The sound-hearted Christian, or, A treatise of soundness of heart with several other sermons ... / by William Greenhill.

Application.

1. This serves for reproof; and,

First, it reproves those that are so far from be∣ing of Christs mind, as that they seldom or never mind Christ, they mind earthly things, as the Apo∣stle saith. O how many are there that mind Plays, and mind Pictures, and mind Histories, and mind sea affairs, winds, and weather! how many mind riches, and buying, and selling, and building, and eating, and drinking, and dressing, and things of this nature; that mind exchanges, and friends, &c. and no marvel they have not the mind of Christ; the Gadarens minded their Swine, and minded not Christ, but bad him go out of their Country; so those that were bidden to the Feast, they minded their Wives, and Oxen, and Farms, but they minded not Christ; this now is reproof to such.

Secondly, it is reproof to those, that it may be do somewhat mind Christ, but not so as to live Christ, and to seek the good of others, and the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.24.31. you have both these, Let no man seek his own, but every man an∣others wealth; that is, his spiritual wealth, to do his soul good; the welfare of Soul and Body, and Relations, and welfare of his mind; and in the 31 verse, whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or what∣soever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Here's the great end we should aim at, we should live Christ, and seek the good of others, and seek the glory of God; but where are the men that do this? nay men live now so as they are a reproach to Christ,

and to the name of Christ, a dishonour to God, and make a prey of their Brethren, they live so as if the Devil were their Copy to write after, and to imitate. If the Devil should come up from Hell in the likeness of man, how could he live worse then many men do that are called Chri∣stians; O the debauchedness, the blasphemousness, the oppressions, and the horrible evils that are committed in these our dayes, by those that say they are Christians; Christ told the Pharisees, ye are of your Father the Devil, and his works will ye do: So we may tell many in City and Country, you are of your Father the Devil, and his works you will do; what can they do worse almost then they do, they are come to such a height of wickedness? But let such rather unchristian themselves, than to live as they do, and be called Christians. What will men not be of Christs mind, and yet be Christians? called Christians, and live like De∣vils, and worldlings, and prophane wretches, that neither fear God nor man, better they had been Heathens then Christians; it will be more easie for Sodom and Gomorrah, Tyre and Sidon, then for such at the day of Judgment! So much for re∣proof.

Secondly, this may be matter of humiliation to us all, that we are no more like to Christ, that we have not the same thoughts of God, of Truth, of Sin, of the World, that he had; the Lord Christ saith, be not conformed to the world, the fashions of the world, the manners of the world, the wor∣ship of the world; that we should not love the world, nor things of the world; that was Christs mind, that we should forgive our Enemies, but

we are not of Christs mind, though we have been long in the School of Christ, & Disciples of Christ; yet we are not of the mind of Christ; O how slow, and dull, and untoward are we to learn the mind of Christ! It's the mind of Christ, that people should not cast off Ordinances, and forsake the assembling of themselves (and the like;) but how many do it in these dayes? O this should be mat∣ter of humiliation to us all, that we come so short of the mind of Christ.

Thirdly, it may be an use of examination to us, to examine whether we be of the same mind that the Lord Jesus Christ was of; you may know it by what I have delivered to you already; have we a publick mind, a pure mind, a humble mind, a heavenly mind, a compassionate mind (and the like;) but I'le add something else: would you know whether you are of the mind of Christ, yea or no? then,

First, if you are of Christs mind, you will love what Christ loved, and hate what he hated; now look into Heb. 1.9. he loved Righteousness, and hated Iniquity; do you love Righteousness? you have many go for Christians, and Professors; but come to dealing, and there's no righteousness in their actions, they are all for what they can get, and wring, and scrape to themselves, and don't love righteousness; thou art no true Christian, who∣soever thou art, thou art but a bastardly Christian at the best; for where there is the same mind of Christ, and a true Christian, there's loving of Righteousness, and hating of Iniquity; See in 1 Joh. 2. last, If ye know that he is Righteous, ye know that every one that doth Righteousness, is born of him.

If ye be true Christians ye are born of God, and you do Righteousness, and Ch. 3.10. In this the Children of God are manifest, and the Children of the Devil, whosoever doth not Righteousness, is not of God. Many borrow and never pay again, is here any Righteousness? many have pledges and never restore them, is here any righteousness? many they will put off ill wares with lying and swearing, is here righteousness? if so be there be not Righte∣ousness in mens actions; they have not the mind of Christ; they are not born of God, but they have the mind of the Devil, and of the World, and the flesh, and it's a sad condition: but here's the way to know whether we have the mind of Christ; we will love righteousness, and hate Ini∣quity, hate evil thoughts, and lusts, and all fraud, and cheating, and over-reaching one another.

Secondly, if we would know whether we have the mind of Christ, we shall know it by this, then we will judge of things as Christ judged of them. Joh. 7.24. saith Christ, Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous Judgement; so in 2 Cor. 10.7. Do ye look on things according to out∣ward appearance. Men that have Christs mind will not judge according to outward appearance and semblances, and seemings; but they will judge righteous judgment; judge as Christ himself judg∣ed; Christ saith, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven; blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth; blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Do you judge right now where blessedness lyes? not in honours, nor pleasures, nor things

of this nature; no, it lyes in mourning for sin, in poverty of spirit, in pureness of heart; if you be of Christs mind, you will be of Christs judg∣ment, Luke 16.15. The things that are highly esteemed among men, are abomination with God. Now do you judge of the world as Christ judged? Christ look'd upon the world as a perishing thing, as a defiled thing, and as that which will not satisfie the soul, but endanger every man and woman; do you judge of the world so? Why do you lay out your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Do you judge of all these things thus now? they are not bread for my soul, nor they will not satisfie my soul; I must use the world while I am here, and if I have enough to carry me to my Journeys end, 'tis well; in Acts 19.28. Great is Diana of the Ephesians, say those of Ephesus. So say Catholicks of their Cathedrals, and pom∣pous worship, great is Diana of the Ephesians; yea, but Diana and all her worship was abominable to God; many cry up their worship, and such and such things as are the inventions of men; but they are no more pleasing to God than Diana's Idols, Temple, and Worship. Paul would know no man after the flesh; no, not Christ himself, he had the mind of Christ, and yet he would not know Christ after the flesh, upon fleshly grounds and conside∣rations; so do you know no man after the flesh, but upon spiritual grounds, as they relate to God.

Thirdly, if you have the mind of Christ, then you will see that in the truths of Christ, as will make you love the truth, and stand to it, and to venture all for truth, rather than part from it,

Christ he did witness to truth, in Joh. 18. and did testifie a good confession before Pontius Pilate, and lay'd down his life for truth; now hence he saith in Heb. 10. If any draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him; what, of my mind, and draw back from my truth, and my wayes? my soul shall have no pleasure in him: what, draw back from Christ's Doctrine, and from the principles that have been wrought in you by that Doctrine? draw back from his worship, and from profession of Christ, and practice of the Gospel? my soul shall have no pleasure in you; that is, my soul shall be exceedingly exasperated against you, if you draw back from me and my Doctrine. Antipas held fast the faith, the Church of Pergamus held fast the faith of Christ; and Paul who had the mind of Christ, saw so much in the truth of Christ, as he saith, I am ready not onely to be bound, but to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus. He saw rea∣lity and eternal life in the truths of Christ; so that if you have Christs mind, you will see that in Christs truth and Doctrines, and wayes, and wor∣ship, which will make you go on, and venture all rather than part with the same.

Fourthly, Lastly, if you have Christs mind, you will act as Christ acted; Christ went up and down doing good, as in Acts 10. a man will not live idely, and out of a Calling, that hath the mind of Christ, a man will not be negligent in his Calling, and he will aim at Gods glory, and his neighbours good in his Calling, more then in getting of the world, honouring God, and doing good to his Neighbour, and those he lives among, if he have the mind of Christ. Christ had nothing of the

world, but he would do good; Christ was much in Prayer, so will he; Christ was watchful, so will he; Christ denyed himself, and he will deny him∣self, he will walk even as Christ walked, 1 Joh. 2.6. he that saith he abides in Christ, ought himself so to wolk, even as he walked; if you have the mind of Christ, you will abide in Christ, and Christ will abide in you; now if it be so, you must walk as Christ walked, and be in the world even as he was, 1 Joh. 4.17. because as he is, so are we in this world. By these things you may know whether you have the mind of Christ, yea or no.

In the next place, it is an use of exhortation to us, that we would be of Christs mind.

First, to those that are of another mind; and Secondly, to those that are of his mind, that they would be more and more of his mind.

First, to those that are not of Christs mind; there are many in the world that are of other minds, of the Devils mind, of the worlds mind, and the fleshes mind, froward minds, bitter minds, contentions minds, Eph. 2.3. he shews you there what minds people are of, Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past, in the lusts of our slesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature the Children of wrath, even as others. We were in an ill condition, when we were of that mind, and did such things; in James 3.14, 15. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lye not against the truth; this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, Devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work. If it be so, men have not Christs mind, and there is much envying,

and strife and bitterness in the world in these dayes; O what double minds have men, what covetous minds, what proud minds, what hypo∣critical minds? if we have not the mind of Christ we are not true Christians, and if we dye we shall perish and be undone for ever.

Well, how shall we get the mind of Christ?

First, lay down your own minds, & wills, if you would have the will of Christ; if the Pitcher be full of muddy water, you cannot put in Wine, Milk, or Oyl, but you must empty the Pitcher before it can receive any of these Liquors; so if you would have the mind of Christ, you must emp∣ty your selves of your own minds; look into 1 Cor. 3.18. Let no man deceive himself, if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world? you think you are wise, and have parts, and learning, and education (and the like;) they are good in their places, but they are nothing to the mind of Christ; but if any man seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise. Our wisdom is en∣mity unto God, and till you have lay'd down your own wisdom, you will never have the mind of Christ, nor the wisdom of Christ.

Secondly, if you would have the mind of Christ, give up your selves to be Disciples of Christ; that is, search the Scriptures, and study the Gospel especially, Joh. 5. Search the Scriptures, they are they that testifie of me.

Secondly, I come to those that have something of Christs mind, that they would la bour to have more of it, day by day. There is a natural desire and itch in all men to know more and more: O that there might be such a spiritual itch and desire

in you to know more of the mind of Jesus Christ; Paul had it; 1 Cor. 2. We have the mind of Christ; yet saith he, I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him Crucified; his great desire was to know Christ, and the mind of Christ, & to have the knowledg of Jesus Christ, for which he accounted all things but loss and dung; O this is the onely knowledge, and the excellent know∣ledge, and the soul-saving knowledge, and the soul comforting knowledge; to have the mind of Christ, and to know the things of Jesus Christ, and he would have it more and more, though he knew it the most of, or more than all the men in the world did in that day.

And why should we labour to have more of this knowledge?

First, because it is the end of the Ministry, and of the Gospel; the Lord Christ hath given out or∣dinances; a Church is an ordinance, and the Offi∣cers are ordinances, and it is the end of them; look into 4 Eph. and see to what end they are ap∣pointed, v. 11.14. And he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God. Mark, here's the knowledge of the Son of God, that's the mind of Christ, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; that we henceforth be no more Children, tossed too and fro, and carried about ••ith every wind of Doctrine. Why? all the Ordi∣nances, and all the Officers in the Church, are for

this end, to help you to come to the mind of Christ, to his mind, the fulness of it, the perfe∣ction of it; therefore as you would have the end accomplished, so labour to be more and more of the mind of Jesus Christ.

Secondly, you should be so, because it is the excellency of a Christian to have the mind of Christ more and more; the more consormable to Christ who is compleat and perfect, the more excellent you are; 'tis the very substance of a Christian, to have his will, his thoughts, his affe∣ctions, his ends and aims to be the same with Christ; when I have Christs thoughts, and Christs will, and Christs understanding, and Christs affe∣ctions, and Christs ends, what a Christian am I then? he is the most excellent Christian, that hath most of the mind of Christ; therefore let us labour to know more of the mind of Christ, and to have Christs mind in us.

Thirdly, Lastly, it is that which adds to your happiness, it is a part of your happiness here in this world to be of Christs mind. Wherein lay the happiness of man and wom an at first, in the Image of God, and it lay in knowledge, and righteousness, and holiness; there was the Image of God. Adam was created an understanding, knowing man, a holy man, and a righteous man; now by Adam's eating the forbidden fruit; this Image was lost; but Christ he came to restore this again, it being lost, Eph. 4.24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righ∣teousness, and true holiness. And in the Collossians, knowledge is mentioned, now by the Lord Jesus Christ we have this restor'd again, and the more

we know of Christs mind, the more that Image is renewed in us, 'tis a pure mind, an humble mind, a righteous mind, and it is an understanding mind; so that the more you know of Christ, the more purity, the more righteousness, the more knowledge you have, and so the Image of God is renewed in you, and there's your happiness; and when this comes to perfection, then you are per∣fectly happy, and that will be in heaven.

But you will say, what should we do to get more of the mind of Christ into us?

First, if you would have more of the mind of Christ, then be you less conformable to the world be more and more off from the world, and o•• more and more transformed by the renewing of your minds, Rom. 12.2. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transtormed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and accep∣table, and perfect will of God. You will come to know this good, and perfect, and acceptable will of God more and more; that is, the mind of Christ; 'tis the world keeps us from knowledge, the world doth blind us, and indispose us from re∣ceiving the divine truths and mysteries of the Gos∣pel; that man that is most alienated from the world, and most contemplative of the Gospel, will have most of the mind of God and Christ in him.

Secondly, if you would have more and more of the mind of Christ, see you love the Lord Jesus Christ more and more daily. The more you love, the more Christ will let out his mind unto you, Job. 15.14, 15. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I c••mmand you; henceforth I call you not Servants,

for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. Well, you are my friends, you love me, one friend loves another, and Christ made known all things unto them that he had received of his Father; so Christ will make all things known to your souls that he hath received of the Father, which is needful and good for you, if you love him; so in the 14. Ch. 21. he that hath my Commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will ma∣nifest my self to him. Would you have manifesta∣tions of the Lord Jesus Christ, secrets revealed unto you, and hidden things that the world knows not of, love the Lord Jesus Christ more and more; a Wife the more she loves her Husband, the more her Husband will communicate his secrets unto her; so the more you love Christ, the more of his mind shall you have communicated unto you.

Thirdly, Lastly, if you would have more of the mind of Christ, then pray more and more for the spirit of Christ, for the spirit of Christ reveals the things of God, and searches them, and gives them out unto those, where it is; pray unto Christ to fill you with his spirit, and that spirit will fill you with the knowledge of Christs mind; the spirit of God is a spirit of wisdom and Revelation, Joh. 16.14. the Spirit shall take of mine and shew un∣to you; there's a treasury in Christ, in him are hid all the Treasures of wisdome and knowledge, and the spirit will take of Christs and shew unto you; 2 Cor. 3. last, we all with open face beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same

Image; from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. What's this Glass? the Gospel is the glass, and in the glass there's Christ, and the mind of Christ, and when we come to look in there, we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory; we have more and more of the mind of Christ, and of the holiness of Christ, and righte∣ousness of Christ, as by the Spirit of the Lord; so that pray for the spirit, and the spirit will inter∣pret and open the mind of Christ in all the myste∣ries of the Gospel, which are hidden from most men in the world.