Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Ʋſe. A Chriſtians life the moſt noble life.DOth Chriſt live in man? Then the life of a Chriſtian is the moſt noble and honourable life of all others: the life of ſenſible creatures is more excellent then the life of vegitive creatures; the life of reaſonable creatures is more excellent then the life of ſenſible; the life of man is more noble then the life of beaſts; but the life of ſpirituall and ſanctified perſons is more excellent then the life of reaſonable creatures; the life of a true Chriſtian ſurpaſſeth the life of man, as farre as the life of man ſurpaſſeth the life of beaſts. Saul was in ſtature head and ſhoulders above the reſidue of the people. The life of grace is head and ſhoulders in dignity, worth and excellency above all other lives; this is the life of Chriſt, a living of Chriſt in man; and as Chriſt is infinitely more excellent then man, ſo doth this life exceedingly tranſcend the life of man, called the pEph. 4.18.life of God, in regard of the cauſe efficient, God working it by his holy Spirit; in regard of precept, God commanding it; in regard of approbation, God accepting and approving it; in regard of nobleneſſe and dignity, as the life of God is more excellent then the life of the creature, ſo is this life the moſt honourable, ſweeteſt and choyſeſt life communicable to any creature; and in regard of likeneſſe with God, holy and gracious reſemblance of God; he that lives the life of man is like man, participates of the nature of man; he that lives the life of grace is like God, is made partaker, as S. Peter ſpeaks, of the divine q2 Pet. 1.4.nature, not in reſpect of eſſence, but in reſpect of holy and gracious qualities: hee that lives the life of grace commeth nigheſt unto God, participates moſt of Gods fulneſſe,Chriſtian life honourable. and hath neareſt and ſweeteſt communion with God of all perſons. And this life is indeed a very honourable and noble life.
1. Originall.1. For the Originall of it, it is not from nature, but from grace, not from man, but from the Spirit, it is the Spirit that rIoh. 6.63.quickneth: It is a beame from the brighteſt Sun, even Chriſt Jeſus the Son of Righteouſneſſe: I (ſaith Chriſt) am the bread of life come downe from Heaven, if any man eat of this bread he ſhall live for ever. It is a ſtreame from the higheſt and pureſt fountaine, the Spirit of grace, becoming in the ſoule of man a well of ſIoh 4.14.water springing up into everlaſting life.
2. In regard of the nature of it, a ſpirituall life,2. Nature. a life of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe; a life ſurpaſſing the life of nature, as the Sun the Glo-worme, as the Vine the bramble; and they that live this life are ſaid to tRom. 6.4.walke in newneſſe of life: Having a new-birth, being borne againe, and having new principles and qualities put into them by the Spirit of God; the Lord according to his promiſe, putting a uEzek. 11.19.new heart into them; their ſoules being renewed and changed, not in ſubſtance, but in qualities, framed a new after God in knowledge, righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, made w2 Cor. 5.17.new creatures, and leading a converſation pure, and unblameable in the ſight of God, and that life which is moſt full of grace and holines, is of all lives the moſt noble and glorious.
3. In regard of the rarity of it;3. Rarity. few men live this life, the whole world (as S. John ſaith) lies in wickedneſſe, dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, as the old world lay drowned in the deluge, only Noah and his Family, a few perſons lived in the Arke; it is but a little remnant, xIer. 3.14.one of a city and two of a Tribe, as the Prophet ſpeakes, that live this life. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way (ſaith Chriſt) which leadeth unto life, and few there be that finde it. A godly perſon is a rare jewell; God diſpenceth the life of grace only to his choſen: Chriſt in the dayes of his fleſh rayſed not all the dead to life, but onelyonly a few, one now and another then: thus Chriſt in the day of the Goſpell, doth not quicken all, but a few, one here, and another there: the number of them, that profeſſe themſelves Chriſtians, is indeed very great, but the number of them in whom Chriſt lives is very ſmall, the greateſt part, like the Angell of the Church of Sardis, having a yRev. 3.1.name that they live, and yet are dead, the outward forme and ſhew of Chriſtianity is very frequent, but the life, power and practiſe very rare.
4. Pleaſantnes.4. In regard of the ſweetnes and pleaſantneſſe of this life. Chriſt living in the ſoule of man is the choyſeſt joy of man, The light (ſaith Salomon) is ſweet, and it is a pleaſant thing to the eye to behold the Sun; the light of Chriſt is ſweet to the ſoule, the beholding of the Sun of righteouſneſſe living in man is very pleaſant unto man; the heart of old Jacob revived, hearing that his ſon Joſeph lived; the ſence and feeling of Chriſt living in man, is a ſweet and powerfull reviving of the heart of man. Chriſt is the Prince of peace, and where he lives there is ſweet and ſure peace. Chriſt is the Paradiſe of all comforts, he that enjoyes Chriſt hath ſtrong conſolation; where Chriſt liveth, the wounds of the ſoule are healed, the adverſaries of the ſoule are vanquiſhed, the ſinnes of the ſoule are purged, the ſtormy tempeſt of the conſcience is appeaſed, the clouds of ſorrow which darkned the ſoule are dispelled, ſpirituall liberty is reſtored, forgiveneſſe of ſin is ſealed, ſence of Gods love communicated, and the ſoule graciouſly reconciled unto God: all other life is bitter and unſavoury as death, in compariſon of a holy and gracious life.
5. Exaltation.5. In regard of that eſtate and condition, whereinto this life doth exalt and advance man; Chriſt living in man makes man a childe of God by adoption, a ſpirituall freeman, a glorious Conquerour over Satan, himſelfe and the world, a living member of that myſticall body whereof Chriſt is the head, a King and Prieſt to God, and an heyre of an inheritance incorruptible reſerved in the Heavens; no crowne doth ſo honour man as his Sanctification; man is more to be eſteemed for his holy walking, then for the higheſt honour the Earth is able to conferre upon him; it is not mans naturall, but his new-birth that makes him truly noble; though holineſſe, thorough mens ignorance and profaneneſſe, be of no eſteeme with men, yet is this the prime advancer of man.
6. Lowneſſe of mans eſtate without this life.6. In regard of that lowneſſe and baſeneſſe of spirit from which this life doth free man: man in his naturall eſtate is very baſely minded, very diſhonourably diſpoſed, like the decreped woman in the Goſpell, he is altogether bowed down, and wholy bent to the things which are here below, minding only things earthly, wallowing like a Swine in the dirt and mire of the world, and fleſhly luſts; but when Chriſt lives in man, when he puts the life of grace into man, he ennobles the heart of man, communicates a heavenly diſpoſition to him, and puts the whole man into a heavenly frame, and ſets his heart to ſeeke the things which are above, he rayſeth his heart, his thoughts, his deſires to the love, meditation and ſeeking of things ſpirituall, as he rayſed the body of Lazarus from the grave: hee makes man to looke upon the world, as upon a zPro. 23.5. Phil. 3.8.thing of nought, to repute all the fullneſſe of the Earth as dung and droſſe in compariſon of Chriſt, to leave all and follow Chriſt, as Eliſha left his yoakes of Oxen and followed Elijah; having Chriſt living in him, he minds Chriſt, adheres to Chriſt, purſues and followes after Chriſt, makes Chriſt his crown and portion: he hath an aNumb 14.24. Heb. 1….excellent Spirit, like the Spirit of Chriſt, contemning the glory of the world, as Chriſt contemned it, with Moſes reputing the reproach of Chriſt, greater riches then the treaſures of Aegypt; deſpiſing all the profers and perſwaſions of the Earth, not regarding all the cominations of the world; hee chooſeth rather with the three children to walke with Chriſt in the fiery bDan 3.fornace, then to live without Chriſt in the choyſeſt earthly pallace. He had rather be nayled with Chriſt to the croſſe, then ſet with Herod upon the throne. He ſaith to the men of the world, as Abraham in another caſe to the King of Sodome; give me the perſons, take thou the ſubſtance, give me Chriſt, take ye the world, give me things heavenly and eternall, take ye things earthly and temporall. He that hath Chriſt living in him reputes the world as nothing, Chriſt is both his crowne, joy and portion.
7. In regard of their honourable walking, 7. Honourable walking. Gal. 5.25.who have Chriſt living in them, they c walke in the Spirit, ſaith the Apoſtle; the Spirit moves and guides them to walke according to that rule which the Spirit hath in the word propoſed to them, the Spirit makes their hearts within and lives without ſutable to that holineſſe which the law preſcribeth, they walk in the power of the Spirit quickning and aſſiſting them; in the light of the Spirit directing them; in the motion of the Spirit exciting them; and in the operation of the Spirit, enlarging their hearts with the knowledge of God, faith in God, love to God, and with the ſence and feeling of Gods goodneſſe towards them, and in the teſtimony and evidence of the Spirit, ſealing up the forgivenes of their ſins unto them; as the ſoule is not idle, but operative in the body, diſtributing ſence, and motion to every member of the body: So the Spirit of Chriſt, in them, in whom Chriſt lives, is not idle, but operative, manifeſting it ſelfe in the fruits and effects thereof; the ſoule inables man to humane works and ſervices, the Spirit of Chriſt living in man inables man to ſpirituall duties and exerciſes, to ſhine as a light in the midſt of the froward generation among whom hee lives; to walke as a childe of light, with Zachary and Elizabeth to walke in all the Commandements of God and be blameleſſe; and this is the honour and crowne of a Chriſtians life, to walke as beſeemeth the Goſpell, to walk worthy of God, and his Chriſtian and holy calling; he is moſt honourable who expreſſeth moſt holineſſe in his converſation.
8. In regard of the terme whereunto they live, who have Chriſt living in them; carnall men who are aliens to the life of God and Chriſt, live to a very low, ignoble and baſe terme, they live to the world, minding and intending the world, conforming themſelves to the example, cuſtome and faſhion of the world, they ſerve dMat. 6.24.Mammon and not God; to this they live as ſervants to the Maſter whom they ſerve: they live unto themſelves and their owne luſts, walking after their owne imaginations, propoſing their owne by and baſe ends, doing all things for themſelves, for their owne profit, pleaſure and applauſe, they ſerve their eRom. 16.owne belly, and not the Lord Jeſus; they live to Satan, not doing the will of God, but the fIoh. 8.44.lust of the Divell, as Chriſt ſpeakes, and this is the ſhame and diſhouour of the life of man, to live to live to ſuch low, by and baſe ends as theſe; but they who have Chriſt living in them, doe live unto God, intending God, making God and his prayſe, the ſupreame end of their living; as a wife liveth to her husband, bringing forth children to her husband; a vine liveth to the Maſter of the vineyard, bringing forth his fruite to him; and a flocke liveth to him that is the Maſter of the flocke, yeelding all their encreaſe to him that ownes them: thus theſe men live to God, bringing forth all their fruit and encreaſe to God: Whether we live (ſaith the Apoſtle) we live gRom. 14.8.unto the Lord, or whether wee die we die unto the Lord, whither we live therefore or die we are the Lords: They live unto the Lord, 1.Living to God what? Acknowledging themſelves not to be their owne, or under their owne power, but to be Chriſts as his proper and peculiar people. 2. By receiving all their direction from Chriſt, and not walking after their owne imagination, taking Chriſts word, as the Iſraelites did the fiery pillar, and the wiſe men the ſtarre, to conduct them in all their goings. 3. By ſurrendring themſelves up to Chriſt, to doe his and nor their owne will; as ſervants to doe the will of the Maſter with whom they are entred into covenant. 4. By making Chriſt their refuge, flying to him in their diſtreſſes, as ſervants to their Maſters. 5. By minding Chriſt, and intending his glory in all that they doe, even to the very end of their life, preferring Chriſts honour above their owne welfare, being willing to abaſe themſelves, that they may exalt Chriſt: and as they live to Chriſt, ſo they dye to Chriſt, acknowledging him to have the power of death in his hand, ſubmitting with patience to the decree of Chriſt, touching both time and manner of their diſſolution, being willing to glorifie Chriſt by their death, reſigning themſelves wholy into the hands of Chriſt, when the houre of death comes upon them. It is the earneſt deſire and unfained indeavour of all gracious perſons, both in life and death, to make the name of Chriſt glorious; looking beyond themſelves to God and Chriſt Jeſus in all their doings and ſufferings. As they are endowed with noble principles within, in their inward man, ſo they have honourable ends without, in their externall worke: as their life is originally from Chriſt; ſo their motion is to Chriſt, he is the prime object of their intendment, as they have their uſe from him, ſo they live unto him; and this is the honour of the life of a Chriſtian, to live to Chriſt. What is the honour of a wives life? but to live to her husband, and not to ſtrangers: What is the honour of a ſervants life? but to live to his Maſter in the faithfull diſcharge of his office. And what is the honour of a Chriſtians life? but to live to Chriſt, and not to his owne corrupt affections; doubtleſſe every mans life is more or leſſe honourable and glorious, as hee lives more or leſſe to God and the Lord Jeſus: And thus it appeares that their life in whom Chriſt lives, is of the lives of all people, the moſt excellent and honourable: Their life is glorious in proſperity, by walking humbly in the midſt of their abundance; in adverſity, by walking patiently in all their ſufferings: In temptation, by walking beleevingly, reſting upon God with a firme and ſure confidence; In oppoſition, by walking couragiouſly, holding faſt their profeſſion of Chriſt Jeſus: In loſſes, by walking joyfully, knowing they have an abiding ſubſtance in Heaven; In all eſtates and conditions, by walking holily and circumſpectly, ſhining like the light more and more to the day of their perfection.