Two ways we are said to have Christ for our Governor,

Two wayes we are said to have Christ for our Governour,

1 When we resign up our selves in obedience to him, when we have not a thought within us but is brought into subjection to the Lord Christ, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. Prov. 12.5. The thoughts of the righteous are right thoughts, coming from a right ground, guided by a right rule, tending to a right end.

1 When we resigne up our selves in obedience to him, when we have not a thought within us but is brought into subjection to the Lord Christ, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. Prov. 12.5. The thoughts of the righteous are right thoughts, coming from a right ground, guided by a right rule, tending to a right end.

Obj. But, whose heart is so right, that every thought is subdued to the will of Christ? Who is there but have many vain thoughts lodge in them? Jerem. 4.14.

2 If an evil thought come into a natural mans heart, it's connatural to him, it finds lodging and welcome there, Eph. 4.18, 19. But a godly man, if an evil thought come, he looks at it as an enemy and traitor, he calls to all the family, to all the faculties of the soul to help against it: and if he be not strong enough, he calls to all his Christian friends, but especially he calls to his Prince to deliver him, even as a good Subject that hath a Traitor got into his house, that plots treason against the King, and spoils his goods, and he is not able to get rid of him, be secretly sends to his Prince for aid. This course David took, Psal. 139.23. Search me, O Lord, and try me. He would have God to make privy search, and find out the frame of his heart; unlike to them, Isa. 29.15. And then v. 24. See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the ⟨p. 395⟩way everlasting. And if he would have God to be ruler over his thoughts, then much more of his words and actions. Now there are some men whose hearts are like the high-way ground, let evil thoughts come and go at their pleasures, they will not be subject to Christ. As for this man, we will not have him rule over us, Luke 19.14. What say they? Thoughts are free, and our tongues are our own, who shall control us? Whereas a Christian would have God rule all his thoughts and words; nay, a carnal heart is so wonderfully desperate, that they will not only not be servants to God, but they will make God servant to them. Isa. 43.24. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, and wearied me with thy iniquities. They make God to serve a wearisome service, that as a cart is pressed under the sheaves, so is God under them; they load Gods patience with one sin after another, pitch one sin upon another, till he be burdened with our sins; and what parts and gifts, and liberties God gives them, they abuse to Gods dishonour, And is not this monstrous rebellion, for poor creatures to make God serve a wearisome service? Wonder not therefore if he say, Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,

2 As a witch makes the devil serve her all her life, but at death she serves the devil; So God shall serve them all their life time, but at death they would serve God, and then they will do him the best service they can. Why do you think God will accept our service when we dye, when we have made him serve us all our life time?

2 As a witch makes the devil serve her all her life, but at death she serves the devill; So God shall serve them all their life time, but at death they would serve God, and then they will do him the best service they can. Why do you think God will accept our service when we dye, when we have made him serve us all our life time?

2 To have Christ for our Prince is not only to serve him, but we must give him Princely service, such service as becomes so royal a Prince, Mal. 1.8. Serve not him with blind and lame sacrifices, but with the best and fattest; crucify your fattest and dearest lusts to him, let him have your best parts, and best affections; righteous Abel brought to God the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof, Gen. 4.4. So let God have our first years, and the strength of your affections, give not him your old, decrepit age. 2 Sam. 24.24. I will not offer to God (saith David) that which cost me nothing. Araunah indeed gave them all freely to the King, like a King. If a man give to a King, he must give as to a King, he must give as a King. Nay, (saith David) if you as a King give those things to me, must not I then who am a King give as a King to that King of Kings? Let God have all you have, give up your selves and all your families to him.

2 To have Christ for our Prince is not onely to serve him, but we must give him Princely service, such service as becomes so royall a Prince, Mal. 1.8. Serve not him with blinde and lame sacrifices, but with the best and fattest; crucifie your fattest and dearest lusts to him, let him have your best parts, and best affections; righteous Abel brought to God the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof, Gen. 4.4. So let God have our first years, and the strength of your affections, give not him your old, decrepit age. 2 Sam. 24.24. I will not offer to God (saith David) that which cost me nothing. Araunah indeed gave them all freely to the King, like a King. If a man give to a King, he must give as to a King, he must give as a King. Nay, (saith David) if you as a King give those things to me, must not I then who am a King give as a King to that King of Kings? Let God have all you have, give up your selves and all your families to him.

For application.

Would you know then whether you have life? Why, if you have Christ, you have life; and if you would know whether you have Christ or no, you must consider, God hath exalted him to be both Saviour and Prince. Dost thou find thy heart looking up to him for help in all thy miseries? Then thou hast him as a Saviour. If in cases when thou knowest not what to do, yet thy eyes are towards him? Why, this very looking towards him, is of an healing nature, as was the looking towards the brazen Serpent, Numb 21.9. The Conies are but a feeble folk, and yet they make their nests in a rock; so, it's good for us in our distresses, to have recourse to the rock that is higher then we.

Would you know then whether you have life? Why, if you have Christ, you have life; and if you would know whether you have Christ or no, you must consider, God hath exalted him to be both Saviour and Prince. Dost thou finde thy heart looking up to him for help in all thy miseries? Then thou hast him as a Saviour. If in cases when thou knowest not what to doe, yet thy eyes are towards him? Why, this very looking towards him, is of an healing nature, as was the looking towards the brazen Serpent, Numb 21.9. The Conies are but a feeble folk, and yet they make their nests in a rock; so, it's good for us in our distresses, to have recourse to the rock that is higher then we.

Again consider, are there any lusts in us that we desire to be spared in, and would not be saved from? Why, then we have not Christ for our Saviour. So consider, Have we Christ for our Prince? Do we subject every thought unto him? Dost thou not entertain an evil thought? if they rush in upon thee, dost thou strive to thrust them out? Then thou hast Christ for thy Prince. But if thou findest evil thoughts in thy heart, and sufferest them to rest in thee. Dost thou make God to serve a wearisome service from month to month, and year to year, and over burden his patience and mercy? Then Christi ⟨p. 396⟩not thine. If thou lookest at him as thy Prince, he should have the best service thou couldst afford him.

Again consider, are there any lusts in us that we desire to be spared in, and would not be saved from? Why, then we have not Christ for our Saviour. So consider, Have we Christ for our Prince? Do we subject every thought unto him? Dost thou not entertain an evill thought? if they rush in upon thee, dost thou strive to thrust them out? Then thou hast Christ for thy Prince. But if thou findest evil thoughts in thy heart, and sufferest them to rest in thee. Dost thou make God to serve a wearisome service from moneth to moneth, and year to year, and over burthen his patience and mercy? Then Christi ⟨p. 396⟩not thine. If thou lookest at him as thy Prince, he should have the best service thou couldst afford him.

A third head of signs whereby we may know whether we have Christ or no, is expressed in the text, He that hath the Son, hath life. For we may as well argue from having of life that we have the Son, as from the having of the Son that we have use; they are reciprocal, he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath life hath the Son.

A third head of signes whereby we may know whether we have Christ or no, is exprest in the text, He that hath the Son, hath life. For we may as well argue from having of life that we have the Son, as from the having of the Son that we have use; they are reciprocall, he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath life hath the Son.

This Life is fourfold: Of Justification, Of Sanctification, Of Consolation, and Of Glorification.

If we have good evidences of the three former, we may have assurance of the latter.

The signs of life are of three sorts, our spiritual life may be discerned three ways: By the causes. By the effects. By the properties.

The signes of life are of three sorts, our spirituall life may be discerned three wayes: By the causes. By the effects. By the properties.

For the causes, the holy Ghost gives us three causes of our spiritual life, which if we find, we may assure our selves that we have life, and so consequently we have the Son.

For the causes, the holy Ghost gives us three causes of our spirituall life, which if we finde, we may assure our selves that we have life, and so consequently we have the Son.

1 Cause of our spiritual life, is Gods own good pleasure. Of his own will hath he begot us▪ Jam. 1.18. This St. John proves by denying all other causes of our begetting to life, John 13 Not of blood: that is, not of parentage, for godly parents may have wicked children; though Gods commandment do much, yet it is not from their good parentage, but from Gods pleasure in the covenant. Nor of flesh, that is not of corrupt nature: nor of the will of men; that is, not of the will of our best friends, that desire it, and pray for it, unless God set in with all those of his good pleasure, he shall not have life, Ezek. 16.6. It was od that said to us when we were in our blood, Live. This is an evident sign of the life of grace. Such a mans heart acknowledgeth all the grace he hath to be of Gods good pleasure. Take a natural man, he thinks well of him elf, that he hath always had a good nature, and towardly, and hopeful, and all his friends could say no less But now a regenerate Christian acknowledgeth that he had no heart to goodness by nature, only some outward correspondency towards his friends, to please them; but he acknowledgeth what Paul doth, Gal. 1.15, 16. When it pleased God to call me by his grace, and to reveal Christ in me, then I lived, but not before. A living soul never attributes any thing to his good nature or towardliness, but when it pleaseth God to call him to his grace.

1 Cause of our spirituall life, is Gods own good pleasure. Of his owne will hath he begot us▪ Jam. 1.18. This St. John proves by denying all other causes of our begetting to life, John 13 Not of bloud: that is, not of parentage, for godly parents may have wicked children; though Gods commandement do much, yet it is not from their good parentag•, but from Gods pleasure in the covenant. Nor of flesh, that is not of corrupt nature: nor of the will of men; that is, not of the will of our best friends, that desire it, and pray for it, unlesse God set in with all those of his good pleasure, he shall not have life,