The Christians End, Sermon 5
THE FIFTH SERMON.
ROM. 14. 7. 8.
7 For none of us liveth to himselfe, and no man dieth to himselfe. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord: and whether we dye, we dye unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or dye, we are the Lords.
THere is nothing more availeable to the living of a Christians life, then to have the eye of the soule on his maine end, and scope. And then, to be furnished with some maximes, and principles, to direct our lives to that scope. Where the parts are most noble, and large, there the aime, and scope, is most excellent. Now a true Christian being raised above others, hath an end and scope above other men; And that indeed maketh him a Christian in good earnest. When God by his Spirit discovers an higher excellency, then the world can affoord, and setteth our hearts towards it.
Now the Apostle setteth downe the scope of out whole condition both of life,Negative. and death▪ First Negatively▪ No man liveth to himselfe. No man dieth to himselfe.
Then Affirmatively, Affirmative.Wee live to the Lord, and dye to the Lord.
And hee giveth the ground of both, Whether we live, Ground of both.or dye, we are the Lords.
If we live to the Lord, we shall have a being after life. A Christian is, when hee is not; when he is not here, he hath a being in heaven; and …uitably to his severall conditions he hath a Lord to owne him in all. Now hee liveth, yet cannot build on life, nor any thing below, because life is short and uncertaine. But this he may build on. Whether he liveth, or dyeth, he is the Lords.
Now Christ is said in Scripture, to bee Lord oftener then God,Christ our Lord as the second person. because God in the second person hath appeared in our Nature, overcome all our enemies, hath triumphed, and is now in heaven in our Nature. and because Lord is a word of authority and soveraignty. And God hath made him governour of quicke and dead.
He is a Lord in regard of God the father, by Donation, Lord by donation.God hath given the elect to him before all worlds.
He is a Lord in regard of himselfe, Lord by conquest.by conquest over the enemies of our salvation.
And then by Ransome. Lord by ransome.He hath paid a price to divine justice for us. For though God gave Christ to us from all eternity, and us to Christ, yet on these tearmes, that he should ransome us. God will not have his justice a looser, therefore Christ must pay a price to divine justice, such was his mercy, and the glory of his mercy to find out such a way to satisfie justice, that God should dye.
No attribute of God must be a looser,Lord by satisfaction to divine justice. he must have the honour of all his attributes; and therefore of his justice, and here is the glory of his wisedome, in contriving a way that mercy may triumph, and justice may be satisfied.
And then he is Lord,Lord by our submission to him. by our voluntary submission to him; for we set a crowne upon his head, when wee subject our s…lves to him.
He is our Lord in all estates,Lord in all conditions. living, or dying. At all times, without limitation. In all conditions, whether it bee a life of prosperity, or adversity, let us dy by what manner of death soever.
And so I shewed, wee are the Lords in a double sence, In regard of our carriage to him, Lord by his care over us.and in regard of his care over us, both must be included. Wee are not the Lords onelyonly for that hee taketh care of us, and without our service, nor that wee doe him service without his care of us; but hee is so our Lord, that wee have grace to acknowledge him, and he hath grace, and love, and merciemercy to protect, and acknowledge us both in life and death.
It is no prejudice to a Christians estate, that hee is anothers, it is the happinesse of the weake, to be under a stronger; of those that bee deficient, to bee under fulnesse. Now there is all-sufficiencie in Christ, therefore to bee under him is our happinesse.
Give mee leave to illustrate this;Illustration. Every thing is beautifull in its owne place: things that are highest, it is fit they should bee highest; things that are lowest, it is fit they should bee lowest. If the head were not in its owne place, there would bee deformitie in the body. And so it is fit Christ should be our Lord, being God-man, and the glory of our nature. And it is our happines, our beauty & comelines, our safety & perfection, to bee under Christ, and to be onelyonly under him.
Hee is onelyonly larger than the soule, he is of equall continuance with the soule; hee is onelyonly suitable to the soule, being a Spirit, he only is eternall: and therefore being every way so aboundantly satisfactory to the soule, it is the happinesse of the soule to have him for its Lord; especially considering what a Lord he is: a Lord independant, Lord of Lords, that hath all other Lords at command, a bountifull and gracious Lord.
And we are not onelyonly the Lords while we live, but when we come to dye: therfore wee should bee willing to dye, when our time cometh,The last end of a Christian is most fruitfull. yea to dye any kinde of death, because hee is Lord of quicke and dead. We should be like David, and Moses, who were very fruitful towards their ends. And as we are not ashamed to live so so good a Lord, so we should not be afraid to dye to him, as one sayd of himselfe.
This word Lord, implyeth, there bee some dut…s owing by us: wee are the Lords in our soules, in our bodies, in our conditions; and therefore wee should wholly give up our selves to him, and … no thoughts to dishonour him, give way to no …isings, no desires, which become not the subjects and servants of the Lord: believe no…hing that wee …ake up of our selves, keepe the chasti…y of our …aith, and underst…ding, not to believe lies, and untruths. But submit our very understandings, and faith to God. Wee must not bee servants of men, in our judgements, or soules, no ma…cipium alien… …, as the Philosopher …ayth. But consider what Christ hath revealed, and let us submit to that.
And therefore it is a grand errour in the Church of Rome, who would have people to belie…e as …he Church believeth, which is foreign,Primum mendacium. the first lye that leadeth them into all those erro…s, …o believe Christ and Scripture, no further than the Church discovers …. And so they overturne all. For they believe God because men say so. It is a dangerous errour that runneth into practise.Popish errour. If the Church say, treason must bee done, wee must bee traytors. It is no matter what the Scripture sayth, the Pope hee is the head of the Church, and hee can dispense with what he pleaseth. But my sheep, saith Christ, heare my voyce. And it is our duty to heare what the Lord of our …aith saith, which is onelyonly Christ. If he be our Lord, then let our wils bee brought into subjection to his will: nothing is more out of order than this will of ours; if that were once subiect to Christ,Will, the ground of controversie between God and us. all controversie betweene God and us were taken away. All the st…ife is, whether we shall have our wills, or he his will. The Spouse hath no will of her owne, but it is resigned to her Husband. So must wee submit our wills to Christs desire.
And then againe, wee ought not in any thing to regard the humours of men. Christ is Lord of our affections, we must hate what hee will have us hate, and love what hee loveth: our whole soules must be conformable to Christ.
And our bodies are wholly his too, and therefore wee must be content that our bodies should bee used as they used his body. He gave his body for us, he tooke our nature, and in that nature went about doing good, suffering hardship, hee was hungry and thirsty, hee was crucified in our nature, suffered in our nature: and so should we be content our natures should be used as he would have them, to take much pains in doing good, to suffer hunger, thirst, restraint, yea death it selfe for Christ, because wee are Christs? it is no more than hee did for us; hee being our Lord, was abased for us in his blessed body, and flesh, and therefore shall not wee suffer for him?
So our conditions are his, suffer him therfore to cut us out a portion, to allot us any condition.
The word implyeth more particularly an application to our selves, wee are the Lords, and the Lord is ours.
And likewise a renunciation and severing from all others, we are the Lords, and none else: the Lords, and none but the Lords: if we are any bodies else, it is in the Lord, and for the Lord.
Here is likewise a resignation, wee are the Lords, and therefore wee will give up our selves to him, with a resting in him, and high estimation of him, and glorying in our condition through him.
And then heere is an improvement of this implyed, wee are the Lords, therefore we ought to improve it on our parts, by serving him; and on his part, by believing that he will have care of us.
We are the Lords first by particular application, which is wrought by degrees.
First, God by his Spirit revealeth himselfe to be ours,We are the Lords by particular application. not fully, but by letting in so much light into the soule, as may carry the soule to him, and makes us yeeld to him, trust in him, and cast our selves upon him, and by doing so, wee grow into farther acquaintance with him; and hee honours our faith with a farther sence & assurance, that he is ours, and we are his.
There is a great deale of distance and bredth betweene the first act of faith, by which we cast our selves on Christ, and a confident perswasion that Christ is ours,Assurance a fruit of faith. and wee are his, that is a fruit of faith, and there needeth a great deale of growth before we come to that.
And therefore if you aske, what doth the soule first to make Christ his owne?How the soule maketh Christ his, & the course it is to take. It is this, In the use of meanes (wherewith God pleaseth to be effectuall) a light is by the Spirit let into the soule, wherby the heart is perswaded, that hee hath a good meaning towards it: that he is a gracious Lord, and wil forgive the sinnes of all that relye upon him. And with the acknowledging of these truths, together with the offer of merciemercy in Christ, there is so much sweetnesse let into the soule, as carrieth the soule backe againe to Christ, to rest upon him. For unlesse Christ begin in some degree to make love to the soule, and giveth a taste of his sweetnesse, wee cannot relye upon him, nor love him, not onelyonly because we are creatures, and hee is first, and must begin to us; but, because it is the nature of a guilty soul, when it is under terrour, and awakened, to forecast such doubts, that till Christ letteth in some glimpse of his love, the soule dare not looke Christ in the face.
Now in the unfolding of these divine truths of the Gospell, some intimations are given, That Christ is mine, and I am Christs, which afterward becommeth the claime of an experienced Christian. This therefore directeth what course they shall take, to get Christ, that want him. They must attend upon the blessed meanes of salvation, and then consider how farre forth they may lay claime to Christ.
For first, all that live in the Church, are Christs in some degree. God hath prevented men with his love, in admitting them to the visible Church: and there is an ob…igation on them to thinke well of Christ for that, because hee had care of them, before they had care of themselves, by vouchsafing them the seale of Baptisme, and making them members of the visible Church.
Secondly, unlesse they labour, being come to yeares of discretion, to feele a farther assurance, that Christ is theirs, they disanull and deny their baptisme: and therefore it is good for such soules as are touched with sight of sinne, to gather upon Christ, and to winde about all helps they can, to worke on Christ; as the vine gathereth on the tree, it windeth about. I am born in the Church, I have been baptised, lived in times of the Gospell, have opportunities to heare the blessed truths, and therefore I wil have good conceits o… Christ, that he meaneth well to my soule.
Indeed a company of wretches,Vngodly men deny their baptisme. that rest in their baptisme, being prophane swearers, vile persons, abusers of their calling, or any thing, can say, are not wee baptized? and doe not wee come to Church? but they forget that this is an obligation on them to be good, & no excuse for them to be evil. It tieth thee to renounce that thou livest in, else thou deniest thy baptisme.
We must know, beloved, that Christ loved us, not as we love a goodly Pillar, or other curious piece of Art, that cannot love us againe: but the intercourse between God and man, is mutuall. If he say, he is ours, wee say againe, I am thine Lord, and give my selfe to thee, and the claime is mutuall. He claimeth us for his, and we claime him for ours: for he deales with reasonable creatures, that can enter into covenant with him as friends. Wee must therefore give up all to God. If God bee God,All assigned to God. let us owne him. And as wee cannot serve Christ and sinne, Wee cannot serve Christ and Antichrist, we cannot comply with Christ & his enemies. Those that have the mark of the beast, absolutely cannot bee Christs, nor have communion with him, but are enemies to Christ, though under pretence of religion. But where a man is truly Christs, hee is none but Christs; Satan is content with any part, but Christ must have the whol heart.
Gods children have something in them,Sinne in the children of God is as a rebell; in the wicked as a Lord. that usurpeth, some corruption in them, which is not absolutely removed; but it is but a rebell, and they have an enemies minde to it, all that is contrary to Christ, is renounced, whereas in them that bee carnall, sin is as a Lord; but in Gods children, it is as a thiefe, hee is there, yet they owne him not, but get strength against him: he ruleth not there, but as a Tyrant; there is a renunciation of Lordship, and dominion of sin: though they have inclinations to this and that sin; yet they have no liking to that liking, no inclinations as spiritual, to that inclination, as carnall: but make it an object of mortification. They renounce all other Lords, when all other men (that have not the spirit of Christ) are under the dominion of some reigning lusts.
And as it implyeth a possession, so likewise an estimation: as God esteemeth us, so we esteem him above all: And therfore God calleth his Church, his Portion, his Iewel, Phil. 3. 8.and we call Christ our portion, our treasure, our pearle, our all. S. Paul counts all dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ. And all that belongeth to Christ, he esteemeth. And therefore the Church glorieth that God is their God, and makes claime to him as S. Paul, I live by the faith of the Sonne of God, who loved mee, and gave himselfe for mee. And as Thomas, My Lord & my God. This is the best evidence of a true Christian, whose estate is no way knowne better, than by his estimation. Whom have I in heaven but thee, or in …arth in comparison of thee? sayth David.
It implieth likewise a duty of resignation to Christ in life and death, because we are not our owne, and therefore are in all things to bee at his disposing, to bee led what way hee pleaseth, and to pursue his directions, though to the crossing of our corrupt nature, to be content to goe to heaven, as he will lead us, by faire wayes, or foule wayes; by faire death, or bloudy death, if by any meanes wee may attain to the resurrection of the dead, as S. Paul sayth it.
Besides this, wee must have a care to implead this, and to improve it, as the Apostle doth here, Whether wee live or dye, we are the Lords. He will have care of us, and therefore we ought to serve him.
It is a speciall after-part to bee able to make it good to God, in all troubles and conditions whatsoever, I am thine, Lord save me; I am thine, Lord teach mee; I am thine, Lord protect me.
Avouch and make it good against the temptations of Satan, (urging thee to distrust) I am not my owne, I am Gods, and Christs; and therefore, if thou hast any thing to say to mee, goe to him that hath paid my debt. Thus plead the goodnesse and graciousnesse of God.
Plead it against temptation to sin. I am not mine owne, I am bought with a price. My body is not for uncleannesse, but for the Lord.
Plead it against our own Consciences in times of desertion, search narrowly wha… we have of Christs in us, and doe not cavill against our selves too much in times of temptation. If wee have but desires of the soule to God, lose not any thing that is good: if I renounce my interest in Christ, I am where the Divell would have me; then hee can doe any thing with us. And therefore plead it against our owne distastfull hearts, in times of darknesse. I give my selfe to him, and my desires are to him, my faith is little, but yet something, my love is litle, but yet I love the Lord, I believe, help my unbeli…f. We must take notice of any thing Christ hath wrought in our spirits, that we may implead our interest on all occasions: for if wee yeeld to despairing hearts in times of temptations, we are gone.A Christians duty in time of desertion. Therefore say with Ioh, If thou kill me, I wil trust thee. Lye at Christs feet; if thou wilt damne me, so it is, I will lye here, and wait here. For if I have not present audience, I shall have it, God wai…eth to doe them good that wait for him. Hee will try our spirits whether wee will take a seeming repulse: therfore we must (as the woman of Samaria) grow on Christ, and catch at his words. And as the servants of Benhadad, who retorted on Ahab presently, Thy servant Benhadad.1 King… 20… 33.
And as we must implead our interest, so we must improve it in the whole course of our life, and in all conditions what soever, if we have any losse, or crosses, yet the soul can say, Christ is mine, and I am Christs. Though a man taking a journey lose things of lesse value, yet if he hath a pearl left him, he is content: for hee hath that that will make him a man.
And therefore be not much disconsolate for any crosses.Grieve for nothing but the losse of Christ. They cannot take away my Christ, my promises, the comforts of the Spirit, I have a Christ, and in him all that shall be for my good.
Improve it in all opposition of flesh and bloud: hell, and the instruments of hell, Satan and wicked men, they are mine e…nemies; but it Christ be my friend, it matters not, Christ can make our enemies our friends.
And all things are ours,Hee that hath Christ hath all things. if we be Christs, we have a general charter; things to come are ours, life ours, death ours: and therefore if wee be Christs, make use of him.
As it is basenesse of spirit, to rest in any thing in the world but Christ, so it is basenesse of spirit for us that are Christs, to bee dejected for any thing in the world: wee have the treasure, wee have the Mine, wee have the Sunne, what if we lose a beame? we have a spring, what if the streame bee dried up? It Christ giveth us himselfe, it is no matter what we lose. But we are sure of him, For in life and death, wee are the Lords.
And therefore let us hence answere all objections. Oh that we should have such grounds of comfort and stabilitie, and yet make no more use of them! I… these things were fresh in our thoughts, nothing would …iscourage us.
If you ask…,Question. how shal we know in particular, that it is so indeed, that wee are Ch…st…?
I answer,Answer. if we have given our selves to him by a contract of our owne,How to know our selves to bee in Christ. if wee bee married to him, you know mariage must have consent of both parties. Those that give not themselves up to Christ, to bee his, they are not his. They that live under the power of any sin against conscience, as their Lord, that love any thing better than Christ, and will not part with it for Christs sake, Christ is not theirs, for they bee ingaged another away.
Againe, if we live to Christ, we are sure wee are his: if wee …oe not live to Christ, we are not his. If Christ be ours, as the life which we live is his, so our course of living will bee to him: wee shall direct all our courses to him, making him our last end▪ and therefore if we will know whether we be Christs, what is the scope of our lives? what is our aim? if so be that Christ may be glorified by me, I am content to part with any thing, with life it selfe, I may know that I am Christs. He that will not deny all, that hateth not father and mother for my sake, is not worthy of mee, sayth Christ.Selfe-deniall argueth the subjection of our hearts to Christ. Self-deniall, and ha…red of all things in cōparison of Christ, argueth an interest in him. Therfore it is a great deale of grace, and the soule is much subdued, before it can say, I am Christs, and Christ is mine.
For when sin, and other withdrawings from Christ, are to be di…erted, first there is much adoe in the understanding, with reason.
Have I reason to doe this? well if my judgement say it is good, yet my wil saith it is better to have my will, than to yeeld to God, though I hazard the ruine of my selfe. Oh this is a fatall naughty disposition, and a signe of ruine: yet the reputed happinesse of many men, consisteth in their chiefe misery.
Again, good things first coming to the judgement, are there repulsed. But if they come to the will, there they be more opposed. And then the affections make a stirre, and bu…sle, love and hatred, and ingagements to worldly things, and all to hinder our claime and interest to C…rist. But hee must bee set up in place of selfelove, before hee can say, Christ is mine, and I am Christs, and that is an hard matter. Therefore let us consider what our aime and scope is.
In a word, if we be Christs, undoubtedly we will side with Christ,2 Kings 9. 32. Who is on my side, who? sayth Iehu? In ill, and doubtfull times, Christs calls are for a partie, and calleth our, where is my party? who standeth for me? who owneth Christ and his truth, and doctrine, and good wayes, honesty and religion? who is on my side, sayth Christ? Why I am for the Lord (as in the Prophet Isaia…, sayth the soule, that can owne Christ. It Christ will owne us, we shall own him:Who denieth Christ here, shall bee denied by him in heaven. if we be ashamed of him, he will bee ashamed of us, at the day of judgement.
They that for hope of preferment, and to be some body in the world, can crosse their own consciences, & Christ in their consciences, by doing that which by his spirit he telleth them is naught; are they Christs, when they set up selfe as an Idoll above Christ, and side with the world, and the flesh against Christ?
Againe,A note of a true Christian. he that can say in truth of heart, Christ is his, and he is Christs, he will solace himselfe, delight himself, and live upon this comfort: it is a rich claime, and there will bee spirituall wisedome, where there is this interest to implead and improve it: it is not given to lye dormant, but grace is given with it, to improve it, and live upon it. All that is Christs, will please him that hath Christ, his truth is sweet to him, the Lords day, the Lords work, the Lords servants, the Lords ordinances, whatsoever hath the stampe of the Lord, it is sweet to him; because he is the Lords, and the Lord is his.
This is contrary to the disposition of that generation that can cunningly despi…e persons, and causes, if they see any thing in them opposite to their own base courses and lusts.
But above all, where Christ is any mans in truth, the Spirit of Christ is in that mans heart, a witnessing Spirit, and a sancti…ying Spirit. The Spirit will witnesse an interest,The Spirit witnesseth our interest in Christ. and fit and sanctifie the soule, as a gracious vessell for Christs service here, and for glory hereafter. And though the Spirit witnesse not so lowd, that hee is Christs, yet he may know by the worke of the Spirit, that Christ is his: for the spirit frameth him … a connaturall disposition to Christ, and all that is Christs. They love his wayes, and government. A gracious man would not bee under another government than Christs, if hee were to choose. He hath made his choyce indecd; but if hee were to choose, hee would have Christs government, because he findeth a sweetnes in it, and a suitablenesse to the dignitie of it.A gracious man most of all enjoyeth himselfe. A man never findeth himsel…e more himselfe, than when he is most gracious.
Carnall men, though they submit to ourward meanes, yet they cast away the bond of Christ,Psalm. 2. they cannot endure the yoke; but they that are Christs, have a connaturall disposition to the government of Christ. And they complaine to Christ of other Lords. Other Lords rule me: this lust reignes in me, Lord subdue it,Though sin be in a Christian, yet it reigneth not. claime thine owne interest, let nothing rule in me, but thy Spirit. I am weary of my inclinations to this and that lust. And so there is a conflict ever maintained.
To stirre us up in a word to labour to be more under the government of Christ, and to get assurance of it, let us consider if we be not Christs, who…e are we? There is but two kingdomes, if Christ rules us not, the Divel and the world must rule us.
And what kinde of subjection is it, to bee subject to our owne lusts? to a damned world, and to Satan? is it not to bee ruled by our enemies? and base enemies. Our lusts are baser than the divel himsel…. For the Divel is a substance, and ruleth by them.The Divell ruleth by sin. Now who would bee willing to serve an enemy? nay to bee aservant of servants, to bee under these tyrannicall enemies, restlesse enemies, that do incroach upon us more and more: and all the fruits wee have by their service, is shame, and griefe, at the best, and shall wee serve those that will pay no better wages? yet this is the condition of all that have not Christ for their Lord: they serve some base lust, and Satan, a tyrannicall Lord, that in stead of better rewards, punisheth them with eternall destruction▪ so that they serve him with the price of their owne soules.
I beseech you seriously consider of it, and put this qu…re to your soules; I have lived in such and such a sin, but what is the fruit of it? The best is shame, if I am not ashamed here, it will end in eternall shame. So that it is a sweet thing to be under the government of Christ. It is utile dominium, a dominion for our good.
And lest we should be discouraged,Caveat to avoyd temptation. take heed of all temp…ations, that withdraw us from the love of Christs government, because our nature is opposite to this yoke. If they seaze upon us, wee shall be great losers by them in our reputation, and in much of that comfort, which otherwise we might have gotten.
Beloved, you shall lose nothing by Christ. What we lose for his sake, we shall gaine in peace of conscience, in grace, and in this world too, if hee seeth it good. No man ever lost by the service of Christ. let a man lay beginning …nd end together, and tell me, if he hath gotten any thing by serving his lusts: for God payeth him home here, in much terrour of conscience and crosses, and losses at the end, besides hell hereafter, though at first hee enjoy some seeming comfort.
And therefore lay it as a Principle, That Gods service is the best and most profitable service.
I but it appeareth to the view of the world,Object. that they that sticke close to Christ, and will disclaime all for a good conscience, fall into this and that misery,
First, the reason is, because they bee not good enough,Answer. it may be they be negligent in the service of Christ,Complaints arise from our owne negligence. and therfore God will purge them, and make them better, and will try their graces, that they may know themselves the better,
Secondly, one maine end is, indeed Christ will suffer his to bee exercised with this and that affliction, that hee may have glory in his servants, that the world may see he hath some th… are content to lose something for his sake, that will part with any thing, and breake with any man that they may please the Lord.
Thirdly, if wee serve Christ, hee will speake to our consciences, that it is not in vaine to serve him, howsoever things fall out in the world▪ Christs government is mysticall.I confesse there is a mystery in Christs government, which we must take notice of; wee can give no reason why his enemies should so reigne, & his church be put under hatches. Only in generall we know, that all this in conclusion shal serve for the Churches good. And all shall worke for the best to them that love God. God is all this while a working the Churches good, and the enemies ruine, though wee see not the mysterie of Christs kingdome.
I beseech you labour to make a good use of this,Vse of exhortation to get under Christs government. get under Christs government, and when flesh and bloud shall put up a pe…ition, or suggest any thing, give it a Non-placet, deny the petition, say I am Christs, and I owe n…thing to any but to Christ; therefore not to sinne, or my selfe. All my debt is to the Spirit, and to Christ, therefore I will sow to the Spirit, not to the flesh. I am bought with a price, my libertie cost Christ deare, therefore I will dye honorably, rather than prostitute my selfe to any base courses. Thus wee should have high thoughts of our selves. And upon all temptations suggested to us, make use of this consideration, That wee are not our owne, but Christs.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Sibbes, The Christians End (1639)