Milk for Babes in Christ, Sermon 1

Milk for Babes in Christ · Sermon 1

p. 83THE GLORIOUS PRIVILEDGES of them that are CHRISTS.

Sermon. I.

Gal. 3.29.

And if ye be Christs, then are ye Abrahams Seed, and heirs according to the Promise.

THis Epistle to the Galatians, is as it were an Epitome or sum of the Epistle to the Romans; In both which Epistles, the Apostles chief aim is to cleer the Doctrine of Justification freely by Grace, without the works of the p. 84Law, and in this chap. 3. v. 6. sheweth how Abraham believed, and and it was accounted unto him for righteousness; it, that is to say, the righteousness of Christ was accounted unto him for righteousness, and v. 7. Know ye, saith he, that those who are of faith, the same are the children of faithful Abraham; those who are of the Law, are not Abrahams Seed, nor heirs according to the promise; and v. 18. there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, but ye are all one in Christ Jesus; the business is not whether ye shall be Jews or Gentiles, bond, or free, male, or female; but the great business to enquire after is, whether you be Christs, and if indeed ye be Christs, then saith he, Ye are Abrahams Seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The Doctrine is this:

That all Divine Priviledges, Heaven, and Happiness, belong to them that are Christs, and to them onelyonly.

For the opening of this truth, I shall shew you,

1. What it is to be Christs. — Secondly why divine Priviledges, heaven and happiness, belongs to them that are Christs, and to them onelyonly.

3. Shew what are the Glorious Priviledges of those that are Christs.

4. Shew you how you may know whether you are Christs or no.

p. 855. Make use of this point.

For the first, What it is to be Christs,

This is held forth in the Scripture by being,

1. Christs seed. The Prophet Isaiah speaking of Christ, saith he, When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed; he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands; now saith the Apostle, If you be Christs, if you be Christs seed, then are you of the spiritual seed of Abraham, and heirs according to the promise.

2. Christs children; Behold I and the children that God hath given me; as if the Apostle had told the Galatians, All your works, performances, own righteousness, will never bring you to the inheritance of the Saints in light; but if you be Christs, if you be Christs children, if Christ be formed in you, if ye be children of that everlasting father, and prince of Peace, then ye are heirs, Heb. 2.13. Isai. 9.6.

3. Christs Brethren; both he that sanctifyeth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one; wherfore, saith the Apostle, He is not ashamed to call them Brethren, (Heb. 2.11.) The Saints are called Christs brethren; the blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is their Father; as the Lord Jesus said to Mary before his Ascension, Go to my Brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, (Joh. 20.17.) Now saith the Apostle, If you be Christs, p. 86that is to say, Christs Brethren, that so you and Christ have all one Father, and so you are sons, why as the Apostle saith, If sons, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, that is to say, co-heirs with the Lord Jesus our Elder brother.

4. Christs Church and spouse; the Church is the Bride, the Lambs Wife, (Rev, 19.7 c. 21.9.) the Church of the first-born, they are the heirs according to the promise; as if the Apostle had said, If ye be dead to the Law, and are married unto another Husband, even to him who was raised from the dead, (Rom. 7.4.) that is the Lord Jesus, that so you are Christs spouses, then you shall have that immortal crown of Glory, else you will never have it.

5. Christs sheep; my sheep saith Christ, hear my voice, (Joh. 10.27) If you be Christs sheep, if you be of that little flock to whom its the fathers pleasure to give the kingdom, then you are blessed men and women, then you are heirs indeed.

6. Christs people; Matth. 1.21. you read of Christs people; the men of the world, they have their portion in this life, spend their days in pleasure, and leave their substance unto their Babes, but in a moment they go down to the grave, and then they are turned into Hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire goeth not out; but if ye be Christs, if you are the people of p. 87Jesus, then you are heir according to the promise, saith the Text, You shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ.

7. Christs servants; The devil hath his servants, the world hath his servants, and the lusts of the flesh have thair servants; there is never a lust but hath abundance of servants in the world, lust pride hath abundance of servants, lust-covetousness, lust-envy, lust-gluttony, lust-wantonness; hence the Apostle speaketh of serving divers lusts; the man or woman that is drawn away with these lusts, he is the servant, and the lust is the Master, (Tit. 3.3.) but saith the Apostle, We serve the Lord Christ; and if ye be Christs servants, then you are heirs. In this world you may be a mans servant, and yet not be his heir; but if you be Christs servants, you are Christs heirs.

8. Christs house; the Saints are Christs house, Heb. 3.6. and although wicked men say they love the House of God, meaning a place of Lime and stones; yet they love not the true house of God, where he dwelleth, which is the Saints, who are the habitations of God through the Spirit, Eph. 2.22. of whom God saith, He will dwell in them and walk in them. Now if ye be of Christs house, of this houshold of Faith, of Christs family, then are ye heirs.

p. 88The second thing, Why all divine priviledges, Heaven and happiness, belong to them that are Christs, and why not to them that are of the Law. First, Why they belong to the one. Secondly, Why they belong not to the other.

For the first, Why they belong to the one.

Reason. 1. Because the Lord Jesus hath purchased all divine priviledges, Heaven and Happiness for his; therefore Heaven is called the purchased possession; Christ hath purchased remission of sins, faith and eternal life for them, which in the appointed season they shal receive. Fathers lay up for their own children, though not for others, husbands provide for their own wives, though not for others; the Lord Jesus hath purchased an inheritance undefiled, which fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for his children.

Reas. 2. Because Christ is theirs; he that hath the son, hath life; all divine priviledges, life and glory must needs belong to them that have the son, that have union with Christ, that have him dwelling in their hearts by Faith; no Christ, no Heaven; no Christ, no happiness, no Glory, no inheritance among those that are sanctified by faith that is in him; but if you be Christs, and Christ yours, yours is the kingdom of Heaven.

Reas. 3. Because we are the children of p. 89God by Faith in Jesus Christ, Gal. 3.26. and if children, then we must needs be heirs. Rom. 8.17.

Secondly, Why divine priviledges, Heaven and happiness, do not belong to them that are of the Law, seeing that they may do so many good works for the matter.

Reas. 1. Because that there is no way of being heirs, but according to the promise, as you have it in the Text; and Gal. 3.18. saith the Apostle, If the inheritance be of the Law, its no more of promise; as if the Apostle had said, If it be of the Law and works, it cannot be of freegrace, and the promise; but saith he, God gave it to Abraham by promise; therefore saith the Apostle, Gal. 4.28. we as Isaac was, are the children of the promise; We, that is to say, we that are heirs, and co-heirs with Christ; and in the same chapter saith he, Abraham had two sons, the one born of a bond woman, the other of a free-woman: now he that was born of the bond-woman was after the flesh; but he that was born of the free woman was by promise. And at the last verse saith he, Cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman; No, he must not be heir, he cannot be heir, because there is no other way of being heirs but according to the promise, that is to say, according to the promise of life in p. 90Christ Jesus; and therefore if there be never such alteration in men, never so much Reformation, be they never so strict in their conversatitions, framing themselves never so much according to the Law, yet this will not make them heirs; that must be freely, and onelyonly by grace; if ye be heirs, ye must be children of Promise.

Reas. 2. Because the Law cannot give life; saith the Apostle, (Gal. 3.21.) If there had been a Law given that could have given life, verily righteousness had been by the Law; but there is no Law that can give life, but the Law of life in Christ Jesus, which maketh us free from the Law of sin and death; the Law of Moses is called the Law of death, Rom. 8.2.

Reas. 3. Those that are of the Law cannot be heirs, because as the Apostle saith, Gal. 3.10. as many as are of the Law, are under the curse; They are so far from being heirs of life and glory, that notwithstanding all their obedience and conformity to the Law, yet they are under the curse; for saith the Apostle, its written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing that is written in the Book of the Law to do it: so that to those that are under the Law, the Law saith, Man or woman, thou art accursed because thou hast not done every thing that I require, and if thou hast failed in one point, thou art guilty of all; O therefore, in what a p. 91miserare condition are those that have not the Lord Jesus as a City of refuge to flie unto, and so to make answer unto the Law and say, O Law, indeed I have nor continued in every thing that thou requirest; and yet I am not accursed; for my dear Saviour hath taken away thy curse from me, by being made a curse for me; by whom I am as righteous before God as if I had never sinned, he being made of God unto me Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, (1 Cor. 1.30.) And the Prophet Isaiah speaking of those that are Christs, saith he, Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength; unto him shall men come, and in him shall all the house of Israel be justified, and shall glory, (Isa. 45. ult) Those that are of the Law, comfort themselves and say, Surely there is a great change in my life, and surely I have abundance of righteousness in my self; but do those that are Christs, fetch their comfort and their hope of glory from their observance of the Law, and their own Righteousness? No, but surely shall one, every one that is Christs, say, In the Lord have I righteousness; in my self I am a sinful creature, but in the Lord Jesus have I righteousness; he is the Lord my righteousness; and it followeth, In him shall all the house of Israel be justified; Justified in him, not by the Law, but as the Apostle saith, By him whosoever believeth, shall be justified p. 92from all that he could not be justified from by the Law of Moses.

The third is, To shew you the great happiness and glorious priviledges of those that are Christs.

I. If ye be Christs seed, and Christs children.

1. You shall endure for ever; David speaking of Christ, saith, His seed shall endure for ever, (Psal. 89.29.)

2. Christs seed and children are never left and forsaken of God, which is a glorious priviledge indeed, that the great God of Heaven and earth will never leave them nor forsake them; in the same Psalm saith David, If his children, that is Christs children, forsake my Law, and walk not in my judgements, if they break my Statutes, and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their iniquity; Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take away, nor suffer my faithfulness to faile, (Psal. 89.30, 31, 32, 33.) Now what a blessed condition are Christs children in? when they sin, the Lord will visit their transgression with a rod; he will for their good chasten them; but yet his loving-kindness he will not utterly take away; still God loveth them as well as ever, and he will not cast them off, he will not forsake them; the Lord Christ doth not carry himself to his children as the ship Carpenter doth with the ship; when p. 93once he hath built it, he puts it unto the Sea, and leaveth it to the storms, and tempests, and rocks; and he leaveth it and looketh no more after it; I say the Lord doth not thus with those that are his; he doth not give them faith and knowledge of himself, and so leave the soul to the assaults and fiery darts of the devil, and the corruption of his own heart: but the Lord himself is in the ship, and he will not leave nor forsake the poor soul, but will be his guide even unto death: he will be the Pilot in the ship, that wil secure the ship in all storms and tempests; for the winds and the sea obey him; and he will keep it out of the danger of the rocks, and by the gales of his spirit, the ship of the believers soul shall sail safely; till it arrive at the Land of Canaan, the promised Land, of which its an heir, by being one of the children of the King of Glory, the Lord Jesus.

II. If ye be Christs brethren also, ye are in a blessed condition; for

1. To have him who is God equal with the Father, the fellow of the Lord of Hosts, to be our brother, must needs be a great priviledge; to have one of the Angels to be our brother, were a high priviledge; but to have the Lord Jesus, in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily, to have such a neer relation unto him, is a high priviledge.

2. To have him who was sent to seek and to p. 94save that which was lost, to have him for our brother, then to be sure we shall be sought out, and be saved by him; what a priviledge is this?

3. To have him for our Brother who hath all things put into his hand, who hath all power given him in heaven and in earth, this must needs be a great priviledge; as now, when Jacobs sons went to buy corn in Egypt, what a great priviledge was it that they had a Brother Joseph, that was great in the land, that had the disposing of all things? so its with Jesus Christ; the Father hath put the mannagement of all things into his hands, he is the Judge of the quick and the dead; and that he should be your Brother! But at present its with some of Christs brethren as it was with Josephs Brethren; a great while they did not know that Joseph was their Brother, until he manifested himself to them; and in that day when the Lord Jesus shall manifest himself to you and say, I am your Brother, you are in that neer and dear relation unto me, to be my brethren, O then this will appear wonderful to you; and it may be in allusion unto Josephs manifesting himself and his name unto his Brethren doth the Lord Iesus our spiritual Joseph say, Heb. 2.11. I will manifest my name unto my Brethren; what joy will there be in the hearts of Christs Brethren in that day?

III. If you be Christs Spouses, then also you p. 95have many glorious Priviledges, As

1. All Suits are comment't against the Husband; if a woman be never so much in debt, yet when once she is married, she cannot be sued; but her husband, he must answer for all her debts; so if thou beest Christs spouse, married to him, though thou owest never so much, and the Law come and accuse, yet thou maist say, Go to my husband Christ, and he will answer for me.

2. It must needs be a glorious priviledge to be Christs Spouse, because Christ maketh his Spouse a great Ioynture; the poorest Saint hath a greater joynture then ten thousand worlds; he hath heaven that glorious inheritance. You think many Kings and Noblemen make their wives great Ioyntures; O nothing to the Ioynture that the Lord Iesus maketh his Spouses.

3. You have the heir of all things for your husband, Christs Spouses have not a poor husband, but one that is heir of all things; now when the husband is rich, the wife is rich; she hath an interest in her husbands riches; so hath the spouse of Christ; she is rich in the riches of Christ.

4. The Spouses of Christ have a great portion; the Lord himself is their portion, who is an everlasting portion; other portions may be spent, but the Lord is an everlasting portion.

p. 965. They that are Christs Spouses have the fairest of ten thousand for their husband; the Spouse in the Canticles, saith of the Lord Iesus, her Husband, His countenance is most sweet, yea he is altogether lovely, this is my beloved, and this is my friend, one that is fairer then the children of men; he hath grace poured into his lips. Cant. 5.10, 16. Psal. 45.

6. They that are Christs Spouses, have a husband that hath dear love and affections to them; when a woman is married, if she have a dear and loving husband, she accounts it a great happiness, and it maketh that relation very comfortable. If you be Christs, if you be his Spouses, you have a husband whose love is infinitely beyond the love of all the husbands in the world; therefore saith the Apostle, Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved his Church, and gave himself for it, (Eph. 5.25.) And in another place, Who loved me, and gave himself for me; In this world many marry upon slender grounds of love, but all Christs Spouses have infinite testimony of his love; the Spouse of Christ cannot say A bloody husband thou hast been to me, but rather may the Lord Christ say, A bloody wife hast thou been to me; it cost me the warmest blood in my heart to deliver thee from wrath to come; if there should be a poor woman very unhandsome, much in debt, and a Kings son should come and pay all her debts, p. 97and marry her, he would express abundance of love to that woman; yet this would be short of Christs love. The Lord Jesus doth not marry for portion, as most of the sons of men do; but he marrieth poor beggars, poor and blind, and naked, that have not a wedding garment till he put it on; neither doth the Lord Jesus marry for beauty, as many of the children of men do; but the Fairest of ten thousand marrieth poor blackamoors; here's pure love; thus Christs Spouses have large testimony of Christs infinite love, which is a great priviledge.

4. If ye be Christs Church, then you have glorious priviledges by it; also you shall have them set down in the Ephesians. Eph 5.23.

1. You have Christ to be your head; Christ he is the head of the Church, your head is in Heaven.

The head is the seat of care, and contriveth for the good of the body, (Eph. 5.23.) so the Church of Christ; they may-cast their care upon the Lord Christ their head, for he careth for them; the father hath not left the good of his people to the care of Angels, but hath trusted Jesus Christ with it, who is their head.

2. If you be Christs Church, the Lord Jesus, the Apostle saith, will sanctifie you and cleanse you with the washing of water by the word, and present you to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinckle, or any such thing, but p. 98holy and without blemish, (Eph. 5.26, 27.) and is not this a great priviledge, not to be left in your sins, but to be sanctified in Christ Jesus, and to be made holy as he is holy?

3. The Lord Jesus is dear over his Church; hence saith the Apostle, no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but loveth it and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church; the Lord Iesus cherisheth his Church in his bosome, he carrieth them in his bosome, and is dear over them, Eph. 5.29.

5. If ye be Christs shep, then

Priviledge 1. Iesus Christ knoweth you; saith Christ, I am the good shepheard that know my sheep, and I am known of mine, (Joh. 10.17.) though one that is Christs, be never so poor, live in never such a by-corner, yet the son of God and the Angels of Heaven know him, and have communion and acquaintance with him, and he with them; though the great ones of the world take no notice of thee, yet the son of God doth, and knoweth thee by name.

Priv 2. Iesus Christ giveth them eternal life; My sheep saith Christ, hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man be able to pluck them out of my hands (Joh. 10.27, 28,) Here's a glorious priviledge, that though so many perish and die in their sins, yet you shall never perish; p. 99when the Goats shall be set on the left hand, and Christ shall say unto them, Go ye cursed into everlasting hell fire, (Matth. 25.) then you that are Christs, you that are his sheep, shall be set on his right hand, and he will say unto you, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

Priv. 3. You that are Christs sheep, have an excellent shepheard; the Lord Iesus therefore is called the great shepheard of the sheep, (Heb. 13.) and saith the Prophet Isaiah, He shall feed his flock like a shepheard, he shall gather the Lambs in his arms, and shall gently lead them that are with young, (Isa 45.11.) the poor weak Lambs of Christ shall be carried in his arms and bosom; he will be tender over you.

6. If ye be Christs, if you be his servants, that ye serve the Lord Christ, you have many glorious priviledges; for

Priv. 1. His service is perfect freedom, the service of Christ is no bondage nor slavery; his commandments are not grievous, but his yoak is easie and his burden is light, (Matth. 11. ult.) that soul that is Christs servant, is guided by the royal law of liberty.

Priv. 2. Where Iesus Christ the blessed Lord of life is, there shall they be to all eternity, as Christ saith, Where I am, there shall also my p. 100servant be, (Ioh. 12.26.) and what a great priviledge is this to be where Christ is, to behold his glory? that when the servants of the devil shall be in the bottomless pit with him, the servants of Christ shall be where he is, in whose presence there is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore; and saith the Lord (Isa 65.13.) Behold my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold my servants shall rejoyce, but ye shall be ashamed. Mark, my servants shall drink, that is to say, I have an everlasting banquet for them when they shall have a feast of fat things, of Wine on the Lees well refined, when I will say, eat O friends, yea drink abundantly, O my beloved! but saith he, Ye shall be thirsty, ye shall lie in the flames of devouring fire, and as it was with Dives, ye shall cry for one drop of water to cool your tongues; and it followeth, Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howle for vexation of Spirit; as if he had said, When my servants shall be glorified in Heaven, and see their names written in the book of life, then shall the world of the ungodly lie howling in utter darkness, where is weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

Priv. 3. Christs servants have the great God of heaven and earth to honour them, this is a glorious priviledge, Christ himself said it, If any p. 101man serve me, him will my Father honour, (Ioh. 12.26.) as he said, What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour? but then what shall be done to the man whom the great God of Heaven will honour? God will honour his servants unto all eternity, though the world despise them, yet he will honour them for ever to spend eternity with him; yea he honoureth them in this world. You would think it a great honour to you, if some Nobleman or Knight should come to your houses, and be with you a few days; why; the great God dwelleth with his people, and taketh up his abode with them; O what an honour is this!

7. They that are Christs people, have many glorious priviledges, as

Priv. 1. They are a blessed people; Blessed saith David, are the people that are in such a a case, who have the Lord for their God; however the men of the world look upon the people of Iesus as the off scouring of all things, yet they are blessed men and women, and would not change their condition with the greatest Emperour in the world that is none of Christs.

Priv. 2. Christs people are saved from their sins, as Matth. 1.21. He shall save his people from their sins, saith that Scripture, that though they have committed as many sins as they have hairs on their heads, which cannot be … p. 102yet the blood of Iesus cleanseth them from all their sins, they are saved from all their sins; now saith David, blessed is the man whose iniquity is pardoned, whose sin is covered, (Psal. 32.1.) what a happy condition are the people of Iesus in, that though their iniquities be sought for, they cannot be found? for the Lord Iesus our Scape-Goat hath carried them into the land of forgetfulness; and Psal. 85.2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, and thou hast covered all their sins; not one sin, but all their sins; and Isa. 40.1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people saith God, speak comfortably unto Ierusalem, say unto her that her iniquity is pardoned.

Priv. 3. They have the blessing of Heaven upon them; saith David, Thy blessing is upon thy people, (Psal. 3. ult.) though they do not enjoy so much of the world as others do; yet that which is better then ten thousand worlds, they have the blessing of God upon them, they have the blessing of God upon their souls, they have the blessings out of Sion, those spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ, and they have the blessing of God, and taste the love of God in that little they enjoy of the world.

Priv. 4. The Lord will speak peace to his people; saith David, I will hear what the Lord will say, for he will speak peace to his people, and to his Saints, (Psal. 85.8.) What a blessed thing p. 103is this, when the Law and our own Consciences tell us we have committed a thousand sins, and the wages of sin is death, that now the Lord speaketh peace and saith, I am thy salvation? the people of Jesus onelyonly have that peace of God which passeth all understanding, that even when they are most sensible of their own vileness and sinfulness, and see themselves to be the greatest of sinners, that yet even then I say, they have joy and peace in believing; those that are of the Law say to their duties and performances and good works, ye are our peace; but say the people of Jesus, The Lord Christ he is our peace: and they have peace spoken to their consciences by the blood of Jesus, as David saith, The Lord will bless his people with peace; the Lord blesseth many of the world with riches, and honour, and children; but he blesseth his people with peace, with the injoyment of himself, with peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost, Psal. 29.11.

Priv. 5. They are Christs favourites; therefore saith David, Remember me with that favour thou bearest to thy own people, (Psal. 106.4.) O thats a great favour. You think that they are happy men that are favourites of the Kings and great ones of the world; Nay, but the poorest Saint, though he be despised in the world, yet he is one of the God of Heavens favourites; and what a blessed thing is this? if you be Christs p. 104people, you are Christs favourites. You think what a great happiness it were if you were in such a ones favour and love; alas, you may be in their favour and love to day, & out to morrow; but the Lord loveth with an everlasting love; once in his favour, ever in his favour; once beloved of him, and ever beloved of him. (Jer. 31.3.)

Priv. 5. The Lord will never leave them nor forsake them. Psal. 94.14. The Lord will not cast off his people; you that are Christs people, though you have so many weaknesses and corruptions, yet here is matter of everlasting consolation to you, the Lord will not cast off his people; and is not this a glorious priviledge?

8. If ye be Christs, the exceeding large and precious promises of the Gospel belong to you; the promises of the Gospel all are Yea and Amen, in Christ, to all that are his. It were a glorious priviledge to have interest in one of the promises; but to have interest in all the promises, is very glorious, as in that promise, Jer. 31. I will write my Laws in their hearts, and put my fear in their hearts, and they shall never depart from me; and that in Ezech. 36. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, &c. and Hos. 14.4. I will heal their back-slidings; and Heb. 8. towards the end, I will be mercisul p. 105unto their unrighteousness, and I will remember their fins no more. Those that are Christs, are rich in the promise, though they be poor in possession.

9. If ye be Christs, you are Abrahams seed; though ye are not circumcised as he was, yet you are of the spiritual seed of Abraham, who saw Christs day afar off, and was glad.

10. Heirs according to the promise, heirs of the grace of life; you shall be made partakers of the inheritancs of the Saints in light, though some of you now be Saints in darkness, yet you shall one day be Saints in light; though you now walk in darkness and see no light; yet the Lord will be your everlasting light, and ere long the days of your mourning shall be ended, and all tears wiped from your eys; though these heirs according to the promise at present, are cut short, yet they shall shortly enjoy that inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, which fadeth not away; its reserved in Heaven for them.

11. In a word, to let you see that the happiness of those that are Christs, is very great, let me direct you to that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 3.22.23. All are yours, and ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods; all are yours if you be Christs, whither Paul or Apollos, saith the Apostle; all the gifts that Iesus Christ hath given to men, are for your edification and consolation; and not onelyonly mens gifts, but saith the Apostle, the world too, O ye p. 106sons and daughters of Sion, the world is yours, though you enjoy so little of it; but if the Lord saw it good for you, there is nothing in the whole world but you should have it; and things present, and things to come, all are yours; there is much in those words, things to come; that holdeth out Heavens glory and all the enjoyments there; and though Saints are at present cut short, yet they may ground upon this, that the Lord will do them that good that is most for their good.

The fourth thing; you have shown us the great happiness and glorious priviledge; O but how shall we know whither we are Christs.

I. Would you know whither you are Christs seed and Christs children?

1. Are you of those that honour the Lord Iesus in your hearts, and in your lives; If I be a father, where is my honour? if you be the children of that Antient of days, you will honour him I say in your hearts and in your lives.

2. If you be the children of Christ, you can approve of him and his ways; Christ saith, Wisdom, that is himself, is justified of her children; though the world speak ill of Christ and his blessed ways, yet wisdoms children will justifie him and his wayes, that his wayes are wayes of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace, that as the Martyr said, None but Christ, none but Christ, and as David said of Goliahs sword, p. 107there is none to that, so saith a believer, there is none to Christ; whom have I in Heaven but thee, and whom do I desire on earth besides thee?

II. Would you know whether you are Christs brethren? the Lord Iesus tells us who are his brethren, Matth. 12.50. He that doth the will of my father, he is my brother and sister; you Davids that delight to do the will of God, the will of God goeth far; this is the will of God, that you should believe on his son Iesus Christ, and love one another; and again in another place saith the Apostle, This is the will of God, even your sanctification. Now they that do the will of God aright, do the will of God because it's the will of God; they do not pray, hear, give to the poor, thinking to make a ladder to Heaven of their own works; but saith one that is Christs, I pray, hear, give to the poor, because this is the will of my God concerning me, who hath created me in Christ Iesus unto good works which God before ordained that I should walk in them; and because I am saved freely by his Grace, therefore I desire to abound in every good work to do his will.

III. Would you know whether you are Christs people, and have those glorious priviledges belonging to you, that belong to those that are Christs people?

1. Christs people are a peculiar people; the p. 108Lord Jesus hath purchased them to himself to be a peculiar people, (1 Pet. 2.9. Tit. 2.14.) As it was said of Caleb and Joshua, that they were men of another spirit, its true of all the people of Jesus, they are men and women of another spirit then is in the world; as the Apostle saith in the Corinthians, We, faith he, have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; thus are they a peculiar people; they have a peculiar spirit, which in the Scripture is called a new spirit; the people of Jesus have peculiar experiences, peculiar hopes, peculiar aims, peculiar desires, peculiar language.

2. A holy people; therefore they are called the people of his holiness; the Lord Jesus will not suffer his people to walk in the vanity of their minds, and to have their conversation according to the course of this world, but he traineth them up in mortification and holiness, till they come to be holy as he is holy, and the Lord Christ doth make sin so hateful to them that are his, that they desire as well that their sins may die as that their souls may live; they desire as well that their sins may be destroyed as that their souls may be saved.

3. If you be Christs people, you will be a willing people, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power; though before they would not come to Christ that they might have life, yet when the day of Christs p. 109power cometh, then they are made of unwilling, willing; though Paul was such an enemy to Christ a great while, yet when the day of Christs power cometh, then he is willing; Lord, saith he, what wilt thou have me to do? as if he had said, Now thou hast conquered my will, and made me now willing to believe, to be obedient to thee; If you belong to Christ, you that are most averse to Christ, and say he shall not reign over you, yet you shall by the power of Christ be made willing to have Christ for your onelyonly Saviour and King, to rule in your hearts; you will be willing to sell all to buy that pearl of great price, and count all things but loss and dung, that you may win Christ, and be found in him; you will be willing to have all your lusts subdued and destroyed.

IV. Would you know whether you are Christs Spouses?

1. Christs Spouses have precious thoughts of Christ, Cant. 5.10, 14. You shall see what precious thoughts of Christ the Spouse had; saith she, He is white and ruddy, the fairest of ten thousand; you that have low thoughts of Christ, and see no beauty in him wherefore you should desire him, you are not yet married to Christ, you have not yet lien in the bosome of the Lord Jesus.

2. If you be Christs Spouses, you have dear love and affections unto Christ. O what dear p. 110love to Christ had the Spouse! saith she, thy love is better then wine; and because of the savour of thy oyntments, thy name is as oyntment powred forth, therefore do the virgins lovethee; the Spouses of Christ love him not onelyonly because of the good they have by him, but they see that excellency in Christ, and personall beauty in him, that though they should never be the better for Christ, yet they could not but love him.

3. Christs Spouses love the presence of Christ much, as a good wife loveth to have her husband at home with her; she could be content to fare hardly, go meanly, that she might but enjoy her husbands company; so 'tis with the Spouses of Christ; they could be content not to have in this world whereon to lay their heads, so they might but enjoy more of Christs presence, as Luther said, I had rather be in Hell with Christ, then in Heaven without him; a Spouse of Christ had rather be in poverty with Christ, then in riches without him; had rather be in disgrace with Christ, then to be in honour without him; as the same Luther said sweetly, I had rather fall with Christ then stand with Caesar.

4. Christs Spouses are subject unto Christ, as Sarah was subject unto Abraham, obeyed him and called him Lord; therefore saith the Apostle, as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let wives be to their own husbands.

p. 111V. Would you know whether you are Christs sheep?

1. Christs sheep know him. I, saith Christ, know my sheep, and am known of mine, (Joh. 10.16.) You that have no knowledge of Christ, that know no more of Christ then you do what's done now in the farthest part of the world, can you say you are Christs sheep? and when the Lord Jesus saith, He is known of his sheep, his sheep have not meerly a head, but a heart-knowledge of Christ, not a notional, but an experimental knowledge of Christ; not an informing onelyonly, but a transforming knowledge of him; they have an experimental knowledge of him and the power of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

2. Christs sheep hear his voice, as Christ himself saith, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, (Joh. 10.27.) you cannot know aright that you are Christs sheep, unless you have heard his voice behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, (Isa. 30.20, 21.) the Lord Jesus cryeth out to the soul that is walking in the broad way that leadeth to destruction, and saith, Thou art out of the way; he showeth the soul that the path of prophaness is not the path of life; but the spirit convinceth the soul of sin, and that the end of that path will be death and ruine to the soul; and then whereas the soul would p. 112then think that if he reform and amend his life, he might be happy: no saith that voice, that will not do it, but this is the way; I, saith the voice, am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me.

3. If you be Christs sheep, you are followers of Christ, as the Lord Jesus saith, My sheep hear my voyce, and I know them, and they follow me, (Joh. 10.27.) The poor Saints that hear the sweet voice and calls of Christ, cannot choose but follow him; therefore when the Lord Jesus calleth us out of darkness into his marveilous light, he taketh off that load of sin that lay upon our shoulders, opens the prison door, and saith, Follow me; The believer saith to Christ as …th said to Orphah, where thou goest, I will go, where thou lodgest I will lodge, where thou diest I will die; (Ruth. 1.16, 17.) and as Peter to Christ, Lord, whither should I go? thou onelyonly hast the words of eternal life; what should I go from thee to Moses? O no, my sweet Saviour! Should I go from thee to the world? O no, my sweet Saviour; thou onelyonly art able to justifie me, save me to the utmost; thou onelyonly art able to comfort me, strengthen me, and make glad my heart.

VI. Would you know whither you are Christs servants?

1. Then you obey the Lord Jesus; his servants you are to whom you obey, whither of sin p. 113unto death, or of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life; O consider, whom do you obey in the whole course of your lives, God or men; Christ or Belial; for his servants you are, to whom ye obey; therefore saith Christ, why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say, as if he had said, Its in vain so to do; how many of you are common swearers, yet you will call Christ Lord, and profess to be his servants; but its in vain; why do not you do the things which he saith, if you be his servants? he saith, Swear not at all.

2. If you be Christs servants, you are imployed in his work, as the Apostle said, for me to live is Christ; you live to do Christs work and business in the world; you see and know you are not your own, but Christs; and therefore desire as you live by Christ, so to live to Christ and for Christ, as well as hereafter with Christ.

VII. Would you know whether you be Christs? if you be Christs, sin hath not dominion over you; Gal. 5.24. They that are Christs, have crucifyed the flesh with the affections and lusts; sin cannot have dominion where its crucified, and its crucified in all that are Christs; its with sin in those that are Christs, as it was with those beasts we read of in Daniel; their dominion is taken away though their lives be prolonged for a season, though some corruption remains, yet none raigns.

p. 114VIII. Those that are Christs, bear something of his image and likeness, as Christ said to the Pharisees, Whose image and superscription is this? Caesars say they, then saith Christ, give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods: O consider whether you have Christs image stampt upon you.

IX. If you be Christs, his children, brethren, spouses, people, as we have shown, I say then you wil rejoyce more that you are Christs, then if you had ten thousand worlds; it was the Spouses song, Cant. 2, 16. My beloved, that is, Christ, is mine and I am his, I count my self saith a Saint, more happy that I can say Christ is mine then if I could say all the world is mine; and that I am Christs, is a comfort to me in all conditions, temptations, afflictions.

X. Would you know whether you be Christs? You may certainly know it by this. If you be Christs, you have the spirit of Christ Rom 8.9. He that hath not the spirit of Christ, is none of his, and I pray mark what I say in the name of the Lord this day to you that mock and jeer at the Spirit, and tell the Saints in scorn and derision that they pray by the Spirit, and speak by the spirit: why what will become of you, and what do you think of your selves, if you have not the Spirit of Christ? the Apostle saith, you are none of his. Go home therefore and consider, p. 115What have I done in reproaching men for praying, and prophecying in the Spirit? if I my self have not the Spirit of Christ, I am none of his; and you that mock so at the Spirit, do you think you have yet received the Spirit.

Quaere. But how shall I know whither I have the Spirit of Christ?

Answ. 1. If thou hast the Spirit of Christ, thou art throughly convinc't of sin by that Spirit; for that Spirit convinceth of sin; O thou that hast the Spirit of Christ, hast not thou been convinc't of thy own sinfulness and wretchedness, and saw thy great need of Christ, and thy undone condition without him? therefore you that see not your undone condition without Christ, that you are lost if you be not found in him, you have not the Spirit, (Joh. 16.9.)

2. If thou hast the Spirit of Christ, thou seest thine own right to be but menstruous rags, and that the Lord Christ is the Lord our righteousness, (Joh. 16.9.) Therefore thou that art of the Law, and goest about to establish thy own right, and dost not submit to the righteousness of God by saith, thou hast not this Spirit of Christ: for as he saith, That Spirit shall convince of righteousness, that is to say, shall present his righteousnes, as that which is the onelyonly righteousness.

3. If thou hast the Spirit of Christ, thou art sanctified; (Rom. 15.16.) therefore the Spirit p. 116of Christ is called the spirit of holiness, and the spirit of judgement and of burning: it burneth up the thorns of the flesh; and therefore holiness is set out in the Scripture by walking in the Spirit.

4. If thou hast the spirit of Christ, thou art acquainted with the Lord Jesus, by that Spirit. as Christ saith; My spirit shall take of mine, and shew it unto you; the spirit taketh Christs love, and sheweth it unto us: it taketh of Christs beauty & sheweth it unto us; it taketh of Christs fulness, and sheweth unto us. And thus those that have the Spirit of Christ come to be acquainted with Christ.

Now of all the ways to know whether we are Christs, we may say of this last as David said of Goliahs sword, There is none to that.

Ʋse. 1.

Do so many glorious Priviledges as we have shown, belong to them that are Christs? O then, by all those characters we have given you, examine whether you be Christs. The Apostle doth not say, If you be professors, then are you Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise: neither doth he say that those that are of such a judgement, are the heirs; but saith, if ye be Christs, if ye be his children, if ye be his Spouses, his brethren, his people, then are you the children of faithful Abraham, and heirs according to the promise; and if you examine, it p. 117may be instead of being Christs, you will find that you have been the devils, and your own, and the worlds all your days, and not Christs: and though you enjoy so much honour, riches and pleasures in the world, and with Dives fare deliciously every day, if this did but sink into your hearts to consider that you are none of Christs, this would cast a damp upon all your jollity in this world: yea, if there were no Hell, you would be miserable in that you are none of Christs, in that you belong not to the Lord of Glory; and upon examining by those rules that we have set down, some of you may finde, that instead of being Christs children, you have been the devils children; as Christ told the Pharisees, saith he, Ye are of your father the Devil, and his works you do: and instead of being Christs servants, you are the devils servants, and do his will, and not Christs; and do his works, and not Christs: may not the Lord say to many of you, as Psal. 95. that you are a people that do erre in your hearts, and have not known his wayes? as the Apostle complaineth, The way of peace, which is Christ, they they have not known; you have known the devils ways: O but did you ever yet know the ways of Christ, whose wayes are wayes of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace; I beseech you consider these things, and the Lord let you see the condition that you are in; and O that the p. 118Lord would pluck you as firebrands out of the fire.

Ʋse. 2.

Is it so, that all divine priviledges, Heaven and happiness, belong to them that are Christs, and to them onelyonly; then this Doctrine I know will greatly offend those that are naturally prophane, and those who are of the Law, that notwithstanding all their good meanings and performances, they shall not be heirs; but you will certainly finde it true another day; and O that now you might no longer build upon the sands of your own Righteousness, but that you may be set upon that Rock that is higher then you, that you may build upon that Rock of ages, that glorious and sure foundation the Lord Jesus; but do you think by your good meanings and broken performances, to be heirs of the kingdom? what did the Lord Jesus say to the Pharisees? publicans, and harlots shall enter into the kingdom or God before you: I know this will grievously offend you, and incense you; and indeed as Luther said, to preach the Gospel aright, is the way for a man to bring upon himself the fury and madness of the world; but saith he, if the world should not be offended with me, I should be offended with the world.

Ʋse 3.

Of advice and counsel to them that are Christs. O you that are Christs children, be obedient children unto him, and do not you scrape p. 119for your selves in the world; you have a Father that knoweth your wants, that will provide for you; O do not set you affections on things below, you are heirs of glory, you have in Heaven an enduring substance; you that are Christs Spouses, be subject to him in every thing; if ye be Christs sheep follow him; if ye be Christs servants, do the things which he saith; Lay out your selves wholly for Christ, you are not your own. If ye be Christs house, let the Lord Jesus rule in you; we shewed you that the Saints were Christs house; now as it was decreed by that King, Esth. 1. ult. that every man should bear rule in his own house; O let not the devil bear rule, nor any lust bear rule in you, but let Christ bear rule in his own house; ye are Christs, his own; house and is it not lawful for a man to do what he will with his own? saith Christ. O be you willing to be at Christs dispose in every thing, and let Christ do what he will with you and in you.

Ʋse 4.

By all that hath been said, I hope you that have been hitherto enemies of Christ, opposers of him and his wayes, that even you are now willing to be Christs, and say, O that I may be Christs! the Lord Jesus giveth you incouragement saying, Whosoever cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out; whatsoever thou art, come to Christ and thou shalt be welcome; the arms of Christ p. 120are wide open to receive poor sinners; and what happy men and women will you be, if you be Christs; and why may you not yet be Christs, and so Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise? as the Lord Jesus said, God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham; though at present you have never such stony hearts, yet the Lord is able to break your stony flinty hearts, upon the soft pillow of freegrace; and so to make you Christs his children, and so the children of faithful Abraham; and though you are not yet Christs people, yet what saith the Lord? I have called them my people which were not my people; O that these dry bones may live; O that your eys might be opened, that the god of this world might no longer blinde your eyes, but that the light of the glory of God, that shineth in the face of Jesus Christ, might shine into your hearts.