Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

333 is a man taketh an subject, or a theological point into is head, whereby he is only made able to discourse; but as an habitual and practical point, receiving it into his heart by the faith of the gofpel, Philip. i. 27. and Applying it to himfelf, and laying his eternal ftate upon it, and fo fetting to his feal, that God is true: I fay, fo far forth as a man doth this, Chrift executes his prophetical office in him, in teaching him, and revealing to him the covenant of grace. And fo far forth as any man hears and knows, that this is the will of God, even his fanctification,' I Theff. iv. 3. and thereupon concludes, that it is his duty to endeavour after it: I fay, fo far forth as a man doth this, Chrift executes his prophetical office in him, in teaching and revealing his law to him. And this I hope is fufficient for answer to your first question.

[ocr errors]

Neo. I pray you, Sir, in the fecond place, tell me, how a man may know that Christ executes his priestly office in him?

Evan. Why, fo far forth as any man hears and knows, that Chrift hath given himself as that only abfolute and perfect facrifice for the fins of believers, Heb. ix. 26. and joined them unto himself by faith, and himself unto them by his Spirit, and fo made them one with him; and is now entered into heaven itfelf, to appear in the prefence of God for them, Heb. ix. 24. and hereupon is emboldened to go immediately to (t) God in prayer, as to a father, and meet him in Chrift, and prefent him with Chrift himfelf, as with a facrifice without fpot or blemish: I fay, fo far forth as any man doth this Christ executes his priestly office in him.

Neo. But, Sir, would you have a believer to go immediately unto God? How then doth Chrift make interceffion for us at God's right-hand, as the apostle faith he doth? Rom. viii. 34.

Evan. It is true indeed, Christ as a public perfon, representing all believers, appears before God his

(t) i. e. Even unto. See page 196, note (S).

Father

Chap. II Father; and willeth according to both his natures and defireth, as he is man, that God would, for his fa tisfaction's fake, grant unto them whatsoever the afk according to his will. But yet you must go im mediately to God in prayer, for all that (u).

You must not pitch your prayers upon Chrift, and terminate them there, as if he were to take them and present them to his Father (v); but the ver prefenting place of your prayers must be God himfel in Chrift. Neither muft you conceive, as though Chrift the Son were more willing to grant your re queft than God the Father; for whatfoever Chrif willeth, the fame alfo the Father (being well pleafed with him) willeth. In Chrift therefore, I fay, and no where elfe, muft you expect to have your petiti ons granted; and as in Christ, and no place elfe, fo for Chrift's fake, and nothing else. And therefore

I beseech you to beware you forget not Chrift, when you go unto the Father to beg any thing you defire, either for yourself or others; efpecially when you defire to have any pardon for fin, you are not to think, that when you join with your prayers, fafting, weeping and afflicting of yourself, that for fo doing you fball prevail with God to hear you, and grant your petitions; no, no, you must meet God in Chrift, and prefent him with his fufferings; your eye, your mind, and all your confidence, must be therein; and in that be as confident as poffibly you can;` yea, expoftulate the matter, as it were, with God the Father, and fay, Lo! here is the person that hath well deferved it, here is the perfon that wills and defires it; in whom, thou haft faid, Thou art well pleafed; yea here is the perfon that hath paid the debt, and difcharged the bond for all my fins and therefore, O Lord now it ftandeth with thy juftice to

+ Perkins on the creed, page 356.

(u) That is to fay.
(v) But you yourfelf

were not come near unto

:

for

him, nay we must come unto God by Chrift, Heb. vii,

25.

forgive me.

And thus if you do, why then you may be affured, that Chrift executes his prieftly of

fice in you.

Neo. I pray you, Sir, in the third place, fhew me, how a man may know that Chrift executes his kingly office in him."

Evan. Why, fo far forth as any man hears and knows, that all power is given unto Chrift, both in heaven and in earth,' Math. xxviii. 18. both to vanquish and overcome all the lufts and corruptions of believers, and to write his law in their hearts; and hereupon take occafion to go unto Chrift for the doing of both in him: I fay, fo far forth as he doth this, why Chrift execntes his kingly office in him.

Neo. Why then, Sir, it feems that the place where Chrift executes his kingly office, is in the hearts of believers ?

Evan. It is true indeed; for Chrift's kingdom is not temporal or fecular, over the natural lives, or civil negotiations of men; but his kingdom is fpiritual and heavenly, over the fouls of men, to awe and over-rule the heart, to captivate the affections, to bring into obedience the thoughts, and to fubdue and pull down ftrong-holds. For when our father Adam tranfgreffed, he, we, and all of us, forfook God, and chofe the devil for our lord and king; so that every mother's child of us are, by nature, under the government of Satan; and he rules over us, till Christ come into our hearts, and difpoffeffeth him; according to the faying of Chrift himself, Luke xi. 21, 22. When a ftrong man armed keepeth his " palace, his goods are in peace:' that is, faith Calvin †, Satan holdeth them that are in fubjection to him in fuch bonds and quiet poffeffion, that he rules over them without resistance; but when Christ comes to dwell in any man's heart by faith; according to the measure of faith he difpoffeffeth him, and feats himself in the heart, and roots out, and pulls down all that withstands his government there: and,

*Reynolds on Pfal. cx. p. 9.

as

† Harmony, p. 329.

[ocr errors]

Chap. III as a valiant captain, he ftands upon his guard, and enables the foul to gather all its forces and powers,te refift and withstand all its and his enemies, and fo fets itself in good earnest against them, when they ar any time offer to return again: and he doth especi ally enable the foul to refift, and fet itself against the d principal enemy, even that which doth most oppofed Chrift in his government; fo that whatfoever luft or era corruption is in a believer's heart or foul, as most pre-Da dominant, Chrift doth enable him to take that intoars, his mind, and to have most revengeful thoughts ae gainst it, and to make complaints to him against it,it: and to defire power and ftrength from him against it;, and all, because it moft withstands the government of Chrift, and is the rankest traitor to Chrift; fo that allo he useth all the means he can to bring it before theate judgment feat of Chrift; and there he calls for juftice he againft it, faying, O Lord Jefus Chrift, here is a re-i bel and a traitor, that doth withstand thy govern ment in me; wherefore, I pray thee, come, and execute thy kingly office in me, and fubdue it, yea, vanquish and overcome it. Whereupon Chrift gives the fame answer that he did to the centurion,'

[ocr errors]

Go

thy way, and as thou haft believed, so be it done unto thee,' Matth. viii. 13. (w).

And as Chrift doth thus fupprefs all other gover nors but himself in the heart of a believer, fo doth he raze out and deface all other laws, and writes his own there, according to his promife, Jer. xxxi. 33. and makes them pliable and willing to do and fuffer his will; and that becaufe it is his will. So that the mind and will of Chrift, laid down in his word, and manifested in his works, is not only the rule of a believer's obedience, but also the reason of it; as I once heard a godly minister fay in the pulpit: fo that he

(w) Namely, believed the promise of fanctification, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. Micah. vii. 19. which be

doth

b

an

sor fo or he

Da

thei

find

har C

the He

No Ref the S

lief brings always along. Christ,
with it the ufe of the means,
that are of divine inftita-
tion, for that end.

Nea

doth not only do that which is Chrift's will, but he loth it because it is his will *.

O that man which hath the law of Chrift written in is heart! according to the measure of it, he reads, he hears, he prays, he receives the facrament, he keeps the Lord's day holy, he exhorts, he inftructs, he confers, and doth all the duties that belong to him in his general calling, because he knows it is the mind and will of Chrift he should do fo; yea, he patiently fuffers, and. willingly undergoes afflictions, for the caufe of Chrift, because he knows it is the will of Chrift: yea, fuch a man doth not only yield obedience, and perform the duties of the firft table of the law, by virtue of Chrift's command, but of the fecond alfo. O that husband, parent, mafter, or magiftrate that hath the law of Chrift written ia his heart! he doth his duty to his wife, child, fervant or fubject, willingly and uprightly, because Chrift requires it and commands it. And fo that wife, child, fervant or fubject, that hath the law of Chrift written in his or her heart, they do their duties to husband, parent, mafter, or governor, freely and cheerfully, because their Lord Chrift commands it. Now then, if you find these things in your heart, you may conclude that Christ rules and reigns there, as Lord and king.

*Mr. Caryl at Black-friers.

CHAP IV.

Of the Heart's Happiness; or, Soul's Reft.

§i. No Reft for the Soul, till it come to God. § 2. How the Soul is kept from Reft in God. § 3. God in Chrift, the only true Reft for the Soul.

SIR

1. Neo. CIR, be pleased to give me leave to tell you fome part of my mind, and then will I cease

Y

« AnteriorContinuar »