Vol 01 - Chapter 07 - A Christian ought to die to himself, and to the world, and live to CHR...

Chapter 07 - A Christian ought to die to himself, and to the world, and live to CHRIST
1. WE ought to live not to ourselves, but to him who died for us. But to live to him, before we be. dead to ourselves, and to the world, is utterly impossible. If therefore you have a mind to live in CHRIST, you must be dead to all the desires of the world; and if you `have resolved to live not to thyself, but to CHRIST, then must you be ready to renounce thine own natural life, with all that thereto belongs. But if you art inclined, to live to thyself, and to the world, it follows, that thou must renounce all commerce with CHRIST. For "what communion has light with darkness," or CHRIST with the world And what concord or agreement can the Spirit have with the flesh
2. There are three kinds of death; the one is spiritual, the other natural, and the third eternal. The first is, when a man dies daily to himself; that is, by a death to avarice, pride, voluptuousness, wrath, and all other sins and passions of the corrupt nature. This death is the beginning of life.
3. Of the second speaks the apostle to his Philippians: "To me to live, is CHRIST; and to die is gain." As if he should have said, even when a Christian shall pass through the natural death, CHRIST still remains his life; and thus death is gain to him. For in that he exchanges a short and miserable life, for an eternal and blessed one; this cannot but be a most gainful exchange. And CHRIST having been here his life, when he conies to be translated into the arms of his beloved, whether it be gain for such an one to die, to leave this world of sin and misery to go to him, none can doubt.
4. Yea, thrice happy is that soul, to whom to live is CHRIST: the soul wherein CHRIST lives; or that has in her the life of CHRIST, by a most lively copying after the original graces which shine so bright in him. Blessed is the man who thus lives in CHRIST! But alas! the far greatest part of men have clothed themselves with the devil, have put on his life instead of CHRIST's; and to them to live is the devil, seeing that their life is the devil all over. It is pride, wrath, lying, idolatry, covetousness, concupiscence; and all this is the life of the devil.
5. But You, O man! consider who it is that lives in thee. Blessed art You, if you can say, to me to live is CHRIST, not only in the world to come, but even in this present world. Here, even here, let CHRIST be thy life; that he may be so for ever. And here to die unto the world, and unto sin, account it to thee all gain. For is there any thing more gainful, than the thorough mortifying of all the sinful lusts and affections in thee, that CHRIST may live in thee, and you in him For the more any one dieth to the world, and to himself, the more does CHRIST live in that person. On then courageously, and faint not; but let CHRIST now live in thee in time, that you may also live with him in eternity.
6. It is written of him, " The Son of man came not to be served, but to serve others, and to give his life a ransom." And again, " I am among you as he that serveth." And shall we doubt yet to love CHRIST again GOD forbid. What can we ever refuse for such love as this to serve him again, who took thus for us the form of a servant; and for the love of him who has done all this, even for us, to make war all our life against his and our deadly’enemy, the world How is it that the love of CHRIST does not even constrain us henceforth to die unto ourselves, that we may live unto him who died for us' Because we must judge, a That if one died for all, then were all of us dead!" Oh! can there be the least hesitation in returning him life for life, body for body, and soul for soul! Shall we after this, refuse to fight under his banner, to resist for his sake, even unto blood! No. let us in his name, defy the world to do its worst, which we have solemnly abjured:,and never be so base as to entertain the least thought of ever deserting to it.
7. For the sake of CHRIST, you must die to thyself; for the love of him be willing to die to all thy sins, and to the whole world. All good works must be done, and an holy and innocent life must be lived; but this, not to merit any thing hereby: but only out of pure love towards him. You can merit nothing for thyself; CHRIST has done that for thee, when he made himself poor, for thy sake, that so You, by means of his poverty, might become rich. Let therefore this pure love of CHRIST prompt thee to all that is good; let this be the motive of mortifying thy flesh with all its desires: and let the remembrance of that death which he most willingly accepted for thee, make thee willing to lay down thy life for him; and out of sincere gratitude for all his inestimable benefits, to accept the cross at his hand, and to resist sin and the world even unto blood.
8. Be not deceived; for not in tongue or in word, but in deed and in truth, is he to be loved of thee. If you loves him, keep his commandments. Himself has told thee, " If a man love me he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him," John 14:23.' For this, as the Holy Ghost witnesses, " is the love of GOD, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous." For to him that loves CHRIST with all his heart, it is pleasant, for his sake, to want the sweetness of worldly trifles; it is a light burden to bear what the beloved is pleased to impose; to keep; from a principle within, the commandments of love; to forsake and to be forsaken of the world, and by a total death thereto, to live in CHRIST.
But he that does not embrace the love of CHRIST from the heart, Both all things that concern his duty, heavily and awkwardly, and as it were with an ill will. And no wonder then, if every thing in the exercise of an holy life, be found sharp and difficult to him. Whereas, to a true lover of CHRIST, riot even death itself, is in any wise terrible; so far from it, that it produces in him joy and pleasure. For it is the triumph of love to suffer for the beloved. And therefore it is written, that "love is stronger than death:" and as a mark of true Christianity, it is delivered to us, that we be "in nothing terrified" by our adversaries, the world and the devil, but that we rather " rejoice and be exceeding glad," if we be persecuted for his name's sake. " For unto us it is given, (says the apostle,) on the behalf of CHRIST, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;" and that even to the laying down of our natural lives, if it should graciously please him, for his name's sake, to call us to so great an honor.
9. Consider holy Paul, whose words are, « The world is crucified to me, and I to the world." Behold this blessed apostle, whose life was a life of continual crucifixion to the world, and all that therein is; whereby he became, with his beloved brother Peter, a true partaker of the Divine nature; and thus trampling by faith upon the life of this world, received an eternal weight of glory. After whose example all good Christians are indeed in the world, but are not of the world. And although they live in it, yet no part of the love thereof cleaves to them; they accounting it a shadow which passes away. So that to them all the glory of the world is no more than a little air or smoke; all the desire of the eyes and flesh, with the pride of life, but deceit and vanity; all are no better than shadows; )-ca, all arc in their best estate, vexation and disappointment: honors, riches, and pleasures, are nothing esteemed by them; they account them all but as dung that they may gain CHRIST. For the world is dead and crucified to them, and they to the world likewise are dead and crucified.
10. Happy man, who is dead to the world, and alive to GOD! separated from the world, and collected into CHRIST! Blessed is the man into whose heart such Divine graces arc infused, as withdraw it wholly from every tendency to inferior things, and exalt it to the supernal light and glory, in the heavens. To obtain which, it is needful to pray daily and instantly to GOD seeing it is not possible for a Christian to live without it.
11. It is indeed a grievous cross to flesh and blood, to die thus to the world; yet the Spirit overcomes, and triumpheth in us over all difficulties and oppositions. So great is the force of the Spirit, that Christians pass through all these things, as a.most easy burden for the sake of their beloved. And although they are hated of the world, yet are they beloved of God. For the enmity of this world, is the friendship of God; even as the friendship of the world, is enmity with God. For "whosoever will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of GOD," and whosoever consequently would be the friend of GOD, must not count it hard to be treated as an enemy by the world, or by the GOD of it.
The words of the disciple, are, "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with GOD Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of GOD," James 4:4. And the words of the Master, are, " If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosenn you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you," John 15:19. We ought not therefore to be ignorant, that the world is an adversary to those that are dead to the world; but that it is otherwise to as many as live in the pomp and splendor thereof, whom it commends and favoreth. Let us consider then these things, my brethren, and remember the words of our Lord, " If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."
12. Now he in whose heart the love of the world abides not, is not received of the world, but is cast out by it; notwithstanding he is precious in the sight of God. For unto him indeed the world is dead, and he unto the world; this man lives henceforth in CHRIST, and CHRIST in him. And all those that do so, CHRIST Both acknowledge for his own; but to others it will be said by him, I know you not, who knew him not; who acknowledged him not before men. Verily, verily, he will not know them in that day, who arc ashamed of his meekness, of his humility, and his patience. He who refuses to live with CHRIST in time, how shall he live with CHRIST in eternity And how thinkest you shall he live in thee, or with thee, after this life; seeing you can not, or wilt not live with him in this life For if you wilt not suffer CHRIST to live in thee, before this world be ended, what expectest You, O fool, in that which is to come Ah! with whom wilt you live hereafter, you that can not live with him here Learn therefore, O man, here to die to the world, and to thyself, that so you may live to GOD both here and hereafter, and thy life may be revealed in CHRIST when he shall appear. It remains then firm, that he shall not have life in the world to come, whose life in this world is not in CHRIST. Now therefore if it be demanded, what is it to die to the world
The answer is plain, it is no other thing than not to love the world, or the things thereof, but for the sake of CHRIST to despise them utterly. Wherefore also the Holy Ghost says to these dying ones, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." For we are sure, that he who loves the world is not of GOD, but of the world; neither can he be of God. For " if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him," 1 John 2:15.. If he love the world, he may be also loved of the world. But if the love of GOD be in him, no wonder is it, if the world hate liim, which is so at enmity with God. Moreover, if the love of GOD be not in him, but the love of the world, what shall he do in heaven Will not heaven itself be to him as hell And what likewise has he to do in the world, who in his heart is dead to the world
Where the heart is, there the life is also. If it be with GOD, then it is not with the world; and if it be with the world, then it cannot be with GOD, or in God. If the heart be with CHRIST, the life of that man will necessarily be with CHRIST. But if it be. not with him, then will. he have no share in him, but in antiCHRIST; and his life shall never be found to be in CHRIST, but in SATAN. Neither is he to be accounted a child of GOD, but a son of Belial, whose heart is fixed not in GOD, but in the son of perdition; being ensnared by the love of the world, to the obedience of the prince of the powers thereof. And he that has this world's -love in him, shall easily be overcome by it, even as Sampson was by Delilah; and so must suffer all that torment which the world can bring upon him, and all that vexation of heart which the worldly life produceth.
13. Furthermore, man was not made for the world's sake, but the world for man's sake: man was made to be the Lord of the earth, not a slave of it;- to subdue it, with the affections thereof; not to be subdued by it, or them; not to put his delight or joy therein, as in his paradise, and to know nothing, and hope for nothing but what is before his eyes. No, truly; for he must go hence, he is but a tenant for life, of this great world. He was not made for it; nor can he abide in it. And, as naked he came into it, so naked must he go out of it again. Into it many at once are born, and as it were by heaps, promiscuously and without distinction, death driveth them all out hence again by heaps, both they that did enter into it at one time, and they that successively made their entrance into it; and will not suffer any of us to carry with us the least mite of all the treasure we gave gathered, but sendetdi us quite empty away, if we have no other riches but those of this world; whereby it evidently appearently that this world was never designed to be the end of our creation. Another cause brought us into the world, and for that we were born; which is GOD himself, and the image of GOD which we bear in CHRIST JESUS, and unto which we are renewed by the Spirit- We are created for the kingdom of GOD, and for life eternal; which our Savior CHRIST hath recovered for us, and into which we are regenerated by the Holy Ghost. How preposterous a thing then is it for any one to fix his heart on the world, spend his time on earthly things P Man, who is the most excellent of all the creatures; man, who was made to carry about him the image of GOD in CHRIST, and who by hiin is renewed after this image! Man, who was not created for the world, but the world for man.
14. And therefore carries he about with him, the image of GOD in CHRIST; of which the excellency is so great, that all men, with all their Labor and might; yea, and all angels could not repair one soul, or renew it in the image of God. But for this cause, it was necessary that CHRIST should die, that so the image of GOD, which was by sin defaced, might through the righteousness of CHRIST, be renewed by the Holy Ghost; and man might henceforth become the habitation of CHRIST, and the house of God.
15. Man ought to love nothing but GOD alone. Whatever one loves, in that his heart is fixed; and where his heart is fixed, thereto payeth he his devotion. He is a servant of it, whatsoever it be, and devoted to it. Consequently we have, iii this broken and divided state, as many lords as we have objects which we love. But if thy love, O mail! be simply directed towards GOD, then you art subject to no other lord; then you art at liberty. Wherefore you must be very circumspect, that you follow after nothing that may hinder the Divine love in thee; and that thou suffer not thy affections to run out into any of the creatures. If you desirest to possess GOD alone, thy all must consecrate to him. But if you please thyself, instead of loving and pleasing GOD, much sorrow and sadness will befall thee. Whereas if you love GOD, and rejoice in him only, and dedicate thyself only to him, then will he be thy sure comfort, and never shall you be overcome with sorrow, or fear, and never depressed with sadness and melancholy.
16. He who follows after his own profit, praise, and honor, never attains to tranquility; for always something or other meets hint that brings perturbation. Therefore beware you believe not that the increase of wealth, fame, or honor, is to thee good and profitable; but rather set before thee always the heavenly treasures, and contemn all such mean and passing things, and strive to extirpate the very root of concupiscence, which hinders thee in the pursuit of the love of God. Forasinuch as in this love you shall find all the riches of GOD, and all the pleasures of paradise.
17. Now seeing the commodities of this life, such as praise, honor, riches, pleasure, and even the world itself, which bestoweth them, are floating away, but the love of GOD endures for ever; that delight cannot be durable, which you takest in the love of earthly things. Whereas the mind that is firmly set upon Divine love, cannot but continually rejoice. Ah! how vain is, all that which is not grounded upon GOD! Oh! how is all vanishedvanished away of a sudden! Behold, the dream is fled! But do You, O Christian, forsake all things, and you shall find all things by faith. For he that finds GOD finds all things; but the lover of the world finds not -God. " I am," says CHRIST, "the way, the truth, and the life." As if he should have said, "Without the way, no man goes oil; without the truth, nothing is known; and without life, no man lives: therefore look upon me, who am the way, which you ought to wallt in; the truth, which you ought to believe in; and the life, which you ought to live and hope in. I am the wait that endures for all ages; the infallible truth, and the life everlasting. The royal way to immortal life, through my merit: the truth itself is in my Word; and life is through the power and efficacy of my death; and therefore, if ye continue in this way, the truth will carry you on to eternal life. If ye will not err, come follow me; and if ye will possess life eternal, put your whole trust in me, who for you endured the death of the cross." And what is that royal way, that infallible truth, and that endless life-the best and most noble way, and truth, and life of all others Truly other way there can be none, but the most holy and precious merit of CHRIST; nor other truth, but the Word of God; nor other life, but love on earth, and immortality of happiness in heaven.
18. Now, then, if you desirest, O Christian, to be immortalized in this glorious life, it behoveth thee to believe iii CHRIST, and to follow his example in this world, which alone is the King's way. If you wouldst -not be deceived by the world, take hold on his word by faith, and follow the footsteps of his holy life; because this is the infallible truth. If you desirest to live with CHRIST, then through him die to sin, and become a new creature; because this is life. In brief, CHRIST is the way, the truth, and the life; and the life, no less by example than by merit. Let us therefore, with all our might, endeavor this one thing, that our life may, as nearly as possible, be CHRIST's life. So that if other things be wanting to confound the false Christians, this example of CHRIST may alone be sufficient.
19. For we may surely be ashamed thus to lead our lives in pleasures, when CHRIST JESUS led his in sorrows; and to acquaint ourselves with earthly joy, when he was acquainted with grief, even to his death. And well may we be confounded, to court the favor of this world, when he was " rejected and despised of men;" and to hide, as it were, our faces from him, as if we counted it a shame to have such a Captain of our salvation; or to follow him, who, treading upon the world, endured the cross. Now, if a soldier forget his own ease, when he sees his captain, by fighting valiantly, receive his death but you art for getting the pleasures and honor of the world, even before thy Captain's eyes, when he was used by it most contemptuously, and nailed to the accursed tree, shall I not say, that you verily dost not fight under his banner For is not his banner the cross But, alas! we will, notwithstanding, be accounted Christians.
20. If they that are Christians indeed, walking by the truth of his doctrine, in the path of his example, attempt to make the best of their way to heaven-it follows, that you that seekest honor, and wealth, and promotion, art in the ready way- to hell. Come out of that broad way, which leadeth unto death: come into this safe way, wherein the traveler, cannot stray, and embrace the truth that cannot deceive, and live in him who is life itself.