Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
DOth Chriſt live in the ſoules of Gods children?2. Life of Gods children a cheerfull life. then the life of Gods children is of all the lives of men, the most ioyfull and cheerfull, the moſt pleaſant and comfortable. The Sunne is the joy and comfort of the world; Chriſt the Sunne of Righteouſneſſe is the glory, joy and comfort of the ſoule: The more fully and powerfully Chriſt liveth in man, the greater is the joy of man;Luk. 2.10. Chriſts comming unto man is tydings of great joy, Behold (ſaid the Angell) I bring you good tydings of great ioy, which ſhall be unto all people, for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Chriſt the Lord. This is great joy for the Author, matter, quality, quantity and duration of it: All joy is but heavineſſe to the having of Chriſt living in us, purging our corruptions, pardoning our offences, filling us with all heavenly bleſſings, and ſweetly and powerfully ruling over us:1 Sam. 4 5. The comming of the Arke miniſtred ſuch joy to Iſrael, that they gave a ſhout, which made the earth to ring; how much more doth the comming of Chriſt in the Goſpell, and miniſtration of ſpirituall life to Gods choſen, make them joyous and comfortable, witneſſe the men of Samaria, of whom it is recorded, that upon Philips preaching the Goſpell to them, the ejection of Satan, and conſequently Chriſts beginning to live within them, there was great joy in that City: Acts 8.8. Where Chriſt lives is joy of 1. Life.And all joy and gladneſſe doth indeed accompany Chriſts living in man. 1. Where Chriſt lives, there is the joy of life, of ſpirituall life, of the life of God, a life in reſpect whereof all other life is but death; and therefore as the Father of the Prodigall ſaid to his ſervants,Luk. 15. bring hither the fatted Calfe and kill it, and let us eat and be merry, for this my Sonne was dead and is alive, he was loſt and is found. Thus the man in whom Chriſt lives, hath great cauſe to be merry, becauſe his ſoule was dead and is alive, was loſt and is found 2. Where Chriſt lives, there is ioy of Light. 2. Light.The Sunne fils the aire with temporall light; Chriſt fils the ſoule with ſpirituall light, with all knowledge and wiſedome, and ſpirituall underſtanding: And as the beholding of the Starre filled the wiſe men with exceeding great ioy; ſo doth the ſhining of Chriſt into the ſoule of man fill man with great joy and rejoycing.Mat. 2.10. 3 Liberty. Iohn 11.44. 3. Where Chriſt lives, there is the ioy of liberty; Chriſt reſtoring life to Lazarus ſet him free from the grave, and from the fellowſhip of the dead, his eyes were free to ſee, his eares to heare, his tongue to ſpeake, his hands to worke, and his feet to walke; Chriſt living in man makes man free from the death of ſinne, from carnall fellowſhip with them that are dead in ſinne; he makes him free in his underſtanding to know God, in his thoughts to meditate upon God, in his memory to remember God, and in his affections to beleeve in God, to love God, and to walke in the wayes of God;Exod. 15. And this liberty miniſters to the ſoule as great a cauſe of rejoycing, as ever Iſrael conceived upon their freedome from the Egyptians.4. Victory. 4. Where Chriſt lives, there is the ioy of victory. When David came into the Iſraelitiſh army he gave them victory over Goliah and all the Philiſtines, they all fled; when Chriſt comes into, and lives in the ſoule of man, he overcomes Satan, he diſſolves his workes, he caſts that ſtrong man out, he ſubdues all the corruptions that are in man: They that are Chriſts (ſaith Saint Paul) have crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts; they have gotten a bleſſed and honourable victory over Satan, themſelves, and the world; a victory miniſtring to them greater cauſe of rejoycing, then Iſrael had, when they gave a ſhout for their victory over the Philiſtines. 5. Regeneratiō5. Where Chriſt lives, there is the ioy of regeneration, adoption and ſanctification Chriſt makes us the ſonnes and daughters of God, the friends and lovers of God, who were aliens and enemies to God; he makes us cleane who were defiled; he aboliſheth the character and ſtamp of Satan, and engraves the Image of God on our ſoules; he like a refiners fire, and fullers ſope, puts away the ſpot and droſſe of our ſinne, purifying and purging us as gold and ſilver, that we may offer to the Lord an offering of righteouſneſſe: And this affords us matter of greater rejoycing then Naaman had upon his being cleanſed from his leproſie in Jordan: Reioyce not in this (ſaith Chriſt) that the spirits are made ſubiect unto you, but rather reioyce in this, that your names are written in Heaven, that you have a name with God, that you are by adoption the children of God, that you are ſanctified and cleanſed from your ſinnes: The worke of holineſſe miniſters more joy to Gods ſervants, then the gift of working miracles; there is more comfort ariſeth from the ſubiugation of our corrupt affections,6. Riches. then from having all the world put under us. 6. Where Chriſt lives there is the ioy of riches, he cannot be poore and miſerable that hath Chriſt living in him, Chriſt is unſearchable riches, as Gideon ſaid of Ephraim the gleanings of Ephraim are better then the vintage of Abiez…r: ſo the gleanings, the ſmalleſt gatherings of Chriſt, are better then the vintage, then the greateſt abundance of the world. Chriſts ſpirituall gifts and graces are the choiſeſt of all riches; all the riches of the world are but ſtraw and ſtubble to this pearle; he that hath this hath cauſe of holy glorying & rejoycing in his wealth, as the Merchant in the Parable had joy upon the finding of the precious pearle: The rich man in Saint Luke having pulled downe his barnes, builded them greater, and filled them with worldly ſtore,Luke 15. bid his ſoule (though upon weake grounds) eat, drinke and be merry, becauſe he had goods enough laid up for many yeares. The man that hath pulled downe his luſts, new built his heart, and received Chriſt to live and dwell there, may upon better grounds bid his ſoule eat, drink and be merry; for having Chriſt he hath a full and an abiding ſubſtance, he hath treaſure enough for ever.7. Peace. 7. Where Chriſt lives, there is the ioy of peace, reconciliation, and ſweet communion; he brings us nigh to God, as Joſeph brought his brethren nigh to Pharaoh; he makes God a father and friend to us; he cauſeth the face of God to ſhine upon us more comfortably then Sunne, and filleth us with that peace which paſſeth all underſtanding, and thus he makes the life of them in whom he lives a very ſweet and pleaſant life, a life of choiſeſt comforts, a life for delights, ſurpaſſing the lives of rich men, Nobles, Conquerours, and all pleaſure-hunters, as the Paradiſe doth ſurpaſſe the wilderneſſe, and the glorious Sunne the rotten gloe-worme.
But you will ſay if their life in whom Chriſt lives, be ſuch a ſweet and pleaſant, ſuch a joyous and comfortable life, whence is it that many of them in whom Chriſt lives, are ſo ſad and ſorrowfull, and of all others many times in outward appearance the moſt uncomfortable livers?
Grounds or cauſe, of ſorrow in Gods children. 1. Remaining corruption.I anſwer, the ſorrow and ſadneſſe of them in whom Chriſt lives ariſeth:
1. From the corruption which yet remaines in them: Diſeaſes in the body though they doe not deſtroy the body, yet they now and then abate and hinder the comfort of bodily life: Clouds in the aire though they doe not aboliſh the Sunne, yet they hinder the light of the Sunne, and darken the aire. Thus corruption in them that live the life of grace, though they doe not deſtroy and aboliſh this holy life, yet they many times abate the comfort of it, obſcure and darken Chriſts living in man, and untill they are overcome and diſpelled, they miniſter occaſion of ſorrow and ſadneſſe to the ſoules of Gods children, cauſing them with David to complaine of them as of a heavy burthen; and with Paul to cry out, O miſerable man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death. Where Chriſt lives there is joy, becauſe the life of grace hath there an inchoation; there is ſorrow, becauſe ſinne hath not yet it's compleate diſſolution, and perfect buriall. Iſrael had joy in their victory over the land of Canaan; they had ſorrow, becauſe ſome Canaanites yet remained among them: The children of God have much joy from their ſpirituall conqueſt, though ſomewhat ſadded by their fleſhly oppoſitions.
2. Aberrations2. This ariſeth from ſome particular aberrations of Gods children, of which they are ſometime guilty; ſometimes they ſtep aſide from Gods way, their hearts hang looſe, and cleave not cloſe to God, Satan gets an advantage againſt them, and foiles them; and as ſo …e great fall takes away the ſence and comfort of bodily life for the preſent: Thus Gods children through ſome fall doe loſe the comfort of Chriſt living in them,Pſal 51. and are very ſorrowfull, as a man whoſe bones are broken.
3. Satans aſſaults.3. This ariſeth from ſome violent aſſault of Satan, God lets him looſe upon them, to buffet them for their humiliation for ſinne paſt, or for excitation from ſecurity for the preſent, or for prevention for the time to come, and while this temptation laſteth, the joy of their ſpirituall life is eclipſed, as the joy of a rich man is darkened, while his houſe is beſieged; the joy of a City is diſturbed, while the ſiege againſt it laſteth; and as the joy of the Merchant in his rich treaſure ceaſeth, while the violent ſtorme continueth: Though Gods children have a rich treaſure of grace, a bleſſed portion of ſpirituall wealth within them; yet the joy hereof is much abated for the preſent, by reaſon of Satans violent temptation; Gods children through the force and fury of the aſſault of Satan, are ſomtimes diſabled to make a comfortable uſe of the gifts they have received.
4. Impieties of others.4. This ariſeth from the ſinfulneſſe and great impieties which they ſee in others among whom they live. The Lords people have matter of ſorrow and humiliation miniſtred to them, not onelyonly from their owne ſinnes, but alſo from the ſins of other people; they ſee the name of God is diſhonoured, the Chriſtian profeſſion is diſgraced, the mouth of the common adverſary is opened, the welfare of the Church is hazarded, the removall of the Goſpell is threatened, and many puniſhments are inflicted, by the exorbitancies of many living within the Pale of the Church, and for this they are much grieved and very deeply humbled;2 Pet. 2.8. their righteous ſoule with Lot is vexed from day to day with their unlawfull deeds,Pſ. 119.136. in ſeeing and hearing; and their eyes with David guſh out with rivers of teares, becauſe men keep not the Law of God; and with the marked ones in Ezekiel, Ezek. 9.4.they ſigh and cry for all the abominations which are done in the Family, City, Congregation, and Kingdome whereof they are members; they are unworthy the name of Chriſtians, who ſorrow not for other mens impieties.
5. This ariſeth from their previſion, preconſideration, 5 Foreſight of future calamities.and foreſight of future calamities. Noah foreſaw the comming of the floud, and prepared an Arke; Joſeph foreſaw the comming of the famine, and accordingly made preparation; the skilfull Mariners foreſee the ſtorme, and betake themſelves unto the haven;Prov. 2….3. The wiſe man (ſaith Solomon) foreſeeth the evill, and hideth himſelfe, humbleth himſelfe, addreſſeth himſelfe to God, makes his peace with God, and hides himſelfe with the Lord: Be mercifull unto me, O God, be mercifull unto me (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) for my ſoule truſteth in thee, Pſal. 57.….yea in the ſhadow of thy wings will I hide my ſelfe untill theſe calamities be over-paſt. He ſaw the rage of the adverſary againſt him, their intendment of evill to him, their conſpiracy and determination to take his life from him, he ſaw the abſence of all humane help to aſſiſt him; and therefore he makes his petition unto God, humbles himſelfe before him; and as the chickens betake themſelves to the wings of the Hen, to hide them from the tempeſt, raine, wind and cold comming upon them: So did the Pſalmiſt betake himſelfe to the Lord, to the wiſedome, power, truth, and goodneſſe of God, as to the wings of protection; the clearer diſcerning men have of incumbent evils, the more effectually they apply themſelves to God for future refuge; Mens ignorance and inconſiderateneſſe of future judgements, makes them obſtinate in preſent impieties, taking no notice of the evill of ſinne, untill the evill of puniſhment come upon them: The ſimple (ſaith Solomon) paſſe on, and are puniſhed; but good men whoſe ſoules are ſanctified, whoſe eyes are opened, ſee the raine of Gods diſpleaſure afar off in the clouds, and hide themſelves from it. Elijah, ſeeing a little cloud ariſing out of the Sea like a mans hand,1 King. 18.43, 44. bid his ſervant goe up and ſay to Ahab, prepare thy charet, and get thee downe that the raine ſtop thee not, and Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. The children of God diſcerning the wrath of God afar off, when it is but a little, even in the firſt appearance, prepare themſelves by prayers and teares, confeſſion, contrition, and humiliation, and make all haſt to draw nigh to God, that they may be ſafe with the Lord, when the cloud of Gods anger ſhall raine upon the earth. When I heard (ſaith Habakuk) the threatenings of the Lord, H…b. 3.18.the dreadfull judgements, the great deſtruction, and grievous deſolation which God had appointed to bring upon the people, what then? how was he affected with the hearing of this: My belly (ſaith he) trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenneſſe entred into my bones, and I trembled in my ſelfe, that I might reſt in the day of trouble, when he commeth up unto the people he will invade them with his troupes. Here is a declaration of his great ſorrow and humiliation at the hearing and foreſeeing of a judgement yet to come; and here is the reaſon why he did it, and the fruit ariſing from it, even reſt in the day of trouble, ſweet and ſure acquieſcence in God, gracious and mighty protection under God, when the trouble foreſeene ſhould come. Although the fig-tree ſhall not bloſſome, neither ſhall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the Olive ſhall faile, and the fields ſhall yeeld no meat, the flocke ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no heard in the ſtals: There is the great deſolation and devaſtation of the land, all this notwithſtanding the Prophet having humbled himſelfe, is confident of comfort in this great diſtreſſe: Yet (ſaith he) I will reioyce in the Lord, I will ioy in the God of my ſalvation; the Lord is my strength, my helper, my ſhield, my comforter; he ſhall make my feet like Hinds feet, and he will make me to walke upon mine high places, making me ſecure and ſafe, comfortable and cheerfull in the day of trouble. Unfained humiliation in the dayes of peace miniſters great comfort and confidence in the houre of diſtreſſe. He that ſees the evill afar off, and is humbled, ſhall have comfort when the evill commeth.
6. This ariſeth from the diſtreſſe which Gods children ſee upon the Church of Chriſt; 6. Sence of Churches miſery.they ſay not of the Church as Cain did of Ab…, am I my brothers, am I the Churches Keeper? they anſwer not the Church complaining in her afflictions, as ſometimes the Prieſts and Elders anſwered Judas in his anguiſh, what is that to us, ſee thou to that; Mat. 27.but Gods children have a ſympathy and fellow-feeling of the troubles of their brethren;Amos 6. they are not of their number who are at eaſe in Sion, eating the Calfes of the ſtall, drinking their wine in bowles, Amos 6.&c. but are not grieved for the affliction of Joſeph: But they like the members in the body naturall, if one member ſuffer all the members ſuffer with it; weeping with them that weep; Heb. 13.remembring them that are in bonds, us bound with them, and them which ſuffer adverſity, as being themſelves in the body. Such is their love to the Church of Chriſt, ſuch is their deſire after, and pleaſure in the Churches welfare; ſuch is their coniunction with the Church, and their apprehenſion of the eſtate of the Church, that the Churches miſeries are their ſorrowes.