The Right Receiving of Christ, Preface · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
The love of our luſts, a hindrance from receiving Chriſt.
ANother maine hindrance to the receiving of Chriſt, is a love of our luſts, an inordinate love of our profits, pleaſures, credits, &c. Our luſts loved at all, our profits and pleaſures overloved, doe altogether hinder a man from receiving of Chriſt. A mans luſts muſt be caſt out, if Chriſt be received in. Now mens luſts are deare to them, men are ſtrongly bewitcht with them, and they will never endure to receive Chriſt upon ſuch termes, as to turne their luſts going. When Chriſt is once received for the husband, there muſt be a bill of Divorce given to all theſe, and they muſt be packt out. That's death to a carnall heart to doe ſo, he can as eaſily die as doe it, and therefore will rather refuſe to receive Chriſt, then he will receive him upon ſuch harſh termes. When it was propounded to the Roman Emperour to receive Chriſt for a God, the Senate refuſed to doe it, becauſe they underſtood if he were received as a God, he onelyonly muſt be received, and no other with him, all other gods muſt downe, if they received him: upon the very ſame ground it is that men doe not receive Chriſt into their hearts; becauſe they ſee that if Chriſt be received, their luſts muſt out of doores, and Chriſt alone muſt have their hearts. Chriſt will not be received by us whileſt the roomes of our hearts are taken up by baſe and ſinfull luſts. As when he was borne, he was faine to be in the ſtable, becauſe no roome for him in the Inne, Luk. 2. 7. So if we make, and will have our hearts common Innes, and receptacles for luſts to harbour and lodge them, How long ſhall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee? Jer. 4. 14. Chriſt cannot, will not be received, becauſe there is no Roome for him. What was the reaſon Diatrephes would not receive John, but becauſe he loved to have the preheminence? 3 John 9. Luſts love to have the preheminence in the heart, and therefore keepe out Chriſt from being received, becauſe if he be received, they muſt loſe their preheminence, and they had as lieve loſe their lives as that. So it is alſo in the inordinate love of the world, and our profits. It was a faire offer which was made to them, Luk. 14. Come; for all things are ready: Receive Chriſt tendred to you in the Goſpel, and yee ſhall receive with him all things your ſoules can deſire. And yet they received not Chriſt in that offer, and all becauſe their oxen, and their farmes inordinately loved, drew their hearts another way. It is ſo in the caſe of credit and reſpect in the world, inordinately reſpected. Chriſt is offered to many a man in the world, but he ſtickes at receiving him. What is the matter? Oh, ſayes he, If I receive him, I ſhall receive but little credit by it in the world, nay, I ſhall loſe credit and reſpect amongſt my friends. If I might receive Chriſt, and credit both, I could then receive him; but becauſe if Chriſt be received my credit will be gone, therefore I will none, I will not meddle. Our Saviour charging thoſe with this ſinne of not receiving him, Joh. 5. 43. I am come in my Fathers name, and yee receive mee not, doth there ſhew this very thing to be the reaſon of their not receiving him, ver. 44. How can yee beleeve which receive honour one of another? As if he had ſaid, I complaine that yee receive mee not; and indeed it is no wonder yee receive me not, when yee receive honour one of another, that is, you deſire to have credit, reſpect, eſteeme, and good opinion one of another. You ſee if any one receive me, all his fellows will hate him, ſcorne, ſleight, and diſ-eſteeme him, and you ſtand ſo much upon your honour and credit, one amongſt another, that it is impoſſible for you thus inordinately affected to your credit, ever to receive me. So that if ever wee would receive Chriſt, we muſt caſheire all our luſts, ſend them packing. Wee muſt renounce all our carnall luſts, worldly luſts, and ſee more gaine to be received in receiving Chriſt, then in all the Oxen and Farmes in the world. Be willing to ſacrifice thy credit and eſteeme in the world, and be content to be the reproach of the world, ſo thou mayeſt but receive, and enjoy him.