes physic, food, an army, a ransomer very precious; Physicians were of great esteem with the woman troubled with a flux of blood, she spent all her substance upon them; Mar 5. Christ and his Gospel are of great price with the man to whom sin is a torment, a grief, a trouble, he will withhold nothing which may tend to the exaltation of Christ and his Gospel, to the working out, and removing of the sin which doth molest him. When joseph's brethren were in want, and had no bread to sustain them, than they came and bowed themselves before Joseph; and when they called to mind their great trespass against him, than they besought his favour, and were very submissive to him; Man's sense of his own emptiness drives him to Christ, and causeth him to veil and stoop to Christ; to put himself under the feet of Christ, and readily to exalt and set up Christ; self-opinion, ignorance of man's want of Christ▪ and the Gospel is a great impediment to our setting up of Christ and his kingdom. 4 Elevation of the heart to a spiritual temper. 4. Elevation and raising of the heart of man to a holy, spiritual and noble frame and temper. The heart of man naturally is very base, carnal, and earthly, delighting like the swine in the mire and mud of the world, relishing and savouring nothing but that which is a jer. 22. worldly and fleshly; his spirit is very low and ignoble, and his highest aim is but to ascend some molehill or mountain of the earth; b Luk. 15. like the prodigal, he is a companion of swine, and feeds on the husks of worldly vanities, his longings like the besotted Israelites, is after the onions and fleshpots of Egypt, poor things, unworthy and empty things of the earth; c Dan 2. Man like Nebuchadnezars image, how ever decked with gold and silver, authority and dominion, and glorious in outward appearance to the world; yet his feet are iron and clay, his thoughts, his affections, the motions, and goings of his heart are very base and dishonourable: The spirit of man must be therefore sublimated and refined by Christ, the great d Mal. 3. refiner of the soul. Man's dross and tin must be purged out, the earthiness and baseness of his spirit must be taken away, and man endowed with a more spiritual, sublime, and noble disposition, and temper of soul, or he can never intend Christ, exalt Christ and his Gospel. It is recorded in Ezra that the chief of the fathers rose up with all them whose spirits God had e Ezra 1.5. raised to go up to build the house of God in jerusalem: First God raised their hearts, put willingness, alacrity, enlargement, openness, and courage into their hearts to do the work, and then they went to build. Thus God must raise our hearts, ennoble our spirits, make us spiritually heroical, or we shall never build jerusalem, never labour the advancement of Christ and his gospel's; Christ f joh. 11. raised Lazarus out of the grave, and then he followed him: Christ must raise our spirits from their earthliness and baseness, or they will never be serviceable to him: The Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels, and they g Ezek. 1. moved where the living creatures moved. Christ must put his Spirit into us, or we shall never follow him, never seek his honour and the welfare of his Gospel. It is said of Saul when the Lord had made him King, that he went home to Gibeah, and there h 1 Sam. 10.24 went with him a band of men whose heart God had touched. God hath set Christ his King upon his holy hill of Zion; but there is no man follows him, no man exalts and honours him as a King, but such whose hearts the Lord doth touch with the gracious finger of his Spirit; the baseness, cowardliness, and earthliness of our spirits must be put away, and our hearts throughly refined, otherwise we cannot discern Christ, we cannot relish Christ, we cannot love Christ, we cannot prise Christ, we can never put ourselves upon the exaltation of Christ, his Kingdom, and Gospel; but when i 2 Cor. 5.17, 18 Rom. 12.2. old things are passed away, and all become new; when we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, when the Spirit of God, like Eliahs' fiery chariot, hath taken us up from the earth, and hath raised our hearts, thoughts, desires, and affections to the things which are above; then shall we rejoice in Christ and his Gospel, then shall we put ourselves and all that we have upon the service of Christ and the Gospel; then shall we pray for the prosperity, welfare, and advancement of Christ's Gospel and kingdom; then shall we say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. CHAP. XII. CHrist came not as the false prophets of old, in his own name, he had his calling and commission from above. k Heb. 5.4. Christ cometh in the name of the Lord in 6. respects. No man (saith the Apostle) speaking of Christ) taketh this honour to himself, but such an one as is called of God as Aaron was; and this is the second particular in the first general part of these words, Christ's Calling and Commission. He came in the name of the Lord; Christ is said to come in the name of the lord 1. Ordination. 1. In respect of Ordination. Christ as Mediator was appointed of old to minister salvation to Gods chosen; l 1 Pet. 1.20. Rev. 13.8. fore-ordained (saith Saint Peter) before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times: A lamb slain from the foundation of the world saith Saint John, slain from the foundation of the world in the eternal preordination of God, in the promise of the seed of woman to break the serpent's head, in the legal sacrifices, in the faith of the fathers; and in the sufferings of his members, in whose sufferings Christ suffered, their sufferings then shadowing Christ's suffering to come. 2. Preparation. 2. In respect of preparation, Christ as Man and Mediator is prepared and furnished with all abilities to execute and accomplish his office; it pleased the Father (saith Paul) that in him should all m Col. 1.19. fullness dwell; fullness of wisdom, power, grace, righteousness, and worth to minister to his Church, whatsoever appertained to the salvation, welfare, or peace thereof, joh. 3.34. he having the Spirit poured out upon him above measure. 3. Calling. 3. In respect of Calling, designation, and investiture into his office. The Lord (saith Christ as Mediator) hath n Isa. 49.1. called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name; and I (saith God the Father unto Christ) will preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people to establish the earth; and when Christ was baptised and solemnly entered upon his calling: He was confirmed by a voice from heaven, saying, This is my o Mat 3 17. Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. 4. Doctrine. 4. In respect of the doctrine which he taught, no private, nor humane doctrine, but the doctrine of God his Father. I am come (saith Christ) in my Father's p joh. 5 43. name, declaring his truth, and seeking his glory, and ye receive me not, if another shall come in his own name, preaching his own invention, exalting and magnifying himself; him ye will receive, to him ye will adhere, him you will admire and adore. And again elsewhere, I have not q joh. 12.49, 50. spoken of myself (saith Christ) but the Father which sent me; he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak; and I know that his commandment is life everlasting; whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said unto me, so speak I 5. 5. Benediction. In respect of benediction, Christ is come in the name of the Lord, accompanied with the fullness of all blessing from God: In thy seed (said God to Abraham, speaking of Christ) shall all the kindreds of the earth be r Act. 3.25, 26. blessed, unto you first saith Peter, God having raised up his son Jesus sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities; Eph 1.3. 6 End. and God (saith Saint Paul) hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. 6. In respect of the end which Christ proposed to himself, his Father's glory; he came in the name of the Lord, not seeking his own, but his glory who sent him. I seek not mine own s joh. 8 50, 54. glory (saith Christ) I honour my Father, if I honour myself, my honour is nothing. And thus Christ came in the name of the Lord; ordained, prepared, called of the Lord, declaring his Father's will, accompanied with the fullness of his Father's blessing, intending and seeking his Father's glory: The whole showing, That, Christ is furnished with authority and all divine abilities to minister all peace and salvation to God's servants. Doct. This was tipyfied in t Gen. 37.13. Mat. 9 15. Joseph; Joseph was sent of his father to visit his brethren in the wilderness; Christ was sent of God his Father to visit mankind, sinfully straying in the wilderness of the world; Joseph was set over the whole land of Egypt, and over the King's house, by Pharaoh King of Egypt. Joseph was furnished with wisdom, understanding, and the Spirit of God to rule the people, and with all the store and fullness of Egypt, to minister to the necessities of the people. Christ is set by God his father, the King of Kings, over the whole u Zach. 14 9 world in general, over the w Psal. 2 6. Church of God in special; Christ is furnished with x Col. 2 3. treasures of all wisdom, to guide the people; and with all divine and heavenly y joh 10. fullness to minister to the several necessities of God's servants, to fill them with all spiritual fullness. This was also figured in Josuah. Josuah was confirmed in his calling by the dividing of the waters in jordan, at the presence of the Ark, standing therein, Christ was confirmed in his calling by the opening of the heavens, and the Spirit descending in the form of a Dove upon him, when he was baptised in jordan; Moses being dead, Joshuah was made the Captain of God's people, Moses leading them to the land, Joshuah entering them in the land; the Law ceasing, and the Ceremonies thereof vanishing. Christ is appointed the Captain of God's Church and people, the Law leading to Christ, Christ by his death and conquest, giving men entrance into the heavens. Joshuah overcame the enemies of Israel, and going before them, brought them into the land of Canaan, allotting to each one their portion: Christ hath overcome the enemies of his Church, and is ascended into heaven before us, there to prepare for all the Lords servants: It is not the Law, but Christ that ministers salvation to the Lords people: Christ jesus is the author of our spiritual conquest, there is no way for man to heaven, but only by Christ, who came from heaven: Christ is the Jacob's ladder, by whom God descends to us in his grace, and through whom we ascend to God by our faith. This was likewise typified in David, David was anointed King and Ruler over Israel, Christ is anointed King and Ruler over God's Church. David delivered Israel from the great Goliath, he slew him with his own weapon, Christ overcame the infernal Goliath the Devil, and brought deliverance to Gods chosen; Christ by z Heb. 2 14. death, Satan's weapon, destroyed him that had the power of death: The power of all opposers is mere weakness to the power of Christ Jesus. Such is the transcendent fullness of Christ's abilities, that he turns the instruments of man's destruction, to further man's salvation; this calling, preparation, and mission of Christ, was prophesied by the Psalmist, His dominion a Psal 72. shall be from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. There is Christ's universal jurisdiction and kingdom over men of every nation: I will give thee (saith the Lord by the Prophet, for a b Isa. 42 6. Covenant of the people, a light of the Gentiles. There is Christ's ordination to be the publisher of the Covenant of peace, the Author of reconciliation between God and man, the revealer of the mystery of man's salvation, and c Isa. 6●. 1. the Spirit of the Lord (saith the Prophet in the person of Christ) is upon me, and he hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the meek: There is the calling, the preparation, unction, and full furnishing of Christ with all abilities to execute his Mediatory office; and in this respect Christ is sometimes termed by the Prophets a d Isa. 42. ●. servant for his calling and obedience to his father's will, an e Mal. 3.1. Angel for his mission being sent of God, and for his publication of the tidings of salvation; a f Isa. 28 16. stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation, for his strength to sustain them that are built upon him; a noble g Ier 30.21. Ruler for his sacred prescription, and gracious administration of God's Church and kingdom; a h Zach. 13.1. fountain for his efficacy to purge out sin, and for his fullness to satisfy the thirsty souls of all believers; a i Mal. 4.3. Sun of righteousness for the fullness of the light of knowledge and comfort which he dispenseth, and for his blessed influence into the souls of his servants: The Sun doth not shine more clearly in the stars, than the authority and ability of the Sun of righteousness to save us, doth shine in these Prophetical predictions; and this calling, mission, full and through preparation of Christ to this office of mediation between God and man, is plainly declared by the Evangelists and Apostles. Saint Matthew speaks of Christ as of a k Mat. 15. ●4. Mar. 9 37. Shepherd sent to gather the sheep which are lost. Saint Mark as of an Ambassador sent with tidings of peace, as of an heir sent to rule over us, Luk. 4.18, 43. to be honourably entertained by us. Saint Luke, as of a Physician sent to heal us, as of a ransomer sent to free us, and to restore spiritual liberty to us. And Saint Paul saith plainly, When the fullness of time was come, l Gal. 4.4, 5. God sent forth his son made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, Col. 2.9. that we might receive the adoption of sons, and in him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and he filleth all in all. And the authority, calling, preparation and fullness of Christ's abilities to save us is very manifest. 4. Grounds of Christ's authority and ability to minister salvation. 1. Power. 1. In regard of the power communicated unto Christ as Mediator. All power both in heaven and in earth is given unto him; power of vivification, he quickeneth whom he will, as he raised Lazarus out of the grave; power of illumination, he openeth, and no man shutteth, as he opened the eyes of him that was borne blind; power of sanctification, he purgeth away all sin, as he cleansed the leprosy from the unclean; power of remission, as Lord and King he forgiveth sin, he blotteth out sin as the Sun the cloud; power of pacification, as he appeased the winds, and waters; power of administration, as the high Steward of God's family, the supreme Pilot over the ship, which is the Church of God, as the great Centurion over the Lord's army, and chief Justice in God's Kingdom; power of subiugation, casting down and breaking in pieces all opposing forces, as the stone out of the mountains burst Nebuchadnezars Image; power of protection and sustentation in all troubles, as Noah's Ark sustained him in the deluge, and Christ safe guarded the three children in the fiery furnace. The miraculous and mighty acts of Christ's power are clear and manifest declarations of his calling and commission, and of his ability to minister salvation. 2. Exaltation. 2. In regard of Christ's exaltation●. He is exalted above all m Eph. 4.21. principalities, he is exalted above all the common creatures, as the Creator and workman above the work, as the Lord above his lowest servants; he is exalted above all Angels, as the Prince above the Nobles, as the son above the attendants; he is exalted above all devils, as the Conqueror above the captives; he is exalted above all the Saints of God, as the head above the members, as the King above the subjects, as the bridegroom above the bride: He is n Heb, 1.3. set at the right hand of God, an exaltation whereof no mere creature is capable. Christ's Majesty, dignity, glory, and exaltation, doth even infinitely surpass the dignity and honour of man and Angel; o Heb. 7. 1●. He is made higher than the heavens, others ascend into heaven, have their dwelling in heaven; but Christ is made higher than the heavens, being God and man in one person, having an exaltation above all Saints and Angels, the inhabitants of heaven, all that is in heaven and in the earth being put under him, Christ's sitting in his Father's throne. Christ's exaltation above all creatures fully declared his ability to save his chosen from all evils. 3. In regard of Christ's impletion and filling of all. 3 Impletion. He ascended far above all heavens that he might p Eph. 4.10. fill all things: Christ filleth all things with his power, and common and general operation, as the Sun fills all the earth with his influence; with his absolute authority and dominion, as a King fills his kingdom with his common gifts and mercies; as the Master of the house fills all the persons of the house; Christ filleth the Devils and damned men with his justice, wrath, vengeance, but he filleth his Church and children with his ordinances, as a teacher fills his school with books and rules of instruction, as a nurse fills the child with her breasts, and the Master of the feast his guests with food; these he filleth with knowledge, as the Sun the air with light; with spiritual life, sense and motion, and all heavenly graces, as the head the members, as the root the branches, as the Sun the stars; sweet and comfortable, excellent and gracious is that fullness which Christ ministers to his members, and by his filling of his faithful servants, he verefies his Father's mission and preparation of him to accomplish man's salvation. 4. In regard of his proposing of his Father's glory, 4. Proposing Gods glory. and referring all to his Father's praise, as the supreme and ultimate end of all his service and undertake; an ingenuous son prefers his father's honour above his own honour; a good servant his Master's profit, above his own profit; a loyal Ambassador the Kings will, message, advantage, and renown above his own will, errand, benefit, or credit. Christ as Mediator was both a son, a servant, and Gods great Ambassador, preferring his father's will, pleasure and praise above his own: I q joh. 5.30. seek not mine own will (faith Christ) but the will of him that sent me; and again, he sought not his own glory, but the glory of him that sent him, and to the father Christ thus speaks of himself: I have glorified thee on earth, joh. 7.18. I have finished the work which thou gavest me. r joh. 17.4. He glorified his father on earth, by declaring his father's will and counsel, by making his father appear glorious in the eyes of the people, by ascribing all his miraculous and mighty works to his father's power, by fulfilling his Law by his obedience, by satisfying his father's justice by his sufferings, by gathering home the souls of men to God his Father, to know his Father's will, to adore his Father's name, to obey his Father's precepts, to believe his Father's promises, to love his Father's truth, to glorify his ●athers name, and every way to conform themselves and their doings to his Father's testimonies; and by his full intendment, and glorious accomplishment of his Father's honour, he completely demonstrated his ordination and preparation, his coming in the name of his Father to be man's Saviour. CHAP. XIII. Salvation dispensed by Christ. IN this with open face may all men behold and see God's dispensation of salvation unto man by Christ his Son: Christ is come in his Father's name, ordained; prepared, most absolutely and completely furnished, to communicate salvation to the Lords chosen; others come in the name of the Lord to procure and promote the salvation of man, instrumentally, ministerially, subordinately, dependantly; but Christ is come in his father's name to give salvation unto man absolutely, and independantly, by his own power, meritoriously, by his own worth and merit, efficiently by the effications and mighty work of his own Spirit, fully and everlastingly, being s Heb. 7.25. able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him; the Lord Jesus is the efficient and meritorious cause, spring and fountain of man's salvation: There is no t Mat. 4.12. other name given under heaven where by man can be saved, but only the name of Christ. The name of the creature is a name of weakness, emptiness, unworthiness; the name of man's righteousness is a name of many pollutions; the name of man's work and services, is a name of debt and manifold imperfections; the name of birth, of wealth, of art, of strength and humane excellencies, are a name of no esteem with God, for God is no respector of persons. None of these names have wisdom to open the mystery of man's salvation, worth to satisfy God's justice, or ability to dissolve the works of Satan, or sanctify the souls of men; Christ alone communicates salvation to the Lords people; the Ark was the only place of safety to Noah from the deluge; Christ is the only safeguard of the soul of man from the deluge of destruction; all that were out of the Ark perished in the waters, there is no salvation to them that are out of Christ Jesus. Christ is the head and root. enlivining man. The body of Lazarus lay corporally dead till Christ raised it; the soul of man lies spiritually dead until Christ quickens it, Christ is the Sun enlightening man, the world without the Sun is in darkness, the soul without Christ is in blindness, none of the Magicians and wise men, only Joseph was able to interpret Pharaohs dream: Neither man nor Angel, but Christ only, hath revealed his father's will, and counsel touching man's salvation; Christ is the Conqueror that vanquisheth the adversaries of man's peace; all Israel stood trembling only David overthrew the great Goliath: Christ through death destroyed the Devil that had the power of death, and delivered them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage: Christ is the surety that pays man's debt, he gave himself a ransom for man, whom all the world could not redeem; Christ is the fountain purging the sin of man's soul, none of the rivers of Damascus, only Jordan cleansed the leprosy of of Naaman; neither man nor Angel, only the Lord Jesus can purge away man's uncleanness: Christ's righteousness is the robe which covers us, and makes us appear just in God's presence: Jacob obtained the blessing not in his own, but in his elder brother's apparel: Man is accepted of God, obtains the blessing of pardon and peace, not through his own but through the righteousness of Christ; Christ is the treasure and store-house which filleth man, all the garners in the land of Egypt were empty, only Joseph had provision for them; all the souls of men are empty, only Christ filleth all in all: Christ is the Prince of man's peace, and Author of man's reconciliation with God. Joseph's brethren being shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians; but by Joseph's means they came nigh to Pharaoh, and found favour with him: Man by reason of his sin is an abomination to the Lord, but through Christ he cometh nigh to God, and finds sweet and gracious acceptance of God; and thus as in a glass we see all the causes of man's salvation and eternal happiness derived, and flowing from and through Christ jesus. God ministering all his fullness unto man by Christ, and accepting man and all his holy service in Christ; he that looks beside or beyond Christ for salvation, looks beyond the fountain for water to refresh him, beyond the Sun for light to guide him, and beyond the rock for a foundation to support him; he that lays not firm and sure hold on Christ, never meets with sweet, with sure and everlasting peace; he that truly embraceth Christ, may undoubtedly persuade himself of his salvation; he hath a guide of infinite wisdom to direct him, a rock of invincible strength to sustain him, a rich and royal robe of absolute purity to cloth and cover him; a Conqueror of insuperable power to subdue all that doth oppose him; an Advocate or never failing intercession, to take off all the accusations which are brought against him; and a fiery Chariot to carry him through all difficulties, to sweet and everlasting rest in the highest heavens. Christ's coming in his Father's name, Danger of stepping our from Christ to humane traditions. Evils hereof. 1. Derogatory to Christ's Authority. Christ's authority and ability to minister salvation makes manifest their folly and vanity, their pride and insolency, who leaving Christ and the rules which he hath given, the laws of divine worship which he hath prescribed, betake themselves to humane traditions, and selfe-inventions, teaching and receiving for doctrines the commandments of men; a practice 1. very derogatory to the Authority and dominion of Christ who is the King of the Church, whose voice alone ought to be heard in the Church of God, who is set over the house of God, and aught to be observed as the Lord and Master of the house by the whole family of faith, and household of God, who is exalted above the Church, as the head above the members, as the husband above the Spouse. Doth not a Subjects receiving of Laws from a foreign Prince much derogate from the authority of his own Sovereign? Doth not a servants receiving direction from another man in his service annihilate his Master's jurisdiction? Doth not a wives conforming her to the prescription of a stranger, obscure and darken, and even disannul the authority of her husband? And what else do the embracers of foreign and strange inventions, but deny and disannul the jurisdiction and dominion of Christ? Doth not our Saviour say to such, You have made the Commandment of God of none effect through your traditions. The observation of men's devices in God's service is a transgression of God's precepts. He that thinks to honour and please God by thrusting upon God his own devises, in stead of honouring and pleasing him, doth very highly dishonour and provoke him: No man doth further honour Christ, 2. Argues great pride and presumption. than he conforms himself to the Law and rule of Christ. 2. This also argues much pride and presumption in man, who but a proud Subject will take upon him to give a Law to his Sovereign how he shall be obeyed; who but an insolent servant will take upon him to prescribe to his Lord and Master how he shall be served; and who but a proud soul durst take upon him to give a Law unto his God how he shall be adored; who but the great Master of humane traditions sitteth in the Temple of God as God, and exalts himself above all that is called God: The most superstitious are the proudest of all persons, their very humility is ambition who have a spirit of superstition overswaying them; they adore themselves and not Christ, who neglect the rule which Christ hath given, and worship after their own invention: His servant man is to whom he obeys; he that worships according to a rule of his own framing serves himself and not God; instead of obeying God he becomes a Lawgiver unto God. 3. Disparagement of Christ's wisdom. This doth much impeach and disparage the perfection of Christ's and the sufficiency of the Scriptures. If there be light enough in the Sun what needs a candle? If all the treasures of wisdom be hidden in Christ, and his word able to make man wise unto salvation, what need or use in this behalf of man's invention? addition ever supposeth imperfection. 4. 4 Perilous to the soul. This is very perilous to the souls of men. He that leaves Christ and his word, and applies himself to tradition, like the foolish man in the parable, he leaves the rock, and builds upon the sand, which will sink under him; he forsakes the firm pillar, and leans upon a withered reed, which will pierce him; he goes from the living fountain to the broken cistern wherein is no water to refresh him; he refuseth the wheat, and feeds upon the chaff which will choke him; he rejecteth the vine, the Olive, and the Figtree, and addresseth himself to the bramble which will nor feed nor shelter him, but scratch and prick, gore and torture him. Humane observations like the foolish Virgin's Lamps are empty, u Isa. 8.20. there is no light in them: Like the Tree in the Gospel which had leaves and no fruit; these are no trees of Gods planting, no good fruit groweth on them, no blessing, but a curse attends them: These like the sons of Sheva have no power to overcome Satan; in stead of ministering freedom they embodage the soul to Satan; these like Jobs friends are miserable comforters and Physicians of no value, in stead of healing they wound, instead of nourishing they destroy, in stead of gathering home the soul of man to Christ, endearing man to God, and bringing him to communion with God and Christ; they separate man from God, oblige man to Satan, and associate the soul with the Devil, according to that of the Apostle dissuading the Corinthians from the superstitions and inventions of the Gentiles, saying, I would not that ye should have fellowship with the Devils, ye w 1 Cor. 10.10, 21. cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of the Devils, ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of Devils, He that worships God by humane tradition serves not God but Satan; as we cannot serve God and Mammon, no more can we worship God and an Idol. The sacrifice which is not offered to God with fire from his own Altar, is an abominable oblation; whatsoever duty, act, or exercise of Religion, hath not God's word for the rule of it, is in God's interpretation, a service of Satan, and in stead of pleasing provokes Gods indignation: They have x Deut 31.21, 22. moved me to jealousy (saith the Lord) with that which is not god, they have provoked me to anger with their vanities, a fire shall be kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase. As Christ therefore is come in God's name, furnished with all authority and dominion, so let us in every thing receive our commission and direction from him. The perfection of Christ's authority and dominion, Christ's Authority and ability pressing to ● duties. 1. Of Subjection Properties of Subjection. 1. Spiritual. and fullness of divine abilities, presseth man to four duties towards Christ. 1. A duty of Subjection, as to him that hath supreme authority. We are charged by a voice from heaven to hear him, to him is given a name above every name, and to him must we make all the faculties of our souls, and all the members of our bodies to veil and stoop, as all the sheaves in joseph's vision fell down before his sheaf. To him let us subject ourselves, 1. Spiritually. The end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, arising from an inward principle of true grace. Worshipping in Spirit and in truth is the worship which Christ requireth, accepteth, and wherein he delighteth, obedience from an unsanctified heart is but filthy water from an unclean fountain, and bad fruit of a corrupt tree: Christ takes no pleasure in it, the sacrifice, prayer, and whole way of the wicked is an abomination to the lord 2. Filial. 2. To Christ let us subject ourselves, filially, not as slaves for fear of hell, but as sons for love, having a holy affection awing us, and making us loath to offend Christ, our love to and delight in holiness moving us to walk in the way of God's precepts, serving him y Luk. 1.74, 75 without fear, without base and servile fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. 3 Universal. 3. To Christ let us be subject universally, Moses built the whole Tabernacle after God's pattern, man must build his whole conversation according to Christ's prescription; that obedience which is not universal, is unsound and hypocritical; the Law is one Copulative, he that allows himself in the breach of one precept is guilty of the whole Law; he that makes not conscience of all truly makes conscience of none. It is in vain with Herod to do many things reserving an Herodias in our bosoms: It is to no purpose with Saul to slay the refuse of the stuff, reserving to ourselves the lowing. Ox, and bleating Sheep; his heart is not right with God that walks not in all the ways of God; he doth truly hate no sin, that labours not the mortification of all sin. As the careful Scholar therefore writes according to the whole copy: so let us have respect to the whole Law of God; and as sometime Jonathans' armourbearer said to him, Lo I am with thee according to thy heart, turn thou which way soever thou wilt. Thus let us be with Christ, even after Christ's own heart, let us be with him which way soever he turns before us, in his word, walking with Zachary and Elizabeth, 4 Speedy. in all the ordinances of God. 4. To Christ let us subject ourselves speedily: As Abraham rose up early, and put away the bondwoman and her son: so let us rise up early, and put away our sins betimes: Let us not sleep and slumber like the foolish Virgins, with empty Lamps; but let us hasten our souls out of sin to Christ, as the Angels hasted Lot out of Sodom: Let us z Psal. 119 60. consider our ways, and turn to the testimonies of the Lord: Let us make haste and not delay, as the erring traveller hasteneth to his right path: Let us remember our Creator in the days of our youth, and seek him while he may be found; and as a 2 Sam. 18. Ahimaaz ran as soon as Joab gave him a commission, so let us labour to be as ready to obey, as Christ to command; speedy obedience doth much honour and commend man's service. 5. To Christ let us subject ourselves freely, not mercinarily as hirelings, 5. Free. but freely as friends serving Christ for Christ himself, intending Christ and his glory above ourselves, in all our services, moving to Christ fully and freely, as the rivers to the Ocean. As Rachel's beauty induced Jacob to twice seven years' service: so let Christ's beauties, the apprehension we have of Christ's perfections work and draw us to a free and ready service of Christ in all difficulties; Christ abhors all baseness, all by and sinister respects in men's services: He that serves not Christ for Christ himself, serves not Christ but himself. 6. To Christ let us subject steadfastly, 6. Steadfast. as the wise to the husband until death, keeping the commandment always unto the end, abiding with Christ, as Ittai with David, in life and in death: Perseverance with Christ's Jesus crowns man's service; He that continueth to the end shall be saved. A second duty which the fullness of Christ's authority and divine abilities doth press upon us is a duty of Dependence. 2. Of Dependence. Christ is no withered reed, no sandy foundation, no weak, poor, and empty person, but one endowed with all power and authority, with all abilities; therefore depend upon him, cleave to him, when you are in darkness and have no light; b Isa 50.10. Trust in the name, in the power, truth, faithfulness, and al-sufficiency of the Lord; Christ is a c Isa. 32.2. hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as, rivers of waters in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Christ is a comforter in all sorrows, a helper at all needs, a deliverer in all distresses, a counsellor in all doubts, and a supply in all wants; therefore stay upon the Lord: He can command a deliverance for Jacob when there is no deliverer, as he commanded the stormy tempest, and restored a calm to the Disciples: He can support man when he is ready to sink, as he supported Peter sinking in the water; he can provide, as he made provision for the Disciples attending him, and having nothing to eat, as he prepared a Well for Hagar when her bottle was empty; he can comfort, when all the stars of consolation are set; he can give light in darkness, as he gave Samson honey out of the Lion: therefore look unto Christ, fasten the eyes of your faith upon him, commit yourselves to him, trust yourselves with him, and you shall see in due season a ministration of whatsoever is behooveful. 3. Of Love. A third duty whereunto this presseth us is a duty of Love to Christ: In Christ is the fullness of all abilities, whatsoever is worthy of love is in Christ in the highest perfection; therefore this should much endear Christ to man, and make him very amiable and glorious in the eyes of man: He indeed is worthy of all love, he is the King that rules over us, the guide that leads us, the shepherd which watcheth over, and feeds us, the ransomer that redeems us, the builder which new makes us, the Captain that overcomes for us, the teacher that instructeth us, the treasury that enricheth us, and the husband who betrotheth himself unto us; therefore he should be in our eye the fairest of ten thousand, our souls should be sick of love towards him, and in our love we should prostrate ourselves, and all that is ours under him. 4. Of Acquiescence and contentation. A fourth duty whereunto this doth press us, is a duty of Acquiescence in Christ, and contentation with Christ; in Christ are all divine abilities; he that hath Christ hath all, he that hath the Sun hath all light, he that hath the fountain hath all water, he that hath Christ may say as Jacob did, I have enough. Elkan●h gave to Hanna a worthy portion, he hath the choicest portion to whom God gives Christ; he that possesseth most of Christ, hath the richest, the sweetest, the most noble and sure possession; he hath no cause to complain of want who hath the fruition of Christ; the soul which enjoyeth Christ as his King, as his counsellor, as his friend, as his treasure, as his bridegroom, as his shield and fountain, hath the highest honour, the choicest wisdom, the sweetest comfort, the best riches, the most heart-reviving love, the surest defence, and the chiefest and most abiding and soule-contenting fullness: Of all the gifts of God Christ is the worthiest; of all the estates of men theirs is the sweetest and most comfortable who have Christ for their possession. CHAP. XIV. THe second general part in these words is a benediction, uttered by the Ministers of the Lord, We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord; wherein we have, 1. the party's blessing, the Ministers of the Lord; we, who are called of God to this sacred function, who are appointed to make prayer and supplication for you, to pronounce a blessing upon you. Note. Holy and faithful Ministers are the instrumental causes of great blessings to God's Church and servants. 2. here is their Act, an act of blessing, We have blessed: Ministers bless the people sometime by way of vote and exoptation, prayer and supplication; sometime by way of vocal pronunciation, pronouncing good things in the name of God upon them; sometime by way of prophesy and prediction, foretelling great blessings to come; sometime by way of doctrine and instruction: They declare and open the blessings which God hath prepared for them, and the Lord by them as by his ministerial instruments communicates his grace and blessing to the people. It must be the care of Ministers so to demean themselves in their function, Note. that they prove a blessing to the people. 3. Here is the Object or parties blessed, You, you to whom Christ's coming is acceptable, you who wish well to Christ's kingdom, you who readily endeavour the exaltation of Christ's name, and Gospel, Note. we have blessed you The labours of God's Ministers prove a blessing only to such people as rejoice in, and endeavour the advancement of the Gospel. 4, Here is the place from whence they blessed the people, out of the house of the Lord, the place of God's public worship, where his Saints are assembled, his ordinances sincerely handled, his name invocated, his word preached, and religious duties celebrated: Note. God useth to dispense his spiritual blessings in the public and sacred assemblies. From all these particulars knit together we may gather, That, Doct. God by his holy and faithful Ministers dispenseth every great, sweet, and heavenly blessing to his Church and servants: The Lord by Joseph brought great prosperity to the house of Pharaoh; he d Gen 39.5. blessed the Egyptians house for joseph's sake, the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field; the Lord by the presence and labours of his Ministers blesseth his Church and servants, his blessing is upon their souls, and upon their bodies, upon all their labours, and upon all their possessions; the estate and persons, the undertaking and possessions of men are made very prosperous through the prayer and labours of God's Ministers. This was prophesied by the mouth of Esay, in c Isa 19.19. that day, in the day of the Gospel, when salvation shall be preached and published in and through Christ: There shall be an Altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord; an Altar and a pillar, the worship of God shall be erected, the word preached, the Sacraments administered, Christ the true Christians Altar and pillar shall be clearly manifested, his name published, his kingdom established, his truth propagated among the people of Israel, Egypt and Assyria, whom the Lord of Hosts shall bless, saying, blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance: There is the blessing attendant on the Ministry of the Gospel, a blessing of regeneration, renovation, remission, and sweet reconciliation with God in Christ; they are the choicest and best blessings which God communicates by his Gospel to the souls of his people; the very names and titles given to God's Ministers, do as in lively characters declare how great a blessing they are to God's Church and people; being styled Seers, Lights, Watchmen, Shepherds, Salt, Nurses, Labourers, Stewards, Horsemen and Charets: The eyes are a blessing to the body, to guide it; the light is a blessing to the world enlightening it; the watchmen are a blessing to the City, giving warning to it; the Shepherds are a blessing to the flock, watching over it, conducting and feeding it; the Salt is a blessing to the meat, preserving it from putrefaction; the Nurses are a blessing to the children, ministering provision to them; the Labourers are a blessing to the vineyard, manuring and dressing it, removing the thorns and briars out of it, and sowing good and profitable seed in it; Stewards are a blessing to the house, guiding it, distributing to the several necessities of the persons in it; Horsemen and Charets are a blessing to the kingdom, strengthening and protecting it; Gods Ministers are a great blessing unto God's Church and people, as eyes guiding them, as lights laying open the deep things of God before them, as watchmans admonishing them, Shepherds leading and defending them, as Salt seasoning their souls, preserving them from the putrefaction of sin, and making them a sweet savour unto God; as Nurse's feeding, as Labourers manuring, and dressing their souls, and as horsemen and charets defending them against their spiritual adversaries, making them victorious, and driving them forward in the ways of peace and holiness; and the having of God's Ministers, the enjoyment of them and their labours hath heretofore been conceived, and taken as a great blessing, as a means attended with a blessing from the Lord; as appears by that speech of Micah, having gotten a Levite for his Priest, Now f judg. 17.13. know I (saith he) that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest: His judgement was good conceiving God's blessing to attend the labours of God's Ministers, though he shamefully erred in expectation of it by an idolatrous service; and our Saviour plainly pronounceth them blessed who enjoyed the light of his doctrine, to whom he opened the mysteries of God's kingdom: Blessed (saith he) are the eyes which see the things that ye see: Blessed for the presence of the Son of God amongst you, for the near appropinquation of God unto you, for the manifestation of the great things of God before you, for the detection of the sin which is within you, for the revelation of the love of God in Jesus Christ towards you, and for the great salvation offered you: great and manifold, sweet and comfortable is the bliss and happiness tendered unto man by the presence of God's ordinances, and holy labours of God's Ministers; of all light, the light of God's countenance, and the light of the Gospel, are the chiefest and sweetest blessings: g 1 Kin. 10.8. Happy (said the Queen of Sheba to Solomon) are thy men, happy are these thy servants which may stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Christ is greater than Solomon, they are more happy who may stand continually before him in the house of his ministry, and hear his wisdom in the Gospel: The nearer man approacheth to Christ Jesus, the greater is man's happiness; therefore, Blessed (saith the Psalmist) is the h Psal. 65. ●. man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts, he shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple. Blessed is the man, happy is the man, sweet and comfortable is the estate, and condition of the man whom thou leavest not, as a house in darkness without light, as a field overgrown with thorns and briars, without husbandman to manure and dress it, as a dead man in the grave without life, as a captive in prison without freedom, as a sick man in his disease without Physician, as a City in famine without food to feed them: Blessed is the man whom thou dost not cast away, as the ungodly, reprobate, and rejected multitude, to perish in their sins; but choosest, adoptest, and takest to thyself to be thy son by adoption, and to be and heir of thy celestial and everlasting kingdom; and causest to approach unto thee, calling him by thy word, to be a scholar in thy school, a member of thy Church and of thy Christ, a partaker of those benefits, gifts and graces which thou dispensest by thy ordinances; a dweller in thy Courts, conversant in that Congregation, where he may hear thy voice, learn thy will, embrace thy truth, and his soul have interest and acquiescence by faith in thy promises; and be satisfied with the goodness of thy house; with the heavenly mysteries there opened, with the gifts and graces there dispensed, as the eye is satisfied with the Sun, as the palate is satisfied with the fountain, and the hungry stomach with the full feast set before it; and this the Lord promiseth and proposeth as a great blessing to the people, as an anchor in the storm to sustain and stay them, as a feast in the famine to feed them, as a light in the darkness to revive and solace them, as an answer and recompense to all their trials, troubles and disasters: The people (saith the Lord) shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem, they shall return from their captivity and bondage, and shall enjoy the house of God, the sacred assembly, and his ordinances; thou shalt weep no more, the sorrow of thy captivity, exilement, and estrangement from the house of God shall be taken away; The Lord will be very gracious unto thee, at the voice of thy cry, when he shall hear it he will answer thee; and though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, though he bring you into many straits, and great distresses, yet shall not thy l Isa. 30.19. teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers, and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way walk ye in it: The having of God's ordinances is a blessing sweetening the most disastrous estate of God's people. The presence of the Gospel ministers sweet consolation to God's children, in the greatest affliction; better is the estate of man in the enjoyment of the labours of God's Ministers in the absence of all worldly abilities, then in the presence of all worldly fullness, the Lords Ministers being strangers; great is the blessedness of that people to whom the Lord affords his Gospel, singular soul-ravishing, and heart-satisfying are the gifts and favours, comforts and mercies, which God dispenseth by his Ministers. In regard of God's communication of Christ to the souls of men by the labours of his Ministers; Grounds hereof Pharaoh communicated the fullness of Egypt to the people, by Joseph, the Steward of his house God communicates the fullness which he hath put into Christ, to the souls of men, by his Ministers, the Stewards of his house, the Church; the Stars in the night season communicate the fullness of the Sun to the air, and inhabitants of the earth; the Ministers as Stars in the right hand of Christ the Sun of Righteousness communicate to the souls of men the fullness of Christ Jesus in the night of this world; 6. Communication of Christ by God's Ministers. we are all strangers to Christ Jesus without the Lords Ministers; Christ is hidden from that people which enjoy not the ministry of the Gospel; God's Ministers by their labours communicate the knowledge of Christ, as the Ambassador communicates the knowledge of the King and of his mind. 1. Knowledge of Christ. God (saith the Apostle) who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into k 2 Cor. 4.6. our hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus. God is known in and through Christ, as a man is known in and by his face: We know an earthly Father in the face of his Son begotten by him; we know God as a father of mercies, only and through the face of Christ Jesus; we see the face of man in a glass, in the Gospel, in the labours of God's Ministers; we behold as in a l 2 Cor. 3.18 glass, the face of Christ Jesus: Christ is a storehouse in whom are hidden m Col. 2.3. all the treasures of wisdom. The Ministers have the ministerial key of knowledge to open Christ unto the people: Christ is a living fountain, a well of salvation, a well sealed and shut up in the Scriptures: Jacob rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and gave Laban's flock water to drink, the Minister rowles away the stone, removeth the obscurity of the Scripture, opens and interprets it, and makes the people drink of Christ, 2. Faith of Christ. the true and everliving fountain; the Ministers communicate the faith of Christ as God's instruments the work of faith in men; the man of God by his prayer restored n 1 King. 13. Jeroboams withered hand; the Minister by his preaching and prayer restores the hand of faith in the heart of man, formerly withered, dried up, and of no use: Faith cometh by o Rom. 10.17. 1 Cor. 3. 3. Life of Christ. hearing. Who is Paul, and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man. The Ministers communicate the life of Christ to men; Christ by his corporal voice called p joh. 11.44. Lazarus out of his grave, by his Evangelicall voice, by his word in the mouth of his Ministers he calls the souls of men out of the grave of sin; the dead in sin q joh. 5.25. hear the voice of the Son of God in the Gospel, and they that hear, live. The ministry of the Gospel is the instrument of the soul's vivification, a means of Christ's living in them that are Gods children; the Ministers communicate the love of Christ, 4. Love of Christ. Christ r Cant. 7.12. gives his love to the soul of man, in the ministry of his word; Isaac gave the pledges of his love to Rebeckah by Eleazar his father Abraham's servant: Christ gives the pledges of his love to his Spouse the Church by the Ministers, God his father's servants; by them he wooeth and s 2 Cor. 11.3. espouseth them unto himself, and in the banqueting house of his ordinances, his banner over them is t 2 Cant. 2 4. 5. Peace of Christ. Isa. 9 6. love; the Ministers communicate the peace of Christ, the Ambassador speaks words of peace from the King, and communicates the King's peace unto the people; the Minister, the Ambassador of Christ the Prince of peace, u Act. 10 30. preacheth peace by jesus Christ to the souls of men. The Lord hath created, ordained, and appointed the fruit of his lips to be peace to them that are nigh, and to them that are afar off. Christ feeding the multitude corporally, 6. Whole treasury of Christ. distributed bread unto them by his Disciples; Christ feeding the souls of men spiritually with himself, the true bread of life come down from heaven, communicates himself to men by the labours of his Ministers. Abraham by the hands of his servants ministered jewels and bracelets to Rebeckah; God by his Ministers communicates many spiritual and heavenly jewels, even the whole treasury of Christ Jesus to his faithful Church and servants, whom he joins in wedlock with his son: Manifold, sweet and gracious are God's dispensations of his Son, by the labours of his Ministers; Christ in and by the ministry of the Gospel is made very conspicuous and glorious in the eyes of the people; very great is their blessedness who have Christ communicated to them by the labours of God's Ministers. 2. Deliverance from 5 evils dispensed by Ministers. 1. Spiritual death. 2. In regard of the evils from which God delivers man by the labours of his Ministers. God delivered the woman of Shunems' son from bodily death by the ministry of the Prophet; the Lord delivers the soul of man from spiritual death, from being dead in sins by the labour of his Ministers; the ministry of the Gospel is the instrumental cause of the first resurrection; the word is termed a word of life, declaratively revealing life, and operatively as an instrument working life. God delivered Paul from his bodily blindness by the hands of Ananias; 2. Blindness. he delivers man from spiritual blindness, by the doctrine of his messengers, by their instruction, w Act. 26.18. he opens their eyes, and turns them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. The Lord delivered Peter from Herod's prison by the ministry of the Angel: He delivers man from Satan's prison, and bondage by the work of his Ministers, 3. Bondage. by this as by a warlike weapon he casts down the holds of sin: Satan falls like lightning from heaven, and the souls of men partake of spiritual freedom; as Goliath fell before David with a stone out of David's sling, so doth Satan before the Minister of the Lord, with the word of God out of their mouth. God delivered Naaman from his leprosy in jordan, 4. Vnclannes. and the impotent from their infirmities in Bethesda: The Lord in and by the Gospel sanctifies the souls of his children, this washeth away their uncleanness, this heals their infirmities, this makes them new creatures. Christ by his voice appeased the stormy tempest, 5 Soul tortures and gave a calm to his Disciples; Christ by his Gospel appeaseth the tempestuous and perplexed consciences of his servants, and brings them into a haven of spiritual peace and quietness: He makes his Ministers as an Angel of God, and one of a thousand to the afflicted soul, coming like Noah's Dove with an Olive branch, quieting him that is tossed upon the deluge of trouble, turning his perplexity into peace, his fear into confidence, and his sorrow into sweet rejoicings. God abundantly declares his dispensation of blessings by his Ministers, through the removal of evils by their labours: The Gospel is the choicest instrument averting evil; foul and shameful, perplexing and mortal are the plagues and miseries resting upon them, that neither enjoy nor regard the labours of God's Ministers. 3. In regard of the blessed state and condition whereinto God puts man by the labours of his Ministers. Deut. 11.29. 3. Man by labours of Ministers put into a condition of 6. Excellencies. 1. Of wisdom. The estate of man under the Gospel, making a true use of the doctrines and instructions of God's messengers is an estate of blessings: The blessing of old was upon Mount Gerazim, the blessing is now upon the Gospel: He that savingly entertains the Gospel, enjoys a most blessed condition; a condition of divine and heavenly wisdom, God's Ministers feed him with knowledge and understanding, and make him wise unto salvation; a condition of holiness and sanctification, 2. Of Sanctification. 3. Of Freedom the ministry of the word doth wash him, like water, and purify him like fire; a condition of liberty and freedom, Moses freed Israel from Pharaohs bondage, God's Minister frees the souls of his children from the servitude of Satan, the world, and their own corruption; the word makes them free; from ignorance in their understandings, from perverseness in their wills, from vanity in their thoughts, from infidelity, servile fear, worldly love, and carnal joy in their affections; the word makes them free, to know God, as the clear eye is free to see the Sun, to receive Christ as the strong and open hand, is free to receive a gift; to love Christ, as the bride hath an open and enlarged heart to love the bridegroom, to attend God's Ordinances, to run the way of God's Commandments, as he whose feet and ankle-bones received strength by the ministry of Peter, was free to x Act. 3.7, 8. stand and leap, and walk and enter into the Temple, 4. Of Exaltation. and free to move and come to God by faith, and love, and joy, as the rivers are free to move and flow unto the sea; a condition of honour and exaltation, the Gospel making them Sons of God by regeneration, the friends of God by love, the members of Christ by faith, and heirs annexed with Christ, for their present title to, and future participation of the same inheritance with Christ Jesus; a condition of fullness and satisfaction, they are satisfied with the goodness of God's house; 5. Of Satisfaction. the Gospel leads them unto Christ, the Sun in whom is all light, the tree on whom grows all fruit, the fountain from whom flows all refreshment, the rock in whom is all strength, the pearl in whom is all worth, and the Paradise in whom is all pleasure and peace; very sweet and wonderful, gracious and overflowing are the comforts and contentments derived from Christ to God's children, under their enjoyment of the Gospel. Lastly, a condition of permanency and duration; 6. Of Duration though the grass wither, and the flower fade, yet the word of the Lord abideth for ever. Though worldly fullness change like the Moon, and vanish like a vapour, and wither like the flower and the grass, yet the estate of grace, into which men are called by God's Ministers, is an estate of firm and sure continuance; they are sons abiding always in their father's house; they are trees planted by the water side never withering; they are houses built upon the rock never sinking; their graces like the light shine more and more to the day of their perfection; the excellency of their estate who enjoy and make best use of the Gospel, abundantly declares God's dispensation of very great, sweet and heavenly blessings by the labours of his Ministers. CHAP. XV THe Lords dispensing of sweet and heavenly blessings unto man, by the labours of his holy and faithful Ministers, shows what the estate and condition of man is without the Lords Ministers; even an estate of woes, Man's estate without the Gospel, an estate. 1. Of Death. of miseries, and curses: Man's condition without the ministry of the Gospel is very wretched and miserable, an estate of death without spiritual life; the earth without the Sun is but a dead and fruitless lump; the soul without the Sun of Righteousness shining in the Gospel is y Eph. 2.1. dead in sins and trespasses; a tree twice dead, oncce by original corruption, and secondly by actual transgression, and plucked up by the z jud. ver. 12. roots, wholly separate from all the means of life; a 1 joh. 5.12. he that hath not the Son, externally in the Gospel, internally in his heart, ministerially in his word, and efficiently in his work of grace; he hath not life: Such are far from the life of grace and sanctification, as are strangers to Christ in his Gospel: The woman of Shunems' son remained dead, 2 King. 4. according to the body, till the Prophet came and raised him; the soul of man continues dead in respect of the inward man, until the Minister of the Lord comes to quicken him. 2. An estate of darkness: 2. Of Darkness. Man without the ministry of the word is in darkness and the shadow of death, a dark body without an eye, a dark house without a Lamp. The soul's clearest light is nothing else but darkness, as long as the Gospel doth not shine into it, to irradiate and enlighten it. There was once no light in all the land of Egypt, only the children of Israel had light in b Exod. 10.23. their dwellings; there is no spiritual and heavenly light in all the world, but among God's Israel; there is light only in their dwellings who enjoy the Gospel, In Judah is God known, and his name is great in Israel. God is truly and savingly known only by that people who enjoy the light of the Gospel. 3. 3. Of Servitude. An estate of servitude and bondage. Israel continued under hard bondage, until Moses and Aaron came to deliver them, until the Lord raised a fiery pillar to conduct them out of Egypt unto Canaan. Man abides under the hard bondage of Satan and his own corruption, until the Lord sends his Minister to free him, and sets up the fiery pillar of his word to lead him out of this servile and slavish condition; Man without the Gospel is in prison, and hath no key to open it; he is taken captive, and hath no weapon to resist his enemy, to procure his freedom; he is manacled with many fetters, and hath no hammer to dissolve and lose them; Man's condition without the ministry of the Gospel is very base and servile: When and where the Gospel shineth, then and there as the Prophet speaketh, The c Isa 42.7. eyes of the blind are opened, the prisoners are brought out from the prison, and they that sit in darkness out of the prisonhouse. 4. Of Emptiness 4. An estate of emptiness and barrenness. The field without the dew is unfruitful, the soul without the dew of divine and heavenly doctrine distilling thereupon, bears no good fruit; there is no lawful conception without an husband, all the fruit of the soul, not espoused to Christ by the Gospel, is illegitimate, and a very abomination; there is no reaping, where is no sowing: The soul which is not sown with the seed of the word yields no harvest of grace, they are barren ground nigh to burning, who are strangers to the Gospel. 5. An estate of pollution and uncleanness. ●. Of Pollution. The house without the bosom is overspread with slime and cobwebs; Naaman continued leprous until he went seven times into Jordan and washed; the Temple was a den of thiefs till Christ came with his whip, and drove them out; the heart of man is an unclean house, without the bosom of the word sweeping it; the soul of man is oversread with the loathsome leprosy of sin, until he bathe himself in the Jordan of the Gospel; the whole man is a very den of thiefs, until Christ comes, and by the ministry of his word scourge and drive them out: The ministry of the Gospel is the outward instrument and means of the souls cleansing: Every foul estranging itself from God's ordinance is under the power of uncleanness. 6. 6. Of Sorrow's. An estate of continual and remediless sorrows, straits and perplexities. If God begin to waken the conscience, and make man a little sensible of his wrath, then without the Gospel, his estate like the waters of Marah without the tree is very bitter, Exod. 15.25. he cannot drink of it, he cannot meditate upon it, without any comfort, than he is in d job 20.22. straits in the midst of his sufficiency; then he is in the green meadow of his worldly plenty, as a e Psal 42.1. Mat. 8. chased Hart without the water brook; then he is full of blessings and agitations; like the Disciples in the storm, and nothing but the voice of Christ in the Gospel can minister peace or comfort to him; Better be deprived of all worldly possessions, then of the Gospel, and Gods Ministers. O that such men would consider and study the misery of their condition, as are left without the Gospel, and a faithful Minister to instruct them: All our blessings will prove at last as curses, if we have not the Gospel to sweeten and sanctify them to us; the waters about Jericho were naught, until the Prophet poured salt into them; 2 Kin. 2. the deepest rivers, and fullest floods of man's worldly abundance, prove naught, an instrument of death and condemnation, to him that hath not the Gospel to season them; not the estate of him that wants earthly abilities, but the estate of him that wants the labours of God's Ministers, is an estate of woes, miseries, and curses. Doth God dispense his greatest, his heavenly, Their folly opened who estrange themselves from the ministry. his choicest blessings by his Ministers? Then in this, as in a plain and open character may we read their folly, and their impiety, who estrange themselves from the house of God, who sleight and undervalue the labours of God's Ministers; these men estrange themselves from the place, and from the means of blessing: The soul which is regardless of the ministry of the Gospel is far from blessing; such as come not to the light abide in darkness; such as reject the Physician, perish in their diseases; such as cast away their weapon, fall in the battle; such as refuse the ministry of the word, the light, the physic, and armour of their souls, abide in ignorance, perish in their impieties, and fall before their spiritual adversaries. Such as came not to the Ark, the place and instrument of preservation in the deluge, were drowned in the waters: such as refuse the ministry of the Gospel, the instrument of the soul's preservation, are swallowed in the deluge of God's vengeance; Corah, Dathan, and Abiram refusing to come up at Moses call, the f Num. 16. earth opened her mouth and swallowed them; the earth will prove the occasion and instrument of their ruin, who through their earthly mindedness despise the Gospel, and slight the call of God's Ministers inviting them: Such men are blind, Grounds of neglecting the ministry. and see not the worth of the Gospel, dead in sin, and taste not the sweetness of Christ in the Gospel, unsensible of their own misery, and know not the necessity of Christ; as of a Physician to heal them; as of a ransomer to redeem them; and as of a fountain to wash and cleanse them: Such men are self-conceited, self-admirers, puffed up with an opinion of their own fullness, and consider not the need they have of Christ, his Ministers, and Gospel; as of a guide to direct them, as of a jewel to adorn them, as of a pearl to enrich them, and as of a living spring to fill them. Such as have least sense of their own misery and emptiness, are the greatest despisers and undervaluers of the means of their eternal happiness: And such as are most exalted with an opinion of their own wisdom, do ever prove the most foolish of all others; neither doth man ever declare greater folly and madness, then in slighting the Gospel and work of God's Ministers; Folly and evil hereof. for every such man is blind, and will not be guided, leprous, and will not be cleansed, in thraldom, and will not be freed empty, and will not be filled, naked, and will not be clothed, condemned and will not receive a pardon were it is tendered: Such men refuse Gods sweetest mercies, and expose themselves to God's bitterest curses; they cast aside the Seals and pledges of God's greatest loving kindness, and thrust themselves upon God's severest judgements, and God will at last be far from them, in the withdrawment of the light of his countenance, who are now far from him, by their absence from his ordinances, God will at last sleight their prayers, who now slight the voice of his Ministers. As the Lord dispenseth many sweet and heavenly blessings by his Ministers, Care not to withdraw ourselves from God's house. so it should be our care and wisdom, 1. Not to estrange ourselves from their labours, not to withdraw ourselves from God's house, as the Prodigal in the parable withdrew himself from his father's house: Forget not (saith the Apostle) the g Heb. 10.25. assembling of yourselves together; absence from the sacred assemblies, proves uncomfortable and perilous. The proffer of God's mercy is refused, the tender of God's sweetest love is rejected, the choicest comforts of the soul are despised; the estate of the men of the old world despising the Ark, the only instrument of preservation from the waters, proved dangerous; the estate of such as refuse the Gospel, the means of salvation proves ruinous, everlasting perdition proves their last portion; the Scholar estranging himself from the School, remains void of learning; the sick man estranging himself from the Physician continues diseased; the soldier withdrawing himself from the Artillery house, remains unarmed; the diseased woman in the Gospel could not get her bloody issue cured, until she came to Christ; Man estranging himself from the house of God remains ignorant, his soul unarmed, his whole man mortally diseased. Sin ever proves an incurable and mortal sickness to him that absents himself from Christ in his ordinances, absence from the house of God, spoils the soul of all gracious and comfortable communion and acquaintance with God; he that refrains the King's Court, loseth all communion with the King: God's house is God's Court, his Gospel the voice by which he speaketh, the glass in which he shineth and shows himself; the banqueting house wherein he communicates himself, as the Master of the feast unto his guests. He that neglecteth this, neglects the medium of his soul's communion with God; estrangement from the house of God brings poverty upon the soul; the Prodigal forsaking his father's house, became very poor and base, he made himself a companion of Swine and would have eaten of the husks, if any man would have given to him; great is their baseness, swinish are their dispositions, shameful is their spiritual poverty and emptiness, who forsake the house of God, their Father, reject the labours of God's Ministers, and follow their own 〈◊〉: Absence from the house of God, argues want of love to God; Can you love a man from day to day, inviting you, preparing a costly feast for you, and yet you refuse to come within the threshold of his house, and to taste of his dainties? Man's absence from the house of God proclaims the alienation of his heart from God. How canst thou say (saith Dalilah to Samson) that thou lovest me, when thy heart is not with me. How canst thou O man say that thou lovest God, when thy heart is not with God, exciting, thee to come to God, when thy foot is not with God, to carry thee to the house of God, when thy ear is not with God, to hear the word of God: He is far from God in his inward affections, who wittingly denies God his bodily presence; Estrangement from God's ordinance provokes God, causeth him to become a stranger to us, to reject and leave us, and to walk as an adversary against us. When Vasthi refused to come to the King's feast at the King's command, it was ordered that Vasthi should come no more before the King, and that her royal state should be given unto another better than she. Many people refusing to come to God, to partake of that feast which God hath prepared for them in his Gospel, have been rejected of the Lord, excluded from his gracious presence, and the Gospel given unto others. God will deny that man the comfort of his face and counteance, who denies God his presence in his sacred assembles; shameful and soule-destroying desertion is the usual attendant of man's refusal of the Gospel. When Joah refused to come to Absalon inviting him, Absalon sent, and set sire in his corn fields: Man's rejection of God's invitations, turns his favour into anger, his mercy becomes fury. Great were God's mercies towards Jerusalem, great was Jerusalem's abuse of God's goodness, patience, and long-suffering, and at the last very dismal was jerusalem's desolation; capernaum's fall and destruction was answerable to her exaltation. God will make such men desolate at last, as leave the house of God desolate now. Secondly, let it be our care and wisdom, Care not to sleight God's Ministers. not to sleight and undervalue the labours of God's Ministers, and the presence and publication of the Gospel; preferring our base and servile lusts above it, as Esau did a mess of pottage above his birthright, exalting the vain and empty things of the world above it, as the men of Shechem set the bramble above the vine; this is the cistern by which God conveyed the rivers of his grace, of his sweetest and choicest blessings to the souls of men; therefore do not deride this as a foolish thing; a light, an idle, a fruitless thing, as a light head, 1 Cor. 2.14. Num. 11.5. as a babbling speech; but remember this is God's ordinance, the instrument by which he hath appointed to minister salvation unto man, as he ordained to save Israel by the staff and stone in David's hand; this is the arm and power of God unto salvation; this is the fiery pillar by which he will guide us; this is the Bethesda in which he will heal us; this is the immortal seed by which he will regenerate us; this is the green pasture and still water by which he will lead and feed us; this is the trumpet, ●t the sound whereof he will make the walls of Jericho, the holds of sin to fall; this is the store-house in which the Lord will enrich us; this is the banqueting-house in which God will betrothe us to his Son Christ Jesus; this is the river by which the Lord will water, refresh and glad us; and this is the Dove by which God will send the (live branch of peace unto us. Undervalue not this then, which is to our souls a Sun of so many bright and comfortable beams, a tree loaden with such variety of soule-nourishing fruit, a messenger coming with such joyful, peaceable, and pacifying tidings, a store-house enriching us with such matchless treasures, and an instrument of the choicest, fullest, and everlasting blessings. How blind are they who slight the light of this Sun? how ignorant are they who disesteem the worth of this pearl? how distempered are their palates who relish not the sweetness of this feast? how deaf are their ears who are not affected with this joyful sound? O! how base are they in the eyes of God, who have such base apprehensions of God's Ordinances, and the labours of his Ministers. God will surely slight them that sleight his Christ, his Gospel, or any of Gods appointed instruments and means of their salvation: Honour therefore and attend the Gospel as the Star in which Christ the Sun of Righteousness doth shine unto you; as the cloud whence Christ distilleth like the dew upon you; as the fiery pillar wherein Christ goes before you; as the School wherein Christ instructeth you; as the feast whereat Christ feedeth you; as the Physic by which Christ healeth you; and as the fiery chariot in which Christ triumphantly carries you to everlasting bliss and glory. * ⁎ * FINIS. THE MYSTERY OF SELF-DENIAL: OR, THE CESSATION OF Man's living to himself: AND THE INCHOATION OF CHRIST'S living in Man. Discoursing of the necessity, utility, and comfort of man's prostrating himself, and all that is his under Christ: Discovering the danger of Selfseeking, Self-admiration, and Self-exaltation, and also opening the Mystery, Comfort, and Excellency of Christ living in Man. The whole conducing to the working of Man out of himself into CHRIST. Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it, Mat. 16.25. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts, Gal. 5.24. By Alexander Grosse, B. D. Minister of the Gospel, and Pastor of Bridford near Exon in Devon-shire. LONDON, Printed by G. M. for John Bartlet, at the Sign of the Gilt Cup near Saint Austius Gate. 1642. THE MYSTERY OF SELF-DENIAL: OR, THE CESSATION OF Man's living to himself: AND THE INCHOATION OF CHRIST'S living in Man. CHAP. I. Gal. 2.20. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. THE condition of the man in the Parable, travelling between Jerusalem and Jericho, is a clear and lively Emblem of the estate of a Christian. The man in the Parable descended from Jerusalem to Jericho: Man is fallen from Jerusalem to Jericho, from heaven to the world, from God to Satan, from knowledge to ignorance, from holiness to uncleanness, from liberty to bondage, from honour to ignominy, from fullness to emptiness, from pure and perfect Religion to corrupt and carnal superstition: He is wholly gone down from Jerusalem to jericho, from the participation of all grace, from all interest in God, and from all communion and acquaintance with God, into the servitude of corruption and consortship with the world: The sin of man hath cast him from the top and crown of the choicest glory, into the gulf and sink of the foulest and basest misery. The man in the parable fell among thiefs which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, leaving him half dead: Man is fallen among three great thiefs, the Devil, sin, and the world; and these have stripped man of all his spiritual raiment; these have taken all grace and holiness from man, which once covered him, like a rich and costly garment; and they have also wounded, and left man half dead in his very natural abilities. The fall of man hath totally stripped him of all grace and holiness, and also given a mortal wound to his moral and natural faculties. He that abides not with God at Jerusalem, makes himself a prey to sin, the Devil, and the world. There came a Priest and a Levite passing by, and looking upon the man thus stripped and wounded, but neither of them had compassion upon him, neither of them ministered any consolation, nor lent an assisting hand unto him: Neither the Priest, nor the Levite, neither the Moral, nor Ceremonial Law, can deliver sinful man from Satan's bondage, nor heal his wounded conscience; neither the works of the one, nor the Rites and Ceremonies of the other, can restore man to his original happiness, nor justify him in God's presence. Man's best abilities and all-humane devises are miserable comforters to sinful and perplexed souls in their anguish. Though the Priest and the Levite had no compassion upon him, yet there came a Samaritan which had compassion upon him; though the Law show no pity, nor minister no comfort to wounded souls, and afflicted consciences; yet the Lord Jesus communicates both great and sweet mercies to broken hearted sinners. The Samaritan, a man from whom this distressed man could not expect any mercy, had compassion upon him, and helped him. Christ is become the Author of man's comfort and salvation, beyond all humane and Angelical thought, conceit or imagination; the wisdom, work, and love of God in providing a Saviour for distressed sinners, was far above the reach and comprehension of all creatures: The Samaritan bound up this poor man's wound, and poured in wine and oil; the Lord Jesus binds up the brokenhearted, and gives the oil of joy for mourning to them whose souls are truly humbled; the Samaritan set the man upon his own beast. Christ communicates his own honour to the penitent and brokenhearted sinner; sin is the cause of man's dejection, Christ is the Author of man's exaltation; the Samaritan brought this distressed man to an Inn, and took care for him, gave two pence to the Host, charged him to take care of him, and promised payment of whatsoever he should spend more: The Lord Jesus brings perplexed souls to God as to their spiritual Host, and to the ministry of the Gospel, as to an Inn full of spiritual provision, gives his Ministers the two Testaments, the Law and the Gospel, out of them to minister to the souls of his people, and chargeth them as the ministerial Host of poor and perplexed souls, to make all necessary and plentiful provision, and in the end by his merits, his active and passive obedience, his two great pence, he dischargeth the debt of all penitent and believing sinners. The whole of a sinful and grieved souls happiness flows from the Lord Jesus; all the supply of man's want and emptiness is derived from Christ's super-abundant fullness. All the myrrh and odours, and instruments of hester's purification, and all her rich and costly apparel were given her out of the b Hest. 2.13, 17. Christ the Author of man's welfare. King's house, and the royal crown was put upon her head by the King's hand. All the purity and perfection, all the righteousness and justification, all the dignity and excellency of a holy and gracious soul is drawn from Christ, the spiritual and heavenly King. All man's holy and heavenly excellencies are borrowed from the Lord Jesus: Man is an empty cistern, and hath all his fullness from Christ, the true and everliving fountain; Christ is the root by whom he is sustained, the spring by whom he is filled, the Sun by which he is enlightened, the garment wherewith he is covered, the crown with which he is honoured, the head by which he is guided, the eye by which he seeth, the hand by which he worketh, the foot by which he walketh, yea the very soul by which he liveth. Whatsoever goodness or excellency is in a Christian, it is Christ's and not his own; his very life is nothing but the living of Christ in him; he must say with Paul, Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Scope of the Apostle. The words are a declaration of a Christians life. Christ living in believing man, and man living unto Christ. The Apostle setting forth how he was dead to the Law, that he might live to God, tells us that he was crucified together with Christ. Christ being crucified for us, and we being by faith engrafted into him, do die to sin, and mortify our earthly members which are upon earth; the death of the Lord Jesus is the death of sin in all believing Christians, they live no more as formerly they did, they have Christ now living in them, and communicating himself unto them: He that hath not experience of Christ's living in him, in the way and work of sanctification, presumes in vain of being saved by his death and suffering; no man knows the benefit of Christ's death, but he that feels the virtue of Christ's life. Man hath no further assurance of Christ's dying for him then as he feels Christ living in him: He that knows the power of Christ's death in the mortification of his lusts, knows also the virtue of Christ's life in the quickening of his soul, and can say with Paul, now I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Analysis. 2. Parts. In the words, not to trouble you with many particulars, we have two general things proposed, 1. Christian abnegation, I live, yet not I 2. Holy and gracious vivification, but Christ liveth in me. In the abnegation, we have 1. the Subject: I Paul the Apostle, Subdivision. 1. Subjection. Note. a man chosen and called of God, a man filled and furnished with the fullness of Christ; and in and under him is understood all believing Christians. Such alone as are truly sanctified and gracious people are the complete and proper Subject of that life which is heavenly and spiritual: Only the living body is the seat and subject of the soul; and that man alone that is spiritually quickened, hath Christ residing and dwelling in him, communicating holy and heavenly life to him. 2. Here is the Predicate, or thing affirmed, Life; 2. Praedicatum. and that is two ways proposed: 1. affirmatively, I live. 2. Negatively, yet not I First affirmatively, I live, I lived once under the Law, which made me a persecutor of the Church of God, convinced me of sin, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, and slew me, and I then found myself to be dead in sin, but now I have embraced Christ, and am crucified with him; now I am no more the man I was, but now I have Christ, who doth quicken me, who doth rule, and guide, and strengthen me by his Spirit; now I live spiritually and holily, now I live to God, and not unto myself, to Christ, and not unto the world; now I live under grace, and not under the Law; now I live according to the will of Christ, and not after mine own lust and fancy; now I live indeed, Note. formerly I did but seem to live; All life is as nothing, c 1 Tim. 5.6. Mat 4.16. yea as a very death in comparison of a holy and gracious life. Men without grace are as dead, even while they live: He that hath not Christ living in him, sits in darkness, and the shadow of death, all the days of his natural and temporal life, as the Apostle said of the Law compared to the Gospel, That which was made glorious had no glory by reason of the glory that excelleth: so in this case, the natural life of man, howsoever dear, and precious, sweet or glorious, it may seem to be; yet it is of no price, of no sweetness, of no glory, in comparison of the worth, d 2 Cor. 3 10. glory, sweetness, and comfort of a spiritual life, which excelleth; great is that man's happiness that lives by the life of Christ Jesus. He is the most blessed and happy of all living persons that lives the life of grace and holiness. CHAP. XII. SEcondly this is proposed negatively, yet not I I live in deed, and yet I live not, in respect of original. The life which I live is not of nature, but of grace, not of myself but of Christ: In respect of the rule which guides my life, though I live in the flesh, yet I live not after the flesh, I am not led by my lusts, but by the Spirit of Christ, I live not after my own fancy, but according to the will of Christ, in respect of the means by which I live, I live not, by the f jer. 23.28. chaff of humane traditions, selfe-devises, carnal doctrines, and inventions of men, or superstitious observations, but I live by the wheat of Christ's doctrine, the g 1 Pet. 2.2. sincere milk of God's word, this is the staff and stay of my life: In respect of the end or term to which I live, I live not to myself, I seek not, I exalt not, I magnify not myself, I propose not mine own ends; but I live to Christ, I intent, propose, and exalt Christ, I strive to be all that I am unto Christ: In respect of the opinion, and apprehension which I have of myself, I live not as mine own Lord and Master, but I carry myself as a crucified man, suffering nothing in me to exalt itself against Christ; but I prostrate all at the feet of Christ, I make all to veil and bow to Christ, that Christ may live and reign in me, look upon myself as the chief of sinners, and the basest of creatures, as unworthy of the least of Christ's mercies, I deny myself, I allow no place within me, to mine own wisdom and reason, to my own will and affections, to mine own fancy and desires; I look on these as empty lamps that have no light, as on false guides and treacherous friends, that have no truth: I handle these as traitors, that conspire against the welfare of my soul: I trample and tread these under foot, as enemies to my peace: I silence these, and will not hear them speak, I suppress these, and will not suffer them to reign, I mortify these, and will not suffer them to live; and thus I live and live not, hence we learn, That he who lives the life of grace and true holiness, Doct. doth wholly deny himself, his own ends, counsels, and affections, and altogether prostrates himself and all that is his under Christ jesus: He put himself and all that he hath under Christ, he implies himself and all that he hath for Christ, in all that he doth he chiefly minds and intends Christ: In Joseph's vision the h Gen. 37.7, 9 Sun, Moon, and eleven Stars, these celestial creatures did obeisance unto him, and all the sheaves in the field vailed unto his sheaf; in the soul, life, way, and work of a regenerate man; all the supernatural gifts and graces, all the moral abilities, and endowments, and all the natural powers and faculties of the soul, with all the members of the body, all the labours of the life, and whatsoever else do obeisance unto Christ, are made subject and serviceable unto Christ: True Christians are termed by the Apostle, a i Rom. 12.1. living sacrifice. The sacrifice under the Law was no more his that offered it, but the Lords, and wholly to be spent in the service of the Lord; the Christian who offers himself unto God under the Gospel, is no more his own, but the Lords, to be employed wholly in the service of the Lord; this our Saviour imposeth as a necessary duty, and setteth it forth as a clear and lively character of a true Disciple, and sincere Christian: k Luk. 9.23. If any man (saith he) will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me: If any man will come after me, as a Scholar after his teacher, receiving my instruction; as a sheep after his shepherd, feeding in my pastures, as a soldier after his Centurion, fight my battles; as a Subject, after his Sovereign, obeying my commandments; as a bride after her bridegroom, making me the complete object of his love, and embracing me as the husband of his soul, if any man will come after me, in the knowledge of my will, in the belief of my promises, in the love of my truth, and in the obedience of my precepts: Let him deny himself, Let him lay aside his own wisdom as an empty lamp, his own will as an evil commander, his own imagination as a false rule, his own affections as corrupt counsellors, and his own ends as base and unworthy marks to be aimed at; let him deny himself whatsoever is of himself, within himself, or belonging to himself as a corrupt and carnal man; let him go out of himself, that he may come to me; let him empty himself of himself, that he may be capable of me, that I may reign and rule within him, that he may wholly subject himself to me and my service; there is no true following of Christ and his example, no through subjection to Christ and his precepts, without the denial of ourselves and our affections, without the rejection of our own ends and counsels; this the Apostle styles l 2 Cor 5.15. a living not unto ourselves, but unto him that died for us; not to live unto ourselves, by following our own imaginations, not to serve our own lusts and affections, not to terminate ourselves within ourselves, by seeking our own applause and profit, by making ourselves the Lords and Masters of our service, serving ourselves, and not the Lord Jesus; but to live to Christ, to do all in love and obedience unto Christ, to refer all to the praise and glory of Christ: It is a very base and carnal service which doth not primarily intend the Lord Jesus; surely he is far from the life of Christ, that doth not live to Christ; that man's life is of a base, corrupt, and earthly original, the energy, operation, and intendment of whose living is not to exalt and make Christ glorious; he alone truly understands the end of Christ's death, that makes Christ's glory the end of his life; and thus runs the charge of the Apostle to the Romans, m Rom. 6.13. Yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Yield yourselves to God, as soldiers to their Captain, as servants to their Master, to fight for God, to work for God, to do all for God's glory; let every faculty of the soul, and member of the body, even whatsoever belongs unto you be dedicated unto God, and employed in the work and service of God; that service which is not universal is hypocritical; he alone is a perfect servant, that puts the whole man upon the service of the Lord, as all the rivers n Eccl. 1.4. come from the sea, and return, and empty themselves into the sea: Thus must we return to God, and empty ourselves, and all that we have into God, prostrate it all under God's feet, and put it all upon the service of the Lord; as Moses o Exod. 10.26. lest not a hose behind him in Egypt, but carried all out, that he might sacrifice to the Lord of whatsoever the Lord would have; thus, we must not love a hoof of our hearts, thoughts, loves, desires behind us upon sin, and the world, but take of all, and sacrifice all to God and his service; we must with the Baptist be willing to p joh. 3.30. decrease that Christ may increase, to become vile, and of no esteem with men, that Christ may be exalted; we must with the Macedonians, q 2 Cor. 8.5. give ourselves to the Lord. We must give our understandings to know God, our wills to choose God, our imaginations to think upon God, our memories to remember God, our affections to fear, trust, love, and rejoice in God, our ears to hear God's word, our tongues to speak God, praise, our hands to work for God, and all our substance to the honour of God. CHAP. III. ANd a holy and gracious Christian doth thus deny himself, Grounds of Self-denial. and put himself and all that he hath under Christ. 1. In regard of that carnality, vanity, baseness, 1. Self-vanity. earthliness, unworthiness, corruption, and uncleanness, which he sees, and feels in his own flesh, in his own affections, ends and counsels: He sees there is an emptiness in himself, that his own flesh is an r Rom. 7 18. empty house, wherein dwelleth no good, and wherein is s 2 Cor. 3.5. no sufficiency to the performance of any good duty; he sees that his own heart is a City full of treason, t jer. 17.9. deceitful above measure, and not to be trusted; he feels a u Rom. 7.23. law in his members, rebelling against the law of his mind, as Rebeckah felt the twins in her womb striving the one against the other; he discerns that his own wisdom is foolish, an empty lamp, a bleare-eye, a false light; he discerns that he is brutish, and hath not the w Prov. 30.2. knowledge of the holy; he sees much uncleanness within himself, many spots in his soul; he sees that he is like jacob's flock, spotty coloured; like Noah's Ark, wherein are many unclean beasts among the clean; like the field in the parable, wherein are many tears among the wheat; he sees how he is yet in part x Rom. 7.14 carnal, and sold under sin, not fully freed and discharged from the strength and working of sin; he discerns an unhappy proneness in his heart, to consult with flesh and blood, and to propose buy, and sinister, low, and base ends; and having the sight, sense, and sorrowful experience of all this; he denies himself, as Jacob having experience of the y Gen. 31.7. deceitfulness of Laban, grew weary of him, denied him his service, and went forth from him. Thus a gracious man having experience of the corruption and deceitfulness of his own heart and flesh, grows weary of himself, denies himself, goes out of himself, cometh unto Christ, and puts himself wholly under Christ; and as the Evangelist said of Christ, that z joh. 2.13. knowing what was in man, he would not commit himself unto man: so sanctified man knowing what is in himself, he will not commit himself unto himself, he will not trust himself with himself, he denies his own wisdom, he becomes a 1 Cor. 3.18. a fool in his own apprehension, and seeks to Christ to be made wise unto salvation; he looks upon his own righteousness, as b Isa. 64. rotten rags, and comes to Christ for justification; he considers his own weakness, and comes to Christ as the c Ios. 10.6. Gibeonites came to Joshuah, to rescue him from his enemies, he is experienced in the vanity of all other helpers; and therefore comes to Christ, as the diseased d Mar. 5.29. woman, whom the Physicians could not cure, that Christ may heal his spiritual maladies; Man is ever so much the more strong, and powerful in the work of self-denial, by how much the more clearly he discerns the carnality and baseness of his own heart and counsel. He that knows how subject he is to miscarry when he leans upon himself, will readily put himself and all that he hath under Christ. 2. In regard of the holy, strong, and constant bent, 2. Holy inclination to Christ. and inclination of the heart of a gracious Christian unto Christ: As every thing moves towards its proper centre, and is at no rest until it comes to that: so doth the sanctified soul incline and move to Christ, the true centre of the soul, and resteth not until it comes to Christ, and hath the fruition of Christ; there is in a gracious soul such a principle of grace, such a communication of Christ, such a suitableness between the soul and Christ, such a fervent and operative love towards Christ, such a vehement longing after Christ, that it mightily moves to Christ as the rivers to the sea; that nothing but Christ can answer it, quiet and content it; there is in the soul such a blessed residence, such a powerful and gracious energy, and operation of the Spirit of Christ, that as the e Ezek. 1.20. wheels in Ezekiel's vision moved, wheresoever the living creatures moved, because the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels: so the soul moves after Christ, because the Spirit of Christ is in the soul; this makes it f Psal. 42 1. pant after Christ, as the Hart after the water brooks; this makes it g Psal 63.1, 8. thirst for Christ, as the dry ground for waters; this makes it follow hard after Christ, as the child with cries and tears after the father going from it; this makes it cry for Christ, as sometimes h Gen. 30.2. Rachel did for children, O give me Christ or else I die; and as David thirsted, and his worthies i 2 Sam. 23.15. burst through the army of the Philistines for water out of the wells of Bethel: so the soul thirsting for Christ, breaks through all the armies of opposition to come to Christ, to refresh itself with Christ; now it denies all, leaves all, passeth through all, prostrates itself and all that it hath under Christ, that it may enjoy Christ, it hates all that hinders its coming to Christ, and embraceth all that may further its communion with Christ, suitableness between the soul and Christ, readily denies and rejects all that hinders the fruition of Christ. 3. Uanity of all things. 3. In regard of the vanity, nullity, and nothingness which a gracious man discerns in himself, and in all things else without and beside Christ; he looks upon himself as on k Gen. 18 28, dust and ashes; he is vile in his own apprehension, as a l Psal. 22.6. worm and no man; he humbles and abhors himself m job 42 6. below the dust and ashes; he looks on all other things as n Phil. 3.8. dung and dross, and a thing of o Prov. 23.5. naught in comparison of Christ; he reputes all things in respect of Christ, as p judg. 9.9. Jothan did Abimelech in respect of the Sons of Jerubbaal; but as a bramble in respect of the vine, figtree, and olive-tree; and having such a low opinion of himself, and all things else; he readily denies himself and all things else, and makes all to veil and stoop to Christ; with q Mat. 4.21, 22. Simon and Andrew they are ready to leave their nets, their ship, and their father, to deny their possessions, and their friends, to put all under Christ, to leave whatsoever is most profitable and dear, according to the flesh for Christ's sake, with Paul to esteem their very r Act 20 24. life as nothing, that they may glorify Christ, and finish Christ's work: The more any man doth undervalue himself, and the creature; the more he exalteth Christ, the more freely, fully, and readily he prostrates all at the feet of Christ. 4. Rule of Christ. 4. In regard of the holy, powerful, and universal reign, rule and dominion of Christ in a gracious and sanctified soul: Here Christ reigns as a King in his Throne, s Psal. 72.8. as Solomon reigned over the land of Canaan from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth: so doth Christ reign in a regenerate and gracious soul, from the highest to the lowest faculty thereof, and from the head to the feet, and from the highest to the lowest undertaking of a Christian: Here Christ reigns as a t Eph. 3.17. dweller in his house; the dweller rules over all the rooms, members, and goods of his house, and disposeth all to his service; Christ rules over all the faculties of the soul, members of the body, and disposeth all the endowments and doings of a Christian to his own service, and for his own honour: Here Christ rules as the u Eph. 1.20. head over the body, acting, moving, guiding, and framing the whole man, to a holy, humble, and free subjection: Here Christ reigns as a w Mat. 8.8. Centurion in his army, and as the servants of the Centurion did go and come at his command, and do whatsoever he bade them: Thus all the faculties of the soul, and members of the body of a true Christian, are at the command of Christ, receiving their direction and commission from Christ, doing every thing in subjection and obedience to Christ: Thus the Psalmist speaking of Christ's kingdom, saith, x Psal. 110.3. in the day of thy power, when Christ should reign by his Gospel and Spirit in the souls of men, the people should be willing, free, ready, and full in their subjection unto Christ, and his y Psal. 72.9. enemies should bow before him, and lick the dust; such as were enemies, rebellious, and disobedient in their unregeneration, should after their conversion bow themselves, and lick the dust, acknowledge and receive Christ as their Lord and King, and in very great humility subject and prostrate both themselves and all theirs to him, and his service; for as Abner entering into Covenant with David, and taking David for his King, undertook to z 2 Sam. 3. bring about all Israelite to David Thus the soul entering into Covenant with Christ, and taking Christ for its King, brings about all to Christ, and puts all in subjection under Christ. 5. In regard of the holy and fervent desire of a gracious soul to exalt and set up Christ: This is the prime ●●●our, 5 Desire to ex●●● Chr●st. joy and comfort of a godly soul, to see and feel Christ's kingdom within him, to set up Christ in his heart, and to discern him ruling and commanding there, as a King in his Throne, as a pilot in the ship; this is his suit and supplication unto God, that Christ's a Mat. 6.10. kingdoms may come, that Christ may reign and rule within him as David sometimes thirsted, and longed to see the b Psal. 63.2. power and glory of God in the Sanctuary: so doth a godly man long to see the power and glory of Christ in his soul; to behold him reigning in his heart: In the day of Solomon's coronation the c 1 King 1.40. people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rung with the sound thereof: In the day of Christ's coronation, and reign in the soul of man, the heart of man rejoiceth with exceeding great joy, Christ's dominion is a holy souls rejoicing, the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace, and d Rom. 14.17 joy in the Holy-Ghost. It was the care, labour, and joy of David to bring the Ark of the Lord into the Tabernacle, in that day David e 2 Sam. 6.14 danced before the Lord with all his might, and all the house of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet, and set it in the midst of the Tabernacle. Thus it is the care, labour, and comfort of the whole man that is godly, to set up Christ in the midst of his soul, to see him reigning in his understanding, as the Sun in the eye; guiding in his will, as a Prince commanding it; in his imagination, as the object on which he thinketh with most frequency, delight and comfort; in his trust, as the only rock whereon he buildeth; in his fear, as the King of Kings, whom he chiefly reverenceth; and in his love, as an husband in the love of the wife: so powerful and operative is this desire, labour, and joy of a gracious soul, touching the exaltation, reign, and rule of Christ within it; that as the people would have all the men put f 1 Sam. 11.12 to death which would not have Saul reign over them: so doth such a man mortify all his lusts which oppose Christ's kingdom, remove whatsoever may hinder Christ's spiritual dominion, and makes all veil, and stoop for Christ's exaltation within him. Acquiescence in Christ's approbation. 6. In regard of a gracious soul's acquiescence and contentation with the approbation of Christ: In this it pleaseth, in this it blesseth, delighteth, and satisfieth itself, whatsoever it hath besides it, this is in stead of all, as the Sun is to the eye in stead of all lights, and the fountain to the thirsty in stead of all bottles; the approbation of Christ is of very great price with a true Christian; his g Rom. 2.29. praise is not the praise of men but of God; not to have the approbation of men to his doings, but of God; not to have his ear tickled with the empty breath of vain man's applause, but with the solid and sweet inspiration, and breathing of God's Spirit, assuring him of God's acceptation of him; as our Saviour sought not himself, nor his own praise, but the h joh. 8.50. praise of his Father, made it his i joh 4. ●4. meat and drink to do his Father's will, and contented himself with his Father's approbation, how unworthily soever men thought of him: Thus all the members of Christ in proportion seek not themselves, nor the applause of men, but the testimony of Christ; in this they rejoice and solace themselves, in all things k 2 Cor. 6.4. approving themselves to God, as good servants, in all estates, in all changes, in all their undertake; and this is the holy glorying, rejoicing and comfort of the soul, to l 2 Cor. 10.17, 18. glory (as the Apostle saith) in the Lord, to glory in the dominion of God, subjecting himself unto him, to glory in the power of God, resting upon him, to glory in the testimony of God, blessing and pleasing himself in God's approbation for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth: God's approbation is the crown and comfort of a Christian; and therefore as the wife seeks and rejoiceth in the approbation of her husband, though she displease herself, and all the family to enjoy it: Thus the soul which is wedded to Christ seeks the approbation of Christ, pleaseth himself herein, and for the enjoyment whereof will displease his own flesh, and all the world, he denies whatsoever is a hindrance hereunto, he subjects himself wholly unto Christ, to gain and keep the testimony of Christ; for as he said of Plato, unius Platonis calculum inter mille, the approbation of Plato alone was in stead of a thousand: so the testimony and approbation of one Christ, of Christ alone, is more to a gracious soul, than the applause of the world or whatsoever the earth can afford, and for these and such like causes doth a man endued with true holiness deny himself, his own ends and counsels, and prostrates all under Christ Jesus. CHAP. IU. Want of self-denial dangerous. COnsider this then, and see the dangerous estate of men not denying themselves and their own ends and thoughts, not subjecting themselves and all that they have to Christ and his service; as the Sodomites would not have Lot to be a m Gen. 19.9. Judge among them, no more will many men have Christ to reign over them; the sons of Belial n 1 Sam. 10.27 despised Saul, and brought him no presents. Many like sons of Belial despise Christ in his person, they see no beauty nor comeliness in him, they despise him in his Gospel, they will not veil to his Sceptre, they despise him in his Ambassadors, they deny audience, and reverence to their message, they despise him in his offices, they do not hear him as their Prophet, obey him as their King, they do not believe in him as the Priest who hath offered himself to God an all-sufficient sacrifice for them, they despise him in his s Psal 2 2. laws, they burst them asunder, as Samson burst hiswiths: strange and shameful is the contempt offered by profane persons to the Lord Jesus, and though they profess Christ, and pretend Christ, & will have Christ to be preached and spoken of among them; yet as the Philistines though they entertained the Ark, yet they set Dagon t 1 Sam. 5.4. above, and would not endure the presence thereof when Dagon fell before it: so these men though they outwardly entertain Christ, and give him some place amongst them, yet they will set their Dagon, their lusts, their pride, pleasures, profits, inventions above Christ; and if their Dagon fall, if Christ begin to show his power, and work upon their Dagon, discover, reprove, shame, and offer to cast down their lusts, and will not suffer these to reign, they grow very weary of Christ, his presence is uncomfortable: Christ preached in his power ever proves a burden to the soul where sin is pleasant and delightful; he that doth not deny himself, denies Christ; he that allows not Christ a full and universal dominion, is a great stranger to selfe-deniall. Some deny not their own wisdom, 4. Sorts non-denyers of themselves. 1. Selfwise. Christ reigns not in their understanding, they are u Isa. 5.21. wise in their own eyes, they embrace not Christ's direction, Christ is not in stead of eyes unto them, as w Num. 10.30. Hobab was to Moses and Israel in their journeys through the wilderness; they ask not counsel of Christ, but walk after their own counsel, they make not their wisdom to stoop to Christ's wisdom, and therefore folly dwells with them, Christ is not known to them; he of all men sees least of Christ, and continues most foolish that most exalts and magnifies his own knowledge. Some deny not their own wills, 2. Selfwilled. they make not Christ's will the rule of their will, but set up their own wills to be the rule of Christ's will, and make their own will the Law by which they walk, as it was foretold of the King of Greece, that he should x Dan. 11.3. Psal. 2, 2. stand up and rule with great dominion, and do according to his will: so it is true of these men, they stand up against Christ, and they rule and sway over Christ's Laws, Ministers, Ordinances, and Offices, and do all things according to their own will. In the days of Micah the Idolater, there was no King in Israel, and every man did that which was right in his own eyes: Thus these men are without a spiritual King, Christ doth not reign in their souls, but they do what is right in their own eyes, they are y Isa. 30.9, 10. rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the Law of the Lord, which say to the Seer see not, and to the Prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy to us deceits. Christ hath no kingdom in the soul which is swayed by vain delusion, and carnal counsel. Some will not deny their own affections, Self-lusted. they will not put them under, but suffer them to Lord it over Christ, Christ hath not the pre-eminence in their fear, trust, love, joy; but as the Lord said to Ely, thou z 1 Sam. 2.29. honour'st thy sons above me, so these men honour their affections and lusts above Christ. Solomon observed in his time a Eccl. 7.10. servants riding on horseback, and Princes walking on foot. Every man may see in these times men's natural lusts and affections which should like servants be kept under and suppressed, humbled, brought low, and made to walk on foot; yet these are set on horseback, exalted, honoured, preferred, and Christ the Prince of peace, and all his ordinances, statutes, and testimonies, which should reign and rule like Princes in the soul of man, these are made like servants to travel on foot; these are of no esteem and price with men; these have no rule and sway in the hearts of men: Herodias hath pre-eminence in the heart of b Ma●. 6. Mat. 8. Herod above the Baptist; a Swine is of more esteem then▪ Christ with the Gaderine. Man's exaltation of his corrupt affections is a foul and shameful abasement of Christ and his ordinances. 4 Worldly minded. Some deny not their worldly profits; Jesse set David behind the d 1 Sam. 16. ewes, many set Christ behind the ox and the ass; the e Luk. 14 18. farm and the wife, their merchandise and worldly traffic, they prise the world above Christ, they love this more than they love Christ, the love of the world carries their f Ezek. 33.31. heart far from Christ, when their bodies draw near to Christ; the overvaluing of the earth is an undervaluing of Christ; when the world is over sweet and savoury to men's palates, their souls g Amos 8.5. disrelish Christ and his ordinances; whon the earth is pleasant like a Paradise, Christ and all the means of grace are apprehended as a very wilderness. 5. Voluptuously affected, and vainly exalted. Some deny not their own pleasures, but value them above Christ, as Esau did a few pottage above his birthright; some deny not their pride, but as Absalon sought to reign, though it were to the dishonour and deposal of his father David from his throne: so they seek to magnify themselves, though to the dishonour of God, and deposal of Christ from his Throne in their hearts; some deny not their own worth and goodness, they are rich and full in their own opinions, as the man in the Prophet, which dreamt, he had eaten and was full; some deny not their own superstitions, they receive for doctrines the commandments of men, they will see Christ in a glass of their own framing, learn Christ in a school of their own erecting, and draw the waters of salvation out of a cistern of their own digging; doubtless they are a very small number that have learned the lesson of self-denial, questionless Christ hath spiritual and heavenly dominion in the souls of few men. Very full of base respects and purposes are the hearts of many that profess jesus Christ: The Prophet speaks of a day, wherein h Isa. 4 1. seven women should take hold of one man, saying we will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel, only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach. There is a day now, wherein seven, a very great number, take hold of one man Christ, by an outward profession; but they will eat their own bread, and wear their own apparel, they will find their own pleasures, walk in their own ways, keep themselves apparelled with the old man, they will not deny themselves, they will not put away their old things, and make all things new, they will only be called by the name of Christ to take away their reproach, of being reputed Atheists and Infidels among men. Many men that profess themselves Christians do shamefully deny the Lord jesus, and are far from the denial of themselves, their own counsels and affections. CHAP. V. IF you demand whence it is, and how it comes to pass that men are so backward in denying themselves and their own ends, Seven grounds of backwardness in self-denial. 1. Self-prizing. and in subjecting themselves and all that they have unto Christ. I answer of this there are seven grounds: 1. Man's overvaluing of himself. Man is very prone to think of himself above that which is convenient, to pride himself in his endowments, abilities, to think of himself as the Queen of Babylon did, that he is a i Isa. 47. Queen and no widow, wise and not ignorant, rich and not poor, full and not empty, holy and not profane, free and not bound, as Goliath k 1 Sam. 17. prided himself in the tallness of his stature, and bigness of his armour: so doth man pride himself in his natural, moral, and temporal habiliments and furniture, contrary to the charge of the Apostle, l Rome 12 16 Man is wise in his conceit, and will not stoop to wholesome instruction, he thinks himself sufficient for himself, to guide himself, to sustain himself, to make himself acceptable unto God. m Gen 33 9 Esau thought he had enough, and refused his brother's present: vain man thinks he hath enough, wisdom, faith, love, holiness enough; and therefore refuseth the spiritual and heavenly presence of Christ, his ordinances, benefits, graces, and all helps to happiness; he dreams that he is wise, when he is foolish, spiritual, when he is carnal, full when he is empty, like the n Rev. ●. 17. Laodicean; and this disables him to deny himself, and subject himself to Christ; he that supposeth he hath water enough at home in his own cistern, will not go to his neighbours well. Thoughts of selfsufficiency hinder men from going out of themselves, and coming unto Christ: The Pharisees conceited so highly of their own wisdom, that they refused Christ and his doctrine; the whole puts not himself under the hands of the Physician to be dieted, lanced, and purged by him. 2. The overswaying of corrupt and carnal lusts: These oversway man, 2. Overswaying lusts. as a Master doth his servant, or a King his subject, they rule and reign within man, and make man their o 2 Pet. 2.10. servant; the servant (as S. Peter saith) of corruption; and as a servant is not his own man, but his Masters, is guided by his Master, minds and intends his Master, seeks the pleasing and profiting of his Master, is bound and cannot enter into the service of another. Thus these men are not their own men, but the servants of their lusts, moved, led, and guided by their lusts, minding and intending their lusts, seeking to please and profit their lusts, making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof: To these they are bound, and cannot put themselves into Christ's service, they cannot take upon them Christ's yoke; these oversway man as a lover is overswayed by his love: Man is very indulgent to them as David to Absalon, and as he charged the Captains of his armies to deal gently with the young man Absalon: so man is very loath to have his lusts roughly handled; he wishes that all the Prophets would prophesy smooth things and deceits; and as the harlot in Solomon caused the young man with her much fair p Prov. 7.11, 22 speech to yield, and forced him with the slattering of her lips, so that he went after her as an ox goeth to the slaughter: Thus these lusts with their flatteries, and fleshly-seeming sweetness, and bewitching eloquence do make the soul yield and follow them; and as strange love in a wife takes away her matrimonial love from her husband, and makes her regardless of him, and disobedient to him: Thus the indulgency and love of man to his lusts takes away his q Isa. 4.4. 1 joh. 2.15. love from Christ, makes him regardless of Christ, and rebellious against Christ: These lusts oversway man as a disease oversways the body, distempers the palate, destroys the appetite, and makes the meat distasteful and irksome: Thus do these lust's distemper the foul, and make Christ and his word the bread of life and food of the soul unpleasant, the very savour of death unto death. There is no possibility of self-denial and subjection unto Christ as long as the soul is overswayed by any carnal lusts; the dominion of sin, and subjection unto Christ are incompatable, and inconsistent; Abner could not serve David until he denied his service and obedience to the house of Saul. 3. 3. Inordinate disposition toward the creature. An inordinate disposition of the heart toward the Creature. The heart of man is inordinate towards the creature, in his opinion and judgement of the creature, judging it to be strong as a mountain, when it is weak as the sand, to be full as the Sea, when it is empty as a broken ●●sterne to be noble and honourable, when it is base and full of thraldom, to be permanent as the Sun, when it vanisheth like a meteor: The heart of man is inordinate about the creature, in his thoughts, of its filling itself with distracting and perplexing thoughts about it, making his bed a bed of thorns whereon he cannot sleep; the heart of man is inordinate about the creature, in his pursuit of it, pursuing it as the choicest and most desirable object, in his trust in it, building on it as a rock that never sinketh, in his love to it, his heart going after it, as the heart of the adulterer after the harlot, in the price he puts upon it, prising it above Christ, as the men of Shechem did the bramble above the vine, in his sorrow for the loss of it, as Micah grieved as a man undone for the loss of his Idol, and in the promises he makes unto himself from it, promising himself like the rich man in the parable, fullness of all peace, and contentment from his worldly abundance; and judging of God's love towards him, according to that outward abundance which God bestows upon him; the heart of man being thus inordinately disposed towards the creature, he cannot deny the creature, he cannot come fully and freely off from the creature, and submit himself to Christ's Sceptre; the Elders of r judg. 11. Gilead came not to Jeptha, made him not their head, until they saw their own and Israel's weakness. Man never comes to Christ, never makes Christ his head, never truly and throughly subjects himself to Christ, until he sees both his own and the creatures weakness, emptiness, and unworthiness. 4. Overprizing man. 4. An over-piercing of man. Man is very prone to overprize man, the favour and countenance of man, the society and fellowship of man, the praise and applause of man: These are chains and fetters which bind and embodage man to man; and make man the s 1 Cor. 7.24. servant of man, flatterers and admirers of vain man, companions in evil with sinful man, inordinate haunters after the approbation and applause of idle man, doing many things contrary to Christ, for the winning and retention of this; he that is ambitious of the favour, fellowship, and praise of men, can never solace and satisfy himself with the favour and approbation of Christ; he cannot subject himself to Christ, and make him in stead of all friends, companions, applauders, and approvers to his soul. What hindered the parents of the blind man from professing Christ, from making mention of Christ having done such a miraculous courtesy to their child; but their overprizing of man, they t joh. 9.22. feared the Jews, they were loath to displease the Jews, unwilling to lose their place in the Synagogue among the Jews. Why did not the Rulers, which with a dogmatic and historical faith believed in Christ, confess Christ? why did they not deny all for Christ? why did they not openly profess and exalt Christ? u joh 13. 42.4●. because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the Synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. We can never rightly value Christ, till we have learned to sleight and undervalue man, the vain and empty favour and applause of man. How w joh. 5.44. can ye believe (saith Christ) how can ye embrace me, dedicate yourselves to me, and partake of me: Which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh from God only; the soul never gains sweet and gracious communion with Christ, which esteemeth and dotes on the fellowship of sinful men. x Luk 14.26. He that cannot hate father and mother with a comparative hatred, that cannot reject the fellowship, friendship, and applause of carnal men for Christ, can never come to Christ, never be a true Disciple of Christ, never have the sweet enjoyment of Christ. 5. A carnal judging and mistaking of Christ. 5. Mistaking of Christ. Men do not discern nor conceive of Christ aright, they learn not Christ as the y Eph 4.27. truth is in him, they misjudge the knowledge of Christ, esteeming it, z 1 Cor. 2.14. foolishness, vain, idle, unprofitable knowledge, whereas this is a Phil. 3.8. excellent and superlative knowledge, transcending all the knowledge and wisdom of the world, as the Sun the gloeworme, they discern not the love of Christ any more than the dead do the warmth of the Sun, being b Eph. 4.19. alienated from the life of God, and past feeling, they taste not any sweetness, they feel not any comfort in Christ's love, whereas his love is sweeter than c Cant. 1.3. wine, and better than life, their souls are not married to Christ, Christ is not brought into the chamber of their hearts, as the bridegroom into the chamber of the bride, but stands afar off, as a stranger whose love they know not, they discern not the d Isa. 53.1. beauties of Christ, they see no comeliness in him, they do not see him in his ordinances shining as a Sun, sweetly and gloriously triumphing as a King; his beauties are hidden from their eyes, they judge of Christ as Samuel did of the sons of Jesse, according to the e 1 Sam. 16. outward appearance, they discern not the fullness of Christ, he seems to them a s Isa. 53.2. dry tree, their souls never found any satisfaction in him, he is a sealed well whereof they never drank, and a hidden Manna of whom they did never eat, they discern not the dispensations of Christ, they suppose that he dispenseth nothing but sorrows, fears, terrors, and anguish to the souls of men, whereas he dispenseth love, peace, comfort, making for them a feast of g Isa. 25.6. fat things, of marrow, and of wine well refined upon the lees, filling them with all h Rom. 15.13. joy in believing, they discern not Christ's purpose in humbling the souls of his servants, they perceive not how he gives them light in darkness, how he makes them rejoice with i 1 Pet. 1.7, 8. joy glorious, and unspeakable, when they suppose them to be of all men most miserable; they discern not the contentments which Christ giveth to them that lose and leave all for him; they perceive not that k Mat. 19.29. hundred fold more which Christ giveth them, in bestowing himself upon them, being infinitely more to them then all friends, honours, riches, and whatsoever worldly comforts; as the pearl in the parable, l Mat. 13. ●0. was much more to the Merchant then all that he gave, though he gave all that he had for it. Men thus mistaking and misjudging Christ, think dishonourably of Christ, esteem him no better than another m Cant. 5.9. beloved, no better than gold, silver, honour, the covetous and ambitious man's beloved; and man will never leave much for that wherein he discerneth little, or no worth: we shall never be able to subject ourselves to Christ, until we have rightly learned the worth of Christ; he that knows the comfortable dispensations of Christ in the time of Christian suffering, will choose to live with Christ in the deepest outward misery, rather than live without Christ, in the greatest worldly prosperity, peace and plenty. 6. A corrupt framing and devising of false Christ's, 6. Corrupt devising of false Christ's. and false ways to life and peace. Some frame unto themselves a carnal Christ, placing all his worship, and their service in a carnal and bodily attendance upon his ordinances; they think it enough to n jer. 7.10. come and stand before him in his house, in this they stay and look no further, they suppose the having of the outward ordinances is the having of Christ; some frame unto themselves a ceremonial and superstitious Christ, embracing the traditions of men, and being very severe and frequent in the observation of humane devises, they bless themselves as the only true worshippers of Christ; some frame unto themselves a licentious Christ, such a Christ as died to bring redemption to man, but requires no obedience from Man, this is the Libertines Christ, and all these suppose they have Christ when yet they have him not; and as he that is full is loath to beg, and the full stomach o Prov. 27.7. loatheth the honeycomb: so these supposing that they have Christ, are full of Christ, though yet they have him not; as he in Solomon made himself rich when yet he p Prov. 13.7. had nothing; they are loath either to deny themselves, or to seek any further for Christ: He that falsely feigns himself to have Christ, is of all others most uneasily drawn and wrought home to Christ: The heathen man could say, Many might have been wise, if they had not already thought themselves wise; and so many might have Christ, if they were not persuaded they had already gotten Christ. 7. Ignorance of the nature and sweetness of Christ's yoke, 7. Ignorance of nature of Christ's yoke. and of the comfort of living under the command of Christ. Men know not how good and pleasant the service of Christ is, how full of joy and contentment the fruition of Christ is; they imagine that Christ's yoke is an iron yoke, Christ's way a way of thorns, and the day of a Christian as a day of clouds and darkness; they know not that Christ's yoke is made q Mat. 11.29. easy through grace, that his ways are ways of r Prov. 3.17. peace, and his paths paths of pleasantness; they know not the s 2 Cor. 1.11. joy and rejoicing arising from the having of our conversation in simplicity and godly sincerity; they see not the Sun of love that shines upon the heads of the righteous, they drink not of that t Psal 46 4. river of comforts which refresheth the city of the Lord, they feed not upon the u Psal 23.2. green pastures, nor taste of the still waters, by which Christ leadeth and pa●●ureth his flock; they never knew the peace, confidence, security, satisfaction, safety and glory derived to the soul from the participation of Christ, and therefore they will not put their necks under Christ's yoke. CHAP. VI IF you demand what the evils are which attend the want of self-denial, Evils arising from want of Self-denial 1. Uncapableness of Christ. and full and through subjection unto Christ: I answer, hence arise these evils and great inconveniences to the souls of men. 1. Vncapablenesse of Christ: The full vessel is uncapable of other liquor, the full house is uncapable of another dweller, the full soul, the soul which doth not deny itself, which is not emptied of all selfsufficiency, is uncapable of Christ, as long saith the Apostle, w Rom. 7.3, 4. as the husband liveth, the wife is bound to the law of her husband, and she cannot marry another, when her husband is dead she is free to marry whom she will: As long as the creature liveth, as long as opinion of selfsufficiency or any other lust doth live, and bear sway in the heart of man; Man is bound to the law of the creature, and his own lust, he is under the power and authority of the creature, and lust, and he cannot marry his soul to Christ; but if the creature be dead, if the world be x Gal. 6.14. Gal 5.24. crucified unto him, and he to the world, if he hath crucified the flesh with the affections thereof, than he is free to marry himself to Christ, than he is capable of Christ. Christ hath no gracious being where there is no true and through self-denial; that soul alone which is truly humble is Christ's dwelling. 2. Alienation and estrangement from all the benefits and comforts flowing from Christ. 2. Alienation from the benefits and comforts of Christ. The Subject which exalts himself, and denies obedience to his Sovereign, deprives himself of all the prerogatives which the King grants unto his loyal people: He that exalts himself with an opinion of his own worth, or sets up the creature in the room of Christ, and will not veil and bow to Christ, excludes himself from all the comforts of Christ: He is estranged from the knowledge of Christ, as a diseased eye from the light of the Sun, from the love of Christ, as a harlot from the love of her husband, from the y joh. 5.14. faith of Christ, as the house builded upon the sand was estranged from the rock, from the communion and fellowship of Christ, as Joab exalting Adoniah into the Throne, was excluded from communion with z 1 King. 1. Solomon: so man exalting the creature, or any lust into the heart, the Throne of Christ loseth all communion with Christ; he that denies not himself receives nothing of Christ, he receives not Christ as a Prophet instructing, he is still in darkness and in the shadow of death, he receives not Christ as a King, to reign and rule over him, he feels nothing of Christ's kingdom within him, he receives not Christ as a Priest; he knows not the virtue of Christ's death in the death of his sin, he is still in his sin without justification. Adam preferring the persuasion of his wife, above the commandment of God, lost all his communion with God, and was excluded from the Tree of Life. Man exalting any thing a Luk. 14.26, 27. above Christ excludes himself from God and Christ. 3. Emptiness and hallown●s of profession. 3. Vanity, emptiness, hallownesse of profession of Christ, and attendance upon the ordinances. The profession of Christ without self-denial, and full subjection under Christ, is nothing worth; a tree of leaves without fruit, like that in the Gospel, whose end was accursed. Joah exalting Adoniah fled in vain to the horns of the Altar, he was there slain; Man exalting himself, or any thing else above Christ, flies in vain to the ordinances of God, to the outward profession of Christ; Herod's hearing the Baptist, and doing many things, stood him in no stead, exalting Herodias in his heart; the Philistines exalting Dagon, had no benefit by the Ark, they were the more plagued for the presence of it. Man's very profession of Christ turns to the increase of his condemnation, not throughly subjecting himself to Christ's dominion. 4. Abasement under the creature. 4. Subjection, abasement, and thraldom under the creature, and his own sinful flesh. They that dream of liberty by refusing to take the yoke of Christ upon them, in stead of freedom meet with thraldom: The Apostle saith of false Prophets, while they promise others liberty, themselves are the b 2 Pet. 3. servants of corruption; such false Prophets are these men to their own souls, for whiles they promise themselves liberty, they make themselves the servants of the creature, and of their own lusts, for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage. The Lord sometime threatened Israel, because they would not serve him, they should serve their enemies; they that deny holy and cheerful service to the Lord Jesus, make themselves miserable and wretched slaves to the creatures, and many base affections; Man ever make that a Lord and Master over him, which he will not deny to make himself Christ's servant; the service of Christ is spiritual freedom; the denial of obedience to Christ is accursed thraldom. 5. Annihilation of the fruit of Christ's death. 5. Annihilation of the fruit and benefit of Christ's death. A ransom is paid in vain for him that will not put off his fetters, and come forth of the house of bondage: Christ's death without self-denial is no way beneficial; he that puts not off his lusts as fetters, and comes off from the world as from a house of bondage, hath no benefit by the ransom which Christ hath given: For this c 2 Cor. 5.15. end (saith Saint Paul) hath Christ died, that we that live should live no mere unto ourselves but unto Christ who died for us. 6. Deprivation of the heavenly fruit, 6. Deprivation of the fruit of God's Ordinances. and soule-refreshing comfort of the ordinances of God, and labours of God's Ministers. The reserving of one moat in the eye, frustrates the shining of the Sun; the allowing of thorns in the field makes the sowing of the seed fruitless; the Word, Sacrament, Ministers can do you no good, unless you will deny yourselves, and resign yourselves wholly unto Christ; d jonah 1. Jonah being kept in the ship, the mariners rowed in vain, they could not bring the ship to the shore; without an universal self-denial, the Minister cannot bring the soul to Christ, he cannot wave and work it into the haven of everlasting peace. 7. 7. Losses waiting on the want of self-denial. The loss which attends the want of self-denial and subjection unto Christ. Achan exalted the golden wedge and Babylonish garment in his heart, and thereby loosed both that and all his substance with his life; Adam overprized the fruit of the forbidden tree, and eat of it against God's precept, and thereby lost both the tree and all the garden. That which man gains with Christ's dishonour, and with the neglect of Christ, proves man's greatest loss; soulelosing is the fruit of selfseeking; they that seek their own things, and not the things which are Jesus Christ's, lose both their own things, and the things which are Jesus Christ's. He (saith Christ) that will save his life, that is, by denying Christ, by preferring man above Christ, that man shall lose his life: so he that will save his goods, his credit, his peace among men, with the neglect of Christ, by shunning the cross of Christ; that man shall lose his goods, the comfort of them, he shall eat the bread of sorrows; he shall lose his credit with men, he shall be a slave to men, he shall be reputed vile in the eyes of men, they shall no more esteem him then the High-Priests did Judas: He shall lose his peace with men, who will trust him, or have communion with him, that proves unfaithful to his God; in the midst of his sufficiency he shall be in straits, every hand of the wicked shall be upon him, and all darkness shall be hid in his secret places, everlasting confusion shall be his last portion: The gain of all is a very fearful loss to him that for gain doth lose Christ: He that for worldly honours, and outward riches denies and loses the Lord Jesus, e Mar. 9.34, 35. is the most poor, base, and contemptiole of all persons. 8. Apostasy from Christ. 8 Apostasy and falling away from Christ. He that cannot throughly deny himself, and all things else for Christ, he will never hold out with Christ; he will fall a lusting after his old ways, as the Israelites did after the onions and garlic of Egypt, retaining still his corrupt and carnal nature, he will return like the sow to his wallowing in the mire; when trouble and affliction comes, he will repine and wish himself in his former estate, as the Israelites repined at the red Sea, and wished they had tarried in Egypt: He that began to build in the parable, and considered not the cost before hand left off with shame: He that takes upon him the profession of Christ, and considers not what it will cost him, resolves not to deny all, to leave all, to suffer all, and to content himself with Christ alone, can never hold out with Christ to the end: A horse of unsound feet may travel well a few miles, but at length his feet fail him, and he can travel no further; a rotten vessel may row speedily upon the Seas for some hours, but as soon as a storm ariseth the ship sinketh: Thus man of a rotten and unsound heart may make a glorious profession, be very zealous for a season, but not having throughly denied himself, he faints and f joh. 6.66. Luk 14 23. M●●. 1●. ●. 9 Christ's rejection of such. falls away, he makes shipwreck of faith and a good conscience at length 9 Christ's denial, and rejection of such as will not deny themselves for him and his sake: He (saith Christ) that shall deny me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven. He that shall deny Christ in his Gospel, refusing to attend and embrace it; in his Ministers, refusing them and their doctrines; in his members, denying love and fellowship to them; in his offices, refusing to hear him as a Prophet, to obey him as a King, and to rest upon him as a Priest, and Mediator for salvation: He that shall deny Christ in his promises, refusing to believe them, or in his precepts, neglecting to observe them; he that shall deny him in his understanding, not caring for the knowledge of Christ; in his will, not choosing and taking Christ unto himself; in his imagination, not delighting in the thought of Christ; in his affections, not fearing, trusting, loving, and rejoicing in Christ: He that shall deny him before men, for the fear of men's displeasure, or game of men's favour, him will Christ deny; he will deny him his blessed presence, and power in his ordinances, 2 Tim. 2.13. audience to his prayers, deliverance in his distresses, peace in his conscience, pardon of his sins, justification in the sight of God, and at the last day before the face of his Father, in the presence of all men and Angels, he will deny them to be his, he will not offer them unto God as his own; very fearful is their estate that want self-denial, if Christ deny us, who but the Devil will acknowledge them, what more dishonourable and uncomfortable to a child, then to be denied of his father, or to a wife then to be denied of her husband. It is the greatest dishonour and shame of a man, professing himself a Christian, to be denied of Christ. Better deny ourselves and all the world now then be denied of Christ at the last. CHAP. VII. THis must therefore persuade us to work our hearts to a full and through denial of ourselves, 2. Persuading Self-denial. to a hearty, free, and effectual subjection of ourselves to Christ; as g Gen. 12. Abraham left his kindred, habitation, country, and all, and followed the Lord, going whither the Lord commanded him: so let us leave all that is most near, and dear, most pleasant and profitable, and follow the Lord Jesus, doing whatsoever he should enjoin us: As Moses left the Court of Pharaoh, h Heb. 11. refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, and chose rather to endure affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Thus let us leave the world, refuse to be called the sons and daughters, friends and favourites of the earth, and of the profane men thereof; and let us choose rather to endure affliction, reproach, disgrace, and any thing with Christ, in the service of Christ, in the enjoyment of Christ, rather than enjoy all the pleasures, riches, honours, and comforts of the world without Christ: Let us take heed with Paul that we be not brought under the i 1 Cor. 6.12. power of any creature, or of any lust whatsoever: Let us see that our denial be not 1. 1 Kind's and qualifications of Self-denial. 1. Spiritual. a natural, moral, or superstitious denial, as some heathen have, and many Papists do, in many things deny themselves; but let our denial be a spiritual denial, arising from a principle of grace within, enabling us to reign and rule over our affections, to forsake and renounce the motions of our own corrupt will and reason, putting all in subjection under Christ, that Christ alone may reign in our souls. 2. Voluntary. 2. Let not our denial be a forced and constrained denial; as a Mariner in a storm casts away his goods, which yet he loves very well; but let it be a voluntary and free denial, arising from the hatred and detestation of what doth oppose Christ's kingdom in our souls; as Amnon hated Thamar and thrust her from him; and also from unfeigned love to Christ, as the bride in love to the bridegroom, leaves her father's house, to live with and enjoy the bridegroom. 3. Universal. 3. Let not our denial be partial and halting; as Saul slew some of the cattle, and spared others; but let it be universal, he that doth not deny all truly, denies none; as Joshuah put down all the Kings of Canaan, so depose all, leave nothing in the soul to exalt itself against Christ, to lift up itself above Christ. 4. Continual. 4. Let not our denial be temporary and vanishing; as a bulrush that bows down the head for a day; as a sick man denies himself many dainties during his sickness, and no longer; but let it be continual and constant, grow in it; a man once dead lives no more, but daily rots and consumes away in his grave. Thus the world and sin being once denied, once crucified, must live no more, but daily decay and die within us. And let us not only deny ourselves, Subjection joined to Self-denial with the qualifications. 1 Holily. 2. Cordially. but to our self-denial join subjection unto Christ, prostrate all under Christ; and to him let us subject ourselves holily, with obedience out of a pure heart, being holy in all manner of conversation, as he that hath called us is holy. 2. Cordially, obeying from the heart root the form of doctrine delivered us, able to say with the Psalmist, thy Law O Lord is in my heart, I delight to do thy will. 3. Fully, 3. Fully. let us not indent with Christ as Pharaoh did with Joseph, reserving chiefly the Throne unto himself; but let us put all under Christ, let Christ reign over all, in our understandings as a Prophet enlightening us, in our wills as a King commanding us, in our affections, as a Priest mortifying us, in our love, as a husband marrying us, let the whole man be subject unto whole Christ. And 4. Perpetually, 4. Perpetually. let there be no end of Christ's kingdom, let his kingdom in our souls like the house of David in Israel grow stronger and stronger. And the better to induce us thus to deny ourselves, and to put all under Christ. Look upon, 1. The interest which Christ hath in a Christian, Inducements to Self-denial 1. Christ's interest in a Christian. as a workman in his workmanship, for we are the workmanship of God in Christ created unto good works; as a ransomer in the redeemed, he hath bought us with a price; as a dweller in his house, he dwelleth in our hearts by faith; as a donor in his gift, we are given unto him of God by eternal election, and by effectual vocation; Christ's interest in us doth challenge full obedience from us, none hath such claim and title to us, none should have such service and subjection from us. 2. The relation between us and Christ, 2. Relation to Christ. a relation of King and people, husband and wise, shepherd and flock, head and members, in all which we may read, as in lively characters the duty of self-denial and obedience. 3. Subjection of all things under Christ. 3. The subjection and putting of all things under Christ: He hath all power both in heaven and earth, he is made the head over all things to the Church, all is Christ's servant: It is a great wrong to the Master of the house, to draw away the service and obedience of his servant from him, to exalt his servant above him: The withholding of any thing from the service of Christ, the setting up of any thing in the room of Christ is a great dishonour to Christ. 4. Abuse of things not made serviceable to Christ. 4. The abuse of all things which are here made subject and serviceable unto Christ. There is in every thing a power and a disposition to do some service to Christ, to work to the exaltation of Christ, they are all made for this end and use, they have an energy and inclination hereunto; there is in all the implements of a house an artificial aptitude to do some service to the Master of the house; there is in all the things of the little house of man, and in this great house of the world a virtual aptitude to do some service to Christ, the Master of this house, k Rome 11.36. all things (saith the Apostle) are of him, by creation, through him, by preservation, and to him, in their service, use, and application, and whatsoever man hath which he doth not put under Christ, which he doth not use as an instrument of Christ's glory, he doth abuse it, the gold and silver, lands and livings, art and learning, friends and acquaintance, understanding, will, memory, affections, speech, or whatsoever else man hath; he doth abuse and profane it, he doth divert and turn it from its true and proper inclination, end, and appointment, when he doth not glorify Christ with it. Know you not (saith the Apostle) that your bodies are the members of Christ, shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot, God forbid. Thus know we not that that all the faculties of our souls, all the members of our bodies, and all things else, are the gifts and creatures of Christ, shall we then take the gifts and creatures of Christ, and use them against, and not for Christ, God forbid. 5. The sweet and heavenly comforts arising to the soul, 5. Comforts ●sing from Self-denial. from a through self-denial, and full subjection unto Christ. Hence ariseth the comfort of liberty and freedom from the servitude of the creature, and of every sinful lust, ministering matter of greater joy to the soul, than Israel had, to see themselves freed from Pharaoh, and the burdens of E●ypt. Hence ariseth the comfort of the evidence of grace, by this man knows the holy and gracious work of God: Now he can give thanks to God the Father, for that he hath made him meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light, and hath delivered him from the power of darkness, and translated him into the kingdom of his dear Son: Now he can with joy say with the Psalmist, come and I will show what the Lord hath done for my soul. Hence ariseth the comfort of alacrity and cheerfulness in the service, now the heart is enlarged, and man can run the way of God's commandments, now he cometh forth like the Sun, and rejoiceth like a mighty man to run his race. Hence springeth the joy of love to Christ, now the objects of all corrupt and base love are removed, and Christ is become the sole object of the soul's love, and now it delights itself in Christ, as the bride in the bridegroom. Hence cometh the comfort of Christ's power and presence, now he is discerned reigning in the soul as a Prince of peace in his Throne, subduing all corrupt and carnal lusts, as Joshuah subdued the Amalekites, driving Satan from the soul of man, as the Gibeonites discerned Joshuah driving away the Amoritish Princes; now he is discerned dispelling all blindness and error from the understanding, as the Sun dispelleth darkness from the eye; now he is discerned binding up the broken heart, and healing the wounded conscience, as the sick discerneth the Physician healing his disease; now he is discerned pacifying and quieting the troubled and perplexed soul, as the Disciples discerned him appeasing and calming the stormy tempest; now he is discerned pouring in the spiritual oil of heavenly consolation into the soul, as the wounded man in the parable discerned the Samaritan pouring oil into his wounds; now he is discerned feasting, cheering, and ministering the sense of his love to the heart, as the Spouse in Solomon discerned the bridegroom in the banqueting house, spreading his love over her as a banner; and this ministers matter of sweet and singular comfort; and hence ariseth the comfort of sweet and gracious communion with God, the Lord dwells with the humble. The more man goes out of himself, the nearer he cometh unto God, the more man is emptied of himself, the more he enjoys of God. Very sweet and manifold is the consolation which the soul derives from holy and gracious self-denial. 6. Mitigation of disasters. 6. The mitigation and sweetening of all disasters. Self-denial in all troubles, trials, losses, and temptations is to the soul, like the honeycomb in the belly of the Lion unto Samson; a blessed sweetner of them, affliction is ever so much the less burdensome, by how much the more perfect man is in the work of self-denial: He that truly and throughly denies himself, puts a low price upon all outward abilities, and can take the spoiling of his goods joyfully; he sees and feels the good of afflictions, and can readily receive them, as a wise patient a bitter purgation, and quietly bear them, as an Ox the yoke, that is accustomed thereunto; he can sing with Paul in the prison; he can walk comfortably in them, as the three children in the fiery furnace; he can rejoice with joy glorious and unspeakable, that he is accounted worthy to suffer for the cause of Christ. The want of self-denial makes affliction a most insupportable burden. 7. Contentation in all estates. 7. The Contentation which Self-denial ministers with the least earthly portion and possession. He that can deny himself, knows how to want, and how to abound, and to be content in every state; the humble man possesseth Christ, and in possessing him possesseth all things; there is more in a holy man's little, then in a carnal man's great abundance. God proportions his thirst accordingly. CHAP. VIII. SEeing this self-denial is a work so necessary, so excellent, of such great profit, so rare, and few partakers of it, it may be demanded how a man may discern it, and assuredly know himself to have attained to it? Whereunto I answer, that Christian, gracious, and true self-denial may be discerned by these ensuing market or characters: Characters of Self-denial 1. Captivation of Self-reason. 1. Captivation of a man's own reason, wisdom, and will: Self-denial emptieth man of self-wisedome and self-will: He that denies himself is not wise in his own eyes, l 1 Rom. 12.16. or wise in himself, but all his wisdom is in Christ, he hath a very low opinion of his own understanding, he reputes his own wisdom to be folly, his own knowledge to be ignorance, his own reason to be blind and carnal; he complains, abaseth, and shames himself before the Lord for his ignorance; he confesseth and saith with Agur, surely m Prov. 30.2, 3. I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. He that abounds most in saving knowledge, is most sensible of his ignorance, and hath the lowest opinion of his own wisdom: The more a man is taught of God, the more he sees his ignorance of God; he that hath high thoughts of his own understanding is far from the least and weakest beginnings of Christian learning; he never truly learned Christ in the Gospel that hath not denied his own humane reason. When the Sun appeareth and sends his light into the house, the light of the candle which lightened the house before the dawning of the day goeth out and appears as no light; when Christ the Sun of Righteousness shineth into the heart, than man's humane reason, and the wisdom of the flesh (the only light of the soul before the dawning and appearance of Christ these) goeth out, and is looked upon as darkness itself; and Christ is made the only guide and counsellor of the soul; the eye thereof receiveth all its light from Christ shining in the Gospel. Carnal wisdom n 1 Cor 8.1, 2. puffeth up, saving knowledge humbleth: In much o Eccl. 1.18. wisdom (saith Solomon) is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow; because the more man knows, the more he sees amiss: Thus the more a man increaseth in the knowledge of Christ, the more he sees amiss in himself, the more he is grieved for his own ignorance and corruption; true wisdom is ever accompanied with godly sorrow, and self-denial; and self-denial p 2 Cor. 10 5. casteth down imaginations or carnal reasonings, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Self-denial makes him that formerly seemed to be q 1 Cor. 3.18. wise in this world, according to the opinion of the world, dreaming of a sufficiency of wisdom in himself to guide himself, making himself his own counsellor and instructor: Self-denial maketh such a one to become a fool, by reputing his own wisdom, ignorance, his own knowledge foolishness, by rejecting his own understanding, as an empty lamp wherein is no light, by distrusting his own reason, as a blind guide, by resigning himself wholly unto Christ, as a scholar to the teacher, to be taught by him; by depending solely upon Christ, as a traveller upon the guide, to be directed by Christ, by placing all his wisdom, in being teachable and obedient to Christ's doctrine: Man must be emptied of his own reason, that will be filled with Christ's wisdom; he must renounce his own will that will have the will of God to rule over him; he that denies himself makes Christ's wisdom, his wisdom to guide him, and Christ's will the rule of his own will, to sway and command him. 2. Cessation from mansself. 2. Cessation from man's own self. He that denies himself ceaseth from himself; he ceaseth from his own r Prov. 23.4. wisdom, from his opinion of it, from his subjection under it, from his being guided by it; he ceaseth from his own will, from the sinful bent and inclination of it, from the carnal objects which it chooseth, and from the corrupt dictates which it prescribeth; he desires not the doing of his own but of God's will, as a servant ceaseth from his own, and doth his Master's will; he is borne of God, and the motion and inclination of his will is towards God, as the motion of the rivers is towards the Sea, the Law of God is in his heart, by knowledge and understanding, by meditation and affection, by inscription and dominion, and he delights to do the will of the Lord; he ceaseth from his own s Isa. 58.13. imaginations, his thoughts are not high thoughts, carnal thoughts, worldly thoughts, vain thoughts; but his thoughts are holy thoughts of God, low thoughts of himself, hateful thoughts of sin, joyful thoughts of Christ, and sweet and pleasant thoughts of the word of God, sleight and weak thoughts of the world. The meditation of the Lord is sweet unto him, and the Law of the Lord is his meditation all the day long; he ceaseth from his own affections, he hath crucified the flesh with the t Gal. 5.24. affections thereof; he doth not trust in himself, but in the Lord, he is no self-lover, but an unfeigned lover of the Lord Jesus, he doth not rejoice in himself, but in Christ; he ceaseth from his own pleasure, he doth not u jam 5.5. live in pleasures, making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof; he is no lover, no follower of corrupt and carnal pleasures; he chooseth rather to endure affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the w Heb. 11.25. pleasures of sin for a season, sinful pleasures are more bitter and distasteful than any affliction to the soul which hath attained Christian self-denial; he ceaseth from his own applause among men, he is x Gal. 5.36. not desirous of vain glory, he is not affected and tickled with the sounding of the trumpet of men's praises, he seeketh not the praise which comes from men, but that which comes from God: The more perfection man attains in this gracious work of self-denial, the less he regards man's commendation: He that denies himself reputes the testimony and approbation of God to be honour enough; he ceaseth from his own profit, he seeks not his own things, but the things which are Christ's: He that denies himself, reputes it his choicest riches to glorify Christ by his service; he esteems these labours of his most profitable which prove most advantageous and beneficial to God's Church and children, not seeking y 1 Cor. 10.33. his own profit, but the Prophet of many, that they may be saved: He that denies himself is well pleased to be temporally poor, that he may thereby make others spiritually rich. A humble and gracious man reputes it a greater gain to gain a soul to God, then to gain the fullness of the world to himself. Lastly, he ceaseth from his z Heb. 4.10. own works, from his own carnal and sinful works, from his own proud and ambitious works, from his own greedy and covetous works; he ceaseth from these, as a traveller from a false path, as Israel ceased from Pharaohs work, so doth he from the works of sin, Satan, and the world, he is no longer their servant; he that denies himself, serves not himself but the Lord; Christ is his high and great Master; him he serves, and to his honour he refers all his service: The glorifying of the Lord Jesus is the supreme end of a good man's undertake, and the crown of a true Christians labours. 3. Application of man's self to Christ. 3, Full, free, and ready application of man's self to Christ. He that denies himself, resigneth himself wholly into the hands of Christ, as a scholar to the teacher to learn of Christ, as a traveller to the guide, to be directed by Christ, as a servant to the Master, to work and serve for Christ, as a soldier to the General, to fight for Christ, as a subject to the King, to receive Christ's laws, and seek Christ's honour, as a bride to the bridegroom, to dwell with Christ, to love and delight himself in Christ: a 1 Pet 4.1, ● He that hath suffered in the flesh (saith Saint Peter) by mortification of his lusts, by abnegation and denial of himself, he hath ceased from sin; from the life and power of sin, from the love and pleasure of sin, and from the trade and practise of sin, as a man that hath suffered death in the flesh, ceaseth from his former life, love, pleasure, and work; and he thus ceaseth from sin, that he may no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God; he is no longer conformable to the sinful example of men, a follower of the lusts of men, a servant of corruption; but being crucified to these, he lives to the will of God, receiving all direction from it, every way obsequious to it, wholly applying himself to this one thing, even to please God: Self-denial takes a man off from himself and the world, and puts him wholly under God, and sets him fully and effectually upon the work of God: This is sometimes termed a b Rom. 12.1. yielding up of ourselves to God, as a sacrifice to be wholly spent in the Lord's service; sometimes c 2 Cor. 8.3. giving of ourselves to the Lord, as a wife gives herself to the husband; and sometimes a d 2 Cor. 5.15. living unto Christ, and a e Rom. 7.4. bringing forth of fruit unto the Lord; and all this is to express their full application of themselves unto Christ, who truly deny themselves; and this is that which Christ calls a f Mat. 16.24. following of him, and makes it a concomitant of self-denial, to follow him in his doctrine as a Disciiple, in his precepts as a servant, in his promises as a believer, in his sufferings as an imitator: Self-denial makes a man embrace Christ, as the pilot to guide him, as the King to command him, as the rock to sustain him, and only fountain to minister all fullness to him; and causes a man also to apply himself again wholly to Christ, to the wisdom of Christ to be guided by it, to the authority of Christ to obey him, to the truth of Christ to believe in him, to the al-sufficiency of Christ to be filled with all spiritual and heavenly fullness. He applies himself to Christ in his understanding, to know Christ, in his will to choose and embrace Christ, in his thoughts to meditate upon Christ, in his fear to serve and honour Christ, in his faith to trust and depend upon Christ, in his love to affect Christ, in his joy to delight in Christ, in his desires to long after Christ, in his endeavours to exalt Christ, in all his possessions, abilities, and endowments to make them serviceable unto Christ; he applies himself to the ordinances of Christ, as to a light guiding, food feeding, and physic healing his soul; to the precepts of Christ as to the rule directing him, and to the promises of Christ as to the staff sustaining him. Man's full application of himself to Christ, doth minister clear and comfortable evidence of man's denial of himself for Christ. 4. Ascribing of all to the grace of God. 4. The humble and hearty ascribing of all the good which is in man, or done by man unto the grace of God. He that denies himself translates the doing of all that good which he doth from himself unto God, as the proper Author thereof; he puts all from himself, as being nothing in himself, and ascribes all to God as to the fountain whence all grace flows, as to the almighty hand by which all good is accomplished: He acknowledgeth his own g 2 Cor. 3.5. insufficiency without God, as the cistern is insufficient to minister water without the fountain, and the branch to bear any fruit without the root, or the tool to work without the hand: Self-denial abaseth man and the abilities of man, and exalteth God and his grace. A humble man will not endure the glory of any thing to be ascribed to himself, but refers all to God and Christ, and strives to raise the eyes and hearts of men to God and his grace. Paul and Barnabas perceiving the men of Lystra had too high thoughts of them, reputing them as Gods when they were but the Lords instruments, they h Act. 14.14, 15. rend their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, why do ye these things, we also are men of like passions with you, and preach that ye should turn from these vanities to the living God. The immoderate honouring of men is a great dishonouring of God; a humble and gracious man is not so much displeased to hear himself unjustly traduced, as to see himself inordinately magnified; he that doth deny himself that he may exalt God, cannot but much grieve to see himself by the applause of vain men set in the room of God, and made a dishonourer of God: It is questionless the study of him who sees his own vileness, emptiness, and unworthiness, to make the name of God glorious; he is very willing and ready to be abased, that God may be the more glorified. When God hath made him the instrument of any excellent work, he is jealous of being deified and idolised; and therefore saith with Peter, why i Act 3.12, 13, 16. marvel ye at this, or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had done this: The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, hath glorified his son Jesus, and his name through faith in his name hath done this thing: Be he never so well qualified and fitted for the work of the Lord, yet as the Lord said of Israel, so he conceives of himself, that without the Lord his k Isa. 31.7. strength is to sit still. He that is most fully furnished with spiritual abilities, is most sensible of his own emptiness, most free and ready in the magnifying of God, and his grace. Who more eminent than Paul for his gracious and ministerial endowments? yet who more effectual in self-denial, and in the exaltation of the grace of God? l 1 Cor. 3.3, 4, 5 Are ye not carnal (saith he) and walk as men; for while one saith I am Paul, and another I am of Apollo, are ye not carnal, who then is Paul, and who is Apollo, but Ministers, servants and not Lords, instruments and not supreme agents, by whom ye believed as God gave to every man. I have planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase: so then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, not any thing, of no ability, of no efficacy of themselves, but God that giveth the increase: The choicest instruments prove unprofitable without the hand of God assisting: The soul which knows and feels its dependency upon God, cannot but refer the fruit and worth of all its labours to the grace of God. There was not a greater borne of woman then the Baptist, he far surpassed all the Prophets, yet how low doth he abase himself, to exalt Christ, how freely doth he refer the whole efficacy of his ministry to the grace of Christ. I indeed (saith he) baptise with water unto repentance, but there is one that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptise you with the Holy-Ghost, and with fire. He that hath low thoughts of the grace of God, and high thoughts of his own abilities, is far from the self-denial which is proper to God's children. 5. A low prising and Christian undervaluing of man's self, and all things else in comparison of Christ. He that denies himself, looks upon himself as a m Gal 6.14. crucified man: In a crucified man there is no beauty, no dignity, no excellency to be seen, no pleasure to be taken: He that denies himself sees no beauty, no worth, no excellency in himself, he taketh no pleasure, no delight in himself; he looks on his own flesh as on an empty n Rom. 7 18. house, wherein dwelleth no good thing, he is o Rom. 6.8. dead with Christ, for the mortification of his flesh, for his low opinion and denial of himself; he is p Gal. 6.14. crucified to the world, willingly contented for Christ's sake to have no honour, no favour, no esteem among the men of the world; as a crucified man hath no place, no authority, no esteem in the world; he is willing to be traduced, reproached, and rejected of the world, for the love he hath to Christ, as a crucified man is despised and accounted odious in the world: David being vile in the eyes of Michal for dancing before the Ark, said, I will yet be q 2 Sam. 6.22. more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight▪ He that denies himself, being vile in the eyes of men, for his profession of Christ, for his subjection and obedience to Christ, for his zeal and earnestness for Christ, is willing and ready to be more vile, to be more reproached, more traduced, more despised; and will be base in his own sight, neglect himself, abase himself, and make himself as nothing, that he may exalt and honour Christ. True self-denial makes a man neglect and abase himself below the very dust, for the exaltation of Christ; to have his r Luk. 6.22. name cast out as abominable among men, and to be accounted as the s 2 Co●. 4.13. filth and obscuring of all things: He that hath the highest esteem of Christ, hath the least and lowest esteem of himself: Self-denial makes a man not only to undervalue himself, but all other things in comparison of Christ, to esteem all the glory of the earth as dung and dross in comparison of Christ, to repute all learning but ignorance in comparison of the knowledge of Christ, all honour but ignominy in comparison of the crown which Christ gives, all riches but poverty in comparison of that treasure which is in Christ, all joys but sorrows in comparison of the joy which cometh from Christ, all friends and friendship but dumb idols in comparison of Christ's love, and all worldly fullness but empty vessels in comparison of the al-sufficiency of Christ. t Gal. 6.14. The world is crucified to him that is crucified with Christ, and hath denied himself, as men have no commerce with, put no price upon, have no love unto, no pleasure in a crucified man: so he that denies himself hath no intimate and entire communion with the world any more than the living with the dead, is free from the creature, from the power and command of the creature, as a woman is free from her dead husband; his thoughts and joy are not taken up with the creature, no more than Abraham's thoughts and delights were taken up with dead Sarah, whom he desired to be removed out of his sight; he puts no price upon the creature in comparison of Christ; he prizeth all as straw and stubble in comparison of Christ the true treasure; he esteemeth all things in respect of Christ but as a bramble in respect of the vine, as u judge 9 9 Jotham to another purpose speaks in his parable. He that over values either himself, or any thing else of the world, is far from holy self-denial. CHAP. IX. VOluntary and cheerful desertion and leaving of all for Christ. 6. Desertion of all. He that denies himself will deny all things else for Christ; Ruth in love to Naomi left her father and mother, and the land of her w Ruth 2.11. nativity, and came unto a people which she knew not theretofore. The man that denies himself will for the love he hath to Christ, leave father and mother, and the land of his nativity, whatsoever is most near and dear unto him, and come to Christ, whom before this work of self-denial he knew not; he that denies himself seeth so much worth in Christ, and finds in him so much love to Christ, that he will leave all to enjoy Christ; he leaves all for the present, in respect of affection, his love to the creature in comparison of his love to Christ is a comparative x Luk. 14.26. hatred; he leaves all in respect of price and estimation, Christ in his eye the y Cant. 5.10. fairest of ten thousand: A vine, a lilley, a glorious Prince, a bright and shining Sun: The creature a thorn, a weed, a beggar, a very glow-worm, a thing of z Prov. 23.5. nought; he leaves all in respect of service and subjection, he is not under the power of the creature, he is not the servant of the creature, he a 1 Cor. 7.20. possesseth as if he possessed not, and he is ready actually to leave all, whensoever he shall be called to it, as a woman leaves her b Psal. 45. Father's house, and her own people, to cohabite with her husband; he that denies himself leaves his friends with c Deut. 33.8, 9 Levi, leaves his country with d Gen. 12.1. Abraham, leaves his e joh 9 place of dignity with the blind man, leaves his f Mat. 4.22. possessions with the Disciples, and is ready with Paul to leave his life for the testimony, honour, and service of Christ; he chooseth rather to enjoy Christ with the loss of all, then to lose Christ with the gain of all the world can afford him: Where self-denial dwells, and bears dominion, Christ is infinitely more dear than all the treasure of the world; he that denies himself, chooseth rather to be the servant of Christ in the lowest worldly emptiness, then to serve himself, and be a stranger to Christ in the greatest earthly fullness. 7. Man's pleasing and delighting himself in Christ under the cross. 7. Man's pleasing and delighting himself in Christ under the cross and hatred of the world. He that denies himself is well pleased, and fully satisfied with Christ, though the world hate him, rise up against him, pour great contempt upon him, and minister much trouble to him; the bride pleaseth herself in the bridegroom, though her other friends become strangers to her, or turn enemies against her, though many troubles and disasters attend her, yet the enjoyment of her husband mitigates and sweetens all, and comfortably answers all. The soul that is married unto Christ, pleaseth and delighteth itself in Christ, though all friends according to the flesh become strangers, or prove enemies, yet Christ is in stead of all friends, though many clouds of sorrow and storms of trouble arise, and no star of worldly comfort appears; yet Christ is a Sun, in stead of all lights, a rock, in stead of all supporters, and a haven, in stead of all hiding places. Christ to him that denies himself, is an g Isa 32.2. hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land: Christ is in stead of all, and much more than all to him that for Christ's sake denies all, and is denied of all. Christ is a recompense answering all losses, to his holy and humble servants, h Psal. 73.25, 26. whom have I in haven (saith the Psalmist) but thee, and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee, my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever: The world never brings a gracious and humbled man so low, but he sees power enough in Christ to raise him up, never makes him so empty, but he sees fullness enough in Christ to replenish him, never so hates him, but he sees love enough in Christ to comfort him, never so filleth him with trouble, but he sees peace enough in Christ to quiet him; and this makes him that denies himself, when he i Isa. 50.10. walks in darkness, and hath no light, to trust in the name of the Lord, and to stay himself upon his God: This makes him account it all joy k jam. 1.7. to fall into manifold temptations for Christ's sake; all temptations and troubles being to him that denies himself, arguments of his separation from the world, pledges of his effectual calling, testimonies of the Devils and the sinful world's hatred against him, physic to cure and purge out many unhappy diseases of sin, trumpets to awaken him, preservatives against security, conflicts to try his faith and love to Christ, and means of the endearment of his soul to Christ, Christ sweetening them unto him, Christ being to him in the midst of them, as the honey in the belly of the Lion unto Samson; as the Ark to Noah in the deluge, apprehending, tasting, and pleasing himself in the love of Christ, he doth glory in tribulation, and though he is in heaviness through manifold temptations, yet believing in Christ, he m 1 Pet. 1.8. rejoiceth with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Christ to him that denies himself is a crown in disgrace to honour him, a friend in heaviness to solace him, a Sun in darkness to enlighten him, a precious pearl in poverty to enrich him, a helper in all desertions to sustain him, and a fountain in all wants to supply him; sweet and pleasant, satisfactory and soul-ravishing are Christ's ministrations to mortified and humble souls in their Christian sufferings. 8. Valuing of Christ's cross above the world's crown 8. The prising and valuing of Christ's Cross above the world's Crown. He that indeed denies himself, esteems it more happy, more excellent, and more honourable to partake of Christ's sufferings, then of the world's rejoicings, to be conformed unto Christ in holy sorrows and afflictions, then to be conformed to the world in carnal pleasures, and fleshly exaltations; he prefers the poverty, reproach, exilement, bondage, and death which doth usually attend Christ in the Gospel, above the riches, honour, favour, liberty, and life which the world ministers to her followers. Thus Moses denying himself, n Heb 11.26. esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. The reproach of Christ, the disgrace, loss, trouble, and persecutions with which the world doth pursue Christ truly preached and sincerely professed in the Gospel, was of more esteem with Moses then all the treasures of Egypt, than all the honours, riches, favours, and contentments which the world can afford without Christ. Christ's poverty, prison, contempt, hatred, persecution, is of greater price with him that denies himself, than the riches, liberty, crown, favour and peace which the world bestows upon her choicest favourites and followers. There is more dignity in the contempt of a Christian, then in the crown of a worldling; there is more joy in Christian sufferings, then in worldly pleasures. The loss which man sustains for Christ, is greater gain than the winning of the whole world without Christ; the Devil and the world are much mistaken in their offering of violence, wrongs and injuries to Christ's members; the poverty, sorrow, shame, trouble, bondage, which they impose upon them, prove riches, joy, honour, peace, and freedom to them; Men are much deceived in their judgements, supposing Christian sufferings miserable and contumelious; the wife, subject, soldier, servant repute it an honour to suffer for their Husband, Sovereign, General, Lord and Master, and doubtless he that denies himself, cannot but account it as an honour to suffer for his spiritual Husband, King, Captain, Lord and Saviour: He that denies himself will choose with David to be a o Psal 84.10. doorkeeper in the house of God, rather than dwell in the tents of wickedness; to live in any low, poor, contemptible, and despised condition, enjoying communion with Christ, rather than partake of all worldly fullness without Christ. The Lord Jesus is a humble souls fullness, whether it hath much or little of the world; a little with Christ is honourable, and full of contentation, the greatest abundance without Christ is shameful, and attended with much distraction; therefore the Apostle saith of himself, and such as he was, men denying themselves and enjoying Christ, that they were as p 2 Cor 6.9, 10. unknown, and yet well known, as dying and behold we live, as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things. God is wonderful in honouring, protecting, delivering, rejoicing, and satisfying the souls of the humble, in sanctifying and sweetening their low, poor, and sad condition: The Lord makes them see such glory springing out of their ignominy, and such light shining out of their darkness, that they q Act. 5.41. rejoice they are accounted worthy, that they are vouchsafed this honour to suffer for Christ's name; they rejoice in r Col. 1 24. filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, suffering for Christ, being thereby made conformable to Christ, and having thereby communion with Christ, and Christ taking their sufferings as his sufferings; Christ suffering in them, and they for him, they are very joyful in suffering; the more a man denies himself, the more he rejoiceth in the cross of Christ, in Christ crucified, for his sake, and in his own sufferings for Christ's sake. 9 Man's making it his honour to honour Christ. 9 Man making it his greatest honour to honour Christ. He that denies himself, is 1. so inflamed with love to Christ, that as a wife reputes it her choicest matrimonial honour to advance her husband's honour, to be according to Solomon's phrase, a s Prov. 12.4. crown to her husband, by her subjection under him, by her choice, sober, and pious carriage towards him, by her fidelity to him, and by her industry and labour for him: so the man that denies himself, reputes it his highest honour to honour Christ, to be a crown to Christ his spiritual husband, by his gracious subjection under Christ, by his holy walking towards Christ, by his godly labour and industry for Christ 2. He that denies himself, hath his heart put into such a holy and humble frame, made so graciously subject unto Christ, and is so strongly and fully devoted to the service of Christ, that as a good servant takes it as his, prime glory, to honour his Master, to advance his Master's credit and profit: so he that denies himself, like the good servant of Christ, taketh it for a special honour to serve Christ, to have t Rom. 6.21. Gal. 1.10. his fruit unto holiness, to please Christ, and not himself or others. 3. He that denies himself, is so so sensible of, so experienced in the vanity, emptiness, baseness, and fugitivenesse of the honour that comes from men; so out of love and liking with, and so low prising and esteeming the applause and praise of men, that he accounts all other honour as no honour, to that which ariseth from the honouring of Christ. He esteems it a greater honour to serve Christ in true holiness, in the lowest and poorest condition, then to command nations, and rule kingdoms, remaining a stranger to Christ's Sceptre and service; for he that in these things (saith the Apostle) in holiness and true righteousness u Rom. 14.18. serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men. God's acceptation, and good men's testimony is a crown of much honour to them that serve the Lord Jesus in true righteousness. 4. He that denies himself is so wrought out of himself, so taken off from himself, from minding, intending, and seeking himself, that he reputes all his labour lost, if it doth not bring some glory to Christ, it is in his eye an arrow below the mark, a casting of seed upon the sand, Gal 6.8. a sowing to the flesh; he reputes it a base and unworthy service which terminates in himself, and not in Christ, it is an abomination to him to be of their number who w Rome 16.18. serve their own belly, their own lust of pride, pleasure, or covetousness, and not Christ. 5. He that denies himself, is so taken up with the thought of Christ, with the admiration of Christ; his soul doth so please and delight itself in Christ, that he esteems Christ's service a Paradise, for the pleasures of it, a rich store-house, for the treasures of it, a wall of fire, for the safety of it, and a high preferment, a singular crown for the glory which it ministereth, and this indeed is the sum of that which our Saviour proposeth as an inducement, encouragement, and wages to his servants. If any man (saith he) x joh. 12.26. serve me, let him follow me, and where I am there shall also my servant be; if any man serve me him will my father honour. Christ's service is a good man's crown and comfort, and therefore he that denies himself refers all to the glory of God and Christ; and this is his glory, joy, and rejoicing, to be the servant of Christ, to approve himself to Christ, by y 2 Cor. 1.12. having his conversation not in fleshly wisdom, but in simplicity, and in godly sincerity. Lastly, sincerity, humility, piety and plainness of heart, Sincere heart. accompanies and argues self-denial in God's children. He that denies himself, hath 1. a sincere heart, his heart like Christ's coat, is without seam; he is a true Nathaniel in whom is z joh. ●. 47. no guile; joh. 19.23. self-denial abhors and abandons hypocrisy far from the heart, it puts itself upon the trial; a Psal. 139.23. search me O Lord and try me, if there be any evil way within me, and lead me in the way that is everlasting; jonah 1. it searcheth itself, as the Master in Jonah searched the ship; if there be any disobedience, any lust, any carnal or sinister respect there, it casts it out, it drowns it in the tears of godly sorrow, as the Master of the ship cast Jonah into the sea; he is very severe against sin, 〈…〉 not only in others, but chiefly in himself, his own sin is most odious in his eye; as a man is most sensible of and most troubled with a moat in his own eye, or a disease in his own flesh; he is most jealous and suspicious of his own heart, as best acquainted with the deceitfulness thereof; he is the b 1 Tim. 1.15. worst of sinners in his own eye, he will not spare nor suffer sin upon himself, as a man will not suffer a spot upon his own flesh, but speedily wash it away; nor a disease in his own body, but hastens the purging of it out; as a traveller will not knowingly walk in a false path, but hastens himself into his right way, so he c Psal. 119.60. considereth his ways, maketh haste and turneth unto the testimonies of the Lord: As Asa spared not his own mother, but deposed her being an Idolatress; so this man spares not his own sin, Hab. 1.16. though a mother sin, be it never so dear or pleasant, he will depose it; as God is a God of pure eyes, and cannot behold iniquity, so is such a man, a man of a pure heart, and he cannot behold iniquity with allowance in himself. 2 Humble heart 2 He hath a humble heart; the proud man, the self-lover, who hath not denied himself, doth all for the praise of men, his lamp will not burn without this oil, his mill will not turn unless it hath this wind or water to drive it; but he that hath denied himself is humble, he aims at the glory of God, he seeks not himself, but God in what he doth, he leans not upon himself, but upon God in whatsoever he doth, he leans on God's wisdom to guide him, on God's power to support him, on God's blessing to make all successful, and when the work is done, and men would deify him, he continues humble, he putteth all the glory from himself unto God, his rejoicing is not in himself, but in the Lord. 3. Pious heart. 3. He hath a pious heart, a heart cherishing an d Ps 119.104. universal hatred of all sin, universally bend and inclined to observe the whole will of God, having a disposition and frame of soul answerable to the e Psal. 40.8. whole Law of God, resolved in nothing willingly to offend God, endeavouring to the utmost to walk in f Col. 1.10. all wellpleasing towards God. All sin is as gravel to his teeth, gall to his palate, snares to his feet, and a heavy burden on his back, his sin is more troublesome to him, than all affliction, as bad or worse than death itself; but the work of righteousness is his joy; this is the seed he sows, the race he runs, to this he gives himself, this is his meat and drink, this is the joy and rejoicing of his heart, this is the element in which he desires to live, and wherein he pleaseth and delighteth himself; as the fish in the water, he g Psal. 112.1. delighteth greatly in God's commandments, to know them, to meditate upon them, to receive direction from them, to do all things in obedience to them. 4. He hath a plain and open heart; 4 Plain heart. he will not smother nor conceal his sin, h Ios. 7. as Achan hid his golden wedge and Babylonish garment, as Rachel sat upon and covered her Idols; he will not disguise and feign himself to be another then he is, as Jeroboams wife h 1 Kin. 14. disguised herself, and feigned herself to be another then she was: He doth not desire that the Prophets should prophesy smooth things and deceits unto him; Isa 30.10. 1 King. 22. he will not with Ahab have the messengers of the Lord bid him prosper in a way which the Lord allows not; but his desire is to have his heart ransacked, his sin opened, Psal. 141, 5. the estate of his soul truly discovered; he saith with the Psalmist, let the righteous smite me, by discovering my sin, by reproving me for what is amiss, by wounding my conscience, and humbling my soul for my corruption; he is a most welcome messenger to him, that most clearly and fully sets his sin before him; he rejoiceth in the detection of his sin, as a rich man in the detection of a thief, that lies in ambush to rob him, as a sick man in the finding out, and purging away of the disease which would bring death upon him. 5. He hath a heart grieving at evil, 5. Heart-grieving at evil. Ezi● 9 and rejoicing in goodness and good things: He grieveth for his own and other men's sins, for the dishonour done to God; he that grieves for his own and not for other men's sins, grieves rather out of self-love, fearing some plague which will fall upon him for sin, than out of any true love to God, for the dishonour which sin is unto God; for God is dishonoured by other men's sins as well as ours; he therefore that denies himself, mourns with David, because k Ps. 119 ●16. other men keep not the Law of God; God's dishonour is the prime motive of true and godly sorrow; the more a man denies himself, the more his soul is humbled and grieved, because God's name is dishonoured: He likewise that denies himself, rejoiceth when God is honoured, whosoever be the instrument. Many can rejoice when God hath been glorified by some act of their own, but are not joyfully affected, but rather grieved, when God is honoured by some work of others, wherein themselves have been no sharers: Men are often very dangerous self-lovers in their holiest and most honourable performances. It argues a humble, sweet and gracious disposition of men's affections, to be able to rejoice in the godly service of others; a humble soul is joyful and thankful that God is honoured, the Church benefited, the Gospel preached, the cause and kingdom of Christ promoted by others, as if himself had been the instrument; God's glory is a humble man's main desire and intendment, and is much joyed to see the same accomplished; and in these characters as in plain letters, may all men read the truth and power of their self-denial, and accordingly judge of their condition. CHAP. X. BUt it may be here demanded how many ways a man may deceive himself in the point and matter of self-denial. The heart of man is deceitful above measure, and man is very prone to deceive himself, as in other necessary points and parts of salvation, so in this of self-denial. To this therefore I answer, 8. Deceits in Self-denial. that man is apt to deceive himself in this behalf eight ways. 1. By denying himself superstitiously. 1. Superstitiously. Thus many deny rest, food, and liberty necessary, lawful, and allowed; whipping, scourging, macerating, pinching, and even starving their own flesh, denying themselves the use of such creatures, as God hath ordained and provided for the comfort and supportment of his servants. God hath made man subordinate l Psal. 8.6, 7, 8. Lord over the works of his hands, and hath put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea. m 1 Tim. 4 1●5 Every creature of God (saith the Apostle) is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer; yet many in their superstition deny themselves the free and Christian use of the creature, placing their Religion and self-denial in abstinence from some sorts of creatures. This is a law of Antichrist mentioned by Saint Paul, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving. Such self-deniers are none of Christ's, but Antichrists subjects. Men placing their self-denial in the observation of humane inventions, are far from denying their own corrupt and carnal lusts and affections; they that make tradition the rule of their Religion, are far from spiritual and true mortification, zealous observers of humane devises in stead of denying themselves, deny the Lord Jesus: Of such therefore the Apostle testifies, that they are n Col, 2.18, 19 vainly puffed up in their fleshly mind, and not holding the head which is Christ, and rebuking their superstition as repugnant to Christ's death, he saith, wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances (touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men. This is the superstitious man's self-denial. 2. By denying himself covetously. 2. Covetously. Many out of an immoderate desire after earthly riches, and inordinate love to the world, deny themselves bodily rest, o Psal. 127.2. rising up early, and sitting up late, and eating the bread of sorrows; they deny themselves necessary food and raiment, they travel under their worldly abundance, as a galled horse under a heavy burden; they want nothing of all their soul's desire, yet God p Eccl. 6.1, 2. gives them not power to eat thereof. This is the miserable worldlings humility and self-denial, and in this he is ready to please and applaud himself; this man indeed abaseth himself below the dust, but he doth not humble himself under Christ; he makes himself the drudge and slave of worldly dung and dross, he makes not himself the servant of Christ. 3. Partially. 3. By denying himself partially. He denies some, but not all his lusts; he walks in some, but not in all the ordinances of God. Jehu denied Baal's Priests, he q 2 King 10. put them to death, but he allowed the calves in Dan and Bethel. Saul denied himself in the refuse of the Amalekitish stuff, he destroyed the r 1 Sam 15. refuse, but he denied not himself in the bleating sheep, Mat. 6. and lowing oxen, he spared them; Herod denied himself in many things, he heard the Baptist gladly, and did many things, but he denied not himself in Herodias, he continued his incest. He that denies not himself in all things, truly denies himself in nothing; he that allows himself under the power of one sin, is far from Christ, far from the knowledge of Christ; as he that allows one moat in his eye is far from the clear and comfortable sight of the Sun; far from the life of Christ, and health of grace, as he that allows himself in one disease is far from health of body, far from the love of Christ, as the woman which allows one strange lover in her bosom, is far from the love of her husband; he is far from the way to life, as he that keeps himself, and travels on in one false way, is far from his right path; far from all interest in God's promises, as he that breaks one Covenant and condition of his Lease, hath forfeited his whole Lease; and far from spiritual liberty and freedom, as he that is fettered with one strong chain, is far from bodily freedom; he that denies not all sin, denies none as it is sin; hypocritical, miserable, deceitful is their self-denial, which is partial, and halt like Israel between God and Baal, between virtue and vice, between the earth and heaven, still abiding under the power of sin, without either truth or perfection in grace. 4. By denying himself Constrainedly; Not for love, 4. Constrainedly. but for fear; not for the hatred of sin, but for the sense of misery attending sin; as the dog denies himself his meat when he is sick, and the Sow denies her wallowing in the mire by reason of the coldness of the weather. Lord saith the Prophet, in trouble have they s Isa. 26.16. visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. When the hand of God is heavy upon them, they walk humbly, they deny themselves their former carnal contentments; with the Mariners they cast out Jonah in the storm: This is the afflicted man's self-denial, a denial not springing from any principle of grace, but forced upon the soul, not arising from any hatred of sin, but from the punishment of sin: As Mariners cease from the Sea, and lie fast in the haven, while the storms last, but as soon as the weather is calm, they put themselves forth again: Thus many when the storm is up, when their souls are tossed with the tempest of trouble, they cease from their worldly and carnal ways; but as soon as their estate is clear and calm again, they return to their former trade and practise of sin: Constrained deny all is neither cordial nor perpetual. 5. By denying himself hypocritically; 5. Hypocritically. seeming to others to deny himself, when yet indeed he doth not; as Ahab put off his King's robes, and disguised himself, and went into the battle as a common man, when yet he was indeed the King of Israel: Thus many disguise themselves, enter the profession of Christ, as if they were humble and mortified men; when yet they are Kings for their pride, self-conceit, and high opinion of their own worth, their change is only in appearance, not in truth; outwardly they have sheep's clothing, the show of sanctity, humility, t Mat. 7.15. and self-denial, inwardly they are ravening wolves: Though they know themselves to have u Rev. 9 Lion's teeth, yet like the Locusts in the Revelation, they put on the hair of a woman, and the face of a man; they pretend much love to God, much courtesy and kindness unto man, and yet they truly love neither God nor man, they draw w Isa. 29.13. nigh with their lips, but their heart is far from God; they fast from bodily food with the Pharisees, Luk. 18. Isa. 58. but they feast and feed their souls with pride; they hang down their heads with them in the Prophet like a bulrush, but their hearts stand upright, these are nothing humbled; their denial is not cordial, sincere and true, it is only superficial, formal, and seeming, as the Devil appeared in the likeness of Samuel, but was not Samuel: so these appear in the likeness of penitent, mortified, humble men, men dead to the world, yet in truth they are not so; jam. 1. therefore the Apostle saith of such, they seem to be religious: As a painted man seems to be a man, and yet is no man but a rotten post; as an exhalation seems to be a bright and shining Star, and yet is no Star, but a vanishing vapour; Prov. 15.7. as he in Solomon made himself rich, and yet had nothing: Of such our Saviour saith, they appear x Mat. 23.27, 28. righteous before men: As whited sepulchres appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness; as Ixion in the fable embraced a cloud in stead of Juno: so many under the Gospel take the shadow in stead of the substance of self-denial. 6. Sinisterly. 6. By denying himself Sinisterly and politickely, to deceive others, to insinuate himself into others, to accomplish some earthly project with the more facility. As the Gibeonites came to Joshuah with y Ios. 9 12, 13. old shoes, and old garments, and rend bottles, as if they had come a long journey, and thus politickely drew Joshuah to make a league with them: In like sort many pretend self-denial, mortification, the putting off the old man, to procure the favour of God's servants, to increase their worldly profits, to accomplish their own sinister ends; oftentimes men bring about, and finish most mischievous designs and enterprises under a pretence of godliness, mortification, humility, and meekness: Simeon and Levi cloak the massacring of the Sichemites with the conscience of Circumcision; Gen. 34. ●5. Mat. 2.8. 1 King. 21 9 Herod intending to kill Christ, pretends the worship of Christ; jezabel plotting the death of Naboth, proclaims a fast, ordains a day of humiliation; the Crocodile first weeps upon man, and then kills and makes a prey of him: Such Crocodiles are these men who under a pretence of tears, repentance, and self-denial, deceive, and make a prey of their brethren. 7. By denying himself vaingloriously, 7 Vaingloriously. Mat. 6.2, 5. many men do much, and go outwardly very far in the way of self-denial, for the praise of men; jacob to get isaack's blessing put on Esau's clothes, and some men to get the blessing of men's applause and praise, put on the outward habit of truly mortitied men; the Pharisees were very liberal in their alms, very frequent in their prayers, very severe in outward appearance in their fastings; and all this they did to be z Mat. 23.5. seen of men, to gain the praise of men, for this men may, and doubtless some do, give their goods to the poor, and their bodies to the prison, to the fire. Wherefore else doth the Apostle say, a 1 Cor. 13 3. If I give my goods to the poor, and my body to be burned, and have not Love, I am nothing. Vain men are carried by their self-love to suffer martyrdom, as true love carries God's children; Gods glory carries his children to suffer death, that God may be honoured, and to this pride and vainglory carries some men, that their name may be magnified: Many who will suffer nothing for God out of true love and affection, will suffer much for themselves out of an ambitious humour of vain boasting and ostentation: They that care little for a name with God, that do nothing for God's approbation, will many times do much for a name with men, for men's praise and commendation. He that doth not humble and abase himself, that God may be exalted is deceitfully humbled. 8. By denying himself Temporarily, 8. Temporarily. to walk heavily with b 1 King. 21.29. Ahab for a few days, to bow down the head c Isa. 58.5. for a day with the bulrush, is an hypocritical and counterfeit self-denial; false denial may bow, and bring a man very low; as d Dan. 4.14, 15 Nebuchadnezars tree was brought to a stump, but as that stump was bound with bands of brass and iron, fast tied, and not rooted up, and therefore sprung and sprouted up again; thus many men are very deeply humbled for the present, but their inward lusts not being truly mortified, and plucked up by the roots, but fast bound up within them, they sprout and spring again, after some dew of temporal ease and peace, hath a little distilled and dropped upon them; they return again with the dog to e 2 Pet. 2.22. the vomit, and with the Sow to the mire: That self-denial which is not constant and increasing, is built upon a false foundation. He never truly denied himself for God, that doth not abide and hold out to the end with God; the hypocrite is off and on, he changeth like the clouds, sometimes moving low, and sometimes mounted on high; sometimes following the Sun, and sometimes moving against the motion of the Sun. The hypocrite will not always delight himself in the Almighty, f job 27 9, 10. he will not always call upon God; whatsoever pretence of piety or love he make towards God, like Orpah to Naomi; Ruth 1. yet as she forsook Naomi, so will he forsake the Lord, but the meek g Isa. 29.19. shall increase his strength; the truly humble and mortified man shall hold out and abide to the end; as his other works, so his self-denial shall be more at last then at first; the longer he liveth in the estate of grace, the more his lusts are mortified, the more his own wisdom, will, thoughts, affections, desires, and carnal ends and purposes are denied. CHAP. XI. IT may be yet further here demanded how a man may comfort himself touching the truth of this holy and gracious work of self-denial, b Rome 7. ●3. finding and feeling many lusts yet remaining and rising up within him, and rebelling (as the Apostle saith) against the law of his mind, sometimes captivating, overswaying, and leading him away to the minding and seeking of himself, and serving of his own base affections. To this I answer, Comforts in the work of Self-denial against remaining lusts. 1. Troublesomes of Lust that in this case and estate a man may comfort himself, and assure himself of the truth of his self-denial. 1. By the trouble which remaining and rebelling lusts are unto the soul of man: If they be troublesome to the soul, as the i judg. 2.2, 3. Canaanites to Israel, as thorns in our sides, and prickles in our eyes, as diseases in our flesh, and burdens on our backs, as rebels and mutinous persons in a commonweal are a trouble to the commonweal. Though we are not fully freed from, yet we have truly denied them; when sin is not sweet as wine, but bitter as gall to our palate, not pleasant as bread, but troublesome as gravel to our teeth, not pleasing as the wife of a man's bosom, but offensive as a contentious and quarrelsome inmate; there the lusts of a man are denied, they do not reign and bear dominion, they have not the full and peaceable possession where they are a trouble. Paul was one that had in a very high measure denied himself, yet he complains of sin, as of a k Rom. 7.23, 24. law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind, and sometimes leading him captive; yet this being a trouble to him, as a dead member to the body, as a mote to the eye, as a thorn to the foot, the Lord comforts him with the sufficiency of his grace, My l 2 Cor. 12.8. grace is sufficient for thee. 2. By the godly grief and sorrow of the heart of man for the lusts yet remaining, and making war within him. 2. Godly grief for remaining lusts. When the presence and opposition of corruption makes man to sorrow, as a woman in travel, until his soul is delivered and discharged of them, to mourn as the Israelites lift up m judg. 2.3. their voice and wept, because the Canaanites continued among them, and to grieve for the presence of sinful lusts in his heart, as Sarah was grieved for the presence of the daughters of Heth in her house. When a man's sorrow is continually n Psal. 38.17. before him, because sin is continually within him; such a man may assure himself of his self-denial: He that hath a continual godly sorrow for his sin is not under the dominion of sin; true repentance argues an infallible denial of corrupt and carnal affections. 3. Holy Contestation against lusts. 3. By a holy, gracious, and constant Contestation against the lusts which remain within him. He that feels the Spirit, the regenerate part o Gal. 5.17. striving against the flesh; as Rebeckah felt Jacob striving against Esau in her womb: He that fights against his lusts, Exod. 17. as Joshuah against the Amalekites; he that makes war against his corruptions, as the house of David against the house of Saul, and prevails and increaseth his strength, 2 Sam 3.1. as the house of David did, may ascertain himself of freedom from the Lordship, and power of his corruptions: He that wars against sin makes no provision for sin, any more than a man doth for the enemy against whom he wages war: He that wars a good warfare against Satan, the world, and his own lusts, holding faith and a good conscience, is a blessed conqueror, hath won the conquest, though much assaulted by Satan, and his own corruptions: It is not man's being assaulted by his lusts, but man's yielding to his lusts, which argues absence of self-denial. 4. Humiliation for want of humility. 4 By man's humbling himself for his want of humility, and tenderness, and softness of heart; freely confessing the pride, self-love, and high thoughts which he discerneth in himself, shaming, and loathing himself for the obstinacy, haughtiness, and deceitfulness of his heart; as David considering and feeling the pride and rebellion of Absalon, p 2 Sam. 15.30 went weeping with his head covered and his feet bare: So man that feels the pride and rebellion of his heart, must mourn, humble, and abase himself before the Lord for it; the hypocrite is proud of his humility, the sincere man is abased and ashamed for the remainders of pride which he discerneth in himself: The state of him that is exalted with his gifts is very dangerous; the state of him that is made vile in his own eyes with the sense of his corruptions, is hopeful and gracious. It is a blessed argument of self-denial, when the sense of a man's secret self-love, and lurking corruption doth abase him in his own apprehension; pride and self-love have no dominion as long as the soul is moved to humiliation by the sight and sense of them. He that abhors, abases, and humbles himself because his heart is not more humble, is undoubtedly truly humbled, though his humility want some perfection. 5. By man's frequent and fervent prayer to be freed and throughly purged from all pride, self-love, and sinister respects: 5. Fervent prayer against pride and self-love. Exod. 17.11. He cannot be a lover and servant of sin that prays feelingly, fervently, and constantly against his sin: If Moses hands be lifted up the Amalekites will fall; If the heart be constantly lifted up in holy and gracious prayer unto God; proud lusts and self-respects will fall, prayer will surely bring them down, Act. 12.5.7. and work the heart to a very humble and gracious frame: The Church prayed, and Peter was set free from his fetters, from the soldiers, and Herod's prison, holy and earnest prayer hath a very forcible operation to work the soul to spiritual freedom from all sorts of evil, to make it truly sincere and humble, both in the inward disposition, secret intention, and outward execution of every action: Certainly man's prayer is but lip-labour, no cordial prayer but vain babbling, words of custom, or of ostentation, if they make not the heart sincere and humble. He that knows the holy, humble, constant, and earnest way of his heart in secret prayer with God, may assure himself of his self-denial before God. CHAP. XII. AS Self-denial is a holy and gracious work of God's Spirit, Selfseeking very dangerous. a lively and honourable character of a true Christian, the prostrating of man's self and all that he hath under Christ: The seeking and exalting of Christ above all, is the crown and glory of a Christian: so selfseeking and self-exaltation is a very shameful and dangerous evil, an evil indeed very common: Most men sowing to the flesh, and not to the Spirit, to themselves, and not to Christ; Men generally moving, and tending in their understandings, wills, thoughts, and affections to themselves, as rivers to the sea, levelling the arrows of their endeavours to some carnal mark of their own, and not to the honour of Christ: All (saith the Apostle) seek q Phil. 2. ●1. their own; all comparatively in respect of the paucity of others, seek their own, their own profit, their own ease, their own pleasure, their own honour, they confine themselves within themselves, they seek themselves, and not the things which are Jesus Christ's: The honour of Christ, the edification of the Church of Christ, the propagation and welfare of the Gospel they seek not, this they mind not, this they intent not; they are all r I●●. 6 given (said the Prophet of old) to their covetousness, to the minding and seeking of themselves, their own low, base and unworthy ends, from the highest of them to the lowest, and from the Priest unto the people. Selfseeking like the deluge overslowes the whole world; few then addressed themselves unto the Ark, few now address themselves to Christ, seek interest in Christ, or seriously intend and mind Christ. Generally, than they lay drowned under the waters, commonly now they are overwhelmed with the Sea of self-cogitations, self-desires and intendments. Man's neglect of Christ, and selfseeking ever turns to man's ruin, as their neglect of the Ark, and seeking other places of refuge proved their destruction: Many indeed profess Christ, but few intent Christ, like bad servants, they call him Lord and Master, but they do not his work, they mind themselves and not Christ. Rehoboam s 2 Chron 12.13, 14. strengthened himself, but he did evil, and prepared not, or fixed not his heart to seek the Lord. There are many of Rehoboams generation, they strengthen themselves in wealth, in friends, in carnal policies, and worldly honours; but they prepare not, they do not dispose and frame their hearts to seek Christ, to exalt and set up Christ; they do not fix their hearts towards Christ in their intendments and undertake, as the rivers are fixed towards the sea in their motion, and the arrows towards the mark in their slying; This is an evil from which the Lord dissuadeth, Seek ye t Numb. 15.39. not (saith the Lord by Moses) after your own heart, and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring. Wherein the Lord calleth them from their own wisdom as from a false guide, from their own will as from a corrupt commander, from their own thoughts, as from a pernicious suggester, and from their own ends, as from low, base and carnal marks: 1 Evil properties of Selfseeking. And indeed selfseeking is a spring of many bitter streams, and a poisonous root of many mortal and soul-slaying branches: For, 1. Selfseeking is insatiable. 1. Insatiable. Gen. 41. He that seeks the creature and not Christ can never have enough, his desires are never answered: Like Ph●raohs lean kine after the eating of the fat, his soul is still lean, empty, hungry, he finds no satisfaction: Like the dropsie-man, he is in a continual thirst; the more man seeks himself the further he is from satisfaction, his desires are endless that desires not the Lord Jesus he is always poor that makes not Christ his riches, distracting and perplexing thoughts of want do ever pester their minds who mind not Christ Jesus in whom is all fullness: The eye which sees not the Sun of righteousness is never u Ec●ll 1.8. satisfied with seeing: The ear which hears not the glad tidings of Christ in the Gospel is never satisfied with hearing: The hand which receives not Christ, is never filled with receiving: The soul which finds not Christ is never satisfied with finding, though it finds all the fullness of the world. No man doth less enjoy himself then he that doth most inordinately mind himself: Disorderly intendment of the creature deprives man of the comfort of the creature; the least of the creature with Christ ministers much contentation, the most of the creature without Christ works great vexation and trouble, and fills the soul with restless and insatiable longing: To them therefore that intent themselves and not Christ, that mind the multiplication of their worldly abilities, and not the exaltation of Christ, the Lord threatens w Pro 27 20. Isa 9.20. Mica 6.14. emptiness, to them that intent Christ and not themselves, the Lord promiseth fullness and satisfaction to their desires; the soul which applies itself to the creature, discerns a seeming beauty in the creature, and that inflames the soul with love to it, with lusting after it; the soul promiseth itself great things from the creature, and therefore is much in the multiplication of the creature; it discerns a proneness in the creature to change, and therefore labours much to make it sure; such a man placeth his confidence in the creature, and yet is very jealous, lest the creature should fail and prove a sandy foundation; and therefore is he very solicitous and laborious about the creature, thinks he never bestows pains and care enough, to make it sure unto himself: but the man who sincerely minds and intends Christ, sees such perfection, tastes such sweetness, discerns such power and stability, and meets with and feels such a fullness of all goodness in Christ, that in Christ his soul hath a sweet acquiescence, and sure reposall, whether he enjoy much or little of the world; the more man neglecteth and denyeth himself and the creature for Christ, the more satisfaction he findeth in Christ; the more a man intends himself and the world, with the neglect of Christ, the more vanity, vexation and emptiness he finds in himself, and in his earthly abundance: There is no x Eccls 4 8. end (saith Solomon) of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches: He spends his money for that which is not bread, Isa. 55. and his labour for that which satisfieth not, saith the Prophet. 2 Hypocritical 2. Selfseeking makes man hypocritical, corrupt and full of sinister and by-respects in his profession and duties of Religion; the wife of Jeroboam coming to the Prophet y 1 Kin. 14.5. disguised herself, and feigned herself to be another then she was; self-seekers coming to Christ, taking upon them the profession of Christ, disguise themselves, and fain themselves to be others, than they are; to be the friends of Christ, the followers and servants of Christ and seekers of the honour of Christ, when they are the enemies of Christ, followers of the world, z Rom. 16 18. serve their own bellies, and seek their own worldly profit and temporal advancement: Selfe-seekers make their attendance upon the Lord Jesus a means to accomplish their own carnal purposes, like cunning Anglers they make Religion a bait to cover their hook, the more readily to take the fish of some worldly profit, men often gain that riches and ascend the steps of that honour, under a pretence of godliness, which they could never attain in the way of open profaneness; Anti-christ puts on the a Rev. 13.11. horns of the Lamb, and under pretence of being Christ's Vicar, he sets himself in Christ's throne, and acts the part of the Dragon; under colour of seeking the welfare of the Church, he doth prey upon, and brings ruin to the Church; the Pharisees were great self-seekers, men of covetous and ambitious spirits; they robbed widows houses, and for a b Mat 23.14 pretence made long prayers; their whole Religion, who are given to selfseeking, is altogether corrupt and carnal: judas followed Christ not for any love to Christ, but because he bore the bag. Man may go far in the way of Christ, and do much in the work of Christ, as long as Christ's service tends to his worldly advantage, having no true love at all to the Lord Jesus; Joh. 6. why did the Disciples mentioned by Saint John follow Christ, but because Christ filled them with the loaves, earthly gain is the only loadstone that draws self-seekers to the observation of religious duties, Hemor and Shichem, persuading their fellow Citizens to be circumcised, drew them by an argument taken from their worldly profit, Shall not (say they) their c Gen. 34. 2●, 23, 24. cattle and their substance, and every beast of theirs be ours, and to this they harkened and were circumcised. Self-seekers never put themselves upon the profession of godliness, but under the promise of some worldly advantage; did they not persuade themselves that some honour, favour, or other earthly benefit would thereby accrue unto them they would never put their foot within the lists of Religion; Abimelech was kind to Abraham, not for Abraham's, but for Sarah's sake; self-seekers sometimes pretend much kindness to Christ, but it is not for Christ's, but for the world's sake, they cloak and colour their earthly purposes with religious pretences, and this is the cursed Hypocrisy of selfseeking, to make God, Christ, Religion and Christian profession as servants and slaves to man's carnal lusts and purposes, most shamefully injurious are all such selfe-seekers to the Lord Jesus. 3. Polluting. 3. Self-seeking is a polluting and defiling evil, termed by S. James Adultery, Ye d Joh 4 4. adulterers and adulteresses (saith he to such self-seekers) know you not that the love of the world is enmity with God, and that he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God, and it is styled by Moses a e Num 15 39 going a whoring; adultery and whoredom defile the body and selfseeking defiles the soul; the jews by their covetous practices and selfseeking, polluted the Temple, and made it a Den of thiefs, joh. 2. and men by their selfseeking pollute their souls, which should be a holy Temple to God's Spirit, this they make a den of thiefs, a very cage of uncleanness; Gehezi sought himself in running after Naoman for a talon of silver and two changes of garments, and what was the issue of it, a f 2 Kin. 5.22, 27 loathsome leprosy clavae unto him: all self-seekers are in the sight of God as loathsome lepers, selfseeking defiles their understanding with ignorance, as dust defiles the eyes, disabling them to discern the things of God, the Pharisees were covetous, and because they sought themselves, they g Lu. 16.14. derided Christ's Doctrine, with self-seekers the Doctrine which crosseth their carnal projects is reputed a Doctrine of no knowledge; this defiles the thoughts of men with worldliness, injustice, carnal plots and imaginations; this filled Saul with thoughts to h 1 Sam. 18.25. Hest. 3 6. make David fall: This filled Haman with thoughts to destroy all the jews, throughout the whole Kingdom of Aha●huerus; this defiles the affections of men with base fear, carnal confidence, self-love and fleshly joy; this made the Rulers afraid to confess Christ, they were self-seekers, they i joh. 11.42 loved the praise of men more than the praise of God, and therefore did not confess Christ; this makes men ambitious of a name with men, for this they seek to perpetuate their memory upon earth, their inward thought is (saith the Psalmist) that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations, Psal. 49 11. Ier 48. ●. Psal, 52.7. jer. 13.25. they call their Lands after their own names; this makes them lean upon an arm of flesh, and to trust some in their works, some in their treasures, some in their falsehood selfe-seekers ever build their confidence upon false foundations, and cast their souls into many shameful pollutions. 4. Selfseeking alienates the soul of man from God, 4 Alienating. and from all interest in, and communion with Christ; the men of Israel following Sheba, alienated themselves from David, they had no part in David; self-seekers following their own lusts walking after their own imaginations, alienate themselves from God, they have no part in Christ; a wife that goes a whoring from her husband, dissolves the wedlock, and alienates herself from her husband; the soul by selfseeking goes a whoring and commits fornication with the creature, and altogether estrangeth itself from Christ; of such the Lord saith, they are k Psal. 58. Ier 5.23. estranged, they are revolted and gone: Selfseeking alienates a man from God in his understanding; Self-seekers have no knowledge, They eat up my people (saith the Lord) as bread, there is their selfe-seeking; they have no l Psal. 14. knowledge, no true, no clear, no saving knowledge, there is their ignorance of God; this alienates man from the thought of God, of such the Psalmist saith, God is m Psal 10. not in all his thoughts, he thinks not of God as of his Counsellor to advise him, as of his rock to build upon him, as of his fountain to replenish him, as of his King to glorify him; this alienates man from the love of God. If any man n 1 joh. 2.15. love the world, the love of the Father is not in that man; from attendance upon the Ordinances of God, the invited guests in the Parable were so eager in the pursuit of the world that they could not come; from tasting and relishing the sweetness of Christ in the ministry of the Word, the fruit of Christ, the fruit of his Doctrine, the fruit of his death and resurrection communicated by the Gospel, are not sweet unto them, as to the Spouse in Salomon's Song, Cant. 2.3. but as job sometime said of Eliphaz his speech, Can that which is o job 6.6, 7. unsavoury be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg? The things which my soul refuseth to touch are as my sorrowful meat: Such is the Ministers speech and preaching of Christ to self-Seekers, altogether unsav●ry, having no sweet relish, or comfortable taste to their palates; their soul refuseth it as sorrowful meat, troubling rather then comforting, grieving rather then rejoicing them. Christ ever proves very troublesome to the soul that is addicted to selfseeking; Man spoils himself of many sweet and heavenly comforts in Christ Jesus, by seeking himself, and the satisfaction of his own corrupt affections: This alienates man from the faith of Christ. He that seeks himself cannot believe in Christ, he cannot take unto himself Christ for his husband to love him, for his King to honour him, for his Counsellor to be guided by him, for his rock to build upon him, and for his precious pearl to rest himself contented with him: The foolish man (in the parable) who built upon the sand, did not also build upon the rock: He that leans upon the creature, leans not upon Christ; He that seeks himself trusts in himself, and not in Christ: True faith and selfseeking like the Ark and Dagon cannot stand together. How can ye believe (saith our Saviour) which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only. You seek the praise and applause of men, to exalt and magnify yourselves in the eyes of men, you seek not the testimony and approbation of God, you labour not to approve yourselves unto God, and therefore you cannot believe, you cannot receive and embrace me, you cannot rest and rely upon me, you cannot quiet and content yourselves with me. Doubtless all worldly and ambitious self-seekers are miserable and wretched unbelievers; all inordinate self-lovers are very great strangers to Christ Jesus; Cursed and shameful is that fruit of selfseeking which turns off the soul of man from Christ, and spoils him of all interest in Christ: This alienates man from the service of Christ, all self-seekers serve themselves, p Rom. 16.18. Mat 6.24. they serve not our Lord Jesus Christ (saith Saint Paul) but their own belly, they serve not God but Mammon (saith Christ) Self-seekers are the servants of worldly vanities, and the slaves of carnal lusts and affections; the souls unhappy bondage and enthralment is the fruit of self-intendments; all self-seekers like Israel are q Hos. 10.1. empty vines; they bring forth fruit unto themselves and not to Christ: Such men's services are an illegitimate brood, spurious works begotten by the world, Satan, and the flesh, and not by the Spirit of Christ: To such our Saviour saith, joh. 8.44. ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father you will do● Of such Saint John saith, they are of the world, 1 joh 4.5. therefore speak they of the world; they have worldly hearts, worldly thoughts, worldly language, and worldly intendments, and all their labours are a worldly service: The intendment of man in his undertaking is ever suitable to man's original: He that is not of Christ cannot intend Christ, nor refer his ●ervice unto Christ. r 1 joh. 4.6. We are of God (saith the Apostle) he that knoweth God heareth us, he that is not of God heareth not us, hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of error. Lastly, 2 Cor 11.13. this alienates from all true and sweet delight and joy in Christ. Self-seekers rejoice in themselves, and in the creatures, and not in Christ; as the men of Sichem rejoiced in Abimelech, the bramble, and not in the sons of Jerubbaal, the Vine, Olive, and Figtree, jud. 9 in Jothams' parable. He that seeks himself rejoiceth in a very empty and unworthy object, in the creature which like a bramble, hath neither fruit, nor shadow to minister either satisfaction or safety; but pricketh, scratcheth, vexeth all that set their hearts upon it, and he leaves Christ, who like a Vine, Olive, and Figtree communicates food and shadow, pleasure, contentation, defence, and sweet refreshment to all that come unto him, and place their confidence in him: The Jews in the Prophet s Isa. 8.6. refused the waters of Shiloah, the defence and aid which God promised them, and rejoiced in Rezin and Remeliahs' son. The man that seeks himself refuseth Christ, sleighteth and undervalueth Christ the fountain of living waters, from whom slows all protection, comfort, and contentation to them that sincerely embrace him; and rejoiceth in the creature, which proves a sandy foundation, and a broken cistern. Of such the Prophet saith, t Amos 6 13. Mat. 2. they rejoice in a thing of nought; in a thing of no strength, of no fullness, of no continuance; Herod sought himself, the establishment of himself in the kingdom, and the tidings of Christ's birth was terrible to him: The Pharisees were great self-seekers, and the presence, preaching, and miracles which Christ wrought, did very much perplex and grieve them: Man's inordinate minding and intending himself, and worldly riches, honours, or pleasures, deprives him of all delight and joy in Christ Jesus. Selfseeking works a very unhappy alienation from Christ, and makes the soul a very great stranger to Christ. 5. Full of unlawful means. 5. Selfseeking puts a man upon unlawful and forbidden means to accomplish his corrupt and unworthy ends: Through selfseeking the covetous man thrusts himself into unlawful ways of gain; the ambitious man into forbidden ways to attain honour and high places, and the voluptuous man into unlawful ways of carnal and fleshly pleasures; the covetous man seeking himself and worldly wealth, defraudeth, oppresseth deceiveth: He intrudes himself upon the time and things which God hath made sacred: He turns the day of sacred rest into a day of bodily labour, into a day of treading wine-presses, bringing in of sheases, and bearing u Neh. 13 15. of burdens, as sometime Nehemiah saw it in Judah. This makes them according to Salomon's phrase, to devour w Prov 20.25. holy things, things dedicated to the honour, worship, and service of God: This makes them use as the Lord speaks by the Prophet, the x Mic. 6.11, 12 wicked balances, and the bag of deceitful weights: For this they are full of violence, speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth; they fell as Amos saith, the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes. Amos 2.6. Selfseeking sets man upon many ungodly, injurious, and dishonourable practices, to gain the wealth of the world: This makes the ambitious man full of fraudulent and bloody plots and designs to exalt himself, and make himself a man of eminency and great authority amongst men. Why did Joab murder y 2 Sam. 3. 2 Sam 15. Abner? why did Absalon seek to put his own father from the throne? The one feared lest through Abner entering into Covenant with David his honour would be eclipsed, and the other was ambitious of his Father's Throne, carried away with an inordinate desire to reign. Self-seekers are not terrified with the horridness of any practice, be it never so unnatural and merciless: The z Lu. 15. Prodigal in the parable making carnal pleasures the prime object of his desires, fully minding and intending the satisfaction of his own lusts, left his Father's house, put himself into consortship with harlots, and spent all his patrimony: Man being over indulgent to himself, and his own corrupt affections forsakes God, the Word, and way of God, and runs into all exorbitancies; very shameful and odious are the ways and courses entered upon by self-seekers. He that restrains not himself from selfseeking, will never contain himself within the bounds and limits which God hath prescribed to him, but will wander from God, and the rule of holy walking, into many forbidden evils. Sarah and Rahel being carried with an overstrong desire after children, seeking themselves too much in that behalf, became impatient and would not wait for God any longer in God's way, they put themselves upon a forbidden way, and a Gen. 16.3. & 30.3, 4. 1 Sam 15. Ios. 7. gave their handmaids to their husbands. Saul contrary to the Lords commandment, intending his own worldly profit, spares the best of the Amalekitish beasts: Achan in a selfseeking humour lays his greedy hands upon the golden wedge, and Babylonish garment, the cursed thing which God had forbidden to be spared; there is no evil so odious, soul and hateful, which he will not adventure upon, that is overswayed with the lust of selfseeking. 6. Selfseeking makes man unthankful and discontented with his present estate and condition, 6 Discontented. though in itself an estate very full and comfortable: The eyes of a self-seeker are so much upon what he hath not, that he neither takes notice, nor tastes the sweetness of what he hath; his full vessel is an empty bottle, and his Paradise in his own apprehension as a barren wilderness, his thoughts are more perplexed with the desire of what he seems to want, then comforted with the presence of what he doth indeed possess; the more he hath, the more his desire of having is increased. There is no b Eccles. 4. ●. end (saith Solomon) of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches: His abundance gives no satisfactory answer to his desires, he hath no contentment in what he hath, but is full of murmuring and repining, he dreams of a condition more happy than that wherein the Lord hath set him, and therefore loseth the comfort of his present plentiful possession. This is the constant an● common lot of them that seek themselves and not the Lord Jesus, to be strangers to contentment and satisfaction in the great abundance of the world. A foolish son (saith Solomon) is a c Prov. 17.25. Eccl. 5 12. grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him; his parents have no contentment in him, such a foolish birth, such an unhappy possession is the worldly fullness of self-seekers, a grief and bitterness to their souls, they have no satisfaction with it, it is a bed of thorns, and a feast of gall and gravel, d Ps. 127.2. Eccles. 2.23. bread of sorrows, as the Psalmist terms it: Their days (saith Solomon) are sorrows, and their travel grief, their heart taketh not rest in the night, they are eve● discontented; the Lord gave Israel Manna from Heaven, he fed them with Angel's food; yet having a selfseeking lust within them, they were not contented, they murmured and fell a lusting after the fleshpots of Egypt, their Manna seemed to be a e Num. 11.5. Gen. 3. light bread: If God doth not crucify man's carnal lusts and affections, man meets with nothing but distraction and trouble in the choicest condition under Heaven, what felicity like that of our first parents? being created after God's Image, placed in Paradise, and having nothing within or without them, to molest them; yet through selfseeking having a desire to be as Gods, they undervalved, and grew discontented with their present holy, happy, and blessed estate. Surely did not the blessed vision and fruition of God abolish the lust of selfseeking, man would in a short time be discontented with Heaven. Like the lapsed Angels he would not long keep his station, but grow weary of that glorious Kingdom. CHAP. XIII. Selfseeking opens the ears of men to Satan, 7. Attentive to evil counsel. and corrupt Counsellors, makes men ready to give audience to Satan's suggestions, and the persuasions of his instruments, prone to entertain any ungracious counsel that may promote their own carnal ends, and further the accomplishment of their fleshly and worldly purposes. This makes men hearken to corrupt teachers, Satan's trumpeters. As the Israelites harkened to f 2 Sam. 20.2. Sheba the son of Bichri when he blew the trumpet of Rebellion, and drew the people from David: This makes men apt to receive him that g Joh. 5.43. comes in his own name, with a humane, carnal, and deceitful doctrine, when like the deaf adder they stop their ears against him that comes in God's name, preaching Christ sincerely, seeking God's glory, and handling the word of God truly. Self-seekers are h 1 Joh. 4.5. of the world, worldly minded, carnally disposed, and therefore they hear him that speaketh of the world, that delivereth a carnal and earthly doctrine to them. The i Rev 13.3. 1 Kin 21.20. world wonders after the beast, all self-seekers are very ready to become Antichrists followers. Ahab was a man that sold himself to commit wickedness, a great self-seeker, and when the Devil became a k 1 Kin. 22.22. lying spirit in the mouth of his Prophets, he gave them full and ready audience, followed their counsel though to his utter ruin, contrary to the charge of the true Prophet: Selfseeking makes a man a ready embracer, a great admirer of corrupt persuasion, a profane despiser of wholesome admonition; our first Parents inclining to selfseeking gave present entertainment to Satan's counsel, and l Gen. 3. eat of the forbidden Tree: Selfseeking makes the heart to Satan's suggestions like tinder to the fire, it kindles without any resistance. Judas having a worldly and selfseeking spirit, his heart was m joh. 13.2. open to entertain Satan, as ready to betray Christ for gain, as the Devil was to suggest the thought, or the Priests to offer the money: Self-seekers are of all others the fittest subject to receive Satan's counsels, to swallow his hooks when they are baited with something suitable to their own lusts, and tending to their own ends, there is no power nor possibility for that man to decline Satan's temptations, who is strongly addicted to selfseeking. Satan seldom fails of accomplishing his end, in such as are given to the seeking of their own ends. 8. Servile and abasing. 8. Selfseeking doth exceedingly abase man, it makes man, the Lord of the creature, to become the servant of the creature; It fills him with base thoughts about the creature, with base counsels to gain the creature, with base and servile love to the creature, with base confidence in the creature, with base services under the creature; Self-seekers are even the most base of all persons: Such are under the creature and their own lusts, as Israel under Pharaohs burdens and taskmasters: Man by selfseeking spoils himself both of corporal and spiritual freedom; therefore these are styled the n Mat. 6.24. servants of Mammon. The servant is not his own but his Masters, goes and comes at his Master's command, cannot dispose of himself, but is disposed by his Master, works not for himself but for his Master. Thus self-seekers are not their own, but the creatures, go and come at the command of the creature: As the soldiers in the Gospel went and came at the command of the Centurion, Mat. 8.8. and did what he would have them: They cannot dispose themselves to any good duty, they cannot put themselves upon the service of Christ, they cannot marry themselves unto Christ; but are altogether at the disposal of the creature; they are so under the power of the creature, that with the invited guests in the Parable, they cannot o Lu. 14. 1●. come to Christ: They cannot intend Christ, the honour of Christ, and the everlasting welfare of their own souls; the creature and their own lusts are the prime and ultimate objects of their intendments; they can look neither above nor beyond these: And the Apostle expresseth the shameful abasement of such men by terming their p Phil. 3.19. belly their God, and their glory their shame; their belly their God, true worshippers put themselves under God, study how to please God, refer all to to the glory of God: Self-seekers prostrate themselves under the creature, study how to please their lusts, and refer all to their own corrupt and carnal ends, and that wealth, that honour, that ease, that pleasure, that applause wherein they now glory proves their shame at the last. The present condition of self-seekers is a wretched bondage, and their latter end most shameful and ignominious. 9 Selfseeking makes a man both an Idolater and an Idol. An Idolater in serving the creature and his own lusts, 9 Idolatrous. and an Idol in exalting and setting up himself in the room of God: Self-seekers bow down to the creature, and to their own base and carnal affections: As gideon's many thousands q judg. 7.6. Gen. 49.14, 15 bowed down to the waters. Jacob prophesied of Issachar, Issachar is a strong Asle couching down between two burdens, and he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant, and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute: Such base, slothful, and stupid asses are all self-seekers, couching down between the creature and their fleshly lusts as between two burdens: They see it appears to them in their carnal apprehension, that the creature is good, that riches, honours, pleasures are much to be desired, and that the fulfilling of their own lusts is very pleasant, and therefore they bow down the shoulders to bear the commands and injunctions of the creature, and all the impositions of the flesh, and become servants unto tribute: To these they pay the tribute of distracting thoughts, of tormenting cares, of carnal confidence of inordinate love, and of hard service and base servitude, worshipping and serving (as the Apostle saith) the r Rom. 1.25. creature more than the Creator. And for this cause Saint Paul styleth covetous self-seekers Idolaters, because their selfseeking doth alienate them from God, and draws that love and confidence, joy and delight which they should place in God to the creature; and that service which they should employ for God, and that subjection which they should yield to God, they bestow about, and yield unto the creature and their own lusts. And as they are Idolaters for their prostration of themselves to the creature and their own corrupt affections: so they are Idols, For the exalting of themselves above God, minding, intending, and seeking themselves and not God, they adore and serve themselves and not the Lord, his ˢ servants ye are (saith Saint Paul) to whom ye obey: s Rom. 6.16. Self-seekers obey not God, but themselves, they conform not themselves to the rules of God's word, but to the dictates of their own hearts; they propose not the glory of God, but their own ends, and therefore they serve, and adore themselves and not God: Selfseeking excludes the soul of man from all communion with the true God, and carries it to the world as to a false God, and so proves a double abomination in the sight of God. 10. Selfseeking is ever attended with self-loosing. He that seeks himself and not Christ, 10. Self-losing. loseth both himself and Christ: He that seeks himself takes a false rule to direct him, erreth in his seeking, and therefore loseth in stead of finding: He builds his work upon a false foundation, and therefore sinks in stead of standing, like the house built upon the sand in the Parable: He puts himself out of God's service, and therefore misseth his great Lord and Masters wages: He levels all his arrows to a false mark, and therefore like an Archer that shoots below the mark, he shoots in vain: He leaves out God, God is not in his t Psal. 10.4. thoughts, he takes not God with him, he takes not God's counsel to guide him, God's power to assist him, God's blessing to make his undertaking prosperous and successful; and therefore in stead of a blessing the curse attends and waits upon him: He intends not God, but himself, and therefore God leaves him to himself, to prove the Author and workman of his own ruin. Present self-seekers and self-gainers prove in the event the greatest self-losers. The last end and issue never answers the expectation of self-seekers; their labour like the labour of the Ostrich is in vain: The Ostrich leaveth her u Job. 39 16. eggs in the dust, the foot crusheth them, and the wild beast breaketh them. Self-seekers lay all their labours in the dust, all their care & desire, all their industry and endeavour is about the things which are here below; they lay all their eggs in the dust, and all their labours at last are crushed and brought to naught; Rahel had w Gen. 35 16, 17. hard labour, but the birth of her belly proved the death of her body: Self-seekers have hard labour, they labour like a woman in travel, but their birth proves their death, their gain turns to their loss, their pleasure to their torment, their honour to their shame. Against such the Lord denounceth woe in stead of joy, shame in stead of glory, and desolation in stead of exaltation. x Hab. 1. Woe (saith the Lord) to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil: Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul: For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Woe to him that buildeth a Town with blood, and stablisheth a City by iniquity: Behold is it not of the Lord of Hosts, that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity. Very great and shameful are the losses which wait on self-seekers; their riches proves their poverty, their refuge becomes their ruin, and their exaltation their shameful downfall; Very great is that man's unhappiness who in the profane neglect of God and Christ Jesus, labours to fill and furnish himself with earthly abilities: Self-seekers build on false promises, and feed themselves with deceitful expectations: The Lord turns their imaginary calm into a tempestuous storm, their devised paradise into a troublesome wilderness, and their intended crown into real shame. The last event of their undertaking doth ever cross their first intention; that which is unlawfully sought and gotten proveth the instrument of man's great discomfort and trouble. He that labours for himself, and not for God and Christ Jesus, is vain in his labours, like him that builds on the sand, his house sinketh as fast as he erects it: Like him that weaves a piece of cloth in or over the fire, the fire burns it as fast as he weaves it. Loss, vexation, shame and ruin is the recompense and portion of selfseeking: The estate of him that hath nothing is far more pleasant, blessed and comfortable, then of him that hath a great abundance by selfseeking. Of such the Lord saith by the Prophet, declaring the vanity, peril, and perniciousness of their labours, they have y Hos. 8.7. sown the wind, they have laboured in vain, as he that casteth forth an empty hand, strives to sow but sows not, and they shall reap the whirlwind; their harvest, the fruit of their labours shall be more troublesome than their first undertake; they that will be rich (saith the Apostle) they whose bent and inclination is to themselves, and to the world, who chiefly mind themselves and things earthly, fall into z 1 Tim. 6.9. temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. Most wretched and uncomfortable is the gain of selfseeking, Satan hath great advantage against them, they expose themselves to many temptations, they lay themselves open to his arrows to wound them, the world like a snare entangles them, their lusts grow strong within them, and get Lordship over them; and they make shipwreck of soul and body, splitting the ship of their souls upon the rock of worldly riches, and what they supposed should have been a staff to sustain them, becomes a burden oppressing them, and what they thought would have been a spring refreshing them, becomes a Sea swallowing and utterly consuming them. There is no other cause of selfseeking but inbondagement to Satan, inthralment to the world, servitude to corruption, separation from God, self-condemnation from man's own conscience; emptiness in the greatest worldly fullness, straits in the midst of all sublunary sufficiency, and a tempepestuous Sea of dismal agitations, toss, and terrors in the soul of man: Look upon all self-seekers, from the first to the last, and you shall find them all self-losers; Adam sought himself the bettering of his condition, but lost that blessed Image in which God created him, and that pleasant Paradise wherein the Lord had set him: Cain sought himself, and slew his brother Abel, but he lost himself, he became a fugitive and vagabond upon the earth: Gen. 4.12. Absalon sought himself, he strove much to seat himself in his Father's Throne; but he lost his life in the battle: Gehazi sought himself, he ran after Naaman for two change of garments; but he proved a shameful loser, he sought change of raiment, but God changed his clean into a leprous skin. The Babylonish King sought himself, he said, he would exalt his Throne above the Stars of God, and ascend above the height of the clouds, and be like the most High: But he lost himself, he was brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit; cast out of his grave like an abominable branch, and as a carkaise trodden under foot. Judas sought himself, he sold his Master to gain a few pieces of silver, but he lost himself, in the issue and upshot he went away and hanged himself. Invaluable is the loss of selfseeking, hereby men lose their spiritual freedom and become bondmen to their own lusts, to Satan and the world, hereby they lose their communion and acquaintance with God, and go out like Cain from the presence of the Lord, and are spiritual vagabonds upon the Earth, hereby they lose the benefit of all God's ordinances, living under them as the blind man under the Sun, receiving no light from them, as Rocks in the midst of a River, no way softened nor made fruitful by them; hereby they lose the love of God, as a woman that seeks strange lovers looseth the love of her husband; hereby they lose the peace and comfort of their souls, Ps. 127.2. and pierce themselves through with many sorrows, they make their bed a bed of thorns, and their feast becomes gravel to their teeth and gall to their palate, and at last they lose their souls and bodies forever. Happy is that man's loss that looseth all with the gain of Christ, cursed is that man's gain that wins the world with the loss of Christ, he that hath Christ hath also the true sweet and comfortable use of what he doth possess, he that hath not Christ is a very slave and bondman in the midst of his greatest possession, the self-seeker neither truly enjoys himself, nor any thing else. 11. Self-seeking works the heart of man to a base and slender esteem of holy and heavenly things; 11. Undervaluing holy things Christ his ordinances and benefits are nothing precious in the eyes of selfe-seekers, their eyes are blinded, and see not the beauties of Christ, their palates are distempered, and taste not the sweetness of Christ; their hand is withered, they cannot receive Christ; they commit a Jam. 4.4. spiritual adultery with the world, and cannot love Christ; nothing but the creature is precious in the eyes of self-seekers: Esau preferred a b Gen. 25.32. mess of pottage above his birthright, the men of Shechem esteemed the c Jud. 9 9 bramble above the Vine, the Olive and the Figtree; the self-seeker prefers the poor, low and empty things, the very bramble of the world, above Christ the true and living Vine, above the ordinances of Christ, whose fruit is better than the fruit of the Olive and the Figtree, and above the holy and heavenly inheritance, the blessed birthright of God's newborn children: the Pharisees were great self-seekers, they d Joh. 12. loved the praise of men more than the praise of God, they did all their works to be seen of men; and as they were great seekers of themselves, so they were strange undervaluers of Christ; they saw no e Isa. 53.2, 3. beauty nor comeliness in him for which they should desire him, they despised and esteemed him not, they derided his doctrine, they nourished in themselves a dishonourable opinion of his person, they said of him, Is not this the f Mat. 13. Carpenter's son, is not his mother called Mary, and they were offended in him; they reviled and despised him, by reason of the external humility of his person, they drew matter of calumniation from the lownes of his outward condition; such as judge of Christ and his ordinances according to the outward appearance, are ever filled with base and contemptible apprehensions; the Gaderines' were g Mat. 8.34. great Swine-masters, and like their Swine they were fall of swinish dispositions, grovelling upon the Earth and minding only things earthly, trampling under their feet like Swine the precious things which Christ did cast before them, and when the unclean spirit which Christ cast out, carried their Swine into the Sea headlong, they desired Christ to depart from them; self-seekers value the basest things of the world above the choicest things of God, they had rather be deprived of Christ Jesus, then of the least and lowest of the creatures. 12. Seven evil branches of this unhappy root. 1 Imbondagement. 12. Selfseeking shortly is a root of many unhappy branches, a spring of many bitter streams. 1. It imbondageth men to their corrupt and carnal lusts, makes them the servants of corruption, and puts them under the power and command of the world, it robs them as the h Lu. 10. thiefs in the Parable did the man travelling between Jericho and Jerusalem, of all their spiritual abilities, it wounds them in their understandings that they cannot see God; as the Philistines put out Sampsons' eyes and made a slave of him; it wounds them in their wills that they have no liberty, no inclination, no disposition to choose or embrace Christ; it wounds them in the hand of their faith, that they cannot believe in Christ, they cannot embrace nor lay hold on Christ, it puts them under the creature as a servant under the command of his Master, as an adulterer under the power of the Harlot. 2. Enmity. Selfseeking filleth man with enmity against his fellow brethren; other men's success and happiness, is a self-seekers anguish. joseph's brethren being led by a self seeking spirit, hated him, because his Father loved him, the increase of their indignation against him was according to the increase of his Father's love towards him; this moved Saul to envy and eye David, to lay snares for his life; he that is given to selfseeking is far from all true love to his fellow-brethrens, their prosperity is a great eyesore unto him. 3. Selfseeking makes men merciless and cruel, 3 Cruelty. the lives of them who eclipse the honour, or hinder the gain, or disturb the pleasure of self-seekers are of no esteem with them. Why did i Gen. 27.42. Esau plot the death of Jacob? Why did joseph's brethren conspire against him, and cast him into the pit? but by reason of that dominion which selfseeking lusts had within them. Selfseeking dissolves the strongest bonds and obligations of natural affection, and turns fraternal unity into unnatural and mortal enmity. 4. Selfseeking fils men with causeless, 4. Causeless jealousies. base and cursed jealousies over others, and makes them wrong interpreters of other men's actions, and presumptuous and injurious expounders of other men's hid and secret purposes; this selfseeking lust made Pharaoh jealous over the Israelites, lest they should k Ex. 1.10. join with his enemies, and make war against him: This made Herod jealous of Christ, fearing lest Christ would take his crown and Kingdom from him; what made the chief Priests and Pharisees jealous of Christ, preaching many heavenly Sermons, and working many miracles among them; but an ambitious and selfseeking lust of theirs, they feared lest thereby they should lose their place and Nation; Christ came as a Servant to minister to them, to suffer for them, to bring them to an heavenly Kingdom, and they out of their selfseeking humour suspected him, lest by his means they should lose their present jurisdiction; self-seekers are very uncharitable in their constructions of other men's purposes and undertake. 5. Soule-torturing grief. 5. Selfseeking creates much needles, unhappy and soul-torturing grief, and anguish in the hearts of self-seekers, like gall in the cup, a thorn in the foot and strong wind in the Sea, it imbitters their estate, troubles their walk and makes their inward man a very tempest; it makes their food bread of l Ps 127.2. sorrows, their bed a bed of thorns, and their day a day of clouds; selfseeking Ahab is m 1 Kin 21. sick upon his bed for want of Naboths vineyard; selfseeking Pharaoh is grieved because the Israelite multiplieth: the self-seekers in the Psalmist are grieved, n Ps 112.10. gnash with the teeth and melt away to see the prosperity of the godly and the frustration of their own desires; every self-seeker is a self-tormentor, he that is given unto selfseeking needs none besides himself to molest and vex him; he carries his executioner still within him. 6. Unsuccessefullnesse. 6. Selfseeking usually proves unsuccessful, the event doth contradict their expectation; Rebecca out of her strong affection sought by sinister means to get the o Gen. 27.15. blessing for Jacob, she waited not for it in God's way, she obtained it in her own way, and when she had procured it, how fared it, she was greatly crossed Esau purposed to p ver. 42, 43. kill Jacob, Jacob is sent away and becomes a stranger to his mother; the crosses of self-seekers ever exceed their comforts; Sarah was very desirous of children, the Lord restrained her from bearing, she q Gen. 16.2, 3, 4 gives her maid Hagar to her husband, but what was the issue of it; Hagar conceived, and Sarah was despised in her eyes, the birth of selfseeking proves uncomfortable, the self-seekers intended instrument of consolation, turns to an instrument of vexation; Lot r Gen. 13.10, 11. beheld all the plain of Jordan that it was well watered every where, and he chose it for his habitation, and pitched his tent toward Sodom; But it came to pass that the King of Shinar with three other Kings, s Gen. 14.12. took Lot and all his goods and departed, thus was Lot crossed in his choice; the chiefest worldly fullness is often attended with the greatest crosses, and men meet with most disquiet, where they promise themselves most comfort; it is the Lords and not the world's presence that ministers both safety and contentation to God's servants. 7. 7. Loss of the comfort of present have. Selfseeking takes away the comfort of what man possesseth for the present; the having of all is as nothing to him that is possessed with a spirit of selfseeking; Ahabs crown and kingdom neither content nor comfort him, having a lusting humour after Naboths vineyard, the want of this doth more molest and vex him, than the having of all the residue doth solace him, for this he came heavy and t 1 Kin. 21 4. displeased to his house, laid him down upon his bed, turned away his face and would eat no bread: Most unhappy and wretched is the estate and condition of that person whom God delivers over to the lust and humour of selfseeking, this makes him apprehend the Sun of his prosperity, as a dark cloud wherein is no light, and the deep river of his earthly abundance, as an empty pit wherein are no waters. Haman was highly honoured by Ahasuerus, yet having an ambitious and selfseeking lust within him, when he had related all his honours, concluded, All this u Hest. 5.13. avails me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King's gate: Many a gracious poor man that hath nothing of the world, hath more satisfaction than he that hath the greatest earthly abundance with an iniatiable greedy and selfseeking lust within him: great is the vanity, emptiness and vexation of worldly fullness without the blessed presence of Christ Jesus; happy is the soul to whom God gives freedom from the lust of selfseeking. Selfseeking lust how to be handled. And this insatiable, polluting, base and imbondaging lust, let us mortify and put to death with all the concomitants and attendants of it, as Joshua destroyed selfseeking Achan with all that appertained to him; this let us wound with godly sorrow, self-denial and a vocation of our hearts from the world, as Joab with three darts thrust through selfseeking Absolom; this let us root up as a most pernicious weed out of the garden of our souls; this let us put to death, as a most dangerous traitor and mutinous rebel in the commonweal of our hearts; let us daily strive for the increase of our liberty from selfseeking, as from the most loathsome of all spots, the most servile of all imbondagements the most sly and subtle of all snares, the most mortal of all diseases, and the most prevalent of all enticing, soule-deceiving and soul-slaying instruments. CHAP. XIV. IS it their property and practice who are endowed with the life of true holiness to prostrate themselves and all that is theirs under the feet of Christ Jesus? Then here may we see with open face the vanity, impiety and peril 1. 1. Self-admiration very dangerous. Of Self-admiration, of man's having high thoughts, an arrogant opinion of himself, and an overweening conceit of his own excellency and worth. Goliath much admired the tallness of his own stature, and the bigness of his armour, vain and carnal man is often much taken, and extraordinarily lifted up with the thought of his own worth, and transcendency of his own gifts, contrary to the charge of the Apostle, w Ro. 12.16. be not wise in your own conceits: Do not dream of a sufficiency of a light in the lamp of your own souls, take not upon you to be your own guides and Counselors, presume not of a fullness at home in the house of your own hearts: to which agrees that of Solomon, x Pro. 3.5, 7. lean not to thine own understanding, be not wise in thine own eyes: make not thine own abilities the foundation whereupon thou buildest, the light by which thou walkest, the strength by which thou standest, nor the weapon by which thou expectest the conquest, promise nothing to thyself of thyself; be neither confident in, nor exalted with an opinion of thine own fullness and worth, Six evils of self-admirations. 1. Ignorance. For 1. Such as are over-swayed with self-opinion and self-admiration are very ignorant, they know not the state and condition of their own souls. Ephraim had grey hairs here and there upon him, howbeit (saith the Prophet) he knew it not. Self-admirers are full of the characters of profaneness carry about them the signs and symptoms of spiritual blindness, baseness, uncleanness, poverty, bondage and everlasting ruin, but they know it not: No man more ignorant of himself, than he that hath highest thoughts of himself, the Pharisees were great selfe-admirers, extraordinarily lifted up with the thought of their own wisdom, holiness and perfection, yet very miserably blind and ignorant, blind leaders of the blind, y Ro. 7.9. without the law, as S. Paul confesseth, without the knowledge of the law in their understandings, without the inscription of the law in their hearts, without conformity to the law in their lives. Without the light of the law discovering their sins, without the power of the law humbling their souls; ignorance of man's own vileness begets self-admirations; the Laodicean was strangely puffed up with thoughts of his own spiritual excellencies, and the main ground thereof was his blindness, he said he was z Rev. 3.17. rich and increased in goods and wanted nothing, not knowing that he was poor, blind, naked, miserable and wretched, he that is of all men the worst, is usually in his own opinion the best: carnal men through their blindness, do often take that for very great spiritual riches, which in the account of God is no other than very poverty and baseness. 2. Self-admirers are non-apprehensive of the Majesty and perfection of God, and transcendent beauties of Christ, 2. Non-apprehensivenesse of Gods & Christ's perfections. man's opinion of himself is suitable to his apprehension of God, the more apprehensive the soul is of God's incomprehensible Majesty, holiness and glory, the more it is abased in the sense of its own emptiness, baseness and impurity. I have heard of thee (saith Job unto the Lord) by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I a job. 42.6. abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes, he that is filled with the admiration of God's perfections is emptied of self-admiration, and made very low and base in his own thought and meditation of himself. When the Prophet Esay had in vision seen the Lord sitting upon the throne, he cried out and complained of his uncleanness, than he said, b Isa 6.1. woe is me I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips, the sight of other men's rich and costly apparel, makes a poor man blush and be ashamed of his own rotten rags. God and Christ are questionless great strangers to the thought of self-admirers, Ps. 10.4. of such the Psalmist saith, God is not in all their thoughts; were the soul of man well studied and insighted in, full, and frequent in the meditation of, and throughly acquainted with the Lords perfections, he could not but be much abased in the knowledge, sense and feeling of his own imperfections, His comeliness with Daniel would be turned into c Dan. 10.8, 9 corruption, and his face toward the ground, he would be humbled below the dust, and be base in his own eye than the earth: men's unacquaintedness with God's excellencies is a main cause of their being self-admirers. 3. Ingratitude and sacrilege. 3. Self-admirers are, very ungrateful and sacrilegious, they rob God of the praise of all his gifts, they ascribe all unto themselves, they say with Nebuchadnezar, is not this great Babel that I have built by the strength of mine own arm, and for the honour of my name, as they refer all to their own ends, so they look on all as proceeding from their own strength, They d Hab 1 16. sacrifice (saith the Prophet) to their net, and burn incense to their drag. God is neglected, their own art, wit, power and industry are admired, they deisie themselves and their own abilities. God is not regarded, his honour is wholly eclipsed; they go not like David in the e 1 Sam. 17.45. name of the Lord, in the name of God's authority commanding them, in the name of God's wisdom guiding them, in the name of God's power assisting them, in the name of God's glory to honour him; but like Goliath they go in their own name, in the name of their, own pride exciting them, in the name of their own fancy leading them, in the name of their own wit, art, and strength helping them, and in the name of their own praise and honour moving them, this is the Alpha and Omega of their undertaking, the first in intention, the last in execution. Self-admirers of all others are the most injurious unto God and Christ Jesus. 4. Self-admirers are uncapable of Christ and his graces, 4 Uncapablenes of Christ. no man partakes less of Christ, s Pro. 29.20. than he that doth most admire himself, such a man hath no right, nor clear discerning of Christ, no sense and feeling of his want of Christ, no hunger nor thirst after Christ, no honourable opinion and esteem of Christ, no room in his soul to receive and entertain Christ, and therefore continues empty of Christ. joh. 9.41. There is more hope (saith Solomon) of a fool then of a man that is wise in his own eyes: he is full of self-wisdome, Pro. 27.7. and therefore is uncapable of instruction, as a full vessel of other liquor, the Pharisees had their own learning in such admiration, that they utterly rejected Christ's Doctrine. The full stomach (saith Solomon) loatheth the honeycomb, the full soul loatheth, slighteth, undervalueth those Doctrines and gifts of Christ, which are sweeter than the honey or the honeycomb. Self-admirers are very profane despisers of God's choicest gifts and graces, and as they are full of self-opinion, so God turns them away empty of things heavenly and spiritual, he sends the rich away g Luk. 1.53. empty. God fills that man's soul alone with heavenly goodness, who is emptied of all opinion of his own excellencies. 5. Self-admiration alienates the soul from God, 5. Alienation from God. cuts off all communion and acquaintance between the soul and God. God will not look in grace and favour towards him, God opposeth himself against him, h 1 Pet. 5.5. he resisteth the proud by withholding his grace from him, by rejecting his prayer and supplication, by infatuating his wisdom, by dissipating his power, by crossing his undertaking, by leaving him as a prey to Satan, and pouring contempt upon him. The Lord is very terrible in his opposition against the proud person. Very great and uncomfortable is the distance between God and self-admirers. He that admires himself cannot draw nigh to God by holy and humble supplication, pride hath such dominion within him, he cannot draw nigh to God by faith; he leans so much upon himself, he cannot draw nigh to God by love, self-love doth so strongly oversway him, he cannot draw nigh to God by obedience, his pride will not suffer him to stoop to God's precepts; he cannot draw nigh to God by holy hunger and thirst after God's gifts and graces, he is so transported with the thought of his own fullness: Self-admiration excludes man from all the ways of communion between God and his children, therefore i Pro ●. 5, 6, 7. trust in the Lord (saith the Wiseman) and lean not to thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him, be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil: implying that as long as a man leans to his own wisdom, and hath himself in admiration, he can neither trust in God, nor humbly acknowledge God, nor truly fear God, nor depart from evil, but continues in the state of a total and uncomfortable alienation and estrangement from God. 6. Shame and confusion. 6. Self-admiration is attended with shame and confusion at last; Goliath much admired himself, his own stature and armour, 1 Sam. 17. yet was shamefully overthrown in the battle, the Sword in which he gloried cut off his head. God often turns the instrument and matter of man's pride, into the instrument and matter of man's shame. Nebuchadnezar magnified himself above measure in his Palace, which he had built, Dan. 4.30, 31. but from thence he was driven to dwell and eat grass among the beasts; the Lord will make the condition of proud people most base and contemptible; he that magnifies himself above men is unfit for the society of men; beasts and brutish creatures are the fittest comforts for ambitious self-admirers. Cure of self-admiration. Look then, o man, upon the baseness and uncleanness of thy Original, upon the absence of all spiritual good, upon the presence and plenitude of all sin, upon thy imbondagement unto Satan, upon thy inthralment unto the creature, upon thy servitude under many noisome lusts, upon the rottenness and deceitfulness of thy heart, upon the loathsomeness of thy ways, upon the imperfection of thy best services, upon the strict account which thou must make for all thy abilities; and be no more a self-admirer, but a self-shamer, a self-condemner, a humbler of thy soul, and an admirer of God and Christ Jesus, for all thy freely received favours. CHAP. XV. SEcondly, In this may we also behold the pernicious and hateful evil of self-exaltation: Danger of self-exaltation opened and dissuaded. man's magnifying himself above the statutes and ordinances of God, by setting up his own inventions; above his brethren, by thinking better of himself then of others, hunting after the praise and applause of men, striving to commend himself to men, and to make himself glorious in the eyes of men; this is repugnant to the property and practice of them that live the life of true holiness, of them that prostrate themselves and all that is theirs under the feet of Christ Jesus, and evil from which the Apostle dissuades us, l Gal. 5.26. let us not be desirous of vain glory. Let us not exalt ourselves above others, let us not strive nor study to be magnified of others, let us not please and bless ourselves in the vain applause of others; it is not humane applause, but God's approbation, which ministers matter of true glorying to a Christian; we should rejoice to see God glorified, but fear to hear ourselves applauded, lest our persons be idolised, lest our hearts be vainly elevated, and Gods glory obscured. It is the crown and glory of a Christian to abase himself in the eyes of his Brethren for God's exaltation; but shame at last will be that man's portion, who is ambitious and studious of selfe-exaltation; that man hath no cause to think that God will at last put the crown of glory upon his head, who now takes the crown of praise from his God, m 1 Sam. 2.30. them that honour me, saith the Lord, will I honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed; them that honour me, by consecration of themselves to my service, by subjection unto my precepts, by sincere intendment of me, and my glory in their undertake, them will I honour, with the communication of my choicest graces to their souls, with the dispensation of my blessing upon their labours, by causing their way to be prosperous, and by making them amiable and acceptable in the eyes of their godly brethren, and by putting into the hearts of their very enemies, an honourable opinion of them; humble subjection under God, holy walking with God, and comfortable fruition of the witness of God, is the most bright and beautiful crown of a Christian; he that can most readily suffer himself to be abased for God, shall undoubtedly be most highly exalted by God; but God shall cover that man's face with shame and confusion, who dishonours God by false exaltation, for they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed, saith the Lord; they that despise me, by nourishing dishonourable thoughts in themselves of my most glorious and incomprehensible essence, of my most sacred and divine attributes, of my most wise and unsearchable counsels, or of the high and holy way of my most powerful, just and gracious providence; they that despise me, by contemning my statutes, by neglecting my ordinances, by slighting my servants, by profaning my name and my service, or by not using and benefitting by my word, by my chastisements and favours; they shall be lightly esteemed, accounted vile in my sight, and made vile in the eyes of men; he that exalts himself and his own lusts to the dishonour of his God, is of all persons the most base and ignominious. And self exaltation is indeed a very great and dangerous evil. For Evils of self-exaltation 1 Root & spring of foul impieties. 1. Self-exaltation is the root and spring of many foul impieties, the unhappy mother of many cursed daughters; man's pride and profane contempt of God's precepts, is the Original of all vices, man's elevating himself and his own corrupt affections and carnal purposes above the sacred limits which God hath set him, leads him into every transgression: Pride in the heart, like Sheba in Israel, blows the Trumpet and draws the whole soul into rebellion against God, as he drew Israel to rebel against David. Self-exaltation moved our first Parents to eat the forbidden fruit; Corah, Dathan and Abiram to rebel against Moses; Saul to plot the death of David; Pharaoh to lay heavy burdens upon the children of Israel; Absalon to labour the deposition of his Father from the throne: Pride makes a man n H●b. 2.5. Pro. 13.10. Psa. 10.2. Psa. 119.69. Psa. 123.4. insatiable in his desires, contentious with his neighbours, injurious to his fellow-servants, slanderous in his speeches; a contemner of such as are truly holy and gracious, and impatient of the yoke of God's precepts; through pride man will not have Christ rule over him, he will not stoop and bow to God's Commandment, but exalts himself above God, and becomes a lawgiver to himself, walking after the counsel and imagination of his own heart; God hath ever least possession, where pride hath most sway and dominion; all sorts of vices are the Subjects of the Commonweal of that soul, where pride sits in the heart as a King in his throne: Pride (saith Augustine) is the beginning, Superbia est omnium peccatorum initium & sinis, & causa; quum non solum peccatum est ipsa superbia, etc. end and cause of all sin, pride being not only sin, but also no sin can, could or may be without pride, since sin is nothing else but a contempt of God, whereby we despise his precepts, and nothing persuades man to this but pride; and pride (saith Aquinas) is the beginning of all sin; in regard of time, the first sin of the Devil in heaven, and of Adam in Paradise; in regard of the cause, contempt of God the cause of sin, being found in every sin, and in regard of Original, all other vices springing either mediately or immediately from this; the more a man exalts himself, the more he dishonours God, the more a man doth lift himself up in his own conceit and opinion, the more he doth cast & plung himself into the gulf and mire of spiritual pollution: fullness of pride and fullness of uncleanness are inseparable companions. 2. Self-exaltation is the patron and protector of all other vices, 2. Patron of all vices. this blinds men, that they cannot see their sins, this hardens men, that they will not confess their sins, this makes men such admirers of themselves and their own ways that they apprehend their very vices to be virtues, this makes men studious and artificial to cloak and colour, and hide their sins, this makes instruction and admonition the means of suppressing sin contemptible, and causeth man with impudence and shameless boldness to maintain and plead for his profaneness, the soul which learns not to be humble, cannot cease from transgression; pride among other vices is like Goliath among the Philistines, the Philistines were invincible until Goliath was overthrown, other lusts in the soul of man are impugnable, until pride and self-exaltation is cast down, man's labour in the work of mortification is vain and fruitless until his pride is mortified, the spiritual conquest is never gotten, as long as pride bears the dominion: He that overcomes not this, overcomes no lust; Selfe-exaltation in the soul of man is like a Castle or Fort, and other vices like houses built under the Castle, which cannot easily be assaulted and beaten down, because the Fort defends them, the overthrow of other vices is impossible, until the Castle of pride is beaten down in the heart of man; the Pharisees being given to self-exaltation, to the seeking and lifting up of themselves, were under the power of every base lust, erroneous, superstitious, covetous, malicious, their very piety was nothing but hypocrisy; he that doth not cease from himself will cease from no sin, if he be but once put upon the temptation; Pro. 3.7. therefore be not wise (saith Solomon) in thine own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil, implying that where there is not a cessation from self-wisdome and self-exaltation, there is no fear of God, no keeping of God's precepts, no disposition, no care to please God, no cessation from sin for conscience sake, therefore take away this vice (saith chrysostom) that men would not appear to men; Tolle boc vitium ut nolint homines apparere hominibus & sine labore omnia vitia resecantur this vice of self-exaltation, and all vices are cut off without labour. Upon the death of the firstborn of Pharaoh the children of Israel were delivered, upon the mortification of pride, the firstborn of the spiritual Pharaoh, the souls of men obtain a gracious freedom. Goliahs' head being cut off, all the Philistines fled, the death of pride is the slight of all sin; he that exalts himself remains both a stranger to the life, power and comfort of all godliness, and a nurse and patron to all unclean and base affections. 3. Most invincible of all vices. 3. Self-exaltation is the most invincible of all vices; the roots thereof are so deep and strong, and so largely spread in the heart of man, it puts the soul at such a great distance from God, makes man so uncapable of Christ, and heavenly wisdom, so weds man unto himself, and causeth man so to please and delight himself in himself, so to prise the applause of man, and to slight the approbation of God, that there is no disease in the soul of man so uneasily cured, no weed in the garden of man's heart so uneasily plucked up, no enemy in the commonweal of man's soul so difficultly overcome as self-exaltation, it is the hardest task that ever man undertook, truly to deny himself and fully to prostrate and put himself under God and Christ's yoke. Pharaoh did many things in the way of love and honour to Joseph, he put his ring upon his hand and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and set him over his house, but yet he reserved this unto himself, to be greater in the throne than Joseph; man may do much in the way of outward zeal for God, he may exalt God very far, above his profit, above his pleasure, above his peace, yea above his life, and yet still reserve to himself a pre-eminence above God, he may clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and give his body to be burned in the cause of God, and yet do all this for himself, more than for his God, for his own applause more than for the praise of God, for the having of a name with men, more than for the glorifying of the name of God. Of all conquests, selfe-conquest is the most difficult, most excellent, most noble and glorious, he that can o Pro. 16.32. rule his spirit (saith Solomon) his proud, his selfseeking and self-exalting spirit, is better than he that taketh a City. Man hath no greater enemy than himself, he never doth more excellently then when he overcomes himself, the overcoming of a Kingdom is nothing in comparison of man's conquest of his own corruption, pride is the first evil in man's departure from God, and the last evil which is overcome in man returning unto God. p 2 Sam. 23 12 Cum bene pugnaris cum cuncta subjecta putaru, que post intestat vincenda superbia restat. Shamma stood it out and defended the field when the people fled. Self-exaltation stands it out like a mighty champion in the heart of man, when all other lusts seem to fly; when other lusts go out like fire that wants fuel, yet this lust of self-exaltation, as long as any thing of the old-man remains in man, will put itself forth and strive to soar aloft, and climb up in the throne of God. Man hath most cause to watch & pray against self-exaltation of all the evils which are within him. 4. Self-exaltation corrupteth and destroyeth all the gifts and graces bestowed on man; 4. Corrupter of all gifts the evil herb in the Prophet's pot made the pot a pot of death; q 2 Kin 4.40. ambition and self-exaltation in the soul of man mars all the excellencies of man, turns all his gifts into a pot of death, poisons all the endowments of man, the more he hath received, the less mindful he is of God, the higher thoughts he conceiveth of himself, the more able and active he showeth himself in evil, and the more he sleights and scorns all instruction: That man of all others is the fittest instrument to do the work of the prince of darkness in whom abilities and a proud spirit are concurrent; this like leaven sours the whole lump of man's virtues, the r Ex. 15.25. tree sweetened the waters of Marah which were bitter, but this like gall and wormwood sours and imbitters those gifts and abilities which in themselves are very sweet and of singular use, making virtue and the duties of piety, subject and serviceable to man's vainglory; it is Gregory's observation that as humility cuts the sinews of all vices, and strengthens all virtues, so pride destroys all virtues, and strengthens all vices; pride is a very pernicious and venomous herb, poisoning all the liquor in the pot, his virtues will at the last be censured as vices, in whom the ambitious humour of self-exaltation bears dominion, the least measure of grace with humility and meekness is far better than the greatest abilities with a proud spirit: It is better feeding on a slender dish well seasoned, then on a great dish furnished with all dainties having poison mingled with it. 5. Spiritual barrenness. 5. Self-exaltation keeps the soul barren, barren of knowledge; he that exalts himself regards not wholesome counsel, he rejects the Word of God, and there is no true wisdom in him; the proud (saith the Apostle) s 1 Tim. 6.4. knows nothing: Nothing of God the Father regenerating him, of Christ redeeming him, of the Spirit sanctifying him, of the Word enlightening, humbling, changing and renewing him; he leans upon his own corrupt and carnal reason, a lamp wherein is no light; the proud man's light is darkness, his very knowledge is miserable and wretched ignorance; he continues barren of Faith, he builds on man and not on Christ, How can ye t joh. 5.44. believe (saith Christ) who seek honour one of another, and not the honour which cometh from God; he remains barren of love, a self-lover, and no lover of God, the motion of his heart is terminated within himself, he brings forth all his fruit unto himself, and is an u Hos. 10.1. empty vine in God's accounts he continues barren of all grace. God giving grace to the humble, but w jam. 4 6. resisting the proud. Isidore relates that on the mountain on Libanus there are Cedars very tall, and gloriously flourishing, but never bearing fruit, and the reason is rendered, because the Mountains on which they grow are so high, that they receive not the reflection of the Sunbeams, and the waters naturally descend unto the valleys. Thus self-exalters seated on the high Mountains of common abilities are barren of all fruit acceptable unto God, because they are neither savingly enlightened, nor warmed with the beams of the Sun of Righteousness, nor watered with the dew and moisture of heavenly grace; none more empty of saving goodness then such as are most exalted in their own imaginations. 6. Self-exaltation abaseth God: 6. Abasement of God. The Philistines placed their Dagon above the Ark, the proud man sets himself above God, ambitious self-exalters, like so many petty Antichrists, exalt themselves above all that is called God. They set themselves above the law of God, they x Ps. 2.2. break the bands thereof asunder and cast away the cords thereof from them, they serve not God according to God's institution, but after their own invention, instead of receiving God's prescription, they prescribe how God shall be served by them: they exalt themselves above the Ministers of God, they esteem not their instruction, their words are in their account but babbling; they exalt themselves above the offices of Christ, they entertain not Christ as a Prophet instructing them, as a Priest to sanctify them, as a King to bear spiritual dominion within them; they exalt themselves above the attributes of God, above the dominion of God, refusing subjection above the wisdom of God, rejecting his counsel, not suffering themselves to be guided by him, and above the power of God, resting upon an arm of flesh, and not upon the arm of the Lord; there is no sin that makes man more injurious unto God, nor that sets man in greater opposition against God, than self-exaltation; all other vices, saith Gregory, fly from God to the creature, as covetous to gold and silver, luxury to fleshly delights, etc. Only pride opposeth itself against God and usurps that unto itself which is proper to God. I say unto you (saith Bernard) that every proud man exalts himself above God, for God will have his will to be done, and the proud man will have his will to be done, but God only in things which right and reason doth approve, the proud man in things which are beside and against both right and reason; man doth very shamefully abase God by exalting himself and his own will, above the word and will of God. 7. Self deceitfulness. 7. Self-exaltation deceiveth, making man think himself wise, when he is ignorant; holy, when he is profane; free, when he is captive; full, when he is empty: It makes man appear unto himself to be another then in deed he is. Like him in the Prophet that dreamt he had eaten, and was full, but when he awakened he found himself empty: No man more apt to be deluded than he that is selfconceited and desirous to be applauded. 8. Shameful abasement of man. 8. This likewise shamefully abaseth man, makes him the consort and very habitation of Satan. God dwells with the humble, Satan with the proud, whom God resisteth, Satan possesseth, the more a man doth exalt himself against God, the more he doth abase himself under Satan, the more God withdraws himself from him, the nearer Satan draweth to him, the more God abhors him, the more delight Satan takes in him; and therefore the proud man is not unfitly termed by one, umbraculum Satanae, a shadow set by Satan against the Sun of Righteousness, driving the light of grace from him, and making himself a shadow for Satan to sleep and rest in. O how dishonourable, base and shameful is their condition, who seek their own honour with God's dishonour: He that most magnifies himself above others, is the most base of all others: He alone that puts himself and all that is his under Christ is truly honourable; he that exalts himself and denies obedience to Christ is most base and contemptible; he that is not God's holy and gracious servant is Satan's shameful and unhappy slave. 9 And lastly, Self-exaltation alienates man from Heaven; 9 Alienation from heaven. the way to Heaven is by humility and self-denial; Jonathan and his Armour-bearer ascending the hill, 1 Sam. 14. crept upon their hands and their feet; Christ humbled himself and then he was exalted, he went by the Cross to the Crown, and all believers his armour-bearers and followers, as many as intend Heaven must tread the steps of Christ, veil and bow to Christ's Sceptre, he must learn of Christ to be meek and lowly, he must deny himself and take up his Cross and follow Christ, or he can never enter into Christ's glorious rest; hell is the appointed habitation for every soul that is not humble, God will cast down them that exalt themselves; the Lord will shame them, who honour themselves and not him, this is the great evil and danger of self-exaltation. CHAP. XVI. IF you demand how it comes to pass that vain man is so prone and forward to exalt himself, Grounds of man's proneness to self-exaltation. to magnify himself in the eyes of men, and so slow and backward to exalt and set up Christ? I answer, this ariseth 1. 1 Man's ignorance of his base estate. From man's ignorance of his own corrupt and base estate; did man see how he is a dead man in whom is y Eph. 4 19 no life of grace, a bondman, a spiritual z Isa. 49.9. prisoner unto Satan, having many lusts like chains and fetters tying him, an a Ro. 7.18. Leu. 13. empty house wherein dwelleth no good, and a loathsome Leper having no spiritual beauty on him, but altogether deformed and defiled with the contagion of sin, he would with the Leper in Leviticus lay his hand upon his mouth, and cry out, unclean, unclean, unclean; Paul while he saw not the baseness and badness of his natural estate, put no price upon Christ, walked as an adversary against Christ, being filled with high thoughts of himself; but after the commandment b Rom. 7.9. came, presenting his spots like a glass before him; he humbled himself, he was in his own apprehension as a dead man, in whom was no life, no beauty, no excellency, than he was an abhorring to himself, and Christ was precious in his eyes, than all was dung and dross in comparison of the c Phil. 3.8. excellent knowledge of Christ; then he did no more exalt himself but Christ; then he determined to know d 1 Cor. 2.2. nothing but Christ and him crucified; then he preached Christ and not himself; then he put himself wholly upon the service of Christ, and made it his crown and comfort to draw men unto Christ. He that is most ignorant of himself, is most proud, and most studious to exalt himself. Man's ignorance of his necessity of Christ makes him regardless to exalt Christ. 2 Inconsiderateness of receivings. 2. Man's inconsiderateness of his receivings. He considers not that he is a cistern, and God the fountain, a branch and Christ the root, that all that he hath is a e jam. 1.17. gift, a borrowed thing, the Lords and not his; He remembers not that he hath nothing of his own besides his sin, that all his f 2 Cor. 3.5. sufficiency is of God, both natural and moral, temporal and spiritual, as all the bright and lightsome sufficiency of the air is from the Sun: He cannot sensibly confess with David, g 1 Chron. 29. riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thy hand is power and might, and in thy hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Vain man looks on all that he hath, as Nehuchadnezzar on his h Dan. 4.30. Babel, as on a house of his own building, as on a tree of his own planting. He i Hab 1.16. sacrificeth to his own net, and burneth incense to his own drag; and therefore like Nabuchadnezzar, he exalts and magnifies himself and not Christ. He that doth not see and feel Christ in his receivings, can never admire Christ in them, nor be drawn to Christ by them, but is vainly puffed up against Christ in the presence of them. When Jesuran k Deut. 32.15. waxed fat, was filled with all earthly abundance, he kicked, rebelled against God, refused the Laws and ordinances of God, he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation. And why so, whence proceeded this exalting of himself, and this slighting of his God. The reason is tendered: He was unmindful of the rock that begat him, and forgot the God that form him, He remembered not that God was the author of his being, the rock of his preservation, and the fountain that ministered all his fullness to him. The great receivings which should move man to walk humbly with God, through inconsideration do often occasion man to exalt himself against God. 3. Forgetfulness of man's place and station. 3. Forgetfulness of man's place & station. Man remembers not that his place is not the place of a Master, but of a servant, not of a King but of a Subject, not of a Lord but of a Steward: The greatest earthly Potentates are under God as servants, liable to an l Luk 16 2● account for all their receivings, bound to employ their m Mat 25 23. 2 Cor. 8.14. talents to Christ's advantage, to minister to others of their abundance, and not to exalt themselves above others, because they possess more than others. The Mother hath full breasts given her not for insultation over the child, but for ministration of milk to the child; God fills the breasts of some with great abundance, not to magnify themselves above others, to trample and tread down others, but to communicate to others necessities. Kings and Queens are the n Isa 49.23. nurses of the Church, no man's greatness exempts him from obedience unto God, and serviceableness to the Church of God: On some God bestows but little to try their patience, on others he conferreth much to exercise their humility and meekness: But man's forgetfulness of this doth often occasion him to walk insolently towards his poor brethren, and in stead of being an Olive, a Vine, a Figtree to his brethren to shadow, feed, refresh, and cheer them: He becomes a o judge 9.9. bramble to vex and annoy them; in stead of honouring God with his substance, he labours to honour himself in the eyes of others. 4. Misprision of the true glory of man. 4. Misprision of Man's glory. Man's honouring Christ is the truest honour of man: Holy and humble obedience is the honour of a Christian; The honouring of the Father, Husband, Sovereign, is the honour of a Son, a Wife, a Subject; and the honouring of Christ is the glory of them who are the Children, the Spouse and Subjects of Christ. He (saith Saint Paul) that in p Rom. 14.18 these things, in righteousness, peace of a good conscience, and spiritual joy, serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men: Very honourable in the eyes of God and good men; but vain and carnal man thinks no honour comparable to the honour which men give, he q Joh. 12.42. loves the praise of men more than the praise of God; and therefore labours more to work himself into the hearts of men, then into the favour of God, doth more to draw the eyes of men's vain admiration, than the eyes of God's gracious approbation towards him, and strives more to have the testimony of man applauding him, than the witness of God's Spirit, sealing him up unto the day of redemption; and for this he studies to exalt and make himself appear Simon Magus like, Some great one in the eyes of the people, for this he many times shuns Christ, and declines him in his ordinances, in his heavenly truths, in his members, in his prescriptions, so far as he discerns them to prejudice his reputation in the eyes of the people. 5 Vnsensiblenes of the unhappy fruits of Self-exaltation 5. Vnsensiblenesse of the evil and unhappy fruits of self-exaltation. Many men have no thought, no apprehension of the wretched and shameful effects of this exalting and magnifying themselves above that which is convenient, they perceive not how it makes their souls the Subject of all uncleanness, the slaves of Satan, the servants of men, the enemies of God, strangers to Christ, an abomination in the eyes of God; uncapable of all benefit and comfort by the ordinances of God; impatient of crosses; despicable in the eyes of men, discerning their ambition; unteachable receiving no instruction of wisdom from them that teach them, no reproof from them that admonish them; hypocritical in their profession of Christ, like a Sepulchre whited without, but full of dead men's bones within; envious and full of grief to see the welfare, prosperity, and honour of others; unsavoury in the nostrils of their brethren, through the rotten and loathsome breath of their self-commendation; and at last, the Subject of all shame and confusion, the Lord making their shame suitable to their pride, and the degree of their confusion answerable to the measure of their self-exaltation. O therefore if thy gifts be more eminent than others, Cure of Self-exaltation. 1. God makes the difference. consider it is the Lord makes thee to differ, and God's favour must be unto thee as motives to humility and meekness, and as obligations to sincere and sound obedience. 2. 2 Well using of gift, honour of receiver. Remember that it is not the greatness of the gift, but the well using of the gift, that is, the glory of the receiver: It is not the having of any thing, whether much or little, but the having of Christ with it, that makes it full and satisfactory, sweet and comfortable, useful and beneficial unto man. 3 Consider whatsoever thou hast, if it puff thee up, 3 Gifts puffing up, a curse. and make thee swell, it is not food but poison, no mercy but a curse, no evidence of divine favour but of severe anger to thy soul. 4. 4. A man's tenure, a tenancy at will. Think upon the tenure by which thou holdest all that thou hast, thou art but a tenant at will, the inheritance is Christ's, and he may turn thee off when he list: All things go and come at his command, as the soldiers at the command of the Centurion. 5. 5. Christ man's glory and fullness. Know and be assured that the glory and fullness of man is Christ, all abilities are a very vanity and emptiness without Christ Jesus. He that hath most of Christ Jesus is of all persons the most glorious, neither hath man cause of glorying and rejoicing in any thing but in Christ alone. He that glories must glory in the Lord, and in nothing else: He must glory in the power of Christ supporting him, in the wisdom of Christ directing him, in the blessing of Christ making all successful to him, in the all-sufficiency of Christ putting a fullness into his possession, whether much or little, in the righteousness of Christ justifying him, in the presence of Christ encouraging him, and in the love of Christ solacing him. That man hath the greatest glory, and the sweetest and surest fullness who hath most of Christ Jesus. 6 Issue of all dependant upon Gods All-disposing hand. 6 Observe and weigh well how the issue and event of all is not so much dependant upon the abundance and excellencies of man's abilities, as upon the all-disposing hand of God. I returned and saw under the Sun (saith Solomon that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill, but time and chance happeneth to them all. The event and issue is not according to the abilities of man, but according to the decree and dispensation of God: It is not in the power of the swift to escape by running, nor in the power of the strong to overcome in the battle, nor in the power of the wise to fill himself with bread, nor in the power of the prudent to furnish himself with wealth, nor in the power of the skilful to obtain favour with men. Hasael though swift as the Hart yet he fell in running; Goliath a man of mighty stature fell in the conflict with little David; The Barley cake in the Midianites dream overturned the Midianitish Host: David a man of singular wisdom sometime wanted bread, and Paul was in hunger and in thirst often: Joseph a man of singular wisdom was hated of his brethren, and undeservedly cast out of the favour of Potiph●r. Man's welfare, comfort and happiness springs not from the excellency of his abilities, but from God's gracious, wise, and all-ruling providence. A horse (saith the Psalmist) is a vain thing for the battle, neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy. It is not the perfection and excellency of the instrument, but the Coagency of God with it that puts efficacy into it, and makes it helpful, honourable and comfortable to the user of it. The meditation of the subjection of all abilities under God's gubernation and providence is of great power to purge their possessors of all self-exalting cogitations. 7. Unexpected change. 7. Meditate upon the sudden and unexpected change which may come. The river of man's abundance may be turned another way, dried up, or fail like the waters of Tema, and be empty like Hagars' bottle: The Sun of man's prosperity may be suddenly eclipsed, and shine no more: The shadow of man's earthly comforts may be smitten, and vanish like Jonahs' gourd. Very sudden and dismal outward changes are incident to all sorts of persons. Jobs riches was soon changed into poverty, Nebuchadnezars glory was quickly turned into ignominy. Man (saith Solomon) knoweth not his time, he knoweth not his time of want when he is full, his time of trouble when he is at peace, his time of disgrace when he is in honour, nor his time of death when he is in health. As the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. Man hath small cause to magnify himself in the presence of things subject to such sad and sudden changes. Were man well studied in, and truly sensible of the mutability of all abilities, he would never glory in their presence, he would undoubtedly walk in a holy fear, and in much humility and meekness in the midst of the greatest fullness. CHAP. XVII. LAstly, Prerogatives and benefits of Self denial. in the meditation of this we may behold and take notice of the happiness of their estate, of the sweet and gracious frame of their souls who are able to deny themselves and their own affections, and prostrate themselves and all that is theirs under the feet of Jesus Christ: These men have a blessed liberty and freedom from the odious monsters of impiety, selfseeking, self-admiration, and self-exaltation with many other evils: He hath ever most freedom from the power of corruption, whose heart is filled with the greatest measure of self-denial. It is a very great blessing to be truly and throughly humble. 1 Full & comfort. He possession of Christ. 1. This works the soul of man to a very full and comfortable possession and fruition of Christ▪ The more man is wrought out of himself, the more he is wrought into Christ: The more man is emptied of himself, the more he is filled with the fullness of Christ: The more man is removed from himself, the nearer he approacheth unto Christ: The more fully he participateth of Christ, the more sweet and comfortable communion he hath with Christ: The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire, the wood and the Sacrifice. The heart of man which is humble, empty of all spiritual pride and self-conceit, is most capable of the fire of the Spirit, and of Christ who offered himself a Sacrifice for our sins. The soul of the humble is Christ's habitation; the vessel which he filleth with his grace, and receives into a sweet consortship with himself: For thus saith the r Isa. 17.15. high and the lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite Ones. God ministers most spiritual consolation to him that is most low and base in his own eye, and apprehension. 2. invincibleness. 2. This makes the soul of man most invincible. The low shrub endureth all the gusts, and blasts of wind, abiding fast rooted; No winds of trouble or temptation can overthrow the humble though they may a little shake him: The humble soul puts a s Phil. 3.8. low price upon the world, the gain of it doth not much affect him, the loss of it doth not much disquiet him: He leans not on himself, or any other arm of flesh, his whole t 2 Cor 1.9. dependence is upon Christ; Christ is the u Phil. 4.13. strength by which he standeth, the light by which he walketh, the crown and portion in which he rejoiceth, and nothing can separate him from Christ: Satan hath least opportunity to fasten a temptation upon him: The proffers of the world have no relish with him, the menaces of men raise no terror in him; Christ is every way so complete in his apprehension, that he accounts both the favour and the hatred of the world as nothing, being w Gal. 6.14. crucified to the world, and the world also unto him. Bede relates a poetical fiction of a man whom they called Terrae filius, who fought with a tyrant named Hercules. This Terrae filius when he was weary cast himself on the ground, and recovered his strength, which Hercules perceiving lifted him up into the air, and so overcame, and slew him. In like manner man fight with Satan, humbling and abasing himself, abhorring himself with Job below the dust and ashes, reneweth his strength, and remaineth invincible; but Satan lifting him up, filling him with high and proud thoughts of his own worth, prevails against him, obtains victory over him. Pride makes man a slave to Satan; humility makes man victorious over him. The meek (according to that of the Prophet) shall x Isa. 29 10. increase his joy in the Lord. The soul which is truly humble draws matter of consolation out of all suffering, and from every estate and condition wherein the Lord sets him. 3. This exceedingly indeares man unto God. 3. Endearemet of man to God. He that is least in his own eye is greatest in the esteem of God: He is best beloved of God who is most out of love with himself. The humble soul is most capable of spiritual instruction: The best scholar in Christ's school; most obedient unto God's precept, the best servant in Christ's family; most fruitful in every good work, most apt to every good duty, the choicest Tree in God's Orchard; most sincere and full in the intendment of God's glory, the truest lover among all the friends of God; most thankful for all blessings, the best receiver and improver of God's mercies; most apprehensive of God's perfections; most affected with God's goodness, the greatest admirer of Gods and Christ's excellencies, and therefore most dear to God of all others. To y Isa. 66.2. this man (saith the Lord) will I look, with the eyes of my love solacing and accepting him, with the eyes of my mercy pardoning and forgiving him; and with the eyes or my care and providence, sweetening and disposing all for good unto him: Even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my y Isa. 66.2. word. To him will I look when he heareth my word, dispensing my grace into him; when he prayeth, returning a gracious answer to him; when he mourneth, putting all his tears into my bottle, comforting him; when he is in distress, delivering him; and when he is in want, supplying him: God is very wonderful in his gracious manifestations to souls filled with humility and meekness, to men denying themselves and their own affections. The z 1 Pet. 3.3. ornament of a meek spirit is in the sight of God a thing of great price; a contrite and a broken spirit God will not despise. Man's estimation with God is suitable to his disestimation of himself. 4. This doth very wonderfully exalt a man. 4. Exaltation of man. He that is most humble is most honourable. Man's self-denial ever tends to his exaltation: It is Christ's promise, he that a Luk. 14.11. humbleth himself shall be exalted: The humble soul is the b jam 4 6. vessel which God filleth with the wine of his choicest grace, the Temple in which the Spirit of God dwelleth, the servant whose work the Lord accepteth, the c Psal 10.17. Petitioner in whose prayer the King of mercies delighteth, the Favourite whom the King of Kings honoureth, the Spouse whom the Prince of peace receiveth in wedlock, and the friend to whom the d Psal. 25.9, 14. Secret of the Lord is imparted. God communicates great honour unto them, who for his honour are contented to abase themselves in the eyes of men. David was content to appear outwardly vile, yea e 2 Sam. 6.22. more vile, that he might honour God, and God made him more honourable, confirming and strengthening him in the kingdom. Moses was the f Num 12.2. meekest man on earth, a man that had low thoughts of himself, a man of singular perfection in the way and work of self-denial, Heb. 11. refusing all the honour of Egypt, and choosing to endure affliction with God's people: But God made him most honourable, called him up unto himself in the Mount, and made him the leader of his people: It is good losing for God, the incurment of dishonour for God is recompensed with the greatest honour from the hand of God: Mat. 3. The Baptist abased himself very low to exalt Christ; he told the people that such was Christ's dignity, worth and excellency, that he was not worthy to stoop down and untie the latchet of his shoe; and Christ very highly honoured him, telling the people, that there was not a greater borne of women than the Baptist. Man is ever so much the more precious in the eyes of Christ, by how much the more despicable he is in his own, and other men's eyes for the love and cause of Christ. There is more honour in the humble man's ignominy, then in the proud man's pomp and glory: He that is g Mat. 18.4. least, through self-denial, holy abasement, and unfeigned humiliation, shall be greatest in God's Kingdom; Greatest in spiritual liberty and freedom, in the measure of Sanctification, in God's account and acceptation, and in the degree of future glory communicated to him. 5. Sweet and blessed freedom. 5. This ministers a very sweet and blessed freedom to the soul. He that is most humble is the choicest Freeman in the world: Self-denial is a very great and happy freedom: He that is most humble hath the greatest measure of grace conferred on him, and wheresoever is most grace there is most freedom: Where the h 2 Cor. 3.17. spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (saith the Apostle) The humble man is free from ignorance in his understanding, with the lowly there is i Prov. 11.2. Psal. 25.9. wisdom (saith Solomon) and God doth guide the humble in judgement (saith the Psalmist) He that is most humble hath the most clear and comfortable discerning of the mysteries of God's Kingdom; He is free from perverseness and frowardness in his will, to k Rom. 7.18. will that which is good is present with him; ready at hand, his soul is very strongly bend and inclined thereunto; as the rivers to flow down the channel: Holy and religious duties suit with him, as the Sun with the eye, and the path with the foot; he is free from much vanity in his thoughts, vain thoughts do not lodge with him; his thoughts of God are high and honourable, his thoughts of himself are low and humble, his thoughts of Christ are sweet and full of admiration, his thoughts of sin are sorrowful and full of detestation, his thoughts of the world are sleight and contemptible, his thoughts of the word and work of God are pleasant and delightful: He is free in his heart from obstinacy and hardness, his heart is soft and tender, trembling at the word of God: The Law of God is in his heart, and he delights to do the will of God; he is free from base and servile fear, carnal confidence, and fleshly joy, and worldly love in his affections; he is free from impatience and murmurings in his afflictions, free from discontentment in his low and empty estate, free from high and exalting thoughts in his greatest earthly fullness, free from limiting and prescribing unto God in his hardest conflicts and greatest trials, free from being daunted with the world's threaten, enticed with the world's persuasions, corrupted with the world's proffers, seduced by the world's example, or entangled in the snares of Satan; very sweet and comfortable, very pleasant and delightful is the humble man's freedom; all are slaves and bondmen in respect of them in whom God hath wrought the great and gracious work of Self-denial. 〈…〉. 6. This makes men very peaceable. The measure of man's peace is according to the measure of man's humility and self-denial: The humble man doth not grieve, but rejoiceth at the prosperity of others, doth not hinder, but delighteth in the furtherance of other men's welfare; doth not willingly minister any offence, but patiently endureth injuries, puts the best interpretation upon things doubtful; humility and self-denial, as the Apostle saith of Love, suffereth long, and is kind, envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly,, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Pride is the bellows kindling the fire of contention, humility and self denial prevents strife, and preserves peace among men; there is no hope of his living in peace with any man, who is at variance with the humble. It is a rule among the Geometricians, Quod corpora Spherica quae quasi tumi●a sunt, non possunt se tangere nisi solo puncto, etc. that Spherical or round bodies which are a swelling kind of bodies cannot touch one another, be applied one to another, but only at the very point; but the hollow body can receive the round within itself. Thus pride dissolves communion between man and man; Men are never at a sweet agreement, where pride and self-conceit reigneth; humility disposeth, openeth, and prepareth the heart to the unfeigned embracement of others, to the patient toleration of other men's pride, injustice, and vain boastings. The l jam. 3.17. wisdom (saith S. James) which is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits. The low shrub is little or nothing moved with the winds which shake and shatter many tall Cedars: The humble man is little or nothing disquieted with the gusts and blasts of opposition, loss and disgrace, which do even vex, and utterly distract the man of a proud spirit: The soul which is spiritually and throughly humble, is an inhabitant residing in a very sweet, and quiet dwelling, a ship rowing in a very calm and peaceable haven. 7. Fruitfulness in all graces. 7. This makes fruitful in all gifts and graces: Like the low valleys; cheerful in every trial and trouble, able to count it all joy to fall into manifold temptations; Profitable under affliction, as the vine under the hand of the Pruner dressing it; capable of the word of God, as the broken ground of the seed, and the empty vessel of water: Every word of God is a Star of some light, a flower of some comfortable smell, and a cloud of some refreshment to the humble: This fills the soul with very clear and joyful, high and honourable apprehensions of God. He that hath the lowest thoughts of himself, hath the highest thoughts of God; This makes Christ very welcome, very amiable in the eye of the soul, the fairest of ten thousand: As the Sun to him that is in darkness, as the river to him that thirsteth, or the Physician to him that is extremely pained, man's sense of self-emptinesse, makes Christ very precious: This sweetens the word of God as the famine sweetens bread, and makes the messenger of God as an Angel of God, or one of a thousand: This disposeth man to every good duty; this makes the yoke of Christ easy, the service of Christ pleasant, and suffering for Christ comfortable: This makes the inward man very joyful, when the outward man is loaden with much affliction, the whole man heavenly minded, graciously disposed, holily exercised, abundantly thriving in all well-doing, and incessant in the way tending to the heavenly Kingdom. And thus you have seen the mystery, the worth and dignity, the fruit and excellency of Self-denial. Most sweet and blessed is that man's Condition, who is truly humble, happy is the soul in which God hath wrought a through Self-denial. CHAP. XVIII. The second general Part. Spiritual Vivification. THe seed first dies, and then is quickened, and springeth up into a green and flourishing blade: Man first dies to sin, and then lives to God: The Scions is first removed out of the old and natural stock, and then he is grafted into another stock, becomes a living branch in another Tree: Man first denies himself, goes out of himself, ceaseth from himself, and then he is engrafted into Christ, Christ lives in him, and he lives in Christ, according to this of the Apostle here, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. The second general thing observed in these words, is, spiritual vivification. Christ living in all them that live the life of grace: The life of a Christian is a borrowed life, he hath it not of himself but from another, it is no natural, but a spiritual life, a life not springing originally from man, but derivative and flowing from Christ: Every Christian though wondrously enriched by Christ, yet is very poor of himself, his very spiritual life is a borrowed thing; Sin hath made man extremely poor, it hath not only robbed him, but also slain him, it hath utterly taken the life of grace from him, and none but Christ can quicken him. The Christian hath no cause of glorying in himself, but all his glory is in Christ; the very whole of true Christians is from Christ Jesus; Christ is both the fountain filling, and the life quickening them; they cannot but acknowledge with Paul, It is Christ lives in them. In the words we have, 1. A term of opposition, But 2. An Agent or Author, Christ he is the Author of this spiritual life. 3. An Act, liveth. Christians live not the life of grace by themselves, it is received from Christ. 4. A Sub●ect, in me. True believers are the only subject of spiritual life. First of the term of opposition, but, a word signifying an opposition of things in that sense in which things are opposed, Labour not for the meat (saith Christ) which perisheth, m joh 6.27. but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, and again, lay not up for yourselves treasure on earth, n Mat. 6.19, 20. Ephes 5 17, 18. but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven: And so likewise it is the Apostles charge; be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is: And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit: And thus the Apostle here, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; I live indeed, but it is not of myself, but from Christ, it is not of nature, but of grace, Christ is the root of spiritual life in me. It is plain and manifest to the feeling and experience of God's children that they have not the life of Grace and holiness from themselves, but from Christ Jesus: Note. they know that Christ is the author and finisher of their salvation; they know that Christ is in them: Examine yourselves, prove yourselves, know ye not that Christ is o ● Cor. 13.5. in you, except ye be reprobates, saith the Apostle: p 1 joh. 5.20. We know (saith S. John) that we are of God, quickening, regenerating, enlightening and sanctifying us; and we know that the son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his son Jesus Christ, this is the true God and eternal life; they know that Christ is in them, as a root enlivening them, as a Sun illuminating them, as a Refiners fire purging them. The woman of Shunem q 2 Kin. 4. knew that the Prophet had raised her dead son to life, the children of God know that Christ hath raised their souls which were dead in sins and trespasses; the blind man r joh. 9 2 Kin 5. knew that whereas he was blind he did now see, and that Christ had opened his eyes, Gods children have experience of Christ's opening the eyes of their understanding. Naaman knew that Jordan had washed away the leprosy which clavae unto him, God's servants s 1 Cor. 6.9. know that they are washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God. The ground hereof. God's children know that of themselves, they are dead in sins and trespasses, and that Christ is the author of spiritual life unto them; they know that of themselves they are empty of all spiritual good, and that Christ is the fountain filling them; they know that in their natural estate they are the slaves of Satan, the bondmen of the world, the servants of corruption, and that Christ alone is the worker of their freedom, the beginning and the end of their salvation. The life of grace and holiness is not of man but of Christ, no child in the course of nature can beget itself, Man's life of holiness of Christ. but is begotten of another Parent; no child of God in the way of grace is the author of his own regeneration and new birth, but is t 1 Pet. 1.3. begotten again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God persuading them of the truth, informing them in the virtue, and applying to them the power and efficacy of Christ's resurrection, begetteth them again unto a lively hope; man's receiving of Christ is the receiving of spiritual life and new-birth; As many (saith the Evangelist) as received him, to them u joh. 1.12, 13. gave he power to become the sons of God: which were borne not of blood, not by the Nobility and dignity of their Parents, according to the flesh; nor of the will of the flesh, not by the ability and strength of nature, not by any activity, liberty or freedom of their own; nor of the will of man, not by the art or industry education or instruction of man, but of God: It is not in the power of man to regenerate man, God useth man as his instrument, but God himself accomplisheth the work, as a supreme and free agent, when and where he pleaseth. Man is an alien to the w Eph 4.19. life of God, and can no more raise himself to a spiritual life, than Lazarus could raise himself to a natural life: Man's conversion is a new x 2 Cor. 5.17 creation, which is as far beyond the power of man, as the forming of himself of nothing. All the instruments of spiritual life are y 1 Cor. 3.6. dependant, no more able to quicken the soul of man, than Gehazi with his Master's staff was able to raise the woman of Shunems' son to life without Elisha himself; the life of the soul is hidden in Christ, and he that hath not Christ is far from all spiritual life. Such therefore as have no experience of Christ's communicating the life of grace and holiness unto them are none of God's children; their life is a natural, a worldly, No experience of new life no child of God. a carnal, and not a spiritual, a heavenly and holy life; they live by a fleshly and not by a spiritual principle, by a corrupt and humane, and not by a divine and heavenly rule, they live unto themselves and not to Christ; they are of themselves, and they incline and move to themselves as to their proper Centre, they confine themselves within themselves, they can nor look, nor move beyond themselves. z joh. 3.6. That which is of the flesh; of a fleshly original, compounded wholly of fleshly principles, having no other than fleshly ingredients in it, that is flesh; discerning after a fleshly and carnal manner, and not perceiving the things of God, which are spiritually discerned; savouring and relishing only things carnal and fleshly; minding only that which is vain, corrupt and earthly; walking by a fleshly rule, the imagination of their own hearts; and proposing a fleshly end, the satisfaction of their own corrupt and sinful lusts; they are not of God, as a child is of his Parents, they bear not on them the Image of God, as a child doth bear the image of his Father: they depend not upon God as a child depends upon his Parents; they abide not with God as a child with his Parents; they receive not God's instruction, as a child receives his father's instruction; they love not God as a child his Parent; they delight not in God as a child rejoiceth in his Parents; the meditation of God is not sweet, the thought of God's presence is not pleasant to them; they frequent not God's house, they make it not their dwelling, and place of their delight, as children do their Father's house: He that is without Christ is without God, empty of God, a stranger to God, an enemy against God. Christ is the jacob's ladder by whom God cometh unto man, and man ascendeth unto God. God is known as a Father of love, God is believed in as a king of mercies, God is felt and tasted as the fountain of grace and goodness only in and through Christ Jesus. He that knows not Christ working the life of grace and holiness in him, is under the death of sin, and hath no clear knowledge, no comfortable remembrance, no blessed taste and feeling, no honourable and soul-ravishing apprehensions of God; no delight in God, no comfortable communion with God; we discern and apprehend God loving, merciful and gracious, only in and through Christ working in us the life of true holiness; man's thoughts of God are more or less joyous and delightful according to the measure of Christ's working within him. CHAP. XIX. THe second thing in these words, is an agent or Author, and that is Christ, Christ liveth in his Saints, he is the worker of this life; the life of God's children hath a very honourable original, it is not from a natural, but from a spiritual seed: the life of nature is far inferior to the life of grace. Life communicated by earthly Parents, is an unworthy life, in respect of that life which Christ doth minister unto us; a life which goes not by generation, but by regeneration; a life communicable by no creature, dispensed only by him who lives of himself, and gives life to others at his pleasure; according to S. Paul's open profession that Christ lived in him, was the author of the life of grace to him, showing us, Doct. That Christ is the Author of spiritual life to all God's children; he raised the body of Lazarus to a bodily life, he raiseth our souls to a spiritual life; he a joh. 5.21. quickens whom he will, he hath power to quicken all, his will is to quicken only some; when he was on earth, he could have raised all the dead to life, yet he raised but only a few, thus now he hath power to quicken all men to a spiritual life, but his will is to quicken only some, such as God the Father hath chosen to salvation; Christ, saith S. John, hath b joh 17.2. power over all flesh that he should give life to as many as God the Father hath given him, all that partake of the life of grace, derive and borrow the same from Christ; who is the way leading, the truth enlightening, and the life quickening unto life everlasting, and the Apostle saith, our life is hid with Christ in God, as the life of the branch is hid in the root; and Christ is called, our life, by S. Paul, and our life, or the author of spiritual life, he is in us, by way of Revelation, he opens and shows the way to life, without Christ we are all in darkness and the shadow of death, and no man knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. Our life he likewise is by way of meritorious impetration, he hath purchased life for us. Our life by way of original; the life of grace is originally in Christ, and from him communicated unto us. Our life by way of operation, he quickeneth us by the powerful work of his Spirit. And our life by way of conjunction; he unites himself, communicates himself, and all his benefits to us, as the Prophet applied himself to the woman of Shunems' son, and raised him to life. And that Christ is the Author of spiritual life to God's children is apparent. 1. Grounds hereof 1. Man's alienation from the life of grace. By man's alienation and estrangement from the life of grace without Christ; the branch without the root, the body without the soul hath no life; man without Christ is a withered branch, a dead carcase, dead in sins and trespasses, twice dead and plucked up by the roots; and it is in Christ's hand alone to quicken him, Lord, said Peter to our Saviour, whither shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life: the word revealing, promising and working life in all that are ordained unto life. 2 By Christ's ordination and appointment to minister all things to Gods chosen; 2 Christ's ordination to minister life. the fullness of light is dispensed to the air by the Sun, fullness of water is dispensed by the Sea unto the earth; the fullness of Egypt was dispensed to the people by Joseph; the fullness of God is dispensed to the souls of men by Christ; Christ is the Sun by whom they are enlightened; the root by whom they are enlivened; the Storehouse by whom they are enriched; the fountain by whom they are replenished, they are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. God conveys all in mercy unto man through Christ; nothing proves a blessing unto man, but what he hath by virtue of his conjunction with Christ; there is no relation of love and peace between God, and the soul of man, but only in and through Christ, Jacob and his sons found favour with Pharaoh, only for joseph's sake. Christ is the only Medium c Eph. 1.6. of man's favour and acceptance with God, he alone is made of God to be wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption unto man: God hath put the very whole of man's happiness in Christ Jesus. 3 Insufficiency of any created power to minister the life of grace. 3. By the insufficiency of any created power to minister the life of grace to man; this is above the power of men and Angels; the dispensation of life is peculiar to him that is Lord of life; the industry of man is used indeed as an instrument of spiritual vivification, but the efficacy is from Christ; to this work all created strength without Christ is like the strength of Egypt in another case to set still, the diseased woman in the Gospel spent all her substance upon the Physicians, and yet there was no healing, man may spend all his time and substance upon the creature, and the creature may spend all its ability about man, and yet when all is done, without Christ there will be no spiritual quickening; Am I a God (said the King of Israel to Naaman) to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy: Thus may the holiest Saint and most glorious Angel say, Am I a God to kill and to make alive, to kill sin and to enliven the soul, that man should look to me for spiritual vivification, the sufficiency of the choicest creatures is a borrowed sufficiency, derived from Christ, and the efficacy and working thereof is wholly dependant upon Christ. 4. Excellency of spiritual life. 4. By the dignity and excellency of spiritual life; a life of that nobleness and eminency, that none but Christ, who is life itself, can communicate it; a seed which none but Christ can sow, a tree which none but Christ the great Husbandman of the soul can plant; the life of grace ariseth from a principle far more noble than the life of nature; Saul was head and shoulders above the residue of the people; the life of grace is head and shoulders, very high and far above the life of nature; whither vegitive, sensible or reasonable; Job sometime said of wisdom: Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding, man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living, the depth saith it is not in me, and the Sea saith it is not with me: thus may we say of spiritual life: where shall spiritual life be found? and where is the place of true and saving grace? man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living; Nature saith it is not in me; Art and industry say it is not with us, this life is d Col. 3. hid with Christ in God: It is hid in God, in regard of the original preservation, protection and continuance of it, as the life of the branch is hidden in the root, and the life of the stream in the fountain; it is hid in God, and there and no where else it is to be found, therefore termed the e Eph. 4.18. life of God; for the spiritual original and celestial excellency thereof, regeneration and new-birth, being of all lives, the most excellent life, which God communicateth unto man, because God doth then very graciously and sweetly live in man, and man enjoys the life of God, when God doth sanctify and guide man by his Spirit, and this life is ascribed by our Saviour to the Spirit, as to the proper cause of it: the flesh profiteth nothing, it is the Spirit that quickeneth; and all the faithful are born again of the Spirit, begotten of God by the word of truth, & as they have the most noble & excellent Parent, so they have the most honourable & eminent life, a life of such dignity that none but God can communicate. 5. By the medium of spiritual life: conjunction with Christ by faith is the medium of this life, 5. The Medium of this life, Conjunction with Christ by faith. as the natural life is a conjunction of the body with the soul; so the spiritual life is a conjunction of the soul with Christ and his Spirit; Christ is the head and they the members: Christ is the Vine and they the branches, being enlivened by their conjunction with Christ, the members are enlivened by the head, and the branches by the Vine, and believers coming to Christ, as to a living Stone, are said as lively stones to be built a spiritual house: In which words, Christ is likened to a Stone for his strength and steadfastness, for his truth and unchangeableness, for his union of Jew and Gentile, and for his supportation of all God's children; to an elect and precious stone, for his worth and excellency, and to a living stone, for his everliving virtue, ministering the life of grace to all the faithful, and preserving them therein to the life of glory, and all true believers are called lively stones; for their being founded upon Christ, and enlivened by Christ, the headstone▪ and of this life they participate by coming unto Christ; coming to Christ, by the doctrine of the Gospel inviting them, and by a lively faith resting upon him, incorporated into him, and receiving spiritual life from him; and this is Christ's promise, he that believeth in me, that is united and joined unto me, and made one with me by faith, he shall live, he shall live the life of grace first, and the life of glory last; and it is the plain assertion of the Evangelist, he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, he hath it in inchoation, by the work of grace, he hath it in promise by faith, he hath it in expectation by hope; he hath that life begun in grace, which shall be consummate in glory. 6 Opposition against the working of spiritual life. 6. By the opposition made against the working of this life in the souls of men; the working of grace in the hearts of men is opposed by corruption, as natural life is opposed by death, all men by nature being dead in sins and trespasses; this life is opposed by sin, as natural health is opposed by a mortal, an overswaying and incurable disease; the cure of the diseased woman in the Gospel, was so opposed by her bloody issue, that no Physician could cure her, she bestowed all her substance upon the Physicians in vain, she could not be healed until she came to Christ; the cure of the disease of sin is so difficult, that neither the ministry of man, or Angel can accomplish it; Christ alone is the Physician healing the diseased soul of man; he is the son of righteousness who hath healing in his wings; in the wings of his ordinances instrumentally, in the wings of his gracious gifts and operation efficiently: the Apostle layeth down the opposition of sin against the working of spiritual life 4. Sin opposeth spiritual life. 1 By ignorance ways. 1. Through ignorance, alienated from the life of God, through the f Eph. 4.18, 19 ignorance that is in them; they are ignorant of the absence and want of it, they suppose they are alive to God, when they are dead in sin; they are ignorant of the Original and Author of this life; they know not that he that hath not the Son hath not life; they are ignorant of the means working it, they know not that the word is the word of life, that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, the immortal seed of man's regeneration; they are ignorant of the necessity of this life of grace, they think there is a greater latitude in Religion then there is, they know not that the way to life is a narrow way, they imagine they may do well enough, though they be not so strict and so zealous as others are; they are ignorant of that work of Christ, of that holy and gracious change of heart, of that faith, repentance, purity of heart, and circumspect walking which belongs to this life. And thus, through their ignorance do they undervalue it and oppose the working thereof. 2. Their corruption doth oppose it through the hardness of their hearts, 2. By hardness of heart. being alienated from the life of God through the hardness which is in them. This hardness of heart makes them uncapable of the word of life, Acts 7.51. as the hard ground is uncapable of seed: This causeth them to resist the means of grace, as the hard rock resisteth the rain distilling thereupon: This makes them regardless, and fearless of all judgements, and cominations; Affliction doth not better them, but rather make them worse, as the anvil hardens under the hammer: This makes them impenitent, they cannot mourn for their sins, any more than a hard rock can send forth a stream of water. g jer. 5 3. O Lord (saith Jeremy) thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction, they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refused to return; and after their hardness and impenitent heart (according to Saint Paul) they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath; and thus their hardness of heart doth oppose the working of this spiritual life. 3. Their corruption opposeth this spiritual life through unsensibleness; 3 B●●siblenesse. they are strangers to this life (saith the Apostle) being past feeling, being unsensible of their sin, as a dead man of his disease, unsensible of the misery of their estate, and perilousnesse of their condition, as the drunkard in Solomon had no apprehension of his danger; unsensible of the word of instruction, as a deaf man that hears not, is unsensible of advice and counsel: They hear (saith the Prophet) but understand not, they see but perceive not, they hear outwardly, but not inwardly, they see confusedly, but not clearly, the light shines upon them, but not within them, they walk not in the light, they are not guided in their goings by the light; they are unsensible of the characteres symptoms of destruction which are upon them, as Ephraim had grey hairs here and there upon him, howbeit he knew it not: Unsensible of the goodness and sweetness of Christ, as a distempered palate is unsensible of the sweetness of the wine given him to drink; unsensible of the comfort, and pleasantness of spiritual life, as the dead are unsensible of the joys of the living; and being thus past feeling, they regard not the life of grace, it is of no esteem with them. 4. By cusing them to give themselves over to lasciviousness. 4. Their corruption doth oppose the life of grace, by causing them to give themselves over to lasciviousness, to work uncleanness, disposing and inclining them to evil, as heavy things incline downward, the whole current of their affections moving towards sin strongly, speedily, undefatigably, and unchangeably, as the Rivers move towards the Sea; soaking and surfeiting themselves with carnal delights and pleasures, as the drunkard soaks his flesh with strong drink, and the glutton surfeits himself with sweet meat; delighting and sporting themselves in sin as the fish in the water, drinking iniquity (as Job speaks) like water, as the dry ground drinks in the water, and looks for more; giving themselves over unto sin, as the soldiers to the Centurion, to be commanded by it, to be wholly subject to it, as the harlot to the adulterer, prostituting and laying themselves open unto sin, and bringing forth all their fruit to sin, and this their serviceableness to sin, delight and pleasure in sin, voluntary and full subjection under sin, doth mightily oppose the working of the life of grace within them, so opposing it that none but Christ can work it. Besides, Satan doth also with much force and fraud hinder this work, h Rev. 7.1. holding the winds that they may not blow, endeavouring to the utmost to stop the ministry of the word, the means of begetting this life in the souls of men, blinding the understandings of men, that the glorious light of the Gospel may not shine into them; labouring by all means to hinder the regeneration of God's children, represented in Saint John's vision of the Dragon, ready to devour the i Rev. 12 4. woman's child as soon as it was borne. This work the world also hinders, by distracting men with worldly cares, by priding men with worldly wealth, by ministering many profane and soule-bewitching examples, by withholding men from attendance upon God's ordinances, the means of life, by choking the word of God, the instrument of life, with worldly cares, by disabling men to discern and judge aright of Christ, the Author of life: Such is the opposition made against the work of grace in the souls of men, that there is a mere impossibility of attaining spiritual life, without the mighty work of Christ the Lord of life. CHAP. XX. Their pride opened who dream of ability in themselves to restore themselves to spiritual life. SEe then in this the pride and vanity of such men as dream of a power and ability in themselves to restore themselves unto spiritual life. As Samson burst hiswiths, and went out when Dalilah cried, the Philistines are upon thee Samson. Thus they think to break the chains of sin, to come forth of the grave of their corruption at their pleasure, having the word of exhortation to call them. Man indeed endowed with true and saving grace may come when God calls him, as Samson went forth at the voice of Dalilah, while his locks were upon him; but as Samson had no power to preserve himself when his locks were cut off, no more hath man destitute of saving grace any power to restore himself to the life of grace, or to defend himself against the adversaries of his peace: Man's n●bility to this work opened. 1. No principle of grace left. Rom. 7.18. Col. 2.12. The branch cannot live without the root, nor the soul a spiritual life without Christ; Man is wholly disabled unto this work, having no feed nor principle of grace remaining in him, being as fully under the dominion of sin, as the dead are under the dominion of death, at as great a distance from the life of grace as they who have been long dead, and divers days, like Lazarus, in the grave, are from the life of nature. 2. Utter blindness. Luke 19 41. Isa 5.21. 2. Being so blinded that they cannot discern the things which belong to their spiritual vivification, from the things which tend to their destruction, the ways of death are ways of life in their apprehension, as the Assyrians smitten with blindness thought the way leading to Samaria to be the way leading to Assyria. Thus they repute the way which leadeth unto death to be the way leading unto life, they call evil good, and good evil. 3. Declination of means. Psal. 58.5. 3. They decline the means of their spiritual quickening, they stop their cares against the voice which should awaken and enliven them, they shut their eyes against the light which should illuminate them. 4. Enmity against the ministry. Rom. 8.7. john 3.19. Gal. 4.16. 4. They are full of enmity against the ministry which should convert them, they make war against the ministry of the word, as Saul against David: This troubles them as the Star troubled Herod, the Minister is their enemy because he tells them the truth. 5. Sweenesse of sin job 20.12. 5. Sin is a sweet dish to their palate, they are insatiable in the commission of it, their souls are wedded to it, they have made a Covenant with it, they boast and glory in it. 6. Grace and holiness dishonourable in their eye. job 21 14. 6. The life of grace and holiness is dishonourable and contemptible in their eye; Nothing with them is beautiful and amiable, excellent and honourable, but that which is either for the matter or for the circumstances sinful: And therefore when the dead can raise themselves out of their graves, when the stones can turn themselves into flesh, the thorns into vines, when the Leopard can change his spots, and the Blackamoor his skin, then may man by his own power, without the mighty work of Christ, raise himself to a new life, turn his hard into a tender heart, his barren into a fruitful soul, and his unclean into a pure conversation. Were man sensible of his emptiness of all spiritual good, of his obstinacy against grace, of his strong and unchangeable bent to evil, of the desperate disposition of his heart to sin, of his through subjection under Satan, and of the profane antipathy which is in his heart against grace, and of his inability to receive it when it is proffered, he would never exalt himself into Christ's room, and take upon him to be the workman of his own conversion; he would never continue in sin, presuming to repent at last, when he list; doubtless that man never felt the power of Christ in his conversion, that dreams of a power in himself to convert and change himself; Presumption of self-goodnesse invincibly argues the absence of all saving goodness: The diseased came either by their own strength, or by the help of others to Bethesda; but when the foot was in the pool, if the Angel did not move the waters there was no healing: Man may come to the ministry of the word by his own strength, and by the persuasion of others; but when he is come, and hears the word, there is no healing unless Christ work mightily with the Gospel: For Paul plants and Apollo waters, but God giveth the increase. Is Christ the Author and worker of spiritual life? Coming unto Christ for spiritual life persuaded, being as dead me without Christ 1 For Ignorance. Eccls 9.5. Isa. 59 10. Then we must address ourselves to Christ, that Christ may quicken and enliven us. Whiles we stand aloof off, and continue strangers to Christ, we are all dead men, dead spiritually while we live corporally, alienated from the life of God while we enjoy the life of men; continuing strangers to Christ we are all dead in sin; and as the dead know not any thing, no more do we savingly and comfortably know any thing of God, of Christ, of his word, or of the Spirit of grace; we are in darkness like the dead, we are blind and grope at the noon day as in the midnight: 2. Vnsensiblenesse. As the dead have no feeling of the disease which killed them, of the burden of earth cast upon them, no more have we of the sin which wounds us, and hastens the second death upon us; we are, as Saint Paul said, past feeling: As the dead have no vigour, no strength, Eph 4.19. 3. Weakness. no motion, no more have we any power, disposition, or inclination to any thing holy, and savingly good in the sight of God. 4. Vncomfortablenesse. As the dead are an uncomfortable spectacle, and cast an evil savour, so are we very unsavoury in God's nostrils, an abomination in the eyes of God: 5. Exclusion from Christ. As the dead have no claim nor title to any thing, their interest in what they once enjoyed is lost: Thus we have no title to Christ, no interest in God's Covenant of grace; 6. Growing worse. and as the dead putrify and rot more and more, so we grow worse and worse as long as we continue without Christ. O therefore let us come to Christ that he may enliven us, as he raised Lazarus, the Widow's son, and the Ruler's daughter! Let us come to Christ to raise our souls, as the woman of Shunem came to the Prophet to raise her dead son, she made haste to the Prophet; we must come speedily unto Christ, in the days of our youth, before we have continued long under the death and dominion of sin; the woman of Shunem came humbly to the Prophet, she cast herself down at the feet of the Prophet: We must come to Christ in great humility, humbling ourselves before him, having our hearts full of sorrow for our sin, earnestly petitioning the vivification of our souls: The woman of Shunem laid hold upon the Prophet's feet, and would not let him go, until he went with her and raised her son. Thus must we lay hold on Christ, carry him with us, bring him home into the house of our hearts, that Christ may quicken us to the life of grace here, and to the life of glory hereafter. Man's best works without Christ are dead works. This likewise discovers to us what all our works and services are as long as we are without Christ; Christ is the Author and worker of spiritual life, and while we are without Christ, we are without spiritual life; and where is no life, there is no action, no motion; where is no life of grace, there is no moving, no stirring in the ways of godliness: All the works of natural men, how specious soever in outward appearance, yet they are as the Scripture terms them, but dead works; 1 They proceed not from a Principle of spiritual life. their hearing, praying, receiving of the Sacrament, and other duties of righteousness done by them are works without life: For 1. they proceed not from an inward Principle of spiritual life, all their motions in and about the duties of godliness, like the motions of Clocks and Watches, proceed not from life, but from art, from the fear of hell, from the apprehension of death, from the sense of affliction, from the desire of the applause and favour of men, from the hope of reaping the harvest of some worldly benefit; and therefore as the clock ceaseth his motion, when the Spring is down, so do these men usually cease their motion in the ways of godliness, when the outward loadstone which drew them, is taken away, as iron having no principle of life within it, stops its motion when the loadstone is removed; then they are at a stay, than they go back. 2. Their services, if we consider the nature of them, 2 Moral, not spiritual, formal, not powerful. they are but moral and ecclesiastical services, no spiritual services; They have (as the Apostle saith) a form of godliness, but they deny the power of it: As a dead man hath the form and lineaments of a living man, but not the power and vivacity of a living man; their works for the matter of them may be morally and ecclesiastically good, but not spiritually good; their coin, their service, as Jeremy terms it, is reprobate silver; Reprobate silver may have the stamp, colour, and similitude of true coin, and yet is base mettle: A natural man's duties of service, and obedience to God may have the similitude and colour of a spiritual man's service; but when they are tried, they are found to be counterfeit, abominable in the sight of God, how beautiful soever in the eyes of men: Swine's blood is of as clear and perfect colour to the eye, as sheep's blood; yet it is of another nature, and to offer Swine's blood under the Law was an abomination: Thus the service of a carnal man may have the outward colour of a regenerate man's service, and be as pure and perfect in the outward appearance, as the service of the holiest persons, and yet it is of another nature, and a very abomination in the sight of God. 3. Their services, if you look upon the adjunct of them are cold services; coldness is a Symptom of death, when a man is dead, the whole man is cold; the works of a natural and carnal man are cold, they have no spiritual life, no heavenly warmth, no vivacity and holy quickness in them. It is said of David that he had many clothes, yet he got no heat: Thus carnal men have all the ordinances of God, all means to warm their souls, and yet they continue cold, as a dead body under many clothes; they may perform many religious duties, and yet have no heat, no warmth in them; At the best they are but like Ephraim's cake half baked, like lukewarm meat, such as is offensive to the stomach, and therefore Christ threatens to spew them out of his mouth; they have nothing of the Spirit of God within them, whose working is likened unto fire, making men fervent in Prayer, causing their hearts to burn within them in hearing, as the hearts of the two Disciples did; this fire, this heavenly heat is wanting, and therefore all their service is but as a sacrifice without fire, of no use, of no acceptance with the Lord. 4. Services tending to base ends. 4. Their services, if you observe their end, are arrows leveled to a low mark; A dead man cannot lift himself up from the earth; A man without Christ, and empty of spiritual life, cannot look above himself and his own flesh in any thing he doth: The effect ever suits with the cause; the thorn cannot bear figs, the fruit is answerable to the nature of the Tree; He that hath nothing of God in him cannot intend God in his undertaking; he that is alienated from the life of God, cannot work for God. That (saith our Saviour) which is of the flesh is flesh, fleshly disposed, intending the flesh, and nothing else, doing all for himself; seeking his own things, and not the things which are Christ's; his own profit, his own ease, his own applause; he serves not the Lord Jesus, but his own belly, as Saint Paul speaks; and thus the original, the nature, adjunct, and end of a carnal man's works demonstrate them to be dead works, of no esteem with God, how glorious soever in the eyes of men. The glory of spiritual life due to Christ. Isa. 9.6. As Christ is the Author and worker of Spiritual life, so the glory and the praise of all grace and holiness, of the whole spiritual life of Christians is to be attributed unto Christ Jesus; Christ is the everlasting Father, from whom we have our new birth, the high and heavenly workman, from whom we have our spiritual being and new Creation; l Eph. 2.10. the life by whom we are quickened; the Sun by whom we are enlightened; the Physician by whom we are healed. Christ Jesus is the fountain of all grace and goodness, life and holiness to true believers; they are all members enlivened by this head, Stars enlightened by this Sun, fields manured by this husbandman, houses builded by this Architect, and vessels filled by this fountain; the praise of all man's grace and holiness is due to Christ Jesus. Art thou awakened out of thy spiritual sleep and slumber? it is Christ hath done it, as the m Acts 12 7. Angel awakened Peter; the Lion by his cry awakens his young, Christ the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, by his mighty voice in the Gospel awakens Gods chosen. Are the eyes of thy understanding enlightened? Christ is the n john 1.9. john 9 light who hath enlightened thee, as he opened the eyes of him that was borne blind. Art thou cleansed from thy sin? it is Christ who is the o Mal. 3.3. refiners fire, and the fullers soap that hath purged thee, as Jordan cleansed Naaman from his leprosy. Art thou p Isa. 49.9. Isa. 61.1, 2. delivered from the prison of thy corruption, and the bondage of Satan? it is Christ hath brought thee forth, as the Angel brought Peter out of Herod's prison. Hast thou liberty to come to God by faith and love? it is Christ hath made thee free in thy understanding to discern the things of God, in thy will to choose and intend God, in thy imagination to think upon God, in thy memory to remember God, in thy affections to fear, trust, love and rejoice in God, in thy ears to attend to the word of God, in thine eyes to behold God in his works, in thy tongue to speak of God, to the edification of others, and to celebrate God for his mercies; Christ is the Author and workman of all Christian freedom. Art thou filled with the gifts and graces of God's Spirit? Christ is the fountain that hath filled thee, all thy receivings are of Christ's q john 1.16. 2 Cor. 5.19. fullness, as the branches are filled by the root, and the Stars by the Sun. Hast thou reconciliation and acceptation with God? it is Christ that hath brought thee nigh to God, procured favour for thee with the Lord, as Joseph procured favour for his brethren with the King of Egypt; Christ is the r Eph. 1 6. beloved in whom thou art accepted. Art thou able to endure temptation, to undergo the heavy burden of affliction? Christ is the rock that sustains thee, as the rock in the Parable sustained the house from sinking, when the winds and waves did beat and blow upon it; Christ is the Ark that bears thee up, as Noah was borne up in the Deluge; Christ is the shield and buckler, and wall of fire that defends thee; it is Christ's power in thee, it is Christ's presence with thee, as with the three children in the fiery furnace, that strengthens and enables thee to hold out, that makes thee victorious over all opposing powers. In a word, it is Christ that works all thy works of grace and peace, faith and love, hope and patience, constancy and perseverance in thee; he begins the life of grace within thee, and continues it to the life of glory: Ascribe therefore to the Lord Jesus the praise of all thy goodness, acknowledge him to be the giver of all thy gifts, the Author of all thy holy and gracious works, the Sun that hath enlightened thy darkness, the quickening Spirit who hath enlivened and freed thee from thy deadness, the Physician who hath healed thy diseases, the Counsellor who hath resolved thee in all thy doubtings, the fiery pillar who hath gone before thee, protecting and guiding thee in all thy goings; the Moses rod which hath divided the waters, and made a passage for thee, through the red Sea of all thy afflictions; the Captain who hath overcome for thee in all thy Conquests; and the King who of his own mercy crownes thee, and his own works in thee, after all thy trials: Let Christ have the glory of all from thee, because he accomplisheth all for thee by his living in thee. CHAP. XXI. THe third thing in these words, is, an Act, liveth. Christ's living in man; the soul liveth in the body, enlivening, preserving, and strengthening the body; and Christ liveth in man, enlivening man with the life of grace, preserving man in the estate of grace, s Col. 1.11. strengthening him with all might according to his glorious power. Christ is the soul of our souls, the t 1 Cor. 15.45. quickening Spirit, by whom we are spiritually enlivened; Christ by the supernatural, gracious, and powerful operation of his Spirit, raising us to newness or life, and living in us, by this powerful and holy work of his. Whence observe, That Christ lives in God's children by his holy and powerful work of Sanctification. Doct. The u Ezek. 1.20. Spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiel's vision was in the wheels, and when the living creature went they went, and when the living creature was lifted up, they were lifted up, because the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. Thus the Spirit of Christ is in the children of God, and they live as Christ lives, they move according to Christ's prescription, because the Spirit of Christ is in them, because Christ lives in them, and works effectually by his Spirit upon them, putting a Principle of spiritual life into them: The Prophet Elisha applied himself to the woman of Shunems' son that was dead; w 2 King 4.34. He lay upon the child, and his mouth upon the child's mouth, and his eyes upon the child's eyes, and his hands upon the child's hands; he stretched himself upon the child, and the flesh of the child waxed warm; the child sneezed and opened his eyes. Christ applieth himself and his benefits to the understandings of men, to the souls and consciences of men, and their cold hearts are warmed, their blind eyes are opened, their souls are enlivened, and Christ lives within them, raising them from the death of sin, and restoring them to the life of God, from which they are alienated by sin; therefore Saint John saith, x 1 john 5.12. He that hath not the Son, hath not life; He that hath not the Son graciously possessing him, spiritually quickening him, powerfully working upon him, and causing a holy change in him; he hath not life, the life of God, that holy and gracious life, which God through Christ communicates to the souls of his servants; but he that hath the Son, he that believeth in the Son is united to the Son, and hath the Son living in him; he hath life, he is spiritually quickened and enlivened; And God (saith the Apostle) hath y 1 john 5.11. given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: God hath placed this, and the fullness of all divine and heavenly good things in his Son; he dispenseth all these by the Son, that no man may live before him, without the Son living in him, and the Son is called z john 1.4. Life, having in himself the fullness of all life, having the power of life and death, being the Author and the root of life in all them that live the life of grace, no man coming to the Father, receiving life from the Father, finding grace and favour with the Father, but in and through the Son, who is to us, the a john 14.6. Way, the Truth, and the Life; the way by whom we walk; the truth by whom we are guided, and the life by whom we are quickened, called by Saint Paul our b Col. 3.4. life, because we live not the life of grace of ourselves, but by Christ: It is a life which ariseth not from our flesh, but is derived to us from Christ; Christ liveth in us, begetteth, preserveth, and perfecteth this life in all believers; and for this end Christ came, that all the chosen of God might c john 10.10. have life, and that they might have it more abundantly; Ministering not only an inchoation, but a daily increase of the life of grace, until they come to the life of glory; and Christ is termed eternal life; having life eternal in himself, d 1 john 5.20. working life eternal, and living for ever in us, we enjoying the true and eternal God in and through Christ. And Christ liveth in all them that are the children of God. Grounds of Christ living in us. 1. By way of Original 1. By way of Original. The life of grace is originally from Christ; Christ being not only the Author of this life, with the Father and the Holy-Ghost; but also the root of this life in us, living in us as the root liveth in the branches, as the parent liveth in the child; therefore Christ is called the e john 15.1 vine, and we the branches: As the life of the branches is originally in the vine, so is our life originally in Christ; and as the branches live by the vine living in them, so we live by Christ living in us: And the Apostle termeth the second Adam, which is Christ, a f 1 Cor. 15.45 quickening spirit: For as the life of the body of man is originally from the soul, the soul quickening and living in the body: so the life of grace is originally from Christ, Christ spiritually quickening, and living in all believers; and as the body without the spirit is dead, so is man without Christ spiritually dead in sins. 2. By way of Conjunction. 2 By way of Conjunction. Christ liveth in us by being united to us, and made one with us: The stock liveth in the graft, by union with the graft, we being taken g Rom. 11.24. out of the wild Olive, separated from our natural and corrupt estate, called and gathered home to Christ, and grafted in the true Olive; we live in him, and he lives in us: If ye h john 15.5. abide in me, and I in you, ye shall bring forth much fruit, saith Christ: 1 Pet 2.5. If ye be united unto me, and I united unto you, than you shall live, and be very fruitful. By being built upon Christ the living stone, they become lively stones. 3. By way of influence, infusion, and transmission. 3 By way of influence. The heavens by an influence into the earth, do quicken and enliven the earth, and make all the seeds and roots hidden in the earth to revive and put themselves forth, to sprout and flourish; there is an influence going forth from the Sun of righteousness into the souls of men, reviving and quickening them, and making them of dead to become living, of barren to become fruitful: To i M●l. 4.2. you (saith the Lord) shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth and grow up as the calves of the stall. There is an influence goeth forth from the skill seated in the mind, and strength seated in the hand of the Artificer, which passeth upon the work, whereby he moulds and fashions it, and sets a stamp upon it, according to his pleasure; Thus there is a heavenly influence, a holy virtue, and power coming from Christ, and his Spirit, that new moulds and fashions, that mightily quickens and enlivens the soul of man, by which Christ sets his own Image upon man; and this is called the k Phil. 3.10. power of Christ's Resurrection; That I may know him saith Paul, and the power of his Resurrection, that I may know Christ, and be made partakers of the good things which come by Christ, that I may know him as a Prophet instructing me, as a Priest sanctifying me, as a King reigning spiritually within me; and that I may know the power of his Resurrection, in the vivification of my soul, in the abolition of my sin, in the taking away of the guilt of my transgression, in the acquisition of righteousness, and in the restoring of me to the assured hope of future glory and immortality; There is a virtue flows from the Resurrection of Christ's body from the grave, to the resurrection of the souls of men from the death of sin: As Christ l Rom. 6.4. was raised from the death by the glory of the Father, even so should we walk in newness of life, saith the Apostle; and this influence of Christ into the soul of man is called the m Eph. 1.19. exceeding greatness of his power; an exceeding great power for the omnipotency of the Agent; for the mightiness of the Devil, sin, death and the world, who are overcome by it; for the greatness of the holy and gracious change wrought thereby in the souls of men, changing the whole frame of the hearts of men, from death to life, from darkness to light, from bondage to liberty, from uncleanness to holiness, from earthliness to heavenliness; and by this powerful and mighty influence doth Christ live in the souls of God's children. 4. By way of Gubernation. 4. By way of gubernation and direction. The head liveth in the members, acting and guiding the members to move, and work according to the dictates of the head; and Christ as head liveth in believers, his members, acting and guiding, framing and disposing them to move and walk, and do the things pleasing in his sight; the will moves the members of the body too and fro by a commanding active power, that goes from the will, acting and stirring the members, according to the disposition of the will, the Pilot by his presence in the ship, and by his activity, strength and skill, turns the rudder of the ship, and guides the course thereof to a quite contrary point of the Compass; the King by an influence from his Majesty, authority, power and Laws, lives and reigns in the hearts of his loyal and obedient Subjects, binding and bowing them to the observation of his Edicts. That there is a commanding active power passeth from Christ upon the souls of all sanctified persons, whereby he lives and reigns in them, acts and moves them, according to the disposition of his will, turns the rudder of their affections, and guides the course of their lives to a quite contrary point, than what they formerly moved and tended to, hence it is that our Saviour saith, the n Luke 17.21. kingdom of God is within you; Christ by his Spirit enlightening their hearts, and effectually moving, working, and framing their souls to believe his promises, and do his will; and they are said to have the Law in o Psal. 40.8. their hearts; Christ ruling and commanding there, by putting into their hearts a disposition of holy and humble subjection, suitable to the holiness of the Law: And it was prophesied of Christ, that in the day of his p Psal. 110.3. power, when Christ should be preached, and his kingdom erected in the hearts of men: The people should be willing, voluntarily and freely subject and obedient unto Christ, as the members to the head; and thus Christ lives in men by his holy gubernation, reign and rule in the souls of men. 5. By way of preservation and continuance unto perfection. 5. By way of preservation. The soul lives in the body, preserving the body from putrefaction, continuing the body unto its appointed perfection; Christ liveth in the souls of God's children, preserving them from sin, that they do not putrify in sin, though annoyed with sin, as the body with nasty humours, and keeping them from the death of sin, that it never get dominion over them, as death over dead men, though it abide like a disease within them; perfecting also the life of grace in them, until they come to the life of glory: Those thou gavest me (saith Christ) I have q john 17.12. kept, and none of them is lost. Whom God the Father gives to Christ by eternal election, and effectual vocation, them Christ keeps in the state of grace, in them he nourishes and maintains spiritual life, them he keeps in the knowledge of God's truth, in the saith of God's promises, in the love of God's testimonies, in the obedience of God's precepts; them he keeps in prosperity, that they swell not; in adversity, that they repine not; in temptation, that they despair not; in all changes, that they change not; he doth r 1 Pet 5.10. perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle them; he makes spiritual life more full and active, strong and vigorous in them; the longer Christ liveth in them, the more perfection he ministers unto them, the more abundantly he fills them, the more he manifests the power of his grace towards them: and thus Christ lives in God's children, by preserving and perfecting the life of grace in them. And thus you see it is apparent that Christ doth live in God's children, by his gracious and powerful work of Sanctification. CHAP. XXII. Christ living in man described. IF you demand what is the life of Christ, or Christ living in the children of God? I answer, it is a spiritual power or Principle of grace which Christ by his Spirit doth put into the hearts of the elect at their regeneration enabling them to move themselves to God-ward, in knowing, willing, intending, thinking, loving, speaking and doing the things which are pleasing unto God; called the life of Christ, because Christ is the Author and the root thereof; because it is a life which Christ commandeth and approveth, and because hereby Christ liveth in all them that are regenerate; and this is sometimes termed a s Rom. 6.11. being alive to God, because men are hereby moved and quickened to do what pleaseth God; sometimes it is styled a t Rom. 6.8. living with Christ, having communion and fellowship with the grace of Christ for newness of life, or with the glory of Christ for eternal felicity; sometimes it is termed a u Rom. 6.4. new life, a pure and unblameable life, framed (not after the lusts of the old man, but (after the will of God in his word; and sometimes it is called a w Rom. 14.8. living unto God; regenerate man consecrating and ordering his whole life after the will of God, and unto his glory. Christ living in man, doth enable, move, and work the heart of man to acknowledge God and Christ to be his Lord, and himself not to be his own but Gods and Christ's servant. 2. To frame and order his thoughts, words and works according to the word of God and Christ in every thing. 3. To refer and apply himself, his whole life, and whatsoever he hath to the honour of God and Christ. And fourthly, in all the changes, dangers, and afflictions of his life to depend upon God and Christ, for counsel, supportment, protection and deliverance; and this is Christ's living in man, and Christ's keeping and continuing man in the state of grace unto the state of glory. If you ask me how or in what manner Christ begins to live in man? I answer: Manner of Christ's living in Man. 1. By awakening Man. 1. Christ doth awaken man, as the Angel smote Peter upon the side, and x Acts 12.7. awakened him when he slept between the two soldiers, with fetters upon him in Herod's prison. This doth Christ by his word without, and the motion of his spirit within, smite upon the heart and conscience of man sleeping between two great soldiers, the devil on his right hand, and the world on his left hand, in the prison of sin; Christ thus smiting upon man, awakens man, causes him to open his eyes, to see his miserable and wretched estate, to see the danger wherein he stands: As the Prophet y 2 King. 6.20. opened the eyes of the Syrians, and let them see they were in Samaria, in the hands of their enemies. Thus Christ awakens man, opens the eyes of man's understanding, and makes him see himself in the hands of Satan, lead away captive by him at his will, in the gall of bitterness, and under the bond of iniquity, poor, blind, naked, miserable and wretched; Christ makes him see the necessity he hath of his righteousness to justify him, of his power to deliver him, of his intercession to reconcile God unto him, and of his fullness to fill him. Thus when Christ intended to live in Paul, he first awakened him out of his spiritual sleep and slumber, he made him see himself: I was z Rom. 7.9. alive once (saith he) without the Law, I was once ignorant of the Law, I was blind, and knew not the meaning of the law, I thought myself to be a living man in God's family, a shining star in the firmament of God's Church, and a fruitful vine in the Lord's vineyard, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; when Christ awakened me, opened my eyes, and enabled me to discern a right of the commandment, than I saw I was under the dominion of sin, as a dead man is under the dominion of death, wholly possessed by sin, as the dead by death. Man hath first the sense of his being dead in sin before he hath the sense of Christ living in him; Christ makes man to know his misery by sin, before he knows his happiness by Christ; Christ lives not where the soul is not awakened, where the eyes of the understanding are not opened; therefore a Eph. 5.14. awake (saith the Apostle) thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 2. By humbling Man. 2. Christ intending to live in man doth humble man, and causeth man to die to sin: Saul first died before David reigned in Israel: The death of sin in order of divine operation, precedes the life of Christ, and his grace in the soul of man; first we are buried with Christ, and then we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life; first we are planted into the likeness of Christ's b Rom. 6. death, and then into the likeness of his resurrection Christ therefore in the dispensation of spiritual life, doth first kill, and then make alive, first wound, and then heal; he makes man sensible of his sin, as of a heavy burden, before he doth ease him, as of a body of death, before he doth raise him, as of a mortal disease before he doth cure him; he chargeth sin upon the conscience of man, he sets it upon him, to pursue and follow him, as the avenger of blood under the Law pursued the malefactor. The Lord let loose Pharaoh and the Egyptians upon Israel to impose heavy burdens upon them, to deal hardly with them, to beat and scourge them, to pursue and follow them, when he intended to set them free from Egypt: Christ lets loose Satan and corruption upon man, to tempt and vex, to accuse and torment man, when he intends to free man, to restore spiritual life and liberty unto man. The Israelites were first led into the red Sea, and the Egyptians there drowned, before Israel triumphed; Man is led into a sea of grief and sorrow for sin, and his sin there drowned, and then he triumpheth in Christ, than Christ lives in him, and he in Christ. When Christ therefore doth humble man as he c Acts 9 cast Paul to the earth, emptieth man of all thought of his own worth, and makes man abhor himself below the dust, causeth man with the Jews at Peter's Sermon to cry out, d Acts 2.37. men and brethren what shall we do; to accuse and condemn themselves, to loathe that sin as a e Isa. 30.22. menstruous clout, which was formerly worn by them as a garment of great choice, to f job 20.15. vomit up that sin (it is Jobs expression) as the gall of Asps, which he formerly kept in his mouth, and swallowed down like sweet meat; to hate his sin more than ever he loved it, and to thrust it out of the doors of his heart, as Amnon hated Thamar more than ever he loved her, and thrust her out of his house. When Christ doth thus humble man, thus set the heart of man against sin, and mortify sin in man, 2 Sam. 13.15. than Christ begins to live in man. When a man pulls down a house that is ruinous and unhabitable, and begins to lay a new foundation, than we know he usually intends to dwell and live there. Thus when Christ pulls down the old man, a ruinous and unhabitable dwelling, unfit to entertain Christ; when Christ pulls down our pride, when our old man (as S. Paul speaks) is crucified with Christ, when all high thoughts are cast down, and Christ hath laid another, a new foundation of self-denial and true humility, than Christ means to dwell there, then undoubtedly Christ begins to live there. 3. 3 By putting a restlessness into the heart of Man. Christ beginning to live in man puts a restlessness into the heart of man in his natural and corrupt estate, makes him out of love with himself, fills him with dislike of his own ways and works, alienates and takes him off from creature, and works him to an earnest longing after Christ, as the chased Hart panteth after the water-brookes, g Psal. 4●. 1. being chased and frighted with the sense of his sin, and the hideous noise of his guilty, accusing and tormenting conscience; he begins to think of Christ, to betake himself to Christ, for comfort, pardon and salvation, as the guilty malefactor under the Law, being pursued by the avenger of blood, betook himself to the City of Refuge for shelter and defence, now his soul● followeth hard after Christ, h Psal. 62.8. now he prizeth interest in Christ far above interest in the creature, now he would take Christ upon any terms, he would gladly leave all for Christ, he sees there is no other Physician can heal him, no other surety can make satisfaction for him, no other shield and buckler can protect him, no other friend can comfort him; and therefore he flies to Christ, as Joah to the horns of the Altar; he presseth after Christ, labours to lay hold on Christ, as the diseased woman did, whom no Physician could cure; and as there went a i Mar. 5. virtue out from Christ, that healed her bloody issue, when she touched the hem of Christ's garment, so there goes a virtue out from Christ, healing and enlivening the soul, longing after Christ, and touching Christ by faith, though it may seem to be but weakly and afar off: For as when the iron comes near the loadstone, there goes a virtue from the loadstone, that moves and draws the iron to it: so when man comes near Christ, in hearing, in prayer, in humiliation and earnest longing, there goes a virtue from Christ, which moves, enlivens, and draws the soul of man home to Christ, and Christ begins to live in man, to sustain and strengthen the soul of man. 4. By a Revelation of Christ in Man. 4. Christ beginning to live in man, there is a revelation of Jesus Christ in the soul of man. The Son of God (as S. Paul speaks) is k Gal. 1.15. revealed in man. There goes a light forth from the Sun in the Firmament which reveals the Sun to the eye of man, and there goes forth a spiritual and heavenly light from the Sun of Righteousness into the soul of man, which reveals Christ unto man; which the Apostle calls a l 2 Cor. 4.6. shining of Christ into our hearts. Christ revealing himself unto the soul, as the only Saviour ministering salvation to the soul, as the only Prophet instructing man, and filling him with heavenly knowledge, as the only Jordan, bathing and cleansing the soul from sin, as the only Prince of Peace, sweetly and powerfully ruling in the heart of man, and graciously reconciling God and man, as the only beloved Husband, marrying himself to man, as the only precious pearl, in whom is all the treasure of the soul of man, as the only rock, in whom is all the strength of man, and by whom man is supported, as the only rich and royal robe, by whom man's sin is covered, and the soul of man justified; and as the only fountain, in whom man meets with fullness of satisfaction; and where Christ is thus revealed, there he liveth. This Revelation of Christ in man ministers life and comfort unto man. 5. By changing Man. 5. Christ beginning to live in man doth very powerfully and graciously change and reform man; he doth cause his Gospel to come to man not in m ● Thes. 1.5. word only but in power also, humbling man, breaking and bruising the stony heart, ploughing up the fallow ground of man's heart, making it of barren to become good ground, causing the choicest plants of his grace, and fruits of righteousness to grow there. Christ doth not only proffer his grace, and stir up good desires and purposes, but he infuseth supernatural qualities of holiness into the soul of man; he makes him a new creature, causing old things to pass away, and making all things become new; he puts not a form, but a power of godliness into man; he dies the heart in grain with grace and holiness; he makes him a living man indeed for his life and power of grace, for his unfeigned love to God, for his burning zeal for God, for his gracious progress in the ways of God, for his sweet and blessed delight in God, and for his full and through conformity to the will of God: Christ causeth his Spirit to come upon him mightily, as it came upon n jud. 14. Samson, enabling him to overcome the Devil, the world and his own corruption, as the Spirit enabled Samson to overcome the Lion, transforming man into the Image and likeness of God, not as the Devil transformed himself into the Image and likeness of Samuel, remaining a Devil still; but as Christ o john 5. turned water into wine, graciously changing the qualities of man, making him of a dead a living man, of proud humble, of ignorant wise, of obstinate soft and tender hearted, of profane holy, of cold fervent, of barren fruitful, of weak and impotent, untoward and indisposed, he makes him strong and able, apt and ready to every good duty, and this is the manner of Christ's living in man. CHAP. XXIII. Use. A Christians life the most noble life. DOth Christ live in man? Then the life of a Christian is the most noble and honourable life of all others: the life of sensible creatures is more excellent than the life of vegitive creatures; the life of reasonable creatures is more excellent than the life of sensible; the life of man is more noble than the life of beasts; but the life of spiritual and sanctified persons is more excellent than the life of reasonable creatures; the life of a true Christian surpasseth the life of man, as far as the life of man surpasseth the life of beasts. Saul was in stature head and shoulders above the residue of the people. The life of grace is head and shoulders in dignity, worth and excellency above all other lives; this is the life of Christ, a living of Christ in man; and as Christ is infinitely more excellent than man, so doth this life exceedingly transcend the life of man, called the p Eph. 4.18. life of God, in regard of the cause efficient, God working it by his holy Spirit; in regard of precept, God commanding it; in regard of approbation, God accepting and approving it; in regard of nobleness and dignity, as the life of God is more excellent than the life of the creature, so is this life the most honourable, sweetest and choicest life communicable to any creature; and in regard of likeness with God, holy and gracious resemblance of God; he that lives the life of man is like man, participates of the nature of man; he that lives the life of grace is like God, is made partaker, as S. Peter speaks, of the divine q 2 Pet. 1.4. nature, not in respect of essence, but in respect of holy and gracious qualities: he that lives the life of grace cometh nighest unto God, participates most of God's fullness, Christian life honourable. and hath nearest and sweetest communion with God of all persons. And this life is indeed a very honourable and noble life. 1. Original. 1. For the Original of it, it is not from nature, but from grace, not from man, but from the Spirit, it is the Spirit that r joh. 6.63. quickeneth: It is a beam from the brightest Sun, even Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousness: I (saith Christ) am the bread of life come down from Heaven, if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever. It is a stream from the highest and purest fountain, the Spirit of grace, becoming in the soul of man a well of s joh 4.14. water springing up into everlasting life. 2. In regard of the nature of it, a spiritual life, 2. Nature. a life of holiness and righteousness; a life surpassing the life of nature, as the Sun the Glow-worm, as the Vine the bramble; and they that live this life are said to t Rom. 6.4. walk in newness of life: Having a new-birth, being borne again, and having new principles and qualities put into them by the Spirit of God; the Lord according to his promise, putting a u Ezek. 11.19. new heart into them; their souls being renewed and changed, not in substance, but in qualities, framed a new after God in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness, made w 2 Cor. 5.17. new creatures, and leading a conversation pure, and unblameable in the sight of God, and that life which is most full of grace and holiness, is of all lives the most noble and glorious. 3. In regard of the rarity of it; 3. Rarity. few men live this life, the whole world (as S. John saith) lies in wickedness, dead in sins and trespasses, as the old world lay drowned in the deluge, only Noah and his Family, a few persons lived in the Ark; it is but a little remnant, x jer. 3.14. one of a city and two of a Tribe, as the Prophet speaks, that live this life. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way (saith Christ) which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. A godly person is a rare jewel; God dispenceth the life of grace only to his chosen: Christ in the days of his flesh raised not all the dead to life, but only a few, one now and another then: thus Christ in the day of the Gospel, doth not quicken all, but a few, one here, and another there: the number of them, that profess themselves Christians, is indeed very great, but the number of them in whom Christ lives is very small, the greatest part, like the Angel of the Church of Sardis, having a y Rev. 3.1. name that they live, and yet are dead, the outward form and show of Christianity is very frequent, but the life, power and practise very rare. 4. Pleasantness. 4. In regard of the sweetness and pleasantness of this life. Christ living in the soul of man is the choicest joy of man, The light (saith Solomon) is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sun; the light of Christ is sweet to the soul, the beholding of the Sun of righteousness living in man is very pleasant unto man; the heart of old Jacob revived, hearing that his son Joseph lived; the sense and feeling of Christ living in man, is a sweet and powerful reviving of the heart of man. Christ is the Prince of peace, and where he lives there is sweet and sure peace. Christ is the Paradise of all comforts, he that enjoys Christ hath strong consolation; where Christ liveth, the wounds of the soul are healed, the adversaries of the soul are vanquished, the sins of the soul are purged, the stormy tempest of the conscience is appeased, the clouds of sorrow which darkened the soul are dispelled, spiritual liberty is restored, forgiveness of sin is sealed, sense of Gods love communicated, and the soul graciously reconciled unto God: all other life is bitter and unsavoury as death, in comparison of a holy and gracious life. 5. Exaltation. 5. In regard of that estate and condition, whereinto this life doth exalt and advance man; Christ living in man makes man a child of God by adoption, a spiritual freeman, a glorious Conqueror over Satan, himself and the world, a living member of that mystical body whereof Christ is the head, a King and Priest to God, and an heir of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the Heavens; no crown doth so honour man as his Sanctification; man is more to be esteemed for his holy walking, then for the highest honour the Earth is able to confer upon him; it is not man's natural, but his new-birth that makes him truly noble; though holiness, through men's ignorance and profaneness, be of no esteem with men, yet is this the prime advancer of man. 6. Lowness of man's estate without this life. 6. In regard of that lowness and baseness of spirit from which this life doth free man: man in his natural estate is very basely minded, very dishonourably disposed, like the decrepit woman in the Gospel, he is altogether bowed down, and wholly bend to the things which are here below, minding only things earthly, wallowing like a Swine in the dirt and mire of the world, and fleshly lusts; but when Christ lives in man, when he puts the life of grace into man, he ennobles the heart of man, communicates a heavenly disposition to him, and puts the whole man into a heavenly frame, and sets his heart to seek the things which are above, he raiseth his heart, his thoughts, his desires to the love, meditation and seeking of things spiritual, as he raised the body of Lazarus from the grave: he makes man to look upon the world, as upon a z Pro. 23.5. Phil. 3.8. thing of nought, to repute all the fullness of the Earth as dung and dross in comparison of Christ, to leave all and follow Christ, as Elisha left his yokes of Oxen and followed Elijah; having Christ living in him, he minds Christ, adheres to Christ, pursues and follows after Christ, makes Christ his crown and portion: he hath an a Numb 14.24. Heb. 1●. excellent Spirit, like the Spirit of Christ, contemning the glory of the world, as Christ contemned it, with Moses reputing the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; despising all the proffers and persuasions of the Earth, not regarding all the cominations of the world; he chooseth rather with the three children to walk with Christ in the fiery b Dan 3. furnace, then to live without Christ in the choicest earthly palace. He had rather be nailed with Christ to the cross, then set with Herod upon the throne. He saith to the men of the world, as Abraham in another case to the King of Sodom; give me the persons, take thou the substance, give me Christ, take ye the world, give me things heavenly and eternal, take ye things earthly and temporal. He that hath Christ living in him reputes the world as nothing, Christ is both his crown, joy and portion. 7. In regard of their honourable walking, 7. Honourable walking. Gal. 5.25. who have Christ living in them, they ᶜ walk in the Spirit, saith the Apostle; the Spirit moves and guides them to walk according to that rule which the Spirit hath in the word proposed to them, the Spirit makes their hearts within and lives without suitable to that holiness which the law prescribeth, they walk in the power of the Spirit quickening and assisting them; in the light of the Spirit directing them; in the motion of the Spirit exciting them; and in the operation of the Spirit, enlarging their hearts with the knowledge of God, faith in God, love to God, and with the sense and feeling of God's goodness towards them, and in the testimony and evidence of the Spirit, sealing up the forgiveness of their sins unto them; as the soul is not idle, but operative in the body, distributing sense, and motion to every member of the body: So the Spirit of Christ, in them, in whom Christ lives, is not idle, but operative, manifesting itself in the fruits and effects thereof; the soul enables man to humane works and services, the Spirit of Christ living in man enables man to spiritual duties and exercises, to shine as a light in the midst of the froward generation among whom he lives; to walk as a child of light, with Zachary and Elizabeth to walk in all the Commandments of God and be blameless; and this is the honour and crown of a Christians life, to walk as beseemeth the Gospel, to walk worthy of God, and his Christian and holy calling; he is most honourable who expresseth most holiness in his conversation. 8. In regard of the term whereunto they live, who have Christ living in them; carnal men who are aliens to the life of God and Christ, live to a very low, ignoble and base term, they live to the world, minding and intending the world, conforming themselves to the example, custom and fashion of the world, they serve d Mat. 6.24. Mammon and not God; to this they live as servants to the Master whom they serve: they live unto themselves and their own lusts, walking after their own imaginations, proposing their own by and base ends, doing all things for themselves, for their own profit, pleasure and applause, they serve their e Rom. 16. own belly, and not the Lord Jesus; they live to Satan, not doing the will of God, but the f joh. 8.44. lust of the Devil, as Christ speaks, and this is the shame and dishovour of the life of man, to live to live to such low, by and base ends as these; but they who have Christ living in them, do live unto God, intending God, making God and his praise, the supreme end of their living; as a wife liveth to her husband, bringing forth children to her husband; a vine liveth to the Master of the vineyard, bringing forth his fruit to him; and a flock liveth to him that is the Master of the flock, yielding all their increase to him that owns them: thus these men live to God, bringing forth all their fruit and increase to God: Whether we live (saith the Apostle) we live g Rom. 14.8. unto the Lord, or whether we die we die unto the Lord, whither we live therefore or die we are the Lords: They live unto the Lord, 1. Living to God what? Acknowledging themselves not to be their own, or under their own power, but to be Christ's as his proper and peculiar people. 2. By receiving all their direction from Christ, and not walking after their own imagination, taking Christ's word, as the Israelites did the fiery pillar, and the wise men the star, to conduct them in all their goings. 3. By surrendering themselves up to Christ, to do his and nor their own will; as servants to do the will of the Master with whom they are entered into covenant. 4. By making Christ their refuge, flying to him in their distresses, as servants to their Masters. 5. By minding Christ, and intending his glory in all that they do, even to the very end of their life, preferring Christ's honour above their own welfare, being willing to abase themselves, that they may exalt Christ: and as they live to Christ, so they die to Christ, acknowledging him to have the power of death in his hand, submitting with patience to the decree of Christ, touching both time and manner of their dissolution, being willing to glorify Christ by their death, resigning themselves wholly into the hands of Christ, when the hour of death comes upon them. It is the earnest desire and unfeigned endeavour of all gracious persons, both in life and death, to make the name of Christ glorious; looking beyond themselves to God and Christ Jesus in all their doings and sufferings. As they are endowed with noble principles within, in their inward man, so they have honourable ends without, in their external work: as their life is originally from Christ; so their motion is to Christ, he is the prime object of their intendment, as they have their use from him, so they live unto him; and this is the honour of the life of a Christian, to live to Christ. What is the honour of a wife's life? but to live to her husband, and not to strangers: What is the honour of a servants life? but to live to his Master in the faithful discharge of his office. And what is the honour of a Christians life? but to live to Christ, and not to his own corrupt affections; doubtless every man's life is more or less honourable and glorious, as he lives more or less to God and the Lord Jesus: And thus it appears that their life in whom Christ lives, is of the lives of all people, the most excellent and honourable: Their life is glorious in prosperity, by walking humbly in the midst of their abundance; in adversity, by walking patiently in all their sufferings: In temptation, by walking beleevingly, resting upon God with a firm and sure confidence; In opposition, by walking courageously, holding fast their profession of Christ Jesus: In losses, by walking joyfully, knowing they have an abiding substance in Heaven; In all estates and conditions, by walking holily and circumspectly, shining like the light more and more to the day of their perfection. CHAP. XXIIII. BUt if their life in whom Christ lives, be of all lives the most honourable and glorious; how cometh it to pass that such people as live this life are often in outward appearance of all others the most ignominious and dishonourable. I answer it so comes to pass. 1. Causes of the obscurity of holy life opened. By reason of the secrecy and spirituality of their life: their life is a hidden life, it is hid with h Col. 3. Christ in God, saith the Apostle, as the life of the branch in the winter is hidden in the root, and hath little appearance in the branch; thus the glory of a Christians life, is hidden in God, the outward splendour and beauty thereof, many times appears not; Beloved (saith S. John) now we are the sons of God, we have now a very blessed and glorious life with God; but it doth not yet i 1 joh. 3.1, 2. appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him; the flower hath a glorious life surpassing Solomon in all his royalty, yet in the winter, it is hidden under the Earth, but when the vernal Sun appears, than the flower appears in her beauty; thus when Christ who is our life shall appear, Mat. 6. then shall we appear with him in glory, though our life be now hidden in obscurity. 2. This comes to pass through the ignorance of carnal men; 2. Ignorance. the blind man sees not the glory of the Sun, the carnal man by reason of his spiritual blindness, sees not the glory of a Christians life. Christ had meat and drink which the Disciples knew not, the true Christian hath a life, and in that life an honour, and a glory which the carnal man discerns not; The natural man (saith S. Paul) receiveth k 1 Cor. 2.14. not the things of the Spirit of God, they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned: carnal men through their ignorance repute that the foulest shame of man, which is indeed the choicest glory of man; holiness the special workmanship of the Spirit of God upon man, the brightest star shining in the firmament of man's soul, the richest and most orient pearl in the Cabinet of man's heart, is looked on, and censured by corrupt and carnal man, as the only disgrace and shame of man; speaking l 2 Pet. 2.12. evil (as S. Peter saith) of the things which they understand not. 3. 3. Reproach. It so comes to pass through the disgrace and reproach which is cast upon them that live the life of grace: holiness hath ever been cumbered with the foulest traducements. Scandalous mouths have ever been most shamefully open against such as have been most holy in their conversation; the best men have ever had the worst report. Christ surpassed all in holiness as the Sun the candle in brightness, and who ever was equal to him in reproaches, they said of him that he was a friend of m Man. 12. Publicans and sinners, that he had a Devil, was mad, and that by Belzebub the Prince of the Devils he cast out Devils; and Christ foretold his Disciples that men should revile them and persecute them, and say all n Mat. 5. manner of evil saying against them falsely for his sake: It is not some, but all manner of evil saying, which is heaped upon God's children; the ways and workers of godliness are l●aden with innumerable reproaches, as the smoke out of the bottomless pit in the Revelation did darken the o Rev. 9 Sun and the air; so do the smoky scandals of carnal men, whose throat is an open Sepulchre, obscure and darken the names, persons and lives of God's servants; he that departs from iniquity making himself a prey, as the Prophet of old spoke, a prey to the thoughts of men secretly to censure him, a prey to the hands of men to oppress him, and a prey to the tongues of men to traduce him, and the honour and glory of the lives of God's children is much obscured through the scandals which always are cast upon them. 4 Corruption remaining. 4. This likewise comes to pass through some corruption yet remaining in God's children; through some failings wherewith they are sometimes over-taken; though Christ live in them, yet they are not so full of life, but that there is some sin, like a disease, or evil humour in a living body, abiding in them, they have an Esau as well as a Jaacob in their womb, some tares of sin growing with the wheat of grace in the field of their hearts; they carry a p 2 Cor. 1●. prick of imbred corruption in their flesh, and this lusteth against the spirit, against their regenerate part, as the Amalekites fought against Joshuah, and sometimes it foils them, as they sometime prevailed over Joshuah; and as an inward evil humour sometimes breaks out into an open ulcer, so doth this hidden and remaining corruption, sometimes vent and show itself in some open failing, as in Job, David, Jeremy, Peter, and the choicest of God's servants; and as one ulcer doth much obscure the beauty of the face, so one failing doth much eclipse and darken the glory of the conversation of God's children; if a child of God keep not himself q jam. 1.26. unspotted of the world, if he fail but a little, the world will blot and blaze his name all over, if they espy but a little spot now and then in him, they will report and proclaim him as one that is leprous all over. Misjudging. 5. This also cometh thus to pass, through men's misprision and misinterpretation of the ways and works of God's children: Their eyes are blood shot, they behold the doings of God's servants in a false glass, and they appear unto them in contrary colours, and as Hanuns servants misinterpreted David's r 2 Sam. 10. kindness, and handled his men as spies, who were sent as comforters; thus they misinterpret the doings of the righteous and censure their knowledge as error, their piety as hypocrisy, their zeal as frenzy, their attendance on God's ordinances as idleness, their sacred meetings as confederacies and combinations, their works of mercy as works of ostentation and vainglory; such as are farthest from sincerity, and the greatest deceivers, are most ready to charge hypocrisy upon others; such as are least industrious to examine their own hearts are usually the severest censurers of other men's lives, and thus they change the clear and shining day of a godly man's life, into an obscure and dark night, 1 Sam. 17.28. calling evil good, and good evil, putting light for darkness and darkness for light, as we may see in David, Paul and others. 6 Base outside 6. This likewise is so, by reason of the base outside of God's children: They in whom Christ lives are for the most part of low estate and slender reputation in the eye of the world, Christ at first was borne of a Virgin, espoused to a Carpenter, her condition no way conspicuous and glorious in the eyes of men, and Christ is now for the most part form again in the hearts of men, far from all external pomp and glory, God having chosen poor things and base things, 1 Cor. 1. and things which are not, to confound the things which are, and the poor (saith Christ) receive the Gospel, and blessed is he that is not offended in me, that doth not stumble and take offence at me, by reason of the low and slender estate of them that receive and embrace me preached in the Gospel. And the Prophet hath told us long since that God's people are an afflicted poor people; and this doth much obscure the honourableness of their life, in the eye of the world, who usually judge nothing excellent and honourable, but that which is externally pompous and glorious, as we see by experience both in Christ and his members, Mat. 13.55. joh. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. joh. 7.48, 49. 7. Lastly, thus it likewise cometh to pass, through the manifold afflictions which attend the righteous; they in whom Christ lives are hated of the world, persecuted by the men of the Earth and pursued with many troubles, walking like the Israelites through the red Sea of many afflictions, destitute, afflicted, tormented in Sheep's and Goates-skinnes, in Caves and in Dens; Killed all the day long, and accounted as Sheep for the slaughter, as the Psalmist speaks, and these afflictions are a great darkening of the glory of their life in the eyes of the World, as the clouds darken the Sun in the eyes of men, continuing in itself bright and beautiful. CHAP. XXV. DOth Christ live in the souls of God's children? 2. Life of God's children a cheerful life. then the life of God's children is of all the lives of men, the most joyful and cheerful, the most pleasant and comfortable. The Sun is the joy and comfort of the world; Christ the Sun of Righteousness is the glory, joy and comfort of the soul: The more fully and powerfully Christ liveth in man, the greater is the joy of man; Luk. 2.10. Christ's coming unto man is tidings of great joy, Behold (said the Angel) I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people, for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. This is great joy for the Author, matter, quality, quantity and duration of it: All joy is but heaviness to the having of Christ living in us, purging our corruptions, pardoning our offences, filling us with all heavenly blessings, and sweetly and powerfully ruling over us: 1 Sam. 4 5. The coming of the Ark ministered such joy to Israel, that they gave a shout, which made the earth to ring; how much more doth the coming of Christ in the Gospel, and ministration of spiritual life to Gods chosen, make them joyous and comfortable, witness the men of Samaria, of whom it is recorded, that upon Philip's preaching the Gospel to them, the ejection of Satan, and consequently Christ's beginning to live within them, there was great joy in that City: Acts 8.8. Where Christ lives is joy of 1. Life. And all joy and gladness doth indeed accompany Christ's living in man. 1. Where Christ lives, there is the joy of life, of spiritual life, of the life of God, a life in respect whereof all other life is but death; and therefore as the Father of the Prodigal said to his servants, Luk. 15. bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry, for this my Son was dead and is alive, he was lost and is found. Thus the man in whom Christ lives, hath great cause to be merry, because his soul was dead and is alive, was lost and is found 2. Where Christ lives, there is joy of Light. 2. Light. The Sun fills the air with temporal light; Christ fills the soul with spiritual light, with all knowledge and wisdom, and spiritual understanding: And as the beholding of the Star filled the wise men with exceeding great joy; so doth the shining of Christ into the soul of man fill man with great joy and rejoicing. Mat. 2.10. 3 Liberty. john 11.44. 3. Where Christ lives, there is the joy of liberty; Christ restoring life to Lazarus set him free from the grave, and from the fellowship of the dead, his eyes were free to see, his ears to hear, his tongue to speak, his hands to work, and his feet to walk; Christ living in man makes man free from the death of sin, from carnal fellowship with them that are dead in sin; he makes him free in his understanding to know God, in his thoughts to meditate upon God, in his memory to remember God, and in his affections to believe in God, to love God, and to walk in the ways of God; Exod. 15. And this liberty ministers to the soul as great a cause of rejoicing, as ever Israel conceived upon their freedom from the Egyptians. 4. Victory. 4. Where Christ lives, there is the joy of victory. When David came into the Israelitish army he gave them victory over Goliath and all the Philistines, they all fled; when Christ comes into, and lives in the soul of man, he overcomes Satan, he dissolves his works, he casts that strong man out, he subdues all the corruptions that are in man: They that are Christ's (saith Saint Paul) have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts; they have gotten a blessed and honourable victory over Satan, themselves, and the world; a victory ministering to them greater cause of rejoicing, than Israel had, when they gave a shout for their victory over the Philistines. 5. Regeneration 5. Where Christ lives, there is the joy of regeneration, adoption and sanctification Christ makes us the sons and daughters of God, the friends and lovers of God, who were aliens and enemies to God; he makes us clean who were defiled; he abolisheth the character and stamp of Satan, and engraves the Image of God on our souls; he like a refiners fire, and fullers soap, puts away the spot and dross of our sin, purifying and purging us as gold and silver, that we may offer to the Lord an offering of righteousness: And this affords us matter of greater rejoicing than Naaman had upon his being cleansed from his leprosy in Jordan: Rejoice not in this (saith Christ) that the spirits are made subject unto you, but rather rejoice in this, that your names are written in Heaven, that you have a name with God, that you are by adoption the children of God, that you are sanctified and cleansed from your sins: The work of holiness ministers more joy to God's servants, than the gift of working miracles; there is more comfort ariseth from the subiugation of our corrupt affections, 6. Riches. then from having all the world put under us. 6. Where Christ lives there is the joy of riches, he cannot be poor and miserable that hath Christ living in him, Christ is unsearchable riches, as Gideon said of Ephraim the glean of Ephraim are better than the vintage of Abiez●r: so the glean, the smallest gatherings of Christ, are better than the vintage, than the greatest abundance of the world. Christ's spiritual gifts and graces are the choicest of all riches; all the riches of the world are but straw and stubble to this pearl; he that hath this hath cause of holy glorying & rejoicing in his wealth, as the Merchant in the Parable had joy upon the finding of the precious pearl: The rich man in Saint Luke having pulled down his barns, builded them greater, and filled them with worldly store, Luke 15. bid his soul (though upon weak grounds) eat, drink and be merry, because he had goods enough laid up for many years. The man that hath pulled down his lusts, new built his heart, and received Christ to live and dwell there, may upon better grounds bid his soul eat, drink and be merry; for having Christ he hath a full and an abiding substance, he hath treasure enough for ever. 7. Peace. 7. Where Christ lives, there is the joy of peace, reconciliation, and sweet communion; he brings us nigh to God, as Joseph brought his brethren nigh to Pharaoh; he makes God a father and friend to us; he causeth the face of God to shine upon us more comfortably than Sun, and filleth us with that peace which passeth all understanding, and thus he makes the life of them in whom he lives a very sweet and pleasant life, a life of choicest comforts, a life for delights, surpassing the lives of rich men, Nobles, Conquerors, and all pleasure-hunters, as the Paradise doth surpass the wilderness, and the glorious Sun the rotten gloeworme. But you will say if their life in whom Christ lives, be such a sweet and pleasant, such a joyous and comfortable life, whence is it that many of them in whom Christ lives, are so sad and sorrowful, and of all others many times in outward appearance the most uncomfortable livers? Grounds or cause, of sorrow in God's children. 1. Remaining corruption. I answer, the sorrow and sadness of them in whom Christ lives ariseth: 1. From the corruption which yet remains in them: Diseases in the body though they do not destroy the body, yet they now and then abate and hinder the comfort of bodily life: Clouds in the air though they do not abolish the Sun, yet they hinder the light of the Sun, and darken the air. Thus corruption in them that live the life of grace, though they do not destroy and abolish this holy life, yet they many times abate the comfort of it, obscure and darken Christ's living in man, and until they are overcome and dispelled, they minister occasion of sorrow and sadness to the souls of God's children, causing them with David to complain of them as of a heavy burden; and with Paul to cry out, O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death. Where Christ lives there is joy, because the life of grace hath there an inchoation; there is sorrow, because sin hath not yet it's complete dissolution, and perfect burial. Israel had joy in their victory over the land of Canaan; they had sorrow, because some Canaanites yet remained among them: The children of God have much joy from their spiritual conquest, though somewhat sadded by their fleshly oppositions. 2. Aberrations 2. This ariseth from some particular aberrations of God's children, of which they are sometime guilty; sometimes they step aside from God's way, their hearts hang loose, and cleave not close to God, Satan gets an advantage against them, and foils them; and as so ●e great fall takes away the sense and comfort of bodily life for the present: Thus God's children through some fall do lose the comfort of Christ living in them, Psal 51. and are very sorrowful, as a man whose bones are broken. 3. Satan's assaults. 3. This ariseth from some violent assault of Satan, God lets him lose upon them, to buffet them for their humiliation for sin past, or for excitation from security for the present, or for prevention for the time to come, and while this temptation lasteth, the joy of their spiritual life is eclipsed, as the joy of a rich man is darkened, while his house is besieged; the joy of a City is disturbed, while the siege against it lasteth; and as the joy of the Merchant in his rich treasure ceaseth, while the violent storm continueth: Though God's children have a rich treasure of grace, a blessed portion of spiritual wealth within them; yet the joy hereof is much abated for the present, by reason of Satan's violent temptation; God's children through the force and fury of the assault of Satan, are sometimes disabled to make a comfortable use of the gifts they have received. 4. Impieties of others. 4. This ariseth from the sinfulness and great impieties which they see in others among whom they live. The Lord's people have matter of sorrow and humiliation ministered to them, not only from their own sins, but also from the sins of other people; they see the name of God is dishonoured, the Christian profession is disgraced, the mouth of the common adversary is opened, the welfare of the Church is hazarded, the removal of the Gospel is threatened, and many punishments are inflicted, by the exorbitancies of many living within the Pale of the Church, and for this they are much grieved and very deeply humbled; 2 Pet. 2.8. their righteous soul with Lot is vexed from day to day with their unlawful deeds, Ps. 119.136. in seeing and hearing; and their eyes with David gush out with rivers of tears, because men keep not the Law of God; and with the marked ones in Ezekiel, Ezek. 9.4. they sigh and cry for all the abominations which are done in the Family, City, Congregation, and Kingdom whereof they are members; they are unworthy the name of Christians, who sorrow not for other men's impieties. 5. This ariseth from their prevision, preconsideration, 5 Foresight of future calamities. and foresight of future calamities. Noah foresaw the coming of the flood, and prepared an Ark; Joseph foresaw the coming of the famine, and accordingly made preparation; the skilful Mariners foresee the storm, and betake themselves unto the haven; Prov. 2●. 3. The wise man (saith Solomon) forseeth the evil, and hideth himself, humbleth himself, addresseth himself to God, makes his peace with God, and hides himself with the Lord: Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me (saith the Psalmist) for my soul trusteth in thee, Psal. 57 ●. yea in the shadow of thy wings will I hide myself until these calamities be overpast. He saw the rage of the adversary against him, their intendment of evil to him, their conspiracy and determination to take his life from him, he saw the absence of all humane help to assist him; and therefore he makes his petition unto God, humbles himself before him; and as the chickens betake themselves to the wings of the Hen, to hide them from the tempest, rain, wind and cold coming upon them: So did the Psalmist betake himself to the Lord, to the wisdom, power, truth, and goodness of God, as to the wings of protection; the clearer discerning men have of incumbent evils, the more effectually they apply themselves to God for future refuge; men's ignorance and inconsiderateness of future judgements, makes them obstinate in present impieties, taking no notice of the evil of sin, until the evil of punishment come upon them: The simple (saith Solomon) pass on, and are punished; but good men whose souls are sanctified, whose eyes are opened, see the rain of God's displeasure afar off in the clouds, and hide themselves from it. Elijah, seeing a little cloud arising out of the Sea like a man's hand, 1 King. 18.43, 44. bid his servant go up and say to Ahab, prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not, and Ahab road and went to Jezreel. The children of God discerning the wrath of God afar off, when it is but a little, even in the first appearance, prepare themselves by prayers and tears, confession, contrition, and humiliation, and make all haste to draw nigh to God, that they may be safe with the Lord, when the cloud of God's anger shall rain upon the earth. When I heard (saith Habakuk) the threaten of the Lord, H●b. 3.18. the dreadful judgements, the great destruction, and grievous desolation which God had appointed to bring upon the people, what then? how was he affected with the hearing of this: My belly (saith he) trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble, when he cometh up unto the people he will invade them with his troops. Here is a declaration of his great sorrow and humiliation at the hearing and foreseeing of a judgement yet to come; and here is the reason why he did it, and the fruit arising from it, even rest in the day of trouble, sweet and sure acquiescence in God, gracious and mighty protection under God, when the trouble foreseen should come. Although the figtree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no heard in the stalls: There is the great desolation and devastation of the land, all this notwithstanding the Prophet having humbled himself, is confident of comfort in this great distress: Yet (saith he) I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation; the Lord is my strength, my helper, my shield, my comforter; he shall make my feet like Hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places, making me secure and safe, comfortable and cheerful in the day of trouble. Unfeigned humiliation in the days of peace ministers great comfort and confidence in the hour of distress. He that sees the evil afar off, and is humbled, shall have comfort when the evil cometh. 6. This ariseth from the distress which Gods children see upon the Church of Christ; 6. Sense of Church's misery. they say not of the Church as Cain did of Ab●, am I my brothers, am I the Church's Keeper? they answer not the Church complaining in her afflictions, as sometimes the Priests and Elders answered Judas in his anguish, what is that to us, see thou to that; Mat. 27. but God's children have a sympathy and fellow-feeling of the troubles of their brethren; Amos 6. they are not of their number who are at ease in Zion, eating the Calves of the stall, drinking their wine in bowls, Amos 6. etc. but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph: But they like the members in the body natural, if one member suffer all the members suffer with it; weeping with them that weep; Heb. 13. remembering them that are in bonds, us bound with them, and them which suffer adversity, as being themselves in the body. Such is their love to the Church of Christ, such is their desire after, and pleasure in the Church's welfare; such is their conjunction with the Church, and their apprehension of the estate of the Church, that the Church's miseries are their sorrows. CHAP. XXVI. THe consideration of Christ's living in all God's children, may give us just occasion to examine ourselves, and to get good and clear evidence of Christ's living in our souls. This is the crown and comfort of a Christian to have Christ living in him: The more we are assured of this, the more sweet and comfortable will the meditation of Christ be unto us, and the greater our courage against all opposing powers, and the more cheerful shall we be in Christ's service. And this we shall discern. 1. Purity. 1. By the purity of our conversation. The order of our life without is suitable to the root and Principle of our life within; he that hath a humane soul, and life within him, doth outwardly walk, speak, and work as a man; he that hath Christ living in him, converseth, walketh, worketh, doth all things outwardly as a Christian, conformeth himself to Christ, is acted, moved and guided by Christ living in him, as the body is moved and guided by the soul living in the same: jer. 31.33. Christ living in him, writes his Law in his heart, new moulds, new fashions and frames his whole man, and makes it suitable to the Law, causing him to be holy in all manner of conversation as he that hath called him is holy, Rom. 6.11. making him alive to God; receiving all his direction from God, to be wholly subject unto God's will, totally devoted to God's service, to do every thing for God, and to intend God above himself, or any thing else; as Christ in the days of his flesh did all according to the Commandment his Father gave him, he sought not his own but his Father's honour. Thus he in whom Christ lives, makes God's word the rule that guides him, he seeks God and not himself, he purifieth himself as Christ is pure, and strives what in him lies, that he may approve himself to God by walking humbly and holily with God. 2. By man's invincibleness. He that hath Christ living in him is very victorious, even as Christ is victorious, 2. Invinciblenes Christ is his life, and as Christ is invincible, so is the life of Christ in them that are his, sin and Satan may now and then foil them, but can never extinguish the life of grace in them; because Christ who liveth in them is stronger than all that doth oppose them. 1 john 4.4. Ye are of God (saith Saint John) endowed with the life of God, and have overcome, because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Christ living in his children, is greater than Satan who lives in carnal men, and therefore they are invincible. 1 john 5.18. We know (saith the same Apostle) that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not, is not under the power of sin, gives no allowance to sin, makes not a trade of sin; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not, he keepeth himself; that which is proper unto God, is transferred to the children of God, and they are said to keep themselves who indeed are kept of God, being kept (as Saint Peter saith) through the power of God unto salvation, having Christ living in them, the whole armour of God put upon them, the gifts of the Spirit communicated to them, giving themselves to the study and practise of godliness, and being frequent and fervent in holy and humble supplication unto God, they are kept that the evil one doth not touch them, his temptations are resisted, he cannot extinguish the life of Christ in them, in all assaults, afflictions, temptations, and trials, they are more than Conquerors through Christ loving them, and living in them; Rom. 8.37. Christ sustains them in the deluge of affliction, as the Ark sustained Noah in the deluge of waters: And though they sometimes slip through the infirmity of the flesh, yet they grieve under the burden of their corruption, they are displeased with themselves, they depart not from the fear of the Lord, they recover and revive, they prevail as Joshuah over the Amalekites, they grow stronger and stronger like the house of David, they go forward like Israel in the way to Canaan, from strength to strength, until they appear before the Lord in Zion, they shine more and more, like the light unto the day of perfection; The longer Christ liveth in them, the more perfection of life is ministered to them. 3. Preservation from sin and the world. 3. By man's preserving and keeping himself from sin, and from the world. Life preserves the body from putrefaction, when the life is gone the body putrifies and rots; but whiles life is strong and vigorous in the body, the body is fresh and comely; Man without Christ doth putrify and rot in sin, he grows worse and worse; Rom. 6. Gal. 5. but Christ living in man, he is preserved from sin, sin doth not reign over him; they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and dusts, their souls are purified by Christ as the gold by the refiners fire, and the cloth by the Fuller's soap; they are kept by Christ as the Garden by the dresser, as the house by the dweller; they are purged from sin as the air is purged from clouds and vapours by the wind and Sun; they are washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 6. and by the Spirit of our God. Christ communicates spiritual health, and heavenly beauty to their souls, he purifies them to be a peculiar people to himself, he makes them shine as lights, he will not suffer sin to remain like a mortal wound or loathsome ulcer upon them; but he ministers spiritual healing to them by the wings of his ordinances outwardly, and of his grace inwardly. Secondly, they in whom Christ lives are preserved from the world; life enables man to lift up his body from the earth, to tread upon it with his foot; they in whom Christ lives have their conversation in Heaven, they mind the things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, they first seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof: This is the fountain after whose waters they thirst, the Sun in whose light they rejoice, the treasure with which they desire to be enriched, the thing which they desire suits with the quality and nature of their life; Christ living in them, they chiefly desire the things of Christ, their hearts and thoughts are taken off from the world, they prise it as a thing which is not, they undervalue it as dung and dross in comparison of Christ, and the things of Christ; and they use it as if they used it not, Like gideon's three hundred men, they lap a little, but bow not down to these waters; Christ doth marvellously ennoble their disposition in whom he lives, he will not suffer them to be carnally affected, nor worldly minded. The world is crucified to that man in whom Christ liveth. 4 Expulsion of what is contrary to Christ. 4. By man's oppugning and expelling out of himself whatsoever is contrary to Christ. It is the property of life to expel what is contrary to it, whatsoever doth oppose or prejudice it: The life of nature labours to the utmost the expulsion of diseases tending to the dissolution of nature, and the life of grace, or Christ living in man expels what is contrary to Christ, and to the life and work of grace. Such a man is sick of the least sin, he complains of it, he strives against it, the Law of his mind strives against the Law of his members; as Jacob strove against Esau: so doth the spiritual part in him strive against the carnal and fleshly part; and as the living fountain strives against, and works out the mud which falls into it, so doth he that hath Christ living in him, work out the vain thoughts which fall into his mind, and the carnal lusts which rise in his soul, and is never at rest until he hath cleared himself of them; as Sarah was at no rest until she had freed her house of the bondwoman, and her son. Nothing is so displeasing to him that lives the life of grace as that which displeaseth Christ, his choicest care is to keep his heart a clean house for Christ to dwell in, and to make his soul the plenary possession of Christ, that Christ may dwell and reign alone there; he allows himself in no sin, as a chaste wife allows of no strange lover in her heart; his soul is entire with Christ, hating what Christ hateth, loving what Christ loveth, expelling daily more and more whatsoever doth oppose Christ's kingdom within him; he is as impatient of sin in his soul, as of a moat in his eye, as a loyal Subject of a traitor in his house, as a King of a foreign enemy in his Kingdom. If sin do but once begin to show itself, he raiseth all his forces to drive it out, and is at no peace until he hath emptied himself thereof. 5 Embracement of what suits with Christ. 5. By man's assuming and taking to himself that which is most suitable, and best agreeing with Christ. Every life draws unto itself that which is most suitable, and most agreeable thereunto, on that it feeds, with that it is maintained, and therein it delights. Thus he that hath Christ living in him takes unto himself that which suits and agrees with Christ, in this he delights, on this his soul feeds: As his life is a spiritual life, so he draws to himself spiritual food, and exerciseth himself in spiritual duties; he desires like a new borne babe the sincere milk of the word, as his food, and to dwell in the house of the Lord, as in the banqueting house of his soul, where the ordinances of God are unto him, as a feast of marrow and of fat things, and of wines well refined upon the Lees: Nothing so fits and suits with the soul where Christ lives, as the word, and other ordinances of Christ; therefore such men desire this as their appointed food, pant after this as the chased Hart after the water-brooks, and long for it as the dry ground doth thirst for waters: This is the food which maintains the life of grace in their souls; this is that wherein their life delights itself as in its proper element; this is sweeter than the honey or the honeycomb; this is better than thousands of gold and silver; he hides it in his heart as good seed in good ground; he suffers it to work upon him, as fire upon the mettle, purifying him, and working a gracious change within him; he exerciseth himself in duties of godliness, he takes upon him Christ's yoke, applies himself to Christ's precept, walks in all the ordinances of Christ; he lives not to himself, but to the Lord; he delights himself in the meditation of Christ; the doing of Christ's will is his meat and drink, and thus drawing to himself what is most suitable and agreeable, most pleasant and delightful unto Christ, he makes it manifest that he lives by Christ living in him. 6 Thriving by ordinances. 6. By man's feeding, nourishing, and strengthening himself by the ordinances of Christ. The living man in whom is life and health doth not only eat, but gathers strength by his eating: The man in whom Christ lives, doth not only use the means of grace, but is perfected in grace by them: Many there are who are frequent in the use of God's ordinances, and yet for want of spiritual life, and an inward gracious digestive faculty, they are as a man in an Atrophy, that eats much, and yet is lean and meager, as if he had eat nothing; Like the lean Kine in Pharaohs dream, that eat up the fat, and yet were as lean and ill-favoured, as if they had not eaten at all, of whom Saint Paul saith, they are always learning, 2 Tim. 3.7. and yet never come to the knowledge of the truth; but they in whom Christ lives, do thrive by use of God's ordinances; 2 Pet. 3 18. they grow in grace, as a child by the mother's milk, as a field by the dew; they increase in knowledge, as a Scholar in learning; they wax strong in saith, as a Tree in roots; Rome 15.14. they grow fervent in love, as a fire in heat by the multiplication of wood; they abound and are full of goodness, as a Tree planted by the water's side, is green and flourishing, and full of fruit; and this is a comfortable argument and evidence of Christ living in us, when we thrive by the means of grace, and are filled with all those fruits of righteousness which are to the praise and glory of God in the day of Christ Jesus. 7. By the sweetness of Christ to the soul of man. 7 Sweetness of Christ to soul. Life is sweet to the living, Christ is more sweet to them in whom he lives; honours are sweet to the ambitious, pleasures to the voluptuous, and wealth to the covetous; Cant. 2.3. but Christ surpasseth all sweetness to them that are true Christians: As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood (saith the Spouse) so is my Beloved among the sons; I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. All the fruits of Christ's Prophesy, Priesthood, and Kingdom, his death, resurrection, and all the benefits of them communicated to the Spouse by the Gospel, on which she feedeth by faith, to the revivement and refreshing of her soul, are very sweet unto her. Christ is all sweetness to true believers; the knowledge of Christ is sweet to their understandings, as the light is sweet unto the eye; the meditation of Christ is sweet to their imagination, as the meditation of the husband is sweet unto the wife; the love of Christ is sweet unto their souls, as the wine is sweet unto the palate: The word of Christ is sweet unto their ears, as a joyful sound, his mouth is sweet and altogether lovely: Cant 5.16. The presence of Christ is sweet unto them, as the presence of the bridegroom unto the bride: The Spouse affirms of him, Cant. 5.13. that his cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers, and his lips like Lilies dropping sweet myrrh, declaring the surpassing sweetness, which believing and holy souls do find in Christ's manifestation of himself, and in the gifts and comforts which he communicates to them by the Gospel. The more clear and strong, sweet and comfortable apprehensions we have of Christ, the greater is our assurance of Christ's living in us. 8. Heavenly heat. 8. By the spiritual warmth and heavenly heat which man hath within him. Heat is an evidence of life, Christ warms the soul where he lives; they that have Christ living in them, are not like David in another case, having many clothes and no heat, much means of grace and no spiritual warmth; they are not like Hoseah's Cake half baked, nor like the Laodicean Angel neither hot nor cold; but as the flesh of the Shunamites child waxed warm when the Prophet spread himself upon him: 2 King 4. Thus their hearts in whom Christ liveth are heated, and warmed by the labour of the Prophet, by the Ministers opening and applying the word of life unto them, Luke 24.321 jer. 20.9. Mat. 3.11. their hearts burn within them, with indignation against sin, with love to God, and with zeal for God: The word is like fire in their bones, the whole man is set in a holy flame, they are baptised with the Holy-Ghost and with fire: The Holy-Ghost like fire enlightening and purging their souls, and warming them with holy and fervent love, making them fervent in prayer, and burning in spirit serving the Lord. All the duties they perform have a sacred fire mixed with them, a holy heat put into them, as the sacrifice under the Law was offered up with fire: Thus their whole service is no dead carcase without fire, but a burnt offering unto the Lord, they do all in love to God, and in zeal for God; holy men like Eliah, in their hearing, prayer, meditation, are carried in a fiery chariot; their religious exercises kindle a fire in them, which burns up their corruption like stubble, purifies their souls like silver, and puts their heart into a very sweet and gracious temper; lukewarmness is far from them that are enlivened by Christ Jesus; Mans deadness in the duties of godliness argues man's alienation from the life of Christ; Mans zeal for Christ is proportionable to the measure of life received from Christ; he doth in vain assume the name of a Christian, who joins not zeal to his profession: For as to him that desired to know what manner of man Basill was, there was presented in a dream a pillar of fire, with this Motto, talis est Basilius, such a one is Basill, and such in deed in some measure may be the Motto of every true Christian, because he that is enlivened by Christ, and hath his whole dependence upon Christ, and graciously filled by Christ's ministrations, he must of necessity have his thoughts taken up with Christ, and his heart burning with zeal for Christ. 9 By the price which man doth put upon Christ. 9 Christ prized. job ●. 4. 2 Sam. 18. Life is valued at a high rate, above all the residue of man's temporal possessions: The Devil could say, skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life. Christ to them, in whom he lives, is more dear than temporal life; he is the choicest of all their possessions; as the people esteemed David, so they esteem Christ better than all their thousands, whether honours, riches, liberty, life, or whatsoever else; he is to them in respect of all things else, as the Apple Tree among the Trees of the wood, as the Prince among the beggars, as the Sun among the gloe-wormes, as the jewel among the dross: Man that hath Christ living in him, so prizeth him, that he will sell all to enjoy him, as the Merchant did for the precious pearl, he will leave all to keep communion with him, as the bride to keep her fellowship with the bridegroom; Christ is to his apprehension the fairest of ten thousand, the Paradise wherein he is delighted, the crown with which he is honoured, and the fountain in whom his soul finds all satisfaction. 10. By man's care to keep Christ. 10 Care to keep Christ. Man is very careful to preserve his life, he contendeth much to maintain this, he will part with any thing rather than with his life. In like manner, a man that hath Christ living in him is very careful to keep Christ; he will endure any hardness rather th●n be deprived of Christ; he will lose his goods, his credit, his liberty, and his life rather than lose Christ; because Christ is the life of his life, Christ is the rock on whom he builds, the root by whom he lives, the royal Robe with which he is clothed, the precious pearl in which lies all his riches, the Paradise wherein grow all his comforts, the friend in whom he chiefly delighteth, and the husband with whom his soul is joined in everlasting wedlock; and therefore his greatest care is to keep Christ, he lays hold on Christ, as the woman of Shunem upon the Prophet, and will not be thrust away, as Joah on the Horns of the Altar, and will rather die then leave his holdfast on Christ; he resolves to be with Christ, as Ittai with David, whether in life or in death, whatsoever be his estate: Nothing is sweet and dear to him as Christ is, and therefore strives by prayer, hearing, conference, meditation, holy and humble walking, and the use of all holy means to keep Christ, neither loss nor gain, threatenings nor persuasions, Rom. 8.38. peace nor trouble, life nor death, can work him to a desertion of Christ. And in these particulars as in so many lively characters may we discern the living of Christ in us. CHAP. XXVII. Care to see Christ living in us. AS Christ lives in all God's children, so let all that profess Christ, and call God Father, see and discern Christ living in them. This is the crown and comfort of a Christian to have Christ living in him, and without this he hath but the naked and empty name of a Christian, like an Idol that hath the name of a man, and is no man, a name that he lives, and yet is dead: Feel Christ therefore living in your understanding, by prising the knowledge of Christ above all learning, by determining to know nothing in comparison of knowing Christ, and him crucified, by learning Christ as the truth is in him, being filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: Feel Christ living in your will, in making your will free to choose and embrace him and the things of God, to intend and will him and the glory of God above every thing, making his will the rule of your will, and fashioning and framing you to be a willing people, in and about his work and service: Feel him living in your imaginations, by thinking upon him with more frequency and delight, then of any other thing, by having more high, honourable, and sweeter apprehensions of Christ, then of all the creatures: Feel Christ living in your affections, by being rooted in Christ by a lively faith, as a Tree in the Earth; by fearing Christ above all earthly powers, as the Subject his Sovereign above all Civil Rulers; by loving him, as the Bride the Bridegroom, above all other persons; by rejoicing in him, as the rich man in his jewel above all the residue of his Substance: Feel him living in your members, by circumcising, and preparing your ears to hear with meekness and reverence, by returning to your tongues a pure language, that your speech may minister grace to the hearers, by restraining your eyes from beholding vanity, by disposing your hands to work that which is good, and by making your feet swift to every good duty; as you discern your soul living in your humane body, moving all the members to humane services; so discern Christ living in your bodily members, disposing, and framing them to religious duties: Feel Christ living in all your services, as the chief worker of them, and inabler of you to them, doing all in his name, by his assistance, and for his glory: Feel Christ living in the Prayer which you make, praying by the Spirit of Christ, in the name of Christ, and for the honour of Christ: Feel Christ living in the Word which you hear, making it an immortal seed to regenerate you, a sacred Fire to purge you, a heavenly Light to guide you, and a message of peace to comfort you: Feel Christ living in the Sacrament which you receive, making it a Celestial Manna feeding you; a Seal of Righteousness, assuring you of your Justification; an obligation binding you to new obedience, and a pledge of God's unchangeable love towards you: All holy Ordinances, if Christ live not in them, show not himself powerful by them, are but an empty shell without kernel, and a dry breast without milk, ministering no nourishment. All the Religious Duties we perform, if Christ live not in them, are but a Sacrifice without Fire, a dead Carcase, of no esteem with God: Our affections, if Christ live not in us are a chariot without wheels, they sink and fall unto the earth, they cannot incline nor move towards the Lord: All our best abilities, if Christ live not in them, are as standing Waters without a living Spring, they putrify, and rot, and prove unprofitable: If Christ live not in us, our knowledge is ignorance, our wisdom foolishness, our faith presumption, our love dissimulation, and our obedience no better than rebellion: If Christ live not in us, our understandings are blinded, and we cannot savingly know God; our will is enthralled, and we cannot intend God; our faith like Jeroboams arm is withered, and we cannot lay hold upon the promise of God: The whole sufficiency of a Christian is from Christ's living in him. Christ's living in man, makes him wise in discerning the things of God, sincere in intending the glory of God, powerful in withstanding what doth oppose him in the ways of God, fruitful in the work of God, meek and humble in submitting to the hand of God, faithful in keeping the Covenant of God, joyful in hearing the Word of God, fervent in invocation upon the Name of God, patient in waiting for the Comforts of the Lord, contented with the portion God giveth, constant in running the race which God hath set before him, and graciously persuaded of living the life of Glory for ever in Heaven. * ⁎ * MAN'S MISERY WITHOUT CHRIST. OPENING The sinful, perplexed, dishonourable, and Soul destroying Condition of Man without CHRIST, tending to the driving and drawing of every man out of himself unto CHRIST. By Alexander Grosse, B. D. Minister of the Gospel, and Pastor of Bridford near Exon in Devon-shire. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God, 2. Epist. joh. ver. 9 If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins, joh. 8.24. If any man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. LONDON, Printed by G. M. for John Bartlet, at the Sign of the Gilt Cup near Saint Augustine's Gate. 1642. MAN'S MISERY WITHOUT CHRIST OPENED. EPHES 2.12. At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. CHAP. I. Showing man's alienation from CHRIST, misery without CHRIST, and opening the scope of the words. ADam after his eating the forbidden fruit, was without the Garden of Eden, disabled to come to the tree of life; man feeding on the forbidden fruit of sin, is a stranger to the Paradise of all spiritual and heavenly comforts, wholly excluded from the true tree of life Christ Jesus. There is no sweet and gracious communion between the Lord Jesus, and carnal persons; The men of the old world were without the Ark, and perished in the deluge of waters; men who are in their old corrupt estate, who have not put off that old man which is corrupt according to divers lusts, are without Christ, and shall certainly perish in the deluge of their impieties, and the Lords vengeance; the fruition of Christ is man's happiness, man's crown and comfort; alienation from Christ is man's misery, man's shame and the souls great distraction and trouble: of all estates on Earth man's natural and corrupt condition is most wretched and miserable, a condition of death without spiritual life, of darkness without divine and heavenly light, of bondage without Christian freedom, of uncleanness without sanctification, of emptiness without all celestial fullness, of alienation without all comfortable communion with Christ, without all interest in Christ and his benefits, without either claim or title to Gods Promise, to Heaven or eternal happiness, an estate of exclusion from all holy and gracious society with God's children, an estate of profaneness without God, without the knowledge of God, without faith in God, without love to God, and without zeal for God; for at that time, in that estate and condition, We are without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Scope of the Apostle. The Apostle in these words declares and amplifies the miserable and wretched estate of man, the uncomfortable and dishonourable condition of the soul of man without Christ, without the knowledge of Christ, without faith in Christ, without incorporation into Christ, without participation of Christ and his benefits: Analysis. 5. fold alienation. 1. From Christ. And this misery and wretchedness of man, the Apostle doth open, set forth and amplify, by a fivefold alienation. 1. An alienation from Christ; at that time ye were without Christ. Christ was not preached to you, Christ was not known of you, Christ was not embraced, nor believed in by you; this is the first alienation and the ground of all the rest; He that is an alien to the Lord jesus is a stranger to all things appertaining to life and happiness; man's interest in Christ gives him interest in God and in all good things of God: there is no way for man to come to God and eternal happiness, but only by and through Christ Jesus; the neglect of Christ is the less of all. 2. An alienation from the Commonwealth of Israel, from that form of Religion and divine worship, which God had prescribed to the Israelitish people, they alone at that time having the oracles of God among them; Very miserable and shameful is carnal man's ignorance of God's worship and service; the carnal man's adoration is after the rules of his own invention, and not according to God's prescription, being a stranger both to God's Gospel and faithful people. 3. An alienation from the covenants of promise; the promise of the covenant of grace, the promise of remission of sin by the merit of Christ, and of regeneration and renovation of heart by the efficacy of Christ, belonged not to them. Man remaining under the power of corruption remains a stranger to the promise of Salvation; the promise of God's free and gracious wages, belongs only to Gods holy and gracious labourers; he that regards not God's commandment, hath nothing to do with the Promise of God's covenant, 4. An alienation from hope, the of hope eternal life, a hope arising from faith which they wanted. Carnal men's hopes of eternal happiness are very rotten, false and groundless; no truths, but mere fancies and vain imaginations: The estate of corruption is an estate of desperation. 5. Alienation from God, without God, Atheists in the esteem of God. That man hath nothing of God in him who doth not embrace Christ as the author of his salvation. Every man that lives under the power of profaneness is a very stranger to God in his way and work of grace and holiness. First of the first of these alienations, 1. Alienation. 1. Tempus. an alienation from Christ, At that time ye were without Christ: Wherein we have. 1. The time or season of their alienation or estrangement from Christ; at that time, when you were in your Paganism and profaneness, when you had not the Oracles of God among you, when you had not Christ preached to you, when you sat in darkness and the shadow of death, without light, when you lay dead in sins, without the life of grace, when you walked after your own lusts, and the vain imaginations of your own hearts: than ye were without Christ: The time and season of man's being without the Gospel and under the power of his corruption is of all times and seasons the most unhappy and miserable; Note. it is not the time of man's trouble & affliction, but the time of man's being left under the power of Satan and his own lusts, which is man's most wretched and accursed time; it is far better to be exercised with the greatest troubles, and filled with all sorts of sorrows, then to be left under the power of profaneness in a paradise of carnal pleasures; there is more wrath in being left under the dominion of one sin, then in being put under the burden of all afflictions. 2. Subjectum 2. Here is the Subject or parties alienated, ye; the Gentiles before the coming of Christ, and all men before their receiving of Christ by faith and love, all corrupt and carnal, unregenerate and unsanctified people, ye, without exception, of whatsoever outward condition or calling. Note. All men abiding under the power of their corruption are without exception miserable; no outward prerogatives and privileges can exempt reigning profaneness from ensuing woes and curses 3 Terminus à quo. 3. Here is the object and term of their alienation, from whom they were alienated, not from worldly riches, earthly fullness, humane helps and fleshly comforts, they might have enough of these; but they were alienated from Christ, the Sun and the shield, the fountain and the treasure; the paradise and the crown of the soul of man: they were without Christ; they were without him ecclesiastically and ministerially, Christ was not preached to them, they had not the Oracles of God amongst them, they had not the Ministers of Christ to instruct them; they were without Christ spiritually and efficiently. Christ did not enlighten and sanctify them: Christ did not communicate himself unto them, they had nothin of Christ within them, and thus are all corrupt and carnal men without Christ, Showing us, That all men in their natural and corrupt condition are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus: Doct. Carnal men within the pale of the Church have Christ Ministerially preached to them in the outward ministry of his Word, sacramentally offered to them in the administration of the Sacraments, and ecclesiastically frequenting the sacred Assemblies, and taking on them the name and profession of Christ Jesus; but they have not Christ internally, really and spiritually. He doth not dwell within them by faith, he doth not live in their souls by grace, he doth not fill them with his fullness; he doth not minister the saving gifts of his Spirit to them. In this respect they are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus: this is represented in the Parable of the foolish Virgins, they had a Mat. 25. Lamps, but no oil. Carnal men profess Christ, but they have not Christ, they take up the name of Christ, but they have not the oil, the saving gift and grace of Christ. Many profess Christ who are neither enlightened nor sanctified by Christ; this alienation of man from Christ, Alienation from Christ illustrated the Scripture doth illustrate by divers similitudes, by the similitude of a Tree b jude v. 12. twice dead and plucked up by the roots. Carnal man being originally and actually dead in sin, and participating no more of Christ then a tree plucked up by the roots doth partake of the Earth● by the similitude of a c Io 15.6. withered branch. Unregenerate man receiving no more of Christ, than a withered branch receiveth joice and nourishment from the tree; by the similitude of an d Rom. 7.18. empty house, in an empty house there is no dweller, no implement, in an ungracious soul there dwelleth no good thing, neither Christ nor any saving gift dwelleth there; by the similitude of an e jam. 4 4. Adulteress; an adulteress is estranged from her husband, her heart is gone after strange lovers. Corrupt and sinful man is alienated from Christ, the husband of his soul, his heart is gone a whoring after the creature, and many strange lusts: by the similitude of a f 1 Pet. 2.25. straying Sheep, a straying Sheep is gone from his Shepherd, and from his pastures, wandering among strange flocks in the wilderness; unholy man goes astray from the womb, he hath forsaken Christ the Shepherd, and the ordinances of Christ the pasture of his soul, wanders in the wilderness of the world and comes himself to the assemblies either of heretical, erroneous, superstitious or profane persons, and by the similitude of a g Isa. 30.1. rebel; a rebel is fallen from his lawful Sovereign, and either makes himself his own King, or betakes himself unto some foreign Prince; profane man rebelleth against God and Christ, he magnifies and exalts himself, becomes his own Lord and commander, and betakes himself to the Prince of darkness, the world and his own vile affections, these he makes the Sovereigns to whom he veils and bows; very various and open, manifest and shameful are corrupt man's alienations from Christ Jesus; and such are plainly said to be estranged from the h Psa. 58.3. womb, and to go astray as soon as they be borne: They go astray from God, like Rebels from their Sovereign, like fugitive servants from their Lord and Master; they go astray from Christ, like wandering sheep from their Shepherd, and harlots from their husband; they go astray from the way of God, like erring travellers and blind men from their path: the whole way and walk of carnal persons is a sinful aberration from God and Christ Jesus. Reigning profaneness dissolves all communion between Christ and the soul of man, If any man i 1 joh. 1.6. walk in darkness and say that he hath fellowship with Christ, that man is a liar and there is no truth in him, and the Apostle testifies of such, that they are a k Eph. 2.13. far off, far from the life of Christ as the dead are far from the life of nature; far from the knowledge of Christ, as the blind is far from the sight of the Sun; far from spiritual union with Christ by faith, as a branch cut off is far from natural conjunction with the vine; far from the love of Christ, as a harlot is far from the love of her husband; far from the fullness of Christ, as a dead member is far from the fullness of the head; far from the fear and obedience of Christ, as a disobedient servant is far from the fear of his Master; and▪ far from the sweet and blessed presence of Christ, as exiled Absolom was far from the presence of his Father David's face: Very great and unhappy is the distance between Christ and all carnal persons. Of such therefore the Apostle pronounceth, that they are aliens and enemies by their evil works; not only aliens, but also enemies: The very whole of corrupt and carnal persons is an opposition against God, and the Lord Jesus: The gate of their hearts is ●hut against Christ, their whole way a very contradiction of Christ. CHAP. II. Laying down four grounds of carnal Man's Alienation from Christ. THe Alienation of corrupt and sinful men from Christ is very apparent and manifest. 4. Grounds or demonstrations of this Alienation. 1. In regard of corrupt and carnal man's plenary and total subjection under sin: l Gal 3. 2. 2. Subjection under sin. The Scripture (saith Paul) hath concluded all under sin. All men, and all the services of men, in their unregenerate estate, are concluded, demonstrated, and determined by the Scripture to be under sin, under the plenary possession of sin, as a house is under the possession of the dweller: The whole house and all the rooms thereof are possessed and ordered by the dweller; the whole of a corrupt and carnal man, all the faculties of his soul, and all the members of his body are possessed and ordered by sin; under the dominion of sin, as a servant under the dominion of his Lord, and a dead man under the dominion of death, therefore styled the m 2 Pet. 2.19. servants of corruption, and dead in sins and trespasses. Under the captivity of sin, as a n 2 Tim. 3.6. slave under the command of the Conqueror, as voluntary slaves borne under the bondage of corruption, ignorant of, and despising Christian freedom: Under the love of sin, o jer. 5.31. as an Adulterer is under the love of the harlot. The young man in Solomon was under the power of the whorish woman, Prov. 7. she caused him to yield with her fair speech, and forced him with the flattering of her lips, and he went after her as an Ox to the slaughter, and as a fool to the correction of the stocks: The corrupt and vicious man is under the power of his lusts, he yieldeth to them, is led by them, follows after them, and fulfils the will of his flesh, as an Adulterer the will of the harlot; and also under the guilt and condemnation of sin, as a guilty, convicted, and condemned malefactor is under the sentence of the Law to die; and carnal man being thus under sin, he cannot be under Christ; fullness of subjection under sin annihilates Christ's gracious dominion in the soul of man: The more man applies himself to his lust, the more he is estranged from Christ. He that is the friend and servant of sin, is an enemy and opposer of Christ. The fullness of sin leaves no room for Christ in the heart of mere natural and corrupt man. 2. Uncapableness of Christ. 2. In regard of carnal man's uncapableness of Christ. The kingdom of Israel was uncapable of David until Saul and his house was deposed: The soul of man is uncapable of Christ, until sin is deposed: There is no setting up of Christ and his Kingdom, as long as sin doth bear dominion; Mundus neque duos soles, Asia neque duos Reges simul capere potest. Alexander told Darius that the world was uncapable of two Suns, and Asia could not endure two Kings: Christ will not divide his Kingdom with man's corruption, the soul is not at once capable of the Kingdom and dominion of Christ, and of sin: If the one reign the other must fall, there is no competition between Christ and an unregenerate heart: The Fort of Zion was uncapable of David, until the blind and lame were removed: The heart of man is a Fort uncapable of Christ, until the blindness of the understanding, and the lameness of the affections are removed, and taken away. Causes of this uncapableness Such is the blindness of carnal man's understanding, that he is uncapable of the knowledge of Christ, as the blind eye is uncapable of the Sun. The light (saith the Evangelist) shineth in the darkness, and the darkness p joh. 1.5. comprehendeth it not. The Egyptians darkness was so thick, that it comprehended not the light which shined thereupon. Such is the darkness of unregenerate man's understanding, that it comprehends not the Sun of Righteousness shining in the Gospel: q 1 Cor 2 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. The carnal man's heart is so r Ezek. 33.31. wedded to the world, and his lusts, that as a woman joined in wedlock is uncapable of a second husband, until her former husband is dead: so is man uncapable of Christ, he cannot receive Christ, as the husband of his soul, until his lusts are mortified and put to death: Such is the s john. 5 44. infidelity of corrupt man, that as jeroboam could make no use of his withered hand, he could neither put it forth, nor pull it in, no more can carnal man make any use of faith, he cannot put it forth to the receiving and embracing of Christ; and because of unbelief, when Christ came among his own, his own received him not; and such is their u Col. 2.13. death in sin, t john 1.11. that as the dead are uncapable of the voice of the living, they hear it not, of the society of the living, they rejoice not in it, and of all feasts and provision made for them by the living, they feed not upon it. Thus are they uncapable of Christ, they cannot hear him speak to them in the Gospel, they have no communion nor fellowship with him, they feed not upon him: He is a w Rev. 2.17. hidden Manna of whom they taste not, and a sealed Well of whom they drink not: There is no suitableness between their souls and Christ, all his Ordinances are unto them as an empty vessel, they savingly partake of nothing of Christ in them. 3. 3 World hath full possession in carnal man In regard of that full possession which the world hath taken in corrupt and carnal man. The Inn where Christ was borne was so full, that there was no room for Christ, but in a manger. The hearts of earthly men are so taken up with the world, so filled with the creature, that there is no room for Christ; carnal persons give every worldly business pre-eminence above the Lord Jesus. The world affords Christ a very dishonourable entertainment; unholy men are in such subjection under the creature that they cannot serve Christ: He that serves the creature cannot have Christ for his Lord and Master, ye cannot x Mat. 6.24. serve God and Mammon, saith our Saviour; the world hath so many y Luk. 14, 15. employments for them, that they have no leisure to come to Christ, their inclination to things earthly is so strong, that they cannot come at Christ's invitation, they are so wedded to this that they cannot come to the wedding feast, which Christ makes for his friends, and Spouse in the Gospel; Or if they do come, they bring no z Mat 22.12. wedding garment with them, and therefore are unwelcome: The creature is so glorious in their eyes, that they see no glory nor beauty in Christ for which they should desire him: Or if they have some weak and low apprehensions of Christ, some slender inclinations after Christ, now and then stirred up within them; yet the price of enjoying Christ is so great, that rather than leave the world, they will a Mat. 19 21. go away sorrowful. It is impossible that the soul of man can receive Christ until it is emptied of the world; Christ never appears glorious and precious, till the world appears b Phil. 3.8. base in our apprehensions. When the world becomes bitter to our palates, than our souls relish much sweetness in Christ Jesus. 4 Repugnance against Christ. 4. In regard of the repugnancy of a carnal man's heart against Christ. There is no answerableness, no suitableness between Christ and an unsanctified heart, the unregenerate soul is full of antipathy and opposition against Christ: The house of Saul opposed the house of David, the house and family, all that is in a corrupt and carnal man, doth oppose Christ in his Ordinances, in his Offices, and in his operations: As darkness opposeth light, sickness health, and death life: so doth corruption in sinful man oppose Christ, The carnal mind or wisdom of the flesh, the counsel, discourse, reason, purposes, desires, motions, and all the actions of carnal wisdom, the very Principles and beginnings of them, in unregenerate man, with all the lusts and afections of the will, as anger, wrath, envy, covetousness, pride, emulation, etc. are all enmity against God, set in full and perpetual opposition against God and Christ, the very whole of a carnal man, is an armed, and fight enemy against God, it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; loving that which Christ hateth, hating that which Christ loveth, practising that which Christ forbiddeth, and eschewing that which Christ commandeth. The carnal man like an untamed Haifer, breaks Christ's c Psal. 2. yoke, and casts away his cords. The man in the country of the Gadarens possessed with an unclean spirit, mentioned in the Gospel, was so fierce that no man could bind him: He d Mar. 5. plucked asunder the chains which were put upon him, and broke in pieces the fetters which tied him, so that no man could tame him. Corrupt and carnal man is possessed with such a spirit of uncleanness, and power of profaneness, that he breaks asunder all the chains and fetters, all the Laws and precepts which God hath given to bind him, his lusts are so rebellious and unruly that no man can tame him; the e job 41. Leviathan laughs at the spear, and cares not for barbed irons; the horse mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth back from the sword; the carnal man laughs at the judgements denounced against him; he fears not the word of God, though sharper than a twoedged sword: No exhortation moves him, no invitation affects him, all instruction is but as the sounding of a trumpet to the deaf, and the setting of a candle before the eyes of the blind: Nothing can work him to subjection under Christ's Sceptre, till God makes him a new creature. Every unregenerate person is unchangeable in his opposition against Heaven. Very great is the distance between Christ Jesus and carnal persons: There is not a greater Antipathy between fire and water, then between Christ, and profane man's corrupt nature, and thus you see man's Alienation from Christ in his corrupt and sinful estate. CHAP. III. Setting open the dolefulness and danger of Man's estate without Christ. dolefulness and danger of carnal man's estate. Man's Alienation and estrangement from Christ, declares and lays open the misery and wretchedness, the danger and dolefulness of man's estate and condition by nature, a condition in which he is without Christ, and to be without the Lord Jesus is the misery of all miseries. It is not the man that is without the crown of worldly dignities to honour him, without the treasury of earthly abundance to enrich him, without the sensual and seeming paradise of carnal pleasures to delight him, or without the presence and countenance of fleshly friends to solace him, but it is the man that is without Christ, who is of all men the most miserable. The estate of Israel without the Ark was very uncomfortable, their f 1 Sam. 4.22. glory was departed, the wife of Phineas took no comfort in the birth of a son, the ordinary joy of Mothers: The condition of man without Christ is very doleful, his glory is departed from him, all that man hath, not having Christ with it, is but an Ichobod, there is no glory in it: For man that is without Christ, is, 1. Without Life. The woman of g 2 King. 4. Shunems' son was without life, until the Prophet came, and spread himself upon him. Man is without the life of grace, alienated from the life of God, h Col. 3. until Christ comes and applies himself to the soul of man: For Christ is our Life. Declaratively he reveals it, meritoriously he hath purchased it, originally and efficiently he communicates it, as the head communicates life unto the members. Christ Jesus is the dispenser of the life of grace and glory to all Gods faithful servants; and i 1 john 5.12. he that hath not the Son hath not life, saith Saint John: He that hath not the Son by clear and saving knowledge, as the eye hath the Sun in the Firmament, enlightening and guiding by true and lively Faith, as the living branch hath the Vine by incorporation into it, by receiving juice and nourishment from it, by fervent and unfeigned Love, as the wife hath the husband by wedlock with him, by matrimonial affection to him, and by holy and humble subjection, as the Subject hath the King, by vailing and bowing to him: He who thus hath not the Son, he hath not life, his soul is not spiritually quickened, Christ not living in him, spiritual death bears dominion over him. He is k Eph. 2 1. dead (saith S. Paul) in sins and trespasses: A Tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots, according to Saint Judas. Every man is a sinful dead man that hath not Christ graciously enlivening him, and this is a great misery, Unhappinesses of this estate. a condition of manifold discomforts, an estate of great unhappiness; the dead according to the flesh, sees nothing of all that sweet and glorious light which the Sun casteth forth upon him; the dead in sin hath no comfortable apprehension of Christ shining in the Gospel more gloriously than the Sun; 2 Cor 4.3. Christ in the Gospel is altogether hidden from them that have not Christ living in them: l E●el. 9.5. The dead (saith Solomon) know not any thing: The dead in sin know not any thing of the wisdom of Christ guiding them, of the death of Christ mortifying their lusts, of the resurrection of Christ quickening their souls, of the dominion of Christ reigning in their hearts, of the holiness of Christ sanctifying their affections, nor of the fullness of Christ satisfying their desires. Profane persons are altogether empty of the knowledge of Christ Jesus: In death (saith the Psalmist) there is no remembrance of thee, in the grave who shall give thee thanks: Under the death and in the grave of sin, m Psal. 6.5. there is no remembrance of Christ, he is not in all their thoughts, they think not upon him, as the traveller upon the guide leading them, as the rich man upon the treasure enriching them, as the Bride upon the Bridegroom marrying them. Christ with carnal persons, like David among his carnal acquaintance, is n Psal. 31.12. forgotten as a dead man out of mind, and like a broken vessel. Can a maid, saith the Lord, forget her Ornaments, or a Bride her attire, yet my people have o jer. 2.32. forgotten me days without number. Christ the ornament and attire of the soul of man is forgotten by carnal people, as dead men are unmindful of their apparel. 3. The dead are unsensible of all diseases, they have no feeling of any burdens; Man alienated from Christ and the life of God is past p Eph. 4.10. feeling, he feels not his sin, as a heavy burden oppressing him; he feels not Satan, as an enemy buffeting him, as a Tyrant molesting and captivating him; his conscience, as a witness accusing, and a Judge condemning him, it is q 1 Tim. 4.2. seared with a hot iron. Man's unsensibleness of his own wretchedness argues his unhappy and great estrangement from Christ Jesus. 4. The body separated from the soul is an unprofitable lump, a loathsome carcase; the soul separated from Christ is an unfruitful branch separated from the Vine, an unprofitable member rend from the body, a loathsome object in God's sight, unclean, r Psal. 141.1, 3. corrupt, abominable, and doing no good, as the Psalmist speaks. The whole man separate from Christ Jesus, is a vessel full of all uncleanness; his best service like the savour of a dead man is unsavoury in God's nostrils. 5. The dead is uncapable of the food set before him, his body falls to the ground, cleaves unto the earth, and resolveth into dust. Man that hath not Christ living in him, is uncapable of the means of grace, his soul's food, Gen. 41. he thrives not by the ministry of the word, his soul is lean and ill-favoured still; like Pharaohs lean Kine after their eating of the fat; the Quails choked the Israelites, they proved not a nourishing, but a destroying food unto them. The word proves the savour of death unto s 2 Cor 2.14. death, to him that is separated from the Lord of Life. All that are without Christ are fallen from God unto the world, they mind only t Phil. 3.19. earthly things, they resolve into the very dust, they are buried under the world, as a dead man under the earth. The World hath the full possession of them, the sole Lordship over them, nothing but the World suits with them, nothing but the earth is savoury to them. 6. The body without the soul moves not, walks not: Man without Christ hath no motion, no inclination unto God, john 11. makes no progress in the way to life. Lazarus moved not, walked not until Christ raised him: Man moves not in the way towards God and Heaven until Christ gives him part in the first Resurrection: Man in the state of corruption, like Israel in the Prophet is bend unto u Hos. 7.11. backesliding; Man's continuance in sin increaseth his estrangement from God. The longer man lives in the state of corruption, the farther he removes from Heaven, the greater is the distance between him and salvation. Lastly, in a word, a dead man is offensive to the house where he is, hath no communion with the living, hath lost all his dignity and privileges which he enjoyed in his life time, can do nothing for his own defence, but is exposed to the foot to tread upon him, to the fowls of the air to devour him. Thus the carnal man that is without Christ, is an offence to them that live the life of grace, hath no spiritual communion with God's children, is estranged from all the Prerogatives and dignities belonging to the living members of Christ, unable to do any thing in defence of himself against the adversaries of his soul, being exposed and laid open as a very prey to Satan: And thus man's Alienation from the life of grace and holiness shows his great misery in being estranged from Christ Jesus. 2. Man that is without Christ, is without Light. He that is without the Sun is in darkness: He that is without the Sun of Righteousness is in darkness and the shadow of death: There is no oil of saving knowledge, no Star of spiritual Light shining in the house and region of his soul: w john 16 3. Of such our Saviour saith, they have not known the Father nor me: They have not known the Father as a spiritual Parent regenerating them, as a heavenly King reigning and ruling within them, as a gracious dweller, possessing, furnishing, and adorning their souls with his gifts and graces, as a dweller possesseth and furnisheth his house: They have not known the Father in his Word, adoring him according to his prescription; in his Sacrament, as the Master of a feast in his banqueting house, feasting and feeding them; in his precepts as a Lord and Master fearing him nor in his promises as a sure and faithful friend resting and relying upon him; Neither have they known me; they have not known me in my natures as God and Man in one Person; in my Offices, as their Prophet instructing them; as their Priest, offering myself a sacrifice for them; as their King, bearing spiritual dominion within them; as their Mediator, bringing them night to God, making reconciliation between them and God; they have not known me in my sufferings, being crucified together with me; in my exaltations being planted with the likeness of my Resurrection; in my communications, being filled with my fullness, solaced with my comforts, and revived and cheered up with my blessed presence; very miserable is the carnal man's ignorance of God and Christ Jesus. Therefore styled x Eph. 5.8. darkness, not dark, but darkness: itself. Ye were once darkness, universally dark, wholly dark, having no mixture, or glimpse of spiritual light. Very sad and sorrowful is that soul's darkness which is estranged from the Sun of Righteousness. 3. Man that is without Christ is without grace; without holiness. Naaman without Jordan was overspread with a loathsome leprosy; 2 Kin 5. there is a very filthy leprosy of uncleanness upon them that partake not of Christ: For Christ, as the Apostle saith, is our y 1 Cor. 1.30. Sanctification effectively, as the worker of it, originally as the head and spring from whence it is derived, without whom our souls are as empty of grace as the cistern of water without the fountain; as full of error, superstition, pride and profaneness as Baal's house of Idolaters, as full of earthly mindedness, and covetous practices, as the sluggards field of thorns and briars, as full of hypocrisy, deceitfulness, and unrighteousness, as the Pharisees Sepulchers of dead men's bones, or the Temple of money-changers before Christ whipped them out. Our souls are indeed a very sink of uncleanness until Christ doth possess us. 4. Man that is without Christ is without Liberty: Peter without the Angel continued in Herod's prison, without the Lord Jesus man remains the prisoner of Satan, the world, and his own corrupt affections Every unregenerate man is a miserable bondman, led away captive at the will of Satan, unable to make any resistance against him, a voluntary slave refusing liberty tendered to him, loving darkness more than light, and Satan's prison better than Christ's Palace; having no liberty in his understanding to discern the things of God, in his imagination to meditate and think upon them, in his will to choose them, or in his affections to love, prize and delight himself in them: The Liberty of the soul estranged from Christ Jesus is nothing else but bondage. He that is most free to sin is the greatest slave to Satan; where Christ is not, there is no Life quickening, there is no Sun enlightening, there is no Conqueror dissolving the holds of Satan, there is no dew suppling and softening the hard and fallow ground of man's heart. There is no fire warming the cold and frozen affections, and therefore no liberty from corruption, no inclination to the ways and works of sanctification. It is only Christ Jesus that ministers to the souls of God's servants freedom from uncleanness, and liberty to true holiness. 5. Man that is without Christ is without acceptation with God. Christ is Gods beloved, in whom man is accepted; Man that is out of Christ, bears not God's Image, is not God's gracious workmanship, is estranged from God's Covenant, hath no love of God within him; is the slave of Satan, the servant of the world, and a very sink of corruption. He is no Tree of Righteousness of Gods planting, no child of Gods begetting, no loyal Subject of God's Kingdom, no vessel of God's gracious filling, no partaker of Christ's Righteousness to cloth and cover him; he brings forth no fruit to God, but all to himself, to the flesh, and to the world, and therefore can have no aceptation with God. Joseph his brethren might not look him in the face, unless they brought their brother Benjamin with them; Man cannot look God in the face with my confidence, or acceptance, unless he bring Christ with him in the arms of his faith; Man's person and service finds acceptance with God only in and through Christ Jesus; without Christ man is stubble, and God a consuming fire to destroy him; Man is a guilty malefactor, and God a severe Judge to condemn him; the whole of man without Christ Jesus is a very abomination in God's presence. 6. Man that is without Christ is without Contentation. In Christ the soul meets with all satisfaction and fullness. He is a Sun in whom the believing soul beholds all fullness of light, a precious jewel in whom he finds all fullness of worth, a rock in whom he feels all fullness of strength, a fountain from whom he draws all fullness of satisfaction, and a Paradise in whom he enjoys all fullness of pleasures; but without Christ the soul finds vanity and emptiness in the greatest abundance; the wife findeth an emptiness in a rich and full house, the husband being absent, Christ wanting, the soul meets with vanity in the largest possession. Christ is the marrow and the f●tnesse, the fullness and the sweetness of all our endowments, separate Christ from them, and they are bitter, and do not please us; weak and do not sustain us; empty and do not fill us; dumb and do not comfort us. It is not the abundance of any thing, but Christ coming with it, that gives contentation whether the thing be much or little. Without Christ the desire is enlarged as hell, and never satisfied; the Lord Jesus is the choice and only fullness of all Christians. 7. Man without Christ is without all spiritual splendour and beauty. The Sun is the glory of the world; the eye is the glory of the head; the soul of the body; the jewel is the glory of the Ring; the Flowers, Herbs, Trees and Fruit, are the glory of the Garden and the Field; the Ark was the glory of Israel, and Christ is the glory of the Christian; styled the y Luk 2.32. light of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel, being both the Author and the matter of their glory. Their glory in respect of instruction, as the teacher is the glory of the School; in respect of vivification, as the soul is the glory of the body; in respect of Redemption, as the ransomer is the glory of the captive; in respect of Conquest, as David was the glory of Israel, overcoming the great Goliath; in respect of Justification, as the garment is the glory of him that wears it; in respect of Sanctification, as Jordan was the glory of Naaman, cleansing him from his leprosy; in respect of repletion, as the fountain is the glory of the cistern; and in respect of wise and powerful gubernation, gracious and plentiful ministration, as the King is the glory of the Kingdom, the shepherd of the flock; and as Joseph was the glory of the Land of Egypt, ministering provision to it: He that partakes most of Christ Jesus, is the most beautiful and glorious of all others; but man without Christ is without all spiritual beauty, in regard of ignorance, as a dark house without light, even z Eph. 5.8. darkness itself; in regard of nakedness, as a man without a garment, a Rev. 3.17. naked, miserable and wretched, having no other clothing than a menstruous clout to cover him, led by Satan like Egypt by the Assyrians, naked, b Isa. 20.4. barefoot, his buttocks, yea the whole man uncovered; in regard of spiritual contagion and foul-sicknes, his soul like the body of Lazarus full of sores, Luk. 16. or like the body of Job full of sore boiles, from the sole of his foot unto his crown; loathsome and incurable are the soules-maladies which hath not Christ as a Physician to heal him; in regard of the plenitude and fullness of all sin, like the sluggards field (in c Prov. 24. ●0. Solomon) full of nettles, thorns and briars, wanting Christ the great husband man to manure and dress him, and in regard of the residence of Satan in him, as a cage of unclean birds; in regard of the presence and inhabitation of loathsome lusts, as a sepulchre full of dead men's bones; in regard of the dominion of corruption, as a dead man under the power of death, in whom is no beauty left; and in regard of the sordidness and baseness of his practice, way and order of his life, as a Sow wallowing in the mire; fowl and shameful, horrid and loathsome is man's uncomeliness without Christ: The greatest sinner is the foulest monster; bodily beauty without Christ is but green grass upon a rotten grave, or a fair garment upon a leprous back. Did man see his uncomeliness and deformity without Christ, he would style himself as the Prophet styled Pashur, d jer. 20.4. Magor-missabib, fear round about, every way a terror to himself. 8. Man without Christ is without honour. He is no Son of God, but one of Satan's spurious brood; no Free man, but a slave to Satan and his own corruption; no Spouse of Christ, but a spiritual harlot committing fornication with the world; no Conqueror, but a captive led away by divers lusts; no friend nor favourite of God, but an alien and enemy in God's account, likened to the dung and the dross, the chaff and stubble; for their emptiness, baseness, and vileness in the sight of God, being base in their corrupt original; In their carnal disposition, base in their e jer. 4.22. understandings, wise only to do evil; base in their wills, choosing the evil and refusing the good; base in their f Phil. 3.21. imaginations, minding only low things; base in their fear, trust, love, joy, fearing where no fear is, fearing man that shall g Isa. 51.12. die, and the son of man which shall be made as grass, trusting in an arm of flesh, leaning upon a withered reed, loving and setting his eyes on that which is not, and rejoicing in a thing of nought, and base in all their intendments; the satisfying of the lusts of the flesh are the highest mark, to which they level the arrows of all their endeavours. The whole way and practise of man without Christ Jesus, savours of nothing but baseness: He that hath not Christ to ennoble him is most ignoble in his inward disposition, in his outward condition, in all his undertaking: We may say of them, as Job did of some of his time: They are h job 30.8. children of fools, yea children of base men, they are viler than earth. He that is the greatest stranger to Christ jesus, is the most base of all creatures. 9 Man without Christ is without peace. Christ is the Prince of i Isa 9.6. peace, his Subjects are the only Subjects of peace. God is in none, but in Christ, k 2 Cor 5 19 reconciling the world unto himself. joseph's brethren found favour with Pharaoh only through Joseph; Christ alone is the Author of reconciliation between God and man, peace is l Act. 10.36. preached only by Christ Jesus. God Ministers are the instruments of peace only to such persons as embrace the Lord jesus, and Christ (saith the Apostle) is our m Eph. 2.14. peace, the revealer, the procurer, and the worker of peace in al● the children of peace. Man that is without Christ is an enemy to the God of peace, a stranger to the Covenant of peace, uncapable of the word of peace, an alien to the way of peace, and full of sin, the main impediment of peace, to him therefore that wants Christ there is no peace. No true, no spiritual, no heavenly peace, no joy and peace in the Holy-Ghost; Sin is man's trouble, but Christ is man's peace; He that is full of sin and empty of Christ, hath nothing to do with peace. Joram once ask, is it peace, Jehu? was answered, n 2 Kin. 9 22. What hast thou to do with peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother jezabel, and her witchcrafts are so many. Carnal man ask, Is it peace, O Messenger of God? can look for no other but Jehu's answer, what hast thou to do O carnal man with peace, so long as thy lusts are so strong within thee, thy fornications with the creature so many, and thy estrangement from, and rebellions against the Prince of peace so great: His thoughts of peace are all vile and base delusions, who continues empty of Christ, the sole dispenser of peace to all believing souls. Lastly, and in a few words, Man without Christ is without protection. He hath no shield to defend him in the day when Satan makes war upon him: He hath no helper to rescue him when the prince of darkness, the world, and his own lusts besiege him. He is without supportation, and must sink like the house built upon the sand, in the hour, when the winds and waves of affliction do beat upon him. He is without remission, the Law stands like the hand writing in Belshazzars wall against him, and fills him with dismal fear and trembling, his sins are upon him, and he must die in them. He is without blessing, all becomes a curse unto him, all without Christ is bitter, like the waters of Marah without the Tree. He is without salvation, there is no other name given under heaven whereby he may be saved. He that is without Christ is a child without nurse, his soul doth starve; a City without a Watchman, the enemy makes a prey of him; a Ship without a Pilot, his soul splits upon the rocks of desperation, when the stormy tempest of an accusing conscience begins to toss and shake him: He is a sick man without a Physician, he dies in the disease that is upon him: He is a withered branch without root, prepared fuel for everlasting burning: Surely man's baseness, wretchedness, woes and miseries continuing a stranger to Christ Jesus, do even surpass the expression of the tongues of men and Angels. O how are they beyond measure stupid, blockish and senseless, who please and bless themselves in their impieties, in an estate of estrangement from Christ jesus! O how should the meditation of man's misery without Christ set his soul on work to get interest in Christ. CHAP. IU. Declaring man's great cause of humiliation for being without Christ, and also discovering the cause of man's undervaluing Christ. Cause and matter of humiliation. THe meditation of man's alienation from Christ in his natural estate, ministers matter of Humiliation unto man, man in his natural condition having nothing of Christ within him; and this is the misery of all miseries to be empty of Christ Jesus, neither doth the want of any thing minister such cause and matter of humiliation, as the want of Christ. Hagar wept because her bottle was empty of waters, Hannah was in great bitterness, because her womb was barren, shut up from childbearing. The women in the day of Famine cried help o King: Micah ran too and fro, like a man besides himself, when his Idol, his imaginary God was taken and carried from him; what is the want of children, of bread and water, to the want of Christ? or the loss of an Idol, an imaginary God, to the loss of the true God? The want of all things is as nothing in comparison of the want of Christ: man that hath Christ hath great matter of rejoicing in the want of every other thing; man that wants Christ hath great cause of humiliation, in the presence of all worldly fullness: And every man in his natural estate, is as empty of Christ as the foolish Virgin's lamps were of Oil, or the tree which Christ cursed was of fruit, even wholly and altogether without Christ. Without the life of Christ, Christ liveth not in them any more than the root doth live in a dead and withered branch: How carnal man is without Christ. Without the knowledge of Christ, the mystery of Christ is a sealed o Isa. 29.11. Book, which they cannot open, or a book written in a strange language which they cannot read, the treasures of wisdom hidden in Christ are hidden from their understanding; as the light of the Sun is hidden from the eyes of the blind; without the fruit of Christ's death, it doth not mortify their lusts, their old p Rom. 6. man is not crucified with Christ; their lusts are not dead with Christ, as the Philistines died with Samson: Without the benefit of Christ's resurrection, they are not planted into the likeness of Christ's resurrection; they rise not from sin and from the world, as Christ rose from the grave; Sampson rose at q Jud. 16.1, 2. midnight and carried away the gates of Gaza, but the Gazites were quiet all night, they rose not: Christ is risen and hath made an open way for us to pass from death to life, but carnal men continue their sleep and slumber in sin, they rise not to newness of life and conversation; they are without the fruit and benefit of Christ's offices, Christ is not to them a Prophet revealing Gods will, and enlightening their understandings; a Priest expiating their sins, and reconciling them to God; a King subduing Satan and their corruptions, and reigning graciously within them, and making them truly subject and obedient unto God: They are without the apprehension of Christ's beauties, and taste of Christ's sweetness. Christ is to them like the Manna to Israel, a light r Num. 11.5. bread; they see no s Isa. 53.2. beauty nor comeliness in Christ, he is no more to them then t Cant. 5.9. another Beloved: then gold and silver, the covetous man's beloved: then honours and high places, the ambitious man's beloved: then idols and humane rites and ceremonies, the superstitious man's beloved: they are without the righteousness of Christ, he doth not justify them, he doth not clothe them with the garments of salvation: Without the presence of Christ, as an empty house without the dweller; Christ dwelleth not in their hearts by faith: Without the love of Christ, as a Harlot without the love of her husband; without the dispensation of Christ, he doth not communicate himself, and his saving gifts unto them, any more than the head communicates itself to the members which are dead; Christ suspends his gracious influence from their souls: There is not the least character or cognizance of Christ upon them: they are without the power of Christ strengthening them, without the holiness of Christ sanctifying them, without the fullness of Christ satisfying them, and without the goodness of Christ sweetening their troubles, and turning all for the best unto them: and man thus being without Christ is matter and occasion of great abasement and humiliation to the soul of man: man that is without Christ hath nothing whereof he may truly glory. The want of all things is nothing to the want of Christ: If Moses want a guide in the wilderness Hobah may be instead of eyes to him; if Noah have not where to rest his foot upon the Earth, the Ark may bear him up in the waters: If Hagar have no water in her bottle, her eyes may be opened to see a well: If there be no corn in the Land of Canaan, Egypt may supply them: If the Gibeonites be besieged, Joshua may rescue them: If Peter be in prison the Angel may free him: If the woman of Shunems' son be dead, the Prophet may raise him. There is a supply in Christ Jesus for all man's necessities, a help for all man's distresses, a comfort for all man's sorrows; but if man want Christ there is none to quicken and restore him to the first resurrection, there is none to free him from the bondage of Satan, there is none to guide him in the way to Heaven, there is none to replenish him with grace and sanctification, there is none to rescue him from the spiritual enemies which do besiege him. In the absence of the Lord Jesus there is no redress for soul-distresses, no help against soul-discomforts; the having of all things is as nothing if man have not Christ with them; what if thou hast the stature and armour of Goliath? yet without Christ, thou wilt fall in the battle: what if thou hast the favour and honour of Haman? yet without Christ, all this will avail thee nothing, and at length shame will be thy portion: what if thou hast the riches of him in the Parable? yet not having Christ, thou wilt eat the bread of sorrows, be in straits in the midst of thy sufficiency, and at last the evil spirits will take thy soul from thee: What if thou hast the wisdom of Achitophel? yet not having Christ, thy wisdom will be turned into foolishness, and thou mayest fail of wisdom in thy head to restrain thy hands from being thine own executioners: What if thou hast all the Ordinances of God to feed thee, all the Ministers of God to instruct thee, all natural and moral endowments and common illuminations to adorn thee, and all Ecclesiastical privileges to honour thee, and yet hast not Christ, all these like Pharaohs Chariots without wheels, will suffer thee to sink and perish in the red Sea of God's vengeance; the presence of all worldly abilities is very frivolous in Christ's absence, and man should never so abase and humble himself for the want of any thing, as for the want of Christ and his communication of himself unto him; all that can be said to demonstrate man's being miserable, or to move man to humiliation, is briefly comprehended in this, that he is without Christ. 3. Man's alienation from Christ in his natural and corrupt estate doth discover and lay open the cause, 3. 'Cause of undervaluing Christ. why Christ is of no more esteem with the men of the world, no more precious in the eyes of carnal men; here is the ground of it, they are without Christ, they are strangers to Christ, and Christ is a stranger unto them. For this cause. 1. They have no clear and comfortable knowledge, no true and gracious discerning of Christ, Christ is hidden from them, as light from the blind. He was in the world (saith the Evangelist) and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He was in the world by his great and mighty works of Creation and Providence, as a maker and a ruler; by his universal presence, as a dweller; by his general and common influence, as a root in the branches, ministering preservation to all creatures, and by his Ordinances and Prophets, as a teacher in his School; yea, he came among his own, among the jews, by incarnation, in the visible ●orme of a man, but the world neither knew him, nor his own received him; they know not the necessity of Christ, the men of the old world knew not the necessity of the Ark, until it was too late, and therefore they entered not into it: The Elders of Gilead at first knew not their necessity of Iep●ta, and therefore expelled him out of his Father's House: men's ignorance of the necessity of Christ makes them regardless of getting interest in Christ, and causeth them profanely to reject Christ; they know not the worth and excellency of Christ; and therefore they set the empty things of the world above Christ; as the Philistines set Dagon above the Ark; and Esau preferred a mess of pottage above his birthright; they know not the holy and gracious dispensations of Christ; and therefore they prefer the ministrations of the Earth, above the ministrations of Christ, as the men of Shechem preferred the bramble above the Vine: They know not the Alsufficiency and fullness of Christ, and therefore they exalt the creature, a vain and empty thing above Christ, as Israel in the Prophet preferred the u Jer. 2.13. broken cistern above the living fountain: They know not the sweetness and pleasantness of the face and love of Christ; and therefore they prise the love and favour of the world above the love of Christ; as Harlots sometimes do the love of base and deformed strangers, above the love of their own honourable and comely Husbands: Christ is never precious in the eyes of such persons as are under the power of spiritual blindness. 2. Men being without Christ, do not taste the sweetness and goodness of Christ; 2. No taste of Christ. he doth not relish well with their palates: He is not sweet and savoury to their souls; they have not tasted how w 1 Pet. 2.3. good Christ is; there is a goodness of illumination, of regeneration, sanctification, spiritual freedom, consolation, contentation and pacification flowing from Christ to the souls of men, which to carnal men is a sealed well, whose waters their palates never tasted: an eclipsed Star with whose light their eye was never affected, they taste not the sweetness of Christ, in the illumination of their understandings, as the eye tastes the x Eccles. 11.7. sweetness of the light: Christ is not sweet to them in his ordinances; as the Master of the Feast to the guest in his dainties, these are not to them a y Isa. 25.6. feast of marrow, of fat things, and of wine well refined upon the lees, for the delight and refreshment, comfort and contentment, which they minister: Christ is not sweet to them in his Ministers, as a merciful King in his Ambassadors, bringing tidings of peace to the people; Christ is not sweet to them in his gracious distillations, as the cloud in the rain is sweet unto the dry earth: They cannot say of Christ as the Spouse did, As z Cant. 2.3. the Appletree among the Trees of the wood, so is my Beloved among the sons, I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. Nothing savours well with their palates, but things carnal and worldly, to them the bread of deceit, and stolen waters are sweet; but they savour not the things of God. Barzillai excused himself from going to David's house, from eating of David's meat, because he could not taste what he did eat or what he did drink, nor could hear any more the voice of singing men or of singing women. Carnal men decline the House of God, and the Feast which Christ there maketh, because they cannot taste the things of God, nor hear the spiritual melody which Christ there makes to the souls of his servants: men's not tasting of Christ in his ordinances and in his graces, makes him of no esteem with their souls. 3. Men being without Christ have no love to Christ, 3. No love to Christ. he is not the a Cant. 5.10. 1 Cor. 16. fairest of ten thousand in their eyes; they love not the Lord Jesus, as the Bridegroom to whom their souls are married, as the choicest pearl by whom they are enriched, as the son of consolation, with whose beams their souls are comforted, as the fountain by whom their hearts are refreshed, and their desires every way satisfied: Their love to Christ is not like the love of Jonathan to David, a love wonderful, and b 2 Sam. 1.26. passing the love of women; there is no suitableness between Christ and their souls, as between the hearts of lovers; they meditate not upon Christ, as lovers upon their love; they delight not themselves in Christ as the richman in the treasure, and the bride in the bridegroom which they love, their hearts and their thoughts are upon the world and not upon Christ, they c 1 Joh. 2.15. love the world, and the love of Christ is not in them, and where love to Christ is wanting, Christ is of no estimation; he will put himself upon no service, nor undergo no difficulties for Christ, Amor Dei si est operatur magna, siopera● renuit amos non est, Greg. who is destitute of love to Christ. Man's prising of Christ is ever suitable to the love of man towards Christ, he that hath great love to Christ will do great things for Christ, he that hath no love to him will give every base thing pre-eminence above him. 4. No pleasure in Christ. 4. Men being without Christ take no pleasure in Christ, they do not delight themselves in Christ; diseased eyes have no pleasure in the Sun; distempered palates have no pleasure in the choicest wine, Christ is a trouble to men that are corrupt and carnal, as the Star was to d Mat. 2.2. Herod and the men of Jerusalem. Christ is a very great cross and trouble to their corruptions, he falls heavy upon them, they cannot stand before him, no more than Dagon before the Ark; and therefore Christ is a great offence to them, as the Ark e 1 Sam. 5 4. to the Philistines; Christ is not to them a plain and pleasant way; they cannot according to the Apostles phrase f Col. 2.6. walk in Christ; by believing Christ's Promises, by obeying Christ's Precepts, by conforming themselves to Christ's Example, with fullness and cheerfulness, as a Traveler walks fully and joyfully in a plain and pleasant path: they cannot walk in the light of Christ, as a man walks joyfully in the light of the Sun; in the strength of Christ, as the Rider moves speedily in the strength of the Horse which carries him, as the Ship rows in the strength of the wind which drives him, and the Prophet walked to Mount Horeb in the strength of the Barley cake which fed him; they cannot walk in the love of Christ, as Jacob walked through his service, in the love of Rachel; Christ and his way and work, is not thus pleasant to them, they can no more walk in Christ, than David could in g 1 Sam. 17. Saul's armour, they do no sooner try it, but they are presently weary of it. We cannot say of them and Christ as David did of Saul and Jonathan, They were h 2 Sam. 1. lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their death they were not divided, they were swifter than the Eagles, they were stronger than Lions. No they take no pleasure in Christ in their lives, and they are divided from Christ in their deaths; the way of Christ is to them a way of thorns, they move slowly in Christ's service, like Pharaohs Chariots without wheels, the waters of God's wrath overwhelming them at the last, Christ is to them a rock of i 1 Pet. 2.8. offence, and a stone of stumbling: to believers he is an elect and precious stone for his great worth in himself, the price they put upon him, the enrichment they receive from him, a living stone quickening them, a stone of strength supporting them; but to other men through their infidelity, pride and profane refusal, he is a stone of offence; they have no delight in his k jer. 6.10. Doctrine; they are l Mat. 13.57. offended in him, they guash their teeth at him; they think dishonourably of him in his offices, in his ordinances, in his Ministers, and in his attendants: Under the Law if a man m Deut. 21.14. delighted not in his wife, he gave her a bill of divorce: The man under the Gospel, that takes no delight in Christ, divorceth himself from Christ, observes not his Covenant, withdraws himself from Christ, puts no more price upon him, hath no better esteem of him then a hard hearted Israelite of his divorced wife. Man doth ever evidence his high esteem of Christ by his pleasure, delight and joy in Christ. He that doth not rejoice in him puts a very unworthy price upon him. 5. Men being without Christ have no longing after Christ, 5. No longing after Christ. it is the having of Christ in measure and in truth that breeds fervent and unfeigned longings after Christ; no man more desires Christ then he that enjoys most of Christ: No man so contents himself without Christ, as he that never savingly enjoyed any thing of Christ; he that never knew what liberty was is well pleased with a servile estate; he that never saw the Sun pleases himself in darkness; man that never discerned the beauty and brightness of the Son of Righteousness, that never knew the liberty and comforts which Christ ministers, pleaseth himself in his spiritual bondage, applauds himself in his blindness and ignorance, and saith with them in Job, n job 21.14. Depart from us, we care not for the knowledge of thy ways: 1 Sam. 23.15. Gen. 30.1, 2. He doth not long after Christ, as David after the waters of bethel; he doth not cry for Christ, as Rachel did for children; he thinks like Esau in another case that he hath enough already; he imagineth that he is rich and full and wants nothing; the soul that is wholly estranged from Christ is far from longing after Christ; the Disciples did first eat of the bread which Christ gave them, and then they cried, Lord give us o joh. 6.34. evermore of this bread: It is man's taste of Christ, man's feeding upon Christ, that makes him long after Christ: The experience which the Spouse in Solomon had of the bridegroom's love, moved her to entreat the p Cant. 1.2. kisses of his mouth, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine. Christians are first Passive and then Active in their love to Christ-ward; love like the heat of the Sun first descends, and then it ascends. Christ's love to us begets our love to him, Christ's love was first over the Spouse as a Banner, and then she was q Cant. 2.5. joh. 11.44. sick of love to him: Lazarus lay fast in the grave, the Earth was his bed, his palace, his resting place, and all in all, till Christ raised him; Man lies fast in the grave of sin, the world, the Earth, the things here below are his bed, his palace, his Paradise, he minds nothing else till Christ doth quicken him. The strange woman in Salomon's Song marvelled what Christ the Church's r Cant. 5.9. Beloved was, they mused why she should be sick of love toward him, why she made such great inquiry after him. Carnal men think God's people besides themselves in being so earnest after Christ, so zealous for Christ, they marvel why they are so inquisitive in their hear, prayers, fastings, meditations and conferences after Christ Jesus: they wonder what Christ is more than any other Beloved, as gold, silver, honours, pleasures; having no love nor longings in themselves after Christ, they muse at the love and longings of others; and as they long not after him, they put no price upon him, show no respect to him, but set him with David behind the Ewes, give him the least and lowest, yea, even no room at all in their hearts. Christ is of no esteem with man, until he comes within man, and makes the soul of man his gracious habitation. CHAP. V. Opening the folly of man in retaining his sin and contenting himself without Christ. 4. THe meditation of man's estrangement from Christ in his natural and corrupt estate, opens the exceeding great folly of man in being loath to change his corrupt estate, to put off the old man, as unwilling to forsake his carnal condition, as Micah his Idol, though this separate and keep him from Christ, make him uncapable of Christ, exclude him from all claim and title to Christ; and this is the folly of all follies to retain any thing which may exclude man from Christ, or hinder man's fruition and enjoyment of Christ; he that by retaining his sin keeps himself from Christ, abides in darkness and chooseth darkness rather than light, sickness rather than health, bondage rather than liberty, famine rather than fullness, woes and miseries rather than joys and comforts, curses rather than blessings, baseness rather than honour, the leprosy rather than beauty, what shall I say death rather than life, hell rather than heaven, and everlasting consortship with the Devil in endless burnings, rather than communion with God and Christ in everlasting rejoicings. Men are easily persuaded to leave sickness for health, darkness for light, straw for pearls, thraldom for liberty, the tempest for a calm, etc. But men are uneasily persuaded to leave their sin for Christ, to deny themselves, and forsake the world for Christ, as Elisha left his friends and his yokes of Oxen to follow Elijah. This is a persuasion beyond the Rhetoric, Art and Eloquence of man and Angel, yea of Christ himself, as he was man and a Minister of the Gospel: for thus may you here him in the days of his flesh expostulating and pleading with, reproving and upbraiding the men of Jerusalem, O Jerusalem Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered you together even as a Hen doth gather her Chickens under her wings, and you would not; and again you may behold him weeping over that City, and saying, O that thou hadst known in this thy day, the things belonging to thy peace, but now they are hidden from thine eyes! And of old also may you hear him complaining in the mouth of the Prophet, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and in vain: None but God can persuade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem. Such is man's averseness from Christ, that God alone can work man into Christ: But perhaps some will say, What is this to us? We are all borne within the pale of Christs-Church, we are all baptised into Christ, we have all put on Christ, therefore no such folly, no such estrangement in us and our souls from Christ? How man is in Christ. To this I answer, It is one thing to be in Christ by an Ecclesiastical Generation and birth within the Church: Another thing to be in Christ by spiritual Regeneration and new-birth, being borne again of Christ; it is one thing to be in Christ Sacramentally, by participation of the outward ordinance and element, another thing to be in Christ spiritually, by participation of the inward grace; it is one thing to be in Christ by an outward and formal profession: another thing to be in Christ by an internal and gracious incorporation, s Rom. 9.6, 7. They are not all Israel, which are of Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children. Characters of man being without Christ If you demand therefore how a man may discern his being without Christ? I answer, a man's being out of Christ may among many be discerned by these Characters or marks thereof. 1 Without the Spirit & grace of Christ. 1. By being without the Spirit and Grace of Christ. He that is without the light of the Sun is without the Sun; If any man (saith S. Paul) have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his: He is without Christ, he that hath not the Spirit of Christ enlightening him, savingly to know God, as a child his father with an affective knowledge; regenerating and endowing him with a childlike affection to God and Christ; reviving and quickening him to live to God and Christ Jesus in true holiness; incorporating him into Christ, and making him partaker of Christ's fullness: Sanctifying and cleansing him from his sin, as the water doth wash the spots from the flesh; directing and guiding him to walk aright in the ways of God, and to do the things pleasing to God, as the hand of the teacher guides the hand of the learner to write according to the copy: He that hath not the Spirit thus working upon him, thus framing and disposing his heart, hath not Christ; for he that is in t 2 Cor 5.17. Christ, as a living member, by spiritual union, as a son by adoption, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, and all things are become new: When Christ came into the u joh. 2, 15. Temple, he purged his Father's house, he overturned the mony-tables, he drove out the buyers and the sellers. When Christ cometh into man, takes his holy habitation in the soul of man, he throws down the holds of sin, he drives out all corrupt and carnal lusts, he purgeth the heart of man and makes it a holy house: 2 Kin. 5.14. when Naaman put himself into Jordan, his Leprosy departed from him. Man that is put into Christ by Faith, is cleansed from the Leprosy of his sin; Faith w Act. 15.9. purifieth his heart, and every man that hath this hope x 1 joh. 3.3. purifieth himself even as Christ is pure; 1 joh. 16. his thoughts of being in Christ Jesus who remains under the power of profaneness are mere delusions. Reigning ungodliness disannuls all communion with Christ Jesus: He that walks not in Christ is a stranger to Christ. Where there is no expression of true and saving grace, there is no evidence of being in Christ. 2. By being in Subjection under any lust; 2 Subjection under lusts. 2 Kin 4.40. one reigning sin destroys the life of the soul; an evil Herb made the Prophet's pot, a pot of death, one ruling lust makes the soul the Subject of spiritual death; the breach of one Covenant forfeits the whole Lease, allowance of the soul in the breach of one Commandment makes forfeiture of whole Christ. ● Sam. 20.1, ●. jam. 2.10. One Sheba blew the Trumpet and drew all Israel into Rebellion against David: One ruling sin makes the whole man a Rebel against Christ: One reigning sin so blinds the understanding that it cannot savingly discern Christ, as one moat so blinds the eye that it cannot comfortably behold the Sun▪ one allowed sin so distempers the soul that it cannot receive any benefit by the ordinances of God; as one strong disease, so disaffecteth the body, that it frustrates the use of the food: One swaying corruption so alienates the heart, that it cannot love Christ, as one stranger in the bosom of the wife so takes up her affection, that she cannot love the husband. One person in the house so keeps the possession that another can take no possession. One domineering sin so possesseth the soul, that Christ hath no possession there: One chain disables the prisoner to come forth and return to his own house: One fettering and binding lust holds man fast in Satan's prison, and disables him to come to Christ, though a woman have but one husband, yet she cannot marry a second until that husband is dead; the soul married, though but to one lust, cannot marry itself to Christ, until that lust is mortified and dead. One covetous lust in Judas; one incestnous lust in Herod; one ambitious lust in many of the chief Rulers; one worldly lust in the youngman, was of strength enough, to withhold each of them from Christ, to continue them all without Christ; man's thoughts of interest in Christ remaining under the power of any one lust are but vain and idle dreams. He that comes not universally from the world, from himself and every sinful lust, never comes truly unto Christ. Israel came not to Canaan until they forsook Egypt, renounced the service of Pharaoh, saw the Egyptians drowned in the waters, and left not a hoof in Egypt behind them. Man cometh not to Christ until he forsakes the world, renounceth the service of Satan, drowns every lust in the tears of true Repentance, and leaves not a hoof, not one affection of his soul behind him, under the jurisdiction and command of the world; the love of the world is enmity with God, the service of any sin is Rebellion against God. 3. Man's confining himself within himself 3. By man's terminating and confining himself within himself, not going out of himself, nor looking beyond himself to Christ, but doing all things for himself and referring all unto himself; That (saith our Saviour) which is y joh. 3.6. of the flesh is flesh; he that is altogether fleshly and hath nothing of Christ in him, he is fleshly in his disposition, in his affection, in his intention, in his undertaking he minds himself and his own fleshly ends and nothing else, he cannot look beyond himself, his own flesh is the circumference within which he moves, and the Centre wherein he terminates his motion: Nihil agit ult●a suum genus. Nothing in the course of Nature works beyond the Sphere of its own activity, a thorn bears not grapes, a Sparrow begets not an Eagle, the corrupt z Mat. 7.17. Tree brings forth corrupt fruit; the waters move no higher in the cistern than they are in the fountain: He that is not of Christ by a holy and gracious Original, cannot sincerely intend Christ, but himself in his undertaking; and he that looks not beyond himself, hath nothing of Christ within him, he hath no principle, root nor spring of grace in his heart. Were he a tree of Christ's planting, he would bring forth his fruit to Christ. Were he a child of Christ's begetting he would incline and move towards Christ in his affection; he would primarily intend Christ in all his doing, as the Rivers coming from the Sea, return and a Eccls 1.4. empty themselves into the Sea, thus they who are of Christ return and empty themselves into Christ, do all for Christ, for the filling up▪ and making of Christ glorious; he that confines himself within himself, Evils of selfe-intendment. hath no love of Christ within him; Jonathans' love to David caused him to strip himself for David, 1. No love. 1. Sam, 18.1. love to Christ will make a man as occasion requires strip himself of all his honour, favour among men and earthly riches for Christ, according to the measure of man's love to Christ, are his manifestations of himself for Christ: For love seeketh not b 1 Cor. 13.5. her own: He that loves Christ will abase himself for Christ, put himself and all that is his under the feet of Christ; he that seeks himself, that terminates his thoughts within the circumference of his own flesh, 2 A base sp●rit. hath a very low and base spirit, Christ's Spirit which is a Spirit of c 2 Tim. 1.7. power, a Spirit of magnanimity and courage, a Spirit of d 1 Pet. 4.14. glory, a most glorious and excellent Spirit doth not rest upon him. 3. No comfortable discerning of God He that minds himself and his own ends hath no clear apprehension and comfortable discerning of Christ and his beauties, he that minds straw and stubble doth not discern the worth of gold, silver and precious stones: such a man hath no faith in Christ, 4. No faith. he takes not Christ unto himself to be the rock on which he buildeth, the Counsellor by whom he will be guided, the King to whom he will be subject, and the husband to whom he joins his soul in wedlock; he hath not this faith in Christ; for as man by faith receiveth Christ to save him, so he gives himself again to Christ to love and serve him, to intend and honour Christ above himself and every creature; and thus man minding and intending himself, demonstrates his alienation from Christ. When man in the doing of works of mercy blows a Trumpet, Mat 6.2.5. Mat 23.5. seeks himself and his own applause among men, and in the performance of the duties of piety, stands praying in the corners of the Street, hunts after the praise of men; ● Sam. 15 30▪ Phil. 2.21. when a man with the Pharisees doth what he doth to be seen of men; or with Saul to be honoured before the people. When man in his ordinary and common employments seeks his own things and not the things which are Christ's, he declares himself to be a stranger unto Christ. 4. Four ●old fullness. 4. By man's fullness of himself. Self-fullnesse ever infers an emptiness of Christ; he that is filled with himself is empty of Christ: There is a fourfold fullness which argues an utter emptiness of Christ in man. 1 Self-fulnes. 1. Self-fullnesse, which is a high opinion of man's self, a conceit of sufficiency in himself; ambitious thoughts of fullness enough at home in the House of man's own heart, which our Saviour terms a e Lu. 18.9. trusting in a man's self. Man's leaning upon his own arm to sustain him, upon his own righteousness to justify him, upon his own ability to do all things for himself; this the Prophet calls a being f Isa. 5.20. wise in man's own eyes; man taking upon him to be his own guide, his own instructor and counsellor; this was an unhappy adjunct of the Laodicaean Angel, g Rev. 3.17. rich, full and wanting nothing, not knowing that he was poor, blind, naked, miserable and wretched. He that hath highest thoughts of his own fullness is most empty of Christ Jesus, the rich (saith Luke) are sent h Luk. 1.53. empty away; the rich, they who in their own eye are full of wisdom to guide themselves, full of power to correct themselves, full of righteousness to justify themselves, full of worth to obtain every good thing at the hands of God for themselves, these are sent empty away, empty of Christ, empty of all saving knowledge, lively faith, fervent love and of every good gift and blessing which cometh by Christ: Self-fullnesse disables man to discern any beauty or worth in Christ: the Pharisees were great self-admirers, very deeply guilty of self-fullnesse, and they had very low opinions of Christ: Self-fullnesse disables the soul to taste any sweetness in Christ, The i Pro. 27 7. full stomach loatheth the honey comb: This makes man uncapable of Christ; the full vessel is uncapable of other liquor; the man that is full of himself cannot receive Christ, there is no room in their hearts to entertain Christ; Christ came among his own: a generation of men ful● of the thoughts of selfsufficiency, dreaming of fullness enough at home in themselves, ignorant and unsensible of their necessity of Christ, and therefore they k joh. ●. 11. received him not. 2. There is a fullness of sin, 2. Fullness of sin. which argues an emptiness of Christ, there is no competition between the fullness of sin and Christ in the soul of man: If sin have the possession, Christ hath no dominion. David did not reign until Saul was deposed, there must be a deposition of sin, before Christ can reign in the heart of man; there is no suitableness between Christ and a heart full of sin: Christ will not dwell in a soul so sordid and defiled with sin, he abhors all fellowship and communion with unclean and vicious people; he delights in none, but in them that excel in l Psal. 16.3. virtue; the Sun shines not where the house is full of darkness; the physic works not where the body remains full of diseases; the Husbandman sows not, where the field is full of thorns and briars. Christ shines not into that soul, works not upon that heart which is full of ignorance, earthliness, infidelity and spiritual maladies. Such as are full of sin, as Naaman was full of leprosy, as the Pharisees Sepulchers were full of dead men's bones, are far from Christ; it is a thing altogether vain and fruitless once to mention or name, the m 2 Tim. 2.19 Name of the Lord Jesus, unless there be a departure from ungodliness. 3 Fullness of man. 3. There is a fullness of man, which argues an emptiness of Christ. Many are so addicted unto man, their hearts and thoughts are so taken up with man, that there is no entertainment for Christ in them; their souls are so possessed by man, that Christ hath no possession in them: some are so devoted to the service of man, that they cannot serve Christ, contrary to the charge of the Apostle, They make themselves the n 1 Cor. 7.23 1 Sam. 5.4. servants of men; not the civil, but the profane and sinful servants of men; they exalt and set up man above Christ; as the Philistines did set Dagon above the Ark, they study man more than they study Christ, they do more to ingratiate themselves into the favour of man, then into the favour of Christ, the precepts of men are of more authority with them then the precepts of Christ: they accommodate and apply themselves more to men's lusts then to Christ's service; they adore and magnify man more than they adore and magnify Christ; they abolish the worship of Christ, by making men's dictates the rule of their service, as our Saviour himself faith, In o Mat. 15.9. vain do you worship me, teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men; the observation of men's inventions, subjection to men's dictates in the matter of divine worship, is not only vain and fruitless, but also pernicious and dangerous, a very profanation of Christ's worship and service, a shameful abasement of Christ below man, and a superstitious and idolatrous exaltation of man above Christ; a wretched separation of the soul from Christ and inthralment of man to man; therefore the Apostle saith of such, That they p Col. 2.18. hold not the head which is Christ; they are not subject to Christ, as the members to the Head; they are not guided by Christ, as the members by the head; they do not exalt and lift up Christ, as the members do the head; they are not enlivened, acted and moved by Christ, as the members by an influence from the head, but they are subject to ordinances after the commandments and Doctrines of men: mens inthralment of themselves to men's lusts and inventions, utterly excludes them from Christ Jesus, If I yet pleased men (saith St. Paul) I should not be the q Gal. 1.10. servant of Christ. If I studied and observed men, made myself obsequious to the lusts of men, did haunt after the favour of men, or did make the wisdom and invention of men my guide in things spiritual, I should not be the servant of Christ. Christ hath no gracious Lordship and dominion in the souls of such persons, as are superstitiously devoted to men's inventions. Some again are extraordinarily delighted in and taken up with the applause of men: All their works of charity and piety are leveled to this mark, they do all to be seen of men, to be praised of men, their r Mat. 6.2. Alms, Prayers, Fast are as lost labours, if men do not observe them, if they gain not the applause of men by them; men's praises are the first mover in all their services, They love the s joh. 12.42. praise of men more than the praise of God, and when man is thus full, thus swollen and puffed up with the applause of man, thus ambitious of the praise of man; there is nothing of Christ in man, How t joh. 5 44. can you believe, saith Christ, how can ye embrace me, partake of me, subject yourselves to me and quiet and content yourselves with me, satiate and delight yourselves in me, which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only. He that is ambitious of the applause of man is uncapable of Christ; the man that is vainglorious is far from all sweet and comfortable communion with Christ. Some likewise u Mat. 16.23. savour only the things of men, and not the things of God, the Word and Ordinances of God, the ways and works of God, the gifts and communications of God to the souls of men, have no savour with them: These things are to them as the words of Eliphaz unto Job, w job 6, 6, 7. unsavoury things, having no more taste than the white of an Egg; sorrowful meat which their soul refuseth to touch, they taste no sweetness, they find no pleasure in these things, they loath and leave them, as the Israelites loathed their Manna, and as the full stomach doth loath the honeycomb; they savour and relish only the things of men, that which is humane, corrupt and carnal, that which hath its original and spring from the wisdom of the flesh, this they savour, this suits with them, as meat with the palate, as water with the dry ground; the carnal counsel and persuasion, the corrupt practice and example of men, is very pleasing to them, this is wholly of man, and therefore fully agrees with man, is no offence to man, but a pleasing and delightful thing to vain man: They savour nothing in the labour of God's Ministers, but their humane art and eloquence, or some needless speculations, which are of man, these they relish, but the x 2 Cor. 11 3. simplicity of Christ, preached and published in the Gospel, they savour not: What they hear of Christ tending to the honour and exaltation of man, that they like according to their apprehension, but what they hear of Christ, tending to the mortification of their lusts and prostration of themselves under Christ, in this they take no pleasure, this is a hard saying, it suits not with them; what they discern in the worship of Christ externally pompous and glorious, carrying something of man in it, that they approve and like, but the truth and sincerity, faith and love, humility and self-denial enjoined in the worship, and required in the worshippers of Christ, they relish not, they have no pleasure in these: the charity, mercy and bounty which they discern in the children of God, they can approve that which is humane and moral in them, and tending to the outward and common preservation of man, they savour, but the purity and preciseness, power of godliness, holy walking and zealous observation of God's precepts are things which they relish not, but distaste in God's servants: So that as Abimelech showed kindness to Abraham for Sarahs' sake; Abraham was savoury to him by reason of Sarah: thus these men show respect unto Christ, his Ordinances, his Ministers and servants, only for man, for something which they discern and find of man there; they savour nothing but man in them: and thus their faith standeth in the wisdom of man, and not in the power of God and Christ; and this their savouring of man, declares their not favouring of Christ, their total alienation and estrangement from Christ. Some also are full of rejoicings in man, contrary to the charge of the Apostle, y 1 Cor. 3.21. They rejoice in men; in the wisdom of men, in the learning of men, as in the only light which guides them; in the authority of men, as in the obligation which binds them; in the traditions and inventions of men, as in the rule of their religious worship and service; in the eloquence of men, as in the loadstone which draws them, as in the music which affects them; in the enticing words of man's wisdom, as in the only Rhetoric that delights them; in the countenance and favour of man, as in the only Sun that warms them; in the applause and approbation of man, as in the only Trumpet that makes a joyful sound in their ears; in the Abilities, gifts, industry and labours of man, as in the prime and main causes of their salvation, welfare and felicity: And thus their whole acquiescence is in man, their choice dependence is upon man, their glorying and rejoicing is terminated in man, the glory of their whole welfare is ascribed unto man: the Israelites rejoiced in the z 1 Sam. 4.5. Ark, not in the Lord, and vain men rejoice in man, in the presence of man, in the ability, favour, power and help of man, and not in Christ; Thus among the men of Corinth, a 1 Cor. 1.4. One said I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollo, looking with a humane eye upon, and glorying after a carnal manner in those holy Messengers of God, even idolising and abusing the appointed instruments of their salvation, robbing Christ of his glory by an inordinate dependence upon, and glorying in the Messengers of Christ, ascribing that to them which was proper unto Christ, exalting them into the very room of Christ; so glorying in them that Christ was not glorious in their apprehension; the carnal overvaluing of the instruments is a shameful undervaluing of the Lord Jesus. He that doth not according to the expression of the Prophet, b Isa 2.22. cease from man; from the wisdom and counsel, devise and invention, art and ability of man, sees little or nothing of Christ, hath no comfort nor joy in Christ; he that doth not cease from dependence upon man, from glorying and pleasing himself in man, from resting upon the authority of man in matter of spiritual instruction, is very ignorant of Christ, a mere stranger to Christ; Christ ever proves uncomfortable to them whose rejoicings are in man. 4. Fullness of world. 4. There is a fullness of the world, which argueth an emptiness of Christ in the soul of man. The Inn where Christ was borne was so full of guests, that there was no room for Christ, but in a manger, a dishonourable lodging for such a glorious guest, in the heart which is filled with the world, there is no room for Christ. Worldly minded men give a very unworthy entertainment unto Christ; the world so blinds them, that they cannot discern the beauty, worth and excellency of Christ, any more than an eye full of dust can discern the brightness and beauty of the Sun, they see no c Isa. 53.2. comeliness in Christ for which they should desire him; this so fills their hearts, that they are uncapable of spiritual instruction, as d Mat. 13.22. thorns and briars make the field uncapable of seed; this bears such authority and dominion within them, that they cannot veil and bow to Christ, they cannot take Christ's yoke upon them, they cannot set themselves about Christ's work any more than a servant can put himself from his Master's service into another man's work, No man (saith Christ) can e Mat. 6.24. serve two Masters; no man can be the servant of God and Mammon: this so alienates the heart of a man from Christ, draws the soul of man into such spiritual fornication, that man can no more love Christ then a harlot can love her husband, for, if any man (saith Saint John) f 1 joh 2.15. love the world the love of the Father is not in that man, And the love of the world (saith St. James) is g jam. 4.4. enmity with God: This doth so take up the thought, care, study, delight, strength, labour, time and the very whole of man, and doth so fetter and bind him, fasten and incline him to things here below, that with the invited guests in the Parable, he h Lu. 14.18. cannot come to Christ; he cannot embrace Christ, he cannot attend on Christ; he cannot marry his soul to Christ; this doth so distemper their palates that they cannot relish Christ: The fleshpots of Egypt were so savoury to the Israelites that they could not long relish their i Numb. 115. Manna. Christ is a distasteful dish where the world is a sweet feast; this fills the heart of man with dishonourable thoughts of Christ. The overprizing of the world is the underprizing of Christ. He can never apprehend Christ as all in all, that doth not apprehend the world as nothing; the young man's overprizing the world caused his departure from k Mat. 19.21. Christ: the lovers of the world are very inconstant in their following of Christ; if Christ and the world will not stand together, Christ is soon forsaken, the world alone hath their attendance, service and affection: So that Christ hath no spiritual and gracious being, where the world hath such full possession. And these four sorts of fullness in man are so many clear demonstrations of Christ's estrangement from man. 5. By man's spiritual emptiness: 5. Spiritual emptiness. 1. Empty of life He that is empty of Christ is without Christ; the Cistern which is empty of water is without the fountain; he that is empty of grace is without Christ the author and fountain of grace; he that is without the life of Christ, who hath not Christ living in him, as the root in the branches, l Gal. 2.20. graciously enlivening him, as the soul doth naturally enliven the body, endowing him with spiritual principles of holy, and gracious life, enabling him like a living man to feel his sin, as a living man his disease; to rise up from the world, as a living man ariseth from the Earth; to feed upon the Ordinances of God, as a living man upon the food which is set before him; to walk in the ways of God, as a living man doth move and walk in an earthly way; to follow Christ, in attending his Ordinances, in believing his Promises, in obeying his precepts, as Lazarus followed Christ when he had raised him from death to life; he that hath not Christ thus living in him, thus framing and disposing him to live to God, to consecrate himself to God's service, to conform himself to God's precepts, to intend God and his glory, To live (as the Apostle saith) m 2 Tim. 3.12. godly in Christ Jesus; in Christ enlivenining him and according to Christ's prescription. He that doth not thus live is without Christ. 2. Of knowledge. 2. He that is empty of the knowledge of Christ is without Christ; the eye which is empty of the light of the Sun is without the Sun; the soul which is empty of spiritual and heavenly light is without the Sun of Righteousness; he that doth not know Christ as a Prophet instructing him and making him wise unto salvation; as a Priest sanctifying and purging him from his corruption; as a King bearing spiritual dominion within him, bringing his whole man into a holy and humble subjection; he that doth not know the death of Christ in the crucifying of his affections; the resurrection of Christ in the rising of his soul to seek the things which are above; the n Eph. 1.19. power of Christ in working his heart from obstinacy and hardness, from captivity and bondage, from pride and haughtiness to softness and tenderness, to liberty and freedom, and to humility and meekness: He that doth not know the beauties of Christ ravishing his soul with joy and delight in him; the love of Christ in being espoused to Christ; the worth and excellency of Christ in accounting all but o Phil. 3.8. dung and dross in comparison of Christ, and the fullness of Christ in feeling and finding all contentation in Christ he that doth not thus know Christ is without Christ, in Christ are hidden all the treasures of p Col 25. knowledge and wisdom, and he that hath Christ is full of spiritual knowledge as the Sea of q Isa. 11.6. waters. 3. Of power. 3. He that is empty of the power of Christ is without Christ: When the body is empty of the power of the soul, the soul is departed from it, become a stranger to it: thus when man is altogether empty of the spiritual and heavenly power of Christ, then is man without Christ, a mere stranger to Christ, all they that are partakers of Christ have experience of the power of Christ, in casting down the strong and mighty holds of sin in their souls, in humbling their hearts, in bringing the thoughts of their hearts into the obedience of Christ; in overcoming and casting Sat●n out of their hearts; in sanctifying and cleansing their souls; in persuading them to believe and lay hold upon the promise of life; in pacifying and quieting their perplexed consciences; in making them able to endure afflictions, and in causing them to grow and increase in all heavenly graces: He therefore that hath not experience of this power of Christ, in the r 2 Cor. 10.4. casting down of the holds of sin, as Israel had experience of the power of the Lord, in casting down the walls of Jericho at the blowing of the trumpets; he that feels not this power of Christ in making him victorious over Satan, as the man in the Gospel had experience of Christ's power in s Mat. 17.21. casting the unclean spirit out of him: joh. 17.17. He that doth not discern Christ powerful in sanctifying him; as Naaman dis●rned the virtue of Jordan in purging his Leprosy from him, and the lame man discerned the power of the Angel in Bethesda healing him: He that knows not the efficacy of Christ in persuading him to believe, in reconciling him to God; as joseph's brethren discerned the esticacy of his Intercession with the King of Egypt for them: He that perceives not Christ pacifying his troubled spirit, binding up his broken t Isa. 61.2. heart, and healing his wounded conscience; as the Disciples felt the power of Christ u Mat. 8.26. calming the stormy tempest; and the wounded man in the Parable felt the Samaritan w Luk. 10 pouring wine and oil into his wounds and binding up the same: He that discerns not Christ x Phillip 4.13. strengthening and sustaining him in temptations and trials; as the Ark bore up Noah in the deluge; he that feels not Christ y Psal. 72.6. coming down upon his soul like rain upon the mown grass, and as showers that water the Earth, making him fruitful in every good gift and grace: he that is empty of these powerful and mighty ministrations of Christ is without Christ, under the power of his corruption in his natural, and carnal condition. 4 Of liberty. 4. He that is empty of the Liberty which Christ ministereth is without Christ, he that doth not feel Christ freeing him from the death of sin, as the woman of Shunems' son felt the Prophet freeing him from bodily death, x 2 Kin. 4.34. his flesh waxing warm and his eyes opening: freeing him from the thraldom and imbondagement of sin, as Peter a Act. 11.7. felt the Angel freeing him from his fetters and Herod's prison; freeing him from the servitude of the world, as Israel discerned Moses, freeing them from the servitude of Egypt; freeing their understandings from ignorance, as the Sun freeth the air from darkness; freeing their wills from perverseness, their thoughts from vanity and their a●fections from coldness and deadness, as the fire freeth the house from cold and filleth it with heat: making the whole man free to know, believe, love and rejoice in God, as the clear eye is free to see, the Bride's heart is free to love the Bridegroom, and the Sun free to run the race which is set him: He that is a stranger to this freedom, remaining a captive under the power of his lusts, and the world, is far from Christ, an empty house in whom Christ hath no dwelling. 5. Of love. 5. He that is empty of the love of Christ is without Christ: He that doth not discern the love of Christ, as the Bride discerns the love of the Bridegroom: He that perceives not Christ b Can. 1.2. kissing him with the kisses of his mouth (it is the Church's expression in Salomon's Song) applying the doctrines of his Love, Mercy and Peace to his conscience, making him sensible of his love in the use of his Ordinances, as the Bridegroom● makes the Bride sensible of his love in his c Can 2.4. banqueting house, making him joyful in the House of d Isa. 56.7. Prayer, enabling him to pray with confidence, returning a gracious answer to his holy and humble petitions: He that perceives not the love of Christ in the clear and comfortable revelation of his secrets to his understanding; in his holy and sanctified working upon his soul, in sealing up the pardon and forgiveness of his sin; in the free and plentiful communication of himself, his gifts, graces and benefits unto his heart; in the sanctifying and sweetening of all his trials, in making all to work for the best unto him, in giving him water out of the rock, meat out of the eater, and sweet out of the sour. He that is thus empty of the love of Christ is without Christ. Where Christ is, there his love is, and his love is not idle but operative, manifesting itself in the div●ne and heavenly fruits and effects thereof to the soul. And thus by these marks and characters, man's being without Christ, man's abiding in his corrupt estate and carnal condition is plainly discernible. CHAP. VI Exhorting to come out of our natural and corrupt estate. 5 Exhortation to come out of natural and corrupt estate▪ 5. THe consideration of man's misery in being without Christ, in continuing still in his corrupt and wretched estate, should set every man on work, with all diligence, with all assiduity and carefulness to labour his deliverance and freedom out of that condition: the estate of corruption is of all estates the most miserable, better live in any servitude, misery, poverty, disgrace or trouble, then under the power of sin without Christ; better live in ignominy without honour, in prison without freedom, in hatred without the love of man, in poverty without riches, in exilement without humane fellowship, in famine without bread, in darkness without light, in trouble without peace, in pain without ease enjoying Christ, then to live in all the fullness of the world under the dominion of corruption without the Lord Jesus: Therefore out of this estate doth the Lord call us, e joel 2.12. Turn you even unto me (saith the Lord) with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping, and with mourning, and rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God. Turn from your sin, as a Traveller from his wand'ring path, and walk in the ways of God, turn from the service of sin, as Rebels from the service of a foreign Prince and serve the Lord your great and highest Sovereign; turn from the love of sin, as a Harlot from the love of strangers, and love the Lord Jesus your spiritual Bridegroom with all your hearts, with all your souls and with all your might: This is the labour of all God's Ministers, the fruit and honour of all their endeavours, To open the eyes of men, and to f Act. 26.19. turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ: The translation of the souls of men out of their natural and corrupt estate into Christ's Kingdom, is the most sweet and blessed fruit of the Gospel: To this also the Lord persuadeth by the proposal of many favours and mercies; Turn you unto me saith the Lord and I g Zach. 1.3. will turn unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts: Turn you unto me as Scholars to your teacher to learn my laws, as children to your Father to reverence my name, as Subjects to your Sovereign to obey my Statutes, as Servants to your Lord and Master, to do my will: turn you unto me by repentance, sorrowing for your sins, by faith believing my Promises, by love embracing me and my testimonies, and by obedience keeping my Commandments; and I will turn unto you as a King of mercies pardoning you, as a loving Father receiving you, as a kind and gracious Husband embracing you, as a glorious and shining Sun, dispelling all the clouds of sorrow from you, as a powerful and mighty Redeemer, delivering you from all them that do conspire against you. God doth ever manifest himself very good and gracious to them that turn from their impieties. To move men to this the Lord likewise useth very sweet and powerful expostulations: h Ezek. 31.32. Repent and turn yourselves (saith the Lord God) from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin; cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit, for why will ye die o house of Israel, for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, wherefore turn yourselves and live: The forsaking of sin is the obtaining of life. Sin is the cause of man's ruin, repentance the way to peace and eternal happiness; though the ability to repent be God's gift; yet it is the duty of every man to repent; and the changing of the heart from sin to holiness is ever attended with sweet and sure mercies. All blessings attend them that come from their natural and corrupt estate, to walk with God in newness of life, and for this, saith St. Peter, God having raised up his i Act. 3.26. Son sent him to bless us in turning away every one of us from our iniquities: the translation of man from the state of sin into the state of grace is one of the choicest benefits that cometh by Christ, and they are the most blessed and happy among all people, whom Christ delivers and turns from the power and service of their corruption; therefore as Samson burst hiswiths and came away from Dalila, so let us burst asunder thewiths and fetters of our sin, and come forth of our natural and corrupt estate. Evils of corrupt estate. Of all estates to live under the power of sin and to continue a stranger to Christ is the most miserable and unhappy estate. Barrenness. 1. An estate of Barrenness, the carnal man is a bad tree, k Mat. 7. 2 Sam. 6.23. and can bear no good fruit, a loathsome fountain and can send forth no clean water; michal's womb was shut up and she had no child, till the day of her death; the heart of a carnal man is shut up, and continuing in that estate, he brings forth no good fruit all the days of his life; he is, saith Judas, a l jude ver. 12. tree twice dead and plucked up by the roots, void of all the fruits of grace. 2. Exilement. Gen. 3. 2. His estate is an estate of exilement from God. Adam was exiled Paradise for eating the forbidden fruit; the carnal man is exiled God's presence, shut out from all communion with God for feeding and feasting his soul upon sin, because stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant unto him; such men have no gracious relation unto God, no claim nor m Psal 50.16. 1 joh. 1.6. Mat. 7. 2●. title to the covenant of God, no unfeigned love to God, no likeness with God, and therefore God disclaims all communion with them, he will not acknowledge them. 3. Enmity. 3. It is an estate of enmity, the carnal mind is n Rom. 8.7. enmity against God; man opposeth God and God opposeth man, corrupt men are o Rom. 1.29. haters of God, they hate the very being of God, and wish there were no God; they hate him in his attributes; because he is a wife God, and beholds all their impieties; because he is a holy God and abhors their ungodliness; because he is a just God, threatening destruction to their ways; because he is a powerful God, able to dash them in pieces as a Potter's vessel with a rod of iron: they hate him in his Ordinances, in his Ministers, in his Servants, in all that bear his Image of holiness and true righteousness, and God hates them in their qualities, in their services, in their prayers, their best Sacrifice is a loathsome carcase in God's nostrils, a very p Pro. 15.8. abomination before the Lord. 4. Slavery. 4. It is an estate of slavery to Satan, to the world, to corruption, he that is most sinful is the veriest slave in the world, as many lusts so many Lords and Masters, yea cruel tyrants over him, leading him captive at the will of Satan. Peter's being fettered in Herod's prison; Jeremies lying in the Dungeon; Israel's servitude under Pharaoh; and the Egyptians being led captive by the Assyrians, naked and barefoot to the reproach of Egypt, is but a slender shadow and weak representation of this thraldom. 5. Curses. 2 Kin. 4.40. Mal. 2. 5. It is an estate of curses; the whole pot was a pot of death, where the evil herb was, all is a pot of death, a pot of curses, where sin rules, very blessings are turned into curses, to them that turn not from their impieties, the q Psal. 69.22. jonah 1. table is a snare, and what should have been man's welfare becomes his ruin, all the means of grace are perverted, all the labours of God's Ministers frustrated. Jonahs' being in the ship disabled the Mariners to bring the Ship unto the shore; the dominion of sin in the soul disables the Minister to bring it to the haven of peace, we row in vain, all our labour is lost, if you forsake not your sin, we cannot profit you; the holding fast of your impieties turns the ministry of salvation into an increase of condemnation, working death instead of life, the very best things, proving evil to them that continue without change in their corrupt estate; therefore as r 1 Sam. 1. 2 Sam 14. Exod 3. Act. 12.10. 2 Kin. 4. Hannah prayed to be delivered from her barrenness, as Absolom longed to see an end of his exilement, and to behold the King's face again; as Israel sighed and groaned to be eased of their bondage; as the men of Tyre and Sidon made Blastus the King's Chamberlain their friend, and desired peace with Herod; and as the Prophet poured meal into the pot, and there was no harm in the pot; but the pot of death was made a pot of wholesome food, a means to preserve life. So let us be earnest with the Lord to deliver us from this estate of barrenness, and make us fruitful, from this estate of exilement, and bring us to the enjoyment of the heavenly King's face and countenance; Let us make Christ our Friend, that there may be an end put to the enmity between God and us, and that we may be set at peace again with God; let us sigh and groan under our sinful bondage, and labour for spiritual freedom; Let us labour to have true and saving grace poured into the pot of our souls, that all our possessions and undertake may be sanctified unto us, and that the Word which our sin hath made the savour of death unto death, may thorough grace become the savour of life to life to every one of us. And to the end we may be translated out of the state of corruption into the state of grace, Means of freedom. 1. Attend the Word. let us, 1. Attend upon and hide the word of God in our hearts: This is the s Phil. 2.16. Word of life, by which our souls are quickened, this is the Seed of t 1 Pet. 2.9. Regeneration by which we are new born, this is the voice by which we are called out of the Kingdom of darkness into marvellous light; this is the u 2 Cor. 10.4. warlike weapon by which the holds of sin are cast down, as the walls of Jericho were cast flat to the ground at the ●ounding of the Trumpets; this is the fire, by which the dross of sin is purged out of our souls; this is the word of w Ier 23.29. 2 Cor. 5.18. Reconciliation by which we are set at peace with God. On this therefore let us wait, this let us treasure up in our souls, that thereby a gracious change may be wrought in us. 2 Sense of sin. 2. Let us labour for the sense and feeling of our sin, as of a loathsome disease, as of a heavy burden. Complain of sin, as Sarah did of the daughters of Heth, be weary of sin as a sick man of his disease; Cry to the Lord as Paul did, O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death, the more sense and feeling we have of sin, the more assurance of a discharge from sin. When Israel sighed and groaned, than their deliverance from Pharaohs bondage drew nigh; when sin is a trouble and man grows weary of it, as of a hard servitude, than the hour of the souls spiritual deliverance approacheth; therefore to such our Saviour speaketh, Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden and ye shall find ease unto your souls. 3 Godly sorrow for sin. 3. Let us get our hearts filled with godly sorrow for sin; turn all your sorrow into sorrow for sin: Mourn for this as for the death of your firstborn; Mourn secretly without ostentation, mourn unfeignedly without dissimulation, mourn universally without the reservation of any sin; as the deluge overflowed and drowned all the Earth, hill and valley, so let your sorrow drown all sin; they that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Godly sorrow is ever attended with the joy of conversion, remission and spiritual consolation, They that mourn shall be comforted. 4. Serious view of corrupt estate. 4. Be very frequent and serious in the view and examination of your natural and corrupt estate; consider the baseness, the loathsomeness, the unprofitableness, the cursedness and the perilousnesse thereof, men could never quiet themselves in this estate, were they not inconsiderate of the evil thereof: A Traveler that is out of his way would never go on therein did he consider that every step he treads is one step further from his home; did carnal man consider that every action of his removes him one step farther from God and Heaven, and brings him one step nearer to Satan and damnation, he would never please himself in this estate; inconsideration makes way to all evil: the Lord having mentioned the great impieties of Israel, layeth down this as the ground thereof, They are x Deut. 32.29. a Nation (saith the Lord) void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end; they do not consider how they are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, in the thraldom of Satan under the wrath of God, in the state of damnation, subject to a thousand easeless and endless woes and miseries, did men consider this, they would awake out of their sleep and stand up from the dead, that Christ might give them light: They would with David, consider their ways, y Psal. 119.60. and turn unto the testimonies of the Lord. 5 Address to Christ by prayer. ●os● 10.6. 5. Address yourselves to Christ by faithful and fervent Prayer; the Gibeonites sent to Joshua and he rescued them from the Amoritish Princes. We must send by prayer to Christ, to rescue us from the Prince of darkness; the woman of Shun●m came to the Prophet, cast herself down, took hold of his feet, 2 Kin. 4. would not let him go, and he went with her and raised her dead child: thus must we come to Christ, cast ourselves down, humble ourselves under the hand of Christ, lay hold on Christ, and never let him go, that he may raise us from the death of sin to the life of grace. CHAP. VII. Persuading to thanksgiving for deliverance out of our natural and corrupt estate. Thanksgiving for deliverance out of our corrupt estate. Deliverance of greatest cost. LAstly, this ministers matter and occasion of great praise and thanksgiving to all them whom Christ hath delivered out of their corrupt and carnal estate, and translated into the state of grace and holiness. Of all deliverances deliverance from sin is the greatest, the sweetest, the choicest: A deliverance of the greatest cost, other deliverances are wrought by the power of God, this is a deliverance wrought not only by the power of God, but also by the blood of God, by the blood of Christ, who is God and Man in one person Feed (saith Saint Paul to the Bishops, the Ministers of Ephesus) the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own z Acts 20.18. blood. a Col. 1.12. Give thanks (saith the Apostle) unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood; the deliverance of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, and the captivity of Babylon, the deliverance of jeremy out of the dungeon, of Peter out of Herod's prison, of jonah out of the belly of the Whale, or the three children out of the fiery furnace, or whatsoever deliverance else you can mention, cost not God so much as the deliverance of man from sin; b Rome 8 32. 2 Of choicest Love. for this God gave his own, his only Son. This is a deliverance which argues more of God's love to man then all the deliverances which God hath wrought besides for man; Therefore of this the Evangelist saith, God so c john 3.16. loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son; And Christ (saith Saint Paul) loved the Church, and gave himself for it. From greatest evils. This is a deliverance from greater evils then all other deliverances; a deliverance from Satan, the worst of all Tyrants; a deliverance from Hell, of all prisons the most loathsome, of all places of torment the most painful; a deliverance from sin, of all fetters the strongest, of all burdens the heaviest, of all spots the foulest, and of all diseases the most mortal and dangerous; a deliverance from the curse of the Law, of all condemning sentences the most terrible, and full of soul-anguish; a deliverance from death, of all the Kings of terror the most dreadful, all other deliverances are but slender shadows and representations of this deliverance: To greatest happiness. This is a deliverance restoring man to greater felicity than all the deliverances beside which God ever wrought for man; a deliverance by which man is made a living member in Christ's body, a loyal Subject in Christ's Kingdom, a spiritual Freeman of the new jerusalem, a child of God by Adoption, the Spouse of Christ by holy wedlock, a glorious Conqueror over all the enemies of his salvation, and an heir to a heavenly and incorruptible Kingdom. Man's deliverance out of the estate of corruption comprehends matter and cause of all joy and thanksgiving. Look therefore every gracious and sanctified soul upon this blessed work of God's power, love and mercy, and say with the Psalmist, Bless the Lord, O my d Psal 103.1, 2. soul, and all that is within me bless his holy Name: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. The woman of Shunom receiving her dead son restored unto life, fell down e 2 King 4.37. at the Prophet's feet, and bowed herself unto the ground. Thus receiving thy soul that was dead in sin, restored to the life of grace, fall thou down at the feet of Christ, adore and worship him, laud and magnify him, prostitute thyself and all that is thine by way of gratitude under him. The blind man whose eyes Christ opened, believed and f john 9.38. worshipped him: Christ having opened the eyes of thy understanding to know the hope of thy g Eph. 1.19. calling, the riches of Christ inheritance, and the exceeding greatness of his power towards thy soul; believe thou in Christ, embrace him, cast thyself on him, have thy whole dependence upon him, and worship him, by an honourable apprehension of his perfections, a sincere and fervent love unto his person, a humble submission to his precepts, and thankful celebration of his great and glorious Name for all his mercies: The lame h Acts 3.8. man's feet and ankle bones receiving strength, he leapt up, stood and walked, and entered into the Temple, walking, leaping, and praising God. Christ having healed thy affections, having strengthened thee with all spiritual might, rise up from the earth, walk in the ways of holiness, enter into the Temple, attend Christ in his Ordinances, let thy soul rejoice in Christ, and praise him for thy spiritual abilities. Naaman being cleansed from his leprosy, returned unto the Prophet, and entreated him to take a blessing from i 2 King. 5.15 him. Christ having cleansed thee from the leprosy of thy sin, return to Christ, and render to him the blessing of spiritual and hearty thanksgiving. The woman in the Gospel who had a spirit of infirmity bowing her down, being made strait, k Luk. 13.13. glorified God Christ having raised and rectified thy heart, which was altogether bowed down to the world, and the things here below; Christ having enabled thee to look up, to seek the things which are above, to mind God, to love his truth, to hunger and thirst after the gifts and graces of his Spirit, glorify Christ for this his gracious work: l Exod. 15.1. The Israelites seeing the Egyptians drowned, and themselves delivered from their servitude, sang and triumphed; Man seeing his sins drowned in the tears of godly sorrow, and buried in the grave of Christ, his soul set free by Christ from the servitude of Satan, the world, and his own corruption, should sing and triumph in Christ, and say, the Lord hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and the rider, Satan and my corruption hath he thrown down together: The Lord having of barren made Hanna fruitful, she said, my heart rejoiceth in the m 1 Sam. 2.1. Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord, my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation; Christ having opened our hearts, and of barren made our souls fruitful in all heavenly graces, our hearts should rejoice in Christ, our mouths should be enlarged with his praises, and our souls should rejoice in that salvation which Christ hath brought unto us. Man hath not greater cause of thanksgiving for any thing, then for his Sanctification, this work of Christ makes him a living man, puts such a life into him, that the second death shall never have power over him: This makes him an honourable man, one of the royal seed, a King and Priest to God: This makes him a beautiful and comely man, as the Lily among the thorns, as the Sun, Moon, and Morning among the clouds: This makes him a victorious man, a superabundant conqueror over all temptations and afflictions: This makes him a rich man, the least mite of this grace is better than all the abundance of the earth, as the n judg. 8.2. glean of Ephraim were better than the vintage of Abiezer: This makes him a joyful man, regeneration is the matter and ground of the soul's fullest, surest, and sweetest rejoicing. The Kingdom of God, the work of grace, o Rome 14.17. the spiritual reign of Christ in the heart, is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy-Ghost; Therefore praise Christ for this above all his favours, as Theodosius gave God greater thanks that he had made him a member of the Church, than head of the Empire; warm thy heart therefore with the frequent and serious thoughts of this work of Christ, and praise him for this, as for the brightest Star shining in the Firmament of thy soul, as for the most rich and orient pearl in the store-house of thy heart, as for the most beautiful and comely slower adorning the garden of thy inner-man. O praise him for this, as for the sweetest freedom, the noblest crown, the choicest workmanship, and liveliest evidence of his love communicable to the soul of man. As this is the best, and most soule-reviving influence of Christ into the heart of man: so for this pursue, and follow Christ Jesus with free and frequent, cordial and joyous, gracious and everlasting praises? for without this we are strangers to Christ, to the number of his faithful servants, to all the Prerogatives and privileges which God ministers to his children, even aliens to the commonwealth of Israel. CHAP. VIII. Showing how all God's people are but one. THe second Alienation, expressing the misery of men in their corrupt and carnal estate, an Alienation from the Commonwealth of Israel. Israel were once the peculiar people of God, set apart by a holy Covenant unto God to be his people above all the people of the earth, from the commonwealth of these Israelites, the Gentiles before the coming of Christ were strangers, and before their calling and conversion by the ministry of the Gospel, they were wholly excluded from the Privileges and Prerogatives belonging to the Israelitish people, as being strangers unto their commonwealth. And the Apostle expresseth their misery and dishonourable estate, by a Metaphor taken, a iure Civitatis, from the Rights and Privileges belonging to a City, being no Citizens, no members of this spiritual commonwealth, they were excluded from the Laws, Immunities, Freedoms, and Privileges belonging to the same. In the words we may observe, 1. The Title given to the Church and people of God, a Commonwealth. 2. The Exemption of all profane men from this Commonwealth, called Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel. 1. Of the Title, which is not proper but metaphorical, and it may teach us, Doct. That God's faithful people are a spiritual and mystical Commonwealth. As they are termed a body consisting of many members of which Christ is the head; a house consisting of many lively stones, whereof Christ is the head corner stone; an Orchard composed of many Trees, of which Christ is the planter: so they are also a spiritual, a mystical Commonwealth, whereof Christ is the supreme Governor: And Christ's Church and faithful people are a spiritual Commonwealth. 1. In respect of multitude. A Commonwealth consisteth of many persons, the Church of Christ of many believers, as a body of many members, a house of many stones, an orchard of many trees, a flock of many sheep, and an army of many soldiers; though they be but few, a small number, comparatively in respect of the profane multitude, like gideon's three hundred men to the Midianitish Host, A little flock, a few, a remnant, one of a City, and two of a Tribe, as the Scripture speaketh; yet considered simply, and in themselves they are many. One hundred forty and four thousand were p Rev. 7.4. sealed, Rev. 7.4. And the Prophet foretold of the conversion of the q Isa 60. abundance of the Sea, and of the coming of the forces, of the Gentiles to the Church of Christ. 2. In respect of Submission and Obligation to one Law. The people of a Commonwealth, though they be many, yet they are all guided by one Law. Thus the Church of Christ, though they be many, and dispersed far abroad upon the face of the earth, yet they are all subject to, and guided by one divine and sacred Law; They walk all (as the Apostle saith) by r Phil. 3. one Rule: All Israel were guided by one fiery pillar in their journeys; All the nations of the earth have one and the same Sun, ministering light unto them, to guide them in their several goings: The believers of all Nations have one and the same word of God, to be the light of their feet, and the lantern of their paths. Christ prescribes one Law to all his Subjects, one rule of believing, obeying and adoring him. 3. In respect of Subjection under one Governor. In a Commonwealth there is one chief Ruler; in the Church, Christ is the supreme Governor: He is the Head of this body, the King of this Commonwealth. As the body hath but one Head, and the commonwealth but one King: so the Church but one spiritual Head, but one divine and heavenly King, which is Christ; therefore styled the s Ephes. 1.21. Psal. 26. head over all things unto the Church, and a King set upon the holy hill of Zion: The Church is the Spouse, and Christ the Bridegroom; the Church the flocke, and Christ the chief shepheard; the Church the ship, and Christ the Pilate; the Church the family, and Christ the Master of the house, styled by ●nt James, jam. 4.12. one Lawgiver, and we by voice from Heaven are commanded to hear him. 4. In respect of mutual and common interest in all spiritual good things. All the members in a commonwealth have interest in the common privilege and liberties belonging to that commonwealth. All the living members of the Church of Christ, have claim and title to all the good things of Christ; they are all sons of God, they are all the Lords freemen, they are all Citizens of the new Jerusalem, they are all members of the same mystical body, they are all heirs to the same inheritance, and partakers of the same promises and benefits by Christ; All is theirs, whether Paul, or Apollo's, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, all is theirs, and they are Christ's. There Sun is alike open and obvious to the eye of the poor, and of the rich. Christ the Sun of Righteousness is alike open and free in the communication of himself to the soul of the poor, and rich believing Christian; yet this parity of believers participation of Christ, takes not away the imparity of dominion and subjection between themselves. He that is inferior in sanctification, may be superior in external estate and jurisdiction: For as there are various degrees of state in a commonwealth, so there are in the Church of Christ on earth. Ex medico & medico▪ ex rustico & rustico; sed ex medico & rustico 5. In respect of Constitution and composition. A commonwealth, as Aristotle observes, consisteth not of a Physician and a Physician, nor of a country man, and a country man; but of a Physician and a country man: so the Church of Christ consists not of a Pastor, and a Pastor, nor of a hearer, and a hearer; but of a teacher and a hearer, they are neither all teachers, nor all hearers, but some Pastors, and some Disciples, some teachers and some learners; as in an army some are soldiers, and some are Captains; in a family, some are nurses, and some are sacking babes; some therefore in the Church are commanded to teach, and some are enjoined to learn. 6. In respect of separation and distinction. A commonwealth is separated and distinguished from other Lands, by Laws, language, habit, privileges, etc. The Church of Christ is separate and destinguished from all the residue of the world; they are called out of the world, they are a t 1 Pet. 2 9 Deut. 7. royal Priesthood, a chosen generation, a peculiar people, called out of darkness into a marvellous light. They are a holy people unto the Lord their God, the Lord their God hath taken them to be a special people unto himself, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth: And they are distinguished from all other people by their Original, they are borne of God; by their Country, they are Citizens of the new Jerusalem; by their language, they speak the language of Canaan, God hath returned to them a pure language: By their habit, they put on righteousness as a garment, their adorning is not the putting on of gold, or plaiting of the hair, but the adorning of the hidden man of the heart: To be glorious within is their choice, and special ornament; they are distinguished from others as the living from the dead, as the vine from the thorn, as the lamb from the wolf, as light from darkness: God is their God, and they are his children, and they have privileges which no other people have besides them. 7. In respect of unity. A commonwealth consisting of many particular persons, makes but one politic body. All true believers are but one mystical body in Christ; therefore the Church is called One. My beloved (saith Christ) is one, and there is one body, and one spirit (saith the Apostle) one Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all. The Church is of one Lord, by one Baptism, into one mystical body, under one head, ruled by one spirit, bound with one bond of hope and love, professing one faith, and called with one Calling, to one heavenly Kingdom, built upon the foundation of one Doctrine. As one soul doth quicken the many members of the body: so the Spirit doth animate and enliven the whole Church. As in one Pomegranate there are many kernels within one rind: so doth one Church contain innumerable people, through the unity of faith; having one Father regenerating them, one spirit enlivening them, one light guiding them, one spiritual food nourishing them, one Law binding them, and one Head ruling the in, they are most sweetly and entirely one among themselves. CHAP. IX. Persuading Subjection under one Head, Submission to one Law, and unity between ourselves. THe Church and faithful people of Christ must learn from hence, Subjection under one Head, Submission under one Law, and unity between themselves. 1. Subjection under one Head, Christ. To Christ is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth, and to him must all be Subject. His dominion is from u Ps. 72.8.11. sea to sea, an I from the river to the ends of the earth, all Kings must fall down before him, and all Nations must serve him, To him the Church must be subject spiritually, their obedience must arise from a principle of grace, they must worship him in w john 4.24. spirit and in truth: To him they must be subject heartily, not in show but in truth, obeying from the x Rom. 6.17. heart root that form of Doctrine which Christ hath delivered to them: To him they must be subject voluntarily without compulsion, they must be a willing y Psal. 110.3. people, his Law must be in their hearts, and they must delight to do his will: To him they must subject themselves universally, in respect of the rule, they must have respect unto all the Commandments, as Noah in building the Ark had an eye to the whole pattern which was set before him; and in respect of the whole man, all the faculties of the soul, and all the members of the body must be obedient to him, as the Sun, Moon, and eleven Stars did obeisance to Joseph in his vision: Christ must be glorified both in our body, and in our spirit: To Christ we must be constantly subject, our hearts must be z Ps 119.112. inclined to perform his statutes always even unto the end. Christ is the Head, and we the members; Christ is the shepherd, and we the flocke; Christ is the husband, and we the Spouse; and as all the members are fully subject to the head, the flocke readily follows the voice of the shepherd, and the Spouse is lovingly subject to the Bridegroom: so must we be fully, freely and lovingly obedient unto Christ. 2. This teacheth Submission unto one Law. The Church is one mystical commonwealth, and must be subject unto one Law of Christ. All that builded the Ark built by one pattern. The whole Church of Christ hath one pattern, according to which they must build their faith and their love, even the whole Fabric of their worship and service. The ship hath one compass by which it roweth, and one Pilate by which it is guided: The Church is the ship, the Word the Compass, and Christ the Pilate; by Christ and his Word must the whole Church of God be ordered and ruled. The Word of God is a sure word, to which we must give heed, as to a light that shineth in a dark place. The Law of the Lord is perfect, it needs no addition, as the Sun needs not the help of any candle to increase his light in shining on them that travel. The Scriptures are a complete and perfect School, profitable for Doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. God gave Moses a perfect pattern for the building of the Tabernacle without addition or dimunution. God's word is a perfect pattern, comprising the whole frame of man's conversation: It is God's prerogative to prescribe, and man's duty to conform. Ye shall not add unto the word Which I command you (saith the Lord) neither shall you diminish aught from it, that you may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God which I command. All other Doctrines are darkness, and not light, they cannot guide us, they are false plants, of man's, and not of Gods planting, they bear no good fruit to feed us, and God the great Husbandman of the vineyard will pluck them up; they are sand, he that builds upon them sinks; they corrupt and adulterate the Doctrine and Religion of Christ, as the tares the wheat, as the evil herb the Prophet's pot. Man's service is no service of Christ if it receive not its rule from Christ; in vain, saith Christ, do ye worship me, teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men. He that mingles humane devices with his religious duties, makes it a humane, and no divine service; As the Elements once mingled in a compound body do lose their proper forms: so Religions mingled with humane traditions, and made compounding parts of a mixed worship and service, do lose their forms, and cease to be religious in God's account. As silver mingled with brass doth lose the nature, and name of silver, and currant coin, and will not pass with men, the touchstone discovers it, and the skilful Goldsmith rejects it: Thus the worship of God mixed with the dress of man's invention, loseth both the name and nature of true worship. The word discovers it to be counterfeit, and God doth not regard it, nor the performers of it: Of such therefore the Prophet saith, reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. This alienates from Christ, it divides the heart, and places the fear, trust, love, and joy of the soul upon some foreign thing, some Idol of man's devising. A woman that embrace a stranger with her husband in her bosom, and mingles strangers with her husband, is no more a chaste, and loving wife, her heart is divided, and she is become an adulteress. The mingling of foreign inventions with Christ's precepts in his services, is in God's interpretation, spiritual fornication, their hearts are gone from Christ their husband, they are taken up with strange lovers. To this purpose is that of the Prophet Esay, the faithful City is become an a Isa. 1.21. harlot; and what other but this was Judah's whoredom for which the Lord upbraideth her by the Prophet, saying, thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers, thou hast embraced many foreign doctrines, thou hast adulterated my worship with many novel and strange inventions, these have drawn thy love from me, and my truth, and thou hast committed adultery with them. When humane devices are made ingredients and compounding parts of God's service, they are in God's account very shameful pollutions; and doubtless, he that in God's worship is an admirer of humane inventions, is no lover of the Lord Jesus: Oil will not mix itself with water, nor iron with clay, no more will true Religion be mixed with that which is corrupt; the Ark and Dagon cannot stand together; Religion is not like lead, you cannot bow it, but like glass, break it you may, bow it you cannot, mingle it, and you destroy it, it is no more Religion but superstition, as silver mixed with dross is no more accounted silver but dross, though it hath some silver in it: Besides, it is treason in a commonwealth, for any man to mingle the Laws of a foreign Prince with; the Laws of his own Prince, no King will endure it; and what is this but spiritual treason against Christ, to mingle humane devices, and foreign traditions with Christ's precepts, the Lord will never endure it; therefore mark what Christ saith, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; Therefore as we are a spiritual commonwealth, so let us observe the Laws of Christ the spiritual King of this Kingdom. Let us walk according to his rule, And peace shall be upon us as upon the Israel of God. 3. This also teacheth the Church and children of God unity between themselves. A commonwealth must be at unity, as one body, they must join as one man: Thus the Church, the spiritual commonwealth of Christ must be as a City that is compact together, that is at b Psal 122.3. unity within itself; First, they must be at unity in judgement, of c Phil. 2. ●. one mind, as Saint Paul speaks, 1 Unity in judgement. in all fundamental and necessary truths; as they have one word informing and instructing them, one Spirit of God enlightening them: so they must be of one mind, of one judgement and understanding in things belonging to salvation, having (as Saint John saith) the same anointing, teaching them all things; the same Spirit, though not all in the same measure, enlightening them to judge and to discern aright of the mind and will of God: Unity in judgement is very effectual to breed unity in affection; discord and difference in the apprehension of the truths of Christ proposed in the Gospel, doth ordinarily make an unhappy breach in men's affections; therefore let us all strive for one and the same clear and through understanding of Gods revealed will, as Scholar's learning one lesson, by one and, the same rule, Let us as many (saith Paul) as be perfect, as have a true and clear knowledge of God in Christ, be thus minded, and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. God by degrees so enlightens his children, that he makes them at length men of the same understanding in things profitable to their salvation. 2. Unity in Affection Volumus & nos pacem, & non solum volumus, verum etiam rogamus; sed pacem Christi, pacem veram, pacem sine mimicitijs, pacem in qui non sit bellum involutum pacem que non adversarios subijciat, sell inimicos jungat. Hieron. 2. Labour for unity in affection, let the sacred fire of Christian and mutual love be always burning upon the altar of your hearts. See (saith Saint Peter) that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. This is an ointment of a sweet savour in the nostrils of God and men, like the ointment which the woman poured on our Saviour, that made the whole house where she was to cast a sweet smell; Love makes both the persons and services of God's servants very sweet and odoriferous. This argues God's gracious inhabitation in us, regeneration of us, and holy workmanship upon us; for God is love, and he that loveth, dwelleth in God, and God in him. This is the character and cognizance of our being Christ's Disciples. By this shall all men know (saith Christ) that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another, and as the heat of the body is a Symptom of life in the body; and as the light of the Sun assures us of the rising of the Sun: d 1 john 4 16 john 15.35. so this light and heat of love gives clear and comfortable evidence of our spiritual quickening and interest in the first resurrection. By this (saith the Apostle) we know that we are passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. 1 john 3.14. As therefore our spiritual commonwealth is a commonwealth of peace, our Prince a Prince of peace, our Law of faith and love, a Law of peace, our Calling a Calling of peace, and all our fellow Subjects the Subjects of peace, Let us love each other, and be at e 1 Thes. 5. peace amongst ourselves. 3. Unity in Religion. una via ●veritas ad ●am Christus. 3. Labour for unity in Religion. As the whole commonwealth obey the King by one Law: so let us worship and serve Christ by one Rule, the word of God; let us all walked by one Light, the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles; let us all build upon one rock, Jesus Christ; other foundation than this can no man lay; Let us all hearken to the voice of one shepherd, Jesus Christ, speaking to us in his word; Let us all feed in one pasture, the Ordinances of God; Let us all be clothed with one royal robe of Christ his Righteousness, for the justification of our souls; Let us all invocate and call on one God in the name of one Mediator, Jesus Christ; Let us all worship God after one manner, in truth and sincerity, according to Christ's own prescription, not having our minds corrupted, and hearts adulterated, and alienated from f 2 Cor. 11.3. the simplicity that is in Christ, by carnal doctrines, and humane observations; Let us receive all our direction from Christ, as the traveller receiveth all his light from the Sun; Let us yield all our Subjection unto Christ, as the soldiers were fully subject unto the Centurion; Let us have our full and sole dependence upon Christ, as the house in the Parable was wholly built upon the rock; Let us seek for all perfection in Christ, as the people in the famine came all to Joseph to supply their wants; and let us refer all our services to the honour and glory of Christ, and so shall we give testimony of our happy union in Christ's Religion. 4. Strive for unity in opposing sin and Satan's Kingdom. 4 Unity in opposing Sin. A commonwealth is united against a public and common adversary; Satan and sin are the common adversaries of our souls, against these let us unite our forces, by mutual watchfulness one over another, fervent prayer each for other, and by the ministration of holy instruction, gracious admonition, and Christian encouragement one towards another, considering one another, and, provoking one another, according to the Apostles rule, to love and to good works. The children of Israel arose as one man, and went up against Gibeah. The Lord's people should arise as one man against the powers of ungodliness, to suppress the Kingdom and works of the Prince of darkness. Joab and Abishai made a Covenant to help one another against the Syrians, and the children of Ammon: thus should Gods children covenant together, and help each other against their corruptions, and temptations, every man endeavouring the welfare of another man's soul, as his own. Were the souls of God's children thus happily and graciously united, they would undoubtedly prove a flourishing commonwealth, a glorious people, and a great honour to Christ, who reigns as King over them. CHAP. X. Pressing the seeking of the welfare of Christ's Church. 4. THis likewise presseth on us the ministration of our best help and assistance to the Church of Christ. Pressing to seek of the welfare of the Church with the grounds thereof. The members of a commonwealth endeavour the welfare and safety of the, commonwealth, they prefer it above their own private good: The members of Christ's spiritual commonwealth should do the like for Christ's Church; It is the Lords injunction, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, be instant with God for the prosperity, safety, increase, and flourishing estate of his Church. What though God watch over it, and have promised protection to it; yet thou must also pray for, and labour the prosperity thereof, otherwise how canst thou rejoice in the welfare of the same. To this duty the very relation between us and the Church should lead us; the Church is the body whereof we are members, do not all the members in the body natural labour the welfare of the whole? How can the members of the mystical body of Christ do less, unless they will prove themselves unnatural. Our Sympathy with the Churches, afflictions should persuade us to this, we must apprehend, the calamity which resteth upon the Church, as resting upon our own persons: If one member (saith Saint Paul) do suffer, all the members suffer with it. A dead member indeed hath no sympathy with the rest; but the living member hath a fellow-feeling, a quick and exquisite sense within, when any of the members are pained or hazarded. Who is weak (saith Paul) and I am not weak, who is offended, and I burn not. The blessing which is attendant on our endeavouring the welfare of the Church, is an Argument of great force to move us to this work; hereof the Lord saith, they shall prosper that love thee: They that love thee, they that are careful for thee, solicitous and studious to maintain soundness of Doctrine and purity of divine worship in thee; they that humble themselves in thy behalf, when troubles are upon thee; they that put themselves forth to the utmost, to relieve thee in thy wants, to comfort thee in thy sorrows, to assist thee against thy opposers; they shall prosper, it shall be well with them, they shall not go without a blessing, their work and labour of Love shall not be forgotten. Besides, our welfare is very much dependant upon the welfare of the whole Church of Christ: The welfare of every member in a commonwealth, and in a body natural, is deeply interested in the prosperity and good success of the whole. Thus the prosperity or fall of the Church in general, is our fall or prosperity in particular. The strengthening of some part of a building is a strengthening and a beautifying of the whole building; the fall of any part is a weakening, a disgrace, a prejudice to the whole; and thus it is in this case, We live (saith Paul) if ye stand fast in the saith, if ye abide in Christ, thrive in grace, and make a gracious progress in the ways of life, than we live, than we rejoice, and are full of comfort, than our hearts are much strengthened in the Lord. Our Subjection to changes, miseries, and troubles, should very much quicken us to the present commiseration of the rest of Christ's afflicted members, the Lord may make us drink of the same cup, as in the prophesy of Jeremy the Lord caused the cup of his wrath to go round, he made all the Nations to drink thereof, and if we have no compassion on others now, who shall have compassion upon us then, if we withdraw our helping hand from others, who shall reach forth the hand of assistance unto us; for God doth so order it in the course of his providence, that look what measure we meet to others in their distress, the same shall men measure again to us in our necessity. Besides, this is a work very acceptable to God, and very profitable to the Church of God; doubtless it pleased David well when Joab sought to bring home Absalon to him, and when Abner undertook to bring about all Israel. Thus when we endeavour to reconcile God and his Church, to bring men about to God, by our prayers, exhortations, and their repentance, is a work very pleasing unto God; and herein we prove instruments of the greatest honour, game, and comfort to our fellow brethren. O therefore I as we are all one commonwealth, let us labour the good of this our commonwealth, Let Magistrates and Ministers be to the Church like the fiery pillar to Israel, a light, and a defence; Let Ministers like Bees make the honey, compose sweet and wholesome Doctrine, gathered from the flowers growing in the garden of the sacred Scriptures, and so frame it that it may be sweeter than the honey or the honeycomb unto the palate of the Church; and let Magistrates like hives preserve this honey of wholesome Doctrine, that nothing do adulterate it; Let Ministers by the executive power of the Word and Sacraments, and Magistrates by their directive and coactive power demean themselves to the great behoof and benefit of God's Church; and as Moses and Aaron brought Israel out of Egypt, so let both Magistrate and Minister labour the spiritual and corporal freedom of the Lords people: And as every member, joint and sinew in the body natural, performs his office for the good of the whole; so let Christ's members from the highest to the lowest, according to their several places, stations and abilities, promote the welfare of Christ's Church and servants. CHAP. XI. Treating of Carnal man's Alienation from Christ's Church. THe second thing is the Exemption of all profane men from this commonwealth, from the Church of Christ, and all the spiritual prerogatives and privileges belonging thereunto. The Gentiles before the coming of Christ were altogether aliens hereunto, having no place at all in this commonwealth: Profane men since the coming of Christ, though they be in this commonwealth, living within the pale of the visible Church, as the unclean beasts within the Ark yet they are also aliens to this commonwealth, aliens to that holy and e●ectuall vocation wherewith this commonwealth is called, aliens to the heavenly and saving power of that Word and Spirit, by which this commonwealth is ruled and guided, aliens to that sweet and gracious Communion which the members of this commonwealth have with Christ by faith, and among themselves by love; and this is one great misery of all corrupt and carnal men, being without Christ, they are also aliens to the commonwealth of his Israel; as he that is an alien to the King, is an alien to that commonwealth which is under the King. Whence observe, That, All Profane and carnal persons are aliens to the true Church of Christ and all the spiritual privileges thereof. Doct. The Lepers under the Law were excluded the camp, separated from the society of clean persons, showing the effect of the Law in sinners, which driveth them from the communion of God and his people, till by repentance and faith they come unto Christ; and also figuring the putting and excluding of all unclean sinners, from the Church of Christ, and the privileges thereof, according to the charge of the Apostle, put away g 1 Cor. 5.13. from among yourselves that wicked person. Adam eating the forbidden fruit was debarred from the Tree of Life, and shut out of the Garden of Eden: The posterity of Adam feeding upon the forbidden fruit of sin, making a trade and practise of sin, are excluded from Christ, the true Tree of Life, and shut out of the Church of Christ, the enclosed Garden of which Christ is the Keeper and dresser. Hence profane men living within the pale of the Church, are likened to h Mat. 3 12. chaff mingled among the wheat in the floor, which though it be among the wheat, yet it is not of the wheat: To a man at the wedding feast, without a i Mat. 22.12. wedding garment, who though he was among the guests, yet he was not of the number of the true and welcome guests, and therefore was cast out, as having of right no place there; and to thorns and briars, which though they sometime grow within the Orchard, yet are not Trees of the Orchard, not planted, watered, and manured by the Keeper of the Orchard, as other Trees are. And for this the Church is styled a k Cant. 4.12. Garden enclosed, in respect of God's protection, and preservation of her, in respect of her separation from them that are profane and carnal, by grace and holy calling, and for the Church's care and vigilancy, that no enemies invade her, that no unclean thing, or vicious persons pollute and defile her. And for this cause the Church is termed a chaste virgin, l 2 Cor. 11.2. for her internal and external purity, for her holy chastity, for her fidelity and fervent love to her husband Christ, for her alienation from the world, from all idolatry and false worship, and for her separation and distinction from all that pollute and defile themselves with Idols, the world, or any carnal lusts. And the Church is charged to preserve and keep herself from all intimate and familiar communion with them that are openly scandalous and unclean. I have m 1 Cor. 5 11. written unto you (saith Saint Paul) not to keep company, If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such a one, no not to eat, not familiarly and friendly to converse: He forbids not the exercise of the necessary offices of humanity and charity towards them, but the having of intimate communion with them. And if any man (saith the Apostle to the Thessalonians) obey not our Word by this Epistle, but be rebellious and obstinate against the holy and wholesome Doctrine delivered, n 2 Thes. 3.14. note that man and have no company with him: Whereby we see, that the Lord denies them that are obstinate and carnal, communion with such as are truly holy, and spiritual; there can be no sweet and seemly fellowship between common harlots and chaste virgins. What o 2 Cor. 6.14. fellowship (saith Paul) hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters: Carnal men are not spiritual brethren to them that are Gods children, they are not begotten of the same heavenly parent, they are not united to the same spiritual head, they are not endowed with the same gracious qualities, and therefore are aliens to God's sons and daughters. And p Rev. 21.15. without (saith Christ) are dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie: these are without, without the number of God's holy and sanctified Church and people, without the Prerogatives granted to God's gracious children, without the company of the Citizens of the new Jerusalem here, and without glory and happiness hereafter; and of such S. John saith expressly, however they have a place within the Church, yet they are not of the Church, They went q 1 joh. 2 29. out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. CHAP. XII. Laying down the grounds of carnal man's alienation from the true church of Christ. THe alienation of profane men from the true Church of Christ is manifest. 1. By their alienation from the Head of the Church; Grounds of alienation from the Church of Christ. The head. they are strangers to Christ, they r Col. 2.18. hold not the Head (saith the Apostle) from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together increaseth with the increase of God; they hold not Christ, but are strangers to the s Eph 4.18. life of Christ, as withered branches are strangers to the life of the root, Christ doth not live in them; they are strangers to the t joh. 1.5. knowledge of Christ, as blind men are strangers to the light of the Sun, the light shineth in the darkness, but the darkness comprehendeth it not, the Gospel is hidden to them; they are strangers to the dominion of Christ, he doth not reign spiritually within them, though they profess they know Christ, yet they be reprobate and u Tit. 1.16. disobedient to every good work; they are strangers to the holy and gracious. w Mat. 23.33. presence of Christ, Christ doth not dwell in their hearts by Faith, possessing, protecting a●d beautifying then souls, as a dweller his house; directing and guiding their goings to the haven of peace, as a Pilot his Ship: they are strangers to the love of Christ, they are not espoused to him as a x 2 Cor. 11.2. chaste Virgin; to the operation of Christ, he is not unto them as a y Mat. 3. Refiners fire and Fuller's soap purifying them as gold and silver to offer unto the Lord an offering of Righteousness; and also to the fullness of Christ, he is a sealed well of whose waters their souls drink not; though they live within the pale of the Church, and come to the ordinances of Christ, yet as Solomon spoke in another case, Of the way z Prov. 30.18 of a Ship in the Sea, of an Eagle in the Air, and of a Serpent upon a stone; so ●●●y we say of the way of Christ in his ordinances with the souls of carnal men, it leaveth no tract behind it, worketh no change, imprints no character of holiness, they still continue strangers to Christ, and having no communion with the Head, they are far from fellowship with the Members. 2. Seed of the Church. 2. By their being destitute of the Seed of the Church: the Church of Christ is begotten of a holy Seed, the word of God and virtue of the Spirit, a 1 Pet. 1.23. Begotten (saith St. Peter) of an immortal Seed; the Word of God preached, sown and received into their hearts, becometh the instrument of their regeneration and new-birth; and whosoever (saith S. John) is borne of God doth not commit sin, for his b 1 Joh. 3.9. seed, that is the virtue of the Holy-Ghost, working faith and holiness by the word preached, abides in him: Now of this seed carnal men are altogether destitute, they are without the seed of the word, they hide it not in their hearts, they let it lie as seed above ground, it takes no root in them, either the stoniness of their hearts will not admit it, or the thorns of worldly cares choke it: it is as due upon the Rock, it doth c Heb. 4.2. Rome 7.18. not profit them, it brings forth no saving effect within them, and for the seed of the Spirit, they have no principle of grace, or new life within them; their souls are houses empty of all spiritual good; They are d jude v. 19. sensual (saith S. Judas) corrupt, carnal and earthly in their understandings, imaginations, affections and practise even in the very whole frame, fabric and disposition of their souls: Not having the Spirit, regenerating and quickening them, enlightening and sanctifying them, having no seed, no principle of grace within them, and being destitute of the seed of the Church, they are undoubtedly strangers to the true Church, they are in the Church, but as e john 8 35. Heb. 12.8. Quality of Church. Servants or Bastards in a Family, they are not the genuine and proper children of the Church. 3. By their being aliens to the condition and quality of the Church of Christ: the Church of Christ is qualified with grace, a chosen f 1 Pet. 2.9. generation, a royal Priesthood, a peculiar people, called out of darkness into a marvellous light, likened for their spiritual splendour of sanctity to the g Cant 2.2. Lily among the thorns, to the h Cant. 4.9. Dove among the birds, to the i Cant 6.10. Sun, Moon and Morning among the lights, to the k Psal. 45. Queen in gold of Ophir among women, and to a l Rev. 12.1. Woman clothed with the Sun, having twelve stars upon her head, and the Moon under her feet: The Church being very beautiful and glorious through Christ's communication of his graces to her; the Church receiving of his fullness m joh 1.16. grace for grace, as the child receiveth of the Father limb for limb; but all profane and carnal men are far from this quality and condition of holiness, being likened unto Swine for their uncleanness and wallowing in the mire of sin, Mat. 7. to Goats for their breaking over the hedge of God's commandments, troublesomeness to others and unsavourines of their conversations; as full of sin as a Serpent of poison, a rotten sepulchre of dead men's bones, or the Sea of waters, full of all unrighteousness, saith S. Paul, though they live within the pale of the Church and take upon them a form of godliness, yet they are but like the Beast in the Revelation, which had two horns like a n Rev. 13. Lamb, but spoke as a Dragon; thus these men pretend Christ, but serve Satan. 4. 4. Exclusion from the Covenant. By their Exclusion from the covenant which God hath made with his Church, to give it life, reconciliation, happiness and every good thing by Christ; a covenant made with believers, and such as fear God, my o Mal 2.5. Covenant, saith the Lord, of Levi, was with him of life and peace, and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name. God's Covenant is not promiscuous to all sorts of persons, chosen, reprobates, believers and infidels, but to such as are truly gracious, his Covenant is with them that are his friends, and not with his enemies, God sanctifieth all them whom he intends shall have benefit by his Covenant. This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my Law in their p jer. 31.33. inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Such alone are within the Covenant of God, as are sanctified by the Spirit of God: The Promise indeed is general, but the condition is special, He that q Mar. 16.16. Ios. 15. believeth and is baptised shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned, though he be baptised, Caleb made a general Promise to all his Soldiers, whosoever should smite Kiriath Sephar and take it should marry his Daughter Acsah, yet Othniel took it, and he alone had her to wife: God makes a Promise whosoever believeth and repenteth shall be saved by Christ, yet not all, but only he that believes and reputes, he that smites Kiriath Sephar, that overcomes Satan, himself and the world, hath Christ to husband; to him that r Rev. 2.17. overcomes is given to eat of the hidden Manna; but to the wicked God saith, Psal 50. What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth and hatest to he reform. Wicked men therefore being strangers to the Covenant between God and his Church, are also aliens to the Church. 5. By their estrangement from the life, light, faith, liberty, wedlock of the Church with Christ, and her gracious receivings from Christ. Estrangement from 1. Life. They are estranged, 1. From the life of the Church; as the dead are estranged from the life of the living, s Gal. 2 20. Rom. 6.4. Rom. 14.8. Ephes. 2. so are corrupt and sinful men from the life of God's Church and children, Gods children are quickened by the Spirit, Christ liveth in them, as the root in the branches, as the head in the members, 1 Tim. 5. Rev. 3.1. they walk in newness of life, they live to God and Christ; but carnal men are dead in sins, dead whiles they live like the wanton widow, though they profess Christ and are reputed the members of Christ, yet with the Angel of Sardis, they have but only a name that they live, they are spiritually dead indeed. 2. They are estranged from the light of the Church, 2. Light. though they have the same light of Doctrine shining on them, which shines on God's children, as the blind hath the same, light shining on him, that shines on such as have their eyes open, yet they see nothing of God and Christ clearly and comfortably by it, the t Isa. 8.16. testimony is bound up, and the Law is sealed among the Disciples. Such alone as are taught of God, have the clear and saving knowledge of his will and counsel. The mystery of godliness is to carnal men like Sampsons' riddle to the Philistines, judge 14. they cannot interpret it without the help of God's Spirit, it is a strange language which they understand not, a u Isa. 29.11. sealed book which they cannot open; carnal men live in great blindness under plentiful means of Knowledge, They stumble at the noonday as at the midnight. 3. They are estranged from the faith of the Church; 3. Faith. 1 King 13 4. their Faith like Jeroboams arm is withered, they cannot lay hold upon Christ, they cannot build upon Christ, as the Wiseman built his house upon the Rock: Their souls are not rooted in Christ, as the tree is rooted in the Earth; they do not cleave to Christ, as the heart of the wife cleaveth to the Husband, 2 Sam 20.1. as sometime the men of Judah clavae to David; they do not single out Christ, and take him to themselves as their Rock, as their glory, as their strength and refuge, they do not betake themselves to Christ, as the chickens betake themselves to the Hen, the Bees to the hive, the Coneys to the Rock, and as the men that were in debt, distress and discontent betook themselves to David, 1 Sam. 22.1 and made him their Captain; they do not stay on Christ, put on and apply Christ unto themselves, and themselves to Christ, as the Church and children of God do as the Spouse of Christ doth; their faith is a temporary and vanishing faith, a Tree without roots, that soon withers, a dead faith, there is no life and power in it, no saving fruit grows upon it. 4 Liberty. 4. They are estranged from the liberty of the Church. Christ's Church and children are Gods w 1 Cor. 7. freemen; and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is x 2 Cor. 3.17. liberty: Liberty from the power of sin, tyranny of Satan, and servitude of the world; liberty to know God, as the open eye is free to see; to move, and incline to God, as the River is free to move and slow toward the Sea; to believe in God's promise; to receive Christ, as the sound hand is free to receive the gift, and free to love Christ, as the heart of the Bride is free to love the Bridegroom: All carnal men are great strangers to this freedom, they are captives to Satan, servants to the world, prisoners to their own lusts, bowed down to the world, like the woman in the Gospel that had a spirit of y Luk. 13.13. infirmity, as unable to look up to God, or to the things which are above, as unable to discern the things of God, as the blind to discern colours, as unable to walk in the ways of God, Acts 12.7. as the dead are unable to walk upon the earth, as fast shut up in the prison of Satan, and their own corruption, as ever Peter was in Herod's prison. 5. Wedlock. 5. They are estranged from the wedlock of the Church with Christ. True believers are Christ's Spouse, betrothed unto Christ, z Eph. 5. bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, one mystical Christ, as man and wife are one matrimonial flesh; but carnal men are far from this wedlock, they take not Christ unto themselves as the husband of their souls, they have not the love and joy of a Spouse in Christ, they keep not their souls chaste and pure to Christ; jam. 4.4. they commit fornication and adultery with Idols, and the world, and are divorced from Christ, they shamefully de●ile themselves, and make themselves an abomination in the eyes of Christ. 6. Receiving. 6. They are estranged from the Churches receivings from Christ. True believers receive of Christ's fullness; they receive life, and light, and power from Christ, as the eye receiveth light from the Sun, the branch life from the root, and the body power from the soul; they receive the Spirit of Christ, and are quickened; they receive the word of Christ, and are edified; they receive the promise of Christ, and are established; they receive the forgiveness of sins by Christ, and are comforted; but carnal men like a company of broken cisterns, and withered branches, receive nothing from Christ Jesus, Christ cometh among them in his Gospel, but they receive him not; he cometh to them by his Ministers, but they receive not their witness, they shut the doors of their hearts against Christ, he stands without, and knocks, but they open not, they give him no entertainment. Christ spends his strength in vain, and his labour for nought amongst them; and by all these things they make manifest their Alienation from the Church of Christ, and all the special privileges and prerogatives thereof. CHAP. XIII. Discoursing of the unhappy condition, and impossibility of their salvation who are strangers to the true Church. THis discovers the unhappy condition of all carnal and unholy people, Unhappy condition of strangers to the true Church. though they live within the pale of the Church, yet they are all aliens to the Church; though they be in the Church, yet they are not of the Church, as nasty humours are in the body, yet no member, no part nor parcel of the body; though they be within the School of Christ, yet they are no true Disciples of Christ, they are like them of whom Saint Paul speaks, who are always learning, and never come to the knowleege of the truth: Though they are within the pale of Christ's Orchard, yet they are but false slips, no Trees of Righteousness of Christ's planting: Though they be in Christ Sacramentally, yet they are but as dead members, or wooden legs in a body, or withered branches in a vine; wanting the Spirit of Christ, they have no spiritual life, sense, or motion in them: Though they take upon them the name of Christ, yet they do not partake of the nature of Christ, as blazing Stars have the name, but not the nature of Stars: Though they verbally profess Christ, yet they actually deny Christ, in works (saith the Apostle) they deny him; they are seeming, but no true Christians; they do but with Jeroboams wife, disguise, and feign themselves to be others than they are: As they in the Church of Smyrna said, they were jews, and yet were not so, but a Synagogue of Satan. Thus many say they are Christians, who indeed are not in Christ Jesus, but are the Synagogue of Satan, a cage of unclean birds; and though they be ecclesiastically holy, by virtue of their natural generation of Christian parents, yet they are not spiritually and truly holy, because they want that regeneration, which is the work of God's Spirit; and though they enjoy some outward privileges by their being within the Church, yet they enjoy not Christ and his benefits, because they are not truly living members of the Church: And this is a great misery, to be an alien to the true Church of Christ; he that is an alien to this Church of Christ, is an alien to Christ, Christ doth not enliven nor enlighten him, Christ doth not profit him. A member separated from the body is separated from the head, hath no influence from the head; he that is a stranger to the Church, is a stranger to the promise, for the promise is to them whom God a Act. 2.39. calls outwardly by his Word, and inwardly by his Spirit; he is a stranger to the love of Christ, Christ's Church is the object of Christ's love, Christ b Eph. 5.25. loved the Church, saith Saint Paul, and gave himself for it; he is a stranger to the blessed and gracious presence of Christ, Christ's presence is with his Church, he delights to walk among the c Rev. 1.13. candlesticks, sanctified souls are his Temple, his dwelling, his d Isa. 11.10. glorious rest; he is a stranger to the comfortable communications of Christ, Christ reveals and opens himself to his Church and children, as a glorious Sun, as a loving Bridegroom; to them he communicates himself, as the e Psal. 72.6. dew upon the ground, and as the rain upon the grass; he gives them his f Cant. 7.12. love, and all the comforts of his Spirit; but to profane men, Christ is as a sealed fountain of whom they drink not, a hidden Manna of whom they taste not; he that is an alien to the Church is without the protection and salvation of Christ; they that were without the Ark, had no safety from the waters, and surely they that are without the Church, I mean, without that faith, holiness, love, and gracious communion, which is proper to God's children, are without salvation. And this is the misery of carnal men living in the Church, and not living the life of them that are the true Church of Christ indeed, and such men indeed are a great dishonour to the Church, as spots in the face, spots and blemishes, as Saint Peter terms them; a burden to the Church, as dead members to the body; a trouble to the Church, as jonah to the ship, raising the stormy tempest of God's wrath against it; and therefore should be wiped away, cut off, and cast out, by the censures of the Church; not for everlasting condemnation, but for their humiliation and reformation; for the g 1 Cor. 5.5. destruction of the flesh, that their spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, according to the Apostles rule. This opens the impossibility of the salvation of corrupt and carnal men, as such, and as long as they continue such, Salvation of carnal man how impossible. for being such, they are aliens to the Church of Christ, to the spiritual commonwealth of Christ's Israel. As all that were out of the Ark perished in the deluge of waters: so all that are out of the Church, not living members of this commonwealth, do perish in the deluge of God's wrath. Such as are by the power of their profaneness alienated from the Church of Christ, the company of them that are effectually called and sanctified, they are, 1. Without God. 1. Without God. He that hath not the Church for his Mother, hath not God for his Father; he that is not of the new Jerusalem, whom the Apostle terms the h Gal. 4.26. Mother of us all, for her bringing forth children spiritually unto God; he that is not of her, is not of God; he that is not a child in this spiritual and heavenly family, is not borne of God; therefore the Apostle saith of them that are the true members of this Church. i Ephes. 2.19. Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God. 2. 2. Without Christ. He that is by his profaneness an alien to the Church of Christ, is an alien to Christ; he that is an alien to the commonwealth, is an alien to the King; he that is not one of Christ's flock, cannot have Christ for his Shepherd, and without Christ there is k Acts 4.12. no salvation. 3 Without Regeneration. 3. He that is an alien to the Church of Christ, is estranged from regeneration, renovation, illumination, sanctification, remission, donation of the Spirit, and the promise of the eternal inheritance. Effects and fruits of the Word and Spirit in them that are effectually called, properties and prerogatives belonging only to Christ's holy and gracious people, and without these there is no salvation: These (saith Chemnitius) God, 1st a, Deus, verbum, fides, Ecclesiae salus, vita aeterna, etc. Eph. 4 3, 4. the Word, Faith, the Church, salvation and life eternal are very intimously knit and joined together; and accordingly the Apostle, there is one Body, and one Spirit, one Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in you all. To him therefore that is not of this sacred company and Church of Christ, the Spirit is no Sanctifier, Christ no Redeemer, God no Father, Baptism no Seal, and Faith no Instrument of Justification; and therefore unless man be of this sacred company, there is no salvation; they that leap out of the ship into the Sea perish; they that forsake the ship of Christ's Church, and hold not communion by faith and love with God's Saints, perish in the Sea of this world; all the Citizens of jericho who were out of Rahabs' house, perished with fire and the sword. All that are out of God's house, or to speak in the Apostles words, who are not built up a spiritual house to God, are liable to the fire and sword of God's wrath. CHAP. XIV. Discovering the vanity of carnal man's applauding and pleasing himself with being borne within the Church. The vanity of sinful man's boasting of being within the Church. HEre may we likewise see, how vain, nay how dangerous it is for man to applaud and please himself in being borne within the pale of the Church, and having the external use of God's Ordinances, continuing under the power of sinful lusts, because remaining under the command and power of sin, he is an alien to the Church, even whiles he lives within the Church; bless not therefore yourselves in this, build not your salvation upon such sandy ground. There was in Abraham's house a child of the bondwoman as well as of the free, they are not all m Rom. 9 children (saith Saint Paul) because they are Abraham's seed. There are within the house of the visible Church, children of Hagar as well as of Sarah; they who are the bondmen of corruption, as well as they who are the Lords freemen. Man's outward participation of God's Ordinances is no assured evidence of his inward participation of Christ Jesus: The hearts of Ezekiels hearers went after their n Ezek. 33.31 covetousness; Herod lived in o Mar. 6. incest when he attended the ministry of the Baptist; the Sadduces were a very generation of p Mat. 3. vipers, when they came to the Baptism of john; the very City of Jerusalem, even whiles it had the glorious name and title of God's Church, was become an q Isa 1. harlot, her silver was become dross, and her wine mixed with water. It is an easier thing to wait on God's Ordinances, than it is to lay aside our corruptions. men's outward profession is not always seconded with a spiritual change and reformation. jether had a r judg. 8.22. sword, but he had no strength, no courage to draw it, to slay Zeba and Zalmunna with it. Many have the Word and Sacrament, the Oracles of God, the Sword of the Spirit; but they have no heart to use them, they do not apply them to the mortification of their corruptions. It is not the having, but the gracious working of the word of God, which proves a man to be the child of God. The lame man lay many years at s john 5.4, 5. Bethesda, his lameship not cured; many live many years within the pale of the Church, under the powerful ministry of the word, and yet no spiritual cure wrought upon their souls; the disease of sin still continues and increases upon them: Do not therefore boast and glory that you are the children of the Church, as the Pharisees sometimes boasted, that they were the t john 8. children of Abraham; for as Christ said to them, if you were the children of Abraham you would do the works of Abraham: Thus if you were the genuine and natural children of the Church, you would do the works of them, that are the Church and children of God; and be assured of this, though thou live within the pale of the Church, yet if thou live under the power of any profane lust, thou art, 1. Carnal man living within the Church, is 1. An unbeliever. 1. An unbeliever, thou receivest not Christ into thy soul, thou buildest not upon the rock, but upon the sand, and thou wilt sink at the last; for faith where it is, is victorious, it overcomes Satan, the world, and every lust, it purifies the heart, and makes man a holy Temple to the Lord, it overturnes all the holds of sin, it drives all base lusts out of the heart, as Christ overturned the Tables, and drove the buyers and sellers out of his Father's house. 2. An hypocrite 2. Thou art a very hypocrite, a cursed counterfeit, a whited sepulchre, full of dead men's bones within, like the Locusts which had the face of a man, and the hair of a woman without, but the teeth of a Lion within, and the tail of a Scorpion behind: Thus though thou hast the face of a Christian without, yet thou hast the rapine of a Lion, and the poison of a Scorpion, the venom of all sin within, and wilt have the portion of an hypocrite at last. 3. A defiler of sacred things. 3. Thou art a defiler of things sacred, an abuser of God's Ordinances, one that turnest the means of life into an occasion of death; the evil herb turned the Prophet's pot into a pot of death; the evil of sin swaying in thy soul, turns the word of life into the savour of death; Like the spider, thou suckest poison out of the flower of that Word and Sacrament, which in itself is sweeter than the honey, or the honeycomb. 4. A scandal to the Church. 4. Thou art a scandal to the Church of Christ where thou livest; thou art a blemish to the Christian name, as an ulcer to the face, as a dead member to the body; for through such, as the Apostle saith, is the name of God blasphemed; misliving Christians are of all persons the greatest dishonour to Christ Jesus. 5. Greatest condemnation. Lastly, be assured thy condemnation will be greatest, thy torment the severest; They that come nearest to Heaven by their outward calling and profession, and yet are strangers to the life and power of godliness, shall sink lowest into hell, and drink deepest of the cup of God's vengeance; To such therefore our Saviour saith, it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for them. 4. Exhortation to the putting away of sin. 4. Are all profane men aliens to the Church of Christ, though they live within the pale thereof? Then let all such as live within the Church, learn by this, to purge out, and put away all profaneness, to search and seek for, and furnish themselves with all saving gifts and graces, the proper characters of the living members of the true Church of Christ, knowing as the Apostle saith, that he is not a jew who is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a jew which is one inwardly, whose Circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. It is not man's naked profession of Christ, but his inward sanctification that makes him a true Christian, and holiness is the honourable and inseparable Adjunct of Christ's Church, called by the Apostle a Church u 1 Cor. 14.33. of Saints; because Christ who is the head of this Church is holy, and makes them partakers of his holiness, separates them from the world by a holy calling, commits his holy word unto them, causeth it to dwell in them, and bestows his holy Spirit upon them, and works holiness within them; and as Christ who is the head of the Church, was according to the flesh, conceived of the Holy-Ghost: so is the Church the mystical body of Christ, sanctified by the holy Spirit; and as the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth personally in the personal body of Christ: so dwell the three Persons of the Trinity mystically and spiritually in the mystical body of Christ, and all the living members of the same; therefore as we profess ourselves to be the children of God, a God absolutely and infinitely holy, so let us be holy in all manner of conversation, as he that hath called us is holy; as we profess ourselves to be the members of Christ, who is a holy head, so let us conform ourselves to Christ, as the members in the body natural are conformed to the head; and as we are styled the Bride of Christ, so let us feel in our hearts the sweet and heavenly motion of the holy Spirit, the pledge of Christ's love; and as the Bridegroom loveth, clotheth, adorneth and defendeth his Bride, thus let us labour to discern Christ's shedding abroad his love into our hearts, clothing us with his righteousness, adorning us with his graces, and defending us by his blessed power, and presence; and as we are called children of light, so let the light of grace in us, like the light in the firmament, shine more and more unto the perfect day; the more we shine in holiness, the more sweetness shall we find in God's Ordinances, the greater tranquillity shall we have in our own consciences, the more amiable shall we be in the eyes of Christ Jesus, the more shall we beautify the Church of Christ, whereof we are members; and as the vessels of the transportative Tabernacle were at length translated into Solomon's Temple, so shall we after our ambulatory and mutable condition in the Church militant, be translated to rest, and reign for ever in the Church triumphant. CHAP. XV. Handling carnal Man's estrangement from the Covenant. THe third Alienation, declaring the misery of carnal and sinful man, is an Alienation from the Covenants of God, termed strangers from the Covenants of promise. Man's happiness is built upon his interest in Gods gracious promise; the strangers to this promise are the most unhappy of all persons. Carnal men are aliens to Christ, to the members of Christ, to Christ's commonwealth, and to all the prerogatives and privileges thereof; strangers to the Covenants of promise made in and through Christ: God made, and often renewed, and repeated his Covenants and promises with the Israelitish people, concerning their salvation in and by Christ. In the beginning the Lord made this Covenant with our first Parents, promising that the w Gen ● 15. seed of the woman, which is Christ, should break the serpent's head; the Lord renewed it with Abraham, and his seed, saying, I x Gen. 17.7. will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee, and thy seed after thee; and of the Israelitish people in this respect, speaks Moses, What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for, and what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day. Now to these Statutes, Oracles and Promises, the Gentiles before the coming of Christ were strangers, they no way appertained to them; and to the saving fruit and benefit of this Covenant of Grace, Salvation and everlasting life, all profane men since the coming of Christ, remaining without Christ, being no living Members of the mystical body of Christ, no loyal Subjects in the commonwealth of Christ: To this Covenant, I say, they continue strangers: it doth not appertain unto them, they cannot claim Salvation by it: Whence observe, That, All corrupt and carnal persons are strangers to God's Covenant of Grace and Salvation in and through Christ Jesus: Doct. Adam feeding upon the Tree of forbidden fruit, was excluded from the Tree of life; man feeding upon, and filling himself with the forbidden fruit of sin, is excluded from Christ, and all the promises of God in Christ, and all benefit coming by Christ. Unto the y Psal. 50.16. wicked, to the man whose heart is empty of grace, void of the true fear of God, and far from the life and power of godliness, God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes, to talk of my Doctrine, or of the rules and ways of my worship, or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth, that thou shouldest vaunt and boast thyself to be of the number of that sacred people, whom I have adopted to myself by peculiar Covenant, or that thou shouldest expect Salvation by my free and gracious promise, wherein thou hast no interest; Such as keep not Gods precepts, presume in vain of Salvation by God's promise; he that observes not God's Commandment, hath nothing to do with God's Covenant: Therefore such men though they live within the pale of the Church are termed z Num. 20.10. Isa. 30.1. Ezek. 2.8. Rebels, rebellious children and a rebellious house; a Rebel though he live within the kingdom, yet hath nothing to do with the privileges of the kingdom, these belong to the loyal and obedient Subjects of the Kingdom: under the Law a a Deut. 21.10. rebellious Son, though he had a place of abode in his Father's House, yet had he no title to his Father's goods, nor to any immunities belonging to the House, but being stubborn and rebellious, a glutton or a drunkard, one that would not obey his Father's voice, he was to be stoned to death: Profane and carnal men though they live and have their abode within the pale of Christ's Church, yet rebelling against Christ, breaking the bands in sunder, and casting away the cords of God's Law from them, being stubborn and rebellious, and refusing to obey the voice of the Lord, the Privileges of Christ's Kingdom, the Covenant of salvation by Christ, appertains not unto them. Sometimes they are termed b Heb. 12.8. bastards; bastards have a place within the house with sons, but the inheritance belongs not unto them; Ishmael had a place in Abraham's house with Isaac, yet being the son of a bondwoman, the inheritance came not to him, but to Isaac; thus carnal men not being regenerate and borne of God, not being the genuine and true children of God, but hypocrites and bondmen to Satan, and their own lusts, they are no heirs nor coheirs with Christ, they are strangers to the Covenant of grace. Of them therefore the Lord saith, that they c Hos. 6.7. like men, or like Adam have transgressed my Covenant, and have made forfeiture of all, as Adam did, or they have transgressed my Covenant, as the covenant of a man, regarding their covenant with me no more than a covenant between man and man, and they have dealt treacherously against me; they have slighted me, they have not desired friendship and consortship with me; but they have depraved my worship and apostatised from me, and of such the Prophet Jeremy saith, They d jer. 22.9. Prov. 2.17. have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God, as the Harlot in Solomon forsook the guide of her youth, and forgot the Covenant of her God; thus these men committing spiritual fornication with the world, forsake Christ, the guide of their souls, and forget the Covenant of their God, become altogether unmindful of that new obedience, which they have vowed and promised, losing all claim and title unto, and outing themselves of all the benefit which the Covenant of God importeth, because as the Psalmist saith, they e Psal 78.10. keep not the Covenant of God, and refuse to walk in his Law; and to this Saint john speaks fully, If we say that we have fellowship with Christ, interest in Christ, communion with Christ, promise of salvation by Christ, and f 1 john 1.6. walk in darkness, live sinfully, and converse profanely; we lie and do not the truth, we deceive ourselves, we presume of interest in Christ, and claim to God's promise, which belongeth not unto us. The profane man's estrangement from the Covenant of God is manifest. 1. In regard of Ignorance, Grounds of carnal man's estrangement from the Covenant. 1. Ignorance. which makes them uncapable of entering into Covenant with God. All carnal men are ignorant men, the g 1 Cor 2.14. natural man receiveth not the things of God, they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He that wants a bodily eye, discerns not bodily things; he that wants a spiritual eye, perceives not spiritual things; where there is no suitableness between the sense and the thing to be perceived, there is no perception, according to the Logicians rule, quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis. The natural man having no spiritual eye, no principle of heavenly and sacred light within him, he cannot truly and savingly perceive the things of God: Of such therefore the Psalmist saith, they are all gone aside, they h Psal. 14.3, 4. are altogether become filthy, all the workers of iniquity have no knowledge; they know not their sins, as a sick man his disease, grieving for them, complaining of them, and desiring ease and freedom from them; they know not their nakedness, and emptiness of all spiritual good, desiring to be filled with the good things of God, as Hagar knew the emptiness of her bottle, and wept for water; they know not their necessity of Christ, hungering and thirsting after him, as the Elders of Gilead knew their necessity of jeptha, and desired him to be their Captain, and made him head over them: they know not God, as a Father regenerating them, as a Physician healing them, as a King of mercies pardoning them; they know not Christ, as a Prophet instructing them, as a Priest sanctifying them, as a Prince of peace ruling within them, and reconciling God unto them; they know not the word of God, as a light guiding them, as due softening their hearts, as fire purging their souls, as food nourishing and strengthening them in all grace, and being thus ignorant, they are far from God's Covenant; such blind men are in covenant with Satan the Prince of darkness: Nahash the Ammonite would not make a covenant with the men of jabesh Gilead; but on this condition, that he might i 1 Sam. 11.2. thrust out all their right eyes. The God of this world, the Devil, k 2 Cor. 4 4. blinds the eyes of the understanding of all that are in covenant with him, that the glorious light of the Gospel may not shine into them; but such as are in covenant with God, are men of knowledge and sacred understanding: God gives them the means of knowledge outwardly, and works knowledge in them inwardly: I l jer. 3 14, 15. am married unto you (saith the Lord) there is his covenant with them, and I will give you Pastors according to mine own heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding, there is the ministration of the means of knowledge to them. Thy maker (saith the Prophet) is thy m Isa. 54.5, 13 husband, there is the covenant of wedlock between God and his Church, and all thy children shall be taught of God, there is the inward illumination of their understanding; and again, this saith the Lord shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, I will n jer. 31.34. put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them. Natural fools are unfit to enter covenant, with men, spiritual fools are as unfit for God's covenant, there is no communion between light and darkness, there is no covenant, no fellowship between God, who dwells in light inaccessible, and them that are overwhelmed with the darkness of ignorance. 2. In regard of Alienation from Christ the foundation of the Covenant All the promises of grace and salvation are in Christ, in him they are o 2 Cor. 1.20. Yea and Amen, sure and certain, firm and durable; incline your ●are, and come unto me (faith the Lord) hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the p Isa. 55.3. sure mercies of David, which is Christ, in and through whom God shows himself a father of mercies to all believers: Ye (saith Saint Peter) are the children q Acts 3.25, 26 of the Prophets, and of the Covenant, which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities: God communicates all blessings through Christ Jesus, every thing turns to a curse to him that is without Christ, the choicest Nectar proves bitter as gall to him that hath not Christ to sweeten the same unto him: Now every profane man is r Eph. 2 12. Rom. 16 18. Luk. 16 14. Luk. 19.14. without Christ, an enemy to the Cross of Christ, a despiser of the Doctrine of Christ, an opposer of the Kingdom of Christ, no friend of Christ, no true member in Christ, no lively stone built upon Christ the living stone; and being out of Christ, they are strangers to Gods gracious promise. 3. In regard of Enmity against God, who is the Author of the covenant, and the fruition and enjoyment of whom is the supreme substance, and comfort of the covenant, the chiefest and choicest good of the soul of man, s jer. 32.30. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, saith the Lord, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them: I will be their God, saith he, I will be all in all unto them; I will be their King to command them, their Father to make provision for them, their Husband to marry them, their Friend to solace them, their shield and buckler to protect them, their Captain to fight for them, to vanquish all that doth oppose them, the t Psal. 7●. 26. strength of their heart, and their portion forever, as the Psalmist speaks. Now carnal men are without God, alienated from the life of God; and as our Saviour said in another case, God is not a God of the dead, but of the living: so in this case, he is not the God of them that are dead in sin, but of them that live the life of grace. Profane men are aliens and enemies to God by their evil works, haters of God, hating him in his Laws of holiness which he hath prescribed to them; in his works of holiness upon the souls of his children, Rom. 1.29. Rom. 8.7. and in the holy labours of his faithful and holy Ministers, and having enmity against God, they have nothing to do wi●h the covenant of God. 4. In regard of Agreement with sin, which is the breach of the Covenant: Carnal man and sin are at a very full agreement, with this they agree as the palate with sweet meat, stolen waters (saith Solomon) are sweet, u Prov. 9 17. and bread eaten in secret is pleasant; with this their hearts accord, as the hand with the glove, the ●are with the music, the foot with a plain path, or the fish with the water, it is no burden, no trouble to them, their foot is w Rome 3 ●5. swift to run this race, it is a x Prov. 10 23. sport to them to do evil, you drink up iniquity like job 15.16. water, it is the centre to which they move, it is the element wherein they desire and delight to live. Now sin is the breach of the covenant between God and the soul, as adultery breaks the covenant of wedlock between man and wife, They are z jer. 11.10. turned back (saith the Lord) to the iniquity of their Fathers, and have broken my covenant. Reigning profaneness undoubtedly excludes man from God's promise; Isa 28.18. he that is, as the Prophet speaks, at an agreement with death, and in covenant with Hell, sinning securely, and without fear, cannot be in covenant with God; he that is not afraid to offend God, cannot be at peace with God. 5. In regard of the absence of the Spirit, the principal applying cause of the covenant and promise to the soul of man: He (saith our Saviour of the Spirit) a john 16.4. shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you; that is, the Spirit shall make application unto you of the benefits which come by me; he shall make my death effectual to mortify your lusts, and my blood efficacious to purge away your sin, and my resurrection powerful to revive and quicken your souls; he shall make you partakers of all the promises, favours and blessings of God, dispensed through me to man; and for this the Spirit is called the Spirit of b Rom. 8 15. adoption, assuring us of the fatherly love of God in Christ towards us: The c 1 Cor. 1.21. Eph. 1.13. earnest and Seal of our inheritance, assuring us of our salvation through Christ: Now carnal men are destitute of the Holy-Ghost, they are d jude v. 1●. sensual (saith Judas) having not the Spirit; having not the Spirit as a dweller possessing them, as a teacher instructing them, as water washing them, and having not the Spirit of God, they have nothing to do with the e Rom. 8.9. Covenant of God, because God gives his Spirit to all such as he receives into his Covenant. 6. In regard of the want of faith and obedience, the condition of the covenant on man's behalf. The promise is made to them that believe, f Gal. 3.9. Mar. 16. received through faith, and they which be of the faith are blessed with faithful Abraham (faith the Apostle) And he that believeth, faith Christ, shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned: Faith apprehends the promise, and purifies the heart, and makes man capable of all the promises of God, godliness having the promise of this life, and of the life which is to come: Now carnal man is destitute both of faith, and of a godly life, his faith like Jeroboams hand is withered, he cannot reach it forth to apprehend Christ, and the promise of life in Christ. Though carnal man live within the pale of the Church, and come to the House and Table of the Lord; Mat. 22. yet like him in the Parable that came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment, he hath not put on Christ, Christ's righteousness doth not clothe him, and therefore is an unwelcome guest, the dainties there provided do neither profit him, nor belong unto him; his faith is a dead faith, g jam 2.20. it doth not purify him, it makes him not victorious over Satan and the world; he continues as a dead man in the house, having no claim nor title to the things of the house: Mat. 25. The foolish Virgins wanting oil in their lamps were not acknowledged by Christ, he did not open to them, he gave them no admission: Profession without faith and obedience gives no interest in Christ, nor finds any acceptance with Christ; he that breaks the conditions of the covenant, can justly claim nothing by the covenant. The covenant from which profane men are excluded, is the Covenant of grace, by which God appointeth a heavenly inheritance to his adopted children, through the death of his Son Jesus Christ interveening. The matter of this covenant, is the promise of God, to become our God in Christ, and the promise of man to believe in God through Christ, and to walk with God in newness of life. The form of this covenant consisteth in a mutual obligation of God to man, and of man to God: The Object of this covenant is properly the elect effectually called, it is offered to all to whom the Gospel is preached, the elect alone have the true and comfortable fruition of it. The moving cause of this covenant is the mere mercy and free favour of God; the impulsive cause hereof, is the merit of Christ, by whose intercession alone all the elect are reconciled unto God; the final cause, is the glory of God, and the salvation of his chosen; the Adjunct of it, is perpetuity, an everlasting covenant, a covenant of wedlock which never shall be ended. And to this covenant all corrupt and carnal men, as long as they continue such, are strangers; they are strangers to the comfortable and experimental knowledge of it, they do not know themselves reconciled unto God in Christ Jesus; they are strangers to the matter of it; they do not know God to be their God, their treasure, their crown and comforter, neither do they know themselves to be Gods peculiar people, by a lively faith in God, by fervent love towards God, by holy and humble walking, and gracious communion with God, nor by Christian application of themselves, with all their might to the service of God; and strangers they are to the fruits and effects of the covenant mentioned by the Prophet jeremy, as inscription of the Law in their hearts, illumination of their understandings, remission of their sins, holy and constant fear not to offend God, steadfast perseverance in the ways of God, and divine dispensation of all things to work for the best unto them, and thus they are very unhappy strangers to the covenants of promise. CHAP. XVI. Displaying the misery and uncomfortableness of Man's estate without the Covenant. IN this is very fully opened the misery and uncomfortableness of every corrupt and carnal man's estate. Misery of carnal man's estate opened. Man's sole and only hope and expectation of comfort, is from the free and gracious Promise of God in Christ, he hath no other staff to sustain him, no other Star to send forth any glimpse of consolation to him, He that is out of the Covenant, is, 1. A stranger to Christ. no other well from whence to draw any water of refreshment; yet even from this is the carnal man excluded, he hath no interest in this covenant: and having no interest in this covenant; He is 1. A stranger to Christ and to that salvation which cometh by Christ; Christ saveth only such as come within the covenant, the h Rom. 2.39. Promise of salvation by Christ is to them whom God shall call, from death to life, from darkness to light, from bondage to liberty, and from uncleanness to holiness, according to that of the Lord by the Prophet to our Saviour, I the Lord have i Isa. 42.6. called thee, to the Office of a Mediator; in righteousness, my Justice moving me to fulfil my gracious Promise; I will hold thine hand, I will help thee, I will minister strength unto thee, to fulfil this office; I will keep thee, from suffering until the time appointed, and in thy suffering that thou despair not; and give thee for a Covenant, a Mediator of the people, and a light, a Saviour to the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to enlighten their understandings by the preaching of the Gospel; to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness from the prisonhouse, to set mine elect free from the power of Satan, dominion of sin and fear of Hell: Now carnal men who are without the covenant have not Christ a Mediator reconciling them to God, an enlightner of their understandings, nor a restorer of their souls to spiritual freedom: Christ is not unto them life quickening them, a Rock supporting them, Righteousness clothing them, a Husband marrying them, and a Fountain filling them; but they are without Christ, as a House without a Foundation, as Members without a Head, as Captives without a Ransomer, and as a forsaken woman without a Husband: The woman which is not under the covenant of wedlock, hath no Husband; the soul which is not under the covenant of grace, hath no Jesus, no Deliverer, no Salvation by Christ. 2. Empty of heavenly gifts Rom. 7.18. 2. He remains empty of all spiritual and heavenly gifts, his soul is in empty house, wherein dwells no good thing; he is a stranger to all Gods gracious and soule-saving communications; he that is not in covenant with the King, that refuseth the Oath of Allegiance to the King, is excluded from communion with the King, and from all such Prerogatives and favours, as the King grants to them that are in covenant with him; such as are not in covenant with God, like Absolom in another case, cannot see the k 2 Sam. 14.32 King's face, the face of God doth not shine, but frown upon them; they sit in darkness and the shadow of death, God doth not reveal himself clearly and graciously unto them; the great things of his Law are a strange thing unto them: they have no discerning of the things of God, l Hos. 8.12. the Lord sends them away m Lu. 1.53. empty from his house and from his Ordinances, after their long living within the pale of the Church, and long attendance upon the Gospel, and often being at the Lords feast of marrow and of fat things, they continue like Pharaohs lean kine after their eating the fat, as lean as ever, blind, poor, naked, Gen 41. miserable and n Rev. 3 ●7. wretched, as Christ speaketh God's graces are dispensed with his Covenant; thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, saith the Lord; thou shalt multiply abundantly and be very fruitful, o Isa. 54.3.5. a mother of many spiritual children, there is the fruitfulness of the Church; for thy maker is thy husband, there is God's Covenant; the soul's wedlock with the Lord Jesus is ever attended with spiritual fruitfulness; but the strangers to this Covenant, continue barren, like a Woman without a Husband. 3. He is without the Lords gracious and sure protection: God is a Sun and a Shield to them that are within his Covenant, 3 Without supporta●on that walk p ●sal 84 11. Z●h. 2.5. Isa 27. uprightly, as the Psalmist speaks; to these he is a wall of fire round about them, these he keepeth as the apple of his eye; these he watereth like a Vineyard every moment, and keepeth them day and night lest any hurt them; but them that are without his covenant, he leaveth them as a Vinyard without an hedge, as a flock without a Shepherd, & a City without a Watchman; these the Lord leaveth to their q Rom. 1. ●4. sins, as a sick-man to his disease, to r Psal. 109.6. Satan, as a wand'ring Sheep to the Lion, s jer. 34.18, 20 as a barren field to the wild Boar and Beast of the Forest, these he leaveth to their: enemies to spoil them; these have no hiding place under the shadow of God's wings, when dangers do assault them: The men of the old world which were without the Ark were left to the waters to swallow them, they that are without the Covenant of God in Christ are liable to a deluge of woes and miseries to surprise them. 4. Without title 4. He is without all spiritual claim and title to any blessing: The woman which is not in matrimonial covenant with the Master of the house, hath no title to the things of the House. Christ is the t Heb. 1.3. heir of all things; he that is not in covenant with Christ, not married to Christ, though he hath a civil right in respect of men, yet he hath no spiritual right in respect of Christ to any thing; God as a bountiful Master feeds him as a u joh. 8.35. servant, but he possesseth nothing as a Son, he can claim nothing, he enjoys nothing as a Son, an Heir and Co-heyre with Jesus Christ. Without blessing. 5. He is without the blessing of God, God's blessing goes with his Covenant, They (saith St. Paul) which are of the w Gal. 3.9. Faith, true believers, partakers of the Covenant, they are blessed with faithful Abraham; they are blessed as in the Justification of their souls, so in their persons, in their possessions, in their civil and religious performances, and in all their sufferings and several changes; but such as are without the Covenant are x ●s 109.17. far from blessing; y joh 3.36. The wrath of God (saith St. John) abideth on them: on their persons, on their possessions, on their undertake; the Lord sets his z jer. 21.10. face against them for evil and not for good, that which is good in itself, turns for evil unto them, their very blessings turn to a curse, as the meat of diseased bodies turns to evil humours: their very Table becomes their snare, yea, the word of life becomes to them the savour of death unto death, and Christ himself who is the way, the truth and the life, becomes a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence. 6 Without peace. 6. He is without peace; there is no peace (saith the Prophet) to the wicked; no spiritual, no true peace to them that are not within the Covenant of peace; they are as the tossed Sea which hath no rest, but is in continual agitation casting up mire and dirt; there is gravel in their bread which makes it bread of sorrows to them; there is a thorn in their bed, which causeth their sleep to depart from them; with Belshazar they have a hand-writing appears in the wall of their Banqueting-house, which turns their merry feasting into dismal fear and trembling, and in the midst of their sufficiency they are in straits; there is a worm within them continually biting and gnawing them, causing their hearts to meditate terror: the thought of God is terrible to them, as the thought of a severe Judge to a guilty malefactor; the thought of the Word affrights them, as the light a thief, having stolen goods about him: and by this you may in part at least discern the uncomfortableness of their estate who are without the Covenant. CHAP. XVII. Proposing certain marks and characters of man's being within the Covenant. Marks or characters of being within the Covenant. Carnal man's estrangement from the Covenant of grace, and misery in being without it; should occasion every man to examine his own estate in this behalf, and strive to find in himself sound and clear evidence of his interest in this Covenant, which may be discerned, 1. God all in all to man. 1. By God's being all in all to man; this is a prime parcel of the Covenant, I will be their God; the husband is to the woman joined in matrimonial covenant with him, instead of all and more than all other men; God is to him that is in covenant with him, instead of all other things, as Elkana said to Hannah, Am not I to thee better than ten sons, thus is God to the soul espoused to him, better than all things, to such a one God is a Father regenerating, a Sun enlightening, a dweller possessing, a King commanding, a Guide leading, a Treasure enriching, a Friend comforting, and a Fountain filling; he is such a souls summum bonum; his shield for defence, his rock for supportment, his Counsellor for advice, his Paradise for comforts, his Bridegroom for love, his Friend for communion, and his Portion for satisfaction; he is able to say, Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee, my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. God his making himself ours, in the way of sanctification, satisfaction and spiritual comfort, is a sweet assurance of our being within his Covenant. 2 Full application of man to God. 2. By man's full application of himself to God; this is another branch of the Covenant, they shall be my people: Scholars in my School learning my will; servants in my house doing my work; Soldiers in my army fight my battles; Subjects in my Kingdom receiving my Laws, and studying the exaltation of my name; Children in my Family abiding in my house, delighting in my presence, and rejoicing in their communion with me; and trees of Righteousness in my Orchard, bringing forth all their fruit to me; they shall be all that they are unto me, as a wife is what she is unto her husband, bringing forth children unto her husband, and caring how to please her husband: thus they who are in covenant with God, strive to be all that they are unto God, do all for God, their full and constant care is how to please God, they are a 1 Cor. 6.19. not their own; they live not after their own fancy, they intent not themselves in what they do, but they are the Lords, in their understandings to know him, in their wills to intend him, in their imaginations to think upon him, in their affections to fear and trust him, to love and rejoice in him, in their tongues to speak of him and plead for him, in their hands to work that which is good and honourable unto God, and in all their abilities therewith to honour him, prostrating all under the feet of God, referring and using all to the glory of God, b Rom. 14 8, living and dying (as the Apostle saith) unto the Lord, living as God's servants, framing the whole way and order of their life according to God's prescription, referring their whole life to the glory of God, and resting in all the labours and troubles of their life upon God, with a firm confidence, being assured that God takes care for them, and dying as God's peculiar people, patiently submitting to the hand of God in the time of their dissolution, firmly depending upon God in the hour of their change, heartily desiring that God may be glorified by their death, and resting fully assured, that their temporal death shall be an entrance into eternal life; he who thus fully applies himself to God, may assure himself of his being in covenant with God. 3. By man's participation of the spiritual and heavenly benefits which the covenant comprehendeth, as, 1. The donation of the Spirit, it is the Lords promise to c joel. 2.28. pour out his Spirit upon all flesh, to put his Spirit within us, and to cause us to walk in his ways, so that he who is within the Covenant of God, hath the Spirit of God quickening and enlivening him, as the soul doth enliven the body; d joh. 16.12, 13 enlightening and teaching him, guiding and leading him into the clear and comfortable knowledge of all truth, as the guide leads the Traveller into the knowledge of the way wherein he is to walk, regenerating and e joh. 3.5. Ezek. 36 25 renewing him, sanctifying and cleansing him, as the water doth the flesh, and the fire the mettle; f Mat. 3.16. joh. 1.32.33. revealing Christ in him, and making Christ appear very glorious and amiable in his apprehension, as the most glorious Sun, the choicest pearl, and most renowned Prince, even the fairest of ten thousand, making the soul full of longings after him, and sick of love towards him; g 1 Cor. 12.13 1 joh. 3.24. uniting and joining him unto Christ as the branch to the vine, as a member to the head to be enlivened by Christ, and to participate of all the benefits which flow from Christ; h Rom. 8.1, 14. ruling and guiding him as a Pilot his Ship, framing and working his heart to an universal, holy and humble submission to the will of God, as the hand of the learner is guided by the teacher to write according to the whole copy set before him. To him that is within the Covenant, the Spirit of God is a Spirit of life, mortifying the old and quickening the new man. Water washing, Rom. 8.2. refreshing and making his soul spiritually fruitful. Fire, purging and consuming his remaining lusts, and making his heart to burn with love to God and man; oil of gladness, filling his soul with spiritual alacrity and cheerfulness, and a seal and earnest penny, assuring him of his future bliss and peace in Heaven, and this communication of the Spirit is an undoubted pledge of man's being within the Covenant. 2. Communion with Saints. 2. A second benefit comprised under the Covenant is Communion with the Saints; all that are within the Covenant have a mutual sweet and gracious fellowship with God and among themselves, That which we have seen and heard (saith S. John) declare we unto you, that you may have fellowship with us, and that our fellowship may be with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ: He that is within the Covenant hath communion with God the Father by adoption, as a child with the Parent by participation, receiving of the Father's fullness and bearing his Image; by holy walking, having his conversation in Heaven, walking with God as Enoch and Noah did; by invocation, as a Petitioner with the King, being a daily earnest suitor to the throne of grace; by Faith, living and walking by faith and not by sight, and also by Love, God dwelling in love, as the Apostle speaks: He that is within the Covenant hath communion with Christ, by participation of Christ and his benefits, by dwelling in Christ and Christ in him, being joined with Christ in a spiritual wedlock, Christ assuming him into his grace, and making him a member of his body, bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, as S. Paul speaks, expressing their near union and sweet communion with Christ, who are within the covenant of God: He that is within this covenant hath also communion with the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God dwelling in him, regenerating and renewing him, witnessing his adoption, helping his infirmity, sealing up the pardon of his sin, and restoring him to more spiritual liberty and freedom; and he hath likewise communion with all the Saints and faithful Servants of the Lord, being partakers of one Spirit, living members under one Head, having the same love, being of one mind and of one accord, their prayers meeting mutually each for other at one and the same throne of grace, all building by one rule, all travelling by one light, all acting and moving by one Spirit, all feeding upon one word, all fight under one Banner, all running one race, and all serving one Prince of peace; they have fervent love one to another, Psal. 16.3. 1 joh 3.14. singular delight each in other, and a very sweet and gracious communion one with another; and this holy and joyful communion with the Saints of God abundantly argues man's being within the Covenant of God. 3 Regeneration. 3. A third benefit comprised under the Covenant is Regeneration, the sanctifying and restoring our corrupt nature to the image of God, a work of God in all that are within the Covenant, a parcel of God's promise to put his law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, to make a suitableness between them and his Law, to work such holiness in their hearts, as should in some good proportion answer that holiness which the Law prescribeth, and this is requisite to man's being within the Covenant, because without this he cannot know God, he cannot be the friend of God, he cannot please God, nor have any communion with God: he that is far from holiness is far from interest in God's Promise: The captive woman under the Law had her apparel changed before an Israelitish Soldier could assume her into a covenant of wedlock; man under the Gospel must put off the old-man and put on the new, ere he can have interest in God's Covenant; the more fully, freely and constantly man conforms himself to God's precepts, the surer is his evidence of title to God's promise. He whose obedience to the Law of God is voluntary without compulsion, cordial without dissimulation, universal without the allowance of any evil, humble without all ostentation, cheerful, free from all repining, sincere without any by or sinister intention, and constant without back-sliding may rest assured of being received into God's Covenant. 4. A fourth benefit comprised under the Covenant by which man may discern his being within the Covenant, is spiritual liberty and freedom, a liberty of grace whereby the whole man is set free from the command and servitude of all sin; the understanding is free from ignorance, able to know God as a Father, with a clear and comfortable submissive and affective knowledge; the will is free from perverseness, able readily and freely, fully and sincerely to intend God and his glory; the imagination is free from vanity, able with much joy to meditate and think upon God; the affections are free from base fear carnal confidence, worldly love and fleshly joy, able to scare God filially, to trust on God solely, to love God unfeignedly, and to rejoice in God spiritually; the whole man bend and disposed to run the way of God's commandments, as the Sun rejoiceth to run his race, and as the Rivers flow towards the Sea; this the Psalmist calls an enlargement of the heart, to run the way of God's Commandments, and this he mentions as a fruit of the inscription of the Law in his heart, Thy Law o Lord (saith he) is in my heart, and I delight to do thy will. Man's assurance of being within God's Covenant is suitable to his free and ready disposition in observing God's precept. 5. Perseverance 5. A fifth benefit comprised under the Covenant ministering assurance of man's interest in it, is perseverance in the state of grace, daily growth in the gifts of the Spirit, and a steadfast striving to more perfection. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them (saith God) and I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me: they shall not depart from the knowledge of my truth to error, from the faith of my promises to infidelity, from the ways of my Commandments to by and wand'ring paths; from the love of me and my testimonies, to the love of earthly vanities: God ever preserves in the state of grace, whom he receives into the Covenant of grace; he that is in covenant with God abides with God, as the wife with the husband, he follows the Lord fully with Caleb, he is with God in every estate, in all changes as Ittai resolved to be with David both in life and in death, the longer he is in God's Covenant, the more beauty he discerns in God, the more sweetness he finds in the Word of God, the more pleasure he takes in the service of God, the more comfortable communion he gains with God, and the more plentiful and soul-ravishing receivings of grace, love and peace he hath from God, and therefore shines more and more like the light unto the perfect day, grows stronger and stronger like the house of David, He waits upon the Lord and renews his strength, he mounts up as the Eagles, he runs and is not weary, he walks on and doth not faint; he goes from strength to strength, until he doth appear before the Lord in Zion. Exhortation to get interest in the Covenant. The carnal man's estrangement from the Covenant, and his misery in being out of the Covenant, ministers matter and occasion of labour and industry to every man to get into the Covenant, to be partaker of it, and to have assured interest in the benefits flowing from it, as Noah entered into the Ark to be preserved from the deluge of waters, so should we enter into the Covenant of God, that we may be preserved from the deluge of those miseries which attend and wait upon the breach of God's precepts. The men of Egypt hearing of the fall of a grievous hail, such as would destroy both man and beast, Exod. 9.20. He that feared the word of the Lord amongst them, made his servants and his cattle flee into the house: Men hearing of the hail, fire, brimstone and horrible tempest, which God will rain down upon the wicked, should hasten into this Covenant, have sure interest in Gods free and gracious Promise, that they may be hid from the Lords wrath. And to the end we may have part in God's Covenant. Means ministering interest in the Covenant. 1. Forsaking of sin. 1. We must forsake our sins, there must be war against sin, or there can be no peace with God, Moses might not come nigh the burning bush until he had put off his shoes from his feet, Because the ground where he stood was holy ground. Man cannot come nigh God, enter into covenant with God, unless the old-man, his old lusts be put off, because the Covenant of God is a holy Covenant, a Covenant belonging only to the godly, Godliness having the promise of this life and of the life to come. Joseph shaved himself and changed his raiment, and then he came to Pharaoh, and Pharaoh took him to himself, and made many honourable Promises to him; man must shave himself, remove the ignorance and error of his understanding, and change his raiment, Put off the old-man which is corrupt, according to divers lusts, and put on the new man which is renewed in holiness and true righteousness according to God's image, and then come nigh t●ed, and partake of all Gods gracious promises, according to that of the Lord by the Prophet, wash you make you clean, put away the evil of your ways, cease to do evil, learn to do well, and then come ye and we will reckon together, and though your sins were as red as scarlet, yet will I make you white as snow. I will deal mercifully with you, be reconciled to you, forgive your sins and receive you into my Covenant of peace: The more the soul is emptied of sin, the more capable it is of God's Covenant, the more assured of interest in it: He that holds fast his sin, cannot lay hold upon the Covenant of God; he that gives not a bill of divorce to his lusts, is uncapable of weddlocke with Christ. 2. We must forsake ourselves, we must deny ourselves, 2. Forsaking of ourselves. cease from our own wisdom, as from a blind guide, from our own strength, as from a withered reed, from our own righteousness, as from a rotten rag, and from our own ends, as from low and base marks. Thus must we deny ourselves, or we can be no Disciples of Christ, no partakers of the mercies of God in him: Such as entered into Covenant with David were in debt, in distress and discontent. He that will enter into Covenant with God, must see his debt, be sensible of his sin, feel the distress and anguish of his soul, and be very much discontented with his corrupt and carnal estate: God communicates his mercies to them that are sensible of their miseries; the Lord loves them that are out of love with themselves; he esteems them that loath their own ways; whom doth Christ invite and call but the heavy laden, Such as are sensible and weary of their sins as of a heavy burden; to whom is Christ sent with tidings of comfort, but to the broken hearted. When Ephraim repented, smote upon his thigh, and was confounded; then the Lord remembered him, than he was dear and pleasant to him, than he said, jer. 31 19, 20, 21. I will surely have mercy upon him, than he proposed and set before him the Covenant of Salvation in Christ, promising him that a woman should compass a man; contrite and broken hearted sinners are the proper subject of God's sweetest mercies. 3. Relinquishment of the world. 3. We must relinquish the world. Abner fell out with the house of Saul, and then he entered into Covenant with David. Man must first fall out with the world, take off his heart from the earth before he can enter into covenant with God; because the love of the world (as S. James speaks) is enmity with God, and he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God; the first husband must be dead before the woman can join herself in wedlock with a second man; man must be crucified to the world, and the world unto him, before he can be married unto Christ, enter into Covenant with Christ; when Zacheus received Christ into his house, he gave the half of his goods to the poor, and restored fourfold to them from whom he had wrongfully taken: The world is much slighted where Christ is truly received: The soul is never filled with Christ, unless it be emptied of the earth, Dagon falls where the Ark is erected, the exaltation of Christ is the prostration of the world. Man's communion with Christ is suitable to his separation from the world. He that will enter this Covenant and associate himself with Christ, must with Matthew leave the receipt of custom; he must with Solomon look upon the world, as upon a thing of nought; he must according to the Apostles rule, use the world as if he did not use it. He must forget his own people, and forsake his Father's house, that will have consortship with Christ. 4. Rejection of intimate communion with carnal persons 4. We must renounce all intimate communion with corrupt and carnal people, come out from among them (saith the Lord) there is the separation, and I will be your Father, and ye shall be unto me for sons and daughters, there is Gods receiving them into covenant and communion with him, the Prodigal deserted and repent of his fellowship with Harlots and riotous persons, and then his Father lovingly received and embraced him. God is very propitious to such as repent of their sinful fellowship with his enemies: God ministers many comfortable expressions of his love to them, who withdraw themselves from such as do not love him: when Moses left Pharaohs Court, the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness, saying, I am the God of thy Fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; the declination of fellowship with profane persons, is usually attended with a sweet enjoyment of God's presence, and the ministration of many spiritual comforts; were we more thoroughly alienated from vain men, we should be more fully and sweetly acquainted with God, could we give a bill of divorce to profane persons, we should have a blessed and honourable wedlock with Christ Jesus. 5. Attendance on the Word. 5. We must with all diligence attend the Ministry of the word. Incline your ear, Come unto me (saith the Lord) Hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you. God by the labours of his Ministers brings men into covenant with himself, by their labours he opens the beauties and perfections of Christ, he makes them see their necessity of Christ, their misery without Christ, and their happiness in the enjoyment of Christ, by their labours he woes and persuades them to come to Christ, fills their hearts with earnest longings after Christ, with fervent and unfeigned love to Christ; and so espouseth them unto him, as Abraham by his Servant brought Rebecca to his son Isaac: Thus doth God by his Ministers, bring men to his Son Christ Jesus: Did we not shamefully undervalue and profanely estrange ourselves from the labours of God's Ministers, we could not be such strangers to God's Covenant, nor so empty of those blessings which Christ ministers to true believers. Attend therefore God's Word, if ever you mean to enjoy the benefit of God's Covenant. 6. We must readily and fully receive Christ. 6. Fully receiving of Christ. Christ is the foundation of the Covenant, the promise is in Christ, joseph's brethren came nigh to Pharaoh by Joseph, man comes nigh to God by Christ, finds favour with God, and partakes of all the mercies of God through Christ; through him we are made the Sons of God, through him we are accepted of God, through him we receive of God's fullness grace for grace; the receiving of the Lord Jesus is the receipt of all mercies, in him we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places; without Christ we are strangers to all God's mercies, in Christ we have title to all God's blessings. Joseph's brethren were lovingly entertained of him, bringing Benjamin with them, without whom they might not look him in the face; bringing Christ with us, God will graciously receive us, without Christ God will be a consuming fire to us? And therefore let us all labour thus to interest ourselves in God's Covenant, for hereby shall we have interest in all God's Promises, as in so many pillars to support us, as in so many wellsprings to refresh us; in all the creatures, as in so many Servants, to minister their assistance to us; in all the Ordinances of God, as in so many Stars to enlighten us, as in so many dishes of spiritual dainties to feed us, as in so many heavenly Bethesdas to heal us, and in all the attributes of God, as in so many branches of the tree of life to shelter and shadow us, interest in the power of God to uphold us, in the wisdom of God to guide us, in the mercy of God to pardon us, in the presence of God to encourage us, in the love of God to solace us, and in the All-sufficiency of God every way to satisfy and content us. Sweet and sure, full and everlasting, joyous and honourable are the Prerogatives and comforts which are obtained by interest in God's Covenant. CHAP. XVIII. Declaring the misery of natural Man without Hope. THe fourth Alienation declaring natural and carnal man's misery, is an Alienation from Hope. Without hope: The hope of salvation by Christ, from this hope man in his corrupt and carnal estate is estranged. Hope is a grace inclining and disposing a regenerate and believing soul with assurance and patience to expect and wait for the accomplishment of such good things as God in Christ hath promised, and faith apprehendeth. Gird up (saith Saint Peter) the loins of your minds, 1 Pet. 1.13. be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ, all grace is dispensed through Christ, the full communication hereof is reserved till Christ's second coming, and hope waits for the receiving of it in and through Christ: The cause efficient of this hope is God, the Author and giver of all good, it is not a work of nature, but of grace, not of man, but of God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of jesus Christ from the dead. Wherein you have the Author of this hope, God, a gracious and loving Father in Christ; the moving cause, the mercy of God; the antecedent, regeneration; the foundation, prop or pillar of it, Christ risen from the dead, the full accomplisher of man's welfare; the inward instrumental cause, Heb. 11.1. or root of hope, is a lively and saving faith; Faith is the ground of things hoped for; the object of this hope is God in Christ, all good things flowing from the grace of God in Christ to the soul of man; therefore is Christ called the hope of glory, Col. 1.27. and we are bidden to hope for grace by Christ. The Seat or Subject of Christian hope is a regenerate and renewed heart, therefore termed the hope of the godly: Of this hope carnal men are destitute, having no hope, no hope of salvation; the Gentiles before Christ was preached to them, having no promise of life, no Mediator between God and them, had no hope of salvation. Carnal men under the Gospel, being no children of God by regeneration, no members, no partakers of Christ by faith, having no interest in God's covenant of life and peace, no title to God's promise of grace by Christ, they have no hope Whence you see, That, Doct. Corrupt and carnal man hath no true and assured hope of salvation. There is no hope of that man's salvation that continues corrupt and carnal; there is no salvation in that estate: In Paul's shipping towards Rome, when neither Sun nor Stars for many days appeared, Acts 27.20. and no small tempest lay on them, all hope that they should be saved was then taken away. When neither Sun nor Star, neither Christ nor any saving grace appear in the soul of man; and when the conscience of carnal man works like a tempest within him, then however he flattered himself in the hour of his spiritual slumber, and promised salvation to himself; yet now all hope of being saved is taken away; now he sees he is in the state of damnation; Acts 8.21, 23 Psal. 119.155. Isa. 30.1. now he sees, as Peter told Simon Magus, that he is in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, and that he hath no part nor lot in Christ; but is, as the Psalmist saith, far from salvation, far from the knowledge, faith, hope and sense of salvation; they look not to the holy One of Israel; they look not unto God as to their King to command them, as to their Counsellor to guide them, as to their Physician to heal them, as their rock to support them; their hope is not in him, their expectation is not from him; their estate who live under the power of corruption, is no estate of Christian hope, but of desperation, having no ground to hope or look for salvation by Christ: For, Grounds hereof. 1. Vncapablenesse. 1. The carnal man is uncapable of Christian hope. Hope is a heavenly guest, and dwells not in an unclean and unregenerate heart; the carnal soul is an empty house, wherein dwelleth no good thing, Rom. 7.18. no saying gift, and grace of God; He that is not of God cannot hope in God; he that is not in Christ, cannot expect and wait for salvation by Christ; the carnal man is dead in sin; the corporally dead have no more any humane hope, their breath goeth out of their nostrils, Psal. 14.4. and as their thoughts, so their hopes perish, the spiritually dead have no spiritual hopes, where there is no life of grace, there is no hope in Christ; the carnal man is blind, and cannot discern Christ, he is ignorant of Christ, he knows not the things belonging to his peace, and how can he hope in Christ whom he knows not; the carnal man is proud, he trusts in himself, in his own abilities, in his own worth, in his own duties, and therefore cannot hope in Christ; No man hath or can have a lively hope in Christ but he that is begotten again by the resurrection of Christ. 1 Pet. 1.3. 2. Want of instrumental cause. 2. The carnal man wants the instrumental cause, and root of hope: Faith is the mother, and hope the daughter; Faith is the root, and hope the branch; Faith is the cause, and hope the effect; Faith apprehends the promise, and hope expects and waits for the thing promised; Heb. 11.1. therefore the Apostle termeth Faith the ground of hope: Now the carnal man believes not, he builds upon the sand, and not upon the rock; he is wedded to the world, and not to Christ; he confines himself within himself, and cometh not out of himself to Christ; he bringeth forth his fruit unto himself, and not unto Christ; he resteth in the creature, in himself, in some gift, Hos. 10.1. or duty of his own; he takes not up his full and everlasting rest in Christ, and therefore believes not; and as where is no root, there is no branch, so where there is no faith, there is no hope. 3. The carnal man is alienated from the props, pillars, 3. Alienation from pillars of Hope. and supporters of Christian hope; that is to say, the promise of God, the grace of God in Christ, and the merit of Christ: These three support, and bear up the hoping and waiting soul, as the three pillars bore up the hangings in the Tabernacle: These three are like three Cities of Refuge, appointed by Moses, to which the pursued malefactor betook himself; to these doth the guilty believing soul, pursued with the sense of God's displeasure, the noise of his sin, and cry of his conscience, betake himself, hoping and expecting consolation from them. Now to all these the carnal man is a stranger, they belong not to him, they are children's bread, dogs may not taste them, they are Doves wings, Owls and Ravens have no hiding place under them; Ps. 50. 2 Cor. 6.1. Heb. ● 4. He that hateth to be reform, hath nothing to do with God's covenant; carnal men receive the grace of God in vain, they embrace not the mercy of God in Christ tendered to them in the Gospel, they reject it, they are no more changed, nor bettered by it, than the rock by the rain, or the blind by the Sun, not being mingled with faith, it doth not profit them; the merit of Christ doth not advantage them, his righteousness doth not justify them, his death doth not mortify their lusts, his resurrection doth not quicken their souls, his intercession doth not reconcile them unto God, his ransom restores no spiritual freedom to them, and therefore they have no hope of salvation. 4. Estrangement from the way to salvation. 4. The carnal man is a stranger to the way to salvation. There is a way of faith in Christ, Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, him the carnal man knows not, he never studied, never learned Christ, as the truth is in him; he knows not Christ living in his soul, as he knows his soul living in his body; he knows not Christ enlightening him, as the eye knows the Sun, whose light is sweet unto the eye; he knows not Christ ruling and reigning within him, as the soldiers knew the Centurion commanding them, and they yielding ready subjection to him; he knows not Christ conquering and subduing Satan and his own lusts, as the Israelites knew Joshuah vanquishing and treading upon the necks of the Kings of Canaan; he knows not Christ sanctifying, and cleansing his soul, as Naaman knew Jordan washing his leprosy from him; he knows not Christ ministering the fullness of God unto him, as the people of Egypt knew Joseph ministering to them, and supplying their wants. Carnal man is very ignorant of Christ, far from sweet acquaintance with him, and comfortable experience of his soule-saving ministrations: There is a way of spiritual poverty, and self-denial, Mica. 6. wherein a man walks humbly with his God, ceasing from himself, from his own wisdom, will, reason, purpose, and affection, abased below the dust, in the apprehension of his own uncleanness, emptiness, and unworthiness, renouncing himself, his own gifts, abilities, and performances, going clean out of himself unto Christ; labouring to be found in Christ, and not in himself, Phil. 3.10. making Christ all in all unto him, seeking his whole salvation from Christ, and prostrating himself with all that is his under Christ; this is a way in which the carnal man treads not, he is still full of himself, he dreams of a selfsufficiency at home, and looks not beyond himself; he stays in his legal righteousness, and is shamefully guilty of self-love, and selfseeking: There is a way of new obedience, and true holiness, in which the carnal man walks not; he wanders like an erring traveller from this path, and stumbles like the blind; Isa. 59.7. their feet (saith the Prophet) run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, wasting and destruction are in their paths, the way of peace they know not, and there is no judgement in their goings, they have made them crooked paths, whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. He that runs not the race, hath no hope to obtain the prize; he that fights not the battle, hath no hope to win the crown; he that sows not his field, hath no hope to reap it, he that runs not the race of God's Commandments, he that fights not Gods battles, hath no hope to win the prize, which is eternal life, nor yet to wear the crown of glory: He that sows to the Spirit doth of the Spirit reap life everlasting; Gal. 6.8. but he that sows to the flesh doth of the flesh reap destruction. CHAP. XIX. Showing the vanity of profane Man's hope of salvation. THe carnal man's estrangement from the hope of salvation, discovers and lays open the vanity and deceitfulness of profane men's hopes of having life and glory by Christ: Though they have no true and saving faith in Christ, though they have no experience of the espousal of their souls to Christ, though they have no fervent and unfeigned love to Christ, no evidence of Christ's living in them, no knowledge of Christ's holy and gracious working upon them, no fence of Christ's love to them; H●st. 6 6. yet they hope Christ will save them. Haman hearing that King Ahasuerus had a purpose to honour some man, concluded presently, that himself must be the man whom the King delighted to honour, though the issue crossed his expectation. Carnal man hearing of God's mercy, Christ's merits, and the Lords purpose to exalt and honour man, presently feeds and fills himself with hopes that he shall be the man, presumes that God will honour him, though in the end he meets with Hamans' portion, a gallows in hell instead of a crown in Heaven. As the foolish man in the Parable built his house upon the sand: so do all the carnal men in the world, build their hopes of salvation upon some sandy and rotten foundation, which at length sinks and suffers them to fall shamefully, fearfully, finally, as the house did which was built upon the sand. Now if you ask what those false and deceitful props and pillars are, upon which carnal men usually build their hopes: I answer, 1. Superstitious Hopes. 1. Some build their hopes upon superstitious observations, they receive for Doctrines the commandments of men, the traditions of their superiors and predecessors. In the observation of these they are very full and frequent, very precise and punctual, and hereupon they promise themselves salvation: Thus Paul before his conversion, after the strictest sect of their Religion lived a Pharisee, Acts 26 5. Rom. 7.5. and was very zealous, and thought himself alive when he was dead, persuaded himself he was in the state of grace, when he was in the state of damnation; a child of God, when he was one of Satan's brood; a friend of God, when he was an adversary of the Lord; a pillar, when he was a destroyer of the Church. The observers of humane Doctrines are very full of miserable blindness, possessed with an overweening opinion of the goodness of their condition, shamefully mistaking their estate, persuading themselves that that doth much endear them, and highly commend them unto God, which makes them a very abomination before the Lord. Luk. 10 15. 2 Formal Hopes. jud. 17 13. 2. Some build their hopes upon a formal profession of Christ, and Christian Religion. Micah had great hopes that God would bless him, because he had gotten a Levite to his Priest, though he continued an idolater: Many men promise themselves great peace and glory, because they have the Gospel, hear the Word, receive the Sacrament, are called after the name of Christ, though they live in all profaneness: Mat. 25. The foolish Virgins were very secure, and promised much unto themselves from their lamps, though they were empty lamps: Many a vain and foolish man is secure and confident of his salvation by reason of his profession, Hos. 10.1. though an empty one; though he be an empty vine, bringing forth all his fruit to himself, doing all for himself, T●t. 1.16. and nothing for God and Christ, professing, as the Apostle saith, that they know God, being the mean while disobedient and reprobate to every good work. This is the common foundation on which all carnal Protestants build their hopes; joh 8. like the Pharisees boasting that they were the children of Abraham, though they did the works of the Devil, Rev. 9.7, 8. being like the Locusts in the Revelation, which had outwardly the face of a man, and the hair of a woman, but within the teeth of a Lion, and behind, the tail of a Scorpion: Thus these men have outwardly the name of Christians, a profession of Christ, but as savage and indomitable as the Lion, as full of all sin, as the Scorpion of venom; and what a fond thing is it for a man to build his hopes upon an empty profession? Will a husband delight himself in his wife, because she professeth him to be her husband, living the while in adultery with strangers? Will the King honour a man for professing him to be his King, not ceasing to plot treason, and act rebellion against him, Is there any hope that Christ will take pleasure in a man, or honour him, because he calls him Husband, Lord and King? in the mean space committing fornication with the world, plotting spiritual treason, and acting open rebellion against him? Dan. 2. Surely such men are like Nebuchadnezars Image, and it will be with them as with Nebuchadnezars Image at last; his Image had a head of gold, but feet of clay, and the stone hewed out of the mountains without hands broke it in pieces: Such men have a golden profession, but an earthly and unclean conversation, and Christ at last will dash them in pieces, Mat. 21 19 as a iron rod a Potter's vessel. As Christ cursed the Figtree which had leaves and no fruit: so will he curse them that have the leaves of Christian profession, but want the fruit of a good conversation; a barren profession doth but aggravate the condemnation of a Christian. 3 Mercenary hopes. 3. Some build their hopes upon their elymosynary duties, and works of charity; because they are bountiful to the poor, they hope they shall be saved, they trust in their good works, and hope to purchase heaven by their beneficence, excluding Christ's merits: As the builders of old, by raising a Tower thought to preserve themselves from an after deluge, Gen▪ 11.4. and scale the walls of Heaven; but as their hopes perished, God confounding their work, so will the hopes of these mercenary and proud workers, their best works without Christ will bring confusion instead of salvation upon them; The sword in which Goliath trusted, 1 Sam. 17. cut off his head; whatsoever a man doth rest upon besides Christ, he is confounded by that wherein he trusteth. It may seem strange, and yet is very true, that many men's good works prove more prejudicial to them then their evil works; their bad works prove an occasion of humiliation to them, and drive them wholly out of themselves unto Christ; their good works puff them up, and make them stay in themselves, and never come to Christ; and such men as have no better foundation than their works of charity to build upon, the Apostle will tell them, that a man may give all his goods to the poor, 1 Cor. 13. and yet be nothing. 4 Comparative hopes. 4. Some build their hopes upon their not being so bad as the worst, they compare themselves with such as are worse than themselves, and thereupon conclude they are in a good estate, this is, as if a man having many ulcers, should yet persuade himself he is very beautiful; because he is not as leprous as Gehezi was: As if a man guilty of many small felonies, should persuade himself the Judge will save him, because he is not so notorious a malefactor as Barrabas was, or as if a man indebted an hundred pounds more than he is worth, should persuade himself he is rich, because he is not indebted so many thousand pounds as some others are: This was the deceit and false flattery of the Pharisee, I thank God (saith he) I am not as other men are, extortioners, Luk 18. unjust adulterers, or as this Publican. Men die not all of one sickness, some have more pestilential diseases than others, yet all dye, the wages of all sin is death: It is not he who is not so bad as others, but he that is a new Creature in Christ, Rom. 6.23. that bath assured hope of life and peace, to them that are in Christ there is no condemnation who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. 5. Presumptuous hopes. 5. Some build their hopes upon the mercies of God and merit of Christ, presuming they may be securely sinful, because God is merciful, and that they may still run on upon God's score, because Christ hath given himself a ransom; and thus they turn the grace of God into wantonness, and harden themselves by those mercies which should lead them to repentance, turning their physic into poison, and the means of their freedom into chains and fetters to tie them the faster in their thraldom; and what is this, but as if a man should tumble himself in the mire and dirt, because there is water enough in a Well to wash him, yet a sealed deep Well whereof he hath no bucket to draw: Or as if a man should give himself many mortal wounds, because there is a Surgeon that can cure him, of whose help he hath yet no promise; God's mercies and Christ's merits minister pardon and peace to such alone as turn from iniquity, and walk in the ways of peace: All mercies prove curses which lead not the soul to God and Jesus Christ; The meditation of God's mercy can never truly comfort thee unless it humble thee. Benhadad's servants hearing that the Kings of Israel were merciful Kings, came not before Ahab with their bows bend, and swords drawn, but with ropes about their necks, and sackcloth about their loins. He that comes to God in the confidence of his mercies, must lay aside the weapons of his sin, and come with tears in his eyes, and godly sorrow in his heart, because there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared: Rom. 2.4. not to encourage man to continue wicked; not knowing (as S. Paul saith) that the goodness of God ought to lead thee to repentance, but after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up against thyself, wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God. 6 Humiliation hopes. 6. Some build their hopes upon their Humiliations and Repentance, they have been in affliction of conscience, they have been humbled for their sins, and have been many days in great anguish of spirit, and in this they rest, here they stay and hope by this to be saved; Isa. 58. 2. thus the people in the Prophet, We (say ye) have fasted, and we have afflicted our soul, and for this they thought to be heard and accepted of the Lord; but there is a legal, as well as an Evangelicall repentance, a sorrow arising from fear and not from love, from the apprehension of Hell and not of Heaven, from the sense of wrath, and not from the working of love, from the feeling of terrors and not from the hatred of sin, a sorrow of slaves and not of sons, 2 Cor. 7. Gen. 4. a sorrow which worketh unto death, and not a sorrow which worketh Repentance to Salvation: a man may with Cain cry out of the greatness of his iniquity, and his sorrow sink him even as low as Hell; he may with Ahab put on sackcloth and walk humbly many days; he may with Pharaoh in his anguish, send for the Minister of the Lord, and acknowledge his sin, and entreat the prayer of God's servants, on this he may build his hopes and deceive himself; that repentance which doth not supple and soften and change the heart is little worth; the Lord smote the Rock and waters gushed out, yet it continued a Rock; God smites the heart of many a man with perplexing and terrifying strokes, to the drawing of many tears, and yet it continueth a hard and stony heart; that sorrow which works not the mortification of sin, gives no assurance of the remission of sin. Is it such a fast (saith the Lord,) that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul, is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him; wilt thou call this a Fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord; is not this the Fast that I have chosen, to lose the bands of wickedness? etc. that sorrow which doth not lead a man out of himself to Christ, which dissolves not the chains of his sin, and ●les him to come freely and fully home to Christ, and fill him with the sense of Christ's comforts, Mat. 11.28. which emptieth not man of his sin and of himself, and puts him upon Christ for all fullness, is a sorrow ministering no other then false and deceitful hopes of salvation. 7. Some build their hopes upon their Reformations, 7. Reformation hopes. they are escaped from many pollutions, they have forsaken many of their evil ways, and they are not the same they were in time past, and therefore hope to be saved, and with this they please and deceive themselves. 1 Sam. ●5. Saul destroyed the refuse of the stuff, but spared the lowing Oxen and the bleating Sheep, and yet thought he had done an acceptable work, but be was deceived, God rend the Kingdom from him; the Reformation which is not universal is hypocritical; the Traveller that forsakes not every false path, looseth his labour, all his turnings and returnings are in vain; he that returns not from every sin, never returns to God; the woman which reserves one stranger in her bosom, her heart never returns to her husband; there is no returning to Christ without the deposition of every sin, Christ hath no being where any one sin hath allowance and dominion; besides he that stays in his Reformation, and looks not beyond it unto Christ for salvation, makes an idol of it, and deludes himself in hoping for Salvation by it; man's Reformation destroys him, if it makes not Christ more sweet and precious to him. 8. Duty hopes. Lu. 13. 8. Some build their hopes upon their use of sacred and religious duties; because they hear and pray and fast and confer of holy things; in this they rest and by this they hope to be saved, Lord (say they) hast not thou taught in our streets? and have not we eat and drunk in thy presence? Gen. 41. Have not we been hearers of thy word, frequenters of thy house, receivers of thy Sacrament, and shall not we be saved? 2 Tim. 3.7. though they be like Pharaohs lean kine, eating the fat and yet still lean, like them of whom the Apostle speaks, Ezek. 33.31. who were always learning, yet never came to the knowledge of the truth, like Ezekiel's hearers, whose hearts went after their covetousness, yet they hope for their frequency in these duties, to be saved, though their prayers still return like Noah's Dove at the first empty, bringing home no treasure from Heaven to the soul, though they return from the word and Sacrament, as the children of the Nobles in Jeremy, jer. 14. from the pits, with their pitchers empty, yet they flatter themselves and hope for this to be saved, as the Harlot in Solomon for her peace-offering; but as the man at the wedding feast without his wedding garment, though at the feast, Prov. 7. was bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness; thus men using holy duties, coming to Christ's wedding feast, staying in the duty and not putting on Christ, Mat. 22.11. will be cast into utter darkness at the last. Many deal in this behalf with Christ, as other wedding guests do with the Bridegroom, they are invited, they accompany the Bridegroom, they see and hear the wedding, but they receive him not in wedlock, because either they are already married, or else there is no contract between them and the Bridegroom; thus Christ inviteth men to holy duties, his wedding feast, they accompany Christ to the feast, to the Banqueting-house, they go along with him in the use of the duties, but further they go not, they are already wedded to the world, and to some lust of theirs, at least they have no matrimonial love to Christ, they take him not to husband, they return without him: Now as it were a great folly in a woman to persuade herself, that such a man were her husband, and that all his dignities and riches were hers▪ because she was at his wedding feast: thus it is a great deceit in man to hope that Christ is his, that salvation and all the benefits of Christ are his, because he hath been at Christ's wedding feast, done the sacred duties, but not taking Christ in wedlock to his soul; the use of holy duties, do no further give man hope of salvation, then as they take a man off from the world, empty a man of sin and of himself, espouse man to Christ, derive and draw from, and fill the soul with Christ's fullness, and make Christ more glorious and amiable in man's apprehension: and thus you see a few of the many rotten and sandy foundations, whereupon carnal man builds his hopes of salvation. CHAP. XX. Showing how a Man may discern the soundness of his Hope. THe carnal man's having no hope of salvation, building his hopes upon rotten and deceitful pillars, ministers occasion to every man to see that he build his hopes of salvation by Christ upon firm and sure grounds, and that he have clear and lively evidence hereof in himself. The Question therefore here will be, how a man may discern the truth and soundness of his hope? For answer whereunto you must know that whereof true and ●ound hope is, there is, 1. Preparation to Christ. 1. A preparation fitting and disposing of the whole man to Christ and the things of Christ, for Christ, and the service of Christ: This the Apostle calls a guirding up of the loins of the mind, Gird up (saith he) the loins of your mind, and hope perfectly: Do as travellers that wear long garments, as they gird up their garments, that they may not hinder and tyre them in their travel, that they may walk freely and cheerfully in their Journey: Thus take off your hearts and thoughts from the world, disburden yourselves of all carnal lusts, and worldly distractions, raise your thoughts and desires to Christ, and the things of Christ, cast aside all impediments, and come speedily, fully, freely, and joyfully unto Christ. It is said of Rebeckah, having resolved to join herself in wedlock with Isaac, upon the motion of Eleazar, Abraham's servant, that she rose up and her ᵒ damosels, and they road upon Camels and followed the man. The soul being upon the motion and persuasion of God's Minister, resolved to take Christ to Husband, and having assured hope of enjoying everlasting consortship with Christ, riseth up from the earth, and all the faculties, thoughts and affections thereof rise together with it, and come speedily, not slowly but on horseback, with all readiness to Christ, following the holy and wholesome instruction of God's Ministers, she forsakes (as the Psalmist saith) her father's house, and forgetteth her own people, rejecteth her old ways, customs, and carnal acquaintance, and cometh unto Christ in her garment of needlework, prepared and beautified by God's Spirit: The more a man doth hope in Christ, the more he prepares himself for Christ, the more fully he applies himself to Christ, and the more he strives for full communion with Christ. 2. Study and practise of holiness. 1 john 3.3. 2. There is an earnest and constant study and practise of holiness. Hope of salvation by Christ works conformity with Christ: Every man (saith Saint John) that hath this hope, purifieth himself as Christ is pure. He that hath most hope of being saved, is most laborious to be sanctified; whosoever hath this hope, sin is the foulest spot in his eye, the heaviest burden to his back, and the most troublesome inmate in the house of his soul; and therefore he putteth himself to it to the utmost to purge this out, and again holiness is to his eye the most glorious Star, to his nostril the sweetest flower, in his estimation the choicest pearl, and the noblest crown, and therefore strives to excel in this; and to be like Christ, is taken by him for the greatest happiness; he that saith, he hopes to be saved, and yet labours not to be sanctified, doth but dream and not hope, whosoever waits for Heaven waits for it in the way of sanctification. 3. Holy Patience. 3. There is a holy patience towards God. The soul constantly and quietly cleaving to the Lord, in seeking and waiting for all bliss and happiness from the Lord, though for the present exercised with many temptations and trials, and having its comfort many times eclipsed and much obscured, never repining against God, never prescribing to God, never stepping aside to any forbidden means from God, Isa. 8.17. but quieting itself in the will of God, wa●ing upon the Lord when he hides his face from him, and looking for him, as he that hath seen the Sun in the day time, and hath assured hope of the Sun's return, waits for him patiently in the darkest night, until his rising and re-appearing: thus he that hath felt the light of God's countenance shining upon him, and hath assured hope of the sensible return of God's favour, waits for it with patience in the darkest night of his distress, Psal. 30. being assured that his anger endureth but a moment, and that in his favour is life, that weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. He that hath the most assured hope of receiving good things from God, is best able to quiet himself in the will of God: Man's hope of enjoying future comforts doth very much mitigate and sweeten man's present sorrows: If we hope for that we see not, Rom. 8.25. then (saith Saint Paul) do we with patience wait for it. 4. There is joy and delight in God and Christ. 4. Delight in God & Christ. He that assuredly hopes and waits for the receiving of all good from God and Christ, for a full, a sweet, and everlasting communion with God and Christ, cannot but rejoice and delight himself in God and Christ: The betrothed woman which hath assured hopes of enjoying a comfortable wedlock with such a man, hath many joyful thoughts of him; the betrothed soul assuredly hoping for a comfortable, honourable, and everlasting wedlock with Christ, hath many joyful and soul-ravishing meditations touching Christ, rejoicing and delighting in him as in the root which gives him life, as in the Sun which sends him light, as in the treasure where he finds all riches, as in the Paradise wherein he meets with all comforts, and as in the Ark which bears him up in every deluge; Christ is the only joy of such as hope in him, Rom. 5.2. rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, and being begotten again to a lively hope, we rejoice therein with joy glorious and unspeakable. His hopes an Christ are dreams, falsehoods, and carnal presumptions, who doth not delight himself in the Lord Jesus. 5. There is holy Security and boldness of heart, 5. Holy security. and a sweet acquiescence in the favour of God shining upon the soul through the face of Jesus Christ, enabling a man to possess his soul in peace and patience in the midst of all troubles, as the ship lieth safe at anchor in the haven, in the midst of the stormy tempest; enabling man after many difficulties, Psal. 116. and sharp conflicts to say, Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee; apprehending God as a Father, Christ as a Husband, the promise of God as a firm and sure rock to support him, the Attributes of God as so many Crystal streams to refresh him, as so many beams of the highest and most glorious Sun to warm him, as so many hiding places to shadow and shelter him, and all the several acts and passages of God's providence, as so many outgoings of God's love and mercy towards him, causing him to glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, Rom. 5.3. and hope maketh not ashamed. Lastly, in a word, where true Christian hope is, it makes a man think humbly of himself, and highly of Christ, hoping for nothing from himself but for all things from Christ, it emptieth man of himself, and causeth him to fetch all from the fullness of Christ; it causeth him to have his whole dependence upon Christ, as the house upon the rock, depending upon him for life to quicken him, wisdom to direct him, power to uphold him, righteousness to justify him, holiness to sanctify him, mercy to forgive him, peace to quiet him, and blessing to make all successful to him, etc. True hope makes a man, Psal. 31.24. a man of courage in all holy undertake, in the open profession of God and his Testimonies, in the patient toleration of all afflictions, in the Christian and constant abiding of all reproaches and contradictions for the Lord Jesus: This enables man to possess his soul in a holy silence, when the world loads him with the heavy burden of many wrongs and injuries, Ps. 38 14, 15. this fills him with fervent and frequent Prayers, and supplications; the more he hopes, the more he prays, and the sweeter answer he receiveth to the Petition which his soul maketh, hope of finding much quickens and strengthens man in seeking, unfeigned hope in God is ever attended with some comfortable manifestation of God. God will not leave that soul in darkness which hopes in his mercies, the hoping soul ever meets with matter of praises and rejoicings after long sorrows and patient waitings. CHAP. XXI. Showing the carnal man in his corrupt estate is altogether alienated from God. THe fifth and last Alienation, declaring the carnal man's misery, is an Alienation from God, without God in the world. Atheists, either not believing there was any God at all, or not believing aright, but embracing and adoring an Idol, instead of the true God; but in as much as neither the Ephesians, nor other Gentiles were void of all Religion; but all acknowledged and adored some Deity, how doth the Apostle call them Atheists, and say they were without God in the world? Answ. 1. They were without the Scriptures, the light by which God shineth from above into the souls of men, the spiritual and heavenly glass by which God doth reveal, and show himself plainly and clearly unto man; and being without the word of God, they were without God, as Israel being without a preaching Priest, and without Law, 2 Chro. 15.3. is said to have been without the true God. He that is without the word is also without God. 2. They were without the knowledge of God, as the blind is without the Sun, they walked in the vanity of their mind, Eph 4.18. having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them. 3. They had false opinions of God, their apprehensions of God were corrupt and carnal, Rom. 1. that which they apprehended was not the true God, but an Idol, their foolish heart was darkened, and they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man: And as an Idol is nothing, of no divine power and virtue, so the Apostle reputeth their opinions, and adorations of God as nothing, and saith they were without God: Not God, but an Idol is the object of superstitious odoration. 4. They knew not, believed not, loved not, adored not God in Christ; God is no where rightly and truly known and served but in Christ; whatsoever is adored out of Christ, is an Idol, and not God; He that is without Christ, is without God; no man comes to God, that makes not Christ the way; no man knows God, that beholds him not in the face of Christ, john 3.21. He that denies the Son hath not the Father (saith Saint John) And thus they were without God in the world; and hence observe, That, Doct. Man in his corrupt and carnal estate is altogether estranged from God, he hath nothing of God within him, God doth not shine into his heart, God lives not graciously in his soul, God works not powerfully and savingly upon him: He hath no spiritual commerce and communion with God; he is estranged from the thought of God, Psal. 10 4. God (saith the Psalmist) is not in all his thoughts, he thinks not upon God as upon the Creator that form him, as upon the rock that supporteth him, as upon the King commanding him, as upon the Moderator dispensing and ordering him, and all things else, as upon the Judge rendering to every man according to his works; but all his thoughts are, that there is no God, no God beholding, observing, registering and judging the ways and works of man; The soul of every carnal man is overwhelmed with Atheism, running headlong into all impiety, as if there were no God to punish him; he is alienated from the fear of God; Psal. 36.1. he is full of dishonourable, low, and unworthy apprehensions of God, ready to say with Pharaoh, Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice, I know not the Lord. He thought the God of Israel inferior to the Idols of Egypt, he was so puffed up with his worldly fullness, that he thought himself sufficient of himself without God; Corrupt and carnal man through his ignorance, pride, and profaneness, hath a very base opinion of God, and most shamefully sleights and undervalues God: Psal. 73. He sets his mouth against the Heavens; he speaks reproachfully, against the Law and Doctrine of God delivered from Heaven; against the authority and dominion of God, whose Throne is in Heaven; against the Saints and faithful servants of God, whose spiritual original is from Heaven; against God's worship and Religion, which is of a heavenly institution: Of all this he speaks basely and presumptuously, this he treads and tramples under feet, and inthrals it to his proud and sinful lust; he is alienated from the knowledge and belief of God, either he hath an opinion that there is no God, as the fool in the Psalmist hath said in his heart, there is no God The fool, Psal. 19.1. the man in whom the light of grace shineth not, in the lamp of whose soul the oil of saving knowledge burneth not, he hath said in his heart, resolved and concluded with himself, that there is no God of wisdom discerning the ways of men, no God of Justice taking vengeance upon men, for their impieties: Or if he think there is a God, he believes not that he is such a God, as indeed he is, so glorious in his Essence, in his Attributes, in his Persons, and in his works: so holy in his ways, so faithful in his promises, so gracious to his servants, and so severe against his enemies; and therefore such men say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways, job 21.14. what is the Almighty that we should serve him, and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him. God the chiefest good is of no esteem with them that are empty of all spiritual good. Holy and religious services are in their opinion, the most frivolous and fruitless undertaking, who are altogether corrupt and carnal: Man's profane, and base slighting, and undervaluing of God, and the ways, worship, and service of God, openly proclaim man's miserable and cursed ignorance of God, man's unhappy and sinful Alienation, and estrangement from God. Carnal man's wretched and soule-destroying estrangement from God, 7 Grounds of man's estrangement from God. is moreover manifest, described in such characters that he that runs may read it: As, 1. By carnal man's enmity and opposition against God, 1 Opposition and contrariety to God. Rom. 8.7. and his contrariety to God, as contrary as death to life, darkness to light, evil to good, bitter to sweet; The carnal mind (saith Saint Paul) is enmity against God, opposing God, sighting against God; It is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; It breaks the bands, and casts away the cords of God's Law, as Samson sometimes burst his withes; as the man in the Gospel possessed with an unclean spirit, Mar. 5. plucked in sunder the chains, and break in pieces the fetters which tied him, neither could any man tame him: Thus the carnal man possessed by Satan, and his own unclean and profane spirit, breaks all the chains and fetters of God's Law, no Minister, no friend, no counsel, no persuasion, no comination can tame him, and make him humble and subject to the Law of God; job 24. but he rebelleth against the light, he shutteth his eyes, and will not see, he stoppeth his ears, and will not hear, and is altogether contrary unto God; God is light, but he is darkness; God is holy, perfectly, absolutely, infinitely holy, but he is corrupt and altogether filthy; God is good, the fountain of all goodness, but he is evil, a root of bitterness, all the thoughts and imaginations of his heart are only and altogether evil; God is a God of knowledge, perfectly knowing himself, and all things else, but carnal man neither knows God nor himself; God is a God of love, he loves himself, and them that bear his Image, but the carnal man hates God, and all them that are like God, he loves evil, and hates good; God is a God of truth, a true and faithful God; the carnal man is full of hypocrisy and deceit, his heart is deceitful above measure; God delighteth himself, he taketh pleasure in them that fear him, he delighteth in them that are upright in the way; To the carnal man the thought of God is terrible, he taketh pleasure in unrighteousness, and delighteth in the forwardness of the wicked, and thus his contrariety to God proclaims his alienation from God. 2. Estrangemen from the life of God. Eph 4. 2. By carnal man's estrangement from the life of God, alienated (as Paul saith) from the life of God, without the life of grace. God lives not in him by his Spirit regenerating and quickening him; The body alienated from the soul, without the soul living in it, is dead, unprofitable, unsavoury, an uncomfortable spectacle; Man alienated from the life of God, is dead in sin, unprofitable to God, to his Church, to his own soul, unsensible of his sin, uncapable of the word, unsavoury and abominable in the nostrils of God, a very monster in the eyes of God, more ugly than any leper, toad, or loathsome creature; the dead body is earthy, inclining to the earth, fit only for the grave; The carnal man is earthly, minded, inclining only to things here below, and is ready to be cast into the grave of Hell, fit for an infernal funeral with the damned in outer darkness; He that wants the life of grace, is far from the God of grace, whosoever is not spiritually quickened by God, is miserably estranged from God. 3. By the carnal man's estrangement from the knowledge of God: Of such the Psalmist saith, they have no knowledge; no knowledge of God as a Father, of Christ as a Husband, 3. Estrangement from the knowledge of God. of the Spirit as a Sanctifier and comforter, of the word as of a light guiding, and food feeding, and nourishing them to life eternal; they have no spiritual knowledge, no principle of spiritual light to perceive the things of God which are spiritually discerned; Psal. 14.4. no experimental knowledge of God's work upon their souls, in the vivification, illumination, sanctification, and gracious change of their hearts; no affective knowledge, 1 Cor, 2.14. they know not God as a child knows his father, as a wife knows her husband with fervent love & hearty affection; no submissive knowledge, they know not God as a Subject his Sovereign, a soldier his Centurion yielding hearty, free, & cheerful obedience unto him no appretiative knowledge they know not God as the rich man knows his jewel, esteeming it far above all his straw and common lumber in his house, as the people knew David, accounting him better than many thousands of themselves, they do not prize God above the creature and themselves, they do not repute all base and vile, as nothing in respect of God; no appropriative knowledge, they know not God, as the wife the husband, selecting and taking God unto themselves, and making him their God, as the wife doth the husband, they take not God unto them, as their King, Crown, portion, and as all in all to their souls; no consolative and delightful knowledge, they know not God as the 〈◊〉 the Sun, rejoicing in the light of the Sun, they delight ●n God, their souls take not up their sweet repose in the bottom of God, the meditation of God is not sweet unto them; no satiative knowledge, they know not God, as the thirsty the full fountain, they are not filled with God, they meet not with contentation in God, their desires are not terminated in God, and satisfied with God, they know not God's All-sufficiency, they take not up their full and eternal rest with God, they are still stepping out from God, with Judas they are not content with Christ, but they must have the bag too; and as the blind is a stranger to the Sun, so is the blind soul a stranger to God. 3 Estrangement from the l●ve of God. 3. By the carnal man's estrangement from the love of God, he is a stranger to the love of God: Passively, it is a Sun, with whose beams his soul was never warmed, a wine which his palate never tasted, a banner under which he was never covered; God never communicated the sweet sense and feeling of his love unto him; none but the Bride hath the sense of the Bridegroom's love; he is a stranger to the love of God actively; he is a stranger to the love of union with God, he declines not the things which separate from God, he delights not in the means which unite the soul to God, he desires not spiritual conjunction and communion with the Church and people of God, he grieves not at the absence of the efficacy of the Spirit, he longs not after the full fruition, of the blessed and gracious presence of God; he is a stranger to the love of Complacency in God; he neither abhors the things which are adverse to the will of God, nor highly prizeth the Society of the Saints of God, nor is sensible of that joy and sweetness which is found in the exercises of godliness, nor knows that delight which a gracious soul meets with, by holy walking, and maintaining a sweet communion with God, he is not comforted and well-pleased in and with God, as the eye with the Sun, and the thirsty palate with the clear and full fountain, but hath more pleasure in the creature then in the Creator; he is also a stranger to the love of benevolence, and well-wishing towards God; having no zeal for God's glory, nor yielding any filial and sincere obedience to God's precepts: Whatsoever be the pretences of a carnal man's love● God, he loves himself more than God, his love is the lov● harlots, whose love is more to strangers then to their husbands. Want of free, full, and fervent love to God, ever argues an unhappy estrangement from God. 4. Estrangement from the spiritual ministrations of God. 4. By the carnal man's estrangement from the spiritual soule-sanctifying and soule-saving ministrations of God. The carnal man is an empty house, there is nothing of God dwelling there; he is a Tree twice dead, and plucked up by the roots, Rom. 7.18. Judas v 12. there is no ministration of spiritual life, Christ doth not live in him, he sits in darkness, and the shadow of death, the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of his understanding, as the Philistines put out the eyes of Samson; there is no ministration of spiritual and saving knowledge, God hath not shined into his heart, he hath not the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; he lies in the prison of the prince of darkness, like Peter in Herod's prison, his lust's fettering him, Satan on his right hand, the world on his left hand, like two strong and vigilant soldiers keeping him; There is no ministration of spiritual freedom, he is led captive by sin, the Devil, and the world; he is full of sin, as Naaman's flesh of leprosy; there is no ministration of grace and sanctification, God hath not poured out his Spirit like clean water upon him; Isa. 57.20. he is like the troubled Sea which cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, his conscience accusing, his heart condemning him; there is no ministration of spiritual peace, no seal of the pardon of sin, no atonement between God and his soul; where there is no light, the Sun appears not, where there is no ministration of grace God dwells not, without grace, without God. 6. Estrangement from Christ. joh. 1.11. 6. By the carnal man's estrangement from Christ, he receiveth not Christ as a dweller to possess him, as a King to command him, as a Lord and Master to be every way serviceable to Christ, as a friend to love Christ, as a husband to marry his soul to Christ, as a Physician to be healed by Christ, as a fountain to be filled with Christ, as the root of life to live in and by Christ; Every carnal man is a sinful, and a Christlesse creature, having nothing of Christ in him; and being without Christ he is without God, God is no God of grace, of mercy, of peace to the soul without Christ. Whosoever (saith Saint John) denieth the Son, embraceth not, loveth not, honoureth not the Son, hath not the Father. And again, whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God. God is truly and comfortably known, rightly adored, and sweetly and savingly enjoyed only in Christ. Man hath no way to God but Christ, he is the glass in whom God is clearly seen, he is the fountain whence the fullness of God is received, he is the beloved, in whom alone man is accepted. God is an utter stranger to the soul of that person, who hath not Christ dwelling in him. 7. Estrangement from the remembrance of God. 7. By the carnal man's estrangement from the remembrance of God: In the grave (saith the Psalmist) there is no remembrance of thee. Among the carnal men, the dead in sin, there is no remembrance of God, God is not in all their thoughts, their thoughts are worldly thoughts, Psal. 6.5. Psal. 10.4. vain thoughts, evil thoughts, thoughts of iniquity, Every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts is only evil continually; they remember not, they think not upon the Lord: He is forgotten (as he speaks by Jeremy) days without number: Jer. 2.32. The carnal man's thoughts of God are erroneous thoughts, superstitious thoughts, doubtful thoughts, low thoughts, dishonourable thoughts, seldom, cold, and flitting thoughts, no serious, dwelling, abiding and working thoughts: He doth not remember God as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, with high, honourable, transcendent, awful, and reverend thoughts, disposing his soul to the fear of God; He doth not remember God, as the rich man his treasure with joyful and delightful thoughts; as the captive his Ransomer, with gratulatory and praise rendering thoughts; as the Bride her Bridegroom, with loving, soul-warming, and heart-affecting thoughts; as the thirsty man the fountain, with longing and incessant thoughts; He doth not remember the dominion of God to be subject to him, the Wisdom or God to be guided by him, the power of God to repose himself upon him, the presence of God to walk all the day long as in God's sight, nor the Al-sufficiency of God to seek all satisfaction in him; Perhaps like Mariners in a storm, in a time of trouble, he hath some constrained thoughts of God, but otherwise he forgets God as Pharaohs Butler forgot Joseph; as men in time of peace lay aside their weapons, and think no more upon them till war be renewed: Thus carnal men lay aside all thought of God, make no use of God until some dismal distress cease upon them; and as they are strangers to the remembrance of God, so they must of necessity be estranged from all interest in God, and from all communion with God. CHAP. XXII. Opening the Atheism of Man, and the heinousness thereof. IN carnal and natural man's estrangement from God, in his being without God, we may see and behold a deluge of Atheism overflowing and drowning the men of the world, as once the deluge of waters overflowed and drowned the earth. Sorts of Atheists. Some are Atheists in opinion, concluding, 1. In Opinion. or at least supposing that there is no God at all, saying in their hearts, there is no God; A generation of men sinning against the great and glorious workmanship of God in the Creation of the world, wherein he that runs may read as in lively characters the invisible things of God, the power, wisdom, and goodness of God. Transgressing against the providence, authority, dominion, and wisdom of God, clearly shining in his most wise, and powerful preservation, moderation, dispensation, and ordering of the whole universe, and all the particulars thereof, as a great Centurion his army, as a prudent Lord and Master his family. Subverting and overthrowing all Religion, and divine worship, as if it were but a politic devise to keep men in awe, as children with tales, and stories of bugbears, and hobgoblins, there being no God to be adored, no supreme and eternal Lord and Sovereign to be served, no Hell to be feared, no Heaven to be desired. Letting loose the reins to all licentiousness, as if there were no Law to be transgressed, no punishment to be inflicted, offending against the honour and dignity of man's condition, equalizing the very beasts with man, as if man were to perish like the beasts, partaking king after death of no greater glory than the beasts partake of, extinguishing the very light of nature, by which the very heathens of all ages have acknowledged a supreme, divine being; shamefully disgracing and dishonouring the sacred Scriptures, as if they were either so many empty lamps or false lights set up for show and not for truth; heinous sinning also against Christ: if there be no God, then was Christ's undertaking with God for man in vain, than he suffered to no purpose, than had he no authority, no commission from above, and so is made the greatest Imposter and deceiver that ever the earth did bear; a generation of men these are worse than the Devils, for they believe and tremble. O the miserable condition whereinto sin hath cast man, causing him to deny the being of that God who gave him being, the fruition of whom was the Paradise of man's soul at his first Creation, and is now the sweetest joy and glory of mankind, being either in the state of grace, or in the Kingdom of Heaven. Some are Atheists in practice, professing (as the Apostle saith) that they know God, but in works deny him. Some make Idols their God, bowing down before a stock and a stone, as the superstitious; some make worldly goods their God, as the covetous; some make meat and drink their God, as the drunkard and glutton; some make honours and high places their God, as the ambitious; some make carnal delights and pastimes their God, as the voluptuous and pleasure-hunters; some make whores and harlots their God, as the wanton and adulterous; some make their works their God, as the merit-mongers; some make their naked attendance upon holy Ordinances their God, as the the carnall-Gospellers; some make their moral virtues their God, as the civil man; some make their forms of godliness, and outward shows their God, as the hypocrites, etc. All these, and such like, though they profess God, yet in practice they are Atheists, and do deny God: Atheism in practice demonstrated. 1. Loose-living He that discerns not the seeds, relics, and move of this abomination in himself, never yet knew himself, nor the state of his own heart; And what doth 1. men's loose-living under the Gospel, men's running into all excess of riot, contrary to their holy calling, the nature of the Gospel, and such plain and powerful persuasion from Heaven proclaims? but the Atheism of their souls, not believing the truth of God, reputing Gods messengers as babblers, and the sacred truths which they deliver, as fables. 2. What doth men's sinning so freely in secret, 2. Secret sinning. taking such pleasure in contemplative wickedness, within the closer of their own hearts, and taking such liberty to do evil in the dark, where the eye of man beholds it not, what doth this argue? but a secret Atheism lurking in their souls, having no apprehension of God's presence, of God's All-seeing eye, having no remembrance that God is every where, filling all places, privy to all the movings and stir of their hearts. Were not the hearts of men very Atheistical, they would not dare do that in the sight of God which they will not do in the eyes of men. 3 fearlessness of judgements 3. What doth men's fearlessness of denounced judgements, men's putting off the evil day far away: men's sinning securely, mens flattering themselves in an estate wherein they are ready to drop every moment into Hell, hanging by the weak thread of their frail life over the bottomless pit, what doth this declare? but Atheism, not believing that God is such a just and righteous God, such a hater and revenger of sin as indeed he is. 4. What doth men's seldom praying, cold praying, 4. Seldom and cold praying. irreverent praying proclaim? but an Atheistical ignorance, unsensibleness, and unapprehensivenesse of God's greatness, glory and presence: Kings and Monarches are served in great state, because men apprehend their Majesty; men address themselves to God, as to their fellow, because they are neither powerfully persuaded, nor workingly apprehensive of his glorious presence. 5. Slighting of divine knowledge. 5. What doth men's slighting of the means of the knowledge of God, mens neglecting of the salvation which God proffers them, men's undervaluing of Christ, mens seeking of the applause and favour of men, more than the approbation and favour of God, mens exalting of their lusts above God, man's seeking after and resting upon the creature, man's sacrificing to an arm of flesh, man's superficial performance of the duties of Religion, what do all these, and many such bewray? but abundance of Atheism in the heart; for were this truth throughly rooted in the heart of man, were the meditation of this principle powerfully operative upon the soul of man, That God is, and that he is a God so glorious, so powerful, so gracious, so all-sufficient, and so far surpassing all creatures, as indeed he is, it would move man to prefer the knowledge of God above all learning, the approbation of God above all praise, and the love of God above all favour, it would make all the lusts of the soul fall as Dagon before the Ark, were this predominant in, and effectually working upon the heart of man, no sin could stand before it, the creature would appear to the eye of the soul as a thing of nought, man would be ashamed of his best abilities, grieved for the imperfection of his holiest services, and apply himself to the work of his God with seven fold more diligence. O then complain oft, and pray to God against thy secret Atheism, as against the great plague and pest of thy soul, as against a beam in thy eye disabling thee to see God, as against a fetter about thy feet, disabling thee to come to God, as against a partition wall, hindering thy sweet and comfortable communion with God. In carnal man's estrangement from God, in his being without God, we may see the miserable and wretched condition of corrupt and carnal man; we repute the body miserable without a soul to enliven it, the world miserable without the Sun to enlighten it, the besieged City miserable without a Captain to rescue it, or wall to defend it, the thirsty miserable without a fountain to refresh him, the wand'ring traveller miserable without a guide to direct him, the forsaken miserable without a friend to comfort him, etc. But here is the misery of all miseries to be without God, to be estranged from God, who is the soul enlivening, the Sun guiding, the great Centurion rescuing, the wall of fire defending, the fountain refreshing, the guide leading, and the friend solacing man: We see Hagar weeping, when her bottle is empty, and hath no water, Rachel mourning for her children, and will not be comforted, because they are not, the wife of Phin●as refusing to be comforted, because the Ark is carried away, Idolatrous Micah running and crying as a man undone, because his Idol, his imaginary God is taken from him, but what is the loss of these, and a thousand such things as these are to loss of God, surely no more than the loss of a gloeworme to the loss of the Sun, than the loss of a straw to the loss of a precious pearl. Here is cause indeed of mourning, crying, complaining, Evils of being without God. 1. Full of Satan. lamentation to be without God: For he that is without God, is 1. Full of Satan, he that is empty of one is full of the other, when God forsakes the house of man's soul, Satan takes the possession, he becomes the dweller, he like an armed man keeps the Fort in man's heart, he like a Prince sets up his Throne, and keeps his Court in the City of man's soul, when God is gone Satan enters in, the less of God, the more of Satan in the soul of man: When the house in the Parable was empty, Mat. 12. than the unclean spirit entered with seven others worse than himself, when the soul is empty of God, Satan fills it with a troop of all abominations, than he blinds the understanding, that they cannot see nor God, nor Christ, nor themselves, than he gaggs their mouths, that as the man that had a dumb Devil, they can neither speak for God, nor to God, than he bows them down to the world, and makes them drudges and slaves to the earth, like the woman that had a spirit of infirmity, that they cannot look up to God, they cannot think on God, nor the things which are above, than he casts them into the fire of rage, fury and anger, Mar. 9.22. and into the waters of drunkenness, sensual lusts, and carnal pleasures; as he cast the man's son in the Gospel into the fire and water, than he fills them with fraud, falsehood, hypocrisy, and spiritual treason, as he put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ: Vnconceavable is that man's misery that is left of God to Satan, that is empty of God, and full of the Devil, he that is full of Satan first must look to be full of Hell at last. 2. He that is without God, is full of the world, 2. Full of World. he minds earthly things, he bows down to these things, as gideon's thousands to the waters, these command him, sway over him, lead him away captive, as the harlot in Solomon did the young man, he commits adultery with them, and as a man by means of a whorish woman is brought to a morsel of bread: so these by means of their fornication with this whorish woman the world, they become very beggars in grace, and get a blot and a stain which cannot be wiped off; being without God he overprizeth the world; in the siege of Samaria Doves dung was sold at a high price, because they wanted bread; he that wants God, the bread, the staff, and stay of his soul, highly prizeth the dung and dross of the earth, and wanting God, the world with her cares, honours, pleasures, customs, fashions, and allurements overwhelmes him as the deluge did them that were without the Ark; miserable is their slavery and servitude to the world, who have not God graciously possessing them, spiritually reigning and ruling within them. 3. Full of Sin. 5. He that is without God is full of sin. The sluggards field in Solomon being without a diligent husbandman to manure it, was full or thorns and nettles: He that hath not God the great husbandman of the soul to manure him, is overgrown with the thorns, briars and nettles of all sorts of vices, full of all abominations, as Baal's house was full of Idolaters, and the Pharisces Sepulchers full of rottenness and dead men's bones; his lusts bind and chain him as the fetters did Peter in Herod's prison; his understanding is full of blindness, Exod. 10.23. as the Egyptians houses were full of darkness, he sees nothing of God, of Christ, nor of his own unhappy estate; his will is full of perverseness and frowardness, no liberty, no inclination there to move God-ward, to intend God, his glory, or his soul's welfare; he is led away captive by his lusts, Isa. 20 4. Rev. 3.17. as the Egyptians by the Assyrians, naked and barefoot, poor, blind, naked, miserable and wretched; His thoughts are full of vanity, pride, baseness, covetousness, fraud, beastliness, and what not, these trade and traffic, and travel up and down within him, as swine in a stithe, and make him a very dunghill, and loathsome habitation, as the buyers and sellers made the Temple a den of thiefs; his affections are full of all pollution, base fear, carnal confidence, worldly love, and fleshly joy, his soul like the cup in the woman's hand upon a scarlet coloured beast, Rev. 17. full of abominations and filthiness; and his ways, works, and particular passages of his life, superscribed with names, titles, and characters of blasphemy against God, Christ, Heaven, the Gospel, and Christian Religion; He that is without God and the Lord Jesus is the most loathsome of all Creatures. 4. He that is without God, is full of curses. 4 Full of curses Where God is not, the curse goeth: man's very blessings are turned into curses, his moral and temporal abilities, all his possessions, the wife in his bosom, the children in his house, the meat on his table, the apparel on his back, is a snare to him. Psal. 69.22. D●ut. 28.15, 16 Cursed is he in the City, and in the field, in his basket, and in his store, in the fruit of his body, and in the fruit of his land, in the increase of his kine, and flocks of his sheep, in his coming in, and in his going out: Yea the very word which he heareth, Sacrament which he receiveth, and Prayer which he maketh, becomes a curse, the savour of death unto death, yea Christ himself, the medium of all blessings to the soul, 2 King. 4.40. becomes a stone of stumbling, and a rocks of defence. The Prophet's pot before the meal was poured in, was a pot of death, the very whole of man without God, turns to a curse to man. O the folly of them that bless themselves in their have, not having God with them, within them, regenerating, renewing, and purifying, and sanctifying all unto them! Man's blessedness consists not in any have, but in the having of God: to him that hath God for his God, the Lion proves a hive of honey-combs, the greatest cross a sweet blessing, to him that hath not God, the choicest Paradise becomes a wilderness, the calmest river a tempestuous Sea, his greatest prosperity, his heaviest misery. 5. He that is without God, is without all, 5. Empty of God, naked of all true good. the having of all things is as nothing, if we have not God with them; God is the fullness of every thing, what is the having of a lamp without oil, a bone without marrow, a vessel without liquor, such is the having of all things without God; he that with Senacherib hath Lordship over many Nations; he that with Absalon hath all bodily beauty; he that with the rich man in the parable, hath more substance than his house can hold; he that with the false Prophets hath all the applause of the world, every man's tongue a trumpet to sound his praises; he that with the man at the wedding feast hath all the Ordinances of God, yet if with all this he hath not God, he may say as Haman did in another case, all this avail me nothing. He that is without God, is a house without a foundation to uphold him, a besieged City without a Captain to rescue him, a sheep in the mouth or a Lion without a Shepherd to deliver him, a chased Hart, his sins like a thousand arrows sticking in him, the venom of the infernal fiery serpent boiling and burning within him; his conscience with a hideous cry pursuing him, and no water-brook to refresh him, and a condemned malefactor ready every moment to come to his heartrending, soule-torturing, and never ending execution, without a King of mercies to pardon him: The loss of God is of all losses the greatest, no darkness like the want of this Sun, no famine like the want of this bread, no storm comparable to the want of this calm. O the blessedness of the soul which enjoys God O the slavery, baseness, misery of the soul which is without God Saul in his distress cried out, the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me. The carnal man will one day cry out, the Devils make war against me, the fiends of Hell are come upon me, and God is departed from me: Had man the lively sense and feeling of future woes, terrors, and perplexities, whereinto his being without God will cast him, he would give himself no rest until he had gotten the sweet and sure fruition of him. O therefore be as loath to live now without God enlightening, enlivening, sanctifying, and possessing you, as you will be loath at last to perish, without God pardoning, helping, saving, and delivering you. CHAP. XXIII. Declaring that God is, and the excellency of our interest in God. THe carnal man's estrangement from God, his being without God, ministers matter of excitation to all men to labour 1. for clear, sure, and invincible evidence of this truth, That God is, and 2. for sure and infallible interest in this God. 1. Labour for clear evidence, a lively, powerful, and working persuasion of this in your hearts, that God is, and that he is such a one, as in his word he hath revealed himself to be; this is the pillar and ground of all Religion, Satan labours much to undermine and shake it, and the Atheism of man's heart is very prone to suspect and doubt it, and men's weak and feeble, lame and halting apprehension of this truth, is one main cause of the great abundance of Atheism, and profaneness: For the effectual and invincible persuasion, resolution, and through settling of your hearts therefore in this truth, that God is, look 1. into the book of Scripture, and 2. into the book of Nature. 1. Look into the book of the Scripture, and there fasten your eyes, 1. upon the plain and apparent Testimonies which it gives of God. By the mouth of Job, 1. Testimonies joh. 12.7, 8, 9, 10. ask now (saith he) the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee, or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this, in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind: By the mouth of David, The Heavens (saith he) declare the glory of God, and the Firmament showeth his handiwork: By the mouth of Paul, God Act 1●. 16. (saith he) who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways, nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And again, As I passed by (saith he to the men of Athens) and behold your devotions, I found an Altar with this Inscription, Act. 17.23. To the unknown God, whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you▪ God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, seeing he giveth life, and breath, and every thing: And most evidently writing to the Romans, he saith, That which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them, for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. 2. Fasten your eyes upon the miraculous and mighty works recorded in Scripture, as the dividing of the waters of the red Sea, and making the children of Israel to pass through them, the giving of waters out of a stony rock, the raining of Manna from Heaven, the sending of Quails in the wilderness, the restraining of the fire in Nebuchadnezars furnace, that though it burned, yet it hurt not the three children cast into it; the shutting of the mouths of the Lions, that they hurt not Daniel cast in among them; the curing of diseases, which no Physician could heal; the raising of the dead, which no created power could do; the feeding of many thousands with a few loaves and fishes, and many such like, evidently declaring, that there is an Almighty hand doing such great and mighty works. 3. Meditate upon the prophecies and predictions there, receiving their full, and sure, and certain accomplishment, in many ages after, according as it was foretold, arguing an eternal and Allseeing Spirit by whom they were inspired. 4. Observe the punishments there, miraculously inflicted upon the old world, the Sodomites, the Israelites in the wilderness, Pharaoh and many others, and you shall read the Justice of an Almighty God punishing the wickedness of man. 5. Consider well a way revealed to life and salvation above the capacity of man and Angel: God appearing to the Patriarches, entering into a Covenant of life and peace with them, sending his Prophets with tidings of a Saviour to come, and at last sending his own Son, conceived by the Holy-Ghost in the womb of a Virgin, the humane nature assumed into the unity of the second person, Christ God and Man in one Person, a perfect Mediator between God and man, a work so strange and wonderful, that the Angels do admire it, and desire to pry into it, a singular demonstration of God's infinite and unsearchable wisdom. 6. Observe also the mighty efficacy of this word of God upon the hearts of men, piercing their hearts, dividing between the bones and the marrow, the joints and the spirit, presents as in a glass the most close and secret sins of man before him, filling them with terror and amazement, humbling and abasing them below the dust, raising them out of the grave of sin to a new life, fetching them forth of Satan's prison, as the Angel brought Peter out of Herod's prison, turning their stony hearts into hearts of flesh, making their leprous souls pure and clean, as Naaman's flesh in Jordan, healing the wounds of their consciences, which no worldly balm could cure, plainly declaring that an holy and Almighty Spirit did both inspire them, and work by them. 7. Observe in the sacred Scriptures a generation of people so changed by the use of the word from what once they were; That they are now distinguished from all the world besides, as the living from the dead, as the light from darkness, as the Vine from the thorn, and the Lamb from the Wolf; men called out of darkness into light, men hating their former estates, ways and works, more than ever they loved them; Men choosing to live in any misery, rather than in the allowance of the least sin; Men contented to be hated of father, mother, and all their friends according to the flesh, that they may please Christ, taking the spoiling of their goods joyfully, reputing the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of the world; Men pleasing, contenting, blessing and applauding themselves in the having of Christ, though they have nothing else, willing rather to lie in prison, and die a thousand deaths, then deny or leave Christ, Now whence is all this, were they borne so●? no they were once as others are. Is it of themselves? no, the Leopard cannot change his spots, it is indeed no other but the work of a holy, gracious, and mighty God, it is his work which makes men to differ. Had not this generation of men a clear understanding, and a lively and sweet apprehension of the Majesty, power, beauty, and goodness of this God, they would never for his sake endure such reproach, hatred, and trouble from the world. Turn from the book of the Scripture to the book of Nature, and here you shall see a Deity shining as the Sun in the Stars, and putting itself forth as the root in the branches, and appearing as the Artificer in his workmanship: And thus look, 1. Upon the whole universe, the great house of the world, the Earth as the floor, and the Heavens as the roof and covering, plainly demonstrating the eternal power, wisdom, and Godhead, as the Apostle saith. When we see a great and stately house builded, artificially composed, several pieces of stone, timber, lime, earth, and other materials skilfully and strongly joined together, variety of rooms framed for the entertainment of many guests, and other offices belonging to the house, and windows made in fit and convenient places, to give light thereunto, we all know that some skilful workman hath been labouring there, the house having no power nor wisdom to raise itself; and thus when we look upon this great and mighty house of the world, and see it composed of several creatures, Heavens, Air, Waters, Earth, etc. variety of rooms fitted for men, Beasts, Birds, Fishes, and all other guests belonging to this house: The Sun, Moon, and Stars set on high, as great lamps and lanterns to give light thereunto, we cannot but acknowledge that some Almighty and Alwise workman hath been the builder thereof none of these being able to create and set themselves in this orderly manner; this we must needs acknowledge though we see not the builder: When we see the body and branches of a Tree springing, we know there is a root, though it be hidden in the earth, and we see it not: When we see as that noble Duplesses observes, a river flowing, we presently conclude there is some Spring or Fountain whence it hath Original, though we see not the same; and thus from the Creation, and the things seen, we must of necessity conclude, there is a Deity, though invisible, and not seen, otherwise then as we see the cause in the effect. 2. Look upon the order of things moving. We discern many things moving in the world, as Sun, Moon, and Stars in Heaven, the Birds in the air, Men and Beasts upon the earth, Rivers running, Seas ebbing and flowing; and every thing that moves must of necessity be moved of some other, by the consideration whereof we are necessarily led to acknowledge a first mover, which is God, giving motion to all, himself not moved: When we see the body moving, we know there is a soul within moving it, though we see not the soul: When we see the wheels of a watch moving, we know there is a spring that sets them all on going. Thus the motion of the creature plainly demonstrates a first mover, though our eyes behold him not, according to the Rule, Secunda moventia non movent, nisi per hoc quod sunt a primo motu. 3. Look upon the Series and succession of all efficient Causes. We see in sensible things there is an order of efficient causes, yet among all these there neither is, nor can any thing be found which is the cause of itself, because so it should be before itself, which is impossible: As for instance, the Son is begotten of the Father, the Father of the Grandfather, the Grandfather of the great Grandfather, and so upward; yet amongst men, no man ever was, or can be the begetter of himself; the branch cometh from the Tree, the Tree from the root, the root from the kernel, the kernel gives not being to itself, and thus we must of necessity ascend unto, and rest in some first cause, which is God, all second causes working in the virtue of the first cause. 4. Look upon the Consent and agreement between things different and disagreeing between themselves: Fire and water are one contrary to another; one fight against another, destroying one another, yet these you shall see concurring and agreeing together in the building of the universe, and in the body of man and beast, which plainly shows the wisdom and power of some supreme Commander, making such a sweet harmony between disagreeing creatures, as between dissonant strings upon a musical instrument, we acknowledge the art of a skilful Musician in the latter, and can we do less than acknowledge an infinite wisdom and power of some supreme commander in the former. 5. Look upon the degrees of excellency and goodness among things: Some are more good and more excellent; some less good, and less excellent; the Sun hath more light than the Stars; the Vine is more excellent than the Bramble; man hath more noble endowments, than the unreasonable creatures; and whence is this, but as every creature hath more or less good communicated to it, as it doth more or less approach unto some chiefest good, so that there must be some chief and most excellent good communicating freely more or less good to every kind of creature as he pleaseth. 6. Look upon the suiting and the fitting of one thing to another: As in a building, when we see one piece of timber fitted to another, we say there hath been a skilful Carpenter: When we see a garment made up and suited to every Member of man's body, we instantly conceive some artificial Tailor hath had the ordering of it, and that neither timber nor cloth did thus suit themselves together: Thus in this great workmanship of the world, observe how light is suited to the eye, the sound unto the air, meat to the palate, water to the fishes, the earth to plants, and grass to beasts, and so of the rest; and when we see this, how can we but acknowledge a divine finger thus suiting and fitting one to another. 7. To be short took upon the subordination and dependence of one thing upon another, one ministering to another, the Heavens to the Earth, the Earth to the Corn, the Corn to man: Consider also the operation and working even of creatures void of reason for a certain end, working constantly after the same manner, and accomplishing their ends by due and apt means, producing effects above their own abilities, as the Ant which gathers her meat in Summer for the Winter, they working by a rule which they know not, and aiming at an end which they understand not, declare that a higher understanding directs them; what also do many strange and unexpected events and issues of things beyond the wisdom, power and imagination of man argue, but an Almighty hand working and disposing all things at his own pleasure; what shall we think of the preservation and ministering of provision for so many ages to this great Family of the world, but that there is some most wise, and able governor over this house; what may we conclude from the preservation and continuance of a Church upon the face of the Earth, against the fury of all Devils, and against the power and malice even of the whole world, but that there is a God that standeth in the burning bush and keeps it, that the fire doth not consume it, a rider that sits upon the flood and restrains it from drowning his Church, a great commander whom the winds and waves obey, one setting bounds to to men and Devils, as to the Sea; and let these and such like considerations persuade you and strengthen in the belief of this, That God is. And be assured that the more your hearts are overpowered, wrought upon and warmed with the study and meditation, and settled in persuasion and belief of this truth, Benefits of this persuasion that God is. That God is an eternal, omnipotent, most wise, holy and omnipresent being, one that is ever present with you. 1. The more humble and abased shall you be in your own eye, 1. Self-abasement. able to say with the Prophet, Woe is me I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts. 2. The more ashamed shall you be of your former looseness, 2. Shame for former looseness. smiting with Ephraim upon your thigh, ashamed and confounded for the reproach of your youth, the more ashamed shall you be of your present uncleanness abhorring yourself with job below the dust and ashes. 3 Suppresment of sin. 3. The more powerful shall you be in the suppression of all sin, in the repelling of every temptation, able to say with Joseph, how shall I do this evil and sin against God. 4 Fervent prayer. 4. The more fervent and reverend shall you be in your hearing, prayer and supplication, standing with Cornelius, as before the Lord in hearing his messenger, and praying like Paul with the understanding and with the spirit. 5 Industry in God's service. 5. The more diligent and industrious shall you be in God's service, knowing the terror of the Lord, running like the Sun the race which God hath set before you, serving the Lord with fear and trembling, doing the will of God from the heart. 6 Gracious speech. 6. The more gracious shall you be in all your speeches, speaking the words of God, and as in the fight of God. 7. Circumspection. 7. The more circumspect shall you be in your carriage, being all the day long in the fear of God, and walking with God as Enoch and Noah did. 8. Courage. 8. The more courageous and undaunted shall you be in all difficulties and oppositions made against you, not afraid of the many thousands that set themselves against you, remembering and apprehending as Ezekiah did that God is with you, a present help in trouble for you. 9 Slighting of world. 9 The more shall you in a holy manner sleight and undervalue all the glory, dignity, wealth and fullness of the world, having with you and within you that God who in your eye and apprehension transcends the world more than the most orient pearl the bafest dross, the choicest Paradise the most loathsome prison, or the brightest Sun the rotten glocworme. 10. Easie coming off from the creature. 10. The more easily, fully, freely, joyfully and permanently shall your hearts and thoughts come off from the creature, from yourself, and from every thing here below, as the eye comes gladly from the candle to the Sun upon the appearing and apprehension of the same; as the Bride comes gladly from her own people, and her father's house, to her most honourable, amiable and lovely Bridegroom; or as the Prodigal came readily from the Swine, and the husks to his Father's house, where he apprehended fullness of bread. 11. The more patient shall you be in all trouble, 11. Patience. apprehending God as a Father in love chastising you, as a Physician lancing you, and as a Refiner purging you, you shall say with old Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. 12. The more content shall you be in every condition, 12 Contentation. contentedly able with Job to receive the evil of affliction as well as the good of peace at the hands of the Lord the apprehension of God's presence with you shall satisfy and quiet you, when every other thing is taken from you, the apprehension of this shall powerfully and sweetly dispose you to quiet yourself in the will of God, humbly and readily to submit yourself to the hand of God, thankfully to take that portion which God giveth you, assuring yourself it is that which God in his wisdom seeth best for you: Thrice blessed is that person who hath this apprehension of God still ruling and affecting him, setledly dwelling and working within him; there is nothing more available to keep the soul of man in a holy frame and disposition than the sense and feeling of Gods ever being present with him. Secondly, this should also move man to labour for infallible and sure interest in God. It is the misery of man to be without God, the happiness of man to have God for his God, to be able to say with Thomas, My God and my Lord, and in all estates to cry with David, O Lord thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. It is man's having of God that makes the meditation of God sweet and comfortable to man. What doth the shining of the Sun advantage man if his eye receive not the light thereof? What doth plenty of water in the well benefit the thirsty, if he neither draw nor drink of it? What did fullness of bread in his Father's house profit the prodigal son living among the swine, and ready to starve with lack of broad? What doth it avail the soul that God is an eternal, an Almighty, an All-seeing, an alsufficient God, if he live like the swine, and feed upon the husks of the world, and come not unto God, have no interest in God, no taste, no sense, no feeling of the goodness of this God, he must starve, die, perish, and be damned without God: The charge therefore given to the children in Solomon concerning wisdom, let me give to you concerning God, Get God, get the Lord, forget him not, neither decline from the words of his mouth, forsake him not, and he shall preserve thee, love him and he shall keep thee, God is the principal thing, therefore got God, and withal thy getting get the Lord. The gain of all is loss without God, the loss of all is gain with God; have all the power of the world without God thou art weak; have all the wealth of the earth without God thou art poor; have all the learning, art and policy of men and Devils without God, thou art foolish, blind and ignorant; have all the honours of Nobles, Kings and Emperors without God, thou art base; have all the beauty of the comeliest creatures without God, thou art ugly, loathsome and monstrous; have all worldly and fleshly joys and pleasures without God, thy soul is in a condition of torments; have all the liberties, immunities, and prerogatives of the freest Cities, States and Kingdoms, yet without God, thou art in the most dishonourable, slavish and basest bondage; have God, and though thou hast nothing else, thou hast the strongest rock to support thee, the brightest Sun to guide thee, the noblest crown to honour thee, the choicest pearl to enrich thee, the fullest fountain to fill thee, the sweetest Paradise to solace and delight thee, even God himself to be all in all, in stead of all, and ten thousand times more than all for ever unto thee. * ⁎ * FINIS. A Table of the chief things contained in this Treatise, on Psal. 118. v, 26. CHAP. I. AN Illustration of Christ's coming and entertainment, and opening the words, Pag. 1. Note 1. Christ coming proves most joyful to them that savingly receive and entertain him, p. 4. Note 2. Man hath greatest cause of all creatures to rejoice in, and for the coming of Christ Jesus, ibid. Note 3. Whosoever truly rejoiceth in Christ, doth also wish well to the Cause and Kingdom of Christ, p. 5. Note 4. The Lord Jesus ought to be the prime and complete Object of man's joyfulness, ib. Note 5. Blessed is that person that knoweth the way and manner of Christ's spiritual and gracious coming, p. 6. CHAP. II. Declaring the joyful receiving of Christ, p. 6. Doct. Christ coming in his Gospel and spiritual Kingdom ought to be received with much thanksgiving and rejoicing, ib. 5. Grounds hereof, p. 9 1. Clear and comfortable Revelation of God in Christ. 2. Spiritual Liberty by Christ's coming. 3. Heavenly Victory. 4. Spiritual peace. 5. Soule-refreshing Communion with God, obtained by Christ's coming, p. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. CHAP. III. Relating their miserable Condition to whom Christ is unwelcome, p. 15. 5. Grounds of Christ's unwelcomnesse. 1. Ignorance. 2 Earthly mindedness. 3. Vnsensiblenesse. 4. Contrariety to Christ. 5. Infidelity, p. 18, 19, 20. CHAP. IU. Persuading to a joyful entertainment of Christ, p. 22. Manner how Christ must be entertained. 1. Spiritually. 2. Speedily. 3. Cordially. 4 Cheerfully. 5. Humbly. 6. Chiefly. 7. Fully. 8. perpetually, p. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. CHAP. V. Prescribing means disposing and enabling man to receive Christ joyfully, p. 31. The means. 1. Full deposition of what is contrary to Christ, as sin, the world, ourself. 2. Holy preparation to hear Christ in the Gospel. 3. Gracious interest in Christ. 4. Clear discernement of Christ's worth. 5. Holy making use of Christ in the Gospel. 6. Heavenly sense and experience of Christ's work upon our souls, p. 34 to 39 CHAP. VI Inducements to a joyful entertainment of Christ, p. 39 6. Inducements. 1. The Condition of the Creature without Christ being empty, uncomfortable, inthralling, and polluting. 2. A through view of man's estate without Christ. 3. The terrible apprehension of God without Christ. 4. Frustration of all God's Ordinances Christ not entertained 5. Excellency and utility of Christ received; giving life, light, health, honour, riches, prosperity, sweetness, comfort, satisfaction, and abiding substance. 6. Fastening thoughts on brevity of life, p. 39 to 51. CHAP. VII. Manifestations of Christ's welcome, p. 52. Christ's welcome manifested. 1. By opening the heart to him. 2. By garnishing the heart for him. 3. By offering ourselves to Christ. 4. By exalting Christ. 5. By faith and love to Christ, conformity with Christ, and acquiescence in Christ, p. 52, 53. Want of joyful receiving of Christ, shows want 1. of knowledge. 2. Of Love. 3. Of Faith. 4. Of prising Christ. 5. Of relishing Christ, p. 54, 55, 56. Joy in Christ's coming persuaded, p. 57 CHAP. VIII. The necessity and excellency of advancing Christ's Gospel and Kingdom is demonstrated, p. 58. Doct. It is the duty of all people, unfeignedly to desire, and earnestly to endeavour the welfare, promotion, and advancement of Christ, his spiritual Kingdom and Gospel, ib. 5. Grounds hereof. 1. The Covenant between Man and Christ. 2. The Relations 3. Christ's interest in Man. 4. The Subversion of Satan. 5. The glory and crown of the Church, p. 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67. CHAP. IX. The impiety of three sorts of men is opened, p. 68 1. Non re●arders of the welfare of the Gospel. 2. Opposers of the Gospel. 3. Grievers at the prosperity of the Gospel, p. 68, 69, 70. Grounds of not regarding the welfare of the Gospel, p. 69. Grounds of opposing the Gospel, p. 70, 71. CHAP. X. The setting up of Christ's Kingdom and Gospel is persuaded, p. 72. Parties by whom Christ's Kingdom and Gospel is to be exalted, Magistrates, Ministers, Masters of families, private persons, p. 73, 74. Inducements to the exaltation of Christ's Kingdom and Gospel. 1. The honour of a Christian. 2. Love to Christ. 3. The peril of not endeavouring the welfare of Christ's Gospel. 4 Christ's withholding of nothing which makes for the exaltation of man. 5. The blessing which attends the exaltation of the Gospel. CHAP. XI. Proposing means to frame and work the heart of man to advance Christ and his Gospel, p. 79. 4. Means hereof. 1. Distaste of sin. 2. Holy fear. 3. Sense of the necessity of Christ. 4. Enabling and raising the heart to a spiritual temper, p. 80, 81, 82, 83. CHAP. XII. Christ's being furnished with authority and ability to minister salvation is handled, p. 84. Doct. Christ is furnished with authority and all divine abilities to minister all peace and salvation to God's servants, p. 85. 4. Grounds hereof. 1. Christ's power. 2. Christ's exaltation above all. 3. Christ's repletion of all. 4. Christ's proposing his Father's glory, p. 88, 89, 90. CHAP. XIII. The dispensation of salvation by Christ is showed, p. 91. 4. Evils of leaving Christ, and betaking ourselves to humane traditions. 1. A derogation from Christ's authority. 2. Self-exaltation and Presumption. 3. Disparagement of Christ's wisdom. 4. Peril of the soul, p. 93. 94. Christ's authority and ability presseth to 4. Duties. 1 Subjection. 2. Dependence. 3. Love. 4. Acquiescence in Christ, p. 95, 96, 97, 98. CHAP. XIV. God's dispensing of blessings by his Ministers is fully evidenced, p. 99 Note. Holy and saithful Ministers are the instrumental Causes of great blessings to God's Church and servants, p. 99 Note. It must be the care of Ministers so to demean themselves in their function that they prove a blessing, to the people, p 100 Note. The labours of God's Ministers prove a blessing only to such people as rejoice in, and endeavour the advancement of the Gospel, ib. Doct. God by his holy and faithful Ministers dispenseth very great, sweet, and heavenly blessings to his Church and servants, ib. 3. Grounds hereof. 1. God's communication of Christ to the souls of men by the labours of his Ministers. 2. The evils from which God delivers man by the labours of his Ministers. 3. The blessed estate whereinto God puts man by the Labours of his Ministers, p. 104. 6. Communications of Christ by the Labours of God's Ministers. 1. The Knowledge of Christ. 2. The Faith of Christ. 3. The Life of Christ. 4. The Love of Christ. 5. The Peace of Christ. 6. The whole treasury of Christ, p. 104, 105. Deliverance from 5. evils dispensed by God's Ministers. 1. From spiritual death. 2. From blindness. 3. From bondage. 4. From uncleanness. 5. From soule-tortures, p. 106. Man put into a condition of 6. Excellencies by the industry of God's Ministers. 1. Of Wisdom. 2. Of Sanctification, 3. Of Freedom. 4. Of Exaltation. 5. Of Satisfaction. 6. Of Duration, p. 107, 108. CHAP. XV. Opening man's unhappiness not enjoying God's Ministers, p. 109. Man's estate without the Gospel an estate 1. Of Death 2. Of Darkness. 3. Of Servitude. 4 Of Emptiness. 5. Of Uncleanness. 6. Of Sorrows, p. 110, 111. The folly of Estrangement from the Gospel, with the grounds and evils of it, p. 112. Cure of Non-estrangement from the Gospel urged. Evils of Estrangement opened, p. 113, 114, 113. Gospel not to be ●leighted, worthy of full and honourable embracement, p. 115. A TABLE of the chief things contained in this Treatise on Galathians, CHAPTER 2. VERSE 20. CHAP. I. Illustrating the state of man by Sin and by Christ, and opening the scope of the Apostle, p. 117, 118. Christ man's comforter, helper, happiness, and the Author of man's welfare, p. 119, 120. Note. Such alone as are truly sanctified and gracious people, are the complete and proper Subject of that life which is heavenly and spiritual, p. 121. Note. All life is as no life, yea as a very death in comparison of a holy and gracious life, ib. CHAP. II. Declaring the holy man's prostration of himself and all that he hath under Christ, p. 122. Doct. 1. He who lives the life of grace and true holiness doth wholly deny himself, his own counsels and affections, and altogether prostrates himself and all that is his under Christ Jesus, p. 123. CHAP. III. Laying down the grounds of Self-deny all, and putting all under the feet of Christ, p. 125. 6. Grounds hereof. 1. The carnality, vanity, and baseness which a man sees and feels in his own flesh, affections, ends and counsels. 2. The holy inclination of a gracious heart unto Christ. 3. The vanity and nothingness which a gracious man sees in himself, and in all things without Christ. 4. The holy, powerful, and universal reign of Christ in a gracious soul. 5. The holy and fervent desire of a gracious soul to exalt and set up Christ. 6. A gracious soul's acquiescence and contentation in and with the approbation of Christ, p. 126, 127, 128, 129, 131. CHAP. IU. Discovering the danger of the want of Self-denial, p. 132. 5. Sorts of Non-denyers of themselves. 1. Selfwise. 2. Selfwilled. 3. Self-lusted. 4 Worldly minded. 5. Voluptuously and ambitiously affected, and superstitiously devoted, p. 133, 134. CHAP. V. Proposing the grounds or causes of men's backwardness in denying themselves, and putting all under Christ, p. 135. 7. Grounds hereof. 1. Self-prizing. 2. Overswaying lusts. 3. Inordinate disposition towards the creature. 4. Overprizing of man. 5. Carnal judging and mistaking of Christ. 6. Corrupt framing and devising of false Christ's, and false ways to life. 7. Ignorance of the nature and sweetness of Christ's yoke, p. 136, 137, 138, 139. CHAP. VI Relating certain very great evils and inconveniences arising from the want of Self-denial, p. 142. 9 Evils issuing hence. 1. Vncapablenesse of Christ. 2. Alienation from the benefits and comforts of Christ. 3. Vanity, emptiness and hollowness of profession. 4. Subjection and abasement under the creature. 5. Annihilation of the fruit and benefit of Christ's death. 6. Deprivation of the heavenly fruit and soule-refreshing comforts of God's Ordinances. 7. Great and manifold losses attending the want of Self-denial, and Subjection under Christ. 8. Apostasy from Christ. 9 Christ's denial and relaction of such as will not deny themselves for him and his sake, p. 14●, 143, 144, 145. CHAP. VII. Persuading man to work his heart to a full and through Self-denial, p. 147. Qualifications of Self-denial. 1 Spiritual. 2. Voluntary. 3. Universal. 4. Continual, p. 148. Subjection unto Christ accompanies Self-denial, p. 149. Qualifications of Subjection. 1. Holy. 2. Cordial. 3. Full. 4. Perpetual, p. 149. 7. Inducements to Self-denial. 1. Christ's interest in a Christian. 2. The relation between Christ and Christians. 3. God's subiecting and putting all things under Christ. 4. The abuse of all things which are not made subject and serviceable unto Christ. 5. Sweet and heavenly comforts arising from Self-denial to the soul. 6. The mitigation and sweetening of all disasters. 8. The Contentation which Self-denial ministers with the least earthly portion, p. 150, 151, 152. CHAP. VIII. Propounding certain clear and apparent characters of true and Christian Self-denial, p 153. 5. Marks or characters hereof. 1. Captivation of Self-reason. 2. Cessation from Man's own Self. 3. Full and free application of Man's Self to Christ. 4. Humble and hearty ascribing of all Man's good to God. 5. A low prising and Christian undervaluing of Man's Self, and all things else in comparison of Christ, p. 150. CHAP. IX. Setting down other marks and characters of Christian Self-denial, p. 161. 5. Other marks. 1. Voluntary and cheerful desertion and leaving off all for Christ. 2. Man's pleasing and delighting himself in Christ under the Cross. 3. The prising of Christ's Cross above the world's Crown. 4. Man making it his greatest honour to honour Christ. 5. A heart sincere, humble, pious, plain, grieving at evil, and rejoicing in good, p. 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167. CHAP. X. Detecting divers deceits in and about the work of Self-denial, p. 170. Man is apt to deceive himself in this work of Self-denial 8. ways, by denying himself. 1. Superstitiously. 2. Covetously. 3. Partially. 4. Constrainedly. 5. Hypocritically. 6. Sinisterly and politickely. 7. Vainegloriously. 8. Temporarily, p. 171, 172, 173, 174, 175. CHAP. XI. Showing how a Christian may comfort himself in this work of Self-denial against remaining and rebelling lusts, p. 176. 1. By the troublesomeness of them to his soul. 2. By the godly grief of his heart for them. 3. By his holy and constant contestation against them. 4. By his being humbled for the want of humility. 5. By his frequent and fervent prayer to be purged and emptied of all pride and self-love, p. 178, 179. CHAP. XII. Laying open the shameful and dangerous evil of Selfseeking, p. 180. Selfseeking a root of 12. bitter branches, being 1. Insatiable. 2. Hypocritical. 3. Polluting. 4. Alienating. 5. Full of unlawful means. 6. Unthankful and discontented, p. 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 181, 182, 184, 185, 188, 189. CHAP. XIII. Repeating other evils of Selfseeking, p. 191. Selfseeking is 7. Attentive to evil counsel. 8. Servile and abasing. 9 Idolatrous. 10. Self-loosing 11. undervaluing holy things, and 12. the cursed mother of many unhappy children, as 1. Imbondagement. 2. Enmity. 3. Cruelty. 4. Causeless Jealousy. 5. Soule-torturing grief. 6. Vnsuccessefulnesse, and 7. Losing the comfort of present have, p. 192, 193, 194, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201. Selfseeking how to be handled, p. 201. CHAP. XIV. Mentioning the danger of Self-admiration, p. 202. 6. Evils of Self-admiration. 1. Self-ignorance. 2. Non-apprehensivenesse of the perfections of God, and beauties of Christ. 3. Ingratitude and Sacrilege. 4. Vncapablenesse of Christ. 5. Alienation from God 6. Shame and confusion. Cure of Self-admiration prescribed, p. 203, 204, 205. 206. CHAP. XV. Handling the danger of Self-exaltation, p. 207. 9 Evils of Self-exaltation, being 1. The root of many fowl impieties. 2. The Patron and protector of all other vices. 3. The most invincible of all vices. 4. The corrupter and destroyer of all other gifts. 5. Keeping the soul barren. 6. Abusing God. 7. Self-deceiving. 8. Shamefully abasing man. 9 Alienating from Heaven, p. 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213. 214, 215. CHAP. XVI. Opening the grounds of man's proneness to exalt himself, and backwardness to exalt and set up Christ, p. 215. 5. Grounds hereof. 1. Man's ignorance of his own corrupt and base estate. 2. Man's inconsiderateness of his receivings. 3. Forgetfulness of man's place and station. 4 Misprision of the true glory of man. 5. Vnsensiblenesse of the unhappy fruits of Self-exaltation, p, 215, 218. Self-exaltation cured by 7. considerations. 1. God makes the difference. 2. Not the having, but the well using of the gift is the honour of the receiver. 3. Gifts puffing up, prove a curse. 4. Man's tenure is a tenancy at will. 5. The glory and fullness of man is Christ. 6. The issue of all is not so much dependent upon the excellency of man's abilities, as upon the all-disposing hand of God. 7. Sudden and unexpected changes, may and often do come, p. 219, 220. CHAP. XVII. Rehearsing the prerogatives and privileges of Self-denial, and their happiness who deny themselves, p. 221. 7. Prerogatives of Self-denial. 1. Full and comfortable fruition of Christ. 2. invincibleness in assaults. 3. Endearment of man to God. 4. Exaltation of man. 5. Sweet and blessed freedom. 6. peaceableness. 7. Fruitfulness in all graces, p. 222, 223, 224, 225. CHAP. XVIII. Manifesting man's having of spiritual life not of himself but of Christ, p. 228. Doct. It is plain and manifest to the experience of God's children, that they have not the life of grace and holiness from themselves but from Christ Jesus, p. 230. Grounds hereof, ib. Such as have no experience of new life are no children of God, p. 231. CHAP. XIX. Demonstrating Christ's being the Author of spiritual life, p. 232. Doct. Christ is the Author of spiritual life to all God's children, ib. 6 Grounds hereof, 1. Man's Alienation from the life of grace. 2. Christ's Ordination to minister life. 3. The insufficiency of any created power to give life. 4. The excellency of spiritual life. 5. he Medium of spiritual life. 6. The opposition made against the working of spiritual life, p. 233, 234, 236. CHAP. XX. Declaring man's inability to quicken himself, persuading to come to Christ, showing the unworthiness of his services without Christ, p. 239. Man's inability to quicken himself made apparent. 1. By having no principle of grace. 2. By his utter blindness. 3. By his declination of the means of grace. 4. By his enmity against the ministry, 5. By the sweetness of sin to his palate. 6. By his dishonourable opinion of holiness, p. 149. Men without Christ dead men. For 1. Blindness. 2. Vnsensiblenesse. 3. Weakness. 4. Separation from Christ. 6. Growing worse and worse, p. 242. Man's best works without dead works. 1. Proceeding from a corrupt principle. 2. Moral and not spiritual, formal and not powerful. 3. Cold, 4 Tending to base ends, p. 242, 243. The praise of spiritual life due to Christ, p. 244. CHAP. XXI. Showing that Christ liveth in all God's children, p. 246. Doct. Christ lives in God's children by his holy and powerful work of Sanctification, p. 247. 5. Grounds hereof declaring Christ's living in God's children, 1. By way of Original, 2. By way of Conjunction. 3. By way of Influence. 4. By way of Gubernation. 5. By way of preservation, p. 248, 249, 250, 251. CHAP. XXII. Describing what is the living of Christ in God's children, with the manner of it, p 252. The manner of Christ's beginning to live in man, is 1. By awakening man. 2. By humbling man. 3. By making man restless until he is translated out of his corrupt estate. 4. By the Revelation of himself in man. 5. By working a gracious change in man, p. 253, 254, 255, 256. CHAP. XXIII. Manifesting the nobleness of a Christian life above all other lives, p. 258. The honourableness of Christian life evidenced, 1. By the original. 2. By the nature. 3. By the rarity. 4. By the pleasantness of it. 5. By the dignity to which it exalteth. 6. By the lowness of man's estate without it. 7. By man's honourable walking in whom Christ liveth. 8. By the term to which a Christian liveth, ib. Living to God, what, 259, 260, 261, 262. CHAP. XXIV. Causes obscuring the honourable life of a Christian are laid down, p. 164, 165. 7. Causes hereof. 1. Secrecy of spiritual life. 2. Ignorance of carnal men. 3. Reproach. 4. Remaining corruption. 5. Misjudging. 6. Base outside. 7. Afflictions, p 266, 267. CHAP. XXV. Proving the life of a Christian to be a cheerful life, p. 269. In the life of a true Christian there is a 7. fold joy, the joy 1. Of Life. 2. Of Light. 3. Of Liberty. 4. Of Victory. 5. Of Regeneration and Sonship. 6. Of Riches. 7. Of Peace, p. 270, 271. 8. causes or grounds of Sorrow in God's children. 1. Remaining corruption. 2. Particular aberrations. 3. Satan's assaults. 4. Impiety of others. 5. Foresight of future calamities. 6. Sense of Church's miseries, p. 272, 273, 275. CHAP. XXVI. Christ's living in man characterized, p. 276. 10. Characters of Christ's living in man. 1. Purity of conversation. 2. Man's invincibleness. 3. Preservation from sin and the world. 4. Expulsion of what is contrary to Christ. 5. Embracement of what suits with Christ. 6. Thriving by the Ordinances. 7. The sweet relish of Christ to the soul. 8. Heavenly heat. 9 High prising of Christ. 10. Care to keep Christ, p. 276, 278, 279, 280, 281. Exhorting to discern Christ living in us, p. 284. Latitudes of Christ's living in man, p. 285. All things vain and uncomfortable not discerning Christ living in them, p. 123. A Table of the chief things contained in the Treatise on the second of the Ephesians, VER. 12. CHAP. 1. Showing man's Alienation from Christ, misery without Christ, and opening the Scope of the words, p. 191. Note. The time and season of man's being without the Gospel, and under the power of his corruption, is of all times and seasons the most unhappy and miserable, p. 294. Note. All men abiding under the power of their corruption are without exception miserable, p. 294. Doct. 1. All men in their natural And corrupt condition are altogether strangers to Christ Jesus, p. 295. Man's Alienation from Christ illustrated, p. 294. CHAP. II. Laying down 4. grounds of carnal man's Alienation from Christ, p. 297. 1. Plenary Subjection under sin. 2. Man's uncapableness of Christ. 3. The World's full possession of carnal man. 4. Carnal man's repugnancy against Christ, p. 298, 299, 300. CHAP. III. Setting open the dolefulness and danger of man's estate without Christ, p. 302. Man without Christ is without Life, without Light, without grace, without liberty, without acceptation with God, without spiritual beauty, without honour, without peace, without protection, supportation, remission, blessing, and salvation, p. 303, 304. to 311. CHAP. IU. Declaring man's great cause of humiliation for being without Christ, and also discovering the cause of man's undervaluing Christ, p. 312. Latitudes of carnal man's being without Christ, p. 313. to 320. Grounds of disesteeming Christ, want of knowledge, no taste of Christ, no love to Christ, no pleasure in Christ, no longings after Christ, ib. CHAP. V. Opening the folly of man in restraining his sin, and contenting himself without Christ, p. 321. 5. characters of man's being without Christ. 1. His being without the spirit and grace of Christ, p. 322. 2. His Subjection under any lust, p. 323. 3. His confinement of himself within himself, p. 324, 4. By a fourfold fullness, 1. self-fulness, 2. Fullness of sin. 3. Fullness of man. 4. Fullness of the world. 5. Man's spiritual emptiness of Christ, as of the life, knowledge, power, liberty and love which Christ dispenseth, 326, 327, 328, 332, 333. CHAP. VI Exhorting to come out of our natural and corrupt estate, p. 337. Evils of mars corrupt estate, barrenness, exilement from God, enmity against God, slavery to Satan, the world and corruption, curses and woes, p. 339. Means of freedom from this corrupt estate, attendance on the word, godly sorrow for sin, frequent and serious view of the evil of this corrupt estate, and addressement to Christ by faithful and fervent prayer, p. 341. CHAP. VII. Persuading to thanksgiving for deliverance out of our natural and corrupt estate, p. 344. Deliverance from the state of corruption is the choicest of all deliverances, being a deliverance of the greatest cost, arguing the sweetest and surest love, freeing from the greatest evils, and restoring to the choicest happiness, p. 346. CHAP. VIII. Showing how all God's people are but one, p 348. Doct. All Gods faithful are a spiritual and mystical Commonwealth, p. 348. God's Church a mystical Commonwealth in 7. respects. In respect of multitude. In respect of obligation. In respect of subjection. In respect of common interest. In respect of constitution and composition, In respect of separation and distinction, and in respect of unity, p. 349. CHAP. IX. Persuading Subjection under one head, Submission to one Law, and unity between ourselves, p. 352. Qualifications of Subjection, spiritual, cordial, voluntary, universal and constant, p. 352. The word of God a sure, a perfect, a profitable word, ib. Mixing of humane inventions with God's word and worship perilous, ib. Unity in judgement, in affection, in Religion, and in opposing sin and Satan's Kingdom, ib. CHAP. X. Pressing the seeking of the welfare of Christ's Church, p. 358. Inducements to seek the welfare of Christ's Church, God's injunction, relation, fellow-feeling, attendant blessing, dependence of ours upon the Church's welfare, our subjection to changes, and the acceptableness of this work with God, ib. CHAP. XI. Treating of carnal man's alienation from Christ's Church, p. 360. Doct. 3. All profane and carnal persons are aliens to the true Church of Christ, and all the spiritual privileges thereof, p. 50, 51. Communion with carnal men to be shunned, p. 361. Carnal men aliens to God's children, having neither the same parent, the same head nor the same gracious qualities, ib. CHAP. XII. Laying down the grounds of carnal man's alienation from the true Church of Christ, p. 161. 5. Grounds hereof. 1. Alienation from the head of the Church. 2. Want of the seed of the Church. 3. Privation of the qualities of the Church. 4. Exclusion from the covenant of the Church. 5. Estrangement from the life, light, faith, liberty, wedlock, and receivings of the Church, p. 364, 365, 366. CHAP. XIII. Discoursing of the unhappy condition and impossibility of their salvation who are strangers to the true Church, p. 369. He that is a stranger to the true Church, is a stranger 1. To Christ. 2. To the promise of grace. 3. To the love of Christ. 4. To the presence of Christ. 5. To the communication of Christ, and 6. To the protection of Christ, p. 370. A stranger to the Church, a stranger to salvation, being without God, without Christ, and without regeneration, p. 371. CHAP. XIV. Discovering the vanity of carnal man's applauding and pleasing himself with being borne within the Church, and exhorting to sanctification, p. 372. Man living within the Church in profaneness is 1. An unbeliever. 2. A very hypocrite. 3 A defiler of things sacred. 4. A scandal to the Church. 5. Liable to the severest condemnation, p. 374. Comfortable fruits of holiness, ib. CHAP. XV. Handling corrupt and carnal man's estrangement from the covenant of grace, p. 376. Doct. 4. All corrupt and carnal persons are strangers to God's covenant of Grace and salvation by Christ, ib. 6. Grounds of carnal man's alienation from the covenant of Grace. 1, Ignorance. 2. Alienation from Christ. 3. Enmity against God. 4. Agreement with sin, 5. Absence of the Spirit. 6. Want of faith and obedience, p. 377. CHAP. XVI. Displaying the misery and uncomfortableness of man's estate without the covenant, p. ●85. Man without the covenant is 1. A stranger to Christ. 2. Empty of heavenly gifts. 3. Without God's gracious protection. 4. Without spiritual title to any good thing. 5. Without the blessing of God, and 6. Without peace. CHAP. XVII. Proposing certain marks and characters of man's being within the covenant, p. 388. Man's boing in the covenant evidenced. 1. By God's being all in all unto man. 2. By man's full application of himself too God. 3. By man's participation of the benefits comprised under the covenant, as 1. The donation of the Spirit. 2. Communion with the Saints. 3 Regeneration. 4. Spiritual Liberty. 5. Perseverance, p. 389. Exhortation to get interest in the covenant, p. 394. Means interesting in the covenant. 1. Forsaking of sin. 2. Forsaking of ourselves. 3. Relinquishment of the world. 4 Rejection of intimate communion with carnal people. 5. Attendance on the Word. 6. Ready and full receiving of Christ, p. 395. CHAP. XVIII. Declaring the misery of natural Man without hope, p. 399. Doct. Corrupt and carnal man hath no true and assured hope of salvation, p 400. Grounds hereof. 1. His uncapableness of Christian Hope. 2. His want of the instrumental cause of Hope. 3. His alienation from the pillars of Hope. 4. His estrangement from the way to salvation, p. 400, 401, 402. CHAP. XIX. Showing the false props upon which carnal men build their hopes, p. 403. 1. Superstitious observations. 2. A formal profession. 3. Elymosina●y duties. 4. Not being so bad as others. 5. The mercies of God and merits of Christ. 6. Humiliation and Repentance. 7. Their reformations 8. Their duties, p. 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409. CHAP. XX. Showing how a man may discern the soundness of his hope, p. 411. 1. By preparation to Christ. 2. By a constant study and practise of holiness. 3. By a holy patience towards God. 4. By a delight in God and Christ. 5 By a holy security. 6 By thinking lowly of ourselves, and highly of Christ, p. 411, 412, 413, 414. CHAP. XXI. Declaring man's estrangement from God. p. 415. Doct. Man in his carnal estate is altogether estranged from God, p. 416. Grounds hereof. 1. His opposition and contrariety to God. 2. His estrangement from the life of God. 3. His estrangement from the knowledge of God. 4. His estrangement from the love of God. 5. His estrangement from the spiritual ministrations of God. 6. His estrangement from Christ. 7. His estrangement from the remembrance of God, p. 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422. CHAP. XXII. Opening the Atheism of man, and the heinousness thereof, p. 423. Atheists in opinion, ib. Atheists in practice, p. 424. Atheism in practice demonstrated. 1. By Loose living. 2. Secret sinning. 3. fearlessness of judgements. 4. Seldom and cold praying. 5. Slighting of divine knowledge, p. 424 425. Evils of being without God. 1. Full of Satan. 2. Full of World. 3. Full of sin. 4. Full of curses. 5. Naked of all true good, p. 427, 428, 429. CHAP. XXIII. Declaring the Godhead. 1. By Scripture. 2. By the book of nature, p. 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436. Benefits of persuasion that God is, 437, 438, 439. Excellency of interest in God, p. 439, 440. FINIS. Errata in the first Treatise. For imply read employ, pag 2 line 20. for grace r peace, p 8 l 16. for love, r. live, p 17. marg. for ministry, r. Ministers p. 23 l. 17 for repairing r. preparing p. 26. l. 4. del. of p. 28. l. 30 between object and the insert of p. 33. l. 13 for man, r in all, p 34 l 4 for things r. springs, p 4●. 31. for their r. the p 42 l. 1. the, r ye, p 42. l. 33. for Redeemer, r redeemed p 65. l. 18. for exition, r. ex●anition, p. 7● l. 1. for reasoning. r raising, p 83. in the superscription p. 94 at the end of line 17 insert wisdom for every r. very, p 100 l 15 for the work saith▪ r they work faith, p 105. l. 1. for without, r with▪ p 1●1 l. ● for blessings, r. toss, p. 111 l 10. for where, r. when, p 112. l 32. for conveyed, r conveyeth p. 115 l 10 for head, r bread, p. 115 l 13. Errata in the second Treatise. For love, r leave. p 125 l. 13. for presence, r present p. 136. l 16. for its, r it p 138 l 1. for overpiercing, r. overprizing, p. 138 l. 27. for us▪ r them, p. 147. l. 20. for donei, r. donee, p. 149 l. 3●. for here, r not. p. 150. l. 13. for Israel, r. Egypt, p. 159 l. 6 for obscuring, r off-skouring, p 160 l. 28. for cause, r effect, p. 196 l. 15. for that, r. thus p. 250 l. 32.