Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Perſwading Subiection under one Head, Submiſſion to one Law, and unity between our ſelves.
THe Church and faithfull people of Chriſt muſt learne from hence, Subjection under one Head, Submiſſion under one Law, and unity between themſelves.
1. Subiection under one Head, Chriſt. To Chriſt is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth, and to him muſt all be Subject. His dominion is from uPſ. 72.8.11.ſea to ſea, an I from the river to the ends of the earth, all Kings muſt fall downe before him, and all Nations muſt ſerve him, To him the Church muſt be ſubject spiritually, their obedience muſt ariſe from a principle of grace, they muſt worſhip him in wIohn 4.24.ſpirit and in truth: To him they muſt be ſubject heartily, not in ſhew but in truth, obeying from the xRom. 6.17.heart root that forme of Doctrine which Chriſt hath delivered to them: To him they muſt be ſubject voluntarily without compulſion, they muſt be a willing yPſal. 110.3.people, his Law muſt be in their hearts, and they muſt delight to doe his will: To him they muſt ſubject themſelves univerſally, in reſpect of the rule, they muſt have reſpect unto all the Commandements, as Noah in building the Arke had an eye to the whole patterne which was ſet before him; and in reſpect of the whole man, all the faculties of the ſoule, and all the members of the body muſt be obedient to him, as the Sun, Moone, and eleven Starres did obeyſance to Joſeph in his viſion: Chriſt muſt be glorified both in our body, and in our ſpirit: To Chriſt we muſt be conſtantly ſubject, our hearts muſt be zPſ 119.112.inclined to performe his ſtatutes alway even unto the end. Chriſt is the Head, and we the members; Chriſt is the ſhepheard, and we the ſlocke; Chriſt is the husband, and we the Spouſe; and as all the members are fully ſubject to the head, the ſlocke readily follows the voice of the ſhepheard, and the Spouſe is lovingly ſubject to the Bridegroome: ſo muſt we be fully, freely and lovingly obedient unto Chriſt.
2. This teacheth Submiſſion unto one Law. The Church is one myſticall common-wealth, and muſt be ſubject unto one Law of Chriſt. All that builded the Arke built by one patterne. The whole Church of Chriſt hath one patterne, according to which they muſt build their faith and their love, even the whole Fabricke of their worſhip and ſervice. The ſhip hath one compaſſe by which it roweth, and one Pilate by which it is guided: The Church is the ſhip, the Word the Compaſſe, and Chriſt the Pilate; by Chriſt and his Word muſt the whole Church of God be ordered and ruled. The Word of God is a ſure word, to which we muſt give heed, as to a light that ſhineth in a darke place. The Law of the Lord is perfect, it needs no addition, as the Sun needs not the help of any candle to increaſe his light in ſhining on them that travell. The Scriptures are a compleate and perfect Schoole, profitable for Doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for inſtruction in righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good works. God gave Moſes a perfect patterne for the building of the Tabernacle without addition or dimunution. Gods word is a perfect patterne, compriſing the whole frame of mans conversation: It is Gods prerogative to preſcribe, and mans duty to conforme. Ye ſhall not adde unto the word Which I command you (ſaith the Lord) neither ſhall you diminiſh ought from it, that you may keep the Commandements of the Lord your God which I command. All other Doctrines are darkneſſe, and not light, they cannot guide us, they are falſe plants, of mans, and not of Gods planting, they beare no good fruit to feed us, and God the great Husbandman of the vineyard will plucke them up; they are ſand, he that builds upon them ſinks; they corrupt and adulterate the Doctrine and Religion of Chriſt, as the tares the wheate, as the evill herbe the Prophets pot. Mans ſervice is no ſervice of Chriſt if it receive not it's rule from Chriſt; in vaine, ſaith Chriſt, doe ye worſhip me, teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men. He that mingles humane devices with his religious duties, makes it a humane, and no divine ſervice; As the Elements once mingled in a compound body doe loſe their proper formes: ſo Religions mingled with humane traditions, and made compounding parts of a mixed worſhip and ſervice, doe loſe their formes, and ceaſe to be religious in Gods account. As ſilver mingled with braſſe doth loſe the nature, and name of ſilver, and currant coyne, and will not paſſe with men, the touchſtone diſcovers it, and the skilfull Goldſmith rejects it: Thus the worſhip of God mixed with the dreſſe of mans invention, loſeth both the name and nature of true worſhip. The word diſcovers it to be counterfeit, and God doth not regard it, nor the performers of it: Of ſuch therefore the Prophet ſaith, reprobate ſilver ſhall men call them, becauſe the Lord hath reiected them. This alienates from Chriſt, it divides the heart, and places the feare, truſt, love, and joy of the ſoule upon ſome forraine thing, ſome Idoll of mans deviſing. A woman that embrace a ſtranger with her husband in her boſome, and mingles ſtrangers with her husband, is no more a chaſte, and loving wife, her heart is divided, and ſhe is become an adultereſſe. The mingling of forraine inventions with Chriſts precepts in his ſervices, is in Gods interpretation, ſpirituall fornication, their hearts are gone from Chriſt their husband, they are taken up with ſtrange lovers. To this purpoſe is that of the Prophet Eſay, the faithfull City is become an aIſa. 1.21.harlot; and what other but this was Judah's whoredome for which the Lord upbraideth her by the Prophet, ſaying, thou haſt played the harlot with many Lovers, thou haſt embraced many forreigne doctrines, thou haſt adulterated my worſhip with many novell and ſtrange inventions, theſe have drawne thy love from me, and my truth, and thou haſt committed adultery with them. When humane devices are made ingredients and compounding parts of Gods ſervice, they are in Gods account very ſhamefull pollutions; and doubtleſſe, he that in Gods worſhip is an admirer of humane inventions, is no lover of the Lord Jeſus: Oile will not mixe it ſelfe with water, nor iron with clay, no more will true Religion be mixed with that which is corrupt; the Arke and Dagon cannot ſtand together; Religion is not like lead, you cannot bow it, but like glaſſe, breake it you may, bow it you cannot, mingle it, and you deſtroy it, it is no more Religion but ſuperſtition, as ſilver mixt with droſſe is no more accounted ſilver but droſſe, though it hath ſome ſilver in it: Beſides, it is treaſon in a common-wealth, for any man to mingle the Lawes of a forraine Prince with; the Lawes of his owne Prince, no King will endure it; and what is this but ſpirituall treaſon againſt Chriſt, to mingle humane devices, and forraine traditions with Chriſts precepts, the Lord will never endure it; therefore marke what Chriſt ſaith, If any man ſhall adde unto theſe things, God ſhall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke; Therefore as we are a ſpirituall common-wealth, ſo let us obſerve the Lawes of Chriſt the ſpirituall King of this Kingdome. Let us walke according to his rule, And peace ſhall be upon us as upon the Iſrael of God.
3. This alſo teacheth the Church and children of God unity between themſelves. A common-wealth muſt be at unity, as one body, they muſt joyne as one man: Thus the Church, the ſpirituall common-wealth of Chriſt muſt be as a City that is compact together, that is at bPſal 122.3.unity within itſelfe; Firſt, they muſt be at unity in judgement, of cPhil. 2.….one mind, as Saint Paul ſpeaks,1 Vnity in judgement. in all fundamentall and neceſſary truths; as they have one word informing and inſtructing them, one Spirit of God enlightening them: ſo they muſt be of one mind, of one judgement and underſtanding in things belonging to ſalvation, having (as Saint John ſaith) the ſame anointing, teaching them all things; the ſame Spirit, though not all in the ſame meaſure, enlightening them to judge and to diſcerne aright of the mind and will of God: Unity in judgement is very effectuall to breed unity in affection; diſcord and difference in the apprehenſion of the truths of Chriſt propoſed in the Goſpell, doth ordinarily make an unhappy breach in mens affections; therefore let us all ſtrive for one and the ſame cleare and through underſtanding of Gods revealed will, as Schollers learning one leſſon, by one and, the ſame rule, Let us as many (ſaith Paul) as be perfect, as have a true and cleare knowledge of God in Chriſt, be thus minded, and if in any thing ye be otherwiſe minded, God ſhall reveale even this unto you. God by degrees ſo enlightens his children, that he makes them at length men of the ſame underſtanding in things profitable to their ſalvation.
2. Vnity in Affection Volumus & nos pacem, & non ſolum volumus, verum etiā rogamus; ſed pacem Chriſti, pacem veram, pacem ſine mimicitijs, pacem in qui non ſit bellum involutum pacem que non adverſarios ſubijciat, ſel inimicos jūgat. Hieron.2. Labour for unity in affection, let the ſacred fire of Chriſtian and mutuall love be alwayes burning upon the altar of your hearts. See (ſaith Saint Peter) that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. This is an ointment of a ſweet ſavour in the noſtrils of God and men, like the ointment which the woman powred on our Saviour, that made the whole houſe where ſhe was to caſt a ſweet ſmell; Love makes both the perſons and ſervices of Gods ſervants very ſweet and odoriferous. This argues Gods gracious inhabitation in us, regeneration of us, and holy workmanſhip upon us; for God is love, and he that loveth, dwelleth in God, and God in him. This is the character and cognizance of our being Chriſts Diſciples. By this ſhall all men know (ſaith Chriſt) that ye are my Diſciples, if ye love one another, and as the heate of the body is a Symptome of life in the body; and as the light of the Sun aſſures us of the riſing of the Sun:d1 Iohn 4 16 Iohn 15.35. ſo this light and heate of love gives cleare and comfortable evidence of our ſpirituall quickning and intereſt in the firſt reſurrection. By this (ſaith the Apoſtle) we know that we are paſſed from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren. 1 Iohn 3.14.As therefore our ſpirituall common-wealth is a common-wealth of peace, our Prince a Prince of peace, our Law of faith and love, a Law of peace, our Calling a Calling of peace, and all our fellow Subjects the Subjects of peace, Let us love each other, and be at e1 Theſ. 5.peace amongſt our ſelves.
3. Unity in Religion. Vna via …veritas ad …am Chriſtus.3. Labour for unity in Religion. As the whole common-wealth obey the King by one Law: ſo let us worſhip and ſerve Chriſt by one Rule, the word of God; let us all walked by one Light, the doctrine of the Prophets and Apoſtles; let us all build upon one rocke, Jeſus Chriſt; other foundation then this can no man lay; Let us all hearken to the voice of one ſhepheard, Jeſus Chriſt, ſpeaking to us in his word; Let us all feed in one paſture, the Ordinances of God; Let us all be cloathed with one royal roabe of Chriſt his Righteouſneſſe, for the juſtification of our ſoules; Let us all invocate and call on one God in the name of one Mediator, Jeſus Chriſt; Let us all worſhip God after one manner, in truth and ſincerity, according to Chriſts owne preſcription, not having our minds corrupted, and hearts adulterated, and alienated from f2 Cor. 11.3.the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt, by carnall doctrines, and humane obſervations; Let us receive all our direction from Chriſt, as the traveller receiveth all his light from the Sun; Let us yeeld all our Subiection unto Chriſt, as the ſouldiers were fully ſubject unto the Centurion; Let us have our full and ſole dependance upon Chriſt, as the houſe in the Parable was wholly built upon the rocke; Let us ſeeke for all perfection in Chriſt, as the people in the famine came all to Joſeph to ſupply their wants; and let us referre all our ſervices to the honour and glory of Chriſt, and ſo ſhall we give teſtimony of our happy union in Chriſts Religion.
4. Strive for unity in oppoſing ſinne and Satans Kingdome. 4 Vnity in oppoſing Sin.A common-wealth is united againſt a publike and common adverſary; Satan and ſinne are the common adverſaries of our ſoules, againſt theſe let us unite our forces, by mutuall watchfulneſſe one over another, fervent prayer each for other, and by the miniſtration of holy inſtruction, gracious admonition, and Chriſtian encouragement one towards another, conſidering one another, and, provoking one another, according to the Apoſtles rule, to love and to good works. The children of Iſrael aroſe as one man, and went up againſt Gibeah. The Lords people ſhould ariſe as one man againſt the powers of ungodlineſſe, to ſuppreſſe the Kingdome and works of the Prince of darkneſſe. Joab and Abiſhai made a Covenant to help one another againſt the Syrians, and the children of Ammon: thus ſhould Gods children covenant together, and help each other againſt their corruptions, and temptations, every man endeavouring the welfare of another mans ſoule, as his owne. Were the ſoules of Gods children thus happily and graciouſly united, they would undoubtedly prove a flouriſhing common-wealth, a glorious people, and a great honour to Chriſt, who reignes as King over them.