The crucifying of the world by the cross of Christ with a preface to the nobles, gentlemen, and all the rich, directing them how they may be richer / by Richard Baxter.

SECT. XXIV. Use 1.

THE first Use that we shall make of this part of the Obser∣vation (before we proceed to the explication of the other parts) is, To inform us of the mistake and injurious dealing of some misguided ones, commonly called Antinomians, who tell us, that we must look at nothing in our selves, nor fetch comfort from it, and earnestly exclaim against the Preachers of the Gospel for teaching men to look at any thing in themselves, and to take comfort from the Evidence of their graces, and tell us that we must look to Christ alone, and call all those Legall Preachers or Professors that be not of their mind in this. But you may see by what is said before, that they speak against the clearest fullest Evi∣dence; and that the whole stream of Scripture, beareth down their opinion. And therefore it is sad, that when they go against the light of the Sun, they should be so confident as to accuse their Brethren of darkness, and so rash as to censure them as Legalists and ignorant of the righteousness of Christ.

Let us a little distinguish, and all the mists of their accusations will vanish, and the case will be clear. 1. We must distinguish be∣tween [Carnal Self] which we are called in Scripture to deny. And [Self] as it signifieth our personal being; And this we are commanded in Scripture to Love and Cherish. For we must Love our neighbours but as our selves, and a man must cherish and nourish his wife but as his own body, and love her but as himself;

for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, Eph. 5. 28, 29, 33. And [Self] in the third sense, as taken for Renewed Self, that cer∣tainly none is bound to hate.

Now in the first sense its true that we must look at Nothing in our selves for comfort; that is, at nothing in our carnal selves. But of self in the other two senses, we must further en∣quire.

2. We must distinguish between that which is both in our selves and of our selves originally, and that which is in our selves, but not of our selves, but of God by Christ: Or only of our selves in subordination to Christ. The former sort we have small reason to glory in, for it is our sin and shame. But the later we may glory in; for the glory redoundeth to the author.

3. We must distinguish between Looking at something in our selves with a mistaking eye, as judging it Meritorious, or to be more our own then it is. And looking at it with a right judge∣ment, and saying of it no more then what is true. In the later sense we may look at it and glory in it, but not in the for∣mer.

4. And we must distinguish betwixt a Glorying that is termi∣nated ultimately in our selves, or is accompanyed with any undue ascribing to our selves. This is no doubt unlawful: And a Glo∣rying which tendeth to God and is terminated in him, and giveth no honour to any creature but what God giveth them, and what is in a due appointed order to Gods honour. And this Glorying is a duty, and by all Christians to be carefully performed.

If any that peruse these lines be tainted with this weak mistake, let them consider, besides what is said before.

1. Is it just or pious that Christ should lose the honour of his mercies, meerly because he hath bestowed them on us? Doth that make them no mercies: Or rather make them the greater mer∣cies? Shall his grace be villified, because he makes thy soul the subject of it? Why then it seems you would have thanked him more to have kept his mercy to himself.

2. Is Christ ever the less Christ, because he dwels in the hearts of Believers? Eph. 3. 17. And will you pretend to honour Christ without you, and deny him his honour within you, even because he is within you? Yea and will pretend that it is for the honour of Christ thus to dishonour him? and tell men that they

deny or overlook it, because they admire him within them, as well as without them? If Paul say, [I have laboured more abundantly then they all▪ and add when he hath done, [Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was with me; and by the grace of God I am what I am; and his Grace which was bestowed on me was not in vain,] 1 Cor. 15. 10. will you tell him that he exalteth himself against Grace? No: but he exalteth Grace in himself. Paul travailed in birth of the Galathians till Christ-were formed in them, Gal. 4. 19. And must not he and they observe and honour Christ ••n them after all this travail, If we glory that we [are Crucified with Christ, and that we live] we alwaies add or understand [yet not we, but Christ liveth in us, and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us, and gave him∣self for us, Gal. 2. 20.] And is it a dishonour to Christ to ac∣knowledge him in us, and to say that we Live by him?

3. Was it not the very end of Christs death to save his people from their sins? Mat. 1. 21. and to bring them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God? Acts 26. 18. and did he not give himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniqui∣ty, and sanctifie to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Ti••. 2. 14. Did he not therefore die for all, that they which Live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that dyed for them, and rose again? 2 Cor. 5. 15.] [When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.] To what end? •• For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Mini∣stry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the uni∣ty of the Father, and the knowledge of the ••on of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, that henceforth we be no more children, &c. •• •• Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctifie it, and cleanse it by the washing of water, by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such t••ing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. •• Abundance of such passages in Scripture do assure us that the Holiness of the Saints was the End that Christ intended in his dea••h. If therefore you teach men that they must not look at the En••, in effect you ••each them that they must not look at the Means▪ ••f they must not re∣••oyce in the fruits of Christs death, they must not rejoyce in his

death it self: For in it self considered, his death was not matter of Ioy, but of Sorrow: but it is for the sake of the effects that we must rejoyce in it. It is a dishonour to the sufferings and merits of Christ, to obscure or make light of the ends and effects of them. And they that will Glorifie the blood of Christ, must Glorifie its effects on the souls of men. Who is it that more honoureth the Physitian? he that magnifieth the cure, or he that villifieth it, or makes nothing of it? as was aforesaid.

4. Doubtless we must observe and Glory in that which all the world must observe and glorifie God for: and that which will be the matter of our Redeemers honour at the last day; yea the magnifying of himself therein is the end of his coming. But such is the holiness of the Saints. They that see their good works must glorifie our Father which is in heaven, Mat. 5. 16. And Christ shall come to be Glorified in his Saints, and admired in all them that believed, even because they believed the Gospel, 2 Thes. 1. 10. Read also ver. 11, 12.

5. The Holiness of the Saints is called their participation of the Divine nature; (as 2 Pet. 1. 4. is commonly expounded and it seems more agreeable to that which followeth, then to expound it of a Relative participation of the Divine nature in Christ with∣out us.) This is given to them that escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2 Pet. 1. 4. And will you overlook the Divine Nature, and refuse to honour it, and this on pretence, that it is a wrong to Christ? Take heed lest by your doctrine you make Christ an enemy to God and holiness, who came into the world to do his Farhers will, and to recover sinners by sanctifica∣tion from the world to God.

6. It is the great sin of the Devil and wicked men, to wrong and dishonour Christ in his Saints, and when he himself is out of their reach, they persecute him in his members; and those that love not and relieve not these, shall be judged as not loving and relieving Christ. It is certainly our duty then to do contrary to them, and to love and admire Gods graces in the Saints, and to ob∣serve and honour Christ within them.

7. What comfortable use can we make of the promises, if we must not look at those Evidences in our selves that prove our in∣terest in them. God hath promised, that If we confess with the mouth the Lord Iesus, and believe in the heart that God raised him

from the dead, we shall be saved, Rom. 10. and that he that belie∣veth shall not perish, but have everlasting life, Iohn 3. 16. If you say with the Papists, that no man can tell whether he be a true Believer or not: then you make the promise vain; For what good will it do any man to know that heaven is promised to Be∣lievers, if it cannot be known whether we are Believers or not: But if you confess that it may be known, why should we so de∣spise the comfort of the promise as not to search after and observe the qualification, which must evidence that it is ours? Will you apply this promise to all, or to some, or to none? If to none, then its made in vain. If to all, you will deceive the most. I mean if you absolutely promise them the benefit. For it is not all that are Believers, nor all that shall have everlasting life. You dare not absolutely tell all men in the world, that they shall not perish. It must needs therefore be the proper benefit of some: and how will you know but by the Text who those are. There is no way of applying it, that the Text or common reason will allow of, but by discerning that we are Believers, to conclude thereupon that we shall not perish. If you say that all are bound to believe that they shall not perish, I answer, then most should be bound to believe a falshood; which cannot be. They are only bound to believe the truth of the Gospel, and accept of Christ as offered therein, and then discerning this faith in themselves to conclude that they shall be glorified.

8. Should we not observe the lower m••r••i••s that we possess, it were great unthankfulness: much more to overlook the special mercies that accompany salvation. We must bless God for the very health and strength of body that is within us; for our un∣derstandings and memories: How much more for the graces that are within us.

9. Our Mortification is part of our Salvation: and our Holi∣ness is a beginning of our Happiness; and when we come to hea∣ven we shall be perfected herein. If therefore we may not take comfort in this, we may not take comfort in heaven it self, which is the perfection of it.

10. Lastly consider, that Sanctification is that mercy that makes us capable of glorifying God for the rest of his mercies, and recei∣ving the comfort of them. An unsanctified man cannot give any honour sincerely to Christ. And may we not observe and glory

in that mercy, that enableth us to give God the glory of all mer∣cies? Can it be a wrong to Christ, to rejoyce in that without which we can do nothing but wrong him? and to take comfort in that, without which we are uncapable of true comfort?

By this time I hope it is evident to you, that it is an injurious dealing against Christ and his Saints, for any to reproach them for Glorying in Gods graces, even that they are Crucified to the world, and the world to them.