Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 10

Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ · Chapter 10

p. 72CHAP. X.

Admonition to ſet up Chriſts Kingdome and Goſpell.ALl men ſhould learne by this, to worke their hearts, to imploy their thoughts, and to give themſelves to the utmoſt of their abilities to the advancement of Chriſts Kingdome and Goſpell, to the ſetting up of Chriſt upon his throne, in his Church, here on the face of the earth. Zadok the Prieſt, Nathan the Prophet, Benaiah the ſonne of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelithites, pp1 King. 1.44, 45, 46, 47.1 Kgs 1:441 Kgs 1:451 Kgs 1:461 Kgs 1:47cauſed Solomon to ride upon the Kings mule, they anointed him King in Gihon, and all the ſervants of King David came and ſaid, God make the name of Solomon better then thy name, and his throne greater then thy throne: All Kings and rulers, all Miniſters and teachers ſhould ſet up Chriſt, and cauſe p. 73him to ride in ſpirituall triumph upon Gods Church, and all the ſervants of the Lord from the higheſt to the loweſt ſhould pray for the proſperity, ſucceſſe, honour and enlargement of Chriſts Kingdome:Magiſtrates. All Magiſtrates as repreſentative qqPſal. 82.1.Ps 82:1gods ſhould be in ſtead of God to Chriſts Church, as rrIſa. 44 28.Isa 44:28ſhepheards they ſhould ſee that ſpirituall paſtures be provided for Chriſts flocke, and that all wolves, beares and foxes, all inſtruments of annoyance be kept far from them; as ſſIſa. 49.23.Isa 49:23nurſing fathers and nurſing mothers they ſhould be carefull that proviſion be made for Chriſts family; and as they are ſtiled the ttPſal. 49 7.Ps 49:7ſhields of the earth, ſo they ſhould be carefull to miniſter defence to Chriſts Church and people againſt the power and fury of all that offer any injury to them. Thus they muſt uuPſal. 1.12.Ps 1:12kiſſe the ſonne with the kiſſe of love and affection, with the kiſſe of honour and exaltation, with the kiſſe of reverence and ſubjection, with the kiſſe of congratulation and rejoycing, with the kiſſe of prayer and welwiſhing, endeavouring to the utmoſt of their power the propagation of Chriſt and his Goſpell.

All Miniſters as builders in Chriſts houſe,Miniſters. as ſtewards in Chriſts family, as teachers in Chriſts ſchoole, as labourers in Chriſts vineyard, as under-rowers in Chriſts ſhip, as burning lamps in Chriſts Temple, as watchmen in Chriſts City, ſhould by their frequent preaching, wholſome doctrine, ſharp reprehenſion, wiſe admonition, ſeaſonable and gracious conſolation, and holy walking propagate the Goſpell, advance the Kingdome, and increaſe the number of Chriſts people, and make the Lord Jeſus every day more and more glorious in the eyes of all beholders.

All Maſters and rulers of families ſhould ſtrive the exaltation of Chriſts Kingdome, by being as Kings, Prophets,Maſters of Families. and Prieſts, within their domeſticall wals, by their godly government, Chriſtian inſtruction, and holy prayer and ſupplication with and for them, that are under their jurisdiction, teaching them with Abraham to know the Lord, bringing them with Cornelius to the miniſtery of the word, and making their houſes with Philemon a Church of God.Private perſons

All private perſons ſhould likewiſe put their hands to this p. 74worke, and labour the ſetting up of Chriſts Kingdome and Goſpell, by wwMic. 4 1. Iſa. 60.Mic 4:1Isa 60flowing to the houſe of God, as rivers to the ocean, by comming ſpeedily and unanimouſly, as the doves unto the windowes, as the Eagles to the carkaſſe, or the lame unto Bethesda; by growing in all ſpirituall gifts and graces, as children grow in ſtature, as trees in fruitfulneſſe, and as the light ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day; by conſecrating themſelves to Chriſt, and his ſervice, as ſouldiers to their Generall, as ſervants to their Lord and Maſter, and as a Spouſe to their husband, to fight Chriſts battels, to doe Chriſts worke, to love Chriſts name, and to bring forth all their fruit to Chriſt, as a wife brings forth all her children to her husband, and by holy exhortation, and gracious counſell, perſwading and drawing others to Chriſt, to the knowledge, faith, love, and obedience of Chriſt, leaving other imployments at convenient ſeaſons, as the woman of Samaria left her water pot to bring other men to Chriſt, as ſhe brought her fellow citizens, Conſidering (as the Apoſtle ſaith) one another, and provoking one another to love and to good works; being to their fellow brethren, as ſpurres quickning them, and as loadſtones drawing them daily nearer and nearer unto Chriſt, labouring to make Chriſt appeare more amiable and glorious in the eyes of all their fellow-ſervants: As all the rivers great and ſmall empty themſelves into the ſea, to the filling up of the ſea; ſo let us all, high and low, young and old, rich and poore, bond and free, empty our ſelves, and all our abilities, and endeavours into Chriſt, to the filling up of Chriſt, his Church, his Kingdome, his myſticall body, which is the xxEph. 1 23.Eph 1:23fulneſſe of him that filleth all in all. As all the people who were willing hearted, both men and women, came and offered freely to the building of the Tabernacle: ſo let us both men and women, all that have a willing and a loving heart to Chriſt, come and offer our ſelves, and all that we have to Chriſt, for the building up of the Church and Kingdome of Chriſt, for the advancement of the Goſpell of Chriſt.Inducements to exalt Chriſt.

And to excite and move our ſelves hereunto, doe but conſider p. 75how the exaltation of Chriſt, his Goſpell and Kingdome, is the honour and glory of a Chriſtian; 1 Honour of a Chriſtian.what is the glory of a ſervant, but the enrichment of his Maſter by his induſtry? what is the honour of a Subject, but his loyalty to his King? his exalting the name, crowne, kingdome, and jurisdiction of his Prince? what is the honour of a wife, but her fidelity to her husband, her cleaving cloſe to her husband, her bringing forth of many children to her husband? and what is the crowne and dignity of all Chriſtians, but their ſerviceableneſſe to Chriſt, their exaltation of the name of Chriſt, their cleaving cloſe to Chriſt, their bringing forth of much fruit to Chriſt, their enlarging the territories of Chriſts kingdome. Alphonſus had written on his Symboll as a character of his greateſt honour, theſe words: Pro Lege, & pro Grege, for the Law, and for the people; and this is the moſt honourable character of a Chriſtian to make his heart and tongue, his thoughts within, and his works without, to carry this inſcription, for Christ and for his Kingdome, for his Church, and for his Gospell: He is every way of all perſons the moſt honourable and glorious who is every way moſt for Chriſt Jeſus.

2. The argument and evidence of our love to Chriſt. 2. Love to Chriſt.Where is our love to Chriſt, as to our Lord and Maſter, as to our King and Captaine, as to our head and husband? if we ſeeke not Chriſts honour, if we doe not endeavour the exaltation of Chriſts kingdome: Ionathan loved David as his owne ſoule, and he ſtript himſelfe of the roabe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his ſword. He that loves Chriſt will keep backe nothing from Chriſt, he will diſroabe himſelfe to honour Chriſt, to exalt his kingdome, and beautifie his Goſpell. Jacob loved Rachel, and he ſerved for her twice ſeven yeares. He that loves Chriſt will put himſelfe upon any hardneſſe for Chriſt; Chriſtian love reputes the honouring and exaltation of Chriſt Jeſus, a ſufficient recompence to its greateſt loſſes, and hardeſt ſervice. Love will make a man even holily prodigall, in his layings out for the exaltation of Chriſts Goſpell and kingdome.

p. 763. Perill of not endeavouring welfare of Chriſts Goſpel.3. Obſerve the perill of not endeavouring the welfare of Chriſts Church and Goſpell. He that is not a friend of Chriſt is an enemy againſt Chriſt; he that doth not help to ſet up Chriſts kingdome, is by interpretation, and in Gods conſtruction, an overthrower of Chriſts kingdome: He that is not with me is againſt me (ſaith Chriſt) and he that doth not gather doth ſcatter. He that is not a labourer is a ſcatterer in Chriſts vineyard. He that fights not under Chriſts enſigne is a ſouldier under Satans banner. He that is yyProv. 18.9.Prov 18:9ſlothfull in his worke, is brother (ſaith Solomon) to a great waſter. Thus he who doth not labour for Chriſt is a brother to them that are great waſters of the kingdome of Chriſt; and fearefull is the curſe pronounced on them that ſtand ſtill, and put not their helping hand to Chriſts Kingdome, Cauſe, and Goſpell. zzIud 5.23.Judg 5:23Curſe ye Meros (ſaid the Angell of the Lord) Curſe ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, becauſe they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord againſt the mighty.

4. Chriſt withholding nothing to exalt man.4. Looke upon Chriſts sparing and withholding of nothing for our exaltation. Chriſt humbled himſelfe to the loweſt degree of humiliation and abaſement, for our elevation and advancement. He emptied himſelfe to fill us; he abaſed himſelfe to honour us; he ſtript himſelfe to apparell us; he made himſelfe a man of ſorrowes to fill us with ſpirituall and ſoule-refreſhing conſolations: aa2 Cor. 8 9.2 Cor 8:9Ye know (ſaith Saint Paul) the grace; the love, the bounty, the rich liberality of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; that though be was rich, rich in the glory of his divine Eſſence, in his abſolute dominion over all creatures, in his plenary poſſeſſion of heaven and earth: Yet for your ſakes he became poore; vailing his Diety, Majeſty and glory, under the poore and unworthy garment of humane fleſh, being borne of poore parents, and appearing in the forme of a ſervant, humbling and abaſing himſelfe to the bbPhil. 2 7.Phil 2:7death, the ſhamefull death of the croſſe, that ye through his poverty might be rich; rich in the participation of the divine nature, rich in the fruition of the fulneſſe of Chriſt; Chriſts humiliation is the meritorious cauſe, ſpring, and fountaine of mans exaltation; Chriſt was p. 77very free and full in his exinaition, and abaſement for our honour and advancement: The condition of man was ſo extreamely baſe and ſhamefull, that nothing but the humiliation of the Sonne of God was able to reſtore honour to him: And how ready ſhould we be to put all under the feet of Chriſt, to imploy all to the honour of Chriſt, who hath done ſo much to honour us. We ſhould (ſaith Chryſostome) preferre nothing above Chriſt, Nil debemus Chriſto preponere, quia nec nobli, ille quicquam praepoſuitbecauſe he preferred nothing above us. As he vailed and bowed downe himſelfe, and all that was his, for our ſalvation: ſo ſhould we vaile and bow our ſelves, and all that is ours, for the exaltation of his Goſpell and kingdome. The meditation of Chriſts abaſing himſelfe for us, ſhould make us ſtudious and inquiſitive how to honour Chriſt:2 King. 4.13.2 Kgs 4:13 Thou haſt been carefull for us with all this care (ſaid the Prophet to the woman of Shunem) what is to be done for thee: Thus ſhould we ſay to Chriſt, thou haſt been humbled and abaſed, thou haſt ſuffered a great ſuffering for us, what is now to be done for thee? what ſhall we doe to honour thee, to exalt and magnifie thy name, who haſt undergone ſo great diſgrace and ſhame for us. The more Chriſt humbled himſelfe for us, the more he ſhould be exalted by us; Chriſt made himſelfe a ccEph. 5 1.Eph 5:1ſacrifice for us, and we ſhould ddRom. 12.1.Rom 12:1ſacrifice our ſelves, and all that is ours to him, and his ſervice. Chriſt gave himſelfe for our ſalvation, and we ſhould give our ſelves to him, and the exaltation of his kingdome; Chriſt was contented to be made low, and as a very nothing, as a eePſal. 22.6.Ps 22:6worme and no man, that we might be made the ffEph. 1.Eph 1fulneſſe of him who filleth all in all, and we ſhould be content to abaſe our ſelves, and to be reputed vile and as nothing in the eyes of men, to ſet up Chriſt, to make him and his Goſpell glorious in the eyes of the people. He doth neither wiſely, nor graciouſly conſider Chriſts humiliation, that doth not give himſelfe to the exaltation of Chriſts name and kingdome.

5. Meditate the ſweet, the great, 5. Bleſſing attends the exaltation of the Goſpell.and wonderfull bleſſing that commeth unto men by the exaltation of Chriſts Gospell. The ſetting up of the Arke in the houſe of Obed-Edom p. 78cauſed all that he had to prosper. gg2 Sam. 6.11.2 Sam 6:11The ſetting up of the Goſpell brings great and ſingular proſperity to the people: Chriſts Goſpell, the revelation of Chriſt, and the myſteries of his kingdome,hhLuk 10.23.Luke 10:23 is a great bleſſing: Bleſſed (ſaith our Saviour) are the eyes which ſee the things which ye ſee; having the Goſpell preached to them, the tydings of ſalvation publiſhed among them, Chriſt revealing and opening himſelfe unto them: Theſe are bleſſed in the illumination of their underſtandings, having the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt communicated to them: Bleſſed in the vivification of their ſoules, having the word of life quickning them: Bleſſed in the ſanctification of their hearts, the Goſpell cleanſing their ſinne, as Jordan cleanſed the leproſie of Naaman: Bleſſed in their Conqueſt, over ſin, Satan, and the world, the Goſpell overturning all the holds of Satan, as the ſounding of the rammes hornes overthrew the wals of Jericho: Bleſſed in … pacification of their conſciences, the Evangelicall voice of Chriſt quieting their perplexed conſciences, as his perſonall voice quieted the ſtormy tempeſt; and bleſſed in the ſweetning of their afflictions, the Goſpell ſweetens all tryals and troubles to Gods children, as the tree ſweetned the waters of Marah to Iſrael; Bleſſed in their very temporall poſſeſſions and bodily undertakings. Where God gives his Goſpell the food of the ſoule, he will alſo give the ſtaffe of bread, the food of the body: Chriſt did not onelyonly feed the ſoules of them who followed him, with his doctrine, but he alſo miraculouſly fed their bodies with corporall proviſion: the Goſpell is indeed even the choiſeſt of all bleſſings, where this goes, all goes, that is behoofull for the welfare of Gods children; therefore bleſſed (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) is the nation iiPſal. 33.11.Ps 33:11whoſe God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath choſen for his owne inheritance. God is the God of all by creation, by abſolute dominion, by common preſervation; but he is their God to whom he gives his Goſpell, by gracious manifeſtation, heavenly inſtruction, ſpirituall regeneration, familiar and comfortable habitation, ſweet and celeſtiall diſpenſation of heavenly fulneſſe to p. 79them, God is there alone ſweetly, and ſpiritually knowne, and enjoyed, where his Goſpell is erected; and for this cauſe we ſhould mightily endeavour the advancement of the Goſpell. King David being told how the Lord had bleſſed the houſe of Obed-Edom, and all that pertained to him, becauſe of the Arke of the Lord, kk1 Sam. 6.12.1 Sam 6:12went and brought the Arke into the City of David with gladneſſe. Men hearing of the proſperity and bleſſing which doth attend the Goſpell, ſhould with great care and diligence, with much alacrity and cheerfulneſſe endeavour the erection of the Goſpell among them: He is altogether unſenſible of the manifold and ſingular benefits, and mercies accompanying the Goſpell, that doth not heartily deſire, and effectually labour the welfare thereof. As the Goſpell excels all temporall endowments, ſo ſhould we endeavour the ſucceſſe and ſtability of the Goſpell more then of any, or all other poſſeſſions.