Christ the Fountain of Life, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
1 JOHN 5.12.
He that hath the Son, hath life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not life.
BEcauſe in Scripture phraſe, there are more wayes of having Chriſt requiſite for the knowledge of every ſoul, I thought it therefore not amiſſe to open thoſe other wayes by which in Scripture we are ſaid to have Chriſt.
Secondly, as therefore we have him firſt by worſhiping of him, ſo ſecondly we have him by purchaſe; this way of having Chriſt is expreſſed to us partly in the parable of the Merchant man, Matth. 13.46. Who when he had found a pearle of precious price, he ſold all that he had and bought it, that is one way of having Chriſt, to purchaſe him, to buy him: you have the like alſo held out in Eſa. 55.1.2. every one that is a thirſt, come and buy without money or without price, wherein the Holy Ghoſt calleth upon us to receive the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as revealed in his ordinances, and he makes a ſolemne proclamation to all, to come to theſe waters and buy without mony. Without mony, why without mony? or how without mony? It is true, ſhould a man offer his houſe full of Treaſure for Chriſt, it would be deſpiſed Cant. 8.7. and when Simon Magus offered to buy the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt for mony, it was rejected with a curſe Act. 9.8, 9, 10, and if the gift of the Holy Ghoſt cannot be bought for mony, how can the Lord Jeſus Chriſt be bought for mony?
And yet thus much I ſay, that many times without laying out of mony, he cannot be had, without parting with money we cannot get him, the caſe ſo ſtands that ſometimes, the holding faſt a mans mony lets go the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, you have a famous example in the young man, Matth. 19.21. to 24. Where our Saviour ſhewes how hard a thing it is for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, becauſe it is hard for a rich man to part with all that he hath, when God calls for it at his hands, ſo that without mony ſometimes Chriſt cannot be had; And yet for mony he cannot be had, it was upon the point of mony, that the Lord Jeſus parted with the Phariſees, Luke 16.11.12. If you be unfaithfull with the mammon of iniquity, who will truſt you with true treaſure; if you uſe not outward things well, who will give you ſaving grace in Jeſus Chriſt? ſo that ſometimes for want of ſpending of money in a right way, many a man looſes the Lord Jeſus; ſo that though Chriſt cannot be had for money, yet ſometimes without expence of mony he cannot be had.
For opening of this point there are three Caſes in which money muſt be layed out, or elſe Chriſt cannot be had, and in refuſing to lay out money, we refuſe life in him.
1 Caſe.Firſt, when the Lord by ſome ſpeciall command requires it, as was the caſe of the young man in the Goſpel, there was a ſpeciall commandement given to him, not given to every man, nor to every rich man, nor ſcarce any man in ordinary courſe now adayes, yet then given to him; and now to ſtick for money, and rather loſe eternall life then his goods, in ſuch a caſe as this, he loſeth his life in Chriſt; and upon the ſame poynt, or the like, broke Ananias and Saphira, it was the common reſolution of the Church of God in that Age to ſell all that they had, and to give to the poore, and to live after the ſame rate that other men did, a like proportion to every man; and to diſtribute faithfully to every man as every man had need, and as the Apoſtle ſaw cauſe; and when they come and keep back part of the price for which their poſſeſſions was ſold, you ſee how bitter a curſe from the preſence of the Lord fell upon them, they were cut off from the Congregation of Gods people, and it is much to be feared, cut off from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and from all hope of eternall life, and to ſtand as a terrible example to the whole Church of God, to ſhew what a dangerous thing it is to ſtand upon termes with Chriſt, and not to part with money for him; they could not have fellowſhip with the people of God, unleſſe they parted with all they had, and live upon the common diſtribution; but this caſe is not alwayes.
But ſecondly, there is another time, namely, when in caſe of perſecution the market of Chriſt goes at ſo high a rate, that a man cannot have Chriſt with any comfort in his ſoule, or peace to his Conſcience, or purity of heart or life, unleſſe he hazzard all his eſtate, or a good part of it: In buying and ſelling of a precious commodity, a good Chapman wil have it what ever it coſt him: So Chriſt is ſometimes at an higher, and ſometimes at a lower rate, but whatever he coſts him, he will have him; it is ſpoken in commendation of the Hebrews, that they ſuffered joyfully the ſpoyling of their goods, Heb. 10.34. to ſhew you, that ſometimes it comes to that paſſe, that unleſſe a man be content to part with all his goods, he cannot have the recompence of reward, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to his ſoule; and therefore the Servants of God have been content to looſe all that they had, and willing to reſigne up all for the maintaining the integrity of their ſpirits, and the purity of their hearts and lives in the preſence of God, and then let all goe, they can ſuffer the ſpoyle of all joyfully.
3 It is in caſe that by Gods providence you be caſt to live in ſuch Congregations, where you cannot have the Ordinances of God but at a great charge, as it is the caſe of many places, that unleſſe they be at charge for the Miniſtery of the Goſpel it cannot be had; then we muſt communicate freely that way, then be not deceived, God is not mocked, for what a man ſowes that ſhall he alſo reap, Gal. 6.6, 7, 8 Where the Apoſtle doth encourage men at ſuch a time as this, when the Goſpel, cannot be had but at great charge, then lay out liberally for the Goſpel of Chriſt, and he calls it, A ſowing to the Spirit; as a man that layes out his money for an earthly commodity, for a good bargaine, he reapes corruption; ſo he that ſowes of the Spirit, ſhall of the Spirit reape life everlaſting. When a man layes out his money unto Spirituall ends, to obtaine the free paſſage of the Ordinances of Chriſt, to enjoy the liberty of the Goſpel, he thereby ſowes to the Spirit, and ſhall of the Spirit reap life everlaſting; for this is the bleſſing promiſed unto it, ſuch as ſo ſow, ſhall of the Spirit reap life everlaſting; ſo that when a man out of a good and honeſt heart, and an hungering deſire after Gods Ordinances, ſhall be willing to be at charge for them, he hath this promiſe made to him, and it ſhall be fulfilled, He ſhall of the Spirit reap life everlaſting. But yet, when a man hath layed out his money for this end, if he then thinke his money is worthy of Chriſt, he gets him not; but this is the firſt way of having Chriſt by way of Purchaſe, a ſeaſonable laying out our money for him as God requires it.
Secondly, Chriſt is to be purchaſed, not ſo much by money, as chiefly this purchaſe muſt be made by parting with all thoſe many and ſtrong Luſts, and Corruptions, and ſinfull rebellions of heart, by which we keep off Chriſt from comming into our hearts; this is that which the Prophet Eſay directs us to, Eſa. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, &c. where he tels us what we muſt give for Chriſt, for ſinne is neither money nor moneys worth; but he makes a good bargaine that parts with his ſins, though he ſhould get no Chriſt for his parting with them. He ſpeakes of the firſt and principall part of the life of a Chriſtian man, the life of his Juſtification that ſprings from pardon of ſinne; let a man forſake thoſe ſins and luſts that he hath been moſt carried captive with; let a wicked man forgoe his thoughts and wayes, both his ſecret and open ſins, and let him then turne to God, and he will abundantly pardon; then God will receive him graciouſly, to the juſtification of life. This is the thing that we muſt doe, this was the point upon which ſundry of them that have been hopefull for Religion, have broken off from Chriſt, and Chriſt from them; they have forſooke him, and he left them; Jehu ſtuck upon this very point, he would goe a great way, but when it comes (as he thinkes) to hazzard his title to the Crowne, then he will ſet up the golden Calves; when he ſaw that all muſt be parted with, rather then he would forgoe that, without which he could not maintaine his Kingdome, he would rather looſe Chriſt, then venture the loſſe of that, 2 King. 10.29.31. He regarded not to walke in all the Commandements of the Lord, and then as he cut ſhort with God in reformation, and did not fulfill to walke after the Lord, therefore God cut Jehu ſhort of all the hopes of grace that ever he might have attained, to verſ. 32. ſo that if we cut at a ſcanting with God, and will part with ſome luſts and corruptions, but not with others, then will God cut you ſhort of all your hopes of eternall life: and it was upon the ſame termes that Herod fell ſhort of Chriſt, Mar. 6.10. Luk. 3.18. he had done many things according to Johns Miniſtry, but when God would cut him ſhort of Herodias his darling Luſt, that nothing might lye between God and him, but might now become fit for Chriſt, becauſe he would not cut himſelfe ſhort of Herodias, and cut ſhort his reformation there, then this was added to all his other ſins, he ſhut up John in priſon, and afterward cut off his head alſo; ſo that when there is any ſinne, whether honour or pleaſure, or any comfort in this life, that men will not be content to cut themſelves ſhort of, it is the way to utter ruine; God will not be abundantly ready to pardon ſuch. And ſo was it with Daemas, when the love of money did ſo prevaile with his heart, after he had been much eſteemed of the Apoſtles, and mentioned honourably in their Writings, yet in the end it is ſaid of him, He hath forſaken me, and loved this preſent world, 2 Tim. 4.10. Love of the world had ſo prevailed with him, that he fell off from Paul, and from the Lord, whoſe Servant Paul was, and from fellowſhip in the Goſpel, and ſo did not finde Chriſt; this rule is univerſally to be followed, and the care of it not to be neglected in any caſe, that our ſins are to be put out of our hearts and hands, as ever we looke to finde Chriſt, and life in him; notable is that expreſſion recorded in Judg. 10.10. to 16. the people come and cry to the Lord, to deliver them out of the hands of their enemies; but they had got to themſelves other gods, and now he would deliver them no more; When the people heard that, that God would not deliver them, and could finde no acceptance from him, ſo long as they continued in ſuch a ſinne; they thereupon goe and put away all their Idols, and leaves not one to be ſeen among them; and when God ſees that they had put them away, the text ſaith, that his ſoule was grieved for their miſery, and his bowels rowled within him for them, and he delivered them: So that when men are willing to fore-go their honourable ſinnes, their ſweet and delightfull ſinnes, their profitable ſinnes, and thoſe wherewith they have been moſt captivated; and he knowes one may as well pull their hearts out of their bellies, as ſome ſinnes out of them; but when he ſees men are willing to fore-go their moſt darling delightfull ſins, willing to breake off all impediments that ſtand between God and them, the Soule of God is grieved in ſuch a caſe, and it pitties him now that ſuch a ſoule ſhould be without him; and then it will not be long ere God ſtirres them up meanes of deliverance, and he himſelfe will reveale himſelfe unto them. Notable is that ſpeech, Hoſ. 14.3.8. when they take words to themſelves, and promiſe to leave all their evil wayes, whereby they ſinne againſt God, they make this requeſt to God, That he would take away their iniquities from them; and leaſt God ſhould anſwer them, but be you doing ſomething in the meane▪ time; they profeſſe, that for their owne parts they will ſet about the doing of their iniquities away, and they ſay; Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, and we will have no more to doe with them; wherein he ſhewes you, that God lookes not that only his people ſhall pray him to take away their iniquities, for we may pray ſo long enough, and not finde it done; but when we deſire God to doe it, and ſet our hearts and hands to it, and now with heart and hand ſay, Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, nor will we ſay any more to the workes of our hands, Ye are our gods; then ſaith God in verſ. 4. I will heale their back-ſlidings, and will love them freely, &c. God is then abundantly ready to pardon, when men forſake their owne wayes and thoughts, and throw away the ſins that hang about them, God will ſay of ſuch a people, I will heale them, and love them freely, mine anger is turned away from them. And you may preſume, when Gods anger is turned away, it is by and through Chriſt, or elſe there is no healing; and therefore in verſ. 8. Ephraim ſaith, What have I to doe any more with Idols; the heart of a Chriſtian, or of a Nation, ſhall openly acknowledge, that they wil have no more fellowſhip with theſe abominations; and then faith God, I have heard him, and obſerved him. God heares us, and underſtands what we ſay, and obſerves us well, and offers to be a covert to us from the ſtorme, when we begin ſolemnly to abandon ſuch evils, then he heares us, and anſwers us according to the deſire of our hearts; you have many a ſoule that cryes to God, Take away our iniquity, and many Petitions we put up to God to that purpoſe; and that ſometimes with many bitter moanes, but God heares it not; we pour out our plaints in vaine, and he regards it not; but when we come to God, and deſire him not only to take them from us, but begin to conſider our owne wayes and iniquities, and to put them from us, out of our hearts and hands, and we wil no more take ſuch bad wayes, as heretofore we have done; we will no more ride upon horſes, nor run to forreigne Princes for ſuccour; then God heares, and grants graciouſly whatever his poore people begge at his hands, and anſwers it according to all the deſire of their hearts, then the Lord preſe… gives us the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and life and healing in him; and this is the ſecond way of having Chriſt by purchaſe.
Thirdly, God ſometimes requires that we ſhould part with all his holy Ordinances in ſome caſes; part with all confidence in them, and from ſtaying our hearts upon them; we may ſoone looſe Chriſt, and looſe his protection, and his fatherly compaſſion towards us, if in the uſe of the bleſſed Ordinances of God, we be not willing ſo farre to ſit looſe from them, as not to looke for life in the Word, or Sacraments, or communion with Gods Servants, but to looke for it all in Chriſt, not that God would have us caſt his Ordinances behind our backs, but therein to ſeek him yea, to ſeek his face evermore, and not to be barred from them, he would have a childe of God to count it his greateſt miſery, Pſal. 27.4. Pſal. 42.3, 4. Though God would have us to make account, That one day in Gods Courts is better then a thouſand elſewhere, Pſal. 84.10. yet God ſtill hath regard to this, that he would not have us to truſt in the temple of the Lord, becauſe ſo to doe, is to truſt in lying words, Jer. 7.3, 4. Hold cloſe to the Ordinances, and by no meanes part with them if you can have them in any purity, and peace to your conſciences, but rather part with Princes Palaces then with them, but while you enjoy them, truſt not in them, nor thinke not to ſtand upon this, that you are bleſſed in regard of them; but looke at them all as loſſe, and droſſe, and dung, that you may win Chriſt. Looke not ſo wiſhly at the Priviledges of the Ordinances, truſt not in the outward letter of them, Phil. 3.6, 7, 8. This is that which keeps off many a poore ſoule from comming on to grace; he lives in no open groſſe ſinne, and in the midſt of the Ordinances of God, Chriſt is preached amongſt them; and therefore they conclude, that at the laſt day Chriſt will receive them, and yet this wil then deceive them, Matth. 7.22, 23. Some iniquity reſted ſtill in their hands, for which he wil bid them depart from him, as workers of iniquity; they it may be, had ſome of them been themſelves Miniſters, and had done much good in the name of Chriſt, and called upon him, Lord, Lord, and yet but Hypocrites; which ſhewes you, that it is not the liberty of Gods Ordinances, and the diſpenſation of them that can ſecure us; and therefore truſt not in them, truſt not in this, that you are diligent Hearers, or that you can pray powerfully; truſt not in this, though you were Preachers of the Word of God, but truſt on him only for life, and ſalvation, and he wil never deceive you.
And as at all times we are to ſit looſe from the Ordinances in reſpect of our truſt, and confidence, ſo ſometimes we muſt be content to forgoe the Ordinances of God for Chriſts ſake;Note this. if we cannot enjoy the liberty of the Ordinances, but with ſinne againſt our ſoules, in this caſe the Ordinances of God are to be neglected, and omitted, if he cannot have them with innocency and purity to his ſoule, he muſt let them goe. All the good Prieſts that were wont to miniſter before the Lord in the Synagogue, throughout the ten Tribes, when they could not enjoy their places, but muſt worſhip the Calves, (though the Calves were very like the Cherubims) when they could not doe their ſervice to God, but they muſt ſerve ſuch Images as God had not ſet up there, thereupon all the honeſt and true-hearted Prieſts left their places, and would no more miniſter there, rather then be compelled to miniſter at Dan and Bethel, 2 Chron. 11.14. Jeroboam caſt them out becauſe they would not doe ſo, and they were content to be caſt out, and ſold their Livings, and went up to Jeruſalem; To ſhew you, that ſometimes when Chriſt cannot be had, but we muſt forgoe the very Ordinances of God, becauſe we cannot have the Ordinances without impure mixtures of humane invention; then let them goe, rather then defile our owne hearts and hands with ſinne againſt God. And ſo, Cant. 1.7.8. Tell me where thou dwelleſt, and feedeſt thy flocks at noone; after the ſeparation was made between Iſrael and Judah, when the Mother Church of Iſrael was angry with the Church of Iudah, and caſt her off; tell me where thou lyeſt and feedeſt thy flocks, &c. How ſhould I goe to the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel? and worſhip there where God had never put his Name to be worſhipped? why, Chriſt anſwers them; If thou knoweſt not, O thou the faireſt among women, (as all ſuch Chriſtians are the faireſt among women) If thou knoweſt not where I reſt, goe forth by the foot-ſteps of the flocks, and by the Shepherds tents, and feed there. Have they not removed their tents to Jeruſalem? why goe after them, and feed with them; and this was fulfilled, 2 Chron. 11.16. The people left all, and went up to feede themſelves there, by the tents of the Shepherds. This is another part of our purchaſe of Chriſt (which God forbid it ſhould be our caſe) but if it ſhould come to that paſſe, rather forgoe the ordinances of God, which were of his owne ſetting and planting, as were the Miniſtery in the Synagogues; and they were to be divided all the Kingdome over; and the Prieſts lips ſhould preſerve knowledge, and we ſhould ſeeke the law at his mouth, Mal. 2.7.8. and therefore that being an holy ordinance of God, they would by no meanes part with the free paſſage of any one of Gods ordinances, which ſometimes they did enjoy: but when they could not enjoy them in the purity thereof, but muſt be caſt off from being Preiſts, unleſſe they will do all, then they were content to be caſt out from all fellowſhip with the church, and leave their eſtates and fore-go all, rather then enjoy the liberty of ſome other with ſinfull defilement. And though it might be thought their own, over much, over readineſs to caſt off themſelves, yet notwithſtanding the holy Ghoſt excuſeth it, they did not caſt off themſelves, but the text ſaith, Ieroboham caſt them out, if they wil not miniſter upon ſuch termes, then it is he that caſts them out, and that was the ſin chiefly, whereby he made Iſrael to ſin; and therefore when you come to the Ordinances, and though you finde Chriſt there, yet truſt not upon them unleſſe you truſt upon Chriſt, and ſeeke him to give you a meeting there; you have truſted but upon lying words, you went out full, and come empty home; you heare much, and profit little; and all that you learne you put into a broken bagge, into crackt memories, and all becauſe you did ſo truſt upon the meanes; and truly in this caſe this ſhall you often finde to be true, you come full of hopefull expectation to the Congregation, but returne very empty home, or full of bitterneſſe in your ſoules, and all was, becauſe you truſted in lying words, in words that could not profit; you truſted in the parts of Chriſtians, in the Sacraments, Word, and Prayer; but what is Paul, and what is Apollo, one of them may plant, another may water, but neither of both can give the increaſe, 1 Cor. 3.5, 6. He that plants, and he that waters is nothing; therefore chiefly have reſpect to Chriſt, look not at Paul, nor at Apollo, nor at any, though you had men equall with them for gifts, had you ſuch, yet if you put truſt and confidence in them, you wil looſe all the bleſſings that you deſire and hope to finde in them; and therefore ſo come to the Ordinances, as that you truſt not in the meanes; pray to Chriſt, to bleſſe the Ordinances to you, and intreat him to cleanſe your hearts and hands from thoſe evils that are in his ſight, and come truſting on him, not on any ſtrength in the meanes, but on his bleſſing upon the meanes, and then he will be found of you, if you thus ſeeke him in truth; but if they cannot bee had but with danger to you, to loſe the peace of your conſciences,Note this. then be content to fit looſe to the Word and Sacraments, and from Chriſtian communication: Then in this caſe give this price alſo for Chriſt, for we come not to the Ordinances for the Ordinances ſake, but for Chriſt ſake to finde him there, but rather then willingly put forth our hands to any ſinne rather looſe the Ordinances then looſe Chriſt.
Fourthly, there is yet ſomething more then all this, a further price to pay, if we mean to purchaſe Chriſt; And that is, that we part with all our good parts, and all the good common gifts of grace, which are found ſometimes in good nature, and ſometimes in the children of the Church, we muſt part with them all that we may win Chriſt 1 Cor. 3.18. If any man among you ſeem to be wiſe in this world, let him become a foole that he may be wiſe: who ever would be a wiſe man, (as a wiſe man he cannot be, if hee have not his part in Chriſt) he muſt lay aſide his ſerious and ſad deliberation, and communication with fleſh and blood, and all things in the way of God, that he thinkes will be prejudiciall, if any man be ſo wiſe, as to ſee this and that danger in a Chriſtian courſe, let him become a foole; elſe he ſhall never become a Chriſtian: if a man will be content to forſake all for Chriſt, he muſt firſt be a foole, and be content to bee counted a foole, and heare every carnall man to count him a foole. And I ſpeak not onelyonly of carnal and civill wiſdom, that, that only is to be denyed in this caſe, but common graces, which many times choakes all the hypocrites in the boſome of the Church; they are commonly choaked upon this point, upon theſe things they truſt, and doe therefore verily beleeve, that this and that intereſt, God hath in them, and they in God; becauſe they have received ſuch and ſuch gifts from him, and this is the caſe formerly mentioned, Matth. 7.22, 23. they pleaded their ſpirituall gifts, though common gifts, and ſuch as may be found in workers of iniquity, they prayed to God, a common gift; and they propheſied in his name, they had prophetical gifts; ſome meaſure of the ſpirit of miniſtery, and they were able to caſt out devills in Chriſts name; now when as men do truſt upon theſe, and ſettle themſelves upon ſuch a change, truly, hereby they looſe that power in Chriſt which elſe they might have had. Its a wonder to ſee what a change propheticall gifts will work in a man, 1 Sam. 10.10, 12. he, there Saul had a ſpirit of propheſie came upon him, and the people wondred at it, it works a ſtrange change in a man, and ſo in the next chap. the 19 and 23 ver. he propheſied til he came at ſuch a place, ſo that you ſhall ſee a man that is trained up in any good order, though ſometimes given to looſe company; when once God begins to poure into him any ſpirituall gift, to inlighten his mind, and to inlarge his affection, that hee begins to have ſome love to, and ſome joy in the Word, and ſome ſorrow in hearing of the Word, and ſome comfort in meditation: Its wonder to ſee what a change this will work in the ſpirit; he forthwith begins to abandon his looſe courſes, and ſets himſelfe to a more ſtrict courſe, then hee begins to ſee his acquiſite learning is but a ſmall matter to edification; hee prizes his ſpirituall gifts, and hee is able now to doe much; and when a mans heart is thus changed by propheticall gifts, it workes in a man ſuch confidence in his ſoule, that he thinkes all the Congregation ſhall periſh before he can periſh, and if Miniſters, may be thus deceived by common gifts and graces, how much more may their poor hearers bee deceived, when they by hearing the Word find ſuch comfort, and illumination, and inlargements, that they thereby finde a great change wrought in them; and yet if miniſters may bee ſo much deceived, in preſuming vainly of their good eſtate, which was not ſo, then much more common Chriſtians: Should any man preſume at Foelix his trembling, Act. 24.25. At Jehues zeale, 2 King. 10.16. At Ahabs humiliation, 1 King. 21.28, 29. At Herods joy in hearing, you know what became of all these, thoſe be graces of God, though but common graces, and if the Prophets were deceived, may not theſe be deceived alſo, that have neither Chriſt nor any part in him; and therefore a man that would bee ſure not to goe without Chriſt, nor without life in him; he muſt not truſt in any ſpirituall gift he hath received, though his mind be enlightened, ſometimes to feare, ſometimes to joy, to humiliation, to inlargement, to zealous reformation, yet reſt in none of theſe, for theſe you may have and yet want Chriſt, and life in him; common graces may and will deceive you, a man may have all theſe, and yet not prize Chriſt, at his cheifeſt good; he may have all theſe, and yet not worſhip him: Notwithſtanding all theſe, there may bee ſome iniquity in their hands for which cauſe God will not ſhew mercy to them: See and obſerve, if in the midſt of all theſe you do not worke ſome iniquity; they were workers of iniquity alwayes at the beſt, Matth. 7.23. you may be workers of iniquity, notwithſtanding all theſe; and therefore conſider if there be not ſome veine of pride, and hypocriſie, and covetouſneſſe, that cleaves faſt to your hearts, which you allow your ſelves in, which if you doe, theſe very gifts will bee your ſhip-wracke, your anchor will breake, and your ſhip will bee carryed away, and you fall downe in deſtruction; but ſee that your hearts bee cleane, and ſee that there bee not an ill thought or way that you allow your ſelves in, and if ſo, then your heart will lay hold upon God, and you will prize Chriſt, and then it is a ſigne thoſe gifts you have are not in hypocriſie; for in an hypocrite, they are alwayes found with ſome ſinne, which if a man doe not willfully ſhut his eyes againſt hee may ſee, for our Saviour ſpeakes of ſuch a ſinne in them, as the reſt of the people of God may know them to be counterfeits, from verſe 15 to 23. You ſhall know them by this, doe men gather grapes of thornes, or figges of thiſtles? have not they their ill haunts, but put away theſe from you, if you mean to have Chriſt.
Fifthly, If we would have Chriſt, and life in him, we may have him in Juſtification, but not in growth of Sanctification, if you part not with confidence in the ſaving graces of Gods Spirit, you muſt not looke to be juſtified by them, for if you doe you wil diſcover them not to be ſanctified graces, nor the fruits of them, the fruits of ſaving grace; Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing, if you looke to be ſaved by the righteouſneſſe of the Law, Gal. 5.3, 4. If therefore we thinke that for theſe graces ſake God accepts us, truly we looſe the things that we have wrought, and for all that we have received, we have no part nor portion in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, neither Abraham nor David hath whereon to …, Rom 4.4.18. But bleſſed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no ſinne, and in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile. Therein ſtands our bleſſedneſſe, when the Lord imputes not ſinne to us, but if we looke to be juſtified either by the gifts of grace we have received, or by the workes and acts of grace that we have performed, we ſhall certainly fall ſhort; Paul knew nothing wherein he had dealt unfaithfully, and yet was he not thereby juſtified, 1 Cor. 4.4. but he that juſtifies me is the Lord; and therefore if you truſt upon a gift, and thereby to be juſtified and accepted, you declare your graces to be but common, and ſuch as are but found among Hypocrites, and in this, the Papiſts have cauſe to groane under the burthen that lyes upon their religion, they by looking for ſalvation, and acceptance by common graces, doe plainly ſhew, that Chriſt profits them nothing.
And further, as you are not to truſt upon them for juſtification, ſo neither are you to truſt upon them for the life of your ſanctification, for though they be truly parts of ſanctification, faith, hope, love, patience, humility, and every other grace of God which flowes from our fellowſhip with the death of Chriſt, becauſe theſe are parts of our ſanctification, you may looke at them as precious tallents received from God, yet if you truſt in theſe, in preaching, or praying, or edefying your ſelves, or families, or neighbours, and that in the ſtrength of theſe you ſhall doe valiantly, and bring mighty things to paſſe, and be a fruitfull Chriſtian, you have truth of grace, ſound hearted ſaving grace, and you doubt not but God will carry you an end in a comfortable Chriſtian courſe; if ſo, you wil finde this to be true, that you wil want Chriſt in the quickning and inlarging, and thriving power of the life of your ſanctification, it cannot be but that where ſaving grace is, there is Chriſt; but you may have Chriſt and yet have but a dead Chriſt of him, he may be ſo dead in your ſpirit, that you ſhall cry out, O what a dead heart, and a dead ſpirit have I, and yet I doubt not but Chriſt is in my heart; true, it may be thou haſt received him, but Chriſt can tell how to lye dead, and to worke but little there where ſaving grace is layed up; and therefore the life of Chriſt is not a life of grace, but a life of faith. I live not by all my zeale and humility, and gifts of grace, for I might have all theſe, and make but dead work of them all; How then? By the faith of the Sonne of God, Gal. 2.20. It is one of the chiefeſt points that concernes our Chriſtian practiſe, and therefore I pray you conſider it;Note this. the life of Chriſtianity is not a life of wiſdome and graces, but of faith: if you would have Chriſt live in you, and live ſo that he may ſhew his life in you, you muſt then live by faith; that is, not only looke for your juſtification by faith in Chriſt, but looke for your ſanctification and conſolation from Chriſt by faith, that if you goe about any duty, goe not about it in the ſtrength of grace received, preach not, or pray not in the ſtrength of your knowledge, and love, and zeale, and humility, but go about them all in faith in Jeſus Chriſt, that is by comming to him, and being inwardly ſenſible, that unleſſe he put new life into us, and make new worke in our ſoules, we may have but a dead buſineſſe of it, all the graces of Gods Spirit in us but dead; and herein it is wonder to ſee ſometimes, how Gods ſervants are ſtraitned, all for want of the life of faith in their ſoules; if God cut ſhort with us, it is becauſe we doe not live in Chriſt, but in the ſpirit of grace, and think to walke by the ſtrength of grace received, we looſe by it, and ſpend of the ſtock of grace; and therefore remember that ſpeech, Eſa. 40.30, 31. They that waite on the Lord ſhall renew their ſtrength, to ſhew you your duty; it is a borrowed ſpeech from young men going out to warre, they goe out in the name of the Lord of Hoſts, as David went out againſt Goliah, 1 Sam. 17. If we waite upon the Lord, and be ſenſible of our owne Inſufficiency, and unworthineſſe of doing any Chriſtian duty, and not depend upon our owne ſufficiency, then we ſhall finde God lifting us up farre beyond all our owne apprehenſions; and gifts: God wil put a new life into us, and in this caſe even the weakeſt gifts of Gods ſervants are ſometimes much enlarged, and the ſame Chriſtians gifts farre more enlarged at ſome time, above what they are at another, only by waiting upon the Lord, and that puts life into our duties; therefore if you would finde Chriſt to be the life of your ſanctification, then you muſt put away all confidence in ſaving graces, they are not able to make you bring forth any one lively fruit of Sanctification, I mean in your owne eſtimation; and you wil have little comfort in it. There is in this caſe much difference between one Chriſtian and another, and between the ſame Chriſtian and himſelfe, at one time and another, according to his waiting on the Lord for the renewall of his ſtrength, therefore truſt not in any grace, if you doe, you wil want it when you ſtand in moſt need of it.