The Natural Mans Case, Part 1 · Sermon 6
SERMON, VI.
EPHES. 2. 12.
That at that time ye were without Chriſt,—
LEſt any of you that hear mee this day ſhould lie under a ſpirit of deluſion and think that all that I have ſaid touching the happineſſe of thoſe that have an intereſt in Chriſt belongs to them when it doth not; I ſhall therefore ſpend this houre in ſhewing you ſome characters whereby you may know whether you have a real intereſt in Chriſt or no: this is the needfulleſt point that ever in my life I preſt upon you, and the Lord give you grace to lay theſe characters cloſe to your own hearts, and by them ſeriouſly to examine your own ſouls whether you have a reall intereſt in Chriſt or no: but before I give you theſe characters, give me leave by the way to premiſe theſe three or four Cautions or cautelary concluſions, which will the better make way to the handling the point in hand.
Caution 1 1. Take this caution, that men may be ſtrongly conceited and opinionated, that they have an intereſt in Chriſt when they have not: I ſhall give you a plain text for this in 2 Cor. 10. 7. Doe you look on things after the outward appearance? (ſayes the Apoſtle) 2 Cor. 10. 7.if any man truſt to himſelf, that hee is Chriſts, let him of himſelf think this again, that as he is Chriſts, even ſo are we Chriſts: This is a very notable place; there were ſome among the Corinthians that were ſtrongly conceited they did belong to Chriſt, when they did not; and had an ill opinion of the Apoſtles, and thought they did not belong to Chriſt; and to ſuch as theſe the Apoſtle Paul here ſpeaks: men may be ſtrongly conceited they have an intereſt in Chriſt, when there is no ſuch matter, as it was with the Church of Laodioea, in Rev. 3. 17. Thou ſayeſt I am rich and increaſed in goods, and have need of nothing: and knoweſt Rev. 3. 17.not that thou art wretched, and miſerable, and poor, and blinde, and naked.
2. Another cautelary concluſion I would have you take notice of, is this; that in laying down the characters of a man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, I do not ſo preſſe them, as that unleſſe you have them all in you, you cannot have an intereſt in Chriſt, for if you have but one of them in you, in truth and ſincerity, it is an evidence that you have an intereſt in Chriſt: I give you this caution for fear of caſting down any poor dejected ſoul; if you have but one link of this golden chain, you have as ſure hold, as if you had all of it.
3. In laying down theſe characters of one that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, I lay them down onelyonly in the affirmative, not in the negative, that is, all thoſe that have theſe characters in them, may be confidently aſſured, that they have an intereſt in Chriſt: but I do not ſay, that thoſe that have not theſe characters in them, have not an intereſt Chriſt, for ſhould I ſay ſo, I ſhould caſt down many a humble and dejected ſoul: I do not ſay, that if you have not theſe characters in you, you have no intereſt in Chriſt; but this I ſay, that you may confidently and indubitatively know and be aſſured, that you have an intereſt in Chriſt, if you finde theſe things in you.
4. Laſtly, take in this caution likewiſe, that in giving you theſe Characters, I ſhall not preſſe them ſo, as if the having of all theſe in exerciſe and feeling, and in your own apprehenſions, can only evidence your having an intereſt in Chriſt, but if you have them in habit, and in truth, though not in exerciſe and practiſe, it is ſufficient to evidence your intereſt in Chriſt. For a poor ſoul may have many graces of Gods Spirit in truth in him, though he doth not feel, and exerciſe, and apprehend them in himſelf, as I told you it was with Mary Magdalen; ſhe talked to Chriſt face to face, and ſayes ſhe, they have Joh. 12.taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And thus I have done with the cautions, or cautelary concluſions, wherein I have only made way for my better proceeding, in giving you the ſeverall Characters of a man that hath a reall intereſt in Chriſt, and I wiſh to God they may be all engraven upon every one Twelve Characters of a mans intereſt in Chriſt.of your hearts, that you may be unqueſtionably aſſured in your own ſouls, of your intereſt in him; I ſhall reduce all I have to ſay concerning this particular under theſe 12. heads.
1. That man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, he is caſt out of himſelf; that is, he is caſt out of all conceit of his own ſelfſufficiency and righteouſneſs, good works or merits: no man is in Chriſt, but he is out of himſelf; this character the Apoſtle gives you in Phil. 3. 8, 9. Yea doubtleſſe, Phil. 3. 8. 9.(ſaith he) I count all things but loſſe for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, for whom I have ſuffered the loſſe of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, not having on my own righteouſneſſe: Here Paul having won Chriſt, would not be found, having on his own righteouſneſſe; the Apoſtle doth not mean his own righteouſneſſe in point of being, but in point of dependence, not having on his own righteouſneſſe to be juſtified by it; in that regard he would not be found having it on. So in 1 Cor. 4. 4. ſayes the Apoſtle there, 1 Cor. 4. 4.I know nothing by my ſelf, now one would think this man were a very holy and exact man; for ſayes he, I know nothing by my ſelf, that is, I know no ſin upon my ſoul, that I perform wittingly or willingly: but mark the next words, yet ſayes he, am I not hereby juſtified; he was quite out of conceit of all the good works that ever he did: every man that is in Chriſt, he is out of himſelf; he ſees his own in ſufficiency, and Chriſts all-ſufficiency; he ſees his emptineſſe of grace, and Chriſts fulneſſe of grace; he ſees himſelf to be nothing, and Chriſt to be all in all. Luk. 16. 15. Luk. 16. 15.ſayes Chriſt there to the Phariſees, Ye are they which juſtifie your ſelves before men, but God knoweth your hearts; as if hee ſhould have ſaid, you think well of your ſelves and of your graces, but God knoweth your hearts, that you are not ſuch as you ſeem to be; and therefore (Beloved) conſider ſeriouſly of it, if God hath wrought this grace in your hearts, that you are caſt out of your ſelves to ſee your own emptineſſe, and vileneſſe, and inſufficiency and want of Chriſt, if there be this work of grace wrought in you, then you may know you have a reall part and portion in Jeſus Chriſt.
Character 2 2. Another diſtinguiſhing character of a man in Chriſt is this, that he makes conſcience of keeping every known command of Chriſt. This you have in 1 Joh. 1 Joh. 2. 5.2. 5. Whoſo keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected, hereby know we that we are in him: hereby we know that we are in Chriſt, if we keep every known command of Chriſt, and therefore you that can appeal to heaven, that there is no one known command of Chriſt, but bears ſway in your heart, and carries an authority over your conſcience, that you can ſubject your ſelves to it, although you have many weakneſſes and failings, yet this is an undoubted character that you are in Chriſt: as in 1 Joh. 3. 22. If that therefore (ſayes the Apoſtle) that you have heard from the beginning, ſhall remain in the you, you alſo ſhall continue in the Son and in Father. You that keep every known command of Chriſt, have an intereſt in him, and he in you; and therefore (beloved) all you that doe make conſcience of keeping the known and revealed wil of God, that there is no known ſin but you labour to avoid, and no known grace but you labour to exerciſe, and no known duty, but you labour to perform; if it be thus with you, you may comfort your ſelves in this, that you have a reall intereſt in Chriſt.
Character 3 3. Another character or diſcovery is this, he that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, he hath a power derived from Chriſt, enabling him to mortifie his inward and boſome luſts: as in Gal. 5. 24. They that are Chriſts have crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts; when Chriſt came in the fleſh amongſt us we crucified him, but if ever Chriſt come in thy heart, he will crucifie thee; the crucifying of the fleſh with the affections and luſts that the Apoſtle here ſpeaks of, is not the killing and totall extirpation of ſin, but the giving a deadly blow to ſin, that ſin ſhall never reign in us, nor have dominion over us any more; if you be in Chriſt, ſin will be like thoſe beaſts ſpoken of in Daniel, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were preſerved for a little ſeaſon; ſo the dominion of ſin wil be taken away, that ſin ſhal not reign in you, yet the life and being of ſin will remain in you for a little ſeaſon: but ſtill as the houſe of Saul grew weaker 2 Sam. 3. 1.and weaker, when the houſe of David grew ſtronger and ſtronger, ſo if Chriſt dwell in thy heart, ſin in thy ſoul will every day grow weaker and weaker, and grace in thy heart will grow ſtronger and ſtronger; and therefore Beloved, all you whoſe hearts can bear you witneſſe, that you have had the power of mortifying grace upon your ſouls, that you can bridle your beloved luſts, and ſubdue your boſom ſins, & curb the pride of your hearts; you may then lay an undoubted claim to Jeſus Chriſt.
Character 4 4. That man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, doth keep a ſtrict watch over his own heart, that he will not wittingly or willingly give way to the leaſt ſin to the diſhonour of God; a man in Chriſt keeps a watchfull eye over himſelf, that he doth not give way to the leaſt ſin to the diſhonour of Jeſus Chriſt. We know that 1 Ioh. 5. 18, 19, 20.whoſoever is born of God ſinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himſelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not; He that is begotten of God keepeth himſelf, he doth not keep himſelf from all ſin, but he doth as much as in him lies reſiſt every ſin, and temptation; he keepeth himſelf from every known ſin: ſo in 1 Joh. 3. 6. Whoſoever 1 Ioh. 3. 6abideth in God ſinneth not: this is not ſpoken abſolutely, but comparatively, he ſinneth not in compariſon of thoſe great ſins that wicked men do commit, for they are ſlaves to their luſts: and ſecondly he ſinneth not, that is deliberately, neither with a delightfull complacency, nor with a totall obduracy, nor in a way of finall impenitency: in theſe regards a man in Chriſt ſinneth not. And now beloved, you whoſe hearts and conſciences can bear you witneſſe that you doe keep a ſtrict watch over your own ſouls, and that you have a care of committing the leaſt ſin againſt God, whereby you might diſhonor him; if it be thus with you, you have an infallible evidence of your intereſt in Chriſt: that man that keeps ſin out of his heart, may be confidently aſſured, he hath Chriſt in his heart.
Character 5 5. Another character or diſcovery is this, that man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt Jeſus, Chriſt hath wrought in him a reall change, both in his life and nature; if thou art in Chriſt, he will be in thee, to work an effectuall and ſaving change in thee, both in thy heart and life: as in 2 Cor. 5. 17. ſayes the Apoſtle, If any man be 2 Cor. 5. 17.in Chriſt, he is a new creature, old things are paſt away, and all things are become new: why now (beloved) take this text and lay it cloſe to your hearts; hath God made you new creatures, and wrought a ſaving change in your heart? can you evidence it to your own ſouls, that ever ſince you were firſt born, you were new born? if it be ſo, you may lay a confident claim to Jeſus Chriſt; if any man be in Chriſt, he is a new creature.
Character 6 6. Another char this is, that man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, doth grow up in Chriſt to be fruitfull in every good work; hence it is that you often read in the ſcripture, of growing up in Chriſt, & increaſing in Chriſt with the increaſe of God. Jeſus Chriſt is the root of Jeſſe, in whom whoſoever is rooted and ingraffed, he will bring forth fruit unto God: whoſoever is ingraffed into Chriſt, he will bring forth the fruits of righteouſneſſe to the praiſe and glory of God. Joh. 15. 5. I am the Joh. 15. 5.vine (ſaies Chriſt) and you are the branches, he that abideth in me and I in him, the ſame bringeth forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing: why now beloved, you that make it out to your own ſouls, that you do grow in grace, and knowledge, and underſtanding, and in the duties of ſanctification, humiliation, and mortification, this is a ſure argument that you are planted into that root of Jeſſe, that makes you to bring forth fruit unto God.
Character 7 7. That man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, he is moſt humble, and vile in his own eyes. Of all the men in the world, there is no man ſo debaſed in his own eſteem, as he that hath an intereſt in Chriſt; mark Pauls deſcription of a man in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Chriſt (ſaies he) above 14. years ago, whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth, ſuch a man caught up into Paradiſe, and heard unſpeakable things, which is not lawfull for a man to utter, of ſuch a one will I glory, yet of my ſelf I will not glory, but in my infirmities. Here Paul ſpeaking of himſelf, would not boaſt of what good either he had or did, or of what glory he beheld, left men ſhould think of him above that which is meet; this is the badge of a man in Chriſt, he is moſt humble in his own eyes As thoſe veſſels that are fulleſt, ſound the leaſt, whereas thoſe that are empty, make the greateſt noiſe; why ſo, thoſe Chriſtians that are full of grace, & have Chriſt dwelling in them, walk the humbleſt, and make the leaſt noiſe; when thoſe that are out of Chriſt, and empty of all grace and goodneſſe, keep the greateſt boaſting of all; As the ſhallow rivers make the greateſt noiſe, in running over the peble-ſtones, when the deeper ſtreams glide away ſilently; ſo ſhallow brains, that know very little or nothing as they ought to know, make the greateſt ſhew, of what they ſeem to have, when others that know more and are deeper learned are ſilent. It is very remarkable, what one obſerves concerning the Prophet Ezekiel, a very holy man, and much converſant with viſions, and revelations, yet this man that was full of ſo many admirable parts, and gifts, and graces, the holy Ghoſt doth no leſſe then 93. times in that Propheſie, call by the name of the Son of man, which was (ſaith he) to keep him humble, and abate pride in his heart, and to ſhew that where there is moſt of Chriſt and grace in the heart, that man ſhould be moſt humble and vile in his own eyes.
Character 8 8. Another diſcovery of a man in Chriſt, is this, he will take care and make conſcience of walking worthy of his intereſt in Chriſt; the Apoſtle gives a caution for this in Col. 2. 6. As you have therefore received Christ Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk you in him, rooted and built up in him, that is, according to thoſe beginnings you have made, and thoſe Goſpel-diſcoveries, God hath given you, and that entertainment you have already given to Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo now it becomes you to make a ſutable progreſſe, as truly, and really, and purely, as you have received him; ſo let it be your every dayes work to be making progreſſe in him, and to walk worthy of him, ſo in the 1. Epiſtle of 1 Ioh. 2. 6.Joh. He that ſaith he abideth in him, ought himſelf ſo alſo to walk, even as he walked: Hence it is that you finde in Scripture, that being in Chriſt, and living a godly life, are both joined together; as 2 Tim. 3. 12. All that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus: that man whoſe perſon is in Chriſt, will labour that his wayes may be in Chriſt too; many a one would gladly have his perſon in Chriſt, though his life be not in Chriſt, but thoſe whoſe perſons and wayes are both in Chriſt, they may lay a comfortable claim to him; the difference between a man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, and one that hath none, I ſhall demonſtrate to you by this familiar example: you know, a man that by experience knows what it is to make clean a room, he will be carefull that he does not upon every ſlight occaſion, dirt it again, becauſe he knowes, what a deal of pains and labour is taking in cleanſing of it; but now a dog or a ſpaniell he comes in and never cares for dirting of it, becauſe he does not know what it is to make it clean; why ſo a godly man, he will be carefull of walking worthy of his intereſt in Chriſt, becauſe he knowes how much it coſt him, how many tears, and ſighs, and groans, and prayers, before he got an intereſt in Chriſt, and an aſſurance of his love; but now a wicked man, he makes no conſcience of ſinning againſt Chriſt, and diſpleaſing of him, becauſe he never knew what it was to get an intereſt in him. In Gal. 3. 21. ſayes the Apoſtle there, as many as have Christ, they have put on Chriſt; and a very learned interpreter hath an exceeding good note upon this text; he ſayes that this ſpeech of the Apoſtle here, is ſpoken in an alluſion to an ancient cuſtome among the heathens, that when they came to the profeſſion of the Faith, they were wont alwayes between Eaſter and Whitſuntide to put off their old garments, and put on white rayments; the end of it was to typifie and note, that when once they were in Chriſt, they muſt leave off their old courſes and converſations, and now labour to walk after a more holy, and blameleſſe, and innocent life, in their carriages towards God: thus (beloved) if you have an intereſt in Chriſt, you have put on Chriſt, walking worthy of him, in a holy, pure, ſpotleſſe, and unblameable life and converſation.
9. A man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, doth ſo prize him, that he would not be without him for all the world; there is no man that is in Chriſt, but looks upon him as the moſt amiableſt, and deſireableſt good in the world, he knowes the worth of Chriſt, and counts him as an invaluable treaſure. In 1 Pet. 2. 7. the Apoſtle after he had told them, of their being built upon Chriſt, as lively ſtones upon the foundation; he concludes, to you therefore which beleeve Chriſt is precious; intimating, that whoſoever is founded and bottomed upon Chriſt, Chriſt is very precious to that ſoul, and therefore you (beloved) that have a ſure teſtimony in your own conſciences, that you doe ſet a high price and value, and eſteem upon Chriſt, above all things in the world, and that you count all other things as droſſe and dung, in compariſon of an intereſt in Chriſt, this is a very good and undoubted evidence that you have an intereſt in him. It was an excellent ſpeech of one concerning his intereſt in Chriſt; ſayes he, if all the ſtones in my houſe were Diamonds, and all the duſt in my houſe ſhavings of gold, and every peble ſtone, an orient pearl, yet would I not prize nor value theſe in compariſon of my intereſt in Chriſt.
Character 10 10. He that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, hath the ſpirit of Chriſt dwelling in his ſoul, as in 1 Joh. 4. 13. Hereby wee know 1 Ioh. 4. 13.that we dwell in him, and he in us, becauſe he hath given us of his Spirit, he conveyes his Spirit through the golden conduit-pipes of his ordinances, into thy heart; this is a ſure evidence to thee of thy intereſt in Chriſt, if thou haſt the Spirit of Chriſt dwelling in thee, in this threefold operation of it: 1. If thou haſt the inlightning work of the Spirit to inlighten thy mind to know Chriſt: 2. If you have the inclining work of the Spirit to incline thy heart to love Chriſt: and 3. If you have the enforcing operation of the Spirit to empower your wils to obey Chriſt; if you enjoy the ſpirit of God in theſe 3 operations of it, then you may certainly know, that you have an intereſt in Chriſt.
Character 11 11. He that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, labours by all poſſible means to bring others to the knowledge of Chriſt: Paul before he was in Chriſt, did labour to drive men from Chriſt, but afterwards, when he was converted, then he did labour to draw men to Chriſt more abundantly then all the reſt of the Apoſtles; Oh (beloved) you that can compaſſionate poor ſouls in their naturall condition; and can heartily wiſh all men to be in Chriſt, as well as your ſelves; you that can bemoan the Chriſtleſſe condition of your friends and neighbours, this is a very evident diſcovery of your intereſt in Chriſt.
Thus I have done with theſe ſeverall characters of a man that is in Chriſt; if thou art caſt out of thy ſelf, and out of an opinion of thy own goodneſſe and righteouſneſſe; if thou makeſt conſcience of keeping every known command of Chriſt, and haſt a power derived from Chriſt enabling thee to mortifie thy boſome and inward luſts; if you have a care to avoid every ſin whereby you might diſhonour Chriſt; if there be a reall change wrought in you both in heart and life, from nature to grace; if you grow up in Chriſt to be fruitfull in every good work, and are humble and baſe, and vile In your own eyes; if you labour to walk worthy of your intereſt in Chriſt, prizing him, and valuing him above all the deſirable things in the world; if the ſpirit of Chriſt dwels in you, inlightning your mindes to know him, inclining your hearts to love him, and empowering your wils to obey him: and laſtly, if you have in you ardent deſires, and earneſt endeavours to win others to Chriſt, as well as your ſelves; if you can finde any one of theſe in truth and ſincerity in your hearts, it will be a very good evidence to you of your intereſt in Chriſt.
I have only a word or two more, to thoſe that upon examination doe really finde themſelves to be in a condition without Jeſus Chriſt; let me leave with you theſe two or three diſcoveries of your ſad condition, to quicken you the more earneſtly in your purſuits after him.
1. Are you without Chriſt? why then you are without ſatisfaction, and contentation in all the things you enjoy here in this World: What Solomon ſayes is verified in you, that your eye ſhall not be ſatisfied Eccleſ. 1. 8.with ſeeing, nor your ear with hearing, nothing without Jeſus Chriſt, can give ſatisfaction to the demands of an immortall ſoul, the world being round, and your hearts triangular, and you know 'tis impoſſible that a round thing ſhould fill that which is three ſquare: ſo neither is it poſſible that the world or any thing in it ſhould ſatisfie the deſires of your hearts.
2. As you can have no ſatisfaction in the world, ſo neither can you have any acceptation with God, God wil ſay to you as Joſeph did to his brethren, if you bring Gen. 43. 5.not up you brother Benjamin with you, look me not in the face: ſo will God ſay to you, if you bring not Jeſus Chriſt, your elder brother with you, doe not look mee in the face; here is the miſery of a Chriſtleſſe man, he can have no acceptation with God.
3. Without an intereſt in Chriſt, you can have no ſalvation by Chriſt; he procures ſalvation for all that are in him, and for no other; Joh. 17. 12. Thoſe that thou Joh. 17. 12.hast given me, I have kept and none of them is loſt: if you are without Chriſt, your condition is like thoſe that were in the old world before the floud; all that were in the Arke were ſaved and preſerved, but all that were out of the Arke were drowned; ſo Jeſus Chriſt is the Arke whereinto every ſoul that can procure admittance ſhall bee ſaved, but all that are not in Chriſt, ſhall be drowned in a river of brimſtone, which the breath of the Lord ſhall kindle, you ſhall be condemned and deſtroyed for ever, if you are without Chriſt, you are without ſatisfaction from the creature, without acceptation with God, and without ſalvation by Chriſt.
And thus in theſe ſix Sermons I have ſhewed you the happineſſe of a man in Chriſt; and the Characters of a man in Chriſt; and the miſery of a man without Chriſt; and ſo I have done with this firſt part of mans miſery by nature, and of the firſt branch of the Text, That at that time you were without Chriſt.