Rejoicing in the Lord Jesus in All Cases and Conditions, Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
Habakkuk 3.18.
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will Joy in the God of my Salvation.
FRom hence we have obſerved,
Doct. That there is enough in Chriſt Jeſus alone, for the Soul's full rejoycing and triumph, whatſoever his ſtate and condition is in this world.
We told you in nine particulars what the doubtful Soul ſhould do in the interim, until he can clear up his own intereſt, and ſtanding in Chriſt Jeſus. We ſhall only ſuperadd one particular more.
Tenthly, If thou beeſt (Soul) ſtil in the dark in and about thy Intereſt after narrow and deep ſearches and enquiries, reſign up thy ſelf unto the Lord Jeſus, and ſtand to his allowance, and be willing to work in the dark, whilſt the Lord ſhall keep you in the dark. Be not your own chuſers and carvers in this thing, but leave the Lord to chuſe for you. Indeed, we are not to reſt ſatisfied in our ſpirits without an evidence of our Intereſt, becauſe it is attainable, but as to the comfort of our Intereſt, and the Joy and Peace of our Souls upon the Intereſt, we ſhould reſign up our ſelves unto the Lord Jeſus, and leave him to make the diſpoſe of our ſtate; and this is the way to come unto a ſpeedy ſettlement and aſſurance: But I ſhall not enlarge here, but proceed unto the fourth thing propoſed.
Fourthly, And that is, to give you ſome Signs and Evidences of your Intereſt and ſtanding in bleſſed Jeſus. And as we ſay generally, Cauſes are beſt known by their Effects; Trees are beſt known by their fruit; Life is beſt known by motion; ſo intereſt in Chriſt is beſt known by the effects of Intereſt. And that you might know what Jeſus Chriſt hath done in you, and is doing for you, do but conſider
Firſt, In the firſt place, That there is upon the Soul's Intereſt in Chriſt, a Divine Principle of Life infuſed into the heart by the Lord Jeſus, unto whom he is united, which becomes the ſpring of his ſpiritual motions towards Chriſt, and of his profeſſion of Chriſt. Intereſt in Chriſt is a Life-Intereſt, and there is a Divine Principle of Life that upon it is infuſed into the Soul, that becomes the ſpring of his ſpiritual motions. This Principle of life is variouſly ſet out in Scripture; ſometimes it is called the New Creature; If any man be in Chriſt he is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5.17. A New Creature denoteth life; ſometimes it is ſet out by the word life; He that hath the Son hath life, 1 John 5.12. Sometimes it is called the Divine Nature: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promiſes, that by theſe ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Now there is life in the Divine Nature, & the Divine Nature infuſed, becomes a Life-Principle in the heart where it is infuſed, and is the ſpring of its ſpiritual motions. This is ſet out ſometimes by ingraftment, as the Syence is ingrafted into the Stock; there is a conveyance of life upon the ingraftment, and upon the union: Thus the Graft or the Syence doth receive ſap & nouriſhment from the Root, whereby it comes to live. Now, ſays Jeſus Chriſt in your ſpiritual union with him, I am the Vine, ſays he, ye are the branches, John 15.5. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the ſame bringeth forth much fruit. And Rom. 11.17. And if ſome of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wild Olive Tree, be grafted in amongſt them, and with them partakeſt of the Root and fatneſs of the Olive Tree. Abraham is only inſtrumentally here ſpoken of, as God was pleaſed to own him, and honour him to be the Father of all Believers; but Chriſt Jeſus is principally and effectually the Root, the Stock that Believers are ingrafted into; he is the Root that both Abraham and all Believers ſtand in, and grow upon, and they partake of the ſweetneſs and fatneſs of that good Olive Tree: Sometimes it is expreſſed by an incorporation, as the Head and the Members do make up but one Body, and every Member united unto the Body, it doth receive, life ſpirit, ſenſe, motion and ſtrength from the Head. Now, ſays the Lord Jeſus, Ye are all Members of my Body, 1 Cor. 12.12, 13. We are all Members of the ſame Body, and ſo have the ſame Head, from thence is life, ſpirit and grace, and nouriſhment conveyed into every part. Now from hence it is that Jeſus Chriſt is called the Life of Believers, Gal. 2.20. I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. And Col. 3.4. When Chriſt who is our Life ſhall appear, &c. So as Chriſt he doth convey and infuſe a Principle of Life into the Soul, that is intereſted in himſelf, and upon that account he is called a quickening ſpirit, 1 Cor. 15.45. (The ſecond Adam was made a quickening ſpirit,) that he might give Life to all thoſe that are united to him, and intereſted in him. And this ſpiritual Life that we receive from Jeſus Chriſt, is the Life of our Life, and the very Soul of our Soul in all our motions God-ward, and it becomes the ſpring of our ſpiritual profeſsion, and of all our movings towards God. The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, is not moved by an artificial ſpring, but he doth act and move from a life, ſpring, from a living ſpring, which is the Principle of Divine Life, that in his Intereſt in Chriſt he receiveth; and this it is that puts him on; this it is that conſtrains him; this it is that moves and acts him, in all his bendings and inclinings God-ward. They that are intereſted in Chriſt, they do deſire Chriſt, and move towards Chriſt upon a Principle of Life, ſo as they cannot be ſatisfied without Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.2. As new born Babes deſire the ſincere Milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. The Babe or Infant does cry after the Breaſt upon a natural Principle of Life; natural Life is the Principle of its crying. So doth the Believer move towards, and make after Chriſt, from a ſpiritual Principle of Life; and that Principle of Life that he hath received from Chriſt, is the Divine Spring of all his Divine Actions, or of his Religious Actings. The Soul is not moved only upon a Principle to ſatisfie and ſilence his Conſcience, nor yet to get himſelf a name to live, to make himſelf honourable among the people that make a profeſsion of Chriſt; nor yet upon the account of any ſecular advantage; but there is a Divine Spring in his Soul of ſpiritual Life, that he hath received from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and this works up his heart to the frame he is in, and cauſeth him to move towards the Lord, and makes him unſatisfied without Jeſus Chriſt. Now my Friends, bring your Soul-ſtate into an examination by this, What change is there wrought in your hearts? Do not eye your profeſſion ſo much as your hearts. Conſider what work hath paſt upon your Souls: Are you ſpiritually renewed? Have you received Life from Chriſt? Is there ſuch a real ſpiritual Change wrought in your Souls as doth amount to a New Creature? And have you received of the Divine Nature from Chriſt? And is there a living Spring that moves your Souls in all your motions towards Chriſt? If ſo, it argues an Intereſt; but if the Spring of your motion be from without, it is a ſign that it is artificial, and not living; and ſo it argues no Intereſt in Chriſt Jeſus.
Secondly, Intereſt in Chriſt mixeth concerns, and may be diſcovered by reciprocal acts in a mutual Intereſt. The Intereſt that the Soul hath in Chriſt, is never alone; but the Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt Jeſus, hath Chriſt Jeſus intereſted in him; ſo as the Intereſt is mutual, and upon a mutual Intereſt concerns are mixt; ſo as Chriſt and the Believer have one concern between them: Chriſt is intereſted in the Believer's concerns, and the Believer is intereſted in Chriſt's concerns: The Believer concerns himſelf for Chriſt, and Chriſt concerns himſelf for the Believer. The Believer is intereſted in all that Chriſt is, and in all that Chriſt hath; and Chriſt is intereſted in all that the Believer is, and in all that the Believer hath: The Believer hath a room in Chriſt's heart, and Chriſt hath a room in the Believer's heart. The believer hath a propriety in Chriſt, and Chriſt hath a propriety in the believer; ſaies the Spouſe, I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine, the intereſt is mutual. Jeſus is my Jeſus, ſaies the believing Soul: Chriſt is my Chriſt, he is my Saviour, and I have an intereſt in his love and grace, and I have an intereſt in his life, in his power, in his ſtrength & fulneſs; and Chriſt, he hath an intereſt in me alſo, he hath an intereſt in my love, he hath an intereſt in my heart, and in my ſtrength, and in all that have and am: and the intereſt being mutual, mixing concerns, it may be diſcovered by reciprocal acts, that is, as Chriſt makes over himſelf to the Soul, ſo the Soul makes over himſelf unto Chriſt, 1 John 4.19. We love him becauſe he firſt loved us: he hath ſet his love upon us; and there will be a reciprocal acting in the Soul towards him, he will alſo ſet his love upon Chriſt; Chriſt indeed is the firſt mover, and ſo the glory muſt be given unto him, but the intereſt it is mutual, and the acting is reciprocal. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt he makes over himſelf to the Soul to be his: The Soul he accepts of Chriſt when tendered, and that is not all, but he makes a return unto Chriſt, devoting himſelf unto him, yielding and reſigning himſelf unto Chriſt to be his, to walk in his waies, Ezek. 16.18. there you may ſee the actings of Chriſt towards the Soul, ſaies he, I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſs, yea, I ſware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, ſaith the Lord, and thou becameſt mine, I ſware unto thee; there the Lord did paſs over himſelf to the believer. Now there are reciprocal actings in the Soul towards him, Deut. 26.17. Thou haſt avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, to walk in his waies, and to keep his Statutes, &c. and the Lord v. 18. hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promiſed; here are reciprocal acts, now Chriſtian, if thou wouldſt make a diſcovery of thy ſtate, to know whether thou art intereſted in Chriſt; Conſider what intereſt Chriſt hath in thee, what intereſt he hath in thy heart; what a ſhare he hath in thy affections, and what a place he hath in thy life, is there a kind of ſacredneſs in thy heart for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in a holy reſignation to him. So there is in the Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, Cant. 4.12. A Garden encloſed is my Siſter, my Spouſe, a Spring ſhut up, a Fountain ſealed: She is under a peculiar dedication to, and reſerve for her Lord, whom ſhe hath devoted her ſelf unto, and is as a Garden encloſed, Now Chriſtian, if thy heart lieth in common, and there be no ſacredneſs upon it, and no ſecret reſerve of it, it ſpeaks but ſadly for thee; but where there is a dedication unto Chriſt, and if you can find Chriſt intereſted in you, it is an evidence that your are intereſted in Chriſt, for we can never move towards Chriſt, till he firſt moveth towards us: We can never chooſe Chriſt, until Chriſt hath firſt choſen us. If that thou canſt find thy heart open for Chriſt, and towards Chriſt, it is a clear evidence that Chriſts heart hath been firſt opened to thee; all our love to Chriſt is but the reflection of Chriſts love to us: Mary did not call Raboni, till Chriſt firſt called Mary. So as if thou findeſt thy heart under a dedication to Chriſt, that Chriſt is thy joy and delight, and hath full rule and liberty in thy heart, that thy heart is opened, or at leaſt opening, and there are outgoings of Soul in thee towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; It doth argue that thou haſt an intereſt in him, and that he hath begun to draw thee, that he hath caſt the skirt of his Grace over thee, and made thee his.
Thirdly, The Soul that hath an intereſt in Chriſt is brought under the ruling power of Chriſt, ſo as he chooſeth him to be his only Lord. That Soul hath as yet no intereſt in Chriſt, that deſpiſeth the government of Chriſt, that reſuſeth obedience unto the Scepter and dominion of Jeſus Chriſt; theſe you know are reckoned among Chriſts enemies, that ſay concerning him, this man ſhall not reign over us; you have a clear Scripture for this, Iſaiah 63.19. We are thine. How did it appear that they were the Lords? Becauſe it was implicitely and tacitly aſſerted that the Lord did bear rule over them. And how did it appear that they were none of Chriſt's, and Chriſt none of theirs? Becauſe he did never bear rule over them, neither were they called by his name: So then, thoſe that ſlight and deſpiſe the Scepter of Chriſt Jeſus, and refuſe allegiance to this glorious King of Heaven, are none of his Subjects, and ſo have no part nor intereſt in him: but now that Soul that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, is brought under the rule of Chriſt, and Chriſt doth exerciſe and diſplay an over-ruling power in his heart, that brings him unto his foot, and he is enabled to live in a profeſſed ſubjection to the Scepter, and Kingly power of Chriſt Jeſus; upon this intereſt the Soul hath in Chriſt, his Spirit is ſatisfied in the government of Chriſt, he is reconciled unto all the commands of Chriſt, and he delights in the dominion of Chriſt, and he freely and chearfully reſigns up himſelf unto the Scepter of Jeſus Chriſt. Lord (ſaies the Soul) here I am, rule over me. Chriſt never intereſts a Soul in himſelf, that he doth not bear the ſway in its heart, and command the powers of its Soul, Pſal. 110.3. Thy people ſhall be a willing people in the day of thy power: When Jeſus Chriſt makes a willing people, that is, diſplays the power of his Grace, and brings home a Soul, and gives it an intereſt in himſelf, he ſubjects the heart unto his Government, he makes the Soul freely willing to be ruled by the laws, and by the Authority of Chriſt Jeſus; no laws ſeem ſo deſirable unto him as the laws of Jeſus; no rule, no Scepter ſo pleaſant as the Scepter of Chriſt, and all the commands of Chriſt are choſen by him, as being equal, righteous, holy, pleaſant, and good: the Spirit is reconciled to Chriſt Jeſus in the whole of his Goſpel Government over the heart of the Chriſtian. My Lord and my God, ſaies Thomas; theſe alwaies go together; My God, and alſo my Lord. And this particular I ground upon, and gather out of my Text, he is become the God of my Salvation; how ſhall I know that? He is my Lord, ſaies the Prophet, I will rejoice in the Lord; the title Lord notes Dominion and Soveraignty. Now the Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, rejoyceth in the Dominion and Soveraignty of Chriſt Jeſus; I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation. The inference that is drawn from this Scripture, for our preſent purpoſe is this, that the Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, will rejoyce in the dominion of Chriſt, or doth receive Chriſt Jeſus as a Lord, and as a Lord doth rejoyce in, and under him. Indeed there may be much weakneſs in his obedience; I don't ſay that he doth exactly, and to a tittle walk up to the rule to fulfill every command of God; No, I know there is a great deal of weakneſs in the ſtrongeſt believer upon earth, and through the ſtrength of corruption, and the violence of temptation, he may ſometimes be fovled and born down, ay, but when he is ſo, ſtill his heart is right, and he loves the commands of Chriſt, that he cannot come up to, and he honours the rule of Chriſt, and to his utmoſt makes way for the ſway of the Scepter of Chriſt in his Soul, though he may be born down by temptation; yet his love remains ſtill unto every command of Jeſus, Rom. 7.25. I thank God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord; ſo then with my mind I my ſelf ſerve the law of God, but with the fleſh the law of ſin. Saies Paul, I am born down, I am overcome, but I don't juſtify my ſelf herein, but I bleſs God, ſaies he, that my heart is ſecured, my love doth not abate, I have not waved a command through my diſſatisfaction in it, I have not been diſobedient to a command, becauſe I judged it unreaſonable, or were diſſatisfied in it; No, but my heart, that ſtands right for thoſe commands that I cannot reach in my life; with my mind I my ſelf ſerve the law of God. So Romans 1.9. ſaies the Apoſtle, For God is my witneſs whom I ſerve with my Spirit in the Goſpel of his Son: ſo as you ſee the Spirit that ſtands clear, and is under a conſtant and full engagement, though it may be the life doth not diſcover that evenneſs that it ſhould; with my Spirit, ſaies he, I ſerve the Lord. It may be ſaid in the caſe of the temptation of a believer, as was ſaid concerning the Spouſe, I ſleep, but my heart aw…k…th; thus it is with many a poor Soul, he may be brought into a ſleepy condition, and he ſtaggers and ſtumbles in his way, he finds it ſo difficult, but ſaies he, while I ſleep my heart awaketh, his declenſions do not ariſe from diſſatisfaction, but his love is reconciled to the command ſtill, and he honours thoſe precepts that he is not able to come up to. Now Chriſtian, bring your condition to this touchſtone, if thou haſt a heart that doth ſlight the government of Chriſt; and if thou canſt not bear the ſtrict rule and dominion of Chriſt Jeſus over thy Soul, if that thou haſt thy exceptions, againſt the Scepter of Chriſt Jeſus being lifted up in thy heart; it is a ſign that thou art not yet intereſted in Chriſt, thou never didſt bear rule over them, they were not called by thy name; I pray remember that that rule that thou deſpiſeſt, is the only ſaving rule, and that power that thou refuſeſt to ſtoop to, is the only ſaving power, the only bleſſed and bleſſing power. But on the other ſide, if thou canſt find that thy heart is open unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as he is the Lord, as he is inveſted with all power, as the Father hath given all Authority unto him, if thy heart be open to him, and thou doſt love his Laws in their holineſs and ſtrictneſs, and his Government and Rule for its cloſeneſs; and if way be made in thy Soul for the Throne of Chriſt to be ſet up, it argues thou art intereſted in Chriſt; for thoſe that are Chriſt's doth the Lord bear Rule over.
Fourthly, The Soul's Intereſt in Chriſt may be known by the diſtance that the heart ſtandeth in from the power and intereſt of his former ſtate that Chriſt Jeſus hath overturned. The Soul before his coming over to Chriſt was under the Rule of another Lord, and was in ſubjection to another Intereſt, to the power and intereſt of ſin, and that bore ſway in his heart, and commanded his life; he yielded up himſelf a ſervant to ſin, and devoted himſelf unto the ſervice of ſin. This the Apoſtle ſpeaks out, Rom. 6.16, 17. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your ſelves ſervants to obey, his ſervants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of ſin unto death, or of obedience unto righteouſneſs; but God be thanked that ye were the ſervants of ſin, but ye have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine which was delivered to you. And in 19, and 20 verſes you have it again. And ſays he, When you were the ſervants of ſin, ye were free from righteouſneſs. He doth plainly ſhew, that they were formerly ſervants to another Intereſt; they were engaged in the ſervice of ſin; they acted ſin as in a ſervice; as a ſervant obſerves, and reſpects, and obeys his Maſter, ſo doth the natural heart obſerve, reſpect and obey ſin; and it is his Lord; it hath the commanding power of his Soul; and it is a moſt pleaſant ſervice to the ſinner, though he will find it a ſad ſervice in the latter end; yet it is a moſt pleaſant and a moſt delightful ſervice; therefore a ſinner's walking in ſin, and gratifying the luſts of the fleſh, is called his pleaſure, the pleaſures of ſin; he takes pleaſure therein: O! it is his meat and drink to ſatisfie the luſts of his heart, in gratifying this Lord that is over his Soul. Now my Friends, your Intereſt in Chriſt may be diſcovered, by the diſtance that your hearts ſtand in from the power and intereſt of this Lord, that Jeſus Chriſt hath overthrown, that is a conſtant enemy to your in-being and ſtanding in Chriſt. And that I may help you to make a right judgment of your ſtate in reference to this particular, I ſhall open to you in ſeveral particulars, what this diſtance is that the Soul ſtands in unto the intereſt of ſin, that Jeſus Chriſt hath overthrown in the heart upon his making over himſelf to the Soul.
Firſt, There is upon the Soul's Intereſt in Chriſt this diſtance unto ſin, his former Lord, that he proclaims war againſt it, and becomes its profeſſed enemy. It may be the life of a Chriſtian is not at preſent a Conquering life; ay, but it is a Conflicting life, Rom. 7.23. But I ſee another Law in my members warring againſt the Law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the Law of ſin which is in my members. Well, there is oppoſition for oppoſition, as ſin riſeth up againſt him, ſo he riſeth up againſt ſin: And as ſin upon his Intereſt in Chriſt declares againſt him, ſo he declares againſt ſin, and he watcheth it as one enemy watcheth the motions of another; and he taketh all waies, and uſeth all endeavours to foil and bring under this enemy.
Secondly, The oppoſition that is carryed on and managed in the heart againſt ſin, it is general. It is not an oppoſition in one part only, but it is an oppoſition that the whole Soul doth engage in, and all the powers of the Soul are concerned in it. It is not only an oppoſition in the Conſcience, but there is an oppoſition in the Affections as well as in the Conſcience; and there is an oppoſition in the Will, as well as in the Conſcience and Affections, and alſo an oppoſition in the Judgment; both the Conſcience and the Affections, the Will, and the Underſtanding and Judgment, do all diſcharge againſt ſin; and all the renewed powers of the Soul enter into a ſtrict combination againſt the intereſt of ſin. The Conſcience that lays loads upon it whenever it appears, and the Affections they declare againſt it, and the Will that reſolves againſt it, and the Underſtanding and Judgment do diſcover it, and witneſs againſt it. The oppoſition that is made it is general.
Thirdly, In this diſtance that the heart ſtands in unto ſin upon its Intereſt in Chriſt, the heart in its moſt deliberate actings ſtands in an irreconcileableneſs unto it. The oppoſition that is made is not upon a ſudden motion; it is not upon a paſsion of the Soul that in cool thoughts will be called in again; but the Soul in its moſt deliberate actings ſtands in an irreconcileableneſs unto it. That the Affections will never be enticed over to ſin again, the Love will never be invited over to ſin again; indeed he may be overpowered to ſin, but he will never be reconciled to ſin more; his Love and Affections can never be gained to ſin again, but the Affections are ſo broken, that the diſtance will ever remain, and the Soul will alwaies ſtand in, and act upon an irreconcileableneſs to it.
Fourthly, The diſtance of the heart unto the intereſt of ſin upon the Soul's Intereſt in Chriſt, is univerſal unto all ſin. It is not only alienated and drawn from notorious and groſs ſins, that make a great noiſe in the world, or againſt ſome particular ſins, that his walking in will turn to his diſadvantage; but it ſtands at a diſtance from all ſin, from heart-ſins, as well as from life ſins, from ſmall ſins as well as from great ſins; and from ſuch ſins as are connatural to us from inclination, complexion, and condition, and employment, and the like, the heart ſtands at an univerſal diſtance from all ſin.
Fifthly, The diſtance of the heart from ſin upon its Intereſt in Chriſt, is unto ſin as it hath a contrary nature in it to the Intereſt of Chriſt in him. He doth oppoſe ſin, not upon a particular, but upon a general account; he oppoſeth ſin as ſin, as it hath a contrariety in its nature unto the Lord, and the Intereſt and Dominion of the Lord in his Soul; and ſo he will oppoſe ſin while ſin is ſin, and whilſt there is any ſin remaining in him. The diſtance that his heart ſtands in unto ſin, is unto it as it hath a contrary nature in it unto Chriſt's Intereſt in him, and his Intereſt in Chriſt.
Sixthly, The diſtance of the heart unto the Intereſt of ſin that Chriſt hath overturned, upon his having an intereſt in himſelf, it is ſuch as hates ſin in the temptation. It doth not only hate ſin when it is committed, and when Conſcience lays hold upon him for the commitment of it; but it ſets the Soul at a diſtance from ſin in the temptation, whilſt it is a great way off; and hence we are commanded to abſtain from the appearance of evil; and the Saints they hate the appearance of evil; that which looks like a diſputable evil, the gracious heart ſtands at a diſtance from it, or that which hath a probability in it of being an occaſion of ſin to him, that will the gracious heart ſtand off from; he will oppoſe ſin at a diſtance, and he hates and watcheth againſt ſin in the temptation, the heart ſtands at ſuch a diſtance from it.
Seventhly, The diſtance of the heart from ſin is ſuch, that it chuſeth rather to ſuffer than to ſin. Nay, it will chuſe a great ſuffering before a little ſin. It will ſay, Lord, any thing rather than ſin, and no burthen will be like the burthen of ſin to him; no weight like the weight of ſin upon his Conſcience; and therefore he ſays, Lord, any condition rather than to be driven upon a temptation whereby I ſhall ſin; any thing Lord but ſin.
Eighthly, The diſtance that the heart ſtands in unto ſin upon its Intereſt in Chriſt is ſuch, as doth diſcover a great reluctancy of ſpirit, and deep ſearchings of heart upon the invaſions of ſin, and the Soul's paſſive captivities by it. Probably he may be foiled and overcome by ſin, and many times againſt his will he is overcome; ay, but when he is ſo, he mourns, and he weeps, and that bitterly; he doth not juſtifie the fault; he doth not extenuate the offence; he doth not hide his tranſgreſſion but his Soul breaks out into mourning by reaſon of it, and that upon the paſſive captivities of the Soul by it, when the Soul againſt his will is overcome; he watches and he ſtrives to keep it under, and yet ſin is too hard for him, and whether he will or no ſometimes leads him captive, and carries him out of the way; he goes mourning into theſe captivities, and he groans when he falls into the hands of ſin, and when he is at any time taken a priſoner. Thus it was with Paul; Paul had an honeſt heart, he did labour againſt ſin what he could, and yet ſays he, I find that when I would do good evil is preſent with me; and there is a curſed Law in my members, that leads me captive to the Law of ſin, whether I will or no; he ſtrove, and conflicted, and watcht, and did his utmoſt, yet ſays he, I find a Law, that when I would do good, evil is preſent, and I am taken captive, but he groans under it; O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? Rom. 7.24. It was one of the deepeſt and moſt ſorrowful complaints that ever the Apoſtle Paul made; and thus we find Scripture Saints upon Record, when at any time they have been overcome and led captive, it hath been a time of great ſorrow, darkneſs, mourning and bitter complaint to them. Now this is another part of the diſtance that the Soul ſtands in from ſin.
Ninthly, The heart ſtands (upon his Intereſt in Chriſt) at ſuch a diſtance from ſin, that nothing will ſatisfie the Soul but the returns of death upon it. Sin, that ſeeks the ruine of grace, and the deſtruction of the Soul; and the Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt ſtands at ſuch a diſtance from ſin, that he ſeeks, and deſigns, and labours to the utmoſt to hate ſin, and to purſue it unto death. It is not the pardon of ſin that will ſatisfie a true Believer. Let me ſay thus much, that if you be at no greater diſtance from ſin than this; that if the Lord will pardon you, all is well, and you will lay down the Cudgels, it is a ſign your heart is not right with Chriſt. If you have an Intereſt in Chriſt, you will be at a greater diſtance from ſin than ſo, the pardon of ſin will not ſatisfie you; if ſin ſhould be driven into the ſecret retirement of your Soul, and ſhould there remain among the ſtuff, yet this will not ſatisfie you. The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, is ſet upon the death of ſin as its enemy; and that is the meaning of thoſe Scriptures wherein we are called upon to mortifie ſin, and to crucifie ſin, that is, to deſtroy ſin, to be the death of it, Epheſ. 5.14. And they that are Chriſt's, have crucified the fleſh, with the affections and luſts: They are doing of it; ſin is dying, and mortifying, and crucifying, and it ſhall be crucified, and mortified, and ſlain, and appear to be wholly dead ere long: This is that that the Soul is ſet upon, the death of this body of death, the utter ruine and deſtruction of it; it will not be ſatisfied that ſin is a mortifying and dying in it, but the diſtance of the heart from it is ſuch, that it will not bear the being of it: Though it cannot drive out all theſe curſed Canaanites, to have the Land at reſt, and peace when it will; yet it will maintain the war, and abide the field, and never give over till ſin be wholly dead. Now I beſeech you Chriſtians, you who are deſirous to clear your own ſtate, bring your condition to a tryal upon this head, and examine what that diſtance is, that your heart ſtands in unto the Intereſt and Power of your former ſtate which Jeſus Chriſt hath overthrown; examine the diſtance that your hearts ſtand in unto ſin, in theſe nine particulars: Is the diſtance ſuch as that you have proclaimed & engaged in an holy war againſt it; Or do you only ſpeak ſlightly of ſin before men, and hide it in your hearts? Again conſider, Is the Conflict that you profeſt to be engaged in againſt ſin, general? Or is your oppoſition againſt ſin only in your Conſcience? Verily a natural man will oppoſe ſin thus. A Hypocrite's Conſcience may check him for ſin; a carnal man's Conſcience may ſometimes wound him for ſin, and ſpeak high againſt it, but is the oppoſition from the Affections, from the Will, and from the Judgment, as well as the Conſcience? Do all the powers of the Soul engage againſt it? And do they all combine againſt ſin to bring it under? If ſo Chriſtians, though ſin yet live in you, and ſometimes prevail over you to your grief and diſadvantage, yet you are of the better ſide, and have a promiſing evidence of your Intereſt in Chriſt. And again, doth your heart in its moſt deliberate actings ſtand in an irreconcileableneſs unto ſin? It may be the oppoſition thou makeſt againſt ſin, is only in a paſſion, or only ſome ſudden motion upon a diſadvantage that thou meeteſt with in thy ſinful waies; but conſider whether your Souls do deliberately ſtand in an irreconcileableneſs unto ſin; and whether your Affections be ſo engaged, that they refuſe to receive this object, becauſe your Souls loath it. Again, Is this diſtance univerſal to all fin? It may be Soul, there are ſome ſins that thou wouldeſt pick at, and be willing to part with them; but there are ſome others that you are ready to ſay of them, O! they are but little ones; Good Lord ſpare them. Is the diſtance thy heart ſtands in to ſin, to all ſin, to heart-ſins as well as to life-ſins, to little ſins as well as to great ſins, to thoſe ſins that are moſt connatural, and that thy heart and thy diſpoſition doth moſt cloſe with? And then again, Is thy diſtance to ſin as ſin, as it hath a contrary nature in it to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and to his bleſſed Intereſt in thy heart? then the Conflict will be abiding as long as there is ſin remaining in thy Soul. Again, How ſtands thy heart unto ſin in the temptation? This verily is a diſcriminating Character of a Saint. Thoſe whoſe hearts are not rightly engaged, they may oppoſe ſin, and ſpeak highly againſt it, when it is committed, and when they have ſeen the ill conſequents and effects of it; but do you oppoſe ſin in the temptation, when it is a great way off? And do you ſhun and avoid, and flee from the occaſions of ſin? that which may probably be an introducement unto ſin? do you avoid that, and arm your ſelves againſt that? This will be an evidence to you that you are intereſted in Chriſt. And again, Do you chuſe rather to ſuffer than to ſin? Verily this is alſo a diſcriminating Character of the reality of your Intereſt in Chriſt. Another man may chuſe to avoid ſin, when he receives a prejudice by it, or when he cannot apprehend an advantage to the luſts and deſires of his own heart; Ay, but the gracious Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, it ſtands afar off from ſin, ſo as it ſays, Lord, any condition rather than ſin; any burthen rather than the burthen of ſin; any affliction, any grief, rather than ſin. And then, Do you conſider what reluctancies are in your ſpirits againſt the irruptions of ſin, and the paſſive captivities of the Soul by it? Where the heart is not right, it will have no great reflection upon a paſſive captivity; upon an active ſurrender he may, when he hath ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs, he may be made aſhamed of his folly; Ay, but a Hypocrite, a falſe heart, will never deeply mourn for a paſſive captivity, but there he will ſay, Well, I could not help it, it was not my fault, and ſo will be excuſing of it; as the Woman did; The Serpent beguiled me, I intended no ſuch thing, I was ſeduced and overcome; a paſſive Captivity bears no great ſway in a falſe heart, but an upright Soul, he mourns over ſin, how paſſive ſoever he is in the prevailings of it, when he cannot prevent ſin, he will mourn over the prevailings of it. It will be his conſtant grief that he was led Captive, and that when he would do good, evil was preſent with him, and that he is overcome when he ſtrives to overcome. And again, conſider Soul whether there be any thing leſs then the returns of death will ſatisfy thee in thy purſuits of ſin? for the gracious Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt will purſue ſin unto death, reſtraining grace will not ſerve him, pardoning grace won't do, but he will be for the crucifying of the luſts of the fleſh, for the mortifying of ſin in his Soul, for the utter ruine and extirpation of it. Now Sirs, if you can find thoſe things in you, it doth ſpeak for you, and will help to clear your intereſt in Chriſt Jeſus.
Fifthly, The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt will prize the leaſt of Chriſt above the greateſt enjoyments out of Chriſt. A little of Chriſt will be more to him then a great deal of the Creature; nay a little of Chriſt will be more to him then all the Creature; a little of Chriſts grace, a little of Chriſts love, a little of Chriſts Spirit, a ſmall income from Chriſt, the leaſt love token from Chriſt, the leaſt ſaving Goſpel manifeſtation and diſcovery of Chriſt; O 'tis the ſweeteſt diſcovery, and the moſt bleſſed enjoyment that ever his Soul had: Thus it was with David (if he be the Author of Pſal. 73. and Aſaph only the Pen-man;) David at once overlookt his Crown, and his Kingdom, and all his Treaſures that he had in the world, and the whole world that was before him, and ſaies he, Lord, whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon Earth that I deſire beſides thee, Pſal. 73.25. And ſo the Apoſtle Paul, ſaies he, I count all things but droſs and dung in compariſon of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, Phil. 3.8 Chriſt was more to him than all other things; and verily Chriſtians, ſo will it be with you, if your hearts be right; a little of Chriſt will be more to you then all the treaſures, pleaſures, and the glories and enjoyments of this whole world, and you will eſteem your ſelves more honourable with a little grace in your hearts, then with your Houſes full of wealth.
Now to cloſe, do but bring thy heart to this touchſtone, and do but conſider what it is that thy heart is moſt ſet upon, and what it is that will ſatisfy thee; if this world, and the comforts of it can ſatisfy thee without Chriſt, thou haſt no part in Chriſt; nay if thou preferreſt other enjoyments before a participation in Chriſt, thou haſt none of Chriſt; if thou haſt a ſaving intereſt in Chriſt, the manifeſtations of Chriſt to thy Soul, will be the moſt bleſſed manifeſtations, O the leaſt incomes of Chriſt will be as life from the dead. The leaſt love token, the leaſt intimation of his love, the leaſt ſaving effect and operation of his grace upon thy heart, and the encreaſe of communion with him: Theſe things will be the life, and the joy of thy Spirit. If thou canſt find it thus with thee, really and in truth, that a little of Chriſt is prized in thy heart above the greateſt enjoyments out of Chriſt; it is a ſign and evidence that thou art intereſted in Chriſt. It may be Soul thou haſt but a little of Chriſt in thy heart, very little of Chriſt but a little of the grace of Chriſt, and but a little of the Spirit of Chriſt, and canſt do but little for Chriſt; ay, but the leaſt incomes of Chriſt, they are the ſweeteſt incomes to thee, and thy enjoyments of Chriſt are the moſt ſatisfying enjoyments, and thy Soul will prefer an opportunity of communion with the Lord Jeſus before great advantages otherwiſe: If it be thus with thee, it is an evident ſign that thou art intereſted in Chriſt, and thou mayeſt take comfort in thy preſent ſtanding in him.