There's nothing that makes a man indeed so able to Preach Christ to the people, as the getting a Christ within him: And 'tis very observable, that the great Rabbis and Doctors that want a Christ within, they do but bungle in the work of the Lord, in the Preaching of a crucified Jesus; and were it not for the help of Augustine, Chrysostom, Ambrose, and Tertullian, &c. what sad, dead, and pitiful work would they make? Yea, for want of a Christ within, how little of Christ do they understand? How little of Christ do they make known, notwithstanding all their borrowed helps? Paul was a man that had got a Christ within him, Gal. 2. 20. I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life that I live is by the faith of the Son of God, &c. Compare this with Gal. 4. 19. My little Children, of whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in you. A Christ within, makes him travel in birth. 1The Greek word Translated, I travel in birth, signifies not only the travel of the woman at the birth of the Child, but also the painful bearing thereof before the birth. The pains of travel breed not a greater desire to see a Man-child borne into the world, then Paul's love bred in him, till Christ were anew formed in them. No man did so much for the winning of souls to Christ, as Paul; nor no man had so much of a Christ within him, as Paul. Nothing will naturalize a Ministers heart to his work, like a Christ within; nothing will make him so wise, so painful, so watchful, so careful to win souls, as a Christ within; nothing will make him hold out, and hold on in the work of the Lord, in the face of all oppositions, persecutions, dangers, and deaths, as a Christ within. Nothing will make a man strive with sinners, and weep over sinners, and wait upon sinners for their return, as a Christ within: Such Ministers that have not a Christ within them, ⟨p. 311⟩will find to comfort, and as little success in their Preaching of Christ. Above all gettings, get a Christ within, or else after all thy Preaching, thy self will be a cast-away.
There's nothing that makes a man indeed so able to Preach Christ to the people, as the getting a Christ within him: And 'tis very observeable, that the great Rabbies and Doctours that want a Christ within, they doe but bungle in the work of the Lord, in the Preaching of a crucified Jesus; and were it not for the help of Austine, Chrysostome, Ambrose, and Tertullian, &c. what sad, dead, and pittifull work would they make? Yea, for want of a Christ within, how little of Christ doe they understand? How little of Christ doe they make known, notwithstanding all their borrowed helps? Paul was a man that had got a Christ within him, Gal. 2. 20. I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life that I live is by the faith of the Son of God, &c. Compare this with Gal. 4. 19. My little Children, of whom I travell in birth till Christ be formed in you. A Christ within, makes him travel in birth. 1The Greek word Translated, I travell in birth, signifies not onely the travel of the woman at the birth of the Child, but also the painfull bearing thereof before the birth. The paines of travel breed not a greater desire to see a Man-child borne into the world, then Paul's love bred in him, till Christ were anew formed in them. No man did so much for the winning of soules to Christ, as Paul; nor no man had so much of a Christ within him, as Paul. Nothing will naturalize a Ministers heart to his work, like a Christ within; nothing will make him so wise, so painfull, so watchfull, so carefull to win soules, as a Christ within; nothing will make him hold out, and hold on in the work of the Lord, in the face of all oppositions, persecutions, dangers, and deaths, as a Christ within. Nothing will make a man strive with sinners, and weep over sinners, and waite upon sinners for their returne, as a Christ within: Such Ministers that have not a Christ within them, ⟨p. 311⟩will find to comfort, and as little successe in their Preaching of Christ. Above all gettings, get a Christ within, or else after all thy Preaching, thy selfe will be a cast-away.
- 1Odino. 2 Cor. 11. 23. ult. As Nurses to Princes children, are fed with the most delicate fare, but not for their own sakes, bu• for the childrens sake to whom they give Nurse. So 'tis with many Ministers that want a Christ within. • Tim. 2. •4, 25.Odino. 2 Cor. 11. 23. ult. As Nurses to Princes children, are fed with the most delicate fare, but not for their owne sakes, bu• for the childrens sake to whom they give Nurse. So 'tis with many Ministers that want a Christ within. • Tim. 2. •4, 25.
